Canada’s Breakaway From Britain:
Pulling off the Bandage Slowly
Civics Studies 11
MUNDY 2010
Responsible Government
• Rebellions of 1837, led by Mackenzie and
Papineau, advocated a responsible
government with an elected legislative
assembly
• This differed from the colonial government
model, wherein an appointed Governor
oversaw local matters through similarly
appointed Councils
Responsible Government
• Although these rebellions, in both Upper and
Lower Canada, ultimately failed, Britain
eventually sent Lord Elgin in 1847 to impose
‘responsible government’
• Terms included:
– no veto power from Governor
– fully-elected Legislative Assembly
– Assembly selects leadership of Executive (Council)
Confederation
• By 1850’s Britain did not wish to continue its
policy of ‘mercantilism’ and ‘colonialism’, as
this was expensive to govern, and Britain no
longer needed to secure raw materials from
the colonies
• In 1860’s, Macdonald and the ‘Great Coalition’
began a series of conferences to discuss the
idea of an independent country
Confederation
• After the 3 conferences, Britain agreed to give
the Dominion of Canada independent status,
within the Commonwealth of Britain
• Under the British North America Act (Canada’s
first constitution), Canada managed all local
affairs, while Britain controlled its foreign
policies and military affairs
• As well, Britain would make any changes to
Canada’s constitution (amending powers)
Growing Pains
• South African War – Britain pressures Canada
to send troops, yet nationalists here advocate
for no intervention in wars that do not
concern us
• Alaskan Boundary Dispute – over the coastline
of Alaska, Canada needed Britain at
negotiations with U.S. to decide on border;
U.K. sides with U.S. surprisingly
Canada Pulls Away
• At the end of WWI, Canada demands and wins
the right to sign the peace treaty (Treaty of
Versailles) on its own, instead of bring implied
to have signed through Britain
• Canada also gains a separate seat in League of
Nations
• In 1923, Canada directly negotiates a treaty
with U.S. over halibut fishing; Britain sits out
of discussions
Canada Pulls Away
• In the King-Byng Crisis of 1926, P.M. King lost
confidence of the Progressive Party (was
minority government), so asked G.G. Byng to
dissolve government and call election
• Byng refuses, as Opposition Conservatives
have more seats than Liberals
• Conservatives accept (Meighen), but are
quickly defeated as they also lose confidence
Canada Pulls Away
• Byng now has no choice but to call an election
• In election campaign, King attacked Byng for
interfering in Canada’s affairs when Byng was
only an appointee of Britain
• King wins majority government in election
• From then on, convention established that
G.G. acts only on advice of P.M., so long as it
follows consititution
Britain Pushes Away
• Britain publishes the Balfour Report in 1926
that presses Canada, as well as Australia and
other Commonwealth nations to become fully
independent
• 1931 Britain codifies this edict through the
Statute of Westminster, now making it law,
including:
– Britain’s laws no longer apply to Canada
WWII
• Canada enters war a full week after Britain
and France, after deliberating through the
federal Parliament
• Canada sends its own troops, even though
they are attached to Britain’s forces as an
alliance
Citizenship Act
• Up until 1947, Canadian citizens held British
passports
• In 1947, Canada passed a law that created a
separate Canadian passport and citizenship to
those born in Canada, married to one in
Canada or permanently living in Canada
Patriation of Constitution
• Britain still had to approve all changes (called
‘amendments’) to the Constitution
• Many attempts since Statute of Westminster
were made by Canada to come up with a
formula, or method, of amending our own
constitution, yet none satisfied government
• Trudeau set out to finally settle the matter
and ‘patriate’ the BNA Act so that Canada
would hold complete control over it
Patriation of Constitution
• Provinces, through discussions, agree to
amending formula of HoC and Senate, then 7
out of 10 provinces (representing at least 50%
of pop.) to agree to changes (= formula)
• Thus, BNA Act 1867 becomes Canada Act 1982
when Queen Elizabeth signs new constitution
(Charter of Rights and Freedoms also added)
Independence Today
• Today there are still discussions about the
British monarch’s role in our current
“constitutional monarchy”, given that U.K.
monarch is still ‘head of state’ while P.M. is
lesser ‘head of government’
• Considering G.G. only acts in favour of advice
given by P.M., people see G.G. only as
upholder of constitution