Hon. CYRUS MACMILLAN (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defence for Air):

A court of inquiry has been established and is investigating this accident. Information will be given as soon as possible.

Mobilization Act

Hon. CYRUS MACMILLAN (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defence for Air):

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon.

member for giving notice of his question. The A.O.C. of No. 3 training command reports that two men, one service and one civilian, were involved in a scuffle at 22:30 hours on the night of June 19 and were taken into protective custody by the local police. Subsequently a number of air force personnel appeared before the city gaol and requested the release of Sergeant Primeau, the airman involved, to which request the chief of police complied.

The full details of this are not entirely clear, but it appears that during the scuffle in the vicinity of the gaol a policeman received a blow, presumably from the fist of one of the service personnel present. His injuries, if any, were of a very minor nature and no hospitalization or medical treatment was necessary.

A court of inquiry was established ,and meanwhile all personnel, with the exception of a few who are living out, have been confined to barracks. The morning after the disturbance the usual route march was held, but these have been suspended by the A.O.C. in order not to excite any demonstrations. The A.O.C. stated that the newspaper reports were greatly exaggerated and that he has had conferences with the city manager and chief of police at Valleyfield, who are satisfied that everything possible is being done so that no further disturbances need be anticipated1. He has assured the civic authorities that any service personnel involved would be made available upon their request. ,

The A.O.C. has detailed two of the command legal officers to conduct the inquiry, and when the proceedings are received full details will be available and will be forwarded to air headquarters as quickly as possible. Squadron Leader Chopin was acting as commanding officer dtiring the absence of Wing Commander Cronyn on temporary duty. The latter has now returned to his station. There has apparently been a satisfactory end of the trouble, and there has been no further disturbance.

Mr. MACMILLAN:

No obsolete stationery was recovered as salvage. Certain recovery from forms and maintenance schedules was effected: (a) by reduction of such forms to scratch pads; (b) through equipment depots as salvage paper. The total original cost of material (forms, schedules, etc.) so used was:

No. 7 equipment depot, Winnipeg, Man., $2,630.42; No. 11 equipment depot, Calgary, Alta., $1,689.60. Total, $4,320.02. There is no equipment depot in Saskatchewan.

1. Compensation is paid to lake Erie fishermen on the basis of the number of nets operated by each.

2. Two hundred dollars per net per year plus one payment of $200 per net towards expenses of reestablishment. The latter payment will be made at the time the fishermen are able to renew their activities.

3. For each of the years 1941, 1942 and 1943, $14,200 was paid to pound net fishermen. A further amount of $1,717.14 was paid in full and final settlement in respect of compensation to gill net fishermen.

4. Information not available as compensation was based on sworn statements lodged by the fishermen with Ontario government showing the annual catch of each pound, variety of fish, selling price as well as the estimated value of equipment used.

Hon. CYRUS MACMILLAN (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defence for Air):

Mr. Speaker in reply to the leader of the opposition, who courteously gave me notice of this question, I may say that negotiations were completed some time ago between air ministry officials of Great Britain and Canada and an agreement was entered into under which aircrew personnel of the Royal Canadian Air Force who have served three years overseas will be eligible for repatriation to Canada. Such repatriation is always subject to the operational needs of the service.