Mr. Power (Quebec South):

Mr. Chairman, I would like to say a word or two on the subject of the future post office in order to set in their true light the facts stated last night by my friend, the hon. member for Quebec West (Mr. Dufresne).

For about two or three years, with other members from my district, I have been doing my best to get the Post Office Department and the customs division to erect in Quebec buildings befitting that city and suitable for the work performed.

Looking around the main railway station in Quebec city, we can see the site mentioned by my friend, where a block of houses burned down two or three years ago. To visitors arriving in Quebec city at the main station, it presents a scene of destruction reminiscent of bomb-gutted cities of Europe.

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About that time the city of Quebec homologated the buildings concerned, i.e., the owners were advised that sooner or later they would have to go and that any improvements they might make in the meantime to the buildings, etc., would not be taken into account in the assessment of the property, because the city of Quebec already had some plans with regard to that site. Because of this homologation, the Canadian government approached the authorities of the city of Quebec in order to ascertain if they were ready to allow the federal government to put up the building.

Negotiations were lengthy and finally, last summer, after I had obtained the Prime Minister's authorization and after the hon. member for Levis (Mr. Bourget) had received confirmation from the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Winters), we met with the authorities of the city of Quebec, including His Worship Wilfrid Hamel, the city engineer and other officials, and we agreed that the government would release certain lots for the broadening of St. Paul street, and would, for its part-

Mr. Power (Quebec South):

On St. Paul

street.

Mr. Power (Quebec South):

Precisely, and that the city, for its part, would close off Marquette street, so that adjoining properties which belong to the federal government, as they are C.N.R. property, would also be included in the expropriated land or in the land which will be taken over by the federal government. The negotiations were friendly, and an agreement was finally reached but, for some reasons-

Mr. Power (Quebec South):

Wilfrid Hamel, mayor of Quebec City. In so far as the federal government are concerned, they did business with the constituted authorities of the city of Quebec, not with any committees set up either by the council or anybody else. The city council apparently has approved of the action of the mayor; therefore the federal government has proceeded with the expropriation of the property.

I come to another subject raised by my hon. friend, and rightly, namely the brevity of time given in the notice to evacuate.

(Translation):

In that connection, I received a letter from my electors telling me that they were shocked that such a short notice should have been served. On that score, my hon. friend may be right. However, I would point out to this committee that for the last two or three years these people were subject to be notified at any time to vacate the premises. I then got

in touch with government authorities here, that is with the minister, his parliamentary assistant and the chief architect, after which I sent this answer to the people who had written me:

Brousseau & Frferes I.tee,

320-324 St. Paul street,

Quebec, Que.

Gentlemen:

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of May 9 in which you had enclosed a petition signed by the landlords and tenants of the premises expropriated by the Department of Public Works, for the building of a post office, on Henderson, St. Paul and Ramsay streets.

I must tell you that 1 am urging the Department of Public Works to proceed with the projected works as soon as possible. After conferring with the department officials I find that if the conclusions of your investigations were taken into favourable consideration, . . .

May I say here, by the way, that those gentlemen had been asking to be allowed six months before moving out.

. . . the work on the post office requested by the workers of the city of Quebec, as well as by their representatives, would be delayed for at least a year.

I am informed that the preliminary steps to be taken, such as the transfer of the vacated properties to the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation, the calling of tenders for pulling down those buildings by that corporation, preliminary soundings, etc., that are needed before laying the foundations, the calling for tenders for the erection of the building, required under the federal statutes, may very well take several months. Under those circumstances, it is essential that the premises be vacated as soon as possible.

I am nevertheless asking the department to extend the time-limits mentioned in the notice to vacate received by you for a period of time which, frankly, is bound to be short, and always so as not to delay the carrying out of the project.

Following this letter and my representations to the hon. Minister of Public Works, the latter agreed yesterday to extend the time-limit until the end of June. If the work is to start in October or November in Quebec, it is essential that the lots be vacated by June 30 at the latest.

That is the position. At least, that is how I understand it, and I am explaining it to my hon. friend.

(Text):

Mr. Power (Quebec South):

My answer will be quite short. The federal government does not have to do business with local committees, not with the town planning committee any more than with the garbage collection committee or the roads committee. Constitution-

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ally speaking, we have to deal with the authorities representing the voters of Quebec city, that is the mayor of Quebec, Mr. Hamel, and the aldermen.

We came to an agreement with the mayor and his engineer. Negotiations were discontinued, probably because of the obstacles set in the way of the agreement by people who support the opinion of my hon. friend. Finally, in January 1955, the Minister of Public Works received the following letter, a copy of which I shall now read:

(Text):

Honourable Robert H. Winters,

Minister of Public Works,

Ottawa.

Honourable Sir:

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 18 concerning the land required by the federal government as the site for the extension of the new post office at Quebec city.

After perusal of your letter I am glad that all the persons concerned have now reached an understanding and will maintain the agreement concluded in my office when Mr. Maurice Bourget, member for Levis, the Hon. C. G. Power and Messrs. Drolet and Gardner-

They are officers of the department.

^discussed this matter with me as explained in my letter of December 28, 1954.

(Translation):

Therefore, as far as the federal government is concerned, he had the approval of-

(Text):