Physical and Commercial Analysis of the Dominion of Canada

Government – The Dominion of Canada is a

Federal nation of Provinces and Districts within

The British Empire.  It occupies all contintental

North America north of the United States except

Alaska (American territory), and Labrador, governed

by Newfoundland, an adjacent British colony which

has remained outside the confederation.  Greenland,

an island north of Labrador, belongs to Denmark.  The

two small islands of Miquelon and St. Pierre, near

Newfoundland’s southern coast, belong to France.

Canada is self-governing, with a chief executive,

called the governor-general, appointed by the

British Cabinet, he is assisted by a Privy Council.  The

Canadian Parliament, which is the supreme legislative

power, consists of the governor-general, representing

the British Crown, A Senate, and a House of Commons

are elected by the people.  A Parliament lasts 5 years

unless dissolved sooner.  Each province has also a

legislature called the Legislative Assembly, which is

empowered to deal with local matters.  The provinces

of Quebec and Nova Scotia each have a second legis-

lative chamber called the Legislative Council.  The

provincial chief executives, each known as a lieutenant-

governor, are chosen by the governor-general.  Federal

and provincial powers are defined by the British North

America Act of 1867, which enabled the colonies of

British North America to form a federal union under

the name of the Dominion of Canada.  The Dominion

Parliament has exclusive power over all matters except

those specifically delegated to the provincial legis-

latures.

The British North America Act provided for the first

time a constitution for a federal system adaptable

to British principles and methods of government.  The

measure had its genesis during the American Civil War

and aimed to avoid certain features of the American

federal system which were deemed to be defective in

practice.   The Provinces were conceded less power than

that enjoyed by American States, the federal government

reserving to itself all other authority not so conceded.

Bills passed by any provincial legislature require the

assent of the lieutenant-governor before they

may become laws and may be annulled within the year

by the governor-general.  Bills passed by the Dominion

Parliament require, to become laws, the signature of

the governor-general and may be disallowed by the

British King in Council within a period of two years.

This prerogative, however, has fallen into disuse.

In practice, there is no such thing as Imperial con-

trol over Dominion affairs by the governor-general

acting in the kings’ name, though theoretically the

veto power of the Crown remains unimpaired,  The

British dominion as not “subject” but “sister” nations

in the Empire, and the governor general is merely

a connecting link with the Crown.

In 1923 the Dominion parliament enlarged the pro-

vinces of Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario by adding

to them portions of the North west Territories.  By this

arrangement, Manitoba gained 178,100 miles, Quebec

354,961 square miles, and Ontario 115, 400 square

miles of additional territory.  Quebec is not the largest

of all the Canadian provinces.  Ontario is second in

area and British Columbia third.