Mr. Barry Mather (Surrey-White Rock):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct a question to the Minister of Labour who reports for Information Canada. Having in mind the recent departure from the top position in that organization of its Director General, was that departure related in any way to the report recently made by another high official of Information Canada indicating an unsatisfactory situation in Information Canada? Second, is the minister giving consideration to making changes directed toward improving Information Canada and reducing its cost?

Hon. Martin P. O'Connell (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, the new role that the Director General of Information Canada is expected to play in the foreign service has no relationship at all to the document referred to by the hon. gentleman. I want to state that very emphatically.

As to his second question, together with senior officers of Information Canada, I have been conducting a rather intensive review of its operations, objectives and goals, and we have produced a number of working papers that we are examining. We have engaged at least two expert persons, one from inside the public service and one a senior executive officer of a major Canadian publishing firm. We are going through the various operations to enable those very dedicated persons working in Information Canada to provide an even better service at reduced cost.

Inquiries of the Ministry EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

May 3, 1972

Mr. Heath Macquarrie (Hillsborough):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs. It has reference to the unique and unusual situation in which one government minister advises the citizens of Canada to do what he believes the government and Canada itself cannot do, namely, boycott Danish goods. I would like to ask what the government is doing in reference to the government of Denmark to press this matter forward? Are we recalling our ambassador from Copenhagen for consultation? In short, when are we ending our mealy-mouthed diplomacy on this matter?

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

Mr. Speaker, the representations that Canada has made to Denmark in this matter are, in my time, quite unprecedented. These are the strongest representations that have ever been made by Canada on a commercial matter to any government in the world. The evidence of this is the reaction in Denmark.

So far as the Minister of Fisheries is concerned, he said he would not advocate any change in government policy. When he was pressed on the matter he said, as a personal view, that he thought shoppers might show their displeasure with the Danish government's decision. That is his privilege as a person, and perhaps the hon. gentleman has the same view, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Macquarrie:

Do I take it that the minister would agree that these representations have been quite unsuccessful?

Mr. Sharp:

Mr. Speaker, if they have not been successful I do not think that is a reason to stop making them.

Mr. lames A. McGrath (St. John's East):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a supplementary question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs. Does he intend to consult with the Danish ambassador to Canada to determine the exact position taken by the Danish government on the eve of the ICNAF conference in Washington inasmuch as press reports indicate that the Danish government intends to persist in its course to the detriment of Canada by continuing salmon fishing on the high seas?

Mr. Sharp:

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately this seems to be the position of the Danish government. Indeed, some misleading information appeared in the Danish press, which the Danish government has corrected, that we had agreed to the agreement which the Danes and the Americans had worked out. As my hon. friend knows, Mr. Speaker, we are opposed to salmon fishing on the high seas by any country in the world. We believe this is a right and privilege of the countries in whose rivers the salmon spawn.

Mr. John L. Skoberg (Moose Jaw):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the President of the Treasury Board. Has any direction been given to the chairman of the conciliation board that the government has a firm policy that there shall be regional rates of pay negotiated so far as the firefighters group in the Public Service Alliance is concerned?

Hon. C. M. Drury (President of the Treasury Board):

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. gentleman is aware that directions are not given by the government to the chairmen of conciliation boards. Representations are made to the conciliator by both parties, of which the government is one.

Mr. John L. Skoberg (Moose Jaw):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a supplementary question to the right hon. Prime Minister. In view of remarks made previously by the President of the Treasury Board that he is in favour of regional rates of pay, would the Prime Minister say whether it is government policy to implement regional rates of pay in all of the public service?

Right Hon. P. E. Trudeau (Prime Minister):

No, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Roch La Salle (Joliette):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the right hon. Prime Minister a question relating to the policy on foreign investments in Canada.

Would the Prime Minister tell this House if negotiations or consultations have taken place with the provinces in connection with this policy which will be introduced soon and, if not, whether he intends to convince the provinces of the objectives of this policy before this legislation is implemented?

Right Hon. P. E. Trudeau (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I have written to all the provincial premiers to inform them of this legislation when we introduced it and also of the statement we made. Even though the consultations have not yet begun they will start soon.

As for the first part of the question I would reply that this will of course depend on how fast the provinces will let us know their point of view. Even now their response seems favorable but when the discussions will go into detail we will perhaps obtain some clarification as to the legislation itself.