THE FAMILY COMPACT AND THE CHATEAU CLIQUE

• IN BOTH UPPER CANADA AND LOWER CANADA THE MAJORITY WAS STRUGGLING AGAINST DOMINATION BY UNELECTED LEADERS • THESE CONFLICTSWOULD LEAD TO SEPARATE AND FUTILE REBELLIONS FOLLOWED BY COORDINATED POLITICAL SUCCESS

• 1820s ARE CALLED THE LAST DECADE OF THE 18TH CENTURY – ARISTOCRATS YIELD TO MERCHANTS

MACKENZIE PAPINEAU

THE FAMILY COMPACT• POWER IS HELD BY SMALL

OLIGARCHY OF RICH INTER-MARRIED FAMILIES– HELD SEATS ON THE EXECUTIVE

COUNCIL– CONTROLLED CROWN & CLERGY

RESERVES • MOST HAD LED FIGHT AGAINST

U.S. IN WAR OF 1812– SAW OPPOSITION AS TREASONOUS

& PRO-AMERICAN• NO ROADS OR SERVICES – POOR DENSITY DUE TO LAND SYSTEM– FAMILY COMPACT VETOs ATTEMPTS

TO DEVELOP

TOWNSHIP LAYOUT SHOWING CROWN &

CLERGY RESERVES

THE FAMILY COMPACT

• FAMILY COMPACT SUPPORTS MINORITY ANGLICAN CHURCH ROLE AS SOLE PROVIDER OF HIGHER EDUCATION

• FAVOURED LARGE PROJECTS LIKE THE WELLAND CANAL OVER LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE• 1824 ELECTION VICTORY FORREFORMERS BUT PROGRAMBLOCKED BY FAMILY COMPACT

• VIOLENT ELECTION OF 1836 DEFEATS REFORMERS – THEY GIVE UP ON POLITICS, OPENING PATH TO RADICALS

JOHN STRACHAN

THE CHATEAU CLIQUE• CONFLICT IS LARGELY BETWEEN ENGLISH

& CANADIENS INSTEAD OF LIBERALS & CONSERVATIVES– SAME CONFLICT BETWEEN ELECTED

ASSEMBLY & APPOINTED EXECUTIVE– MEMBERS OF THESE BODIES WERE FROM

THE BRITISH MERCHANT CLASS • CHATEAU CLIQUE TRIED TO ERODE

FRENCH CIVIL LAW & CULTURE – SOUGHT GREATER TRADE WITH UPPER

CANADA – ASSEMBLY REFUSES TO FUND CANALS

• CHATEAU CLIQUE IS MADE UP OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, MERCHANTS & SEIGNEURS– SOME SEIGNEURS MOVED OFF ESTATES & TO CAPITAL

• CANADIENS EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION IN THE CITIES• YOUNGER GENERATION EDUCATED BUT SHUT OUT OF POWER

JOHN MOLSON

THE CHATEAU CLIQUE• OPPOSITION SPLITS INTO

MODERATE REFORMERS & RADICAL PATRIOTES• RADICAL DOMINATED ASSEMBLY

CALLS FOR ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

• PUT FORWARD ’92 RESOLUTIONS’ • BRITAIN’S COLONIAL SECRETARY

RESPONDS WITH 10 RESOLUTIONS • GREATER DIVIDE BETWEEN BRITISH

& CANADIENS• SEIGNEURS WERE NOT SETTLINGLAND BUT INSTEAD WERESPECULATING AND SELLING• GROWTH IN LANDLESS FARMERS

• GOVERNOR DALHOUSIE SUPPORTS UNION WITH UPPER CANADA – PAPINEAU TRAVELS TO BRITAIN & CONVINCES GOVERNMENT NOT TO PROCEED• CANADIENS BELIEVE THAT THEIR PROBLEMS ARE LOCAL

OLIGARCHIES – NOT BRITISH RULE

PAPINEAU-”IT IS CERTAIN THAT BEFORE VERY LONG, ALL AMERICA

SHOULD BE REPUBLICAN”

GOVERNMENT AS ESTABLISHED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF 1791

BRITISH GOVERNMENT

GOVERNOR

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

PEOPLE

VOTERS