1. The War at Home

2. Halifax Explosion

3. The Halifax Explosion 1917
The Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship carrying explosives collided with another vessel carrying fuel in the Halifax harbour
Following the collision a huge explosion leveled sections of Halifax.
Over 2,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured

6. War Measures Act
Because Canada was at war with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the government feared that recent immigrants or citizens originally from enemy countries (Enemy Aliens) would sabotage or spy for the enemy
Enacted in 1914 to place restrictions on Enemy Aliens

7. War Measures Act cont’ Government also introduced censorship
Banned publication of books and magazines in enemy languages

8. The War At Home - Economy
As the war progressed trade with allied countries was skyrocketing. Canada shipped so much to Europe that we ran low on certain goods and prices increased.
food and fuel especially became scarce
Honour rationing was introduced
people limited themselves to a pound and a half of butter and two pounds of sugar a month
ban on the sale and drinking of alcohol

9. Economy – cont’
The war required an immense amount of money which the government was in short supply.
During the war Canada also brought in the ‘temporary’ Income Tax (1917) to help raise money (but is still collected to this day).

10. Economy cont’
The government sold ‘Victory Bonds’ to patriotic Canadians. Victory Bonds were cash upfront to the government in exchange for cash back at the end of the war.
By the end of the war, the government had spent $3 billion on the war, and Canada’s debt was $150 million per year for 4 years

11. Victory Bond Advertisements

12. The Changing Role of Women
As we have discussed, women made a significant contribution to the labour force during WWI.
Without the efforts of women on the home front, Canada’s wartime economy would have collapsed.
The war effort at home helped strengthen women’s push for the vote and it paid off in 1916 starting with Manitoba provincially.
By 1918, all women were granted the federal vote

13. Women’s Role - Volunteering
With many men serving overseas, women had to take on new roles within Canada
Some women volunteered for the Red Cross
Women knitted and sewed goods to be sent to the Front

14. Women – knit and sewed items to be sent to the front

15. Women’s Role - Work
Prior to the war women had been employed at low-skill, low paying jobs in food and clothing industries. Or were employed as domestic servants
A great demand for labour was created when Canada increased industrial production
Women were hired for a variety of work:
operating fishing boats in the Atlantic
running prairie farms
working in munitions factories where shells were manufactured
driving delivery trucks

16. Women in Factories

19. Conscription Crisis of WWI

20. The Conscription Crisis
By 1917, with the war dragging on, the number of men required to continue holding the trenches overseas outnumbered our reserves.
PM Borden had promised no conscription (the compulsory/mandatory enlistment of men into the army).
When he became convinced there was no other option he created the Military Service Act (1917)
mandatory military service for men aged 20-45
Only those vital to wartime production jobs, those who were sick, or conscientious objectors / pacifists (those for whom fighting was against religious beliefs) were not forced to join

21. Conscription Crisis cont’
There was a huge worry that conscription would divide the nation. Farms, businesses and factories were running out of workers already (even with women in the workforce).

22. The Conscription Crisis - Continued
Worried about splitting the nation Borden calls an election over the issue of conscription. To help ensure his victory in the election he passed:
the Military Voters Act (1917)
Gave the vote to men and women serving overseas (including minorities – but their right to vote was revoked at the end of the war)
The Wartime Elections Act (1917)_
Gave the vote to women directly related to service men

23. Conscription Crisis cont’
In the end Borden won the election with a Wartime Coalition government called the Union Government with English-speaking members of the Liberal party who supported Conscription.
Almost none of the conscripted men saw action overseas.

24. Conscription Crisis Created long-lasting tensions between
French and English Canada
Anti-conscription Riot in Montreal

25. Propaganda As A Tool of War
When you have a war that is lasting years and killing millions of soldiers you need a way to control public dissent against the cause.
Propaganda was (and is) an effective way to pressure the citizenship to continue supporting the effort.
There are many different ways of creating emotion in propaganda, including:
1. Convincing people they are not doing enough.
2. Showing the enemy as inhumane and cruel.
3. Putting pictures of the helpless who need us.
4. Advertising ways we can help the cause.