Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Nouvelle-Écosse 50e 1re Discours du Trône 10 Décembre 1970 Victor de B. Oland Lieutenant-gouverneur LIB Nova Scotia: Speech from the Throne, First Session of the 50th General Assembly, December 10th, 1970 I am pleased to welcome you to this the First Session of the Fiftieth General Assembly convened in the Province. I extend my best wishes to each of you, particularly to those of you who are new Members of the House. I note with regret the absence of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. G. I. Smith, and express the hope that he will soon be restored to full health and vigour. My Government considered it desirable to call this Assembly into Session as soon as possible following the recent election to consider legislation to amend the Trade Union Act, in an attempt to resolve problems of labour-management relations in the Province. The proposed amendments have particular reference to labour relations in the construction industry and are designed to provide an effective method to resolve grievance and jurisdictional disputes and to provide more effective enforcement procedures for dealing with violations of collective agreements and the Trade Union Act. In addition, other amendments to the Trade Union Act will be proposed which will have more general application. Legislation will be introduced to extend the right of collective bargaining to fishermen. You will be asked to consider a measure to limit the use of ex parte injunction procedures in relation to labour disputes. My Government recognizes the urgent need for the construction of additional housing units to provide adequate housing accommodation for residents of the Province. My Government also recognizes the need to increase opportunities for families to own their homes. A measure will be introduced to refund the Health Services Tax on building materials to families purchasing and occupying newly-constructed housing units. Negotiations are being conducted with Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation to provide greater flexibility in the construction of housing units through co-operative housing corporations, including arrangements to permit individual ownership and mortgaging of housing units following construction by a co-operative housing group. My Government will table for your consideration a White Paper on housing outlining its policies and the actions that will be taken to meet housing needs. My Government will introduce legislation to establish the office of Ombudsman, who will have jurisdiction to investigate complaints of citizens arising from the performance of administrative functions by public officials. My Government will introduce measures designed to improve the administration of justice with a view to better serving the people of our Province within our legal framework. In particular, legislation will be introduced to provide for night sittings of magistrates courts to enable those required to appear in court in certain circumstances to do so during evening hours. There will be tabled for your consideration the report of the committee that has been engaged in a study of Legal Aid in the Province. You will be asked to consider amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act including an amendment to provide that in the event of certain offences a person who is convicted will not be deprived of his driving privileges while an appeal is pending. Legislation will be introduced to provide for the establishment of a department responsible for economic promotion and development in the Province. This Department will co-ordinate the policies of various agencies of Government now working on industrial development and so create a comprehensive policy for promoting, encouraging and assisting the development of Nova Scotia, while co-ordinating its activities closely with the Federal Department of Regional Economic Expansion. My Government will work towards compiling an industrial profile of the various sections of the Province that will include information on the human and natural resources available in each section, as well as indicating the municipal services and facilities that are available. This will facilitate the economic development of the Province by making available up-to-date information on the resources of the Province. Before completing arrangements with an industry to locate in the Province, my Government will consult with any municipality directly affected by the establishment of the industry with a view to assuring that its establishment is consistent with the development plans of the municipality and does not impose undue burdens upon it. My Government will work towards the establishment of an industrial consultative, or management engineering, council composed of experts in various fields of business who will be available to advise Nova Scotia businessmen on a variety of matters. The development policy of my Government will ensure that the people of Nova Scotia participate to the greatest extent possible in the economic and industrial growth of the Province and that Nova Scotia industries are given opportunity and assistance to expand their production facilities. My Government proposes to establish a new department of Tourism and place greater emphasis on the economic contribution of tourism to the overall well-being of the Province. The department will co- ordinate the functions of Government in the development of the tourist industry and will introduce new programs designed to take full advantage of the potential of the tourist industry in this Province. In addition, my Government is examining the structure and organization of Government to ensure the proper allocation of functions and responsibilities and to improve the effectiveness of departments and agencies. My Government has commenced negotiations with the Federal Government for the establishment of a third National Park in the Province. My Government is concerned that there be better education on the non-medical use of drugs and that treatment facilities be available where required. My Government is awaiting with interest the report of consultants on ways to more effectively coordinate the activities of the Medical Services Insurance Commission, the Nova Scotia Hospital Insurance Commission and the Department of Public Health. In addition, ways of making more efficient use of existing hospital facilities are being examined, with particular emphasis on the role of convalescent beds as well as treatment beds. A Royal Commission will be established to determine the best means of removing the burden of the cost of education from the shoulders of the property taxpayers in this Province. My Government will introduce legislation to eliminate poll taxes. In the welfare field, you will be asked to consider legislation relating to the establishment of day-care centers to increase the accessibility to such facilities and to accommodate children of working mothers. My Government proposes to establish additional Family Courts in areas of the Province that are not now served by such Courts. A Bill will be introduced providing for the establishment of a Provincial Council on Welfare to act as an advisory planning body in the Social Welfare field. Amendments will be sought to the Child Welfare Act, Children of Unmarried Parents Act, the Wives and Children's Maintenance Act and the Adoption Act to improve their effectiveness and administration. My Government will work towards the integration of social welfare policies and economic development policies to overcome poverty. My Government is concerned about the pollution of our natural environment and is conscious of the need to ensure adequate pollution control when new industries are established in the Province. My Government has initiated an assessment of all public policies respecting pollution control with a view to introducing more effective measures to protect our environment. My Government further recognizes that pollution is a matter that goes beyond provincial boundaries, is participating in Federal-Provincial discussions on the subject of environmental management and is prepared to co-operate with other governments in pollution control programs. My Government will establish a policy on oil and natural gas exploration with the aim of keeping the maximum benefit of oil and gas discoveries in the hands of Nova Scotians. To this end, a petroleum administration division will be established within the appropriate Department. Recognizing the significance of agriculture as a primary industry in the Province and the importance of finding markets for agricultural produce, my Government proposes to expand its program of market development by promoting an increase in the use of Nova Scotia products in the Province and by undertaking studies of export marketing opportunities to determine how these markets may best be supplied with agricultural products of the Province. In addition, my Government will enter into a new joint Federal-Provincial agreement under ARDA through which new rural development programs will be established and current programs expanded. My Government proposes to continue the policies of Capital Grants and Interest Subsidy to commercial farmers. An Agricultural Advisory Board will be established so that clear and effective communication can be maintained between the Department of Agriculture and Marketing and farmers organizations. My Government believes that greater emphasis must be placed on the development of the fishing industry to enable it to achieve its maximum rate of economic growth. My Government will formulate a policy designed to emphasize forest management and conservation, to promote the maximum utilization of timber resources and to yield increased returns to primary wood producers. The new facilities for applied research and development recently provided for the Nova Scotia Research Foundation are proving most satisfactory in the Foundation's program of assistance to industry and government. My Government, through the Department of Public Works, proposes to review the economics of present arrangements for housing Government Departments and Agencies throughout the Province and will undertake such construction and renovation of public buildings as appear to be desirable and financially feasible. Among the projects that will be examined are the construction of a Provincial Office Building at Halifax and the requirements for the Nova Scotia Sanatorium at Kentville. The construction of a Central Service Building at the Nova Scotia Hospital at Dartmouth is also under study. The agreement with the Government of Canada respecting the Trans-Canada highway terminates at the end of this year. My Government is reviewing certain areas where that highway has not been constructed to limited access standards to determine the need and feasibility of further work in this regard. My Government intends to increase highway construction in Western Nova Scotia. My Government, feeling that a heavier concentration of maintenance and improvement work should be provided for existing trunk routes and secondary highways, is proceeding with plans that are expected to lead to major improvements to trunk highways and abutting secondary roads. Rising costs of material, equipment and labour plus the continued expansion of the Province's highway system have placed an increasingly heavy burden on the budget of the Department of Highways. A comprehensive maintenance-management study is now being completed and the Department has already implemented some of its recommendations and is reviewing others in a continuing program aimed at increasing operational efficiency and controlling costs. My Government has recently received the report of the Maritime Union Study and believes that measures can be taken to increase cooperation between the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia for the benefit of the entire region and its people. My Government is engaged in negotiations with the Government of Canada respecting the future of the Deuterium Heavy Water Plan and will be reporting to you on the matter. The Minister of Finance and Economics has undertaken a wide-ranging examination of the financial affairs of the Province. Electrical energy requirements continue to increase, resulting in the Nova Scotia Power Commission deciding to increase its generating capacity in eastern and western Nova Scotia. An extension to the Point Tupper Thermal Generating Plant and a new gas turbine unit of 25,000 kilowatts for the Tusket area are planned. Contractual arrangements have been completed jointly with the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission and the Nova Scotia Power Commission and the Nova Scotia Light and Power, effective January 1, 1971, providing for sale of surplus power from Nova Scotia over the inter-provincial grid to New Brunswick, for export to New England. The 1970 Annual Economic Review of the Voluntary Economic Planning Board will be placed before you. A bill will be placed before you to establish a Municipal Boundaries Commission. Legislation will be introduced to amend the Agriculture and Marketing Act, the Education Act, the Consumer Protection Act, the Public Highways Act and other public statutes of the Province. In addition to the measures already referred to, my Government expresses its determination to evaluate the broad range of Government programs. My Government is dedicated to the reform of existing programs and the establishment of new measures in order to improve the standard of living and well- being of the people of Nova Scotia. My Government is aware of the importance of the Sydney Steel Plant to the economy of Cape Breton and, indeed, the entire Province. In order to ensure its viability and competitive position, it is intended to accelerate plans for the revitalization and improvement of the Plant. The Public Accounts for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1970, will be presented for your consideration. An interim statement of the revenue and expenditures for the current fiscal year, as now estimated, will be placed before you. Estimates for the fiscal year to begin April 1, 1971, 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.