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Page 30 text:
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LITERARY The Growth Of Canadian Autonomy Wi+h glowing hearfs we see fhee rise . Yes, we have seen Canada, fhis fair land of ours, rise from ifs furbulenf, insignificanf beginning fo affain nafionhood, and unfil fo- day, has won a place for herself in fhe world. All fhis could nof have been done wifh- ouf fhe iron will, fhe greaf deferminafion, and fhe marvelous foresighf of fhe fafhers of our Dominion. Names, such as Baldwin, Mac- Donald, Laurier, and Borden, woven fhrough- ouf fhe pages of our counfry's hisfory, serve fo convey fo us our wonderful herifage. The winning of responsible governmenf in I848 was fhe firsf landmark in Canada's growfh. Then in I859 she 'look a daring sfep in asserfing herself. She imposed a fariff of her own which burdened manufacfured goods from abroad, including Brifish, wifh heavier dufies. Canada said, in defence, fhaf respon- sible governmenf was meaningless if a colony could nof confrol ifs own economic life. As a resulf, if was recognized fhaf free frade for Brifain also involved freedom for fhe colonies fo seffle fheir own frade and fariff policies. As we all know, we celebrafe fhe firsf of July as our Dominion Day. Yes, back in I867, fhe Imperial Parliamenf passed fhe Brifish Norfh America Acf, which creafed our Dominion of Canada. Confederafion was a definife asserfion of Canada nof fo be ab- sorbed by her greaf neighbour fo fhe soufh. Confederafion also mainfained Canada as a nafion under fhe Brifish crown. However, fhe Brifish parliamenf sfill could pass laws for Canada and sfill complefely managed Canada's foreign affairs. Canadian acfs could sfill have been disallowed, and fhe Privy Council could declare laws unconsfifu- fional. Neverfheless, confederafion is a mile- sfone in fhe growfh of Canadian aufonomy. During fhe firsf age of fhe Dominion, Canada began fo assume some of fhe basic dufies of a nafion: fhaf of defending ifself when in I87I fhe lasf Brifish froops leff our soil. We were beginning fo grow up. Fourteen EDITOR - VALERIE McMUllEN There were problems fo be seffled wifh fhe Unifed Sfafes, buf only Brifain could seffle fhem. However when a Joinf High Commission mef in Washingfon in I87I, Sir John A. MacDonald was appoinfed a member of fhe Brifish delegafion. This was fhe firsf fime fhaf one of Canada's own represenfa- fives fook parf in an infernafional negofiafion and could speak, lliffle fhough if was,l specifically for Canada's inferesfs. Canada soon felf fhaf she should be allowed fo make frade freafies wifhouf Brifish inferference, and fo help achieve fhis, a Canadian High Commissioner fo Brifain was appoinfed in I879. Canada was sfill nof allowed fo fake diplomafic acfion independenf of Brifain, buf for pracfical purposes, she had gained fhe righf fo regulafe her -own frade regulafions wifh foreign counfries. Time wenf on, and as Brifain was drawn info fhe European rivalries af fhe furn of fhe cenfury, if became apparenf fhaf her diplo- macy mighf have serious consequences for Canada. She had no voice in Brifish foreign policy, and if Brifain should become involved in a war, whaf could Canada do? ln I899 Brifain did iusf fhafg she was fighfing in fhe Boer War in Soufh Africa, and so, Canada feeling her obligafion senf armed forces over- seas, where fhey were placed in no special Canadian group-iusf blended in wifh fhe Brifish forces. ln fhe years immediafely following fhe Boer War, Germany and Brifain enfered on a grim naval race. The cosf of a large Brifish fleef was enormous, and since fhe Royal Navy defended fhe whole empire, Brifain fhoughf fhaf fhe colonies should help finance if. Laurier hung back and said fhaf Canada would nof be commiffed where she could nof influence. His sfriking words were, lf you wanf our aid, call us fo your councils . ln fhe meanfime, fime was running ouf, and when on Augusf 4, I9l4, fhe cables and wire- less felegraphs flashed fhe message war across fhe Aflanfic, Canada for fhe firsf fime found herself flung info fhe midsf of world affairs. Brifain's declarafion had bound Canada, since she was a parf of fhe empire.
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Page 31 text:
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Canadian froops were rushed across fhe Aflanfic and were usually senf fo bear fhe brunf of fhe fiercesf fighfing. This young counfry of ours, wifh her small populafion, suffered fremendous losses in her forces over- seas, and yef, Canada had no confr-ol of where her armed forces would be senf. Brifish milifary commanders af firsf planned fo ab- sorb fhe Canadians info fhe Brifish or imperial army formafions, buf Borden came fo his froops' rescue when he insisfed fhaf fhey be freafed as one unif, a Canadian army forma- fion, lafer developing info fhe Canadian corps. By I9l7, Brifain began giving in fo Borden's wishes for a represenfafion in fhe world plans, and an Imperial War Cabinef, which would include represenfafives of fhe Dominions, was formed. A furfher sfep was made when a Canadian, Sir Arfhur Currie, became fhe commander-in-chief of Canadian forces. However, Canada found herself sfill faking an insignificanf parfg she was half colony and half nafion. Wifh fhe war over, Borden argued fhaf if small sfafes such as Belgium were fo have independenf seafs af fhe peace conference, Canada should have an equal place in fhe negofiafions. His argumenf was sound, and when fhe greaf Peace Treafy was signed, fhere was a separafe signafure by each Dominion. By fhaf righf our counfry secured recognifion as a nafion in her own righf. Even fhough Canada had only a minor parf in fhe draffing of fhe Treafy of Versailles, she had won fhe righf of signing and approving if. Canada's growing infernafional presfige was boosfed by fhe righf fo sif as a member nafion in fhe League of Nafions and fhe Infer- nafional Labour Organizafion. The Firsf World War was indeed for Canada a new era, one which broughf sacri- fice and heavy burdens. Yef wifh fhem came fhe righfs of nafionhood. ln l92O Borden obfained recognifion of Canada's righf fo esfablish separafe legafions in foreign capifals, buf if was nof unfil seven years lafer fhaf fhe Honorable Vincenf Mas- sey, assumed his dufies as fhe firsf Canadian Minisfer fo fhe Unifed Sfafes. Canada achieved anofher sfep in fhe ladder of her aufonomy when in l923, she negofiafed and signed her firsf frade agree- menf wifh a foreign power, if was fhe Halibuf Treafy wifh fhe Unifed Sfafes providing for ioinf regulafion of fhe halibuf fisheries of fhe Norfh Pacific. The freafy was signed in her own righf and wifhouf fhe formal addifion of fhe Brifish Minisfer's signafure. This evenf esfablished Canada's full confrol over her own foreign relafions. Wifh fhese developmenfs, fhe affempf of Brifain fo bind all empire members fo a com- mon foreign policy was abandoned. When Canada esfablished a legafion fo Washingfon in I926, if marked a furfher sfep foward full confrol of her own foreign relafions. Then, af fhaf same Imperial Conference, fhe Balfour Reporf, fhe foundafion-sfone of fhe modern Commonwealfh, was produced. If declared fhe members fo be equal in sfafus, in no way subordinafe one fo anofher, fhough unifed by a common allegiance fo fhe Crown, and freely associafed as members -of fhe Brifish Commonwealfh of Nafions . Now Canada was no longer iusf a member of fhe empire: she was a fellow nafion. Henceforfh fhe Governor-General should clearly repre- senf only fhe greaf unifying symbol of fhe crown, nof fhe Brifish governmenf in any way. The change led fo fhe appoinfmenf of a Brifish High Commissioner fo represenf fhe Brifish governmenf in Offawa on fhe same basis as fhe Canadian High Commissioner in London. In l930 if was agreed fhaf fhe appoinfmenf of fhe Governor-General should resf wifh Canada and nof fhe Brifish govern- menf. His acfions became wholly dependenf on fhe advice of fhe Canadian minisfers. Up fo I950, fhe Canadian governmenf had always chosen an English Governor-General, buf wifh fhe appoinfmenf of fhe firsf Canadian, fhe Honorable Vincenf Massey, fo fhaf office, fhaf fradifion was severed. ln I93I fhe Sfafufe of Wesfminsfer, which has been fermed fhe Magna Charfa of fhe Commonwealfh, fulfilled fhe Balfour Re- porf and made fhe legal changes necessary fo effecf fhe Dominions' new posifion of equalify wifh fhe mofher counfry. Since fhen fhe Brifish parliamenf cannof pass laws which are binding on Canada. The sfafufe also declared fhaf Canada could change or repeal any imperial acfs which applied fo her if she so desired and fhaf Canada could exercise aufhorify over her cifizens even when fhey were beyond her borders. There were sfill fwo imporfanf resfricfionsg fhe highesf courf of appeal for Canadian cases sfill remained wifh fhe Judicial Commiffee of fhe Privy Council in England, buf in I935 Canada se- cured fhe dropping of appeals in criminal cases. Then in I95O, fhe Supreme Courf of Canada became our final courf of appeal. The ofher resfricfion was Canada's inabilify Fifteen
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