 The Act intended to provide Canada with a separate naval force, but one that, if needed, could be placed under British control during a time of war.Both French-Canadian nationalists and British-Canadian imperialists opposed the Act, which eventually contributed to the fall of Laurier's government and the introduction of the Naval Aid Bill put forward by Prime Minister Robert Borden in 1912.With its passage and assent on May 4, 1910, the Act established the Department of the Naval Service (today's Royal Canadian Navy) under the Minister of the Naval Service.