Mr. Fournier (Hull):
Right.
Mr. Fulton:
Is that not rather a lot?
Mr. Fournier (Hull):
I thought the hon. gentleman would raise that question.
Mr. Fulton:
Why did you not deal with it before, then?
Mr. Fournier (Hull):
Mr. Drew:
Mr. Speaker, I have no thought of saying anything that will in any way change the pleasant mood in which the Minister of Public Works again finds himself. But I would not wish to leave the impression on Hansard that the reason for more departments not being called at this time is through any failure on the part of members on this side of the house to wish to proceed with the business of the house.
My own opinion is the time has now come for members of the house to face the fact that the business of the house could be handled much more expeditiously than it is if it were done on a more orderly basis, with knowledge in advance as to what we are going to discuss, and with some opportunity, with preparation in advance, to meet the subject we wish to discuss.
That suggestion has been made before, and I am sure many of these debates are unnecessarily lengthened by the fact that they are brought up unexpectedly and then, in the very nature of things, ideas keep occurring and new debates are precipitated through the injection of new considerations. I think that without prolonging the discussion at this time I should very properly say that if the need has now arrived for calling more departments than is customary, it is only because the business of the house is not better organized. When I say that I am not being critical directly of the Minister of Public Works, who directs the affairs of the house, but rather of the fact that we have not thus clearly defined the plans and procedure which make the business at Westminster proceed much more smoothly than it does here.
Mr. Fournier (Hull):
Generally I like to see the leader of the opposition have the last word, but this evening I think I should have it. If I said or implied that the opposition was not doing a good job, then I must apologize immediately. On the other hand I would not want the leader of the opposition to leave the impression in the house or in the country that the government is not doing a good job, too.
We try to announce in advance the work we have ahead of us. If ever the hon. member is seated on this side he will understand the difficulty we have in trying to please the opposition. It is very, very difficult to tell them in advance what we are going to do, because there are not three members on the other side of the house who would agree with
Supply-Transport
us. We have to do the best we can and hope that some time before fall we might complete our work.
It being five minutes after eleven o'clock the house adjourned, without question put, pursuant to standing order. [The following items were passed in committee of supply]:
493. Prince Edward Island car ferry and terminals __to provide for the payment during the fiscal year 1951-52 to the Canadian National Railways company (hereinafter called the national company) upon applications approved by the Minister of Transport made from time to time by the national company to the Minister of Finance and to be applied by the national company in payment of the deficit (certified by the auditors of the national company) in the operation of the Prince Edward Island car ferry and terminals arising in the calendar year 1951, $1,280,000. 495. Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships, Limited-to provide for the payment from time to -time to the Canadian National (West Indies) Steamships Limited (hereinafter called "the company") *of the amount of the deficit occurring during the year ending December 31, 1951, in the operations *of the company and the vessels under the control of the company, as certified by the auditors of the company, and upon applications made by the company to the Minister of Finance and approved by the Minister of Transport, not exceeding $845,000. 501. Maritime Freight Rates Act-for the payment to the railway companies operating in the select territory designated by the act, during the fiscal year 1951-52, of the difference occurring on account of the application of the act, between the tariff tolls and normal tolls under approved tariffs (estimated and certified to the Minister of Transport by the Canadian National Railway Company and approved1 by auditors of the said company respecting the eastern lines of the Canadian National Railways, and in the case of the other railways by the board of transport commissioners for Canada) on all traffic moved during the calendar year 1951 (chap. 19, statutes of 1927, as amended), $9,125,000. 503. Railway employees' provident fund-to supplement pension allowances under the provisions of the Intercolonial and Prince Edward Island Railway Employees' Provident Fund Act so as to make the minimum payment during the period January 1, 1951, to March 31, 1952, the sum of $30 per month instead of $20 as fixed by the said act, $14,250. Air services-telecommunications division - Airways and airports-radio aviation services- 504. Administration, operation and maintenance, $4,707,545. 505. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment-capital, $1,499,200. Radio Act and Regulations- 506. Administration, operation and maintenance, including contributions as Canada's share of the administrative costs of various international radio, telegraph and telephone conferences, as detailed in the estimates, $898,836. 507. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment, $52,850- Radio aids to marine navigation- 508. Administration, operation and maintenance, $1,819,983. 509. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment, $200,000. Suppression of radio interferences- 510. Administration, operation and maintenance, $378,803. 511. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment, $27,600. 512. Issue of radio receiving licences-(transport department only), $719,668. Telegraph and telephone service- 513. Administration, operation and maintenance, $1,440,729. 514. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment, $450,100. Northwest communication system- 515. To provide for the difference between the expenditures for operation and maintenance and revenue accruing from operations during the year ending March 31, 1952, $100,659. 516. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land, and new equipment-capital, $361,478. Meteorological division- Meteorological services- 517. Administration, operation and maintenance, $6,116,836. 518. Construction or acquisition of buildings, works, land and new equipment, $449,350. Civil aviation division- 519. Control of civil aviation, including the administration of the Aeronautics Act and regulations issued thereunder, $768,060. Airways and airports- Operation and maintenance- 520. Civil aviation services, $8,808,885. 521. Airway and airport traffic control, $1,203,247. Construction services- 522. Administration, $749,582.
Monday, April 30, 1951