- The War Measures Act was a federal law enacted by Canadian Parliament in August 1914 in the beginning of the First World War, which gave the Government of Canada extra powers during times of "war, invasion, and insurrection, real or apprehended [feared]."
- The Act transferred power from Parliament to the Cabinet allowing them to pass laws and regulations through an Order-in-Council, which means it did not need to be granted permission by Parliament.
- This Act was in place for four years and it suspended habeas corpus (the right to a fair trial before imprisonment), imposed strict censorship laws, heavily restricted newspapers, banned strikes, and interned or jailed thousands of 'enemy aliens' or anyone who opposed the mandatory conscription, among other measures.
- The Act was used to suspend the civil liberties of people in Canada who were suspected to be enemy aliens (term used to describe people from other countries or who had roots in other countries that were at war with Canada), yet this excess power ultimately led to major abuses and unwarranted internment of citizens long-after the war for little to no reason.
- This Act has been subject to scrutiny and controversy over its use (although infrequent) and has uncovered major debates regarding human rights and civil liberties during war and peacetime.
- Since the War Measures Act was used deny citizens of their civil liberties and right to fair trial before detention, it allowed the government to intern who they deemed as 'enemies' of war during both World Wars, which included over 8,500 in the First World War and around 24,000 during Second World War.
The War Measures Act, 5 George V. Chap. 2, Assented to 22nd August, 1914. https://primarydocuments.ca/war-measures-act-sc-1914/
For the pdf version of The War Measures Act: https://learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/War-Measures-Act.pdf
& https://historyofrights.ca/wp-content/uploads/statutes/CN_War_Measures.pdf
& https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/MEASURES-ACT-1914-confer-powers-Governor/30695745036/bd
For a detailed outline of the key points of The War Measures Act: https://www.historymuseum.ca/wp-teachers-zone/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/01_WWI_War-Measures-Act-Key-Points_EN_v2-okd-by-Xavier-14avril2021.pdf
For more background and details of The War Measures Act and its repercussions: https://historyofrights.ca/encyclopaedia/main-events/war-measures-act/
& https://tc2.ca/uploads/backgroundbriefs/BBOverviewofwarmeasuresact.pdf
& https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/war-measures-act