Canada and WWI1914-1918

Background on Canada

Late 1400s-1700s: French and British settlement; fight over

territory

1763: New France ceded to Britain, Quebec/Montreal

heavily French

1783: British Loyalist refugees from American Revolution

1848: Canada receives some autonomy from British government

1867: Beginning of Canadian Confederation – officially named

“Dominion of Canada”, create provisional governments

and parliament, but still part of British Empire (esp.

relating to foreign affairs)

As tensions between Germany and Britain increased (naval race) prior to 1914, Britain pressured Canada to assume a larger role in imperial defense.

There was disagreement among Canadians as to what role Canada would play in the impending war…

- French Canadians were opposed to overseas

involvement and said they would only contribute to

the direct defense of the country

- English Canadians felt that Canada must contribute to

defending Britain since they were officially part of the

empire (also didn’t want to lose their political voice)

Prime Minister Robert Borden (1911-1920) made two promises that he struggled to maintain:

1. promised Britain that Canada would uphold a

military force overseas of 500,000 men

2. promised Canadians there would not be

mandatory military service (conscription)

As the casualties increased and wartime jobs became plentiful, voluntary enlistment decreased. Borden needed support for his reelection, but he also needed to increase military force. He passed three wartime acts (two before the election, one after):

1. Military Voters Act (extended vote to soldiers

and nurses serving overseas)

2. Wartime Elections Act (women who had close male relatives

serving overseas were given the right to vote)

Following the 1917 election, Borden passed the most controversial of the three (in January 1918):

3. Military Service Act (allowed for a wartime draft, making over

400,000 men eligible for military service in the Canadian

Expeditionary Force)

This sparked outrage and led to protests, marches and riots throughout the country – especially in Quebec. Only about 125,000 were ever conscripted and only around 25,000 of those were actually sent to war, but the law had lasting consequences.

Conscription Crisis (1918)• Debate over military service in defense of

British empire had history going back to Boer War (1899-1902)

• Borden was upset that Australia had more troops in the war, but a smaller population – he was convinced of the need for a draft

• French and many English farmers, union leaders and pacifists were adamantly opposed

• Leader of French-Canadian nationalism, Henri Bourassa, said that there would be no support for conscription as long as Bill 17 was in effect (banned use of French language for instruction in Ontario public schools)

Henri Bourassa – Father of French-Canadian Nationalism

Conscription Crisis (1918)• As war continued and Allies suffered losses,

Borden eliminated all draft exemptions

• This caused major political divisions within Canada, the Conservative party lost much of its influence (esp. in Quebec and the West) and created a distrust and suspicion of government