Blueprint for a Nation94

Blueprint for a Nation

• The Maritime colonies were just as worried about the American threat and the possible end of reciprocity, talks had begun on a possible “Maritime Union.”

• When the Canadians caught wind of these talks, they countered with a proposal of their own.

• Why not discuss a union of all the British North American colonies?

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The Charlottetown Conference, 1864

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The Charlottetown Conference, 1864

• In many ways, the conference that followed was a long extended schmooze-fest, and unabashed attempt by the smooth-talking Canadians to seduce their Maritime cousins into marriage.

• The Maritime provinces—Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland—considered themselves as mature independent colonies.

• The Charlottetown Conference was planned as a meeting to discuss a possible Maritime union.

• Common arguments in favour of Confederation had little impact with some Maritime colonies.

• For example:

• Newfoundland had almost no trade with Canada. so there was little economic benefit to be realized from a union.

• Likewise, the promise of an intercolonial railway held no benefit for Newfoundland or PEI.

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• However, colonies recognized threats and opportunities on the horizon, such as;

• The US plan to end the Treaty of Reciprocity.

• The development of steam and steel technology (i.e. Railway Revolution)

• The leaders of the Great Coalition had to show how their plans for Confederation would resolve some of these concerns and opportunities.

• New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI agreed to attend another conference in Quebec to continue discussing the idea of Confederation.

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The Quebec Conference, 1864

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The Quebec Conference, 1864

• The Quebec Conference was held in the fall of 1864, and was attended by representatives from the United Province of Canada and all of the Maritime colonies.

• Newfoundland, which had not been at the Charlottetown Conference, also came, but there voters were not enthusiastic about Confederation.

• The Quebec Conference planned the birth of a new nation.

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• When the Quebec Conference assembled the general principle of political confederation had been approved and decided upon.

• The delegates sat down to settle the business of adjusting the various relations between the proposed provinces, and the proposed Dominion.

• Topics for discussion; The Nature of the Union, Federal Parliament Representation, Financial Relations, Division of Power, and Code of Law.

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The Seventy-Two Resolutions

• The Quebec Conference lasted for over two weeks.

• The result was a list called the Seventy-Two Resolutions—a blueprint for Confederation and the new country of Canada.

• Macdonald had compromised his vision of a strong national government in favour of a federation.

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Structure of the Federal Government

• The British Crown would be represented in Canada by a Governor-General nationality and by Lieutenant-Governors in each province.

• The federal government itself would be “becameral.” That is, it would be divided into two separate legislative branches:

• The Senate - Canada’s Upper House, would be appointed.

• The House of Commons - Canada’s Lower House, would be elected.

• The House of Commons was where laws and regulations would be worked out.

• The Senate, in turn would be a forum for “sober second thought,” the Senate of Canada would act as a parliamentary review board.

The Reaction in the Colonies

• Since each of the colonies had responsible government, Confederation had to be debated and approved by each colonial legislature.

• Opposition greeted almost every point.

• Eventually, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and United Canada decided to join together as one nation.

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American Expansion: Fenian Raids

• The fear of American invasion seemed to become a reality in 1866. Fenians from the United States made several armed raids across the border into British North America.

• Fenians were a group of Irish Catholics in the US who wanted to end British rule over Ireland. Since they could not attack Britain directly, they decided to attack her North American Colonies.

• The Fenian scare helped tip the scale of public opinion in favour of Confederation.

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The London Conference, 1866 - 1867

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The London Conference, 1866 - 1867

• Sixteen delegates sailed to London in 1866 to present the Seventy-Two resolutions to British officials.

• On January 9, 1867 the British North America Act was introduced in the British Parliament.

• It was passed quickly, and on March 29, 1867, Queen Victoria proclaimed the creation of the Dominion of Canada.

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Royal Proclamation

March 29th, 1867

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The BNA Act is Passed

• On March 29, 1867, Queen Victoria signed the British North America Act. The Act came into effect on June 1, 1867.

• A new nation was born: Canada, consisting of 3.5 million people and four provinces. The original four, “Charter members of Confederation,” so to speak, were as follows:

• Nova Scotia

• New Brunswick

• Quebec

• Ontario

• John A. Macdonald is sworn in as Canada’s first Prime Minister on July 1, 1867.

Confederation Day July 1, 1867

July 1st, 1867

Canada’s first separatist movement

• John A. Macdonald was asked to form an interim government and he called an election soon after.

• The Great Coalition had ended and Macdonald’s Conservatives won a working majority in Canada’s first federal election — including strong support in Quebec.

• In Nova Scotia, however, it was another story.

• Joseph Howe went so far as igniting an anti confederation movement.

The Fathers of Confederation

• The most important Fathers of Confederation were Macdonald, Cartier, Brown, Tilley, Tupper, Galt, and McGee. But You could also include:

• Amor de Cosmos, who helped from BC into Confederation.

• Louis Riel, the founder of Manitoba

• Joey Smallwood, who brought New Foundland into the fold in 1949.

• John Amagoalik, the “Artic John A.” who has been hailed as the Father of Nunavut, the norther territory created in 1999.