HIS 404

Unit 2 Notes 19
The Conscription Crisis
1. During the war, French and English
Canadians were divided over the
country’s involvement.
English Canadians felt
proud to be part of the
British Empire. They
wanted to go and fight
the war.
They felt it was
Canada’s duty to fight.
2. French Canadians did not feel this way.
They did not feel close to either Britain or
France.
They did not see why Canada needed to
fight in Europe at all.
This view was seen as cowardice by
English Canadians.
3. After the first few months of war it was
obvious that a lot more soldiers would be
needed.
Q: How could we get new soldiers when no
one else was volunteering?
Our government began CONSCRIPTION
Conscription: forcing young men to join the army
4. Conscription
was often resisted
in Quebec.
Demonstrations
led to riots in
Quebec City.
French Canadians did not
want to fight for what they
saw as a British war.
English Canadians thought
they were lazy and
cowardly for thinking this
way. http://ww1.canada.com/wp-content/uploads/2
014/07/RECRUITMENT3_217182398.jpg
5. Many felt that Canada had already sent
enough men to fight for Britain.
We were still a very small country, after all.
The Catholic Church in Quebec protested
against Conscription.
They warned the government that the
French Canadians would never accept it.