Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation, or the Confederation of Canada, was the process that ultimately brought together a union among the provinces, colonies and territories of British North America to form the Dominion of Canada, a dominion of the British Empire, which today is the federal nation state called Canada.

Joining Confederation

:See also: History of Canada

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Manitoba was established July 15, 1870, by act of Parliament, originally as a very small area not even the width of current day Manitoba. British Columbia joined Canada July 20, 1871, by act of Parliament (and encouraged to join by Sir John A. MacDonald's promise of a railway within 10 years). Prince Edward Island joined July 1, 1873 (and, as part of the terms of union, was guaranteed a ferry link, a term which was deleted upon completion of the Confederation Bridge in 1997). Alberta and Saskatchewan were established September 1, 1905, by acts of Parliament. Newfoundland joined on March 31, 1949, also with a ferry link guaranteed.

Related Topics:
Manitoba - 1870 - British Columbia - 1871 - Railway - Prince Edward Island - 1873 - Ferry - Confederation Bridge - 1997 - Alberta - Saskatchewan - 1905 - Newfoundland - 1949

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Canada acquired Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay Company and the British-claimed Northwestern Territory in 1869, and took ownership in May 1870, merging them and naming them the Northwest Territories. In 1880, the British assigned all North American Arctic islands to Canada, right up to Ellesmere Island. From this vast swath of territory were created three provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) and two territories (Yukon and Nunavut), and two extensions each to Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba.

Related Topics:
Rupert's Land - Hudson's Bay Company - 1869 - 1870 - Northwest Territories - Arctic - Ellesmere Island

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Here is a list of the order in which the provinces and territories entered Canada. (Territories are italicized.) At formal events, representatives of the provinces and territories take precedence according to this list (except that provinces always come before territories). For provinces that entered on the same date, the order of precedence is based on the province's population at the time it entered Confederation.

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Note

*In 1870 territory of the Hudson Bay Company controlled Rupert's Land was transferred to the Dominion of Canada, establishing the Northwest Territories. The province of Manitoba was carved out of this new territory shortly thereafter by the Manitoba Act of 1870. The Yukon, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nunavut were created out of the Northwest Territories; the remaining provinces joined Canada as separate and previously independent colonies.

Related Topics:
Rupert's Land - Manitoba Act of 1870

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