1920 Canadian liquor plebiscite

Last updated

Canadian liquor plebiscites, held in 1920 under the Canada Temperance Act and the Dominion Elections Act , were referendums on the strengthening of the Prohibition measures in effect in several provinces of Canada. [1] Voters were asked if they supported banning of importation of liquor across provincial boundaries. The referendums were held on July 10, 1920, in New Brunswick; on October 20 in British Columbia; and on October 25 in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. [2]

Contents

The Canada Temperance Act, also known as the Scott Act, allowed provincial and municipal jurisdictions to formulate their own legislation regarding alcohol consumption based upon the results of a plebiscite; the results could not be challenged for at least three years. Between 1916 and 1919, prohibition legislation passed in all the provinces. The sale of alcoholic liquors, except for medical and scientific purposes, was prohibited, with medical need being interpreted loosely with liquor sold by pharmacists. In 1920, eight of the nine provinces of Canada decided to continue prohibition after the war. The Canadian liquor plebiscite addressed this postwar prohibition. [1]

The plebiscite was set up to pose the question of banning liquor importation to provinces where prohibition had been enforced, but liquor could be ordered and imported by mail order. Ontario also had a plebiscite on the issue under the Temperance Act a few months later in 1921.

By province

Alberta

(October 25, 1920 referendum) — The question up for vote in Alberta was "Shall the importation and bringing of alcohol beverages into the province be forbidden?" After it passed, the federal government waited until February 1921 to ban the inter-provincial trade of alcohol into Alberta and by then many had stockpiled liquor. [3]

Results [4] VotesPercent
For68,01260.55%
Against44,32139.45%
Total112,333100%

British Columbia

(October 20, 1920 referendum) — Voters were presented with the question "Which do you prefer: 1— The present prohibition act? or 2— An act to provide for the government control and sale in sealed packages of spirituous and malted liquors?" [5] By a majority of more than 25,000 voters in British Columbia opted for the sale of liquor under regulation by the provincial government. [6]

Manitoba

(October 25, 1920 referendum) — By a majority of more than 12,000 voters opted in favor of the Canadian Temperance Act, with the prohibition against importing liquor into Manitoba to go into effect in 60 days. [7] [8] The vote also cleared the way for the Manitoba Temperance Act of 1920 to be proclaimed, limiting liquor to medical prescriptions of no more than 12 ounces, by government-approved dispensers.

New Brunswick

(July 10, 1920 referendum) — The first provincial vote on whether to retain prohibition took place in New Brunswick, where voters approved the bar against importation of liquor by a majority of 20,000 votes. In another ballot question, the ban against the sale of light wine and against beer was approved a majority of 15,000. [9]

Nova Scotia

(October 25, 1920 referendum) — Voters in Nova Scotia gave a larger endorsement to prohibition than in the prairie provinces, with 40,000 more votes for prohibiting the importation of liquor than against it. Other than Halifax and Dartmouth, no large cities voted "wet". [10]

Saskatchewan

(October 25, 1920 referendum) — By a majority of 10,000 voters in Saskatchewan endorsed the Canadian Temperance Act barring the importation of liquor. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prohibition</span> Outlawing of alcohol

Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The word is also used to refer to a period of time during which such bans are enforced.

National referendums are seldom used in Canada. The first two referendums in 1898 and 1942 saw voters in Quebec and the remainder of Canada take dramatically-opposing stands, and the third in 1992 saw most of the voters take a stand dramatically opposed to that of the politicians in power.

Cardston was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1993.

The Ontario Temperance Act was a law passed in 1916 that led to the prohibition of alcohol in Ontario, Canada. When the Act was first enacted, the sale of alcohol was prohibited, but liquor could still be manufactured in the province or imported. Strong support for prohibition came from religious elements of society such as the Ontario Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which sought to eliminate what it considered the societal ills and vices associated with liquor consumption, including violent behaviour and familial abuse. Historically, prohibition advocates in Ontario drew inspiration from the temperance movements in Britain and the United States. The Act was repealed in 1927.

<i>Canada Temperance Act</i> Repealed Canadian statute

The Canada Temperance Act, also known as the Scott Act, was an Act of the Parliament of Canada passed in 1878, which provided for a national framework for municipalities to opt in by plebiscite to a scheme of prohibition. It was repealed in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission</span> Government agency of Alberta, Canada

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) is an agency of the government of the Canadian province of Alberta, and regulates alcoholic beverages, recreational cannabis, and gaming-related activities. References to cannabis were added to AGLC's name and governing legislation as cannabis in Canada moved towards legalization in 2018. AGLC was created in 1996 as the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission by combining the responsibilities and operations of the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB), Alberta Lotteries, the Alberta Gaming Commission, Alberta Lotteries and Gaming and the Gaming Control Branch. The current Chief Executive Officer as of 2020 is Kandice Machado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prohibition in Canada</span> Historic alcohol ban in Canada

Prohibition in Canada was a ban on alcoholic beverages that arose in various stages, from local municipal bans in the late 19th century, to provincial bans in the early 20th century, and national prohibition from 1918 to 1920. The relatively large and powerful beer and alcohol manufacturing sector, and the huge working class that purchased their products, failed to convince any of the governments to reverse their stance on prohibition. Most provinces repealed their bans in the 1920s, though alcohol was illegal in Prince Edward Island from 1901 to 1948. By comparison, the Ontario Temperance Act was in effect from 1916 to 1927.

A plebiscite on the legality of alcoholic beverages was held in Ontario, Canada on January 1, 1894. Per the terms of the Prohibition Plebiscite Act passed in 1893, a plebiscite was held on the issue of prohibition in conjunction with the 1894 municipal elections. Though a majority of voters indicated support for prohibition, the results were non-binding and prohibition would not occur in Ontario until 1916.

A referendum on the legality of alcoholic beverages was held in Ontario, Canada on December 4, 1902. Though 65 percent of voters indicated support for prohibition, a majority of half of the number of voters in the 1898 election did not support the motion, and prohibition was not introduced.

A referendum was held in Ontario, Canada on October 20, 1919 on the legality of alcoholic beverages and the maintaining of prohibition. Prohibition had been passed by the provincial government in 1916 under the Ontario Temperance Act, though a clause required a referendum to be held in 1919 on whether the Act should be repealed and the previous licensing laws subsequently revived. A subsequent Act in 1919 provided three further questions for consideration, and subsequent implementation on approval. A majority voted against all four questions, and prohibition was maintained.

A referendum was held in Ontario, Canada on April 18, 1921, concerning a ban on the importation of alcoholic beverages into the province. The referendum passed, and an importation ban was implemented.

A referendum was held on October 23, 1924 on the repeal of the Ontario Temperance Act. The referendum was brought about by a clause in the Act, which permitted the possible repeal of prohibition by a majority vote. The referendum upheld prohibition, albeit by the narrowest majority of all of Ontario's prohibition referendums; in 1927, prohibition would be repealed with the passing of the Liquor Licence Act.

Clover Bar was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1993.

The 1923 Alberta prohibition plebiscite, held on November 5, 1923, was a province-wide plebiscite held in Alberta, Canada, to allow alcoholic beverages. It was triggered by an affirmative vote in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and based on the presentation of a 56,000-name petition in accordance with the requirements of the Direct Legislation Act (1913), a citizens referendum law or initiative law, which was in force at the time.

The 1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite was the first plebiscite to ask voters in Alberta whether the province should implement prohibition by ratifying the proposed Liquor Act. The plebiscite was the culmination of years of lobbying by the province's temperance movements and agricultural groups, and was proposed through the recently implemented form of direct democracy, the Direct Legislation Act. Alberta voters approved the plebiscite on prohibition, which was implemented eleven months after the vote. The June 21, 1915 plebiscite was the first of three province-wide plebiscites held in a seven-year period related to liquor in Alberta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1894–1987 New Zealand alcohol licensing referendums</span>

A number of referendums on alcohol licensing were held in New Zealand between 2 December 1894 and 15 August 1987. Because of their differing questions and rules, these referendums can be broken down into three time periods divided by what options were presented to voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic</span>

The Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic was an organization established in 1877 in Canada that lobbied for prohibition of alcohol. Membership was largely Protestant and Anglophone. The Dominion Alliance faced passive resistance from politicians concerned about the views of their constituents, particularly in Quebec, but had some success at the local level. Sale of alcohol was prohibited provincially and then nationally during World War I (1914–18). After the war the national and provincial temperance laws were repealed and the Dominion Alliance faded into irrelevance.

A plebiscite on Nova Scotia's prohibition of alcohol sales was held on October 31, 1929. Voters authorized the repeal of the Nova Scotia Temperance Act. This result opened the door to sales of alcohol in a government monopoly of liquor outlets and created the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission on May 1, 1930.

In the Canadian province of Ontario, severe restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcoholic drink were imposed in localities during the later 19th century. Prohibition was imposed across the province under the 1916 Ontario Temperance Act, until restrictions were somewhat eased with the passage of the Liquor Control Act of 1927 which set up the still existing Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Regulations were further amended in 1934.

A two-part plebiscite was held in British Columbia on 12 June 1952, alongside provincial elections. Voters were asked whether they approved of continuing with daylight saving time and allowing liquor and wine to be sold in licensed premises. Both proposals were approved.

References

  1. 1 2 Haydon, J. A. P. (November 1929). "The Liquor Traffic in Canada". Machinist's Monthly Journal. 41 (11). Washington, D.C.: George State University Library, Special Collections Department, Southern Labor Archives: 708, 709, 750, 751. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  2. Baird, John; White, George. "NLGenWeb Newspaper Transcriptions, Daily News, Year End Review, 1920, Events at home". CanadaGenWeb.org. Archived from the original on December 13, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  3. Edmonton Bulletin, September 10, 1920, p. 9
  4. "The Case for Clause "A"". Lethbridge Daily Herald. November 1, 1923. p. 9.; Western Globe, Nov. 10, 1923, p. 8. Slightly different numbers and constituency-level stats given in Edmonton Bulletin, Dec. 11, 1920.
  5. "What B.C. Voted On", Edmonton Journal, October 21, 1920, p1
  6. "British Columbia Gives Overwhelming Majority for Government Control", Calgary Herald, October 21, 1920, p1
  7. "4 Provinces Give Dry Majority of 72,000— Manitoba Rural Ridings Overwhelm Wets of City by Huge Bone-Dry Vote", Winnipeg Evening Tribune, October 26, 1920, p1
  8. "Manitoba Result— Winnipeg Wet Majority Offset by Rural Vote", Montreal Gazette, October 26, 1920, p1
  9. "New Brunswick Votes Dry— Majority for Prohibition Over 20,000", Saskatoon (SK) Phoenix, July 12, 1920, p1
  10. "Prohibition Voted for in 4 Provinces— Verdict Against Importation of Intoxicating Liquors", Montreal Gazette, October 26, 1920, p1
  11. "In Saskatchewan— Late Figures Indicated Dry Majority of 10,000", Montreal Gazette, October 26, 1920, p1

Further reading