26 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
THE SPEAKER AND THE HOUSE OF COMMONS: 
Read before the Hamilton Scientific Association. 
BY HON. THOS. BAIN. 
Parliament, as constituted in the Dominion of Canada, 
consists of three branches: 1st, the Queen, as represented by 
His Excellency, the Governor General; 2nd, the Senate, 81 
members, appointed by the Crown for life ; 3rd, the House of 
Commons, at present 213 members, viz: 65, always a fixed 
number, from the Province of Quebec, 92 from Ontario and 56 
divided among the other provinces and territories, and the 
assent of each of these three branches is required before any 
act can become law. 15 Senators constitute a quorum and in 
the Commons 20 with the Speaker. 
The Canadian Parliament first assembled in the present 
buildings at Ottawa on the 8th of June, 1866, and the British 
North American Act of 1867 creating the Dominion, made that 
city the political Capital, The site of the parliament build- 
ings is one of great beauty, on a cliff rising high over the 
Ottawa river and overlooking the broad valley with the 
Laurentian hills of Quebec in the blue distance, and the falls 
in sight, rendered famous by the account of travellers since 
the days of Champlain. The buildings are in the Gothic style 
and in the opinion of connoisseurs entitled to rank with the 
best architecture of Europe. Externally they are picturesque. 
For internal convenience and practical utility, one feels dis- 
posed to endorse the opinion of Mr. McKenzie, that they were 
splendidly adapted for a monastery rather than for a Legisla- 
tive Assembly. Here, however, once each year meet the 
Senate and Commons of Canada. 
The opening of Parliament is always a great event for 
Ottawa, a perennial source of excitement to her citizens, and 
