[martin] the colonial POLICY OF THE DOMINION 43 



The leaders in the Assembly, versed in the protracted struggle for 

 similar powers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the two Canadas, 

 lost no time in stating their terms. They demanded not only the 

 full estimates and accounts of both federal and local revenues, but 

 that both should be "voted by the Assembly and expended by the 

 Advisory Council." ^- Moreover, "the continuance in office of a 

 Council not possessing the confidence of the Assembly was a gross 

 violation of the rights and privileges of the Assembly." ^^ The con- 

 flict that ensued was regarded by Assembly and press alike as a direct 

 contest for responsible government, and it was prosecuted upon as 

 high a level, perhaps, of courtesy and resolution as it would be possible 

 to find among the score or more of similar contests in British com- 

 munities all over the world. Bj^ the Act of 1891 (c. 22, s. 6, sub-sec. 

 12) the Assembly was at length granted control of "such portions of 

 any moneys appropriated by Parliament for the Territories as the 

 Lieutenant-Governor i's authorized to expend by and with the advice 

 of the Legislative Assembly or of any Committee thereof." In the 

 following year Mr. Haultain proposed that "Parliament should vote 

 a lump sum for the expenses of Government in the North-West 

 Territories." The fiscal powers of the Assembly over this expenditure 

 were at last complete. Lieutenant-Governor Royal, in the Speech 

 from the Throne, September 16, 1893, complimented the Assembly 

 upon their "wisdom and discretion." "Notwithstanding this con- 

 troversy, no unpleasantness ever arose between me and the Assembly. 

 . . . The Legislature to-day practically enjoys the rights and privi- 

 leges of self-government." ^^ 



Meanwhile a second and more fundamental development was 

 transforming the Advisory Council on "matters of finance" into an 

 Executive Council entrusted with general administration and re- 

 sponsible to the Assembly. Here at least the Assembly pursued a 

 headlong course which did not always command the support of sound 

 opinion. The right to appoint the Advisory Committee on "matters 

 of finance" was claimed by the Assembly, but the Minister of Justice, 

 Sir John S. D. Thompson at that time, had no difficulty in shov/ing 

 that the ordinance to that effect (No. 24 of 1889) was ultra vires. 

 The right was at length conceded by statute in 1894 (57 and 58 Vic, 

 c. 17, s. 17), but when the Assembly sought to elect such a committee 

 to advise on all matters, it was found that such a procedure would 

 contravene one of the most valuable conventions of responsible 

 government itself — the right of the Crown to choose its advisers. 



i^Oliver, The Canadian North-West, p. 1109. 

 "Resolution of North-West Legislature, Oliver, p. 1112. 

 "Oliver, The Canadian North-West, p. 1154. 



