HISTORY OF QUEBEC AND CANADA Secondary 4 Based off of Reflections textbook by Chenelière
BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT PART 2
CHARLOTTETOWN CONFERENCE In September 1864, the representatives of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia met in Charlottetown to discuss a union of the Maritime colonies. The Province of Canada managed to get itself invited to this conference. It sent eight observers to Charlottetown, including the leaders of the Great Coalition: Macdonald, Cartier and Brown They tried to convince the other delegates that a union of all the colonies would be more beneficial. They eventually convinced them of the idea of a federal union Delegates at the Charlottetown Conference, 1864
QUEBEC CONFERENCE Following the Charlottetown Conference, delegates from Newfoundland were invited to the Quebec Conference in October 1864. At the end of the second conference, the delegates accepted the proposed union. They drafted the 72 Resolutions, a document that summarizes the main points of agreement. The Fathers of Confederation at the Quebec Conference, 1864
REACTIONS TO THE CONFERENCES Maritimes PROVINCE or REGION REACTION RESULT Worried about having to repay debt accumulated by Province of Canada Created uncertainty about joining Newfoundland and PEI New Brunswick Concerned about their level of political power if they united with the other regions; they were the least populated (Rep by Pop) The political party that supported confederation was defeated 1865. However, the British Government helped get another pro-confederation political party elected in 1866; they desired confederation Following the first negotiations, both provinces withdrew their support for Confederation New Brunswick agreed to join
PROVINCE or REGION REACTION RESULT Nova Scotia Upper Canada Lower Canada REACTIONS TO THE CONFERENCES The proposal was initially rejected but the colony s prime minister nevertheless went ahead with plans to join the union, on condition that a railway be built to connect NS to the Province of Canada Most members of the Legislative Assembly supported confederation because of the benefits: Proportional rep. = more Upper Canada seats and confederation included plans to expand the territory (northward and westward) Bleus supported it, Rouges opposed it. Dorion thought Francophones would lose identity. Wanted consultations Joined confederation. Intercontinental railway was built in 1872. Upper Canada joined confederation Despite the opposition, Parti Bleu voted in favour of confederation
THE RESULTS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS
THE LONDON CONFERENCE (1866) The delegates of the British North American colonies went to London in December 1866 to obtain approval for Confederation. Drafted a bill based on the 72 Resolutions (Quebec Conference) ON March 29, 1867, Parliament adopted the British North America Act (BNA Act), became the first Canadian constitution The BNA Act differed from the proposed 72 Resolutions. John A. Macdonald insisted that the central government be given greater powers than those granted the provinces. BNA Act gave the federal government residual powers and power of disallowance, which gave it some authorities over the provinces This union of colonies was not a confederation, but rather a federation. Residual Powers: All powers not stipulated in the Constitution. According to the BNA Act, these powers automatically fall to the federal government Power of Disallowance: The power held by the federal government to reject laws adopted by the provinces. Federation: The Union of several provincial governments around a central government that holds greater powers.
TERRITORY OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA The British North American Act (BNA Act) came into effect on July 1, 1867. Under this act, Canada became a dominion. It s political system was that of a constitutional monarchy. The Dominion included four Provinces: Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Dominion An autonomous member state of the British Commonwealth (all of the former colonies of the British Empire that are still united under the Crown) Constitutional Monarchy: A political system in which the head of state is a king or queen whose powers are limited by a constitution.
STRUCTURE OF CANADIAN FEDERALISM Powers were divided between two levels: the central government (federal government) and the provincial government