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Prehistory | 2 Worlds Meet | New France | England Arrives | Clash of Empires | Revolution | British America | Reform/Revolt | Responsible Government | Confederation | Nation Building | Laurier | The Great War | Roaring 20's | Great Depression | WWII | The Peace | Cold War | Trudeau | PC's in Power | Modern Canada
A New Leader | Maritimes Rights Movement | King Byng Affair | The Economy Booms | A New Culture | Stocks
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.
