Chapter 2 Flashcards
Why unite the British North American colonies?
- economically advantageous –> larger domestic market by financing a railway link between Maritimes and Canada
- Opens up the West to settlement
- security from potential invasion from Americans
Who was involved in the proposals of the union and what did they believe in?
- George Brown, leader of the Reformers –> got process underway.
- John A. Macdonald, leader of the Conservatives –> legislative union: single legislature. (Knew Maritimers and Quebecois weren’t gonna like it, so a strong Parliament having all of the major legislative powers and provincial governments dealing with local matters was needed)
- George-Etienne Cartier, leader of the Bleus –> “political nationality”: federal system in which provincial governments had substantial powers, along with protection of minorities
Charlottetown Conference
- 1864
- meeting of leaders of Canada and the Maritimes where they talked about uniting Canada
British North America Act
- 1867
- Act of Parliament of the UK establishing the Dominion of Canada
- Later renamed Constitution Act
- provided country with a constitution
Who didn’t want the union of the BNA colonies?
- Maritimers: fear of domination by Canada
- French Quebecers: loss of their identities
- Indigenous peoples just weren’t consulted
What is noteworthy of the BNA Act?
- adoption of a federal system of government that divided legislative powers between the Canadian Parliament and the provincial legislatures –> different from UK (unitary system)
- establishment of the Canadian Parliament, considting of the House of Commons and the Senate
- protection of Quebec’s civil law system
- legislation regarding Indigenous peoples was the responsibility of the Canadian government, but there is no mention of Indigenous rights in the BNA Act
What did the Canadian government do in response to American expansionism?
negotiated an agreement to purchase Rupert’s Land and the Northwestern Territories from the Hudson’s Bay Company (1905: Alberta and Sask, 1912: Manitoba were carved out of this territory)
What happened in reaction to Canadian expansionism?
the Metis, who were not consulted rebelled. Louis Riel led this rebellion which blocked the lieutenant-governor’s entrance to the Red River settlement from Nov 1869-August 1870.
When did BC join Canada and what were the conditions?
- 1871
- large subsidy
- assumption of the impoverished colony’s debts
- promise of a railway to link the province with the rest of the country within 15 years
- adoption of a responsible government for the province
- the indigenous were not consulted AGAIN
When dis Prince Edward Island join Canada and what were the conditions?
- 1873
- assumption of the debt created by the construction of their railroad
- buyout of British absentee landlords who controlled a lot of their land
- commitment to maintain year-round ferry service to the island
When did Newfoundland Join Canada and what were the conditions?
- 1949
- assumption of the Newfoundland govt debt
- subsidies
- guarantee of steamship service to NS
What was the political structure like in Canada after 1867?
- Canada was not completely sovereign
- British government had the power to:
- overturn Canadian legislation
- extend British laws to Canada
- control Canada’s foreign policy
–> WAS NOT ALWAYS IN CANADA’S BEST INTEREST
Statute of Westminister
- 1931
- Ends British control over Canada
What are the challenges in the Maritimes’ economic growth compared to the rest of Canada?
- shift from cross-Atlantic to north-south with the US
- sale of Maritime businesses to central Canadians, reducing the control of their own economies
- development and expansion of Ont and Qc and rapid growth of the West reduced their political influence
Maritime Rights Movement
- 1920s –> declining economic and political position of Maritimes in Canada
- sought better terms for the Maritimes within Canada
Macdonald’s National Policy
- 1879
- railway construction
- high tariff on import of manufactured goods
- encouragement of immigration to Western Canada
What were some of the challenges faced by the Prairies in their development?
- they didn’t gain control of their own public lands and natural resources until 1930
- the railway freight rates discouraged the location of manufacturing and processing in western Canada
What influence did the Progressive Movement have in Canada from the Prairies?
Prairie farmers challenged the central Canadian business and government elites. They governed the province of Alberta from 1921 to 1935
National Energy Program
-government program adopted in 1980
- kept oil prices below the international level
- established a federal Crown corporation to be involved in the oil industry
- encouraged +
-subsidized oil exploration on federal lands in the Arctic and offshore Newfoundland
- increased the govt share of oil revenues
How did the National Energy Program affect the Prairies?
It reduced the dependence on Albertan oil and symbolized the Canadian government’s catering to the manufacturing interests in Ont and Qc at the expense of the oil-producing provinces
What issues do British Columbians face in Canada?
- feel like the Canadian government is oriented to the interests and concerns of central Canada
What are the challenges Newfoundland and Labrador face in Canada?
- critical of the “giveaways” of the province’s resources
- Canadian government’s mismanagement of cod stocks and disputes concerning offshore oil revenues
- Unwillingness of the Canadian government to require Qc to allow Labrador hydroelectricity to be transmitted through Qc –> sale of Labrador power to QC Hydro
What are the feelings of people from Newfoundland and Labrador towards Canada?
They want greater provincial powers. Many people have a strong Newfoundland identity, some believe that Newfoundland was coerced into its union with Canada
What are some of the issues Ontario faces in Canada
- Ontario premiers have been at odds with Canadian government
- province contributes more to Canada than it gets in return
