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Chapter 8 Confederation. Focus Questions. What issues shaped confederation? What ideas about citizenship shaped confederation? What factors led to other provinces joining confederation?. What Was Confederation?.
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Focus Questions • What issues shaped confederation? • What ideas about citizenship shaped confederation? • What factors led to other provinces joining confederation?
What Was Confederation? • Confederation was an agreement among some of the colonies of British North America to join together. It established rules about Canadian society. • Equality in Canada for French and English languages. • Central Government with provincial governments. • It excluded First Nations as citizens of Canada… (Today First nation continually work to change the idea of citizenship that first shaped Canada)
Background Information Five British Colonies that considered Confederation in the 1860’s: • Canada West • Canada East • Nova Scotia • New Brunswick • Prince Edward Island
John A MacDonald • From Canada West. • Was one of the volunteers who attacked and defeated Mackenzie’s Rebels in 1837. • Lawyer • He wanted to create a nation that stretched from ‘sea to sea’ and maintain ties with Britain. • Believe in accommodating people to achieve agreement… gave provincial governments control over some of their own affairs (education). • Canada’s first Prime Minister.
From Canada East. From wealthy family in Lower Canada/ fought with the patriots. Didn’t want Canada to become a republic like the US. Wanted provinces to control issues like language and religion ( Catholic Church played an important role in politics of Canada East). George Etienne Cartier
George Brown • From Canada East. • Founded today’s Globe and Mail newspaper. • Didn’t support confederation at first. • Wanted representation by population… this would have given the English more power. • Harshly criticized John A MacDonald. • 1864 he changed his mind and wanted the British colonies to control Rupert’s Land. He was afraid if they didn’t it would be taken over by the US. • Got shot in the leg and died (infection).
Was a Patriot in the rebellions of 1837- 1838. Believed Canadians could safe guard their heritage as a province of Canada. Believed that the leaders of Canada East and West had to cooperate. Worked well with John A MacDonald. Etienne Paschal Tache
Political Deadlock • Canada East and Canada West had an equal number of seats in the province’s assembly.
Question Of Rights For Canadiens • Canadiens had protected their language and religion despite the Act of Union that tried to assimilate them. They needed a guarantee that any new political arrangement would recognize and respect their rights. • Some Canadien leaders saw confederation as the only option to protect their rights. • Others felt Confederation would be a threat and the Federal Government would have too much power.
Independence For Regions • Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island were British colonies but they governed themselves. • They worried they would lose their independence if they were governed by Canada East and Canada West. • Also thought it might be too expensive…
Risk of Annexation From US • Worried the Americans would expand.
Western Expansion • In the 1860’s, Canada West had developed most of the good farmland. • George Brown wanted to expand into Rupert’s Land but worried the Americans would do so as well.
Trade Challenges • Britain had regulated the economy of British North America. • Mercantilism meant that British paid as low a price as possible for resources from the colonies but it also meant that the colonies could sell to Britain. • 1840’s Britain took steps to end Mercantilism. They would only by from the colonies if it was the cheapest price. • British North America had an agreement with the US that they could sell their goods to the US for a competitive price, but in 1865 the US added a tariff (tax) to goods bought from British North America… which would make BNA’s goods higher priced in the US.
Confederation Deal • The colonies involved in the confederation negotiations wanted to protect regional rights. • They did not want a central government that took away the power of each region to make important decisions on its own.
British North America Act 1867 • Created the Dominion of Canada formed from the former colonies of Canada which included Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. • Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland did not join. • BNA Act gave the federal government the right to make laws for the peace, order and good government • The act established French and English as the languages of Canada’ s Parliament. • Guaranteed public schools for the Protestant/English in Quebec and French/ Catholic Schools in the rest of Canada. • Gave the government the right to protect minorities in any province in the future. • Established representation by population for the House of Commons. • New government would pay for a railway linking the Maritimes with central Canada.
Maritimes & Confederation • The Maritimes had strong economic ties with Britain and the Caribbean based on trade by sea. • If the Maritimes joined, Canada promised them a railway linking them to Central Canada. • It was not a popular decision to join confederation.
First Nations & Confederation • During the confederation negotiations, the colonies of British North America did not consult any First Nations. • The idea of citizenship was different then. Examples include: • 1857 Gradual Civilization Act: required that First Nations give up their ways before they could become citizens of Canada • 1867 British North America Act: First Nations become a part of the federal government’s responsibilities. • Until 1960: Only those who gave up their Indian Status were allowed to vote.
Other Provinces Join Canada • 1867 Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Part of the original Confederation agreement. • 1870 Manitoba refused to be transferred as a territory, demanded to join as a province. • 1871 British Columbia joined as province. • 1873 Prince Edward Island joined as a province.1905 Alberta and Saskatchewan created from a territory and transferred to Canada. • 1949 Newfoundland joined as a province.
British Columbia • BC was a British colony because of the British Explorer George Vancouver. • First colonists made their living with the fur trade. • 1857 the gold rush began. It was an economic boom and the colony borrowed money to pay for roads etc. • The boom didn’t last long and then the colony went into debt. There didn’t seem to be a big future. • Some colonists wanted to join the USA. Some wanted to join Canada. • The Canadian government wanted the country to stretch from “sea to sea” so the offered to pay off BC’s debt and build a railway to link them to the rest of the country.
Prince Edward Island • 1870, the colony of Prince Edward Island began to have economic trouble. ( Borrowed money for a railway and many farms did not own the land…it was owned by those in Britain) • Felt that joining confederation would help solve it’s problems. • Canada agreed to pay off the colony’s railway and buy the island’s farmland as well as provide year round ferry service.
Newfoundland • Newfoundland reject Confederation in 1867 and 1869. • Had a successful economy in fish and lumber. • 1930’s during the Great Depression, the world cut back on trade and Newfoundland could no longer afford to pay for it’s hospitals, school and other services. • Britain then took direct control of Newfoundland until after WWII. • After WWII, Britain said it could no longer afford to assist Newfoundland. • Newfoundlanders then voted whether they should join Canada or stay independent. It was a close vote but joining Canada won.
