Conscription Crisis (1917)
• What is conscription?
• Pg ________ Counterpoints
Who volunteers
• English Canadians quickly come to the
defense of Britain and British Colonies
• Quebec does not show an interest in
fighting.
Hatred and Tension
Get into Roles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
English Canadian
Canadian soldier
Quebec Citizen
Mother and Wives of soldier.
Young man
Foreigner
Different Perspectives
• English
• French
(would this inspire French Canadians)
Different Perspectives
• Soldiers
• Wives of soldiers who
are in Europe fighting/
Different perspectives
• Young men
• Foreigner from
Germany.
Creative write
• In Character write a paragraph.
• Write a letter to PM Borden. Do we need
conscription?
Time to have an Election
• Military Service act. You must fight in the
war if you are capable of fighting.
• The only issue in the election is the
military service act.
At this time Women and Soldiers normally
do not vote.
Such an Election Will be Close
1. Borden knows he might lost this election
or at the very least form a minority. So he
forms a coalition with another party.
2. It still might be a close vote so he has to
change the rules of voting.
1917 Election
• 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
Actual 1917 Ballot
Election Result
Election Results
Liberals
(anti-conscription)
Union Government
(For conscription)
Atlantic Canada
10
21
Quebec
62
3
Ontario
8
74
Rest of Canada
2
54
Talk to your partner “in character” how do you feel about
the rest of Canada after this election?
Conscription in WWII
-Prime Minister
Mackenzie King
promised there
would be no
conscription at
the beginning of
WWII.
In 1942, PM King asked Canadians
what they thought about
conscription.

Made it a referendum, but it
was a referendum that was non
binding (plebescite)

All provinces voted to have
conscription except Quebec.
Which is exactly what he knew
would happen

Makenzie already sort of
knew the vote outcome but used
this to justify conscription

Conscription would have
little consequence in WW2 other
than helping the feeling of
betrayal in Quebec
Canada Divided
• PM King famously stated “Not necessarily
conscription, but conscription if
necessary.”
Still in your assigned role does this answer
satisfy you?
4 corners
• QUESTION: Should Canada, or any other country
, be allowed to use conscription during wartime?
1. Strongly Agree: Yes conscription even during peace time
2. Agree: Yes but only in a large and serious wars
3. Disagree: I don’t think conscription should ever happen
4. Strongly Disagree: We should not support war ever, and
definitely should not force people to fight. (pacifism)