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The Conservative Party has been gone under a variety of names over the years. Initially known as the Liberal-Conservative Party, it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873. As a result of World War I and the Conscription Crisis of 1917 the party joined with pro- conscription Liberals to become the Unionist Party of Robert Borden from 1917 to 1920 (also see Conscription Crisis of 1917), and then the National Liberal and Conservative Party until 1922. It then reverted back to Liberal-Conservative Party until 1938, when it became simply the Conservative Party. However, it ran in the 1940 election as National Government even though it was in opposition. Regardless, the party had almost always been referred to as simply the Conservative Party or Tories, whatever the party's official name might be.
The roots of the party are in the pre- confederation coalition governmentA coalition government or coalition cabinet is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. The usual reason is that no party on its own has a majority in the parliament. In times of crisis such as a war or a major economic or of 1854 the parti bleuThe parti bleu was a moderate political group in Quebec, Canada that was formed around 1850. It was based on the moderate reformist views of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, and was a rival to the radical parti rouge. The party derived much of its support from of George-Étienne CartierSir George-Etienne Cartier ( September 6, 1814 May 20, 1873) was a French-Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation. The English spelling of the name, George, is explained by his having been named in honour of King George III. George-EtienneCartier C (see also Quebec Conservative Party) and OntarioOntario ( In Detail) ( In Detail) Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains Capital Toronto Largest City Toronto Area Total % fresh water 4th largest(2nd lgst prov. 1 076 395 km˛ 14. 7% Population Total (2001) Density Rank liberals and conservatives led by John A. MacDonald. It was out of this coalition that the Liberal-Conservative Party (generally known as the Conservative Party) was formed and it was this period that formed the basis for confederation in 1867.
MacDonald became the leader of the Conservative Party and formed the first national government in 1867. The party brought together ultramontane Quebec Catholics, pro- tariff businessmen, United Empire Loyalist Tories and Orangemen. One major accomplishment of Macdonald's first government was the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway which also led to the Pacific Scandal that brought down the government in 1873.
The Conservatives under Macdonald returned to power in 1878 by opposing the Liberal's policy of free trade or reciprocity with the United States and promoting, instead, the National Policy which sought to promote business and develop industry with protectionist measures as well as settle and develop the west.
The principal difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals in this period and well into the twentieth century was that Conservatives were in favour of imperial preference (a protectionist system in which tariffs would be levied against imports from outside the British Empire) and strong political and legal links with Britain while Liberals promoted free trade and continentalism (that is closer ties to the United States) and greater independence from Britain.
Macdonald died in 1891 and, without his leadership, the Conservative coalition began to unravel under the pressure of sectarian tensions between Catholic French Canadians and British imperialists who tended to be anti-French and anti-Catholic. The Red River Rebellion (and execution of Louis Riel) and Manitoba Schools Question exacerbated tensions within the Conservative Party and fanned hostility to the Conservatives in Quebec.
Free trade was the major issue of the 1911 election that swept Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Liberals from power and put Robert Borden at the head of a new Tory administration which emphasised a revitalised National Policy and links to Britain. Borden had tried to rebuild a base in Quebec by allying with anti-Laurier Quebec nationalists but, in government, tensions between Quebec nationalists and English Canadian imperialists made any grand coalition untenable.