July 2, 1867

The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance proceeded with measures to establish the new Government of Canada.

Order-in-Council 1867-0003 proposed by the prime minister established the Board of Treasury to be comprised of the ministers of Finance (Galt), Customs (Tilley), Inland Revenue (Howland), and the Receiver-General (department not yet established), and that the Board be chaired by the Minister of Finance. The Order authorizes the Board to exercise powers and responsibilities as may be assigned to it by the Governor-in-Council.

Order-in-Council 1867-0004 was proposed by the Hon. Alexander Tilloch (Minister of Finance) and authorizes the expenditure of sums as required by government departments until such time as estimates can be prepared. This Order allows the government to spend money without approval from the House of Commons, which will not meet until elections can be held.

Collections Canada does not have an image record of Order-in-Council 1867-0005 which dealt with Lieutenant General Sir Jonnathon Michel and the Toronto Barracks. Sir John Michael retired with the rank of Field Marshal. Over the course of his career he commanded the 6th Regiment of Foot, British troops in China and Hong Kong, British troops in Canada, and his final appointment was as Commander-in-Chief of Ireland. He fought in the Eighth Xhosa War, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the Second Opium War, and the Fenian raids in Canada. He died in 1886.

July 1, 1867

The Dominion of Canada came into existence today by virtue of the British North America Act, an Act of the Imperial Parliament, providing for the union of the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

Appointed Prime Minister by the Governor-General, Charles Stanley, 4th Viscount of Monck, John A. Macdonald’s first acts the head of the new country’s government was to appoint, by Orders-in-Council, the Lieutenants-Governor of the provinces, and to establish a number of government departments and their heads.

Introduced, considered, and approved, on July 1, 1867:

Order-in-Council 1867-0001 appointed

• Major-General Sir Henry William Stisted, KCB, as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario
• Sir Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau, KCMG, QC, as Lieutenant-Governor of Québec
• Lieutenant-General Sir William Fenwick Williams, 1st Baronet of Kars GCB, as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia
• Major-General Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, KCMG, as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.

Order-in-Council 1867-0002 established the new government’s departments and appointed their heads, as follows:

• Minister Justice and Attorney-General, Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald
• Minister of Militia, Hon. George-Étienne Cartier
• Minister of Customs, Hon. Samuel Leonard Tilley
• Minister of Finance, Hon. Alexander Tilloch Galt
• Minister of Public Works, Hon. William McDougall
• Minister of Inland Revenue, Hon. William Pearce Howland
• Secretary of State for the Provinces, Hon. Adams George Archibald
• President of the Privy Council, Hon. Adam Johnston Fergusson Blair
• Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Hon. Peter Mitchell
• Post Master General, Hon. Alexander Campbell
• Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Jean Charles Chapais
• Secretary of State of Canada, Hon. Hector Louis Langevin
• Receiver General, Hon. Edward Kenney