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Struggle for responsible government marks 1850-64  The battle for Responsible Government won, the division between the Reform coalition (on the left)

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Presentation on theme: "Struggle for responsible government marks 1850-64  The battle for Responsible Government won, the division between the Reform coalition (on the left)"— Presentation transcript:

1 Struggle for responsible government marks 1850-64  The battle for Responsible Government won, the division between the Reform coalition (on the left) and their Tory opponents (on the right) weakens  Unleashes potentially chaotic and complicated political landscape marked by sectarian and regional as well as political divisions

2 The Dreaded Double Majority  A political deadlock existed between Canada East and Canada West.  The government at that time was unable to pass anything because they had a "double majority". With the "double majority" in order for a bill to pass in the Legislative Assembly, there had to be a vote in both Canada East and Canada West sections of the assembly, rather than just a simple majority.  The main problem with this was that the French and English voted against each other on just about everything out of distrust, which meant that nothing was accomplished.

3 Sectionalism & Gridlock  Economic progress and development stalled  Tensions were:  Religious: Catholic vs Protestant  Ethnic: English, French, Aboriginal  Constitutional: British vs Republican Government  Economic: seigneurs vs habitants, professional vs workers  Regional: West vs East

4 Sectionalism & Gridlock  A series of contentious issues revealed how polarized and unstable the political situation was: i.Rebellion Losses Bill, 1849 ii.Annexationist Movement iii.Capital of Canada, Kingston, Toronto, Québec City, Bytown??

5 Rebellion Losses Bill  In the Province of Canada, responsible government was put to the test in 1849, when Reformers in the legislature passed the Rebellion Losses Bill. This was a law that provided compensation to French-Canadians who suffered losses during the Rebellions of 1837-1838 in Lower-Canada. The Governor, Lord Elgin, had serious misgivings about the bill but nonetheless assented to it despite demands from the Tories that he refuse to do so.  Elgin was physically assaulted by an English-speaking mob for this, and the Montréal Parliament building was burned to the ground in the ensuing riots. Nonetheless, the Rebellion Losses Bill helped entrench responsible government into Canadian politics.

6 Annexation Movement  Tories frustrated with “French domination” and Lord Elgin after Rebellion Losses Bill  Tories linked their loyalty to economic opportunity. British policy of free trade pushes Tories toward closer ties with U.S  Radical French Canadians, admire American democratic institutions – Papineau and Jacksonian democracy  Economy improves after 1854 Reciprocity with U.S., support for annexation movement wanes

7 Choosing a Capital  Between 1841 and 1859, legislative assembly makes 218 attempts to choose a capital, symbolic of deadlock  1841, British choose Kingston, Lord Sydenham hopes French will assimilate quicker  1849, Moves to Toronto after fire in Kingston  1850, Rotate between Québec City and Toronto  1855, Queen Victoria finalizes on Bytown, now called Ottawa

8 Research Assignment - Liberal Conservatives, Blues, Rouges, Reformers, Clear Grits  Who were the primary leaders of the LC, B, R, Ref, CG??  What were their views towards the British?  Were they aligned with the church or the state?  Were they Catholic or Protestant?  What did they want to achieve?

9 An Ideological Map of The Province of Canadas Catholic Protestant British Republican Church State Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

10 Catholic Protestant British Republican Church State Rouges Blues The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

11 Catholic Protestant British Republican Church State Rouges Blues Liberal - Conservatives Clear Grits The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

12 Catholic Protestant British Republican Church State Rouges Blues Liberal - Conservatives Clear Grits Reformers The Party System of the Province of Canada, 1850s Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/

13 Political Deadlock  Between 1861-1864, 2 elections, 3 admin changes  May 1862, Cartier-Macdonald ministry resigns  1863, Sandfield Macdonald and Louis-Victor Sicotte fails a vote of confidence  1864, Sandfield Macdonald resigns  June 1864, Taché-Macdonald defeated

14 The Great Coalition What was the Great Coalition and why was it formed?  June 30, 1864, in order to break the political deadlock, a coalition was formed between the Clear Grits under George Brown, the Parti bleu under George-Étienne Cartier, and the Liberal-Conservatives under John A. Macdonald.  Brown insists on confederation  Brown demands westward expansion  Brown demands “rep by pop”

15 Macdonald’s Ideological Vision Catholic Protestant Rouge Clear Grits Blues Ind. Reform Liberal-Progressives Tories Source: http:// www.politics.ubc.ca/uploads/media/


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