e firm to which he belonged,
held a license for the sale of intoxicating liquors. He held his license
from the Government appointing him, and this was the man who was going
to administer these schools in the capital of Canada. You can imagine
the resentment of the people and how difficult--how impossible--it was
for such a commission to administer in a proper way the schools confided
to their care. The result was confusion worse confounded, and
considerable agitation, with the result that to-day there are nearly
5,000 children belonging to the English-French schools of Ottawa who are
deprived of an education, and have been so deprived for two months.
Their teachers have not been paid some of them for five, ten, fifteen
and twenty months. The taxes belonging to the French-Canadian supporters
of these schools have been used for the payment of the teachers in the
schools attended by the Irish Catholics, schools which have not in any
way, at any time, under any conditions being interfered with by the
French-Canadian people of Ottawa.

Another result of regulation No. 17 is--I doubt if there is anyone in
this room who will really believe me, but I assure you that it is
true--let me tell you, gentlemen, that to-day the Germans in the
Province of Ontario have and are enjoying, with the consent and
participation of the Department, rights that are absolutely denied to
the French-Canadian population. I knew you would say "shame." I know no
intelligent person will believe this at first, but I pledge you my word
that that is the case. I am going to read you regulation 15 so that I
shall not be misunderstood. Regulation 15 says: "15. In school sections
where the French or German language prevails, the trustees may, in
addition to the course of study prescribed for public schools, require
instruction to be given in reading, grammar and composition to such
pupils as are directed by their parents or guardians to study either of
these languages, and in all such cases the authorized text books in
French or German shall be used."

Regulation 17 has abrogated this provision with respect to French in all
schools established after June, 1912, and with respect to German the
matter remains as it was under regulation 15.

Now, what is the case of the French Canadians of Ontario, on what do
they rely, on what do they base their claim that French should be used
in their schools? By the British North America Act it is provided that
the rights a