The Military Service Act | The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government

The Military Service Act of 1917 was a controversial legislation, implemented by former Prime Minister Robert Borden, that forced conscription upon young men to military service during the First World War.
Due to concerns over the dropping conscription numbers and concern over maintaining troops, Prime Minister Borden believed Canada must implement this act against the support of his predecessor, Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
When the bill was presented in July 1917, Quebec was furious and it caused a major divide across the country, sparking extensive riots.
The conscription debate heightened divisions on various other social issues such as language education, agriculture, religion, and the rights of women and immigrants.
Following the arrest of a young man who failed to provide a certificate for his exemption from the war, and the subsequent assault of federal officers, anti-conscription riots broke out in Quebec City on March 28th.
The War Measures Act was utilized to quell the riots between March 28–April 1st by deploying 6,000 soldiers and using Martial law.