Final Thoughts on Conscription in Canada

Sustaining a good working farm took a lot of hard work and many people such as men to keep it working and producing produce. During the time of conscription, about 120 000 Canadians were conscripted leaving their families with less help.

Farms were hard to work at because there were no improved technological advances that made it easier. With almost all able-bodied men gone from those farms, the food production for Canada drastically went down.

In 1917, the price of wheat went up from $1.95 to about $3.00. People had to use less of their farms land because there were not enough people to take care of a big farm. A normal farm size at that time would have been 640 acres. However, during the War it was normal to see a half section and three quarter section farm. Conscription had prevented and reduced the food production in Canada.

Conscription was used to bring in more troops by force and not volunteering. It was not necessary because it is dangerous for soldiers entering in conditions and they were not as patriotic as the volunteers were. The loss of the Canadians and the hardship of the soldiers’ families was another reason. The effects of the depression could have been less harmful if there was not any conscription. However, if another war would broke out, would conscription be used and if so, would the effects, be more drastic than before?