1. REBELLIONS UPPER & LOWER CANADA 1837 & 1838
Key Events In Canadian History Which influenced The Nation We Have Today

2. Background to the Issue
Governance in the Colony
The Governors
Land Issue
Transportation Issue
Special Privileges for a Few People

3. Governance in the Colony
Colony had elected Assembly representatives from each district
Made plans for colony needing approval of Governor & Councils
Executive & Legislative Councils appointed from ‘Upper Class’, & weren’t bound to follow wishes of the people
Real power was in the hand of the Governor & Councils, the people had no REAL influence

4. The Governors British men appointed by English monarch
Unfamiliar with local issues & conditions
Depended on the advice of their councils
Usually United Empire Loyalists
They were wealthy & better educated so better able to govern ordinary people
Anglican (church) should have ‘position’

5. Land Issues Best land given to Family Compact/friends
Exec & Leg Councilors controlled 90% of land, not farmed, would sell for a profit
1/7 of land went to Anglican Church, not other religions though (clergy reserves)
New settlers received only poor, uncleared farmland

6. Transportation Issues
Farmers needed roads to get to/from markets
Most were impassable
Govt. collected taxes to build canals, mainly used to benefit merchants & Family Compact/friends
Farmers felt govt. did not grant land/$ to them for land/tools
Bankers & merchants grew rich…

7. Special Privileges for a Few
Governor appointed all officials
Councils, judges, sheriffs, justice of peace
Coroners, customs officers, postal officials, immigration officers & Indian Affairs officials
As head of military he appointed 1500 officers
Made land grants & spent crown $ for pensions to friends
Good jobs to Family Compact & friends

8. Lower Canada (Quebec)
Louis-Joseph Papineau led the Patriots against the governor & the Chateau Clique, & loss of land to growing Anglophone population
Cultural conflict between French & English Cdns.
Fr. dominated the Assembly, was controlled by the Br. Councils
Created the 92 Resolutions
Some wanted USA Republic system
Fall, 1837, armed revolt failed, vs. govt. & RC church, again in 1838
Papineau fled to USA, then France, returned & Pardoned in 1845

9. Upper Canada (Ontario)
William Lyon Mackenzie led the Reformers against the Family Compact
Did not support the Constitution Act of 1791
Believed in responsible govt.
Demanded 2 constitutional reforms
Elected Legislative Council
Executive council responsible to Assembly
Reformers were against
Clergy Reserves,
Land grants to the oligarchies,
Influence of the Church of England
Power of the Banks

10. William Lyon Mackenzie
Rebellions of
Upper Canada
William Lyon Mackenzie
The Reformers
Vs. Family Compact
Lower Canada
Louis Joseph Papineau
The Patriots
Vs. Chateau Clique
Protesting against the Oligarchies control
Desired a Responsible Government
Wanted less Church control
Assembly had to approve taxes or no collection would occur

11. Consequences of Rebellion
Rebellion Losses Bill
Led to the Durham Report of the 1840’s
French Assimilation into English Canada
Act of Union unites the ‘two’ Canadas
Achievement of Responsible Government
Led to Confederation in the 1860’s

12. Lord Durham’s Report Durham's Recommendations
to unite Upper and Lower Canada to make the French a minority
to assimilate or anglicize the French majority in Lower Canada
to grant responsible government
Consequences of Durham's Recommendations
Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1840
Responsible government was granted in 1848 leading to Confederation in 1867
Created the roots of today’s French ‘separatism’

13. Rebellions Losses Bill 1849
Reformers controlled the Assembly, their bill;
sought to compensate those in what had been Lower Canada for damages that resulted from the rebellions.
was controversial because the Tories objected that many of the claimants were former rebels who were against the Crown.
was well received by French Canadians, but British elements opposed it so strongly that they attacked Elgin and burned the parliament building down in Montreal.

14. Confederation 1867
The Province of Canada, (Ontario & Quebec) New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
A system based on British Parliament
Proposed limited central government balanced by provincial power.
Rejected the strict application of "rep by pop.“ the senate represented regions
Called for a two-chamber (bicameral) parliament, including a (appointed) senate and a (elected) house of commons.

15. Our Thesis
If in the position of the Reformers or Patriots, a reasonable citizen would support ‘no representation = no taxes’ since a true democracy must have the citizen’s power move up to the ‘elected’ govt. officials, not from appointed officials ‘down’ to the citizens.
If every ‘democracy’ ignored their citizens and gave special privileges to a few, rebellion and civil war would surely follow.
Given that the rebellions led to Confederation 1867, which spawned the nation we have today, the rebels did the right thing and definitely helped to create the model of democracy that Canada represents today.