The Road to Confederation

1840 - 1867 : Led the reform movement in

Despised the ruling oligarchy/

Published articles in the Colonial Advocate criticizing the government

Wanted American Style democracy

1812 Elected to the Legislative Assembly List of Grievances in Upper Canada

Land - overpriced, good land gone, Family Compact dominated land ownership, crown and clergy reserve land blocked road construction

Roads - wanted more roads and better quality roads

Government - oligarchy controls the government, Governor and 2 councils have all control, Legislative Assembly powerless Controlling Opposition through Violence and Intimidation

Robert Gourley drew up the list of grievances and petitioned the government to change he was arrested and deported out of the colony

William Lyon Mackenzie’s newspaper

Burned office and printing press Problems seem worse in

The French population felt culturally attacked

Why: the ruling class was English BUT the majority of people were French

French population feared the loss of their: Language Religion Culture Power In Lower Canada English Speaking Minority held all the power in Lower Canada Those who control the money control the politics and policies ¼ of the population in control

Just like today 1% of the population controls the world Fearing Your Authority

French thought the British were going to phase out the “French Problem”

Britain encouraged English settlement

Encouraged assimilation to British culture Reform Movement In Lower Canada Main Grievances

Discrimination: French discriminated against by English Majority

Government: Lack of French Representation in Government

Taxes: Opposed taxation without representation

Schools: No French schools in Lower Canada

Farmers in debt: Land overworked from too many immigrants Louis Joseph Papineau: Leader of Radical Reformers in Lower Canada

Initially optimistic about British rule but disagreed about British controlling all power

Became the leader of the Parti Canadien Lobbied for Reform

After 30 years of legal attempts to reform, Papineau and his patriots rebelled against the government Controlling Opposition through Violence and Intimidation

The Governor of Lower Canada arrested anyone who criticized the government and closed papers that promoted reform

1822 British soldiers shot protestors in Montreal Remember there are Good Guys Rebellions of 1837 The Same Yet Different

One major difference in the reforms of Upper and Lower Canada is that Lower Canada was fighting for language and cultural rights

This issues follows into the 20th century and almost leads to the separation of Quebec from Canada Common Goal : Common Enemy

Reformers realized that any change in one colony would impact on the other, and the reform movements were connected SO...

Mackenzie and Papineau prepared for armed rebellion as they both believed the government could not be reformed from within Rebellion in Lower Canada Part 1 British vs Patriots and The Sons of Liberty

Sons of Liberty parading the streets with weapons ready to fight

Full rebellion occurred with the attempted arrest of Papineau Papineau soon fled to US while fighting moved to the countryside

British win after 1 month of Rebellion in countryside Rebellion in Lower Canada Part 2

Catholic Church did not support the Rebels

Second Rebellion 1 year later unsuccessful, unorganized Involved criminal acts

Hostility still exists today concerning a desire to protect French culture from British assimilation and dominance Rebellion in Upper Canada Part 1 Mackenzie wanted a United States type democracy and closer ties to the US Created a division from colonists who saw the US as an enemy

Fighting against the British Lieutenant-governor dissolved the elected Legislative Assembly when they criticized his misuse of Power and alliance with the Family Compact Rebellion in Upper Canada Part 2

Mackenzie wanted to seize weapons, and kidnap the Governor, and create a new government

Whole Rebellion very disorganized Mackenzie flees to the US Punishment Penalty for insurrection against the British government was death.

Public hanging.

Government wanted to make an example of Rebels so that rebellion and calls for reform would end.

Some transported to Tansmania to be used as slaves.

Many died on the journey. Papineau

Amnesty in 1844. Returned in 1845.

Re-entered politics in 1848.

Opposed Act of Union. Advocated U.S. annexation.

Left politics in 1854. Died 1871.

Lasting figure in French-Canada. Mackenzie Moved to New York, spent 10 years there. Still worked in newspapers.

Wrote books.

Returned to Canada in 1849 with government pardon. Resumed journalism & political careers.

Retired 1857. Died 1861. The Durham Report The Durham Report

that responsible government be granted to the British North American colonies The Durham Report

that responsible government be granted to the British North American colonies

that Upper & Lower Canada be amalgamated to form a united The Durham Report

that responsible government be granted to the British North American colonies

that Upper & Lower Canada be amalgamated to form a united Province of Canada

and that French Canadians be assimilated. The Durham Report

- openly criticized the political cliques...

- explained that he expected to find a conflict between a government and a people..

- war based on race, not on principles... The Durham Report

Upper Canada: Tory’s hated it. Reformers liked it.

Nova Scotia: Liked it.

Lower Canada: Tory’s liked it. French Canadians hated it.

British government accepted the recommendation for unification but not for responsible government. "It is not by weakening but in strengthening the influence of the people on their government," he wrote, "that it will be possible, in my view, to bring about concord where discord has so long reigned, and to introduce a hitherto unknown regularity and vigor into the administration of the provinces." "I expected to find a conflict between the government and the people: instead, I found two warring nations within a single State; I found a struggle, not of principles, but of races. And I realized that it would be pointless to try to improve the laws or institutions without succeeding in extinguishing the mortal hatred which now divides the inhabitants of Lower Canada into two hostile groups: French and English." "The language, the laws and the character of the North American continent are English, and every other race than the English race is in a state of inferiority. It is in order to release them from this inferiority that I wish to give the Canadians our English character." - regarded French Canadians as backwards...

- their benefit would be assimilation...

- individual liberties mattered...

- no value protecting the collective liberties... Act of the Union 1840 Legislation based on Durham’s recommendations that joined Lower and Upper Canada into the Province of Canada

Still a British Colony

Montreal the capital

All government documents in English

Canada East and Canada West in Government

French did NOT support union