410 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



If there had been no pause in the amazing develop- 

 ment of Canada I cannot think there would have 

 been any hope for the extension of the land-grant 

 to women, although I believe that had the Province 

 of Saskatchewan been given that administration of 

 her own natural resources, for which Mr. Haultain 

 fought without ceasing, in Saskatchewan the land- 

 grant would have been extended to women, and 

 that both the Liberal and Conservative Govern- 

 ments would have been of one mind in wiping out 

 the shame of this injustice from their home province, 

 which is destined to become the richest and the 

 most powerful in the Dominion. But to-day the 

 fact that Canada is in vital need of the producer 

 may inspire the Dominion Government to seek a 

 virtue in necessity. 



Industrial development has selected the great 

 cities of the North-West. A great population is 

 gathering in those centres ; the land and the farmer 

 should have been ready to supply their great demand 

 for food, but in the rapid development of the last 

 few years the producer — starved at seed-time and 

 squeezed at harvest, through lack of foresight in 

 the financial administration of the country — has 

 failed to keep up. For a moment under-production 

 has thrown a veil over the face of Canadian pros- 

 perity, and has already proved to the investor that 

 production alone can support the development 

 which production compelled. 



Canada's food-bill is enormous. The most fertile 

 pasture and food-producing country in the world . 

 is buying everything she should be selling but 

 wheat. Demand for food even to feed the present 

 population is years ahead of supply. For Christmas 



