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| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Page | ||
| Education, fees | ||
| Hon. Mr. McLean ................................................................................ | 9 | |
| (Questions: Mr. Campbell, Mr. Paulley, Mr. Hryhorczuk, Mr. Miller.) | ||
| Questions ................................................................................................... | 11 | |
| (Mr. Guttormson, Mr. Schreyer) | ||
| Speech from the Throne, consideration | ||
| Mr. Smellie, Mover .............................................................................. | 11 | |
| Mr. Klym, Seconder ............................................................................ | 13 | |
| Business of the House | ||
| Mr. Gray (Question) ............................................................................ | 14 | |
| Hon. Mr. Roblin .................................................................................. | 14 | |
[Mr. Speaker reads the opening prayer. ]
MR. SPEAKER: O Eternal and Almighty God from Whom all power and wisdom come; by Whom Kings rule and make equitable laws; we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Province; grant O Merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy Will; that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the Glory and Honour of Thy Name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
MR. SPEAKER: Presenting Petitions
Reading and Receiving Petitions
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees
Notice of Motion
Introduction of Bills
Orders of the Day.
MR. S. ROBERTS (La Verendrye): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the gallery on your right where sit 30 or 35 students from Niverville High School, one of the really fast growing communities and one of the best farming areas in Manitoba.
HON. STEWART E. McLEAN (Minister of Education) (Dauphin): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I have two matters that I would like to draw to the attention of the House by way of statement: the first has to do with fees, certain fees that are charged within the Department of Education. I wish to inform the House that under the provisions of The Public Schools Act yesterday an Order was made making certain increases. These are as follows - the teachers' college - the tuition charge is being increased from $50.00 for the term to $100.00 and the charges for board and room for the year being increased from $300.00 to $400.00; and meal tickets for those who do not live in residence but who will take certain meals at the teachers' college from 30¢ to 50¢ per meal. In the Manitoba Technical Institute for residence students - that is to say students resident in the Province of Manitoba - an increase from $15.00 per quarter to $20.00 per quarter - a quarter being a term of three months; and for non-resident students, that is students coming from the province, an increase from $30.00 per quarter to $40.00 per quarter. In the evening classes in the Technical Institute, the shop courses are being increased from $10.00 to $15.00, and the welding courses from $15.00 to $20.00. There is a small increase in the fee for a statement of standing without marks is being increased from 50¢ to $1.00. Teachers attending the Teachers' College and leaving Manitoba without one year of service teaching in this province are charged a fee. That fee has been $102.00. It is being increased to $300.00. Special examination fees for Grade XI increased from $5.00 to $10.00, Grade XII from $10.00 to $15.00. The school administration charges which are paid in respect of the duties performed by the official trustee in administering the affairs of a school district which have been two mills on the balanced assessment or $40.00 per classroom, whichever was the least or the lesser, is being increased to three mills or $50.00 per classroom whichever is the lesser of the two amounts. In summer school fees, the courses at the Teachers' College, which are six week courses, the board and room charge being increased from $40.00 to $60.00, and the fees for the subject, that is the tuition fees from $10.00 per subject to $25.00 per subject. The four week course at Gimli which is now $40.00 is being increased to $60.00. The professional courses which are given at summer school are being, the tuition fees are being increased from $10.00 for three units to $25.00 for three units. Three units represents one summer's work, and these are professional completion courses. The technical courses are increased from $10.00 to $12.50 and the bus tour fees which are an inclusive fee for the tour and the board and room and transportation being increased from $100.00 to $150.00.
Now I might just inform the House that last year in the Teachers' College - that is the last fiscal year - the net cost to the Province of Manitoba after taking into account the revenue, was $338 odd thousand dollars. That was the extent to which the Teachers' College was subsidized by general revenue from the province. With the increases that are provided here, the estimated cost to the province will be for the present fiscal year something over, slightly over $289,000.00, so that while we will still be rather heavily subsidizing this course, our position should improve approximately some forty or not quite fifty thousand dollars. In the summer school operation, this has been heavily subsidized by general revenue. With the increased
fees, we will be able to take care of the increases in the salaries paid to the instructors and it is expected that for this summer's operation, that the fees will pay the cost of providing the summer school classes.
In the Technical Institute the increase, which is relatively minor, will only take care of the increases in salaries that will have to be made to the instructors.
The other matter, Mr. Speaker, has to do with the courses for permit teachers which have been conducted in this province since 1942, originally conducted at United College and then commencing in 1946 conducted at the Teachers' College located in Tuxedo. I wish to announce to the House that this course will not be offered this year and that we are discontinuing the provision of the permit teacher course. That we are able to do this is the result of the increased enrolment in the teacher training program both at Tuxedo and at Brandon this year, and the fact that the increased assistance to education to the schools is making it more attractive for those already in teaching to remain in teaching, and it appears that the loss, the drop-out so to speak, will be relatively minor and that we shall be able to have sufficient teachers for our elementary schools without the necessity of conducting a course for permit teachers and I want to inform the House that no course will be given this year.
I think, however, that I should not leave this matter without expressing a measure of appreciation to the many hundreds of young men and women who over the years have taken this course and have rendered a very valuable assistance to the people of Manitoba in assisting us to conduct our schools throughout this province. They would be the first to recognize that their training was not perhaps as adequate as they would like, but on the other hand they performed a very valuable service. And, indeed, many of them, after some experience as permit teachers, came and took the full course and became established members of the teaching profession, and on this occasion as we announce the discontinuance of this course, I would like it to be known that the people of this province do appreciate the work that these people have done for the boys and girls of the Province of Manitoba.
MR. D. L. CAMPBELL (Leader of the Opposition) (Lakeside): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day are proceeded with, I would like to direct a question to the Honourable the Minister of Education. I regret that I didn't have the opportunity of giving him notice of it because, quite frankly, it arises out of the statement that he has just made. I realize that the statement that he made is not open to debate or he is not entitled to answer questions - he doesn't have to regarding it - but I just wondered if it wouldn't be appropriate to ask him if he expects that these increases in fees that he has just announced will be adhered to or will they suffer the same fate that some of the other rate increases that we have heard about and then they have been countermanded later on. Perhaps I should address the question to the Honourable the First Minister.
MR. McLEAN: Mr. Speaker, come what may, we intend to adhere to these changes.
MR. R. PAULLEY (Leader of the C.C.F.) (Radisson): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, and actually as a supplemental question, I am wondering if the Minister would table his statement, or make available copies of it in order for us to consider the same. It does appear from his statement and without an opportunity of knowing beforehand or having an opportunity of studying the same, that rather than progressing education in Manitoba, that this will attempt to retard it. But I would like, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister would answer as to whether or not copies of this statement will be made available to we in opposition.
MR. McLEAN: Mr. Speaker, that will be in, I think the only thing I could say that it would appear in Hansard and all that I would do would be to have copies of what will be in Hansard typed -- I have no formal statement in connection with it, but I could prepare a formal statement if that is the wish of the House. On just one point, far from acting as a deterrent, we have every indication that the enrolment in the teacher training courses, both in the summer school courses and in the teacher training course, will be very large, and we may have some problem in accommodating all who wish to avail themselves of these courses. And might I just point out that during the days of the darkest part of the depression the fees for Teachers' College or Normal School as it was then called, was $100.00. I, myself, paid $100.00 in 1932 as a student in Normal School and it was only some years after that it was reduced to $50.00. I would think that in view of the salaries that are now available to those in the teaching profession that this will not act in any way as a deterrent.
MR. M. N. HRYHORCZUK (Ethelbert Plains): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I would ask the Honourable Minister of Education a question. I haven't given him notice of it -- he can take it as notice if he cares to -- and it arises out of what has been said. I believe it was a policy in the past that loans were given to students entering the Teachers' Training College. Is this policy being discontinued?
MR. McLEAN: I wish to thank the honourable member for raising that matter. I had intended to cover it. The policy of providing bursaries and loans is continuing. We are increasing the amount of the available loan to students in Teachers' College to an amount equivalent to the amount of the increases which I have announced. The loans are available, no interest is charged, and the principal amount of the loan is repaid at the convenience of the student or teacher once they begin teaching and they pay it back as it appears to be convenient to them, as I say, without interest. There will be no problem with respect to any student who does not have sufficient cash. The money is available and will be readily provided.
MR. W. C. MILLER (Rhineland): Mr. Speaker, I might just ask the Minister whether or not this policy, the extension of this policy increasing fees, actually reduces the amount of the assistance given to education?
MR. McLEAN: No, it has nothing -- this refers -- these deal only with services which are provided by the Province of Manitoba and doesn't in any way decrease the assistance given to education.
MR. MILLER: ... the subsidy -- decreases the subsidy.
MR. E. GUTTORMSON (St. George): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I would like to, in the absence of the Minister of Public Works, I would like to direct a question to the First Minister. Considerable amount of interest has been aroused in my constituency by a news item which appeared recently reporting that a road was to be built north of Gypsumville. Could the First Minister tell me where this road is to go north from Gypsumville; when it is to start; and what government is to pay the cost or on what basis the cost of this project is to be carried out.
HON. DUFF ROBLIN (Premier) (Wolseley): Mr. Speaker, when any information is available to the House with respect to such a road construction I'll be glad to see that the honourable member is informed.
MR. E. R. SCHREYER (Brokenhead): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I would like to direct a question to the Honourable the Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. In the press release made yesterday, it was stated that the government intends to provide an employment project in Matheson Island to help alleviate some of the hardship that has arisen as a result of the decision to prohibit fishing in the south end of Lake Winnipeg. And the question that I have is, "Does the government have any other immediate plans for such similar employment projects in that general area south of Berens River and near Matheson Island?"
HON. GURNEY EVANS (Minister of Mines and Natural Resources) (Fort Rouge): Mr. Speaker, the committee is studying this whole question of providing or helping to provide employment opportunities for the fishermen who may not be able to fish in their accustomed way this summer season. The only project that has so far become definite enough to announce is that of the Matheson Island Road. Others are under study now in other parts of the lake and as soon as it is possible to do so I'll be happy to inform the House.
MR. SPEAKER: Consideration of the Speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor. The honourable member for Birtle-Russell.
MR. R. G. SMELLIE (Birtle-Russell): Mr. Speaker, I count myself fortunate to be among the first to offer public congratulations to you on your re-election to the Chair. I am sorry that I did not get the opportunity to offer these congratulations yesterday, for I, like other honourable members of this House when I am called upon to make a speech, I like to speak to as many people as possible. You have been diligent, Sir, in your service to the Province of Manitoba and to this Assembly. May I express the wish that your term of office may be happier in the future than it has been in the past, and that you may continue to serve in this capacity for many years to come.
I am honoured, Sir, that the First Minister has asked me, as the representative of Birtle-Russell, to move the address in reply from the Speech from the Throne. This is the first time that Russell has elected a Conservative M.L.A. since 1911 and it is the first time
that Birtle has had a Conservative representative since 1886. I accept the responsibility that the electors of Birtle-Russell have given to me in all humility, and I pray that my efforts in their behalf may have diving guidance.
Birtle-Russell electoral division is in the parkland area of this province, criss-crossed by beautiful valleys and containing many small and beautiful lakes. We have the Minnedosa, the Qu'Appelle, the Birdtail and the Minnedosa Rivers, and many smaller valleys such as the Silver Creek and the Snake Creek. Fish abound in these rivers and lakes and our people enjoy much sport upon the waters of my constituency. The primary industry of this area, Sir, is agriculture, and our agricultural fairs have been well regarded for many years. The Russell Agricultural Society will celebrate the 78th anniversary of its founding at their annual fair this year. When this area was settled, many young men from wealthy families in England came to the Birtle and Binscarth and Russell areas and they brought with them race horses from the finest stock in England. This partly accounts for the fact that the Russell Agricultural Society Fair and races, a two-day annual event, is one of the finest in small towns in western Canada. The chariot races held annually at this Fair are a feature which is being copied all across the West. The people of Birtle-Russell are enthusiastic livestock producers. Their stock is known throughout Canada as championship stock and names like Dunns, Glasmans, Coulters, Fultons and Falloons are known from Toronto to Calgary. The Town of Birtle was incorporated in 1874, and will celebrate its 75th anniversary by a week of celebrations the first week of July this year. The people of Birtle have always been aggressive and forward looking. In the 1880's they were able to persuade the Manitoba and Northwestern Railway Company to change the proposed course of its railway by several miles in order to serve the community of Birtle. They are still possessed of that energy and initiative, and I am happy to tell this House that on Monday of this week the people of Birtle, by a majority of almost nine to one approved a by-law for the raising of funds for the installation of sewer and water services in that town.
The people who were pioneers in the Birtle district and who have brought leadership to that district for three generations and over 80 years number names among them such as Dutton and Manwaring and Walley and Wilson, and most of those people are still prominent in that district.
The Village of St. Lazare near the mouth of the Qu'Appelle where it flows into the Assiniboine River is a French settlement. The venturesome business people of this French village have spread their business interests all the way from Virden to The Pas, and they have installed in their village a sewer and water system that is perhaps unique in the Province of Manitoba. It is perhaps the least expensive system that I know of anywhere. The water enters the system from a spring high above the village and is piped into the village giving plenty of pressure without the assistance of any pumps. And this village deserves comment for its cosmopolitan nature. Three languages are heard regularly on the streets of St. Lazare - French and English and German. And in the Roman Catholic School which is situated in St. Lazare, classes are conducted in them - mornings in English and in the afternoons in French.
The Scottish Ontario Colonization Company established a farm near the present site of Binscarth and the people who live there eventually moved to the present site of Binscarth and that was the beginning of that village.
Fifty-eight years ago my grandfather and two of his partners purchased from the First Minister's grandfather, who was then the Minister of Agriculture, the machinery necessary to establish a cheese factory in Binscarth. The Villages of Angusville and Rossburn were named after the Angus family and the Ross's. These districts were originally peopled by Scottish stock but are now mainly populated by people of Ukrainian origin who are thrifty and industrious farmers.
The Village of Rossburn, or rather the school district of Rossburn will on Thursday of this week open a new school, which is one of the finest schools to my knowledge in Rural Manitoba.
Mr. Speaker, as I told you before, the major industry in my constituency is agriculture. It is of great interest to me as the representative of an agricultural community to note the attention given to this industry in the Speech from the Throne. Problems of water control and conservation face the people of Birtle-Russell and we are pleased to see that this Government
is aware of these problems and willing to give us the assistance necessary to deal with them. Our towns and villages welcome the prospect of assistance in obtaining potable water supplies.
The farm population in my constituency are looking forward to the expansion of facilities for education in agriculture and of advisory services; and also to the introduction of some method of insuring a harvest we all anticipate in each crop year with that unfailing optimism found only in farmers and politicians.
The parents of school children and municipal taxpayers are pleased to note that more of the financial burden of educating our children will be assumed by this Province, and that our facilities for providing for their education may be expanded. The people of Foxwarren district in particular will be pleased to note the provision being made for the transfer of school districts from one school division to another. Municipal officials are happy to be relieved of certain responsibilities under the Hospital Insurance Plan and also for other social services which in some areas of Birtle-Russell constituency have placed an intolerable burden on municipal finance. The east end of Birtle-Russell constituency comprises part of the area of the Local Government District of Park. The residents of such unorganized territories have problems peculiar to themselves and I know that they will welcome a greater measure of participation in the administration of their affairs.
Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne we have heard today contains no great surprises, or rather that we have heard yesterday, contains no surprises. It is in the main a reiteration of the forecast that we heard last March and has since been approved by the electorate of Manitoba. It is now my honour, Sir, to move, seconded by the honourable member for Springfield, that a humble address be presented to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor as follows:
To His Honour, John S. McDiarmid, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Manitoba, we Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in Session assembled, humbly thank Your Honour for the gracious speech which Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present Session.
[Mr. Speaker read the motion. ]
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Springfield.
MR. F. T. KLYM (Springfield): Mr. Speaker and honourable members of this House, it gives me great pleasure to second this resolution in reply to the Speech from the Throne as moved by the honourable member from Birtle-Russell. I would like to thank the First Minister on behalf of the constituency of Springfield for this honour of being granted this opportunity to second the resolution in reply to the Speech from the Throne as so ably presented by my friend from Birtle-Russell.
The constituency of Springfield embraces a varied territory and is one of the oldest settled districts in the fair province of ours. Having within its confines such a diversity of terrain with the scenic playgrounds of the Whiteshell area to the east and moving westward from the Ontario border it transverses the bountiful mixed farming districts of the Whitemouth, Brokenhead and the Red River Valley land. Resident within this area one finds the presence of the early Anglo-Saxon and French settlers who came to this country in the late 1870's, followed later on by people from the Ukraine and the Balkan states of that period; from Germany and the Scandinavian countries; even from Finland and Estonia. Over the years these people have hewn from the forest and marshlands homesites second to none in our provincial rural areas, and the opportunity granted to me today to second the Speech from the Throne I feel to be a deep tribute to these many people whose ancestors came from those far distant lands and who today are proud to be called Canadians. Incidentally, I do feel it a deep honour to be a representative of this Assembly today, mainly in effect that I learned that I am the first representative of my party to be elected to this Chamber for almost fifty years. I am looking forward to the advancement of Manitoba under the able leadership of our worthy leader, and I have every confidence that the ambitions and aims for the future of Manitoba will be cared for and materialized to a great extent in the coming years.
Springfield, which as you know is part of north-eastern Manitoba, has long been classified by its people as a much neglected country as far as development is concerned, but since June, 1958, there has been direct evidence of many changes coming our way: new road developments;
opening up of new tourist enterprises; and as in the instance of the Town of Beausejour, the key town to the riding, we have waterworks and sewage installed at last; and a direct effort is in evidence that government and civic groups are now out after small industries to help build up our population and create employment for our sons and daughters as they pass from their seats of learning and enter the field of labour or professional life. There is a feeling of confidence out on the riding that at long last this vast riding, and the province as a whole, is now at the threshhold of real expansion, and that our young folks will be able to make a livelihood nearer to home rather than to have to travel to cities of Manitoba and other provinces, and even as in many cases to the United States of America.
The older people of our riding, like their counterparts in other parts of the province, are showing great faith in the promises made on their behalf by our Premier and his cabinet when he took over office in June, 1958, and again in the spring of this year. Even our agriculturists express a feeling of confidence and expectancy that this government is out to keep one and all of the promises made in a party platform as outlined by the Premier when he addressed this Assembly in the spring of this year. Therefore, I have faith in the sincerity of those who are anxious to see our province advance; I have faith in the promises made by our Premier and his able colleagues. I also have faith in Manitoba's future.
MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question?
MR. CAMPBELL: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable the member for Rhineland, that the debate be adjourned.
[Mr. Speaker presented the motion, and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. ]
MR. M. A. GRAY (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, before the House adjourns, would it be possible for the Leader of the House to tell us all whether it intends to have night sessions, and when, and whether those sessions could be made -- the dates could be given in advance so we wouldn't have to guess every day and give us at least one hour, one night if possible for golf or anything else.
MR. ROBLIN: Mr. Speaker, I'll do my best to tell the honourable member what might be possible. It really depends on the progress that we make in our business more than anything else. I will agree that it has been our custom in the past not to meet in the evenings for the first little while of any session. It seems to me, and I may be wrong, but I have gathered the impression from my experience that the reason for that has largely been because we had little to do at that stage because bills normally don't come down that early in the session. However, on this occasion, we have our bills in advanced stage of preparedness. If the honourable member will refer to the Votes and Proceedings which were placed on the desk today, he will see that tomorrow, which is Thursday, we will have a number of bills given first reading. Now, the second reading will probably appear on the Order Paper for Monday, I should imagine. Now that means that we will probably not meet tomorrow evening, because after the honourable the Leader of the Opposition has made his contribution to this debate, it will be adjourned, and I don't foresee much other business tomorrow. On the following day the honourable the Leader of the C.C.F. Party will speak in this debate and then we will have first reading of these various bills which shouldn't take long, so I don't think we'll be meeting on Friday night; we do have second reading on Monday, then I think probably the House would like to meet Monday afternoon and proceed until we finish the Order Paper. Under those circumstances one can't say whether we'll meet Monday night or not. It will depend on how many people wish to speak in the various debates that are on the Order Paper. But from Monday night -- from Monday onwards, if we meet Monday afternoon as I would rather hope we might, from then onwards I think we would endeavour to clear the Order Paper every day. If we clear it before the evening session comes, well then -- naturally we won't re-assemble, but if we don't, I would expect that we would perservere with the Order Paper until it is completed. Now, I hope I've given the honourable member all the information I can on this point. I'd merely say that it would be our hope to finish the Order Paper every day s the agenda requires.
If there is nothing further, Mr. Speaker, I would beg to move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Mines and Resources, that the House do now adjourn.
[Mr. Speaker presented the motion, and after a voice vote, declared the motion carried and the House adjourned until 2:30 tomorrow afternoon. ]
Page revised: 19 November 2009
