Mr. John B. Hamilton (York West):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Transport, since he seems to be more inclined to answer today. Will the minister comment on the report out of Cleveland that the additional capital outlays for construction of the St. Lawrence seaway may necessitate an increase in proposed tolls which will price the seaway out of the transportation market?

Hon. George C. Marler (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, I believe that is obviously a matter of opinion. It is a little too early for us to assess at the moment the effect of the increase in costs that has taken place since the project was started in relation to the probable volume of traffic that will be making use of the seaway when it is opened in 1959. I think it would be useless for me to comment now on what are purely speculative reports.

Mr. Hamilton (York Wesi):

May I ask a

supplementary question. Has the minister considered at all the effect on the tolls of the increased capital outlays, which apparently will be required for the construction of the actual seaway?

Mr. Marler:

I should not like to give the house the impression that this was a matter that had come before me as Minister of Transport. I know the matter has been very seriously considered by officers of the St. Lawrence seaway authority, but I have not been a party to the discussions and I do not think it would be wise for me to communicate to the house my own rather fragmentary impressions of the matter.

Mr. J. M. Macdonnell (Greenwood):

May I

ask a question supplementary to the one asked by my colleague the hon. member for York West. While appreciating what the minister has said, that the facts and figures are at the present time somewhat speculative, surely this house is tremendously interested in knowing whether there is a substantial change already indicated. I would hope the minister would be able to give us some answer, and not leave us completely in a void.

Mr. Marler:

If the estimates of the St. Lawrence seaway authority were before the house I would hope I would be in a position to give hon. members all the information they desired regarding the affairs of the authority, but I would scarcely expect to discuss a matter of such importance on the orders of the day.

Mr. Macdonnell:

Without wishing to persuade the Minister of Transport to alter the brush-off he gave me, I suggest to him it would be of great interest to this house if within the next week he could make some statement on the important question of the additional seaway costs.

Mr. Marler:

I shall take note of the hon. gentleman's observation, but I am not sure I shall be in a position to satisfy his desire for information.

Inquiries of the Ministry INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR

Mr. W. M. Hamilton (Notre Dame de Grace):

Would the Minister of Trade and Commerce inform the house whether or not government funds are being used either directly or indirectly for the travels of the Belgian caterer who has been retained to operate the Canadian restaurants at the Belgian international fair, and who is now in Canada in search of information already well known to dozens of Canadian restaurant operators?

Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

I have not been following the matter closely, but I shall make inquiries and let my hon. friend know. It is my understanding, however, that a contract has been entered into with the Belgian firm to cater for the period of the fair and that the caterer is travelling at his own expense. However, I shall look into the matter.

Mr. John B. Hamilton (York West):

Since we have been talking about the St. Lawrence seaway I wonder if I might direct a question to the Prime Minister. Is the report true which was contained in last night's Montreal Star to the effect that Hon. Lionel Chevrier has been named Liberal candidate in the Laurier constituency? If so, does the Prime Minister regard it as proper that the chairman of a crown corporation should also be a candidate in this election?

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

I have no information whatever that Hon. Lionel Chevrier has been named a candidate in any constituency. I would not be at all surprised if there were many constituencies that would be very happy to have him as their candidate, but I have no information that any offer has been made to him by any constituency.

Mr. Howard C. Green (Vancouver-Quadra):

Now that the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of National Health and Welfare has mentioned the month of June, can the Prime Minister tell us when it is expected this session will be prorogued and when the election will take place?

Supply-Post Office

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

I hope it will be possible to arrange for prorogation at the end of next week and to have dissolution follow immediately, so the usual period required between the notice of dissolution and voting day can be arranged in a manner that will comply with the statutory requirements.