Tuesday, March 12, 1968

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: And our park system was nothing other than Crown lands and were never designated as parks under the Parks Act.

Shortly after} became _Minister of Tourist Development I realized my pre- decessor was more interested in gaining and abetting a Montreal industrialist and

as a result neglected to make any effort to claim approximately $90,000 through the ARDA program.

Several Members: Well, well, isn’t that terrible. Hon. Robert E. Campbell: Where is he hiding now? Where are all those members?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: At the same time in the other department which I have the pleasure to represent, that is the Department of Welfare, the former Minister of Health. and the former Minister of Welfare both neglected to take any time to pro- claim the Canada Assistance Act or to make any claims or efforts to make any claims for the operation of the male and female division of Riverside Hospital or the Sherwood Hospital with a resulting loss to the Province at Riverside alone of $300,000. (Applause) And about $80,000 for Sherwood Hospital!

These are just some. of the items whereby the former government neglected to make any effort to our Just claims from Ottawa, while at the same time were on a spending spree the like of which this Province had never known.

These are just a few of the facts pertaining to the two departments which I administer which show the negligence and incompetence and carlessness of the pre- vious administration over the expenditures and the operations of these departments.

I am pleased to say that these errors and omissions have been corrected and we are now getting our just dues from the Federal Government on: these cost— sharing programs.

Hon. Robert E. Campbell: My, they look sick over there don’t they?

Frank Myers: Mr. Speaker, I don’t wish to interrupt the honourable member but he is wrong there now. Those were started three years ago. You know that yourself.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: What was started? Frank Myers: The Riverside Hospital and Sherwood. Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: What about them?

Frank Myers: Negotiations.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: No negotiations had taken place previous to the time I took office, none of them were.

Mr. Speaker, I might suggest that you talk to the Junior Member from the Third District of Prince and suggest to him that he go out and rustle up his mem— bers who are pussyfooting in the corridor and not in here Iistening...(Applause) And not in here listening to their errors and omissions and mismanagement of the

last seven years.

Hon. Robert E. Campbell: Pretty poor opposition they got over there.

Some Member: None at all.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: It is now the duties of this government to practise not only budgetary control but to solve our fiscal policies so the economy of this province can again be set on a stable footing in order to build up confidence in the investment brokers and the bond houses and the stability of Prince Edward Island and its people.

I would now like to refer to two departments of government which I have the honour and the privilege to administer.

First, I would like to talk about the Department of Tourist Development. This Department is responsible for the administration of the Tourist Loans and Accommodations Act, which is administered by my Department w1th the assmtance of a Tourist Loan Committee. During the last year 26 applicationas for tourist loans

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