I am an actor in Hamilton, Ontario and I am participating in a "reenactment" of a vote held in what would have been Canada West to join the confederation. As fate would have it, I was given the role of defending the 'NO' side of the debate (I have to play an actual character, fictional or otherwise, who was around at that time). I am having lots of trouble finding resources that speak to the problems a working class local in Canada West would have had with the proposed union. Can anybody speak to this and provide a few reasons for a local in Canada West to be opposed to confederation?

Thanks.