Mr. Speaker, I am torn on this issue because my background is both as a Catholic and a democrat. I wish that Catholics in Newfoundland had turned out at the polls in numbers requisite to be able to stop this. However, that being said, democratic consent was sought on this issue.
Issues have been raised in terms of whether or not there were scrutineers at the polls. Unlike general elections, there were no people representing specific parties and there were no stipulated interest groups. As a result, it was very difficult to determine which people would act as scrutineers.
I am not impressed that the Government of Newfoundland did this during the summer, allowing only a 31-day writ period. Nonetheless, the people of Newfoundland have spoken. As a democrat it is difficult for me to stand in the House today and say this provincial initiative should not be supported because the people of Newfoundland did indeed vote for it.
I would like to propose the following. I know this is not the question that the people of Newfoundland had an opportunity to vote on, but I wish it had been the case. This question was asked today within our caucus. Why should a parent not be free to choose where to educate their child without financial penalty?
I am drawing attention to the idea that funding should follow the student, as in a voucher system. Religious based schooling should not be ended to bring in monopolistic, cookie cutter public education under a single board. Indeed, I wish the people of Newfoundland had been presented options, a whole bunch of choices, rather than being presented with a cookie cutter.
Does the hon. member believe that vouchers and direct school funding would have been a better scenario?