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February 29, 1928

INDUSTRIAL AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Mr. C. R. McINTOSH (North Battleford) presented the first report of the select standing committee on industrial and international relations as follows: Your committee recommend that 750 copies in English and 250 copies in French of papers and records of evidence to be taken be printed, and that standing order 64 be suspended in connection therewith. Mr. McIntosh moved that the report be concurred in. Motion agreed to.

PRIVATE BILLS COMMITTEE

Second report of the select standing committee on miscellaneous private bills.-Mr. Parent.

BANKING AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE

Mr. F. W. HAY (North Perth) presented the first report of the select standing committee on banking and commerce as follows: Your committee recommend that 750 copies in English and 250 copies in French of their proceedings and evidence which may be taken respecting consideration of the improvement of the banking system of Canada be printed from day to day for the use of the committee and of the House of Commons, and that standing order 64 be suspended in connection therewith. Privilege-Mr. Esling

Mr. Hay moved that the report be concurred in. Motion agreed to.

PRIVILEGE-MR. FORKE

lion. ROBERT FORKE (Minister of Immigration and Colonization): I rise to a question of privilege. As reported on page 851 of yesterday's Hansard the hon. member for Frontenac-Addington (Mr. Edwards), speaking of the closing days of the session of 1926, made this remark: The present Minister of Immigration and Colonization (Mr. Forke) gave his solemn written pledge to the Governor General that he would stay with the session and with the government until the business of the session was finished and supply voted. It is also true that the pledge was violated. This is an entire misstatement of the facts and were I permitted under the rules of parliament to do so, I would use a very much stronger term. No pledge was ever asked of me and no pledge was ever given. Mr. Meighen was sworn in as Prime Minister of this country before I ever saw the Governor General. The Governor General asked no pledge; I gave none. He did give me some information in confidence, a confidence which I have never violated.

PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING

CON

William Kemble Esling

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. W. K. ESLING (West Kootenay):

I rise to a question of privilege. Under date of August 5, 1927, there is a despatch from Victoria, British Columbia, stating:

Definite arrangements for a survey to map out the route of the Golden-Revelstoke road were made at a conference here this morning between Hon. Dr. J. H. King, federal Minister of Health and Hon. W. H. Sutherland, provincial Minister of Public Works.

That is for British Columbia. The despatch proceeds:

The province and the Dominion will undertake the surveys jointly under present plans.

Then under date of February 14 of this year there is another despatch from Victoria stating:

Construction work on the Revelstoke-Golden highway will be commenced during the present season.

On February 16 I placed on the order paper two direct questions.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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LIB

Hewitt Bostock (Speaker of the Senate)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. SPEAKER:

I should like the hon.

member to understand that so far I do not see any question of privilege. Is there in those statements anything which affects the hon. member personally?

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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CON

William Kemble Esling

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. ESLING:

Yes. I am just coming to it. It is a question of the veracity of one of the

members of this house. I placed on the order paper these two direct questions:

1. Did the federal government or any department thereof, enter into any agreement with the government of British Columbia, during the year 1927, for the survey of the road between Revelstoke and Golden in British Columbia?

_ 2. If not, has an agreement for such a survey in the present year been arranged for?

After eleven days I get the answer simply:

The subject is under discussion.

I consider that I am entitled to a direct answer to a direct question.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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LIB

Hewitt Bostock (Speaker of the Senate)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. SPEAKER:

This question might come up before the estimates are taken up, but no question of privilege is involved.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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CON

Richard Bedford Bennett (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Hon. R. B. BENNETT:

Mr. Speaker, there is involved in this a question of the privileges of this house, not a question of the privilege of individuals. The rule is clear that when an answer is given to a question which affects the honour of this house, or when a minister of a provincial government makes a statement which is at variance with that, we have a right as members to raise the question of the privilege of the house when its honour is impugned by the answer to that question.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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LIB

Ernest Lapointe (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. LAPOINTE:

Surely there is no question of privilege in that. The hon. gentleman has asked a question, which has been answered, and then he quotes an item in a newspaper which says that something else may be the case. Where is the privilege in that?

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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CON

Richard Bedford Bennett (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. BENNETT:

No. The answer was given a year ago by the minister himself m the province.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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LIB

Ernest Lapointe (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. LAPOINTE:

I assume that the person who furnished the answer-

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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CON

Richard Bedford Bennett (Leader of the Official Opposition)

Conservative (1867-1942)
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. BENNETT:

The minister says it was concluded by the province?

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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LIB

Ernest Lapointe (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Liberal
Member File Biography @ PARLINFO

Mr. LAPOINTE:

Which minister? It is the newspaper that says that.

Topic:   PRIVILEGE-MR. ESLING
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February 29, 1928