SASKATCHEWAN AND ITS PEOPLE
1924
Volume II

	          
FIRST "CONSTITIUTIONAL" OPPOSITION.
  
The "constitutional" opposition really organised as such had for its
leader Mr. D. H. McDonald, a private banker of Qu'Appelle, and a son
of the province, whose knowledge of western affairs and problems was
therefore unsurpassed.  With him were associated Mr. Thomas McKay,
of Prince Albert; Mr. R. B. Bennett, a young lawyer who came down from
Calgary with a great reputation for oratory, which he fully maintained;
Mr. Samuel McLeod, Prince Albert; Mr. Ewen McDiarmid, of Can-
nington; Mr. Villeneuve, French member from Northern Alberta; Mr.
J. B. Hawkes, of South Regina, and Mr. Shera, of Northern Alberta. The
preceding election was fought on somewhat confused lines and nearly all
the members came back more or less unpledged to any party support. The
position was watched with keen interest, and there were those who had
strong hopes that an opposition would be formed strong enough to over-
turn the alleged "Grit Hive". Mr. Ross was credited with generalship, in~
keeping down the opposition to the small number which it eventually com-
prised.  This opposition, under the able leadership of Mr. McDonald,
proved to be competent and energetic, and fully justified its existence.
Among other members of the Assembly who came prominently to the
front we may mention Dr. Patrick, of Yorkton; Mr. Speaker Eakin, Salt-
coats; Mr. Speaker A. B. Gillis, Whitewood; Mr. J. W. Connell, of Souris;
Mr. R. S. Lake, of Grenfell (subsequently Sir Richard Lake, Lieut. Gov-
ernor of the Territories) ; Mr. C. A. Magrath; Mr. D. J. Willey; Mr. G. M.
Annable; Mr. Thomas Tweed, and last but not least Mr. George W. Brown
(subsequently Lieut. Governor of the Territories).

An outstanding feature of the Territorial House was the high level of
its debates.  From the earliest days even visitors have been frequently
struck by the large proportion of members who were ready and compe-
tent in debate, as they were expecting something crude, something wild
and woolly; not only parliamentary decorum, but a strict adherence to
parliamentary procedure has been the invariable rule, and from the time
of the old North West Council to the present day it can be said with truth
that although at times the air has been heavily charged with electricity,



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