Canadian loan in 1869 and the British parliament (to the question of expanding the territory of the dominion of Canada)

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Abstract:

The article assesses the attitude of the British political elite to the Dominion of Canada and in particular to the expansion of its territory in 1860–1870s. The author researches the position of British parliamentarians regarding mentioned problem on the example of the debates about the purchase of Rupert’s Land by Canada at the expense of the United Kingdom in 1869. Elected subject is the particular case of the imperial politics relating to resettlement colonies. There is a lack of consensus inside the House of Commons of the Imperial Parliament about the expansion of the territory on the Dominion of Canada and arguments of supporters and opponents of the process аre presented in the article. The author points reader’s attention to the adherence to the position of opponents of territorial expansion of the dominion on expense by mother country. The author analyzes the debates in the House of Commons during the discussion on the Canada Rupert’s Land Loan Bill and comes to the conclusion that regardless of the new status received by Canada in 1867 it is accepted as the part of the empire by British politicians. However unwillingness to subsidize colonial projects which weren’t equitable to all-imperial interests defined the British politicians’ intentions to build a new model of relationship with the young Dominion. To sum up it allows to expand the scientific concept of the relationship between the UK and Canadian Dominion at the early years of its existence.

References:

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