Hon. Raymond O'Hurley (Minister of Defence Production):

Mr. Speaker, I have nothing further to announce in addition to what I announced the other day.

Hon. Raymond O'Hurley (Minister of Defence Production):

I wish to advise the house that according to information received this morning from officials of the departments of national defence and defence production, production of the CF-104 interceptor aircraft is on schedule. We were supposed to have 80 planes delivered from the assembly line by the end of March. We shall have 84, so we are on schedule.

I wish to state also that officials of the Department of Defence Production have just advised me that the cost of the program to date is well within the estimate which was originally approved, namely, $420 million, plus $11.3 million for an additional eight dual trainers not included in the original program. I might explain that we are well within our estimate because the engine costs are below what was anticipated.

Hon. Raymond O'Hurley (Minister of Defence Production):

The CL-41 jet trainer was equipped with a Pratt and Whitney engine. Bids were called for from the engine

companies, and those bids have been forwarded to the Department of Defence Production where they are being studied at the present time; in fact there was a meeting this morning on the value and prices of the two engines. However, no decision has been reached, and no recommendation has been sent to treasury board to date.

Hon. Raymond O'Hurley (Minister of Defence Production):

Mr. Speaker, the only announcement on this program was made by the Minister of National Defence during the last session of parliament when he said the

Inquiries of the Ministry air force was considering the acquisition of the CL-41 trainer. Since that time negotiations have been going on with Canadair and other companies with regard to the manufacture of the engine required for this trainer. This program has not yet been approved in its entirety, but negotiations are continuing. I wish to state that we are looking seriously into the situation with regard to the work force at the Canadair plant, and if the CL-41 program goes ahead it will mean for some months or for a year or so work for not more than 1,000 men.

Hon. Raymond O'Hurley (Acting Minister of Trade and Commerce):

I will take this question as notice and report to the Minister of Trade and Commerce.