Tuesday, April 4, 1967

W. " ‘ .

L. George Dewar: In fact, I believe, that he was well motivated in coming into this new sphere of endeavour and I just wanted to make a short reference to a speech that he delivered on television on May 18, 1966. Oh, he went on to criticize the Government at that time, and said the then Government was a Government for friends and relatives. I could think of some friends and relatives of course at the present time they have been fairly well taken care of by the present Government. “If this province is to survive as a separate link in the Canadian Confederacy we must have sound business administration in government.” He went on to say, “My awareness of some of the inadequate educational policies of the present Government is one of the reasons for my entering the political field.”

. Now I would like to go on for a few minutes and examine a few of the policies of the present administration with respect to education and determine whether they are adequate or inadequate or how they measure up. Perhaps one of the first items I would like to consider is the matter of teachers’ salaries. I know the Minister of Education would agree with me, Mr. Speaker, that the teachers are, good teachers, qualified, efficient teachers, are the foundation of any successful educational system, and if these teachers are not satisfied, if there is not good morale among them, then the. educational system will certainly suffer and be somewhat inadequate. I was somewhat disturbed and I must say at this point that I had a lot of dealings with the teachers in the province and with their organization and felt that they were very reasonable group of people to deal with. I was certainly disturbed to find headlines appearing in the press during the fall and winter which indicated that the teachers were not particularly happy with the new order. One headline said that the teachers' group was insulted by certain actions of the Minister. Another headline claimed that fifty percent of the teachers were ignored. Now that is a very serious matter to think that fifty percent of these dedicated people would be ignored. Further press releases said that there was a lack of consultation and negotiation between the Minister and the Department of Education and the teachers themselves. Then letters appeared in the press accusing the Minister of making erroneous statements in the press and this letter was never answered. This was a strange thing that an accusa- tion was made that a Minister of the Crown had made erroneous statements in the press and no correction was made. Perhaps we will examine some of the facts to see whether the statements were erroneous or not, Mr. Speaker. I think a good deal of the criticism arose over the level of salaries of the teachers. I believe that the Minis- ter made the statement that Certificate Four Teachers would receive up to $9,000.00 per year, but I believe, as the writer of this letter states that the total amount adds up to 88,000, rather than 89,000. Perhaps we might consider a comparison when it said fifty percent of the teachers were ignored. I admit that later on the Govern- ad a change of heart with respect to this matter. It was rather a small change of eartand I don’t think it was an adequate change of heart, Mr. Speaker. I think robably it might have been better if matters had been left as they were rather han perhaps adding insult to injury and offering them such pityfully small increase

r year. Now of course the Minister may say that they got small amOunts before

nd that is true. There were times when they got small increases, but I would like point out the increases that were received. Now they get seventy-five dollar a ear increases, 37% cents a day. When you consider some of the increases that were received by labour in other parts of Canada during the past year this is certainly ery small recognition. Of course the Minister said that these salaries would be ooked at and whatever adjustments are necessary, in keeping with their qualifica- ions and experience, would be made. Now that was a very, very sound statement to ake, but the adjustments, if they were in keeping with the qualifications and ex- rlence of these teachers, certainly didn’t say very much for their qualifications and xperience. Now the former administration gave these teachers an increase in salary and I would like to point out to the House what some of the increases were.

Honourable Gordon L. Bennett: What year, Mr. Speaker? What year did you give these increases?

L. George Dewar: Alright, I will give you the year and the amount. In 1959, FirstA, (ten years’ experience) were awarded $350.00 a year increase in salary.

Some Member: Wasn’t enough.

L. George Dewar: What was the comment? —103—