CH. 7 THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN CANADA

CANADA - 1905 Alberta & Saskatchewan joined Confederation. Issues. Manifest Destiny political & economic. Independence from Britain. Good or bad??? English vs. French. End of the depression. Minerals, lumber, wheat, & manufactured goods. Yukon gold. Immigration. Social reforms. Women, natives, & workers.

IMPERIALISM: A FRENCH-ENGLISH SPLIT Most English-Canadians were loyal to the British Empire (Imperialists). ‘French-Canadiens’ preferred to think of themselves as independent.

LAURIER IS ELECTED - 1896 First Liberal PM in over 20 yrs. Sir Wilfred Laurier First Liberal PM in over 20 yrs. First French PM. French hoped Laurier would protect French language and Roman Catholic religion. Conflict & Compromise Hoped Fr. & Eng could get along. Often walked a fine line – side with Fr. Or Eng.??? Manitoba Act – Manitoba established English only schools => violation of Manitoba Act. Laurier won election standing up for Fr. Rights. $5 Bill $250 Fine / 1 yr. Jail MacDonald refused to intervene in Manitoba school issue & lost election.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR BOER WAR Britain wanted to ensure equal rights to all British citizens in South Africa. NOTE – Diamonds and gold were discovered in the area. They met resistance from the Boers (early Dutch descendants in the area) who felt the British were taking their land. England showed its force by calling on its colonies to help defeat the Boers. English-Canadians – “Help mother country”. French-Canadians – “This is not our war”. Laurier’s Compromise Only send volunteers (7300). BOER WAR

“ We defend you. You should help pay.” THE NAVAL ISSUE By the 1900s Germany’s Navy was becoming a force. In 1906, Britain countered with the HMS Dreadnought. The first “all-big-gun”battleship. With Germany threatening the British navy, Britain put out the call to her colonies. “ We defend you. You should help pay.” English – “Send money to our protectors.” French – “Build our own navy.” Laurier’s Compromise => 1910 Naval Service Act Canada would build its own ships & lend to Britain in time of need. Imperialists – “Tin Pot Navy.” French – tied Can. to British policy.

THE ALASKA BOUNDARY DISPUTE When the US bought Alaska from Russia, no one cared about Panhandle border until gold was discovered in the Yukon. THE ISSUE – Canada could not gain access without US permission to enter fiords. THE SOLUTION – A six man tribunal was established to find a solution. Jury – 3 Americans, 2 Canadians, 1 British. PROBLEM – Britain did not want to anger US as needed their support in a border dispute in Venezuela. THE VOTE - Four (US & Brt.) to Two (Can.) => The US was granted the Alaskan Panhandle. THE CONSEQUENCES – Canada felt Brt. had ‘stabbed us in the back.’ - calls for greater independence. NOTE – The Klondike Gold Rush stimulated investment, immigration, & established the Yukon Territory in 1898. Alaskan Boundary Tribunal

THE LAURIER BOOM REASONS FOR LAURIER’S BOOM: Farming – Demand for wheat. REASONS FOR LAURIER’S BOOM: World economies increased. Canadian markets expanded. S. African & Yukon gold increased world capital. Industry demanded raw resources. Lumber, fish & minerals. Shipping & Railroads improved allowing Canada to compete. Rising world prices helped farmers. Manufacturing & hydroelectricity increased factory output. Fishing Hydro Railways Transportation Lumber Yukon Gold

IMMIGRATION THE LAST BEST WEST US homestead lands full & people came to Canada. Clifford Sifton – Minister of Interior. Settle the west / advertising (see p. 259). Open-door policy. Eastern & Central Europeans, US assimilation, colored immigrants, orphans. Prairie Life - $, travel, flies, weather. PUSH -PULL FACTORS No/free land, famine, poverty, overcrowding, political beliefs, rigid social systems. URBAN LIVING 1/3 immigrants went to cities. Ghettos, poor wages, long hours. Clifford Sifton Canadian Immigrants

RAILWAYS TO EVERYWHERE Several new rail lines established to compete with CPR monopoly. Gov’t subsidies were given to encourage this competition. Railway Cities emerged all along important routes. (Site and Situation) River / Valley junctions, passes, ports etc. Prince George, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Prince Rupert, Kamloops. Most suffered financial problems during the war & all railways not belonging to the CPR were consolidated under the government (Canadian National Railway). Canadian Rail Lines SITE TUMBLER RIDGE COAL SITUATION P.G. Railway City

CLOSING THE DOOR TO IMMIGRATION Sifton’s ‘Open Door’ Policy. Saw unskilled immigrants as a threat to livelihoods. Employers hiring cheap labour. French feared loss of culture/language. Assimilation not likely with E. Europeans & non-white. British Columbia Asiatic Exclusion League – opponents of Asian workers. Destroyed Chinatown when refused to ban Chinese immigrants. Head Tax imposed. Komagata Maru East Indians challenged Continuous Passage law by chartering their own steamer. Authorities forced ship out of Vancouver. Asiatic Exclusion League - Chinatown East Indians aboard the Komagata Maru

Craigdarroch Castle – Victoria THE RISE OF UNIONS The ‘boom era’ of the Laurier period was not enjoyed by all. The gap between rich & poor widened. Between 1880 & 1910 workers organized labour unions. - Ten % of workers joined. - Risky as unskilled labourers are easy to replace. - Gov’t & laws favoured employers. - Often resulted in violence. British Columbia – Dunsmuir Coal Mines. - poor dangerous work conditions & low wages. - hired strikebreakers. - hired Asian workers to replace strikers. - ugly two year strike with violence & cruelties. - in all 179 miners arrested & 39 sent to prison. Craigdarroch Castle – Victoria $650 000 to build. Utah Phillips ‘Where the Fraser River Flows’ http://www.last.fm/music/Utah+Phillips/_/Where+the+Fraser+River+Flows

UNIONS: GOOD OR BAD? GOOD BAD Wages Jobs Lost/ Wages too high?? Working Conditions Questionable Rules Pensions Sweat shops Health Plans Protects Bad Workers Fight Right Wing $ Left Wing $ Collective Bargaining Benefits too high GM Workers $25 = $80 Maternity

THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Women’s Suffrage The Right to Vote / Franchise Maternal feminists – felt women could bring a fresh, compassionate perspective to politics. Improve status of women who often lived a harsh life. Led by Nellie McClung. Prairie women = 1st to vote => ‘work by your man.’ B.C. started in 1871 & women gained vote in 1917. Social Reforms Prohibition – blamed most social ills (poverty, child neglect, & abuse) on alcoholism. Formed the Womens Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Nellie McClung

Would this turn you off of alcohol?

THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS THE NATIVE PEOPLES Gov’ts main objective was assimilation & treaties/reserves to free up land for settlement. The Natives used the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the Indian Act of 1876 to protect their land & culture. Residential schools Could not practice customs or languages. Banned the Potlatch Prov./Federal responsibilities. Fed. = Indian Affairs Prov. = Native Lands Land Claim Issues 1916 – Royal Commission. Allied Tribes of B.C. rejected report. Nisga’a Land Claim – 1st signed modern treaty. Residential schools * * Nisga’a Land Claim

WONDERS OF THE LAURIER AGE Cars & gas stations emerged in Can. - mixed reactions. Bikes became the rage. Even changed the way ladies dressed. Silver Dart - 1st Flight in Canada 1909, Nova Scotia. Can. = #1 telephone user in the world. 1902 Morse Code – Across the Atlantic. Can. = 1st radio broadcast. In 1912, it would save 700 lives aboard the Titanic. Tommy Burns, only Can. heavyweight champ. Ten time defending Champ. Babe Ruth’s 1st homerun hit In Toronto, 1909. 1st Can. movie showing.

WONDERS OF THE LAURIER AGE 1912 Calgary Stampede 1909 Grey Cup Champs Tom Longboat Six Nations Reserve Long Dist. Run Champ. Artist Emily Carr 1st worked as a cartoonist in Victoria.

WONDERS OF THE LAURIER AGE 1900 Hershey’s chocolate 5 cent chocolate bars MALE Available in Can. By 1910 Public Morals By-laws 1900 Bathing suits The success of Coke prompted Toronto Pharmacist to develop Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Coke was first marketed as Medicine. FEMALE

1907 VICTORIA VIDEO FOOTAGE http://www.hallmarksociety.ca/Harbeck/1907v.htm