Kaitlyn Hothi

Union Government in 1917, was looking for recruits to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force. They didn't have many people come out to register for this army. This is when the government decided to bring conscription into Canada. Prime Minister Robert Borden brought this to the Liberal lead Sir Wilfrid Laurier on May 25th. On June 6th, Sir Wilfrid Laurier rejected the plan of Conscription in Canada. Robert Borden knew that Conscription was needed in Canada so he tried to stregthen his ties in the government by getting people from the Liberals to vote for him. This caused the Wartime Elections and The Military Voters act. When these people came together and Borden got all these votes. He announced the formation of The Union Government on October 12th. This new form of government consisted of 12 conservatives, 9 liberals and 1 labour repersentative. An election was then held in December 1917 giving the unionists a large majority. After the win in the election the union government started to become weak. When the war ended in 1918 the union government, most of the people went to Liberal or the Progressive Party. In June 1920, Borden retired and the Union Government ended. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Englsih, John R. "Union Government." The Canadian Encyclopedia. July 02, 2006. Accessed February 27, 2016. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/union-government/.

 

2   "Recruitment and Conscription - Conscription, 1917 | Canada and the First World War." Canada and the First World War Conscription 1917 Comments. Accessed February 27, 2016. http://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/life-at-home-during-the-war/recruitment-and-conscription/conscription-1917/.