1. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Unit 3: Toward Confederation

2. Government in the Colonies
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Government in the Colonies
The legislative was always male and part of the elite class.
The Legislative and Executive Councils were decided by the Lieutenant-Governor; these were the male British colonists who were selected from the elite class because they had something to gain by running the government and were considered the most loyal to Britain. In Lower Canada, the council was made up of French Elite.
The Legislative Assembly were professional and wealthy men, but not always part of the elite class. They were the connection between the Council and the voters, and could suggest bills to improve the lives of the lower class, but they were often turned down because the Council had to approve them. They were responsible for collecting taxes.
Voters were males over 21 years old who were British citizens; natives were not allowed to vote, and only Black males who met the qualifications could vote. They had to own or rent land year round, which meant that a lot of people could not be voters because they moved around to do seasonal work.

3. Government in the Colonies
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Government in the Colonies
Lieutenant-Governor or Governor
Puts Britain’s welfare first
Can veto any bill
Decides when to hold elections
Monarch
The government of Britain makes all decisions
Executive Council
Advises the Governor on what bills should become laws
Legislative Council
Advises Governor
Decides what bills should become laws
Legislative Assembly
Suggests bills
Collects taxes
Voters
Males over 21
Own property
British citizens
LC appoints
LA sends bills
Appoints
Elect during voting

4. Responsible Government
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
The Push for Change
By the late 1830’s people wanted a change in the way the government was run. The people resented that the elite had all the power, and they had none. Reformers worked to change things for the better at this time, and they were made up of the professionals and merchants. Why do you think the reformers were part of this group instead of from the lower class?
Responsible Government
The people wanted a government that was elected by the people, not selected by the elite, who would then have the most say in decisions that were made. This way, the power of the elite would be broken, and the majority of the people would have power.
They wanted control over local laws and the spending of tax money.
Of course, those in power were not happy about this idea, and many people took different sides to the debate.

5. Taking sides: The Churches
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Taking sides: The Churches
In the 1800s people’s lives were dominated by religion, so the two major churches – The Church of England, and the Catholic Church – had a lot of power of the people, what they thought and how they voted. Church leaders made their opinions very clear and very public.
In most colonies, the churches supported the existing government, feeling that the British elite would do a great job running the political side of the colony, while they took care of personal and spiritual guidance.
In Newfoundland though, the church was supportive of the reformers because they felt that if a Catholic was elected, they would have more power. The Protestants felt the same way.
John Strachan – bishop of the Church of England, and a British Elite, member of the Legislative and Executive councils. Which side do you think he would have been on? Why?

6. Taking sides: The Newspapers
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Taking sides: The Newspapers
Since there were no forms of media like there are today, newspapers were an important source of information. Newspapers in the 1830s were very different from today… There were no pictures, only text, and they were only one-sided. People did not throw them away when they were done, so they usually got passed around, or they got posted in public places.
Newspapers were the most important way for people to learn about political ideas, and every newspaper took a side on the hot issues of the day, including government reform. Newspapers were usually owned by the elite and other government officials, who had the final say in what was printed. In the letters to the editor section, the only letters that were usually printed were ones that supported the same ideas as the editor, who was most often the owner.
How could this create problems?

7. Taking sides: Joseph Howe
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Taking sides: Joseph Howe
Read LIFE STORIES on page 107.
What is freedom of the press? Did people have that in the 1830s?
What did Joseph Howe do to be a reformer?
Does this make him a good example of active citizenship? Explain.
How did the government try to punish him? What did Howe do?
Joseph Howe was one of the most famous politicians of the mid-1800s. He was a reformer from Nova Scotia.

8. Taking sides: Activity
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Taking sides: Activity
In the table below, come up with as many statements for or against reform as you can… imagine yourself as part of different groups: the elite, a fisherman, a merchant, a member of government, a church leader, etc.
Pro-Reform
Anti-Reform

9. Rebellion in the Canadas!
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Rebellion in the Canadas!
A rebellion is when people turn against the government in a violent way. This is exactly what started happening in Upper and Lower Canada in 1837 as reformers tried to remove power from the Elite.
Issues in Lower Canada
They were worried the recent British immigration would threaten their colony, so they formed the Parti Patriote, with Louis-Joseph Papineau as their leader.
Farmers were worried about loss of land
French Canadians feared loss of their language and culture
Poor harvests at the time threatened starvation; cholera brought in by recent immigrants and they felt the government wasn’t doing enough to help them.
Papineau was a French landowner who felt the government threatened the French way of life. He believed more in creating a separate French colony than creating a better English government.

10. Rebellion in Lower Canada
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Rebellion in Lower Canada
In 1834 the Patriotes drew up a list of their complaints for the British government to consider. Two years later, the government not only ignored the list, but they made the government have more control. This made the French even more angry and ready to fight for their rights.
On November 23rd, 1837, a number of Patriotes decided to go to war when several of their members started being arrested because of a rumoured rebellion. A group of Patriotes defeated British troops in a few minor battles, but by the end of the year they were easily defeated because they were not as well prepared as the British troops; the Patriotes had no military training and very few weapons. In 1838 another battle broke out, but again the Patriotes were defeated quickly because there were not enough of them willing to fight to keep the rebel cause going.
In the end, 800 Patriotes ended up in jail, homes of supporters were burned, 12 prisoners were hanged and 58 were sent to prison colonies in Australia and Bermuda (which were also British colonies… but reserved mostly for criminals.)

11. Issues in Upper Canada Chapter 6: Listening to the People
The people in Upper Canada felt that the government was not spending tax money wisely, and that it was going to things that would be of more benefit to the Elite and wealthy, such as building canals.
Members of the elite got the largest and best land. Not to farm, but to sell for a profit when the price of land went up. The church also owned large swathes of prime land. This meant immigrants had to move further and further inland where the terrain was rougher and further from water supplies.
As in Lower Canada, they also faced starvation.
The governor used threats and bribes to make sure reformers were voted out of the assembly.
William Lyon MacKenzie was the leader of the Reformers in Upper Canada. He was a poor Scottish immigrant who started a paper criticizing the Elite.

12. Rebellion in Upper Canada
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Rebellion in Upper Canada
MacKenzie found out that British troops were dispatched to Lower Canada, and figured it was the best time for the reformers to spring into action, since he figured the British would be unable to defend Upper Canada. In December 1837, MacKenzie and his followers set up their headquarters in Montgomery’s Tavern just north of Toronto. On December 5th, he lead 700 men down Yonge street toward Toronto, but the militia organized by the government defeated the rebels in a few days.
Although MacKenzie tried to keep the rebellion alive from a new location on the Niagra River, it was all over by In the end, 880 rebels were arrested, 20 were hanged, 92 sent to Australia and 26 were banished.

13. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
After the Rebellions
The most important thing that came out of the rebellions was the Durham report. The British sent a man called Lord Durham to look into the situation in Upper and Lower Canada in He was to investigate the rebellions started by William Lyon MacKenzie and Louis Joseph Papineau.
He spent 5 months in the colonies, and wrote a lengthy report with recommendations for British North America.
Durham’s nickname was “Radical Jack”, because even though he was British, he did not believe in things that would only benefit the British Monarchy.
John George Lambton, known as Lord Durham, was a British Statesman, Colonel Administrator, Governor General and High Commissioner of British North America.

14. The main points of the Durham Report:
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
The Durham Report
The main points of the Durham Report:
Join the two colonies of Upper and Lower Canada into one colony called the Province of Canada
-Joining the two would mean that the English have more control over the French.
-The French would become more like the British, and lose their culture
-Avoid conflicts
HOW MIGHT THIS CREATE PROBLEMS???
Give the Province of Canada Responsible Government
- Believed that people living with poverty should be educated.
-All people should have a say in government.

15. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
The Durham Report
Lord Durham believed that the French were an inferior people, and the English were superior to them. He infuriated them when he noted in his report that they are “a people without literature, or history.”
He explained in his report that he expected when he arrived that he would find a people at odds with the government, but instead he felt that it was two separate nations at war with each other.
He felt that most of the conflict stemmed from race issues between the French and the English, not because of the principles of the people.

16. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
The Durham Report
The British government took Durham’s first piece of advice, and created the Province of Canada in This was made up of Canada East (lower), and Canada West (upper).
They did not, however, give the colony Responsible Government at this time… but the seed was planted! Many changes were on the horizon for British North America.

17. Responsible Government Achieved
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Responsible Government Achieved
Between 1848 and 1855 responsible government was finally achieved in British North America. The change was not because of the politics and rebellions in the colonies, but because of a change in British attitudes towards the colonies:
Early 1800s Mid 1800s
Trade Preference
The colonies were seen as a source of wealth for Britain because of an abundance of natural resources, and it was a market for British goods.
The British government wanted to keep control to keep the trade system functioning for their benefit.
Trade preference meant that things shipped from BNA were not taxed when it entered Britain, making the goods cheaper than things shipped from elsewhere in the world.
Free Trade
Some people felt the colonies were a drain on Britain, not a source of wealth. They didn’t want to pay for projects such as building canals, sending troops and supplies. Independence meant that less money was coming from Britain.
In 1846 Britain introduced free trade, so all products from any country was taxed or not taxed in the same way, so if goods were cheaper in one country than in the British colonies, they could ship them from there. This gave them less control and less interested in goods from BNA.

18. Look closely at the political cartoon on the left. What do you see?
What do you think this cartoon is trying to express?
Was this fear rational? Explain.
Who do you think created this cartoon, BNA or Britain? Why?

19. Responsible Government Achieved
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Responsible Government Achieved
People realized that rebellion was not the way to achieve responsible government, if they were fighting with one another, nothing would get accomplished. Instead they formed political parties where people with the same political ideas work together.
By the 1840s there were two main political parties in most of the Atlantic colonies: The Reformers or Liberals wanted responsible government, the Conservatives or Tories wanted to keep the system as it was. Each political party tried to get a majority of its members elected to the Legislative Assembly so that its point of view would be strongest.
The main Liberal leaders at this time were: George Brown, Robert Baldwin, William Lyon MacKenzie, Josephy Howe, and Louis-Joseph Papineau, who were all part of various reform groups during 1837.

20. 1847: Nova Scotia Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Nova Scotia had the first responsible government in BNA. Joseph Howe was elected to government in 1836 and pushed for reform from within the government and created a strong Reform Party with many supporters.
In 1847 the British government told the governor to bring in responsible government. In the 1848 election, the Reform Party won the majority of seats in the assembly, and promised to make sure the people knew how tax money was going to be spent. This made the people very happy indeed!
The party leader, James Boyle Uniacke, became governor of NS, and as governor had the power to select members of the Executive council. He chose people from the Legislative Assembly, elected members instead of appointed members, who were all part of the Reform Party.
How was this different from the past government structure?

21. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
1849: Province of Canada
While the British government allowed Responsible Government in 1847, the Province of Canada did not achieve it until All of the differences of opinion following the rebellions and the Durham report, coupled with the English and French language and culture issues, meant that the people could not agree on how to run the government.
Finally in 1849, Louis-Hipployte LaFontaine from Canada East, and Robert Baldwin from Canada West joined forces to create a strong enough Legislative Assembly to make responsible government possible. By English and French joining forces, they realized that they would have a stronger political party than if they tried separately to win enough seats.
LaFontaine and Baldwin worked together to form Responsible Government in the Province of Canada

22. Chapter 6: Listening to the People
1851: Prince Edward Island
In PEI the Lieutenant-Governor chose the members of the Legislative and Executive from the landowners. While there were no conflicts here on religion or culture, farmers wanted the laws changed to force the landowners to let farmers buy land.
The assembly could not change this while the Legislative and Executive had control and Responsible Government was refused, even though the members of the assembly wanted it. The assembly fought back by not passing any bills or voting for tax money to be used for government. Britain gave in, and PEI achieved responsible government in 1951.
Georges Coles, a farmer’s son with little education became the first premier of PEI.

23. Charles Fisher, a lawyer, became New Brunswick’s first Premier.
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
1854: New Brunswick
The people wanted control over money from the timberlands. The government received a large amount of money from this, but all the people – the elite, the wealthy, the poor – had the same feeling that the people should gain control over the use of the money.
Some people still wanted change in the government structure, so in 1854 they officially had responsible government.
Charles Fisher, a lawyer, became New Brunswick’s first Premier.

24. Philip F. Little was a Roman Catholic Lawyer.
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
1855: Newfoundland
In Newfoundland, there was major disagreements between the English merchants appointed to the Legislative and Executive Councils, and the Assembly. The appointed leaders were mostly all members of the Church of England while the majority of the population were Irish Roman Catholic fishers who lived in poverty. During elections, the assembly was mostly then made up of that group, along with Methodist and other non-Church of England members.
When the Methodist and Roman Catholics joined together to fight for reform, responsible government was the result in The Reform Party, led by Philip F. Little won the first election and he became the first premier of Newfoundland.
Philip F. Little was a Roman Catholic Lawyer.
The first premier of Newfoundland wasn’t actually from NL, he was from PEI.

25. Responsible Government
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Responsible Government
Lieutenant-Governor or Governor
Considers the wishes of Britain and the Colonists
Monarch
The government of Britain has the final say in, but takes advice from the governor.
Executive Council
Chosen from the political party with the most members elected.
Leader of this party becomes premier.
Each member is in charge of an area of government.
Legislative Council
Advises Governor on laws
Legislative Assembly
Includes all political parties.
Proposes bills and passes laws.
Raises money through taxes.
Voters
Males over 21
Own property
British citizens
Lieutenant-Governor or Governor
Puts Britain’s welfare first
Can veto any bill
Decides when to hold elections
Monarch
The government of Britain makes all decisions
Executive Council
Advises the Governor on what bills should become laws
Legislative Council
Advises Governor
Decides what bills should become laws
Legislative Assembly
Suggests bills
Collects taxes
Voters
Males over 21
Own property
British citizens
LC appoints
LA sends bills
Appoints
Elect during voting
Appoints
Appoints based on election results
Appoints
Sends members
Elections every 4 years

26. Responsible Government
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Responsible Government
Some historians believe that the main trigger for all of the colonies achieving responsible government was the rebellions in the Canadas. They think the rebellions made the British government realize how serious colonists were about the issue. Other historians believe that responsible government would have been achieved just as easily without the rebellions. What’s your opinion? Support with evidence.

27. Women’s Turn at Responsible Government
Chapter 6: Listening to the People
Women’s Turn at Responsible Government
Nellie McClung was a Canadian feminist, politician and social activist, who lived from She was a part of the social and moral reform movements in Western Canada in the early 1900s. In 1927, McClung and four other women: Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney and Irene Parlby became known as the Famous Five (also called the Valiant Five). They launched the “Persons Case”, which they argued that women could be qualified persons, eligible to vote and to sit in the Senate. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that current law meant that women were not qualified. They won their case on appeal to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council – the last resort for Canadian law at that time.