SECTION A Prescribed Subject 1 The Great Depression in Canada, 1929-1939 These sources relate to the Regina Riot on July 1, 1935 SOURCE A An extract from an article “Regina Riot ended epic trek, sealed prime minister's fate” in The Canadian Press on Wednesday, December 22, 1999 written by Martin O'Hanlon. To understand what happened, one must begin years earlier far away in the labour "relief" camps of British Columbia and a movement that became known as the On-To-Ottawa Trek As the Depression tightened its grip on the beleaguered nation in the early 1930s, then-prime minister R.B. Bennett set up a system of work camps across the country for unemployed men. Under the direction of the military, workers cleared forests, built roads and dug ditches in return for food, board and 20 cents a day -- a pitiful wage even in those days. Bennett, a Conservative, called them relief camps, Workers called them slave camps. Camp workers spent months in the wilderness in spartan conditions plagued by boredom and blackflies. They weren't allowed to vote at the camps. Food was bad. Complaints were ignored “Trouble makers" -- those who fought for better conditions —- were kicked out. That sentiment was shared by most camp workers. SOURCE B A report of the Regina Riot Inquiry Commission, pp. 109-114. Colonel Wood himself was of the opinion that, if the leaders were to be arrested, action should be taken immediately because he believed that the strikers were preparing to make some desperate move; this was also the belief of Inspector Chesser and Major Murison of the Canadian Pacific Railway Police. The foundation for the belief was confidential information which the police officers had from a source which they considered thoroughly reliable, to the effect that the strikers were making clubs and preparing for battle with the police, ...he feared that they were planning demonstrations in the city which might result in riots and he believed that quick action in arresting the leaders might prevent the disturbances and make it easier to negotiate with the men for their return to the camps or to their homes,SOURCE C An extract from an article in Toronto Star on 3 July 1933 in which a telegram from Premier Gardiner of Saskatchewan to Ottawa is included. The trouble at Regina which has resulted in death was apparently precipitated by an attempt on the part of the police to breakup an orderly meeting at which the trekkers were preparing to raise fund. Premier Gardiner...makes a plain statement about it in a telegram to Ottawa “While we were meeting to consider their proposals and any suggestions we might make to you (the federal government) the trouble started downtown between police and strikers ‘without notification to us of police intentions... .While the Saskatchewan government considered action, the police raided a public meeting to arrest the leaders, precipitating a riot.” SOURCE D An extract from an article in The Leader-Post on 2huly, 1935. The point emerges, as it has so often emerged in connection with Mr. Bennett, that he was too busy himself to give the situation the serious consideration that he required and that he did not regard any other member of his Cabinet as competent to deal with the matter. Because of the fact that Ottawa had decided that the strikers were to be stopped in ‘Saskatchewan and that issue of law and order was almost certain to arise on Saskatchewan ground the ordinary citizen would take it for granted that the Saskatchewan Government would have bezn notified of what was proposed. Such notification would have been based in the ordinary canons of ‘common sense and courtesy. Nothing of the kind was done. The Dominion Government went on in its blundering way until a bad situation that should have been attended to in British Columbia was made ‘worse on the plains of Saskatchewan. And Mr. Bennett, having made all the moves to place the problem on Saskatchewan's doorstep and having taken over the matter of police administration in Saskatchewan without question or without notification, now comes forward to suggest that the Government of Saskatchewan should do its duty! Everything that Mr. Bennett touches appears to go wrong; be leads the country into one trouble after another. It will be a good day for Canada when the country is removed from the control of Mr. Bennett and his works, It’s getting plainer all the time that any kind of a new government would be better thanthat which we have today. 5.SOURCE EA photograph of the Regina Riot where Mounties armed with clubs are shown ‘storming through a crowd of men, women and children gathered for a labour rally in Regina July 1, 1935. It was published in many Canadian newspapers following the event. Prescribed Subject 1 the Great Depression in Canada, 1929-1939 These questions relate to the Regina Riot on July 1, 1935 during the Great Depression in Canada. 1. a) According to Source A, explain why the workers left the work camps to join the On-To-Ottawa trek, which ultimately brought them to the Regina Riot [4 marks] b) What message is being conveyed by Source E? [2 marks] 2, Compare and contrast the reports of the Regina Riot from Sources B and C 15 marks} 3, With reference to their origin and purpose, assess the value and limitations for historians studying the events surrounding the Regina Riot using Source B and C. [6 marks} 4. Using the documents and your own knowledge, explain to what extent you agree with the verdict expressed in Source D: “Everything that Mr. Bennett touches appears to go wrong; he leads the country into one trouble after another.” [S marks] gjme for men’ 1(@) suggestions might include any four or more of the following but answer should be in complete sentence form: boredom, isolation, no right to vote, bad food, complaints ignored, 20 cents « day = “slave camps", or guarded by military [4 marks} (©) police brutality against men, women and children despite that the protestors appear to be unarmed [2 marks} 2, Incontrast: Doe. B -strikerss preparing to attack police: strikers were armed Doc. C—police instigated the riot: the meeting of trekkers was orderly In comparison: both documents say the police broke up the meeting at the request of government officials. Discussion must mention both similarities and differences and make specific reference to the documents either with quotations or paraphrasing {5 marks) 3. Answer should be in two paragraphs with one for each document Document 8: _origin—government sponsored report of the Regina Riot Inquiry Commission: ‘purpose—to investigate the causes of the riots and the actions of tthe participants; value—this is an official Royal Commission report which would have received submissions from both sides of the dispute along with eye witnesses: primary source: limitation—sponsored by the government who might have motive to ‘cover up the actions of the police: throughout the Depression the Canadian government was worried about potential rebellions and the RCMP were to “keep things under control* Document ¢: origin—newspaper article from Toronto Star two days after the riot Purpose—to report on causes of the riot ‘Value~primary document; contains excerpt from telegram from the Saskatchewan premier Limitation—Saskatchewan government blaming federal government in Ottawa for the attack by police because they do not want to take responsibility (there was «a lot of conflict between various levels of government in Canada throughout the Depression ‘over which should be responsible for relief) so there is motivational bias possible [3 marks for each document to total of 6 mark] 4. Evidence in documents—(A)—Bemnett set up work camps with poor conditions creating dissatisfaction and protest (8)-military involvement (Cand D)—suggest federal government brought this incident on: shift blame to Sask. Government; end trek before it got to Ottawa un knowledge might include—relief payments were too little to live on: government believed in a laissez-faire attitude (market would correct itself): lack of understanding about the depth of Depression and what to do. Answer MUST have both or max. is 5 Total marks possible = 8. 52.