."

"Hear, hear," cried an enthusiastic voice from the rear.

"Aye, water and snow," in a rasping voice from old McTavish.

"Water and snow," replied Mr. Gilchrist. "Yes, plenty of water, 125,000
square miles of it, and a good thing it is too for Canada. Some people
sniff at water," continued the speaker with a humorous glance at
McTavish, "but even a Scotchman may with advantage acknowledge the value
of a little water." The crowd went off into a roar of laughter at the
little Scotchman who was supposed to be averse to the custom of mixing
too much water with his drink.

"My friend, Mr. McTavish," continued the speaker, "has all a Scotchman's
hatred of bounce and brag. I am not indulging in foolish brag, but I
maintain that no Canadian can rightly prize the worth of his citizenship
who does not know something of his country, something of the wealth of
meaning lying behind that word 'Canada,' and I purpose to tell you this
evening something of some of Canada's big things. I shall speak of them
with gratitude and with pride, but chiefly with a solemnising sense of
responsibility.

"As for the 'water and the snow' question: Let me settle that now. Water
for a great inland continental country like ours is one of its most
valuable assets for it means three things. First, cheap transportation.
We have the longest continuous waterway in the world, and with two small
cuttings Canada can bring ocean-going ships into the very heart of the
continent. Second, water means climate rainfall, and there need be no
fear of snow and frost while great bodies of open water lie about. And
third, water power. Do you know that Canada stands first in the world in
its water power? It possesses twice the water power of the United States
(we like to get something in which we can excel our American cousins),
and lying near the great centres of population too. Let me give you
three examples. Within easy reach of Vancouver on the west coast
there is at least 350,000 horse power, of which 75,000 is now in use.
Winnipeg, the metropolitan centre of Canada, where more than in any
place else can be heard the heart beat of the Dominion, has 400,000
horse power available, of which she now uses 50,000. Toronto lies within
reach of the great Niagara, whose power no one can estimate, while along
the course of the mighty St. Lawrence towns and cities lie within touch
of water power that is beyond all calculation as yet. And do you Alberta
people realise th