Mr. Knowles:

If the hon. member is sure that his side is right on this issue, would he permit it to come to a vote?

(Translation):

Mr. Dupuis:

Mr. Speaker, it is no fault of mine if the speeches have been so lengthy and numerous. I would have even wished that each member in this house get on his feet and pledge, by his speech, to support this

resolution which would be such as to alleviate the unfortunate position of those on behalf of whom we are now pleading.

But, to come back to the point I was making a while ago, the hon. Minister of Justice (Mr. Garson) and other members of equal good faith pointed out that it might be appropriate to find a more adequate way of relieving these people.

For instance, why not investigate the opportunity of setting the basic exemption for income tax at a higher level? Why would some governments not" hasten to help the establishment of a health insurance plan? It would tend to improve the situation we are now discussing. Why not, if it can be done, reduce the scale of the income tax? In this way, all classes of our society would benefit by a sizeable amount, without the small man being put in the position just described by the Minister of Justice, in which the big taxpayer would save from $2,000 to $3,000, whereas the small taxpayer would only save a few cents?

(Text):

Ten o'clock!

Mr. Hodgson:

Give us the vote.

Sit down.

Mr. Dupuis:

I have never told anybody in this chamber to sit down, and I am not going to sit down before I have finished with my remarks.

Mr. Murphy (Lambton West):

You might

just as well.

Mr. Hodgson:

Will you sit down at ten

o'clock?

(Translation):

Mr. Dupuis:

At all events, I doubt those who tell me to sit down are sincere, because they know very well that, even if we pass this resolution tonight, it will be impossible for us to benefit from a tax reduction in the fiscal year 1957-1958 before the matter has been considered by the government . . . (Text):

Mr. Hodgson:

Give us the vote. Don't talk it out!

Mr. Ellis:

Question.

(Translation):

Mr. Dupuis:

I would rather that we gave more attention to the suggestions that have been made to raise the old age pension and the family allowances, while lowering the age limit when indigent old people may receive a pension from 65 to 60 years, after

which we might turn to the suggestion of the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre.

It has been mentioned in this house,-I forget by whom,-that certain hon. members did not seem to favour the proposed resolution. Again, I approve it without reservation. However, under the present circumstances, it seems we should be pleased to know that the matter of a wholesale deduction of all medical expenses was again drawn to the government's attention.

Moreover we have shown once more that the members of this house are always interested in improving the conditions of the small people, in increasing exemptions ...

Mr. Knowles:

Ten o'clock!

Income Tax Act

(Text):

Mr. Dupuis:

Is it ten o'clock? Mr. Speaker-

Mr. Winch:

You talked it out. (Translation):

Mr. Dupuis:

The idea is not to talk out the resolution, but to give the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre another opportunity to keep on doing his duty, to call the attention of the government, in and out of season, on any measure which could improve the lot of the small wage-earners I have the honour to represent in this house.

Mr. Speaker, it being ten o'clock, I move the adjournment of the debate.

(Text):

On motion of Mr. Dupuis the debate was adjourned.