Why Did Canada West Want Representation by Population?

By the 1850s, the population of Canada West had grown to be larger than that of Canada East for the first time. This shift in demographics led to calls for “representation by population” (rep by pop) from politicians in Canada West, who wanted their growing population to be better reflected in the colonial legislature. However, George-Étienne Cartier, a prominent figure in Canada East, opposed rep by pop, fearing that it would eventually allow the English-speaking majority to dominate government decision-making and threaten the survival of French Canadian culture.

The Rise of Canada West

In the early 19th century, the colonies of Upper Canada (later Canada West) and Lower Canada (later Canada East) were united into a single colony called the Province of Canada. Despite their equal representation in the colonial legislature, Canada West had a smaller population than Canada East in the 1840s. This changed by the 1850s, as Canada West experienced rapid growth due to steady immigration from England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States.

By 1852, the population of Canada West had grown to around 950,000 people, surpassing the 890,000 inhabitants of Canada East. This demographic shift led politicians in Canada West to demand “representation by population,” or rep by pop, which would give them more seats in the legislature to match their growing numbers.

Cartier’s Opposition to Rep by Pop

However, the prospect of rep by pop was opposed by George-Étienne Cartier, a prominent figure in Canada East. Cartier feared that if the English-speaking population of Canada West gained a larger share of legislative seats, they would be able to dominate government decision-making and undermine the survival of French Canadian culture and institutions, such as Catholic schools.

The rift between the English and French populations in the Province of Canada, exacerbated by issues like rep by pop, created years of political deadlock and instability that ultimately necessitated structural changes to the colonial system.