Canada Takes a Stand for Independence Chanak Crisis The Halibut Treaty The Imperial Conference The Balfour Report The Statute of Westminster

The Chanak Crisis 1922 Chanak was a Turkish port controlled by Britain Condition of one of the treaties from the Paris Peace Conference 1922 British occupation troops were threatened by Turkish Nationalists threat to the British Empire

The Chanak Crisis Significance Britain asked Prime Minister King for help ****First time we refused unconditional support for the British Empire in war Fight your own battles!

The Halibut Treaty 1923 Canada and the US negotiated a treaty to protect the Halibut stocks in BC and Alaska Treaty established the international Pacific Halibut Commission Way to co-manage the Pacific

The Halibut Treaty Significance Canada negotiated the treaty without involving British officials British protested! Seen as a victory in independent diplomacy for Mackenzie King - Key argument at the Imperial Conference

The Imperial Conference of 1926 Conference in which the dominions of the British Empire requested formal recognition of their autonomy Where Canada made its greatest progress towards legal independence

The Balfour Report 1926 Reported the conclusions of the Imperial Conference Acknowledged that Canada was an autonomous community within the British Empire, and not subordinate to Britain The Canadian Governor General was only a representative of the British Monarch

Prime Minister Mackenzie King Leader of the Liberal Party

Governor General Lord Byng Representative of the British Monarch in Canada

Arthur Meighen Leader of the Conservative Party

The King Byng Crisis of 1926 In 1926 the Governor General refused the Prime Minister’s request to dissolve Parliament and call an election Significance - Mackenzie King publically challenged Britain over the role of the Governor General and Britain's influence on Canada’s internal politics

The King-Byng Crisis Story Time 1925 Election Liberals win fewer seats than Conservatives King forms minority coalition government with Progressive party, so King stays in power! Conservatives Angry! Call for a vote of disapproval over King’s Liberal Government Progressives avoid scandal and back out of coalition

The King-Byng Crisis 1926 King asked Byng to now dissolve parliament call an election Knows he will win a majority! Wants a do over Byng Refuses King Resigns Meighen asked to form a new government

The King-Byng Crisis 1926 Meighen Government fails! Subject to a vote of non-confidence Byng forced to dissolve Parliament Election set for September 1926

Return of the King! 1926 Election King and his Liberals win a majority just as he predicted All of that drama for the same ending

The Statute of Westminster 1931 Legalized the Balfour Report Formally turned the British Empire into the British Commonwealth Canada autonomous within the Commonwealth The Dominion of Canada now independent from British colonial powers - We controlled our own foreign policy

Restrictions on Canada’s Independence 1. The British North American Act remained Why? Canadian Federal and Provincial governments could not agree on Amending Formula 2. Judicial Committee of the Privy Council remained the final court of appeal for Canadians