Mr. Gregg:

I do not want to make any prophecies but I will express the pious hope that it will not be much longer. One reason why I am certain that it will not apply to the main number of the new houses that are being built is the plan that is being adopted. When the veteran builds his own house it is a much better house in reality, and particularly in his opinion, than one that the contractor builds for him.

Mr. Fraser:

The minister mentioned the Faircraft houses. Are they all repaired now and settlements made on them?

Mr. Gregg:

They will be when this-

Mr. Fraser:

There were 35 houses altogether, were there not, or was it more than that?

Mr. Gregg:

About 35, as I remember. This is to repair the roofs on a few of them.

Mr. Fraser:

I understood that there was to be a settlement. What was the average settlement made on those where the veterans repaired them themselves?

Mr. Gregg:

I will get that for my hon. friend. It was worked out satisfactorily.

Mr. Fulton:

What is the relationship

between these two items, Mr. Chairman, and the write-down of the selling price which was authorized, I think, in 1948-49 and 1949-50 as well? Were these houses in which the price was written down also subject to repair under this vote? If so, what is the total that has been expended to date under the two headings?

Mr. Gregg:

These are not related to that. That was a different job by itself. But I may tell my hon. friend that in round figures the total of write-down and remedial work will be, with these two smaller items, in the vicinity of $3 million.

Mr. Fulton:

Has anything been recovered from any of the contractors in respect of those repairs?

Mr. Gregg:

Recoveries have been made in some cases by settlement, and there are still some holdbacks on some of the contracts.

Mr. Fulton:

Has the minister the total of recoveries to date from contractors?

Mr. Gregg:

I have not got it today. I shall try to get it for the hon. member.

Mr. Gregg:

Mr. Chairman, I should like to speak briefly on this item, even at the risk of delaying the passage of my estimates. However, this vote from now on will decrease rapidly; before many years it will disappear altogether.

First I wish to express the federal government's appreciation of the cordial and capable co-operation of all provincial governments in the tremendous vocational training effort for veterans during the past six years. This has been a great example of effective teamwork between the two federal departments of Labour and Veterans Affairs, and the appropriate departments within all provincial governments.

Before the effort is over something approaching 100,000 young men and women will have gained special skills through this vocational training. As far as can be observed, so far the results of that training have been effective in bringing the veterans into working skills in every phase of our economic life.

And so within a year of our Canadian history which, I hope, will be marked by wider dominion-provincial co-operation, I point to this effort as a shining proof that it does work.

The other special point I wish to make is related to the other wing of our veteran training program, namely the university training effort. I do not think it is widely realized how great was the task that loomed up before all our Canadian universities in 1945, as demobilization got under way. Within a period of twelve months some had to double or triple their accommodation. But the universities turned the approaching task and the apparently impossible problem into a great opportunity.

The way they entered upon that opportunity is now becoming a matter of history. It is a magnificent period of achievement in the history of all of the universities, and it will enrich their traditions and experience in such a way that it will be reflected down through the years ahead.

In all the relations between the university authorities and the officials of my department the highest degree of cordial good will and devoted effort has been shown. I wish to thank the universities for their part in the rehabilitation effort, which has helped to make much more than a mere reestablishment job, but rather a rich investment for Canada.

Finally, all these efforts would have been futile, if it had not been for the determination of the veterans themselves to take advantage of the opportunity presented. It is not my intention at this time to enlarge upon that, because it has been said many times, and well said. From my files I could produce many personal letters from veterans who finished their training and who are on their way. They have written to express their thanks to the government and to the people of Canada for giving them their chance.

As the campuses teemed with veterans, there existed within the universities veteran-student organizations. They had a national body which they called the national council of student veterans. This last year a young man named J. Peter Kohl was president of that body, and I should like to read to the house a letter which he asked me to present on behalf of his organization. The letter is as follows:

Hon. Milton F. Gregg,

Minister of Veterans Affairs,

Ottawa, Canada.

Dear Mr. Gregg:

The national council of student veterans is in the process of disbanding. Before its final dissolution, the council wishes to express the appreciation of Canada's veterans for the educational opportunities provided under the Veterans Rehabilitation Act.

The commendable foresight of the Canadian government in providing such an excellent university training program has proved, and will continue to prove, of inestimable value to our nation.

The council extends its warm thanks to you and your colleagues in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Your sincere efforts and spirit of co-operation have contributed to a great extent to the success of the program.

And this is the important part of the letter:

The student veterans of Canada are sincerely grateful to the people of Canada for their sympathetic and generous support of the rehabilitation scheme.

I would appreciate your conveying these sentiments to all those concerned.

Yours very truly,

J. Peter Kohl,

Past President, National Council of Student Veterans

Mr. Drew:

Mr. Chairman, it is most

appropriate that the minister should have referred to the extremely satisfactory results of the courses given to veterans both in rehabilitation and in technical training at the 55946-212

Supply-Veterans Affairs university level. Those arrangements which were carried on between the dominion government and the department of education in each of the provinces do present a most striking example of what can be done when a spirit of co-operation is demonstrated, as it was in that case.

Actually, for strictly departmental reasons within the dominion government, the agreements were between the Department of Labour and the provincial departments of education. The Department of Veterans Affairs provided the very necessary payments that went to the student veterans, and of course co-operated in respect of the details of the courses.

One point however which I suggest might well be borne in mind in connection with this extremely interesting period, when many universities had their enrolments increased to two or three times what they had been before the war, is that while the arrangements were made to give training specially suited to veterans with some years of overseas experience, it definitely advanced the whole knowledge of education in this country. In discussing this matter I suggest it is appropriate to mention the fact that in these cuurses which were given in the training centres for veterans who were studying for matriculation, arrangements were made whereby the ordinary, rigid, annual examination period was changed, and veterans could proceed as rapidly as they were capable of taking the examinations. This produced some very remarkable results. There were veterans who had not even passed their entrance examinations before the war who, in only a fraction of the ordinary time that would be devoted to high school or collegiate work, were able to qualify for entrance to universities.

I believe that in every province much has been gained in the knowledge of educational procedure itself. Therefore not only have these courses which were provided under agreements between the two federal departments already mentioned and the departments of education in the provinces given to the veterans those educational opportunities they so richly deserve, but those veterans in turn, by the work they have done, have contributed to the educational knowledge of this country.

One of the most interesting aftermaths of that training is that today some of the places where technical training was given to veterans under these agreements are now being used to give special technical training below the university level to those who are anxious to have special qualifications.

All that grows out of this experience. It has been a fine demonstration of effective co-operation, prompted by a desire to assist

Supply-Veterans Affairs the veterans as they should be assisted. It has also demonstrated what can be done in the field of education where provincial authorities are given that measure of financial support which they need to carry on Sipecial educational activities of that kind. I think there are suggestions along the very lines that have been discussed on other occasions during this session where, without any interference whatever with the jurisdiction of the provinces, arrangements can be made whereby the provincial departments are able to broaden the base of technical and other education in this country. At this very time of year there are passing out of the universities thousands of graduates who have benefited from these educational opportunities. I think it can safely be said that Canada never had finer graduates from its universities than these young men and women, and that they are going to make a great contribution to the future of the country as a result of the education they have received.

Mr. Macdonnell (Greenwood):

If I may say

one word, speaking as a university trustee I should like to say that these young men and women were felt by the university authorities to have addejl a degree of seriousness to the work. I actually heard one university president say that for the first time in his life he had been tempted to ask students not to work so hard.

Item stands.

Progress reported.

Mr. Fournier (Hull):

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will take up Bill 266, an act to provide for the operation and maintenance of a residence for the Prime Minister of Canada. Then we will go into supply and take up the estimates of the Department of National Defence.

It being five minutes after six o'clock, the house adjourned, without question put, pursuant to standing order.

[The following items were passed in committee of supply]: