Research 5 



Duke of Devonshire, to whom the President has already alluded, was 

 appointed to preside. That Commission recommended that a Council 

 and Minister of Science should be appointed in Great Britain. Well, it was 

 not until after the beginning of the Great War that that recommendation 

 was acted upon and such a Council was appointed. I am glad to say, 

 too, that similar action was taken in Canada. Possibly the most import- 

 ant event in the record of progress was the debate which took place in 

 the House of Commons at its last session. I confess that I am an old 

 Parliamentary hand and know something of Parliamentary procedure 

 and Parliamentary methods. I know that very often there is a long gap 

 between the passing of pious resolutions and positive action. (Laughter). 

 Neverhteless I venture to hope that the debate which took place in the 

 Federal Parliament on May 7th of the present year did constitute a very 

 genuine step in advance. That debate, I believe, not only expressed the 

 views of the present House of Commons but I am confident that the 

 measure under discussion, if placed before the country as a whole, would 

 receive a very great degree of general support. 



The problems which confront all governments to-day, and especially 

 those ministers who are more closely connected with the administration 

 of finance, are, as we all know too well, of a critical and rather serious 

 nature. I am confident, however, that the objects which those, who 

 lead the research movement, have in view are so generous and of such 

 general utility that the taxpayer would willingly consent to the expendi- 

 ture of public money on them. Public opinion has, perhaps, never been 

 so strong as it is to-day, and when it concentrates on the question of 

 research you will find that the demand will be so widely spread and so 

 urgent that Parliament and ministers will endeavour, so far as lies in 

 their power, to provide all the facilities needed for research. I should 

 not like, on an occasion of this sort, to weary you with lengthy personal 

 experiences or such ideas as I have formed for myself, but having been 

 here for the last four years — and I may simply say that this is my 

 birthday — (Applause) I had not finished my sentence — as Governor 

 General. (Laughter.) This is a very auspicious day, for very many 

 reasons, and very important ones. It was on November 11th, 1916, 

 that I was sworn in and assumed the office of Governor General of 

 Canada. The day will certainly be one of many, many happy and 

 pleasant memories to myself. (Applause.) I would be most reluctant 

 to assume to force down your throats anything like personal reminis- 

 cences or experiences. The habit of writing books of reminiscences has 

 perhaps become too common (Laughter) and I am not going to be one 

 of the guilty. But looking over the last four years I have had many 

 very many exceptional opportunities, not only of seeing the great areas 



