Hon. Lionel Chevrier (Laurier):

May I

direct a question to the Minister of Transport and ask whether the government proposes to change the regulations relating to charter aircraft and more particularly to reimpose controls on licensing of class IVB aircraft? Perhaps I should have put the question to the Minister of Trade and Commerce. In view of the fact that I have given the minister only a short notice, he may wish to take this as notice.

Hon. Leon Balcer (Minister of Transport):

I wish to thank the hon. gentleman for having given me notice of this question. In answer I wish to say that we are keeping all our regulations, both under the air transport board and in the department, under continuous review. If any changes are made they will be announced in the usual fashion in due course.

Hon. Paul Martin (Essex East):

Mr. Speaker, I trust I will not add to the sadness of the Minister of Finance if I ask him to give to

Veterans' Land Act

the members of the house, privately at any rate, those portions of his budget speech which he did not deliver last night.

Hon. Donald M. Fleming (Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, I shall be glad to furnish the hon. member for his necessary instruction and enlightenment a copy of those portions of the speech prepared for delivery last night which there was not time or opportunity to deliver.

Mr. J. R. Garland (Nipissing):

Mr. Speaker, I wonder whether the Minister of Public Works is in a position today to reply to the question I put to him yesterday.

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

No, Mr. Speaker.

Hon. Gordon Churchill (Minister of Veterans Affairs) moved

that the house go into committee to consider Bill No. C-80, to amend the Veterans' Land Act.

Motion agreed to and the house went into committee, Mr. Martineau in the chair.

On clause 1-Persons deemed honourably discharged.

Mr. Carter:

Mr. Chairman, I have already commended the minister for bringing in this legislation. I now wish to take the opportunity of thanking him for sending the bill to the standing committee on veterans affairs. The study of the bill in committee served two useful purposes. The resolution foreshadowed a great many changes in the legislation. The examination of the bill in committee gave us an opportunity to realize that these changes were more far reaching and, in some cases, more beneficial than would appear from a reading of the measure.

The second purpose served by the study of the bill in committee was to refresh once again our memories as to the excellent work that is being done by the Veterans' Land Act administration. Those who come from provinces where there are only a few veterans taking advantage of this legislation do not have much opportunity of finding out exactly what work is being done. It was beneficial for me and I am sure for all hon. members of the committee to have the officials before us

and to have explained certain phases of the splendid work the Veterans' Land Act administration is doing.

This bill received an exhaustive study in the committee. Officials of the administration who were present, explained every clause and answered every question very painstakingly and in great detail. I think practically all the questions that could be asked were asked in the committee and the answers were recorded in the committee report which has now been available to members of the committee for several days. Therefore I do not think it should be necessary to take a great deal of the time of this committee going over that ground again.

I shall conclude these few brief remarks by saying I presume this bill will receive fairly swift passage through committee of the whole.

Mr. Herridga:

Mr. Chairman, I shall make a few brief remarks before we start to deal with the various clauses of the bill. As the previous speaker said, the measure was sent to the standing committee on veterans affairs which gave it a good review and examination. The director and the officials of the Veterans' Land Act administration gave excellent explanations and answers to any questions asked by hon. members of the committee. It was a highly satisfactory committee meeting.

I wish to take this opportunity of paying a tribute to Brigadier Rutherford who, according to an announcement made by the Minister of Agriculture on April 6, resigned from the Farm Credit Corporation a few days ago. I mention his name this afternoon because he was responsible for the development of certain policies with respect to the Veterans' Land Act administration.

All large organizations or companies and even the civil service develop some apple polishers and some Charlie McCarthy's, but Brigadier Rutherford was not of that type. He was a man of ideas and purpose, a forceful personality who left his mark on the administration. I see that the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs is commenting on my remarks to the officials before him.

Mr. Jones:

Mr. Chairman, may I say I am taking no objection whatever to the remarks of the hon. member for Kootenay West; in fact, I welcome them.