132-617: Anti-Confederation was the name used in what is now the Maritimes by several parties opposed to Canadian Confederation . The Anti-Confederation parties were accordingly opposed by the Confederation Party , that is, the Conservative and Liberal-Conservative parties. In the 1867 election in Nova Scotia, Anti-Confederates won 36 out of 38 seats in the provincial legislature , and formed
264-573: A Maritime Union has been proposed at various times in Canada's history; the first discussions in 1864 at the Charlottetown Conference contributed to Canadian Confederation . This movement formed the larger Dominion of Canada . The Mi'kmaq , Maliseet and Passamaquoddy people are indigenous to the Maritimes, while Acadian and British settlements date to the 17th century. The word maritime
396-477: A Golden Age, but that was a myth created in the 1930s to lure tourists to a romantic era of tall ships and antiques. Recent historians using census data have shown that is a fallacy. In 1851–1871 there was an overall increase in per capita wealth holding. However most of the gains went to the urban elite class, especially businessmen and financiers living in Halifax. The wealth held by the top 10% rose considerably over
528-611: A booming agricultural and fishing export economy having led to that colony opting not to sign on. The major communities of the region include Halifax and Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Moncton , Saint John , and Fredericton in New Brunswick, and Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island. In spite of its name, The Maritimes has a humid continental climate of the warm-summer subtype. Especially in coastal Nova Scotia, differences between summers and winters are narrow compared to
660-697: A garrison of 20 French soldiers under the command of Joseph du Pont Duvivier . The troops fled the settlement, and the New Englanders burned the settlement to the ground. Duvivier and the twenty men retreated up the Northeast River (Hillsborough River), pursued by the New Englanders until the French troops were reinforced with the arrival of the Acadian militia and the Mi'kmaq. The French troops and their allies were able to drive
792-482: A government under William Annand (See 24th General Assembly of Nova Scotia ). The Anti-Confederation Party was opposed by the Confederation Party of Charles Tupper . Prominent Anti-confederates included the noted shipbuilder William D. Lawrence , Alfred William Savary and the wealthy merchant Enos Collins . Federally, in the 1867 federal election , the Anti-Confederates won 18 of Nova Scotia's 19 seats in
924-643: A great many potential culprits. In 1867 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick merged with the Canadas in Confederation , with Prince Edward Island joining them six years later in 1873. Canada was formed only a year after free trade with the United States (in the form of the Reciprocity Treaty ) had ended. In the 1870s John A. Macdonald 's National Policy was implemented, creating a system of protective tariffs around
1056-530: A high iron concentration, which oxidizes upon exposure to the air. The geological properties of the white silica sand found at Basin Head are unique in the province; the sand grains cause a scrubbing noise as they rub against each other when walked on, and have been called the "singing sands". Large dune fields on the north shore can be found on barrier islands at the entrances to various bays and harbours. The sand dunes at Greenwich are of particular significance as
1188-560: A lead-replacement program. A plebiscite in 1967 was held in Charlottetown over fluoridation, and residents voted in favour. Under provincial legislation, the Utility is required to report to its residents on an annual basis. It is also required to do regular sampling of the water and an overview is included in each annual report. The Winter River watershed provides about 92 per cent of the 18-million-litre (4.8-million-US-gallon) water supply for
1320-534: A legislature over which they have no control, and in which they would possess but a nominal and entirely ineffective representation; deprive them of their invaluable fisheries, railways, and other property, and reduce this hitherto free, happy, and self-governed province to a degraded condition of a servile dependency of Canada." There was also an Anti-Confederation Party in New Brunswick led by Albert James Smith , whose coalition of Conservatives and Reformers won
1452-638: A moratorium on high-capacity water wells for irrigation. The release of the discussion paper was to set off a consultation process in the autumn of 2015. Detailed information about the quality of drinking water in PEI communities and watersheds can be found on the provincial government's official website. It provides a summary of the ongoing testing of drinking water done by the Prince Edward Island Analytical Laboratories . Average drinking-water quality results are available, and information on
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#17328443679161584-512: A number of conditions attached regarding upkeep and settlement terms, many of which were not satisfied. Islanders spent decades trying to convince the Crown to confiscate the lots; however, the descendants of the original owners were generally well connected to the British government and refused to give up the land. After the island was detached from Nova Scotia to become a separate colony, Walter Patterson
1716-410: A population of 142,910. Of the 140,020 singular responses to the census question concerning mother tongue, the most commonly reported languages were as follows: In addition, there were 460 responses of both English and a "non-official language"; 30 of both French and a "non-official language"; 485 of both English and French; and 20 of English, French, and a "non-official language". (Figures shown are for
1848-553: A portion of coastal Maine at one point. The most significant incident from this war which occurred in the Maritimes was the British capture and detention of USS Chesapeake , an American frigate in Halifax. In 1820, the Colony of Cape Breton Island was merged back into the Colony of Nova Scotia for the second time by the British government. British settlement of the Maritimes, as the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island came to be known, accelerated throughout
1980-416: A similar view and provides considerable evidence that the early 1880s were in fact a booming period in Nova Scotia and this growth was only undermined towards the end of that decade. David Alexander argues that any earlier declines were simply part of the global Long Depression , and that the Maritimes first fell behind the rest of Canada when the great boom period of the early 20th century had little effect on
2112-592: A smaller population of the Maliseet in western New Brunswick. Given the small population of the region (compared with the Central Canadian provinces or the New England states), the regional economy is a net exporter of natural resources, manufactured goods, and services. The regional economy has long been tied to natural resources such as fishing, logging, farming, and mining activities. Significant industrialization in
2244-671: Is Eilean a' Phrionnsa (lit. "the Island of the Prince", the local form of the longer 'Eilean a' Phrionnsa Iomhair/Eideard'), or Eilean Eòin (literally, "John's Island" in reference to the island's former French name) for some Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia, though not on PEI. Prince Edward Island is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence , west of Cape Breton Island , north of the Nova Scotia peninsula , and northeast of New Brunswick . Its southern shore bounds
2376-521: Is an adjective that means of the sea ; from Latin maritimus "of the sea, near the sea", from mare "sea". Thus any land adjacent to the sea can be considered maritime. But the term Maritimes has historically been collectively applied to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, all of which border the Atlantic Ocean . The pre-history of the Canadian Maritimes begins after
2508-450: Is an island province of Canada. While it is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", "Birthplace of Confederation" and "Cradle of Confederation". Its capital and largest city is Charlottetown . It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces . Part of
2640-534: Is called the Laurentian tradition started among Archaic Indians , the term used for First Nations peoples of the time. Evidence of Archaic Indian burial mounds and other ceremonial sites existing in the Saint John River valley has been uncovered. The Late Period extended from 3,000 years ago until first contact with European settlers. This period was dominated by the organization of First Nations peoples into
2772-722: Is characterized by changeable weather throughout the year; in which specific weather conditions seldom last for long. During July and August, the average daytime high in PEI is 23 °C (73 °F); however, the temperature can sometimes exceed 30 °C (86 °F) during these months. In the winter months of January and February, the average daytime high is −3.3 °C (26 °F). The Island receives an average yearly rainfall of 855 millimetres (33.7 in) and an average yearly snowfall of 2.85 metres (9.4 ft). Winters are moderately cold and long but are milder than inland locations, with clashes of cold Arctic air and milder Atlantic air causing frequent temperature swings. The climate
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#17328443679162904-597: Is considered to be more humid continental climate than oceanic since the Gulf of St. Lawrence freezes over, thus eliminating any moderation. The mean temperature is −7 °C (19 °F) in January. During the winter months, the island usually has many storms (which may produce rain as well as snow) and blizzards since during this time, storms originating from the North Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico frequently pass through. Springtime temperatures typically remain cool until
3036-682: Is less prevalent today. During the American Civil War , a significant number of Maritimers volunteered to fight for the armies of the Union , while a small handful joined the Confederate Army . However, the majority of the conflict's impact was felt in the shipping industry. Maritime shipping boomed during the war due to large-scale Northern imports of war supplies which were often carried by Maritime ships as Union ships were vulnerable to Confederate naval raiders. Diplomatic tensions between Britain and
3168-473: Is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence , about 10 km (6 miles) across the Northumberland Strait from both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick . It is about 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Halifax and 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of Quebec City . It has a land area of 5,686.03 km (2,195.39 sq mi), is the 104th-largest island in the world and Canada's 23rd-largest island . It
3300-441: Is naturally filtered. The water for the city of Charlottetown is extracted from thirteen wells in three wellfields and distributed to customers. The water removed is replenished by precipitation. Infrastructure in Charlottetown that was installed in 1888 is still in existence. With the age of the system in the older part of Charlottetown, concern has been raised regarding lead pipes. The Utility has been working with its residents on
3432-492: Is the only Canadian province consisting solely of an island. The island is known in the Mi'kmaq language of its historic indigenous occupants as Abegweit or Epekwitk , roughly translated as "land cradled in the waves". When the island was part of Acadia , originally settled by French colonists, its French name was Île Saint-Jean (St. John's Island). In French, the island is today called Île-du-Prince-Édouard (ÎPÉ). The island
3564-526: The Violet sank and 280 died; several days later Ruby sank with 213 on board. The French formally ceded the island, and most of New France to the British in the Treaty of Paris of 1763 . Initially named St. John's Island by the British, the island was administered as part of the colony of Nova Scotia, until it was split into a separate colony in 1769. In the mid-1760s, a survey team led by Samuel Holland divided
3696-452: The 2016 Canadian Census of the 139,690 people who self-identified with an ethnic origin, 98,615 were of European origins and 85,145 chose British Isles Origins. The largest ethnic group consists of people of Scottish descent (36%), followed by English (29%), Irish (28%), French (21%), German (5%), and Dutch (3%) descent. Prince Edward Island's population is largely white; there are few visible minorities . Chinese Canadians are
3828-569: The Algonquian -speaking Abenaki Nation, which occupied territory largely in present-day interior Vermont , New Hampshire , and Maine , and the Mi'kmaq Nation, which inhabited all of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, eastern New Brunswick and the southern Gaspé . The primarily agrarian Maliseet Nation settled throughout the Saint John River and Allagash River valleys of present-day New Brunswick and Maine. The Passamaquoddy Nation inhabited
3960-529: The Annapolis Basin . Acadians lived with uncertainty throughout the English constitutional crises under Oliver Cromwell , and it was not until the Treaty of Breda in 1667 that France's claim to the region was reaffirmed. Colonial administration by France throughout the history of Acadia was of low priority. France's priorities were in settling and strengthening its claim on the larger territory of New France and
4092-627: The Bay of Fundy being populated by French immigrants who called themselves Acadien . The Acadians eventually built small settlements throughout what is today mainland Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , as well as Île-Saint-Jean ( Prince Edward Island ), Île-Royale ( Cape Breton Island ), and other shorelines of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in present-day Newfoundland and Labrador , and Quebec . Acadian settlements had primarily agrarian economies. Early examples of Acadian fishing settlements developed in southwestern Nova Scotia and in Île-Royale, as well as along
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4224-554: The Brittany , Normandie , and Vienne regions of France, continued to populate the colony of Acadia during the latter part of the 17th and early part of the 18th centuries. Important settlements also began in the Beaubassin region of the present-day Isthmus of Chignecto , and in the Saint John River valley, as well as smaller communities on Île-Saint-Jean and Île-Royale. In 1654, raiders from New England attacked Acadian settlements on
4356-467: The Cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald , leading to the movement's collapse (1869). "...the scheme [confederation with Canada] by them assented to would, if adopted, deprive the people [of Nova Scotia] of the inestimable privilege of self-government, and of their rights, liberty and independence, rob them of their revenue, take from them the regulation of trade and taxation, expose them to arbitrary taxation by
4488-556: The Caribbean , to being focused on commerce with the Canadian interior, enforced by the federal government's tariff policies. Coincident with the construction of railways in the region, the age of the wooden sailing ship began to come to an end, being replaced by larger and faster steel steamships . The Maritimes had long been a centre for shipbuilding , and this industry was hurt by the change. The larger ships were also less likely to call on
4620-536: The Charlottetown Conference in 1864 to discuss a union of the Maritime provinces ; however, the conference became the first in a series of meetings which led to Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867. Prince Edward Island initially balked at Confederation but, facing bankruptcy from the Land Question and construction of a railroad , joined as Canada's seventh province on July 1, 1873. According to Statistics Canada,
4752-576: The Confederation Bridge . There have been airport improvements at various centres providing improved connections to markets and destinations in the rest of North America and overseas. Improvements in infrastructure and the regional economy notwithstanding, the three provinces remain one of the poorer regions of Canada. While urban areas are growing and thriving, economic adjustments have been harsh in rural and resource-dependent communities, and emigration has been an ongoing phenomenon for some parts of
4884-570: The House of Commons of Canada . Joseph Howe won the federal seat in Hants County, Nova Scotia , while William D. Lawrence won the Hants County provincial seat. Britain , however, refused to allow Nova Scotia to secede. While many anti-confederationists threatened to secede and join the United States , Howe was a pragmatist and ultimately accepted Confederation as a fact. He was soon persuaded to join
5016-502: The Northumberland Strait . The island has two urban areas, and in total, is the most densely populated province in Canada. The larger urban area surrounds Charlottetown Harbour, situated centrally on the island's southern shore. It consists of the capital city Charlottetown , the suburban towns of Cornwall and Stratford , and a developing urban fringe . A much smaller urban area developed around Summerside Harbour, situated on
5148-753: The Raid on Chignecto , were conducted by Benjamin Church . In the second war, Queen Anne's War (the North American theatre of the War of the Spanish Succession ), the British conducted the Conquest of Acadia , while the region remained primarily in control of Maliseet militia , Acadia militia and Mi'kmaw militia . In 1719, to further protect strategic interests in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and St. Lawrence River , France began
5280-529: The Siege of Louisbourg . The British returned control of Île-Royale to France with the fortress virtually intact three years later under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and the French reestablished their forces there. In 1749, to counter the rising threat of Louisbourg, Halifax was founded and the Royal Navy established a major naval base and citadel . The founding of Halifax sparked Father Le Loutre's War . During
5412-574: The Unionist North had deteriorated after some interests in Britain expressed support for the secessionist Confederate South . The Union Navy , although much smaller than the British Royal Navy and no threat to the Maritimes, did posture off Maritime coasts at times chasing Confederate naval ships which sought repairs and reprovisioning in Maritime ports, especially Halifax. The immense size of
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5544-639: The United Church of Canada with 26,570 (20%); the Presbyterian Church with 7,885 (6%) and the Anglican Church of Canada with 6,525 (5%); those with no religion were among the lowest of the provinces with 8,705 (6.5%). If one considers that the founders of the United Church of Canada were largely Presbyterians in Prince Edward Island, the Island has one of the highest percentages of Presbyterians in
5676-616: The Vinland region around 1000 AD, which is when the L'Anse aux Meadows settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador has been dated. They may have made further exploration into the present-day Maritimes and northeastern United States. Both Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) and Giovanni da Verrazzano are reported to have sailed in or near Maritime waters during their voyages of discovery for England and France, respectively. Several Portuguese explorers / cartographers have also documented various parts of
5808-460: The continental margin . Regional transportation networks have also changed significantly in recent decades with port modernizations, with new freeway and ongoing arterial highway construction, the abandonment of various low-capacity railway branch lines (including the entire railway system of Prince Edward Island and southwestern Nova Scotia), and the construction of the Canso Causeway and
5940-456: The siege of Louisbourg , the British performed a military campaign on Ile Saint-Jean (now Prince Edward Island) to secure the island. The campaign was led by Colonel Andrew Rollo under orders from General Jeffery Amherst . The following campaigns saw the deportation of most Acadians from the island. Many Acadians died in the expulsion en route to France; on December 13, 1758, the transport ship Duke William sank and 364 died. A day earlier
6072-527: The 17th and 18th centuries brought Acadia to the centre of world-scale geopolitical forces. In 1613, Virginian raiders captured Port-Royal, and in 1621 France ceded Acadia to Scotland's Sir William Alexander , who renamed it Nova Scotia . By 1632, Acadia was returned from Scotland to France under the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye . The Port Royale settlement was moved to the site of nearby present-day Annapolis Royal . More French immigrant settlers, primarily from
6204-636: The 1865 election. It was, however, soundly defeated in the 1866 election by the Confederation Party led by Peter Mitchell . The legislature that resulted from that election approved Confederation by a margin of 38 to 1. Accordingly, in the 1867 federal election the Anti-Confederates did not win any of New Brunswick's fifteen seats in the House of Commons of Canada. While in Nova Scotia and elsewhere, opponents of confederation were predominantly Liberals and supporters were predominantly Tories, in New Brunswick
6336-577: The 18th century, the French were engaged in a series of conflicts with the Kingdom of Great Britain and its colonies. Several battles between the two belligerents occurred on Prince Edward Island during this period. Following the British capture of Louisbourg during the War of the Austrian Succession , New Englanders launched an attack on Île Saint-Jean (now Prince Edward Island); with a British detachment landed at Port-la-Joye. The island's capital had
6468-473: The 1950s, resulting in the need to draw upon equalization payments to provide nationally mandated social services. Since the 1990s the region has experienced an exceptionally tumultuous period in its regional economy with the collapse of large portions of the ground fishery throughout Atlantic Canada, the closing of coal mines and a steel mill on Cape Breton Island , and the closure of military bases in all three provinces. That being said, New Brunswick has one of
6600-463: The 20-year construction of a large fortress at Louisbourg on Île-Royale. Massachusetts was increasingly concerned over reports of the capabilities of this fortress, and of privateers staging out of its harbour to raid New England fishermen on the Grand Banks. In the fourth war, King George's War (the North American theatre of the War of the Austrian Succession ), the British engaged successfully in
6732-634: The British and French were ended in 1748 with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. Roughly one thousand Acadians lived on the island prior to the Acadian Exodus from Nova Scotia. The population grew to nearly 5,000 the late 1740s and early 1750s, as Acadians from Nova Scotia fled to the island during the Acadian Exodus , and the subsequent British-ordered expulsions beginning in 1755. Hostilities between British and French colonial forces resumed in 1754, although formal declarations of war were not issued until 1756. After French forces were defeated at
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#17328443679166864-633: The British and maintained vital supply lines to the French Fortress of Louisbourg and Fort Beausejour. The British sought to neutralize any military threat Acadians posed and to interrupt the vital supply lines Acadians provided to Louisbourg by deporting Acadians from Acadia. The British began the Expulsion of the Acadians with the Bay of Fundy campaign in 1775. Over the next nine years over 12,000 Acadians of 15,000 were removed from Nova Scotia. In 1758,
6996-476: The Colony of Nova Scotia to create the new colony of New Brunswick in 1784. At the same time, another part of the Colony of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, was split off to become the Colony of Cape Breton Island. The Colony of St. John's Island was renamed Prince Edward Island on November 29, 1798. The War of 1812 had some effect on the shipping industry in the Maritime colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton Island; however,
7128-593: The Confederate and Anti-Confederate parties had dissolved and were replaced by the old Liberal and Tory parties. Maritimes The Maritimes , also called the Maritime provinces , is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces : New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , and Prince Edward Island . The Maritimes had a population of 1,899,324 in 2021, which makes up 5.1% of Canada's population. Together with Canada's easternmost province, Newfoundland and Labrador ,
7260-472: The Island into 67 lots. On July 1, 1767, these properties were allocated to supporters of King George III by means of a lottery. Ownership of the land remained in the hands of landlords in England, angering Island settlers who were unable to gain title to land on which they worked and lived. Significant rent charges (to absentee landlords) created further anger. The land had been given to the absentee landlords with
7392-450: The Maritime provinces make up the region of Atlantic Canada . Located along the Atlantic coast, various aquatic sub-basins are located in the Maritimes, such as the Gulf of Maine and Gulf of St. Lawrence . The region is located northeast of New England in the United States, south and southeast of Quebec 's Gaspé Peninsula , and southwest of the island of Newfoundland . The notion of
7524-671: The Maritime regional economy has begun increased contributions from manufacturing again and the steady transition to a service economy. Important manufacturing centres in the region include Pictou County , Truro , the Annapolis Valley and the South Shore , and the Strait of Canso area in Nova Scotia, as well as Summerside in Prince Edward Island, and the Miramichi area, the North Shore and
7656-409: The Maritimes, namely Diogo Homem . However, it was French explorer Jacques Cartier who made the first detailed reconnaissance of the region for a European power and, in so doing, claimed the region for the King of France. Cartier was followed by nobleman Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons , who was accompanied by explorer / cartographer Samuel de Champlain in a 1604 expedition. During this they established
7788-411: The Maritimes. Growth was strong, and the region had one of British North America 's most extensive manufacturing sectors as well as a large international shipping industry. The question of why the Maritimes fell from being a centre of Canadian manufacturing to being an economic hinterland is thus a central one to the study of the region's pecuniary difficulties. The period in which the decline occurred had
7920-449: The New Englanders to their boats. Nine New Englanders were killed, wounded or made prisoner. The New Englanders took six Acadian hostages , who would be executed if the Acadians or Mi'kmaq rebelled against New England control. The New England troops left for Louisbourg. Duvivier and his 20 troops left for Quebec. After the fall of Louisbourg, the resident French population of Île Royale (now Cape Breton Island ) were deported to France, with
8052-432: The Union Army (the largest on the planet toward the end of the Civil War), however, was viewed with increasing concern by Maritimers throughout the early 1860s. Another concern was the rising threat of Fenian raids on border communities in New Brunswick by the Fenian Brotherhood seeking to end British rule in Ireland . This combination of events, coupled with an ongoing decline in British military and economic support to
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#17328443679168184-452: The United States. In 1873, Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald , anxious to thwart American expansionism and facing the distraction of the Pacific Scandal , negotiated for Prince Edward Island to join Canada. The Dominion Government of Canada assumed the colony's extensive railway debts and agreed to finance a buy-out of the last of the colony's absentee landlords to free the island of leasehold tenure and from any new immigrants entering
8316-425: The attorney-general at Charlottetown, on advice given them by some Pictou residents after they had taken eight fishing vessels in the Gut of Canso . During and after the American Revolutionary War, from 1776 to 1783, the colony's efforts to attract exiled Loyalist refugees from the rebellious American colonies met with some success. Walter Patterson's brother, John Patterson, one of the original grantees of land on
8448-406: The city of Charlottetown, which had difficulty in each of 2011, 2012 and 2013 with its supply, until water meters were installed. Government tabled a discussion paper on the proposed Water Act for the province on July 8, 2015. The use of groundwater came under scrutiny as the potato industry, which accounts for $ 1 billion every year and 50% of farm receipts, has pressed the government to lift
8580-408: The colony's name from St. John's Island to Prince Edward Island to distinguish it from areas with similar names in what is now Atlantic Canada , such as the cities of Saint John in New Brunswick and St. John's in Newfoundland. The colony's new name honoured the fourth son of King George III , Prince Edward Augustus, the Duke of Kent (1767–1820), who subsequently led the British military forces on
8712-484: The coming months, with Île-Saint-Jean falling in 1759 to British forces on their way to Quebec City for the first siege of Quebec and the ensuing Battle of the Plains of Abraham . The war ended and Britain had gained control over the entire Maritime region and the Indigenous people signed the Halifax Treaties . Following the Seven Years' War , empty Acadian lands were settled first by 8,000 New England Planters and then by immigrants brought from Yorkshire . Île-Royale
8844-444: The continent as Commander-in-Chief, North America (1799–1800), with his headquarters in Halifax . In 1853, the Island government passed the Land Purchase Act which empowered them to purchase lands from those owners who were willing to sell, and then resell the land to settlers for low prices. This scheme collapsed when the Island ran short of money to continue with the purchases. Many of these lands also were fertile, and were some of
8976-450: The country. Since 2016 there are two Amish settlements on Prince Edward Island. The provincial economy is dominated by the seasonal industries of agriculture, tourism, and the fishery . The island also has tourists who visit year-round. Tourists engage in a variety of leisure activities, including the beaches , various golf courses , eco-tourism adventures, touring the countryside, and varied cultural events in local communities around
9108-410: The debate blurred party lines. Anti-Confederate leader Albert Smith and Confederate Peter Mitchell were both Conservatives , while one of the most prominent leaders of the pro-Confederation forces, Samuel Leonard Tilley , was a Liberal . Tilley later joined the government of Sir John A. Macdonald . Both Anti-Confederate and Confederate forces were mixtures of Tories and Reformers (Liberals). By 1870,
9240-434: The decline. The exact date that the Maritimes began to fall behind the rest of Canada is difficult to determine. Historian Kris Inwood places the date very early, at least in Nova Scotia, finding clear signs that the Maritimes "Golden Age" of the mid-19th century was over by 1870, before Confederation or the National Policy could have had any significant impact. Richard Caves places the date closer to 1885. T.W. Acheson takes
9372-460: The entire territory of British North America into a united colony. The Charlottetown Conference ended with an agreement to meet the following month in Quebec City , where more formal discussions ensued, culminating with meetings in London and the signing of the British North America Act , 1867 (BNA Act). Of the Maritime provinces, only Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were initially party to the BNA Act: Prince Edward Island's reluctance, combined with
9504-450: The era was indeed a golden age but only for a small but powerful and highly visible elite. The cause of economic malaise in the Maritimes is an issue of great debate and controversy among historians, economists, and geographers. The differing opinions can approximately be divided into the "structuralists", who argue that poor policy decisions are to blame, and the others, who argue that unavoidable technological and geographical factors caused
9636-569: The exploration and settlement of interior North America and the Mississippi River valley. Over 74 years (1689–1763) there were six colonial wars, which involved continuous warfare between New England and Acadia (see the French and Indian Wars reflecting English and French tensions in Europe, as well as Father Rale's War (Dummer's War) and Father Le Loutre's War ). Throughout these wars, New England
9768-431: The first commercial production field for oil beginning in the 1980s. Natural gas was also discovered in the 1980s during exploration work, and this is being commercially recovered, beginning in the late 1990s. Initial optimism in Nova Scotia about the potential of off-shore resources appears to have diminished with the lack of new discoveries, although exploration work continues and is moving farther off-shore into waters on
9900-753: The following parameters are provided: alkalinity; cadmium; calcium; chloride; chromium; iron; magnesium; manganese; nickel; nitrate; pH; phosphorus; potassium; sodium; and sulfate, as well as the presence of pesticides. Water-testing services are provided for a variety of clients through the PEI Analytical Laboratories which assesses according to the recommendations of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality published by Health Canada . Prince Edward Island used to have native moose, bear, caribou, wolf, and other larger species. Due to hunting and habitat disruption these species are no longer found on
10032-430: The fortress of Louisbourg was laid siege for a second time within 15 years, this time by more than 27,000 British soldiers and sailors with over 150 warships. After the French surrender, Louisbourg was thoroughly destroyed by British engineers to ensure it would never be reclaimed. With the fall of Louisbourg, French and Mi'kmaw resistance in the region crumbled. British forces seized remaining French control over Acadia in
10164-494: The industry in Central Canada. The policies in the early years of Confederation were designed by Central Canadian interests, and they reflected the needs of that region. The unified Canadian market and the introduction of railroads created a relative weakness in the Maritime economies. Central to this concept, according to Acheson, was the lack of metropolises in the Maritimes. Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island
10296-739: The influx of Europeans, the Mi'kmaq First Nations have inhabited Prince Edward Island as part of the region of Mi'kma'ki . They named the Island Epekwitk , meaning "cradled on the waves"; Europeans represented the pronunciation as Abegweit . Another name is Minegoo . The Mi'kmaq's legend is that the island was formed by the Great Spirit placing on the Blue Waters some dark red crescent-shaped clay. The two Mi'kmaq First Nation communities of Prince Edward Island today are Abegweit First Nation and Lennox Island First Nation. In 1534, Jacques Cartier
10428-668: The island "New Ireland", but the British Government promptly vetoed this as it exceeded the authority vested in the colonial government; only the Privy Council in London could change the name of a colony. During the American Revolutionary War Charlottetown was raided in 1775 by a pair of American-employed privateers. Two armed schooners, Franklin and Hancock , from Beverly, Massachusetts , made prisoner of
10560-603: The island (accomplished through the passage of the Land Purchase Act, 1875 ). Prince Edward Island entered Confederation on July 1, 1873. As a result of having hosted the inaugural meeting of Confederation, the Charlottetown Conference, Prince Edward Island presents itself as the "Birthplace of Confederation" and this is commemorated through several buildings, a ferry vessel, and the Confederation Bridge (constructed 1993 to 1997). The most prominent building in
10692-463: The island rose up to elevate it farther from the surrounding water. Most of the bedrock in Prince Edward Island is composed of red sandstone , part of the Permian age Pictou Group . Although commercial deposits of minerals have not been found, exploration in the 1940s for natural gas beneath the northeastern end of the province resulted in the discovery of an undisclosed quantity of gas. The Island
10824-457: The island's bedrock . When the Pleistocene glaciers receded about 15,000 years ago, glacial debris such as till were left behind to cover most of the area that would become the island. This area was connected to the mainland by a strip of land, but when ocean levels rose as the glaciers melted, this land strip was flooded, forming the island. As the land rebounded from the weight of the ice,
10956-512: The island, was a temporarily exiled Loyalist and led efforts to persuade others to come. Governor Patterson dismissal in 1787, and his recall to London in 1789 dampened his brother's efforts, leading John to focus on his interests in the United States. Edmund Fanning , also a Loyalist exiled by the Revolution, took over as the second governor, serving until 1804. His tenure was more successful than Patterson's. A large influx of Scottish Highlanders in
11088-409: The island. Some species common to P.E.I. are red foxes , coyote , blue jays , and robins . Skunks and raccoons are common non-native species. Species at risk in P.E.I. include piping plovers , american eel , bobolinks , little brown bat , and beach pinweed. Some species are unique to the province. In 2008, a new ascomycete species, Jahnula apiospora ( Jahnulales , Dothideomycetes ),
11220-528: The key factors to sustaining Prince Edward Island's economy. From September 1 to 7, 1864, Prince Edward Island hosted the Charlottetown Conference , which was the first meeting in the process leading to the Quebec Resolutions and the creation of Canada in 1867. Prince Edward Island found the terms of union unfavourable and balked at joining in 1867, choosing to remain a colony of the United Kingdom. In
11352-455: The largest military bases in the Commonwealth of Nations ( CFB Gagetown ), which plays a significant role in the cultural and economic spheres of Fredericton, the province's capital city. While the economic underperformance of the Maritime economy has been long lasting, it has not always been present. The mid-19th century, especially the 1850s and 1860s, has long been seen as a "Golden Age" in
11484-733: The largest visible minority group of Prince Edward Island, comprising 1.3% of the province's population. Almost half of respondents identified their ethnicity as " Canadian ". * among provinces. † Preliminary 2006 census estimate. Source: Statistics Canada As of the 2021 Canadian Census , the ten most spoken languages in the province included English (149,525 or 99.36%), French (19,445 or 12.92%), Mandarin (2,940 or 1.95%), Hindi (1,660 or 1.1%), Tagalog (1,630 or 1.08%), Punjabi (1,550 or 1.03%), Spanish (1,425 or 0.95%), Arabic (1,165 or 0.77%), German (1,040 or 0.69%), and Vietnamese (785 or 0.52%). The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The Canada 2016 Census showed
11616-514: The late 1700s also resulted in St. John's Island having the highest proportion of Scottish immigrants in Canada. This led to a higher proportion of Scottish Gaelic speakers and thriving culture surviving on the island than in Scotland itself, as the settlers could more easily avoid English influence overseas. On November 29, 1798, during Fanning's administration, the British government granted approval to change
11748-487: The late 1860s, the colony examined various options, including the possibility of becoming a discrete dominion unto itself, as well as entertaining delegations from the United States, who were interested in Prince Edward Island joining the United States. In 1871, the colony began construction of the Prince Edward Island Railway (PEIR) and, frustrated by Great Britain's Colonial Office, began negotiations with
11880-623: The late 18th century and into the 19th century with significant immigration to the region as a result of Scottish migrants displaced by the Highland Clearances and Irish escaping the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849). As a result, significant portions of the three provinces are influenced by Celtic heritages, with Scottish Gaelic (and to a lesser degree, Irish Gaelic ) having been widely spoken, particularly in Cape Breton, although it
12012-402: The late autumn, early winter and mid spring. The following climate chart depicts the average conditions of Charlottetown , as an example of the province's climate. Between 250 and 300 million years ago, freshwater streams flowing from ancient mountains brought silt, sand and gravel into what is now the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These sediments accumulated to form a sedimentary basin , and make up
12144-595: The mid-1990s, all wells that have shown promising gas deposits have been stimulated through hydraulic fracture or "fracking". All oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation activities on the Island are governed by the Oil and Natural Gas Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. 0-5 and its associated regulations and orders. The Province of Prince Edward Island is completely dependent on groundwater for its source of drinking water, with approximately 305 high capacity wells in use as of December 2018. As groundwater flows through an aquifer, it
12276-437: The more successful English settlement at Jamestown in present-day Virginia by three years. Champlain was considered the founder of New France 's province of Canada, which comprises much of the present-day lower St. Lawrence River valley in the province of Quebec . Champlain's success in the region, which came to be called Acadie , led to the fertile tidal marshes surrounding the southeastern and northeastern reaches of
12408-544: The most important changes, and one that almost certainly had an effect, was the revolution in transportation that occurred at this time. The Maritimes were connected to central Canada by the Intercolonial Railway in the 1870s, removing a longstanding barrier to trade. For the first time this placed the Maritime manufacturers in direct competition with those of Central Canada. Maritime trading patterns shifted considerably from mainly trading with New England , Britain, and
12540-425: The new nation. Throughout the period there was also significant technological change both in the production and transportation of goods. Several scholars have explored the so-called "Golden Age" of the Maritimes in the years just before Confederation. In Nova Scotia , the population grew steadily from 277,000 in 1851 to 388,000 in 1871, mostly from natural increase since immigration was slight. The era has been called
12672-516: The northerly retreat of glaciers at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation over 10,000 years ago; human settlement by First Nations began in the Maritimes with Paleo-Indians during the Early Period , ending around 6,000 years ago. The Middle Period , starting 6,000 years ago, and ending 3,000 years ago, was dominated by rising sea levels from the melting glaciers in polar regions. This is when what
12804-496: The northwestern coastal regions of the present-day Bay of Fundy . The Mi'kmaq Nation is also believed to have crossed the present-day Cabot Strait at around this time to settle on the south coast of Newfoundland , but they were a minority compared to the Beothuk Nation. After Newfoundland, the Maritimes were the second area in Canada to be settled by Europeans. There is evidence that Viking explorers discovered and settled in
12936-508: The number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.) According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Prince Edward Island included: Traditionally, the population has been evenly divided between Catholic and Protestant affiliations. The 2001 census indicated number of adherents for the Roman Catholic Church with 63,240 (47%) and various Protestant churches with 57,805 (43%). This included
13068-526: The other two Maritime provinces in that it has a much higher Francophone population . There was once a significant Canadian Gaelic speaking population. Helen Creighton recorded Celtic traditions of rural Nova Scotia in the mid-1900s. There are Black Canadians who are mostly descendants of Black Loyalists or black refugees from the War of 1812 . This Maritime population is mainly among Black Nova Scotians . There are Mi'kmaq reserves in all three provinces, and
13200-612: The province honouring this event is the Confederation Centre of the Arts , presented as a gift to Prince Edward Islanders by the 10 provincial governments and the Federal Government upon the centenary of the Charlottetown Conference, where it stands in Charlottetown as a national monument to the " Fathers of Confederation ". The centre is one of the 22 National Historic Sites of Canada located in Prince Edward Island. According to
13332-515: The province of Prince Edward Island had 177,081 residents in 2024. The backbone of the island economy is farming; it produces 25% of Canada's potatoes . Other important industries include fisheries , tourism, aerospace , biotechnology , information technology and renewable energy . As Prince Edward Island is one of Canada's older settled areas, its population still reflects the origins of its earliest settlers, with Acadian , Scottish, Irish, and English surnames being dominant. Prince Edward Island
13464-549: The region as the Home Office favoured newer colonial endeavours in Africa and elsewhere, led to a call among Maritime politicians for a conference on Maritime Union , to be held in early September 1864 in Charlottetown – chosen in part because of Prince Edward Island's reluctance to give up its jurisdictional sovereignty in favour of uniting with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia into a single colony. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia felt that if
13596-517: The region's finances. T.W. Acheson is one of the main proponents of this theory. He notes the growth that was occurring during the early years of the National Policy in Nova Scotia demonstrates how the effects of railway fares and the tariff structure helped undermine this growth. Capitalists from Central Canada purchased the factories and industries of the Maritimes from their bankrupt local owners and proceeded to close down many of them, consolidating
13728-424: The region's numerous universities and colleges—are significant economic contributors. Another important contribution to Nova Scotia's provincial economy is through spin-offs and royalties relating to off-shore petroleum exploration and development. Mostly concentrated on the continental shelf of the province's Atlantic coast in the vicinity of Sable Island , exploration activities began in the 1960s and resulted in
13860-405: The region. Another problem is seen in the lower average wages and family incomes within the region. Property values are depressed, resulting in a smaller tax base for these three provinces, particularly when compared with the national average which benefits from central and western Canadian economic growth. This has been particularly problematic with the growth of the welfare state in Canada since
13992-727: The region. E.R. Forbes, however, emphasizes that the precipitous decline did not occur until after the First World War during the 1920s when new railway policies were implemented. Forbes also contends that significant Canadian defence spending during the Second World War favoured powerful political interests in Central Canada such as C. D. Howe , when major Maritime shipyards and factories, as well as Canada's largest steel mill, located in Cape Breton Island, fared poorly. One of
14124-542: The remaining Acadians of Île Saint-Jean living under the threat of deportation for the remainder of the war. New Englanders had a force of 200 soldiers stationed at Port-La-Joye , as well as two warships boarding supplies for its journey of Louisbourg. To regain Acadia, Ramezay was sent from Quebec to the region to join forces with the Duc d'Anville expedition . Upon arriving at Chignecto, he sent Boishebert to Île Saint-Jean to ascertain
14256-897: The rest of Canada. The inland climate of New Brunswick is in stark contrast during winter, resembling more continental areas. Summers are somewhat tempered by the marine influence throughout the provinces, but due to the southerly parallels still remain similar to more continental areas further west. Yarmouth in Nova Scotia has significant marine influence to have a borderline oceanic microclimate , but winter nights are still cold even in all coastal areas. The northernmost areas of New Brunswick are only just above subarctic with very cold continental winters. The Maritimes were predominantly rural until recent decades, having resource-based economies of fishing, agriculture, forestry, and coal mining. Maritimers are predominantly of west European origin: Scottish Canadians , Irish Canadians , English Canadians , and Acadians . New Brunswick, in general, differs from
14388-408: The sea ice has melted, usually in late April or early May. Summers are moderately warm, with the daily maximum temperature only occasionally reaching as high as 30 °C (86 °F). Autumn is a pleasant season, as the moderating Gulf waters delay the onset of frost, although storm activity increases compared to the summer. There is ample precipitation throughout the year, although it is heaviest in
14520-410: The second half of the 19th century brought steel to Trenton, Nova Scotia , and subsequent creation of a widespread industrial base to take advantage of the region's large underground coal deposits. After Confederation, however, this industrial base withered with technological change, and trading links to Europe and the U.S. were reduced in favour of those with Ontario and Quebec. In recent years, however,
14652-482: The second permanent European settlement in what is now the United States and Canada, following Spain's settlement at St. Augustine in present-day Florida in the American South. Champlain's settlement at Saint Croix Island , later moved to Port Royal ( Annapolis Royal ), survived. By contrast, the ill-fated English settlement at Roanoke Colony off the southern American coast did not. The French settlement pre-dated
14784-439: The shifting, parabolic dune system is home to a variety of birds and rare plants, and it is also a site of significant archeological interest. The climate of the island is a maritime climate considered to be moderate and strongly influenced by the surrounding Gulf of St-Lawrence . As such, it is generally milder than many areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia due to the warmer waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence . The climate
14916-464: The significant Royal Navy presence in Halifax and other ports in the region prevented any serious attempts by American raiders. Maritime and American privateers targeted unprotected shipping of both the United States and Britain respectively, further reducing trade. New Brunswick's section of the Canada–US border did not have any significant action during this conflict, although British forces did occupy
15048-463: The sixth and final colonial war, the French and Indian War (the North American theatre of the Seven Years' War ), the military conflicts in Nova Scotia continued. The British Conquest of Acadia happened in 1710. Over the next forty-five years, the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to Britain. During this time period Acadians participated in various militia operations against
15180-437: The size of the New England force. After Boishebert returned, Ramezay sent Joseph-Michel Legardeur de Croisille et de Montesson along with over 500 men, 200 of whom were Mi'kmaq, to Port-La-Joye. In July 1746, the battle happened near York River. Montesson and his troops killed forty New Englanders and captured the rest. Montesson was commended for having distinguished himself in his first independent command. Hostilities between
15312-467: The smaller population centres such as Saint John and Halifax, preferring to travel to cities like New York and Montreal . Even the Cunard Line , founded by Maritime-born Samuel Cunard , stopped making more than a single ceremonial voyage to Halifax each year. More controversial than the role of technology is the argument over the role of politics in the origins of the region's decline. Confederation and
15444-600: The south and west coasts of Newfoundland, the Gaspé Peninsula , and the present-day Côte-Nord region of Quebec. Most Acadian fishing activities were overshadowed by the much larger seasonal European fishing fleets that were based out of Newfoundland and took advantage of proximity to the Grand Banks . The growing English colonies along the American seaboard to the south and various European wars between England and France during
15576-453: The southern shore 40 km (25 mi) west of Charlottetown. This consists primarily of the city of Summerside . As with all natural harbours on the island, Charlottetown and Summerside harbours are created by rias . The coastline has a combination of long beaches, dunes, red sandstone cliffs, salt water marshes , and numerous bays and harbours . The beaches, dunes and sandstone cliffs consist of sedimentary rock and other material with
15708-460: The targets of American raiders. Charlottetown, the capital of the new colony of St. John's Island, was ransacked in 1775 with the provincial secretary kidnapped and the Great Seal stolen. The largest military action in the Maritimes during the revolutionary war was the attack on Fort Cumberland (the renamed Fort Beauséjour ) in 1776 by a force of American sympathizers led by Jonathan Eddy . The fort
15840-482: The tariff and railway freight policies that followed have often been blamed for having a deleterious effect on the Maritime economies. Arguments have been made that the Maritimes' poverty was caused by control over policy by Central Canada which used the national structures for its own enrichment. This was the central view of the Maritime Rights Movement of the 1920s, which advocated greater local control over
15972-424: The traditional lands of the Mi'kmaq , it was colonized by the French in 1604 as part of the colony of Acadia . The island, known as Isle St-Jean (St-John's Island), was ceded to the British at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War in 1763 and became part of the colony of Nova Scotia . In 1769, St. John's island became its own British colony and its name was changed to Prince Edward Island (PEI) in 1798. PEI hosted
16104-489: The two decades, but there was little improvement in the wealth levels in rural areas, which comprised the great majority of the population. Likewise Gwyn reports that gentlemen, merchants, bankers, colliery owners, shipowners, shipbuilders, and master mariners flourished. However the great majority of families were headed by farmers, fishermen, craftsmen and labourer. Most of them—and many widows as well—lived in poverty. Out migration became an increasingly necessary option. Thus
16236-509: The union conference were held in Charlottetown, they might be able to convince Island politicians to support the proposal. The Charlottetown Conference , as it came to be called, was also attended by a slew of visiting delegates from the neighbouring Crown colony , the Province of Canada , who had largely arrived at their own invitation with their own agenda. This agenda saw the conference dominated by discussions of creating an even larger union of
16368-501: The upper Saint John River valley of New Brunswick. Some predominantly coastal areas have become major tourist centres, such as parts of Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, the South Shore of Nova Scotia and the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy coasts of New Brunswick. Additional service-related industries in information technology , pharmaceuticals, insurance and financial sectors—as well as research-related spin-offs from
16500-716: Was allied with the Iroquois Confederacy based around the southern Great Lakes and west of the Hudson River . Acadian settlers were allied with the Wabanaki Confederacy . In the first war, King William's War (the North American theatre of the Nine Years' War ), natives from the Maritime region participated in numerous attacks with the French on the Acadia / New England border in southern Maine (e.g., Raid on Salmon Falls ). New England retaliatory raids on Acadia, such as
16632-408: Was appointed the first British governor of St. John's Island in 1769. Assuming the office in 1770, he had a controversial career during which land title disputes and factional conflict slowed the initial attempts to populate and develop the island under a feudal system . In an attempt to attract settlers from Ireland, in one of his first acts (1770) Patterson led the island's colonial assembly to rename
16764-549: Was collected from submerged wood in a freshwater creek on Prince Edward Island. North Atlantic right whales , one of the rarest whale species, were once thought to be rare visitors into St. Lawrence regions until 1994, have been showing dramatic increases (annual concentrations were discovered off Percé in 1995 and gradual increases across the regions since in 1998), and since in 2014, notable numbers of whales have been recorded around Cape Breton to Prince Edward Island as 35 to 40 whales were seen in these areas in 2015. Before
16896-550: Was partially overrun after a month-long siege, but the attackers were ultimately repelled after the arrival of British reinforcements from Halifax. The most significant impact from this war was the settling of large numbers of Loyalist refugees in the region (34,000 to the 17,000 settlers already there), especially in Shelburne and Parrtown (Saint John). Following the Treaty of Paris in 1783, Loyalist settlers in what would become New Brunswick persuaded British administrators to split
17028-517: Was renamed Cape Breton Island and incorporated into the Colony of Nova Scotia. Some of the Acadians who had been deported came back but went to the eastern coasts of New Brunswick. Both the colonies of Nova Scotia (present-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and St. John's Island (Prince Edward Island) were affected by the American Revolutionary War , largely by privateering against American shipping, but several coastal communities were also
17160-480: Was reported by government to have only 0.08 tcf of "technically recoverable" natural gas. Twenty exploration wells for hydrocarbon resources have been drilled on Prince Edward Island and offshore. The first reported well was Hillsborough No.#1, drilled in Charlottetown Harbour in 1944 (the world's first offshore well), and the most recent was New Harmony No.#1 in 2007. Since the resurgence of exploration in
17292-515: Was split from the British colony of Nova Scotia in 1769, and renamed in 1798 after Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1767–1820), the fourth son of King George III and, in 1819, father of the future Queen Victoria . Thus, Prince Edward has been called "Father of the Canadian Crown". The following island landmarks are also named after the Duke of Kent: In Scottish Gaelic , the island's name
17424-403: Was the first European to see the island. In 1604, the Kingdom of France laid claim to the lands of the Maritimes under the discovery doctrine , including Prince Edward Island, establishing the French colony of Acadia . The island was named Île Saint-Jean (St. John's Island) by the French. The Mi'kmaq never recognized the claim but welcomed the French as trading partners and allies. During
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