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

Mr. Speaker, a week ago to-day, it was my sad duty to remind hon. members of this house of the first loss which death had occasioned in its membership in this new parliament. Hon. members will have seen in this morning's press, the announcement of the passing last night of another of our number, Mr. Harry Leader, the member for the constituency of Portage la Prairie.

It cannot be said that Mr. Leader's death was unexpected. For years past his health had been steadily failing, and before the end of last session he was obliged to give up his duties in parliament and return to his home.

Mr. Leader knew that he was suffering from the dread disease of cancer, but had hoped that the treatment he was receiving might prolong his life. Some time before the last general elections he announced he would not again be a candidate for parliament, but would devote the remainder of his life to furthering cancer research in whatever way he could. In the belief that he had made some progress towards recovery, Mr. Leader yielded to the wish of his friends and again became a candidate and contested the constituency successfully.

It is not without significance that Mr. Leader's death has occurred at a moment when there is under way a nation-wide campaign for the raising of funds to further cancer research and to combat by all known means the spread of this appalling disease.

Mr. Leader's death should speak even more strongly to the nation than any words or efforts he might have been spared to put forth had his life been further prolonged.

Mr. Leader was bom in Burnside, Manitoba, sixty-six years ago, in what was to become his home constituency-Portage la Prairie. In point of service he was one of the oldest members of parliament, having first entered the House of Commons at the general election of 1921. There are, I believe, only seven members of the present house who can date their first entry into parliament from 1921 or earlier. Mr. Leader's name gained special prominence in the general elections of 1921, at which election he defeated the Right Hon. Arthur Meighen, who at the time was prime minister. Mr. Leader himself was defeated by Mr. Meighen in the general elections of 1925. He did not become a candidate again until 1935, when he was reelected for Portage la Prairie. He was again reelected at the general elections of 1940 and 1945.

Mr. Leader was one of the best known of the western members of parliament. He entered this house and sat as a member of the Progressive party in 1921 until his defeat by Mr. Meighen in 1925. He was then absent from the House of Commons for ten years. In that interval of time he had, like the great majority of Manitoba Progressives become associated with the Liberal party, and when returned in 1935 took his seat on this side of the house.

For most of his life Mr. Leader was a farmer and will be remembered for his strong advocacy of policies which he believed would best serve the interests of the farming communities. He was a well-known figure as a breeder of pure bred cattle. A sterling independence and deep sincerity were outstanding qualities of Mr. Leader's character. In his passing the parliament of Canada has lost one who, throughout his life, had faithfully served the public interest in many fields of activity and who, in his death, has left a record of undaunted effort and heroic endurance.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Leader is survived by his widow, one son and two daughters. I know I express the wishes of all parties in the house when I ask that you convey to Mrs. Leader and other members of the family an expression of very sincere sympathy from all hon. members of the House of Commons.

The Late Harry Leader

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I am sure members of this party would wish to be associated with the Prime Minister's remarks. For a quarter of a century, Mr. Leader was a personal friend of mine. He was born, lived his life and died on the Portage plains of Manitoba, one of the most fertile agricultural areas in Canada.

For forty years he was engaged in public life in one form or another, either in the municipal council or here in the House of Commons. During his service here he sought to do two things, among others; first, he tried to secure a better deal for that section of our economy which produces the nation's food; and secondly, in his later years, when suffering from a malady which all too often proves fatal, when he thought he had found in the researches of a medical man in Winnipeg a means by which the prevalence of this disease could in some degree be lessened, he sought to encourage cancer research and to spread the doctrines that improved nutrition might help prevent extension of that malady. His death yesterday is a further indication that this disease still has secrets from medical science. But I am one of those who believe that Mr. Leader's speeches were not made in vain, because in recent years we have learned that improved nutrition has a great deal to do with the prevention of disease and early death.

In the passing of Harry Leader, Manitoba has lost a good citizen and this house has lost a good member. We here are pleased to associate ourselves with the motion of sympathy moved by the Prime Minister.

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

May I associate the members of the C.C.F. party in this house with the expressions of sympathy th'at have been heard. Like the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) and the leader of the opposition (Mr. Bracken) I had known Mr. Leader for a number of years.

I knew him when we were associated together -in the old Progressive party; and while we sat in this parliament on opposite sides of the house Mr. Leader was one of the men for whom I and those associated with me had the very highest regard.

We have lost two members of the house " recently through this terrible scourge of cancer. I remember sitting in the gallery of the Saskatchewan legislature when I believe the present Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Gardiner) was leader of the opposition, and hearing one of his supporters, a doctor, who at the time was speaking of this dread disease make the statement that if that legislature represented an average group of persons in this country, of the sixty-five members

thirteen would die of cancer. In the same proportion, forty-nine members of this house might be afflicted with that terrible disease. Harry Leader performed a great service to this country, I believe, when he brought before this house as forcefully as he did the hope that something might be found to meet the menace of cancer. We shall long remember him as a fine son of Canada and as a splendid representative of that great class who produce the food of the country; and those of us who havei had personal association with him, in spite of any differences we may have had, will remember him as a fine and true friend.

On behalf of those associated with me, sir, I wish to join in the expressions of sympathy to his wife and family- in the great loss which they have sustained.

Mr. J. H. BLACKMORE (Lethbridge):

Mr. Leader was honest, sincere, independent, public spirited, and virile. As a member of parliament he was conscientious, industrious and effective. A genuine man of the soil, he was a consistent and progressive representative of men of the soil. Mr. Leader's death has occasioned a distinct loss to this house. The members of the Social Credit party join other hon. members in mourning his death and in extending sympathy to those bereaved by his passing.

Mr. JEAN FRANCOIS POULIOT (Temis-oouata):

Mr. Speaker, I was on my way

home for a long week-end when I heard of the death of my deskmate, Mr. Leader. I thought it my duty to return to Ottawa to say, in addition to what has been said of him already, that he believed in the brotherhood of man; that he was a great farmer and a great gentleman, with a big heart. I convey my deepest sympathy to his widow and children.

Mr. WILLIAM BRYCE (Selkirk):

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that Canada has not produced more men of the type, of the late hon. member, Harry Leader. His death is not only a loss to parliament but is a great loss to agriculture. His name will be remembered wherever Aberdeen Angus cattle are talked about, long after most of us have passed to the great beyond. Harry was a personal friend of mine for twenty-five years. I met him first as a fellow member of the United Farmers of Manitoba. We all appreciated his fine qualities, his honesty, sincerity and humanity. The greatest single quality which raised Harry in our esteem was his supreme courage. He fought against wrong wherever he found it. He always worked for what he thought was right, and championed

Lumber

Domestic Supply

the cause of the weak and the poor. He fought on courageously, though stricken with the incurable disease which has now taken him to his last home.

When words fail me in expressing my sentiments at a time like this I naturally turn to the ploughman poet of my native land, Robert Burns, who said:

An honest man here lies at rest,

As e'er God with his image blest;

The friend of man, the friend of truth,

The friend of age, and guide of youth;

Few hearts like this, with virtue warm'd,

Few heads with knowledge so inform'd.

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the Minister of Reconstruction. On one or two occasions in the past he has answered questions with respect to the supply of lumber, but they do not quite cover the cases which have been brought to my attention in recent weeks from rural Manitoba.

I wish to ask the minister a question arising out of requests I am receiving with respect to supplies of lumber in rural Manitoba, requests which reveal what is said to be the most serious shortage in the history of certain of the towns there. Will the minister tell the

house what action the government is taking to meet the situation arising out of the shortages of lumber, particularly in small towns and rural areas in Canada, and what these areas may expect in the way of supplies during the next few months?

Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Reconstruction) :

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend, in referring to the most serious shortage of lumber in the history of those areas, is speaking, I presume, in a comparative sense only; because I feel certain that more lumber was used in Manitoba in 1945 than at any previous time in history. However, the supply is short of the demand. March and April are always the low points in the distribution of lumber, because, while the logs have been cut, the lumber has not yet been distributed from sawmills. The cut last winter was the largest in the history of Canada, considerably larger than in the previous winter, and I think that every yard can expect more lumber this year than it received last year. The additional supply is some 400 million feet more than last year.

The amount being retained for domestic purposes will be increased by the full amount of the increased cut, and I feel certain that by midsummer the supply of lumber in all parts of Canada will be much easier than it has been in the past.

Mr. CASTLEDEN:

Has any action been taken to curtail the export of lumber which is so badly needed in Canada?

Mr. HOWE:

I have answered that question several times. I have said that lumber exports to our historic markets have been and are being maintained at their pre-war levels, and that the increased production in Canada is going into domestic use. I think the house will commend that policy. I think that countries which have relied on Canada in former years as their source of supply for their needs are entitled to receive that supply in post-war years as they did in the war years. We hope they can always depend on that supply. Canada is in a similar position in connection with its imports of commodities such as coal and cotton and a great many others. We rely on those countries which have in the past exported these supplies to Canada to look after the Canadian position in difficult times as well as in ordinary times, and I am happy to say that in general those countries have followed that policy. Canada is only doing for these countries what we wish them to do for us in following out our policy in the export of lumber.

Mr. ROSS (Sourish: There was a report in this morning's press that owing to shipping

Food Wastage

conditions in the United States much of the better grades of lumber intended for export to the United States are piling up in this country. I would ask the minister whether the controller could not divert some of this export lumber to lumber dealers in Canada until United States transportation difficulties are ironed out.

Mr. HOWE:

The controller is watching the situation very closely, but I would point out that the lumber exported is of different sizes and grades from domestic lumber and I doubt that it could be efficiently distributed in Canada. To distribute it in Canada would have no effect in the long run, because we have an agreement with the United States as to the quantity of lumber to be exported to that country, so nothing would be gained by taking the lumber now awaiting export.