gislature of Canada and after due debate there was
passed in both chambers of Parliament a measure for the purpose of
uniting the provinces in accordance with the provisions of the Quebec
resolutions. The meeting was in Quebec.

PLAN OF UNION PASSED.

A number of difficulties were encountered, so that it was 1867 before
the plan of union was submitted to the Imperial Parliament, where it was
warmly received and passed without alteration of any description within
a few days. The royal assent was given on March 29, and the act
constituting the new Canada went into effect on July 1, which day has
since become known as Dominion Day, and is the chief of all Canadian
holidays.

The federal Constitution of Canada is contained in an Imperial Act of
Parliament, known as the British North America Act, and it is based very
largely upon that of the mother country. The ministry of the day holds
office at the pleasure of the House of Commons, the members of which are
elected by the people. At the head of the affairs is a Governor-General,
who is appointed by the Crown and paid by the people of Canada. As is
the case with the British sovereigns, he acts with and on the advice of
the ministers for the time being, and also like the King, he can
dissolve the Parliament.

The number of members of the House of Commons is regulated by the
following clauses of the act: "On the completion of the census in the
year 1871, and of each subsequent decennial census, the representation
of the four provinces shall be readjusted by such authority in such a
manner, and from such time as the Parliament of Canada from time to
time provides."

Previous to the passing of the British North America Act, the great
Dominion had consisted of a conglomeration of provinces, some of them of
almost fabulous extent, into which the white man from the West had
penetrated. Tradition has it that some thousand years ago a Norseman, by
name Leif Ericson, coming in his great beaked galley, through the
northern seas, from Greenland, was the first white man to stand on
Canadian soil.

Another five centuries were, however, to pass before John Cabot, sailing
from Bristol, in the days of Henry Bolingbroke, brought the first
British ship into a Canadian port. After him the fishermen of Europe
came in increasing numbers to the great banks, with the result that
little by little, as their tiny vessels touched the American shores, the
great continent began to be known to t