Friday, April 21, 1967

er's Allowance recipients, and the Social assistance recipients, and although the agreement did not specify Old Age Security, we were told at the meeting we had with them, that they had no objections. They thought that this might bring the cost up a little, but they would have no objections in including these for those people who could not afford to pay their own premiums, and so we went ahead and put this program into motion, and the rate was $31.00 per person.

It was difficult to find the personnel that were in the Old Age Security Class over sixty-nine. As requests came in from these people, they were registered, and I have a copy of one of the letters that was sent out to one of the persons here who inquired about it. And the Minister at that time said, “I am happy to inform you that your Government has decided to provide Medical Care for you and your de- pendents, should you happen to have any. An agreement has been signed with the Maritime Hospital Services Association and the Medical Society of the Province arranging for medical coverage which will be given to you on May 1st, and continue until universal Medicare becomes effective.” This is the notice that went out to these people who made the request, but this man was receiving Old Age Security, and he brought his medical card that was sent out here, his application form, in to me along with fifteen or twenty others and I forwarded them on to the Department of Welfare in the hopes that there would be no problem here. But apparently things changed with the election and this is the reply I got to these people. These people who did not ask for Old Age Assistance from sixty-five to seventy, possibly because they were too proud and they did not want to accept Government help as long as they were able to farm. When they reach the age of seventy, they automatically qualify for Old Age Security, but they had no more funds, no more savings, no inore earnings than their neighbor who is now covered, and this is the strange answer

got.

On September 2nd. after waiting for several months for a reply. and these people coming in and saying they did not get the Blue Cross card. I had this letter since we were talking with reference to this coverage. The policy has been, in view of the fact that Old Age Pension recipients are now receiving the supplementary al- lowance of $25.00 per month, that this should look after any little extras they need, :uchBas nglld bills, medicine, etc, so we have not being registering these individuals

or us hie .

This is a very important program and this is the way it is being handled by the present Government. There is nothing we can do about it. It is up to the Gov- ernment. I do no know of any better way, Mr. Speaker, that the resent Govern- ment can spend the extra 4.6 million dollars they received from ttawa than by protecting the elderly people of this Province for their medical attention, which they tell me costs, on an average, $30.00 per month. (Applause)

Then, we have another letter here, and the Minister’s speech, and I read the last section. as you probably are aware to cover some eight thousand or more Old Age Security recipients, per premium basis, would be costly enough, but we are told by the insurance people that in the case of taking on the large number of old folks, the premium would be increased, increased considerably. In spite of this, I have an open mind on the matter, and we will be discussing it further, and I am sure that my colleagues will be only too happy to give it every consideration, particularly if we can find the necessary funds to look after the payments.

Now. Mr. Speaker, I can tell that the Provincial Treasurer has lots of money and the 4.5 million dollars extra he got, the savings of the Old Age Assistance has been cut off, the assistance on the Mother’s Allowance which was never shared by Ottawa. What better place could we spend this money? And the Minister apparently i; in favour, but I wonder if it’s his colleagues who are not in favour of carrying t is out.

Furthermore, I understand that the $31.00 that we signed an agreement for is more than sufficient to pay for those that are registered, and that there has been a rebate made by the Maritime Hospital Services Commission for an overpayment of these premiums. And so now, a little further with welfare, I must say that we had great hopes when the Canada Assistance Plan was first announced. I attended

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