The Road to Confederation

Reading Assignment Review

What is responsible government? Who recommended this reform was necessary in

British North America?

0 Responsible government is a form of government in which a Cabinet, selected from a larger group of elected representatives, acts as the executive and makes decisions for which it is collectively responsible

0 Lord Durham recommended changes in governance in his Report on the Affairs of British North America (he was supported by Earl Gray Colonial Secretary)

0 He did this in response to the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada

In your own words, explain the impact of responsible government with reference to Nova Scotia as an example.

0The first election to apply the new policy of Responsible government was held in Nova Scotia in 1847

0The people (based upon majority) had voted for the government that they wanted and that government now ran the province

Which groups were considered the ruling elite in Upper and Lower Canada?

0Upper Canada- Family Compact 0Lower Canada- Chateau Clique

What role did Louis-Joseph Papineau play in the rebellion of

Lower Canada?0Papineau was a lawyer in Lower Canada (Quebec)0Reformer0Leader of the Parti Patriote 0Ninety-two Resolutions (a list of political reforms) 0Britain rejected all of them 0Papineau rallied support for reform 0Sparked the rebellion in Lower Canada

Read the Voices text box on page 161. What did Lord Durham suggest Britain do to quell

any rebelliousness in her colonies?

0Don’t change the principles of the government

0Give colonists the rights held by British citizens

0Allow responsible government

0Unite Upper and Lower Canada

0Assimilate the French

Who was the best-known reformer in Upper Canada? Why?

0William Lyon MacKenzie 0Newspaper editor 0 attacked the powers of the Family Compact in his

newspaper 0 gained the support of many Upper Canadian

colonists 0He rallied a band of rebels to march on Toronto and

overthrow the government in 1837

Explain the changes that came about with the Act of Union in 1841.

0Upper and Lower Canada were united under a single Parliament

0The colonies were now called Canada East (former Lower Canada) and Canada West (former Upper Canada)

0The idea was to assimilate the French

Explain the changes that came about with the Act of Union in 1841.

0English was made the official language of the colony

0Each side was given an equal number of reps. In the government although the French -speaking population was much greater than the English-speaking population

0Therefore the English-speaking colonists dominated the government

How did responsible government in 1848 change Britain’s role in relation to

Canada?

0Britain was still in control of military matters and foreign policy

0 it had a declining interest in local affairs

Explain the concept of representation by population. Why was it a political issue tied

to the failure of the Act of Union?

0Organizing a legislature so that each member represents approximately an equal number of people

Why was Maritime union important to eastern colonies?

0Geographically the Maritimes were isolated from Canada

0Union would give them greater political power within the British Empire

Explain the significance of the Charlottetown Conference in 1864.

0This conference was held to explore the idea of union of all of BNA

0They proposed this in response to the idea of Maritime Union

0This was followed by the Quebec Conference in 1864 (blueprints for Confederation)

The people in a number of colonies opposed confederation? Give 2 reasons for this

opposition.

0Many felt the new country would be dominated by the Province of Canada

0Would Atlantic colonies have a voice?

0They also objected to the transfer of the right to regulate trade tariffs to the new federal government

Why is Canada considered a constitutional monarchy?

0The monarch in Canada only has the powers that have been granted to him/her by our Constitution and laws

What are the 3 branches of Canada’s government? What is the role of each?

0Legislative- make laws

0Executive- run federal departments/ administration/ manage money

0 Judiciary-law enforcement and courts