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Period: to
Significant Events that informed the Progress or Decline Canadian Society
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Declaration of War (Rating +2)
(Political) The outpouring of national pride and spirit at the announcement of the declaration of war. The desire of many to enlist in the military out of duty and honour for Canada, Britain or France. www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/going-to-war/canada-enters-the-war/enthusiastic-reaction-to-war/ -
Enemy Alien Internment (Rating -2)
(Political & Social) Distrust of those of Austro-Hungarian descent/considered potential spies during the war were interned in camps, work as forced labourers. www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/life-at-home-during-the-war/enemy-aliens/
www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/decouvrir-discover/histoire-history/internement-internment -
Defining Battles of World War One (Rating -1)
(Political & Social) Huge loses under the command of British Commanders however gained the reputation as a strong attacking force. 1915 - www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-ypres
1916 - www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/fact_sheets/somme
1917 - www.warmuseum.ca/the-battle-of-vimy-ridge/
www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-passchendaele -
Halifax Explosion (Rating -1)
(Social & Economic) Brought the devastating effects of the war to Canada. maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-infosheet -
Conscription - Military Service Act (Rating -2)
(Political) Conscription caused an even deeper split between English and French Canadians and highlighted the prejudices against Black men, who were turned away from voluntary enlistment due to the colour of their skin, but were subject to conscription. www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/life-at-home-during-the-war/recruitment-and-conscription/conscription-1917/
www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/no-2-construction-battalion -
Votes for Women (Rating +1)
(Political & Social) While a woman's right to vote rolled out across the country slowly and was not extended to every woman, it was a strong shift in the rights of women. www.canadahistoryproject.ca/1914/1914-08-women-vote.html -
Demobilization (Rating -2)
(Social & Economic) Propaganda promised veterans a “land fit for heroes,” but the fragile Canadian economy had difficulty supporting thousands of demobilized soldiers. For white men there were few jobs and Canada had changed while they were away. Aboriginals were still considered wards of the state and not citizens and the contributions of Black Canadians were ignored. www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/after-the-war/veterans/repatriation-and-demobilization/ -
Winnipeg General Strike Rating (Rating 0)
(Economic) The discontent from the struggling economy resulted in a general strike but it was a perfect storm of no work to be had and a surplus of workers. The strike ended with no better conditions for workers. www.thoughtco.com/winnipeg-general-strike-1919-510002 -
Signing the Treaty of Versailles as a Dominion of Britain (Rating +1)
(Political) At the conclusion of the war Prime Minister Borden advocated for the sacrifices made by Canada to be recognized and signed the Treaty of Versailles as a dominion of Britain. Canada would cautiously participate in League of Nations, separate from Britain www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/treaty-of-versailles -
Anti-Immigration Policies (Rating -2)
(Political & Social) The discrimination of those who were not English or French continued after the war when immigration policies deterred those who were not white Europeans. Minority groups such as Greeks or Chinese had their businesses targeted and MPs made inflammatory speeches about deportation. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prejudice-and-discrimination
ccrweb.ca/en/hundred-years-immigration-canada-1900-1999 -
Canada's National Identity & Independence (Rating +2)
(Political) Borden worked hard to take the events of the war and turn it into a unifying perspective on the great strengths of Canada. He advocated that the contributions and sacrifices made by the people of Canada should be recognized with greater dominion over its own governance. This was pushed through my Mackenzie King starting at Imperial Conference in 1926. ww1.canada.com/after-the-war/canada-comes-of-age
www.canadashistory.ca/explore/politics-law/canada-s-declaration-of-independence -
Women - Declared persons under the British North America Act (Rating +2)
(Political & Social) The pinnacle of success for the suffragette movement. sencanada.ca/en/sencaplus/how-why/why-the-persons-case-matters/
