The End of Reciprocity

Aidan and Amanda

What is Reciprocity? Reciprocity is a term usually used in

Canada in reference to an agreement with the United States connecting with the shared reductions in customs duties. The agitation for reciprocity became of political importance in Canada in 1846 during the period of discontent that followed the repeal of the Corn Laws by Great Britain.

Who and Why it Started At length in June, 1854, a for tuitous mixture

of situations, including the decline in the opposition of the northern protectionists and of the southern pro-slavery party, enabled Lord Elgin, and W.L. Marcy, the American secretary of state, to negotiate the treaty.

The Elgin-Marcy Treaty Under the terms of the Elgin-Marcy treaty, the

United States and the British North American colonies (Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland) each separated the duties upon a considerable list of natural products. The most significant were grain, flour and breadstuffs, animals, meats, fruit, fish, poultry, tallow, coal, timber, and lumber.

1866 - 1900 Between 1866 and 1900 Canada made

repeated but abortive efforts to secure another reciprocity treaty. In the period after Confederation the MacDonald Government attempted to negotiate an agreement, and in 1869 Sir John Rose, then minister of finance, made an unsuccessful visit to Washington .

Effects Between Canada and USA The University of Canada economic

historians argued that the growth of trade was caused by the introduction of railways to Canada and by the American Civil War leading to huge demand in the United States. They also argue the statistics are questionable. Before the tariffs, much smuggling took place.

End The treaty was ended by the Americans in

1865 because they felt that Canada was the only nation benefiting from it, and because they objected to the protective Cayley-Galt Terrif imposed by the Province of Canada on manufactured goods. Also the US was angry at the British for having unofficially supported the South in the Civil War.

Bibliography http://www.google.ca/search?

hl=en&source=hp&q=the+end+of+reciprocity&meta=&aq=3&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=the+end+of+re&gs_rfai

http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/encyclopedia/ReciprocityCanada.htm

http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521513510