Social Studies 11 Unit 2 Canada Emerges in the 20th Century The War at Home

A Brief Review Sam Hughes Poor administrator Awarded expensive military contracts to friends. Responsible for Ross Rifle fiasco, poor quality shells that exploded in artillery Boots made out of pressed cardboard that disintegrated in the rain

A Brief Review continued Financing the War Cost:$1.3 billion by March 1919 »>$1 million/day in 1918 Public Debt: 1911: $350 million »1918: $1,175 million Financing: –Victory Bonds: > $1.0 billion »> 1 million citizens –Income Tax: ~ $8 million/yr

A Brief Review continued Use of Propaganda propaganda must meet four conditions to be effective: - it must be simple - it must appeal to emotions, not intellect - it must have an element of truth - it must be repetitive

- propaganda appeared in films, radio, speeches, and posters - propaganda urged the purchase of war bonds, use less fuel, eat less meat, save fats, enlist in the army - propaganda is selective and it distorts the truth - it is used to raise morale, exaggerating victories, down-playing defeats and characterizing the enemy as inhuman

The Role of Women labour shortage lead to increased opportunities for women some organized committees to raise money and joined the Red Cross most significantly, women joined the labour force in greater numbers in all industries from fishing to running farms, the civil service and working in factories women were expected to give up their jobs for returning veterans after the war however this involvement strengthened the demand for universal suffrage (the vote) and all Canadian women had the right to vote in federal elections by 1918

Halifax Explosion Halifax is a major ice-free port the harbour was often very crowded with shipping most military convoys left from this harbour on December 6, 1917, the Mont Blanc, a French vessel loaded to capacity with 6400t of dynamite and ammunition, was hit by another vessel the collision left the boat listless and it drifted, burning, closer to shore

the explosion devastated Halifax Harbour and much of the city it could be heard 350km away between people were killed it was the largest artificial explosion in the world at that time

Volunteer Shortage war volunteers could not keep up with the demand for soldiers in Europe but, Prime Minister Borden had promised that there would be no conscription British PM David Lloyd George argued that many more men would be needed to win the war at all costs

on return to Canada, PM Borden introduced the Military Service Act to: - make enlistment compulsory - allowed exemptions at first for the disabled, clergy, those with essential skills and conscientious objectors (those who refused to fight on religious grounds) this law resulted in a controversy that divided Canada

The Conscription Crisis the lowest volunteer levels were in Quebec and few officers were French-speaking the majority of French Canadians did not feel a patriotic to either France or Britain as they have lived in Canada for generations prairie farmers also opposed conscription as sons were needed to do the heavy farm work resistance to conscription in British Columbia turned violent

The Khaki Election facing such opposition, Borden called an election to decide the issue first, he passed the Military Voters Act, allowing overseas men and women to vote (to get their support) second, the Wartime Elections Act gave the vote to all Canadian women the vote if they were directly related to servicemen (again hoping for support for him and conscription)

the vote was cancelled for conscientious objectors and any immigrant from the enemy countries in the last 15 years Borden went further and invited Liberals who favoured conscription to join him in a wartime Union Government coalition (offering them cabinet positions) Laurier, opposing conscription, lost support outside of Quebec and the Union Government won those who opposed Union candidates were accused of being traitors anger and demonstrations continued in Quebec in the end only conscripts made it to France before the end of the war