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Nov 21, 1500
First Occupants
There is no elected governing body. However Iroquois follow a matriarchy and Algonquins follow a patriarchy. -
Period: Nov 21, 1500 to
Official Power and Countervailing Powers
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French Regime
French allied with Hurons and Montagnais because they were looking to have control over the fur trade. The aboriginals used guerrilla warfare to fight in wars.
Aboriginals were convinced to fight with the French in the Great Peace of Montreal in 1701. 40 aboriginal nations agreed to consider the king of France their father and allowed the governor general to resolve their disputes and help in French wars -
Collaboration between state and Catholic Church:
Church was automatically involved in political decisions because of its role in the sovereign council. Priests acted as missionaries and were in charge of the parishes. Nuns worked in the hospitals and some education. The church had a monopoly on religious matters, expected to be a Catholic and practice was obligatory
Church would be encouraged population to listen to the governor and intendant, in exchange the church was allowed the tithe and had insurance that religious matter were respected -
The Power of the State
From 1663 to 1760, Canada lived under the Royal Administration. King and minister of Marine remained in france. The governor was highest rank in the colony, commander of the army. The Intendant
Most influential person, chief administrator, controlled budget. The Sovereign Council was the colonies high court, included the governor, bishop, intendant. Bishops administered over the Parish, Priests, hospital, schools. The Captain of the Militia dealt with issues on seigneuries. -
Life in New France
Settlers had happy lives but it was work. Settlers learned to take care of themselves since New France was developing, became autonomous and known as the Canadiens. There was a gap between the rich and massive amounts of poor, Noble, Bourgeoisie, Peasants. These groups thrived because of the distance from France, the King had less direct control compared to France. Contact with the Aboriginals also led some people to develop an independent spirit and worked or lived with the natives -
Levels of Civilians
Nobles included; Governor, intendant and councillors. Middle class/Bourgeoisie; Seigneurs and richer merchants. Peasants/Habitants/artisans; Censitaires who worked the land
Craftsmen. These distinct groups thrived because of the distance from France, even though they were representatives of the King, he had less direct control compared to France. -
British Regime
The 7 years war in Europe broke out in the colonies as well
France focuses its efforts in Europe so NF is left to defend itself
Wolfe and Montcalm duke it out. The English won so the rest if history! -
Royal Proclamation
After Quebec capitulates, the colony comes under british military rule until the 7 year war ends. The King needed something to control the French population. Renames the colony The Province of Quebec
Decreases the borders to around the St. Lawrence Valley
Civilian government- King appointed a Governor who appointed members to the Executive council. English criminal and civil law were applied. No new bishop would be allowed. No roman catholics could hold office -
Articles of Capitulation
French Militia could return home, no one would lose their property.
The French military would lay down their arms and leave.
The people could still practice their Roman Catholic religion but the Bishop would have to leave.
The people who stayed would become British subjects.
The French Elite left because they could afford to do so and had a chance to still live as elite in France. -
Quebec Act
Fear that the french will join the rebellion the King guaranteed French canadian loyalty, enlarged the area of Quebec to include the Great Lakes once again, still denied an elected assembly, did allow for an appointed council and French civil laws were re-instated. The Test oath replaced with an Oath of Allegiance -
Situation in North America
British Merchants who came were unhappy because they wanted an elected assembly and expected the colony to favor British interests
Americans needed british protection from the French. The british fight against the French. Some americans traded with the French so, the king wanted to control trade and increase taxes. Canadiens were fearful of the new changes the Proclamation brought, eased a little with the Quebec Act but still not seen as equals. -
America comes to Fruition
After the american war of independence, many people remain loyal to the King of Britain and do not want to remain in America
The only british colony left is Canada
36, 000 loyalist came to Canada, settled in the maritimes or around the great lakes. 6,000 loyalists came to Quebec, West of Montreal or in the Eastern Townships. English population of Quebec goes from 1% to 10% Settled the land using townships instead of seigneuries
The loyalists were used to english civil laws, elected assemblies -
Faults in the Representative Government:
Legislative Assembly had the power to make laws but were more often than not shown down by the Governor and council’s right to veto. The wealthy wanted to invest into big business and tax property so they could build canals and railways. The L.A wanted to tax goods, not property and didn’t want to invest into large projects that would not benefit them. This situation was worse in Lower Canada because the L.A was French and there were constant battles over language. -
Constitutional Act 1791
The Ottawa River was used as the boundary between the two canadas. The constitutional act brings in a charge in government: Representative government. Governor General, Lieutenant Governor, Executive council, Legislative council, Legislative assembly. Ordinary people had right to vote for the first time, but only to land-owning men over 21. Representative Government was a big step forward!! -
10 Russell Resolutions
They rejected the requested for an elected council
Instead of gaining power, the elected assembly lost some power
The governor, Lord Gosford, now had the power to take money from the provincial treasury to pay the officials in the colony
This really upsets the Patriotes and thus begins the demonstrations that eventually lead to the rebellion -
92 resolutions
Louis joseph Papineau (a lawyer and a seigneur), the leader of the Parti Patriote, wrote a letter containing the demands of the assembly in 1834
The main demand was for responsible government (members of the council should be chosen from the elected assembly, therefore the government made up by the people would be responsible for its decisions)
Papineau’s document was sent to London to be reviewed -
Concerns in Lower Canada
British merchants wanted to increase taxes for canals, harbors and roads for merchant use - few roads were built to help farmers.
Increase immigration from Great Britain began to threaten French culture and language.
1832, immigrant ship brought disease cholera, killed 5500
Legislative assembly (French speaking)
1836 - crops failed - Canadians face starvation
1837 - economic depression - English merchants blamed -
Concerns in Upper Canada
Responsible government was the major concern!
Continued immigration to increase the English presence in Canada
New immigrants from Great Britain bringing values of parliamentary democracy
Reduction in the role of the Church of England in taxes and affairs
Reducing the power of values of traditionalism and conservatism
Stronger voice for Elected assembly
Reduce voice for the Family Compact
No veto powers -
The Rebellions of 1837-38
Continued increase in loyalists coming from America and Irish immigration which caused a change in population. -
Church in the Dominion
After 1837 the bishops became more and more powerful, the cures became the most important person in the parish. Church was still in charge of the registering births, marriages, deaths, controlling education (Laval University 1852), orphanages, shelters, charities, religious festivals. Protestants were divided. Ministers still influential but not as powerful as R.C.. As we move into the 1900s the church becomes more involved in politics influencing the Unions and the caisses populaires -
The Rebellion
William Lyon Mackenzie led the rebellion in Upper Canada dealt with quickly. Papineau led the rebellion in Lower Canada. Several battles including: St.Charles, St.Denis, St,Eustache. But finally the british army overpowered the militia Patriote rebels. They were poorly organized and not well equipped to fight these skirmishes either -
Aftermath of the Rebellion
99 captured militants were condemned to death, only 12 went to the gallows, 58 were transported to the penal colony of Australia. In total 6 battles of both campaigns left 325 dead, 27 of the soldiers and the rest rebels. Thirteen men were executed (one by the rebels), one was murdered, one committed suicide, and two prisoners were shot -
Durham Report
The report calls for the uniting of Upper and Lower Canada, calls for Responsible Government, calls for Assimilation of French Culture, condemns the Family Compact, believes English are superior to French. -
Act of Union
The act of union changes to a responsible government
Overall english speaking to control the disagreeing forces Durham saw in French Lower Canada
The Act consolidates debt, creates a permanent civil list, banishes the French language from official government use, suspends certain French Canadian institutions. The act naturally caused opposition. In 1848 a Responsible Government was put into place. -
Political Parties in Lower Canada
Governor - British appointed
Legislative Council - ALL English-speaking merchants and seigneurs; friends of Governor; appointed not elected; veto power
Legislative Assembly voted by the citizens - representative
Two political parties dominated:
British Party (Chateau Clique and Tories) - Wealthy British and French who supported British rule; true power brokers
Parti Canadien (Parti Patriote) - Wealthy and poor French; early separatists; intellectuals and professionals; unhappy with power -
Political Parties in Upper Canada
Governor-British appointed
Legislative Council - English speaking merchants and landowners; friends of Governor; appointed not elected; veto power
Legislative Assembly - voted by citizens - (male property owners) government was representative.
In Upper Canada, two political parties dominated: Family compacts - Wealthy British Tories (conservatives) Reformers - Intellectuals and professionals. -
Charlettetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference, was to discuss the Canadian Confederation.
At the beginning of the conference the Canadians were only observers. The Next day they made their presentation about union the following day, when invited to do so by the Maritime delegates.
Once their presentations began, talk of Maritime Union was erased from the conference agenda.
Everything was closed off after that and there is little public record of what was said after that. -
The Quebec Conference
Involved the same members that attended the Charlottetown Conference. They agreed on 72 Resolutions, which outlined how the Dominion of Canada would be run. Assembly elected by representation by population. A railway to be built between colonies. The conferences went well, but the people were not accepting of what their politicians were moving towards. Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island withdrew. Dorion’s Parti Rouge opposed the federation
The assembly of the Canada’s passed confederation -
BNA Act
It created the Dominion of Canada which consisted of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. The capital was Ottawa.It created the government departments. Including its federal structure; justice system, taxation system, house of commons. The Dominion had become a self-governing colony. It accorded powers to the provinces in domains like education, health and social services. -
Louis Riel
Leader of the Métis and founder of Manitoba. Riel wanted to preserve the rights and the culture of the Métis since they were losing it in their homelands in the Northwest. The first rebellion that Riel Organized was the Red River Rebellion. The rebellion ended with a negotiation between Riel and the government, about including Manitoba into the Canadian Confederation. In 1885, some Canadians demanded that Louis Riel should be hanged -
Conscription Crisis
In WW1, huge numbers of Canadian volunteers (English-speaking or British-born Canadians,) went to fight against the Germans in France and Belgium in order to provide support to the British troops.1916 the human toll of the war and terrible casualties were beginning to cause problems for the Canadian commanders overseas. Recruitment was slowing: There was a lack of volunteers. -
The Great Depression and Duplessis
High volume of unemployment meaning governments are looking to get into power. Direct payments and the welfare state arise to appease the citizens and get them to vote for that party
The equalization payments is introduced in 1957. The union nationale are in power in 1936 to 1039 when Godbout takes power for one term the following changes are made: voting rights for women, compulsory education until age 14, nationalization of electricity in montreal. -
Duplessis Defended
Rural communities are best place to promote traditional values. Agriculture should beat the heart of QC’s economy to avoid urbanization and unemployment. The QC government should not intervene in social or economic sectors. Offer subsidies to the church and give favourable conditions for investment. He also opposed federal allowance payments on the same grounds (fear federal government would force QC to change) -
Groups that challenged Duplessis
Union Leaders:They accused Duplessis of opposing social progress and of serving American interests rather than the interests of Quebec workers. Numerous strikes were held during this time period including the Asbestos strike of 1949 in which even the bishop and other church officials supported the strikers. Intellectuals and Journalists: Intellectuals such as Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Rene Levesque opposed the Duplessis government and attacked the conservative nature of Quebec society. -
La Revolution Tranquille
The liberal under Jean Lesage take power from 1960 to 1966. Driven by culture and political assertion of Quebecers and the desire for a government with a more interventionist role. Jean Lesage was a lawyer and a federal politician for 4 terms in the Federal Parliament with the Liberal and later ran for head of the Quebec Liberal Party when the Conservatives ousted Mackenzie . -
Referendum on an independent Quebec - Round 1
Vote on a serious question and for this the question was “Should Quebec stay or leave Canada?”
Cultural differences and oppressive struggle since conquest had many Quebecois seeing themselves independent from Canada and not Canadians.
1980 - Referendum on sovereignty-association
Quebec would still keep the economic benefits of being a part of Canada but be a politically independent nation.
No side won with about 60% of the vote. -
Quebec and the Canadian constitution
In response to the referendum of 1980, Trudeau attempts to unify the country by partaking the constitution. All Provinces agreed, except Quebec, but the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedom were implemented in 1982. Still to this day, Quebec has not signed the constitution. Meech Lake Accord 1987 - written with various reforms but Manitoba and Newfoundland refused to ratify it.Charlottetown Agreement 1992 - written with reforms and included recognizing aboriginal and Quebec rights.
