Right Hon. J. G. Diefenbaker (Prince Albert):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Transport: it has to do with the production of a document entitled "Can Canada really export one and a quarter billion bushels of grain a year by 1985?" It talks about what is being done and what still needs to be done and the whole thing is directed to showing what is still needed, which indicates that little or nothing has been done.

However, I am very much impressed by the expenditure of thousands of dollars in advertising in advance of a possible election, and I will direct my attention and that of the honourable and amiable minister to the last paragraphs of the document. The title reads "What you can do if your closest rail line is proposed for abandonment." It goes on to say:

You can fight for unprotected branch lines several ways, starting right now. Here is what you can do:

1. Form a local retention committee ...

2. Study the reasons why the Hall commission or PRAC recommended

abandonment. You may find an important mistake or you may find the

situation has changed.

The next paragraph is a good one.

Order.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

I realize that hon. gentlemen opposite recognize that this a balloon of falsehoods. The next paragraph-

Order.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

It reads:

3. Let the western arm of the CTC know you plan to defend the line-

4. The western arm of the CTC can deny an application for abandonment for

five years or so.

I ask the minister this: Has not the hon. member for Meadow Lake, over and over again-

Order.

Mr. Diefenbaker:

-pointed out the fact that the closing of the Shellbrook to Spiritwood line was dangerous? Did not almost every municipality support that? Does he now indicate that his heart is softening as the election approaches and that that railway line will be preserved? Second, will he also say whether a similar situation prevails with respect to the Dalme-ny and Laird line?

What further demands are necessary in order to get this minister to act, rather than the fear of an election?

Hon. Otto E. Lang (Minister of Transport):

Mr. Speaker, when the right hon. gentleman suggests that a good deal of the ad has to do with what remains to be done and then suggests that this proves that nothing has been done, I have to listen attentively because, in terms of an expert on doing nothing about branch lines, five years as prime minister was the right hon. gentleman's record: he did nothing at all about branch lines in those five years.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Lang:

I mean, Mr. Speaker, not one tie, not one rail line replaced and not one yard of ballast went in. We have at this point in time secured as permanent and part of the network for all time to come, 80 per cent of the rail lines in that western Canadian area about which, when he was prime minister, he left five years of doubt and do-nothing-and that is his record.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Lang:

Mr. Speaker, he may also have missed the point when he referred to the Spiritwood line. I am sure if he had really talked it over with the hon. member for Meadow Lake he would know that my friend, the hon. member who is going to represent Meadow Lake-our whip on the government side-long ago put the case about Spiritwood and, in fact, long ago the Prairie Rail Action Committee recommended that the line to Spiritwood be made permanent. We acted immediately to make it permanent and it is now on the list for rebuilding.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Diefenbaker:

Mr. Speaker, we have cleared away one thing. The line between Shellbrook and Spiritwood, due to the activities and action of the hon. member for Meadow Lake, will be preserved. When he talks about the facts during my administration, let me say that we did not have to abandon lines, and we did not. It all started with the present govern-

Oral Questions

ment. We have got that preserved, and we would not have got it if there had not been an election facing us.

What about the Dalmeny to Laird line? What is going to be the attitude on that? I know the hon. gentleman has taken a recent course in physiognomy and he smiles.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Diefenbaker:

What about that line? Is it going to be preserved or is it not?

Smile, Otto.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Lang:

Mr. Speaker, it is true that I ordinarily save my smiles for private time-

Oh, oh!