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1917 Canadian Federal Election
The 1917 Canadian federal election (sometimes referred to as the khaki election) was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription (see Conscription Crisis of 1917). The election resulted in Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden's Unionist government elected with a strong majority and the largest percentage of the popular vote for any party in Canadian history. The previous election of 1911 was won by Borden's Conservatives. Normally, there is a constitutional requirement that Parliament last no longer than five years, which would have resulted in an election in 1916. However, citing the wartime emergency, the Parliament of Canada approved a one-year extension, which was implemented by the British Parliament. The Borden government hoped that the delay would allow the form ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
House Of Commons Of Canada
The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body whose members are known as Member of Parliament (Canada), members of Parliament (MPs). The number of MPs is adjusted periodically in alignment with each decennial Census in Canada, census. Since the 2025 Canadian federal election, 2025 federal election, the number of seats in the House of Commons has been 343. Members are elected plurality voting, by simple plurality ("first-past-the-post" system) in each of the country's Electoral district (Canada), electoral districts, which are colloquially known as ''ridings''. MPs may hold office until Parliament is dissolved and serve for constitutionally limited terms of up to five years after an election. Historically, however, terms have ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prime Minister Of Canada
The prime minister of Canada () is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons; as such, the prime minister typically sits as a Member of Parliament (Canada), member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a Coalition government, coalition of parties. As List of current Canadian first ministers, first minister, the prime minister selects ministers to form the Cabinet of Canada, Cabinet. Not outlined in any constitutional document, the prime minister is appointed by Monarchy of Canada, the monarch's representative, the Governor General of Canada, governor general, and the office exists per long-established Convention (norm)#Government, convention. Constitutionally, Executive (government), executive authority is vested in the monarch (who is the head of state), but the powers of the monarch and governor gene ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English-speaking Quebecer
English-speaking Quebecers, also known as Anglo-Quebecers, English Quebecers, or Anglophone Quebecers (all alternately spelt Quebeckers; in French ''Anglo-Québécois'', ''Québécois Anglophone'') or simply Anglos in a Quebec context, are a linguistic minority in the Francophonic province of Quebec. According to the 2011 Canadian census, 599,225 people (around 7.7% of the population) in Quebec declare English as a mother tongue. When asked, 834,950 people (about 10.7% of the population) reported using English the most at home. The origins of English-speaking Quebecers include immigration from both English-speaking and non English-speaking countries, migration from other Canadian provinces, and strong English language education programs in Quebecois schools. This makes estimating the population of those who identify as English-speaking Quebecers difficult. Population Statistics Canada uses census data to keep track of minority language communities in Canada. It has re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Canadian
French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of French Canadians live in the province of Quebec. During the 17th century, French settlers originating mainly from the west and north of France settled Canada. It is from them that the French Canadian ethnicity was born. During the 17th to 18th centuries, French Canadians expanded across North America and colonized various regions, cities, and towns. As a result, people of French Canadian descent can be found across North America. Between 1840 and 1930, many French Canadians emigrated to New England, an event known as the Quebec diaspora, Grande Hémorragie. Etymology French Canadians get their name from the Canada (New France), French colony of Canada, the most developed and densely populated region of New France during the period of Fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laurier Liberals
Prior to the 1917 Canadian federal election, 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions. To differentiate the groups, historians tend to use two retrospective names: * The Laurier Liberals, who opposed conscription of soldiers to support Canada's involvement in World War I and who were led by former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and * The Liberal-Unionist, Liberal Unionists who joined Sir Robert Borden's Unionist Party (Canada), Unionist government. Seeking broader support for the Conscription Crisis of 1917, imposition of conscription in 1917, Borden invited the Liberals into a World War I, wartime coalition government with the Conservative Party of Canada (historical), Conservatives. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, an opponent of conscription who feared for the nation if an opposition was not represented in Parliament, refused the request. Despite Laurier's refusal, the request split the Liberal Party largely along linguistic lines. Many ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Labour Party Of Canada
There have been various groups in Canada that have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party, or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s. These were usually local or provincial groups using the Labour Party or Independent Labour Party name, backed by local labour councils made up of many union locals in a particular city, or individual trade unions. There was an attempt to create a national Canadian Labour Party in the late 1910s and in the 1920s, but these were only partly successful. The Communist Party of Canada (CPC), formed in 1921, fulfilled some of labour's political yearnings from coast to coast, and then the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) – Worker Farmer Socialist was formed in 1932. With organic ties to the organized labour movement, this was a labour party by definition. Prior to the CCFs formation in 1932, the Socialist Party of Canada was strong in British Columbia and in Alberta before World War I, while the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Senate Of Canada
The Senate of Canada () is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, they compose the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the British House of Lords, with its members appointed by the Governor General of Canada, governor general on the Advice (constitutional), advice of the Prime Minister of Canada, prime minister. The appointment is made primarily by four divisions, each having twenty-four senators: the Maritime division, the Quebec division, the Ontario division, and the Western division. Newfoundland and Labrador is not part of any division, and has six senators. Each of the three territories has one senator, bringing the total to 105 senators. Senate appointments were originally for life; since 1965, they have been subject to a mandatory retirement age of 75. Although the Senate is the upper house of parl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gideon Decker Robertson
Gideon Decker Robertson, (August 26, 1874 – August 25, 1933) was a Canadian Senator and Canadian Cabinet minister. Robertson was a telegrapher by profession and had links with conservatives in the labour movement. In January 1917, he was appointed to the Senate as a Conservative as a means of bringing in labour representation during the First World War. When Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden formed a Unionist government in October as a means of creating a national government for the war effort, he included Robertson in the cabinet, making him minister without portfolio despite not having a seat in the House of Commons, to represent organised labour. Winnipeg General Strike On November 8, 1918, Robertson became Minister of Labour. He held this portfolio in 1919 during the Winnipeg General Strike. At the beginning of the strike Robertson and Minister of Interior Arthur Meighen went to the city to meet the "Citizens' Committee of 1000" which had been formed by local businessmen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military Voters Act
The ''Military Voters Act'' () was a 1917 act of the Parliament of Canada. The legislation was passed in 1917 during World War I, giving the right to vote to all Canadian soldiers. The act was significant for swinging the newly enlarged military vote in the Unionist Party's favour, and in that it gave a large number of Canadian women the right to vote for the first time. Background With the Conscription Crisis of 1917 in full swing, Prime Minister Robert Borden was anxious to produce a solution to the manpower problem that Canada had been experiencing as the war drew on. With the main opposition to conscription coming from his French-speaking ministers, the Prime Minister favoured the creation of a coalition government of Conservatives and Liberals. It was believed that this was the best means to introduce mandatory service in the military. Although Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Liberal party leader, understood the need for a coalition government in order to withstand the war, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conscientious Objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of conscience or religion. The term has also been extended to objecting to working for the military–industrial complex due to a crisis of conscience. In some countries, conscientious objectors are assigned to an alternative civilian service as a substitute for conscription or military service. A number of organizations around the world celebrate the principle on May 15 as International Conscientious Objection Day. On March 8, 1995, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/83 stated that "persons performing military service should not be excluded from the right to have conscientious objections to military service". This was re-affirmed on April 22, 1998, when resolution 1998/77 recognized that "persons lreadyperforming military service may ''develop'' conscientious objections". History Many conscientious objectors h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wartime Elections Act
The Canadian ''Wartime Elections Act'' () was a bill passed on September 20, 1917, by the Conservative government of Robert Borden during the Conscription Crisis of 1917 and was instrumental in pushing Liberals to join the Conservatives in the formation of the Canadian Unionist government. While the bill was an explicit attempt to get more votes for the government, it was also the first act giving women the vote in federal elections. The Act gave the vote to the wives, widows, mothers, and sisters of soldiers serving overseas. They were the first women ever to be able to vote in Canadian federal elections and were also a group that was strongly in favour of conscription. The act also disenfranchised " enemy-alien" citizens naturalized after March 31, 1902 (unless they had relatives serving in the armed forces); this meaning primarily German, Ukrainian, and Polish Canadians (former subjects of the German and Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Aus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
