In dealing with this amendment on the last day, I sought to impress on the House the necessity for putting some limit on the time allowed for the making of a development plan. In the general intent of this Bill, there is a question of three years and such time as the Minister may allow. On the last occasion, the Minister saw the point I was making, that I was attempting to avoid a situation that could arise and that did arise in the past and that, to facilitate the making of development plans and to ensure there would be a reasonable length of time, we would confine the further period to two years. The Minister on that occasion said that if the amendment had been submitted for that purpose it had merit in it. I appreciate the fact that the Minister would not wish it to go out from the House that there would be any encouragement of postponements.
We can readily see from the discussion here to date that the problem that will face the country as a whole will be of some magnitude. The fact that the Minister has power to bring it into operation at different times in different areas might lessen the dangers of such delays occurring, inasmuch as the trained personnel would be available in different parts at different times, and it was with the desire of enabling this to come about that the amendment was put down. We could have a situation arising such as that which arose under the old legislation and resulted in a court case recently. I think the Minister appreciates the intention of this amendment.