Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition) :

Mr. Speaker, may I ask the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) when the notice of motion to set up a committee to study orders in council passed by virtue of the defence of Canada regulations will be taken up? I have had inquiries from hon. members desiring to speak upon it. I understand the committee is ready to be struck, and I had hoped that the motion might have been considered long ere this.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

I should like to have a word with my hon. friend about the motion. I hope to give him a definite reply to-morrow.

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

During recent weeks, the world has witnessed lightning war in all its fury and frightfulness. It is difficult to believe it was only twenty-five days ago that Holland and Belgium were invaded. We vividly recall the immediate heroic resistance of those two nations to the terrific onslaught of the Germans. We know how magnificently Britain and France responded to their appeal for aid. We have seen the German forces employing the full might of concentrated warfare, and, with incredible losses to their own man-power and equipment, crush Holland and Belgium and invade a portion of France.

The unexpected rapidity with which nazi Germany wrought her work of destruction was due to the most carefully prepared plans for invasion, to sudden action at an hour of her own choosing, and to the volume and power of her armaments. It was due as well to inability to coordinate in advance adequate plans of defence with the neutral countries, because of the over-scrupulous and excessive care with which they sought to safeguard their neutrality.

Battle of Flanders-Mr. Mackenzie King

We would perhaps do well to keep in mind that in addition to all this the quick success of the invasion was due less to the unforeseen suddenness of the attack itself than to wholly unexpected incidents in meeting the situation.

The all but incredible means whereby the enemy effected a breach in the allied lines was announced to the world by Premier Reynaud, of France, on May 21st. Its consequences were being met by (the most determined resistance when, on May 28, to the consternation of the forces in the field, and equally to the people of Belgium themselves, the king of the Belgians capitulated, and obliged his troops to lay down their arms. The already vulnerable position of the allied armies was thereby rendered even more perilous.

Seldom, if ever, and certainly never in modern times, has a military force been so beset by its enemies. Open to long sustained mass attack from three sides, and from above, with the enemy employing in fiendish fashion the most powerful weapons of modern mechanized warfare, the situation for a day or two appeared more desperate than any with which either Britain or France had, at any time, been faced.

The restoration of the morale of forces thus threatened with annihilation, and the evacuation of the armies thus entrapped and surrounded, has been the outstanding feature of the past week. We now have before us a full account of how these results have been achieved. The story is one of the great epics of history. If there was cause for grave alarm in the rapidity and rapacity with which the nazi forces made the headway they did, there is, in what has been subsequently witnessed of the combined actions of the allied armies, navies and air forces, even greater cause for belief in the ultimate victory of the allied arms. If there is one thing above another which the battle of Flanders has demonstrated, it is that in what the allied powers have displayed of effective cooperation, of initiative and resource, valour and tenacity, in these most critical of all days, we have grounds for believing that, as time goes on, they will be found more than equal to any set of circumstances and conditions that may hereinafter arise.

During the period of time to which I have been referring, it is obvious that for military reasons it was not possible for the government to make any statement with respect to the disposition of Canadian military, naval and air forces brought about as a means of affording more effective cooperation with those of the allied forces overseas. I am now in position to make a statement, which of necessity

85826-31$

must be general in its terms, but which will, I am sure, be welcomed by this house and by our country as evidencing the carefully planned cooperation there has been, at every stage, between the Canadian and allied governments.

First of all a word with regard to the Canadian troops overseas. The Minister of National Defence (Mr. Rogers) has already given to parliament a statement with respect to the use it was intended to make of the Canadian troops in Norway, of their being in readiness for embarkation from Scotland, and of the circumstances which occasioned a change in the original plan. One reason for the change of plans has since become apparent in what has taken place on the continent.

Since the invasion of Holland and Belgium, our Canadian troops on more than one occasion have been at embarkation ports, under orders to join the British expeditionary force and the French armies in their desperate struggle in northern France and Belgium. On the most recent occasion, General McNaugh-ton, accompanied by selected officers of his staff, carried out a personal reconnaissance of the battle area, and on his return rendered a most valuable report to the chief of the imperial general staff and to the war cabinet. That the Canadians were not dispatched was due entirely to the conclusion reached by the chiefs of staff.

As the possibility of the invasion of the United Kingdom itself has become more apparent, Canadian military forces in England are being employed in the way in which it is believed will best serve in the defence of England's shores, or in the reconstitution of a fresh field force in France.

The invasion of Holland, Belgium and France and the possible invasion of the United Kingdom has necessitated other means and methods for cooperation between our own and the British military forces. To mention only one, by way of example: We were asked by the British government if we could arrange to have some of our troops sent to the West Indies area, in order to free for service elsewhere some of the British regular forces stationed in that area. The request was immediately met. A contingent of Canadian troops was sent to the West Indies, convoyed part of the way by the Royal Canadian Navy. This Canadian contingent is now on active service there. Of other dispositions requested and being met, I am not free to speak at present.

The house has already been informed of the assistance given in the present emergency by the Royal Canadian Air Force to the Royal Air Force in Britain, through the dispatch and safe arrival of the advance party of a second army cooperation squadron. In

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Battle oj Flanders-Mr. Mackenzie King

order to speed up the supply of air personnel for active service, arrangements are in hand to dispatch overseas a fighter squadron, equipped with aircraft. A number of pilots recently graduated from Camp Borden, who were intended as instructors for the training plan, are also proceeding overseas.

To help meet the urgent requirement of planes, the government made available to the Royal Air Force part of the equipment which was in use, or on order, for our own air force, or in connection with the British commonwealth air training plan. This equipment included fighter planes now being used for home defence. Further fighters being manufactured in Canada for the Canadian government were diverted to the use of the United Kingdom government, also certain engines immediately available for dispatch overseas, and, as well, some Blenheim bombers which were in England ready to be shipped to Canada, and additional bombers which were on the sea en route to Canada, and which were sent back to the United Kingdom.

As the house is well aware, the filling of orders for aircraft of the types mentioned takes a long time. Some of the orders which are being filled at the present moment were placed a year or more ago. They have served to increase the number available in the United Kingdom in the present emergency. I have in my hand a communication recently received from the secretary of state for dominion affairs in which he makes mention of the fact that a number of aircraft-I shall not specify the particular craft or the number -due for delivery in Canada were en route at the time-I quote:

. . . Our urgent need for all operational aircraft was made known to the Canadian government. We learn that the Canadian authorities have turned around the ship containing these aircraft, and I wish to express the thanks of the United Kingdom government for this very helpful action. May we assume the Canadian government will be prepared also to forego for the time being the delivery. . . .

Of a certain number of aircraft.

Such decision would be gratefully appreciated.

I may say to the house that the government ordered the ship containing the aircraft to be turned back without waiting for a request from the British government, and the communication which I have just read is one expressing the warm appreciation of the British government of that voluntary action on our part.

I come now to the special assistance which the Royal Canadian Navy has been able to give and is giving at the moment, not off the coasts of Canada, but in British waters. As a result of cooperation with the Royal Navy

a rearrangement of forces has been put into effect whereby certain Canadian destroyers are now serving with the Royal Navy in United Kingdom waters. Their place has been taken by certain units of the Royal Navy assigned to service protecting our Atlantic seaboard. This rearrangement will, it is believed, have the advantage of making certain operations more effective. The house will readily understand the reasons why no further particulars can be disclosed at the present time.

I should like to read to the house the message which I sent to the senior officer commanding the Canadian destroyers shortly after they had left our shores:

In this hour when the skill, the strength, and the will-power of the combined allied forces are so greatly needed to cope with the diabolical warfare of a wholly unscrupulous and brutal foe, Canada will be proud indeed when she learns that, as the enemy pursues his endeavours to invade the British isles, destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy have crossed the Atlantic to be in immediate association with the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom waters.

I send to you and to the men under your command the proud assurance that the government has every confidence that, in your resolute hands, the honour of the Royal Canadian Navy, the traditions which it has inherited, and which it has created, are safe and sure. This confidence will be shared with equal pride by all of Canada once the Canadian people become aware of the presence of Canadian destroyers in British waters.

You will be supported in your noble mission by the continued and utmost cooperation of all branches of the defence forces of Canada and by the single purpose of the Canadian people in this war. Whenever duty may call you, our thoughts and prayers will be with you all.

W. L. Mackenzie King.

In conclusion, may I say that what I have to-day set forth does not represent the extent of commitments which, during the present emergency, Canada has sought to meet in compliance with special requests from the British government. With respect to all three defence services there are other commitments concerning which it is not yet possible to make announcement, but which have been, or are, in process of being carried out.

May I say just a word with regard to the report that the Yimy memorial has been destroyed. I have been in communication with our high commissioner in London and the word I have received from him is that neither the war office nor the air ministry have any information regarding the Vimy memorial. The air ministry are investigating the matter. Up to the present time no word has been received which would confirm the report that the memorial had been destroyed.

Hon. R. B. HANSON (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I am sure we shall all be encouraged by the narration of events

Battle of Flanders-Mr. Hanson

given by the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) this afternoon and the announcement he has made with respect to Canada's participation. He was good enough on one or two occasions recently to inform me personally of what had taken place, and I hope he will continue that practice.

I have very little, perhaps nothing, to add to what the right hon. gentleman has said with respect to Canada's participation. But I should like to read to the house a short extract from the speech which the Right Hon. Mr. Churchill made in London to-day. This is in part what he said:

We shall never surrender and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or even part of it, is subjugated and starving, then our empire across the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, will carry on the struggle until, in God's good time, the new world in all its strength and might sets forth to the rescue and liberation of the old.

In my humble opinion those ringing words constitute a challenge to Canada.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

Mr. Speaker,

may I add this word of information which I asked for just before I came into the house. The particular aircraft that were returned in the manner I have described when they were on their way to Canada were ordered by the Department of National Defence in April, 1939. It was not until the last week or two that it has been possible to get that order filled and, as I say, it was turned back to assist the British in the immediate crisis.

Mr. J. H. BLACKMORE (Lethbridge):

Mr. Speaker, I desire to direct a question to the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King). Before asking my question it will be necessary for me to make, with your honour's permission, a brief statement.

An order passed by the house on May 21 provides that government orders shall have precedence at every sitting over all other business except introduction of bills, questions by members and notices of motion for the production of papers. It will be impossible *mder this order to consider private bills after their first reading. I quite understand that government measures dealing with the war must be given right of way during this session, but I trust that parliament is not going to refuse to give consideration to such an important private bill as the proposed act to incorporate the Alberta Provincial bank. The

sponsors of that bill are the ministers of the province of Alberta. May I ask the Prime Minister if he will allow a day for the second reading and committal of that bill?

Right Hon. W. L. MACKENZIE KING (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, there is no desire on the part of the government to do other than to seek to accommodate other governments where that is possible, and certainly it will be a pleasure to me to confer with my hon. friend and see if it is not possible to make some arrangement for the particular measure he has referred to being considered at an appropriate time during the course of the present session.