Mr. ILSLEY:

How much?

Mr. ILSLEY:

If I remember correctly

several hundred witnesses were examined before that commission.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I have not very much more to say. I did intend, if I had time, to deal with another class of attackss upon the budget, particularly those made by the Progressive party. Their attacks, as the Minister of Justice (Mr. Lapointe) pointed out this afternoon, are diametrically opposed to those which have been made by the Conservative official opposition, but I think I will not go into that question to-night. It involves a discussion of the practicability and possibility of group government in this country; it involves a discussion as to the lines of cleavage between the parties; it involves the question of whether compromise is or is not a necessity of government in Canada, and I will reserve that for some future time.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I can only say what follows from my remarks, that I shall certainly vote against these two amendments and in support of the resolution.

Mr. ILSLEY:

Did my hon. friend ever

make any computation as to how much the reduction in freight rates and the subventions should be in order to effect what he desires?

Mr. ILSLEY:

I am going by unrevised Hansard. The context, however, shows that my hon. friend must have had reference to secession, because he goes on to talk about the policy of the Halifax Chronicle and declares that secession never received support from members on his side of the house. What then was he talking about if not secession? But I am not particularly concerned about having the matter cleared up, although I think it is just as well to have the record straight. Let me say that there is not a member on this side of the house who has ever advocated secession in the province of Nova Scotia. But the same is not true of hon. gentlemen to the left of the Speaker. I would refer to that chapter in the history of the Conservative party in the province of Nova Scotia in the year 1923 with reference to this question. In that year the Conservative opposition in the Nova Scotia legislature sponsored and introduced a motion known as the Corning resolution, the last recital of which I wish to read:

And whereas, Nova Scotia if an independent, self-governing British dominion, would be able to protect its farmers, fishermen and industrial workers through tariff measures and trade treaties, thus preserving its home markets and furnishing employment to its people and profitable investment for capital, and build up the enterprise and population of the province.

Therefore resolved, that in'the opinion of this house a vote of the electors of Nova Scotia should be taken by way of referendum for the purpose of ascertaining whether the people of this province favour its withdrawal from confederation and the reconstitution of Nova Scotia as an independent, self-governing British dominion.

Every Liberal member voted against that resolution; every Conservative member voted for it. And amongst the Conservative members who voted for the resolution, according to the Journals of the House of Assembly of

Nova Scotia, at page 262-the vote was taken on April 20, 1923-I find the name of the same Mr. Macdonald who pounds his desk so vigorously on the other side of the house when he considers that hon. gentlemen opposite make a point.

Mr. ILSLEY:

As my hon. friend knows, one of his friends, Mr. Bamjum, on the eve of the election of 1925, promised to build one there.