DESTINY OF CANADA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3416, 6 January 1912, Page 3

DESTINY OF CANADA.

“BRITISH TO THE LAST CRACK OF DOOM.”

“1 cannot say too emphatically that we in Canada are Brirish and intend to remain British until the last crack of doom.” This was the keynote of a striking speech d;di\ mod on November 13 by Air George E. Foster, Minister for Trade and Commerce in the new Borden Ministry, to a distinguished company of American financiers, savants, and politicians gathered at the Hotel Aster, in New York. In order that there might be no mistake concerning the place Canada hopes to occupy in the British Empire, Air Foster frankly informed his hearers that the word autonomy during the last few years of Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s regime had been worked to death. “In season and out of season,” he exclaimed, “this expression has been invoked for all it is worth in certain parts of Canada. Under the new regime I trust, we shall hear more about our responsibilities to the Empire and less about our rights and much more about our dutv.” The Imperialistic declaration of the new Minister caused evident astonishment among his American audience. Air Foster proceeded to assure his listeners that Canada rejected reciprocity not because of a feeling of hostility to the United States or because she did not- want to trade with the neighbouring Republic, but because she did not like the form of the compact. Canada wanted to grow into a great nation, she wanted population. To gain these ends she was doing what America did in the beginning. When Canada has achieved her ends, then it will be time enough to talk about lowering _ the tariff walls between the two countries.