The Influence of liberal ideas in
Lower Canada (1791-1837)
Vocabulary
 Liberalism: the belief in the importance of liberty
and equal rights (free speech, freedom of religion)
 Legislative Assembly: A collection of people elected
by a part of the population in order to represent it in
government
 Veto: The rejection of the passage of a bill into law
Statue of Liberty: goddess of liberty. Gift from
France for American liberal revolution
A Parliamentary System
 Influenced by the ideas of liberalism, British
colonists, Loyalists, and prominent Canadiens
demanded a legislative assembly.
 The Constitutional Act (1791) – creates two new
colonies: Upper and Lower Canada
 A legislative assembly was created in each colony.
This was a more democratic system of government
than before, the governor and the Councils still held
most of the power. The governor could veto any bill
he did not like.
A parliamentary system
 After the 1792 elections, the members representing
the Canadiens had a majority (more than 50% of the
seats) in the House in Lower Canada. They tried to
protect Canadiens’ rights.
 The parliament fought over everything. Things like
who would be the Speaker of the House, what
language was to be used, and how to tax the people.
Example of the difference between Canadien and
British ideas in Parliament
 Money was needed to build new prisons. Taxes had
to be increased to do that. But how?
 British members suggest a land tax. The Canadiens
representatives object because this would hurt the
Canadiens people that vote for them because the
majority are farmers.
 The Canadiens suggest a tax on imported goods. The
British representatives object because this would
hurt the British merchants that vote for them.
 The Canadiens representatives use their majority to
pass the bill.
The Press and the spread of political ideas
 By 1805, printing presses were much more common
in North America.
 In 1805, two new political parties had formed in
Lower Canada, Parti Canadien and the British Party,
each with its own newspaper.
 They used these newspapers to promote their
political ideas and attack their opponents ideas.
 These newspapers were not meant to be objective.
They were meant to be one-sided.
19th Century Printing Press
The Quebec Mercury (British newspaper)
Le Canadien (Canadien newspaper)
The Society and the Economy
 Around 1810, Napoleon blockades Great Britain ships
from trading with Europe. Britain needs timber to build
ships. It starts to get its timber from Canada instead of
Europe.
 The timber trade replaces the fur trade in importance.
 There is a severe agricultural crisis in the 1830’s. Poor
harvests make life very difficult for Canadien farmers.
They start to give up their traditional agricultural way of
life and work in the timber trade.
 Canadiens feel increasingly more resentful towards the
more prosperous British. The British business class
dominate commerce.
French Naval Ship
The Society and Economy (cont)
 The Canadien liberal bourgeoisie protected the
interests and rights of Canadiens.
 British immigration increased the number of British
colonist in the population.
Vocabulary
 Responsible government – A government where the
members of the executive council are chosen from
the majority party in the Legislative Assembly.
 Ministerial Accountability – If the councilors in the
Executive Council lose the support of the Legislative
Assembly they must resign.
Towards and affirmation of Canadien
nationhood
 In the 1830’s, Canadien members of the Legislative
Assembly, who followed the ideas of liberalism,
demanded ministerial accountability.
 In 1826, the Parti Canadien became the Parti
Patriote. After 1830, those members that wanted to
see greater change, became radical and created
militias to oppose British rule.
 In 1834, the Parti Patriote sent the 92 Resolutions to
London. It laid out all the complaints the Canadiens
had with the British authorities and what changes
the Canadiens would like to see.
92 Resolutions and Russell’s Resolutions
 Some of the 92 Resolutions:
 - an elected legislative council
 Management of the governor’s budget by the Legislative
Assembly
 More Canadiens in the civil service
 Protection of the French language
 Ministerial accountability
Lord Russell in London, flatly refuses all of the
Resolutions and allows the colonial administration
to take further money from the Legislative Assembly.