1958-05-21

Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker (Prime Minister):: Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I am tabling copies in English and in French of the report of the royal commission on the coasting trade. I am not going to make any attempt at the moment to summarize the findings of the commission, but I should like to assure the house that these recommendations will be given careful study by the government. I think I speak for all members of the house in expressing our thanks to the chairman of the commission, Hon. Mr. Justice Spence, and his two associates, Mr. Wickwire, Q.C., and Mr. Belanger, C.A., for their exhaustive study and the carefully documented report they have produced.



CANADIAN NATIONAL STEAMSHIPS


Hon. George H. Hees (Minister of Transport):: Mr. Speaker, I thought I should advise the house that the following statement is being issued today by Mr. J. A. Sauve, general manager, Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships, Limited:
The management of the Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships, Limited, has completed a careful exploration of what was involved in a restoration of its service between Canada and the West Indies. As a result of its appraisal of all the factors, the management has decided to abandon the service, dispose of the assets by sale and wind up completely the company's affairs.
The registry of the eight vessels of the fleet has been transferred from Trinidad to Canada for the purpose of the sale. Offers for the vessels will be invited immediately through public advertisement in the press. Preference will be given to any Canadian company which intends to operate the vessels in the Canada-British West Indies trade. Owners reserve the right to sell the vessels any time if a satisfactory offer is received.
In the view of management, the fact that the vessels have been out of service since July 4, 1957, has meant that long established traffic connections have been obliged to make other arrangements and the outlook for the future made it most unlikely that heavy operating losses could be avoided. Private carriers have expanded their schedules and extended their routings to cover the service previously given .by Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships.


Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Laurier):: Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether I am in order at this juncture, but I wonder whether the minister would answer one or two queries that are in my mind. First, can he tell the house what purpose was achieved by the transfer of the flag from Canada to Trinidad and the retransfer from Trinidad to Canada?


George Harris Hees: Mr. Speaker, at the time of the transfer of the flag from Canada to Trinidad the management of Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships, Limited, thought the steamships could be operated satisfactorily under that flag. In the meantime they have decided that that is impossible, and have therefore decided to register the ships in Canada again for the purpose of the sale.


Lionel Chevrier: May I be allowed one other question. How many deep sea ships now remain under the Canadian flag?


George Harris Hees: Mr. Speaker, I believe that exactly the same number remain under the Canadian flag as when the Liberal government was defeated on June 10, 1957.


Mr. H. W. Herridge (Kootenay West):: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of this group may I say that we regret very much to hear of this action on the part of the Canadian government, particularly in view of the previously announced policy of prominent members of the Conservative party. I shall have more to say on this question later.


Lionel Chevrier: Page the Minister of Public Works.



RAILWAY ACT


Herbert Wilfred Herridge: for leave to introduce Bill No. C-ll, to amend the Railway Act.


Some hon. Members:: Explain.


Herbert Wilfred Herridge: Mr. Speaker, subsection 1 of section 168 of the Railway Act deals with the abandonment of the operation of any line of railway, and provides that the operation of any line may be abandoned with the approval of the board of transport commissioners. There is no provision in the act in relation to a reduction or proposed reduction of service. The purpose of the proposed amendment is to provide that the

Inquiries of the Ministry board may, at the request of an interested municipality, deal with such reduction of service.
In brief, the purpose of this amendment is to use a dose of legislative cortisone to strengthen the presently palsied hands of the board of transport commissioners and give them the power to prevent any unwarranted reduction of train service.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.



INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS


Mr. Erhari Regier (Burnaby-Coquillam) moved: for leave to introduce Bill No. C-12, to provide for pay for statutory holidays for employees and for pay for work performed on statutory holidays.


Some hon. Members:: Explain.


Erhart Regier: The purpose of this bill, Mr. Speaker, is to provide that all employees in Canada who come under federal labour jurisdiction shall receive their regular pay for at least eight statutory holidays each year, without having to work on those holidays. It also provides that when any such employee is required to work on any statutory holiday, as defined in the bill, he shall receive pay for such work at double time in addition to his regular pay for such holiday.
Nothing in this bill affects any provisions for statutory holidays with pay enjoyed by any employees where such provisions are more favourable than those enjoyed herein, but this bill does supersede any provisions which are less favourable than those set out in this bill.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.



UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Alexis Caron (Hull):: May I direct a question to the Minister of Labour. Is the minister aware that, notwithstanding the bill passed last week, 51.8 per cent of the unemployed in Hull are not receiving any benefit at all? What steps does the government intend to take in connection with this urgent matter?


Mr. Speaker:: I am not sure what view the house would take on detailed questions on unemployment in any particular area, but it seems to me that we could spend a great deal of time dealing with such questions if
[Mr. Herridge.l
all members were disposed to get up and ask these questions rather than have them put on the order paper.


Lionel Chevrier: I would be the last one to suggest, Mr. Speaker, that your ruling is not in order. May I recall to your attention, however, that during last session, if that be a precedent, questions of this nature were asked repeatedly, and were answered repeatedly and at great length from the other side of the house by ministers who took the opportunity from time to time to make speeches, to which I objected. It would seem to me that questions of this nature which are of urgency, particularly in the city from which the hon. member comes, should be allowed on orders of the day.


Mr. Speaker:: As the hon. member appreciates, I was not ruling but was asking the house for some guidance on this matter, because I feel we might very well spend considerable time on questions of this kind. However, perhaps we might wait and see. Has the Prime Minister something to say?


John George Diefenbaker: Mr. Speaker, I would be absolutely the last one to do anything that would curtail fair discussion and consideration in this house. But questions such as this one, involving individual areas, were never contemplated as those which should be asked on the orders of the day. They can be asked by means of questions placed on the order paper. Certainly they are not of such immediate consequence nationally, and of such emergent nature as to be permissible on the orders of the day.


Hon. L. B. Pearson (Leader of ihe Opposition):: Mr. Speaker, if you were able to consult the precedents in the year 1955, when there was some unemployment in this country, I think you would find that opposition members at that time asked questions about emergency unemployment situations in particular areas, and that those questions were dealt with by the government of the day.


Alexis Pierre Caron: On the point of order, Mr. Speaker, may I say this. I have asked this question because today I have had a large number of telephone calls from people who are starving. We have no time to wait to put the question on the order paper. People are in need. That is why I am asking the government what they intend to do about that situation.


Mr. Speaker:: I am quite aware, as are other members of the house, that on the orders of the day we have had quite a number of questions dealing with problems of

employment in local areas. We deal with questions with respect to lay-offs on the railways and so on. But as this session is developing and has developed, it seems to me that a large part of the time of parliament will be spent in debating the very issue of unemployment and that therefore we are perhaps duplicating our efforts by spending too much time on the matter on the orders of the day.
The hon. member has asked his question and I will not rule it out at this time, but I would ask the house to bear that consideration in mind, because I feel that if there are a multiplicity of questions of this sort I shall have to take that view. The hon. member for Hull has asked his question.


Hon. Michael Starr (Minister of Labour):: This is the first time, Mr. Speaker, that this matter has been brought to my attention particularly with respect to the situation in Hull. If the hon. member will furnish me with all the details he has at his disposal I shall be glad to look into the situation.



AGRICULTURE


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Theogene Ricard (Si. Hyacinihe-Bagoi):: I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Has the agricultural stabilization board received representations with respect to price support for maple syrup and maple products in the province of Quebec?


Hon. D. S. Harkness (Minister of Agriculture):: Mr. Speaker, I should like to thank the hon. member for giving me notice of this question.
A resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture with respect to maple products was presented to the cabinet by that organization. The agricultural stabilization board invited representatives of the various groups of maple syrup producers in the province of Quebec to a meeting in Ottawa to discuss this proposal. At this meeting there was agreement that the groups would prefer to operate under the financing arrangements provided by the Agricultural Products Co-operative Marketing Act for the purpose of marketing their 1958 crop.
These arrangements had been used by Les Producteurs de Sucre d'Erable de Quebec in marketing their 1957 crop and this co-operative, along with the newly established marketing board, felt that this would be the most satisfactory way to handle their 1958 crop.
Inquiries of the Ministry EXTERNAL AFFAIRS



CANADA-U.S.    BALLISTIC MISSILE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Lester Bowles Pearson: I should like to ask the Secretary of State for External Affairs whether any negotiations or discussions are under way between Canada and the United States with regard to the establishment of a continental ballistic missile early warning system.


Hon. Sidney E. Smith (Secretary of State for External Affairs):: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for notice of this question. In reply I would state that the Canadian government has granted permission to the United States government to conduct surveys in Canada to determine to what extent, if any, the ever-increasing speed of air weapons has created special communications requirements, including the improvement of existing facilities which may be needed to perfect the flow of detection and warning information for radar warning of ballistic missiles.
Canadian government agencies and Canadian commercial companies will work closely with United States officials and commercial agents in the conduct of the surveys, one of the objects of which will be to provide for the best use of existing government and commercial communications facilities.


Lester Bowles Pearson: May I ask a supplementary question. Was consideration given to the possibility of these inquiries and investigations being conducted by Canadians?


Sidney Earle Smith: Yes, Mr. Speaker, that was considered.



LEBANON


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. L. D. Crestohl (Cariier):: May I direct a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs. In view of the dangerous turmoil and disorders in Lebanon, can the minister inform the house what steps the government has taken to protect the safety of Canadians at present in that country?


Sidney Earle Smith: Mr. Speaker, in reply to the question I would inform the house that the government of Canada has been watching very closely the situation in Lebanon, and I can assure the house that normal procedures for the evacuation of Canadian citizens from any troubled area where their lives might be in danger are ready to be put into action.

Inquiries of the Ministry
I would also inform the house that there are approximately 125 Canadians in Lebanon, most of whom reside in Beirut.
unrwa-Canada's contribution to



ARAB REFUGEES

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Stuart Fleming (Okanagan-Revel-stoke):: Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs concerning the contribution made by Canada to the support of Arab refugees who are cared for by UNRWA. A few days ago there was an item in some papers-it was attributed to the Canadian Press and appeared at least in the Montreal Gazette and the Ottawa Citizen-to the effect that Canada's contribution was being reduced this year by one-third. Would the minister be good enough to clarify the situation, which seems to me to have been misreported?


Sidney Earle Smith: Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to the hon. member for Okanagan-Revelstoke for having given me notice of his question. I, too, have noticed press reports which seemed to indicate that the Canadian government was going to reduce its contribution to UNRWA. Those reports manifest an evident misunderstanding of the situation. The Canadian government will continue, for 1958, what has been for some years its normal contribution to UNRWA in the amount of $500,000.
It is true that for 1957 this item was shown as $750,000 in the appropriations and estimates for that year, but the increase of $250,000 was due to the fact that there had been a change in the fiscal year of UNRWA, and that sum provided for a period of 18 months. The contribution of $500,000 for 1958 goes back, I reiterate, to the normal contribution.
I would take this opportunity to mention that during the last session I informed the house that there would be a special contribution to UNRWA in the amount of $1,500,000 for wheat and flour for that agency.



REPORTED INTRODUCTION OF CONFIDENTIAL LETTER BEFORE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Sidney Earle Smith: Mr. Speaker, may I take this opportunity to refer to a question addressed to me on May 19 by the hon. member for Port Arthur. The question was:
Can the minister inform the house if it is a fact that a United States senator introduced a confidential letter before a United States Senate committee on Friday? If so, has the minister any indication of how that senator came into possession of a confidential letter from a Canadian prime minister?

I have been able to ascertain that the confidential letter to which the hon. member for Port Arthur referred was a communication-a short personal letter-from the former prime minister, Mr. St. Laurent, to the then Canadian ambassador in Washington, Mr. Heeney. Indeed, the letter was addressed to the ambassador as "My dear Arnold". It was written in November of 1956 and preceded the representations which, as many hon. members of this house are aware, were made by the Canadian government to the United States government at that time in the matter of the United States tax claim against Consolidated Premium Iron Ores.
I am surprised that such a letter should have found its way into the hands of a United States senator. I can assure the house that I am satisfied as a result of the inquiries I have made so far that no responsibility with respect to this matter attaches to the Canadian embassy in Washington. We are pursuing our inquiries, and I assure hon. members that, if we can discover anything further as to how this letter might have come into the hands of a person to whom it was not directed or addressed, I shall promptly inform the house.


Mr. D. M. Fisher (Port Arthur):: Can the
Secretary of State for External Affairs confirm that the aide-memoire which accompanied the letter was distinct from the confidential letter as far as its confidential nature was concerned?


Sidney Earle Smith: The letter has been made public, and it is a covering letter for the presentation of the aide-memoire to which the hon. member refers.



PUBLIC SERVICE


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Herbert Wilfred Herridge: Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the Secretary of State with his first opportunity to sharpen his parliamentary axe on the whetstone of intelligent curiosity by asking the following question. Could the Secretary of State inform the house if under the auspices of the civil service commission, under the category of casual employees or otherwise, the government has created a new classification for employment known as "unpaid government representative"?


Hon. Henri Courlemanche (Secretary of State):: I thank the hon. member for having given me notice of his question. To the best of my knowledge the answer is no.


Douglas Mason Fisher: I would like to ask a question supplementary to the inquiry which has just been made, but my question is directed to the Minister of Justice. Could the minister inform the house of the statute or the regulation which establishes as official representatives of the government the defeated Conservative candidates in particular ridings?


Hon. E. D. Fulton (Minister of Justice):: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows the answer to that question as well as I do.


An hon. Member:: He had better check the list of defeated Conservative candidates.


An hon. Member:: There were none.



OLD AGE SECURITY


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Hon. Paul Martin (Essex East):: I wonder if the Minister of National Health and Welfare could tell the house if the investigation authorized by the government and initially entrusted by the government to Professor Huson, and later to Dr. Clark, with regard to the old age and survivors' insurance system in the United States, has been completed, and if so, when the document will be tabled in this house.


Hon. J. W. Monteith (Minister of National Health and Welfare):: Mr. Speaker, in reply to the hon. member I would inform him that the investigation has not yet been completed but that it is progressing very favourably.



DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. E. Nasserden (Rosthern):: Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Has the government completed its study of the requests from western grain growers for deficiency payments on wheat, oats and barley grown in the wheat board area, and how soon can we expect an announcement in regard to the government's decision in respect of these requests?


Hon. Gordon Churchill (Minister of Trade and Commerce):: The subject of deficiency payments, which has been put before us on several occasions by representative farm organizations and recently by the Saskatchewan wheat pool representatives, is under consideration. The subject itself is rather complicated. I cannot indicate at this time
Inquiries of the Ministry when a decision will be reached, but the subject is receiving very close attention and a study of all its ramifications is being made. I hope that before too long we shall be able to state one way or the other whether deficiency payments would be considered a satisfactory solution to some of the problems affecting prairie farmers.



ALLEGED PRICE MANIPULATIONS BY MAJOR COMPANIES

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Frank Howard (Skeena):: Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Justice. In view of the statement made yesterday in this house by the hon. member for Restigouche-Madawaska that major oil companies, by price manipulation, are trying to squeeze out the smaller companies, will the minister undertake to order an inquiry in accordance with the provisions of the Combines Investigation Act?


Edmund Davie Fulton: Mr. Speaker, the minister would be happy to bring to the attention of the director of investigation and research any particulars of information that come to his attention, or that any hon. member has in his possession and brings to the attention of the minister; or if any hon. member has information in his possession he is at liberty to bring it directly to the attention of the director of investigation and research. Such assistance will always be welcomed.


Mr. Pickersgill:: Has he done so?


Mr. Fullon:: You ask him. I cannot.


John Whitney Pickersgill: Under the rules I cannot ask him.



ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY REPORTED STATEMENT IN WASHINGTON RESPECTING TOLLS

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Mr. W. H. McMillan (Welland):: Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Transport. Would the minister comment on a statement by Mr. Reece Harrill, chairman of the United States tolls committee in Washington, that the recommended tolls for the St. Lawrence seaway probably will be announced by the end of May, and that they will not be too far off the target of $1.25 a ton for general cargo and 50 cents a ton for bulk?


Mr. Speaker:: That question strikes a chord of memory; I think it is only a couple of days since the minister was asked a question on tolls. I do not know whether the hon. member

Inquiries of the Ministry expects a change to have occurred in that time. It there has been one, and if the minister is prepared to deal with it, I will not object.


George Harris Hees: There has been no change, Mr. Speaker.



MISSION TO UNITED KINGDOM


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Lionel Chevrier: Mr. Speaker, may I direct a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Is he able to tell the house, or will he be able to do so soon, what amount of trade in dollars or pounds sterling has been diverted from the United States to the United Kingdom by virtue of the trade mission which was established prior to the last election?


Gordon Minto Churchill: Mr. Speaker, I have not at this stage assembled the statistical data for which the hon. member is asking.



FISHERIES


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Frank Howard: Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Fisheries; I hope he has had sufficient notice of it. Does the government plan to send Canadian research vessels into the Pacific ocean for the purpose of scientifically investigating the migration of Canadian salmon to the end of determining, among other things, whether such salmon are crossing the 175th west meridian?


Hon. J. A. MacLean (Minister of Fisheries):: Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Skeena for giving me notice of his intention to ask this question. The short answer is yes, but in fairness to the house I think I should elaborate to some extent.
Under the co-ordinated scientific research program of the international north Pacific fisheries commission, Canada is participating very fully in the investigations with her partners, the United States and Japan. The area under investigation is about 32 million square miles, roughly one-sixth of the surface of the earth. Obviously, for very practical reasons no one country could hope to undertake such an investigation and reach conclusions within any reasonable length of time. The Canadian part of the co-ordinated research program in 1958 consists of having two

large vessels make two cruises each, one in March and one in August, north of latitude 45 degrees north and just east of longitude 175 degrees west. These vessels will be augmented by two other vessels fishing for research purposes from mid-May to mid-September in the area east of 155 degrees west longitude. Two smaller vessels will also be used in the gulf of Alaska south to latitude 50 degrees north and west of longitude 155 degrees west.
Under the co-ordinated plan, vessels of the United States and Japan will cover other sections of this huge ocean area. All these efforts are directed toward determining the distribution of the salmon population in the north Pacific ocean. Particular attention is being paid by the Canadian scientists to further determining whether salmon spawned in Canadian rivers travel as far west as the 175th meridian. The scientific information up to the present time indicates that no significant number of salmon, if any, of Canadian origin migrate as far as longitude 175 degrees west.


Frank Howard: I thank the minister for the extensive and detailed statement.



NEW BRUNSWICK-NOVA SCOTIA-STATEMENT ON STATUS OF AGREEMENTS ON DEVELOPMENT

[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
Hon. Alvin Hamilton (Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources):: Mr. Speaker, on Monday last the hon. member for Gloucester asked two questions relating to the program for the development of electric power in the Atlantic provinces, and I took them as notice.
The first question was whether power agreements have been signed under section 3 of the Atlantic Provinces Power Development Act with the governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The answer is that they have. The agreement with New Brunswick was signed on February 14 and that with Nova Scotia on February 20.
The second question by the hon. member was as to when the agreements would be tabled. In reply I would point out that section 6 of the act requires the minister to lay before parliament a report "of all procedures taken and agreements made under this act" during each fiscal year. A report is now in the process of being prepared on the proceedings during the fiscal year that ended on March 31 last, and it will be available for tabling in this house shortly. The agreements to which I have referred will form part of that report.


Mr. Robichaud:: I have a supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister now inform the house whether such agreements insisted that coal be used to generate power instead of oil?


Francis Alvin George Hamilton: To my knowledge there is no such term insisting that coal be used. In fact in one part of the working out of this agreement I understand it is fully understood between the two governments that on certain occasions oil will be used in one of the plants.



CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS


[Stage Direction]
On the orders of the day:
George Harris Hees: Mr. Speaker, yesterday the hon. member for Laurier and the hon. member for Kent, New Brunswick, inquired about layoffs by the Canadian National Railways at Moncton, and the hon. member for Laurier also asked what the railway intended to do to find employment for these men.
I should like to mention to the house that on November 4 last I gave a fairly lengthy explanation that the normal environment of the railway industry is such that the level of its working force must rise and fall under the influence of many factors, the main ones being seasonal, traffic volume and technological changes.	.
I am advised that there have been some adjustments made at Moncton, but on the other hand I am able to say that generally across the system the railway is now embarking on its annual spring and summer maintenance and capital program, which involves such things as work on road beds, bridges, ballasting, tie renewals, relaying of rail, construction of spurs and sidings, new branch lines, signalling facilities, buildings, and so forth. This seasonal work will mean an upward change in the over-all working forces to the extent of some 5,000 men. In the implementation of this seasonal program the management will give preference to individuals whose employment has been affected by the severe decline in traffic and whose crafts may be disappearing under the impact of technological changes. Railway employment offices across the system are making every effort to find suitable alternative employment where adjustments must be made, and I might add that the railway is now in the process of implementing a record capital program.


Lionel Chevrier: Very informative.
The Address-Mr. Woolliams SPEECH FROM THE THRONE



CONTINUATION OF DEBATE ON ADDRESS IN REPLY

[Stage Direction]
The house resumed, from Tuesday, May 20, consideration of the motion of Mr. Robert Lafreniere for an address to His Excellency the Governor General in reply to his speech at the opening of the session, and the amendment thereto of Mr. Pearson, and the amendment to the amendment of Mr. Argue.
Mr. Eldon M. Woolliams (Bow River):: Mr. Speaker, when the house adjourned I had been discussing in my introductory remarks the political, economic and social developments that have taken place in this country since confederation. I had mentioned that these developments had taken place under either Liberal or Conservative administrations, and that these two parties had governed Canada for almost equal periods of time.
If I may add a few more introductory remarks, the election of March 31 will be remembered in western Canada not so much for the Conservative victory but for the fact that the election wiped out the splinter parties in western Canada. To use France as a tragic example, its political plight is ample proof that democracy in Canada can only function with great success with the two party system. Perhaps this has been stated on many occasions, but I submit that it bears repeating. At long last western Canada has accepted this formula and, if I may make the suggestion, there is a heavy responsibility not only on the Conservative party but on the Liberal party to see that the two party system is maintained.
For years the people of western Canada, where 70 constituencies are found-22 in British Columbia, 17 in Alberta, 17 in Saskatchewan and 14 in Manitoba-had been carving up their votes like the head of a household carves the Christmas turkey. How could we complain if our full influence was not felt in this house? How could we complain if we failed to obtain a fair share of the national income? How could we complain if our economic, political and social development was impeded compared with other more densely populated parts of Canada? The importance of a return to the two party system in western Canada has been fully emphasized, because it is my belief that the speech from the throne certainly contains much promise for the economy of the province of Alberta.
I should like to say a few words now with reference to my constituency of Bow River. Bow River riding lies north of Calgary and stretches east from the Rocky mountains 250 to 300 miles to the coal mining valley of Drumheller. It is unique in the fact that

The Address-Mr. Woolliams it contains many industries. We have the tourist trade at Banff and Lake Louise, the ranching districts of the foothills, the mixed farms north of Calgary, the grain farms surrounding Drumheller and, last but not least, the coal mining industry.
Therefore I should like to deal briefly with certain points in the speech from the throne so far as they affect the tourist trade, the ranching industry, the grain farmers and the depressed coal mining industry of Alberta. There is reference in the speech from the throne to the acceleration of the building of public works to relieve unemployment. This is not only good in relieving unemployment but will be most welcome to the business people of Banff, who have encouraged tourists to come there from all parts of Canada and the United States. Let me cite the figures of the tourist trade. In 1933-34 some 132,264 persons went through the national park gates to Banff and Lake Louise. In 1946-47 some 246,397 persons visited the national park, while in 1957 some 790,910 people visited the park. The people who are engaged in the tourist industry will welcome the suggestion in the speech from the throne with respect to the accelerating of public works, because it is felt by the men and women engaged in the tourist trade that very little has been done during the last 22 years to provide facilities to accommodate tourists and assist the people engaged in the tourist business.
I am very happy to see that the Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources is in the house. I trust that some of these facilities will be provided in the future in order to assist the people engaged in this particular industry. The improvements that have been made at Banff and Lake Louise have been carried out mostly by the Canadian Pacific Railway, but the golf courses and other facilities are really too expensive for the average man to use.
I wish to turn my attention now to the ranching industry. Anyone travelling along the trans-Canada Highway to Banff or Lake Louise will note that in the foothills of Alberta thousands of cattle range. In fact I know of one ranch operated by three brothers that has 6,000 head of cattle. I believe that a pound of beef can be produced in the foothills of Alberta cheaper than in any other place in Canada. The ranchers are particularly happy about the expanding trade in cattle with the United States. I believe some
300,000	head of cattle will find their way into that market. But in that demand there is always a danger. First of all, of course, the price of beef tends to go up, which the rancher and I welcome; but when there is a
TMr. Woolliams.]
call for beef or any other farm commodity there is always an increased production of that commodity.
That brings me to another point in the speech from the throne having to do with the price stabilization legislation. For the first time in the history of western Canada the ranchers and cattle raisers have security. If hon. members will bear with me, I want to take a few minutes to refer to something of a personal nature that happened when I was a boy on the farm in the thirties. My father, Frank Woolliams, settled north of Rosetown in Saskatchewan in 1905. In the thirties he shipped 1,000 pounds of beef from Rosetown, Saskatchewan, to Winnipeg in a carload together with beef shipped by other producers, and when the freight charge was deducted from the price of the beef he received a cheque for a total of 16 cents. That cheque has never been cashed by the family, but was kept as a reminder that the ranchers needed the security which was extended to them by the Prime Minister and his government during the last session.
The rancher is happy that written right into the stabilization legislation is the assurance that the price for beef can never fall again below 80 per cent of a ten-year moving average. He is also happy to know that the prices set by the stabilization board are established with the guidance of a committee made up of producers, because for the first time in the history of beef production he is guaranteed security. I wish to commend the government in that regard.
I turn now for a few minutes to another industry in my constituency, grain farming, which takes up a large part of the constituency of Bow River. The grain farmer will be pleased to see that the efforts made to increase the sale of grain during the short time the government was in office before the last election will be continued, and he will be particularly happy that continued efforts are to be made to sell farm commodities, particularly the large surpluses of wheat which the government inherited in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
I should also like to say at this time that 1 was very happy to hear the Minister of Trade and Commerce refer to deficiency payments. Just before coming to parliament for the first time I was invited to be the guest of the federation of agriculture at a meeting in Red Deer, Alberta. During their deliberations it was mentioned that they were looking in the direction of deficiency payments for crops which have already been delivered. The reason for that, of course, is that the western farmer like many other farmers throughout Canada, has been caught in the squeeze

referred to on many occasions by senior members of parliament. That squeeze is brought about by the falling prices for the goods the farmer sells and the increased costs of what he buys. For example, a combine used in western Canada, which in 1946 cost a farmer about $4,200, with the same type of equipment on it today costs about $7,800. The farmer, therefore, looks to the government for deficiency payments to help him gain a small margin on the goods he produces.
The farmers are particularly happy with the cash advances, which have helped to stabilize their economy and the economy of the rural communities in which they live. There are always certain things which develop after new legislation has been introduced which must be changed from time to time. The cash advance bill is like a baby. It is born, and as it grows and matures certain changes must take place. I am sure the grain farmers of the Bow river in Alberta, and in western Canada, will be happy to see that certain changes will be made by the government during this session.
I should like to refer for a few moments to an article which appeared in Fortune magazine in January, 1958. The article is under the heading "The Next 20 Years". Fifty thinkers were asked to name the most important economic problem confronting the United States in the next two decades. One of those thinkers was the Leader of the Opposition and when he was asked that question this is what he answered:
At the moment. American reluctance to take the right course is revealed by (1) the subsidization of agriculture, (2) the tariff protection given to domestic industries, and (3) the particular form of U.S. participation in the industrialization of other countries.
I am particularly interested in the first remark by the Leader of the Opposition, when he stated that American reluctance to take the right course is revealed by the subsidization of agriculture. May I say, with all due respect, that I am sure the western farmer will not go along with that idea of not subsidizing agriculture.
I turn now to one other industry, and that is the coal industry. Last year coal output in Alberta dropped by one million tons. In fact there has been a gradual decline in production over the last 10 years. The coal industry as a whole, and particularly the people around Canmore, were particularly happy with the increased subvention of $1.50. This allowed the mines there to deliver to Japan some 50,000 tons of coal. I was advised by Mr. Sherwood, secretary of the local union at Canmore, that this order supplied 55 days of work.
The Address-Mr. Pickersgill
This is a good start, but I should like to see one thing explored in the Drumheller valley, where most of the production is domestic coal. Some economists say it cannot be done and some say it can be done. According to table 13 in "The Coal Mining Industry" for the calendar year 1956, it will be noticed that we imported into Canada in that year
20,065,000	tons of domestic coal. I have not the figures for 1957. It is true that is bituminous coal and not sub-bituminous, but if the coal mines of the Drumheller valley could supply one million tons or even 500,000 tons of that coal, all the men who have been unemployed for a number of years could be put back to work and live with dignity with their families.
The coal mining industry is unique in this respect, that when a coal mine closes down and the town closes down, the life savings of the coal miner are in his little home and when he leaves that he leaves behind him all his savings. Many of these coal miners are now reaching an age when they cannot change their occupation or leave their homes.
This brings me to my final point. I was very happy today to be met in my office by two Indians, our first Canadians. They were brought to the office by Senator Gladstone. Since there are two Indian reservations in the Bow River constituency, I should like at this time to offer my personal congratulations to the Prime Minister and his government upon the appointment of Senator Gladstone to the Senate. It was a wonderful thing today to see two native Canadians sitting down with a senator of the same blood, and that is what prompted me to make this reference.
I have mentioned some of the industries in my riding, and I see that my time is just about up. I should like to say this in passing. I have always been one who believes that any system which is high in ideals and ideas will be the system that will survive; such a system will serve the average man better. I am one of those who belong to that school that believes that is the reason our democratic way of life has survived and will continue to survive in spite of what happens in the future. I have enjoyed the privilege of speaking in this House of Commons, and I have enjoyed bringing to the house some information from my constituency.


John Whitney Pickersgill: My first words, like those of everyone who has preceded me in this debate, must be of congratulation to you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps I should not say "congratulations", because I am not sure that is the right term to apply to one who has to be a referee. However, I do congratulate you, sir, on the confidence expressed in you.

The Address-Mr. Pickersgill
I think there are two reasons why I can bring to those congratulations something that perhaps other members of the house can not. In my youth, and I am afraid ever since, I have had an incapacity for athletics which has been a great regret to me. The result was that I spent a good part of my school days as a referee because I was incapable of playing the games. I have, therefore, a natural sympathy for referees. I think, sir, I have already expressed the confidence I feel in you, a confidence I confess I would feel in anyone elevated to the office you hold, by putting a motion on the order paper which would make you the real and final arbiter of the house.
Perhaps I should say a word about my own attitude, an attitude which I believe is shared by almost everyone in the official opposition, about the subamendment introduced by the hon. member for Assiniboia. I do not believe it will be possible for us to support that motion. I know it will not be possible for me to support it, for two reasons. The first and most fundamental one is that we take the phrase "planned economy" to be, as I think it is intended to be, a polite synonym for socialism. Our party, contrary to what was said by some hon. gentlemen opposite when they sat over here, is not and never has been, and I do not think ever will be, a socialist party.


Mr. Winch:: How about a planned economy?


John Whitney Pickersgill: Perhaps the hon. gentleman did not hear me. I said I thought the phrase used by the hon. gentlemen in that corner was a polite synonym for socialism. That is one reason we feel we cannot go along-perhaps I should just speak for myself; I feel I cannot go along with the subamendment. There is another reason. The hon. member for Assiniboia, for some reason I cannot quite discern, because I feel he shares our views on this subject, dropped the reference to the word "diversion" from the amendment moved by the Leader of the Opposition.
We feel that this house should give a verdict on this question of trade diversion. Therefore we would not, by supporting the subamendment, want to wipe out from the amendment the reference to trade diversion. It seems to me that it should now be possible for every member of the house to vote for the amendment moved by my leader. As the Prime Minister (Mr. Diefenbaker), since the election, has repudiated the former policy of the government to divert trade, there should be no difficulty for the Prime Minister or for any of his followers in voting for the proposition of adding the words that my leader suggested should be added to the motion.

In using that argument, I am using an argument that was used by the Prime Minister himself when he sat over here on this side of the house, when he argued in 1953, as did his leader, when they moved an amendment similar in form though not in substance, that it was not a motion of want of confidence and that there was no reason why hon. gentlemen on the treasury benches and their supporters should not support it.


John George Diefenbaker: Did you agree with that contention then?


John Whitney Pickersgill: I have examined the
debates on that question and, in reply to the Prime Minister, may I say that neither I nor the prime minister of that day nor, to the best of my recollection, any member on that side expressed any view about that contention. It is true that we voted against the amendment.
There is one respect, in which I am afraid I am extremely conservative-in this I differ from the hon. member for Hull (Mr. Caron)-and that is with respect to the constitution. When an amendment to the address is moved from this side of the house I think the government has not too much room for manoeuvring.
I should now like to express, and not in a purely perfunctory way, my congratulations to the mover (Mr. Lafreniere) and the seconder (Mr. Nielsen) of the address in reply to the speech from the throne. I think they caught the ear of the house. I thought they both spoke very well indeed. I confess that I was rather more charmed by the form of their speeches than by their substance. It seemed to me that both those hon. members had some large deficiencies in their education. They both seem to suffer from the same illusion, one which seems to be common to the new members of the house and even to some of those sophomores who were here for a brief spell last year. I refer to the notion that the history of this country stopped on June 6, 1891 and only resumed on June 10, 1957. Before hon. gentlemen applaud too much, they should perhaps recall that that would be blotting out Sir Robert Borden, Mr. Meighen, Mr. Bennett and a few other worthies. I suspect that the malady, if it be a malady, or the deficiency-I suppose "deficiency" is the popular word nowadays and that is the word I should use-from which these hon. gentlemen seem to be suffering is that they have been temporarily blinded by the vision. I suspect that, as time goes on, they may recover at least a part of their sight.
It would be singularly ungracious of me if I did not extend congratulations and a very considerable meed of perhaps reluctant

admiration to the Prime Minister for his unparalleled victory on March 31. As some hon. members know, I am a rather tattered veteran of a few wars on the electoral field and I recognize a good victory when I see one. I do not think there is any question that the Prime Minister himself deserves a large part of the congratulations for that victory.
I have no doubt whatsoever that the Prime Minister rejoiced in the election of all 207 of his followers. That is only natural. But we all remember the parable of the 99 sheep and the one which was lost. I am quite sure that of all those victories on March 31 the one that came closest to the Prime Minister's heart was that of the hon. member for Restigouche-Madawaska. (Mr. Van Horne). My reason for saying that is that the Prime Minister made in 1957 an appeal for the election of the hon. member for Restigouche-Madawaska and it seems to me that this appeal should be placed upon Hansard as an estimate by his leader of the real worth of that hon. member. This is a verbatim report of what the Prime Minister said at Campbellton at a Conservative rally on May 4, 1957 about the hon. member for Restigouche-Madawaska:
-Charlie Van Horne has made a contribution, has placed before the House of Commons problems peculiar to this province.-
That is the province of New Brunswick.
-and in particular to this historic constituency, worthy of the finest traditions of representation in the House of Commons.
There is more to come.
I count him as an exceptionally good friend of mine, one who throughout the period of time he has been in the House of Commons has been one for whom I have had the highest respect, and I simply end my remarks in this direction by saying I want you to send Charlie Van Horne back to the House of Commons. This party wants him.
I might say they can have him.
We need him in that party in order to present the views of New Brunswick and, in particular the north shore of New Brunswick, in the next parliament of this country.
He is here, Mr. Speaker, and I am sure that the Prime Minister is glad to have him.
I do not subscribe entirely to the view expressed by the hon. member for Assiniboia about the reasons for the Prime Minister's victory. I think there was a considerable element of truth in the analysis made by the hon. member. I think there was a feeling -and perhaps a sound one-that is was not a healthy thing to have for any length of time a parliament in which one coherent party did not have a majority. I think that feeling was shared by a good many people
The Address-Mr. Pickersgill in this country who are not normally supporters of the right hon. gentleman's party. Some of the evidence we had during the election campaign and some of the evidence that has been produced since then would seem to support that view.
I think that the sportsmanlike instinct referred to by the hon. member for Assiniboia was also evident. I think there was a feeling -though I confess I did not share it-that hon. gentlemen opposite had been on the treasury benches such a short time that they had not had a chance and that they deserved to be given a real chance to show whether they could govern this country.
In any event, that is what the people decided. So far as I am concerned, speaking for myself, I hope I am a good enough parliamentarian and a good enough democrat to feel that the proper position for an opposition to take in those circumstances is not to be obstructive of a government which has a verdict of that sort but to perform those functions of an opposition in the fashion that they ought to be performed for the proper conduct of our parliamentary business.
I think the Prime Minister himself, as I said before, deserves a great deal of personal credit for the victory of his party. Last October I said I thought the Prime Minister had perhaps mistaken himself for superman and I was afraid-perhaps the Prime Minister would think I rather hoped-that he would be disappointed in his efforts to continue his activities. The fact of the matter is that his physical and human performance, or superhuman performance, has astonished me as it has astonished the country and as it has astonished all of us in this house. I do not think, whatever we may think of the ideas which he was seeking to propagate- and quite frankly I do not think much of them-that we can fail to have admiration for his tireless and well-directed energy, for his skilful use of words and for his almost more skilful use of pictures.
There is no doubt that we have just been through the most professional political campaign this country has ever seen. I understand that, in the terms used on Madison avenue, whose methods have recently been largely imported into elections in this country, it was what is called in the trade a saturation campaign, the same kind of campaign which unfortunately we have to endure every morning on the radio, at least those of us who want to know what the temperature is likely to be and what has been going on in the world, when we hear about Ipana and Pepsodent.
I must confess, although that is not the kind of campaign which appeals to me, that

The Address-Mr. Pickersgill I cannot deny and I do not deny that it worked. A conservative estimate, I am told, of what was spent by the Conservative party in the last campaign for advertising in the press alone-and I am told this by people competent to make this kind of estimate- would be at the very least half a million dollars. That kind of money, Mr. Speaker, just does not grow on trees.


An hon. Member:: How much did you spend?


John Whitney Pickersgill: Nothing at all comparable at any time.


An hon. Member:: How much did you spend in 1953?


John Whitney Pickersgill: Nothing comparable with that, as hon. members can easily verify.


Some hon. Members:: Oh, oh.


John Whitney Pickersgill: If the hon. gentlemen wish to make speeches on this subject they might perhaps reserve their comments for their own time rather than mine.
As I have said, that kind of money does not grow on trees and, as anyone with any experience knows, this was a very small part of the total cost of this last campaign.
I am not saying there was anything whatsoever legally wrong about that. I have just stated it as a fact and I think it is a fact which we ought to take increasingly into account in this country. I am not specifically referring to the party of the hon. gentlemen opposite when I say this as I think every one of us who believes in parliamentary and representative government should be concerned about the immense increase witnessed in recent years in the cost of elections, because it seems to me that there is perhaps no field in which there is a greater need for a bill of rights. There is an urgent need for measures to ensure that those of little means as well as those with great means will have a roughly equal opportunity to put forward their ideas in election campaigns to elect members to this house which after all, regardless of anything that can be done to our British system, is and, with the other branches of parliament, will remain sovereign in its own field.
There was another aspect of the election which I think was something new in Canada. In the last election to a greater degree than in any other I have ever witnessed-and here again it was probably just a projection of an increasing tendency not only in Canada but in all other parliamentary countries during recent years-there was the exaltation of one man-the cult of the leader. I say this with no disrespect for the occupants of the treasury benches-most of whom are not

here at the moment-but they were a very small factor in the last election. The Prime Minister, I thought a little ungenerously, said the other day that not too much attention was paid to the speeches of the hon. member for Essex East (Mr. Martin) during the last election campaign. I can tell the Prime Minister that a great deal more attention was paid to the speeches of that hon. member than was paid to the speeches of any occupant of the treasury benches excepting the Prime Minister himself.
Mr. Pallet!: They came back.


John Whitney Pickersgill: So did the hon. member for Essex East. The Conservative ministers counted for very little and I say again, with no desire to belittle the supporters of the government, that the private members supporting the government counted for less than nothing. It mattered almost not at all who got the Conservative nomination in four or five provinces of this country. The people voted for one man and that man was not the local Tory candidate.


An hon. Member:: You had no such leader.


John Whitney Pickersgill: Well, I would certainly not say our leader was such a bad one. I was rather surprised, however, when the Prime Minister put his own valuation on these members when he suggested that there was no real need to discuss the NORAD agreement in this house because of the overwhelming majority he had.
Mr. Pallet!: That was not what he said at all.


John Whitney Pickersgill: The hon. gentleman can read Hansard and interpret it as he likes. That was the interpretation I placed upon the statement.


An hon. Member:: It was the wrong interpretation.


Mr. Pallett:: Interpretation by distortion.


John Whitney Pickersgill: We take what consolation we can-


An hon. Member:: Very little.


John Whitney Pickersgill: Yes, very little, if the hon. gentleman likes, but we take what consolation we can on this side of the house-and I include, I hope, the hon. gentlemen who are sitting in the corner near you, Mr. Speaker, when I say this-that even after this saturation campaign which we have just been through 43 per cent, that is 43 out of every 100 people who voted in this country, had sufficient sales resistance not to become customers. They were not convinced-I am seeking a word that will not have any opprobrious significance. I think we can take a little

consolation from the fact that in those communities and those sections of the electorate which had perhaps the most direct knowledge of the government-I refer to the public service and the armed forces-the proportions were very different indeed.
I hope the house will bear with me for a moment if I say that despite the defeat which was-


An hon. Member:: Disastrous.


John Whitney Pickersgill: I thank the hon. gentleman for his interjection, because I do not think the defeat was disastrous at all; I admit the defeat was crushing.
I will substitute the word "crushing". It was a crushing defeat, but it was certainly not a disastrous defeat.


An hon. Member:: It depends on where
you are sitting.


Mr. Speaker:: Order. Perhaps the hon.
member relishes the comment which he is evoking, but it makes it rather difficult to hear when it is quite so general as it has been.


John Whitney Pickersgill: I thank Your Honour.
We feel, sir, in the official opposition, that despite the fact that we obtained the approbation on this occasion of only 33 per cent of the electorate, the appeal which was made by our new leader was an appeal based upon reason and upon facts; that there was nothing said by our leader from the beginning of the campaign to the end which at any time in the future he will ever have cause to regret.


Mr. Nielsen:: What about the igloos?


John Whitney Pickersgill: I have often said that
I am a politician, not a prophet, but I will venture into the dangerous realm of prophecy as far as to say that I think it will be found before many months have passed that most of those things proposed by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Pearson) during the recent campaign will be adopted by the present government. We shall just wait and see.
There is another comfort which we do derive, on this side of the house namely, that it is not the first time that prophets- if I may come back again to that term-are honoured more in other countries, temporarily at least, than in their own. There is no question but that in every free country in the world today it is hard for people to understand why the Leader of the Opposition should not be a member of the government of Canada, and I have every confidence that the day will come when he will be the head of the government.
The Address-Mr. Pickersgill
I should like now to say something about one of the members of the last five parliaments who is not here today, not because he was defeated at the polls-but because he did not present himself for election. I refer to the Right Hon. Louis St. Laurent, and I am sure there are not many members of this house-certainly not many of those who sat with him-who would deny that he was one of the greatest ornaments of public life in this country in the whole of our history. But Mr. St. Laurent was very much more than an ornament, and I am not sure he would thank me for using that word in reference to him. Mr. Mackenzie King, who during his long political career had an extraordinary capacity to judge, told me on one occasion that he had known personally people who had known intimately all the ministers from the time of Confederation. He, himself, of course, served in the government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and in public life from then until 1949. Mr. Mackenzie King told me it was his considered opinion that Mr. St. Laurent was the ablest minister who had ever served in any Canadian government at any time, that he had a greater grasp of a greater range of problems than any other minister. I think I can speak for all those of us who sat with him in the council chamber, and reveal no secrets, when I say that we were continually astonished by the range of his detailed and accurate knowledge of almost every conceivable kind of question which we were ever called upon to consider.
Mr. St. Laurent was very different from Mr. Mackenzie King. It has always seemed to me that Mr. Mackenzie King exhibited an almost unequalled skill in steering through the shallows, in avoiding rocks, in shooting rapids, in waiting at times in backwaters for a favourable current, and-if I may continue to use this image-in keeping his craft afloat and getting into harbour. Mr. St. Laurent's methods were very different. Mr. St. Laurent steered a straight course, but before he steered his course he dredged out the channel; he removed the rocks. The consequence was that over and over again things were done which under less skilful leadership would have caused prolonged and acrimonious debates. In the nine years during which he was prime minister things were accomplished which seemed so easy and so obvious that when they were done, and when his course was over the illusion had been created that this was an easy country to govern. I do not think the present Prime Minister shares that illusion, and if he does I do not believe he will retain it for very long.
Mr. St. Laurent had in this house and in the country an extraordinary capacity for

The Address-Mr. Pickersgill making the course he was advocating seem not only the obvious but also the only course. Time and time again I have heard his opponents get up in this house and say that what he was doing was right, though he was doing it in the wrong way. Indeed, I think it can be said that during the nine years when he was prime minister we enjoyed a period when we came closer to having unanimity about public questions than at any time in our history, and this may be true for a long time to come.
What is even more remarkable is what was accomplished during that period. I am going to trespass briefly on the time of the house- perhaps because my professional occupation is that of historian, and perhaps because hon. members on both sides who are new to this chamber may need to be reminded of this- in order to point out that a few things did happen between June 1891 when Macdonald died and June 1957. Confederation was completed. I think that the union of Newfoundland with Canada was the greatest of Mr. St. Laurent's achievements. It was not easy and obvious, either. There were days during those negotiations in 1948 when it was doubtful whether agreement could be reached at all: in Newfoundland over 40 per cent of the people had voted against the union, including the hon. gentleman who now represents that province on the treasury benches. But it did happen.
Under Mr. St. Laurent, we engaged for the first time in peace time in a great alliance to prevent another world war, and it was the first time that we sent troops overseas in peace time to forestall a war. If anybody can tell me that any man earlier than Mr. St. Laurent, or perhaps any man other than Mr. St. Laurent could have secured the measure of unanimity he did on that course I should be surprised.
What so many of us forget is that for three years, from 1950 to 1953, this country under Mr. St. Laurent's guidance was engaged in a war in Korea on the far side of the Pacific, making an important and effective contribution to its prosecution without there being any division either in this house or in this country.
We took very long steps toward completing the formal side-and I say only the formal side, because everyone knows that, in spirit, it had been completed long before that-of our nationhood. I refer, of course, to the giving of final jurisdiction to the Supreme Court of Canada and the steps, still not complete, that were taken to repatriate our constitution; I refer to the appointment for the first time of one of our own citizens as the representative of the sovereign in our country. These things were done; they were done

while at the same time we were strengthening those intangible bonds which bind together all those communities in the world which use our British parliamentary institutions. I do not think there is anyone-I am sure the Prime Minister would join at once in agreeing with this-who would question the great contribution Mr. St. Laurent made in the evolution of the position of India and Pakistan in the commonwealth in those days when very difficult and delicate adjustments in relationships had to be made.
There were other things at home, things about which perhaps there would not be quite the same unanimity. For all that period we pursued fiscal and commercial policies which, though members of the opposition found fault with them in detail, were certainly the admiration of all the rest of the free world. It was during that period that we established old age security on a universal basis without a means test and I am sorry that my colleague, the hon. member for Montmagny-L'Islet (Mr. Lesage) who had so much to do with the committee that got unanimous support for that measure is not here today. We laid the foundations for hospital insurance, which the government now in office is carrying on, and which will be a monument to my colleague, the hon. member for Essex East, and we established the policy of equalization in fiscal relations with the provinces which hon. gentlemen opposite did not depart from when they decided they would unilaterally make some improvements in those fiscal relations. They paid a great tribute to the skill and the fairness of Mr. St. Laurent and Mr. Harris who were the principal architects of that policy.
There is no question that the universities of this country, as I am sure the Minister without Portfolio, the hon. member for Greenwood (Mr. Macdonnell) would agree at once, would have had a very difficult time indeed if Mr. St. Laurent had not taken the initiative, against a good deal of opposition in his own province and a good deal of opposition from a gentleman who supported many of the candidates of the majority in this house at the present time. I was pleased to observe that notwithstanding that opposition, when the estimates were brought down by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Fleming) the other day, the grants to the universities were in the estimates in exactly the same terms in which they were put there by Mr. St. Laurent.
We have heard about the north. Indeed, I have sometimes wondered whether that celebrated vision was not really a reflection of the northern lights; but there seems to have been created an impression in this country that the north had been discovered

in 1957 by the Prime Minister. Of course, the fact of the matter is that the progress in the north-and I think the hon. member for Yukon (Mr. Nielsen) indicated that pretty clearly in the speech he made-has been so great in the years since the war that the hon. member for Yukon took exception to any hon. member suggesting that one should wear anything on formal occasions in the north except a morning coat and striped trousers.


Erik Nielsen: That progress was not due to the Liberal government.


John Whitney Pickersgill: It was entirely due to the policies that had been pursued over the last 10 years, first by Mr. Winters and then by the hon. member for Montmagny-L'Islet. Apart from the vision, the only practical thing it seems to me that the government has done about the north, the only concrete definite thing that has as yet been done about the north is that they have decommissioned the Labrador and turned her into an ordinary icebreaker.
For years and years it has been the dream on both sides of the international border that we would get the St. Lawrence seaway, but one obstacle after another appeared and it was action by Mr. St. Laurent, aided by the hon. member for Laurier (Mr. Chevrier) and by the leader of our party when secretary of state for external affairs, which overcame the many obstacles in the way of getting that project started and under way.


John Cameron Pallett: Who was pushing you?


John Whitney Pickersgill: If the level of employment is as high as it is today in Canada-and we all know it is not any higher than we want to see it-it is in large measure because we had a government over those years under the direction of Mr. St. Laurent, a government which had the vision, the energy and the diplomacy to get such a project started.
I could go on, of course, and say something about other big projects, the most notable of which is perhaps the pipe line for which we have no apology to make.


Mr. Speaker:: I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member, but I cannot encourage him to go on since his time has expired.


Mr. H. M. Horner (Jasper-Edson):: Mr. Speaker, first I would like to add my congratulations to those that have gone before me on your election to your high office. I am sure that you will continue to discharge your duties in the same manner which won so much esteem in the last parliament.
I should also like to convey my congratulations to the mover (Mr. Lafreniere) and the seconder (Mr. Nielsen) of the address in
The Address-Mr. H. M. Horner reply to the speech from the throne on their very able presentation of their material.
I had not intended, to enter into or re-fight the last election, but I should like to give you my impressions as a junior member of the speech by the hon. member for Bonavista-Twillingate (Mr. Pickersgill). At the risk of being impertinent, I feel very sincerely that the hon. gentleman has not, or did not fulfil his duties in this house as one of the leaders of the opposition in his speech this afternoon. He did not offer any constructive criticism, not once. The Prime Minister (Mr. Diefen-baker) on numerous occasions has indicated that we are quite conscious of our overwhelming majority and that we intend that the opposition should play its part in this house.
But I contend that speeches such as the one we just heard are an absolute waste of time. As a junior member of the house it left me completely aghast as to what ordinarily takes place in the house. I am sure that is not what we are gathered here for. If the hon. member would like to put on a comedy act may I suggest that on occasion the C.B.C. is short of talent and that he make his application to them. For the first half of his speech we listened to nothing but a bunch of gibberish.
I should like to say a very sincere and solemn word to the Liberal party of Canada. If they are going to continue in this manner they will never regain the confidence of any of the people of Canada, especially those of western Canada.
In that regard may I relate an incident that occurred during the election campaign in my constituency. An old gentleman 90 years of age who had been a Liberal all his life came to me and said, "You know, if I thought they were even a little bit repentant I might vote for them but they are not even a little bit repentant." They are continuing that same attitude right now.
The hon. member for Bonavista-Twillingate made some comments with regard to the Prime Minister. I should like to say for the record that the Prime Minister is one of Canada's greatest living Canadians and if the hon. member is a historian as he says he is he should know that one of the characteristics of greatness is to gather around you people who are capable and competent. I feel that the Prime Minister has done just that.
With somewhat more humility, Mr. Speaker, I should like to place before you and the house the representations of the constituents of Jasper-Edson. In this constituency, which is roughly 250 miles square, we have a miniature Canada. We have most of the major industries and all of the major ethnic groups.

The Address-Mr. H. M. Horner It is a great honour for me to represent these fine people and a constituency which contains so much hope for the future development of Canada.
I think the best way I can describe my constituency to hon. members is to take them for a ride along what we hope will be the Yellowhead highway stretching from Edmonton to Jasper and through the Yellowhead pass to the coast. In the eastern part of my riding on the western edge of the city of Edmonton we have some of the finest farming land in the country. Here the problem is mainly an agricultural one. I should like to assure you that the people in this area are grateful to the government for recognizing that western agriculture had and now has a problem. This is something that the former government refused to do.
The people are most happy with the legislation that the government has already enacted but, more important, are pleased with the attitude of the government toward agriculture. They will be pleased with the intention of the government to amend the Prairie Farm Assistance Act and the Canadian Farm Loan Act, both of which were of very little value to the northern communities.
Farther to the west in the constituency and, in fact practically all over the constituency, there is a great deal of oil development. In Jasper-Edson we have the Pembina oil field which is perhaps the largest oil field in Canada. This is the field that brought into being the new towns of Drayton Valley, Cynthia arid Lodge Pole where only a few short years ago there was nothing but virgin land. I speak on behalf of the people of this area, the roughneck, the driller, the tool pusher, the ordinary oil worker and I say that they are happy with the policy of the government on oil and that we congratulate the government on the establishment of the Borden commission. Along with the Pembina field we have other oil and gas fields scattered throughout the constituency but the primary fields are in the Edson-Whitecourt area and we also share with the hon. member for Peace River (Mr. Baldwin) the new field in the Swan hills area. While the oil people are having trouble at the moment, I feel they look towards the government as the only government that can possibly solve their problems as it has solved the problems of other industries.
As we travel farther west along the Yellowhead highway we come to the major town in the constituency. I say "town" because in Jasper-Edson we have no cities. Our major town is Edson which is dependent on mixed farming, pipe lines, oil and gas. We hope that the government will give it favourable

consideration as the site for the new federal penitentiary. I can assure the house that the facilities of this area are very suitable for such a project.
Then too in Jasper-Edson we have our coal industry. We have the area known as Coal Branch which in days gone by had as many as 11 towns established and a great number of mines operating whereas now there is only one town and one mine left. I should like to say that of all the candidates in my riding in the last election I was the only one who was brave enough to go up to Coal Branch and talk with the people there about their problem. We know it is a problem. The government realizes that it is a problem. I hope the government will continue to explore ways which might help to revive and maintain this valuable industry.
Farther west along the Yellowhead highway we come to the only major producing pulp mill on the western prairies, that situated at Hinton. Here too we have a new town where before there was only a post office. There are now 4,000 people living in the town of Hinton. As a new town it, of course, has all the problems of municipal development which are so common right across this nation. We hope the government will give consideration to the proposal that a rail link be built to the north to connect with the trans-Canada link in the Edson-Hinton area.
At the end of our section of the Yellowhead highway in Jasper-Edson we have Jasper national park, a truly beautiful spot in the Canadian Rockies. I should like to extend an invitation to all members of the house to enjoy it during vacation time. We would like to suggest to the government that in the near future a review of existing legislation with regard to national parks be made so that the people there may also share in the development program which the government has had the courage to bring forward. We commend the government most highly for the new program outlined for Jasper. It is something to which the people in the park and all visitors have been looking forward and waiting for in vain throughout 20 years of Liberal indecision.
To the north of the Yellowhead highway which stretches right across the constituency we have a mixed farming and lumbering area around the towns of Barrhead, Mayerthorpe and Whitecourt. I should like to say that it was only the government's housing legislation of last summer which prevented the lumber industry of Jasper-Edson from becoming extinct. That legislation kept the industry on its feet last summer and resulted

in the employment of a great number of men last winter. The industry is continuing to employ a great number of men right now and will throughout the summer.
There are many other areas in the constituency. We have a new coal steam generating plant at lake Wabamun. We also have a chipboard plant at Wabamun, so you can see that in this vast area there are a great number of industries and many different types of people. From this I think you can see why the people who live in Jasper-Edson caught the vision so quickly and so well. If these people are given the opportunity they can develop the constituency and Canada better than anybody else. This is all that they ask of the government, that they be given an opportunity.
I feel it is very important that our people in Canada as a whole maintain the freedom which is the heritage of our people. In this connection, I feel we should add a small note of warning. We should be careful that the government does not become involved too deeply with the private affairs of individuals. It is for this reason I am sure the socialist state or the planned economy will never be a happy state.
I should like to say a few words on behalf of the people in my constituency who belong to labour unions. Since the Canadian Congress of Labour met in Winnipeg I have received many representations from men who, because of their union membership, fear they will be forced to support a political party which they do not want. 1 would humbly suggest that the Canadian Congress of Labour give this matter serious consideration if they wish to preserve the gains that they have made for labour.
We have heard a good deal from those whom 1 should like to call the group of eight on your left, sir, concerning the humanities. They seem to imply that they have a monopoly or a copyright on these. Hon. members may be reminded that the Social Credit party once thought that they had a copyright, but unfortunately they had to give it up. As all hon. members are aware the Prime Minister is rightly known across Canada as a master of the humanities. I should like to say also that in a planned economy the humanity first idea will go out the window because they will find it impossible to maintain it in the bureaucracy in which they will become involved.
There are several matters that I should like to mention now. First of all, I am happy to note that the government intends to set up a liaison for small businessmen. I hope it will be extended to provide credit for these people because they are the ones who if given the 57071-3-211
The Address-Mr. M. W. Martin opportunity can take a greater share in the development of Canada. In so far as the matter of foreign capital investment is concerned in the resources of Canada, we in the west feel very strongly that there should be more Canadian control. We realize fully that we need to encourage this capital to come to Canada and help us develop our country.
Another subject I should like to mention briefly is that of education. It has been referred to by numerous speakers. We hear a great deal about education these days, and it has become very important. I feel that I would be remiss if I did not put forward a view on present day education. I would submit that the weakness in our system is in elementary education. This must be improved before we can improve the higher levels of education. It behooves us to start at home in our own communities, in our own school boards and to make our own children aware of the need for an education and to create in them a hunger for higher education. We realize that financial help is required at the university level. However, I would reemphasize that we must start at the bottom of the ladder and work up, otherwise we may start at the top and upset the ladder completely.
If I may, I should like, as a medical doctor, to commend the introduction of the national hospitalization scheme. We in the constitut-uency, and also in the profession, are very happy over the introduction of the national hospitalization scheme. However, and I feel very strongly in this connection, we must be particularly careful that provincial government schemes do not take over the operation of our hospitals to such an extent that private initiative is stopped. It is a fact that, at present, while private hospitals are not necessarily better run than government hospitals, they are certainly run with more regard for the people who are served. This same principle of minimal government interference must be followed in any national medical insurance scheme.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, may I again emphasize that we are the representatives of the people, and that in Canada our people want and must have freedom to develop their country without too much government interference. I hope that the views I have expressed have not been too provincial in character. As you are aware, most of us from Alberta represent a major upheaval of thought within a few short months, and we must do our utmost to present to you, and to this house, the new look for Alberta.


Mr. M. W. Marlin (Timmins):: As one of
the group who was referred to yesterday by an hon. member as shadows, as a fairly

The Address-Mr. M. W. Martin substantial "shadow" I should like first of all to tender my congratulations to you, sir, along with the many who have spoken before, on your appointment to your high position.
1 am sure that the possible uneasiness arising in the minds of opposition members and even across the country as a result of the overwhelming majority of the government has been lessened to a great extent by your appointment to this high position. You have ably demonstrated in the past that you are certainly a compliment to the high office you hold.
(Translation) :
I would like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to congratulate the mover of the address in reply to the speech from the throne. The hon. member for Quebec-Montmorency has made an auspicious start in this house. His sterling performance demonstrated beyond all doubt that the confidence placed in him in affording him the high honour of moving the reply was indeed justified.
(Text):
I should like also to compliment the seconder (Mr. Nielsen) of the address in reply to the speech from the throne. The hon. member for Yukon has become a veteran with three wins and one loss in the short period of nine months, so he has certainly earned his spurs. He certainly acquitted himself very creditably. I should like also to extend my congratulations to the hon. member for Restigouche-Madawaska (Mr. Van Horne). His reference to the C.B.C. was about the only occasion on which he was able to bring a smile to the faces of his colleagues. I might say that that was about the only time when there was anything in his speech with which I could not agree wholeheartedly. If he had indicated just to whom he intended to sell the C.B.C. we could possibly have taken that matter under consideration also. I think he is to be complimented for his courage in making those remarks. He certainly has added colour to this august chamber. I might add that if he is able to convince his colleagues, or at least a majority of them to go along with the program he outlined yesterday, I would consider the possibility of crossing the floor and join him. If he is unable to do so, and if he continues in the beliefs he expressed so well yesterday, I might say there is room for him over on this side.
I should like to say a few words with regard to my own riding of Timmins. I should like to express belated words of welcome to the Prime Minister (Mr. Diefenbaker), the Minister of Transport (Mr. Hees), the Solicitor General (Mr. Balcer), the hon. member for Edmonton West (Mr. Lambert) who was parliamentary assistant to the Minister of

Defence Production, the hon. member for Parkdale (Mr. Maloney), who was parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Labour and to others for their visit to my riding over the past few months. I should like to say that if their mission was not a success, at least I am sure that they participated in the hospitality for which the north is so well known. Along the line taken by the hon. member for Bonavista-Twillingate (Mr. Pickersgill) I should like to assure them that in the north we get some lovely views of the northern lights and it is quite possible that their lack of success in the north could have been due to the fact that the good northern people may have mistaken this vision for just another example of these northern lights.
I should like also at this time to express in this chamber the appreciation which I feel to so many members of the Timmins riding. What they did might possibly be unique across this country. At least 75 miners in the last two elections have taken their shift off, have donated their shift and worked for free all day in order to elect their member.
I should like to go on and deal with a few of the problems which face my riding. I believe that all hon. members have received in the last week or so a copy of this blue book pertaining to the gold mining community. It is a study of these problems and the economic future which faces the gold mining community. I am not going to go into it at great length today. I only hope that hon. members can find time in a very busy schedule to give this book some consideration. It expresses clearly and well many if not all of the problems facing the gold mining community. In addition to this book, which I might say is a book put out, not by the union, not by management but is on behalf of the gold mining communities themselves or the municipal officials of the various gold mining communities, the Minister of Finance (Mr. Fleming) on various occasions has met with the representatives of the union and of management. I am sure that with an assessment of all these three phases of the areas involved, some kind of consideration can be given to the problems facing these communities.
With regard to the proposed expansion of the north country, I hope some consideration might be given to at least one aspect that would considerably help the riding which I represent. In the speech from the throne I notice that some reference is made to some arrangement to be worked out with the provinces in addition to the work planned in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. One of the main problems in my area in the past has been the lack of proper roads in and out of communities. Timmins has been at the

end of a spur line on the railroad and at the end of a spur line on the highway as well. I feel that fact has prevented what would normally be an extremely interesting trip for tourists coming from the United States. I am sure that the gold mining communities would be an interesting subject for tourists from below the border. If the road could be completed or if any assistance or consideration could be given by this government to assisting the province of Ontario in building what is now just a short length of road coming up from Sault Ste. Marie, it could be made into a loop and at least this group of communities could benefit greatly from the tourist trade.
The country surrounding the town of Timmins and the Porcupine gold mining community is literally dotted with lakes which provide some of the best fishing in the province. The woods also provide some of the best moose hunting and so on that may be found anywhere in this country. If this final link of this road, which I believe is now only a matter of in the neighbourhood of 20 miles to 25 miles, could be completed it would not only benefit our community but would increase the tourist trade of this country as a whole. I am sure that some action in this regard would tend to clarify the vision which northern Ontario seems to have failed to catch.
I was rather disappointed that in the speech from the throne we saw no reference to any proposed action by this government with regard to establishing a national pension plan or, as we term it in the north, a portable pension plan or, as was promised by the Prime Minister, something along the line of the social security plan in the United States.
I should like to make reference to a copy of the Timmins Press of Friday, March 21, 1958 in which the headline is as follows:
P.M. says Government to Copy U.S. Pension Program; Makes Promise on Surprise Stop at Porcupine Airport
Then it goes on to say this; and the newspaper is purportedly quoting the Prime Minister:
We expect to bring it into effect here.
I was greatly disappointed to find no mention of any proposed action on the part of the government in this regard. There was one further thing which I noticed in the same article and on which I should like to give the Prime Minister some reassurance. This newspaper states as follows:
Two carloads of Ontario provincial police and the R.C.M.P. were on hand and all safety precautions were taken.
I should like to give the Prime Minister every assurance that while we may not elect
21, 1958	325
The Address-Mr. M. W. Martin Conservative members up there, they are certainly not in any danger when they visit our community. We should like to have them back any time.
(Translation):
One of the most significant factors of this election Mr. Speaker is the fact that no longer are our political parties formed on racial lines. French speaking Canadians have for the first time in over a generation placed their faith in the party which now forms the government. And the party which I represent has gained strong support among the French speaking people of our country. Mr. Michel Chartrand, Quebec leader of the Social Democrats, came very close to being elected in the last election. In my own riding of Timmins we had a very interesting development, I received greatly increased support from the French-speaking people of my riding, while my Conservative opponent, himself of French origin, received his greatest support from English-speaking sections of the riding.
This in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, is a very encouraging sign. It portends well for the future unity of this great country of ours that our people should vote as Canadians and not as members of certain racial origins.
(Text):
I would like to deal with an interesting milestone which we saw first last June and which was repeated again on March 31st. I refer to the election of the hon. member for Vancouver Centre (Mr. Jung). This member is, I believe, the first representative to be elected to this house who is a Canadian of Oriental origin and I would certainly like to welcome him, even if rather belatedly. I was a little disappointed that he did not find it convenient or possible to pay a slight tribute to at least two men who had a great deal to do with the making possible of his election. I refer, of course, to the founder of my party, Mr. J. S. Woodsworth and to the former member for Vancouver-Kingsway, Mr. Angus Maclnnis. If hon. members would care to look up Hansard of those days they would find where these two men stood up in this house when it was the most unpopular thing to do and fought for the right to vote of Canadians of Oriental origin.
It will be recalled that in British Columbia in the general election of 1935 members of the party to which he belongs joined with the federal Liberal party and used the very words used by Mr. Woodsworth in this house against these people during the federal election of that year. I think it is to the credit of both Mr. Woodsworth and Mr. Maclnnis that they took their stand not on what was

The Address-Mr. M. W. Martin popular at any particular moment and not on what was politically expedient but on what they felt to be right. I am glad that time has proved them correct.
I should also like to refer to something which happened in this house the other day. The house leader of this group, the hon. member for Assiniboia (Mr. Argue), was paying tribute to our national leader, the former leader of the C.C.F. group in this house, and when he referred to what was said one evening on a C.B.C. broadcast by a prominent reporter who referred to Mr. Cold-well's defeat as a national disaster there was a titter of laughter which passed around the back benches on the opposite side of the house. I was very pleased to note that those on the front benches of the government side did not join in that laughter but, if I might be so bold, I would like to offer a word of advice to new members of the House of Commons. I would say that if after their stay in this house, whether it be short or long, they have gained the respect of their opponents, the love of their colleagues and the admiration of thousands of people across the country, their efforts will not have been in vain.
I would like also to refer to what is in my mind a very unhealthy development across this country and that is the feeling which is becoming so prevalent, both on a provincial and a federal basis, that everybody must be on the winning side. I regret to say that this feeling has been promoted by political parties in this house and by parties in the provincial houses and I cannot see how any party or any individual member of any party professing to be truly democratic could ever propound such a line of thought. We have examples in the world today of what happens where everyone is on the winning side. We have far too many of them and we have seen the tragic results. I believe that anyone who expounds this line of thought is treading dangerously close to betraying his country and the parliamentary system of his country.
I was interested in the speech by the new voice of Winnipeg North Centre. X would mention that the voice from that riding from 1921 until 1958 was either that of Mr. J. S. Woodsworth or that of Mr. Stanley Knowles. I would like to compliment the new member from that riding and I believe he made a very creditable showing by his first speech in this house but I regret that he spoiled a very good speech by joining with others in the reference to the kind of planned economy that this group is supposed to represent. I think if we just examine the speech from the throne we will find there is quite a bit of planned


economy outlined in that speech. If we look with honesty at the situation in this country we will have to admit that our economy is planned at the present time. Government members are not against planned economy, they are just against an economy that might be planned by the people. Our economy is planned for us; it is planned for this and it is planned for that, but it is planned, unfortunately, not for the common good but for the good of a few individuals.
Reference was also made to the program of the C.C.F. as contained in the Regina manifesto of 1933. I would ask the hon. member who made this reference to think back and remember what was the program of his party in 1933. I would suggest the policies they carried out at that time were such that a whole generation of Canadians had to grow up before they were given once again the confidence of the people of Canada and furthermore that his party was not given that confidence as a Conservative party, but rather as a Diefenbaker party.
One hon. member, in referring to this group, said he would like to refer to it as a group of eight. In view of the fact that the present government was elected not as a Conservative government but as a Diefenbaker government and, immediately after the election, reverted back to a Conservative government it perhaps might be equally just to refer to them as the group of 208.
The Liberal party of this country has been tried and found wanting, and this has caused many Canadians to turn in desperation to follow John. I suggest that many of the hon. members who sit on the government side of the house were not elected so much on a pro-Conservative vote as they were on an anti-Liberal one.
There is a tremendous task facing this government. First, they are faced with the job of correcting the faults of the former Liberal administration; second, they are faced with the job of expiating the sins of the former Conservative government, far back though that was, and then, of course, they have the task of carrying on proper democratic government in the face of their tremendous majority, and then meeting new problems as they arise. I should like to pledge myself to render all the help I can in those efforts. There are 208 members on that side to tell the government what a good job it is doing; there are far too few on this side of the house to point out its mistakes, errors and omissions. I will do my part and try to do my job in this respect.


Mr. John Drysdale (Burnaby-Richmond):: Mr. Speaker, it is with both confidence and pleasure that I rise for the first time to make

my maiden speech in this house. I say "with confidence", because although I am making my maiden speech I am in the position of being a frontbencher. The only misgiving I feel is of course that the only way I can go from here is backwards. I should like, first of all, to extend congratulations to you on your election to your present office, and congratulate also the Deputy Speaker and the hon. members who moved and seconded the address.
I should also mention at this time that in addition to finding myself a frontbencher during this debate I was also treated to another surprise. You may recall, sir, that immediately after the speech from the throne during the reception you held I had the pleasure of being introduced to you as a senator. I have smiled at the Prime Minister (Mr. Diefenbaker) continuously, and studied my notes and letters assiduously, but I wish to assure you that, fortunately or unfortunately, my status has not changed as yet.
I should like to refer for a moment to the hon. member for Bonavista-Twillingate (Mr. Pickersgill) who beat a somewhat hasty retreat from some of his remarks when the hon. member for Jasper-Edson (Mr. Horner) intervened. The hon. member for Bonavista-Twillingate, who is I believe a historian, is experiencing a difficulty which at present confronts a good many hon. members-he is living in the past. He attributed the victory of the Conservative party to a saturation of advertising. I suggest that instead of saturation with advertising it was satiation with Liberalism which was the cause of the great Conservative victory.
I feel, perhaps, that it is almost unfair to make any reference to the group sitting on your left owing to the smallness of its numbers, but I cannot refrain from doing so. I think the reduction in their numbers is, perhaps, a form of penalty derived from the fact that they were on a mythical train shuttling between Regina and Winnipeg, from one manifesto to another; and during the shuttling back and forth there was no time for some of them to get aboard. I say this with discrimination, because I see in his place the silvery-voiced bard from Kootenay West who may have some interjection to make at this point. If there is no interjection, I wish to turn for a moment to the riding of Burnaby-Richmond which I have the pleasure to represent.
As other speakers have done before me, I should like to give a brief description of my riding. The area of Burnaby is in British Columbia, bounded on the north by Burrard inlet, on the south by the Fraser river, on the west by a suburb known as Vancouver city,
The Address-Mr. Drysdale and on the east by another suburb known as New Westminster. The riding of Richmond, which is another municipality, is at the mouth of the Fraser river, while further west are a series of islands-Lulu island which is an extremely large island, Sea island and other smaller islands.
I should like to borrow the House of Commons for the time being and rearrange it verbally; I assure hon. members that none of the furniture will be moved. I would, by way of illustration, suggest that the treasury benches, as being perhaps the highest point in the house, should represent the municipality of Burnaby. I would then take this broad green sward as representative of the Fraser river; the colour is not true, it is much more like the grey of the walls, the swirling, muddy Fraser. I would place Lulu island at the Clerk's desk, and where the reporter is sitting-I hope he does not get his feet wet- I would place Sea island, one of the largest airports in the country. From that airport one can fly in 15 minutes to Victoria, or in 15 hours to Amsterdam. I think it is appropriate that the golden mace should be on Lulu island because we have there the golden developments of the future, the embodiment of the spirit of the golden west.
Incidentally, the municipality of Burnaby is some 40 square miles in area, and that of Richmond approximately 58 square miles. We have had a great deal of housing development in those areas.
4 I should like to turn now to the speech from the throne and make a few suggestions to the various occupants of the treasury benches. I hope these suggestions will be taken as made as matters to be considered rather than as criticism of the government. In the first place, I should like to extend the appreciation of my constituents as far as the housing program is concerned, and of the authorization of $350 million for this purpose, a large portion of which will, I hope, go to both Burnaby and Richmond, such funds being badly needed by the construction industry in that area. The momentary curtailment of money available for housing a few weeks ago struck a serious blow to the construction industry. In addition, I should like to extend my appreciation to the Minister of Labour (Mr. Starr) for extending seasonal benefits to the unemployed. This should help to remedy an immediate problem which the two municipalities are facing.
Turning to another of the matters mentioned in the speech from the throne, it is reported in connection with airports that there will be a large expansion of the system of airports and airways. I should like at this point to raise a very important problem. As I mentioned, Vancouver airport is one of the

The Address-Mr. Drysdale largest airports in Canada and one of the busiest. The airport is used by light plane operators, but due to the increasing traffic among the numerous airlines it has become necessary to move the light plane operators. The suggested location is Port Moody about 18 air miles from Vancouver airport. This location, which has been protested to me by light plane owners and operators, is perhaps one of the worst possible locations from the standpoints of fog and accessibility, and I should like to suggest to the Minister of Transport (Mr. Hees) and to the Minister of National Defence (Mr. Pearkes) that they consider the establishment of the airport at Boundary bay.
At present, Boundary bay airport, which is extremely close to Vancouver and easy of access, is occupied by a wireless station controlled by the Department of National Defence, and I would ask the minister to consider the possibility of moving the wireless station. An objection has been expressed by the Department of Transport that due to the closeness of Vancouver airport this airport at Boundary bay would impinge on the flight path of the airliners. I would point out to the minister that at the Boeing field in Seattle where light planes are taking off we have the Seattle-Tacoma airport where there is heavy airplane service and it is only a distance of seven miles away. Apparently in that situation the flight-ways are not interfered with.
I would like to turn for a moment to the question of harbours and rivers. I notice in the speech from the throne there is a prediction of increased work. I would like to direct to the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Green) the interest of the municipality of Burnaby in seeing that, in the dredging of the Fraser river, the spoilage which comes up from the Fraser be placed on some 1,100 acres which the municipality is extremely anxious to reclaim. In order to have an adequate reclamation scheme the fill must be placed on this land to a depth of some three feet which, of course, is a considerable amount to be dredged but it would assist the municipality a great deal.
While dealing with the Fraser river I would like to consider the needs of the municipality of Richmond. In this connection we require -I think it is imperative so far as time is concerned-an assembly dock. At present the sea traffic goes up the southern arm to New Westminster. While I feel that New Westminster is an extremely adequate port, with the expansion of the golden west it is necessary that we have an assembly dock at the earliest possible moment.
Let me turn to the prediction in the speech from the throne of the establishment of a railway to the Great Slave lake area. I would

like to take a broader view of British Columbia and urge on the government that when this railway is established it be so established that we can have a connection with the Pacific Great Eastern. The Pacific Great Eastern railway goes south to Vancouver, the gateway to the Pacific. Since this government has predicted an increase in trade I feel that this is one of the better ways to increase trade.
Another matter that was mentioned in the speech from the throne was fisheries. It was stated in the speech from the throne that the government would continue its unremitting efforts to sell fish. I must point out that in this year, which is the centennial year in British Columbia, the festivities are even being joined in by the sockeye salmon. In 1954 there was a run of some 12 million salmon, of which 9i million were caught. It is predicted that this year, the centennial year, the run will exceed that of 1954.
While on the matter of fish I should like to discuss very briefly an extremely contentious issue which is very important to the people of my constituency, especially in the town of Steveston, because they are dependent entirely on the fishing industry. I refer to the question of fish versus power. I would urge on the Minister of Fisheries (Mr. MacLean) that he consider at the earliest possible moment the implementation of what might almost be described as a crash program in doing research into the fishing industry, with a view to providing means of getting the salmon upstream past dams and again downstream and safely out to sea. At. present that problem has not been solved, and the proximity of the Fraser to the Vancouver area makes it perhaps the front line for the fish and power development problem. Although we realize the necessity of power development, the fishing industry has been one of the great industries of Canada for many years. It has been the backbone of one of the basic industries of Canada. I would like to see a continuation of the fishing industry. In order to do that it is imperative that we have proper research.
I am extremely pleased to see the establishment of a small business section within the administrative machinery of government. This is of particular interest to the people of my riding because of the number of small businesses in my constituency. I am also pleased to know that there will be amendments to the Canadian Citizenship Act. In connection with the citizenship act and matters of immigration, I should like to draw to the attention of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Mrs. Fairclough) the problem of a group of Japanese Canadians within my area. Prior to leaving for Ottawa

I was approached by a group who set forth to me the problems affecting this particular group. As you are aware, shortly after the war Japanese Canadians were deprived of their British nationality and their Canadian citizenship. At the present time perhaps 100 Japanese in my area are affected, people who have gone to Japan because they had no place to go and who have been deprived of their nationality and citizenship. A fairly large number of these people are desirous of returning to Canada. I would appreciate on behalf of those people any consideration that could be given to facilitating their return to Canada.
Another problem with the Japanese Canadians is that approximately 50 of the women residing in this particular area who are Japanese-born and came to Canada and have lived here for perhaps 20 years are in the position of being unable to get Canadian citizenship owing to the fact that they are unable to speak English. Under the present Canadian Citizenship Act, I believe it is section 10, subsection 1(e), there is the provision that English be spoken or, in the alternative, if the person has lived here for more than 20 years Canadian citizenship may be granted. I would urge the minister to send a directive to the county court judges in the Vancouver area drawing to their attention the provisions of this particular section.
Another problem of the Japanese Canadians is the difficulty of immigration. I do not refer to the general problem of immigration but to the problem of the sons and daughters who are resident in Canada and whose parents are resident in Japan. Under the present limits it is necessary that the mother be over 65 years of age and the father over 70 years of age. I would urge the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to consider the possibility of either reducing or eliminating the age limit entirely.
I return very briefly to a general discussion of the problems of municipal finance. As you are aware, the municipalities are faced with the difficulty that land is perhaps the major source of revenue. As you will realize, it is one of the most inflexible tax bases we have. I draw it briefly to the attention of the government and urge that they consider, first, federal aid to education to alleviate this tremendous burden being placed on the municipalities. Second, I would suggest that a revolving fund be established from which the municipalities could borrow money to construct badly needed capital projects at very low interest rates. I would further urge, that consideration be given to exempting the municipalities from the 10 per cent federal tax on such items as 57071-3-22
The Address-Mr. Dumas machinery, sewer pipe, and so forth, being used by the municipalities exclusively.
At this time, as a new member, I would like to commend what has been the very excellent and perhaps sympathetic attention at times by the various civil servants in the various departments of government. I would say, not as a member of parliament, that I have approached many of these departments purely as an individual coming in off the street and I have been impressed continuously with their sincerity and also the extremely quick service I have received.
I might add that I am extremely pleased to see that the messengers now have their own uniforms. The lack of them caused considerable confusion so far as I was concerned because I was having difficulty distinguishing the messengers from hon. members. This resulted in one embarrassing situation. I rang for a messenger and through sheer coincidence a minister of our provincial government appeared in the doorway. I started to send him on the message but fortunately realized the situation.
As I have already mentioned, this is centennial year in British Columbia. Since at the present time we have a fair amount of available space both in Richmond and Burnaby I should like to suggest that if consideration is going to be given to having parliament sit during the summer months it might be moved to the west coast. I realize the difficulties but I have endured Ottawa weather for the past three weeks embracing everything from snow to rain and high humidity. I feel it would be a tremendous advantage and help our spirits to have parliament on the west coast.
As we enter the parliament buildings we see the motto over the doorway with the words "from sea to sea, both east and west". I think that the Conservative party embodies that motto extremely well because we have unity from coast to coast, representation from every province and representation in both languages.
(Translation):


Mr. Armand Dumas (Villeneuve):: Mr. Speaker, I should be grateful if you would convey to the hon. member for St. Paul's (Mr. Michener) my most sincere congratulations on his re-election to the highly important position of first commoner.
To you personally, I offer my warmest congratulations on your appointment to the post of Deputy Speaker. It is a great and well-deserved honour.
I am happy to associate myself with all previous speakers in congratulating the hon. member for Quebec-Montmorency (Mr. La-freniere) for the manner in which he carried
330	HOUSE OF
The Address-Mr. Dumas out the difficult and very honourable task of moving the address in reply to the speech from the throne.
(Text):
I am also very happy to offer my sincere congratulations to the hon. member for the Yukon (Mr. Nielsen) for his contribution as seconder of the address. His knowledge of the north will be an asset not only to his party but also to all of us who are keenly interested in the problems of northern Canada.
I intend, Mr. Speaker, to confine most of my remarks to one sector of our economy, namely the mining industry. However, before I elaborate on this subject I hope I will be permitted to comment on some of the proposals outlined in the speech from the throne. In the speech from the throne we are told that we will be asked to approve a number of measures and appropriations in order to sustain employment by the acceleration of useful public works and by encouraging the development and processing of our natural resources. We are also made aware that we will be asked to make provision for a substantial program of public investment to be carried out by government departments and crown companies and to provide assistance to provincial governments for certain agreed types of projects. Particular mention is made of airport facilities and airway systems, harbours and rivers and public buildings.
In order to promote national development in the north we are also told that we will be asked to authorize the construction of a railway line to Great Slave lake and to pi'ovide for the construction of important roads needed for development in the Yukon and Northwest Territories and in the provinces, this with the co-operation of their governments. The government also proposes the initiation of a program of research to assist the opening up of the mineral resources of the Arctic islands.
The speech from the throne contains many other proposals including two which have already been disposed of, the amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act and the National Housing Act. The impression is created that most of the proposals outlined in the speech from the throne are new and bold proposals when in fact few of them are in these categories. This so-called antirecession program as detailed in the speech from the throne is not too clear by any means. If we exclude the increased public funds to be made available under the National Housing Act, certainly nothing has been suggested specifically that would put men to work tomorrow. By the time the house has disposed of some of these proposals and by the time some of them come out of the survey stage we will have to deal with


another winter season and we will have to face another wave of seasonal unemployment.
In the field of public works, for instance, it would seem to me that the government could have been much more aggressive. The government, in consultation with the provinces and with their co-operation, should have taken the necessary steps by this time in order to make available to Canadian municipalities at reasonable rates of interest much needed funds so as to enable them to carry on a large program of municipal improvements. A measure of this kind could have been presented to parliament in the early stage of the session and work could have been started immediately. This would have had an immediate effect in boosting employment and on a much larger scale than would any projects that could be undertaken directly by the federal government.
Although the total value of Canadian mineral production during 1957 exceeded that of 1956 by $50 million, some sectors of the industry experienced very serious difficulties during that same period. The three traditional base metals, copper, lead and zinc, are still having plenty of troubles and unless we find some way of correcting the situation we will have a much larger decline in the production of these three base metals during 1958. The general softening of world markets during the last 12 months was generally reflected in the mining industry. Demand for most of the mineral products slackened and diminished and, of course, prices dropped.
This trend was much more accentuated for copper, lead and zinc. For instance, the price of copper which was at an all-time high early in 1956, fell by more than 40 per cent in the latter part of 1957. The prices for lead and zinc also dropped by approximately 20 per cent and 25 per cent respectively during the same period. Shipments of copper, lead and zinc during 1957 declined by $93 million; $6 million and $26 million respectively.
In Canada these adverse conditions in the production of copper, lead and zinc had some serious repercussions. Several mines had to suspend or close their operations, while others had to cut back production. The outlook for the immediate future of the mining industry is not too good. The three major base metals, copper, lead and zinc, are experiencing some serious trouble. Copper stocks in the United States are at their highest level in 19 years. However, there is a possibility that the price of copper may be heading upward again. Canadian and United States prices have been fairly steady for the last few weeks.
The same thing cannot be said about lead and zinc. The price of lead sank another half-cent in New York last week. It was reduced to 11J cents a pound, which is the lowest level since July, 1950. The cut was the second

in 1958 and brought the total decline during the last 12 months to 4J cents. The latest statistics for the zinc industry in the United States confirm the continued unsatisfactory position of this metal. There is just too much of both lead and zinc. According to a recent survey made by the Northern Miner we find that in the first four months of 1958 not only are producers having their problems but the possibilities of further cutbacks are anticipated unless there is a pickup in demand during the coming months.
The production of iron ore and of asbestos is going to be much below last year's level unless the demand picks up strongly in the second half of 1958. Besides these problems of oversupply, reduced consumption and low prices which I have just mentioned, the Canadian producers of copper, lead and zinc may suffer additional setbacks if the administration in the United States is shortsighted enough to give way to those who are promoting higher tariffs for these commodities. The threat of increased duties on Canadian lead and zinc entering the United States is a very serious one. Until we are assured that this threat is not to become a reality the Canadian government should not cease its efforts to avoid the imposition of these duties, because once they are imposed there is a danger that they may remain permanently.
The Canadian copper producers are alarmed also by the proposal currently before the United States congress aimed at reimposing the import duty on copper which has been suspended since April, 1951. Unless the powers of the President of the United States to control trade and tariffs are extended a tax of 1.7 to 2 cents a pound on copper goes into effect automatically on July 1 next. It is to be hoped that the administration will succeed in having these presidential powers extended.
On May 14 last I directed a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr. Churchill) concerning this matter, as recorded at page 64 of Hansard for that date. I particularly asked:
-what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations made to him recently by the Canadian Metal Mining Association regarding the possible reimposition of import duties on Canadian copper by the United States?
The minister's answer, in short, was that the views of the Canadian government as to the importance of ensuring that there is no increase in tariffs or other barriers to the export of base metals from Canada to the United States have been made known to the United States government. Well, this is not enough. As I said previously, there should be no easing whatsoever of the effort of the Canadian government in these matters until 57071-3-22J
The Address-Mr. Dumas we are absolutely sure that the threat of increased duties on our three major base metals has completely disappeared. It has been made clear to the minister by the Canadian Metal Mining Association that the effects of such action on the part of the United States upon our Canadian mining industry would be most disastrous to say the least.
It is true that in lieu of granting increased tariffs as recommended by the tariff commission the United States administration has made a proposal whereby there would be a system of price support in the form of subsidies for copper, lead and zinc and other base metals produced in the United States. The first general response in this country to this plan was distinctly favourable. It is believed here that the few cents of subsidy proposed in this plan would maintain the United States mining industry but would not stimulate any great amount of extra production which might reduce sales from other countries.
However, it appears now that this plan is meeting with strong opposition from United States producers and mining circles in the United States. It is said that the plan has no great chance of passing congress. This is most unfortunate because I am sure that such a proposal, in lieu of higher tariffs, would have helped the Canadian mining industry. What is more important, it would have created an atmosphere of goodwill and bonne entente between our two countries. In view of the possibility of this plan failing, it is not surprising to hear that Canadan base metal producers are again warning one another of the necessity of renewing the strong opposition of this country to United States metal tariff proposals.
Having said this, I feel that the government should give very serious consideration to another proposal made by the Canadian Metal Mining Association, under which it would be of the utmost importance that the Canadian government impress on the administration of the United States the crucial importance of Canada's metals, minerals and energy resources for the continued strength of the United States' domestic economy and the common interests of our joint defence. Moreover, as pointed out by the Canadian Metal Mining Association, it is of vital importance that the attention of the United States government be constantly and pointedly drawn to the fact that their growing dependence on this country for strategic metals, fuels and energy sources is completely inconsistent with their policy of trade restriction. A comprehensive plan for the systematic development of Canada's resources and their best use in the interests of economic growth and joint defence is highly desirable.

The Address-Mr. Dumas
Similar steps have been taken in the past and I do not see why they cannot be taken again. I express the hope that the proposal outlined by the Canadian Metal Mining Association will be given high priority.
If at the present time the situation of the Canadian mining industry is not what we should like it to be, nevertheless we have every reason to be optimistic and to believe that the long range outlook is as promising as it can be.
In recent years the industry has played an outstanding role in Canadian economic development. At present it is a vital sector of our economy and its future is almost unlimited. In order to substantiate this statement I should like to quote just two or three paragraphs of the final report of the royal commission on Canada's economic prospects. At page 211, commenting on the increased production since 1930, the report states as follows:
Moreover, the stimulus this increased production has given to investment outlays both directly and indirectly through its requirements for new power, transport, manufacturing, housing and social capital facilities has been one of the main dynamics of our growth throughout the post-war period. Indeed, despite the increasing diversity and maturity of the Canadian economy, the high level of demand for our valuable mineral and other resources has been one of the principal reasons why the rate of our national expansion has outpaced that of most of the other economies of the free world since 1945.
Further, at page 229, in the concluding remarks of the report we read this:
In summary, the anticipated growth and development of our mining and mineral processing industry is expected to raise the industry to a position in the Canadian economy in which it will surpass the forest industries and will fall not very far short of agriculture in its contribution to over-all domestic output.
Then in the last paragraph of this "Conclusion" we read as follows:
The further substantial growth which is foreseen for the mining and mineral processing industry suggests that in every respect it can be safely regarded as a soundly-based and strong contributor to the Canadian economy.
Canada is bound to obtain an increasing share of an expanding world demand for metals and minerals and the Canadian producers can look forward with confidence to long-term markets. In the meantime, however, everything must be done to keep the industry as healthy as possible. We must do everything we can to keep employment in the mines at as high a level as possible. We must make sure that the Canadian producers are not forced into high-grading their ores and thus reducing the life of their mines. We must encourage prospecting and exploration by all means possible. We have the know-how, we have a well and fully manned department of mines, and there are no reasons

for this country to stand still in this domain. At times we may have to take some extraordinary measures. If this has to be done, we should not hesitate. This is one sector of the economy which we should keep healthy and strong.
In the speech from the throne we find that during the course of this session amendments will be proposed to the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act. In this regard I should like to make a few suggestions to the Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys (Mr. Comtois).
First, if the government is of the opinion that other matters should have priority during the early part of the session, and consequently if the amendments to E.G.M.A. are to be dealt with only in the latter part of the session, I would suggest to the Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys that he make an announcement at the earliest possible time and tell the house the nature of the amendments. An early announcement in this regard would be of great advantage. It would permit the industry to plan more effectively for the future. Moreover, if these proposed amendments are such that they constitute an entirely new approach to the problem-and I hope they are of this nature-and may create strong enough incentive so as to stimulate prospecting, exploration and development and thus encourage more employment in the mining industry, I would say that now is the time to come forward with such an announcement.
Second, if the government has not already decided on the exact form these amendments will take, or if it has not finalized these amendments, I would suggest that careful and serious consideration should be given to the recommendations presented, in the form of a well elaborated brief, to the Minister of Finance (Mr. Fleming) and the Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys some two weeks ago by a group of Canadian gold mining communities. One practical approach to the problem has been suggested by the Canadian gold mining communities in their brief and I should like to bring it to the attention of the house. At the same time I will remind the Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys of the good approach proposed in this brief. At page 88 of the brief we find the following:
A Combination Policy for Gold-Another possible policy would involve retaining the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act in substantially its present form, but with certain important amendments.
First, the word "emergency"-
This is not very important, however.
-and the concept of the emergency could be dropped from the letter and the spirit of the act. The purpose: to get the statute onto a normal, long-term footing.

Second, the act could be amended to give mines another option with respect to it. At present a mine may elect to be eligible for cost aid or to sell its gold in the open market during certain periods of the year. A third choice could be ofTered: to sell gold to the Royal Canadian Mint at some statutory price higher than $35 an ounce.
Such a combination policy-a combination of higher price and continued cost aid-need not be more costly to the public treasury. It would reflect, in part, an extension of the spirit of assistance to marginal mines and communities which the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act originally embodied.
There is no question, that a firmer basis for gold mining operations would do much more than assist the managements and employees of the mines. It would put at least some producers in a more profitable position, with resulting tax benefits to provincial and federal gov ernments. It would do more than relieve the uncertainty now gripping the gold mining communities. A better deal for gold would have economic effects far beyond the immediate horizons of those persons who work or live near the mines.
I sincerely hope that the proposed amendments to the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act will be such that they will give a new life to the industry and that they will be most beneficial to the mines and to others living in the gold mining communities. At this time a strong and effective approach to this problem would have positive economic implications far beyond the mines and related communities; on exploration and development of base metals, for instance, on Canada's foreign trade position and on manufacturing throughout the country.
Another step which should be taken by the government at this time is the introduction of a measure to ease the situation for some of the base metal mines by amending the regulations granting a three year tax exemption to a new mine, in a way which would make it possible for a mine to elect to defer its tax exemption for 1958 and to carry it over to the end of the normal 36 months' period. This question was brought to the attention of the government by the Canadian Metal Mining Association and in proposing such an amendment the association submitted the following argument. With your permission, Mr. Speaker,
I would like to quote from page 7 of the association's report, which is entitled "The Mining Industry in Canada 1957", as follows: Some dozen mining companies, operating within the first three years of commercial production, find themselves in the position of having to decide whether or not to close operations as a result of the fall in base metal prices. It is felt that such an amendment as proposed would Induce such companies to remain in operation and to retain the services of their employees at a time of seriously mounting unemployment throughout Canada.
The Address-Mr. Dorion
Further on in the detailed report the Canadian Metal Mining Association has this to say regarding the legislation which was passed many years ago:
The three-year tax-exemption granted to new mines has been a most valuable piece of legislation. Certainly, as a result of it, a number of mining companies have come into operation in Canada which otherwise might never have developed at all. This provision is one that is highly prized by the industry. All regard it as a highly effective piece of incentive legislation.
I believe the end of my time is approaching and in conclusion I would like to emphasize again that we must always be on the alert as far as the Canadian mining industry is concerned. This industry must not be permitted to deteriorate. In pleading the case of the mining industry I am not only trying to promote the betterment of this very important sector of our economy; I am fighting for the very survival of the principal industry in my own constituency of Villeneuve.


Mr. Noel Dorion (Bellechasse):: Mr. Speaker, it is not without a vivid and intense emotion that a newcomer rises to deliver his maiden speech in this house. How could it be otherwise when we stand before representatives who come from the four corners of our country, each with his own ideas and feelings and each different, one from the other.
There are also the senior members who for many years have acquired experience in politics, in administration and in parliamentary law and whose standard of knowledge and competence appear to us so inaccessible. There is moreover, all around the memories of those famous men who, each in his turn, have appeared in this house and have participated in the great task of ensuring to our country the enviable place it presently holds in the concert of nations.
The newcomer, regardless of age or experience in other walks of life, feels the need to look around him to discover everything that can help him combat the vigour and intensity of his emotions. Fortunately such help exists, and I have in mind first of all the good nature, the friendliness and the broadmindedness which characterize you, Mr. Speaker, and of which you gave so much outstanding evidence during your career as a public figure.
There exists, furthermore, that spirit of comradeship which springs among all who are engaged in the performance of the same mission-to serve our country to its best of our own ability.
Lastly, there is for the members of the Conservative party the active and dynamic presence of a leader whose sweeping victory of March 31 last bears eloquent witness to the fact that his doctrine and program meet

The Address-Mr. Dorion with the sentiments, the ideas and the highest aspirations of the Canadian nation as a whole.
The province of Quebec chose to contribute liberally to that unprecedented result. If two-thirds of its representation is on the side of the Prime Minister (Mr. Diefenbaker) and if it concurred so decisively in his victory, it is not, as was insinuated, because we succeeded in deceiving the electorate of our province or in degrading its conscience. It is positively and entirely because Quebec saw in the leader of our party a statesman equal to those who have best understood our country and its problems and who have endeavoured to give to our confederation- born of agreement between the constituent provinces-the fulfilment of its true purpose and who have respected the liberties of all the participants.
(Translation):
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy indeed to associate myself with the expressions of confidence given those who are at this time entrusted with new responsibilities.
It is fitting that mention be made, first of all, of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration <Mrs. Fairclough) whose responsibilities are among the most important and most difficult there are. Her presence in the cabinet is living testimony of our debt to Canadian womanhood. Without Canadian womanhood, without the courage and the devotion which our womenfolk have never ceased to bring to the education and upbringing of our children, our nation could never be strong, vigorous, or conscious of its responsibilities.
I would also like to greet the new Secretary of State (Mr. Courtemanche) who, in spite of his youthfulness, is already a battle-scarred veteran. This is the third time that the electors of the constituency of Labelle have recognized his talents and his worth by electing him to this house. There is no doubt that he will continue to show himself worthy of their confidence in the discharge of the high responsibilities which are now his.
The Minister of Defence Production (Mr. O'Hurley) is an old friend of mine. He will no doubt remember certain stirring fights which we had occasion to wage side by side to dispel the prejudice which then attached to our party.
Far from weakening him, unfavourable circumstances seemed to add to his courage. Invariably he fought with that ardour, that conviction, that utter selflessness which finally overcome obstacles and which are the hallmark of great soldiers. He too carried a marshal's baton in his knapsack. The Prime Minister was well advised in inviting h-m


into the council of the nation, and we shall count on him to be the spokesman there of the people of our district.
In becoming vice-chairman of this house the member for Longueuil (Mr. Sevigny) succeeds his illustrious father, who is now one of the leading lights of the Quebec bench. His gallant conduct during the last war, his smiling courage in adversity demonstrate, for all to see, from what strong stock he is sprung. To discharge his duties worthily, he will only have to draw upon paternal tradition, where he will find the impartiality and the sense of justice characteristic of great arbitrators.
The mover and the seconder of the address in reply to the speech from the throne (Mr. Lafreniere and Mr. Nielsen) have been deservedly congratulated, and it is with all my heart that I join in those congratulations. May I remind the hon. member for Quebec-Montmorency that I was very happy over his election, all the more so because he is the first Conservative member to represent this constituency since my elder brother took his place in this house in 1930. As I am probably the only one of his electors to sit here and listen to him, I have had the opportunity to appreciate his keen awareness of our local problems and I realized how right we have been to elect him to the house.
Mr. Speaker, it has often been said, as stated in the speeches we have heard so far, that Canada has a great variety of economic areas, each with its own characteristics. This diversification, intensified by the geographic distribution of natural wealth, explains why the economic factors of our country vary so much from one area to the other, from one province to the next. Therefore, to enable the government to build up and introduce legislation designed to extend its good effects over the whole of the country, as far as possible, it is fitting that, at the very beginning of a legislature, the member of parliament should strive to set out the economic conditions of his own constituency. It is with that in mind that I will deal very briefly with two or three of the problems I have at heart and which call for an urgent and effective solution.
In the constituency of Bellechasse there is not one single urban centre. Out of a total population of about 28,000 people, more than 16,000 live on farms. That is why the farm problem must be foremost in the mind of the representative of that area in this house. It also explains to what extent the policy of the Conservative government in that regard was one of the deciding factors of my election.

The Agricultural Prices Stabilization Act has been for my electors a vigorous incentive, especially as the hon. Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Harkness) was kind enough to invite an agricultural expert from the province of Quebec to become a member of the commission and the general manager of the Cooperative Federee du Quebec, as well as the president of VXJnion Catholique des Cultivateurs to be members of the advisory committee. The government is to be commended for those three appointments. Farmers in these areas will at last have an opportunity to make known their difficulties, to express their point of view and to benefit from the tremendous potential advantages of that legislation.
The constituency of Bellechasse, one of the most picturesque of the Quebec district, is 15 miles downstream from the old capital, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. It comprises a long strip of land, 50 miles long by about 15 or 20 miles wide, inserted between the constituency of Montmagny on the one side and the constituencies of Levis and Dorchester on the other, even touching the U.S. border southeastward.
It partakes of the three physiographic areas which characterize this whole portion of our district. From north to south, there is first the St. Lawrence plain, generally six to seven miles deep, except for the western part where it extends over a distance of about twelve miles. The altitude varies and may reach up to 500 feet above sea level. The soil is good and all the lands have been occupied for quite a long time.
However, the river waters constantly damage the land and each year wash out thousands of cubic feet of good farming
The Address-Mr. Dorion soil. This erosion is increased by the frequency and intensity of navigation. Former governments dealt with the problem, but so parcimoniously that the work accomplished hardly gave any practical results. A breakwater at St. Vallier and supporting walls all along the coast line, from St. Michel to Berthier inclusively, have now become very necessary.
I trust the Ministers of Transport and Public Works (Mr. Hees and Mr. Green) will join their efforts so that vast projects may be started without delay, and the local unemployed may get some help. The farmers will also benefit from this project, which will allow them to keep the whole of their modest property.
(Text):
On motion of Mr. Dorion the debate was adjourned.



BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

Lionel Chevrier: Mr. Speaker, may I ask the leader of the house what is the business for tomorrow.


Mr. Green:: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, we shall continue this debate.


Lionel Chevrier: May I ask further if it is the intention to interrupt this debate to deal with any other business during the course of this week.


Howard Charles Green: Not this week at any rate. The hon. gentleman will be very pleased to hear there will be a vote at 5.45 on Friday afternoon.


Lionel Chevrier: Delighted.


[Stage Direction]
At six o'clock the house adjourned, without question put, pursuant to standing order.
[Stage Direction]
Question

[Stage Direction]
The following answer, deposited with the Clerk of the house, is printed in the official report of debates pursuant to standing order 39:


Mr. Martin (Essex East): 1. Have representations been made by any farm organizations for the imposition of floor prices
pursuant to the Agricultural Stabilization Act regarding corn and soya beans, since July 1, 1957 up to January 31, 1958?
2. Have representations been made with regard to floor prices on these two agricultural products since April 2, 1958?
Answer by: Hon. D. S. Harkness (Minister of Agriculture):
1.	No.
2.	Yes.

Thursday, May 22, 1958