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October 22, 1903

QUESTIONS.

FIRE PROTECTION OF STATIONS &c TERCOLONIAL RAILWAY.' ''

Mr. BENNETT-by Mr. Taylor-asked : 1. How many stations, freight sheds, and restaurants are there under control cf the government on the Intercolonial Railway ? 2. What precautions have been taken to protect such properties from loss by fire ? 3. If any protection is provided for any of such buildings, what are the names of those so protected ? 4. What losses have there been by fire, and the cause of the same, in the past two years ?

LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Hon. Mr. FIELDING.

The MINISTER OF FINANCE (Hon. W.

S. Fielding) :

1. Stations, 252 ; freight sheds, 76 ; restaurants, 1.

2. The railway takes usual and reasonable precautions according to the locality and the importance of the buildings to protect them from loss by fire. Some are protected by water pipes, fire hydrants and hose, others by tanks, and others by portable fire extinguishers, and some by wells.

3. Halifax, Wellington!,. Shubienacadie), Truro, Debert, Wentworth, Oxford Junction, Athol, Aulac, College Bridge, Moncton, Anaj gance, Norton, Lakeside, Quispamsis, Brook-1 ville, Canaan, Kent Junction, Derby Junction, Red Pine, Beliedune, Eel . River, Flat Lands, Assametquaghan, Sayabec, St. Flavin, St. Fabien, Isle Verte, St. Alexandre, St. Phillippe de Neri, Ste. Louise, St. Yalier, St. Joseph, Chaudigre Curve, De Lotbiuigre, Lavergne, St. Leonard Junction, St. Cyrille, Bagot, Pictou, New Glasgow, Scotsburn, Tatamagouclie, Pugwash Junction, Richmond. Enfield, Stewiacke, Dartmouth, East Mines, Westchester, River Phillip, Maccan, Sackville, Memramcook, Boundary Creek, I'enobsquis, Bloomfield, Nauwigewauk, Rothesay, Cold Brook, Coal Branch, Rogers-ville, Newcastle, Gloucester Junction, Jac-quet River, Dalhousie Junction, Matapedia, Causapscal, St. Moise, Rimouski, St. Simon, St. Arsfine, St. Andre, L'lslet, St. Michel, Levis, Cliaudiere Junction, Kingsburg Junction, Daveluyville, Ste. Perpetue, Drum-mondville, St. Henri, Brown's Point, Trenton, Meadowville, Maiagash, Pugwash, Bedford, Elmsdale, Alton, Waverly, Londonderry, Greenville, Salt Springs, Nappan, Dorchester, Calhouns, Salisbury, Sussex, Passekeag, Jubilee, Riverside, St. John, Adamsville, Barnaby River, Beaver Brook, Bathurst, New Mills, Campbellton, St. Alexis, Amqui, Little Mjetis, Sacre Coeur, Tirois Pistoles, Cacouna, Ste. Helene, RiviSre Ouelle, Montmagny, _ St. Charles Junction, Hadlow, St. Apollinaire, Moose Park, Aston Junction, Mitchell, St. Germain, Nicolet, West-ville, Pictou Landing, River John, Wallace, Conn's Mills, Windsor Junction, Milford, Brookfield, Belmont, Folleigh, Thomson, Spring Hill, Amherst, Upper Dorchester, Painsec Junction, Petitcodlac, Apohaqui, Hampton, Model Farm, Torryburn, Berry's Mills, Harcourt, Chatham Junction. Barti-bogue, Petite Rochei, Charlo, Moffatts, Mill-stream, Cedar Hall, St. Octave, Bic, St. Eloie, 'Riviere du Loup,' St. Paschal, Ste. Anne, St. Pierre, Harlaka Junction, St. Romuald, Laurier, Forestdale, St. Wences-las, Carmel, St. Eugene, St. Monique, Stel-larton, Scotch Hill, Denmark, Wallace-Bridge, Oxford, Oxford Junction, Glengarry, Merigomish, Antigonish. Bayfield Road, Pirate Harbour, West Bay Road, McKinnon's Harbour, Boisdale, Sydney, Indian-town, Valley, Hopewell, Barnaby's River, South River, Afton, Mulgrave, River Denys, Iona, George's River, Pointe du ChSne, Mill-

erton, Riversdale, Ferrona Junction, Marshy Hope, Pomquet, Tracadie, Point Tupper, Orangedale, Grand Narrows, North Sydney Junction, Shediac, West River, West Meri-gomish, James River, Heathertou, Harbour au Boucke, McIntyre's Lake, Alba, Shena-cadie, North Sydney, Dalhousie.

4. 1901-St. Anaclet Station, forest fires ; Dartmouth engine-house, cause unknown. 1902-Ste. Rosalie Junction telegraph office, sparks from engine ; Riviere du Loup coal shed, sparks from engine ; Rocky Lake flag station, cause unknown. 1903-Green Point flag station, over-heated stove ; Forestdaie station, forest fires ; Aston Junction station, forest fires ; Moose Park station, forest fires.

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
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INTEREST ON PUBLIC DEBT.

Mr. BUREAU-by Mr. Calvert-asked : By what amount will tbs interest on the public debt be decreased from June 30, 1903 ? [DOT] The MINISTER OF FINANCE (Hon. W. S. Fielding). The information has already been furnished to the House, and the hon. gentleman will find it in another form.

JUDGES IN QUEBEC AND EXTRA LEGAL BUSINESS.

Mr. GRANT-by Mr. Calvert-asked : 1. Is the Minister of Jus-tice aware that some of the judges of the court of Ring's bench and of the Superior Court, in the province of Quebec, occupy remunerative positions, such as directors of banks, financial and industrial corporations, which business and affairs may come within and under the jurisdiction of said judges? 2. Is the Minister of Justice aware that some of these judges are administrators, executors and trutees of estates, which are engaged in general pursuits, the affairs of said estates being liable to come under the jurisdiction of said judges ? 3. If so, is it the intention of the government to amend the laws concerning provincial courts in the province of Quebec, so as to remedy the evils of which the public complains ?
?

The MINISTER OF JUSTICE (Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick) :

1. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. It is not within our jurisdiction to do as suggested by the question.

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
Subtopic:   JUDGES IN QUEBEC AND EXTRA LEGAL BUSINESS.
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LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS AND INCREASE OF SALARY.

LIB

Mr. GAUVREAU asked :

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

1. Did the honourable the Minister of Marine and Fisheries receive the following petition ?

Quebec, December 2, 1902.

To the Honourable

Raymond Prefontaine,

Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa.

Honourable Sir,-We, the undersigned, keepers of the floating lighthouses at l'lle Rouge, lie Blanche and Bas de la Traverse, most humbly

request you to take into consideration the fact that we have been obliged to undergo, during the present season, heavy expenses for wages and food for the crews of the vessels under our control ; and that during a full month more than in former seasons.

We commenced, last spring, fifteen days earlier than usual, and this fall we closed fifteen days *later. When our salaries were established, they were fixed for seven months of service, and we have always been paid for that lapse of time. This year, the requirements of navigation demanded an additional month of service. We are always ready to do all in our power to be of service to navigation, both early in the spring and late in the fall. To do so it is necessary to keep a complete crew, and a greater amount of provisions, which costs a large amount.

We, therefore, beg of you to allow us an additional month of salary, pro rata, in order to indemnify us for such expenditure and for the services that we rendered. We also desire to draw your attention to the fact that early in the springtime navigation work is cold and hard; and 'in the fall it is not only cold and hard, but also dangerous. Hoping that you will take our petition into favourable consideration, we have the honur to be your very humble servants.

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
Subtopic:   LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS AND INCREASE OF SALARY.
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CAPT. JOHN IRVING,

Keeper of lie Rouge Floating Lighthouse, CAPT. REGIS LEBLANC, Keeper of lie Blanche Floating Lighthouse. CAPT. ESDRAS LEBEL, Keeper of Bas de la Traverse Floating Lighthouse. 2. If in the affirmative, what answer has been given by the department ? 3. Is it the intention of the minister to grant to the signers of the said1 petition .the allowances which they ask for and to grant them this year ? The MINISTER OF MARINE AND FISHERIES (Hon. R. PrSfontaine) ; 1. Yes. 2. Yes, an answer was sent stating that their petition would receive consideration. 3. All matters of increases will be considered after the session, and in this case the increases which I propose to give will date from 1st of July of this year.

THE SLATER SHOE COMPANY AND ALIEN LABOUR.

Mr. E\ D. MONK (Jacques Cartier). Before the Orders of the Day are called, I would like to ask the attention of the government to a matter of some importance to the workingmen of the city of Montreal and throughout the country generally. I will read an extract from the minutes of a meeting of the members of the Canadian Federation of the United Shoemakers of Canada, held on the 9th of October instant, at the meeting hall of their society in Montreal : Extract from the minutes of a meeting of the members of the Canadian Federation of United Shoemakers of Canada, held on the 9th of October instant, at the meeting hall of their society at Montreal. The following resolution was proposed and unanimously carried :- That the following facts be brought to the notice of the Dominion government :-

1. That the Canadian Federation of the United Shoemakers of Canada was founded, several years ago, for the purpose of bringing together Canadian shoemakers, with a view to improving their social conditions and ensuring fairer dealings between employers and employees in the shoemaking industry. 2. The said association is termed national, being purely Canadian, its membership wholly made up of Canadians, who select their officers in this country and keep their funds in Canada. 3. The said association has been endorsed by all the boot and shoe manufacturers in the district of Montreal, barring one. The said association has made rapid progress, and comprises at present over 1,700 members ; it has accomplished a great deal in the way of ensuring more equitable dealings between capital and labour, and has given satisfaction to the manufacturers and to employees in the boot and shoe industry. 4. On the 20th of July last, the Slater Shoe Company, Limited, hoot and shoe manufacturers of Montreal, who employed largely members of the Canadian Federation, without reason or justification decided that its operatives should join the Boot and Shoe Workers Union, an international association, having its leaders and its funds in Boston, United States, and which exacts from its members a weekly contribution of twenty-five. cents, the two-thirds of which are forwarded to the board of management in the United States, while the Canadian Federation requires from its members a contribution of only ten cents per week. 5. At the same time, the Slater Shoe Company stated that they had decided to adopt the national brand of that foreign association to be stamped on their goods, and had resolved to withdraw from the boot and shoemakers' union of the city of Montreal, who endorsed the Canadian Federation of Shoemakers. 6. The employees of the company who belong to the Canadian Federation, numbering 500, refused to submit to these tyrannical, unjust and arbitrary terms, and were obliged to leave the employ of the Slater Company on account of this refusal. 7. The Boot and Shoe Workers' Union aforementioned, whose membership in Montreal is limited to a few hundred, undertook, by all possible means, to supply the said company with hands to replace the members of the Canadian Federation, and tried to recruit men elsewhere. 8. The Slater Shoe Company, finding itself unable to carry on operations without the help of other operatives to replace those who had left their employ under the circumstances above mentioned, had recourse to the importation of shoemakers from the United States. 9. The said company despatched emissaries to the United States to recruit hands, and by advertising in various localities in that country and through the efforts and help of the foreign leaders of the international association and their agents, succeeded in bringing to Montreal to work in their factory, about forty or fifty foreign operatives imported from the United States. 10. Such importation of alien labour is in open violation of the Federal Act 60-61 Victoria, chapter 11, as amended by I Edward VII., chapter 13. 11. Such infringement of an Act, the object of which is to protect Canadian labour against the competition and importation of alien labour, is extremely hurtful to our workingmen. The aforementioned Act provides that the Dominion government may interfere in cases
?

Mr MONK.

where foreign labour is imported contrary to the provisions of the above statute and may send back to their country of origin hands thus imported, at the expense of those who employ them.

12. The United States government are strictly enforcing a similar law in their own territory, whenever foreigners are imported to work there. Our government would not only be justifiable, but even should feel themselves in duty bound to act promptly towards the enforcement of the aforementioned statute, with a view to protecting Canadian labour, particularly in the case of a company such as the Slater Shoe Company, who, for several years past, got from the government heavy contracts for the supply of boots and shoes.

13. The Canadian Federation is prepared to prove all the facts herein stated, if the government are willing to make an investigation into the matter. The Federation wish to protest at the same time against the report which appeared in the 1 Labour Gazette,' to the effect that the strike at the Slater Shoe Company's factory was over.

Therefore, the Canadian Federation requests that the Dominion government should interfere promptly in connection with this difficulty between the Slater Shoe Company and their former employees, members of the Canadian Federation of United Shoemakers of Canada ; that the government, in accordance with the powers conferred by the Act 60-61 Victoria, chapter 11, as amended, should oblige the Slater Shoe Company to send back to the United States the hands imported from that country who are employed in their factory, and that in the event of the company failing to do so, the Dominion government should send these operatives back at the expense of the said Slater Company. The Canadian Federation is ready to reveal the names of the workingmen so imported to persons designated for that purpose by the government to look into the circumstances and make inquiry.

In consequence, the Canadian Federation urgently appeals to the government to enforce the law and to duly protect Canadian labour ; and hopes that the government will do its duty.

That a copy of the present resolution be forwarded to the right honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, and to Sir William Mulock, the Minister of Labour.

True copy of the minutes of the said meeting.

(Signed) T. BEAUPRE,

President.

(Signed) A. J. DIONNE,

Secretary.

My right hon. friend will see that this is a grave question in a factory which does a considerable quantity of government work. The authorities of the manufactory dismiss a large number of Canadian workingmen, and contrary to law, import from the United States, from Boston and vicinity a certain number of American workmen to replace those Canadian workmen, who, under coercion and contrary to their own interests, are obliged to quit the factory. I will not ask the hon. Minister of Labour (Hon. Sir William Mulock), because I am afraid he has not proved during this session that he has taken up the case of the workingmen with any desire to protect their interests,

but I would like to ask the right hon. First Minister what is being done to put an immediate stop to this state of affairs ?

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
Subtopic:   THE SLATER SHOE COMPANY AND ALIEN LABOUR.
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The PRIME MINISTER.

Could my hon. friend (Mr. Monk) give me the date upon which the resolution was passed ?

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
Subtopic:   THE SLATER SHOE COMPANY AND ALIEN LABOUR.
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CON

Frederick Debartzch Monk

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MONK.

The 9tli October. I understand they communicated it immediately to the government.

Topic:   QUESTIONS.
Subtopic:   THE SLATER SHOE COMPANY AND ALIEN LABOUR.
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October 22, 1903