August 15, 1867
WHO PROMOTES YOUR INTERESTS?
This is the question posed by the Ottawa Daily News, a Conservative paper. For years, Ottawa has made common cause with Lower Canada because it was, by the strength of section’s representation in the Legislative Assembly of Canada, that John A. Macdonald was maintained in office and George Brown kept out of it. With Confederation, the paper argues, the calculation has changed.
First, representation by population, the issue closest to Brown’s heart and that for which he was most feared, has become the law of the land. The result being that the influence of Québec in the new Dominion House of Commons is much reduced and will continue to be so following the next census in 1871. Ontario now has almost half the seats in the Commons and as the country continues to grow it will not require any great passage of time before there are two members to the west of Ottawa for every one to the east of it.
Second, there is no Québec section within the new provincial legislature with which Ottawa can continue its common cause. The issues addressing Ontario will, in the main, be looked after by Ontarians within their own local legislature. What party will be attentive to Ottawa’s needs?
Third, when one further takes into account that the future of Ottawa’s lumber industry depends on continued Western growth and expansion it becomes clearer still that the old alliance with Québec is of lesser and lesser value with each passing day.
A recent prediction forecast John A. Macdonald being maintained in office with a sixteen-seat majority that will be constructed largely on his party’s strength in Québec. He is expected to lose the other three provinces. This appears to illustrate the Ottawa dilemma posed by the Daily News and lends further credence to the prime minister’s recent call for a new party system that reflects the realities of Union.
These are the types of questions that all voters will be asking themselves as their polling day approaches and, while we will get an answer, when the new Commons assembles in Ottawa on September 24, we suspect that it will be only a bit part in the ongoing development of this new and great Dominion.
TORONTO POLLING DELAYED ONE DAY
The two Toronto constituencies will cast their votes on August 30 and 31. The nominations will be taken on August 23. These dates are each one day later than previously announced. No reason has been given for the delay but it has also been announced that there will be additional polling places in the city: four in St. John’s, and three each in St. Patrick’s, St. Andrew’s, and St. George’s. The additional locations are expected to aid in making the voting process smoother for voters in the city.
ELECTION CALENDAR
This section will be updated daily as information is received.
August 19, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- Carleton
- Kingston
- South Ontario
- Ottawa
August 21, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- Lincoln
- London
August 22, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- East Durham
QUEBEC
Nominations
- Montreal
August 23, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- East Toronto
- West Toronto
- West York
- South Wentworth
August 24, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- West Hastings
- North Wentworth
August 26, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- Hamilton
- East Hastings
Polls
- Carleton
- Kingston
- South Ontario
- Ottawa
August 27, 1867
ONTARIO
Nominations
- North Renfrew
Polls
- Carleton
- Kingston
- South Ontario
- Ottawa
August 28, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- London
August 29, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- East Durham
- London
August 30, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- East Durham
- Toronto East
- Toronto West
- South Wentworth
- West York
August 31, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- Toronto East
- Toronto West
- South Wentworth
- West York
September 1, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- West Hastings
September 2, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- West Hastings
QUEBEC
Polls
- Montreal
September 3, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- Hamilton
- North Wentworth
QUEBEC
Polls
- Montreal
September 4, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- Hamilton
- East Hastings
- North Renfrew
- North Wentworth
September 5, 1867
ONTARIO
Polls
- East Hastings
- North Renfrew