THE SENATE. 
148 
The 26th section of the B. N. A. Act of 1867 empowered Additiona 
the Crown on the recommendation of the Governor-General, members. 
to direct at any time, that three or six members be added 
to the Senate. 
In Dec. 1878 the Canadian Privy Council, nominally “in 
the public interests,” but in reality to increase the supporters 
of the Ministry in the House, advised that an application 
be made to Her Majesty to add six members. The recom- 
mendation was forwarded by the Governor-General to the 
Colonial Secretary who, under the circumstances, declined to 
advise Her Majesty to comply with the request. 
“After a careful examination of the question,” said the 
Colonial Secretary, “which is one of considerable importance, 
I am satisfied that the intention of the framers of the 26th 
section of the B. N. A. Act, 1867, was that this power should 
be vested in Her Majesty, in order to provide a means of 
bringing the Senate into accord with the House of Commons 
in the event of an actual collision of opinion between the 
two Houses. You will readily understand that Her Majesty 
could not be advised to take the responsibility of interfering 
with the constitution of the Senate, except upon an occasion 
when it had been made apparent that a difference had arisen 
between the two Houses of so serious and permanent a 
character that the Government could not be carried on 
without Her intervention, and where it could be shewn 
that the limited creation of senators allowed by the Act 
would apply an adequate remedy. This view is, I may 
observe, strongly confirmed by the provisions of the 27th 
section, which shew that the addition to the Senate is only 
to be temporary and that the Senate is to be reduced to its 
usual number as soon as possible after the necessity for’ the 
exercise of the special power has passed away.” 
- Can. Sess. Papers, 1877, No. 68.