Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/712

544 General History of Europe of it, and, though much of it lies very far north, there are vast plains growing millions of bushels of wheat in the Northwest, and much mineral wealth in its rocky and mountainous portions. 984. Canada's Independence of the Mother Country. Eng- land leaves Canada very free to go its own way. It is true that the English ruler is represented in Canada by a governor-general, who nominally appoints the members of the Senate. But these THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, OTTAWA Parliament Hill is beautifully situated beside the Ottawa River. The main building was burned, February, 1916 are really chosen mainly by the premier and the party in power and hold office for life. The House of Commons is the important body. It is freely elected by the people of the various Canadian provinces and governs Canada in the same way in which the British Commons governs Great Britain. When the World War broke out in 1914 Canada sided enthusiastically with the mother country and sent troops who fought heroically with the Allies against Germany. 985. Australia. In the southern Pacific Ocean England has control of the continent of Australia and of the islands of Tas- mania and New Zealand. These exceed in extent the whole