Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-12-14
KH5T mo

for some time engaging world
wide attention.
In half century, almost unnoticed,
Canada has attained startling
growth. 1t seems only a few years
ago that amid dissension and rebel
lion, she was struggling for confeder-
alton and responsible government
The patriotic fight of the great Will
liam Lyon Mackenzie is almost cur
rent history and a great many OF
those who remember the British
North American act Of 1S67-the act
which gave Canada a federal govern
ment-are still hale and hearty citi-
zens of Britain's richest colony
The first premier of the great Do
minion. Sir John A. Macdonald, is
scarcely a figure of the past He was
active in the political life Of his coun-
try until 90 years ago The sound Of
his voice is still fresh in the minds
of Canadas most prominent present
day statesmen. The rapid rise of the
Dominion of Canada, from a few
scattered settlements to country of
wealth and population, has been re-
markable.
While the two great peoples of the
American continent, those of the
United States and Canada, have
waxed strong under the influence Of a
progressive policy which is peculiar
to this hemisphere they have done so
along widely diverging lines. The
governmental systems of both coun-
tries, which at first glance may seem
alike and which are founded upon the
principle of popular representation,
are vastly different. The civic af-
fairs of the United States rest upon
three distinct divisions of govern
ment, the executive, the legislative
and the judicial, while the Canadians,
profiting by the deficiencies as well
as the good points Of ths American
constitution, drafted a government OF
party responsibility in which the
three great divisions of their neigh
boris civic structure were welded in
to one The Canadian political meth
cd is the newest development of con-
stitutional government and its origin
and success form one of the most
interesting chapters of recent history.
The keynote of the Canadian the
DRY of government is party RESPONSE
bility. All civic branches are respon-
sible to the party in power and the
party in power is directly responsible
10 the people. While formally the
legislature consists Of two bodies
the house of commons and the SEN
ate-the country is practically gov
erned by one assembly, the house Of
commons, for the senate Is a negligi-
BILE quantity in the practical civic OPP
erations of Canada. The governor
general, who formally presides over
all and who is the representative of
the king, theoretically appoints the
premier. but, in reality. he always
chooses the man whom the parlia-
mentary situation requires.
The premier must be a member of
the house and must be elected to his
seat from regular riding or constitu-
ency. In him are united the Offices
of speaker of the house and major
ity leader. The members of the cab
met must also be members of the
commons and they are elected to
parliament by the people of their
own riding. The Canadian ministry
consists of the premier and his cab
met and this combination is popular
ly known as "the government"
When a Party Loses.
When the Canadian party in power
loses its majority in the house,
n1i In, &c
political question or through loss OF
popular confidence at an election, the
opposition goes into power and its
official leader Immediately and auto
matically becomes PREMIER, the gov
ernor genera always calling on him
TO form a new government, If the
Canadian system l-evailed in the
United States President Taft and the
members of his cabinet would have
to be members of the house of rep
resentatives.
The Dominion Of Canada is gov
erned always by the party in power
and the executive and legislative
powers of his party are recognized
by the people. For every act or pro-
posal the government" or party in
power is directly responsible TO the
house OF commons and to the Cana
dian people and if, in any of its acts
or proposals IL fails to meet with the
approval of the house, or the people,
II steps down from power and the
opposition takes control as a party. IL
is because of this policy that the
liberal party went to the people with
the reciprocity issue.
In the beginning of Canadas po