When the war broke out, in 1914, Canada had a government, the result of the vic tory of reciprocity in 1911. In 1916 the term of five years for which a Parliament is elected expired, but, by agreement between the two great parties, the period' was extended by a year. As the war went on, the need was felt of united support of the government so as to avoid the dissipation of energy by party strife. In the summer of 1917, Sir Robert Borden made pro posals to Sir Wilfrid Laurier to unite in form ing a Cabinet in which the two parties should be represented equally, but this offer the •Lib eral leader declined. He would not accept the policy, insisted upon by Sir Robert Borden, of compulsory military service in order to keep up the Canadian divisions in France. The French Canadians, who are more than a quarter of the people of Canada, had shown themselves hos tile to conscription, and on this issue Sir Wil frid Laurier stood with the members of his own race.
English-speaking Liberals refused, on this point, to follow the lead of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and the autumn of 1917 saw the formation in Canada of a Unionist government, led still by ry the former Conservative Prime Minister, Sir Robert Borden, but composed in about equal proportions of Conservatives and Liberals. Since, without practically unanimous consent; the term of Parliament could no longer be ex tended, an election followed in December 1917, with conscription as the vital issue. Sir Wilfrid Laurier led the forces opposed to conscription. In his own province of Quebec he achieved a personal triumph, carrying 62 out of 65 seats. From the other provinces, however, he secured little mor•than a score of supporters, and the Unionis' t government was sustained by an over.
whelming majority. The policy of compulsory 'service was pressed with energy and Canada has proclaimed to the world her resolve to make every sacrifice to stay in the war to the end.
The disappearance of party government is already producing far-reaching effects on the political life of Canada. The evils of the spoils system had long corrupted politics and this system the Union government has swept com pletely away. Appointments to the whole civil service are now controlled by a non-partisan Civil Service Commission. Purchases for the government service are made by a committee of experts without regard to party claims. In abolishing the old system, Canada has lagged far behind both Great Britain and the United States, but her reform now promises to be thorough. In respect to other changes Canada is likely to be conservative. Socialism has, as yet, produced little effect on a country where nearly every farmer owns the land he tills and the artisan and the laborer earn high wages. It is still problematical what effect the war will have on the relations of Canada with Great Britain. It has already demonstrated three things: Canada's resolve to settle for herself the part, if any, she shall take in British wars; the solidarity of Canadian opinion with that of the other' British peoples on the issues of the present war; and the affection and mutual con fidence which exists between the peoples scat tered in all parts of the world who have a common British allegiance. Whether out of the welter of the war will come a closer political union of the peoples of the British empire for their common defense it is impossible now to say. The question will receive increased atten tion after the• war. It is certain that a unity of aims already exists which will hold together these people whatever political form their union may assume.