The Canadian parliament after the 1917 election

The 1917 Canadian federal election (sometimes referred to as the khaki election) was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. 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. Image File history File links Cdn1917. ... Image File history File links Cdn1917. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... The House of Commons (French: Chambre des communes) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, which also includes the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the Senate. ... Michael Bliss (born 1941) is a Canadian historian and outspoken public figure. ... The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I. // Background At the outbreak of war in 1914, over 30 000 volunteers joined the army, far more than expected. ... The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), the head of the Government of Canada, is usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Canadian House of Commons. ... Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854–June 10, 1937) was the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920. ... The Unionist Party was formed in 1917 by Members of Parliament (MPs) in Canada who supported the Union government formed by Sir Robert Borden during World War I. In May 1917, Conservative Prime Minister Borden proposed the formation of a national unity government or coalition government to Liberal leader Sir...

The previous election had been held in 1911, and was won by Borden's Conservatives. Under the elections law, Canada should have had an election in 1916. However citing the emergency of the First World War, the government postponed the election, largely in hope that a coalition government could be formed, as was the case in Britain. The name which emphasised a revitalised National Policy and links to Britain. ... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machine guns, and poison gas. ...

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, head of the Liberal Party of Canada, refused to join the coalition over the issue of conscription. Conscription was strongly opposed in the Liberal heartland of Quebec. Laurier worried that agreeing to Borden's coalition offer would cause that province to abandon the Liberals, and perhaps Canada as well. Borden proceeded to form a "Unionist" government, and the Liberal Party split over the issue. Many English Canadian Liberal MPs and provincial Liberal parties in English Canada supported the new Unionist government. Laurier re-directs here. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada) is a political party in Canada. ... The first European explorer of what is now Quebec was Jacques Cartier, who planted a cross either in the Gaspé in 1534 or at Old Fort Bay on the Lower North Shore and sailed into the St. ...

To ensure victory for conscription, Borden introduced two laws to skew the voting towards the government. The first of these, the Wartime Elections Act, disenfranchised conscientious objectors and Canadian citizens who were born in enemy countries who had arrived after 1902. The law also gave female relatives of servicemen the vote. Thus, the 1917 election was the first federal election in which some women were allowed to vote. The other new law was the Military Voters Act that allowed soldiers serving abroad to choose which riding their vote would be counted in. This allowed government officials to guide the strongly pro-conscription soldiers into voting in those ridings where the government felt they would be most useful. The Wartime Elections Act was a bill passed on September 20, 1917 by the Canadian Unionist government of Robert Borden. ... A conscientious objector is an individual whose personal beliefs are incompatible with military service, perhaps with any role in the armed forces or just with a particular war. ...

Soon after these measures were passed, Borden convinced a faction of Liberals (using the name Liberal-Unionists) along with Gideon Decker Robertson who was described as a "Labour" Senator (but was unaffiliated with any Labour Party) to join with them, forming the Unionist government in October 1917. He then dissolved parliament to seek a mandate in the election which pitted "Government" candidates, running as the Unionist Party, against the anti-Conscription faction of the Liberal Party which ran under the name Laurier Liberals. This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | UK political parties | Historical liberal parties ... Gideon Decker Robertson (August 26, 1874 - August 5, 1933) was a Canadian Senator and Canadian Cabinet minister. ... The Senate (French: Sénat) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, which also includes the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the House of Commons. ... There have been various groups in Canada who have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s. ... Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions: the Laurier Liberals, who opposed conscription of soldiers to support Canadas involvement in World War I and who were led by former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and the Liberal Unionists who...

The divisive debate ended with the country divided on linguistic lines. The Liberals won 82 seats, 62 of which were in Quebec. The Unionists won 183 seats. The three Unionist seats in Quebec were all in mainly anglophone ridings. An anglophone is someone who speaks English natively or by adoption. ...

See also: Conscription crisis of 1917 The Conscription Crisis of 1917 was a political and military crisis in Canada during World War I. // Background At the outbreak of war in 1914, over 30 000 volunteers joined the army, far more than expected. ...

National results

Notes: The Canadian parliament after the 1911 election The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons. ... The Unionist Party was formed in 1917 by Members of Parliament (MPs) in Canada who supported the Union government formed by Sir Robert Borden during World War I. In May 1917, Conservative Prime Minister Borden proposed the formation of a national unity government or coalition government to Liberal leader Sir... Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854–June 10, 1937) was the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920. ... Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions: the Laurier Liberals, who opposed conscription of soldiers to support Canadas involvement in World War I and who were led by former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier; and the Liberal Unionists who... Laurier re-directs here. ... There have been various groups in Canada who have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s. ... The Non-Partisan League was a political organization that was founded in 1915 in the United States by socialist A. C. Townley. ...

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

¹ % change for Government compared to Conservative Party in 1911 election, and for Opposition to Liberal Party.

Results by province

Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 2. ... Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th) • Land 642,317 km² • Water 19,531 km² (2. ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (From many peoples, strength) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Lieutenant-Governor Lynda M. Haverstock Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Area 651,036 km² (7th) • Land 591,670 km² • Water 59,366 km² (9. ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Glorious and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Area 647,797 km² (8th) • Land 553,556 km² • Water 64,241 km² (14. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th) • Land 917,741 km² • Water 158,654 km² (14. ... The first European explorer of what is now Quebec was Jacques Cartier, who planted a cross either in the Gaspé in 1534 or at Old Fort Bay on the Lower North Shore and sailed into the St. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope was restored) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Area 72 908 km² (11th) • Land 71 450 km² • Water 1 458 km² (2. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia Myra Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 11 10 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 12th 55,283 km² 3. ... Motto: Parva Sub Ingenti (The small under the protection of the great) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Charlottetown Largest city Charlottetown Lieutenant-Governor J. Léonce Bernard Premier Pat Binns (PC) Area 5,660 km² (13th) • Land 5,660 km² • Water 0 km² (0%) Population (2004) â... Motto: none Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Whitehorse Largest city Whitehorse Commissioner Jack Cable Premier Dennis Fentie (Yukon Party) Area 482,443 km² (9th) • Land 474,391 km² • Water 8,052 km² (1. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada) is a political party in Canada. ... There have been various groups in Canada who have nominated candidates under the label Labour Party or Independent Labour Party or other variations from the 1870s until the 1960s. ... The Non-Partisan League was a political organization that was founded in 1915 in the United States by socialist A. C. Townley. ...