I am going to speak on the Canadian aspects of the largest and most difficult problem with which the countries of the world are faced—that is, the method and characteristics of government and the ends it ought to serve. The world is in a state of anarchy today because there is universal demand that the scope and purpose of government shall be widened without any common agreement, either within individual countries or between countries, as to precisely the ends to be served or the techniques by which they are to be reached.

Much is heard of a reversion by some nations to ancient types of tyranny, but this is to misinterpret the points of resemblance. The new dictatorships rest upon the consent of their people who still feel that it is their approval that gives validity to the acts of their leaders; this is a condition far removed from the old tyrannies where the mass bowed their necks to the yoke of slavery. What will happen when these leaders lose the consent of the ruled remains to be seen; the demonstration, whatever form it may take, may be nearer than we think.

But considerations of this nature do not enter into a discussion of the question of government in Canada. This is a country in which no question arises of the right and the power of the people to direct and change national policies if they can make up their minds about what they want. The machinery by which they can give effect to their decisions is available. In theory, then, if popular government is the answer to all problems and difficulties, we should be the happiest of people. But perhaps there never was a time when there was such a general feeling that our machinery of government is inadequate to our needs, that it is unable to deliver to the people those benefits and alleviations which they desire and which they think should be within the competence of government if they could only devise the right machinery. This address is an attempt at a brief study of these discontents, difficulties, and dangers in the light of an acquaintance with political affairs which covers more than half a century.