Henri Bourassa Canadian Politician Essay Research Paper

Henri Bourassa (Canadian Politician) Essay, Research Paper

Henri Bourassa (Canadian Politician)For the duration of Henri Bourassa’s political career, he was viewed bymany as a great educator and a stable critic. Although Bourassa was not anintelligent man, he succeeded in making a variety of ideas a reason fordebate for nearly thirty years, which would raise the opportunity for himto become a well known political leader. Subsequently, Bourassa’s views andopinions were sometimes deemed as unethical and negative. Many Canadiansviewed him as a proud Canadian nationalist, as others labeled him anunpatriotic traitor. If anything, Henri Bourassa in many minds, should beviewed as a reformer, instead of the mass amount of hallmarks that havesurrounded him. Basically speaking, Henri Bourassa should be perceived asa Canadian nationalist due to his views on conscription, hisanti-imperialistic outlook, and his fight against Canadian annexation tothe United States. First of all, Henri Bourassa is appropriately viewed as a Canadiannationalist due to his views on conscription. Bourassa’s greatest campaignwas evident on the issue of conscription, which he was recognized outsideof his own province of Quebec, for fighting for Canadian nationality. Theconscription of Canadians into the First World War, was due to the smallsize of the British professional army, which was once labeled by Germany’sKaiser Wilhelm “that contemptible little army.” As the fighting draggedon, more and more men were slaughtered, and Canada was first introduced toconscription. Bourassa was quick to counter the use of conscription in thewar, although he did not oppose Canada’s participation, but was in favor ofthe equal proportion of Canadians in the war. Canada, once conscriptiontook place, had raised an army of 420 000 men, from a total population of 7000 000. The equivalency of such, would produce an army of 2 700 000 forBritain, due to it’s population and size. Also, Bourassa opposed theincrease in taxes, which helped pay for such conscription issues, whichconclusively meant Canadian men, women and children paid $100 in taxes, asoppose to the $7 that Americans were spending. Bourassa felt that “To askCanada to do more, would be an outrage”, and should be treated as such.Another period, when Bourassa was forced to deal with conscription, wasduring the Second World War. Prime Minister Mackenzie King, and hisinfamous slogan “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription ifnecessary”, proved to be a factor which pulled Bourassa out of retirementto battle. The National Resources Mobilization Act, gave the Canadiangovernment full rights to order conscription for service overseas. Whenthe need for reinforcements in the war overseas was needed, King adoptedconscription, taking 16 000 men from the National Resources MobilizationForce and placed them overseas. The Canadian public decided to support thecontinued war effort, and therefore, fought more possibilities ofconscription due to the volunteering of Canadians. Bourassa once again hadengaged in a battle with conscription, which he felt would destroy Canadianunity, and force a civil war. Bourassa also felt that if Canada was forcedinto conscription, that many Canadians would be unhappy and disloyal totheir country. Bourassa in turn, fought against conscription to provideCanada a more stable base, in which she could expand upon. Second, when Wilfrid Laurier was crowned Prime Minister, he immediatelynamed Bourassa the “French speaking secretary of the Canadian delegationto the joint high commission” and his job was to resolve Canadian-Americandifferences. After a short dispute with his own party, Henri was in theprocess of the Boer War of October 1899. When the volunteer forces sentin, the need for more troops were obvious. Bourassa was unhappy anddisagreed with Laurier’s plans of sending Canadian troops back to Britainto defend, and therefore, resigned his seat in the Parliament. Henri feltthat if Canadian troops were sent into Britain, then in furtherconfrontations, Canada would be expected to send troops to aid Britain.Such mental promises set forth by Canada would create an imperialisticlabel towards Canada, always needing their ‘Mother Country’ to be of aid.Bourassa kept this in mind during the Britain-Canada naval talks, andagain, stated that participation by Canada in the naval talks wouldmentally insure them to be at the side of Britain in any otherconfrontations. Bourassa also showed anti-imperialistic views during theBoer War. Bourassa disagreed with the idea of sending Canadian troops intoSouth-Africa due to the war’s importance or lack thereof towards Canada.Bourassa again felt that if they participated with Britain, that it wouldonly set up more demands and favors asked by Britain, which in turn, wouldkeep Canada imperialistic. When Bourassa decided to oppose traditional

imperialistic ties with Britain, he felt that Canada was growing to be astrong, self-reliant country, which did not need to commit herself toanything that was considered to be related to Britain’s needs. Thesovereignty that Canada possessed, could possibly be tarnished, if theuncertainty of Canada placing herself in a conflict which did notnecessarily regard her. These feelings and views expressed forth byBourassa proves that he is caring for Canada and her people, and also herparticipation in any further wars, which could ruin a nation’s power,politics and rights.Finally, Henri Bourassa felt th