Info Box
A Step toward Democracy: Responsible Government
By the end of the 18th century, European kings and queens began to use advisors to help them with their increasingly complex duties as rulers. Eventually they allowed these advisors—often elected politicians—to do the day-to-day governing for them. This practice led to the development of representative government, or, a government in which the people choose (usually by voting) representatives to speak for them.
The idea of responsible government, or a government in which the representatives are held accountable to the people through the elected legislative assembly rather than to the appointed governor, came later.
Some of the more dramatic and influential steps in the road to responsible government in British North America were the Rebellions of 1837, which took place in Lower and Upper Canada. Following the rebellions, the British government sent Lord Durham to Canada to investigate. His report recommended that the Canadas be united under one legislative assembly and that the power of the government be in the hands of the elected assembly, not the appointed governor. Considered radical at the time, the plan was implemented in part in 1841, which led to the eventual adoption of responsible government. For a more detailed look at the evolution of responsible government, you might wish to complete the activity entitled “Are you Responsible?”
Responsible government gave the colonists of British North America control of their domestic affairs, because governors were obliged to follow the advice of the colonial ministers, chosen from representatives elected by the people, except in imperial matters (e.g. defence). By the time of Confederation in 1867, this system had been operating in most of what is now central and eastern Canada for almost 20 years.
In forging a new nation out of the colonies of British North America, the Fathers of Confederation built the country's foundations on two great principles: constitutional monarchy and responsible government.