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Legislative Assemblies of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 20 March 1902, Alberta and Saskatchewan Debates over Confederation with Canada.

1 THE LEADER. REGINA N.W.T., THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 27, 1902.

ASSEMBLY OPENED.

The Fourth Session of the Fourth Legislature Begun.

SPEECH BY HIS HONOR.

Large Attendance at the Opening Ceremonies-Correspondence With Federal Authorities re Provincial Autonomy — increased Representation in the Assembly — The Select Standing Committeesfor Session.

The fourth session of the fourth Legislative Assembly of the North-West Territories was opened in a most auspicious manner by His Honor Lieutenaut Governor. Forget last Thursday afternoon. The crowd in attendance was unusually large and very great interest was manifested in the proceedings. The public schools were dismissed in order that the scholars might be enabled to be present and thereby get an insight into some of the methods of procedure under our system of government.
Shortly after three o'clock Madame Forget arrived, accompanied by her sisters, Mrs. Dr Mount and Madame Freichette, of Montreal, and Mrs. Graham of File Hills. The Lieutenant Governor drove in a four-in-hand carriage from Government House escorted by a squad of the N. W. M. P. under command of Inspector Taylor. His Honor was accompanied by Colonel Macdonnell, D. S. O., as aide-de-camp, and Commissioner Perry, SurgeonMajor Bell, M.D., Captain Gilpin Brown and A. W. G. Bourget, private secretary. He was received by Premier Hauitain, Hon. A. L. Sifton and Hon. G. H. W. Bulyea, members of the Government. Having been conducted to the Speaker's chair. His Honor read the
SPEECH FROM THE THRONE.
Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly:—
It is with much pleasure that I welcome you to this the fourth session of the fourth Legislative Assembly. The time at which you meet is one charaterised by great and unexampled prossperity in all sections of our country. New settlements with bright prospects are springing up in every direction, and the succession of excellent crops during recent years tends to encourage the continuation of the immigration movement so noticeable at present.
During the month of September last the Territories were honored by the presence of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, now the Prince and Princess of Wales. Every effort possible was made to make the visit pleasant and memorable, and I am assured, Their Royal Highnesses were much gratified at the evidences of sterling loyalty shown in the numerous addresses presented by the several municipalities and other public bodies in the Territories.
The unprecedented crop of last season brought the transportatiou question into prominence, and demonstrated the necessity for improved and enlarged accommodation for shipping and carrying grain to eastern points after the close of lake navigation. Owing to the representations made to the Canadian Pacific authorities by my Government through the Department of Agriculture the evils of the grain blockade existing a few weeks ago have been considerably mitigated by shipments to Duluth via North Portal. As a result the farmers are now in receipt of an increase in prices amounting to at least ten per cent. over prices formerly obtaining.
During the recess my Government has been in communication with the Federal Government upon the matters set forth in your memorial to His Excellency in Council of the second day of May, 1900, and as a result a conference was held with a sub-cominittee of the Privy Council appointed for that purpose. In addition to verbal representations made, a statement in writing was submitted on behalf of my Government. This statement together with reply of the Federal authorities– which I regret to say has not yet been received -will be communicated to you at the earliest possible moment and you will be asked to take action with respect to the important questions dealt with therein.
Owing to the great increase of population in the Territories provision will have to be made for increased representation in the Legislature and a measure dealing with that subject will be submitted to you.
Statements of receipts and expenditures of the past year together with estimates of the public requirements during the present year will be laid before you.
I now leave you to your deliberations confident that you will, under Divine guidance, give your most earnest consideration to the matters brought to your attention.

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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