Mr. David A. Croll (Spadina):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. The Globe and Mail this morning quotes a speech made by the member for Lake Centre (Mr. Diefenbaker) who is reported to have said:

He said the defence committee, which reported Tuesday with a revised Currie report, wasted its time in sitting for seven weeks. The report was written by a minister and could have been drawn up before the committee even sat.

Mr. Speaker, I wrote the report. In fact, I drafted and redrafted the report and no minister had any part in it. A draft report was first presented to the agenda committee on Monday, May 4, where changes were suggested and incorporated. It was then presented to the whole committee on Tuesday May 5, and tabled that day. In the whole committee the report underwent three important changes and two corrections in detail.

Mr. J. S. Sinnoll (Springfield):

Mr. Speaker, I also rise on a question of personal privilege. It has to do with an article in this morning's Globe and Mail, appearing on page 2. This is a statement by the hon. member for Lake Centre (Mr. Diefenbaker):

"The cabinet treats parliament as it would treat puppets." . . . He revealed that one member of the Liberal party (Sinnott of Springfield) had not been renominated in his riding because he followed the government line without fail, no matter how he felt personally. That member had revealed Mr. Howe told him if he did not toe the line he (Mr. Howe) would not play ball with him.

Mr. Speaker, I-

Mr. Fraser:

Two strikes and you are out.

Mr. Harkness:

Broomball.

Mr. Sinnott:

I want to make it plain to

the house and to the country that this statement is absolutely untrue. There is not a word of truth in it.

As usual, the hon. member for Lake Centre is not in his seat-

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Sinnott:

-and, instead of staying here and attending to his parliamentary duties he is running around the country making false accusations.

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I do not intend to intervene beyond saying that the latter part of the hon. member's remarks has no relationship to a question of privilege and should not have been placed on the record.

And no relation to the

facts.

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Sinnott:

That is what has been going on the last two years.

Mr. Graydon:

Johnny has got you all on

the run, that is all.

(Translation):

Mr. Leon Balcer (Three Rivers):

Mr. Chairman, I rise on a question of privilege. Le Droit of May 6, 1953, reports the following facts in an article entitled:

Mr. Humphrys' attitude shocks many people

"You can see the minister, and your Pope if you want to". That is what Mr. F. A. Humphrys, chief of the taxation division at the income tax district office and creator of the notorious form bearing his name, replied to a French-speaking taxpayer who went to see him to obtain additional information about her income tax return.

Le Droit has made a thorough investigation among people who obtained interviews with Mr. Humphrys and others who were not able to see him. In each case Mr. Humphrys' words show his aversion to everything Catholic and French-Canadian.

"You can see the minister, and your Pope if you want to." Those are Mr. Humphrys' exact words to a female civil servant who went to see him in his office.

Mr. Chairman, in the name of all French-Canadian taxpayers in this country I wish to protest personally against the anti-national and shameful conduct of a civil servant and I ask that the government dismiss this official of the income tax division.

Questions

(Text):

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, may I say how very much I appreciate the spirit and the manner in which these good wishes have been extended, and also express the pleasure we all feel that, in spite of the political differences we may have, we are able on occasions of this kind to join in this manner.