NORTH WEST TERRITORY
Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald moved the
appointment of a special committee to examine
papers connected with the North West Territory, and to report what portions it would
be
expedient to lay before the House, composed of
Sir John, Howe, Langevin, Tilley, Morris,
Dunkin, J. S. Macdonald, McDougall, Holton,
Mackenzie and Blake.
Hon. Sir George-É. Cartier referred to a
remark of the hon. member for North Lanark,
that he regretted that he (Sir George) had not
in his speech said anything in condemnation of
the proceedings of the insurgents at Red River.
He begged to remind the House that he had on
two or three occasions, in his speech, condemned the disturbances, but in some of
the
papers it had been merely stated that he confirmed the statement of the Hon. Mr. Langevin.
He mentioned this so that he might not be
misunderstood.
Hon. Mr. McDougall called attention to the
great difficulty under which the reporters
laboured, in ascertaining what was said in the
House. These gentlemen had a very onerous
duty to perform, and every facility should be
given them. The difficulty in hearing might be
obviated by erecting a temporary gallery for
short-hand reporters only, over each of the
entrances into the Chamber, lower down than
the present gallery. Such an arrangement
would not probably interfere with the artistic
beauty of the House, and would certainly bring
the reporters within hearing distance. Where
they were, he had been told, it was utterly
impossible to hear many of the gentlemen who
172 COMMONS DEBATES February 24, 1870
were in the habit of addressing the House,
especially the leader of the Government, whose
remarks, above all others, ought to be correctly
reported. Such an arrangement as he had suggested could be carried out in two or three
days, and at a very trifling expense. With reference to the remarks of the Minister
of Militia
he was exceedingly pleased to find that hon.
gentleman so anxious that no misunderstanding with regard to his position and the
position
of the Government on the North-West question
should go to the country. He had always
believed that the Minister of Militia would
take a broad Canadian view of this question,
and not be influenced by local, sectional or
national feeling, in dealing with it. He then
referred to certain statements in the papers,
and particularly to the reported remarks of the
Hon. Mr. Letellier de St Just, in the Senate,
that he had been guilty of doubtful acts in
connection with the treaty with the Indians in
the Manitoulin Island. He would briefly state
the facts in connection with this matter. In the
first place he had observed, in certain papers,
especially in certain organs of the Government, a desire to create a prejudice against
him
personally, because of some supposed misconduct in connection with the Manitoulin
treaty.
Fortunately, that supposed misconduct, whatever it was, had never been heard of among
the
half-breeds of Red River. He had made particular enquiries on this point, and found
they had
heard nothing about these stories. Attempts
had been made by Sir Francis Bond Head to
have the Island of Manitoulin conveyed to the
Government, in order that homes might be
provided for such Indians from the mainland
as desired to go there. The policy of the Government of that day was not carried out:
few of
the Indians went to the Island, but in course of
time a number of Indians from the Western
States went there. The late Chancellor of
Upper Canada, by the authority of the Government, undertook to negotiate a treaty
with the
Indians for the ceding of the Island to the
Government, and propositions were made to
them which they did not accept. In course of
time a number of Indians from the Western
States of America, amongst others the Pottawotamies, came to the Island. They were
under the control of two or three Jesuit missionaries, and a village grew up which
appeared
to be prosperous. The Government of which Sir
John A. Macdonald and Sir George-E. Cartier
were members, came to the conclusion that it
was desirable that the Island should be ceded
to the Government, and opened for settlement.
The late Chancellor of Upper Canada, then
Commissioner of Crown Lands, undertook to
negotiate for the Island, and sent Commissioners there who were not acceptable. When
the
Government of John A. Macdonald came into
173
office, he (Mr. McDougall) came to the Crown
Lands Department, and this question was
brought under his notice. He found an Island
some 90 miles long, and 20 or 30 miles wide; a
portion of it was very good land, and he was
authorized by the Government to negotiate for
its cession. He went personally to the Island,
along with the able Assistant Superintendant
of Indian affairs. A conference was held with
the Indians, and a treaty was formed. It was a
fair treaty, and one of the most favourable ever
made with the Indians in this country. It
secured them the possession of the lands they
held, and all money which should come from
the sale of the remainder. But the treaty did
not meet the views of the Jesuit missionaries,
who did not think that the portion of the
Island under their control should be ceded to
the Government; so to please them a line was
drawn, leaving the eastern portion of the
Island under the control of these gentlemen. As
far as he (Mr. McDougall) was concerned, he
was acting as agent for the Government. There
had been no complaint, except by some parties
who brought the matter before the other
House, and a Committee reported that the
documents should not be printed, on account of
their baseless character. From that time to this,
those who had objected to his services with
regard to the treaty, had been saying that he
was guilty of something or other to the prejudice of the interests of the Indians
and the
missionaries. What he had done was in the
interests of the country, and those who
referred to Manitoulin Island should look into
the matter and understand the facts well
before they undertook to censure him.
Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald said that he
was in Opposition at the time of the Manitoulin transaction referred to, and was not
inclined to look very favourably on the actions
of the Government, but he could now in justice
to the hon. gentleman state, that his impression
was, that it was a good arrangement, and carried out with every fairness to those
concerned. In reference to the statements concerning this matter, which had been made
in some
of the newspapers, he said that they, whether
supporting the general policy of the Government or not, had no sanction from himself
or
his colleagues.
Mr. Simpson (Algoma) said that he had
some knowledge of the state of matters in
Manitoulin Island, and could state that everybody in that section of country considered
the
treaty made by the member for Lanark to be
one of great justice to the Indians. The territory was very large and sparsely populated
by
Indians. The land, however, is very good, and is
174 COMMONS DEBATES February 24, 1870
fast settling up. There had been no complaint
made as to the course taken by the Government.
Mr. Mackenzie said it was very strange that
these statements should appear in what were
known as Government organs. It had appeared
to many others, as well as to the hon. gentleman, that an attempt was being made to
turn
him into a scapegoat for the Government, upon
whom the whole blame of the transactions
could be fixed. Any blame affixed, or attacks ,
made upon him, for his conduct after leaving
Canada, must be borne by the Government;
and he (Mr. Mackenzie) thought that any
attacks made by the Government organs
should be repudiated in the same manner as
had been done in this case by the leader of the
Government.
Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald said that he
had always been personally opposed to what
was called organism, as he considered it was an
unwholesome system, and one not known to
British practice. Various sections of public
opinion had their organs or papers holding
their opinions, but he denied being responsible
for any opinions expressed by any newspapers.
He had always avoided anything of this kind in
any part of the country. The hon. member for
Lambton was entirely in error in his statements as to the course of the Government
in
respect to this matter. It was not only papers
supporting the Government that had attacked
the hon. member for Lanark. The first paper
calling for his return was the
Globe.
Hon. Mr. Howe considered it due to himself
to make an observation. He hardly knew anybody that could influence a newspaper. He
had
never written a line for a paper in Canada, nor
influenced an article in any way. The hon.
member for Lanark complains of rumors and
statements made by newspapers during his
absence, and he thought it would have been
better if that gentleman had in reference to
rumours in the North-West, come home to his
colleagues, and stated to them what he had
heard, giving them an opportunity of making
then, the same flat denial as had that day been
made on the floor of the House. He did not
think that gentlemen on either side of the
House would like to hold themselves responsible for everything said in the papers
usually
supporting them. Much as the hon. gentleman
admired the Globe, he would not, he thought,
like to pledge his reputation on the veracity of
everything it said.
175
The Speaker then presented a message from
His Excellency with the papers relative to the
recent occurrences in the North-West Territory, which, on motion of Sir John A. Macdonald
were referred to the special committee above
named.
Hon. Mr. Holton said the House might fairly
enough use an hour or two tomorrow afternoon
in advancing current public business, and do a
good deal towards launching new public
business.
Motion agreed to.
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