May 3, 1909 (11th Parliament, 1st Session)

Mr. BARR.

Calling out 'carried' will not put this Bill through the House. There are two or three hon. gentlemen on the other side of the House who seem to think that the object their constituents had in sending them here was to call out 'carried' If we were to inquire what they had accomplished in this House we would find that they had not done much more than call out 'carried'. This Bill is too important to be rushed through the house as hon. gentlemen are endeavouring to do. We have settled the question that the provincial government have all the power that is required to enable this company to unite with interests in the United States to operate a power plant. It is the provincial government which knows best whether or not it is in the interest of the country that such a Bill as this should pass. I appeal to hon. gentlemen from the other provinces to hesitate before supporting this Bill. The time may come when the rights of other provinces will be infringed upon and then they will require the assistance of the Ontario members who have always shown themselves ready to stand up for provincial rights. It must not be forgotten that Ontario is the banner province of this Dominion, that it is growing faster than any other province, and that it will demand its rights. When the Liberals were in power in the province of Ontario their boast was that they stood up for provincial rights and demanded justice for their province, but their friends in this House seem to have gone back on these principles.