1919: League of Nations An association of nations with the objective of keeping world peace. When war threatened they could: Ask the countries to negotiate a peaceful resolution Impose economic sanctions on an aggressor state to encourage it to seek peace Use military force against the aggressor country

Dark Times for Minorities Aboriginals, Enemy Aliens and Women

Aboriginal Enlistment Originally Aboriginal peoples were not expected or encouraged to enlist. When enlistment rates dropped they were actively encouraged to join the forces. 35 percent of eligible Aboriginal men joined the forces - about 4000 men.

Many Aboriginal men enlisted to escape the reserve system, a system that restricted their rights and culture. Ironically in order to enlist these men were made to relinquish their Aboriginal status.

Black Canadians, Asian Canadians and German Canadians were rejected by white officers who ran recruiting stations. In 1916 Black Canadians were recruited to join a segregated non-combat construction battalion to build trenches, load ammunition and cut down trees.

Immigration in Early Canada Before WWI Canada encouraged Europeans to immigrate By 1914 Canada was home to more than 1 million people who had immigrated from regions that were a part of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires

Enemy Aliens During WWI the government labeled these people and their children Enemy Aliens and had many of their rights taken from them under the War Measures Act They were made to: Carry identification cards Report regularly to authorities They were not allowed to: Leave the country without permission Publish, read or teach anything written in any language other than French or English More than 8500 people were placed in internment camps and forced to labour building roads, railways and working in mines

Think, Pair, Share: Why do you think the government named people of German background Enemy Aliens? What do you think this label meant for German-Canadians socially? Culturally?

Social/Cultural Implications Many Enemy Aliens were fired from their jobs In Montreal and Winnipeg, German owned shops were destroyed by rioters Berlin, Ontario was renamed Kitchener after Britain’s late War Minister

Discrimination The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. Scapegoat A person or animal which takes on the sins of others, or is unfairly blamed for problems. The concept comes originally from Leviticus, in which a goat is designated to be cast into the desert with the sins of the community.

Current Conflict Read the Article printout Respond to the following question and post it to your portfolio. Compare and contrast the Enemy Alien conflict of 1914 to the conflict addressed in the given article. What is similar about these situations? What is different? How has Canada made progress regarding discrimination? Curriculum connection: A.2.3 apply the knowledge and skills developed in the study of Canadian history when analysing current social, economic, and/ or political issues.

1914 War Measures Act Laws can be passed without approval of Parliament Provincial laws can be overruled News media can be censored Farmer and Manufacturer production is dictated by the government People can be imprisoned without trial People can be labeled enemies of Canada Think, Pair, Share: What does this mean for Canadians?

Women Pre-WWI Some women worked out of their homes but their options were limited and low paying. For example: Teaching ;D Low-skilled factory work Domestic work

WWI The war created opportunity and necessity for women to step into more diverse roles. Leadership Roles Running their family farms and businesses Skill development Making supplies and working in munitions factories

Working Conditions Many women were doing the same work as men but receiving a fraction of the pay Many employers didn’t do much to accommodate women – there often weren’t separate washrooms (which now is progressive but then was uncomfortable) Munitions factories meant dangers like toxic fumes and accidental explosions

Temps Unions were slow to accept women into these roles in attempts to preserve the jobs for men Ultimately women were expected to give up their new positions and revert back to their domestic roles after the war

Ladies and Gentlemen Pair Up Was it fair to assume women should return to the homestead/limited and low paying jobs after WWI? Why or why not?

The Vote Women had been fighting for the vote since 1870 By 1914 some women in Canada were permitted to vote in municipal but not provincial or federal elections In 1916/17 women in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and B.C. had the provincial vote How did women get the Federal vote?

It was super shady… People were outraged about Borden’s Conscription Law before the 1917 election. To gain voters and have himself re- elected Borden took strategic measures.

Military Voters Act Gave all members of the military, male and female, the right to vote Allowed government to assign the vote of soldiers who did not specify a riding to the constituency of their choice

War Time Elections Act Women with relatives fighting in the war have the right to vote Barred enemy aliens and conscientious objectors from voting Granted farmers’ sons exemption from conscription

He also promised women the vote should he be re-elected. Winning him the vote of: People in the military Women (many of whom could vote under the two aforementioned acts) Farmers

1918 One small step for some women Women over 21 who were not Enemy Aliens or Aboriginal and who met provincial property ownership requirements have the right to vote in federal elections.