Mr. SPEAKER :

I would ask the minister to state his question of privilege and be as brief as possible.

Mr. MARTIN:

I will, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say that when it was pointed out to me yesterday on behalf of the hon. member that he had not said that, I withdrew it. I am now faced with the fact that the hon. member is not on speaking terms with the premier of Ontario.

Shame.

Mr. FRASER:

That is dirty politics.

Mr. FLEMING:

Mr. Speaker-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. I would ask hon.

members to behave like members of the House of Commons and not like children.

Mr. FLEMING:

Mr. Speaker, the minister has just made a statement-

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. I have permitted the hon. member to state his question of privilege. I would ask hon. members again not to act like children but as members of the house.

Mr. FLEMING:

On another question of

privilege, Mr. Speaker, the minister has just made another statement which reflects on the privileges of members of the house. He said that the premier of Ontario and I were not on speaking terms. There is no truth in that at all.

Withdraw.

Mr. SPEAKER:

Order. Hon. members

on both sides of the house must realize that certain remarks which have been made in the house in the last few days are not a credit to the dignity and decorum of the chamber. I would ask the members to proceed with the business of the house.

Hon. ERNEST BERTRAND (Acting Minister of Agriculture):

Mr. Speaker, may I make a very quiet statement with respect to supplies of feed grain in British Columbia.

In answer to various inquiries and representations which have been made in the house in respect to a present shortage of supplies

of feed grain in British Columbia, I wish to state that the present situation is acute in eastern Canada as well as in British Columbia. It has not been possible for western shippers to satisfy the effective over-all demand, which has been augmented by the concern over eastern crops.

During recent weeks the bulk of the movement in coarse grains for feed has been to eastern Canada, with comparatively little moving to British Columbia. Oats and barley shipped to eastern Canada are sold on the basis of ceiling prices in store Fort William/ Port Arthur, 65 cents for oats, plus charges for shipment and handling east of Fort William/Port Arthur, less freight subsidy paid by the government. The same grains shipped to British Columbia are sold on the basis of ceiling prices in store Vancouver, plus handling charges, less freight subsidy paid by government. The current over-all shortage of coarse grains as compared with effective demand has resulted in the purchase of these grains by western interior mills, or for shipment to eastern Canada, on the basis of Vancouver export freight rates whereas previously coarse grains were purchased in Alberta on the basis of Fort William/Port Arthur freight rates and were shipped to British Columbia to the full extent of the requirements of that province at approximately two to three cents per bushel less than would have been the case had they been purchased on the Vancouver rate. In other words, British Columbia requirements were filled first and the balance of the oats and barley then moved eastward.

In, view of the changed circumstances, it may probably be necessary for the British Columbia feeder to pay from two to three cents per bushel more for his feed oats and barley than has formerly been the case; that is. he will pay $1.90 a hundredweight for feed oats. But even though he does pay such increased prices, they are still within the ceiling price regulations currently in effect and will still be lower than those now paid by the eastern consumer.

The government no longer possesses the power to direct shipments of oats and barley from Alberta into British Columbia, but it is felt that the British Columbia dealers can place themselves in a competitive position with respect to the eastern trade and will thus have equal access to available supplies. The situation is under constant review by the Department of Agriculture and the Canadian wheat board. It is felt that the companies who have traditionally serviced the British Columbia market will continue to

United Nations

supply these requirements on a basis of equality, having regard to available supplies.

I should add that with respect to feed wheat, the British Columbia market is currently amply supplied. During the last two weeks, approximately 400,000 bushels of low-grade wheat for feeding purposes has been released by the Canadian wheat board to the trade at Vancouver, and further reserves are being held at Alberta country points for shipment to British Columbia in accordance with indicated requirements.

It is reasonable to assume that if western crop conditions continue as favourable as they are at present, producers' marketings will increase, thus relieving the present tight situation.

On the orders of the day:

Mr. E. D. FULTON (Kamloops):

I wanted to ask a question in relation to the statement read by the Postmaster General (Mr. Bertrand) for the Minister of Agriculture, but I see he is not in his seat. Perhaps some other member of the government might bring it to his attention and be good) enough to ask him for a reply. It has to do with the possibility referred to by the minister of an increase of one or two cents per pound in price to the feeders of grain in British Columbia. Since this is so important a matter to those who are feeding live stock I would: ask the minister whether instead of doing it the way he suggested, he would consider doing it by increasing the rail subsidy to take care of what would otherwise be an increase in price.

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I shall be pleased to see that my hon. friend's question is brought to the attention of the minister.

On the orders of the day:

Mr. G. A. CRUICKSHANK (Fraser Valley):

In view of the fact that the government have officially admitted today that the supply of coarse grains is sufficient to feed our stock, will the Minister of Finance reconsider the question of permitting the restaurants to serve meat on our national holiday?

Hot dogs.

Mr. CRUICKSHANK:

Hot dogs my foot. We want meat.