THE FRENCH-CANADIANS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I was privileged to hear Mr. Arnery's recent address before the Canada Club, and shared fully the general enthu- siasm which it created.
An old Canadian of life-long residence in the Dominion, I was delighted by the speaker's eulogy of my country. But I was sorry that when he spoke of the foundations and the background of Canada he made no mention of- its-real founders. As we all know, it was France that " discovered " Canada, and for more than half of its three centuries heroically developed it, and prepared it for modern civilization. The French-Canadians share equally with those of British origin the glories of its history, and they form nearly, if not quite, a third of the population of the Dominion.
That they are little concerned with the extension of the Ernpire may be easily understood, but there is no section of our people more devoted to Canada or more loyal to the British Crown. If Canada were threatened with invasion all French-Canadians would spring to its defence, as they did in 1775 and in 1812. I remember that in the reign of Queen Victoria the mothers of their race taught their children early to pray for our great Sovereign, and their orators of our own day are eloquent in their gratitude for the freedom and- pro- tection they enjoy under the British_ Flag. They contribute their own culture to the life of the Dominion.—I am, Sir, &c., ARCHIBALD G. PARKER.
Berners Hotel, London, W.1.
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