CONFEDERATION

Lecture Source: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation

And the Founding Fathers…well, some of them anyways…

SOC 20

Founding Fathers:

The Confederation of Canada was decided in three separate conferences

The 36 delegates of these conferences are considered the original “Founding Fathers” of Canada

There are others though, that also have a claim to the title of “founding father”

So with so many Candidates, who is the most influential Founding Father?...

Come to your genewine poppy!~George Brown

I’m the Father of Confederation~Sir Francis Hincks

Gracious! Me own child don’t know me!~William McDougall

Don’t it recognize its real daddy?~Sir John AMacdonald

George Brown

Was an emigrant from Scotland who founded the Globe newspaper

He quickly entered politics and supported the reformers, who were campaigning for “Rep by Pop”

In 1864, he proposed the “Great Coalition” to John A. Macdonald and George Etienne Cartier

He played a major role in the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences

He resigned from the coalition in 1865

George Brown

Brown’s recognition of the importance of the French Canadian perspective has impacted Quebec to this day

In a speech in 1865, he said:

“Whether we ask for parliamentary reform for Canada alone or in union with the Maritime provinces, the views of French Canadians must be consulted as well as ours. This scheme can be carried, and no scheme can be that has not the support of both sections of the province” (that is, united Canada)

Sir Francis Hincks

An emigrant from Ireland and successful businessman in York

Became a close friend of William Warren Baldwin and his son, Robert Baldwin

He established The Examiner in York with the goal of promoting Responsible Government This paper later merged with George Brown’s The

Globe Over time, these joint newspapers became known

as The Globe and Mail!

Sir Francis Hincks

He was a premier of the province of Canada from 1851-1854

He had a vision of a railroad linking British North America, which led to the Grand Trunk Railway

He had a desire for responsible government, and a railroad to unite the vast territory of the North

William McDougall

Practiced law in Toronto and later expanded into journalism

He later dropped journalism and became solely involved in politics

He wanted to see Canada expand to the West and his goal was to acquire the land owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company

He attended all three conferences leading to Confederation

William McDougall

He was named Minister of Public Works in Macdonald’s government of 1867

In 1869, he was named the first lieutenant-governor of the Northwest Territories

However, Metis led by Louis Riel prevented him from entering the territory (Red River Rebellion) From then on, he vehemently opposed Manitoba’s

efforts to join Confederation Believed that power should not be granted to

Manitoba until they had a large enough population

Sir John A. Macdonald An emigrant from Scotland, he studied

law at 15 and opened his own office at 19 He helped form the 1854 coalition with

the reformers and French Canadians

In 1864, he accepted George Brown’s “Great Coalition” to bring about Constitutional Change

He became the first Prime Minister due to his “nation-building efforts”

His vision was of a united country in British North America. But one where Ontario & Quebec held power

Sir John A. Macdonald In his first term as Prime Minister he:

Added Manitoba, PEI, and BC as provinces Acquired the North-West territory that would later

become Alberta and Saskatchewan Began the Intercontinental Railway

Goal: Unite Quebec City and Halifax

In his second term he: Built the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Dealt with the Red River Rebellion of Louis Riel

• Pressures for Confederation• Charlottetown Conference• Quebec Conference• London Conference

The Creation of a Nation

Pressures for Confederation

Political Deadlock Desire for an inter-

colony railroad to improve trade, military movement, and transportation

Population expansion Desire for economic

development: “economic nationalism”

“Manifest Destiny” and possible invasion from the USA

The American Civil War and its reactions

The Fenian Raids Change to British

colonial policy (Britain no longer wanted to maintain soldiers in its colonies)

Internal External

Charlottetown Conference 1864 The Maritime colonies (Nova Scotia, New

Brunswick, PEI) were thinking about a Maritime union Then John A. Macdonald requested that the

province of Canada join the talks Official proceedings began September 1st

Little or no public record of what was said. However, the main topics discussed were: Arguments in favour of a union Possible financial arrangements What a united government might look like

It was decided that the Conference warranted additional discussion, to be held in Quebec

Charlottetown Conference 1864Foundations for the new country:Preservation of ties with Great BritainA bicameral system of governmentLower Hhouse = rep by pop, based on electionsUpper House = representation based on regional rather than provincial equalityResponsible government at ALL levels of governmentAppointment of a governor general by the British Crown

The Quebec Conference was held where the Chateau Frontenac sits today

Quebec Conference 1864

Quebec Conference 1864

Attendees: Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland

However, John A. Macdonald was the dominant figure during these talks

Resulted in the creation of the “Quebec Resolutions” 72 resolutions that would form the basis of the

new nation Detailed who would have authority and so on

The Quebec Conference

Quebec Resolutions

1. The best interests and present and future prosperity of British North America will be promoted by a Federal Union under the Crown of Great Britain, provided such Union can be effected on principles just to the several provinces.

17. The basis of representation in the House of Commons shall be population, as determined by the official census every 10 years; and the number of members Upper Canada 82 Newfoundland 8 Lower Canada 65 Prince Edward Island 5 Nova Scotia19 New Brunswick 15

Quebec Resolutions

46. Both the English and French languages may be employed in the General Parliament and its proceedings, and in the local legislature of Lower Canada, and also in the Federal courts and in the Courts of Lower Canada

68. The General Government shall secure, without delay, the completion of the Intercolonial Railway from Riviere-du-Loup, through New Brunswick, to Truro in Nova Scotia

London Conference 1866

Held in December, the delegates reviewed the wording of the Quebec resolutions

Following Christmas, these “London Resolutions” were drafted into proposed bills, and delegates met with British officials to finalize the text

The name “Canada” was easily decided As well as “Ontario” and “Quebec” for its two parts

Ultimately, the new nation was designated a “dominion” “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and

from the river unto the ends of the earth.” – Psalm 72

London Conference

There were difficulties though: An anti-union delegation from Nova Scotia,

led by Joseph Howe, wanted to overturn any union agreement

They were unsuccessful

The British North America Act 1867 The resulting act of the three conferences

received Royal Assent on March 29, 1867 Union was set to be held on July 1, 1867 There were four initial provinces

1867: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia

1870: Manitoba, North-West Territories 1871: British Columbia 1873: Prince Edward Island 1898: Yukon 1905: Alberta & Saskatchewan 1949: Newfoundland (Newfoundland &

Labrador in 2001) 1999: Nunavut

A Nation is Born