Hon. Howard C. Green (Secretary of Slate for External Affairs):
I am not yet in a position to make a statement on that question.
Mr. Argue:
Has a decision been made?
On the orders of the day:
Mr. E. L. Morris (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Commerce):
Mr. Speaker, before the house resumes the supply motion debate may I speak to a point of personal privilege. I was required to be absent from the chamber last evening, as I am sure occasionally happens with other hon. members, by the visit of constituents on important business. I could not therefore be present when the hon. member for Gloucester (Mr. Robichaud) enlightened us in the debate. On reading Hansard this morning I found that in reference to a fine speech by my colleague the hon. member for Inverness-Richmond (Mr. MacLellan)-perhaps I can quote the remarks of the hon member for Gloucester-*
Order.
Mr. Speaker:
Will the hon. member state the matter of privilege before he begins to elaborate? So far there does not appear to be any matter of privilege.
Mr. Morris:
The question of privilege arises out of an assertion and asservation made by the hon. member for Gloucester on a matter of which he could have no personal knowledge. He said that I stated publicly before a group of Conservative women right here in Ottawa last Friday-actually it was Wednesday-
That conditions in Nova Scotia are bad.
My question of privilege is that the hon. gentleman, understandably-
Mr. Chevrier:
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege.
Sit down.
Mr. Speaker:
The hon. member for Laurier.
Mr. Chevrier:
I submit to you with deference, sir, that the procedure which is being followed-
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Inquiries of the Ministry
Order.
Mr. Speaker:
Order. Is the hon. member rising on a point of order or speaking to the question of privilege?
Mr. Chevrier:
I am rising on a point of order to indicate to you, sir, that this procedure which is being followed by the hon. member is entirely irregular because there are debates which take place from time to time, on the budget, on the speech from the throne, or on a motion to go into supply when statements are made which may be inaccurate. I think there are opportunities when objection can be taken-
Sit down.
Mr. Speaker:
I am sure what the hon. member says is so, but when a question of privilege is raised it is the responsibility of the Chair to determine whether or not there is a prima facie matter of privilege. In order to do that I must, of course, hear what the hon. member has to say. In what he had said up to the time I interrupted him he had not got to the point. I am not satisfied that the hon. member for Halifax should be interrupted until it is apparent that he has or has not a matter of personal privilege.
Mr. Morris:
Mr. Speaker, if the opposition do not want to hear the facts-
Mr. Speaker:
Order. Before the hon. member resumes, may I say that if he has been misreported by any member in the house he may state the facts simply, and that would satisfy the question of privilege.