Hon. Allan B. McKinnon (Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs):

1. (a) Approximately 5,300

(b) Two Canadian Brigade Group including:

Second Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Eighth Canadian Hussars-Princess Louise's-Regi-ment

Two Combat Engineer Squadron

Two Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters and

Signals Squadron

Second Battalion Canadian Guards First Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment Deuxieme Bataillon Royal 22' Regiment Combat Service Support Units Two Tactical Fighter Squadrons

(c) This type of detail is classified

2. (a) No significant change

(b) Two Canadian Brigade Group July 1,1969 Cinquieme Groupement de Combat July 1, 1977

(c) This type of detail is classified

Order Paper Questions

3. (a) Approximately 5,300

(b) Cinquieme Groupement de Combat including:

Le 5' Regiment d'artillerie Legere

Le 12' Regiment Blinde

Le 5' Regiment de Genie de Combat

First Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment

Les 2' and 3' Bataillons du Royal 22' Regiment

Combat Service Support Units

One Helicopter Squadron

Two Tactical Fighter Squadrons

(c) This type of detail is classified

4. (a) Approximately 4,300

(b) The Special Service Force including:

Second Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Eight Canadian Hussars-Princess Louise's-Regi-ment

Two Combat Engineer Regiment

Special Service Force Headquarters and Signals

Squadron

First Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment Canadian Airborne Regiment

One Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (specific battalion not yet designated)

Combat Service Support Units One Helicopter Squadron Two Tactical Fighter Squadrons

(c) This type of detail is classified

On March 31, 1979, what was the total number of married women holding jobs in Canada and what was their average weekly income?

Hon. Sinclair Stevens (President of Treasury Board):

Statistics Canada reports: Estimates from Statistics Canada's monthly labour force survey, which refer to the week ending March 17, 1979, indicate that the number of married women employed in Canada at that time was 2,393,000. Data regarding their average weekly income is not available.

On March 31, 1979, what was the average income of Canadian families?

December 11, 1979

Order Paper Questions

Hon. Sinclair Stevens (President of Treasury Board):

Statistics Canada reports: The information for March 31, 1979, is not available. However, according to preliminary estimates, the average income of Canadian families in 1978 was $21,346.

1974-75 S 284,425

1975-76 $2,820,476

1976-77 $1,098,540

1977-78 $1,257,233

1978-79 $1,451,856

In each of the past five years, what amount was transferred to the Fisheries Prices Support Account?

Hon. James A. McGrath (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans):

Pursuant to section 10(3) of the Fisheries Prices Support Act, the following are the amounts transferred to the Fisheries Prices Support Account for the past five years:

Fiscal Years

Amounts

1976-77

1974-75

What was the total of capital losses indicated on tax returns in each of the past Five years and, of these amounts, what was the estimated percentage considered applicable to Canadian companies?

Hon. Walter Baker (President of Privy Council and Minister of National Revenue):

The total of capital losses, in thousands of dollars, indicated on the tax returns of individuals was as follows:

$000

1973 293,827

1974 506,162

1975 409,712

1976 376,653

1977 400,830

This data is provided in table 18 of the annual publication "Taxation Statistics". No data is yet available for the 1978 tax year. The department does not compile this information for corporations.

Has the Department of Public Works carried out any work for the Department of National Defence and, if so, what was the dollar value for each of the past five years?

Hon. Erik Nielsen (Minister of Public Works):

Public Works Canada has made the following payments from its working capital advance on behalf of National Defence:

This does not include capital costs, maintenance or other services for recruitment centres or other space that National Defence may have in buildings owned by Public Works including National Defence headquarters.

1. How many telephone operators handle incoming and outgoing calls in Ottawa, on the government telephone network?

2. What is the total cost per year paid for all telephone services rented in Canada by the government?

3. What is the average length of time that operators, presently in service, have held such jobs and what instructions do they receive before commencing work?

4. Is it the policy of the government to insist that such operators be as polite and courteous in giving services to customers as requested of regular Bell operators and, if so, have there been occurrences when operators have spoken rudely to customers and purposely disconnected them, etc?

5. What steps will be taken to improve the current attitude of Bell Canada operators working for the government by the Department of Communications?

Mr. Scott Fennell (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Communications):

In so far as the Department of Communications is concerned, the answer to the above question is as follows:

1. A staff of approximately 100 operators are available on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week, to handle incoming and outgoing calls in Ottawa, on the government network. From this staff complement, 25 to 30 operators are required for normal work days to meet our service objective which is to respond to 95 per cent of all calls within ten seconds. The number of operators on duty is adjusted to forecasted and actual call volumes.

2. The total cost of rented telephone services to the government in the fiscal year 1978-79 was approximately $110,000,000.

3. The contracted operators for the switchboard serving the government in Ottawa have an average of approximately ten years of operator experience. Operators receive standard telephone company training supplemented by special instructions applicable to government switchboard operations.

4. It is the policy of the government that operators provide as polite and courteous a service as required from regular Bell Canada operators. Telephone operator manuals and practices require that all difficulties that may arise, whether reported in progress or after the fact by the caller or the operator, be referred to the supervisory level. Procedures are provided for the resolution of all such occurrences. Only very few complaints concerning operator service have been reported.

5. My departmental officials carry out an active program, in order to achieve and maintain the highest possible level of

December 11, 1979

operator services. This program includes the continuous update of the Telephone Operator Practices Manual, maintenance of bilingual services in accordance with the Official Languages Act, improvement of sensitivity and responsiveness to the public including the provision of information services such as the government index of programs and services.

Mr. Lome Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville):

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if I could ask the parliamentary secretary when we can expect an answer to question No. 576 on the order paper. It concerns the budget to the beef import consultative committee which was just referred to in the question of privilege. I think it is very important for us to receive an answer as soon as possible. I received an answer to a similar question last week which caused a very interesting ruling in the House.

While I am on my feet, I wonder whether the parliamentary secretary can tell us when we will have an answer to question No. 578 which deals with the special Conservative adviser on prairie branch lines. Also can he tell us when we can expect an answer to question No. 579 which deals with other Conservative task forces. I know of at least two which are in existence. One was headed up by a member from Dartmouth, 1 believe; it dealt with energy self-sufficiency. I believe that task force is no longer in existence. Another one was headed by an Ontario member; I forget his riding, but it involved seasonal farm workers. Also I heard through the rumour mill that perhaps it involved a trip to the Caribbean. I am not sure of that, but I think it is very important to receive the answers to those questions.

In addition to the question of privilege with which we dealt the other day, and the four Conservative caucus committees which we already know exist that are possibly being funded by the treasury, perhaps many, many more exist than those we know about. When can we expect those answers?

Mr. Wightman:

Mr. Speaker, certainly I will take notice of the three numbered questions to which the hon. member referred. I will undertake to give him a reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker:

Shall the remaining questions be allowed to stand?

Agreed.

Mr. Speaker:

Pursuant to Standing Order 54, I do now leave the chair for the House to go into Committee of the Whole.

Mortgage Tax Credit