Right Hon. C. D. HOWE (Minister of Reconstruction and Supply):

Mr. Speaker, I desire to table two documents, the first a Forecast of 1947 Investment by Canadian Business, and the second a Forecast of Production of Basic and Building Materials in Canada. The first is a forecast based on inquiries of the plans of 12,000 businesses in Canada, and I believe is a very important document. The second is an attempt to forecast the demand and production of building materials during the current year.

1. Have any amounts of money been received by the custodian of enemy property and placed to the credit of German, Austrian, Czechoslovakian or Japanese corporations since 1st September, 1939? If so, what are the amounts and to what corporations are they credited?

2. From what companies in Canada, or from what sources have such sums been received by the custodian of enemy property?

3. Has any interest been received on funds held by the custodian of enemy property?

4. If so, from whom was interest received?

5. How much has been received in interest?

6. What has been the disposition of funds received as interest?

7. Have any profits been received by the custodian of enemy property since 1st September, 1939, from businesses in Canada ow-ned or controlled by enemy nationals?

8. If so, how much has been received and from what sources did this money come?

1. Yes. The supplying of names would involve an examination of nearly 54,000 accounts. There is no separate category of corporations as distinct from individuals.

Questions

2. See answer to No. 1.

3. Moneys transferred to the custodian were invested from time to time in dominion of Canada victory bonds, with the approval of treasury board, and interest was, of course, realized on these investments.

4. On general fund, from government of Canada.

5. As of December 31, 1946; $3,379,692.66.

6. Held to cover administration costs and subsequent disposition of funds after terms of peace treaties have been settled.

7. Yes.

8. See answer to No. 1.

1. Was the employment of Ladislaus Biber-ovich as principal translator for the Department of National Dfence terminate! in 1946?

2. If so, were any reasons given for this termination by the Department of National Defence ?

3. What were they; who authorized them, and who signed the document of dismissal?

1. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. General directive for a reduction of staff in connection with the re-organization of the department of national defence on a peacetime basis. Tht actual notice of release was signed by the director of civil personnel in the regular course of his duties.

1. Has any decision been reached as to the use of the airport at Carberry, Manitoba, either as an R.C.A.F. station or for civil purposes? If so, what is such decision?

2. Have representations been received since the end of the war, pointing out the advantages of this airport? If so, from whom, and are these advantages being given full consideration by the government?

1. So far as the department of national defence is concerned, the R.C.A.F. station at Carberry, Manitoba, is now in process of being declared surplus to the crown assets allocation committee w'ith the exception of: (a) twelve buildings being retained temporarily for the storage of R.C.A.F. reserve equipment; (b) five buildings being dismantled for use elsewhere; (c) a recreation hall being retained for air cadet use. The buildings specified in (a) above will ultimately be declared surplus to crown assets allocation committee.

2. Representation was received from Mr. B. W. Caldwell, mayor of Carberry, and the merits of continued use of this airport by the department of national defence were fully considered before the above decision was made.

1. How many persons are employed in the dominion administration of old age pensions?

2. (a) WTiat provinces pay supplementary amounts to pensioners in addition to their share of pensions paid under the Old Age Pensions Act; (b) what are the supplementary amounts paid?

1. The old age pensions division of the department of national health and welfare employs thirteen peisons and the division of blindness control employs three persons. Other departments of the dominion government including mines and resources, trade and commerce and secretary of state are required to provide information for use of the provincial pension authorities.

2. (a) and (b). British Columbia, $10 a month to each pensioner; Alberta, $5 a month to each pensioner; Saskatchewan, $3 a month to each pensioner; Manitoba, any amount up to $1.25 a month to a pensioner whose pension does not exceed $21.25 a month; Ontario, 15 per cent of the pension payable under the act based on a maximum pension of $20 a month; Nova Scotia, $5 a month payable at the discretion of the pension authority to any pensioner whose income including pension does not exceed $365 a year.

In addition to paying supplemental allowances the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia have plans under which certain medical or medical and hospital services are provided free to pensioners.