Reciprocity

Reciprocity is the lifeguard who is ready to save the "common people" drowning in a sea of "high tariffs". Unfortunately, he is held back by "greed", "moneyed interests", and "special interests". Then there is globalization saying "shake 'em off they're only barnacles".

Of course, conservative governments in Canada always acted in the interests of business and maintained high tariffs. However, due to globalization business interests have now changed.. Conservatives now are all about free trade, and only labour groups oppose it.

Many of the cartoons that I use in class were taken from this book by Charles Hou (former Socials 10 teacher in BC):

Great Canadian political cartoons, 1820 to 1914

Reciprocity

THE FISCAL TUG-OF-WAR

Farmers' association vs. manufacturers' association

This debate is still ongoing. It is great for consumers to buy cheap things made in China at the dollar store. Not so good for Canadian businesses that employ people here at home. 

A hundred years ago, Conservatives would've been opposed to free trade (ex. National Policy) because that was a pro-business position. Liberals would've been supportive of free trade because because that was free-market economics. 

I guess once the Canadian businesses are owned by foreigners and move their factories overseas, then nobody cares much about protecting Canadian jobs anymore. So both the Conservatives (pro-business) and the Liberal (pro-free market) now support free trade. Consumers like it because they can buy cheaper things. So everyone is happy... O, except the unemployed I guess.. and maybe the NDP?

Anyhow, this issue that was debated in Laurier's time connects well to current issues that even grade 10 students can explore.

For example:

Ever shopped at amazon.COM instead of amazon.CA? Why?

Many of the cartoons that I use in class were taken from this book by Charles Hou (former Socials 10 teacher in BC):

Great Canadian political cartoons, 1820 to 1914

Casualties of National Policy

SIR JOHN: (les pieds sure les Métis et le drapeau français): Allons, messieurs les sauvages, Voue êtes rendus au bout de mon territoire. Vous allez sauter dans l'eau du Pacifique ou travailler avec le reste des colons. Choississez.

Looking at what happened to the Métis and First Nations people in the settlement of Canada is not simply an exercise in historical revisionism. Not simply putting our current values and expectations and sense of justice on people of the past and blowing things out of proportion. Obviously someone (at the very least the author of this cartoon) realized that some injustice was transpiring in 1885.

The people of Québec sympathized with the Métis, as people who shared a common language and religion. (religion was likely the stronger of the two binds) The cartoon seems to indicate that the Métis got a worse shake than First Nations. They were trampled on, while the First Nations were simply displaced. But then asks the question of how far they can continue to be displaced before they are also eliminated...

Looking at political cartoons is valuable exercise in class. It allows you to discuss
- caricature and stereotype (in this case, John A MacDonald's nose)
- inferencing (in this case, the French flag and CPR in background)
- political events (in this case, National Policy)
- authorship and bias (this one was published in Québec)
- what people were thinking at the time (some people realized injustice was occurring at some level)
- French review (I get to practice my French accent)
etc.

Many of the cartoons that I use in class were taken from this book by Charles Hou (former Socials 10 teacher in BC):

Great Canadian political cartoons, 1820 to 1914