I watched the coverage this morning, and appreciate that Opinion250 has taken the time to honour our soldiors sacrfices for our country.

That said, I disagree that it was simply a battle that changed Canada from a colony to a country. I would say it was more than that when one looks at the big picture. It was a battle who’s courage changed the world as it was known to what it is today. More than just building a nation it freed the so-called lesser nations of the world from Imperial governance.

Stephen Leacock at the defeat of Sir Wilfrid Laurier in the election of 1911:

“We are…groping for something which we desire but still seek in vain. The great problem of our common future is to find an organic basis of lasting union.”

The Great War, as it was called at the time, was a great divider of the Canadian people between the pacifists, the French, the farmers, and the supporters of imperial glory. The imperialists won the day going into the war and were the great losers coming out of the war after the huge sacrifices Canadians were asked to make for a war that at its outset Canada had no policy making powers to influence. After the horrors of war in Ypres where Canadians were on the receiving end of a mustard gas attack by the Germans and as a result of the conscription debate, it became clear to Canadians that a Canadian voice was required at the imperial war cabinet. This led to Canada taking a leading role in the idea of an Imperial Commonwealth that recognized the rights of the dominions to equality and sovereignty in the issue of war and the command structure of the imperial war efforts.

In the darkest days of the Great War, a year after the Papineau and Bourassa debate, Canada called for the Imperial War Conference with dominion representation as a result of Britain’s vulnerable position in the war at March 1917, the month before Vimy Ridge. This Imperial War Conference led to the British acceptance of the dominion resolution that articulated a new constitutional status,
“ should be based upon a full recognition of the dominions as autonomous nations of an Imperial Commonwealth”
A right Canada helped secure for all dominions and not just Canada. This led directly to the strong position Canada had at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 to have Canada’s full involvement in any settlement that was agreed too ending the Great War. A right that was questioned by the United States under the consideration of Canada as a “lesser state”, but was backed by France and Britain and later the Americans after it was pointed out the great sacrifices Canada made to win the war. This led to Canadian recognition as a power in its own right as well as having its collective representation as part of the British Empire delegation; thereby undermining the notion of imperialism, continentalism, and nationalism as the Canadian identity.

The Canadian identity was further defined with the Belfour declaration at the Imperial Conference of 1926 in which recognition of the dominions was summarized as,
“autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any respect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations”

So there you have it. Canada did not just win a ridge in the battle for Vimy Ridge it foraged a country based on its common values that through its respect and honour given for its sacrifices was able to extend those values across the globe to all other colonies of the Empire that would make up a future Commonwealth of Independent states.

Some of the great quotes from the time of Vimy that still have meaning in todays world include but are not limited to the following two that show great diversity of opinion and the value of opposing opinions that in my opinion show true patriotism.

Lewis E. horning argued that,
“… the old Patriotism is altogether too often associated with the soldiers’ life. The language of our everyday life and of our past literature smacks very much of the martial, that is, it is a language based upon old ideas and old habits. ‘Patriotic fund’… why not Soldiers fund? … The New Patriotism, calls for life and opportunity for life, not death and destruction, and vandalism and horrors.”

True to the spirit of Canada’s war effort as we remember it today. Controversial at the time.

Alice Chown worried that

“the evils we go out to fight with violence we shall graft upon our own nation’s life…. Starting with hatred of our enemy’s cruelty, we shall end by being cruel ourselves; detesting the subservience of the German people to their state, we shall become indifferent to the subservience of our own people to our state. We shall lose our free institutions, free speech, free press, free assemblage, and have to struggle to regain them.”

Very wise words for a nation at war, but also very controversial at the time. Words the Americans in their war on verbs would be well advised to heed.

Well put Chadermando . I usually don't comment on contributors writings, but in this case, I feel this posting, reflects the thoughts of many Canadians

Thanks Ben, I appreciate that.

Great post Chadermando!