Legislative_Assembly

favour of it and I am. I anticipated the question. This will probably cost the people of this province an additional $60,000 to $80,000 for the inspection fees alone.

Hon. T. Earle Hickey: No. _ Lloyd G. MacPhail: How much? How many vehicles? Hon. '1‘. Earle Hickey: They are all covered by the cost. By the $2.50

Lloyd G. MacPhail: Mr. Speaker, the Honourable gentleman misunderstands me. What I said was that this program will cost the people of Prince Edward Island an additional sixty to eighty thousand dollars for inspection fees alone, and then on top of that many hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. Now while this is basically a good program, I hope that common sense will prevail so as not to create too great a hardship for many farmers, and we can think of many, who have Vehicles in good mechanical shape, good brakes, good horn, good steering, and all this, but perhaps a crack in the windshield or maybe the body is starting to rust a bit. Many of these vehicles are used to a very limited extent and thus their use might not warrant the extensive repairs that might be required. Nor indeed, this year par- ticularly, can every farmer afford expensive replacement for vehicles with such

casual use. I would hope that the government’s interference and restrictions will be kept at a minimum.

A few days ago I mentioned that potato exports from Prince Edward Island were running behind those of a year ago. I notice here, in a report of February 27. the daily potato market report, that they are 1,001 cars behind that of a year ago. And of course as we all know. . ..

Hon. Daniel J. MacDonald: How many cars? Lloyd G. MacPhail: 1,001. Hon. Daniel J. MacDonald: Behind?

Lloyd G. MacPhail: Behind one year ago — these are the exports. Do not confuse these with the total shipments, these are the exports. They are behind 1,001, and the price of course, as we all know. . ..

Hon. Daniel J. MacDonald: Better figure that out again.

Lloyd G. MacPhail: I’ll show it to you later. And the prices are below the cost of production.

One thing that I thought was pretty good and that was the beef price wasn’t too bad I figured, but on January 15, 1968, I was surprised to read that the Prince Edward Island Hereford Breeders’ Association were told by their president, Mr. Max Thompson, of Victoria, “We can’t make a living raising beef cattle at present prices. As prices are now, beef has to be a sideline.” That’s what he said. that's his words, you can’t make a living at present prices. As prices are now beef has to be a side— line. The pork price is very, very depressed. The Minister last night was able to go into statistics and find times when we had poor prices before and this is true. But may I suggest that he is looking in the wrong direction. Like I say a little here a little there.

We have heard too that the bonus for dehorned animals shipped for beef may be‘ discontinued. and instead a policy of deductions for animals which are not de- horned. Mr. Minister you should not allow a thing like that. I will read .a para- graph here from the January 15th Guardian. “Mr. Glen Cotton, provincial fieldman, emphasized the need of dehorning cattle that are going to be shipped for beef. The idea of offering a bonus for animals without horns has not brought. the des1red results apparently and now the idea of deducting money for animals whlch have not been dehorned may be a good suggestion.”

Hon. Daniel J. MacDonald: Does it state it is government policy or anything? Lloyd G. MacPhail: It doesn’t state; he is a government employee, and I didn’t say

it was government policy. I said I hoped you would see that this wasn’t done. A Government employee, I read the comment in the paper and I don’t assume any-

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