Mr. REID:

Would the minister giye a break-down of this item? Would he also

explain why the federal government, after starting a highway which when completed was to extend from Vancouver to Prince Rupert, should leave a small portion of eighteen miles for the provincial government to complete? The people of British Columbia, and particularly those of the Prince Rupert district, are rather incensed at the federal government for leaving that small portion to be completed by the province. Would the minister explain this item and why that work is being left to the province?

Mr. CRERAR:

It will be necessary to deal very briefly with the genesis of this road. Ordinarily, as the hon. member for New Westminster knows, the dominion government does not go into a province and build a road. Years ago, under the government of the present Prime Minister, we did build what is known as the Big Bend highway in British Columbia. The road under discussion never would have been undertaken by the federal government if it had not been for the needs of war. The suggestion for the road came first, I believe, from the United States chiefs of staff; it was concurred in by the Canadian chiefs of staff, and was recommended by the permanent joint board on defence. Its origin is similar to that of the Alaska highway, the development of the Canol project which we were discussing this afternoon, and other matters. In considering the defence of North America the military authorities had to keep constantly in mind the possibility that coastal traffic would be interrupted. At a certain period of the war that was a danger. There was a road of sorts, capable of supporting truck traffic, from Vancouver to Hazelton, on the old Grand Trunk Pacific.

Mr. CRUICKSHANK:

A road of sorts.

Mr. CRERAR:

Parts of it were all right; parts perhaps were not so good. At any rate it was a passable road. There was also a road of sorts from Hazelton toward Terrace, which under certain weather conditions was capable of being used by vehicles. Between Cedarvale and Prince Rupert, for a distance of ninety-seven miles, there was no road whatever. That country was a wilderness; the only outlet was the old Grand Trunk Pacific railway. It is not my place or my function to pass judgment upon the opinions held by military people, but certainly the chiefs of staff at Washington, supported by the chiefs of staff in Canada and the permanent joint defence board, recommended the construction of this road from Terrace to Prince Rupert in order to provide an alternative route in case

3302 COMMONS

War Appropriation-Mines and Resources

the railroad should be destroyed. This was predicated, perhaps, on a very long chance that coastal communications might be interrupted.

Mr. GREEN:

The chance was not so long at one time. '

Mr. CRERAR:

Perhaps not; I agree with the hon. member for Vancouver South that there was a definite possibility. That is why the road was undertaken. Nothing was known about the country, so that reconnaissance surveys had to be run. The work was entrusted to the Department of Mines and Resources, and under the surveys and engineering branch, in charge of Mr. Wardle, these surveys were made as speedily as possible. Undoubtedly greater difficulties intervened than had been expected. Surveys had to be made. There was a good deal of rock work, and much heavy timber to be moved. There was difficulty in getting labour and in getting materials. There were unfavourable climatic conditions, all of which increased the cost of the road, and delayed its construction very considerably beyond the period at which it was hoped it would be completed.

The fortunes of war have changed. If conditions at the beginning of 1942 had been as they are to-day, the probability is that the road would not have been recommended. It was built as insurance, and was thoroughly justified on that ground.

Mr. REID:

Why not complete it?

Mr. CRERAR:

I shall deal with that. The road was not constructed as an ordinary provincial road. The building of roads within provinces is the function and responsibility of the provinces.

Mr. CRUICKSHANK:

Not all roads.

Mr. CRERAR:

Yes, all roads, with the exception of the transcontinental highway, where the federal government has assumed certain responsibilities. But this road was constructed for military purposes. That military need has disappeared.

Mr. GREEN:

Not necessarily.

Mr. CRERAR:

Well, the military need, in the opinion of the chiefs of staff, has, I think pretty well disappeared.

Mr. REID:

Sometimes they have been wrong.

Mr. CRERAR:

The road, in addition to the original section from Terrace to Prince Rupert, has an additional mileage from Terrace to Kitwanga. That was also included in the construction. It is expected that the total cost will be between $10,000,000 and $11,000,000.

TMr. Crerar.]

Mr. HANSON (Skeena):

The minister has said that the chiefs of staff have decided that the completion of the road is not necessary.

I am of opinion, and I am sure that the chiefs of staff recommended that this road should be completed-

Mr. CRERAR:

Well, now-

Mr. HANSON (Skeena):

-because it was necessary.

Mr. CRERAR:

The chiefs of staff recommended the road, in the first instance. Now they do not think conditions warrant the government extending the road. I think that is right.

Mr. SINCLAIR:

Finish, not extend.

Mr. CRERAR:

No; the demand is that the road should be built further by the federal government. The whole matter was carefully considered by the government. In this appropriation we have $3,000,000 to complete some sections of the road which were not completed, and for maintenance purposes during the year.

Now, what the province gets out of it is 110 miles of a good and completed road, with bridges.