,,address  ,,delivered ,,before ,,the   
,,quebec ,,canadian ,,club  ,,at        
,,quebec  ,,tuesday1 ,,march #bhth1     
#aiaf  ,,by  ,the ,honorable ,n4 ,a4    
,,belcourt1 ,k4,c41 ,p4,c4              
,,bilingualism   ,,quebec ,,the         
,,telegraph ,,printing ,,co4   #aiaf    
,,address ,,delivered  ,,before ,,the   
,,quebec ,,canadian ,,club  ,,at        
,,quebec  ,,tuesday1 ,,march #bhth1     
#aiaf  ,,by  ,the ,honorable ,n4 ,a4    
,,belcourt1 ,k4,c41 ,p4,c4   ,gentlemen 
of the ,canadian ,club3--,your president
 has asked me to address you this       
afternoon in the ,english language4 ,it 
is with great pleasure that ,i received 
this invitation and that ,i avail myself
 of the privilege of speaking to you in 
that language with regard to the very   
troublesome1 somewhat distorted1 and    
certainly much misrepresented school    
question in your sister province4 ,first
 of all1 ,i wish to assure you that ,i  
shall not make a speech4 ,i desire1 in  
as simple and lucid ,english as ,i can  

command1 to endeavor to explain to you  
the difficulties of that school         
question1 addressing myself preferably  
to your intelligence1 rather than to    
your hearts4  ,i want1 if ,i can1 to    
enlighten you as much as possible with  
regard to this school trouble1 a trouble
 which unfortunately is not a new one   
for us in ,ontario1 which we have had   
many times in the past1 and which ,i am 
none too sure we shall not have again in
 the future4 ,this time1 as you know1 it
 has broken out over the notorious      
regulation ,no4 #ag4 ,that has been the 
center of the storm1 and until the      
question it has raised is solved it     
must1 ,i am afraid1 continue to be a    
storm center4 ,i want to tell you what  
is the real meaning1 what is the object 
and what will be the effect of this     
regulation4 ,i am going to give you     
concrete evidence of everything that ,i 
propose to tell you4  ,let me tell you  
also that ,i will do so with the        
greatest care and moderation1 and1      

whilst ,i feel strongly1 as you may     
imagine1 upon this question1 ,i am going
 to suppress my own feelings and make a 
calm and dispassionate analysis of the  
question4 ,i will leave it to your      
intelligence and to your own sympathy to
 decide what course of action each one  
of you individually may feel called upon
 to follow4  ,regulation ,no4 #ag has   
been designed1 enacted and enforced with
 no other object than the gradual       
proscription of the ,french language in 
the primary schools of the ,province of 
,ontario4 ,i say there is no question   
about that1 and if anyone of you will   
take the trouble to follow me closely1  
and afterwards1 if any doubts remain    
about the matter1 and you will take up  
the regulation and study it carefully1  
,i am sure you will agree with me4  ,the
 regulation treats of the use of ,french
 in the primary classes in ,ontario in  
two ways3 ,first1 as a means of         
instruction or communication2 and1      
second1 as a subject of study4  ,now1 as

 a means of instruction1 that is1 as a  
medium of communication between the     
teacher and the pupil1 the use of that  
language in all schools1 in all classes1
 at all stages1 and on every subject is 
limited to where1 in the opinion of the 
,chief ,inspector of the ,province1 ,,it
 ,,is ,,necessary4 ,in other words1 as a
 medium between the teacher and the     
pupil1 the ,french language cannot be   
used with ,french-speaking children to  
impart to them any information on any   
subject whatsoever1 unless the ,chief   
,inspector has previously decided that  
in the case of each particular child the
 use of the ,french language is         
absolutely necessary because the child  
does not understand enough ,english to  
receive instruction in that language4 ,i
 say without hesitation that if anyone  
of you will read regulation ,no4 #ag you
 will come to no other conclusion than  
that4  ,and you can imagine how         
impracticable and impossible it would be
 for the ,chief ,inspector1 with all his

 other duties1 to examine each          
individual child in the hundreds of     
schools in the ,province of ,ontario to 
ascertain if such child understands the 
,english language well enough to receive
 instruction in ,english4  ,now1 as a   
subject of study4 ,as a subject of study
 there is a distinction to be made      
between the schools which were in       
existence prior to the enactment of the 
regulation1 and the schools subsequently
 established4 ,that is1 prior to the    
month of ,june1 #aiab1 the use of the   
,french language as a subject of study  
was confined to begin with to the       
elementary subjects of reading1         
composition and grammar4 ,in the schools
 then in existence1 subject to the      
approval again of the ,chief ,inspector1
 these subjects may be taught to the    
,french ,canadian children whose parents
 demand that they shall be taught those 
subjects4 ,the maximum time fixed is one
 hour1 but the ,chief ,inspector may    
increase that by special order given by 

himself4 ,but in all cases1 let me      
repeat1 these subjects cannot be taught 
for one hour or one minute to any       
,french-speaking child in any class1 in 
any school in ,ontario1 unless the      
,chief ,inspector has pronounced upon   
each individual case4 ,i said a moment  
ago that the time is limited to one     
hour1 but he may make one minute if     
chooses4 ,with reference to the use of  
the ,french language1 whether as a means
 of instruction and communication1 or as
 a subject of study1 the decision of the
 ,chief ,inspector is in every case     
final and conclusive4 ,there is no      
appeal4  ,i told you a moment ago that  
,i would endeavor to give you concrete  
evidence of what ,i say4  ,the          
regulation1 as ,i have said1 was        
promulgated in the year #aiab4 ,there   
were then hundreds and hundreds of      
separate schools in                     
,ontario--corresponding to your         
dissentient schools in this             
province--where ,french had been a      

subject of study1 where ,french had been
 used as a means of communication4 ,and 
the permission to use ,french as a      
subject of study1 as ,i have already    
explained1 is confined to these schools4
 ,in all schools established after the  
month of ,june1 #aiab1 the ,french      
language is banished at once1 completely
 and forever2 and ,i propose to prove it
 to you in a very conclusive way4  ,in  
the ,green ,valley case1 in the county  
of ,glengary1 was a case brought by     
,scotch-,catholic rate-payers against   
the ,roman ,catholic school trustees    
because during one hour of the day the  
teacher1 who was a ,french-,canadian1   
taught in ,french for fifty minutes     
reading1 grammar and composition1 and   
gave ten minutes to catechism in        
,french4 ,an action was taken for an    
injunction1 and the court granted the   
injunction4 ,it was proved in the case  
that about seventy-five per cent of the 
rate-payers and seventy-five per cent of
 the pupils were ,french-,canadians4    

,the injunction was granted and when the
 trustees continued to employ this      
system they were called up before the   
judge on a charge of contempt of court1 
with an application to commit them to   
imprisonment4 ,the judge ordered that   
each of them should pay a fine of five  
hundred dollars1 not because they had   
taught ,french reading1 grammar and     
composition for fifty minutes each day1 
but because for ten minutes of each day 
catechism had been taught in ,french to 
the ,french-,canadian pupils4 ,now1     
,catechism is something that is always  
taught in a ,catholic separate school4  
,that is the very principle--that is the
 reason why separate schools were       
established by law4 ,so you will see the
 extent to which ,french is prohibited  
in ,ontario under this regulation4      
,now1 with reference to the use of the  
,french language as a subject of study  
in the schools since #aiab we have had  
several complete and authoritative      
demonstrations of the meaning of the    

regulation4 ,in the ,city of ,windsor   
there were in #aiab three ,roman        
,catholic ,separate ,schools1 namely1   
the ,sacred ,heart1 with #de per cent1  
,st4 ,francois1 with #fe per cent1 and  
,st4 ,edmond1 with #he per cent of      
,french speaking ,catholic pupils4      
,prior to #aiab ,french was a subject of
 study in the ,sacred ,heart school     
only4 ,french has continued since #aiab 
to be a subject of study in that school4
 ,prior to #aiab there was no ,french   
taught in ,st4 ,francois and ,st4       
,edmond ,school2 since #aiab the        
trustees of these two schools have      
applied to the ,department1 for         
permission to teach ,french in these two
 schools for one-half hour in one of    
them and for one hour in the other4 ,the
 following letter from the ,department  
peremptorily denies them the right to   
have even one minute of ,french in these
 two schools3       ,catholic ,separate 
,school ,board4       ,windsor1         
,ontario4       ,the ,minister of       

,public ,instruction requests me to     
acknowledge receipt of your letter of   
,august #hth1 and to      say in answer 
that he has studied the subject         
carefully and      finds that the       
regulations of the ,department of       
,education      do not allow ,french to 
be taught as a subject of study in      
any of the separate schools of the city 
of ,windsor1 with      the exception of 
the ,sacred ,heart ,school4             
,consequently1      with a reasonable   
delay1 you will make such changes in the
      organization of your school as may
 be necessary under this                
regulation4  ,this letter was signed by 
,mr4 ,colquhoun1 ,deputy ,minister of   
,education in ,ontario1 and is dated    
,october #cast1 #aiad4 ,now1 the other  
day the acting minister of the          
department1 the ,hon4 ,mr4 ,ferguson1   
published a long statement covering     
nearly two pages of newspaper1          
explaining this matter4 ,with regard to 
this particular case1 concerning the    

schools in the city of ,windsor1 his    
answer was1 ,i respectfully submit1     
unworthy of himself1 unworthy of the    
province1 and especially unworthy of the
 great subject of education4 ,his answer
 was that the children of the           
,french-,canadian parents at ,windsor   
had not been refused anything to which  
they were entitled under regulation #ag4
 ,that was his answer1 begging the whole
 question4  ,may ,i now give you a very 
independent and impartial opinion as to 
the effect and nature of this           
regulation8 ,within a year after it was 
promulgated and sought to be enforced1  
the six inspectors appointed by the     
,government1 for the very purpose of    
enforcing the regulation1 were called to
 ,toronto by the ,head of the           
,department of ,education1 to make a    
report of their findings after the      
regulation had been in force about a    
year4 ,the six inspectors were three    
,english-speaking and three             
,french-speaking inspectors4 ,they met  

in ,toronto1 and1 after comparing notes1
 made a unanimous report to the         
,minister of ,education1 and please     
remember that this report and the       
investigation from which it arose were  
both made at the request of the         
,minister of ,education4 ,the report was
 unanimous4 ,i shall not quote it all1  
but only a few lines3      ,the         
inspectors agree that the above         
regulation 7#ag7 has not     been       
effective1 for the following reasons3   
,,it ,,was ,,taken ,,to ,,mean ,,that   
,,french ,,could ,,not ,,be ,,used ,,as 
,a     ,,language ,,of ,,instruction    
,,and ,,communication2      ,,it ,,was  
,,regarded ,,as ,,an ,,attempt ,,to     
,,gradually ,,eliminate ,,the           
,,french ,,language ,,from ,,the        
,,english-,,french ,,schools4  ,that is 
not my statement1 remember1 gentlemen1  
but the unanimous statement of three    
,english inspectors and three ,french   
inspectors charged with the duty of     
enforcing this regulation4  ,naturally  

the ,french-,canadians of ,ontario1 of  
whom there are #bej1jjj1 who have in the
 past enjoyed the right of teaching     
their language to their own children1   
promptly and strongly resented all this4
 ,but they have not been the aggressive 
and turbulent agitators which they have 
been represented to be4 ,on the         
contrary1 they took the constitutional  
means of going to the ,department about 
the matter4 ,memorials1 representations 
and calm and dignified protests were    
made4 ,delegations were sent to         
,toronto4 ,on one occasion the chairman 
of the ,ottawa separate school board    
went to ,toronto as the representative  
of most of the different separate school
 boards throughout the province4        
,nothing came of it4 ,sir ,james        
,whitney told them that he was not going
 to establish ,,racial ,,schools in the 
,province of ,ontario1 whatever the     
meaning of that may be4 ,he sought to   
make them feel that he looked upon the  
use of ,french in the ,ontario schools  

as introducing racial schools4          
,gentlemen1 ,i have to touch on these   
points very briefly because ,i know your
 time is precious1 and ,i do not want to
 trespass upon your indulgence4 ,i might
 say that such litigation followed4     
,however ,i do not propose to go into   
that as ,i do not know that much profit 
could be derived from it in the time    
which you have kindly allowed me4  ,then
 this statute was passed last year1 of  
which we are now asking the             
disallowance1 and ,i am going to speak  
of that briefly4 ,i am sure you have    
heard something of the petitions which  
have been circulated1 not only in the   
,province of ,ontario1 but also in      
,quebec1 calling upon the ,dominion     
,government to disallow this statute    
passed in #aiae4 ,the statute has two   
effects1 the validating of regulation   
#ag1 which in the meantime was being    
tried in the courts1 and the purpose of 
establishing the ,ottawa ,separate      
,school ,commission1 of which ,i have no

 doubt you have also heard4  ,the act   
takes all the powers from the ,roman    
,catholic ,separate ,school ,trustees   
elected by the ,roman ,catholic         
rate-payers and confers them upon the   
,commission4 ,this ,commission--which ,i
 shall not qualify1 but which ,i shall  
describe--was composed of three         
gentlemen1 ,mr4 ,denis ,murphy1 ,mr4    
,d',arcy ,mc,gee1 and ,mr4 ,charbonneau4
 ,the first two being ,irish ,catholics1
 and the other a ,french-,canadian      
,catholic4  ,the ,roman ,catholic       
population of ,ottawa is composed of    
nearly #ej1jjj people1 of whom about    
#cc1jjj are ,french-,canadians and about
 #ag1jjj are ,irish ,catholics4 ,as ,i  
said1 the ,government appointed two     
,irish ,catholics and made one of them  
chairman1 the other vice-chairman1 and  
,mr4 ,charbonneau simply a member4 ,this
 commission was vested with all the     
powers which the board of elected       
trustees had the statutory right and the
 duty to administer4 ,you can imagine1  

gentlemen1 how efficiently these schools
 could be conducted under such          
conditions and with such a commission4  
,you can imagine the provocation it was 
to the ,french-,canadian population of  
,ottawa4 ,i should add that one of the  
commissioners--they are all respectable 
men--but one was in the unfortunate     
position of being a license holder under
 the ,government which appointed him4   
,mr4 ,charbonneau1 or the firm to which 
he belonged1 held a license for the sale
 of intoxicating liquors4 ,he held his  
license from the ,government appointing 
him1 and this was the man who was going 
to administer these schools in the      
capital of ,canada4 ,you can imagine the
 resentment of the people and how       
difficult--how impossible--it was for   
such a commission to administer in a    
proper way the schools confided to their
 care4 ,the result was confusion worse  
confounded1 and considerable agitation1 
with the result that to-day there are   
nearly #e1jjj children belonging to the 

,english-,french schools of ,ottawa who 
are deprived of an education1 and have  
been so deprived for two months4 ,their 
teachers have not been paid some of them
 for five1 ten1 fifteen and twenty      
months4 ,the taxes belonging to the     
,french-,canadian supporters of these   
schools have been used for the payment  
of the teachers in the schools attended 
by the ,irish ,catholics1 schools which 
have not in any way1 at any time1 under 
any conditions being interfered with by 
the ,french-,canadian people of ,ottawa4
  ,another result of regulation ,no4 #ag
 is--,i doubt if there is anyone in this
 room who will really believe me1 but ,i
 assure you that it is true--let me tell
 you1 gentlemen1 that to-day the        
,germans in the ,province of ,ontario   
have and are enjoying1 with the consent 
and participation of the ,department1   
rights that are absolutely denied to the
 ,french-,canadian population4 ,i knew  
you would say shame4 ,i know no         
intelligent person will believe this at 

first1 but ,i pledge you my word that   
that is the case4 ,i am going to read   
you regulation #ae so that ,i shall not 
be misunderstood4 ,regulation #ae says3 
#ae4 ,in school sections where the      
,french or ,german language prevails1   
the trustees may1 in addition to the    
course of study prescribed for public   
schools1 require instruction to be given
 in reading1 grammar and composition to 
such pupils as are directed by their    
parents or guardians to study either of 
these languages1 and in all such cases  
the authorized text books in ,french or 
,german shall be used4  ,regulation #ag 
has abrogated this provision with       
respect to ,french in all schools       
established after ,june1 #aiab1 and with
 respect to ,german the matter remains  
as it was under regulation #ae4  ,now1  
what is the case of the ,french         
,canadians of ,ontario1 on what do they 
rely1 on what do they base their claim  
that ,french should be used in their    
schools8 ,by the ,british ,north        

,america ,act it is provided that the   
rights and privileges enjoyed by ,roman 
,catholics in the ,province of ,ontario 
at the time of ,confederation1 or by the
 ,protestant minority in the ,province  
of ,quebec1 shall not be interfered with
 by the provinces4 ,subject to these    
rights the provinces are given absolute 
power to legislate on school matters4   
,there is the whole question so far as  
the legal and constitutional aspect is  
concerned4 ,you have to see what in     
#ahfg were the rights of the respective 
minorities in ,ontario and ,quebec4 ,so 
far as ,quebec is concerned1 it is not  
and never was subject of                
misunderstanding4 ,everyone has agreed  
as to what the rights of the ,protestant
 minority were and are1 and no one has  
interfered with them4 ,but it is        
different in ,ontario4 ,i have been     
there for thirty-two years1 and it has  
always been more or less a subject of   
discussion and dispute4 ,the rights of  
the ,catholics in ,ontario in #ahfg were

 the rights given by the act of #ahfc4  
,the first part of the act gave to the  
,roman ,catholics the right to elect    
trustees to conduct the ,catholic       
separate schools1 in other words the    
right to fully administer the schools4  
,other provisions of the statute dealt  
with the right to determine the kind and
 description of the schools1 in other   
words the right to have schools where   
both languages would be taught1 as it   
had been previous to #ahfc4 ,then there 
was the right to appoint teachers and   
define their duties2 also to appoint    
inspectors or superintendents4 ,every   
one of these essential things has been  
wiped out and taken away from the       
separate schools supporters of the city 
of ,ottawa1 not in part1 but wholly and 
completely1 and conferred upon          
,government appointed ,commissioners4   
,let us see what this means4 ,the       
questions involved in this controversy  
are in principle as essential and as    
important as any question that ever came

 before the ,british people4 ,why1 it   
goes back to ,runnymede1 when this      
principle was settled forever--,no      
taxation without representation4 ,the   
,french-,canadians of ,ottawa are       
compelled to pay taxes and they have no 
representation4 ,they are taxed and have
 to pay taxes for schools1 and yet they 
have nothing to say regarding the       
expenditure of their taxes or the       
conduct of these schools4  ,what would  
you say if my good friend1 ,sir ,lomer  
,gouin1 undertook to say to the city of 
,quebec3 ,i don't like the members that 
you send to represent you--they don't do
 things as ,i like to have them done1   
and hereafter you are not going to      
select your representatives1 but ,i am  
going to name or appoint them for you2  
or if he arrogated to himself the right 
to have your dissentient schools        
conducted and administered wholly not by
 your elected trustees or               
,commissioners1 but by certain persons  
chosen by him4 ,gentlemen1 ,i say in all

 solemnity that there is no difference  
between that and the things that have   
been done in the ,province of ,ontario4 
,am ,i not right in saying that this    
question should be of the deepest       
concern to all lovers of ,british       
constitutional law and constitutional   
history8  ,now1 as to the second point1 
the kind1 number and description of     
schools4  ,prior to ,confederation there
 were ,french schools--not              
,english-,french schools1 but           
exclusively ,french schools under the   
,department of ,public ,instruction in  
the ,province of ,ontario4 ,i use that  
term advisably1 because it was so called
 at that time1 although it is now called
 the ,department of ,education4 ,time   
and again it occurred1 with the approval
 of the educational authorities1 that   
teachers who could not speak a word of  
,english1 but only ,german or ,french1  
were employed in the schools of         
,ontario4 ,there were schools in the    
,province of ,ontario before            

,confederation where no ,english was    
taught1 and that with the sanction of   
the ,department4 ,in many parts of      
,ontario there were schools1 many of    
them1 where there was only ,french1 and 
there were many others where both the   
,english and the ,french languages were 
taught4 ,they had ,french teachers and  
,french inspectors1 and ,french text    
books4 ,i am referring to this in order 
that you can fix in your minds what were
 the conditions in #ahfg4 ,in other     
words1 what were the conditions which   
the ,act of ,confederation1 an ,imperial
 ,act1 has made perpetual in ,ontario1  
as well as in ,quebec4  ,we had these   
rights in #ahfg2 in what way and when   
have we been deprived of these          
rights--on what authority have they been
 taken away8 ,absolutely none4 ,there   
was only one authority that could       
deprive the ,roman ,catholics           
,french-,canadians of ,ontario of their 
rights in that province1 or the         
,protestant minority of their rights in 

the ,province of ,quebec4 ,there is only
 one authority1 not the ,ontario        
,legislature1 not the ,quebec           
,legislature1 not the ,dominion         
,parliament1 but the ,parliament of     
,westminster4 ,the ,act of              
,confederation is an ,imperial ,act     
which no ,canadian ,parliament or       
,legislature can in any way affect4 ,the
 ,imperial ,parliament has not dealt    
with the question4 ,if ,i have made it  
clear to you that there were rights     
which were enjoyed in #ahfg1 since those
 rights have not been touched by the    
only authority that could touch         
them--have ,i not made out an absolute  
case that those are rights which we had 
then and still have to-day1 and ought to
 have now and in the future8  ,section  
#acc of the ,british ,north ,america    
,act--and ,i refer to it because1       
strangely enough1 it has been quoted and
 relied on by both sides in this        
controversy--section #acc1 you will     
remember1 provides that either the      

,english or the ,french language may be 
used in the ,parliament of ,canada1 the 
,legislature of ,quebec1 and the        
,federal and ,quebec provincial courts1 
and it places these two languages on an 
equal footing in such ,parliament1      
,legislature and courts4 ,it is argued  
by those opposed to us that that is a   
restrictive provision1 a limitative     
provision1 on the doctrine inclusio     
unius fit exclusio alterius4 ,i do not  
think so at all4 ,here were new forums  
being created3 ,the ,parliament of      
,canada1 the ,federal ,courts1 where it 
was absolutely necessary that the       
language to be used should be determined
 without doubt--there should be no doubt
 that in the ,federal ,parliament both  
languages should be official--no doubt  
that is what was in the minds of the    
fathers of ,confederation4  ,but1 they  
say1 why mention ,quebec at all8 ,why   
did they say that ,english could be used
 in the ,legislature of ,quebec and why 
not say that ,french could be used in   

the ,legislature of ,ontario8  ,the     
answer to that is that the ,english     
language was safeguarded in the         
,legislature of ,quebec simply because  
our ,english friends were on that       
occasion1 as usual1 a little more       
practical than we are4 ,they wanted the 
,english language to be official in the 
,legislature of ,quebec1 and asked to   
have it stated in the ,act4 ,that was a 
concession to the ,protestant1 or rather
 to the ,english-speaking minority in   
the ,province of ,quebec4 ,section #acc 
is not limitative4 ,some people are apt 
to look upon this matter in a very      
strange way4 ,we are told that we are   
not to claim any rights for the ,french 
,language in ,ontario1 because there is 
no text of law4 ,i ask you1 gentlemen1  
if you have ever seen anywhere a text of
 law which says that the ,english       
language is the official language of the
 ,british ,empire8 ,no1 there is no such
 law1 none anywhere1 not at             
,westminster1 at ,ottawa or at ,toronto4

 ,why8 ,simply because language is a    
natural right--there are rights that we 
all enjoy which do not need the sanction
 of law1 the right to live1 to breathe1 
the right of property--these are rights 
which do not need the sanction of law1  
that is1 of any special text of law1 but
 belong inherently to all individuals   
and everyone is entitled to their       
enjoyment without any text of law4      
,these rights are the necessary         
attributes of individual freedom4  ,the 
rights of the minority in the ,province 
of ,quebec with reference to their      
religious tenets and their language have
 no other and no better foundation than 
the same rights of the ,french or       
,catholics in the ,province of ,ontario4
 ,if we are deprived of the right to use
 the ,french language in our schools in 
the ,province of ,ontario1 and if that  
is constitutionally sound1 there is     
nothing to prevent the government of the
 ,province of ,quebec from saying that  
in the ,english schools of the ,province

 of ,quebec there shall be no word of   
,english spoken4 ,i should think the    
contemplation of such a thing would make
 you shudder4 ,it is really             
inconceivable with anyone in ,quebec4   
,i have tried to show you the conditions
 at ,confederation4 ,i said ,i would    
give you authority for my statements1   
and ,i am going to give you the         
authority of different and most         
competent people4 ,first of all1 ,i will
 give you the authority of ,sir ,oliver 
,mowat4 ,he had no doubt on this matter1
 nor had ,sir ,george ,ross1 and both of
 them said so in very clear and         
unmistakeable language4 ,as long as     
their authority lasted the use of the   
,french language in the ,province of    
,ontario was not interfered with1 but   
was treated in a broad and sympathetic  
way4 ,i will quote also from ,doctor    
,ryerson1 who was the father of the     
,ontario school system1 and who for     
thirty-five years exercised undisputed  
sway over the schools of that province4 

,i will likewise cite ,sir ,james       
,whitney4  ,sir ,oliver ,mowat1 in a    
speech made at ,woodstock1 on ,december 
#crd4 #ahhi1 said3                      
,french-,canadians cherish their own    
language lovingly2 they     wish their  
children to love it and be educated in  
it2 but     they know it will be for    
their interest to be familiar with      
,english also1 and to be educated in    
,english1 as well as     ,french4       
,proscribe ,french1 their mother tongue1
 and they will     hate you and have    
nothing to do with your schools4 ,permit
     their own language to receive      
attention1 and they are glad     to have
 their children learn ,english also as  
soon and as     fast as it can be       
imparted4 ,such was the view of the     
,commissioners as to the proper policy2 
it is the view of     this ,government2 
and it is the view of all intelligent   
men1     except our political opponents4
 ,it was the view of ,dr4     ,ryerson  
and his ,council of ,public             

,instruction1 even to the     extent of 
putting no pressure whatever on ,french 
or ,german     schools1 and of awaiting 
their own spontaneous action as to      
,english and other matters4      ,our   
opponents insist that the ,government   
should insist on     all instruction    
being given to the ,french children in  
the     ,english language4 ,no such     
regulation was suggested by the         
,commissioners1 and none such has been  
made1 because such a     regulation     
would be absurd2 and1 instead1 of       
serving the     cause of education1     
would often prevent education           
altogether4 ,how can you teach in a     
language which the     children do not  
understand8  ,gentlemen1 ,i want to     
quote also a letter of ,dr4 ,ryerson1   
whose name ,i have just mentioned1      
dating as far back as #aheg1 and this   
letter1 although it contains but four   
lines1 contains the whole thesis upon   
which this question rests4 ,i invite    
your special attention to every word of 

this letter1 not only because of the man
 who wrote it1 but on account of the    
significance of the words he uses4 ,it  
is as follows3      #bdth ,april1 #aheg4
      ,gentlemen3--      ,i have the    
honour to state in reply to your letter 
of the     #afth instant ,,that1 ,,as   
,,the ,,french ,,is ,,the ,,recognized  
,,language     ,,of ,,the ,,country1 as 
well as the ,english1 ,,it ,,is ,,quite 
,,proper     ,,and ,,lawful for the     
trustees to ,,allow ,,both ,,languages  
,,to ,,be     ,,taught in their schools 
to children whose parents may desire    
them to learn both4      ,i have the    
honour to be1 ,gentlemen1      ,your    
obedient servant1      7,sgd47 ,e4      
,ryerson4  ,i also stated that ,i would 
quote ,sir ,james ,whitney1 and that is 
very much more recent history4 ,within a
 few months of the promulgation of      
regulation ,no4 #ag1 in fact on the     
#beth of ,july1 #aiaa1 ,sir ,james      
,whitney caused this letter to be       
written3      #beth ,july1 #aiaa4       

,reverend and ,dear ,sir3--      ,i am  
directed by the ,prime ,minister1 ,sir  
,james ,whitney1 to     acknowledge your
 letter of the #bast and to state that  
no     change has been made in the      
school law or the department            
regulations ,,affecting ,,the ,,study   
,,of ,,the ,,french ,,language ,,in     
,,the ,,schools4      ,i ,,am ,,directed
 ,,to ,,point ,,out ,,that ,,the        
,,question ,,is ,,one     ,,entirely    
,,under ,,the ,,control ,,of ,,the      
,,board ,,of ,,trustees4444             
7,signed7 ,a4 ,h4 ,u4 ,colquhoun4       
,deputy ,minister of ,education4  ,this 
letter was written to ,reverend ,father 
,chaine1 of ,arnprior1 a town not far   
from ,ottawa4  ,i spoke to you a moment 
ago of the right to appoint trustees4 ,i
 want you1 gentlemen1 many of whom ,i   
have the honour of calling my friends1  
and whom ,i see before me1 my           
,protestant friends of ,quebec1 how     
would you like it if the ,roman         
,catholic ,school ,committee in this    

province were to arrogate to itself the 
right to appoint the teachers in your   
dissentient schools1 and to define their
 duties8 ,how would you like it8 ,would 
you think that was keeping faith with   
the ,british ,north ,america ,act8      
,would you think that was keeping faith 
with the ,confederation partnership8    
,how would you like it if this same     
,committee1 not only would assume to    
appoint your teachers and your          
inspectors1 and would take good care    
also to appoint ,catholic inspectors in 
your ,protestant schools--how would you 
like it8 ,will you not take that        
suggestion home with you1 gentlemen1 and
 think it over8 ,how would you like this
 regulation ,no4 #ag to be applied to   
the ,province of ,quebec8  ,let me read 
the two or three most important sections
 of the regulation and substitute the   
word ,french for the word ,english and  
vice versa wherever they occur1 and ,i  
want you to take that home also and     
think it over4 ,let us read section #c  

of the regulation ,no4 #ag3       #c4   
,subject in the case of each school to  
the direction and      approval of the  
superintendent of ,education 7,i use    
that      term advisably as             
corresponding to the term used in       
,ontario7 the following modifications   
shall also be made in      the course of
 study in separate schools4       ,the  
use of ,,english ,,for ,,instruction    
,,and ,,communication4       7#a7       
,,where ,,necessary1 in the case of     
,english-speaking      pupils1 ,english 
may be used as the language of          
instruction      and communication2 but 
such use of ,english shall not be       
continued beyond ,form #a 7that is the  
first two years the      child goes to  
school7 excepting that on the approval  
of the      ,superintendent of          
,education1 it may also be used as the  
language of instruction and             
communication in the case of      pupils
 beyond ,form #a1 who are unable to     
speak and      understand the ,french   

language4  ,now1 gentlemen1 will you    
seriously consider that8 ,how would you 
like that kind of thing1 you the        
,english-speaking people of the         
,province of ,quebec1 if you could use  
your language in your schools1 as a     
means of instruction and communication  
in the first form1 that is during the   
first two years1 only if and when the   
,superintendent of ,education for this  
,province1 after examination of your    
children1 might say it was absolutely   
necessary to use ,english8  ,as a       
subject of study let us carry on the    
same process4 ,i will read further from 
regulation #ag1 making the same         
transposition3       ,english as a      
subject of study in separate 7or        
dissentient7      schools4       #d4 ,in
 schools where ,english--7remember1     
gentlemen1 we are      now in           
#aiab7--;has ,,hitherto been a subject  
of study1 the      separate 7or         
dissentient7 school board may provide1  
under      the following conditions1 for

 instruction in ,english1      reading1 
grammar and composition in ,form #a to  
#d1 in      addition to the subjects    
prescribed for the separate 7or         
dissentient7 schools4       7#a7 ,such  
instruction in ,english may be taken    
only by pupils      whose parents or    
guardians direct that they shall do so1 
and may1 notwithstanding section #c     
above1 be given in the      ,english    
language4       7#b7 ,such instruction  
in ,english shall not interfere with    
the adequacy of the instruction in      
,french1 and the      provision for such
 instruction in ,english in the         
time-table      of the school shall be  
subject to the approval and             
direction of the ,superintendent of     
,education1 and shall not      in any   
day ,,exceed ,,one ,,hour in each class 
room1 except where      the time is     
increased upon the order of the         
superintendent4  ,would that be         
agreeable to you1 gentlemen1 to have    
only one hour of ,english in your       

school1 and that confined to reading1   
composition and grammar1 and nothing    
else1 and just one hour--and more than  
that if it pleased the ,superintendent  
of ,education to say that you should    
have ,english for one minute only each  
day1 would you be satisfied with that8  
,that is ,regulation ,no4 #ag in all its
 simplicity6  ,are you surprised1       
gentlemen1 that the ,french-,canadians  
of ,ontario have strenuously protested  
and intend to continue to do so1 and    
have asked the support of the ,province 
of ,quebec under conditions of that     
kind8 ,we have sought the support of our
 ,french-,canadian friends in the       
,province1 and we have got it2 but ,i   
for one am very much more anxious to    
have the sympathy and the help of the   
,english-speaking people of the         
,province of ,quebec4 ,if ,i accepted   
the invitation to come here within half 
an hour after getting the telegram from 
my good friend ,mr4 ,paradis1 it was    
because ,i thought that ,i might        

contribute in some small way to assist  
my ,english-speaking friends in the     
,province of ,quebec to a proper        
understanding of the real meaning and   
object of this very troublesome         
question4  ,perhaps you may think it    
impertinence on my part1 but will you   
not allow me to say that you owe it to  
yourselves first of all to look         
carefully into this matter4 ,to-day it  
is a question in ,ontario1 but to-morrow
 it may be a question in ,quebec4 ,don't
 you owe it to yourselves to consider   
this most carefully8 ,but1 to put it on 
a higher ground--because ,i have        
unbounded confidence in the feelings of 
justice and fair play of the            
,protestants in the ,province of        
,quebec--don't you owe it to us         
,french-,canadians1 in both ,provinces1 
to come to our assistance in the        
,province of ,ontario1 where we are     
seeking the preservation of our most    
elementary rights8 ,i think you owe it  
also to ,canada1 to ,confederation1 to  

take a part in this matter4 ,i am not   
trying to convince you of something     
which is not right or just or fair1 but 
convince yourselves1 gentlemen1 look    
into these questions1 and if you are not
 satisfied with the explanations that ,i
 have given1 come to me1 or go to some  
one else in whom you may have more      
confidence1 and find out--learn about it
 all4 ,permit me also to say to you1    
with all the solemnity and earnestness  
of which ,i am capable1 that it is your 
duty1 because the present is as grave   
and as dangerous a situation as ever    
arose in ,canada4 ,i say ,quebec is as  
much a partner in ,confederation as the 
other provinces4 ,confederation is a    
partnership in which we are all jointly 
and severally responsible for the       
performance of duties and obligations   
assumed by every one of the provinces1  
and for that reason ,i am sure--,i hope 
at all events--that you will agree with 
me1 that it is incumbent upon you to    
look into this very serious matter and  

do what you can to bring about a just   
settlement of it4  ,nay more1 ,i say in 
the interests of the ,empire--and ,i am 
one of those who believe in some form of
 a united ,empire--though no one seems  
to have yet found the formula1 yet ,i   
hope it will be found some day--is it   
not necessary that we should first have 
national unity1 ,canadian unity1 before 
we can seriously consider ,empire unity8
 ,how are you going to bring it about8  
,and is national unity1 in ,quebec1 in  
,ontario1 in ,canada1 or the ,british   
,empire1 dependent upon unity of        
language8 ,how shall we have a united   
,empire if all parts must speak the     
,english language8 ,how and when are you
 going to change the #add dialects of   
,india into ,english8 ,then there are   
,jersey1 ,guernsey1 the ,isle of ,man1  
and other places where ,french is       
spoken4 ,and what about ,south ,africa8 
,here is a colony which a few years ago 
was under arms against ,england1 and did
 everything it could do to break the    

,british power4 ,when the time came for 
,england to deal with the ,boers she    
treated them not with her ancient       
generosity only1 but with a measure     
overflowing--she treated the ,boers in a
 way in which we are not treated in the 
,province of ,ontario4 ,to-day in the   
,boer ,states the ,boer language and the
 ,english language are on an absolute   
equality4 ,they do not have to ask a    
superintendent or any one else for one  
hour a day in the school to learn their 
national language4 ,and are we1 the     
,french-,canadian people1 the           
descendants of the race who colonized   
not only this country but a large       
portion of the ,north ,american         
continent1 who explored it from         
,hudson's ,bay to the ,gulf of ,mexico  
and from the ,st4 ,lawrence to the      
,rocky ,mountains1 to leave behind us   
and bury for ever1 a history which has  
never been surpassed anywhere in the    
world1 for courage1 devotion and        
heroism2 are we the descendants of these

 men1 in this ,canada of ours1 to be    
deprived of the use of the language of  
our forefathers8 ,are we to be told that
 in order to have a united ,canada and a
 ,empire we must forever renounce and   
deny our origin1 our traditions and our 
beloved language8 ,i ask you1 gentlemen1
 is there any man in the city of        
,quebec1 any ,protestant or             
,english-speaking man1 who would not    
despise me if ,i threw all this to the  
winds8 ,if ,i did so ,i would richly    
deserve your supreme contempt and you   
would not be slow in extending it to    
me--and yet this is what we are asked to
 do4  ,and was there ever a time1       
gentlemen1 less than the present1 when  
,frenchmen any where in the world1 let  
alone in ,canada1 could be asked to     
forget their origin and their language8 
,when the ,france of #aiae and #aiaf has
 compelled the unbounded admiration of  
the whole world for her sublime courage 
and devotion4 ,and yet we are asked1 we 
who speak the same language as the men1 

our full brothers who have fought so    
nobly in the trenches in ,flanders1     
whose defence of the ,verdun forts is   
the finest and most glorious event of   
the present horrible war1 to forego our 
,french language and all that it carries
 with it1 we are told that our children 
cannot learn it1 and must despise it and
 allow it to die an unnatural death in  
,canada4 ,i ask you1 my                 
,english-speaking friends of the        
,province of ,quebec1 will you not come 
to our rescue and look into this        
question8 ,i believe that there is not  
one who has done me the honor to listen 
to me to-day1 and who will take the     
trouble to seriously ponder over the    
matter1 but will say3 ,yes1 ,i am going 
to help our ,french-,canadian friends in
 ,ontario to solve this question and    
obtain justice and ,british fair play4  
,i hope the appeal which you have       
permitted me to make to you will bear   
some fruit1 and that the interest1 the  
influence and the sympathy of the       

,english-speaking minority in the       
,province of ,quebec will be aroused1   
and that you will take such steps as you
 may think proper to bring about a      
solution of a question which1 ,i repeat1
 is of the very gravest character1 a    
question which1 if not solved promptly1 
will bring about--,i dare not say       
what--,i would rather let you draw your 
own conclusions4 ,we ,french-,canadians 
of ,ontario have done all we can in the 
,province of ,ontario to enlighten      
public opinion4 ,but all in vain4 ,there
 is not one ,english newspaper in the   
,province of ,ontario which has printed 
or paid the slightest attention to any  
of the arguments which for four years we
 have advanced4 ,all our literature has 
been thrown in the waste-paper          
basket--not one newspaper has taken the 
trouble to investigate the question4    
,our arguments have been met with       
nothing but contempt and abuse4  ,now1  
,i say again1 ,i1 for one1 wish to      
appeal as earnestly1 as solemnly as ,i  

can1 to you ,english-speaking           
,protestants and ,catholics of the      
,province of ,quebec1 for your help and 
succor in the solution of this momentous
 situation4 ,i wish to again offer you  
my most grateful thanks for your very   
kind attention and indulgence4  ,the    
,honorable ,mr4 ,,justice               
,mc,c,o,r,k,i,l,l3--,mr4 ,chairman and  
,senator ,belcourt1 fellow-members of   
the ,quebec ,canadian ,club4 ,when ,i   
left the ,court ,house to come here1 ,i 
had not the faintest idea that ,i was   
going to be singled out for the duty of 
moving a vote of thanks for the lecturer
 of to-day4 ,i came here because ,i am a
 ,canadian1 because ,i think ,i have a  
proper appreciation of the ,french race 
and the ,french language1 and thirdly   
because ,i have known ,senator ,belcourt
 for a good many years4 ,we were        
students at the same time--,i am sorry  
to have told you that1 because you will 
think that he is older than he really   
is--and ,i knew that what we would hear 

to-day would be worth hearing4  ,the    
,english ,canadians of the ,province of 
,quebec have been puzzled--,i mean the  
,english-,canadians native-born1 those  
who have been brought up with the       
,french-,canadians1 who have spoken with
 them in their language1 who have played
 with them in their school grounds1 as  
,i have done1 on the lacrosse fields1   
who have served with them in the ranks  
of the militia1 and in the ,legislature4
  ,i am sorry that ,i was not given     
warning of the task that was before me4 
,i came here determined to listen1 and  
,i have listened4 ,nothing has gone     
through my mind as to what ,i am to say1
 except to express my humiliation to    
think that we ,english-,canadians here  
have listened to a ,french lecturer who 
can speak our language as well as his   
own1 as well as we can ourselves4 ,of   
how many of us could the same be said   
with regard to the ,french language8  ,i
 may say1 as far as ,i have known the   
speaker of to-day1 he is a thorough     

,canadian1 and ,i am sure that the fact 
that we all listened to what he has said
 to-day will produce an effect4 ,i am   
sure he was moved not only because he is
 a ,french-,canadian1 but because he is 
a ,canadian1 to come here and address us
 on this occasion4 ,it is a very serious
 question agitating the ,province of    
,ontario1 and we ,english here1 as ,i   
said a moment ago1 cannot understand how
 such a feeling should arise4  ,i have  
some friends in the ,province of        
,ontario1 and ,i must say they are      
imbued with the same idea as those who  
passed regulation ,no4 #ag4 ,i am sorry 
for it2 ,i have done my very best to    
convince them they were wrong1 and ,i   
knew they wouldn't feel as they did if  
they had had the experience ,i have had 
with ,french-,canadians4  ,i need not   
tell you that ,i have been a student of 
,canadian history from the very earliest
 days4 ,i have read with the greatest   
interest the history of the old regime1 
the opening up of the country1 and then 

of the abandonment of the people by     
their country1 so to speak1 and of the  
tremendous efforts they made to keep the
 country for themselves4 ,i have read   
the history of the country under the    
,british regime1 and how they have      
fallen in so well with the              
administration of justice1 the          
administration in our ,legislatures and 
municipalities under the ,british       
system4 ,i believe that a certain       
,french-,canadian at ,ottawa is one of  
the greatest parliamentarians under the 
,british ,constitution that we have in  
any part of the ,empire4  ,they have    
adopted our system1 but there are two   
things they have clung to1 their        
religion and their language4 ,i believe 
that their national sentiment is even   
stronger than their religious           
sentiment--,i really believe so4 ,the   
national feeling among them is intensely
 strong1 but ,i would ask you ,english1 
,irish and ,scotch descendants born in  
this country1 and brought up here1      

supposing a regulation similar to ,no4  
#ag were passed in the ,province of     
,quebec1 what do you think our duty     
towards it would be8 ,supposing ,sir    
,lomer ,gouin--,i cannot imagine it--but
 supposing he did have the courage1 or  
the nerve1 so to speak1 to pass a       
regulation of that kind4 ,there would be
 a rebellion in this ,province1 ,i      
think4 ,and here we have our            
,french-,canadian brethren in the sister
 ,province who by constitutional means  
are trying to obtain the repeal or the  
modification of the regulation1 or some 
other settlement of the question which  
would be satisfactory to all concerned4 
,gentlemen1 you didn't come here to hear
 me1 and ,i am not going to detain you  
any longer4 ,i wish to express1 on      
behalf of the members of this club1 our 
sense of pleasure and obligation to     
,senator ,belcourt for coming here to   
address us on this question4 ,i am      
delighted to see so many                
,english-,canadians here to-day4 ,some  

may have felt it required a little extra
 courage to appear1 but ,i do not think 
so4 ,it does not mean that you are all  
in sympathy with everything that has    
been said1 but it means that you want   
education and enlightenment on this     
matter4 ,and ,i am sure the appeal the  
,senator has made to us to study the    
question will have its effect4 ,and ,i  
will agree with him1 in the hope that   
they may have our sympathy and          
co-operation in bringing about a        
satisfactory settlement of the question 
in ,ontario4  ,illustration3 ,decoration