1. Has the Canadian Pacific Railway refused to provide normal and regular passenger service during the hours of darkness between Penticton and Nelson at the request of Kootenay chambers of commerce, trade unions and other organizations and persons?

2. Is it the opinion of the company that under the present circumstances it is unsafe to operate passenger trains during the hours of darkness?

3. Did the company operate a passenger train or trains during the hours of darkness for the convenience of United States tourists?

[Mr. Diefenbaker.l

Hon. Leon Balcer (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, with respect to part 1 of the question, I am advised by the board of transport commissioners that due to depredations on the Canadian Pacific Railway Company's property in the Nelson-Penticton area, it was decided by the railway company, after consultation between its management and the province of British Columbia, that the company should suspend all night passenger train operations in the area between Castlegar and Penticton in the interests of safety.

With respect to the second part of the question, the board has been advised by the C.P.R. that it is of the opinion it would be unsafe to operate passenger trains during the hours of darkness unless patrols and other protective measures are provided.

With regard to the third part of the question, the board has been advised by the C.P.R. that on August 29, 1960, a special train handling a tour party routed from U.S.A. points via Vancouver and the Kettle valley

route to lake Windermere and thence to Banff, Alberta, which was originally scheduled to move through this area during daylight hours, became delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Special measures were taken by the company to protect the movement after dark by providing patrols in relays ahead of the train.

1. Have any prevailing rate employees at H.M.C.S. Dockyard, Esquimalt, British Columbia, been laid off during the six months ending November 30, 1960? If so, how many?

2. Have other employees at H.M.C.S. Dockyard, Esquimalt, British Columbia, been laid off during the six months ending November 30, 1960? If so, how many?

Hon. Pierre Sevigny (Associate Minister of National Defence):

The answers are as follows:

1. A number of prevailing rate employees at H.M.C.S. Dockyard, Esquimalt, are hired on a casual basis to carry out specific ship repair projects. During the period referred to, 304 casual prevailing rate employees were laid off following completion of the work for which they were hired. During the same period other ship repair work required the employment of 238 prevailing rate workers, leaving a net reduction in the work force of 66.

2. Following complement surveys carried out in conjunction with the civil service commission, 33 fireman-labourer positions and 11 telephone operator positions were abolished. It was possible to reassign some of the individual incumbents to other positions for which they were qualified, leaving a net lay-off of 33.

1. How many bushels of (a) wheat; (b) other grains, have Japanese importers contracted for delivery since January 1, 1960?

2. Have any of these sales been lost as a consequence of the recent grain handlers' strike in Vancouver?

3. How many bushels of (a) wheat; (b) other grains, have been delivered during this period?

Mr. W. H. Jorgenson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture):

The

answers are as follows:

1. The Canadian wheat board, as a matter of policy, does not divulge during the current crop year commitments for the purchase of Canadian wheat by foreign countries. With regard to barley and rye, these commitments are entirely a matter between the private grain trade in Canada and Japan.

2. It is impossible at this time to determine whether or not any sales of Canadian grain were lost because of the strike.

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Starred Questions

3. Basis official statistics, exports of Canadian wheat, rye and barley from Canada to Japan for the period January 1, 1960, to October 31, 1960, total 43,566,642 bushels of wheat, 84,364 bushels of rye, and no exports of barley.

1. Has the government of Canada arrived at a decision to provide a second ferry between the province of Newfoundland and the mainland?

2. If so, have the terminals also been selected and where are they located?

Hon. Leon Balcer (Minister of Transport):

The answer to parts 1 and 2 is that the government has not arrived at any decision respecting a second ferry between the province of Newfoundland and the mainland.

1. Has a circular been issued to public works contractors who have contracts with the federal government warning them to refrain from participation in political activity both federal and provincial?

2. If so, what were the terms of the directive?

3. If not, are public works contractors treated in a different way from mail contractors, and for what reason?

Hon. D. J. Walker (Minister of Public Works):

1. No.

2. Answered by No. 1.

3. Yes, because they are not employees of the department.

1. What was the amount of trade in dollar volume with China in each of the years, 1958, 1959, and from January to November, 1960?

2. What is the principal product sold to that country?

Mr. E. L. Morris (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Commerce):

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member in whose name this question stands does not say in his question which China he has in mind. Accordingly I shall answer for both.

The answer to question 1, exports to communist China, the value of Canadian exports to communist China has been as follows: calendar year 1958, $7,808,965; calendar year 1959, $1,720,733; January to October, 1960, $8,588,000. The export statistics for November are not yet available.

The answer to question 2 on exports to communist China, the principal products exported to communist China in each of these periods have been as follows: calendar year

Inquiries of the Ministry 1958, wheat; calendar year 1959, copper and chemical products; January to October, 1960, aluminum and chemical products.

Exports to Taiwan, Republic of China. The value of Canadian exports to Taiwan (Republic of China) has been as follows; calendar year 1958, $1,167,040; calendar year 1959, $1,705,918; January to October, 1960, $2,309,000. The export figures for November are not yet available.

The principal product exported to Taiwan (Republic of China) in all three periods has been wood pulp.