conscription in wwi canada
DESCRIPTION
Conscription in WWI Canada. Conscientious Objectors Why When National Division End of the War. 1914 Prime Minister Borden. Promised there would be no conscription or compulsory enlistment BUT........ Needed more men for the war effort Ex. Vimy Ridge Campaign. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Conscription in WWI CanadaConscientious ObjectorsWhy WhenNational DivisionEnd of the War
1914 Prime Minister Borden• Promised there would
be no conscription or compulsory enlistment
• BUT........
• Needed more men for the war effort
Ex. Vimy Ridge Campaign
1917 Military Service Act
•Made enlistment for military service mandatory
AT FIRST...The Act Allowed for exemptions:-Disabled-Clergy-Essential jobs/skills-Opposed war for religious reasons
Groups to Oppose Conscription
Conscientious Objectors•Those who Opposed the war on religious or moral grounds
- Pacifists- Mormons- “Hippie”
Farmers and Factory Workers• Both groups believed
they were already working for the war effort
• Farms a family business, and sons needed on the farm
• Factory workers did not want to give up their jobs to go overseas
Labour Movement• Groups organized to
improve conditions for workers******
• Ex. 8 HOUR Day- Workers already finding it
hard to provide for families
- Conscription would mean workers make even less
Quebec• Felt little to no
connection to Britain or France
• Military Service Act forcing them to fight distant war
• Language Rights lost outside Quebec
• Majority farmers• Minority group in the
war
Liberal Party Leader Laurier•The “law of the
land...declares that no man in Canada shall be subjected to compulsory military service except to repel invasions or for the defense of the country”
Groups to Support Conscription
Women Connected to Soldiers•Fathers, sons, husbands, brothers at war and in need of help
• Theories:- Helped to promote the
vote for women- Free up jobs for women
The Government•Men needed for
Vimy Ridge•Britain controls
Canada's foreign policy
•Role in war helps to promote our autonomy
The Armed Forces•Needed more men
•High death tolls•Vimy Ridge•100 days campaign
The Khaki Election of 1917•Conscription the main issue in 1917
election
•Called Khaki because of the attempts to win the support of people serving during the war
•Borden passed laws to ensure a WIN!
Military Voters Act 1917•Allowed men and women overseas to vote
•They would side with Borden because he wanted conscription
Wartime Elections Act 1917• Gave the Vote to all
Canadian women related to servicemen
• Cancelled the vote for :- consciences objectors - Immigrants from enemy
countries in past 15 years
Union Government•Liberals lost much support outside
Quebec
•Liberals who favoured conscription joined Borden’s Conservatives to make a wartime Union Government
- won majority votes in 1917 election
Conscription Protests Continue•After election, people of Quebec continue to protest
•“A bas Borden”- Down with Borden
•Canadian troops vs French Canadians who refuse to enlist
Conscription Riots•Quebec City
Easter weekend 1918
•April 1 four protesters shot and killed by soldiers
•10 soldiers wounded
Conscription Numbers•401 882 Canadians conscripted
•125 000 enlisted
•25 000 reached France before end of war