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Winnipeg General Strike (Human Rights)


Section 98 of the Criminal Code (1919)

  • Parliament drafted Section 98 of the Criminal Code in 1919 in response to the labour unrest in Canada that ultimately resulted in the Winnipeg General Strike.
  • The wording for Section 98 was created largely on the basis of the War Measures Act (specifically Order-in-Council 2384).
  • Section 98 was in effect from 1919–1936 and it targeted "unlawful associations," which ess

The 1919 Winnipeg General Strike

  • The Winnipeg General Strike began on May 15, 1919, in Winnipeg, Manitoba in response to the poor economic and social conditions following the Second World War.
  • These economic and social conditions were felt acutely by skilled building and metal workers who were attempting to negotiate new wage and working conditions contracts, veterans who struggled to obtain jobs following the war, and Canadians across the country who were struggling due to high unemployment rate