Charles Gavan Power
Liberal
Mr. POWER:
No; I am prepared to stay here a long time. I think the Prime Minister owes it to the house to make some statement on these estimates. We have no desire to be obnoxious, but when our friends were sitting on this side of the house we did the best we could to accommodate them in every way. My right hon. friend will not deny that we gave him and his supporters whatever information was asked for, and whatever questions were asked were answered by the ministers of the then government. I believe it is a duty, at any rate it is a courtesy, to give whatever information is asked for, and I do not believe the Prime Minister would be lacking in courtesy to hon. members. It is only in conformity with the ordinary amenities of public life that he
should answer a question put to him in a courteous manner. I do not ask him to give a general statement as to the policy of the government, although I think I would be entitled to do so; but I ask him, if he will not speak himself, to allow his ministers, the Postmaster General, the Solicitor General, or some of his other ministers to do so. Let someone on that side of the house say in the Commons of Canada what they have been saying throughout the country. The hon. member for Dorchester, who was so bold at a banquet, should be willing to explain his views to the house. Hon. members would, I am sure, be interested; I should be much interested and if on this estimate he will move for the abolition of the Civil Service Commission, I promise him my most cordial support. I will support him to the best of my ability. There are on this side of the house a large number of members who, like him, have had to suffer from the Civil Service Commission in days gone by.