Canada's Expansion 1869-1884

Chapter 3: The Expansion of Canada (1869-1884)

• Canada's motto: "From Sea to Sea."
• After Confederation, Canada expanded coast to coast.
• Prime Minister John A. Macdonald aimed to encourage settlement in the West.
• Building a railway to connect British Columbia with eastern provinces was crucial.
• The government sought a way to settle the prairie land where First Nations lived.
• First Nations negotiated treaties for land and rights protection amid changes.
• "The Blackfoot Treaty (Treaty 7), 1877, Crowfoot Speaking" depicts treaty negotiations.
• The painting portrays Crowfoot, a Siksika chief, negotiating with Canadian officials.

Consequences of Confederation:

• Confederation affected groups differently.
• Relationships between groups changed.
• Past government policies toward different groups need evaluation.
• Text sources require contextualization.

Métis in the Northwest:

• The Canadian government purchased Rupert's Land without consulting the Métis.
• The Northwest population included First Nations, French-speaking Métis, and Protestant settlers.
• Saulteaux, Maskégons, and Plains Cree were among the First Nations, totaling about 17,000.
• Métis population in the region neared 10,000.
• The Canadian government began constructing Dawson Road in 1868.
• The 120-km road connected Fort Garry (Winnipeg) to existing route to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Rupert's Land Sale:

• Rupert's Land encompassed parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and Nunavut.
• Hudson's Bay Company controlled Rupert's Land.
• In 1868, Hudson's Bay Company planned to sell Rupert's Land to the British government.
• The British government would transfer land to Canada, making it a colony.
• The sale lacked consultation with First Nations and Métis living there.
• Macdonald's view revealed a disregard for the Aboriginal peoples' voice.

Land Rights:

• Canada pledged to uphold British laws and recognize Aboriginal land titles in Rupert's Land sale.

• Aboriginal land titles represent legal Aboriginal rights recognized by the Canadian government.

• The government did not recognize Métis land rights on par with First Nations, causing worry among the Métis who feared losing land.

• Governor George Simpson, (Hudson’s Bay Company) commentated that the Métis settlements existed where they “squatted” and couldn't be averted”.

• Métis settlers of Red River stated that the Métis population of Red River loudly proclaim those rights

• Métis felt entitled to land due to settling, working, and assisting Hudson's Bay Company.

Riel and the Red River Resistance:

• The Red River Resistance was a conflict over Rupert's Land sale.
• Before the sale: Dominion Land Act, new Canadian government sent surveyors without Métis consent.
• Surveyors planned to divide the land into square lots, ignoring existing Métis claims.
• Louis Riel emerged as a Métis leader in the Red River community.
• Riel: Settlers aimed to displace them, disregarding established laws.
• Métis, armed, halted surveyors from surveying André Nault's land on October 11, 1869.

Métis National Committee:

• Métis organized the Métis National Committee on October 16, 1869.
• Settlers elected committee members.
• Riel was elected secretary.
• William McDougall of Ontario chosen as Northwest lieutenant-governor.
• Métis stopped McDougall at the border.
• They occupied Fort Garry to delay Rupert's Land transfer.
• This action delayed transfer, denying Canadian government’s legal authority Northwest

Provisional Government:

• Métis established a temporary government to negotiate with Canada in December 1869.
• Riel became president and included French and English speakers.
• It aimed to prevent an exclusively English and Protestant territory.
• The government issued a bill of rights outlining terms for joining Canada as a province.
• The bill addressed legislative rights, language equality, and Dominion Parliament representation.

Canadian Party and Thomas Scott:

• The Canadian Party attempted to overthrow the provisional government.
• The party was concerned for welfare of new English Protestant settlers.
• Métis captured 50 party members, imprisoning them in Fort Garry.
• Thomas Scott, an Orangemen, was imprisoned for a second uprising in Feb 1870.
• Scott was insulting to his Métis guards, and tried for disobedience of the provisional government.
• Scott was found guilty and was executed in March 1870.
• Riel justified execution for attempting to overthrow Métis government in March 1870

The Manitoba Act:

• Manitoba Act passed on May 12, 1870 after negotiations.
• Macdonald sought a compromise for Métis, French, and English.
• Provinces are defined as self-governing while territories had Ottawa-appointed governments.
• Act officially created Manitoba as a province, with language and religious rights guaranteed.
• Included most of the Métis terms from the bill of rights which made it a province.
• Over 5000 square kilometres were set aside for Métis, including Winnipeg.
• The Métis had to claim titles and register their ownership of the land.

The Red River Expedition

• Despite the passing of the Manitoba Act, more conflict existed in these areas.
• Macdonald claimed to send armed forced, so Red River would be protected from Americans looking to annex Manitoba.
• In May 1870, Wolseley’s troops departed from Toronto, finally arriving at Fort Garry at the end of August.
• This expedition was not a part of agreement with Riel.
• Arrived to find Fort Garry deserted.

Métis Leave Manitoba:

• Settlers from eastern Canada migrated to Manitoba and seized Métis lands after Manitoba Act.
• Under the Dominion Land Act, the government offered scrip to the Métis that could be exchanged for land or money.
• Scrip acceptance meant losing Aboriginal land title rights and the Métis land claims were often delayed.
• By the time the Métis’ applications were reviewed, much of the land had already been taken.
• Settlers from Ontario dominated the providence and amendments were introduced that made land harder for the Métis to obtain.
• Almost all the Métis decided to abandon their land claims and moved out of the providence by 1880.

Importance of Railways:

• Prince Edward Island initially rejected Confederation, agreeing in 1873 due to railway debt.
• In 1871, British Columbia negotiated to enter into Confederation under the conditions that Canada would construct a transcontinental railway linking the Province to Ontario within 10 years.

Scandal delays Railway:

• Macdonald asked for campaign donations to win votes.
• Sir Hugh Allan offered a campaign donation +$350,000, and was selected for the building of the railway.
• In April 1873 a rival politician discovered evidence of Macdonald taking a bribe from Allan, and resigned as prime minister.
• He was replaced by Alexander Mackenzie.

The National Policy:

• The nation was suffering as business closed, unemployment was high and canadians were moving to the US.
• Macdonald won the 1873 elections and introduced the national policy that would stimulated the economy, and establish physical presence in the Northwest.
• In the East it would aid manufacturers.
• In the west it would build a market for the East for natural resources

Canadian Pacific Railway:

• The Macdonald government hired a new company: The Candian Pacific Railway Company
• 1881 = They were given $25 million, and land along the railway route.
• Macoun identified the land between Winnipeg and Edmonton known as Palliser's Triangle as fertile.
• This resulted in the railway planning for a far south route.

Building the Canadian Pacific Railway:

• Construction began in 1881
• Recruited people from China.
• As many as 17,000 Chinese immigrants
• Constructed most challenging and dangerous parts of the railway.
• They were paid far less than the white workers.
• Oral history says one Chinese worker died for every mile of the railway.

The Last Spike:

• In 1885, a ceremony commemorated railway completion.
• The photo of workers and Donald Smith driving the last spike excludes Chinese workers.
• Mallandaine's account notes Smith driving the spike, with cheers etc

Confederation Impact on Central Canada:

• Ontario and Quebec united becoming the Dominion of Canada
• Each cultures economy and culture remained unique
• The economic and geography impacted each region.
• Economies developed with shoe, textiles, glass and furniture factories evolving.

Collapse of Industry in the Manitimes:

• Maritime experienced industrial growth
• They produced Textiles, glass, and rope.
• Tax made imported goods expensive
• By the end 1880’s manufacturing was in trouble resulting in western Canadians and US moving away.

Social conflicts

• tensions existed between Protestants and Catholics.
• The Jubilee Riots were a series of conflicts in Toronto 1875 between Protestants and Catholics.
• The Orange order had members who rioted + members that were also Police.
• The majority in each Provinces protect the rights of the minority to achieve permanent peace

The Guibord Affair:

• Militiamen and soldiers had to come to Joseph Guibord's funeral.
• His casket was encased in cement
• Guibord was apart of a group called Institut Canadien de Montréal, and when he died pleas were made for a Catholic burial, but they were denied by the Catholic Church
• By the time the remains were being moved for a Catholic burial. An angry catholic mob stopped the burial party.
• He burial site was immediately declared as non scared.
• A law was passes that dictated only the Catholic Church can decide who can be buried in a Catholic cemetery.

Consequences for First Nations:

• Canada expanded with increased land, laws and settlers following Confederation in 1867.
• Northern Tribes Buffalo Treaty signed in 2015 seeks to increase buffalo population which was previously used by First Nations as primary food source.
• Over hunting decreased population dramatically.

The Numbered Treaties:

• Treaties that Canadian government negotiated from 1871 - 1921.
• In return for land: The First Nations received money, reserve lands, and tools.
• Often was given English terms of the agreements that were not explained, nor wanted by some.
• Treaty 6 had terms that were against the Plains and Wood Cree tribes, along all the other inhabitants of the district.

The Indian Act:

• The Candian government combines various laws to create the Dominion land Act.
• In 1887, Macdonald declares the goal of it was for legislation to do away withe tribal system and assimilate the Indians in every respect - with other inhabitants,
• The term “Indian” means a person with first Nations blood, child of one, or one that is lawfully married to one.

Residential Schools:

• The Canadian government established residential schools in 1883 to assimilate + educate them
• Schools were run by religious organizations.
• Students forced to learn only English/french.
• Students were not allowed to practice their own cultural and spiritual traditions.

The North-West Mounted Police:

• Created by the provincial Ontario to maintain law and order.
• Made sure First Nations were complying to regulations during the Indian Act.
• They enforced whiskey was illegal and prevented it being traded from Americans to First Nations.
• The Cypress Hill Massacre resulted in calls for an enforcement and protection of First Nations from wolf-hunters.