Political Deadlock

Britain had declared in the Act of Union of 1841 that Canada East and Canada West would have equal representation in the elected assembly of the Province of Canada.

Britain made this decision because Canada East’s population (French speaking settlers) outnumbered Canada West’s population (English speaking settlers), and this guarantee of equal representation was supposed to bring balance and protection to both the English and French speaking settlers in British North America. However, it instead led to political deadlock, in which government decisions could not be made because each side blocked the other from advancing any agenda.

Two increasingly influential leaders in the assembly, George-Étienne Cartier from Canada East and John A. Macdonald from Canada West, began to work together to try to make positive changes for the future of Canada.