Mr. MacLean:

The program at the present time is for air to air missiles, as I understand it.

Mr. MacLean:

Mr. Chairman, would the minister be kind enough to bring the committee up to date on the progress which is

being made in re-equipping the maritime squadrons with Neptune aircraft, and what the target date for complete conversion might be. I presume O.T.U.'s that support those squadrons will also be equipped with Neptunes.

Mr. W. F. MACLEAN (South York):

I would not take part in this debate but for the fact that the hon. member for Bow River (Mr. Garland) referred to my views regarding the future of Canada and the status which she should hold in the British Empire. I believe that a great federation of British parliamentary commonwealths, a federation greater than the United States of America, is in process of formation now and within that federation every unit will have absolute independence in the conduct of its own affairs. That has always been my belief. The chief feature of such a federation will be in my opinion an absolute equality as between one commonwealth and another in self-government.

I was impressed with what the hon. member for Bow River said, as well as with the remarks of the ex-Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King), to the effect that any parliamentary principle that obtains in the Mother Country should be respected in any of the dominions. If the Prime Minister has the right in the Mother Country to advise the sovereign, with the assurance that his advice will be accepted, the same right should obtain in this country. And I believe that will be the view of the Prime Minister now in office (Mr. Meighen). What is good enough for the Old Country should be good enough for Canada and Australia and all the other commonair. Caban.]

wealths of the empire. Unless we have absolute self-government here at home we shall not be able to compete with the great republic to the south of us.

Mr. MACLEAN (York):

Hon. gentlemen applaud that statement. Well, the Conservative party has always held that position. It was the view held by Sir Robert Borden and I am sure the present Prime Minister will hold it. Now we must take a step forward and, as I say, if we have not complete home government wTe shall be unable to compete with our neighbour. Canada must be put on an equality with every other country on this continent in the matter of government, and nothing will help to bring this about so much as the co-operation of the Mother Country.

I cannot support the motion before the House; it is more or less a subterfuge. It is a subterfuge in view of the recent finding of a committee of this House in regard to the Customs scandals; that is a finding of the House and a finding of the country, and the people want an opportunity of expressing themselves in regard to it. I Lave been in this House perhaps longer than any other member; I hope the new Prime Minister will back me up when I say we should have dissolution right away and that this question 'should be submitted to the people. While I am saying that on my own account I believe it is what the people ask for. The Globe, the leading Liberal paper of Ontario came out three or four weeks ago demanding dissolution; the Montreal Gazette, expressing Conservative opinion, came out this very week with a similar demand, while the Winnipeg Free Press, which represents 11.western Progressive element, calls for the same thing. I hope the Prime Minister will find a way to go to the country on this question in order to clean up affairs in Canada. The present situation is most unsatisfactory; we can no longer bear the bad name which we have acquired. We must try to clean up the situation and to my mind the only way it can be done, and the way which will be insisted upon, is an appeal to the highest court of Canada, the men and women who constitute our electorate. They are the people to clean it up; they are ready to do so, and I am sure the public opinion now forming will be effective, possibly under the leadership of the new Prime Minister, in having 'this matter cleaned right up. I am sure that opinion will be supported by members on both sides of the House, because there are men patriotic enough, men who have studied the constitu-

Supply-Formation oj Ministry

tion enough to believe that they should take their part in cleaning up our public affairs. We want better administration; we want cleaner administration; we want to get away from distillery rule in this country, and we want to get away from the ru'e of great interests or anything of that kind. We must have a number of reforms, and the reform which I have advocated from my first day in this House is that great principle of public ownership. To-day the people of Canada have the greatest railway in the world.

Mr. MACLEAN (York):

Hon. members opposite are applauding me now. This great railway is in jeopardy to-day, yet it is succeeding as no other railway ever succeeded before. The west is asking for lower freight rates; the industries of this country are asking for lower freight rates, and the way to make our country great is to consolidate our railways into one, re-route them to get a greatly improved service, and have lower freight rates by land, rail, sea and air. It is not a question of railways alone; it is a question of transportation, and the people in power in this country must deal with this question in all its phases.

That is the main thing I have to say to-night; I am quite willing to do anything I can to assist the new Prime Minister in appealing to the country, and I am sure some hon. gentlemen opposite will help also. I would not be surprised if the ex-Minister of Finance (Mr. Robb) would help, and perhaps the ex-Minister of Justice (Mr. Lapointe) would do something also.

I am not going into the merits of the whole question, but a way must be found to clean up this situation. We have- been saying that parliament is supreme; I say the men and women voters of Canada are supreme in this country, and they want an opportunity of deciding the issue now before us. I have not taken much time in saying this, but I hope it will produce some response, because the country is looking for some gesture towards the clean-up of affairs which have existed in this country. Much as I admire the speech the leader of the opposition made last night, he is out of the running for the present; he has to take care of the scandals and revelations which have come out. We must have integrity in our public men; if we have it there we will have it in our whole public service, and that is the great requirement of our country to-day. I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, and to this House to join hands in cleaning up conditions, in getting better and cleaner government and

in making Canada what it is on the eve of becoming, namely, the greatest example of free parliamentary government in the world. This country has the richest resources of any country in the world; consider our agriculture, our mines and our industries, and most of all consider the desire of our people to work out their own destiny.