_ Wednesday, April 19, 1967

and taken his pension and retired. But that wasn’t his makeup, Mr. Speaker. He started in farming he proved to the Island, and to all of us, the kind of a man he really is. (Applause) We realize that he has many problems and I don’t know yet whether it is me that is so thick, I guess it is, but I fail to understand this milk subsidy. But I guess he got it through to us at last. I read with great concern that next year the dairy plants in other governments are planning to eliminate all dairy farmers from a subsidy under 50,000 ounds. Now I would suggest to him that he get working on this now to see that t is doesn’t happen. Don’t wait till next year when the subsidy is taken off and try to get it 'back because we in this province are small farmers and many farmers have to work at a second trade in order to make a living. So, there- fore, they keep eight or ten cows and they may not be able to produce that amount, but

it is very necessary even at $5.00; it is almost impossible today, Mr. Speaker, to get a living farming.

Mr. Speaker, I was very much annoyed the other day when charges were levied or insinuations made against a very close friend of mine who is not in this House to protect himself. I refer, of course, to my honourable colleague the former Minister of Agriculture. The Honourable Minister enlisted when the war broke out; he went overseas and fought in various theatres of war in Europe and came back with the rank of Captain. He started in the feed business and made a success of that; he then entered a second theatre of war in Korea and came back as a Major. He then started farming, Mr. Speaker, and proved that he was one of the ablest and best farmers in this province. He had forty choice milk cows and was among the twelve choice herds in Canada. That, I say Mr. Speaker, is a record to be proud of. It was my privilege to travel with him on four elections for a month or six weeks at a time. I worked very closely with him for six years while we were in the Government and never once, Mr. Speaker, could I say that man wasn't the highest calibre, fine principled. To think that his name was brought in here and smeared when he was not able to defend himself. Sir, hurts me very much. And it is statements like this, such as were made of my honourable friend the late Minister of Industry and Natural Resources, that there have been good men offering to serve their country and in building the life of this province, and I say, Sir, that governments of the day are having quite a prob- lem with many promiess in order to buy votes with the peoples own money. I am pleased to think that the time is nigh when some government, and I hope it is ours, will come out and tell the people that we are not going to try and buy you with your own money. We are going to try to run this province as it should be run, and that we will be able to hand to our children a province of which they can be proud.

(Applause)

Honourable J. Elmer Blanchard, (Fifth Queens) Minister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations to you on your election as Speaker of this Honourable House. Your elevation to this high position is indeed s recognition of the Acadisn people of this province, as was so aptly expressed by the Premier and the Leader of the 0p ition at the commencement of the fall session. The people of this province ho you in high esteem for your integrity and capacity to be fair minded. We are assured, therefore, that this reputation, coupled with your wide experience as a member of this House, and your knowledge of the

rules, that all matters coming before this Assembly will be ruled on with impartiality and firmness.

Les Acadiens de cette province sont, a pen d'exception, descendant de quelques trente familles qui se repatrierent apres la douleureuse Dé- portation de mille sept cent cinquante huit. Aujourd’hui la population acadienne de l’Isle du Prince-Edouard se chiffre a dix-sept mille ames ct compte environs un sixiéme de la population totale.

Long temps, sans appui moral, vivant au fonds des bois dans une grande pauvreté, et n’ayant aucun chef pour les dériger, les Acadiens sont sortis peu a pen de cet état pour donner leur contribution a la vie sociale, culturelle, religieuse et économique de l'Ile du Prince-Edouard. Avec l’aide que donne la Société St. Thomas d’Aquin et la Société l’Assomption, les Acadiens, en plus grand nombre, obtiennent une education supérieure qui

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