Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

On Friday, March 16, an order

in council was passed relating to an amendment to the Canadian war service voting regulations of 1944. I should like to ask the Secretary of State whether it is his intention to table that order in council and, at the same time, if be would elucidate what this change really involves so far as our troops overseas are concerned in the coming election.

Hon. N A McLARTY (Secretary of State):

The hon. leader of the opposition was kind enough to inform me that he was going to ask this question this afternoon, and I table herewith a copy of the order in council. In explanation I may say that the ballots prepared for war service electors are of course, blank, but each war service elector is furnished with the names of the candidates in his particular riding, together with the designation of the political party or group to which each candidate belongs.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

How is

that given to him?

Mr. McLARTY:

The chief electoral officer has them printed following the returns from the constituencies, and in turn these are sent to the special returning officers who distribute them in accordance with the terms of the regulations, so every voter is made acquainted with the names of those running in the particular riding in which he lives. In addition, as I think hon. members will remember, special maps are being prepared indicating to the war service elector the particular riding in which he lives.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Showing the boundaries

of the constituencies.

Mr. McLARTY:

That is correct. It was thought that while section 50 of the regulations provides that a ballot shall not be declared void if it clearly indicates the name of the candidate, something more might be necessary in the event of a recount, if that should be made. Remembering that the elector has before him the name "John Jones, PC," or whatever the initials may be-

Mr. GRAYDON:

I am glad you put those initials first.

Mr. McLARTY:

Well, the question was directed to me by the leader of the opposition; that was the reason. Inadvertently, in copying the name, the war service elector might in addition, to the name of the candidate put the appropriate initials of the political party with which the candidate was affiliated, and it was thought it would be unfair to declare a ballot invalid merely by reason of that fact. It was merely to make the position clear in that event that the order in council was passed.

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

What instructions if any are being given to prevent identification of the ballot?

Mr. McLARTY:

I suppose where the name of the candidate is written in that may be difficult, because handwriting varies as between one man and another. However, that is the only variation I know of from the ordinary ballot, and it was only to prevent this being used as a mark of identification that the order in council was passed.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Opposition):

May I suggest to the Minister of Finance that when he brings down the resolution preceding the war appropriation bill, presumably some time next week, he might give the house details of the estimated expenditures of each department in some form similar to that in which this information has been given on previous occasions. The minister will recall that in other years the details have been laid before the house, in order that we might know what the estimated appropriations actually were for each department.

Hon. J. L. ILSLEY (Minister of Finance):

I think that would be next to impossible this year, and I have a different plan for dealing with it. We are concerned only with the expenditures for a fraction of the year, roughly about five months, and it would be just about impossible to give those details. I had proposed to deal wdth it on a different basis. When I make my speech I shall explain the reasons, and if at that time the hon. gentleman cares to renew his request we can consider it then. I thought the details would be given by the ministers of the various departments.

Mr. GRAYDON:

I should like the minister to consider the matter in the meantime. I have not heard what his proposed plan is, and perhaps I am somewhat premature. We do not, however, wish to leave the matter without some attention.

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