Responsible government means the Crown’s ministers must hold the confidence of a majority of elected representatives, and a government that loses a confidence vote must resign. Lord Durham recommended it after the rebellions of 1837–38. Nova Scotia was the first colony to attain it, in 1847–48, and Lord Elgin introduced it to United Canada in 1848–49.
1763 – 1791British Rule and Accommodation
After the war, Great Britain renamed the colony the Province of Quebec. Its Catholic, French-speaking people, the habitants or Canadiens, strove to keep their way of life within an English-speaking, Protestant-ruled empire.
The British Parliament passed the Quebec Act of 1774, one of Canada's constitutional foundations, the better to govern a French Roman Catholic majority. It allowed religious freedom for Catholics and let them hold public office (not then allowed in Britain), and restored French civil law while keeping British criminal law.
When the 13 colonies to the south declared independence in 1776 and formed the United States, more than 40,000 Loyalists fled north to settle in Nova Scotia and Quebec. Their origins were Aboriginal, British, Dutch, German, Scandinavian and more; their backgrounds Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, Methodist, Presbyterian and Quaker. Joseph Brant led thousands of Loyalist Mohawk into Canada, and some 3,000 black Loyalists, freedmen and slaves, came north in search of a better life. In 1792, black Nova Scotians given poor land left to establish Freetown, Sierra Leone, a new British colony for freed slaves.
Sir Guy Carleton (Lord Dorchester), Governor of Quebec, upheld the rights of the Canadiens, threw back an American invasion of Quebec in 1775, and supervised the Loyalist migration of 1782–83. Democratic institutions then grew up gradually and peacefully: Halifax elected the first representative assembly in 1758, followed by Prince Edward Island in 1773 and New Brunswick in 1785.
The Province of Quebec was divided by the Constitutional Act of 1791 into Upper Canada (later Ontario), mainly Protestant, English-speaking and Loyalist, and Lower Canada (later Quebec), heavily French-speaking and Catholic. For the first time the Canadas were granted legislative assemblies elected by the people, and the name Canada became official. British North America was the collective name for the two Canadas and the Atlantic colonies.
1837 – 1864Rebellion and Responsible Government
In the 1830s, reformers in Upper and Lower Canada believed progress toward full democracy was too slow; some wanted American republican values or even to join the United States. Armed rebellions broke out in 1837–38 outside Montreal and in Toronto, but the rebels lacked public support and were defeated by British troops and Canadian volunteers. A number were hanged or exiled, some later returning to Canada.
Lord Durham, an English reformer sent to report on the rebellions, urged merging Upper and Lower Canada and granting responsible government — meaning that to govern, the Crown's ministers need the backing of a majority of elected representatives. He also urged that the Canadiens assimilate into English-speaking Protestant culture, showing a complete lack of understanding of French Canadians.
In 1840 the two became the Province of Canada. Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin, reformers, worked with British governors toward reform, as did Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia became the first colony to attain full responsible government in 1847–48, and in 1848–49 Governor Lord Elgin introduced it to United Canada — under which a government that loses a confidence vote must resign. A champion of democracy and French language rights, La Fontaine became in 1849 the first leader (similar to a prime minister) of a responsible government in the Canadas.
Remember this
- Responsible government = ministers must hold the confidence of a majority of elected representatives.
- First colony to win it: Nova Scotia, 1847–48.
- Future Fathers of Confederation from this era: Sir Etienne-Paschal Tache, Sir George-Etienne Cartier, and Sir John A. Macdonald (a former member of the Upper Canada militia).
Test questions on this topic
What were the French-speaking Catholic people of the Province of Quebec known as?
Why: After the war Britain gave the colony a new name, the "Province of Quebec." Its French-speaking Catholic inhabitants — habitants, or Canadiens — worked to hold onto their way of life inside an English-speaking, Protestant-governed empire.
In what year did the British Parliament pass the Quebec Act, one of the constitutional foundations of Canada?
Why: Westminster passed the Quebec Act in 1774 to govern the French Roman Catholic majority more effectively. It counts among Canada's constitutional foundations, fitting the principles of British institutions to what the province actually was.
What did the Quebec Act of 1774 do with respect to law in the province?
Why: Catholics gained religious freedom under it and the right to hold public office — something still barred in Britain itself. The Act also brought back French civil law while leaving British criminal law in place.
Under the Quebec Act, Catholics gained religious freedom and the right to hold public office — something Britain itself did not then permit.
Why: Catholics gained religious freedom under it and the right to hold public office — something still barred in Britain itself. The Act also brought back French civil law while leaving British criminal law in place.
How many people loyal to the Crown, called 'Loyalists,' fled the American Revolution to settle in Nova Scotia and Quebec?
Why: Over 40,000 who stayed loyal to the Crown — the "Loyalists" — escaped persecution during the American Revolution and settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec. Joseph Brant brought thousands of Loyalist Mohawk into Canada.
Who led thousands of Loyalist Mohawk Indians into Canada?
Why: Over 40,000 who stayed loyal to the Crown — the "Loyalists" — escaped persecution during the American Revolution and settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec. Joseph Brant brought thousands of Loyalist Mohawk into Canada.
In 1792, some black Nova Scotians who were given poor land moved on to establish which new British colony for freed slaves in West Africa?
Why: Some 3,000 black Loyalists, both freedmen and slaves, came north in search of something better. Allotted poor land, a number of black Nova Scotians left again in 1792 to found Freetown in Sierra Leone, a new British colony in West Africa for freed slaves.
Which Governor of Quebec upheld the rights of the Canadiens, threw back an American invasion in 1775, and oversaw the Loyalist migration?
Why: As Governor of Quebec, Sir Guy Carleton — Lord Dorchester — stood up for the rights of the Canadiens, threw back an American invasion of the province in 1775, and oversaw the Loyalist migration into Nova Scotia and Quebec in 1782-83.
Where was the first representative assembly in Canada elected, in 1758?
Why: Democratic institutions came in by degrees, without violence. Halifax, Nova Scotia elected the first representative assembly in 1758; Prince Edward Island did so in 1773 and New Brunswick in 1785.
What did the Constitutional Act of 1791 divide the Province of Quebec into?
Why: The Constitutional Act of 1791 split the Province of Quebec in two: Upper Canada, later Ontario, largely Loyalist, Protestant and English-speaking; and Lower Canada, later Quebec, overwhelmingly Catholic and French-speaking.
Upper Canada (later Ontario) was mainly Catholic and French-speaking.
Why: The Constitutional Act of 1791 split the Province of Quebec in two: Upper Canada, later Ontario, largely Loyalist, Protestant and English-speaking; and Lower Canada, later Quebec, overwhelmingly Catholic and French-speaking.
What were the Atlantic colonies and the two Canadas known collectively as?
Why: Canada became the official name at that point and has stayed in use since. Taken together, the Atlantic colonies and the two Canadas went by the name British North America.
Which English reformer, sent to report on the 1837-38 rebellions, urged merging Upper and Lower Canada and granting responsible government?
Why: Sent from England to report on the rebellions, the reformer Lord Durham urged that Upper and Lower Canada be joined and granted responsible government — meaning no ministry of the Crown could govern without majority backing among the elected members.
What does responsible government mean, as recommended by Lord Durham?
Why: Sent from England to report on the rebellions, the reformer Lord Durham urged that Upper and Lower Canada be joined and granted responsible government — meaning no ministry of the Crown could govern without majority backing among the elected members.
Lord Durham recommended that French Canadians should preserve the distinct identity of French Canada.
Why: More contentiously, Durham argued that the Canadiens would advance fastest by absorbing into English-speaking Protestant culture. The proposal showed he had understood nothing of French Canadians, whose aim was to keep the distinct identity of French Canada alive.
In what year were Upper and Lower Canada united as the Province of Canada?
Why: The union of Upper and Lower Canada into the Province of Canada came in 1840. Reformers — Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin, and Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia at the same period — pressed British governors toward responsible government.
Which was the first British North American colony to attain full responsible government, in 1847-48?
Why: Nova Scotia was the first colony in British North America to win full responsible government, in 1847-48. A year later, in 1848-49, Lord Elgin brought it to United Canada with London's backing.
Who became the first leader of a responsible government in the Canadas, a champion of democracy and French language rights?
Why: La Fontaine, who fought for democracy and for French language rights, headed the first responsible government the Canadas had.
Under the system of responsible government, what must the government do if it loses a confidence vote in the assembly?
Why: That arrangement still stands: a government defeated on a confidence vote in the assembly has to resign.
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