Hon. HUMPHREY MITCHELL (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, because of the general interest in the matter I thought I should inform hon. members that definite arrangements have now been made for the movement of the first group of Japanese nationals from Canada to Japan. The group being sent consists of those who elected to be repatriated to Japan and who have .not asked

[Mr. Coldwell.l

that their requests be cancelled; in other words the group being dealt with at present are those who have asked for the privilege of returning to Japan, and who are being assisted to go.- The details of the arrangement I think are well known to hon. members.

In the class I have been speaking of will be those who are perfectly satisfied to be repatriated to Japan, and it is anticipated there will be approximately 1,500, including men, women and children. Most of them are coming from the settlements in the interior of British Columbia, but a few are coming from Alberta and Manitoba and some who have been in internment camps at Angler, Ontario. All arrangements have been made for the movement to Vancouver, and it is anticipated the first boat will leave Vancouver on May 28, carrying some 680, while the second boat will be leaving about the end of May carrying approximately 900.

While on the subject I might say that we will defer deportation proceedings pending the decision of the privy council, to which authority the case has been appealed. The department is proceeding as rapidly as possible with the dispersal of others to various parts of Canada, seeing to it that only a limited number are sent to each place and emphasizing placement in agriculture or lumbering or logging.

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

The minister has indicated Jhat about 1,500 are going in these two boats. Would he advise us how many Japanese indicated their willingness or their desire to go, in the survey made some time ago by the government?

Mr. MITCHELL:

I was looking at the figures yesterday, and speaking from memory the number is just over 10,300.

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

Under standing order 31 I beg leave to move the adjournment of the house, Mr. Speaker, on a matter of urgent public importance. News reports since we adjourned last evening indicate that the Prime Minister is to leave almost immediately for London to confer with Prime Minister Attlee and other commonwealth prime ministers regarding matters of common interest. The failure of the dominion-provincial -conference to reach agreement regarding urgent domestic problems, and the immediate necessity of reaching agreement with such provinces as are prepared to accept proposals

Conference with Provinces

for the general well-being of Canada, demand an explanation by the Prime Minister and consideration by the house. I therefore ask leave to move the adjournment in order that we may have an opportunity of discussing this matter before the Prime Minister leaves for Great Britain.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Having considered the

hon. member's motion, I regret to say that I do not see any urgency in' the matter, and I therefore declare the motion out of order.

Mr. COLDWELL:

Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that the Prime Minister will be absent from the country, and the necessity of coming to some understanding regarding these matters, \f I may so I think a discussion of the subject is urgently necessary. However, if that is Your Honour's ruling, may I suggest to the Prime Minister that a statement be made to the house and an opportunity given for discussion before he leaves for Great Britain. If that is the alternative, then I would suggest it.

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

May I say at once to my hon. friend-if I am not speaking at the wrong point of proceedings as set out on the order paper-that, as he is aware, the conference with the provinces is adjourned sine die. It is adjourned on the understanding that the Minister of Finance, in the preparation of his budget, upon which he is engaged at the present time, will take full cognizance of the representations made during the course of the conference. He will make a statement to the House of Commons as to the course which, in the light of these discussions, he thinks it most advisable for the government to follow.

I submit it would be prejudicial to the Minister of Finance, in the statement he may wish to make, were I to attempt to review the conference proceedings at this stage, or to indicate what the government is likely to do. I submit it is for the government to exercise its own judgment as to the right time at which to make any statement on conference matters, or a statement of its own position. I suggest further that any discussion in advance would prejudice the situation.

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

In this connection when the matter was brought up some time ago I asked the government if it would see that the proceedings of the conference were published. I should like to know if that has been done. Have copies of the proceedings been distributed to all hon. members? Further, have

the official statements at earlier conferences during the last nine months been made available to hon. members? I believe the whole record is to be found in those statements.

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

When the Leader of the Opposition raised the point of bringing together certain statements under one cover, I gave instructions to have that done as soon as possible. My understanding is that it has been done. Whether copies have as yet been distributed I cannot say. Similarly, with regard to the proceedings of the conference itself, I have given instructions that they should be distributed at once to the members of both houses. I must apologize for not knowing at the moment whether that distribution has been made, but I shall make immediate inquiries.

Mr. COLDWELL:

Some have been

distributed.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I am told they have. I believe that answers my hon. friend's question.

Mr. BRACKEN:

And would the Prime Minister see that the official statements from previous conferences are also distributed?

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Yes.

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

Mr. Speaker, arising from something I said a minute ago, may I ask if the government is giving any consideration to making agreements with the seven provinces which have indicated their willingness to accept the dominion's proposals, with minor adjustments?