Chapter 1 Flashcards
What did Lord Durham consider in his report to solve the conflict between Francophones and Anglophones? /2
The union of Upper and Lower Canada
Establishing a responsible government
How was unionizing both Canada’s gonna solve the conflict between the Francophones and the Anglophones? /2
The union would lead to the assimilation of French Canadians
Cause the French Canadian members become a minority in the single legislative assembly
What was the act adopted by London called in 1840?
Act of Union
What was the Act of a Union?
Constitution proposing a legislative union that united Upper and Lower Canada into a SINGLE COLONY
What are consequences from the Act of Union? /3
The colony is now called the Province of Canada
Territorial changes
Political changes
What is the political description of the new legislative assembly (Province of Canada)? /5
Composed of representatives of Lower and Uppoer Canada
42 members from both Upper and Lower Canada = 84 members in total
Under British rule
French Canadians are the minority
Dominated by English Canadian members
What is the what is the political STRUCTURE of the Province of Canada under the Act of Union? /7
Sovereign (King Queen or Queen) and Cabinet ministers [United Kingdom]
⬇️
Secretary of State for the colonies [United Kingdom]
⬇️
Governor General
⬇️. ⬇️
Executive Council. Legislative Council
Legislative assembly ^ ! ! ! Electorate
Who is the Governor General? /4
Has the power of veto (decline a bill)
Can dissolve the legislative assembly
Appoints members of the legislative and executive council
Is appointed by the sovereign (King or Queen of UK)
What was the consequence of the political structure in 1840 for the representation of the population of Lower Canada?
Due to the Governor General appointing members of both executive and legislative council who were Anglophones, the population of LOWER CANADA ONLY HAD POWER IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS VERY LITTLE POWER COMPARED TO ANGLOPHONES.
What is responsible government?
IMPORTANT
A government in which the members of the Executive council are chosen from among the members of the majority in the legislative assembly
What is the executive council? /2
Composed of 8 members appointed by the Governor General
Puts the bill into action (executes)
What is the legislative council? /3
Composed of 24 members
Appointed by the Governor General
Bill is passed to them, once decided by the legislative assembly
What’s the legislative assembly? /4
Made up of 84 members (42 Upper and 42 Lower)
Are elected by the population of the Province of Québec.
Propose
Decide
Change
Vote on a bill
Have little representation in the political structure
What disadvantages did the Act of Union impose on French Canadians? /4
There was a French minority in the legislative assembly
|-> some members from Lower Canada were Anglophones
Governor and council members (executive and legislative) were all Anglophones
English became the official language in the Province of Québec
Lower Canada now shares Upper Canada’s debt on top of their own debt as a result of the merging/ Act of Union
What did not change for French Canadians in the Act of Union?
French civil law was maintained in Lower Canada
Following the Act of Union 1840, politicians divided into 2 groups. What were they? /2
Reformers
Conservatives
Who are the Reformers? /6
Led by Robert Baldwin (Upper Canada)
Led by Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine (Lower Canada)
|-> want to protect the rights of French Canadians
Composed of French Canadian members and a few English members in Lower Canada
Composed of English members in Upper Canada
Supported by the professional bourgeoisie
Demand the establishment of a responsible government
Who are the Conservatives? /4
Also known as Tories
Composed of English Canadians and 2 French Canadian members
Supported by the British business class
Do NOT seek political change
|-> do not want to lose their influence over the political structure of the Province of Québec (institutions with appointed members: Governor and councils)
What is the Alliance of Reformers? /5
Led by reformer leaders: Baldwin and Lafontaine
Established in order to give greater weight to their political demands
|-> establish responsible government
Formed after the elections of 1841-1848
French Canadians reformers would support their English Canadian colleagues with their economic legislations
In exchange….
English Canadian reformers would help protect the French language and French culture in Lower Canada
What is protectionism?
IMPORTANT
An economic policy instituted by a government in order to protect the economy of a country or empire from foreign competition
What are preferential tariffs?
A tarif that reduces customs duties on the goods of a trading partner (I.e a colony)
Identify the cause and effect of Britain abolishing protectionism in the mid-19 century /2(4)
Cause:
some members of the British parliament felt that British merchants were paying too much for certain resources that
Resources could be bought at a lower price in other regions (than their colonies)
Effect:
British colonies must now compete with foreign countries to have a place for their resources and products on the British market
Merchants from the Province of a Canada are now very unhappy since they now must face foreign competition
What is a consequence of the abolishment of Britain’s protectionism? /5
Encouraged British colonies to become more autonomous economically
A path for greater political autonomy
Grants ministerial responsibility to Britain’s colonies
First responsible government in the Province of Québec is formed in 1848
Reciprocity Treaty
Indicate a change in the political structure of the Province of Québec government after 1840. /3
change:
Members of the executive council are not longer appointed by the Governor General
Members of the executive council are NOW appointed by the leader of the party with the most seats in the legislative assembly
Members of the executive council must now present bills that received support from the majority of the members of the legislative assembly