Thursday, March 7, 1968 filled but we are all hoping that the report from the Minister of National Defence will at least take care of some of this space. This is going to be a great hardship on many of these people who constructed homes and built duplexes or remodelled their houses and made apartments in the second floor and in the basement. These people were depending on this extra revenue to take care of their mortgage payments. It will be very difficult for some of these people and it may take several years for this matter to adjust itself. Now, while I feel that there is some need for low rental housing, I am still very strong in my belief that it isn't the final answer to the many young people who require housing in this Province. In the resolution I pre¬ sented to this House last year, I asked that alternate program be studied in order to help the young married couples to finance their homes so that we wrould have more home ownership. This Province is different, possibly, from the larger centres like Toronto , Halifax, where people expect to live in rental accommodation and they have the problem of high cost of land which is not a problem in this Province. I trust that the government will find some other solution to provide for these many people who are every day looking for mortgage money, down payment money, which just cannot be obtained, and if it is available at rates far beyond their means. I want to mention a problem. I know every member in this House has probably run into this. Supplementary payments of Old Age Security. Now I understand that the Federal government has increased the Old Age Assistance , the Old Age Security, due to the increased cost of living index by $1.50 per month. Those who were receiving $75.00 previously are now receiving $76.50, an increase of 2%. And also in the Supplementary Benefits of $30.00. this has also been taken care of and this has been increased at the same rate to $30.60 making a total of $107.10 for all the Old Age Security recipients who qualify. Now you will remember that almost two years ago there was a great need for supplementing the Old Age Security and Old Age Assistance that was paid at that time, and the former government inaugurated a plan to pay $25.00 supplementary to all the old age pensioners over the age of 65 years, and the present government went along with this. They were very strong in their advertising during that cam¬ paign and they came right along with our program to make sure that everybody was getting at least $100.00. And their "ad" at that time says "$100.00 a month for senior citizens or up to $125.00 a month, where needed, without a means test." Along with the increase to the disabled, the blind and the other categories. So there is no problem there; both of the parties agreed that there was a need, with the increased cost of living this was necessary and they both promised that there would be no means test. $25.00 and nothing deducted. But what do we find ? We find that this year the Federal Government, due to the cost of living index, has increased Old Age Security by $1.50, but what happened in the Province here ? The Provincial Government has reduced the Old Age Security that is received from Ottawa in order to save this money. They took one hundred and fifty coppers from the old age people in this Province, and I think that is the worst thing that possibly ever could have happened to these old people when we know, and we have the proof, that the cost of living index is going up. Ottawa realizes that there is need for more money, it wasn't much, but the province said that there would be no means test, deducts the $1.50 off their supplementary pension and pays them $23.50 instead of $25.00. (Applause) One hundred and fifty coppers and still we have money to build golf courses, we have money to build ski slides, we have money to build swimming pools, we have money for everything else, but don't give anything to the elderly people whose incomes are frozen in this Province so that they can live up to the costs that are now being charged for the various needs that they require. Walter R. Shaw : To catch tuna. Henry W. Wedge : Now I think this is a terrible thing and I hope that the govern¬ ment will reconsider this action, because I am approached, and I know everybody in this House has been approached, by these elderly people, and we are reminded that this was the most ridiculous action that they ever heard tell of. One dollar and fifty cents! Walter R. Shaw : Pretty cheap fellows. —197—