Conscription Crisis In 1917

Conscription crisis was a very big problem that happened in 1917. In which, the government was forcing men to go to war. Prime minister Borden asked to conscript soldiers, because of three main reasons. First, the number of casualties, which means the number of dead and missing people, was up. Second, the number of enlistments, which means the men who volunteer to go to war, was down. Third, Britain demanded that Canada send more men.

On top of that, many groups did not want to go to the war. For example, farmers, food servers and industrial workers, because they produce food, clothe for the country. Pasifists, which mean non-violent people, were against war. Wealthy people, they had enough money for their family, were considered as a high class that did not need to go to war. Moreover, The religious people did not go to war, because they were against violence. Of course, immigrants did not go because they had come from countries that were in war.

Besides, French Canadians did not want to go to war, because Britain was demanding Canada to send more men. In addition, Canada was following Britain in any war it would enter; therefore, French Canadians said that Canada would be against the whole world because of Britain. Furthermore, Britain fought against France, so the French Canadians did not want to fight against their own country.

As a result, Prime Minister Borden implemented the military service act, forcing men to go to war, because many men did not want to fight in the war. Therefore, Canadians divided over the issue.

Prime minister Borden was fighting to win the election of 1917 over the issue of conscription. Moreover, Borden gave women related to men already fighting, the right to vote for the election. In addition, he left the conservative party, who supported the war. He creates the union party to attract liberal support. Therefore, he runs as the leader of the union party, and all people from different parties who support the military service act joined him and his union party. Later than, he won, the election, and gets the conscription after that, all politicians went back to their parties.

Finally, this is how Prime Minister Borden won the election of 1917. Moreover, succeeded to force men go to war through the military service act.