mayoung@watdragon.UUCP (02/26/87)
In article <205@fornax.uucp> chapman@fornax.uucp (John Chapman) writes: > Halifax and Vancouver both voluntarily argreed to join >confederation and abide by it's rules. > Not that it's related to the discussion at hand, but Halifax did not join confederation volutarily. It, along with the rest of Nova Scotia, was taken in by a government with no mandate to do so. The government of (later Sir) Charles Tupper negotiated for confederation with NB and PEI. The Canadas just sort of slipped into the conference and took over. All right-thinking Nova Scotians were appalled at the prospect of confederating with those uncivilised provinces. Unfortunately, Tupper was not a right-thinker. Aware that public opinion was against him, he chose not to go to the people. The sentiment in Britain was to allow the union to occur, so little time passed before the deed was done. (Halifax newspapers on July 1, 1867 had heavy black borders--they were in mourning for lost independence.) The good citizens of Nova Scotia were outraged. The next provincial election, fought on the issue of confederation, returned 17(?) Anti-Confederates to only one Confederate. Tupper moved on to federal politics. Joseph Howe went to London to try to undo the union. No dice. New Brunswick was brought in under similar circumstances. Of course, it was all for the best--I think....