174 THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL,
Debates ensued in both Houses. A motion declaring the
dismissal of the ministry to be at variance with Constitutional
government was carried in the Senate but lost in the House
of Commons. In the following year a new Parliament
assembled and both Houses agreed in censuring the dismissal
of the Quebec Ministry. The Cabinet thereupon advised the
Governor-General to remove the Lieutenant-Governor from
his office. The Governor-General stated reasons for not
adopting such a course, and the ministers then advised a
reference to the Home Government.
Sir M. Hicks-Beach, the Colonial Secretary, in a despatch
dated the 3rd of July, 1879, informed the Governor-General
that, in the removal of a Lieutenant-Governor from office,
he ought to act by and with the advice of his ministers, who
were responsible for the peace and good government of the
Dominion to Parliament, to which the cause of removal had to
be communicated. At the same time the Governor-General
was requested to ask his ministry to review the case, as the
spirit and intention of the B. N. A. Act 1867 required that
tenure of office should as a rule endure for five years, and that
she power of removal should only be exercised for grave cause,
The despatch was communicated to the ministry, who
adhered to their previous decision, and by an order in Council,
dated July 25, the Lieutenant-Governor was removed from
office.
Disallow. By the British North America Act 1867" any Act passed
Provincial by a provincial Legislature may be disallowed by the Governor-
Sis: General within one year after its enactment. This power of
disallowance is only exercised by the Governor on the advice
of his ministers”.
The course pursued in regard to all provincial Acts is
governed by the principles laid down in a memorandum
1 gs. 56, 90.
? Can. Sess. Pap. 1877, No. 89. See also Ib. 1876, No. 116 and Ib. 1877,
No. 89