THE LEADER.
REGINA, N.W.T., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1904
DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS
The Important Feature of Last Week's Sittings of the Legislative Assembly.
Tuesday, September 27th.
The Legislative Assembly got down to business to-day and in the course of an hour
and three-quarters disposed of the Address in Reply to the Speech of His Honor, the
Lieutenant Governor. After the presentation of a couple of petitions, and the adoption
of the report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Private Bills
Mr. Greeley, (Maple Creek), moved that "a humble address be presented to His Honor, thanking
him for the gracious speech with which he open ed the Session."
[...]
A Question of Taxation.
The speaker expressed his regret at the intimation in the Speech that it was not
the intention of the Government to bring down any very large measures and stated
his willingness to stay there a while longer and thresh out some of the important
legislation which had been promised. He referred more particularly to the question
of municipal organisation and taxation. They all remembered the work done last session
and he regretted to say there did not appear to be anything foreshadowed in the
Speech to lead them to infer that this question would come up this session. The people
in this district did not care particularly for any large municipal system but the
question of taxation was one that re-interested them deeply and required some attention.
There is, said Mr. Greeley, considerable dissatisfaction in some districts, more particularly
the stock growing sections, in regard to taxation. This comes particularly from
the smaller landlord, who feels that they are not being quite properly dealt with,
perhaps, in the matter of taxation. The range conditions are somewhat peculiar.
It appears to me there is no law nor any reason why anybody should own anything
but stock. The condition of affairs is that a man may go unto that district with
from 100 to as many thousand head of cattle as he wants to and go elsewhere and carry
on his operation and by not leasing land prac
tically pays no revenue into the Territorial treasury. He receives the benefits of
roads, bridges, fire-guards, etc., that are being paid for by the small property
owner who does not own very many head of live stock and these small property owners
naturally feel that their taxes are not being fairly distributed. Very many of the
large companies are paying quite substantial sums into the Territorial funds, but
there are a large number of people who contribute practically nothing to the maintenance
of district needs and who should be in some way got at. I had hoped that this municipal
legislation would come up this session and result in placing these matters in a
more satisfactory position than they now are.
[...]
Adequate Money Grants.
I am very glad to note that the Parliament of Canada has seen fit to give us, approximately
at any rate, adequate grants. (Hear, hear.) After all, while we have got an increased
vote this year, we also have an increased number of people coming in and a strong
demand will be made on that vote. I do not think this increase is anything to crow
about. (Laughter.) While we are all pleased to know there is an increased grant
yet it had been held back for a long time and much of it will be required to meet
accumulating necessities. I do not consider the mere fact of receiving a few dollars
more or less is any reason why we should be denied the exercise of the right of
self government by the people of this country. We all agree in the expressions of
regret that the establishment of the Territories on the provincial basis has not
been materially forwarded during the past year. I feel sure the House will press
for it until we reach that status. I see no reason, nor have I heard any argument
advanced why we should not become a province.
Mr. Greeley – I will say why we should not receive provincial rights—
Mr. Greeley – If that is satisfactory to the hon. gentleman. I am myself in favor of provincial
autonomy and the people of this country as a whole are in favor of it. It seems
to me that all the evidence goes to show this. Every agitation for enlarged local
powers in the local improvement districts, in towns desiring to become cities, etc.,
are only applications for provincial rights, for after all what is a province but
a large improvement district. (Cheers.)
Mr. McIntyre Seconds the Motion.
Mr. Speaker,—It is with pleasure that I rise on this occasion to second the resolution moved
by the Honorable Member for Maple Creek to express the sense of appreciation the
House has of the gracious speech with which His Honor, the Lieutenant Governor opened
this session of the Legislative Assembly of the Territories on Thursday of last week.
I understand that this occasion marks the commencement of His Honor's second term
of office and I am sure I but give utterance to the feelings of the Members of the
House when I say that we all trust that His Honor may be granted health and strength
to perform the duties devolving upon him in his high office with that unfailing courtesy
and graciousness which we have all experienced from time to time.
We can all join with His Honor in thankfulness at the continuation of the prosperous
era which has marked the history of the Territories dur-Â ing the past few years and
we may hope for its continuance for an indefinite period. Hard times will no doubt
recur, and seasons will come in which the climatic conditions will be such as to
cause disaster and loss to our crops, as, I regret to learn from His Honor's speech,
has been the case in a few localities this year, but "hope
(Continued on Page 3.)
DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.
(Continued From Page 1.)
[...]
We were all glad to learn that the
Dominion Government has recognized
the necessities of the Territories in the
unprecedented increase to our grant,
which for the first time is the full
amount asked for. There is no Member in this House I feel safe in saying who has not
time and again, felt
the pinch of poverty in our public finances. I do not suppose that the
present remarkable increase will anything like meet all the requirements
of the country, for as usual the "supply" will create a "demand." But I
think we should all recognise one
fact evidenced by the large increase in
our grant. We have all heard the
small grants we have had in the past
attributed to the difficulty met with
by the Dominion Government in interesting Members of Parliament from
Eastern constituencies in western affairs. The fact that such a large
grant has been given for this year
without any criticism shows, to my
mind, that that difficulty has been
done away with. Though we have not
been successful in obtaining provincial institutions, yet I am hopeful
from the fact that I have just mentioned,
that we are within a reasonable distance of it.
Mr. Speaker, it is with much pleasure I second the resolution before the
House.
The Opposition Leader.
[...]
Received Full Amount Asked For.
I quite agree with the Government
in expressions of pleasure that this
year we have received all the money
we asked for.
[...]
Taking up the question of provincial autonomy, Mr. McDonald said he
sincerely hoped that when they next
met together, whether at a legislature of the North-West Territories,
or as a provincial legislature, that at
that time the provincial question
would be settled. I believe, said
the speaker, that we should have this
question settled by this time. (Hear,
hear.) I am sincerely in favor of getting autonomy, but I understand
this Government has made it a consideration that there must be one
province. As you know, we of the
Opposition do not agree to that. I
believe a majority of this Legislature is now getting to that way of
thinking. All we have to do today
is to keep plugging at the Government and they will come around on
this as they have done on many
things. I do not believe there is
anyone in Canada who believe that
the whole North-West will be formed into one large province. This is
a matter in which we are not the
only people interested. When we become a province or provinces we enter into confederation
with the other
provinces and they will have something to say about our size. During
recent years we have been growing
in population, our representation in
the House of Commons has been increased, and we now have a larger
force at our back and should therefore be in a position to obtain better terms than
we could four or five
years ago. I do not know, therefore, but that we have been actual
gainers by the matter of provincial
autonomy being postponed for a few
years. However, I believe the time
has come for the granting of provincial institutions and I hope the
Government will have better success
before the House meets again.
Poked Fun at Bennett.
Although not informed officially,
we have reason to believe that a
number of Members in this Assembly
are endeavoring to secure seats in
the House of Commons and, we
trust, if any are successful that they
will represent the views of this Assembly. (Hear, hear.) I have always
thought that it would be a very
good thing if certain Members of this
Legislature were in the House of
Commons. (Laughter.) Of course
there are some Members you cannot
recommend for that position. (More
laughter.) But I think we all ought
to be agreed that if any man resigns
his seat in this House and attempts
to secure a seat in the House of
Commons and is defeated he should
not endeavor to come back here.
(Loud laughter, during which Mr. R.
B. Bennett interjecting some remark.
Mr. McDonald — I am sorry that
I have hurt the feelings of the Member for West Calgary, but he has
given up all idea of ever securing a
seat in the House of Commons.
(Laughter.) Aside from political considerations it would be a good thing
if some of the Members of this Assembly were amongst those representing us at Ottawa.
Mr. McDonald in referring to the
Governor General, said he would
prove a good friend of the North-
West and in bringing our great agricultural resources before the people
of Great Britain would do us a great
service as, after all, it was to the
mother country we looked for the
great number of people we expect to
have in this country.
[...]
Member for the district, and that if
the Government had not sufficient
confidence in the Member they should
send an engineer in to investigate
and report. Mr. McDonald resumed
his seat amidst applause.
The Premier's Reply.
[...]
We have received a
Very Substantial Increase.
to our Parliamentary vote and I
am very glad that such is the case,
and we will have no difficulty in
knowing where to put it. This increased vote will be, as one of the
speakers said this afternoon, only a
temporary alleviation of our position
and will only go to meet accumulated
needs which have increased from year
to year under insufficient grants.
So far as the provincial question
is concerned, we in this House are
one on that. I regret that the leader of the Opposition sounded even the
one discordant note this afternoon
of one or more provinces. The deciding of that question rests with
Ottawa. What we want is provincial instiutions and the right to
manage our own affairs. I have opinions, and others have strong opinions possibly,
as to the area within which these institutions should
be put in operation, but I consider
that an unimportant item in any discussion raised in this House. We
should drop that and be united on
this question so far as possible, and
I believe we can continue to be united so far as we have been in the
past, that is to say that this coun try should have provincial institutions. We have
required them for
the past three years and if we required them then, we require them
much more to-day. (Cheers.)
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