Canada at War: Yes, Yes, Yes

Roly-poly, voluble Jean François Pouliot loves to talk & talk. Like his father, his grandfather and his great-grandfather before him, he is a member of the House of Commons. He once talked Tory Prime Minister Richard Bedford Bennett into giving his home town (Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec) a new railroad station. Another time he talked his party (Liberal) into building a dock on an unnavigable stream. In four sessions he addressed Parliament 471 times.

Last week, talkative Jean François talked out of turn.

He found it "painful" to vote $618,989 for Canada's supernumerary Senate. Said he: "They have lost all sense of shame in the Senate. . . . The Senate is a nonentity in Parliament. . . ."

Many a House member agreed. But for Pouliot to say it out loud was a gross breach of Parliamentary rules. Quick to point out the breach was Defense Minister James Layton Ralston, himself a favorite target of Pouliot's interminable tirades. The Deputy Speaker upheld the Minister, ruled that Pouliot must withdraw his words. Pouliot declined. Then he was given the dinner recess to reconsider or be "named" (forced to leave the Chamber).

When the House resumed, Pouliot resumed. He offered a verbose explanation for his words. Cried some members: "That is not a withdrawal."

Screamed Pouliot: "What! Is this a torture room?"

Minister Ralston and the House stood firm. Said the Chair: "Does the member withdraw? Yes or no."

Member Pouliot's voice failed him. For once he had only three words more. They came faintly: "Yes, yes, yes."