-4- You will have noticed that this is the 60th Anniversary of Confederation. Canada is going to celebrate her diamond jubilee. The Bill was brought down in the House to provide a National Committee with one quarter of a million dollars to start plans for the celebration. The[re] were 64 names on the Committee. Mr. Woodsworth [Note: James Shaver Woodsworth (1884-1942), Labour MP for Winnipeg North Center] began speak- ing and said there were no representatives of the working people except the member for S.E.South East Grey. That was the first I knew I was on it. I had not been consulted Mr. Woodsworth said that Labour could not get a place on the Committee, because that would be giving class representation, so I rose to say that if there were none on I was not going on. If the labouring class and the farmers, the largest group of citizens in Canada, were not given a place on the Committee, I would not accept one, so after quite a harangue, the Prime Minister [Note: William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874-1950)] agreed to accept names to represent farmers, labourers and the new Canadians - naturalized Canadians. I would be much more comfortable off the Committee. They will likely use it as an occasion to parade militarism. And then too, we could not persuade the House to say that no more money would be spent. I will do my best to hold expenses down and to make the celebration one which appreciates the work of the pioneers who made Canada out of unbroken forests, to acquaint Canadians with the glowing history that is ours, with the really marvellous [sic] accomplishment of in sixty years creating a country. After Mr. King had acceded to our request and added the names we wanted, I spoke a few words of appreciation. We passed the bill relating to old Grand Trunk Pacific stock, held by people in the old country for the most part. This fine was taken over by the Canadian National. The bonds were at 4% interest. On account of the bankruptcy no interest has been paid, but the improving financial position of our national railway would soon bring these bonds into a paying position. An agreement was reached with the shareholders to give up the old bonds and take new ones bearing interest at 20% which we guaranteed to be always paid. The bonds mature in forty years. I tried to find out whether it was sound proposition or not, and the general opinion in all parts of the House was one of approval. And now we come to the Budget. It is more than ever proven that the Budget last year was the result of the farm and labour groups being in a position to demand what they wanted,- or at least a part of it. I think the Robb [Note: James Alexander Robb, Minister of Finance and Receiver General from 1926-1929] Budget had much to do with sending the Liberals bakc [sic] to power. Now having got back they make no further reductions. I spoke on this a couple of days ago, and will , a little later on, quote from my speech. The main points in the Budget are a 20% cut in sales tax; 25% cut in the excise tax on matches; the removal of the excise stamps on overdrafts and advances; no stamp on cheques up to $10.00, and 2¢ on all cheques over that amount. Absolutely no reduction on the tariff, and a 10% cut on income tax. It sounds a good deal, but it really is not anything, except a cut in the income tax, which I believe to be a bad thing. Let me quote frommy [sic] speech in preci of this: Coming again to the budget, I observe that there is a twenty-five per cent reduction [...] the excise tax on matches. If you say it that way it sounds a good deal, but I have in my hand a little bos [sic] of Eddy's matches, sold at two for five cents, I believe, and the tax on that was one cent. If the full benefit of the