Before Canada became a nation in 1867, the area of North America that now composes Canada was a large expanse of widely scattered communities of British and French origins. It was an area with diverse landscapes that physically divided them from the north of the United States. There was little connection among communities politically or economically. These colonies of British North America traditionally traded with Britain and with the United States, very little among themselves. These colonies even had customs duties that, to some extent, restricted such trade. In the mid 1800s, important events and changes took place.
在1867年加拿大成为一个国家之前，组成现在的加拿大的北美地区，辽阔宽广，到处是分散的英国人和法国人的移民社区。这片土地景色多变，很自然观地将其与美国的北方分辨开来。这些社区之间很少有政治或经济上的联系。传统上，这些英属的北美殖民地与英国和美国进行贸易，而相互之间却少有往来。这些殖民地甚至还没有关税，在一定程度上限制贸易往来。19世纪中期发生的几件重大事件，使情况有了变化。
Britain repealed(废除,撤销) the Corn Laws and Navigations Acts, which had been economically beneficial to the colonies at the same rate it applied to all other trading countries, a situation to which the colonies had never been accustomed.
英国撕毁了给好几代殖民地人带来经济利益的谷物法和航行法案，并开始对殖民地课以与其他所有贸易国家同样高的税率，这是殖民地从未遇到过的情况。
From 1861to 1864, Americans were involved in a major civil war. Britain had traditional economic ties with the southern part of the United States that provided cotton to British markets. In the meantime, since the war was essentially between the North and the South, the North resented Britain’s connection with the South. In addition, during the last year (1864) of the American Civil War, the American Government of the dominant and ultimately victorious North, refused to renew a ten-year free trade agreement with United Canada, the large British colony in the central part of British North America. These arbitrary events brought concern and even fear to these colonies. With the loss of traditional trading arrangements and the end of the civil war, the North being victorious, the colonists feared that the Americans might turn on the British colonies in retaliation(报复,报仇) for Britain’s moral support for the South.
1861到1864年，美国陷入全面内战。过去是美国南方为英国市场提供棉花，英国与之有着紧密的传统经济联系。在此期间，由于这实际上是一场南北方之间的战争，北方当然不满英国与南方之间的这种传统关系。此外，在美国内战的最后一年(1864年)，占据优势并最终获胜的北方的美国政府，拒绝延续与联合加拿大——英属北美中部最大的英国殖民地——签订的十年自由贸易协议。这些独断专横的事件带给这些殖民地的是担忧甚至是恐惧。传统贸易协议的废除和以北方作为胜利者的内战的结束，使殖民者们害怕美国人可能会转而对付英属殖民地，以报复英国对南方的道义支持。
The need for new markets, and a solid defense system from potential invasion by the United States, brought an acute awareness to these diverse colonies that they should look to each other for resolutions to these problems. They felt uneasy trying to cope against these adversities(逆境,苦难) on their own. Sir John A. Macdonald from United Canada, the dominant personality at this time, also saw the acceleration of American settlers moving north and spreading throughout the flat prairie (大草原) lands to the west. This would potentially(潜在的) put a wall between the colonies in the East and the lonely western British colony in what is today part of British Columbia on the west coast of North America. Macdonald felt that the situation was urgent.
对新市场的需求，以及为了建立对付美国潜在入侵的可靠防御系统，使这些松散的殖民地清醒地认识到，它们应该共同寻求解决这些问题的办法。它们急于设法处理这些难题。联合加拿大的约翰?A?麦克唐纳先生，这个时期的关键人物，也看到美国人加快了向北方移民的速度，从大草原到西部到处都是。这很可能会将东部的殖民地与孤立的西部英属殖民地——北美西岸的现在的英属哥伦比亚的一部分——分隔开来。麦克唐纳感到情况紧急。
In the summer of 1864, the maritime colonies of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New found land scheduled a meeting to discuss the possibility of a customs union or free trade area to compensate for the latest setbacks(挫折,失败) in trade relations with Britain and the United States. Macdonald managed to get permission for some delegates from United Canada to attend as observers. For a number of years, United Canada was experiencing problems of political deadlock (僵局). Canada West was predominantly(主要地) English-speaking Canada East was predominantly French-speaking. A central government, set up in 1841, required a majority from both Canada West and Canada East for all legislation to become law. It was very difficult to pass significant legislation when two opposing views were constantly being debated and legislative bills were constantly being defeated. The Canadians saw a new, wider union, a potential new national institution or central government, as a possible solution for breaking out of this constant political disorder.
1864年夏，新斯科舍的沿海殖民地，爱德华太子岛和纽芬兰计划召开会议讨论建立关税联盟或自由贸易区的可能性，以弥补最近在与英国和美国贸易关系上遭到的损失。麦克唐纳设法得到许可让联合加拿大的一些代表作为观察员出席。多年来，联合加拿大都面临着政治僵局的难题。加拿大西部以说英语为主，而东部则以说法语为主。1841年成立的中央政府，则要求一切法案成为法律之前，要得到加拿大西部和加拿大东部的多数同意。在两种对立观点争论不休，法律草案一再被否决的情况下，要通过重要的法案非常困难。加拿大人认识到一个更为广泛的新型的联盟，一种可能的新型国家制度或中央政府，可以作为避免这种时常发生的政治混乱的一个可行的解决办法。
The Canadian delegates sailed on board a cruise ship down the St. Lawrence River, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. This convention expanded to discussions of the possibility of all the British colonies uniting into one nation.
加拿大的代表们乘坐一艘游船沿劳伦斯河航行到劳伦斯湾，抵达爱德华太子岛的夏洛特敦。在那里，大会广泛讨论了联合所有英属殖民地建立一个国家的可能性。
After much complicated debate at another convention in Quebec City that same year, the delegate submitted a draft of an agreement for the formation of the dominion of Canada. The bulk of the work had been done by a group of men of seemingly high virtue, who became know in history as “the Fathers of Confederation(联邦)”. United Canada was divided into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Some allowances were given to Quebec because it was a predominantly French-speaking Catholic province and had special needs, unlike other provinces. The colony of Nova Scotia was divided into Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. These four provinces formed the original new nation. A flexible approach, in later years, persuaded other colonies to join.
同年，在魁北克城的另一次会议上，经过错综复杂的讨论后，代表们提交了一份建立加拿大国家的协议草案。大部分工作是由一些那时德高望重的人完成的，他们成为历史上有名的“联邦国父”。联合加拿大被划分为安大略省和魁北克省。一些特权给了魁北克，因为它与其他省不同，是一个以说法语为主的天主教省，有其特殊需要。新斯科舍和新布伦斯威克。这四个省形成了新国家的雏形。在以后的岁月里，他们以灵活的方式说服了其他殖民地加入了这个国家。
A federal system, with powers distributed between the central and provincial governments, was created. The provinces were assigned powers to have their own governments to deal with more local or provincial issues, the federal system would promote harmony among provinces, with different perspectives on nationhood. This was a compromise, so that the bigger provinces of Ontario and Quebec wouldn’t completely dominate the smaller provinces. The country was to be called the Dominion of Canada, but would still remain loyal to Britain as a member of the British Empire.
一种在中央和省政府之间分享权力的联邦体制创建起来了。各省被赋予权力，拥有自己的政府以处理更多的地方事务。这种联邦体制可望促进各省之间彼此协调，尽管它们站在本民族立场上有不同的观点。这是一种折衷的办法，致使较大的安大略省和魁北克省不能完全支配较小的省。这个国家被称为加拿大自治领，但仍然是大英帝国的一个成员，效忠英国。
The new legislation that created Canada was a British act of Parliament called “The British North America Acts of 1867”. Canada officially became a nation on July 1st, 1867. This would be the anniversary occasion each year, for joyous celebration of a national holiday commemoration(纪念,庆祝) the birth of Canada.
使加拿大成为一个国家的新法案是一项叫做“1867年英属北美法案”的英国国会法案。1867年7月1日，加拿大正式成为一个国家。每年的7月1日为周年纪念日，在这个法定假日里举行庆典活动，纪念加拿大的诞生。
The development of the country, as we know it today, was an evolutionary(进化的,演变的) process over more than eight decades. Manitoba became a province after some controversial events involving the federal government and the Metis, French-speaking descendants of French fur traders who married American Indian girls. This ethnic(人种的,种族的) group settled near Fort Gary, the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba what is called today.
正如我们今天所知道的那样，这个国家在80多年里不断发展演进。在几次涉及联邦政府和梅蒂斯人的有争议的事件之后，马尼托巴成为加拿大的一个省。梅蒂斯人是美洲印第安女孩与法国毛皮贸易商的后裔，讲法语。这个族群定居在加里要塞附近的温尼伯城，即今马尼托巴。
John A. Macdonald, the new and first Prime Minister of the new nation, made a deal with the western-most colony in Vancouver guaranteeing on the building of a railroad from the east to the west if that colony would join Canadian Confederation. The property of the Metis, to which the letter felt legally entitled, was in the path of the new railway. The federal government essentially took the land. The Metis were compelled to move further west, but not without a fight. (The Metis and the federal government were on an inevitable(无法避免的) collision course. Twice, Metis revolts rested the might(权力,威力) of the federal government and relationship between French-and English-speaking in Canada). The federal government was able to defeat the Metis in both clashes. Louis Riel, the leader of the Metis was hanged for treason(叛国,谋反) in 1885 for his leading role in resisting the federal government. He became a martyr to French-Canadians. His death only added fuel to the growing discontent(不满意) between French and English Canada.
约翰·麦克唐纳，这个新兴国家的第一任总理，与温哥华的最西边的殖民地达成协议，保证说如果该殖民地加入加拿大联邦，他将建一条从西到东的铁路。梅蒂斯人的地产——他们认为是合法拥有的——正好在这条新铁路线上。联邦政府完全剥夺了他们的土地。梅蒂斯人被迫向西，但并非没有抵抗。(梅蒂斯人不可避免地要与联邦政府进行抗争。他们的对联邦政府的两次反叛考验了联邦政府的权威和说法语与说英语的加拿大之间的关系。)在两次冲突中，联邦政府都成功以失败了梅蒂斯人。1885年，梅蒂斯人的领袖路易斯·瑞尔，因带头试图反抗联邦政府以叛国的罪名被绞死。他成为说法语的加拿大人的死难者。他的遇难对说法语和说英语的加拿大之间日益激化的纠纷无疑是火上浇油。
Throughout this whole period, 1869 to 1885, the federal (or central) government ignored the appeals of the Metis. It appeared that, according to Macdonald and his followers, the creation of the new nation was more important than relieving the plight(困境) of a relatively small minority group. The Metis probably deserved much better of the federal government. Different versions of these events are still debated in Canadian classrooms today.
在整个1869年至1885年期间，联邦政府都没有理睬梅蒂斯人的诉求。很显然，在麦克唐纳和他的继任者们看来，建立一个新国家比解除一个相对弱小的少数民族的困境更重要。也许，梅蒂斯人可以享受到联邦政府更好的待遇。今天，在加拿大的教室里，对这些事件的不同看法不在争论不休。
Macdonald was also criticized for concealing the fact that he took some money illegally to complete the railway. In 1873 as “The Pacific Scandal” became known, the construction of the railway suspended temporarily. The determined Macdonald and his government, obsessed(担心,困扰) by the possibility of the Americans moving in and taking over the west, boldly pushed railway construction to completion.
麦克唐纳还被指责隐瞒事实，非法挪用资金完成铁路建设。那次有名的1873年的“太平洋丑闻”曾使铁路建设一度停了下来。后来麦克唐纳和他的政府，由于担心美国人入侵并接管西部，坚定果断地推动完成铁路建设。
Manitoba became a province in 1870, British Columbia in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. The admission of Newfoundland into Confederation in 1948 completed the Canadian Confederation of ten provinces from sea to sea, as they exist today. The railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was completed before the agreed deadline.
1870年马尼托巴成为一个省，1871年英属哥伦比亚加入，1873年爱德华太子岛加入，1905年艾伯塔和萨斯喀彻温加入。1949年，纽芬兰岛获准加入联邦，使拥有10个省的东岸到西岸的加拿大联邦完整起来，也就是今天的加拿大。那条铁路，即加拿大太平洋铁路在预定完工日期之前也已建成。
Canada’s becoming a nation was not an easy road. Canada’s remaining a nation has perhaps been an even harder road. There were many challenges facing it over the first one hundred or more years. The most serious challenge has been, and still is, staying together as a country. Relations between French-speaking and English-speaking Canada have been difficult to improve. This persistent(持续存在的) theme in Canadian history began with the defeat of New France by Britain during the Seven Years War from 1756to 1763 (or the French-Indian War, as it was known in North America). In the last twenty years, referenda(普通投票) held in Quebec for possible separation from Canada, were narrowly defeated. This challenge still lies ahead.
加拿大的立国之路崎岖不平，继续保持下去更是充满艰辛。在开始的100多年里，她面临许多挑战一直是并且现在仍然是保持国家的统一。说法语与说英语的加拿大之间的关系是最难处理的。这个加拿大历史上的房屋主题，始于1756年至1763年的七年战争(或者在北美，通常叫做法印战争)期间英国打败新法兰西的时候。近20年里，魁北克举行的旨在使该省脱离加拿大的公民投票，在那里勉强被失败。这个挑战在今后的日子里还会依然存在。
So far, the country has remained strong, and has traditionally played a significant role in international affairs. Canada has much promise for the 21st century. It will need to find creative diplomatic strategies to keep the internal rumblings(摩擦声,隆隆声) beneath the surface from exploding into self-destruction. It will need to find a way to fulfill the dreams of “the Fathers of Confederation” of so many years ago. A good guess is that the odds are in favor of Canada achieving those dreams and truly becoming the nation that was originally intended.
迄今为止，这个国家还是强大的，并一直在国际事务中扮演着重要角色。加拿大对21世纪寄以厚望。好需要具有创造性的外交策略，避免隐藏在外表下的内部摩擦导致自我毁灭。她需要找到一条道路，实现多年以前“联邦国父”的梦想。一个美好的期待是，机遇关照加拿大去实现这些梦想，真正成为最初所设想的那样一个国家。
