Changes in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries

Quebec Emigration This period in Quebec history is often referred to as the "great migration".   Between 1860 and 1900 more than 500,000 French Canadians left the province of Quebec and emigrated, for the most part, to the United States. In one decade alone, between 1880 and 1890, over 150,000 left.

Why? There was a lack of arable land and an overpopulated countryside There was a lack of jobs in the city as industrialization was just beginning   mechanized agriculture which reduced the need for agricultural manpower So people left to find work in the textile mills of New England

Church and Government Response To stop the exodus of French Canadians both the Catholic Church and the Quebec government believed in agriculturalism Agriculturalism is the belief in returning to the land and rejecting the industrial world: In 1888 Honore Mercier created the department of Agriculture and colonization   promoted the colonization of the unsettled areas of Quebec such as the Laurentians, Saguenay-Lac St.­ Jean, Gaspesie, and the Mauricie. The government of Quebec also began to subsidize the construction of railroads to these outlying regions in order to facilitate access to them.

Urbanization Urbanization is the movement of people from the rural areas or countryside to urban centres or cities In 1861, only 16.6 percent of Quebec's total population lived in urban centres. By 1901, the percentage of people living in urban centres in Quebec jumped to almost 40 percent In 1861, Montreal's population was 90, 323. Forty years later, Montreal's population had tripled

Causes of Urbanization industrialization - as more and more industries were established in urban centres more people came looking for jobs and a better standard of living a surplus of labor in the rural areas

Social Consequences of Rapid Urbanization Leads to inadequate and overcrowded housing Inner city life often led to illiteracy, poverty, pollution, and poor sanitation Poor sanitation and water supply led to disease and high childhood mortality rates

The union Movement Working conditions in plants and factories were difficult: 1) most workers earned less than $10 a week less than you needed to feed a family so all members needed to work 2) factories employed women and children and paid them lower wages 3) employers were not concerned with the health and security of their workers 4) workers worked between ten and twelve hours a day, six days a week Unionized workers would go on strike to try and improve their working conditions. In 1872 the federal government passed a law making unions legal but the right to strike would not be respected until 1890   Many early strikes were brutally repressed since neither the Church nor the government supported the union movement.

Impact on labor The union movement did eventually have an impact on labor legislation in Quebec: In 1885, the Quebec government passed laws which: 1) prohibited employers from hiring girls under the age of 14 and boys under the age of 12 2) limited working hours to 60 hours for women and children and 72.5 hours for men

Political Changes Wilfred Laurier is elected in 1896 and he adopted policies to strengthen Canadian Autonomy, national unity and promote development. Since Canada was seeing benefits of the National Policy, Laurier focused its attention on improving the Immigration policies Laurier published brochures, posters in several languages to invite people to Canada, Immigration offices in large European cities, offering free land to immigrants, and they even paid immigrants’ passages to Canada This led to the creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905 It also led to the rise of Xenophobia(fear of foreigners) Many people settled in “ghettos” in an attempt to save their culture which was not met favorably by western European citizens and led to laws limiting access to Canada for certain minorities

British Imperialism and Nationalism By 1900, British imperialist policy allowed it to extend its control over large parts of the world. Many English­ Canadians wanted the government of Canada to support Britain in her wars. Their nationalism was British and gained pride being part of the empire. The French Canadians thought we should Focus on Canada. Their Nationalism was for Canada and wished to be independent of Britain’s wars. A third view is that Canada had an important relationship with Britain but should also be independent and make a name foe ourselves in the World community These two view points led to tensions between the French and English on 4 major issues while Laurier attempted to moderate between them 1. Manitoba Schools Question, 2) The Boer War 3) The Naval Question 4) World War I

Manitoba School Question When the Province of Manitoba was created in 1870, the Métis were guaranteed by the Manitoba Act, that the dual school system (Catholic and Protestant schools) already in existence,  would continue to exist. However, by 1890, the Manitoba government, now dominated by English Protestants, passed a bill withdrawing financial support for separate French schools. A single secular educational school system was created instead. This conflict angered the Métis and many French-Canadians, especially in Quebec. It pitted French against English and Catholics against Protestants and helped Wilfred Laurier become Prime Minister of Canada in 1896.

Boer War The Boer War was a war between the Boers (Dutch settlers), who lived in the British colony of South Africa, and Britain. Canada got involved because Britain wanted her colonies to support her with money and troops. This demand divided French and English Canadians: English Canadians urged Laurier to pass an act which would officially send troops to Britain's aid.  French Canadian nationalists, led by Henri Bourassa, strongly opposed sending military aid since Canada's interests were not involved.  Laurier compromised by providing equipment and transportation for Canadians who volunteered to join the British army in South Africa

Cold war in England British defense policy was to ensure that the British navy was at least the size of the next two largest navies Britain managed to build HMS Dreadnought in just 14 months and by the start of the First World War Britain had 49 battleships, compared with Germany's 29

Naval Question By 1909, Great Britain and Germany were involved in a naval-building race. Great Britain  wanted her colonies to contribute financially in building up the Royal Navy to counter Germany's growing strength. The choice for Prime Minister Laurier was whether to make financial contributions or to build a Canadian navy. In the Naval Service Bill, Laurier proposed to use the money to build a Canadian navy.

Reaction to the Naval Bill English Canadians felt Laurier's "tin pot navy" was insufficient help and they accused him of being lukewarm toward Great Britain. French Canadians, led by Henri Bourassa, objected because they felt the new Canadian navy would only draw Canada into a European war. In the 1911 election,  the Naval issue helped defeat the Laurier government.

World War 1 and conscription The war to end all wars began August 4, 1914 when the British Empire, including Canada, declared war on Germany.(Canada had no choice) By the end of 1916, over 400, 000 Canadians had voluntarily enlisted to fight in Europe. Their most important victory came with the capture of Vimy Ridge in 1917. The Vimy Ridge battle is regarded by many as a turning point for all Canadians - a move away from the long, historic domination of the British Empire toward self-determination.

Battles with Canadian Canadians were also involved in major battles at Somme, where more than 24,000 Canadians lost their lives in the summer and fall of 1916, Passchendaele and Ypres where one of history's most memorable poems(In Flanders Fields) was composed by Major John McCrae, a surgeon with the Canadian forces. There are 61,000 Canadians in the war cemeteries in Europe - a reminder of Canada's contribution to the war.

Trench warfare

Conscription Crisis 1917 Trench warfare caused a very large number of causalities on the battlefields of Europe which led to demands for conscription (compulsory military service) to ensure a steady flow of men into the armed forces. English Canadians accepted the view that if Britain was at war Canada was at war and therefore supported the notion of conscription. French Canadian nationalists such as Henri Bourassa opposed the war and conscription.

Conscription Continued The Conservative government, headed by Robert Borden, legislated the War-Time Elections Act of 1917 giving women, whose brothers, husbands or sons had served or were serving in the military overseas, the right to vote in federal elections Despite French Canadian opposition to conscription,  the Conservative government of Robert Borden passed the Military Services Act Violence, anti-draft meetings and riots took place in Quebec. The conscription issue had left a feeling of hostility between French and English Canadians for many years.

Results of World war I We see an increase in women’s rights, besides the vote many became members of the industrial workforce. Many worked in munitions factories and in sectors, which prior to the war, were dominated by men.   Canada gains autonomy from Great Britain and international recognition after World War 1

International Recognition For Canada due to war effort As a result of its active role in World War 1, Canada became increasingly independent of Britain.   In 1918 Canada participated in the peace talks as an independent country, and signed the Treaty of Paris ending WW1. In 1919 Canada became a separate member of the League of Nations. In 1923 Canada signed its first international fishing treaty with the United States: The Halibut Treaty.

Recognition Continued In 1926 Canada participated in talks about forming a British Commonwealth. In 1931 Canada gained full autonomy over internal and external affairs when it signed the Statute of Westminster with two exceptions; Britain's Privy Council was still the highest court of appeal in Canada and an amending formula was needed to amend the British North America Act. However, in 1949, Canada created its own highest court of appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada and in 1982, the BNA Act was patriated and an amending formula to change the constitution was found

Economic Changes From the late 19th century to the beginnings of the Great Depression, Canada's economy underwent a period of strong economic growth. The growth was characterized by two important economic developments: 1) A wheat boom in the  West which resulted in a much larger export market. 2) Increased European immigration - over three million people came to Canada between 1896 and 1914. Their arrival was a major factor in the creation of two new provinces in 1905: Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Other Economic Changes 1) the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway. 2) the industrialization of Ontario and Quebec.  3) the development of the mining, logging and farming industries.