Canada West was settled primarily by English-speaking immigrants. The inhabitants nevertheless sought confederation with Canada East (which was populated largely by French-speaking Canadians) in order to secure the unified government needed for effective administration and commercial prosperity.
Why was Canada West against Confederation?
In the West, Indigenous peoples in the Red River Colony were never asked if they wanted to join Confederation. Fearing for their culture and land rights under Canadian control, they mounted a five-month insurgency against the government.
How did Canada West benefit from Confederation?
Confederation would create new markets, make the railway companies more profitable and help people enter the territory to settle land in the West. Confederation would allow better military protection against the Americans and others.
Who opposed Confederation in Canada?
Prominent Anti-confederates included the noted shipbuilder William D. Lawrence, Alfred William Savary and the wealthy merchant Enos Collins. Federally, in the 1867 federal election, the Anti-Confederates won 18 of Nova Scotia’s 19 seats in the House of Commons of Canada.
Why did Canada East opposed Confederation?
Antoine-Aimé Dorion, the Liberal leader in Canada East, opposed Confederation on the grounds that including the Maritime colonies would increase the financial burden on the Province of Canada, and that it could jeopardize the independence of each province.
What are the differences between Canada East and Canada West?
With Confederation in 1867, the Province of Canada was dissolved. Canada West became the province of Ontario and Canada East became the province of Quebec. Its legislature and capital were located in Quebec City. See also: Quebec and Confederation.
What were the disadvantages of Confederation for Canada West?
Disadvantages: – Confederation would change 5 colonies into one huge powerful nation. -It would allow the colonies to trade with each other without any tariffs. -Canada would become the third largest sea-going nation in the world, following the United States and Britain.
Which colony benefited most from Confederation?
Atlantic Canada and Confederation. The Atlantic colonies of Newfoundland, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were more satisfied with the status quo than Canada West. All except Newfoundland enjoyed prosperous economies. They felt comfortable as they were.
What problems did Canada West face?
The rift between English and French created years of unstable government and political deadlock. The situation was worsened by a growing divide between conservatives and reformers within Canada West. This made addressing the colony’s needs and problems nearly impossible.
When did Canada West join Confederation?
The Province of Canada was made up of Canada West (formerly Upper Canada) and Canada East (formerly Lower Canada). The two regions were governed jointly until the Province was dissolved to make way for Confederation in 1867. Canada West then became Ontario and Canada East became Quebec.
Did Canada East want Confederation?
Settled primarily by French Canadians who wanted to preserve their distinctive identity and cultural traditions, Canada East was reluctant to join the proposed confederation with Canada West.
Why did the Atlantic colonies not want Confederation?
The Maritime colonies approached Confederation from a position of weakness. Not only were their numbers, economies, and assets a fraction of the size of Canada’s, their political vision was not nearly as unified.
Why did some people want Confederation?
It was time for the colonies to become more independent. It was necessary to work out a new system of government to help solve the continuing problems between the English- and French-speaking representatives of the united province of Canada, who had different priorities.
What economic resources did Canada West have?
The West is rich in natural resources, with world-leading reserves of oil, potash, and uranium. Western Canada has over 107,000 farming operations that cover more than 135 million acres, representing 85 percent of Canadian farmland.
What was known as Canada West?
Canada West, also called Upper Canada, in Canadian history, the region in Canada now known as Ontario. From 1791 to 1841 the region was known as Upper Canada and from 1841 to 1867 as Canada West, though the two names continued to be employed interchangeably.
What is considered Canada West?
Four provinces and two territories form Western Canada: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and the Northwest Territories.
What is the west of Canada called?
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada–United States border namely (from west to east) British Columbia, Alberta,
What were the consequences of Canada’s westward expansion?
It had impacts on the First Nations and Métis peoples of the west, and on Francophone people in the west. It created a population with roots in many different cultures — a legacy that has shaped Canada ever since.
How did the Articles of Confederation affect western lands?
Once Congress was in control of the Western lands they passed a set of laws to divide and govern the region. The Land Ordinance called for surveyors to divide the region into six mile square plots called townships. The Northwest Ordinance established procedures for establishing government in the Western Lands.
What were the main problems with Confederation?
Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of its population. The citizens of small states had proportionally more political power than the citizens of large states. The national government had no executive branch. The national government had no way of implementing or enforcing its legislative decisions.
What colonies did not want to join Confederation?
The union proved more controversial in the Maritime provinces, however, and it was not until 1866 that New Brunswick and Nova Scotia passed union resolutions, while Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland continued to opt against joining.