INCREASING INCREASING AUTONOMY IN AUTONOMY IN THE INTERWAR THE INTERWAR

YEARSYEARS

1921 Federal Election1921 Federal Election

Still suffering from Conscription fallout, the Still suffering from Conscription fallout, the Conservatives lose the election to the LiberalsConservatives lose the election to the Liberals

New Liberal leader William Lyon Mackenzie King New Liberal leader William Lyon Mackenzie King heads Canada’s first ever Minority Governmentheads Canada’s first ever Minority Government

Prime Minister KingPrime Minister King

Strongly believed Strongly believed Canada needed to Canada needed to have an have an independent voice independent voice in international in international politics, free of the politics, free of the influence of Londoninfluence of London

Would battle for this Would battle for this throughout his first throughout his first term (1921-1925)term (1921-1925)

Was trained in Was trained in social work and is social work and is credited with credited with taking the first taking the first steps towards our steps towards our modern social modern social welfare statewelfare state

Most progressive Most progressive leader to dateleader to date

The Chanak The Chanak Crisis (1922)Crisis (1922)

The Chanak CrisisThe Chanak Crisis

Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) threatened to attack British Empire) threatened to attack British and French troops stationed at and French troops stationed at neutral port (Chanak)neutral port (Chanak)

Britain calls for Canadian troop Britain calls for Canadian troop support, Mackenzie King refuses support, Mackenzie King refuses unless a full-blown war is declaredunless a full-blown war is declared

The first time Canada flat out refuses The first time Canada flat out refuses to support British imperial policiesto support British imperial policies

The Halibut The Halibut Treaty (1923)Treaty (1923)

The Halibut TreatyThe Halibut Treaty

Negotiations began between the US Negotiations began between the US and Canada regarding fishing rights and Canada regarding fishing rights in the Pacificin the Pacific

WLMK again defies Britain and WLMK again defies Britain and refuses to allow them to sign the refuses to allow them to sign the treaty alongside Canada, as was treaty alongside Canada, as was conventional practiceconventional practice

Becomes the first treaty negotiated Becomes the first treaty negotiated and signed independently by Canadaand signed independently by Canada

The King-ByngThe King-ByngAffair (1925)Affair (1925)

1925 Federal Election1925 Federal Election

Prime Minister King’s LIBERALS win Prime Minister King’s LIBERALS win fewer seats than Meighen’s fewer seats than Meighen’s CONSERVATIVESCONSERVATIVES

100 115

Progressive PartyProgressive Party

King’s government gains their support King’s government gains their support to stay in powerto stay in power

Scandal ensues!Scandal ensues!

King’s Minister of Customs is King’s Minister of Customs is discovered to have taken bribes and discovered to have taken bribes and allowed liquor to flow freely to the allowed liquor to flow freely to the US!US!

King reactsKing reacts

King fires the minister, but then King fires the minister, but then appoints him to the Senateappoints him to the Senate

(Jacques Bureau)(Jacques Bureau)

Progressive Party reactsProgressive Party reacts

Slowly, they withdraw their support Slowly, they withdraw their support of the Liberalsof the Liberals

Mackenzie worries…Mackenzie worries…

……that he’ll be defeated in that he’ll be defeated in parliament, so he asks Governor parliament, so he asks Governor General Byng (remember him?) to General Byng (remember him?) to “dissolve” parliament in order to “dissolve” parliament in order to have a have a

new electionnew election

Byng reacts…Byng reacts…

He felt that King should have He felt that King should have resigned when he didn’t gain a resigned when he didn’t gain a majority of seats, so he REFUSES to majority of seats, so he REFUSES to dissolve parliamentdissolve parliament

King is forced to resignKing is forced to resign

Byng invites the Conservatives to Byng invites the Conservatives to form the governmentform the government

(Meighen)(Meighen)

Meighen loses a vote of confidence Meighen loses a vote of confidence by one vote!by one vote!

So Byng now HAS to dissolve So Byng now HAS to dissolve parliament and another election is parliament and another election is called.called.

The new Prime Minister is…The new Prime Minister is…

Mackenzie King! Elected in with a Mackenzie King! Elected in with a clear majority…clear majority…

King seeks change…King seeks change… In the role of Governor General! Claiming In the role of Governor General! Claiming

that the appointed official of Britain that the appointed official of Britain should never refuse the Canadian Prime should never refuse the Canadian Prime Minister’s advice!Minister’s advice!

Seeks to address this and does at the Seeks to address this and does at the Imperial Conference in 1926Imperial Conference in 1926

Result of the King-Byng Crisis: limited the Result of the King-Byng Crisis: limited the role and power of our Governor Generalrole and power of our Governor General

Today’s governor general:Today’s governor general:

Michaëlle Jean (until 2010)

David Johnston (since 2010)

The Imperial The Imperial Conference (1926)Conference (1926)

1926 Imperial Conference1926 Imperial Conference 1926 was the Ninth Imperial 1926 was the Ninth Imperial

Conference, called by King George VConference, called by King George V The imperial leaders at the The imperial leaders at the

conference (led by King) agreed upon conference (led by King) agreed upon the “Balfour Declaration”the “Balfour Declaration”

The Declaration stated that all The Declaration stated that all dominions were henceforth dominions were henceforth considered equal to Britain and in no considered equal to Britain and in no way subordinateway subordinate

KGV agrees to this conceptKGV agrees to this concept

**The Statute of **The Statute of Westminster Westminster

(1931)**(1931)**

The Statute officially puts the Balfour The Statute officially puts the Balfour Declaration into lawDeclaration into law

Formally gives Canada full control Formally gives Canada full control over its international affairsover its international affairs

EstablishesEstablishes

the Britishthe British

CommonwealthCommonwealth