April 21, 1926 (15th Parliament, 1st Session)

Mr. SPENCE (Maple Creek) :

Someone
says, hear, hear. Well, the principle, in my opinion, is quite false. To build a tariff on the principle of retaliation is to maintain a policy of war. If we are to have a tariff at all we must take into consideration the natural physical conditions of the country.
I have tried this afternoon, not very well, I fear, to emphasize the importance of the great agricultural industry of this country and have endeavoured to show that it is the keystone of the arch of our national success. The first thing that must be taken into account in estimating Canada's progress is the extent of her agricultural exports. It was manifestly stupid of us to maintain a tariff against American cattle while ours were free.