063-073 120820 11/1/04 2:34 PM Page 63 Chapter 5 Confederation Won Celebration! With the first dawn of this summer morn- mourning. A likeness of Dr. Tupper is burned ing, we hail the birthday of a new nation. side-by-side with a rat in Nova Scotia. In A united British America takes its place New Brunswick, a newspaper carries a death among the nations of the world. notice on its front page: “Died—at her resi- dence in the city of Fredericton, The Prov- —George Brown ince of New Brunswick, in the 83rd year of her age.” It is 1 July 1867. The church bells start to ring at midnight. Early in the morning guns roar a salute from Halifax in the east to Sarnia in the west. Bonfires and fireworks light up the sky in cities and towns across the new country. It is the birthday of the new Dominion of Canada and the people of Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia are cele- brating. Under blue skies and sunshine, people of all religious faiths gather to offer prayers for the future of the nation. In Toronto, there is a great celebration at the Horticultural Gardens. The gardens are lit with Chinese lanterns. Fresh strawberries and ice cream are served. A concert is followed by dancing. Tickets are 25¢; children’s tickets are 10¢. In another part of the city, a huge ox is roasted and the meat is distributed to the poor. In Québec, boat races on the river, horse races, and a cricket match are held. In the Maritimes, families travel to the sea for a day of swimming and a supper of salads, cold meat, pies, and cakes. Almost everywhere, there is the feeling that this day is just the beginning of great things for Canada. But in some parts of the new Dominion, the mood is Predicting not one of rejoicing. Anti- 1. Confederation has been achieved.What questions do Confederationists display you think still need to be answered? flags at half-mast. They wear 2. How do you think the new country of Canada will deal with these challenges? black clothes as a sign of 63 063-073 120820 11/1/04 2:34 PM Page 64 64 Unit 1: Confederation How Will the Country Be Governed? Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick have decided on Confedera- tion. But there is still much work to be done. The British North American colonies still belong to Britain. The union cannot be official until the British Parliament approves it. The London Conference Politicians discuss plans for the new country Sixteen delegates from Canada, New of Canada at the London Conference. Brunswick, and Nova Scotia journey to London, England. Throughout the winter of 1866-67, Models for Government these Fathers of Confederation work with In building the new nation, the Fathers of British officials. They are drafting a Confederation have two models they can copy: Confederation bill they can present to the the British and the American. They choose British Parliament. The major issue is to decide what they believe are the best features from the how the new country will be governed. governments of both countries. Ideas from the American Model issue of the rights of individual states. In • Canada will have a federal system.That 1864, John A. Macdonald said: is, there will be a central government to In framing the Constitution, care should deal with matters of concern to the be taken to avoid the mistakes and whole nation. But each province (like each weaknesses of the United States system. state in the US) will also have its own Their primary error was reserving for the government to deal with matters of local states all powers not given to the central concern. government. We must reverse this.... • Britain is not a federal union; it has only a A strong central government is essential central government. For governing a large to the success of the experiment we are country such as the United States or trying. Canada, a federal union is considered better. Canada’s federal government may also be referred to as the “central,” the “national,” or the “Dominion” government. • The central government will be more powerful than the provincial governments. In their federal system, the Americans Federal Government gave wide powers to the states and lim- ited powers to the central government. They stated that any powers not men- Provincial Provincial tioned in their Constitution automatically Government Government belonged to the states.The bloody Civil Provincial Provincial War that had just ended arose out of the Government Government 063-073 120820 11/1/04 2:34 PM Page 65 Chapter 5: Confederation Won 65 Ideas from the British Model • The government will be responsible to the • No one is talking about independence people.The prime minister and the cabi- from Britain.The Queen will be the head net will be members of the political party of the Canadian government. But as in that has the largest number of elected Britain, she is required to follow the members in the House of Commons. If advice of the elected members of they lose the support of a majority of government. members, they can be voted out of power. • Canada will have a parliamentary govern- • Like the House of Lords in Britain, Canada ment fashioned on the British system with will have a second house of Parliament. It a House of Commons made up of will be called the Senate.The name is representatives elected by the people. taken from the American system. It will • There will be representation by popula- have 72 members appointed for life— tion. Provinces will elect members to the 24 from Québec, 24 from Ontario, and House of Commons on the basis of their 24 from the Maritimes. Its main function populations. Québec is guaranteed 65 is to double-check all laws passed by the members to ensure that it will not be elected House of Commons. swamped by an English-speaking majority. GOVERNMENT AT CONFEDERATION King or Queen of England • head of the government Governor General Senate • appointed by government in England • also called Upper House • represents King or Queen in Canada • 72 members appointed for life • responsible to British government • double check all laws passed by Prime Minister House of Commons • leader of party with the most members in the House of Commons Prime Minister Cabinet Cabinet • chosen by Prime Minister from party with most elected members House of Commons • each Cabinet minister is given • also called Lower House charge of a government • members elected for up department (e.g., Finance) to 5 years • hold office as long as Prime • make and pass laws House of Commons Minister wishes The People of Canada • voters from all provinces • elect representatives called Members of Parliament (MPs) to House of Commons 063-073 120820 11/1/04 2:34 PM Page 66 66 Unit 1: Confederation A New Constitution winter. They fight the Confederation scheme In the spring of 1867, the British North right to the last minute. But their attempt to America Act is introduced in the British stop it is hopeless. Parliament. The act is built on the Seventy-Two Resolutions worked out at the Québec The Division of Powers Conference. The fact that the Confederation The Constitution Act 1867 established the new idea is supported by people of different politi- country of Canada. A constitution also sets cal parties in Canada impresses the British. out all the rules, laws, and practices for how There is little debate in the British parliament. the government of a country will run. Some The act passes quickly without any major parts of the constitution are written. Other changes. It is said that the British parliament is parts are informal and unwritten. They are more interested in the debate on a new dog tax based on customs and traditions. which followed. One of the main aspects of the Constitution Queen Victoria puts her royal signature on Act 1867 was to set out the division of powers the act and 1 July 1867 is proclaimed as the day between the federal and provincial govern- it will come into effect. Today, the act is known ments. The Fathers of Confederation purposely as the Constitution Act 1867. It creates the limited the powers of the provinces. They were Dominion of Canada uniting four provinces: determined to have a strong central govern- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the two ment. The central government could disallow Canadas, now Ontario and Québec. any law passed by the provinces. Also, any Anti-Confederationists from Nova Scotia powers not set out would belong to the central led by Joseph Howe are also in London that government. CANADA 1867 DOMINION OF CANADA (Established by British North America Act, 1867) ALASKA BRITISH CROWN (Purchased by U.S.A., 1867) COLONIES BRITISH TERRITORIES 0 250 500 750 km NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES N Pacific Ocean BRITISH NE COLUMBIA Hudson Bay W FO U N D LA N D VANCOUVER RUPERT'S LAND ISLAND Victoria (Hudson's Bay Co.) EC B (United with É B.C., 1866) RED RIVER U SETTLEMENT Q PEI Québec Charlottetown ONTA Ottawa NOVA SCOTIA RIO NEW BRUNSWICK Toronto UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Atlantic Ocean 063-073 120820 11/1/04 2:34 PM Page 67 Chapter 5: Confederation Won 67 Provincial Government Federal Government Powers Powers • education • trade • property rights • defence • mines and forests • foreign affairs • licensing of businesses • banks • hospitals and asylums • shipping • raising money by taxes (such as • fisheries a provincial sales tax) for • criminal law provincial purposes • taxation • provincial courts and prisons • postal services • Aboriginal peoples and lands reserved for them Other Issues Women and Aboriginal Peoples The Constitution Act also covered other issues While French language and rights were pro- of government.