Alan Webster Neill
Independent
Mr. A. W. NEILL (Comox-AIbemi):
Mr. Speaker, I wish to call the attention of the acting Minister of Labour (Mr. Gordon) to the very serious, I might say desperate, conditions that exist in the city of Nanaimo. Owing to the closing down of the mines there are more than- 800 men out of work. Nanaimo has spent all its available funds. At a conference -between representatives of the province, the city council and the board of trade, the provincial representative, a minister of the crown, said that he fully realized the seriousness of the situation and was quite willing to help, but that it was impossible for him to do so unless he got some assurance from the federal government as to what they were going to do. I would urge that the matter be taken in hand at once, so that the situation, which is really desperate, may be given attention. One man said that it is "truly appalling."