You will notice that it is all more a matter of public sentiment than a law; of custom than of court.  That is what I mean when I say that Canada’s constitution is a vital, living, growing thing, not a dead formula by which the Past binds and impedes the Present and the Future.

There must be a session of the Dominion Parliament once every year.  Five years is the limit of any tenure of office by the Commons.  Every five years the Commoners must go to the country for reelection.  Usually the government in power goes to the country for reendorsement before the term of Parliament expires.

Laws on corrupt practices are very strict and what is more—­they are generally enforced.  The slightest profit, direct or indirect of a member, vacates his seat.  Corruption on the part of underlings, of which they have known nothing, vacates an election.  A member of Parliament can not participate directly or indirectly in any public work benefiting his district.  He is not in it for what he can get out of it.  He is in it for what he can give to it.  Expenses of election to a postage stamp must be published after election.

The methods of conducting business in Parliament need not be discussed here, except to say that any member can introduce a bill, any member can present a petition from the humblest inhabitant of the commonwealth, and any member can speak on a motion provided he gains the floor first.

Judges are appointed and paid by the Dominion government, not by the provincial.  Decisions by provincial judges—­appointed by the Dominion government—­can be appealed to a Supreme Court of Canada.  Judges can be removed only on petition to the Governor-General for misbehavior.

Dominion taxes in Canada are indirect—­on imports.  As stated elsewhere, the main power in Canada is vested in federal authorities.  Only local affairs—­education, excise, municipal matters, drainage, local railroads, etc.—­are left to the provinces.

Every man in Canada is supposed to be liable for military training if called on, but the number of men annually drilled is about fifty thousand.  Hitherto a man appointed from the Imperial Forces has been the commanding general in Canada.  It need scarcely be said that if Canada is to hold her own in Imperial plans, if she is to become a power in the struggle for ascendency on the Pacific, her equipment both as to land forces and marine are ridiculously inadequate.  They are the equipment of a member in Imperial plans who is skulking his share.

Provincial courts are, of course, administered by provincial officers; but these are appointed by the Governor-General advised by the Cabinet of the federal party in power.  The Lieutenant-Governor of the province is appointed by the Governor-General advised by the party in power.  He is paid by the Dominion.  Judges of superior courts must be barristers of ten years’ good standing at the bar of their provinces.