The True North Strong and Free: The Road to Canadian Confederation

Description:

The idea of a unified British North America was not necessarily a new idea, but as the mid-19th century came about, the momentum for such a unification began to really grow due to several key internal and external factors. 

In the Province of Canada, the Catholic-Protestant divide that existed owing to the Anglo-French demographics resulted in political deadlock within the government. Additionally, across all the other provinces that made up British North America, expanding populations and economic growth laid bare a need for greater integration in order to make such growth more sustainable and successful.

One major external factor was concern with regard to the growing power to the south: The United States of America had recently emerged from a Civil War and resulting from Britain's role in lending unofficial support to the South, America cancelled the Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty which was beneficial to Canada. 

The delegates sent to hash out the details of a possible unified Canadian entity would have to balance these factors and many others in designing a formula of government and an overall constitutional structure to meet the needs and address the concerns of their fellow peoples.

Chair: Daniel Sitanggang

Vice Chair: TBA