Mr. SHAW:

In the general discussion regarding post offices perhaps I may be in order in asking the minister what provision, if any, has been made for building a post office in the city of Calgary. I d'o not know if the minister is aware of the situation in that city, part of which I have the honour to represent. The fact is that the Dominion government have a very valuable site there on which a stone post office was constructed many years' ago. The late government, I believe, pulled down that post office so that at the present time there is absolutely nothing but a hole in the centre of the city to represent where the Dominion government building formerly stood, and in the meantime all the public offices which could properly be housed in a properly constructed) post office building are located in rented premises in various portions of the city. Some time ago I

asked for a return showing the amount of rental paid by this Government for public buildings in the various parts of the city of Calgary, but that report has not come to hand. I have not any doubt that it was a very large item indeed. The amount paid for rental for post office purposes alone must be very considerable. In view of these facts, has the minister under consideration, or does he contemplate in the Supplementary Estimates, provision for the erection of a post office in Calgary in the not too distant future?

Mr. SHAW:

What provision, if any, is made for medical attention to the Indians on the Stony Indian reserve at Morley, Alberta? I may be misinformed, but I understand that no hospital provision is made at the reserve and that occasionally some medical practitioner comes from some particular place and makes a cursory exam-

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ination. I should like to be assured by the minister that proper medical examination of the Indians will be not only made, but continued.

Mr. SHAW:

Does he live on the reserve?

Mr. SHAW:

I confess that it is with some apprehension that I receive the reason of the minister for the reduction in this estimate for educational purposes. I am not blaming the minister, but to my mind it would seem to be a reflection on the officials of his department, because if there is one thing we must be particularly careful about it is to see that our treaty obligations with respect to education are fully and completely discharged. I say that, Mr. Chairman, also in the light of the fact that in answer to a question which I addressed to the minister with regard to the Stony reserve school namely: How many Indian children are there at the present time of school age on the Stony reserve at Morley, Alberta?-I was informed: "Approximately, 110." The information which I have been given indicates that there are probably 140 children of school age on that reserve, so I take it that " approximately " has perhaps a very wide interpretation in the department. The second question and answer were:

Q. What provision, if any, has been made for the education of such Indian children?

A. No provision since boarding school was closed in 1908 and the last day school closed in 1919.

Now, I suggest that that is a most tragic state of affairs, and I am delighted to know that the minister proposes to visit some of these Indian reserves during the coming year. If he will take the trouble-and I am sure he will-to visit the Stony Indian reserve, he will find the request for educational facilities for the children in that particular reserve comes from the Indians themselves. That band of Indians do realize, so I am informed-at least, a number of them-the necessity for educating their children and they are anxious that acommo-dation should be provided.

I should like the minister to give us his general idea as to how he proposes to carry on the education of the Indian children, and to co-ordinate with that education the taking care of their health, the gravity of which matter, I am sure, he fully appreciates. I do not know the policy of the former government, but I understand that in relation to the province of Alberta at least the intention is to erect a school at Edmonton and to transport the Stony reserve and other Indian children from points over two hundred miles distant and keep them there at school, transporting them back to their parents, I presume, at the end of the school year. I am frank to say, Mr. Chairman, that I have not very much sympathy with that method of edu-

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cation, especially where you find at least 120 children on the reserve of school age whose parents are anxious to secure school facilities. I should like the minister to give us some indication of the policy of his department in connection with educational affairs, and to advise us if he has any intention of co-ordinating his health with his educational activities.

Mr. SHAW:

I want to congratulate the minister for having made a reduction in the estimates as compared with last year.

I think he is entitled to some credit for giving us this evidence of economy on the part of his department. At the same time it is only fair to say that I have an objection to register, and it is that the reduction is not sufficient. Without going into details of these items, which I presume will be taken up separately, I should like for a moment to compare the estimates of this department with the amount of less than $5,000,000 asked for by the Department of Agriculture, which is the fundamental and basic industry of this country. I know very well that you cannot always very

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reasonably compare these estimates under the circumstances. But take the estimates of other departments of the Government.

I find that the Health Department, for instance, is asking something under $1,000,000; Administration of Justice, slightly over $2,000,000; Immigration and Colonization, slightly over $2,000,000,-and I think no one will under-estimate the value and significance of the work for which that estimate is being asked,-Fisheries, slightly over $1,000,000; Mines, slightly over $500,000; Labour Department, the main estimates for which are something under $1,500,000; Dominion Lands and Parks, almost $5,000,000; Soldiers' Land Settlement, approximately $12,000,000; and finally, may I just mention the estimates for the Department of Trade and Commerce which total slightly over $3,000,000. I think in comparison with these other necessary and fundamental departments of government, the estimate for the Militia Department is out of all proportion. I realize, of course, the necessity for maintaining in this country not only a militia, but a Militia Department, properly staffed and properly officered, and I have nothing to say with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness of our miltia. I think perhaps it is true, as the minister has stated, that the militia generally has served satisfactorily; but I do think in view of the estimates for other departments of government, there should be a very substantial reduction in the militia estimates, especially as we have just come through a long war, and have had a conference at Washington on the limitation of armaments, and particularly in view of the very difficult economic conditions that prevail throughout this country. I do not propose to move any amendment, but I want to urge upon the minister the necessity for doing something far more substantial than he has done in reducing the estimates of his department.