Which region primarily supported John A. Macdonald’s Confederation plan?

• A. Canada East (Quebec)
• B. Canada West (Ontario)
• C. The Maritime Provinces
• D. The Prairies

Answer: (B)

The main idea this question tests is which region provided the strongest push for Confederation under John A. Macdonald. Macdonald hailed from Canada West, which is Ontario, and that region drove the plan with practical, political, and economic motives. Ontario leaders and voters saw Confederation as a way to end political deadlock with Canada East, secure a strong central government to manage trade and defense, and gain from a larger internal market plus a planned transcontinental railway that would connect Ontario to the western territories and the Atlantic provinces. This combination made Ontario the primary backbone of Macdonald’s Confederation effort.

Maritime provinces did support Confederation and ultimately joined, but their backing came from different incentives and broader coalition-building rather than being the main engine. The Prairie provinces were not central players in the initial Confederation of 1867, as they were not yet part of the federation. Quebec (Canada East) supported Confederation as well, though with reservations, so the strongest, most influential backing came from Canada West (Ontario).