Province of Canada

Quick Facts: Who was Province of Canada?

Subject:

Province of Canada

Known for:

A British colony in North America, merging Upper and Lower Canada from 1841 to 1867.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of 1837–1838. The Act of Union 1840, passed on 23 July 1840 by the British Parliament and proclaimed by the Crown on 10 February 1841, merged the Colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada by abolishing their separate parliaments and replacing them with a single one with two houses, a Legislative Council as the upper chamber and the Legislative Assembly as the lower chamber. In the aftermath of the Rebellions of 1837–1838, unification of the two Canadas was driven by two factors. Firstly, Upper Canada was near bankruptcy because it lacked stable tax revenues, and needed the resources of the more populous Lower Canada to fund its internal transportation improvements.

Career & Major Achievements

Secondly, unification was an attempt to swamp the French vote by giving each of the former provinces the same number of parliamentary seats, despite the larger population of Lower Canada. Although Durham's report had called for the Union of the Canadas and for responsible government (a government accountable to an independent local legislature), only the first of the two recommendations was implemented in 1841. For the first seven years, the government was led by an appointed governor general accountable only to the British government. Responsible government was not achieved until the second LaFontaine–Baldwin ministry in 1849, when Governor General James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, agreed that the cabinet would be formed by the largest party in the Legislative Assembly, making the premier the head of the government and reducing the governor general to a more symbolic role. The Province of Canada ceased to exist at Canadian Confederation on 1 July 1867, when it was divided into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Ontario included the area occupied by the pre-1841 British colony of Upper Canada, while Quebec included the area occupied by the pre-1841 British colony of Lower Canada (which had included Labrador until 1809, when Labrador was transferred to the British colony of Newfoundland). Upper Canada was primarily English-speaking, whereas Lower Canada was primarily French-speaking. The Province of Canada was divided into two parts: Canada East and Canada West. Canada East was what became of the former colony of Lower Canada after being united into the Province of Canada. It would become the province of Quebec after Confederation.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1837: 1837 Milestone — Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of 1837–1838.
2. 1840: 1840 Milestone — The Act of Union 1840, passed on 23 July 1840 by the British Parliament and proclaimed by the Crown on 10 February 1841, merged the Colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada by abolishing their separate parliaments and replacing them with a single one with two houses, a Legislative Council as the upper chamber and the Legislative Assembly as the lower chamber.
3. 1841: 1841 Milestone — The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867.
4. 1849: 1849 Milestone — Responsible government was not achieved until the second LaFontaine–Baldwin ministry in 1849, when Governor General James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, agreed that the cabinet would be formed by the largest party in the Legislative Assembly, making the premier the head of the government and reducing the governor general to a more symbolic role.
5. 1867: 1867 Milestone — The Province of Canada ceased to exist at Canadian Confederation on 1 July 1867, when it was divided into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Province of Canada

True or False: “The Province of Canada achieved full responsible government immediately upon the passage of the Act of Union in 1840.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Responsible government was not fully achieved until the second LaFontaine–Baldwin ministry in 1849, after initial governance remained under an appointed governor general.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alphonse Daudet — Historical peer (Born in 1840) (1840): French novelist celebrated for his evocative short stories and novels.
• Abraham Kuyper — Historical peer (Born in 1837) (1837): Influential neo-Calvinist pastor, journalist, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Alexander Pushkin — Historical peer (Died in 1837) (1837): Founder of modern Russian literature and a towering figure of the Romantic era.
• Angelo Mariani (chemist) — Historical peer (Born in 1838) (1838): French pharmacy technician and entrepreneur, famous for inventing Vin Mariani.
• Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam — Historical peer (Born in 1838) (1838): French symbolist writer known for his literary contributions and aristocratic background.

Frequently Asked Questions about Province of Canada