History
Canadian Confederation - Confederation of Canada - the act creating the union of four British colonies in North America, hereafter referred to as the Dominion of Canada or Canada. Confederation was signed in 1867, and it was the culmination of the British America Act passed by the British Parliament and signed by Queen Victoria. Confederation entered into force on 1 July 1867. The anniversary of that date is celebrated in Canada as a National Day Canada Day - Canada Day.
Of the seven British colonies in North America, four joined the Confederation of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The remaining three Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia remained outside the confederation. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec involved a smaller area than today. Their present-day northern confines, and the entire vast area between the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay and the Rocky Mountains and Labrador, and Alaska remained under the private management of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Despite the use of the term confederation of Canada is a confederation, but the federation. Element of "federation" does not exist or was not in the official name of the country - the Dominion of Canada or Canada.
With time, the other colonies joined Confederation, creating more provinces. Areas under the control of private were taken over by the Government of Canada and included in the confederation as the Northwest Territories. With time, they have been cut from another provinces and territories.
Canadian Confederation was negotiated between representatives of the colonies during the Conference in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island and Quebec City Conference in 1864 and the British government and Canadian politicians at the London conference. Participants in these conferences as they were endowed with the Fathers of Confederation.