Mr. SPEAKER:

I desire to make a statement to the house.

After His Excellency the Honourable Ray Atherton, United States Ambassador, had presented his credentials to His Excellency the Governor General, he made a formal visit to the Speakers of the Senate and of the House of Commons, that through them he might tender his respects to both houses.

Mr. Speaker Vien and I returned the visit together and took the opportunity to express not only personal congratulations to His Excellency but the appreciation of Canada that the United States of America had honoured us by accrediting as ambassador to Canada one of the most distinguished members of its diplomatic service, a gentleman whose reputation had preceded him and who in the short period of his stay here has demonstrated vividly that his high qualities have not been exaggerated.

At the same time we expressed our profound thankfulness for the unbounded confidence which existed between our two countries, a confidence strengthened and cemented by that great occasion on 25th August last when the President spoke to Canada in this our own capital.

His Excellency was good enough to say that he would wish to convey our sincere tribute to the President personally. This he did, and on Tuesday last His Excellency received

a letter from President Roosevelt. I have a copy of this letter, and I have permission to read it to the house:

The White House, Washington,

April 6, 1944.

My dear Mr. Ambassador:

I am glad that you told me in your letter of March 23, 1944, of the visit you received from Messrs. Vien and Glen of the Canadian parliament, and of their deep attachment to the great tradition of Canadian-American friendship.

At some appropriate time would you please thank them for their kind words of me, both when I was in Ottawa and when you spoke with them at the Chancery.

I wish also that you would tell them of the instinctive regard and affection for Canada and Canadians which a century and more of successful neighbourliness has engendered among Americans. It means much to us that Canadian-American relations have developed a quality all their own.

I think also that it can fairly be said that we Americans face the immense tasks ahead with greater confidence because of the practical lessons of the past, the strongly rooted cooperation of the present, and the concrete ideals we share for the future.

Very sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The Honourable Ray Atherton,

American Ambassador,

Ottawa, Canada.

I would like to say, and I believe the house would wish me to say, that Canada affirms and endorses these utterances of President Roosevelt, articulating as they do ideals which link our two countries. We have demonstrated in what are now ages the blessings of peace between nations; we are proving now that the pursuits of peace have neither destroyed nor impaired the virility of our peoples, and we shall in the future seek, in unity to dwell, a peace which shall be for the benfit of mankind everywhere based upon justice for all.

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

Mr. Speaker, I desire to table exchange of notes between Canada and Newfoundland constituting the agreement for the settlement of claims arising out of traffic accidents involving Canadian and Newfoundland vehicles; St. John's, Newfoundland, January 24 and February 7, 1944.

Also exchange of notes between Canada and Newfoundland prolonging for a further period of one year the agreement on the operation of a commercial air service to Newfoundland

International Agreements

by Trans-Canada Air Lines, effected by an exchange of notes, February 6, 7, 9 and 27, 1942; St. John's March 1 and 2, 1944.

Exchange of notes between Canada and the United States of America constituting an agreement for the settlement of claims arising out of traffic accidents involving Canadian and United States vehicles, signed at Ottawa March 23, 1944.

Exchange of notes between Canada and Mexico recording the agreement in respect of conscription for military service in Canada and Mexico; Mexico, February 29, 1944.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

In connection with the exchange of notes between the United States and Canada in regard to the settlement of claims for injuries to members of the armed forces, as I gathered it, I desire to ask the Prime Minister if any arrangement has been made with the government of the United States whereby Canadian nationals may have some chance of getting claims against agencies of the government of the United States settled without having to resort to actions in United States courts. Perhaps I could go a little further and say this. It is a well known rule of international law that a foreign government may not be sued in Canada, we will say.' That rule apparently is being extended to cover and include agencies of foreign governments which have incurred obligations in Canada for and on account of a foreign government. In a case that has come to my attention suit was brought against a foreign agency and a default judgment was entered; then, as I understand it, the Department of External Affairs intervened and asked that the judgment be vacated, on the ground of a breach of international comity. Personally I think that is carrying the rule a little far; but the effect of it, if accepted and carried to a conclusion, is that no Canadian national can recover in a court of law in Canada his just claims against a foreign government; he must go to the foreign country to pursue his claim, at great expense to him. If it is possible to make an arrangement in this regard similar to the arrangement made in regard to the subject matter covered by the notes tabled to-day, I suggest to the Prime Minister that some arrangement ought to be made to cover these claims for supplies and materials, we will say, furnished by Canadian nationals to United States government agencies in connection, for instance, with the construction of the Alaska highway. I know of one case where a bill of $30,000 has been unpaid for fifteen months. The person concerned has a judgment which he is being

asked to vacate, and on which he cannot collect unless he goes to the United States to pursue it. Of course that ought not to be

the case.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Perhaps my hon. friend would allow me to look into the matter and give him an answer to-morrow.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

Certainly.

Mr. J. H. BLACKMORE (Lethbridge) moved:

That,-

(1) The petition of Ernest C. Manning and others, of Edmonton, Alberta, presented on March 29, 1944, praying for the passing of an act to incorporate The Alberta Provincial Bank;

(2) The report of the clerk of petitions on the said petition; and

(3) The private bill deposited with the clerk of the house on April 17, 1944, based on the said petition;

be referred to the standing committee on standing orders to consider the suspension of,-

(a) Standing order 92 (late presentation of the petition);

(b) Standing order 93(1) (late depositing of the bill); and

(c) Standing order 93 (3) (a) and (c) (consequential penalty charges).

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister); My hon. friend has given the first intimation of his motion to the house itself. The government has had no previous knowledge of his intention to bring up this matter to-day, and perhaps he would oblige us by allowing the motion to stand until another day.

Motion stands.