" Additionally, industries were expanding through the practice of credit, which was put to use within Canada and many other countries. However, the application of credit based expansion declined, resulting in the selling of stock and ceasing of investment. This contributed to the disastrous American stock market crash of 1929, which ruined thousands of investors and destroyed confidence in the economy.
             Essentially, the prosperity that emerged in Canada during the 1920s was unstable and precarious since it was centered around easy credit and lofty expectations. Over expansion of industries resulted in excessive amounts of supplies, including food, newsprint, and minerals. Markets in Europe and the United States could not consume all the items Canada produced. Consequently, world trade declined significantly during the Depression. This impacted the Canadian economy, which had been heavily dependent upon foreign trade.
             Demand for Canadian food products, lumber, and minerals dropped drastically. The decline in export income caused thousands of Canadian factories, stores, and coal mines to close. Unemployment levels increased as numerous Canadians lost their jobs. As income and consumption of resources decreased, property taxes went unpaid, forcing many to flee their homes.
             The Prairie Provinces were the hardest hit by the Depression due to a rapid fall in grain prices and severe weather conditions. A disastrous drought, accompanied by an invasion of grasshoppers, caused millions of dollars damage annually to crops. With the decline in wheat prices, farmers faced heavy debts. Farm implement and auto factories were "deprived of their best customers due to the disappearance of the purchasing power of
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