Conservative Party of Canada (historical)

The name Conservative Party of Canada has been used twice in Canadian history. For the current party founded 2003, please see the article Conservative Party of Canada.

Confederation

MacDonald became the leader of the Conservative Party and formed the first national government in 1867. The party brought together ultramontane Quebec Catholics, pro-tariff businessmen, United Empire Loyalist Tories and Orangemen. One major accomplishment of Macdonald's first government was the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway which also led to the Pacific Scandal that brought down the government in 1873.

Related Topics:
Ultramontane - Catholics - Tariff - United Empire Loyalist - Tories - Orangemen - Canadian Pacific Railway - Pacific Scandal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Conservatives under Macdonald returned to power in 1878 by opposing the Liberal Party's policy of free trade or reciprocity with the United States and promoting, instead, the National Policy which sought to promote business and develop industry with protectionist measures as well as settle and develop the west.

Related Topics:
Liberal Party - Free trade - Reciprocity - United States - National Policy - Protectionist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The principal difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals in this period and well into the twentieth century was that Conservatives were in favour of imperial preference (a protectionist system in which tariffs would be levied against imports from outside the British Empire) and strong political and legal links with Britain while Liberals promoted free trade and continentalism (that is closer ties to the United States) and greater independence from Britain.

Related Topics:
Twentieth century - British Empire - Continentalism - United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Macdonald died in 1891 and, without his leadership, the Conservative coalition began to unravel under the pressure of sectarian tensions between Catholic French Canadians and British imperialists who tended to be anti-French and anti-Catholic. The Red River Rebellion (and execution of Louis Riel) and Manitoba Schools Question exacerbated tensions within the Conservative Party and fanned hostility to the Conservatives in Quebec.

Related Topics:
French Canadians - Red River Rebellion - Louis Riel - Manitoba Schools Question

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sir Robert Borden

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Free trade was the major issue of the 1911 election that swept Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Liberals from power. Robert Borden led a new Tory administration that emphasised a revitalised National Policy and links to Britain. Borden had tried to rebuild a base in Quebec by allying with anti-Laurier Quebec nationalists, but, in government, tensions between Quebec nationalists and English Canadian imperialists made any grand coalition untenable.

Related Topics:
1911 election - Sir Wilfrid Laurier - Robert Borden - National Policy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~