Mr. J. R. Tucker (Trinity-Conception):

should like to direct a question to the Minister of Transport. Would the minister please advise the house whether he has received requests for assistance by sending an icebreaker to penetrate the ice off the Labrador coast so the sealing ships may pick up the thousands of seals which have been killed and panned.

Hon. Leon Balcer (Minister of Transport):

I am able to advise the house that one of the Canadian coastguard's large icebreakers is in the area to help sealing vessels get through the ice.

Mr. W. M. Benidickson (Kenora-Rainy River):

I should like to ask the Minister of Finance a question. While I have not given him notice, I think by reason of its timeliness he may have anticipated it. I wonder if it is the intention of the minister to introduce a budget during the present month.

Hon. Donald M. Fleming (Minisier of Finance):

I would have been happy to be able to deal with that subject long before this, and I am sure I would have done so had there not been so much everlasting obstruction and delay on the part of hon. members opposite with regard to the supplementary estimates.

Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Laurier):

The Minister of Finance has repeatedly stated-

Question.

Mr. Chevrier:

-that there has been obstruction from this side of the house, and the point of privilege to which I have risen is this. I repeat what I have said before, namely that the obstruction has come from the other side of the house; because had they wanted to deal with the estimates they could have so indicated on Friday. But the leader of the house decided to deal with legislation today instead.

Mr. Fleming (Eglinton):

I fail to see any

question of privilege in the gratuitous observations just made by the hon. member. The fact is plain for everyone to see. If hon. members opposite had been satisfied with anything like the normal time for the review of supplementary estimates we should have been weeks further ahead with the government's program of legislation at this session than we are.

Mr. Chevrier:

I should like to ask a supplementary question.

Mr. Speaker:

Before the hon. member does so, may I say that this discussion is very reminiscent of one that took place two days ago. There have been gratuitous observations in questions and gratuitous answers which naturally lead to these discussions. I think the hon. member should limit his question to the business of the house.

Mr. Chevrier:

I shall be glad to do so. That is what I had in mind. Is the minister aware that on Thursday of last week for a period of two hours this house discussed procedural points on a motion made by my hon. friend from Essex East to hold over the estimates of the Department of External Affairs, and the next day that request was granted by the government?

Mr. Speaker:

Order. The hon. member for Laurier is asking a question to which all hon. members have the answer through the proceedings in the house and reports in Hansard. They can form their own conclusions.

Mr. Fleming (Eglinton):

May I comment on this?

Mr. Speaker:

Comment is unnecessary, as the question relates to transactions which are recorded in Hansard and which all hon. members can read for themselves.

Mr. Chevrier:

The reason for the delay is the incompetence of the government.