1860 canada

Political deadlock - chapter 2

Two provinces make up the powerful population of the BNA

In 1849 canada achieved a responsible government. This meant that they could create their own laws for east and west canada

La fantaine is an important leader is achieving responsible government. He also believes in la survivance. La survivance is the idea that the French culture must be preserved

This is an example of how the initial set up of a country becomes very important for the future

Is french culture still preserved today?

Does the gorverment protect the french culture

In 1841 the act of union was passed which gave canada east and west the same number of legislative seats

Each group has 50 percent of the vote and almost never agree

Between 1854 and 1864 there were 10 different government and one only lasted 2 days

Canada west wanted a new style of government called representation by population. This means the seats are related to the population and not split evenly

Both sides argue passionately for their beliefs often resulting on violence and riots

In 1840 Canada East had almost 66% of population of Canada. By 1861 they had 45%. Canada west started to push for Representation by Population and the people in Canada East felt like they were losing control and eventually would lose their culture.

Side note

women cant vote
Only men with property could vote
Voting wad not secret
Gangs would stay outside the voting location and influence people to vote a certain way(bribes or threats)

In the 1850s things came to a breaking point. The catholic church was still very important for social services. Lots of the new immigrants were protestant and brought along their hatred of the catholics with them.

If catholic church/school were to be government funded the protestants wanted money too… so did presbyterians and methodists.

Violence in montreal - lord elgin signed a bill into law that benefited mostly french canadians. The english citizens were not happy. They chases lord elgins carriage when he left office, throwing eggs at it.

The mob then broke into parliament, broke up the wood furniture and set it on fire. When the fire department arrived the mob blocked their way and cut their hoses.

All members of the bloc vote together all the time. Important people leading up to confederation - goerge brown - resented french catholic dominence in the house. Owns the newspaper called The Globe. Wanted to defund religious institoutions and make the church and state separation. He is the leader of the clear grits party.

George etienne cartier - leader of la survivance. Promotionand preservation of french catholic culture.

John A macdonald - works to join parties together from canada east and west. He works the tories (the group that burned down the parlement in montreal) and george etienne cartier they begin the liberal-conservative party.

Finally things change - they are at a political deadlock until love conquers all. Goerge brown marries anne but then brown has to campaign for the upcoming election. He misses his wife terribly. Eventually he loses interest in the political fight and leads canada out of deadlock.

During the next parlimentary meeting goerge brown recommended change to the government system so that there was a from the federal.

Creation of a government system for canada - this allowed different cultures to coexist within the same country. For example, the french were able to maintain their language and religion in canada east without forcing canada west to pass laws that would strictly benefit the french catholics.

Compare usa and canada with state vs province law.

Federal government -> president

Supreme court prime minster

Province vs state - health care - the big difference is that each state in the usa can make their own laws and dont really have to listen to the president.

Path to confederation - charlottetown conference

Macdonald and cartier go to charlottetown to try and convince the maritime provinces to join them in the new government system. Maritime provinces are excited to be a part of this union… for now.

US civil war - a power struggle between the right and freedoms of individual status and the federal government.

Remember the usa was a british colony and canada is a british colony (we are kind of the same people). 40000-50000 british north american soldiers volunteered to fight for the union (north). However a lot of society and the newspaper supported the south ( not necessarily slavery thought).

US civil war - manifest destiny - many americans began to believe in a new idea that america would stretch from ocean to ocean to ocean.

The idea is mostly supported by the northern states… so britain and canada tend to support the southern states. We certainly would not want the strong union army to attack canada. This idea scares a lot poeple into wanting to create a single country to strengthen themselves against the US.

The trent incident - britian remained neutral on the american civil war, however, there were incidents that occured that could have drawn the british into the war. The trent incident was one of them two southern agents were travelling to britain to see if they would regonize the confederacy as a new country. They were traveling on a british streamer when a union war ship seized it.

Britain was not happy and niether was the union army. In response, britian sent 10 000 troops to guard the Canadian border. Britain did not end up entering the war, however, Canadians began to wonder how weak they would weem the US was to turn north with their army.

St.Albans raid - during quebec conference, a group of southern supporters raided st.albans, vermont, stealing $200 000 from the town bank, they fled to canada where the canadian military captured them. They were not returned the US for trial and the canadian judge released them. This again, angered the union. It became a topic of discussion at the quebec conference which was discussing the creation of canada as an independent country.

Quebec conference - they agreed upon the government system to create a new country. PEI will only get 5 seats in the government, so they decide not to join.

The london conference - in england, queen victoria signs the british north america act uniting canada east and west, new brunswick and nova scotia into the new dominion of canada on July 1st 1867.

Important decisions from the BNA act - the federal government will have 37 specific powers including: defense, currency, criminal law and justice

Unlimited taxing power.

The power to overrule any provincial law if it is in the best interest of the country

Confederation continues to expand - nova scotia wants to leave. Premier tupper sent delegates to the london conference but promised nova scotians a “good” deal. Nova Scotia is rich and they think a federal government will impose many tariffs. His “good” deal was a one time payment of 80 cents per person. This was way too low of a payment in many nova scotians eyes. Some started an idea to join the USA. John A MacDonald met with the nova scotia government and talked them into staying and promised a better deal.

Newfoundland - decides not to join. They think they'll be taxed to pay for railroads that dont go or help newfoundland at all. They do end up joining 80 years later in 1949.

Manitoba - is made up of 12 000, mostly metis people. John A MacDonald wanted to expand westward quickly so he sent out surveyors. This angers louis riel who starts a rebellion. It is short lived but bloody. Manitoba is officially accepted as a province of canada in 1870.

British columbia - lots of people move here suring the gold rush(1860s). Most the boom had passed and british columbians neede help. They looked to be a part of USA first but that failed so they joined canada. Columbians needed help. They looked to be a part of USA first but that failed so they joined canada in 1871. Canada paid them a lot money to join(example: build a railway).

PEI - they reconsider. They want to trade with the US but britain would be upset by any formal agreement. Also most of PEI is owned by rich british guys that dont even live there. They join in 1873 and canada agrees to pay their signifacant debt.

Saskatchewan -in 1871 everything around manitoba was the northwest territories prime minister laurier wanted to settle the west and helped create two new provinces in 1905.

Yukon - was created in 1898 after the gold rush boom

Nunavut - the final territory was created in 1999, and is governed by aboriginal peoples