The 1911 federal election, in which the Conservatives under Borden defeated the Liberal government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, was fought partly on the question of what role Canada should play in the common defence of the British Empire.

As Opposition Leader, Borden had argued that Laurier’s plan to operate an autonomous fleet of five cruisers and six destroyers was a wholly inadequate response to the Empire's apparently pressing need.

While in the U.K., at the urging of the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, Prime Minister Borden agreed to finance the construction of three dreadnought battleships or armoured cruisers for $35 million.

[citation needed] On December 5, 1912, Borden introduced the Naval Aid Bill in the House of Commons as a one-time contribution to Britain's navy.

That format meant that every member of the House of Commons could speak repeatedly on the bill, and the opposition Liberals implemented a long filibuster.

Senator Lougheed gave a lengthy speech, repeating the main arguments which the government members had advanced in the House of Commons.

[14] Ross then moved an amendment to the motion for second reading: "That this House is not justified in giving its assent to this Bill until it is submitted to the judgment of the country."

[15] Had the bill passed the Senate and received royal assent, it is likely the funds would have been used to construct three Queen Elizabeth-class battleships, potentially named as Acadia, Quebec and Ontario.

With the additional naval strength of France in the Atlantic and Japan in the Pacific, later bolstered by the entry of Italy and eventually the United States, Allied control of the high seas was never seriously threatened and Germany was compelled to seek less costly alternatives (submarines in particular) to project a measure of power in the Atlantic sea lanes.