How Did The Great Depression Affect Canadian Identity
Canadian identity, when defined by its economy during the 1930’s was affected negatively due to the Great Depression. The Great Depression affected Canada negatively because it meant that Canadians were suffering and that citizens were angry at the government for their lack of effort in helping the citizens. When the Great Depression first hit, many people were left unemployed and without any money or a home due to the loans people got during the prosperous years of the 20’s. During these bad times, the Federal Department of Labour said that a family needed between 1200 and 1500 dollars a year to maintain the "minimum standard of decency". Shockingly; 60 percent of households were making less than 1000 dollars a year. This meant that 60 percent of Canada’s population was living beneath what the government said was the minimum amount of money needed to sustain a decent life which at the time wasn’t very good to begin with.
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These relief programs gave out very little money from 16 dollars a month in Nova Scotia to 60 dollars in Alberta. If one had to survive on even 60 dollars a month, which still only totals 720 dollars a year would not even be close to the minimum amount the Department of Labour says one needs to survive. With so many people struggling to survive, it is really obvious that the Great Depression affected Canadian identity negatively in the eyes of its own people. Another reason that the Great Depression negatively affected Canada was because the government did not try hard enough to help its citizens and this really angered them. The lack of action by Mr. Bennett and Mr. Mackenzie King persuaded many to write letters to the PMs regarding their lack of action. For example, an anonymous Canadian wrote to Bennett in desperation
These relief programs gave out very little money from 16 dollars a month in Nova Scotia to 60 dollars in Alberta. If one had to survive on even 60 dollars a month, which still only totals 720 dollars a year would not even be close to the minimum amount the Department of Labour says one needs to survive. With so many people struggling to survive, it is really obvious that the Great Depression affected Canadian identity negatively in the eyes of its own people. Another reason that the Great Depression negatively affected Canada was because the government did not try hard enough to help its citizens and this really angered them. The lack of action by Mr. Bennett and Mr. Mackenzie King persuaded many to write letters to the PMs regarding their lack of action. For example, an anonymous Canadian wrote to Bennett in desperation