SIR JOHN A MACDONALD

Macdonald’s Personal Life Immigrated from Scotland at 5 years old He was not a very successful businessman, but was a successful lawyer Entered politics at age 28 Became member in Legislative Assembly for Canada West Leader of the Conservative Party (Great Coalition) Had significant drinking problem

VISION “Let us be English or let us be French….Above all let us be Canadians.”

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Sir John A Macdonald had a national vision to unite Canada from sea to sea.

How did he achieve this goal?

Map of Canada - 1867

New Brunswick Lack of popular support in each province for joining confederation Concerns about being swallowed by Ontario and Quebec SO, HOW DID MACDONALD CONVINCE THEM TO JOIN?

NEW BRUNSWICK (cont.) Transfer payments Assumption of debt Building of railroad

NOVA SCOTIA Howe concerned about loss of Nova Scotians’ identity if they were to join confederation Howe sought closer ties with Britain Trent Affair SO, HOW DID MACDONALD CONVINCE THEM TO JOIN?

NOVA SCOTIA (cont.) Transfer payments Assumption of colonial debt Promise of railroad Subsidies When popular opinion in Nova Scotia threatened confederation, Macdonald promised to increase annual subsidies 30% over next 10 years Macdonald offered Howe a federal cabinet porfolio

CONSIDER…..

Population of Canada by Province in 1871 Transfer payments to each province Ontario Quebec Nova Scotia 1 620 581 1 191 516 387 800 New Brunswick 285 594 Ontario $80,000 Quebec $70,000 Nova Scotia $60,000 New Brunswick $50,000

The latecomers…..

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BRITISH COLUMBIA Geographically isolated Crucial to fulfill vision of Canada from “sea to sea” Canadians willing to grant major concessions to have British Columbia join Confederation

BRITISH COLUMBIA (cont.) BC decided to join in 1871 – Why?

Permanent rail link to West Coast within 10 years Assumption of colonial debt Pensions for unelected officials who would lose positions after BC joined confederation BUT, opposition and some members from Ontario viewed the terms as entirely too generous

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Refused confederation in 1867 Felt that they had little to gain and their independence to lose SO, WHY THE CHANGE OF HEART?

 Absentee landlords owned most of the land and would not sell at reasonable rates to sellers  Railway project on Island was threatening finances of colony

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Canada agreed to assume PEI’s debt Canada agreed to buy the land from absentee landlords for $800,000 and sell to settlors Connection of PEI to mainland by ferry was guaranteed (Interesting note: When bridge to PEI was completed in 1997, that condition of confederation was deleted)

NORTH-WEST Bought land from Hudson’s Bay Company in 1869 Increased size of Canada by six times Manitoba Act of 1870 created Province of Manitoba in response to Red River Rebellion

Newfoundland did not join until 1949 despite participating in the discussions leading up to Confederation _________________________

Discussion of Macdonald’s actions to unite Canada Did he give too much away to the detriment of other provinces?

Were his concessions defensible for the unification of Canada?

THE BEGINNINGS OF CANADA but THE END OF THE PRESENTATION