Other political changes include the Union government and the election of 1917. Prime Minister Borden favoured a coalition government of Conservatives and Liberals as the best means to introduce compulsory service, so he approached Wilfred Laurier about the possibility. The leader of the opposition agreed with the need for a coalition government for the war’s duration, but opposed compulsory conscriptions. He might not have gained Lauriers support, but he did gain that of other liberal leader, who joined his Union government.
Before dissolving Parliament, the Union implemented two bills to strengthen their chances at the polls. The military Voters Act enfranchised all members of the armed forces, no matter how long they have lived in Canada. The Wartime Elections Act gave the vote to Canadian women who were mothers, wives, sisters and daughters of servicemen, but denied the vote to conscientious objector and to naturalized Canadians from enemy countries who had settled in Canada after 1902. The Liberals won out in Quebec, but only won 20 seats in the rest of the country. This election deeply divided Canada.
The war greatly advanced the cause of social reform. English-Canadian reformers argued that just as troops fought for a noble cause on the battlefield, so should those at home campaign for noble causes at the home front; against materialism, alcoholism and corruption.
Women also obtained many more rights during the war. They were allowed to take over jobs, previously open to only men. They also gained support for women’s suffrage and prohibition. Women reformers argued that humanity’s aggressive nature had caused the worldwide cataclysm. They believed that women deserved the right to vote. If women had the opportunity to rule, wars would cease to exist. Women have a gentler nature and do not usually resort to physical violence. They pointed out the inconsistency of fighting democracy abroad when more than half of Canadians were denied the democratic right to vote at home. They reminded society of their scarifies for the cause; in their minds they had earned the right to participate in Canada’s political life. They soon
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gained this right legally.
The only political downside was the major division between the French and English. The French did not feel they should be forced to show support to a country that they felt that had no ties to; Britain. They started to press for social, not political reforms during the war. This led to the postwar peace being disturbed by a domestic crisis. Major outbreaks took place in Quebec.
There was also an economic impact of the war. First off, the only reason many young men went to war in the first place was so that they could have a job during a time of economic depression.
At the outbreak of war, the government depended on revenue from tariff and the sale of federal bonds to finance the war effort. But as imports declined and as New York replaced London as the main underwriter of Canadian bonds, the government had to look for more money to fund the war. They solved this by selling “Victory Bonds” to more than one million Canadians. The government also introduced direct taxation. First it imposed a business-profits tax, then in 1917, it imposed its first federal income tax; 3% for a family earning more than $3000 or an individual earning more than $1500.
The increased cost of living hurt people on fixed income and cancelled the benefits workers received from increased wages. None of these may be overly positive things, but it did set up a foundation for modern economics.
In conclusion, I agree to an extent that the political and economic impact of the First World War was more positive than negative. Politically speaking this is definitely true, not so much for economic but, all in all the war may have been a terrible event, and many lives may have been lost, but it had good results. Here we are today, still a well-known, independent nation, known for our freedom and peace. This is all thanks to the impacts of the First World War. How can that be a negative thing?
“ The political and economical impact of the First World War on Canada was more positive than negative.” How far would you agree with this statement?
Chantelle McMullin
History 12 IB
Word count: 914
Sept. 26th/08
