Legislative Aaeembly Tuesday, March 21, 1 S 67 Honourable Alexander B. Campbell : Mr. Speaker , since the last debate in re¬ ply to the Speech from the Throne, a very unfortunate and unhappy situation arose, and I am certain that all members of this Legislature share a common feeling of sym¬ pathy with the Leader of the Opposition for the unfortunate death of a member of his family, and I am certain that all members join with me in extending to him, said to the Simpson family, our very warmest sympathies in this very unfortunate situa¬ tion. I note that through the day, Mr. Speaker , there seemed to be a hushed respect for the Leader of the Opposition and we all feel very sincerely the sad loss that he and Mrs. Shaw and the Simpson family have felt in this situation. I don't intend to speak too long on the Draft Address , Mr. Speaker ; I know that many of the Ministers of the government will want to elaborate on the sections which are relevant to their particular responsibilities. However, there are several highlights upon which I might discuss. But before doing so I was reviewing several matters which had arisen either through the initiation of the Opposition, or by other means. This morning we discussed, during the question period, the Canada Assistance Act , and the action which the government is now taking to reclaim a figure in excess of one million dollars from the federal government being approximately one-half of the amount of money paid by this provincial government to the Senior Citizens of the province from April first, 1966, to December 31st, 1966. The forms, as it was explained this morning, which were mailed by the pro¬ vincial government to the pensioners does not constitute a means or needs test in the usual sense. We are soliciting the information which the Canada Assistance Act requires so that this province can obtain over one million dollars. The initial response has been encouraging. Several thousand replies have already been returned to the Department of Welfare. I, as other members, am very much aware of the public senti¬ ment expressed most vocally against the use of these forms. Much misunderstanding has been fostered about this whole business of supplementary payments to old age pensioners. Some of this misunderstanding I am sure dates back to election time when both political parties were making statements about what they would do if they were elected, but in the process this province is now committed under one Government or the other to pay, to see that the old age pensioners of the province receive at least $100.00. As Leader of the Government I am happy that the Government of Canada has come to us and said, "Let us pay at least half of the money you spent during the period from April first, 1966 to December 31, 1966." This was not the information given through the election period, and I quote, for example, a letter addressed from the Premier's office on July 2, 1966, to each of the voters on the old age pension of the First District of King's, in which he states that they were trying to make these pay¬ ments as quickly as possible, even while the federal Liberal Government in Ottawa to date, had opposed them. Now, Mr. Speaker , this was never the case. We have been accused of har¬ bouring "ghost-writers" amongst our midst, and I can assure the Opposition that I did not write the Throne Speech alone, I had the assistance of the Liberal Caucus and of the Ministers of the Government in writing that document as a platform for the future of this province. But we find, Mr. Speaker , as we continue our search for documents that those who made statements about "Robichaud Raiders" through the election had probably more New Brunswickers on their pay-roll than we had on ours. But they reached farther abroad then New Brunswick. There was a man by the name of Lowell Murray hidden away in the Charlottetown Hotel somewhere — he is presently campaign manager for Davie Fulton , I think in a leadership contest some¬ where. But on the 17th day of May he wrote a little note to the Premier suggesting what the Premier should say in the press the next day and outlining the strategy and the rights. "I think we ought to release the text of your telegram of last night to Alan MacEachen . He will now have it in his office in Ottawa, and no doubt he and his staff will be consulting with the Liberal Leader here on an appropriate reply. While it is entirely possible he will reply something to the effect for political pur¬ poses that a verbal agreement has already been given to the provinces, which it had been, and which was known to the previous government of this province...." Walter R. Shaw : Verbal agreement