6.4 Prohibition and its Consequences

Prohibition in 1920s Canada aimed to curb alcohol's social ills. The temperance movement gained traction, leading to provincial and federal bans on booze. This drastic policy shift reflected the era's moral reform efforts and wartime austerity measures.

The ban backfired, sparking a rise in organized crime and bootlegging. Speakeasies flourished, challenging social norms. As negative consequences mounted, public opinion shifted, eventually leading to prohibition's repeal and government-controlled liquor sales.

The Rise of the Temperance Movement

Growing Support for Temperance

Top images from around the web for Growing Support for Temperance

• 

  File:Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1918.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1918.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Growing Support for Temperance

• 

  File:Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1918.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1918.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  7.7 Temperance and Prohibition – Canadian History: Post-Confederation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Temperance Movement gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, advocating for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol consumption
• Supporters believed that alcohol led to social problems such as poverty, crime, and domestic violence
• Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic played significant roles in promoting temperance

Legislative Efforts Toward Prohibition

• Canada Temperance Act of 1878, also known as the Scott Act, allowed municipalities to hold referendums on the prohibition of alcohol sales
• Many municipalities across Canada adopted the Scott Act, leading to local prohibition laws
• Provincial governments also held referendums on prohibition, with some provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Alberta, and Ontario) implementing provincial prohibition laws between 1900 and 1916

World War I and Prohibition

• During World War I, the federal government imposed wartime prohibition as a measure to conserve resources and maintain social order
• In 1918, the federal government banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol, with an exception for sacramental and medicinal purposes
• The war and the temporary federal prohibition further strengthened the temperance movement's push for permanent prohibition laws

The Consequences of Prohibition

The Rise of Bootlegging and Smuggling

• Prohibition created a lucrative illegal market for alcohol, leading to the rise of bootlegging (the illegal production, distribution, and sale of alcohol)
• Smuggling alcohol across provincial and international borders became common, with the United States serving as a major source of illegal liquor during its own prohibition era (1920-1933)
• Bootleggers used various methods to transport alcohol, including hidden compartments in vehicles, boats, and even underground tunnels

Organized Crime and Violence

• The illegal alcohol trade gave rise to organized crime syndicates that controlled the production, distribution, and sale of liquor
• Criminal organizations, such as the Purple Gang in Windsor and the King of the Bootleggers in Hamilton, engaged in violent turf wars and clashed with law enforcement
• Corruption among police and government officials was widespread, with some accepting bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal activities

Speakeasies and the Underground Drinking Culture

• Speakeasies, illegal bars or nightclubs that sold alcohol during prohibition, became popular gathering places for those seeking to drink and socialize
• These establishments often required passwords or special codes to gain entry, and they frequently featured live music, dancing, and gambling
• The underground drinking culture in speakeasies challenged traditional social norms and contributed to the growing popularity of jazz music and new dance styles (Charleston, Lindy Hop)

The End of Prohibition

Growing Opposition to Prohibition

• As the negative consequences of prohibition became more apparent, public support for the policy began to wane
• Critics argued that prohibition had failed to reduce alcohol consumption and had instead led to increased crime, corruption, and disrespect for the law
• The economic challenges of the Great Depression in the 1930s further eroded support for prohibition, as governments sought new sources of revenue through the taxation of alcohol sales

Repeal and Government Liquor Control

• In the late 1920s and early 1930s, provinces began to hold referendums on the repeal of prohibition laws
• Quebec was the first province to end prohibition in 1919, followed by other provinces throughout the 1920s and early 1930s
• As prohibition was repealed, provincial governments established liquor control boards to regulate the sale and distribution of alcohol (Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Société des alcools du Québec)
• Government-run liquor stores and licensed establishments replaced the illegal alcohol trade, generating revenue for the provinces through taxation and licensing fees