LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CANADA. 73 
the municipalities depends the efficiency of the educational system of the province. The 
wealthy communities are able to erect school houses, which are so many evidences of 
their deep interest in public education and of the progress of architectural taste in the 
country. The legislature has also given power to any incorporated city, town or village 
to establish free libraries whenever a majority of the taxpayers express themselves in 
favour of such institutions.! In Ontario, as a rule, municipalities have taken advantage of 
the admirable opportunities which the law gives them of promoting the welfare and 
happiness of all classes, which are so intimately connected with the education and 
culture of the people. The city of Toronto, indeed, immediately availed itself of the law 
providing for free libraries, and has set an example which it is to be hoped will be followed 
by other communities in Canada. 
In all the other provinces the municipal system, if not quite so symmetrical as that 
of Ontario, is based on the same principles. In the province of Quebec the municipal 
divisions consist of villages, towns, parishes, or townships and counties. The parish is 
necessarily recognised in the general law provided for the municipal organisation of the 
province. When a canonical parish has been once formed by the proper ecclesiastical 
authority,” it may at any time be erected into a municipality by civil authority. 
Although the law makes a general provision for the civil erection of a parish, it is also 
frequently found expedient to avoid the expense of the necessary proceedings by obtaining 
special powers from the legislature for erecting and confirming a parish for all civil pur- 
poses.’ The county council is composed of the mayors of the several local municipalities 
of the county in which those officials have been elected. The councillors elect one of 
their number to be mayor of the local municipality, while the warden is chosen by the 
county council. The principal officers are the secretary-treasurer, who receives and pays 
out taxes and other moneys in accordance with law, auditors, inspectors of roads and 
bridges, pound-keepers, and valuators. The cities and towns of the province are, 
however, incorporated by special acts, and their mayors as well as councils are elected by 
the people. 
In the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the people were more laggard 
in adopting a municipal system than in Upper Canada. Nova Scotia had for years a 
permissive act on its statute book, by which any county might be incorporated when the 
people made formal application to the governor-in-council in the manner provided. It 
was not, however, until 1879 that an act ‘ was passed providing for the incorporation of 
the whole province. The county councils now consist of a warden and councillors. 
The council elect a warden from among themselves, a clerk, treasurer, auditors, assessors, 
pound-keepers and overseers of highways. All the powers and authorities previously 
vested in the grand jury and sessions, in special sessions, or in justices of the peace, to 
make by-laws, impose rates or assessments, and appoint township or county officers, 
are now exercised by the various municipal councils in the province. The money 
annually voted for road and bridge service is now appropriated by the councils of the 
municipalities under the inspection of supervisors or commissioners.’ Cities and towns 
are incorporated by special acts, and the mayors and wardens are elected by the inhabit- 


1 Ont. Stats., 45 Vict. c. 22. * See before, p.55, note. 
# For example, Quebec Stat., 45 Vict. ce. 41. * Nova Scotia Stat., 42 Vict. c. i. 
5 N.S. Stat., 44 Vict. c. i., and by 45 Vict. c. i. and 46 Vict. c. i. 
Sec. II., 1886. 10. 
