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

I should like to lay on the table of the house copies in English and in French of order in council P.C. 5645, dated October 22, 1951, passed under the provisions of the Defence Production Act and the Emergency Powers Act authorizing the appointment of J. D. Brunke, Esquire, to be director of priorities in the place and stead of Henry J. Sissons, Esquire, who has been appointed co-ordinator of the materials branch of the Department of Defence Production.

Hon. L. B. Pearson (Secretary of State for External Affairs) moved

that the house go into committee at the next sitting to consider the following resolution:

That it is expedient to introduce a measure to approve the agreement on the status of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, national representatives and international staff, and to provide for carrying out the obligations, duties and rights of Canada thereunder.

He said: His Excellency the Governor General, having been made acquainted with the subject matter of this resolution, recommends it to the consideration of the house.

Hon. Milion F. Gregg (Minister of Labour) moved

that the house go into committee at the next sitting to consider the following resolution:

That it is expedient to introduce a measure to amend the Government Annuities Act to increase the maximum annuity which may be purchased under the act from twelve hundred dollars up to twenty-four hundred dollars and to provide greater flexibility in the provisions of the act relating to the issue, conversion and amendment of annuity contracts and payments thereunder.

94699-19J

He said: His Excellency the Governor General, having been made acquainted with the subject matter of this resolution, recommends it to the consideration of the house.

Mr. J. G. Diefenbaker (Lake Centre):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce arising from the serious proportions of the storage and freight car situation on the prairies. In view of the shortage of freight cars, has consideration been given to the request of the wheat pool and certain organizations that there be a reimposition of the quota with a view to protecting the rights of farmers who have been late in harvesting or who have not yet threshed? Would the minister be in a position to advise why there is such a greater shortage of freight cars on the Canadian Pacific than on the Canadian National lines in Saskatchewan?

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

As far as the reimposition of the quota is concerned, as of today the quota has been reimposed in Manitoba and Saskatchewan but it has not been reimposed in Alberta. The purpose of removing the quota was to allow sufficient grain to accumulate in the elevators so that the loading of cars for the lakehead and Vancouver would not be slowed down unduly. That purpose has been achieved as far as Saskatchewan and Manitoba are concerned, and from now on the quota will apply.

The second question has to do with box cars for Saskatchewan and I am not sure that I can answer it. The latest figures I saw indicate that the number of box cars supplied by each of the two railroads for western Canada was more or less in proportion to their mileages in western Canada. It has been necessary to haul wheat from nearby points in order to keep pace with export loadings from the elevators at the head of the lakes and on the west coast. The fact that Saskatchewan involves the longest haul from either coast may be a factor at the moment. I can assure my hon. friend that when navigation closes any inequalities in

292 HOUSE OF

Inquiries of the Ministry car service that may be occurring at the moment will be compensated for at that time.

Mr. Argue:

Is the transport controller

making box cars available for the movement of oats and barley or are the box cars being used mainly for wheat? I might say that I know that many farmers are finding it impossible to deliver any oats or barley whatever.

Mr. Howe:

I believe preference is being given to the movement of milling wheat but I am also aware that a considerable movement of oats and barley is taking place. The weekly unloads at the lakehead so indicate.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I should like to ask one more question for the benefit of those areas that have a particularly grave shortage of freight cars. I cannot refer to correspondence or telegrams in asking the question, but for information for these people what course should they follow in order to assure themselves of an equitable distribution of cars?

Mr. Howe:

I suppose the course would be to keep pressure on the board of grain commissioners to make sure that the car order book is lived up to as closely as possible.