Legislative__ Assembly

for the same amount of freight. I think this is an inequity that should be adjusted for the sake of the consumer here on Prince Edward Island. This is what is forcing up the cost of goods and the cost of living here more than is occurring in other parts of the country. I trust the Premier will make very strong representations to the Committee on behalf of the people of this Province in this respect and I think it is a very necessary thing to do. I should mention the Causeway, probably, in passing. This is another great matter of concern to the people of Prince Edward Island. The great delay, the procrastination, the “off again, on again" attitude of the Federal Government with respect to this matter. In a recent issue of the Financial Post we find this article concerning the lay-off in the staff here in the office of the Northumberland Consultants Ltd. “A year ago these offices were so busy that it was difficult to get to see top officials. Now it is possible to wander through the offices, count empty desks and get a general impression that something drastic and final had happened. Residents are inclined to regard all of this as another sign that the crossing, or the Causeway, as it is still called by many, is in for a further slowing or complete elimination”. This appears in a Toronto newspaper. Col. Edward Churchill has said the lay-offs are temporary and involve only the labor- ing staff but a chief engineer, a junior engineer, four or five draftsmen, four or five technicians and their assistants and the entire accounting department are gone from the staff.

Inaudible Remark: What is your source? L. George Dewar: I’m quoting from an article in the Financial Post. Unknown Voice: Whose byline is on it?

L. George Dewar: No byline on this article. I can’t give credit to anybody for anything but I presume this is a well informed gentleman that wrote it.

Hon. Robert Campbell: What date’s on that? L. George Dewar: This was last week’s Financial Post. Hon. Robert Campbell: It had no byline?

L. George Dewar: Charlottetown, the byline is Charlottetown but the report- er is not named. “Prior to Christmas there were 25 persons on the staff. There are now 3 in the Charlottetown Office including a secretary and about 5 field men in the company’s operations at Borden.” I don’t think this is good enough, Mr. Speaker. I think we deserve a little more foreceful pushing forward of this pro- ject than that situation would indicate. I believe that Col. Churchill is, no doubt, an able gentleman and we hope that he’ll be able to get the project back on the rails and have it going forward again with full speed. Now, they say, Mr. Speaker, that it is always darkest just before the dawn and we hope that this may be the case with respect to our situation economically and otherwise here in Prince Ed- ward Island because when we consider all the deficiencies and cut-backs that have occurred with respect to this Province in the last two or three years, I think it is serious. It is a matter of great concern to each and everyone of us. I made up a short list here and I don’t know whether it is ominous or not that there are 13 different items in the list but here they are. We have increased Federal taxes, probably this may be waived for a short time but we can be assured that this will be the case no doubt by the pronouncements today on the radio. We have increased freight rates and increased ferry rates at Borden. We have an increased cost of living. We have inflation, the value of money is going down. We have as part of the inflation, part of the increased cost of living, part of the increased services, cost of these, higher taxes being imposed by Ottawa. High interest rates, interest rates going up and up and money getting less valuable and costing more. An ominous situation isn’t it, Mr. Provincial Treasurer?

Hon. T. Earle Hickey: It surely is, I am glad, Mr. Speaker, that he realizes that.

L. George Dewar: We have increasing unemployment, people being laid off the Canadian National Railways, people being laid off in the government offices here in Charlottetown; some of them laid off permanently others being moved out to

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