How did the great war affect Canada on the Home Front?

Eve Morton

Canada was majorly affected by the great war, not only in battle, but at home as well. Canada
struggled with power, women’s rights, and immigration. Canadian government lived in constant
fear of enemy aliens, and the loss of independence, thus resulting in laws, and demands Canadians
citizens and immigrates weren’t inclined to follow. Although terror and destruction were happening
to Canada on the battlefront, there was also horrific things happening back home.

The first outrage of the great war that is still to affect to this day, is income tax. Prior to the
realization that the war will be very costly, governments believed that days of the war would be
“business as usual”, but they later realized that wouldn’t be possible. Thus, leading to the
introduction of the income war tax in 1917, which affected the working class majorly. Men who
made $2,000 annually, would have to pay 6% on all goods, a man who made $6,000 per year, could
be taxed up to 25%. Although income tax help fud war extremely well, Canadians had trouble
paying it, through defiance and lack of money they had.

The war measures act was passed by Borden almost immediately after the war, as well as had one
of the biggest impacts on the home front. This act secured defense, peace, order and welfare of
Canada, which lead to the biggest power frenzies of the federal government. This act placed
government control over transportation, manufacturing, trade, and agricultural production, as well
as mail was censored (for families to believe that the war front was “fun” and “adventurous”). After
this act was passed the idea of habeas corpus birthed, which gave police the right and duty to
detain people without laying charges. A huge problem with the war measures act affected “enemy
aliens” which enforced anyone with an enemy tongue, immigrated to Canada from a enemy
country, or had enemy blood, even if they were a citizen of Canada, were considered a threat to the
Canadian government and could be deported and/or arrested at any time. Immigrants from the
countries apart of the triple alliance were forced to carry identification cards, and some were placed
in internment camps.

Another problem in Canada at the time of World War I was censorship, not only did the
government censor the letters of soldiers, as well as editing footage from surveillance and
journalism. The government of Canada monitored newspapers, radio stations, and other
publications of the War that would hurt the war effort. Federal officials threatened editors, writers,
journalists and publishers with jail time if they failed to comply with censorship. Along with
censorship, came propaganda, this urged the citizens of Canada to fund the war by putting up
posters, advertising and publicly shaming the people who failed to help with buying war bonds,
rationing meat, and lessening on fuel. The images were of patriotic symbols, celebrities and
historical figures, these tactics made citizens believe war was popular and a worthy cause.

Women’s rights were a major struggle in World War I, although leading to women being able to
vote, there was a large fight for it during these times. Due to men participating in the war, lead to
women taking initiative, and taking the jobs of men. These times were crucial to women rights,
instead of working as a seamstress or a low paying cooking job, women took over the jobs of
agriculture and manufacturing war materials, and goods. Although during the war the women were
happy for their independence, it was all stripped away from them, once the men returned, leading
to women getting a taste of independence and responsibility, and it being ripped away from them.

The final act upon the Homefront was conscription, the Military Service Act, was a bill that forced
enlistment to young men around Canada, for the military. Although Borden promised against it, he
later learned that many men were needed to win a battle. In the beginning the act excluded the
disable, the clergy, men with important jobs, conscientious objectors, those against war due to
religion, and only child’s, to keep their bloodline. The horror of conscription divided the country and
did damage to the families in Canada. This bill, not just scarring the country, but left many more
men dead, and injured against their will.

The great war had many effects on Canada, the battlefront left 61 000 Canadians dead, and another
172 000 injured, but the acts upon the Home front were not as murderous, but as horrific.