Hon. Paul Martin (Essex East):

May I ask

the Secretary of State for External Affairs if it is a fact that Canada has been asked to send a specialized group of Canadian armed forces from the United Nations emergency force in the Middle East to join the United Nations force in Africa and, if consideration has been given to such an invitation, it is the intention to confine the Canadian contingent to specialized forces.

Hon. Howard C. Green (Secretary of Stale for External Affairs):

There has been a suggestion that Canada should send a specialized signal force, and discussions are still going on in that regard.

Mr. H. W. Herridge (Kootenay West):

Mr,

Speaker, I wish to address a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs on behalf of this group. We are very pleased to know that he has chosen our party colours in connection with this program.

In view of news reports over the C.B.C. this morning to the effect that Soviet personnel will be employed in the Congo under United Nations auspices, will the minister now state whether the government has made a firm offer to the United Nations to supply up to the equivalent of a battalion of French speaking or bilingual forces for service in the Congo?

Mr. Green:

Mr. Speaker, there has been no request from the secretary general for a combat unit from Canada. He has asked whether we could provide aircraft and supporting personnel for an airlift between Pisa and Leopoldville. The United Nations has established a staging area at Pisa for handling the supplies and equipment of the force in the Congo. It is considered necessary, at least for an emergency period of 30 days, to establish a shuttle airlift between Pisa and Leopoldville in order to give logistic support to the force.

At the same time there has developed an emergency need for the movement of food supplies into and within the Congo, and the United Nations again appealed to Canada to

provide aircraft. The house will be aware that four R.C.A.F. North Stars have arrived in Leopoldville carrying the gift of foodstuffs announced by the government on June 18. Some of this food is urgently required upcountry. As well, there is an immediate problem of transporting food supplies from Uganda to the Congo.

To meet this kind of requirement for aircraft the government has decided to put the four North Stars now in the area at the disposal of the United Nations for a period of 30 days. The necessary aircraft, crews and maintenance personnel will be provided to maintain four active aircraft for the purposes specified. A senior R.C.A.F. officer is being sent to Leopoldville to co-ordinate these activities.

Mr. Herridge:

May I address a question to the Secretary of State for External Affairs on another aspect of this matter. In view of various reports over the C.B.C. this morning to the effect that Prime Minister Lumumba of the Congo may soon be coming to Montreal to try to recruit French speaking technicians for employment in the Congo, will the minister assure the house that every assistance will be given by the government to this endeavour by the Congolese authorities?

Mr. Green:

The Canadian government has received no communication from Mr. Lumumba, nor has it received any message on his behalf concerning a possible visit to Canada.

Mr. Harold E. Winch (Vancouver East):

wish to address a question to the Minister of Labour. I apologize for not having sent notice. I ask this question because I have received a telegram from Mr. J. W. Fradley, business agent of the painters' union in Vancouver. Has the minister's attention been drawn to the importation of painters from the United States to do painting at the Vancouver general hospital for the Rust Engineering Company? In view of the serious unemployment among painters in British Columbia, would he find out who issued the work permits and why?

Hon. Michael Starr (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, this is news to me. In view of what the hon. member has given me as information I shall make a complete investigation at once.

Inquiries of the Ministry

Hon. L. B. Pearson (Leader of the Opposition):

May I ask the Minister of Trade and Commerce whether the government has approved of the purchase by Rio Tinto Limited of the uranium contracts of Stan-rock Uranium Mines Limited?

Hon. Gordon Churchill (Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Not yet, Mr. Speaker.

Hon. L. B. Pearson (Leader of the Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask the Prime Minister whether he is in a position now to make a statement about the proposed meeting with the liaison committee of the western grain producers which he said he would be able to make early last week.