OTTAWA — In the summer of 1864, three men held the future of a backwoods colony in their hands. Fortunately, they put aside their political, religious and ethnic differences and joined hands to create what was then called a “Great Coalition” in Central Canada.

Within a few weeks, these three political rivals had begun a historic effort with their British colonial compatriots in the Maritimes to build a new nation that would eventually stretch to the Pacific Ocean.

Within four months, after meeting with others in Charlottetown and Quebec City, they had drafted the outlines of a constitution for the Confederation — later to be called the British North America (BNA) Act.

Within three years, they achieved their goal on March 29, 1867 — royal assent of the BNA Act, which defined federal and provincial powers of a new nation that promised “peace, order and good government.”

And then, under sunny skies that shone throughout the colony on July 1, 1867, they celebrated the birth of the “Dominion of Canada.”

This is all thanks to the wisdom of two Scottish immigrants to Ontario, John A. Macdonald and George Brown, and a French-Canadian from Quebec, George-Etienne Cartier.

Nearly 150 years later, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned vociferously in a recent election against the dangers of a Liberal-NDP coalition, the irony of how Canada was born is striking.

Back then, political co-operation through a coalition was born of pure necessity — to break a deadlock in the fledgling colonial province that spanned what is now Ontario and Quebec.

There had been six elections in six years. No progress could be found in this “province of Canada” where legislation required passage of a “double majority” in both Canada East (Quebec) and Canada West (Ontario).

Moreover, the threat of annexation by the United States, then in the grip of a Civil War, loomed large.

And so politicians did the right thing for once. They co-operated.

The story of how all this happened in the 1860s is both fascinating and inspirational. It’s also a story that most likely Canadians know little, or nothing, about.

By comparison, thousands of people are flocked into movie theatres recently to watch Hollywood’s depiction of how U.S. president Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in 1865.

Just as interesting a tale is the one of how Macdonald, Brown and Cartier provided the seed for the birth of Canada.

The turning point in the history of this country occurred on June 14, 1864, when a government led by Macdonald’s Conservatives was defeated.

He had been governing shakily, with the support of Cartier’s “bleus”. But yet again, it appeared the dysfunctional province was headed toward another election.

However, into the mix came Brown — leader of the Reform party and editor of the Globe newspaper.

He had long been a bitter rival of Macdonald’s, and he used his newspaper to criticize French Canada and its seemingly unfair influence on the young colony of Canada.

But instead of capitalizing on Macdonald’s weakness and plight, Brown stunned the political world by deciding to work with him and Cartier in a new coalition government.