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In the late 1830's, some people in BNA were starting to resent all the power that the elite had. They didn't think it was fair, and they wanted change.
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In the 1830s, only males over 21 who were British citizens could vote. They also had to meet the 'property qualification,' which meant they had to own land or rent year round. First Nations were not allowed to vote because they were not British citizens.
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In the 1830s, the people of British North America were no longer happy with the way the government was being run. At that time, the government was Representative. This meant that the people were represented by people chosen by the king or queen and other appointed officials. While they could elect a Legislative Assembly from amoung the population, there were a lot of of people who were not qualified to be elected or even to vote. It was time for change.
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In 1834 the Patriotes drew up a list of complaints for the British government to consider. Nothing substantial was done so in 1836 they began to take action.
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Newspapers were one of the most important ways for people to learn about political ideas. Certain newspapers often supported one political idea or another.
Joseph Howe published a newspaper called the Novascotian. He spoke out against government spending and how unfair it was that the elite had so much power. He was taken to court because some people did not like what he had to say. He won his case and was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1836. -
Up until this point, only males of BRITISH heritage were allowed to be elected to the Legislative assembly. This was a big step towards EMPOWERMENT for the other citizens of the colonies.
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Most government money was being spent to make life easier for the elite and wealthy merchants. This meant that rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
Many farmers and immigrant families were facing starvation. The Church of England had large unused land grants. People had to travel farther away to get access to good land.
Reforms in Upper Canada were led by William Lyon Mackenzie.
William Lyon Mackenzie led the reformers in Upper Canada. -
Many families in the colonies were facing starvation because of poor harvests. A cholera epidemic brought by immigrants was also making people very sick. People felt that the government was not doing enough to help those who were suffering. French Canadians, supported by some Irish immigrants, founded the Parti Patriote. Louis-Joseph Papineau was the leader.
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On November 23, 1837, the 'patriotes' led a rebellion in Lower Canada and defeated British troops in a small battle. People who were suspected of being involved were arrested and Louis Joseph Papineau went into hiding.
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William Lyon Mackenzie led 700 rebels into downtown York (Toronto) in Upper Canada. They were based at Montgomery's tavern. They were squashed by the government militia.
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After the rebellions, the British government decided they should send someone to the colonies to see what was causing all of the trouble and how it could be fixed. Lord Durham made two recommendations. The first was that Upper and Lower Canada be joined to make one "Province of Canada." The second recommendation was that the new Province of Canada would have responsible government.
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After the "battle of the Windmill" the rebellion in Upper Canada finally came to an end.
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Nova Scotia was the first province to achieve Responsible Government. Joesph Howe had created a very strong reform movement within the Legislative Assembly. In 1847 the British government told the Lieutenant Governor to bring in Responsible Government to Nova Scotia. James Boyle Uniacke was the leader of the Reform (Liberal) party. Since that party got the most votes, he became the first premier of Nova Scotia.
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Louis-Hipployte LaFontaine was involved. Things didn't go so smoothly in the New Province of Canada. Upper and Lower Canada had been united to become one "PROVINCE OF CANADA." People from Canada East and West were not able to agree on very much. After working together, Louis-Hipployte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin were able to join reformers together to establish responsible government in the Province of Canada.
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George Coles became the first premier of PEI in 1851. He was an advocate for the rights of farmers and when he came into power he began working on creating bills which would allow farmers to own their land, consequently allowing them to vote.
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New Brunswick had been on their way to Responsible Government for a while. They had a thriving timber industry and had already fought for their Legislative Assembly to control the province's money. In 1854 Responsible Government was officially implemented and Charles Fisher became their first premier.
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A lot of Newfoundland's population was made up of people who did not belong to the Church of England. This meant that there were a lot of people who could not represent them in the Legislative Assembly or even vote. In the early 1800s, only about one quarter (1/4) of the population could vote. They wanted more rights for Roman Catholics and Protestants such as the Methodists. These religious groups fought hard for reform. Philip F.Little, supported by the churches, became premier in 1855.
