Canadian Confederation - Terminology

Terminology

Canada is a federal state and not a confederate association of sovereign states, the usual meaning of confederation; but is often considered to be among the world's more decentralized federations.

In this Canadian context, confederation generally describes the political process that united the colonies in the 1860s and related events, and the subsequent incorporation of other colonies and territories. The term confederation is now often used to describe Canada in an abstract way, "the Fathers of Confederation" itself being one such usage. Provinces and territories that became part of Canada after 1867 are also said to have joined, or entered into, confederation (but not the Confederation). Confederation is, loosely translated, a confederation of colonies. The term is also used to divide Canadian history into pre-Confederation (i.e. pre-1867) and post-Confederation (i.e. post-1867) periods.