 The creation of the union was a direct response to the conditions of the camps and the lack of financial compensation for the work the men provided.The union is best known for helping to organize the On-to-Ottawa Trek during the Great Depression.During the Great Depression in Canada ( 1929 to 1939), a time of economic hardship spanning a decade, many people faced food scarcity, reduction of wages or precarious work, and overall reduction in their quality of life.