On to Ottawa Trek
The Trekkers had travelled to Regina on freight trains; they returned home on passenger trains, "riding the cushions" as they called it, with all expenses paid by the government. They
left Regina on July 5 in two "B.C. Specials" headed west with over 400 men on each train, One stopped in Calgary and the other in Edmonton to discharge men who had come from these cities.
A supply of food was placed on both trains. Another 200 Trekkers elected to return east and went to Toronto.
They left Regina with their organization intact and their heads held high.
On arriving in Vancouver their first acts were to donate the food that was left over to striking longshoremen and to join them on the picket line.
A public meeting held a few days later at the Arena to hear their reports attracted 3,500 people.
Four major events dominated the next period.
- The first was the trials of those arrested and the powerful campaign of protest waged across Canada demanding their release.
- The second was the appointment of a Royal Commission into the events of July 1.
- The third was a federal election held in October.
- The fourth was the municipal election held in Regina in November.
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