Legislative Assembly Something new this year is silo construction for which I will be lookinffor an appropriation of $15,000.00. Also, in the Western part of the province, the* la a group of people growing cucumbers contracted with the Terry Cucumber P«£| in Quebec , and we have budgeted a freight assistance subsidy of $15,000.00. WPssspe that this will benefit the people in that part of the province; we know it welj sMsl it is also estimated that this program will be self-sustaining at a later date. Our potato industry promotion last year was a sizable amount of $100,000.00, and this year we are budgeting $120,000.00. This, we feel, is one most important things we can do due to the fact that the economy of our p. depends to a large and continuing extent on our potato returns. This is wbyi requesting an increase here; we now have most of these people employed ; have to buy new machinery. While we do not want to legislate this, we do f „ it be required that potato growers plant certified seed, or better. We hope to sea the day when people will have the desire to plant foundation seed. We have maty Ma¬ sons for thinking this; we must move to the position where we can inform oir mar¬ kets where there is considerable competition, that we have disease free seat ffcis is going to take a terrific amount of co-operation and I feel that even if ever* aajan- ber of this Legislature had a disinfectant unit and a steam cleaner and we 41 input out, thirty two of us, we still wouldn't be able to do this unless we had tie fSl co-operation of the growers and everybody involved in the industry. This is oar objective and we hope it will be achieved. All in all, Mr. Speaker , I said I wasn't going to say very much, ant I am going to stick to my word. According to my estimation and figures, the appropriation for the Department of Agriculture for the year 1967-68 is increased by $600,100.00. Thank you. ^Applause). Honourable J. Elver Blaachard , Minister of Labour: (Fifth Queens) Mr. Speaker , it is my understanding that a speech on the Draft Add-ess is mainly one of a review of Departmental activities for the previous year, whle the speech on the Budget Address is a forecast or projection of matters to be dealt with by the Department in the coming year. In this particular Session a considerable amount of labour legislation ha been presented to this House, and has received third reading and is now to receive Royal Assent . So a foundation is now laid for effective work in advancing the progMH of the Department. The Equal Pay Act has been tightened up, and The Inaustral Re¬ lations Act has been overhauled to bring it up to modern standards. The Jepart- ment name has been changed to The Department of Labour and Manpower Besmeaa, which will allow for a statistical branch in the Department. The Workmen's Com ¬ pensation Board Act has been amended to give more equitable monthly allovaaces to widows and their children. Three new Acts have been passed. The Tiulislilal Standards Act will allow for stabilization of the labour force in the various rradas. The Winter Works Projects Act gives a framework to organize Winter Worst 9*9- jects on a more productive basis, while the Vacation Pay Act provides another fea¬ ture which, for the first time, gives the statutory right to employees to a vacation with pay or vacation pay. This latter Act is another election promise fulfiled by this government. In the past year, legislation with respect to The Industrial Relations Ad oaly was submitted to The Labour Management Relations Council for its advice ard sug¬ gestions. In the future all legislation relating to the Department of Labour and Manpower Resources will be submitted to the Council. The practice of subnitting proposed legislation to labour and management groups will also be continued, litis Jirocedure will continue until the time has arrived when the two groups will Bake oint submission on proposed legislation. It is proposed this year that reseasth be done in new areas of labour legislation. Preliminary talks have been held wth of¬ ficials of the Dalhousie Law School to undertake such research by post-gnduate students in law. It is also proposed that all existing labour legislation, together with any future additional legisation which maybe enacted, be incorporated into a Prtaee Labour Code somewhat similar to the Federal Labour Code. Steps —440—