Hon. Robert L. Stanfield (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to direct a question to the Prime Minister. Will the right hon. gentleman tell the house whether in the meetings of the federal-provincial officials concerning the constitution, to which he has referred, consideration has been given to the question of an amending formula for the constitution?

The questions which are being discussed by these officials are those which were decided at the meetings held at government level last February by federal and provincial heads of government. The amending formula, it was decided then, was not among the priority items. The committee agreed it was more important to try to reach agreement on the substance than on the mechanics of changing that substance, as had been attempted for years and years, so we agreed to reverse the order and that is why the officials are not discussing the aspect to which the hon. gentleman referred.

Mr. Stanfield:

Will the Prime Minister undertake to make a full report to the house in the near future as to the agenda for the meetings of the officials? Could he also give the house a report as to what progress has been made in the various areas under discussion? If he is not prepared to report as to progress, can he not at least give a full and precise report regarding the agenda of the meetings?

Mr. Trudeau:

The agenda can easily be found; it follows from the agenda established in public in front of television cameras last February. I should not like to say more about these discussions at the moment for the simple reason that the provincial and federal governments decided jointly that the officials should hold their discussions in camera and that no public statements should be made.

Mr. Stanfield:

Is the Prime Minister not prepared to inform the house precisely as to the agenda which is being discussed?

Mr. Trudeau:

The Leader of the Opposition should understand that this is not a strictly federal matter. This is being done in co-operation with the provinces. It was decided that these meetings should be private; the provinces have been quite firm in that respect, and I think they are quite right.

Mr. Real Caoueile (Temiscamingue):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to put a complementary question to the Prime Minister.

In view of the fact that high officials are meeting at the present time, when does the Prime Minister envisage a meeting between the federal and the provincial governments to discuss constitutional matters?

Mr. Trudeau:

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday or the day before, I have written to the provincial premiers to suggest a conference of the Prime Minister and premiers in the second half of November or December. I am still awaiting their answer, but that is the date we suggested.

Mr. David Lewis (York South):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce. In view of the announcement reported in today's press that Chrysler has raised the price of cars in the United States, will the minister inform the house whether he is getting into contact with the Canadian subsidiaries of the United States auto makers in order to make sure there is no increase in car prices in Canada?

Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin (Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce):

The purpose of the automotive agreement was, among other things, to reduce the differential between the cost of automobiles in Canada and in the United States. Over the period of three or four years this has been done to a great

September 17, 1968

Inquiries of the Ministry extent. When the agreement was put into operation the price differential between Canadian and United States cars was about 8 per cent. It has now been brought down, on an average basis, to about 3 per cent. I have made inquiries and I understand that some standard cars are sold in Canada, wholesale of course, at the same price as in the United States. I also understand that if one shops around properly he might find some cars being sold in Canada at a slightly lower price than they are in the United States.

Mr. Woolliams:

Where?

Mr. Maclnnis (Cape Breton-East Richmond):

That is only to cabinet ministers.

Mr. Pepin:

I could not give names of cars because-

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. It appears to me that the minister is now going beyond the terms of the question asked by the hon. member.