1. Building A British North America Act:
Canada’s Constitution
Nation

2. The BNA Act
• Canada became a country when the British
Parliament passed the British North America Act
• This process was in sharp contrast to the United
States, which had declared itself a nation, fought a
revolution, defeated the British, and formulated its
own rules

3. The BNA Act
• The BNA Act was based upon the Seventy-Two
Resolutions agreed to at the Quebec Conference
• Because of this, most of the BNA Act was written by
Canadians, in Canada, and it became the
constitution of the new Dominion
• The result of intense negotiations between equal
partners, the BNA Act is full of compromise