POPULATION IN THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD

BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT 1867 DOMINION OF CANADA WAS CREATED TWO LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT: FEDERAL & PROVINCIAL

IMPACT ON CANADA’S POPULATION & SETTLEMENT 1. CONTROL OVER IMMIGRATION POLICY WAS SHARED BETWEEN FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS 2. LAWS IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURE WERE SIMILARLY SHARED BETWEEN THE TWO LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

3. MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WAS MADE UP OF FARMERS LIVING IN RURAL AREAS 4. THE MOST POPULATED CITIES WERE MONTREAL AND TORONTO 5. MOST OF THE POPULATION RESIDED IN QUEBEC AND ONTARIO – 75% 6. FRANCOPHONE INHABITANTS REPRESENTED UNDER 31% OF THE DOMINION’S POPULATION-FRANCOPHONES WERE A MINORITY

IMPACT ON ABORIGINAL POPULATIONS & SETTLEMENT 1. LAND INHABITED BY FIRST NATIONS & METIS COMMUNITIES WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO WHITE COLONISTS 2. METIS WAY OF LIFE BASED ON SUBSISTENCE AND BISON HUNTING WAS THREATENED BY NEW COLONISTS – LED TO TWO REBELLIONS

IMPACT ON ABORIGINAL POPULATIONS & SETTLEMENT 3. MANY FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE AND METIS EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES OR FURTHER WEST 4. ALTHOUGH THE ABORIGINALS GAINED THE SOLE RIGHTS TO THE INDIAN RESERVES, IN 1876 THE INDIAN ACT STRIPPED THEM OF THEIR IDENTITY AND FORCED THEM TO ADAPT TO WESTERN SOCIETY

CREATED BY JOHN A. MACDONALD NATIONAL POLICY 1879 CREATED BY JOHN A. MACDONALD

Objectives of National Policy 1) To support Canadian Industries by introducing a tariff policy of increased custom duties on products imported from abroad 2) To increase trade between the Dominion’s various regions through massive investments in railway construction 3) To settle the land west of Ontario through immigration in order to create a large domestic market (customers)

Impact of National Policy on Population Between 1871 and 1901 1. 5 million immigrants came from the British Isles, Northern Europe and the United States

Impact of National Policy on Population 2) Tensions existed between the Irish and the French Canadians who were in constant competition for jobs in the labour market

Impact of National Policy on Population 3) French were the majority in Quebec, however British were the majority in the cities and areas such as the Easter Townships, Outaouais and Gaspesie