1946-03-14

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EDMOND CLOUTIER, C.M.G., B.A.. L.Pli., PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY CONTROLLER OF STATIONERY 1947
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^ousie of Commons Befjates
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Thursday, March 14, 1946.

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The parliament which had been prorogued on the eighteenth day of December, 1945, met this day at Ottawa, for the dispatch of business.

Mr. Speaker read a communication from the Governor General's secretary, announcing that His Excellency the Governor General would proceed to the Senate chamber at three p.m. on this day, for the purpose of formally opening the session of the dominion parliament.
A piessage was delivered by Charles H. Larose, Esquire, Acting Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, as follows:
Mr. Speaker, His Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the chamber of the honourable the Senate.
Accordingly the house went up to the Senate chamber.
And the house having returned to the Commons chamber:

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Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved for leave to introduce bill No. 1, respecting the administration of oaths of office.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. SPEAKER:: I have the honour to inform the house that when the house did attend His Excellency the Governor General this day in the Senate chamber, His Excellency was pleased to make a speech to both houses of parliament. To prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy, which is as follows:
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
It is just over six months since Canada emerged from six long years of war. The turmoil which has followed in the wake of war 63260-1
has created' new problems for governments in all parts of the globe. The world is full of unrest. Hunger, privation and suffering, have become the lot of millions. Other millions are homeless, many of them in exile. The problems which face the statesmen of every nation are formidable indeed.
It is only in the light of the world situation that all our problems can be seen in true perspective. The future of our own and of every country depends upon success in the task of world reconstruction, and the establishment of an enduring peace. Many of the measures you will be called upon to consider at the present session will be concerned with this wider aspect of human affairs.
Of world problems demanding immediate action, the most pressing is the provision of food to those peoples facing acute shortage, and, in some regions, widespread famine. The chance of a peaceful reconstruction of the world depends on food. The shortage at the present time is very great. The problem, moreover, is not only for the next few months, but also for the next few years. Unless the need is met, grave disorders, endangering peace itself, must be anticipated.
The government is seeking by all practicable means to make available for export the maximum supply of foodstuffs. Every encouragement is being given to increasing production. The gravity of the situation demands, on the part of the people of Canada, a united and wholehearted effort.
The maintenance of a high level of employment and national income is a fundamental aim of government policy. Employment and income alike are bound up with the restoration and expansion of world trade. To the productive employment of vast numbers of Canadians, export markets are essential.
The government has steadily pursued its efforts to restore former markets, to secure new markets and generally to expand peace-time exports. In pursuit of this policy, export credits, for which additional provision was made at the last session, have been extended to several of . our war-time allies.
At this session you will be asked to approve an agreement, recently concluded, for a loan to the United Kingdom which will help maintain the British market -for Canadian food products and other exports. The agreement will also contribute to the steady development of trade between the two countries, the removal of trade harriers and the free use of currencies for international trade.
While Canada, in common with all countries, continues to experience dislocations inevitable in a period of transition from war to peace, in no other country has the transition proceeded more speedily or with less friction.
-Conversion of war industries to civilian production is progressing steadily, with a minimum of industrial strife, and increased cooperation between labour and management.

Governor General's Speech


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Motion agreed to.

Official Secrets Act

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved :: That a special committee he appointed to prepare and. report, with all convenient speed, lists of members to compose standing committees of this house under standing order 63, said committee to be composed of Messrs. Mackenzie, Ohevrier, Casselman, Johnston, -and Weir.


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Motion agreed to.

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Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING
(Prime Minister) presented the following message from His Excellency the Governor General:
The Governor General transmits to the House of Commons a certified copy of an approved minute of council appointing the Honourable Ian Mackenzie, Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Right Honourable J. L. Ilsley, Minister of Finance, the Honourable J. A. MacKinnon, Minister of Trade and Commerce, and the Right Honourable L. S. St. Laurent, Minister of Justice, to act with the Speaker of the House of Commons as commissioners for the purposes and, under the provisions of chapter 145 of the revised statutes of Canada, 1927, intituled: An Act respecting the House of Commons.


William Lyon Mackenzie King: No doubt the house will wish to have as early as possible the .documents relating to the proceedings of the royal commission established by order in council P.C. 411 of February 5, 1946. For the convenience of hon. members I have arranged to have these documents printed in advance of an order by the house, but I assume that the house will be agreeable to ordering copies once the documents have been tabled. The documents included in the booklet I have in my hand contain the statement, which was made by myself on February 15, 1946, with reference to the appointment of the commission to investigate alleged violations of the Official Secrets Act; text of order in council P.C. 411 of February 5, 1946, establishing the royal commission; letter of the commission counsel to the Minister of Justice of February 23, 1946; text of order in council P.C. 6444 of October 6, 1945; and the first interim report of the royal commission to His Excellency the Governor General in council, of March 2, 1946.


Mr. GOLD WELL:: Does the Prime Minister intend to make a statement to the house on this situation within the next few days?
Mr. MACKENZIE taNG: I had expected the house would be anxious to have a state-63260- 14
ment at as early a date as possible. I shall be speaking on the address on Monday next and will avail myself of that occasion to make a statement to the house.


Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):: I should like to take this opportunity of complimenting the Prime Minister on having arranged to let us have these documents. I believe he mentioned first the documents having to do with the loan to Britain. I was about to -ask as a matter of fact that copies of the agreement be made available to us. I am satisfied with the provision which the Prime Minister has made. We are glad to have as well copies of the documents in connection with the espionage matter.
I had planned also to ask the Prime Minister a question with respect to that. Perhaps I might ask it now; he has partly answered [DOT] it by intimating that he would have something to say about it when he comes to speak on Monday. My question is this, and I ask it because of a feeling of unrest and criticism which is abroad through lack of understanding of the procedure followed by the government in this case. My question was this-perhaps the Prime Minister will take it into account and deal with it when he comes to speak on Monday, if not before:
In view of the extraordinary procedure follow'ed by the government in holding certain Canadians incommunicado in connection with this matter, will the Prime Minister or the Minister of Justice take an early occasion to clarify if possible their justification of this procedure?
Everyone in Canada will want to support the government in trying to stamp out espionage in this country, but some of us find it difficult to explain, let alone to justify, the extraordinary character of the procedure followed.
I would like the Prime Minister to take that into consideration. I trust he will see the wisdom of making a clear explanation because a great many thoughtful and honourable people in Canada find it difficult to understand why that particular type of procedure has been followed.


William Lyon Mackenzie King: Mr. Speaker, the request which has just been made by the leader of the opposition (Mr. Bracken) is one which I anticipated he would make, and I share with him the feeling that it is desirable that the country should be given the fullest explanation of the reasons which have caused the commission to detain a certain number of persons before making their final report. I
Official Secrets Act

understand, in fact I know, that the commission has made a second interim report to His Excellency the Governor General. That report has been, made to-day, and I hope to be in a position to table it to-morrow. The house will then have before it two reports from the commission before this matter is discussed by the house generally.



BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

William Lyon Mackenzie King: To-morrow it is intended to table further reports, departmental reports and other returns, and, if the house is agreeable, we shall proceed with the debate on the address, the mover and seconder speaking, and then have the debate adjourned until Monday, when my hon. friend the leader of the opposition will follow.
We have just heard from His Excellency the Governor General that he will be taking his departure almost immediately, on Saturday in fact, and I have felt that hon. members of both houses of parliament would wish to give some expression of appreciation of the services which His Excellency has rendered Canada in such a splendid way during the time that he has been His Majesty's representative in this country. I purpose therefore to-morrow, if it meets with the approval of the house, at the beginning of our sitting to introduce a motion in the nature of a farewell address to His Excellency, which I know my friend the leader of the opposition will be pleased to second, and which hon. members will be free to speak to if they so desire.
There is nothing further to announce. I would therefore move that the house do now adjourn.
Motion agreed to and the house adjourned at 4.35 p.m.
Friday, March 15, 1946.