Mr. Hees:

-through co-ordination of the activities of the various vessels operated by the Royal Canadian Navy, the Department of Fisheries, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police-

Mr. Sinclair:

Eating your words.

Mr. Hees:

-and my own department.

Mr. Sinclair:

Where is your coastguard?

Mr. Hees:

To assist as much as possible in this regard, we have the problems of marine search and rescue very much in mind in developing our departmental ship program, and most of our new ships will be provided with helicopter platforms, since it is now well established that helicopters have a major role to play in marine search and rescue. As new ships become available it will undoubtedly be desirable to expand our helicopter operations in connection with our ships, provided that the necessary funds are voted for this purpose by parliament.

I might point out in this connection that my department now operates some four supply ships on the Pacific coast as well as three weather ships, five vessels in the great lakes area, about a dozen ships in the Ottawa and St. Lawrence river and gulf area and about nine in the Atlantic area. These are available to assist in marine search and rescue work in their respective areas, along with the ships operated by the Department of Fisheries and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Moreover, in connection with our program to replace older vessels we are now calling tenders for one specially designed vessel for the Atlantic coast and one for the Pacific coast, each to carry a helicopter, of a type which should, in addition to being useful agency supply ships, be of special value for marine search and rescue work.

Just as the United States coastguard maintains special ships for ocean weather stations as part of its program, so does the Department of Transport. The weather ship service was established by international agreement, and Canada's responsibility under this agreement-

Dispense.

Mr. Hees:

-calls for the maintenance of one weather station in the Pacific ocean. This weather station is operated by three special vessels, two in active service and one held in reserve-

Dispense.

Mr. Hees:

-and these ships, too, are available for marine search and rescue work within the area where they are stationed, in the same way that United States coastguard weather station vessels are available.

The United States coastguard has also engaged in work in connection with the growing small boat field, where proper regulation and educational safety programs have become very important. Here again my department has recognized the growing need in this field in Canada, and has taken initial steps toward helping in this field by the appointment of a small boats officer within its marine services branch who is specializing in educational safety and regulatory programs for this purpose. This is a field of departmental activities which we expect to expand in the future.

Order.

Mr. Hees:

We also pay a subsidy to the British Columbia tugboat owners' association which covers the salary of a special official they provide to co-ordinate their own activities in marine search and rescue work.

Order.

Mr. Hees:

I should like to assure the house that this matter will remain under continuing review-

Order.

Mr. Hees:

-and if further changes or improvements are deemed necessary by the government-

Order.

Mr. Hees:

-they will be brought forward.

Hon. James Sinclair (Coast-Capilano):

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

Dispense.

Mr. Sinclair:

Now that the minister has given a ringing endorsation to the program he used to criticize so vigorously-