Mr. G. T. Fulford (Leeds):

One could not listen to the hon. member for Quebec-Montmorency (Mr. LaCroix) and others of our French-speaking colleagues in this chamber both yesterday and today without realizing the importance that is placed in the province of Quebec on retaining the form of education upon which the culture of that province has been built. If the federal government were to give educational grants to the various provinces it would be necessary for control to be exercised by the federal government-

Why?

Mr. Fulford:

-over how this money is to be spent.

Mr. Hodgson:

Why?

Mr. Fulford:

If there were not, you would be the first to howl over it.

Mr. Cardiff:

Talk about something with which you are familiar.

Mr. Knowles:

Talk it out.

Mr. Fulford:

Possess your soul in patience for a while. I think I have something that I can tell you, and I do not think you would want in the west what we have in Ontario. We in the English-speaking provinces of Canada-

Mr. Hodgson:

Where is that?

Mr. Fulford:

-have very definitely swung away from the old system that was known to our fathers and our forefathers. We have swung away from the cultural subjects of old, from the three R's, into what I shall call an easier form of education. It is easier for the teachers and easier for the pupils. It is more pleasant. Our French-speaking brethren in Canada have preferred to concentrate on the humanities, and certainly with the diverse opinions that exist in this great Canada of ours, it would be completely impractical and definitely not wanted, if standardization could be enforced.

Mr. Cardiff:

Eleven o'clock.

Mr. Hodgson:

Who is going to enforce it?

Mr. Fulford:

I remember some years ago a friend of mine returning to his home. His daughter said to him: "Daddy, may I have a razor blade holder?" He said: "Why do you want a razor blade holder?" She said: "Teacher said we must have it because we are going to cut statues out of cakes of soap tomorrow." If I have ever seen a man blow up it was that man. He said: "Going to cut statues out of cakes of soap. Now, I ask you what kind of education is that? I am going to write to the board of education and tell them what I think of them." I said: "I think before you do that it might be advisable to write a letter to the department of education. This may be some new fad that is going to improve their cultural life. It is going to make it easier for them to enter university."

Eleven o'clock.

Mr. Fulford:

"It may be something that we of the older generation do not know anything about." And yet, that is part of the fundamental teaching, or was up until a few years

ago. It may have changed since then. It was one of the things that were taught in the province of Ontario.

Eleven o'clock.

Mr. Fulford:

I bring that matter up, but there is much more I could say. I simply say I cannot support the resolution because I cannot see how primary and secondary schools could be equalized under federal control, due to the fact such control strikes at the very basis of confederation of this Dominion of Canada.

Mr. Knowles:

The hon. member talked it out.

Mr. McCann:

Hon. gentlemen will recall that on Tuesday a motion was carried suspending standing order 28. Therefore, tomorrow a motion will be made to go into supply and, with the Speaker in the chair, there will be a debate on external affairs.