IV.  Amerika.  1367  246.  Canada,

246.  Canada.

Von  Herrn  Louis  HAMILTON,  Lehrer  am  Kgl.  Orientalischen  Seminar  in  Berlin.

The  Provinces  of  Ontario,  Quebec  (formerly  constituting  the  Colony),  New  Brunswick
and  Nova  Scotia,  were,  by  the  Imperial  Act,  30—31  Vict.,  c.  3,  formed  into  one  Dominion.
This  Act  was  brought  into  force  on  July  Ist,  by  Royal  Proclamation,  bearing  date  the  22nd  May,
1867.  _  The  Governor-General  of  Canada  was,  bv  Letters  Patent  of  ist  April,  1870,
eppointed  Governor  of  Rupert’s  Land.  The  admission  of  Rupert’s  Land  into  the  Dominion
after  the  15th  July,  1870,  was  provided  for  by  Order  in  Council  of  the  23rd  June,  1870,  and  the
Province  of  Manitoba  was  erected  out  of  the  Territory  by  a  Canadian  Act,  33  Vict.,  cap.  3,
and  made  a  Province  of  the  Dominion  the  15th  July,  1870.  By  Order  of  Her  Majesty  in  Council,
dated  16th  May,  1871,  issued  on  the  authority  of  the  British  North  America  Act  (30°  Victoria,
Cap.  3),  on  Addresses  from  the  Houses  of  Parliament  of  Canada  and  the  Legislature  of  British
Columbia,  that  Colony  was  incorporated  in  the  Dominion,  the  union  taking  effect  from  the
20th  July,  1871.  Prince  Edward  Island  was  admitted  by  Order  in  Council,  bearing  date
26th  of  June,  1873,  on  the  Ist  of  July  in  that  year.  By  an  Act  passed  in  1876,  the  portion  of
the  N.  W.  Territories  lying  to  the  north  of  Manitoba  was  created  into  a  separate  district,  under
the  name  of  the  District  of  Keewatin,  but  under  the  control  of  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of
Manitoba.  By  a  Canadian  Act,  38  Vict.,  cap.  49  (1875),  the  territories  formerly  known  as
Rupert’s  Land  and  the  N.  W.  Territory  (with  the  exception  of  the  portion  forming  the  Province
of  Manitoba),  were  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  and  control  of  a  Lieutenant-Governor  and
Council,  separate  and  distinct  from  Manitoba.  On  the  31st  July,  1880  in  compliance  with  the
prayer  of  an  address  from  the  Parliament  of  Canada,  dated  3rd  May,  1878  an  order  in  Council
was  issued  annexing  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada  from  ist  of  September,  1880,  such  British
Possessions  in  North  America  (other  than  Newfoundland)  as  were  not  previonsly  included  in
the  Dominion.  By  Minute  of  Council  of  May  17th,  1882,  the  districte  of  Assiniboia,Saskatohewan,
Alberta,  and  Athalaska,  were  created,  and  by  Order  in  Council  October  2nd,  1895,  modified
by  Order  in  Council  18th  December,  1897,  the  remaining  territory  was  subdivided  into  the
districte  of  Ungwa,  Franklin,  Mackenzie,  and  Yukon,  the  last-named  being  made  a  separate
territory,  distinct  from  the  North-West  Territories  under  special  regulations  by  chapter  6  of  the
Acts  of  the  Federal  Parliament,  1898.  By  chapters  3  and  27  of  the  Act  of  1905  the  four  provisional
  districts  of  Alberta,  Assiniboia,  Saskatchewan  and  Athalaska  were  formed  into  the  two
provinces  of  Alberta  and  Saskatchwan,  and  were  admitted  into  the  Dominion  as  such  on  the
ist  September,  1905.

The  British  North  America  Act.

(March  29,  1867.)

An  act  for  the  Union  of  Canada,  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  and  the  Government
  thereof;  and  for  purposes,  connected  therewith.
Whereas  the  provinces  of  Canada,  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  have

expressed  their  desire  to  be  federally  united  into  one  dominion  under  the  Crown
of  the  united  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  with  a  constitution  similar  in
principle  to  that  of  the  united  kingdom:

And  whereas  such  a  union  would  conduce  to  the  welfare  of  the  provinces  and
promote  the  interests  of  the  British  empire:

And  whereas  on:  the  establishment  of  the  union  by  authority  of  parliament
it  is  expedient,  not  only  that  the  constitution  of  the  legislative  authority  in  the
Dominion  be  provided  for,  but  also  that  the  nature  of  the  executive  government
therein  be  declared: