British North America: Charles Tupper

Canada Dept: The British Colonies that would become Canada survived and maintained their independence from the United States in part due to the mercantile trade and navigation privileges of the Empire. The British ended this privileged protection with the adoption of free trade and the repeal of the Corn Laws . The first reaction of British North America to the retreat of the Empire was to seek shelter in another through a trade agreement with the United States, which came into force in 1854, according to Globe and Mail. Politically strengthened by Confederation, but economically weak, the new Canada continually sought reciprocity with the United States. Liberal and Conservative leaders Macdonald, George Brown and Charles Tupper made various attempts at recommencing free-trade only to be rebuffed by a protectionist Congress and repulsed by American taunts that annexation was inevitable. Macdonald himself failed several times to secure an agreement of some kind, particularly during the Washington treaty negotiations of 1871 and this tale of American rejection and Canadian response would sound very familiar to our first, visionary leader, Sir John A. Macdonald. Macdonald was the prime mover behind the unification of Canada, and single-handedly set the stage for its industrialization through the protectionist National Policy. But few remember that both the political union of Canada and the National Policy were in part a response to American rejection of Canadian schemes at economic integration. The treaty lasted from 1854 to 1866. It was considered a boom time for Canadian commerce and prosperity. But the Civil War intensified American dislike of British North America, resulting in the abrogation of the treaty and threats of war with the Empire. This tension was joined by a muscular expansionist streak in the United States Texas was annexed in 1845, Oregon in 1846 and Alaska purchased in 1867 . Repeated threats of annexation by American politicians combined with American settlers swarming over the western frontier led Canadian colonies into a defensive political union in 1867. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.