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Primary sourceDocument1868

Rupert's Land Act 1868

1868

A British statute that authorised transferring Hudson's Bay Company territories to Canada, part of Macdonald's westward expansion policy.

Macdonald's government pursued this territorial transfer, which later triggered the Red River Resistance his administration had to confront.

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What it is

This is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, passed in 1868, allowing the Hudson's Bay Company to surrender its vast territory of Rupert's Land to the Dominion of Canada. It did not itself settle the terms of the transfer, which were later set out in a separate deed of surrender.

Why it matters

Macdonald's government sought this expansion to grow Canada westward. The transfer, once carried out, provoked the Red River Resistance, as Métis and other residents of the territory objected to being handed over without consultation. The act shows how decisions made far away in London had direct consequences for people living on the land.

Look closer

  • Who gets to decide the future of a territory in this document — and who is left out of the decision?
  • Why might a legal document like this trigger resistance once put into practice?
  • What does this act tell us about the relationship between Britain and the new Dominion of Canada?

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