Canada – The War at Home

• War Measures Act: August, 1914 – This law granted government sweeping powers to suspend the legal and political rights of Canadian citizens.
• Created to deal with ‘enemy aliens’ (the 500,000
Canadian residents who emigrated from parts of
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey)
• ‘enemy aliens’ had to register & regularly report to local police
• government banned books and magazines in ‘enemy’ languages
• 8597 ‘enemy aliens’ sent to work in remote labour camps
(6000 Ukrainians)

• Military Service Act (Bill) : July, 1917 – Following disastrous losses in battle (eg. Vimy Ridge), the Canadian government needed to increase the number of soldiers in
Europe.
• Prime Minister Borden needed Conscription (forced military service)
• re-opened the tensions between French-Canadians and
English Canada
• All males between the ages of 20-35. Those exempt: men in vital wartime production jobs, physically unable, and conscientious objectors (against religious beliefs).

any strategy used to persuade people to believe or support a certain idea.

• Rationing : Citizens faced food rations, waste reduction, and a ban on alcohol.
• Victory Bonds : Citizens were encouraged to lend the government money by purchasing bonds. These bonds could be cashed in for profit after the war. $100 million were bonds sold.

• Income Tax : introduced as a temporary war measure. We still pay income tax today.
• 3% tax for wealthy individuals and families. 4% tax imposed on business profits.
• Economic Boom : Canadian industry and agriculture experienced record high production and export. The demand for food and military equipment resulted in increased employment and business profits during the war. Jobs = Profits = Taxes = Victory!

• Traditionally male dominated jobs were filled by women.
• This situation gave the women’s suffrage movement a significant political voice.
• Military Voters Act (1917 ): Federal vote granted to women serving as nurses and ambulance drivers in the war.
• Wartime Elections Act (1917 ): Federal vote extended to wives, mothers, sisters, widows, and daughters of soldiers serving in the war.
• Federal Women’s Franchise Act (1918 ): Federal vote extended to all women over 21 who are British subjects.

• French ship carrying 3,000 tonnes of explosives collided with another ship in harbour.
• Most of Halifax was destroyed.
2,000 people were killed & thousands more injured.
• 30 million dollars was donated worldwide to help rebuild the city.