CONFEDERATION Ms Dow Socials 9 WHAT IS CONFEDERATION

CONFEDERATION Ms. Dow Socials 9

WHAT IS CONFEDERATION? In it’s simplest terms = an act of union CPH Video clip: Strangers in Charlottetown Episode 8: start at 54: 54 What were the pros and cons to confederation?

PROS AND CONS OF CONFEDERATION COMPLETE THE CHART USING PAGES 100 -111 IN YOUR TEXTBOOK.

Pros to Confederation • Make own economic • Can still maintain ties policies • National railways = better trade with Britain • Organize own defense – especially vs. USA • Access to ice free Halifax port • Power with CAN instead of BRIT

Cons to Confederation • Loss of ties with • It would cost too much Britain (and its • Confederation came colonies) from “the top”, but the • French even more of a people need to agree minority • Maritimes wouldn’t be equal in govt.

POLITICAL PARTIES USE YOUR TEXTBOOK (P. 107 -108) AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES TO COMPLETE THE G. O. ON POLITICAL PARTIES.

Parti Rouge • Louis-Joseph Papineau • Lower Canada/ Canada East • Rebel leader • French • Platform • Radical • French farmers and businesses • Wanted an American style of government • Against Confederation (wants a separate French speaking republic) • Want to see separate church and government

Tories • John A. Mac. Donald • Becomes first Prime Minister • “Father of Confederation” • Canada West • Platform • For Confederation • Against Rep by Pop • Supported economic development (railway)

Parti Bleu George-Etienne Cartier • Lower Canada/Canada East • Rebel • French • Platform • Supported by the Catholic Church and wealthy French speakers • Support Confederation • Support rights for the French • Supports economic development (Railway)

Clear Grits • George Brown • Platform • Anti-French and • Radical party anti-Catholic • Supported by farmers in Canada West • Upper Canada/Canada • Supported English Canadian West interests • Representation by Population • Wanted to open up trade with the USA • Supports Confederation

Liberal Conservatives • Alliance between Parti Bleu (Cartier – Can East) and the Tories (Mac. Donald – Can West) Platform • Came to power in 1854 • Dealt with land issues in Can East and West • Reciprocity Treaty 1854 = free trade with US • Supported railways • GOAL = Confederation

George Brown and “Rep by Pop” • Act of Union assimilated French by giving Can East and Can West an equal number of seats • made an Eng majority, but not significant because Can East had a larger population • 1852 census = Canada West now has a larger population, but they still get the same number of seats • George Brown and the Clear Grits demand “Rep by Pop” • Number of seats in parliament determined by population (the larger the population, the more the seats) • If this was passed, the English would get a significant majority and would be able to pass more laws in their own interests

The Great Coalition • Political Deadlock = no party with a majority means nothing gets accomplished. • 1864 George Brown (Grits), Mac. Donald and Galt (Tories) and Cartier (Parti Bleu) form a coalition • Unlikely because they were all very different • Goal it to work together to unite all of British North America (Confederation) • Majority of power to the federal government • Education and legal and cultural matters deemed provincial (this appeased the French) • Lower house elected using ‘rep by pop’ • Upper house appointed based on regional representation (equal) • Need to convince the Maritime provinces

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