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

On the concluding day of the last session the then leader of the opposition, the hon. member for York-Sunbury (Mr. Hanson), asked me a question with respect to the treaty between Canada and the United States governing the extradition of criminals. I said I would give my hon. friend the information at an early day this session. The fact is that the treaty, as the hon. member for

York-Sunbury mentioned at the time, was signed on April 29 of last year. It was tabled in this house by my colleague, the Minister of Justice (Mr. St. Laurent), August 1 last. The treaty has been approved by the senate of the United States but it has not yet been ratified. It will be presented to this house for approval before it is ratified.

I might give the house this additional information with regard to the present position. Following the publication of the provisions of the treaty, the government received representations from many organizations in Canada who are interested in the marketing of securities. Extensive briefs were filed asking among other things for a modification of the provisions in so far as they might touch upon matters which could properly be regarded as legitimate Canadian business. These briefs and other representations, some of which have been recently received, have been the subject of careful study by the interested departments of the government. These studies are continuing. It is not possible at present to state the position which has been reached in this matter. Before ratification, the treaty will, as I have said, be submitted to parliament for approval, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to present it to parliament at an early stage of the session.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to ask the Prime Minister if the government will take appropriate action to expedite the establishment of the various standing and select committees of the house.

I recognize that the rule has been that these committees are not officially constituted until the debate on the address in reply to the speech from the throne has been concluded. However, at this first opportunity I should like to indicate that it is the desire of the opposition members to have all the committees formally constituted so as to begin work this session with a minimum of delay. Too frequently in the past there appears to have been a great time lag between the formal constitution of the committees of the house and the actual commencement of their work. Indeed, some standing committees, having within their jurisdiction very important subject matters, have failed on some occasions to hold more than simply pro forma organiza-

Committees-Revision oj Rules

tion meetings. Last session standing committees were formally constituted on February 19. The first committee to meet was the committee on printing, on March 4. The committee on agriculture and colonization met first on March 17; the committee on standing orders on April 30. The committee on banking and commerce did not meet until May 13; the committee on miscellaneous private bills did not meet until June 5; and the committee on railways, canals and telegraph lines held its first meeting on July 8. Six standing committees, namely, those on privileges and elections, public accounts, marine and fisheries, mines, forests and waters, industrial and international relations, and the debates committee did not meet at all during last session.

On March 2 of last year I asked for the appointment of a select committee on radio broadcasting. The committee was appointed on March 13, and did not hold its first meeting until almost two months later, on May 6. The first evidence was taken in that committee on May 14, and considerable criticism of the delay in this instance was voiced in the committee itself when it met. While I am on this point I wish to urge upon the government the acceptance of the recommendation of the last radio broadcasting committee's report, that a committee of the house review the policies and operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation annually from now on, and particularly as soon as possible this session.

The fact that six of the committees did not meet last session and that other committees held very few meetings indicates the urgent need for some better plan of enlisting the services of members generally in the 'work of the committees of the house. The need is more apparent than ever in a war-time session of parliament, and I ask the government to take immediate steps in this direction.

Some early consideration, in my opinion, should also be given to reviewing and modernizing the whole of our parliamentary procedure. The war is bringing many changes in the lives of our people and in our entire national structure. Parliament, therefore, in my opinion should not only bring itself abreast of these changes but should show that it is not afraid to give leadership to them in its own internal conduct.

I ask the Prime Minister if he will give sympathetic and careful attention to the points which I have, raised.

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

I am pleased to say to my hon. friend that I heartily approve the suggestions which he has made. Indeed, the government itself has felt that it was most desirable to have committees meet at an early day, and care will be taken to see that they are constituted as soon as the debate on the address is concluded, if not, by arrangement with my hon. friends opposite, before that time.

As to some of the committees not having met last session, that in no sense is a reflection on the government. As my hon. friend is aware, any member of the house has a right to ask that certain matters should be refeired to the appropriate committees. If no request is made for a committee to meet, and matters are not thereby referred, there is obviously no need of calling a committee together.

My hon. friend has spoken about some delay in constituting the committees. I am quite prepared that we on this side should take our share of the blame, if such is to be given, for any delay; but I wish to point out to him that time and again the appointment of committees has been delayed because of the inability to get from my hon. friend and his supporters opposite the names of the members of his party whom they desired to have serve on committees. However, he no doubt intends to see that they act promptly in these matters and we may be spared that delay on this occasion.

As to the number of committees that are to meet, I imagine that a good deal of the time of members of the house this session will be taken up by service on the different committees, because there are some committees the work of which will require considerable time. I do not think the business of the house is expedited at all by having a very large number of committees, with members serving on two or three committees at one and the same time. Rather, I should think it would expedite matters to have the committees properly attended by limiting their number. I ihight mention immediately the committees which this year will be of special importance.

My hon. friend has asked that the committee on radio broadcasting should be appointed again this year. The government fully intends to see that it is reconstituted. The speech from the throne has mentioned the reconstitution of the committee on rehabilitation and reconstruction. It also indicates another committee, a very important committee, on social security. The committee on war expenditures will also be reconstituted, as well as the committee on the Defence of Canada regulations. In addition to these there will be the committee on railways and

War Labour Board

shipping. It is possible there may be a committee on canteen funds. I do not think it will be necessary this year to have a special committee on land settlement, or one on vocational training, nor will there be the necessity of a special committee on the plebiscite. My hon. friend will recollect that that subject took up a large amount of time last year, and it accounted in very large part for the delay in constituting some of the other committees.

While I am speaking on the question of committees, I may say that the government has had under consideration the appointment of a committee on estimates, but before making any final decision in the matter I should like to have a word with the leader of the opposition and the other leaders in conference together.

There is one other committee to which reference has been made: a committee to revise the rules of the house. We have, as I stated on a former occasion, thought that a time of war was not the best time to revise the rules of the house. The rules of the house are designed to apply in ordinary times; in a time of war they have to be modified considerably. We hope the war is not going to continue for so many years that the house will be embarrassed in any way by having its rules remain as they are for the present, modified by agreement to such extent as has been the case in previous sessions. However, I do not wish to say a final word on that just now. But it is the present view of the administration that this is not the best time to have a committee consider the rules of the house.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

May I direct a further question to the Prime Minister? In the press of January 25 of this year there appeared a report with regard to the settlement reached in the steel strike, and one of the points mentioned was the appointment of a new chairman of the national war labour board. I was wondering if the Prime Minister would acquaint the house with the progress that has been made in that regard.

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

I may say to my hon. friend that the government is in communication with a gentleman who I hope will find it possible to accept the position. I hope to be able to make an announcement of his name to the house on Monday.

Mr. J. G. DIEFENBAKER (Lake Centre):

I wish to direct a question to the Prime Minister in regard to the serious fuel shortage, particularly in the prairie provinces. What steps are being taken by the government to relieve that situation and to ensure that adequate deliveries, or at least some deliveries, are made to cities and towns in Saskatchewan that are almost out of fuel?

Mr. FRASER (Peterborough West):

Ontario also.

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

Perhaps my hon. friend will be agreeable to having his question stand as a notice. A committee was appointed by the cabinet some little time ago to deal with the problem just referred to. Steps have already been taken to meet the situation, but I should prefer not to make a statement offhand as to what those steps are.