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CANADIAN POLITICS

LIBEEALS CONFIDENT

MR. BENNETT'S ILLNESS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) VANCOUVER, March 27.

In an incredibly short space of time, the Canadian Parliament .'.has already assented to the major planks of Mr. Bennett's "social reform" platform. The Unemployment Insurance^ Bill passed practically without amendment. The Eight-hour-day Bill was passed as it wa§ drafted, without division. The Minimum, Wage Bill, which ■ comprehends administration almost as complex and expensive as unemployment insurance, is now before ' the House, with a prospect of immediate passage. There have been minor incidents, such as the abortive attempt to legislate a six-hour day on the farm, made by Labour—"Commonwealth Co-operation Federation," to give it its official name. Eut nothing has interfered with the express speed with which, 'Mr. Bennett's programme is going through.

The illness of the Prime Minister has accelerated the avid desires of the Liberal Opposition to,ease, the path of his legislation. Mr. Bennett's illness is worse than early reports indicated. A common cold turned to bronchial trouble. The hardest-worked man in Canada, who does not share his confidence with' the Cabinet, fell ill at a critical time. None but he could explain his plans for social regeneration8. Chafing at enforced idleness, he left his bed too soon, and suffered two heart attacks within a week. When Mr. Mackenzie King heard of the serious turn Mr. Bennett's Indisposition had taken he promptly, assured Sir George Perley that the Liberals would offer no objection to the new legislation outlined in the Prime Minister's five "fireside talks to the tiation" over the, air. The Liberals are aiding and abetting the passage of these Bills with the mental reservation that ~ they will never be implemented. While the Prime Minister was • explaining his industrial legislation, Mr. Mackenzie King pointed out-that they traversed the rights of the Provinces, and the judgment of the Supreme .Court should be obtained.before they were proceeded with. Mr. Bennett replied that the Dominion's need was greater than that of the Provinces. The Liberal Leader did not press his point,; knowing what would happen in the provincial arena. THE APPROACHING ELECTION. Liveral Governments are in power in all the Provinces. Without, exception, they Have been sharpjy critical of Mr. Bennett and his policies. They -are unanimous in condemning his administration of unemployment relief, which they claim is a national. and not a provincial of municipal obligation. No taxation, specifically designed to relieve unemployment, was passed by the Dominion .or ti\e Provinces. The Dominion lent moneys to the Provinces, shared the; cost of relief, up to 50 per cent, in, the case of single men, and told them .they must furnish help to the municipalities. Un--balanced Budgets led to talk of mandatory reduction of interest ■ on Fublic Debt, cr, as in the case of- Vancouver, of outright repudiation. .-To all who protested, the provincial arid local authorities explained that the solution of the problem lay only with the Dominion. ■■~'■ ' Mr. Taschereau, with the backing of 37 years of Liberal administration in Quebec, echoes' the sentiments of many other Provincial Governments when he says he -will resist Federal invasion;: of provincial rights. Yet,; though the" Provinces be unanimous in this sphere of action, they are by no means unanimous in others. Mr. Taschereau and Mr. Hepburn, Premier of Ontario, '&o not respond to ,the demand of the younger and smaller Provinces, in the West and Maritimes, that' the Constitution of Canada, the British North America Act, be amendedV to bring it into line with present conditions. The applicants charge that Quebec and Ontario, alone among the f nine partners to Confederation, have benefited from the B.N.A. Act. Their claim for better terms contains unanswerable logic. , ■ Overshadowing this confused political scene is the approaching: Federal General Election, which must be held not later than September, next. The Liberal organisation has been gradually perfected during the; past year. The Conservatives, victims of many election landslides in ' the r Provinces have not yet revived sufficiently to mobilise their resources. Defeat stares them in1 the face. What the fate of Mr. Bennett's "social reform" policy will be is a matter for conjecture. But all regret, opponents as well as supporters that illness has overtaken him at this juncture, when his known qualities as a fighter would have been tested to the utmost. ;

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19350423.2.161

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1935, Page 16

Word Count
711

CANADIAN POLITICS Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1935, Page 16

CANADIAN POLITICS Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1935, Page 16