Who was Prime Minister of Canada when the stock market crashed in 1929?

• A. John A. Macdonald
• B. R.B. Bennett
• C. William Lyon Mackenzie King
• D. Louis St. Laurent

Answer: (B)

The Prime Minister of Canada when the stock market crashed in 1929 was R.B. Bennett. He took office in 1930, and while the crash itself occurred in October 1929, Bennett was the one who had to address the ensuing economic crisis as it unfolded during his time in office. His government faced immense challenges as Canada sank into the Great Depression, marked by significant unemployment and hardship.

John A. Macdonald was Prime Minister much earlier, having served until 1891, long before the crash. William Lyon Mackenzie King served as Prime Minister in various terms, but his leadership during the Great Depression began after the crisis started when he returned to power in 1935. Louis St. Laurent became Prime Minister in 1948, well after the events of the 1929 crash. Thus, the historical context of 1929 points directly to R.B. Bennett as the Prime Minister who encountered the economic fallout of the stock market collapse.