Wednesday, March 13, 1968 know who he is, but I would suggest that he probably has enough money to keeD him going in the summertime but when he had to buy fuel in the wintertime he didn't have enough so he got $20.00 a month to buy his fuel for the winter. Walter R. Shaw : He really had to go to live with a relative you see, and he wasn't able to look after himself. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : But he had extra needs in the wintertime therefore, we met those needs with $20.00 and in the summertime, if he had need, he could 'have his case reconsidered and if he still has needs he will be paid again during the summer. Walter R. Shaw : What would be the total amount he would have available he could get? Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : Just depends on the individual. Some individuals have a fuel bill of $25.00 a month, some have a fuel bill of $15.00 a month. Walter R. Shaw : What about his living, his food? Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : Some people eat better than others but we on the average, unless he can produce the bills where he bought the food, we allow him I think' $30.00 a month for food. Walter R. Shaw : That would be in addition to his coal? Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : That would be in addition to his coal, his clothing and extra incidentals. Walter R. Shaw : Thank you, Mr. Minister , I just wanted to get that straight. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : In 1966, as I say, the average pensioner received $10.16. The average pension in 1967 jumped 100% to $20.23, so that the average pension now going out under the Canada Assistance is now $82.00 and some cents. L. George Dewar : Are you just comparing those getting social assistance or the disabled and.. .. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : I am comparing those that were getting Social Assistance with those receiving general welfare assistance. L. George Dewar : Oh yes, but that is really not a correct comparison. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : It is a comparison under the previous Minister of Welfare and under the previous Minister of Health. L. George Dewar : You should include under the previous one all the Old Age Assis ¬ tance and the disabled people too, to have a comparable group. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : We haven't got all the disabled and all the old age assis¬ tance transferred over to general welfare. We have some three hundred and some still remaining in both cases. L. George Dewar : You are putting them all under that group now? Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : Don't forget that our old age assistance is leaving us be¬ cause of the old age security taking them over, three hundred per year. L. George Dewar : That's right, so your group is getting smaller. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : Your pension under your administration when you were saying they were getting a better deal was $10.16 and under ours it is $80.20. L. George Dewar : That is just released though. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : Now somebody asked a question the other day how Sum- merside was getting nearly as much assistance as Charlottetown and the population was less. J. Walter Dingwell : That's a good question. Hon . M. Lome Bonnell : I didn't happen to be here to answer the question, so maybe if my honourable friend, the Leader of the Opposition, would take note I will try —251—