To most Canadians the 1920's were the
roaring 20's and were remembered for booming economic
growth, modernization and technological advances. In the
Maritimes the story was a little different as the
economy sputtered and stagnated. Since confederation the
population of the Maritimes had continually decreased as
a percentage of the total Canadian population. This
translated into fewer and fewer seats in the Federal
Parliament and less say in the corridors of power. As
issues arose which pitted Ontario against the Maritimes
or Quebec against the Maritimes or western Canada
against the Maritimes the Maritimes were losing out more
and more of he time.
The voices of he
farmers in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan
were heard through the formation of provincial political
parties that competed and were elected in many areas. In
the Maritimes the fight for the recognition of their
issues and challenges took a different form. The
movement was more of a grass roots action led by
newspapers, local leaders, clubs and associations. No
new political parties swept any of the provinces but
people were encouraged to vote for the existing parties
that promise to help obtain relief and support for the
people of east coast.
The 1921 the Liberals
won 25 out of 31 seats in the Maritimes but over the
next 4 years, little progress was made in addressing the
economic ills of the region so the Conservatives took 23
of 29 seats in the 1925 election. The message was clear
- do something for us or lose our support. Mackenzie
King was never slow t learn a lesson relating to winning
seats and elections and in 1926 he appointed Andrew
Duncan a British lawyer to look into the causes and
possible solutions to the maritime problems.
His recommendations included reductions
in freight rates and an increase in subsidies to the
region which was somewhat of the forerunner of Federal
transfer payments. Many other recommendations were not
implemented and as the 20's drew to a close and the
great depression descended upon the world, conditions in
the Maritimes grew even worse and the area continued to
feel resentment towards to Federal government.
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