西姆科的“小英格兰”计划与上加拿大政治制度的奠基

Simcoe’s“Little England”Project and the Foundation of Upper Canada’s Political System

英国通过《1791年宪法法》调整了对英属北美的统治政策,原魁北克省被划分上加拿大和下加拿大。约翰·格里佛斯·西姆科因在镇压美国革命中的丰富履历而被任命为上加拿大首任省督。西姆科吸取美国革命的经验教训,试图通过移植和强化英国的制度要素,巩固对加拿大殖民地的管理和控制,其最终目标是把上加拿大打造成一个北美大陆上的"小英格兰"。西姆科实施的一系列举措,包括改善道路交通,规划城镇地址,招募美国移民等,有力地推动了上加拿大的开发建设。然而,西姆科在宗教和司法领域的一些举措则引起了很多争议。上加拿大本地政治精英认为,对于英国传统的合理继承是发扬其原则和精神,而非原封不动地照搬英国所有制度,殖民地管理政策必须结合北美社会的实际情况。

The British governing policy in British North America was adjusted by the Constitutional Act of 1791.The former province of Quebec was divided into Upper Canada and Lower Canada.John Graves Simcoe was named the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada because of his extensive record in suppressing the American Revolution.Simcoe learned lessons from mistakes of the American Revolution and tried to consolidate the management and control of the Canadian colonies by transplanting and strengthening the institutional elements of Britain.His ultimate goal was to build Upper Canada into a"little England"on the North American continent.Simcoe’s policies including improved road transportation,town planning,and the recruitment of American immigrants,effectively promoted development in Upper Canada.However,some of Simcoe’s policy in the areas of religion and justice are controversial.The local political elite in Upper Canada believed that the proper inheritance of the British tradition was to inherit its principles and spirit,rather than to copy all British institutions,and that colonial management must be integrated with the realities of North American society.