The Conscription Issue in Canada
ANDRAS, A.
The Conscription Issue in Canada By A. Andras Political and Racial Considerations Are Put Ahead of National Unity OTTAWA, Canada — For the second time In Htt** more {than a quarter century,...
...There were in effect two kinds of soldiers in Canada, "active" (or "general service") and "non-service...
...While there have been riots and demonstrations in Quebec, they have been fairly few and small...
...And it worked only too well...
...French-Canadians believe sincerely that they are the only true Canadians, since they have no other allegiance...
...Why, in the face of fascist aggression, there should be lack of unanimity between English and French-speaking Canadians on the extent of participation in the war, is not always readily apparent...
...Various factors tend to brighten the otherwise gloomy picture...
...For the latter the term "Zombie" has become prevalent as a term of abuse...
...policy" were deleted through the amendment, the original resolution having read in part: "will aid the Government in its policy of maintaining a vigorous war effort...
...Political demagogues have not smoothed the situation...
...king to apooas* all...
...To a considerable extent, ignorance and prejudice have obscured the teal issues...
...The CCF later moved and succeeded in obtaining the passage of another amendment which enabled it to vote on the proposition that the House "will aid the Government in maintaining a vigorous war effort" without having to support the Government's policies...
...The delegates saw eye to eye more than many anticipated, and the CCF emerged as the only party in Canada which can say truthfully that all elements of the population aie united in it...
...With the Socialist message of the CCF gaining more ground daily, and its burning desire for national unity clearly evident, there is good reason to believe that the future may see greater understanding and conciliation between the now divided elements...
...Another is the disclosure by tho Government that the number of French-Canadian non-active enlistments is hardly greater than the proportion of French to the total population...
...One of them is the met that a considerable number of French-Canadians have enlisted for active service, and the courage and gallantry of French-Canadian regiments abroad are making a proud page in Canadian history...
...Feeling as they do, French-Canadians vigorously opposed the sending of Canadian troops to fight in the Boer War...
...For French-Canada, however, there is nowhere else they may turn...
...They felt, correctly enough, that this was purely a British imperialist adventure which meant nothing to Canada as a nation...
...Inell, iasmnl *e ofder-ie, council cooecriptia« MJtt ef tho 70*00 n»* mitJll troop* < i If Mill m Osama...
...The war of 1914-18 was to them a repetition of imperialism in which they wished to have no part...
...No attempt was ever made, especially after war broke out in 1939, mora particularly after Dunkirk, to point out that this war was somehow different...
...Elections are several months away and new issues may come to the fore hy then...
...The French in Canada have only some meager, sentimental ties to #France...
...allowed the huu* to inumir, bet It Anally earn* to a boil whoa iSsooBiss began to mount in Italy ami wiisi.....S...
...A grievously exploited French-Canadian proletariat ha* developed whoa* employers are for the most part English-speaking capitalists...
...And when in 1917 a Conservative Government introduced conscription, they rioted or fled into the woods by the thousands...
...Traditionally, French-Canada opposes conscription...
...This amendment was ruled out of order...
...The country had been led to believe otherwise...
...As an amendment to the vote of confidence, the CCF (Canadian Commonwealth Federation) had moved for total conscription, both of men and resources, so that there might be a greater measure of equality in sacrifice and in order to be better prepared for the problems which would immediately follow the conclusion of hostilities, especially the.need for full employment...
...The words "its...
...that the very institutions French-Canadians held dearest war* being threatened...
...The economic factor cannot be overlooked...
...The C*o*mmsnt...
...The Conservatives have seen in the conscription issue a heaven-sent' opportunity to bolster their waning strength in the country...
...The Conservative Party, representing the colonial outlook, was finished in Quebec...
...Quebec has for years been deliberately retained aa a low wage area, much like the southern part of tho United State...
...Canada emerged from World War I with a raw wound which World Wan II found unhealed...
...Political interest* were a* usual put ahead of national unity...
...The climax cam* with a **ri*a* set* m the Liberal Cabinet *n thai very auo*ti*o...
...InsUad ef aotUiac the f*oUmm hi the in In, On th* aee head these ese Ux»* who issima thi* Imlf-hoartod method of dsaliaa...
...The too -fragile bonds of unity which were maintained during the years between the two world wars have been seriously weakened...
...with a situation...
...French-Canada as a whole is behaving with restraint and decorum...
...Her* was the perfect combination for demagogue!: the Preach were being exploited by the English...
...The Liberal Party at the time opposed conscription and became therefore Quebec's own party...
...In between the two wars, the Liberals never lost an opportunity to remind Quebec that they ware an anti-conscription party...
...A LONG and bitter debet* in th* House of Commons ended finally with a vote of confidence in the Government, although the Liberals suffered the defection of more than a score of members from Quebec...
...The growing urbanisation of Quebec and the development of trad* unionism are breaking down French-Canadian isolation and paving the way to greater understanding...
...that they would always remain an anti-conscription party...
...Up to about two weeks ago, the only Canadian personnel liable to be sent overseas were men who had volunteered for service abrcad...
...And French-Canada believed and kept voting Liberal even though that was about all the Liberals ever did for Quebec or for the rest of Canada...
...Finally, the unity of French and English delegates at th* CCF national convention in Montreal which discussed the conscription issue at the vary time it was most crucial, is an encouraging sign...
...Many English-speaking Canadians never cease to consider themselves "British," whether broadly or narrowly interpreted...
...The outbreak of World War II, therefor*, found Canada unprepared morally to act a* a united nation...
...The two major racial groups in Canada differ markedly in tradition, culture, and outlook, the English are bound by many strong ties to Great Biitain: by history, language, literature and political system...
...The rotative inactivity of Ceaseise troop* i...
...Clericalism and a rural type of economy have kept them, furthermore, out of touch with the progressive movements of the last century...
...The French Revolution and the other profound social and political disturbances which so strongly affected France have left no mark on the descendants of Frenchmen in Canada...
...on the other, French-Canada claims*"* it has been betrayed by the very party in which it had reposed its trust for so many \ ears...
...CCF House leader M. J. Coldwell made it clear that his party did not agree with the Government's policy and would continue to criticize it as severely as before...
...The cause, superficially at least, is the question of conscription: whether Canadian young men are to be sent into active military service without the exercise of choice...
...They have certainly done their best to inflame passions, but whether this will help them in the next elections remains to be seen...
...The non-French section* of Canada voted overwlwlmingty for conscription (or rather that the Covirnmint he left free to introduce it when needed), while ia Qsitn the vote was just as derisively m the negative...
...A plebiscite taken on the conscription issue two year* ago mft matters a* unsettled aa before...
...The Conscription Issue in Canada By A. Andras Political and Racial Considerations Are Put Ahead of National Unity OTTAWA, Canada — For the second time In Htt** more {than a quarter century, Canada has been split wide open, politically and racially...
...While men have been conscripted for military service since 1940 under the National Resources Mobilisation Act, such service was restricted to Canada and to other parts of North America...
Vol. 27 • December 1944 • No. 51
