Hon. G. R. Pearkes (Minister of National Defence):

Both those investigations have been proceedings, Mr. Speaker, and the final reports have not yet been submitted.

Hon. G. R. Pearkes (Minister of National Defence):

Mr. Speaker, when the Pepperrell air base is brought to care and maintenance standards by the United States air force some of the buildings will be vacated. My department has been carrying out a survey to see whether we can use any of those buildings which will be vacated.

Mr. Pearkes:

Tradition dies very hard in the army, as the hon. member knows, and there have been some officers in some of the old units who have disliked the prospect of giving up their old messes which are located in the University avenue armouries and having to move elsewhere. Some of them have thought that there may be greater difficulties with recruiting, but all these factors were very carefully examined and the advice of the militia commanders at the time and the advice of the general officer commanding Toronto was taken into consideration, and as a result of that we found that it would be to the benefit of the militia and would certainly be of great convenience to the ultimate development of the project in the metropolitan area of Toronto.

Mr. Pearkes:

No, we certainly are not defenceless as far as civil defence equipment is concerned. We have a large quantity on order and as funds become available and as the equipment becomes available we are obtaining some.

Mr. Pearkes:

As I said a few minutes ago, the vehicle is in the final stages of its development. When that development has been completed, if the decision is taken by the government to acquire this vehicle, as I certainly hope it will be if it comes up to expectations, then we shall go into production. At the present time it is too early to say exactly how many we should require, but it would be in the order of the magnitude of a couple of hundred or more.