Effects of War on Everyday Life Canadians at home supported the troops overseas in many ways. Posters, and government campaigns suggested that no sacrifice should be spared to ensure the victory of Europe. People planted victory gardens (to produce as much food as possible).

Canadians were sending large amounts of food to fighting forces overseas. At home people were trying to waste nothing and reduce own food consumption. Students were often dismissed from school early to help farm workers with the harvest.

Groups of woman meet to organize fundraisers and roll bandages for the troops. Each community held card games, dances and variety shows. Profits were used to send soap, writing paper, pencils and candy to the troops.

The Economics of War 1918, war was costing Canada over one million dollars a day. Victory bonds were also used to help pay for the cost of war. After the war the bonds could be cashed for a profit.

Private and commercial investors loaned over one billion to the government Children bought stamps at 25 cents Canadian government introduced income tax during the world war I to help finance the war. Industrial production went to dramatic new heights.

Women worked in ammunition factories and in other war industries while the men were away at war. This meant that the number of women working rose very high. There were very few men left so women on farms brought in the harvests and they also got help from city women.

Since women were doing so much for the war effort, they wanted a share in making decisions about the country.

One of Canada’s great social reformers and Suffragists was Nellie McClung. Suffragists campaigned enthusiastically for women’s suffrage (the right to vote). Women were given the right to vote in the Province of Manitoba in 1916 Within a few months, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario had granted Women’s Suffrage.

In the election of December 1917, the Wartime Elections Act granted the vote to the mothers, sisters etc. of men who were fighting overseas. By the time the war ended, the right to vote had been extended to almost all women in Canada over the age of 21.

The Dominion Elections Act gave women the right to run for election in parliament in Native women and most native men were not allowed to vote.

Conscription Issue and the Election of 1917 At the beginning of the war, people were very patriotic and wanted to help in any way that they could. As a result, Canada was flooded with volunteers willing to enlist in the army. As the war progressed, people became less enthusiastic about helping, and the number of volunteers decreased.

Conscription Issue and the Election of 1917 At the beginning of the war, people were very patriotic and wanted to help in any way that they could. As a result, Canada was flooded with volunteers willing to enlist in the army. As the war progressed, people became less enthusiastic about helping, and the number of volunteers decreased.

In 1917, Prime Minister Robert Borden visited Canadian soldiers at the front and was shocked by what he heard. Canadian Volunteer enlistments were not keeping up with the number of men killed or wounded in battle. Military officials desperately needed more soldiers and they asked Borden to send more Canadian troops to Europe.

With an election coming in December 1917, the government passed two bills: The Military Voters Act( Vote to soldiers and nurses overseas) and the Wartime Elections Act.

The Military Voters Act allowed soldiers overseas to vote in elections at home in Canada. The Wartime Elections Act gave females living in Canada who were relatives of soldiers fighting in Europe the right to vote. A Union Government was formed by Conservatives and Liberals that believed in Conscription.

Laurier had virtually no chance of winning Laurier and his followers were accused of letting down the soldiers at the front. Borden and the Union Government won the election, although they got only three seats in Quebec out of 65.

The split that had been feared for so long seemed to have happened – riots occurred in Montreal and Quebec City; the French and English Canadians were entirely torn apart. In November, 1918, at the end of the war, Canada was a divided nation.

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty demanded that Germany: Accept total blame for the war Give up its weapons and ships Reduce size of military Give back all the land it conquered Make reparations ( pay for damages ) Give up part of its country.