REBELLIONS UPPER & LOWER CANADA 1837 & 1838

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REBELLIONS UPPER LOWER CANADA1837 1838

• Key Events In Canadian History Which influenced
  The Nation We Have Today

2
Background to the Issue

• Governance in the Colony
• The Governors
• Land Issue
• Transportation Issue
• Special Privileges for a Few People

3
Governance in the Colony

• Colony had elected Assembly representatives from
  each district
• Made plans for colony needing approval of
  Governor Councils
• Executive Legislative Councils appointed from
  Upper Class, werent bound to follow wishes
  of the people
• Real power was in the hand of the Governor
  Councils, the people had no REAL influence

4
The Governors

• British men appointed by English monarch
• Unfamiliar with local issues conditions
• Depended on the advice of their councils
• Usually United Empire Loyalists
• They were wealthy better educated so better
  able to govern ordinary people
• Anglican (church) should have position

5
Land Issues

• Best land given to Family Compact/friends
• Exec Leg Councilors controlled 90 of land, not
  farmed, would sell for a profit
• 1/7 of land went to Anglican Church, not other
  religions though (clergy reserves)
• New settlers received only poor, uncleared
  farmland

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Transportation Issues

• Farmers needed roads to get to/from markets
• Most were impassable
• Govt. collected taxes to build canals, mainly
  used to benefit merchants Family
  Compact/friends
• Farmers felt govt. did not grant land/ to them
  for land/tools
• Bankers merchants grew rich

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Special Privileges for a Few

• Governor appointed all officials
• Councils, judges, sheriffs, justice of peace
• Coroners, customs officers, postal officials,
  immigration officers Indian Affairs officials
• As head of military he appointed 1500 officers
• Made land grants spent crown for pensions to
  friends
• Good jobs to Family Compact friends

8
Lower Canada (Quebec)

• Louis-Joseph Papineau led the Patriots against
  the governor the Chateau Clique, loss of land
  to growing Anglophone population
• Cultural conflict between French English Cdns.
• Fr. dominated the Assembly, was controlled by the
  Br. Councils
• Created the 92 Resolutions
• Some wanted USA Republic system
• Fall, 1837, armed revolt failed, vs. govt. RC
  church, again in 1838
• Papineau fled to USA, then France, returned
  Pardoned in 1845

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Upper Canada (Ontario)

• William Lyon Mackenzie led the Reformers against
  the Family Compact
• Did not support the Constitution Act of 1791
• Believed in responsible govt.
• Demanded 2 constitutional reforms
• Elected Legislative Council
• Executive council responsible to Assembly
• Reformers were against
• Clergy Reserves,
• Land grants to the oligarchies,
• Influence of the Church of England
• Power of the Banks

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Rebellionsof

• Lower Canada
• Louis Joseph Papineau
• The Patriots
• Vs. Chateau Clique

• Upper Canada
• William Lyon Mackenzie
• The Reformers
• Vs. Family Compact

• Protesting against the Oligarchies control
• Desired a Responsible Government
• Wanted less Church control
• Assembly had to approve taxes or no collection
  would occur

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Consequences of Rebellion

• Rebellion Losses Bill
• Led to the Durham Report of the 1840s
• French Assimilation into English Canada
• Act of Union unites the two Canadas
• Achievement of Responsible Government
• Led to Confederation in the 1860s

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Lord Durhams Report

• Durham's Recommendations
• to unite Upper and Lower Canada to make the
  French a minority
• to assimilate or anglicize the French majority
  in Lower Canada
• to grant responsible government
• Consequences of Durham's Recommendations
• Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1840
• Responsible government was granted in 1848
  leading to Confederation in 1867
• Created the roots of todays French separatism

13
Rebellions Losses Bill 1849

• Reformers controlled the Assembly, their bill
• sought to compensate those in what had been Lower
  Canada for damages that resulted from the
  rebellions.
• was controversial because the Tories objected
  that many of the claimants were former rebels who
  were against the Crown.
• was well received by French Canadians, but
  British elements opposed it so strongly that
  they attacked Elgin and burned the parliament
  building down in Montreal.

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Confederation 1867

• The Province of Canada, (Ontario Quebec) New
  Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
• A system based on British Parliament
• Proposed limited central government balanced by
  provincial power.
• Rejected the strict application of "rep by pop.
  the senate represented regions
• Called for a two-chamber (bicameral) parliament,
  including a (appointed) senate and a (elected)
  house of commons.

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Our Thesis

• If in the position of the Reformers or Patriots,
  a reasonable citizen would support no
  representation no taxes since a true democracy
  must have the citizens power move up to the
  elected govt. officials, not from appointed
  officials down to the citizens.
• If every democracy ignored their citizens and
  gave special privileges to a few, rebellion and
  civil war would surely follow.
• Given that the rebellions led to Confederation
  1867, which spawned the nation we have today, the
  rebels did the right thing and definitely helped
  to create the model of democracy that Canada
  represents today.