Reference #1

 Why was John A. MacDonald one of Canada's most famous Prime Ministers?

Prime Minister John A. MacDonald was famouse for these Political facts:

• Father of Confederation 1867
  
  • Fathers of Confederation:
    The political leaders from the British North American colonies who went to the conferences to discuss Confederation.(www.collectionscanada.gc.ca)
  • Confederation:
    The coming together of the colonies in British North America. Three colonies were made into four provinces. These were Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They became the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. The other provinces and territories joined later. (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca)
  • Why Confederation?
  • In the 1860s the British colonies were facing many different kinds of problems. One solution for all of these was for the colonies to come together to form one country. (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca)

• Creation of provinces of Manitoba 1870, British Columbia 1871, and Prince Edward Island 1873
• Red River Rebellion 1870
  • Red River Rebellion:
    An armed uprising against the Canadian government by the Métis of the Red River Colony who were afraid of losing their lands and their way of life when Canada acquired Rupert's Land in 1870. Louis Riel was the leader of this rebellion. It eventually helped lead to the creation of the province of Manitoba. (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca)
• Building of Canadian Pacific Railway 1871 - 1885
  • Canadian Pacific Railway (Transcontinental railroad):
    The first transcontinental railway in Canada, linking the east and west coasts. It was built to connect British Columbia with the eastern Canadian provinces. It was started in 1881 and took five years to build. It ended at Port Moody, B.C. (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca)
• North West Mounted Police 1873
• Pacific Scandal 1873
• Leader of the Opposition 1873 - 1878
• National Policy 1879
• Northwest Rebellion 1885
• Creation of the first national park at Banff, Alberta 1885