Mr. Speaker:

I am sure hon. members would want to know that early this morning the two electronic composing machines in the printing bureau burned out. That accident made it necessary for the bureau to revert to an alternate method of printing and preparing Hansard for distribution to members. In order to cope with this difficulty the bureau, at three o'clock this morning, called in extra staff to meet the situation. As a result, they have been able to deliver the English version of Hansard and expect within the next hour to complete distribution of the French version.

I wanted to assure hon. members, who I am sure have been looking for their copy of Hansard this morning, that the situation was caused by a mechanical breakdown totally beyond our control, and in face of that every effort is being expended to make sure that copies of Hansard reach members as soon as possible.

Hon. Mitchell Sharp (President of the Privy Council):

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if there would be agreement that the House revert to motions at five o'clock this afternoon for the purpose of enabling my colleague the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources (Mr. Macdonald) to present a statement on the Syncrude project.

Mr. Speaker:

In the interest of understanding and of conducting orderly business throughout the day, I am sure it would be preferable if the House agreed to make the order at this time; then hon. members would know what is taking place.

Mr. Walter Baker (Grenville-Carleton):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. It would certainly be agreeable and we would be prepared to facilitate the business in that respect. However, there is one problem with which I think we should deal at this time and in this context. I refer to the question of private members' hour which would be from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. today. I wonder if the government House leader and other House leaders would be prepared to agree that private members' hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. today be moved to 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow. We could thereby preserve this hour and what we might lose on the swings, in terms of private members' hour, we would gain on the roundabouts.

Mr. Sharp:

Mr. Speaker, I have no strong objection to that. The suggestion seems to assume, however, that we will take an hour discussing what I hope will be a rather brief statement by my colleague. But I am agreeable in principle to making up the time in respect of private members' bills or motions tomorrow afternoon.

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. It would be understood, I take it, that whatever remains of the hour today will be devoted to continuation of government orders, so that the time would be used as government time. Then tomorrow the whole hour from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. would be devoted to private members' business. Would that be the understanding of hon. members?

Mr. Baker (Grenville-Carleton):

That would certainly be agreeable, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre):

This is in accordance with discussions which have taken place. We are happy to agree.

Mr. Fortin:

Mr. Speaker, we have taken part in those discussions, and we maintain our agreement.

Mr. Speaker:

Its being agreed, is there any further discussion?

Mr. Sharp:

Mr. Speaker, I am not quite sure what has been agreed. Is it agreed that we will go on with private members' hour at the conclusion of the statement on motions?

Mr. Hees:

Government business.

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Industry

Mr. Sharp:

I regret that my colleague the Minister of Finance (Mr. Turner) will be otherwise engaged; he had made arrangements for the hour between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. But I am quite happy that we should set aside tomorrow at five o'clock as private members' hour to make up for the time that we may lose today.

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. The practical difficulty involved in beginning private members' hour today at 5.25 p.m. and then trying to make up the balance of the hour tomorrow would be much more awkward than simply continuing with government business today and then using the hour from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. tomorrow. The absence of the Minister of Finance during that 25-minute or 35-minute period would not then create a critical situation. Is it agreed that, under those terms, the House will revert to motions today at five o'clock to permit a statement on motions by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources (Mr. Macdonald), with appropriate responses? At the conclusion of opposition responses to the statement, the House will revert to government orders; and tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. will be the private members' hour. Is that agreed?

Agreed.