April 28, 1902 (9th Parliament, 2nd Session)

Sir RICHARD CARTWRIGHT.

discriminate against individuals or municipalities in supplying power for any purpose, whether for lighting, heating or for motive purposes. The clause reads now :
The company may supply hydraulic, electric
or other power at such rates and
upon such conditions as are agreed upon, a.id the company may contract with any company or person having erected or having power to erect.
I propose to amend the clause as follows :
The company shall supply hydraulic, electric or other power by means of cables, machinery or other forces, to all persons, corporations and municipalities desiring the same along the line of its works, or within a reasonable distance thereof ; and at such rates and upon such conditions as may be agreed upon ; and if unable to agree, upon such terms as may be ordered by the Railway Committee of the Privy Council of Canada.
The object, Mr. Chairman, of the amendment is this : It may be merely a coincidence, but the gentlemen who are now applying for incorporation and asking for this Act from parliament are those who practically control the Toronto Railway Company and the Toronto Electric Light Companies. The franchise of the Toronto Railway Company has some years yet to run ; it will be a most valuable franchise when it falls back again into the possession of the city. If this company is permitted to discriminate in the sale of power, it may render valueless a franchise that otherwise would be of very great value. There is nothing to prevent this company, after it has obtained incorporation, from using the power that it may become possessed of at Niagara Falls, only in its own interests, or in the promotion of those industries, the Electric Light Companies and the Toronto Railway Company, with which it is now specially identified. The feeling in favour of municipalities operating their franchises, such as tramways and lighting, is growing stronger every day. This company is being given very large powers in this Bill, and I think it is not at all unreasonable to make a reasonable provision that if In future, in five years, or three years, or ten years from now, the municipalities along the line of the company's works between Niagara Falls and Toronto should desire to operate a municipal electric light, or to operate their tramways, there should be no discrimination as to the rates at which the power should be supplied by this company. I think that these provisions are so reasonable and so just that the promoters of the Bill cannot offer any serious objection to them. I hope the committee and the promoter of the Bill will agree with me, and allow clause 11 to be amended in the direction I have indicated. It has been suggested that possibly the company might not have enough power to supply all the demands that may be made upon it by the municipalities or by individuals. It is proposed to

obviate a difficulty of that kind, if it should arise, by section 11a of which I have given uotice, that is, that the Railway Committee, upon application, shall adjudicate between the parties.