Canadian Party
Encyclopedia
For the mid-19th century French Canadian party see Parti canadien
For the World War II era party see Parti canadien (1942)
The Canadian Party was a group founded by John Christian Schultz
in 1869, in the Red River Settlement (which later became the Canadian
province
of Manitoba
). It was not a political party
in the modern sense, but was rather a forum for local ultra-Protestant agitators.
The Canadian Party promoted the annexation
of the Red River colony by the Canadian government. It also encouraged settlement by anglophone
protestants from the province of Ontario
.
Schultz's goal was to reconstruct the Red River settlement in the image of Protestant Ontario. To this end, his followers were engaged in extensive land speculation
in the region. They were regarded with suspicion by most of the established settlers, and particularly by the local Métis
population led by Louis Riel
.
Members of the Canadian Party engaged in military skirmishes with Riel's provisional government
during the Red River Rebellion
of 1869-70. After fleeing to Ontario, Schultz, assisted by supporters of the Canada First
movement, was instrumental in exploiting the execution of Thomas Scott
to inflame Protestant opinion in Ontario against Riel.
Following the Manitoba Act
of 1870, the Canadian government "pacified" the Red River Settlement through the use of Canadian militia
soldiers in mid-1870. The Canadian Party, however, was not accepted into the new governing structure of the age. The federal government of John A. Macdonald
favoured a policy of conciliation among the province's ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, and Lieutenant-Governor
Adams George Archibald
kept Schultz's followers out of his first cabinet.
In Manitoba's first general election
(December 30, 1870), Schultz's followers were the only real opposition to the governing alliance. They won only five seats, one of which was overturned on appeal. Schultz was personally defeated in Winnipeg and St. John.
The Canadian Party continued to exist as a loose alliance after the election. At one stage, Lt. Governor Archibald warned Macdonald that its members were plotting the "extermination" of the Métis.
The party did not long survive as a coherent organization, however Edward Hay appears to have turned against Schultz in 1872, and later joined the government of francophone
Premier
Marc-Amable Girard
. Some members of the Canadian Party would later resurface as Liberals
, and some as Conservatives
.
Parti canadien
The Parti canadien or Parti patriote was a political party in what is now Quebec founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada at the beginning of the 19th century...
For the World War II era party see Parti canadien (1942)
Parti canadien (1942)
The Parti canadien was an anti-conscriptionist party formed by Member of Parliament Liguori Lacombe in 1942. Lacombe was the MP for Laval—Two Mountains and an isolationist, who opposed Canada's participation in World War II and the implementation of conscription...
The Canadian Party was a group founded by John Christian Schultz
John Christian Schultz
Sir John Christian Schultz, KCMG was a Manitoba politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1882, a Senator from 1882 to 1888, and the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1888 to 1895.Schultz was born in Amherstburg, Upper Canada...
in 1869, in the Red River Settlement (which later became the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
). It was not a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the modern sense, but was rather a forum for local ultra-Protestant agitators.
The Canadian Party promoted the annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
of the Red River colony by the Canadian government. It also encouraged settlement by anglophone
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
protestants from the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Schultz's goal was to reconstruct the Red River settlement in the image of Protestant Ontario. To this end, his followers were engaged in extensive land speculation
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
in the region. They were regarded with suspicion by most of the established settlers, and particularly by the local Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
population led by Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
.
Members of the Canadian Party engaged in military skirmishes with Riel's provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
during the Red River Rebellion
Red River Rebellion
The Red River Rebellion or Red River Resistance was the sequence of events related to the 1869 establishment of a provisional government by the Métis leader Louis Riel and his followers at the Red River Settlement, in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba.The Rebellion was the first crisis...
of 1869-70. After fleeing to Ontario, Schultz, assisted by supporters of the Canada First
Canada First
The Canada First movement was organized in Ottawa in 1868 to promote the expulsion of traitors in the nation. It was at first supported by Goldwin Smith and Edward Blake...
movement, was instrumental in exploiting the execution of Thomas Scott
Thomas Scott (Orangeman)
Thomas Scott was an Irish-born Canadian executed by firing squad on March 4, 1870, for plotting against the Provisional Government of the Red River Settlement and its Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia...
to inflame Protestant opinion in Ontario against Riel.
Following the Manitoba Act
Manitoba Act
The Manitoba Act, originally titled An Act to amend and continue the Act 32 and 33 Victoria, chapter 3; and to establish and provide for the Government of the Province of Manitoba, is an act of the Parliament of Canada that is defined by the Constitution Act, 1982 as forming a part of the...
of 1870, the Canadian government "pacified" the Red River Settlement through the use of Canadian militia
Colonial militia in Canada
From the founding of New France until the establishment of a professional Canadian Army, the colonial militia played an extremely important role in the defence of Canada...
soldiers in mid-1870. The Canadian Party, however, was not accepted into the new governing structure of the age. The federal government of John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
favoured a policy of conciliation among the province's ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, and Lieutenant-Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba is the viceregal representative in Manitoba of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
Adams George Archibald
Adams George Archibald
Sir Adams George Archibald, KCMG, PC was a Canadian lawyer and politician, and a father of Confederation. He was based in Nova Scotia for most of his career, though he also served as 1st Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1870 to 1872.Archibald was born in Truro to a prominent family in Nova...
kept Schultz's followers out of his first cabinet.
In Manitoba's first general election
Manitoba general election, 1870
Manitobas first general election resulted in a victory for Lieutenant Governor Adams George Archibald's governing coalition...
(December 30, 1870), Schultz's followers were the only real opposition to the governing alliance. They won only five seats, one of which was overturned on appeal. Schultz was personally defeated in Winnipeg and St. John.
The Canadian Party continued to exist as a loose alliance after the election. At one stage, Lt. Governor Archibald warned Macdonald that its members were plotting the "extermination" of the Métis.
The party did not long survive as a coherent organization, however Edward Hay appears to have turned against Schultz in 1872, and later joined the government of francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard
Marc-Amable Girard was the second Premier of the Western Canadian province of Manitoba, and the first Franco-Manitoban to hold that post. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide lists Girard as having been Premier from 1871 to 1872, but he did not have this title at the time and was not the government...
. Some members of the Canadian Party would later resurface as Liberals
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
, and some as Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
.