Mr. Gregoire:

Mr. Speaker, if you would allow me to state my point-

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Gregoire:

Mr. Speaker, I feel I should at least be permitted to state my views on the matter.

Mr. Speaker:

No. I have indicated to the hon. member that a ruling had been made. He is free to resort to a certain procedure, but the rule is this: the refusal to answer cannot justify a question of privilege. The hon. member is asked to kindly resume his seat while the Chair states-

Mr. Gregoire:

I object, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker:

I hope the hon. member is not trying to get a rise out of the Chair. I remind him that the rule is really as I indicated, and the matter is closed.

Mr. Gregoire:

Mr. Speaker, I rose on a point of order to state my case. The minister did not refuse to reply to my question, he gave me an answer-

Mr. Speaker:

Order. I have been patient with the hon. member. I ask him to resume his seat and to let the house proceed to another matter.

(Text):

Hon. L. B. Pearson (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Trade and Commerce, in the absence of the Minister of Agriculture, whether he can comment on the reports that the negotiations for further sales of wheat to communist China under the current agreement are being held up because of the Chinese demand for better credit terms.

Hon. George H. Hees (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Yes, Mr. Speaker. As hon. members are aware, a delegation from the Canadian wheat board has been negotiating a further sales contract under the long term agreement. No information is available that those negotiations have been concluded. I wish to assure the house that it will be informed in the usual manner as soon as it is possible to do so.

Mr. Hazen Argue (Assiniboia):

A supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether the Minister of Trade and Commerce

Inquiries of the Ministry could inform the house when his colleague the Minister of Agriculture will return, since the Minister of Agriculture is quoted as saying that he is awaiting an opportunity to make this announcement in the house.

Mr. Hees:

Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. W. L. Gordon (Davenport):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to address a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. In the light of the statement made in Chicago yesterday by the Ontario economics and development minister, Mr. Macaulay, as reported in the Globe and Mail, will the minister say whether United States branch plants or subsidiaries in Canada are in fact prevented by their parent companies from accepting export orders?

Mr. Speaker:

Order. I think the hon. member will recognize that he is, directly or indirectly, inviting the Minister of Trade and Commerce to comment upon the statements of a minister not of this ministry but from outside this house. Under those circumstances and in view of the way he has put his question, I am afraid it is not acceptable.

Mr. Gordon:

Mr. Speaker, without reference to any comments or reports in any newspaper whatever, may I ask the Minister of Trade and Commerce whether United States branch plants or subsidiaries in Canada are in fact prevented by their parent companies from accepting export orders.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is obviously referring to a statement made in Chicago yesterday by-