New Brunswick

Confederation
By Mya Paugh
Where is New Brunswick?
New Brunswick (highlight in blue on the map
to the left) is located on the Eastern
coast of Canada. It is one of Canadas
three Maritime provinces.
Flag of New Brunswick
To the right is the flag of New Brunswick
that was adopted by proclamation on
February 24th, 1965. It was a banner
modelled after the provinces coat of
arms.

A Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria granted the

original coat of arms of New Brunswick
(pictured below the flag to the right) to
the province on May 26th, 1868; less than
a year after New Brunswick joined
Confederation.
Fun Facts
New Brunswick joined Confederation on July 1st, 1867.

Around the time it joined Confederation, New Brunswick had a total population of
approximately 270,000. In 2016, it had a total population of about 756,000.

New Brunswick achieved responsible government in 1854, which made them feel more
independent and self-sufficient.

Saint John was the largest urban centre in the Maritimes and was home to about 42,000
people.

The economy in this colony was mainly based on timber and industries that used this
resource, such as shipbuilding. Forestry takes upToabout 80% is
the left of an
the province.
image of shipbuilding
in Gardners Creek, New Brunswick at
Wallace Ship Yard.
What were some issues in New Brunswick?
Immigration in the 19th century seemed to be a bit of an issue in New Brunswick. It
often caused conflict between the new immigrants and the people who originally lived
in the colony, which then led to riots and extreme violence. The large group of
Catholic settlers from Ireland were an issue for the mainly Protestant community of
Saint John. This conflict between the two groups culminated in the riot of July 12th,
1849. The violence gradually began to die down as the Irish immigration declined.

Colonists of New Brunswick grew fearful of the military threat of the US during and
after the American Civil War. They also feared that the US might try to expand and
take over their colony.

Another issue with the United States and New Brunswick was when news came that the US
would end reciprocity, an agreement that provided free trade between the US and the
British colonies, and would harm New Brunswicks economy.

New ships were being made of steel instead of wood. This was a big deal for New
Brunswick where shipbuilding with wood was a vital industry.
Who were the Fathers of Confederation in NB?
Edward Barron Chandler (pictured right) was one of the Fathers
of Confederation in New Brunswick. He was a NB delegate
who attended the pre-Confederation conferences in
Charlottetown, Quebec, and London. After Confederation, he
became a member of the NB government for 2 years and was
appointed lieutenant-governor of the province.

John Hamilton Gray (pictured left) was another one of the

Fathers of Confederation in New Brunswick. He was a delegate
to the pre-Confederation conferences in both Charlottetown
and Quebec, but not London. He later became a speaker of
provincial legislature in 1866 and was then elected to the
first Canadian House of Commons.
Advantages and Disadvantages for Confederation
Advantages:
Confederation could bring greater
security against American expansion
and attacks.
It could also create a wider domestic
market to sell to and therefore
increase income.
The national railway that they planned
to build could improve access to the
wider market.
Disadvantages:
Confederation could bring greater trade
competition and higher taxes. Many
merchants worried about this.
Many were worried about the allotment
of Parliamentary state they would
receive compared to what others
might get.
Many colonists, especially minority
groups, thought they would become a
smaller part of a whole rather than
an equal partner in the Dominion of
Canada. They worried that they
wouldnt get much say in discussions
or decisions.
Should New Brunswick confederate?
New Brunswick should confederate because there are more reasons why Confederation
would be a good thing for their colony than there are reasons against it. Although there
were a few sceptical people in this colony who didn't agree with Confederation, most
people saw reasons to give Confederation a chance. Since it is a smaller colony, joining
with the others would provide protection against possible expansion and attacks from
enemies, a bigger market to sell to, and the national railway thats being planned would
improve access to the larger market. Many colonists in New Brunswick are worried that the
United States is going to expand and possibly try to take over their colony. Compared to
the United States, New Brunswick wouldn't exactly have a fair chance if the US decided to
invade and take over their small colony. This caused fear for many people in the colony
and is a big reason why New Brunswick should confederate.
Peer Feedback
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