Document Information

Date: 1864-06-10
By: Province of Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Province of Canada, Parliament, Scrapbook Debates, 8th Parl, 2nd Sess, 1864 at 188-189.
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF).

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

FRIDAY, 10th June, 1864

Intercolonial Railway

David Reesor [King’s, elected 1860] moved

That an humble Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor General, praying that His Excellency will please to cause to be laid before this House, copies of all correspondence that may have taken place between Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies and His Excellency, between His Excellency and the Lieutenant-Governors of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, or either of them,—and any Minute or Minutes in Council that may have been passed I this Province, or in either of the said Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, in relation to the Intercolonial Railway, not laid before the Parliament of Canada at its last and preceding sessions,—and also all other correspondence, Minutes in Council or other documents whatsoever in possession of His Excellency in Council, not already [laid?] before Parliament, in relation to said Intercolonial Railway.

In moving for this Address the hon. member said that its object was to ascertain the progress which the present Government had made in the matter of this railway. They used to complain very much, while in Opposition, of the slowness of the late Government, and he wanted to know if they themselves had been more active. He did not himself complain of slowness on this subject, for he thought it had always gone on fast enough.

Étienne Pascal Taché [Canada East, appointed 1848, Premier, Minister of Militia, and Receiver General] said he was not aware that there were any documents in the possession of the Government which had not been laid before Parliament but if there were they should be furnished. As to the sincerity of the Government in respect of the construction of the Intercolonial Railway, they have not been in office long enough to do much, but if they continued to hold office the hon. member would have the opportunity of testing it (their sincerity.)

Some Hon. Members—Hear, hear.