As has been said there was no thought of a draft in Canada when the war
began. The press and the political leaders gave many assurances that
compulsion would not be employed. It was assumed that the response to
the appeal of the Department of Militia would be adequate. There was
a common expectation that the war would not last for twelve months
and that at most Canada would provide an army of 50,000 or 100,000.
In the first months of war more men offered themselves that we could
arm and equip. In the course of ten weeks over 30,000 had embarked
at Quebec for England. Among these were many British-born, instant
in response to the call to arms, and peculiarly conscious of the
danger which threatened the mother country. It was natural that they
should predominate in the first Canadian contingent. If there had been
immediate danger to Canada, such as that to which the old countries
were exposed, the enlistment of Canadians would have exceeded all
other elements of the population. But notwithstanding that the causes
of the war lay in Europe natives of Canada were numerous in the first
oversea regiments. Many of those who enlisted as officers made great
sacrifices. Many who enlisted as privates made even greater sacrifices.
They abandoned responsible and remunerative positions and the certainty
of commissions if they had sought to avoid service in the ranks. All
put life at stake. In those heroic battalions East and West, Quebec
and Ontario, were represented, and whether English-speaking or French
speaking they displayed valor and endurance in the field.