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

I think it was understood that questions and motions for papers would be taken up before proceeding to-day with the debate on the address. If the 'house is agreeable to that, I need not put a motion.

1. By whose authority were soldiers in the Canadian army ordered to assist the Ottawa Electric Railway Company, Limited, in snow clearance, on or about December 31, 1942?

2. How many soldiers were allotted to the task?

3. What amount, if any, was paid by this private company to the Department of National Defence for the services thus rendered?

4. Was this amount, if any, arrived at on an hourly rate? If so, what was the rate?

5. Did the soldiers receive additional remuneration?

1. The Adjutant-General.

2. 307.

3. None.

4. See answer to Question 3.

5. No.

radio BROADCASTING-DOCTOR WATSON THOMSON

1. Is Watson Thomson engaged in radio work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation?

2. If so, what are his fees, allowances and other emoluments, who recommended his appointment and for what purpose?

3. Has the attention of the government been called to some of his utterances reflecting on the mother country and were his addresses submitted to the government before delivery?

4. Is this man still in the employ of the corporation?

5. If so, in what capacity?

6. Is he a returned soldier and has he any military record?

Mr. LaFLECHE: I consulted with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in respect to question No. 7 and was given the following information and they stated they had no objection to its being brought down. The answers are as follows:

1. Mr. Watson Thomson gives occasional broadcasts on invitation by the supervisor of talks of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

2. The regular fee paid for such broadcasts,

i.e. $25 per occasion; he was first engaged by Mr. Donald Buchanan in June, 1939, and later by Mr. Hugh Morrison, who succeeded Mr. Buchanan; he is one of a panel of three engaged to talk alternately on the series "Week-End Review".

3. No.

4. He gave his final talk in the present series on February 7, 1943.

5. See answer to No. 2.

6. The information obtained from Mr. Thomson shows that he was a signaller attached to the Royal Field Artillery between March, 1917, and October, 1919, and saw active service in France between April, 1918, and the armistice.

Mr. GRAYDON:

May I ask the minister if in his answer to question No. 4 he means that Doctor Thomson has given the last of his talks in the series but that there will be another series, or is he now out of the employ of the corporation?

Mr. LaFLECHE: I can answer that, Mr. Speaker. He was engaged for a series, one of a panel of three gentlemen who did speak. He has given his final talk on that series and there is no other engagement standing at the present.

Mr. COLDWELL:

May I just ask the minister a question on one remark that he made. He said that the corporation had no objection to this information being brought down. What was the significance of that remark, if any?

Mr. LaFLECHE: I was stating a fact.

Mr. COLDWELL:

I rise to a point of order. I think there is an important principle involved in that particular reply, as to whether it is merely at the discretion of the corporation that the question is answered. That is the point.

Order.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Question No. 7 must be considered as having been answered and no discussion can take place thereon.

1. How many ministers plenipotentiary and envoys extraordinary have been appointed since the house adjourned on August 1, 1942, to where and at what cost to Canada?

2. Where are they located?

3. Who compose their staff and what are their respective salaries, travelling expenses, living allowances and all other emoluments?

4. What previous experience had they before their present appointment as diplomats?

Questions

5. Was the government of Great Britain eon-suited or advised as to their selection or appointment in view of the war and the need of joint action with British embassies?

6. Are their speeches, on and off the record, first submitted to the government before being published, and does the government accept responsibility for their utterances?

7. What expenses have been incurred by each of these diplomats since appointment?

1. Four ministerial appointments to diplomatic posts abroad have been made since the house adjourned on August 1, 1942. Canadian ministers will shortly be going forward to the following countries: China, the U.S.S.R., Chile. In addition it has been decided to accredit a Canadian minister to a number of allied governments now temporarily established in London. Until these missions are actually established and final arrangements are completed, it is impossible to determine what the final financial arrangements will be.

2. When the four ministers arrive at their posts they will be located at Chungking, Kuibyshev, Santiago and London.

3. Canadian Legation, U.S.S.R. Minister- L. D. Wilgress, Brigadier H. Lefebvre, R. M. Maedonnell, Major G. J. Okulitch, A. C. Smith, J. A. McCordick.

Canadian Legation, China. Minister-

Major-General V. W. Odium, G. S. Patterson, R. E. Collins, Major H. Wooster.

Canadian Legation, Chile. Minister-W.

F. Chipman, M. J. Vechsler, Jules Leger.

Canadian Legation, Allied Governments in London. Minister-Major General G. P.

Vanier, Pierre Dupuy.

Since financial arrangements cannot be completed until the various missions abroad are actually established, it is not possible to provide this information at the present time.

4. The experience and abilities of each of the ministers appointed to these posts is a matter of public record.

5. Canadian ministers are appointed by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Government of Canada. In accordance with usual constitutional practice, the United Kingdom government has been fully informed in each case before the opening of new diplomatic missions.

6. For obvious reasons it would be impracticable to arrange for the submission of such speeches in advance in all cases. In general, however, it may be said that the government accepts responsibility for statements made abroad by its representatives when acting in their official capacities.

7. See answer to question 3.

1. Does the government still recognize the Vichy French government and their representative in Canada?

2. Has Vichy still an embassy in Ottawa and ivho compose the staff?

3. Have they representatives elsewhere in Canada? If so, where, and who are the members of the staff at each location?

4. Is there any inspection of this embassy or of its mail, cables or other communications?