Figure 1 During the 1930s, many workers protested in the

streets to show their disappointment with the government’s

response to the poor economy. This photo shows men protesting

THE GREAT
on a Vancouver street in 1938. What evidence do you see in this
photo that shows how the men were feeling at that time? Why
do you think the men were disappointed with the government?

DEPRESSION:
1929–1939
IN THIS CHAPTER,
WE WILL FOCUIOSN
• learn about the Great
QUEST
Depression and how How did the Great
it affected the lives of Depression affect
Canadians Canadians?
• assess whether political
and social responses to
the Great Depression
were effective Challenging Times
• explore new political The 1930s were a very difficult time for many Canadians
ideas that developed because there were so few jobs. During this time, there
at this time were more than 250 000 teenage transients (people with
• learn how to analyze no homes, just passing through) who travelled by train
historical perspective across Canada and the United States. Many left home out
of desperation and went looking for work and a better life.
They often travelled hundreds of kilometres on the rumour
of a job waiting farther down the line. Imagine what it
might have been like feeling this desperate while constantly
thinking about the “better times” that might be around the
next corner.

76 Unit 3: 1929–1945 NEL NEL Chapter 4: The Great Depression: 1929–1939 77