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League of Nations
Originator of today's united nations
International body with many representatives from many countries whose purpose was to maintain world peace
Established during the Paris peace conference of 1919 at the end of WW1
U.S objected when Canada was given a seat
Canada pointed out that they lost more soldiers than the U.S
Canada was given a separate seat on the league
Independent from Britain -
Treaty of Versailles
The document providing the peace terms imposed on Germany by the allied victors of WW1
The main countries of the treaty ( Britain, France and the U.S) wanted an international organization of member states founded on the principles of combined security and the conservation of peace
Canada was a founding member of the league and served on the council from 1927-1930 -
Chanak Crisis
An incident broke in the balkans in a place called Chanak located in turkey
Britain was committed to maintaining troops there to protect the narrow passage linking the mediterranean to the black sea when turks threatened these british troops Britain sent out a call to its dominions for help
Was a signal that canada was no longer automatically at war on Britain’s demand. -
Halibut Treaty
Canadian American agreement concerning fishing rights in the north pacific ocean
Although Canada's right to negotiate commercial treaties was established, the British wished to sign the convention along with Canada,as they always had
First treaty independently negotiated and signed by the Canadian government during the imperial conference -
Imperial Conference
Meetings which brought together Britain and its dominions
Endorsed prime minister Mackenzie king’s independent action of signing the Halibut treaty without Britain
For the first time Canada had negotiated and signed its own treaty without involvement from England. -
King-Byng Crisis
Complicated constitutional procedure by prime minister King which involved the British Governor General Julian Byng
When scandal and a vote of non-confidence threatened King’s governing party with less than half of the seats in parliament early in its term king wanted to dissolve the government and call another election but the governor denied king’s request.
By recognizing the spirit of independence in the country and being a spokesman for it, King won the next several subsequent elections -
Balfour Report
Named after the conference chair, Lord Balfour, it stated formally what was already in practice the the dominions of the British empire were independent and equal in value with each other and with England
This allowed legislative independence in the former dominions except where dominions themselves chose not to have it
The Canadian prime minister at the time Mackenzie King, Led this initiative -
Statue of Westminister
Was a British law clarifying the powers of Canada's parliament and those of the other commonwealth dominions
Granted those former colonies full legal freedom except in those areas where they chose to remain dependent on Britain
Canada and other dominions on European battlefields had stirred feeling of nationhood, and desires for greater independence from the mother country.