A Need for Reform List of Grievances The Situation in Lower Canada Rebellion and Reform Representative Government A government made up of people who are elected by voters to make laws on their behalf ID: 494964
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Slide1
Colonial Government
A Need for Reform
List of Grievances
The Situation in Lower Canada
Rebellion and ReformSlide2
Representative Government
A government made up of people who are elected by voters to make laws on their behalf
We vote in who we want to represent our needs in government*
Provincial Example Vancouver Island Elizabeth MayFederal Example Justin TrudeauSlide3
Responsible Government
Governments can be voted out if elected representatives fail to please a majority of the people who elected them
Governments are responsible for fulfilling our needs , so if they fail we vote them out!
Vote of Non- ConfidenceSlide4
Why are they Important?
They form the cornerstones of Democracy
- a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.
Democracy on paper!Who was really in control?Slide5
Early Colonial Government
Colonial governments were indirectly run form Britain.
Britain appointed a Governor but he ruled according to what the Oligarchy demanded
This policy put power in the hands of the Oligarchy who ran the government
Family Compact / Chateau Clique
No Representative or Responsible Government
See page 66Slide6
What is an Oligarchy?
A small group of ruling elite
Family Compact or Chateau Clique
Upper class officials in Upper/Lower Canada who made up the Executive CouncilControlled the government, government jobs, and spending of tax moneySlide7
Family Compact
Small closed group of upper class English men who exercised most of the political, economic and judicial power in Upper Canada
Who got government jobs
How to spend tax moneyHow government was run
Made up the Executive council in Upper CanadaSlide8
Château Clique
Small closed group of upper class English men who exercised most of the political, economic and judicial power in Lower Canada
Invested in shipping and canals to have total control mover Lower Canada
Control of shipping = control of the coloniesSlide9
Oligarchies Exist Today!
The illusion of democracy as control of politics and economics in the hands of the wealthy
1% of the population controls 99% of the wealth and powerSlide10
Upper Canada 1791
1791 The Constitution Act established the government of Upper Canada
Divided Upper and Lower Canada
Created an elected law making Legislative Assembly, a governor, and 2 councils made up the governmentSlide11
Elected Legislative Assembly gave the illusion of democracy
Every property owning male could vote
BUTThe Governor and 2 councils (executive) he appointed had all the powerFamily Compact / Chateau Clique
Any law the Elected Legislative Assembly tried to pass could be vetoed by the other branches of governmentSlide12Slide13
William Lyon
Mackenzie:
Led
the reform movement in Upper CanadaDespised the ruling oligarchy/ Family CompactPublished articles in the Colonial Advocate criticizing the government
Wanted American Style democracy
1812 Elected to the Legislative Assembly Slide14
List of Grievances in Upper Canada
Land
- overpriced, good land gone, Family Compact dominated land ownership, crown and clergy reserve land blocked road construction
Roads- wanted more roads and better quality roadsGovernment- oligarchy controls the government, Governor and 2 councils have all control, Legislative Assembly powerlessSlide15
Controlling Opposition through Violence and Intimidation
Robert
Gourley
drew up the list of grievances and petitioned the government to changehe was arrested and deported out of the colonyWilliam Lyon Mackenzie’s newspaper
Burned office and printing pressSlide16
Problems seem worse in Lower Canada
The French population felt culturally attacked
Why: the ruling class was English
BUT the majority of people were FrenchFrench population feared the loss of their
Language
Religion
cultureSlide17
Power In Lower Canada
English Speaking Minority held all the power in Lower Canada
Those who control the money control the politics and policies
¼ of the population in control
Just like today 1% of the population controls the worldSlide18
Fearing Your Authority
French thought the British were going to phase out the “French Problem”
Britain encouraged English settlement
Encouraged assimilation to British cultureSlide19
Reform Movement In Lower Canada
Main Grievances
Discrimination: French discriminated against by English Majority
Government: Lack of French Representation in GovernmentTaxes: Opposed taxation without representation
Schools: No French schools in Lower Canada
Farmers in debt: Land overworked from too many immigrants Slide20
Louis Joseph
Papineau
:
Leader of Radical Reformers in Lower CanadaInitially optimistic about British rule but disagreed about British controlling all power
Became the leader of the
Parti
Canadien
Lobbied for Reform
After 30 years of legal attempts to reform,
Papineau
and his patriots rebelled against the governmentSlide21
Controlling Opposition through Violence and Intimidation
The Governor of Lower Canada arrested anyone who criticized the government and closed papers that promoted reform
1822 British soldiers shot protestors in MontrealSlide22
Remember there are Good Guys