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Legislative Assemblies of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 29 March 1900, Alberta and Saskatchewan Debates over Confederation with Canada.

1 THE LEADER> REGINA, N.W.T., THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 5, 1900.

THE LEGISLATURE

Opening of the Second Session of the Fourth Assembly.

TEXT OF HIS HONOR'S SPEECH

Address in Reply Adopted Without Opposition or Criticism, on Motion of Mr. Brown and Dr. De Veber— Mr. Sifton, the New Member for Banff, Takes His Seat Provincial Establishment Mooted.

THE OPENING
The second session of the Fourth Legislature of the Territories was opened at Regina on Thursday, 29th March, 1900, by His Honor Lieut.-Governor Forget. Twenty-six of the thirty-one Members were in their seats. The function was attended by the usual display, and was witnessed by a large assemblage of spectators. His Honour was attended from Government House to the Assembly buildings by a Mounted Police escourt, and arrived at the Chamber a few minutes after three o'clock accompanied by Inspector Gilpin-Brown, A.D.C.
THE SPEECH
The Speech delivered by the Lieut.- Governor was the following:—
Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative ssembly:—
I have much pleasure in welcoming you upon the occasion of the opening of the Section Session of the Fourth Legislative ssembly of the Territories, and in congratulatng you upon the remarkable growth in population and material resources which the Territories have experienced during the past year.
The spontaneous expressions of loyalty with which all parts of the Empire have given practical evidence of their devotion to the Queen and Imperial interests, will ever mark the past year as a memorable one in the history of the nation. Owing to the non-establishment of the militia system, the Territories were deprived of the privilege of being represented in the first Canadian Contingent, but it must be a matter of pride and gratification to know that in the Second Contingent, and in that corps raised and equipped through the splended generosity and patriotism of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, the Territories have now the honor of having given not only a large number of men in the aggregate but, in proportion to their population, a larger number than any other portion of the Dominion, to the Canadian contribution to the cause of the Empire. In this connection you will be asked to concur in a grant made to the NorthWest members of the Second Contingent, and your assent will be asked to a measure legalising grants made by Municipal Corporations to various patriotic funds.
The financial position of the Territories has been the subject of considerable correspondence addressed to the Federal authorities by my Government. A portion of the correspondence was laid before you at your last Session, and I have ordered copies of subsequent communications to be prepared for your information.
The unprecedented rainfall and disastrous floods of the past year brought about a state of affairs which the revenue, already proved to be inadequate under ordinary conditions, was altogether unable to cope with. This state of affairs tended not so much to create as to aggravate and call more pointed attention to the great disproportion existing between the means at command and the ever-growing necessities of the rapidly increasing population of the Territories. It is gratifying for me to be able to inform you that the Federal Government has proposed to Parliament now in session a moderate increase to your annual grant and a large special vote for the purpose of restoring public works detroyed by the floods. In spite of this very substantial increase to the Revenue, my Government can only look upon it as affording a temporary and partial amelioration of otherwise impossible financial conditions, and will ask you to take action leading to the earliest practicable solution of Teritorial financial and administrative problems.
In the administration of the law some changes have suggested themselves as being calculated to bring about greater economy and effectiveness. Bills to secure these ends will be duly submitted to you.
The accoutns of the Income and Expenditure of the past year will be laid before you, as will also the Estimates for the current year, which have been prepared with due regard to the efficiency of the several services to be undertaken and teh rigid limitations of the revenue.
Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly—>
I now leave you to your deliberations, in full confidence that the same devotion will be given to the interests of the Territories which has heretofore characterised the labours of teh Legislative Assembly.
His Honor having departed, Mr. Speaker (Hon. Wm. Eakin) took the Chair. Mr. Speaker announced that during the recess he had received the certificate of election of Arthur L. Sifton as member for Banff. Mr. Sifton was then introduced to Mr. Speker by Premier Haultain and Mr. Wallace of High River, and took his seat amid warm applause. The Premier moved for leave to introduce a formal bill, which ws read a first time.
On motion of Messrs. Haultain and Ross a select committee was struck to name the members to compose the Standing Committees for the session, and report, after which the House adjourned.

Source:

Regina Leader, 1896-1904. Digitized by Google Books.

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Isabelle Carré-Hudson.

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