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Uniting Canada
Upper and Lower Canada were joined together making the Province of Canada. -
Political Groups
Canada East and West were given an equal amount of seats in the Assembly or Parliment. The two main political groups that were represented were The Conservatives or Tories, and the Reform party or Clear Grits. -
Riots
People in Canada could't decide where the new capitol should be. The citizens of Toronto said that Montreal should not be chosen because too many riots had occured there. People in Quebec City suggested that the Capitol be in Canada East. -
Queen Victoria and Sir. John A. Macdonald
Sir. John A. Macdonald was the Prime Minister of the Province of Canada. He thought that the best thing to do was to ask Queen Victoria, who announced that she chose Ottawa. When the other cities heard about this they were extremely upset and angry. -
Political Deadlock
During the early 1860's the government machinery stopped working. The wheels stoped turning and the engine sputtered and stalled. The goverment and the Opposition held around the same number of seats in the Assembly. When Upper and Lower canada was united in 1841, each part of the new colony was given equal number of seats in the Assembly. This was unfair in the beginning because Canada East had more people living there than in Canada West. -
Population
The population of Canada West was now greater than the population of Canada East. English-speaking people outnumbered the French-speaking people due to immigration in Lower Canada. It was pointed out that Canada West was larer than Canada East by almost 300, 000 people. -
Resigning governments
Four governments resigned and two general elections were held in Canada. Unfortunately, both sides were not able to get enough votes to "carry on the work of the government." Sir John A. Macdonald was thinking of retiring from politics around this time, but the Conservatives begged him to stay and he agreed. -
Parliment buildings
The Parliment buildings were made out of grey limestone and they overlooked the Ottawa River. Parades were held on the broad lawns that streached down the street. -
Assembly meeting
The Assembly met at the Parliment Building for the first time. The building was so beautiful that people were forced to admit it. -
BNA Act
It was signed by Queen Victoria on March 29, 1867 but it started July 1,1867. In 1864, the BNA Act was drafted by Canadians at the Quebec Conference. ( In 1982, the BNA Act was renamed the Constitution Act, 1867.)
