Chapter 14 - Canada in the World
What events caused Canadians to start discussing the idea of greater independence from Great Britain?
At the beginning of the 20th century, Canada was a very young country. The provinces and territories were still working out how to get along in Confederation, and there were big questions about Canada's relationship with Great Britain. As they looked to the future, Canadians had many different ideas about the best way for their country to grow as a nation.
In this chapter, you can learn about Canada's place in the British Empire and then read about the events that caused some people to start thinking that Canada needed to be more independent.
In this chapter, you can learn about Canada's place in the British Empire and then read about the events that caused some people to start thinking that Canada needed to be more independent.
This plate from 1887 celebrates Queen Victoria's 50th year of rule. Many Canadians and Newfoundlanders took pride in their British heritage and had great admiration for the Royal Family. What groups in society do you think might of had different thoughts or feelings? Why?
A Daughter of the Empire
In the past, it was common to refer to countries as "she" instead of "it". So Canada was often called a "daughter" of the British Empire. This section takes a brief look at Canada's and Newfoundland's ties to their "mother country".
In the early 20th century, approximately one-quarter of the world's population lived in regions that were part of the British Empire. Why do you think a common saying at the time was, "The sun never sets on the British Empire"?
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Political Ties
The head of the British Empire was the king or queen of England. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, these monarchs ruled the empire: Victoria (ruled 1837-1901), Edward VII (ruled 1901-1910), and George V (ruled 1910-1936).
In the early 1900s, Britain had different political arrangements with the many lands it had taken over. The differences were usually to do with how much control a colony had over its own affairs. By 1910, Canada, Nefoundland, australia, New Zealand, and South africa had all become self-governing dominions. Each dominion had almost complete control over decisions within its own borders, but England still controlled foreign policies. If England went to war, for example, the dominions were automatically at war as well. The dominions also expected Great Britain to support them in conflicts with other countries.
Economic Ties
Trade relationships were an important part of the British Empire. In the early 1900s, Canada and Newfoundland had strong economic ties to Great Britain. Most of Canada's exports were sold to Great Britain, and most of the money invested in Canadian businesses came from Great Britain. In Newfoundland, the important trade in salt cod was mostly still controlled by British trade policies.
Evidence of the Empire - A Closer Look
These artifacts and verses from the early 20th century show Canada's and Newfoundland's strong ties to Great Britain.
Currency and Stamps
During the early 1900s in Canada and Newfoundland, you only had to look at a dollar bill or a stamp to see the connection with the empire. The most common symbols were a crown or a portrait of the queen or king at the time.
This bill shows Queen Mary, the wife of King George V.
How Could the image on this stamp help a historian give an approximate date for the artifact?
The Queen's Birthday and Empire Day
Today we celebrate Victoria Day (also known as the Queen's Birthday) on the first Monday before 25 May. This holiday began in Canada and Newfoundland in the late 1800s to celebrate Queen victoria's birthday on 24 May. Over the years, the date for celebrating the king or queen's birthday has changed a few times. During the early 1900s, this holiday was often combined with Empire Day. Empire Day was a holiday that started as a way of encouraging school children to appreciate the empire. It was a big event in many communities.
The twenty-fourth of May is the Queen's Birthday
If we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away
- A popular rhyme from the early 20th century
Flying the Flag
When you visited any part of the British Empire in the early 1900s, the flag you most often saw was the Union Jack. Every school in Canada and Newfoundland had a Union Jack. Today it is still the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In 1965 Canada got its own flag, the red maple leaf.
Even today, the Union Jack is often flown along with the Canadian flag as a way of honouring Canada's British heritage.
An Anthem for Canada
The piece of music most often played at official government functions and other celebrations in Canada and Newfoundland was "God Save the King." It was the royal anthem for Canada and the national anthem for Britain.
Canada didn't have a national anthem until 1980, when "O Canada" was officially chosen. "O Canada" was originally written in French in 1880 and was very popular in Quebec. It was first heard in English-speaking Canada c. 1901, but it wasn't as popular as "The Maple Leaf Forever." "The Maple Leaf Forever" was written in 1867 to celebrate Confederation. When you read the lyrics, you can probably figure out why it wasn't popular with french Canadians.
The Maple Leaf Forever |
James Wolfe was the leader of the British army when the French army was defeated on the Plains of Abraham. The thistle is the symbol of Scotland, the shamrock is a symbol of Ireland, and the rose is a symbol of England. |
Think It Through - Empire Day Brochure
Imagine it is 1910 and your school is planning an Empire Day celebration. What kinds of events will you hold? What kinds of decorations will you put up? What about music or poetry? Use your knowledge of the time to create a program of events and brochure for the day. Be sure to include symbols of the empire in your program.
You can make your brochure using Google docs, or by hand.
Rethinking the Empire
In the early 1900s, three events caused Canadians to debate whether Canada should keep its strong ties to Britain or try to gain more independence. These events were:
- the South African (Boer) War - the Alaska Boundary Dispute - the Naval Service Bill As each of these events occurred, they forced the government to try to find solutions that would be accepted by most Canadians. Finding a compromise wasn't easy because Canadians had different perspectives on the issues. Most Canadians in the early 1900s would have classed themselves as either imperialists or nationalists. Imperialists wanted Canada to stay closely tied to the British Empire. Nationalists thought Canada should be less dependent on Britain. |
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The South African (Boer) War
In 1899, war broke out between the British in South africa and the Boers in two neighbouring republics: the Orange Free State and Transvaal. The Boers were descendants of the first Dutch colonists in the area. When gold and diamonds were discovered in Transvaal, many British people moved there to seek their fortune. But there was great distrust between the two groups, and the Boers refused to give the British political rights in the country. When the British began building up a military base nearby, the Boers declared war on them.
Britain asked Canada to send troops to help fight the Boers. Imperialists thought it was Canada's duty to help the empire. Most French Canadians thought that Britain's wars were not Canada's problem, and many of them felt that the Boers had every right to defend their lands. They still had bad feelings about how people of French heritage had been treated after England won the North American colonies in the mid-1700s. Canadian nationalists, especially labour unions and farmers' groups, also thought that Canada should stay out of this war because it wasn't clear who was in the right. The prime minister at the time was Wilfred Laurier. He tried to find a compromise that would please both sides.
Britain asked Canada to send troops to help fight the Boers. Imperialists thought it was Canada's duty to help the empire. Most French Canadians thought that Britain's wars were not Canada's problem, and many of them felt that the Boers had every right to defend their lands. They still had bad feelings about how people of French heritage had been treated after England won the North American colonies in the mid-1700s. Canadian nationalists, especially labour unions and farmers' groups, also thought that Canada should stay out of this war because it wasn't clear who was in the right. The prime minister at the time was Wilfred Laurier. He tried to find a compromise that would please both sides.
The Compromise Solution
Laurier's solution was to send a small volunteer force from Canada. When this force arrived in South Africa, Britain paid for the soldiers' wages and supplies. Between 1899 and 1901, several more volunteer groups from Canada went to South Africa. The British defeated the Boers in 1902. By this time, Canada had sent 16 female nurses and between 7000 and 8000 male soldiers into action (exact figures are not known). Eighty-nine soldiers were killed in action, 135 died of disease, and 252 were wounded.
Laurier's solution was to send a small volunteer force from Canada. When this force arrived in South Africa, Britain paid for the soldiers' wages and supplies. Between 1899 and 1901, several more volunteer groups from Canada went to South Africa. The British defeated the Boers in 1902. By this time, Canada had sent 16 female nurses and between 7000 and 8000 male soldiers into action (exact figures are not known). Eighty-nine soldiers were killed in action, 135 died of disease, and 252 were wounded.
This photograph shows members of the Prince Edward Island Transvaal force just before they left for the month-long sea voyage to South Africa. If you had been a young man or woman at the time, what would have been your thoughts about volunteering for this war?
The Long-Term Effects of the South African (Boer) War
Nobody in Canada was really happy with Laurier's compromise. French-Canadian and English-Canadian nationalists thought that Canada had done too much to help Britain. Imperialists thought that Canada had done too little. However, some historians believe that Laurier's compromise was the best solution because anything else would have led to serious conflict within Canada.
Military historians say that the South african War was an important first step in the creation of the Canadian military. Even though the troops were poorly trained when they left Canada, they won the respect of the British leaders. When Canadian soldiers met up with soldiers from other parts of the British Empire, they developed a strong sense of national pride and the idea that they were a separate army. Canadian military leaders also learned some valuable lessons in how to train soldiers and how to prepare for battle. These skills were going to be needed in the years to come.
In the early 1900s, there were three politicians who had a lot to say about Canada's decisions concerning the war. Wilfred Laurier, the Liberal prime minister from 1896 to 1911, was one of these leaders. Another was Robert Borden, the leader of the Opposition during Laurier's government. In 1911, Borden himself was elected prime minister. The third was Henri Bourassa. Bourassa had started off as a Liberal, but he left the Liberal Party when Laurier decided to send troops to South Africa. Bourassa was a strong supporter of the rights of French Canadians and of Canada's independence from Britain. Here is part of a speech that Henri Bourassa made in the House of Commons in 1900. Who are the "two peoples separated by an ocean" that Bourassa mentions?
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The Alaska Boundary Dispute
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Since Britain was interested in keeping the empire big and strong, you'd think it would have taken Canada's side in any disagreements with other countries. In 1903, Canadians found out that this wasn't necessarily the case!
Canada had a problem with the United States. In the northwest corner of British Columbia, where that province and the state of Alaska meet, Canada and the United States disagreed about the border between the two countries. The problem had started many years before when the border was roughly described as "following the summit of the mountains" along the coast. Because there were many mountains and a jagged coastline, it was hard to be exact.
Canada had a problem with the United States. In the northwest corner of British Columbia, where that province and the state of Alaska meet, Canada and the United States disagreed about the border between the two countries. The problem had started many years before when the border was roughly described as "following the summit of the mountains" along the coast. Because there were many mountains and a jagged coastline, it was hard to be exact.
When you see the area on a map, it doesn't look like a large enough piece of land to cause all the trouble it did. But this particular area was important because gold had been discovered in the Yukon. People wanted to get to the goldfields near Dawson City. To do so, they had to go over the Chilkoot Pass above Skagway. To get to the Chilkoot Pass, they had to land by ship along the coast. The way the Americans wanted to draw the border, Canada wouldn't have any good harbours in the north because the US would own all the usable coastline. Canadians would miss out on the economic benefits of providing transportation and supplies to the miners and to other travellers in the future. |
The Decision on the Alaska Boundary Dispute
After a lot of discussion and no conclusion, in 1903 Canada and the United States agreed to have the issue decided by a group of six officials. Three of the officials would be from the United States, two from Canada, and one from Britain. The British official was needed because Canada did not control its own foreign affairs. First Nations peoples in the area were not consulted in any of these negotiations. Britain, Canada, and the United States laid claim to the territory without recognizing First Nations rights to the land or resources.
When it came down to a vote, the British official sided with the Americans. Some historians say that the British official actually thought that the evidence presented for the American claim was stronger. But most historians believe that the main reason Britain sided with the United States was for its own benefit. Britain was becoming concerned about the way Germany was building up its military force. The British government wanted to make sure that the United States would be on Britain's side if Germany started a war.
The Long-Term Effects of the Dispute
French-Canadian and English-Canadian nationalists were furious that Britain had sided against Canada. Many Canadians who had been imperialists started to think that Canada should perhaps have more independence. From this time on, Wilfred Laurier worked to get Canada more control over its foreign affairs. Another effect of this dispute was to strengthen many people's uneasy feelings toward the United States. More Canadians started to see themselves as very different from their neighbour to the south, and to see the United States as a threat. This political cartoon is from September 1903 Frontiere is French for border, and mine d'or is a gold mine. What is this cartoon's message?
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The Naval Service Bill
By 1909, Britain was getting very worried about the strength of the German navy. For many decades, Britain's power as a nation had come from having a strong and well-equipped navy. When Germany's navy started to challenge this power, Britain asked Canada for money to build warships. Britain had a reason for expecting Canada to help out in this way. It defended the shipping lanes that Canada used to ship wheat and other products around the world.
You can probably guess that many imperialists thought that it was Canada's duty to immediately send aid to Britain. English-Canadian and French-Canadian nationalists were against the idea. They thought Canada should focus on building up its own military forces and should not spend the money to help Britain.
Another Compromise Solution
Once again, Prime Minister Laurier came up with a compromise. The Naval Service Bill of 1910 created Canada's own navy. The idea was that the navy could be used to defend Canada, and it could also be lent to Britain in times of war. The navy wasn't much however - just two old ships, the Niobe and the Rainbow, purchased from Britain. It took about 400 crew and officers to run the ships.
You can probably guess that many imperialists thought that it was Canada's duty to immediately send aid to Britain. English-Canadian and French-Canadian nationalists were against the idea. They thought Canada should focus on building up its own military forces and should not spend the money to help Britain.
Another Compromise Solution
Once again, Prime Minister Laurier came up with a compromise. The Naval Service Bill of 1910 created Canada's own navy. The idea was that the navy could be used to defend Canada, and it could also be lent to Britain in times of war. The navy wasn't much however - just two old ships, the Niobe and the Rainbow, purchased from Britain. It took about 400 crew and officers to run the ships.
This poster from 1911 was created to encourage young men to join the Canadian navy. Who do you think might have been interested in joining?
The Long-Term Effects of the Tin-Pot Navy
Imperialists were so embarrassed by Canada's small navy that they called it the "Tin-Pot Navy." They thought Canada should contribute a bigger navy to defend the empire. On the other side, French-Canadian and English-Canadian nationalists thought the navy would be useless in defending Canada. They also thought that offering to lend the ships would still get Canada involved in Britain's wars.
When war between Britain and Germany finally did break out, the Canadian navy was so small that Canada wasn't able to defend itself or help Britain! So far, Canada had not found a solution to the question of its relationship with Britain.
In a speech to the Canadian Club of Ottawa in 1906, Wilfred Laurier explained his view of how Canada's relationship with Britain might change over time. In the quotation below, what do you think he meant by "improve"? Our present relations with the Mother Country, though very satisfactory and likely to remain so for a long time, cannot always remain as they are. They shall and must improve as time develops but they shall and will be improved after the British manner, gradually, without violence and giving justice to everybody as justice is due to everybody. |
Think It Through - Three Events
List the three main events described in this section. For each, summarize the main issue and state your opinion on whether the long-term result led to more or less independence for Canada. You might want to organize your ideas in a chart like the one below.
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In this chapter, you investigated the question, What were the events that caused Canadians to start discussing the idea of independence from Britain? Over time, some things change and some things stay the same. Canada today is fully independent of Britain, but it still keeps its ties to the monarchy in many ways.
Do an opinion survey in your community to find out whether or not people think Canada should keep its ties to the monarchy.
What's your opinion on this issue? How do you think your heritage might affect your opinion?