Ontario Community Newspapers

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 26 Mar 1945, p. 1

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"The Mormon will under the provisions lation now on the l Premier said. Thr Premier emphasized that it "as. not the wish of his Government to hold an olortion in wartime Such a step had hop" forced on the Administration hy the tactics of the Opposition groups. Although Asked if may? war, any brtween the Arm-e Servim tlon Act, whihh is now la tho new Election Act and List Act, which worn not, Mr. Drew said the active legislation is independent others. lots. V . -._ Laws Independent The Premier was unable to say when the elm-lion would take place, pointing out. that fixing of the date would dopond on the length of time necessary to aseurn mem- hers ot the armnd forms overseas an opportunity to cast their bal- Eighty-one bills before the House are automatically wiped out hy dissolution, including the City of Toronto measures. Tho Premier said these hills could no rointro.. durnd at the first session of the new Legislature. which may tako plan a month after the olm-tion. Satisfactory arrangements for fi- nancing tho Province until the House meets again had boon made. Mr. Drew disclosed. Expenditures will he mario under warrants ot the Lieutenant-Governor. Jollllfo Objects Strong exception to dissolution before holding further sittings to vote supply and deal with bills was taken by Opposition Leader E. B. Jolliffe. He charged the Pre- mler with "huzh-hantitui and Im- proper" r-ondum. Mr. Joliiffo said Mr. Dren had followed the uncon- smutional prevalent adapted by Laurier In 1911. Charging the Opposition groups with impeding the business of the Legislature by every possible de- vice, the Premier told a press con- ference in his Queen's Park office that the Legislative Chamber was not the place for the holding of a political campaign. The Opposition groups had voted for an election, and the only question for decision was whether "two political cam- paitins should be conducted, one in the Legislature and one on the hust- ings." Dissolution of the Legislature was announced 'Saturday by Premier George A. Drew, following his sec- ond visit within 24 hours to Lieu- tenant-Governor Albert Matthews, and an election will be brought on "as soon as possible." It. is believed the Government will fix election day in the second week of June, one Government of- ficial admitting "that is a pretty close guess." House Dissolved; , Drew Criticizes "; His Opponents _ provisions of tho iegis- on the statutes," the 'tive Service Elec- is now law, and u Act and Voters' wr'rp not passed, the active service 1dependent of the take place tie-up "We assumed office and harPruon. tinued to govern for more than a year and a half with less than a majority'of the Legislature hecausp We believed that. it was the wish of the'. people of this Province to avoid another wartime election in Ontario if possible. By the majority vote we received on every division last. year. that. appeared also to he the opinion of, a substantial major- ity of the members of this Legis- lature. F . "We still holievp that is the wish of the people of this Provim'n. and we believe that we have gov- erned in the way that meets with the approval of the great majority of the poople of this Province. Bo- rause we arm-pt the .5uptT'nl'ru'y of the Legislature, unless up have the support of the majority of this Legislature we will have no Chou-c but to follow the usual constitution- " "The course which is being for. lowed hy some members in this Legislature suggests the rlesirahil., tty of stating our position once again. We believe that nothing should divert public attention from the conduct of the war which can possibly be avoided. We believe that it is not the wish of the people of Ontario to have an election when the main eonvern of every thought- ful person is the welfare of our fighting men and women, and the hope of early victory which will bring them hack to us . . . ' "The Government has varrlcrl on under the most difficult t'lrcunr. stances and undrr the most snore provocation. We haw: sought to give the people of Ontario good government. and to avoid the neces. sity for a Provincial election while our Iads at the front are locked in mortal combat with a desprsrate enemy. I would like to focal] what I said in the Legislature as re- cently as March 6th. Conduct of War First The toxt of the Premier's state. ment follows: "The Government had advised the Linutenant-Govornor that the 21st Legislature should be dissolved as a rnsult of tho sole at. the termina- tion of the debate on the Speech from the Throne on Thursday night. The Lioutenant.Gorevnot. had ac.. e"pteri this advice and the 1.0mm- turo has boon dissolved hy provla,. mation hearing~ today's (lath. The dato of the election will he fixvd as soon a sit is posshlo to ho sum of the time within which arrange- ments can he mado lo assure a vote for every member of the armed forces ox'prsoas. there many bills in various stages before the Legislature, no useful purpose could possibly be served hy making any attempt to dnal with them. in View of the openly de- clared coursr' of the Opposition groups. ho said. Text of Statement Mack u, at procedure. Any other course would be contrary to our establish- ed institutions and would be con- trary to the best interests of the people ot Ontario. "it was in the face of tha. clear statement of the position of the Government that. the combined Op- position groups voted for an elee tion. It would be contrary to con- stitutional practice for. the Govern- ment to seek any further support from a Legislature which has said by a majority vote that it has no confidence in its actions.. By every possible device, each of the Opposi- lion groups impeded the business of the Legislature. and made it im- possible to proceed with important Government business. The debate on the Budget and the subsequent debate on the estimates for the mining: year could not be dealt with until the debate on the Speech from the Throne had been con- eluded. "It was in those dohates on the Budgot and on tho estimates that tho Ministers heading the differ- nnt departments would have" pre- sontorl their legislative and admin- istrative program for tho coming year. Not only worn those dehatos held up, but it was impossible to rloal with important Government hills because of tho constant inter- jecliou of in-ovplont discussions and tho airing of political mooring \\ hich had no place in the Logislative Chamber. . "The clear purpose of the resoo lutions supported by all groups of the Opposition was to start a po- litical campaign while the Legisla- ture was still sitting. It is more than evident from what took place in the Legislature and from the re- marks of the Leader of the Oppo- sition since adjournment. that an election campaign is already under way. Expense to Taxpayers "it is not in the public interest that the Legislative Chamber of Ontario should become tho forum for such a political campaign at great expense to the t8xpayPrs of this Province. The sort of speeches we have been hearing for the past five weeks, and the sort of speeches that would be heard at any further meetings of the present Legislature, should be made before public politi- cal gatherings or over the radur Tho Opposition groups have voted for an election, and the only ques- tion for decision was whether two political campaigns should be con- ducted. one in the Legislature and one on the hustings as well. The Legislature is not the place for po- litical speeches such as we have been hearing. It is a place where the discussions should be directed to the business of the Province. That being so, the sooner new members are elected who recognize the real purpose of the Legislature of this Province, the better it will be for all the people of Ontario and for the members of the armed forces "Now that there must be an elec- lion. our main concern is to bring it on as soon as possible, while at me same time assuring to the mem- hots of our armod forces overseas an opportunity to cast their ballots. There will be no repetition of what happennd in 1943. when the Govern- ment led hy Mr. Nixon denied to whose future depends so largely Upon strong constitutional govern- ment.

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