Canada Goes to War CHC 2PR Lesson 6

Canada Goes to War Learning Goal: Explain what the situation was like, when Canada declared war. The Schleiffen Plan (previous ppt) Canada Goes to War note and discussion Complete the reading from ‘Creating Canada’. Hand it in! Trench warfare

You need to understand: The political, social and military conditions that existed in Canada in 1914.

Canada in 1914 Robert Borden replaced Laurier in 1911 Population is just Over 7 000 000 9 provinces and 2 territories Ontario is the first Province to introduce worker’s compensation laws 1911 election issue is reciprocity – Sifton against and imperial squabbles, Boer War Naval Bill etc. Workers' compensation in Canada had its beginnings in the province of Ontario. In 1910, Mr. Justice William Meredith was appointed to a Royal Commission to study workers' compensation. His final report, known as the Meredith Report was produced in 1913. On May 23, 1914 a ship called the Komagata Maru—normally used for transporting coal—arrived at Vancouver and anchored in Burrard Inlet. She carried 376 Indians: 12 Hindus, 24 Muslims and 340 Sikhs, British subjects all, and people who had come to make a new life in Canada. May 29 - Ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland sinks in Gulf of St. Lawrence; 1,024 lives lost. June 19 - A coal mine explosion in Hillcrest, Alberta kills 189 of 235, the worst mining disaster in Canadian history

The Canadian Military The army had about 3300 men and the navy about 300 The navy had two obsolete cruisers acquired from Britain: the Niobe (right) and the Rainbow In 1904, Ottawa, moved to ‘Canadianize’ the militia, replacing the British General Officer Commanding with a Canadian appointee. The army became more self-reliant with the addition of medical, signals, ordnance, service, and engineer elements. Canada formally standardized its military training and most equipment along British lines, although weapons remained few and often obsolete. With growing tensions in Europe, defence spending rose, militia training accelerated, and the authorized strength of the Permanent Force increased to 4000.

War Declared When Britain declared war on August 4, 1914, the Empire was presumed to be at war as well Borden’s cabinet immediately offered assistance to Great Britain which was readily accepted

Raising an Army Sir Sam Hughes, Borden’s Minister of Militia, was charged with the task of raising an army Hughes recruited and oversaw the training of the first Canadian Contingent during August-September 1914

The Canadian troops were trained at Valcartier This was one of Sam Hughes great accomplishments Horrible conditions: lack of sanitation no housing no shelter for horses dry canteens

Hughes’ Failings The Ross Rifle: weapon given to all soldiers Performed terribly when it got dirty Had been great for target practice Hughes insisted we keep using it Soldiers would take the Lee-Enfield rifles from dead British soldiers By middle of the war, we began issuing Lee-Enfields

The First Canadian Contingent 30000 volunteered in the first six weeks The feeling among the soldiers was one of adventure seeking and that the war would be over by Christmas Canadian soldiers were to spend 4 more months training on Salisbury plain in England before seeing action in Belgium in April 1915

Tasks: Read Canadian Sources: Investigated, Chapter 1 Introduction (pages 2-3b) Answer the questions attached to Evidence 1.1, Evidence 1.3, Evidence 1.3b, Evidence 1.3c Read Creating Canada, pages 176-177 Make brief notes on what you read here (15-20 points) Include answers to the ‘Historical Perspective’ and ‘Cause and Consequence’ questions on page 176 Answer questions 1 & 2 on page 177 (Recall, Reflect, Respond) Answer question 3 on page 177 with the person you sit beside