Legislative Assembly

Wednesday, April 6, 1967

L. George Dewar: Mr. Speaker, when I adjourned the Debate yesterday even- ing I was discussing certain phases of education in the province and I believe that we had considered the consolidation of schools and vocational education to some ex- tent. I had covered the question of school taxation which was conspicuous by its absence in the Speech from the Throne even though we felt that it was the one item that should have been treated in greatest detail. The Leader of the Govern- ment did mention to me that he thought that I had omitted some mention of the Acres Consultant people. I didn’t do that intentionally, Mr. Speaker, but I can say on that particular point that as Minister of Education I had numerous conferences with the Acres people on this very subject during last winter and last spring and that I realized and understood that they were conducting an investigation into taxa- tion levels on Prince Edward Island. In order to aid their efforts in that respect I had made provision for a taxation inquiry to work along with the Acres people and an appropriation was passed by the Legislature here last spring to look after that matter. So that is not a very valid excuse for the Government to use, Mr. Speaker, to delay this Commission. They promised the electors of the province before the last election that they would appoint immediately, and if the election propaganda is checked it will be found that the word “immediately" was used. and we are still looking for some action in this respect and I regret that it wasn’t seen fit to men- tion it in the Draft Address.

Honourable Keir Clark: That word was used before one time. In 1959 they were going to pay the teachers’ supplements.

L. George Dewar: We did do that, that was done: no reservations on that auestion. Mr. Speaker. in fact as I pointed out last night that we increased the teachers’ salaries in those first two years. The government grant was increased by $600 the first year for a Certificate Four Teacher. and $1,600 the second year so there was a supplement of $2.200 paid to the districts, to the district. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Certificate Four Teachers in those two years which is certainly much more than any district was paying in the way of supplement to those teachers.

Honourable Lorne Donnell: Oh, they are good people, they deserve a raise.

L. George Dewar: That’s right, I agree with that. There was one other item in the Speech from the Throne, which I did not have time to touch upon last night and which I think deserves some mention. I refer to the matter of higher education. I know this is a very important rIuestion and I have studied the part of the Speech from the Throne that deals with this particular subject and it states: “That the future of higher education in the province is of deen concern to My Government." Now I tried to interpret that phrase as to what actually was the intent, the meaning of the Government and it seemed to be that the Government was trying to state that they were worried or anxious about the future of higher education in the prov- ince. Now. Mr. Speaker. I find it hard to understand the anxiety on the part of the Minister of Education and the Government with respect to higher education in this province. We have two excellent institutions of higher learning which have made great progress in recent years in the provision of improved facilities and in attract- ing and utilizing improved and better staff. We heard recently via the press that plans are underway for further developments in both these institutions. I think a recent press release said that $5,000,000 capital expenditure was anticipated by St. Dunstan’s University and that campus enlargement and improvement was visualized for Prince of Wales College. We also know. and the Government knows. that the grants for higher education from the federal government are increasing in a very desirable manner. I am sure that the Minister of Education must be particularly pleased to know that this year he will have 1.1 million extra dollars to utilize on behalf of higher education in the province. This, Mr. Speaker. is much more than the total budget for both institutions was a few years ago. and we can expect that the future of higher education will be that much brighter because of this fact.

The Premier of the province, when speaking on the Draft Address here last year, stated that what the Government should have with respect to higher education is a policy. I agree that was quite a worthwhile statement for him to make, and I am glad to see that the Government, through its Minister of Education this year,

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