The Irish standard., 1905-04-01
CANADIAN SCHOOLS.

CANADIAN S6hUOLS.
Canada is just now threshing out
the separate school question. In refer.
| ence to this question the secular press
of the United States all seem to take
sides against Sir Winfrid Laurier's
government. The attitude of the press
and the people in this country in ref
erence to the Canadian school ques-
ton is largely the result of ignorance!
There are very few citizens of this
country who understand the system in
use in Canada. To us it seems more
equitable and just than our public
school system. People in this country
get the idea that separate schools mean
separate church schools. Such is not
at all the fact. The question now be-
ing debated in Canada arises over
the formation of two new provinces in
the great Canadian Northwest, known
as the provinces of Alberta and Sas-
katchewan. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is
now the premier of the Canadian gov
eminent and has been ever since 1896.
He is the leader of the great Liberal
party in Canada, and it is only by
continued support of a majority OF the
voters in Canada that government
can exist for single day. The mo-
ment that government ceases to be
supported by majority of the elected
representatives Of the people. that mo-
ment it collapses. In our country
congress lasts for at least two years
and a presidents term four years, no
matter whether the sentiments of the
people change during that time or not,
but in Canada the moment a govern
ment ceases to represent the senti-
ments of majority that moment it
ceases to exist. The Laurier govern
ment Is the government in power in
Canada today. 1t is in power because
it is supported by majority of the
regularly elected representatives OF
the people. One of the duties OF that
government is the task of establish
ing the two new provinces above re-
ferred to- In Canada the religious
question plays Il more important part
than it does in our country. OF the six
million people, two and a half million
are Catholics. Sir Wilfrid Laurier
happens to be a Catholic, although he
is the leader OF a party made up OF
Professionals as well as Catholics.
The formation of the two provinces
raises the school question, which is
ever a bone of bitter contention in
Canada. There has existed in the
two territories named above for the
nority schools, the same educational
system in effect that prevails in Onta-
rio and in Quebec. Concisely stated
the system provides that certain
number of ratepayers in any district
belonging to any religious faith may at
any time petition for the establish
ment of a separate school. These
| separate schools are public schools,
using all alike, using state approved
textbooks, visited by state superin-
tendents, controlled by state regula-
lions and confined to secular instruc-
ton except for half an hour before
four o'clock each school day, when re-
| ligious instructions are given in ac-
cordance with the faith of those who
=, petitioned for the establishment of the
separate schools and whose money en-
clusively supports these schools, but
even those who do not support them
are entitled to send their children and
no child is compelled to remain for
the religious instruction. Parents are
free to take their children away be-
fore the religious instructions begin
No personal or parental rights are in
fringed. Professionals as we'll as
Catholics have the right to petit
ton for separate schools, provided
only they are willing to support those
schools. If separate schools are es-
tablished in which the Catholic faith
is taught for one-half hour each day
Catholic ratepayers pay for the sup
port of the school, and no Protestant
is called upon to contribute. Metho-
dist, Baptist or Presbyterian or any
other church has the same right under
the law to establish separate schools.
These schools are in no way operated
by any particular church. They are
public in every sense of the word
and the instruction is entirely secular,
except for half an hour each day. 1t
really seems difficult to suggest any
reasonable objection to such schools
except it be based upon the idea that
Catholic parents or Protestant parents
have no right to say in what faith
their children shall be started in life
It would be very different matter if
Protestant tax payers were called
upon to support schools in which the
Catholic religion was taught for half
an hour each day, or if Catholic rate
payers were called upon to pay for the
support of schools in which the Prot