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The Charlottetown Conference was a conference in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation. The conference took place between September 1- 7, 1864.The conference was originally planned as a meeting between representatives from the Maritimes only: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island although Newfoundland was also invited. Britain encouraged a political union between these colonies, hoping that they would then become less economically and politically dependent on the Crown. However, the Province of Canada (modern Ontario and Quebec) heard news of the planned conference, and asked that the agenda be expanded to discuss a union that would also include them.
Coincidentally there was a circusA circus is usually a travelling show that includes acrobats, animal trainers, clowns and other novelty acts. However, there are circuses today with a permanent venue that do not travel, and some circuses do not have animal acts. Big Top of Billy Smart's in Charlottetown at the same time, which was much more interesting to the majority of the population. There was no one working at the dock when the Canadian delegates arrived on the steamship SS Victoria, so Prince Edward Island representative William Henry PopeWilliam Henry Pope ( 1825- 1879) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and judge. The editor of Prince Edward Island's main Tory newspaper, The Islander from 1859 to 1872, he entered politics in 1863. An enthusiastic supporter of Canadian Confederation, he l had to handle receptions by himself, including rowing out to greet the new arrivals. The Canadian delegates stayed each night onboard the Victoria as the circus and the Maritime delegates had taken up most of the accomodations in town.
1 The conference
The conference began on Thursday, September 1 with a banquet for all of the delegates. Parties and banquets were in fact held each night after the day's discussions had ended (except for Sunday, September 4September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). There are 118 days remaining. Events 476 Romulus Augustus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself King of Italy. 1781 Los Angeles is founded, when they did not meet). The representatives from the Province of Canada dominated the conference, overshadowing the concerns of the Maritimes, and laying out the foundations for the union that benefitted them the most. Four of the first five days (excluding Sunday) were spent outlining the Canadian position; the Maritime representatives did not discuss their own plans until September 6September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). There are 116 days remaining. Events 3761 BC The first day of the Hebrew Calendar. 394 Battle of Frigidus: The Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugeniu and September 7. Canadian delegate George BrownSeveral notable persons share the name George Brown George Brown (Canadian politician) the Canadian politician George Brown (British politician) the British politician and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs George Brown (musician) the musician in Kool spent two days discussing the details of the proposed constitution, which would keep Canada within the British EmpireThe British Empire in the early decades of the 20th century, held sway over a population of 400 500 million people (roughly a quarter of the world's population), and covered nearly 30 million square kilometres, (roughly two-fifths of the world's land area, but would not include any of the problems which had led to the American Civil War, which was still raging at the time in the United States.
The Maritimes were convinced that a wider union including the Province of Canada would also be beneficial to them, and that this union could be achieved within a few years, rather than in an undefined period in the future as they had originally planned. The conference concluded on Wednesday, September 7th, but the representatives agreed to meet again the next month in Quebec City (see Quebec Conference). A ball was also held on September 8, after which the delegates returned home.
