CIVITATENSIS

Québec a Nation History (Part 21) Act of Union and Louis Riel The Act of Union passed in July 1840 and proclaimed February 10, 1841, abolished the legislatures of Lower Canada (Québec) and Upper Canada (Ontario) and established a new political entity, the Province of Canada to replace them. This act effecting the political union of The Canadas was similar in nature and in goals to the other Acts of Union enacted by the British Parliament. The Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal occurred on the night of April 25, 1849. Political organisation under the Union Act was inspired by Lord Durham’s report. Lord Durham was sent to the colonies to examine the causes of the Rebellions of 1837 in both Upper and Lower Canada. Durham concluded that the real problem was the ethnic conflict between French and English. According to Durham, the French culture in Canada had changed little in 200 years, and showed no sign of progress like British culture had. His report contains the famous assessment that Canada consisted of “two nations warring within the bosom of a single state.” He write that the so-called “French Canadians” had no history and no culture and that the conflict was primarily that of two ethnic groups. Louis Riel (Manitoba History) The first resistance was the Red River Rebellion of 1869-1870. The provisional government established by Riel declared Manitoba a independant Métis republic. Riel was forced into exile in the United States as a result of the execution …