Manitoba Hansard — 20 January 1960 (Sitting 2, 26th Legislature, 2nd Session)

26-2-2

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Legislative Assembly Of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Speaker The Honourable A. W. Harrison Volume IV No. 2 January 20, 1960 2nd Session, 26th Legislature Printed by R. S. Evans, Queen's Printer for the Province of Manitoba3 Winnipeg

INDEX Wednesday, January 20, 1960. Introduction of New Members • . • . • . • . • . • . . . . . • . . • . . . . . • • • . . • • . • • . • • • . • • • . . • • . . . • . • • • 5 Debate, Speech from the Throne: Mr. Groves {St • .Vital) .•..•..•.. ....•.••..••..• : : ... 6 Mr. Jeannotte {Rupertsland) ..••.....•. •... .•. ••...• .•.. •••. •.••. ••.••.••.•• 11"

THE LEGiiSLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2:30 o'clock, Wednesday, January 20th, 1960. Opening Prayer by Mr. Speaker. MR . SPEAKER: Presenting Petitions. Reading and Receiving Petitions Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees Notice of Motion Introduction of Bills Presentation of Newly Elected Members MR . SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs. HON. ])JIAURICE E. RIDLEY (Miirister of Municipal Affairs)(Pembina): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mrs.

Thelma Forbes, the member for the Electoral Division of Cypress, who has taken the oath, sigried the Roll, and now claims the right to take her seat. MR. SPEAKER: Let the honourable member take her seat. MR . SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Public Works. HON. JOHN THOMPSON Q. C. (Minister of Public Works)(Virden): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you James Douglas Watt, Esq., the member for the Electoral Division of Arthur who has taken the oath, signed the roll and now claims the right to take ills seat. MR . SPEAKER: Let the honourable member take his seat. MR .

SPEAKER: The Honourable the Leader of the Opposition. MR . D. L. CAMPBELL (Leader of the Opposition)(Lakeside): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Ed. Dow, Esq. , member for the Electoral Division of Turtle Mountain , who has taken the, oath, signed the roll, and now claims the right to take his seat. IVIR. SPEAKER: Let the honourable member take his seat. MR . SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Duff erin. MR. W. H. HAMILTON (DufferiD,): M:r. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you J.

M, F:roese, Esq., member for the Electoral Division of Rhineland, who has taken the oath, signed the roll, and now claims the right to take his seaL rviR. SPEAKER: Let the honourable member take his seat. l\1R. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. HON .. GURNEY EV.ANS {Minister of Industry & Commerce)(Fort Rouge): Mr. Speaker, bs:fore you call the Orders of the Day, I would wish to take the opportunity to make a statement in, connection with the Metropolitan Planning Commission and the Department of Industry & Cc1mmerce.

I make a statement at this time in fairness to the Metropolitan Planning Commis sicm as they are considering their budgetary matters and I think it is important for them to have as' much time as they can to lay their plans. The newly formed Regional Development Branch of the Department of Industry & Com merce will take over and integrate with its other duties the functions of the Provincial Planning Bervice effective April 1st, 1960. For the past three years these duties have been carried out by'the Metropolitan Planning Commission and this arrangement will be terminated at the end of the present fiscal year.

All staff presently employed by the Metropolitan Planning Commis sion in the Provincial PlamJ.ing Service will be transferred to the Department of IIidustry & Commerce. The senior provincial planner, Mr. David Henderson, will also become controller of \?wn planning succeeding Mr. H. Beresford who recently retired from the provincial service. The ,move has been brought about because of plans for a metro council and because it fits into the J;•egional development program of the government. MR . SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. HON. GEORGE HUTTON (Minister of Agriculture)(Rockwood-lberville): Mr.

Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I would like to table the report of the Margarine Enquiry Com mission. I regret that I only have three copies, one for each of the Leaders of the Opposition parties, and I have a number of copies to be distributed to the press at this time. The report has gone to the Queen's Prin�r and I hope that copies will be available to all the members in due course. MR . CAMPBELL: Mr. Speaker, may I ask if it is the intention of the government to January 20th, 1960. Page 5.

(Mr. Campbell, cont'd.): introduce legislation at this session based on the report? HON DUFF ROBLIN (Premier)(Wolseley): The report is a report made to the House in general, Mr. Speaker. No doubt it will be considered by members. As yet we have not consi dered it ourselves, so I am unable to give any categorical reply to the question. MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. Consideration of the Speech of His Honolir the Lieutenant-Governor. MR. F. GROVES (St. Vital): Mr. SieakBr, I deem it a very great honour as the member for St.

Vital to have been asked by thePremier to undertake the important assignment of moving the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne. In greeting you, Mr. Speaker, for the first time this session, let me say how pleased I am to see you back in the Speaker's Chair. I have always held you in the highest esteem and you have in the short time that_ you have been in office, by the fair ness and impartiality of your decisions, endeared yourself to every member of this House.

I hope that you will enjoy the privilege of your office for many years to come and that you will in fact become the first per manent Speaker of Manitoba. I sincerely believe that if that is the wish of all the members of this House, that this can be brought about as it was brought about in the Mother of Parliaments, and it will not be necessary to bring this about by legislation as was suggested in the last two sessions.

In reading over the Hansard, or in Hansard rather, the speeches of those who have preceded me in moving the reply to the Speech from the Throne, I notice that 1t has been cus tomary for them to extoll the virtues of their constituencies and in some instances to take us on a tour of their riding. As I was privileged in the first session after I was elected to do this, it would appear repetitous to do this again. I do feel , however, that I should at this time say a few words about the sensational headlines which St. Vital has had in our daily papers through out these past few months.

And at this point I think I am going to have to disappoint those who think that I am going to spend the next half hour telling you about the Pulberry development. The large majority of people in St. Vital are working people. They are thrifty, honest, a.nd most of them own their own homes.

Many of them, or most of them have had their roota in the municipality for many many yeara and by and large they have shown good sense in electing to their municipal council and to their school boards men who, without regard to self interest, have devoted themselves to these tasks of working in the best interests of all of the people in the municipality. There have been exceptions, of course, and those members of the House who, like myself, have had experience on a municipal council, know that from time to time a "screwball" turns up and gets elected.

I would think it safe to say that most municipalities have had this experience. It is the tragedy of our time that the Press seems to select thes·eo screwballs as good sources of copy and to play them up in the newspapers far out of proportiou to the contribution which they make to their community. I am Rorry and disappointed to note that the Winnipeg Free Press has chosen to do this with a minority on the St.

Vital Council, and in so doing has held up to ridicule worthy men who have honestly and diligently endeavoured to serve their municipality to the best of their ability; have tended to blacken the names of dedicated municipal officials and professional men of high repute engaged by the municipality in an advisory capacity.

Unfortunately there are those among us, and I am sure that we can all think of one, at least one, who are, in order to serve their own selfish interests, to get even with somebody who in the course of their duty has found it necessary to step on their toes, in a lust for power or sensational publicity, or to. feed their own personal ego, are prepared by tactics that should be foreign to our democratic system to go to any length, to stoop to any level, even if it means debasing the good name of their municipality: dr agging in the mud the names _and reputations of people who in other fields as well as in the service to the municipality have records of which we might all be proud; even to the extent of bringing in to public disre pute their own personal prestige.

In our province we have learned to respect the rights of minorities but we will never condone the efforts of those who ate prepared at any cost, and regardless of the circumstances, to impose their will upon us. This type of thing must be settled by trial in our courts; not by trial in our newspapers. As this matter is now before our courts, it would not be appropriate for me to enlarge any further upon it, but I think that I have said sufficient particularly to those who have had experien-::e on a municipal council to \ give. them some idea of what thfl good people of the Municipality of St.

Vital have been putting Pages·; January 20th, 1960.

(Mr. Groves, cont'd.): up with since early last fall. The Throne Speech that was read to us yesterday, Mr. Speaker, by His Honour, de votes a great deal of space to the problems of agriculture. I am not a farmer and will be very cautious about what I say on this subject.

It was however established in the last session of this legislature, I think very emphatically by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, that we were all here to serve the best interests of all of the people of Man itoba and, as such, we are certainly within our bounds by offering our comments, criticisms and observations on any subject, remote as it may be from our usual pursuit. Agriculture is still the backbone, the economic backbone of this province, and this being the case we are all vitally interested in its health and general welfare and well-being of those engaged in it.

Some time ago I read in a publication of the Sear le Grain Company the following. This

article dealt with the plan of the British Government to tackle the problems of the small far mer, and it says this: "So much then for a brief outline of the British Plan. What it may be asked has Canada to gain from a study of it? Perhaps nothing at all and yet again perhaps something. It has been stated by some that the days of the small farmer, as measured by weste:;.'D. C�:tnadian standards, are numbered.

It is pointed out that many of them cannot hope to operate an economic unit and to survive against the high costs, the pressure, the lack of working capital and the lack of volume which is so necessary to give them a sufficient cash return for their labour. There is undoubtedly some truth in these statements.

However, whlle admitting all these difficulties, and more, it is our belief that a fairly large proportion of the smaller farms in western Canada, especially if they are well located and well managed, will continue to occupy an important place in the scheme of things for many years to come. _ For one thing, the proportion of operators in western Canada who own their land is relatively high. Ownership of land particularly is something that is not lightly forfeited unless the situation becomes desperate, and it is difficult to believe that this stage has been reached yet.

Some consolidation of holdings, however, there was bound to be. The present administration", and fuey al'e referring here to the Federal Government, "it is true, has introduced several measures designed to assist the western farmer, but these have intentionally or otherwise tended to treat all farmers ali.l{e. It ma:tt.ered not if they were large operators or small, efficient or inefficien:t, if they were fa..l'IDing the richest land. or ·fue poorest sub-marginal land, if thsy needed assistance or did.not need it, they all received the same price g"�..rarantees and laterally the s=e maxlimu:n acreage payments.

They were in fact all treated alike as being ·.of one :motud. The B:ritishSmnll Fa....-rn1.

Scheme has still to prove itself but the interesting '.t:b.ing to us is that there has been recognition of the fact that in Britain one group of farmers in partimuar nsed assistance," and here they are referring to the small farmers, "if they are ;going to be.able to ta.i{e advantage of modern knowledge and farming practices and to establish �hemselves properly." It is also interesting to note that th...e cost of the whole scheme is ex pected to be about 9 million pounds a year, appro:l<.i:mately 25 million dollars, a sum probably tjbout 15 million less thail that now being distributed to western Canadian farmers by way of an acreage payment.

In the one case a carefully devised scheme is to be put into operation which Will reach a great many farmers who need the help, and the other, payments will have been made indiscriminately and without setting in motion any special plan of assistance to those who perhaps need it most. This in fact seems to be the main lesson to draw from the British scheme. As a layman looking at the problems of agriculture, the portion of the

article which I have jus.t read makes a great deal of sense. The continuing effect of the cost-price squeeze still challenges the best efforts of government as well as the agricultural industry itself, arid our government is continuing its efforts to do its

part in this respect. The Federal Govern ment, regardless of its political stripe. is a long way from western Canada. Even our western Canadian members, and I speak now not only of this present parliament, are perhaps sometimes engulfed by the pressing problems of international relations, foreign trade, and the multitude of problems faced by so new, so widespead, and so internationally respected a coun try as our own. Who then can play a more important role in matters of agriculture than our prairie provincial government.

This government has shown that it will do all within its means and all within its jurisdiction to help those engaged in agriculture. It has enacted legislation dealing with farm credit,· crop insurance, agricultural research and water control, to name January 20th, 1960. Page 7.

(Mr. Groves, cont'd.): just a few. It has been accused of bowing to the "Big Brother" in Ottawa in matters affecting agriculture. This is noi true, and honourable m'embers will see as this session progresses, that this government will not bow to ottawa on matters aff ecting the welfare of the people of Manitoba and will not try to shield any failings or shortcomings of the Federal Government in this regard but, on the contrary, will take the lead in pressing for fair and equitable treatment of the farmers · of Manitoba as well as in all other fields. The Throne Speech also mentioned Metropolitan Government.

After the last election campaign I made the following statement which was printed in our local weekly paper: "Al though I believe an immediate start to be essential, I believe that it can be accomplished by mut ual understanding and co-operation amongst the local councils without compulsion.

How ever, I do not think that one or two local governments should be allowed to hinder such a plan on purely selfish grounds, nor do I think that the majority should have to accept a second or third rate plan because of unfounded obstinance on the part of one or two." Unfortunately, the mutual understanding and co-operation which I envisaged was not forthcoming in a large enough degree to warrant the government's allowing the City of Winnipeg and the suburbs to proceed with a plan of their own. There are even appearing some of the signs of the unfounded obsti nance which I feared.

The government has had the courage to provide the leadership necess ary to start this project, new to western Canada, and so essential in my opinion to the long-range well-being of the people of Greater Winnipeg. The Government's plan for providing Metropolitan Government to the Greater Winnipeg area is in my opinion a good one and I think one which all members of this House will approve. A MEMBER: What is it? MR. GROVES: That we will be letting you know later on. Improvements I am sure will come from our dealing with the details in Committee.

Newspaper reports tell us that all se rvices will not be brought under Metro; that some will be left out. Let us however keep this in mind. If we leave out political considerations and inter-municipal jealousies and rival ries surely we must all agree, looking at this problem from the common sense point of view, that Grea ter Winnipeg is not too large to be governed eventually, and I emph a size eventually, by one authority. Not amalgamation or absorption of the suburbs by the City of Winnipeg but a 50-50 partnership of both for the ultimate benefit of all.

I sincerely believe that,with the proposed legislation as a start, the benefits of one administration in time will. be apparent to all the councils concerned and I predict their co-operation in establishing in this Greater Win nipeg area a model of municipal government that will be copied many times hy others in the years ahead. Let us not then, in this Legislature, close the door. Let us not discourage this natural course o{action.

Let us leave the door open suffic iently wide so that when changes or imp rovements · become necessary it will not cost the tall:payers of this province a;:.other $72,700.00 as a preliminary to effecting them. At the last session of the legislature !, like many of the other members, was quite surprised and disappointed to see no mention of flood control. ,, My constituency is most vitally aff ected. It was, in 1950, almost completei!y inundated by the waters of the Red River and all of the St. Vital portion of it had to be evacua ted.

Action on this :matter was proposed in the Throne Speech of two sessions ago and was promised again on the hustings in the election that followed; and there were money in last year's estimates for a start on this project. We see by His Honour's speech this year that a good start has been made and that the estimates will include pz;ovision of funds for the next step.

Investigation into progress l!lade to date re veals that our provincial engineers have bored and tested the soils on the routes suggested in the reports on hand and .have bored and tested the soils on alternate routes, and they.are in the process of preparing detailed estimates of the actual cost of construction. It is hoped that with the co-operation from Ottawa the actual route will be decided; the cost estimated; and a plan filed with the Land Titles Office and the property purchased during 1960. Actual digging should commence in 1961.

This is slow going I'll admit, but perhaps understandably so for such a gigantic undertaking. The government however will proceed with this undertaking, not only in the Greater Winnipeg area, but in the rural areas covered by the Commission's report. I ment ioned earlier the interest of my own constituency and I would not like this to be inter-· preted as a selfish L.1terest. The implemen tation of this project is very important to the well being of the whole province and as such I am sure that we will all wish to see it proceeded Page 8. January 2oth, 1960.

(Mr. Groves, cont'd.):with as quickly as possible. In the field of labour we will be asked to consider a num ber of changes in existing legis lation in this field. I look forward to the debate· on these proposed changes. In this field the most challenging problem that our Federal and Provincial Governments must face now and in the years ahead is that of providing full employment to all of our people. Employers, associa tions of employers and representatives of employees have also to share in this responsibility and can play a large

part in the ultimate solution of this serious problem. Unemployment is like a cancer growing on our societ-y and has serious adverse effects both on the people direct ly affected and our society as a whole. I am sometimes aghast at the lightness with which this problem is treated in some circles. In one of our daily papers some time ago there appeared a series of articles dealing with slum conditions and problems of unemployment in the City of New York, and one particular statement that was made in this

article struck my attention. I didn't save the

article although I thought I had , so I regret that I can't quote directly from it, but as I remember it, this is what it said: "Those of us who are permanently employed must reconcile ourselves to the fact that we will always have to pay for the support of those for whom no gainful employment is available." Surely this is a defeatist attity.de which we, as responsible legislators, must reject.

In the magazine called "Industry", that's published by the Canadian Manufacturers Asso ciation, of December 1958, it says this, ''Now is the time for all good Canadians to come to the aid of the unemployed worker." Such, in effect, was the theme of_ a forthright and significant address recently delivered by Mr. Ian F. MoRae, president of the Canadian ·Manufacturers Association. Yes, sir! the good old friend of the CCF. "Maintenance of high employment is the business of every individual Canadian" said Mr.

MoRae, "whether that Canadian be a factory worker, a union leader, a farmer, a housewife or a business man." And on this last point he hit out with some vigor. "Some people," said he, strive hard to create the impression that it is not in the nature of business and management to be concerned about unemployment." You and I know how false this is, Business and manage ment care very much. Quite apart from humane consideration, they have a vital stake in the working populace with the wherewithal to buy their products. Now I am sure that when Mr.

MoRae said what he did the.t he said it in all seriousness, but I hope that he got his message ac1·oss to all of his members, but I have some grave fears that some of the seed that he tried to sow in this address fell on pretty rocky ground. And again quoting from Mr. MoRae's speech, ':he says, "ths most effective weapon in the battle to hold down unemployment, winter or other vlise, is undoubtedly increased domestic consumption of the products we mall:e ourselves.

In rjreased consumer demand alone gets to the root of the problem and provides an enduring key t:o greater stability of employment." In addition to greater employment creating increased donsumer demand for Canadian made products, this legislature will probably have to consider L"l.ter in the session, the adverse effect on consumer pm·chasing power of many thousands of Canadians who are working for sub-standard wages. Organized labour is not beyond reproach in this regard either.

I have read very care fully the Manitoba Federation of Labour brief that was presented to the Cabinet in December of 1959, and was surprised to find no resolution urging the government to take the lead in co-op eration with the federal and other provincial governments in ta.ll:ing steps to ensure full enlployment for all of our people. Only at the end of their brief, under the heading of

Summary of Previous Requests, do they make three suggestions of meeting the problem of unemployment. The Unemployment Insurance Commission and the Dominion Bureau of statistics both issue statistics on the numb ers of unemployed. Both of these are inaccurate. Everybody seems to be content if the number of unemployed people is below a given figure or a given percentage. Nobody seems to be sufficiently interested in analyzing this situation to find out why there are so many on these rolls and who are included in these so-called unemployment statistics.

Such an analysis would, I am sure, be most revealing and give us a much better picture of the nature of this problem. The Unemployme nt Insurance Commission are the ones that should make this analysis on a regional basis because they have all of the figures available. And finally, on the matter of employment, full employment as we know it today is in itself creating some of our unemployment problems. We have many persons holding two jobs. _we·have many married couples bringing two incomes into a home. I know of one instance of a January 20th, 1960. Page 9.

\ (Mr. Groves, cont'd.): couple in reasonably good circumstances with no children, the husband has two jobs and the wife also works. We have three incomes then coming into this houaehold and three pensions when the persons concerned are ready to retire. And I wouldnt-t want my remarks in this regard misinterpreted. I have no quarrel with the right of a person to hold two jobs and I have no quarrel with the right of a married woman to work.

I have no quarrel with a married woman working in order to assist a husband working on a low wage to bring their income to a level suff icient to meet modern day necessities; and to assist a husband on a low wage to meet emergency expenses, provide security for the future, or an education for the children.

I do say, however, that the federal and provincial governments, our municipal governments and school boards, all of whom are spending taxpayers' money, and then our pri vate employers should, in the interests of creating full employment, see to it that their own employment practices are not in themselves tending to defea t the purpose of full employment.

We were told in the Throne Speech that on February 1st part of the new Social Allowan ces Act would be proclaimed, at which time the taking of applications and the paying of supple mentary benefits to Old Age Pensioners and others who are in need, will come in. The sections of the Act to be proclaimed will take care of the aged and infirm including those who are being cared for by other persons, or in institutions or nursing homes. We are told in the Throne Speech that this is the first and the biggest step in putting the new Social Allowances Act into effect.

We still have the only Act in Canada that makes this bold and progressive statement that no resident of Manitoba shall lack such things, goods and services, as are essential to his health, well-being, including food, clothing, shelter and essential surgical, medical, optical, dental and other remedial care and treatment. The government has done a good job in being able to proclaim this act by February 1st, and I give to my honourable friend, the Minister of Health and Welfare, a great deal of credit for the many hours of work and the frustration that he has put into this new program.

The length of time taken would indicate great care and attention in planning-proper planning, and the engagement of qualified staff. I would like at this time to urge the government, as I did in the last session, not to hurry this plan; to take time; to make the necessary arrangements to do a good job. Again I say, go slow and meet need adequately. We have a good example right in the same department of what can happen when a large program such as this is hurried into effect. The Hospital Services Plan was put into effect in six months when, in my opinion, it should have taken eighteen.

The reasons given for the rush were financial, and it is not my intention to argue this point. L.et us learn, however, from the experience of the hospital plan and not be rushed into a social security plan inadequately prepared. My advice again then to the government is take your time and do a good job. · Education-somebody ask for education? The Throne Speech tells us an interesting story about what has happened to high school enrolment in rural Manitoba as the result of the new school divisions plan. We can all be proud of this plan for when it was originally presen ted to the legislature we all voted for it.

We can all throw out our chests and boast unashamed ly about this. Yes, it has cost money. There have in some divisions-been tax increases, but in most cases this has been due to reasons other than the plan itself. There are still some problems in our divisions that will have to be solved but notwithstanding all these the number of boys and girls enjoying a high school education, particularly in rural Manitoba, has increas ed by 30%. This was the main objective of the plan. The plan is doing what it set out to do.

In a review of provincial finances that was published the the Canadian Tax Foundation we find this about education. Almos t $590 million will be spent on education including $392 million for grants to local authorities. The proportion of provincial expenditures allotted to education is as follows: national average 23%; Alberta 29%; Newfoundland 25%; Quebec and Saskatchewan 24%; British Columbia and Ontario 23%; Nova Scotia 22%; Manitoba 17%; New Brunswish 16%; Prince Edward Island 15%.

Manitoba is one of the low men on the totem pole as far as education in this survey is concerned, but there is not incorporated in these figure s yet the full financial ii:npact on our school finances of the new divisions plan. The government is to be complimented on the initiative and the leadership shown in the field of education. I have. made some enquiries in the two school divisions that lay partly within my own constituency. In the Norwood school division, for example, last year there was a mill rate increase for school purposes of 2.21 mills. Government grants to this division increased as Page 10.

January 20th, 1960.

(Mr. Groves, cont•d.): we said they would. It is interestiilg to note, however, that for the year 1959, teachers' salaries in the Norwood school division increased by $87,000. The 'overall budget, however, increased by $76,764, less than the increase in the one item. As with the case in most school divisions, instructoral services or teachers�_ salaries were increased beyond the limits envisioned in the department's regulations and in the case of Norwood School Division other departments were cut in order to accommodate this increase.

I feel quite safe in saying that the increase of 2. 21 mills in this division was a direct result of the substantial increases in teachers' salaries and was not a result of the implementation of the plan itself as some of our honourable members to your left, Mr. Speaker, would have us believe. There is also general satisfaction with the new plan in the School Division of St. Vital. One of the most beneffcial advantages in this case was the formation of a municipal school dis trict prior to their becoming a division.

This was a great improvement in giving to all of the children in the mtmicipality the same standard of education, .as that which is being given in the Glenlawn School District. High school children are getting the same benefits in a large enough and properly equipped high school. All high school children in the division are transported to the one high school. Senior high pupils all attend the Glenlawn Collegiate with the exception of two junior high rooms in Lavallee School, all jtmior high pupils are transported to Norberry School which is now -exclusively a jtmior high.

Last year during the estimates I dealt at length with the situation as it applied in the division of St. Vital and pointed out that although there was a mill rate increase of approximate ly 1 1/ 2 mills in the overall division, substantial decreases were noted in three of the districts now making up the new division. And I would emphasize again, as I did then, that this increase was primarily due to the $1,105,690. 00 construction program undertaken in the division last year.

I can safely say that there would have been. no increase, even taking into consideration this construction program, if the new grants had been payable for the full year. I am informed by responsible persons in both of these divisions that the plan is working well and they are getting good co-operation from the Department of Education. They do complain, however, that - the department interprets the regulations a bit narrowly at times, but this is not unexpected from a department administering public funds in such large amotmts to so many htmgry prop le.

No doubt more will be said about the status of education as this session moves along. Maybe, on the other hand, everyone is so pleased with the situation that we will hear no further speeches on education in this session. Regardless of what may be said, however, one cannot take away from the government its promptness in dealing with a most tmsatisfactory situation in a very beneficial manner. I have talked now longer than I had intended. I look forward to our fu:.rther deliberations. ,'!'hank y{)u.

IIi. my opinion, this session will be one of the most interesting that has ever been held in the history of the Province of Manitoba and I am sure that if each one of us approaches the various situations with which we will be faced in the spirit of the general welfare and well-being of the whole of Manitoba, we will be able, at the end of our deliberations, to leave this building satisfied with a job well done.' With these remarks, and again expressing the personal pleasure that the opportunity has given me, and the honour accorded to my consistuency, I have the honour to move, Sir, seconded by the Honourable Member from Rupertsland that an humble address be presented to his Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor, as follows: To his Honour, Eri).ck F.

Willis, Q.C., Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Mani.toba, we Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in Session assembled, hum bly thank your Honour for the gracious speech which your Honour has been p!eased to address us at the opening of the present session. · Mr. Speaker read the motion. MR. SPEAKER: Tbe Honourable Member for Rupertsland. MR. J. E. JEANNOTTE (Rupertsland): Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a great honour as the member for Rupertsland to have been asked to second the Address and Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

IIi. my belated greetiilgs to you, Sir, I would like to say that I'm very happy to see you resume your -duties as Speaker of this House. I am sure that you will carry on these duties · with impartiality and in fairness to all concerned. Now if I may, Sir, I would like to �ay a few words concerning Rupertsland, this vast January 20th, 1960. . Page ll.

(Mr. Jeannotte, cont'd.): and sprawling northern constituency that I have the honour to re present. Rupertsland, Sir, is the constituency of many and varied undertakings. It's a constituency inhabited by people of many races and many faiths. It's a constituency of vast resources; of great pntentials in mining, the timber, the pulp, the fishing, the trapping, and so on. Now for instance, Sir, we find to the east of us a mining town and there a mine that I'm quite sur.e has been of great assistance and has contributed a lot to the people of the constituency and to the Province. And as I see the activities now taking

part in the north of this great constituency, I can very well foresee in the not too distant future many such mines opening up to become a source of welfare to the ·people of this constituency and of great revenue to this Province. In Rupertsland you find the timber and the pulp industry, and in regard to this industry I would like to say that in many localities it's due to the lack of roads or the lack of access roads, and in order to reap the great benefits of the resources, I think we should dedicate our selves to building such roa,ds and to facilitate the employment and production of the resources.

Also I would like to say that in this constituency in certain areas we have cattle industry. The ranching too is contributing in no small measure to the welfare of this Province. Mr. Speaker, in this constituency you have a land of many lakes and mmy rivers. Many of our lakes are fished by a great number of our people. I am sure fishermen are deserving of our best efforts and understandi ng. I think I ca.li. say personally that $e lot of the fisherman is a hard lot.

They have to face the storms, whether in the summer or in the winter, the variation s of temperature which sometimes go to extremes, and I think our government should do a great deal in order to help our fishermen; in order to understand their problems. I would like to also say that in Rupertsland we have fifteen Indian Reservations. In fact, if I may say, I believe you will find in Rupertsland the largest Cree Indian Reserve in Canada. From our ·reserves come the trappers-the producers of the fine furs of our country.

I think I could safely say that in the north part of Rupertsland you can still see today, as in the days of long ago, the Indian with his team of dogs making his way towards the trading post with his catch of furs. And speaking of trading posts, too, I would like to say that most of the reserves of this. great constituency are still served as they were in the distant past by that great and famous House, the Hudson Bay Company. You will also find some very fine work taking place in the religious and educational field by our great missions.

To name a few, I would say the United Church, the Oblates and the Anglican missions. You will also find that we have some very fine Chiefs who are dedicating themselves to try to help their people in certain parts of the constituency--in most of the reserves I would say of the constituency. In many cases it's quite a drastic situation, I would say. The furs are not as abundant as they were in the past and in many cases too the population of the reser vations has increased by quite a large number.

I believe we in the government could do a lot in order to come to the·help or the rescue of our· Indians, and I would say this; that we should try to.:.-I wouldn't say se much try to take the Indian out of the reservation and try to assimi late the Indian in our ways of living in our cities and in our industries--but I would say wher ever it is possible to bring to the Indian the indll3 try to give them ways and means of making a living, and in so doing to take in the slack between the tra,pping seasons--between one trapping season to the next.

I'm quite sure that a lot can be done in that way because the Indians today are--you might say like all of us--are fond of their homeland; are fond of the land of their birth; and would rather, I would say, have employment close to his home ·rather than to be taken out and possibly sent a great distance from their reservations. Aussi, monsieur l'orateur, j'ainierais a vous dire que nous trouvons un peu partout dans Rupertsland de ces bonnes familles canadiennes-francaises. Nous trouvons aussi des gens venus de la vieille France qui se sent etablis un peu ici et la.

Ces gens .m 'ecrivent en francais, et je me trouve pour ainsi dire leur porteparole envers le gouverilement. C'est une tache qui me fait bien plaisir et que j'essaie de m'aquitter de la meilleure maniere possible. Le Rupertsland , n:tonsieur 1 'orateur, fait frontiere du nord sur deux rivieres, le Hayes et le God's. Ces rivieres, ou ces fleuves etaient pendant un temps la seule maniere de trans portation du nord. Nous voyioilS nos voyageurs, nos coureurs de bois pour ainsi dire qui Page 12. January 20th, 1960.

(Mr. Jeannott e, cont'd.): pa rtaient de York Factory sur des York boats et puis qui voyagaient pour desservir lea pastes de l'interieur tel que Oxford House, God's Lake,. Norway House, etc. ainSi que vera l'ouest sur la Saskatchewan. Peut-etre que ce serais un peu ap ropos de vous dire qu'une journee d'ete je suis < arrive comme la nuit tombait a Oxford House et je me suis pose par avion sur le Hayes River.

Coinme je suivais le rivage en m'en ailant vers le poste de la Baie d'Hudson j'etais tout fas cine, comme on dit, en pensant ac e passe et je ne pouvais m'empecher de·me retourner et d'examiner encore une fois cette grand riviere; cette riviere qui a servit pour si longtemps a desservir et ravitailler les pastes du nord. Peut-etre que c'est un peu exaggerer de· vous le dire, mais en suivant l'histoire je m'imaginais que j'entendais encore le chant de ces voyag eurs• et que j'entendais encore le bruit des rames qui montaient cette riviere. Translation: And, Mr.

Speaker, I would like to tell you that you will find in every part of Ruperts land some of those good French-canadian families. You will also find some people who came from old France and established themselves here and there. These people write to me in French, and I am, in a mann er of .speaking, their spokesman to the government. This is a task which gives me great pleasure and which I try to fulfill in the best way possible. Rupertsland, Mr. Speaker, is bordered to the north by two rivers, the Hayes and the God's. These two rivers were for a time the only means of northern transportation.

We would see our travellers and courieur de bois leave from York Factory on York boats and travel to resupply the interior posts such as Oxford House, God's Lake, Norway House, etc .• as well as west on the Saskatchewan River. It might be appropriate to tell you that one summer day, I arrived at Oxford House as night was falling and I landed by plane on the Hayes River.

As I was following the shore going towards the Hudson Bay post, I was fascinated, as we say, thinking of the past and I could not help looking back and staring again at this great river, this river which for so long served as a supply line for the northern posts •. This may be a little exaggerated, but in following history, I imagined I could still hear the song of those travellers and the sound of the oars which went up this river.

I believe, Sir, much of the legislation brought forward in the Throne Speech will be adaptable and of great assistance to the people of my constituency and if I may say, I believe my honourable colleagues will agree with me, of great assistance to the people of the Province. Therefore, Sir, it gives me great pleasure to second the Resolution and Reply to the Speech from the Throne which was so ably put forward by the Honourable Member for St. Vital. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? MR. D.L. CAMPBELL (Lakeside) (Leader of the Opposition): Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Member for Carillon, that the debate be adjourned. Mr. Speaker presented the motion and following a voice vote declared the motion ·carried. _ HON. DUFF ROBLIN (Wolseley) (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Industry and Commerce, that the House do now adjourn. Mr. Speaker presented the motion and following a voice vote declared the motion carried, and the House adjourned until2:30 the following afternoon. January 20th, 1960. Page 13.

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	26-2-2
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	26th 2nd hansardpdf 2.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	ecf57ab8343f0c3c243a902ca7d1e6941a8929c0

Source file is stored in the law ingest library (pdf).