June 20, 1938 (18th Parliament, 3rd Session)

Mr. WOODSWORTH:

I do not care
whether it was on Sunday or any other day; it was an unwarranted act whenever it was done.
It may be said that these men are led by agitators. I have not been, and other hon. members have not been,, at the coast in recent weeks. I cannot speak as to the particular men who are heading them, but I would say this, that if there had been no leaders I could well wish that there had been, and I give all honour to the men among them who took positions of leadership in an extremely difficult situation of that kind. I suppose we sha'.! have the old bogey raised that these men were communists or something of that kind. This situation has nothing to do with communism. It is the result of unemployment. And if there is nobody else to take the lead I hope that men will be raised up who will do so.
The irony of the whole situation is that the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) himself was away over the week-end celebrating his grandfather's revolution. My grandfather was on the other side in that revolt, but I do not hold it against William Lyon Mackenzie that he agitated against the intolerable conditions which, as I think we all now believe, existed at that time. But I ask the right hon. the Prime Minister whether he thinks his grandfather was justified in resorting to arms.