Confederation
Honorable delegates, fellow citizens and your Majesty, I am Etienne and I am a lawyer. It is my belief that Confederation must happen and along with that the Roman Catholic rights must be recognized. I fear that we might lose our rights as Catholics and that we might lose our unique French culture. I agree with George Etienne Cartier that Confederation is our only hope for survival.
What is Confederation to you? I question whether Confederation is beneficial or detrimental to our colony? Let me tell you the 3 important reasons why Confederation is beneficial to our colony.
First of all I will talk about the Cancellation of the Reciprocity Treaty. From 1854 to 1865, there was free trade between the British North American colonies and the United States under the Reciprocity Treaty. This treaty allowed agricultural products and raw materials to be sold across the border without high tariffs being paid. We had stronger trade links with the United States than with each other. In 1865, the United States ended the Reciprocity Treaty. People in the colonies of British North America began to think of joining together so they could trade among themselves with no tariffs being paid. I hope that this would increase our economic prosperity.
Secondly, the Americans believed that they should conquer the North American continent. This is called Manifest Destiny. If they were to attack and claim our land, how can we defend ourselves? Who is going to save us? If we were united there could be a better chance of defending ourselves. For instance, there are Irish Catholics whom they call themselves the Fenians wanted to end British rule over Ireland. The Fenians have started to make several armed raids across the border into the British North American colonies. Since the Fenians couldn’t attack Britain directly they decided to attack her North American Colonies.
Lastly, we need a railway that will link all colonies. Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
What is Confederation to you? I question whether Confederation is beneficial or detrimental to our colony? Let me tell you the 3 important reasons why Confederation is beneficial to our colony.
First of all I will talk about the Cancellation of the Reciprocity Treaty. From 1854 to 1865, there was free trade between the British North American colonies and the United States under the Reciprocity Treaty. This treaty allowed agricultural products and raw materials to be sold across the border without high tariffs being paid. We had stronger trade links with the United States than with each other. In 1865, the United States ended the Reciprocity Treaty. People in the colonies of British North America began to think of joining together so they could trade among themselves with no tariffs being paid. I hope that this would increase our economic prosperity.
Secondly, the Americans believed that they should conquer the North American continent. This is called Manifest Destiny. If they were to attack and claim our land, how can we defend ourselves? Who is going to save us? If we were united there could be a better chance of defending ourselves. For instance, there are Irish Catholics whom they call themselves the Fenians wanted to end British rule over Ireland. The Fenians have started to make several armed raids across the border into the British North American colonies. Since the Fenians couldn’t attack Britain directly they decided to attack her North American Colonies.
Lastly, we need a railway that will link all colonies. Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick