Valedictory Address

"Valedictory Address" (17 May 1979): 1-6. (UA Case 68, Box 2).

Lieutenant Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good afternoon.

I want to dedicate my speech to the memory of two fellow students, Tore Crude and Madelline Dionne. This month they both died in a car accident in Alberta. I also dedicate this to the memory of countless students here who died before being able to earn their degrees. Losses like these can never be salvaged.

This year marks the end of the presidency of Dr. John Anderson. Dr. Anderson of "Dr. John" as he has been known to us students has presided over seven of the toughest years universities have ever faced. Nonetheless, we here at UNB not only weathered the storm, but came out of it an even stronger university. Several new buildings sprung up here in Fredericton and the campus in Saint John continues to enjoy great vigor. The important thing to us however is the fact that Dr. John was a "student's president." He thought nothing of taking part in traditional student activities like the Red and Black variety show and in demonstrations against the provincial government. From all of us to you, sir, let me say thank you and wish you continued success in your new career.

I like to think that this Encaenia today is a little more special than most. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of this university - Canada's oldest. This ceremony is a milestone in the lives of parents, students and professors. All of us have contributed together towards the proverbial blood sweat and tears required to earn a degree. I would imagine that today is special to more than a few bank managers as well - pretty soon student loans become subject to repayment with interest.

Canadian taxpayers foot most of the bill for our education. This confers on us a duty to reciprocate by becoming involved in the world around us and trying to improve it. This means not being afraid to speak out on relevant issues from time to time.

Regional disparity is one of these issues. We here in the Maritimes have, since the 1870's had to stand by in frustration and view the continued decline of what once was Canada's most prosperous region. Except for brief periods of growth we have had to watch our region depleted of its best and brightest young people who are forced to seek their fortune elsewhere because of lack of opportunity at home.

It has become readily apparent to many people that we must get organized and begin to tackle on our own factors contributing to this economic stagnation - factors like tariff barriers and discriminatory rail freight rates which serve to benefit central Canadian industry at the expense of other regions. Our plight is not a unique one - other industrialized nations like England, France and Italy all have had the same problems.

Were it not for massive welfare type subsidies from Ottawa, this region's standard of living would be on a par with some of the less developed nations overseas. Clearly what we have down here is a region that is being pensioned off more and more we amount to little else than a welfare economy. Well, sooner or later the free ride will be over and we'll have had the rug pulled out from under us unless we can develop a strong economy of our own. Don't let anybody tell you that this can't be done, because it can - and it is being done in other depressed regions of the world. We enjoy a special advantage because of our unique location between two of the world's largest markets - the United States and the European Common Market.

It must be made clear to the Federal government that we need more "self help" funding in the form of honest-to-God incentives to industrial development - incentives like the $40 million grant given to Ford Canada last fall to locate a plant in Windsor. This one grant alone to assist Canada's most prosperous regions exceeds all industrial incentives paid out by DREE to the whole Maritimes for the last two years. Now, more than any other time in this country's history we hold a good set of cards, and are in a good bargaining position with Ottawa. Why not get together and take advantage of it?
Another issue that we all will have to contend with sooner or later is, of course, nuclear power. Proponents of nuclear power, while acknowledging that some dangers do exist also point out that these dangers are kept well in check through a series of "fail-safe" measures which guarantee absolutely our well being.

Well all I have to say to that is "Three Mile Island." This near-disaster at Harrisburg, Pa. demonstrated the irrefutable logic of Murphy's Law - "If anything can go wrong it will - and in the worst possible way." I would also refer you to O'Toole's commentary on Murphy's Law - "Murphy was an optimist."

What surprises and encourages me about this issue is the fact that you have not only the "lunatic fringe" environmentalists involved but more importantly conservative groups like nuclear scientists and church groups also joining the fray. I've thought for quite a long time now that a moratorium is called for - continued headlong development could well entail courting disaster. It's important that you all let politicians know what you think of nuclear power -they'll listen - after all their prime objectives are to do what's best for the country and get re-elected.

Most of us will have at one time or another more than enough personal problems of our own to face - problems at work and at home. Many of us will face times when we will want to forget the whole thing and just throw in the towel. Don't do it - pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get going again -sooner or later success will come your way.

I'd like to leave you now with a few lines from Robert Frost's poem Stopping By The Woods On a Snowy Evening;

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep."

Thank you and good luck to you all.