Canadas Growing

Autonomy
(independent control of its own
affairs)

Agenda
Review

of Fridays Lesson Winnipeg

General Strike
Defining Canada: What it means to be
a Nation and Autonomous
Creating an Independent Canada
Worksheet 1

Review: Winnipeg General

Strike
What was the year of the Strike?
Answer: 1919
What were 3 reasons given by
workers for going on strike?
Answer: 1. Low wages
2. Unsafe working
Environment
3. No Job security
4. No Benefits or
Protections

Review Continued

What was the phrase used in the film

to talk about people who broke the
strike and continued to work?
Answer:

What was the name of the event

which triggered the end of the
General Strike?
Answer:

Table Talk:
When

you hear the word Nation or

Country what does that mean to you?
What makes it a Nation?

When

you hear the word Autonomy?

What does this word mean to you?

Why

is it important that Canada was

an autonomous nation in the 1920s?

Canadas Path to Autonomy

1920s

major steps toward full

autonomy
complete control over its own affairs
Different

path than the United States

Peaceful vs. Violent
World

War I was a major turning point for

Canada.

During WWI
Major

contribution as a country
Key role in allied victories
New sense of national maturity
Canada had gained the right to sign the
Treaty of Versailles as an independent nation.
Canada joined the League of Nations
separate from Britain. (after WWI)
Canada was still a dominion of the British
Empire though and Britain had the final say
in foreign affairs.

New Prime Minister

In

1921, Mackenzie King became Prime

Minister.

He

was determined to push for Canadian

autonomy.

number of events over the next 10 years

provided him with many opportunities.

Activity 1: Sequence of
Events:
Look at the handout

We are going to be looking at 6 major political

events in the 1920s related to the creation of
an independent Canada
For each event make sure you write:
1. The date that it occurred
2. Who was involved
3. 1-2 notes about what happened

Canada and the Treaty of

Versailles (1919)

Hall of Mirrors - 1919

Canadas Link
More

importantly, when it came to the

signing of the treaty, Sir George
Forester of Toronto actually signed the
document on page 3 of the Treaty of
Versailles

The Chanak Affair 1922

First Major Foreign Policy Test after
WW1
Turkish forces were threatening
British Troops stationed in Chanak
which was owned by Greece.
David Lloyd George asked Canada
to become involved and Prime
Minister King declined calling for the
requirement to have a vote in
parliament.

Too late to be involved

By

the time the vote came

through the issue was
resolved
BUT Canada decided to
vote against joining!
Decided

to make their
own individual decisions
when it came to going to
war.

(2) The Halibut Treaty (1923)

Canada/USA

came to an agreement on the

fishing season for halibut in the Northern
Pacific.
This matter was of no direct concern to Britain.
But Britain had always signed treaties on
Canadas behalf.
PM King insisted that it be between Canada and
the USA only.
Eventually Britain agreed and Canada won the
right to sign treaties with a foreign country on
their own.

(4) The Balfour Report 1926

At

the next Imperial Conference.

PM King insisted that the agenda
include discussions on
-

the powers of the dominions

- the relationship to each other
- the relationship with Britain

Agreements were made and became

known as the Balfour Report.

a)
b)

Dominions were declared self-governing

They were independent nations
They would no longer be called dominions
of the B.E.
They agreed to remain part of the
Commonwealth of Nations.
The Gov. Gen. would only be a
representative of Britain and not an active
agent.
Canada could deal directly with Britain
and not through the Gov. Gen.

c)
d)
e)

f)

(5) Foreign Embassies

1927/28
In

1927, Canada opened its own

embassy in the United States.

Vincent

Massey became Canadas first

foreign diplomat.

In

1928, Canada opened embassies in

France and Belgium.

(6) Statute of Westminster

1931
Dec

11th 1931
British Parliament passed the Statute of
Westminster
This made the recommendations in the
Balfour Report into law.
Canada was now completely selfgoverning.
Canada had its own laws. Britain could not
make any laws for Canada.

 British

parliament could no longer

nullify laws in the Dominions.

Dominions

could make their own

extra-territorial laws.

British

law no longer applied to the

Dominions.