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Canada’s Growing Independence

Canada’s Growing Independence. Conservative Party. Led by Arthur Meighen in 1921 & 1926 Elections Believed in principles over compromise. Liberal Party. Led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. Reputation as a reformer and authority on social and economic issues.

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Canada’s Growing Independence

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  1. Canada’s Growing Independence

  2. Conservative Party • Led by Arthur Meighen in 1921 & 1926 Elections • Believed in principles over compromise.

  3. Liberal Party • Led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. • Reputation as a reformer and authority on social and economic issues. • Often tried to find middle path that would offend the least amount of people.

  4. Progressive Party • Federal party created in 1920 to represent interests of farmers. • Led by Thomas Crerar • Wanted new National Policy based on free trade and public ownership of railways. • Lost public support in 1925-26 and eventually dissolved

  5. Impact of the Progressive Party • Influential in bringing changes to Canada’s social policy. • Challenged King to set up old age pension. • Old Age Pension Act - Passed in 1927 • Example of role of government in providing social services to citizens. • The maximum pension provided was $20 per month and $240 per year • Available to all British subjects over the aged 70 or older who had lived in Canada for 20 years • limited to seniors whose annual income was less than $350.

  6. 1925 Election • PM King and the Liberal Party won fewer seats than the Conservative Party in 1925. • King had the support of the Progressive Party so he refuses to resign. • King wishes to remain Prime Minister. • Asks Governor General Byng to let him remain Prime Minister • Claims that because he has the support from the Progressives in Parliament he has the majority of votes. • Byng grants King’s request.

  7. Customs Scandal, 1926 • King’s Minister of Customs is discovered to have taken bribes and allowed liquor to flow freely to the US. • King fires the minister, but then appoints him to the Senate • Progressives withdraw support of Liberals.

  8. Governor General & Responsible Government • Responsible government - the tradition that a Prime Minister must have the support of the House of Commons in order to remain in power. • Governor General responsible for ensuring the Canadian Prime Minister and government have confidence of Parliament.

  9. King-Byng Crisis : Key Players Mackenzie King, Liberal Leader Lord Byng, Governor General Arthur Meighen, Conservative Party Leader

  10. King-Byng Crisis, 1926 • King asks for Byng to dissolve Parliament and call an election. • Byng Refuses. • Byng appoints Meighen to be PM. • Meighen’s Government is ousted from Parliament within three days after a vote of non-confidence. • Byng forced to dissolve Parliament and call an election. • King and Liberals win majority government in 1926 election.

  11. King-Byng Crisis, 1926 – Significance • The first time that the Governor General had refused to the request of a PM to dissolve the parliament • King claimed that it was undemocratic for the Governor General to refuse the advice of the Prime Minister. • Crisis challenged Britain over role of GG and Britain’s influence on Canada’s internal politics. • Since King-Byng Crisis, no GG has acted against the wishes of an elected PM.

  12. 2008 Scandal

  13. Today’s Governor General: David Johnston

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