Advent of Democracy

Question 1

Argument about Responsible Government

Answer 1

- British North America’s transition to
responsible government might be THE most
important development with regard to
Canadian parliamentary institutions
- British North America’s transition to
responsible government stemmed not from
democratic ideals but from attempts to
forestall future crises
- This transition set the stage for what we
understand today as Canadian parliamentary
democracy

Question 2

government in Canada today

Answer 2

• Bicameral legislature:
  – Lower House: House of Commons (elected)
  – Upper House: Senate (appointed by GG)
• Crown’s representative: Governor General
• Executive power: Cabinet
  – Leader: Trudeau
  – Cabinet sits in
  Parliament and is
  RESPONSIBLE to
  Parliament

Question 3

government in British North America

Answer 3

- Westminster-style government with a
bicameral legislature
-- Lower House: Legislative Assembly
-- Upper House: Legislative Council
- Crown’s representative: Lieutenant Governor
- Executive power: Executive Council

Question 4

representative government in British North Amera

Answer 4

• REPRESENTATIVE (not responsible) governments
• Goal: to emulate Great Britain’s mixed
  parliament
  – Balance the interests of the nation so that one does not supersede the others (i.e. Interests of royalty vs. Interests of landed aristocracy and state religion vs. Interests of the people)
  – Legislative power nominally shared

Question 5

differences between Great Britain and British North America

Answer 5

• Crown not in British North America
• No landed aristocracy in British North America
• People have more land
• Control of colonial revenues much more restricted
• concentration of power within small circles (Family Compact, Chateau Clique)

Question 6

questioning representative government -> revolution

Answer 6

• was it really for the people?
• French speakers had considerable electoral power
• Lower Canada demanded autonomy through 92 Resolutions, but was rejected -> led to revolution

Question 7

Durham report

Answer 7

• Durham arrived to design solutions
• 4 recommendations:
  – Union of the Canadas
  – Improved system of
  public education
  – Municipal institutions/government
  – Responsible
  government

Question 8

representative government vs. responsible government

Answer 8

• Overall, the colonists did better with Responsible government.
  • Had more say in who ran the government.
  • The people who were elected were more concerned with the
  colony than with Britain.
  • The “regular people” could be elected and help pass laws and
  bills that would help the colonists.
  • They were governed by people who lived in the colony,
  rather than by people who lived in Britain

Question 9

transition to responsible government

Answer 9

• reformers dominanted legislatures, Sir Charles Metcalfe took over governorship and dissolved assembly -> Canada was heading towards crisis
• To prevent crisis, “ministerial responsibility to parliament” was instituted in order to retain loyalty of colonists
• Peaceful transition starting in Nova Scotia, then PEI, then NB
• British influence still present

Question 10

why was June 25, 1840 a moment that mattered?

Answer 10

• Special Council of Lower Canada passed the acts of municipal incorporation (city charters) for the cities of Montreal and Quebec
• These laws established both the system of local governance that we take for granted today and allowed local democracy to receive its official foothold in British North America

Question 11

magistrate rule

Answer 11

• all of Canada (except Saint John) governed this way
• magistrates had Executive appointments, Judicial and legislative powers, Financial powers, or lack thereof -> no powers of taxation

Question 12

early changes to local government

Answer 12

• first changes to magistrate rule happened in largest cities (ie. Montreal -> temporary charters, 4 year lifespan)
• revolutions happened that dissolved local governments

Question 13

why did Durham recommend municipal government?

Answer 13

• to prevent further revolutions
• For the colonial government: could be an easier way to respond to local grievances and realize local improvements
• Durham made a case that places like Montreal were filthy and unable to meet basic needs of their habitants -> municipal governments could change that
• For elites: could be an outlet for prestige
• Lord Sydenham made the case that municipal government was a way to train people to understand political behaviour so that they could properly participate in provincial politics

Question 14

the spread of municipal government

Answer 14

• After Montreal and Quebec, great proliferation of municipal incorporations across BNA (ex. Halifax, Frederiction, Charlottetown)
• Omnibus municipal legislation soon followed in Canada East/West