CANADIAN TRADE ASPECTS

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1929, Page 5

CANADIAN TRADE ASPECTS

CRITIC “SEES BLUE'-WEN.” BIRTH RIGHT RESOURCES SOLD. (Australian Press Association.) ' . (Received 12.16 p.ni.) OTTAWA, June lL Mr R. B. Bennett, K.C., Leader of the Opposition, speaking in the House of Commons, declared that the statement had been made that Canada was prosperous because she had a large' purchasing power, but that power was due to groat crops and the depletion of mineral and forest resources, which, were being shipped in a raw state to the United States, What Canada was doing was selling her birthright in forests, mines and minerals. Mr Bennett also made reference to the Australian Treaty. He said that within, a few weeks of the treaty coming into effect the 'Canadian Government had had to put into effect the clause against Australian products being dumped into Canada. Shortly afterwards the Government, by Orderin -Council, had extended to New Zem. land the preferences granted to Australia. The great ( manufacturing creameries of Ontario were actually, importing Nerw Zealan butter and selling it to Canadians because they could not get enough milk. Reverting to the United 'States situ-' ation, Mr Bennett said the real issue that faced Canada was dependency. The danger Was that Canada might become dependent on another country for the necessities of life. More than 200,000 people had moved from Canada to the United Stateja a year after the full force of the Fordney tariff came into effect in the country. The Canadian Government*" encouraged that movement by lowering protection. ..

Now another tariff, more far-reach-ing, was before the United States-Sen* ate. How; was the Government meet* ing this crisis? , It had done nothing. The nctw tariff would mean an increase in many eases of 20 dollars per head on cattle going from the western prov.-r inces. Both the Pordney-Me,Cumber! tariff and the emergency tariff which preceded it had affected Canada' adversely. Their general effect had been to cut clown the exports -of Canada's farm products to the United. States by 100,000,000 dollars. Canada w'as buying from the United' States goods to the value of 900,000,000 dollars per annum and was selling tq the United States commodities worth 500,000,000. . '

The Minister of Finance, Mr J. A!. Robb, replying, said that Mr Bennett was much exercised over the, fact that down at Washington, where thewea-. ther was hot, Congress was attempting to determine how much more it would tax women and children in the United States on. the milk, bread and butter which they required for their livelihood. In respect to the United States tariff, Canada would be taken care of, as was the ease in the past. ; . The Minister, describing Mr Bennett's speech as “talking blue ruin/' said that Canada was not trading with 1 the United States alone, but with. the whole world. Ho quoted figures showing increasps in Canada's trade balances since 1922, with 14 trade treaties, and in 1928, with 43 treaties.

Canada believed she could best improve her trade within the Etnpdre. • ■