Canada EQ3: How significant to the development of Britain's relationship with its colonies was the Earl of Durham's report on Canada published in 1839?

Question 1

LORD DURHAM

What were the benefits of his appointment as the High Commissioner?

Answer 1

• analysis was razor-sharp
• openness to new intellectual arguments
• considerably popular
• consulted widely and speedily with populations of the province
• publicly discounted views of those who had previously held executive powers in tight grip
• actions in a short time stabilised political situation temporarily

Question 2

LORD DURHAM

What are the disadvantages of Durham’s appointment?

Answer 2

• Durham did fail to mention native Americans at all in report
• No acknowledgement of the debate on the future of Aboriginal people within the Empire
• his popularity may have been due to the face he was removed before he had time to disappoint his support

Question 3

CHARLES BULLER

What was Buller’s role?

Answer 3

• Appointed the Executive Council
• Appointed to Special Council
• headed some of Durham’s sub-commissions
• did delegate duties to Wakefield
• he was chief secretary
• main responsibility was to assist Durham with internal administration
• also advising Durham concerning the fate of the prisoners of the Lower Canada rebellion

Question 4

CHARLES BULLER

What sub-commissions did Buller head?

Answer 4

Head of the Inquiry into Crown Lands and Immigration in British North America (supported unofficially by Wakefield)

The Commission on Municipal Institutions

Question 5

CHARLES BULLER

What was Buller’s idea that ultimately reason lead to Durham’s resignation

Answer 5

to banish a small number of rebels to Bermuda

Question 6

CHARLES BULLER

Why did Buller stay behind in Lower Canada?

Answer 6

to collect materials for the reports of the various sub-commissions

• published “Responsible Government for Colonies” in 1840
  e. g. continued to advocate the principle of responsible self-government in Canada

Question 7

CHARLES BULLER

What were 4 of Buller’s positive attributes?

Answer 7

• earnest
• dignified
• sympathetic
• believed Canadians had been driven to rebellion by “long injustice” and deplorable imbecility of our colonial policy”

Question 8

CHARLES BULLER

What, perhaps, are 2 disadvantages to Buller?

Answer 8

• sometimes criticised for his light-heartedness in Parliament
• he noted that he must aim at making Canada thoroughly British

Question 9

EDWARD WAKEFIELD
What theory did Wakefield develop? What did this entail?
Why did Wakefield opposed the Canadian land system?

Answer 9

theory of “systematic colonisation”
e.g. entailed land settlement achieved through the sale of land at a sufficient price

Wakefield opposed the Canadian system of free land grants because:

• land was too easy to acquire
• labour insufficient ofr development

Question 10

EDWARD WAKEFIELD

What controversy meant Wakefield was unpaid and unofficially recognised?

Answer 10

the Turner abduction
1826 - he abducted 15 y/o Ellen Turner
he persuaded her to marry him
Wakefield was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment

Question 11

EDWARD WAKEFIELD

What was written in Appendix B that Wakefield wrote?

Answer 11

there should be a tax on wild lands that had been granted but not settled

this tax should go to public works to encourage further settlement

Question 12

EDWARD WAKEFIELD

What was his view on the union of the 2 Canadas?

Answer 12

he was a strong advocate for it

saw it as best way forward for their economic future

Question 13

DURHAM REPORT

What was the 3 main recommendations of the report?

Answer 13

1. responsible self-government
2. racial tensions in Lower Canada meant unification of UC and LC was imperative
3. the freedoms granted to the French-Canadians under Quebec Act should be rescinded

Question 14

DURHAM REPORT
Detail who influenced Lord Durham to recommend responsible self government. What is it? What would happen following the implementation of this concept?

Answer 14

• based on Reformer Robert Baldwin’s definition:
• the people are who the government answers to and who it is for

implementation includes:

• the legislative assembly to be elected
• follow the Westminster model
• Governor of the province would be a titular figure only

Question 15

DURHAM REPORT

Why did Durham support the reunification of the Canadas?

Answer 15

he judged the problems in Lower Canada to be a result of the French-Canadians

he wanted them to be in a minority position, ensuring by the unification

Question 16

DURHAM REPORT

What freedoms did the Quebec Act give to French-Canadians? What would supposedly happen after it was rescinded?

Answer 16

civil law and land tenure freedoms

it would improve the economic position of the habitants and whole colony

Question 17

DURHAM REPORT

Did the government follow the reports reccomendations?

Answer 17

it followed the must radical one - to unify the provinces

Lower Canada became East Canada
Upper Canada became West Canada

Question 18

DURHAM REPORT

What are 2 criticisms of the report?

Answer 18

1. ruthless recommendation that Canadas be united
   e. g. sweeping away protection of French-Canadian institutions and culture
2. report’s complete absence of mention of indigenous population of two Canadas or native Americans

Question 19

DURHAM REPORT

Why was the section on self-government vital in explaining the development of the Empire?

Answer 19

it demonstrates the intellectual basis of the relationship between British and its white settler colonies

it was adopted for the next 20 years

Question 20

DURHAM REPORT

Who was sent after the report to obtain consent for the Canadas to unionise?

Answer 20

Charles Poulett Thomson as Governor General

Question 21

DURHAM REPORT

What was the effect of the report in Upper Canada?

Answer 21

• voted cheerfully for the union as they were aware:
  1. their debt-ridden province would benefit from the union
  2. British settlers would be the majority

Question 22

DURHAM REPORT

What was the Lower Canada reaction? What happened despite this?

Answer 22

significant opposition

the assembly had been suspended since 1838
it was replaced with a special council and with principle French-Canadians rebels in USA
Britain proceeded with the union

Question 23

DURHAM REPORT

When and what act was passed to finalise the union?

Answer 23

Act of Union

10 Feb 1841

Question 24

DURHAM REPORT

How was the Canadian constitution different?

Answer 24

there was only one central governmental selection of institution
e.g. not two separate constitutions like before

house of Assembly was elected directly by population.
it was evenly split with 42 MPs from East and West Canada

Executive Council and Legislative Council were not mroe autnomous and less controlled

Question 25

DURHAM REPORT

How was the new constitution similar to the old one?

Answer 25

Crown still at the top

Governor General still at the top

Question 26

DURHAM REPORT

What are 3 long term implications of the report?

Answer 26

1. significance of self-government was not immediately recognised
2. Responsible self-gov was eventually implemented to colonies
3. its importance grew as the political structure of Empire changed and was adopted in more white settler colnies

Question 27

DURHAM REPORT

How is it obvious Durham’s self-government concept was not immediately recognised?

Answer 27

Lord Durham died in 1840

his obituary in ‘Spectator’ had no mention of his self-government proposal or union of Canadas

Question 28

DURHAM REPORT

When and where did responsible government get granted to?

Answer 28

1. all Canadian colonies between 1848-1855
2. 1850s - Australia, New Zealand
3. Western Australia in 1890