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1935, Jan |
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Prime Minister R. B. Bennett announced his Canadian version of the U.S. New Deal. | 1 |
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March 11 |
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The Bank of Canada opened its doors, making effective the Bank of Canada Act of 1934. This privately owned but government-supervised institution served as a central bank. | 2 |
Prime Minister Bennett early in the year proposed a platform of social legislation as the only means of escaping defeat in the face of growing popular dissatisfaction. Before adjourning on July 5, Parliament enacted a comprehensive series of laws designed to cope with the economic situation. Among them were: the Wheat Board Act, establishing a board to buy wheat at a fixed minimum price, the government to absorb the loss if the board failed to sell the wheat at a profit over the fixed minimum; an act providing for a Dominion trade and industry commission to administer the Combines Investigation Act, prohibiting monopolies operating to the detriment of the public; the Fair Wages and Hours of Labor Act, guaranteeing fair wages on public works and a 44-hour week; the Employment and Social Insurance Act, providing for contributory unemployment insurance for workers receiving less than $2,000 per year, with certain industries excepted, equal premiums to be paid by employers, employees, and the federal government; the Minimum Wage Act, authorizing the establishment of a federal agency to fix minimum wages in manufacturing and commerce; the Limitation of Hours of Work Act providing for an eight-hour day and a 48-hour week for industrial workers. | 3 |
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Aug. 14 |
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Dissolution of Parliament and call for general election. | 4 |
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Aug. 22 |
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Victory of the Social Credit Party in Alberta, under the leadership of William Aberhart, promising to every adult citizen of the province a regular income of $25 per month, funds for which were to be provided by a turnover tax of about 10 percent on domestic products. Death blow to Alberta's credit. | 5 |
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Oct. 14 |
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General election. A Liberal landslide gave Liberals 171 seats, with eight seats held by independent Liberals who would ordinarily support the party. | 6 |
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Oct. 23 |
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King prime minister for third time. | 7 |
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Nov. 15 |
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Prime Minister King signed in Washington the reciprocal trade agreement with the U.S. The treaty granted Canada lower rates or other concessions on two-thirds of its exports by volume to the U.S. The U.S., in turn, received concessions on three-fourths of its dutiable exports to Canada. | 8 |
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Dec. 913 |
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Conference of federal and provincial governments agreed unanimously that it was imperative to amend the Constitution, and that Canada should have the power to amend its own Constitution. | 9 |
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