Hon. Mr. FIELDING:

The Minister of

the Interior (Mr. Stewart) is not here at present, but I will see that his attention is drawn to the hon. gentleman's question.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

Does my hon.

friend the Finance Minister take the position that if we carry this clause we approve of the whole matter?

Mr. FIELDING:

Yes.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

Then I think

we should discuss the details before we take up clause 2. .

Mr. FIELDING:

Clause 2 declares approval of the treaty, and therefore the whole matter comes under review.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

I was challenged, Mr. Chairman, as to the accuracy of certain figures which were taken from the returns of the government as supplied by the Bureau of Statistics. In view of that fact I want to find out, if I can, what the true figures are. For example, figures which have to do with the amount of silk and manufactures of silk exported from France, from Switzerland and from Japan were challenged. The Minister of Marine and Fisheries (Mr. Lapointe) told me yesterday that my figures were ten per cent right and ninety per cent wrong. Now, they happen to be official figures supplied by the Bureau of Statistics, and I want to know whether they are wrong or whether the Minister of Marine was merely, when he spoke as he did, using a figure of speech, as he so often does, to embellish his eloquence. If I am wrong in regard to these figures I want to be put right.

Mr. FIELDING:

I do not quite understand what my hon. friend is calling in question. At an early stage of the discussion we were asked to produce a lot of information. It was a fair request but it involved a great deal of time and trouble. Nevertheless the department prepared that information and submitted it. I do not understand that my hon. friend is questioning the accuracy of any of those figures, and if not I have some difficulty in understanding what the purpose of his present comment is.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

I did not object to the figures; the objection was made by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries. Now I want to find out whether the official figures are right or whether the Minister of Marine and Fisheries is correct in his statement. Let me repeat: In debating this question I dealt with the benefits which accrued to France. I took the item of silk and silk manufactures. I speak from recollection. My recollection is that under the item as to silk and its manufactures, for the year to which the figures applied-and I think it was the year 1922-we imported in round figures $1,000,000 worth of goods from France, $3,000,000 worth from Switzerland, and imported $4,000,000 worth from Japan. The Minister of Marine and Fisheries when replying told me that I was ten per cent right and ninety per cent wrong.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

Not on that point.

French Treaty

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

According to the hon. member for Chambly and Vercheres (Mr. Archambault) this treaty .had to be entered into having regard to the position of France-in view of the tremendous extent to which France had suffered. Yet it would now appear that, so far as the item to which I have referred is concerned, it is not a treaty for the benefit of France but a treaty for the benefit, in far greater proportion, of Switzerland and Japan. I pointed out to the minister that it is somewhat difficult to say you are helping any one producer in a common market if, at the same time, you help in exactly the same proportion every one of that producer's competitors. As to that I was told that my figures were only ten per cent right. What I am now trying to find out is this: Are the returns of the department correct? Take the item of silks and manufactures of silks-

Mr. FIELDING:

To what returns does my hon. friend refer?

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

I was speaking of the returns of the department that has to do with the collection of trade figures.

Mr. FIELDING:

I do not know that anybody has contradicted them.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

I certainly understood the Minister of Marine and Fisheries to say-

Mr. LAPOINTE:

No.

Sir HENRY DRAYTON:

-that my statement in regard to silk and the manufactures of silk was ten per cent right and ninety per cent wrong.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

On a certain item.