Document Information
Date: 1897-12-10
By: North-West Territories (Legislative Assembly), The Regina Leader
Citation: North-West Territories, Legislative Assembly,The Regina Leader (16 December, 1897), 3rd Legi, 3rd Sess, 10 December 1897
Other formats: TBA
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LEGISLATURE
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Territorial Rights.
At 5:10 Dr. Brett moved the adjournment of the House, and asked the Premier what was the purpose of the government respecting asserting their rights of administration in the Yukon and other unorganised parts of the North West Territories. He (Dr. Brett) was by the press Major Walsh on behalf of the dominion had imposed a tax of $2 per gallon upon liquor. By what right was this done? Did not the right belong to the North West Government? Again, a Clerk of Court had been sent out to the Yukon by the Dominion. Of course that had been done before. The jurisdiction in regard to clerks of court had been changed. But he would like to know what action this Government proposed to take in view of the apparent necessity of some steps to guard against loss of our territory. If there was really any fear that the Dominion Government would seek to deprive us of territory, there was more reason that out Government should at least make protest against invasion of our jurisdiction. Otherwise the Dominion could say that we had shown no disposition to do what we had the right to do.
Mr. Haultain said the hon. Gentlemen was asking for a large amount of confidence upon a matter that the Executive really had not had time to adequately consider. He thought that the Government had very distinctly affirmed their attitude on the question of disintegration of the Territories. He might say that so far as concerned any jurisdiction which we possess in the Yukon, The Government had been asserting control. They had been making the necessary appointments, and had been taking steps necessary to carry out the law. The Clerk of Court had been appointed before this Government had the right of appointment, and of course the appointment would stand unless cause was shown. They had supplied the Clerk with forms, ect., and given him requisite instructions. He might say with regard to all appointments who were in offices which came to them from the Dominion. No change would be made without cause. Of course the general question of control in all the unorganized territory was limited to certain subjects. In some subjects they had the same control in the unorganized territory as in the electoral districts. Their Ordinances applied to all the territory. In the former, the application could not be to the same extent in evidence. Wherever the conditions exist and admit it, wherever there was reason and necessity for administration of the local law, they intended to administer. He could hardly believe that Major Walsh had levied a tax of $2 a gal. on Liquor. He had certainly no such power. The regulations respecting liquor were the provisions of the N.W.T Act – the permit law, with which the House was familiar. Permits were granted for a certain fee, which certainly should come to the North-West treasury. He would take the House into the confidence of the Government as to its future action, so far as to say that they intended as soon as they could do so, put through an Order-in-Council to govern the issue of permits under the N.W.T Act, which would of course include the imposition of a feel of necessity to come to position of a fee of necessity to come to the Territories and inure to the benefit of the Territories. They had appointed Marriage License Commission in Yukon, and at this session had put through legislation expressly framed to meet the condition there. The policy of the Government was to assert their right to all the control to which they had a right, and to exercise all the control which they could legally and properly do, consistent with the necessity under the conditions. And they proposed to resist as far as possible – of course their resistance could only be of a passive character – any cutting off of their territory for the purposes of separate administration. He did not think any cutting off was necessary. They would seek to exercise in their proper spheres all the power of the Lieut. Governor, of the government and of the Legislature – over all the territory; he would pledge the Government to oppose as far as they could any invasion, and would use every possible means against any division of the Territories
Dr. Brett said the statement was eminently satisfactory and withdrew his motion of adjournment.