The 1917 Election: A Canada Divided
Summary
TLDRThe 1917 Canadian election, dubbed the 'Khaki election,' was the most divisive in history, largely due to the conscription crisis. Prime Minister Robert Borden's promise against conscription was broken after he pledged more support to the Allies. The Unionist government, formed of a coalition including English Canadian Liberals, won a record 153 seats, exploiting new laws that favored them, such as the Military Voters Act and the Wartime Elections Act. The election led to a significant loss of Conservative support in Quebec and left lasting divisions in Canadian society.
Takeaways
- 🗳️ The 1917 Canadian election was the most divisive in history, largely due to the conscription issue.
- 🏛️ The election was delayed by one year due to the First World War, with the hope of forming a coalition government.
- 🌐 Prime Minister Robert Borden initially opposed conscription but later committed to increasing Canada's military involvement.
- 🏴☠️ The conscription issue led to a rift between English and French Canada, with Quebec strongly opposing it.
- 🏙️ Riots and demonstrations occurred throughout Quebec as a result of the conscription crisis.
- 📜 The Military Voters Act and Wartime Elections Act were enacted to favor the conservatives in the election.
- 🏆 The Unionist government, which included English Canadian Liberals and Conservatives, won 153 seats, the largest number at that time.
- 🏳️🌈 Women's suffrage played a role in the election, with many female relatives of soldiers voting in favor of conscription.
- 📊 The conscription issue led to a significant loss of support for the Conservatives in Quebec, impacting their political standing for decades.
- 🌟 William Lyon Mackenzie King, who remained loyal to Laurier, would later become a prominent leader in Canadian politics.
Q & A
Why was the 1917 Canadian election particularly divisive?
-The 1917 Canadian election was particularly divisive due to the conscription issue, which had deeply split the country between English Canada and French Canada.
Why was the election postponed by one year in 1916?
-The election was postponed by one year in 1916 due to the emergency of the First World War, with Parliament agreeing to suspend the election for a year in the hope of creating a coalition government.
What was Prime Minister Robert Borden's initial stance on conscription?
-Initially, Prime Minister Robert Borden had promised not to conscript Canadians into military service, but after going to Europe, he assured the Allied Forces that Canada would commit more to the war effort.
Why did Sir Wilfred Laurier reject the coalition government proposal?
-Sir Wilfred Laurier rejected the coalition government proposal due to the conscription issue, which was strongly opposed in Quebec, and his concern that a coalition would cause Quebec to abandon the Liberals, potentially losing their historic support.
What was the impact of the conscription crisis on Quebec in 1917?
-The conscription crisis in 1917 led to riots and demonstrations throughout Quebec and discussions about Quebec potentially leaving Confederation.
What was the Military Voters Act and how did it influence the election?
-The Military Voters Act allowed soldiers in Europe to choose the riding their vote would be counted in or let the party choose the riding. This gave government officials the ability to guide the votes of soldiers, who were strongly in favor of conscription, to influence the election.
What was the Wartime Elections Act and its effect on the election?
-The Wartime Elections Act removed the vote from anyone deemed to be enemy aliens, including those who arrived in Canada after 1902 from countries like Germany or Austria, and gave the vote to female relatives of soldiers overseas, who were more likely to vote for the conservatives and conscription.
How did the government use propaganda to influence the election?
-The government used propaganda, such as the German Atrocities pamphlet published by the Union Government Publicity Bureau, to sway public opinion, particularly women voters, in favor of the union government and conscription.
What was the outcome of the 1917 election in terms of seats won?
-The Unionist government won 153 seats, the largest amount in Canadian history at that point, while the Liberals dominated with 62 seats in Quebec.
How did the election impact Canadian unity and the political landscape?
-The election deeply fractured Canadian unity, particularly between English and French Canada, and led to a near half-century of Conservative Party weakness in Quebec.
What was the long-term impact of the conscription issue on the Conservative Party in Quebec?
-The conscription issue led to a significant decline in Conservative support in Quebec, with the party only winning three seats in the 1917 election and not regaining strength in the province until nearly half a century later.
Outlines
🗳️ The 1917 Canadian Conscription Crisis
The 1917 Canadian federal election was deeply divided by the issue of conscription, leading to a significant political and social rift between English and French Canada. Prime Minister Robert Borden's promise against conscription was reversed after he pledged more support to the Allies. The formation of a coalition government was attempted but failed due to Sir Wilfred Laurier's opposition to conscription and concerns over Quebec's loyalty to the Liberal party. The conscription issue sparked riots and political maneuvering, with the Conservatives accusing Liberals of wanting to quit the war. The Military Service Act allowed conscription of men aged 20 to 45, intensifying talk of Quebec's secession. Two new laws, the Military Voters Act and the Wartime Elections Act, favored the Conservatives by allowing soldiers' votes to be strategically placed and disenfranchising 'enemy aliens,' while also granting votes to female relatives of soldiers. The government's propaganda campaign emphasized German atrocities to sway votes towards conscription.
🎖️ Khaki Election and Its Lasting Impact
The 1917 election, known as the Khaki election due to the military uniforms' color, was one of the most contentious in Canadian history. The Unionist government, a coalition of English Canadian Liberals and Conservatives, attacked the Laurier Liberals' patriotism and questioned their commitment to the war effort. The Halifax Explosion, which occurred just days before the election, did not deter the election's continuation. The Unionist government won a record 153 seats, largely due to the new laws and the soldiers' votes. Women, voting for the first time, largely supported the Unionist government, driven by the desire to see their family members return home. However, in Quebec, Conservative support collapsed, and the Liberals dominated, a trend that would last for decades. The election's aftermath saw conscription of 125,000 Canadians, but only a fraction reached the front lines. The divisions caused by the conscription crisis continue to affect Canadian unity today, and the election marked a significant moment in the country's political history, with figures like William Lyon Mackenzie King rising to prominence.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Election of 1917
💡Conscription
💡Robert Borden
💡Wilfred Laurier
💡Coalition Government
💡Unionist Government
💡Military Voters Act
💡Wartime Elections Act
💡Halifax Explosion
💡William Lyon Mackenzie King
💡Canadian Unity
Highlights
The 1917 Canadian election was the most divisive in history, largely due to the conscription issue.
The election was delayed by one year due to World War I, with the hope of forming a coalition government.
Conscription was a major point of contention between English and French Canada.
Prime Minister Robert Borden initially opposed conscription but later committed Canada to a greater war effort.
Sir Wilfred Laurier opposed a coalition due to conscription and concerns over Quebec's loyalty to the Liberals.
The conscription crisis led to riots and demonstrations in Quebec.
Henry Barossa turned against the conservatives, arguing Quebec's loyalty was to Canada, not England.
The conservatives used propaganda to paint the Liberals as unpatriotic and supportive of French Canadian domination.
The Military Voters Act and Wartime Elections Act were introduced to favor the conservatives in the election.
The Military Voters Act allowed soldiers to influence the election in favor of conscription.
The Wartime Elections Act disenfranchised 'enemy aliens' and favored conservative-leaning voters.
The election was nicknamed the 'Khaki election' due to the influence of soldiers' uniforms.
The Unionist government won a record 153 seats, the most until 1935.
Women voters, many with family in the war, overwhelmingly supported the Unionist government.
Conservative support in Quebec collapsed, leading to a long-term decline in their influence there.
The election's outcome was seen as a victory for the Allies and a defeat for pacifism.
William Lyon Mackenzie King's loyalty to Laurier would later make him a significant political figure in Canada.
The conscription issue led to the conscription of 125,000 Canadians, impacting Canadian unity for generations.
Despite winning, Borden's victory came at the cost of fracturing the country along conscription lines.
Transcripts
[Music]
it could be said that no election was
built on an issue that divided Canada
more than the election of 1917
this election came six years after the
previous election the longest Gap in
Canadian history an election should have
happened in 1916 but due to the
emergency of the first world war
Parliament agreed to suspend an election
for one year
it was hoped by the board and government
that the delay would allow for the
creation of a coalition government
comprising all the parties in response
to the first World War
a major purpose for the formation of the
Coalition was the conscription issue
which had bitterly divided Canada
between English Canada and French Canada
earlier in the war prime minister Robert
Borden had promised that he would not
conscript Canadians into military
service but after going to Europe he
assured the other leaders of the Allied
Forces that Canada would commit more to
the struggle
Borden would say to the House of Commons
on May 18 1917 quote
I cannot too strongly emphasize my
belief that a great effort still lies
before the Allied Nations if we are
going to win this war end quote
the unionist government proposal was
rejected by Sir Wilfred Laurier because
of conscription which was strongly
opposed in Quebec Laurier also worried
that a coalition would cause Quebec to
abandon liberals losing historic support
of Quebec would have been devastating
for the Liberals at the time
throughout 1917 the conscription crisis
resulted in riots and demonstrations
throughout Quebec Henry Barossa the man
who helped bring down the Liberals in
Quebec in 1911 turned against the
conservatives stating that Quebec had no
obligation to England and only had to
stay loyal to Canada
the conservatives who had relied on
burro saw in the previous election
quickly turned on him they would state
in a written message that quote the
teachings of borosa the failure of
Laurier to Rally his race in the war
bearing fruit in a wave of race bigotry
and desire for French Canadian
domination and a solid English-speaking
Canada determined to maintain British
ideals and British traditions in Canada
will successfully cope with a situation
pregnant with Peril and quote
while the conservatives pushed a message
that the Liberals want to quit the war a
written Manifesto from Laurier actually
stated that the Liberals wanted to stop
profiteering from the war and instead of
conscription a strong appeal for
voluntary recruiting along with a
referendum
on August 29 1917 the government passed
the military service act allowing the
government to conscript men aged 20 to
45 across the country if Borden felt it
was necessary
the conscription issue was so bad that
for the first time Quebec began to talk
openly about leaving Confederation
one member of the Quebec legislature
would say after the election that Quebec
would quote be disposed to accept the
breaking of the Confederation pack of
1867 if in the other provinces It is
believed that she is an obstacle to the
union progress and development of Canada
end quote
the unionist government would still form
with English Canadian liberal MPS
joining while French Canadian MPS
including Laurier stayed with the
liberal party
two new laws had also come into place
that would give more support to the
conservatives in the coming election
the first law was under the military
voters act which allowed soldiers in
Europe to choose the riding they wanted
their vote to be counted in or they
could allow the party to choose the
writing this gave government officials
the ability to guide the votes of the
soldiers who were strongly in favor of
conscription to writings where it'd be
more useful servicemen would simply be
given a ballot that said government or
opposition
this allowed the government to use four
hundred thousand votes to influence the
election in their favor when the votes
were tallied eighty percent of the
soldiers on the front lines voted in
favor of the board and government
the other law was under the wartime
elections act this act removed the vote
from anyone including those who lived in
Canada for a decade or more who were
deemed to be enemy aliens anyone who had
arrived in Canada after 1902 lost the
vote if they came from a country such as
Germany or Austria
this group of people typically voted
liberal and it would result in a huge
loss of votes for liberals especially in
the Prairie Provinces
the ACT also gave the vote to female
relatives of soldiers overseas who are
more likely to vote for the
conservatives and conscription
the German atrocities pamphlet published
by the union government publicity Bureau
which state about why women should vote
for the government stating quote
why should the women of Canada vote for
the union government because they are
virtually interested in seeing the war
against Germany and all Germany
represents is carried on to The Bitter
End Germany's attitude to women is that
of uncivilized Savages German is a
brutal fiendish inhuman in Belgium
lustful and cruel they violated women
and girls murdered their husbands
tortured and mutilated children and
murdered babies end quote
one critic of the ACT stated they had
been more honest to just state that all
who do not pledge to vote conservative
would be disenfranchised
Margaret Gordon president of the
Canadian national suffrage association
said the government might as well have
just made it illegal not to vote
conservative
once these measures were passed the
liberal unionists joined with the
conservatives and Parliament was then
dissolved those who remain loyal to
Laurier became known as the Laurier
liberals
the elect should be called the Khaki
election as a result of the color of the
uniforms of soldiers it would also be
the ugliest election in Canadian history
unionist will go on the offensive
attacking the Liberals and questioning
their patriotism perennial unionists who
ran in Quebec under the conscription
Banner they were threatened and attacked
in some cases
then on December 6 11 days before the
election the Halifax Explosion destroyed
Halifax killing 2 000 people and leaving
the city in ruins in that explosion
Borden would lose several friends in the
disaster nonetheless the election would
go on and was held on December 17th
while the election was divisive over the
issue of conscription the new laws had
the proper effect that the conservatives
were hoping for the unionist government
would win 153 seats the largest amount
of seats in Canadian history to that
point and the most until the Liberals
won 173 seats in 1935 with some women
having the vote they voted
overwhelmingly in favor of the unionist
government a Mrs M Wilson voted with her
three female friends in Winnipeg and
stated after quote we have done all we
could to put the union government back
into power and quote
the reason for the high vote for the
unionists was since the women had family
fighting overseas they wanted
conscription to come in so new recruits
would be sent over and their family
members could come home
in Quebec conservative support
completely collapsed the party would
only win three seats it's worst showing
ever while the Liberals dominated with
62 seats in total the conscription
crisis would end support for the
conservatives in Quebec for nearly half
a century it would not be until deepen
Baker's massive election win in 1958
that the conservatives would finally
defeat the Liberals in the province
the New York Times would write the
election result quote
sir wilfred's defeat will be a victory
for the Allies a victory over pacifism
American or Canadian over the friends of
Germany over Germany end quote Sir
Robert Borden would address the election
with a statement stating quote the
people of Canada have fully realized and
fulfilled their Duty it was not a party
victory in any sense if party lines
would be taken into account it is a
trial as much for liberals as for
conservatives it was a noble test of
democracy the Canadian people after more
than three years of heroic devotion and
Untold sacrifice were called upon to say
whether Canada's efforts in the war
should be maintained end quote one man
who was quartered by the unionist was
William line Mackenzie King he was from
English Canada but he remained loyal to
Laurier his refusal to go against
Laurier would end up having a lasting
impact on his life when maurier died in
1919 king would take over as leader a
role he would stay in until 1948 during
which time he governed Canada for 21
total years and while king would lose
the 1917 election he would return two
years later in 1919 and remain in
Parliament until 1948.
following the election 125 000 Canadians
25 percent of who were eligible were
conscripted into service but only 24 000
would actually make it to the front
lines
the damage had been done though and
Canadian Unity would be impacted by this
election for generations to come Borden
had won the election but it came at a
great cost the country would be
fractured and even today those divisions
still exist haunting us over a century
later
[Music]
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