LegislativeiAssembly

NewStart is a Federal Government research agency, and nothing mire. The Provincial Government, perhaps fortunately, has nothing to do with it. (Aiplausei Except to provide the Crown Corporation under which it operates. Accoding to Federal plans there are to be ten of these operations in Canada, and four )f them have already been started. Their terms of reference and directions are ver elastic and each of them is supposed to exercise full autonomy in the investigatim of so— ciological and economic factors in certain areas of Canada. It is estimated hat the program research will continue for several years. There will be no direct bnefit to this Province or Kings County in the near future. However, this governrent has tried to mislead the people into thinking that operation NewStart is a povincial program that it is intended to provide employment for people in Kings Cou ty, and, in general, that they are running the whole show. None of this is true and I would like to refer to the Throne Speech, I would like to refer to what they sa‘ in the Throne Speech about this. Paragraph 15. “My Government has recognized he need for improved and expanded programs throughout the Island.” And then the last two lines go like this. “And to inaugurate this year thirteen new research and training courses under the auspices of Prince Edward Island NewStart.”

Now if that isn’t an attempt to deceive and mislead the people c~ Prince Edward Island, I don’t know what is. NewStart is strictly a Federal progam and is an autonomous body. They are conducting research and the Prince Edwad Island Government has nothing whatsoever to do with it.

There have, of course, been the usual nibble attempts at political ptronage and job placement, and that of course is to be expected, but that is the sun' of their participation in this affair.

Operation NewStart is probably a worthwhile project. This report, i. five or ten years‘ time will indicate the possibilities present in Kings County, bot. in res- pect to the people of the area, and in respect to the resources available in he area. The potential may be great, we don’t know yet — operation NewStart .as been commissioned to find out the answers. I think it would be in the best interests of everyone if the government would leave operation NewStart alone. Its Director is a well-qualified and well-educated Islanders who should be capable of cinducting the required research without the dubious help of this patronage-minded goernment.

Mr. Speaker, the problems of our Island people in regard to housing neds have been discussed by previous speakers at some length and I shall not try 0 add to what they have already said — I think they have dealt adequately with the problem.

The question of Maritime Union has been examined by the Leade of the Opposition at some length. The Premier says that Maritime Union is feazble. On September 18, 1967 he suggested, “that eventually Maritime Union would b( feasible. Our Premiers have already agreed in principle to this suggestion. Howevc, in the meantime we must take advantage in the Maritimes to develop our resorces and effect a program of assisting each other in the fields of education and touism and industrial development.”

The Premier should know that this question of Maritime Union was toroughly examined over one hundred years ago. Maritime Union is as dead as a “Odo” and we should not have to be put in the position of having to resurrect the arguments already presented about one hundred years ago. I noticed today in the pper that Premier Robichaud again favours Maritime Union, but I suggest to you thr attitude of this Province should be one of strict isolation from any such proposen scheme. (Applause) Moreover, I venture to say that there is not one person in this Province except, pOSsibly the Premier and other people he may have imported to the Province to work here, who would favour such a union. We have nothing to gain ad every- thing to lose by uniting with the other Maritime Provinces into one Prvince. I think we should not waste any more time talking about it.

Hon. Alexander B. Campbell: Mr. Speaker, on a matter of privilege, I jus want to read it into the records that I have been misquoted by the Honourable Merber, and I will bring his misquotations to his attention at a later time. I will let hir. proceed

with his talk at this time. J. Cyril Sinnott: Mr. Speaker, I am not quoting the Premier directly, I at quoting

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