Mr. LEVI THOMPSON:

I do not know what the Government think of the suggestion of my hon. friend from Edmonton, but I think it would be well to give power to

the commissioners to expropriate land where they see fit, or let the Government do it themselves. I presume the minister is so well acquainted with conditions in the West that it rs unnecessary for me to 'remind him of the tremendous amount of vacant land that is held out there-and more so in Alberta and Saskatchewan than in Manitoba-for speculative purposes. The owners buy this land without any intention of working it, in the hope that as the surrounding land is cultivated their property will increase in value. Now, although every citizen is entitled to some consideration, I do not think very much consideration should be shown to a citizen who does that. I think his land should be expropriated. I think there is a great deal in what my hon. friend from Edmonton says on this point.

Let me add this: there is a public interest to be served as well as the interest of the returned soldier. All of us in this House realize, I think, that at no time was the world ever so close to starvation as at present. Our crop reports for this year are not very encouraging, and that does not promise well for next year, because whenever there ris a great shortage one year, conditions are unfavourable for the following year. On the virgin prairie a man could get a crop the first year, even if he only started to cultivate his land in the spring. He could groiw oats and flax at least, particularly flax, and that would relieve the situation to a great extent; I admit that he would not be able to grow wheat successfully. Of course, it is now too late for this legislation to be of any assistance in bringing land under cultivation and increasing production this year. That would help for next year's crop, because there is any amount of land actually lying idle on which returned soldiers might be placed, and so help out the situation, not only for themselves and for*Oanada but for the whole world. We who have some experience with western conditions know that the farmer feels he should have -more than a quarter-section for a successful farm. He feels he should have at least a half-section, and from my own observation and experience in farming I believe that is right. A farmer to carry on his work in the most successful manner should have 320 acres to work on

Mr. THOMPSON:

I wish to call attention to an error in yesterday's Hansard. I am represented as having voted on the motion for the adoption of the resolution, moved by the Prime Minister for the extension of the term of Parliament, and also as being paired with the hon. gentleman from Charlotte (Mr. Hartt). I did vote for the motion, and the statement that I was paired is not correct.

Mr. THOMPSON:

I followed with great interest the discussion which has taken place. I feel very strongly that Canada, in the very near future, will have a golden opportunity to reach out and get her share of the world's trade. Our interprovincial trade, of course, has been a great factor in our economic development; but we have built our transcontinental railways, subsidized our steamships, dredged our harbours, lighted our coasts, all with the ultimate idea of making our country one of the great trade routes of the world. And 1 think that just now, with war in progress and the sympathies of our Allies with us, we cannot do better than project our ideas regarding trade in the future w'th neutral countries and with our Allies. I have always thought that, we have never got our full share of the South American trade. Germany has had a very large percentage of it; Great Britain has had a large percentage of it; France has had a very

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considerable percentage; but Canada, I feel, has never had as great a share of South American trade as we should have had. In the countries that lie adjacent to the Equator, I believe, there is great opportunity for exchange of products with Canada. Brazil, for instance, offers a large field for the exploitation of our extra-territorial commerce. They grow many things which we want, and we grow many things which they want, pulpwood, for instance. It is generally considered that we have enormous resources in our forests for the making of pulp, aand I believe that Brazil imports a large quantity. The woods indigenous to the soil of Brazil, we are told, are not suitable for the making of pulp. That is one item, which, I think, .the Minister of Trade and, Commerce should investigate. I understand that there is an opening there in a larger way than in the past for the sale of our fish. Many of our manufactured products might find a market in Brazil. I am glad to know that we have a trade agent in the Argentine. Though that country and ourselves compete in many things, still there are articles which we can exchange with mutual profit. I hope the Minister of Trade and Commerce will be seized-as I am sure he will be-of the importance of cultivating as far as possible the exchange of products between Canada and the republics of South America. There is a great opportunity right now, and I believe that our neighbours in the United States are exploiting those markets in South America to-day, and I hope that we shall get our full share from now on as we have not had that full share in the past.

Progress reported.

On motion of Sir George Foster, the House adjourned at 11.35 p.m.

Wednesday, April 19, 1916.

The ' House met at Three o'clock, the Speaker in the Chair.

Mr. THOMPSON:

Have we any trade or commercial agents in South America?

Mr. THOMPSON:

Quite a few.