Starting in 1855, while Canada was under British control, free trade was implemented between the colonies of British North America and the United States under the Reciprocity Treaty. In 1866, a year before Canadian Confederation, the United States Congress voted to cancel the treaty. Canada's first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald, the protectionist National Policy attempted and failed to reinstate reciprocity, after which the government moved to a more protectionist policy. Fears grew among many politicians that closer economic ties with the United States would lead to political annexation.