The Progressive Party
- The Union leaders from the OBU joined with other labor leaders to form the United Farmers Party
in the Prairies, Maritimes and Ontario.
- The built a lot of support and won elections at the Municipal and Provincial levels all through Canada
during these years.
- In 1920 they formed the Progressive Party as a national political group consisting of United Farm
groups in Ontario and the Prairies.
- They called for lower tariffs on farm machinery and freight rates.
- They also promoted social welfare programs such as Old Age Pensions and Widow Allowances.
- The Progressive Party became very popular among the working class and this led them to winning enough
seats in the 1921 election to have formed the official opposition in Ottawa. (they chose not to be the
official opposition so they could vote freely)
in the Prairies, Maritimes and Ontario.
- The built a lot of support and won elections at the Municipal and Provincial levels all through Canada
during these years.
- In 1920 they formed the Progressive Party as a national political group consisting of United Farm
groups in Ontario and the Prairies.
- They called for lower tariffs on farm machinery and freight rates.
- They also promoted social welfare programs such as Old Age Pensions and Widow Allowances.
- The Progressive Party became very popular among the working class and this led them to winning enough
seats in the 1921 election to have formed the official opposition in Ottawa. (they chose not to be the
official opposition so they could vote freely)
Women in Politics
- Women got the right to vote during the war years but were still not considered ‘people’ and so could not hold
appointed political positions (non-voted posts) like the Senate or higher civil service.
- Although they were allowed, very few women ran for political office in the 1920’s. In 1920, Agnes Macphail
was the first woman elected as a Member of Parliament and the only one for the next 14 years.
- In 1916, Emily Murphy was made a magistrate (judge) in Alberta, the first woman judge in the British
Empire. She had many problems because lawyers could complain that Murphy wasn’t able to make
legal decisions because she was not officially a person.
- Murphy is known as one of the "The Famous Five" or "the Alberta Five"; a group of Canadian women’s
rights activists that included Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and
Irene Parlby.
- In 1927, the women launched the "Persons Case," contending that women could be "qualified persons"
eligible to sit in the Senate. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that they were not. Their appeal
had to go to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council which was the highest court in
England. In 1928, the British court decided that women truly were ‘people’: so the women won
their case.
- In 1931, the prime minister appointed the first Canadian woman senator: Cairine Wilson.
appointed political positions (non-voted posts) like the Senate or higher civil service.
- Although they were allowed, very few women ran for political office in the 1920’s. In 1920, Agnes Macphail
was the first woman elected as a Member of Parliament and the only one for the next 14 years.
- In 1916, Emily Murphy was made a magistrate (judge) in Alberta, the first woman judge in the British
Empire. She had many problems because lawyers could complain that Murphy wasn’t able to make
legal decisions because she was not officially a person.
- Murphy is known as one of the "The Famous Five" or "the Alberta Five"; a group of Canadian women’s
rights activists that included Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and
Irene Parlby.
- In 1927, the women launched the "Persons Case," contending that women could be "qualified persons"
eligible to sit in the Senate. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that they were not. Their appeal
had to go to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council which was the highest court in
England. In 1928, the British court decided that women truly were ‘people’: so the women won
their case.
- In 1931, the prime minister appointed the first Canadian woman senator: Cairine Wilson.
The King - Byng Crisis
- In 1925 the Liberals, under Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King, did not win enough seats
to form the government, but with the support of the Progressive Party could outnumber the
Conservatives. (making an informal coalition government)
- By 1926 there was a scandal in the Liberal party and they lost Progressive support. Before the
government could be defeated in a house vote the Prime Minister asked the Governor General
(the King’s representative in Canada) to dissolve the government and call an election.
- The Governor General was Lord Byng, a British officer who had helped lead the Canadian troops at
Vimy Ridge. He decided that they wouldn’t call an election and he gave the Conservatives the
power to form the government because they had more seats in Parliament.
- The Conservatives, under Arthur Meighen, became the new leading party. However, they soon lost a vote in
parliament, forcing them to dissolve the house and call an election anyway.
- King claimed that the Governor General showed favoritism to the Conservatives. The Liberals then won
a majority of seats in the 1926 election.
- The King Byng Crisis showed the need for Canada to have full control over their own national politics
rather than having Britain oversea all policies.
Canada’s Growing Independence
1922 - Chanak Affair.
Liberal Prime Minster King stated that only the Canadian Parliament would decide whether to send
troops if Britain went to war with Turkey.
1923 - The Halibut Treaty
The Canadian Government made a treaty directly with the United States over fishing rights. This is the
first international treaty created and signed without British involvement. Since this time Canada and
the US have been having Summit Meetings to discuss issues directly.
1926 - Imperial Conference.
The Belfour Declaration stated that Canada was a self governing country having equal status with
Britain. From this point on the Governor General becomes just a representative of the British
Monarch and not a real position of power.
1927 – Diplomatic Posts
Canada sends out it’s first ambassador to a foreign country; the US.
1927 – Canada is elected to the Council of the League of Nations
1931- Statute of Westminster
This gave legal status to the Belfour Report of 1926. It specified that Britain could not pass laws
binding on the dominions, or disallow the dominions’ own laws. What had been known as the
British Empire was now referred to as the British Commonwealth of Nations.