Emancipation Day:

August 1

Unanimously adopted by Parliament in 2021, this new national day recognition

“marks the actual day in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire…. (and) celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada.”

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/emancipation-day.html

Timeline

• Beginnings of anti-slavery movement: 1783
• Act Against Slavery (Upper Canada): July 9, 1793
• France under the National Convention abolished slavery throughout France and its colonies: Feb. 4, 1794
• Abolition of the Slave Trade Act: abolishes international slave trade throughout the British Empire, enforced by naval power: 1807
• The Act for the Abolition of Slavery came into force August 1, 1834.

 

The full story begins a half century earlier, in England, with the emancipation of a slave there, ruling that slaves could not be transported out of England against their will in 1772. This case ruling in a British court led to a significant movement to abolish slavery. Over the next decade, the movement had gained momentum with the instituting of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1787. 

A similar case arose in Upper Canada, then a newly established Province of British North America (1791). This involving a slave named Chloe Cooley. Brought there by a Loyalist who fled the American Revolution, she was bound and forced into a boat by her owner and two others to return to America to be sold. Most witnesses ignored the incident, but two reported it to the authorities. While Chloe’s fate remains uncertain, we can speculate it was unpleasant, to say the least. There was, however, a significant impact of the incident.

Remembering that the spread of news happened a lot slower two centuries ago, when reports of the incident reached the Executive Council of Upper Canada, Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe was motivated to design an Act to prohibit slavery. Writing before he accepted his new posting, he said “The moment I assume the Government of Upper Canada, under no modification will I assent to a law that discriminates by dishonest policy between natives of Africa, America or Europe.” His work with John White, Attorney General of the day, brought forward the legislation that was developed and passed into law. Unfortunately it did not have the full effect of Simcoe’s intent due to resistance from the significant minority of members of the Legislative Assembly who owned slaves at the time. Debate and compromise led to the passage of the “… Act to Prevent the further Introduction of Slaves and to limit the Term of Contracts for Servitude within this Province”, or more commonly referred to as the Act Against Slavery. (July 9, 1793) While not terminating slavery on the spot and immediately, the act provided for effectively the end of slavery in Upper Canada: no slaves were allowed in, and children of female slaves would be freed at the age of 25. Otherwise, you’re a slave ’till you die.

While this first step to eradicate the practice of slavery did not begin to address the whole problem of slavery throughout British North America, it is still a significant step forward. 

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/emancipation-day.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_Against_Slavery#CITEREFWilsonnd