Chapter 1: Confederation
1841 Union of Upper and Lower Canada into the new Province of Canada
1864 A coalition government is formed; the Charlottetown Conference is held; delegates
met in Quebec draft 72 Resolutions.
1866 The Fenians invade B.N.A. The colonies in British Columbia united.
(Canada West/Southern Ontario, Canada East/Quebec, New Brunswick,
& Nova Scotia)
The London Conference drafted the British North America Act
1867 The B.N.A. Act is signed. Confederation is won.
1868 D’Arcy McGee is assassinated by a Fenian.
1869 Britain sells the North West Territories (later day Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
Alberta) to Canada.
The Hudson Bay Company sells Rupert’s Land (later day Northern
Manitoba, Northern Ontario, & Northern Quebec) to Canada.
1870 Manitoba joins Confederation
1871 British Columbia joins Confederation.
1873 Prince Edward Island joins Confederation.
1880 Britain transfers the Arctic Islands to Canada.
1949 Newfoundland joins Canada. 1997 Nunavut is formed
John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada, grew up in Glasgow, Scotland. He immigrated to Canada at the age of five with his family in 1820. Many others arrived from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, America, the Netherlands, France, and the United States. Those loyal to the British Empire gave in various waves of immigration. African Loyalists arrived after the American Revolutionary War in 1783; Jamaican Maroons fought for the British and settled in B.N.A..; African Canadian troops participated in the War of 1812; African Americans made historic journeys through the Underground Railway to Canada; many of them settled in Canada, especially in East Preston, Nova Scotia. Those who were loyal or termed Loyalists varied greatly in terms of their background. Native communities, such as the Six Nations, arrived in Canada from the United States after American independence under the guidance of Joseph Brant. Both French communities and Natives communities were established in early Canada. It is amazing how all these British colonies, French communities, Native communities, and immigrant communities came together to form one country.
Macdonald has faced criticism because of his involvement with Native reserves, the execution of Louis Riel, and residential schools. He has made admirable speeches. He once said, “We are a great country, and shall become one of the greatest in the universe if we preserve it; we shall sink into insignificance and adversity if we suffer it to be broken.”
Before Confederation
1. Montreal is the largest city in North America with 100 000 people.
2. Towns and cities are growing quickly.
3. There is a railway and canal building boom.
4. Farms expand.
5. There is an enormous gap between the rich and poor.
Politics in Canada: Language, Religion, Opinions, Geography, and Incomes divided the Colonists of British North America.
Party Leader Beliefs
Canada West Conservatives/Tories John A. Macdonald *pro British
Reformers/the Grits George Brown *pro business
Canada East Parti Bleu Cartier *pro English & French
Parti Rouge Dorion *pro French-Canadian
Choosing a Capital
Before the capital, Ottawa, was chosen in 1857 the Assembly met in Kingston, Quebec City, Montreal and York (Toronto). Ottawa was chosen by Queen Victoria for the following reason:
1) It was far from the United States border in case of another invasion.
2) The Ottawa River provided a transportation network for trade and in the event of providing supplies for war.
3) It was in the middle of English Canada to the west and French Canada to the east.
*John A. Macdonald’s government toppled or was defeated over the approval of Ottawa as the capital since Brown and his Grits and Dorion and his Parti Rouge voted against the decision. A non- confidence vote occurred among members of the Assembly, so the government was dissolved, and Macdonald was voted back into power. This was called a double shuffle.
Macdonald’s family eventually moved outside of Kingston, Ontario. Despite living in poverty, the family sent him to boarding school in Kingston. At the age of 15, he worked in a law office and studied to pass the bar examination at night. In 1836, he was able to open his own law office at the age of 21. His wife, Isabella, suffered from chronic illnesses, his first born died at the age of 13, and his wife eventually passed away in 1857. Family tragedies, medical debts, and a widespread culture of drinking in the 19th century led to Macdonald’s alcoholism. Some described him as a functional alcoholic and newspapers alluded to his problem. Despite personal setbacks, Macdonald was -when focused- a brilliant orator and keenly aware of law. His home, in Kingston, is a national historic site.
Political Deadlock
1. The double shuffle showed us that few bills could get passed since a vote of non confidence would only terminate the government. Bills that becomes laws apply to taxes, so the government was unable to raise more money.
2. The members of the government and the opposition were evenly matched, so the two sides voted against each other and no bills became law. It was political deadlock.
3. George Brown advocated representation by population or the segment of Canada having the greater population would have more political seats. This upset the French population who once had a greater population but could not compete politically with the increase in English population.
4. The British had allocated an equal number of seats to Canada West and Canada East. It reduced tensions but it also led to political deadlock.
5. From 1861 to 1864, four governments were dissolved, and two elections occurred. This created only political uncertainty.
6. George Brown, the editor of the Globe & Mail newspaper, helped by proposing a coalition government.
Coalition Government
When parties join and put aside their differences or compromise, they form a coalition government. Despite a long rivalry and hatred, Brown proposed that he and Macdonald form a coalition government to get bills passed or laws made to create certainty. Now among the 130 members of the Assembly, 100 could vote together and get things done!
“If a crisis has ever arisen in the political affairs of any country that would justify such as coalition, such as crisis has now arrived in the history of Canada.” George Brown
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