The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 8 Apr 1936, p. 1

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Leadership _ Aspirant| Makes Open Bid in | Legislature | MACAULAY CA USTIC "Every one of you should bow your heads in shame," he shouted at the Cabinet Ministers. "Go home and get on your knees and ask forgiveness." "Hoily" Acres last night tolid the Hepburn Government to tender their resignations to the Lieulenant--Gover-- nor, and go to the people and see if thoy would endorse their school bill. First Tory to cast off arguments about statutes and legal rights, the doughty farm candidate for the Tory lcadership tore into the Government at a §0--mile--an--hour pace. "Sit down, sit down," he shouted at would--be interrupters, "No ques-- tions," he told Mr. Speaker. The Liberals thought they had him in the early moments of his speech when they got him to state that, if he b--came Prime Minister the first bill he would repeal would be the new school bill. DEFINITE ON SCHOOL ISSUE TORY "HOPE" Geotting off to his usual vociferous start in his address, the burly Carleton member pledged himself to the repeal of the bill if ever the opportunity pre-- sonted iwolf. was back to teli them to resign. "You will never be Prime Minister oi this Province again if you let this bill go through." he shouted at Pre-- micr Hepburn. From the Conservative members , came only silence and a few sheepish; grins. | Would Repeal Bill. If Mr. Acres ever becomes Premier oi Ontario, the first bill he'll repeal will be that now before the Legisla-- ture extending increased taxes to the separate schools. Ro'ldly accepling the same challonge which had been carefully evaded by his Loader, Hon. George Henry, and by other Tory speakers, Mr. Acres gave a prompt and unequivocal answer when W. L. Houck, Liberal member for Ni-- agara Falls, asked him what his atti-- tude to the school--tax issue would be if he became Leader of the Oppcsi-- tion. "I have no hesitation in answering tnat qusestion," shot back Mr. Acres. '"'I'm glad the member for Niagara Falls hos asked it. And here's my reply: If I have the good fortune to be elocted Leader of the Conser-- vative Party on May 28. it's a sure thing that before long T'll be Premier of this Province, and if that happens le, me say regarding this school tax bill chat it's the first act that T':l introduce I:gislation to repeal." Delighted and triumphant roars of applause rose from the Liberal benches, attesting the jubilation of the Government at having got at least one aspirant for the Opposition lead-- ership on record officially as pledged to the repeal of the School Tax Bill. Legal Right Said Lacking. The Ontario Legislature, holding no mandate from the people to extend further concession to the separate schools, was far exceeding its powers in amending the Assessment Act for that purpose. the House was solemnily waruned by Leopold Macaulay, Con-- servative member for South York. The fiery Carleton County M.P.P Not only did it lack the moral right Before Premier Hepburn entered the House, Mr. Acres had charged that the legislation was implementing promises which the Premier had secretly mads. "The Honorable the Prime Minister made no proemises whatever," broke in Morgan Baker. to take the stop, he said, but :t also lacked the legal right to repeal the concessions, once they were granted. Measured debate had taken the place of outbursts and cross--fire of the preceding evening. The galleries were "I admire your oratory," Mr. Acres told the Premicr when he came in. "You are a young man with a future before you. There isn't a thing wrong with ycour health--only your con-- scionce. You'd be restored to health-- withdraw this bill." From the Cabinct, Mr. Acres switch-- ed to the separats schools going at such a speed that the Liberals could not get in a protest and were laugh-- ing too hard to try. "Withdraw This Bill." "The honorable member doesn't know what he's talking about." While the House roared with amussmont, the member said he was "achimed" of the Minister of Edu-- cation: tore into Hon. Peter Heenan's labor rscord; and called Harry Nixon "an opportunist." "Why is our school to be considered & place of worship. I always considered our schools wore a place of learning. Surely it's the clergymen's job to get them into the churches Why do you want to have a separate school at aAll instead of being all united--al-- though Mr. Acres said he would stand by the 1863 pact. The Premier got off easy when Mr. Acres attacked the Cabinet because, "it's well for the people of the Prov-- Ince to know the history of this Cab-- Inct so they won't be disappointed. There's no stability with them." "The Prime Minister and the ma-- jority of his msn are not old Liberals. They are not the type of Mowat, Blake, Laurier, Rowsoll or even the member for South Ontario (W. E. N. Sinclair, K.C.)." The charge that the Legislature had no right to offer further concessions to the Catholic schools climaxed a brilliant address by Mr. Macaulay in opposition to the bill. Sees Party Politics. To the accompaniment of thunder-- ous Conservative desk--thumping, Mr. Macaulay took the opportunity to pay a tribute to Opposition Leader Henry, whom he referred to as "the good old scout who sits here. early and late, contributing his opinion and knowl-- cdgo on so many issues, sometimes to his own political detriment, at an age when most meon see't relaxation in re-- tirement." "And if he were to appeal to the people on this whole question by plebiscite, the entire separate school structure would be swept away. "Whether he knows it or not," warned the Scuth York member, "the Prime Minister is dealing with a two-- eaged sword. He is dealing, and we are dealing here today, with an act that takes money from the pockets of public schcool supporters and puts it in the pockets of separate school supporters." C "If the Prime Minister permitted this bill to go to the vote without the whips of his party controlling his members." Gdeclared Mr. Macaulay, "this House would defeat his bill over-- whelmingly. It is bsing forced through by the iron rule of party politics. Apn' |__"We hear a lot outside of the Legis-- llature of what our duty is There is some suggestion that this legislation should be postponed. What good could there be in postponing action?" If oratory could line up stubborn M.P.P.'s behind "the bill," the French-- Canadian Ph.D. would have pushed it through by a unanimous vote last Aurelien Belanger used these words tc put French Canada's plea for "the bill" before the Legislature last night In the eyes of the law, he said, there was not equality of opportunity for the Province's children. The bill was a "courageous attempt" to bridge this gap of injustice. Nor could Mr. MacBride see any good in saying that the Catholics should not agitate for more revenues when they needed them to educate their children. "Not Money, but Children." "The money is not the question, but | the children." | The whole separate school problem was summed up in that question, Mr. MacBride said. "Are we going to starve them out of existence, and if we are, are we prepared to pay the consequences in public controversy and dollars and cents?" A forthright plea for the Catholic children of Ontario was nBde by Aurelien Belanger, veteran French-- Canadian M.P.P., and veteran fighter for the separats schools. The now grey haired Liberal said the separa'e schools needed more revenue, were entitled to it under the rights of natural justice, and were an agency for good education. After Mr. Macaulay's declaration, M. M. MacBride, Brantford Mayor and Brantford Independent Liberal, took over. been nominated by Martin Quinn,"dfi the consideration of material in the event of the separate school issue be-- ing submitted to the Privy Council. Pleads for Catholic Children. The South York member replied to Attorney--General Rosbuck's charge regarding the alleged disappearance of the Tilley file on the separate school question by asking "why would he find a file when thers wasn't one?" The Prime Minister (Mr. Henry). he explained, had simply asked W. N. Tilley to confer with S:nator Lynch--Staunton, who had "If Archbishop McNeil had been living," said Mr. Macaulay, "such a scurrilous letter would never have been written." He read from the letter the injunction: "It is your duty to see that all Catholics cast their votes--with those broad--minded Protestants who seek to see justics done." The Conservative Party was stand-- ing today, he said, on the same ground upon which Sir Wilfrid Lau-- rier stood to win the Dominion elec-- tion in 1896, as a result of which Manitob2 today has no separate schools. L u. 0 0 0 Cee Hmcm o + RepMadAEEE on the letterhead of the Catholic Taxpayers' Association to _ parish Chairmen, instructing them to urge Catholics to vote against Tory candi-- dates, because Catholics had been treated "with contempt" and "with a flagrantly insulting attitude" by the Henry Government. This letter Mr. Macaulay described as having been "got out by a partisan junket to further the interests of a political party," and he denied that any 'member of the Henry Government had ever treated any person or group with contempt. Mr. Macaulay read a letier of May 19, 1934, on the eve of the Provin-- clal election, addressed by M. J. Quinn on the letterhaarst ar im. . ) Wisibe Says Letter "Scurrilous." ~ssea by M. J. Quinn d of the Catholic clation -- to parish ting them to urge against Tory candi-- 'atholics had been tempt" and "with a g attitude" by the

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