Big+Question+4

__**Big Question 4:**__ //Identify the internal transformation of Canada. What role do you think governments should play in the lives of the citizens?//

The internal transformation of Canada was a huge one, and it was the changing of the government, It was first the First Nations' type of government, whicih was specific to each tribe. It was mainly either the idea of equality between members, or the idea of having a hierarchy with a chief and council. It then changing to Europeans coming into the country and having their Seignioral system, The Royal Proclamation established a true government administrationm and tried to assimilate French-Catholics. Some Acts were put into place that upset many citizens of Canada. American Revolution came soon after, and this is where the 13 colonies won independence from Britain. Constitutional Act was put into place, and this made Canada into Upper and Lower Canada. Oligarchies were the next change, and this was where the elites ran Canada. This had an adverse effect on both Upper and Lower Canada - Upper Canada citizens had trouble getting land, since it was now restricted, and Lower Canada councils were controlled by the colony's English minority and this made the French try to fight for power. The results of the War of 1812 was finally a defined Canada and an end to the fighting. Reformist movements made known that Canadian citizens wanted Responsible government, Lord Durham was then sent to Canada to come up with ideas for a new government. His report help make both Upper and Lower Canada into one legislature, and they were both allowed 42 people in this legislature. **(Look to Big Question 3 for additional information)**

I think government should have a positive role in the life of the citizens. It should be a provider - provide order, helpful institutions, freedoms, and protection. In Canada now, we have order. Laws have been put into place to protect people and their belongings, and these laws helped put the idea of doing the right thing in the minds of the citizens. Without laws, people would have the notion to do whatever they want without any consequences. These laws would have also been helpful in earlier times, since creating a new country would have been difficult, and having people do whatever they please would have made things harder. If government didn't supply us with some sort of order, there would be a lot of problems. People would act, and not have to suffer the consequences for doing something illegal, as they would not know what would be acceptable actions in society. Along with that, each place may have a different set of rules, if any, and going from place to place would require a lot of different research to know how to act there. But, government should not completely restrict people. We are human beings and should have some rights, which is where the next point comes in. Government should be able to provide us with some ability to be ourselves and be respected for it. In Canada, we have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and this lets us speak our minds and have our own opinions. Governments should not be there to take away this privelege of being who we are. Having these rights back then would have been a good thing - the people who have felt like they were being accomodated more and perhaps there would have been less fights or battles for power or to be recognized as a distinct group (especially the French). Governments should also help regulate institutions such as school and other large parts of society, especially if they want their citizens to be able to make good of their lives and be a positive in their communities. It should help protect its people by giving them a good life in a sense they don't have to worry about wars or poverty, civil wars or the threat of losing their homes. These guarantees would have helped a lot of Canadians worry less, even though there was still a lot of wars back then, other sort of protections would have been really good for the people living back then. Overall, government should listen to its people and try to be beneficial to them and their country.