May 25, 1931 (17th Parliament, 2nd Session)

Hon. W. A. GORDON (Minister of Immigration and Colonization):

Mr. Speaker, if
any such advertisement is appearing in the British papers with the authority of the government it is being done under some unexpired contract that was entered into by the late government. But I am inclined to the view that the advertisement which the hon. member has read, and any others of a similar character, are being circulated on behalf of the steamboat company concerned. The hon. member for Lisgar (Mr. Brown) need not fear that British people are being encouraged to come to Canada at the present time by the government making statements that are calculated to deceive and disappoint them when they get here. The government is not doing anything of the kind. Anyone in the British isles who cares to come to Canada under what I might term "his own steam," is very welcome, but the government is not publishing information calculated to deceive intending immigrants; indeed, no encouragement is being held out to such people. I will inquire into the advertisement referred to and ask the steamship company the reason for its publication.