Canadian Confederation

1. The Unification of a Country Canadian Confederation

2. First Thing’s First ~ K-W-L • Take out a piece of paper • Create three columns • 1st – Knowledge: What do you know about Confederation already? • 2nd – Want: What do you want to learn about Confederation? • 3rd – Learned: You’ll fill this out when we’re done.

3. American Influences • Manifest Destiny • American Civil War • The Alabama Affair • Built in a British dock for the Confederates • Caused a lot of destruction • The Trent Affair • Raised tensions between America and the UK

4. Manifest Destiny

5. Internal Influences • The End of the Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty • Political Deadlock • The Possibility of Economic Development.

6. The Charlottetown Conference • Originally intended to just be attended by the Atlantic Provinces • Maritime Union • Defense • More Independence • Each province selected delegates but not a date!

7. The Charlottetown Conference • Then J.A.M. Heard of the meeting and asked to tag along. • He had is own ideas for a union. • The Conference was set for Sept. 1st, 1864. • Newfoundland was asked if they would like to attend with mere weeks before the conference and were unable to attend.

8. The Charlottetown Conference • The first day, nothing much happened. • The second day, the Canadians were invited to present their ideas on Union. • Once this was done, Maritime Union was mostly forgotten. • Cartier and MacDonald spear-headed the proposition.

9. Sir George-Étienne Cartier Was Born in Lower Canada (modern day Quebec) He was a lawyer Entered politics in 1848 Formed the government of Upper Canada with John A. Macdonald and served as co-premiers between 1857 and 1862

10. John A. MacDonald born in Glasgow, Scotland moved to Kingston, Upper Canada when he was 5 Began to study law at 15 In 1844 he entered provincial politics in Upper Canada

11. The Charlottetown Conference • The main points of J.A.M. and G.E.C.’s proposition included: • preservation of ties with Great Britain • residual jurisdiction left to a central authority • a bicameral system (a Lower House with rep. by population [rep by pop] and an Upper House with rep. based on regional, rather than provincial, equality • responsible government at the federal and provincial levels • the appointment of a governor general by the British Crown. • The rest of the conference was spent in discussions regarding the merits of the proposed unions.

12. Post Conference • After the conference ended on Sept 9th, the delegates went back to their provinces and met with local governments. • It was decided that this proposition had enough interest to hold another meeting. • J.A.M asked, Canadian Governor Monck to extend an invitation to the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland to attend another meeting in Quebec.

13. The Quebec Conference • Took place between Oct 10th and 27 1886. • This time Newfoundland made it, but only observed • There was still no representation from any territories further west than Upper Canada. • After two weeks of negotiations, the delegates came up with the Seventy-Two Resolutions

14. The Seventy-Two Resolutions • Also known as the Quebec resolutions • Set the guide lines for unification and how the country was to be run. • Set the numbers of representation to both houses • Also Set out the option for Newfoundland to join as well as provisions for the inclusion of the western territories (which included the North West Territory and B.C.)

15. Post-Québec Reaction – N.B. • The politicians who attended were in for a rude awakening when they returned home. • Public reaction was harsh and the legislature was mostly against the idea. • Premier Samuel Leonard Tilley had his work cut out for him

16. Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley Born in Gagetown, New Brunswick He became a certified pharmacist in 1838 His political career began in 1850 and centered around temperance, responsible government and connecting NB with the rest of the country with a railway. He heavily supported Confederation.

17. New Brunswick Resistance • Lead by Albert Smith, who became the unofficial opposition leader • Supported mostly by merchants and shippers who feared a variety of new costs including higher taxes, higher tariffs, and an increase in competion. • Minorities were also untrusting of Tilley and this unification idea.

18. New Brunswick Resistance • Tilley called a snap election in 1865 and lost a significant majority to Smith and his coalition of Reformers and Conservatives • Infighting became a significant issue • The Fenian raids also caused a significant loss of support for smith • Smith resigned in the spring of 1886 and Tilley’s pro-Confederation gov’t took over yet again.

19. Nova Scotian Resistance • Charles Tupper was also surprised to find much displeasure when he returned home to Nova Scotia • However, Tupper was not overly concerned since his party held a wide majority in the NS legislature • That is until Joseph Howe got involved

20. Joseph Howe Born in Halifax A printer and a journalist Got into politics in 1841

21. Nova Scotian Resistance • Howe became one of the most vocal opponents to the idea of confederation • He believed that NS lacked the railroads, and social and economic resources needed to make confederation worth while • He also believed that such a unification would lead to a severe drop in NS independence and financial ruin.

22. Nova Scotian Resistance • In the end, Tupper was able to push through the Quebec resolution without consulting the general public • Howe couldn’t let it go • Over the next few years he would campaign against the idea to anyone who would listen. • He would end up heading a delegation to England to oppose the passage of an act of union

23. PEI & NL • Decided against joining Confederation • Both were afraid that in a government based on representation by population they would have no influence • They also believed, NL especially, that they could be more economically successful without taking on the debt of the other provinces

24. The London Conference • Took place in London, England • Attended by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada • The goal of this final conference was to write the British North America Act • In December 1866 the conference began with a thorough review of the Québec Resolutions

25. The London Conference • Once the review was completed in late December, the "London Resolutions" were sent to the Colonial Office. • These resolutions would be the basis of the proposed bill • The conference then met with British officials to hammer out the details of the bill • All the while, Howe was still attempting to have any union agreement overturned.

26. The London Conference • Because of this, most of Tupper’s time was dedicated to countering Howe’s arguments. • The delegates had a completed text for the bill by the first week of February 1867 • The British North America act was submitted to the Queen on February 11th and received Royal Assent March 29, 1867. • Canada became dominion on July 1st, 1867

27. As a side note: • PEI joined Confederation in 1873 • They were in massive debt • Absentee land owners • Year-round ferry service • NL only joined in 1949 • The idea of Confederation was brought up several times between 1867 and 1949 • Massive debt and decreasing value of fisheries • Dissatisfaction with a Commissioned Gov’t