Hon. J. L. RALSTON (Minister of National Defence):

May I, at this point, reply to a question asked the other day by the hon. member for Yale (Mr. Stirling). He asked with regard to the 120,000 men of the active army who, I stated, were in Canada. I can say that the veterans guard, coast defence and anti-aircraft units and the instructional staffs at training centres are included in the 120,000.

It is not considered advisable in the public interest to break down the 120,000 by giving detailed numbers in each particular unit or formation, but I hope it will be sufficient for the hon. member's purpose if I tell him that the total number in the veterans guard1, coast defence, anti-aircraft and instructional staffs for training centres is about 25,000. It is difficult to say how many are in each category unless one examines each attestation paper. I discussed the matter this morning with the adjutant general's office, and I think I can say that practically one hundred per cent of the coast defence and anti-aircraft units are in category A. That applies particularly to the Pacific coast units, in which replacements have been made recently, and it applies to a large extent to the eastern coast units as well.

As regards the veterans guard, here again one would have to examine the attestation papers, but from information I have received from the adjutant general's office, I should think that fifty per cent of those would be in category A. With regard to the instructional staffs, it is purely an estimate; one cannot

Questions

say definitely without looking at the attestation papers, but probably fifty per cent of them are in category A as well.

I hope the hon. member and the house will bear in mind that the whole 120,000 are enlisted, under their form of enlistment, for sendee anywhere at any time, and the only thing that would prevent any of them from discharging such service would be, not their will to serve, or the form of enrolment or attestation, but the fact that they did not come wdthin the category now accepted for service overseas.

1. Have any recruits of the Canadian Active Service Force been transferred from Calgary to the four-month training centres at Camrose and Grande Prairie since March 1, 1941?

2. If so, how many?

3. Are these active service recruits training with the four-month trainees?

4. What is the reason for such arrangement?

1. Yes.

2. Camrose, 46; Grande Prairie, 58.

3. Yes.

4. Calgary has now been made an advanced training centre and the recruits there, who had not completed their basic training, were transferred to Camrose and Grande Prairie which are basic training centres.

1. What was the cost to the Canadian government for the building of the government terminal grain elevator at Port Arthur?

2. What is the storage capacity of this elevator?

3. To whom is this elevator leased?

4. What annual rental is paid to the government for this elevator?

5. What is the amount of storage fees paid to lessee for grain stored in this elevator during the fiscal years 1939 and 1940 respectively?

1. 81,530,334.09.

2. 3,250,000 bushels.

3. McCabe Bros. Grain Company Limited.

4. 851,000 minimum, with additional payments if more than 9,000,000 bushels handled during year. Rent, crop year ended 31st of July, 1940-$72,230.98.

5. Information not available.

Questions

RIDF.AU convalescent hospital

1. What rental is the government paying for the Rideau convalescent hospital?

2. From whom is it rented?

3. Have any alterations, additions, or extensions been made to the building?

4. If so, what was the total cost of such alterations, additions, or extensions?

5. What was the total cost of equipping the building as a convalescent hospital?

1. $20,000 per annum.

2. Lessors: The Grey Nuns of the Cross, Community General Hospital, Alms House and Seminary of Learning of the Sisters of Charity, Mother House, 9 Water Street, Ottawa, Ont.

3. Yes.

4. Additional plumbing and toilet

facilities $ 7,15755

Miscellaneous 1,843.73

5. Value of equipment issued from

ordnance stores 32,796.44

Value of equipment issued from medical stores 906.85

Total $33,703.29

1. Who is director of human and material resources in the Department of National War Services?

2. What is his salary?

3. What amount has been paid to him since his appointment for travelling expenses or living allowance ?

4. Who is his secretary?

5. What salary does such secretary receive?

6. What amount has been paid to such secretary for travelling expenses or living allowance?