[...] sixty-nine millions of people. To fill up, and
organize and develop, and govern such a
country would give scope and employment
enough for all our skill and energies. The
utmost anxiety had been shown by the Duke
of Buckingham, the Earl of Granville, and
other British Ministers to obtain for Canada
on terms which would not be burdensome to
us, the control and management of the territory, and it was evident that so soon as
the
transfer was made there would be in the
mother country a strong desire on the part
of those who wished to better their condition
to emigrate to Canada, with the view of
proceeding to the North-West, and there finding new homes under the shelter of British
institutions. That desire already existed, and
it would be very much increased when it
became known that we had taken posssession
of the country and organized a suitable Government over it. He considered we were
now
on the eve of obtaining the great objects we
had in contemplation. When the Coalition
Government of 1864 was formed the Minister
of Militia had informed the House that there
was at that time a prospect of securing the
admission of Newfoundland. We knew that
British Columbia was only waiting the settlement of the question with regard to the
Northwest territory, to ask admission also; so
that we might look forward to having our
Confederacy extend in a short time from
ocean to ocean, as was contemplated in the
Quebec resolutions. At the time of the Toronto
Convention, he (Mr. McDougall) was subjected
to a good deal of unpleasant comments from
his former political friends, the member for
Lambton and others, for having resolved to
maintain his position in the Government until
the work they had undertaken was completed. He recollected the sneer with which
the acquisition of the North West was referred to, as if it would take many years
to
bring that about, and as if he made the completion of the work merely an excuse for
remaining in office. He was proud to believe
that they were now on the eve of the completion of that work, and that it would be
entirely completed before this Government,
in its present form, was dissolved. Only when
it was so completed would he feel that he had
accomplished the work which he set about
in 1864; and all the assaults made on him
would fall harmless in presence of the fact
that they had achieved a successful result
in finishing the great work they had then
undertaken.
Mr. Mackenzie said that looking at the particular point as to whether it was better to accept
such terms or continue an
almost in- [...]
This individual participated in: