Mr. C. E. Siephenson (Durham):

On March 28 a question which I had asked was passed as an order for return. Will the responsible minister tell me when I may expect the return?

Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

I shall be glad to make inquiry and see that the return is brought down as soon as possible.

Mr. R. M. Warren (Renfrew North):

should like to ask the Minister of National Health and Welfare (Mr. Martin) if he is aware that my farmer friend to whom I referred on April 8 reported on April 17 that he is getting assistance in taking care of some 4,700 geese which are now on their way to their natural haunts.

Mr. J. H. Blackmore (Lethbridge):

Mr. Speaker, last evening, just as the house adjourned, I was placing before the house

The Budget-Mr. Blackmore the case of Lieutenant Stuart Brown, and I had asked several questions of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the government concerning this unfortunate man. I had also read into Hansard excerpts from an article written by Lieutenant Stuart Brown entitled, "They put me in Essondale."

This article appeared in the Sunday Sun magazine of Vancouver, the issue of January 8, 1949. I quote from it as follows:

In 1927 I was a law-abiding citizen of Vancouver, partner in the building firm of Saunders and Brown, and at the same time employed as a real estate salesman for the firm of Waghorn, Gwyn and Company.

That year I entered Shaughnessy hospital to be treated for neurasthenia (nerves) and gunshot wounds. If treated for neurasthenia I might-in fact, most surely would-become pensionable. On the other hand a mental diagnosis would nullify entitlement to a war pension.

It was the general practice of the then medical superintendent at Shaughnessy to eradicate entitlement to pensions by any means possible. Such practice eventually led to his death at the hands of Tim Sargood by shooting.

And so the inference of insanity in my case started.

As I am quite normal, some means must be found to upset me-or my grounds.

And further down he says:

Through a pal came the first intimation of my wife's infidelity and the nature of the tie-up with this man. I phoned her on a Saturday night, asking her to eject him from our house, at the same time saying I would be home Sunday for tea. Instead of ejecting her boy friend she consulted the doctor, and from the South Vancouver police blotter this item is taken:

"Doctor Jones, Shaughnessy hospital, Fair 6000, reports a Lieutenant Brown, of 309 Slocan street, who is a patient at the hospital, went home today and threatened to kill his wife with a knife. Dr. Jones states this man is most likely to commit this act and would like him picked up and held at the station, and arrangements will be made to take him to Essondale. At this time Sergeant P. C. McKay and P.C. Lloyd brought to station Lieutenant Brown, requested by Dr. Jones, Shaughnessy hospital, to be picked up."

Here were the first illegal processes by the pensions department: (1) No warrant sworn; (2) no entry could be made into my house without a warrant.

The item about the knife is absurd. I did not even see my wife and her boy friend, who were down at the doctor's, and if I intended any real damage I owned a German Luger and a 16-gauge gun. Why use a messy knife?

Another quotation reads:

A sworn affidavit by George Watson, visitor at my house, states:

"I beg to state he was in a normal condition during his visit and conducted himself properly up to the time he left with the police officers."

A. McKay the policeman making the arrest, states:

"So far as I was able to judge, Brown was in a normal condition and conducted himself properly."

And Mrs. George Watson says:

"He was in a normal condition, and chatted and passed pleasantries with myself and husband in his usual cheery manner until the officers arrived."

Still another quotation reads:

From the jail I was taken to ward X, the jail ward at Vancouver general hospital. I knew Dr. Ansley Seymour, intern of the hospital, so sent for him to come down, and through him I got hold of Dr. B. D. Gillies, who came to see me.

Dr. Gillies righted matters at once, and I was returned to Shaughnessy, but my clothes were taken from me. Instead of acting reasonably, the Shaughnessy end only intensified matters.

And again:

A couple of days later the doctor brought to my bedside legal papers to separate me from my wife- and making over to her all our assets-which he ordered me to sign. I refused. Next morning two orderlies escorted me down to the doctor's office where he had a lawyer to enforce my signature. This lawyer, a splendid chap, Mr. Herb Drost, upon my explanation dropped the matter at once. In a written statement over his signature concerning the events, which he certifies as taking place February 8, 1927, he states, speaking of myself:

"He did appear a little excited, due perhaps to the fact, as he explained, that his clothing had been taken from him so that he could not leave the hospital, and he was not permitted to reach friends even by telephone. But I must say that during my whole interview with him he did not show any indication of what I would term insanity or mental derangement of any nature."

On February 9, the next day, I was sent to Essondale for incarceration, the date being certified in a document signed by H. G. Baxter, of the Shaughnessy staff. There I was, as a sane competent person, asked to sign legal papers one day, sent to the asylum the next. The late Chief Justice Auley Morrison, in commenting upon this point, stated very clearly to me that such a procedure would not hold good in any court of justice, if it were questioned.

It might be well to state here that I have some fifty-odd signed statements, some sworn to, and along the lines of the following letter from my then partner testifying as to my sane condition at that time:

"I have been closely associated with Mr. Stuart Brown for the past eighteen months, during which time we have worked together in the contracting business. In all this time I have found him an agreeable companion and a keen business associate, and I am altogether at a loss to understand on what grounds a board of doctors could pronounce him insane or in any way a fit subject for incarceration at Essondale."

"I may say that while he was at Essondale I had occasion to transact business with him, and again also during the period of his so-called escape from there, and at all times found him normal. In short, to me it is almost incredible that a man who is able to take his place in the world and earn his living in a normal manner could ever find himself in the predicament that Mr. Brown was in during the summer of 1928."

Mr. Fournier (Maisonneuve-Rosemont):

Hear, hear.

Mr. Blackmore:

I hope that Hansard will record the name of the member who has called "hear, hear". It will be good reading for the people of Canada when they see how seriously Liberals take crimes of this kind. The hon. member ought to have one of his own brothers in this kind of fix. He cannot

forget politics long enough to appreciate the misfortunes of anybody else. I read on:

"In conclusion may I reiterate that I have been closely associated with Mr. Brown for the past eighteen months, and would welcome an opportunity to testify under oath that during the whole of the period I have found his behaviour entirely natural and normal.

That is signed by Charles Saunders. I continue to read from the article:

Among these credentials are some pretty well known figures: Mr. J. R. Waghorn, head of the previously named firm; his manager, R. P. Burr, and his chief clerk, G. R. Riley: Valentine Quinn, vicepresident, Pacific Coast Terminals; hospital patients; all of my immediate neighbours, and a lot of others with whom I was in contact, all certifying my sane condition. As I said, some fifty testimonials.

A Legion committee found that in the records there is a statement to the effect that I had been in an asylum prior to the war-an absurd statement, and entirely untrue, and so attested by sworn documents by every member of my family, and George H. Cowan and Sydney B. Woods, both K.C.'s.

On the committal papers the Legion found also a statement that I had been arrested and charged with an offence against children. This is entirely untrue. No such occurrence ever took place, neither the offence nor a police charge. Questioned and asked for proof, the pensions doctor was forced to acknowledge to the Legion that there was no proof in existence. This may make it evident that a doctor may write any statement he likes into a committal document. Please keep in mind that these statements have not got to be sworn.

I do not desire to delay the house unduly with this matter at this late period in the session. If the people whom I have the honour to represent see fit to send me back to the house, I shall go on with this matter when parliament reassembles. One year ago I would not have believed that it would be possible in Canada for a returned soldier to be railroaded into an insane asylum and kept there for years and years. I would not have believed that the monstrous outrages that were obviously committed against this man could possibly be committed, and I would not have believed that the authorities of Canada would allow such a condition to stand unpunished and unrectified.

Here we have evidence that is beyond question. I realize that a number of the members of the house are deeply interested in this matter. I wish to appeal to the newspapers of this country, who have the power to give publicity or withhold it, and I wish to appeal to the people generally to give careful consideration to the case of Stuart Brown, and the case of Thomas Harvey which I have already brought before the house.

Let us remember that in the war which is coming any one of their boys, their own brothers, can be in the unspeakable position of Stuart Brown and Thomas Harvey. As I said last night, almost the first thing that Thomas Harvey told me was that in the insane asylum in which he had been incar-

The Budget-Mr. Black-more cerated there was another man who had been there for twenty-five years, though he was absolutely sane-a prisoner serving penal servitude with no crime against him. Surely this state of affairs is so terrible that it cannot be allowed to continue.

I wish to make one or two comments. Probably the Minister of Veterans Affairs (Mr. Gregg) will make a statement, but he may not be ready to do so at the present time. If he is returned, and his government is returned, no doubt he will clear up situations of this kind.

There are two or three things I wish to say in addition to what I have already said. My information is that the story which appeared in the Vancouver Sun was submitted to that paper in August, 1948, and from that time until January, 1949, the date of publication, was investigated by it from every angle before it would publish the article. It would appear, therefore, that the article is completely reliable.

I have on my desk two communications which came to me directly from Stuart Brown. According to his latest letter to me, Stuart Brown is now in Shaughnessy hospital recovering from a broken hip. He is now sixty-seven years old. His life has been ruined-ruined by the Department of Veterans Affairs of Canada, the nation he served in war. His home was destroyed, his children alienated from him, his wife alienated from him, his business reputation destroyed. He stands on the record as a criminal, for crimes never committed. He is still accused of insanity, which has never been established and cannot be established. Yet nothing is done about it by anyone in Canada. Surely the very stones on the street would scream out against such outrages.

In addition to what I have said I have a copy of the submission made by the provincial command of the Canadian Legion dealing with this case.

Let me make this general remark concerning our veterans. It is frequently urged that the departmental officials have to be extremely strict in order to avoid being imposed upon by veterans attempting to "swing the lead," to use a common expression in the army. I will grant that a good many men abuse the privileges which are theirs. I will grant that precautions must be taken against what is called swinging the lead. My experience in dealing with veterans has not been as extensive as it might have been, but it has led me to fear that far too much injustice is visited upon fully deserving soldiers in order to avoid favouring people who might be "swinging the lead." I should say it would be better to humour six veterans

The Budget-Mr. Boucher who were actually swinging the lead than to neglect one veteran who is in actual want.

I make that statement from the barest, purest sort of materialistic point of view. We have fought two wars within the memory of most hon. members of this house. We are going to fight another one, and perhaps still another; certainly we must fight the one coming up. In the midst of war or preparing for war the finest asset any nation can possibly have is a feeling of implicit confidence in the hearts of those who will be called upon to make sacrifices in the war, the parents of the soldiers, and the soldiers themselves. By such things as I have recounted we are destroying in the hearts of our people the confidence we shall need most urgently one of these days. We are going to find ourselves in a position similar to that of the boy who, in the story familiar to all, called, "Wolf! wolf!" until his friends got so used to hearing him that when the wolf finally came they left the boy and he was destroyed.

I hope we do not destroy the morale and confidence of our people by such things as I have come in contact with in our treatment of veterans. I fear we are neglecting six veterans in actual need in order to catch one veteran who may be trying to swing the lead.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I shall leave this case on the doorstep of the government and on the doorstep of the Canadian people as a whole, the responsible people whose behaviour will decide whether or not this nation shall continue to survive.

Mr. William A. Boucher (Rosihern):

Mr. Speaker, my first words in this debate and indeed my first words in this house must be to express my warm appreciation to the electors of my constituency for the honour and privilege they have given me of representing in this house the constituency of Rosthern. Some of the oldest settlements in Saskatchewan are to be found there. Fish Creek and Batoche are names that have a familiar ring to those who have read some of the history of our Canadian northwest. In the early eighties our pioneers came from many parts of Canada. Some years later they were followed by immigrants from many countries of the world, who settled down in that happy corner of Saskatchewan to become Canadians. Adopting the spirit of our first Canadian settlers, they laboured incessantly, receiving and giving all possible co-operation in the building of homes and communities, and adding the advantages of their culture to the development of what we are proud to call our Canadian way of life. This population, transplanted from many lands, has proved a most important asset not only to Rosthern and Saskatchewan but to the whole of Canada. [Mr. Blackmore.l

More thrifty, more sincere and more co-operative Canadians cannot be found today in any part of our land.

Before the turn of the century, in 1896 to be exact, part of what is now Rosthern elected Wilfrid Laurier as its representative. Thirty years later the same constituency elected his successor to the leadership of the Liberal party, the right hon. member for Glengarry (Mr. Mackenzie King), so he could continue his unrelenting efforts for the Canadian people. It is the earnest wish of the people of my constituency that in their name I should pay tribute to this great statesman, who continues to give this house the benefit of his wisdom and experience.

The people of the constituency of Rosthern are proud of the ability, sincerity and devotion to Canadian affairs shown by the man who is now Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent). Most hon. members had occasion to know him while he held office as Secretary of State for External Affairs and Minister of Justice. In the short time during which he has held the reins of this administration the progress of our country's affairs has continued without interference or interruption. The continued competence of the government, the increasing prosperity of our nation and his great humanitarian outlook have gained him our confidence and I am sure the complete confidence of the Canadian people. Those of the west have given a warm demonstration of this confidence during the last two or three weeks.

The people of Canada placed their confidence in the Liberal government in 1945. I am pleased to say, Mr. Speaker, that since that time my own constituency has given proof of its continued confidence in the present government, by giving the Liberal party one of the largest majorities it has ever received in the history of Rosthern. My predecessor as member, Mr. Walter Tucker, as you know is a very able and competent man. He was a big man here in Ottawa; he is a big man in Saskatchewan. We have high hopes for him in our province; and I venture the prediction that we will hear a great deal more of him in the not too distant future. I realize that my task in replacing him is a very difficult one. I have, however, pledged myself to do my best to follow his example. The people of my constituency expressed confidence that I could do that to their satisfaction and it will be my earnest endeavour in this house to fulfil their wishes.

Mr. Speaker, I should like to congratulate the Minister of Finance (Mr. Abbott) on the ability he displayed in discharging his responsibility when placing before this house the budget which we are now called upon to approve. It has been the lot of this country's

Minister of Finance in the last few years to propose some measures which did not make him popular with what is sometimes called "the little man" in this country. It is obvious now that the great majority of our people have readmitted our Minister of Finance to their affections. Some politicians will naturally draw far-fetched conclusions and, in a very loud voice, level some criticism at this year's budget. It is my belief that those politicians who criticize are not by any means the best judges of the question. The people of Canada who earn their living by labour in industry and by working on their farms-one must admit there are many more of them than there are politicians-are the ones to say whether or not they like it. I am convinced, Mr. Speaker, that the great majority of Canadians approve this budget.

Some hon. gentlemen from the other side of the house have maintained, and still try to maintain, that in this instance the majority has been bribed. Such a contention is utterly ridiculous. So long as we uphold our democratic system, and I am sure it is not the wish of any members across the floor of this house to see the system destroyed, so long as we believe in that system and believe that our people are not susceptible to bribery, then we shall have faith in their judgment. I am sure the members on the other side of the house will find this out for themselves as soon as, in our democratic way, our people are asked to write their verdict on a ballot.

The budget which is now before the house is a logical development of the sound financial policy that has been pursued by the present administration during the last war, in the immediate post-war years and in these postreconversion years. During the war the pay-as-you-go policy enforced by this government met with general approval. In the post-war years, although the taxpayers of this country would have welcomed some relief from the burden of taxation that remained on their shoulders, they readily understood that this nation's debt had to be reduced as much as possible. The immediate reduction of taxes would mean the maintenance of our debt and interest charges, encourage inflation and, in the end, would result in no relief at all. The careful administration of our fiscal structure paved the way for the more considerable reductions that are now proposed.

The record of national debt reduction since 1945 is one of which we should be proud and for which the members of the present government should be commended, because it is one of the important factors that make the present tax reductions possible. The soundness of the fiscal policies put into effect by this government is attested to by the continued prosperity of Canada as shown in the white paper tabled by the hon. Minister of

The Budget-Mr. Boucher Finance. Our gross national production, gross national income and our employment figures during the course of the last year were higher than ever before in our history and higher than could have been expected a few short years ago. Put in terms of fair prices for farm products, work and wages for our people, it means a greater degree of prosperity and happiness than we have enjoyed in the past.

The present government has pledged itself to maintain this prosperity and that is one of the important reasons why I pledged my strongest support to it. So far Liberal policies have succeeded, and I foresee that they will bring us more progress in the next few years. The reduction of taxes this year will have the effect of furthering this prosperity because it will more firmly establish the prosperity of the farmer. This government is fully aware of the fact that Canada is prosperous only when the Canadian farmer is prosperous. Our experience under a Tory government from 1930 to 1935 proved that. The Liberal government fully realizes, as it should, that the welfare of agriculture is, and will continue to be, absolutely essential to the proper functioning of our economic machinery.

The most important industry in the constituency I represent is, of course, agriculture. The wheat grown in Rosthern is second to none in the world. Improvements in agricultural methods and fair returns for our nroduct are properly our main concern. Through the agency of the Canadian wheat board we farmers have been helped tremendously in the marketing of our products at fair prices. The increase of twenty cents a bushel announced in this house by the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr. Howe) some weeks ago will have a considerable effect on the maintenance of prosperous conditions in Canada. We realize all the benefits we derive from the Canadian wheat board. We uphold it one hundred per cent.

The farmers of western Canada have recently been watching the grain markets very closely. They have not forgotten the experience of the past when markets were lost in spite of attempts and claims that we could "blast our way into the markets of the world". They know that markets cannot be gained or retained by "blasting". For this reason I, and I believe the great majority of the farmers in the prairie provinces, are solidly behind what has come to be known in our province as the Gardiner policy of long-term contracts. When we look at our present prosperity and remember what the so-called open market did to us in the past, it is impossible to make any sensible farmer believe that he has really lost money through

2580 .

The Budget-Mr. Boucher the policy of marketing wheat through the wheat board by long-term contracts with our best customer, the United Kingdom. Again, we are one hundred per cent behind the wheat marketing policies of this government which include the long-term agreements and the activities of the Canadian wheat board.

Farmers and the businessmen also of the prairie provinces of western Canada remember well their experiences under a Conservative government from 1930 to 1935. You can be sure that we are not going to take any chances on going back to those conditions. For this reason I, and I am sure all the electors of Rosthern constituency, support the Liberal policy of floor prices under farm products. The Canadian farmer's service to the country in the past has earned him this security as a matter of right. It is one of a number of social security measures of this government that guarantee us freedom from the spectre of depression that the C.C.F. opposition like to talk about so much. Sometimes they even appear to be hoping for one, because they think it would bring them into power. It is one of a number of measures that have an important bearing on the financial position of our country and of our people.

Another of these measures that we in Rosthern constituency support wholeheartedly is the great expansion of prairie farm rehabilitation, namely, irrigation, and the extension of the principles of this project to all of Canada, brought in by the Liberal government. It is one of the reasons why more and more of our people are turning to liberalism. It is another guarantee of freedom from fear and from want, and I stand solidly behind the government in this great activity.

The Prairie Farm Assistance Act has beer of inestimable value to the economy of the prairie provinces, and indirectly to the whole of Canada. It is far in advance of anything ever suggested by the parties in opposition who criticize this government's policies. While socialism offers only to ration poverty and want, Liberal policy has given security and preserved-

Order.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Golding):

Order.

Mr. Harris (Danforth):

I am sorry to interrupt a new member, Mr. Speaker, but-

Mr. Boucher:

I am making my maiden speech and I object to being interrupted. If the hon. member wants to ask a question after I am through it will be all right.

A point of order is being raised.

Carry on.