New edition of "Idiot Legal Arguments"

[notorial dissent]

Did the haze help?

[Burnaby49]

Did the haze help?

It caused him considerable difficulty in both his personal and political life.

Political - To quote Wikipedia:

A final conference, to be held in London, was needed before the British Parliament could formalise the union. Maritime delegates left for London in July 1866, but Macdonald, who was drinking heavily again, did not leave until November, angering the Maritimers.

This was equivalent to your Constitutional Congress that set up the United States as an independent nation. MacDonald's political focus was to create an independent Canada but when it was almost in his grasp he grasped a bottle instead.

Personal - And when he finally managed to show up at the conference:

In January 1867, while still in London, he was seriously burned in his hotel room when his candle set fire to the chair he had fallen asleep in, . . .

I doubt he nodded off after a few hours of bible study.

Give him credit, he was a cunning politician. He wanted to establish Canada as a single bi-coastal nation as a single focused project. No piecemeal Louisiana purchase or Russian sealing stations for him. He got us west coast types on board by the most time-honoured of political techniques, bribery:

Macdonald also wished to secure the Colony of British Columbia. There was interest in the United States in bringing about the colony's annexation, and Macdonald wished to ensure his new nation had a Pacific outlet. The colony had an extremely large debt that would have to be assumed should it join Confederation. Negotiations were conducted in 1870, principally during Macdonald's illness and recuperation, with Cartier leading the Canadian delegation. Cartier offered British Columbia a railroad linking it to the eastern provinces within 10 years. British Columbia quickly agreed and joined Confederation in 1871.[89] The Canadian Parliament ratified the terms after a debate over the high cost that cabinet member Alexander Morris described as the worst fight the Conservatives had had since Confederation.[90]

However his boozing didn't affect his popularity. He was Prime Minister for 19 years and died in office.

[notorial dissent]

Thank you, that is a clearer and more concise explanation of the creation of Canada than I have come across before, and actually makes sense in comparison to some of what I have been forced to read, and have promptly forgotten.

Still amazes my how much good old enlightened self interest can accomplish in a pinch. Well, what ever his drinking habits and reasons, his accomplishment still stands.