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

Since the minister has referred to the gross national expenditure deflator which corresponds to the definition of price change in the economy used in the course of the review, and since the review admits that last year Canada had a greater inflation problem than any other major OECD country with the exception of Japan and this is the inflation index preferred by the review and by the minister, is this insidious position for Canada acceptable to the minister and the government? If not, what direct and comprehensive measures does the government propose to take to start to correct it?

Hon. John N. Turner (Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, that is not the current comparative position. I will be dealing with the current figures next Monday evening.

Mr. David Lewis (York South):

Mr. Speaker, I want to direct a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs in connection with a matter which has been brought seriously to the attention of members of the House by west coast fishermen. Arising from an answer the hon. gentleman gave to a question last Friday concerning the International Pacific Halibut Commission meeting held on April 16, can the minister tell us what representations he has made to the governments of Japan, the Soviet Union and South Korea requesting them to curtail their fishing activities, particularly their take of halibut off the Pacific coast and in the Bering Sea? If representations have been made, what answers have been received and have the fishing activities actually decreased?

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

Mr. Speaker, I shall be meeting representatives of the west coast fishermen myself this afternoon to discuss this matter. Approaches have been made to the Soviet Union, Japan and Korea in connection with the halibut situation. Japan has already responded by taking some voluntary measures in the Bering Sea and has indicated its willingness to discuss further co-operation. The Soviet Union has also agreed to discuss the situation, and we expect the Republic of Korea will fall in line.

April 30, 1974

Oral Questions

Mr. Lewis:

The minister will no doubt recall receiving a letter in March from the chairman of the International Pacific Halibut Commission in which the chairman said there had been catastrophic reduction in the halibut stock. Were the hon. gentleman's representations made following receipt of this letter from the chairman to the effect that fishing must be restricted wherever it adversely affected the halibut resource? Are the responses he mentioned today responses in reply to representations made in consequence of the chairman's letter?

Mr. Sharp:

Yes, Mr. Speaker. There is general agreement with the position expressed by the leader of the New Democratic Party. There has been gross overfishing. Our interest is the same as that of all the fishing nations in bringing about a reduction in fishing and restoration of the halibut stocks.

Mr. Lewis:

May I ask the minister whether he is taking steps to do what seems to me as a layman in this area the obvious thing, which is to request the Soviet Union, Japan and South Korea to meet with the United States and Canada-we are members of the International Commission-in order to have this matter discussed jointly by all five governments involved instead of making these bilateral representations?

Mr. Sharp:

A meeting of the five governments is one of the possibilities. If that turns out to be the most useful approach we will follow it. Otherwise, we shall take action which might be more effective.

Mr. Gerard Laprise (Abitibi):

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Agriculture.

Can he tell us if the federal-provincial agreement with the Quebec government about farm labour ending March 31, 1974 has been renewed and, if not, are negotiations in progress between the two levels of government with a view to continuing this agreement?

Hon. E. F. Whelan (Minister of Agriculture):

Mr. Speaker, I would have to check and find out and let the hon. member know.

Mr. John Reynolds (Burnaby-Richmond-Delta):

have a supplementary question, Mr. Speaker, for the Minister of Fisheries. In view of the fact the halibut catch off the coast of British Columbia has declined by more than two-thirds since 1969, is the minister willing, in view of

the emergency, to impose a 200-mile limit arbitrarily so that we can solve this problem and negotiate with the other countries?

Hon. Jack Davis (Minister of Fisheries):

No, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Frank Howard (Skeena):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask the Secretary of State for External Affairs a supplementary question about the halibut situation. Inasmuch as the chairman of the International Pacific Halibut Commission on March 15 in a letter to the minister suggested the possibility of even unilateral action on the part of Canada to prevent a continuation of the catastrophic decline of halibut stocks in the Bering Sea and off the Pacific coast, can he tell the House whether, if nothing arises in a concrete way out of meetings to take place with other countries, Canada has a contingency plan or is contemplating the taking of unilateral action? I am not asking what that unilateral action might be but whether the government is planning to take such action.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think we should try to solve this problem by co-operation rather than by threats, in the first instance at least.

But you are not going to.