Question

Which one of the following statements about the founding of a federal Canada is true?

1) Canada is a federal state, meaning that it is comprised of a league of independent states.
2) The British North America Act, 1867, though an Act of the British Parliament, was drawn up with little input from the British Government.
3) The Fathers of Confederation wanted to unify Canada so that the provinces would merge and the populations would assimilate.
4) It was hoped that the unionization of Canada into a federal state would promote greater economic ties with the United States.

Answer 1

The true statement about the founding of a federal Canada is that the British North America Act, 1867, was drawn up with little input from the British Government. This act unified several colonies into the Dominion of Canada, with a strong central government, aimed at improving national defense and facilitating economic development such as building the Canadian Pacific Railroad.

Step-by-step explanation:

The true statement about the founding of a federal Canada is that the British North America Act, 1867, though an Act of the British Parliament, was drawn up with little input from the British Government. This Act joined the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into the Dominion of Canada, with its own right to self-governance, yet retaining Queen Victoria as the head of state within the British Empire.

Canada did not begin as a league of independent states; rather, it was formed with a strong central government unlike a true confederation. The starting point for this federation was the unification of various colonies for reasons such as national defense and economic growth, including the construction of the transcontinental railroad, the Canadian Pacific Railroad, which was essential for connecting eastern and western parts of Canada and completed in 1885. This act of union helped Canadians stave off threats of invasions from the United States and provided a framework for subsequent provinces to join the Dominion.

The desire for economic ties with the United States did play a role, but it was more about defense and economic development within Canada rather than promoting greater economic ties as a primary motive of confederation.