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Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, 15 May 1867, Prince Edward Island Confederation with Canada.

PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 133

Wednesday, May 15.

[...]
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 138
Hon. LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT.—He was not a supporter of the Government.
Mr. BRECKEN.—He attended the caucus at the formation, for a trepanning operation upon him was threatened by a certain hon. member during one of these meetings. He would congratulate the Gov- ernment upon their acquisition. The Conservatives had had him for four or five years, and be never bounced true, and now he was repudiated by the Liberals. The Government were acting strangely with a Bill coming, as this one did, from His Excellency. The hon. Leader of the Government, a few days since, characterized the militia training as "tomfoolery," and he this morning supported the Bill before the Committee, which was to be enacted for the purpose of compelling the people to play the tom-fool, and very lately voted £2500 to keep up the foolery. The Leader of the Opposition might be twitted for being so strong a unionist, but he was not working. so effectually in the cause as was the present disgraceful Government. The most departmental officer in the House was the doorkeeper, and the Bill had better be handed over to him. When His Excellency enquired what had become of the Bill, the thing called a Government would be responsible. The hon. Leader would have to answer, " l opposed the Bill because it was intended to patch up tom-foolery." The hon. member for Tryon would say that it was in his opinion "a political dodge to drive us into Confederation," while the hon. member for Belfast will give as the reason for his opposition that" it took men from their business and was it useless expense to the country
Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL- It was useless for the Opposition to find fault, because this Bill was not made a Government uncasure, when they, while in power, allowed the question of confederation to remain an open one. The Opposition need not twit the Government with being divided when we had seen one at their own members put out of the Executive. He did not desire either the sympathy or assistance of the Opposition in the manner in which they were giving it.
After a lengthy discussion the motion that the Speaker take the chair was lost on the division of 16 to 3.
[...]
Adjourned.
[...]

Source:

The Parliamentary Reporter of Debates and Proceedings of the House of Assembly. Charlottetown: The Patriot, 1867. Microfilm copies provided by the Prince Edward Island Libraries and Archives.

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Dave Lang.

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