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House of Commons, 4 June 1869, Canadian Confederation with Manitoba

612 COMMONS DEBATES June 4, 1869
[...] happy hours there, and there is no hon. member in this House who knows better the great importance of this work than that hon. Minister. Therefore he hoped the Government would take this matter into their serious consideration and see that some action was taken, particularly as there is a sufficient amount now on hand to complete this work.
Sir John A. Macdonald said the subject would be considered. He hoped the hon. member had no design of erecting Prince Edward into a separate province. (Laughter.) The construction of this canal had been recommended for defensive purposes at a time when naval warfare was very different from at present.
Mr. Gibbs presented a petition from the Ontario Bank, praying for an extension of its charter, and for power to remove its head office to such place in the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as a majority of the shareholders may select.
Mr. Harrison introduced a Bill to amend the Act incorporating the Royal Canadian Bank, the rule of the House having been previously suspended.
Mr. Morris introduced a Bill to incorporate the Canada Marine Insurance Company, the rule having been suspended.

THE NORTH WEST

Sir John A. Macdonald introduced a Bill for the organization and government of Rupert's Land and the North West. The hon. gentleman said he was aware he could only introduce this Bill by the consent of the House; but he hoped that would be given. Under the address Her Majesty might at any time by an Order in Council, or a proclamation, declare the North West Territory to be part of the Confederation; and it is probable that before the Dominion Parliament meets again that proclamation will take effect. In consequence of this it was necessary that we should have authority to go there, accept the transfer, and administer the country provisionally until Parliament met. The Government did not intend at present to submit anything like a permanent measure on this subject; but had prepared the short Bill he held in his hand, which would sufficiently provide for the organization and government of the country during the few months which 613 might elapse between the issuing of the proclamation and the convening of Parliament.
Mr. Blake asked if this was the only Bill which was to be introduced on the subject. Did the Government think there would be sufficient time to consider a measure of such magnitude? The President of the Council, who was so much opposed to this measure at one period, was now among those who were pressing it on, when members were almost leaving for home.
Hon. Mr. Howe said that the business could be got through well enough if hon. gentlemen on the other side would not waste so much time in wrangling.
Mr. Mackenzie thought the President of the Council ought to be the last man to complain of taking up the time of the Dominion; for if any person took up the time of the House, not perhaps talking nonsense, but something which had no bearing on the subject, it was that hon. gentleman. (Hear and cheers.) The President of the Council was not to be the judge of what was important and what was unimportant. (Hear). The House was told the other night that the measure just introduced was a great one on which to expend our thoughts. For his part, he thought the discussion of such a measure only a waste of time and would not enter on it.
The second reading of the Bill was ordered for Tuesday.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

A message was brought down from His Excellency enclosing copies of minutes of the Privy Council of Canada and delegates from Newfoundland, on the subject of the union of that colony with the Dominion, and copies of the resolutions adopted as the basis of such union.
Another message was sent from His Excellency transmitting copies of minutes of a meeting of the Privy Council of Canada on the subject of the admission of Prince Edward Island into the Dominion of Canada, which His Excellency recommended to the consideration of the House.
Hon. Mr. Rose moved for a committee on Tuesday next, to consider the resolutions on Newfoundland. He explained the resolutions seriatim. It was proposed that Newfoundland should receive five per cent interest on the difference between its actual debt and the [...]

Source:

Canada. House of Commons Debates, 1869. Edited by P.B. Waite. Ottawa: Queen's Printer, 1975. Original scans accessible at: http://parl.canadiana.ca/.

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

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