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Canadian Nationalism and the British Connection, 1899-1919

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Canadian Nationalism and the British Connection, 1899-1919 CANADIAN NATIONALISM AND THE BRITISH CONNECTION 1899-1919 Alain MacAlpine Cunningham Dip.T.P. (~ist.), Nottingham School of Planning (u.K.), 1966 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS i n the Department of Hi story @ Alain MacAlpine Cunningham 1980 S I MON FRASER (IN I VERS ITY August 1980 All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name : Alain MacAlpine Cunningham Degree : Master of Arts Title of Thesis: Canadian Nationalism and the British Connection, 1899-1919 Examining Committee: Chairperson: C.R. Day J.M. Bumsted Senior Supervisor - D.L. Cole -a D. Avery External Examiner Associate Professor Department of H i story University of Western Ontario Date Approved: +d/~/9n PARTIAL COPmICHT LICENSE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis I~issertation: CANADIAN NATIONALISM AND THF BRITISH CONNFCTInN# 1899-'9-19 A Author: , . Alain MacAlpine Cunninqham (name ) August 14, 1980 (date) ABSf RACT During the period from the beginning of the Boer War in 1899 to the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the Canadian national consciousness was dramatically transformed from inward-looking parochialism to a broader international outlook. This transformation was the result of Engl ish- Canadian demands for an increasingly active role in the defence of the British Empire. However, there are two apparent contradictions in Canada's support of imperial defence which have not been adequately identified or explained in Canadian historiography. First, most English Canadians freely contributed to a centrally-controlled system of imperial defence without strongly pressing for a commensurate share in the determination of imperial foreign policy. Second, whilst English Canadians acquiesced to Britain's control of imperial foreign pol icy, the majority steadfastly opposed any proposals for imperial political centralization that would weaken Canada's internal self-government. It is postulated that the apparent contradictions described above are .. - symptomatic of dual loyalties by English Canadians to their own emerging nation- state and the British Empire. Instead of traditional assumptions of a primary and exclusive loyalty to one nation, the following major historical factors are emphasized and delineated for the study period: - National loyalties to the Canadian state were restricted largely to parochial and materialistic concerns of internal self-government and economic welfare; Most English Canadians were members of two overlapping nations based respectively on the Canadian state and the British Empire; English-Canadian loyalties to their own state and to the British Empire satisfied different needs, and were complementary as long as there was no substantial contradiction in Canadian and British interests. The foregoing national factors are tested and confirmed by interpretations of three issues which together trace Canada's increasing commitments to imperial defence: the decision to send a Boer War contingent; Canadian cooperat ion in coordinated imperial defence between 1906 and 191 0; and, the increase of Canada's contributions in the First World War. It is concluded that the original impetus behind Canada's participation in imperial defence was not the advancement of its own nationhood but rather loyalty to the British Empire. Only when the ex igencies of the First World War highlighted Canada's own national interests did widespread demands arise for changing the status quo of imperial relations. DEDICATION Dedicated to Jill Denise Anderson TABLE OF CONTENTS -Page . APPROVAL PAGE ......................................... I I ... ABSTRACT .............................................. Ill DEDICATION ............................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................... v i INTRODUCTION ........................................... CHAPTER ONE TOWAR.D AN UNDERSTAND I NG OF CANADI AN NATIONAL LOYALTIES .. CHAPTER TWO "THE PRECEDENT I S THE ACCOMPLISHED FACT": CANADA AND THE BOER WAR ................................ CHAPTER THREE 'I I NTO THE VORTEX OF M I L ITAR I SM" : CANAD I AN COMMITMENTS TO IMPERIAL DEFENCE, 1902-1912 ...... CHAPTER FOUR "THE GREAT WAR W ILL LEAVE NOTHING AS IT FOUND IT": THE CONSCRl PT ION CRISIS OF 1917 ................. CONCLUSION ............................................. LI ST'OF REFERENCES ..................................... INTRODUCTION During the twenty-year period from the beginning of the Boer War in 1899 to the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the Canadian national consciousness was dramatically transformed from inward-looking parochialism to a broader international outlook. This transformation was the result of English- Canadian demands for an active role in the defense of the British Empire, which started with a small South African contingent, and progressed through closer military cooperation with Great Britain, to Canada's substantial sacrifice of men and materials in the First World War. Canada's military contributions eventually brought a degree of influence over imperial war policy, and at Versailles it was granted international recognition as a semi-autonomous state within the British Empire. However, the original impetus behind these changes was not the advancement of Canadian nationhood, but rather, loyalty to the British Empire. It was only when the exigencies of the First World War highlighted Canada's own national interests, that widespread demands arose for changing the status quo of imperial relations. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Canada was still weakened by the lack of a unifying and distinctive culture - much of English Canada was characterized by its persistent "Britishness," whilst French Canada jealously guarded its minority linguistic and religious rights. Although there was a growing political and economic basis for national loyalties to the Canadian state, this was still inadequate to overcome Canada's lack of a "natural nation.'' Canadian political aspirations were limited to internal self- government and, for the most part, did not extend to Canada's external relations. The National Policy was starting to show dividends but concen- tration on the economic tasks of nation-building often served to exclude other visions for the Ganadian state. In view of the parochialism and material ism of Canadian national ism it was not suprising that many Engl ish Canadians enthusiasticblly supported the emotional appeals for a united Anglo-Saxon nation that swept the British Empire in the 1890's. For many, imperial nationalism provided a cultural identity and vicarious sense of power that could not be satisfied by the Canadian state. From Confederation onwards, English Canadians had been ambiguous in their loyalties to the Canadian state and the British Empire, and it is useful to review some of the more significant examples in the nineteenth century to provide a better basis for understanding the subsequent period of Canadian involvement in imperial defence. Commencing the review with the creation of the Canadian state itself in 1867, it is particularly note- worthy that there was none of the revolutionary fervour and demands for independence that marked the birth of the United States. By comparison, the British government gave Canadian Confederation its fullest support, and Canadians had no intention of separating from the Empire. There is much to support F.H. Underhill's contention that "the B.N.A. Act was the work of an Imperial Parliament and a small group of elitist colonial politicians who were in advance of their people."' Although British support for the specific scheme of Confederation followed Canadian initiatives, it fully accorded with the well-established tenets of Little Englandism that sought to free Britain from the colonial "mill stones" around its neck. Indeed, Confederation was enthusiastically supported in Britain, partly because i t was seen as a log ica 1 step towards llsepara t ism .lt2 The repea 1 of the Corn Laws in 1846 had already irrevocably destroyed the old imperial system of trade protection, and it was now Britain's most earnest desire to unload its crippling burden of imperial defence, and concentrate efforts on industrial and commercial development. The British Government was particularly concerned that the continuing dependency of their North- American colonies on British military protection would be provocative to the United States. The British Government, therefore, threw its full weight behind Confederation, and "there is little doubt that the chief reason for this was the scheme's obvious mi 1i tary importance."3 The ful lest accomnodat ion was given to Canadian leaders in London, and behind the scenes the Colonial Office deliberately promoted Confederation. When the Dominion of Canada came into being the London -Times was prompted to declare that
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