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Historians have generally interpreted the conscription crisis of 1917 as reflective of contending nationalist perspectives in Canada. In contrast this study examines the pivotal role of the labour led anti-conscription movement which developed in British Columbia and throughout Canada in World War One to oppose the threat poses by conscription and other war time acts of repression by the Borden government. A careful study of primary sources and newspapers of the era show that this movement of resistance to conscription also included others threated by conscription: conscientious objectors, Indigenous nations, farmers, and pacifist social gospel activists. The resistance movement had the effect of changing Federal government policy on conscription during the war and changing the political environment after the war and acted as a catalyst in helping to spark the post-war labour revolt.

Publisher: Simon Fraser University