The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-21
j .AURIER TO CUTAMELON
FOR THE PROVINCES
Socalled "Rad the Federal Treasurer" Recognized
ill., Appropriate and Just-Premers and Their
# Ministers in Conference at Ottawa.

demands would be met in a generous
spirit. It is probable that as a result
Of this conference the Dominion will
in the future pay to the provincial
governments nearly $6,000,O0O a year
in subsidies, or an increase OF $2oO,OOo.
Of the total amount something over
million will 90 TO the four western
provinces. .~- E=t.
AS a quid pro quo for the expected
additions to their subsidies, the provin-
cial premiers undertook to introduce
legislation to abolish the special tax
on commercial travellers which was so
strongly objected to last year by the
Dominion parliament; as we'll as the
discrimination against companies in
corporated by the Dominion.
Boundary Meeting Next Month.
During the conference the question
of extending the boundaries of Onta-
rio, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatche-
wan north to Hudson Bay was lntor'
mally discussed, but no recommended
tions or formal requests were made.
1t was, however, arranged that the
premiers of these four provinces were
to return to Ottawa in November, at
/ ter the opening Of parliament, to con-
fer with the Dominion government.
Sir Wilfrid Lauricr has already ex-
pressed himself in favor Of such an adj
dition to the territory Of the respective
provinces, and the main difficulty will
be in 50 dividing the unorganized terri
tory lying south and southwest of Hud-
son bay as to satisfy each Of the four
provinces Each of them want &C.
cess to the bay, and none will be salts
fed with anything less.
The project Of route to Europe by
way Of Hudson bay has been rapidly
gaining ground, and railroads have al
ready been chartered whose routes will
lie thru each Of the four provinces.
One is to run from Quebec to James
bay; another is under construction
from Toronto to James bay; third,
Winnipeg with Port Churchill on Hud-
son bay; and fourth will run from
Prince Albert to the same port. Each
Of the four provinces is anxious that
one of these roads should lie exclusive
ly within it's own territory, and this
cannot be the case until the provincial
boundaries have been extended north
to the shores Of the bay.
East and West Clash.
Another important question that wa:
discussed at the conference, but left FOL
future consideration, is that Of repre-
sentation in the federal parliament
Under the British North America ac'
; Quebec is the pivotal province, with
fixed representation of sixty-fve mem
bers. The other provinces get mum
Der of members which bears the SAM
proportion to it's population as thu
+ number sixty-fve bears to the popula
+ ton Of Quebec. AS the balance O.
! population has swung steadily to tn
! west, the maritime provinces have beer
= actually losing members, while western
!, Canada has rapidly increased it's repre-
sentation, and as Nova Scotia, New
:, Brunswick and Prince Edward ISLAM
= are not likely to gain any considerabl
. population in the future, while Mani
. toba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Brit
ish Columbia are bound to increas
> more rapidly every year, the time /
not far distant when the house Of com
mons will contain a larger representa-
tion from the west than from the prov
a inces down by the sea.
Naturally the people of the martini
provinces do not like this, and ask tina
the confederation act be amended s
that their representation will not a
! least be diminished. It is certain, how
= ever, that the west will never agree
: this! and there is very little likelihoo
of it's even being seriously considere
r by the Dominion government, whose ca
l. is turned more and more to the youn
u and vigorous west-the land of illimi
r able possibilities. .'-'