I'm not making an argument. I stated that Canada did not fight for her independence in 1812. That is a fact. It is not an interpretation, or an argument.
For making that statement of fact, I have been pelted with insults by Canadians.
I'm insulted, and you are offended. Ironic, isn't it?
This is how we see the war of 1812 my friend and as I said,if our forefathers did not die for thier independance then they died for nothing.
British/Canadian Perspective
At the outset of war, Upper Canada consisted of a loose collection of villages scattered between Cornwall and Amherstburg. Most of the settlers were subsistence farmers who grew wheat, raised livestock, and distilled whiskey when they found the time.
A substantial portion of the population were Loyalist refugees who had fled to Canada during the American Revolution. Many more were recent American immigrants who had been lured to Upper Canada by the promise of cheap land. These new arrivals did not consider themselves British, and as far as they were concerned, the term "Canadian" referred to their French neighbours. Evidently, most Upper Canadian settlers did not feel especially patriotic towards British North America. Sir George Prevost, commander of the British forces in Canada estimated that the militia in Upper Canada had a potential strength of 11,000. It is interesting to note that he also warned it "might not be prudent to arm more than 4000."
Major General Isaac Brock, the political and military commander of Upper Canada, was also acutely aware of the American presence in this region. In February of 1812, Brock asked the Upper Canadian legislature to adopt certain preparatory measures for war. The legislature voted for some of his proposals, but a pro-American faction sensitive to civil rights quashed Brock's request for the power to suspend habeas corpus (detention without trial) and a partial exercise of martial law.
While most Upper Canadian settlers might not have been enthusiastically pro-British, they certainly didn't welcome an American invasion. When General William Hull stormed into Upper Canada with a proclamation stating that the American forces were going to emancipate the locals "from tyranny and oppression", Upper Canadian settlers were amazed. After all, most settlers were comfortably ensconced in their new homes and felt no need to be liberated.
Many Upper Canadian settlers were neutral at the beginning of the war, but as increasing numbers of their compatriots were killed in battle, forced from their homes, or had farms pillaged by American forces, local support for the British defenders increased.
Considering the foreign origins of most Upper Canadians in 1812, it is not surprising that there were some traitors in the crowd. For instance, Joseph Willcocks, a former member of the Upper Canada assembly, led a group called the Canadian Volunteers around the Niagara region. They fought alongside the American invaders, gathered information and did whatever they could to help the U.S. cause.
The majority of Upper Canada's population actually developed a stronger commitment to their country over the course of the conflict. These settlers-cum-soldiers were extremely proud of their efforts to repel the enemy from Canada, their new home.