|
Fathers of Confederation |
Maritime Union | George Brown
|
Pan-Federalism | US
Civil War | Canada's
Proposals | River Cruise |
Charlottetown | The Quebec
Conference | The London
Conference | July 1, 1867
Although the move towards Confederation
or colonial Union had begun in separate areas of the
British North American colonies, the general feeling
that was emerging in the early 1860's was one that lead
politicians towards a larger Union, a Federal Union that
would be able to speak for all of the colonies but still
allow each colony to address it's individual challenges
and problems. The example of the United States as a
semi-failed Union having to fight to re-establish its
relationship between the States and the Federal
government shaped many minds in the Canada's and the
Maritime colonies. A larger vision was also emerging in
London and probably in the dreams of John A Macdonald.
This was of a British North America that stretched from
Atlantic to Pacific, from the U.S. boarder to the Arctic
hinterland.
Britain not only rules
the Colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Vancouver Island,
and British Columbia, but it also asserted it's
authority over all of the lands in the interior that were
administered by the Hudson Bay Company. An evolutionary
process which could bring all of these lands together
under one Federal Government would create a country
larger then the United States and with the best chances
to stand up to U.S., Spanish and Russian encroachment
upon British North America. The pieces were all there
and the development of industry and technology was also
available in the form of steam ships and the quickly
expanding railways. All could be tied together in one
neat package if a political will was put to work in
formulating a system that could accommodate the demands
of all the different regions. |
