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 L. J. C. et M. I. 
 
 Hostility Unmasked 
 
 Scl^OOl Ol*<i^P^PC^ of 1802 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NORTH 'WEST TERRITORIES 
 
 AND ITS 
 
 DISASTROUS RESULTS 
 
 BY 
 
 Rvd Fathep H. LEDUC, O.M.I. 
 
 Member oj the former Board of Edueation. 
 
 MONTREAL 
 0. O. BEAUCHEMIN & SON, Booksellers and Printers. 
 
 266 & 268, St Paul Street. 
 
 ^ 
 
 1896 
 
 ■I 
 
A 
 
L. J. C. et M. I 
 
 Hostility Unmasked. 
 
 
 Sct^ool Ordinance of 1892 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES 
 
 AND ITS 
 
 DISASTROUS RESULTS 
 
 BY 
 
 Rvd Father H. LEDUC, O. M. I. 
 
 Memhiv of the former Board of Education. 
 
 A 
 
 *\^\M 
 
 :'.- 
 
 MONTREAL 
 C. O. BEAUCHEMIN & SON, Uookselleus and Puinteus. 
 
 250 & 258, St. I'jiul Street. 
 
LC 1.1 f^ 
 
 ^7 
 
 ■t 
 
 ^^4r 
 
 MOST REV. A.DELARD LANGEVIN, 0. M I. 
 
 Archbishop of St. Boniface. 
 
 Worthy succesors of Monseigneur Alexander Tache, Cont- 
 nuator of his labors of zeal, devotedness and charity, 
 
 Like hira, the firm defender of Education and Catholic Schools. 
 
 This humble work is entirely submitted and dedicated by his 
 most devoted, obedient and respectfully affectionate son in Jesus, 
 Mary and Joseph. 
 
 H.LEDUC, 0. M. I. V.-G. 
 
 
 I 
 
LETTER 
 
 OF 
 
 II. 
 
 . Boniface. 
 
 }he, Cont- 
 
 c Schools. 
 
 sd by his 
 
 in Jesus, 
 
 I 
 
 HIS GRACE THE MOST REV. ADELARD LANGEVIN, 0. M. I. 
 
 Archbishop of St. Boniface. 
 To the Reverend H. Leduc, 0. M. I. 
 
 Reverend and dear Father^ 
 
 I find myself toe unworthy of succeeding the illustrious and 
 lamented Archbishop Tache not to exiierience a feeling akin to 
 shame when T read the dedication of your important work on tne 
 desastrous consequences of Ordinance n'^' 22, 1892, in the North- 
 West Territories. 
 
 Though it is not in my power to verify the facts you relate, yet 
 they seem to me well proved. They appear to me to establish 
 clearly three points : 1st, that the Catholifs have lost all control of 
 their schools in the North- West, and this in spite of the constitu- 
 tion ; 2nd, that you, as well as Mr. Forget and the honorable 
 members of the legislature, Messrs. Prince and lioucher, have 
 given evidence of a modt conciliatory spirit : and 3rd, that those 
 who manage school matters at Regina have shown manifest ill-will. 
 
 Quite true, then, were the words of the late Archbishop Tache, 
 in his " Memoire sur la question des Ecoles, en reponse au rapport 
 du comity de I'Hon. Conseil Prive du Canada," p. 30 : 
 
 ' More astute than the Manitoba government, the government 
 of the Territories has left to Catholic Schools their existence, but it 
 has deprived them of that which constitutes their distinctive 
 character and ensures their freedom of action." 
 
 I deeply regret that the painful necessity has been laid upon 
 you of pointing out, to that portion of the public which is concerned 
 for the peace of the country and for the respect due to the liberties 
 of everyone, the words and deeds of certain public men holding 
 responsible positions and therefore in duty bound to render justice 
 unto all, the weak as well as the strong. 
 
 Your work makes it clear tliat the justice and fair play, to 
 which British subjects have a right, have been refused to some of 
 them. You are therefore justified. Reverend and dear Father, in 
 protesting against so intolerable a state of things. Trulv, the 
 treatment which Catholics are receiving in the North-West is 
 
 I 
 
IV — 
 
 hardly such as to make us willing to accept in Manitoba a similar 
 situation, which would leave us at the mercy of some superinten- 
 dant hostile to our faith and institutions. 
 
 With you I protest with all my might, as a citizen of the 
 British Empire and as a bishop, against a state of things which is 
 a violation of royal promises and of the mot*t sacred of all liberties, 
 liberty of conscience. 
 
 In conclusion let me quote the following words of my lamented 
 predecessor, whose wise moderation has been praised even by our 
 adversaires. " Memoire," etc. i)age 30 : — 
 
 " The new school laws of Manitoba and the North -West are a 
 palpable and manifest violation of the assurances given '" in the 
 " name of Her Majesty." The convictions of the Catholics, instead 
 of being treated with the consideration aiid res[)ect [)romised to 
 the different religious persuasions, are despoiled of the rights and 
 privileges that ought to be deemed natural and inalienable in a 
 country where it is affirmed that there exist religious equality and 
 freedom of conscience." 
 
 If the venerable prelate could write thus, before the judgment 
 of the Honorable Pri' y Council of England had proclaimed our 
 rights, what would he not say now ? 
 
 Without wishing to take away from our fellow-citizens of 
 different faith the smallest particle of their school rights, we most 
 emphatically claim ours, as free citizens should, and with calmness 
 and trust in God, as true Christian should. 
 
 Believe me, worthy and dear Father, yours affectionately and 
 devotedly in Our Lord and Mary Immaculate, 
 
 t ADELARD, 0. M. I., 
 
 Arch, of St. Boniface. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The work which we have undertaken, let us hasten to 
 sav, is })ut a verv modest continuation of the different 
 works published by His Grace Archl)ishoi) Tache, in de- 
 fence of the iniprescriptilde riuhts of the Catholic Mino- 
 rity of the Province of Manit()1)a. 
 
 Being fully penetrated with his thoughts and writings, 
 we also, after the example oi" tliis ilhistrious Prelate, vin- 
 dicate the rights of the Catliolic Minority of tlie North- 
 West Territories. 
 
 The task was a dillicult and ungrateful one, and, as we 
 are well aware, far above oui- stroimth and weak talents- 
 Yet, we have been fortified and encouraged l)y the thought 
 that in undertaking it, we ])ut yielded to tlie jjressing 
 invitation of our most Reverend and Beloved Metropoli- 
 tan, His Gi'ace, Adelard Langevin O. M. I. Archbishop of 
 8t, Boniface, and to the united wishes of their Lordships, 
 the veneral)le Hishojis Vital Grandin, of St. Albert. Paul 
 Durieu oi' New Westminister, Emile Grouard of Atha- 
 baska-McKen/ie and Alljert Pascal Saskatchewan. 
 
 The object of this humble work is to reveal two facts ex- 
 tremely important, facts u})on which our enemies endeavor, 
 by every means in their i)ower, to deceive and I'alsily 
 public opinion. 
 
 Thev afhrm that: 
 
 1st. The Catholics of the North-West are contended 
 and satistied with their School system. 
 
 2nd. The Catholics of Manitoba will be fully satisfied 
 if a similar system is granted to them. 
 
VI 
 
 These two uifirinations are completely devoid of found- 
 ation and UKH'eover tliev are ab.solutelv contrary to truth. 
 The two contradictory propositions are then the (nily true 
 ones, vi/ : 
 
 1st. The Catholics of the North-West reject, with all 
 their nii<iht, the school system imposed on them. 
 
 2nd. The Catholics of Manitoba cannot and should not, 
 on any account, accept a similar system. 
 
 The imi>iirtial reader, whatever be his religious lielief, 
 nationality or political party, will judge for himself. 
 
 For our pjirt, we affirm that we had nothing else in 
 wiew in writing these pages ])ut the vindication of our 
 just rights in educational matters. 
 
 If S(mietimes in the course of the refutation of the doc- 
 trines, teachings and progrannne which we reject, we use 
 rather vigorous language, if some of cmr shafts are a tritle 
 sharp, newertheless, we entertain and will always enter- 
 tain, for the persons themselves, all tlie res})ect, consi- 
 deration and charity which is their due. 
 
 ft- 
 
 EPISCOPAL PALACE, ST-ALBERT. 
 
 Alberta. N. W. T. 
 
 Fenst of tlie Natiyity, Sept. 8th 189-"). 
 
APPROBATIONS. 
 
 LETTER OF THE RIGHT Rev d VITAL J. GRANDIN, 0. M. I. 
 
 Bishop of St. Albert. 
 
 Reverend and dear Father Leuuc, 
 
 I congratulate myself for having almost imposed on you the 
 obligation of undertaking the important work on the Schools of 
 of the North-West, which are still decorated with the name of Catho- 
 lic;. 
 
 Having been, during so many years, a member of the former 
 Board of P^ducation and having ever since taken a lively interest 
 in this important question of education, I believed that you were 
 the best qualified person among us to carry on this work success- 
 fully. You have undertaken and finished it ; therefore, I cannot do 
 otherwise than felicitate and thank you most sincerely. 
 
 It was necessary : (a) that the public should have the advantage 
 of judging the changes made in our school system by ine Ordinance 
 of 1892; (h) that it should see if there is really any liberty left us 
 and (c) that it should know if our present system would reasonably 
 allow us to affirm that our schools are still Catholic. It was im- 
 portant that the wished for but unacknowledged ends of our ene- 
 mies should be brought to light. 
 
 It was necessary to make it fully understood that the end pro- 
 posed by the N. W. Government is al)solutely the same as that of 
 Manitoba, though the ])lnn be different and framed more subtly to 
 deceive. It seems to me, dear Father, that your work is the conti- 
 nuation of thatof our Beloved and ever regretted Archbisho}) Tache, 
 who fell in the attempt, without being altle to contemplate the 
 happy results of his noble etforts. T ho[)e you will be more fortu- 
 nate tiian he. The promises, so formal, which have been made per- 
 sonally :ind solemnly to you, cannot fail to have effect. 
 
 Should God ordain it otherwise, you will have, like our regretted 
 Father, the merit and consolation of having done your duty; the 
 
— VIII — 
 
 Catholics of the Country will be grateful to you, and the defenders 
 of justice for all, still numerous in Canada, will, I am sure, since- 
 rely commend your zeal. Better still. God will remember and re- 
 ward your toil. In His name I bless yoa with grateful affection. 
 
 t VITAL J. GRANDIN, 0. M. I., 
 
 Bishop of St. Albeit. 
 Episcopal Palace, St. Albert, Oct. 2nd 1895. 
 
 m 
 
 a* 
 
 LETTER OF THE RIGHT Rev'd EMILE GROUARD, 0. M. I. 
 
 Bishop of Athahaska-McKcnzie. 
 To Very Reverend Fnther Lkduc, 0. M. I., 
 
 Vicar General of St. Albert. 
 Very Reverend and dear Father, 
 
 I am happy that you have undertaken to discuss, in a pamphlet, 
 the Scliool Question of the North- West Territories, a work which 
 the venerahle l?i-h<)])s ol'thc Provincoof St. }3oniface have requested 
 you to undertake. 
 
 I am still happier to see that your task is successfully completed. 
 
 I perused it during my visit to St. Albert, and I hope that the 
 light you have thrown on this question will powerfully contribute 
 to obtain, for tlie Catholic Minority, the justice which they claim. 
 
 Believe in my affectionate devoiidness, 
 
 t EMILE, Bisiroi' of Tuoka, O. M. L, 
 
 r/f. Apost, if Atli((h((,^ka-Mcl\ei)zu'. 
 
 Episcopal Palace. St. Albert. Oct. Pith 1S95. 
 
defenders 
 ire, since- 
 r and re- 
 ection. 
 
 I., 
 
 57. Albeit. 
 
 /■»• , ^ 
 
 1 — 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 SCHOOL ORDINANCE OF 1892. 
 
 0. M. I. 
 
 nzie. 
 
 implilet, 
 'k which 
 ^quested 
 
 npleted. 
 til Jit the 
 ntril)iite 
 y cliiim. 
 
 enzv. 
 
 In 1S92 the Legislature of the North-West Territories passed a 
 new School Ordinnnce and jiholished the preceding ones. The Ca- 
 tholics of the Territories immediately protei-ted against it. They 
 sent nunierftus petition^! to the Federal Government asking the 
 immediate repeal of this Ordinance. 
 
 The petitions, addressed to His Excellency, the Governor Ge- 
 neral in Council, were signed by the trustees of all the Catholic 
 school districts of the Territories. 
 
 ITad the minority really and has it still peremptory reasons 
 for asking the disallowance and repeal of tliis Ordinance? 
 
 At first sight, the Scliool law is apparently in perfect order, 
 provides for all the wants and upholds aU the rights of the Catho- 
 lic minority. 
 
 Does it not i ositively say in clause 4, that sei)arate schools, for 
 pupils from live to twenty years of age, can l)c established in the 
 North-\V< st, I'rovided they be subject to the provisions of this 
 OrdinjiTice and to tlie regulations of tlu^ Council of])ublic Instruc- 
 tions ? 
 
 Tn clause 5, is it not statf d thai Iwo Catholics will be called to 
 give their advice to Ihc Council of Public Inslruction, aiul therel)y 
 represent the Catholic minority and protect their school interests? 
 
 Clau-e 11 gives the Lieutenant Governor in Council the power 
 to choose and name inspectors who may be Catholics as well as 
 Protestant--. 
 
 Clause .')"2 positively states that the minority of the rate ])ayers, 
 in any oigani/ed Public Ir-'chool District, may establish a, Sisparate 
 School therein, and that the Patepayers. wheth(>r Protestants or 
 (^atholics, shall be liabl(> <udy to the taxes they impose on them- 
 seUxs for the said separate Schools. 
 
 Finally, clause 85 authorizes religious instruction during the 
 half hour previous to the closing of the School in the afternoon. 
 
 The School law being fiained in this way, what then has the 
 Catholic minority t)fthe North-West to complain of or to object to? 
 
 AVhy is the minority not gatisHed with such a school system or 
 
2 — 
 
 with school laws which seem to so fully protect their rights and 
 interest ? 
 
 Ahis ! I am obliged to state, that a more j)rofound knowledge of 
 the Ordinance of 1892, a deeper study of the Council of Public Ins- 
 truction in the -!^iorth-West Territories, and of the manner in which 
 this Council applies the School Ordinance without detriment to the 
 letter or the spirit of the law, will convince any man of sound judg- 
 ment, free from prejudice of i»olitical party, race or religion, that 
 our separate Schools do not really exist, but are merely such in 
 name ; for separate Schools are really abolished in what constitutes 
 their essential difference from all others Public, Atheistic or Pro- 
 testant schools. This, we will now try to prove in the following 
 pages. 
 
 Clause 194 of the Ordinance of 1892 repeals and annuls chapter 
 59 of the Revised Ordinance of 1888, Ordinance No 20 of 1889, Or- 
 dinance No 10 of 1890 and Ordinance No 28 of 1891-92. There was 
 substituted therefor the Ordinance at present in force, which was 
 approved of and consented to by the Lieutenant Governor on the 
 31st December, lo92. By virtue of these Ordinances thus repealed 
 and annuled we had : 
 
 A Boardof Education composeLl of eight members there being 
 five Protestants and three Catholics, each memhcr being entitled to 
 vote. 
 
 Tills Board had a right to sit twice a year at Regina. or oftener, 
 if the Lieutenant Governor thought it expedient. The majority <if 
 the Board formed a (luorum. 
 
 The Board of Education chose a President from among its mem- 
 Iters; the ])i'esident was entitled to vote on all matters. All questions 
 ill which tiie voting resulted in a tie were solved in the negative. 
 
 The Board of Education was divided into two sections distinct 
 and self governing, the Protestant section and the ('atholic section. 
 It belong(>d excdusively to the members of each section : 
 
 1. To have under their control and direction the schools of their 
 own religious denomination ;ukI to make all necessary regulations 
 for the nianagcnient and general discipline of their schools. 
 
 2. To choose, adopt and prescribe a uniform series of text 
 books for their schooK. 
 
 3. l*]aoh section had the right to choose its Inspectors, their 
 term of ollice being at the )i!easure ol the sections. 
 
 There was a general Board of Examiners for teachers' certifi- 
 cates, half of these cxnniinei'' being riamed by each section of the 
 JJoard of Education. 
 
 Va\v\\ section had the right to choose its own textbooks in 
 history and sciences, and to prescrilie any other additional subjects 
 for the examination of their teachers. In nil these branches of 
 
 kni 
 luti 
 
 cla 
 
 cai 
 
ghts and 
 
 .'ledge of 
 blic Ins- 
 in which 
 nt to the 
 tid judg- 
 ion, that 
 such in 
 istitutes 
 or Pro- 
 )1 lowing 
 
 chapter 
 889, Or- 
 ere wan 
 ich was 
 r on tlie 
 epealed 
 
 e being 
 to 
 
 >ftener, 
 )rity of 
 
 niem- 
 ostions 
 tive. 
 istinct 
 ection. 
 
 f their 
 Jitions 
 
 ■ text 
 
 their 
 
 vitin- 
 olthe 
 
 ks in 
 
 'J eots 
 
 I OS of 
 
 — 3 — 
 
 knowledge, the examiners of each section had respectively abso- 
 lute jurisdiction. 
 
 The Catholic, iis well as the Protestant section, had a vote in 
 €very thing ai»pcrtaining to the general powers of the Board of 
 Education; and this accounts for the fact, that the two sections 
 together, defined the duties of the secretary of the Board, passed 
 regulations concerning the registratioiv^ and the reports of school 
 attendance, judged all appeals from decisions of inspectors and 
 determined their right'^ and duties. 
 
 The two sections had also to provide for the examinations, the 
 classification and the various certificates of teachers. 
 
 What now renuiins to u-s of all these prerogatives in our so 
 called 8ei)arate Schools... ? Nothing, absolutely nothing. 
 
 " La Verite " of Qu«'bec. on the l7th February 1894, has well 
 5aid : " The 8ei)arate Schools of the North- West exist only in 
 '• name. In fact they so resemble the Puhlic Schools that Proles- 
 *• tant children even according to '' The Mail " of the 5th of 
 " February 1894. can attend them without any scruple about their 
 *' religious convictions. 
 
 " Tt is the programme of the Protestant Protective Association 
 ^' and of Freemasonry in all its hypocrisy. They loave to Se|)arate 
 *' Schools their r.ame but rol> thorn of all, wherein they difTcr from 
 *' Public Protestant Schools." 
 
 •' Theie has been established.'" snys the Coarrirr <hi (}inadn '' a 
 " Council of Public Instruction, which can inspire no confidence. 
 
 *' Previously there had lieen in the North West, as well as in 
 *' the Piovince of Quebec, a Catholic and a Protestant Section of 
 *• Board of Education ; but now the Council of Public Instruction 
 " is comi)(»sed a- follows: The members of the Executive Commit- 
 " tee (of the Legislativ<^ As-embly) and f)ur person--, of whom two 
 " .shall be Protestants and two Catholit-s, named by the Lieutenant- 
 *' (iovernoi-in-Ci>nn(il. 
 
 The menihcrs thus named shall have no vote ; that is. they shall 
 be consulted .-is ;i mere nuitlcr of form, or not at all, according to 
 the pleasure of th(^ members of the I'lxecutive. 
 
 In no cireumsiance will tJu!S(! two catholic mi'nd)ei's have a, right 
 to vole; their olliee. as Mr. ITuultain himself, the Chief of the I'^xe- 
 cutive and the President of the Council of Public Instruction, said 
 to meat Pegina, in (^etob(>r LMH, is nothint!; but artial farce '" But," 
 added he." T eaiiiioi eo isciit to liavc^ it otli(>rwise. As (ihief of the 
 goverimn nt in this enuntry, I am respiunible for the schools of 
 the North West. mid. ms long as 1 hold my [)osition, F do not wish 
 to expose myself to be beaten, at the Council of lOducation, by a 
 vote contrary to my views.'" In a word, he might asw(dl havt^said to 
 me: " In educational matters, as long as I am Prime Minister, dc 
 
— 4- 
 
 I :! 
 
 volo sicjubro, Stat fro ratione volutitas. So T wish it, so I ordain it 
 my will answers for reasons." 
 
 In vain, then, does the Ordinance speak of Separate Schools for 
 the Catholic Minority of the North West Territories ; these schools 
 do not exist; for how can the Catholics recognize, as separate and 
 theirs, Schools over which they have no longer any control ? Choice 
 of books, examinations, inspectors and inspections, qualifications 
 and diplomas of teachers, all has been taken away from them. 
 
 With, and in s|)ite of this, our enneinie-i among the Members of 
 the Legislature as well as in the Council of Education, uud first 
 and foremost the l^resident thereof and the Sui)printendant, will 
 dare to ansAver : 
 
 " What you aflirm here, is entirely incorrect, and is inconsistent 
 with the letter of the law ; you are sini[)ly misleading public opinion 
 by fal-e considerations and false affirmations. There is nothing in 
 the law. literally speaking, that prevents the Connci, of Eduoalicm 
 froni miiknig regulations which will fully satisfy nil your desires 
 and wi>-hcs. Text books for rending, history, literature, etc.. could 
 be granted as you desire. Without in any way ()[)posing the letter 
 (if not the spirit) of the law, the Council is free to nnme catholic 
 inspectors and cynniincrs both i'or your schools and for your can- 
 didates for tcnchers' certificntes. We might even, without any other 
 formality, recogni/c ns specialists iri educntioM, all nuns who spend 
 their life teaching. Hint is those who make ilic^ educntion of youth 
 their sp(M'inl profcw^^ion. nrc instructed for that purpose, fi-oni the 
 very beginning oj their religious lif(> nnd, by constant practice, 
 become daily move efruMent. The law that now regulates Kducation 
 in the Territories, is frnnicd on sueli wide and liberal principles 
 that it o|>))OS(>H no rigbt-^ or privileges."' 
 
 '• Tills is certainly true."' I W!)nld answer without hesitating: 
 and it is precisely in this that tlie said Ordinance of lSi)2 is a law 
 of down I'iglit hypiKU'lsy and astntenes'^. 
 
 Ilypoc'isy i- a vice that preteiid> to possess a virtue wliicb it 
 has not. Tlii-; is ]n e-eminently the vice of the Ordinance. Tt atTects 
 lil)eraiily with regard to the Catholic minority, it falsely ])reten(ls 
 to uiihold their rights, which ar(M!xaetly the sa i e a< those of the 
 minority of Manitoba, recogni/.ed by the highest authority of the 
 Empir(\ and nevertheless trampled under toot, until remedial 
 legislation be passed by the federal government. Tt affects benevo- 
 lence, unpartiidity and justice, the very virtues it la(d<s. On the 
 contrnry, is it n<tt truly repl(>te with prodigious cunning? For. 
 evidently, under the veil of impaitiality and justice, it authoiizes 
 and encourages uiuler hand ucr.-iecution and systematic destruction 
 of our scliools. Equipped with the Ordinance of 181)2, the Council of 
 Public Instruction has undertaken and continues this work of per- 
 
 sec 
 
 in 
 
 saj 
 
 of' 
 
 exi 
 
 ch^ 
 
— 5 
 
 [ ordain it 
 
 Schools for 
 'se school." 
 pa rate and 
 il ? Choice 
 ilifications 
 them, 
 embers of 
 and fir.et 
 dant, will 
 
 consi.tstent 
 ic opinion 
 otliing in 
 education 
 ui" (Icsiies 
 tc. could 
 the letter 
 catholic 
 i'our can- 
 in y other 
 ho spend 
 of youth 
 iVoiii the 
 practice, 
 ilucation 
 riuciplos 
 
 sitating : 
 is a law 
 
 which it 
 [t affects 
 t)reten(ls 
 ■>e of the 
 y of the 
 etncdial 
 hcncvo- 
 On the 
 S? For. 
 thoi'i/(>8 
 truction 
 uncil of 
 : of jjer- 
 
 secution and ruin, as we shall see in the following cha{(ter. Well, 
 in deed, might Archbishop Tache, of glorious and valiant memory, 
 say in his " Memoire," p. 30: " More astute fhan the government 
 of Manitoba, thut of the Territories has left to Catholic schools their 
 existence, but it has shorn them of that which gives them a special 
 character and ensures their freedom of action." 
 
 CHAPITRE II 
 
 COUNCIL OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 
 
 In the preceding pages, it has been easy for us to prove that the 
 wording of the hypocritical and deceitful Ordinance of 1892, taken 
 literally, allows ahnost anything you please, whatever be your 
 point of view. 
 
 This Ordinance, applied in a spirit of perfect liberality, ju.stice 
 and toleration, free from prejudice of race or religion, could strictly 
 speaking, give satisfaction to all. It admits of being very well or 
 very badly interpreted, as well as of being very well or very badly 
 applied. 
 
 We read in St. Paul, II Cor. fll.. 6. that: " The letter killeth, 
 but the spirit quickeneth." Of the Ordinance with which we are con- 
 cerned, the exact contrary must be asserted. The letter is whatever 
 you like while the spirit is' abominable. This is proved by the 
 organisation of the Council of Public Instruction, charged with the 
 applicati(m of the law ; by the impracticable and inadmissible regu- 
 lations of the said Council ; by the innumerable difficulties invented 
 by the Council, and by the obstacles it sets up against the working 
 of our schools. 
 
 OlMiANlSATION OF I'lIE CofxNCIL OK INSTRUCTION. 
 
 As we have already stated, the Council of Public Instruction of 
 the North West Territories is composed, by right, of the members 
 of the Legislative Assomljly. These members have voted for and 
 caused others to vote for the said oi'dinnnce. 
 
 Mr. H:iultain and his colleagues, while putting themselves in 
 the place of the two sections of the former Hoard of Education, to 
 form the new Council of Public Instruction, have of course taken 
 
— 6 — 
 
 care to obtain from the Legislature what we may call a sovereign 
 and absolute authority in educational matters ? 
 
 Therefore they jtnd they alone are authorized to choose and 
 name all examiners. They alone have the right to prescribe the 
 duties and classification of teachers, to determine the required 
 subjects and percentages for all classes and degrees of certificates 
 and to pass all regulations they may deem fit for the administration 
 of schools and the admission of Candidates to dii)l()mas. To them 
 alone belongs the (choice, the adopting and i)rescribing of all text- 
 books to be used in all schools, whether Public or Sepnrate ii^ the 
 North-West Territories, and to deoide all cases of ap[)eal, disputes 
 and comi)laints arising trom the decisions of trustees and inspec- 
 tors. 
 
 I a word, we can assert that the me i.bers of the Council of Pu- 
 blic Instruction unite in the same persons the powers of the Legis- 
 lative Assembly and those of the Council of Public Instruction, and 
 consequently their powers are in a sense unlimited. 
 
 But it is well to observe that no catholic has a vote in this 
 Council. The influence of our twt) co-religionists, taken t)utside of 
 the Legislature, as members of the said Council, is absolutely nil. 
 The nomination of the said members deprived of the right to vote 
 is a truly skilful piece of legerdemain to blind the Catholic mino- 
 rity.. Once more we may afiirm that the executive of the Legisla- 
 ture reigns supreme and absolute in the Council of Education. 
 Nevertheless it is evident that the members of which it is com- 
 posed maybe respectively good lawyers, good merchants in the 
 various branches of trade, celebrated doctors, model farmer?, dis- 
 tinguished politicians, in a wore' 'jlever in business of all kinds, 
 yet be destitute of the qualities ana knowledge absolutely required 
 for a perfect, intelligent and practical administration of all the 
 schools of our immense Territories. Generally speaking we seldom 
 see specialists in matters of Education presenting themselves as 
 candidates for Legislative Assemblies. Our Council of Public 
 Instruction is so thoroughly aware of this, that they have chosen 
 a Superintendent on whom they must often rely in spite of them- 
 selves. 
 
 The Superintendent of the Council of Public Instruction. 
 
 As our school Ordinance of 1892 is undoubtedly the inspiration 
 of a secret society, the spirit of which oozes out of its every pore 
 the Council of Public Instruction has appealed to the pedagogical 
 intelligence of a devoted brother who is a high dignitary of the 
 sect. 
 
 This society, which works in the dark, is the great enemy of the 
 
 PI 
 
-7 — 
 
 sovereign 
 
 loosp and 
 Hcribe the 
 
 required 
 ertificates 
 inifstration 
 
 To them 
 f all text- 
 ite in the 
 , disputes 
 d inspec- 
 
 cil of Pu- 
 the Legis- 
 ction, and 
 
 'te in this 
 )utside of 
 utely nil. 
 bt to vote 
 lie niino- 
 Legi^;la- 
 ducation. 
 is com- 
 ts in the 
 lerg, dit'- 
 11 kinds, 
 required 
 
 all the 
 seldom 
 'elves as 
 
 Public 
 e chosen 
 [)f them- 
 
 ICTION. 
 
 pi ration 
 
 ry pore 
 
 igogical 
 
 of the 
 
 Catholic Church and consequently of her influence and of Catholic 
 Education. Wishing to do away with our school?!, to substitute lay, 
 materialistic and godless education for Christian education ; the 
 said society presented to the Council of Public Instruction an 
 auxiliary who, they well knew, was eminently competent to carry 
 out their schemes. Mr Goggin had already given pioofs of his 
 capacity in this respect in Manitoba, when he came to Eegina to 
 fill the important post of Superintendent. He came, not brutally 
 to jiboliph catholic schools as Messrs. Martin and Grcenway have 
 done in Manitoba, Init to attain the same end by cleverer and more 
 astute means. 
 
 Employed by the Council of Public instruction, he will be suj)- 
 posed to follow the direction of Mr Haultain and his colleagues and 
 purely and simply to execute their orders, while in reality he will 
 prove to be the soul and instigator of all measures passed at the 
 Council of Education. It is the Superintendent who will propo.^e 
 the regulations and the choice of text books ; it is he who will rule 
 the inspectors and recommend or refuse the certificates of qualiti- 
 cation. The members of the Executive, being more directly occupied 
 with the general government of the Territories, will willingly 
 confide the government of the schools to a Superintendent from 
 whom they have no reason to dread any sympathy for the Catholic 
 schools which he will kill by inches. 
 
 Gradually Mr Goggin will become the Tzar of education in the 
 North West, while he will be clever enough to make the othei3 
 believe they are kings and absolute masters, that he is only their 
 servant and the faithful instrument of their will. 
 
 Two years only after the Ordinance of 1892 had been put in force 
 he can boast that he has been more dexterous and deep than the 
 Greenway Government, and that he has attained the same ends 
 without provoking the same dissatisfaction nor the same opposition 
 to the School law as in Manitoba. He will even try to make the 
 Public believe that the minority in the Territories are satisfied 
 with the system from which they suffer since 1892. Let him awake 
 from this delusion. Not only the Catholic minority are far from 
 being satisfied, but, like the Manitoba minority they will not cease 
 to vindicate their rights to Catholic schools, separate in fact and 
 not only in name. We will unceasingly protest against the injustice 
 of which we are the victims and against the hostile sectarian, arbit- 
 rary application of the school Ordinance that governs us. 
 
 y of the 
 
f! 
 
 — 8 — 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Regulations of the Council of Public Instruction. 
 
 Sii 
 
 bj 
 M 
 of 
 nc 
 
 m 
 
 One of the first sentiments exjjressed in a secret society meeting 
 at Regina in 1889, was : " Let u-" rid the Territories of these teaching 
 sisters, to whom our Protestant brethren are so foolish as to confide 
 the education of their children." But how is this to be done ? what 
 means must be taken to attain this end ? Later on, the Sui)erinten- 
 dent of Education will virtually say : " We must get there quietly. 
 Mind ! no blundering, no brutality." Greenway, and his accomplice 
 Martin, have shown great want of tact. They have compromised 
 the dignity and holiness of the cause: secular, compulsory, godless, 
 materialistic, or at most, Protestant education. Let us be wiser, 
 more prudent, and more cunning, let us go ahead quietly, pretend- 
 ing to seek only the public good, let us be devoured with zeal for 
 the renown of our teachers. 
 
 The Ordinance that governs us is elastic in an eminent degree, 
 it permits us to block the way for nuns, by setting across their path 
 one of the simplest and apparently most harmless of obstacles, but 
 one which, in realitv is for them insurmountable." 
 
 § 1. Normal School Training obligatory for Nuns 
 
 '' Let us establish Normal School sessions where all persons, 
 without distinctions of sex, age, knowledge or pedagogical expe- 
 rience, will be assembled according to our will. Even Nuns, who 
 during the space of ten, twenty, thirty years or upwards, have been 
 consecrated to education, trained to teach, separated from the world 
 by solemn vows, and obliged by the religious constitutions that 
 govern them to live in their convents, must assist at this obligatory 
 course, mixed up with candidates of both sexes and of all religious 
 denominations." Evidently the Sisters will not consent to this, so 
 wo will refuse to grant them profes-ional certificates ; then they will 
 be disqualified from teaching and consequently will leave this coun- 
 try, where unfortunately they succeed but too well." 
 
 No sooner said than done. One of the first deed of the (Council 
 of Public Instruction was, to deliberately hurl in the teeth of the 
 
— 9 — 
 
 ION. 
 
 y meeting 
 e teaching 
 to confide 
 )ne ? what 
 iperinten- 
 •e quietly, 
 ccomplice 
 1 promised 
 *', godless, 
 be wiser, 
 , pretend- 
 h zeal for 
 
 it degree, 
 heir path 
 acles, but 
 
 dNS 
 
 persons, 
 cal expe- 
 un«, who 
 lave been 
 he world 
 ions that 
 bligatory 
 religious 
 :> this, so 
 thoy will 
 lis coun- 
 
 Council 
 th of the 
 
 Sisters this insurmountable obstacle. As a remedy to the evil, and 
 by way of consolation I received in the autumn of 1893, from 
 Mr. Goggin, Superintendent of Education, and then Grand ma«t,er 
 of Freemasonry, a most singular and original bit of advice. The 
 newspapers of the sect to which this gentleman belongs may shout 
 as loud as they like against the so called interference of the Catho- 
 lic Hierarchy, and especially of the Pope, in the politics of Nations 
 and in the framing of their laws, which are more or less at variance 
 with natural and divine law, the Superintendent seems to be of an 
 entirely different opinion. 
 
 He advised me in the blandest possible way to communicate 
 directly with the Pope." It is certain," said he," that, if he were 
 better informed, knew the situation in this country, and understood 
 the advantages f>f these obligatory Normnl Schools, established by 
 th6 worthy and enlightened Council of Education in the North 
 West Territories of Canada, he would immediately give his nppro- 
 bation, and modify the rules and constitutions that govern the 
 Sisters. Without any doubt he would willingly authorize them to 
 leave their convents nnd their community life for the space of four 
 or five months, to board in a private family ; or in a hotel at Regina. 
 and then go and take their seats in the same schoolroom with gen- 
 tlemen candidates " of cnurse. 
 
 I cou'd not hel|> smiling at this ingenuous advice on the part of 
 the Superintendent. But meanwhile, and until this Normal School 
 system is repealed or perfectly amended, the Sisters, who have 
 not ]>rofessional certificates, will remain disqualified and unable to 
 teach in the Schools of the North West! This is the end aimed at 
 and attained. The elastic, hypocritical and cunning Ordinance of 
 1892 permits it to be so 
 
 The Council of Public Instruction at Regina, and other people 
 elsewhere, will likely proclaim that I go too far and exaggerate at 
 pleasure. The report of the Committee of the Privy Council of Ca- 
 nada, which was approved by His Excellency, the Governor General 
 on the 5th of February, 1894, in answer to the petitions of the 
 Catholic Minority of the North West Territories, insinuates the same 
 thing when it snys : " Do not the regulations of the North West 
 Territories contain a clause constructed as follows: Persons posses- 
 sing certificates of educational value issued by other institutions 
 than those mentioned, may receive from tlic Council of Public Ins- 
 truction such certificates as they believe them entitled to? " 
 
 Quite true ; this clause exists, but how is it reduced to practice? 
 This is what we are now going to consider ; the following facts will 
 speak for themselves and supply us with all the light reiiuired. 
 
 1. In 1891 a teaching sister, Superioress of a convent in Alberta, 
 was in possession of a first class non-professional diploma. This 
 
— 10 — 
 
 Mill 
 
 ! 
 
 diploma was to become professional after two years of 8iicce?.sful 
 teaching in the Territories, and with the indorsation of the inspector. 
 The said certificate was grunted on the 1st September, 1891 and 
 regularly indorsed by the inspector in 1892; but after the Ordinance 
 of 1892 had been i)a8sed and proniulg;;ted, the inspector pretended 
 to have no longer any right to indorse non-professional certificates, 
 therefore, in the following August 1893, Mr. James Brown, Secre- 
 tary of the Council of Pub'ic Instruction, officially notified the said 
 Reverend Sister that her non-professional certificate would expire 
 on the 1st of September, but a-! a favor, the term of expiration 
 would be prolonged until the 1st of October, at which period the 
 Normal School session would open at Regina. She then would be 
 required to attend, as her attendance thereat was the only means 
 by which she could obtain a professional certificate. For nearly 
 "thirty years this Sister had taught with the greatest success in En- 
 gland and elsewhere, but this did not avail ; she was refused her 
 professional certificate in the very name of the above mentioned 
 clause. It several weeks later, after repeated entreties and applica- 
 tions, the Council consented to grant it to her, it was only after it 
 had been perfectly proven that she had acquired a strict right to 
 this favor ? by virtue of the law and regulations in force before the 
 Ordinance of 1892. 
 
 2. In 1893, Sister M. Lucy of the Assumption Order, of Nicolet, 
 came to Battleford as a teacher. She had a first class Model 
 School Diploma from the Province of Quebec, where she had 
 taught with success for a number of years. She sent her diploma 
 to Regina to have it approved of by the Council of Education. 
 
 What did she receive in return ? A third class provisional cer- 
 tificate which, after many protestations, was afterwards made 
 second class provisional and valid only until the opening of the 
 Normal School session in the following September. 
 
 3. In September 1894, Sister St. Bernardine, also from Nicolet. 
 came under the very same circumstances as the aforesaid Sister 
 St. fjucy. She likewise had a first class Model School certificate. 
 She sent it to Regina to have it exchanged, and she received also 
 in return a third c'ass provisional certificate valid until the 
 opening of the Normal School session in tlie following September. 
 
 4. Another Nun of the same Order, Sister Margaret Mary, 
 comes to devote her life to teaching in the NorthWest, she holds 
 a first class elementary English and French diploma from the 
 Province of Quebec. She sends it to the Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion, Regina, and receives the following answer: "We have no 
 grade to give for this kind of diplomas ". Not even a provisional 
 certificate, or license to teach until th?, next examination of can- 
 didates. For shame ! Is not education in the North-West Terri- 
 
 tor 
 ou 
 
 to 
 th( 
 
— 11 — 
 
 iucce?sful 
 inspector. 
 1891 and 
 )rdinance 
 pretended 
 irtificates. 
 vn, Secrc- 
 l the said 
 Id expire 
 xpiration 
 >eriod the 
 woidd he 
 ly means 
 or nearly 
 ss in y.n- 
 fused her 
 lentioned 
 I applica- 
 y after it 
 t right to 
 jefore the 
 
 f Nicolet, 
 5s Model 
 she had 
 diploma 
 ion. 
 
 onal cer- 
 ds made 
 ng of the 
 
 Nicolet. 
 id Sister 
 rtificate. 
 ivcd also 
 ntil the 
 itember. 
 t Mary, 
 le holds 
 'om the 
 Instruo- 
 have no 
 (visional 
 1 of can- 
 t Terri- 
 
 tories infinitely superior to that of the Province of Quebec ? Fancy 
 our having elementary schools h.ere. We are far above that. 
 
 The facts that I have just related evidently prove, with regard 
 to our teaching Sister.-, the inanity of the famous clause by which 
 the Council t)f Public Instruction gives itself the power to award 
 professional Diplomas to persons holding certificates of educa- 
 tional value issued by other institutions than those mentioned in 
 the regulations of the Council. 
 
 Before going any further allow me to reproduce here, and re- 
 commend to our Legislators, and to the Members of the Council 
 of Instruction, the following article from ''The Free Press" of 
 Winnipeg June 4th, 1895. 
 
 §2. Certificates for the Nuns. 
 
 "The amalgamation of separate schools in the different ))arts 
 of Canada, has on several occasions, brought up the subject of 
 the qualifications of nuns teaching in state-supported institutions. 
 It is an easy matter to make the sweeping demand that instructors 
 in all schools maintained by public funds, must hold uniform 
 state certificates, certifjdng that the holder has successfully passed 
 certain examinations, and is qualified to teach specified subjects ; 
 but like the sweeping demand made when great changes are in 
 progress, this mandate may work a gross injustice on those who 
 have taken positions under an old regime : 
 
 The justice of requiring uniform qualifications from all who 
 enter a profession after the enactment of a new law, may be clear 
 enough ; but there is a wide difference between applying this 
 requirement to new comers, and making the game exaction of for- 
 mer occupants. This difference ought not to be ignored, when the 
 heated discussion of separate Schools brings forward the point of 
 uniform certificates. The Nuns, as teachers, are usually specialists, 
 whose ability to instruct in their own particular branches can 
 hardly be questioned. It is to the interest of the Superioress in 
 charge to add lustre to the reputation of Catholic educational ins- 
 titutions by securing the ai)pointment of the most highly qualified 
 specialists. Many of the Nuns are educated, accomplished women 
 passing lives of self-sacrifice ; yet they might fail to work out a 
 problem in hydrostatics, orto win a high percentage iuan examina- 
 tion in double-entry book keeping." 
 
 What does the Free Pirss conclude from this? It insinuates 
 clearly and candidly, that teaching Sisters have a right to the 
 benefits of our famous clause 5, benefits which are refused to them, 
 sometimes even in quite a rough manner by the Council or the 
 Superintendent of Education. We have seen how the Sisters are 
 
— 12 — 
 
 treated, now let us see the cUfficaltiei and ill-will encountered by 
 lay teachers. 
 
 j I 
 
 '(('(' I 
 
 § 3. Unjust refusal of Professional Certificates. 
 
 According to the first regulations of the Council of Public Ins- 
 truction, any person, holding a professional certificate issued in 
 the Province of Ontario or Manitoba since 18S6, could receive a 
 certificate of the same class and value from the Council of the 
 North- West. 
 
 Relying on the strength and authority of this clause, several of 
 our Catholic School districts made application to teachers in Mani- 
 toba, they invited and beseeched them to como to the Territories 
 where the trustees would be happy to avail theniselves of their ser- 
 vices and experience in the art of Pedagogy. 
 
 1. Relying on these promises that a professional certificate from 
 Manitoba would be changed without any difficulty at Regina for a 
 certificate of the same class and value, Miss Zena'ide Marcoux arri- 
 ved at Fort Saskatchewan in October 1893 provided with a first 
 class professional, and a first clas.« Normal school certificate, issued 
 by the Catholic school section of the Board of Education of Mani- 
 toba, approved at first for three years, and after several years of 
 teaching, rendered permanent by the decision of the same Board. 
 
 The said certificate, as required by our Council of Public Instru- 
 ction, was issued after l886 and fulfilled all the conditions exacted 
 by the said Council. Knowing this, the School trustees, without 
 foreseeing the least difficulty, engaged the said Miss Zenaide Mar- 
 coux. She had not the \esk-*t doubt that her first class certificates 
 of Scholar^ship and Normal training would be approved of and ex- 
 changed at Regina for a first class professional certificate. This is 
 what she has written to me, June 24th, 1895. 
 
 " It is really kind of you to condescend to t vke such interest in 
 nie ; and it is with sentiments of the sincerest gratitude that I 
 thank you, before hand, for the trouble you take to have my certi- 
 ficates duly exchanged. I brought from Manitoba a first class Nor- 
 mal School certificate. The Council of Public Instruction exchanged 
 thi.3 for a provisional certificate good only for a year. '' Though I 
 had been for a long time aware of how the regulations of the Coun- 
 cil of education were put in practice, I must acknowledge that I 
 was indignant at this new proof of injustice. When we had the ho- 
 nor and pleasure of receiving a visit from His Honor, C. Mackin- 
 tosh, Lieutenant Governor of the Territories and Mr. Haultain, 
 Premier of the Executive, and President of the Council of Public 
 Education, I could not forbear demanding the latter, in the pre- 
 sence of the President of the Board of Trustees, and the principal 
 citizens of the place, an explanation ot this state of aflfairs. 
 
13 — 
 
 untered by 
 
 TES. 
 
 *ublic Ins- 
 issued in 
 receive a 
 
 ncil of the 
 
 several of 
 s in Mani- 
 Territorie5« 
 f their ser- 
 
 ficate from 
 egina for a 
 fcoux arri- 
 kvith a first 
 ate, issued 
 1 of Mani- 
 x\ years of 
 me Board. 
 lie Instru- 
 ns exacted 
 js, without 
 aide Mar- 
 ertificates 
 of and ex- 
 This is 
 
 interest in 
 de that I 
 ) my certi- 
 class Nor- 
 ixchanged 
 Though I 
 the Coun- 
 Ige that I 
 ad the ho- 
 !. Mackin- 
 Haultain, 
 
 of Public 
 n the pre- 
 
 principal 
 
 Addressing Mr. Haultain, I said : '' T am happy to have once 
 more an occasion of s])enking to v*>u about our schools. With you 
 T take no round about way?, ])ut spoak my mind frankly and clear- 
 ly ; I know how much you appreciate such sincerity, because you 
 act in the same manner with me. 
 
 "' Well ! Sir. you have freciuently assured me that you have the 
 complete contr(d of education, and that nothing is done l>y the 
 Council of Public Instruction without your knowledge and appro- 
 bation ; but in spite of these affirmations, I regret to say that I sin- 
 cerely believe and am firmly convinced that the edncjitional systeni 
 of the Territories is entirely in the hands of the Superintendent. 
 
 "■ I am happy to admit, that in my per^^onal dealing with Mr. 
 Goggin I .' ave found him a perfect gentleman, his politeness and 
 affability certainly deserve the highest praise. But, unfortunately, 
 I cannot view him in the same light as Su[»erintendent of Education. 
 
 I am well aware and fully convincinl that it is he who steers the 
 bark and guides the helm, not by right, but in fact so that the 
 cai)tain and sailors may take a rest. 
 
 "You tell me, lam going too far; no, dear Mr Haultain, a 
 thousand times, no, I meiely affirm (acts. As far as I can see the 
 Supei'intendent does not even comply with the regulations of the 
 Council of Education, or, if he does, it is in a most arbitrary 
 manner as the following will prove 
 
 •' Is it not true that according to vour re<jfuIations a nrofessional 
 certificate, i-sued in Ontario or Manitoba since 1880), may be 
 exchanged in the North We.-t for a certificate of the same class and 
 degree ? — 
 
 You answer in the affirmative, believing such to be the case. — 
 
 " Well, relying on the >trength of tliis article <f y(tui' regulations 
 a young lady duly qualified came to teach school nt Fort S.iskatch- 
 ewan, and presented to tli'' Council of Education certificates of 
 scholarship and Normal school training issued since 18S6. In 
 exchange for tbe«e the Sujcrintcndent sent her a provisional certi- 
 ficate good for a year — '' You say that is impttssible.— \\'ell, T can 
 sliow you lure in my oftice thc-e veiy certificates, and the provi- 
 sional certificate given by the Sn|erintcndent. — There is no need of 
 my seeing th'-m. said Mr Haultain. Tlie whole afiair is certainly a 
 misunderstanding, which tnust be immediately rectified " — 
 
 Quite a time ha^ | assed since then, and. I may add, the mis- 
 understanding has never' been satisfactorily explained. 
 
 2. Let us now speak of another certificate, that of Miss Cusson. 
 
 In the spring of 1894 Miss Cusson was recpici-ted by the Trustees 
 of a certain school district, about 15 miles from St Albert, to accept 
 the charge of their school. As she was residing in Manitoba, her 
 first step was to enquire if her professional certificate of that Pro- 
 
-J4- 
 
 lljM ' 
 
 III 
 
 vince were acceptable in the North West. The trustees informed 
 her that according to the regulations of the Council of Public Ins- 
 truction, her certificates would entitle her to a North West Diploma. 
 So relying on the faith of these regulations, she abandoned her posi- 
 tion in Manitoba, came to Alberta, and undertook as teacher the char- 
 ge of the said school in the month of September of 1894. In a letter 
 addressed to me June 4 1895, she says : " Having obtained in 
 Manitoba first class diplomas in French and English, and a diploma 
 of the same class from the Normal School, issued by the Catholic 
 Board, I hoped to have no difficulty in obtaining from Regina an 
 equivalent certificate; but, to njy great suprise. I received only a 
 provisional certificate which will expire next August." 
 
 The certificates of Miss Camille Cusson, obtained i.t Manitoba 
 subsequently to 1886 are professional, and meet all the conditions 
 required by the regulations of the Council of Public Instruction. 
 Yet, they were exchanged for a certificate as illusive as it is 
 ]»rovisioiial. 
 
 Is this not making game of us? Does it not mean the closing 
 of our schools for want of teachers ? Yes, and I may add. the}' 
 have indeed been already too successful. In the face of so many 
 obstncles our schools cannot work, avd it is wii-h regret that we 
 have seen the school district of vSt. Thomas Duhamel depiived of a 
 teacher during several years. The districts of Bel crose and 
 St. Ann are still without teachers and several others' legally 
 erected are up to the present in the same position for the same 
 reasons. 
 
 His Lordship, Bishop) Pascal of Prince Albert, wiites to me on 
 the 18th of August 18D5: 
 
 " My Dear Father, — You must not remain ignorant of the fact 
 that our Schools of Saskatchewan are fast falling away, exee|iting 
 those held in the more populous centies. The schools of St. Louis 
 of Langcvin, Domremy, Fish Creek, St. Laurent, liellevue. (\irlton, 
 Cumberland etc., are without teachers. The childion arc buried in 
 ignorance. And this it appears, is what s(»me folks call " Progress '' 
 Out of the sixteen schools we formerly bad I now count but seven 
 or eight." 
 
 Now, had those certificates of Misses Marcoux. and Cusson l)een 
 issued by the Protcst.int section or by the Department of Education 
 of the Greenway Government, instead of the Catholic section and 
 under the signatiiies of Sui)erintendent liernier. and Archbish()j)s 
 Tachi' of St lioniface, tlien they would have be(Mi eagerly received 
 and heartily welcomed at llegina ; vvbcro they would have found a 
 devote defender in the zealous Superintendent of Education. 
 
 To meet this huncntable state of afl'airs, and sav(^ themselves 
 from further conjplaints concerning certificates, issued by tlie for- 
 
3S informed 
 Public Ins- 
 st Diploma, 
 ed her posi- 
 ler the char- 
 . In a letter 
 )btainpd in 
 i a diploma 
 he Catholic 
 I Regina an 
 ved only a 
 
 t Manitoba 
 
 conditions 
 
 "nst ruction. 
 
 vc as it is 
 
 the closing 
 add. they 
 of so many 
 •et that we 
 prived of a 
 erose and 
 ?rs* legally 
 r the same 
 
 Bs to me on 
 
 of the fact 
 , excepting 
 )f 8t. Louis 
 IP. Carlton, 
 ? buried in 
 ' Progress '' 
 L but seven 
 
 iisson been 
 Education 
 cction and 
 ■chltisho{)s 
 y received 
 ^e found a 
 .ion. 
 
 hem selves 
 liy the for- 
 
 — 15 — 
 
 mer Catholic Board of Manitoba, what have the North-West Counci 
 of Public Instruction done under the superintendence of Mr. Gog- 
 gin ? 
 
 They have simply amended their regulations by declaring that 
 certificates from all the other Provinces may be exchanged for 
 equivalent ones, or ones of lower degree, according to the pleasure of 
 the Council ; or even they may not bv; exchanged at all, especially if 
 they be guilty of bearing the stam[) of any thhig Catholic and French. 
 This is how we stand thank to the Ordinance of l^i92, and the dis- 
 positions of the Council of Public Instruction. In spite of all this, 
 our enemies boldly afiirm that Ave have Separate Schools in the 
 North-West. that we are satisfied with the |)resent system, and that 
 the Catholics of Manitoba would be only too happy to accept the 
 same. May God pre-erve them from such a calamity ! In the course 
 of this work I ^hall have occasion to speak again on this question. 
 
 §4. Provisional Ckrtificates. 
 
 In order to help school districts that could not, for one reason 
 or other, secure the services of a teacher holding a professional 
 certificate, the Council of Public Instruction may give provisional 
 certificates. 
 
 It mu>t be admitted that certificates of this kind cannot be 
 given without good reason, and only to such candidates as possess 
 the knowledge absolutely required to teach for the time being in 
 the school for which the application is made. But then these 
 certificates should l>e valid at least for a year, in order to give the 
 persons to whom they are granted, the time absolutely nece^^sary 
 to prepare themselves for the examinati(.)n, and also to allow the 
 di-trict the benefit of the school, which otherwise would have to 
 be closed on account of the certificate not being of sufiicient dura- 
 tion. 
 
 The following letters will exemplify what I term excessive se- 
 verity, and stiffness on the part of the Superintendent and the 
 Council of Public Instruction. Let the reader appreciate and judge 
 for himself. 
 
 (Firsi Ldtcr.) 
 
 FouT Saskatciikwan, Alia, August 31st 1895. 
 
 Reverend Father Lediu;, 
 
 Regina, Assn. 
 
 I Jim very sorry that I must again tre-i)ass upon your valuable 
 time in relation to )ny ('ertifioate. 
 
16 — 
 
 i 
 
 I'! 
 
 The Trustees of Creuzot R. C. School District and mybelf have 
 been waiting patiently for an answer from the Council of Public 
 Instruction, and up to this date no answer has been received. 
 
 It is of course very mortifying for me to have to importune you 
 in this manner in order to obtain justice. 
 
 I have produced a strong certificate from the Chairman of the 
 School Committee of my native town where I taught several years. 
 
 Another document of still more weight ha?! been shown, viz; — 
 that of Mr. Vital Cyr, Principal of (he Madawaska Tniining School, 
 an institution established by the State for the express purpose of 
 training teachers in the modern methods of imparting education. 
 
 A certificate from the Hon. N. A. Luce, Superintendent of Pu- 
 blic Schools for the State of Maine, has also been submitted. It 
 must not be forgotten that the whole system of Maine ranks with 
 that of the foremost States of the Union, and I would venture 
 to say, compares favorablj' even with that of the North-\\'est 
 Territories. 
 
 Still another Certificate of Educational value from the President 
 of St. Josei)h's College, Memramcook, N. B., has been brought for- 
 ward to strengthen my position ; and finally a petition from the 
 Trustees of this District, respectfully requesting a renewal of my 
 Certificate and declaring in words that cannot be misunderstood 
 that I have given entire satisfaction. 
 
 Notwithstanding nil these facts and in face of all these attesta- 
 tions there seems to be a disposition on the part of some to utterly 
 ignore my cbiims and crowd me out in direct opposition to the ear- 
 nest wishes of the Trustees and every rate payer in the district. 
 
 On i)resenting tlie attestations and certificates enumerated above, 
 I have been granted merely a provisional certificate good for nine 
 months only. 
 
 A provisional Certificate is usually granted for one year or up 
 to the time of the next examination. In the case of a tciieher at 
 present engaged in teaching and where the Tl'ustees ask tVu- a re- 
 newal of the certificate, this renewi'l may be granted, provided that 
 the Superintendent of Education thinks the interests of the School 
 retjuire it. 
 
 Now, if there is any nmn who has conceit enough to assume 
 that he kn«)ws more about the ncf^ds of this District than the Trus- 
 tees and all the people together, then let him take the responsa- 
 bility of rejecting their request. 
 
 When my petition for a renewal was forwarded, T was and am 
 still engaged in teaching. My agreement with the Trustees expires 
 only on the 29th of next month. 
 
 It seems to ine, Reverend Father, that I have proven beyond 
 the shadow of a doubt that I possess all the requisite qualifications 
 
— 17 
 
 lybelf have 
 
 1 of Public 
 jived, 
 ortune you 
 
 nan of the 
 eral years. 
 )wn, viz ; — 
 ing School, 
 purpo.se of 
 education, 
 ent of Pu- 
 nitted. It 
 •anks with 
 Id venture 
 ^^orth-West 
 
 2 President 
 rought for- 
 
 from the 
 val of my 
 inderstood 
 
 !se attesta- 
 to utterly 
 to the oar- 
 listrict. 
 ted above, 
 )d for nine 
 
 ^ear or up 
 toiicher at 
 k for a re- 
 vidod that 
 he .School 
 
 to jissuiue 
 the Trus- 
 responsa- 
 
 s and am 
 cs expires 
 
 n beyond 
 lifications 
 
 to teach in Creuzot School District. This is not said in a spirit of 
 egotism ; it is merely to assert my rights, and if they are disre- 
 garded, then it is neither more nor less than injustice and tyranny. 
 
 They would compel me to attend the session of the Normal 
 School; it has been impossible this year; I am unable to bear 
 the expense. 
 
 I was told by the Inspector of Schools that even if I were suc- 
 cessful at the Examination, this would not exempt me from attend- 
 ing Normal School. This is the reason why I did not present my- 
 self for Examination at Edmonton I resolved to appeal again to 
 the Council of Public Instruction, hoping that justice would be 
 rendered. 
 
 J. W. Keegan. 
 
 This letter was scarcely posted when the author received an 
 answer from the Council of Public Instruction, refusing to renew 
 or prolong his provisional certificate. 
 
 (Second Letter.) 
 
 St. Albkrt, September, 1st 1895. 
 
 Reverend Father Ledic, 
 
 In return for my certificates, I received from Rogina a licence 
 to teach during three months. This provisional certificate seems to 
 me perfectly useless, and I believe it is better for me not to com- 
 mence at all. 
 
 M. J. Ku ETSCII. 
 
 This Mr Kluctsch is an intelligent young man, recently from 
 Dakota, ho holds an excellent professional certincitte from that 
 State. Rut bec.iuse this certificate does not .^how that the owner 
 was examined on a certain number of branches reipiired in the 
 North-West even for a third class diploma viz : Literature, Algebra, 
 Geometry, Rota:iy, Agriculture or Physics, the Council of Public 
 Instruction grant him a provisional certificate good only for thrpe 
 months. Is this reasonable? What is the use of opening a school in 
 a new school district to (!lose it at the end of three months ? 
 
 Could not the said provisional certificate have been granted at 
 least until the examiiiations to be held in the following month of 
 August? 
 
18 — 
 
 CHAPTER TV 
 
 \\':i' 
 
 INSPECTORS. 
 
 Before the Ordinance of 1892 each of the two sections of the 
 Board of Education had the power to name its inspectors. Thanks 
 to this arrangement, there wa? neither mistrust nor clashing of 
 interests. The inspectors were of the religious faith of the schools 
 they were named to inspect, and by this very fact teachers and 
 pupils were alike inspired with confidence. 
 
 In promoting the general welfare, is it not a great advantage to 
 reinqye, as far as possible, all that could be a source of irritability, 
 fear or displeasure ? And should not the State be interested always, 
 and everywhere, in seeing that the same rights and privileges are 
 equally enjoyed by all? 
 
 These rights and privileges with regard to PZducation were 
 enjoyed in the North West prior to the Ordinance of 181)2. Then 
 both majority and minority had the complete control of their 
 schools, inspectors, etc, and both rivaled in zeal and energy for 
 the good of their schools. Some will argue that it matters little if 
 Protestant Schools are examined by Catholic inspectors, or Catholic 
 Schools be examined by Protestant inspectors. 
 
 Mr Haultain, President of the Council, speaking tome said: 
 " For my part, I don't see any reason why i\ Protestant Minister 
 could not examine your schools, as well as a Catholic priest could 
 examine ours. What we need is impartial inspection without res- 
 pect to persons, schools or religious denominations." 
 
 All this is very well, very easy to say, but far more difficult to 
 practise, as we will prove by and by. Meanwhile, upon the 
 recommendation of the Council of Public Instruction, the Lieu- 
 tenant Governor names four inspectors, of whom two are Prt)testant 
 teachers, the third, a minister of the Church of England and the 
 fourth a Catholic priest. 
 
 These four inspectors were to visit the Protestant and Catholic 
 Schools in turn, with this difference, which it is well to note, that 
 only once out of four times will the Catholic Schools be inspected 
 by an inspector of their religious denomination, while the Protes- 
 tant scliools will be inspected three times out of four by a Protestant 
 inspector. 
 
 
19 
 
 itions of the 
 
 )rs. Thanks 
 
 clashing of 
 
 the schools 
 
 sachers and 
 
 dvantage to 
 irritability, 
 sted always, 
 'ivileges are 
 
 iation were 
 1892. Then 
 :!)1 of their 
 energy for 
 ers little if 
 or Catholic 
 
 me said : 
 nt Minister 
 )riest could 
 i^ithout res- 
 difficult to 
 
 upon the 
 the Lieu- 
 Protestant 
 d and the 
 
 d (^itholic 
 note, that 
 
 1 inspected 
 he Protes- 
 Protestant 
 
 But rfoon and even at the very outset, means are found to eli- 
 minate the Catholic priest. Obligations incompatible with his 
 vocation are imposed on him. He is not even allowed to wear the 
 ecclesiastical costuujc of his church, and he is obliged to be entirely 
 at the disposal of the b^ducational Department. In a word, he must 
 of necessity either give up the exercise of his priestly ministry, or 
 reign his position as inspector. 
 
 Of coursp, he chose the latter alternative, and then the Council 
 of Public Instruction replaced him by a Protestant. 
 
 On the other hand albnv nifc to say that Protestant schools have 
 nothing to fear from a Catholic Inspector. By j)rinciple, as well as 
 by policy, and without ceasing to be just, the inspector will natur- 
 ally be inclined to give a liberal and satisfactory report of his 
 inspection. 
 
 Religion makes it a duty for him to respect the religious con- 
 victions of his separated brethren; his position, as member of the 
 <'atholic minority, reconunends these broad views, this very libe- 
 rality and horror of all that would be tinged with even the 
 slightest severity or intolerance. Would it lie the same with a pro- 
 testant inspector in our schools ? It is true minorities are naturally 
 touchy. Because they are the minority, they instinctively mistrust 
 the power and authority of the 'majority. Is this really without 
 reason and without cause? Do not we see, without the shadow of a 
 <loubt, the hostility of this Protestant niiijority with regard to our 
 Schools ? Do we not feel heavy ujion us the hostility of the au 
 thors of the scli0(-)ls law of 1892, and can we not see it i)lainly, 
 whether in the Council of Education or in the person of the Super- 
 intendent himself, as he applies the said law ? Is it not found 
 manifestly and unquestionably in the inspection of our school 
 subsequently to 1892? This is [)roved by the following protestation 
 addressed to the Secretary of the Council of Pul)lic instruction, 
 Regina, by the School Trustees of the St AlbcMt District on the 9th 
 of August, 1894. 
 
 St. Albert, Alberta. Aug. 9th 1894. 
 
 Ja.mes Brown Ksq. 
 
 Secretary C. of P. Instruction, Regina. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 We have recently received the copy of Inspector J. A. ('alder's 
 report of the inspection of No 3 C. P. School, St. Albert, to the 
 Council of Public Instruction, Regina. The inspecticm was madeby 
 Mr Cioggin, chief school inspector for the 'ierritories and Mr G. A. 
 Calder together. 
 
m 
 
 m 
 
 :i! 
 
 — 20 — 
 
 After having carefully read and noted the contents of this com- 
 munication, in which the well known and highly satisfactory 
 methods of teaching of the Rev. Sisters of Charity, who are in 
 charge of our School, are impeached and the standing in scholar- 
 ship of the pupils as well as iheir intelligence are insulted, we beg 
 most emphatically to protest against the gross and bigoted injustice 
 of such a report. As we know the teachers of our sch'^ol to be 
 Reverend ladies who are above suspicion or reproach, whose in- 
 fluence over the young especially fiud whose example must be held 
 at a high estimate by all fair minded men, as we know the results 
 of their teaching to be most satii^fnctory to all of us who are the 
 most directly concerned, we feel bound to tell you that we hold 
 our school and its teachers inviolate from such inspections as the 
 present one, whose purpose, hostile and malignant, was to magnify 
 trivial errors or failings of the baby pupils and either not men- 
 tion or to diimn with faint praise any merit of the older and more 
 advanced piipils. 
 
 We eharacteri/e this inspection as being hostile and malignant : 
 hostile, because Messrs. Goggin & Calder are known to hold most 
 extretreand unreasonable views against that principle that we hold 
 most dear, viz. the principle of sei)arate schools; and malignant, 
 because the ins|)ection was held in secret. There was no check upon 
 these gentlemen. No trustee, parent or clergyman was present or 
 invited to be present. Nor had we any official knowledge that they 
 Avere coming to hold the inspection. 
 
 Although the inspectors ])assed and repassed the nloces of 
 business of Messrs. McKenney and Brosseau, trustees of the School, 
 several times during the inspection, they (the inspectors) had no 
 wor<l of any kind to say to them ; in fact, did not see them at all. 
 We regard such conduct on the part of the inspectors as most 
 singulnr in view o2"the fact that the clergy, trustees, parents and 
 the interested public had always been present at previous exami- 
 nations or inspections. 
 
 We regard many of the statements made in the report as frivolous 
 and childish ; for exani[>le, children in the 8rd class are reported 
 not to know the difference between " Put the match in the box,' 
 and " I'ut the box under the match," also not to know how many 
 fours there are in (5 or 6"s in 7. Also many of the pupils in the 
 second room are reported (in all seriousness by the inspectors) not 
 to know what a river is or a lake. Not to have answered such ques- 
 tions correctly implies that the questions were not properly worded ; 
 for such know] 
 
 •ledge. 
 
 instinctiv 
 
 need not of necessity be learned in books at all. As the mother 
 tongue of the majority of the pupils is French or Cree, we can 
 readily understand how poorly qualified these gentlemen were to 
 
>f this coni- 
 Hutisfactory 
 who are in 
 
 in scholar- 
 ted, we beg 
 ed injustice 
 ch'^ol to be 
 , whope in- 
 lust be held 
 
 tlie results 
 vho are the 
 lat we hold 
 lions as the 
 
 to magnify 
 r not men- 
 v and more 
 
 malignant : 
 liold most 
 
 lat we hold 
 malignant, 
 
 check upon 
 present or 
 
 [e that they 
 
 places of 
 the Hchool, 
 rs) had no 
 hem at all. 
 n's as most 
 larents and 
 ous cxami- 
 
 iis frivolous 
 •e reported 
 II the box,' 
 how many 
 ipils in the 
 ectors) not 
 such qucs- 
 ■ly worded ; 
 nc^tive and 
 he mother 
 ee, we can 
 en were to 
 
 
 — 21 — 
 
 inspect not only the juniors but almost all of the pupils and to be 
 just and fair to them. 
 
 A tiny little gir^ was asked how many legs a spider has. The 
 child of course di * not know, neither could slie be expected to 
 know, nor does her father, who is the chairman of the Board of 
 Trustees, know. The question was manifestly away out of order, for 
 the species of spider was not mentioned, and the child was only in 
 the beginning of the 2nd Reader. As the mother tongue of the 
 majority of the pupils is not English, the difficulties in teaching 
 are obvious and should account to any reasonable man for the 
 pupils not being quite so far advanced perhaps as a school the 
 pupils of which are purely English speaking ; and moreover, as 
 the inspector quoted below says, owing to the children of different 
 races being unavoidably in the same classes, the varied gifts and 
 different races ought fairly to l>e expected to retard the progress of 
 the more gifted pnjjils, especially the purely English ones. 
 
 Instead of making any allowance for this drawback, Messrs. 
 Goggin and Calder criticize and condemn the whole conduct of 
 the school. 
 
 While the chief object of the school is, as it is required to be 
 and as it should be, to teach the English language, the trustees 
 are authorized to allow an elementary course in the Frencdi language. 
 As, notwithstanding the lingual drawbacks of the school, the pupils 
 are in our opinion in a most satisfactory state of advancement in 
 the English language and we believe comparable, grade for grade, 
 with the pupils of any other school in the Territories, we beg to 
 submit that the school cannot be conducted without the use of the 
 Frr nch language and that the extent of that language taught in 
 the school is muoh less than what would be called an elementary 
 course. 
 
 An inspection was made of the school on May 30th 1893 by 
 Inspector Hewgill who wrote as follows: 
 
 !May 30th 1893. Insi)ected to-day and must say (what I seldom 
 say in the Visitors' Book,) that I consider this school to be in an 
 excellent c(nidition and the work done is of such a varied and difli- 
 cult character that comparisons with other schools cannot be made. 
 1 have the highest opinion of the work being done by the Histers in 
 charge. 
 
 J. Hewgill 
 
 Inspector. 
 
 Clearly, Mr Hewgill fully understood the diflicultieM and allowed 
 for them ; 
 
 As to Mr. Calder's report, we once more protest against it and dis- 
 tinctly contradict it. We declare at the same time, that the Rev. 
 
-22 
 
 m 
 
 i » 
 
 ip'i 
 II 
 
 Sister Dillon, the accomplished lady principal of the school, with 
 her assistants the Rev. Sisters Truteau and Thiffault are among the 
 very best qualified teachers in the Territories in the Engli-h lan- 
 guage and the French also. 
 
 We declare furthermore that we are -supporters of the Separate 
 School principle and will always remain so, trusting and hoping 
 that our schools in these Territories will soon be emancipated 
 from a condition of affairs that is so offensive in every way to all fair- 
 minded men. 
 
 We are, Yours respectfully. 
 
 H. W. McKenney, Chairman of Trmtces. 
 
 (Signed) 
 
 E. Brousseau. ) «, 
 M. Merer. j ^'^ 
 
 'ustees 
 
 To this noble and firm protest of the trustees, allow me to add 
 that the inspectors completely ignored the teaching of French, as 
 to which the pupils were not examined. They were questioned in 
 English, even those differing in race and language, and no allo- 
 wance was made for the fact that manj"^ of the children had not 
 yet had time to learn enough English to catch the meaning or the 
 drift of the questions. 
 
 While engaged in this work, I happened to read in " The 
 Courrier du Canada," of Aug. 25th, 1895, a long article on, " The 
 Catholic Schools of Ottawa." I take the liberty of reproducing a 
 considerable part of it. Applied to the North- West, it explains 
 with marvelous accuracy our present position with reference to the 
 school question. 
 
 '* The inspectors charged to enquire into the system of teaching 
 in the St. Albert Catholic schools have made their report. They 
 plainly insinuate that the methods of teaching employed by the 
 Sisters are not efficacious." 
 
 '* Messrs. Goggin and Calder are far from being French scholars, 
 the children they examined are superior to them in this respect. 
 Children of from eight to ten years were examined in English, 
 orally or in writting ; these children speak English better then 
 either of the inspectors can speak French." 
 
 Are these gentlemen able to write French, as well as these little 
 folks write English ? And is the intellectual aristocracy of the 
 North West in a position here to applaud itself on account of its 
 knowledge or its progress in instruction and education, when it is 
 caught in the very act of not knowing one of the official lan- 
 guages of the country ? If there is reason here to be astonished or 
 
 
-23 — 
 
 school, with 
 e aiuong the 
 Kngli-h Ian- 
 he Separate 
 and hoping 
 Mnancipated 
 ly to all fair- 
 
 fees. 
 
 [ Trustees 
 
 w me to add 
 f French, as 
 uestioned in 
 find no allo- 
 ren had not 
 aning or the 
 
 id in "The 
 le on, " The 
 producing a 
 it exphiins 
 3rence to the 
 
 I of teaching 
 Bport. They 
 oyed by the 
 
 ich scholars, 
 
 this respect. 
 
 in English, 
 
 better then 
 
 s these little 
 jracy of the 
 icount of its 
 n, when it is 
 official lan- 
 istonished or 
 
 scandalized, where is it? on the part of the children or of the ins- 
 pectors ? The young Halfbreeds and French Canadians of St. Albert 
 have more knowledge of the English In nguage than their learned 
 inspectors have of the French. And yet these dear children have 
 to learn this official, living, literary, diplomatic french language, 
 which their learned fellow citizens do not evfii dare to attempt 
 because they find it so difficult to speak and write." 
 
 " Does not this more than suffice to explain how children, the 
 great majority of whom are from five to ten years old, could fail, 
 whether orally or in writing, to answer in perfect English ? " 
 
 " In the report it is stated that little Canadian pupils were 
 examined by English professors who knew only their own language; 
 that they were questioned in arithmetic, geography, history, 
 grammar, spelling and reading. " Suppose the Professors of the 
 Public Schools of the North West were questioned in French, on 
 the same matters, by Parisian examiners, knowing no language 
 but French ; would the answers, whether ornl or written be better 
 than those which the children gave and which the report comments 
 upon." 
 
 " Even the P^nglish teachers are unable to learn the two lan- 
 guages ; is there then, any common sense in requiring children of 10 
 years to know them both and at the same time to be mathemati- 
 cians, geographers, historians ? " 
 
 " What is this rigor aiming at, that requires french children 
 to learn everything in English at such a tender age ? Is it the 
 proscription of the French language, owing to the fact that the 
 English teachers themselves practically acknowledge their inability 
 to learn the two languages ? " 
 
 " The examination was made according to a new method different 
 from that usually employed by the Sisters ; consequently, the pu- 
 pils were embarrassed, intimidated, not only by the language but, 
 at the same time, by a method with which they were not familiar." 
 
 " Such a mode of proceeding would have been sufficient to per- 
 plex students of fifteen, twenty and twenty-five years of age." 
 
 Indeed, it would seem that Inspectors Goggin and Calder, be- 
 fore leaving Regina for the school inspections of 1894, had been 
 directed and were determined to make the uiost hostile and unfavor- 
 able reports of the Catholic institutions. Until then the reports of 
 the schools, taught by nuns, especially those of St. Albert, Calgary, 
 Edmonton, etc., were most satisfactory, even excellent. According 
 to their opinion all these schools were making rapid progress, when 
 lo ! all of a sudden, without any apparent reason, at the same time, 
 in the very same year, under the same teachers, all these schools 
 fall into a most deplorable stiite of inferiority. Parents, trustees and 
 the Catholic clergy, so interested in their honor, all failed to per- 
 
1*1': 
 
 I } 
 i ! 
 
 [[ 
 
 — 24 — 
 
 oeive this great change ; they must have been suddenly blinded, 
 since they continued to find progress where all was decadence. 
 
 Is this possible? Evidently not. By studying the Inspectors' 
 reports of the St. Albert schools for 1894, it will be easy to see what 
 was the two fold' aim of the Inspector, doubtless inspired by the 
 Superintendent: 1st to affirm, at any rate, the necessity for teaching 
 Sisters to follow a Normal course at Regina, otherwise their teach- 
 ing would never amount to anything ; 2nd. to eradicate from the 
 schools the French language, which he mentioned only to and fault 
 with the fact that even an elementary course should be taught. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 TEXT-BOOKS. - READERS AND HISTORY. 
 
 It is now time to consider and study the vital question of text- 
 books prescribed for schools. 
 
 We have already seen how the Council of Public Instruction, 
 alvvays supported by the hypocritical Ordinance of 1892, has, from 
 the verv beginning of its existence, stripped the Catholic Minority | 
 of all the rights they were in possession of respecting the adminis- I 
 tration and discipline of their schools, the formation of teachers, | 
 the examinations of candidates, the granting of certificate?!, the | 
 appointment of inspectors and examiners, one thing only remained 9 
 for the Council to do, and it has not recoiled before this last f 
 outrage on our most sacred rights. | 
 
 The Catholic section of the former Board of Education, occas- I 
 ionally made, for peace sake, certain concessions regarding the % 
 choice of books for the teaching of arithmetic, geography, geometry, 
 xilgebroe, and other such sciences ; but it was always inexorable in 
 keeping its own books of history, reading and literature. It upheld 
 the principle of placing in the hands of children books wherein 
 besides learning to read perfectly, they ■would learn the knowledge 
 of God, and the love of Jesus Christ. Without losing a single mo- 
 ment of the time prescribed for the acquisition of profane and | 
 secular sciences, Catholic children, by using thdir own reading I 
 books have *he advantage of acquiring divine ind supernatural $ 
 knowledge. They know that they are from God, that they belong to | 
 Him, that they should serve Him by observing his law and keeping I 
 
nly blinded, 
 cadence. 
 e Inspectors' 
 y to see what 
 pired by the 
 r for teaching 
 I their teach- 
 late from the 
 T to find fault 
 e taught. 
 
 stion of text- 
 Instruction, 
 >92, has, from 
 olic Minority 
 the adminis- 
 of teachers, 
 rtificate-i, the 
 nly remained 
 tore this last 
 
 ation, occas- 
 regarding the 
 hy, geometry, 
 inexorable in 
 ^re. It upheld 
 ooks wherein 
 he knowledge 
 a single mo- 
 profane and 
 own reading 
 supernatural 
 they belong to 
 V and keeping 
 
 
 I 
 
 - 25 - 
 
 His commandments. These books teach them that they will return 
 to their Creator, for the possession and contemplation of whom 
 they were created. In these same books they will find the divine 
 sanction of good and evil ; eternal reward for the one, eternal pun- 
 ishment for the other. They are taught that Christ is their model 
 and that they should imitule Him and walk in his footstej)S. These 
 books remind them that they have an immortal soul, made to the 
 image and likeness of God, which thoy must ornament with all 
 the virtues produced and vivified by Faith, Hope and Chnrity. 
 
 These books are in no way inferior to the others with regard to 
 literature and human sciences while they rupply and fill the heart 
 and soul with a divine aliment, a divine impulse to the practice of 
 virtue. But have Catholics a right tn put into the hands of their 
 children reading books wherein are stated (loginas which the Pro- 
 testant niajorit}' do not believe, a revelation which they reject or 
 explain as they choose, and wherein is proclaimed the authority of 
 a church against which they combat? 
 
 The Council of Public Instruction i-; evidently in favor of the 
 negative; so, immediately regulations are made, promulgated and 
 put in force. Now, it is ail over. One of the greatest obstacles to 
 materialistic and godless schools is abolished and annihilated by 
 brute force or by the law of the stronge.-t. We have no longer the 
 choice of our readers. 
 
 Shall we at least keep our Catholic text-books of British and 
 Canadian history ? These authors, relying on most certain facts, 
 and on the most authentic evidences triumphantly refute all 
 the lies and calumnies invented and spread by free thought, ratio- 
 nalism, schism and heresy; by materialism, infidelity and atheism 
 against the Catholic Church and her institutions. 
 
 They aflirni and prove that this Church has always been the 
 guardian of truth and right, the treasurer of all divine and human 
 knowledge, the foundress of grand universities, the safeguard of 
 science even during those periods which are so falsely deemed ages 
 of darkness and ignorance. They also prove that the Catholic Church 
 has ever been the mother of civilization in every nation, to whom 
 she has brought the treasure of her light and teachings. 
 
 This is too bad ; such authors should not be tolerated. The 
 Council of Public Instruction discuss this new question and their 
 resolution is soon taken. Lingard and The Christian Brothers are 
 discarded from the schools and Buckley and Robertson are adopted 
 in their stead. In a subsequent chapter we will see what a poor 
 excuse the Council of Public Instruction will bring forward to 
 justify this new act of despotism. 
 
 In his speech in the House of Commons, Ottawa, February 17th 
 
 3 
 
— 26 — 
 
 'Mf 
 
 M 
 
 >\ : 
 
 1895. The Honorable Nicholas F. Davin, Member for West 
 Assiniboia, speaking of the school system could say : 
 
 " It is a very moderate system, wholly different from what is 
 called for by the remedial orders. In the North West Territories 
 we have Public schools and separate schools. We have the same 
 system of inspection for both, the same curriculum, the same books, 
 the same teaching on the same schedule from 9 to 3" (He should 
 have said from 9 to 3.30.) 
 
 This stateinent of the Honorable N. F. Davin is perfectly correct, 
 but I challenge him to finil separate schools, true catholic schools, in 
 the moderate system which he so acurrately describes. 
 
 I have just been officially informed of another indubitable 
 instance of ill will on the part of the Su|)erintendent and the Coun- 
 cil of Education. With this we will close ihe present cha})ter. In 
 the beginning of July 1895, the Council of Public Instruction was 
 duly summoned in Regina to discuss, among other subjects, the 
 expediency of adding a new series of Readers to the one already 
 approved and obligatory in all the schools of the Territories. 
 
 The Council is of opinion that this series shall be sim{)ly sup- 
 plementary and that the schools shall be free to adopt or reject it. 
 Things being arranged in this way. the Catholic members of the 
 Council of Education, Reverend Father 8innett and Mr. A. F. For- 
 get, propose to adopt for Cutholic schools, as free and supplementary 
 Readers, the books in use in the said schools before the Ordinance 
 of 1892, viz." The Dominion Catholic Series." They rightly declared 
 that this Avas a most favorable occasion for the members of the 
 Council who would prove by the granting of this moderate request 
 that they have been falsely accused of persecuting the Catholic 
 minority, and that, when the opportunity presents itself, they are 
 happy to meet their just demands. 
 
 Text books obligatory in the Protectant schools, will remain 
 obligatory in the Catholic schools, but these latter will be free to 
 have su])plementary readers of their own choice. 
 
 Could there be anything more just and more moderate than 
 this ret lu est ? 
 
 The Right Rev. Cyprian Pinkham, Church of England Bishop of 
 Calgary and Saskatchewan, was kind enough to supi)ortthe request 
 ot Father Hiimett and Mr Forget. He claimed for us this act of 
 tolerance and most elementary justice, and though he failed in his 
 attempt, yet we thank him very sincerely. But the best reasons were 
 of no avail against the most evident ill-will which it is possible to 
 imagine. 
 
 The members of the Executive, being alone entitled to vote, 
 deliberated among themselves, a vote was taken, and the request of 
 the Catholics was unanimously rejected ! 
 
r for West 
 
 Tom what is 
 
 t Territories 
 
 ve tlie same 
 
 same books, 
 
 (He should 
 
 ictly correct, 
 ic schools, in 
 
 indubitable 
 ul theCoun- 
 cha))ter. In 
 ruction was 
 subjects, the 
 one already 
 lories. 
 
 sini[)ly sup- 
 
 or reject it. 
 
 nbeis of the 
 
 •. A. F. For- 
 
 3plenientary 
 
 e Ordinance 
 
 tly declared 
 
 nbers of the 
 
 rate request 
 
 he Catholic 
 
 Blf, they are 
 
 will remain 
 11 be free to 
 
 derate than 
 
 id Bishop of 
 t the request 
 this act of 
 failed in his 
 •easons were 
 5 possible to 
 
 led to vote, 
 le request of 
 
 27 — 
 
 CHAPTER VT 
 
 THE CATHOLIC MIXORTTY AT THE LEGlSr.ATIVE 
 ASSEMBLY OF 1894. 
 
 The iniquity has been perpetrated, our Separate Schools, thor.gh 
 they still retain the name, are in reality destroyed, and we are at- 
 the mercy of our politicians. 
 
 What remain- to be done ? Must we submit, cowardly al)andon 
 our most sacred rights, and suffer a fundamental principle of our 
 faith and religious convictions to be trampled under foot ? No. a 
 thousand times, no. We will never give up or yield our rights, but 
 unceasingly protest against thi;? hostile power. We vvill boldly and 
 fearlessly fight for the cause of Christian Education against the 
 pestiferous education which secret societies, especially free ma- 
 sonry, and the god- State, are now trying to impose upon all men 
 against their will. 
 
 In the month of August 1894, I went to Regina. where the Legis- 
 lative AssemV)ly was in session, to obtain necessary amendments to 
 the School Ordinance of 1892, as well as to the regulations of the 
 Council of Public Instruction. I immediately communicated with 
 my devoted friend Mr A. E. Forget, the sincere, determined and 
 enlightened defender of our schools and rights, my colleague as 
 member of the former Board of Education, and even to-day one of 
 the Catholic advisers of the Council of Public Instruction, where 
 he has no longer the right to vote. 
 
 After having outlined together our plan of campaign, we invited 
 the two Catholic members of the Legislative Assembly to lend their 
 aid during the Session and support us with all their might. Messrs 
 Prince and Boucher kindly put themselves at our service, for which 
 we here thank them very sincerely. 
 
 On theoOth of August, Mr A. Prince gave to the Legislative As- 
 sembly notice of the following resolution : 
 
 Whereas, at the request of His E.xcellency the (lovernor-General 
 in Council, His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor has laid before this 
 Assembly copies of various petitions, memorials and other docu- 
 ments from which it appears that there exists among the Roman 
 
— 28 - 
 
 <H i: 
 
 ill 
 
 Catholic citizens of the Territories, shared alike by their co-reli- 
 gionists in other parts of the Dominion, a feeling of great uneasi- 
 ness and discontent over certain features of the School Ordinances 
 and Regulations now in force in these Territories. 
 
 Whereas, in the opinion of His Excellenc}' the Governor-Gencral- 
 in-Council, ttiese petitijns and documents relate to " matters of 
 '' deep concern and solicitude in the interests of the Dominion at 
 '' large, and that it is of the utmost importance to the people of 
 " Canada that the laws which prevail in any portion of the Domi- 
 " nion should not be such as to occasion complaint or op})ression 
 '' or injustice to any class or portion of the people ; but should be 
 " recognized as establishing pericct freedom and equality, esi)ecial- 
 " iy ill all matters relating to religious belief and practice: " 
 
 Wlieroas. His Excellency the GoviMMior-General-in-Council, im- 
 pressed with the gravity of the situation and being desirous of i)ro- 
 moting a better state of feeling, has deemed it his duty to express 
 the most earnest hoi)e that tliis Assembly will, at the earliest mo- 
 ♦nent, take into its consideration the various complaints made and 
 adopt speedy measures to give redress in all matters in relation to 
 which any well founded complaint or grievance may be found 
 to exist : 
 
 Whereas, His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor in that part of his 
 speech, at the opening of this session, relative to the same subject, 
 after a most felicitous reference to His Grace the late Archbishop 
 Tache, whose name gives such prominence to the complaints set 
 forth in the documents above referred to, lias but expressed the 
 sentiment of the individual members of this Assembly when stating 
 his confidence that the opinions of His Grace the late Archbishoi) 
 Tache would be received with that moderation, that consideration 
 and that generous sympatiiy to wiiich his life's work so well en- 
 titles him. " 
 
 Resolved : Tiiat the said petitions, memorials .md other docu- 
 ments now before this Assembly relating to the complaints of the 
 Roman Catholics against certain of the provisions of the School Or- 
 dinancc;: and Regtilations, now in force in these Territories, be re- 
 ferred to the Standing School Committee with instructions to en- 
 quire into and leport on the same ; and that for the i)urpose of 
 such en(iuiry, am[)le opportunity be affordetl to representative-t ol 
 the complainants for appearing and fully stating their case before 
 the said committee. 
 
 This resolution, proposed by Mr A. i'rince and seconded by Mr 
 HoucIhm', was voted on by the Legislature a few days later, and Mr 
 A. E, Forget and myself were called on to put forth the complaints 
 and the rights of the Catholic minority. 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
-29 — 
 
 J their co-reli- 
 - great uneasi- 
 ool Ordinances 
 
 rernor-Gencral- 
 to " matters of 
 e Dominion at 
 • the people of 
 >n of the Domi- 
 . or oppression 
 but should be 
 lality, especial- 
 raetice : " 
 in-('ouncil, im- 
 lesirous of pro- 
 rluty to ex{)ress 
 he earliest nio- 
 aints made and 
 s in relation to 
 may be found 
 
 that part of his 
 e same subject, 
 ate Archbishop 
 
 cotni)laints set 
 ; expressed the 
 ly when stating 
 ate Archbishop 
 it consideration 
 >rk so well en- 
 
 md other docu- 
 m plaints of the 
 f the School Or- 
 erritories, be re- 
 tructions to en- 
 the purpose of 
 ipre.sentative-( ot 
 heir case before 
 
 seconded by iMr 
 vs hiter, and Mr 
 I the complaints 
 
 
 « 
 
 The Representatives of the Catholics before the Committee 
 
 At the beginning of September 1894, the School Committee, na- 
 me'l by the Legislative Assembly, met at Regina. in one of the 
 rooms of the Lansdowne, at half past ten A. M., Mr Tweed, presi- 
 dent of the Committee and member for Western Assiniboia, re- 
 quested us to lay before them at once our petitions and our grie- 
 vances. 
 
 We then handed him the following document which he read : 
 
 RK.GINA, 31st August 1894. 
 
 To the Standing Scnooi. Committee, 
 
 of the North-NN'est Legislative Assembly. 
 
 The undersigned, acting for and on behalf of the Roman Catho- 
 lics of the North-West Territories, beg leave to respectfully submit, 
 before the Standing School Committee, the following as a summary 
 of their comj)laint8 against certain of the provisions of the School 
 Ordinances and Regulations now in force in the Territories : 
 
 1. That each and every i)rovision of the school ordinances now 
 in force, which directly or indirectly tends to deprive the Roman 
 Catholics of the nianagoment of their schools, is strongly resented, 
 as an encroachment on their rights as guaranteed to them by sec- 
 tion 14 of the North-West Territories Act. 
 
 2. That among the rights whiidi they consider they have l)oen 
 thus wrongfully deprived of — unwittingly they hope— are the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 (1) To have under their control the general management and 
 discii»line of their schools. 
 
 (2) To arrange for the examination, grading and licensing of 
 their teachers, tlu^ issue of certificates and the cancelling of the 
 same upon suflicicnt cause. 
 
 (3) The selection of all books for use in their school-'. 
 
 (4) Inspection of their schools by (pialilicd persons of their own 
 
 faith. 
 
 (o) The right of establishing schools of their faith witii bounda- 
 ries irrespective of those of i'ldjlic School Oistricts already esta- 
 blished. 
 
 (()) The right of using the French language for teaching in those 
 of their school-, where this langmige i-i that of the i)Up'ls attending 
 tlie same. 
 
 (7) The right of opening their schools by the recitation t)f a 
 prayer. 
 
 3. That the riglits above enumerated were, prior to the passing 
 
-30 — 
 
 M'l 
 
 'I ' 1 
 
 ' ■ i 
 
 of the Ordinance of 1892, exercised by a section of the late Board 
 of Education, com[)Osed exclusively of Roman Catholics. 
 
 4. That the same are now exercised by the Council of Public 
 Instruction, composed of the members of the Executive Committee 
 and four appointed members, two Protestants and two Roman Ca- 
 tholics ; the latter without votes. 
 
 f). That the present Executive is composed wholly of Protestants, 
 with little hope of its complexion being changed, so long as the 
 numerical proportion of Roman Catholics remains as it now is. 
 
 6. That, while the Roman Catholics in common with a grea^ 
 many Protestants would have preferred the continuation of a Board 
 appointed for the administration of ^Educational matters, as giving 
 a greater degree of permanency they do not, however, as Roman 
 Catholics, object to a Council of Public Instruction with direct res- 
 ponsibility to the people, and would not now raise any objection to 
 it, if their representati^-es on the same were given similar powers to 
 those enjoyed and exercised by the Roman Catholic Section of the 
 late Board of Education. 
 
 7. That the Regulation lequiring normal training, while consi- 
 dered by the undersigned as a step in the right direction, will, if 
 enforced as it now stands, practically exclude the Reverend Sisters. 
 who do not yet hold professional certificates, as owing to the rules 
 of their respective orders, they are unable to attend the normal 
 courses contemplated under the said regulations. 
 
 8. The undersigned would therefore respectfully suggest, if long 
 years of teaching in countries nmre advanced than the'se Territories, 
 be not considered equal to the normal training which they might 
 receive hero in the course of a few months, that tliey be given the 
 privilege of a session in one of their schools, such as Calgnry, when- 
 ever their number may be considered large enough to justify the 
 expenditure ; and in this connection they would refer to a rfccent 
 resolution of the Assembly directing that m Normal Session beheld 
 at certain points named whenever i<ix candidates can be brought 
 together. 
 
 To facilitate the extending of tiiis i)rivilege the undersigned are 
 authorized to say that the Rev. Sisters will be pleased to have the 
 course attended by any female lay candidate', Protestants as well 
 as Catholic."*, who migiit desire to avail themselves of the same. 
 
 9. The undersigned would also respectfully l)ut most earnestly 
 reque-it that the regulation ])rescribing the use of the Ontario Rea- 
 ders and iUickleys and Robertson's History of England and Ca- 
 nada be repealed and that no further change he made; in the pres- 
 cribed text books for Roman Catholic Schools without the approval 
 of their representatives on the Council of Public Instruction. 
 
 10. Should it not be considered advisable to restore to the Cu- 
 
-31 — 
 
 the late Board 
 
 )lics. 
 
 ancil of Public 
 
 tive Committee 
 
 wo Roman Ca- 
 
 of Protestants, 
 
 long as the 
 •5 it now is. 
 
 1 with a great 
 tion of a Board 
 tters, as giving 
 ver, as Roman 
 vith direct res- 
 ny objection to 
 nilar powers to 
 
 Section of the 
 
 ig, while consi- 
 lection, will, if 
 verend Sisters, 
 ng to the rules 
 id the normal 
 
 'Uggest, if long 
 e'se Territories, 
 ich they might 
 y be given the 
 O'iilgiiry, when- 
 to justify the 
 fer to a rtcent 
 Session be held 
 an be brouglit 
 
 iidcrsigned nro 
 od to have the 
 e^tants as well 
 )f the same, 
 most earnestly 
 3 Ontario Roa- 
 a;hinil and Ca- 
 il(! in the pres- 
 it the api)roval 
 iruction. 
 tore to the Ca- 
 
 tholics the privilege they heretofore enjoyed of ht^ving their schools 
 inspected by Insi)ectors of their faith, they would also earnestly 
 request that, of the two annual inspections required, one at least be 
 made by a Roman (Aitholic Inspector. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 H. Leduc, 0. M. L 
 A. E. Forget, 
 
 Rom. Cath. Member of the Council 
 
 of Public Education. 
 
 After the rending of the foregoing document, on the invitation 
 of the President I addressed the Committee, and expressed myself 
 as follows : 
 
 Mr Chairman, 
 
 gentf.kmen of the committee 
 
 I sincerely thank you for consenting to-day to give to M. Forget 
 and myself every facility and full liberty to lay before you the 
 complaints of the Catholics of the North-\Ve.st, and the grievances 
 which they endure on iieeount of the School Ordinance and of the 
 Regulations of the Council of Public Instruction to which we are 
 subject. 
 
 By no means do F come before you in a spirit of antagonism 
 and hostility. In tlie name of the Bishops and of the clergy, in the 
 name of the faitliCiil Catliolios of the Territories, I come before you, 
 and through you before the Legislative Assembly, ii\ a spirit of 
 conciliation, after seriously studying tne School Ordinance of 13;>2 
 and. every <dause of which it is composed. 
 
 This ordinance is u . vo-edged sword. It has been so cleverly 
 fashioned, that il allows good as well as evil, am^ authorizes the 
 existence or the complete destruction of our schools. 
 
 Nevertheless, [ do not come to ask you to re[)eal this Ordinance, 
 becau^^e \ know you do not wish to do so, you would not do so at ])re- 
 sent. What T ask for the present is certain aniendements that are 
 of the utmost importance -an absolute neces,aity. 
 
 If the Ordinance had been made in a spirit of justice and libera- 
 lity, with a firm will to protect the progress and the maintenance 
 of the separate schools of the Catholic minority, as elhi-aciously as 
 the progress and maintejiance of the pul)lic schools of the Pro- 
 testant majority, we might not have so much injustice to deplore. 
 Unfortunately it is not so. 
 
 Believe me Mr Chairnum and gentlemen of the Cojnmiltee, we 
 Catholics have as much at heart as anyone to spread around us the 
 benefits of education, in this land of our birlii or of our adoption 
 
%v. 
 
 I 1 
 
 — 32 - 
 
 in this Canada which we love, and which we desire to see growing 
 and prospering. 
 
 Be fully convinced that we desire more than anyone to see our 
 schools established, fortified, multiplied and i)Ossessed of the highest 
 possible degree of efficiency in every resj)ect. 
 
 It is for this end that in every place where we establish missions, 
 by the side of the church and the priest's residence may be seen the 
 building destined for the education of children. 
 
 Long before the Canadiiin Confederation, from the time of the 
 first foundations made by us, Oblates of Mary Immaculate in these 
 vast territories at I'lle a la Crosse, at Lac Ste Anne, at St. Albert» 
 at Lac Labiche, etc.. we opened schools, we strained every nerve, 
 we deprived ourselves even of necessaries to maintain them and to 
 facilitate their attendance by children whose parents were, to say 
 the least, indifferent, if not opposed to these institutions, the im- 
 portance of which was not understood and is not yet understood by 
 many among then" 
 
 It is true that we, priests and religious, are, at least while exer- 
 cising our sacred ministry, missionaries before all else ; nevertheless 
 in many circumstances we have made ourselves school teachers for 
 the Half-Breeds and the Indians. 
 
 Times are cbanged now ; tiie country is opened to civilization. 
 We want solid, stable, itermanent educational institutions. Ex- 
 perience lias proved for centuries [last and proves still every day 
 that in order to attain so desirable an end, wo. must call upon 
 conuuunities and religious orders devoted to education. 
 
 So long as we were obliged to have recourse to chance teachers, 
 to men and women who take to teaching for want of better em- 
 ployment, that is to say, which are waiting for a position in life more 
 suited to their taste and to their vocation, our schools could not 
 prosper. Open to-day and closed tomorrow, what results could we 
 ex])ect ? 
 
 It has been quite otherwise since we have been able tt) confide 
 our schools to Nuns. We have to-day in the Territories five con- 
 gregations of Sisters devoted to the education of diildren. 
 
 The Sisters of Charity, otherwise called Grey Nuns of Montreal* 
 
 The Faithful Coniiianions of Jesus, 
 
 The Sisters of tlio Assumption, of Nicolet, 
 
 The Sisters of Cluu'ity, also of Nicolet, 
 
 The Si"^ters of Providence, of Montreal, 
 
 The faithful Companions of Jesus and tlieHisters of the Assump- 
 tion are religious congregations exclusively devoted to teaching. All 
 are formed to tliis kind of life from their entrance into the commu- 
 nity. The young teach under the direction of the older members, and 
 these perfect themselves from day to day by study and by expe- 
 rience. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
-33 — 
 
 :o see growing 
 
 one to see our 
 I of the highest 
 
 jlish missions, 
 lay be seen the 
 
 le time of the 
 ;ulate in these 
 at St. Albert* 
 i every nerve, 
 n them and to 
 3 were, to say 
 itions, the im- 
 understood by 
 
 ist while exer- 
 
 ; nevertheless 
 
 ol teachers for 
 
 ;o civilization, 
 titutions. Ex- 
 ;ill every day 
 nust call upon 
 an. 
 
 lance teachers, 
 of better em- 
 on in life more 
 )ols could not 
 mlts could we 
 
 bio to conHde 
 
 ories five con- 
 
 Iren. 
 
 IS of .Montreal* 
 
 )f the Assunip- 
 ) teaching. All 
 the commu- 
 members, and 
 and by expe- 
 
 i 
 
 The communities of Sisters of Charity and Sisters of Providence 
 have for their principal end works of charity, properly so called, 
 such as hospitals, asylums, orphanages, hut they also adapt them- 
 selves, as regards a certain number of tlieir members to the work 
 of education in schools and academies. 
 
 The sisters of these communities, who are destined by their 
 su})eriors for teaching, are not inferior to the others in talent, 
 in eHiciency and in normal training. 
 
 They are cho.-en and set ai)art for this purpose, and the choice 
 of their superiors faiis upon them precisely on account of their 
 talents and their aptitude. Destined for the work of education, 
 they devote themselves thereto entirely, without a desire to change. 
 It is then with good reason, that we consider our schools as 
 solidly established and capa])le of reaching a high degree of 
 efficiency, when we see them adopted, cherished and taught by 
 these devoted women who have in view only (jod, the good of the 
 children and the rewards of Heaven. 
 
 Moreover we are without uneasiness from another point of view 
 of supreme importance. We are sure of order and of the most per- 
 fect morality. 
 
 Hence, Mr Chairman, in the interests of the cause of education 
 in these Territories, for the good of which our legislators ought to 
 work, is it not their duty to protect, to encourage, to niulti[)ly these 
 teachers so fully quulitied, so capable and so zealous ? 
 
 Alas ! It is with sorrow I say it and this is my first subject of 
 complaint — unfortunately our legislators do no such thing. Under 
 pretext of putting in force the clause of the Ordinance treating of 
 normal schools, the Council of Public Instruction, without any 
 consideratit)n as to place, time or persons has passed regulations t(» 
 which the nuns teaching in these Territories cannot submit. 
 
 These nuns are governed by Rules and Constitutions 
 approved by the Church. Tliey cannot on any accMunt exempt 
 themselves from these Constitutions. The head superiors, the 
 Bishops even, have not the right to touch or to change them, once 
 they have been approved by the Sovereign Pontiff. Now, by these 
 Rules and Constitutions it is imp)ssible for the Sisters to leave 
 their convent, their community, tt» come to Kegina oi elsewhere, 
 and sit on the school benches, mingling with candidates of both 
 se.xcs and of all religious denomina< ions, during several consecu- 
 tive imonths, there to follow the Normal School course. To impose 
 upon them a condition like this, which it is impossible for them to 
 accept, is equivalent to tleclaring them disciualified from teaching 
 in the Territories ; and rather than violate the Constitutions by 
 which they are governed and which they have promised by solemn 
 vows to keep, they will abandon these inhospitable Territories, to 
 
— 34 — 
 
 liip 
 
 ''m 
 
 I: 
 
 Hi 
 
 I l! 
 
 the welfare of which they desired to devote themselves until death. 
 Already the Superior General of one religious congregation has 
 written to this effect to the ecclesiastical authority, to the Bishop of 
 St-Albert. 
 
 If you wish, Gentlemen, to banish the Sisters, leave as it is the 
 application of the Ordinance and we shall know what to expect. If, 
 on the contrary, you have in view, as I like to think, the well being, 
 the true progress of Education, you would make it a pleasure and 
 a duty to propose and to uphold before the House the amendments 
 which we submit to you. We are going to the utmost possible 
 limit, but I tell you with all sincerity and candor, we will go no 
 further. 
 
 Now, Mr. Chairman, allow me to draw your attention to another 
 subject. 
 
 What share of power, what share of control, what voice have we 
 in the Council of Public Instruction ? You are prepared for the 
 answer I am about to give. Our part of power and control is abso- 
 lutely, entirely null, and our two catholic members derisively 
 have a right to a consultative vote. The Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion may h^ar them and it may not, and it is to the latter course of 
 action it inclines remarkably. 
 
 Thus, important regulations and s^uch as affect our schools, 
 have been passed without the knowledge of our representatives. 
 The Reverend Mr Caron handed in his resignation long ago, and 
 he has not yet bc^n replaced. 
 
 It must be ackno;vledged that this .state of affairs is sufficient to 
 wound deeply the feelings of the Catholic minority. I ask you to 
 apply a remedy ; is this asking too much of your good will ? 
 
 I come to a third grievance, which, with good reason, we con- 
 sider a>^ an attack on our most inviolable and imprescriptible 
 liberties ; I mean our books. 
 
 You affirm, Gentlemen, that we have our Separate Schools. But, 
 I ask you. can any one imagine a Catholic school in which not a 
 Catholic book can be put in the hands of the children, with the 
 single exception of the youngest ones, six and seven years of age ? 
 
 Rei. ders and histories which we disapprove of are imposed upon 
 us by tie Council of Instruction ; it can impose upon us, when it 
 wishes, others even more objectionable, imparting materialistic and 
 atheistic doctrines. And we would not complain in the name of 
 those parents whose most sacred rights are despised and ignored ? 
 We wc.uld not complain of such an attack made on our religious 
 liberty, on the freedom of conscience ? 
 
 It will not be so, gentlemen, we will not cease to agitate until 
 justice is done. This justice we come to ask from you to-day. 
 
 I will not trespass on your patience. I thank you for the kind 
 
 1^ 
 
 h 
 
 ti( 
 
 ^■, 
 
 Iki 
 
 
 so 
 
 
 tu 
 
 1 
 
 th 
 
 C< 
 
 f 
 
 Ol] 
 
 
 su 
 
 
 g"> 
 
 i 
 
 th 
 1 
 
ds until death. 
 
 igregation has 
 
 the Bishop of 
 
 ave as it is the 
 t to expect. If, 
 he well being, 
 
 I pleasure and 
 3 amendments 
 most pos.sible 
 
 we will go no 
 
 ion to another 
 
 voice have we 
 spared for the 
 ontrol is abso- 
 ers derisively 
 *ublic Instruc- 
 atter course of 
 
 oar schools, 
 
 epresentatives. 
 
 long ago, and 
 
 is sufficient to 
 I ask you to 
 ^d will ?' 
 eason, we con- 
 mprescriptible 
 
 Schools. But, 
 in which not a 
 ilren, with the 
 
 years of age ? 
 imposed ui)()n 
 (m us, when it 
 iterialistic and 
 n the name of 
 
 and ignored ? 
 
 II our religious 
 
 ;o agitate until 
 [)U to-day. 
 lu for the kind 
 
 I 
 
 w 
 -f 
 
 — 35 — 
 
 attention you have given me. Enjoy all the lil>erties you have 
 with regard to your schools, but, I entreat you, see that ours also 
 are respected. Our friend Mr A.-E. Forget will speak in his turn- 
 He is better versed than T am in the knowledge and use of the 
 English language, he will speak better than I have done. Once 
 more, gentlemen, I thank you. 
 
 Invited by the honorable President of the Committee, Mr Forget 
 took up the defence of our righcs : 
 
 Mr President. 
 
 Gentlemen of the Committee, 
 
 Before entering directly on the defence of the rights of the Ca- 
 thc'ic minoiity, which T have the honor to represent here, togettier 
 with the Reverend Father H. Leduc, permit mo to eak to you 
 of a personal grievance, the simple statement of which will throw 
 light on the discussion of the subjects which we have to treat. 
 Moreover what T desigiinte as 'personal grievance' has been most 
 keenly felt by all my co-i eligionists in the Nortii-\\'esl who caaie to 
 know of it. 
 
 The School Ordinance which now occupies our attention wa*^ ap- 
 proved of j)y His Honor the l,ieutenant-Gt)vernor on the 31st De- 
 cember 1892. 
 
 By the said C)rdinance, it was decreed that two Catholic members 
 should be chosen outside of the Executive Committee of the Legis- 
 lative Assen)bly, to form a part of the Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion, at the same time being de[)rive(l of the right to vote in the 
 said Council. 
 
 At the beginning of 1893, the Honorable Mr Ilaultain, Presi- 
 dent of the Executive Committee was so kind as to consult me as 
 to the choice he hail to m:ik(>. and asked me to c )nseiii to be one of 
 the Cnlholic meniber-i. • 
 
 I tiiought I neither could nor sh'MiM refuse the offer made me, 
 to work again to the utmost, of my ability for the cause of Educa- 
 tion in these North- West Territories. I should have wished to 
 have as colleague the Reverend Father Leduc, member, like my- 
 self, for a long time oi the former Ho ird of Education. Unfor- 
 tunately he left for Europe in his capacity of delegate of the (Ui- 
 tholic Missions of the North-West, to the Gciieral Chapter of his 
 Congregation. 
 
 In the meantime I also decided to lto and seek in the mild 
 climate of France, the home of my forefathers, relief from the 
 sufferings to which T had so long been suljject. Thinking with 
 goo 1 reason, as experience shows to-day, that the first meeting of 
 the Council of Public Instruction would be a most important one. 
 
-36 
 
 M 
 
 and one most fruitful in results either favorable or disastrous to 
 our Catholic Schools, I was extremely anxious to be present. 
 
 Consequently I saw Mr Haultain, told him of my approaching 
 departure and asked him if it was not his intention soon to call a 
 meeting of the Council. He replied that he was going to see to it 
 at once, and he even fixed a date not far distant. Whereupon I 
 resolved to postpone my departure, and waited until the appointed 
 day. I was hoping every day to receive my official appointment 
 as well as the notice of the meeting of the Council. Vain expecta- 
 tion ! the day fixed for the meeting came without a single word of 
 notice from the party who should have sent it. 
 
 I saw Mr Hault'iin again to explain to him that it was impos- 
 sible for me to '*emain longer in Regina. T begged of him at the 
 same time, if they were to hold a meeting of the Council before my 
 return from Euro{)e, not to consider my nomination but to kindly 
 choose another who would be able to take part in this first and 
 most important reunion. 
 
 Three months later T way on my was back to ('anada ; two 
 weeks more and I should see Regina again, when it a|)pears, with- 
 out my knowledge, T was ofiicially appointed, with the Reverend 
 Abbe Caron, advisory member of the new Council of Public Ins- 
 truction. 
 
 Together with his official nomination, the Reverend gentleman 
 received notice to attend a meeting at the office of the Board of 
 luiucation that same dny, at one hour's time, in order to take part 
 in the deliberations of the Council, or rather to state his views and 
 desires, for he was prohil)ited from giving any vote whatever. He 
 had only just arrived in the country, he had not yet ha<l time to 
 study the school Ordinance, so difficult and so complicated. He 
 knew absolutely nothing of the former regulations and had no idea 
 of tho-e about to be proposed for his approl>ation. No matter; he 
 must go iit^onoe, without having any.me to support him or whom 
 he could consult. 
 
 During eight years T had been member of the former Hoard. It 
 was known in Regina how much importance T attached to this first 
 session ; it was known too that T was expected very shortly. Since 
 Mr Haultain i)ersisted in naming me as ineti'.ber of the Council, 
 why did he not wnit a fe'v days before convoking it, and thus en- 
 able me to be present at its deliberations? 
 
 Shortly after my return, T saw the Reverend Father Caron. In 
 the cour.«e of conversation, the subject of schools turneij up, and 
 the thought of the famous meeting of the Council of Public Ins- 
 truction, came suddenly to my mind. 
 
 '• By the way," T said to Father Charon," how (h) you get on with 
 the new Council ? Has it at last been regularly and officially or- 
 
 ,1* 
 1 
 
— 37 — 
 
 ganized ? Have tliey callfd a meeting ? Have they doiie any- 
 thing?" ^ " ■ 
 
 " Why, of course," he re[)lie(l," you and T are lionorary mem- 
 bers, we liave held our first meeting." 
 
 He then tohl me how embarrassed he had been, and how Mr 
 Haultain now accused him of approving the new books imposed 
 on Catliolic and Protectant schools alike. 
 
 In the month of September of the same year, 18;>3, Reverend 
 Fatlier Ciiron called on me and placed on my desk a copy of the 
 famous regulations passed by the Council of Pul)lic Instruction 
 concerning the text book.-^. henceforth obligatory in all schools. It 
 seems to me that these regulations, a-; well as the minutes of the 
 Council, should in all propriety have been addressed to me long 
 before by the Secretary. I am a meml)er of the Council and I have 
 not received otlicially ii single document from it 
 
 (rentlemen, I accuse no one ; I st ite facts. 
 
 The [.legislative A'^sembly was then sitting. It was agreed that 
 our two Catholic meiiil)ers of ih > House, Mr A. Prince and Mr 
 Boucher, should join with Rev(!rcnd .Mr Caron and myself and ask 
 for an interview with the members of the K.xecutive. 
 
 In ^he course of this interview we complained bitterly that oii'" 
 readers and histories had fc ien unjustly withdrawn. Upon this, Mr 
 Haultain affirmed that the clninge had been made with the consent 
 of the Reverend Fattier Caron. Thus called to account, the Rev. 
 Father answered that such had never been his intention, as is 
 proveil by the lettsr he wrote to His Grace Archbisho[) Tache and 
 which was published by this regretted and so worthy Archbishop 
 in his ' Memorial on the Sciiools '. This memorial, Mr President 
 and (ientlomen of tlie Council, is entirely at your disposal, it lies 
 there on tiie tal)le before you. In any ca-e, \i' Mr Caron let slip 
 any words calculated to give rise to a misunderstanding, this 
 misunderstanding can no longer exist after the clear and precise 
 expliinalions given by him both orally and in writing. 
 
 You will acknowledge, CJentlemen, 'Jiat it is not without reason 
 that my feelings have been hurt at tlu proce(;dings of which I have 
 com[)lained to you, piM'hai)-! at too great length. I am willing to 
 Vielieve there has been no ill-will, no blameworthy intention, but to 
 say the least, the appearances were far from encouraging for the 
 Catholic minority whose interests and rights I c )me to defentl. 
 
 I will just remark in pa-^siiig that there has not been to my 
 knowledge any other meeting of t!ie Council Public Instruction up 
 to date. 
 
 And now f come to the (piestion of the grievances exposed in 
 the memorial which was reatl at the opening of the meeting of this 
 committee. I will avoid as much as possible alluding to the 
 
I 
 
 - ^3 - 
 
 points already so clearly treated by the Reverend IT. Ledu(!. I pray 
 you, Gentlemen, to grant me a few minutes more of kind and 
 patient attention. 
 
 With rejravd to Normal Schools, I am far from being opposed 
 thereto ; for the Catholic section of the former Board of Education 
 always worked hand in hand with the Protestant section in order to 
 procure for our teachers of the North- West Territories the advan- 
 tage of the=ie institutions?. Bat in admitting the principle we never 
 supposed that the Normal School sessions should be established on 
 a basis so severe and absolute as that enforced by the Council of 
 Public Instruction. 
 
 For my part I was convinced, and am so still that only one 
 kind of Normal School, with the obligation for all without excep- 
 tion to attend, could never work Avithout serious inconveniences 
 and insu[)eral)le difficulties. When, by way of trial, the Board, 
 with the consent of the Catholic section, passed a regulation for the 
 establishment of a Normal session, obligatory in Assiniboia only, 
 they resolved not to extend this obligatitm to Saskatchewan 
 and Alberta. Why? Because we claimed in the name of the 
 Catholic minority the right to have our own Normal School 
 sessions, for we consider we are entitled as well as the Protestant 
 majority to one or more of these institutions. Moreover, we were 
 perfectly aware that owing to the inviolable Rules and Constitu- 
 tions of religious orders in the Catholic Church, our teaching 
 Sisters would be in the absolute impossibility of conforming to 
 Regulations in direct opposition to their vocation. 
 
 Now because the Council of Public Instruction did not take into 
 consideration this state of affairs, the consequence is that to-day, 
 practically speaking, the Sisters devoted to Education in these 
 Territories are no longer able to obtain prof jssional certificates, and 
 therefore can no longer teach. 
 
 But, I would ask you, Mr President, are not long years of expe- 
 rience in the art of teaching, in the best academies of Europe worth 
 more than the Normal training offered to our teachers of the North- 
 West Territories ? I do not believe that you can think and judge 
 otherwise. If, however, you go so far, you will not refuse to grant 
 what, through you, we ask of the Assembly, viz., special sessions 
 ^or Nuns and ladies only, to be held in one of our Convents of the 
 North-West. 
 
 The minority had formerly the right to establish a school of 
 their denomination, independently of the school districts already 
 established. It is so' no longer ; now they must wait until the ma- 
 jority have organized theirs, and then, if moreover they are 
 numerous enough, the minority may solicit the erection of a sepa- 
 rate district, within the same limits as the public district. 
 
— 39 — 
 
 edud. I pray 
 of kind and 
 
 ing opposed 
 3f Education 
 u in »)rder to 
 H the advan- 
 3le we never 
 tablished on 
 le Council of 
 
 at only one 
 thout excep- 
 ionveniences 
 , the Board, 
 ation for the 
 niboia only, 
 Ei^katchewan 
 ame of the 
 mal School 
 le Protestant 
 )ver, we were 
 nd Constitu- 
 •ur teaching 
 informing to 
 
 lot take into 
 that to-dav, 
 3n in these 
 tificates, and 
 
 ;ar5 of expe- 
 urope worth 
 f the North. 
 k and judge 
 use to grant 
 3ial sessions 
 ivents of the 
 
 a school of 
 icts already 
 ntil the ma- 
 r they are 
 >n of a sepa- 
 ict. 
 
 \ 
 
 This system. Gentlemen, is defective for many reasons which I 
 am sure you will understand. Let us take for example any place 
 in the Territories where no school has yet been established. The 
 minority are tied down and must go without a school until the 
 majority have chosen to establish theirs. 
 
 Let us suppose now that the majority has its public school 
 district duly erected, and that the minority of this district 
 is composed of a number insuflicient to form and support a 
 separate school ; what follows ? That the minority will be 
 deprived of a school of their denomination. Why could they not 
 in such a case join with their coreligionists residing within the 
 required limits, but outside the public schoo' district, in order to 
 form together a se[)arate school district ? This would be in confor- 
 mity with section 14 of the Constitution of the North-West 
 Territories. 
 
 We ask then that the powers formerly conferred on the minority 
 be restored — i. e. that they may still have the right to establish 
 separate schools, independently of the school districts already 
 erected. 
 
 If I represent on this occasion, together with the Reverend H» 
 Leduc, the Catholics of the Territorie-;, allow nie to say, Mr Presi- 
 dent, that I am also a representative of the Frencli-Canadians, and 
 as such, in the name of right iind justice, I claim the use of the 
 French language in such of our schools as are frequented by 
 French-Canadian children in great maj(jrity. We have in Canada 
 two languages officially recognized, without the knowledge of 
 which, we are well aware, our children could never occupy the 
 social positions* to which they have a right as well as yours. We 
 wish them to learn and to know English, but we wish them also to 
 know the language of their ancestors, the beautiful and noble 
 french language, which we learned to lisp on our mother's knees, 
 and which is of great importance in a country like ours. 
 
 The evident proof that we have studied English, is that it is 
 very difficult for you, Gentlemen, to meet a French Canadian who 
 does not speak that language at least very satisfactorily. It is 
 taught in ,ill our schools of the North-West; but is that any reason 
 for putting obstacles to the teaching of French to which we have a 
 right ? 
 
 Experience proves that the knowledge of a foreign language is 
 indispensable to the attainment of a degree of education wortjiy of 
 the name. If our English fellow ciHzens are not of our opinion and 
 if for one motive or another they do not wish to study the French 
 language as deeply and as seriously as we have studied Englif^h, it 
 is their affair ; but they have no right to say to us: " You will ^^'o 
 so far and no farther. Since we know and speak only one of the 
 

 — 40 — 
 
 n,i 
 
 two official languages of Canada, you, French Canadians, do not need 
 to be better linguists than we are. Be satisfied then with English, 
 our mother tongue, and abandon the language of your ancestors." 
 This is. however, what the Ordinance of 1892 aims at, since it 
 deprives our teachers of the right of using the French language in 
 teaching. Thoy are permitted to use it only in giving a mock 
 elementary course against which the Inspectors are constantly 
 grumbling. The books authorized for this pretended course, the 
 ' Bilingual R(>aders', are in reality .so com[tosed as to teach P^nglisb 
 far more eHicaciously than French. 
 
 We affirm that it is of the highest importance for the progress 
 of the children that their teacher:^ be authorized to teach them in 
 their own language when they judge fit, and when it appears more 
 advantageous for the general good of the school. 
 
 Just now, I mentioned the word ' Inspector,' Have you ever 
 considered, Mr President, that to impose Protestant inspectors 
 upon us. is an unjust and reprfhensibie net? The inspectors are 
 nearly all, owing to their education, and their religious and na- 
 tional [)rejudices, opi)o?ed and hostile to our Cath(jlic and French 
 S'chools. T say ir)ore, they are not free to give their report as they 
 would wish, they must follow the direction and suit themselves to 
 the views of the Superintendent. If they act otherwise, they ex- 
 pose themselves to the danger of losing an honorable and lucrative 
 positior —as diinger to which a Protestant inspector would 
 not be lilcply to expose himself for the sake of Catholic schools. 
 
 We have proof of this in the noble and energetic i)rotestation of 
 the Trustees of St-Albert against the inspection of their school by 
 Messrs Goggin it Calder— A copy of this protestation lies on the 
 table of the committee and you may give it your full consideration. 
 I pray you to do so, and you will acknowledge that we are fully 
 justified in petitioning tt> have inspectors of our own faith and our 
 own educational views, or at least to have our schools alternately 
 inspected by a Catholic and a Protestant. In this way the report 
 of the one would be a check on the report of the other. 
 
 Finally, Gentlemen, I must draw your attention to a last re- 
 mark. There is in my opinion an involuntary omission in the 
 Ordinance of 1892, in the clause which treats of religious instruc;- 
 tion. I cannot believe that in a Christian country such as ours, 
 our legislators would have deliberately forbidden the classes to 
 open by prayer. 
 
 One of the members of the committee, Mr Frank Oliver, mem- 
 ber of the Legislative Assembly for Edmonton rose to speak : 
 
 " These are very serious and weighty facts, said he, which have 
 been proposed to our consideration by the representatives of the 
 Catholics of these territories. Should we accept these facts as they 
 
 it 
 
 • 
 
41 — 
 
 ', do not need 
 with English, 
 r ancestors." 
 IS at, since it 
 1 language in 
 ^'ing a mock 
 e constantly 
 d course, th(> 
 each P^nglisb 
 
 the progress 
 each tiiem in 
 ippears more 
 
 ave you ever 
 nt inspectors 
 nsppctors are 
 ous and na- 
 c and French 
 eport as they 
 themselves to 
 ise, they ex- 
 and lucrative 
 jector would 
 c schools, 
 rotestation of 
 leir school by 
 n lies on the 
 •onsideration. 
 we are fully 
 faith and our 
 Is alternately 
 ay the report 
 r. 
 
 to a last re- 
 lission in the 
 ?i()us instru(!- 
 5Uch as ours, 
 he claisses to 
 
 Oliver, mem- 
 ) speak : 
 e, which have 
 itatives of the 
 (facts as tliey 
 
 have been stated, or are they subject to criticism and contradic- 
 tion ?■' 
 
 •' Certainly.'" T replied, "• you have a right to criticize and exa- 
 mine into the truth and autiienticity of what has been said-" 
 
 '' Then," added Mr Oliver. " let those who have any objection 
 to make stand up and speak boldly. The matter in important and 
 is w«»rth the trouble." And after a m(mient's silence—" No one 
 speaks? But there must be some answpr to make. Mr Goggin 
 here present, being Sujierintendent of Education, is well informed 
 as to all that goes on in this departement ; it is his duty, it seems to 
 me to enlighten the committee. M. G<»ggin, have you anything 
 to say ?" 
 
 Thu-, called on by tlie Honorable Deputy, '" T am only," replied 
 Mr (iroggin, "the humble servant of the Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion. No on(» has appointed me to reply to the tw(» orators who 
 have just addressed us. Let tlie gentlemen of the Executive Com- 
 mittee give me the order, then Twill si»eak. For the present I liave 
 nothing to say." 
 
 "Then." Mr Oliver candidly rejfiined, '" if it is so, let us accept 
 these facts as they have been biid bef(»re us and let us act accord- 
 ingly." 
 
 Mr President then closed the meeting, whirh was adjourned till 
 the next day. 
 
 For my part, I cannot refrain from calling attention to the 
 strange attitude of the Superintendent on this occasion. He is bet- 
 ter informed than iinyone with regard to all the facts mentioned by 
 Mr Forget and myself, Not only does he know them, but in most 
 cases he was their author, their promotor, their instigator. Alas ! 
 he made upon me thesnd impression of a man who wished to work 
 in the dark against our schools, our institutions and our convents, 
 but who refuses to do so in broad day-light. Such are the tactics 
 of our School Ordinance of 1893, according to the letter, kind and 
 accommodating; according to thesjjirit, hyi)ocritical. .-owardly and 
 cunning. 
 
 Let us pass over in silence the meeting on the next duy. which 
 was little else than a rejietition (»f the preceding one. except that 
 Mr Haultain. chairman of the Executive, iuid Pre.-»idt'nt of the 
 Council of Public Instruction, candidly acknowledged that the 
 C(nnplaints of Mr Forget resi)ecting the lujun.er in which lie bad 
 been treated ms advisory member of the Council (»f I'ublic Instruc- 
 tion were in great measure well founded. Mr Haultain admitted 
 thereiM an unfortunate misunderstanding, a rejirehensible negli- 
 gence, but denied that there had been any ill-will. 
 
r: m 
 
 — 42 — 
 
 ■I 
 
 M 
 
 ^ Ml 
 
 CHAPTER VIT. 
 
 OBJECTIONS OF CATHOLICS TO THE READERS AND HISTORIES. 
 
 !'• 
 
 
 II 
 
 On the 4tu Soptombcx-, 1894, the catholic representatives Averc 
 for the hist time invited to coiiiC before the Scliool Committee, to 
 lay before tliem tlieir reasons for declinin<>; the Renders and Plis- 
 tories i>rescribed by the Council of Public Instruction for Public 
 and Separate Schools alike. 
 
 The Reverend Father Sinnett, parish priest, ^fr R. Rimnier, 
 lawyer, Mr John McCarthy, merchant, all of Re{»ina, and ^[r E. 
 Bourgeois, P). A., teacher at Duck Lake, gave us t'>eir devoted aid, 
 and came themselves to prove the truth of our assertions. 
 
 § I.— Objections of the Reverend Father Sinnett, against 
 Buckley and Robertsons History. 
 
 The diflficulty in regard to the books used in the present system 
 cannot in any sense be said to be a national one. It is far higher, it 
 is a religious conviction sliat the slow, if you wisli, yet sure impres- 
 sion to be left u))on the mind of young and old must be detrimen- 
 tal to the taith whicli we hold to be true, and wish our children to 
 be in full [lossession of. 
 
 I object to the History rf Buckley and Robertson in into, not 
 that the entire book is to be considered wrong, but the general tone 
 is dec! ledly anti-catholic giving a wrong impression of the Church, 
 the Pope, l*riest, Monks and that the monasteries were all liot-beds 
 of corruption. On the other hand 11 those oi»posed to the Catholic 
 Church and her doctrines are held up as m(»delsof regularity, holy 
 men, whose only motive was the cause of iJod and the purification 
 of morals. All these assertions which true liistory and facts refute, 
 are given as dogmatic truths without even hinting that possildy 
 something may be said from a catholic stand-point to impugn 
 them. Hence arises the necessity lor parents to teach History to 
 tluMr children al home, in order that tlic evil eifect of school 
 teaching nuiy be countenicted. And yet we are asked to accept 
 Buckley and Roher'.son's History as a text book I 
 
 A few exam])les ; 
 
 
 Silllllf! 
 
^8 
 
 TISTORIES. 
 
 itivos Avere 
 
 nmitteo, to 
 
 i and Hi.ei- 
 
 for Public 
 
 I. Rininior, 
 and Mr E. 
 evoted aid, 
 
 IS. 
 
 rr, AGAIN.ST 
 
 sent system 
 ir higher, it 
 lire inipres- 
 e dotrimen- 
 children to 
 
 ill tnto, not 
 eneral tone 
 lie Church, 
 11 hot-beds 
 ho Catholic 
 larity, holy 
 )urirication 
 acts refute, 
 at |ioHsil)ly 
 to impugn 
 History to 
 , of Hchool 
 I to accept 
 
 1 
 
 Mary's kindness to Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth is ignored. 
 See Buckley and Robettsoii p. 131 ; Lingard, p. 3<.)0, 391, 392, 407. 
 Nothing is «aid ol Elizabeth's change of faith. In liuckloy and Ro- 
 bertson's History, p. 133, it is said that Pope Paul TV demanded 
 that every acre of churcli property in England sliould bo given 
 bai;k ; the opposite is asserted in i)age 39-> of Lingard's History. 
 " That the possessors of church i)ropcrty should not bo molested 
 under protonce of any canons of Council decrees, of Popes and 
 censures of the Church.'" 
 
 Puckley and Robertson make it jippear that tin? entire nation 
 was opposed to the Pope ; Lingard tells us, p. 399 : "' The motion 
 for the retcnion (of the Kingdoui with Rome) t^/.s carried almost by 
 acdamntiony 
 
 At page 120, Buckley and Robertson blame the Bishop of Tarbes 
 for putting iiit(» the mind of Henry VTIT the idea of divorce from 
 his lawful wife Catherine of Aragon, in fiivor of Ann lioloyn ; 
 whorojis T do not hesitate to assort that no historian of repute in 
 these days attribute his change of affections to other (causes than 
 tlie impure heart of the king, iis in effect he was one of the vilest 
 wretches and most cruel and o<u'rupt beims that ever sullied hu- 
 man nature. 
 
 Elizabeth is held up as a groat Sovereign, a blessing to her na- 
 tion, wliich we fail to find in authors who, like Lingard, have made 
 dee|) and serious researches. In their works no mention is to bo 
 found of her good namo. The t'abb^ about Titus Gates l)oing a 
 Jesuit has been exploded long since and his subsequent i)unish- 
 ment f<»rhis perjuries is an undoubted fact. The intention of Buck- 
 ley and Robertson is to east a slur upo" the socicjty of Jesus by sug- 
 gesting a c<uinoction with a vile ))orjnror, of whom we are told in 
 Dr. Ijngard's History p. 581 — what became of the ])erjurer. ''Ti- 
 tus Gates ha«l distinguished himself in the last reign as archin- 
 formor with rosp(M't to the protoiuled Popish plot. His guilt was 
 j)rovod beyond the possibility of doubt, aud ho was condemned to 
 pay a tine of 2(K)0 marks, to be twice publi(dy whipped, and to 
 stand every year of his life five tim»'S in the pillory." ffow can 
 Buckley it Kobertsiui pas>j over things of this nature? 
 
 Tlioy keep the same silence with regard to the laws agi in^-t 
 Catludi(>s (Lingard, p. 490) and the penal laws (p. 500). 
 
 ]iuckl(>y and Robertson ncdtlior say one word of the confisention 
 of pr(qt(M'ty boloMging to the RoHgions orders aud of \\\v. manner 
 in wliiob that spoliiition was off(M'ted, nor do they iidviineo one rea- 
 son theret'oro. Riitlior, th(\v do jillego a)i excust> — that all these 
 RoliujiMis Orders were c<MTupt. T am willing to admit exceptional 
 cases of immorality, but do not toll mo that all were corrupt. 
 
 These are a few of the numerous examples taken at random and 
 
— 44 - 
 
 in haste, which render it impossible for Catholic parents or 
 guardians to accept Buckley and Robertson's History as a text 
 book for their children. 
 
 •i 
 
 J.-C. SiNNETT. 
 
 Objections of Mr R. Uimmer, to Buckley & Robertson's High 
 School History of England. 
 
 The objections against the High School History are such as can 
 be urged on behalf of all Catholics in the Northwest Territories. 
 They are not presented on behalf of any one race, but they are such 
 us have equal weight with English, French, Germans, Russians, 
 who are Catholics resident in the Territories. 
 
 They are based upon the unreasonableness of forcing U[)on Ca- 
 tholic Separate Schools, books which are re|.ugnant to Catholics. 
 Tlie question as to the wisdom of Catholics being allowed separate 
 schools is not involved in the objections now made; but, that 
 question having been settled, and the schools being allowed us by 
 the provisions of the N, W. T. Acts and the School Ordinance, it 
 can reasonably be urged that the administration of the schools 
 should not be objectionable to Catholics. 
 
 This History is objectionable because (1) It is deliberately un- 
 friendly to the Catholic Church (2) It presents disputed matters of 
 History in tiie light most unfavorable to the Catholic Church (3) It 
 deals but very incompletely with historical points of vital interest 
 to Catholics. (4) It places before our children a view of the History 
 of England entirely out of accord with the religious and intellectual 
 belief of their parents. 
 
 Examples. At \). 72, speaking of John Wyclif, the History pre- 
 sents him in a highly favorable aspect wliile the Catholic Clergy in 
 general appear in a detestable light. It lays great stress on his 
 preaching against the wickedness, hypocrisy, and greed of the 
 clergy, and leaves the impressiim, that his anathemas were justi- 
 fied by their conduct, while it fails entirely to iH)int out as Lin- 
 gard does, that Wyclif was a tool of princes, who exalted them 
 above nil ecclesiastical superiors (See Lingard p. 234-240). 
 
 The author fails to deal adequately with a nnitter of so great 
 interest to Catholics as the so called " Reformation" in England. 
 While Lingard. the history in use by Catholic' children, devotes to 
 this question 2(57 pages i( is dismissed by Buckley and Robertsonin92. 
 
 On p.ige 124 of the History by liuckley and Robert-^on a general 
 and indiscriminate! attack is made upon the intelligence, morality, 
 and piety of our priests at tln; timeof tlu; destru(!tion of the monas- 
 teries ; whilst this act of injustice and spoliation by impious men. 
 whom I venture to say, most modern I'rotestants do not attempt to 
 justify, is extenuated and condoned in words which I regard as an 
 
 I 
 
 '■> 
 
 ■^ 
 
 « 
 
— 45 — 
 
 l»a rents or 
 y as a text 
 
 [NNETT. 
 
 tson's High 
 
 such as can 
 Territories, 
 ey are such 
 Russians, 
 
 g upon Ca- 
 I) Catholics, 
 ed separate 
 ! ; but, that 
 owed us by 
 rdinancp, it 
 fhe schools 
 
 )erately un- 
 matters of 
 iiurch (3) It 
 ital interest 
 the History 
 intellectual 
 
 ii story pre- 
 ic Clergy in 
 ress on his 
 eed of the 
 were justi- 
 )Ut as Lin- 
 :alted them 
 0). 
 
 ' of so great 
 n England. 
 , tlevotos to 
 ertsonin92. 
 '11 a general 
 :\ morality, 
 the monas- 
 pious men, 
 attempt to 
 3gurd as an 
 
 4 
 
 unwarrantable libel upon the high character of our p iests. On the 
 other '■ide, the iniquitous persecution and the heroic martyrdom of 
 many of our monks (See Lingard, p. 358) are entirely ignored. 
 What Buckley and Rol)ertson call (p. 133) : " Persecution of the 
 Protestants" is presented as a religious persecution by the Catholic 
 Church ratlier than in its true light of a political persecution of 
 polilrioal op])onents by Mary, a temporal Queen. Catholics object 
 reasonably to the strongly anti-catholic comment which follows 
 (p. 133) the words attributed to Latimer. We have no more inten- 
 tion than hundreds of honest Protestants have of permitting our 
 children to believe, as the History of Buckley and Robertson would 
 lead them to believe, that the death of such a man as Crammel, the 
 miserable tool of the most cruel and beastly immoral King in 
 English History, ever lighted a candle " of truth and counige." We 
 object to our children being taught, as is insinuated in the last 
 portion of paragrajth 8, p. 133, that the Pope " sacrificed men's 
 lives for their honest religious opinions " by being a party to the 
 measures taken against Protestants. There is sufficient authority 
 for the assertion that the Pope never prescribed any saciifice of 
 life for lionest opinions. 
 
 Wliile on p. 133 of Buckley and Robertson, the punishment by 
 Mary of each jjo'.itical offence is hurled as an accusation against the 
 faith in which we desire our children to be educated, entire 
 omission is made by tlie same authors of any reference to the per- 
 secution the iidherents of the catholic faith suffered under Henry 
 VTll and Elizabeth as shown by Mngard on pages 360, 380, 101,438, 
 444 and 458, and corroborated by many Protestant Historians of 
 first standing. 
 
 We can see no sufiicient reason why the Douai Mission for the 
 religiou« conversi >m of England, tlie history of which is known to 
 so few Catholics, should be as.-ociated in the minds of our cbildreji 
 with plots of «i.urdev of Elizabeth. Tlie association of the two we 
 well know to le incorrect. The principal factor in the missions was 
 ^^'illiMlu Allen, t)f my own County of Lancashire. Buckley and 
 Hob^'rtson arc ilie fnly authors T have found to acsociate it with the 
 murder of tlie (iueen, although T have read many protestant His- 
 tories, iiu^Uiding tliosc of your country. 
 
 Thongh the victims of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew are 
 variously estimated by Protestant and Catholic authors frotn 300 
 to 100 0(K), Hucklcy and Robertson do not fail to state the largest 
 niimlier estimated, and at the same time to lay this nuissacre at 
 the door of the (.'ath(»lic Church, although it was planned as a 
 political revenge by pcsons who called themselves catholics but 
 who were not recognized by tlie Church as practically siich. 
 
 On p. UI5 the referei ce to the plotting of Titus Oates is such as 
 
■its' 
 
 if 
 
 .{•! 
 
 — 46 - 
 
 to leave on the mind of the reader the impression that a popi^^h 
 l»hit or plots, such as described by Oates actually existed. 
 
 The lies circulated by Oates and the imnression left on +he 
 minds of the people by them are fully stated ; but tiie nearest 
 attem])t at an acknowledgment that they were lies is the statement 
 tliat Lord Stafford, a noted Catholic, was an honest and ui)right 
 ]ieer. This can hardly be considered a sufficient exposure of a r«gue, 
 who Avillingly by ))erjury sacrificed human life, including thnt of 
 Lord St'ifford, to liis own enrichment, and who might aptly be 
 described iis the most infamous criminal known to history. 
 
 Es])ec'ially should it he borne in mir.d that Buckley and Robert- 
 son make no mention of the punishment subsequently meted out 
 to Oates, and that on the other hand they would discredit a pro- 
 minent religious order by associai^iug a low rascal with the t-'iociety 
 of Jesus, unless indeed they wish, by this i-retended affiliation, to 
 make him appear less disreputable. 
 
 Sufficient examples have been given to show that the history 
 forced upon Catholic children is absolutely repugnant to their 
 parents. Possibly, enough has been said, to convince Protestants 
 who wish their children to be instructed in the truths and facts of 
 history, rather tiian in untruthful distorting prejudice that the 
 book is not desirable for the use of their ciiildren. 
 
 It might ])e urged that this book is irderior in literary form and 
 also in correct information to the Burke's Lingard formerly used 
 by Catlu)lic children, and that the adoption of such a book is a 
 backward step in every re-pect. 
 
 I can only imagine one possible advantage derivable from the 
 use of such a book by Catholic children. It would become essential 
 for tlieir ])arents to instruct them in some other history, and in 
 this way they would be better informed than Protestant children 
 of the same age. llnfortu-iately, in these days of rush, this will 
 bardly be considered a recomnuuulation by pareiMs who directly 
 or indirectlv pav for others to instruct their children. 
 
 Reginald Rimmer. 
 
 
 iiii-iili 
 
 ^ On.llCTIo.NS OK iMu lioURGEOIS. 
 
 The objections of the ('atholic minority to the History of England 
 having been explained by R-v. Fatlier Sinnett and Mr Rimmer, it 
 renuiins to show that Huckley and Rohert-on in the Ili-tory of 
 Canada likewise pass over almost in silence, the action of the Catim- 
 lic Chinch from the foundation of Canada to tiie present day. 
 
 Mr Ht)urgeois pr( ves that tlie.^e authors, have throughout tiie 
 work, iuid in view to diminisii the nobleness, the grandeur, and 
 the patriotism of tlie French and give all the honor to the English. 
 
'W' 
 
 it a i)(>pijih 
 
 (1. 
 
 left on +he 
 
 the ne/irest 
 
 e stiitv:;inent 
 
 nd upright 
 
 e of a r«giie, 
 ing thiit of 
 t a])tly be 
 )ry. 
 
 11(1 Robert- 
 
 inetcd out 
 
 edit a j)ro- 
 
 le Society 
 
 filiation, to 
 
 the hi*itory 
 nt to their 
 Protestants 
 md facts of 
 3e that the 
 
 y form and 
 merly used 
 a book is a 
 
 e from the 
 le essential 
 )iy, and in 
 »t children 
 1, this will 
 lo directly 
 
 UlMMKU. 
 
 )f England 
 limmiT, it 
 iri>tory of 
 ;he ( Jatho- 
 day. 
 
 ghoiu the 
 <Ieur, and 
 5 English. 
 
 
 i| 
 
 I 
 
 — 47 — 
 
 As a Catlu)lic and a French Canadian, be protests in the name 
 of bis countrymen iind bis coreligionists against the Regulations of 
 the Council of Public [nstructiun, regulations which enforce the 
 use of tbir history in all the schools of the Territories. 
 
 ^ OHJl•:cTIo^s OF Mu McCarthy. 
 
 The proposed study of a. rf'.iding lesson requires that the pupil 
 understand well llic matter of the lesson, and hence ir.formation 
 that the y<iung mind acquires in this way is often so thoroughly 
 drilled into ibe memory as to remidn unforgolten through life. 
 Hence it is that Catholics insist that every lessoii presented to the 
 youthful mind sjiould plainly teach some ;noral as well as useful 
 truth and be incapable of misleading construction. 
 
 They complain that, while none of the reatlers give due pro- 
 minence to the religious side of life and man's duty to bis Creator, 
 several of the lessons bear constructions at once un-Catholic and 
 untruthful. 
 
 The lesson in the 4tb Reader, page 142 and the following entitled 
 " Sermon on the Mount." is taken i'voux an un-appioved version of 
 the Bible, and its very use by Catholics is contrary t.) an express 
 prohibition of their Church, vi/. that no translation of the Scri})- 
 ture- not having the Church's seal of approval can l)e used by her 
 meml ers. The same exception is taken to the opening lesson of the 
 " High School Reader/' viz. " King Solomon's Prayer," which 
 carefully proclaims its anti-catholic origin, being labelled " trans- 
 lated Kill, revised 1885. '" The former selection ditfers very nnite- 
 rially from the Catholic translation ; for instance one of its para- 
 graphs reads," use not vain rei)elitions ' while the catholic version 
 is " speak not much.' The Protestant translation imposed on our 
 children, is evidently nuide with a bo.>-tile intent and is indeed 
 often interpreted as opposing tlu^ Catholic practice of saying the 
 Rosary. 
 
 Then, the '• Lord's Prayer ' at the end of said selection is couched 
 in the Protestant form, and -urely the zealous Teacher would give 
 this part at least as a memory lesson. 
 
 In the '* High School Reader '" page 208 is found the " Ode; to 
 liberty '' a strikingly well-written selection ju^t such a oneas should 
 be critically exjilained, examined and memorized. 
 
 The last stanza contains a hit at the Catholic Church in the 
 lines," Alike from priestcraft etc. 
 
 Finally, the Ontario Readers are objectionable to us because 
 they are more Prote-itant than ('atholic, or rather, more goilless 
 than any thing else. 
 
 Such were the principal objections of the Catholic representa- 
 tives before the School Committee. 
 
I I 
 
 — 48 — 
 
 Before closing the meeting, some members of the said committee 
 claimed that the difficulties raised against Buckley and Robertson's 
 History could not hold good as the book has been authorized by 
 the Catholic section of the former Board of Education. 
 
 Mr Forget and I refuted in a few words, this specious argument. 
 In the first place we called the attention of the Committee to the 
 fact that the Catholic section had never consented thnt Lingard's 
 History should cease to be the text-book in our schools. The three 
 Catholic members of the Board had unanimously affirmed their 
 determination on this point. 
 
 Nevertheless we proposed to consider if there were no means 
 of coming to an understanding so as to clioose an author whose 
 history could serve as a common basis for the examinations of can- 
 didates as teachers. Each year we received complaints from Catho- 
 lic and Protestant candidates alike. 
 
 Both complained with good reason that the examiners did not 
 prepare a series of questions from Collier for the Protestants and 
 from Lingard for the Cath(>lics. 
 
 The later protested against an examination the questions of 
 which were taken from a Protestant author whose book they had 
 never studied, and the former claimed it an injustice to give them 
 questions taken from a Catholic author, which they had never 
 seen. All desired to have if possible a common text- book. 
 
 Botli Fections of the Board wished to come to an understanding ; 
 but wliat was to be done? It was useless to ask the Catholic section 
 to accept Collier, or to the Protestant section to take Lingard. Neither 
 would yield so far. 
 
 It was then that Buckley and Robertson was proposed. It satis- 
 fied neither section ; it appeared to them either too Protestant or 
 not sufficiently so ; but in the end it was adopted on trial, since we 
 could change this decision when we judged useful or necessary- 
 We kept Lingard as our authority in history in our schools; we 
 tried Buckley and Robertson as a basis for the examinations of 
 teachers who would be perfectly capable of rectifying for themselves 
 any want of precision or truth, which they might find therein. 
 
 It is then evidently false to maintain that our objections to the 
 history imposed on all our schools by the Council of Public Instruc- 
 tion are of no weight because of this so-called approbation, which 
 has never existed, 
 
 Mr President then declared that the committee thoroughly 
 understood the complaints, grievances and petitions of the Repre- 
 sentatives of the Catholic minority. 
 
 Accordingly, now was the time for the Legislative Assembly to 
 act. 
 
49 
 
 CHAPTER VIIT 
 
 DEPLORABLE REPLY OF THE LEOISF-ATIVE ASs^EMBLV TO THE 
 CATHOLICS OF THE TERRITORIES. 
 
 In the beginning of September 1894, the Committee before which 
 we had defended our rights nnd exposed our grievances prepared a 
 report which they recommended to and submitted for the approba- 
 tion of the House. 
 
 This report was accepted and voted by the Legislative Assembly ; 
 but, is it such as tv e us satisfaction ? No, for the authors of this 
 report make light of our grievances and despise our complaints and 
 our too well founded petitions. Thus : — 
 
 1. They leave in force all the hostile and malignant regulations 
 of the Council of Public Instruction. 
 
 Our Legislators decree, it is true, tliat in future no general regu- 
 lations on certain particular points will l)e passed without our Ca- 
 tholic members being convoked. But at any time the Council of 
 Public Instruction can pa.ss particular regulations, and baffle, when 
 it wills, this futile and puerile amendment. 
 
 2. They positively refuse to grant us tlie rigbt to establish a 
 Separate School District where none exists, until a Protestant 
 Public School District lias been erected. 
 
 3. Permission to use the French language in order to impart in- 
 struction to children of Frencli origin and who do not understand 
 a word of English, is refused to tlie teacliers of our schools. The 
 children may understand or they may not. but they must be taught 
 in English. 
 
 4. Our Legislatois grant permission to open school with the re- 
 cital of the Lord's Prayer, that is. if the Trustees consent thereto. 
 But the Hail Mary, the Apostles' Creed, the Ten (.'ommandments 
 remain forbidden. 
 
 5. In spite of the numerous and weigiity o]))ections made and 
 proved before the committee, with regard to the readers and histo- 
 ries we are to continue to leave them in tlw^ hands of our children. 
 As to the passages to which we have too strong an objection, we 
 may pass them over. 
 
 6. When practicable, and the Council of Public Instruction 
 thinks lit, a special Normal School session for Sisters and ladies 
 only may be held. 
 
■I i 
 
 It;,;!' 
 
 — 50 — 
 
 I will relate further on the new difficulties made to the execution 
 of this slender concession. 
 
 7. The Council of Public Ins-truction will change nothing in the 
 system of ins])ection. 
 
 To sum uj) all, tlie Legisl.'itive Assembly refuses to grant our 
 most legitimate claims, and even where it seems to concede some- 
 thing, in reality it concedes nothing for it merely recommends the 
 mutter to the Council of Public Instruction. It is not an order 
 that it gives but simply a ])it of advice which the Superintendent, 
 and his colleagues will easily find means to elude. 
 
 liefore the report of the ctunmittee was accei)ted and voted by the 
 Legislature, Mr A. Prince, member for St-Albert, foreseeing only 
 too well what would take place, stood up and with some indigna- 
 tion handed to the iSj)eakers the following report, asking that it be 
 voted without delay. 
 
 RegIxNA, Sept. 4th 1894. 
 
 The standing committee on Education, instructed to enquire into 
 and report upon the petitions, memorials, and other documents 
 relating to the complaints of the Roman Catholics against certain 
 of the provision of the School Ordinances and Regulations, now in 
 force in the Terriiorie-, beg leave to report as foliows: 
 
 1. That in pursuance of tiie resolution of this Assembly, relative 
 to these complaints, ample opportunity was given to representatives 
 of the complainant for appearing and fully stating their case before 
 your committee; and a statement is hereto attached, signed l)y the 
 Rev. Father Leduc, Vicar General of the Diocese of St-Albert, and 
 A.-E. Forget of Regina, Roman Catholic representative on the 
 Council of Public Instruction, containing a summary of the said 
 com[)laints: 
 
 2. The complaints having been duly considered, your committee, 
 from statements made by tiie a))ove named representatives of the 
 Roman Catholics, takes much pleasure in reporting that the follow- 
 ing pro))osed an»endments to the Ordinance of 18t)2, as well as the 
 resolutions and leconimendations liereinafier proposed, whileinno 
 wise modifying the present existing school legislation, will, never- 
 theless, if adopted and carried out in a liberal and generous s[.irit, 
 remove the most serious of the grievances complained of by the 
 Roman Catholics and be generally accepted by them as a fair settle- 
 ment of the same. 
 
 Proposed amendments : 
 
 I. That sub-section (1) of Section 5 of the Scliool Ordinance be 
 amended by adding the following words thereto : " But no regula- 
 tions respecting : 
 
— ')1 
 
 execution 
 ing in tlie 
 
 grant our 
 ecle some- 
 neu(l« the 
 :. an oider 
 
 ntendent. 
 
 ted bytlie 
 
 }ing onl}' 
 
 indigna- 
 
 that it be 
 
 1894. 
 
 quire into 
 ocuments 
 st certain 
 s, now in 
 
 r, relative 
 Bentatives 
 ise before 
 ed by the 
 bert, and 
 '^e on the 
 the said 
 
 >mmittee, 
 I'es of the 
 le follow- 
 ell as the 
 Idle in no 
 11, never- 
 )us si»irit, 
 )f by the 
 air settle- 
 
 nance be 
 o regula- 
 
 " (a) The nianagoiuent and di.scii)line of schools • 
 
 " (6) The examination, gradin- and licensin- (.fUuichers ; 
 
 " (c) The selection of books ; 
 
 '• (d) The inspection of schools ; 
 
 " (' ) Normal trdning, 
 •• shall be adopted or amended except at -(..u'ral meetings of the 
 " O.uncil „1 Public Instruction duly convei.cd \\,r the purpose: 
 
 II. That tSection 8-2 of the .Sciiool Ordinance be repealed and the 
 following sul)stitutetl therefor: 
 
 •' The minority ratejiayers. whether protestant or Roman Ca- 
 •• tholic, of any district or portion of the Territories,— whether such 
 '■ district or portion has been erected or not. either in whole or in 
 '• part into a Public School District.— may at any lime [)etilion to 
 " be erected into a Separate School district ; and tlie .'^aid rate- 
 '' payers after such erection . shall he liable only t(. assessment of 
 *' such rates as they impose upon them^rlves in respect tiiereof." 
 
 Ill That Section 88 l»e amended by adding bei'orc the lirst AVord 
 thereof, the following words. •• Except in schools where the 
 " Council of Public Instruction >hall otherwise order, all schools 
 " shall be taught in the Knglish hn.guage. 
 
 IV That section 85 (which forbids all prayer) be amended by 
 adding theieto the following words : — 
 
 " It shall, however. ])e [termissible for the Trustees of any school 
 '• to direct that the classes be(»pened by the recitation of a prayer." 
 
 Pr()iion< (J Hetioliilioii.'i. 
 
 First Reaoluliim. — Wliereas strong feelings .seem to be entertained 
 by Roman Catholics against the use of Buckley and Robertson's 
 History of England and Canada and the Ontario Readers as text 
 books in their .-chools ; 
 
 Whereas the Council of Public Tnstiuction. in prescribing the 
 «aid books for use in Roman Catholic schools, vlisclaims 
 any intention of having preserihod them against the will of 
 the Roman Catholics; but did so only after consultalion 
 with the Rev. Father Caron. repiesentativ(^ of the Roman 
 Catholics on the Council ot' Ivddic Instruction, and fully believing 
 that he iiad given his con--(Mit to the same ; 
 
 And whereas it now apjiears that sucii consent was never in- 
 tended to have been given ; 
 
 Be ii resolved : that any regulation prescril)ing the said books 
 
 in Roman Catiiolic Schools be withdrawn. 
 
 Second Resolution. — Whereas it is claimed on behalf of the Rev. 
 Sisters, now engaged or who may hereafter desire to engage in 
 
52 — 
 
 teaching in the Territories, that, if the rejiiilations requiring Normal 
 training t(^ entitle them to professional certificates he enforced, it 
 will practically disqualify them as teachers ; as owing to ♦he rules 
 and constitution of their "c^pective orders they are unable to attend 
 the Normal courses contemplated under the said regulations; 
 
 Whereas it has been represented that the said Rev. Sisters will 
 willingly comply with the school regulations in that behalf, if evi- 
 dence of their long experience in the art of teaching cannot be ac- 
 cepted as equal to the required course of training by the said regu- 
 lations ; 
 
 Wliereas, with this end in view, the Rev. Sisters have made a 
 request to have a Normal session held in wne of their own schools 
 whenever the number of candidates may be considered large 
 enough to justify the expenditure, and expressing at the same time 
 their willingness to have said course attended by any lay female 
 candidates, Protestants as well as Roman Catholics, who might 
 desire attend the same ; 
 
 And whereas by a recent resolution of this Assembly it has been 
 already directed th:it a Normal Session be held at certain points 
 in the Territories whenever six candidates may be found to atiend 
 the samo. 
 
 Be it resolved that the same privilege be extended to the Rev. 
 Sisters, but that in view of their peculiar circumstances, pending 
 their having the requisite number of six. they be allowed to teach 
 under their non-professional certificates. 
 
 Third Resolathn.- Whvvknx^ a petition, based on strong reasons, 
 has been presented, praying that every Roman Catholic School be 
 inspected alternately by a Protestant and a Roman Catholic Ins- 
 pector ; 
 
 And whereas tlu allowing of the said request would greatly 
 tend to .'iljay the feeling of repugnance among Roman Catholics 
 against the present sy.-=teni of Inspection ; 
 
 Resolved : that all necessary steps be taken by the Council of 
 Public Instruction for the proper granting out of the said petition. 
 
 This report had been before jiresented to the Committee of 
 Education, by the Catholic Representatives as a compromise, if not 
 quite satisfactory, offering, at least a modus rivendi. For the same 
 object and with the same intention, it was then proposed to the 
 Legislature itself, by the Honorable Member for St-Albert. 
 
 Ah ! if it had b.^en voted by the Legislative Assembly, we might 
 have been led to believe in the good will of our Legislators ; we 
 might have hoped for some liberty in favour of our Educational 
 
— 53 — 
 
 Normal 
 :)rced, it 
 he rules 
 o attend 
 is; 
 
 ters will 
 f, if evi- 
 )t be ac- 
 id regu- 
 
 made a 
 schools 
 (1 large 
 me time 
 7 female 
 3 might 
 
 las been 
 n points 
 o attend 
 
 the Rev. 
 jending 
 to teach 
 
 reason?, 
 hool be 
 lie Ins- 
 
 greatly 
 Catholics 
 
 nncil of 
 K'tition. 
 
 ittee of 
 ie, if not 
 ie same 
 d to the 
 
 e might 
 ors ; we 
 cjitional 
 
 Institutions. We should have had a modus rivcndi which, though 
 not amounting to wealth, not oven to comfort, would have l)een a 
 sort of hearnhk poverty. This is jill we a-ked for, not being allowed 
 to hope for more, for the presoiit. And the entire Legislature, with 
 the exception of our two Catholic members, and (uie solitary Pro- 
 testant member, the honorable member for Battleford, voted 
 against this report, notwitbnanding its extreme moderation, and 
 adopted the report of the Committee, the false generosity, not to 
 say the perfidious and underhand hostilitv of which was exposed 
 in the preceding pages. 
 
 Doctor Brett, member for the Electoral Division of Red Deer, 
 whilst voting agaunt us, could not refrain from making certain 
 observations, which merit attention : " If T had absolute liberty," 
 said he to the House ; "if 1 had it in my power to settle this 
 school question, in less than a quarter of an hour, it would be 
 done. But neither you nor I have the necessary authority and 
 since we are compelled to uphold " hfeparate {schools, it seems 
 to me really that we are going loo far. We are p bbing those 
 schools of Rights that we should res[>ect.' 
 
 § 2. Deplorable answer from the Council of Pirlic 
 
 Instruction. 
 
 In the preceding paragrajdi, wc have been able to examine and 
 judge of the action of the Legislature, and the skill with which the 
 members elude the amendments proposed by us ; as-etnblance of 
 good will is occasionally evinced l)y them, when they adyise the 
 Council of Public Instraction to allow our teaching staff of Sisters 
 to be called to a session ot the Normal School exclusively for 
 ladies. I interviewed the Superintentlent of Public Instruction, 
 with regard to this point. I asked him, if the listers, who had not 
 yet their certificates from Regina, might take part in the said 
 session of the Normal School, join in the stutlies. raid be examined 
 there, before having passed an examination of the Candidate- 
 Teachers. Thus, said I to Mr Goggin, time will be saved, and the 
 conditions exacted by the t'ouncil of Public Instruction shall be 
 accomplished, one after the other." '" By all means,'" answered the 
 Superintendent, " see, as soon as possible, how many of the Sisters, 
 are prepared to follow a -ipecial course. .'MkI inform ns at your 
 earliest convenience." 
 
 This conversation between Mr (ioggin an<l iiiyself. took i)lace in 
 September 1894. in his own ofiice, in tiie Department of Education. 
 Alas ! in December of the same year, our Superintendent with- 
 drew what he undo''btedly considered ' a too radical <>onces.sion. 
 Admitting sisters to lUe Nor;nal School before tliey had reoeived 
 
 lii 
 
 m-X 
 
 i: :■■ 
 
— 54 — 
 
 their non-professional certificates from Rejrimi, would indeed be 
 showing them rather too much favour ; it would he compromising 
 tl;e end in view ; viz., ' the ridding the Territories of these Teaching 
 
 Instead of flatly refusing, as they might have done, the Sisters 
 consented, if not to accept, at least to tolerate, this combination, 
 thus preparing for themselves, an opening, which, alas, is immedia- 
 tely closed on them by new regulations. A few months later Mr 
 Goggin Siiid to me, " f deny having ever permitted that the Sisters 
 might fulfil the conditions of tlie normal course, before having 
 obtained a certificate from Rcgina : we cannot possibly grant such 
 a permission, and we hnve never done so." 
 
 The Sii[>erint('ndent may deny the fact as much as he pleases, 
 I affirm solemnly that he did grant this permission. But this is 
 only another obstacle thrown in the Sisters' way. 
 
 Mr (ioirgin might as a last resource, grant a certificate " pro 
 tem.," ill order to fulfil the tyrannicnl conditions imposed l)y these 
 cast-iron rule-' on the Teaching Staff. But no ; he will not, he 
 cannot do it ! Tlie anii|)athy, the aversion, the hatred borne by 
 Freemasonry to these" religious institutions, prohibit the slightest 
 act of justice in their favour. 
 
 Last year, in a Calgary news- pa per, the Superintendent of 
 Public Tnstructioii, accused me of having altered facts, exaggerated 
 them enormously and of having misled public opinion in the two 
 documents which I had addressed to Mgr Tache, Archbishop of St- 
 ■ Boniface, and which Tlis Grace published in his celebrated 
 " memoir," in reply to the Report of the Committee of the Hono- 
 rable Privy Council of Canada, on the " Manitoba School Question." 
 Strange to say. Mr Goggin, never refuted these assertions ; he 
 merely denied them. Let him go on, deny them for ever ; the facts 
 remain ; he can no more disprove them by a simple negative, than 
 a man born blind, or whn wilfully shuts his eyes, can disprove the 
 existence of light and color. 
 
 Let us now examine the curriculum ; we shall find therein 
 ample matter for serious consideration. 
 
 PRC 
 
 Let 
 our sch 
 
 The 
 recitatic 
 has l)e( 
 bigotry, 
 
 The 
 demand 
 liberalit 
 cience ? | 
 
 Wh 
 of stuc 
 tion.an 
 This pr 
 over at 
 with 
 blessec 
 heart I 
 
 Wit 
 graphy 
 typical 
 charact 
 Marlboi 
 
 The 
 Champ 
 Donald 
 In earn 
 of pray 
 of his 
 
 th 
 
 
 cension 
 flung b; 
 glories 
 
-55 
 
 CHAPTER TX. 
 
 PROGRAMME OF THE (UT'NCILor TM lUJC I N'STRTTTION. 
 
 Let us study attentively the veliirioiis and moral pro,!,'ranime of 
 our schools, and we shall be greatly id 1 tied. 
 
 § 1. Remcjioi's Programme. 
 
 The Trustees are allowed to have the i^chools opened with the 
 recitation of the " Lords prayer." This pernussion. we presume, 
 has been given in favour of the " prejudiet',"' and '" religious 
 bigotry," of the Catholics. 
 
 The Legislature goes so far, in order to satisfy the repeated 
 denoands of the Catholics. Is that not a proof of their adniirab'e 
 liberality and of their profound respect for: "liberty of cons- 
 cience? "... 
 
 Whilst penning these lines, I have l)efore me the Programme 
 of studies, the latest published, by order of the council of Educa- 
 tion, and imposed by the same on all the schools in the Territories. 
 This programme forms a pamphlet of lO pages; T have read them 
 over attentively, from beginning to end, and T Imve not once met 
 with the adorable name of (rod; not once have I met witli the 
 blessed name of the Redeemer; not a word for the soul and for the 
 heart I 
 
 With regard to history, the pupils are obliged to know the bio- 
 graphy of persons considered, (whether rightly or wrongly as 
 typical statesmen or virtuous citizens ; for insta:nce : the life and 
 character of Caractacus, .Tulius Cesar, Wolsey. Elizabeth, Cromwell. 
 Marlborough, Pitt, Nelsini, Wellington, Lord .Tohn Russell &c., &c. 
 
 The pupils must also have a knowledge of the lives of Cabot, 
 Champlain, Wolfe, Carleton, McKenzie, Howe. Papinoau, Mac- 
 Donald, &c. But the life of a God-man, his divine generation, his 
 Incarnation, prompted by his infinite love for Mankind, his life 
 of prayer and humility, his public life, his miracles ; the founding 
 of his Church; his Ciutifixi<tn ; his resurrection and glorious As- 
 cension ; of all that, not a word ! This is a burning shame, an insult 
 flung by this ignoble programme, in the face of every man that 
 glories in being a Christian, that is to say, a follower of Christ. 
 
— 56 — 
 
 Here we are in Canada, in a country that makes proud pro- 
 fession of its Chri«'tianity, and godless schools are imposed upon 
 us ! The teachers and pupils, have to follow materialistic programme, 
 in which they never meet the Holy Name of their Lord, and Creator. 
 This programme of studic is a cri:r.e that cries to Heaven for 
 vengeance, and which mu^t necessarily draw down the wrath 
 and the chastisements of God on this country, which we would 
 fain see great, prosp^irous, loved, and honored by the other nations. 
 It would seem forsooth, as if these framers of materinlistic and 
 godless laws couid see nothing in man, but a perfected animal, 
 the most intelligent, the noblest of all, unless, indeed, the education 
 he is condemned to receive shouM make liim the most cruel and the 
 most formidable of all animals ; Godless education will eventually 
 bring man back to the savage state, or to say the least, to that 
 pagan and dissolute civili-ation, which sullied the earth before the 
 coming of the Messiah . 
 
 If the |)rogrammo utterly neglects to impart the knowledge 
 and love of God to the pupils, wo cannot charge it with neglecting 
 their material wolfnre. (Ueanliness, clothing, pure air, good water, 
 bodily exercise, rest, wholesome food praiseworthy and moderate 
 habits, baths, accidents, poisons, disinleclants. circulation of the 
 biood, care of the eyes, ean &c, all these are the subject-matter of 
 so many lessons, whicii the teacher are supposed to inculcate on 
 the minds of children. All well and good; but why complain if 
 Catholics, while carefolly oxiu)un(ling these sanitary [)rinciples, 
 take some care of the health, the strength, the purity of heart and 
 soul? We, Catholics, disavow and reject, with all our might, schools 
 in which the teaciiing is purely natural... Are we in the wrong? 
 
 S i\ Moral Proguammk, 
 
 Are we also in the nrong wlien we cordially despise the miser- 
 able proii.ammo of morals and of civic virtue, wiiich our Council 
 of Public Instruction certainly did not invent? This programme 
 was received by thom ready made, if como from the Ma-^onic Lodges, 
 and our superintendent, without doubt, gave it thelinishing touch. 
 It is really believed, by those who impose this programme on our 
 schools, that it will amply replace, and with great advantage, tlie 
 religious instruction which tiiey have set aside. 
 
 Where Je-^us Christ jiiul his Church are biuiishcd from the 
 schools, what need is there of teaching a divine and supernatural 
 morality? The Theologiml virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, are 
 out of |)laco there; a child docs noi ncted Ihcin to become an 
 honest man, an honest pagan All tliat is reipiired of liim is to 
 consider what society expects from him, what will bring him honor 
 and enjoynients in the present life. Supernatural and divine faith 
 
'^■■■'»«miiMmm'rm^l^Mti^:-9<^''^^''- 
 
 -57 — 
 
 is nonsense; it is, in the eyes of reason and science, a slavery ; he 
 must put it aside and substitute therefor the liberty of thinking, 
 believing whatever you like, except the Revelation vouchsafed by 
 God to fallen and redeemed man. Hope will be no longer anything 
 else than confidence in the success due to his own strength and 
 his own efforts to arrive at the posse^^sion and fruition of material 
 goods. Charity, or the love ot (Jod, and of our neighbour; charity, 
 the queen of virtues, the mother of all devotedness, of all self-denial, 
 of the purest and most perfect al)uegation, will be replaced by a 
 pliilantr»)py of the most platonic stamp. 
 
 Teachers should take great care, says the programme, to incul- 
 cate on the minds of the scholars the necessity of practising all the 
 civic and natural virtues; they must teach them to be polite, 
 obliging, affable towards thoir equals, and kind to animals. They 
 must impress on their young minds that they ougiit to be loving, 
 sincere and faithful, obedient, respectful and grateful, forgiving 
 others; and owning their own faults... They should also say to 
 their pupils : " Be honest and honorable; brave on all occasions ; 
 never be puffed up with self-esteem ; have a great self-respect ; 
 guard your reputation, your health, as well as your conversation " 
 in fine, " Be ever industrious, economical and prudent." 
 
 Such is the decalogue of our Schools of the North-West, a god- 
 less decalogue, without punishment or reward other tlian those of 
 human justice and the illusive satisfaction hat follows upon the 
 fulfilment of a duty. 
 
 This n)oral education, from which the knowledge of (iod is 
 excluded is too fruitful in disastrous results not to be branded as 
 it deserves. It paves the way to all kinds of errors; it allows one to be 
 an atheist, a materialist, an infidele, a rationalist, and even a pag- 
 an, so long as he assumes the cloak of h(»nesty according to the 
 world. Only let the Sepulciire be whitewashed, clean and bright 
 outwards ; it matters little it' witliin it be full of worms and all fil- 
 thiness. To escape human justice an<l criticism, thanks to the prac- 
 tice of certain natural virtues, to make oneself agrcalde, to got on 
 in the world by indu-tvy, economy and prudence, this is the ideal, 
 of a ]>erfect man aci'ording to our programme of moral cilucalion. 
 Is it not humiliating? Is it not C'ontemptibh- ? 
 
 ^ .;i 
 
 111 
 
 6 
 
 'f: 
 
-58 — 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE CATHOLICS OK MANITOBA, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THE 
 
 NOIITII-WEST. 
 
 The Catholics of the North-West, repudiate, with all their might, 
 the school system imposed on them by the Ordinance of 189- and 
 by the subsequent Rules and Regulations of the Council of Public 
 Instruction. 
 
 Far from being satisfied as our adversaries are trying hard to 
 insinuate all through Canada, the Cjitholics of the North-West resent, 
 more and more keenly every day, the underhand persecution to 
 which they are subjected. Experience shows us clearly the per- 
 fidy of the School Ordinance and of the shameful enforcement 
 thereof by the members of the Council of Education. Their mani- 
 fest purpose is, in concert with Mr Coggin, the Superintendent, to 
 lieap obstacle upon obstacle, in order to impede the progress, the 
 multiplication, the liberty and the autonomy of the Catholic 
 schools. 
 
 No ! we could never sanction a like injustice, we will notecase to 
 denounce it to the whole Dominion. JSup|)orted by facts and un- 
 deniable proofs, a^ T think I have shown in this humble work, we 
 shall continue to give a Hat and public contradiction to the shame- 
 less and lying assertion of those who dare aftirin that the Catholic 
 minority of the Territories is satisfied with the scliool system, 
 whicli they have been groaning under for the last three years. And 
 now turning to our co-religionists in Maidtoba, still more brutally 
 persecuted than we are, we sincerely congratulate them on their 
 laudable and continuous struggle for their rights. Yes ! We are 
 proud (»f their persevering energy and courage in maintaining their 
 Catholic unity. 
 
 Full auil entire justice shall be soon restored to them, we firmly 
 trust. Our hopes are foundcil on the declarations, so noble, so 
 clear, and so expressive, of the Honcu-able Premier, Sir IMcKenzio 
 Jiowell. and of his distinguisJKMl colleagues at the last session of 
 Pariiametit, and renewed since that time, on several occasion-, and 
 in difTerent localities, during tlie course of the Hon. Premiers' visit, 
 and that (»f the Hon Minister of the Interior, tlirougli Manitt»ba and 
 the North-West Territories. 
 
titmm 
 
 ly 
 
 Iko 
 
 rio 
 
 lof 
 
 ul 
 
 it. 
 
 -59 — 
 
 Unfortunately other Hon. members of the Federal Parliament 
 have tried if not quite to oppose remedial laws in favour of the 
 Catholics in Manitoba, at least to suggest the adoption of what 
 could hardly be called even a lui'f measure, but rather a measure, 
 and a remedy entirely inad nisdble. Mr Nicolas Flood Davin, 
 whom I had occasion to mention in the course of this work, ex- 
 pressed himself as follows on the school question in Manitoba, in 
 the House of (.'ommons. IVHh July 1895 : — 
 
 " Sir, T have pretty high authority for stating that if the system 
 that obtains at the present time in the North-^^'est Territories were 
 given to Manitoba, the minority in Manitoba would be content. T 
 have it on authority that! may describe as almost the very highest 
 that can be had that they would i)e content with that. N«)W, what 
 is that system ? Tt is a very moderate system, wholly different 
 from what is called for by the remedial order. Tn the North-West 
 Territories we have public schools and we have separate schools. 
 We have the same system of inspection for botb. the same curricu- 
 lum, the same books, the same teachings on tlie same schedule from 
 9 to ?*. But from 3 to 1130 the religion tbat is directed by tbe trus- 
 tees to be taught in that school is taugbt. Now. T must say, that 
 when T was tobl by a, Roman Catholic gentleman wbo co\ild speak 
 with direct authority from tbe late Archbishop Tache whose entire 
 confidence he had — tins was before T came down here — tliat Mani- 
 toba would be satisfied with tbe system that obtains at jtresent in 
 the North-West Territories, T felt that was an exceedingly moderate 
 demand and that if anything at all was to be dojie, less certainly 
 could not be done." 
 
 I am very sorry to be <tl)lige(l to say tbat M. Davin, must not 
 have caught the whole inip(»it nor the }»ei.ring of the words of the 
 " Catholic gentleman" in nuestion. Th.^ Hon. member for West 
 A.asiniboia had certainly not the idea, much less tbe will, to afUrm, 
 or advance a falsehood. His character and bis honour preclude 
 such a supposition. Not very long ago, this gentleman on whose 
 testimony he relies spontanetuisly gave me a very satisfactory ex- 
 planation on th" subject Tn the conversation alluded to by Mr 
 Davin, he simply manifested his astonis^hment tbat tbe (lovern- 
 ment of Manitoba had not left t.» the Catholics of that Province, 
 even tho. minimim. which is stiil left to us in the Territories. 
 
 Evidently there is a great gulf betwcuMi this explaiuition of the 
 '' Catholic gentleman." autl the statement made by Mr, Davin to 
 the House; \\v. then acte(l in good faith, no doubt, and will. T trust, 
 nobly and candiilly correct his involuntary «'rror at the coming 
 )n and with us bo will aflirm, in presence of the re[)re.senta- 
 
 sessn 
 lives 
 
 o 
 
 f Canada, the truth of the following conclusion 
 
_60 — 
 
 The School System of the North-West Territories, is inad- 
 missible IN Manitoba. 
 
 Tf, which is not i»robable. the Catholics of Manitoba should ac- 
 cept a like system, whut would be their share in school Govern- 
 ment ? What would be their rights, their liberties, their privileges, 
 with regard to education? 
 
 This is the answer : 
 
 1st A council of Public Instruction, in which no Catholic will 
 have a right to vote. 
 
 2nd A Superintendent chosen amongst the dignitaries of a so- 
 ciety conceived and brought into being in order to destroy Chris- 
 tianity, and, if possible, God hini-self ; a Superintendent therefore, 
 hostile to our schools, and es|)ecially to religious coni;nunities of 
 Teaching-Sister-!. 
 
 3rd They will be forbidden to form a separate Catholic school 
 district before the majority has organized its Protestant Public 
 district. 
 
 4th They will be ordered to give up the choice of their school- 
 books, and not to keep a single Catholic book in the schools, not 
 even for reading and History. 
 
 5th Catholics will not be allowed to name tlieir inspectors, of 
 whom, not one will be a Catholic. 
 
 Gth They will have to relinquish ail right to judge any appeal 
 from the decisions of said Inspectors. 
 
 7th They will have no authority in what concerns the disci- 
 pline and inspections of their own schools, and will be refused, 
 even the privilege of an inspection made alternatively by a Catholic 
 and a Protestant. 
 
 8th They will have no right to examine the candidates. 
 0th No right to take part in thegrading,Iicence8 and certificates 
 of the Teachers. 
 
 10th They wi .^ strictly forbidden to draw up any rules, but 
 will l»e obliged t > .!cept all those im|»osed on them. 
 
 Finally they „ III be banished from the ('ouncil of Public Ins- 
 truction, from the Hoard of Inspectors, from the Hoar<l of Exami- 
 ners and from the administration of their own Schools. 
 
 In return, thoy will rocoivo the following lay, obligatory, tyran- 
 nical and impossible i)rivileges : The momb<M-s of religious 
 teaching communities, male as well as female, will kindly submit 
 to be examined by the representatives of the State and, if judged 
 capable, these members must then condescend to follow the 
 Nornuil School omirse, and finally to pass an examination on 
 pedagogy. 
 
 In\ 
 
 the Tea 
 
 Holy n 
 
 chosen 
 
 surer g 
 
 serious 
 
 many e 
 
 lifelong 
 
 vided v^ 
 
 a few n 
 
 nothing 
 
 with tei 
 
 art of 
 
 Examii 
 
 positioi 
 
 easily. < 
 
 best Ca 
 
 liave I 
 
 unfortu 
 
 Sisters 
 
 Council 
 
 reasoiis, 
 
 or unfa) 
 
 qnarte^^ 
 
 rable rt 
 
 possible 
 
 as separ 
 
 With 
 
 to Mani 
 
 nally, b 
 
 would ii 
 
 To ni 
 
 Maiiitob 
 
 that Pre 
 
 make to 
 
 '-■ Gel 
 
 to vour 
 
 done ; a 
 
 and pri 
 
 Council 
 
 entirely, 
 
 come. 1 
 
 that we I 
 
 assistunc 
 
 Schools ; 
 
— 61 
 
 iiMM 
 
 •II n- 
 oiis 
 mit 
 
 on 
 
 In vain will the Catholics of Manitoba maintain and prove that 
 the Teaching Staff of Brothers in Winnipeg, that the Sisters of the 
 Holy names of Jesus and Mary, as well as the Sisters of Chari*y, 
 chosen especially for teaching, give more satisfaction, and much 
 surer guarantees of success in the teaching line owing to their 
 serious preparatory studies before embracing their state of life, the 
 many examinations undergone in il.eir respective orders, and the 
 lifeU^ng normal exercises they go through, than lay teachers ]iro- 
 vided with a certificate obtained alter a short exiimination and only 
 a few months spent in a Nornuil School. The Catholics will gain 
 nothing, absolutely nothing ! Teaching Brothers, Teaching Sis-ters, 
 with ten, twenty, and thirty years' exjierience and success in the 
 art of teaching, all will have cither to submit or to quit. The 
 Examiners will be more or 1 ss conscientious in coirecting thecom 
 positions of the candidates. When it suits tlicir purpose, tlicy can 
 easily, on uhc sul»ject or another bring about the failure ol" even the 
 best Candidate, who bas incurred their di ;>loasure or who may 
 have been |iointed out to tbeni. And this will likt'ly be, 
 unfortunately too often, tlic lot »»!' catholic candidates, of the 
 Sisters in particular, so long as secret societies will direct the 
 Council of Public Instruction or its Superintendent. For the same 
 reasoiis, the school inspectors will report as tbey please, favorably 
 or unfavorably according to the instructions they receive from bead- 
 quarters. We have reasons to know that, generally speaking, favo- 
 rable report- will not be given of Catbolic Schools. In fact all 
 possible means will be taken in order tbat llie schools ilesignated 
 as separate may decrease in number. 
 
 With tbe schoul system of tlie Nortli-West Teiiitories ait[)lie(i 
 to Manitoba, tb^' Catholic Schoo.s would no doubt revive nomi- 
 nally, but not in r(>ality ; for the day that would iiive tbetn light, 
 would also sign their death-warrant at short notice. 
 
 To maintain that the <yst(Mn of the North-West is ad miss, hie in 
 Manitoba, mean- purely, and simply, that the i'atholic. uiinority of 
 tiuit Province might go to Messrs (ireiMiwav and Company and 
 nuike to them tbe following declar.dions : 
 
 (lentlemen, we ba^'e the honour of s>ibmitting. in every point 
 to your School Law of LSI)'. We willingly accept all you have 
 done; all you have decreed against u-. We renounce all our rights 
 and privileges, even those nnmifestly re(!oginze(l by the I'rivy 
 Council of Her Majesty, our (iracious (ineen. We therefore submit 
 entirely, without re-^erve, to your School Laws, past present and to 
 come. In return, have the kindnc.-s to giv(! us a morsel of bread, 
 that we may not die of starvation ; give us our small share in the 
 assistance genen)usly granted by your (iovernment to Protestant 
 Schools ; allow us to keep our own assessments and we shall be 
 
— 62 — 
 
 satisfied, happy, penetrated with the liveliest gratitude." 
 
 Such is, in truth, the frightful School System of the North- West 
 Territories, adorned with the sweet title of '' moderate," by a 
 distinguished member of the Federal Parliament, an unjust and 
 persecuting system, imposed oy force on the Catholic Minority of 
 the Territories ; an ill-omened system, which the Catholic Minority 
 cannot, nor will not ever accept. 
 
 Now-a-days might beats right. This school persecution, let loose 
 against the Catholic Churv-^h by the hatred of those secret societies 
 which .she condemns, would fain overrun the world. But Almighty 
 God will not permit this : Our Cause is that of Right and Justice ; 
 it must necessarily triumph, for iniquity has but a limited time, 
 whilr't justice is eternal. Justice raay.at a given moment, be ignored 
 and trodden under foot, but annihilated, never! 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 NO PRIVILEGES. UNFORTUNATE CHOICE. 
 
 This work w is finished, when I found myself, suddenly face to 
 face with quite recent dnclariitions, which bear a more despotic 
 aspect than evev. 1 regret this very much, and the more so that 
 T should have been better pleased to record in this last chapter the 
 slighto-'t indication of good will. 
 
 As this Siitiafiiction is refused mo. 1 sliall continue to publish 
 the truth, how painful soever it be. 
 
 2l8t September 1896. 
 
 The Legislative Assombly of the North-West Territories is in 
 full session, and is actively [)ursuing the labors begun at the end of 
 last month. My recent arrival at Rogina would seem to afford a most 
 favorable opportunity foi* once mere begging our Legislators t<» see 
 that justi(!e be granted us. 
 
 Mr F. 01iv(>r, President of the School Conimittce. courteou-ily 
 granted me, a-i well as to Mr A. E. Forget, the pertnission to state 
 once more, before the Committee our views, desires, and grievances. 
 We had no intention this tiiuf of entering upon a long and dotaiUid 
 dis(;ussion. We were well aware that we should not be more 
 successful than we were last v«'ar. Hut wo wanted to declare 
 
\.»-VftV. I:,a4t>-i4-? 
 
 ish 
 
 u-ly 
 itatc 
 ices. 
 
 nore 
 jlare 
 
 — 63 — 
 
 publicly that the ordinances and regulations of the Council of 
 Public Instruction, to which we are subject have never had, and 
 shall never have the assent of the Catholic minority, so long as said 
 ordinances and regulations are not substantially amended. 
 
 Our first step with the Committee is, therefore, a very decided 
 protest, in the name of the Catholics of the Nortl -West, against the 
 regrettable answer made to our petitions, last year, by the Legis- 
 lature and the Council of Instruction We declare that we shall not 
 cease to come every year, to object and protest against the injustice 
 done us, until we have obtained that lawful satisfaction, to which 
 we have a right. Heveral points were then treated at greater length. 
 I shall here mention but three, which deserve special attention, and 
 on which Mr Haultain, Chief of the Executive, and President of the 
 Council of Public Instruction, gave the most categorical and absolute 
 answers. How is it that Mr Goggin,who says he is acting in the name 
 of the Council of Public Instruction, has refused to some of the 
 Sisters of the Teiiching-Staff, the authorization to take part in the 
 Normal school session, given specially, and solely, for ladies in 
 Calgary? He did all in his power to prevent the Sisters from being 
 exempted under any pretext On their final and absolute refusal 
 to leave their convent, a special session was to be held in their own 
 house. But at the last moment, the Superintendent refuses admis- 
 sion to any of the Sisters who have not a non-professional certificate 
 from Regina. 
 
 " This is," said T, '"a new proof of the underhand war waged 
 against our convents." 
 
 " Not at all," replies Mr Hiiultain, who strongly defends this 
 unexpected prohibition ; " You put the cart l)efore the horse. It is of 
 the strictest necessityth.it, Itefore taking a normal course, the can- 
 didates prove that they have the knowledge requisite to follow this 
 course with chance of success. Now a non- professional certificnte 
 given by our ct>uncil of Instruction after success in the prescribed 
 examination, or given, by the same council in exchange for a cer- 
 tificate coming from ai other province, is, for us, the only authentic 
 proof that the Candidates of the Normal School have the previous 
 knowledge absolutely required. When these conditions are not 
 fulfilled by the sisters, we cannv»t for them, any more than for 
 others, admit the least exception. We recognize no privileges for 
 any class of individuals, not more for religious than for persons in 
 
 the world." 
 
 "That is all very well, Mr Haultain. but after all, there is 
 question here, not of the Sisters considiM-od as members of a reli- 
 gious body, but bear it well in mind, of a t'>aching body. Now, do 
 not all the members, of these communities, who have been exclu- 
 sively and constantly occupied during their whole life, in the im- 
 
— 64- 
 
 portant work of teaching, deserve some consideration ? Subject as 
 they arc in their comnuinitiee, to numerous and serious examina- 
 tions, do they not thereby give special guarantees of their capacity ? 
 Are they not acquiring a more and more perfect knowledge of the 
 pedagogic art thr<)Ugli the study, practice and experience of their 
 whole lives? Does not their vocation, their every day life of 
 devoted ness, make them veritable iii)ecialists on the subject of 
 Education? Where sisters are concerned, kindly put out of your 
 mind their religious character, consider them as lay teachers, an<l 
 then say if. with all the special guarantees they offer, they have 
 not, strictly speaking, a far better right to professional certificates 
 than those who obtain them after ^he bare examination reijuired 
 by th (^)iuicil of Kducatioi: An "> it ^]r Goggin will not give the 
 s5stors a niisoriible provisic-;. ■; ;,:;tificate that would introduce 
 th'.MU to the normal session " 
 
 •' No privileges,"' answers Mr ilauh;!'. 
 
 '■ I'ray, do you call this a privilogo? surely not ; it is rather an 
 njuivdlcncc an.\ we are justitied in claiming it, Tf there are any 
 priviU'gcs, they are granted to lay teachers, for in their case at 
 least, the I'Naminations antl normal training imposed on them do 
 not last all their lives " 
 
 2. I then drew the attention of the committee to the (piestion 
 of the exfliaiigiiig of certilicates, in favour of layteachers. I allirmod 
 that i)rovisioiial licenoos only have been granted b}' the Sui)erin- 
 tendeut in cases wh-re permanent certificates, of the same degree 
 and value, should have been given, according to the rules ihen in 
 force I eitiMl as exami)les the diploma" of two ladies. Miss Zenaide 
 Mareoux and Miss Caniilla Cnsson, already mentioned at length in 
 chapter 111. 
 
 Mr llaiiltain once more defendetl his school administration. 
 With the Rules of the Council of Tublic Instruction in his hand, 
 he proved elearly that Miss Mareoux and her companion have no 
 right to the professional, permanent, and 1st class certitieates which 
 they claim. His arguments would be uiumswerable, if the rules 
 t)n which he founds his refusal, were those in force at the time 
 the young ladies asked for certificates. Jiut the rules are not the 
 sam< . Mr Haultain r(>asons from the rules and regulations from 
 July 1K)4 to July 18i>5, whilst I argue from those of lSi)3, the 
 tenor of which was as follows : " Any person, who possesses a cer- 
 tificate, issued since the 1st of January 18^6, in Ontario, or Mani- 
 toba, may receive in exchange, a certificate of the same degree, and 
 the same value, at Ilegina." 
 
 Vain are my efforts to set forth this decisive circumstance of 
 time and date ; the President of the Council is inexorable ! On wit- 
 nessing this refusal of justice, our devoted friend, Mr Forget, could 
 
.,ifmtt»tm:.<r^il 
 
 — 65 — 
 
 not help showing his indignation. " Truly," said he," You have 
 two sets of weights and measures ; you do not treat our Catholic 
 teachers as liberally as you do your own. Hundreds of certificates 
 exactly like those of which we are now speaking, issued at the 
 same time in Manitoba by the Protestant section have been ex- 
 changed here for certificates of the same degree, and tbe same 
 value. I know it for a fact. 
 
 You deny that there are hundreds of cases (»fthis kind ? 
 
 Well, were there only one, that would still besuHicicnt to prove 
 what T here advance. 
 
 Since you reject my figure, I will no longer speak of a hundred 
 or a thousand, but T afiinu that all, yes, all the certificates of that 
 kind, issued at that time by the Protestant section of Manitoba, 
 and presented here to the Council of Instruction at Regina, up to 
 July 1894, have been exchanged by said council for {)ermanent di- 
 plomas of the same degree and the -^aiue value. Tfyou will not 
 give me credit for what I atlirm, send for, and consult the R ;s: 
 ters in the de|)artment of Kducation.'" 
 
 "T stand by theexplan tions I have just given, "said Mr fi. li- 
 tain : " We shall continue the temporary licences, and we ? nl n c 
 grant permanent certilicutcs, excejtt on the recommendatiou oi ur 
 Fnspectors. It is therefore useless to insist further, or t' 'iscss 
 the matter any longer." 
 
 8. One word more, and we shall have done with this painful 
 interview. The Coiiiicil of Public Instruction has (luite rccentlv 
 passed a resolution, that dealt us a very cruel blow. 
 
 A new series of supitlementary Readers was authorized, with 
 full liberty left to the schools to use these books or to refuse them 
 altogether. Here was a case in which full latitude seemed to be 
 given. T asked if we ('.atholics might n(tt be [iermitted to make use 
 of, as Supplementary Rcader>. the Catholic l)ooks in use in our 
 schools before 1892. A ilat refusal was the answer. We felt this, 
 very keenly, and we ^hall never forget it It proves only too evi- 
 dently that we are 'inder the iron heel of persecution. 
 
 Mr. Haultain — " The autorization was not granted b(!cause the 
 series of books asked for by the Catholics do not correspond with 
 the subjects we have in view, and which are being taught now in 
 our schools. Tiiose b(»oks ar<> destined rather for religious in- 
 struction than for anything else; that is why we did not think 
 proper to authorize them.' 
 
 A Catholic :— Is that what you understand by liberty of con- 
 science? 
 
 Mr (>liver, (President of the Committee) — " Do you mean to 
 say, Mr Haultain, that you are opposed to the use of said books 
 simply because they treat of religion? 
 
— 66 — 
 
 Ml Hanltain — No ! not precisely. I merely say that they do 
 not impart the knowledge, which we wish our children to possess. 
 
 Mr Oliver — ^Do you absolutely insist on this supplementary 
 series being uniform in all the schools ? 
 
 Mr Hanltain — T do not go that far; I would not be opposed to 
 a different series, that would contain pretty much the same sub- 
 jects; but the choice made by the Catholics is an unfortunate choice. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The North- West schools may be materialistic.infidel, or atheist. 
 The most that can be allowed them is to be Protestant. 
 
 The Catholic schools must disappear : such is the decree of the 
 Lodges and the Triangles. 
 
^.'wCiJ*.* 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 SCHOOL INVESTIOATION. 
 
 ST-ALBERT, Alberta, N. W. T., 13 Decembeu 1805. 
 
 Inspector Calder accompanied by Mr Miiller entered the St-Al- 
 bert School at 11.30 A. M. on Thursday, November 12th, for the 
 purpose of making an investigation of the written examination 
 held there in the month of June la.st. The inspector on entering 
 told the Principal that he desired to give some work to the children 
 and immediately set a problem in arithmetic on the black board. 
 
 I arrived a few minutes later accompanied by the President of 
 the Board of Trustees aiid Rev. M. Merer, trustee ; we took seats 
 on the platform. The Inspector presented us official letters si)eci- 
 fying the object of the investigation. According to one of these let- 
 ters he was instructed to assemble the trustees and principal of the 
 school and make known the object of his visit as ."?oon as they we^e 
 assembled. The other letter reads as follows : 
 
 REG IN A, July 27 th 1895. 
 
 To THE Department of Education, 
 
 Sorth- Went Territories. 
 Gentlemen, 
 We, your committee on suspects, beg to report as follows : 
 
 (re St- Albert.) 
 
 We have examined three .sets of papers from this School — vizi- 
 Literature, Geogra|)hy and Arithmetic. The papers ' ave been .set 
 aside as traspiciou«*- by three different group* of examiners, each 
 unaware of the others' action. 
 
 We found a marked similarity in all an.^wers to certain ques- 
 tions, and in many eases, groups of identical answers. 
 
 In Arithmetic, the position of the work of certain questions 
 was very similar in all papers. In some cases, we observed that 
 candidates, by the use of wrong figures, obtained a correct answer, 
 while this work was identical on two or three papers. 
 
— 68 — 
 
 In the Geography paper?, the order of the lists given of products 
 of different countries is sufficient to arouse suspicion, the nature of 
 the language and the character of the wording used were i.ot those 
 of the ordinary candidates of the Standard. It is our opinion that 
 the pupils have received assistance during the time of examinations 
 either from among themselves or from an outside source. 
 
 We have the honor to be, Gentlemen, 
 
 Your obedient servants, 
 
 The Committee of Examixeus on sispects. 
 
 The Inspector then passed sheets of paper to each |tupil telling 
 all to work the problem on the black board. 
 
 After this he called a list of pupils hi^ de-<iie;l to examine. As 
 each responded to her name, the inspector seemed to doubt if it 
 was really the child be called. 
 
 The principal was then questioned as to bow the seats were 
 place<l on the day of the examination. She informed the ins^)ector 
 that on the day of the examination each desk was more distant 
 from the other than they were at present. 
 
 lie askeil each pu{)il which scat she occu|>ie(l during the exami- 
 nation ; being informed, he drew ;i phiii of the })osition of Hie seats 
 and numbered each cbiicl's seat. He tbon collected the children's 
 arithmetic ixii)ers, their i)robl(un was pronounced correct by those 
 present. It being now 12 o'cU)ck, the investigation was postponed 
 until 1.30 P. M. 
 
 At ].;>() P M. the inspector and Mr. Miiller re-entered the .school 
 rootn ; the [nipils were ready for work and began immediately to 
 solve another problem which bad ]»een set for them by the ins- 
 pector. In tlu^ meantime Miss .Monti was called and asked by the 
 inspector if she wrote for the Kntraiice Examination of last June. 
 Having answered in the atlirmative. he enquired if she understood 
 what solemn declaration meant ; aufl told her that it meant that 
 we conscientiously told the truth, then the following dialogue took 
 place l)etw<!en them : 
 
 Inspector.'' You will now make a solemn declaration and tell 
 me exactly what you said and did during the examination held 
 last June,'' 
 
 The principal on hearing this, opposed it, saying that she con- 
 sidered it unjust to oblige the child to make a siWemn declaration. 
 There is no mention in the Ordinance of such a thing for candidates 
 of Entrance Exandnations. The inspector answered that there was 
 provision made to hold an investigation when the Department con- 
 sidered it necessary. The principal said she would not tolerate hav- 
 

 69 — 
 
 hool 
 
 ly to 
 
 e ins- 
 
 the 
 
 June. 
 
 tood 
 
 thiit 
 
 took 
 
 (1 tell 
 held 
 
 ing one of her pupils treated in such a manner; but, if he wished 
 he was perfectly free to examine her on the same subjects as given 
 in the June examination and take the result as the test of her 
 capacity. The inspector replied," if you protest 1 will not proceed 
 but these are the orders I have received, it is not my fault." 
 
 I entered at this very moment, the ))rineipal asked me if T tole- 
 rated such conduct on the part <>f the Inspector? *' What conduct? 
 said I. Being infi^nnod that the in-spector required Miss Monti to 
 make a solemn declaration relative to her examination, T advised 
 that the inspector be allowed to proceed, after having been previous- 
 ly informed by the inspector that the same manner of investigation 
 had been made in two Protestant Schools, one at Maple-Creek and 
 the other at Trince-Albert, with the result in one case that the 
 teachers certificate wm-j cancelled and in the other reduced to one 
 year's duration. Being told to continue, the Inspector proceeded as 
 follows : 
 
 Inap. — What teacher was in the room during the examination? 
 
 M.M.— Sister Dillon. 
 
 Insp.— Was there any other teacher? 
 
 M.M.— No. Sir. 
 
 Insp.— Did you see Sifter Dillon with the examination papers 
 in her hand ? 
 
 M.M.-Yes. 
 
 Insp. — Did you see the inside eiivelopes ? 
 
 M.M.-Yes. 
 
 Insp. — Were they like this envelope on the table? 
 
 M.M.-Yes, 
 
 Insp. — Did you notice if these envelopes were sealed ? 
 
 M.M. — Yes, they were all sealed. 
 
 Insp. — Did you see Sister Dillon (►pen the large envelope? 
 
 M.M. — Yes, she oi)ened it at the hour of examination. 
 
 Insp. — Where were you seated during the examination? 
 
 M.M. —On the platform. 
 
 Insp. — Was there anything written on the black board that could 
 assist you during the examination? 
 
 M.M. — No, Sir. (The i>rincipal added that there was no black 
 board in the room oi. hat day.) 
 
 Xnsp. — Were any other cjindidates near you? 
 
 M.M. — Yes: Leo Bro n. 
 
 Insp. — Mow far was Leo Brown from you? 
 
 M.M. —About ft)ur feet. 
 
 Insp. — Did you see his paper or ditl he see yours? 
 MM.— No. " 
 
 Insp.— Did Yon ever transjtose " The Prairie? " ? 
 
 M.M.-Yes. 
 

 
 1 ___ 
 
 70 — 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Insp.- 
 
 -Howl 
 
 ong before the 
 
 examination ? 
 
 
 • 
 
 in . 
 
 M.M.- 
 
 -About 
 
 ji week. (The 
 
 Princi 
 
 I pal 
 
 explained that 
 
 the 
 
 said 
 
 Wri 
 
 poem wftp 
 
 one \\ 
 
 'hich was prescribed 
 
 by 
 
 the Department 
 
 for 
 
 the 
 
 i 
 
 said examination, and the jiupils were recommanded to study it.) 
 
 Insp.~You are not sure of the time ; suppose y )u say some 
 time before. (To this, I{ev. Father Leduc objected, saying : ''if it is a 
 week, let it be a week ; if less, let it be less ; if more, let it be 
 more.") Miss Monti a ter a little leilection said: "to the best of my 
 knowledtre, it is about two weeks." 
 
 Insp. — Where were the scribblers you used before the exami- 
 nation ? 
 
 M.M.— T had none. 
 
 Tnsp. — On what did you write ? 
 
 M.M. — On my slate. 
 
 Tnsp. — Did you consult any books during the examination ? 
 
 M.M. -No. " 
 
 Insp. — Did Sister Dillon speak privately lo any of the candidates 
 durin}.: the examination ? 
 
 M.M. —No. 
 
 After this. Miss Monti signed the pai)er on which nil her answer^? 
 were written. 
 
 Miss (Jairdnor was next called and after the usual form of a so- 
 lemn declaration being made she was asked ; 
 
 Tnsp.— Would you know your writing if I showed it to you ? 
 
 M.d.—Yes. 
 
 Tnsp. -Cio to your place now. 
 
 The Tn-^itector took two pages, one written by Miss (rairdner, the 
 oth«^r by Miss Lake, he hid the form of the pnper and the signa- 
 tures of both yt)nng ladies, ho called Miss Gairdner again and 
 showing her some writing on both papers asked her which writing 
 was hers. Miss (jairdnor pointed to the one she thought hers. The 
 papers were then opened and the signatur*^ sought; Miss (Jairdner 
 was correct. The insp<Mtor then told Miss (lairdner to resume her 
 seat : ii\ the meantime he put aside the paper she had declared to 
 1)(^ in her own handwriting and kept only Miss FiSke's paper; then 
 covering with a blank sheet of paper the signature ai'd upper part 
 he called Miss Ciiiirdner again and said to her: "Now you said 
 that this is yotir paper and handwriting, look at it attentively and 
 tell if yon still believe it to be yours." Miss Gairdner examined 
 the writing and then said : "this is not mine." This time again 
 she was perfectly right. 
 
 Tns|>, — Write your tumic by the -ide of your signature of the 
 iiiontli of June. 
 
 •Miss GairthuM' wrote, the writing was exactly the same. 
 
 The inspector then took the examination papers she had written 
 
.■««w;-«4»teai*i»»N^%: v*^ 
 
 — Ti- 
 
 the 
 
 itten 
 
 Mi3s Gairdner was 
 room on examination 
 
 in June, and dictated from them while Mise Gairdner wrote. 
 Writing and wording again the same. 
 
 At the June examination, Miss Gairdner had drawn an outline 
 map of N. America; the inspector took it, with one drawn hy Miss 
 Lake, folded them in such a manner that it was impossihle to 
 make out what maps they were; the words and names written on 
 the maps were hidden except (me ward one each. Showing these 
 two words he asked Miss Ciai;duer again, to tell him which was 
 hers, she pointed out the word she thought was written by herself. 
 
 Insp. — Are you sure it is your writing ? 
 
 M. G. — Yes, I am sure. 
 
 (The signatures were again examined 
 correct). 
 
 Insp. — Was there any body elso in t^ 
 day besides Sister Dillon and the'eaii<liil;ites? 
 
 M. G.— No. 
 
 Insp. — Did any body come in during the examinution ? 
 
 M. G.-No. 
 
 Tnsp. — Did you see any candidate turn in their neat to look at 
 another paper? 
 
 M. G.-No. 
 
 insp. — Do you know what copying means? 
 
 M. G.— Yes. 
 
 Insp. — Did vou citpy ? 
 
 M. c;.— No. * 
 
 Insp.— Did yon ank anv expl.iiiMtions from Sister Dillon? 
 
 M. G.— No. 
 
 Insp. — Did she give you anv ? 
 
 M.G.— No. 
 
 Insp. — Where was Sister Dillon seated ? 
 
 M. G — At her de.sk on the platfonn. 
 
 Tnsp. — Did she leave the platform ? 
 
 M. G.-No. 
 
 Insp.— Sign your declaralioii now. That is enough. 
 
 The iirincipal n(»tified tlw; inspi'itor that the children were tired 
 and ne(Mled a rest. 
 
 " Recess "" was granted. Some of the children wi'ic sick and 
 unable to resist an; longer. 1 must state 1 was indignant beyond 
 measure at the manner in which the investigation was made. 
 Turning to Mr ('alder an<l iiis accoin|>anying secretary 1 said "your 
 numner of investigation is shiiineful ; nothing of the kind lias ever 
 been beard of in any country, not evei China. ; for my pari, 
 I would sooner starve thiin do such low work." I lelt the room for 
 a few minutes and on my return found the inspector asking Uev. 
 Sister Dillon to miike a solemn declaration with regard to the said 
 ex an\i nation. 
 
— 72- 
 
 Now, indeed the investigation was reaching an intolerable 
 climax of boldness and impudence. 
 
 Then T said indignantly that the Rev. Sister Dillon, in the 
 month of June, had made, as required by the Educational Depart- 
 ment, a solemn declaration stating that she had conducted the 
 examination according to the rules and regulations laid down by 
 the Council of Public Instruction. This is all that the law requires. 
 I strongly advised her not to answer one word more, and not to 
 submit to such a humiliation. Having said this, I left the room. 
 
 After my (le[)arture, the Inspector insisted and the following has 
 been written for me by the Rev. SUtiM- Dilloti. 
 
 Principal. — T refer you to the declaration 1 have already made. 
 
 Tnsp — You must make a similar statement (the inspector told 
 his secretary to write the following form). 
 
 CANADA I I Sister Dillon of the town of St. Albert in the N. W. T. 
 N. W.T. principal of St. Albeit School. C. P. S. do solemnly 
 
 To wit. ; declare that T conducted the examinations of Stan- 
 dards Til iind TV last June in accor<lance with printed regulations 
 of tb(i Educational departemont. 
 
 Tnsj). — 1 wish you to answer questions outside of the examina- 
 tion. 
 
 Insp. — Did you personally receive the examination papers? 
 
 Princ. — Yes. 
 
 Tnsp. — Who gave them to yon ? 
 
 Princ. — Tiiey were placed in my charge by oar n-aii-canier on 
 his return from the Post OIVku^ 
 
 Tnsp. — What did you do with the papers? 
 
 Princ. — 1 locked thcin in my cuphoard in toe s(dioo!-room, 
 until the hour of the exjimination. 
 
 Tnsp.— Did any one open the papers? 
 
 Princ. — I am sure no one opened tin; piipers hut Uiyself. 
 
 Tnsp. —Was the huge envelope opened before that time? 
 
 Princ — No. 
 
 Tnsp. — Who broke the seal ? 
 
 Princ. — 1 broke it on the morning of the examination in the 
 j)resence of the jaipils. 
 
 Insp. — Where were the . xiiininntion ani^wer papers of the can- 
 didates put at noon and at four o'clock ? 
 
 IM'inc.- -They were all collecleil l»v nie and kept undei lock and 
 key. 
 
 In-;!'.— In whose care wri«' the exaininalion papei'H from Ihe 
 commencement ol'tbe exnminatinn until they were maileil ? 
 
 Princ.-— They were in my charge. 
 
 Insp — Did any one icuch them during that time ? 
 
iiiHiiiii 
 
 -73- 
 
 rooui 
 
 III 
 
 the 
 
 in can- 
 
 nil till' 
 
 Princ. — No one but myself. 
 
 Insp. — Who mailed them ? 
 
 Princ— I mailed _them. 
 
 Insp. — Did you charge anybody to conduct the examination ? 
 
 Princ— No one but myself. 
 
 Insp.— Did any person relieve you during the time of the 
 examination ? 
 
 Princ. — No person relieved me. 
 
 Tnsp. — Did you notice any copying among the pupils ? 
 
 Princ. — No. 
 
 Tnsp. — How can you account for the similarity of many of 
 Pupils' Answers ? 
 
 Princ. — The majority of the candidates being French Canadians 
 or Half-Breeds, their knowledge of the English language i.s rather 
 limited ; therefore, they could not be expected to vary their expres- 
 sions with the same facility as Knglish speaking children and being 
 obliged to use correct language, they most likely used the shortest 
 and easiest expressions. 
 
 After this Mr McKenny asked the inspector what was his 
 opinion. "' My opinion is, said the Inspector, that the candidates 
 have copied." Well, said Mr McKenny if your opinion remains the 
 same, what was the use of making thi^ inves^tigation ? T will 
 answer the (piestion myself It is evident that the object of the 
 investigation was much more to humiliate Rev. Sister Dillon, than 
 to find fault with the children. More than this, the Council of 
 Public Instru( ion in the persons of Messrs Ilaultain, (Joggin and 
 others would 1 uve be only too hapi>y to lind tin; Sisters in fault, 
 and thereby deprive tuoin of their professional certificates. 
 
 Our enemies are evidently jealous of the gitod name and ineon- 
 tcKtable success of this school, which is directfMl by the Sisters, and 
 frequented by I ')(• children — children who speak several languages 
 and belong to four or five iiationalities. 
 
 This school, visite-i l)y the most <listiiig»nsliei'i and inllucntial 
 personages of both the North- West and of the entire Dominion, has 
 been highly praised l»y llis I'lxcellem^v tlu^ IJovernor (bMieral and 
 Her Excellency \m\\ .Aberdeen; !>y Sir MoKenzie Howell. I'riMni^r 
 ofC'anada; the llonmnlih' T. M. Daly, Minister of the Interior and 
 his predecc^ssor, the llunurahle Edgar Hewdney ; by the liieuie- 
 nant (Jovernors who lia\e succeeded each other at ll<'gina, 
 including the present Lieutenant (joveruor, the Honorable (', 
 Mankintosh. 
 
 To theie illust lions visitors may he added the uanies of the 
 Honorable,], t'hapleau, Vaiikoughnet, H. Reed, A. Kovget, Wads- 
 worth, Dr Harr«'lt, Sir J«ilin and Lady Sclndt/, etc, etc. without 
 mentioning the ArchMshopK and Rishops of almost every Province 
 
 
 
— 74 — 
 
 of Canada especially of the ecclesiastical Province of St-Bonifaee. All 
 haveadmireJ what they saw and hcardand loudly proclaimed the ex- 
 cellence of the education j^iven and received in the St-Albert School. 
 Have not these praise-* offended the jealous sentiments of our 
 Council of Education who sought to hunihle us by making an in- 
 vestigation in an outrageous manner? Messrs Ilaultain, Goggin 
 and others most probably hiive had another reason for acting in 
 this way. Since the hypocrite School Ordinance of 1892 has been 
 in force, T have gone (nery year to Regina and unceasingly i)ro- 
 tested with l^Ir A. Korget, agiiitist the injustice imposed upon us; 
 each year I have reclaimed our rights. Then these gentlemen 
 most likely have said to tbomselvcs : * we are tired of listening to 
 that " Old Pr'est and iiis fri«uid Forget who come tons so often 
 boasting of the (qualities ol" tbeir nuns and asserting that without 
 passing an examination, lollnwing a Nornml School session or even 
 poss(Ssing a diploma Ac, &c., tliey are as qualified as anyone to 
 teach and manage an excellent s(diO(»l. Let us shut them up once 
 for all ! Now is the time! The children of tbeir far-famed St- 
 All>ert School have written f(»r the entrance and Proniotion Exami- 
 nations. ^^'e can reasonably suppose that some copying lias been 
 going on amongst tliom. It' \V(^ could cbanccM" ascertain thin fact, 
 if we could only discover that ibe teacher helped the cbiidren. what 
 a boon it would be for us! Witb wbat pleasure we will then can- 
 cel the dii)lomap! Wbat an insult we ci»uld lash in the face <»lall 
 (/atholic Schools and |)arti('ularly on tbese convents winch we ho 
 ardently desire to cfTacc tVom oui- midst! The investigation was 
 heUl and in all frankness 1 must admit tbat after having examined 
 the susj)ected papers which the inspector. Mr ('alder, handed me 
 I myself doubted ; nor did 1 Jiide my doubts. This accounts for 
 the fact that when tin? inspector questioned the children, upon the 
 faith of a solemn declaration, 1 told the Rev. Sister Priu'-ipal not 
 to oppose it; for this wi»nld have bad no other interpretation than 
 that of increasing suspicion. Hut. T must also add tbat had T fore- 
 seen the manner of interrogation which the inspector used, a man- 
 ner so insulting for the Sister, I would not have felt incdined to 
 tolerate it. Is it uo[ an unheard of impertinence to undervaliu' the 
 character (»f the teacbei- in the |)resence of bis or her pupils? Is it 
 not a shame to insinuate in llu! minds of children doubts -md sus- 
 picions roncorning the honesty of their teachers? " M" ('aider may 
 atiirm, as !.>m' as be likes, that he had severe and precise instruc- 
 iimis with r-paid i> bis subject Irnm the t-ouneil of Public Ins- 
 truction. T can with diMicuUy think tbat Messrs Ilaultain and 
 G(»g| it! and "liit'i i meant t< #o no far. It seems to me tbat Mr 
 ('alder < u u in .\\\ ju. tice Juive made an investigation without 
 passing ne 'i.i'.itf of civility and respen-t due to the teacher. 
 
— 75 — 
 
 1 do not assert that lie spoke impolitely, nor did he, far from it ; 
 but he certainly could have questioned otherwise than by throw- 
 ing the seeds of injurious suspicion in the minds of the children. 
 The programme of so called moral virtues (for there is no religious 
 programme) imposed on our schools by the Council of Education 
 has been violated by the questions of the Inspector and I here 
 place the fact before Public o[)inion. 
 
 After I had heard the cliildien answer so dearly and precisely 
 and witnessed the assurance with which thoy recognized their 
 writing, worked the [troblem given them in arithmetic and avoided 
 all the snares laid to entrap them, the doubts and suspicions I had 
 entertained at the beginning were so ciinnged that T no longer had 
 any fear for the success of the investigation. 
 
 liut the inspector being still disffati.'^lied, unable to attain the end 
 of his commission, that is, to have the pupils accuse th(! Sister of 
 having acted wrongly, the inspector oi^liged the sister to undergo 
 an examination which was humiliutiiig for her. for her sisters in 
 religion and for us all. Under the impression of legitimate indi- 
 gnation T advised her as strongly as I could not to submit to this 
 indignity and to relcr the inspector to the solemn declaration she 
 had made after the entrance and promotion examinations of June. 
 
 T regret that she did not follow my advice and answer by silence. 
 Mr. ("alder's insidious (lucstions were unworthy of anything more. 
 
 Let no one )»blige me in turn to iisk tor an investigation bearing 
 on matters miucIi iiKue serious and on persons whom the Council of 
 Public Instruction would undoubtedly feel little proud to tind 
 most likely convicted of inteiui)eraiue and immorality. 
 
 2?^^) 
 
Dbi 
 Pre 
 
 Api 
 
 Sep; 
 
 Its 
 
 fnsu 
 
 Thej 
 
 Wh> 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 DBDICATION , II 
 
 Preface ^ v 
 
 Approbations , vu 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 .SciKMii. Ordinanck of 1892. 
 
 Separate Schools for the Minority textually recojrnized by the letter ot 
 the school Ordinance of 1892, do in reality disappear with the former 
 Board of Education and previous school ordinances 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Coi'n'cil t»F PrBLIC ISSTRnTlON. 
 
 Its organisation and absohitism. — The Superintendent of the « > incil, 
 his qualirications for this ofhce, hin increasing powers and antipathy 
 to Catholic educational institulion<!i 5 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Rk<M'I ATIONS <l|.' TIIK ('(UNril. (If Prill.U' l.NSTRlT«TION. 
 
 ln8U|it>rahle obstaclcH, — Candid advice of Mjjr (iopgin. — Exohan^en of 
 ccrtificatos iiijiiHtly rofnscii. — Opinion of The Winnipeg "Free 
 Press". — M. Hanltuin, president of the Council. —Scliools closed 
 for want of teachers.— ProviHioual certiticates 8 
 
 ClIAITER iV. 
 
 iNSI'KI-n'OKH. 
 
 They ar« all Wdcstantw. — InsiKt'tion ut St. ,\lhort. — TniHtewH protest 
 against inH(>eotoi'tt' report. --French language entiroly ignociid by 
 Inspectors « 18 
 
 CHAITKH V. 
 
 Tkxt-hooks. — Hkaukrm am> Hist«>rv. 
 
 Why our Catholic Keatlers and History are discarded by the Council 
 
 of Public Education 24 
 
— 78 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The Catholic Minority at the Leiuhlative Assembly ok 1894. 
 
 Representatives of the Catholtcs.— Documents submitted by them to the 
 standing school Committee. — Statement of their grievances and 
 requests. — Mr Frank Oli ver's remarks. Strange attitude of M. Cioggin. 27 
 
 CHAII^EK VII. 
 
 Objection ok Catholics to the Readers and Histories. 
 
 Rev'd Father Sinnett and H. Rimmer L. L. D. against Buckly and 
 Robertson. — Mr Bourgeois on Canadian History. — Mr John 
 McCarty against the Readers. — Explanation of tlie catholic memlters 
 of the formnr Board of Education 42 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Deplorable rkplv ok the LECiisLATivE Assembly t«i the Catholics 
 
 OK the Territories. 
 
 The re<iuest8 of the Catholics are almost all entirely rejecte<l.— Amend- 
 ments and resolutions proj)08ed by Mr A. Prince, lost. — Doctor 
 Brett's candid remarks. — Sad an.-wer from the Council of Public 
 Instruction. — New obstacles in the way of our teaching Sister 4?) 
 
 CHAinKR IX. 
 
 Hrcmjhammk ok thk CoiNciL OK I'rBLic Instiuction. 
 
 Religious Programnjo entirely godlesf. — Moral programme without a 
 
 single supernatural virtue 55 
 
 CHAPl'ER X. 
 
 The Catholics ok Manitoba am* the School system ck the N«»rth-\Vest. 
 
 The Catholics of the North -West Territories cannot ap»^'*ove of this 
 system. — Erroneous assertions o ' Mr N. F. Davin, M. P. — The school 
 system of the North-West is inadmissible in Manitoba 58 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 No I'RIVILEOE. — ITnKORTCNATE CHOICE. 
 
 Peremptory and absolute anwers of the President of the Council. — Two 
 
 weights and two moasures.— Conclusion 62 
 
 AlM'UNDIX 67 
 
'imMm 
 
 «piiippipPPi'ii?"H' , 
 
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 '\l itiiii I ta'iif,.AMt,iayAi^iMi 
 
 MMMMM