Tuesday, March 5, 1968

fibrosis resulted in our bringing Dr. Gillespie to this Province to conduct regular clinics and to give direction and advice on treatment.

Clinics are also conducted at the Rehabilitation Centre by Dr. T. A. Laidlaw in the area of bone and joint tuberculosis.

The staff of physiotherapists number three at the Rehabilitation Centre; these provide service to the Sanitorium and also the Special Care Unit. In addition, the

physiotherapy progrm is extended to all our smaller hospitals and we also provide two physiotnerapists to the Prince County Hospital.

Now in respect to the Special Care Unit at the Sanitorium. Early in 1967 it was decided to open the West Wing at the Sanitorium, which had been closed for a number of years, for the purpose of providing special care for persons suffering from disabling diseases or other maladies calling for intensive care. This is not a home for the aged, as aged people are not normally accepted because other special care homes are available. This Wing was opened late in April and the patient load gradually built up to twenty at the end of the year. There being 34 admissions, ten discharges, four deaths, and a total of 3,633 patient days. The patients admitted require almost total nursing care. I have visited this unit on a number of occasions and believe it has made a really worthwhile contribution to our total health program.

I would like to say one word about the Health Resources Fund. During the year this Federal Fund was used in respect to assistance for training facilities in this Province. The amount of $35,000 was approved by Ottawa for laboratory train— ing facilities in our Health Building. In addition, $300,000 from this fund was made available by this Province as a contribution towards the new Sir Charles Tupper Medical School at Dalhousie University.

The final Division of the Health Department to which I would like to refer today, is the Division of Vital Statisitcs. The decline in the birthrate is as follows:

In 1963 there were 2,049 births in the Province. In 1964 they declined to 2,739.

In 1965 they again declined to 2,518.

In 1966 they again declined to 2,201.

In 1967 there were 2,009 births.

This is a drop of about ten per cent per year, Mr. Speaker, for the past four years. Similar declines are noted across Canada, with the Canadian birthrate declin- ing 13.1% last December as compared with one year earlier. If this established trend continues and young adults keep leaving this Province as in the past, Islanders could eventually become as nearly extinct as the whooping crane!

I think we may well expect a continuation of the birth decline for some num— ber of years before stabilization or levelling off, and I also think we should note the effect on education. Admissions to Grade I five years hence will be approxim- ately 940 fewer than the present Grade I. This may result in some thirty-five to forty less teachers required for the Grade I. Experiments for the next twelve yars through all grades will mean that 32% fewer teachers are needed. We must also con— sider its impact on classroom space and our school policies should be governed accordingly.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like to refer to Medicare; I have already tabled the report of the Study Committee earlier today. The official view of the govern- ment has ben expressed in His Honour’s Speech, that we shall not enter into a com- prehensive plan under Federal terms at this time.

Two Provinces have indicated their intentions to enter this plan. Saskatchewan, which has had universal medical care since 1962, and they will now very gladly accept federal assistance to support their program. British Columbia has given a rather lukewarm nod of acceptance; this Province has 92.5% coverage on a premium basis. Eight provinces, including Prince Edward Island, have indicated they are unlikely‘to start on July first of this year, the date of commencement of the Federal program. And I believe there are many good reasons why the provinces are reluc- tant to accept the present federal plan.

I would like to begin by making reference to the report of the Study Com-

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