Recently a preposterous letter was printed in the editorial
section of the local newspaper. The author stated that the
reason you don't hear about Canada's 'founding mothers' is
because there were none. He challenged his readers to name
one. Challenge accepted. I will provide a short biography of
one of them. But there are in fact a good number of women
who played a role in bringing about a united Canada. Their
stories can be found here.
section of the local newspaper. The author stated that the
reason you don't hear about Canada's 'founding mothers' is
because there were none. He challenged his readers to name
one. Challenge accepted. I will provide a short biography of
one of them. But there are in fact a good number of women
who played a role in bringing about a united Canada. Their
stories can be found here.
Queen Victoria:
Mother of Confederation
While those who paid attention in
history class might know that
Queen Victoria chose the location
of Canada's capital, there are few
who know how extensive her role
really was.
Mother of Confederation
While those who paid attention in
history class might know that
Queen Victoria chose the location
of Canada's capital, there are few
who know how extensive her role
really was.
As the details of Confederation were slowly hammered out it
soon became time for the delegates to head to London for the
final push to bring about the new union. Once there Queen
Victoria worked to shore up support for Confederation. She is
recorded to have told the Nova Scotian delegation that, “I take
the deepest interest in it, for I believe it will make the
provinces great and prosperous.” Extra attention needed to
be paid to the Nova Scotian delegates as anti-union sentiment
was already growing in the colony. In a private audience with
John A. Macdonald (the head of the conference) she thanked
him for his efforts and once again outlined how important it
was to bring about an agreement; “I am very glad to see you
on this mission. It is a very important measure and you have
all exhibited so much loyalty.”
Queen Victoria was asked to choose the capital of the new
dominion. This was a wise decision. The colonies each had
their own capitals and growing commercial centres, such as
Montreal and Toronto, coveted the prestige of such a
designation (along with the likely increase in funding). By
leaving the decision up to a respected neutral arbiter the
conference delegates side-stepped a potential landmine that
might have brought the conference to a halt. The Queen
likewise recognized in her decision a potentially imminent
threat (invasion by the Americans) and a hypothetical future
threat (national unity). The new capital was to be far from the
border with the United States, in a small logging town,
directly between the two most populous provinces. It was a
decision that favoured no one in particular and gave the new
dominion the best shot at success.
And indeed, Queen Victoria's status as a uniting figure should
not be underestimated. Before the Charlottetown Conference
few of the delegates from central Canada had even been to
the Maritime colonies and vise versa. There was a level of
distrust and difference in cultures that had to be overcome.
Perhaps this is why that one of the first things agreed upon
was that the new union would continue to be a monarchy.
This sentiment would be again reaffirmed during John A.
Macdonald's audience with the Queen where it is recorded he
declared,"We have desired in this measure to declare in the
most solemn and emphatic manner our resolve to be under
the sovereignty of Your Majesty and your family forever."
Queen Victoria would also hold court with the wives and
daughters of the delegates. While at first glance this would
seem to be a rather unimportant event in the journey to
Confederation, I would have to disagree. Both the wives and
daughters were courted at each stage of negotiations to try
and sway delegate opinion. Some of the wives are known to
have influenced their husbands' opinions. Their diaries are
some of the only sources we have on what happened at these
conferences (especially the early ones) which clearly indicates
they were aware of how proceeding were going. By holding
court with them Queen Victoria could both subtly influence
opinion and ascertain how negotiations were going.
In the end the British North American Act was given royal
assent by the Queen in 1867. She might not have known it but
her father had become equally enthusiastic about the idea of
uniting the colonies many years earlier after he spent time
living in Canada. Queen Victoria became known in her own
lifetime as the Mother of Confederation. It is a title that is
completely deserved.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
soon became time for the delegates to head to London for the
final push to bring about the new union. Once there Queen
Victoria worked to shore up support for Confederation. She is
recorded to have told the Nova Scotian delegation that, “I take
the deepest interest in it, for I believe it will make the
provinces great and prosperous.” Extra attention needed to
be paid to the Nova Scotian delegates as anti-union sentiment
was already growing in the colony. In a private audience with
John A. Macdonald (the head of the conference) she thanked
him for his efforts and once again outlined how important it
was to bring about an agreement; “I am very glad to see you
on this mission. It is a very important measure and you have
all exhibited so much loyalty.”
Queen Victoria was asked to choose the capital of the new
dominion. This was a wise decision. The colonies each had
their own capitals and growing commercial centres, such as
Montreal and Toronto, coveted the prestige of such a
designation (along with the likely increase in funding). By
leaving the decision up to a respected neutral arbiter the
conference delegates side-stepped a potential landmine that
might have brought the conference to a halt. The Queen
likewise recognized in her decision a potentially imminent
threat (invasion by the Americans) and a hypothetical future
threat (national unity). The new capital was to be far from the
border with the United States, in a small logging town,
directly between the two most populous provinces. It was a
decision that favoured no one in particular and gave the new
dominion the best shot at success.
And indeed, Queen Victoria's status as a uniting figure should
not be underestimated. Before the Charlottetown Conference
few of the delegates from central Canada had even been to
the Maritime colonies and vise versa. There was a level of
distrust and difference in cultures that had to be overcome.
Perhaps this is why that one of the first things agreed upon
was that the new union would continue to be a monarchy.
This sentiment would be again reaffirmed during John A.
Macdonald's audience with the Queen where it is recorded he
declared,"We have desired in this measure to declare in the
most solemn and emphatic manner our resolve to be under
the sovereignty of Your Majesty and your family forever."
Queen Victoria would also hold court with the wives and
daughters of the delegates. While at first glance this would
seem to be a rather unimportant event in the journey to
Confederation, I would have to disagree. Both the wives and
daughters were courted at each stage of negotiations to try
and sway delegate opinion. Some of the wives are known to
have influenced their husbands' opinions. Their diaries are
some of the only sources we have on what happened at these
conferences (especially the early ones) which clearly indicates
they were aware of how proceeding were going. By holding
court with them Queen Victoria could both subtly influence
opinion and ascertain how negotiations were going.
In the end the British North American Act was given royal
assent by the Queen in 1867. She might not have known it but
her father had become equally enthusiastic about the idea of
uniting the colonies many years earlier after he spent time
living in Canada. Queen Victoria became known in her own
lifetime as the Mother of Confederation. It is a title that is
completely deserved.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
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