§ 57. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has considered the letters sent to him from a number of families who went from Great Britain to New Brunswick under the 500 families scheme regarding the privations they are suffering to-day; whether these people are likely to have their farms taken from them because they are unable to meet their payments; and will be say whether they will come under the order for deportation or not?
Mr. M. MacDONALDI have referred the letters in question to the Dominion Government which is responsible for the administration of the scheme, and I have reason to believe that every case has been carefully investigated. I understand that the Dominion Government is making every reasonable effort to keep settlers on the land and to ensure that they will be satisfactorily established. The settlers have now been in Canada more than five years, which is the statutory period for acquiring Canadian domicile, and the question of deportation cannot ordinarily arise when this qualifying period of residence has been completed.