William Lyon Mackenzie King (Leader of the Official Opposition)
Liberal
Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Leader of the Opposition):
Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of privilege. In the course of the discussion last evening with respect to the redistribution of 1924 a difference of opinion or rather a difference with respect to certain facts developed between the hon. member at present representing North York (Mr. Lennox) and myself as respects the effect of the addition of the townships of Markham and Vaughan upon the results of the election in 1925. I had made the statement that the addition of the townships of Markham and Vaughan in the redistribution of 1924 gave a distinct advantage to the Conservative candidate. I said later that I was under the impression that the addition of those townships had been subsequently responsible for my defeat in North York. From his seat in this House of Commons last night the hon. member for North York spoke, and his words are reported at page 5288 of Hansard as follows:
If it had not been for the assistance he received-
That is that I received.
from the new municipalities which were added, instead of having a majority of 494 I-
That is, Mr. Lennox.
[DOT]-would have had a majority in the old constituency of 681.
Then later the Prime Minister emphasized what had been said by the hon. member for North York. He is reported at page 5290 of Hansard as follows:
It turns out as a matter of fact that had it not been for the two townships that were added by the redistribution of 1924 he-
That is, myself-
-would have been beaten by a much larger majority than he was.
The facts will be found in the report of the chief electoral officer for the fifteenth general election, 1925, at pages 179 and 180. The figures there given are-