Hon. George Prudham (Minisier of Mines and Technical Surveys):

Mr. Speaker, I am still waiting for the appropriate opportunity. I do not think such a statement is called for on the orders of the day.

Hon. George Prudham (Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys):

Mr. Speaker, the

answer is no.

Hon. George Prudham (Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys):

Mr. Speaker, I think this question could be more properly directed to my colleague the Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources, whose department has been making a study of that proposed project along with the provincial governments concerned. However, I can assure my hon. friend that in so far as the dominion coal board is concerned, they have no doubts that coal should be used.

Mr. Prudham:

Tomorrow we shall proceed with the budget debate.

Hon. George Prudham (Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. member for having given notice of his intention to ask this question. Men of the fuels division of the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys-the fuels division in the mines branch-have been closely following experiments on the gasification of coal that are taking place in various parts of the world, including Russia. For some time there has been an exchange of technical information on coal experiments and other projects between Canada and Russia, and the officers of the mines branch informed me this morning that the technical literature received from Russia does not reflect the optimistic type of announcement which was made by the Russian embassy. However, every effort will be made to ascertain details.