Representative Government Representative and responsible government form the foundations of our democratic system today. This page will look at the history of representative government in Canada, which had to be won before responsible government. Related essays on this site: Responsible Government The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council The Sources of Law in Canada Common Law and Civil Law The Written and Unwritten Constitution Canada’s Constitutional History Definition Representative government is a system of government with a law-making body that is at least partly elected by the people. It is a principle in governments following the English model that only an elected assembly could make laws (legislate) and institute taxes. In Canada, representative government was gained at different times and in different ways in each province and territory. To learn more about representative government: * Visit the Canadian Encyclopedia. [link: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?TCE_Version=A] The Maritime Provinces Canadian provinces and territories gained representative government at different times. Nova Scotia was the first colony in what is now Canada to achieve a representative government in 1758. At the time it included what is now Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Prince Edward Island, at that time called Île. Saint John, was made a separate colony in 1769, and gained an elected assembly in 1773. New Brunswick, settled by 14,000 Loyalists after the American Revolution, separated from Nova Scotia and was given representative government in 1784. Supporting documents in Early Canadiana Online: William Murray and Richard Lloyd to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, April 29th, 1755 (Authors seek an elected assembly.) Governor Lawrence to Lords of Trade and Plantations, 8th December, 1755 (Governor indicates that he does not believe it practical to form an assembly.) Lords of Trade to Governor Lawrence, March 25th, 1756 (Lords of Trade believe it a greater evil not to have an elected assembly.) Lords of Trade to Governor Lawrence, July ye 8th, 1756 (Repeats importance of forming an assembly.) Governor Lawrence to Lords of Trade, 3rd November, 1756 (Restates his objections to forming an assembly.) At a Council holden at the Governor’s House in Halifax on Monday the 3rd Jany, 1757 (Laying the groundwork for elective assembly.) Lords of Trade to Governor Lawrence, March 10th, 1757 (The Lords leave the formation of the assembly at Lawrence’s discretion.) Governor Lawrence to Lords of Trade, 9th November, 1757 (Lawrence happy that the Lords agree that time not right to form an assembly.) Lords of Trade to Governor Lawrence, Feby 7, 1758 (The Lords state that an assembly should be formed in as short a period of time as possible.) At a Council holden at the Governors House in Halifax on Saturday the 20th May 1758 (More preparations for election.) Governor Lawrence to Lords of Trade, 26 September, 1758 (Sanction needed for rules and laws of the assembly.) Governor Lawrence to Lords of trade, 1758 (Announces that an assembly has been formed.) The Province of Canada After the British conquest of New France and the Royal Proclamation, 1763, the newly created province of Québec was promised an elected assembly. The governors, however, were of the opinion that it was too soon after the conquest. This caused conflict with British merchants who arrived after the conquest. Supporting documents in Early Canadiana Online: Petition of Québec Traders to the King, 1764 (Québec traders complain about Murray’s rule.). Lieut.-Governor Carleton to Earl of Shelburne, Jan 20, 1768 (Expresses concerns about the formation of an Assembly.) The Québec Act, 1774, established government by the governor and a council. This continued until the end of the American Revolution in 1783, when the newly arrived Loyalists began to agitate for representative government. This was granted under the Constitutional Act, 1791, which also divided the province of Québec into Upper and Lower Canada. Supporting documents in Early Canadiana Online: The Québec Act, 1774 (bilingual) Petition for a House of Assembly, 1784 Plan for a House of Assembly, 1784 Objections to a House of Assembly, 1784 Letter: Dorchester to Sydney, November 8, 1788 (Dorchester does not believe that an Assembly is practical.) The Constitutional Act, 1791 Newfoundland Newfoundland was the last colony in what is now Canada to gain representative government in 1832. In 1934, however, the Great Depression and other factors led the Newfoundland legislature to vote itself out of existence. As a result, Newfoundland came under direct rule by Britain and was without an elected assembly until it joined Confederation in 1949. The terms for entry into Canada included the creation of an elected legislature. British North America Act, 1949 (Renamed Newfoundland Act, 1949. Admits Newfoundland into Confederation.) To learn more about the evolution of government in Newfoundland: * Visit the Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage site. [link: http://www.heritage.nf.ca/law/representative.html] British Columbia In 1849, the Hudson’s Bay Company was granted Vancouver Island for settlement and, seven years later, the governor created an elected assembly there. The mainland colony was granted a partially elected assembly in 1864. In 1866, the two colonies were joined as British Columbia. It was not until after the colony joined Confederation, however, that all the seats in the assembly became elective. Order of Her Majesty in Council Admitting British Columbia into the Union, 1871 (Renamed British Columbia Terms of Union, 1871) Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan Manitoba received representative government when it was created by the Manitoba Act, 1870. Alberta and Saskatchewan received representative government in 1886, while they were still part of the North-West Territories. When they were created as provinces in 1905 they received elected legislatures. Manitoba Act, 1870 (This act creates Manitoba as a province in Confederation.) The Alberta Act, 1905 (Renamed Alberta Act, 1905. Creates the province of Alberta) The Saskatchewan Act, 1905 (Renamed Saskatchewan Act, 1905. Creates the province of Saskatchewan.) The Territories Yukon was created in 1898 and had a fully elected assembly by 1908. The Northwest Territories council was created in 1905, made partially elective in 1951 and fully elective in 1974. Nunavut received an elected assembly when it was created in 1999. Supporting documents in Early Canadiana Online: Rupert’s Land Act, 1868 (This act allows Canada to admit Rupert’s land into Canada.) Temporary Government of Rupert’s Land Act, 1869 (Establishes a temporary government for Rupert’s Land when it is admitted into Confederation.) Order of Her Majesty in Council admitting Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory into the Union, June 23, 1870 (Brings the territories into Confederation.) Yukon Territory Act, 1898 (Creates Yukon Territory.) Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut Act) To learn more about representative government in each of the provinces an territories: * Visit the Canadian Encyclopedia and search using the name of the province. Look under politics, government and history. [link: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?TCE_Version=A] * Visit the National Library of Canada Canadian Confederation site and read the entry for each province. [link: http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/18/h18-2185-e.html] Bibliography Memorial University of Newfoundland and the C.R.B. Foundation. Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage. St. John’s: Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. (Online: , accessed November 8, 2002). National Library of Canada. Canadian Confederation. Ottawa, Government of Canada, 2001. (Online: , accessed November 8, 2002). Privy Council Office. The History of Canada’s Constitutional Development. Ottawa: Government of Canada, 2001. (Online: , accessed November 8, 2002).