January 9, 1868

MACDONALD TO HIT RESET BUTTON?

With the rocky fall session behind him and the House of Commons in recess until mid-March, speculation grows that Sir John A. Macdonald (Prime Minister) use the winter break to set about remodelling the Ministry.

There are currently two vacancies that need filling, the first being the Secretary of State for the Provinces, a position vacated by Hon. Adams Archibald following his defeat in the September election, and the second being the presidency of the Privy Council which is in want of an occupant following the death of Hon. Adam Johnston Fergusson Blair at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Hon. Jean-Charles Chapais (Agriculture) is without a seat in either of the Houses of Parliament (the election in his chosen riding of Kamouraska having been cancelled following a riot) and rumours are circulating that Hon. Alexander Campbell (Post Master General) is planning to resign.

Add to this the repeated whispers of serious personality clashes said to fester amongst the remaining members of Her Majesty’s Privy Council for Canada who are said to be in constant disagreement owing, if not to the fragile nature of their coalition, than to the surprise announcement of unequal honours bestowed upon some of their number on the occasion of the formation of the Dominion.

The winter break offers the prime minister an opportunity to hit the reset button on his government which has been criticized for its slow organization and lack of initiative during the fall sitting, appearing unprepared for the delivery of its legislative program despite having four months to prepare for it from July 1 to the opening of the session at the beginning of November.

Additionally, the prime minister will need to take steps to begin to make peace with the Anti-Confederates who have returned to their ridings bearing news that all the Dominion government appears to have been done thus far is impose new duties and taxes on the Lower Provinces and sought to expand its empire westward.

If Macdonald is considering asking the Anti-Confederate leader Hon. Joseph Howe (Hants) to join him in the Privy Council he may wish to act sooner rather than later.

Alternatively, the prime minister could decide to reduce the size of the cabinet. If Campbell resigns as is rumoured and Chapais resigns as he ought to, for want of a legislative seat, the cabinet has effectively been reduced by nearly one-quarter from its original size on July 1. It is hard to see how a cabinet of nine could do any worse than a cabinet of thirteen (and it would still be one member larger than the cabinet of the United States).

ONTARIO BUDGET COMING

The Hamilton Evening Times suggests that for want of a legislative program (one not having been detailed in the Throne Speech) the treasure, Hon. E. B. Wood might be expected to submit his budget within the week. Following that, the paper calls on the legislature to deal with the Municipal and Assessment Acts which, in the view of that paper, require revision following the last sitting of the late Parliament of the Province of Canada.

NO AID FOR TORONTO

John Wallis (Conservative, West Toronto), seeking aid from the provincial government for the costs associated with the construction of the Esplanade, was rebuffed by Premier Sandfield Macdonald. Wallis said given that the railways that run across the front of the city are to the benefit of the entire province, the entire province ought to bear some of the cost. The Premier responded it had never occurred to the government that a City might be aggrieved by the presence of a railroad and no aid would be forthcoming.

BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE

• Bill (No. 2) An Act to repeal ch. 13 of the Consolidated Statutes, so far as the same related to the Province of Ontario, to authorise the publication of an Ontario “Gazette,” making provision for the publication of matters respecting public affairs and for official notices — Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald (Premier, Attorney-General)
• Bill (No. 3) An Act respecting the appointments of Magistrates and Coroners — Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald (Premier, Attorney-General)
• Bill (No. 4) An Act respecting the office of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly — Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac)
• Bill (No. 5) An Act for the Independence of the Legislative Assembly — Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac)
• Bill (No. 6) An Act in Amendment of Assessment Act of Upper Canada, and to follow Section 72 — Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac)
• Bill (No. 7) An Act to Amend Chapter six of the Consolidated Statutes of Canada, intituled “An Act respecting Elections of Members of the Legislature” — Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac)
• Bill (No. 8) An Act to Amend the Laws of Evidence — Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac)
• Bill (No. 9) An Act respecting Voluntary Conveyances — Edward Blake (Liberal, South Bruce)