The Conscription Issue

• King’s 1939 election promise – NO CONSCRIPTION

• 1940 – National Resources Mobilization Act– includes conscription

for home defence – not to leave Canada

– “Zombies”

From the Globe and Mail:'Ottawa, Aug. 21 (CP):The OttawaCitizen said today that the replacementof a draftee company, sergeant-major by a general servicenon-commissioned officer ended awork stoppage Saturday of about 30girls in No. 8 temporary building atthe Central Experimental Farm nearhere. The newspaper said the girls tookexception to the appointment of adraftee in charge of their group, on the grounds that many had relatives'overseas and were unwilling to workunder a "Zombie'

“Conscription if necessary, but not necessarily conscription”

1942: King holds a plebiscite – asks Canadians to release him from his

promise

The Question:Are you in favour of releasing the

Government from any obligations arising out of any past commitments restricting the methods of raising men for military

service?

Plebiscite Results by Province

Province Voted Yes Voted NoPrince Edward Island 23 568 4 869

Nova Scotia 120 763 35 840

New Brunswick 105 629 45 743

Quebec 375 650 971 925Ontario 1 202 953 229 847

Manitoba 218 093 53 651

Saskatchewan 183 617 67 654

Alberta 186 624 75 880

British Columbia 253 844 62 033

Yukon 847 291

Total civilian vote 2 670 088 1 547 724

Military vote 251 118 60 885

Total 2 921 206 1 608 609

79% of English Canadians voted yes85% of French Canadians voted no

Overall, 64% of Canadians vote yes

• King passes law allowing for conscription, but only if it’s essential

• 1944 – Minister of National Defence tells King conscripts must be sent

• Government authorizes King to use limited overseas conscription in 1944, sending 16000 “zombies” (who had volunteered and trained for service in Canada only) to Europe

• many English Canadians considered them “walking dead”• King thus avoids conscription of non-volunteers so keeps

his promise• Some protests, but reaction is not as serious as King

feared