Figure 1.--.

Canada like America was during the 18th and 19thg century able to stay out of European wars. Canada was a part of the British Empire beginning uin the mid 18th century, but as in Britain itself there was no conscription. This changed in World War I when conscription became a major politival issue, especially has Britain brought the Dominions into the War without their consent. Interestingly, even though the preservation of France became a central issue in the War, French Canadians saw little connection with France and saw the war more in terms of preserving the British Empire. This internal division reappeared during World War II, even after the fall of France.

War of 1812

Unification of Italy (1860s)

A Cannadian readers writes, "A word about French Canadians refuse to join the rest of Canada (ROC) because they were against British Imperialism. They always refused to fight against their own interests. Don't forget that like it was in the United States, the Canadian government did its best to assimilate French Canadians. Interestingly, a lot of French Canadians joined the "Zouaves pontificaux " in 1869 to fight against Garibaldi and his effort to unify Italy. At that time, the only real respected authority in Québec was the Vatican!"

Riel Affair (1885)

The Riel affair in Manitoba shocked French Canadians--especially when Riel was hung (1885). Not long after, when English speakers became 51 percent of the population in Manitoba, they forbid French in Manitoba Schools. Resentment was visible in Québec.

Prime Minister Laurier (1896)

Laurier became the first French Canadian prime minister (1896). Laurier was a strong proponent for the rights of the French minotrity and felt less attachment to Britain than many English-speaking politicians. Conservatives like Borden were stronly oriented toward Britain. The fact that Britain was involved in World War caused many French Canadians to see the World War I as another British imperialist war, depite the fact that Grmany had invaded Belgium and France. While Frenchb Canadians spoke French, as a result bof the separation from France in the 18th cenbtury, few French Canadians felt strong ties with France.

World War I (1914-18)

Canada sought to create a 0.5 million man army through voluntary recruitment, but this effort failed. Support for conscription to build this army grew. Prime Minister Robert Borden spoke out and insisted that conscription was a military necessity (1917). German successes on the Eastern Front made it clear that the Germans would have substantial forces to deploy on the Western front that could resolve the War in 1918. Borden saw the military necessity and he also wanted to strengthen Canada's voice within the Empire. Borden crossed the Atlantic to see the situation of the Canadian troops in France. Contrary to what might have been expected, there was no special connection of French Canadians with France during World war I. Brorden and the Government were not popular among French Canadians. There were no separate French Canadian units. Nor were their Frech Canadian officers among the senior commanders. Ethnic tensions in Canada worsened during the War. Especially troubling fror French Canadians was that guarantees for French language schools in Manitoba and Quebec were ressinded. This was part of the reason that recruitment in Quebec was especially disappoingting. Quebec was about a third of Canada, but contributed only about 5 percent of enlistments. As the war situation worsened even fewer French Canadians volunteered. Candian units sustained more than 20,000 casualties during Spring 1917. During that same period, fewer than 100 men volunteered in Quebec. Borden pushed a consprition law through Parliament--the Military Service Act, believing it necessary to support the army in France. The Act made all Canaian men 20-45 years of age eligible for military service. French Canadians saw this as the English drafgooning them into the War. There were draft riots in Montreal and in Quebec City. Borden attempted to form a coalition Government. He asked iberal leader Laurier to join the Conservatives to form a Government. Laurier refused, in part because of the conscription issues as well as other political concerns, but some Liberals did join the Union (Coalition) Government. Bordem introduced two new laws (the Military Votors Act and the War Time Elections Act). These two acts were highly controversial, but produced a massive majority for the Union Goivernment (1918).

World War II (1939-45)

Canada entered World War II reluctantly to support Britain (1939). Prime Minister Mackenzie King insisted that Canada control its war effort, in contrast to its World war I experience. King at first believed that the French would prove a bulwark to the Germans and that hoped that Canada might only have to train aircrews and manufacture arms for the Allies. King and his important ally in Québec, Ernest Lapointe, promised that there would be no conscription for overseas service as had been introduced in World War I. The collapse of France and NAZI victories elsewhere in Europe meant that a huge Allied army would have to be raised in. As a result the issue of conscription rose again. King did not dare introduce conscription without overwealming public support. King called for a national plebiscite on conscription (April 24, 1942). The Canadians by a ratio of 3 to 1 voted for conscription (April 27). The English-speaking majority voted ovewealming for conscription. The French-Canadians in Québec rejected it. This was an interesting vote as the primary use of the Canadian Army was to be in Europe to liberate France. We suspect the vote was more of French-Canadian attitudes toward the British than attitudes toward the French. Evven after the plebecite, however, King did not immediatedly introduce national conscription. In fact he dismissed his pro-conscription defense minister, Colonel J. L. Ralston. As a result, the Canadian Army which stormed ashore at Juno Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944) was a voluntary force. King did not introduce conscription until late in the War (late 1944). King remained popular even in Qué in part because he was clearly reluctant on the concscription issue. Few Canadian conscripts served overseas.

Created: 1:05 AM 12/5/2004
Last updated: 1:05 AM 12/5/2004