Mr. HOWE:

No Welsh coal is coming into Canada at the present time. I am sure the hon. member knows that the United Kingdom itself is short of coal.

Mr. D. J. McCUAIG (Maple Creek):

I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Has the government given

Radio Broadcasting

consideration to retaining sufficient seed and feed in country elevators in the west until the present drought is over and the 1946 crop is reasonably assured

Hon. J. G. GARDINER (Minister of Agriculture) :

At harvest time last fall the provincial governments asked us to freeze all grain in the area that was affected by drought last year until such time as they were able to make provision for its proper distribution for both feed and seed. So far I have had no complaints from anywhere that seed and feed are not provided. As a matter of fact to-day's reports indicate that the wheat is all seeded, as is a large percentage of the oats and barley; therefore I think the seeding is going along fairly satisfactorily.

Mr. COLDWELL:

If I understood the question, the hon. member means next year. In the event of drought taking place in these areas next year is some provision being made for 1947? That is the way I understood the question.

Mr. GARDINER:

We shall have plenty of time to deal with that after July.

Mr. McCUAIG:

That is what I had in mind.

Mr. GORDON GRAYDON (Peel):

I had intended to direct this question to the Minister of National Revenue had the government given unanimous consent to a discussion of the constitution of the radio broadcasting committee. I should like to direct the question to him now on the orders of the day. Are the facilities of the short wave broadcasting station of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation at Sackville sufficient to carry a broadcast to Russia? If so, are the facilities of this station being used for that purpose in the same way as are the facilities of the British Broadcasting Corporation? The reason I ask the question is that in the British House of Commons yesterday Mr. Hector McNeil, the under-secretary for foreign affairs, in answering a question of the opposition, said that the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts in Russian were heard very well in Moscow and "many Soviet listeners are exhibiting a friendly and constructive interest in the programmes."

Order.

Mr. GRAYDON:

Who is the Speaker of the house? I was expecting to be called to order by His Honour the Speaker, but I have

been called to order from the far corner. This is a simple question, and an easy one for the minister to answer. I should appreciate it if he would answer it to-day.

Hon. J. J. McCANN (Minister of National Revenue):

In reply to the hon. gentleman's question I can say that the power of the short wave station at Sackville is sufficiently strong to broadcast to Russia, but the facilities have not been used particularly for that purpose because when a programme is sent to a foreign country it is not of much use unless it is in the language of the country to which it is going. Among the personnel of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation we have no artists or others who can broadcast in Russian.

Mr. A. L. SMITH (Calgary West):

I have a question to ask the Minister of National Revenue, since I was not allowed to do it a moment ago. Has the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation purchased three new large stations, and are they contemplating taking over the wave lengths of from one to three private stations? I did not give the minister notice of this question, but I did not get much notice of what he did to me.

Mr. McCANN:

The matter which the hon. member for Calgary West has brought up is a matter of government policy which will be announced in due course.

Mr. SMITH (Calgary West):

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, this is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation policy. It is surely not government policy. Will the minister not answer it? It is a corporation.

Mr. McCANN:

As the minister responsible for the announcing of policy of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation I submit that when I do announce it I am indicating the policy which would be endorsed by the government, and that policy will be announced in due course.