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Constitution Act, 1867

1867

The founding statute that created Canada in 1867, drafted largely by John A. Macdonald at the London Conference.

Macdonald was the chief drafter of this founding statute, shaping Canada's federal structure.

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Title page of an 1867 printed copy of the British North America Act, reading 'An Act of the Imperial Parliament for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and the Government Thereof', with a royal crest and 'Ottawa: Printed by Hunter, Rose & Co. 1867'.
Title page of the British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1867). Printed by Hunter, Rose & Co., Ottawa.

About this source

What it is

This is the Constitution Act, 1867 (originally the British North America Act), the law passed by the British Parliament that created the Dominion of Canada. It set up Canada's parliament, courts, and the division of powers between the federal government and the provinces, and created the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Why it matters

John A. Macdonald did more than any other delegate to draft this act, and its strong central government reflects his own preference for a near-legislative union of the British North American colonies. It remains the foundation of Canada's constitution today.

Look closer

  • Why might the preamble compare Canada's constitution to that of the United Kingdom?
  • What does the division of powers between federal and provincial governments tell you about the compromises behind Confederation?
  • Whose voices are missing from a document written by a small group of political leaders?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sir John A. Macdonald and Samuel Leonard Tilley on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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