Conscription is compulsory military service. The conscription issue of 1917 deeply divided Canadians. In 1939, after Canada had declared war on Germany, English Canada supported sending troops to help Britain and France, French Canada did not. Prime Minister King, fearful of dividing the country and his own government, promises the Quebec population during the provincial elections of 1939, that his government would not impose conscription during the war. Only volunteers would be sent overseas.
However, by 1942, the volunteer system could not maintain the strength of the armed forces. King was under considerable pressure from the military to bring in conscription. To release his government from his commitment to Quebec King decides to hold a plebiscite (a direct vote on a question of national importance) on the issue.
