Ottawa by W. H. Thurston

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Apr 5, 1906

Ottawa

By W. H. Thurston

A SUNDAY observance bill was introduced in the Dominion Parliament by Mr. Fitzpatrick, minister of justice, March 12, and had its first reading. It is a bill with an exemption clause. The bill provides that no sales or business can be done on the Lord's day (Sunday), but in the province of Quebec sales at church doors of country parishes are permitted.

What are regarded as works of necessity and mercy are defined, and are not prohibited. Games and performances where admission fee is charged are prohibited, as well as excursions by conveyance where a fee is charged. Shooting at targets is prohibited.

The penalties for the infraction of the act provide that for each offense the offender is liable to a fine of not less than one dollar and not exceeding forty dollars, together with the cost of the prosecution.

This bill is a modification of what was asked for by the promoters of Sunday laws, but it is religious legislation, and should be treated as such.

The Lord's Day Alliance claims to have one hundred thousand signatures to petitions favoring a Sunday law.

On March 14 our petitions protesting against religious legislation were presented by Hon. N. A. Belcourt, M. P. of Ottawa. In handing in the petitions I submitted the following statement, which was presented with the petitions: "Petitions protesting against the government passing any bill concerning the Lord's day, or any other religious rite, ceremony, or observance, which would in any way interfere with the right of religious freedom of any of His Majesty's subjects. These petitions contain 13,832 signatures of persons twenty-one years of age or more, as follows: British Columbia, 1,200; Alberta and Saskatchewan, 884; Manitoba, 1,508; Ontario, 7,136; Quebec, 1,547; New Brunswick, 551; Nova Scotia, 1,006; total, 13,832. Respectfully submitted by the Seventh-day Adventist denomination."

The next day the Ottawa papers gave very good reports of the proceedings, stating the reasons of the protest against the Sunday bill.

On March 15 a strong deputation of leading Hebrews from Montreal, Toronto, and Hamilton, representing

probably fifty thousand persons, appeared before the prime minister and the minister of justice and entered a protest against religious legislation and Sunday laws. It is reported that the prime minister admitted that their argument was a strong one, and that he practically promised to see that something was done to protect them.

I have had personal interviews with several of the members of Parliament, and have written letters to others, and have supplied the House quite well with reading-matter on the subject at issue. Thus the truth is being brought before men in authority, and the public press is reporting the progress of the work. In this movement the people of Canada are having their attention called to the advent message. Further development of the work at the Dominion capital will be reported from time to time.

W. H. THURSTON.