The United Farmers movement in Canada rose to prominence after World War I with the failure of the wartime Union government to alter a tariff structure that hurt farmers, various farmers movements across Canada became more radical and entered the political arena. It was tied to the federal Progressive Party of Canada and formed provincial governments in Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba. United Farmers rejected the National Policy of the Conservatives but also felt that the Liberals were not strong enough proponents of free trade and were too strongly tied to business interests. Generally, farmers groups formed alliances with Labour and socialist groups though, in power, they became more pragmatic and closer to the Liberals causing ruptures in several provinces between United Farmer governments and their organizations.

Alberta

See United Farmers of Alberta

Ontario

See United Farmers of Ontario

Manitoba

See Progressive Party of Manitoba (which changed its name from the United Farmers of Manitoba)

Saskatchewan

United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section) was founded in 1926 by members of the Farmers' Union of Canada and the Saskatchwan Grain Growers' Association.

As a result of the Dust Bowl farm crisis during the Great Depression the UFC (SS) became politicised and adopted a socialist platform. In 1932 it joined the Independent Labour Party in the province to form the Farmer-Labour Group which, in 1934, became the Saskatchewan section of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.

Newfoundland

Though not part of the United Farmers movement, or indeed a movement of farmers at all, the Fisherman's Protective Union of Newfoundland provides an interesting case that parallels that of the United Farmers.

See also

• Progressive Party of Canada
• Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
• Cooperative Commonwealth Federation
• Labour Party

• List of political parties in Canada

External link

• The Prairie Roots of Canada's Political 'Third Parties'