William Henry (Bill) Domm
Progressive Conservative
Mr. Bill Domm (Peterborough):
Madam Speaker, as a result of the answer of the Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) to a question on metrication yesterday, I rise on a matter of urgent and pressing necessity under the provisions of Standing Order 43.
Because the Metric commission has spent $43,238,000 of taxpayers' money since it was created in 1971; due to the fact that it has kept both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce (Mr. Gray) totally in the dark and uninformed as to the wishes of Canadians on the subject of metrication in retail food stores; in light of a survey of 2,046 shoppers done by an independent consulting firm for Dominion Stores Ltd. in the metric test centre of Peterborough, which indicated 88 per cent of shoppers favoured pounds over kilograms; since all major food store chains have indicated that they do not wish to proceed with metrication, 1 move, seconded by the hon. member for Durham-Northumberland (Mr. Lawrence):
That this government respond to the wishes of the Canadian people, and not to the dictates of the Metric commission, and call a halt to metric conversion in the retail food sector which is slated to proceed on January 1, 1981, affecting some six million Canadians in approximately 21 cities.
Subtopic: METRICATION
Sub-subtopic: CALL FOR HALT TO METRIC CONVERSION-MOTION UNDER S.O. 43