by Tod Maffin
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Wednesday was Canada Day. But do you know what exactly we were celebrating?
Before 1867, what we now call Canada was a ragtag handful of separate British colonies, each with its own government and laws. The main players were the Province of Canada (that's basically present-day Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and out west, British Columbia and Vancouver Island, although the latter four would only join later.
They didn't always get along. They traded a bit and bickered a lot.
So why did they decide to group up? A few things.
Neighbours, Nerves And Necessity
First, the United States had just finished its Civil War and had a massive, battle-hardened army. Some Americans had ideas about expanding northward. Sound familiar? The colonies were nervous.
Second, there were Fenians — Irish-American veterans — who staged armed raids into Canada in the late 1860s, hoping to pressure Britain into withdrawing from Ireland. Britain was getting tired of paying to defend these far-flung colonies. The colonies needed to be more self-sufficient. A union made economic and military sense.
And the railway. Everyone wanted a railway. You couldn't build a national one without a nation.
Stitching A Nation Together
So how did it actually happen? Politicians from the colonies met at a series of conferences: Charlottetown and Quebec in 1864, London a couple of years later. They hammered out the terms, and the British Parliament passed the British North America Act on July 1, 1867.
On that date, Canada became a country.
At the start, though, there were only four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The others joined later: Manitoba in 1870, then B.C., PEI, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Newfoundland didn't join until 1949.
Not everyone was enthusiastic.
Nova Scotia was so pissed that a new party literally called the Anti-Confederation Party won in a landslide a couple of months later. They tried to get the deal cancelled, but it didn't work.
Unfinished By Design
Of course, this country was new only on paper and to the colonizers. Indigenous nations had sovereign governments, trade networks, and diplomatic relationships across this land for thousands of years before any of this. Confederation did not include them, or even ask them.
As for the word "Dominion" in "Dominion of Canada," the Fathers of Confederation actually wanted to call the new country the "Kingdom of Canada." But the British feared the imperial-sounding name would offend the Americans, so they made Canada pick something else. The term comes from the Bible, from Psalm 72: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." "From Sea to Sea" is also Canada's national motto, though in Latin.
Canada wasn't born complete. It was born possible.
Every July 1st, we celebrate what we started, knowing full well we haven't finished it yet.
To some nations, that would be a flaw in the design.
To Canada, that is the design.
Trivia
Which city briefly served as the capital of the Province of Canada before Confederation?
— 30 —
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The Weekly Poll
Which unfinished part of the Canadian project matters most to you right now?
Last Week:
The Funny Bone
Heat wave tracks east to Maritime provinces
by Greg Kearney; used under licence.
What You Missed This Week
The Good News ♥️
An 11-year-old boy from Bouctouche, N.B., will be an official match ball carrier at a FIFA World Cup game in Toronto.
A Canadian man wants to reclaim his Guinness World Record for most trees planted by an individual in 24 hours.
Aegius, a four-year-old English sheepdog-poodle mix service dog, received his high school diploma, alongside his human.
A woman who walked across Canada with her partner is sharing how the journey changed her perspective on our country.
SCIENCE!!!!!! 🔭
Fraser Health in Surrey, BC, is celebrating the hospital’s first robotic-assisted procedure.
A recent surge of sightings of orcas, humpback whales and other cetaceans along B.C.’s southern coast is in line with scientific studies that show populations have increased.
The government of Nova Scotia has announced Dr. Nicole Boutilier as the new president and CEO of Nova Scotia Health.
The Nova Scotia government has been granted environmental assessment approval for plans to build what it describes as the province’s largest wind energy project.
Research by the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Ontario is raising concerns about the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect, which has been moving closer to the Canadian border.
Edmonton, Alberta, received more rain this past June than in any previously recorded for that month.
The First Peoples 🪶
18-year-old Gavin McKenna, a citizen of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, was picked first overall in this year's NHL draft.
Victoria Native Friendship Centre used Victoria Foundation funding to help Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities build cross-cultural relationships.
Olympic bobsledder Eden Wilson, who was recently inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame, aims to ‘help open doors’ for aspiring Indigenous athletes.
BC First Nations have created their own justice path after decades of calling for police accountability.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami leader Natan Obed agreed there is room to improve the relationship between Ottawa and Inuit.
Canadian Content 🍁
In her new book Papaashi Bufloo: The Buffalo Who Raced Horses, Métis-Cree author Sherry Leigh Williams tells the story of her great-grandmother.
Montreal rock’n’roll band Taxi Girls have released their debut album Static.
Toronto comedian Dan James has released his debut comedy album, Community Service.
Sports 🏒
Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard has been traded back to the Toronto Raptors.
The International Canoe Federation’s Junior and U-23 Canoe Sprint World Championships are being held on Lake Banook in Dartmouth, NS.
Canada will face off against Morocco in a decisive FIFA World Cup match on Saturday, July 4.
The Edmonton Oilers have signed Stanley Cup-winning goalie Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal with a cap hit of $1 million.
Across Canada 📍
A woman in Petitcodiac, NB, captured footage of a rare tornado on her phone. Thankfully, the tornado was very small and caused very minimal damage.
After it was announced last week that Canada is eligible for the Eurovision song contest, it has been confirmed that we will be participating in next year's event.
The federal government is expanding a greener homes retrofit program to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and British Columbia.
Politics 🧑⚖️
Prime Minister Mark Carney has conceded that the country’s greenhouse gas emissions will be “higher in the next few years” than projected under the previous government’s plan.
Carney is set to visit Saudi Arabia next week to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is opting not to extend its trade agreement with Canada and Mexico.
Made in Canada
Cove Soda is traces its roots to Malignant Cove, Nova Scotia, where brothers John and Ryan MacLellan first started brewing kombucha in their mother's kitchen.
After growing their kombucha business, they launched Cove Soda to offer a healthier alternative to traditional soft drinks without sacrificing familiar flavours.
The brand focuses on zero-sugar recipes, natural ingredients, and added probiotics, appealing to consumers looking for better-for-you beverages.
Since its launch, Cove Soda has expanded into major grocery stores across Canada and entered the American market. Its partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper Canada has strengthened distribution, helping the company compete in the rapidly growing functional soda category across North America.
In partnership with
