Page 227 - Afrika Must Unite

212 AFRICA MUST UNITE
the Soviet R epublic is established on the basis of a free union
com posed of free nations. In order to avoid m isunderstanding
on the question, the declaration offers to the w orkers and
peasants of every nationality the right to m ake their ow n de­
cisions in their ow n authorized Soviet congress: do they w ish,
and on w hat grounds, to participate in the federal governm ent
and other federal Soviet institutions.
The strength of the Soviet Union has been proved in the
furnace of war. Even under the impact of fascist savagery, it
remained unbroken.
The union of Canada cam t into being as an effort to resolve
the Anglo-French racial differences between the provinces of
Upper and Lower Canada, which were being fanned by the
rivalries between England and France. Though united in one
legislature after the conferment of self-government under a
governor, a deadlock was reached in government, and a union
was mooted. O n i July 1867 four provinces united. They were
U pper Canada (now Ontario), Lower Canada (now Quebec),
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. W ith the new era that was
opening in America, following the civil war, the union of the
Canadian provinces ‘offered the sole hope of successful growth5.
R upert’s Land was added in 1869 by purchase from the Hudson
Bay Company, and British Columbia joined in 1871. The
British Government transferred to Canada in 1878 all of British
N orth America except Newfoundland.
Theoretically, the executive consists of a governor-general
and privy council, but in practice it is a cabinet under a prime
minister. The governor-general is appointed for five years to
represent the sovereign in all matters of federal government.
There is a House of Commons elected by the different provinces
according to population. Lieutenant-governors of the provinces
are nominated by the governor-general. All local legislation is
carried on by the provincial parliaments of single houses, except
in the case of Quebec, which has two. The federal parliam ent
has jurisdiction over all matters not specifically assigned to the
local legislatures.
In the Commonwealth of Australia, the federal parliam ent
exercises jurisdiction over those matters expressly assigned to it
by the constitution. The States retain control, accordingly, over