Mr. FLEMING:

Would he explain it particularly from this point of view: Are those schools of social work of the recognized type connected with universities?

Mr. CLAXTON:

Yes. This vote is introduced for the first time. Whether or not it will be reintroduced will depend upon the will of the house. It is not necessarily designed to be a repeat vote. When family allowances were introduced and we discussed the situation with the provinces, and the various welfare agencies in those provinces, we found there was a great shortage of qualified workers to undertake the work of investigation. That is one explanation why we did not spend as much of the vote of $150,000 last year as we thought we would. It was represented to us that in order to assist in the accelerating of the training of an additional group of workers we should make grants available to schools and provide fellowships in the same way as had been done during the war in connection with the training of nurses for service in the armed forces. That need for nurses has ceased, but this was designed to meet a peace-time need of the same nature. The plan was worked out in connection with the representatives of the organized schools of social workers, of which there are seven in Canada. These are the Maritime school of social work at Halifax, Nova Scotia; the school of social work of Laval university; of the university of Montreal; at McGill university; of the university of Toronto; of the university of Manitoba and of the university of British Columbia. Plans have been worked out through consultation with their representatives which are understood to be satisfactory to them under

which this money will be available, partly

for grants to the schools and partly for fellowships. I should like to make it plain to the committee that this is being done on a one-year basis. It is not necessarily desired to repeat this, and we wish to warn the recipients that it may not be repeated in a subsequent year. We aim to accelerate the training of an additional group of workers just as soon as possible.

Mr. FLEMING:

Do I understand that the seven schools of social work attached to the universities enumerated by the minister represent the complete group which will be benefited by this vote?

Mr. CLAXTON:

That is right.

Mr. FLEMING:

Has the basis of distribution been worked out?

Mr. CLAXTON:

An amount of $50,000 is

to be used to establish 100 scholarships of $500 each.

Mr. FLEMING:

Are they open to every one of the seven?

Mr. CLAXTON:

On an agreed basis, also an amount of $45,000 is provided to assist the schools and $5,000 for administration.

Mr. FLEMING:

The minister says, "on an agreed basis," but I should like him to indicate what the basis of distribution is among these seven schools mentioned.

Mr. CLAXTON:

I will give the details, the first amount being for administration, that is assistance to the school, and the second amount to cover scholarships. The details are:

Administration Scholarships

Maritime school of

social work $3,400 $3,600Laval 5,200 5,800Montreal 6,700 7.500McGill 7.800 8,700Toronto 9,600 10,800Manitoba 4,600 5,000British Columbia .. 7,700 8,600

Mr. FLEMING:

That is acceptable to all seven schools?

Mr. CLAXTON:

Yes.

Mr. KNIGHT:

Could the minister give us the number of trained social workers who graduated from the universities this year?

Mr. CLAXTON:

I am sure that that figure is not available yet, even to those working in the field. When this was first discussed about a year ago we were informed that there was an immediate shortage of some 800 in Canada.

Mr. STEPHENSON:

I notice all through these estimates there are amounts provided for travelling expenses. I brought up the same

Supply-Health and Welfare

matter when we were considering the estimates of the Department of Agriculture. In that case I figured the travelling expenses totalled $1,360,000. I notice the total for this department is something like $300,000, with increases of $5,000, $10,000, $22,000, $30,000 and $65,000 in different branches. Can the minister give us an idea how these travelling expenses are accounted for?

Mr. CLAXTON:

There are no travelling expenses under this item.

The ACTING CHAIRMAN (Mr. Golding):

We are dealing with item 232, assistance to schools of social work.

Mr. STEPHENSON:

I ask that my question stand.

Mr. MacNICOL:

I spoke in support of item 220 covering the mental health division and at that time I mentioned the name of Mr. Morris Wilson. I should have said the late Mr. Morris Wilson, former president of the Royal Bank of Canada. During his lifetime he was one of the outstanding supporters of mental hygiene work and I understand he was president of the Montreal section. At the same time I should have mentioned other Montreal men like Mr. J. W. McConnell, Mr. Ross H. McMaster, Mr. Paul S. Sise and a few others. I merely want to say that I support this vote as strongly as I can because I am somewhat familiar with the work carried on by the committee for mental hygiene.