Mr. F. G. J. Hahn (New Westminster):

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I should like to convey through you my best wishes to Mr. Speaker upon his elevation to the high office he now holds. I should like also to extend my congratulations to the hon. member for York Centre (Mr. Hollingworth) and the hon. member for Roberval (Mr. Villeneuve) upon the fine way in which they went about moving and seconding the address in reply to the speech from the throne.

I am not here to apologize on behalf of the people of British Columbia for the fact that they have elected a Social Credit government. They did so of their own volition. It was their democratic right to do so and, having done so, we accept it as our duty to give them the best type of government we can. We hope that within the next few years we will be able to announce that there is a second debt-free province in this country.