Document Information
Date: 1905-02-27
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, House of Commons Debates, 10th Parl, 1st Sess, 1905 at 1768-1769.
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1768
BOUNDARIES OF MANITOBA.
Mr. W. J. ROCHE (Marquette) moved:
For copies of all petitions, memorials and resolutions from the legislative assembly of Manitoba, the executive of that province, and any correspondence relative to the extension of the boundaries of Manitoba to the west or north.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. I would ask my hon. friend not to move this to-day. The correspondence is not complete yet, but it may be completed next Monday. Allow it to stand.
Mr. W. F. MACLEAN. If any correspondence is received between now and then, will that be included?
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Yes.
Mr. HAGGART. I suppose we will have it before the discussion of the Bills?
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. I do not see any connection at all between the Bill now before the House and this question regarding the province of Manitoba, I cannot see that they have any relation whatever. It is intended to have the correspondence complete as soon as possible, probably this week.
1769
Mr. W. F. MACLEAN. Is it not a fact that the province of Manitoba has asked some of this very territory which it is now proposed to include in Saskatchewan?
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Yes.
Mr. W. F. MACLEAN. I think therefore the question is pertinent.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. I do not think it is, because the legislature of the Northwest Territories has passed a resolution against such a grant of their territory.
Mr. W. J. ROCHE. They have also passed a resolution favouring the incorporation of a portion of that territory in the province of Manitoba.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Yes, and I can inform my hon. friend that this territory is not at all included in the boundaries of Saskatchewan.
Mr. HAGGART. The right hon. gentleman has introduced this very subject in his speech introducing the Bill.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER. Certainly, I introduced it to say that we could not grant the prayer of the province of Manitoba, because the province of Manitoba asked for a certain portion of the territories under the jurisdiction of the Northwest legislature, and the legislature had refused to grant such territory. At the same time, I stated there was a portion of territory north of Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Manitoba as to which the legislature had expressed no objection to granting it to Manitoba. But we have reserved this, it is not included in the boundaries of the new province. Therefore it has no relation at all.
Mr. W. F. MACLEAN. I still hold that Manitoba has an interest in the territories to the west, which are still territories and not provinces. Manitoba has been looking forward all along to acquiring them, and I believe the Minister of the Interior has made statements to that effect, that some day Manitoba might look forward to including a portion of the territory of Saskatchewan. I think correspondence of that character is in the possession of the government, and we ought to have it in connection with the new Bill.
Mr. SPEAKER. Stand.