The men would do physical labor jobs, and in return got 20 cents per day. The camps were considered "hell holes" by the many of the men who worked and lived in them. They also had many complaints ranging from the poor quality of the food to the size of their sleeping quarters. Before their closure late in the Depression, over 170,000 men had spent time in the Relief Camps.
Many homeless Canadians went from city to city on freight trains in order to look for a job. This was called "Riding the Rods". This picture shows men waiting for a freight train. Men slept beside the railway tracks and even in hobo camps. Since these men went from city to city, they were not eligible to get relief. These two men are awaiting a freight train to "Ride the Rods". This was a very dangerous method of traveling but considering the conditions nothing else seemed too harsh. The Canadian government started the relief camps across the country in order to tackle problems related to"Riding the Rods." The On-To-Ottawa Trek began when some men living in the relief camps decided to assemble a peaceful march from B.C. to Ottawa to voice their concerns. Their method of transportation were the freight-trains seen in this picture. They felt they should be treated better because they had no control over their destiny and were under full control of the Defense Department. The government did not react to their demands because of fear of communism, and they felt it was good enough for one to get food, clothing and shelter during these horrendous times. Anything more would have been more or less a luxury. .
R.B. Bennett, the Canadian Prime Minister at the time, ordered the R.C.M.P to stop the trekkers in Regina, saying that they were a threat to the government. The trek leaders were allowed to proceed to Ottawa, while their followers waited in Regina. Bennett rejected their demands, and didn't think they were much of a concern. Subsequently, riots broke out in Regina .
