ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED | JULY 1, 1922 | THE CANADIAN COUNTRYMAN | TORONTO
Following the Great War, free trade with the United States was a topic of great contention amongst Canadians, it being strongly supported by the Liberal party. However, the United States was venturing into protectionism. In 1921, the United States passed the Emergency Tariff Act, and a year later the Fordney Act was introduced, both of which greatly raised tariffs on agricultural imports coming in from Canada. This protectionism prevented free trade from being realised and disgruntled Canadian farmers of the day.