Mr. C. G. MacNEIL (Vancouver North):

Mr. Speaker, I desire leave to move the adjournment of the house to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the public announcement this date in the press and over the radio of a nation-wide survey and registration of ex-service men for the purpose of assisting the authorities in safeguarding the internal security of Canada under conditions of international tension, and the fact that there has been no pronouncement by the government as to whether official approval has been given the scheme, or whether present conditions warrant any partial registration for national service.

Hon. IAN MACKENZIE (Minister of National Defence):

Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order with respect to the proposed resolution. May I say immediately that this has been a voluntary effort of cooperation-

Mr. HEAPS:

That is not a point of order.

Mr. MACKENZIE (Vancouver):

I am

discussing whether or not it is a matter of urgent public importance, and I say immediately it is not. It has to do with a voluntary effort on the part of all ex-service men who have been for some time in Canada. They did approach the government with reference to this matter, and they were told that the information which would be available as a result of registration would be welcomed by the authorities. I fail to see how this attempt to anticipate what was to be a press release this evening can be regarded in any way as a matter of urgent public importance.

I deprecate the attempt by anybody to play politics with the very noble efforts of the exservice men of the Dominion of Canada.

Mr. MacNEIL:

On the point of order,

and discussing the question whether this is a matter of urgent public importance-

Mr. WALSH:

Mr. SPEAKER:

I am ready to give my

decision, unless the hon. member wishes to speak.

Mr. MacNEIL:

On the point of order,

Mr. Speaker; I submit that the Minister of National Defence (Mr. Mackenzie) has no right to impute motives.

Mr. CHEVRIER:

The hon. member has

no right to take up the time of the house as he has.

Mr. MacNEIL:

This announcement has

had a profound effect throughout the country. The veterans have been criticized; and I think the government should explain the situation.

Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the motion before

me; I have taken time to consider it, and I am ready to give my decision.

Mr. MacINNIS:

Mr. Speaker, before you

give your decision,-

Order.

Mr. MacINNIS:

I think this section of

the house is entitled to the same hearing that the minister received when he spoke. The minister did not raise a point of order, he explained the matter which the hon. member for Vancouver North (Mr. MacNeil) had raised. In view of what the minister has said. I think the hon. member for Vancouver North has a perfect right to state why he is raising this point in the house to-day.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I say

a word as to the procedure which it seems to me should be adopted where it is the intention of an hon. member to move the adjournment of the house to discuss a matter of urgent public importance? In previous sessions we have considered such matters, and it was generally understood that where a member proposed to bring forward a matter as being one of urgent public importance he should before coming into the house, submit it to the Speaker in order that his honour might have an opportunity to decide whether or not it was a matter of urgent public importance and thereby be in a position to give his opinion to the house as soon as the subject might be brought up. The question of deciding whether or not a matter is of urgent public importance rests entirely with the Speaker. I do not know if His Honour the Speaker was given this particular statement in advance, but I suggest that on future occasions when a step of this kind is contemplated the procedure be as I have outlined it, because I believe it is the procedure which would best suit the convenience of all hon. members of the house.