Legislative Assembly

W. R. Grace Company could not see the Gulf Garden Foods plant making a profit. I will table the telegram and the letter received if asked, the letter from Mr. Harris, Vice-President of the W. R. Grace Company.

You will note Mr. Harris’s comment in the second last paragraph of his letter: “We are deeply impressed with your Government's constructive and enlightened attitude”, referring to the negotiations, and I submit this letter as a rebuttal to the unfounded charges of the Opposition that the Government is not seriously negotiat- ing with third parties to resolve the problems in Georgetown.

From this letter I would also refute that since taking office the Govern- ment efforts to re-open Gulf Garden Foods has been directed chiefly to negotia- tions with Mr. Moe and with parties introduced to the Government by him. When these negotiations failed to produce satisfactory results, the Government was forced to turn to other alternatives and to third parties. Mr. Harris’s letter. of the Grace Company, will also introduce some doubt to the Opposition claim that $500,000 would have settled the Georgetown problem, when, as Mr. Harris states. even with an investment of 1.2 million dollars in Gulf Garden Foods alone, he would not estimate anything better than a break even or possibly a loss situation for the future of the plant.

Now, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to say this. I said it at the beginning, and I am going to repeat it. The Tory Government had it’s day and these men lived it fully; they spent freely, they laughed in the faces of the people. Mr. Speaker, their picnic is over and the farce is over and I am sure that the people of this Province have learned a lesson and will remember it for years to come. They should remember it, for they will be paying for this lesson, as will their children, as Will their grandchildren.

(Applause) END OF THE THRONE DEBATE

BUDGET DEBATE

Honourable T. Earle Hickey, Provincial Treasurer (5th Prince):

It is my privilege this evening, for the first time, to move “that this Assembly reagve ifiself into a Committee of Supply for the consideration of sums to be granted to er ajes .

I assure you, Mr. Speaker, that I am deeply conscious of the honour conferred upon me in the a pointment as Provincial Treasurer of this Province and also of the responsibilities w ich go with it. I wish to assure the Honourable Members and the

ple of Prince Edward Island that I shall endeavour to carry out these responsi- ilities conscientiously and to the best of my ability.

One of the most important duties of the elected representatives of the le is the examination of Government fiscal licy and the appropriations of f or public services. It is important therefore t at all Honourab e Members and the public generally be well informed as to the sources of the available revenues and the pur- poses and extent to which these revenues are expended. This is particularly true when one realizes that the only source of these revenues is from the people them- selves — through taxation.

It is the duty of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, to examine carefully all new and additional proposals for the expenditure of public money, bearing in mind that all new expegdltures will have to be balanced by additional revenue to provide the sums require .

It is my res nsibility to determine the effect of new proposals in the light of our financial capa ilities. The present financial condition of the Province is such that only those public services essential to the continuing welfare and benefit of our people, and which are within our means, can be considered. This requires careful and serious budgeting, and after the approval of the budget it also requires very effective control so that each department will not exceed the appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, will require the active co-operation of the Ministers of the various de- partments.

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