§ Mr. MILLARasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of provinces in Canada, in which prohibition of the sale and consumption of liquor is now in operation, giving in each case the dates when the prohibition first took effect; and, in the case of the province of Quebec, if he can state the number of townships and the proportion of the population at present under the prohibition laws?
§ Mr. LONGThe sale and consumption of liquor are restricted on the lines of what is known as prohibition in Prince Edward Island under the Prohibition Act, 1900 (5th June, 1901), Nova Scotia under the Nova Scotia Temperance Act, 1910 (1st July, 1910), Alberta under the Liquor Act (1st July, 1916), Ontario under the Ontario Temperance Act (16th September, 1916), New Brunswick under the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1916 (1st May, 1917). I have inserted after each Act the date of its coming into force(but for the sake of brevity I have not referred to the various subsequent amending Acts. Similar legia- 1809W lation will be in force in British Columbia (British Columbia Prohibition Act) on the 1st July next. The system in force in Quebec is that of Local Option. I am unable to give the particulars requested as to the operation of the Quebec legislation. In parts of some of the Provinces the Canada Temperance Act is in force. I have not received copies of the Acts passed by the Legislatures of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 1915 and 1916 respectively. I have, therefore, not dealt with those Provinces in this reply.