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New Political Parties of the 1930s

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During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many new political parties appeared in Canada. Each had their own ways of solving the problems caused by the Depression. These three new parties were the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), the Social Credit Party, and the Union Nationale. This article highlights the goals of each political party.

The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)

The CCF started in Western Canada and believed in democratic socialism, whose aim is to nationalize important industries and implement large-scale government involvement in the economy. It was led by Winnipeg MP J.S. Woodsworth. The CCF blamed the Depression on capitalists and issued some socialist policies to replace the capitalist system. These policies included public ownership of major industries such as banks and transportation, improved health and social services, and a tax system to redistribute wealth. The CCF's opponents labeled them as "communists in disguise" despite the fact that they were committed to democratic changes. The CCF gained support in the west and became the official opposition in three provinces. It would later expand and grow into what Canadians now call the "New Democratic Party".

The Social Credit Party

This party also originated from Canada's West. It proposed the government pay a social dividend to Canadian citizens; which is a pay to all the citizens provided by the government. Hopefully, this would encourage people to buy goods and get money flowing through the markets. William Aberhart strongly believed in the idea and became the leader of the Social Credit party in Alberta. However, there was a big problem he could not resolve; the government did not have the money to pay every citizen in Alberta $25. Though he failed to meet his promises, Aberhart's government remained in power for another thirty-five years.

The Union Nationale

Nationalism grew to become a powerful belief in Quebec, and from it emerged a political party called the Union Nationale, led by Maurice Duplessis, a lawyer who joined with a group of Liberals. He promised to defend the French language, religion, and culture against the English and rose into power. However, he failed to meet many of his  promises. Instead, he passed the Padlock Law, which stopped opposition in Quebec and kept unions weak. Duplessis did defend French traditions; he created the Quebec flag in 1948 and introduced an income tax system in 1954. Although his government was considered authoritarian, Duplessis remained in power for many years until his death in 1959.
These political parties remind Canadians of how divided Canadian citizens can be. The failures and successes of these governments also helped plan better for Canada's future. For example, the socialist policies developed by the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation would be adopted and shaped by the Liberals after the Second World War. These parties bring to light beliefs, issues, and opinions from different people, and continue to make Canada's government stronger.
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