Naval Service Bill

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The Naval Service Bill of 1910 was a piece of Canadian government legislation, which was put forward by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Prior to the bill, Canada did not have a navy of its own, which left its waters unprotected by its own fleet. The Naval Service Bill was intended to provide Canada with its own navy that if needed the United Kingdom could take over during time of war. By the end of 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy was created with a fleet of two former British Royal Navy vessels.^[1] Both French-Canadian nationalists and British-Canadian imperialists opposed the bill, which eventually led to the fall of Laurier’s government and the Naval Service Bill being replaced by a new bill put forward by Prime Minister Robert Borden in 1912.^[2]

During the early years of the twentieth century, Britain found themselves in a naval race with Germany. This became a major competition between the two major powers, which led to both sides looking for an edge. Britain’s fear that Germany’s navy would catch up to its Royal Navy has been coined as the ‘Dreadnought’ crisis.^[3] In 1909 at the Imperial Conference, British officials requested help from the Dominion prime ministers, concerning its navy.^[4] This request imposed Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier with what became known as his ‘naval question’.^[5]

The British Navy decided to build its own battleships and requested money from the Dominions to help finance this costly project.^[5] Many British Canadians expected Laurier’s Liberal government to help finance Britain’s project.^[5] French-Canadian nationalists led by leaders such as Henri Bourassa were opposed to Canada to having any involvement with Britain’s naval problem. This put Laurier in a very tough position, as the Canadian public was extremely divided.

Laurier’s compromise was The Naval Service Bill, which was introduced in January of 1910.^[5] It set up the Department of Naval Services, which would operate a small Canadian Navy.^[4] Canada’s navy was to be controlled by Ottawa, but during times of war it could be put under British control.^[6] Under this new bill Canada was to construct a naval college that was capable to train Canadian naval officers.^[5] This Naval College was constructed in 1910 in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[5] It also proposed under the bill that Canada was going to construct five cruisers and six destroyers in order to create its own navy.^[1] Canada’s first naval ship arrived on October 17th 1910, it was a former British Royal Navy cruiser called the Niobe.^[1] On November 7th, Canada’s second ship The Rainbow, which was also a former Royal Navy cruiser arrived in British Columbia.^[1] These two cruisers were mainly for training purposes.^[6]

The Naval Service Bill was very controversial, as it was highly criticized by both the French Canadian Nationalists and the English Canadians. Imperialistic minded Canadians claimed that Canada was doing too little. Conservatives famously dubbed Laurier’s new policy as the “Tin Pot Navy”.^[5] The bill was highly criticized by the French Canadian Nationalists, led by Henri Bourassa.^[7] Bourassa felt that the bill went too far and that Canada would be dragged into every single British War. Also the French Nationalists were concerned that the navy would mean conscription for the Canadian people.^[2] The loss of French support for Laurier’s Liberals led to his party being defeated in the 1911 election. He was replaced by the Conservatives, led by Robert Borden.^[8] In 1913, Borden replaced the Naval Service Bill with the Naval Aid Bill. Now instead of supplying ships, Canada would give the British Royal Navy cash instead.^[8]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Myers, Jay, Canadian Fact and Dates (Markham Ontario: Fitzhenrt and Whiteside, 1986) p 161.
2. ^ ^{a b} Bercusion, David J. and J.L Granastein The Collins Dictionary of Canadian History (Toronto: Collins 1988) p 147.
3. ^ Francis, R. Douglas, Richard Jones and Donald B. Smith Destinies: Canadian History Since Confederation (Scarborough Ontario: Nelson/Thompson 2004) p 122.
4. ^ ^{a b} Bercusion, David J. and J.L Granastein, Dictionary of Canadian Military History, (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1992) p 142-143.
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Francis, R. Douglas, Richard Jones and Donald B. Smith Destinies: Canadian History Since Confederation (Scarborough Ontario: Nelson/Thompson 2004) p 123.
6. ^ ^{a b} Gough, Barry M. Historical Dictionary of Canada (London: Scarecrow Press, 1999) p 58.
7. ^ Hill, Brian, Canada A Chronology and Fact Book, (New York, Oceana 1973) p 35.
8. ^ ^{a b} Berger, Carl “Imperialism and Nationalism, 1884-1914: A Conflict in Canadian Thought” R. Douglas Francis and Donald B. Smith (Toronto: Nelson/Thompson 2006) p 118.

[edit] Work Cited

• Berger, Carl “Imperialism and Nationalism, 1884-1914: A Conflict in Canadian Thought” R. Douglas Francis and Donald B. Smith Readings in Canadian History Toronto: Nelson/Thompson 2006
• Bercusion, David J. and J. L Granastein The Collins Dictionary of Canadian History Toronto: Collins 1988
• Bercusion, David J. and J. L Granastein, Dictionary of Canadian Military History, Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1992
• Francis, R. Douglas, Richard Jones and Donald B. Smith, Destinies: Canadian History Since Confederation, Scarborough Ontario: Nelson/Thompson 2004
• Gough, Barry M. Historical Dictionary of Canada, London: Scarecrow Press, 1999
• Hill, Brian, Canada A Chronology and Fact Book, New York, Oceana 1973
• Myers, Jay, Canadian Fact and Dates, Markham Ontario: Fitzhenrt and Whiteside, 1986