Canada's Founding Debates

by Ajzenstat, Janet; Romney, Paul; Gentles, Ian

• ISBN13: 9780802086075
• ISBN10: 0802086071
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-01
• Publisher: Univ of Toronto Pr

Summary

Canada's Founding Debatesis about Confederation-about the process that brought together six out of the seven territories of British North America in the years 1864-73 to form a country called Canada. It presents excerpts from the debates on Confederation in all of the colonial parliaments from Newfoundland to British Columbia and in the constituent assembly of the Red River Colony. The voices of the powerful and those of lesser note mingle in impassioned debate on the pros and cons of creating or joining the new country, and in defining its nature. In short explanatory essays and provocative annotations, the editors sketch the historical context of the debates and draw out the significance of what was said. By organizing the debates thematically, they bring out the depth of the founders' concern for issues that are as vital today as they were then: the meaning of liberty, the merits of democracy, the best form of self-government, the tension between collective and individual rights, the rule of law, the requirements of political leadership, and, of course, the nature of Canadian nationality. Canada's Founding Debatesoffers a fresh and often surprising perspective on Canada's origins, history, and political character. Previous published by Stoddart Publishing, 1999.

Author Biography

JANET AJZENSTAT is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at McMaster University. PAUL ROMNEY has been writing on Canadian history for thirty years. IAN GENTLES is Professor of History at Glendon College, York University.

Table of Contents

Maps
Acknowledgements
Introduction	p. 1
What They Said About Liberty
Constitutional Liberty	p. 13
Responsible Government	p. 22
Parliamentary Government and the Upper House	p. 77
Equality of Representation	p. 103
What They Said About Opportunity
Economic Prosperity and Individual Ambition	p. 123
What They Said About Identity
British or American?	p. 167
British or Canadian?	p. 200
What Is a Canadian?	p. 229
What They Said About the New Nationality
Federal Union	p. 261
Minorities and Minority Rights	p. 327
How to Make a Constitution
Consulting the People in Constitution Making	p. 357
Direct Democracy Pro and Con	p. 420
The Quebec Resolutions	p. 465
The Legislators	p. 473
Afterword on Books	p. 477
Picture Credits	p. 483
Index	p. 485
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.