The Canadian Historical Association

THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION HE annual meeting of the Canadian Historical Association washeld in Toronto on Friday and Saturday, May 27 and 28. Through the courtesy of the authorities of the University of Toronto, the sessionswere held in Baldwin House, and visiting membersenjoyedthe hospitality of Hart Houseand other facilities of the university. On theeveningof Friday, May 27, a dinnerwas held in the Great Hall of Hart House, in honour of visiting members of the association. The generalsessions began on Friday afternoon. After the usualbusiness,ProfessorG. M. Wrong delivered the presidential address,and concludedwith a review of significant publications on Canadian affairs during the past year. In his address,Mr. Wrongillustratedthedifficultieswhichbesethistoricalcomposition under modern conditions, and described the relations of history with allied subjectssuch as anthropology,economics,and philosophy . The programmeof papers was arranged to be appropriate to the celebrationof the DiamondJubileeof Confederation. Five papersdealt with the Confederationmovement in the various provinces:The Maritimes, by D.C. Harvey, University of Manitoba ; Quebec, The Abb6 G. Robitaille, Joliette College, P.Q.; Ontario, F. H. Underhill, University of Saskatchewan; British Columbia, His Honour Judge Howay, New Westminster, B.C.; The Prairie Provinces, Chester Martin, University of Manitoba. The relation of British finance to the Confederation movement was describedby R. G. Trotter, Queen'sUniversity. There followed on these,four paperson variousproblemsof Canadian national life: The Growthof CanadianNational Feeling,by W. S. Wallace, UniversityofToronto;TheFrenchCanadians underConfederation, by Senator N. A. Belcourt; The Development of Imperial Relations, by W. T. Waugh, McGill University; CanadianCultural Development ,by Dr. J. C. Webster,Shediac,N.B. Thesepaperswill be printed in extenso in the forthcomingannual report, which it is hoped will thisyearbereadyfordistribution in September.In thepresentarticle,not morethan a briefsummaryof the addresses can be attempted. 95 96 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW Beginning the seriesof historical papers, Mr. Harvey outlined the part which early efforts for union amongthe Maritime provincesplayed in helping to bring about Confederation:"The maritimes, honest dupes of their own enthusiasm as much as misledby promisesfrom Canadian statesmen,and disappointed with the realitiesof Confederation,put their faith in England as sureto enforce'fair play', but like other minoritiesbeforethem, they found that Imperial governments,like God, are on the side of the bigbattalions." He concluded with a pleathat the promises of the time should be, in part at least, redeemed,as a means of correctingthe depression now prevalent in the maritime provinces. Mr. Harvey's paper provokeda lively discussion. In the absence of the Abb6 Robitaille, Mr. Lanctot summarized the paper on Quebec,and this was followedby Mr. Underhill 's paper on Ontario. Under the title SomeAspectsof Upper CanadianRadicalOpinionin theDecadebeforeConfederation there was given an analysisof George Brown's Globe. The thesiswas that the present"Progressive"movementonthe prairiesrepresents an unconscious revival of the ideas of two generationsago, when Upper Canada was still the "frontier", and the "intelligent yeomanry" of what is nowOntario fought the battle of the "plain people" against Big Businessand especiallyagainst the railway octopusof Montreal. With the industrialization of Ontario since Confederation, the ideas of Brown have withered at the roots. "No good Torontoniansof the present generation," the speaker said, "couldpossiblyread the Globe of the '50'sand '60's without a shudder." Judge Howay's paper described at length the financial situation in British Columbia which led to the federation of that provincewith the nascentDominion, and illustrated the petty and sordid motives which dominated at least some of the advocates of union. In hispaperonthe PrairieProvinces, Mr. Martin showed that the original positionof the North West Territories under the government at Ottawa wasoneof subjection to an unsympathetic imperial power. Without condoningthe insurrectionsby Riel, he affirmedthat no one'exceptRiel combinedpopularsupporton the prairies with the opportunity of protest, and he described Rid as the predestinedvictim of a great idea, viz. the extension of free local governmentto the vast expanses of the west. An interestingsidelighton Confederationwas given by Mr. Trotter in a reviewof the Baring and Mills correspondence of the THE CANADIANHISTORICALASSOCIATION 97 1860's,which showedthat a powerfulgroupof financiersin London ,interestedin the GrandTrunk Railway andotherinvestments in Canada,lent strongsupportto the movementfor union. In the seriesof generalpapers,Mr. Stewart Wallace traced thegrowthof nationalfeelingfromthefoundationof the "Canada First" movementto the organiza'tion of a CanadianMinistry at Washington. The Hon.N. A. Belcourtfirstdescribed theposition of the...