Today is the seventy-second anniversary of the founding of the Dominion of Canada, for it was upon July 1, 1867, that under a proclamation of Queen Victoria, of May 22, of that year, that the new constitution came into efft and this birthday has since been annually celebrated as Dominion Day. It was in 1864, when New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island were considering the formation of a federal union, Canada suggested a wider scheme to include herself, and towards this end a conference was held at Quebec in 1864.
The result of the deliberations of that conference was an outline of a plan of federation which was subsequently, passed, with but slight modifications, by the imperial Parliament, as The British North American Act. The federation was born during the American Civil War and was planned to correct certain defects which were revealed by time in the American federation, the various provinces in Canada being given less power than have the states in the American Union, the federal government retaining the residuum of power which had not been conceded. The celebration of the anniversary this year will be more significant that ever before, for it will take place while Canada has still very lively recollections of the royal tour, which only ended a very short while ago. The bonds which bind the Dominion to the Mother Country have always been strong. and there cannot be the slightest doubt that the success of the visit of the King and Queen has done much to strengthen that tie. There are indications that Canada may play an increasingly important part in the history of the Empire, not only in its development, but possibly even in its defence. Of the loyalty of the Canadians to the ideal of the British Commonwealth there has never been any question, and it is probable that the future will show them just as faithful as they have proved themselves to be in the past. Local Canadians will be celebrating the birth of the Dominion today, and to them are extended every good wish on this their national birthday.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.