3) The Confederation Conferences [text pp. 189-194]
à With those 5 reasons to join together, representatives of the colonies of BNA would discuss the possibilities in a series of conferences over 3 years.
a) Charlottetown Conference 1864
- Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick decided to open discussions on a Maritime union in September 1864.
- Newfoundland, always more independent-minded, declined to join.
- United Province of Canada (UPC) heard this, and they suggested a larger union with them; the Maritimes allowed them to join the conference.
* Macdonald, Brown, and Cartier promised to build a railroad to the Maritimes.
* Brown added that the Maritimes would get a new market for “their fish, and their coal, and their produce” and get UPC’s “wares into every village” [text p. 189]
- In the end, the final decision was…to hold a second meeting in Québec the next month.
b) The Québec Conference of 1864
- This conference lasted 2 weeks, and even Newfoundland attended.
- The result was a set of ideas that would form the basis of a new united nation i.e., the Seventy-Two Resolutions [text p. 190]; this ideas included the following:
* A strong central (federal) government handles common issues (e.g., economy & defense).
* Provinces handle social/cultural issues and local affairs.
* The Federal Parliament has an Upper House (Senate) and a Lower House (House of Commons)
* The House of Commons replaces the Legislative Assembly and is elected via representation by population.
* The Senate replaces the Executive Council and is appointed by equal representation; Canada East, Canada West, and the Maritimes as a whole would each get 24 members.
* The goal of the federal government is to provide “peace, order, and good government.”
c) The Confederation Debates
i) UPC [text p. 191]
* The Legislative Assembly in UPC had to approve the 72 Resolutions before talks with the Maritimes could continue.
* Intense debates lasted six weeks, and there were serious disagreements.
* In the end, the Great Coalition (led by Macdonald, Brown, and Cartier) managed to get a 91-33 majority in favour of Confederation.
ii) New Brunswick [text p. 192]
* At first, many in NB were worried that Confederation would result in a loss of control over their affairs.
* Others thought Confederation meant disloyalty to Britain.
* Eventually, these fears were overcome, and NB under Samuel Tilley voted for Confederation. (How? Well…)
iii) Nova Scotia [text p. 193]
* Joseph Howe, who helped bring responsible government to NS [text p. 173/Unit 3] opposed Confederation.
* Howe thought NS would have little or no influence, and he didn’t like the taxation needed to build the Railway.
* Still, under Charles Tupper, NS eventually voted to join Confederation.
iv) PEI [text p. 194]
* Land in PEI was still controlled by absentee landlords, and the Québec Conference didn’t want to loan PEI £200 000 to buy them out.
* Also, many merchants on PEI gained from the tariffs imposed by the colonial government, something they would have to give up in Confederation.
* So, PEI refused to join Confederation.
v) Newfoundland [text. p. 194]
* Newfoundland was never really interested in joining, and the arguments of anti-Confederation people like Joseph Howe convinced them.
* In fact, Newfoundland didn’t join Confederation until 1949!
à With UPC, NS, and NB ready to join Confederation, the next step is to go to London and get British approval. Would Queen Victoria be amused with this and say yes?
Assignment
1. Who do you think objected most to the idea of Confederation in the United Province of Canada and why?
2. How was opposition to Confederation overcome in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia?
3. Do a TD on the cartoon All in the Family on p. 192