Readiness kit

[Parks Canada logo]

[Portrait of Sir George-Étienne Cartier]

[Narrator] Welcome to George-Étienne Cartier's home. You are currently standing in the house he acquired in 1848. That same year, he was elected for the first time to the United Province of Canada Legislative Assembly. Who was Cartier? What was the United Province of Canada? To answer these questions, let's go back to the dawn of Canadian history. Arriving by Beringia, the original inhabitants of the continent had been there since time immemorial. In 1534, the Frenchman Jacques Cartier landed in Gaspé. He planted a cross and claimed the territory of New France in the name of his king.

[Jacques Cartier is standing in front of three Indigenous people.Four questions are written: During which century did he live? Where was he from? What was his trade? Was he related to George-Étienne Cartier?]

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City Little by little, colonists settled in New France along the St. Lawrence valley. The monarchist system was established in the colony. The King of France, the supreme authority, appointed a governor to direct the Colony and represent him in front of his subjects.

[Settlers are raising New France flags over their houses. Three questions are written: What is the definition of a colony? Which country governs New France? Can settlers vote?]

In 1759, while New France had 70 000 inhabitants, the British army conquered Quebec City. In 1760, they took hold of Montreal. France ceded the territory and the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763.

[Settlers are replacing New France flags with British flags. Two questions are written: Which country rules the colony? Can settlers now vote?]

Despite themselves, the French subjects became British subjects while the Indigenous peoples were ignored in the agreement. The Canadian colony was then named the Province of Quebec Over time, a few British colonists settled in the colony. Soon after, the United States became a republic which was henceforth independent of the British empire. Loyalists, who were attached to the Crown, fled and settled in the Province of Quebec. In 1791, in order to satisfy the growing British population who desired a political voice, the British government split the Province of Quebec into two parts: Upper and Lower Canada.

[A map of Upper and Lower Canada is shown. Three questions are written: Today, which provinces correspond to Upper and to Lower Canada? What are the main spoken languages in these provinces? What is the name of the place where laws are discussed, negotiated and passed?]

The first parliamentary institutions in the country, which excluded women and Indigenous peoples, were emerging at this time. In both provinces, certain subjects voted to elect members of the House of Assembly. The elected members were responsible for looking after the interests of their constituents in front of the governor who was chosen by Great Britain. Therefore, real power remained in the hands of the governor and his entourage, who decided upon the laws and managed the budget.

[The governor is sitting at a table with his entourage. Two questions are written: Is the Governor elected by the population? Do you think this system is fair?]

Dissatisfaction ensued. The people were critical of the governor's favouritism towards the Anglophone minority. The members of the Lower Canada House of Assembly tried to convince the British government to transfer some of the governor's power to the houses of assembly elected by the people. They proposed 92 resolutions to make Canadian political institutions more democratic. The British Government rejected most of the petitions. Revolt was simmering. Armed insurgencies against the Crown escalated into bloody battles. Known as the Rebellion in Lower Canada, this revolt would be severely suppressed by the British army. This is when Lord Durham comes into play. This new governor was charged with producing a report on the causes that led to the rebellion. Among other things, Durham recommended the unification of Upper and Lower Canada to reduce the political and demographic weight of the French Canadian population. In 1840 the Union Act formalized the forced union of the two colonies. The new United Province of Canada now had only one legislative assembly. In 1848, the British government granted more power to the Assembly by creating a responsible government. From that moment on, the population who had the right to vote, elected the members of the Assembly who in turn chose their leader. This was a great step in the history of Canadian democracy. It was at this time that George-Étienne Cartier began his active political career. He was elected Member of Parliament in the County of Verchères.

[George-Étienne Cartier is standing in front of the Parliament. Two questions are written: What is the definition of a deputy? What takes place at a Parliament?

At that time, the United Province of Canada Legislative was dominated by political parties with divergent ideas and allegiances: French Canadians, Anglophones, monarchists, republicans, Catholics, Protestants. These differences led to a succession of short-lived minority governments. But in 1867, several men with divergent political ideas agreed on the foundations leading to Canadian confederation. Among them was George-Étienne Cartier. We invite you to enter his home to discover how economic issues, backstairs influences and the political manoeuvres of his era helped shape the Canada of today.

[A portrait of George-Étienne Cartier is shown. Biographical information is written on the screen.]

[Then a picture of the Fathers of the Confederation is shown with the date 1867. Two questions are written : What happened in 1867? Can you find George-Étienne Cartier and John A. Macdonald in this picture?]

[Parks Canada logo]

[Copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by Parks Canada, 2019.]

[Flag of Canada logo]