CANADA’S ROAD TO AUTONOMY
1914 – 1918 World War I
-Canada entered the war as a colony of Britain; no choice but to enter the war.
Significance for Canadian independence:1919 Paris Peace Conference
-Canada attended the peace conference as its own representative because the Canadian war contribution was so valuable.
Significance for Canadian independence:1922 Chanak Affair
-British troops were threatened by an attack from Turkey; Britain asked Canada for troops. Prime Minister Mackenzie King stated no troops should be sent unless they were approved by Canadian parliament.
Significance for Canadian independence:1925 King-Byng Crisis
-In 1925, Prime Minister Mackenzie King headed a coalition government with the Progressive Party. A scandal over the smuggling of alcohol resulted in the Progressives losing confidence in Mackenzie King’s Liberals. King asked the Governor General (the representative of Britain in Canada) to dissolve the government and call an election. Lord Byng (the Governor General) refused and told the Conservative party to take over the government. The Conservatives received a vote of non-confidence in the Canadian parliament and were forced to call an election. In the election, Mackenzie King argued that Britain, through the Governor General, was interfering with the Canadian government. King was re-elected in 1926 and this was the last time the Governor General had any say over Canadian politics.
Significance for Canadian independence:1926Britain’s Imperial Conference – The Balfour Report
-Declared that nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were to become self-governing countries “equal in status” to each other and “freely associated” with Britain in a new “Commonwealth of Nations”.
Significance for Canadian independence:1931 Statute of Westminster
-Gave Canada and other commonwealth countries complete control over their relations with other nations.
Significance for Canadian independence:Rank the preceding events in the order of most important to least important for Canada attaining sovereignty from Britain. Explain why you ranked the most and least important events in the way that you did.
Complete a P.M.I. on Canada having closer economic ties with the United States.
Plus / Minus / InterestingPlace yourself on the value line on whether you believe Canada should have closer, the same or distant economic ties with the United States. Explain your position in the space below.
Closer Same Distant
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Explanation of value line: