Confederation

Canadian History

British North America

Before Confederation British North America was divided into 5 separate colonies:

1.The Province of Canada (East and West)

2.Nova Scotia3.New Brunswick4.Newfoundland and Labrador5.Prince Edward Island

What We Already Know

Lord Durham came to Canada to find out why both Upper and Lower Canada rebelled in 1837. He made two major recommendations. One of the recommendations was to give Canada RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.

Canada could choose any form of government they wanted – unlimited or limited government. They chose a DEMOCRACY with a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY. Further, they chose a FEDERAL system which split the power between the central government and the regional (provincial) governments. It was intended that the central government should have more power than the regional governments.

1. During the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) the British supported the South. Between 1861 – 1865 the

US was embroiled in a civil war between the Northern Northern States States & the Southern States

Britain supported the Southern States because they bought cotton from them – supporting the very important textile industry in England.

The Northern States tried to “convince” England to withdraw their support by invading and harassing the closest British colony – Canada.War ended with a NorthernNorthern victory in 1865

1. During the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) the British supported the South.

“Robbers of St. Albans” – Southern soldiers attacked and robbed this northern town and fled to Canada. They were tried in Montreal and set free and were even allowed to keep some of the money – U.S. ANGRY!

Many in British North America (BNA) worried that the victorious US Northern armies would take revenge against Britain by invading

2. Fear of Manifest Destiny

There was the belief by many Americans that it was their natural right to one day control all of North America…..Manifest Destiny – fear of annexation

Annexation Bill – July, 1866

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled… that the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver's Island…are constituted and admitted as States and Territories of the United States of America.

U.S Expansion 1783 - 1853

3. The Fenian Raids Fenians were committed to Ireland's

independence from England. Believed that if they could capture

BNA then the Irish may achieve independence (trade Canada for Ireland)

Sporadic raids were launched intoUpper Canada & New Brunswick but failed without much support

The argument emerged that a united Canada would be better able to resist such invasions

4. Canada could take over Rupertsland from the Hudson Bay Company.Background

The Industrial Revolution made farm work easier – fewer people were needed to farm the same plot of land.

People were still having large families.

The young people still wanted to be farmers, but now, all the land in Ontario and Quebec was taken.

4. Canada could take over Rupertsland from the Hudson Bay Company. Canada felt that if they could purchase

Rupertsland, then they could prevent these young farmers from going to the States for open land. They could provide new land right here in Canada.

By putting more settlers into Canada’s West, the government could stop the Americans from “drifting” up into Canadian land and claiming it.

5. The colonies needed to have free trade among themselves. Reciprocity Treaty (1854): an agreement

between BNA and the United States allowing trade in certain goods without taxes or tariffs

In 1865, the USA announced it was ending a ten-year “Reciprocity Treaty” with the BNA colonies

Now, trading with the USA would cost a lot in tariffs and import duties.

5. The colonies needed to have free trade among themselves. 1840s – Rapid industrialization -

Britain no longer gave trade privileges to BNA so the colonies were forced to find new markets to support their economies.

This was very difficult since Britain controlled who Canada could and could not trade with.

5. The colonies needed to have free trade among themselves. The only solution for the BNA

colonies would be to trade among themselves

Without a free trade agreement, taxes would have to be paid on goods traveling between colonies because each British colony HAD to charge fees that were then funneled into Britain

If the colonies were united, it would be easier to trade with one another

6. Trade with other countries would be more likely if all the colonies were joined as a single country. Countries do not like making deals with

lots of little countries for the same product. They want to be able to get all they need in one place.

As long as Canada was a bunch of little colonies, they could not meet the needs of bigger markets.

It would be like Walmart buying from several “Mom and Pop” producers rather than from one large manufacturer.

7. Big Public Projects A rail link between the

colonies was essential for trade, communication & defence

Extending the railway would help to open the West to British immigrants, thus securing the land form American intrusion

7. Big Public Projects

• Grand Trunk Railway: all British route linking Canada West with the Atlantic Ocean at Halifax

• Very pricey project – no single colony could afford to invest, however a united BNA may attract investors and would provide a larger tax base from which to draw the money for production.

8. Political Deadlock There were too many small political parties

in Canada – nothing got done The Province of Canada had four failed

governments in four years Canada West – Clear Grits – radicals who

pushed for a more democratic government Canada East – Rouges – radicals who were

intent on preserving their way of life Confederation would limit the number of

political parties that could exist, and it would give the citizens a common goal to work toward.

9. Language and cultural rights could be guaranteed under a federal system. As long as they were colonial acquisitions of

Britain (or any other country), the provinces and territories of Canada would be subject to the whims of each successive government.

Only as their own country could Canadians ensure that they controlled their language and cultural rights.

At the time, this was meant to appease the French, but in today’s Canada, it could be seen as protecting the English culture and language as well.

10. Changing British Attitudes Many people in England

believed that the colonies were now a great burden to Britain rather than an asset

Defence was very expensive

“Special” trade deals could not be made any longer.

Bad news for the colonies with US expansion & Fenian raids

The English felt it was time that the BNA colonies became independent & paid their own way

Fathers of Confederation

There were many people involved in achievement of Confederation

We are going to look at 3of the 36 men who are known as “Fathers of Confederation” because of their dedication to the uniting of British North America.

Sir John A. Macdonald(Canada West) Trained in law and business Brought together various groups with

a financial stake in the Province of Canada

He helped form the 1854 coalition with Upper Canadian reformers and French Canadians, creating the Liberal-Conservative Party

He was a leading delegate at all three Confederation conferences, and was knighted for his work towards union

Sir John A. Macdonald(Canada West)

Macdonald was the driving force behind the idea of confederation. It was his skill as a diplomat and his eloquence as a speaker that overcame many of his opponents’ objections and united most Canadians with a common vision.

Generally regarded as the chief architect of Confederation, Macdonald wrote 50 of the 72 articles of confederation.

Sir George Etienne Cartier(Canada East) Trained in law and business Together with John A. Macdonald, he was

co-premier of the Province of Canada. During the 1837 Rebellion, fought in the

battle of Saint-Denis Presented a bill to the Union parliament

to create the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada.

Another primary architect of Canadian Confederation

Sir George Etienne Cartier(Canada East)

Cartier and Macdonald shared a common political view of Canada – as a strong central government with several weaker regional govenments

He was a staunch advocate for French rights

Saw Canada as a land of great potential – free, equal, and independent.

George Brown(Reformer) Founded the Globe newspaper

in 1843 As a reformer he reorganized

the Clear Grit Party in 1857 This party supported

representation by population(Rep by Pop) (the more people are living in an area, the more representatives they get in the government)

George Brown(Reformer)

This party supported separation of church and state (He didn’t want any church officials to have a say in what laws were to be made. He felt that church doctrines divided people too much)

In 1864, he proposed the Great Coalition to John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier, and went on to play a major role at the Charlottetown and Québec Conferences.

Road to Confederation

Three main conferences shaped the future of Canada:

Charlottetown Conference (Summer 1864)

Quebec Conference (Oct 1864)

London Conference (Dec 1866-March 1867)

The Dominion of Canada…..July 1st, 1867

Charlottetown Conference Originally intended for the

colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI, but the Province of Canada invited herself along.

Originally met to discuss aMaritime Union but the idea of all colonies joining as one was later discussed

It was decided to meet at Quebec later in the year to discuss Confederation

Quebec Conference Attended by NS, NB, PEI,

Canada East, Canada West, Newfoundland

Developed the “72 Resolutions” which became the framework for Confederation

All agreed the union must be strong & could not be broken by any one province

Central govt must be stronger than provincial govt

Delegates returned to their colonies to inform their people about the 72 Resolutions

The London Conference Attended by Members from New

Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada

PEI and Newfoundland feared that Confederation would lead to excessive taxation, and conscription of Islanders for Canadian conflicts

The British North America Act received the Royal Assent on March 29, 1867.

Once the Act was passed, the delegates returned home to prepare for union, which was scheduled to take place on July 1, 1867