Why was there political deadlock
in the United Province of Canada during the 1850s
and 1860s ?
In the period after the acceptance of the principle of responsible
government, governments in Canada were very short-lived and insecure. Between
1854 and 1864, there were 10 different governments and no government lasted
long enough to give the colony political stability. Why
?
-
the political system produced several equal groupings in the assembly,
and the political instability which developed led to political deadlock
(a situation where no one can move or win in government) which paved the
way to Confederation.
George-Étienne Cartier |
The main political parties in Canada East were
the Bleus, led by George É. Cartier, and les
Rouges,
led by A. A. Dorion, who drew their support from French Canadian nationalists. |
Antoine-Aimé Dorion, |
John A. Macdonald |
The main political parties in Canada West were
the Conservatives, led by John A. Macdonald (Tories),
and the Liberals (Grits), led by George Brown. None
of these political parties, from either Canada East or Canada West, were
able to win a majority in the united assembly. |
George Brown |
The leader of the Liberals, George Brown, believed that the way to break
the deadlock was to recognize the greater population of Canada West in
the electoral system. He demanded "rep by pop" (representation
by population) as the basic principle for any new political arrangement.
It would in effect give Canada West more MPs, and therefore more power
than Canada East.
In 1863, he agreed to work with John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne
Cartier, Macdonald's partner from Canada East, to make major changes. This
coalition (a political alliance of two or more political parties who agree
to vote together in parliament), of the two leaders of Canada West with
the leader of the larger party from Canada East was known as the Great
Coalition.
The problem was to develop an arrangement which would not leave Canada
East as a less important part of the colony. One way to do this was to
include other colonies in a political arrangement, so that Canada West
would be balanced by these other colonies. Various forces from outside
were beginning to push Canada and Britain's other colonies in North America
together.
GO ON TO: External Factors
(American threat, trade and railways).