Mr. Speaker:

Order. The information

requested by the hon. member cannot be properly given during the question period.

Mr. Jacques Guilbault (Saint-Jacques):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to put a question to the hon. Secretary of State or to his parliamentary secretary which stems from the reply given a while ago by the President of the Treasury Board.

I should like to know whether the Secretary of State will soon announce officially the start of construction of Place Radio-Canada.

Mr. Robert D. G. Sianbury (Parliamentary Secretary to Secretary of State):

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I hope this announcement can be made either today or tomorrow.

[ English]

Mr. P. B. Rynard (Simcoe North):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to address a question to the Minister of Fisheries concerning the statement that the federal Fisheries Research Board is polluting 56 small lakes and 17 watersheds in northern Ontario. Would the minister care to comment on that statement and on what is the purpose of such action?

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. The hon. member cannot simply ask the minister to make comments; he has to ask a specific question.

Mr. Rynard:

I should like to ask the minister, then, whether he intends to take any action in this matter.

Hon. Jack Davis (Minister of Fisheries):

Mr. Speaker, this is not a matter of pollution but rather a matter of controlled enrichment. Fertilizers such as phosphates and nitrates are being introduced into a number of small ponds. This is a controlled process. The enrichment process can be followed by a de-enrichment process whereby the lakes can be returned to their original state. This experiment is being carried out in co-operation with the department of lands and forests of Ontario, and the situation is under control.

[Mr. Valade.l

DEBATES December 17, 1968

Mr. Robert McCleave (Halifax-East Hants):

Mr. Speaker, I promise not to add an ounce of pollution to the question I am about to ask of the Minister of Veterans Affairs and of which I have given him notice. The urgency arises from the approach of Christmas and the coming into effect of a certain tax on January 1. Is the department doing what it can to issue the back pay raises to its housekeeping and steward forces, recently negotiated, before the end of the year; and with what results?

Hon. Jean-Eudes Dube (Minisier of Veterans Affairs):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. member for giving me notice of his intention to ask this question. In the same Christmas spirit I am very happy to report that the great majority of the hospital services group have already received their retroactive pay increases, and the remainder are being processed as quickly as possible.

Mr. J. M. Forrestall (Dartmouth-Halifax

East): Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question directed to the Minister of National Defence and his charming seatmate. I wonder if I can ask him now if he is in a position to advise the civilian employees of the Department of National Defence whether they will get their retroactive pay before January 1. If not, would they consult their colleagues on the treasury benches to see if those cheques could not be back-dated to some date in 1968 if it is necessary to issue them in 1969.

Hon. L6o Cadieux (Minister of National Defence):

Mr. Speaker, I do not make a daily check on this question, but the last time I did check my information was that the prospects were reasonably good that these cheques would be out on time.

Mr. Robert Muir (Cape Breton-The Sydneys):

My question is for the Minister of National Health and Welfare. In view of repeated warnings from United States authorities can the minister tell us what

December 17, 1988

preparations our own federal health department has made to meet a possible epidemic of Hong Kong 'flu over the Christmas season?