In 1840, Upper and Lower Canada were united as the Province of Canada. Reformers such as Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin, in parallel with Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia, worked with British governors toward responsible government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first British North American colony to attain full responsible government was Nova Scotia in 1847\u201348. In 1848\u201349 the governor of United Canada, Lord Elgin, with encouragement from London, introduced responsible government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the system that we have today: if the government loses a confidence vote in the assembly it must resign. La Fontaine, a champion of democracy and French language rights, became the first leader of a responsible government in the Canadas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture: Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, a champion of French language rights, became the first head of a responsible government (similar to a prime minister) in Canada in 1849.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confederation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From 1864 to 1867, representatives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada, with British support, worked together to establish a new country. These men are known as the Fathers of Confederation. They created two levels of government: federal and provincial. The old Province of Canada was split into two new provinces: Ontario and Quebec, which, together with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, formed the new country called the Dominion of Canada. Each province would elect its own legislature and have control of such areas as education and health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British Parliament passed the British North America Act in The Dominion of Canada was officially born on July 1, Until 1982, July 1 was celebrated as \u201cDominion Day\u201d to commemorate the day that Canada became a self-governing Dominion. Today it is officially known as Canada Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture: The Fathers of Confederation established the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867, the birth of the country that we know today<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dominion from Sea to Sea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sir Leonard Tilley, an elected official and Father of Confederation from New Brunswick, suggested the term Dominion of Canada in 1864. He was inspired by Psalm 72 in the Bible which refers to \u201cdominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.\u201d This phrase embodied the vision of building a powerful, united, wealthy and free country that spanned a continent. The title was written into the Constitution, was used officially for about 100 years, and remains part of our heritage today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expansion of the Dominion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1867 \u2013 Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
1870 \u2013 Manitoba, Northwest Territories
1871 \u2013 British Columbia
1873 \u2013 Prince Edward Island
1880 \u2013 Transfer of the Arctic Islands (to N.W.T.)
1898 \u2013 Yukon Territory
1905 \u2013 Alberta, Saskatchewan
1949 \u2013 Newfoundland and Labrador
1999 \u2013 Nunavut<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know? In the 1920s, some believed that the British West Indies (British territories in the Caribbean Sea) should become part of Canada. This did not occur, though Canada and Commonwealth Caribbean countries and territories enjoy close ties today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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