Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-31

v. ministry 1t Is only necessary forI
them TO elect q sufficient number OIL
members or the opposite party to out |
vote the ministry in the house of COM |
mons. Noniinally. the governor-gene-I
RAJ as the acting head of the executive
summons, dissolves and prorogues par
nunent' and assents to and reserves
| Dilis In the name of the queen. but, as
| q matter of fact, in the discharge of
| these ana all other executive duties he
acts entirely by and with the advice of
his couhcli. even in matters Of i'm
periai concern affecting Canada He
| eohsul,s win MS council and submits
their views to the authorities in Eng
land. where, as a rule, they are acced-
| ed 10.
b. Legislative Branch-Following the
British model closely. the parliament
of Canada consists of:
| l. The queen, represented by govern
| or general
| z. AN upper house. called the senate.
.. A lower house. styled house of
commons.
The consent of all three bodies Is
necessary before any measure can be-
| come law.
/. Governor Geenral-His powers in
the legislature are as limited as in the
executive. lie has only a negative
voice as regards legislation, and can
neither originate any measure nor exer-
cise any other Independent legislative
|
not great. as the dominion cannot make
war or peace nor conclude treaties lex
ceptng commercially, and he neither
SENDS nor receives ambassadors
:. The Senate-At present consists of
81 members, "A each from Ontario and
quebec, 10 each from Nova Scotia md
| New brunswick, each from Prince
Edward island and Manitoba, from
| British Columbia and from the North
| west territories, Senators are STYLED
honorable ARE appointed for life by the
| governor general. upon the recommen-
| dation of his council, must possess
| property worth $1,000 be so years OF age
and reside in the province which they
| represent. They are paid 81 900 per an
| mum. Bills can originate in the senate
excepting money or revenue bills, in
| which cases the action of the senate is
confined by usage to their retection-a
| rejection justified only by eXtraordi-
nary circumstances. The senate Is sup
| posed to constitute n wise check on
| hasty legislation, but. as n matter of
| fact, 1t has proved of little assistance
| In the government of the country, and
| at present there is agitation in certain
| quarters for its abolition.
| 3. House of Commons-Consists of Pin
members. elected for n Gve-year term.
| Ontario has 81 representatives Quebec
| 90. Nova Scotia 20, New Brunswick IA.
| Manitoba Z. British Columbia 6, Prince
| Edward Island .. territories 4. The rep
| rescntation is arranged after each de-
| ccnnial census. the basis being that
| quebec sail always have Go members
| and each Of the other provinces such a
| number as VIII give them the same pro-
| portion OF representatives to the popu-
| lation as the number Go bears to the
| population of Quebec. Members of par
! hitment require no property Qualifica-
ton. They are paid $40 per day during
| session, with n maximum annual pay
ment of $1,000. Their sittings are an
! nual. but may be oftener. They nre
elected by ballot. under n franchise
which is manhood suffrage. Debates
and proceedings of parliament may be
carried on either in French or English.
DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS.
| The parliament OF Canada, above de-
! scrbed. is by the act OF union. 1867 in
vested with exclusive legislative au-
thority over twenty-eight classes of
subjects, therein expressly stated. These
include the raising OF money by taxa
| ton or loan, the census, fisheries cur
| rency and coinage weights and meas
ures bankruptcy and insolvency. pat
| cnts. copyright, Indian tribes, public
| debt and property regulation of trade
| ana commerce, postal service, militia
ana defense. navigation and shipping.
| marriage and divorce, criminal law
| etc The act also enumeratcs sixteen
cases or subjects, more or less OF a
| local nature. with which the legisla-
| lures of the various provinces NAV ex-
ciuSlNely dcal-for example, taxation
Tor provincial purposes. management Of
| iitnuS OF the provinces. prisons hosDi-
tais, asylums. licenses, municipal In
sttutionS. etc. Again, there are certain
matters which the dominion and local
governments may deal with in COM
| mon among which are public health.
agriculture and immigration. Finally
| me federal government has control over
all matters which are not by the act
| exclusively assigned to the legisla lures
OF the province. Ills is remarkably
different from the distribution OF
powers in the United States. where all
| powers not delegated by the constitu-
ton to the federal government, nor
prohibited by it to the states are re-
| served 70 the states, respectively, or to
| the people
2.-PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.
The governments of the seven pro-
Vlhccs are closely modelled after that
oi me federal government as to the
| constitution of the executive and legis-
itture. the practice of responsible gov
! eminent and the rules and procedure of
permanent All the provinces have the
| power to amend their constitutions ex-
ccpt as regards the Office of lieutenant-
governor Thc machinery OF the system
OF local government which obtains
IN inc provinces is as follows:
l. ~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS appointed by
| the governor general in council. hold.
| ing office during pleasure. but not re-
| movable within five years from appoint
hent. except for sufficient assigned
causes. lie is therefore an officer Of
| the dominion, as we'll as the head of the
provincial executive. He appoints his
| executive council and is guided by their
advice so long as they retain the con-
| fidcnce of the local LEGISLATURES The