Legislative Assembly

Now this was a startling thing to me. When those countries were pleading with the developed countries for aid, and more aid one of the delegates from England said, “Since 1945 England paid in aid to those countries one billion, one hundred and forty-two million pounds.” Just imagine that! Last year alone two hundred and twenty five million pounds and I said to the speaker after, “How much longer can you people keep this up”? He said, “I don’t know but there is still a threat of communism and we are trying to put forth every effort to stamp out communism.”

Now Australia during the same period gave to those countries $962,000,000. Canada last year gave $300,000,000. Just imagine! And that is not altogether in cash, it is goods as well. I couldn’t help but think it is wonderful to have those Common- wealth Nations, but they are in trouble, they all fear communism. Whether they were stronger and speak with a stronger voice I don’t lmow but I am afraid, very much afraid in the years that lie ahead there will be trouble there because they are over-populated. Now for instance India with so many people with average farms of two to six acres and the income in those countries is not very much. I think it is only seventy some dollars a year per capita in India, but the overall average throughout those underdeveloped countries is $100.00 a year income. Just imagine! A hundred dollars and the average in Canada I think is $1,000.00!

I remember the delegate from Malta said he wondered if something else in- stead of direct aid could be given. Now to illustrate it he said, “I will put it this way. Give a man a fish; it will do him for a day. Give him a fishing-rod and learn him how to fish and it will do him his lifetime.” So that they are trying to shift from the direct aid to technical or whatever you call it. Those here fellows that you have Mr. Premier, they want some of those fellows to go there to learn them and that is why you brought them here, to learn us is it? Anyway, to bring them here to learn them a higher standard of living.

Now I don’t think I should say anything. Oh yes down in Malaysia. Now they have more or less a dictator form of government and the gasoline there is $1.19 a gallon, and the motor oil $10.00 a gallon. That’s what he said. He was amazed to see our ordinary cars here. We don't call them big cars; he did. Why he said, “A car over there 'this size would cost between three and four hundred dollars to register every year.

Some Member: What kind of government over there? Frank Myers: Dictator government.

Some Member: Liberal.

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: Do you know what the price of a bag of potatoes in the North West Territories is today? $59.00.

Frank Myers: Mr. Speaker, I didn’t have anything to say, there wasn't an opportunity, and every time when one would stand up there would be at least five or six stand too, and I thought it would be better perhaps to keep quiet. I could have spoken one evening but I listened and I attended every conference, every meeting and we had a nice time. We had our fun along with it. I enjoyed every minute of it. Every evening we were invited out to receptions or banquets or whatever it may be. The biggest I think I ever got was out at Rideau Hall with the late Governor- General. We received an invitation to go there and His Excellency came and seated himself and remained seated the whole evening —- there was no receiving line — but His very Gracious Lady Madame Vanier went around and I think she talked to every delegate there as far as I could see. She talked to me of which I appreciated and she was a very interesting lady indeed, very colourful and she asked me where I was from and I was very proud to tell her and it wasn’t very long after Mr. Mont~ gomery came to me and he said, “Frank, His Excellency would like to speak to you." So I went over, he remained seated. and he said, “I heard you are from Prince Edward Island." I said, “Yes, Your Excellency.” He said, “You come from a very beautiful Island and I am looking forward sometime later this fall to visit your Island." I said, “Your Excellency, we would deem it an honour to have you if you can make it.” Since then he has been “called home”, but he was a wonderful chap. Just to take the interest —— he was only to Prince Edward Island once — but the

_76_.