Mr. Hahn:
I am not disputing what the minister has to say about New Westminster. I would ask him to read the question, and I think he will find it has nothing to do with my district.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. F. S. Zapliiny (Dauphin):
I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Is the minister sponsoring the setting up of a private organization for the purpose of diverting purchases from the United States to the United Kingdom? If so, would he be prepared to state what progress has been made to date in setting up such an organization?
Hon. Gordon Churchill (Minisier of Trade and Commerce):
The hon. member has no basis at all for his question. A similar question was asked yesterday, based upon press speculation. The government has been interested in expanding trade between the United Kingdom and Canada, and to that extent sponsored a trade mission which visited the United Kingdom during the months of November and December.
Mr. Zapliiny:
May I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister denying that there is a move being made by him or his department to set up a private organization in Canada, apart altogether from trade missions, for the purpose of diverting trade from the United States to the United Kingdom?
Mr. Churchill:
Yes, I deny it.
Inquiries of the Ministry.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. D. M. Fisher (Pori Arihur):
I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Transport. Is the minister in a position to make any announcement regarding bilateral negotiations with the United States for north and south air transport routes?
Hon. George H. Hees (Minister of Transport):
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. member for his courtesy in advising me of his intention to ask this question. We have again notified the United States officials of our desire to have early discussions with them regarding the possibility of renegotiating the present bilateral agreement between Canada and the United States, and while we have not yet received any official reply we are hopeful that early discussions on this subject may be arranged within the next few weeks.
On the orders of the day:
Hon. George H. Hees (Minister of Transport):
I should like to answer a question that was asked yesterday by the hon. member for Humber-St. George's. He asked if I had received a telegram from the chamber of commerce at Corner Brook representing that the 3.6 per cent increase in freight rates had been put into effect in that district. I indicated in my reply that such a telegram had not come to my attention, but I now find it was received in my office when I was out of the city last week and was immediately forwarded to the board of transport commissioners for action.
I am now advised that the board acknowledged the telegram direct to the chamber of commerce on January 16, advising them that all tariffs of the railway instituting the 3.6 per cent increase have been postponed to March 1 and that representations were being sent to the Canadian National Railways for correction of the situation as described by the chamber of commerce. On the same day the board so communicated with the railway company.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. E. G. McCullough (Moose Mouniain):
should like to direct a question to the Minister of Transport. In view of the fact that the
decision of the transport board in respect of the application of the railways for increased demurrage charges was to be delayed until January 20, could the minister now inform the house of the decision in that regard?