Mon, March 10, 1958 The Guardian P1133 9

my fellow Canadians:

.. IN run snonr space or EIGHT MON'I‘I-IS, the Government,

in Which it IS my privilege to serve as Prime Minister, has laid

the foundations for a new National Development Policy l

to equalize Opportunity and raise the standard of living of Canadians in all our provinces. In doing so, we believe we have honoured

0111" Promises in keeping With your mandate of last June.

In that spirit, we now submit for your approval our record

of accomplishment since you entrusted us with the conduct of

your government.

We have already reduced taxes by $178,000,000 including income tax reductions for 41/5 million Canadians. We have increased old age pensions to $55 a month and increased old age assistance payments and pensions for the disabled and for the blind. We have doubled federal grants for; hospital construction. ‘ / We have provided $87,000,000 in financial assistance to the provinces‘ including special grants togthe Atlantic Provinces to raise their level of economic opportunity. '_ ’ 7 We have increased and extended allowance and disability pension benefits for 250,000 veterans and their families. _ ' 0 "s Since last June, there has been a progressive easingeof the previous government’s tight money policy which had an adverse efi'ect on various industries and small businesses in Canada. Bank interest rates have been reduced. $300,000,000 has been provided for housing loans resulting in a current all-time high in winter home building. ~ We have taken measures to find new markets for our wheat and other farm products and to recover export markets which had been drastically reduced while our resources were being exported in rawor semi-processed form. » ‘C We have made an effective start on our broad program to bring the income of farmers into line with that of other salary’ and wage earners. We have provided cash advances for farm ‘stored grain; limited unfair imports of farm products; . assisteddairying and other phases of agriculture; and introduced‘, _ legislation, long sought by farmers, to stabilize and increase ‘ in farm prices by relating them in advance to production costs , and other factors. " A , V t

We have provided long overdue salary. increases to our ‘ armed forces and to civil servants.

We have undertaken an extensive program’ of major works projects ‘to provide more jobs for Canadians in all provinces. ,

These are some of the achievements of your Conservative L ‘Government. What We have done so far is, of course, only a start T on the fuller policy of Canadianism which we put before you last year. .We have done what could be done in this short space of time as a minority government. We now come before you again to asklyour mandate to carry on with a working majority which will enable us- to translate our entire program into effective action

for the be.nefit_of all

4.!

c . Yours sincerely,

Joan G. Dmrnnaamn

1-.,, pRO6RE$$lVE CONSERVATIVE PARTY of CANADA