February 11, 1943 (19th Parliament, 4th Session)

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

May I say a word further to my hon. friend, replying to the subject he has mentioned? My reason for asking to be furnished with a copy of a question in advance is not that I am in the least concerned about not being able to say something in reply, but that I would hope that the question asked would be really important enough to bring forth in reply information that is also important or of a pressing nature. I should like in replying to be in the position to give the house as full information as I may be able to on the question asked. That is why I desire to have notice where the matter is one of importance. I hope my hon. friend will not feel that he is restricted to giving notice at all times. Where there is an important question notice in advance will help me to give the house full information.
Some exception was taken to my saying that there might be some other motive than that of merely seeking information. If my hon. friend had wished to know whether any assistance had been furnished to ministers, that one question in itself would have sufficed without the newspaper article. The reading of the article was what caused me to think that there might be some other reason for the question in my hon. friend's mind than that merely of ascertaining if any appointments had been made.
My hon. friend has the privilege of asking me a great many questions. May I have the privilege of asking him one? I shall put it in the form of a notice, so that he will have plenty of time to answer it. I should like to ask on behalf of all hon. members of this house if he can inform this house how soon, if at all, the leader of the new Progressive Conservative party intends to seek a seat in this house. Does he intend to endeavour to get in before parliament is dissolved, or at what date is he likely to be here?