William Lyon Mackenzie King

“ Other instances of legislative enactments to suppress the opium evil, and to protect individuals from the baneful effects of this drug, might be given, if further examples were necessary. What is more important, however, than the example of other countries, is the good name of our own. To be indifferent to the growth of such an evil in Canada would be inconsistent with those principles of morality which ought to govern the conduct of a Christian nation. ”

“ In enacting legislation to this end, the Parliament of Canada will not only effect one of the most necessary of moral reforms so far as the Dominion is concerned, but will assist in a world movement which has for its object the freeing of a people from a bondage which is worse than slavery. It is well known that the government of China, during recent years has been taking active measures to suppress the opium evil within the Chinese Empire. ”

“ The factories are owned and the entire work of manufacture is carried on by Chinese, between 70 and 100 persons being employed. One or two of the factories have been in existence for over twenty years, but the majority have been recently established. It is asserted by the owners of these establishments that all the opium manufactured is consumed in Canada by Chinese and white people, but there are strong reasons for believing that much of what is produced at the present time is smuggled into China and the coast cities of the United States. ”

“ In Great Britain, opium, and all preparations of opium or of poppies are classified as 'poison,' and their sale is regulated by the Pharmacy Act of 1868, which makes it unlawful for any person to sell poisons unless such person is a pharmaceutical chemist, registered under the Act, and complies with the restrictions and safeguards which the law imposes. ”

“ The crude opium is imported from India in coco-nut shells, it is 'manufactured' by a process of boiling into what is termed 'powdered' opium and subsequently into opium prepared for smoking. The returns show that large amounts of crude opium have been imported annually, and that the value of the crude opium imported in the nine months of the fiscal year 1906-7 was greater than the value of the amount imported in the twelve months of the preceding year ”

“ As for the Chinese, the casual visitor to their quarter of the city may see them in numbers at any hour of the night or day indulging in and under the influence of this drug.
What is hardly less surprising than the manufacture of opium is that its sale should be permitted, and this, in some districts without safeguards of any kind. It is true there is provincial legislation which to appearances should restrict the sale, but for some reason best known to the authorities, it seems to be openly ignored. Sections 16 to 18 of the Kevised Statutes of British Columbia, 1897, Chap. ”

“ However, the amount consumed in Canada, if known, would probably appal the ordinary citizen who is inclined to believe that the habit is confined to the Chinese and by them indulged in only to a limited extent. ”

“ In the face of open violation or neglect of the law '"f this kind, it is not so much a matter of wonder that the evil is gaining a foothold, and that as other countries are making it increasingly difficult for the drug to be obtained in any form, its importation, manufacture and sale should be growing apace in this land. The only effective remedy is to prohibit the importation, manufacture and sale alike, and this absolutely save in so far as an exception may be necessary for medicinal purposes only. ”

“ It is hardly sufficient to convey an adequate conception of the extent to which this traffic has developed in the province of British Columbia, or to show how urgent is the need of prohibitory legislation. That the government may be more fully advised, I beg respectfully to submit a few facts and considerations which have an immediate bearing on the subject.
In the coast cities of Vancouver, Victoria and New Westminster, there are at least seven factories carrying on an extensive business in opium manufacture. ”

“ The Commission had recommended that the present system should be closed on the expiration of the existing license; that the importation, distribution and sale of the crude drug should be made a government monopoly; that for every opium shop closed, the nearest Government dispensary should be made available for the distribution of the drug to habitual adult users, if they come forward to register their names, for a certain quantity to be periodically paid for in cash ”

“ No person shall, within the limits of any incorporated city or town in this province, keep open shop for the retailing, dispensing or compounding poisons, or sell, or attempt to sell any of the articles mentioned in Schedule ' A' or Schedule * B* to this Act, unless such person is registered as a licentiate of pharmacy under the Act, under the penalty set forth in section 20 in this Act. ”

“ Proposals were
10 SUPPRESSION OF THE OPIUM TRAFFIC IN CANADA
7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 made for the co-operation of the Government of India in this object by the gradual restriction of the amount of opium exported from India to China. At the beginning of 1908 an arrangement was entered into by which the total quantity of opium (including Malwa opium) exported from India beyond seas will be limited to 61,900 chests in the calendar year 1908, 56;800 chests in 1909, and 51,700 chests in 1910. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1950, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 72 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”