Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Nouvelle-Écosse 47e 1re Discours du Trône 8 Février 1961 Edward C. Plow Lieutenant-gouverneur PC Nova Scotia: Speech from the Throne, First Session of the 47th General Assembly, February 8th, 1961 It is a pleasure to welcome you to this the First Session of the 47th General Assembly convened in the Province, and I extend my best wishes to each of you, especially to those of you who have become Members of the House of Assembly for the first time. It was our pleasure during the summer to welcome to Nova Scotia His Excellency the Governor General and Madame Vanier, both of whom made a lasting impression on our people by their interest in our Province and by their gracious and charming manner. The Conference of the Premiers of the Atlantic Provinces was held in Halifax during the summer and a further meeting will be held this year at Charlottetown to discuss matters of concern and interest to the Atlantic Provinces. The problem of present and future unemployment in the coal mining areas is a matter of grave concern and is receiving and will receive the close attention of my Ministers. My Government has agreed to share with the Government of Canada in the cost of keeping certain mines in operation throughout winter months. Notwithstanding slackness in certain fields, the Provincial economy as a whole has shown expansion during the past year. Industrial Estates Limited will continue and intensify efforts to expand industry in the Province; and you will be asked to approve legislation providing concessions on interest charges respecting industries located in areas of chronic unemployment. My Government is again participating in the Federal-Municipal Winter Works Program and in the Provincial-Municipal Works Incentive Program. The joint Federal-Provincial study, which was commenced last year, of the unemployment problem, including the problems of seasonal unemployment, will be continued and an interim report on the study thus far completed will be available shortly. It is anticipated that my Government will participate during the year in financing a substantial expansion in fish processing facilities in the Province. The outlook in the agricultural industry of Nova Scotia is encouraging; the sale of farm products during the last season has resulted in an increase of more than $3,000,000.00 over the income from the same sources in 1959. Tobacco has been successfully grown on an experimental basis and there is every indication that tobacco production on a commercial scale will be introduced during the current crop year. For the first time in the history of the Province, facilities for the marketing of meat products are available to Nova Scotia producers, and locally produced meat, slaughtered under Government inspection, are now available to Nova Scotia consumers. During 1960 Nova Scotia was the only Province in Canada to show an increase in hog population over the preceding year. This improvement stems from the promotional work of the Department of Agriculture and Marketing, and it is proposed that this work will be continued and augmented during the coming year. In conjunction with the other provinces and with the Government of Canada my Government will participate in a "Resources for Tomorrow Conference" to be held in Montreal next Fall. This will mark the first time since 1906 that such a Conference has been convened, and the first time in the history of Canada that a complete and thorough appraisal of our renewable resources has been undertaken and an examination made of their best utilization for multiple use. The chemical pulp mill at Point Tupper is expected to commence operations late this year and will substantially enlarge the market for pulpwood in the Province. A significant recent development was the installation of facilities by Bowaters-Mersey Paper Company Limited to handle more than 40,000 tons of wood chips a year, thus providing a substantial market for what has heretofore been waste products from our lumber mills. Recognizing the growing recreational needs of our increasingly mobile population, my Government proposes to continue its program for the establishment of Provincial Parks, and to provide assistance to municipalities in the development of municipal campsites. My Government will continue the development and re-establishing of inland sport-fishing facilities, including the construction and enlargement of modern rearing ponds. Preliminary estimates at present available indicate the total value of Nova Scotia mineral production for 1960 at about $65,000,000.00, which is an increase of about 3% over the 1959 output. However the outlook for the marketing of coal this year is not encouraging. A new base metal and silver mine at Walton is scheduled to go into production before the end of the present year. You will be asked to consider certain changes in the Mines Act designed to clarify the limits of the application of the Act, and to place royalties on a more uniform basis, and to encourage further processing of mineral resources in the Province. The tourist-advertising program in the United States and Canada will be further increased. A new Nova Scotia Information Office has been opened in Boston to intensify tourist and industrial promotion throughout the New England States. The salt-water sport-fishing program of the Tourist Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry will be continued and expanded during the year. My Government proposes to review and amend the Regulations under the Hotel Regulations Act respecting hotels, motels, and over-night accommodation of all kinds with a view to strengthening the industry as a whole and raising the standard of all accommodations throughout the Province. The operations of the Nova Scotia Power Commission have continued to expand. Total kilowatt-hour sales increased by 8 1/2% over the previous year and the total of generated and purchased power has, for the time, exceeded 600,000,000-kilowatt hours. Twenty miles of new distribution line were completed under the provisions of the Rural Electrification Act, and 534 additional customers were added to this system, bringing the total number of Power Commission customers, exclusive of customers served by Canada Electric Company, to 34,088. It is intended that Canada Electric Company Limited, acquired by the Province on January first, will be operated as a corporate entity by directors nominated by the Province and in due course will become an integral part of the system of the Nova Scotia Power Commission. The Inter-Provincial Grid, which came into operation last year, has already proven its worth, and substantial quantities of coal-generated energy were transmitted over this Grid into New Brunswick on a continuous basis from the inception of the Grid system to the end of 1960. In addition to the 20,000-kilowatt extension to the Trenton thermal plant, which came into operation during the year, one new hydro-electric generating plant on the Sissiboo River is now in operation and another is expected to come into service almost immediately. These two plants will have a combined capacity of 20,000 horsepower. Subventions, paid by the Government of Canada, on coal used in the generation of electric power have been distributed by the Nova Scotia Power Commission among industrial users of such power in Nova Scotia. The amount so distributed since inauguration of this subvention system, is nearly $3,000,000.00, and more than $1,000,000.00 was so paid in the 12-month period ending November 30th, 1960. In the field of highway improvement, more than 340 miles of highways were hard surfaced in 1960 and this is greater than in any previous year; work will continue at high level and particular attention will be given to the trunk highways in various parts of the Province. While major bridges have been completed in many parts of the Province and other work of this nature is now under construction, examination and evaluation of the existing bridges on the trunk roads indicate the need for early replacement or improvement of 60 or more such bridges. A general study of Nova Scotia's highway needs and problems indicates that a higher rate of expenditure is required in the years ahead if the needs and problems arising from the rapid growth in the use of motor vehicles are to be adequately met. You will be asked to consider means of raising the money required to meet such increased expenditure. The Trans-Canada Highway Agreement has been extended through 1963. My Government will complete the work now being done on this project, and will proceed with other new work as rapidly as is permitted by the requirements of other roads throughout the Province. My Government is persisting in its efforts to negotiate an agreement with the city of Halifax respecting an entrance to the City from Bicentennial Drive. You will be asked to consider legislation to enable the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission to commence immediately a study of the need for an additional bridge across Halifax Harbour. A manual of uniform traffic control devices for Canada has been adopted by my Government with a view to standardizing highway signs and markings throughout the whole of Canada. As replacement is required, existing signs and devices will be replaced by the uniform signs, many of which are already in use. My Government proposes to establish a Medical Advisory Board to make recommendations to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles as to whether an operator's license should be granted or withheld from persons having certain disabilities. The large number of accidents on our highways gives increasing concern to my Government. You will be asked to consider measures designed to improve Highway Safety, including short term suspension of operators' and chauffeurs' licenses for certain traffic offences. Enrollment in the public schools of the Province has continued to increase and in the current school year will reach a total of approximately 180,000. The enrollment in our schools began to increase substantially in 1941 and education is now being provided for 50% more pupils than were enrolled in that year. To accommodate this increased enrollment, 40 new schools were constructed in 1960 and additions made to 20 other school buildings, or a total of 449 new classrooms. During the past five years, 1791 new classrooms have been built and this represents 30% of all the classrooms now in use. To assist municipalities in the financing of new school construction, my Government has, commencing January 1st, 1961, adopted higher allowances for capital construction towards which grants will be paid, and as a further assistance, the Department of Public Works of my Government will examine plans of proposed new school buildings and will assist and advise the school authorities in the preparation of contracts with builders and architects. Enrollment in the teacher training institutions has again shown an increase and 804 pupils are enrolled at the Nova Scotia Normal College and in the University teacher training departments. This enrollment is almost twice the enrollment of five years ago. To accommodate this increasing enrollment of elementary school teachers, a new Teachers' College is being constructed at Truro, and it is expected that it will be put into operation in September of this year. My Government has entered into an Agreement with the Government of Canada for the payment by Canada of a higher proportion of the cost of buildings and equipment for the vocational training of students of secondary school age and of adults. As a result of this Agreement it will be possible to make more generous arrangements with our Municipal Units for the financing of Vocational High Schools. Plans for the construction of a Provincial Trades School and Technical Institute to be located at Halifax are now being prepared. The Government of Canada will pay a higher proportion of the cost of educating unemployed persons and plans are now being completed to expand the program for the training of the unemployed, especially in areas where unemployment is, or may be, acute. You will be requested to vote increased funds for the University Students' Loan Fund. It is expected that the new School for the Deaf will be in operation by next September. Officials of the Department of Municipal Affairs are now engaged in preparing a report determining, for the purposes of the Education Act, the full value for assessment purposes of all property liable to municipal taxation under the Assessment Act. This work will enable a fair revision of the sums payable towards the cost of the Foundation Program of Education, and it is anticipated that the report will be available for the payments to be made in 1962. The Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Municipalities of Inverness and Richmond have joined together in creating the first Metropolitan Planning Commission in the Province. The Director of Community Planning in the Department of Municipal Affairs is engaged in discussions with representatives of other areas with a view to the creation of other Metropolitan Planning Commissions throughout the Province. As of January 1st, 1961 the employees of 42 hospitals in Nova Scotia came under a contributory pension plan administered by the Nova Scotia Hospital Association and accepted by the Hospital Insurance Commission. This is the second such plan in Canada and its benefits are available in respect of services rendered in any one or more of the participating hospitals. During the year, the services provided under the Hospital Insurance Act have been extended to include among other services all medically necessary diagnostic X-ray examinations. With the significant increase in hospital beds, higher salaries and improved services, the cost of the hospital insurance plan, and construction grants is now substantially exceeding the revenue from the hospital tax. You will be asked to consider methods of providing additional revenue. The major extension to and modernization of the Pathological Institute will be completed during the year, thus enabling the Province to give an improved laboratory service and improved teaching facilities. Plans are being prepared for the construction of a Nurses' Residence at the Nova Scotia Hospital to provide facilities for resident nurses, affiliate nurses in training, post graduate nurses and registered nursing assistants. The modernization of the old main building at the Nova Scotia Hospital will be continued. The Nursing Homes Act passed at the last session of the Legislature was brought into force by Proclamation effective February 1st, 1961. You will be asked to consider a Bill to assist in the construction of approved nursing homes. You will be asked to consider a Bill to consolidate and modernize the Public Health Act of the Province. Payments under the Old Age Assistance Act, Blind Persons' Allowances Act, Disabled Persons' Allowances Act and Social Assistance Act have been maintained, and the number of persons in receipt of assistance has increased in all cases. Allowances are being paid to 2700 disabled persons under the Disabled Persons' Allowances Act, and in addition social assistance is being paid to 450 disabled persons who do not qualify for Disabled Persons' Allowances. Grants to municipal units for the payment of municipal social assistance will exceed $800,000 in the current year and the outlook is for a continued increase in this program which replaces the old system of poor relief. A new division of field services is being created to make the field services program of the Department more efficient. The winter works program is being utilized to expand building facilities at the Nova Scotia Training School to accommodate an additional twenty children. You will be asked to consider amendments to the Workmens' Compensation Act to provide for an increase in the minimum compensation payable to permanent total disability pensioners, and to provide that the compensation payable shall be 75% of allowable earnings, regardless of the date of the accident. In addition, you will be asked to authorize payments in appropriate cases of an allowance to helpless persons in addition to present benefits paid to permanent total disability pensioners. It is anticipated that the final report of the Royal Comission on Election Practices established by my Government will be laid before you, and you will be asked to consider recommendations contained therein. The Royal Commission on the Nova Scotia Liquor Control Act has completed its public hearings and it is anticipated that a report will be laid before you. The Royal Commission on the Trade Union Act is continuing its hearings and it is expected that a report will be made during the year. Legislation will be introduced to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, the Education Act, the Assessment Act, the Child Welfare Act, the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission Act, the Mines Act, the Lands and Forests Act, the Medical Act, the Domestic, Dominion and Foreign Corporations Act, the Securities Act, and other Acts. The Public Accounts of the Province for the fiscal year ended March 31st, 1960, will be placed before you. An interim statement showing revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year as presently estimated will be furnished to you. Estimates for the fiscal year to commence April 1st, 1961, will be presented to you for consideration. To these and all other matters which may come before you I ask your most careful attention, praying that Divine Providence may guide you in all your deliberations and decisions.