Canada - key facts

1763 - End of the 7 Years’ War

Britain gained New France

1774 Quebec Act

• Free practice of Catholicism

• Accepted French Civil Law for private law

1791 Constitution created Upper and Lower Canada and political systems

• Assured continuing religious freedom for French Catholics

• Legislative Assemblies were elected had the power to raise taxes. Legislative and Executive Councils were appointed by the Governor

Oligarchic groups

• Family Compact in Upper Canada

• Chateau Clique in Lower Canada

 Land

• Freehold tenure in UC, 1/7 held as clergy reserves

• Seigneurial tenure in LC (land rented to habitants) 

Reformers

• UC Reformers led by Baldwin, Mackenzie (who ran the Colonial Advocate newspaper)

• LC patriotes led by Papineau

Dalhousie LG 1820-28

• Prorogued the LC Legislative Assembly

• 87,000 signed a petition against him, and he was removed

1829 Canada Committee Report

No mechanism for change - advised against amendment of 1791 Constitution

Ops Township Scheme run by Peter Robinson

• Poor immigrants assisted with temporary shelters and cheap supplies funded by the government

• Reformers objected to costs and lack of consultation with the legislative assembly

• Family Compact objected to increase of poor immigrants who were unlikely to support their control of power and influence

1832 and 1834 cholera epidemics and the 1837 American financial crisis

Intensified difficulties and tensions over immigration in UC, and anti-British sentiment in LC

UC LGs

• Colborne 1828-35 - allocated the clergy reserves income for the support of the 44 Anglican parishes

• Head 1835-8 – 1836 election interference

UC Revolt

• 5-8 December 1837, around 1000 men at Montgomery’s Tavern on Yonge Street in Toronto

• Mackenzie on Navy Island until 13 Jan 1838 – captured and sentenced to 18 months 

 LC 92 Resolutions

Feb 1834 – rejected in the March 1837 Russell Resolutions

LC Revolt

• October-December 1837 – led by Wolfred Nelson

• Victory at village of St Denis

• General Wetherall defeats patriote forces at St Charles

• 100 patriotes fleeing from burning church in St Eustache shot

• Over 500 patriotes jailed

 Durham

Key advisors Wakefield (systematic colonisation) and Buller

October 1838 Durham resigned

Melbourne government’s failure to back him over the exile of political prisoners to Bermuda

The Durham Report 1839

UC and LC united that year

1848-55

Responsible self-government granted to all the Canadian colonies