June 4, 1940 (19th Parliament, 1st Session)

Mr. HANSON (York-Sunbury):

That, I have no doubt, was the intent and desire of parliament when it passed those acts. We hope that losses will not result, but I believe there will be loss in connection with some of those loans, and the dominion government will have to bear a share of any such loss.
An interesting item appears in the Labour Gazette of May, 1940, page 411, with respect to the number of persons in receipt of direct relief during the month of March. The figures are startling, having regard to the fact that we have had better crops recently and that the war has absorbed, in a measure at least, some of the employables among the younger men. It is stated that the grand total of all classes of persons on urban and agricultural direct relief across Canada in March, 1940, was 768,500. These figures, as I understand it, were released by the minister himself and are the preliminary results of a registration of all direct relief cases carried out for the department by the provinces and municipalities in the month of March. It is true-and I am glad to see it-that the total for March, 1940, compared with the same month in 1939, shows a decrease of 25 per cent, according to the report in the Labour Gazette-, while in comparison with March, 1938, the dominion figure was down by 26J per cent, and both urban and agricultural relief show decreases as contrasted with the situation a year ago. But the problem is still a large one.
.Mr. McLARTY: Has my hon. friend the figures for March, 1933?