The South African War (1899-1902) & The Naval Crisis (1909)

1. The South African War (1899-1902) & The Naval Crisis (1909) Sir Wilfrid Laurier & The Challenge of British Imperialism

2. Britain Pressures Laurier..... • Pre-WW I: Britain seeking to strengthen ties with its colonies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand) • Britain expects colonies assist the Mother Country in solving imperial problems • PM Laurier faces two such issues during his term as Prime Minister • In both cases, English Canadians favor supporting Britain while French Canadians are opposed • What course of action should Laurier pursue?

3. The South African (Boer) War, 1899-1902 • South Africa became British colony when it was obtained from the Netherlands (Dutch) in 1806 • Original Dutch settlers moved inland, establish two independent republics, Orange Free State and Transvaal, clear and farm the land • Dutch settlers known as "Boers" (Dutch for "farmer")

4. The Root Causes of the Boer War • 1885: Gold discovered in Transvaal • Thousands of British settlers and prospectors pour into the region but are denied political rights by the Boer government • British companies mining gold are heavily taxed by the Boer government • Britain pressured to intervene on behalf of settlers and mining companies

5. The war begins.... • October 1, 1899: Britain declares war on Orange Free State and Transvaal • Britain asks Canada and other British colonies to assist the war effort by providing troops • Laurier has to decide whether or not Canada should participate

6. A Conflict of Opinions • English Canadians favored sending Canadian troops in support of their Mother Country "in its time of need" • Lord Minto (Governor- General) and General Edward Hutton (British commander of Canadian militia) pressure Laurier to send Canadian soldiers to South Africa

7. A conflict of opinions • French Canadians consider the conflict as "Britain's colonial war" and none of Canada's business • Opposition to sending troops led by French Canadian nationalist, Henri Bourassa • Grandson of Louis-Joseph Papineau and a political colleague, Bourassa soon became Laurier's fiercest critic

8. Laurier seeks a compromise • Canada would raise a volunteer force of 1000 troops and pay costs of transporting them to South Africa • Once there, troops would be placed under British command • In total, 7000 Canadians served in the Boer War • First time Canadian troops served in an overseas conflict

9. Reactions to Laurier's decision • Neither side pleased • English Canadians accused Laurier of avoiding Canada's "responsibility" to Britain • French Canadians feared Laurier's actions would result in Canada being dragged into future British imperial wars • Bourassa breaks with Laurier over the issue, resigning his House of Commons seat in protest

10. The Naval Issue • 1909: Imperial Defense Conference held in London, England • Britain faces rising threat of Germany, which is building a modern navy to rival Britain's • Britain responds by building fleet of modern battleships • Britain pressures Canada and other colonies to make a financial contribution to help pay construction costs HMS Dreadnought, British battleship

11. Laurier's Compromise • Laurier resists British pressure for direct financial contribution • 1910: Laurier introduces Naval Service Bill, a plan to build a Canadian navy under Canadian command • In time of war, with consent of Parliament, the Canadian navy would be available to Britain HMCS Niobe, one of Canada's first naval vessels

12. Response to Laurier's Actions • Robert Borden and Conservative opposition denounce Naval Service Bill as "feeble" and "insufficient" • Tory humorist Stephen Leacock labels Laurier's plan a "tinpot navy"

13. Response to Laurier's Actions • Bourassa and Quebec nationalists criticized plan as "going too far" • Bourassa feared that Laurier would give in to British pressure if war occurred, as had happened in South Africa HMCS Rainbow in drydock at Esquimalt, BC

14. Laurier's Defeat • 1911 Election: Laurier campaigns on platform promising Reciprocity (free trade) with US • Combination of fear of annexation and opposition to Laurier's compromises (Boer War & Naval Bill) results in his defeat • Conservative Robert Borden becomes PM • Laurier will spend the final 8 years of his life as leader of the Opposition