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The Mother’s Day Picnic in Stanley Park, Vancouver, 1935

A black and white photograph, from a bird’s eye view of a large group of female protesters gathered together, carrying letter banners that spell out, Mothers Abolish The Relief Camps.
Glenbow Archives, NA-3634-10

During the Great Depression, the Canadian government created “Relief Camps” where unemployed men were expected to do hard physical labour for no pay, in exchange for room and board. There were many criticisms of the government’s decision to establish camps rather than create employment programs. In this 1935 demonstration, women protested against the government’s policies.