Artifact 4: Robert Borden's Humanity & the Conscription Crisis

This photo depicts Robert Borden’s humanity in its fullest extent as he talks to a victim of war. He speaks with a soldier who has clearly been injured and most likely thanked him for his service. In 1916, Canada’s voluntary recruitment service was failing to get the numbers they so desperately needed for the war effort. In order to fix this, Borden and his government decided the only way forward was conscription. The opposition, the Liberal Party, was anti-conscription during the entire course of the war even though some MP’s would eventually switch over to the Unionist side to pass the Military Service Act. Borden’s ability to work with some Liberal members and independents showcases his dedication to the war effort and in the belief that Canada should help in the destruction of the German Empire for the betterment of the world. Robert Borden solidified a Canadian response in The Great War that is known across the world because of his passing of conscription by working with Liberal and independent MP’s.

Bibliography:

Brown, R. (2015). Sir Robert Borden. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sir-robert-borden