The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 17 Mar 1880, p. 2

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64 hi (mustlll _ B p4Mvg, * CNWNHCHES : AHKG Ts lieved the session of the House might be short-- ened, and thought that a house of 60 members would be competent to discharge all public auties cflicieuth He had no ieaitation in saying that bien@lal sessions were not adapted to the genius of the country, and declared that too much had already been done to aggrandize the power of the Executive, and inshunceg the ap-- pointmentof the marriage licenseageonts tlmougg- out the country. Asa case in point, he thought that the appointment of a Minister of Education was a mistake, as that department should be entirely free from politics. . He also contended that the control o?ot.:wcrn licenses should not be vested in the Government but in a Board of Examiners. _ He thought the Government would be quite willing to be relieved of re-- sponsibility to the people by instituting bien-- nial sessions, which would enable them to still further carry out this policy. He concluded by hoping that the lehate would tend to the aavancement f the general welfare of the country, (Apriause). Mr.ri'oung id not rise to discuss the ad-- dress at any > igth nor to reply to any of the general remak» made by the hon. gentleman who had just «/ n. The matter of the boun-- dary award atfoc.ed the people more than any-- body else. The arbitration was conducted fairly,and the action.of the Government showed clearly that the Province of Ontario could never -- get justice at. the hands --of | those in power at Ottawa, who did not hesitate in the case of the Provinee of Ontario to repudiate the solemn award made by the appointed arbitrators,. _ In regard to the 11th ragraph of the Speech from the Throne, he _ Eaad read it with some little surprise. -- Bienmial sessions were quite inconsistent with respon-- sible government, which the people sought. The Parliament had enlarged powers, and there was nothing to prevent them prolonging the session as long as they pleased. _ They had no power undes the present constitutipn ; they had no power to hold only -- bien-- nial _ sessions, They could change the constitution _ of the House if they saw fit, but he doubted the propriety of this. They had to consider in Jiscussing this question, first, whether it was practical and to the interests of the people. He saw no reason to believe the amount of legislation would de-- crease. For his part the teeling he had was that in future the business would tend to in-- i Chhee L0 L s eet e Oy Ek per steps in order to secure an award. He thought, however, that the Mackenzie Govern-- ment had failed in their duty in not dealing with the award immediately after the Provin-- cial Government had done their duty in the premises. 'The gooner the vital question as to the ownership of the land through which the Canadian Pacific Railway would run in Ontario was settled the better, 'He was pleased at the paragraph referring to the importance of con-- necting the existing systems of railways in _ Ontario with _ the Canadian _ Pacific Railway. An entire freedom of intercourse between Outario and the North--West would euable Ontario manufacturers to open up a . large trade with that country, Advertingwi the Agricultural Commission 'he thoulght that f the Commission had been appointed at the proper moment, and he would eagerly look for | its report. He commended the Bill for the ; protection of pablic rights in streams to the[ best consideration of the Attorney--CGeneral, | and thought that it would be well to have the decision of the Court of Appeal on the case before introdacing auy remedial measure. It would be necessary also to consider the ques-- ' tion of compensation for individual rights | should thess be in anywise endangered. -- He drew attention to the destruction occurring from forest fires in the Ottawa valley, and thought that it was a matter deserving the attention of the CGoverniment, _ As to the question of alternate sessions, he believed that no saving of expense would be effected b¥ such a srham. 1f0""" \Nlwio or even in a higher sphere, Heridiculed the statement that the Ontario Government at resent did more work than any previous Gov-- 'rument in Ontario, and eulogizetf the memcix{'y of the initial Government of the Province. He thought that they were all very glad for the revival of prosperity, and contended that the benefits d[e)ari\'cd fl:'om the inauguration of a trade policy could not be ignorefi. As to the Boundary Award, he feltthat the ProvinciatGov-- ernment was open to censure for their inaction in not pressing the Dominion Government for a settlement. He admitted that it was of great importance that some decision should be avriv-- ed at with regard to the award. He would give the Government credit for taking the nro. @3 1on. leader of the Q foci?wn had 'held oflice and never wour , he prophesi 'the day would come when tEe ll;adel Opposition could, if he chose, assume of [Ont:u*io or even in a higher sphere, He ric the stateamany 13 . _3 hage -- [ Eiroive cPRS EH 1 so the aestruction occurring from heOttawa valley, and thought that ir deserving the attention of the As to the question of alternate lieved that no saving of expense dn raw mamece c e ce CuPC! the present constitution ; wer to hold only bien-- They could change the tl_m _ House if they saw ; any remedial measure. It y also to consider the ques-- ition for individaal rights in anywise endangered. --He .X a P _ pr(:rrioty of this. n -- discussing this vas practical and to He saw no reason rislation would de-- he prolpheaiod that n the leader of the , assume office in Mr HAY--There is nothing over which the people bave so much control as the matter of the expenditure on local education. Trustees regulated the working of the Public Schools in their own localities, the buildiugs they should use, &c. But the dissatisfaction existing in his county was not with regard to expense, as large school expen-- diture was never foreed upon municipalities, _ Mr. CALVIN--I :lgu.; that the peopl;e. have control of the expenditure.. Mr. HAY followed, and with reference to the remarks of the hon. member for North Brant as to alternate sessions, claimed that they showed a praiseworthy independence {)cculiar to the members of the Reform party. Vith respect to the complaints of residents of rural districts as to the growing expenditure on High Schools, he admitted the existence of such complaints, but he reminded the hon. member that the control of such expenditure was in the hands of the people themselves. text--books, and thought that too many subjects were taught in the Public Schools. _ He wanted it understood that he made no partisan charges against the Government. He might be charged with being peculiar in his view on this matter, but these were his opinions. He claimed that the expenditure on High Schools should have been decreased instead of increas-- ed, and that the pupits of those schools should be compelled to bear a larger share of the ex-- pense. He objected to the teaching of paint-- ing, drawing, and kindred subjects in some of the schools. He asked the Minister of Educa-- tion to apply the pruning--knife in the direc-- tion indicated, amrhu would endeavour to as-- sist him to the extent of his power, Mr. L&UDER thought that the Speech out-- lined no definite policy, saving the one clause having reference to the question of alternate sessions, and on that question he did not think that the hon,. gentlemen themselves had come to any conclusion. He wanted to know why such a fuss was made in the Speech over the boundary award, and belittled the importance of an immediate decision in the matter. Un-- less there was some certain promise of a return for the expenditure they would have to incur in that territory he did not think they need be so very anxious for a settlement. Referring to the education clause, he declared that there existed f)rea.t dissatisfaction with the working of the ublic School system, especially in the rural districts, He instanced the increase of power . fiiven to Inspectors as an action which created issatisfaction. Mr. HARDY--That was a Sandfiecld Mac-- donald law, but we have lessened the powers of Inspectors. $ Mr, LAUDER--Well, we will see about that. He went on to quote statistics to show that the expenditure on Public Schools had in-- creased 80 per ceut. in nine years, while the number of schools had only increased 10 per cent. He could rot understand that. The | Proportiona.te expenditure on High Schools t 1ad increased to an even greater extent. He| comp'lai(}ed of the increase in the number of creaso rather than diminish, In the States where they had biennial sessions it was found they sat longer than where they had sessions every year, -- Very little money would be saved by this change, as the expense of one session was not much in comparison with the yearly '\ expenditure of the country. _ An absolute | Government perhaps would be the best and | cheapest plan, but that could not be got. He * would nut like to see any change simply for the | sake of economy by which the usefulness of ; this House would {)e degraded. If biennial | sesasions were adopted they would have to vote | the supplies for two sessions at one time, which , would be very inconvenient. It would decrease the responsig,ility of Ministers to the people's | representatives. It would not tend to pure government if they were only to account to the | people every two years ; andythe interest of the | Eeople in the matters which came before the i Lexislature would hava Aaannnsal ani tlima be ruinous ; they could enrich themselves and their friends at the puglic expense, when the people would have no power to turn them out. _ It would be receding from the principles of popular government, and taking out of the hands of the people the direct control which they had over the government of the day. They would be abandoning the system of Minis-- terial responsibility which had so long existed. For these reasons, and under these circum-- stances he would be strongly opposed to any such change. _ _ _ Legislature would have decreased, and they would have no supervision over the good man-- agement and pure administration of the Gov-- ernment. There would be no satisfaction if the Government should not be compelled to render an account of their stewardship at the end of every year. It would be t{)ecidedly objectionable, 'as it would be in the power of the (Government to commit the people to engagements which would

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