Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
recommended closing relief concentration camps and replacing them with a
land settlement program (1936). 11 It also proposed an employment service to
enhance coordination among employers and employees, an ambitious public
housing program to both create employment and lessen shortages in the hous-
ing supply, as well as a National Volunteer Conservation System along the
lines of the one developed by Roosevelt in the United States. Of these only
the land settlement program was implemented. In addition, after Bennett's
constitutional fiasco, King sounded out the provinces regarding the amend-
ment of the Constitution, necessary to develop a centralized unemployment
insurance program. To this end he appointed, in August 1937, the Rowell-
Siros Commission on Dominion-Provincial Financial Relations. At this point
six provinces, including British Columbia, agreed to transfer the capacity to
deal with unemployment to the federal government. New Brunswick decided to
wait for the conclusions of the Commission before making a decision. Quebec
and Ontario, 12 provinces with average to high income per capita and relatively
less hit by the Depression, wary of the fiscal and political implications of a
common program, claimed concerns about provincial autonomy and refused
the amendment. Incidentally, both provinces are bound to be net contribu-
tors in any national insurance system. Finally, Alberta's Premier (Aberhart),
whose earlier attempt to develop a system of social credit specifically tailored
to the type of production dominant in the province had been overruled by
Ottawa, rejected any constitutional amendment unless he could see the specific
legislation first. As a unanimous agreement on constitutional reform was not
within reach, King decided to postpone the issue until the Rowell and Siros
report was published. However, exogenous circumstances altered King's plans,
accelerating events and providing a clear illustration of the mechanisms behind
the process of homogenization of preferences that took place among Cana-
dian elites between the end of 1937 and the approval of the Unemployment
Insurance Act in 1941.
By the end of 1937 a heavy drought increased the magnitude of the Depres-
sion in the West, creating yet another conflict between British Columbia (BC)
and Ottawa about the costs of coping with transients. Relatively wealthier
than any other province, BC was a natural point of destination for the tran-
sients. Municipal Relief Office estimates indicate that during 1930 Vancouver's
11 Conditions under the new program were much better than in Bennett's concentration camps.
Now workers would get a proper salary, “a $5 monthly stipend to both the farmer and person
he hired plus a $2.50 deferred bonus for each month worked to be received during the winter
months” (Struthers 1983 : 159-160) and the program would be much broader in coverage
(targeting the estimated 100,000 transients, it ended up taking care of 37,000 homeless men
and 5,000 women, which were excluded from Bennett's camps). For a short period of time, this
strategy solved the transients issue and contained the cost of relief expenditures to the provinces.
However, British Columbia and Ontario refused to take part in it, limiting its positive effects.
12 Despite belonging to the same party, Liberal Premier Hepburn of Ontario was deeply hostile
to King and not particularly in favor the Unemployment Insurance Act at this stage. Premier
Dysart of New Brunswick was similarly opposed.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search