Canada s Changing Borders

Nation Building : Nation Building


1700 : 1700


Slide3 : In 1534, Jacques Cartier arrived in what is now Canada and claimed the territory for the King of France, Francis I. The riches he had expected to find were not easily accessed, so he returned home. The French returned some 70 years later when Samuel de Champlain arrived, and this time, they were here to stay. They established control of the territory around Quebec, first through a fur-trading company, and then through a government established by Louis XIV. The French established the seigneurial system of land tenure, the Catholic Church and a thriving fur trade in the new territory.


Slide4 : The French control of Canada ended in 1760 with the fall of Montréal to the British. Under the Treaty of Paris, the French retained control of fishing rights in Newfoundland, acquired title to Saint Pierre, Miquelon, and regained control of its islands in the West Indies. On mainland, the British quickly established control, particularly in the merchant capital of Montréal, and expected an influx of British colonists soon after they took over. But the colonists did not come. Eventually, the British governor of Quebec, Sir Guy Carleton, convinced the British government that the population - which was predominantly French - should be governed according to familiar laws.


Slide5 : As a result, in 1774, the Quebec Act restored French civil law, while maintaining British criminal law, and guaranteeing religious freedom for Roman Catholics. The Act, and the placement of such a large region under the jurisdiction of Quebec, infuriated colonists in the American Colonies. Propagandists fighting for the American Revolutionary cause used the information to promote action on the part of the colonists. A year later, two American armies invaded Quebec in a takeover - an act that helped ignite the American Revolution.


1775 : 1775


Slide7 : The map of Canada in 1775 also shows the "Indian Territory." During the summer of 1763, native people, led by the Ottawa warrior Pontiac, raided interior trading posts in a desperate bid to hold back European expansion. The Indian Territory was therefore set aside by George Washington as "a temporary expedient to quiet the minds of the Indians." The American Revolution ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which established the border between Canada and the United States. It stretched from the Atlantic to Lake of the Woods, on what is now the Manitoba-Ontario border.


Slide8 : Refugees from the United States poured into the country of Quebec: they needed tools, rations and livestock, which the British government was at a loss to provide. Ten thousand Loyalists who had remained loyal to the British during the revolution, came to build homes and farms below the Niagara Escarpment and along the Upper St. Lawrence River, and another 30,000 settled in the Maritimes. Pioneers struggled to clear forests and establish farms, fighting isolation, loneliness and depression, with the occasional barn raising or religious meeting.


1791 : 1791


Slide10 : The huge influx of Loyalists changed the makeup of Quebec's population. Sir Guy Carleton had argued for re-establishing the Quebec civil code and other France-based rules in Quebec because of the predominantly French population, but now there were also substantial numbers of British colonists. Again, Sir Guy Carleton - who by that time had been made Lord Dorchester - suggested an improvement to the way the area was governed. He divided Quebec into Upper Canada, which would be modeled after British society, and Lower Canada, which would maintain the French language, civil law and religious institutions. Both Canadas would have elected assemblies, an appointed upper house or council, and an executive, much like the British Commons, Lords and Cabinet. Officials hoped the residents of Lower Canada would witness the prosperity of Upper Canada and be inspired to join British-style rule. Instead, Lower Canada prospered on its' own. In 1760 there were 60,000 habitants; by 1784 there were 110,000; and by 1812 they had increased to 330,000.


Slide11 : Boundary Changes 1798 Colony of St. John's Island renamed Prince Edward Island 1809 Labrador coast annexed to Newfoundland 1818 Boundary between Canada and the United States established at the 49th parallel from Lake of the Woods to the Rockies; Oregon Territory created, to be jointly administered by Britain and the U.S. 1820 Colony of Cape Breton annexed to Nova Scotia 1825 Treaty between Britain and Russia defines border between Alaska and British North America


1825 : 1825


Slide13 : After the war of 1812, immigration to British North America led to a more diversified economy, with lumbering, farming and shipbuilding growing in both in the Maritimes and in the Canadas. But by the 1830s there was a great deal of unrest, partly because of economic distress, partly because of the cultural prejudice against the French-speaking Canadiens in Lower Canada, and partly due to the system of government, which gave relatively little power to the elected assembly. In November 1837, Louis-Joseph Papineau and his radical Parti Patriote led a rebellion against this unfair government structure, but the rebels were not well organized and were readily defeated by British forces. Similarly, in Upper Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie, a newspaper editor and member of the elected assembly, led a rebellion that was also quashed. But two uprisings made British officials realize they had to reform the government system.


Slide14 : Britain reformed the government and united Upper and Lower Canada in 1841 into the Province of Canada. Throughout this period, British colonies enjoyed a preferential trading relationship with the motherland, whereby Britain imposed lower tariffs on goods imported from colonies. In 1846, Britain began a limited free trade with the United States, ending this preferential treatment for the colonies and forcing them to establish free trade with the United States and to increase trade among themselves. Meanwhile, in 1836 Canada's first rail line opened between St. Johns, Que., and La Prairie, Que. And Britain continued to expand its colonies, building Fort Victoria in 1843 to establish its claim to Vancouver Island.


Slide15 : Boundary Changes 1840 The Province of Canada is created by uniting Upper Canada and Lower Canada (which are renamed Canada West and Canada East ) 1849 Border along the 49th parallel is extended to the Pacific Ocean, and the colony of Vancouver Island is established


1849 : 1849


Slide17 : In 1849, the government of Canada passed the Rebellion Losses Bill that would compensate Lower Canadians for land lost during the Rebellions of 1837. But the bill didn't differentiate between ordinary people and rebels, compensating both. This incited an angry mob in Montréal to burn down the Parliament Buildings. The bill wasn't rescinded, but Parliament was moved, alternating between Quebec City and Toronto until its establishment in Ottawa on the last day of 1857. Although Upper and Lower Canada were united, the Province of Canada was by no means a uniform region. The old Lower Canada retained its own language, civil code and the seigneurial land system. And although it also had almost 40 percent more people than did Upper Canada, there was equal representation for both provinces in the elected legislature. Despite their differences, Upper and Lower Canada developed strong commerce, transportation, and political ties. In 1849, the border between Canada and the U.S., which ran along the 49th parallel, was extended to the Pacific.


Slide18 : Boundary Changes 1858 British establish the mainland colony of British Columbia 1859 British jurisdiction established over "North-Western Territory" 1862 Stickeen Territory created


1862 : 1862


Slide20 : In the 1860s, colonists in British North America became concerned that the United States would try to fulfill their philosophy of manifest destiny by taking over all of North America. The fears were worsened when, during the American Civil War, Britain supported the Southern Confederate Army. When the Northern Yankees won the war, fears the Northern army might continue to fight by invading British territory grew. Also by the 1860s, the legislature that had been formed to govern the new Province of Canada could no longer function. No political party gained enough support from both the Francophones and Anglophones to form a majority ― a situation that resulted in 12 different governments in 15 years. To end the deadlock, John A. Macdonald, George Brown and George-Etienne Cartier joined to propose a larger union of British North America. Such a union would increase protection from an American invasion, and would also make trade among the colonies easier ― something that became even more important in 1866, when the United States ended free trade with Canada. The East Coast colonies had already called for a conference to discuss a union of the Maritimes, and the Canadians asked to be invited.


Slide21 : At that conference in September 1864, the delegates agreed that a federation of the Province of Canada and the East Coast colonies would best serve all their interests. After a second conference in Quebec in October 1864, the final details were agreed upon in London, England, in 1866 - the federal government would control defense, trade, and other matters of national interest, and the provincial governments would have power over local matters like roads and education. The British government supported the initiative and passed the British North America Act in March of 1867.


Slide22 : On the first of July, 1867, the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario (formerly Canada West) and Quebec (formerly Canada East) were united as the Dominion of Canada. Boundary Changes 1863 British Columbia expanded to present-day boundaries (excluding Vancouver Island) 1867 Confederation: The Dominion of Canada is created by uniting the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Canada. Canada East and Canada West are renamed Quebec and Ontario-a total of four provinces


1867 : 1867


Slide24 : The Dominion of Canada soon looked to expand, and, under the leadership of its first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald, purchased Rupert Land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1869. The Métis, who lived in the Red River area of Rupert's Land, were not consulted about the deal and turned away the new Lieutenant-Governor when he tried to enter the settlement, before the territory had officially changed hands. There was no legitimate government in the area so the Métis, led by Louis Riel, seized Fort Garry and established a provisional government. They demanded the right to vote, the official use of both English and French, to have both Protestant and Roman-Catholic schooling, and they demanded land laws. The list of demands became the basis of negotiation for the province of Manitoba to join Confederation.


Slide25 : In 1871, British Columbia agreed to join Canada after the federal government promised a transcontinental railroad to make trade easier with East. Prince Edward Island, in the meantime, had almost become bankrupt building an expensive railway. Macdonald saw this as an opportunity to tempt them into Confederation. He promised the federal government would assume its debt, give it a cash subsidy and provide a steamer service between the island and the mainland. P.E.I. became the seventh province in 1873.


Slide26 : Boundary Changes 1870 Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory are transferred to Canada. They are amalgamated and renamed North-West Territories. Britain retains possession of the Arctic Islands 1870 Manitoba established as the fifth Canadian province 1871 British Columbia is added to Canada 1873 Prince Edward Island becomes the seventh province


1873 : 1873


Slide28 : In 1873, Macdonald created the North West Mounted Police to act as law enforcement for the North-West Territories. The constables of the NWMP apprehended criminals, while the officers tried them. This meant the integrity of the members of the force was vitally important. The NWMP were originally meant to be a temporary provision ― but their success and popularity led them to become a permanent fixture. The Intercolonial Railway, which joined Ontario and Quebec to the Maritimes, was completed in 1876. But the Transcontinental Railway was delayed when the Macdonald government was forced to resign in 1873 because of the Pacific Scandal, since accusations of corruption in the railway project abounded. The project would not restart until he was re-elected in 1878. It was then the construction began in earnest. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company was incorporated to work on the railroad in 1881, and would continue working on the lines for four years.


Slide29 : Boundary Changes 1876 A new administrative region, the District of Keewatin is formed from part of North-West Territories 1877 Ontario borders extend north and west 1880 Arctic Islands are transferred to Canada as part of the North-West Territories 1881 Manitoba's boundaries are extended east, but this is disputed by Ontario 1882 Districts of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Athabaska are created for postal and administrative purposes


1882 : 1882


Slide31 : The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1885, when the last spike was set in Craigellachie, B.C. The railway had already been used to transport troops to the North-West Territories after settlers there, under Louis Riel’s leadership, rebelled over problems with land title, shipping rates, and their lack of an elected government. The soldiers transported along the railway marched on Louis Riel in April 1885. He was defeated at the Battle of Batoche in May, and was found guilty of treason and executed in November. John A. Macdonald died shortly after winning another election in 1891. The Conservative Party failed to find a replacement that could hold together the diverse views of the colonies as Macdonald had done. Between 1891 and 1896, five prime ministers took power: John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell, Charles Tupper and Wilfrid Laurier. The prime ministers didn't last long, partly because of unrest in Manitoba and in Quebec.


Slide32 : The Manitoba government had replaced the dual Catholic and Protestant school system, guaranteed under Manitoba's terms of union, with a single Protestant system. This became known as the Manitoba Schools Question, and together with the execution of Louis Riel, angered Canada's French population in Manitoba and in Quebec. During the same period, Albertans had taken to ranching. The ranches depended quite heavily on the newly formed Canadian Pacific Railway. There were also significant changes for women. In 1893, National Council of Women of Canada was formed to improve conditions for female prisoners, women working in factories, and female immigrants.


Slide33 : Boundary Changes 1883 Manitoba-Ontario boundary dispute is settled 1889 Ontario's boundary is extended north and west 1895 Districts of Keewatin and Athabaska are enlarged. Four new districts are created in the North-West Territories


1895 : 1895


Slide35 : In 1896 Wilfrid Laurier was voted prime minister and came up with a solution to the Manitoba Schools Question. A compromise was established whereby different types of religious instruction would be allowed within the single system, and French instruction would be available where there was significant demand. Tensions between English and the French rose again during the Boer War when the Britain went to war in South Africa. Most French sided with the Afrikaners, while the majority of English Canada supported the British. Under intense public pressure, Laurier sent a taken 1,000 troops to prevent anger on either side. The Canadian government later outfitted and sent more volunteers to fight, but did not send any official troops.


Slide36 : Technology was booming at the turn of the century. In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal in St. John's, Newfoundland. Cities were also rapidly becoming industrialized - children offered a cheap labour source, and employers fought against unions seeking higher wages and better working conditions. The government did not have any problems attracting immigrants to the cities, but vast parcels of land remained vacant in the West. To encourage settlement, the government began a massive advertising campaign offering free land to anyone who would clear and work it. The huge influx of settlers that flooded the region because of the campaign led to the creation of two new provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, in 1905.


Slide37 : Boundary Changes 1897 Several district boundaries are slightly changed 1898 Yukon District becomes a separate territory 1903 Canada loses the Alaska Boundary Dispute 1905 District of Keewatin restored to the renamed "Northwest Territories," and Alberta and Saskatchewan become the eighth and ninth provinces


1905 : 1905


Slide39 : Between 1901 and 1911, Canada's population increased from 5,371,315 to 7,206,643. The economy also grew at an unprecedented rate during this time, except for two brief downturns in 1907 and 1913. The economic boom was partly due to a great deal of foreign investment and in part due to the incredible success Canada was having in selling wheat overseas. The booms in population and the economy led to two new transcontinental railway projects in the early 1900s. In 1907, the National Council of Women of Canada made a new demand that would become very familiar over the coming decades: "Equal pay for equal work."


Slide40 : Tensions between Canada and Britain rose after Britain sided with the U.S. in a 1903 dispute over the Canada-Alaska border. Britain's decision meant the Lynn Canal, which gave access to the Klondike ― where the gold rush was in full swing ― belonged to the U.S. It sparked a great deal of resentment in Canada. When Britain requested Canada's help in building its navy, Laurier responded with a compromise: he established the Canadian Navy in 1910, and allowed it to support the Britain cause if needed.


Slide41 : Boundary Changes 1912 Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec expand northward. The colony of Newfoundland disputes Quebec's eastern boundary


1912 : 1912


Slide43 : As part of the British Empire, when Britain declared war on Germany and Austro-Hungary in 1914, Canada was automatically involved. Those who did not support Canada's participation in the First World War protested vigorously. In response, the government passed the War Measures Act to allow suspension of civil rights during times of crisis. In 1918, Canadian women were granted the right to vote. In the same year, 25,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders were killed in the Battle of the Somme, and the Canadian Parliament buildings were destroyed in a fire. The following year, the government introduced a new tax on income as a temporary measure to support the war effort. Canada fought its hardest battles that year, in Vimy Ridge and in Passchendaele. The destruction of war spread to Canada when a munitions ship collided with a relief ship in Halifax Harbour. At least 1,900 were killed in the blast and the city was physically devastated.


Slide44 : In 1918, Canadians forced their way through German trenches at Amiens. It was to be the beginning of Canada's "hundred days", which led to the end of the war on November 11. The League of Nations was formed in 1920 with Canada as a member. It was a sign of the country's emerging independence on the international stage. In the same year, the North-West Mounted Police became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and women were eligible to sit in the House of Commons.


Slide45 : Boundary Changes 1925 Canadian boundaries are extended to the North Pole 1927 Quebec-Newfoundland (Labrador) border is established by the British Privy Council 1949 Newfoundland joins Canada as the tenth province. (But Quebec still does not recognize the 1927 boundary) 1977 Canada claims all offshore waters within 200 nautical miles (370 km) of the coast


1977 : 1977


Slide47 : In 1927, Canada celebrated the 60th anniversary of Confederation with the first cross-country radio broadcast. The government also began instituting the social safety net, when the Old-Age Pension Act was introduced. In the same year, the British Privy Council got involved in another land dispute ― this time a fight between Newfoundland and Quebec over Labrador. The Privy Council awarded it to Newfoundland. As in much of North America and Europe, the 1930s were a devastating decade for Canadians, as the Great Depression took hold. By 1935, 10 percent of Canadians were dependent on some form of financial relief, and workers from government-sponsored relief camps were rioting in Regina over wages and working conditions. The effects of the Depression faded with the beginning of the Second World War, which was declared in 1939.


Slide48 : The war years saw a continuation of Canada's increasing socialism. Unemployment Insurance was introduced in 1940, and Saskatchewan elected the first socialist government in North America when Tommy Douglas's Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) won in 1944. The social good-will did not seem to apply to the whole population. In 1942, the property of Japanese-Canadians was confiscated and 22,000 were relocated from coastal B.C. to the Interior and elsewhere in Canada because of anti-Japanese hostilities that arose after the attack on Pearl Harbour.


Slide49 : The war ended in 1945. In all, a million Canadians had fought and approximately 42,000 were killed. In 1949, Newfoundland became Canada's tenth province. The British Privy Council lost its role in Canada that same year, when the Canadian Supreme Court became the final court of appeal. By 1951, postwar immigration - more than 100,000 a year - had pushed the population beyond 14 million. The Indian Act was also revised that year to limit coverage of Native peoples, excluding Native women who married non-Native men. This change was rescinded in 1985.


Slide50 : In 1967, Canada celebrated its centennial and hosted Expo 67 in Montréal. Charles de Gaulle, the president of France, also made his famous speech in Montréal, declaring "Vive le Quebec libre!" The armed forces changed that year too, when the Army, Navy and Air Force were unified into the Canadian Armed Forces. Montréal was the site of more international celebrations in 1976, when the Summer Olympic Games were held there. René Lévesque, leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois, became the premier of Quebec that same year.


Slide51 : Boundary Changes 1999 After more than 20 years of negotiations, the territory of Nunavut is established.


1999 : 1999


Slide53 : On April 1, 1999, the map of Canada added a new territory, the first new political region since Newfoundland joined Confederation 50 years earlier. Covering about two million square kilometres, Nunavut makes up about one-fifth of Canada. It has a population of approximately 27,000, roughly 85 percent of whom are Inuit. In 1999, the total population of Canada was estimated to be about 31,006,347. Boundary disputes continue to shape our country. Hans Island, an unpopulated isle roughly the size of a football field situated in the Kennedy Channel between Greenland and Ellesmere Island, was recently the subject of dispute between Denmark and Canada. It is suspected that Canada's claim to Hans Island involves the Northwest Passage.


Slide54 : Canada is a claimant in six other border disputes that, if resolved, have the potential of changing the map of Canada: The most significant debate concerns the Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic. While Canada claims sovereignty over the northern waters, the U.S. considers the route to be through international waters. The petroleum reserves under Beaufort Sea, located between Yukon and Alaska, have also fueled a rivalry between Canada and the States. Overlapping claims regarding the Arctic continental shelves have stirred up debates between the U.S., Russia, Denmark and Canada.


Slide55 : Another disputed region between Canada and the U.S. is the Dixon Entrance, an 80 kilometre-long strait between British Columbia and Alaska, which is the best way to access Prince Rupert port and salmon. B.C.'s Juan de Fuca Strait is yet another body of water that the North American neighbours argue over since it affects the fisheries and shipping industries. The last disputed territory is Machias Seal Island. The U.S. and Canada disagree on where to draw the border line because there is a popular birdwatching spot involved, and the area is frequented by lobsters.


Canadian Watershed MomentsAssignment : Canadian Watershed Moments Assignment Select a major event or development in Canada’s history. (see Maclean’s 25, CBC archives, websites on next slide and textbook for inspiration) Submit an essay plan (outline or skeleton) for approval before taking the next step. Due________ Write a 2-3 page essay explaining how your event could be seen as a defining moment in Canadian History. Due_________


Slide57 : http://archives.cbc.ca/index.asp?IDLan=1 http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/exploration http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/canucklehead/Menu.asp http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=100Events&Params=A3SUB8 http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/mapping/mappingcanada/1999.asp http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/mapping/offthemap.asp http://www.collectionscanada.ca/confederation/023001-4040-e.html http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/keys/webtours/tourID/CW_CaricatureEdito_EN References and Fun Sites