The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-09-21
HOW CANADA is GOVERNED.
Interesting Sketch Of the Political Machine
ry of the Dominion.

United States Commercial Agent Carroll
Of Port Stanley and st. Thomas, in q recen
report, gives the following concise sketch o
the government Of Canada:
As is we'll known, there are seven provin
ces In the Dominion, viz: New Brunswick
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba
The total population Of these provinces /:
4,352, ,0S0. The executive authority is vested
In the Queen, exercised through the Cover
nor General, who receives $4,000 year Al
salary.
The Governor General has IS advisers
known as the Cabinet, or Queens Privy
Council of Canada" each Of whom receives
q salary Of $1,000 per annum and 81 900 In
addition for each session Of Parliament, ex.
cepL the Premier, who receives 5000 and an
additional 81, 900 per session, making the to.
tai annual salaries of these officers S155, 600
900 In excess of that paid to the Presi'
dent of the United States and bis Cabinet.
A member of the Canadian Cabinet must be
Senator or a member of the House of Com
mons. There are twelve departments, viz
OF justice, of finance, Of agriculture, Of the
secretary of state, Of militia and defense, OF
customs, of inland revenue, of the interior,
of public works, Of railways and canals, oil
the postofIice, and of marine and fisheries.
Parliament is composed Of Senate ard
House of Commons. Senators are appoint
ed for life, and members of the House of
Commons are elected for five years. AT
present there can be but IS Senators, and af-
confederation, the number is limited to 81.
In the late Parliament there we're 206 men,
bers in the House Of Commons. Under the
recent apportlonment the House just elected
will have 2l1 members. Each Senator and
member of the House OF Commons receives
81 900 per annum as compensation.
Each province has local legislature, in
some of which there are an upper and lower
house, and In others one house. A Lieu
tenant. Governor, appointed by the Cover
nor General presides over each province.
With the exception of members Of the
House of Commons, and of the local legis-
lature, all officers are appointed, and hold
their positions during life or good behavior.
General election days appear like Sunday.
All places selling intoxicating drinks are
closed. The law on this subject Is very
stringent. Amy person violating II Is heavily
6ned and Jailed. Any person who has at
tanned the age of 21 years and has au income
of $40O in city, $500 in q town, $500 In q
village and $500 In . township, may vote,
provided he Is British subject. ANY person
(meantpg male) owning property inone or
more election districts, can vote In each dis
trlct in which bis property is located. provid.
ed it amounts to the figure in either Of the
places named above. The voting is by bal
lot, and only one voter is allowed In the poll
at o time. The returning officer is supposed
to have the tickets printed with the names Of
the opposing candidates thereon, who sup
plies each of bis deputies with the number
required at their respective polls on the
morning of the election.
The tickets are numbered by the deputy
returning officer, who, as each voter presents
himself, initials the ticket, hands 1t to the
voter, who procasds to another apartment,
atfixes the mark required by law opposite
the name Of the candidate of his choice, re.
turns to the poll, hands the ticket to the re.
turning officer, who examines 1t on the out
side to see that his initials are there, places
il in the box, and the process is complete.
The candidate has nothing to do with the
tickets or their preparation. Indeed, it 10
unlawful that he should.
Each candidate must deposit 5000 with the
proper authority before he can be recognized
as such.
pared with the ULited States, and msjorities
are frequently as low as 1, 2 or 3. Two or
three hundred is considered a large majority
In most electoral districts.
In this connection, aud in conclusion, 1t
may be proper to add that the Province of
Quebec IS the pivotal province as to repre-
sentstion In the Dominion House of Com
mons. 1t has a fixed representation Of IS
members, and the representation Of the other
provinces is in proportion to the number Of
their respective populations as the number
IS bears to the population of Quebec. This
Is determined and adjusted decennially.