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House of Commons, 21 June 1869, Canadian Confederation with Manitoba

902 COMMONS DEBATES June 21, 1869
Hon. Mr. Holton congratulated the House that the Senate had conceded that great right refused by the Minister of Militia, trial by Jury.
The amendments were read a second time and agreed to.

REGISTRATION OF VESSELS

Sir John A. Macdonald announced that the Act respecting the Admeasurement and Registration of Vessels would be reserved, and the opinion of the Home authorities obtained thereon.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

On motion of Sir John A. Macdonald the House went into Committee on the Act respecting the summary Administration of Justice in Certain Cases, Mr. Harrison in the chair.
The Committee rose and reported the Bill With amendments, which were concurred in, and the Bill read a third time and passed.

DISEASES OF ANIMALS

The House then went into Committee on Hon. Mr. Langevin's Bill respecting Contagious Disease affecting Animals, Mr. Harrison in the chair.
The Bill was reported, and read a third time and passed.

LEGISLATION IN CANADA

Sir John A. Macdonald's Bill to remove doubts as to legislation in Canada regarding offences not wholly committed within its limits, was read a second time and passed through the remaining stages.

SUPPLY

On motion of Hon. Mr. Rose, the House again went into Committee of Ways and Means, on the ordinary resolutions on which the Supply was based.
The following is the text of the resolutions:
1st. That towards making good the supply granted to Her Majesty for the financial year ending the 30th day of June, 1869, the sum of $380,904.12 be granted out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada.
2nd. That towards making good the supply granted to Her Majesty for the financial 903 year ending on the 30th day of June, 1870, the sum of $14,205,016.68 be granted out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada.
3rd. That it is expedient to provide that, in order to enable the Consolidated Revenue Fund to meet the charges placed thereon, the Governor in Council be authorized to raise by way of loan, with the guarantee of the Government of the United Kingdom, a sum of money not exceeding $1,460,000 (ÂŁ300,000 sterling) on the credit of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, being the sum voted to be paid to the Hudson's Bay Company whenever Rupert's Land is admitted into the Dominion; and that such loan may be raised on such terms, for such period, at such rate of interest, with such sinking fund and subject to such conditions as the Governor in Council may think most advantageous, with the approval of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and that such loan be a charge on the said Consolidated Revenue.
4th. That it is expedient to provide that, in order to enable the Consolidated Revenue Fund to meet the charges therein, the Governor in Council may raise by way of loan on the credit of the said fund a further sum not exceeding $1,460,000, being the sum voted for the purpose of opening communication with the North-West Territory and establishing a Government therein, and providing for the settlement thereof; and that such further loan be raised on such terms, for such period, at such rate of interest, with such sinking fund, and subject to such conditions as the Governor in Council may think most advisable, and that the same be a charge on the said Consolidated Revenue Fund.
5th. Whereas, authority has been given by the Act 31 Vic., Cap. 13, to raise by way of loan the balance of ÂŁ2,000,000 sterling required for the Intercolonial Railway, not yet negotiated; and by the Act 31 Vic., Cap. 41, to raise by way of loan ÂŁ1,100,000, which may be required for certain works of Fortification; and by the Act 31 Vic., Cap. 48, to issue Dominion Stock to the extent of the deposits made by Insurance Companies under the said Act, and by the Act of the late Province of Canada, 29 and 30 Vic., Cap. 10, and the Act of the Dominion, 31 Vic., Cap 46, to issue Provincial notes to the extent of the balance of the sum of $8,000,000 therein mentioned; and whereas, over and above the said loans, there remained on the lst day of July, 1868, a balance of debentures, or other securities, negotiable under the authority of various Supply Acts, and under the Act of the late Province of Canada, 22 Vic., Cap. 14, sec. 6, and under the Act of the Dominion of 904 COMMONS DEBATES June 21, 1869 Canada, 31 Vic., cap. 4, sec. 2, to the extent of the sum of $8,380,925.55 (vide Public Account, 1867-68, statement 26, part 2nd, p. 42), and whereas during the current financial year a further amount of debentures has been redeemed, to the extent of $1,573,600, to which extent there is authority under the Acts above cited for the issue of new debentures or other securities,
Resolved,—That it is advisable that the authority to issue new debentures or other securities to the extent of the two last sums above named, amounting in the whole to $9,954,525.54 be cancelled and repealed, and that in lieu thereof, in order to meet such redemption and other charges on the Consolidated Fund, the Governor-in-Council may raise by way of a loan, on the credit of the said fund during the year ending 30th June, 1870, a sum not exceeding $7,000,000 over and above the four special loans first above enumerated, that is to say; the balance of the Intercolonial Loan, the loan for Works of fortifications, the Dominion stock to cover Insurance Companies deposits, and the balance issuable of Provincial notes, together with the two sums of $1,460,000 each for the purchase and opening out of the North-West Territories, as provided by the 3rd and 4th of the resolutions.
6th. That if at any time the Governor in Council shall deem it advisable to change the form of any of the existing funded debt by substituting one class of securities for another, the restriction as to the above total sum of $7,000,000, which shall not be exceeded in the year ending 30th June, 1870, shall not prevent the issue of new securities in the place of the old ones called in and redeemed, provided neither the capital of the debt nor the annual charge for interest shall be thereby augmented.
7th. That the Governor in Council may authorize the raising of the sums mentioned in the foregoing resolutions by any of the methods following, or partly by one and partly by another of such methods, that is to say, by the issue or issues of Dominion stock or debentures or of exchequer bills or exchequer bonds, or by the granting of terminable annuities, any of which securities shall be in such form and be made payable for such sums and bearing such rates of interest not exceeding 6 per cent per annum, for or redeemable at such period of time respectively as the Governor in Council may deem expedient, and such provision may be made for the creation of a sinking fund for the payment of such loans and the 905 management thereof as the Governor in Council may deem expedient; and all sums of money so raised shall form part of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Hon. Mr. Rose explained that the Government took power in the resolutions to borrow to the extent of $7,000,000, repealing all other powers of borrowing conferred by previous Acts, the object being to restrict the borrowing power to the Supply Bill of each year.
Mr. Mackenzie did not see why the Government should ask the power to borrow with nine millions in the exchequer? (Laughter).
Hon. Mr. Rose replied that it was required for a special service.
Hon. Mr. Holton thought the Government announcement alarming, and implying the possibility, if not the probability, of the revenue falling short of the expenditure. It was a strange proceeding after all the financial feats of the session. Mr. Holton said that before going into Committee, he intended to call the attention of the Government to the fact that a very important Government measure had disappeared from the Order papers on Saturday night. The House had been repeatedly told that the Government were going to push this measure through. He wished to know whether they intended to keep faith with the House and country in this matter; whether they intended resurrecting that order (laughter), which they could easily do by a day's notice?
Sir George E. Cartier said the Government were not under the necessity of doing this. There had been three other notices on the paper; and that afternoon the Government would give the hon. gentleman an opportunity of taking up the matter. (Laughter) .
Committee rose and reported the resolutions.

CRIMINAL LAW

Sir John A. Macdonald's Bill respecting the Criminal Law, to repeal certain amendments therein mentioned, passed through its remaining stages.

BANK CHARTERS

Hon. Mr. Rose's Bill, to continue for a limited time the charters of certain Banks,

Source:

Canada. House of Commons Debates, 1869. Edited by P.B. Waite. Ottawa: Queen's Printer, 1975. Original scans accessible at: http://parl.canadiana.ca/.

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