Mr. Doug Rowland (Selkirk):

On the same subject, Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask the Minister of National Defence whether there is any intention on the part of the Department of National Defence to hire students or other people during the summer months to carry out duties in the Department of National Defence. If so, perhaps the minister would re-examine his decision. If work is to be done, then why not use the people who are already employed?

Mr. Doug Rowland (Selkirk):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. I believe it was last week that his parliamentary assistant provided the House with some details about the department's thinking in respect of the possible location of part of Air Canada's overhaul facilities in Winnipeg. What was lacking in that response was any kind of time frame within which Winnipegers can look for that decision to be made. Can the minister now give us a more precise date in respect of the time span involved before a decision is made?

How many boats, outboard motors and other similar items of survival equipment are held on the Eagle River or SAR I inventory?

Is it the intention of the government to acknowledge, through diplomatic recognition or other means, that the country of Guinea-Bissau has effectively achieved independence from Portugal and, if not, for what reason?

What measures has Canada recently taken in an effort to persuade Portugal to grant independence to the country of Guinea-Bissau and the other African territories which Portugal claims as its own?