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..