Mr. W. A. Robinson (Simcoe East) moved

that the house go into committee on Bill No. 238, to incorporate Interprovincial Pipe Line Company.

Motion agreed to and the house went into committee, Mr. Golding in the chair.

On section 1-Incorporation.

Mr. Gibson (Comox-Alberni):

Last night when the hon. member for Rosetown-Biggar was making a few remarks he suggested that the house had not had a complete opportunity to study this legislation owing to the pressure to have prorogation today. I wonder if hon. members have had an opportunity of studying the implications inherent in the transportation of gas and oil?

Hon. members will have noted that last night I supported a C.C.F. amendment. I would not like to leave the house without availing myself of the opportunity of correcting an impression there might be that I had finally recanted and turned socialist. Nothing could have been farther from my mind.

To my mind a socialist vote represents support for the principles which they propound. Their first act on coming into power would be the complete removal from private hands of the means of production. I assure the committee that I support no such principle. That principle is propounded by the gentleman who is running provincially in my riding. If my hon. friends would care to repudiate him I would be quite glad to take that word back home.

Mr. Knowles:

We are not repudiating anyone. I am simply suggesting that section 1 of this bill is hardly the place to discuss the British Columbia election.

Mr. Gibson (Comox-Alberni):

There is a very important principle involved. Last night I was protesting against what appeared to me to be a tremendous lack of vision on the part of the directors of our Canadian National Railways. That railway system is in the business of providing transportation and moving freight, whether it be in the form of coal, oil, gas or any other form.

The Canadian National directors are allowing this pipe line method of transportation to be laid all along their right of way. It will be in the hands of private corporations and this tremendous freight which is originating in this north country is going to provide corresponding profits. I sincerely hope that the volume of traffic will be such that the profits will be large.

I think the Canadian National directors- I would not say the Minister of Transport- have been remiss in their duties and have shown an appalling lack of vision in not having investigated this proposal very carefully. I for one, and I am sure this would apply to other hon. members, would have been glad to approve the capital required to put in these pipe lines which would have provided a tremendous amount of freight revenue.

I am tired of voting money to defray deficits. I should like to see the Canadian National look into this matter carefully before they permit private companies to lay transportation lines for gas and oil on their right of way. They and the Minister of Transport should look into the possibilities of this form of transportation being provided by the Canadian National system.

Mr. Knight:

I should like to say a word in commendation of what has been said by the hon. member for Comox-Alberni. We in this group, and certainly I, would rather see this oil transported by pipe lines operated co-operatively or under public ownership. The thought was advanced yesterday that things being as they are it is better to have these pipe lines under this scheme or not at all. Whether that be so or not is a matter of opinion.

The Minister of Transport is not in his seat but I should have liked to ask a question as to the common carrier angle. These pipe lines should be made available to people other than the sponsors of the particular companies.

I understood the Minister of Transport to say that that was a matter which could not be legislated upon by this house, that it would come under the jurisdiction of the board of transport commissioners. Before I resume my seat I want to express the view that, in my opinion, this line should be a common carrier, and that it should have to accept, just as our transportation companies have to accept, any freight which is offered to it for transportation at a proper price.

Mr. Sinclair:

I wonder if the sponsor of the bill would say a few words about it in the house, because so far he has not said anything about it.

The Deputy Chairman:

We are dealing with clause 9.

Hon. Alphonse Fournier (Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, may I suggest that the sitting be suspended for a few minutes to wait for results in, and the message from, the other place.