Hon. Robert H. Winters (Minister of Resources and Development):
I should like
to table a list of apportionments and adjustments of indebtedness on advances of seed grain.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. H. R. Argue (Assiniboia):
I should like to ask a question of the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Will coarse grain quotas be raised to fifteen bushels per acre in the same manner as wheat quotas or will they continue to be increased at a slower rate? Is it expected that quotas can be raised sufficiently to enable producers to market all grain before the end of the present crop year?
Righi Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):
Mr. Speaker, the hon.
member was good enough to let me have notice of his question. From approximately December 1, quota policy will be more definitely related to equalizing delivery opportunity amongst producers and as between grains. It must be remembered that producers will market some two bushels of wheat for every bushel of oats and barley and this relationship should be more or less preserved throughout the crop year. Up to November 20, marketing of oats and barley amounted to 94 million bushels as compared with 192 million bushels of wheat. Deliveries to date therefore are not seriously out of line with the volume of wheat and coarse grains which will be delivered during the crop year. Actually barley deliveries in per cent of expected marketings during the crop year are ahead of wheat, owing in part to the provision that a producer can market a car lot of barley accepted for malting or other industrial purposes over and above established quotas. Oats deliveries, in relation to prospective marketing, are running behind wheat and barley, and this is one of the factors which will be corrected as the crop year progresses.
It will be the policy to keep deliveries of wheat, oats and barley running in proper relationship to expected marketings of each grain and this factor will be reflected in the
rate at which delivery quotas are increased. This is the important consideration rather than the actual delivery quotas established. In general, however, the board will work towards 15 bushel quotas on oats and barley. There are certain areas in the west where oats and barley are relatively more important. These specialized areas will be given consideration in connection with coarse grain delivery quotas.
In reply to the hon. member's second question, may I say that although sales, export clearances and shipments out of country elevators are proceeding at a rate in excess of last year's accomplishments, it is difficult to forecast at this stage of the season's operations the total quantity of grain it will be possible to receive into storage facilities from producers during the crop year. If, for storage reasons, it is not possible to take delivery of all the grains which producers wish to market, the Canadian wheat board will endeavour to distribute the excess as equitably as possible amongst all producers. The intent is maximum marketings, maximum transportation, and maximum sales.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. P. E. Wright (Melfort):
I wish to direct a further question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Can the minister indicate to the house the amount of wheat and coarse grains that were transferred from the 1951-52 crop pool to the 1952-53 pool and the prices at which such transfers were made?
Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Trade and Commerce):
In answer to the hon. member for Melfort's question, the orders in council covering the transfer of the 195152 coarse grain pools to the respective 1952-53 pools are order in council P.C. 4304 of October 15, 1952, in the case of oats, and P.C. 4331 of October 23 in the case of barley. These two orders in council were included in the group of statutory orders and regulations tabled in the house on November 13. P.C. 4508 of November 19 covers the transfer of the 1951-52 wheat pool to the 1952-53 pool. This order in council will be included in the group of statutory orders and regulations to be tabled on December 11 next in accordance with the customary procedure. The quantity of wheat transferred was 103,208,409 bushels
244 HOUSE OF
Inquiries of the Ministry and 16 pounds valued at $169,853,350.92. I might say that 222 grades of wheat were involved in the transfer.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. Daniel Mclvor (Fort William):
I
should like to ask the Minister of Transport a question. At the town of Raith children have difficulty crossing the railway track in going to school. When will it be possible for the people there to have a crossing so that settlers can get their goods across, children can be protected and others can cross in safety?
Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Minister of Transport):
The hon. member kindly told me a few moments ago that he was going to ask this question. I understand that an application has been made to the board of transport commissioners who have the matter under investigation, and I am hopeful that the decision which they will hand down may be satisfactory to all parties concerned.
Mr. Mclvor:
Thank you.
On the orders of the day:
Mr. A. J. Brooks (Royal):
I should like to direct a question to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Have complaints been received from Indian veterans with reference to the poor and incomplete construction of Indian veterans' homes at Micmac, Nova Scotia, and Big Cove, New Brunswick? If so, will an effort be made to have this situation corrected at once before more severe winter weather sets in?