A fictitious Diary Entry from a Canadian High School Student
- Part 2 -

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Saturday, September 2, 1864

Happily, today was the next meeting, and more progress was done. George- Étienne Cartier and my father, as representatives from Canada East, laid out all the Confederation's benefits and key points. There were around four points, but they all were very important issues and ideas we needed to consider if we were to make Confederation happen in British North America.

Firstly, Canadien leaders, Étienne-Paschal Taché and George-Étienne Cartier believed that through Confederation, they could establish a new set of rules and abilities that will help the Canadiens keep their unique identity, securing them under these new set or laws. Along with the positive comments, they had to add the negative comments that would come out of this.

They stated that some other Canadien citizens and leaders believed that these new set of rules and laws would allow the more powerful government to look over the Canadiens's problems and best interests in mind, and because they were a minority in British North America, the government's first priorities would only go to the majority of people like Anglophones. These were both very true facts and/or ideas.

This raised quiet conversation among themselves, until one politician from the crowd, whom I did not know, declared that they will think of a new system, so that the new government doesn't have all the control, and the people under this new government would have a voice in the decisions that are made.

If in the future, once Confederation was finished, our government would be fair and equal, giving everyone a voice; so it should be a government for the people, because they govern or look after us, so shouldn't we get a say on what happens to us? I think that was a very strong point. My father also added another key idea to the conversation.

According to him, which many people agreed really was happening, was that the British government has decided to quit trading on a system known as 'mercantilism', and they have begun to look for other trading partners. Now, our economy is not doing so well; without Britain to trade to, our major supply producers like lumber will have no consumers, so that will later result in no jobs, and soon no money, and British North America will be poor.

As conversations flew here and there, I overheard one politician talking to another man, he said, "Maybe we could trade within British North America, but I am not exactly saying to stop trade with Britain or other places, but maybe it is us who should support ourselves, instead of relying on other outside forces that probably don't care for us as much as they used to." I agree with him, and so did my father.

He said he would want to create a united nation that stretched from sea to sea. It is a good point. We don't need Britain! Once Confederation is finished, then we will be just as well off as Britain, but keeping trade with them at the same time would mean extra money, and that never hurt anyone.

We too could start trade with other partners, to expand our consumer range, which would mean, once again, more money and a better economy. After the somewhat recent war in 1812 with the Americans, they might try to strike again, so, they were worried it may happen again. If all the colonies in British North America joined into Confederation, we would have better reinforcement and power and support.

Then, we did not have to call Britain for support, because we have quick and easy access to our own military right here. The last point of the day was one that concerned our current government system. In the Legislative Assembly, there are a total of 84 seats; Francophone Canadians took half up, and the other 42 was made up of Anglophone Canadians.

Each group, due to different priorities, would take opposite sides in debates and issues, meaning 42-42 most of the time, which led to political deadlock, the inability to decide on an idea or action because the disagreement between equally powerful groups is the same. Due to this, few

decisions were rarely made, and later led to conflict within the Legislative. If Confederation were to start, the government system would have been better laid out, resulting in more action and progress being made. Also, even though this doesn't have much to do with the conference, I am just simply adding the fact that I am sneezing every 5 minutes, and I can feel a cold or flu coming up.

Every time I do sneeze, it is one of those really loud sneezes that makes people turn around and look at you weird while spitting snot out, and it is disgusting. The meeting ended, and we went back home, but not after a nice, pleasant ball with loud jolly music and high chandeliers, not to mention fantastic food. These people sure know how to host a ball!

To be continued..

PS: Per the parents: "The article is the diary entry for the class work which is marked as the best in the class and obtained 100% which would be beneficial to young school kids in helping them organizing the articles and how to organized the flow of thoughts.
This is the work of grade 7 in a school in Canada."