NaWiPoMo: General Education Bill

The General Education Bill was a major reform of national education policy in the Confederation of North America introduced by Liberal Governor-General Henderson Dewey during his first term as part of what he called his "dismantling operation". The bill replaced older legislation dating back to the time of Governor-General John McDowell.

Under the General Education Bill, education through professional schools would be guaranteed to all intellectually qualified citizens. The program would be paid for by the individual confederations, which would be reimbursed by the national government.

As was the case with other major legislation sponsored by Dewey, the General Education Bill passed with little difficulty after being praised by Dewey and his fellow Liberals as "liberating." Members of the opposition People's Coalition pointed out that the bill was popular in rural and underdeveloped areas of the C.N.A., particularly in the Confederation of Manitoba. These were areas which were rapidly gaining in population and political power through the Galloway Plan's subsidized relocation program, and which tended to support the Liberals.