Mr. H. W. Herridge (Kootenay West):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to address a question to the Postmaster General. I do wish he would continue to wear his bright red waistcoat. When he does we can see him easily, and we consider it a symbol of the parliamentary mail box into which we can drop inquiries. Incidentally, Mr. Speaker, we also consider it a touch of colour in the otherwise vulpine Victorian vista opposite. Now for my question.

In view of the numerous protests from philatelists, more commonly known as stamp collectors, concerning the alleged elimination of plate numbers from further issues of stamps, and since because the minister's estimates were passed by the last parliament we are denied the normal opportunity to interrogate or irritate the minister, or the minister the opportunity to reply, would the minister under these circumstances make a statement concerning the procedures of the philatelic branch of his department, for the information of the house and the country, having regard to and being guided by memories of his relentless quest for complete information on postal affairs when a member of the opposition?

Hon. W. M. Hamilton (Postmaster General):

Mr. Speaker, I do feel that under normal circumstances this would be a question better dealt with on the estimates. As the hon. member has pointed out, my estimates will not be before the house this year; therefore with your permission I might just say a word or two in reply to the question. I want first to thank my hon. friend for having given me notice of this subject.

The hon. member referred to numerous protests from philatelists regarding this situation. I might say we have also had commendation from philatelists. The house will remember that by action of the last government plate numbers on stamps were eliminated. When we studied the situation it became apparent that philatelists were very desirous of having these plate numbers included on the sheets, and we sought a way in which they could be made available to them.

This was accomplished by continuing the printing of these plate numbers on the margins of sheets of stamps but cutting them off the sheets which were designed for ordinary sale in post offices across Canada, thus eliminating delays and confusion at stamp wickets which had brought criticism from the public in the past. However, these same stamps, printed from exactly the same plates, in every way identical but with the plate block numbers left on, are available to philatelists through the philatelic section here in Ottawa under exactly the same conditions as have prevailed for a number of years in the past. The philatelic section to which the hon. member makes reference has been designed and devoted completely to the convenience and assistance of philatelists in obtaining the desired stamps directly from the post office.

One further point on which comment has been made has been the question of deposits. I might emphasize the fact that the philatelic section sells these stamps at their face value without any deposit whatsoever being required. There is a deposit system for those who wish automatic forwarding of new stamps as they are issued, but that is not a requirement to buy from the philatelic section.

I think that would cover the ground which interests the hon. member, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. H. J. Murphy (Wesimorland):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the house when the government will set up a body independent of the government to regulate private radio interests to remedy the existing situation, in which the judge in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation versus private radio disputes is indeed a party to the dispute?

Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of government policy, to be announced in due course.

Inquiries of the Ministry

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of National Revenue. Has the minister ascertained the source, said to be Canadian, of the original information used by a United States tax informer to initiate United States internal revenue income tax claims against Consolidated Premium Iron Ores and Mr. Cyrus Eaton? If not, will he have this matter checked?

Hon. G. C. Nowlan (Minister of National Revenue):

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman was good enough to send me a copy of his question this morning. I rather regret the terminology used in the question. I do not think I should be answering it, or that I should be taken as accepting the wording, because I do not think the activities of either Consolidated Premium Iron Ores or of Mr. Cyrus Eaton are such as would require an investigation or the services of a tax informer in recording them. In other words, whatever their activities may have been, I am sure they are a matter of record, and are not such as would require the services of informers which suggests that something fraudulent might be inferred.

Subject to that, I can say that the Canadian government or the Department of National Revenue have no knowledge whatsoever of the services of any informer in connection with this matter, or in connection with any other matter which might come within the purview of the United States tax authorities. Whether they use informers or whether they do not is a matter of which I personally have no knowledge, and neither does the government. Therefore obviously, Mr. Speaker, we could not check. I am sure the house will agree that we would have no right whatsoever to check this matter or seek information thereon, and therefore the answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

Hon. J. W. Monteith (Minister of National Health and Welfare):

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the hon. member for Essex East asked me whether a communication had been received within the past week from the province of New Brunswick on the subject of hospital 96698-247

insurance. At the time I indicated the probability that such a letter had been received, but I now find that I was mistaken. The department has no record of any letter from New Brunswick on this subject since my communication to the province on January 10 indicating the government's intention to introduce an amendment to the hospital insurance act during the next session of parliament.

I might also answer the question put to me yesterday by the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre on this subject. The hon. member asked me whether I had heard from the province of Manitoba, or from any minister of the province of Manitoba as to whether Manitoba is prepared to join in the plan and, if so, on what date operations would commence.

I would inform the hon. member that in a letter dated January 14 Hon. R. W. Bend, minister of health and public welfare for Manitoba, informed me of his province's intention to participate in the program. Mr. Bend gave no indication as to when Manitoba's plan would commence, but expressed doubt that it would be ready to operate by July 1 of this year.