1. The Laurier Era Foreign Policy 1896-1911

2. Canada Profile – 1896-1911 Becomes a nation in 1867
Population in 1900 is approx. 5million
Today it is approx. 33 million
Population mostly French Catholic and English Protestant

3. Population – Turn of the Century
Rural – mostly farmers, fishers, loggers, construction workers
Social activity – baseball / hockey games, church socials
Local travel – horse and buggy
Long-distance travel – train
Few / no cars

4. Settling the West
New minister of the interior – Clifford Sifton. Looked for immigrants that would have what it takes to be a ‘Canadian farmer’
Many immigrants came from central and eastern Europe
Free land
Freedom of religion

5. Settling the West
Doukhobors – Religious Group / Russia

6. Settling the West
Immigrants coming to Canada
Small homestead

7. Canadian Immigration

8. Canadian Natural Resources
Timber
1. construction
2. pulp and paper
Minerals: copper, iron, nickel
Last Spike, 1885
Trains – linked Canada coast to coast

9. Cities 1900’s Cities growing - factories - jobs
Divide between the rich and poor grew
- factory owners got rich- lived in big houses
- Factory workers were poorly paid – lived in slums

10. French English Relations
1867- French Canadian Majority
1900 – English Canadian Majority. Most new immigrants strongly connected to Britain and her empire
Great sense of British Nationalism
French Canadians feel threatened by British majority –especially in politics
Canadian Flag 1867

11. French English Relations
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
P.M
Canada’s first French Canadian Prime Minister
The “Great Compromiser“
How do you please your French Canadian supporters while also pleasing the English Canadian majority?

12. Wilfrid Laurier - French English Relations

13. The British Empire

14. Issue #1 The Boer War 1899

15. Issue #1 The Boer War 1899

16. Issue #1 The Boer War 1899
British are fighting the Dutch Afrikaners over South Africa – diamonds and gold
British turn to their empire, and ask Canada to support them
Canada divided: French Canadians – say no
English Canadians – say yes
Sir Wilfrid Laurier compromises: Sends only volunteers
Significance: Shows how French and English Canada is divided
2. Shows Canada’s strong ties to Britain and Empire
3. Foreshadows Canada’s involvement in WW1

17. Issue #2 The Naval Crisis 1910
Britain is in an arms race with Germany (battleships –dreadnoughts)
Britain turns to her empire, asks Canada to send $$ for more ships
Canada divided: French Canadians – say no
English Canadians – say yes
Laurier compromises: Establishes Canada’s “tin-pot navy”
Significance: Shows how French and English Canada is divided
2. Shows Canada’s strong ties to Britain and Empire
3. Laurier looses the 1911 to Sir Robert Borden and his Conservatives.

18. Issue #2 The Naval Crisis 1910
Dreadnought

19. 1911 Election
Canada elects the Conservatives and Sir Robert Borden as their Prime Minister
Sir Robert Borden will lead Canada through WW1