Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory admitted to Canada

Background. Rupert's Land was a territory based on the Hudson Bay drainage basin, granted to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1670. The North-Western Territory, though not strictly within the original grant, was administered by the HBC. The Rupert's Land Act 1868 authorized the sale of these lands to Canada. The company surrendered its charter to the British Crown in 1869, receiving compensation, paving the way for the 1870 admission.

Legal Framework. The transfer was governed by the Rupert's Land Act 1868, passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The British government admitted the territory to Canada via an order-in-council dated 23 June 1870, effective 15 July 1870. This action relied on section 146 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The admission was subject to the making of treaties with indigenous nations to provide consent for the Imperial Crown to exercise sovereignty.

Administrative Transition. The North-Western Territory was included in the process of transferring Rupert's Land to Canada. Although exact boundaries were not precisely defined due to lack of development and cartographic limits, the region was generally accepted as bounded by modern-day British Columbia, the continental divide, Russian America, and the Arctic Ocean. The North-West Territories Council was formed in 1870, becoming active in 1872.