Thursday, February 29, 1968 Minister of Health, Hubert McNeill . He gave the people, people that could not in any way provide medical care for themselves, medicare under the - Blue Shield Plan. And the people who were drawing disabled pensiions, and who were drawing widow's allowances and Old Age Assistance were all covered, were given blanket coverage by the former Minister of Health. That was a good program, but I am afraid it is not being pursued and carried out with much satisfaction by the present government, and I would criticise very strongly, Mr. Speakekr , some of the actions of the present government with respect to that program. I do not think there is any uniform policy with which they are applying this to the people of this Province. It is a "hit and miss" policy at the present time, it is those that they want to give it to and others that should have it don't get it. That is no way to conduct a program of that nature. If anybody is drawing social assistance or needs assistance or any pension, they should receive this, and if they are not re¬ ceiving assistance they probably shouldn't be getting it if the government has a uniform policy in respect to thiis matter. I would like to see them draw the line in this respect because there is a lot of dissatisfaction through the country develop¬ ing with respect to the program at the present time. When this was instituted back in 1966 the former Minister of Health asked the Federal government if they would cover those people drawing Old Age Security, and the answer was "no". That should have been done if the Federal government had any interest in Medicare; they should have jumped at the opportunity to extend this social benefit to the elderly, the aged citizens of Prince Edward Island . But no, they had excuses; they said, "We are going to bring it in next year for everybody, on the first of July 1967." That is what they said; everybody is going to get it, just wait for a few months and we are going to give it to everybody. A promise is a promise. That was the election promise; that is what the people of Canada and the people of Canada and the people of Prince Edward Island were told. Lo and behold, what happened ? They went back on their promises. I am afraid the Premier of this Province did not have a very good example to follow and we will have to make some excuses for the excuses that he made for himself yesterday in speaking on this matter. Anyway, the excuse started to come and a discussion arose in the Cabinet at Ottawa and they decided they could not do it, couldn't do it. So we can't do it on the first of July, 1967; but we will certainly do it on the first of July 1968 no doubt about that. And then a little time went by and what happened? The government in Ottawa begins to renege again on their promises, and its in and its out, and its in and its out, and this has been going on now for months. No¬ body knew where we were at with respect to Medicare and I am not surprised that the Premier of the Province got a little confused as to what to do in this respect. One day Ottawa they are going to help him out and the next day they are not going to help him out. And then when Ottawa persuaded, one way or another persuaded enough of the Provinces not to accept the scheme, what did they do? They turned around and said, "Yes, we are going to put it in on the first of July, 1968," when only about two provinces in Canada were prepared to accept it. That was the sort of promise keeping, promise carrying out that is going on in Ottawa at the present time. It is not much wonder that they lost the vote last Monday night, or a week ago Monday night, in the Commons. But that is not the only sorry side with respect to Medicare. We can examine the situation in this Province and the pronouncements that were made on this very important subject were not much better. About two years ago, the present Premier of this Province, he wasn't premier then, he was standing right over here, I believe, almost in the exact same seat that I am standing in here tonight, made a very strenuous criticism of the govern¬ ment of the day. He thought they were dragging their feet with respect to Medi¬ care and he was very emphatic with respect to lack of action that was going on in the government benches over on the other side with respect to Medicare. He made a very forecful declaration, I am sure he must have pounded the desk that night the same as he pounded it yesterday, and he said, "We on this side of the House will urge and fight for universal Medicare in this Province." (Applause) Those were his very words. That is as true as anything two years ago. And he wasn't satisfied he took his wind Walter R. Shaw : Ho, hoooo! -97-