19世纪加拿大西北天定命运理论的本质与内涵

摘要

19世纪60年代,英属北美殖民地通过联合运动组建了加拿大自治领.这个新兴的联邦国家不仅经济基础薄弱,还匮乏一种举国同心的凝聚力.为了挽救并巩固加拿大岌岌可危的国家地位,以英裔为首的一批知识分子纷纷著书立论,不遗余力地为自治领的前途和命运出谋划策.英裔诗人查尔斯·梅尔的西北天定命运理论正是在这种时代背景下应运而生.该理论力主加拿大政府占领并开发西北地区,一来可以增强自治领的经济实力;二来可以借此激发民众的爱国意识.西北天定命运理论的核心内容同麦克唐纳总理的施政纲领不谋而合,对自治领的建国事业起到了推波助澜的作用.%In the 1860s,British colonies in North America established the Dominion of Canada through con-federation movement.However,this new born federal state suffered not only from a weak economic foun-dation,but also from a widespread cohesive force.In order to save and keep Canada's feeble nationhood, some English Canadian intellectuals wrote books or articles in succession,providing advice and suggestions to Dominion's future and fate.English poet Charles Mair's Theory of Northwest Manifest Destiny was born at the right moment.This theory strongly advocates that Canadian government should strengthen this country's economic capabilities through occupying and developing the northwest area and therefore will spark a sense of patriotism in the populace.The core content of this theory happens to have the same view with the Prime Minister Macdonald's administrative program,and thus has added fuel to the fire of the founding of the enterprise of Canada.