Conscription in Canada
Canada was founded as a nation on two distinct cultures and two very different languages . The end productbeing two nations in one sovereign state . For the French speaking Canadians , it is an endless struggle to retain their separate culture . For many French Canadians the most common emotion felt is that they have never received cultural , political and economic equality to the extent the English -speaking Canadians have. In the 20th century , the relationship between English and French Canadians has deteriorated because of the fact that French Canadians feel that they have been treated as second class citizens .The Conscription Crisis of 1917 and 1939 - 1945 only added to this sentiment and brought forth many different attitudes in a fragile Canada .The people of Quebec also felt as if they were being pushed and compressed tightly into their province by the thoughtlessness of the English Canadians . " How could French Canadiens - the only real Candaians - feel loyal to a people who had conquered and humiliated them , and were Protestant anayway ? France herself was no better ; she had deserted her Canadians a century and a half ago , had left them in the snow and ice along the St . Lawernce surrounded by their enemies , h
Conscription was a deterrent from national unity . It brought about bitterness, resentment and hostility to a country who was attempting to create peace . Why did the French have to participate anyway ? Although volunteer recruitment was diminishing quickly , and necessary action was needed in order to ensure Britain's success ; however when the elites of the English upper class , under the supervision of Borden himself , recruited mostly French - Canadian men , it simply created more animosity between the two cultures . If Britain were to have been in grave danger then the risks and implications that surrounded conscription could have possibly been accepted . But Britain had built a reputation that was founded on Conscription in 1917 was one of the biggest issues that shook the Canadian political structure . Critics argue that conscription allowed Canada to help Britain and France defeat Germany and thus complete confidence by French Canada. The French-Canadians were not prepared to fight . They doubted the English ways and had much reason too . The Ontario school issue , which minimized the right to teach the French living in Ontario their native language . The early failure to establish a French -Canadian military unit and the fact that many of the recruiters of the war were Elite English Protestants , made them question the loyalty Britain had to the French Canadians . Britain had once guaranteed French Canadian liberty , language , traditions, culture , faith and most importantly freedom . But it did not give the very right to exercise that very freedom , simply by forcing to fight in their war . Borden believed conscription would be necessary to the success of national unity -in essence , it would force English and French to communicate and work together as an independent country . However conscription only worked to shatter any sense of national pride which . An example of this is when the French and English were conscripted , they were often joined all together on one battle field . Borden's view of having a friendly partnership did not work . There were no military units that consisted of solely French , this also helped in creating a negative outlook towards the Canadian army . There was very little communication between t the French and English because of the language barrier , therefore , they could let eachother know when they were in possible danger . How could anyone expect the French to be sympathetic The problem between Quebec and conscription laid the foundation for national crisis . To the French Canadiens , war meant a large army , having a large army meant the threat of conscription , and conscription meant being forced by the English - Canadian majority to fight in a war for Britain , the conqueror of New France . Essentially conscription meant that young men of French Canada would be torn from their families to fight in a war they did not approve of nor understand . Prime Minister Mackenzie King like Borden was in a very delicate position , he had to "tip toe"7one way for his ministers and another for the French Candiens , King also broke his promise No it was not necessary !I believe that the conscription crisis of the Second World War was not as damaging to Canada as a whole as that of 1917 . When the first conscription crisis occurred in 1917 , Canada was inexperienced , it did not have the abilities or capabilities to handle such a crisis , yet the political question was clear , could national unity be preserved . In 1917 it was not , French Canada found itself virtually unrepresented in the seats of power in Ottawa . The war was not only a war that would be strength and efficiency . American troops were on their way to join in and aid the British . Many English Canadians felt a sense of loyalty towards the mother country , but that did not mean they had to impose this sense of loyalty on to the French .
Some common words found in the essay are:
French Canadiens, English Canadians, French Canadian, French English, French Canadians, World War, Britain France, French Canada, Europe Canada's, Canadian Corps, national unity, french canadiens, english canadians, french canadians, world war, conscription crisis, french english, prime minister, fight war, french canada, french english canadians, unify canada nation, minister mackenzie king, canada's war canada, national unity country,
Approximate Word count = 2779
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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