Mr. Diefenbaker:

As I listened to my hon. friend I found myself looking back over the period of the last few months during which that once great party unanimously followed a policy of criticizing, condemning and calumnizing and then voting with the government. Over and over again they criticized us and then they emerged from their recent convention full of inspiration but lacking courage and now their leader moves a motion containing pusillanimous provisions and carefully designed to give the appearance that the government is afraid of a courageous stand-

Mr. Mcllrailh:

It is.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

-and so worded as to assure that there is no possibility of this government being defeated.

How do you know?

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I would suggest to my hon. friends opposite that it is not so very long ago in the pipe-line debate when they sang a hymn-

Mr. Mcllrailh:

Who debased the flag?

Mr. Diefenbaker:

*-and I would suggest they recall that to mind now. It is so worded -and the truth hurts-that it is understood even by those who cannot understand, such

as the hon. member for Ottawa West (Mr. Mcllraith). Listen to the wording:

And in view of the desirability, at this time, of having a government pledged to implement Liberal policies;

His Excellency's advisers should, in the opinion of this house, submit their resignation forthwith.

The hon. member for Yukon (Mr. Nielsen) gave the answer today. There was a byelection in Lanark which gave the answer; there was a by-election in Wellington South which gave the answer. The only reason that this amendment is worded as it is is that my hon. friends opposite quake when they think of what will happen if an election comes.

Call it.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I do not mind, but there was a day when noises such as that passed for argument but no longer. They worded the amendment as it is because they realize that there is no party in this house, other than themselves, that wants to see a government pledged to implement the Liberal policies forthwith. Oh, Mr. Speaker, I heard my hon. friend say in courageous tones, "Stand up or talk up". Today he talked up but they are afraid to stand up. He produced an amendment. Ordinarily the other parties are provided with a copy of the amendment at least when the speech begins. But let us take the various things, and I am not going to deal with them in detail.

Canada's total trade has ceased to expand.

That is not true.

Mr. Lesage:

Oh, yes.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

Canada's trade has

expanded in the year 1957, over the previous year-

For the first six months.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

Mr. Speaker, will you please have at least some degree of order.

Oh, oh.

Mr. Speaker:

I do not think either side of the house is entitled to call the other side names. There has been a great deal of enthusiasm displayed but I would ask hon. members to hear the speaker in silence so that he does not have to ask for order.

Mr. Chevrier:

What about the speech of the Leader of the Opposition?

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I mentioned a moment ago that Canada's total trade is expanding and has expanded. The amendment goes on to say:

Export markets have been threatened.

3522 HOUSE OF

Suggested Resignation of Government

I shall deal with that in a moment, but I shall leave the expansion of our arguments to my hon. friends, the ministers in question. The amendment says:

That investment has been discouraged and unemployment has risen drastically.

True.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I intend to show when that started and that my hon. friends opposite were warned but did nothing.

My hon. friend said there are problems today that were not even contemplated last June. I intend to establish as clearly as the printed word will make possible that during the months of March, April, May until June 10, my hon. friends concealed from the Canadian people the facts. They know that. Oh, what crocodile tears are shed over the farmers. The amendment says:

That farmers and other primary producers have been disillusioned and discouraged.

My hon. friend says, look at our policies, look at what we have done. Well, I do not know to which policies he refers because I read this.