The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volume 3 (of 4)Dent, John Charles
History
The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volume 3 (of 4)
Dent, John Charles
Canada -- Biography
He first entered Parliament in 1867, when he was nominated by the
Reformers of South Waterloo as their candidate for the House of Commons.
Mr. Young would have preferred to enter the Local Legislature, but
accepted the nomination, and addressed himself vigorously to the
campaign. It was the first election under Confederation, and he was
opposed by Mr. James Cowan, a Reform Coalitionist, who was also a local
candidate of great influence. Mr. Young had to encounter a fierce
opposition, the Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald, the Hon. William
McDougall and the present Sir William Howland taking the field on one
occasion on behalf of Mr. Cowan. These formidable opponents were
courageously encountered by Mr. Young single-handed, or with such local
assistance as could be procured. He was elected by a majority of 366
votes. When Parliament met in the following November he made his maiden
speech in the House on the Address. He also took a conspicuous part in
the debates of the session, and materially strengthened his position
among his constituents. He was twice reëlected by acclamation; first at
the general election of 1872, and again in 1874, after the accession to
power of Mr. Mackenzie's Government. Of that Government he was a loyal
and earnest supporter throughout. He was Chairman of the Committee on
Public Accounts for five consecutive sessions, and after the death of
Mr. Scatcherd became Chairman of the House when in Committee of Supply.
Among his principal speeches in Parliament were those on the
Intercolonial Railway, the Ballot, the admission of British Columbia,
with special reference to the construction of the Pacific Railway in ten
years, the Treaty of Washington (which was unsparingly condemned), the
Pacific Scandal, the Budget of 1874, the naturalization of Germans and
other aliens, and the Tariff question. Soon after entering Parliament he
proposed the abolition of the office of Queen's Printer and the letting
of the departmental printing by tender. This was ultimately carried, and
effected a large saving in the annual expenditure. In 1871 he submitted
a Bill to confirm the naturalization of all aliens who had taken the
oaths of allegiance and residence prior to Confederation, which became
law. In 1873 he brought in a measure to provide for votes being taken by
ballot. The Government subsequently took up the question and carried it.
On two occasions the House of Commons unanimously concurred in Addresses
to Her Majesty, prepared by him, praying that the Imperial Government
would take steps to confer upon German and other naturalized citizens in
all parts of the world the same rights as subjects of British birth, the
law then and still being that they have no claim on British protection
whenever they pass beyond British territory. In 1874 he proposed a
committee and report which resulted in the publication of the Debates of
the House of Commons, contending that the people have as much right to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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