26-2.txt

Members of the House of Commons:
I welcome you to the second session of the twenty sixth parliament of Canada.
This is a time when it is possible, despite our many problems, to deliberate on Canadian and world affairs in a spirit of reasoned hopefulness.
My government will attempt to make its full contribution to the maintenance of peace and the improvement of international relations:	to the
strengthening of our national unity through a cooperative federalism; to fostering the full employment of our people and the efficient growth of our economy; and to broadening the opportunities for a good life which should be open to all Canadians.
We are looking forward to the visit this autumn of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. The presence of the Queen of Canada will mark for our country the historic occasion of the interprovincial conferences on confederation; it will also re-emphasize the importance we attach to the commonwealth, through which so much can be done to advance understanding and co-operation in this increasingly interdependent world.
We recently had great pleasure in welcoming to Ottawa the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, with whom many matters of mutual concern were fruitfully discussed.
Since the close of the last session of parliament, my Prime Minister has visited France and the United States. His friendly discussions with the President of the Republic of France will help to encourage an increasingly intimate relationship between France and Canada.
The unique partnership of Canada and the United States was symbolized in the signing by the President and the Prime Minister of an agreement by which the two countries become, for the first time, joint owners of property in what is to be the Roosevelt-Campobello international park. You will be asked to approve legislation implementing this agreement.
A protocol signed during the Prime Minister's visit to Washington will make the Columbia river treaty a basis for developments of great advantage to both countries. This was made possible by successful negotiations between my ministers and the government of British Columbia. You will be asked to examine and approve the Columbia river treaty and the protocol.
Canada will this year be taking part in important trade and tariff negotiations. My ministers will negotiate for the expansion of markets for Canadian exports through the liberalization of world trade.
In the conduct of external affairs, my government will continue to work for the conciliation of international differences and for practical steps toward adequately controlled disarmament. Such steps depend on keeping the defences of the free world strong. My government will submit for your approval a statement of a new defence policy designed to maintain an effective Canadian contribution to keeping the peace in co-operation with our allies.
At home there has been a heartening expansion of the economy. Employment has increased at an accelerated rate and the number of Canadians seeking work has fallen. More progress is, however, required. My ministers will propose a variety of measures which will further increase employment and raise the standard of living by strengthening and expanding the primary and secondary industries of Canada.
Comprehensive proposals to reform public regulation of the railways, and to facilitate the adaptation of the railway system to present and future needs, will be submitted for your consideration.
A measure will be placed before you to establish minimum wages, maximum working hours, statutory holidays and other labour standards for work under federal jurisdiction.
A measure will be placed before you to establish a comprehensive system of contributory pensions.
You will be asked to authorize, after consultation with the provinces, arrangements whereby university students requiring such assistance will be able to secure loans without payment of interest during the years of study.
Major amendments to the National Housing Act will be proposed.
You will be asked to approve the changes in fiscal arrangements with the provinces, decided upon at the federal-provincial conference last November, which implement the principle of equalization in provincial revenues from the shared tax fields. It is my ministers' policy to continue the series of federal-provincial conferences which last year achieved considerable progress in improving federal-provincial co-operation.
A measure will be placed before you to provide for a minister responsible for rural development, in order that my government may carry further its policy of giving increased attention to the needs of agriculture in both eastern and western Canada. You will be asked to consider other measures to assist in the improvement of farms and of farm income.

A measure will be placed before you to establish a 12 mile limit for the use of Canadian fisheries. In co-operation with the provinces, my government will undertake a national fisheries development program reflecting the outcome of the federal-provincial conference on fisheries held last month.
You will be asked to consider measures to strengthen the position of periodicals published in Canada.
A measure to provide for the redistribution of electoral districts will be placed before you.
My government intends to institute an inquiry to advise on the best practicable way to set enforceable limits to expenditures in election campaigns.
A measure to establish an age of retirement from the Senate will be placed before you.
You will be asked to consider amendments to the Citizenship Act which will ensure full equality of rights for all Canadian citizens wherever they were born.
You will be asked to consider measures to facilitate the reorganization of government in the interests of more effective and more efficient administration. In particular, a measure will be proposed to establish the treasury board under the presidency of a separate minister, who will devote his full attention to the increasingly urgent problems of the management of the public service and government expenditures. The president of the treasury board will be responsible for implementing other recommendations of the royal commission on government organization.
You will be asked to consider other legislative proposals.
Members of the House of Commons
You will be asked to appropriate the funds required for the services and payments authorized by parliament.
You will be asked to agree to the re-establishment of committees on defence and on the procedures and organization of parliament, and to establish other special committees.
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
May divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.