History assignment

During the Great Depression, two unemployed men in Canada struggle to find work. The American economic crisis affects Canada, causing many companies to close and people to lose their jobs. The government creates relief camps for unemployed men, but they are poorly paid and have terrible living conditions. The men protest and go on a trek to Ottawa to demand better treatment. They are met with resistance and violence from the government, leading to a riot in Regina. In the end, the protesters are arrested and their cause is not fully resolved. This program of On The Track is brought to you by CBAM. This is an engaging true story of two unemployed men who struggle to get through the devastating times of the Great Depression. We follow them as they find work and strive for a difference. 1929, the stock market crashed. Everyone who put money in banks scrambled to get their money back. Fortunately, Canadian banks had more financial regulations, thus not all money was lost. Even so, many banks went bankrupt. Suddenly, the Canadian economy crashed alongside the Americans. More demand declined, the more U.S. shut down Canadian companies, putting more people at loss of a job. The horrendous cycle of unemployment continued, and with it, no new jobs rose. Hey Robert, what do you think of me getting the lads together at a mine for a little get-together after work? You interested? Mate, I'm not too sure. The word around here is that the American crisis is taking a toll on us Canadians. I'd overheard some of the higher-ups complaining about having to let some people go. Both John and Charles aren't at the stations today. It's worrying. They must have taken a day off or something. You've got to relax, I doubt anything is truly going to happen. Ah, maybe you're right. I do need to take the edge off. By week's end, I always get carried away. It's got to be all them toxins they've got just breathing in at this place. Really, mate, I'm starting to think that there's something wrong with that brain of yours. We'll be fine, we've got good jobs and good pay. I bet you six months' times we'll have a promotion. Hey Robert, check this out. What's this? You were right all along. They had begun laying off most of the people in the sector and we made the list. It says the last day will be Thursday of next week. What are we going to do? There's this kid on the other side of my street, Mr. Russell's son. I know he'd been looking for a job to help his pa with some bills. And I'll tell you, he ain't found a single place that would take him. He's a kid. He doesn't have any experience compared to all those other applicants. Let's not lose our chill now. I say we scout out some places after we're done working so we know what's out there come Thursday. Get the feel of refreshment with a nice cold Coca-Cola. When you feel thirsty, hot, warm-cold, and maybe not even feeling good, go to the refrigerator and grab yourself an ice-cold Coca-Cola. Need a refreshment during the middle of the game? Coca-Cola is here to help. And by the favorite drink of the rich and the poor, young and the old, Coca-Cola, always good to the last drop. Andrew McNaughton was the Chief of General Staff, who promoted the idea of Sparrow's Relief Camps that would prevent young men from voting, isolated them, and made them do labor for the government. McNaughton had convinced R.B. Bennett to implement these camps to prevent a communist uprising among the many unemployed people in Canada during this time. These men had to volunteer for these camps, but men who refused could be arrested for vagrancy, which forced their hands. You ready? On three. One, two, three. Run for it! You might want to speed up. Just like the train, I'm not going to stop for you. We either hop on this train or we're stuck in Montreal. We can't get a job anywhere. We've got to get moving somewhere else. Mate, you've got a watch on you. It feels like it's been years. I sold my watch for some change to pay my rent a while back. I don't have it no more. But hey, I talked to some of the fellows over there who've been doing this a while, and they said by nightfall there should be a stop. Now that's what I like to hear. I'm going to take a snooze for a bit. Wake me when we get somewhere. James. James! James! Get up. Do you hear that man on the microphone? What are you talking about? Wait, I think I hear something. Get your wages, shelter and food, everybody. Excuse me, sir. Can you repeat that? Did you just say... Yes, I did indeed. I'm with the Employment Service of Canada. We're recruiting people for federal relief camps. How would you like to be rewarded through the government, wages, shelter and food in exchange for your hard-working labor? Man, I could kiss you right now. That's what we're looking for since we got laid off. I'll sign the both of us up right now. To most men's surprise, the government did provide them with what was promised, at least to some extent. They were given awful wages, food and living spaces to reside in. But to them, something was better than nothing. It was better than getting arrested for vagrancy. Most men were making twenty cents a day, and unlike what they were told, they were unable to leave the camps. This is what caused the eventual uprising among the men. Two years later. I'm sick of this. Everyone in these camps are sick of it. We get paid twenty cents a day, we eat horrible food, and we go anywhere outside of these camps. I'm starting to believe nothing is better than letting the government use us like this. I'm glad you feel this way, because at lunch yesterday, word was getting around that most of the men here feel the same way. They're planning a secret walkout. Today, at three, we're going to drop all their shovels and strike. Have riders outside of your property? Have feral animals threatening your livestock? Maybe even having the feeling to better protect yourself? Well, do I have the solution for you. Purchase a wonderful M1911A1 today. Easily maintainable, cheap and reliable, easy to aim, and if you feel like you don't need it for defending your property from those pesky riders outside, you can always purchase an M1911A1 to go to the shooting range with the family. It's fun for everyone, even the kids. Don't feel like bringing your family to the shooting range? That's fine, you can go yourself. The Onto Ottawa Trek of 1935, a protest movement that started by single unemployed men in federal relief camps, mostly by Western Canada, coming in and protesting. That demonstration was actually quite nice. We became allies of a large sum of other supporters and spokes government officials. And now we're headed to Ottawa on this disgusting train once again. No one even tried to stop us. And now we head east to Ottawa, to the federal government we go a lot. SIR! Yes men, let's get a pay that's better than 20 cents a day. We ain't working like a dog no more. SIR! They weren't done there folks. Those who protested in Vancouver hopped on yet another free train, this time in Ottawa to protect those who were forced from federal relief camps by the Bennett government in Ottawa. Well, this train ride's going quite nicely. Robert, dammit, you gotta ruin every good thing, don't you? Now what business do you folks have here? We have business talking to Prime Minister Bennett about the federal relief camps. Funny you say that. Bennett ordered me specifically to NOT let you guys pass. I'll allow eight of you to represent this, uh, trek of yours. The rest of you will stay here. How dare you! We traveled all this way- Sir, I along with seven other of my men will be honored to address our issues to the Prime Minister Bennett. Alright, you all come with me. The rest of you will stay here with James. Right, Ethan. You boys follow me. I hate that guy. Despite the efforts to get the talk going, Bennett was unwilling to negotiate and compromise. July 1st, the delegation came back to Regina to disband the trek. Later that day, a rally of 300 people was organized at Regina's March Square as a final push for the trekkers. Leave it to the federal government to ruin every good thing, the trek to disband, but no! Bennett decided to send the police and RCMP squads to arrest our leaders and speakers. Maybe this last push will be enough to get through to them. Do you want to be free? Do you want to be part of something greater? Prove to yourself that you have the strength and the courage to be free. Become an infantryman. Travel to unique territories and defend your way of life throughout the world. Become a soldier. Regina Riot was a massive conflict on the Regina streets. The trekkers did not hesitate to fight the cops with rocks and clubs, and the police, with similar aggression, decided to fire the shots onto the crowd. That day, hundreds of people were injured. 130 rioters were arrested, thousands of dollars in damages to the city, and two people died, including an officer. This riot had proven to be a trinity and victory for the protesters and a significant moment in Canadian history. Rob, let's try to stay together during this chaos. I can barely see two meters in front of me of how crowded this place is. You got my vote. Better just stay in a pair just in case. The cops are shooting into the crowd. We need to get out of here before we get hit by one of those shots. This cause is not worth our lives. Alright, let's go. It's going to be hard to shove our way through, everyone. Hold my hand. We can't get separated. Rob, I think the cops have got us all surrounded. People are fighting in opposite directions. I think we may be trapped. By the strike's end, everyone who was still there was either injured or at handcuffs, tying their hands to their backs. Hey, you two. Stop right there. Alright, sir. Just don't shoot. No way. I've worked too hard for this. I need Bennett to... Get down on the ground. Now! Alright, sir. Just don't shoot. My shin. It's broken. You two are coming with me. Pick up your wimp of a friend. And that's it, folks. That's the end of tonight's episode of On the Trek. Hope you enjoyed the show. Have a good night. Thanks for watching. Thanks for watching.