Canada and Quebec Before Confederation: Factors that push Canada towards Confederation

Economic Problems Expensive and non-efficient railroad system Costs a lot up maintain Does not connect all the regions of the colony and it does not include all the big cities. Grand Trunk Railroad

1860s  United canada  problems Economic Problems: The Recriprocity Treaty  was not renewed by the United States in 1864 England removes the « Corn Laws » England removes the Timber laws  does not buy as much timber from Canada

Politcal Problems Internal Problems Poilitical instability: government leaders constantly changing ‘Rep by Pop’ Representatives based on population Canada West wants this now…. bigger population

External Problems American Menace ‘Fenian raids’/American Civil War American Soldiers crossing the border trying to capture British territory U.S.A. expansion  expanding West and possibly taking North West.

Battle of Ridgeway- Canada West (1866)

“Manifest Destiny”

Solutions to these problems?

So... Several Solutions are presented Les solutions proéminents: Better internal economy Coalition government Defend against the Americans Annexation by USA

Important People and Political Parties 1854-1864 Party Leader(s) Region Objective(s) Parti-Rouge Antoine-Aime Dorion Canada East Education system not controlled by the church Canada East: Uniligual (French) No more church taxes “Clear Grits” George Brown Canada West Government takes control of land owned by Hudson’s Bay Company Non religious education system Governor and members of assembly are elected Liberal-Conservatives (Blues) John A. Macdonald & Georges-Etienne Cartier Canada East & Canada West Keeps links with England Central government  legislative

Leader: Antoine-Aime Dorion

Leaders: George Brown

Leader: John A. Macdonald

Leader: Georges-Etienne Cartier

Towards Confederation Step 1 1864  George Brown asks John A. Macdonald & Georges-Etienne Cartier to make a coalition (team) between the ‘Clear Grits’ and the Liberal-Conservatives  The Great Coalition

The Great Coalition The GreaT Coalition is the first step towards Confederation Stops political «Deadlock » Brown asks for three things after the coalition

The 3 Conditions of Brown: The coalition should work towards a large unification of all the British North American Colonies Canada should be founded on a « rep. by pop. » system  democratic! That Canada expands Westward all the way in the North and all the way to the Pacific Ocean.