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1700 BCE
State and Catholic Church Collaboration
The 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 hospitals and education. In effect, the Church had a monopoly on religious matters, expected to be a Catholic and practice was obligated. The Church encouraged population to listen to the governor and intendant, in exchange the church was allowed the tithe and had insurance that religious matter was respected. -
1500
First Occupants
During this period, the first occupants had a chief who held the power. For the Algonquians it was a patriarchy decision and for the Iroquois it was matriarchy. There was no countervailing power because they all wanted to survive with nature. -
French Regime
Under the french regime, king louis XIV held all power. The British can indirectly be a countervailing power in France. So can the Church if they don’t get along with the king. Industrialization was a cause of capitalism since only the King is getting rich so people think it’s unfair. -
Power of the State
The King and minister of Marine remained in France and put the following people in charge of the colony. Governor: Highest rank, commander of the army, deffense and dealt with external affairs. Intendant: Chief administrator, controlled budget, collecting taxes, seigneurial system, built roads and set up industries. Sovereign council: Colony’s high court. Bishop: Administered over the parish priests. Captain of the Militia: dealt with issues on the seigneuries but had no seat on the council. -
Treaty of Utrecht
The treaty was a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the city of Utrecht in 1713. The treaties between several European states, including Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Savoy and the Dutch Republic, helped end the war of the Spanish Succession. After the Treaty of Utrecht Britain gains control of the Hudson’s bay area, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland from France. -
7 Years War and the Articles of Capitulation
The 7 years war broke out in the colonies. New France is left to defend itself. The English win and the British found a passage that allowed them to get their troops on mainland. The French lose and the French Militia return home. French military lay down their arms and leave. People could still practice their Roman Catholic religion but the bishop had to leave. The people who stayed became british subjects and the french elite left. New france is under british military control from 1760-1763. -
Royal Proclamation
The king needed something to control the french population therefore there was the Royal Proclamation. The goal was to assimilate the French. The colony becomes the province of Quebec. The borders are around St. Lawrence Valley. It was a Civilian government, the king appointed a governor who appointed members to the executive council. English criminal and civil law were applied and no new bishop would be allowed. No roman catholics could hold office. -
Situation in North America
British merchants were unhappy because they wanted an elected assembly. Americans needed British protection from the French until 1763. They were upset they didn’t get control of Ohio Valley. Americans traded with the French, so the King wanted to control trade. Canadians were fearful of the new changes. Since there are no more wars the population will increase. Governor James Murray and Guy Carleton bent the rules to please the French since they were majority and he needed their loyalty. -
Quebec Act
The American Revolution is happening so the King fears that the French will join the 13 colonies rebellion. This act guaranteed French Canadian Loyalty, a new bishop was allowed, enlarged the area of Quebec to include the Great Lakes once again, still denied an elected assembly, 1% of population is English, did allow for an appointed council, French civil laws were re-instated and Test Oath Act was replaced with an Oath of Allegiance. -
Constitutional Act
Quebec split up. The Ottawa River was used as the boundary between 2 Canadas. Upper Canada was english and protestant. Lower Canada was mostly French and catholic faith. The constitutional act brings in Representative government. The governor general held veto power. Lieutenant governor acted as deputy governor. Executive council appointed by the governor to advise him. Legislative council also appointed. Legislative assembly elected every 4 years. Had the power to approve or disapprove taxes. -
Faults in Representative Government
Under the constitutional act the legislative Assembly had the power to make laws but were often shut down by the Governor. The Legislative Assembly and Governor had different interests. The wealthy wanted to invest into business and tax property. The Legislative Assembly wanted to tax goods and didn’t want to invest into larger projects that wouldn’t benefit them. This situation was worse in Lower Canada because the Legislative Assembly was French and battles over language were constant. -
Political Parties in Lower Canada
British party were wealthy supporters of british rule. They were an anglophone merchant community. James McGill and John Molson wanted canal building, establishment of banking institutions, abolition of seigneurial system and french civil law by convincing Britain to unite Upper and Lower Canada into one province. Parti Canadien were wealthy and poor French early separatists, intellectuals and professionals. Papineau demanded greater power for assembly members and elected house of assembly. -
Concerns in Upper Canada
Responsible government was the main concern. They continued immigration to increase the english presence in canada. New immigrants from great britain brought values of parliamentary democracy. Reduction in the role of the Church of England in taxes and affairs. Reducing the power of values of traditionalism & conservatism. In need of a stronger voice for the Elected Assembly. Reduce voice for the Family Compact and no veto powers. -
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. Increased immigration from Great Britain began to threaten French culture and language. In 1832 an immigration ship brought a disease, cholera which killed 5000 people. Legislative assembly (French-speaking) and it was hard to make laws. In 1836 crops failed and therefore Canadians face starvation. In 1837 there is an economic depression. English merchants are blamed. -
Political Parties in Upper Canada
The governor is British appointed. Legislative council are English speaking merchants and land owners. They are appointed and have the veto power. Legislative assembly are voted by citizens, male property owners. The government was representative. In upper Canada, two political parties dominated, family compact and wealthy british tories. Wealthy british conservatives want the government to stay in the hands of british. Reformers; Intellectuals and professionals, want responsible government. -
92 Resolutions
The resolutions were a long series of demands for political reforms in the British-governed colony. Louis Joseph Papineau, a lawyer and seigneur was the leader of the Parti Patriote. He wrote a letter containing the demands of the assembly in 1834. The main demand was that members on 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. -
10 Russell Resolutions
The 10 Russell Resolutions are the resolutions submitted by the British Home Secretary John Russell to the Lower Canada House of Assembly on March 6, 1837. After writing the King/Government back in Britain with a list of 92 demands they reject the request for an elected council. Instead of gaining power, the elected assembly actually lost some power. This really upsets the Patriotes and thus begins the demonstrations that eventually lead to the rebellions. -
Act of Union
The Act of Union creates the Province of Canada consisting of Canada East and West (former upper and lower Canada). Canada east and west each had 42 members to its assembly. The governor still had control & veto power. Canada east and west would equally pay for Canada’s debts (canada west owed 10x). The whole territory is now called the province of Canada. -
Results of the Act of Union
The structure of Responsible Government: the people would now elect the Legislative Assembly. The Prime minister (head of the party) would form the Cabinet (Executive Council) who would propose laws that had to be approved through the assembly. The Governor and the Legislative council were still appointed but didn’t intervene even though pressured to do so. The Governor at the time, Lord Elgin would be the first to not use his power of veto and let the Prime minister have executive power. -
The Quebec Conference
The same members as last time including Newfoundland. They agreed on 72 resolutions making the merger possible. It was a federal system. 24 seats to each colony (total 72). Assembly elected by “rep by pop”. Build a railway between colonies. The conferences went well but people weren’t 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 (narrowly). -
The Charlottetown Conference
Leaders of Canada East and West meet with the leaders of three Maritime Provinces. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island). They left the meetings agreeing to consider a merger. -
The London Conference
Leaders of the 4 colonies meet to make arrangement to release from the British Empire to become a new “self-governing” colony. In 1867 the Dominion of Canada was created with the capital of Ottawa was under British North America Act. It contained four provinces: Quebec, Ontario, New brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The other Provinces would join between 1870 and1949. Being a Federal Government the Federal Government had certain responsibilities as did the Provinces. These are listed in Sections 91-92. -
Quiet Revolution
The Quiet Revolution began in Quebec with the electoral defeat of the Union Nationale by Jean Lesage and his Liberal Party. It can be best described as a rapid and far-reaching process of social, economic, and political reform in Quebec from the early to the late 1960's. It's main objective was to make the Quebec government the force behind Quebec's social and economic development by increasing the role of the state in both of these sectors
(Hydro-Quebec became government owned, trans-canada). -
Quebec Nationalism
The October Crisis had been put down but not all the moves towards French independence were violent. In 1961 office de la langue francaise was created to promote the French language.
The language issue was very big in Quebec politics and several pieces of legislation were passed. Bill 22 was the official language act makes french official language. -
Bill 101
Only French signs were allowed in public spaces, only children with English speaking parents educated in Quebec could go to English school. English fought back with Bill 178 and Bill 86. Battle continues and struggle of Quebec in Canada continues. Federalists want Quebec to stay and separatists want Quebec to be independent. To unify the country Pierre Elliott Trudeau met with the provincial leaders to discuss a method of patriating the constitution and ensure independence from Great Britain.
