Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

I am sure hon. members will be glad to learn that arrangements have been made, subject to confirmation by the house, to have the Prime Minister of Pakistan address members of both houses of parliament at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

The tentative arrangements are similar to those which were made when we had the honour of a visit by the Prime Minister of India; and as seats will be placed on the floor of the house for the members of the Senate it would be appreciated if hon. members of this house could be in their seats just a minute or two before three o'clock, when the Prime Minister of Pakistan will make his appearance here.

I understand that the ordinary tickets for the galleries have been cancelled, and that special tickets have been distributed to the whips, to be made available to those hon. members of this house who may wish to have guests attend the ceremony.

If this is agreeable to hon. members I should like to move, with unanimous consent:

That when this house adjourns today it stand adjourned until tomorrow at 4.30 o'clock in the afternoon.

Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

In connection with my recent trip to the United Kingdom, I should like to

read into the record an agreed statement by the United Kingdom and Canadian governments recording the result of our wheat discussions.

"The Canadian Minister of Trade and Commerce held discussions in London with United Kingdom ministers on the subject of the United Kingdom's wheat requirements in the crop year 1950-51 within the framework of the international wheat agreement.

Both governments have now reviewed the results of those talks. They are agreed that the international wheat agreement removes the need for a contract to replace the existing Anglo-Canadian wheat agreement which expires at the end of July.

The United Kingdom government has made it clear that out of its total wheat import requirements in 1950-51, it expects to buy a large proportion in Canada which, quite apart from the special contractual arrangements for the past four years, is, and it is hoped will remain, the traditional source of supply for the United Kingdom. The Canadian government, for its part, is satisfied that Canadian wheat growers will continue to find in the United Kingdom a market for a very substantial part of their exportable wheat."

I should also mention that the United Kingdom has agreed to take 300,000 tons of Canadian flour at competitive North American prices as part of its purchases of Canadian wheat in the crop year 1950-51.

In the light of all our discussions, I think it reasonable to assume that in 1950-51 the United Kingdom will purchase from Canada between 100 and 120 million bushels of wheat. It is understood that such wheat will be offered upon international wheat agreement terms as to price, quality and position not less favourable than those obtained by any other buyer in the dollar market, whether in the United States or in Canada.

Mr. Ross (Souris):

Mr. Speaker, may I ask the minister if at this conference a basis of settlement under the "have regard to" clause was discussed for the great loss suffered by Canadian wheat producers as a result of these United Kingdom-Canada wheat contracts?

Mr. Howe:

I understand the wheat board act will be discussed later in the session, and I do not care to amplify this statement at the moment.

Mr. Cruickshank:

I should like to ask the minister whether anything at all was done in connection with small fruits.

Mr. Howe:

They were not included in the wheat discussions.

Ministerial Statements

Mr. Cruickshank:

No, Mr. Speaker, but there is more in agriculture than wheat.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

Is the Minister of Trade and Commerce in a position to advise the house what the price spread will be during the season 1950-51 on the wheat agreement or wheat arrangements that have been entered into?

Mr. Howe:

The prices under the international wheat . agreement will be in the range from $1.98 to $1.54.

Hon. Robert H. Winters (Minister of Resources and Development):

Hon. members may be interested in knowing that the federal government has entered into an agreement with the government of the province of New Brunswick for the construction, under the terms of the Trans-Canada Highway Act, passed by parliament at the last session, of the links of the trans-Canada highway through New Brunswick. The agreement was signed on behalf of the province of New Brunswick by the Hon. W. S. Anderson, minister of public works.

Mr. Brooks:

Will the minister disclose the route of the trans-Canada highway through New Brunswick?

Mr. Winters:

In all cases so far the route has been announced by the provinces, but I understand that by this time the province will have made an announcement, so I think I can disclose that the general route will be one that enters the Quebec-New Brunswick border near Edmundston and proceeds along the Saint John river to Fredericton, thence southeast to Sussex, thence to Moncton, and thence to Aulac. There will be a spur from Aulac to Cape Tormentine.