Mr. Martin (Essex East):

It would perhaps be more precise to say "of course not".

Mr. Brand:

A supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether the Acting Prime Minister could explain to the house how, unless all the provinces are going to be in this scheme, it will be portable from province to province.

Mr. T. C. Douglas (Burnaby-Coquitlam):

May I direct a question to the Minister of National Defence regarding the crashing of a United States plane near Thule, Greenland. The aircraft was carrying four thermonuclear bombs, each with an explosive

January 24, 1968

Inquiries of the Ministry equivalent of one million tons of T.N.T. I want to ask the minister whether Resolute Bay or any other northern Canadian base is being used as an emergency landing field for planes of the strategic air command and, if so, what measures is the government taking to ensure the safety of Canadian territory and territorial waters in the event of a similar accident.

Hon. Leo Cadieux (Minister of National Defence):

I think, first of all, I should say that there is an agreement between the governments of Canada and the United States for the overflight of planes from strategic air command.

There is no arrangement for landing. Of course if there were an emergency we would allow these planes to land. In the particular case we are concerned with, and the hypothetical case that something similar to this would happen in Canada, I am sure we have trained personnel who could intervene and act in accordance with the necessary precautions that would have to be taken in such a case.

Mr. Douglas:

As a supplementary question may I ask the minister whether any arrangements have been made with the government of the United States regarding the state of nuclear bombs in these aircraft when they fly over Canadian territory, and what precautions would be applicable in the event of a forced landing at a Canadian emergency base?

Mr. Cadieux (Terrebonne):

I assume, Mr. Speaker, and I say "assume" because I have not gone into that particular aspect of the question, we would find ourselves in the same situation as they now face in Thule, that the weapons would be de-armed and defused, and therefore the danger of an explosion would not really exist.

Mr. Douglas:

What about the danger from the dispersal of toxic fissionable material which could also have a serious effect on Canadian lives and territory?

Mr. Cadieux (Terrebonne):

With due respect I would again call this a hypothetical question. In a case like that we would act according to the normal procedures, and people are trained how to act in such circumstances.

Mr. Andrew Brewin (Greenwood):

As a

supplementary question, Mr. Speaker, may I ask the minister whether the Canadian government is in any way in consultation with

the government of Denmark which, I understand, is carefully looking into the problem of the risk involved in the incident mentioned by my leader?

Mr. Cadieux (Terrebonne):

My understanding of the basic difference between Denmark and Canada is that Denmark does not have the arrangement with the United States government that the Canadian government has.

Mr. Gerard Laprise (Chapleau):

Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Minister of Agriculture has just left, so I shall address my question to his parliamentary secretary.

Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agriculture tell us whether talks have been held with representatives of the Quebec and Ontario industrial milk producers to prepare the next subsidy program for industrial milk producers in 1968?

Mr. Bruce S. Beer (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture):

Mr. Speaker, the minister, who was in the house a minute ago, may be back shortly and I will bring this question to his attention.

Mr. H. W. Danforth (Kent (Onl.)):

Mr. Speaker, I would have liked to address my question to the Minister of Agriculture but he is not in the house at the present moment. However, because of its importance perhaps I can address it to the minister's parliamentary secretary in the hope we may have an answer tomorrow.

The minister is away campaigning.