Papineau had been elected speaker of the legislative assembly of Lower Canada in 1815. He constantly opposed the British government, and in 1828 he helped draft an early form of the resolutions, essentially a list of grievances against the colonial government. These were ignored by Britain.
On February 28, 1834, Papineau introduced the Ninety-Two Resolutions in the legislative assembly. They were approved and then sent to London. The resolutions included, among other things, demands for an elected legislative council and an executive assembly responsible to the council. Under the Constitutional Act of 1791, the government of Lower Canada was given an elected legislative assembly, but the upper houses were controlled by the British and their supporters such as the Chateau Clique. The resolutions also declared loyalty to Britain, but expressed frustration that Britain was unwilling to reform the injustices in the colony.
Papineau's resolutions were ignored for almost three years; meanwhile, the legislative assembly did all they could to oppose the un-elected upper houses while avoiding outright rebellion. Prime Minister Lord Russell eventually responded to them by issuing ten resolutions of his own, affirming British power in Lower Canada. These resolutions reached Canada in 1837, and Papineau's supporters began to agitate for a rebellion. Governor Earl Gosford prohibited public assemblies in response, and by November the Patriotes Rebellion had begun.
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