Thomas McMillan
Liberal
Mr. THOMAS McMILLAN (South Huron):
In the midst of this river of discussion, "a little nonsense now and then is relished by the best of men". I have heard so many members on the floor of this House say that their homes are in the province of Nova Scotia that I have naturally recalled the occasion of Sir Wilfrid Laurier's first visit to the west. He was entertained at Ladner's Landing, on the delta of the Fraser, by a warm friend of my own named William Ladner. In the course of that function, acting as host, he told the gathering which included Sir Wilfrid and another good friend, Mr. D. C. Fraser, afterwards Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, that if they wanted to see the finest country in the world they had only to go outdoors, where they would behold land, that would produce 14,000 bushels of wheat to the acre. Mr. Fraser at once declared, "We had some liars in Nova Scotia but I never knew that any of them had settled here."
In my opinion the application of closure in this discussion has not come before its time. Many of us consider that it was due weeks ago; but possibly it is well that hon. gentlemen opposite have been allowed to go the limit, in an almost continuous exhibition of their policy of obstruction,-a scene, tragic to the Tory party,-a scene deeply expressive, in almost every Tory countenance, of those momentous words, "so near and yet so far". You, Mr. Speaker, may be able to recall the famous expression of a one time respected member of this House, uttered in true Irish brogue, that a Tory out of office was like a she bear deprived of her cubs. Well, Sir, this House has fully demonstrated that the Tory party, at bay on the floor of parliament, is even worse than that. But every unjust accusation, every epithet hurled across the floor in their desperation, both ungenerous and uncalled for, has been met by that feeling which is conscious of the right and that quiet dignity of reserve which will always appeal to the 'best judgment of the House and of the country.
To think that the once great Conservative party, that party which has always plumed itself on the possession of a monopoly in its loyalty to the crown, is now represented by a class of men in this parliament who make
The Address-Mr. McMillan
themselves ridiculous by refusing to allow even an expression of.thanks to the crown for the gracious speech which His Excellency has been pleased to convey to us. At all times it is the difty of every member to uphold and maintain the dignity of parliament. We have seen too much in the public press. Too much has fallen from the lips of hon. gentlemen opposite, who by their words have shown themselves unworthy of those they would revile. Never was any body of independent representatives less open to such sordid charges. These men from the west, both Liberal and Progressive, represent the very soul of honour and they have the highest conception of the duties and responsibilities of their position. As befits the great section of the country from which they come, they are not narrow or circumscribed in their opinions; they are like the rest of us here, endeavouring to do their duty, and in doing so they ally themselves with men of vision, men of high purpose, that together we may maintain Canada on that great highway which will lead to a just realization of the possibilities that lie before us.
Sir, the hon. member for Toronto Northwest (Mr. Church) pulled off a good joke the other night in his reference to Mr. Mackenzie King's ability as an angler after Progressive support, and also to the unavailing efforts of the hon. member for South Wellington (Mr. Guthrie) and the hon. member for Winnipeg South (Mr. Rogers), and to the fact that the Hon. Manning Doherty had been down here for a whole month fishing and never got a bite. The hon. member gave Mr. Mackenzie King credit for being the only expert angler in the bunch. But, Sir, one weakness of the hon. gentleman's reference lies in the fact that he did not go far enough; he did not complete the picture; if he had done so, the mystery would have vanished, and the whole picture would be as clear as the noonday sun. When these hon. gentlemen were busy fishing they were not fishing for themselves, they were fishing for their leader, the right hon. member for Portage la Prairie (Mr. Meighen), and in their sport they mistook the calibre of their game. They thought the Progressives were men of their own calibre, and so they loaded their hooks with Arthur Meighen-Hugh Guthrie-Bob Rogers^Manning Doherty bait. But it was the wrong kind of bait. No wonder they dropped their fishing in disgust. They now know to their sorrow that they might have fished till doomsday and never have caught any of the fish they were after with that bait. Mr. Mackenzie King had nothing to do with the fishing. His only duty was to provide the right kind of bait. It was the leader of
the House (Mr. Lapointe) who loaded his hook with the right kind of bait, with "Mackenzie King bait," otherwise known as the "best-interests-of-Canada" bait. And he went off in his own jolly way, and1 by his continuously overflowing good nature was able not only to squash the opposition but to captivate this House so that he has to-day behind him and across the way more loyal support than any government has had in years, a support that will be continued so long as the government do their duty. It is the earnest hope, it is the feeling deep down in the heart of every member on this side of the House, including the members of the cabinet, that the government will go forward and do their duty-do it as they have done in days gone by, with honour to themselves and benefit to the country.
