A CRITICAL SITUATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 25, 29 December 1925, Page 2

A CRITICAL SITUATION

CANADA’S PARLIAMENT GOVERNMENT’S INSECURITY. TORONTO, Nov. 21. Tho political future in Canada continues to bo obscured in fog. Ibe King Government, though shaken by the general election last month, remains in the saddle. Whether it will endure indefinitely, perhaps for years, or bo ousted in a few weeks, depends on tho decisions of a little group of 26 men and ono woman, who, elected as Progressives or Independents,: will hold the balance of power in the new Parliament. If any lialf-dozen of them decide to support tho Leader of the Opposition on any party division, the fate of tho Government will bo sealed. Tlio situation; gives the approaching session a piquancy, unprecedented in Cnadian Parliamentary history. Tho unusualness of the situation is accentuated by Mr King’s strategy in meeting it. Tho Prime .Minister is himself without a seat in the new House. So are six of seven of his Ministers. The Ministers,-with the exception of Mr George P.-Graham, Minister for Railways, are immediately relinquishing their portfolios, not an unusual course in the case of Ministers who lose their constituencies. But in tho case of a Prime Minister or party leader, it has been the practice to open up a riding at once and hold a byelection so that the leader may return to Parliament, j This was done by Mr Meighan in 1921. In the present instance, a seat was providentially opened when, a few days after polling, tho newly-electecl Liberal member for Bagot, in Quebec, died. But Mr King has indicated that he may not cccept this or any seat in Parliament until after Parliament has met, and has decided by a vote of coiiudenco or otherwise whether it wishes the present Government to carry on.

PRIME MINISTER AS SPECTATOR.

If Mr King persists in this attitude the Government will meet Parliament with the head of tho Government no nearer the Speaker’s chair than the visitor’s gallery. During Mr King’s absence leadership of tho Government in the House will probably devolve on Hon. Ernest Lapointe, Minister' for Justice, who is head of the party in Quebec. Sensitiveness, a high sence of rectitude, and a disinclination to appear in the role of a usurper in office account for Mr King’s reluctanco to- seek a seat until Parliament decides. He wishes the members of Parliament as elected on October 29 to say whether they wish him to continue. And he is reluctant to take advantage of his position as head of the Government in office to take any step which might be interpreted as tactical “jockeying” for position, even though that step might have the imprimatur of precedent" and practice. This is his idea of democracy. However, •if ■ for any reason Parliament’s decision is delayed, Mr King may have to revise his present plan. ATTITUDE OF PROGRESSIVES. Meanwhile the cynosure of all attention is the group of Progressives and Independents which holds Canada’s political future in the hollow of its hand. Two of them are Labourites, radical Labourites from Winnipeg, who were involved in the revolutionary strike there a few years ago. Some of the Progressives are former Conservatives. It is said that Mr For lie, the Progressive leader, is disposed to be friendly to the Government, but several of his re-elected followers belong to the “ginger group” which broke away from his leadership last session.

As any six of these can break the Government, it is natural that an intensive campaign is being carried on by emissaries of the old parties to get from individual members of this loose group some declaration of intention. So far the campaign has been unsuccessful. The men and the one woman “on the fence” content themselves with the declaration that they “will vote for measures on their merits.”

But the first and decisive test of strength is going to come, not on any measure, but in some way on the general question whether the present Government is to continue. It is on this point the Independents will have to make up their minds. Some of them opposed Government candidates and have criticised the Government. But if they defeat it, Mr Meighenwill come into power and they will have to face the alternative of supporting his policy or of being thrown into a new election at once.

The Canadian Parliament is to meet on January 7.