Canadian Confederation

Federal System

Parliament for provinces & the whole country

Rep by pop & equal rep

Representation by population in the house of commons
In the senate there would be equal representation

Balance of appointed and elected officials

House of commons would be elected by voters
Senate would be appointed by the Prime Minister

Bilingual features

Canada's official languages of parliament would be French and English

Canada was worried about infiltration

Manifest Destiny

Not enough protection / small budget for army

The trade policies of America

Sir John A. Macdonald

Main influence in the writing of resolutions at Quebec conference

Helped draft the federal system for Canada

Preference was for a strong, highly centralized, unitary form of government

George Brown

Formed a coalition to seek a federal union of all the British provinces

First to carry a plan for confederation to the British government.

Sir George-Etienne Cartier

Helped convince George Brown to join the great coalition

Argued for political nationality at Quebec conference

Helped BC join Canada by promising a transcontinental railway

Canada became a country in 1867 including Ontario, Quebec, Nov Scotia, and New Brunswick

1870 Manitoba, Northwest Territories joined

1871 British Columbia joined

1873 Prince Edward Island joined

1898 Yukon joined

1905 Alberta, Saskatchewan joined

1949 Newfoundland and Labrador joined

1999 Nunavut was created

Charlottetown Conference

Took place September 1864

Original purpose was to discuss new maritime union

The Canadian delegates proposed the idea of one nation

Quebec Conference

Took place October 1864

The rules for confederation were worked out

72 resolutions were voted on and passed

London Conference

Took place December 1866

The foundation for the constitution was laid

Canada ended up controlling internal affairs
Britain ended up controlling foreign policy

Resulted in the BNA act, joining Canada