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Page 1: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

1930’s Work Relief 1930’s Work Relief CampsCamps

Page 2: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

1. In 1931 the B.C. government 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. unemployed men.

1. In these work camps, usually located in 1. In these work camps, usually located in the wilderness far away from settled the wilderness far away from settled areasareas

2. Young men were employed building 2. Young men were employed building roads, airports, military bases and parks.roads, airports, military bases and parks.

3. At first the pay was $2.00 a day.3. At first the pay was $2.00 a day.

Page 3: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

The Boys at workThe Boys at work

Page 4: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

4. Soon after, the camps in B.C. were 4. Soon after, the camps in B.C. were operated jointly by the federal and operated jointly by the federal and provincial government and wages provincial government and wages were reduced to $7.50 a month.were reduced to $7.50 a month.

5. In 1933, the Department of National 5. In 1933, the Department of National Defense took over the camps:Defense took over the camps:– reduced pay to 20 cents a dayreduced pay to 20 cents a day– eight hours a day, with a 44 hour week.eight hours a day, with a 44 hour week.

Page 5: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.
Page 6: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.
Page 7: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Purpose of the CampsPurpose of the Camps

6. The real purpose of the camps was 6. The real purpose of the camps was to hide the men in far-off areas, away to hide the men in far-off areas, away from cities where they tended to from cities where they tended to organize and make "trouble" for the organize and make "trouble" for the police and governmentpolice and government

Page 8: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Conditions in the CampsConditions in the Camps

7. Conditions in the camps were 7. Conditions in the camps were deplorable:deplorable:– The food was often poorThe food was often poor– Recreation facilities were lackingRecreation facilities were lacking– Tents and bunkhouses were often Tents and bunkhouses were often

without stoveswithout stoves– Second blankets were rareSecond blankets were rare

7. What the young men suffered most 7. What the young men suffered most from was isolation from society.from was isolation from society.

Page 9: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Sleeping ConditionsSleeping Conditions

Page 10: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Reactions in the CampsReactions in the Camps8. It wasn't long before protest strikes 8. It wasn't long before protest strikes

began to develop and demands made.began to develop and demands made. Some were for better food, fresh meat, new Some were for better food, fresh meat, new potatoes and one package of tobacco every potatoes and one package of tobacco every three days.three days.

9. The isolation and dehumanizing conditions of 9. The isolation and dehumanizing conditions of the camps created an ideal situation for the camps created an ideal situation for organizing; workers were desperate, and they organizing; workers were desperate, and they had the time and contact to figure out how to had the time and contact to figure out how to take action. take action. Relief camp workers in B.C. Relief camp workers in B.C. formed the Relief Camp Workers’ Union formed the Relief Camp Workers’ Union (RCWU)(RCWU)

Page 11: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

On-to-Ottawa TrekOn-to-Ottawa Trek

Page 12: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

1. The 1. The federal government refused to federal government refused to negotiate with the strikersnegotiate with the strikers, despite , despite the strong public support. At a huge the strong public support. At a huge organizing meeting, strikers voted to organizing meeting, strikers voted to take their complaints directly to take their complaints directly to Parliament Hill.Parliament Hill.

2. On June 3, 1935, the first group climbed 2. On June 3, 1935, the first group climbed on board the boxcars and left Vancouver. on board the boxcars and left Vancouver. Others joined the trek in Kamloops, Field, Others joined the trek in Kamloops, Field, Golden, Calgary and Moose Jaw. Golden, Calgary and Moose Jaw.

Page 13: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

3. Riding the Rails3. Riding the Rails

Page 14: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

More workers join the ridersMore workers join the riders

Page 15: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Government ReactionGovernment Reaction4. By the time the trekkers reached Regina, 4. By the time the trekkers reached Regina,

P.M. Bennett decided P.M. Bennett decided it was time to put it was time to put an end to this "insurrection“ an end to this "insurrection“ (meaning revolution). (meaning revolution).

5. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was 5. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was ordered to ban the trekkers as ordered to ban the trekkers as "trespassers". "trespassers".

5. The federal cabinet directed the RCMP to 5. The federal cabinet directed the RCMP to strengthen troops in Regina to disband strengthen troops in Regina to disband the trekkers. the trekkers.

Page 16: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Regina RiotRegina Riot

The RCMP and Regina city police, under The RCMP and Regina city police, under orders from P.M. Bennett, attacked a orders from P.M. Bennett, attacked a public meeting of 3,000 gathered in public meeting of 3,000 gathered in support of the strikers.support of the strikers.

6. By the end of the evening of July 1, 6. By the end of the evening of July 1, 1935, one person was dead, several 1935, one person was dead, several hundred were injured, and thousands of hundred were injured, and thousands of dollars of property damage left downtown dollars of property damage left downtown Regina in ruins.Regina in ruins.

Page 17: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Demonstration in ReginaDemonstration in Regina

Page 18: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Riot ChaosRiot Chaos

Page 19: 1930s Work Relief Camps. 1. In 1931 the B.C. government established "relief camps" for single and unemployed men. 1. In these work camps, usually located.

Effects of the TrekEffects of the Trek The events helped to discredit The events helped to discredit

Bennett's Conservative government, Bennett's Conservative government, and in the 1935 federal election, his and in the 1935 federal election, his party went from holding 134 seats to party went from holding 134 seats to just 39.just 39.

After the Trek, the government After the Trek, the government provided free transportation as a provided free transportation as a peace sign back to the camps.peace sign back to the camps.

The camps were soon dismantled The camps were soon dismantled and replaced by seasonal relief and replaced by seasonal relief camps run by the provinces and that camps run by the provinces and that paid the men slightly more for their paid the men slightly more for their labour than the earlier camps.labour than the earlier camps.


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