Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to direct an inquiry

Gasoline

to the Prime Minister. The speech from the throne states that among the matters which will be referred to the select committee on social insurance will be the establishment of a national system of health insurance. Perhaps the Prime Minister will be good enough to indicate to the house whether or not it is the intention of the government to bring down legislation covering this subject before the matter has been referred to the select committee.

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

The intention of the government is to have the select committee appointed in the first instance, and when the select committee is meeting there will be special consideration given, among other subjects, to the establishment of a national plan of health insurance.

Mr. GRAYDON:

There will be no bill first?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

No. May I add, lest my reply might be misunderstood,

I should not like the impression to go abroad that no legislation may be introduced at this session with respect to some aspects of social insurance, including possibly health insurance. That will depend among other things on the recommendations of the committee, and what the events of the next few months may be.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

Is it not true that a bill has been prepared and submitted to the medical profession, at least in part? I happen to know that that is true, that the medical profession have seen the bill and have made some pronouncement on the question of health insurance.

Hon. IAN A. MACKENZIE (Minister of Pensions and National Health): I might

answer that. For the past year and a half, officers of the Department of Pensions and National Health, along with experts of various other departments, have been exploring certain proposals in relation to health insurance. No bill has been submitted to the government, but certain proposals have been discussed from time to time by my officers and myself with the medical and dental professions, druggists, nurses, and about twenty-two different organizations in Canada. These proposals will probably be discussed before the select committee. But no bill has been submitted to the government. And this work was going on long before the Winnipeg convention.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Might I say to the minister that it is pleasant to find one exception.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

It is submitted to everyone but parliament.

Mr. M. J. COLDWELL (Rosetown-Biggar):

Has the government's attention been drawn to serious charges contained in an article in Boating magazine, written by Commander A. D. MacLean (retired), extracts from which are published in to-day's Globe and Mail, together with an editorial suggesting that this house should concern itself with the charges? In any event, will the minister make a statement at the first opportunity?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

What charges?

Mr. COLDWELL:

The charges are detailed in to-day's issue of the Globe and Mail. I thought it unnecessary to read them into the record.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister). My hon. friend I think will agree that the members of the government can hardly be expected to be reading all the magazines and papers as they appear. If my hon. friend will allow his question to stand as a notice, an answer might be given later.

Mr. COLDWELL:

That will be satisfactory. GASOLINE

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to ask the Minister of Munitions and Supply, in view of the great public interest in the question, whether he is in a position to make any announcement with respect to gasoline rationing for the ensuing year. If he cannot make a statement to-day, will he be good enough to indicate when a full announcement on the subject may be anticipated?