A House Divided: French Canada and the First World War

The Great War placed enormous strain on Canadian society - in particular, around the question of the large French Canadian minority's role in the war effort. While tens of thousands of French Canadians fought overseas, others fought bitter political battles at home over conscription and Canada's future.

French Canada's relationship with the First World War was defined by controversy and division, centered on the issue of conscription, which was met with widespread opposition in Quebec and led to a national crisis in 1917.

While French Canadians were accused of shirking their duties and showed little initial enthusiasm for the imperial war effort, the reality was complex, involving a lack of militaristic tradition, a stronger focus on anti-imperialism, and an economic boom that encouraged men to stay home. Despite being a bitterly divided issue, around 35,000 French Canadians did serve overseas, though their participation was overshadowed by the deeper societal rift caused by the war. 

In this presentation, Public historian Jesse Alexander explains how the struggle led to a political crisis, deadly violence in the streets, and nearly pulled the country apart.