Final answer:
William Lyon Mackenzie was Toronto's first mayor, elected in 1834. He was an influential figure in Upper Canada's Reform movement and played a crucial role in the Upper Canada Rebellion. This early local governance was an important step in Canada's path to self-governance and eventual confederation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Toronto's first mayor in the 1830s was William Lyon Mackenzie. He was a Scottish-born Canadian-American journalist and politician. Mackenzie served as the first mayor of Toronto in 1834 and played a significant role in the politics of the Upper Canada Rebellion in 1837. Although John Strachan, George Gurnett, and John Powell were prominent figures at the time, it was Mackenzie who became the first mayor, prompted in part by the desire to establish responsible local governance and the agitation for reform in Upper Canada.
While the history of Canadian confederation is typically associated with figures like Sir John A. Macdonald, who became the first Prime Minister of Canada in 1867, the role of municipal leaders like Mackenzie in local politics also played a valuable part in the development of Canadian self-governance.
Concerns about American expansionism and the unification of Canadian provinces, like the Dominion of Canada's formation in 1867 and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, highlight key moments in Canada's progress. These events exemplify the Canadian approach to growth and unity as an emerging nation, contrasting the more tumultuous path of the United States.