Mr. Norman A. Cafik (Ontario):

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Transport. In light of his welcome answer yesterday to my question regarding a special inquiry respecting the airport site at Pickering, would the minister indicate to the House whether this board will be given the power to make recommendations to the government and whether its report will be made public?

Hon. Donald C. Jamieson (Minister of Transport):

In

both cases the answer is yes, Mr. Speaker.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Cafik:

I have a supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Would the minister indicate whether those whose land will be expropriated prior to that hearing taking place will have the option of repurchasing their property in the event that the project does not proceed?

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. That question is obviously hypothetical.

Mr. Cafik:

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, I realize that in technical terms it is a hypothetical question, but it is not a hypothetical problem because many people need to know right now what the government's position is going to be in order to make intelligent decisions on how they will dispose of their property.

Mr. Speaker:

Order, please. The hon. member for Wellington.

Mr. A. D. Hales (Wellington):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Manpower and Immigration. In view of the fact that thousands of unemployed Canadians have had to wait for their benefits, thereby making it necessary for them to go to welfare offices for subsistence, is it the intention of the government to reimburse the provinces for this added welfare expense?

Hon. Bryce Mackasey (Minister of Manpower and Immigration):

Mr. Speaker, the act provides precisely for that. The hon. gentleman, who is very close to this particular matter because of his concern about spending, will be pleased to know that despite higher unemployment in the greater Toronto area the number of people receiving welfare has dropped by at least 4,000 as a result of receiving increased benefits through the Unemployment Insurance Commission.

Mr. Lome Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Manpower and Immigration and is supplementary to one asked earlier by the hon. member for Oshawa-Whitby. In light of the fact that the Local Initiatives Program is to terminate on September 30, can the minister assure the participants in that program that there will be no gap between the termination of LIP and any new program he may announce, or the continuation of LIP?

Hon. Bryce Mackasey (Minister of Manpower and Immigration):

Mr. Speaker, we are reviewing the programs that were extended this summer, particularly because I share the general principle that the young man has enunciated, but some of the programs have not met the criteria that were set out in June. I would imagine there could be a possibility that 50 per cent of them might be extended for an indefinite period, but that would be based strictly on quality and whether or not they have deviated from their original intent.

Mr. Nystrom:

Can the minister give us any indication of when he will be making that decision and making an announcement as to the future of these projects?

Mr. Mackasey:

At the earliest opportunity next week on motions, Mr. Speaker.

September 1, 1972

Mr. Roland Godin (Portneuf):

Mr. Speaker, I have a question lor the hon. Minister of Manpower and Immigration.

Since many computer errors have compelled Unemployment Insurance Commission officials in Montreal to send their files to Ottawa for analysis purposes, would the minister indicate whether the errors of this faulty system which caused a number of persons to wait up to three months, will entitle them to the payment of interest on their additional benefits?