Mr. J. S. Sinnott (Springfield):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege, having to do with an editorial in the Manitoba Commonwealth of March 19, 1949, referring to myself. The editorial reads in part as follows:

The average income of a skilled railway worker is now about $2,600 a year. Mr. Sinnott, the Liberal M.P., does not consider this a very big income, as incomes go, but he considers it too much for rail-waymen.

I deny that statement emphatically; I never said any such thing. In fact this is a dodge of the socialist party. They are holding their convention in my riding on April 9.

Mr. Maclnnis:

What did you say?

Mr. Ross (Souris):

Are you sure you will not be a candidate at the convention?

Mr. Sinnott:

I say to the man who wrote this half-baked article that he should refer to page 5421 of Hansard of 1948. If he does so, he will see where I stand as far as railway workers and all other wage earners are concerned.

Mr. Maclnnis:

What do you say in 1949?

Mr. Sinnott:

For the information of the writer of the article, I may say that railway workers are my best friends. A railway worker was one of those who seconded my nomination last fall.

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Hon. members will no doubt be interested to learn of the arrangements being made to mark the entry of Newfoundland into confederation. Brief ceremonies are being arranged at St. John's and at Ottawa on Friday, April 1, and they will be broadcast both by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and by the Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland.

The ceremony will begin with the reading of the commission and the swearing in of the lieutenant governor of the new province at St. John's. As part of the same ceremony, the Secretary of State of Canada (Mr. Gibson) will present a token certificate of Canadian citizenship to the newly-appointed lieutenant governor, who will receive it on behalf of the people of Newfoundland. This ceremony will be broadcast from St. John's, beginning at twelve o'clock noon Ottawa time, one-thirty p.m. St. John's time.

The ceremony at Ottawa will follow immediately. It will be held on parliament hill. His Excellency the Governor General, I as Prime Minister, and a minister from Newfoundland who will be sworn in that morning, will welcome the new province. As part of the ceremony in Ottawa the first strokes will be taken to carve the Newfoundland coat of arms on the blank plaque under the arch of the peace tower.

A program will be made public for Thursday afternoon's papers giving any additional details which may be of general interest.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

I should like to move the motion of which notice is to be found at page 34 of today's orders of the day. It reads:

That on Monday, March 28 instant, government notices of motions shall have precedence over all other business except routine proceedings, introduction of bills, questions, and notices of motions for production of papers.

The purpose of the motion is to provide an opportunity to discuss today the resolution standing in my name having to do with the North Atlantic security pact. If the motion that I have just read is adopted, it is not the intention of the government to avail itself of it for any other purpose than to consider the motion with respect to the North Atlantic security pact. If that motion is disposed of before the end of the day the house will then revert to the business provided by the standing orders.

(Translation):

Mr. Maxime Raymond (Beauharnois-Laprairie):

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I am unable to support this motion. The private

Business of the House members' privileges have been completely abolished during the past few years. During the war, such days as were allotted private members, under the rules of the house, for the introduction of resolutions, were abolished for special reasons. Since the end of the war, the habit seems to endure. Here seems to be a trend to perpetuate this sort of thing through motions inviting the house to suspend certain standing orders to permit the introduction of emergency legislation. This year we had the Newfoundland bill. And then, the extraordinary powers act, expiring at the end of March, came up for discussion. We agreed to these bills.

The North Atlantic pact is to be signed on Monday next only. I fail to see why the government does not wait until tomorrow before introducing its resolution. This would leave ample time for discussion before next Monday. Furthermore, I would point out that at present there are 47 resolutions appearing on the orders of the day and I have reason to believe that not one of them will be submitted to the house during the present session.

I would therefore ask the Prime Minister not to have this motion introduced today but to kindly wait until tomorrow, the day allotted for government business. As far as I am concerned, I do not support this motion.

(Text):

Mr. Si. Laurent:

I am sorry I did not take the precaution of speaking to the hon. member about this motion. I discussed it with the three leaders of the groups in the house which are rather larger than his own, and having obtained their agreement, and arrangements having been made, I do not feel that I can acquiesce in the suggestion of the hon. member that the motion be deferred. This matter is one of urgent public interest. The hon. member will have noticed that my motion deals only with the procedure for today. I hope he will not insist on dividing the house on the motion, but I am not in a position to withdraw it.

(Translation) :

Mr. Raymond (Beauharnois-Laprairie):

With your permission, Mr. Speaker-

Mr. Speaker:

The hon. member has spoken once already. I regret he is not allowed to speak a second time.

Mr. Raymond (Beauharnois-Laprairie):

wish to ask the Prime Minister a question. Would the Prime Minister agree to let the discussion go on until tomorrow? On that condition, I would be prepared to withdraw my opposition.

(Text):