November 2, 1867

CONSCRIPTION IF NECESSARY

Legislation regarding the Militia has been prepared and printed and is in the hands of the minister, Hon. George-Étienne Cartier.

If passed, the bill seeks to establish the methods by which the militia ranks will be filled. Districts that supply their quota of volunteers will have no further requests made upon them. Conscription will be used in districts where the quota is not met.

It is believed that the call for volunteers will yield a militia of some 50,000 men.

The bill has not been discussed by the Privy Council and is not expected to be introduced before the holidays.

CONFIDENCE IN ROYAL CANADIAN BANK

Following an attempt by the Bank of Montreal to discredit the Royal Canadian Bank, the Ontario government has opened an account at that institution, providing it a much needed vote of confidence in the eyes of depositors.

REVOLVING DOOR IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Since Confederation, New Brunswick has seen so many of its public men appointed to the Senate, elected to the House of Commons, and appointed to the local Cabinet, that several elections have been held over the last few weeks in nearly every county in the province to restore the stock in the provincial legislature.

One consequence of this is that approximately one-third of the current members of the Legislative Assembly are new to public life. In the cabinet of Premier Wetmore, only Hon. John McAdam (Public Works) has any executive experience, and that of only a few months.

Such widespread inexperience poses special difficulties for the province as it begins to organize itself within the Dominion. In addition to having to put out the still smoldering anti-Confederationist fires, the fresh ministers will have to contend with the jealousies of their backbench colleagues, all of whom are at risk of thinking they are just as qualified to advise Her Majesty as those currently doing so.