The Chateau Clique was similar to the Family Compact which existed in Upper Canada but with the very important difference that it was progressively attempting to Anglicize Lower Canada. The Clique was lead by English speaking merchants who had been able to squeeze the French Canadians out of political power and take control of both the executive and legislative councils. They systematically began hireling mainly English Canadians for civil servant and other government appointed positions. Laws and legislation were passed with favour the English merchant community and the social and business structure of the seigniorial system was assaulted in order to eliminate those French leaders as a class and competitor for political or business spoils. Anglophones such as John Molson or Molson beer fame and James McGill were major leaders in the English community and the colonial government.
The name Chateau Clique was used because of the proximity of the Governors residence on Chateau St Louis beside the government offices. The council and legislature advised the Governor and their advice was of course intended to advantage their own English Canadian interests.
The Clique did work for the specific improvement of the colony in the development of business banking structures, the transportation infrastructure and other items that would compliment the business community. The Clique also worked to eliminate the French Civil Law and replace it with the more familiar British system or laws. This attack on the French Canadian system and heritage was viewed as a first step towards assimilating the Franco-phone community, which it was.
By 1822 the Clique was backing a program which would result in the uniting of Upper and Lower Canada with the intention of swallowing up the French Canadian culture, language and heritage in a large English majority society. This was opposed by the French Canadian population and the emergence of Louis Joseph Papineau in opposition to these efforts was the first sign of an impending clash between cultures.