1949-04-30

PRIVATE BILLS


Mr. Arthur Williams (Ontario) moved: for leave to introduce a bill respecting the discontinuance of a line of railway by Canadian National Railway Company, in the city of Oshawa, in the province of Ontario.


Mr. Speaker:: Shall the hon. member have leave to introduce the said bill?


Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Minister of Transport):: I think I should point out to the house that this is a bill which should not be introduced by a private member. It seeks to indicate a line of conduct to the Canadian National Railways in the city of Oshawa. It is a bill that will require the expenditure of money to implement what is being suggested, and it is contrary to the terms of the British North America Act. With respect and deference, I submit that no private member has the right or privilege to indicate to the Canadian National Railways what it should or should not do.


Mr. Speaker:: I have to declare the bill out of order.



INCOME TAX


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. J. M. Macdonnell (Muskoka-Ontario):: Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the Minister of Finance. I have not had an opportunity to give him notice of it, but I think he will be able to answer it later in the morning. The question is with respect to the refunds of compulsory savings that took place last month. Originally the interest rate was set at two per cent, and the amount deducted during 1943, it is represented to me, should have earned interest for five years and two months. I understand it was figured at a flat rate of nine per cent. The 1944 savings were stopped on June 30, 1944, so that interest should be earned there for four years and eight months. In that case I understand that interest has been figured at a flat rate of seven per cent. This complaint is from a small holder who feels that the government has not 29087-178i
played fair. I think it is desirable that the question should be answered. I will give further particulars to the minister if he so desires.


Hon. Douglas Abbott (Minister of Finance):: I am sure my colleague the Minister of National Revenue (Mr. McCann) will ask his department to look into the matter. Refunds, of course, are made by that department.



PENITENTIARIES


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. J. G. Diefenbaker (Lake Centre):: asked the Minister of Justice a question previously about the riots at the Collin's Bay section of Kingston penitentiary. I should like to know now whether the minister is in a position to give a report on the situation in this institution. Too much secrecy is observed by the officials, and in the interests of order in all these penal institutions I think that a report should be forthcoming.


Hon. Sfuart S. Garson (Minister of Justice):: I have no hesitation whatever in making a report. The reason I did not do so before was that it would traverse a good deal of the ground that had already been adequately covered in the press statement that was issued by the commissioner of penitentiaries. In view of the position taken by the member for Lake Centre, perhaps I should read the full text of the interim report which I have from the commissioner, dated April 27, 1949. The text is as follows:
On Easter Monday April 18 a group of convicts at Collin's Bay penitentiary staged a noisy disturbance which resulted in damage to cell equipment and furnishings and to windows estimated at $900.
A small group in one of the cell blocks commenced to shout and break up their cell furnishings about 4.45 p.m. The demonstration was immediately taken up by some fifty convicts quartered in an adjacent temporary dormitory, most of whom were employed in the steward's department. These convicts proceeded to break up their furniture and the windows in the dormitory and gained possession of a small fire hose in the dormitory, causing some water damage. Additional officers were immediately brought to the scene of the disturbance, and within half an hour the ringleaders of the disturbance were segregated and placed in dissociation cells. The remainder of the convicts involved then obeyed orders and the disturbance subsided. Later, eight convicts in the cell block again began shouting and endeavouring to incite their fellow convicts to continue the demonstration. They were immediately
2802	HOUSE OF
Inquiries of the Ministry charged with a prison offence, and after trial before the warden who had consulted with the commissioner of penitentiaries by telephone, they were sentenced to from five to ten strokes of the strap as a corrective measure, and this punishment was then inflicted. As a result of this action no further trouble developed, and the situation at the penitentiary has continued quiet and normal since.
The total number of convicts who participated in any way in the disturbances totaled eighty-five, and the offenders have been dealt with under the penitentiary regulations in varying degrees according to their guilt.
No one was injured in the disturbance, except one convict who cut his hand while putting his fist through a window.
The cause of the disturbance is still being investigated, but some convicts have stated that they expected extra food for Easter. The evening meal served on Easter Monday was examined by the senior officials of the penitentiary, and was found to be adequate and palatable. The majority of those who took part in the disturbance were employed in the penitentiary kitchen, where recent changes have been made to improve efficiency and discipline. It is thought that a few malcontents may have organized this demonstration to show their resentment at these changes.



SOLDIER SETTLEMENT


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. F. E. Jaenicke (Kindersley):: I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. I am sorry I could not give him notice of the question, but I tried to reach him this morning. My question is based on a letter which I received from one of my constituents. Is it true that a definite adjustment might be made by the Department of Veterans Affairs in connection with the contracts of the veterans of the first world war, and that the remainder of these old contracts will probably be cancelled?


Hon. Milton F. Gregg (Minister of Veterans Affairs):: To answer the question as briefly as I can, it will be remembered that last year an amount was placed in the main estimates to enable my department to do something towards adjusting these old contracts under the soldier settlement board. These contracts have been in existence for a great many years. Excellent progress has been made, and while I am not able to vouch for the exactness of these figures, I believe approximately 600 of these old settlers accounts have been adjusted during the past twelve months partly due to this vote. All the $150,000 has been used, with the exception of a small balance, and an equal amount has been placed in the main estimates this year.
It is expected if that is used in the course of the year much of the task will have been accomplished.
 .



COARSE GRAINS


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. J. W. Burton (Humboldt):: I should like to address a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce, but in his absence I shall have to direct the question to the Prime Minister. Will he indicate to the house whether the government has reached a decision as to the method of handling coarse grains for the coming crop year?


Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):: As soon as a decision has been made in that regard it will be announced. No decision has yet been made and there is not likely to be a decision made until after the return to Ottawa of the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr. Howe).



FISHERIES


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr.  W. Chester S. McLure@Queens: should like to direct a question to the Minister of Fisheries. Will the minister state the policy of the fisheries prices support board in the maritimes for the season of 1949?


Hon. R. W. Mayhew (Minister of Fisheries):: That matter is now under consideration, and a decision will be made within the next few days.



REPAYMENT OF LOSSES UNDER AGREEMENTS

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Robert Fair (Battle River):: I should like to ask the Prime Minister a question. Is it the intention of the present government, if returned to office after the coming election-


Some hon. Members:: Hear, hear.


Robert Fair: -to reimburse the farmers of the prairie provinces for the losses which they have sustained under the wheat agreements?


Louis Stephen St-Laurent: I do not think it would be proper for any party to be making promises at this time as to what it will do. I am sure that whatever government is in office at that time will endeavour to reach a decision that will be fair both to the farmers and to the Canadian public generally.

The house in committee of supply, Mr. Macdonald (Brantford City) in the chair.



INTERIM SUPPLY BILL

[Stage Direction]
Resolved, that a sum not exceeding ?460,291,082, being one-third of the amount of each of the several items to be voted, as set forth in the main estimates

for the fiscal year ending 31st March, 1950, laid before the House of Commons at the present session of parliament, and in addition thereto the sum of $541,666.67, being five-twelfths of the amount of a certain item, the sum of $6,390,980.33 being one-sixth of the amount of certain items, the sum of $4,213,181.17 being one-twelfth of the amount of certain items of the said estimates, the sum of $7,362,243.33 being one-third of the amount of each of the several items to be voted of the supplementary estimates (Newfoundland), and the sum of $414,855.83 being one-sixth of the amount of each of several items of the supplementary estimates (Newfoundland), be granted to His Majesty on account for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1950.
Mr. Adamson:: Mr. Chairman, last night the minister said that on no occasion had any member of the house made a recommendation for a reduction in any of the estimates.


Douglas Charles Abbott: I said I recalled only one case.


Mr. Fraser:: And that was mine.


Douglas Charles Abbott: That is right.


Agar Rodney Adamson: There was another one. At the end of the last session, on June 29, 1948, the house divided on my motion for a reduction of an amount of some $27 million which appeared in the estimates for the foreign exchange control board. I merely wanted to correct that inaccuracy on the part of the Minister of Finance. He said that no member-


Douglas Charles Abbott: I mentioned the member for Peterborough West (Mr. Fraser).


Agar Rodney Adamson: There was mine, and there have been several others.


Douglas Charles Abbott: I shall include the member for York West (Mr. Adamson) along with the member for Peterborough West.


The Chairman:: Shall resolution?	I	report	the


Mr. Drew:: On division.			
Resolution reported, read	the	second	time
and concurred in.



WAYS AND MEANS


Douglas Charles Abbott: that the house go into committee of ways and means.
Motion agreed to and the house went into committee, Mr. Macdonald (Brantford City) in the chair.


Douglas Charles Abbott: Resolved, that towards making good the supply granted to His Majesty on account of certain expenses of the public service for the fiscal year ending March 31,	1950, the following sums be
granted out of the consolidated revenue fund of Canada, namely:
Interim Supply
1.	The sum of $460,291,082 being one-third of the amount of each of the items to be voted as set forth in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1950;
2.	The sum of $541,666.67 being five-twelfths of the amount of a certain item of the main estimates for the year ending March 31, 1950;
3.	The sum of $6,390,980.33 being one-sixth of the amount of certain items of the main estimates for the year ending March 31, 1950;
4.	The sum of $4,213,181.17 being one-twelfth of certain items of the main estimates for the year ending March 31, 1950;
5.	The sum of $7,362,243.33 being one-third of the amount of each of the items to be voted of the supplementary estimates (Newfoundland), for the year ending March 31, 1950;
6.	The sum of $414,855.83 being one-sixth of the amount of each of several items of the supplementary estimates (Newfoundland) for the year ending March 31, 1950.


Mr. Knowles:: May I ask the Minister of Finance a question with respect to the Newfoundland estimates? I confess to some concern about this matter, having studied the wording of the so-called Newfoundland estimates after we had them before us at an earlier stage. I think it was clearly understood by all of us that the estimates referred to as Newfoundland supplementaries were for items the whole of which would be spent in Newfoundland. I notice, however, that, for example as to health grants, in each case the item is worded in the same way as the corresponding item in the main estimates. Further, in most cases the wording even in the Newfoundland supplementaries is to the effect that so much is to go to each province, the balance to be distributed amongst all the provinces on the basis indicated in the resolution. I am sure it was the intention, when these items were brought in, that the full amount in the so-called Newfoundland supplementaries would go to Newfoundland. What about the wording of those items? It looks to me as if some trouble may arise. Can the Minister of Finance answer my question?


Douglas Charles Abbott: The only difference between the main estimates and the so-called Newfoundland supplementaries is this. When the main estimates were brought down, Newfoundland was not a part of Canada. It was therefore necessary to bring in estimates for a supplementary amount which represented merely the departmental officials' idea as to what would be expended in Newfoundland to extend dominion government services to that province.
But the effect of filing two sets of estimates is this. The two sets are in effect consolidated, and the general votes for departmental administration, for instance, now extend to Newfoundland. But there has been an additional amount provided, in view of the probability that departmental administration will be somewhat more expensive because it has

Interim Supply
to be extended to Newfoundland. The proposal now made in these estimates is the additional four months for Newfoundland and one item of an additional one-sixth to cover the special vote for unemployment relief in that province.


Stanley Howard Knowles: The minister certainly got my point in part, because he indicated that what happened was that the so-called Newfoundland supplementaries will be consolidated with the corresponding items in the main estimates. May I ask him to consider a particular item? I will pick out the one for "mental health grant to assist the provinces".


An hon. Member:: What is the number?


Stanley Howard Knowles: In the main estimates it is one subdivision of item 276. In the Newfoundland supplementaries it is one of the divisions of 694. The wording is the same in both cases:
Mental health grant to assist the provinces in the prevention of mental illness and in extending progressively the provision of free treatment; to be distributed on the basis of a flat amount of $25,000 to each province and the balance according to population.
But the amount in the main estimates is $4 million, and the amount in the Newfoundland supplementaries is $122,171. The minister has just said that these two amounts will be consolidated. That makes a total amount of $4,122,171. My question is this. Will the minister assure us that by some means the $122,171 will go to Newfoundland? It would appear that once you consolidate those two items you simply have a total amount of $4,122,171 which, according to the wording, must be distributed on the 'basis of two minimum amounts of $25,000 to each province, after which the balance of the consolidated amount, including the amount for Newfoundland, is to be divided amongst the provinces according to population. I submit that that interpretation was not the intention of the government or of parliament. If the minister can give an assurance with regard to this matter, I should like him to do so.


Douglas Charles Abbott: My colleague the Minister of National Health and Welfare will correct me if I am wrong; I have not the Newfoundland supplementaries before me at this moment. But the position in Newfoundland will be exactly the same as that in any other province. As to the amount which is voted in the supplementaries, the legal effect is exactly the same as though it had been originally included in that item in the main estimates.


Mr. Martin:: That is right.


Douglas Charles Abbott: That is the legal position. I am afraid I cannot see just what my hon. friend's

difficulty is. It is exactly as though a single lump sum had been voted for this particular purpose.


Mr. Fleming:: Will the minister state the grand total that is being voted by the present resolution? I should like to have the exact amount.


Douglas Charles Abbott: I would have to do a quick sum in mental arithmetic here, Mr. Chairman. The amounts are set forth in the resolution which was read. It is $460,291,082, plus $541,666.67, plus $6,390,980.33, plus $4,213,181.17, plus $7,362,243.33, plus $414,855.83, or approximately $478 million in round figures; let us say $480 million.


Mr. Johnston:: There is a question that is giving us a great deal of concern in Alberta. It has to do with the Department of Reconstruction and Supply. As I pointed out to the minister the other day, the Manufacturers Life is being sued by some of the home owners in Calgary. It is a serious problem that confronts these men. I should like to take this opportunity of asking the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply just what the government plan to do with regard to the suit which is now pending, and if they have made any definite proposals whereby this Bow River Construction Company matter can be properly settled, and the owners involved in this affair properly and efficiently compensated for any expense and trouble they have been put to- because of, I was going to say, faulty government administration, but I will not put it just that way until we see what the government intends to do. It is a very serious matter. Will the minister make a statement in regard to that soon?


Mr. Winters:: I am aware of the situation to which the hon. member for Bow River refers. It is true that on April 27 a writ was issued jointly against the lending institution and the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The writ was a long one, involving some thirty-seven pages. It was received only yesterday by the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It has not yet been analysed. The legal agents of the corporation have not yet had a chance to study it fully. They are studying it now. They will recommend what action should be taken with respect to it.
These houses were built under the integrated housing plan, as my hon. friend knows, and some difficulty was experienced when the contractor was unable to carry out the terms of his contract. There is no contractual responsibility, involving the government, between the purchasers and the contractors; nevertheless the government has made close scrutiny of the situation. The committee will recall that on previous occasions I told the

house that where there is foreclosure action and the houses are not yet complete, the joint mortgagees will refund to the purchaser the amount of his equity. Where the purchaser is in possession, the lending institution and Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation will jointly increase the amount of the mortgage and extend the term of payment so that the purchaser may complete the house. Where there is full possession, it is not felt that any increase in the amount of the mortgage is either permissible or warranted if foreclosure action is necessary because of payment delinquencies.


Charles Edward Johnston: I do not desire to prolong the debate, because I know the house is desirous of finishing its business; but I hesitate to allow the statement to stand as it is on the record at the moment. The minister has said, and it is a fact, that the mortgagee, together with Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has made certain promises or agreements with the builders to reimburse them for some of the losses which they are to suffer. The minister mentioned two instances, one in which the house was not occupied; and he said that the government or the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, together with the Manufacturers Life, would pay them their equity. This is decidedly unfair. The fact is that these men contracted to get a house at a certain set figure, which was stipulated by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In one instance, out of a total of forty, the amount involved was $6,500. It is through no fault of the owner that he is not to be allowed to get a house. He may be given back the amount of the investment, or of his down payment, but he wants a house. He contracted to get a house. If he is denied that right, and he wants to buy another house, it will cost him at least $2,000 more, because the government, through its failure to get a competent contractor, through its failure to have proper inspection, has caused this man to lose the house. Therefore, no matter what happens, the owner stands to lose at least $2,000 in the first instance.
Let me point out the other instance, that in which the house is occupied. The condition we mentioned a moment ago does not apply where the house is occupied. In my view every one of these houses which is occupied is unfinished. The position of these owners at the moment is that they have a house which is partly finished-I will put it a little stronger than that-which is almost finished, but the entire amount of their down payment is spent. It will cost them $2,000 to finish the house. They have liens running anywhere from $500 to $15,000 on some of these houses. They have other obligations which are regi-
Interim Supply
stered against the title, and which amount to some $2,000 or $3,000; but in some cases the liens and the executions against the title amount to as high as $10,700. That is a very large amount, and yet all that the mortgage company is to say to the owners, as the minister indicated a moment ago, is: All we will do for you fellows is to increase your mortgage and amortize it over a longer period of time; but you have to complete the house; you have to take care of the liens; you have to take care of all of these other encumbrances registered against your title. That is the way the thing stands at the present time. Personally I do not think the minister would like to see that happen, and I hope he will do all in his power to see that there is a fair and equitable solution to this problem.
Certainly as it stands at the moment these people are in for a terrible beating. Mind you, Mr. Chairman, these are all veterans of the last war. These are the men who went over to fight for this country, and we promised them something different. The government should make every effort to settle the case out of court and give these men their due.


Robert Henry Winters: Like the hon. member who has just taken his seat, I do not wish to prolong the discussion, but I think I should simply say that the relationship is the normal one between a purchaser of a house and a contractor. I do not believe there is a clear understanding on the part of some of these purchasers as to just what the relationship of the government is. There is no contractual relationship on behalf of the government in the deal between the purchaser of the house and the contractor.


Charles Edward Johnston: Is not that a doubtful point?


Robert Henry Winters: No; that point is clear. Nevertheless the government is fully aware of the situation. I can assure the hon. gentleman that every possible effort is being made to find a suitable, just and adequate solution. The same problem has arisen elsewhere, and solutions which have been mutually satisfactory have been worked out.


Gordon Knapman Fraser: Hon. members should realize the fact that the $480 million which we are passing at this time is within a few million dollars of the total budgets of previous years. This is for four months only. It is within a few million dollars of the total budget of 1939. It is a tremendous amount, and we should have had a chance to criticize it.


Mr. Moore:: I wish to direct to the government a question which came to me just this morning. It arises out of government-owned property which is at Port Nelson in northern Manitoba. When the Hudson Bay railway ran to Nelson there was a steel bridge across

Interim Supply
the Nelson river which cost some $2 million. There were also in that area a very large dredge and a large quantity of other steel products. Apparently the government has decided to dispose of this material as scrap. I have not all the information in connection with this matter, but, according to the letter which I received this morning, a salvage company was set up known as the Port Nelson Salvage Company. Apparently this company intended to transport this scrap material from Port Nelson to the nearest point on the Hudson Bay railway. They hired ten men in The Pas, together with some sixteen Indians a little farther north. To make a long story short, this salvage company has gone bankrupt, and the cheques which were issued as wages for these men have come back marked n.s.f. Is there any guaranteeing clause in any of the contracts involved in this transaction which would enable the men to get their wages?
I think it is only necessary to say that a number of these men were already unemployed before they took on this job. They borrowed sufficient money to pay their fares north, and now when they land back in The Pas they find that their cheques cannot be cashed, owing to lack of funds in the account of the salvage company.
I have not much information about this company, although I am told that a Mr. M. A. Goodene, of Toronto, had something to do with the company. He rented a couple of tractors and some other equipment to take on the job. It may be that two departments of government are involved, the Department of Trade and Commerce and the Department of Transport. I would ask those who sold the properties on behalf of the government if they thoroughly investigated the matter, and I should like to know if there are any qualifying clauses in the contract which would enable these men to secure their wages.


Douglas Charles Abbott: I shall have the matter looked into.
Motion (Mr. Abbott) agreed to.


William Ross Macdonald: Shall I report the resolution. Mr. Drew: On division.
Resolution reported, read the second time and concurred in. Mr. Abbott thereupon moved for leave to introduce Bill No. 248, for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of the financial year ending March 31, 1950.


[Stage Direction]
Motion agreed to.
Douglas Charles Abbott: that the bill be read the first time.


Mr. Speaker:: Is it the pleasure of the house
to adopt the motion?


George Alexander Drew: On division.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.


Mr. Speaker:: When shall said bill be read the second time?


Some hon. Members:: Now.


Mr. Speaker:: Mr. Abbott moves, seconded by Mr. Claxton, that the said bill be read the second time. Is it the pleasure of the house to adopt the motion?


George Alexander Drew: On division.


[Stage Direction]
Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and the house went into committee thereon, Mr. Macdonald (Brantford City) in the chair.
On section 1-Short title.
Mr. Hacketi:: What is the total amount of estimates, including those originally introduced and all supplementaries?


Douglas Charles Abbott: Mr. Chairman, I shall have to take a moment to make the arithmetical calculation. The main estimates which were introduced, and which my hon. friend has before him, including the statutory items, total $2,217,678,181. The Newfoundland supplementaries, which I have not before me at the present time, were approximately $55 million, making a total for the current year of some $2,272 million. Perhaps my hon. friend would accept that round figure, on the understanding that I could give him the exact information later. It is a matter of record.


John Thomas Hackett: Did the minister not mention any supplementary estimates?


Douglas Charles Abbott: No supplementary estimates have been tabled, with the exception of the Newfoundland supplementaries.


John Thomas Hackett: Are there to be any supplementary estimates?


Douglas Charles Abbott: That will be a matter for the new government to decide.


Mr. Probe:: Mr. Chairman, I should like to have a final word with respect to a matter of some importance which should be considered by the government in office when we reassemble at the next session. There is one problem which, to its disgrace I would say, the parliament of Canada has never attempted to tackle.
When parliament reassembles a certain number of hon. members who today sit in the House of Commons will have been defeated in the election-and perhaps after they have

given decades of good and faithful service to the country they have tried to serve in a public capacity. At the present time there are men standing for nomination who perhaps have no source of income other than the indemnity which, under our system of government, we authorize for those members. It is all very well for members who have been able to maintain practices or businesses of some sort, making it possible for them to leave parliament and to carry on with some assurance of security.
During this session I have watched the voting of large sums for the payment of pensions to people in the public service, and small sums to others who perhaps have played no part in the public service but who have been considered proper recipients of pensions from public funds. But no consideration is given to those who have sat in the House of Commons year after year and who, regardless of party, have served the best interests of Canada as they knew them. Their only hope for security in their old age, or when they are no longer able to work actively in the house, is that they may be sitting on the government side at a time when they might get someone to plug for them for inclusion among the pensioners over in the other place. Only ninety-six people can get into that category at any given time. I see in his place today the right hon. gentleman who until recently was prime minister of Canada. I am sure that during his long years of parliamentary experience he must have seen many pitiful instances of men in public service, who, having given their all for their country, have come near the end of the road and found themselves without any visible means of support.
It seems to me the House of Commons should provide for those of its members who, shall we say, have served throughout at least three or four parliaments. There should be some recognition by way of gratuitious pension, or some other means by which we could give recognition to these people-and I make this suggestion regardless of party.


[Stage Direction]
Section agreed to.
Sections 2 to 8 inclusive agreed to.
Schedules agreed to.
William Ross Macdonald: Shall I report the bill?


George Alexander Drew: On division.
Bill reported.


Douglas Charles Abbott: that the bill be read the third time.


Mr. Speaker:: Is it the pleasure of the house to adopt the motion?
Dissolution of Parliament Mr. Drew: On division.
Motion agreed to and bill read the third time and passed.



PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT


Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that I have received the following communication:
Ottawa, April 30, 1949
Sir:
I have the honour to inform you that the Right Hon. Thibaudeau Rinfret, acting as deputy of His Excellency the Governor General, will proceed today to the Senate chamber at 12 o'clock noon for the purpose of proroguing the present session of parliament.
I have the honour to be,
sir,
Your obedient servant,
J. F. Delaute,
Assistant Secretary to the Governor General



DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT


Louis Stephen St-Laurent: Mr. Speaker, may I ask leave to revert to motions in order to table two orders in council to which His Excellency the Governor General gave approval last evening. The one provides that the present parliament will be dissolved as of April 30, 1949, and that a new parliament be called together and a proclamation, bearing date of April 30, 1949, be issued dissolving the present parliament.
The other provides that a new parliament be summoned and that a proclamation be issued, bearing date of April 30, 1949, calling such new parliament together and directing the issue of writs of election for a general election of persons to serve as members of the House of Commons; such writs of election to be dated April 30, 1949, fixing June 27, 1949, as the polling day of the said elections; said writs to be returnable on August 25, 1949.
It is also provided that a proclamation do issue, dated April 30,	1949, summoning
parliament to meet on Thursday, September 1, 1949, at the city of Ottawa. That of course is the usual pro forma notification for the new parliament. It will be the responsibility of the government in office after the election to determine when parliament will be summoned for the dispatch of business. It is the intention of His Excellency to issue these proclamations immediately after the business of this session shall have been completed and the house prorogued.

Private Bills PRIVATE BILLS



INTERPROVINCIAL PIPE LINE COMPANY

Mr. W. A. Robinson (Simcoe East) moved: that the house go into committee on Bill No. 238, to incorporate Interprovincial Pipe Line Company.
Motion agreed to and the house went into committee, Mr. Golding in the chair.
On section 1-Incorporation.


Mr. Gibson (Comox-Alberni):: Last night when the hon. member for Rosetown-Biggar was making a few remarks he suggested that the house had not had a complete opportunity to study this legislation owing to the pressure to have prorogation today. I wonder if hon. members have had an opportunity of studying the implications inherent in the transportation of gas and oil?
Hon. members will have noted that last night I supported a C.C.F. amendment. I would not like to leave the house without availing myself of the opportunity of correcting an impression there might be that I had finally recanted and turned socialist. Nothing could have been farther from my mind.
To my mind a socialist vote represents support for the principles which they propound. Their first act on coming into power would be the complete removal from private hands of the means of production. I assure the committee that I support no such principle. That principle is propounded by the gentleman who is running provincially in my riding. If my hon. friends would care to repudiate him I would be quite glad to take that word back home.


Stanley Howard Knowles: We are not repudiating anyone. I am simply suggesting that section 1 of this bill is hardly the place to discuss the British Columbia election.


John Lambert Gibson: There is a very important principle involved. Last night I was protesting against what appeared to me to be a tremendous lack of vision on the part of the directors of our Canadian National Railways. That railway system is in the business of providing transportation and moving freight, whether it be in the form of coal, oil, gas or any other form.
The Canadian National directors are allowing this pipe line method of transportation to be laid all along their right of way. It will be in the hands of private corporations and this tremendous freight which is originating in this north country is going to provide corresponding profits. I sincerely hope that the volume of traffic will be such that the profits will be large.

I think the Canadian National directors- I would not say the Minister of Transport- have been remiss in their duties and have shown an appalling lack of vision in not having investigated this proposal very carefully. I for one, and I am sure this would apply to other hon. members, would have been glad to approve the capital required to put in these pipe lines which would have provided a tremendous amount of freight revenue.
I am tired of voting money to defray deficits. I should like to see the Canadian National look into this matter carefully before they permit private companies to lay transportation lines for gas and oil on their right of way. They and the Minister of Transport should look into the possibilities of this form of transportation being provided by the Canadian National system.


[Stage Direction]
Section agreed to.
Sections 2 to 5 inclusive agreed to.
On section 6-Power to construct and operate pipe lines.
Mr. Knight:: I should like to say a word in commendation of what has been said by the hon. member for Comox-Alberni. We in this group, and certainly I, would rather see this oil transported by pipe lines operated co-operatively or under public ownership. The thought was advanced yesterday that things being as they are it is better to have these pipe lines under this scheme or not at all. Whether that be so or not is a matter of opinion.
The Minister of Transport is not in his seat but I should have liked to ask a question as to the common carrier angle. These pipe lines should be made available to people other than the sponsors of the particular companies.
I understood the Minister of Transport to say that that was a matter which could not be legislated upon by this house, that it would come under the jurisdiction of the board of transport commissioners. Before I resume my seat I want to express the view that, in my opinion, this line should be a common carrier, and that it should have to accept, just as our transportation companies have to accept, any freight which is offered to it for transportation at a proper price.


[Stage Direction]
Section agreed to.
Sections 7 to 11 inclusive agreed to.
Preamble agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported, read the third time and passed.

[Stage Direction]
The house in committee on Bill No. 240, to incorporate Westcoast Transmission Company Limited-Mr. Cruickshank-Mr. Golding in the chair.
Sections 1 to 8 inclusive agreed to.
On section 9-Company not to make a loan to shareholders or directors.
Mr. Sinclair:: I wonder if the sponsor of the bill would say a few words about it in the house, because so far he has not said anything about it.


The Deputy Chairman:: We are dealing with clause 9.


[Stage Direction]
Section agreed to.
Sections 10 and 11 agreed to.
Preamble agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported, read the third time and passed.

[Stage Direction]
The house in committee on Bill No. 241, to incorporate the Trans-Northern Pipe Line Company-Mr. Mcllraith-Mr. Golding in the chair.
Sections 1 to 11 inclusive agreed to. Preamble agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported, read the third time and passed.

[Stage Direction]
The house in committee on Bill No. 242, to incorporate the British American Pipe Line Company-Mr. Mcllraith

Mr. Golding in the chair.
Sections 1 to 11 inclusive agreed to. Preamble agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported, read the third time and passed.

[Stage Direction]
The house in committee on Bill No. 243, to incorporate Western Pipe Lines-Mr. May-bank-Mr. Golding in the chair.
Sections 1 to 10 inclusive agreed to. Preamble agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported, read the third time and passed.
Private Bills SITTING SUSPENDED
Hon. Alphonse Fournier (Minister of Public Works):: Mr. Speaker, may I suggest that the sitting be suspended for a few minutes to wait for results in, and the message from, the other place.


Mr. Speaker:: Before putting the motion moved by the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Fournier) as a Speaker does not have an opportunity during his term of office to make speeches, I now wish to thank hon. members on both sides of the house for their kindness to me, their co-operation and their collaboration, and to express to them my best wishes.


William Henry Golding: Mr. Speaker, this is the last day that I shall sit in the House of Commons. I, too, wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and extend my thanks to members on all sides of the house for the splendid co-operation which they have given me while I have been presiding over the house or over the committee of the whole. I appreciate that co-operation more than words can express. I shall never forget the kindly attitude which has been shown toward me.


Mr. Speaker:: Mr. Fournier (Hull) moves
that the sitting of the house be suspended until the call of the Chair.
Motion agreed to and sitting suspended.



SITTING RESUMED


[Stage Direction]
A message was delivered by Major C. R. Lamoureux, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, as follows:
Mr. Speaker, the Right Honourable the Deputy of His Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the chamber of the honourable the Senate.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker with the house went up to the Senate chamber.
In the Senate chamber, the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General was pleased to give, in His Majesty's name, the royal assent to the following bills:
An act for the relief of Francis Thomas Joseph Cleevely.
An act for the relief of Jack William Corber.
An act for the relief of Mildred Ida Acres Wells.
An act for the relief of Wilhelmina Doris Guenette Parkes
An act for the relief of Anita Phyllis Ticktin Sacks.
An act for the relief of Sylvia Feldman Blant.
An act for the relief of Doris Arvilla Jackson Legassick.
An act for the relief of Rose Klein Levin.
[Stage Direction]
The Royal Assent
An act for the relief of Thelma Wilhelmlna Wintonyk Colter.
An act for the relief of Doris MacArthur Richards Arnold.
An act for the relief of Mary Matheson Baker.
An act for the relief of Vivian Pauline Davies White.
An act for the relief of Helen Hawthorne Kuhn Ellis.
An act for the relief of Joseph Octave Jules Lapointe.
An act for the relief of Nena Ruthen Teitelbaum. An act for the relief of Annie Gwendoline Mabel Gammon Noble.
An act for the relief of Margaret Catherine McDonald White.
An act for the relief of Howard Vincent Jones.
An act for the relief of Matilda Schneider Hutter. An act for the relief of Robert William Phillips.
An act for the relief of Ethel Rose Katz Cohen.
An act for the relief of Edith Cecelia Cole Williams.
An act for the relief of Agnes Mathieson Metsos. An act for the relief of Dorothy Fern Brown Lacoste.
An act for the relief of Sylvia Barnett Shane.
An act for the relief of Louise Soltanoff Rudy.
An act for the relief of Armand Boisclair.
An act for the relief of Mary Robertson Pangman Elder.
An act for the relief of Merilda Normand Maury. An act for the relief of Janet Stevenson Ivory Stein.
An act for the relief of Reba Schulman Schecter. An act for the relief of Helen Fulton Burns Clark. An act for the relief of Lyford Homer George.
An act for the relief of Joan Winnifred Lewis Hawkins.
An act for the relief of Frances Lenore Roe Robinson.
An act for the relief of Philip Victor Thomas Rodboum.
An act for the relief of Dorothy Edith Entwistle Lorimer.
An act for the relief of William Christie.
An act for the relief of Priscilla Benning Peart.
An act for the relief of Margaret Nelson Smith Calvert
An act for the relief of Shirley Pearl Claman.
An act for the relief of Lillian Helena Cross Page. An act for the relief of Rosario Proulx.
An act for the relief of Micheline Lefebvre Simpson.
An act for the relief of Catherina Koszak Tymczuk.
An act for the relief of Anne Warnes Rice.
An act for the relief of Joseph Edmond Tremblay. An act for the relief of Grace Lambert Sturgeon. An act for the relief of Mary Middleton Thompson. An act for the relief of Gordon Aylmer Thistle Shirres.
An act for the relief of Walter Jasper Blake.
An act for the relief of Margaret Murray McKinnon Trenholm.
An act for the relief of Walter Wilson McBroom. An act for the relief of Mabel Florence Dunk Wright.
An act for the relief of Thomas Somerville.
An act for the relief of Joseph Wilfrid Leon Desrosiers.
An act for the relief of June Lucille Odell Woolnough.
An act for the relief of Christopher Edmond Cobham.
An act for the relief of Jack Zelinsky.
An act for the relief of Morna Elsa Kott.
An act for the relief of Doris Christina Meldrum Franklin.
An act for the relief of Francis Thomas Lariviere. 
An act for the relief of Maurice Abraham Rodier. An act for the relief of Liselotte Karola Roer Goode.
An act for the relief of Albert Labreche.
An act for the relief of Bessie Drinkwater Jackson.
An act for the relief of Bessie Shafer Cohen.
An act for the relief of Ludmila Mach Morawetz. An act for the relief of Ernest Cecil George Thackway.
An act for the relief of May Garnet Greene Lofting.
An act for the relief of Henry John Bobinski.
An act for the relief of Mary Eileen Birks Moor-house.
An act for the relief of Florence Ruby Robbins Cumby.
An act for the relief of Kathleen Elizabeth Flookes Kerr.
An act for the relief of Berthe Marie Madeleine Brunet Egar.
An act for the relief of Mary Alice Eva Rivard Sharkey.
An act for the relief of Evelyn Florence Brigden Piper.
An act for the relief of Beatrice Violet Hudson Hineson.
An act for the relief of Fernand Dupuis.
An act for the relief of Frances Strakosch Alexander.
An act for the relief of Peonie Taub Joseph. . An act for the relief of Doris Mabel Garwood Cunningham Watt.
An act for the relief of Marion Dorothy Hill Parker Jeff ryes.
An act for the relief of Ada Bailen Dubman.
An act for the relief of Sarah Patricia Crowley King.
An act for the relief of Lola Dulcenia Hill Morton. An act for the relief of Hilda Hodgkinson Connolly.
An act for the relief of Norma Thompson Farrell. An act for the relief of Harold Charles Boyes.
An act for the relief of Sophie Goldenberg Kovacs Feldheim.
An act for the relief of Eva Brolofsky Richman. An act for the relief of Arland Farmer Webster.
An act for the relief of Wynifred Guinevere Withrow Couch.
An act for the relief of Dorothy Ruth Ogilvie.
An act for the relief of Dorothy Edith Croft Douglas.
An act for the relief of Corinne Schlein Gottlieb. An act for the relief of Zelma Alexander Singer. An act for the relief of Katherine Adamakos Koussaya.
An act for the relief of Margaret Hyams Boldo-vitch.
An act for the relief of Frederick Cecil Carratt.
An act for the relief of Anne Harris Shefler.
An act for the relief of Virginia Therese Scott Gillespie.
An act for the relief of Ruth Ellen Jones Palamar. An act for the relief of Ida Ker Davies Kinnon. An act for the relief of Arthur Filteau.
An act for the relief of Karl Kastner.
An act for the relief of Mary Elizabeth Wilson Taylor.
An act for the relief of Jean Martha Spiller Little. An act for the relief of Violette Blanche Heuff McKenna.
An act for the relief of Dorothy Elizabeth Amos Nicol.
An act for the relief of George Henry Burney.
An act for the relief of Leonne Dufresne Paten-aude.
An act for the relief of Audrey Blanche Duncan Myers.

An act for the relief of Brenda Denise Fuller Martin.
An act for the relief of Suzanne Gundermann Wallis.
An act for the relief of Margaret Ellen Joan Clayton Dullege.
An act for the relief of Laura Goldstein Rosen.
An act for the relief of Doris Mazer Goldsmith.
An act for the relief of Marjorie Violet Schrat-wiser Cadham.
An act for the relief of Ross Robert Baskin.
An act for the relief of Ann Frances Gray Hirst.
An act for the relief of Effie Violet Mugford Knox.
An act for the relief of Freda Hersch Nishmas.
An act for the relief of Mildred Davidon Liberman.
An act for the relief of Raymond Joseph Louis Guay.
An act for the relief of Hyman Herbert Schwartz.
An act for the relief of Dorothy Mary Ward Bryant.
An act for the relief of Audrey Frances Stokes Lambert.
An act for the relief of Marie Katherine O'Connell Ball.
An act for the relief of Stephen Henry Jones.
An act for the relief of Diane Grossman Botner.
An act for the relief of Rosina Templeton Mclndoe Corliss.
An act for the relief of Lily Tansky Dratofsky.
An act for the relief of Anna Rosemarin Barsuk.
An act for the relief of Christy Margaret Chisholm Cook.
An act for the relief of Maud Ross Travers.
An act for the relief of Mary McDowell Hyslop Forbes Cahill.
An act for the relief of William Jackson.
An act for the relief of Vera Mildred Holley Martel.
An act for the relief of Ruth Gorofsky Hall.
An act for the relief of Rita Latour Shugar.
An act for the relief of Margaret Martin Stewart Scofield.
An act for the relief of Robert William Goudie.
An act for the relief of Nancy Catherine Harrison Moore.
An act for the relief of Claire Wiseman Grynberg.
An act for the relief of Claire Breitman Elias.
An act for the relief of Lillian Florence Katherine Kaye Kulik.
An act for the relief of Freda Siminovitch Mosessohn.
An act for the relief of Agathe Groulx Grenier.
An act for the relief of Pamela Mabel Mackrory Cameron.
An act for the relief of Muriel Fishman Schmelz.
An act for the relief of Virgile Zenor Joseph Poncelet.
An act for the lelief of Mary Besner Bray.
An act for the relief of Philip Wanton Engs.
An act for the relief of Blanche Marie Yvonne Boissonneau Dunlop.
An act for the relief of Najla Tabah Ayoup.
An act for the relief of Betsy Bruce Anderson Furlong.
An act for the relief of Doris Mary Marjorie Evans Champagne.
An act for the relief of David Anderson Guthrie.
An act for the relief of Frieda Stubina Lobe.
An act for the relief of Mary Bridget Ellen Conway Demers.
An act for the relief of Alexandrine Gauthier Boisvert.
The Royal Assent
An act for the relief of Mary Grant Macintosh Dobell.
An act for the relief of Marie Louise Irene Bouchard Magill.
An act for the relief of Thelma Jennie Alvera Brownlee Leslie.
An act for the relief of Elsie Roberta McCutcheon Cornish.
An act for the relief of Vera Maude Rimmer Gasper.
An act for the relief of Veronica Kazantseff Darrell.
An act for the relief of Elsie Smith Brothers.
An act for the relief of John Howard Clendenning.
An act for the relief of 'Bessie Lillian Lockhart.
An act for the relief of May Victoria Gledhill Hossack.
An act for the relief of Marshall Frederick Lebeau.
An act for the relief of Miriam Sarah Celeste Glass Butler.
An act for the relief of Edna Vivian Eulie Hewitt Colclough.
An act for the relief of Gladys Isabelle Brown Farewell.
An act for the relief of Gladys Rollins Wilson.
An act for the relief of Anna May Tedstone Mose.
An act for the relief of Elsie Knight-Huckle Metayer.
An act for the relief of Charles Emile Groleau.
An act for the relief of Olive Eva LaBeau Carlson.
An act for the relief of Julia Catherine Dwane Raymond.
An act for the relief of Philip Slutsken.
An act for the relief of Jessie Kathleen Batiste Latter.
An act respecting Chartered Trust and Executor Company.
An act respecting the Dominion Atlantic Railway Company.
An act respecting the Pension Fund Society of the Bank of Montreal.
An act to incorporate the North West Commercial Travellers' Association of Canada.
An act to incorporate the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth Hospital.
An act to incorporate Canadian Home Assurance Company.
An act to amend the Judges Act, 1S46.
An act to amend the Family Allowances Act, 1944.
An act to amend the Old Age Pensions Act.
An act to provide for the marketing of agricultural products in interprovincial and export trade.
An act respecting Guaranty Trust Company of Canada.
An act respecting oil or gas pipe lines.
An act respecting the Globe Printing Company.
An act to incorporate the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada.
An act respecting a certain patent application of Walter Oliver Beyer.
An act respecting the Canadian Artillery Association.
An act to incorporate Interprovincial Pipe Line Company.
An act to incorporate Westcoast Transmission Company Limited.
An act to incorporate Trans-Northern Pipe Line Company.
An act to incorporate the British American Pipe Line Company.
An act to incorporate Western Pipe Lines.
2812	HOUSE OF
Prorogation of Parliament
To these bills the royal assent was pronounced by the Clerk of the Senate in the following words:
In His Majesty's name the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General doth assent to these bills.
Then the Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons addressed the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General as follows:
May it Please Your Excellency:
The Commons of Canada have voted supplies required to enable the government to defray certain expenses of the public service.
In the name of the Commons, I present to Your Honour the following bill:
An act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the public service of the financial year ending the 31st March, 1950.
To which bill I humbly request Your Honour's assent.
To this bill the Clerk of the Senate, by command of the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General, did thereupon say:
In His Majesty's name, the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General thanks his loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and assents to this bill.

[Stage Direction]
After which the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General was pleased to close the fifth session of the twentieth parliament of the Dominion of Canada with the following speech:
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
In opening the present session, I stated that the first concern of government in world affairs is to
[Stage Direction]
ensure peace and security. To this end, the North Atlantic treaty was signed at Washington on April 4, after its principles had been overwhelmingly approved by both houses. I am gratified that you have given unanimous approval to the treaty which it is the intention to ratify at an early date.
There has been deep satisfaction throughout the country at the completion of the original plan of confederation by the admission of Newfoundland as the tenth province on March 31.
Provision was made for the continuance of certain transitional measures, of the Agricultural Products Act and of the Foreign Exchange Control Act. My government has welcomed your approval of the international wheat agreement which it is hoped will be approved by a sufficient number of signatories to bring it into force on July 1, 1949.
As further instalments in the government's policy to provide a national standard of social security you have passed measures designed to broaden the scope of the Family Allowances Act and to increase the amount of pension paid by the federal government under the Old Age Pensions Act.
Other measures enacted during this session include bills respecting the control and regulation of interprovincial and international pipe lines, the Judges' Act, the National Parks Act, mail contracts and the Canadian Commercial Corporation.
Members of the House of Commons:
I thank you for making provision for essential services for the period required for the holding of a general election and the assembling of a new parliament.
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
May Divine Providence continue to bless our country with peace and prosperity.
This concluded the fifth session of the twentieth parliament.