Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to draw the attention of the house to the fact that, effective May 1 last, a reduction of 33J per cent has been made in the scale of minimum additional premiums on hull insurance rates on ships trading between Churchill, Manitoba, and the United Kingdom. This is additional to a reduction of 25 per cent which was made last year.

These reductions have resulted from representations made by my department to marine underwriters organizations in London through the commonwealth shipping committee. Further representations will be made by my department with a view to the extension of the navigation period in which the minimum additional premiums will apply on the Churchill-United Kingdom route.

I think I am fully justified in saying that Canada is appreciative of the representations made on its behalf by the commonwealth shipping committee.

Hon. Robert H. Winters (Acting Minister of National Revenue):

Mr. Speaker, many persons desire to assist in helping those who have suffered hardship and loss in the disastrous fires at Rimouski and Cabano, Quebec, and in the flooded areas of Manitoba. Organizations have been formed for the purpose of receiving money and supplies and applying them for this purpose. In response to numerous inquiries it is announced that organizations formed by local or provincial authorities or by responsible persons for the sole purpose of aiding the people in the distressed areas will be recognized as charitable organizations for the purposes of the Income Tax Act. Cash donations made to such responsible organizations, when evidenced by an official receipt issued by them for such donation, may be claimed by the donor as a deduction for income tax purposes, in accordance with section 26(a) of the Income Tax Act.

Hon. Brooke Claxton (Minister of National Defence):

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Peterborough West (Mr. Fraser) asked me a question to which I replied in part. I should now like to supplement the answer given.

As it is, of course, entitled to do, the United States government is establishing air defence zones in the eastern and the Pacific regions within its boundaries and therefore wants to be sure of the identity of aircraft entering those zones. The task of identification is greatly simplified if all aircraft entering the zones file flight plans, as the R.C.A.F., Canadian and United States air lines and many non-scheduled and private operators have been doing regularly for a long time.

In this connection, the civil aeronautics administration recently consulted the Canadian Department of Transport regarding the desirability of encouraging airmen to file flight plans prior to southbound flights across the international boundary between the 87th meridian in lake Michigan and the Atlantic coast, and between the 115th meridian a little west of Edmonton and the Pacific coast. As a result, on May 2, the Department of Transport issued a request to airmen, effective on May 5, to file flight plans prior to southbound flights across the boundary between the points mentioned. I understand that the United States authorities took similar steps at that time.

One of the main purposes of these notices was to take care of non-scheduled United States operators who constitute the bulk of the non-scheduled and private traffic crossing the boundary southbound. As I have indicated, the notices will not affect normal practice except as regards comparatively few non-scheduled and private operators, who will now be expected to file flight plans regularly for flights into the areas affected.

Mr. Drew:

Mr. Speaker, may I ask a supplementary question respecting the statement of the Minister of National Defence? This relates to flights southbound. Is the Canadian government taking similar steps, and will it require similar flight plans to be filed by non-scheduled aircraft northbound?

Mr. Claxton:

No.

2424 HOUSE OF

Inquiries of the Ministry

Mr. Drew:

May I point out to the Minister of National Defence that along with the defence aspect of this problem it is important to Canada that we know what aircraft are coming in, because of the necessity of protecting our fishing areas from non-scheduled flights of that kind. I suggest that consideration be given to our making the same requirement for the filing of flight plans of all northbound flights.

Mr. Claxton:

I am sorry; I misunderstood the leader of the opposition-I thought he meant exclusively from the defence point of view, because this statement dealt with defence areas. With regard to the matter of ordinary flights north and south, and particularly north across the boundary, the ordinary rules apply, and I am sure the Minister of Transport will take account of the hon. member's question and see whether our regulations need any supplementation. From the defence point of view, of course, it is obvious that they do not.

Hon. Stuart S. Garson (Minister of Justice):

Yesterday the hon. member for Lake Centre (Mr. Diefenbaker) asked me a question arising out of certain evidence given by the deputy minister of justice to a committee on fundamental freedoms in the other place on April 28, as appears on page 125 of the proceedings of that committee.

As hon. members will recall, I indicated in my response yesterday that I disagreed with the interpretation my hon. friend had placed upon that evidence. I now find, upon discussion with the deputy minister of justice, that it was his intention, which in my opinion was clearly indicated by the language which he used, to inform the committee that the Criminal Code revision commission might in a later stage of its operations hear representations from any persons who consider that the Criminal Code might be amended for the protection of fundamental freedoms. It was not Mr. Varcoe's intention to recommend the introduction of a bill to effect such purpose at the present session, and in my judgment his language is not capable of that interpretation.

Mr. George A. Drew (Leader of ihe Opposition):

May I ask the Minister of

Justice whether he will indicate when an opportunity will be afforded to discuss the statement which he made to the house earlier this week in regard to the suspension of postal services to certain citizens of this country?