Mr. Speaker:

Yesterday a rather acrimonious debate took place in this house on a subject I do not think I need mention, since I am sure it is still fresh in the minds of many hon. members; and I am hopeful, of course, that it will not be revived today. During the course of the debate the leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew) used the word "cowardly" with respect to the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent), and the Prime Minister demanded that the word should be withdrawn. I ruled that the word was unparliamentary, and that the leader of the opposition must withdraw it.

In reply the leader of the opposition stated that the Prime Minister had charged him with lack of courage. I did not recall having heard the Prime Minister use the words, and accordingly did not order him to withdraw them. The leader of the opposition insisted that the words had been used, and the Prime Minister stated that if he had used the words he would withdraw them. Apparently the house has left it to me to determine whether the words complained of by the leader of the opposition were used by the Prime Minister.

I have read in Hansard the record of the proceedings in the house yesterday, and I cannot find that the words referred to by the leader of the opposition were used. Accordingly I rule that the Prime Minister did not use the words "lack of courage", and that a withdrawal is not necessary. I further rule that as the leader of the opposition did use the word "cowardly" it is necessary that he withdraw it. In closing his remarks the leader of the opposition said:

If the Prime Minister used words different from those which I heard, and which I think I heard correctly, then obviously my remarks were related to words which were not said. Hansard will speak for itself.

I draw the attention of hon. members to these words:

If they were not said, then I withdraw what I said in relation to them.

Accordingly I accept the withdrawal of the leader of the opposition.

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I have no intention of reviving the discussion. I would simply point out that if you will check the record carefully you will see that what I referred to was the implication of the words. I also have checked the Hansard record; and I need not remind you that an implication has the same result as a direct statement.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime

Minister): I do not wish to revive the debate, either, but I do wish to point out the impression that seems to have been left with objective newspapermen in reporting it. The inference or impression left with reputable newspapermen who were attempting, I think, to give an objective report, is to be found in the report in the Montreal Gazette of today, the last part of which is as follows:

Mr. St. Laurent jumped to his feet.

"Mr. Speaker," he said, "may I through you ask ' the leader of the opposition if we are to take this merely more or less as a successful attempt to retire behind a smoke screen, or if he does in a manly way take the responsibility of asserting any charge whatsoever on the floor of this house."

Mr. Drew snapped:

"Mr. Speaker, I do net take very kindly to the inference by the Prime Minister that I am not acting with proper courage, but I do not think that my remarks indicate that I am as cowardly as the Prime Minister, acting in the way he has in regard to a minister with the power this minister has."

At that point, Mr. St. Laurent demanded the immediate withdrawal of the word "cowardly." Speaker Ross Macdonald agreed the word was unparliamentary and ordered Mr. Drew to withdraw.

The Progressive Conservative leader, amid a swelling hubbub, refused to relent unless Mr. St. Laurent withdraw what he understood to be the words "lack of courage."

Mr. St. Laurent said he had not used that phrase; he thought he had used the words "manly course." If the official record proved him wrong, he would withdraw.

Mr. Drew said he, too, would let the record speak for itself, and the matter rested there.

If that is the impression that has been left, the matter cannot rest there. I do not mind what epithets the leader of the opposition may choose to apply to me, or how much vilification he may attempt to heap upon me. But when unparliamentary language is used in this house and the Speaker of the house orders the member using it to withdraw it, it does not matter who he is; whether he is Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, or anyone else, he must comply with the order of the Speaker, and the matter cannot rest until he has done

House of Commons

so or has suffered the consequences that are whether or not he had withdrawn the word usual in the case of a member defying the "cowardly". It is that doubt that I ask orders of the Speaker. him to resolve.

Mr. Drew:

Mr. Speaker, as you have

indicated, you have accepted my withdrawal. But since the Prime Minister has chosen to reopen this matter, then the matter will not stand there.

He did not reopen it.

Mr. Drew:

The Prime Minister, in relation to remarks that have been made, has used the word "vilification". He follows up with that after the highly improper use of the word "smear", which is an unparliamentary expression and should be withdrawn. I would simply point out that this is just a blind by which the Prime Minister is trying to escape from his responsibility to clean up a situation that should have been cleaned up long ago.

Mr. Speaker:

Order. I thought yesterday

that the leader of the opposition had withdrawn the words-

Oh, no.

Mr. Speaker:

Order. As I say, I thought

yesterday that the leader of the opposition had withdrawn the word if it was found not to appear in Hansard. However, from what he has said this morning, I am not sure that he has withdrawn the word.

Mr. Sinclair:

Quite right.

Mr. Speaker:

It is necessary that the word should be withdrawn unreservedly.

Hear, hear.

Mr. Speaker:

If I allow the word to stand, or if there is any uncertainty as to whether or not it stands, where will the Speaker of this house be? Hon. members of this house have given the greatest co-operation to the Speaker during the years that I have been in the house. The leader of the opposition especially has done so during my term of office. In order that there may be no mistake about it, I would ask the hon. member to withdraw the word "cowardly".

Mr. Drew:

Mr. Speaker, Hansard will

show again perfectly clearly that I rose and said that you had accepted my withdrawal, but that the Prime Minister had reopened this discussion by adding to what he had already said, and had used the word "vilification".

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Drew:

You have accepted-

Mr. Speaker:

Order. When I completed

my remarks, the leader of the opposition rose and he created great doubt in my mind

Mr. Drew:

Mr. Speaker, there can be no doubt about it. The point is that you would have heard it quite clearly if there had not been the disgraceful noise that is being made by the members who are supporting the Prime Minister in his refusal to deal with this subject.

Come out from under the car.

Mr. Speaker:

Order. I think I should know definitely whether or not the leader of the opposition withdraws the word "cowardly".