Confederation: Success vs. Failure

Success in New Brunswick

Leonard Tilley was a great supporter of confederation; he called an election for the Confederation issue. The anti-confederationists joked at the idea and made political cartoons based on the politicians. The colonies had decided that each province would receive a sum of money from the government. The subsidy is based on population, so each person in New Brunswick would get eighty cents. The anti-confederationists thought it was just a way the Canadians would get their way with things, by luring them with money issues. During the first election, the confederation supporters lost. But soon things happened to make the people change their thoughts. The Fenians have attacked, the United States has put on tax during trade and Great Britain is telling them to join confederation. This put the people in pressure and by the second election, the voters won and confederation was back in action.

Success in Canada West

Many were surprised to see George Brown and John Macdonald on the same side. They made brilliant speeches to join confederation. Brown gave good and convincing points to join confederation. They told the people by joining confederation, they would be a strong nation and the third largest country in the WORLD which shows signs of power. Also, the markets would be much bigger and gaining more profits as the United States cancelled their tax-free trade market. The country would be built strong and when in war, they could support each other. Due to these points, the voters who were with confederation won an easy battle against the anti-confederationists.

Success in Canada East

There were riots and critics around the time of decision: join or not join confederation. As A.A. Dorion rejected the views of confederation, he fought a battle between Cartier. Cartierconfederation. When the convinced more than half of the French politicians to join Roman Catholic Church took Cartier’s side, Dorion was losing, bad. When the vote carried out, Dorion and his anti-confederationists supporters lost. Dorion was frustrated and declared to have a referendum, but was quickly stopped by Cartier and his men. So confederation carried out as planned.

Success in Nova Scotia (New Scotland)

After the conference of Québec, Charles Tupper was an enthusiastic confederationNova Scotia, he was denied and most of the population became supporter. But when he returned to anti-confederationists. Especially Joseph Howe who spoke against confederation, he made more people go against it; it seemed Nova Scotia would fall. But after several raid from the Fenians on New Brunswick, many seemed convinced they should join confederation because they knew they would be attacked next. Soon many thought they should combine their forces to help each other. Nova Scotia joined confederation.

Failure in Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.)

Many Prince Edward Islanders rejected confederation. They mainly feared the new government for they will dominate P.E.I. forever. Also that the government’s seats for politicians were in the “rep by pop” order; P.E.I. would have little seats on the government. Finally in 1866, with no promises that would help P.E.I., they dropped out of confederation. Around two decades later, P.E.I. finally joined confederation when Canada and the other colonies agreed to their needs.

The Lost Hundred Years in Newfoundland

F.B.T. Carter became Newfoundland’s premier in 1865. Carter, who favoured confederation, couldn’t convince his own people. Newfoundlanders who showed pride in their colony, they wanted to be independent. Also as Carter started to persuade more people, C.F. Bennett opposed him. He was making more and more anti-confederationists, he managed to get followers by giving points of how badly it would affect them. Some of them were about more taxes, lost of profit (if Canada sold cheaper than Newfoundland), borders, and different laws. “We would get mixed together and our flavour would be consumed by our mixture ally and we will lose everything,” said C.F. Bennett in a gathering for confederation. That night confederation was defeated; a parade of people buried a coffin that labeled confederation to show that confederation was dead in Newfoundland. It took eighty-two years for the coffin to be lifted up and Newfoundlandconfederation in 1949. 
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