Mr. KNOWLES:

I am with the minister in his desire to get this bill through, but there might be employees other than pilots and co-pilots to be considered. What about groundcrews and other employees?

Mr. HOWE:

Those are subject to the Department of Labour. Piloting is more a profession than a craft, although there is a pilots' association.

Mr. MACKENZIE (Vancouver Centre):

It is a question of safety.

Mr. HOWE:

There are security matters to be considered. The other employees of an air company would ordinarily have a union agreement. In fact such employees have union agreements with the management already.

Mr. GREEN:

This section brings up many different points. Even if it were carried before eleven o'clock there is no possible chance that section 12 would be carried to-night. I suggest that the section be left over in order that we may consider this change in section 11.

Mr. KNOWLES:

While this amendment

is being considered, I should like to call the minister's attention to another matter. This section sets out the specific types of regulations which the board may make. In looking through the Railway Act, T find that sections 316 to 347 set out the specific powers of the board of transport commissioners to prohibit discriminatory practices so far as rates and other matters are concerned. The sections in the Railway Act are quite specific. A company cannot give undue preference or discriminate against customers, nor can it do anything that is prejudicial. There is a great list of things that the railway companies must not do in the way of discriminatory practices. The question of the control of free transportation is referred to in the act. In fact, it is here that I find that members of parliament are accorded passes on the railways. I am not stressing the point, but it may be that some of us may hope to get the odd trip on the T.C.A. I am asking the minister if it would not be desirable to grant some power to this board so that it may prevent discriminatory or unfair practices on the part of the air lines.

Mr. HOWE:

It is the intention that a provision of that type will be included in the regulations. The purpose of the amendment to the act is to permit the aeronautics board to build up its own jurisprudence, just as the board of transport commissioners has built up jurisprudence over the years. In 1938 we attempted to apply the regulations that had been built up for the railroads to transport by air, and we arrived at some absurd situations. I could mention several that were quite proper under railroad operation, but which did not apply to air. Purposely we have not attempted to tie the hands of the board, but rather we have intended to give the board the power to make provisions applicable to the air.

Questions

Mr. KNOWLES:

I think I sense what the minister is saying, but I would call his attention to the fact that the Railway Act contains specific provisions.

Mr. HOWE:

We could write in the regulation about passes, but that does not apply to transport by air. You simply cannot carry free passengers by air.

Mr. KNOWLES:

Could you not have a short clause which would give the board power to make regulations of that kind, or is there a clause hidden in the bill which I have not seen?

Mr. HOWE:

My hon. friend will notice that paragraph (k) provides that the board may make regulations providing for the effective carrying out of the provisions of this part. That is an omnibus clause that allows the board to pass anything it likes.

Progress reported.