Canada and Politics: 1920s Canadian History

End of the War What was Canadian politics like at the end of World War 1? By 1919 Canada had become bitterly divided because of political moves during World War 1. Military Service Act.

What happened to Wartime Leaders? Two previous political party leaders before the 1920s were: Robert Borden: PM who introduced Conscription. (Conservative Party) Sir Wilfred Laurier: Former PM, French Canadian. (Liberal Party) Sir Wilfred Laurier died in 1919. By 1919 Robert Borden had become so exhausted his doctor ordered him to resign.

1920s Dominated by Two July 1920 Borden steps down and gives leadership to Arthur Meighen. 9th Prime Minister……for less then a year. Have you ever heard of Arthur Meighen? William Lyon Mackenzie King. Becomes leader of the Liberal party. Bitter rivals who attended University of Toronto together. The only thing that they had in common was they hated each other.

King the Conciliator Conciliator: To gain someone’s friendship. Came from prominent Ontario family. Had the ability to bring ‘warring parties’ together. Understood that Quebec was important to hold onto power but keep Canada united. Internationally recognized labour expert: found a balance between worker’s needs and business. Known as a mediator and social reformer.

Meighen the Mean?? Came from a modest, rural family. Former schoolteacher. Teaching days were short lived because he was so harsh and strict. Through talent and hard work he became a successful lawyer. His combative and brilliant debating style created many enemies. Cold and Arrogant.

1920 Elections Meighen faced an uphill battle during the 1920 elections. WHY? In part because of his party and World War 1. Formerly a justice minister who smothered anti-war protests. 1919: Crushed Winnipeg General Strike which we will look at later. Unions were wrong.

1920s Election Another party entered the scene in 1920: The Progressive Party, made of farmers from Ontario and the West and ex-Liberals. Conservatives won 50 seats, Progressives won 65 seats and the Liberals won 116 seats. King became Prime Minister and remained PM for 22 out of the next 27 years.

Chanak Crisis The 1922 Chanak Affair was Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's first major foreign policy test. Turkish forces were threatening British troops stationed in Turkey after the First World War. King declined to automatically provide Canada's military support to Britain – another step on the path to an independent Canadian voice in world affairs.

Chanak Crisis On 15 September, Britain sent a telegram calling upon the Dominions (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) to contribute soldiers to the crisis in a demonstration of the Empire's solidarity against the Turks.

Chanak Crisis At the time Canada was an independent member of the newly-created League of Nations. Yet Canada had no distinct foreign policy, nor even a foreign affairs minister. British Prime Minister David Lloyd George expected Canada to fall in line with British wishes.

Chanak Crisis In Ottawa, however, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was non-committal on whether Canada would send troops. On 18 September, King's Cabinet agreed that only Parliament could decide such matters.

Chanak Crisis Conservative Opposition Leader Arthur Meighen criticized the King government for being disloyal to Britain. By the time Parliament could address the matter, however, the crisis in Turkey had passed.

Halibut Treaty The Halibut Treaty of 1923 was a Canadian-American agreement on fishing rights in the Pacific Ocean. As the first treaty independently negotiated and signed by the Canadian government, it was one of several landmark events that transitioned Canada into an independent nation

Halibut Treaty The treaty confirmed Canada’s political and economic place in North America. It was also the first environmental treaty targeting the conservation of an ocean fish stock.

Halibut Treaty The British wanted to sign the treaty along with Canada, as they always had. But Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King argued that the matter was solely the concern of Canada and the US, and did not affect any British or imperial interest.

Halibut Treaty Mackenzie King threatened to send a separate Canadian diplomat to Washington, DC to represent Canada's interests there, apart from the British ambassador if Britain insisted on signing Britain submitted and did not sign the treaty

King as Prime Minister Walked a political tight-rope where he tried to please everyone but ended up pleasing nobody in the end. For example, he lowered tariffs to appease Progressives, but not enough to anger industrialists. 1925 election King lost majority but teamed up with Progressives to maintain power. (Con-116, Lib-101, Pro-24)

King-Byng Affair Key terms: Dissolution of parliament- Parliaments sit for a maximum for 5 years but can be disbanded or taken apart before that with the support of the governor general.

King-Byng Affair The affair began with the 29 October 1925 federal election  King, the Liberal leader and prime minister of the previous Parliament, declined to turn power over to the Conservatives but instead met with the House of Commons to let Parliament decide who should govern, as was his right.

King-Byng Affair The new House, largely due to the support of the Progressives, backed the minority Liberal government. (Kings Government) Their support lasted until 25 June 1926, when Parliament defeated a motion to remove censure from a no confidence motion against the King government.

King-Byng Affair Before that happened, however, King asked the governor general to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections. Byng declined King's advice. Byng instead asked the opposition Conservatives—the largest single party in the House—to form a government under Arthur Meighen.

King-Byng Affair King resigned and informed Parliament he was no longer prime minister. Arthur Meighen and his Conservatives formed a minority government.

King-Byng Affair The Conservatives held onto the government through four successful parliamentary votes, but they lost a fifth vote. Meighen asked Byng for a dissolution and an election. Byng granted his request.

King-Byng Affair The election was called for 14 September 1926. Meighen campaigned by accusing the Liberals of corruption and maladministration. King ran largely on the constitutional issue; what he framed as the interference by a British governor general with the rights of Canadians to govern themselves.

King-Byng Affair Out of 245 House seats, King’s Liberals took a majority of 128 seats to the Tories' 91, the Progressives and others had 26 seats. The Liberals would govern until the 1930 election

Balfour Report The Balfour Report of 1926 declared that Britain and its Dominions were constitutionally equal to each other. It was a landmark document confirming Canada as a fully independent country, united with Britain and the other Dominions through the Commonwealth.

Balfour Report The findings of the report were made law by the British Parliament in the 1931 Statute of Westminster Canada remained linked to Britain politically and emotionally, but legal power had shifted decisively to the Canadian Parliament and its prime minister.

Balfour Report It took several decades before Canada assumed all its powers under the Statute, This shift led to an independent Canadian foreign policy and to the establishment of its diplomatic service.

Balfour Report The final act of legal autonomy was the passing of the Constitution Act, 1982, marking the patriation of Canada's Constitution from Britain.