Canada

The **Kingdom of Canada**, commonly referred to as just **Canada**, is a country in North America. Its thirteen provinces and four territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest country by total area, with the world's largest coastline. The country borders West America and the Socialist Commonwealth to the south along the 49th parallel. The country is characterized by a wide range of both meteorologic and geological regions. It is a sparsely inhabited country of 40 million people, the vast majority residing south of the 55th parallel in urban areas. Canada's capital is Ottawa and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy in the Westminster tradition. The country's head of government is the prime minister, who holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected House of Commons and is "called upon" by the monarch of Canada, the head of state. Canada's long and complex relationships with the defunct United States of America, as well as the Union of Britain, the Socialist Commonwealth, and West America has had a significant impact on its history, economy, and culture.

A developed country, Canada has one of the highest nominal per capita income globally and its advanced economy ranks among the largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada's peacekeeping role during the 20th century has had a significant influence on its global image. Canada is part of multiple major international and intergovernmental institutions.

## Colony of the British Empire (1763 - 1925)

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 established First Nation treaty rights, created the Province of Quebec out of New France, and annexed Cape Breton Island to Nova Scotia. St John's Island (now Prince Edward Island) became a separate colony in 1769. To avert conflict in Quebec, the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act 1774, expanding Quebec's territory to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. More importantly, the Quebec Act afforded Quebec special autonomy and rights of self-administration at a time when the Thirteen Colonies were increasingly agitating against British rule. It re-established the French language, Catholic faith, and French civil law there, staving off the growth of an independence movement in contrast to the Thirteen Colonies. The Proclamation and the Quebec Act in turn angered many residents of the Thirteen Colonies, further fuelling anti-British sentiment in the years prior to the American Revolution.

After the successful American War of Independence, the 1783 Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the newly formed United States and set the terms of peace, ceding British North American territories south of the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi River to the new country. The American war of independence also caused a large out-migration of Loyalists, the settlers who had fought against American independence. Many moved to Canada, particularly Atlantic Canada, where their arrival changed the demographic distribution of the existing territories. New Brunswick was in turn split from Nova Scotia as part of a reorganization of Loyalist settlements in the Maritimes, which led to the incorporation of Saint John, New Brunswick, as Canada's first city. To accommodate the influx of English-speaking Loyalists in Central Canada, the Constitutional Act of 1791 divided the province of Canada into French-speaking Lower Canada (later Quebec) and English-speaking Upper Canada (later Ontario), granting each its own elected legislative assembly.

The desire for responsible government resulted in the abortive Rebellions of 1837. The Durham Report subsequently recommended responsible government and the assimilation of French Canadians into English culture. The Act of Union 1840 merged the Canadas into a united Province of Canada and responsible government was established for all provinces of British North America east of Lake Superior by 1855. The signing of the Oregon Treaty by Britain and the United States in 1846 ended the Oregon boundary dispute, extending the border westward along the 49th parallel. This paved the way for British colonies on Vancouver Island (1849) and in British Columbia (1858). The Anglo-Russian Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1825) established the border along the Pacific coast, but, even after the US Alaska Purchase of 1867, disputes continued about the exact demarcation of the Alaska–Yukon and Alaska–BC border.

Following three constitutional conferences, the *British North America Act, 1867* officially proclaimed Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867, initially with four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Canada assumed control of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory to form the Northwest Territories, where the Métis' grievances ignited the Red River Rebellion and the creation of the province of Manitoba in July 1870. British Columbia and Vancouver Island (which had been united in 1866) joined the confederation in 1871 on the promise of a transcontinental railway extending to Victoria in the province within 10 years, while Prince Edward Island joined in 1873. In 1898, during the Klondike Gold Rush in the Northwest Territories, Parliament created the Yukon Territory. Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces in 1905. Between 1871 and 1896, almost one quarter of the Canadian population emigrated south to the US.

Canada automatically entered the Weltkrieg in 1914 with Britain's declaration of war, sending volunteers to the Western Front who later became part of the Canadian Corps. The Corps played a substantial role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge and other major battles of the war. The Conscription Crisis of 1917 erupted when Conservative Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden brought in compulsory military service, over the objection of French-speaking Québécois. Proudly serving the Home Isles with men, weapons, food, and material to feed her growing war industries as a loyal Dominion, Canadians were distraught by the retreat from the continent, and greatly embittered by the military dominance of the Central Powers, which led to the collapse of the Western Front in summer 1919, the subsequent Armistice of Chantilly and the eventual signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 6 November.

## Relocation of the British Royal Family (1925 - 1946)

In 1925, the United Kingdom experienced a successful Syndicalist revolution, known as the British Revolution, which saw the dissolution of the United Kingdom, and the establishment of the Union of Britain. The British Royal Family, as well as notable British Conservatives and Royalists were forced to flee, with most of them arriving in Canada. This had a profound impact on Canadian politics, as the British exiles attempted to use the Canadian government to strike back against the Union of Britain. King George V abolished the postion of Governor-General of Canada, and took up residence with his family in Rideau Hall located in Ottawa, Ontario. Conservative British exiles were appointed in mass to the Senate of Canada by the King, and the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army were merged with the remainder of their British counterparts. There was a noticeable rightward shift in Canadian politics during this time. The Union Jack replaced the traditional Canadian Red Ensign as the national flag, so as too distance the country from syndicalism. The Canadian government refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Union of Britain for several decades.

In 1936, following the death of George V, Prince Edward ascended to the throne as King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India. He became the first British monarch to be officially coronated outside of Westminster Abbey. The rise of Edward VIII to the throne sparked the creation of the "Reclaim the Birthright" movement, an anti-syndicalist political movement which sought to reconquer the British Isles, as well as Ireland, and reestablish the United Kingdom.

Upon the outbreak of the Second American Civil War, Canada initially intervened militarily on the side of the United States, allying itself with the federal military junta led by General and Acting President Douglas MacArthur. The New England theater of the war saw the Canadian Army fighting against the Combined Syndicates of America. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Navy and Airfoce blockaded and repeatedly dropped bombs on the Combined Syndicates provisional capitol of Chicago. As the war progressed, the Canadian government began to drift away from MacArthur, and began tacitly supporting the Provisional Pacific Coalition. Finally in 1942, following the Federal Collapse in Denver and MacArthur's capture by Syndicalist forces, Canada publicly began supporting the PPC and its new president, Charles L. McNary. Canadian military support was vital to the PPC's victory in the Battle of Monument Valley, a major turning point in the war. Canadian diplomats arbitrated the signing of the Rocky Mountain Armistice in 1943. Following the end of the war, Canada annexed the former U.S. States of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, transforming them into Canadian Provinces. Canada also annexed the territory of Alaska.

Canada formed an alliance with the German Empire and exiled French Third Republic, following the success of the Halifax Conference. Canada would then enter the Second Weltkrieg in late 1943.