Reason for Confederation and their Significance

Reason #1 Political Deadlock led to the Great Coalition in the United Province of Canada Coalition government had a difficult time getting a majority to pass laws – this led to a political deadlock, frequent elections an changes in government The 2 leaders of Canada East and Canada West were bitter enemies If can’t make laws/decisions, there can be no progress

Reason #2 A railway linking the colonies was needed to increase trade and to move troops Intercontinental railway would improve transportation in colonies and help bring colonies closer together It would also increase trade, speed up delivery of mail In case of war, troops could be moved quickly from one colony to another

Reason #3 Cancellation of Reciprocity Treaty by the US in 1865 ended limited free trade between BNA and US Reciprocity Treaty with US allowed to sell agricultural products and raw materials to be sold across the border without high tarriffs being paid Once Treaty ended, colonies began thinking of joining together so that they could trade amongst themselves without tarriffs; also, this way, economic prosperity would increase

Reason #4 There was a threat of American expansion into BNA Americans believed in Manifest Destiny – a belief that all of the North American continent should belong to US Colonies were afraid of US invasion and started to think that if they united, they would be better able to defend themselves (e.g. like against the Finians in 1866)

Reason #5 Great Britain wanted her colonies to be more self-sufficient Some British politicians felt that the colonies were not beneficial to England, but rather a burden on the British taxpayers If colonies united and became independent, they would have to pay for their own government, defence, railway building, etc., and England would not have to worry about these extra cost

Reason #6 Some people wanted to expand settlement into the West (Rupert’s Land and the Northwest Territories) The supply of good farmland in Canada West was running out, so people started to look to the lands farther to the West (today Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) as possible areas for settlement However, Americans were also looking into moving into those lands, so if colonies joined together and annex/take over these lands, they could settle before the Americans did