Prime Minister Mackenzie King

Mackenzie King was Prime Minister of Canada at the beginning of the Great Depression. His government was slow to react to the economic downturn, was unsympathetic to the problem of unemployment and was turfed from office in 1930. Mackenzie King and the Liberals were returned to office in 1935. Back in office, the Liberal government responded to public pressure and the federal government slowly began to take some responsibility for social welfare.