Tuesday, March 5, 1968 what I have to say is, of course, directed to the Government benches and it's rather unfortunate that the Government benches are 50% depleted so that they will have to consult the record to find out what I have to say. M. Alban Farmer : Thirty percent present. Robert A. Grindlay : That's the members of the Government, yes, but I've said the Government benches generally. I would at the outset, Mr. Speaker , congratulate you on your remarks at the opening of this session. I realize, of course, that the press reflect the image of this and every Legislature to the public and that an explosion, an outburst, fireworks in debate makes good headlines. On the other hand I believe, and this would be in line with your thinking, Sir, that the proper conduct of debate is an essential part of this and every Legislature in order that we can convey to the press the impression that the business of the House is in the hands of people entrusted to us as their representatives and is being dealt with in a proper and orderly manner. I should like to congratulate, too, the Mover and the Seconder of this Motion, both of whom spoke in a non-partisan manner and dealt with the problems of the Province as they see them. I should like to congratulate too in his absence our parapatetic Premier who no doubt derived a good deal of pleasure and satisfaction from the arduous task of attending the various Centennial functions throughout the Province and outside the Province. Having disposed of the customary introductory remarks and courtesies, a few verbal "brickbats" are perhaps in order. I can recall when I spoke in this House a year ago I mentioned that in 1965 the transportation between Borden and Tormentine was held up. It was a strike by the C.N.R . employees. Assurance was given at that time by the Premier that consulta¬ tions were being carried on in Ottawa to see that this would not reoccur and bring about the paralysis which did occur, alleviated to some extent by the Wno'! Is'ands ferry. But we have not yet received a pronouncment from the Premier of the Prov¬ ince that negotiations have been satisfactorily concluded with Ottawa to resolve this question: that it will not recur, that we will enjoy, as we are entitled to enjoy under the terms of confederation, continuous and uninterrupted communication with the mainland. I am surprised, too, in looking through this Throne Speech, which is the subject of the Debate, to see that the word 'Causeway' is conspicuous by its absence. I realize that on occasions this matter has been referred to as a political football, but I think that the Government and the Premier should let us know in clear detail the state of affairs insofar as the Causeway project is concerned. I know that the Minister of Highways, when he spoke, did deal with that subject but in his comments he expressed not the opinions of the Government of Canada but of Col. Churchill to whom has been entrusted the revision of the proposal to construct the crossing between this Island and New Brunswick . I think it's time for the Government to let the people know just where we stand in connection with that project and I hope a statement will be forthcoming shortly. I think there was a certain amount of subtle enjoyment on the part of all the people of Prince Edward Island when the Parlia¬ mentary Transportation Committee came here and experienced some of the difficul¬ ties in transportation with which we are all familiar. They got a first hand picture of our problem on the Island during winter and I understand now that they plan to return later in the summer. I see no reason why the Committee should not return. An enormous amount of work has been entered into in the preparation of briefs and, I think, the Committee actually required fifty copies of each presentation in order that the problems of transportation in this area be fully ventilated. The Com ¬ mittee. I believe, should come back and should come back soon. They might find ice conditions in the Strait actually a little more difficult now than when they did cross. There is another matter not dealt with in the Throne Speech; no, I'm going back on my notes. Dealing specifically with the Throne Speech at this point, and with re¬ ference to the Acres Report which has been in the hands of all members for some time, I've taken the trouble to read through these reports carefully and I'm impressed with them. I'm impressed in the first place with what I would refer to as the euphuistic effulgence of language, the English language. In the report entitled Re¬ creation and Tourism there's this particular paragraph. "The inefficiencies inherent in the multi-stage sampling procedure suggested the implementation of a single-stage, stratified sample design which would stratify tourist arrivals over a group of strata consisting of unequal number of days." There's another beauty here. . . . L. George Dewar : Is that English? —125—