Legislative Assembly

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Thursday, April 6, 1%7

L. George Dewar: Mr. Speaker, although I have no Irish blood in my veins I feel a little like Finnigan in this rather disjointed address to the House that l have given in the last two or three days. However I assure you, Mr. Speaker, that it will soon come to an end because I only have a couple of short items to speak on.

I thought I would like to say a few words with respect to agriculture: that is our most important industry and I notice that the comprehensive development plan envisages a massive agricultural development which I think, of course, is a thing for the Island. No doubt we have a great untapped potential here in that respect and we will listen, I understand to the Minister .of Agriculture a little later who will probably elaborate on this development which is intended to take place.

There was one item of the agricultural department which I think has been slipping a bit during the past year and I refer to the farm improvement service. For some reason or other it seems difficult to get action from the Department with respect to farm improvement. There was a change made in the operation of that department whereby the ARDA program was supposed to assist, but instead of im- proving the situation it seems to have made it worse because a year or so ago there was quite a worthwhile useful service in the Western part of the province. But last summer, I regret to say, there was hardly anything done. It seemed that it was left to the private contractor to provide the service, the government machines, I think. Of course I am not blaming the Minister of Agriculture for this because this was policy that was decided upon previous to his assuming office. But that change was made and I think probably they thought it would provide a better service if the contractors were able to provide it. They were so busy building roads all sum- mer that they couldn't find time to do any farm improvement and so the jobs were not done and then in the Fall, when they were free, it wasn’t a very suitable time to do this work. I think the Minister should take this under consideration and see that the machines are designated for farm improvement rather than all being used on roadbuilding services during the summer.

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: There was more done last summer than ever was done or ever near being done. (Applause).

L. George Dewar: Well now I am glad to hear that, Mr. Minister. because that certainly wasn’t the situation in the Western part of the province. I know per- sonally that I asked for a job to be done early in the summer and it was never done. Even late in the Fall there was never any action taken with respect to it and I would appreciate the Minister giving further information on this because the year before we had one machine doing farm improvement work and it was kept very busy in the First and Second Districts all year. I inquired a number of times at the Depart- ment and I was always told that the jobs would be attended to, but there seemed to be great delay in getting them done. I know one that was never done and the re- quest, of course. had been sent in earlv. I think this is a service the people appre- ciate especially the farmers and I think now, when it is costing them less to have it

done under the new arrangement with the ARDA people, that the Minister might look into this matter and facilitate it.

I thought I would make a few comments on Industrial Development in the province. This is a question I probably should have skipped altogether but I am glad to say that the atmosphere cleared a bit this afternoon and we can hope for more constructive ideas in performance on the part of the Legislature from now on. I hoped, of course, that the Leader of the Government might have gone a little further and clarified the situation more clearly as to the position of the members on this side of the House. I think he should either have issued a statement of ex- oneration as far as the conduct of public affairs was concerned or impeach them for high crimes and misdemeanors if he thought they were guilty of such. I think the people have a right to know just what is the situation and I think the sooner he makes a statement in this respect the better for this Legislature and for the development of industry in this province. I think there is still an unsatisfactory atmosphere surrounding the whole situation. Now the development of industry is a very complicated and difficult matter. I notice that the second plank in the plat- form of the comprehensive development plan is the increase of manufacturing in

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