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When
the war broke out, the main federal political
parties agreed there would be no conscription
for overseas service. Following the defeat
of France in June 1940, Parliament passed
the National Resources Mobilization Act,
which introduced conscription for service
in Canada only. In April 1942, the federal
government held a national plebiscite
asking Canadians to release it from its
“no conscription” pledge
if, in the future, Ottawa decided conscripts
were needed overseas. While across Canada
more than 70% of Canadians voted “yes”,
four-fifths of Quebecers voted “no”.
As in 1917-1918, the nation divided along
linguistic lines.
In
November 1944, after heavy losses in
front-line infantry units serving in
Northwest Europe and Italy, Ottawa authorized
the dispatch of 16,000 home defence conscripts
overseas. Beginning in January 1945,
13,000 proceeded to Britain, but only
a few thousand entered combat in Europe
before the war ended. Canada’s
war overseas was almost entirely a volunteer
effort.
See also :
Canadian
Newspapers and the Second World War : Conscription
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