Explain.

Mr. GUERIN; Mr. Speaker, this is a very innocuous piece of legislation, but at the same time it is most important so far as our working men are concerned. It is a bill to safeguard their interests. I may say that I have had the experience, the painful experience, lately of noticing that while foreigners were very much in evidence on public works, our own citizens seemed to be idle. I gave several letters to men asking that they be engaged, and to my astonishment very frequently these men-I might call them young men, about 40 to 45 years of age-returned and told me that they had been refused employment because they were past the age limit. There is evidently some form of workmen's insurance taken advantage of by contractors, which, as it places the age limit very low, I suppose they get at a cheap rate. This bill provides that in connection with all government contracts there shall be no age limit so far as working men are concerned, so that our citizens in general may get an opportunity of participating in the benefits of those contracts. The bill also contains a section giving legislative dignity to the fair wage clause that should be incorporated in all contracts.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. BOULANGER:

Mr. Speaker, this bill deals with three things. At the present time the Civil Service Act gives a preference to veterans of all the allied armies. This bill would restrict that preference to Canadian veterans. Second, we propose to extend the residence requirement for applicants for civil service positions when such applicants are not Canadians from three years to five years. The third purpose of the bill is to get rid of regulation eleven, which practically overrides the section of the act respecting residence. This regulation states that in cases where, after due publicity, the commission has been unable to secure a duly qualified applicant with the necessary three years' residence in Canada, persons may be admitted to examination despite the fact that they have not been residing in Canada for three years, provided

Timber Marking Act

they have otherwise qualified under the laws and regulations. We want to get rid of this blanket regulation, which, as I say practically nullifies section 33 of the act. Where no qualified candidate can be found, this bill provides that each case is to be dealt with by the governor in council as a special case.

Mr. SPENCER:

Would the hon. member

tell us what he thinks constitutes a Canadian?

Mr. BOULANGER:

This is defined by an act of parliament.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. E. J. GARLAND (Bow River):

In

what way does the government, intend to implement the recommendations contained in the report on technical and professional salaries? Is it introducing increases in the estimates, or what?

Hon. CHARLES A. DUNNING (Minister of Finance): The Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) made some answer to a question the other day in that regard. I can only say that the whole matter of the Beatty commission report is under consideration by the government, and the Prime Minister gave assurance that there would undoubtedly be opportunity for the house to discuss it.

Mr. GARLAND (Bow River):

On estimates?

Mr. DUNNING:

Not specifically on estimates.

Mr. GARLAND (Bow River):

That was

the Prime Minister's statement, that there would be discussion on estimates, but he did not say that it would be supplementary estimates having for their objective the implementing of the report. I wondered in what way the government intended to implement the report.