Mr. W. M. Johnson (Kindersley):

I should like to address a question to the Minister of Transport arising out of the statement of the

Minister of Trade and Commerce respecting the appointment of Mr. Bracken to investigate the box car situation. Can the minister assure the house that the powers granted the Canadian wheat board to allocate box cars under the Transport Act, which act established the office of transport controller, will not be allowed to expire in May, which I understand is the expiry date with respect to that section of the act having to do with the transport controller?

Mr. Johnson (Kindersley):

In other words the cost of production would mean the cost of goods and services necessary to the production of the commodity and shall include a fair return for his investment and labour. That is what the minister stated is included and that would appear to be a satisfactory definition, would it not?

Mr. Johnson (Kindersley):

I think the

Minister of Agriculture must have had something to do with the drafting of the Conservative agricultural program which was used during the last election campaign because they seem to have been able to have put words into it which could not be defined. The minister is asking the house to put in the term "cost of production". What do they

3828 HOUSE OF

Agricultural Products-Price Stabilization mean? On a previous occasion I asked for the definition of that term to be placed in the act so that hon. members would know what the term "cost of production" meant. I am certain that the farm organizations would recommend to the minister that the term "cost of production" be defined.

I think we have an amazing situation where the minister is putting into the act a term which he admitted is very important -and which I agree is very important-but which he refuses to define in the definition clause. Failing that, I think I will ask the minister to give to me and to members of the farm organizations his definition of the term "cost of production" so that we shall at least have some common ground to start with. Can the minister give the definition of "cost of production"?

Mr. Johnson (Kindersley):

The Minister of Agriculture says we have dealt with this matter, but I am certain that in the years to come much more will be heard of it, because it will be shown that by refusing to improve the measure by following the suggestions that the farm organizations have made the bill has been deprived of its value.

Clause 2 as amended agreed to.

On clause 3-Board established.

Mr. Johnson (Kindersley):

I think we are making a good deal of headway here, Mr. Chairman. The minister has stated that there are regional costs of production. That is something that hon. members will readily recognize. I wonder whether he could give us an indication of some of the factors which will be considered in the cost of production. He will have to have those in mind because he will have to analyse the figures that various groups bring in to him when they are requesting a price to be set. Will he be including in his cost of production the goods and services used by farmers in the production of a commodity?