Letter to the editor regarding conscription during the First World War

Complete a letter to a newspaper editor which incorporates a specific point of view, and responds to the article by Henri
Bourassa, by taking on the following role. You must use the primary source document (reading provided). You can also
use Borden’s speech posted in D2L if you would like to refute it. Only use both documents if you are confident in your
ability to incorporate both speeches and write the letter well. This should be no more than ¾ of a page long

Your Role: A French Canadian mother/ father whose son is eighteen years old and not fighting in the war. (This would
assume that you are opposed to conscription and support Henri Bourassa’s views). The letter needs to be formal and it
must employ sophisticated language – remember you are trying to convince people that your opinion matters! You
should have an introductory sentence- i.e. the reason you are writing the opinion letter, your reasons for the opinion
(this is where you incorporate the primary source document by using some quotes, but mostly paraphrasing) and a
concluding statement. The letter should be dated in August 1917 and it should be sure to address that there is an up-
coming election and who Canadians vote for will determine if conscription will pass. You must use examples from the
primary source document, or you will lose your Thinking marks.

Your letter should start with: Dear Editor, I am writing this letter for publication in your newspaper…

Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Mark

Thinking and Research from text, Research from text, Research from text, class Research from text, class
inquiry class notes and class notes and notes and handout was notes and handout was
handout was limited handout was thorough in scope. very good to excellent in
in scope. adequate in scope. scope.
/10
Communication Spelling, grammar Spelling, grammar Spelling, grammar and Spelling, grammar and
and sentence and sentence sentence structure had sentence structure had
structure had structure had some minor errors but overall minor to no errors and
several errors. errors. Ability to written work was good. written work was
Ability to apply an apply an argument Ability to apply an argument excellent. Ability to apply /10
argument based on based on a stated based on a stated opinion an argument based on a
a stated opinion was opinion was was good. stated opinion was very
limited. sufficient. good to excellent.

Letter to the editor regarding conscription during the First World War

Complete a letter to a newspaper editor which incorporates a specific point of view, and responds to the article by Henri
Bourassa, by taking on the following role. You must use the primary source document (reading provided). You can also
use Borden’s speech posted in D2L if you would like to refute it. Only use both documents if you are confident in your
ability to incorporate both speeches and write the letter well. This should be no more than ¾ of a page long

Your Role: A French Canadian mother/ father whose son is eighteen years old and not fighting in the war. (This would
assume that you are opposed to conscription and support Henri Bourassa’s views). The letter needs to be formal and it
must employ sophisticated language – remember you are trying to convince people that your opinion matters! You
should have an introductory sentence- i.e. the reason you are writing the opinion letter, your reasons for the opinion
(this is where you incorporate the primary source document by using some quotes, but mostly paraphrasing) and a
concluding statement. The letter should be dated in August 1917 and it should be sure to address that there is an up-
coming election and who Canadians vote for will determine if conscription will pass. You must use examples from the
primary source document, or you will lose your Thinking marks.

Your letter should start with: Dear Editor, I am writing this letter for publication in your newspaper…

Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Mark

Thinking and Research from text, Research from text, Research from text, class Research from text, class
inquiry class notes and class notes and notes and handout was notes and handout was
handout was limited handout was thorough in scope. very good to excellent in
in scope. adequate in scope. scope.
/10
Communication Spelling, grammar Spelling, grammar Spelling, grammar and Spelling, grammar and
and sentence and sentence sentence structure had sentence structure had
structure had structure had some minor errors but overall minor to no errors and
several errors. errors. Ability to written work was good. written work was
Ability to apply an apply an argument Ability to apply an argument excellent. Ability to apply /10
argument based on based on a stated based on a stated opinion an argument based on a
a stated opinion was opinion was was good. stated opinion was very
limited. sufficient. good to excellent.