Mr. Howard C. Green (Vancouver South):

On Monday last the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply promised to have a further investigation made of the Fraserview building project in Vancouver, in order to see if there was not some way in which the several hundred people already living in the area could be protected against interference with their property by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. In the intervening days I have received many heartrending letters from these people, and it would appear that the actions of the corporation have been unbelievably arbitrary and annoying. If the minister acts at once, it should be possible to have this sweeping expropriation plan altered. Can the minister make a further report today? I suggest that he himself take a plane to Vancouver and have this question settled.

Hon. Roberl H. Winters (Minister of Reconstruction and Supply):

In reply to the question now asked by the hon. member, and to the supplementary question put by him last Monday, as reported at page 281 of Hansard, I would say that this subdivision is similar to that on Renfrew Heights. It seemed to lend itself well to development of this kind. Where so many veterans are involved, in such a large project it appeared desirable to develop it along lines other than those of the general grid type of development. The number of properties that are privately owned is relatively small.

Mr. Green:

About three hundred.

Mr. Winters:

The bulk of the land is tax-sale property now owned by the city of Vancouver. The general plan was developed * jointly by the planning board of the city of Vancouver and the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It was then revised in such a way as to result in the least possible disturbance to private property owners. It is, however, still under consideration. In order to minimize disturbance to present property owners, every attempt will be made to make whatever adjustments are indicated

and still allow the general plan to proceed. To assist toward that end, an official of the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation is being sent to Vancouver this week end to. go into the outstanding problems and to see what can be done to arrive at mutually satisfactory understandings.

Mr. Maclnnis:

As this project happens to be in the constituency I represent, I should like to add something to what has been said by the hon. member for Vancouver South (Mr. Green). I received today a sheaf of protests, and I tried to get in touch with Central Housing and Mortgage Corporation, for clarification. I understood that the parliamentary assistant would see us this afternoon, and I did not take the matter any further. I believe that Central Housing and Mortgage Corporation has failed to do a public relations job.

Mr. Winters:

I might say that there is no. parliamentary assistant in this department. I should be pleased to see the hon. members, myself.

Mr. Maclnnis:

Sorry; I was thinking of the minister's former position.

Mr. T. L. Church (Broadview):

Has the

minister been able to come to any determination about the use of Chorley Park and the old Christie Street hospital for housing and civilian hospital purposes?

Hon. Paul Marlin (Minister of National Health and Welfare):

The hon. member asked' a question about this matter yesterday. That institution is one which is under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. It is a matter over which we have no control, and, as my hon. friend will appreciate, there is nothing we can do about it.

Mr. Church:

That was with reference to. the Toronto jail farm at Lansing, not the old Christie Street hospital or Chorley Park. I should like to hear from the Minister of Veterans Affairs and the Minister of National Defence about these matters, because the-people are without homes and have no place to go. They have been turned out.

Hon. Milton F. Gregg (Minister of Veterans Affairs):

In so far as the hon. member's question refers to the old Christie Street hospital, I can assure him that the matter is. under study and will be dealt with as soon as possible.

Inquiries of the Ministry LABOUR CONDITIONS

Mr. Angus Maclnnis (Vancouver East):

should like to direct a question to the Minister of Labour. Has his attention been directed to the serious unemployment situation in the city of Vancouver, and is the government giving consideration to assisting the employable unemployed who have no unemployment insurance entitlement or who have exhausted their benefits?

Hon. Humphrey Mitchell (Minister of Labour):

My attention has been drawn to

the condition referred to by the hon. member for Vancouver East. In reply to an inquiry which I made, the regional superintendent of the unemployment insurance commission at Vancouver sent me a telegram advising me that in his opinion the principal reason for the increase in the number of unemployed was the large influx of persons from other provinces, plus exceptional weather conditions which have retarded logging operations and building construction projects. A greater number were getting unemployment insurance benefits because of the expanded coverage and increase in the labour force of the province. But notwithstanding that, Mr. Speaker, I am sure my hon. friend will agree with me that British Columbia is a pleasant place in which to spend the winter.