Thursday, February 29, 1968

Gordon -L. Bennett: Minister of Education and President of the Executive Council.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll make another attempt to proceed with a few remarks re- lating to the Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

L. George Dewar: The Premier upstaged you there.

Gordon L. Bennett: Following the professional appearance of the last couple of days I feel very much an amateur, Mr. Speaker. However, I recognize the re- sponsibility which I have in reporting on some of the activities of the Department of Education during the past twelve months. Before doing so, Mr. Speaker, I must pay my compliments to my colleagues from the Fourth District of Queens and the Fourth District of Prince, the Mover and the Seconder of the Reply to the Speech from the Throne. We recognize them both, Mr. Speaker, as successful farmers of this Province, in their own right and through members of their family whom we all recognize have done extremely well in the field of agriculture. I think it’s most appropriate in this predominately agricultural Province that the Mover and the Seconder of the Reply should be successful farmers and I commend them for the appropriateness of the remarks that they delivered.

Need I say, Mr. Speaker, Monsieur le president, that I am very pleased to see you back in your position of high responsibility. We have heard a great deal in recent months of bilingualism and biculturalism and I feel in view of the fact that it’s the intention of many Legislatures, including our own, to implement both the English and the French language in the debates and business of the House, to say, Mr. Speaker, it’s most appropriate that you as a representative of the Acadian people of this Province should occupy this high position. I feel that we are very fortunate in having as our Speaker a bilingual individual, a very respected mem- ber of the teaching profession and a true gentleman in every sense of the word. I know, Mr. Speaker, that you will continue to preside over this House with dignity and with a sense of fair play and I trust that we, as students in your class, so to speak, shall be well behaved; hopefully, perhaps, a little better behaved than we were a year ago and that we shall not give you any cause for concern or the exercise of any disciplinary action.

Monsieur 1e President, comme Ministre de l’Instruction publique du government de la Province de l’Ille Prince Edouard je veux vous exprimer me reconnaisance et mon appreciation pour les contributions que vous avez faites a le jeunesse de cette province pendant beaucoup d’années. De plus vous personellement avez fait une contribution significative a la cause du bilinguisme et du biculturalisme et cette contribution sera connue et appreciée de la part de tous nos citoyens. Bonne santé! Bonne chancee! pendant les annes a venir.

Mr. Speaker, it’s with great satisfaction that we as Prince Edward Islanders and Canadians look back on our very successful Centennial Celebrations of 1967. As the late Governor General Vanier said on the eve of our celebrations, “Let us open the doors and the windows of the provinces. Let us look over the walls and see what is on the other side.” I feel that Canadians did just that in fine style and as a result they became much better known to one another. They realized the po— tential that existed in the various parts of this great Dominion and I think Canada and the Canadian citizen deveolped a self-confidence and a self-assurance that they did not possess previous to 1967 so that they are able to stick out their collec- tive chests and say “We’re as good and as able as any nation in the world.” In my own Department, Mr. Speaker, we were very pleased that 1,696 pupils and teachers were able, through organized tours, to enjoy the greatest show of all times, Expo ’67. This, while a mammoth operation was carried out without a hitch, I am very happy to report and I am confident that it was very educational and very much appreciated by all the young people who were able to attend. In addition last year, five Youth Exchange Groups went from this Province to other parts of Canada and we, in turn, were visited by five groups of students coming from other parts of this great country, and I can’t think, Mr. Speaker, of any prOject that contributes so much to the cause of mutual good will, unity and under standing as these visits on the part of young people from one part of this country

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