§ LORD ELCHOsaid, that as there was reason to believe that a deputation was coming from Canada in order to consult Her Majesty's Government as to the defences of that country, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether Parliament will be consulted before any engagement is made by Her Majesty's Government tending to pledge the Imperial credit for the execution of those defences, and before any engagement is entered into by the Imperial Government for the defence of Canada on land, lake, or river, beyond that already notified to Parliament—namely, an expenditure of £300,000 for the fortifications and armament of Quebec?
MR. CARD WELLSir, the sum of £300,000, to which the noble Lord has referred, is made up of two sums—£200,000 for the defence of Quebec, and £100,000 for the armament of Quebec and Montreal. When we communicated 893 to the Government of Canada our intention of including in the Estimates a Vote for improving the defences of Quebec, we expressed our trust that we might rely with confidence on their constructing the works necessary for the defence of Montreal, and we expressed our readiness to furnish the armament both for Montreal and Quebec. With respect to the Question of my noble Friend, I received the day before yesterday an official Minute of the Executive Council of Canada appointing four of their number—
To proceed to England to confer with Her Majesty's Government (among other things) upon the arrangements necessary for the defence of Canada in the event of war arising with the United States, and the extent to which the same should be shared between Great Britain and Canada.In the conference to be held between Her Hajesty's Government and these gentlemen it will not be in the power—and if it were in the power it would not be the wish—of Her Majesty's Government to bind Parliament without the full knowledge and consent of Parliament. We shall not exceed the province which belongs to the duty and responsibility of the executive Government, and when the conference shall have arrived at a result it will be my duty—and I shall have much pleasure in discharging it—to take the earliest opportunity of making that result known to Parliament.