Many of the events mentioned on the list have been implicit declarations of Canada's sovereignty. However, the Statute of Westminster was one of the first codified examples of Canada's independence. The Statute of Westminster was a piece of legislation from Britain that granted members of the Commonwealth autonomy over the issues that they choose to exercise their right over. The Statute was signed in 1931 but it has its roots in the end of the First World War, when Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden, who had governed over the costliest war in history at that point, petitioned Great Britain for more control in terms of foreign policy. The Statute of Westminster was the culmination of these efforts.
The ramifications of the Statute of Westminster are immense. It was one of the strongest codifications of Canada's autonomy as an independent nation. Beforehand, there was an expectation that Canada would follow Great Britain into all foreign policy decisions. However, the Statute of Westminster made the commonwealth obligation-free when it came to their own affairs and were able to chart their own course on the world stage. Without the independence gained by the Statute of Westminster, Canada may have had a much different reputation on the world's stage. For example, we may have followed Great Britain into the Suez Crisis as belligerents, rather than as peacekeepers.