Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I promised the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Diefenbaker) yesterday that I would endeavour to give him a list of the matters that are apt to be, or which may possibly be, brought before parliament at this session. With respect to those specially mentioned in the speech from the throne, there are only three which are not already on the order papers either of this house or of the other place, and they will be brought forward almost at once. One is a bill to amend the Merchant Seamen Compensation Act, another is to revise the Federal District Commission Act, and a third is to ratify the north Pacific fur seal convention.

There are some matters which may arise, depending upon the actions of provincial governments or provincial legislatures. They would include, first of all, enabling legislation concerning hospital insurance; second, an act to amend the Judges Act, depending upon whether there is any requirement resulting from provincial legislation to increase the numbers of judges in any of the provinces; and, third, an amendment to the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, depending upon action that has not yet been completed by the provincial legislatures of Ontario and Manitoba.

There will be bills to confirm the Alberta-Northwest Territories boundary survey, to constitute a peace bridge authority, to amend the Prairie Grain Producers' Interim Financing Act, to amend the Eastern Rocky Mountain Forest Conservation Act, the Northwest Territories Act and the Yukon Act. These are small amendments that are

not particularly urgent, but it might be convenient to dispose of them if there is an opportunity to do so.

There will be a bill to amend the Prisons and Reformatories Act, resulting from the fact that the government of British Columbia is establishing a new penal institution, and the purpose of the legislation would be to authorize the transfer of prisoners from existing institutions to the new institution.

There may possibly be bills to amend the Canadian and British Insurance Companies Act and the United Kingdom Financial Agreement Act of 1946. With respect to the latter, negotiations are progressing and as soon as they have been completed the Minister of Finance will be making an announcement about them.

Mr. Green:

That has to do with the

waiver of interest?

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

Well, with

the problem arising out of the request that has been submitted for the waiver of interest, and which would involve some modification of the original agreement. There may also be bills to amend the Canadian Vessel Construction Assistance Act, the Canada Evidence Act, the Fertilizers Act and possibly legislation to confirm tax agreements between Canada and other countries which have been or are being negotiated.

Of course there will be the legislation consequent upon the budget and the usual appropriation bills and the annual Canadian National Railways financing and guarantee bill. There might be other matters about which it would be found convenient, if there was time, to bring forward legislation but they will concern matters about which no decisions have yet been reached by the government.

Mr. Howard C. Green (Vancouver-Quadra):

The Prime Minister did not mention specifically legislation to implement the findings of the committee of the Senate which investigated the narcotic drugs traffic. Can he tell the house whether it is intended to introduce such legislation?

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

There is

a bill before the other place at the present time dealing with the matter.

Mr. Green:

Is it the intention to bring

in the legislation necessary to implement the budget?

Ministerial Statements

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

Well, it

is the intention if there is time to do so, but the experience over the last few days has been that the less controversial a recommendation to parliament is, the longer is the time taken in speeches by everyone to express his qualified approval of what has been submitted.

Mr. Green:

Perhaps I could put it this

way. Does the Prime Minister consider it unlikely that the legislation implementing the budget will go through before dissolution?

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

Well, we

always hope that the legislation we bring forward can go through, but we do not attempt to rush matters.

Oh, oh.

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

We want

hon. members to feel-

Mr. Argue:

A big change since the pipeline debate.

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

Well,

there are certain matters connected with the pipe line that I will be glad to discuss at any time it may be appropriate to do so. In the meantime I can assure the hon. gentleman that I am very happy with what discussion of the pipe line has brought about as a development in Canada.

Hear, hear.

Mr. St. Laurent (Quebec East):

We will endeavour to have all matters dealt with in a manner that will satisfy hon. members that they have given to them the consideration they should. It may not be possible to have that done with respect to everything I have mentioned this afternoon.