Legislative Assembly

Charlottetown. When the Conservative Government took over in 1969 we undertook an expansion program which rejuvenated this whole province, particularly Kings Coun- ty, and I maintain, Mr. Speaker, that ever since that program was started the present Government has torn it apart, ridiculed it, and did everything they possibly could to destroy it. And I am sorry, Sir, because I am sure that the results of that condemn- ation at their hands will ruin industrial development in this province for several years. And I wonder, and I am convinced, Mr. Speaker, that they took this advice from the famous policy-maker who has travelled the length and breadth of this province prior to the election. I don’t hear too much about him today, Mr. Speaker. I don’t even see him around the House — perhaps he is not even in the province, I don’t know.

I am deeply concerned with the situation of farmers in this province at the moment. Never in my history doing business with the farmers in this province has it been quite so serious, what with the price of potatoes so low, and hogs not too high, the cost of living having advanced to such a rate, labour and what have you causes many of the farmers —— I would say 60 - 75% of them will be unable to purchase fert- ilizer this year. I maintain that this government has not done as much as it could with the problem of the potato industry at the moment. I maintain that they should have gone to Ottawa several months ago, and I feel that we in this province, with potatoes our main industry, should have secured some assistance from Ottawa. Every other industry gets assistance, the coal miners get millions of dollars of subsidy, the car industry is protected, the clothing industry is protected. But let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, we get no protection. (Applause) I would be ashamed if I came back from Ottawa and said we got 75 cents per hundred less 25 cents shrinkage. It is a pure disgrace, the farmers of Western Canada are protected to the tune of $2.00 a busel for their grain. As far as I am concerned the Liberal Government never had any consideration for the Maritime Provinces, they never showed it, they haven’t got it yet, and that, I say, is a serious situation. I feel that the government should give leadership and there are many outlets for potatoes. I was very interested to attend a meeting here in Charlottetown, a promotional meeting, the other day where the State of Michigan found themselves something similar to ours. The government of the State took over and gave leadership and today they are unable to produce enough potatoes to supply the market which they have. They can them, and they powder them, they even make alcohol, and there is an industry, Mr. Speaker, which I think we could have in this province. (Applause) If you read the reports we are definitely drinking enough of it -— probably we could make our own, and they tell me that potato alcohol is good. Why not some of these things be done in order to help our potato farmer. They are contracted for at a price, they know the farmer knows when he plants his potatoes how much he is going to get, and I think, Mr. Speaker, that it is up to the Government to give leadership.

I was rather interested to hear the Minister of Health speak about water pol- lution, but I believe that there are Acts in this Island now that control water. I am more concerned, Mr. Speaker, with air pollution particulary from asphalt plants. I happen to have an asphalt plant in my district very close to my home, and it is situat- ed very close to a small community and when the wind is blowing favourably on this village it is almost impossible to live there. They are breathing the residue and the dust from this plant. I took it up last year with the Department of Health but they apparently said there was nothing they could do about it. In Ontario this year they are bringing in a law that will control air pollution from asphalt plants, and I would

suggest to the Minister of Health that he get that Act and implement it here in this pro nee.

I am wondering if the Provincial Secretary has considered giving any protec- tion to the investors of this province? We notice that there are many Trust Compan- ies looking for money to invest at a very high rate of interest. But I wonder, Mr. Speaker, how sound are they? Has the Government given any consideration to in- vestigating them? I would like the Minister, the Provincial Secretary, to look into that. I believe in every other province of Canada today tehre is an Insurance Act to that effect. Here again, in Prince Edward Island we are the last province to do the things we should do.

I am sorry the Minister of Agriculture isn’t here but I would like to congratul- ate him on his efforts on behalf of the Department of Agriculture. I feel that he is a man with great courage and determination; he fought in the battlefields and lost an arm and a leg, came back to the province and like many others could have sat down

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