Editing Robert Baldwin (section)

=== The Union of the Canadas ===
[[File:SharonTemple.jpg|thumb|The Temple of the [[The Children of Peace|Children of Peace]], Sharon]]
In response to Durham's Report, the British Government appointed [[Charles Poulett Thomson]] (later Lord Sydenham) as Governor with two main tasks. Firstly, he was to weaken the [[Canadien]] vote in Lower Canada through the union of the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada and a strengthened Executive Council. And secondly, he was to strengthen British rule by imposing a new system of centrally controlled District Councils that would take much of the elected Assembly's legislative purview, leaving it little to do but approve the Governor's budgets. Both reforms would strengthen the central state and weaken (Canadien) legislative power.

Sydenham reformed the Executive Council, making government ministers members for the first time (i.e. [[Act of Union 1840|Cabinet Rule]]). He attempted to solicit Reform support by appointing Baldwin as Solicitor General in 1840. To follow his principle of responsible government, Baldwin needed to seek election so that he, a government minister, could be accountable to the elected Assembly, not the Crown.{{sfn|Schrauwers|2009|pp=216-220}}

Orange Order riots during the Toronto civic elections in January 1841 convinced Baldwin he could never win a seat in the city. Instead, he sought election in the ridings of Hastings and 4th York. [[The Children of Peace]], who had played a large role in the pre-Rebellion [[Reform Movement (Upper Canada)|Reform Movement]], managed Baldwin's election in 4th York and he 'walked over the course without a contest,' thus becoming the first member to be elected to the United Parliament.{{sfn|Schrauwers|2009|pp=226-227}} He was also later returned to Hastings.