Hon. George H. Hees (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, I am going to make an announcement which I feel sure will be very well received by all members of the house. Before making it I should like to say that I received representations on this matter from all the members from Prince Edward Island, the hon. member for Colchester-Hants (Mr. Kennedy), and several other hon. members who have spoken to me about this matter. This is a press release issued today by the management of Canadian National Railways.

Following a meeting of senior operating officials from all regions in Canada, Canadian National Railways announced today that a supplementary winter work program would go into effect immediately in an effort to avoid any further reduction of employment on its Canadian lines during the winter months. This decision was made in response to an appeal by the federal government,

which is being directed to industry generally, including all railways, to the effect that they take special responsibility for their own work forces during this winter period when unemployment normally develops.

The management of Canadian National Railways deems it in the national interest to respond to the request of the government by embarking on work programs aimed at keeping the regular labour force employed on work that would not normally be undertaken in winter months, or which would be deferred until traffic earnings justify it.

While this may add somewhat to the cost of such work, and as well make it more difficult to reverse the deficit which appeared in the 1957 operations of Canadian National Railways, nevertheless the circumstances are such that management believes it is prudent to avoid, as far as possible, the disorganizing effects of massive short-term unemployment during this winter season. Consequently all supervisory officers have been directed to explore ways and means of organizing supplementary work programs in local areas throughout Canada, with the objective that Canadian National Railways will not contribute to further winter unemployment.

The supplementary work programs will not mean new hirings, but are of course being designed to keep the existing labour force employed. These programs will require the interested co-operation of the various labour groups, and must be sufficiently flexible to meet the varying needs of local areas. Consequently they will be under the direction of local and regional supervisory officers.

The supplementary work programs now being put into effect will be in addition to the accelerated works programs on capital account which were announced by Canadian National Railways on December 20 to provide employment for some 600 men on projects estimated to cost $3,500,000. This was made possible through advance approval by the government of a portion of the 1958 budget of the railway.

No estimate can be made of the cost of the new programs now being organized, but the nature of the work will, for the most part, be a charge to operating expense.

Mr. Stanley Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre):

Mr. Speaker, may I direct a question to the minister arising out of what he has just said. In view of his statement that this welcome announcement by the Canadian National Railways is in reply to an appeal addressed by the government to all the railways in Canada, can he say whether there

has been any response from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company? If so, what has been the nature of that response?

Mr. Hees:

The request to the Canadian Pacific Railway and other railways is going out today, and of course there has been no time yet for any response to be received.

Mr. Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre):

Will the minister inform the house of any replies he receives?

Mr. D. F. Brown (Essex West):

May I ask

a further question of the Minister of Transport. Will he tell us whether this announcement he has made is in lieu of a general policy on unemployment in Canada?

Mr. Hees:

The announcement I have made, Mr. Speaker, is an announcement which has been made today by the management of the Canadian National Railways, and is their idea of playing their part in avoiding winter unemployment.

On the orders of the day:

Mr. Brown (Essex West):

May I direct a question to the Minister of Transport. Since there is a large area of unemployment in the Windsor district, is the minister now prepared to recommend to the Canadian National Railways that they proceed with the construction of a C.N.R. station at Windsor, Ontario?

Mr. Hees:

Mr. Speaker, the government has already recommended that particular work.

Mr. A. J. MacEachen (Inverness-Richmond):

May I address a further question to the Minister of Transport. I wonder if he could tell the house whether this additional works program he has announced will mean the calling back into employment of men who have been laid off at the C.N.R. yards at Truro numbering, I believe, about 20?

Mr. Hees:

The announcement is exactly what it purports to be, an announcement to stop further lay-offs from Canadian National construction. The Canadian National, as I have said many times in this house, is just as sensitive and feels exactly as we all do about how unfortunate it is that from time to time men must of necessity be laid off from their work. They are doing everything possible to absorb all the people they possibly can, and I think the efforts they are making are commendable.

Mr. Brown (Essex West):

May I direct a supplementary question to the Minister of Transport. I am sure he does not want his expression to be-

Question.

Inquiries of the Ministry

Mr. Brown (Essex West):

Would he tell us now when it is expected that the C.N.R. will commence work on the construction of the Canadian National station, and who are the architects who have been employed?

Mr. Hees:

That matter is at present under active consideration by the management of Canadian National Railways.

Hon. Alvin Hamilton (Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources):

Mr. Speaker, the house will be pleased to know that the statement I made in the house on January 14 on the campground-picnic area program has been received very favourably by the provinces. At that time I mentioned that five provinces officially and one unofficially had been heard from. Since then I have received official advice from Ontario and have heard from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

The situation is that at the present time nine provinces have joined in this program most enthusiastically. Therefore on the forest access road program and the campground-picnic site program the expectations of the government have been far exceeded in the co-operation and enthusiastic response by the provinces. It means that the amounts we have mentioned will probably be slightly exceeded, but I think there is a deeper significance than that to this announcement.

We originally embarked on this program to provide seasonal employment, but now not only will we be providing pleasant places for travellers to stop and improve the hospitality of our highways not only for Canadians but for visitors coming to Canada but I think we will be providing safety for motorists. If this program which has been announced can improve safety on any roads in Canada I think we can all appreciate the effect and significance of the work we have done at this time.

Mr. A. M. Nicholson (Mackenzie):

I wonder whether I might ask the minister a supplementary question. Is he able to state whether the road from Flin Flon to Prince Albert via Hanson lake is included in this program he has announced?

Mr. Hamilton (Qu'Appelle):

Mr. Speaker,

I shall be glad to answer that question on the orders of the day. I think it is hardly a suitable one for motions. [DOT]

On the orders of the day: