Manwatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1891. The Dominion of Canada.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 7 March 1891, Page 2

Manwatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1891. The Dominion of Canada.

To understand the excitement occasioned by the elections taking place in Canada, it is necessary to refer to the past, with reference to how it became English property, and how, by slow degrees, it has grown and absorbed its neighbours. The tariff question is naturally important, but the real cause lies far deeper. It is hardly necessary to say that it was originally a French colony, and was captured by General Wolfe, and that by the Treaty of Paris in 1768 the whole territory of Canada was ceded to Great Britain. Nova Scotia was ceded in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht, and the Provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island formed out of it. British Columbia, formerly the Hudson Bay Territory, was formed a Crown Colony in 1858, and was united to Vancouver Island in 1866. The Hudson Bay territory now is known as Manitoba and the North-wost TtnvitgHes. The aveft Qf

ill these dependencies is immense, aeing nearly equal to the whole of Europe. The nationalities are various, and the Province of Quebec is peopled by descendants of the French jolonists, and over one million of them are Roman Catholics. In acsord with old traditions, the French Language is in use in all legislative icts, and education Was Conducted by private enterprise. The British North America Act, passed in 1867, formed the Provinces of Canada (Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into what is known as the Dominion of Canada, and provision was made in the Act for the admission of other provinces. Thus in 1870 the Province of Manitoba was formed, and with the North- West Territory admitted into the Dominion. The Dominion Parliament holds the power of vetoing provincial legislation. Upon the Dominion being formed, various alterations were carried out, and difficulties have arisen mainly upon the religious questions. A religious census taken in 1881 places the Koman Catholics as numbering 4,791,982, Methodists 1,042,982, Presbyterians 676,168, and Church of England 574,810. Thus it will be seen at a glance that the Roman Catholics are the strongest body by far, and entitled to a large amount of consideration. In spite of this, the legislature of Manitoba has abolished the denominational system of education, and established a public school system like that of America. In Ontario a new party is formed to effect the same object. From what takes place in this colony we can understand the feeling this action has caused in Canada. In deference to the original settlers the legislative acts are written in the French language, but now a party are striving to abolish the use of that language. It thus appears that a feeling has been rankling in the breasts of a large number of the inhabitants at these acts, and that some concessions must be made to keep the Dominion together. The editor of the Ontario Free Press asserts that if the Canadian confederation is to continue, the power of vetoing provincial legislation now possessed by the Federal Executive must be swept away, and if a veto power must be vested somewhere, let it be intrusted to the Privy Council of England. He looks upon the abolition of the dual language system and the denominational school system as pointing to only one result, the disruption of the Dominion and possible aunexation of the various provinoes to the United States. He declares that some atonement must be made for the wrongs oornmitted twenty years ago. This review will allow a more reliable estimate to be made of the minute items of intelligence of the doings of that immense territory that i reach us.