The Government of Nova Scotia


Book Description

Here is a well-documented study of the structure, historical development, and present condition of the government of Nova Scotia. It deals with one of the oldest constitutions in Canada, one which was not created by statute but by the prerogative of the Crown. Nova Scotia has two major claims to priority in the history of Canadian politics: she was the first province to be granted representative institutions and the first to win responsible government. Owing in large measure to Joseph Howe's inspired leadership, the latter was achieved through peaceful, constitutional means. It is obvious that a study of the government of Nova Scotia must dig deep into the past, and Dr. Beck has investigated this early history with great care and thoroughness. This is followed by a study of the more recent period and the working of the government of our own time. The author demonstrates that the important changes, the interesting practices, and the colourful incidents have not all been in the distant past. There was, for example, the Legislative Council, that travesty on democratic institutions which lasted until less than thirty years ago. There was the odd phenomenon of a Liberal government in power for seventy out of ninety years since Confederation. There was the constant need to adapt parliamentary practices and institutions, developed under quite different conditions to the needs of a much smaller community, and one which was keenly aware of its heritage and very jealous of any serious interference. As a native of Nova Scotia and a political scientist, Dr. Beck has had a special interest in seeing how the Nova Scotian institutions of government evolved and how they work today. He has done a great deal of original research among primary sources and covered a field as yet uninvestigated by any other scholar. An admirable addition to the Canadian Government Series, of which it is the eighth volume, this is a book for serious students of political science and for students of Nova Scotia history.




The English In Canada Historical 3-Book Bundle


Book Description

Lucille H. Campey’s acclaimed, groundbreaking series on English immigration to Canada is finally available in a collected volume with this complete, three-book edition. A must for genealogists and history lovers interested in the tremendous waves of English immigration to Canada, whose story has never been told in its full depth and detail until now. Planters, Paupers, and Pioneers: English Settlers in Atlantic Canada The first-ever comprehensive book written on early English immigration to Canada, Planters, Paupers, and Pioneers focuses on the factors that brought the English to Atlantic Canada. It traces English arrivals to their various settlements in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, and considers their reasons for leaving their homeland. Who were they? When did they arrive? Were they successful? And what was their lasting impact? Drawing on wide-raging documentary resources, this book is essential reading for individuals wishing to trace English and Canadian family links. Seeking a Better Future: The English Pioneers of Ontario and Quebec The exodus from England that gathered pace during the 19th century accounted for the greatest part of the total emigration from Britain to Canada. And yet, while copious emigration studies have been undertaken on the Scots and the Irish, very little has been written about the English in Canada. Drawing on wide-ranging data collected from English record offices and Canadian archives, Seeking a Better Future considers why people left England and traces their destinations in Ontario and Quebec. Challenging the widely held assumption that emigration was primarily a flight from poverty, Campey reveals how the ambitious and resourceful English were strongly attracted by the greater freedoms and better livelihoods that could be achieved by relocating to Canada’s central provinces. Ignored but not Forgotten: Canada’s English Immigrants The great exodus from England to Canada peaked in the early 20th century, and although they were widely ignored in the past as an immigrant group, the English are now being given the attention they deserve. Drawing on wide-ranging documentary and statistical sources, Ignored but not Forgotten traces this major population movement on a region-by-region basis. Campey reveals the outstanding contributions by English immigrants to Canada’s settlement and development, and challenges the assumption that English Canadians were a privileged elite. In fact, most came from humble backgrounds. The book is essential reading for genealogists and general readers interested in why the English immigrated to Canada and the great scope of their achievements. What critics are saying "Campey’s chapters are well-written and hold the readers attention." — GenealogyMagazine.com "A major addition to the literature for those looking for insight into their pioneer immigrant ancestor experience." — Anglo-Celtic Connections "[Lucille Campey] has distilled a copious amount of research.... informative and engaging." — The British Columbia Genealogist