Mr. Gordon Graydon (Peel):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege to draw the attention of all hon. members to a representative group of young Canadians from collegiate institutes and high schools in many parts of Canada who are distinguished visitors in the galleries this afternoon. These students, numbering 132, are the guests of the Ottawa Rotary club, which, in association with well over one hundred other Rotary clubs in Canada, deserves high praise and credit for this outstanding adventure in citizenship promotion, furnishing, as it does, a very special opportunity for these fine samples of young Canada to gain a firsthand appreciation of the beauties and facilities of our national capital and the workings of our free democratic way of life at the national level.

As a Rotarian myself I take deep pride in calling their presence today to the attention of the House of Commons, at the same time extending to our visitors on behalf of all hon. members a warm and enthusiastic welcome to parliament hill.

Mr. Speaker:

It has come to my notice

that there is not enough room for our visitors in the galleries ordinarily used by the public; perhaps on this occasion we might extend to them the facilities of the other galleries. If there are students who cannot get in the public galleries, they may be allowed to sit in the Speaker's gallery.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to join with the Prime Minister (Mr. St. Laurent) in expressing gratification that the plan, which I believe is to be regarded as the final plan, has been presented to the commission and forwarded by the commission to this house for consideration. As the Prime Minister has indicated, the efforts of those who have served on this- commission so unselfishly and so faithfully is evidence of that very citizenship which we are seeking to impress upon the minds of all Canadians at this particular time. It is one of those contributions that men and women can make in the furtherance of their own national developments, which has been done so well in this case.

To those who are visiting the parliament buildings there is now an opportunity to see something of what those plans will mean, interpreted in the actual form that they are intended to take. May I suggest, however, that these plans should not be regarded as providing only a beautiful community which will house the buildings in which the business of the nation is done, but also as being directed to the beautification of a city which

National Capital Plan to all Canadians is the capital of a nation which is assuming increasing importance in the world.

In every country, the capital city is something more than just a city. In a way it is an expression of the loyalties, the hopes and the expectations of the future. To the people of the United Kingdom, London is no mere city. It is the home of all that they cherish in the form of the great traditions of that nation with which we have been and will continue to be so closely associated. So it is with Paris, and with all the memories of the pride and glory of that other nation with which we have such deep and affectionate ties. So it is with Italy, where Rome holds the memories of their greatness in the past and their hopes for the future. So it is with every nation.

As we accept these plans, and as we have an opportunity to consider them, I hope there will be in the minds of all of us the belief that in the years ahead Ottawa is to be the capital of a nation of increasing importance which will give to all its people reason for pride in calling this their capital city.

Mr. R. M. Warren (Renfrew North):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. My question relates to the beauty of Ottawa and the parliament buildings. During the months I am in Ottawa I live up in room 669, which is a small office. I am not fussy, but there are no conveniences-not even running water. It is all right for me. I do have, however, a good many visitors, among whom are many students. There is a window in that office, and the first thing a student wants to do is to put his head out the window and take a look. What does he look at? He looks at the library of parliament, that tower, and what does he see? Some years ago the glass in those windows was broken, and they are now covered by boards. The glass has not yet been replaced. I wonder if the Minister of Public Works would consider replacing that glass to make the view more attractive.

The thing that really makes me grumble is the lack of a bridge across the Ottawa river. This bridge should have been built fifty years ago, and when the minister is considering my problem he could also keep that in mind.

Mr. M. J. Coldwell (Roselown-Biggar):

wish to direct a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Has a final report been presented to the government on the South Saskatchewan river scheme? If so, when may we expect the tabling of that report?

Righl Hon. J. G. Gardiner (Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was kind enough to give me notice of his question. The first question is: Has a final report been made on the South Saskatchewan river project? The answer is yes.

The second question is: If so, when will a

copy of the report be tabled in parliament? The answer is that the detailed final report on the South Saskatchewan river project was tabled in the house on Friday, September 8, 1950. The only other reports are summaries of parts of the report which are submitted from time to time to the government for consideration.

Mr. Coldwell:

I thought that a report had been made recently.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I should like to ask a supplementary question on this matter. Is the work to be proceeded with this summer?