Mr. Hees:

How much did the government pay for army vehicles, models 211, 216, 135, 207, in the years 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955?

Mr. Blanchette:

Minister of Public Works. Has the minister received any complaints from veterans in Regina regarding the asking price for houses being offered for sale by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation in project 7-48 in that city? Will the minister be prepared to consider scaling down the asking price for these houses in view of the fact that the minimum price for these seven-year-old houses is almost as great as the original construction cost and also that the veterans living

Model 211: 2i ton cargo truck

with winch

Model 211: 2J ton cargo truck

without winch

Model 216: 2J ton dump truck....

Model 135: 2J ton cargo truck with

winch

Model 135: 2J ton cargo truck without winch

Model 207: 2J ton chassis and cab

with winch

Model 207: 2J ton chassis and cab without winch

1. What was the total contract value of all projects under supervision of Defence Construction Limited, in Alherta, during the fiscal year 1954-55?

2. What were the individual projects in the above, and in connection with each, what was the contract value, the name of the person or firm to whom the contract was awarded, and the time set for the completion of the contract?

Mr. Dickey:

Return tabled.

Mr. Claude Ellis (Regina City):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the

Hon. Roberi H. Winters (Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, I do not recall having received complaints from Regina, but we have had representations from elsewhere and this matter has been dealt with in the house on one or two occasions. Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation is doing no more than endeavouring to have its costs returned. While it is true that considerable amounts have been paid over the years in the form of rentals it is also true that there have been high administration and maintenance costs, all of which were incurred by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The government is putting no emphasis behind a sales effort and I think it is significant that these houses are moving into the hands of veterans who have asked to have an opportunity of buying them. That is the only reason they are being made available.

1,613,810

1,116,000

6952 HOUSE OF COMMONS

Inquiries of the Ministry TRANS-CANADA AIR LINES

Hon. Robert H. Winters (Acting Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Leader of the Opposition asked a question having to do with grain aphids and the role of Trans-Canada Air Lines in transporting required insecticide. The question arose out of a newspaper article to which the Leader of the Opposition referred. This insecticide is known by the trade name of Maletheon and is produced by North American Cyanamid in the United States and Canada, and some additional supplies have been available in Canada from Imperial Oil Limited. Air freight shipments of this insecticide by Trans-Canada Air Lines started about July 16 and 17 and T.C.A. has since then carried 68,046 pounds from Toronto to Winnipeg and Regina. The article to which the Leader of the Opposition referred did not mention any date so I am not clear as to the particular time referred to.

The insecticide is packed in 45-gallon drums and is suitable cargo for carriage only in exclusively cargo aircraft and not as cargo in passenger aircraft. T.C.A. have moved all supplies which became available for shipment from Canadian sources without delay. The most recent movement was on the night of July 26 when a shipment of 9,000 pounds was planned. During the day of July 26 information was received from North American Cyanamid that an additional nine tons would be ready for shipment that evening. An extra aircraft was arranged for, but only 5,000 pounds additional was in fact ready for shipment and the total shipment amounted to

14,000 pounds.

The article referred also to the shipment of the insecticide from Buffalo. The T.C.A. has no knowledge of any shipments of this material from Buffalo, New York, and no record can be found of any request for movement from that point. T.C.A. have in fact no traffic rights in Buffalo and would have to obtain special authorization from the civil aeronautics board in order to accept traffic at Buffalo.

One of the plants of North American Cyanamid at which this material is produced is located at Linden, New Jersey. An inquiry was received for charter of a cargo aircraft to move a shipment originating in the Linden, New Jersey, plant to Winnipeg. An effort was made to secure an aircraft for this movement, but none being available North American Cyanamid were advised and arrangements were made for shipment by Slick

Airlines, a United States cargo carrier with which T.C.A. have an interline agreement.

T.C.A. freight operations are essentially on a schedule basis and this particular request was on a charter basis. The request was dealt with and the officials have no knowledge of any unnecessary delay in advising the shipper in this instance.

Hon. George A. Drew (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, the detailed explanation given by the minister covers the actual movement of this chemical and it is not difficult to interpret that into the terms of the particular incident to which reference was made. I would ask the minister, however, if he would consider the possibility that what has happened here does demonstrate the desirability of competitive air freight facilities. This might well lead to a reconsideration of the application made on an earlier occasion by C.P.A. for air freight facilities across Canada. What has happened here demonstrates, in the words of the minister himself, that it was necessary for T.C.A. to seek the facilities of the United States air line to provide services that we should be able to provide ourselves.

Order.

Mr. Drew:

I feel that the competitive

aspect of this enters into the whole picture, and I would ask the minister if he would reconsider the whole situation in view of what has been disclosed in this case.