Province Législature/Legislature Session Type de discours/Type of speech Date du discours/Date Locuteur/Speaker Fonction du locuteur/Function Parti politique/Political party Ile du Prince Edward Island – Prince Edward Island 59 3 Discours du Trône/Speech from the Throne 09-03-1995 Hon. Marion L. Reid Lieutenant-governor Liberal P.E.I: Speech from the Throne, Third Session of the Fifty-Ninth General Assembly, March 9th, 1995 Fellow Islanders, it is my privilege and honour, in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to welcome you to this Third Session of the Fifty-Ninth General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. It has become the custom to use the occasion of this address to commemorate a special person, place, institution, or event which has had a profound effect on the life of our Island. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of hostilities in the Second World War. In many ways, Madam Speaker, the war brought home to us the horrible reality of man's inhumanity to man. In effect, it marked an end to our collective innocence as a nation. In Europe we were witness to the horror of the holocaust, and in the Pacific, we saw the terrifying power of atomic weapons unleashed for the first time. But, more than the end of innocence, the close of the war signalled a new beginning in Prince Edward Island and throughout Canada. As a people, we turned to the future with renewed hope and a fresh new optimism, buoyed by the knowledge that we had made an important contribution to world peace. When the guns were finally silenced, there was a recognition of the need for an organization to help maintain the peace which had been so costly to win. Accordingly, this year we also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Canadians can be proud, Madam Speaker, that our nation played a pivotal role at the founding conference in San Francisco in 1945, and that it was Lester B. Pearson who first conceived the idea of peace-keeping forces operating as troops of the United Nations. As we commemorate the anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day, we must remember all those brave Islanders who served during World War II. We owe them a great debt, for these young men and women unselfishly interrupted their lives and careers to help secure the peace and freedom we enjoy today. We owe an even greater debt, however, to the Islanders who died in battles fought far from home, on the sea, on the land, and in the sky. While this debt is impossible to repay, we must always remember and honour those to whom it is owed. My Government, as a way of honouring and remembering these special Islanders, will establish and dedicate a Memorial Forest as a fitting and timely testimonial to their sacrifice. This living memorial will have as its centrepiece, a forest of native Island trees, each dedicated to the memory of an individual Islander who lost his or her life in the service of our Country. In this way, Madam Speaker, we can keep faith with the memory of those who paid for our freedom with their lives. A tree is a powerful symbol of hope and continuity, and it represents a special communion with our past. Through our Memorial Forest, those who did not return will be forever remembered through the enduring beauty of one of God's most wondrous creations. VISITE DU GOUVERNEUR GENERAL Mon gouvernement, Madame la Présidente, était heureux de constater la nomination du premier Acadien et de la première personne des Provinces maritimes à titre de représentant de la Reine au Canada. Originaire de la Vallée de Memramcook, près de Moncton, le Gouverneur général, Roméo LeBlanc, a compris dès son jeune âge, qu'en faisant preuve de respect et de tolérance envers les autres, deux cultures différentes peuvent vivre en harmonie dans la même communauté. Madame la Présidente je sais que tous les membres de Assemblée législative et les Insulaires accueilleront le Gouverneur général et Madame LeBlanc avec leur hospitalité traditionnelle lorsqu'ils se rendront à 1'Î1e-du-Prince-Edouard au début du mois de juin. Le Gouverneur général et les Commissaires des deux Territoires du Nord se joindront aux lieutenants-gouverneurs des provinces canadiennes à Charlottetown pour participer à la rencontre biennale des représentants de la Reine au Canada. FINANCIAL STABILITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH Madam Speaker, just as new found hope accompanied the end of hostilities in 1945, Islanders once again can look confidently to the future and their place in it. There is so much that we can achieve together, utilizing our collective knowledge and skills, as well as our abundant natural resources. However, we also know that our economic future is not in our hands alone. It remains closely tied to that of our partners in the Canadian family, and increasingly to the fortunes of other nations around the world. We may be an "Island in the stream", Madam Speaker, but that "stream" is now a very fast- flowing and congested thoroughfare of trade. commerce, knowledge, and information. My Government continues to take a twofold approach to the development of public policy in this new era of interdependency and global competitiveness. First of all, Madam Speaker, we believe that Island business and industry, when given the opportunity, can more than compete in the world marketplace, and our economic development policies and programs are designed to help make this happen. Later in this Speech, I will provide a few striking examples of this success. Secondly, we believe that good financial management is essential to guard against the unpredictable and unforeseen, and that government must lead by example in this regard. It is this combined faith in the resourcefulness and enterprise of Islanders, and their desire for economic stability and security, that has guided My Government over the past two years. We have faced some difficult decisions and choices along the way. But the greatest challenge of all, Madam Speaker, has been the provincial deficit, which had soared to over 80 million dollars in 1993. BRINGING THE DEFICIT UNDER CONTROL Government acted decisively during the last Session of this Assembly to bring the deficit under control, and when the Provincial Treasurer tables his budget later in this Session, the people of Prince Edward Island will see that government's deficit reduction measures have been successful. We really had no choice in the matter. Without strong action to reduce spending and brine greater efficiency to the delivery of government programs and services, the deficit and its associated borrowing costs would have continued to be a millstone around our necks, dragging us down, and forcing us to surrender control to the banks and financial institutions. With the deficit under control, and with a leaner and more efficient government bureaucracy to serve them, Islanders now can look forward to a period of stability, and also to one of economic growth. LEADING THE ATLANTIC REGION In the words of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, Prince Edward Island's economy is "firing on all cylinders." Other economists are just as optimistic. For example, the Bank of Montreal recently observed that Prince Edward Island had "replaced New Brunswick as Atlantic Canada's growth leader," and predicted that our province "should retain this status in 1995 as well." The proof of this economic resurgence is all around us. Perhaps most impressive, Madam Speaker, are the two thousand new jobs created in the Island labour force over the past year, and the fact that our unemployment rate, although still unacceptable, has begun to fall. Almost every sector of the economy is showing remarkable strength. This performance is expected to continue through 1995, with high demand for potatoes, lobster, and other food products with increased manufacturing, with tourism on the rise, and with the construction of the Northumberland Strait bridge hitting its full stride. Prince Edward Island's gross provincial product, Madam Speaker, is expected to grow by more than 3 percent during the current year, putting us in the front ranks of all provinces. Like our successful efforts to combat the deficit, this positive economic outlook is good news for all Islanders. Earlier, I spoke about the enterprising spirit of Islanders, and of the proven ability of Island business to compete in the emerging world economy. This should come as no surprise, however, since Islanders have traded throughout the world since early colonial times, when sailing ships carried fish and produce to the West Indies and lumber to the British Isles. These days we sell potatoes, both raw and processed, to the United States, Europe, the Orient, the Middle East, the West Indies, and to South America. A Charlottetown company is shipping micro brewery equipment to Russia. Our fish products grace the tables of dining rooms in Japan. Island-made jams and jellies, knitted sweaters, and cotton clothing imprinted with unique Island designs, are shipped to an expanding North American marketplace. High fidelity speaker systems, designed and manufactured in Stratford, are being sold in the demanding markets of Hong Kong and Japan. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW ECONOMY Madam Speaker, despite the obstacles of geography and distance from the major markets, Prince Edward Island has been very successful in developing an industrial economy based on our natural resources. We have always known, of course, that one of our greatest natural resources is the ingenuity and imagination of our people. Islanders are quick to adapt to new technologies, and always willing to embrace new ways of doing things. That is why Prince Edward Island is particularly well positioned to take advantage of new developments in the information-based economy. In the "new economy", Madam Speaker, distance from the market is no longer a barrier to success. Now, our market is as close as a telecommunication line. My Government has a strong leadership role to play in coordinating the many private and public sector initiatives currently underway related to information-based industries. In order to position Prince Edward Island as a leader in the new economy, My Government will establish a new centre of excellence to identify and pursue new business opportunities based on knowledge-based industries. HELPING ISLAND BUSINESS My Government recognizes that small businesses create more jobs than any other economic enterprise and remains fully committed to assisting Island businesses and industry. With the Federal Government's new approach to regional economic development, My Government recognizes the need to broaden the access to financing and will provide venture capital for business endeavours not normally supported by conventional lending agencies. This funding will ensure Island businesses have the working capital and management assistance to compete and grow in the new business environment. FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING Food production and processing accounts for nineteen percent of the Island's gross domestic product, and just as significantly, it employs about twenty-five percent of our workforce. This past year our farmers and fishermen posted record returns, and it is clear that food production will increase over the next few years as a result of market opportunities. This is a tribute both to the skill and efficiency of our primary producers, and to the aggressive marketing of our dealers and processors. But we need to do even better. We much are searching constantly for the competitive advantage, with new product lines and new ways of preparing and presenting our product to the consumer. While much has changed in the harvesting of lobster, for example, surprisingly little has changed in the way in which we prepare it for the market. In the coming year, Madam Speaker, a new Value Added Processing Program will be introduced. It is anticipated this program will lead to the modernization and expansion of existing facilities in the province. These facilities will utilize the most advanced technology to produce a wider range of food products. In the aquaculture sector, My Government, in cooperation with the Federal Government, will establish a new Aquaculture Development Program. This new program will focus on increasing oyster production, particularly from private leases. It will also continue research and development of other shellfish and other fish species. As well, My Government will establish an Agricultural Research Investment Fund over the coming year. This Fund will provide assistance for new agricultural research initiatives aimed at improving the competitiveness and sustainability of Prince Edward Island agriculture. We also note with pleasure, Madam Speaker, the recently-announced major expansion of the McCain processing plant at Carleton, a project that will create additional jobs and even greater demand for Island potatoes. Further to the west, the Small Fry potato chip company has announced plans to build a new plant and regional offices at Slemon Park, creating approximately one hundred new jobs. And in the eastern part of our province, Madam Speaker, My Government continues to work in partnership with the Federal Government and the people of Souris for the establishment of a "Food Park" in that community. An environmental assessment is currently underway. When it is completed, this major facility will house a number of food processing businesses, providing valuable economic development and employment for the people of Eastern Kings. TRANSPORTATION The importance of our roads and highway infrastructure to the economic well-being of our province cannot be overstated. In 1995, Madam Speaker, My Government will expand its efforts to provide a safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation system across the province, through the Provincial Highway Rehabilitation Program. In September of last year, My Government entered into a new agreement with the Government of Canada to improve certain segments of our highway system which experience a high volume of tourism traffic. This twenty-one million dollar program is funded entirely by the Federal Government, and satisfies one of the conditions which My Government established as a prerequisite to construction of the Northumberland Strait Bridge. Madam Speaker, since the start of negotiations on the Northumberland Strait Bridge Crossing Project, My Government has insisted that the Borden-Carleton area must benefit first from economic development. In recognition of this, My Government has been working with the Federal Government to establish the infrastructure necessary to attract economic development in both the service sector and in the manufacturing and processing sectors for the area. My Government notes with pleasure, Madam Speaker, the recent decision by the people of the Borden-Carleton area to amalgamate their two municipalities into a single new community. This will strengthen local decision making and enable the community to better plan for its future. Another important development flowing out of the Fixed Link Highway Improvement Agreement concerns the Hillsborough Bridge. Last fall, Madam Speaker, My Government acted on the provisions of the Benefits Agreement for the Fixed Link which calls upon Strait Crossing Incorporated to design and construct, at cost, a new upgraded Hillsborough Bridge. SCI is now carrying out preliminary engineering work to determine the most cost-effective solution to the Hillsborough Bridge traffic requirements, and a final decision can be expected sometime over the coming year. OUR LAND RESOURCES One of our early automobile license plates characterized Prince Edward Island as the million acre farm, referring of course to the province's rich cultivated farmlands and rural landscape. Certainly, the land has very much defined us culturally and economically over the centuries. It is a limited and fragile resource of incalculable value to all Islanders, for it sustains our agriculture, forestry, and tourism industries, and indirectly affects the viability of the fishery. Issues relating to land ownership have long historical roots in our province. Most recently, a Special Committee of this Assembly reviewed and reported on the appropriateness of the existing Lands Protection Act. Prior to formulating its recommendations, the Committee consulted broadly with the agricultural community and the public in general. During this Session, Madam Speaker, My Government will introduce significant amendments to the Lands Protection Act for the consideration of all Members, and all Islanders. Prince Edward Island's forests cover almost 50 percent of our land mass. Over the past year, the forest industry has had an unprecedented level of activity, with $30 million in sale. Our forests must have a long-term commitment from landowners, the forest industry, and from government, if we are to manage and sustain this resource. Without federal funding, we must now develop a new partnership for forest renewal. My Government will financially support such a partnership. In addition, Madam Speaker, during the coming year My Government will designate twenty- one blocks of Crown-owned land as Provincial Forests. These Provincial Forests will provide a permanent source of seed stock and genetic material, research and development plots, monitoring sites, and working forest ecosystems. TOURISM Our tourism industry, Madam Speaker, experienced one of its best years ever in 1994. Not only did the number of visitors increase by almost ten percent, but the warmth and professionalism of our hospitality industry; new attractions, such as the Crowbush Cove golf course; and, of course, the excellent weather, ensured that our visitors stayed longer and spent more. Tourism expenditures last summer increased by almost 30 percent. Tourism is becoming one of our most vibrant industries. Last year it contributed just under $160 million dollars to the provincial economy and employed some 17,000 people. Madam Speaker, with the completion of the new bridge across the Northumberland Strait these numbers will increase dramatically. We will soon see more than a million visitors coming to the Island every year. My Government, working closely with the tourism industry, will implement a jointly prepared Tourism Action Plan to help the sector prepare for the future. As previously mentioned, Madam Speaker, our Island landscape with its rolling fields, picturesque fishing ports, and neat farms and villages, is a valuable economic resource. To a large extent, it has made the Island a preferred destination for more and more city dwellers seeking an escape from their urban life. One group of Island citizens, the Rural Beautification Society, has made a special effort to maintain and enhance the beauty of our rural countryside. As the Society celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year, My Government applauds the volunteer work of its members. THE EDUCATION IMPERATIVE Madam Speaker, Prince Edward Island and its people have always put great stock in education. We had the first public education program in the Commonwealth. We have been progressive in our approach to education, experimenting with specialized, consolidated schools in the early part of this century. And we have a proud tradition of higher education in the arts, humanities and sciences, dating back to the late eighteenth century with Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan's University. Today, more than ever, Islanders realize the importance of education and training to their personal growth and success. Indeed, in our contemporary world there is a new education imperative, one that calls for a workforce that is highly educated and skilled. Madam Speaker, it is essential that we provide the kind of education system which can serve us in the new economy of the future. Accordingly, this spring my Minister of Higher Education will host a series of roundtable discussions on the future of higher education and adult training in the province. Invited to take part in these discussions will be representatives of business, labour, the university and college, students and interested members of the public. The aim of these roundtable discussions will be to set a new direction, appropriate for the 21st Century. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, in the past, many Islanders have been unable to take part in university, college or adult education courses. For some, it was a matter of living too far from the institution; for others, family or work responsibilities made it impossible to attend on- campus courses. Recently in Wellington, Madam Speaker, an innovative distance education learning centre was opened which provides a model to address these kinds of needs. Students there can now take courses, in French, from a recognized college based in Nova Scotia. At the end of their course of studies, students will earn a diploma from College de l'Acadie without having to leave their home community. During the next year, Madam Speaker, My Government will explore the establishment of several distant learning centres in other rural communities in Eastern Kings and Western Prince counties. We will be working with the Atlantic Provinces Higher Education Commission to ensure the technology is compatible across the region. This will allow Island students access to courses at other institutions on the mainland as well as selected courses from Holland College and the University of Prince Edward Island. In our schools, Madam Speaker, my Department of Education is entering the second phase of a three-year program that will provide more than two million dollars for computer technology. Phase one, equipping our junior high schools, has been completed. Phase two, directed at our elementary schools, is now underway. A third phase will focus on improving the technology in our school library resource centres, enabling students to access world-wide library resources through the Internet. The third phase will also extend computer technology to high schools throughout the province. Though not nearly as fashionable, but equally important is the quality of the classrooms our children study in. My Government recognizes in a number of our schools there are problems with the quality of the air. Madam Speaker, My Government will implement a program that will improve the air our children breathe in their schools. All of our learning, Madam Speaker, regardless of the tools we use, must be based on a firm foundation of knowledge. Through the Maritime Provinces Education Foundation, My Government is cooperating with the other Atlantic provinces in the development of a new core curriculum in mathematics, language arts, and science, in both official languages. Our Department of Education has been given responsibility for the regional development of language arts for grades one to three, as well as for grades seven to nine science. Madam Speaker, we all know that our children are individuals with individual needs and abilities. Not everyone can participate fully in the regular school program. In keeping with one of the major recommendations of the report Youth, Families and Communities, My Government will establish a "Youth Initiative" to meet the needs of those young people who are struggling with, or who have dropped out of our school system. A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE Madam Speaker, as a former teacher and school administrator, I have always been proud of the contribution that my profession has made to the betterment of this province. From H.B. MacLean to Henri "Peggy" Blanchard, from Elaine Harrison to Mabel Matheson, we have been blessed over the years with a succession of innovative and motivated teachers, dedicated to the advancement of their students, and to the perfection of their own craft. I note with pride, Madam Speaker, that the standards of these legendary teachers continue to be met by today's professionals. Recently, two Island teachers - Marion Cutcliffe of Bluefield High School and Bernard Pepin of Birchwood Junior High School - have each been honoured with the Prime Minister's Award For Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology and Mathematics. My Government recognizes and appreciates the fine work that our teachers are doing in shaping and preparing our children. We know also that teaching is a changing and evolving profession, and therefore in partnership with teachers, My Government during the coming year will offer a number of school-based staff development programs in specific areas of practice. By investing in our teachers, Madam Speaker, we are investing in our children. CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER Madam Speaker, while prosperity and learning are important goals, the real hallmark of any society is its willingness and ability to care for one another. My Government has endeavoured to respect and strengthen this spirit of community responsibility through its health care and social assistance programs. Health reform continues to be a priority of My Government. In 1994, the five Regional Health Boards began their challenging task of developing a sustainable, community-based system that is responsive to the needs of Islanders. To guide their decision making, each of the Regional Boards has launched a broad community consultation process. These community needs assessments involve individual questionnaires, the analysis of health data, and a series of community meetings. We recognize that many challenges and difficult decisions still lie ahead as we strive to make improvements to our health care system while continuing to meet our financial objectives. It is essential, of course, that we continue to provide hospital and medical services to treat illness. However, we must also do more to promote good health. Over the coming year, My Government will undertake a number of health promotion initiatives, including a province- wide nutrition survey, the establishment of a Health Promotion Resource Centre, and the implementation of a Hepatitis B immunization program for infants and school age children. In an area related to health care, Madam Speaker, My Government during this Session will seek to amend the legislation regulating tobacco sales to minors. This amendment will increase the minimum legal age of persons buying tobacco from eighteen to nineteen years. In addition, the amendment will clarify and increase the penalties for the breaches of the Act. Madam Speaker, a few moments ago I talked about our willingness and ability to care for one another in this Island community, and certainly the Sisters of Saint Martha have been shining examples to the rest of us. For the past seventy years, this remarkable Order of Catholic women has developed and operated hospitals and nursing homes in the province. My Government wishes to pay tribute to the Sisters of Saint Martha for their wonderful mission and work in health care. My Government accepts with sadness the decision of the Board of Directors of the Sacred Heart Home to close that institution. This was a most difficult decision for all involved. Full attention must now be given to re-locating the residents in a compassionate manner, and to ensuring that the staff of the Home are treated fairly. FAMILY LAW REFORM Madam Speaker, this past year Islanders joined with people around the world celebrating the International Year of the Family. I had the pleasure of serving as the honourary chairperson of the committee responsible for these celebrations here on Prince Edward Island. As I remarked last year on this same occasion, the family is our most enduring and sacred institution. These are particularly stressful times for families, and all of us, collectively and individually, must do everything in our power to support and strengthen the family. But we also know that, sometimes, despite all their best efforts. families find that they can no longer sustain themselves as a single unit. In those instances, Madam Speaker, My Government believes that disentangling the complex weave of family life, especially when children are involved. demands the greatest care and sensitivity. It should be respectful of individual needs, and mindful of individual dignity. During this Session of the Assembly, My Government will introduce a nevi- Family Law Act, which will offer clear and more concise guidelines in such areas as the division of property following a marriage breakdown. The Act also will encourage alternative forms of dispute settlement such as mediation, in the hope that less time Mill be spent in protracted, and often very painful, court battles. RECOGNIZING SPECIAL PEOPLE Madam Speaker, throughout this address I have made reference to a number of individuals and organizations whose contribution to their province has been exemplary. Indeed, throughout our history countless individuals have made exceptional contributions to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of Prince Edward Island. Often those contributions go unnoticed and unrewarded, in any formal way, by the community at large. In order to provide an opportunity for Islanders to recognize such individual excellence and achievement, My Government will cause to be created the Prince Edward Island Medal of Merit. A limited number of medals will be conferred each year on deserving Islanders nominated by their peers. COMMITMENT TO CANADA At the very beginning of my address, Madam Speaker, I spoke of the hope and optimism that followed the end of World War II. As a people and a nation, we had faced adversity, and together we had come through it with a renewed commitment to Canada. Today, Madam Speaker, Canadians face a new challenge to our nationhood. And it comes, not from without, but from within. My Government has every confidence that, presented with a clear and unambiguous question, the people of Quebec will vote in favour of remaining part of this great nation. OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM Madam Speaker, in addition to the measures already mentioned a number of legislative proposals will be brought forward for the consideration of all Members. These will include : - A new Private Training Schools Act - A new P.E.I. Fisheries Act - A new Health Care Consent Act As well as amendments to: - The Fish and Game Protection Act - The Human Tissue Donation Act - The Highway Traffic Act You will be asked also to appropriate the funds for the services and payments required by this Assembly. The public accounts and reports of the various departments and agencies of My Government for the year ending March 31, 1994, will be tabled. The estimates of revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year which begins April 1, 1995, will be presented for your consideration. BIDDING FAREWELL Madam Speaker and Honourable Members: it has been said that "time and tides wait for no one". As Her Majesty's representative, delivering my last Speech from the Throne, I am not unmindful of this old expression. During the past four and one half years, I have met thousands of my fellow citizens. Today, I would like to express my gratitude to those countless Islanders who through their many and varied acts of kindness, have exhibited the very best of being an Islander. That is not to say that we do not face challenges. But Madam Speaker and Honourable Members, might we all be reminded of the words of George Etienne Cartier when in September 1864 he stated: "There are difficulties in the way, but they are susceptible of solution if managed with wisdom. All that is requisite to overcome is a strong will and good heart." While we are all part of change, I trust that we strive to preserve and enhance the best of the past and present as we prepare for the future. In Prince Edward Island, we are fortunate indeed to have a strong "Pride of Place" which has enabled us to cultivate our inner peace. Throughout all my life, I have had a strong belief in the importance of family -- in fact, I would go so far as to say that the health of a nation is directly tied to the strength of our families. Each member of a family has a contribution to make, as well as a need to be fulfilled. We have much to be thankful for - we need to count our blessings one by one. As I near the end of my tenure as Her Majesty's representative, I wish to share with you Her Majesty's comments to me when I visited Her Majesty early in my tenure as Lieutenant Governor: "Every time I return from Canada, I wonder if Canadians realize how fortunate they are." Madam Speaker, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and Fellow Islanders: Let us thank the Lord for His love, for His marvels on behalf of His people. Let us extol Him at the Great Assembly and praise Him in these Chambers. May His kindness be upon us to make all we do succeed.