Between 1914 and 1931, Canada Moved from Colonial Status to Independent Nationhood. Evaluate the Accuracy of This Statement.

Between 1914 and 1931, Canada moved from colonial status to independent nationhood. Evaluate the accuracy of this statement.

The twentieth century was an era for new technologies, different political ideologies and global unrest and warfare. The century was also a time when the superpower nations dominated the global stage and the junior weaker countries struggle for international recognition and sovereignty. Canada was geographically, the second-largest country in the world, but at the start of the twentieth century, it was in no way politically, militarily, or economically and superpower nation. In the first half of the twentieth century, Canada made enormous progress towards independence. This essay will examine the year 1914-1931 as Canada moved from colonial status to independent nationhood. World War I (1914-1418) was considered by many to be a time when Canadians realized the potential of their country. Prior to WWI, the Canadians saw themselves as British subjects and had no feelings of Canadian patriotism. But during WWI, Canadian troops fought and gained the reputation of being some of the bravest and most tenacious troop in the world. They also fought in key battles in which they won. The victories in Vimy Ridge and Passchendeale made the Canadians realized that it was neither the British nor the French that won these battles; it was the Canadians. These victories gave the entire country reason to be proud and fueled the national identity. By the end of WWI, Canada had signed the Treaty of Versailles independently, earned itself a spot in the Paris Peace Conference and the League of Nations, and ultimately gained international recognition. In the inter-war years before 1931, politics were mostly dominated by PM Mackenzie King and his liberal government. During those years, King realized that in order to stay in power and retain the support of the people, he had to do what the people wanted: sovereignty from the British Empire. He began with the Chanuk affair, which was the first time that Canada refuse to support Britain in an armed conflict. Then his government signed the Halibut Treaty with the US about fishing rights, which was the first time that Canada signed an International Treaty without Britain. During the King-Byng crisis in 1925, King campaigned on the grounds that it was undemocratic for the governor general to refuse the advice of the prime minister, whom is elected by the people. The result: the monarchy’s powers were severely limited in Canada. Finally in 1926, Mackenzie King took the biggest step yet by demanding autonomy from Britain during the Imperial Conference. The Balfour Commission was launched and it suggested, “autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the crown, and freely associated as member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. These recommendations were turn into law in 1931 as the Statute of Westminster was passed. The statute was the closest thing to a “Declaration of Independence” we had here in Canada. This was greatest step towards nationhood for Canada. By the end of 1931, Canada was well in its way to becoming one of the world’s greatest middle powers. Canada trip to nationhood would never have been if it was not for political figures like Mackenzie King and our soldiers in WWI. Their combined efforts made Canada a fully independent nation with full sovereignty and control over its domestic and foreign affairs and paved way to a strong Canadian presence in the global community.