Evening star., 1942-08-03
Cunudu's Parliament

though technically in session, is in
the midsummer doldrums, the Par
lament of our northern neighbor
adjourns until January 26 next year.
The Canadian Parliament has been
in almost continuous session since
last November. 1t has been a strenu-
Gus period during which many legis-.
lative problems have been considered
and acted upon. The current ad-
journment is thus good occasion to
review it's record
The outstanding feature is Par
liament's handling of the ticklish
conscription issue, and the way this
delicate problem has been solved
illustrates both the handicaps and
the advantages of the democratic
method. Superficially, much time
seems to have been spent in repeti-
tious debate and political maneuver-
ing. Yet the eventual outcome would
appear to justify the delay because
national unity has been preserved,
whereas an apparently efficient"
shortcut might have aroused acute
discord
The burning issue, of course, was
the strong opposition of the French
speaking population of Quebec Prov
ince to conscription for overseas
service. The question was en-
venomed by bitter memories from
the last war, when conscription was
imposed upon Quebec by the English
speaking majority OF the rest of
Canada. Tactlessly administered,
the result was wholesale evasion.
stubborn resistance, and even draft
riots by the recalcitrant French
population. The whole affair left a
legacy OF bitterness which compli-
Gated Canadas political life for many
years and has never wholly died
away.
This was the unfortunate back
ground against which war exigencies
compelled the raising of the issue
once again, with Quebec showing the
same opposition as it had a genera
tion before. This time, however, the
government of Mackenzie King han
died the issue with great tact and
extreme forebearance toward the
French minority. Months Of debate
In Parliament, before and after the
holding OF national plebicite,
finally brought the Quebec French
into line with the national will, their
accredited spokesman, Mr.. Cardin,
declaring in Parliament: "We shall
obey the law. There will be no
trouble"
Less controversial, yet OF great
practical Importance, is the way Par
lament has ironed out complicated
program of economic and financial
legislation which has reconciled the
Canadian people to accept tremen-
dous wartime burdens. It's drastic
character is revealed by the fact that
a population OF less than 10000 900
considerably ssmaller than the
population of New York State) is
bravely shouldering a budget of
So, 300, ,000,0 900 for war expenditure
| alone. Taxation in Canada is, in
many respects, much heavier than
ours, but it is equally distributed and
there are relatively few complaints.
Furthermore, popular discomfort and
fears of initiation have been allayed
by the imposition of overall controls
for prices. costs and wages which
have kept Canada's economic struc-
ture gratifyingly stable and equili-
brated.
These results are the more note
worthy because, in Canada, politics
are emphatically not adjourned "for
the duration" Indeed, party lines
and parliamentary discipline are
stricter in Canada than they are
with us. Nevertheless, there seems
to be an instructive understanding as
to where partisan politics shall stop
in time of supreme national emer-
gency. BY and large, Canadas po-
litical record during the past year
has been one to hearten believers
in democratic self government the
world over