NEW MEMBERS
Mr. Speaker informed the House that during
the recess he had received communications; he
also informed the House that during the recess
the Clerk had received from the Clerk of the
Crown in Chancery, Certificates of the Election and Return of the following Members,
to
fill up vacancies which had occurred during
the recess:-
Of John Lorne McDougall Esq., for the South
Riding of the County of Renfrew.
Of Barthelemy Pouliot, Esq., for the Electoral District of L'Islet.
Of the Hon. Sir Adams George Archibald, for
the Electoral District of Colchester (Nova
Scotia).
Of Julius Scriver, Esq., for the Electoral District of Huntingdon.
Of the Hon. Sir Francis Hincks, K.C.M.G.,
C.B., for the North Riding of the County of
Renfrew.
Of the Hon. Christopher Dunkin, for the
Electoral District of Brome; and
Of the Hon. Alexander Morris, for the South
Riding of the County of Lanark.
The newly elected members having previously taken the oath, were severally introduced
and took their seats.
Mr. Speaker reported, that when the House
did attend His Excellency the Governor General this day in the Senate Chamber, His
Excellency was pleased to make a Speech to both
Houses of Parliament, of which Mr. Speaker
said he had, to prevent mistakes, obtained a
copy, which he read to the House as follows:-
Honourable Gentlemen of the Senate,
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
I recur, with confidence, to your advice, and
have much satisfaction in being enabled, on
the present occasion, to summon you to the
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COMMONS DEBATES
February 15, 1870
discharge of your public duties at the period of
the year most convenient to yourselves.
The circumstances under which we meet are
in many respects auspicious. The bounty of
Providence crowned the harvest with abundance, and made the Fisheries unusually productive;
in many districts existing industries
have been enlarged, and new enterprises have
started into activity, furnishing fresh avenues
for commerce, and additional employment for
our people; whilst every day new sections of
the country are being opened to the labours of
the husbandman. The trade and wealth of the
Dominion are on the increase, and the equal
administration of the laws maintains, as
heretofore, the enjoyment of a general sense of
security.
I have watched, with much anxiety, the
course of events in the North-West Territories.
Unfortunate misapprehensions of the intentions with which the country was sought to
be
acquired by Canada have led to complications
of a grave character. With a view to their
removal, I have thought it desirable to exhaust
every means of conciliation, before adopting
other measures; and the latest advices lead me
to expect that the groundless alarms entertained by a portion of the inhabitants,
have
given place to a desire to listen to the explanations which I have caused to be made
to them.
Efforts made in the spirit which has animated
my Government throughout, can scarcely fail
to accomplish an equitable and peaceful solution of the existing difficulty, and thereby
secure the speedy incorporation of the North-
West Territories with Canada, an object so
earnestly desired by the Empire and the
Dominion.
As the Act for the temporary Government of
the Territories when united with Canada, will
expire at the close of the present Session, a
measure providing for their Government will
be submitted for your consideration.
The Charters of most of the Banks of the
Dominion were, last Session, extended for a
limited period, with the view that during the
interval the questions of Banking and Currency should receive the consideration which
their
importance demands. A measure intended to
ensure safety to the community, without interfering with the legitimate operations
of the
Banks will be submitted for your consideration, and will, I trust, be found calculated
to
place those important interests upon a sound
and stable basis.
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The Laws in force on the subject of the
Elective Franchise, and the regulation of Parliamentary Elections in the several Provinces
of the Dominion, vary much in their operations, and it is important that uniform provision
should be made, settling the Franchise
and regulating Elections to the House of Commons. A measure upon this subject will
be
submitted for your consideration.
Under the operation of an Act of the Imperial Parliament, passed in the year 1869,
to
amend the laws relating to the Coasting Trade,
and Merchant Shipping in British Possessions,
a period of two years is given to the Legislatures of the several Colonies of the
Empire to
make provision for the regulation of the Coasting Trade. In the absence of legislation
on the
subject, within the period named, the provisions of the Imperial Law will be in force.
The
extent and value of our internal commerce,
render legislation on this subject desirable,
and a measure with regard to it will be submitted for your consideration.
The creation of a Court of Appeal under the
powers conferred upon you by the Union Act,
is a matter deserving your attention. A measure will be submitted to you for the establishment
of such a Court, and for conferring upon
it certain original jurisdiction.
The year 1871 is that in which the next
decennial Census is fixed by law to take place.
As there are different laws on the subject in
the several Provinces, it will, therefore, be
necessary to pass a General Act, to establish a
uniform and accurate system throughout the
Dominion. Steps have already been taken to
secure the co-operation of Newfoundland and
Prince Edward Island; and, I trust, a Census
upon one system will be made simultaneously
in all Her Majesty's British North American
Possessions. I need not expatiate on the importance of the information which the tables
of
the Census are calculated to afford, as, in addition to their interest and value on
general
grounds, it must be recollected that upon them
depends the readjustment of the Parliamentary representation.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
I have directed that the accounts of the last
year shall be laid before you. The Estimates for
the present financial year will also be submitted. They have been framed with every
regard
to economy, compatible with the efficiency of
the Public Service; and you will, I trust, be of
opinion that the Finances are in a satisfactory
state, and that the people can, without inconvenience, afford, for the service of
her Majesty,
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COMMONS DEBATES February 15, 1870
the supplies which it will be the duty of my
Government to ask you to vote.
Honourable Gentlemen of the Senate,
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
The Act respecting the Militia and Defence
of the Dominion has not failed to engage my
attention. The high spirit and loyalty of the
people are placed in a clear light by the fact
that the Active Militia have, voluntarily, come
forward largely in excess of the quota required,
as well as by the zealous attendance of the
various Corps at the annual training in the
camps, and by the promptness with which they
assembled in force, at the call of duty, on more
than one occasion, when Fenian marauders
threatened the peace of the country.
I have observed, with great satisfaction, the
efforts which have been made in several of the
Provinces of the Dominion to foster and
encourage immigration to our shores. The continued progress of great public works,
in many
portions of the country, will afford the opportunity of early employment to intending
immigrants, and I look forward with confidence to
the addition of a large and valuable class of
settlers to our population during the coming
season.
During the Summer and Autumn I had the
opportunity of visiting different parts of the
Dominion. I proceeded first to Quebec, thence
to the Maritime Provinces; and at Halifax, I had
the honour of receiving His Royal Highness
Prince Arthur. Subsequently I attended His
Royal Highness in a tour to the Province of
Ontario. Everywhere the great capabilities of
the country, and the proofs of vigorous industry made themselves apparent, and it
became
my pleasing duty to report to Her Majesty's
Government, as the result of my observations,
that the inhabitants of the Dominion are well
contented with their position and prospects,
and that the wish nearest their hearts is to
avail themselves of the franchises and full
powers of legislation, which they possess, in
order to build up, as a portion of the British
Empire, institutions of their own choice, by
laws of their own making.
I now leave you to the labours of the session,
with earnest aspirations for your complete
success.
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