Strictly Canadian: Confederation Quiz

Answer: 1871

The Confederation League of British Columbia consisted of J.W. Trutch (British Columbia's first lieutenant-governor) Dr. R.R. Carroll and Dr. Helmcken. These delegates who in the spring of 1870 went to Ottawa to negotiate joining Canada. The negotiations began in early June, the terms that were finally agreed upon were Canada would assume British Columbia's debt and there would be provincial representation in the government. British Columbia would be connected to the rest of Canada by rail, a railroad would be built, to be started within two years and completed within ten. British Columbia joined Canada on July 20th 1871. (From "From Sea unto Sea: The Road to Nationhood" by W.G. Hardy, chapter XX).

Answer: 2001

Originally Newfoundland was present at the pre-confederation conference but at that time they decided against joining. In September 1946 there was a Newfoundland Conference, the decision to be made was whether Newfoundland was going to join Canada or remain a British colony. The first referendum was held on June 3, 1948 did not provide a clear answer. For the next referendum, the ballot options where more clearly defined, confederation (join Canada) or return to responsible government. This referendum, held on July 22, 1948 showed that the majority wanted confederation. Joining Canada received 52.3% of the votes (78 323 votes). (From the Newfoundland website http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/NFLDHistory/NewfoundlandJoinsCanada-Confederation1949.htm)

On March 31, 1949 Newfoundland became the tenth Province of Canada. By constitutional proclamation, fifty-two years after Newfoundland joined Canada, on December 6th 2001, the name officially changed to include Labrador.

Answer: Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

Before confederation the British North American colonies consisted of six colonies, the province of Canada (Upper and Lower Canada) Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Newfoundland. In 1867 the province of Canada was divided into two separate provinces, Ontario (formerly Upper Canada) and Quebec (formerly Lower Canada).

These two new provinces joined with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on July 1, 1867 to form Canada.

Answer: 1898

Nunavut, the newest territory (previously was the eastern part of the Northwest Territories) became a territory of Canada on April 1, 1999. The Northwest Territories is the third largest land mass (province or territory) in Canada. The word Yukon, means Great River (the Yukon River runs through the Yukon Territory into Alaska and British Columbia).

The Loucheux Indians called it the "Yuchoo" and the Athabaskan Indians called the Yukon "Yu-kun-ah". On June 13 1898 the Yukon Act established the Yukon Territory as a part of Canada.

In 1898 the capital city was Dawson City, but was moved to Whitehorse.

Answer: Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island (PEI) had been invited to join confederation in 1867, but declined. PEI residents felt that there was no direct benefit in joining Canada. Many feared that there would be new taxes and a loss of independence. As time passed the attitude changed, much of the land in PEI was owned by British landlords who would not sell to the residents. The mutually agree upon terms were PEI would have six members in Parliament, Canada would assume PEI's debts, $800,000 would go to the province and residents to help assist in purchasing the land from their British landlords. PEI is Canada's only province that is solely on an island, Canadian Parliament agreed to connect the Island to the mainland by a ferry. There was also the unique term that gave every resident $50.
The residents of Prince Edward Island became officially Canadians on July 1st, 1873.
http://www.hometowncanada.com/pe/
To read more about Prince Edward Island please see the website for the Prince Edward Island Terms of Union at: http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/peitu.html

Answer: Saskatchewan and Alberta

On November 19 1869 the Hudson's Bay Company sold Rupert's Land to Canada for 300,000 pounds. Rupert's Land covered 3.9 million square kilometers; this area covered parts of the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Northern Ontario and Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Alberta Act and the Saskatchewan Act created two separate provinces, since one province would have been too large, extendin from British Columbia to Manitoba. Both Acts went into effect on September 1 1905. (From "From Sea unto Sea: the Road to Nationhood" by W.G. Hardy, chapters XV and XXXV)
Originally both provinces were treated as territories. Both provinces had almost identical confederation terms with neither province having any control over their province's natural resources.
Saskatchewan gets its name from the Cree word "Kisiskatchewani Sipi" for the Saskatchewan River meaning "rapid flowing river." Alberta's name comes from Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.

Answer: July

When Canada began it was significantly smaller than it is today. Presently Canada covers 9 970 610 square kilometers. Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories have all joined in the month of July. The official dates for each province and Territory are:
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick-July 1, 1867
Manitoba and the Northwest Territories-July 15, 1870
British Columbia-July 20, 1871
Prince Edward Island-July 1, 1873
Yukon Territory-June 13, 1898
Saskatchewan and Alberta-September 1, 1905
Newfoundland-March 31, 1949
Nunavut-April 1, 1999

Answer: July 1, 1867

The BNA (British North America) Act was approved by the British Parliament and signed by Queen Victoria on March 29 1867, creating the Dominion of Canada. The Act becoming effective on July 1, 1867 took the British North American colonies and creating a country with provinces.

The Dominion of Canada remained factually a British colony but became a self-governing nation. Each province would have a provincial government. Canada would have a federal government with Sir John A MacDonald as the first Canadian Prime Minister.

Initially there were only four provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) at confederation.

Answer: Manitoba

Due to the Red River Rebellion (1869-70) and the provisional government that was headed by Louis Riel (who is often referred to as the father of Manitoba) Manitoba became the fifth Canadian province. On July 15, 1870 the area of the Red River officially became Manitoba.

The provisional government sent delegates to Ottawa with a "list of rights" compiled by Riel which included amnesty for members of the provisional government, language and religious rights. The delegates were arrested but later released. Negotiations completed (amnesty was not guaranteed), and the Manitoba Act was signed on May 12 1870. (From W.G. Hardy's "From Sea unto Sea: The Road to Nationhood" chapters XIX and XXVII) Upon entering confederation Manitoba was a small rectangular shaped province.

It later expanded to cover 647,797 square kilometers. In 1870 Manitoba covered 33,280 square kilometers. Because of its size and shape Manitoba earned the nickname "postage stamp province."

Answer: 1982

Dominion Day was a national holiday that celebrated the Dominion of Canada's confederation. Dominion Day was not an official holiday until 1879. The day of celebrations, July 1st, is the same day but now Canadians celebrate Canada Day instead of Dominion Day.
The Constitution Act was passed by the Canadian Parliament on October 27 1982. This act changed Canadian history; Canada was no longer a colony or Dominion, but now an official country. To reflect this, the act also included the renaming of Dominion Day to Canada Day.
For more information please see http://members.shaw.ca/kcic1/cangovt.html a website dedicated to "Confederation and Canada's Government."


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