Monday, April 24, 1087

Now, Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot these days about Centennial projects. I believe this Province will do more Centennial celebrating than any other Province in Canada, because in 1964 we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the first meet~ ing which was here in Charlottetown leading up to the Confederation. This year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the actual Confederation. and I presume that by 1973, we will once again be doing some Centennial celebrating, by cele- brating the 100th anniversary of this Province’s entry into the Dominion of Can- ads and becoming a full-fledged Province. During the 100 years that this Dominion has been in existance, I believe that we have made terrific advances as a nation. Advances seldom, if ever, equaled by any other country. One hundred years ago, as of this moment, we were a group of small divided colonies; today we are one of the most highly respected nations of the world. This in spite of the fact that our population is only equal to that of many other countries which are almost obscure. The terrific physical advance which we made is even more spectacular when we consider the extremely northern climate in which we exist, a climate, in which, from the first of December until the first of May, construction, up until recent years, was almost completely curtailed. And so this meant that, of the total year, we only had a little over half of the year for advancement in those days.

During the early years of Confederation, a very small percentage of our people had any worth while education, but what they lacked in academic and pro- fessional training, they made up for in practical experience. I believe that our early fore-fathers were people of noble asperations; indeed the greatness of Can- ada’s past has been due to the high ideal of our fore-fathers. The greatness of our future does not depend on the strength or the wealth of our soil, forests, or mines. but on the type of men and women we are raising. Canada can only be true to her past and can accomplish those things in the future which may be hers only as she devotes her best to the raising of a strong, a noble, and a God-fearing manhood and womanhood.

I thank you. (Applause) Thomas A. Curran (Third Kings)

Mr. Speaker, in raising to take part in this Debate I would first wish to extend to you my good wishes and congratulations in being selected to occupy the Speaker's chair. I think we are fortunate to have a man of your dignity in that position and for that reason I feel that the dignity of this House will be well preserved while you hold that position.

It is also customary at this time to pay tribute to the Mover and Seconder in their Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. The Mover, for him it was his maiden speech and there is no question but that he did a very fine job. As to the Seconder, he is no amateur in this Assembly and we expected something good, and that’s what we got. However it was noticeable that both those gentlemen, whether if by choice or action, did not make too much mention of the matters contained in the Throne Speech. The manner in which the Mover so graciously eulogized the various members of the Cabinet, would make one think those honour- able gentlemen had gone to their reward instead of being here in the flesh.

Now, Mr. Speaker, to deal with the Throne Speech. We often speak of such and such as being a “64-dollar question”, but here we have an 83-paragraph ques- tion. Why take so long to say such a small amount? I noticed in paragraph seven, I think it was, they refer to the new member of the Executive Council, the honour- able member, the junior member for First Prince. Though he is not in his seat today I congratulate him on getting that honour. However, I cannot but voice my disappointment in neglecting those two very honourable gentlemen from the Bel- fast District. Those men have sat in this House many years; highly respected, capable men. Of course the Senior Member has been named Deputy Speaker, but for the Junior Member, I feel it is a great loss to this Assembly that he wasn’t given consideration in naming the Cabinet. Here is a man who is very well qualified to take one of several positions in the Cabinet.

Now, Mr. Speaker, to deal with the agricultural question as we have it today. —264—