1. What are the names of the Prairie Farm Assistance Act inspectors who operated in the Battle River, Alberta, riding in 1945?

2. How many reports were made by each?

3. What was the salary and expenses paid to each?

4. How many inspectors have been working in this constituency during 1946?

Mr. JOHN BRACKEN (Leader of the Opposition):

I should like to repeat a question I asked of the Acting Prime Minister yesterday respecting the tie-up of traffic on the great lakes, a question which in his absence was answered, or at least to which a reply was given by the Minister of Labour, who indicated that he was meeting the operators yesterday afternoon. I am wondering if the minister could give us any information as a result of that meeting.

Hon. HUMPHREY MITCHELL (Minister of Labour):

I met the operators yesterday afternoon, and am meeting the seamen immediately after the orders of the day are through to-day. My hon. friend came from Winnipeg; I think he has knowledge of industrial disputes and how they can be settled, and he knows that sometimes they take time.

Fruit Wastage-Containers

Mr. D. G. ROSS (St. Paul's):

On June 4, I asked the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply a question in regard to a- statement made by Mr. Ian MacLaren to the effect that we would have widespread unemployment because of the coal situation.

Order.

Mr. ROSS (St. Paul's):

All right; you can call "order" if you wish, but I think it is a pretty serious thing if the deputy coal controller says we are to have widespread unemployment because of a shortage of coal.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. According to the rules the hon. gentleman may not make a statement on the orders of the day. If he wishes to put a question he may do so.

Mr. ROSS (St. Paul's):

Very well, Mr. Speaker. The minister is not in his place, but perhaps the parliamentary assistant can tell us something about it. My question is, what are we going to do to prevent widespread unemployment in this country?

Mr. G. J. McILRAITH (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply):

Mr. Speaker, the minister has made two statements on the subject of the coal shortage. Apparently they were not noted by the hon. gentleman, though I can turn up the references quite easily. He has answered the hon. member's question on June 4 arising out of the statement of the deputy coal controller. As to the other part of the hon. gentleman's question, I suggest the answer is to keep this government in power.

Mr. ROSS (St. Paul's):

May I ask a supplementary question?

Order.

Mr. ROSS (St. Paul's):

The parliamentary assistant asked me a question, so I should like to ask, how long is this government going to be in power?

May I ask a question based upon a telegram I just received? I am informed that steel truck springs are being exported from Canada by War Assets corporation and Ontario Steel Products to Detroit Steel Products, where a strike is in progress; and in this'telegram the charge is made that this is being done in order to break that strike. In view of the shortage

of steel required in this country for automotive and farm equipment, would the minister look into the matter and report to-morrow?

Mr. G. J. McILRAITH (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply):

We had no notice of the question, and I cannot answer it at the mome.nt, but we can get the information to-morrow.