Legislative 7 Assembly

to explain to him why Summerside got so much money compared to the City of Charlottetown.

In the Town of Summcrside, the Town looks after the General Welfare Assis- tancc, the Old Age Assistance, the Disabled Persons Allowance or the Blind Allow- ances or the Mother’s Allowances. For those that would have qualified for these allowances, if they didn’t go and get our Welfare Assistance. So for that reason they receive a substantial greater payment per month than the City of Charlotte- town per population, because Charlottetown only looks after the two Bureaus ~—— adoptions and social welfare as such. If someone comes in for a grocery order or something of that nature.

Now the total amount paid to the Protestant Welfare Bureau for January, 1968, was $4,026.20, and for the Catholic Welfare Bureau $7,534.54 or a total of $11,500. In Summerside for the same month it was $11,500. The population is about double, almost double. 18,000 in Charlottetown, and Summerside is 10,000.

J. David Stewart: Are you talking about the metropolitan area or the incorporated area?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: I am talking about the incorporated area. For that reason on account of these extra allowances being paid from Summerside this give then an appearance of receiving more money than the City of Charlottetown which is not the case. All those who are receiving Old Age Assistance, Disabled Persons Allow- ances, Veteran’s Allowances, or those that would qualify for those are now being paid directly through our office to their homes in Charlottetown.

\Valter R. Shaw: I am wondering if I might take two other cases, Mr. Minister? This is good information, I am glad to get it. Take my own district, First Queens, it is a large district and I think the amount paid there is about $9,000 or in that vicinity. Now you go into the First District of Prince, which we have heard so much about over the years, and they get almost double that. Now why is that?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: The First District of Queens, Mr. Leader of the Opposition, received last month from our office $997.60, but the Fourth District of Prince re- ceived $1,235.25. Now that is about one-third more, but the population of that dis- trict is about twice What yours is. (Applause)

Walter R. Shaw: All right, take another district, your own in Murray Harbour.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: My own in Murry Harbour, the Fourth District of Kings, received $1,235.25 during that month and your district, First District of Queens, received $997.60 and again the population is at least one and one-half times as great as the First District of Queens.

Walter R. Shaw: That’s impossible.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Also Mr. Speaker, in that area the people live a little longer because they have a good physician there. (Laughter)

Walter R. Shaw: I think possibly you better get your populations right, Mr. Minister, I am afraid you are out. But we can take some of the other districts, the smaller

districts.

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: I haven’t got the exact population figures, Mr. Leader of the Opposition; the best I could get was the voter’s list to see how many were over the age of 21 during the last election, so in that case it would be close to the population.

J. David Stewart: What month was that?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: This was for the month of July, 1966. Walter R. Shaw: Why not take the yearly figures?

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Do you want the yearly figures? I have them here, I must have figured you were going to ask a lot of questions.

Walter R. Shaw: Yes, take Fourth Kings.

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