CANADA HISTORY

Upper Canada

The opposition to the powerful, elite-dominated group known as the Family Compact in Upper Canada began to take shape in the form of the Reform Party. The Family Compact, a small, conservative clique, had long dominated the political, religious, and economic systems of the colony, controlling appointments to key positions and creating policies that favored their own interests at the expense of the broader population. The Reform Party arose as a direct response to the widespread frustration over these entrenched powers, focusing on addressing the inequalities and systemic abuses that permeated colonial governance. The leader of this opposition was William Lyon Mackenzie, a fiery and determined politician who sought to challenge the monopoly of power held by the Compact. His advocacy for reform culminated in the 1837 rebellion, a failed uprising that attempted to overthrow the established order in Upper Canada.

Following the rebellion's failure, Britain recognized that changes were necessary to address the root causes of unrest in both Upper and Lower Canada. To investigate the situation, the British government sent John Lambton, the Earl of Durham, to the colonies as a special commissioner. His task was to assess the political climate and determine the reasons behind the unrest. Durham’s findings, which became known as the Durham Report, would have a lasting impact on the future of Canada.

The Durham Report, published in 1839, proposed two major recommendations: the union of Upper and Lower Canada and the establishment of responsible government. Durham viewed the French-speaking majority in Lower Canada as a significant obstacle to stability in the colonies, believing that their cultural and linguistic differences from the English-speaking settlers created a fundamental divide. His solution was the assimilation of the French-speaking population through political unification. By merging Upper and Lower Canada into a single colony, Durham hoped that the larger English-speaking population would eventually overwhelm the French and neutralize their influence. This controversial recommendation would deeply affect the political and cultural dynamics of Canada for decades to come, particularly in the context of French-English relations.

Durham’s second key recommendation was the introduction of responsible government, a system in which the executive branch would be accountable to the elected assembly rather than the colonial governor and his appointed officials. This was a radical departure from the existing system, where power was concentrated in the hands of a small elite, such as the Family Compact in Upper Canada. Responsible government would ensure that the colony’s leadership was directly answerable to the will of the people, an idea that resonated deeply with reformers who had long sought a more democratic and equitable political system.

Durham’s report also implicitly recognized the lessons of Britain’s earlier failure to respond to popular demands in its American colonies, which had led to the American Revolution. The British government was keen to avoid a similar outcome in its remaining North American territories. The fear of losing another group of colonies to rebellion and independence helped shape Britain’s willingness to implement reforms in Canada. Upper Canada, in particular, was viewed as ripe for responsible government, with reformers like Mackenzie and his followers eager for a system that would limit the power of the colonial elites and give greater voice to ordinary citizens.

In 1840, the British government passed the Act of Union, which united Upper and Lower Canada into a single political entity known as the Province of Canada. While Durham’s recommendation to assimilate the French was partially realized in this union, the new political arrangement was not entirely successful in achieving his goals. French Canadians remained a distinct and vocal political force, and tensions between French and English-speaking populations persisted. Nevertheless, the Act of Union laid the groundwork for future political developments in Canada, including the gradual move toward greater self-government and eventual Confederation.

The introduction of responsible government, which was gradually implemented after the Act of Union, marked a turning point in Canadian history. It gave the elected assemblies in Canada real power over the executive, transforming the political landscape and creating a foundation for democratic governance. The reforms that emerged from this period helped Canada avoid the violent upheaval that had characterized the American Revolution and instead paved the way for a peaceful transition toward self-governance within the British Empire.

Moreover, these events set Canada on a path toward unification with other British colonies in North America. The lessons learned from the rebellions of 1837, coupled with the implementation of responsible government, helped foster a political culture that would eventually lead to the formation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. The period following the Durham Report thus represents a crucial chapter in Canada’s evolution from a collection of British colonies to a unified, self-governing nation, with lasting implications for its political structure and identity.