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The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838
The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838 were two violet uprisings taking place in Lower Canada and Upper Canada. Both areas were seeking political reform and a responsible government. Reformers organized radical democratic "political unions" This movement in Britain was popular largely because of the passing of the "Great Reform Bill" of 1832. -
Lord Durham Arrives in Canada
Lord Durham has been sent to the Canadas to investigate and report on the causes of the Rebellions of 1837-38. The Lord Durham report is a significant document in the history of Quebec, Ontario, Canada, and the British Empire. In his report, Durham suggests the merging of Upper and Lower Canada into a single province, the assimilation of French Canadians, and the granting of a responsible government. Durham believed the main problem was the conflicting traditional French and modernizing English. -
Act of Union 1840 is Passed by British Government
The Act of Union merged Upper and Lower Canada into a single colony, known as the Province of Canada, by creating a single parliament. It had two houses (the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly) and equal representation from each section, now called Canada East and Canada West. Also, the French language was banned from official government use, debts were consolidated, a permanent Civil List was developed and specific French Canadian institutions of education and civil law were suspended -
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The Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in secret inside the Legislative Council chamber in Charlottetown, PEI, for delegates of the Maritime provinces to discuss the union of the all of the British North American colonies (after persuasion by the province of Canada). Some benefits of Confederation included better finance, government, and guaranteed construction of the Intercolonial Railway. The results of the meeting was unanimous support for Confederation, provided their terms were satisfactory. -
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The Québec Conference
At the end of the Chalottetown Conference, the 32 members agreed to meet again at Québec City in October, 1864 for further discussion. During the Québec Conference, the members discussed the need for a strong central government (decided it should be federal), the make-up of the Commons and Senate, and where residual powers should reside with. The results were the drafting of the Québec Resolutions or the 72 Resolutions, a set of proposals that laid out the framework for the Canadian Constitution -
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The London Conference
The London Conferece was the third and final conference discussing the Confederation. This one was held to draft the British North America Act 1867, a continuation of the 72 Resolutions made during the Québec Conference. Delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick met with officials of the British government. John A Macdonald was the chairman of the meeting. The 36 men who attended at least one of the three conferences are considered to be the "Fathers of Confederation" -
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec Join Confederation
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The British North American Act is Passed
The British North American Act is what is now known as The Constitution Act. The Act united Canada's three separate colonies into a single dominion named Canada. The Act granted Canada many important things, including the Intercolonial Railway. It also defines much of the Government of Canada's operation, including its federal system, the Senate, the House of Commons, and the justice and taxation system. The Act's anniversary of its entry into force is celebrated in Canada annually as Canada Day -
Northwest Territories and Manitoba Join Confederation
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British Columbia Joins Confederation
In 1866, Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia, and Victoria became the colony's capital. In 1871, British Columbia became Canada's sixth province. -
Prince Edward Island Joins Confederation
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Yukon Joins Confederation
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Saskatchewan and Alberta Join Confederation
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Newfoundland Joins Confederation
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Nunavut Joins Confederation
Nunavut officially separates from the Northwest Territories and becomes its own province, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Claims Agreement Act.
