Canadian Confederation

Provinces and Territories

Key Terms

The Clear Grits

The Clear Grit Party was a political reform movement active in Canada West. Its supporters, the "Clear Grits," favoured elected institutions, universal suffrage (for men), free trade with the United States, the secularization of clergy reserves, and "rep by pop."

After the Hincks-Morin government was defeated in 1854, the Clear Grits rallied under George Brown, who championed "rep by pop" and demanded the annexation of the Northwestern Territory. George Brown was the most important Clear Grit leader in Canada West in the 1850s.

Source

Mills, David. -- "Clear Grits." -- The 1999 Canadian encyclopedia : world edition. -- Toronto : McClelland & Stewart, 1998.