Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Leader of the House):

Questions have been asked by two

or three hon. members concerning regulations of the Department of Soldiers' Civil Reestablishment with regard to unemployment relief paid to certain war pensioners. I have secured from the Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment this statement which I desire to read in order to answer those questions:

The situation regarding unemployment relief to pensioners may be summarized as follows:-

In previous years all pensioners, whatever the rating of their war disability, were receiving unemployment relief from the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment, whether their war disability was or was not responsible for their failure to obtain employment.

In view of the early distribution of the canteen funds' moneys as provided by the statute of last session, it had been found advisable to confine the unemployment relief to those pensioners having a rating of twenty per cent and over, or to those cases where the disability is less,-when the war disability precluded the pensioner from engaging in emplojTnent.

It is, however, found that on account of the delay on the part of the different provincial governments in appointing boards of trustees, the moneys of the canteen funds have not as yet been distributed to the different provinces. The situation has brought to the knowledge of the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment the existence of several cases of hardship among low rating pensioners, and new instructions have been sent to-day to the different units providing that the regulations in force last winter shall continue to prevail during this winter.

Mr. ROSS (Kingston City):

What connection has the canteen fund with this matter of unemployment relief?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I think it was assumed

that part of th^t money would be employed in relieving unemployment amongst the soldiers.

Mr. ROSS (Kingston City):

I think it unfortunate if that is the understanding because, as far as I am aware, it is not the case.

Mr. LAPOINTE:

My hon. friend may be wrong. I would not like to give a definite answer in that regard, but I will communicate with the minister.

Mr. ROSS (Kingston City):

And bring

down another answer?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I do not know. I think this should be sufficient for the present because the regulations of last winter will continue to prevail during this winter.

Mr. ANDERSON (Halton):

Was it not the case that the amount received from the canteen fund was to go for educational purposes under the direction of the boards appointed in the several provinces?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I will also submit this question of my hon. friend to the minister.

NATURAL RESOURCES-ALBERTA On the Orders of the Day:

Hon. R. B. BENNETT (West Calgary):

Might I inquire from the Minister of Justice whether or not we may have a copy of the agreement made with the province of Alberta with regard to the return of the natural resources?

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Leader of the House):

I shall be pleased to lay the agreement on the table.

Mr. J. P. HOWDEN (St. Boniface):

Mr,

Speaker, it is, perhaps, scarcely fitting that one with my brief parliamentary experience and limited powers of expression should impose upon the patience of yourself and hon. members assembled here. I have listened with interest and delight to the polished eloquence, the persuasive oratory, of members on both sides of this House, and I have at the same time shrunk from the very thought of tiring or distressing you with my more or less clumsy and halting statements. This is the first and only parliament that I have ever been in; I crave the indulgence of hon. members and I promise to curtail my remarks as much as possible. I would fain have remained in my seat, but being not unlike the member for Labelle (Mr. Bourassa) I also am head and heart and tail of my party so far as Manitoba is concerned; and as an Englishspeaking representative coming from the old French Canadian city of St. Boniface and being at the same time the only Liberal member from the province of Manitoba I felt that I should not be fulfilling my duty if I failed to take an active interest in the present debate and support the policies upon which I was elected.

Before I go any further I beg to add my tribute of appreciation of the able, courteous and dignified way in which you, Mr, Speaker,

The Address-Mr. Howden

have directed the deliberations of this House. Your dignity and ability have made a very pleasing impression on my mind which will not fade with the years. I desire also to congratulate the mover of the Address (Mr. Elliott) on the very able and comprehensive manner in which he dealt with the matters outlined in the Speech from the Throne, and at the same time to congratulate the seconder (Mr. Lacombe) on the easy eloquence and the euphonious delivery of his speech, which though it was not understood in its entirety by many must I am sure have been appreciated by all of us as a very charming piece of oratory.

In the remarks of the Minister of the Interior (Mr. Stewart, West Edmonton), when he was exposed to sundry interrogations from hon. members opposite, the question was interjected, " How about Manitoba?" I do not know what significance this question was intended to convey but I take it that it had some reference to the implied suggestion that notwithstanding that the platforms of the Progressive and Liberal parties had much in common, the members of these two groups had on several occasions opposed each other in the same constituency where they were instrumental in each other's defeat. Being the only member from Manitoba I felt it incumbent upon me at the time of these interruptions to intervene and say something, but discretion prevailed over valour and I decided to let the matter stand until I was better informed. It does not seem out of place however to refer to the election returns of the province from which we come, and if I may be permitted to do so I should like to discuss those returns just for a moment. There were returned from Manitoba seven Conservatives. seven Progressives, two Labourites and one Liberal. The Conservative party received some 70,300 votes, the Progressive and Labour parties together some 65,300, and the Liberal party about 34,500. There were six seats which were not contested by the Liberals but in all the constituencies in the province opposition was put up by representatives of the other two political factions. Taking the Progressive and the Labour votes with the Liberal votes polled as opposed to the Conservative votes, we have 99,800 as against 70,331. This, if majorities mean anything would seem to indicate beyond any cavil what the sentiment of that province is. Hon. gentlemen opposite me may ask what right I have to couple the Progressive and the Labour votes with the votes polled by the Liberals. Well, I think it will be conceded even by Liberal members in this House that the last

political campaign was fought on the tariff, and if that be so I have every right to couple the Progressive and the Labour votes with those obtained by the Liberal party.

Mr. MANION:

What about the protectionists from Quebec?

Mr. LAPOINTE:

That is an old story.