Lords Commissioner to the Canadas
1828-1830: Sir James Mackintosh
-sent by British Isles under British Wars > Popular Revolution (1827-9)) system to rationalize Canadian administration
-subsequent Upper Canada charter far-reaching, conceding even an elected governor (with only tariffs off-limits) but also with a permanent commissioner to Upper Canada
-who acts more as an ambassador than a real ruler
-Upper Canada is a sort of "associated province" of Britain
Governors of the Colony of Upper Canada
1830-1838: Joseph Willcocks (Radical)
1830: Ran unopposed
1834 def. William Warren Baldwin (Moderate), John Strachan (Bureaucratic)
-is a very chaotic tenure in which Willcocks has to herd massively divided parliament
-but successfully uses power of patronage to maintain his administration
-influenced by Burrism in the US
-opens up Canada to massive American immigration by establishing Homestead Act
-with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act under American Presidents > 1837-1845 Zebulon Pike (Republican)) Willcocks issues proclamation that he will not observe deportation of freedmen
-results in trickle of freedmen moving to Canada and rise of a Colored Canadian minority
-case when slave commissioner crosses Niagara to capture slave causes mass controversy and suddenly kills good will between Canada and the US
-decides to observe a two term limit
1838-1842: William Lyon Mackenzie (Radical)
1838 def. William Warren Baldwin (Moderate)
-bans banks in Upper Canada, esp Bank of Upper Canada
-on basis of Scottish antipathy with subject
-and also bans limited liability companies
-also refuses all loans to get new stuff constructed
-in practice, this results in collapsed economy and mass controversy
-broken party defeated
1842-1847: William Warren Baldwin (Moderate) †
1842 def. Peter Perry (Pro-Bank Radical), William Lyon Mackenzie (Anti-Bank Radical)
1846 def.
1847-1852: Francis Hincks (Moderate)
1848 def.
-special election thanks to death of Baldwin
1852-1856: William Henry Boulton (Republican Bureaucratic-Orange Radical fusion)
1852 def. Francis Hincks (Moderate), Peter Perry (Democratic Radical)
-leads strange coalition based on anti-Catholicism and support of American-style elective institutions
-however is blocked by Parliament in everything he wants to do
1856-1860: Charles James Fox Bennett (Democratic Radical)
1856 def.
1860-1864: J. Sanfield Macdonald (Moderate)
1860 def.
1864-1868: Malcolm Cameron (Democratic)
1864 def.
1868-1872: J. Sanfield Macdonald (Moderate)
1868 def.
-sees opening of Liberty and Union War (1868-76).html)
-and many Canadians enlist, especially people descended from US migrants
-in total, about 200,000 Canadians have fought almost entirely on Constitutional Government side of the war
-this is in violation of pan-British neutrality laws
-especially in opposition to government of Heads of British Isles > 1869-1876 Thomas Baring (Moderate)) which supports Richmondite side
-results in a few court cases that go all the way to the Supreme Court of Judicature in British Isles
-but that's it because Canadians oppose it generally and war has a lot of Canadian support
-with impossibility of creating railroad through Canadian shield, he decides the war is a good opportunity to build rail links with Assiniboia
-signs treaty with Constitutional Government giving Canada right to use railroad in US territory and also transport troops in return for funds to help US build railroad (American Infrastructure > Pembina Pacific Railroad)
-approved as joint resolution in Parliament in Toronto
-despite rankling in British Isles which is tempted to use Commissioner's emergency powers to veto it reluctantly accepts this as a fait accompli
-especially since British money also goes into railroad
-is extremely controversial since this might result in bad relations if Richmond Government wins the war
-court case on the law goes to Supreme Court of Judicature
1872-1881: Charles Edmund O'Dea (Democratic)
1872 def. J. Sanfield Macdonald (Moderate)
1876 def.
1880 def.
-pending the Supreme Court nullifying treaty, it decides not to preempt it and continues
-provokes anti-imperial sentiment
-up to and including calls for independence
-under Heads of British Isles > 1876-1885 John Morley (Radical)), the British formally concede to settler colonies the ability to engage in their own treaties
-Upper Canada immediately declares treaty reinstated
-talks emerge of establishing customs union with the US
-US forces Upper Canada to establish tariffs against the British Isles
-it agrees despite this essentially meaning Upper Canada closer to the US than its former colony
-with 1880 election and current prosperity O'Dea decides to rename Upper Canada to Canada
Governors of the Province of Canada
1881-1890: Charles Edmund O'Dea (Democratic) †
1884 def.
1888 def.
-with Antillean War (1880-4).html) another great number of Canadians volunteer
-helps to inspire another wave of Amerophilia
-Laurentian Republic > Laurentian Crisis (1886-8)) being decided w/ little Canadian involvement results in O'Dea being deeply resentful
-opens up negotiations w/ British Isles
-concession of treaty powers achieved in its wake
-additionally new fear emerges that Canadian trade will be cut off
-and in the short term this results in economic chaos
-and so decides to boldly seek the creation of the North American Commercial Union with the United States of America
-sees economic boom over free trade achieved
1890-1897: George W. Powell (Democratic)
1892 def.
1896 def.
-with French Wars > Fifth French War (1892-5)) refuses to enter the war despite being part of British Empire
-doesn't feel any connection to these European events
-there is a small number of people who volunteer but refusal of calls to enter war
-in 1896 election wins, decides that's a mandate for independence
-and convenes constitutional convention shortly afterwards
-new convention declares Canada an independent state
Presidents of the Commonwealth of Canada
1897-1906: George W. Powell (Democratic)
1900 def.
-new constitution sees very much American-style constitution
-down to six-year term with one-term limit for presidency
-refuses attempts to establish some degree of federalism
-instead keeps appointed sheriffs
1906-1912: idk (Democratic)
1906 def.
1912-1918: idk (Democratic)
1912 def.
-respected economist
-successfully wins enough confidence over the Recessions > Panic of 1911 to win the recession
-however, economy continues to plummet
-in no small part because economy tied to US's economy
-and in part because wary of causing a deficit
1918-1924: idk (Farmer-Labor)
1918 def.
-seeks economic policies based on Heads of Buenaventura > 1916-1925 Henry W. D. Bridges (Association of Mechanics and Farmers)) policies
-succeeds and dramatically reshapes economy of Canada