- Reform movement (pre-Confederation Canada)
The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of
British North America (Canada ). It agitated forresponsible government .In Maritime Canada, these movements were also referred to as Liberal, and later became the Liberal parties in those colonies. (See also
PEI Liberal Party ,New Brunswick Liberal Party ,Liberal Party (Nova Scotia) , Liberal Party of Newfoundland). The most prominent Reformer in the Maritimes wasJoseph Howe .In
Upper Canada (Ontario ), the Reform movement was formed in opposition to theFamily Compact . It was led initially byWilliam Lyon Mackenzie , who became the principal figure in theUpper Canada Rebellion of1837 . Mackenzie went into exile as a result of the failed rebellion. The uprising led to the 1839Durham Report , which recommended responsible government in the Canadas.In 1841, the Act of Union went into effect. Upper Canada became
Canada West , forming withCanada East (Quebec ) the UnitedProvince of Canada . The leaders of the Reform movement in Canada West at this point wereRobert Baldwin andFrancis Hincks . The Reformers worked with theParti rouge to form government at various points in the 1840s.They eventually succeeded in obtaining a democratically accountable executive and the first government under responsible government came to power in 1848.The Reformers were more a loose movement than a party. Individual members voted independently on various issues. By the 1850s, the Reform Party had dissipated: moderate reformers had joined with Tories in 1854 to form a
Liberal-Conservative coalition government under the leadership ofJohn A. Macdonald andGeorge-Étienne Cartier . This was the basis of what was to become the Conservative Party.Left wing Reformers, along with the
Clear Grits , promoted electoral reform, and reciprocity with theUnited States . In 1857, under the leadership of George Brown, the Clear Grits and left wing Reformers formed the Liberal Party in Canada West and, with theParti rouge and Maritime Liberal parties, formed the basis for theLiberal Party of Canada .ee also
*
Liberalism
*Contributions to liberal theory
*Liberalism worldwide
*List of liberal parties
*Liberal democracy
*Liberalism in Canada
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.