ProhibitionProhibition

DefinitionDefinition The movement to ban The movement to ban

the production, the production, importation, and importation, and transportation of liquor.transportation of liquor.

The WCTU (Women’s The WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Christian Temperance Union) were leaders in Union) were leaders in the movement to ban the movement to ban alcohol.alcohol.

Why Enact Prohibition in Why Enact Prohibition in Canada?Canada?

It was argued that:It was argued that:

Grain should be used to Grain should be used to feed the soldiers feed the soldiers overseas.overseas.

The liquor industry, and The liquor industry, and its workers, could better its workers, could better serve our country serve our country producing war supplies.producing war supplies.

Therefore, in 1918, Therefore, in 1918, Prohibition was enactedProhibition was enacted

ProhibitionProhibition

Between 1915 and 1917, every Between 1915 and 1917, every province except Quebec outlawed the province except Quebec outlawed the sale and consumption of alcoholsale and consumption of alcohol

In 1918, Prime Minister Borden In 1918, Prime Minister Borden incorporated prohibition into incorporated prohibition into Canada’s war effortCanada’s war effort

Distillers’ and brewer’ ingredients Distillers’ and brewer’ ingredients were needed to feed the troopswere needed to feed the troops

Positive Effects of the Prohibition Positive Effects of the Prohibition LawLaw

Many types of violent crimes Many types of violent crimes decreaseddecreased

Arrests for public drunkenness Arrests for public drunkenness dropped.dropped.

Prohibition did reduce alcohol Prohibition did reduce alcohol consumption by about 80 consumption by about 80 percentpercent

Workers didn’t spend their money Workers didn’t spend their money at bars, but rather on their families.at bars, but rather on their families.

Industrial efficiency increased.Industrial efficiency increased.

Negative Effects of the Negative Effects of the Prohibition LawProhibition Law

Became impossible to completely enforce.Became impossible to completely enforce. Provincial governments lost millions in taxes on Provincial governments lost millions in taxes on

liquor sales.liquor sales. Unpopular with citizens and voters Unpopular with citizens and voters It also inspired a wave of crime that It also inspired a wave of crime that

created tensions between Canada and the created tensions between Canada and the United StatesUnited States

New types of crime emerged New types of crime emerged

(bootlegging).(bootlegging).

In the United States, prohibition was In the United States, prohibition was federal law from 1920 to 1933federal law from 1920 to 1933

In Canada, however, the so-called In Canada, however, the so-called “noble experiment” sputtered out“noble experiment” sputtered out

Quebec never enforced prohibition Quebec never enforced prohibition and most provincial governments gave and most provincial governments gave up on total prohibition by the early to up on total prohibition by the early to mid-1920’smid-1920’s

New Crime: BootleggingNew Crime: Bootlegging

BootleggingBootlegging The act of producing The act of producing

and/or selling illegal and/or selling illegal alcohol.alcohol.

Rum Running Rum Running The act of transporting The act of transporting

illegal alcohol over the illegal alcohol over the border of the U.S. and border of the U.S. and CanadaCanada

New Crime: BootleggingNew Crime: Bootlegging

Rum AlleyRum Alley International rivers International rivers

where illegal alcohol where illegal alcohol was smuggled across was smuggled across by schooners.by schooners.

The Detroit RiverThe Detroit River

The Niagara RiverThe Niagara River

New Crime: BootleggingNew Crime: Bootlegging

SpeakeasiesSpeakeasies Private illegal clubs Private illegal clubs

that sold alcohol during that sold alcohol during prohibition.prohibition.

Citizens had to keep Citizens had to keep club’s location a secret club’s location a secret (speakeasy) so that it (speakeasy) so that it would not get raided would not get raided by the police.by the police.

Prohibition laws were hard to enforceProhibition laws were hard to enforce Many people were prepared to break Many people were prepared to break

them, either because they liked to them, either because they liked to drink or because they could get rich drink or because they could get rich selling alcohol illegallyselling alcohol illegally

And the ingredients and technology And the ingredients and technology for brewing and distilling were easy to for brewing and distilling were easy to come by come by

BootleggersBootleggers

Rocco Perri (Canadian)Rocco Perri (Canadian)

From Hamilton, ONFrom Hamilton, ON Specialized in smuggling Specialized in smuggling

liquor from the United liquor from the United States into Canada.States into Canada.

Al Capone (American)Al Capone (American)• From Chicago, IL• Notorious bootlegger and

murderer.• Was convicted and sent to

Alcatraz for tax evasion.

Samuel BronfmanSamuel Bronfman

One of the most remarkable Canadian One of the most remarkable Canadian risk-takers of the prohibition era was a risk-takers of the prohibition era was a man name Samuel Bronfmanman name Samuel Bronfman

His family established a successful prairie His family established a successful prairie hotel business and Sam capitalized on its hotel business and Sam capitalized on its success when he founded the Canada success when he founded the Canada Pure Drug Company of Pure Drug Company of Yorkton, Saskatchewan in Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 19191919

Canadian laws allowed Bronfman’s Canadian laws allowed Bronfman’s company to import unlimited amounts company to import unlimited amounts of liquor from Europe for “medicinal of liquor from Europe for “medicinal purposes”purposes”

This liquor was then distributed to This liquor was then distributed to company warehouses along the company warehouses along the Canadian side of the borderCanadian side of the border

From there, liquor was quietly From there, liquor was quietly smuggled into the United Statessmuggled into the United States

Although created in 1904, it became shipped Although created in 1904, it became shipped to the USA in 1919to the USA in 1919

““Dry” “ginger Ale”Dry” “ginger Ale”

Also masked the smell of home made HoochAlso masked the smell of home made Hooch

USA crime and prohibitionUSA crime and prohibition