If we believe they are not worthy of autonomy, then we should honestly admit: what we are denying is not the capabilities of a particular nation, but the universality of freedom.
If we refuse to grant autonomy out of disdain for the Canadians, then what we are denying is not their qualifications, but the applicability of freedom itself. As if freedom belongs only to a few lucky ones and not to every subject in the Empire.
At such a dangerous juncture, we need more than ever someone who can see the flaws in the system and is willing to mend the cracks with reason and empathy. Looking back at recent colonial governance, few can, like the Earl of Dalhousie, perceive the gap between the interests of the Empire and the public opinion of the colonies, and are willing to overcome the inertia of traditional bureaucracy to try new policies to resolve the conflict.
