Legislative Assembly

able to get into the Trans-Canada Highway. We have been able to get Roads to Resources to fishing centres and to tourist accommodations. We have been able to get all-weather roads under construction in the province, and we find, then, upon taking office that many of the agreements which have enabled this province to build all-weather roads or Trans-Canada roads, or Roads to Resources have, like the other agreements, come to an end, the end of the five-year agreement, the end of the special agreement, the end of the Trans-Canada Highway agreement. There are few programs at the present time upon which we can operate this year. There is the fifty-fifty ADB program offering three million dollars, but this is an expensive program. Mr. Speaker. There is a little money in this bucket and a little money in that pot left over, and we have therefore instituted negotiations with the Government of Canada for a program of assistance, for special assistance for this year so that we might spur on the usual highway construction activities so that we may press on with the job of medernizing, up-grading and improving our highways. We are confident that before this Session prerogues that the outline of the agreement which is now in its final stages will be made to this House, and that it will be received hospitably by this House as well.

L. George Dewar: Would this be outside the all-weather road agreement?

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: This, Mr. Speaker, we would hope would include all-weather roads, connector roads from those areas which are five to ten miles off the all-weather roads. would include the old main roads as well — the main links which are not in on the TransPCanada or the all-weather sections at the present time. We won’t build them all this. . .

Walter R. Shaw: Is that through a special act of the federal government, or is it through any other association that has already been set up.

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: Through the kindness and generosity of Lester B. Pearson.

Walter R. Shaw: I don’t want that, I want to know if this is to come through as a special provision of the federal government or is it through comprehensive plan and provided for through ARDA?

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: Mr. Speaker, it will be through the com- prehensive plan.

Walter R. Shaw: No?

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: The comprehensive plan won’t be settled until June or July. We can’t wait for that.

Walter R. Shaw: Well this is a special provision, a special development and sanction of the federal government?

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: It is going to be money for this province, Mr. Speaker, we don’t know how they are going to get it to us yet, but we can reasonably assume that it is coming. Now the over-all long range program of highway construction in ths province, Mr. Speaker. . . .

Walter R. Shaw: But nothing like that goes through without an Act of Par- liament. No road assistance or no policy goes through until that is provided for in the estimates of the federal government.

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: Well it is coming, Mr. Speaker. . . .

Walter R. Shaw: A lot of things are coming.

Honourable Alexander B. Campbellz. . . .however, the overall road paving pro- gram, Mr. Speaker, which is directly linked to the economy of this province because if we want to improve rural conditions we must see that the rural areas have ser- vices of adequate highways. We feel that we have a very strong argument that high- way construction and maintenance and upgrading will justify some mention, if not considerable mention, in the development program of this province.

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