130 THEISLAND ACADIANS 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Stanislas F. Perry, politician. 
     
     Reg Porter Collection. 
     
    
   
   
    
     they were too small a minority (ethnic or religious) to be elected. 
     
    

    
     Thus, Stanislas F Perry and Joseph-Octave Arsenault dominated 
     
     the Acadian political arena on Prince Edward Island for the entire 
     
     1860 to 1890 period®*. In 1870, nearly all the Catholic Members of 
     
     the Assembly belonging to the Liberal Party, including the two Aca- 
     
     dians, left the government and joined the Conservative Opposition 
     
     with the aim of forming a coalition government. They did this because 
     
     their Protestant confreres were against giving grants to sectarian edu- 
     
     cational establishments like Saint Dunstan’s College and the convents. 
     
     Consequently, the Catholic Members turned to the Conservatives 
     
     who were in favour of grants for denominational schools. 
     
    

    
     Under the coalition government, Stanislas F Perry became 
     
     Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, a prestigious position which he