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A New Nation |
Nova Scotia Balks |
The Northwest Territories |
Manitoba & Riel |
Federal Provincial Relations |
British Columbia |
Prince Edward Island |
The Washington Treaty |
Scandal |
Liberal Interlude |
The National Policy |
The Railroad |
Immigration |
Rebellion |
Transition
Except for a brief interlude in the
1870's under the Liberal Alexander Mackenzie, Sir John
A. Macdonald had held power as Prime Minister from 1867
o 1891 when another election was called. The
Liberals had been disorganized, struggled under the
leadership of Edward Blake who, although he was
brilliant, was not a unifier as a leader. The Liberals
were not able to capitalize on the issues or events that
rolled through those political times.
Macdonald had spent a
lifetime in politics even before Canada became a country
in 1867 and he knew all of the ins and outs and he knew
the heart of most of the people of the land. He fought
the 1891 campaign on the basis of an appeal to loyalty
to the British Empire and fear of the American monster
to the south. The old man, old flag and old policy
appeal was powerful in a country that had achieved so
much in such a short period of time.
The Liberals had finally changed leaders
and Blake's handpicked successor, Wilfred Laurier was a
French Canadian form Quebec who spoke excellent English
and understood that the party had a fighting chance if
it could be united across the country. The Conservatives
had been losing power in Quebec and Ontario and were
vulnerable to a strong united opponent.
When the election came
the Conservatives did lose ground in Ontario and Quebec
but their support in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick held
and the west put them over the top. Macdonald had won
his 6th election and the Liberals once again were
consigned to their seats on the opposition side of the
house. But not was all as had been. Macdonald was
looking old and exhausted and at 76 years of age he was
failing. 3 months after the election the Father of his
country, Macdonald passed away. The Conservatives were
now left to pick up the pieces.
After both Tupper and Thompson turned
down the position the elder Conservative statesman that
most of the party could agree upon was Sir John Abbott
who was now serving in the Senate but his term was very
short. After little more then a year in office, with a
recession and the Manitoba issues breathing down his
neck, he resigned sick and exhausted.
John Thompson was once
again approached and this time he took the position. He
travelled to London to receive honours from Queen
Victoria and while there died suddenly. The Manitoba
school question was coming to the forefront at this
point and most could not see a solution to the issue. It
was a French - English issue to most and represented
many pent up feelings about religion and race across the
country.
Mackenzie Bowell was the next Conservative leader to
take up the mantel and his speech from the throne and
position on the Manitoba schools issue. in 1896 split
the Conservative party between the Protestant English
and the Catholic French. He lost the support of most of
the English Cabinet Minister and was forced to step down
and was replaced by the icon of politics in Nova Scotia,
Charles Tupper, who had to return from his position in
London to become Prime Minister.
Tupper was not able to bring the issue to
a vote in the House before the term of office expired
and the Conservative party was thrown into an election
with a reluctant leader, a divided caucus and waning
support from both English and French Canada. Laurier was
ready and had been campaigning in the west for the
previous year which was to pay off handsomely for him.
The long 18 years in power for the Conservative party
came to an end when in 1896 Laurier and the Liberals won
the General Election and took power. |
