Causes Leading to Confederation
May 20, 2015
Causes Leading to Confederation
Refresher: Union ActRemember the Union Act of 1841?
- Upper and Lower Canada were united under one government.
- Equal representation in the Assembly.
- Upper Canada’s debt was pooled with Lower Canada’s much smaller one.
- English would be the only official language of government.
Corn Laws & Reciprocity- Corn Laws were in place to ensure that British land owners reaped all the financial profits from farming. The Corn Laws (which imposed steep import duties) made it too expensive for anyone to import grain.
- In 1846 Britain repealed the Corn Laws.
- The colonies of British North America panicked.
- To make up for the lost imperial revenue the colonies made a Treaty of Reciprocity.
- This opened “free trade” with the United States. A lucrative market.
The U.S. Civil War 1861-1865
- The slave owning confederates to the south attempted to cede from the Union. The free states of the North were fighting them into submission.
- The North believed Britain sympathized with the Confederates (the south).
- And they did! Britain relied on the cotton grown in the southern United States.
Rocky Relationships- The Reciprocity Treaty was due to be renewed in 1865.
- The Americans to the North were unimpressed by Britain and refused to renew the Treaty of Reciprocity.
Americans: “You want free-trade? Fine. Join the American Union.
- Ironically, this led to British colonies to open up talks to create a union of their own.
- This would allow them to have cross-colonial access to all their resources.
Manifest Destiny- The colonies had good reasons to be wary of the Americans.
Manifest Destiny: Was the American belief that it was their destiny to control the entire North American continent.
- This threat added even more fuel to the fire of a unification of the British North American colonies.
Choo Choo Choosing Confederation
- The railway revolutionized the very concept of time and distance in Canada.
- It united the colonies and expanded the colonies.
- Finally the colonies were no longer isolated from each other.
- The railway was what made confederation possible.
- The construction of the railway also served as transport from the Maritimes to the interior if deployment of troops was ever needed to fend off American annexation.
The Push for Confederacy- The Province of Canada was frustrated by the political deadlock caused by the Union Act.
- With equal seats awarded to both sides anyone wishing to hold power needed a majority the included French-Canadian voters.
- Frustration with the present system was running high.
- By 1851 the two leading reformers, Louis LaFontaine & Robert Baldwin had retired tired of the radicalism taking place.
John A. Macdonald &George Etienne
Cartier
The Province of Canada: Politically Polarized
Conservatives:
- In Canada West there was John A. Macdonald’s “Liberal Conservative” Party.
- In Canada East, George-Etienne Cartier’s Parti Bleu (aligned with the Church, pro-British, anti-American).
Reformers:
- Canada West: George Brown’s Reform Party. (consisted of farmers who called themselves: “Clear Grits”).
- Canada East: Antione-Aime Dorions radical parti rouge.
(These parties later came together to form the Liberal Party of Canada).
Rep by pop!
- Canada’s population was soaring.
1861 census: 1.6 million in Canada West. 1.1 million in Canada East.
- Yet parliament was still divided on 50-50 split seats.
- George Brown stressed representation by population to end what he called “French Catholic domination”
- Canada East refused to accept “Rep by pop!”
George did what?!- On June 24th, 1864 George Brown rose in the Assembly and offered to cross the floor. Gasp!
- He ended the deadlock by joining his arch nemesis John A. Macdonald.
Brown had three conditions:
1. That the coalition work towards creating a united federation of ALL British North America.
2. The representation by population be implemented
3. That the future federation expand west as far s the pacific. “The Americans are encroaching” Brown warned.
Cozy Canadian Coalition
- The coalition involved. Macdonalds English- Canadian Conservatives.
- Cartiers French Canadian Conservatives.
- And George Brown’s English-Canadian Reformers.
- The Parti Rouge were left out.
- This “Great Coalition of 1864” was the driving force behind confederation.
Why not make a Maritime Union?
- The Maritime colonies were just as worried about the American threat and the end of reciprocity.
The move was lead by the three premiers:
Charles Tupper: Nova Scotia
Leonard Tilley: New Brunswick
John Hamilton Gray: P.E.I.
- The Canadian were worried they would lose the Maritimes and hastily set up a proposal to meet at Charlottetown P.E.I. on September 1864 to talk it over.
The Charlottetown Conference
September 1864: John A. Macdonald, George Etienne Cartier, and George Brown had a conference with the Maritimes presenting the overriding argument in favor of confederation.
“Confederation was floated through on champagne” – Donald Swainson
- Alexander Galt: The Canadian Minister of Finance presented an economic overview of the proposed union.
- Thomas D’arcy McGee: An Irish poet turned politician presented the emotional appeal. A “glory argument” that spoke of a “new nationality”.
The Quebec Conference: 72
Resolutions- The Maritimes were won over in Charlottetown and agreed to meet again in Quebec City.
- October of 1864 the delegates met at Quebec city and the Canadians presented “72 Resolutions” which outlined the specifics of a possible union.
Which led to…
The federal systemFederalism: Having or relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in international affairs.
Unitary: A system of government or organization in which the powers of the separate constituent parts are vested in a central body. Ie: France
- The Canadians agreed upon federalism as their new system of government.
- The model was a mix between British and American systems. A federation with no president.
Two levels of government
- Provincial government: education, roads, medicine, municipalities, property rights. Civil law, justice, and natural resources.
- Federal government: currency and banking (printing money), defense, navigation, shipping, Native affairs, marriage and divorce, criminal law, the seacoast, and inland fisheries.
The structure of the federal government
The Senate:
Canada’s Upper House, would be appointed (that is, it would be non-democratic and would never have to answer to Canadian voters).
The House of Commons:
Canada’s Lower House, would be elected (that is, it would have to answer to Canadian voters-at least at election time).
Reaction and Resistance
- The Quebec Conference laid out the terms of Confederation. The delegates had to take the deal back to their respective parliament.
- Newfoundland and PEI said no.
- The Province of Canada said yes.
- Among French Canadians support was split with a small majority voting for confederation: 27 were for it, 21 were opposed.
The British North America Act.
On March 29, 1867, Queen Victoria signed the British North America Act, and on July 1, it came into effect.
- A new nation was born: Canada.
- 3.5 million people, and four provinces.
The original four, the “charter members of confederation” were as follows:
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
- Quebec
- Ontario
“Oh! .?.?.?! We stand on guard for thee!
Britannica
Aquilonia
Borealia
Colonia
Hochelaga
Laurentia
Norland
Norland
Superior
Tuponia
Transatlantia
Victorialand
Ursulia
Vesperia
Efisga
Confederation: The Creation of Canadahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hph52hbhYZQ1. Who was left out of the decision making process
regarding Canadian confederation?2. Name the catalysts that lead to confederacy.3. How did the English speaking majority envision the
new Canada?