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thursday february lit 1m0 the acton free press paok torsa federal elections march 26 events prior to dissolution continued from pase on 1 wo not in session by ahorlenlng- the time in which there would be no parlia ment through an amendment us our tthf lions act to reduce the period in which the country would b without a parliament to something like four weeks i spoke to my honorable friend the leader of the opposition about that prlcr to the special aeasion of lait year i should have liked to introduce auoh a measure at that time but i gathered from what he said to me and from what other have said that the introduction of any measure to amend the election act would be oertaln to create some kuvplfijon in the minds of some honor able members and to provoke a kind of discussion that would not be advisable mr uanlon if the right honorable gentleman wilt permit me to interject i should like him to take hut own re- kpontlblllty for hu acts and not try to put it on otfter people mr maekeniile kins i am going to lake full responsibility mr speaker xffr manlon thon take it mr mackenzie king i thought i had dow my honorable friend a pourtesy in mentioning that i had uikedthe matter over with him before the lost session and that he hod given me his view that it would be unwise to attempt a mea mire of that kind m uanlon the right honorable gen ilcmtn told me that ho was- going- m bring it in at tills session or parliament x pointed out that such a period would not give a leader time to cross this conn try and my right honorable friends reply was why should a leader crass this country fio far as bringing in suni measure jut mfllqtijflcanccrtd manner the people of canada desire to see i shoutd have thought that at least until thjs house hail met and expressed its views those who have any sense of public duty would have been content to allow their political anjmoslty not to be given too much expression however it is now evident that a political cam paign has begun that being so i ask honorable members whether it la wise to try to carry on a political campaign in the country ant a political campaign in uils parliament two campaigns at one and the same time while war is going on at the front people the world over will understand i believe what may be said on the hust ings and they will be prepared to make some allowance for extreme statements madoln the course of a political cam palgn they can understand political opponents speaking there in a different way than where they have the respon ibllity which rests upon member in this house it is ft very different thing to have mfch discussions introduced into the debates in this house as is inevitable once a campaign has started in the country apart from thnt however may i say therr are very strong reasons and they are net forth in the speech from the throne why it is tn the public interest in the interest of the country and in the infcereetrof the alhed -lf- thrre was no discussion mr mackenzie king possibly there may be eome misunderstanding in the mind of my honorable friend as to just what our conversation was at any rate he had mentioned to me as one of the reasons why it would not be advisable to try to shorten the period for the filia tion that the leader would wish to take aeirn weeks at least in discussing issue before the electorate in the country llowevor my honorable friend has made quite clear his own point of view which in that he should have a period of sonic thing like eight weeks because that is about the time required under the act to address the electorate in a period of i general election 2f that lu the fast it demands oon slderatlon at once ir just when n din wnlutlon should take place which will involve a campaign of something llkw f ight weeks and controversy on electoral matters throughout that period of time at a time when uu r untry is in a state nf aar and europe i in the condition which we all know it to bo in today but i am getting way from what i had wished to make cloar to the house which was that i hnd hoped uure would li i feeling of sufficient confidence in mie present administration and nn i vldtnnce of sufficient unity between all part of thn country to hov mabled us it a session at this linn lo introduce a jiumber of measures and then to uo to i in counlrj 11 little later on until n week or two ugo indeed until a week ouo it uiw ni intent in thut this rthmild b uu procedure but us honor able me irthei h knnu just a uoik nun to lav or jestirduj the prunkr i t lie largest province in this country mihh mucphulll a liberal mr mm kcnli king intniduct d in uu ontnciti u glslutun n r solution uliiui wws dirtoted lu no unci rtain li rms ut the government of canada now ad mmuttrrtng it arfoirh that resolution u u seconded by tin u udt r of ui con erative opposition hi the ontario ufclslutun and when it cunu to a vote the resolution uu supjiorted b oil of tin nilnlsh r of tlu ontario government v ho wen prt nt tn ttu house at the time uj nomr m tin number of tlu liberal nart in ontario and by all of thr conservative mcmbeih in thr legls luturc tin resolution had been rni ceded by snnu discussion in tlie legulu tun u dluusslon which hud taken place j think for a couple of dwt attacking thr mamu r in which this government hail bought to udmlntucr the uffahs of tlu countn during this plriod or uii i thmk i would lum paid little or no uttmtton to that dis aission had it been confined to the leader of tlu govt rnment of onlulo and to tlu irani r f tin oppositii n of ontario i would huve allouid it to past and not made further mention of tlu matur otlur thau to discuss the incrita of any points which might hav been rabid in tin riiscusslon however when tlu ontario ugtsliiturt adopted tin re- soluliin and it mas given a ptrnmmnt pin i on tin rtrordi of tlu llllture quit u thai run simatuui primmed mm ii lo this oi uu ni m i n hi ri solution j thnt this iwiis has inard with interest tlic report made b the li imc minister and tin laadjr of tin opposition or tin rtsult of uieir i tali to ottawa to discuss war mru surea with the national gotemment and this house tvereb endorses the statements made by the two mem bers in question ami join with them in regretting that the federal government at ottawa has made so little effort to prosecute canada a duty in tlie war in the wlrarouf powerar are to have an election as it is now perfectly evident that we must have we should have it just as soon as possible and have it over the earliest moment but i would mention another circum stance had i thought that it would have beenm thennterwtfofthe ommtry- so to do i would have gone to the people immediately after the last siwclal session in order that those charged with the great responsibility of government in war time might have a direct and un questionable mandate from the elector ate i realised at thnt time however that it was necessary that canada s war effort should be gotten under wny as expeditiously as passible that the coun try should he chnhged as speedily as posslbln from a pencetime to n war time orgajilrauon that all nrcossary military und economic measures should be taken without dilay once those meakurch a or under way it was clear the situation would be entirely different fortunately in uu montlm that have elapsed since the special session tlie government lias been able to organise cnnnda war offort and to do so very cftootlvcly we have brought into the public service irrespective of the parties to which they belong key men wh t i bt lltvt enjoy the confidence of the jieoph gercrally we have formed the neciwiary boards to deal with thr dlffer- c nt wur nrtlvltle all the work of ru an 1741 1 lou with respect to the urmy hr mm and uu nlr force ha boon admirably inltlnted and developed the riricinndun ohlslon is now in groat britain and the british commonwiutui air trulnlng scheme la under way we hnv just carried throuiih in the course of a day or two our canadian war loan s thnt provision is made from thnt miurce for the financial needs of the tountrj for he nrxt oonsidcrabk period of tlnu in connecuon with economic financial and mllitarj affairs the basic work haa been suoctsgjully planned and iccompllshi d anl the ofticials of the pi rmunetit hi rvlec arc at this moment in the best position a better position than uicy arc ever likely lo w at any otlur time to carry out further develop- niini uhilt a poltucal campaign is in projn ha mu i glvt what i regard as uic strongest reason for having on immedi ate election the one thing that has caused me more anxletj than anything olse with regard to thfj question of having a central election is what may happen at the front while an elecuon is taking place i have had to face and my oollt agues have had to face uie probability ol a grtat offensive on the western front taking place in tlie sprfng i say that if it is possible for this country to have its general elecuons over before uugnat offensive takes place or before the worst of the fighting in europe tutes place thon it is enurely in the public interest that this should be done there will be very heavy problems to consider i at that time 6hce uie wur begins in tamest as people are saying there will be tremendous problems to consider and i the government that has to deal with i uiose problems must have to no unoor- ialn degrvo the confidence and the backing of uie people of this country 1 now i hope honorable members will i reallu that wn i a proposing at uie i moment- not to extond my time of office or that ol my colleague but bolel lo allow tlie people of uiu country to say aa uiey are enuued to say who 1 tluy wish to carry on their government i during this ry critical time if i were aeekug to extend tlie time of the pre sent administration or to extend my own umc as leader of uie government of uiu dominion then i might be open to cluclsm from honorable gentlemen op- posit and from opponents in different parts of he country but when i am prepared to entrust my pollucal future and the political future of this adminls- tratlon not merely prepared but an- xtatu umc it should be entrusted to the voice of the people of this country no criticism can be raised against mn intent of that kind my colleague and i have realised as perhapa no others could possibly begin to realise how important it is that we should begin immediately to prepare for postwar problems parliament aluvuld be in a position to deal merely with the immediate problems nf war but also wlui those problems which will arise as soon as uie war la over end even before measures such as the un employment insurance legislation should be passed as speedily as possible i ask honorable members do they believe it is going to be posslblo to put through uu measures except by a parliament that comes fresh from the people wlui a mandate to carry on the government ami enact such necessary measures bo may x say that if we have to carry tile grave responsibility of office in war and at a ume of war such as the present uien we must be fortified by the voice of this country expressed in no uncer tain terms if uiere is any rgoilp of men more capable of carrying on can ada s war effort and likely to do so more effectively uwn the epople should liave the right to entrust them with that great obligation we propose to leave it to tlie people of canada to say whom they wish tor carry on the government of canada in this period of world war mi manlon i certainly wish to pak tn the first place mr sieaker i should like tt distinctly pointed out uiat uiero is no particular courtesy in per mitting me to speak any more than there was courtesy tn permltung tlie prime minister to speak on a mouon which is not debatable i should like that dlstlncuy understood i should like to point out also that uie custom in the lament nf omiiilp h n porjlaj for the government to give a copy of ue 8ii5snroni the inroiie io ufo of the opposition an hour or so in ad vance and up to uie present session that has always been done by this gov eminent no such courtesy was ex tended today not even up to uie ume wlwn you mr speaker had the copy of tho speech in your hands so far as i know no copy ha been in uie hands of anyone in uils house except uie prime minister and the speaker i merely point this out sir because it b u lls courusy which not only offends all the parliamentary traditions of uils and uie british house but also shows un unfair decision on the part of the prlme btci to try to catch cv ryuiu i in thin liouse wluioul propa rati on j tin un preceriinted wli p in has tuk n lo day until 1 went into uu tu unto chamber i had absoluu ly n i hint unit there was any thought of anything liki this tlie prion mininu r called tlu parllunu nt of canada together today in tin usual way lie brought numbers hen fium the fmr rortu rt of caimdn upparentl so t ir lis one can judge wi do not yi1 know the intention lo dlsaolvi tlu hoiu1 to night that is what i undi r stand that is the only oonclusl in 1 can draw although in one part or his sm ji tin right honorabli gentli niuii nnld wl understood what was ui his mind will i doubt it when he spoke lant mai in lu uioroughly undi rstood what wok in ills mind became usually when the right honorable gentleman sptalut nt lu did at uint tlnu hr lenw himself an op portunlty to bnck out oni of the rtai doors or slip out a window that was what he did then k tlie only reason why i mention this luirtlnulnrly sir is tha it is so unprece dented to treat an opposition in this manner not only does the right honor able gentleman suggest in the speech nitfjrroni the throne at a supposedly regular session of parliament that he is going to have an immediate election but he pn pares a tolttlcal speech to be deliver ed here uils afternoon and gives no one else an opportunity of preparing any remnrlts in advance as the prime minister was speaking i had to sit hero and outline a few points i desired to make as a result pf this unprecedented act for that reason mr sveaker i ask you and lionorahle members of the house to bear with me if my remarks are rather disjointed it would have been so easy once tlie right honorable gentleman and his gov ernment decided on a step like uils to follow- the usual courteous practice of a prime minister and a government how ever i might say this is not the first time that the right honorable gentle man has shown this type of discourtesy towards me since i became loader of the opposition i regret uiat very muoh because may times in tlie post i have said uiat whatever faults the right lionorable gentleman might have and 1 suppose i have pointed out his faults u often as anyone that was one fault he did not have he was usually courteous in social life and elsewhere but he has not shown any or that courtesy in this instance what lie has clone from a ikilltlcal point of view is to carry on what i cons id rr unscrupulous jiolltlcs at this tlmr by calling for an immediate election wltlwiut any hint to the ieople in order to gau discussion in this house to an election what right lias u to dictate to the federal government of canada should not this house- of commons be the body which would make that doc i h loli 7 tho prime minister has stated uiat the resolution was moved by my hep burn and seconded by col drew acr cording to the press it was moved by mr hopburn and sicouded by one of his ministers the hon mr mcqucsten colonel ooorge drew did lint second it anyway no matter who moved or seconded it this is the forum before which the right honorable gentleman has to answer not the provincial fonim in ontario if he really wanted to call an election because of that resolution why did he not call it why call the house or commons here to j n with that quesuon t hnve a few wordh to nny in regard to tin government s present war effort which lias been referred to in the speech from the throne as well as by the prime minister in his remnrks on the floor of the house uils afternoon fn view of the fact that long before the war this gov continued on pagi stvrni and throughout the country at all e wilts mijr priwredyliknuraioti ndrtcr attempt to get a nnop decision of uie lioople of canada on this great question mr mockensle king will my lionor able friend allow mn to say one word in regard to what he suggested wan dls courtesy on my port in not giving litni a copy of tho npt ech from the throne he will realise that a speech from the uirane containing n declaration of an immediate mpieal to the country was a ductimi nt wlili it had to lie kept very arel othuwlre an my honorable frit ud knows tlu information would havi iwi n on the ntreets of uiln country tx fore it was announced in parliament i h it li tin tote n anon why oplm of tin ip ech wen not given out bit ui liln exc llcnty nad lln njieich mr muni in ihr right h inoruble id nlli niuii mi n ly adds insult to injury 1u hiirents hint tf hi hod gtvin nu a lopy of tin hjh i h i would havi bjnui irwl ll ut v i hi fllrci tn as u matti r tf fuel i havt ui d m lit at all that uin pnwi hud co vi as of tin uixirh h fore it uiui niiri in lhciruite mr maikinyli king i will nay that no one had a copy of tin apt ech ixcopt his fxctlbniy tin oovi rnor oi neral mr manlon ixt me deal briefly with uu right imnoriihlf gentleman n ri marxn about tin ontario situation appnrcnuy hi hlanu i tlu calling of the general itcct u n ip n n solution punni d in the legislature of ontario i should liki to isk him whnt right tin provincial ugln inline of ontario hat to dlctati to tho e ph of this utility whin uu n shall lwgnit seal ol canada canada has a new great seal it is tho fourth since confcder ation upon the death of a reigning sovenygri a new seal is made bear ing the figure and name of the sue c ceding sovereign the new am right authorized by royal war rant by his majesty klnc george vi btart the figure of the king robed and crowned and senttd upon his throne with orb and fcccptra with tin arms of canada and the inscription georgius vi d g mag bhit hid et tehlt tllans mar quae in dit sunt brit ukx fd ind imp each titno of tor the seal has been used it is locked in its box und placed in a special compartment in a vault in tho office of the under- rocretuy of stnk of canada it vvos used for the first timo on jnti 2 vhcn hon eineat lnpoifite acting fcecretary of slate above im pressed the parchment appointing dr henry launjs montrtn imgh commissioner for canada lo the union of south africa head baron board- nan jf o taggart i w pearull hon j o tnggart minister of agriculture for flask ate hewn n host ixcn n pi wit 11 ted chilrmati nf the nnctu service nnnrf ulth i w ii iranll oiler livestock inspection and grading service ottnwii as hren tnry mansger of llfr board hal oilicci4 in england stuitying rai iulurid li ivlitk lndcm for a conftn iue with ryul j tlinaon and oroup captain u p btevctimin f uln ho lt pin i ilflilib il oi uu inild iik in knlonu an j a p wl r un at presi nt in 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