A growing independence 1920-1931 CHC2D

1919 Canada becomes one of the original members of the League of Nations. Role to encourage cooperation and peace and prevent international wars.

1922: The Chanak Affair The 1922 Chanak Affair was Prime Minister King’s first major foreign policy test. Turkish forces were threatening British troops stationed in Turkey after WWI King declined to automatically provide Canada's military support to Britain  King's detached attitude toward the crisis sent a message that he wanted greater independence for Canada in terms of its foreign policy.

The Halibut Treaty (1923) Both Canadian and U.S. fishing boats hauled in more and more halibut each year to help feed their growing populations Number of fish began to rapidly decline. Slow rate of maturity also contributed to the already declining numbers King decided that the fish populations had nothing to do with Britain and thus, refused British officials to participate. An agreement was reached that established strict regulations with regard to the fishing season and sustainable fishing practices This was Canada’s very first treaty with a foreign nation

1924: Red Ensign Union Jack is replaced by the new flag on all government buildings OLD NEW

The King-Byng Affair In the Federal Election of 1925, King’s Liberal government won fewer seats than Arthur Meighen’s Conservatives King joined forces with the Progressives to form a government King stepped into the Prime Ministers Office as head of the Liberal Party, and formed a minority government even though he had lost his own seat in the House of Commons. Prime Minister Willliam Lyon Mackenzie King 1921-1926 1926-1930 1935-1948

The King-Byng Affair Meighen was so furious at the underhanded way that King had assumed power that he demanded King’s resignation of that office King refused In June of 1925, King’s government is rocked by a bribery scandal King went to Governor-General Byng and asked him to call an election before a loss-of- confidence vote was taken Prime Minister Arthur Meighen 1920-1921 (interim) 1926-1926 (interim)

The King-Byng Affair Governor General Byng refused, arguing it was time that the Conservatives held office King announced that the actions of Governor General Byng amounted to foreign interference in Canadian politics and resigned the Office of the Prime Minister on June 28, 1926 Sir Julian George Byng, Governor General: 1921 - 1926

King-Byng Affair As leader of the opposition, Meighen assumed the Office of the Prime Minister on the same day Meighen government only lasted 3 days On September 25, 1926, King defeated Meighen in a vote of confidence, and Governor General Byng was forced to dissolve Parliament and call an election King wins a safe majority in the 1926 election by exploiting the threat to Canadian sovereignty

The Balfour Report 1926 King, representing Canada at the Imperial Conference in London in 1926, was determined to help his country become a self-governing nation Conference concluded with the Balfour Report – Britain and its commonwealth countries were declared to be “autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs though united by a common allegiance to the Crown”

The Statute of Westminster 1931 By 1929 Canada had set up diplomatic offices in Washington, London and Paris This readied the path for the Statute of Westminster On December 11, 1931 the Statute of Westminster became the last Imperial Act of the Parliament of Great Britain to affect all of the Dominions Explicitly declared that the constitutions of the commonwealth countries on equal status with Britain The Balfour Declaration of 1926 was incorporated, word for word, in the Statute Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Australia, the Union of South Africa and the Irish Free State were granted legislative independence