CANADA AT THE START OF WWII

Canada’s Policy of Isolationism

P.M. Mackenzie King (Lib.) did not want Canada to become involved in another world conflict

Hoped Britain’s policy of appeasement towards Hitler would be successful

Didn’t want to lose support of Quebec over conscription

Debt avoidance (Depression)

“[N]othing is to be gained by creating an internal problem in an effort to meet an international one… We… must seek to keep this part of the Continent free from unrest.”

-Diary of Mackenzie King, Tuesday, March 29, 1938

Canada’s Response to Jewish Refugees

King believed what was happening in Germany was a domestic issue should not affect Canada

1930’s: Anti-semitism was widespread Newspapers, conversation

Affected immigration policy Ex. Kristallnacht, Nov. 1938 Liberal Cabinet

Minister Thomas Crerar suggested 10, 000 Jews be allowed to immigrate, Cabinet refused

Immigration , deportations

The SS St Louis

The SS St Louis

Left Hamburg, Germany in May, 1939 with 907 Jewish passengers escaping persecution

Denied entry in Cuba, South America, and the USA

Last hope= Canada

Could something like the St Louis incident happen again? What

might be some modern examples?

Canada’s Steps to WarParliament Votes for War (Sept. 8, 1939) decision to join the war had to be a

Canadian one, decided by Canada’s Parliament

King & Minister of Justice, Ernest Lapointe (Que.) favor war

King: “So long as this government may be in power, no such measure [conscription] shall be enacted.”

Yes= Liberals, Conservatives No= J.S. Woodsworth, CCF

Canada’s Steps to War

Mobilizing Resources Canada was not prepared for war

Armed forces= small, unfit for combat (4300 troops)

Air force/ navy= small, outdated equipment 58000 people volunteered

Sense of duty (ties to Britain) National pride Steady source of income African-Canadian/ Aboriginal volunteers

Canada’s Steps to War

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) Canada hosted to give supplies and training

(avoid conscription)

Pilots from across the Commonwealth came to train with British instructors

Built airfields in Prairies and rural areas Trained 130 000 pilots, navigators, flight

engineers, and ground crew $2.2 billion (Canada paid for 70%)

Canada’s Steps to War

Total War Federal government became more

involved in planning and controlling economy

April 1940, Dept. of Munitions and Supply, CD Howe (aka “Minister of Everything) in charge

Canada’s Steps to War

Total War

Vancouver= building ships Montreal= constructing

planes & bombers Car industries= military

vehicles and tanks Crown corporations Farmers Gov’t ran: telephones,

refined fuel, stockpiled silk (parachutes), mined uranium, controlled food