Mr. J. W. EDWARDS (Frontenac):

Mr. Speaker, during my temporary absence from the Chamber last evening the member for Kingston (Mr. Nickle) stated as a fact something which was not a fact, which seriously reflects on me, and which I desire to correct. During the course of the few remarks I made last night I stated that I would not have taken any of the time of the House had it not been for the fact that I was absent last year when this question came up for discussion and that I was not here this session when the debate took place. In his speech the member for Kingston said-I shall quote, of course, only those remarks which refer to myself:

The member for Frontenac (Mr. Edwards) trembled with indignation when he approached the matter from the (same point of view.

I pass from the matter of trembling "with indignation;" that is not worth paying attention to. He said further:

"Oh, consistency, thou art a jewel." Because I remembered that in 1918, on May 21st, the right hon. leader of the Government moved hie amendment to my then resolution and the very gentlemen, who shook with indignation this afternoon and1 evening, voted for exactly the same language that the Prime Minister put in his motion a)s the language that I .put in the resolution which I submitted this afternoon.

The hon. gentleman, (to make assurance doubly sure, referred to the page of Hansard on which the division is reported. He said:

The division took place on that resolution, and is recorded at page 2448 of Hansard, and among the names recorded in favour of that resolution I see the names of Edwards, Oockshutt, and Sheard.

Mr. Speaker, I desire to say that I was not in Ottawa on May 21, 1918; that my vote is not recorded in any division that

occurred in the House on that date, and that my name is not in the division list to which the hon. member refers. I may add that at the foot of the list is this statement with regard to pairs:

The Chief Whips announce that there are no pairs on the foregoing division.

So that the statement made by the member for Kingston with regard to my voting on this subject is absolutely incorrect. I regret that under the rules concerning privilege I am not permitted to go further and say what I would like to say.

Mr. McKENZIE:

Has the Acting Prime Minister any news from Winnipeg?

Sir THOMAS WHITE:

The Minister of Labour and the Minister of the Interior arrived at Winnipeg the night before last, and yesterday were in conference with the authorities and the several parties concerned. I have no report from them to-day with respect to which I could make an announcement to the House. I understand that the situation is as it was so far as order is concerned; and we have gathered that there is reason to be hopeful of an early settlement.

Mr. CAHILL:

There was an item in yesterday morning's Citizen concerning the Winnipeg strike, dated at Fort William, May 21, which said:

Last night it was announced that General Ketchen has decided that when the moment had come for a show-down, he would send out the street cars through the city under armed guards with instructions that any attempt at interference was to be met with rifle and machine-gun fire.

Has the Government any knowledge of such instructions being issued to General Ketchen? Is this cold-blooded murder being planned

Order.

Mr. CAHILL:

with the knowledge of

the Government?

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order.

Major-General MEWBURN (Minister of Militia): I can say quite sincerely that no such instructions have been issued to General Ketchen, and that no such information has been given out by him. General Ketchen is in command of the Winnipeg Military District, of which Fort William forms a part. His instructions are very minute and very definite; I have been in

daily communication with him. I am glad

to say that the militia units in Winnipegthe 90th Regiment, the 79th Regiment, the 100th Grenadiers, the 106th Regiment, the Fort Garry Horse, and the 13th Battery are completely filled up with volunteers, with plenty of reserves available in case of trouble. In addition to that, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police are on duty in Winnipeg. The troops in Winnipeg have not been called out, but they are available, and if they are used in case of riot they will act entirely in conformity with the Militia Act, in aid of the civil power. General Ketchen is on the job and ready for any emergency. Specific instructions have been given to him, and he is perfectly well aware that troops will not be, as they never have been, used as strike-breakers.

Hon. Mr. LEMIEUX:

I have noticed that in the press a rumour is gaining ground of late that a new military force is to be created under the name of the Imperial Guards, in which units from the various Dominions will be included. Is the Canadian Government in accord with that policy? Is the Department of Militia taking part in the movement?

Major-General MEWBURN: The Government have no official knowledge of the jnatr ter referred to; all I am aware of is what I have seen in the press. A Commission has been sitting in the War Office regarding the post bellum reorganization of the British army, to which I referred when the Main Estimates were under consideration. There has been a suggestion, though it has never come to us officially, that in the reorganization of the Imperial army a Guards division might be formed, to include battalions representing some of the overseas dominions. If such a military force were organized the men would be voluntarily enlisted in the Imperial service. I have asked for some information regarding the article I saw in the public press.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

If there is to be any such organization I suppose the Canadian Parliament will hear of it, and it will be the subject of legislation?

Major-General MEWBURN: The moment I have any information I shall be very glad to give it to the House.

Mr. LEMIEUX:

Will the minister give a general outline of the purport of the Bill?

Major-General MEWBURN: I referred to this matter on the resolution the other night. This Bill is really in conformity with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police Pension Act. We found it necessary to make one or two amendfnents to the Militia Pension Act in order to take care of conditions that have arisen on account of the war. Under the present Militia Pension Act, officers and non-commissioned officers could1 be pensioned compulsorily only after twenty years service. During the war we have obtained through promotion from the ranks from 117 to 120 commissioned officers, and in the reorganization of the permanent force, there are more officers than there is room for in the establishment. A large number of officers hawe served over twenty years and some over thirty-five years, and the object is to permit the pensioning of officers and non-commissioned officers after ten years' service. This also brings the rank and file into conformity with the officers, permitting the rank and file to retire voluntarily, hut officers can only be retired compulsorily. That is, an officer cannot retire voluntarily if his services are required. This is to enable us to pension a number of senior officers so as to make room for a number of men who have obtained their commissions overseas.