Wednesday, March, 13, 12.68

two children. gets $115.00. (Applause) So all the mothers have received this extra increase during the last year.

L. George Dewar: Isn’t it correct, though, that under the revious 1e islatio 't up to $10.00 per child? p g n l was

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: $5.00 for each additional child after the first child. $75.00 for a mother and the first child and $5.00 for each child thereafter. Now it is $105.00 for a mother and the first child and $10.00 for each child thereafter.

(Applause) L. George Dewar: That’s a good thing.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Now there have been a few cases I would like to state, Mr. Speaker, that do not have great need and who at the presnt time are receiving Old Age Assistance or at the present time receiving Disabled Person’s Allowance. These people were not transferred. Anybody who would have received less money by transferring to the General Welfare Assistance Act were not transferred and were left under the old legislation, so that no one took a loss, everybody gained, and why my good colleague would get up and say that he didn’t think they were doing as well I can’t understand. He certainly didn’t know the facts.

L. George Dewar: Would you state now, everyone that would qualify for Disabled Pension under the old Act at the present time are receiving $75.00 or more?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Everyone that qualified for $75.00 under the old legislation is still getting his $75.00, we never cut them down we left them under the old Act.

L. George Dewar: Yes, that’s right.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: But under the new Act, if because of means they could not get $75.00, we did not transfer them to the new Act, we left them under the old Act where they will get $75.00.

L. George Dewar: Yes, yes, I understand that, but would you say that everyone that would have qualified under the old Act for Disabled Pension is today receiving it? I know you are putting them under General Welfare Assistance, would you state that everyone of those that would have qualified under the old Act is now receiving $75.00, or more, under the new order?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: I am not stating that, I am stating this. That everyone that would have qualified for the Disabled Person’s Allowances, if they were totally and permanently disabled, and instead of going under the old Act now come under our Act are receiving as much as they need according to the needs test of the Canada Welfare Assistance.

L. George Dewar: Yes, but are they all receiving $75.00 or more?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: No many of them are receiving more. There could be some receiving less, there could be some receiving less but they don’t need more, according to our needs test.

L. George Dewar: None of them received less before than the $75.00?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Most of them were turned down and they kept going to your office and mine saying that we didn’t fill the paper out well enough, and WIN you do it over again.

L. George Dewar: I still maintain my point that some are getting less. Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: None are getting less; they are all getting more. L. George Dewar: You said some of them might get less.

Henry W. Wedge: Mr. Minister, a retarded child reaches the age of eighteen, he previously got Disabled Person’s Allowance without any question. Now if his father is working and there are six in the family and he is making fifty or sixty dollars a week, that child is refused assistance, and the neighbouring child, who is also re- tarded, is getting $75.00 or $100.00 a month. Is that right?

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