Conferences+and+the+Great+Coalition

 **Confederation and the Great Coalition**

Narrator: A nation can be formed through many ways. The Americans fought for their freedom and for their independance, but north of the border, the citizens of British North America are going about this in a very different way.


 * classical music playing gently


 * doorknock

Little Boy: Father, father. There is someone at the door.

Father: Ah. That must be Cousin Jacque. I was wondering when he would get here.


 * footsteps, door opens

Father: Jacque! You have finally arrived. We were all waiting for you.

Jacque: Bonjour, cousin Gregory. It has been a very long time.

Father: Indeed, far too long. Dinner was just prepared – come, come and eat. You must be tired.

Jacque: And hungry as well, though I doubt your English food will compare to my wife’s French cooking.

Father: *laughs. Well, we shall see. Tommy, take Jacque’s jacket to the coat room, please.

Tommy: Yes Father. Then can you tell me why Uncle Jacque is visiting?

Jacque: If you listen well, you may learn some things, young Tommy. After all, Confederation affects everyone.

Father: Whether they like it or not. But before such discussions, let us eat!


 * dinner setting sounds?

Jacques:Gregory, I hear you have been involved in all this recent business with union

Gregory: Do I hear discontent in your voice, Jacques?

Jacques: You may. This union will cause naught but harm to we Quebecois.

Gregory: You are -

Tommy interrupts:Who are the Quebecois? Mother mentions them sometimes.

Mother: They are people who live in Canada East, Tommy. They-

Jacques: Were here first!

Gregory: Do not open up old wounds, Jacques. We are all Canadians, are we not? British or French, it does not matter. We are united.

Jacques: So you support Confederation, do you?

Gregory: Do you not? Canada must be united. How else will we be able to protect ourselves? Individually, we are weak. Weak and open to attack. The Americans will end their Civil War at any moment, and who will they turn on next? Us! We need a strong government to do what must be done, to defend and strengthen our nation. Individually, we are weak, but together, we are strong.

Jacques: Together? Yes, that is what all you unionists say. And I think you, Gregory, truly believe that. But not many do. Most of your unionist friends wish just to subjugate Quebec, to destroy our culture and and turn us into ‘good ‘Englishmen. We will not stand for it! We will not stand for a government in Ontario telling us what do do and obliterating our culture! Viva Quebec!

Gregory:Stop -

Mother(interrupting, overspeaking Greg): Gentlemen, gentlemen. calm down and think about this for a moment. Jacques, will the joining of British North America really be all that harmful to your culture? As we speak, the plentiful powers each province will have are being decided on.

Jacques: Well, no but...

Mother: And Gregory, dear husband, our need is not so great that a centralized government must have all the power. The Great Coalition of MacDonald and Cartier will give a fair share of power to the provinces, so everyone will have control over their home, and everyone can be happy,

Gregory: Yes, I agree, but we are in the middle of a depression! A single government would allow us to take charge of our economy. Do you dispute this Jacques?

Jacques: No, I do not disagree that union would make for a better economy, but with this reckless separation from Britain, all respect for French culture may be lost, something that can not be allowed to happen!

Gregory: With all due respect to your culture, a united Canada is still our best option for the future, regardless of what you, or the Parti Rouge might say.

Mother: Gregory! Jacques is our guest here. Can we not simply eat a meal without the two of you quibbling over politics? Let us just enjoy the meal in front of us, let the arguing go on outside the walls of our home. Like Canada, home should be a place of discussion, not fighting.

**Favoritism,** //**opportunity,**// **Insurrection, Devolution, and Compromise. These were the fundamental reasons of Canadian Confederation, and for better or for worse, built the country to what it is today.**