Report from the Select Committee on the Civil Government of Canada

Report From The Select Committee On The Civil Government Of Canada. This documentary collection records the proceedings, petitions, proclamations, and appendices presented to a British Parliament Select Committee examining the Civil Government of Canada in the late 18th/early 19th century. It centers on Lower Canada (Quebec) and the tensions between English-speaking settlers and French Canadians, while situating governance within the imperial framework of London. The documents capture voices from Crown officials, local petitioners, and committees across towns such as Montreal, Three Rivers, Kent, Richelieu, and York, alongside figures like Parant, Duchesnay, and John Caldwell. Core themes include constitutional reform and representation, the question of uniting Upper and Lower Canada, the application of English law to townships, land tenure and registries, clergy reserves and education funding, and the accountability of public finances. The collection portrays ongoing debates about language, law, land, and governance, the push for independent local councils, and proposals to foster settlement and internal improvements under imperial oversight.