Charlottetown, Quebec and Brown: Canada’s Origins

‘By being the first to propose Confederation and shaping key provisions of the Constitution Act of 1867, George Brown was the most important contributor to Confederation. Brown, born in Alloa, Scotland on November 29, 1818, became a journalist and politician after moving to Toronto in 1843. As a journalist he owned major publications which he used to push radical political ideas. Brown was the first proponent of representation by population which became [a] key to Canadian democracy. It was because Brown proposed Canadian union to popular Canadian politicians John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier in 1864 that the idea became prominent and led to Canadian interest at Charlottetown. Brown’s purpose for Confederation was to form a political hegemony against French Canada and even after Charlottetown he held “federation of all the Provinces to be highly desirable” for the future of BNA, continuing to push for power over French Canada. Brown was the first to suggest union and the first to seek the assistance of Cartier and Macdonald to make his political goal reality. On September 5, 1864, Brown proposed his constitutional design of Canada to the delegates at Charlottetown which became the foundation of the Quebec debate and Canada itself. At Quebec, Brown defined representation by population. The Constitution Act of 1867 outlines that “The Number of Members of the House of Commons may be from Time to Time increased by the Parliament of Canada, provided that the proportionate Representation of the Provinces.” This provision became the basis for Canadian democracy. Cartier opposed this provision as it brought in a federal, anti-French voting bloc. In order to advance Confederation, Brown had to protect the profits of Grand Trunk, but also concede political victories to Cartier, such as a bilingual federal government. They were small concessions but they made Brown successful in outmanoeuvering Cartier politically, to bring about the Confederation he had shaped. Brown’s vision and political victory made him the father of Confederation.’