On the Orders of the Day.
Mr. W. F. KNOWLES (Moo'sejaw):
Can the Minister of Labour give us any further information as to the trouble in connection with the mines in western Canada? On Monday last he said that he expected work would be resumed at all the mines within forty-eight hours.
Hon. T. W. CROTHERS (Minister of Labour):
Last Wednesday night on the
motion of Sir Thomas White for the adjournment of the House, the hon. member of Medicine Hat (Mr. Buchanan) when he would have been entirely out of order except for the unanimous consent of the House, read a telegram for the purpose of showing that the statement I made on Monday, and to which my hon. friend of Mpose-jaw (Mr. Knowles) has referred just now, was not well-founded.
Mr. KNOWLES:
I am not referring to
that. I was not present, and I do not know anything about it.
Mr. CROTHERS:
On Sunday I received information direct that the gentleman whpse name appears on the telegram that was read by my hon. friend from Medicine Hat on Wednesday night
Mr. KNOWLES:
I rise to a point of order. I submit, Sir, that in answering a question the minister should confine himself to the answer and not enter intp an argument against an hon. member who is not present.
Mr. SPEAKER:
I Tegret to say that I
did not hear the remarks of the hon. member.
Mr. KNOWLES:
You are greatly the
loser, Sir.
Mr. CROTHERS:
I am unable to answer my hon. friend's question without referring to what was said last Wednesday night. I was stating that on Sunday I received information that the gentleman whose name appeared oh that telegram had been instructed to have the men return to work immediately, and it was upon the strength of that information that I said on Monday that I expected the men would resume w.ork within forty-eight hours. The information I had received entirely warranted my making that statement, notwithstanding any telegrams that may have been received by my hon. friend from Medicine Hat or anybody else. My hon. friend desires to know if anything further has been done. We are in constant communication with the parties directly interested. We are as anxious to get the men back to work as any hon. gentleman can be, but I do not think it would be in the public interest to go into the details of what is being done. I said on Monday that I expected the men would be at work again within forty-eight hours. I can now only hope that they will be at work within the next forty-eight hours, and I am not so optimistic as I was on Monday because the instructions given to this man have not been carried out up to the present, but I hope they will be.
Mr. KNOWLES:
Is it true that the Minister of Public Works has gone to the West in connection with this matter?
Mr. CROTHERS:
The Minister of Public Works was in the city to-day. 'I am not aware that he is going West or has any intention of doing so.
On the Orders of the day: Mr. E. FORTIER (Lotbiniere) translation) : Mr. Speaker, as the acting Postmaster General is now in his seat, I should like to know why the Post Office Department did not conform to the Order of the House and to the request made by me, a few days ago, for the bringing down of the papers and documents in connection with the 'cancellation of the mail contract awarded to Mr. Hippolite Lambert, of St. Antoine de Tilly, in the county of Lotbiniere. I wish to be Informed when the Minister will make up his mind to bring down those papers and documents.
Hon. Mr. PATENAUDE (translation):
Those papers will be brought down within two or three days.
On the Orders of the Day:
Mr. G. H. BOIVIN (Shefford):
I see ijx the press the announcement of new regulations concerning emigration from Canada to the United States of men of military lage. It appears that by these regulations, which have already gone into effect, a man will have to have in his possession a certificate signed by a Canadian immigration inspector before he can cross the boundary. I have received quite a number of requests asking for the name and address of the immigration inspector in the city of Montreal who is competent to issue these certificates. I have not been able to supply the information. I think it would be well if the Minister of the Interior would supply the press with a list of the names and addresses of the immigration inspectors in. the larger cities of Canada who are competent to issue these certificates. This would be of great service to the travelling public.
Hon. W. J. ROCHE:
Any one of military age can-secure these certificates from the immigration inspectors. The Dominion Government immigration inspector at Montreal is Mr. Regimbal, 172 St. Antoine street.
Sir WILFRID LAURIER:
These regulations are made by virtue of an Order in Council?