Canadian History: Confederation

Canada's Confederation began on July 1st, 1867 with the passing of the British North America Act. This is why we celebrate Canada Day on July 1st of every year. Great Britain passed this act which in turn created a united Canada out of three British provinces; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the province of Canada which was divided into Ontario and Quebec. The British North America Act received Royal Assent on March 29th, 1867 and went into effect on July 1st, 1867. A new federal government and Parliament was established in Ottawa together with provincial governments' legislatives. Sir John Alexander Macdonald became Canada's first Prime Minister. The Act established that the dominion remained under the sovereignty of the British Monarch and served as Canada's constitution until 1982. Photo Credits: the Act image source: UK Parliament Archives; the photo of John A Macdonald source: Library and Archives Canada/MIKAN 2979083; Queen Victoria picture source: Getty Images; the Fathers of Confederation painting: https://www.ourcommons.ca/heritage/en/collection/17251