CANADA, DOMINION OF. 



Canada is entitled to share in a new and special 

 manner in the joy of the present triumph. We re- 

 joice that the conflict now happily drawing to a 

 close will result in the removal of those disabilities 

 under which many of our fellow-subjects have 

 labored for so long, and we can not doubt that 

 the extension of your Majesty's gracious rule over 

 the whole of South Africa will be attended by 

 those blessings which flow from a wise and benefi- 

 cent administration of just and equal laws." 



The attitude of the French-Canadians during the 

 conflict and its imperialistic developments was a 

 most important matter. There was undoubtedly 

 much of sympathy at first with the Boers, and of 

 a sort of passive deprecation of the British posi- 

 tion. As time passed on, and Sir W. Laurier con- 

 tinuously proclaimed his belief in the justice of the 

 war and was joined by French Conservative 

 leaders such as Casgrain, Chapais, and Bergeron, 

 this feeling was modified. Mr. Tarte's peculiar 

 attitude, however, produced a new complication, 

 while two Liberal members of Parliament Bour- 

 rassa and Monet inaugurated a distinct campaign 

 against any kind of participation in the affairs 

 of the empire and in favor of Canadian independ- 

 ence. On March 12 Mr. Henri Bourassa introduced 

 the following resolution in the Commons: 



" That this House insists on the principle of the 

 sovereignty and the independence of Parliament 

 as the basis of British institutions and the safe- 

 guard of the civil and political liberties of British 

 citizens, and refuses, consequently, to consider the 

 action of the Government in relation to the South 

 African war as a precedent which should commit 

 this country to any action in the future. That this 

 House further declares that it opposes any change 

 in the political and military relations which exist 

 at present between Canada and Great Britain, un- 

 less such change is initiated by the sovereign will 

 of Parliament, and sanctioned by the people of 

 Canada." 



This was voted down by 119 to 10 and was 

 chiefly important as producing an eloquent speech 

 from Sir W. Laurier in condemnation of its gen- 

 eral tone, in the course of which he declared that 

 should Canada be compelled to participate in all 

 the wars of Great Britain it would have the right 

 to say, " If you want us to help you, you must 

 call us to your councils." 



Outbreaks of this sentiment occurred from time 

 to time during the year in an extreme form. One 

 was the appearance of an article in La Semaine 

 Religieuse, the organ of the Quebec archbishop, 

 denouncing the British. Other papers took, upon 

 occasion, a similar line. In each case, however, the 

 result was assurances of loyalty from the highest 

 quarters, and in the first-mentioned instances most 

 ultra-British speeches from Archbishop Bgin and 

 Lieut.-Gov. Jettfm of Quebec. Mr. Tarte's utter- 

 ances in France during the Paris Exposition took 

 the form of asserting continually that he was 

 French by origin and birth and sentiment but Brit- 

 ish in loyalty. His position in this respect became 

 the subject of wide discussion and keen hostility 

 in Ontario. 



Canada and the Empire. Apart from the 

 war, many imperial issues demanded attention in 

 1900. In June the Fourth Congress of the Cham- 

 bers of Commerce of the Empire drew forth a large 

 representation from Canada, and discussions in 

 which the Dominion held a foremost place. Reso- 

 lutions were passed in favor of closer commercial 

 and defensive relations and the appointment of a 

 permanent Imperial Council. In March the Mont- 

 real Board of Trade passed a series of resolutions 

 favoring a similar policy, which was approved by 

 bodies of the same importance all over the country. 



Complications arose in connection with the pro- 

 posed Pacific cable, created by the rivalry of the 

 eastern extension system in Australian waters. 

 Resolutions of protest were passed by the Senate, 

 and explanations were offered in the Commons by 

 Mr. Mulock. Eventually the contract was let by 

 Mr. Chamberlain, and toward the end of the year 

 the various colonial interests in the matter appear 

 to have been harmonized. In the British war loan 

 of 30,000,000 sterling, Canadians subscribed many 

 millions of dollars, notably $5,000,000 by the Bank 

 of Montreal, and were allotted a fair proportion. 



Sir Charles Tupper delivered a speech in Quebec 

 early in the year, in which he strongly opposed 

 colonial representation in the Imperial Parliament, 

 and this was directly replied to by Mr. Chamber- 

 lain, on April 3, in a speech in which he said : " So 

 far the colonies have not made any definite sug- 

 gestion with respect to representation; and I am 

 convinced that nothing would be more fatal than 

 a premature discussion of details. I do not think 

 the time has arrived to suggest to the colonies 

 the form which imperial unity should take." 



An outcome of the war was the Canadian offer 

 to relieve the regular forces at Halifax, and the 

 creation of a special provisional regiment of volun- 

 teers for the purpose. A practical result of the 

 sentiment aroused in England by Canadian aid in 

 this connection was the formation in July of a 

 Lord Mayor's fund to help the sufferers from the 

 Ottawa fire, and the contribution of about $260,000 

 for the purpose. 



The preferential tariff of the Government came 

 in for keen discussion, and on the whole may be 

 said to have commanded popular approval. The 

 manufacturers, however, found fault with the in- 

 crease from 25 to 33J per cent., and their associa- 

 tion passed resolutions in favor of a reciprocal pref- 

 erence, of protection high enough to guard their 

 interests, and of protest against certain reductions, 

 notably that upon woolen goods. They also urged 

 a more careful adjustment of duties to suit special 

 cases. This idea of reciprocity was not only the 

 principal platform in Sir Charles Tupper's political 

 policy, but was strongly urged by the Boards of 

 Trade in Montreal, Toronto, and Halifax. The 

 Canadian Manufacturers' Association passed the 

 following resolution on July 1 1 : 



" That in the opinion of this association the 

 bonds of the British Empire would be materially 

 strengthened and the union of various parts of 

 her Majesty's domains greatly consolidated by the 

 adoption of a commercial and fiscal policy for the 

 colonies of Great Britain, based upon the principle 

 of mutual preference whereby each component 

 part of the empire would receive a substantial ad- 

 vantage in trade as a result of this national rela- 

 tionship; that this is a singularly opportune time 

 to look to the adoption of this policy in two of the 

 largest of her Majesty's colonies; and, therefore, . 

 that the Dominion Government be urged to take 

 such steps as may be possible to bring about the 

 adoption of this policy by the sister colonies." 



In Parliament, Mr. Fielding's proposed increase 

 of the British preference to 33J per cent, was 

 chiefly opposed by the Conservatives on the ground 

 of giving something for nothing and helping to 

 prevent the obtaining of future reciprocal Britis'.i 

 concessions. It was supported by Liberals as not 

 only granting a preference, but as involving a 

 steady lowering of the protective tariff. It passed. 

 as a matter of course. The Conservative attitude 

 was summarized on March 30 in the following 

 resolution, presented in the House by Sir Charles 

 Tupper: 



" That this House is of opinion that a system 

 of mutual trade preference between Great Britain 



