No country was immune to the Great Depression, but each country certainly had its own unique experience with the economic turmoil of the 1920s and 1930s. Canada's geography made it an interesting case--while it was immediately involved in World War I because of its political connections to Great Britain, it was immune to the physical calamities of the war.
Based on your perception of the reading, how are Canada's experiences with the Great Depression different? What does it have to do with Canada's political structure? How about geography? How effectively does William Lloyd Mackenzie King address the early problems of the economic downturn prior to losing the election in 1930?
(as for the picture above, I just couldn't help myself...)
I think that the impact of the Great Depression on Canada was not so much different thatn it was in the United States. of course, it reached Canada a little later and not as bad, but some of the important aspects also hit Canada really badly. The owrst was probably the unemployment of the people. The canadian stock market also suffered, but not as much as the american. Some results of the unemployments were poorness, mistrust in the market, so that import and export were decreased. What was surely the worst for the people is, that King didn't see the problem or refuse to realize it and didn't start actions against the unemployment
ReplyDeleteThe Great Depression in Canada was unique because not only did it occur in an unsettling economic time, but also an unsettling political time. The linguistic divide between English and French speakers tore political parties farther away from each other and Mackenzie was elected at the height of it all. Then, to add to all of this he had to deal with the war and its debt.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Canada had a tie to the war but not in the same financial situation as Europe meant that the depression didn't hit them quite as hard. Also, since they had a smaller economy and less people it seemed like the depression was not really a big deal, when comparing it to America. However, they still had vast problems like most other Western countries during the time.
ReplyDeleteIt's not until now when we realize how big of a reliance we are to some other nations. The reason why Canada fell was entirely our fault. Though their fall wasn't nearly the weight of ours, it was still the biggest they have seen. It raises some questions on if our economy was to fail again. How would it affect the rest of the world. Everyone we have connections with and do business with would go down with us.
ReplyDeleteI think that most of the aspects of the great depression that are associated with U.S. were in Canada also. It was clear that the great depression was a little late to Canada but it did not fail to preform. The governamental and social rift that formed between French and British speakers. I also think that the debt and the effect of the war was a death blow that set Canada for failure.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though Canada's experience was similar to the U.S., however it seems that some aspects of it were very different. The fact that many parts of Canada's economy were based on the U.S. and when the U.S. markets staggered so did Canada's. The calling of elections during very calamitous times seems to be a very odd time to have them. The fact that the country was separated by the two very different languages and cultures was a important piece.
ReplyDeleteUp till today, Canada's and the U.S's economy are interconnected, with a natural gas pipeline being built between the two countries currently. Europe also suffered from the depression, but Canada received the brunt of it. Also, Canada still hasn't sorted the differences between its two largest sects, the French speaking Canadians who still want to secede and the British.
ReplyDeleteCanada was vulnerable to instability in the United States. Therefore, it seemed that as the U.S. economy declined, so did Canda's, and vice versa. The U.S. "economic boom" lifted Canada out of its Depression. For the most obvious difference between the two areas of Depression, Canada was home to two different languages - French and English, both of which are heavily spoken. William Mackenzie King was chosen as a leader who could appeal to both speakers and bring Canada out of the war. There was an overal regional discontent across Canada as Liberals were divided into pro and anti-conscriptionist, Progressives were divided into moderate and radial, AND Canada was currently suffering from a severe drought; they could not rely on their farming/agriculture to help them economically. Although some people thing that Canada didn't seem to suffer as much as the U.S., it seems to me that they may have struggled more. Afterall, only the United States emerged from WWI with relative economic strength.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Canada may not have faced the brunt of the Great Depression Canada certainly suffered from it. While the Canadian economic system experienced server drops, most of the affects of the Great Depression were felt by the Canadian unemployment numbers. While William Lloyd Mackenzie King was brought in as a voice that appealed to both sides of the Canadian government, he was meant to pull Canada out of the war. By 'both sides' i meant that the liberals in Canada were divided straight down middle and formed into several groups. Such as Pro and anti-conscriptionists, and the progressives were divided into moderate and radical (something i think the modern republican party here in the States will go through and relatively soon).
ReplyDeleteCanada's Great Depression was similar to the United States' because of its geography and close economic connection to the United States. The failure of United States economy therefore made Canada's economy fall, but not crumble. Without being a heavily active participant in WWI, Canada didn't have enormous war debts, leaving its economy better off than Europe, and better able to absorb an economic downturn.
ReplyDeleteThe Depression came to Canada a bit later than it happened to the economy,which have a lot to do the interrelationship between canada and the US. The depression did not hit Canada as hard as it did to us, that amy be because there were not serious situition of expension of credit and speculation of buying margins.Also, being not directly involed into the war and the bilingual within the country made the situition become complex.
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