1. Fighting the War at Home

2. The Role of Govt in Wartime
regular roles but also coordinate & finance the war effort
War Measures Act (August 1914) gave gov’t control over many areas of life in Canada
recent German, Austrian, Italian immigrants suspected as “enemies of the state” (“enemy aliens”) - arrested & interned (prison)

6. Berlin, Ontario City has large German population
Anti-German violence & vandalism

8. Berlin, Ont.
1916: Vote to change name to something more ”patriotic”

9. The Role of Govt in Wartime
Gov’t dictates to farmers & factory owners what to produce for the war effort
Ex. 1917: gov’t limits use of grain by distilleries
IMB – controls munitions production
Food Comptroller – food quotas/rationing
- legal penalties for hoarding

10. Effects on Everyday Life
“Do your bit”: sacrifice, contribute to victory
“Victory Gardens”: produce as much food as possible

13. Women during the War Years
become essential component of Canada’s war effort
Organized fundraisers, knitted socks, & packaged parcels for the war effort & to support the troops overseas
“Bluebirds”: front-line ambulance drivers & nurses

14. Women during the War Years
35,000 women work in munitions factories by 1917
drove buses/streetcars, worked in banks, on police forces, in civil service jobs, on farms

15. Women during the War Years
women with husbands overseas became heads of households for the 1st time
Responsibilities included feeding, clothing, housing their families
“War widows” grow in numbers as war drags on

16. Women during the War Years
Due to participation/sacrifice for war effort, women should have equal share in political decision making
Suffrage – getting the right to vote

17. The Economics of War 1918: war costing gov’t over $1 million a day
how to finance the war ?
Income tax introduced as a “temporary” measure (yeah, right…)

18. The Economics of War
Victory Bonds: citizens loan money to the gov’t ; cashed in after the war for a higher profit/interest
private & commercial investors loan gov’t over $1 billion

20. New Industries Industrial production reaches new heights
over 300,000 Canadians employed in war plants (airplanes, shells, ship production)
Sparks the establishment of new industries
Mining, forestry, textile, agricultural sectors boom

22. Canadian Homefront Mainly agricultural
Canada 1914
Canada 1917
Mainly agricultural
No munitions industry within Canada
600 munitions factories with over 300,000 workers
Completing over
$ 2 million / day in
orders
800, 000 shells/month sent from Canada to Europe

23. But, all was not well…

26. But, all was not well…

27. The 1917 Conscription crisis and the “Khaki Election”
Read p. 101 – 104 in text
Define: “conscription”
Why did PM Borden feel it was necessary?
Who opposed Conscription? Why?
What were: The Military Voters Act & The Wartime
Elections Act?
What was the result of the “Khaki Election”?
How did Canadians react to the results?

28. Why Conscription?

29. Losses were 4 times enlistment in Canada in Dec 1916
All sides were running out of soldiers.
Losses were 4 times enlistment in Canada in Dec 1916

30. Conscription in Canada
Military Services Act
enlistment mandatory men 18-45
exemptions for conscientious objectors (opposed fighting on moral or religious grounds)
many French Canadians against conscription
(ex. Henri Bourassa.

31. Conscription con’t Wartime Elections Act
wives, sisters, mothers,daughters of soldiers granted the vote
right to vote was also denied to conscientious objectors and those of “enemy birth”
women who had relatives overseas would support conscription
anyone who would be clearly against conscription (Conscientious objectors) denied the vote.

32. Canadian nurses voting in France
The Khaki Election
Canadian nurses voting in France

34. A Country Divided or United?
FOR:
-Urban
-Soldiers
-English
AGAINST:
-Rural
-Civilians
-French