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Canada goes to War
Canada at Britain's side
The Battle of the Atlantic
Canada's War at sea
The War comes to Canada
The Battle for Hong Kong
Disaster at Dieppe
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
Bomber Command
The Royal Canadian Air Force
The Home Front
Conscription
The Italian Campaign
Canada at D-Day
The Normandy Campaign
Liberating Northwest Europe
Victory
The War against Japan
Forced Relocation: the Japanese-Canadian Story
Going Home
Counting the Cost
A Nation Transformed

CONSCRIPTION

1939-1945

In 1944, Ottawa imposed limited conscription for overseas service.

When the war broke out, the main federal political parties agreed there would be no conscription for overseas service. Following the defeat of France in June 1940, Parliament passed the National Resources Mobilization Act, which introduced conscription for service in Canada only. In April 1942, the federal government held a national plebiscite asking Canadians to release it from its “no conscription” pledge if, in the future, Ottawa decided conscripts were needed overseas. While across Canada more than 70% of Canadians voted “yes”, four-fifths of Quebecers voted “no”. As in 1917-1918, the nation divided along linguistic lines.

In November 1944, after heavy losses in front-line infantry units serving in Northwest Europe and Italy, Ottawa authorized the dispatch of 16,000 home defence conscripts overseas. Beginning in January 1945, 13,000 proceeded to Britain, but only a few thousand entered combat in Europe before the war ended. Canada’s war overseas was almost entirely a volunteer effort.

See also :
Canadian Newspapers and the Second World War : Conscription


CONSCRIPTION
NAC-PA- 107910

Conscription
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M8
1-800-555-5621