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February 16, 1923

LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

No, but I have a right to answer the question. The judgment of the government in that respect must be accepted. The hon. gentleman can proceed to move, but he cannot compel me to answer the question in any other form than that which seems to us to be proper.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

Does the hon. Minister of Finance assert that he can stand up in the House and say "We will not answer the question ", and then ask the clerk to record that as an answer?

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

I did not say I would not answer. I said I had answered.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

The hon. gentleman says " I will not answer ", and then says, " I have answered ". '

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

No, I did not.

Questions

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

His words are down and his words are " We will not answer it in that form

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
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LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

Exactly.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

And then he says, " I have answered ".

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

That is the answer.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

If the government is entitled to do that, I think, Mr. Speaker, your well known capacity to hunt for precedents will be taxed in vain. If he says, "We will not answer it in this form ", and instructs that the records of the House show that that is an answer, then the whole practice of questioning falls to the ground, and the government has it in its power to deny everything, giving no reasons whatsoever. .

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

Most certainly-

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

If it is a matter of length, if the minister has said the answer is going to be too long and entail too much work, then the government can say, " Stands as order for return ", and the House has no alternative. That is the only reason the minister has given for his very strange attitude. If that is the objection to the question, all right, the government has its alternative, it can stand as an order for return, but the government has no right to say " We will not answer it in its present form, we do not like it, and we say that is our reason-"

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

I am surprised at the hon. gentleman. It is in his power and in the power of any member of the House to frame a question as he pleases, and it is the right of the government to say whether they will answer it in that form or not. We take the liberty to say that if this is put in the form of a motion we would bring down the information.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

That is the same thing as having it stand as an order for return.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

No.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

What is the difference?

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

As a question I can not amend it, but as a motion before the House I can ask the House to amend it. That is the difference.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

It is not of the nature of a motion. It is in the nature of an inquiry.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
LIB

William Stevens Fielding (Minister of Finance and Receiver General)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. FIELDING:

Well, I have answered.

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink
CON

Arthur Meighen (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. MEIGHEN:

If the hon.'gentleman is satisfied, I do not think he will be proud of the record when it appears in print.

TMr. Fielding.]

Topic:   QUESTIONS
Subtopic:   TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Permalink

February 16, 1923