FEDERATED CANADA

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 36, 11 August 1934, Page 9

FEDERATED CANADA

THE HISTORIC FACTS

LINKS WITH BRITAIN

. DOMINION AUTONOMY

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) VANCOUVEB, July IS. lv this, tho 67th year of Confederation, it is noted that the constitutional ties binding Canada with tho Motherlaud havo become somewhat loosened, especially since tho passing of the Statute of Westminster, but tho economic tics are undoubtedly strengthened as a result of tho Empire Conference held in Ottawa two years ago.

It may be interesting here to recall the terms of the Balfour report to the Empire Conference of 1926, on the constitutional relations of tho Mother Country and the Dominions: —"They are autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate, ono to the other, in any aspect of their domestii' or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and fully associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations."

Canada, by virtue of her geographical position, pioneered the campaign for autonomy. After the Treaty of Versailles, in 1783, which formally recognised tho United States of America, a solution of tho question of self-gov-ernment within tho Empire was found. In Nova Scotia, and in ■ the United Province of Canada, patriotic British subjects thought i out a plan which not only preserved tho unity of the Empire, 'but! furnished a model that was substantially followed in later years, by Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. . PROBLEM OF THE TBENCH. Nova Scotia had' attained colonial autonomy in 1758, thereby winning a victory over the colonial governors, and the oligarchy known as tho Family Compact. In Upper and Lower Canada, representative government was established in 1701. But the problem was not so simple as in Nova Scotia. New France had become British after tho surrender of Montreal in 1760, and tho Peace of Paris in 1763 merely confirmed tho British v conquest. Frenchspeaking Quebec had no experience of government. Great Britain never before had a French colony to govern, and was not sure what policy to pursue.

A new form of government, based on English law, was introduced in 1764. But this did not suit the French-speak-ing Canadians, and in 1774 the Quebec Act reversed British policy, confirmed the special privileges of the Roman Catholic Church, and restored French civil law. The feudal "rights of the French seigneurs wero maintained, and the freedom loving habitants of Quebec were brought more closely under the rule of the Church and the landowners. Nevertheless, Quebec remained loyal to the British Crown during tho American revolution. I

After the Treaty of Versailles, United Empire Loyalists came to Canada in large numbers. They were not pleased with tho Quebec Act, and in

1791 Quebec was divided into two portions: Lower Canada, mainly Frenehspoaking, and Upper Canada, entirely English-speaking, with an Assembly in each. In the two Canadas representative institutions were none too successful. The Assembly of Lower Canada became the stronghold of'the French-speaking population, but the Governor and Executive and the Legislative Councils wore moro powerful than the Assembly. The Councils were English-speaking and chiefly composed of members of the so-called Chateau Clique. In Upper Canada strife occurred between the Family Compact, which dominated the Councils, and the radical element in tho Assembly. Tho war of 1812, important as it was in the history of Upper Canada, did nothing to. solve tho constitutional problem.

FEDERATION BBOUGHT ABOUT.

Finally, rebellion broke out in both provinces. Louis Joseph Papineau, the "Tribune of French Canada," raised^ the standard of revolt in Lower Canada; William Lyon Mackenzie, grandfather of Mackenzie King, headed the rebels in Upper Canada. Both rebellions failed, but the British Government sent out Lord Durham to investigate the situation. Lord Durham's report, "the most important British colonial State paper of the nineteenth century," advised the granting of responsible government, the reunion of the Canadas, and, if possible, a federation of the British North American provinces. Lafontaine headed tho first administration really responsible to tho Canadian jieople.

In 1864 the three Maritime Provinces met in Charlottetowu. The Canadian Government—a coalition, in which the chief members were Sir John A. MacDonald a,nd George Brown, former political enemies, but now working together to secure- federation —asked permission to send delegates to the conference. Accordingly, tho Canadians, the Maritimers, and tho Newfoundlanders discussed terms. Tho conferonco met again at Quebec. When Federation ultimately came into being, in 1867, only four provinces joined— Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec, the former Upper and Lower Canadas. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland stayed out.

In 1869, tho young Dominion obtained the Hudson's Bay Company's territory, stretching from the Great Lakes to the Rockies. Two years later, British Columbia joined the Federation on condition that a railway would be built, connecting the Pacific seaboard with the railway system of Eastern Canada. When thp last spike was driven at Craigellaehie, 8.C., on November 7, 188? Confederation was consummated.