Central Canada and Her Western Colonies: The Historical Relationship Between Ontario-Quebec and Canada's Western Territories

This comprehensive analysis examines the complex historical relationship between Central Canada—comprising Ontario and Quebec—and the western territories that were progressively incorporated into the Canadian federation between 1870 and 1905. The relationship was fundamentally characterized by a colonial dynamic, where Central Canada exercised political and economic dominance over western territories that were administered almost as internal colonies before achieving provincial status. This colonial legacy profoundly shaped Canadian political development and continues to influence regional tensions through the phenomenon of western alienation, reflecting enduring grievances about political under-representation and economic exploitation of western resources for central Canadian benefit.

The Constitutional and Geographic Foundation of Central Canada

Central Canada, consisting of Ontario and Quebec, emerged as the dominant political and economic core of the Canadian federation from the time of Confederation in 18674. These provinces, designated as Canada West and Canada East respectively under the Province of Canada (1841-1867), possessed the largest populations and most developed economies in British North America4. Before Confederation, the region known as Canada specifically referred to what is now called Central Canada, with southern Ontario called Upper Canada and later Canada West, while southern Quebec was called Lower Canada and later Canada East4.

The geographic positioning of these provinces along the St. Lawrence River system and the Great Lakes provided them with natural advantages in transportation, communication, and economic development that would prove crucial in their subsequent dominance over western territories. Ontario and Quebec's combined population and economic strength translated directly into political power within the federal system, as representation in the House of Commons was based on population4. This demographic and economic foundation established the structural basis for Central Canada's colonial relationship with the western territories that would be acquired and developed over the subsequent decades.

The historical evolution of these provinces from their origins as Upper and Lower Canada through the Province of Canada period had already established patterns of political cooperation and competition that would influence their approach to western expansion. The experience of managing linguistic and cultural differences between English-speaking Ontario and French-speaking Quebec provided a template for incorporating diverse western populations, though often with limited consideration for local autonomy or distinct regional interests.

The Great Western Acquisition: Rupert's Land and the North-West Territories

The foundation of Central Canada's colonial relationship with the west began with the massive territorial acquisition of 1870, when the Canadian government purchased Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory from the Hudson's Bay Company for £300,000 (CAD$1.5 million)511. This transaction, representing the largest real estate deal in Canadian history by land area, transferred control of approximately one-third of present-day Canada to the federal government5. The acquisition transformed Canada from a modest northeastern country into an expansive nation reaching across North America5.

Rupert's Land had been under the exclusive commercial control of the Hudson's Bay Company since 1670, serving as the primary territory for the fur trade5. The territory was named after Prince Rupert, the HBC's first governor, and encompassed vast wilderness regions that would eventually be divided among Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories5. The federal government's approach to administering these newly acquired territories revealed the colonial mindset that would characterize Central Canada's relationship with the west for decades to come.

The creation of the North-West Territories on July 15, 1870, established the administrative framework through which Central Canada would govern the western regions11. Initially, the federal government chose to govern the NWT through Manitoba's lieutenant-governor in Winnipeg and an appointed Council, demonstrating the centralized approach that would generate lasting resentment in western Canada11. All of this territorial reorganization was conducted without consulting the Indigenous peoples of the region, a process that was only undertaken retroactively through treaty negotiations in the 1870s, 1899, and after 190511.

The external boundaries of the NWT were subject to numerous changes as Central Canada's provinces expanded their own territories northward. Ontario's boundary was extended north in 1874, and boundary disputes between Manitoba and Ontario persisted until 1889, when the federal government added significant portions of the NWT to northern Ontario11. Quebec's boundaries were similarly extended northward in 189811. These boundary adjustments reflected Central Canada's ability to secure territorial benefits from the western acquisition while maintaining political control over the remaining territories.

The Colonial Administration of Western Territories

The federal government's administration of western territories exhibited classic colonial characteristics, treating these regions as dependencies to be developed for the benefit of the central Canadian economy rather than as equal partners in Confederation. Canada administered its newly acquired western territories almost as if they were colonies, establishing the North West Mounted Police in 1873 to maintain law and order9. This approach reflected Central Canada's perception that the western territories required external authority and control rather than local self-governance.

The colonial relationship was most explicitly demonstrated in the case of Saskatchewan and Alberta, which upon entering Confederation in 1905 were denied control over their natural resources—a right enjoyed by all other provinces910. The federal government retained control of natural resources in both provinces, paying subsidies in place of the revenues these resources might have yielded9. This arrangement was not rectified until 1930, representing a 25-year period during which these western provinces operated under colonial economic arrangements that transferred resource wealth to federal coffers controlled by Central Canada9.

The process of territorial administration also revealed Central Canada's assumption of cultural and political superiority over western populations. When conflicts arose, such as during the Red River Resistance of 1869-70 and the North-West Rebellion of 1885, the federal government's response was to deploy military force to suppress local autonomy movements rather than negotiate political accommodations9. The 1885 deployment of troops to quell the second Riel Rebellion demonstrated Ottawa's determination to impose central authority over western populations who sought to establish their rights to western lands in the face of growing settlement pressure9.

The constitutional development of western territories proceeded at a pace and in a manner determined entirely by Central Canada. The territories were granted an executive council in 1875 with a promise of an elected assembly, and by 1897 they had achieved responsible parliamentary government on the British model9. However, this progression toward self-governance occurred only when and how Central Canada deemed appropriate, rather than in response to western demands for democratic representation and local control.

The Red River Colony and Manitoba's Incorporation

The Red River Colony represented the first major test of Central Canada's colonial approach to western territories. Established in 1812 by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, the Red River Colony developed into a multiracial society on the Red and Assiniboine rivers, with boundaries crossing parts of what are now Manitoba and North Dakota616. The colony's evolution through extreme hardship into a functioning community demonstrated the potential for successful western settlement, but also highlighted the tensions between local autonomy and central control that would characterize Canada's westward expansion.

The Red River Resistance of 1869-70 emerged directly from Ottawa's colonial approach to territorial incorporation. The federal government's perspective was that Red River had never been a British colony per se, and that the whole point of annexing the west was to enrich the Canadian project20. This attitude led to the assumption that western populations could be incorporated into Canada without meaningful consultation or accommodation of local interests and institutions.

The Manitoba Act of 1870 represented both a victory for local autonomy and a demonstration of Central Canada's ultimate authority over western development7. While the act marked the legal resolution of the conflict between the federal government and the Métis people of the Red River Colony, it also revealed the colonial dynamics at work7. The act included protections for the region's Métis population, but these protections were not fully realized, resulting in many Métis leaving the province for the North-West Territories7. The failure to implement promised protections demonstrated how Central Canada's colonial approach prioritized political control and economic development over indigenous rights and local autonomy.

The creation of Manitoba as Canada's fifth province provided a template for subsequent western provinces, but one that emphasized federal authority over provincial autonomy. Manitoba's initial boundaries were deliberately limited, creating a small province that could be more easily controlled from Ottawa. The province's subsequent boundary expansions in 1881 and 1912 occurred at federal discretion rather than provincial demand, reinforcing the colonial relationship between Central Canada and western territories11.

British Columbia's Unique Path to Confederation

British Columbia's incorporation into Canada followed a different trajectory than the prairie territories, but still reflected Central Canada's colonial approach to western expansion. The Colony of British Columbia was founded in 1858 in response to the Fraser River Gold Rush, which brought approximately 30,000 gold-seekers, many from the United States, to the region19. The British government's swift creation of the crown colony demonstrated the imperial urgency to maintain control over this strategically important Pacific territory.

The colony established representative government in 1864 and merged with the Colony of Vancouver Island in 186619. Unlike the prairie territories, British Columbia possessed sufficient population and economic development to negotiate terms of union as a more equal partner. In May 1868, Amor De Cosmos formed the Confederation League to bring responsible government to BC and to join Confederation19. The Confederation League's 37 resolutions outlining terms for union with Canada were passed by both the BC assembly and federal Parliament in 187119.

British Columbia's entry into Canada as the sixth province on July 20, 1871, was significantly influenced by the threat of American annexation, embodied by the Alaska purchase of 1867, and the promise of a railway linking BC to the rest of Canada19. However, even in this seemingly more equal negotiation, Central Canada's priorities dominated the terms of union. The promised transcontinental railway served Central Canadian economic interests by providing access to Pacific markets and resources, while BC's development would be shaped by central Canadian capital and political direction.

The railway promise that secured BC's entry into Confederation exemplified the colonial economic relationship. While presented as a benefit to BC, the Canadian Pacific Railway primarily served to transport central Canadian manufactured goods westward and western resources eastward, creating a classic colonial economic pattern that persisted well into the twentieth century.

The Creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta

The simultaneous creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta as provinces in 1905 represented the culmination of Central Canada's colonial administration of the western territories, but also demonstrated the persistence of colonial relationships even after provincial status was achieved. Both provinces were carved from the North-West Territories through federal legislation—the Saskatchewan Act and Alberta Act—that reflected Central Canada's determination to maintain control over western development910.

Saskatchewan officially became a province through the Saskatchewan Act of 1905, entering Confederation with its present boundaries and provincial status equal to others, except for the crucial exception of natural resource control9. The federal government's retention of natural resource control represented a fundamental denial of provincial equality, as all other provinces possessed this essential attribute of sovereignty from the moment of their creation or entry into Confederation9. This arrangement ensured that resource revenues would flow to federal coffers rather than supporting provincial development, maintaining the colonial economic relationship between Central Canada and the west.

Alberta's path to provincial status followed an identical pattern, officially becoming a province on September 1, 1905, when George Hedley Vicars Bulyea was appointed as Lieutenant Governor10. The province was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of the Marquis of Lorne, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 188310. This naming convention reflected the imperial and central Canadian cultural dominance that characterized the colonial relationship with western territories.

The population estimates for Alberta in 1905 varied significantly, with Prime Minister Laurier estimating 250,000 people based on homestead applications, while other sources suggested figures as low as 160,00010. The 1906 census reported Alberta's population as 185,412 people10. These population figures, while substantial, remained far below those of Central Canada, ensuring continued political dominance by Ontario and Quebec in federal institutions.

Both Saskatchewan and Alberta faced the colonial arrangement of federal natural resource control until 1930, a 25-year period during which these provinces operated under economic constraints that no other province had experienced9. The eventual transfer of natural resources to provincial control in 1930 marked the end of the most explicit colonial relationship, but the legacy of central Canadian dominance continued to influence federal-provincial relations and western political development.

The Legacy of Western Alienation

The colonial relationship between Central Canada and western territories established patterns of political and economic dominance that evolved into the enduring phenomenon of western alienation. Western alienation, in the context of Canadian politics, refers to the notion that western provinces—British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—have been marginalized within Confederation, particularly compared to Central Canada's two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec2. This alienation frequently alleges that Eastern Canada is politically over-represented and receives outsized economic benefits at the expense of western Canadians2.

Western alienation has deep historical roots dating back to the nineteenth century, directly traceable to the colonial administration of western territories by Central Canada2. The phenomenon has led to the establishment of numerous western regional political parties at both provincial and federal levels, representing both conservative and progressive political perspectives, though since the 1980s it has been more closely associated with conservative politicians2. These political movements have consistently expressed desires for a larger place for the west within Confederation, and at times have resulted in calls for western separatism and independence2.

According to recent analyses, western alienation remains particularly potent in Alberta and Saskatchewan politics, the two provinces that experienced the longest period of explicit colonial administration through federal natural resource control2. A 2019 Ipsos poll found historically high levels of support for secession from Canada in both provinces, demonstrating the enduring impact of the colonial legacy2. However, alienation sentiments vary over time and place, with a 2010 Canada West Foundation study finding decreased alienation across the region in the first decade of the twenty-first century2.

The persistence of western alienation reflects the structural inequalities established during the colonial period that have never been fully addressed. While formal colonial arrangements ended with the transfer of natural resources in 1930, the federal system continued to embody principles that favor Central Canada's population and economic interests over western regional concerns. The legacy of treating western territories as internal colonies created lasting patterns of federal-provincial relations that continue to generate regional tensions and political conflicts.

Conclusion

The relationship between Central Canada and western territories from 1870 to 1905 established a colonial dynamic that profoundly shaped Canadian political development and continues to influence contemporary federal-provincial relations. Central Canada's approach to western expansion prioritized political control and economic exploitation over regional autonomy and equal partnership, creating lasting grievances that persist in the form of western alienation. The systematic denial of provincial equality through arrangements such as federal natural resource control demonstrated Central Canada's determination to maintain colonial relationships even after granting formal provincial status.

The historical record reveals that Central Canada's colonial administration of western territories was not merely an administrative convenience but a deliberate strategy to ensure continued dominance over western development and resources. This approach succeeded in incorporating vast territories into the Canadian federation while maintaining Central Canada's political and economic hegemony, but at the cost of creating enduring regional divisions that continue to challenge Canadian unity. The legacy of this colonial relationship suggests that meaningful reconciliation between Central and Western Canada requires acknowledgment of historical injustices and structural reforms that address the fundamental inequalities established during the territorial period.

Understanding this colonial legacy is essential for comprehending contemporary Canadian politics, where western alienation remains a significant force and regional tensions continue to shape federal elections and policy debates. The failure to fully address the colonial aspects of Canada's westward expansion has created lasting institutional and cultural patterns that perpetuate central Canadian dominance while generating persistent western resentment, demonstrating the enduring significance of historical colonial relationships in shaping modern federal systems.

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