Legislative Assembly

culture Economics, University of Manitoba, in which he deals very emphatically with this situation. “That these freight assistance acts, for example, were introduced as a war-time emergency measure, but it is still in operation twenty-two years after the emergency of war is past. This policy was a necessary step, during the exigen- cies of war, but it is difficult to justify its continuance at the present time. It is not an effective or suitable way of dealing with low income problems of Eastern Canada, nor is it a sensible policy from the standpoint of the life of industry. One can only wonder why this policy has survived as long as it has, and I believe that we should take a look at this particular problem and attempt to do something to rectify it.” Last year, and that is the calendar year, the feed grain subsidy on feed grain coming into this province amounted to $425,000, and who got the benefit of the $425,000? And besides that, 29,371 tons of feed grain came in here, and I venture to say that the people of Western Canada. the Western grain producer is the one who received the greatest amount of benefit from it. If we could have some policy to encourage and increase production in our grain we could utilize effectively 20.000 more acres of our land, and produce well over one million dollars more as an added economic advantage to this province. I happened to be talking to an official from APEC in Halifax not very long ago; he said that if this Island was to produce enough wheat to supply the requirements of the new flour mill that is being built at Halifax it would require at least 10,000 acres of wheat to fulfill this requirement. I believe it is something that we should give serious consideration to. We have the land here, we have the people here, if we have the courage to undertake it.

The Minister of Agriculture has announced an assistance policy on the con- struction of silos. I think this is important too and assistance should be given in the buying of grain drying equipment. This is a policy that is almost Canada-wide in the various provinces of this Canada. It is something that would help to maintain a better quality feed for our livestock products. We ought to expand and improve and provide farm tours for the farmers of our province so that they may go not only throughout this province but throughout Canada in order to learn new techniques and new developments in the agricultural industry. We ought to provide more tech- niques and scientific information for the farmers of our province. I was glad today, as I sat in with the members from the Federation of Agriculture. that they, too, made this suggestion. Perhaps we should use Falconwood Farm, which every year opposition members are always saying is a liability to the province, and instead of having it a liability, it probably could be turned then to be of value and use to all the farmers of the province.

Now I did not intend to say very much more, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to say this to the members of the Government, and there are not very many sitting over there at the present time. They have a lot to live up to. They have now to try to at least equal the record set by the previous Government, and it was a wonderful record. (Applause) One that had not been equalled in the history of our province to the present time. In the development of industry, have we ever seen a period in the history of this province when so many industries came here to establish and to help out not only the manufacturing of farm produce, but of lasting and benefit to the people who worked in these particular industries. Great development have ocmd in our agriculture and Division of Parks, and I want to say in passing, when I mention about provincial parks and industry, that I am very proud indeed to be associated with the man who now represents the Second District of Kings, a former Minister who administered these particular departments. I do not believe that his program of expansion in industry and provincial parks could ever be equalled, not only in this province in the future, but anywhere in Canada. (Applause) Dozens of new industries and dozens of new provincial parks, not only to provide a recrea- tion place for our tourists but a place of relaxation and enjoyment for the citizens of our province. Coupled with that, of course. we had for the first time in this province a Civil Service Commission whereby those who are most highly qualified were accepted by employment in the various jobs of government. In the field of education it was an excellent record and I have every admiration and respect for the present Minister of Education. He is a smart man, well qualified, uses good judgment but he will have to work mighty hard if he is going to equal the record set by the previous Minister of Education. He did more to develop and provide opportunities for the young men and the young women of this province than anytime before in the history of our province. Not only that, we provided for the elderly

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