Mr. Alan Macnaughlon (Mount Royal):

On

a question of privilege, I should like to amend the second paragraph of question No. 18 on today's order paper standing in my name. I should like to change the figures "1951-52" to "1950-51" in the last line of the second paragraph.

Mr. Speaker:

Agreed?

Agreed.

Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Minister of Transport):

I am aware of the keen interest which the hon. members of this house have had in the transportation problem of the 1951 grain crop and I thought a brief report on the situation to date would be helpful. The figures which I will put on the record have reference to the period August 1, 1951, to June 12, 1952.

Latest estimates of anticipated marketings from the 1951 crop are 720-4 million bushels. Total marketings from the 1950 crop were 564-6 million. Actual marketings from August 1, 1951, to June 12, 1952, are 619-6 million bushels compared to 479-9 million bushels during the same period in 1950 and 1951 from the 1950 crop. Marketings this season have been greater than at any other similar period in the history of the Canadian grain trade. Car loadings at country points have increased 33 per cent over last year from 221,747 to 295,554 cars.

Total rail and vessel shipments from the lakehead for the present crop year total 370-3 million bushels compared to 223-4 last year, an increase of over 63 per cent.

Shipments to terminals on the Pacific coast this season total 104,947,000 compared to 50,-

970,000 during the same period in the previous crop year, more than a 100 per cent increase over last year.

Total overseas clearances in the same period are 266-3 million bushels compared to 146-5 million bushels from the 1950 crop.

Clearances from the port of Montreal alone since the season opened this year have been particularly large, over 35 million bushels having been shipped compared to 17-7 million for the same period last year, an increase of over 100 per cent. Shipments this season are already greater than at any time in the past in a similar period. Total export clearances from St. Lawrence river terminals since the opening of navigation are 51-4 million as compared to 20-9 million for the same period in 1951.

It should be borne in mind that this last year's crop has been a most difficult one to handle. A seriously delayed harvest last fall, coupled with very poor weather, brought large quantities of out-of-condition grain to market. Salvaging this grain only aggravated an already serious transportation problem. In addition, there has been the problem of getting the immediately saleable grades and types into export channels to meet the excellent demand for our grain abroad.

I think all hon. members will agree that this is a tremendous transportation accomplishment, credit for which should be given in full measure to all the interests concerned, railways, shipping companies, elevator and government employees, not the least of which is the transport controller under whose direction this effort has been achieved.

On the orders of the day:

Mr. P. E. Wrighi (Melfort):

May I direct another question to the Minister of Transport (Mr. Chevrier) based on the statement he has just made in the house. I am sure that we all appreciate the tremendous efforts which the railway companies have made to move forward the present crop. Has the minister information as to the amount of grain presently in store in country elevators, the estimated amount on farms, and what the weekly loadings are at the country elevators? We would then have some idea of what the position might be on July 30.

Mr. Chevrier:

The figures that I have on hand are comparative only and indicate that for the year August 1, 1951, to June 12, 1952, there were 295,554 box cars moving out of country elevators. I have no figures of the number of bushels in country elevators but I can get that information and send it to my hon. friend.

Inquiries of the Ministry Mr. Wright: Perhaps the minister could get it and let us have it tomorrow.

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

should like to direct a question to the Prime Minister in connection with the present position of the commission on the South Saskatchewan river dam and irrigation project. Have any interim recommendations been made? When is a report expected, and is any consideration going to be given to that report in so far as early commencement of the work during the present session is concerned?

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

Earlier this morning the hon. member was kind enough to send to my office a notice of his intention to ask this question. The only answer I can make at this time is that for the last three months or more the work has been prosecuted very vigorously by the commission. About the middle of April the secretary of the commission reported orally and then confirmed in writing to the Acting Prime Minister that the commission had found it necessary to retain the firm of Mannix Limited of Calgary to prepare an estimate of the owners' cost of the project. On June 6 I received from the secretary a letter informing me that this would mean an increase over the previous estimate in the expenditures the commission would incur in performing its duties. For that reason in the supplementary estimates that have been tabled a supplementary item has been included in order to cover that additional expenditure. There has been no other recommendation than the one for the money necessary to cover what the commissioners considered it was necessary to do. There have been no other recommendations about it to date.

I know that the commission realizes the government's anxiety to get the report at the earliest possible date. From conversations I know that the commissioners are doing their best to meet that desire. I should not like to fix a date. They have not been able to tell me just exactly when their work will be completed. I can say that it will not be within the next few days, and there will not be an opportunity of receiving or of communicating their report to members of parliament just at this time. I can assure the hon. member that we realize that not only the public of Saskatchewan but the public generally do not like to see unexplained delays in the performance of these tasks that are considered

of general public interest. The commissioners fully realize that fact, just as we do. The best efforts will be put forward to avoid any justifiable criticism in that regard.

Mr. Coldwell:

I should like to ask a supplementary question. Did I understand from the Prime Minister that the report is expected? I understood that the commission contemplated the holding of public hearings in the province of Saskatchewan. Are those public hearings to be undertaken, and are they to commence soon?

Mr. St. Laurent:

I cannot say whether or not there will be public hearings. My understanding is that the commissioners expressed to the government of Saskatchewan their readiness to provide public hearings if that was desired. I do not know whether there has been from the government of Saskatchewan any indication in that regard. That is not something that is going to hold matters up. Everything is proceeding as fast as it can be done. I am sure that if the government of Saskatchewan felt that public hearings were not absolutely necessary and that they might be apt to occasion delay, they would waive that matter.

Mr. Coldwell:

I did not understand that was the suggestion of the government of Saskatchewan. I understood that the commissioners themselves suggested that they hold public hearings.

Mr. St. Laurent:

They suggested that they would be quite ready to have public hearings if the government of Saskatchewan felt that it would be desirable to do so.