Mr. Gardiner:

My understanding is that they are allowing it to come in; that there has not been any order put out in the United States to stop grain. There may be some people at the boundary line who have misunderstood the order, and have stopped some shipments, but outside of that I do not know of any being stopped.

Mr. Coldwell:

I rise simply to remind the minister that I asked him a supplementary question: was any consideration being given to compensating the packing plants, as was suggested in the newspapers? Is any consideration being given to compensating the packing house workers for the loss of wages?

Mr. Gardiner:

Consideration is being given as to how the packing plants are to be advised to operate both inside and outside the quarantine area; but until that consideration is given I would not like to say anything further.

Mr. Cruickshank:

I have a supplementary question. I think this is as important a question as any we shall have before the house at this session, if not more important than any other legislation. If the agricultural authorities and the legal authorities in my province of British Columbia take the stand that they do not want the importation of cattle or killed beef from Alberta and Saskatchewan, will any steps be taken to prohibit an excessive rise in prices? It may be that the Minister of Agriculture is not the minister to answer this question. I should like to direct it to whoever is responsible. It has been suggested that if the province of British Columbia does what has been mentioned, namely, prohibit the importation of cattle and beef from those areas affected into British Columbia, there may be a rise in the price of beef. Will steps be taken to see that an ample supply of beef in the hands of the packing companies now is not sold at an excessive price, thereby exploiting the public, and using as an excuse the shortage of beef because of the prohibition of imports from Alberta and Saskatchewan? I am surprised that the Minister of Fisheries

(Mr. Mayhew) has not risen in his place and said that we have the finest fisheries in British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker:

Order.

Mr. Cruickshank:

I would like that question answered.

Mr. Speaker:

Order. The hon. member has asked his question, and the minister may reply if he wishes.

Mr. Gardiner:

I would just say, with regard to what has been said, that this government has not asked British Columbia to take any action whatsoever in connection with the matter. Therefore any responsibility that exists anywhere for what has been done exists with those who took the action.

Mr. Cruickshank:

No, not in price fixing.

Hon. Alphonse Fournier (Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table P.C. 1084, an order in council authorizing the Minister of Public Works to enter into an agreement with Tannoy Rentals Limited, of London, England, and Cossor (Canada) Limited, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the terms and conditions embodied in the draft thereto attached, for supplying the installation and operation of a sound-reinforcement system in the House of Commons chamber.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to direct a question to the Minister of Public Works, of which I have given notice. Is he in a position to

Inquiries of the Ministry report to the house in regard to the collapse of part of the new printing bureau building over in Hull on Wednesday night?

Hon. Alphonse Fournier (Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, in his usual courteous fashion the leader of the opposition gave me notice that he would ask me if I were in a position to make a statement on that event in my home town. I am pleased to see that he has brought the question up, which shows that he will join with me in the concern we have over the accident.

This accident resulted in the death of a respected citizen of my home town. I wish to extend to the members of the deceased's family my most sincere condolences, and I can assure them that the population of Hull joins me in expressing sympathy to those unfortunate people as well as to the other victims who were injured, some seriously and others slightly.

After the occurrence I instructed the officials of my department to investigate and to report as to the causes of the accident. This investigation has been proceeding ever since Wednesday evening. As a man was killed in the accident, according to law a coroner's inquest will be held and witnesses will be heard in the open to find the causes of the accident, the responsibility if any, and, especially, if such exists, the criminal responsibility. This inquiry will be held, I believe, within a few days.

I have instructed the officials of my department associated with this work to give all possible help to the provincial court in this inquiry. If criminal responsibility is established, the ordinary course provided by criminal law will be followed and the responsible parties indicted and tried. If there is no criminal responsibility, the question of establishing any responsibility for damage will still be under provincial jurisdiction in the civil courts.

At this stage I would hesitate to take action in connection with anything coming under provincial jurisdiction. This is the course followed where death is a result of an accident. It does not mean that the department will stop its investigation and not report to the minister as to the competence of those who are executing the contract. Any report received from my officials following that investigation will be brought before the house because I am as anxious as any hon. member to have all the facts brought out.

The leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew) probably has read the press and knows that the architect who undertook the designing of this building is one of the outstanding

18 HOUSE OF

Inquiries of the Ministry architects, not only in the province oi Quebec but in the whole dominion. He is known by reputation even outside our boundaries. Mr. Cormier of Montreal drew the plans for the supreme court building, and he was also the architect for the Montreal university buildings. I understand he has just completed the plans for two large buildings in Toronto. He is so well known that when the United Nations decided to put up their building in New York he was appointed one of the consultant architects.

The contractor is Concrete Construction Limited of Montreal. The first instance that I recall when that company did work in this vicinity was in 1930 when they constructed the Confederation building on Wellington street. They also erected the buildings of the Ste. Anne de Bellevue hospital. They are a well-known and reputable firm in this country, especially in connection with concrete work.

The firm that tested all the materials going into the construction of this building was the Canadian Inspection and Testing Company Limited of Montreal. I am told that the accident could not have been caused by faulty design or faulty materials. I am sure that the results of the coroner's inquiry will be to establish full responsibility and later on I may make another report to the house.

Mr. Drew:

I appreciate the information

given by the minister, who naturally is greatly concerned even outside the duties of his department. But I would point out that my question was prompted by difficulty which had been encountered in obtaining information. I can understand that now, in the light of the circumstances to which he has referred in connection with the activities of the coroner. May I urge that, quite independently of any finding by the coroner, at least a public statement be given to this house so that we may be reassured that all difficulties will be overcome before the construction of this building is proceeded with.

Mr. Fournier (Hull):

That will be a pleasure.

I will follow this up and give all the information the hon. gentleman wishes. I should like to place on the record one clause in the contract for the construction of this building. Clause 23 reads:

The contractor, his agents and all workmen and persons employed by him or under his control, shall use due care that no person nor property is injured and that no rights are infringed in the prosecution of the work, and the contractor shall be solely responsible for all damages, by whomsoever claimable, in respect of any injury to persons or to lands, buildings, structures, fences,-

The clause concludes with the following words:

-and the contractor shall indemnify and save harmless His Majesty from and against all claims and demands, loss, costs, damages, actions, suits or other proceedings by whomsoever made, brought or prosecuted in any manner based upon, occasioned by, or attributable to any such damage, injury or infringement.