![]() Macdonald was attorney general) was made up of the Parti Bleu and the Conservatives but was incapable of mustering a majority without drawing in another party caucus. In 1862, when faced with yet another possible stalemate in the Canadian assembly, George-Étienne Cartier turned to his nemesis, George Brown, with an appeal for support. Note that it says nothing about a federal structure. Figure 14.3 Official declarations took the form of posters like this one, announcing the union of three colonies. ![]() They were given permission to do so, but the result still constitutes a landmark. ![]() Until 1867 every constitution in British North America since 1774 had been imposed by Britain. Here, then, was an instance where the colonials took charge. What can be said for certain is that the three founding colonies, along with Prince Edward Island whose representatives did much to give the conversation its shape, were able to do something extraordinary in the context of their colonial status: they designed their own constitution. It might also be understood as simply following British marching orders, the logical outcome of free trade, and the withdrawal of a British military presence. The achievement of Confederation in 1867 can be seen as the culmination of effort on the part of colonial leaders and elites to find a way forward past substantial obstacles. The fact that the powerful Orange Lodge said so regularly made it impossible for even the most inclusive Canadian leaders to shrug off the Canadiens’ concerns. Every such pronouncement, of course, had the effect of reinforcing the belief among Catholics that the Protestant denominations wished to to destroy one of the key institutions of Canadien life. Lawrence Valley as an impediment to progress, democracy, and good government. Durham and many of his predecessors regarded the Catholic Church in the St. The British Parliament had enjoyed centuries in which to develop a common language of political discourse in the Canadas this had not yet happened and the factions presented in the asssembly only served to intensify some of the dividing lines.Īnother important fracture, one that was embedded in the mission of the Act of Union, was sectarianism. There were others - specifically the Grits - who eschewed compromise, a position that arose from their very principled outlook on political and economic life but which also made them extremely difficult to work with. There were those who advocated extending democratic rights to the greatest number (of adult males) and others who argued that such innovations would only lead to mob rule. There were divisions along ideological lines, principally between liberal urban professionals and the wealthy merchant class in the Reform, Grit, Radical (and sometimes Rouge) parties and those Conservative-Tory-Bleu members whose support was located among the colonial elites. No single party commanded enough seats to enjoy a majority in the assembly. The 1860s: Confederation and Its DiscontentsĪs we saw in Chapter 11, political life in the united Province of Canada in the 1850s was marked by frustration and stalemate.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |