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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... institutions the only choice? What is the purpose of government? Liberty? Prosperity? Democracy? Is parliamentary government democratic? What gives a constitution legitimacy in the eyes of the people? What makes a nation great? Much of ...
... institutions are compatible with federalism, and others whether responsible government can be reconciled with an elective Legislative Council (Senate). Still others quarrel about definitions of representation and democracy. In the west ...
... institutions and British traditions of liberty breeds loyalty to the empire. John A. Macdonald is famous for saying “A British subject I was born, and a British subject I will die,” and here a Prince Edward Islander says the same a ...
... institutions and in parliamentary deliberation. They invite a free and full examination of Confederation from every point of view. Henry Crease: I am deeply impressed with the momentous character of the discussion into which we are ...
... institutions totally different; with sectional hostilities of such a character as to render government for many years well-nigh impossible; with a constitution so unjust in the view of one section as to justify any resort to enforce a ...
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 |