“The British North America Act of 1867 was a failure.” Discuss.

Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the argument that the British North America Act of 1867 was a failure. In order to address this issue, candidates may discuss features of the act which granted Canadian self-government for domestic issues, allowed the Canadian federal legislature to expand its authority during periods of “altered circumstances”, failed to address provincial equality in respect to land and mineral rights, deferred to the British Privy Council in ways that limited Canadian property and civil rights, lacked federal protection of individual civil liberties, and required approval of the British Parliament for amendments to the Canadian constitution and made Canadian foreign policy subservient to the British Parliament.