On July 1, 1867, with passage of the British North America Act, the Dominion of Canadawas officially established as a self-governing entity within the British Empire. In the 1860s, a movement for a greater Canadian federation grew out of the need for a common defense, the desire for a national railroad system, and the necessity of finding a solution to the problem of French and British conflict. Canadas History is a registered charity that depends on contributions from readers like you to share inspiring and informative stories with students and citizens of all ages award-winning stories written by Canadas top historians, authors, journalists, and history enthusiasts. In an attempt to curb Frances economic power worldwide, British troops focused their efforts on French overseas outposts like Canada. Unit 8 Canada Past and Present Flashcards | Quizlet Then Canada gained its full independence in 1982 after passing of the constitution Act 1982. [87], Louisbourg was intended to serve as a year-round military and naval base for France's remaining North American empire and to protect the entrance to the St. Lawrence River. Great Britain granted independence. Among his lieutenants was a geographer named Samuel de Champlain, who promptly carried out a major exploration of the northeastern coastline of what is now the United States. Historian Jocelyn Ltourneau suggested in the 21st century, "1759 does not belong primarily to a past that we might wish to study and understand, but, rather, to a present and a future that we might wish to shape and control. McKercher, Asa, and Philip Van Huizen, eds. [114], In Lower Canada, a more substantial rebellion occurred against British rule. February 15, 1965, Canada flew the maple leaf for the very first time. Learn more about Erin and her work at erinblakemore.com. Changing the day will navigate the page to that given day in history. Queen Elizabeth II gave royal assent to the Canada Act on March 29, 115 years to the day after Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother, had approved the federation act of 1867. [197] The government ignored reports from the RCMP and Canadian military that most of the Japanese were law-abiding and not a threat. A. [235], In 1995, the government of Quebec held a second referendum on sovereignty that was rejected by a margin of 50.6% to 49.4%. [126] This was especially pushed by the liberal Reform movement of Upper Canada and the French-Canadian Parti rouge in Lower Canada who favoured a decentralized union in comparison to the Upper Canadian Conservative party and to some degree the French-Canadian Parti bleu, which favoured a centralized union. [115], The British government then sent Lord Durham to examine the situation; he stayed in Canada for five months before returning to Britain, bringing with him his Durham Report, which strongly recommended responsible government. [110] After the war, supporters of Britain tried to repress the republicanism that was common among American immigrants to Canada.