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Boer War
| Canadian Navy |
1911
The Boer War and
Canada's participation in it marked a difficult turning
point in British Canadian relations. In 1897 Prime
Minister Laurier had attended the Colonial Conference in
London with many other representatives from the British
Empire. The relationship between Britain and it's
colonies and members of the Empire were discussed and
attempts were made at regulating relations and
commitments with the mother country. Laurier had
withstood British attempts to have Canada make concrete
commitments to Imperial causes such as a unified defence
policy.
By 1899 war in South
Africa seemed imminent. Britain had exercised a loose
control over the Boer Republics but with the discover of
enormous gold deposits and rich diamond veins, British
immigration and investment into the area soared and
British interests became critical. With the increase in
friction between Boer residents and British newcomers,
events came to a head and Britain decided to absorb the
Orange Free State and the Transvaal into the British
Empire.
Britain turned to
members of the Empire for support and made subtle
inquiries as to Canada's willingness to send troops.
Laurier was caught in a difficult position with
expectations from England Canada of support for the war
effort and opposition to involvement strong in French
Canada. Laurier stepped deftly through the explosive
issues by deciding that Canada was not required to
commit troops to conflicts which did not directly
threaten Canada, but offered to pay for the equipping
and transportation of a Canadian force of volunteers.
Lord Strathcona (Donald Smith) formed and paid for the
Canadian Cavalry, which was designated the Strathcona
Horse. 7,368 volunteers and 12 nursing sisters
were eventually to serve in South Africa.
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