Canadian Civil War in 1866/7?

Thande

Donor
Whilst researching stuff on the Infallible Wikipedia, I learned that there was a significant Anti-Confederation Movement in Canada, primarily in the Maritimes, that rejected the Canadian Confederation that would hold its first elections in 1876.

OTL, the Anti-Confederates only won the vote in two provinces (Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) and failed to win New Brunswick, the only other province with a significant secessionist feeling. Newfoundland was excluded from Confederation, only joining Canada in the 20th century, but London flatly warned Nova Scotia against trying anything stupid and the Anti-Confederates essentially gave up, blending into the mainstream Liberals and Conservatives a few years later.

Now, could this have turned into a Canadian Civil War (or perhaps rebellion is a more accurate term) if the Anti-Confederates had done better in New Brunswick? The Maritimes vs. Upper and Lower Canada?
 
Gah!

Anti-Canadian!

:mad:

Seriously though... Would anything major have come of it?...

PEI joined up later - I don't see why the Marritimes couldn't just change their minds and join Canada later on...
 

Thande

Donor
Gah!

Anti-Canadian!

:mad:

Seriously though... Would anything major have come of it?...

PEI joined up later - I don't see why the Marritimes couldn't just change their minds and join Canada later on...

You're probably right - I was just trying for the most dramatic possible interpretation :D

How about New Brunswick+Newfoundland+Nova Scotia+PEI becoming a Maritime confederation separate from Canada, as Newfoundland did in OTL on its own for eighty years? Both British dominions, but with separate governments.

This has several important consequences. Quebec has a much larger voice in the rump Canada - maybe even a majority, even if British Columbia still joins. This might quell Quebecois separatism. Also, this Maritimes confederation controls the coastline of Labdrador, due to the old Newfoundland borders.
 
How about New Brunswick+Newfoundland+Nova Scotia+PEI becoming a Maritime confederation separate from Canada, as Newfoundland did in OTL on its own for eighty years? Both British dominions, but with separate governments.

Wasn't that the orignal plan, but Britain wanted one dominion rather than two?
 
Wasn't that the orignal plan, but Britain wanted one dominion rather than two?

No. A Maritime Union, yes, was being proposed, but some of the people in the Canadian provincial government (not Britain) had other plans, and thus sailed to Charlottetown to hijack the whole thing from being a Maritime Union to Confederation. To prevent that, have a big storm delay or even prevent the Canadian delegation to go to Charlottetown. Then, the Maritime Union idea would be completed, without the United Province of Canada to deal with. A lot of my Atlantic Canadian friends always talk about their region being "raped" by Central Canada, and I can understand what they are talking about.

@Thande: Would it lead to a civil war? I highly doubt it. Anti-Confederates in the Maritimes could probably win a good deal of seats in the Commons and thus try to get the Maritimes (particularly Nova Scotia) out of Confederation.
 
How about New Brunswick+Newfoundland+Nova Scotia+PEI becoming a Maritime confederation separate from Canada, as Newfoundland did in OTL on its own for eighty years? Both British dominions, but with separate governments.

I actually like this idea, for one. (Sensing a potential TL.:D)
 
A liker scenario is a Maritime Confederation, many in the maritimes didn't like an Ottawa controlled Canada and thought they would have no say in a independent Canada. The maritime joined only because of lack of money and the fact the UK was gonna cut them off. I have to learn Canadian history I should know.
 
Civil War...Ha..no!
Two dominions perhaps..though the Maritimes will eventually run into Financial difficulties...Union with Canada probably around Turn of the Century along with NFld. or in the immediate Postwar of WWI.

The utd Province of Canada though will still have to undergo some form of politiacl reform though and federate somehow..as the political situation by the mid '60's is deadlocked and nothing was getting done. Re-division almost certainly between east and west perhaps north as well to add a third voice at the table.
 
The formation of the Confederation was largely in response to the strong, militarized (following the ACW) and expansionist USA to the south - Britain didin't want it's BritNorAm holdings to be swallowed up piece-meal so they applied the political and financial pressure on the Maritimes to join up with the Canadas.

So you have to offer them a better deal - maybe the Americans offer them a free-trade agreement/privelleged market access/direct aid to offset the economic pressure from GB.... There were strong cultural ties between the Maritimes and New England, and a good deal of the Empire Loyalists settled in future Ontario, so the enmity between Maritimers and Americans may be less acute and allow for such a deal.

I would expect a very loose federation between Upper and Lower Canada to then result - equal but sperate partnership, that sort of thing. With their sepearate legal codes and cultures as well as language, it may become a customs and monetary union only. And even then, expect protective tariffs on inter-province traded goods (much as we still have between provinces in Canada today, to the detriment of most).

GB may encourage faster westward/eastward expansion of Upper Canada/British Columbia into the West, to secure some part of the continent against the USA...
 
Thoguh I seriously doubt anything breaking out into full-scale 'Civil War'... the Upper Canada Rebellion was a tavern brawl and the only casualty was a visiting American... We're far too civilized for civil war... ;)
 
Top