Canada East

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For the rugby union team that competes in the North America 4 Series, see Canada East (rugby team).

Canada East (French: Canada-Est) was the eastern portion of the Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian province of Quebec. It was primarily a French colony.

Formerly a colony called Lower Canada, based on Lord Durham's report it was merged with Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) to create the unified Province of Canada.

The most important farm products were potatoes, rye, buckwheat, maple sugar and livestock. When it came time to confederate the French people were nervous because they didn't want to lose their French heritage. They were afraid that it would be overwhelmed by the English. At the time of confederation, 1867, Montreal was the biggest city in the British North American colonies.

Due to heavy immigration, the population of English speaking residents of Canada West soon outstripped Canada East. Under the Act of Union, 1840, however, the seats in the house were evenly divided between Canada East and Canada West.

By the late 1850’s all the land of Canada West had been bought, the next frontier was west of Lake Superior. However this land was owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Most in Canada East resisted the takeover of this land, as it would have changed the balance of the seats in the legislature.

The St. Lawrence River was full of ice for half the year. For that half of the year goods had to be transported on American railways. A railway through Canada East to Halifax would provide an all-British route for trade.

By the 1860’s, the Grand Trunk Railroad was about 72 million dollars in debt. Its annual income was about $200. Partly because of this, the Province of Canada pulled out of the negotiations for the intercolonial railroad.

Only 20% of Canada East lived in the city, the rest were all farmers or habitants as they called themselves. They made their own stone houses and wooden furniture. Their clothes were homemade and their food was grown on the farms.

At the time of Confederation (1867) Montreal was the largest city of the British North American colonies, with a population of 107,225. Some of the richest people in Canada lived in Montreal.

There was a danger of Fenian raids along the Canadian-American border of the south and east of Montreal.

Lumber was the most important natural resource of Canada East. In the woods, hundreds of workers cut down trees, then floated the logs down the St. Lawrence River during the spring floods. Sawmills turned the logs into planks and boards to sell to the Americans. There were also factories in Canada East that made windows, shingles, washboards and door frames.