Following the Second World War, Canada found itself one of the occupying powers in Western Europe.
At first, the Canadian army served in France, but some fear arose that the Francophone regiments might fraternise with the local people. To prevent this, those regiments were sent to do garison duty in Austria and Germany.
Many people in Quebec, already angered by conscription, demonstrated against keeping the troops in Europe under the slogan "Rendez-nous nos gars" ("give us back our boys").