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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... necessary that there should be respect for the law, a high central authority, the virtue of civil obedience, obeying the law for the law's sake; even when a man's private conscience may convince him sufficiently that the law in some ...
... necessary for me to prove that this is the case; it is too notorious for comment, and as long as the spirit of liberty exists in the British nation we shall find that no one province will submit to legislation at the hands of a ...
... necessary to take up the time of the house. I am perfectly satisfied in my own mind that the official members are convinced that the people are in favour of responsible government. As a student of history, young as I am, I begin to ...
... necessary. Francis Barnard: It is beyond question that the intelligent portion of the community are in favour of responsible government, but there is a grave question in regard to its adaptation to the colony. The words coming from His ...
... necessary in the present condition of the colony to advocate a second chamber — a council as distinct from an assembly. However advisable this may be in an advanced condition of the colony, advanced in numbers and wealth, few, if any ...
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 |