PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY SPEECHES Official Report SPEAKER : HONOURABLE PROSPER ARSENAULT SECOND SESSION OF THE FIFTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY Wednesday, March 16, 1967 March 16, 1967 L. Stewart (First Kings): Mr. Speaker , is there anything before the House? M*. Speaker; Nothing before the House. Bruce L. Stewart : I move, seconded by Mr. Jardins , that the following address bs presented to his Honour, the Lieutenant - Governor , to offer the humble thanks of this House to his Honour, for the gracious speech which he has been pleased to make to this House at the opening of the present Session. "We your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects of the Legislative Assembly at tills time in Session assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Tour Honour fa* the gracious Speech which your Honour has been pleased to open the present 'on." Mr. Speaker , in conjunction with a resolution that was passed this afternoon, I beg leave to break with regular tradition with this House. Walter R. Shaw : Tou are out of order. Bruce L. Stewart : This is a serious matter, Mr. Leader of the Opposition; I baa; leave to break with regular tradition with this House as I ask you all to stand with me as we stand for one minute's silence in memory of the ten brave fishermen, tha crew of the "Iceland 11", who lost their lives a few short days ago, and to offer sympathy to the wives, to their children, and their loved ones in this tragedy at sea which claimed eight of our Souris boys, aa well as one from Rustico , and one from , Newfoundland . Shall we all stand? Mr. Speaker , I am conscious of the very great honour that has been given me, and the First District of Kings, by the Premier in asking me to move the adoption of The Speech from the Throne. I feel very diffident, as I am sure any new member would be, when one con¬ siders the numbers of great Islanders, who over the years, have taken their place in this Chamber . From the granting of Responsible Government in 1861 to our Confederation in 1873, six times the electorate of this province has chosen a Liberal government, and six times they have chosen a Conservative government. However, the people of our province showed greater selectivity from Confederation in 1878 until the present day, when in the formation of that period of some twenty-five governments (with the ex¬ ception of a coalition in 1876), fourteen Liberal premiers were returned to power, while the Conservatives made it on just eleven occasions. I also note with some interest, Mr. Speaker , that although the Honourable J. C. Pope , the first Premier of this province, at the time of Confederation was a Con- sssjemtive, yet the electorate found it both wise and expedient to terminate the first h—ill nil years of Canada as a nation with the capable, the energetic and dynamic youthful Liberal Premier of this province, the Honourable Alexander B. Campbell . (Applause) This honourable gentleman was likewise further honoured in being chosen to direct our provincial destinies as we, with the rest of Canada , attempt to resolve the trials and to share in the triumphs of our great nation as we embark on the next handled years.