Mr. CASTLEDEN:
That takes care of about 7,000 veterans.
Mr. MACKENZIE:
There is no urban housing at all.
Mr. CASTLEDEN:
What is the lag in urban requirements?
Mr. MACKENZIE:
We have none, except in the one case at Calgary. The Calgary area is extensive; the city offered us tax free land and we did engage in certain housing there, but apart from that there will be no urban housing under the Veterans Land Act.
Mr. DIEFENBAKER:
Last year I brought up a question with regard to hospitalization, and the utilization of the natural facilities available at Watrous lake, the chemical waters of which have been found to be beneficial for the treatment of neurological diseases. Ever since the Indian tribes used to gather there more than two hundred years ago, use has been made of the waters of this lake in the treatment of certain types of disease, particularly unsettled mental conditions and the like. Within the last six months the government of Saskatchewan made an investigation to ascertain the properties of the waters of this lake, and I understand they have been found to be particularly beneficial for neuro-
Supply-Veterans Affairs
logical complaints. I do not think there should be any difficulty in arranging with the government of Saskatchewan to make available to soldiers requiring neurological treatment certain facilities that were built there some fifteen years ago. I should like to have a statement from the minister with regard to the matter. Last year he gave me a most considerate answer and said that the matter would be looked into.
Mr. MACKENZIE:
I appreciate my hon. friend's bringing this matter to my attention. The real question is this: are there enough ex-service patients whose treatment would warrant the development of Watrous lake? I am told by my parliamentary assistant that it is an ideal site for a health and occupational centre for the treatment of veterans. I can assure my hon. friend that if it is deemed necessary to expand in that direction, his recommendations will be most carefully reviewed.
Mr. QUELCH:
How long will it be before veterans can take advantage of the amendment to the Veterans Land Act permitting loans of $3,000? I have received several letters but I understand that no application has yet been granted.
Mr. TUCKER:
One has already been
settled under the provisions of the amended section, and there is no reason why the policy should not be applied right along.
Mr. SKEY:
Would the minister make a
brief statement on Sunnybrook hospital? When will it be completed and staffed and in operation?
Mr. MACKENZIE:
We are beginning now to send the first patients into Sunnybrook. As my hon. friend is well aware, all the units have not yet been completed, but we shall have a gradual infiltration of patients into Sunnybrook from now on until the unit is completed with the conjoined units of the health and occupational centre and the Davis-ville estate. The three units will form the finest hospital centre in the dominion.
Mr. ADAMSON:
The first to be completed was the out-patients building?
Mr. MACKENZIE:
That is right.
Mr. ADAMSON:
Have complete surgical facilities been installed? When will the surgical part of D.VA. be removed from Christie Street to Sunnybrook?
Mr. MACKENZIE:
There will be certain surgical facilities available in the unit now,
but the hospital will not be completed for some months yet because of difficulties in regard to labour, bricklayers particularly, and the shortage of supplies and material, all of .which were beyond my control. But I can assure my hon. friend that it is the earnest and urgent desire of this department to have Sunnybrook finished as soon as possible, and I hope that every single member of parliament will attend the opening ceremonies.
Mr. SKEY:
Does the minister expect that he will be able to staff Sunnybrook adequately when it is completed?
Mr. MACKENZIE:
Yes.
Mr. SKEY:
Last December on the minister's estimates I brought his attention to the extremely low pay which the D.V.A. nurses are receiving as compared with the pay of nurses in the armed services and in hospitals throughout the country. The minister said he would give the matter consideration and see whether anything could be done to increase the compensation for nurses.
Mr. MACKENZIE:
We have substantially increased the salaries of doctors working for D.V.A., and we have received complaints from civilian hospitals that we are paying our nurses more than they can afford to pay. We make certain allowances for board and lodging which increase the comfort of their existence.
Mr. SKEY:
If the civilian hospitals are
forced to pay their nurses more, it will be a good thing.
Mr. WHITE (Middlesex East):
In regard to the Veterans Land Act houses in Westminster township, I understand that the water mains are being laid from the city of London and that the public utilities commission has a flat rate for each hydrant placed in any area. What arrangements have been made in that regard? The drainage system that is being installed there comes to a dead end, with no outlet. What arrangements are being made to take care of that?