Lesson 8 — Activity 3: The British North America Act
Completion requirements
Lesson 8 — Activity 3: The
British North America Act
Warm Up
The next step towards the creation of Canada was a result of discussions among some leading citizens, often held at dinner functions. Although most of the attention had been focused on Québec and Ontario, colonies had also developed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.
In this activity, you will learn about the process of confederation that resulted in the creation of Canada as a nation.
In 1851, the first survey of the population of British North America was conducted. The chart below shows the population of the various colonies at that time. Ten years later in 1861, the population of British North America was 3,229,633. The population at that time was overwhelmingly of British origin.
Colony Population
Nova Scotia 276,854
New Brunswick 193,800
Prince Edward Island 56,878
Newfoundland 101,600
Canada East (now Québec) 890,261
Canada West (now Ontario) 952,004
Twenty years had passed since the Act of Union, and leaders from the various colonies started to discuss the idea of joining together. In September, 1864, the Atlantic provinces — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island,and Newfoundland — organized a conference to discuss a union among themselves.
The governor at the time, Charles Monck, asked that the province of Canada (Canada East and Canada West) be invited to their talks "to ascertain whether the proposed Union might not be made to embrace the whole of British North American Provinces."
This was agreed and resulted in a plan to hold the Charlottetown Conference in September, 1864, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Canada's most prominent politicians journeyed to attend the conference in Prince Edward Island. Those on board included John A. Macdonald and George Brown from Upper Canada and George-Étienne Cartier, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, and Alexander Galt from Lower Canada. Each journeyed to Charlottetown with a different idea in mind.
Cartier felt that if he could persuade the Atlantic colonies to join in a union, together their population would balance that of Upper Canada. Brown wanted an end to what he considered French domination of English affairs. Macdonald was worried about American aggression and felt that the united British colonies, perhaps, could resist their powerful neighbour.
On the first day of the conference, Macdonald spoke about the benefits of a union of all of British North America. The next day, Galt presented a well-researched description of the financial workings of such a union. On the third day, George Brown discussed the legal structure. And on the fourth day, McGee praised a nationalist identity of this new nation.
The original intent of the conference to discuss an Atlantic union was overwhelmed by talk of a larger union. In a matter of days, the Maritimers and Canadians had persuaded each other to create a new federation.
The terms of the union remained to be worked out, and the delegates agreed to meet again in Québec City the following month.
The same group met again a month later in Québec at the Québec Conference.
Canada's most prominent politicians journeyed to attend the conference in Prince Edward Island. Those on board included John A. Macdonald and George Brown from Upper Canada and George-Étienne Cartier, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, and Alexander Galt from Lower Canada. Each journeyed to Charlottetown with a different idea in mind.
Cartier felt that if he could persuade the Atlantic colonies to join in a union, together their population would balance that of Upper Canada. Brown wanted an end to what he considered French domination of English affairs. Macdonald was worried about American aggression and felt that the united British colonies, perhaps, could resist their powerful neighbour.
On the first day of the conference, Macdonald spoke about the benefits of a union of all of British North America. The next day, Galt presented a well-researched description of the financial workings of such a union. On the third day, George Brown discussed the legal structure. And on the fourth day, McGee praised a nationalist identity of this new nation.
The original intent of the conference to discuss an Atlantic union was overwhelmed by talk of a larger union. In a matter of days, the Maritimers and Canadians had persuaded each other to create a new federation.
The terms of the union remained to be worked out, and the delegates agreed to meet again in Québec City the following month.
Cartier felt that if he could persuade the Atlantic colonies to join in a union, together their population would balance that of Upper Canada. Brown wanted an end to what he considered French domination of English affairs. Macdonald was worried about American aggression and felt that the united British colonies, perhaps, could resist their powerful neighbour.
On the first day of the conference, Macdonald spoke about the benefits of a union of all of British North America. The next day, Galt presented a well-researched description of the financial workings of such a union. On the third day, George Brown discussed the legal structure. And on the fourth day, McGee praised a nationalist identity of this new nation.
The original intent of the conference to discuss an Atlantic union was overwhelmed by talk of a larger union. In a matter of days, the Maritimers and Canadians had persuaded each other to create a new federation.
The terms of the union remained to be worked out, and the delegates agreed to meet again in Québec City the following month.
The delegates at the Québec Conference had the task of spelling out the terms of confederation.
Many of the politicians at the Québec Conference were lawyers but others included doctors, businessmen, and journalists. Of the 33 delegates in Québec City, only four were French. The most powerful politician in Lower Canada, George-Étienne Cartier, preferred to speak for his fellow French Canadians.
The delegations from the Atlantic colonies included politicians from all persuasions, as government members and rivals joined forces to protect their regional interests. Upper Canada's most prominent delegates included John A. Macdonald and George Brown.
The meetings at Québec were held in secrecy. The key concept of federalism — the idea that the central government would be granted certain powers while the provinces retained others — was molded into shape. The Québec Conference went on for three weeks.
As a result of these meetings and discussions that followed, the British North America Act (later called the Constitution Act) was passed.
On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was established with a federal system of government. This meant that there would be a central government in Ottawa and provincial governments in the four original provinces of Confederation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Québec, and Ontario). Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland did not choose to join at this time.
The delegates at the Québec Conference had the task of spelling out the terms of confederation.
Many of the politicians at the Québec Conference were lawyers but others included doctors, businessmen, and journalists. Of the 33 delegates in Québec City, only four were French. The most powerful politician in Lower Canada, George-Étienne Cartier, preferred to speak for his fellow French Canadians.
The delegations from the Atlantic colonies included politicians from all persuasions, as government members and rivals joined forces to protect their regional interests. Upper Canada's most prominent delegates included John A. Macdonald and George Brown.
The meetings at Québec were held in secrecy. The key concept of federalism — the idea that the central government would be granted certain powers while the provinces retained others — was molded into shape. The Québec Conference went on for three weeks.
Many of the politicians at the Québec Conference were lawyers but others included doctors, businessmen, and journalists. Of the 33 delegates in Québec City, only four were French. The most powerful politician in Lower Canada, George-Étienne Cartier, preferred to speak for his fellow French Canadians.
The delegations from the Atlantic colonies included politicians from all persuasions, as government members and rivals joined forces to protect their regional interests. Upper Canada's most prominent delegates included John A. Macdonald and George Brown.
The meetings at Québec were held in secrecy. The key concept of federalism — the idea that the central government would be granted certain powers while the provinces retained others — was molded into shape. The Québec Conference went on for three weeks.