Government of New Brunswick argues it was forced into Canada

Government of New Brunswick argues it was forced into Canada

excerpt:

New Brunswick's government has told the Supreme Court of Canada it's been getting a raw deal ever since it was strongarmed into Confederation

A legal brief filed last month tells a version of the Confederation story that isn't the one most remember from school.

It is a gritty tale of power brokers in London threatening New Brunswick with the loss of British military protection and the severing of important trade ties to the United States if it didn't sign on to the union that ended up vesting so much power in Quebec and Ontario.

The province insists the circumstances of Confederation suggest entry into the deal wasn't free - it was forced.

"Imperial officials meddled in the matter to put pressure on the New Brunswick government, beginning with giving precise instructions to the lieutenant-governor to take non-conciliatory positions on matters like defence and trade relations with the United States of America," the province says in a 33-page brief.

The document supports the province's intervention in the high court's deliberations into whether the federal government is justified in establishing a Canadian securities regulator.

excerpt:

The term "National Policy," Savoie says, is seen in the Maritimes as "code for looking after the economic interests of Central Canada."

The New Brunswick government says it was pressed into the federation of the provinces by a "situation outside its control" that led to uneven negotiations and an inability for the province to secure a pact that would ensure the protection of its interests.

What's worse, the province argues, is London pressured the province after the government of the day highlighted the shortcomings of Confederation and tried to get a better deal.

In his affidavit, Savoie says federal policies have had lasting impacts on the economies of New Brunswick and the Maritimes.

You must be older than I thought.

Nova Scotia also had a separatist government for awhile in the same period didn't it?  I'll defer to you Caissa.

Courtesy of Wikipaedia:
Nova Scotians elected 18 out of 19 anti-Confederation candidates as members of the first Dominion Parliament. Joseph Howe led the anti-Confederates in the Canadian House of Commons where he made a speech about his opposition to confederation.
Having failed to win repeal of Confederation in 1868 Howe recognized the futility of further protests. He refused to contemplate secession from the Canadian Confederation nor American annexation because of his loyalty to Britain. He ran in the great Hants County byelection of 1869 to create better terms for Nova Scotia within Canada rather than continue to seek repeal of Confederation. The Great Hants Campaign of 1869 was very difficult and compromised Howe's physical health. Many Nova Scotians continued to support the anti-confederation efforts but the Hants County electorate continued to support Joeseph Howe.
In 1869 Howe joined the Canadian Cabinet as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada after receiving a promise of "better terms" for Nova Scotia. In November 1869, he became secretary of state for the provinces in which post he played a role in Manitoba's entry into Confederation. He resigned his Cabinet post to become Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in 1873. He died in office only a few weeks after his appointment. He is buried in Camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Howe