Canada's Growing Independence

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Canada’s Growing Independence from Britain This essay will discuss the major events that lead to Canada’s Growing Independence from Britain, ``independence is when someone has the freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one's own affairs without interference.`` (www.Brainy Quotes.com). This is an important topic because with independence any country can make its own decisions and live by its own rules, without control from any other source. Independence is important to Canada because it allows the government to make decisions for the people with no interference from outsiders, control situations, give citizens of Canada the rights and freedoms of Canada, and…show more content…
In the Peace Conference in Paris, Sir Robert Borden insisted that Canada should have the same representation as Belgium and the other small countries involved at the Conference; and in the end Canada was given the representation we truly deserved, especially after our contributions at Vimmy Ridge. Canada was given two seats in the Conference, and these were occupied alternately by Sir Robert Borden, Sir George Foster, the Honourable A. L. Sifton, and the Honourable C. J. Doherty. When the Treaty of Versailles came to be signed, Borden insisted that it should be signed separately on behalf of Canada to showcase our independence. Opposition to this proposal arose in the United States delegation, which maintained that if Canada and the other British Dominions signed separately, the British Empire would have six votes in the proposed League of Nations, whereas the United States would have only one. Eventually, the problem was resolved by having the British Empire delegation sign for Great Britain, and the representatives of the British Dominions sign underneath. When it was all said and done, Canada as a result of the treaty, obtained separate representation in the Assembly of the League of Nations, and even obtained the recognition of the right to have…show more content…
This represented the final step in Trudeau's liberal vision of a fully independent and nationalist Canada based on human rights and the protection of individual freedoms as well as those of cultural minorities. With this act, Britain surrenders the power to make laws affecting Canada; including the Constitution. The Canadian Constitution was now the backbone of Canada’s political and legal systems. Canada's original Constitution was an Act of British Parliament; it could only be changed by Britain, now Britain would have no say. In Ottawa, Queen Elizabeth II signed officially giving Canada control over its Constitution. The guarantee of rights and freedoms in the Charter became part of the supreme law of the land. The equality rights section of the Charter was delayed until April 17, 1985 (www.faculty.marianopolis.edu); this gave government’s time to update laws to meet equality requirements. Having a Charter of Rights and Freedoms in our Constitution has brought Canada in line with other liberal democracies in the world, all of whom have bills of rights that can be enforced by the courts, and now don’t look to Britain for decisions. In conclusion, without the push of Trudeau, we may still be under the nose of Britain, and would not have our own laws, rules, and practices that structure the way the Canadian political system runs add up to the constitution of

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