The Canadian Historical Review, Volume 89, Number 4, December
2008, pp. 503-540 (Article)
Published by University of Toronto Press
This article analyzes the Canadian govement’s use of military force to suppress the anti-conscription Easter Riots that occurred in Quebec City between 28 March and 1 April 1918. The riots demonstrated French-Canadian dissatisfaction with the national war effort and the introduction of conscription, and exacerbated nationwide fears that a state of rebellion existed in the French-speaking province of Quebec. The Canadian govement’s reaction was immediate and firm; martial law was proclaimed, habeas corpus was suspended, and over six thousand English-speaking soldiers were deployed to Quebec during and after the riots to maintain order and enforce conscription, the last of these troops leaving the province in early 1919. The Easter Riots were extremely violent, causing important destruction of property and over 150 civilian and military casualties, including at least four dead when soldiers opened fire on rioters. This article will demonstrate the extent to which the Canadian govement apprehended insurrection in Quebec during the First World War and how determined it was under difficult wartime conditions to prevent the rise of a major national crisis.
Cet article analyse le recours ? la force militaire par le gouveement du Canada pour mettre fin aux ?meutes de la conscription survenues ? Qu?bec du 28 mars au 1er avril 1918. Les «?meutes de P?ques» traduisent le m?contentement des Canadiens fran?ais ? l’endroit de l’effort de guerre et ? la conscription et, dans le reste du pays, elles exacerbent les craintes sur l’existence d’une situation de r?bellion dans la province francophone. La r?ponse du gouveement canadien est imm?diate et ferme: loi martiale, suspension de l’habeas corpus et d?ploiement de six mille soldats anglophones au Qu?bec pour maintenir l’ordre et faire appliquer la conscription. Les deiers soldats quittent la province au d?but de 1919. D’une violence extr?me, les ?meutes de la conscription causent des d?g?ts mat?riels importants et font plus de 150 victimes civiles et militaires, dont au moins quatre morts lorsque des soldats tirent sur les ?meutiers. Cet article entend d?montrer que les appr?hensions du gouveement canadien quant ? la possibilit? d’une insurrection au Qu?bec durant la Premi?re Guerre mondiale ?taient profondes et qu’il ?tait d?termin?, dans les conditions difficiles de la guerre, ? emp?cher l’?clatement d’une crise nationale majeure.
2008, pp. 503-540 (Article)
Published by University of Toronto Press
This article analyzes the Canadian govement’s use of military force to suppress the anti-conscription Easter Riots that occurred in Quebec City between 28 March and 1 April 1918. The riots demonstrated French-Canadian dissatisfaction with the national war effort and the introduction of conscription, and exacerbated nationwide fears that a state of rebellion existed in the French-speaking province of Quebec. The Canadian govement’s reaction was immediate and firm; martial law was proclaimed, habeas corpus was suspended, and over six thousand English-speaking soldiers were deployed to Quebec during and after the riots to maintain order and enforce conscription, the last of these troops leaving the province in early 1919. The Easter Riots were extremely violent, causing important destruction of property and over 150 civilian and military casualties, including at least four dead when soldiers opened fire on rioters. This article will demonstrate the extent to which the Canadian govement apprehended insurrection in Quebec during the First World War and how determined it was under difficult wartime conditions to prevent the rise of a major national crisis.
Cet article analyse le recours ? la force militaire par le gouveement du Canada pour mettre fin aux ?meutes de la conscription survenues ? Qu?bec du 28 mars au 1er avril 1918. Les «?meutes de P?ques» traduisent le m?contentement des Canadiens fran?ais ? l’endroit de l’effort de guerre et ? la conscription et, dans le reste du pays, elles exacerbent les craintes sur l’existence d’une situation de r?bellion dans la province francophone. La r?ponse du gouveement canadien est imm?diate et ferme: loi martiale, suspension de l’habeas corpus et d?ploiement de six mille soldats anglophones au Qu?bec pour maintenir l’ordre et faire appliquer la conscription. Les deiers soldats quittent la province au d?but de 1919. D’une violence extr?me, les ?meutes de la conscription causent des d?g?ts mat?riels importants et font plus de 150 victimes civiles et militaires, dont au moins quatre morts lorsque des soldats tirent sur les ?meutiers. Cet article entend d?montrer que les appr?hensions du gouveement canadien quant ? la possibilit? d’une insurrection au Qu?bec durant la Premi?re Guerre mondiale ?taient profondes et qu’il ?tait d?termin?, dans les conditions difficiles de la guerre, ? emp?cher l’?clatement d’une crise nationale majeure.