Opposition in Canada East

Although George-Étienne CARTIER believed that confederation and the concept of a new political nationality in the proposed Dominion of Canada would guarantee the survival of French Canadians, he faced opposition in the section representing Canada East (Lower Canada; present-day Quebec) in the House of Assembly for the Province of Canada [see Opposition to Confederation]. The Rouge politician Maurice LAFRAMBROISE argued in 1865:

“[The] authority of a central government and the addition of the Maritime provinces would be dangerous for the ‘religion,’ ‘nationality,’ and ‘institutions of Lower Canada,’ and that the plan of confederation was consistent with the means outlined in the report of Lord Durham [Lambton*] for ‘the annihilation of French nationality in this country.’”

Please see the following biographies for more information on opposition to confederation in Canada East.