DCHP-1 Online

Canadian party Hist.

• 1 a political group devoted to the interests of the French Canadians, as opposed to the British ruling party.

  See also: French party (def. 1)  

  • 1811  It has heretofore been imagined that an English and Canadian party, existed in this Country, contending against each other.
  • 1822  There is too much feeling of this nature harboured by the Canadian party at present.

• 2 a political group made up of immigrants from Canada to the Red River Settlement who from the early 1860's agitated for the annexation of the region by Canada, their activities playing an important part in the unrest leading to the Northwest Rebellion (def. 1) of 1870.

  See also: Canadian Loyalist  French party (def. 2)  Northwest Rebellion (def. 1)  

  • 1870  The late fiasco at Fort Garry will, we trust, be sufficient to teach the over-zealous members of the so-called "Canadian" party in the Red River Settlement that their unauthorized attempts to reduce the insurgents to submission to lawful authority are only productive of mischief. . . .
  • 1963  The American annexationists were few and dwindling, and their significance came increasingly to lie in the use the Canadian or colonial party might make of them to help in its own cause.