Development of Canadian Governance and Foreign Policy, 1883–1904 - Key Data

Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1845-1914), the Fourth Earl of Minto, was involved in Canadian governance in various roles between 1883 and 1905. He served as Canadian Military Secretary from 1883 and 1885 before becoming Governor-General from 1898 to 1905. This collection is drawn from his personal papers and offers a detailed account of the changing shape of governance and development in one of Britain’s most important colonies.

The files include material relating to rebellions by French-Canadians and indigenous peoples, the recruitment of Canadian troops for Britain’s imperial wars, and questions of trade between Canada and the rest of the world. Additionally, the collection hosts a wealth of correspondence between Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound and important British political figures like Queen Victoria and Joseph Chamberlain. Thus, the collection offers an interesting portrait of colonial governance, constitutional politics, and national security in Canada.