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. |
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... presents excerpts from the debates on Confederation in all the colonial parliaments from Newfoundland to British ... present the Fathers of Canadian Confederation, their supporters, and their opponents not merely as thinkers about ...
... present population, with our people scattered over a vast extent of thinly populated country, and having regard to the various conflicting interests consequent on remoteness from the centre, the principle of responsible government can ...
... present circumstances, the colony can have. The popular members under that system will have a clear majority, and, consequently, the people will have the control of the purse-strings. I do not speak these words as a member of the ...
... present occupation certainly would not judge righteous judgement. The opinion of His Excellency the Governor to the contrary, notwithstanding, I boldly assert that the people of British Columbia are fit for responsible government. Do ...
... present form of government so unpopular with the people? I will tell you why. It is just because it is not a people's government. They had no hand in making it. They have none in working it. They can have none in unmaking it. “The ...
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 |