Ottawa, Thursday, February, 23rd, 1888.
At Three o'clock HIS EXCELLENCY
THE GOVERNOR GENERAL proceeded in
state to the Senate Chamber, and took
his seat upon the Throne. HIS EXCEL-
LENCY was pleased to command the
attendance of the House of Commons,
and that House being present, was
pleased to open the SECOND SESSION of
the SIXTH PARLIAMENT OF THE
DOMINION OF CANADA, with the follow-
ing Speech:-
Although the labors of the husbandman have
not been rewarded in some portions of the Do-
minion by an adequate return, the harvest of
last year has on the whole been plenteous,
while in Manitoba and the North-West Terri-
tories it was one of remarkable abundance.
The negotiations between Her Majesty's
Government and that of the United States
for the adjustment of what is known as
"The Fishery Question", have, I am pleased
to inform you, resulted in a Treaty which will,
I venture to hope, be considered by you as
honourable and satisfactory to both nations.
The Treaty, with the papers and correspond-
ence relating thereto, will be laid before you,
and you will be invited to adopt a measure to
give effect to its provisions.
The extension and development of our system
of railways have not only rendered necessary
additional safeguards for life and property
in which the interests of rival companies are
but have given greater frequency to questions
found to be in conflict, and to require authori-
tative adjustment. As further legislation ap-
pears to be needed for these purposes, a meas-
ure will be submitted to you for the consolid-
ation and improvement of "The Railway Act."
Experience having shown that amendments
are required to make the provisions of the Act
House of Commons more effective and more
respecting Elections of the Members of the
convenient in their operation, you will be asked
to consider a measure for the amendment of
that Statute. The Act respecting Controverted
Elections may likewise require attention with
a view to the removal of certain questions of
should be set at rest.
interpretation which have arisen and which
opportunity afforded by the recess to consider
My Government has availed itself of the
the numerous suggestions which have been
made for improving the details of the Act re-
specting the Election Franchise, and a measure
will be submitted to you for the purpose of