Legislative Assembly

L. George Dewar: He took his wind for a few seconds and he pounded the desk again.

Walter R. Shaw: That’s what he did yesterday.

L. George Dewar: “We take our stand today, Mr. Speaker, and we take our stand today, Mr. Speaker, and we speak for universal Medicare for every person on Prince Edward Island.” Those were his words. (Applause)

Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard: Mr. Speaker, will the honourable member permit a question?

L. George Dewar:.. Oh yes, certainly.

Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard: Are you, personally and politically, in favour of Medicare?

L. George Dewar: You were out when I started to speak. Do I have to go all over that again? (Laughter)

Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard: That’s why I am asking you.

L. George Dewar: You read the report of the Debate tomorrow and you will find an answer to that question. No uncertainty about what I have said.

Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard:.. Are you going to answer the question? L. George Dewar: I answered it already.

Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard: The Canadian Medical Association doesn’t agree with it.

L. George Dewar: I will venture to say that he is one hundred per cent in favour . . . . (Laughter)

Hon. Alexander B. Campbell: The honourable member from First Queens doesn’t want it, he asked us to stay away from it.

L. George Dewar: And you know I don’t think it is a very flattering thing to have to say about this government.

Hon. Alexander B. Campbell: O.K.

L. George Dewar: But here is finally a government in Ottawa that has fin- ally got off the fence, after straddling it for a long, long time in a very disgrace— ful posture; they finally got off the fence and they said we are going to give it to you the first of July 1968. Now what does that mean? That means that this government is not capable of formulating plans or having the executive ability of how to take half that money from Ottawa to use it for the benefit of providing medical care for the people of Prince Edward Island. That’s what it means.

Some Member: You are using the wrong word. (Laughter)

L. George Dewar: I do not think so, I do not think so; I think the money is available there and it should be possible, one way or the other, to take that money and apply it to paying the cost of medical care for the people of Prince Edward Island.

Hon. Alexander B. Campbell: Who will we take it from? Walter R. Shaw: You should know.

L. George Dewar: The people of Prince Edward Island are paying for their medical care, they are paying much more than that and here you have the chance of getting half the cost from Ottawa and using it on their behalf. You gentlemen can have your caucus tomorrow and you can sit down in your Executive Council and you can figure it out and you can talk it over as long as you like, but at the present time I am telling you what you should do.

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