John George Bourinot 
Local Government in Canada [PDF ebook] 
An Historical Study

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Local assemblies of citizens constitute the strength Of free nations. Municipal institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people’s reach; they teach men how to use and how to enjoy it. A nation may establish a system of free government, but without the spirit Of municipal institutions, it cannot have the spirit Of liberty. – DE tocqueville, Democracy in America, Vol. I. Ch. V.