Province	Législature	Session	Type de discours	Date du discours	Locuteur	Fonction du locuteur	Parti politique
Nouveau-Brunswick	52e 	1re 	Discours du trône	11 février 1992	M. Gilbert Finn
	Lieutenant-Gouverneur	PL

Madam Speaker, and Honourable Members of the Legislative Assembly, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, I take great pleasure in welcoming you to the opening of the First Session of the 52nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick.

My government was pleased to participate in the Fourth Francophone Summit in 1991 and a number of worthwhile projects will result from this. Included will be the hosting of an international conference in 1992 of education ministers.

L'année dernière, la province a exercé son droit démocratique en réélisant le gouvernement et en élisant une opposition officielle. Je tiens à féliciter tous les membres de la nouvelle Assemblée législative et je suis convaincu que vous êtes tous prêts à servir et à travailler dans l'intérêt supérieur de la population du Nouveau-Brunswick. Je voudrais saluer particulièrement la première présidente de l'Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick, l'hon. Shirley Dysart. J'aimerais également signaler que l'hon. Alan Graham célèbre son 25e anniversaire à titre de député.

Au cours de l'année écoulée, le Nouveau-Brunswick a perdu l'un des plus éminents des siens, l'hon. Richard Bennett Hatfield. L'ancien premier ministre a servi l'Assemblée législative pendant plus de 26 ans, et je suis certain de parler au nom de l'ensemble des parlementaires en saluant son remarquable apport au Nouveau-Brunswick. Sa présence sur la scène provinciale et nationale nous manquera.

Last year saw a new milestone in the creation of a Maritime Forum of Cabinets. For the first time in the history of the region, the Cabinets of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island met in Moncton to initiate a forum on Maritime economic cooperation. I congratulate the three provinces in this effort to work together for the betterment of all Maritimers.

I am sure I speak for all members of this Assembly in offering congratulations to those New Brunswickers who have excelled in the fields of athletics, arts and crafts. Many of these people have received national and international recognition through various awards. We salute them as well as all amateurs and professionals who pursue these challenging activities, and in doing so help to instill pride in our province.

During the past four years, my government successfully completed its Agenda for Change program. The achievements of this first mandate have placed New Brunswick in a much better position to cope with the issues and the problems of the day. This government looks forward to its new mandate and is confident it has the strength and ability to successfully manage the affairs of the province over the next four years.

My government is very concerned about the recessionary conditions we are currently experiencing. Although New Brunswick has very little influence on the worldwide economic slowdown, the government will continue to support all citizens during this difficult period, while at the same time positioning the province for prosperity in the future. The economy and the socio-economic well-being of the people of New Brunswick will dominate my government's new mandate and the beginning of the Fifty-second Legislative Assembly.

Canadians across this country are deeply concerned about our economic well-being, as well as the future stability of our nation. I share the concern and the hopes of all New Brunswickers during this difficult period.

The challenges created by the current economic situation will be preeminent during this session, and the initiatives of my government will be directed at four major objectives. Of foremost concern must be the strengthening of our economy for the 1990s. The development of our human resources through education and training, ensuring security for our social programs, and restructuring government services will also be dominant themes. In partnership with the people of New Brunswick, this government intends to implement a number of initiatives in three areas.

An Economy for the 1990s

An improved economy and job creation will be our chief preoccupation during this session. My government will undertake a comprehensive approach to deal with the current economic downturn. Various initiatives will be implemented to address the immediate impact of the recession and to build the structures necessary for New Brunswick to prosper and meet the economic challenges of the future.

A key element of my government's future economic development thrust is a strengthened economic union with the rest of Canada, and in particular with our partners in the Atlantic region. We will be moving ahead with several initiatives in this area. We will also continue to build on the success of our global trading initiatives, especially through increased exports to the United States.

At the national level, my government will continue to use the First Ministers meeting on the economy as a vehicle to propose ways of improving our economic performance. The government is pleased the government of Canada has accepted New Brunswick's proposal that the minimum down payment for CMHC insurable mortgages be reduced from 10 to five percent.

My government will be presenting the capital budget estimates for 1992-93 to this Assembly. In view of the current state of the economy, the government will seek to ensure that economic infrastructure and job creation receive priority within the overall capital package. My Minister of Finance will be presenting the details of the capital program early in this session.

Highway infrastructure will remain a priority of this government, including the continued development of a four-lane Trans-Canada Highway, as well as other arterial highways and rural roads. The emphasis on health and education capital infrastructure will also be continued, as will clean water control grants to municipalities and capital funds to solid waste committees.

Public sector construction activity in the province, and its ability to create employment, will be further stimulated by NB Power's generation construction program. New wood-fired generating plants at Sussex and Kedgwick are scheduled for construction by a private company. The installation of a scrubber at the plant in Dalhousie will commence this spring. The construction of a new high-voltage transmission system will be completed in the year to provide cash-flow relief to the wood products manufacturing sector have already been announced. While the short-term situation will continue to be monitored, equal emphasis will be given to longer-term forest policy initiatives. You will be asked to consider amendments to the Crown Lands and Forests Aa and the Forest Produas Aa in order to facilitate the implementation of these initiatives.

My government is committed to leadership in the area of fiscal responsibility as well. New legislation will be brought forward which will confirm the government's commitment to balance the Ordinary Account over a four-year period. This legislation will safeguard the financial future of the province. It will also allow New Brunswickers and others to see and evaluate, in a clear manner, the progress the government is making on its financial commitment.

My government is deeply concerned about the forest industry and, while current market conditions are beyond New Brunswick's control, the government believes certain measures can be taken at this time to help alleviate the situation. The objective of my government is to work closely with industry, labour and the private woodlot owners to resolve the long-term problems of competitiveness in the forest industry, while providing financial relief and other assistance through the current recessionary period.

The forest industry will continue to receive priority attention by my government, and the ministerial committee on forestry will function until market conditions for lumber and pulp and paper products improve substantially. Short-term measures province. These projects are expected to help the provincial economy and create badly needed jobs for the people of New Brunswick.

It is evident that New Brunswick will no longer be able to depend heavily on its natural resources for the job opportunities that are needed now and in the future. The shift to a more competitive global economy, along with plant modernization and technological adaptation, is having a considerable impact on those industries responsible for a major part of the province's livelihood.

The number of traditional resource sector jobs that New Brunswickers have come to rely on is expected to decrease in the coming years. While this government will be taking steps to ensure that our primary resource sectors are stabilized and made more competitive, equal emphasis will be given to expanding job opportunities in such industry sectors as high-technology manufacturing, small business and the service industries. My government will be pursuing economic diversification in the 1990s and in doing so will also strengthen the partnership among industry, labour and government.

In recognition of the adverse conditions affecting our forest industry, my government will be bringing forward a series of new approaches intended to improve cost efficiency in the management and operations of Crown timber licenses. These approaches will ensure that the costs of Crown timber are minimized without sacrificing the management objectives established for public lands.

My government continues to be concerned about the value-added capability and employment generation in the mining industry. A comprehensive review of the mineral policy will be completed and released for public discussion during the year. This will be done in cooperation with the industry and will result in a long-term policy for the mining industry in New Brunswick.

Agriculture is the mainstream of rural New Brunswick and this sector is entering a period of uncertainty. My government is very aware of the possible changes in the supply management system that could result from the current round of GATT negotiations. This government will continue to make strong representation to the federal government on those international trade issues that impact on our agricultural industry.

This government recognizes that New Brunswick's competitiveness in food production relies heavily on the availability of a well-managed land base. The land conservation and management program will be expanded in order to increase the total acreage of efficiently managed agricultural land and help conserve our valuable soil.

My government has established a Commission on Land Use and the Rural Environment and a key element of the mandate is extensive public consultation on the difficult issues of land use. All New Brunswickers share a desire to protect, for our use and that of future generations, the rich resources our province offers. My government is confident that following the completion of the Commission's work, a new land use policy can be formulated that will lead to a reduction in land use conflicts, while at the same time protecting and enhancing the quality of the rural environment.

This government remains convinced that rural communities can make more of a contribution to our economy in the 1990s through value-added activities in the agriculture and seafood products sectors. A new food policy is in place and initiatives will be undertaken in food production and processing to help the industry position itself to seize global trading opportunities. My government will build on New Brunswick's comparative advantage, improve our productivity and efficiency, and create more jobs for our people.

My government's development strategy for this decade will include an increased effort to diversify the economy. Small business, the service sector, tourism and high technology manufacturing are the key targeted sectors in the government's economic development strategy, and are part of the goal of creating 25 000 new jobs during the course of the government's new mandate.

An example of the type of new industries that will be required in New Brunswick is the recent establishment of a plant in Dieppe to manufacture components for the space industry. As well, the growth in the service and communications industries in the province has been truly impressive over the past year. My government will continue to pursue aggressively further job opportunities in these growing sectors.

A number of legislative initiatives will be brought forward to help improve business activity in the province. Amendments to the Workers' Compensation Aa will be presented; these amendments will maintain a balanced system of compensation to encourage industrial competitiveness, while providing equitable treatment for injured workers. My government will also be advancing a proposal for consideration to regulate the activities of itinerant merchants, also referred to as transient traders. Revisions will be made to the Research and Productivity Council Ad to allow for changes in the number and composition of the board of directors.

My government will be introducing additional legislation to allow for the adoption of new technology in legal and business practices. Amendments to the Corporation Securities Registration Act, the Evidence Act and the Security Frauds Prevention Act will be introduced to allow for the keeping of certain legal records on microfilm and computer. The regulatory environment will be further simplified for businesses by amending the Arbitration Act to allow for the resolving of disputes through arbitration in some commercial matters.

The economic and regional development agreements continue to represent a vital part of New Brunswick's cost-shared development initiatives with the federal government. A number of extended and new sectoral agreements will be pursued by my government during the year to assist in the further diversification of the resource, small business and industrial sectors.

My government wishes to recognize the important role that credit unions and cooperatives play in the development of our communities. Mechanisms have been established by this government to work in partnership with cooperatives to help expand their role in community economic development. The existing credit union legislation will be replaced by a new credit unions and caisse populaires Act in order to modernize the operating rules and procedures of the valuable institutions.

The government recognizes that existing laws and the legal structure governing property being used as security are in need of fundamental change. My government will be introducing a new personal property security Act that will modernize and consolidate commercial law dealing with the registration of documents. This legislation will replace four existing registry systems, and facilitate the involvement of the New Brunswick business community in national and continental financing transactions. This is part of my government's resolve to simplify the regulatory procedures and make it easier to do business in New Brunswick.

Other economic development and marketing initiatives will be broadened to strengthen the tourism sector. The regional tourism advertising campaign, undertaken with the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, will be expanded this year to help offset the current downturn in travel in the Atlantic Region. My government will also undertake a review of the impact of liquor consumption taxes on the tourist industry. Specific private sector travel products will be packaged and marketed. 

The government has released a discussion document on cross-border shopping, and the Chamber of Commerce and le Conseil Économique are seeking public input on possible solutions to this problem. Following receipt of their recommendations, my government will respond with specific measures that will assist in addressing a decline in retail sales and consumption taxes.

My government shares the business community's concerns with product quality. The quality assurance program will be expanded to include a wider range of products, the tourism sector and other services. In keeping with the intent to undertake longer term initiatives for the 1990s, my government will seek to position New Brunswick as a place where products and services are known nationally and internationally for their exceptional quality.

Energy is one of the basic foundations of our economy and, as such, is vital to the livelihood of all New Brunswickers. The cornerstone of the energy policy is energy efficiency and conservation, and initiatives will be actively pursued in this area. My government will soon release the results of a major study on the energy efficiency potential in New Brunswick. A new energy efficiency Act will be introduced to regulate minimum levels of energy efficiency for major household appliances and other equipment.

NB Power will launch an environmental audit program, and an energy reduction initiative is being undertaken to reduce electrical energy demand. These energy initiatives will boost our economy and reduce operating costs for the benefit of all New Brunswickers.

The government recognizes that labour/management relations in New Brunswick must be improved if we are to develop a healthy economy that will allow New Brunswick to prosper in the 1990s. My government will propose the establishment of an ongoing labour/management forum for business, labour and government to consult on industrial relations issues in a non confrontational setting.

The environment will remain a priority of this government throughout its second mandate. An integrated approach to environmental protection and sustainable development will be a key thrust of my government, and it will be part of the economic development policies for this decade. The work of the Premier's Round Table on Environment and Economy is nearly completed, which will result in a sustainable development policy for New Brunswick.

A number of environmental initiatives will be undertaken by my government as part of an increased effort to protect human health and enhance the quality of life. Regulations will be established under the Beverage Containers Act which will result in a modified deposit and return system for all designated beverage containers sold in the province. A comprehensive review of the environmental impact assessment process will be initiated this year in order to expand and improve public input into the process. The public will be consulted regarding these proposed changes.

Cleaning up our province will be intensified with the Green Up '92 initiative. In partnership with communities and volunteer groups, this government will continue to build on last year's successful roadside litter pickup, beach cleanup and adopt-a-stream programs. The volunteer agency that took the lead role in last year's effort was the Canadian Forestry Association of New Brunswick. My government would like to compliment the hundreds of individuals and volunteer groups, in all parts of the province, whose dedication and environmental commitment represent the driving force for these initiatives.

This year, my government will be expanding the orphan contaminated sites program in an effort to rehabilitate a number of high-risk areas where the original parties responsible cannot be identified. The federal government will be asked to assist in research as well as the cleanup and rehabilitation of a number of chemical and oil contaminated properties.

It is the intent of this government to use the partnership approach to adopt the principles of environmental sustainability in the management of our natural resources. This now plays a key role in the policy of integrated resource management that is applied to our forests. My Department of Agriculture will undertake a number of initiatives to assist the agri-food industry in adopting environmentally sustainable agricultural practices.


My government is committed to the lifelong learning process and strongly believes a trained and well-educated society is a key to ensuring that New Brunswick has a strong economy in the future. Over the course of the new mandate of this government, a series of initiatives will be introduced to ensure that more and better learning opportunities exist for New Brunswickers from childhood to the senior adult level. Access to a strengthened education system for all citizens of the province will be a priority.

The work of the recently established Commission on Excellence in Education will provide the basis for my government's major education policy thrusts for the 1990s. My government sees this as a major step toward the goal of a well-educated work force, and one that will lead to more meaningful jobs and a more prosperous province.

My government intends to proceed with the implementation of its clean air strategy and will introduce an ozone depleting substances regulation. This will help prevent further deterioration of the ozone layer by reducing emissions of depleting substances and chemicals.

A new state-of-the-art environmental laboratory will become operational this year. Modern technology will be applied to test for contaminants in air, water and soil samples with a much faster turnaround time. This capability will lend considerable support to my government's policy formulation in the environmental area.

My government will be supporting a considerable number of both government - and community-sponsored initiatives this year under the environmental trust fund. This major initiative allows for greater flexibility and the ability to respond to environmental issues in a shorter time frame.

The integration of the training and labour portfolios into the new Department of Advanced Education and Labour will improve the government's ability to create a skilled labour force. My government is undertaking program adjustments that will more effectively integrate the labour requirements of our industries with our education and training efforts to ensure that New Brunswick has the best qualified pool of labour now and in the future.

My government will be introducing amendments to the Municipal Elections Act and the Schools Act to provide for the operation of municipal and school board elections as a result of the school board restructuring process. Amendments to the Teachers' Pension Act will be introduced to permit parochial teachers to buy back service time.

The appointment of Canada's first Minister of State for Literacy signaled this government's intent to seriously address the problems of illiteracy in New Brunswick. A key thrust of this office is the establishment of a new and comprehensive literacy program for 1992. Part of this effort will include the establishment of a network of community-based literacy initiatives throughout the province. The objective of this government is to establish at least 100 of these locally based programs throughout New Brunswick during the next four years.

A second element of my government's literacy effort is the development of a government/community partnership for literacy. The establishment of NB Literacy Inc., an organization with a board of directors from business, labour and government, will provide the focus and drive for this initiative. This new agency will directly support community and business efforts in partnership with government initiatives. Program resources will be redirected to promote and improve the level of adult literacy. New efforts will be undertaken to ensure a second chance for individuals whose educational and reading background require support.

In cooperation with the government of Canada, my government will participate in the establishment of a labour force development board to monitor and assess federal and provincial training and human resource development efforts, as provided for in the labour force development strategy.

It is the intention of this government to put greater emphasis on training and other human resource development initiatives as a key component of economic development in New Brunswick. A number of new training and employment initiatives will be introduced in 1992. An expanded Miramichi Community College will be brought into operation. An accreditation system will be established to provide official recognition of prior learning.

Part of my government's human resource development effort is to create meaningful employment opportunities for our trained workers and promote employment mobility. The government was instrumental in helping create an organization that is actively working to eliminate all apprenticeship and occupational certification barriers which impede the mobility of skilled workers in Atlantic Canada.

My government firmly believes the opportunity to participate in education, training and work experiences should be made available to employable income assistance recipients. In the months ahead, a series of measures will be introduced that are designed to ensure that income assistance recipients can benefit from a continuous cycle of training and employment experiences, which will prepare them effectively to reenter the labour force. 

As part of this major health initiative, my government will develop a physician resource plan that will manage the number, distribution and mix of physician resources in New Brunswick over the next decade. Action plans for seniors and childhood services will also be put in place. This will allow my Department of Health and Community Services to do multiyear planning in order to better coordinate and focus services for the youngest to the oldest in our society.

My government's initiatives to strengthen the economy, create jobs and develop our human resources are vital cornerstones of our strategy to develop New Brunswick to its full potential. At the same time, major efforts will continue to ensure our social programs are secure for the future.

Nothing is more fundamental to New Brunswickers than health care, and my government shares this concern as well. A major initiative has been put in place to refocus and rationalize the current system of health and community services while ensuring our citizens have access to quality services. Providing an affordable and equitable health care system is of concern to all governments in Canada today. The task being undertaken by my government will involve structural and program adjustments in the service delivery system. This will encourage the appropriate use of acute hospital services and improve access to community health and other social services.

My government is aware of the concerns New Brunswickers have expressed about the control of health care expenditures, as well as the quality of service. This government will undertake initiatives to make both health care providers and users aware of the monetary value of the health care services they are receiving. These measures will help New Brunswickers develop a better appreciation of the actual costs of health care in our province.

Poverty, and in particular the impact on children, continues to be a major concem of my government. The school milk program is now in place and the Department of Education has been mandated to ensure access for all children to the program. The Commission on Excellence in Education will be coming forward with recommendations on how schools might play a more pivotal role in addressing child poverty.

Tenancy in a mobile home park is a modern phenomenon and my government will address this through amendments to The Residential Tenancies Act. This will more clearly define the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in mobile home parks.

Concern has been expressed to this government about the hesitancy of voluntary donations to food banks. My government will be introducing to the Legislature a new benevolent food and sundries donation Act in order to encourage the donation of food by companies through an extension of liability protection to those involved.

My government intends to present for your consideration a new public prosecutions Act in order to clarify the duties performed by key staff in the Office of the Attorney General. The new Act will define the roles, responsibilities and accountability of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and Crown prosecutors.

My government will continue to work toward the achievement of economic, legal and social equality for women. You will be asked to approve amendments to the Trespass Act to prohibit trespassing on the premises of a transition house or similar establishment. This will provide greater safety to women living in these establishments from being abused or threatened by their spouse or partner.

The impact of global change, together with the current economic recession, requires that our industries, businesses and institutions respond quickly and effectively. Government has a particular responsibility to ensure that it supports and does not impede the capacity of New Brunswick to respond to these changing conditions.

The public sector in New Brunswick now represents about 27 % of the provincial economy. To support the New Brunswick economy in becoming more modern and effective, my government will introduce a number of measures to improve government services, increase efficiency and reduce costs.

The government is clearly aware of the difficulty of serving a court order for maintenance or support due to a lack of critical information. You will therefore be asked to amend the Family Services Act in order to legalize the release of previously restricted information on the location of the person to be served.

My government has undertaken an intensive review of the human rights report Towards a World Family. The Human Rights Act will be brought forward for amendments dealing with specific extension of antidiscrimination rights. These provisions are needed to protect persons who are particularly vulnerable to arbitrary deprivation of their human rights and freedoms.

The pride and image of New Brunswick is frequently reflected through our culture and heritage, and by the artists and custodians of this valuable resource. The government is concerned about the future stewardship of our heritage, as well as the adequacy of protective legislation. My government will therefore work in partnership with individuals and organizations to develop a comprehensive heritage policy for New Brunswick. It is clearly recognized that heritage and culture must continue to be an integral part of the socio-economic fabric of our society.

Following last fall's reduction in the size of Cabinet by 25%, my government is continuing the process of streamlining and restructuring the public service. Wherever possible, the modernization and reorganization of the public service will be carried out in such a manner as to minimize its impact on affected individuals. The streamlining measures will include all aspects of publicly supported activity and will be directed at the goal of improving service to the public through administrative efficiency. The full details of the required administrative changes will be made public during the course of this session.

Some of these details are already well known. Amendments to the Executive Council Act will be introduced to formalize the reduction in the size of Cabinet and the amalgamation of certain departments and agencies of government. The legislation required to effect the school board changes will be introduced and the resulting savings will be passed on to the education system.

A major quality management initiative will be tested with the establishment of pilot government service centres in the province. This concept will consolidate a number of existing government services in a community to one convenient location, thereby providing better services to our citizens with greater cost efficiency.

My government recognizes the important role the government of Canada must play in helping to position the province for long-term growth. Federal/provincial fiscal relations are of major concern and this government will work diligently to renegotiate the renewal of the equalization program and seek to maximize federal transfer payments. My government believes these are constitutional obligations that help ensure New Brunswickers share equally in the benefits available to all Canadians.

My government recognizes the future prosperity of New Brunswick will depend to a large degree on our own ability and initiative. The constructive working relationship with our Maritime partners will continue and a legislative committee on Maritime economic cooperation will be established to seek public input on a number of potential areas of economic cooperation. These initiatives are expected to lead to much closer economic cooperation among our Maritime partners, as well as the regional coordination of some government services for greater efficiency. This committee will submit its report prior to the second Maritime Forum of Cabinets meeting in June of this year.

Framework legislation for each of the Maritime Provinces will be introduced in the three Legislative Assemblies this year in order to formalize certain economic cooperation initiatives. Included in this will be changes to legislation governing public purchasing, securities regulation and transportation. In New Brunswick, changes to the Business Corporations Act, the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act, the Companies Act and the Limited Partnership Act will also be brought forward for amendments. These legislative initiatives will eliminate the need for companies and businesses to register in all three provinces.

The Representation and Electoral District Boundaries Commission will be submitting an interim report to my government this year. The recommendations are expected to consider the number of electoral districts, the average number of voters per riding and representation in the Legislature by the aboriginal people of New Brunswick.

This government is aware of the concerns that New Brunswickers have with the tax system. We must ensure the level of taxation is not so high that it destroys the capacity and motivation of those in a position to contribute to the economic and social development of New Brunswick. My government will develop and release a Green Paper on Tax Reform for public discussion with both citizens and business establishments on a wide range of taxation issues.

My government recognizes that municipalities and local service districts continue to play an important role in the delivery of essential services to the people of New Brunswick. Mechanisms to encourage more efficient delivery of services through local governments will be considered as part of the restructuring initiative.

A number of legislative initiatives will be undertaken by my government to help improve the management and delivery of public services. The Crown Lands and Forests Aa will be amended to simplify the process of approving boundary changes to timber licenses and issuing leases on Crown lands. An amendment to the Municipal Capital Borrowing Act will simplify the approval of municipal capital borrowing requests. The Public Utilities Act will be amended to clarify the authority of the Public Utilities Board concerning the recovery of expenses from the applicant for certain types of hearings.

Constitutional Concerns

The process of renewing the Canadian federation is essential to securing a more prosperous New Brunswick. In this regard, my government recognizes that constitutional change cannot be successfully achieved without meaningful consultation.

My government will therefore take immediate steps to establish a committee of the Legislature to hear the views of New Brunswickers on the report of the New Brunswick Commission on Canadian Federalism. As an important part of this process, there will be a citizens' Assembly in which New Brunswickers will be invited to work actively with members of this House to find a consensus on renewal of the federation.

In this consultative process, members of this Assembly will be challenged to both renew and build partnerships. In particular, you will be asked to strengthen the partnership between the official linguistic communities of New Brunswick. You will also be challenged to establish a new partnership with the aboriginal peoples of New Brunswick. To complement this consultative process, my government will seek to play a constructive role with other governments.

My government has presented to you a four-part program that emphasizes economic development and prosperity. While the program recognizes the current recessionary period, more importantly it also sets the stage for developing and managing the province for prosperity in the l990s. Our social programs will be protected. The government will also act in the best interests of our people in the constitutional debates. My government remains optimistic that a strong and united Canada will prevail and, with the help of our people, New Brunswick will become a more prosperous and vibrant province.

The public accounts for the period ending March 31, 1991, will be presented to you, together with the statement of estimated revenues and expenditures for the coming year.

I pray that Divine Providence will guide you in your deliberations, and will continue to bless the people of New Brunswick.