The Confederation Waltz

1. The Confederation Waltz Change in British attitudes Fear of American invasion Loss of free trade with the Americans Rail construction A United Canada did not work “The glory argument” creating something Bigger and Better

2. The Causes of Confederation • Great Britain had changed, no longer wanting to be military master of the world • Britain wanted profit and trade • Imperialism but no longer military imperialism but economic imperialism • Colonies were a “burden” • A self-governing Canada with final authority in Britain was the answer • Second reason was the American Civil War between 1861-1865 • The war between the North and the South • Canada supported the North or “Union” or “the Blues” • Britain supported the South or “Johnny Rebs” or ‘The Grays”

3. Just as in the War of 1812 the US could not attack Britain so Canada was the victim Remember back in the War of 1812 how the British stopped neutral trading ships (American) Remember how upset the Americans were Well during the American Civil War Britain was the victim and the USA the oppressor The British steamer Trent was boarded in neutral waters Britain wanted war and sent 14,000 troops to Canada Britain was neutral but helped the South The Confederates had the warship “Alabama” built in Liverpool The Alabama sunk many Union ships After the war the US gave Britain a bill for 4 billion dollars Claiming that if Britain did not want to pay they could always hand over Canada More Causes

4. Raids on Canada • The Union Army marched through the south • Southerners came to Canada and attacked the US through Canada • They raided the town of St. Alban’s Vermont and sold $200,000 • They were captured in Montreal but let go by the judge and the money returned to them • This destroyed any chance of “free trade” with America • Could have even lead to war with Canada

5. RECIPROCITY • The Reciprocity Treaty that the colonies had signed with the US was open to be renewed in 1865 • Because of the bad feelings the Americans let the treaty lapse • The Americans believed that this would force the British colonies to join the US • In fact without reciprocity it forced the British colonies to unite • The Railway Revolution made the Canada union possible • Railways could unite all the regions of the confederation by a band of steel

6. RAILWAYS • Railways had great dreams and great profits could be made • It was no accident that most of the loudest voices for confederation were railway men • Profit was not the only dream with attack from the US growing daily a united colonial army could be moved to any part of the confederation by rail • Stalemate in the Province of Canada was another problem • The Union of Upper and Lower Canada had lead to political deadlock

7. A UNITED CANADA “did not work” • The Act of Union did not swamp French-Canadians with English-Canadians as Radical Jack had hoped • Rather the Province of Canada was split right down the middle • The number of seats was equal between each • English and French • Therefore anyone that wanted to rule had to have a majority of French-Canadians • The Act of Union had made the French-Canadians stronger not weaker • In 1851 Louis LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin had retired

8. Reformers replaced by Conservatives • A new alliance of John A. Macdonald and George-Etienne Cartier • The Province of Canada was divided into two camps • Conservatives: • In Canada West John A. Macdonald’s “Liberal-Conservative Party” • In Canada East George-Etienne Cartier’s “Parti Bleu” (supported RC Church, pro-British and anti-American) • Reformers: • In Canada West George Brown’s Reform Party and a radical group of farmers called the “Clear Grits” • In Canada East Antoine-Aime Dorion’s radical “Parti Rouge”

9. REP by POP • The population in the province of Canada was increasing • Mostly for the English speaking • But the seats in parliament was still 50/50 • The British had under represented the French how it was the English who were hurt • George Brown and his reformers “howled” “rep by pop” • Canada East or Quebec refused to except Rep by Pop • The solution separate Canada East and Canada West

10. The Great Coalition • On June 24th 1864 George Brown crossed the floor of parliament and joined his enemy John A. Macdonald to help create Canada • He had 3 conditions: • 1) a creation of one nations from all British Colonies • 2) the government of Canada be based on REP by POP • 3) that the new nation expand westward and northward • “The Americans are coming!”

11. Great Coalition • The new Canada had the support of 3 of 4 groups • John A. Macdonald’s English-Canadian Conservatives • George-Etienne Cartier’s French-Canadian Conservatives • George Brown’s English-Canadian Reformers • Shut out was the French-Canadian Reformers “parti rouge” • Brown MacDonald and Cartier were the driving force of confederation

12. Maritime Union • Charles Tupper of Nova Scotia • Leonard Tilley of New Brunswick • John Hamilton Gray of Prince Edward Island • Were also worried about the Americans • Their solution was a union of the “maritime colonies” • When the Canadians caught wind of these talks they came up with a union of all of British North America • Conference was set for Charlottetown PEI September 1st 1864

13. The Charlottetown Conference • Led by Brown, Macdonald and Cartier the Charlottetown Conference was an attempt by smooth talking Canadians to seduce their Maritime cousins into marriage • According to historian Donald Swainson “Confederation was floated through on champagne” Cartier and Macdonald gave arguments for confederation • George Brown outlined the constitution Rep by Pop, federal system, strong central gov’t

14. The Charlottetown Conference • Alexander Galt Minister of Finance gave an economic overview • Thomas D’Arcy McGee an Irish poet master of the glory argument spoke of a “New Nation” a “New People” a “New Vision” • It was a tag-team sales pitch and it worked • A new meeting was set in Quebec City to work out the details of union • Charlottetown is “the Cradle of Confederation”

15. More than anyone John A. can claim to be the main “author” of the Canadian Constitution Britain and France are “unitary states” with a single strong central government Macdonald wanted this form of government But the other leaders destroyed this idea The new country would have a “federal system’ Two levels of government A central one to manage matters of common national interest Provincial ones to handle local and regional matters This was the American model for state and national government Canadians rejected the American Presidential system of government and chose the British parliamentary system The leader of the country is the leader of the political party that has the most seats in the House of Commons The Quebec Conference72 Resolutions

16. 72 Resolutions • The new Canadian Union would be a blend of British and American • PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS: education, roads, medicine, municipalities, property rights, civil law, administering justice, managing natural resources • FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: currency and banking, native affairs, marriage, divorce, criminal law offshores fisheries, defense • Quebec was given extra powers to maintain control over language, religion and civil law • The big difference Canada and the US was that any unnamed powers or “residual powers “ were given to the federal government • Macdonald wanted a strong central government to stop an American Civil War in Canada • Over the years so much power has been given to the provinces that Canada is one of the most decentralized countries on earth

17. Federal Government • The British crown would be represented in Canada by the Governor-General and Lieutenant-Governors in each province • The legislative part of government would be divided into two Houses • The Senate: or Upper House would be appointed by the Prime Minister and cabinet • The House of Commons: or Lower House would be elected by the people • The seats in the Senate would be represented by region not population

18. SENATE • Rep by Region sounds good the provinces can be represented other than population • Because the senators are appointed by the federal government they became “federal lackeys” • Patronage: the awarding of jobs and favours to political cronies • The reason for the senate was that Macdonald and many of his delegates still did not like “mob rule” or democracy • Therefore they needed an un-democratic house to protect the upper class • As Macdonald said ”The rights of the minority must be protected, and the rich are always fewer in number than the poor…”

19. Reaction and Resistance • The Quebec Conference set out the details now the colonies had to that the deal back to their governments • Newfoundland and PEI said “NO!” • The province of Canada said “yes” 91 in favour 33 against French-Canadians 27 to 21 • New Brunswick after an election said “yes” • Nova Scotia was forced into Confederation by Charles Tupper Joseph Howe wanted an election • There was no election or debate, confederation passed

20. Fenians to the Rescue • Britain was trying to force the colonies to except confederation but it was the Americans that did the trick! • In 1866 after the US Civil War a rag-tag group of Irish-Americans called the “Fenians” attacked Canada • The “Fenians” wanted to free Ireland from British rule so they attacked Canada? • They attacked New Brunswick, Niagara and the Red River area • Although no real threat they had great effect

21. “Oh Superior! We Stand on Guard For Thee” • The new country had many names before Canada was chosen • Tuponia a contraction of The United Provinces of North America • Efiaga a contraction of England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Aboriginal • Superior, Norland and many others Thomas D’Arcy McGee convinced everyone that it was better to be a Canadian rather than a Tuponian • However, “Hello, my name is Joe..and I am Superior!” • Or “I am Superior!”

22. More Fenians • “Historically the Fenians were probably a blessing to Canada. They united the country as nothing else could.” Desmond Morton • It was the Fenians that made sure Tilley of New Brunswick won the next election • And it was New Brunswick that was the “land bridge” for confederation • The BNA Act is Passed • The British North America Act • BNAA

23. BNA Act Passed • Charlottetown September 1-9 1864 delegates agree to the broad principles of union • Quebec City October 10-27 1864 the structure of union, the division of power • London, England over the winter of 1866-1867 minor changes for Quebec, improved money for the Maritimes and an intercolonial railway • On March 29, 1867 Queen Victoria signed the British North America Act and it came into effect on July 1, 1867 • A new nation “Canada “ was born

24. Canada’s First Separation Movement • Canada 3.5 million people and 4 charter members Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario • The BNA Act did not give Canada full independence, Canada was still part of the British Empire Canada ran local matters, international matters run by Britain • “Died! Last Night at twelve o’clock, the free and enlightened Province of Nova Scotia.” • There was strong support for Confederation in all provinces except Nova Scotia

25. Nova Scotia (Rebellion) • In the 1867 provincial election in Nova Scotia the anti-Confederates won 35 of the 38 seats • In the federal election of the same year in NS the anti-Confederates won 18 of the 19 seats. • Joseph Howe lead the crusade against Confederation • “I do not believe that the people of Nova Scotia will ever be satisfied to submit to an act which has been forced upon by such unjust and unjustifiable means… the people of my province were tricked into this scheme.” • For 13 months Howe fought a brave battle , but in the end in crossed the floor and supported Macdonald

26. Fathers of Confederation • 36 fathers of confederation, delegates of Charlottetown, Quebec and London • Of the 36 9 became provincial premiers • 10 became Lieutenant_Governors • 12 became federal; cabinet ministers • 13 received knighthoods • 2 became prime ministers Macdonald and Tupper • 2 were murdered George Brown editor of the “GLOBE” and Thomas D’Arcy McGee • The most important of the “fathers” were MacDonald, Cartier, Brown, Tilley, Tupper, Galt and McGee • To the list add Amor de Cosmos helped bring BC • Louis Riel founder of Manitoba • Joey Smallwood of Newfoundland 1949 • And John Amagoalik founder of Nunavut 1999 • All these men and only one mother Queen Victoria she wanted the union and signed the BNA Act

27. So Much More! • “Canada is divisible because Canada is not a real country.” Lucien Bouchard 1996 • “Canada est deux nations” Henri Bourassa • Canada was never a nation of two peoples • It was a union of 4 British Colonies • A nation that grew to be more than 4 colonies but of 10 provinces and 3 territories • A nation that could grew to be so much more!

28. The Waltz is over. Or is it? Red River Rebellion North-West Rebellion Gold and War