Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:
In the 1860's, if it weren't for our paranoid fear of the United States, which was heavily well-grounded, especially with a call for annexation in 1866, we would have never had the need to become our own country. We would have remained British colonies until being devoured by Manifest Destiny.
Certainly there was some fear of annexation, but even in BC there were groups calling for us to join the U.S. . It was only the bribe of a continental railroad that sealed the deal for us.