Hon. John C. Munro (Minister of National Health and Welfare):

I would advise that we have not had very many cases of this particular disease in Canada. So far only about 100 cases have been reported, and they have been relatively mild. Since the summer the food and drug directorate have been doing everything possible with United States and Canadian companies to urge the manufacturer of this particular antitoxin. We hope we will have a supply in Canada by mid January.

Mr. Muir (Cape Brelon-The Sydneys):

supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister advise the house at this time whether a sufficient supply of antitoxin will be available in this country, and whether the medical profession will have a supply to deal with this very dangerous disease?

Mr. Munro:

It will be distributed on a priority basis. These are subjective judgments and are very difficult, but the health authorities will have to make them, such as the elderly first and so on. The difficulty in the manufacture of this antitoxin is being overcome by companies that have permission to make it both in the United States and Canada.

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

I should like to ask the Minister of National Health and Welfare a supplementary question. Is he making any arrangements to have the members of the house inoculated, as they have been in the past?

Mr. Munro:

It is questionable whether members of parliament are considered priority persons.

Mr. Lome Nyslrom (Yorkion-Melville):

On

Friday, Mr. Speaker, I asked the parliamentary secretary to the Secretary of State for External Affairs a question concerning the Christmas ship to Biafra. Today I want to ask the Secretary of State for External Affairs a similar question. Would the Secretary of State for External Affairs consider a donation on behalf of Canada of surplus food for Biafra which would be shipped via the Christmas ship which is scheduled to leave New York early in January?

Inquiries of the Ministry

Hon. Mitchell Sharp (Secretary of State for

External Affairs): As hon. members know, I have received a letter on behalf of members of parliament in which we were specifically asked if we could supply some surplus food. This matter is still under investigation.

Mr. Nystrom:

A supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Since this is an international project and since the government of Holland have endorsed it, does the Canadian government intend to encourage the Canadian people to support the project?

Mr. Sharp:

If it would be any help, I should like to support it and I hope all members of parliament will support it most generously.

Mr. Paul Yewchuk (Athabasca):

Mr. Speaker, may I ask the Secretary of State for External Affairs now to give a report of the circumstances surrounding the refusal by the Ivory Coast to accept Canada's shipment of wheat, as the Prime Minister suggested the minister would do today?

Hon. Mitchell Sharp (Secretary of State for External Affairs):

Mr. Speaker, the matter is still under discussion with the governments concerned.

Mr. Rene Matte (Champlain):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Could he tell the house whether the former member for Champlain is employed by his department and, if so, in what capacity?

Mr. Speaker:

This question could be placed on the order paper.

Mr. Henri Latulippe (Compton):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the Minister of Public Works.

Could he tell the house whether the construction of post offices which had been postponed last year and promised for this year will be carried out in spite of the cancellation of winter works?

4036 COMMONS

Inquiries of the Ministry