The Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker
Centre for the Study of Canada
- Sir John A. Macdonald,
speech to conference
delegates, Halifax, 1864
Creating
Confederation:
Celebrating the 150 Anniversaries of
the 1864 Charlottetown and Québec
Conferences
th
William Notman and Son, Library and Archives Canada, C-002090
Conferring in Charlottetown
One of the most important meetings in Canadian history began
st
with delegates arriving in Charlottetown on September 1 , 1864
representing the colonies of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada (present-day Ontario
and Québec). Initially scheduled solely as a meeting between the
Maritime colonies, the Province of Canada had received word of
the Charlottetown Conference and requested invitations for their
delegates. The Maritime colonies had been discussing a union amongst
themselves since 1862. Newfoundland found that the Conference was
held at an inconvenient time,
as they were undergoing a
change of governors and
there was not enough notice
to send delegates. On the
first day of the Conference,
the Province of Canada
proposed a unification of all
the colonies, taking the first
step toward Confederation.
Citation: G.P. Roberts, Library and Archives Canada, C-000733
Read all about it….
Craswell and Bayfield, Library and Archives Canada, C-005796
At the time there was a sense of mystery
surrounding the Conference, as few details
were presented to the public regarding
the agenda or proposals that were to be
debated. The majority of newspapers
accepted the invitation to attend and
report on the conference. However, the
lack of information available to the public
m e a n t t h a t re p o r te r s h a d to re ly o n
speculation. Newfoundland was heavily
criticized for not having sent delegates;
though Newfoundland newspapers sent
reporters to cover the event in an effort
to inform their readers. George Brown,
from the Province of Canada, was one
of the few delegates who kept a firsthand account of the proceedings, but
his version of events was not released
until well after the conclusion of the
Charlottetown Conference.
- John G. Diefenbaker,
House of Commons
July 1, 1961
U of S, University Archives & Special Collections,
Diefenbaker Collections, JGD3749
The Province of Canada’s proposal offered up western territories in
exchange for convenient access to ocean ports and the Maritimes’
manufacturing facilities. Delegates agreed to meet again the following
month in Québec, (present-day Québec City) where many critical
issues including representation by population
and railway building would be further debated.
Following the Charlottetown Conference, delegates
from the Province of Canada presented passionate
speeches in numerous cities to promote the
concept and shift public opinion in favour of their
proposed union. The notion of a united British
North America was well
received overall, but did
face significant opposition
in Prince Edward
Island. Despite this, the
Province of Canada’s
representatives were
confident in the strength
of their proposition and
were determined to
continue their efforts at
the Québec Conference.
Library and Archives
Canada, R169-100-8-E
Upper Right: 13¢ stamp, issued 1935
Lower Right: Map, circa 1849
U of S, University Archives & Special Collections,
Diefenbaker Collections, JGD4060
Seventy-two Resolutions?
The delegates created a framework for British North America, a
Federal Union under the Crown of Great Britain through numerous
resolutions. The Seventy-two Resolutions detailed how the new
government would operate and how the powers were to be divided
federally and between the provinces. First published on November
th
8 , 1864 in Le Journal de Québec, the Resolutions then appeared in
newspapers across the colonies and the Province of Canada. This
served to further engage the public
in the process, as opinions were
expressed via letters to the editor and
editorials endorsing or criticizing
the resolutions. The Charlottetown
and Québec Conferences had been
removed from the public sphere –
the publication of the Resolutions
in various newspapers allowed the
general public to debate the notion
of Confederation for the first time.
“Confederation! The much-fathered
youngster.” (LtoR: George Brown, Sir Francis
Hincks, William McDougall, Sir John A. Macdonald)
Canada © Natural Resources Canada. Reproduced with the permission of the
Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada.
Library and Archives Canada, C-005812
Next Step…Québec
Paving the Road to Confederacy
Following the events at Charlottetown, the men who would become
known as the Fathers of Confederation met again from October
10th to 27th, 1864. The original delegates from Charlottetown
gathered in Québec, joined by two observers from Newfoundland
and additional regional representatives. The delegates agreed on a
federation with powers divided amongst a federal parliament and
provincial legislatures. They decided to establish an elected lower
house, the House of Commons, and an appointed upper house,
the Senate, although there was significant debate
and disagreement over how many senators would
represent each province.
The Charlottetown and Québec Conferences marked the beginning of a
three year journey. The road leading to the British North America Act
of 1867 required significant perseverance and compromise from the
Fathers of Confederation. This ambitious project gave new hope for
national prosperity and glory though, not all colonies were convinced.
Following the Conferences of 1864, further meetings would be held,
and the final meeting took place in London, England in 1866. The
creation of the Dominion of Canada proceeded, culminating in An Act
of the Imperial Parliament for this Union of Canada, Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick
st
on July 1 , 1867.
Far Left:
Meeting minutes
written by John
A. Macdonald
on the first day
of the Quebec
Conference.
Top: An artist’s impression of Charlottetown, P.E.I in 1843.
Bottom: First page of the document officially uniting the provinces of Canada.
The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT, MAPC 00164
“I know there are some who
feel a sense of embarrassment
in expressing pride in their
nation... but a healthy loyalty
and devotion to one’s country
constitutes a most
fruitful inspiration
in life.”
John Alexander Macdonald,
Library and Archives of Canada, C-1503
U of S, University Archives & Special Collections, Pamphlet Collection, XIII – 181
This project has been made possible in part by the Government
of Canada.
Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement
du Canada.
Left: Artist’s impression
of the London Conference,
Westminister Palace Hotel,
Christmas Eve, 1866.
John David Kelly, Library and Archives Canada, C-006799
Diefenbaker Canada Centre
The Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker
Centre for the Study of Canada
“For twenty long years I have
been dragging myself through
the dreary waste of Colonial
politics. I thought that there
was no end, nothing worthy
of ambition, but now I see
something which is well worthy
of all that I have suffered.”