Canada’s Freedom

Before Confederation…

• Proclamation Act (Treaty of Paris) of 1763- All French land was handed over to the British after they won the 7 Years’ War.

• Quebec Act 1774- Made the French swear Oath of Allegiance, guaranteed free practice of Catholic faith

BNA ACT

Macdonald, Cartier, Brown, McGee… Fathers of Confederation

What’s its purpose?

• Lays out the rules and procedures for Canada’s government, H of C and Senate, roles of Federal and provincial governments,and their powers, taxation, laws.

Colonial Ties

• Canada was now self-governing but Britain still controlled our foreign affairs.

• Most Canadians were still proud to make everything British.

• Went and fought for Britain in:

Boer War (1899), WWI (1914), WWII (1939)

French Canadians and others soon pushed for more independence… and got it.

Statute of Westminster (1931)• Changed the role of the Governor-General

• More of a ceremonial role

• Canada given full control over its own laws.

• 2 things Britain still held until 1982:

1.Highest court of appeal in legal system

2.Canada’s constitution- (because federal and provincial governments couldn’t agree on method of making changes to it)

Bill of Rights, 1960

• Canada’s early version of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

• Passed by Diefenbaker• It was a Federal paper not a constitutional set of

laws, so they were hard to enforce and easy to change.

• Canada was also wanting something like the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights so in 1982, something was done about it.

PM Diefenbaker

Constitution Act, 1982

• In this Act, all remaining powers held by Britain were given over to Canada.

• Created in both official languages, signed by the queen, G.G and Pierre Trudeau