Research

Canada Divided

Find primary evidence: How did Canadians feel about conscription? Who supported it and who didn’t?

Primary evidence: “The federal government decided in 1917 to conscript young men for overseas military service. Voluntary recruitment was failing to maintain troop numbers, and Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden believed in the military value, and potential post-war influence, of a strong Canadian contribution to the war.” This evidence expresses Canada government and Prime Minister want to through conscription to increase their country influence un the war. “French-Canadians, as well as many farmers, unionized workers, non-British immigrants, and other Canadians, generally opposed the measure” “English-speaking Canadians, led by Prime Minister Borden and senior members of his Cabinet, as well as British immigrants, the families of soldiers, and older Canadians, generally supported it.”

• What are the messages in the political cartoons?

About this political cartoon, I think it expresses cruel war not only destroy courtiers but also destroy people, and oppression of people freedom. It also expresses the victor is the king, and loser need to accept the separation of territory, loser need to face be discard and lose the life.  The war influence people life, influence county building and development, and also make many refugees aperea, and many people immigrate to other county.

• Was the Khaki Election rigged or just better democracy?

I think is rig the election, because Borden allowed any solders, nonages and born in England men to voted, but it wasn’t allowed before. He also allowed women to involved to voted, and most people supported conscription.

• Was the government acting in the interests of the public when enacting conscription?

I think government allowed soldiers’ wife, mother and sisters to vote, and they were the first permitted to vote in Canada federal elections. And also enlarge vote right, all military personnel, regardless of their period live in Canada.

Settling into Peace

• How would you describe the first few years after WWI in Canada? Who was happy, who wasn’t, and why? Evidence?

 

After the first war, Canada loss many soldiers, and many soldiers back to Canada cannot get jobs, and Canada economy backward, development slowly, and the large gap between rich and poor. Government and people are very happy, because they can live a peace life, and Canadian government follow Bolshevik build a communist and “Under communism, all the means of production (such as factories and farms) and distribution (transportation and stores) are publicly owned. There is no private or individual ownership of business or land and Communism never gained widespread support in Canada, but the ideas of these revolutionaries inspired workers in Canada to try to improve working conditions.” I think soldiers and some workers are not happy, because they cannot find the job when they came back to Canada “Soldiers returned home to find that there were few support services for them, and few jobs. Many Canadians who had jobs were also dissatisfied.”

• Was there any point to the Winnipeg General Strike?

I think Winnipeg General strike can divide by two points, positive point and negative point. The positive point is workers give federal government pressure because their low earn and try to influent federal government to increase income. The negative point is influent Canada social safe and peace, is not good at Canadian development, add contradiction between federal government and workers.

• Why did the Liberals win the election of 1921?

I think the first reason is Liberals has the solid support base in Quebec. The second reason is William Lyon Mackenzie King, Arthur Meighen, and Thomas Crerar would campaign on issues such as the tariff and government accountability, hoping to win votes outside of their regional support bases.The third reason is ” Since the 1911 election the country had been governed by the conservatives, first under the leadership of Prime Minister Robert  Bordenand then under Prime Minister  Arthui Megain . During the war, the Conservatives had united with the pro-conscription Liberal0Unionists and formed a Union government. A number of Members of Parliament (MPs), mostly Quebecers stayed loyal to Sir Wilfrid Laurier, however, and they maintained their independence.”