The Depression on the Canadian Prairies

by Cindy Miller (12)

During the last year, the consequences of the depression have become apparent even on the Canadian Prairies. On the Canadian Prairies the impact of the depression has been less than in other places.

The mainstay of the prairie economy is agriculture and industries that support the farm economy. Normally an economic crisis like the stock market crash would have little impact on the prairie economy as a whole. This would be true in the current situation except for one thing. During the past summer the prairies experienced a severe drought. The lack of rain was prolonged and extreme. The prairies are now swept by blinding dust storms which destroy the topsoil and make it even harder for things to grow. Virtually none of the crops planted last year developed enough to be harvested. With the lack of marketable crops the farm economy failed at the same time as the stock market crash. Naturally, those industries that depend on the farm economy failed too.

Many of the largest companies have been forced to reduce the wages paid to their workers. Many workers were faced with the choice of lower wages or no job at all. These were the lucky ones. Many workers were not given a choice. They simply lost their jobs.

In the latter part of 1930 several new phenomena have appeared on the prairies. There are now hundreds of unemployed men looking for work. Their families are dependent on them and they are desperate. They seem to be willing to any work at any wage in order to survive.

Some of the unemployed stay in their own home town or city. They make the rounds everyday to all of the companies that are still in business begging for work. They are only successful once in a while and obtain one or two days of work at very low wages.

Many men have left their homes in their search for work and wages. They have taken to sneaking rides on freight trains to travel. They call this "riding the rails" which refers to hanging onto the rails that run underneath the box cars to support the floor.

There are charity soup kitchens in every city. They provide meals to the many men out looking for work and to their families. Without them many more would go hungry everyday.

There are some bright spots in this bleak picture.

The soup kitchens can only operate with charitable donations. These are at an all time high on the prairies. Anyone who can afford to donate to them does. There is a sense of community on the prairies that is fighting against the depression.

While it doesn't look like the depression will end anytime soon, there is still a glimmer of optimism on the prairies. The spirit of survival has not failed here and never will.