The great depression In Canada today we have many advantages compared to other countries, we don 't tolerate racism or discrimination and we provide free healthcare and jobs to every Canadian citizen. But 75 years ago, we did not have any of these advantages. The Great Depression was one of the most desperate times Canada had or would ever see, which is why it was the most scaring period for Canadians. Although nowadays Canadians live one of the most convent lives in the world, they still had to live through some of the most horrendous conditions, where 1/5 Canadians were on relief[1] and child labour was accepted. During the Great Depression, there was next to no health care, and if there was it was only for the
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There was a saying back then that used to go "Last hired, first fired"[5] it basically meant that foreigners were the last ones considered for the already scarce jobs. Not only that but Caucasian Canadians (the majority) blamed Chinese immigrants for the poor economy.[6] Which was devastating considering Canada had already created the head tax, limiting Chinese people to come and even took a step further by creating a law called the Chinese immigration act, which banned Chinese immigrants from entering Canada. But Chinese people weren 't the only ones experiencing hatred and injustice, people of colour were strongly opposed and in many court rulings, it solidified that restaurants could legally refuse service to coloured …show more content…
After years of drought, grasshoppers, and terrible grain prices, people finally decided the conditions they were living in and the fact there were no jobs around needed to change, so they decided to go on strike. One of the biggest strikes Canadians went on was called the Estevan strike. One source accurately shows how people were treated during the depression; "Many men were injured and when they tried to seek medical help, they were denied because they needed to have paid a week 's fee in advance or weren 't policemen".[9] Not only that but during the strike police officers beat men and even some pedestrians were even killed during the brawl for just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Furthermore after the riot, many trails after the raid were marked by allegations of official bias, stacked evidence and jury tampering and to top that the strikers were mainly foreigners, proving once again, discrimination was strongly present. This shows again, people were suffering because there were no jobs and some people even died just to have rights and the government still did
There was a saying back then that used to go "Last hired, first fired"[5] it basically meant that foreigners were the last ones considered for the already scarce jobs. Not only that but Caucasian Canadians (the majority) blamed Chinese immigrants for the poor economy.[6] Which was devastating considering Canada had already created the head tax, limiting Chinese people to come and even took a step further by creating a law called the Chinese immigration act, which banned Chinese immigrants from entering Canada. But Chinese people weren 't the only ones experiencing hatred and injustice, people of colour were strongly opposed and in many court rulings, it solidified that restaurants could legally refuse service to coloured …show more content…
After years of drought, grasshoppers, and terrible grain prices, people finally decided the conditions they were living in and the fact there were no jobs around needed to change, so they decided to go on strike. One of the biggest strikes Canadians went on was called the Estevan strike. One source accurately shows how people were treated during the depression; "Many men were injured and when they tried to seek medical help, they were denied because they needed to have paid a week 's fee in advance or weren 't policemen".[9] Not only that but during the strike police officers beat men and even some pedestrians were even killed during the brawl for just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Furthermore after the riot, many trails after the raid were marked by allegations of official bias, stacked evidence and jury tampering and to top that the strikers were mainly foreigners, proving once again, discrimination was strongly present. This shows again, people were suffering because there were no jobs and some people even died just to have rights and the government still did