that a general law was passed. This Act was subsequently amended, and the franchise is now governed by c. 5 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1886. In both cities and towns a voter must be registered as such, and (1) be a British subject by birth or naturalization; (3) fall within one of the following classes : British subjects. Full age. of Ownership. (a) Owners of real property of the actual value (1) $300 in a city, or (2) $200 in a town, or (3) $150 in any place not in a city or town. (b) Tenants holding under a lease at a rent of $2 Tenancy. monthly, or $6 quarterly, or $12 half-yearly, or $20 yearly who (1) have been in possession for one year, and (2) have bona fide paid one year's rent or $20 of such rent if the rent be over $20 and payable yearly. pancy. (c) Occupants occupying real property of a value Occuof $300 in a city, or $200 in a town, or $150 elsewhere, who have been in occupation for one year. (d) Persons residing within the electoral district Income. who have been residents in Canada for one year and who enjoy an income of $300 annually. (e) Persons residing for one year in the electoral Annuity. district who are in receipt of a life annuity secured on real estate in Canada of at least $100. sons. (f) Son of the owner or the occupant under a lease Farmer's for 5 years of a farm of not less than 20 acres where (1) the value of the farm or real property is sufficient to qualify both, and (2) the son has resided with father for 12 months. All sons may qualify, but if the value of the farm or real property will not qualify all, preference is given to the elder sons. (g) Son of an owner of real property where similar conditions are fulfilled. Fisher men. Indians. North West Territories. P. E. I. Persons disqualified. 1. Judges. In the two last-mentioned cases 'son' includes grandson, step-son and son-in-law. Occasional absences not exceeding six months in the year will not disqualify, and the time spent at an institution of learning or as a mariner or a fisherman is considered to be spent at home. (h) Fishermen, if resident and owning real or personal property of the value of $150. (i) Indians on a reserve not in Manitoba, British Columbia, Keewatin or the North-West Territories, and in occupation of a plot of land on such reserve, and whose improvements are of the value of $150, and who are otherwise qualified'. The Act contains some special provisions relating to the North-West Territories and to Prince Edward's Island and British Columbia. In those districts in the North-West Territories that are entitled to send representatives to the House of Commons, an elector is described as : "A bona fide male resident and householder of adult age who is not an alien or an Indian within the electoral district, and who has resided in such district for at least 12 months immediately preceding the issue of the writ of election "." 2 In the provinces of Prince Edward's Island and of British Columbia all voters who were qualified by the laws of these two provinces to vote at the passing of the Electoral Franchise Act, 1885, are to have a right to be registered as voters and to vote so long as they shall continue to be qualified to vote under such laws. Persons disqualified from voting. The following persons are disqualified from voting': 1. Judges of every Court whose appointments rest 1 See s. 11 of 48 and 49 Vic. c. 40. 2 R. S. C. c. 7, s. 4. 4 R. S. C. c. 8, s. 42, 49 and 50 Vic. c. 6. with the Governor-General. The Judges therefore of the Supreme Court of Canada, of the Superior, District and County Courts of the provinces cannot vote. officers. 2. Revising officers, returning officers and election 2. Election clerks for the electoral district for which they hold their office, but deputy returning officers, poll clerks and constables may vote1. election 3. Any person employed for money at time of election 3. Paid except the returning officer in case of an equality of votes, agents. when he may give a casting vote. 4. Indians (a) in Manitoba, British Columbia, 4. Indians. Keewatin and North-West Territories, (b) in the other provinces who do not fulfil the conditions above referred to. 5. Persons of Mongolian or Chinese race. 5. Chinese. 6. Persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections. 6. Persons Their disqualification lasts for eight years3. guilty of corrupt practices. of Voters' lists. The Governor-General appoints revising officers to revise Revision the list of voters every year. A preliminary revision is held in June, and the corrected lists are required to be printed and published before the 1st September. Within five weeks the final revision takes place, when objections are heard and examined, and the list as finally revised is certified and a duplicate sent to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery at Ottawa before the 1st of November 1. If the revising officer be not a Judge an appeal lies from his decision. In Quebec the appeal is to the Judge of the Superior Court resident in or having charge of the judicial district in which the polling district in respect of which the appeal arises is situate. 1 49 and 50 Vic. c. 6, s. 1. 2 Ib. c. 5, s. 2. 3 Ib. c. 8, s. 98. 4 R. S. C. c. 5, ss. 11-32, Members of Provin cial Par In the other provinces the appeal is to the Judge of the County Court, but in British Columbia, if the electoral district is not within the jurisdiction of a County Court, the appeal is to a Judge of the Superior Court1. Voters qualified to vote in respect of income can only be registered and vote in the polling district in which they reside other voters are registered and vote where their real property is situated, but if the property is partly in one polling district and partly in another, they may be registered and may vote in either district". 3. QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTED. No property qualification is required of any member of the House of Commons. He must be a subject of the Crown by birth or naturalization3, and must not be disqualified by law from sitting. The following persons are so disqualified: 1. Members of any provincial Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly. This disqualification is not found liaments. in the British North America Act, 1867, but has been adopted not only by the Dominion Parliament but by the Provincial Assemblies. A member of the House on being appointed a member of a Provincial Assembly or elected to a Provincial Assembly vacates his seat in the House, unless the appointment or election was without his consent, and provided (1) he does not take his seat in the Provincial Council or Assembly, and (2) he resigns such seat within ten days after being notified of his election, or if not within the province, then within ten days after his arrival there, and (3) gives notice to the Speaker of the House of Commons that he has so resigned3. 1 R. S. C. c. 5, ss. 33, 34. 2 48 and 49 Vic. c. 40, s. 7. 4 Ib. c. 13, s. 1. A member of a Provincial Council or Assembly who sits in the House of Commons incurs a penalty of $2000 for every day he sits or votes, which penalty may be recovered by any person who sues for the same1. holding 2. Persons holding any office of emolument under the Persons government of Canada on the nomination of the Crown to Offices of which any salary is attached, except (a) a Minister of the Crown, provided he has been elected while holding office; (b) a Minister of the Crown resigning one office and accepting another within one month, unless a new administration be formed; (c) officers of militia, or militia men receiving only their daily pay when called out, or pay for care of arms or for giving drill instruction*; (d) a person holding any office, commission or employment, if by his commission or instrument of appointment it is declared that he shall hold such office without any salary. 3. Contractors. (1) Persons undertaking any contract for which money is to be paid by the government of Canada". (2) Shareholders in companies undertaking contracts for building public works". The Act excepts (a) persons on whom a contract devolves by descent, limitation or agreement until 12 months has elapsed; (b) lenders of money to the government. It is also provided that government contracts shall contain a clause that no member shall become interested in them 10. Emolument. Contractors. 5 Ib. s. 9. 4 Ib. 7 Ib. s. 15. 8 Ib. s. 17. 9 Ib. 10 Ib. s. 16. |