Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The First Winter Review

   It was an interesting observation of how the majority of the people spent their first winter. You see how they weren't completely prepared as they thought they'd be. The harsh winds and the huge amounts of snow that covered the vast land. Everyday for the Irish family was a struggle. The mother was holding onto the children since the father had to leave to make money in the lumber industry. Their food was very basic with only poorly salted pork, potatoes and anything else they could scramble. As I've also before, since they weren't completely prepared for the winter, the mother dies pneumonia. So the sister had to struggle to maintain the family with the little brother while father's gone. The emotional and physical toll was heavy. It was practically a miracle they survived their first winter. It was truly a remarkable way to portray the first settlers life with their first winter. Though some have survived, many of them weren't as blessed the others.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Economy and Development of Contemporary Period

Economic Development

  • Before the 19th century, Canada used to base its economy on the timber, agriculture and fishing industries.
  • Then in 1850, they industrialization started to break forth rapidly in the country, with the new birth in the 20th century.
The Primary Sector
  • Agriculture wasn't making that much progress in the 19th century anymore.
  • In the 1930s,  mechanization of farming was made.
  • There were many different changes in the agriculture development.
  • There were groups such as diary production, animal husbandry and market gardening.
  • Family-run businesses were being taking over by small or medium-sized enterprises.
  • New resources were being noticed.
  • At the end of the 19th century, mines were being opened; extracting different types of ores.
The Secondary Sector
  • In the 19th century affected industries as they now started to make everyday necessities like leather, shoes, clothing, tobacco, and food.
  • New industries started to come forth making new things.
  • There was processing of pulp, paper, and wood.
  • Ore processing was definite factor.
  • Chemical products and transportation were vital.
  • Since the 1970s, the secondary sector started to decrease because of the competition.
Hydroelectricity
  • Resource products were mainly backed up by hydroelectricity.
  • Quebec had a major natural advantage of it because of its waterways.
  • Starting from the 1920s the waterways like St. Maurice, the Saguenay, Ottawa, and St. Lawrence rivers were being used for the hydroelectricity development.
  • In 1963, the Government of Quebec made Hydro-Quebec and took control of the whole province's sale.
  • They started making projects in James Bay, Manic-Outardes, and La Grande (later Robert-Bourassa).
  • Quebec was and still the world leader in hydroelectricity.
  • The Robert-Bourassa was the largest underground station in the world.
  • Hydro-Quebec attracted top energy consumption industries as clients, giving more competition in electricity rates.
  • Building those large hydroelectric stations caused some natural disasters.
The Tertiary Sector
  • Throughout the 20th century, the tertiary sector was increasing rapidly.
  • Administration and finance was becoming more popular opening a new line of occupation: the office worker.
  • Consumption, retail activities, and retail chain stores were increasing so much.
  • The making of social measures opened doors for the government to make more jobs in the area of social services, health, and education.
  • Tourism and leisure even aided in that sector.
  • All of those fields were mostly centered in the urban center.
  • The pay wasn't very high because it required few qualifications.
Concentration of Capital
  • Production was concentrated in the small number of companies.
  • Some were so powerful, that there was no competition.
  • They made monopolies and even made their own dominant social class called the industrial burgeoisie, who were mainly Anglophone.
  • The banks even became essential.
  • Many big businesses borrowed from banks.
  • So the capital was dependent on the banks.
  • After World War I, the U.S. and Canada ties started to grow while that of Great Britain decreased.
  • America helped in the development of natural resources in Quebec.
  • Though it helped the economy and industry, they became dependent to the United States.
  • The American dependency lasted until later into the timeline.
Economic Cycles
  • Quebec had prosperous and recessive moments.
  • In the 20th century, their economy increased greatly, but due to the overproduction crisis, many industries just crashed.
  • Products weren't selling, factories were closing which came forth unemployment, and consumption decreased.
  • The Great Depression hit Quebec even harder in the 1930s causing the income to drop 37%.
  • Thanks to World War II, its economy flew up with its production of weapons, ships, iron, steel, transportation tools, and even chemical products.
  • War industry had many openings for jobs.
  • The baby boom increased the wages, employment, and population.
  • The economic growth went on for thirty years.
  • The prices, especially the oil, hiked up, causing unemployment again.
  • Interest rates went up and caused debts in families.
  • Recessions kept going on and off in 1991-1992 and 2001-2002.
Government Economic Policies
  • Before the economic depression of the 1930s, the State barely took care of the public economy.
  • They were mostly concerned about the encouraging enterprises to build transportation infrastructures, providing investments, and and creating beneficial regulations.
  • During the Great Depression the government encouraged agricultural colonization to destroy the unemployment.
  • They started offering mortgage loans with low interests with their new company called l'Office du credit agricole.
  • Thus, the Bank of Canada was made 1934.
  • The federal government started making programs such as unemployment insurances and family allowance.
  • Through that the recessions decreased.
  • After 1960, during the Quiet Revolution, the Government of Quebec became more involved in the economy and created state corporations.
Foreign Trade Policies
  • The Americans didn't want to renew the free trade treaty for a ten-year period.
  • Even though it wasn't really strong enough, they started to make their own internal trade to keep it going.
  • They've made their first Prime Policies.
  • They encouraged immigration to increase the population.
  • Improved railways transportation for a better connection to the people.
  • Impose custom tariffs of 25% to 30% to protect Canadian industries.
  • Though it was a big success at first, during the 20th century, a reduction of tariffs were asked and so they signed the North American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S.
Work Relations
  • Industrialization made a new class called the working social at the end of the 19th century.
  • Unions were made and were illegal until 1872, so the government made laws for them that couldn't be broken.
  • There were problems especially since the Royal Commission Investigating revealed the terrible working conditions, but the federal government didn't care.
  • The Government of Quebec adopted their first real work legislation in 1885 called the Provincial Manufacturing Law.
  • Still, there were problems with the legislation, so they made better wages, vacation pay, pension funds, and social benefits.
  • However, it didn't really become official to every group and there was still a sense of division;
  • The growth of employment in the tertiary was so great, that throughout the 20th century, training and education was mandatory and vital.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Economy and Development of British Rule

The Decline in the Fur Economy

  • British merchants travel to Montreal for fur trade.
  • British merchants overtake and use French Canadians.
  • Supplies in fur trade increases.
  • Hudson's Bay Company receives supplies from Rupert's Land.
  • Many merchants for the Northwest Company.
  • Competition with the Hudson's Bay Company and Northwest Company was intense.
  • The Northwest Company started expanding the territory.
  • The companies combine but with the name Hudson Bay.
Expansion of the Timber Economy
  • In the 18th century, Great Britain received its wood supply from northern Europe.
  • Canada's competition was a challenge because of the high prices in transportation.
  • In the beginning of 19th century, in 1806, French Emperor Napoleon made a continental blockade against Great Britain.
  • Great Britain now turned to Canada for supplies.
  • The timber industry started to become a prosperous aspect in the economy.
  • Commercial ships boarding in the St. Lawrence port increased.
  • Lower Canada took care of the manufacturing with lumber.
  • New trades gave the wood industry a major importance.
  • New jobs, colonies and incomes were made.
  • The food industry was made.
The Transformation of Agriculture
  • Great Britain started to buy food from Canada.
  • Upper Canada made wheat.
  • Lower Canada was cultivating other crops such as oats, potato, barley, and hemp.
  • The growth of animal husbandry and dairy production was vital.
  • Forest development was important in agriculture as well.
The Beginning of Industrialization
  • The 19th century was when industrialization was emerging.
  • It started from apprenticeship to salaried workers with less training.
  • The companies were to hire more unskilled workers with a low salary.
  • Industrial capitalism was being formed as well.
  • Competition between small entrepreneurs.
  • Urbanization skyrocketed insanely.
  • Montreal's population was increased rapidly.
Economy Policies
  • Protection policy for the timber industry runs in favor.
  • Great Britain disliked its policy.
  • With the policy disbanded, it affected Canada badly.
  • Canada and the United States became new partners.
  • Great Britain signs a treaty for deliver of raw between the U.S. and Canada.
Transportation Infrastructure
  • Transportation infrastructure were needed because traveling on the Great Lakes region became more difficult.
  • There was the Eerie Canal, the U.S. threatened to bring it to New York.
  • Canada started to make their own transportation infrastructure.
The Canals
  • The Lachine Canal on the St. Lawrence River became a huge industrial zone.
  • Rideau Canal was connecting with the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario.
  • The Chambly Canal on the Richelieu River which was at St. Jean.
The Railroad
  • Railroad was just as important as canals.
  • In 1836, the first was connected from South Shore of Montreal to St. Jean sur le Richelieu.
  • In 1848, another one was connected from Montreal to Portland, Maine.
  • In 1851, there was one from Sarnia, Ontario to Montreal and Riviere-du-Loup.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Economy and Development of New France

The Economy of Fur
  • French made trading fairs with Amerindians.
  • The Hurons-Wendats were the biggest fur suppliers.
  • The Five-Nation Iroquois competed to get something from the fur trade.
  • The Five-Nation attacked and destroyed Hurons-Wendats.
  • French had to go to Algonquin territory personally.
  • They started making licenses with 25% of everything that you made.
The Company System
  • Created monopoly in trading industry.
  • Sharing profits and lost in proportion in what they invested.
Hudson's Bay Company
  • Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Medard Choart Des Groseilliers tried to make fur trade in Hudson's Bay.
  • They had no support with the French, so they went with British and made the Hudson's Bay company.
  • Many land and sea battles between the French and British ever since its creation.
Expansion of the Territory
  • Searching North America for fur.
  • Traveled the territory in waterways.
  • French and British always in conflict to protect their commerce.
The Beaver Crisis
  • Anything related to fur was getting old and was losing interest.
  • Fur was piling up so the king demanded to stop the fur trade.
  • In 1715, it regained its popularity after being ruined by rodents and insects.
The Economy of New France Before 1663
  • France and trading companies had different views on enriching New France.
  • The trading companies tried to convince the king to make settlement in New France.
  • Samuel de Champlain made a paper describing how prosperous they could be.
  • It was all focused on fur trade until 1663.
Agriculture
  • Agriculture was the main attraction in the French regime.
  • More cultivated lands, more population.
  • Children started getting from grants made by lords.
Attempts to Diversify the Economy After 1663
  • Some intendants tired to diversify New France's economy.
  • Jean-Talon tries to make New France independent with self-production.
  • Agriculture diversification came when wheat cultivation was added.
  • Little workshops were created.
  • Breweries started to form in the economy.
  • Naval shipyards were also used to transport surpluses.
  • Exporting was expensive but indeed useful through out the 18th century.
  • Agriculture still remained the foundation of its economy.
The Currency
  • Currency in New France was modeled from France, pounds.
  • Animal pelts, wheat, cards were used when cash ran out.
  • During 1760, Canadians found it hard to get their money back as they've only received one-fourth of their actually value.
The Obstacles to Diversification
  • Scarcity of specialized labor, higher cost in production than France, and weakness of local market affected the new industries.
  • Metal was only shipped from France.
  • There was a lack of carpenters, so better pay was used to attract them.
  • Economy diversification was encouraged by France because it was afraid of the competition.
  • Though many opening of small businesses fail, some were successful such as the tanneries and shoe workshops.