Conscription Crisis of 1917

E43157

The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a major political and social conflict in Canada during World War I over compulsory military service, which sharply divided English- and French-speaking Canadians and reshaped the country’s politics.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
political crisis
social conflict
conflict World War I
country Canada
describedAs turning point in Canadian political development
describedIn Canadian history textbooks
effect long-term mistrust between Quebec and the federal government
precedent for later conscription debates in Canada
strengthening of federal wartime powers
hasCause Prime Minister Robert Borden’s commitment to support Britain in World War I
heavy Canadian casualties in World War I
introduction of compulsory military service
manpower shortages in the Canadian Expeditionary Force
hasTopic Canadian nationalism
civil–military relations
conscription
linguistic and cultural divisions in Canada
keyFigure Henri Bourassa
Robert Borden
Wilfrid Laurier
legalInstrument Military Service Act of 1917
locatedIn Canada
mainOpposingGroup Canadian federal government
English-speaking Canadians
French-speaking Canadians
Quebec nationalists
opposedBy Roman Catholic clergy in Quebec
Wilfrid Laurier
many French-Canadian politicians
partOf Canadian home front during World War I
history of Canada
politicalOutcome 1917 Canadian federal election realignment
formation of the Unionist government
long-term alienation of many French Canadians from the federal government
rise of French-Canadian nationalism
weakening of the Liberal Party in English Canada
relatedLegislation Military Service Act
Military Voters Act
Wartime Elections Act
socialImpact deepened divide between English and French Canada
increased tensions over language and cultural rights
protests and riots in Quebec
startTime 1917
supportedBy Robert Borden
Unionist Party
many English-Canadian imperialists
temporalContext World War I

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Canadian Expeditionary Force
associatedEvent

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