The MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR (Hon. Clifford Sifton) moved for leave to introduce Bill (No. 133) to amend the Rocky Mountains Park Act, 1887. He said : The Bill is for the purpose of enlarging the boundaries of the park. The present park is 260 square miles, or 166,400 acres. That is, as the House will see, considerably less than 20 miles square. The suggested park including the present one, will be 4,900 square miles, or 3,136,000 acres. But alongside of that on the British Columbia line we have by Order in Council set apart a portion of the railway belt of British Columbia, extending down to Field, under the name of the Yolio park, which is 832 square miles, or 532,480 acres. The suggested park and the Yoho park combined will amount to 3,668,480 acres. I may say that the number of visitors to the park is increasing very rapidly, and it is found that it is likely to become a place of very considerable resort, *especially for American tourists. We have a thriving herd of buffalo there and a number of other animals, such as moose, elk, a couple of varieties of goats, and we are trying to get together a collection of animals that will be attractive. We find that these animals are exceedingly attractive to visitors. It is the opinion of everybody who has visited the park that it would be a great mistake to let it go any longer without increasing the boundaries to a sufficient extent to have room to carry out the original intention. I lay a map on the Table, so that members can look at it for themselves.
Mr. LaRIVIERE. What will be the shape of the park when it is enlarged ? Will it be square ?