Mr. Harry C. Harley (Halton) moved

for leave to introduce Bill No. C-100, to amend the Broadcasting Act (political programs).

Explain.

Mr. Harley:

Mr. Speaker, at present the Broadcasting Act prohibits political broadcasts anywhere in Canada on election day and the two days preceding election day whether the election is federal, provincial or municipal. This bill is to amend the act so that it will apply only to those radio stations or broadcasting stations where the broadcasting range reaches the actual election area.

Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.

Has the government in its possession a report from CBA Engineering Limited of Vancouver concerning the feasibility of a tunnel connecting the city of Vancouver and Sea island and, if so, has this report received further consideration since the Vancouver international airport came under federal ownership?

Mr. McCleave:

A report from CBA Engineering Limited on a tunnel from Vancouver to Sea island was received by the Department of Public Works. This report was not prepared at the request or cost of the federal government. No further consideration has been given to it, since at the time of the agreed payment of $400,000 by the federal government to the province in 1958 for a portion of the capital cost of this access tunnel, it was understood that the structure would be a provincial responsibility and that federal responsibility for access to Sea island was discharged.

(Translation):

Has the Canadian National Railways Company reconsidered its decision to suspend during the

summer months, and to continue every second and third day during the winter season, the service between Edmundston and Levis (trains No. 67, 70 and 68, 69) with a view to providing a regular daily year-round service for the large population of the entire region?

Mr. McBain:

The management of the Canadian National Railways has sent me the following information:

There was a day coach service three times a week during the winter and the autumn of 1961. In December 1961, a complete train service was re-established. From Montreal this train had a sleeping car connecting with the ocean limited at Levis. Passengers using this service were few and most of them got on at Edmundston. There were also few passengers picked up from intermediate points in the areas of Charny and of Monk. As there had been so few passengers last winter and in the light of a careful analysis of the market possibilities for this winter, a semi-weekly service has been established between Edmundston and Levis with connection for passengers going to Montreal. Traffic on this service will be carefully considered and any future service or changes will be made according to the traffic potential of those trains.

(Text):

1. Is the Minister of Public Works aware of the congestion and occasional failure of the swing-bridge over Moray channel, being the sole approach to Vancouver international airport?

2. Is consideration being given to or have any studies been made of, an alternative access to Sea island from Vancouver city?

3. Have any submissions of plans been made to the government for a tunnel approach from the south end of Granville street thence direct to the site of the new terminal building and, if so, has the government plans to proceed with this undertaking?

Mr. McCleave:

1. Yes; and that the bridge is under the jurisdiction of the province of British Columbia.

2. Not by the Department of Public Works.

3. Yes. An engineering firm made such a study on its own initiative, and submitted a copy to the Department of Public Works. No consideration has been given to the report here, since at the time of the agreed payment

Questions

of $400,000 by the federal government to the province in 1958 for a portion of the capital cost of this access bridge, it was understood that the structure would be a provincial responsibility and that federal responsibility for access to Sea island was discharged.

Do the provisions under which the Pine Point railway is to operate ensure that upon its completion carlot shipments from eastern Canada will have applied to them the one and one third transcontinental rate structure that applies to destinations in Alberta and, if so, what will he (using present tariff) the rate per 100 lbs. on (a) minimum carlots canned vegetables, Toronto-Hay river (b) carlot furniture, Toronto-Hay river?

Mr. McBain:

The management of Canadian National Railways advise as follows:

The Great Slave lake railway is under construction and the projected estimated completion date is the fall of 1966 at which time, when it is in full operation, it will be subject to the then existing statutes and regulations of the Board of Transport Commissioners for Canada covering the operation of such railways. As a matter of information, section 337 of the Railway Act defines "eastern territory" as any point on a line of railway east of Port Arthur, Ontario or Armstrong, Ontario; "western territory" as any point on a line of railway in British Columbia to which competitive transcontinental tolls apply, and "intermediate territory" as any point between eastern and western territory on any line of railway.

The provisions of this section of the act stipulate that rates to intermediate territory shall not exceed by more than one third the competitive toll in effect to eastern or western territory.

Generally speaking, as destinations on the Pine Point railway qualify under the term "intermediate territory" the effective rates, if that railway were today in operation, would be those within the scope of one and one third of any applicable transcontinental competitive rate.

(Translation):