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Canada
treated its conscientious objectors better than any country in the
world. Through the good will of the Canadian government, COs were
allowed to perform work of national importance without violating
their conscience. Instead of carrying arms and going to war, Canada
allowed COs to fight forest fires, mine coal, work in hospitals,
and labour on farms. In addition to this service, COs donated money
to the Red Cross. For some COs, half of their monthly pay went to
the Red Cross to ease human suffering caused by the war. By the
end of the war, the COs had contributed more than their small number
might suggest.
One
sign of their success is the respect COs earned from their supervisors
and the government. Part of this was because of the COs' principled
stand against war. Although government officials did not agree with
pacifism, they respected the integrity of a committed pacifist.
Humphrey Mitchell, the Minister of Labour wrote that “the average
conscientious objector in Canada is entirely sincere in his desire
to do everything short of actual combat duties to be of service
to his country in time of war.” This often took the form of hard
physical labour.
He
went to say that
“Conscientious
objectors have willingly undertaken heavy and difficult work during
the war. Their services have been available at several periods
when critical situations developed due to labor shortages. As
an example of this, some 75 conscientious objectors were employed
at the Head of the Lakes [Thunder Bay, Ontario] in loading and
unloading grain cars at a time when a serious congestion was developing…
Labour Department officials relate stories of conscientious objectors
coming to district offices to obtain heavier and more difficult
work in order to do more for the war effort.” [Toews, 110]
T.A.
Crerar, Minister of Mines and Resources during the Second World
War, agreed. He admired their strong work ethic:
“It
has been found that excellent service has been rendered by these
conscientious objectors. They are, in the main, Mennonites, farmers'
sons, well used to hard work.” [Toews, 110]
Mennonites
and other COs are thankful for how well they were treated. Although
they frequently disagreed, the Canadian government and the Mennonite
leaders respected each other and had a good relationship.
J.F.
McKinnon, the Chief Alternative Service Officer, said that
“The
Mennonites cooperated in every way from the beginning of Alternative
Service. There was very close cooperation between the Mennonite
bishops and the Alternative Service …. The bishops were always
most willing to discuss mutual problems and to go as far as possible
to cooperate within the limits of their conscience.” [Toews, 111]
The
camps in BC are a clear example of how the alternative service program
satisfied both parties. The COs did such good work, in fact, that
companies and government departments fought to use their services.
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