The Confounding Fathers
of Canadian Confederation
Canadian Flag
Canadian Flag
Is Canada a Confederation or a Federation? Did those Fathers of the Confederation plan the original concept of Canada as a covenant between two distinct nations, one English, one French, Upper Canada, and Lower Canada? If they did, then Ontario and Quebec are two distinct societies with complete control over their own internal affairs, but agreeing to show a united front to the world, (for the 'world', read USA) by acting as a league of two nations.
Did they foresee a burgeoning confederation of states spreading "from sea to shining sea to shining sea"? If they did, were they expecting another dozen nations to appear as equals and join this Confederation, each independent internally, but seeing eye to eye on external matters?
Or did they begin the creation of a genuine federal state that would become an actual national entity run by a central government that limited the power of the Provinces according to its wishes? This is what has happened in fact. The colonies in the Confederation have dwindled in status to become mere provinces, or regional divisions, of a country for administrative purposes. They joined a Confederation of self-governing colonies, (although some were never real colonies) but became provinces in a Federal Canada.
Was La Belle Province hoodwinked into accepting this status while still believing it was a Nation in a Confederation of equals? We should forget that defeat in 1759 at the hands of a professional foreign army in a 30-minute battle won by stealth, and remember Quebec's decision not to help the USA in 1812. And so we come to the present impasse that threatens to destroy the Federal Confederation that we call Canada.
Our Provinces before 1867 were colonies of the British Empire, just like the thirteen colonies before the American Revolution. Lord Durham, in his famous Report, advised the British Government that Britain would lose them, probably to the USA, if they were not given responsible government. The union of Upper and Lower Canada, in 1840, was a political manoeuvre, spurred on by the rebellions of 1837. Durham believed that with the increasing number of English-speaking settlers, the French language would soon disappear. He didn't bargain for such cultural resilience.
The British North America Act created a novel method of ruling colonies. Canada became the first self-governing Dominion within the British Commonwealth and Empire, with the hope, as the Bible says, that the "dominion shall be from sea to sea". The Statute of Westminster, 1931, gave national independence to the Dominion of Canada. The independence of its parts has disappeared in the political manoeuvres of over 300 years. External, rather than internal factors drove this patchwork nation together. It has worked well, to a degree, but is its present structure the only and best arrangement?
The name "Canada" has made its mark on the world stage. With all its warts, Canada has been a worthwhile experiment. It has been named the "best country in the world to live in". It would be a shame for any of its parts to throw away Canada's contribution to the idea of Democracy. The stalemate of the Referendum on Quebec independence of October 1995, and its simmering aftermath, if dealt with by 19th Century politics, will lead to the eventual demise of the Great Canadian Democratic Experiment. The answer is not in giving more power to the Provinces, but rather, more power to the People of Canada. Now is the time for Canada to show the world a new form of Democracy, and at the same time show how a Democratic World Commonwealth could come about.
There are really no special, distinct societies in Canada; there are only special, distinct persons. When a number of those special, distinct persons, however, live in one confined area, they begin to put up protective barriers of language, colour, ethnic origin, culture, or any of dozens of other physical, mental, or emotional self-protective devices. In and of themselves these differences are beautiful. They are what makes this world an interesting and human place to be in. How do we keep a diverse group of people living together in peace and harmony? That is the question the Fathers of Confederation did not ask. It is the question Canadians must now ask.
