King’s Conscription Crisis

Conscription Crisis

• King promised= no conscription• Germany quickly occupied much of Europe• 1940- National Resources Mobilization Act

(NRMA)– Government could mobilize= conscription (home defence)

Conscription Crisis

• Conservatives wanted overseas conscription• King held referendum- April 27, 1942

1) All provinces except Quebec majority “yes”2) overseas conscription

King- “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary”

• Failed to satisfy either side

• Quebec felt betrayed• Minister of Defense-J.L. Ralston resigned, and then

changed his mind

James Layton Ralston

Conscription Crisis

• King avoided conscription issue for 2 years• 1944 Invasion of Europe– Canada lost 23,000 soldiers– Infantry shortage

• Ralston went to Europe– Concluded more troops were needed– King refused, and announced Ralston’s resignation

(from resignation letter Ralston had given 2 years before)

Conscription Crisis

• King replaced Ralston with General Andrew McNaughton– King hoped McNaughton could convince men conscripted

under NRMA to volunteer to go overseas– McNaughton unsuccessful

• Finally, King agreed to send conscripts overseas in final months of war12,000– Not all went peacefully

• Riots in Montreal & Quebec legislature condemning King’s actions

• 2463 conscripts reached the front

General AndrewMcNaughton