Mr. R. E. FINN (Halifax):

Mr. Speaker, before the orders of the day are called I rise to a question of privilege.

Mr. SPEAKER:

We are not on the

orders of the day yet.

Mr. FINN:

I draw your attention, sir,

to citation 170:

It is the practice in the House of Commons to bring up a question of privilege after prayers, and before the house has taken up the orders of the day.

Therefore I am in order.

My question of privilege is based on an article appearing in the Halifax Chronicle of February 4, which contains reference to proceedings which took place in this house on Friday last on the debate concerning the reestablishing of the lobster fishermen in their industry. It is headed, "Premier answers Ottawa comment," and goes on to say:

For more than eight years "the overwhelming majority of those unemployed in Canada or those otherwise in unfortunate economic circumstances have declared they prefer work to doles," Premier Angus L. Macdonald of Nova Scotia said to-night.

He was commenting on a discussion in the federal house to-day on the Nova Scotia government's plan to provide a "road works project" for fishermen who lost pots and equipment in November and December gales.

Repeatedly labour unions or associations, unemployed groups, social workers and others have urged that work be provided wherever possible. In the case of the storms in November and December in Nova Scotia the Nova Scotia government has endeavoured to pursue this policy. It endeavoured to provide work instead of doles or hand-outs.

If this can be called throwing a monkey wrench into the machinery, the government here is prepared-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. Would the hon.

member state his question of privilege?

Mr. FINN:

The question of privilege is

that the premier of Nova Scotia has absolutely misrepresented me in saying that I threw a monkey wrench into the machinery, I being in favour of the dole. Nothing of the sort. I made my position on that point very clear in the debate in this house. In a letter which I addressed to His Honour the Speaker on the moving of the adjournment of the house on February 3, 1939, I said:

The provision of the Unemployment and Agricultural Assistance Act, 1938, is abortive in its provisions to meet the absolute need of reestablishing the said fishermen in their industry, and to provide them with the means of earning their livelihood, and to enable them to provide the bare necessities of life for their families.

During the debate I said:

But a monkey wrench was thrown into the machinery by the premier of Nova Scotia . . .

Then the Minister of Fisheries (Mr. Michaud) in the debate on my motion on February 3, said:

Since this parliament, for the last three years at least, has deemed it advisable by supplementary appropriations to grant sums of money to help reestablish needy fishermen in their occupations . . .

And he adds that these moneys have always been distributed in the provinces where there was the need.

Now, Mr. Speaker, the premier of Nova Scotia goes on further to say, and it is a direct charge against myself, that I was not in Halifax when the storm took place, and that I had not any information in reference to it; in fact his inference is that I do not know the needs of my constituency.

Mr. POULIOT:

The storm took place in the house.

Mr. FINN:

Well, perhaps a storm did take place when I spoke, but a tremendous gale takes place when the hon. member who has just interrupted me rises-or perhaps something more in the nature of a cyclone.

I may say for the information of the house that I was here in Ottawa for nearly four weeks in November attending to departmental matters with the various departments and again on December 8 after the December gale, conferring with the Minister of Fisheries.

Bren Gun-Ruling

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. I think the hon. member has stated very well his point of privilege.

Mr. FINN:

Perhaps that is your honour's opinion, but it is not mine.

Mr. SPEAKER:

I think the house is satisfied, so I would ask the hon. member to resume his seat.

Mr. FINN:

I desire to say further that I was in Ottawa two days after the storm in December, coming here from Halifax, and that I sent the following telegram to the Minister of Fisheries (Mr. Michaud)-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. The hon. gentleman has made his point of privilege clear to the house and to the country, and in justice to himself I would ask him to resume his seat.

Mr. FINN:

If that message will rebound

from here to Nova Scotia I shall be satisfied.

Mr. CHURCH:

You can never answer a newspaper; it always has the last word.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister) moved:

That the name of Mr. Ilsley be substituted for that of Mr. Rutherford on the select

standing committee on banking and commerce.

That the name of Mr. Golding be substituted for that of Mr. Rutherford on the select

standing committee on standing orders.