Conscription Crisis (1917)

• What is conscription?

– Pg. 39-41 & 124-125 in Counterpoints

Three Key Figures

Wilfrid Laurier

Leader of the Opposition (former Liberal PM)

Robert Borden

Prime Minister (Conservative)

Quebec Nationalist leader(Anti-conscription)

Laurier: “Do not choose a French Canadian. The situation of a French Canadian Prime Minister is impossible and he can nothing for his people.”

Conscription Crisis (1917)

• Prime Minister Borden broke his promise of no conscription to Canada in 1917 in WWI.

• Military Service Act was introduced, which made compulsory enlistment (conscription), even if someone didn’t believe in the war.

• Conscription divided Canada in half:– English for conscription, French against it

1917 Election• Prime Minister Borden called an election,

and conscription would be the only issue, but he changed the rules

• Military Voters Act (1917)– Allowed men and women serving overseas to

vote• Wartime Elections Act (1917)

– Gave the vote to all Canadian women directly related to servicemen (wives, mothers, sisters)

– Cancelled the vote for conscientious objectors and immigrants from enemy countries in the last 15 years

• Prime Minister Borden (Conservative), invited Liberals to join him in a Union Government because Liberal leader Wilfrid Laurier was against conscription

• The Liberals lost support outside Quebec, and the conservatives easily won the election.

– LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THE UNION GOVERNMENT ON PAGE 41

Conscription in WWII

-Prime Minister Mackenzie King promised there would be no conscription at the beginning of WWII.

• But in 1942, PM King held a plebiscite (question vote) to see if Canadians would allow the gov’t to use conscription.– All provinces in

Canada (except) Quebec voted yes.

– Quebec was betrayed again!!!

Canada Divided

• PM King famously stated “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary.” WHY?

• However, in 1944, PM King decided to send conscripts overseas to fight in Europe, and Quebec was betrayed again

CLASS DEBATE

• QUESTION: Should Canada, or any other country (Korea), be allowed to use conscription during wartime?–Why or why not?

• How about during peacetime? –Example: Russia