Richard Bedford Bennett

"I propose that any government of which I am the head will at the first session of parliament initiate whatever action is necessary to that end, or perish in the attempt."
-- R.B Bennett, June 9, 1930, on eliminating unemployment.

Canada’s 11th Prime Minister, Richard Bedford Bennett, had the difficult task of guiding Canada out of its difficult times in the 1930s. From, August 7, 1930 to October 30, 1935, Bennett’s main objective as Prime Minister was to get Canada out of the “Great Depression” which peaked during the early 1930s. Many attempts to help the unemployed such as the $20 million aid and the Relief Act, which gave single unemployed men a subsistence living, were among his many plans to help the people of Canada. However, his attempts to help Canada as a country were largely unsuccessful such as preferential tariffs, which failed to increase trade exports. Bennett’s new deal promoted minimum wage, health, unemployment insurance, and government regulation of banks and trade. Unfortunately, it was too little too late as Bennett’s Conservatives lost to Mackenzie King and the Liberals in the 1935 election. The Great Depression would forever be synonymous with Richard Bennett and the Conservatives. Bennett studied at Dalhousie University and got a teaching certificate at the New Brunswick provincial school. He worked as a teacher and principal in New Brunswick before moving to Calgary to practice law. Bennett became a member of legislature in 1909 and had constituencies in Calgary and Calgary West. In 1921, Bennett was appointed Minister of Justice by Prime Minister Arthur Meighen and became Attorney General. He became the Conservative party leader in 1927 and was elected Prime Minister in 1930. Among his achievements are the creation of the Bank of Canada, Canadian Wheat Board, and in 1941, he was made a Viscount. Although he was unable to fix Canada’s economy, Bennett did all he could to help the individuals of Canada. Bennett responded to all of the letters sent to him during the depression and replied with money inside. Throughout his successful life, Richard Bennett never married and stayed single until his death.