764 THE FEDERATIONS AND THE UNION [PART IV 
British territories in North America were all added to the 
Dominion in 1880, this step being rendered desirable by the 
doubts as to the boundaries of the Hudson’s Bay territories : 
it may be noted that Canada has of late years been active 
In visiting the northern islands, and that it claims all the 
islands to the north of the Dominion : it was indeed discussed 
for a time whether the claim of the North Pole for the United 
States by Commander Peary was not an inroad on British 
territory ; fortunately any serious trouble is hardly likely to 
arise, for the dependence of the northern islands on Canada 
is clear and undoubted. 
In the first years after the federation the Government of 
the territories was simple : there was a Lieutenant-Governor 
with a nominated Council appointed by the Governor- 
General in Council, and the first step to an advance was the 
substitution in 1875 of election for nomination in the selection 
of part of the Legislative Council. In 1886 representation in 
Parliament was conceded. In 1888 (c. 19) there was created 
a Legislative Assembly of twenty-two members in place of 
the old Legislative Council. The three judges were to act 
as expert members, to debate but not to vote. Then there 
was an advisory finance council holding office at pleasure. 
In 1891 (c. 22) additional powers were conceded to the legis- 
lature. In 1897 (c. 28) a responsible executive was set up, 
and in 1898 (5. 5) and 1900 (c. 44) there followed important 
legislation resulting in a quasi-provincial constitution of a 
Lieutenant-Governor with an Executive Council, which was 
appointed from the Assembly, an elective Assembly of thirty- 
one members selected on manhood suffrage, and power to 
legislate on a wide range of domestic questions, though not 
with full provincial authority.2 In 1905 the new provinces 
! Hudson’s Bay is part of Canadian territory under the Revised Statutes, 
1908, c. 45. This rests on history: the grant of Charles IT to the company 
was clearly of the water as territorial, there is a long history of treatment as 
territorial, and cf. the treaty with the United States of 1819. For Hecate 
Straits, cf. Canadian Annual Review, 1909, p. 626. 
* Cf. as to powers of North-West Territories legislation, O° Brien v. Allen, 
(1900) 30 S. C. R. 340; North Cypress v. Canadian Pacific Railway Co..