HC Deb 29 July 1898 vol 63 c437
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, on the 30th June, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, on behalf of the Government of the Dominion of Canada, officially requested Senior du Bosc, late Spanish Chargé d'Affaires in Washington, and then residing in Montreal, in the province of Quebec, to leave the Dominion of Canada; whether this action was taken at the instance of the Government of the United States, or at the suggestion or by the orders of Her Majesty's Government; whether such action was taken by virtue of authority derived from the laws of the province of Quebec, or from any other laws of the Dominion; whether there was any reason to suppose that Senor Du Bosc had committed any offence against the laws of the Dominion of Canada; and whether he will lay upon the Table Papers showing the grounds upon which the Government of the Dominion of Canada expelled Senor Du Bosc?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOE THE COLONIES

Senor Du Bosc was formally requested by Sir Wilfrid Laurier to leave Canada. This action was taken by the direction of Her Majesty's Government on the ground that there was reason to believe that Senor Du Bosc was using Canadian territory for the purpose of operations of a belligerent nature against the United States Government. The authority for such action Tests upon the power of the Crown in such a case to expel an alien from Canadian territory. I cannot undertake to lay the Papers concerning this matter upon the Table of the House.