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Great Coalition is Formed
The Great Coalition was the first act of union in Canada. Reform leader George Brown joined with John A. Macdonald's Conservatives and George-Étienne Cartier's Bleus, started the process of Confederation in the Province of Canada. The ministers of the Great Coalition were sworn in on June 30. -
The Charlottetown Conference
Charlottetown Conference, was the first meetings that led to the formation of the Dominion of Canada. In 1864 the conference was planned to discuss the possibility of a union of the Maritime Provinces. The Province of Canada which (consisting of present-day Ontario and Quebec) requested and received. -
The Quebec Conference
The Quebec Conference, began on 10 October and lasted two weeks. John A. MacDonald of Upper Canada which was Ontario favoured a legislative union which means that all decisions should be made by one government, central government and legislature. However, the Maritime province representatives opposed this idea of centralization, and those from Lower Canada which was Quebec insisted on control over language, religion and civil law. This was mainly because people from Lower Canada spoke French. -
St.Alban's Raid
A party of Confederates based in Canada raided the town of St. Albans, Vermont. This northernmost land action of the American Civil War caused much tension between Great Britain and the United States. -
Vote for Confederation
The legislative council of the Province of Canada got an address to pass legislation to achieve the union of British North America. -
Leonard Tilley is Defeated
New Brunswick government led by Leonard Tilley was defeated in the election on the issue of confederation -
Attack of the Finnians
When the American Civil War ended in 1865, an Irish organization known as the Fenians planned to attack the British Empire in revenge for the injustices inflicted on Ireland by the English. The Fenian attacks convinced many colonists, including those in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, that the American threat was real. Most of the Irish people in the colonies stayed loyal to their governments and with this now present fear, MacDonald was able to use the raids to gain support for Confederation. -
The London Conference
In 1866 16 representatives from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada met with British government officials in London, England, to draft a bill recommending Canadian Confederation. The London Conference was the last in a series of meetings concerning Confederation, and was hosted by John A. MacDonald. Representatives reviewed the Quebec Resolutions that were drafted in 1964, and eventually composed the London Resolutions, which were used to draft the British North America Act. -
The Proclamation of Confederation
A royal proclamation said that the Dominion of Canada would come into existence on July 1. -
Nova Scotia Joins Confederation
In Nova Scotia some people welcomed union, while others were resentful at being forced into it. -
New Brunswick Joins Confederation
July 1st was a holiday in New Brunswick. The people in New Brunswick had mixed feelings toward confederation. When the people celebrated and paraded in through a anti-confederation neighbourhood fights broke out and many people were injured. -
Conservatives Win First Election
The first election after confederation was hosted in August 7 to September 20, 1867. In this election the conservatives won with 101 seats to 80 (Liberals) and Sir John A. Macdonald was chosen as prime minister. -
Rupert's Land Act
The Rupert's Land Act was passed by Crown, allowing the Crown to declare Rupert's Land part of the Dominion of Canada. -
Manitoba Joins Confederation
The Manitoba Act was made it made Manitoba Canada's fifth province. -
Canada Officially Purchases Rupert's Land
The Hudson's Bay Company was prepared to sell to the Americans who would pay a lot of money, but the British government made it clear it wanted the territory to be sold to Canada. On March 20, 1869, the Hudson's Bay Company, hesitantly, under pressure from Great Britain sold Rupert's Land to the Government of Canada for $1.5 million. The sale involved a quarter of the continent, a huge amount of land, but it failed to acknowledge the existing residents - mainly First Nations and Metis. -
North West Territories Join Canada
In 1870, when Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territories became the property of Canada and were renamed the Northwest Territories, they were governed directly by Ottawa. -
British Colombia Joins Confederation
British Columbia entered Confederation as the sixth province. The legislature met for the first time after Confederation on 15 February 1872. -
Prince Edward Island Joins Confederation
Prince Edward Island entered Confederation as Canada's seventh province. -
Alberta and Saskatchewan Become Provinces
Alberta and Saskatchewan entered Canada as the 8th and 9th provinces by two federal Acts which received royal assent on 20 July. The Acts (Bills) declared that the West (Saskatchewan and Alberta) was to have non-religious schools. -
Newfoundland Becomes Province
Newfoundland entered the Dominion of Canada as the 10th province. Though a lot of people were hesitant to the union Newfoundland joined the dominion of Canada. -
Nunavut is Declared as Canada
The new territory of Nunavut was declared as part of Canada's first territorial changes since Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949.