“You know,” said he, “we in Canada marvel at the strange spectacle you sometimes have in Washington of a president of one party confronted by a majority in Congress of another party. To us, responsible popular government under such conditions is unthinkable. The majority in the House of Commons always forms our government, or administration, as you call it, and the majority leader becomes premier and head of the cabinet. As long as it is supported by a majority of that house, the cabinet is the supreme power of the land in federal affairs. As soon as it ceases to be supported by the majority, it loses the right to govern and a new ministry comes in. Under our system an election must be held every five years, but it may be held oftener. For example, a prime minister who has met defeat in the Commons may advise a dissolution of Parliament and appeal at once to the people in a general election. You Americans vote by the calendar, every two or four years; we vote on specific issues as the need arises. Every one of our cabinet ministers is an elected member of the House of Commons or a member of the Senate, and must answer for all his official acts on the floor of the House.” I asked as to the present attitude toward the United States. “It seems to me,” was the reply, “the relations between Canada and the United States were never better than they are to-day. The ancient grudges on our side of the border, and the loose talk of annexation or absorption on yours, are now happily things of the past. While we have an area greater than yours, and vast wealth in natural resources, the fact that our population is only one twelfth of yours means that you will for years to come exercise a strong influence upon Canada. “When you consider that the two countries have a joint border more than three thousand miles long, on which there is no armed force whatsoever; that they have created one joint commission that settles all boundary disputes and another that disposes of questions concerning waters common to both countries; that we are your second best customer and that you are a large investor in our enterprises; that many of our wage-workers have gone to you and many of your farmers have come to us--taking all these things into consideration, one may say that the two peoples have managed to get along with one another in pretty good fashion.