ACT HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, DATES, AND EVENTS LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC VALUES AFFECTED BY THE ACT OPINION: IS THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFIED IN CREATING AND USING THIS LEGISLATION AND WHY? THE WAR MEASURES ACT - The War Measures Act was first passed in 1914; this was a response to Canada’s involvement in WWI. This act has only been invoked 3 times all throughout Canada’s history. This act gave large power to the Canadian government or revolt. - World War One, this was the first use of this act and Canada was part of the British Empire. Britain and its allies were at war against Germany, Austria-Hungary, parts of Ukraine and The Ottoman Empire. Under this act during 1914 people whom immigrated from those countries were considered “enemy aliens” (a citizen from one country who is residing in another which is at war). These so called aliens were required to register with the Canadian government and carry government issued ID at all time. They were not allowed to read or publish anything in any other language than English or French. They were also not allowed to leave the country without permits, possess firearms, or to join a group that was deemed dangerous, inappropriate or seditious. Many thousand aliens were sent to internment camps or deported; property was taken away and went missing. The camps didn’t end until 1920 the people whom were released were left with nothing and the Canadian government did not offer an apology/compensation. - World War Two,
The Wartime Elections Act gave all women that were relatives of soldiers serving (or who died) in WW1, the right to vote. The Military Voters Act gave all men who were serving overseas at the time, the right to vote. The War Measures Act gave the power to the Canadian Government to pursue emergency procedures whenever they feel necessary. This included arresting, or deporting anyone they felt was a threat to the safety of their citizens. All three of these were significant to Canadian history in their own ways, but the Wartime Elections Act had the most significant effect.
“When war is thrust upon the nation, the President had not only the authority but the responsibility to ‘resist force by force.’” –U.S. Supreme Court ruling of the Prize Cases, 1862 (67 U.S. 6335).
The War Powers Act limits the power of the President of the United States to wage war without the approval of the Congress. The War Powers Act is also known as The War Powers Resolution. The purpose of the War Powers Resolution is to ensure that Congress and the President share in making decisions that may get the United States involved in hostilities. It prohibits the President from waging war beyond 60 days without the Congressional approval (MILNET: The War Powers Act of 1973). Authorization can be made in many forms such as a temporary waiver of the Act or via a Declaration of War (MILNET: The War Powers Act of 1973).
. . infuriated by” is still widely debated. Some argue that it removed many of the rights granted to Canadians, while others commend the government for doing their job and protecting the people of the nation. The process that led up to the enactment of the War Measures Act was that on October 15, Quebec acted within the National Defense Act which “permitted Quebec to call in the Canadian Army.” Arrival of the troops created unrest within the province and the next day, at the request of the Quebec government, “the War Measures Act Regulations were proclaimed by Ottawa.” The War Measures Act allowed authorities (police and army) to arrest and imprison anyone who had any tie to the “unlawful association” which was the FLQ in this case. Many people were detained and released again; this enactment facilitated the arrest of many of the leaders within the FLQ which stopped much of the momentum of the terrorist movement. Many people saw the War Measures Act as a “Great Reinforcer” for the police as well as for the governments reputation. The chaos that ensued in October put much stress upon the Prime Minister at the time, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who was a Quebecois
In 1917 during WW1, the Canadian government justified in enacting the Military Services Act to register and conscript men for war. Almost all French Canadians opposed conscription because they felt they had no loyalty to France and Britain. Other Canadians were at ease with the conscription as they supported the British Empire. The farmers, union heads, and pacifists were all opposed of the conscription like the French Canadians. I believe the Military Services Act was not the best choice because it ripped up the relations between the English and the French Canadians, it eliminated the freedom of the people by forcing them to go to war, and caused a riot in Quebec City leading to a few deaths. The
In October 1970, Canada faced a pressing terrorist attack in Montreal, Quebec by a group known as the Front de Liberation du Quebec, or the FLQ for short. The group committed multiple attacks starting in 1963 that slowly escalated until the October Crisis, where they kidnapped two government officials and proceeded to murder one of them. The Canadian government responded harshly and rapidly. The prime minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, issued the War Measures Act which along with various things allowed the police and military full reign to arrest people and hold them with no explanation. The Canadian population was highly supportive of the government’s action believing that this extreme state repression would bring a finish to the October
It was an outstanding number for a country with such a small population. The large and wide scale conscription infuriated many of the Québécois ever since they wanted no part the war, which created a big gap between the French and English relations. The Military Service Act caused Canada to basically split in half socially. All in all the Military Service Act solely erected more problems than solutions to others.
The farmers of our Constitution recognized the need for separate powers as well as checks and balances among the executive, legislative and judicial branches. This in turn helps to "provide for the common defense". Separation of powers prevents one branch from becoming excessively dominant over the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.: In order to accede to the preamble and adhere in its goals, the Constitution ensures this is by clearly stating the
The period of 1914 to 1939, Canada’s immigration policy got very unfair. Changes were made to the Immigration Act in 1914 that allowed the rejection of anyone from any race that was deemed
Canada is presently known for welcoming many racial groups into the country. However, the Canadian government is not always giving out warm welcomes to different ethnicities. During World War Two, the country rejects many Japanese and Italians who are already Canadian. The treatment of the Japanese and Italians in the Second World War is very unjust. The two groups face being put into internment camps against their own will, the government separates families and force men to work on farms with little pay. The government of Canada also mistreat the Japanese and Italian Canadians because they are full of fear and superstition.
Congress and the president use their powers to check and balance each other. One power of Congress is the ability to declare war. However, Congress generally gives the president control during war time. Because of this, the president is able to acquire more power over the war while Congress can do little if they have already given their approval. After the Vietnam War, in which Presidents Johnson and Nixon continued to wage despite a divided Congress[i]; they decided that the Constitution did not warrant the president to have the power to declare war, so they passed the War
World War 2 had a great impact on every aspect of Canada Today. Money became stronger, our power was at its peak and we were an independent country
The Wartime Elections Act proposed by Robert Borden weakened Canada politically as a country. This act that was passed in 1917 took the vote away from citizens who had emigrated from enemy countries. In addition, the act only gave army nurses and close relatives of soldiers the right to vote. In 1918, women living in Canada were given the right to vote, but they could
It was in the weary war years of Mackenzie King in the 1930’s when the development of Canadian foreign policy started to take shape. Before that period Canada did not have an independent foreign policy with no international presence whatsoever and Canadian people saw themselves as part of the British dynasty. The first period in the formulation of Canadian foreign policy was in fact the ‘absence’ of policy and it was World War 1 which gave birth to foreign policy. Sixty thousand Canadians were lost which left Canadians wary of international development especially when there were very few military objectives. Canada had minimal control over her own troops and negotiations with the British were a challenge. Our troops were under control of the British and negotiating with the British was challenging. Looking back, there was almost a sense of absurdity about WW1. Therefore, Canadians came out of WW1 with a stronger than ever desire for independence. The Statute of Westminster, 1931, was the last of the Imperial Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain applicable to all dominions. It granted Canada,
An internment camp is a “large detention center created for political opponents, enemy aliens, people with mental illness, members of specific ethnic or religious groups, civilian inhabitants of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, usually during a war” (wiki). Canada has come a long way since these times of immorality. Following the Second World War, immigration is still selective, but is a major improvement in comparison to historical times.