Mr. SPEAKER:

I have the honour to

inform the house that I have received the following personal message from the king: Buckingham Palace Members of the House of Commons of Canada:

I am greatly touched by the terms of the resolution adopted yesterday by the members of the Houses of Parliament of Canada on the occasion of the official celebration of my birthday. Twelve months ago I left Canada convinced from my own personal experience that nowhere in the world_ were justice and freedom more truly appreciated, and neither in peace nor in war would the people of Canada ever suffer themselves to be deprived of their institutions grounded on those ideals. The dire events of the year that has passed have confirmed that conviction a hundredfold. Canada from the first clearly understood the true import

[Mr. Gardiner.l

of this terrible struggle, and the immense issues that hang upon its outcome. She hesitated not at all, and the resolution with which she lias thrown herself heart and soul into the conflict has been, I can assure you, an immeasurable strength to me and to all in the old world.

George R.I.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition):

May I ask the Prime Minister

if he has anything to say to the house and the country at this time with respect to the situation on the other side, and if not to-day, when will he be in a position to make a statement?

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

Mr. Speaker, in reply to

my hon. friend I would say that hon. members are of course aware of the extreme gravity of the situation in Europe. It is not yet possible to indicate the precise situation in France. Members know that following the break through at various points on the French front and penetration of the Maginot line the French army has not thus far been able to reorganize effective resistance; that upon the resignation of Premier Reynaud, a new cabinet was formed under Marshal Petain, and that it is seeking an armistice with the enemy. While not minimizing the seriousness of the blow to the cause of the allies, I can say with confidence that the fate of France will strengthen rather than weaken Canada s determination to intensify her war effort in the direction of increased measures of home defence, the necessity for which will be now apparent, and in the direction of further assistance to the United Kingdom.

It is my intention to-morrow to give the house all available information. I will, at the same time, make a statement as to the measures which have been adopted and which it is proposed to adopt to meet the emergent situation.

Hon. members may have noticed that it has been announced that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will make an important statement to-morrow on the European situation. That statement will be made I assume before this house meets to-morrow afternoon. It is, I think, preferable that, in a matter of so grave importance as is the present situation, a statement concerning it _ as a whole should come from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom before an attempt is made by the leader of the government in our house to appraise it at its full significance.

Private Bills

I might add a word about the Canadian troops overseas. It is now possible for me to inform the house that, in conformity with the plans of the allied high command, preparations were made early this month for the early participation in action in France of the first division of the Canadian active service corps. Last week some of our troops were actually landed in France. The changed circumstances rendered their withdrawal imperative, and over the week-end effective steps were initiated to that end.

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

That a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint their honours that this house has substituted the name of Mr. Dupuis for that of Mr. Cloutier to act on the part of the House of Commons as a member of the joint committee of both houses on printing.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition):

I am not quite sure what the proper practice is with respect to the first reading of private bills which have been

initiated in the senate. But it has occurred to me that perhaps in some cases, at all events, some brief explanation should be given by the sponsor, and I would invite the hon. junior member for Ottawa (Mr. Mcllraith) to be good enough to do that on this occasion.

Right Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Minister of Justice):

I think it is the hon. member's right to ask for it.

Mr. McILRAITH:

The Ottawa Electric Company is a company incorporated by act of parliament, selling and distributing electricity in the city of Ottawa. The Ottawa Gas Company is a company incorporated by act of parliament, selling and distributing gas in the city of Ottawa. The Ottawa Light, Heat and Power Company is a company incorporated by letters patent, and is the parent company of the two previously mentioned companies-

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

A holding company?