Social Studies 9:Durham Report Assimilate…seems to be a Canadian Theme

What was the Durham Report? Lord Durham was sent to the Canada in 1838 to investigate the causes of the rebellions and to find solutions to the political problems plaguing Upper and Lower Canada.

What was the Durham Report? In the report he explained that he expected to find a conflict between a government and a people, but instead found two nations at war within the same state. It was a war based on race, not on principles. In his opinion, Canada was a land of two hostile groups: the French and the English.

What was the Durham Report? "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. We must release them from this inferiority that I wish to give the Canadians our English character."

What was the Durham Report? To solve the problem, Durham proposed to unite Upper and Lower Canada. By uniting the two Canadas, the English would become dominant and the French Canadians would become a minority. He thought that French Canadians, whom he described as a people "without history and without literature", would gradually abandon their identity.

Durham's Recommendations to unite Upper and Lower Canada to make the French a minority to assimilate or anglicize the French majority in Lower Canada to grant responsible government To assimilate: the to the same Anglicize: to make English

Consequences of Durham's Recommendations Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1840 Responsible government was granted in 1848 I came, I saw, I fixed, I left. French are nasty people! Lord Durham

What is Responsible Government? Responsible government requires that government ministers should be elected members of the legislative assembly, not appointed by the governor If the government cannot keep a majority it must resign. It is the basic principle upon which Canada's parliament and provincial governments is based. The government is directly responsible to the elected members of parliament or the legislature.

Test for Responsible Government In 1849, the Rebellion Losses Bill, which would compensate persons who had suffered property damage in Lower Canada during the rebellion, was approved by the executive council (cabinet) and passed by the legislative assembly. Lord Elgin, although personally against the bill, signed it on the grounds that under responsible government he was bound to follow the advice of the executive council.

Reactions To show their displeasure English Tories (Chateau Clique), who were against the principles of responsible government and against the Rebellion Losses Bill, burned down the Parliament buildings in Montreal. In the same year the Tories and English commercial interests issued the Annexation Manifesto advocating the annexation of Canada by the United States. Burning Parliament

Was Durham a Racist?? He believed he was superior to the French…he called for uniting the colonies to make an English majority… French had no history…no literature…nasty people. He didn’t really like the British style of government in Upper Canada. Explain, using evidence, why you believe he was a racist or not… Burning Parliament