Canada

Canada, by J. G. Bourinot

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Title: Canada
Author: J. G. Bourinot
Release Date: September 10, 2007 [EBook #22557]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: THE HON. W. L. MACKENZIE KING, PRIME
MINISTER OF CANADA]

CANADA

By SIR J. G. BOURINOT
K.C.M.G., LL.D., LIT.D.
SOMETIME CLERK OF THE CANADIAN HOUSE OF COMMONS;
HONORARY SECRETARY OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF
CANADA; DOCTEUR-ÈS-LETTRES OF LAVAL UNIVERSITY;
HONORARY MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN
SOCIETY

NEW AND REVISED EDITION, WITH ADDITIONAL CHAPTER
BY WILLIAM H. INGRAM, B.A.

T. FISHER UNWIN LTD
LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE

[Transcriber's note: Page numbers in this book are indicated by
numbers enclosed in curly braces, e.g. {99}. They have been located
where page breaks occurred in the original book, in accordance with
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First Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1897 Second Impression . . . . . . . . . . .
1901 Second Edition (Third Impression) . . . 1908 Third Edition
(Fourth Impression) . . . 1922
Copyright by T. Fisher Unwin, 1897 (for Great Britain)
Copyright by G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1897 (For the United States of
America).

I DEDICATE THIS STORY OF CANADA
BY PERMISSION
TO
HER EXCELLENCY THE COUNTESS OF ABERDEEN
WHO HAS WON THE ESTEEM AND AFFECTION OF ALL
CLASSES OF THE CANADIAN PEOPLE BY THE EARNESTNESS
WITH WHICH SHE HAS IDENTIFIED HERSELF WITH EVERY
MOVEMENT AFFECTING THE SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL
PROGRESS OF THE NEW DOMINION

{v}
PREFATORY NOTE
In writing this story of Canada I have not been able to do more, within
the limited space at my command, than briefly review those events
which have exercised the most influence on the national development
of the Dominion of Canada from the memorable days bold French
adventurers made their first attempts at settlement on the banks of the
beautiful basin of the Annapolis, and on the picturesque heights of
Quebec, down to the establishment of a Confederation which extends
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Whilst the narrative of the
French régime, with its many dramatic episodes, necessarily occupies a
large part of this story, I have not allowed myself to forget the
importance that must be attached to the development of institutions of
government and their effect on the social, intellectual, and material
conditions of the people since the beginning of the English régime.
Though this story, strictly speaking, ends with the successful
accomplishment of the federal union of all the provinces in 1873, when
Prince Edward Island became one of its members, I have deemed it
necessary to refer briefly to those events which have {vi} happened

since that time--the second half-breed rebellion of 1885, for
instance--and have had much effect on the national spirit of the people.
I endeavour to interest my reader in the public acts of those eminent
men whose names stand out most prominently on the pages of history,
and have made the deepest impress on the fortunes and institutions of
the Dominion. In the performance of this task I have always consulted
original authorities, but have not attempted to go into any historical
details except those which are absolutely necessary to the intelligent
understanding of the great events and men of Canadian annals. I have
not entered into the intrigues and conflicts which have been so bitter
and frequent during the operation of parliamentary government in a
country where politicians are so numerous, and statesmanship is so
often hampered and government injuriously affected by the selfish
interests of party, but have simply given the conspicuous and dominant
results of political action since the concession of representative
institutions to the provinces of British North America. A chapter is
devoted, at the close of the historical narrative, to a very brief review of
the intellectual and material development of the country, and of the
nature of its institutions of government. A survey is also given of the
customs and conditions of the French Canadian people, so that the
reader outside of the Dominion may have some conception of their
institutions and of their influence on the political, social, and
intellectual life of a Dominion, of whose population they form so
important and