Province Législature/Legislature Session Type de discours/Type of speech Date du discours/Date Locuteur/Speaker Fonction du locuteur/Function Parti politique/Political party Nouvelle-Écosse / Nova-Scotia 49 3 Discours du Trône/Speech from the Throne 13-02-69 Victor de B. Oland Lieutenant-governor PC Nova Scotia: Speech from the throne, Third Session of the 49th General Assembly, February 13th, 1969 I am pleased to welcome you to this the third Session of the 49th General Assembly convened in the Province and I extend my best wishes to each of you, particularly to the members who will be serving for the first time at this Session. This Session is of particular historic significance as it was 150 years ago on February 11th, 1819, that the House of Assembly first met in this building and it has continuously met here since that time. We were saddened during the year by the untimely death of the Honourable Alexander A. MacIsaac, a member of the Government and the representative of the County of Guysborough. My Government has continued its study on constitutional matters and as recently as the past week representatives attended the Federal-Provincial Conference on constitutional matters in Ottawa. My Government continues to urge the creation and implementation of an effective national policy designed to stimulate economic development in all parts of Canada. Indications are that the Sydney Steel Corporation will show an operating profit in its first year of Government ownership and operation, and it is a pleasure to report that it now appears that the performance of the Corporation is likely to justify its continuing operation. The Industry Committee to be appointed will be asked to meet as soon as practicable so that members may have an early opportunity, among other things, to inquire into any matter relating to general industrial development or individual enterprises. Legislation will be introduced to authorize, under appropriate conditions, Committees of the House to meet and conduct studies between sessions of the Legislature. Pursuant to the provisions of the Medical Care Insurance Act enacted at the last Session of the Legislature, my Government has appointed a Medical Care Insurance Commission and an agreement has been entered into with Maritime Medical Care Incorporated for the assessment and payment of claims under the plan for the provision of medical services which is to come into effect April 1, 1969. Substantial additional revenue will be required to pay for the Nova Scotia share of the cost of providing this service. During the present fiscal year my Government again carried out the greatest highway program undertaken in the Province. In the coming fiscal year the highway construction program will be continued at as rapid a rate as available funds will permit. If the amount of Federal contribution decreases the size of the program will have to be curtailed accordingly. The entire length of the Trans Canada Highway in Nova Scotia is now open to traffic, including many sections of a new controlled access highway, and it is anticipated that this program will be basically completed during the coming fiscal year. Substantial mileages of new highways through the Annapolis Valley and through the South Shore were opened to traffic during the year, and additional sections of these highways will be constructed in 1969 which will provide better transportation facilities for the residents and industries of those areas. Major improvements were carried out on sections of Trunks 1 and 3 so as to improve the facilities in western Nova Scotia. In the coming spring some sections of the new main trunk highways of the Province will be substantially free from the usual spring weight restrictions and on some other trunk highways the percentage of summer weights will be increased. In the field of Human Rights, legislation will be introduced consolidating and expanding the provisions of the Human Rights Commission Act and the Human Rights Act so as to provide, among other things, the broadening of the scope of protection afforded under the law to all of our citizens. A Co-Ordinator of Human Rights has been appointed, and a nucleus of a staff has been provided to enforce the anti-discrimination provisions of the Human Rights Act; to analyze, deal with and process complaints, and to develop an effective program of education and information concerning Human Rights and the work of the Commission; and to conduct research into problems brought to the attention of the Commission by individuals, groups, or organizations. In view of the increasing scope and complexity of legislative and government activities since the report of the last Select Committee on the appointment of an Ombudsman, you will be asked to appoint a Select Committee to inquire as to whether or not the appointment of an Ombudsman is now required or desirable. You will be asked to consider legislation respecting equal pay for equal work. Amendments will be introduced to the Trade Union Act, and appropriate legislation will be proposed, to provide for collective bargaining rights for policemen. You will be asked to consider amendments to the Workmen's Compensation Act and to improve its provisions for workmen. My Government continues its interest in local government and the joint Provincial- Municipal Fact Finding Committee has met frequently throughout the year. The problems to be dealt with were found to be of great scope and complexity. The work of the Committee is continuing as rapidly as practicable. An interim report of the Committee will be laid before you for consideration. As a result of a thorough study of town and community planning you will be asked to consider new legislation respecting the problems of planning. The program of the Nova Scotia Housing Commission for the coming fiscal year involves a wide range of activities in housing construction and residential site development throughout the Province. New emphasis will be placed on cooperative building and self help projects. Where shortages in low cost building lots exist, measures will be taken to overcome these shortages. My Government is prepared to continue cooperative arrangements with Provincial and Municipal Governments in these fields. Because of the growing importance of the tourist industry my Government will continue and expand promotional work in this field, as well as in the field of industrial development. A new tourist bureau will be constructed in the Caribou area to meet the needs of the expanding tourist traffic in that area. A new 40-unit building, replacing some of the original accommodation at Keltic Lodge, is nearing completion and will be available for occupancy at the opening of the next tourist season. The modernization program at the Pines Hotel will be continued and a start will be made this year on modernizing and refurbishing the various cottages on the property. A measure will be laid before you to provide for the creation of a Sherbrooke Planning Area and a Sherbrooke Restoration Comission leading to the acquisition of appropriate land and the establishment of an historic villagw in that area. The Department of Agriculture and Marketing, in addition to providing a wide range of financial assistance policies and technical services to farmers, will continue the Capital Grants Program to full time commercial farmers and will continue the payment of a 50 per cent subsidy of the interest and loans to commercial farmers and young farmers who are borrowers from the Nova Scotia Farm Loan Board or the Farm Credit Corporation. The Nova Scotia Crop Insurance Commission will for the first time offer crop insurance contracts for spring grain crops during the present calendar year. Detailed studies are now under way on projected yields, market trends and uses of forest resources in relation to future planning. The Provincial Forest Inventory is continuing and reports of these inventories for the Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Lunenburg and Queens subdivisions have been completed and published. Reports for the Halifax, Hants, Cumberland and Colchester areas will be completed and available in 1969. The reforestation program throughout the Province will be continued and expanded and trials conducted for chemical fertilizers to improve forest growth are giving promising results. A province wide Coordinate Surveys System was initiated during the year with the establishment of coordinate control in the area recently annexed to the City of Halifax. The Coordinate Control established in the Sydney area will be expanded during the coming year. A Land Holdings Disclosure Act will be laid before you for consideration. This Act will apply where land outside the boundaries of a city or town is held by non-residents of the Province. The fishing industry has had a difficult year as a result of a severe decline in prices for cod and other ground fish in United States and Caribbean markets. Nevertheless the grand totals of landings of all species in terms of both quantity and value exceed all previous records. These results were produced chiefly by the growing rate of utilization of our herring resources and good prices for scallops. But, throughout the industry, this year's experience has served to demonstrate that through diversification of equipment, methods and products our varied fisheries resources can be utilized so as to add stability and strength to the economy of the Province. My Government will continue to work cooperatively with the Government of Canada in efforts to alleviate current problems and to build a sound future for this industry. Our Department of Fisheries had developed working arrangements with the Federal Department for continuing programs of experimental and exploratory projects aimed at broadening the base of fishing activities and improving the utilization of the resources. In the coming year the emphasis will be chiefly on the production of food-herring, assessment of the red crab resources and experiments with newly developed oyster farming methods. In the field of Public Health changes are planned in the administration of the health units so as to bring the cities of the Province within the Provincial Health Unit Program. The new addition to the Victoria General Hospital is almost fully operative and the renovations to the older building will be completed late in 1969. With the completion of these two Projects 875 beds will be available at this hospital late in this year. The new building at the Institute of Pathology has been officially opened although not yet fully operative. It is expected that the building will be in full operation later in the year and will thus provide further services for the increased demand from the Victoria General Hospital and the training programs. Legislation to amend and modernize the Victoria General Hospital Act will be presented to you for consideration. The Government of Canada has informed my Government that the Federal Health Grants which have been of major assistance to the health programs of the Province will be reduced in 1969 by 25 per cent and will be followed by a further similar reduction in 1970 and in subsequent years until the grants are phased out. A Committee has been established to consider the feasibility of establishing a province- wide home nursing program. The Royal Commission on the Halifax County Hospital at Cole Harbour is completing its public hearings and it is expected that an interim report by the Commissioner will be laid before you for consideration. Petroleum exploration by a number of large companies has continued during the year on offshore areas covered by licenses issued by the Province and the next two years should see a major intensification of drilling for petroleum in those areas. Almost continuous drilling for salt by commercial companies during the past few years has resulted in the location of 18 substantial salt deposits and as many more are geophysically indicated but have not been drilled or proven. With the single exception of the year 1965, the output of salt has reached new records each year since 1961 and the demand for salt for all purposes, including use in the chemical industry, exceeds the output. My Government has cooperated with the City of Halifax in the formation of a corporation to promote the development of the Port of Halifax for the handling and forwarding of "containerized cargo" so called. My Government continues to regard transportation as one of the larger problems faced by industry in the Province. In co-operation with the Governments of the other Atlantic Provinces, and with the Maritimes Transportation Commission, my Government is continuing its efforts to the end that a new regional transportation policy in the Atlantic Region might be formulated and will continue to make representations to the Government of Canada so that some method by which the competitive position of industry in Nova Scotia can be protected and improved. The Department of Public Works has had an active year. The refurbishing and renovations to Province House were commenced and it is proposed that the program will be completed during the coming fiscal year. With the financial assistance of the Government of Canada, substantial new buildings have been added to the Nova Scotia Agricultural College at Truro and four new Regional Vocational Schools were completed during the year, and an addition made to an existing Regional Vocational School. In addition, three new Regional Vocational Schools are scheduled for completion early in the spring of 1969 and tenders are expected to be received early in March for the construction of a new Regional Vocational School at Yarmouth. Construction has started on a new Nova Scotia Museum of Science in Halifax and the building is scheduled for completion in 1970. Erection of a complex of six interconnected buildings for the Nova Scotia School for Boys at Shelburne is now under way and is scheduled for completion early in the spring of 1969. Construction of homes for retarded children was commenced at Sydney and Dartmouth and is scheduled for completion in 1969. Legislation will be introduced to improve the organization of the Nova Scotia Housing Commission and to provide new definitions of its duties and responsibilities. You will be asked to appoint a Select Committee to examine existing laws and procedures for the expropriation of land both at Provincial and Municipal levels and to recommend what changes, if any, should be made. The Nova Scotia Power Commission's two new thermal generating plants being built at Trenton and Point Tupper are expected to begin operations in the fall of this year. These will bring the total installed capacity of the Commission up to 533,000 kilowatts and will provide for the new and expanding industries in Pictou County and in the Strait of Canso area. A large part of the Power Commission's $36,000,000 capital budget for this year has been assigned to the construction of approximately 200 miles of high voltage transmission, to strengthen inter-provincial and internal grid systems. In the fields of Welfare and Social Assistance my Government proposes to increase the maintenance rate under the Child Welfare Act for children in child caring institutions, and to increase under the Female Prisoners Maintenance Act the maintenance rate for young women offenders in correctional institutions. Under the Social Assistance Act the maintenance budget for a family will be increased from 70 percent to 100 percent of the minimum maintenance requirement and the maximum payment to needy families will be increased from $150.00 to $175.00 per month. In addition, assistance will be paid to certain categories of unemployable females between the ages of 60 and 65. My Government is proceeding, in consultation with municipal authorities and special consultants, to formulate guide lines respecting the amalgamation of School Boards in the Province. The broadening and coordination of policy with respect to examinations and the promotion of school pupils has been undertaken by my Government, and commencing in June of 1969 the writing of Provincial examinations for Grade XI Provincial Certificates will be optional. A measure will be laid before you to provide for the establishment of an Institute of Education having as its primary or immediate purpose the coordination of existing teacher education programs. The annual report and economic review of the Voluntary Economic Planning Board is nearing completion and will be published during the coming fiscal year. The new building in Dartmouth, containing improved and modern laboratory and office facilities for the Research Foundation of Nova Scotia is nearing completion and will be occupied in 1969. You will be asked to provide increased funds to enable the Foundation more effectively to carry out its work as the scientific and industrial research agency for the Province. With the enactment of the Consumer Services Act and the creation of a Consumer Services Bureau under it, the activity in the field of consumer services and consumer protection has increased and diversified Consultations with representatives of the Government of Canada and with other Provinces are continuing with a view to ensuring better protection to consumers. The growing number and complexity of problems of water resources are becoming more apparent as a consequence of increased industrialization, urban concentration, changes in agricultural practices and increased demands for recreational facilities. My Government recognizes the urgent need of conserving and making the best use of our water resources and for adequate pollution control measures. The Nova Scotia Water Resources Commission is studying the problems and using its best endeavours, in conjunction with other scientific and industrial agencies and bodies, to find solutions. In the Department of the Provincial Secretary the Division of Administrative Services has continued to assist and advise the Departments and Agencies in revising and improving their administrative systems and procedures. This Division has rendered substantial assistance and advice to the Medical Care Insurance Commission and to Maritime Medical Care Insurance in matters relating to the Medical Care Insurance Program. The report of the Royal Commission on Election Expenses and Legislative Allowances will be laid before you. You will be asked to appoint a Select Committee on revision and reform of existing laws which will consider particularly the laws relating to the enforcement of orders for the payment of money made by Courts and other authorities, including the issue of warrants for non-payment of taxes, and provisions, within provincial jurisdiction, of the law relating to bail and recognizance at all stages of an action. It is clear that revenues beyond those available from natural growth of existing sources will be required to meet rapidly rising costs of government services in addition to the Province's share of the costs of Medical Care Insurance. The budget will contain an estimate of the additional amounts of revenue required for those purposes. You will be asked to appoint a Select Committee of the House to study the various sources from which the additional revenues may be obtained and to recommend to the House the ways and means by which this may best be done. Legislation will be introduced to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, the Credit Union Act, the Executive Council Act, the Juries Act, the Housing Commission Act and other public statutes of the Province. The Public Accounts of the Province for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1968, will be presented for your consideration. An interim statement of the revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year as now estimated will be placed before you. Estimates for the fiscal year to begin on April 1, 1969, 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.