Canadian History Lecture Jan 29th

Introduction to Funding for Canadian Soldiers in WWI

  • Context of Funding

    • Soldiers' wages and provisioning financed by the British Empire.

    • However, equipment for the soldiers was the responsibility of Canada.

  • Equipment Supply Challenges

    • Limited government spending for equipment amidst patriotic fervor.

    • Reliance on private donors to provide necessary funding.

  • Notable Contributions

    • Lord Strathcona, a renowned businessman, fully funded the equipment for a Canadian armored regiment, comprising approximately 500 members.

    • This funding included clothing, armor, leathers, horse gear, and rifles.

Economic Implications of Funding

  • Crowdsourcing Parallel

    • The funding approach during WWI described as a “1900s version of crowdsourcing.”

  • Keynesian Economic Theory Connection

    • Question posed about whether spending fits into the Keynesianism concept, which promotes government spending to stimulate the economy.

Prohibition in Canada: An Overview

  • Lecture Focus

    • Based on academic publication from 2008, concerning prohibition in the Thunder Bay area, influenced by coursework in history at Lakehead University.

  • Canadian vs. American Prohibition

    • Canadian prohibition laws featured numerous loopholes compared to the more stringent American Volstead Act.

    • Termed “a very wet kind of dry policy,” indicating its less inclusive nature.

  • Public Awareness of Prohibition

    • Newspapers in British Columbia prior to prohibition encouraged liquor stockpiling among consumers.

Evolution of Prohibition Policies

  • Legislation & Local Practices

    • The nineteenth-century temperance movement's influence on local laws and attitudes toward alcohol.

    • National referendum in 1898 showed 51% voters in favor of prohibition, but only 44% of eligible voters participated.

    • Disparities in support for prohibition between Protestant (favoring) and Catholic communities (resistant), especially marked in urban-rural divides.

  • Impact of WWI on Prohibition

    • Prohibition enacted as a federal law during WWI under the Wartime Measures Act in 1918 to preserve resources.

    • Prohibition laws introduced varying restrictions by province prior to the nationwide ban.

  • Provincial Referenda and Enforcement

    • Ontario established prohibition in 1916; various fresh laws and enforcement challenges arose.

    • Federal law prohibited the manufacture, import, or trade of intoxicating beverages exceeding 2.5% alcohol.

Prohibition and Its Sociocultural Impact

  • Contradictions in Alcohol Availability

    • Legal medicinal alcohol, tonic drinks, and patent medicines containing high percentages of alcohol revealed a hypocritical enforcement.

    • Soldiers received rum rations during service as part of their diet, signifying systemic contradictions in alcohol control.

    • Public attitudes included humor and critiques about the state's response to drinking.

  • Cultural Figures in Prohibition

    • Rocco Perry and Basha Starkman became folk heroes amid the illegal booze trade, embodying public dissatisfaction with prohibition laws.

  • Urban vs. Rural Divide

    • Prohibition policies emphasized class, ethnic, and religious divides, specifically between urban drinkers and rural advocates for sobriety.

End of Prohibition

  • Repeal of Prohibition Legislation

    • Ontario's temperance act repealed in 1927; resulting establishment of provincial liquor boards reflecting organized control over alcohol sales.

    • Quebec was the first to repeal prohibition in 1919, with subsequent repeals varying by province.

  • Cultural Thrift and Adaptation

    • The persistence of secretive operations like speakeasies ('blind pigs') and the complexities of enforcement created a divided social landscape.

    • Distilleries remained operational for export while prioritizing industrial alcohol production for the war and medical needs, illustrating economic adaptation.

Conclusion and Discussion

  • Lasting Legacy of Prohibition

    • Prohibition encapsulated the evolving societal norms, economic necessities, and class struggles within Canadian history, reinforcing dichotomies present in attitudes toward alcohol.

    • The transformation in drinking culture over the years, especially with younger generations drinking less, underscores a significant shift in societal values regarding alcohol.

Questions and Comments

  • Exchange of Historical Experiences

    • Discussions emerged about regional variations in bootlegging, smuggling histories, notably in Newfoundland, and connections to family legacies in illegal alcohol trade amid prohibition.

  • Further Inquiry into Personal Stories

    • Engagement in sharing personal family narratives related to bootlegging and prohibition.

  • Call for Enhanced Exploration

    • Encouragement to elaborate on local historical accounts of prohibition practices and their socio-economic contexts.