Document Information

Date: 1905-03-01
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, Senate Debates, 10th Parl, 1st Sess, 1905 at 84-85.
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84

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NORTHWEST PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY BILL.

Hon. Mr. CLORAN—Before the Orders of the Day are proceeded with, I beg to call attention to an incendiary appeal sent broadcast to the country by a gentleman who is supposed to be responsible to the people of this country. It is an appeal that I consider should not emanate from a man

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who holds a position of responsibility to the public. We have at the present moment a Bill in the interests of the development of Canada under consideration before another part of this legislature. A member of this parliament—I do not say which House he belongs to—has sent forth an appeal daring the government of Canada to pass this measure and calling provisions in that measure criminal. I think it would be well, under the circumstances, that this honourable House should give expression to its opinion in regard to such an appeal. Here we have an ordinary measure for the development of Canada, adding two provinces to the Dominion, containing a clause respecting certain rights, and a member responsible to the people of this country writes to those whom he calls his Orange fellow countrymen, his Orange friends, asking them to rise en masse and dare the government to pass the Bill with that clause, calling the provision in that Bill a criminal act. I say that it is not right that any honourable man, having at heart the welfare of his country, should make such an appeal to the people of this very enlightened country, and the hon. gentleman who signs the appeal is T. S. Sproule. It is published in all the papers of Canada. This is a copy of the Ottawa ‘Free Press,’ and the article in the hands of every citizen of this country. In that article an honourable member states to the people of Canada that the Liberal government of Canada has dared to place before the country a Bill containing a clause which is criminal, and calling upon his fellow Orangemen to dare the government to pass the Bill, and we are to allow that appeal to go forth for the next three or four weeks, and have its effect! I say it is time to call a halt. It is time to say to the country that the government and this body do not pass Bills containing clauses detrimental to the interests of Canada, or depriving the people of any of their rights. It is proper, and it is just that this parliament, and this part of parliament, should put the public on their guard against such incendiary, unjust and unfair appeals. Let the measure be adopted on its merits. Let the clause be discussed on its merits according to the wants and needs of this country and of the population.

Hon. Mr. POWER—I rise to a question of order.

Some hon. MEMBERS—Hear, hear.

Hon. Mr. POWER—There is nothing before the House.

Hon. Mr. POIRIER—Yes there is.

Hon. Mr. CLORAN—I have called the attention of the House to an incendiary appeal.

Hon. Mr. POWER—It is not a question of privilege. No member of this House is involved and this discussion is altogether out of order.

Hon. Mr. CLORAN—I am sorry the hon. member from Nova Scotia is in accord with T. S. Sproule, and does not want the matter ventilated in parliament. If it is necessary to be in order, I have the means to be in order; that is, to move the adjournment of the House; but I contend I am perfectly in order in calling the attention of parliament to such an incendiary appeal.

The SPEAKER—If I am to render a decision on the point raised, I consider the point of order well taken; there is nothing before the House.

Hon. Mr. CLORAN—May I not rise to call the attention of the government to an incendiary appeal?

The SPEAKER—The hon. gentleman can put a question to the government.

Hon. Mr. POWER—The hon. gentleman has to give notice of a question, unless it is a question of privilege.