United Province of Canada

In 1837 Rebellions broke out in Upper and Lower Canada. The people were angry with the high-handed, exclusive government led by the wealthy upper classes, known as the "Family Compact". The rebellions were put down and the leaders fled to the United States where they had friends.

The British didn't want another revolution on their hands, so Lord Durham was sent to investigate. Durham advised the British government to unite Upper and Lower Canada into a single province with a more responsible form of government. On February 10th, 1841, the Act of Union was proclaimed in Montreal. Upper Canada became Canada West, and Lower Canada, Canada East.

Durham had solved one problem, but another remained: where to put the capital?

Both Canada East and Canada West agreed to the Act of Union, but agreeing on a capital was quite another story. Lord Sydenham, the first Governor of the United Province, chose Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario as his capital. A few years later, it was moved to the more cosmopolitan city of Montreal but this was a disaster. In an attempt to please everybody, the government decided to alternate between Toronto and Quebec City. Every four years, the legislature would move, taking with it the library, the civil service, and all of their files and records. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but before long the grumbling began again and the debate raged. Everyone had a favourite, usually located in his own riding! Finally, fed up and unable to agree, the government petitioned Queen Victoria and her Privy Council to make a decision and all agreed to abide by the Royal Decree.

Kingston

The City of Kingston seemed like a good choice for a capital. In 1841, it was a well established city halfway between Montreal and Toronto. Lord Sydenham moved into Alwington House, a country estate on the lakeshore, and the legislature used the new Kingston General Hospital until a proper House of Parliament could be built. Kingston was suddenly on the map.

Unfortunately, it was not to last. Kingston was right across the lake from a major American port and naval base. It was always open to attack in time of war. The War of 1812 and the Rebellions of 1837 were still fresh in the government's memory. In fact, some of the leaders of the rebellions were locked up in Fort Henry and they had friends just across the lake! On top of everything else, the MPs found Kingston primitive and too far away from anywhere else.

When the people of Kingston found out that the government planned to leave, they tried everything to persuade it to change its mind. They even offered to give the government their beautiful new city hall for a legislature. However the decision was final. Kingston's moment of fame had come and gone in just two short years.

Montreal

The government moved the capital to Montreal in 1843. 19th century Montreal was a thriving commercial city with a bustling port. It seemed an obvious choice for the capital, located in Francophone Canada East. However the city was closer to the Anglophone power base in Toronto than Quebec, with a mixed population of both cultures. It proved a lively mix; too lively in fact.

On April 23rd, 1849, a riot broke out in the streets surrounding the legislature. The crowd was outraged by the Rebellion Losses Bill which seemed to reward traitors for their part in the 1837 uprisings. Before it was over, the building had been torched and the governor had been driven away in a barrage of stones hurled by the mob.

The government reconvened in the Bonsecours Market Building. Badly shaken, MPs once more began to discuss moving the capital to a more stable location. What they chose was anything but stable.

Toronto and Quebec City

In 1849 the government made a strange compromise and decided to alternate between Toronto and Quebec City every four years.

These cities had been the capitals of Upper and Lower Canada before the Act of Union, and both had buildings available for the legislature. The inconvenience of moving everything back and forth made members grumble, quite naturally. However it made sense in some ways. Both cities had all of the conveniences that the MPs could want and were more conveniently located that Kingston.

No one ever thought that this would be a permanent solution. It was very expensive and for Toronto and Quebec it meant that the local economy would swing from prosperity to poverty and back every eight years. It must also have been embarrassing for the government. After the fiasco in Montreal, the government needed credibility. A nomadic legislature did not project the right image.

The first session was held at Quebec and closed with another catastrophic fire which destroyed the legislature in 1854. The next session was held at Toronto in the old parliament building on Front Street. The final roving session was held at Quebec City in another building while the new buildings were being prepared in Ottawa.