Right Hon. R. B. BENNETT (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, a week ago to-day the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre (Mr. Woodsworth) asked a question with respect to the visit of a Japanese warship to Vancouver. The question was asked without

notice, and I gave him a very unilluminating answer. I proposed later to give him a detailed answer, but he was not in his place. As he has not been in his place for the last few days perhaps I should now answer his question, because there has been a great deal of comment in the newspapers for some weeks with respect to this visit and its so-called imperialistic tendencies.

The hon. member's inquiry presumably relates to the visit of a Japanese training squadron, consisting of two cruisers. In October, 1932, the Japanese minister inquired from the chief of the naval staff as to whether there would be any objection to the proposed visit on the part of the Canadian government. The chief of the naval staff was authorized to advise the Japanese minister unofficially, there would be no objection to the visit of this training squadron and, on the twenty-first January, 1933, a formal request for such consent was addressed to the Secretary of State for External Affairs, by the Japanese minister. The formal consent of the Canadian government was communicated to the Japanese minister by note dated February 2, 1933.

Arrangements were made by the interested departments of the Canadian government for harbour and landing facilities, police, customs, immigration and other details, and the necessary information was communicated to the appropriate authorities of the government of British Columbia.

Commander T. Seno of the Japanese navy, and the Japanese consul at Vancouver are, with the authority of the Japanese minister, acting as liaison officers between the local Canadian officials and the Japanese squadron.

The Japanese training squadron has visited both Canada and the United States frequently, in the course of the last ten years. The giving of the consent of the Canadian government to this visit, and the arrangements for courteous treatment, are in accordance with international custom and practice.

Hon. IAN MACKENZIE (Vancouver Centre):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask

the Minister of Pensions and National Health if he intends to introduce legislation during the session to amend the Pension Act, and if so, when?

Hon. MURRAY MaoLAREN (Minister of Pensions and National Health): I desire to

say a bill will be 'brought down within a few days.

Unemployment Relief

Hon. H. H. STEVENS (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the

hon. member for Lisgar (Mr. Brown) asked a question regarding the tabling of the annual report of the Board of Grain Commissioners for the crop year ending July 31, 1932. I will table now two unrevised copies. It will be recognized by hon. members that this report, when sent to the printers, must be sent out to the Board of Grain Commissioners for revision, and it is now in their hands being revised. So while I table the two reports at this time it is understood they are unrevised, and there may be some typographical errors in them.

Hon. ERNEST LAPOINTE (Quebec East):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask the Minister of National Defence (Mr. Sutherland) whether the report is true that thousands of unmarried unemployed will be given work at Valoarbier camp, and if so what sort of useful work will they be required to do.

Hon. D. M. SUTHERLAND (Minister of National Defence). Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. Probably there will be about a thousand single, homeless, unemployed men employed at Valcartier camp. Largely they will be drawn from Montreal, because there is a necessity of getting some mem out of that city. A good deal of work can be done by way of clearing roads. Sooner or later probably some new buildings will have to be erected there to replace the present arsenal at Quebec. However, that is not in immediate contemplation. At present certain preliminary work such as levelling the ground and work of that kind will be done. I have no doubt the hon. member will be quite pleased with the work done at that point.

Mr. MERCIER (St. Henri):

What salary

basis will apply?

Mr. SUTHERLAND:

Twenty cents a day i3 the allowance paid to the men.

Mr. MACKENZIE (Vancouver):

Is that

the same allowance that is given throughout Canada?

Mr. SUTHERLAND:

Yes.

'Mr. MacLaren.]