Mr. PAUL MERCIER (Westmount-St. Henri) :

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member for South York (Mr. Maclean) is considering the proposition from one particular point of view. He is endeavouring to convince only one side of the House, and he turns always towards our good friends the Progressives. I had hoped, before he finished his argument, he would turn and appeal again to the whole House of Commons.

Mr. MERCIER:

My hon. friend is perfectly right in doing that. I know that he tries to convince only one side of the House that he is afraid of; but those hon. members have already decided to vote in accordance with their own interests, and as regards the solution of the railway question, they will be satisfied without any St. Lawrence waterway.

As regards the hon. member for Welland (Mr. German), everyone may have his own opinion. I know from his constituency, the hon. member for Welland lives on the

shores near the great Welland canal, and he is well aware that, if this proposed scheme were carried into effect, he would see transatlantic steamers passing the fine city of Toronto, going through the Welland canal, to ports on the upper lakes, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Everybody in that part of the country would like to see those steamers go further, even to the ports of Detroit, Port Huron, Chicago, Port William and Port Arthur. It is the duty of the representatives of Ontario to advocate whatever is for the welfare of their province; they are entitled to vindicate their right and to do the best they can for their province. Everyone is entitled to work for his province and to make the best use of the opportunities he finds on the floor of this House to secure the passage of certain measures. We have the same aim in Quebec; but in doing all these things, we have only one thing in sight, namely the welfare of the whole of Canada. I hope I do not hurt the feelings of my good friend the hon. member for North Toronto (Mr. Church), who moved the resolution before the House' when I tell him that this is a dream, a' lovely dream. Conditions in Canada at the present time, if we disregard the financial situation which is pretty bad, are not worse and are, perhaps, better than those of any other country in the world. Our railways are practically in a stagnant condition, but, if we give them a fair trial, better days may come for them. Our trade is suffering somewhat on account of the aftermath of the war; but to bring back prosperity to trade and commerce, and to our factories, you do not need to develop the St. Lawrence waterway. You do not need to tamper with nature's creations and demolish the natural gifts which Providence ha's bestowed upon each province. Let us take them as we find them and make what use we can of them without encroaching, one province upon another. Let each province strive to obtain from its natural resources all the wealth that lies hidden therein; but do not let us interfere with the rights of others. I was somewhat surprised at the views expressed by my learned friend from South York (Mr. Maclean).

Mr. PAUL MERCIER (Westmount-St. Henri) :

Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day are called, I should like to direct the attention of the Government to an article published in La Presse of last night on the St. Lawrence waterway scheme. Is it a fact that negotiations are proceeding directly between the British Embassy at Washington and the American Government with regard to this matter? If so, what does the Government intend to do to vindicate our national status, if we have any?

Mr. PAUL MERCIER (Westmount-St. Henri) :

Mr. Speaker, I feel it my duty to speak to the resolution moved by the hon. member for St. Mary (Mr. Deslauriers). This question may be viewed from many angles. I think the whole House has been well informed about the matter from a technical point of view; but the question may be looked at from the point of view of 'local interests. For instance, every hon. member knows my constituency, Westmount-St. Henri, which is divided into two big portions, one on the upper level, namely, Westmount, and the other on the plains, the two wards of St. Henri and St. Cune-gonde. Hon. members who have travelled through the province of Quebec via the Grand Trunk, the Canadian Northern, or the Central Vermont, have passed through those centres, and they know how the population is suffering as a result of that traffic, and from the smoke which spoils everything, and is even injurious to human life.

This resolution must also be considered from a general point of view as far as public health and civic progress are concerned. In Montreal, there are electrical locomotives leaving the Canadian National railway station, and in all parts of the United States electrical locomotives are being used with great success. No doubt, the problem can be easily solved by the electrification of locomotives; the population, especially in urban centres, will not be inconvenienced by the dense smoke, and great benefit will ensue in connection with public health and child welfare if this resolution is adopted by the House.

I understand that the Government is obliged to say that it is shouldering very large expenses; but if this discussion has the result of inducing the Government to do its utmost to remedy the situation, the

populations of the large urban centres will benefit thereby. I remember reading that Max Hopkins used to say, when he was looking at a locomotive, "I take off my hat to it." If fuel locomotives are replaced by electrical locomotives when trains are passing through cities, the people will continue to practise that maxim by raising their hats to this new electrification of progress.

Mr. PAUL MERCIER (Westmount-St. Henri) (Translation):

Mr. Speaker: The opening of the fourteenth Parliament of Canada took place with the prescribed state ceremonies and amidst the concourse of the people mingling their voices in praise to God and our Sovereign King George V.

I highly appreciate the honour conferred by the Prime Minister in calling upon me to second the motion to the Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne. This honour reflects highly upon the electors of the division of Westmount-St. Henri.

Rest assured, Mr. Speaker, that in rising amongst this distinguished assembly of the nation, I realize fully all the responsibilities which, at this moment, devolve upon me. Once my task is fulfilled my one regret will he that of not having been equal to the mission so kindly entrusted to me. I therefore beg my fellow members to be indulgent and rather attribute to my lack of parliamentary experience the deficiencies of my debut in this House.

To second in my mother tongue the motion for the Address is to seize upon a

pleasing occasion to pay homage to my Sovereign, my country, my province and my race; it is at the same time to perform a duty towards our ancestors for the heritage which we have inherited in the form of the British North America Act; it affords the thankful son an occasion to remember his native province; it moreover testifies to the return to our best traditions; it is to trace our constitutional liberties back to their origin; finally, Mr. Speaker, it is to sanction anew the official use of the French language in the debate on the Address and in the administration of the affairs of the country. General elections took place on the 6th of December last. The Meighen Government and its followers had not the satisfaction of seeing their deeds and their political programme endorsed by the people. On the contrary the Canadian people placed their trust in the Liberals, made them their authorized mandatories under the direction of a Liberal ministry, having as its leader the young and brilliant successor to Laurier, the hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King. The country welcomed the new ministry composed of distinguished statesmen, and in the true spirit of our constitution, all responsible to the people. Just as in 1896, when the Laurier ministry assumed power, the Canadian people look forward with confidence to the future, trusting in the guiding light of those who henceforth designated to safeguard our Cana-dlian traditions, direct the destinies of the country.

Within these parliamentary walls raised with such splendour from their ashes, Mr. Speaker, I feel throbbing in the elite that surround me, symbolising the nine provinces of Confederation, as it were, the anxious soul of the country. Canada is suffering from the consequence of the world-wide crisis; an epoch of heavy responsibility is its lot. Its revenues are no longer adequate to meet the national debt and to enable the federal administration to carry on. The country is anxious and suffering through unemployment; the wheels of industry are running slow. Our citizens bear up with sacrifices, proving by their quiet and dignified attitude that the solidarity in misfortunes must one day or another, earn them a better fate. As a representative of the people, I shared the intimate thoughts of my electors and with them I was most desirious to hear from the Governor General's lips, in the Speech from the Throne a message of good wishes and also the Government's pro-

The Address

The Address

termittent periods of unemployment, he has been magnanimous in his conduct. He never had the intention, as was so justly remarked the other day by one of their leaders on a delegation to Ottawa, to belittle any government, but on the contrary to co-operate to the best of his ability in the country's interest. However, in return he expects a legitimate and effective protection from the Government, a legislation which will give him hope of more favourable conditions of employment and compensation. It is with pleasure that I see that this question is under consideration and will be solved by the department to the advantage of all interested.

Justly does the Canadian workman hope, for the present Liberal Administration was born from the popular vote, and knowing its responsibilities, of an incomparable importance in our political history, it will strive for unity, right and justice.

Representing in this House an electoral division for the greater part made up of workmen, and knowing these good people, having witnessed the throbbing of their generous heart under their working blouse, I can vouch that the workman of my county, like others, understands that he has to work with the ultimate end of the greatest possible production in order to establish abundance and competition of products in the world's market. In so doing, he will have been a help to his Government, he will become the recognized artisan of the falling cost of living already but too high, the comforter of human misery.

And we on this side of the House, witnessing such a noble act on the part of the working class, shall continue to believe in the just administrative principles bequeathed by Laurier and which our party has always extolled in its programme and which the people accepted at the last general election, that is: that the individual of whatever art or trade, commerce or profession he may be, is indispensable on this earth; that classes must exist, help one another, love and respect each other in order to re-establish peace in this world and thereby assure the success and the welfare of humanity. This is, Mr. Speaker, the true doctrine; no other exists, to follow or to invent in order to make a people happy.

I admire the reference in the Speech from the Throne, which draws our attention to the fact that in the hard times we are experiencing a wise economy must be sought by all the federal departments if

we wish that Canada, burdened with heavy debts by the different administrations that have followed one another since the year 1911, meet her obligations. Official figures speak more plainly than words and sarcasm. On January the 31st, 1922, our debt amounted to more than two billions of dollars. Our current revenue on January the 31st, 1922, amounted to $318,489,889.74. The expenses incurred by the late government for the fiscal year ending on March 31st, 1921, required the enormous sum of $361,118,145.21. We must conclude, taking into account these figures, that the financial position of Canada must be judiciously looked into if we wish to maintain our national credit. It is absolutely necessary to make the best possible use of our revenue; to see that such an important problem as the railways be solved not in the interest of individuals, but in the interest of the whole country: to reduce the expenditure of the various departments to the minimum of their needs; to reclassify the Civil Service, if need be, in order to secure in every case the greatest efficiency and also that every civil servant may prove his actual usefulness by his daily labour. This economy which we are now preaching with a view to restoring our national credit, will show to the citizens of Canada that the hon. Prime Minister and his colleagues are conscious of their responsibility. No doubt, during this much confused period, they may rely on every member of this House who sincerely wishes for the prosperity of this Dominion.

Before I resume my seat, as I cast my eyes upon this 'House, I realize better now than I did at the beginning of my remarks, that it is composed of three parties. The division of the old Canadian political system into two great parties, Liberals and Conservatives, seems to have disappeared, at least for the present. The Conservative party died away, even in time of victory, and like an autumn leaf, was carried away by the passing breeze of Unionism. Since 1911, the Liberal party alone remained in existence. It remained the party of the people, of the humble and of the mighty, of the poor as well as that of the rich; untouched by the conflict of opinions which has destroyed everything else, it will live to promote the actual interests of the country.

There is a third party, named the Progressive party. At its head and in its ranks there are experienced men who are filled with the best public spirit.

The Address

The people of Canada, however, have looked at those political changes with some apprehension, but always confident in the destinies of the Liberal party and in the King Administration they look forth to the days of resurrection.