MORE ON CONFEDERATION!

1. MORE ON CONFEDERATION!

2. REPRESENTATION BY POPULATION • Rep-by-pop: • Who was in favour of this? • Clear Grits • # of representatives in the Legislative Assembly depends on the # of people who live in a particular area (a riding) • French extremely opposed

3. DOUBLE MAJORITY • Double majority: for a bill to be passed in the Legislative Assembly, there had to be a majority vote in both Canada East and Canada West • Makes it very inefficient • French and English working against eachother

4. CONFEDERATION: YES OR NO? • The colonies would only join if they got a good deal out of it. • How would they benefit? • Up until then, the colonies were the responsibility of the British • Well-being • Defence

5. The colonies were on friendly terms economically and socially • Had separate legislatures (the part of the government where laws are made)

6. MacDonald wanted a strong national (central) government • Limited power for provincial governments • Few people in the colonies outside of central Canada liked the idea

7. The Maritimes’ position: CONS • Mature, independent colonies • Common identity different from the province of Canada • Responsible government • Independent trading relationships with the British and US

8. Newfoundland did not trade with Canada at all • Why join? • Railway was a selling point but… • Wouldn’t benefit Newfoundland or PEI • Why not? • Islands

9. The Maritimes position: PROS • US to end of the Reciprocity Treaty (1866): • Allowed goods to be sent to the US duty free • Removal of Corn Laws • Development of steel and steam technology was not good for the shipbuilding industry • MacDonald had to convince them that these problems could be solved with Confederation

10. THE CONFERENCES • Most of the colonies were facing difficulties: • The northern US states were winning the Civil War • Not on good terms with Britain • Maritimes were losing trade opportunities with Britain and the US • Economic problems • Canada East and West were almost bankrupt • Depression (Corn Laws) • Bad government (Canadian Union) • 12 different governments between 1849 and 1864

11. Representatives from the colonies agreed to meet to discuss the idea of joining together (Confederation) • The Maritime colonies had already planned to meet to join together to discuss a Maritime union • Representatives from Canada ask if they can go to introduce the idea of all of the colonies joining together

12. WHO WAS THERE? • From Canada • MacDonald • Brown • Cartier • From New Brunswick • Samuel Tilley • From Nova Scotia • Charles Tupper • From PEI • Edward Whelan • A Newfoundland representative

13. The Conferences • Many leaders saw Confederation as the only solution to their problems • The “Great Coalition”: even George Brown, agreed to work with MacDonald and Cartier to save the government of Canada and then unite the colonies

14. Charlottetown Conference (1864) • Discussed the details of a new union • Initially just for the Maritime provinces • The Great Coalition and railway builder Alexander TillochGauld ask to attend • Very convincing to the representatives of the Maritimes colonies • Samuel Tilley (New Brunswick), and Charles Tupper (Nova Scotia), and Edward Whelan (PEI) agreed to meet them again in Quebec

15. The Quebec Conference (1864) • Made the formal decisions as to how to create the new nation • How they would divide powers between the provincial and federal governments • The provinces would have more power than MacDonald expected • Came up with 72 resolutions (statements on government) and a plan for Confederation

16. Each representative had to go back and debate the every proposal in the legislature • A lot of opposition in each colony • Strong opposers • A.A. Dorion (Quebec) • Joseph Howe (Nova Scotia) • One of the biggest supporters was Thomas D’Arcy McGee

17. All of the delegates (representatives) were men • Accompanied by families • Huge parties and banquets • No native people were included

18. The London Conference 1866 • In the end, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada decided to join together • They needed permission from Britain to do so • Each colony sent representatives to London, England • British pass the British North American Act, creating the Dominion of Canada

19. THE BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN ACT (BNA): • Had to get permission from Britain to join together • Very different from the US who fought a revolution for its independence

20. The BNA was based on the Quebec Resolutions • Mostly written by Canadians • Became the constitution of the dominion Constitution: the laws that set forth the powers and responsibilities of the government and guarantee the rights of the people Dominion: a self-governing nation that is still part of the British Empire

21. Canada then had two types of government: • federal, or national, government: the Parliament • Provincial government: the provincial legislatures • Each had specific powers outlined in the constitution

22. The powers

23. O CANADA! • O Canada!Our home and native land!True patriot love in all thy sons command. • With glowing hearts we see thee rise,The True North strong and free! • From far and wide,O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. • God keep our land glorious and free!O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. • O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.