Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, if the house will permit me to do so I should like to extend my congratulations to the Prime Minister (Mr. Pearson) on his birthday anniversary, which is the day after tomorrow. The house will not be sitting then so I take advantage of this opportunity. While there have been occasions when I have not been in complete agreement with the Prime Minister, I have always belonged to that group which believes in doing honour to those, regardless of political beliefs, who make their contribution to their country and the world.

I couple with my congratulations the expression of the view that his distinguished career both nationally and internationally is worthy of mention on this occasion when he joins me in celebrating his seventieth birthday anniversary. Age does not weary, and I conclude by expressing the hope that he will now realize that those old age pensioners, who have not received the additional amount over and above $75 per month, cannot properly live on the amount they are receiving.

Hear, hear.

Mr. T. C. Douglas (Burnaby-Coquillam):

Mr. Speaker, may I be permitted on behalf of my colleagues to extend birthday greetings to the right hon. Prime Minister and to say to him how pleased we are to see him in such good health and good spirits. He has a very arduous year ahead of him during our centennial celebrations, and we are pleased that he is able to tackle his long list of commitments and to continue to be so effervescent here in the house. We hope his good health will continue.

[DOT] (11:10 a.m.)

I noticed earlier this week that the President of the Privy Council (Mr. Gordon) expressed the hope that the Prime Minister would continue as leader of his party. I

should like to support that hope. When I look around at some of the prospective candidates for that office I feel that we would rather bear the ills we have than flee to those we know not of, or perhaps some that we know only too well. I would say to the Prime Minister that on this auspicious occasion we are happy to join in extending birthday felicitations to him, and hope he will continue to enjoy many more years in which to receive the appreciation of the Canadian people for his long years of public service.

Mr. A. B. Patterson (Fraser Valley):

Lest the Prime Minister think that we wish him ill rather than well, we in the Social Credit party join in the expressions of congratulation and best wishes on this very important occasion.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my group I should like to join with the other party leaders to wish the Prime Minister (Mr. Pearson) the happiest birthday ever. I hope that he will direct as much as possible the business of the house toward social legislation liable to get the support of most hon. members, if not all.

Hon. J. W. Pickersgill (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, lest it be thought-

Mr. Pearson:

I rise on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I should like to move closure on these tributes.

Mr. Pickersgill:

That is one occasion, sir, when I am not going to pay any attention to the Prime Minister's wishes, because I feel I should pay attention instead to the wishes of his followers. I should not like it to be thought that the good wishes that have been expressed from the other side of the house were not every bit as sincere from this side of the house. Perhaps I could remind Your Honour that tomorrow is the fourth anniversary of the formation of the Pearson government, and we on this side of the house look forward to another four years of constructive activity for Canada under the same Prime Minister.

Right Hon. L. B. Pearson (Prime Minister):

It will be clear now, Mr. Speaker, why I moved closure. These family matters, about

15178 COMMONS

Birthday Greetings to Prime Minister the prolongation of a particular individual or a particular party, should be discussed within the family. Perhaps the house will forgive me if I just mention that yesterday we did have a discussion of my birthday and all that it meant to my colleagues. They were good enough to make me a presentation, and it was not what I expected. They had asked me what I would like to have and I said perhaps the most appropriate thing to have would be a hair shirt, but it is better than that.

I would be less than human, and I do not think I am less than human, if I were not deeply appreciative and moved by the expressions of good will toward me on this occasion. There is nothing, Mr. Speaker, like a death or a birthday to make you realize you have virtues which are not always noticed by everybody. I am, if I may say so, particularly touched by the good wishes of the right hon. Leader of the Opposition. It is a wonderful and refreshing privilege to be able to join heartily with him in something, for as the right hon. gentleman has indicated, we are together now in our seventies, and I am catching up with him. Whatever may happen in the future to either or both of us, I shall always remember that as I entered this most important decade in a man's life, even more important than going from his teens to his twenties, I entered it with his good will and his expression of personal friendship.

As the right hon. gentleman has said, naturally we do not often agree in this house. We have been in opposition to each other politically for many years. I sometimes get the impression when I read the newspapers and magazines that this kind of feuding which goes on is almost unequalled in Canadian history. I only wish these writers could read about what it used to be like in the nineteenth century in the Canadian House of Commons and in Canadian public life.

The reason we rise above these differences, difficulties and controversies in public and political life is that whatever we may think of each other politically, and whatever we think of our political views, we always have an appreciation for each other. This is because we know we are here for one purpose and one purpose only, and we are joined in that purpose; that is, service to our country.

Hear, hear.

DEBATES April 21. 1967

Mr. Milton L. Klein (Cartier) moved

for leave to introduce Bill No. C-292, respecting observation and treatment of drug addicts.

Explain.

Mr. Klein:

Mr. Speaker, developments in the fields of medicine and psychiatry tend to establish that drug addiction, when it occurs, results from some type of mental illness or disorder. It does not appear to be any longer appropriate to punish persons who are drug addicts; it is rather advisable to treat the said persons as being sick, mentally or otherwise.

The purpose of this bill is to remove the stigma of a criminal conviction attached to drug addiction by drug addicts, and to protect the public and such persons from possible subsequent addiction by assuring that observation and treatment follow the laying of charges.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Mr. Speaker:

When shall the said bill be read a second time?

Mr. Andrew Brewin (Greenwood):

Mr. Speaker, with the consent of the house, which I understand from the hon. member for Cartier will probably be forthcoming, may I move that this bill be referred to the committee on justice and legal affairs?

Mr. Speaker:

I think there would have to be unanimous consent of the house to return to motions. Is this the wish of the house?

[DOT] (11:20 a.m.)

Hon. G. J. Mcllraiih (Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, there has not been an opportunity to discuss this matter with the chairman of the committee. I wonder if the request could not stand until Monday.

Mr. Brewin:

Certainly, if the minister prefers it that way.