Canada In The 19th Century

In the beginning of the twentieth century, the new country of Canada seemed to be set on the road towards economic growth, political independence, and nationwide prosperity. The completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway was contributing to Canada’s growing population, especially in the Prairies. New agricultural technology and species were making farm labour less taxing and more productive, while new industrial technology was making urbanization possible in a country where a majority lived in rural areas. Considering the circumstances, it was not difficult for Canadians to agree with Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier when he declared that although “the nineteenth century was the century of the United States […] we can claim that Canada will fill …show more content…
Canada was automatically at war as well, taking part in important battles such as the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and as the stunning capture of Vimy Ridge, a key position near the Somme. Canadian forces also took part in the Hundred Days Campaign of 1918, the series of attacks that drove the Central Powers to an armistice. However, with the exception of the Battle of Passchendaele, a battle most considered to be a failure, and a few offensives during the Hundred Days Campaign, all of which were commanded by General Currie, all of the commanders of the Canadian forces were British. For this reason, Canada was still being seen as an extension of Great Britain, as can be proved by the American President Woodrow Wilson’s opposition to Canada having her own seat at the Paris Peace Conference …show more content…
In the 1920s, the British government was still handling most Canadian external affairs, although the young nation had already achieved a status of semi-independence as a dominion in 1867. In 1931, as a result of the Imperial Conference of 1926, the Statute of Westminster was passed by the British government. With the passing of this legislation, the Canadian Parliament could, for the first time, create laws without needing Great Britain’s consent. Ultimately, the statute stated that Canada, and her fellow dominions, were equal in status to Great Britain. This event, while being often overlooked, was extremely important for Canadian sovereignty, as it was a declaration of Canada’s freedom from Great Britain. However, there were many arguments to counter this as well. Firstly, the powers of disallowance from the Constitutional Act of 1867 still applied to the young nation. This meant that the British Governor-General for Canada, should he feel the need to, could refuse any bills passed by the Canadian Parliament. In fact, these powers still apply today, although it has not been used since the passing of the Statute of Westminster. Secondly, the court of final appeal for Canadians still resided in Britain, despite the Supreme Court of Canada having been formed in 1875 . This remained the case until 1949, when an amendment to the Supreme Court Act transferred ultimate appellant