191:5 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 4^ 



In conjunction with tlie establishment of Provincial fisih agencies, 

 the imposition of an export duty on a sliding scale might prove advan- 

 tageous in dealing Avith the demands from across the border, although 

 it could never be quite so efificacious a measure as the total prohibition 

 of export of the varieties it was desired to protect. It must, moreover, 

 be remembered that, although it is most highly desirable to break tlie 

 American commercial control of Ontario's fisheries, it would not be the 

 part of wisdom to destroy the American markets for Ontario fish 

 altogether, for during many years to come there should be, under a 

 proper system, profit to be made by citizens of the Province in selling 

 a considerable surplus catch of at least coarse fish to the Americans, 

 which it is quite proper should be removed from the waters each year, 

 but which otherwise would either be a drug on the Ontario market or 

 else, perhaps, completely wasted. 



It must also be noted that the remarks made in a previous section 

 as to the inspection of fish wonld apply with great force should an export 

 duty on fish ever be imposed, for fish piracy could be counted on to 

 increase, and smuggling and juggling in varieties to be undertaken on 

 a large scale, so that, without very strict and efficient inspection carried 

 out by honest and capable officials, neither would the Government profit 

 to the fullest extent in the matter of revenue, nor would the Provincial 

 fish market or the fisheries themselves derive the fullest benefits to be 

 anticipated from such a measure. 



THE POAYERS OF THE DOMINION AND PROVINCIAL GOVERN- 

 MENTS IN RELATION TO THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES 

 OF THE GREAT LAKES. 



Under existing conditions, through the operation of the British 

 North America Act, the Dominion of Canada is governed and adminis- 

 tered as a whole by the Federal Government at Ottawa, and separately 

 and individually in Provinces by the respective governments of the vari- 

 ous Provinces. Naturally enough the British North America Act did 

 not provide for all the contingencies which should eventually arise 

 through the development of so vast a country in its allocation of power 

 between the Douiinion and Provincial Governments, but, broadly speak- 

 ing, the lands, forests and waters within the boundaries of the respective 

 Provinces were handed over to their governments to administer and 

 govern, while to tlie Dominion Government was reserved the power of 

 intervening in such administration in respect of measures affecting 

 Canada as a whole. 



In so far as the fisheries were concerned, whether maritime or 

 inland, the attitude was taken by the Dominion Government that these 

 were national, and consequently to be administered by federal authority. 

 This view was ultimately accepted both by British Columbia and the 



