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New Brunswick is Canada's one of three maritime provinces which is a constitutionally bilingual province among the three. Speakers in New Brunswick province speak either English or French or both. It has a capital named Fredericton and a populous city called Saint John. It has the largest census metropolitan area referred to as Moncton. The body responsible for carrying out the population census in Canada called statistics Canada, estimated New Brunswick province to have a population count of 750,457 in 2009.

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The majority of people in the estimated population speak the English language while there is a large minority group that is francophone estimated at thirty three percent. The francophone are mainly comprised of Acadian origin.

Thesis statement

New Brunswick joined the Canadian confederation on the first of July, 1867. This was not for belonging's sake, but it was because of certain important reasons. This paper explores the reasons that made New Brunswick join the Canadian confederation and what has been its progress so far.

Discussion

The province named New Brunswick comes from the partial transcription of English and French of Brunswick city. It is located in northern Germany, which is, the ancestral home of King George III from the Great Britain. The province was named after a German duchy from Brunswick in Luneburg. Brunswick became a colony in 1784.

New Brunswick is located at the eastern sea board of northern America. It is found south to Quebec. It is an area estimated to be 73,440 square kilometers. It is estimated to rank eighth largest among Canada's provinces.

New Brunswick had many challenges and needs that could not be solved unless it looked for help. New Brunswick was in need of economic stability, political stability and protection from attack and capture by the United States.

The confederation was introduced in 1864 in the Charlottetown conference that had been intended to talk about a maritime union only. This was, however, not the case because the civil war in America and the Fenian disturbance along the border made it encouraged an interest in expanding the union in scope. The interest originated from the province of Canada that was formerly comprised of upper and lower parts of Canada that were later named Ontario and Quebec.

Right now Canada is approaching its one hundred and fiftieth birthday in the confederation. New Brunswick signed in to the confederation because of various reasons. During the 1860s, the United States of America threatened that it could match the whole of north in to the territory that joined to become Canada. New Brunswick together with Nova Scotia and PEI were afraid that they would be integrated into the New England states. Canada was at that time as is now a country that was flourishing with much wealth in resources. It had better water resources together with treed lands that would tempt any other country to divert their weapons towards the United States of America.

Canada provinces are getting to their 150th year as a confederation. The carousing began in 1864 when the inventive fathers of confederation started laying the foundation for four provinces to form a new amalgamation. These regions were the British Provinces of Canada referred to as Ontario and Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

What are the reasons as to why New Brunswick joined the confederation?

Panic and power

New Brunswick was on the edge of entering some sort of union in the 1860s out of panic: panic of attack and fear of not flourishing.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia together with Prince Edward Island were talking about a possible maritime merger as the scheme of a federal union became more important. The three Maritime Provinces were talking about a union to augment their trade. This would make them more powerful in case of assault, and let them divide resources. They thought that the three regions together would be well-organized than for them to operate like separate units.

Although the maritime union did not happen, there are grounds why New Brunswick signed onto the merger on July 1, 1867.

In the 1860s, there was the risk that the United States would rally north into the region that became recognized like Canada. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI were worried they would be taken over by the New England regions. Canada is a nation vast in resources and will continue to this day, an alluring takeover for the United States. The water sources and treed lands in New Brunswick made it an easy target for any other country, to turn their weapons on them.

From 1850, the then American secretary of state when the civil war took place felt that British North America was supposed to be a part of the United States of America. He was believed to be an annexationist who was able to annex British North America to the United States of America. The possibility of this happening made leaders from northwest of the now Canada afraid. In 1866, a bill was passed in the house of representatives of the United States of America to acquire the whole of what is currently known as Canada.

These fears of being annexed into America made leaders rethink of how they could avoid the annexing from happening. This made the leaders in all parts of Canada explore ways that they could become united and avoid being annexed. New Brunswick was part of this. Canadian leaders having seen the result of the war that came from American federalism divisiveness, they decided to form a strong federal government that would protect them from such danger.

Trade boost

Other grounds for a union were to boost global trade. Long before, the world was universal as we know it at present. People saw the call for trade with other countries. Certain products give areas of the globe a competitive edge over others, and this directs us to trade. In New Brunswick, for example, it was not easy to cultivate the quality of grapes that some areas in France could cultivate. Therefore, New Brunswick decided to join the federation so that it would use the opportunity as a member to benefit by getting products that it would not produce herself. It could not just be easy for New Brunswick to get the products, but it would also be cheaper.

Joining the confederation meant that trade barriers against New Brunswick and other regions that were not members of the confederation would limit them from doing some business transactions. Thus, it was best for New Brunswick to join so that those trade barriers would be lifted and allow New Brunswick to undertake business and trade matters with member countries without barriers or other unnecessary problems.

Mineral security

New Brunswick had important resources, for example, gold in its vicinity. If it had not joined the Canadian confederation, it would have lacked the potential of using this mineral in the best way possible. Besides, the United States of America had threatened to capture its resources. Thus, it was important for New Brunswick to look for ways of safeguarding its resource base without fear of loosing it. In order to do this, joining the Canadian confederation was the best way it could solve its problem. New Brunswick decided to enter the Canadian confederation and was actually able to solve its problem.

After gold was discovered in New Brunswick, Canada sent many of its troops to guard the region that had the mineral. Population started growing rapidly in the area because many Americans were attracted by the Klondike gold rush. The residents got worried that if they did not join the confederation, the United States of America would take control of the whole area and they would loose everything. This made New Brunswick join the confederation.

Tax issues

New Brunswick was acknowledged for its maritime exports. New Brunswick was manufacturing ship masts for the British fleet and boat building was familiar work all over the area at one time. Entering merger meant taxes would be compulsory and higher taxes on goods exported would have helped lessen the looming over taxation on the ship building industry in the Maritime Provinces. Thus, New Brunswick decided to enter into the confederation to cut down a lot of taxes that it would pay if it did not operate under the confederation. So the move was advantageous on its business so that the extra money that could be paid in the form of that tax could be used to undertake other business deals and developments.

Regardless of the outcome, New Brunswick entered merger with the hopes of augmenting their trade with other areas, and as time has confirmed, it managed to increase trade with global partners. It managed to get raw materials from member countries easily. It also obtained a free market for its products enabling it to prosper in business terms.

Economic and energy forces

There was still a need then, possibly more than ever, for a nautical union to be born. With energy forces mounting worldwide and the size of authorities pulling economies down, New Brunswick desired to cut costs. This is to become more viable and one method that would get New Brunswick there was an amalgamation of the Maritime Provinces.

If it were to link with a three province merger, inside Canada, it would be for the equivalent motives they signed on to the merger back on July 1, 1867.

Political reasons

The west and east Canada had a political problem that led to the unification of the Canadian provinces. The west and the east had an equal number of seats in parliament. However, different regions had their own troubles and problems. This problems and troubles led to disagreements between the west and east. For the two regions to solve these problems, they had to unite and become one. Their unity could help them come together, agree, set out the strategies and ways that they could use to solve individual problems and sole the wider dispute between them.

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The legislative assembly was made up of four parties. There were two parties from west Canada and the other two parties came from east Canada. The government in power then was a coalition government that had a big trouble in obtaining a majority of votes that would help in passing legislation. This situation that existed resulted in political deadlocks that severally forced a change in governance. The only way to solve this political dispute was to come together as a union.

West and east Canada comprised of almost an equal number of voters. This made issues at the assembly very complicated. Whenever something had to be voted for in the assembly votes almost coincided, and this made it difficult to pass legislations, bills and laws.

Politicians that came from the province of Canada managed to convince others from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island into considering a larger union between themselves. This was done at the Charlottetown conference in September 1864, and they agreed to meet at another conference in Quebec. In the Quebec conference, they discussed how they would run the new union that they had agreed upon. They formed the Quebec resolutions. Price Edward Island and Newfoundland later refused to join the confederation.

Another conference was held in London, and it resulted in the Canadian confederation which New Brunswick was part of it. Leaders from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and province of Canada took a draft from Quebec resolutions and came up with an ending agreement. It was referred to as the British North American act that was to be approved by the British government. In July first, 1867, the Canadian confederation was formed and adopted. It became a reality that emerged from a political deadlock.

Debt settling

New Brunswick entered the Canadian confederation because it had huge debts that it was supposed to pay. Canada had offered to help pay the debts. New Brunswick saw harm in this because it was unable to do this. It considered this as a one time offer that could not be left unused. Thus, New Brunswick entered the Canadian confederation, and it was helped settle it debts.

George brown was the leader who accepted to work with other leaders that had different ideologies and beliefs with his own. They formed a great coalition. Three out of the four political parties that existed then agreed to work with him in the legislative assembly of the united provinces of Canada.

Railway construction

There was a need for a railway to be constructed. The railway would link the colonies together in increasing trade and for other transportation activities. By 1860s east and west Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had developed one common railway but none of them had entered into the confederation. Thus, operating the railway line was very hectic calling for other ways of doing it. The best way for that was for them to enter in to a common federation. This is one of the reasons that New Brunswick joined the federation. This is because the railway line would help it grossly in its business development. Thus, it got into the confederation to secure this.

Infrastructure development

The Acadian group of people in New Brunswick had for a long time been isolated in terms of geography and linguistically from the major English speaking group who lived I the southern part of New Brunswick province. At that time, services offered by the government was largely done in English and not in French. The Acadians spoke French, and as a result of this, they lacked many of the government services.

The infrastructure in most parts that used the French language were underdeveloped than in the other Ares of the province that used the English language as their medium of communication. This was, however, changed when New Brunswick joined the confederation. When Premier Louis Robichaud was elected, he came up with a plan that was referred to as the equal plan that provided education, health care, rural maintenance and roads maintenance that was under the governance of a provincial government which gave importance to equal development of the entire province. Under this rule, county councils were taken off making the rural areas be managed under provincial jurisdiction. In 1969, the French language was made official under the official languages act in Canada. People started using the French language officially in New Brunswick. .

By joining the Canadian confederation, New Brunswick could be helped to form its own governance body and structure. It could also benefit from the confederation by being provided with funds to develop its infrastructure.

The Fraser river gold rush in 1858 brought about many new settlers in New Brunswick. These new settlers wanted a government for their own in the province instead of being governed by a government that was imposed on the by the British government. These people were also afraid that the United States of America would want to take away their land at some point in time. Because of these reasons, they decided to join a confederation that would provide them with their own governance and shield them from the impending attack by the United States of America. Canada promised that it would provide them with financial assistance to construct roads and deal with other issues of interest. Canada also promised that it would help them construct a railway that would help them in transporting goods and also people from the east and back. Because of this, they decided to join the confederation.

People had decided not to join the Canadian federation because they had developed strong trade links with the United States. They were afraid that they would lose their power as a small province in Canada if they cut their ties with the United States of America. Canada was, on the other hand, afraid that if it did not do anything to win New Brunswick trust, it would join the United States of America. Because of this Canada invited New Brunswick to join and be part of its confederation. The people of New Brunswick accepted because Canada had offered to give them money to purchase land from British land owners. Canada also offered to fund them so that they could be able to pay their debt for constructing a railway line.

Due to population growth, New Brunswick was not just an area for the fur trade. Farming, logging, mining and railway business started. Leaders from the area felt that it had reached a time when they should have their own government like other provinces did. This was to enable them collect taxes foe the purpose of establishing schools, hospitals, recreational facilities and other services that people required. Thus, they decided to join the confederation to so as to form their own government.

Conclusion

People in New Brunswick were divided on choice. Some people wanted New Brunswick to remain a British colony while others did not want that. Britain, on the other hand, was not interested in providing help and support to new bus wick anymore. Canada came in and tried to convince them promising to provide them with the help they would need. Through Joey Smallwood Canada was helped to convince people to vote for them to become part of Canada's confederation. The voting won in favor of the Canadian confederation and New Brunswick joined and became part of it.

The inut people desired a complete control over their own land and resources in the arctic. Without consultation with these people, the leaders made decisions on matters pertaining to the confederation and land use in the area. In order to get control of their land back, people decided to negotiate control over land with joining the confederation. This made New Brunswick join the confederation and became a member.

Basically New Brunswick joined the Canadian confederation for economic, safety and political reasons as brought out in this paper.

Notes

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Why Did New Brunswick Join Confederation History Essay

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New Brunswick is Canada's one of three maritime provinces which is a constitutionally bilingual province among the three. Speakers in New Brunswick province speak either English or French or both. It has a capital named Fredericton and a populous city called Saint John. It has the largest census metropolitan area referred to as Moncton.

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Background: Early Proposals for Federation

According to historian P.B. Waite, "Confederation appeared in Canada in fits and starts." The union of the British North American colonies was an idea Lord Durham discussed in his 1839 Report on the Affairs of British North America. The Durham Report, as it came to be known, called for the union of Upper and Lower Canada. This was achieved in 1841 following the Act of Union. Upper and Lower Canada were renamed Canada West and Canada East, respectively. They were governed by a single legislature as the Province of Canada.

In 1849, the Montreal-based Annexation Association called for the annexation of the Province of Canada by the United States. In response to this, the British American League, a Tory association, called for a study of a union of the British North American colonies. Between 1856 and 1859, union was discussed with some frequency in newspapers and in Canada's legislature. It was usually proposed as a remedy for a political or economic crisis.

The call for a federation of BNA colonies was first issued by Amor de Cosmos. The British Columbia politician and newspaper publisher made the call in the first issue of The British Colonist in 1858. That same year, politicians from Canada East and West - Alexander Galt, George-Étienne Cartier and John Ross - proposed a federation of BNA colonies to the Colonial Office in England. It was received with "polite indifference."

Reasons for Confederation

Negotiations for the union of British North America gained traction in the 1860s. By that time, Confederation had been a long-simmering idea. Confederation was inspired in part by fears that British North America would be dominated and even annexed by the United States. ( See also: Manifest Destiny.) These fears grew following the American Civil War (1861-65).

The violence and chaos of the Civil War shocked many in British North America. They saw the war as partly the result of a weak central government in the US. This inspired ideas about the need for a strong central government among the BNA colonies. ( See also: Federalism.) Many in the BNA colonies also believed that Britain was increasingly reluctant to defend them against possible American aggression.

After winning the war, the American North was left with a large and powerful army. There was talk in US newspapers of invading and annexing Canada. This would have been done to avenge Britain's collaboration with the American South during the war. Several US politicians also favoured annexing Rupert's Land. The vast northwestern territory represented a third of what would become Canada. Fears of American expansionism only increased after the US purchased Alaska in 1867.

After the Civil War, anger at British support for the American South also led the US to cancel the reciprocity treaty. It had allowed free trade on many items between the US and British North America. Suddenly, Confederation offered the BNA colonies a chance to create a new free-trade market.

The idea of uniting the BNA colonies into a single country was fueled by several key factors: a protectionist US trade policy; fears of American aggression and expansion; and Britain's increasing reluctance to pay for the defence of British North America. Confederation offered Britain an honourable way to ease its economic and military burden in North America. It would also give its BNA colonies strength through unity.

The Dominion of Canada wasn't born out of revolution, or a sweeping outburst of nationalism. Rather, it was created in a series of conferences and orderly negotiations. These culminated in the terms of Confederation on 1 July 1867. The union of the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada (what is now Ontario and Quebec) was the first step in a slow but steady nation-building exercise. It would come to encompass other territories and provinces. It eventually fulfilled the dream of a country "from sea to sea" -A Mari usque ad Mare (Canada's motto).

( See also: Confederation Timeline; Confederation Collection; Constitution Act, 1867; Editorial: Confederation, 1867; Fathers of Confederation; Mothers of Confederation; Confederation's Opponents.)

Maritime Union

By 1864, Confederation had become a serious issue in the Province of Canada (formerly Lower Canada and Upper Canada). In the Atlantic colonies, however, a great deal of pressure would still be needed.

A series of fortuitous events helped. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had been divided in 1784. There was interest in both regions in reuniting. They were helped by the British Colonial Office. It felt that a political union of all three Maritime colonies, including Prince Edward Island, was desirable. Maritime union would abolish three colonial legislatures and replace them with one.

In the spring of 1864, all three legislatures declared an interest in having a conference on the subject. But nothing was done. Once the Province of Canada announced an interest in attending such a meeting, the Maritime governments began to organize. Charlottetown was appointed as the place - PEI officials would not attend otherwise - and 1 September 1864 was chosen as the date. ( See also: Charlottetown Conference.)

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, lawyer, businessman and the first prime minister of Canada.

Political Deadlock in the Province of Canada

The Province of Canada was growing more prosperous and populous. It was rapidly developing politically, socially and industrially. As it did, its internal rivalries also grew. As a result, the job of governing Canada West (now Ontario) and Canada East (now Quebec) from a single legislature became difficult. ( See also: Act of Union.)

After achieving responsible government, politicians in Canada West began calling for true representation by population. In the 1840s, Canada West benefitted from having a disproportionately large number of seats in the legislature. (It had a smaller population than Canada East, but the same number of seats.) By the 1850s, the population of Canada West was the bigger of the two. Reformers then supported the campaign for "rep by pop." This would mean more seats for the West.

This and other divisive issues - such as government funding for Catholic schools throughout the colony - made English Protestants in Canada West suspicious of French Catholic power in Canada East. By 1859, the rift between English and French had created years of unstable government and political deadlock. It was worsened by a growing divide between conservatives and reformers within Canada West. This made solving the colony's needs and problems nearly impossible. Structural change was required to break the political paralysis. Confederation would separate the two Canadas and give each its own legislature. This was posed as the solution to these problems.

George Brown's reformers described themselves as "no dirt, clear grit all the way through.

The Great Coalition of 1864

By 1864, four short-lived governments had fought to stay in power in the Province of Canada. Canada West's two principal groups - the Conservatives (led by John A. Macdonald) and Clear Grits (led by George Brown) - formed an alliance. It was known as the Great Coalition. It sought a union with the Atlantic colonies. Three of the Province of Canada's four major political groups supported the coalition. This gave Confederation a driving force that it never lost. It allowed Confederation to proceed with support from British North America's most populous region.

In Canada East, Confederation was opposed by A.A. Dorion's Parti rouge. But it was supported by the dominant political group, the conservative Parti bleu. The Parti bleu was led by George-Étienne Cartier, Hector Langevin and Alexander Galt. By 1867, they had the necessary support of the Catholic Church. Confederation was justified on the grounds that French Canadians would get back their provincial identity. Their capital would once more be Quebec City. French Canadians feared anglophone domination of government. But Confederation would grant French Canadians their own legislature and a strong presence in the federal Cabinet. Of all the proposed changes, Confederation was the least undesirable for French Canadians.

Charlottetown Conference

The "Canadians" sailed to the Charlottetown Conference on 29 August 1864. They travelled aboard the Canadian government steamer SS Queen Victoria. The conference was already underway. Discussions for Maritime union were not making much progress. The Canadians were invited to submit their own proposals for a union of the BNA colonies. The idea of a united country quickly took over. ( See also: The Charlottetown Conference of 1864: The Persuasive Power of Champagne.)

Quebec Conference

A month later, the colonies called a second meeting to discuss Confederation. At the Quebec Conference, the delegates passed 72 Resolutions. These explicitly laid out the fundamental decisions made at Charlottetown, including a constitutional framework for a new country. The Resolutions were legalistic and contractual in tone. They were deliberately different from the revolutionary tone of the American Constitution, which had been drafted a century earlier. ( See also: Quebec Conference of 1864; Constitutional History.)

The Canadian Resolutions outlined the concept of federalism. Powers and responsibilities would be divided between the provinces and the federal government. ( See also: Distribution of Powers.) Cartier pushed hard for provincial powers and rights. Macdonald was keen to avoid the mistakes that had led to the US Civil War. He advocated for a strong central government. A semblance of balance was reached between these two ideas.

The Resolutions also outlined the shape of a national Parliament. There would be an elected House of Commons based on representation by population, and an appointed Senate. Its seats would be equally split between Canada West, Canada East and the Atlantic colonies. Each region would have an equal voice in the appointed chamber.

The resolutions also included specific financial commitments. These included the construction by the new federal government of the Intercolonial Railway from Quebec to the Maritimes. The colonies recognized they needed to improve communications and grow economically. Railways between the colonies would boost economic opportunity through increased trade. They would also make borders more defensible by enabling the quick movement of troops and weaponry. This was important, as the memory of the US invasion of British North America during the War of 1812 was still fresh. ( See also: Railway History.)

Some Maritime delegates declared that the building of a rail line was a precondition of their joining Canada. This key undertaking secured the inclusion of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Confederation.

Atlantic Canada and Confederation

The Atlantic colonies of Newfoundland, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were more satisfied with the status quo than Canada West. All except Newfoundland enjoyed prosperous economies. They felt comfortable as they were. The bulk of the population, especially in Nova Scotia and PEI, saw no reason to change their constitution just because Canada had outgrown its own.

Even Newfoundland, despite economic difficulties in the 1860s, postponed a decision on Confederation in 1865. In an election in 1869, they decisively rejected it. ( See also: Newfoundland and Labrador and Confederation.)

The more prosperous PEI resisted almost from the start. A small, dedicated group of Confederationists made little headway until early in the 1870s. At that time, PEI was badly indebted by the construction of a railway. It joined Confederation in 1873 in return for Canada taking over its loan payments. ( See also: PEI and Confederation.)

Nova Scotians were divided. Confederation was popular in the northern areas of the mainland and in Cape Breton. But along the south shore and in the Annapolis Valley - the prosperous world of shipping, shipbuilding, potatoes and apples - the idea seemed unattractive or even dangerous.

Conservative Premier Charles Tupper was ambitious, aggressive and confident. He went ahead with Confederation anyway. He was convinced that in the long run it would be best for Nova Scotia, and perhaps also for himself. (Tupper briefly served as prime minister in 1896.) His government was not up for re-election after Confederation was finalized. By that time, it was too late for the 65 per cent of Nova Scotians who opposed the idea. ( See also: Nova Scotia and Confederation; Repeal Movement.)

New Brunswick was only a little more enthusiastic. In 1865, the anti-Confederation government of A.J. Smith was elected. ( See: Confederation's Opponents.) It collapsed the following year. It was replaced by a new pro-Confederation government.

Its support for a British North American union was helped by the Fenian invasions of that spring. The raids badly weakened anti-Confederation positions. They revealed shortfalls in the leadership, structure and training of the Canadian militia. This led to a number of reforms and improvements. More importantly, the threat the irregular Fenian armies posed to British North America led to greater support among British and Canadian officials for Confederation. Growing concerns over American military and economic might had the same effect. ( See also: New Brunswick and Confederation; Fenian Raids; Thomas D'Arcy McGee.)

Sir Charles Tupper was a delegate to all the Confederation conferences. He served the shortest tenure as prime minister in Canadian history.

Indigenous Peoples and Confederation

Indigenous peoples were not invited to or represented at the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences. This despite the fact they had established what they believed to be bilateral (nation-to-nation) relationships and commitments with the Crown through historic treaties. ( See also: Treaties with Indigenous Peoples in Canada; Royal Proclamation of 1763.) The Fathers of Confederation, however, held dismissive, paternalistic views of Indigenous peoples. As a result, Canada's first peoples were excluded from formal discussions about unifying the country.

Confederation had a significant impact on Indigenous communities. In 1867, the federal government assumed responsibility over Indigenous affairs from the colonies. With the purchase of Rupert's Land in 1870, the Dominion of Canada extended its influence over the Indigenous peoples living in that region. The Dominion wanted to develop, settle and claim these lands, as well as those in the surrounding area.

From 1871 to 1921, the federal government signed a series of 11 treaties (the "numbered treaties") with various Indigenous peoples. The government promised them money, certain rights to the land and other concessions. In exchange, the First Nations in all colonies except British Columbia ceded (surrendered) their traditional territories.

Most of the promises in these treaties went unfulfilled. The intentions expressed by the treaties, and the clarity with which they were communicated to and understood by the Indigenous people who signed them, has been the subject of considerable debate. The decades following Confederation saw the government increasingly try to assimilate Indigenous peoples into Canadian society. (See also: Potlatch Ban; Residential Schools; Sixties Scoop.)

DID YOU KNOW?
In contrast to the rest of the country, British Columbia exists almost entirely on unceded territory. Instead of signing treaties with Indigenous peoples, BC governor James Douglas issued a proclamation in 1859 claiming all land and resources in BC as the property of the Crown. In 2014, theSupreme Court of Canada ruled that land title not formally ceded by treaty rests with the area's Indigenous peoples.

London Conference

British Colonial Secretary Edward Cardwell was a strong supporter of Confederation. He felt that the cost of defending the BNA colonies against potential US aggression was too high. He vigorously instructed his governors in North America to promote the idea, which they did. Confederation meant Canada would have to pay for its own defence, rather than relying on British support.

The London Conference (December 1866 to February 1867), was the final stage of translating the 72 Resolutions of 1864 into legislation. The result was the British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1867). It was passed by the British Parliament and was signed by Queen Victoria on 29 March 1867. It was proclaimed into law on 1 July 1867. ( See: Canada Day.)

The Dominion Grows

British policy favouring the union of British North America continued under Cardwell's successors. The Hudson's Bay Company sold Rupert's Land to Canada in 1870. The young country expanded with the addition of Manitoba and the North-West Territories that same year. British Columbia was brought into Confederation in 1871 and PEI in 1873.

The Yukon territory was created in 1898 and the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. Having rejected Confederation in 1869, Newfoundland and Labrador finally joined in 1949. In 1999, Nunavut, meaning "our land" in Inuktitut, was carved out of the Northwest Territories. This was part of the largest Indigenous land claim settlement in Canadian history.

( See also: Newfoundland Bill; Newfoundland Joins Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador and Confederation; Nunavut and Confederation; Comprehensive Land Claims: Modern Treaties.)

Smallwood signing the agreement that brought Newfoundland into Canada, 11 December 1948.

Fathers of Confederation

Confederation was the product of three conferences attended by delegates from five colonies. Thirty-six men are traditionally regarded as the Fathers of Confederation. They represented the BNA colonies at one or more of the conferences that led to Confederation.

Among the Fathers of Confederation, several played especially significant roles. The project of Confederation likely would not have been undertaken were it not for the dogged persistence of George Brown. Sir George-Étienne Cartier was a key driving force who insisted on certain essential provincial rights. Sir John A. Macdonald orchestrated the political machinations necessary to get all the various parties to sign on. And Alexander Galt also made important contributions.

The subject of who should be included among the Fathers of Confederation has been a matter of some debate. The definition can be expanded to include those who were instrumental in bringing Manitoba ( Louis Riel), British Columbia ( Amor de Cosmos), Newfoundland and Labrador ( Joey Smallwood) and Nunavut ( Tagak Curley) into Confederation. ( See also: Fathers of Confederation Table; George Brown: 1865 Speech in Favour of Confederation.)

Convention at Charlottetown, P.E.I., of Delegates from the Legislatures of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island to take into consideration the Union of the British North American Colonies. 11 September 1864, Charlottetown, PEI.

Mothers of Confederation

The wives and daughters of the original 36 men have also been described as the Mothers of Confederation. They played key roles in the social gatherings that were a vital part of the Charlottetown, Quebec and London Conferences. Official records of the 1864 Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences are sparse. But historians have been able to flesh out the social and political dynamics at play through the letters and journals of: Anne Brown, spouse of George Brown; Mercy Coles, daughter of PEI Premier George Coles; and Agnes Macdonald, wife of Sir John A. Macdonald. They provide a view into the experiences of privileged women of the era. They also draw attention to the contributions those women made to the historic record and political landscape.

Mercy Coles' diary, Reminiscences of Canada in 1864, is one of the most detailed sources about the events that preceded Confederation. The diary includes descriptions of the Fathers of Confederation and their personalities. It brings to light the social politics of mid-19th-century Canada.

"Lady Macdonald in the gallery, like the Queen of the day, stamped her foot and exclaimed 'Did ever any person see such tactics!'" c. 1878.

A Country in 13 Parts

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Confederation refers to the process of federal union in which the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada joine...

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Albert Smith was one of the politicians against joining confederation

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Smith, Sir Albert James

Sir Albert James Smith, lawyer, politician, premier of NB (b at Shediac, NB 12 Mar 1822; d at Dorchester, NB 30 June 1883). Smith was the anti-Confederation leader of NB who almost wrecked the movement in 1865. Entering politics as a radical in 1852 and a member of the reform government that took office 1854, he was appointed attorney general in 1861 when S.L. TILLEY became premier. The 2 divided over government railway policies in 1862 and battled over CONFEDERATION, which Smith regarded as a devious scheme from the &QUOT;oily brains of Canadian politicians.&QUOT; The &QUOT;antis&QUOT; trounced the Confederation forces in the 1865 election. Smith failed to suppress the unionists as premier 1865-66 and was eventually driven from office by an arbitrary lieutenant-governor. After Confederation, Smith went to Ottawa, becoming minister of fisheries under PM Alexander MACKENZIE. In 1877 he was the &QUOT;ruling spirit throughout&QUOT; the Halifax Fisheries Commission which awarded Canada $5.5 million, the first diplomatic victory over the US. For his efforts Smith became the first native-born New Brunswicker to be knighted, an ironic twist not lost on those who supported Confederation.

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Sir Albert James Smith, lawyer, politician, premier of NB (b at Shediac, NB 12 Mar 1822; d at Dorchester, NB 30 June 1883). Smith was the anti-Confederation leader of NB who almost wrecked the movement in 1865.

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Samuel Tilley was the Premier of New Brunswick when they joined confederation 

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Samuel Tilley was the Premier of New Brunswick when they joined confederation 

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When Samuel de Champlain and other European explorers began to explore the area that became New Brunswick in the early 1600s, they were met by the Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) and Mi'kmaq peoples who inhabited the area and lived along its rivers and coasts. The early French pioneers established settlements at the head of the Bay of Fundy and up the St. John River Valley as far as present-day Fredericton and called the entire Maritime region Acadia.

The area was the subject of numerous conflicts between the French and British empires during the later 1600s and early 1700s. The region was ceded to Great Britain in 1710. Following the final defeat of the French in 1755, more than 5,000 Acadians were forced into exile from their lands by the British. Some of them escaped to what was then a remote and relatively uninhabited coastline along the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Baie des Chaleurs, where these Acadian settlements grew and thrived. Today, this region is known as the Acadian Peninsula.

In 1783, refugees loyal to the British Crown began to land at the mouth of the St. John River in what was then part of the Province of Nova Scotia . They were fleeing from persecution in the aftermath of the American Revolution and came from as far south as Georgia and as far north as Massachusetts. These refugees were not all of British origin, but included German, Dutch and Black Loyalists. The Black Loyalists included a number of freed slaves, but there were a small number of loyalists who brought their slaves with them to New Brunswick.

Discontentment with the government in Halifax led to the establishment of the areas north of the Bay of Fundy as the new Province of New Brunswick in 1784. By 1785, so many refugees had landed and settled at the mouth of the St. John River that the King granted a charter to the new City of Saint John , the first incorporated city in Canada. The capital was established at Fredericton, 114 km up the St. John River.

Scottish and Irish settlers began to settle in New Brunswick in the early 1800s. A large number of Irish, escaping from the hardships of the Potato Famine, made their way to Saint John and the Miramichi River region in the 1840s. Later immigration included a few hundred Danish settlers in the 1870s, whose communities in Victoria County exist today. A significant number of Jewish immigrants came through the Port of Saint John from the 1890s to the beginning of the First World War. A number of these immigrants remained to form Jewish communities in Saint John , Moncton and Fredericton. Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani and African Canadian communities have been established over the past century in the major cities.

New Brunswick was one of the first provinces, along with Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia, to join together to form the Dominion of Canada in 1867. As part of Canada, New Brunswick has experienced immigration on a smaller scale from all over the world, and today boasts a varied and increasingly multicultural population.
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When Samuel de Champlain and other European explorers began to explore the area that became New Brunswick in the early 1600s, they were met by the Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) and Mi'kmaq peoples who inhabited the area and lived along its rivers and coasts.

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New Brunswick and Confederation | The Canadian ...

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https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/new-brunswick-and-confederation

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Samuel Leonard Tilley joue un rôle déterminant en faisant entrer le Nouveau-Brunswick dans la Confédération.

Ancient Roots

For thousands of years, New Brunswick was the home of the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet. From the early 1600s to the mid-1700s, the Mi'kmaq, France and Britain fought for control of the territory. Britain achieved dominance after the Treaty of Paris (1763) and made the region part of Nova Scotia. In 1784, it became the separate colony of New Brunswick. It received responsible government in 1854. By the 1860s, New Brunswick had a population of 270,000 people. It had a strong economy based on timber and related industries such as shipbuilding.

In 1864, the legislature was interested in forming a single Maritime colony with Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia. Arthur Hamilton Gordon, the lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, helped organize a conference in Charlottetown. The idea of a Maritime Union would be discussed. Delegates from the Province of Canada asked for an invitation and came to the meeting. They proposed a union of all British North American colonies.

Anti-Confederation

The Charlottetown Conference (1-9 September 1864) grew into a large gathering of 23 delegates. They discussed a federal union of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. Delegates from the Province of Canada argued that a united nation of Canada would bring greater security against possible American expansionism. It would also create a wider domestic market for trade. A new, national railway would be built to improve access to this bigger market.

Intercolonial Railway. Red Pine Bridge. Section 16.

The Saint John Morning Telegraph cautiously expressed support for Confederation. But it also warned "that so far as New Brunswick is concerned the people have given the subject very slender consideration." Discontent spread through the colony after the conditions for Confederation - including the distribution of Parliamentary seats - were published following the Québec Conference in October 1864. ( See also: Quebec Resolutions; Regional Equality). Acadians and other ethnic minorities were also skeptical of the project. Merchants worried that Confederation would bring tougher trade competition and higher taxes.

Premier Samuel Tilley, who supported Confederation, found a majority of the New Brunswick legislature had swung against it. They were led by Albert Smith. Voters backed Smith with a big victory in a snap 1865 election, tossing out Tilley's government.

Pro-Confederation

The Fenian Raids then shifted momentum in the opposite direction. The Fenians were a group of pro-Irish American Civil War veterans. They wanted to capture Canadian territory and use it to stage an invasion of Ireland. In 1866, they attacked Campobello Island in New Brunswick. The attack was unsuccessful, but it fueled New Brunswick's sense of insecurity and increased support for Confederation.

Un canon fenian pris à l'ennemi entouré par les hommes du Missisquoi Home Guard (les Red Sashes) après le raid sur Eccles Hill, 1870.

Another election was held in 1866. This time, Tilley's pro-Confederation party won. The legislature soon voted 38-1 in favour of Confederation. Tilley made at least one other important contribution to Confederation: He is credited with suggesting the formal name the Dominion of Canada. He was inspired by a Biblical passage from Psalms that read, "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

Parades and Protests

New Brunswick became part of Canada on 1 July 1867. The celebrations in the province included a 21-gun salute and public parades. However, there was also some unrest. At a march in Saint John, anti-Confederation groups got into fist fights. Opponents lowered their flags to half-mast as a silent protest.

Confederation brought the Intercolonial Railway through New Brunswick by 1876, connecting it to the rest of the new country. Tilley joined John A. Macdonald's federal Cabinet. He is considered one of the Fathers of Confederation for the province, along with E.B. Chandler, J. H. Gray, J.M. Johnson, W.H. Steeves, Charles Fisher, Peter Mitchell and Robert Wilmot.

See also: Mothers of Confederation; Confederation: Collection; Confederation: Timeline.

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Samuel Leonard Tilley joue un rôle déterminant en faisant entrer le Nouveau-Brunswick dans la Confédération. For thousands of years, New Brunswick was the home of the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet. From the early 1600s to the mid-1700s, the Mi'kmaq, France and Britain fought for control of the territory.