Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Ontario 26e 3e Discours du Trône 22 novembre 1961 John Keiller MacKay Lieutenant Governor Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario Mr. Speaker and members of the legislative assembly of Ontario: It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to the Third Session of this Twenty-sixth Legislature. In extending to you this welcome I know that you would wish me to take cognizance of the retirement of the former Prime Minister who has given able and distinguished leadership to this House for the past 12 years and whose conscientious and unflagging efforts have made such a notable contribution to the economic wellbeing and development of this great province and its people. At the same time, I know you would wish to join in extending to the new Prime Minister and his associates our best wishes and prayers that they be guided in wisdom and righteousness in carrying out the heavy responsibilities they have assumed. For the second consecutive year, the Legislature is commencing its session in the autumn in conformity with the pattern of last year. Hon. members will have ample opportunity to study, consider and discuss the government's financial and economic program, including the budget, the estimates of each department, new legislation and numerous other matters calculated to promote the growth and development of our province and the prosperity of our people. As in past years, the government's program has been designed to achieve an economic climate conducive to industrial expansion and employment. The year 1961 has witnessed a strong resurgence of economic growth. The pace of economic activity has accelerated. One by one the major economic indicators have advanced to higher levels. Ontario's gross provincial product has risen to an annual rate of $16 billion. The rate of unemployment on a seasonally adjusted basis has declined since last February. Ontario's ratio of unemployment is well below the national average and substantially less than it has been in the last two years. The manufacturing industries, which exercise such an important effect upon the health of the whole provincial, and, indeed, the national economy are now operating at record production levels. Despite the declining output of uranium and iron ore, the entire value of Ontario's mineral production will again approximate 1960's record of almost $1 billion. The output of our forest industries has increased. Despite a number of difficulties, housing construction is running well above that of last year. Agricultural output has risen. Exports have been increasing. An encouraging aspect of our economy is that public confidence has been well maintained and that the broad economic picture suggests a continuance of growth and expansion throughout the coming year. We cannot be complacent, however. The possible entry of the United Kingdom and other countries into the European Economic Community will introduce new stresses and strains. The price of progress must be unceasing attention to ways and means of improving quality and cutting costs. The legislative, financial and economic program that will be presented to this House is the most comprehensive in our history. Among many other measures designed to promote the progress and economic well-being of our province, this program will include: 1. New methods to promote co-operation between industry, labour and government, and to increase production and employment; 2. New measures to expand agricultural and industrial research facilities; 3. A major increase in the province's assistance to education. Not only will grants to local school boards be increased, but also larger contributions will be made to universities. Of great importance too will be the continued operation of the $200 million federal-provincial-municipal program to provide trade and technical school education for our growing industrial economy; 4. New measures to conserve and develop our natural resources; 5. An accelerated program of highways, parks and economic development in northern Ontario; 6. Measures to strengthen individual and family security; 7. Additional advances in mental health care and hospital services; 8. Action to improve the Emergency Measures Organization; 9. New federal-provincial tax-sharing arrangements. A comprehensive plan is being evolved to assist the economy in achieving a satisfactory rate of economic growth. My government is aware that there is no easy solution to our difficulties, or that it can provide some magic formula, which, if taken in sufficient doses, would cause them to disappear. Since the task ahead requires the co-operation of all major groups in the economy, an advisory committee for economic development has been established, composed of men of wide experience in industry, labour and government. Among the sub-committees to be established under the new advisory committee will be one to study the special problems of northern Ontario. In addition, legislation will be introduced to merge The Department of Economics and The Department of Commerce and Development under the title of The Department of Economics and Development. This will permit a closer integration of the work of The Department of Economics, which studies economic conditions and trends, with the work of The Department of Commerce and Development, which places special emphasis upon industrial promotion. Increased emphasis is to be placed upon industrial research, with the result that the work of the Ontario Research Foundation will be expanded. Plans for the development of additional supplies of power and energy in all parts of the province will be placed before you. The 100,000 kilowatt thermal generating unit at the Thunder Bay station in Fort William is to be brought into service early in 1962. Progress is being made on the Lakeview thermal generating station, which is designed to supply 1,800,000 kilowatts of power. Hydro-electric power stations, which have a total dependable capacity of 500,000 kilowatts, are under construction, or are planned in the James Bay watershed. The capacity of these new power stations is sufficient to meet the electric power requirements of nearly all of Ontario's 1,650,000 homes. Of the two nuclear power stations now under construction, the plant at Rolphton, near Des Joachims, will be brought into service next spring. You will be asked to consider legislation providing for the consolidation of the northern Ontario hydro-electric power system, commonly known as the "northern Ontario properties," with the southern Ontario system. This will provide for the financial integration of all systems and permit a more economical development and operation of electric power plants throughout the whole province. The residents of northern Ontario will be ensured greater stability of supplies of power at a reasonable cost. The Department of Energy Resources, with the full co-operation of industry, has been preparing a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for the guidance of all who are concerned with energy production and distribution. This work is nearing completion and the regulations will shortly be implemented. The Department has developed an expanded program to survey all provincial energy resources. During the coming year, a review of all fuel resources within the province will be undertaken. An examination into natural gas storage capacity is being made. Codes and regulations governing the natural gas industry will be reviewed to ensure that they are adequate and effective. Legislation will be introduced to set up an Agricultural Research Institute to coordinate agricultural research in Ontario. Administrative changes to produce greater efficiency and economy will be introduced in connection with the Ontario Agricultural College, the Ontario Veterinary College and the MacDonald Institute at Guelph. The Co-operative Association Act will be introduced to provide means to assist agricultural co-operatives in the fields of marketing and transportation. You will be asked to amend The Livestock Products Act to provide for the making of regulations to permit bonding of livestock dealers. To simplify the procedures in connection with drainage, your approval will be sought for the consolidation of five related acts. The Department of Lands and Forests will expand its program of forest management, preservation of wild life and the maintenance and development of additional park areas. In addition to the growing number of provincially assisted parks in conservation areas, the provincial parks system now consists of 79 provincial parks. Seventeen new parks were brought into operation last year and many others are now under development or are being planned. More wilderness areas will be added to the 35 already established. You will be asked to provide increased funds for research in forest management, fish and wild life. The conservation functions of The Department of Commerce and Development are being transferred to The Department of Lands and Forests, so that the main conservation efforts of this government and its municipalities will be concentrated in one department. In the field of mining, the province has entered into a number of joint projects with the government of Canada to provide airborne geophysical surveys for the mapping of the whole province. Paralleling this development will be an expansion of The Department of Mines' geological work to provide for increased field work and for more geological reports and maps. These surveys will provide additional information for prospectors and result in further mineral developments. The program of matching grants to regionally-based organizations as an incentive to the development and promotion of local tourist attractions, which commenced in 1961, will be continued. The Department of Travel and Publicity will continue its program of establishing new and relocating old reception centres as new bridges and highways are constructed. It is intended to continue the search for some early Huron villages and to carry out excavations at historic sites, as well as to continue the program of commemorating historic events and places by means of plaques. You will be asked to provide a substantial increase in assistance for education. The growth in the enrolment in our elementary and secondary schools continues to impose a heavy strain upon our resources, both financial and physical. Some indication of the dimensions of this problem may be obtained from last year's increase of more than 100,000 pupil places, constructed at a cost of $100 million. As the growth in enrolment shows no signs of abatement, expansion must continue. Revisions of courses of study are under way in many subjects for both elementary and secondary schools. The major undertaking for next year is the development of new courses for kindergarten and grades one to six. New text-books in history, geography and science have been prepared. Staffing the Ontario school system is requiring herculean efforts, but the results are gratifying. The number of teachers graduating from the provincial teachers- colleges is more than double that of just five years ago. None of this would have been possible without the expansion in our teachers' colleges. The sixth of the new buildings provided for teachers-colleges during the last six years is now under construction in Windsor. The other five recently built are located in Toronto, Hamilton, London, New Toronto and Port Arthur. The extension of facilities has gone hand-in-hand with the program to raise the standards of admission to these institutions. The growing industrialization of our province and the need for special skills and greater adaptability in industry and business has pointed up the value of the institutes of technology and other trade and vocational schools. Under the new federal-provincial technical and vocational training agreement, the two senior levels of government assume the capital cost of the schools. As a result, a large number of local school boards are providing increased accommodation for the teaching of technical and business courses. New trade schools will be established in Toronto Ottawa, London and Sault Ste. Marie, and a new institute of technology is planned for Kirkland Lake. A new institute of technology building will replace the present rented quarters in Ottawa. The Ryerson Institute of Technology will be completed to accommodate a total enrolment of about 4,000 pupils. Amendments will be introduced to The Department of Education Act, The Schools Administration Act, The Secondary Schools and Boards of Education Act, The Public Schools Act, The Separate Schools Act, and The Public Libraries Act. Mental and public health services and procedures are constantly being revised in keeping with scientific and professional progress. You will be asked to approve plans and vote monies for improvement to our mental hospitals. A unit of the Ontario hospital school at Orillia that has been demolished will be rebuilt. Two other wings will be replaced in the future. Residential wings will be set up in all Ontario hospitals as well as in the three new hospitals at Goderich Owen Sound and Palmerston. Increased emphasis will be placed upon rehabilitation. A new rehabilitation branch has been established to provide in-hospital and post-hospital training and local vocational training for patients successfully treated in our mental and TB hospitals. The work of the new radiation protection laboratory, the first established by any province, will be accelerated. Efforts will continue to be made to encourage young men and women to enter the medical and nursing professions. Enrolment in the Ontario Hospital Services Plan is continuing to rise. More than 5.8 million Ontario residents--more than 95 per cent of the population --are now free from worry over the financial hazards of hospitalization. This is an increase of 5.3 per cent over membership in the plan a year ago. The report of the departmental committee set up to study physical fitness in this province will be made available to the hon. members during the course of the session. The physical fitness of our people, including not only our youth, but our post-school age population, is a matter of great concern to your government and the committee's report will be useful in setting out a basis for our future activities in this field. Action will be taken to make full use of the recent federal proposals. My government welcomes the establishment by the federal government of the Royal Commission on Health Insurance. We will make technical assistance available and cooperate fully with the commission in the conduct of its enquiry. In the field of welfare, the committee appointed to review Ontario's child welfare program will report upon the completion of its work. Legislation will be introduced to serve children who reside in charitable institutions operated by private organizations. Under new concepts of care and treatment, children with emotional problems will be able to receive the type of residential care and specialized attention that they require. Consideration will be given to the establishment of community children's villages to serve pre-delinquent children. A bill will be introduced to replace the present Charitable Institutions Act with respect to the care of adults. The rehabilitation program for handicapped persons is being widened to include those on the welfare roles who need rehabilitation services. The construction of new highways, the improvement of existing facilities and the provision of financial assistance to the municipalities for road and street construction will continue. The Department of Highways, working in close co-operation with other departments, is conducting extensive research into the means of financing highway and road construction. Municipal traffic studies will be encouraged by provincial technical assistance and grants of 75 per cent of the cost. Plans are underway to construct new roads linking major airports to adjacent communities. The Rainy Lake causeway is scheduled for completion in 1962, and construction is proceeding at both ends of the Fort Frances-Atikokan highway. Additional work will be done on the trans-Canada highway and on new roads in northern Ontario. As part of the federal-provincial roads to resources program, forestry roads of a new type will be constructed by The Department of Highways in northern Ontario. Additional appropriations will be required for 401 highways, which is scheduled for completion in 1963. Rapid progress is being made on the construction of 403 highways, the Hamilton by-pass. Work will continue on the new controlled access 40.S highway between the Homer Skyway and the new international bridge at Queenston, providing a more direct link between the Queen Elizabeth Way and New York State Thruway. Legislation will also be introduced to increase from 80 to 90 per cent the contribution of the province towards bridges and culverts on any connecting link in towns and villages having a population of more than 2,500, other than separated towns. The Department of Transport will continue the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure the safe and orderly movement of highway traffic and to improve driving performance. The policy of re-examining selected driver groups will be expanded. Amendments to The Highway Traffic Act will be proposed to keep pace with new concepts of traffic demands and to further the cause of safety. An analysis of the two-year experience with the demerit point system indicates that it has been an outstanding success and has done much to encourage and improve proper driving attitudes. Legislation will be advanced to further increase its effectiveness and to eliminate apparent inequities in the present system. The successful operation of vehicle inspection lanes in the Metropolitan Toronto area has emphasized the significance of this safety activity and it is proposed to expand this service by making available mobile inspection units to provide inspection facilities in support of community safety programs throughout the province. This problem of highway safety has also continued to receive attention from the other departments concerned and a Cabinet committee, consisting of the Attorney-General (Hon. Mr. Roberts), and the Ministers of Highways (Hon. Mr. Goodfellow) and Transport (Hon. Mr. Rowntree), has been set up to provide for greater co-ordination of government activities in this field. A constant review is being made of the situation and studies are continually being carried out to effect improvements, by way of greater police protection on our highways, improved road construction and more effective highway usage. It is expected that a report of the select committee on automobile insurance will be submitted to the Legislature shortly. The committee set up to study expropriation procedures has nearly completed its work and it is expected that a report will be presented before the close of the session. The Royal Commission on Industrial Safety has now presented its report and it has been made available to the hon. members of the Legislature and to the public. This report is under active study in The Department of Labour. Legislation will be introduced at this session in reference to many of the recommendations contained in the report. Action is being taken to resolve management and labour problems in the construction industry. During the past year, a special Construction Industry Arbitration Board was appointed to adjudicate u p o n grievances arising in connection with the construction industry in Toronto. A Royal commissioner has also been appointed to report upon problems in the industry with a view to creating greater harmony and stability. It is anticipated that the commissioner's report will be completed and made available before the end of this session. The Department of Labour is also carrying on investigations and providing assistance wherever required. Action will be taken to strengthen the government's legislation and administration in support of the maintenance of human rights irrespective of race, language, sex, color or creed. Hon. members have received copies of the Second Report of the Ontario Committee on Portable Pensions and a suggested draft of The Pension Benefits Act. The portable pensions committee is, at present, reviewing the draft bill and drafting regulations pursuant to it. You will be given an opportunity to study and review progress on this important matter. The Department of the Provincial Secretary and Citizenship will require additional funds to conduct seminars for ethnic and community leaders. The Department has co-operated with The Department of Education in training teachers to teach English to newcomers. The province's liquor legislation, including education, research, and control, is under review. Various bills relating to municipal affairs will be introduced in the Legislature, including amendments to The Assessment Act, The Local Improvement Act, The Municipal Act, The Ontario Municipal Board Act, and The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto Act. To accelerate the construction of the subway in Metropolitan Toronto and to increase employment, you will be asked to approve a $60 million loan to Metropolitan Toronto. Continuing improvements will be made to the province's reform program. A new training school for girls at Lindsay will soon be in operation. A new training school for boys is under construction at Simcoe. The state of international relations justifies the strengthening of our Emergency Measures Organization and the development of plans to co-ordinate and organize facilities and services in case of war. The details of the action to be taken will be outlined to you. The province's Emergency Measures Organization is being transferred to The Attorney General's Department. In the administration of justice, constant efforts are being made to meet changing situations. The government will introduce legislation providing for the creation of an Ontario Police Commission vested with comprehensive powers relating to the maintenance of law and order in Ontario. A report recently prepared on county and district court jurisdiction and related matters will be tabled and will be the basis of a plan to provide better utilization of our judicial services at the county and district court levels. Plans are being drawn to make our civil courts more readily available to the public who have occasion to seek justice there. Appropriate legislation will be introduced to give effect to a number of the recommendations in the report. You will be requested to approve legislation to enable the government to enter into the new tax-sharing arrangements which have been negotiated with the federal government to replace the existing arrangements due to expire on March 31, 19O2. The new arrangements, under which the province will be free to impose, adjust and alter its tax rates in the major fields of direct taxation in accordance with its financial requirements, will provide a much greater measure of flexibility in the raising of provincial revenue. Not only will increased revenues accrue to the province from the individual income tax field without a corresponding increase in the burden of taxation, but also the province will be afforded the opportunity of entering into a tax collection agreement under which the federal government will collect the tax. Legislation amending The Corporations Act will be introduced to codify the Common Law with respect to the power of corporations to grant mortgages on property, and also to provide reciprocal legislation to make it possible for a corporation, incorporated under another jurisdiction in Canada, to amalgamate with an Ontario corporation. It is proposed to amend The Corporations' Information Act to provide the public with more up-to-date information with respect to changes in the affairs of corporations as they occur. Plans will be presented to establish a committee of the Legislature to deal with the matter of redistribution. It is the intention of my government, through this procedure, to provide our people with complete and effective representation, based on the changes in our population pattern of the last few years. The legislative and financial program that will be placed before you this session is designed to promote expansion and development and to improve the scope and efficiency of the province's social, welfare and economic services. It embraces all the departments and agencies of the government. It has been formulated with regard to both the needs of our province and its financial capacity to support the program. I am confident that the hon. members will give their conscientious attention to the consideration of this program. May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.