,, ,, W, __. A , Tuesday, March 12, 1968

J. Walter Dingwell (Second Kings): Mr. Speaker, it is not m inten '

very. much time of this House. In fact, I have suggested on grevioustlgzlczigiotrilskethlag p0551bly this part of the proceedings might be very well done awav with if there was something more constructive could be presented to the need of the Legislature We have heard Very little of anything of a constructive nature in the solution of our problems coming from the Government benches. As I rise to take part in the Throne Speech Debate it is with a mixed feeling of dejection and a small small ray of hope and I don’t think succeeding changes of political parties apparently are the answer to the needs in this Province today. I pray that soon this small ray of hope may be enlarged by more policies, less politics, more constructive thinking and less labormg to try to establish blame. The future is ours for what it may be and we must make of it what we will. Three weeks of talk and no action. This is not enough for the people of this Province today. They are looking to this Assembly and .a more critical time perhaps in the history of this Province in respect to the surwval of one segment of its society and. through them, all segments of the society the agricultural community, and the only suggestion that might have been of any beneflt in trying to solve, as yet the only suggestion of any benefit that might have solved some of the problems that faced us in the way of a Resolution was turned down by the people on the Government benches. I’m glad, Mr. Speaker, that you have the abundance of health and gentleness of manner that enables you to pre— side over this Assembly once again. But I would caution you to carefully watch that the water may not become too much. The Mover and Seconder in their replv to the Speech from the Throne I would also commend for their effort of doing a reasonable job of a difficult task. Men such as they, and I’ve said this before. could give a more worthy contribution to the Government of today if they were in the Council of Government rather than just in the Caucus. Now. Mr. Speaker, I may disturb the feelings of some people and I may ruffle the feathers of, not alone people on the opposite side of the House with what I have to say today, but let me assure you, Sir, that it is with no malice or no enmity in my heart but only in respect to the way of challenge to see if we can’t in this Province, even now, do something of a more constructive nature that will look after, in a greater measure, the needs of the people and destroy some of the things that will destroy us if we do not stamp them out. The Throne Speech itself. I have it here somewhere, two or three paragraphs I will refer to and I think one thing that anyone can say, it is as smooth as oil and as weak at water. (Applause) It is a very fine portrayal of the type of Government and leadership we are receiving in this Province today and not perhaps only today. A year ago last December 31st, as I stood in the front of this building on a cold and a bitter night to witness the flame that was the symbol of our approach to the new century of Canadian history and with pride in him, our Premier, despite our difference politically. I pictured this personable and. I believed then, (he’s still personable) reasonable able young man, standing there in the cold, promising us warmth, leadership, decisions and better things ahead. I believed that we might go into this century on Prince Edward Island casting a shadow before that flame rather than serving the same political gods that have too often kept us from taking our place as a progressive society. A few days ago. after the Premier had concluded his remarks and sat down, I seemed to have noticed that some additional information on the matter came from the direction from where possibly his speech came from. I don’t know. and having resumed the debate as a sort of postscript. belabored the Leader of the Opposition for not having. and perhaps this is good, I don’t know, perhaps some people need some chastisemcnt but, anyway, he belabored him for not having budgeted for monies sufficient to pay the $25.00 to our senior citizens that the Federal Government failed to look after in their increased Old Age Security Pension. This, in my mind, should have always been the responsibility of the Federal Government. (Applause) Now. in this Province it’s been reduced to $23.50 and we realize that the older people of this Province need a measure of security to enable them to have the dignity that is their right and we don’t deny that they should get possibly more than their receiving. The qualifications have been changed recently as I understand the answer from the Minister of Welfare in respect to the promise that both parties in this Province made to the senior citizens of Prince Ed- ward Island but, Mr. Minister of Agriculture, if the Federal Government, whose res— ponsibility it is to share this wealth of Canada universally with our older people and not on a means test basis, which it is at the present time, and if this Provmee had, as was suggested and perhaps misinterpreted to some extent by the Member from First Queens when he spoke on this same matter, if this Provmce had the million and

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