Canada's Founding DebatesJanet Ajzenstat, Paul Romney, Ian Gentles, William D. Gairdner Canada's Founding Debates is 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 Debates offers a fresh and often surprising perspective on Canada's origins, history, and political character. Previously published by Stoddart Publishing, 1999. |
From inside the book
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... English version, with its sometimes stilted or inaccurate translation of the French speeches. In addition to the quality of the reports, the nature of the debates themselves has influenced our choice of excerpts. In every province but ...
... subjects, in fact, which are enjoyed in any portion of the dominion. (Cheers.) — Convention at Fort Garry, English and French Delegates in Council, January 27, 1870 Chapter Two RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT NO ONE DOUBTS THAT THE GENERAL.
... English communities there is an ardent passion for self-government. Colonists here, as everywhere else, are animated by an intense desire to govern themselves in the way they think best, and to delegate that power to others is ...
... English cousin. The aristocracy hardly exists, it is true. It is an injustice to presume for a moment that the colonist in this or any other colony of Anglo-Saxon origin is in any way unfit for the enjoyment of the freest political ...
... English-speaking people, whatever the nature of the constitution under which they lived, loved law and order, so that he did not think the mere form of the constitution made very much difference. Whatever the form, all will enjoy equal ...
Contents
PART THREE WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT IDENTITY | |
British or Canadian? | |
What Is a Canadian? | |
PART FOUR WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE NEW NATIONALITY | |
Minorities and Minority Rights | |
PART FIVE HOW TO MAKE A CONSTITUTION | |
Pro and | |
Appendixes | |
Afterword on Books | |
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Canada's Founding Debates Janet Ajzenstat,Paul Romney,Ian Gentles,William Gairdner No preview available - 2017 |