Arthur Meighen (Minister of the Interior; Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs)
Unionist
Mr. MEIGHEN:
The class covered
by this Bill are known generally as military defaulters. They are comprised of those who failed in their military obligations under the Military Service Act. The subclasses are specifically defined. As to those, the Bill provides that they shall be disqualified in the following respects for a period of fifteen years: from holding any office under the Crown, from being members of Parliament or members of the Senate, and from voting at any Dominion election. The Bill provides that any of that class who have satisfied any -conviction properly obtained and punishment imposed by such conviction shall not be included therein, nor shall any who came in under the amnesty proclamation of August last, nor shall any one who having been apprehended actually served in the military forces after apprehension, and, any who subsequently satisfied the terms otf any legal conviction thereby (become relieved of the disqualification provided by the Act.