Komagata Maru, Golden Mountain, Continuous Passage, Women's Suffrage

1. Emergence of modern Canada
1896 – 1914

2. The Laurier Era
• Macdonald dies in “office” June 6, 1891, he had been Prime
Minister for almost 19 years, and had served as leader of the
opposition.
• Wilfred Laurier, a Liberal is elected as Prime Minister in 1896
• He used the Manitoba Schools Question to gain votes, by
promising to address the problems in Manitoba for French
speakers. He was able to get many voters in Quebec to
support his campaign for leadership.
• But when he became PM, he did not change the policy for
French language instruction, he only offered protection for
religious instruction.

3. Military Protection
• As part of the British Empire, Canada relied on Britain to
provide military protection. British troops were stationed in
Halifax, Nova Scotia and Esquimalt. We know they were
welcomed into ‘high society’ events in Victoria, as suitable
immigrants to remain in Canada
• Britain wanted the support to go both ways. In return for
protecting Canadian interests, Britain wanted Canada to send
troops (soldiers) to fight in South Africa against the Boers
(early Dutch colonists in South Africa). English in Canada
supported sending troops, French did not. Why send their
sons to fight Britain’s imperialist war?

4. Naval Service Act 1910
• As tension increased in the lead up to WWI, Britain called
upon Canada to provide money and ships to ensure Britain’s
naval supremacy.
• French Canadians wanted Canada to build its own navy ships,
that could be “lent out” to Britain, but would provide Canada
with its own navy.
• Laurier compromised with the Naval Service Act, promising to
build Canadian war ships, while borrowing a couple from
Britain in the meantime. Canada would lend their new ships
to Britain in times of need. By 1914, start of WWI, Canada still
didn’t have its own ships.

5. Alaska Boundary Dispute

6. Alaska Boundary Dispute
Settledin1903
• When the US had purchased Alaska from the Russians in 1867,
there was not a firm border between Alaska and Canadian
Territory.
• When the Klondike Gold Rush began, the division between the
US and Canada needed to be settled. Canada wanted to be
able to move gold and supplies without having to cross into US
territory, as most of the transportation networks were via the
Pacific.
• An appointed tribunal led by a British judge settled in favour
of the Americans, cutting off half of BC coastline off from
access to the Pacific.
• http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/alaska-boundary-
dispute/

7. Reciprocity pg 254
• Define “reciprocity” and explain the “pros” and “cons”
• Definition: an exchange of goods and services between
Canada and the US - where taxes & tariffs would be eliminated
to make prices similiar in the US and Canada

8. Golden Mountain
• For many Chinese, BC was thought to be a ‘golden mountain’
that would provide work and opportunity for immigrants from
China. Instead they found hardship, discrimination and a ‘head
tax’
• As soon as the CPR was completed, the Federal Government
moved to restrict the immigration of Chinese to Canada. The
first federal anti-Chinese bill was passed in 1885. It took the
form of a Head tax of $50 imposed, with few exceptions, upon
every person of Chinese origin entering the country. No other
group was targeted in this way. http://www.ccnc.ca/redress/history.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_8SzZGsvdI 1:08:14

9. Komagata Maru 1914
• Although Canada needed immigrants to build the population
of the country, only certain immigrants were ‘desirable’
• When the Komagata Maru tried to dock in Vancouver in 1914,
the immigrants were considered to be part of a “Hindu
Invasion” rather than British Immigrants – although they were
all British citizens.
• Immigration officials refused to let passengers disembark,
based on the ‘continuous passage amendment’ and they were
forced to leave Vancouver 2 months later, without ever having
landed on Canadian soil.

10. Less than equal
• Other groups within Canada suffered from the same unequal
treatment from Canadian political policies, as only male
property owners were allowed to vote. Those who were
‘disenfranchised’ included women, Natives and Asian
immigrants.
• Women in Canada were typically ‘house-bound’ raising 10+
children was not uncommon, neither was dying in child birth.
• Under the 1892 Criminal Code, birth control was obscene,
"tending to corrupt morals." Unless an accused could prove
that its advocacy had been "for the public good," he or she
was liable to serve a 2-year jail sentence.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/birth-control/

11. Women’s Suffrage Movement
• Women’s suffrage movement – demanding the right to vote
began during the Laurier era.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_8SzZGsvdI
• 54:30 Start

12. Residential Schools
• http://wherearethechildren.ca/en/resources/#507
• Radio Clip on CBC about the residential school in Sechelt, BC