Growing Canadian Autonomy 1914-1939

1. Growing Canadian Autonomy1914-1939 Official Canadian Flag: 1921-1957

2. STATUS IN 1914 • we were a “dominion” or “colony” of Great Britain • had no control over any decision regarding foreign affairs • we were not a sovereign nation; • a sovereign nation is a nation in control of all of its domestic and foreign policies • in 1914, when Britain declared war—we went to war; it was not our decision • the Governor-General, the crown’s representative on Canadian soil, signed off on any treaty, before it was official

3. 1914-1918 1917: Vimy Ridge 1918: Last 100 Days fought as a nation spearheaded the attack that broke the German line liberated Belgium • At Vimy, all Canadian divisions fought together under a Canadian general: Arthur Currie • At Vimy, Canadians won the “only significant victory for the Allies” in 1917 • Currie is knighted and promoted to command the entire Canadian corps • Currie is brought in to co-plan future battles with the British General Haig

4. TREATY of VERSAILLES: 1919 LEAGUE of NATIONS: 1919 joined the League of Nations as its own member first time took independent multilateral action(action in co-op with many other countries) • PM Borden “demanded” that Canada be represented as a separate nation at the meetings and at the official signing of the treaty • given 2 seats at Treaty of Versailles conference, independent of Britain

5. When British troops stationed near Chanak, theDardanelles(see map below), were threatened with attack by the Turks who sought to reclaim territory, they asked for help from all their dominions, including Canada 1921:Chanak Affair • Britain called for military assistance from dominions in a dispute with Turkey • King insisted that Canadian involvement be debated in Parliament • Parliament agreed to send troops, but by the time this had happened, the dispute had been settled • very different from 1914, when our military assistance was expected and given without any debate

6. Uncle Sam: “What I cut off goes to you Johnnie Canuck and what’s left belongs to me.” 1923:Halibut Treaty • negotiated a fishing agreement with US • PM King refused to allow the Governor-General to sign off on it, saying that it had nothing to do with Britain • established Cdn right to take independent diplomatic action

7. KING/BYNG AFFAIR: 1926 -in 1926, PM King asked Byng, the Governor-General, to dissolve parliament and call a federal election-Byng refused and King was infuriated that “an appointed British official was determining when Canadian elections could be made”-when the election was finally held, King made Canadian nationalism the focus of his election campaign-he won the election with a majority and set out to restrict the powers of the Governor-General Governor General Byng PM Mackenzie King

8. recommended that the dominions achieve full power over foreign, domestic, political and economic decisions dominions remain a part of the “Commonwealth of Nations” but as EQUALs Britain not a “mother” but a “brother” or “sister” King and other Canadian delegates representing Canada at the Imperial Conference in 1926 in London, England. Other nations included New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. The Balfour Report: 1926

9. STATUTE of WESTMINSTER: 1931 • in 1931 the British Parliament passed the Statute of Westminster • all of the conditions proposed in the 1926 Balfour Report were were made into law with this statute • under it, Canada was now officially an “autonomous community…equal in status” and “in no way subordinate…in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs” to Britain • as such it was a major milestone for Canadian sovereignty

10. Sept 1939: WWII Begins • 3 Sept 1939: France and Britain declare war on Germany • PM Mackenzie King summoned the Canadian parliament to an emergency session • one week later, 10 Sept 1939, Canada declared war on Germany • It was the first time that Canada had declared war on its own behalf