Britain and the Origins of Canadian Confederation, 1837–67

Martin, Ged

doi:10.1007/978-1-349-11479-5

Cited by 22 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…66 Privately dismissing Cardwell as too 'safe a man', he urged Palmer to speak to Cardwell on his behalf, but Cardwell, unmoved, insisted that Gordon that he toe the government line. 67 He continued to assert in private that he had 'not one good word' to say about confederation, but after flirting with resignation, he reluctantly acquiesced. 68 After incessantly pressing for a promotion, Gordon left New Brunswick in 1866 to take up the governorship of Trinidad, a crown colony where, crucially, the governor had greater responsibility.…”

Section: Charles Poulett Thomson Governor-general Of Canada 1839-41mentioning

confidence: 97%

Exporting the Westminster model: MPs and Colonial Governance in the Victorian era

Owen¹

2014

Britain and the World

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While the role of British colonial governors has been subject to recent extensive analysis, the collective phenomenon of Victorian Members of Parliament taking up gubernatorial office remains largely unaddressed. Between 1828 and 1868, 38 former MPs were appointed to colonial governorships. With metropolitan administrators, who believed in the superiority of British institutions, seeking to introduce greater colonial self-government from the 1830s onwards, the careers of these former MPs offer a direct and personal example of the challenges of exporting the Westminster style of politics to the British world. This article analyses the extent to which MPs, who became colonial governors, drew on their experiences of Westminster culture, particularly the art of negotiating the public and private spheres of political life, when attempting to introduce self-government to their respective colonies. Four MPs with varying political experience are considered: Charles Poulett Thomson, governor-general of Canada, 1839–41; Arthur Hamilton Gordon, lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, 1861–66; Sir Charles Edward Grey, governor of Jamaica, 1847–53, and his successor, Sir Henry Barkly, 1853–56. The article argues that when these MPs enjoyed a measure of success in bargaining with a colonial assembly, it was because they were able to cultivate an effective public persona while exploiting, through private correspondence, their connections with former colleagues at Westminster.

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Section: Charles Poulett Thomson Governor-general Of Canada 1839-41mentioning

confidence: 97%

Exporting the Westminster model: MPs and Colonial Governance in the Victorian era

Owen¹

2014

Britain and the World

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“…Although some held that the federation of these fractured and bounded spaces would create a British North American identity and nationality at a scale to be proud of, the achievement of confederation rested essentially on a convergence of pragmatic interests. Politically, it appealed to the British who considered a transcontinental dominion that posed no military threat to the United States to be an honourable means of retreating from expensive North American responsibilities (Martin 1995). It appealed to politicians in the Canadas by promising to end the political impasse between Canada East and Canada West.…”

Section: Confederation and Latermentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical geography and early Canada: a life and an interpretation

Harris

2008

Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes

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The first section of this two‐part paper describes my historical geographical career, particularly the topics and issues I have pursued and the changing intellectual environment in which they have been situated. The second section offers a summary interpretation of the emerging human geography of early‐modern Canada followed by some reflections on its contemporary implications. This interpretation stresses the extent to which boundaries and discontinuities marked early Canada, and contrasts a pinched Canadian experience with the land with a far more expansive American one. It shows how deeply difference was constructed and ingrained in the Canadian past, and suggests some challenges and opportunities that follow from this inheritance.

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“…While Canada had recently settled an "annexation" question with the U.S., Canadians did not believe Americans would respect their northern border (Cuff & Granatstein, 1977;Mahant & Mount, 1984;Francis, Jones & Smith, 1992). However, renewed "annexation" talk from the U.S. provided a compelling rationale to begin Confederation talks in 1864 (Martin, 1955;Martin, 1995). Further, a justification for a military campaign into Canada existed because some Northerners rightly feared Canada would become a prime location for Southern spies to hatch anti-Union plots (as it did).…”

Section: Expressions Of Canadian Identity: Fears Of Us Militarismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“The Second American Revolution”: Expressions of Canadian Identity in News Coverage at the Outbreak of the United States Civil War

Gabrial¹

2008

Canadian Journal of Communication

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Britain and the Origins of Canadian Confederation, 1837–67

Abstract: M MACMILLAN © Oed Martin 1995 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1 st edition 1995 978

Cited by 22 publications

References 0 publications

Exporting the Westminster model: MPs and Colonial Governance in the Victorian era

Exporting the Westminster model: MPs and Colonial Governance in the Victorian era

Historical geography and early Canada: a life and an interpretation

“The Second American Revolution”: Expressions of Canadian Identity in News Coverage at the Outbreak of the United States Civil War

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