L

before the house he would see the
Government had stated as a ground
for the abandonment of the Esquimalt
and Nanaimo Railway that the Senate
had thrown out the Bill. He would
find hereafter that the vote which he
himself had provoked would be quoted
against British Columbia, and he (Sir
John) thought they would have the
right to do so against the views placed
in the resolution. While he must
attribute to the hon. gentleman the
most patriotic motives in offering the
resolution, he must say he had no
sympathy with it.

member who brought forward this
motion was actuated by the most pat-
riotic motives; but still he thought the
hon. gentleman was unwise and was
not acting in the interests of his own
Province or of the construction of the
Pacific Railway in pressing it as an
amendment to the motion to go into
Committee of Supply. He agreed
with the remarks made in the exceed-
ingly sensible speech of the hon. mem-
ber for North York—that the construc-
tion of the road was no longer an open
question. It was in fact a portion of
our constitution that the Dominion as
now formed is composed as much of This, question ought to have been
British Columbia as of the other Prov- brought up on its own merits, and
inces. The constitution as it now postponed until after the Government
stands has as one of the bases the had an opportunity of expressing their
agreement made with British Colum- views on the present situation of that
bia; this was engrafted and enterwoven road, the policy to be carried out, and
with it, and could not, without dis- the progress they proposed to make
ruption of that constitution, be set with respect to the route during the
aside or waived. He was glad to find immediate future. Until the Govern-
from the remarks of every gentleman ment had an opportunity of express-
who had spoken, with the exception ing themselves fully, this motion
of the hon. member for Halifax, that ought not to be made. While, there-
that stipulation was admitted to exist. fore, he considered that the faith of
Some hon. gentleman had expressed the country was pledged to the con-
his views strongly that the construction struction of this road; while it should
of this road ought not to be un- be his duty as well as his pleasure so
duly undertaken, that the resources of long as he was a member of Parlia-
the country should not be unduly ment to press at all convenient sea-
pressed, and that the taxes ought not sons for the carrying out of the obliga-
to be unduly increased for the purpose; tions entered into at the time of the
but all, with a single exception, had Union with British Columbia; while
admitted that the Pacific Railway he was convinced that the people of
is a necessity, and even if it the Dominion would recognize the obli-
were not a necessity as a matter gation and the duty of the Govern-
of constitutional principle it must ment who led Parliament and public
be constructed. It remained only opinion, and exact from them the ful-
for the hon. member for Halifax to fillment of the promise, and say to them,
cast the first stain on the honour of they must not allow any engagement,
Canada. For thirty years or more he provident or improvident, to which the
had been a member of the Parliament honour of the country is pledged, to be
of Canada, and except from the lips of repudiated, rejected or broken; he
that hon. gentlemen he had never
had looked at this resolution with
heard repudiation recommended. The a view of seeing whether he was forced
mover of the resolution had assumed a to vote for it, because he thought the
great responsibility in pressing and hon. gentleman had deprived himself
refusing to withdraw it, contrary to the of all sympathy. He had forced the
wishes of one member after the other House to consider this question pre-
from his own Province as much maturely, and acted on his Own
interested and pledged as himself to responsibility. He (Sir John) could
their constituents to agitate the not vote for it, and would not vote for
interests of British Columbia. Upon it.
Upon it. After reciting the original agree-
him (Mr. DeCosmos) perhaps might ment relating to the construction of
fall the blame of an adverse vote. the railway, it said "owing to diverse
he would only look at the papers laid causes the actual construction of said

If

"railway was not commenced in Brit- | joining the Government to commence "ish Columbia at the time agreed, nor and vigorously continue the road in "has it been commenced since. It British Columbia without reference to alleged there were several causes not any other portion of the road in any mentioned why the road was not com- other portion of the Dominion. The menced, and concluded with the illogi- | language that had been used fully cal sequence that therefore "this justified the tone of the despatch, which House is of opinion" the Government was as follows: should promptly and vigorously pro

ceed to the construction of the road. The Government in their report of the 13th of March, 1875, said they were not even yet

in to determine the location and were not able to proceed with the work. Those causes still existed, the hon. member knew they existed, and yet he asked the House to declare that because of their existence the work should be proceeded with at

once.

"The Committee must further observe that the tenor of the representations now under consideration would seem to indicate that the object of the Legislature of British Columbia is less to secure the completion of the work as a national undertaking in such a way and on such terms as may best conduce to the welfare of the whole community, than to enforce the immediate and continued expenditure within their own Province, at whatever cost to Canada, of many millions of money, for which they cannot pretend to have given an equivalent; and that their chief grievance is that their people have not as yet derived, in addition to the other financial benefits of Union, the gains and profits to be expected from the expenditure of these millions in their midst. To these views must be mainly referred the allegations, unfounded as they appear to the Committee, of disastrous and ruinous delays, and as to all classes of the population having suffered loss and deprivations." How could any hon. gentleman coming from any other province justify himself in voting for the resolution. Upon that ground alone he would vote against it. The hon. gentleman might perhaps have prepared a resolution that he would have been forced to vote for, and he was glad, under the circumstances, that the amendment was so drawn as to enable him to vote against it. He voted against it precisely and exclusively on these two grounds: first, that the whole proposition was illogical; and second, that it was limited to British Columbia, and called upon the Government and the whole of the House to build the road in that Province and to leave the rest of the project to shuffle for itself.

But there was a substantial objection from his (Sir John A. Macdonald's) point of view-that this was not a mere arrangement by which British Columbia agreed to enter Canada. It was a mutual agreement and partnership by which the Dominion and British Columbia joined hands and became one Dominion. British Columbia was pledged to the rest of the Dominion to the construction of this railway just as much as the rest of Canada was pledged to British Columbia. It was not merely for the benefit of British Columbia, but for the common benefit. If it had been otherwise no such agreement could have been made. All parties recognized it as political expediency for both colonies. It was in a spirit of perfect equality the compact was entered into. It was not only for the sake of spending money in British Columbia but for the purpose of rendering what would be merely a union on paper—one in reality. Therefore, it was agreed that the road should be constructed in British Columbia and also other parts of Canada, and that it should be commenced at both ends at the same time. What did this proposition mean? It condemned the Government for not commencing the "actual construction of said railway within British Columbia, etc.," and, therefore, he, a representative Ontario, and all the members coming from other provinces, were called up Archibald, to vote a resolution ordering and en

The members were then called in, and the question was put, with the following result:

Bunster,
DeCosmos,
Jones (Leeds),
Roscoe,

of

Appleby,

Baby,

YEAS:
Messieurs

Thompson (Cariboo),
Wallace (Norfolk),
Wright (Pontiac).—7.

NAYS:
Messieurs

Kirpatrick,
Laird,
Lajoie,

Hon. Mr. CARTWRIGHT asked leave to introduce a Bill to amend the Act 31 Victoria, cap. 5, with respect to public accounts. He explained that he proposed to give the Governor in Council power, on sufficient cause being shown, to extend the appropriations in the supplementary estimates, for a short period, in no case to exceed three months.

The Bill was read the first time.

Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE introduced a Bill to amend the Act relating to the indemnity of members of both Houses of Parliament. He explained that when members received $6 per day, they were paid from time to time at the rate of $4. Now, that it was $10, he wished to make the proportion the same, that was, $7.

Hon. Mr. HOLTON suggested that the 30 days' corner ought to be shifted forward to 50 or 60 days. It would contribute very mach to the proper deliberation the House was bound to bestow on the public business.

The Bill was read the first time.

Mr. LANGLOIS introduced a Bill to prevent parties from breaking up the ice bridge between Quebec and Levis.

Mr. SPEAKER said on looking into the point he had raised on a former occasion with respect to this Bill, he found the modern practice did not require such a measure to originate by resolution in Committee of the Whole when the penalties it imposed were for the purpose of giving effect to the

The original motion was then put measure itself. and carried.

The Bill was read the first time.

THE HARBOUR OF ANTIGONISH.

Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD sug

Mr. McISAAC asked whether it is gested that the rules should be adopted from the beginning.

the intention of the Government to send an engineer next summer to make a survey of the Harbour of Antigonish with the view of ascertaining and making the improvements required?

Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE-The De

partmental Engineer has received instructions to make the examination

referred to.

THE ELECTION FOR DORCHESTER.

Mr. ROULEAU asked what are the reasons why the writ of election for Dorchester was not issued until several months after the judgment annulling the election which took place in 1874?

Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE-I have already told the hon. gentleman I could not tell him without consulting the late Minister of Justice, who is not in the city.

THE RULES OF THE HOUSE.

The House went into Committee of the Whole, Mr. Taschereau in the Chair, to consider proposed changes in | the Rules of the House.

Mr. SPEAKER remarked that the old and new rules had been published for the convenience of members; the first five remained as they at present existed; in No. 6 a change of very considerable importance had been made with reference to what had been regarded as the privileges of individual members. The old rule allowed members to secure the immediate clearance of the galleries of strangers; the new rescinded this rule as far as the individual was concerned. A member could call attention to the matter, and the Speaker or Chairman, as the case might be, should forthwith put the question as to whether the strangers should be ordered to withdraw, no debate, however, being permitted. The alteration would be that strangers could not be removed from the galleries on the motion of any individual member. The Speaker or Chairman would still have the power of ordering the galleries to be cleared. He moved that rule six be rescinded, and that the new rule printed on the margin be adopted.

the

Mr. BLAIN urged the importance of so framing the rules as to enable the House to meet at an earlier hour, in order to expedite business to a very considerable extent. He did not see why they could not meet at noon for example, and adjourn at six p.m., Committees meeting at nine a.m. He desired to obtain an expression of opinion from hon. members on this point, as he could not understand why Parliamentary business could not be transacted in a similar manner as other business.

Mr. SPEAKER said he was sure that every hon. member would agree with the hon. gentleman, if he (Mr. Blain) could propose any means of shortening the sitting, but for his part

he confessed that he could not see his way towards the attainment of the object.

Mr. McDOUGALL (Renfrew) held that the hours of Session should be limited, for no man, except he were endowed with an extraordinary_constitution, could remain in the House until two or three o'clock every morning, and still not suffer from it,

as the Committees besides sat in the

morning. If it was necessary that the Sessions of Parliament should be longer, and be near three instead of two months, it ought to be done.

Hon. Gentlemen! No, No!

Mr. McDOUGALL did not say that three months Sessions were necessary, but if they were requisite in order to have the work properly done, they out to be so extended. The Sessional allowance should not be increased, however, under such circumstances, if the hon. members did not wish it; at any rate, it was impossible to have the work well done under the present system.

Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD hoped that the time of the Committee would not be taken up with the discussion of this subject, which, nevertheless, was extremely important. It should be subsequently considered as a separate and distinct question.