1926-06-28

RESIGNATION OF GOVERNMENT


[Stage Direction]
Right Hod. W L. MACKENZIE KING: Mr. Speaker, I have a very important announcement which I wish to make to the House before proceeding any further. The public interest demands a dissolution of this House of Commons. As Prime Minister I so advised His Excellency the Governor General shortly after noon to-day. His Excellency having declined to accept my advice to grant a dissolution, to which I believe under British practice I was entitled, I immediately tendered my resignation which His Excellency has .been graciously pleased to accept. In the circumstances, as one of the members of the House of Commons, I would move that the House do now adjourn.
Right Hon. ARTHUR MEIGHEN:: Mr. Speaker, if I caught the Prime Minister's words aright, they were that the House adjourn; that the government has resigned. I wish to add only this that I am-


Mr. MACKENZIE KING:: I might say
that this motion is not debatable.


Arthur Meighen: I do not propose to debate it, but I presume the Prime Minister will agree that I have a right to make a statement. As the House knows, we are close to the end of the session and the question of how the session should be finished is one of great importance to the country. I think there should be a conference between myself and the Prime Minister.


Mr. CANNON:: I rise to a point of order. The motion made is not debatable.


Mr. SPEAKER:: Everyone knows that a
motion to adjourn is not debatable, but a grave and extraordinary situation has arisen. I do not see that there is any opposition to the motion to adjourn; but Bourinot at page 355 says plainly that under such circumstances the leaders in the House of Commons are allowed by courtesy of the House to make statements. I understand the right hon. gentleman is not debating the motion to adjourn. That would be out of order.


Lucien Cannon: I understand that the
motion has been carried. If it has not been carried, how could the right hon. gentleman speak on it?


William Lyon Mackenzie King: May I make
my position clear? At the present time there

Government of Mr. Meighen
is no government. I am not Prime Minister; I cannot speak as Prime Minister. I can speak only as one member of this House, and it is as a humble member of this House that 1 submit that inasmuch as His Excellency is without an adviser, I do not think it would be proper for the House to proceed to discuss anything. If the House is to continue its proceedings, some one must assume, as His Excellency's adviser, the responsibility for His Excellency's refusal to grant a dissolution in the existing circumstances; and until His Excellency has an adviser who will assume this responsibility, I submit that this House should not proceed to discuss any matters whatever.


Hewitt Bostock: The right hon. gentleman is technically right. The motion to adjourn is not debatable. The right hon. gentleman (Mr. Meighen) stated that he did not intend to debate that motion but he wanted to make a statement. Under the circumstances, according to Bourinot, he should be allowed to make a statement.


Arthur Meighen: The only statement I
wish to make is this. I think on the question of the completion of the session there should be a conference between the Prime Minister and myself, in which conference I am prepared to engage.


William Lyon Mackenzie King: There is no
Prime Minister-may I emphasize that? When there is a Prime Minister he may come to this House and announce his policy and his wishes.


Arthur Meighen: Until when is the House to adjourn?


William Lyon Mackenzie King: I assume until to-morrow.
Motion agreed to and the House adjourned at 2.15 p.m.
Tuesday, June 29, 1926