The education matter was highly controversial in English Canada, eliciting responses from Liberal newspapers and stoking fears for Liberal unity, however, in the Territories the issue was not seen as significant. Instead, the main issue with provincehood in the North-West Territories was the debate over the location of the new provincial capital and whether the federal government or the new provinces would have ownership of public lands and resources. The autonomy bill was amended to provide minority faiths with the right to separate schools that remained under provincial control. The bill retained federal control over public lands and natural resources, and the provinces were promised $375,000 annually each with a provision for population growth.
