The same argument applies very largely to the amount set aside for the Militia. For many years we have been spending money on the militia, and it is probably necessary that we should have an organization of that kind. But I want to draw attention to the fact that, although we have been spending money on the militia ever since Confederation, when the war broke out the militia organization was not used in raising battalions, but the work that had been done in previous years by the Militia Council and by the officers and men of the militia and the permanent force was practically thrown to one side by the hon. Minister of Militia. Some Hon. SENATORS: No. Hon. Mr. CROSBY: You are wrong. Hon. Mr. LAIRD: Absolutely wrong. Hon. Mr. CROSBY: The militia regiments were not used because of some bad legislation of a Minister that you followed, the late Sir Fred Borden. There was a misunderstanding because your people did not know anything about it, and we had not time to look it over. The foundation was laid, and it was of great assistance in sending 33,000 men overseas in the first six weeks after the war broke out. Hon. Mr. BOSTOCK: The honourable gentleman may profess to know more about this than I do; but if he will inquire into the matter I think he will find that there was an organization in the Department which would have enabled the necessary battalions to be raised at a minimum of expenditure and trouble. I think that is a question that should have received careful consideration before we went on with an expenditure of a further sum of money on the militia. Hon. Mr. GORDON: Will my honourable friend permit me? Did the honourable gentleman not take the view of his leader that Germany was our friend at that time, and that we did not require any militia? Hon. Mr. BOSTOCK: I do not quite understand what my honourable friend is asking. Hon. Mr. GORDON: Do you want me to ask again? My question is this: did you not at the time follow the opinion of your leader, who took the view that Germany was our friend and we did not require the money? Hon. Mr. BOSTOCK: The fact remained that we had the militia; that in 1910, I think it was, the then representative of the Government, the head of the Militia Department, went over to England and took part in deliberations there for the purpose of organizing the whole forces of Canada so that they would be in a position to be utilized when any emergency arose, such as the war with Germany. Hon. Mr. CROSBY: They were utilized. Hon. Mr. BOSTOCK: And they formed an organization and adopted a plan and a policy that were to have been used if any trouble such as the war with Germany did break out. But I think that, as I said before, that organization was not used in the way that it should have been. We ought to have a thorough discussion and explanation of the whole situation before we go on spending more money on the militia. I feel very strongly that the Government are to-day spending more money than they are entitled to spend in the carrying on of the affairs of this country. We are brought to a position in which we can no longer borrow money outside of Canada. We are not acting in the interest of the country, we are not benefiting the country, if we borrow more money from the people of Canada for the purpose of carrying on the country's business. The Government should have done more pruning on their Estimates, so that they might be more in keeping with the present condition of the country. I do not want to take up any more of the time of the Chamber. There may be other gentlemen who desire to say something ou this matter; and I do not suppose that any further protest that one could make would have any effect on the Government. Hon. J. G. TURRIFF: Honourable gentlemen, the amount of the Supply Bill that has now been brought down should show the country that the Government are unduly extravagant and have not exercised the care and economy that ought to be exercised under present conditions. When Canada, with a population of from 8,500,000 to 9,000,000, has a Supply Bill amounting to some $630,000,000, and when the estimated revenue is only about $450,000,000 at the outside, then the situation is very serious for this country. Canada is about the only country in the world among those which are supposed to be up to date that is not reducing its liabilities. The United States, a country that I do not think is any richer per capita than we are, is reducing its war debt very materially. I saw it stated that during the month of April it had reduced of its debt by $275,000,000. The British Government are reducing their war debt at such a rate that, although it may take a considerable number of years, the time is quite within sight when it will be wiped out. In Canada, more than a year and a half after the war has closed, not only are we not reducing our war debt, but we are not even paying our way; we are adding to our debt. There is a material increase in the debt this year. The Minister Finance stated a short time ago that we were not going to borrow any more; but when your expenditure is $630,000,000 and you have only $450,000,000 to pay it with, if you do not have a public subscription for a loan, you must borrow the money in some other way; you cannot overcome the fact that the money has to be paid and the debt of Canada is increased. I am convinced that there is too much extravagance; that in many lines the Government could have cut the expenditure away down had they seen fit to do so; and I am sure that, if the people of the country once realize that at our present rate of spending we are not able to pay our way and that the situation will become worse and worse every year, they will be very much opposed to the extravagant policy that is apparently being followed at the present time. Hon. J. W. DANIEL: Honourable gentlemen, I did not intend to say anything at this time; but I do object to the statements made by the honourable gentlemen who have just sat down. I object to this extent. If money should be spent on anything in Canada, it should be spent on those forces and those undertakings that are necessary for the peace, order and safety of this country. We heard in days gone by, before the late war, similar sentiments expressed: "Nothing for militia, nothing for the army, nothing for the navy!"-the very things on which the safety, order, and success of the country depend. What would have become of France if she had not been prepared to meet the German army in 1914? What would have become of this whole country under such circumstances? What would have become of our Empire if the advice of the peace-at-any-price people had been followed and the navy had been allowed to go down into desuetude and decrepitude? The inevitable result would have been that we would now be the slaves of Germany. We would have had no country of our own to live in, let alone to boast of. I cannot understand the views of people who want to spend money on everything else-even on the Hudson Bay railwayrather than on the forces on which the peace, order, and safety of our country depend. I certainly must protest against the statement that the armed force of our country must be the first thing to be set aside when economy is considered. The motion was agreed to, and the Bill was read the second time. THIRD READING. Hon. Sir JAMES LOUGHEED moved the third reading of the Bill. The motion was agreed to, and the Bill was read the third time and passed. The Senate adjourned during pleasure. After some time the sitting was resumed. PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. His Excellency the Governor General having come and being seated on the Throne: The Hon. the SPEAKER commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to proceed to the House of Commons and acquaint that House that: "It is His Excellency the Governor General's pleasure they attend him immediately in the Senate Chamber." Who being come with their Speaker The following Bills were assented to, in His Majesty's name, by His Excellency the Governor General: BILLS ASSENTED TO. An Act to amend the Inspection and Sale Act. An Act to amend the Admiralty Act. An Act to amend the Northwest Game Act. An Act respecting the Director of Coal Operations. An Act for the relief of Mary Oakley. An Act for the relief of Margaret Elizabeth Cooper. An Act for the relief of Catherine Burfoot. An Act for the relief of Thomas Lindsay Thacker. An Act for the relief of Margaret Henrietta Pettit. An Act for the relief of John William Wallace. An Act respecting the Colonial Investment and Loan Company. An Act to incorporate The Great West Bank of Canada. An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts respecting the British America Assurance Company. An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts respecting the Western Assurance Company. An Act for the relief of Edith Eilen Holmes Austin. An Act for the relief of Ethelbert Gilmour Harris. An Act for the relief of Albert Ernest Wice. An Act for the relief of Peter Sutherland An Act for the relief of Roy Bradley. An Act for the relief of Alexander Ross, An Act for the relief of Jean Mary Sandford. An Act to incorporate The North West Route, An Act to amend the Customs Tariff, 1907. An Act to amend the Penitentiary Act. An Act to amend the Irrigation Act. An Act respecting Dominion Trust Company. An Act to incorporate Reliance Insurance Company of Canada. An Act respecting Maple Products. An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act (Sick and Distressed Mariners). An Act respecting Canadian National Railways. An Act to regulate the Sale and Inspection of Commercial Feeding Stuffs, Bran, Shorts, Middlings and Chop Feeds. An Act to amend the Railway Act, 1919. An Act for the relief of John Covert. An Act for the relief of Richard Simpson. An Act to amend the Militia Pension Act. An Act to amend The Pension Act. An Act to amend the Civil Service Act, 1918, and the Civil Service Amendment Act, 1919. An Act to provide for the Settlement of Differences between the Governments of the Dominion of Canada and the Province of British Columbia respecting Indian Lands and certain other Indian Affairs in the said Province. An Act respecting The Dominion Fire Insurance Company. An Act to amend the Indian Act. An Act for the relief of Muriel Curren Gilmour. An Act for the relief of Marie Jeanne Yvonne Albertine St. Amour Lallemand. An Act for the relief of Lauretta Estelle Cook. An Act for the relief of Reginald Barlow. Muir An Act for the relief of Alfred John Crawford. An Act for the relief of Frederick Minskip. An Act for the relief of John Donnelly. An Act to amend The Income War Tax Act, 1917. S-55 An Act to amend The Special War Revenue Act, 1915. An Act to confirm certain borrowings under The Demobilization Appropriation Act, 1919. An Act respecting the Election of Members of the House of Commons and the Electoral Franchise. An Act respecting The Canadian Wheat Board. An Act to amend The Railway Act, 1919. An Act to amend the Criminal Code. An Act for the relief of Mildred Euphemia An Act for the relief of Arthur John Frank- An Act for the relief of Mahala Burton. An Act to provide for the retirement of certain members of the Public Service. An Act to amend The Canada Grain Act. 31st After which His Excellency the Governor General was pleased to close the fourth session of the thirteenth Parliament of the Dominion of Canada with the following Speech: Honourable Gentlemen of the Senate: Gentlemen of the House of Commons: In relieving you from further attendance in Parliament, I am happy to recall that your labours during the session have resulted in many beneficial enactments. You have given to the Franchise Act the long and careful deliberation which the importance of this measure amply justified. It embodies provisions which should insure the preparation of fair and impartial lists at all future elections. The liberal increases in pensions which have been granted, the establishment of a scheme of state insurance for returned soldiers, and the further provisions concerning the settlement of soliders upon the land, have shown your determination to take every practical means of fulfilling just obligations towards those who have rendered to our country such conspicuous service. In the taxation measures which have been adopted, you have courageously taken account of a difficult financial situation and it may be confidently expected that they will materially increase the revenues. You have wisely made provision to continue authority for the supervision of the marketing of the Canadian wheat crops, if events in the world's markets should render this the most advantageous method of protecting the interests of the Canadian people. The exercise of this authority will necessarily receive the most at REVISED EDITION, tentive and careful consideration advisers. from my The measure providing for the control of fuel recognizes the peculiar importance of this matter in the national economy and the need for insuring supplies to the greatest possible extent. You have adopted legislation with respect to shipbuilding which should result in the continued employment of many thousands of men hitherto engaged in that and associated industries. The provision made for the naval service wisely recognizes the importance of preserving a nucleus which can be developed if need should arise. Provision for the air service has also been made in such a manner as will produce the largest trained personnel consistent with the financial capacity of the country. Because of Canada's peculiar geographical position and features, it is highly important that the possibilities of this new method of communication and transportation should be fully explored. The Air Board will be enabled to watch every new development and to take practical steps in the interests of aerial navigation in the Dominion. The measure for the education and enfranchisement of Indians constitutes an effective means of enabling these wards of the nation to make further advance to the responsibilities of citizenship. The settlement of the issues of the war still proceeds, but it is hoped that before another Session the final treaties will have been concluded. After obtaining your approval the Government have sanctioned on behalf of Canada, the ratification of the Treaty with Bulgaria; the Treaty with Hungary has been signed, but the Treaty with Turkey is still under negotiation. During the Session, as a result of a Conference between the Government and the Governments of the British West Indian Colonies, an important agreement was concluded with the object of rendering still closer the trade relationship between Canada and these Colonies and of improving the means of intercourse and communication. This agreement will be submitted to you in due course. Gentlemen of the House of Commons: In His Majesty's name I thank you for the provision you have made for the needs of the public service. Honourable Gentlemen of the Senate: Gentlemen of the House of Commons: On your return to your homes, I trust you will find such reassuring evidences of a bountiful harvest and of continued productiveness in every sphere of national activity as will enhance your confidence in the prosperity and stability of the Dominion in these critical times. INDEX TO SENATE DEBATES FOURTH SESSION, THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT, 1920. ABBREVIATIONS:-1r, 2r, 3r, first, second or third reading. Com Committee. M-Motion. Judges Act Amendment Bill, 845-849 Parliamentary services, proposed amalgama- Returned Soldiers Insurance Bill, 736-742 Electrification of government railways, 197 Betting and Pool-selling. See Crminial Code 867 |