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Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, 28 March 1871, Prince Edward Island Confederation with Canada.

270 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1871
[Hon. B. DAVIES] The Opposition press believed the Government, in bringing forward the measure, did so with a view to free the country into Confederation, which he, (Hon. B. D.) felt assured would follow as a result of the debt the undertaking would entail upon the Colony. In engaging in an undertaking so far beyond the resources of the country, the consequences would be they would as a Colony become debtors to the party which would back their paper, and occupy the position which a debtor does to a creditor, which was not a desirable one. The creditor controlled the debtor, and such he feared would be their position with regard to Canada, if that costly work were proceeded with, for they would have to ask the Dominion Government to endorse their paper. Such being the case, the Opposition deserved well of the country.
272 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 1871
[HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL] The hon. member's imagination has enabled him to see the grim skeleton of Confederation behind the thin screen of the Railway scheme, and gravely tell us that we will have to go to Canada to get our paper endorsed. I ask him does he really believe what he asserted? Canada has quite as many responsibillities already as she can bear. The improvement of the canals, the construction of the Pacific Railroad, the purchase and settlement of the North west Territory, and other great demands upon her resources, will absorb all her available resources for some years to come. Although in favor of Confederation, I would scorn to ask her to pledge her credit for our proposed Railway.
[Mr. REILLY] I tell that hon. member and the hon. Leader of the Government that there is not money enough in the Treasury to purchase my support as a journalist to Confederation. The railroad will be a benefit to the country, and so far from believing that it will conduce to confederation it will be the best means of keeping us out of it. [...]
[...] But this Pictou 1871 PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. 273 Union with the Dominion, the price to be paid us will be enhanced. Under any circumstances no pressure can be brought to bear on us from our Railway indebtedness for thirty years, as the debentures will not be redeemable until the expiration of that time.

Source:

The Parliamentary Reporter of Debates and Proceedings of the House of Assembly. Charlottetown: The Examiner, 1871-1872. Microfilm copies provided by the Prince Edward Island Libraries and Archives.

Credits:

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Gordon Lyall.

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