Georges Brown: 1866: Quebec:Is it not wonderful? he wrote to his wife Anne after the Quebec Conference, French-Canadianism is entirely extinguished. - Nest ce pas merveilleux ? écrit-il à sa femme, les canadiens-français seront entièrement anéantis. The success of the Quebec Conference pleased Brown particularly by the prospect for the end of Lower Canadian interference in the affairs of Canada West. Is it not wonderful? he wrote to his wife Anne after the Quebec Conference, French-Canadianism is entirely extinguished.[7] By this he may have meant either that he was of the view that English-speaking Canada West had emerged triumphant over French Canadians[8] or that Confederation would put an end to French Canadian domination of the affairs of what would become the province of Ontario.[9] Brown realized, nevertheless, that satisfaction for Canada West would not be achieved without the support of the French-speaking majority of Canada East. In his speech in support of Confederation in the Legislature of the Province of Canada on February 8, 1865, in which he spoke glowingly of the prospects for Canadas future,[10] Brown insisted that [w]hether we ask for parliamentary reform for Canada alone or in union with the Maritime Provinces, the views of French Canadians must be consulted as well as ours. This scheme can be carried, and no scheme can be that has not the support of both sections of the province.[11] Following the speech, Brown was praised by the Quebec newspaper Le Canadien[12] as well as by the Rouge paper, LUnion Nationale.[12] Although he supported the idea of a legislative union at the Quebec Conference,[13] Brown was eventually persuaded to favour the federal view of Confederation, closer to that supported by Cartier and the Bleus of Canada East, as this was the structure that would ensure that the provinces retained sufficient control over local matters to satisfy the need of the French-speaking population in Canada East for jurisdiction over matters essential to its survival.[12] However Brown, like Macdonald, remained a proponent of a stronger central government, with weaker constituent provincial governments.[12] J’aime · · Partager
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 03:16:42 +0000