Friday, April 21, 1967

We have had some new legislation put in the Federal Parliament and one which became effective on April 1st of this year was Unemployment Insurance for the farmers. I know the Minister of Agriculture is not here, but I wonder if he reviewed some of the special provisions that are in that Act? It is very difficult for farm labour to draw unemployment, and we may as well face it; I cannot see where these changes are of too much benefit. For example, a person hired to build or repair a farmer's personal dwelling is not insurable. But a person hired to construct a barn for the farmer, which is for the purpose of the employer’s business would be insurable if employed under a contract of service. Along with many of the other regulations, in view of the great variety of the number of days and hours worked on farms on account of weather or other reasons, the regulations for benefit pro- vide a rule determining when the payment if the farm employee has worked less than the full working week. This rule provides that such a claimant shall be con- sidered fully employed only during any week in which he works five or more days for an aggregate of forty or more hours a week. So it looks to me, from reading these regulations, that only those that are employed full-time as farm labourers are going to qualify for this assistance which the agricultural people have been looking fr :0 many {ears in the hopes that it would get more permanent help to assist in t e arm wor .

There is another question that I do not think there has been anything done about, and I see it was brought out very forcibly in the pamphlet which was pub- lished previous to the election and that is Farm Loans. Farmers who have applied recently to the Farm Establishment Board are still held down to a maximum of $10,000.00. Whereas the pamphlet, which was very well written, I think they must have had one of these experts from New Brunswick do it, say, “We will appoint a Farm Labour Director,” emphasized the education in farm extension courses, provide farm credit and mortgage loans, but the thing is, the catch, in these election promises is that they just don’t say how much they are going to do about it. So, nothing has been done to increase the amount of mortgage that farmers can obtain to purchase suitable land to expand their undertaking.

Some Member: The Establishment Board was proposed. Henry W. Wedge: No, it wasn’t in, was is, this year? Honourable J. Elmer Blanchard: Yes.

Henry W. Wedge: No, I didn’t see it. Has it increased?

Honourable J. Elmer Blanchard: Yes.

Henry W. Wedge: That's a good thing. (Applause) I have talked to a number of people that just can't do anything with the amount of money. When they had one person head of the mortgages at $8,000 he received a letter and was told that the only amount he could get to buy an extra farm was $2,000. I think it is holding the people up because there is no loan on the houses on these extra farms, it must be on land.

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: It is still not good enough.

Henry W. Wedge: Now, supplementary assistance, under old English systems, was discussed in the House on several occasions. and this is another matter which I would like to refer to, Social Security of $100.00 per month for senior citizens and up to $125.00 for those in need without the means test. This is another item that was also carried in the large newspaper advertisement before the election, paying up to $125.000 per month where needed without a means test, and increased benefits to disabled persons. mother’s allowance, widows and others in need. Now, actually what has happened, the previous Government promised the $25.00 as same as the present Government has. It was promised that there would be no means test and everybody went along with it. Before the legislature closed last year, letters went out to all the old age pensioners, the disabled, and the mother’s allowance recipients telling them to fill in the form, which is the proper form: all that they want is their name and address, no means test to it, asked them to submit this because it was difficult to obtain the names and addresses of those who were receiving Old Age Security from the Federal Department. We immediately put this into effect, and we post

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