Cornelle Notes WW1 Reading

THE WAR & SOVEREIGNTY

• Canada made significant contributions to the Allies through WW1.

• P.M. Borden expected more communication between Britain & Canada.

• Borden wasn’t consulted on war policy/planning despite traveling to Britain several times.

• Borden was expected to rely on the press for news of the war (like a britain/canadian citizen).

• Britain elected a new P.M. that brought significant change in british policy toward Canada & the other dominions. (NFLD, South Africa, NZLD, Australia).

• B.P.M. believed in order to defeat the triple alliance, the allies needed more help from the dominions. 

• The B.P.M. brought the P.M. 's from various dominions to meet in London to form an imperial war cabinet (I.W.C).

• P.M. Borden was happy with the I.W.C. Made up of reps from Canada & other dominions.

• When the I.W.C. First met, they discussed war policy.

• Borden was finally allowed to access war documents he previously wasn’t allowed to.

• Borden presented Resolution IX to the I.W.C. 

• which gave them recognition as autonomous nations of an Imperial commonwealth & the resolution was passed. 

EMPTY PROMISES

• Despite the political advances, Canada still didn’t have a say in war campaigns involving their troops.

• Serious reservations about the issue of Passchendaele were ignored. 

• Which made a mad Borden to advise the B.P.M. if there was a repeat of the battle of Passchendaele no canadian soldier will leave to fight unless they trust the gov of Canada to him.

• When the I.W.C met again the B.P.M suggested a committee of P.M. 's to examine the war effort. 

• But the war ended before they could start.

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES 

• The war ended and the treaty of Versailles was drafted and signed at the Paris peace conference. 

• The terms of the treaty were harsh: they had to give up their colonies, be forced to limit the size of their army, and pay the allies reparations. (these all were the compensation to the victors).

• There was division in the community due to conscription. 

• Borden believed during the war years Canadians matured.

• Canada was a major participant in the war; lots of canadians died overseas. (Canada made major sacrifices).

• The Canadian Expeditionary Force had earned a distinguished record. 

• Due to Bordens pride for Canada’s wartime record & sense of nationalism, he demanded a seat at the Paris Peace Conference and got it.

• But Canada barely played a role in the negotiations & Britain signed the treaty of Versailles for the whole of the Britain Empire.

• P.M. Borden insisted that Canada should sign the treaty separately.

TOWARD POST-WAR AUTONOMY

• Canada continued to gain autonomy over its own foreign affairs post-war.

• The League of Nations was formed to preserve international peace (1919). 

• To prevent war, 44 nations said if 1 member were to attack another then it would be as if that 1 member attacked all 44 members.

• That would lead to economic sanctions & military force against the aggressor.

• Canada joined the L.O.N. which gained them recognition for not simply being a colony of Britains. (Even though they were unsuccessful).

• Canadian officials worked to eliminate the collective security terms from the league charter, arguing that a small country like Canada should have the right to decide to be involved in military actions.

• Canada also became a member of the International Labour Organization (agency of the L.O.N.) 

• P.M. Borden resigned from government due to his insistent doctor.

• Borden was replaced with Arthur Meighen, he led Canada for one year post-war economic depression.

• Then William Lyon Mackenzie King became the next P.M. (from the liberal party).

• He wanted more autonomy for Canada just like the past P.M.’s.

THE CHANAK AFFAIR

• WW1 taught Borden (& his successors) to not get involved in foreign entanglements.

• Where the fate of Canadians relied too much on the decisions from another country.

• The real indignation of P.M. King’s pursuit of autonomy was the Chanak affair. 

• A small group of British soldiers had been threatened by Turkish nationalist forces in Canakkale (known to the British as Chanak).

• Britain sent a telegram to the colonies calling them to contribute soldiers to assist British troops if a conflict should begin. 

• King said that Canada would no longer automatically send troops to aid Britain in foreign conflicts. 

  • It was a matter to be decided by a vote in the Canadian parliament. 

• The crisis in Canakkale soon passed but once again signaled the Canadian desire to control its own foreign policy decisions.

THE HALIBUT TREATY

• After WW1 halibut stocks off the pacific coast of Canada & the US became endangered by overfishing. 

• In early 1923, Canadian & American representatives negotiated a treaty to set limits on catches in the fishing season.

• Britain’s ambassador in Washington wanted to sign the agreement alongside Canada and the US.

• But P.M. King said that this matter is solely for the US & Canada. (Britain strongly objected). 

• But when Canada threatened to appoint an independent diplomatic representative in Washington, Britain conceded. 

• In the end, Canada signed the treaty independently.

THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCES

• The imperial conferences were regular meetings of government leaders from the colonies & dominions of the British empire. 

• The conferences took place at the invitation of Britain.

  • To make decisions on economic, trade and defense policies. 

• Before WW1 the colonies of the empire had to follow british-approved policies formed at the conferences. 

• During WW1 P.M. Borden tried to ensure that Canada influenced decisions made at the conferences. 

• After WW1, P.M. King insisted upon more autonomy. 

• When he went to the 1923 imperial conference after signing the halibut treaty, he was firm in arguing his views. 

  • Britain agreed to accept the halibut treaty as an example for its dominions having power to make their own treaties. 

• P.M. King’s demand the 1923 conference report concluded with the statement that any views of the imperial conference on foreign policy are supposed to be approved by the parliament before being implemented.

• (when the imperial conferences made decisions for the colonies, they didn’t have to implement it until it was approved by the parliament from that colony/dominion).

STATUTE OF WESTMINSTER

• The British parliament passed the statute of westminster.

• This document stated that Canada and other commonwealth dominions weren’t inferior to Britain's constitution.

• Canada was able to make its own foreign policy decisions without Britain's approval.

• Canada had full legal freedom except the area’s they chose to have British control over. 

• Canada chose to keep the judicial committee of the privy council as its final court. (until 1949).

• But after 1949 the supreme court of canada took over that role.

• Due to the federal and provincial governments not agreeing with their relative roles in changing the BNA act.

• Britain retained control over constitutional changes.

• The statute of Westminster was a significant landmark in the history of Canada.

• Signaled Canada's growing maturity as a nation.

• Canada can’t change their own constitution. (until 1982).