The Unemployed
Acorn, Milton. The Island Means Minago. Toronto: NC Press, 1975. [Poetry]
---. I’ve Tasted My Blood: Poems 1956-1968. 1969. Toronto: Steel Rail Educational, 1978. [Poetry]
---. More Poems for People. Rev. ed. Toronto: NC Press, 1973. [Poetry]
Alberta Bound.Dir. Peter Campbell and Brian Pollard. NFB, 1984. [Film]
Anonymous. “Relief - the Workers’ Reward.” Davis, The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950 176. [Poetry]
Baird, Irene. “Sidown, Brothers, Sidown.” Revue de l’Université Laurentienne / Laurentian University Review 9.1 (Nov. 1976): 81-86. [Personal Essay]
---. Waste Heritage. New York: Random, 1939. [Novel]
Basilières, Michel. Black Bird. Toronto: Knopf, 2003. [Novel]
Baxter, Sheila. No Way to Live: Poor Women Speak Out. Vancouver: New Star, 1988. [Oral History]
---. Under the Viaduct: Homeless in Beautiful B.C. Vancouver: New Star, 1991. [Oral History]
Blais, Marie-Claire. Une Saison dans la vie d’Emmanuel. Montréal: Éditions du Jour, 1965. [Novel]
Les Bougon, c’est aussi ça la vie! By François Avard and Jean-François Mercier. Dir. Louis Bolduc. Prod. Fabienne Larouche and Michel Trudeau Aetios. Radio-Canada. 7 Jan. 2004-17 Apr. 2006. [TV]
Braithwaite, Max. The Hungry Thirties, 1930-1940. Toronto: Natural Science of Canada, 1977. [Life Writing]
---. Never Sleep Three in a Bed. New York: Dodd, 1969. [Novel]
Brand, Dionne. No Burden to Carry: Narratives of Black Working Women in Ontario, 1920’s-1950’s.Toronto: Women’s P, 1991. [Oral History]
---. Sans Souci and Other Stories. Stratford, ON: Williams-Wallace, 1988. [Short Story]
---. Thirsty. Toronto: McClelland, 2002. [Novel]
Brault, Jacques. Agonie. Montréal: Boréal, 1985. [Novel]
---. Il n’y a plus de chemin. St. Lambert, QC: Noroît, 1990. [Novel]
Broadfoot, Barry. The Immigrant Years: From Europe to Canada, 1945-1967. Vancouver: Douglas, 1986. [Oral History]
---. Ten Lost Years, 1929-1939: Memories of Canadians Who Survived the Depression. 1973. Don Mills, ON: Paper Jacks, 1975. [Oral History]
Butala, Alice. “A Day in Town.” Voices of Discord: Canadian Short Stories from the 1930s. Ed. Donna Phillips. Toronto: New Hogtown, 1979. 101-7. [Short Story]
Butler, Juan. Cabbagetown Diary: A Documentary. Toronto: Peter Martin, 1970. [Novel]
Cameron, Anne. Kick the Can. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour, 1991. [Novel]
---. The Whole Fam Damily. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour, 1995. [Novel]
---. “The World Is Full of Magic.” Celebrating Canadian Women: Prose and Poetry by and about Women. Ed. Greta Hofmann Nemiroff. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry, 1989. 378-84. [Short Story]
The Case of Charlie Gordon.Dir. Stuart Legg. NFB, 1939. [Film]
Civvie Street.Dir. Roger Cardinal. NFB, 1982. [Film]
Collier, Diana G. The Invisible Women of Washington. Atlanta; Ottawa: Clarity, 1987. [Novel]
Côté, Denis. L’Arrivée des inactifs. Rev. ed. Montréal: La Courte échelle, 1993. [Novel]
---. L’Idole des inactifs. Montréal: La Courte échelle, 1989. [Novel]
---. Nocturnes pour Jessie. Montréal: Québec-Amérique, 1987. [Novel]
---. Le Retour des inactifs. Montréal: La Courte échelle, 1990. [Novel]
---. La Révolte des inactifs. Montréal: La Courte échelle, 1990. [Novel]
Dandelions for Jobs.Dir. Laszlo Barna. NFB, 1987. [Film]
Davis, N. Brian, ed. The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1720-1920: Two Hundred Years of Hard Work. Toronto: NC Press, 1976. [Poetry]
---, ed. The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950. Toronto: NC Press, 1978. [Poetry]
The Diary of Evelyn Lau. Dir. Sturla Gunnarsson. CBC, 1993. [Film Adaptation of Evelyn Lau’s Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid]
Dohaney, Myrtis T. The Corrigan Women. Charlottetown, PEI: Ragweed; Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1988. [Novel]
Dubé, Marcel. Un Simple Soldat. Montréal: Quinze, 1980. [Play]
---. Zone. Montréal: Leméac, 1968. [Play]
Durkin, Douglas. The Magpie. 1923. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1974. [Novel]
The Emperor’s New Clothes.Dir. Magnus Isacsson. NFB, 1995. [Film]
Fennario, David. Balconville. Vancouver: Talon, 1980. [Play]
Flaherty, Martha. “I Fought to Keep My Hair.” Northern Voices: Inuit Writing in English. Ed. Penny Petrone. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1988. 274-78. [Personal Essay]
For Man Must Work or The End of Work.Dir. Jean-Claude Bürger. NFB, 2000. [Film]
Garner, Hugh. Cabbagetown. Toronto: Ryerson, 1968. [Novel]
Gillis, Tessie. Stories from the Woman from Away. Wreck Cove, NS: Breton, 1996. [Short Story]
Goin’ Down the Road. Dir. Donald Shebib. Chevron Pictures, 1970. [Film]
Grayson, Linda M., and Michael Bliss, eds. The Wretched of Canada: Letters to R.B. Bennett, 1930-1935. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1971. [Life Writing]
H.E.G. “Capital!” Davis, The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950 165. [Poetry]
Henry, Ann. Laugh, Baby, Laugh. Toronto: McClelland, 1970. [Novel]
Holmes, Nancy. “Bugs.” Celebrating Canadian Women: Prose and Poetry by and about Women. Ed. Greta Hofmann Nemiroff. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry, 1989. 192-99. [Short Story]
Howard, Victor. “We Were the Salt of the Earth!”: A Narrative of the On-to-Ottawa Trek and the Regina Riot. Regina, SK: Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina, 1985. [Oral History]
Huffman, Bert. “Desolation.” Davis, The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950 169. [Poetry]
Innis, Mary Quayle. “The Gift.” Voices of Discord: Canadian Short Stories from the 1930s. Ed. Donna Phillips. Toronto: New Hogtown, 1979. 143-50. [Short Story]
---. “Holiday.” The Depression in Canadian Literature. Ed. Alice K. Hale and Sheila A. Brooks. Toronto: Macmillan, 1976. 3-8. [Short Story]
---. “The Party.” Voices of Discord: Canadian Short Stories from the 1930s. Ed. Donna Phillips. Toronto: New Hogtown, 1979. 151-57. [Short Story]
---. “Staver.” Voices of Discord: Canadian Short Stories from the 1930s. Ed. Donna Phillips. Toronto: New Hogtown, 1979. 173-81. [Short Story]
Johnston, Wayne. Baltimore’s Mansion: A Memoir. New York: Anchor, 1999. [Life Writing]
The Journey Home.Dir. Marc F. Voizard. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Knight, Phyllis, and Rolf Knight. A Very Ordinary Life. Vancouver: New Star, 1974. [Oral History]
Larocque, Emma. “The Beggar.” Native Poetry in Canada: A Contemporary Anthology. Ed. Jeannette C. Armstrong and Lally Grauer. Peterborough, ON: Broadview, 2001. 151. [Poetry]
Lau, Evelyn. Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid.Toronto: Harper, 1989. [Life Writing]
Laurence, Margaret. “Horses of the Night.” The Depression in Canadian Literature. Ed. Alice K. Hale and Sheila A. Brooks. Toronto: Macmillan, 1976. 38-60. [Short Story]
Left Out.Dir. Jim Purdy. NFB, 1985. [Film]
Lemelin, Roger.Au pied de la pente douce. 1944. Montréal: Cercle du livre de France, 1967. [Novel]
---. Les Plouffe. Québec: Belisle, 1948 [Novel]
Livesay, Dorothy. Right Hand, Left Hand. Erin, ON: Porcepic, 1977. [Poetry]
Loranger, Françoise. Mathieu. Montréal: Cercle du livre de France, 1949. [Novel]
MacLeod, Alistair. The Lost Salt Gift of Blood. Toronto: McClelland, 1976. [Novel]
Maguire, Trevor. “O Canada!: A Tale of Canadian Workers’ [sic] Life.” The Worker (19 Feb.-3 Sept. 1927): n.pag. [Serialized Novel]
---. Unemployment. Canadian Labour Monthly (May-June 1928). Rpt in Eight Men Speak, and Other Plays from the Canadian Workers’ Theatre.Ed. Richard Wright and Robin Endres. Toronto: New Hogtown, 1976. 5-14. [Play]
Maillet, Antonine. Mariaagélas. Montréal: Leméac, 1973. [Novel]
---. La Sagouine. Montréal: Leméac, 1971. [Play]
A Man and His Job. Dir. Alistair M. Taylor. NFB, 1943. [Film]
Mettrick, Alan. Last in Line: On the Road and Out of Work: A Desperate Journey with Canada’s Unemployed. Toronto: Key Porter, 1985. [Reportage]
Mistry, Rohinton. A Fine Balance. Toronto: Knopf, 1996. [Novel]
Montero, Gloria. Billy Higgins Rides the Freights. Toronto: Lorimer, 1982. [Novel for Young Adults]
---. We Stood Together: First-Hand Accounts of Dramatic Events in Canada’s Labour Past. Toronto: Lorimer, 1979. [Oral History]
Mukherjee, Bharati. Jasmine. New York: Grove, 1989. [Novel]
---. The Middleman and Other Stories. New York: Grove, 1988. [Short Story]
Ondaatje, Michael. In the Skin of a Lion. Toronto: McClelland, 1987. [Novel]
Poor People’s Press. Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montréal: N.D.G. Anti-Poverty League (Oct. 1989-Summer 1991). [Activist Newsletter]
Potrebenko, Helen. Life, Love and Unions. Vancouver: Lazara, 1987. [Poetry]
---. No Streets of Gold: A Social History of Ukrainians in Alberta. Vancouver: New Star, 1977. [Life Writing]
Proulx, Annie E. The Shipping News. New York: Scribner; Toronto: Macmillan, 1993. [Novel]
R.P.S. “May Day in Hamilton.” Davis, The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950 164. [Poetry]
Richard, Jean Jules. Le Journal d’un hobo. Montréal: Partis Pris, 1965. [Novel]
---. Neuf jours de haine.1948. Montréal: Cercle du livre de France, 1968. [Novel]
Richards, David Adams. The Coming of Winter. Toronto: McClelland, 1992. [Novel]
---. Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace. Toronto: McClelland, 1990. [Novel]
---. For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down. Toronto: McClelland, 1993. [Novel]
---. Mercy Among the Children. Toronto: Doubleday, 2000. [Novel]
---. Nights Below Station Street. Toronto: McClelland, 1988. [Novel]
---. River of the Brokenhearted. Toronto: Random, 2003. [Novel]
---. Road to the Stilt House. Ottawa: Oberon, 1985. [Novel]
Richler, Mordecai. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Toronto: McClelland, 1969. [Novel]
---. Son of a Smaller Hero. Toronto: McClelland, 1992. [Novel]
---. The Street. London: Panther, 1971. [Novel]
Riis, Sharon. The True Story of Ida Johnson. Toronto: Women’s P, 1976. [Novel]
Roy, Gabrielle. Bonheur d’occasion. Montréal: Beauchemin, 1945. [Novel]
---. Fragiles lumières de la terre. Montréal: Quinze, 1978. [Novel]
---. La Rivière sans repos.Montréal: Beauchemin, 1970. [Novel]
---. Windflower. Trans. Joyce Marshall. Toronto: McClelland, 1970. [Translation of Gabrielle Roy’s La Rivière sans repos]
Ryan.Dir. Chris Landreth. NFB, 2004. [Film]
Ryga, George. The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 1970. [Play]
Salverson, Laura Goodman. Confessions of an Immigrant’s Daughter. 1939. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1981. [Life Writing]
Sawai, Gloria. A Song for Nettie Johnson. Regina, SK: Coteau, 2002. [Short Story]
Scofield, Gregory. Native Canadiana: Songs from the Urban Rez. Vancouver: Polestar, 1996. [Poetry]
Shorty. “Down and Out, But.” Davis, The Poetry of the Canadian People, 1900-1950 172. [Poetry]
Shreve, Sandy. “Laid Off.” Class Is the Issue. Spec. issue of Fireweed 25 (Fall 1987): 46. [Life Writing]
Silman, Janet. Enough Is Enough: Aboriginal Women Speak Out. Toronto: Women’s P, 1987. [Oral History]
Sime, J[essie] G[eorgina]. Our Little Life: A Novel of Today. 1921. Ottawa: Tecumseh, 1994. [Novel]
---. Sister Woman. 1919. Ottawa: Borealis, 1992. [Short Story]
Souster, Raymond. The Colour of the Times: The Collected Poems of Raymond Souster.Toronto: Ryerson, 1964. [Poetry]
---. “The Child’s Umbrella.” Colour 55.
---. “City Hall Street.” Colour 15.
---. “Death by Streetcar.” Colour 49.
---. “Decision on King Street.” Colour 102.
---. “Downtown Corner News Stand.” Colour 30.
---. “Fisherman.” Colour 92.
---. “Freak Show.” Colour 21.
---. “Girl with the Face of Sores.” Colour 37.
---. “The Home.” Colour 42.
---. “John Street.” Colour 52.
---. “Night-Town.” Colour 3.
---. “Night Watch.” Colour 9.
---. “Old Man on Bay Street.” Colour 52.
---. “The Old Prospector.” Colour 43.
---. “The Penny Flute.” Colour 1.
---. “Roller Skate Man.” Colour 21.
---. “Search.” Colour 2.
---. “The Seller of Pencils.” Colour 58.
---. “Shake Hands with the Hangman.” Colour 10.
---. “Ten P.M.” Colour 2.
---. “The Top Hat.” Colour 60.
---. “The Victory.” Colour 60.
--- “The Girl in the Gumbo.” So Far So Good: Poems 1938/1968. Ottawa: Oberon, 1969. N.pag. [Poetry]
---. Going the Distance.Ottawa: Oberon, 1983. [Poetry]
---. “Adrift.” Going114.
---. “Bleeding-Heart Blues.” Going67.
---. “Body Odours.” Going80.
---. “Caring.” Going107.
---. “Man, Beer and Pidgeons.” Going47.
---. “Nothing Cheaper than Advice.” Going 37.
---. “Portrait of a Meddler.” Going131.
Sweatman, Margaret. Fox. Winnipeg, MB: Turnstone, 1991. [Novel]
Tracey, Lindalee. On the Edge: A Journey into the Heart of Canada. Vancouver: Douglas, 1993. [Reportage/Travel Narrative]
Tremblay, Michel. Thérèse et Pierrette et l’école des Saints-Anges. Montréal: Leméac, 1980. [Novel]
Turbulences. Dir. Carole Poliquin. NFB, 1998. [Film]
Unemployment: Voices from the Line. Dir. Pierre Lasry. NFB, 1980. [Film]
An Untidy Package.Dir. Debbie McGee. NFB, 1997. [Film]
Webber, Marlene. Food for Thought: How Our Dollar Democracy Drove 2 Million Canadians into Foodbanks to Collect Private Charity in Place of Public Justice. Toronto: Coach House, 1992. [Reportage]
Wilson, Ethel. The Innocent Traveller. 1949. Toronto: McClelland, 1990. [Novel]
---. “Lilly’s Story.” The Equations of Love. London: Macmillan, 1952. 131-281. [Short Story]
Wiseman, Adele. Crackpot.Toronto: McClelland, 1974. [Novel]
Without Work: The Buddy System. Dir. Allen Schinkel. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Without Work: The Drive Away.Dir. David Vainola. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Without Work: Is Everyone Here Crazy. Dir. Gail Singer. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Without Work: Killing Time. Dir. David Wellington. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Without Work: Not by Choice.Dir. Geoff Bowie. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Without Work: Sidetracked. Dir. Jean Bourbonnais. NFB, 1989. [Film]
Would I Ever Like to Work.Dir. Kathleen Shannon. NFB, 1974. [Film]
Wright, Richard B. Clara Callan. Toronto: Harper, 2001. [Novel]
Compiled by Jackie Hall and Roxanne Rimstead