§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government has sanctioned the transmission by the Governor of the Bahamas of an invitation to the Government of the Dominion of Canada to appoint Commissioners to confer with Commissioners to be appointed by the Bahamas as to the feasibility of arriving at some arrangement 1820W for the admission of the Bahamas into the Dominion with the status of a province, or has taken other steps to promote a consideration of this question with a view to securing for the produce of the Bahamas the benefit of more favourable access to the Canadian markets, or is Ire prepared now to indicate the view of His Majesty's Government with regard to the proposal?
Mr. HARCOURTThe suggested incorporation of the Bahamas with the Dominion of Canada raises several important issues other than that of access to the Canadian market, and I do not think I can usefully make any statement on the subject at present.