Struggle for responsible government marks 1850-64

1. Struggle for responsible government marks 1850-64 • The battle for Responsible Government won, the division between the Reform coalition (on the left) and their Tory opponents (on the right) weakens • Unleashes potentially chaotic and complicated political landscape marked by sectarian and regional as well as political divisions

2. The Dreaded Double Majority A political deadlock existed between Canada East and Canada West. The government at that time was unable to pass anything because they had a "double majority". With the "double majority" in order for a bill to pass in the Legislative Assembly, there had to be a vote in both Canada East and Canada West sections of the assembly, rather than just a simple majority. The main problem with this was that the French and English voted against each other on just about everything out of distrust, which meant that nothing was accomplished.

3. Sectionalism & Gridlock • Economic progress and development stalled • Tensions were: • Religious: Catholic vs Protestant • Ethnic: English, French, Aboriginal • Constitutional: British vs Republican Government • Economic: seigneurs vs habitants, professional vs workers • Regional: West vs East

4. Sectionalism & Gridlock • A series of contentious issues revealed how polarized and unstable the political situation was: • Rebellion Losses Bill, 1849 • Annexationist Movement • Capital of Canada, Kingston, Toronto, Québec City, Bytown??

5. Rebellion Losses Bill In the Province of Canada, responsible government was put to the test in 1849, when Reformers in the legislature passed the Rebellion Losses Bill. This was a law that provided compensation to French-Canadians who suffered losses during the Rebellions of 1837-1838 in Lower-Canada. The Governor, Lord Elgin, had serious misgivings about the bill but nonetheless assented to it despite demands from the Tories that he refuse to do so. Elgin was physically assaulted by an English-speaking mob for this, and the Montréal Parliament building was burned to the ground in the ensuing riots. Nonetheless, the Rebellion Losses Bill helped entrench responsible government into Canadian politics.

6. Annexation Movement Tories frustrated with “French domination” and Lord Elgin after Rebellion Losses Bill Tories linked their loyalty to economic opportunity. British policy of free trade pushes Tories toward closer ties with U.S Radical French Canadians, admire American democratic institutions – Papineau and Jacksonian democracy Economy improves after 1854 Reciprocity with U.S., support for annexation movement wanes

7. Choosing a Capital Between 1841 and 1859, legislative assembly makes 218 attempts to choose a capital, symbolic of deadlock 1841, British choose Kingston, Lord Sydenham hopes French will assimilate quicker 1849, Moves to Toronto after fire in Kingston 1850, Rotate between Québec City and Toronto 1855, Queen Victoria finalizes on Bytown, now called Ottawa

8. Research Assignment - Liberal Conservatives, Blues, Rouges, Reformers, Clear Grits Who were the primary leaders of the LC, B, R, Ref, CG?? What were their views towards the British? Were they aligned with the church or the state? Were they Catholic or Protestant? What did they want to achieve?

9. An Ideological Map of The Province of Canadas Catholic Church Republican British State Protestant Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

10. The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Catholic Rouges Church Blues Republican British State Protestant Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

11. The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Catholic Rouges Church Blues Republican Clear Grits Liberal - Conservatives British State Protestant Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

12. The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Catholic Rouges Church Blues Republican Clear Grits Liberal - Conservatives British State Reformers Protestant Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

13. Political Deadlock Between 1861-1864, 2 elections, 3 admin changes May 1862, Cartier-Macdonald ministry resigns 1863, Sandfield Macdonald and Louis-Victor Sicotte fails a vote of confidence 1864, Sandfield Macdonald resigns June 1864, Taché-Macdonald defeated

14. The Great Coalition What was the Great Coalition and why was it formed? • June 30, 1864, in order to break the political deadlock, a coalition was formed between the Clear Grits under George Brown, the Parti bleu under George-Étienne Cartier, and the Liberal-Conservatives under John A. Macdonald. • Brown insists on confederation • Brown demands westward expansion • Brown demands “rep by pop”

15. Macdonald’s Ideological Vision Catholic Blues Rouge Liberal-Progressives Clear Grits Ind. Reform Tories Protestant Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/