March 19, 2003 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLIV No. 1

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, the Justices of the Supreme Court have

arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit the Justices of the Supreme Court.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has

arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: It is the wish of His Honour The Lieutenant-Governor

that all present please be seated.

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Edward Roberts, Q.C.):

Mr. Speaker, Members of the House of Assembly and the People of Newfoundland

and Labrador:

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Fifth Session of this, the 44 th

General Assembly. It is an honour to deliver my first Speech from the Throne in

the people's chamber. And it is an honour to serve the people of this great

Province as your Lieutenant-Governor.

Strength of Our People

In the few short months that I have held this office, the many people I have

met have confirmed for me that the true richness, the strong character and the

distinctiveness that defines and embraces our Province, is rooted in its people.

I saw it in the people of Badger when I visited that community a few weeks

ago. The ability of our people to immediately band together to comfort, console

and begin the arduous task of rebuilding was clearly evident. The response of

the entire Province confirmed what we all know about the strength of our people.

I recall, in particular, the efforts of Joe Roberts, a former fire chief in

Badger, whose leadership and compassion exemplifies the extraordinary work and

spirit of those dealing with the devastation in that community. My Government

assures the people of Badger that it will continue to work with them as they

rebuild their lives.

As in Badger, the resolve and faith of the people of Musgrave Harbour was

tested by the tragic loss of five lives from their community. Once again, we saw

the strength of community and the solidarity of our people when faced with such

a terrible tragedy. Draper Fahey, Roger Hann and Darren, Danny and Irving

Faulkner will be remembered as sons of our Province whose lives typified our

collective character formed by the sea and the rock.

Lieutenant-Governor's Recognition Awards

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians continue to excel in every conceivable walk

of life. Such excellence deserves recognition; such achievement demands

celebration. As the Queen's representative in this Province, I will ensure

that citizens who make a difference are recognized through the

Lieutenant-Governor's Recognition Awards.

These Awards will be a public tribute by the Crown to mark high achievement

by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. They will be a high honour and they will be

a true honour. They will mark the achievements of those whom we know well and

others, while not being household names, have made no less of a difference to

our Province.

Reflecting Our Values

My Government strives to reflect the nature of its people. My Government

shares the everyday goals, desires and aspirations of the people of the

Province.

My Government has set a course to be open and accountable to all people. A

government must be in touch with the priorities of all it seeks to serve. By

being open, My Government welcomes the views and criticisms of each citizen. It

is a government of inclusion, not exclusion.

A Government with a Plan

The hallmark of My Government is a commitment to a plan; a plan that sees a

healthy, well educated people prepared to control their own destiny by seizing

the opportunities that are now before them. This can occur when clear goals are

established, agendas are set and commitments are delivered.

My Government reaffirms today its commitment to a long-term and consistent

approach to strategic planning.

A Focused and Realistic Plan

Our plan is compelling and focused. It is not grandiose and unrealistic. My

Government strives for: Excellent education for our children; quality and

accessible health care; jobs to provide for our families; more money in the

hands of our people to spend, save and invest; transportation and technology

networks that conquer our geography; and, a true and equal partnership in the

Canadian union.

These are some of the real benefits for people which My Government plans to

achieve.

A Much Better Place

The outlook for our Province just over ten years ago loomed like a red sky in

morning. The Northern cod fishery collapsed. Spending was not controlled. The

Province had an archaic fiscal, regulatory and tax environment. Taxes were too

high. We did not have Hibernia, Terra Nova or White Rose. Voisey's Bay had yet

to be discovered. Many of our people did not have a reason to stay.

Setting Our House in Order

Yet, together, we have persevered. To set our house in order, My Government

saw the need for a strong commitment to planning that would guide us. My

Government developed a Strategic Economic Plan in 1992, and in 1998 launched its

Strategic Social Plan. As a result, we are in a much better place than a decade

ago, a much better Province than just two years ago. A new Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Our Province is now growing. The economy has become much more diversified.

More people are working than ever before. The trend line for all economic

indicators is moving in the right direction. Social assistance caseloads have

declined. Out-migration is slowing significantly. More people are moving to

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Between July 2001 and July 2002, just under 12,000 people moved into the

Province, the highest number since 1975. For the same period, net out-migration

was 2,500 which was the lowest number in ten years. We welcome these people to

our Province, particularly the thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who

have returned home.

Along with the commitment to an economic plan, My Government has embarked on

an aggressive social plan. My Government had the courage to reform our school

system, to undertake health care reform, and redesign our system of social

assistance. We will continue to work towards the creation of a more just society

for all our people.

Our Destiny

My Government believes that it is the hard-working and dedicated people of

this Province who have turned it around. They will not return to a time when

economic and social indicators consistently pointed in the wrong direction.

With a determined and calculated focus, My Government has set a course for a

red sky at night. Our Province is on the verge of a new Newfoundland and

Labrador. For the first time in a long time, we have the ability to control our

destiny and by staying on course we will capitalize on this opportunity.

My Government is committed to a long-term social and economic growth strategy

and will not be blinded or misguided by bright lights, quick fixes and grand

schemes.

Making a Difference - The Last Two Years

The last two years have seen My Government embark on a more ambitious agenda.

My Government's philosophy is that it will make a difference in the lives

of the people it serves by remaining true to its commitments. A commitment made

is a commitment kept.

A Government that is Accessible

My Government has committed to bringing the institutions of government closer

to the people so that they can play a more active and beneficial role in the

mainstream of life in our Province. This can best be achieved by opening up

government and increasing our accountability.

We now have in this Province a Citizens' Representative and a Child and

Youth Advocate. In the coming months, we will see the appointment of the first

Information and Privacy Commissioner, when the new Access to Information and

Protection of Privacy Act becomes law.

We also have the office of a Petroleum Products Pricing Commissioner, which

ensures stability and certainty for consumers in petroleum pricing. With the

uncertainty in the world, this office is meeting the important objective of

providing stability in pricing.

Being Accountable to the People

My Government committed that all departments and agencies would be required

to publish annual reports in 2003. In this spring sitting, annual reports for

all government departments and boards will be tabled in this hon. House.

These offices and commitments provide real vehicles of communication and

accountability between the people and their government.

A Strong and Secure Economy

My Government reached an agreement for the development of Voisey's Bay in

Labrador. This 30-year project, which will contribute an estimated $11 billion

to the provincial economy, is a major economic stimulus in our Province. The

decision to move forward with the development at Voisey's Bay took courage,

vision and a determination to find solutions, not obstacles.

My Government has also successfully negotiated our third major offshore oil

project, White Rose. The $2.35 billion project now employs over 400 people in

St. John's. One of them is Tony Mercer who graduated from Memorial University

with an engineering degree, and after working for six years in Houston, has

returned to Newfoundland and Labrador. In Marystown, there are now over 300

people working and the workforce in that town will peak at 600 people on this

project alone.

With the newly established offshore boundary between Newfoundland and

Labrador and Nova Scotia, our Province gains control of 70 per cent of the area

that was in dispute between the two provinces. This area, which has been under

moratorium for 30 years, will soon be opened to advanced exploration for oil and

natural gas.

An Aggressive Social Agenda

My Government recognizes that the challenge of growing the economy must

coincide with the challenges we face as a just society. My government can best

meet the needs of our people by ensuring that we plan for the future.

My Government implemented a Strategic Social Plan that is the preeminent

model of social development in Canada. The plan ensures that policy and program

development are based on evidence, reflect partnerships and are designed to

strengthen our communities.

Challenged to Measure Up

Through the Strategic Social Plan, My Government envisions government,

regions and communities working in partnership to improve the lives of the

people of this Province. My Government is committed to the completion of a

Social Audit in 2003. The next phase of the Audit will soon be released. From

the Ground Up is a factual report on where we stand as a Province using key

social and economic indicators.

A government must have the courage to challenge itself; to measure the work

it is doing. Through the Social Audit, the first of its kind in Canada, My

Government demonstrates again its commitment to the people it serves.

My Government has a new strategic health plan for Newfoundland and Labrador. Healthier

Together sets out new directions for the health care system over the next

five years and will result in higher quality and more accessible and sustainable

health care for the people of the Province.

The dedication and commitment of provincial public servants in Newfoundland

and Labrador continues to be critical to My Government's ability to serve the

needs of the people of the Province. My Government currently has in place

thirty-one public sector contracts; contracts which are fair to employees and

are affordable to the Treasury.

Affordable housing for those most in need is a priority of My Government. In

the coming weeks, My Government will enter into a multi-year, multi-million

dollar bilateral agreement with the federal government that will stimulate the

creation of affordable housing and maintain the existing housing stock for those

most in need.

My Government increased the minimum wage twice in 2002, and the current rate

of $6 an hour is on par with minimum wage rates in the rest of Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Many would say that the last two years constitute a solid record of

achievement. For My Government, it represents a good start.

Education - The Foundation of Prosperity

My Government is fiercely determined to build a culture where education is

highly valued and where our citizens are among the best educated in the country.

All societies that prosper and all governments that reach their goals for social

and economic development have one thing in common. It is a strong educational

foundation.

Students

It is well established that the first years of learning are critical to

future success. My Government is committed to a strong program of pre-school and

early childhood development initiatives. One component is Kinderstart, a

province-wide, pre-Kindergarten orientation program aimed at preparing children

to enter school ready to learn, familiar with the classroom setting and with a

head-start in reading.

My Government has set a course to reverse the trend of low literacy and

provided the strategic means to become a Province with students who are among

the best educated in the country.

My Government is also committed to maintaining the best pupil-teacher ratio

in Canada, currently at one teacher for every 13.5 students.

National and international testing results verify that our investments in

education are paying dividends.

The Province's drop-out rate has declined sharply, from 24 per cent in 1991

to 11 per cent in 1999. This represents a remarkable 54 per cent decline over an

eight-year period. It speaks to an increased awareness among young people of the

importance of staying in school. It also speaks to the ability of our education

system to provide students with the supports they need to succeed at the high

school level.

My Government is very concerned about bullying in our schools. Through our

new Safe and Caring Schools Action Plan, our children will continue to enjoy one

of the safest and most nurturing learning environments in the world.

Increasing achievement in rural Newfoundland and Labrador will be a primary

focus of My Government over the next five years.

Substantial progress is being made in the provision of on-line learning

opportunities for students in Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly for those

students who live in rural areas. Nancy Turner, a student at Holy Cross School

in Eastport, is one student who is seeing real benefit in distance education.

She says: "Distance education is a valuable part of my high school career,

and I am thrilled to be part of something so remarkable."

My Government will place the entire high school curriculum in e-learning

format, so that our high school program is available to students anywhere in the

Province. My Government will ensure equality of opportunity for every student in

Newfoundland and Labrador. This will ensure that students are fully prepared to

participate at a post-secondary level without disadvantage.

My Government has set an education agenda that has, as its goal, the

attainment of student achievement levels in Newfoundland and Labrador that match

or exceed the highest performing provinces in Canada. In addition, by 2006, our

students will rank among the best in the world and we expect this to be verified

in national and international test results. This is a bold objective, but it is

one we have made significant progress towards achieving.

Our Educators

If education is a basic tenet of our success as a people, our teachers are a

vital link to not only the success of our students but to the success of the

Province.

Andre Hudson, a chemistry teacher in Grand Falls-Windsor, is one of the

teachers making a difference in the lives of our children. As an e-teacher with

the recently established Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation, he brings

his expertise in that subject area to students in rural and remote parts of the

Province. This is just one of the innovative ways high calibre teachers and

technology can be connected to bring quality learning experiences to students no

matter where they live.

My Government is committed to finding new and innovative ways to ensure that

teacher resources are used to promote the best possible programming and

classroom experience for our children.

In 2000, My Government engaged two prominent educators to study how we could

most effectively resource our schools in an era of declining enrolment. The

formula subsequently presented in the Sparkes-Williams Ministerial Panel Report

represented a fair and equitable means by which to address this issue. That

said, the formula has not been fully implemented for the past number of years.

As a result, more than half the teaching positions that would have been lost to

enrolment decline have been retained in the system.

This investment in additional teachers, beyond that recommended in the

allocation formula, will continue to allow schools and school boards to deliver

enhanced educational opportunities for our students.

Educational Infrastructure

Over the past five years, My Government has invested more than $170 million

in new school construction and upgrading existing schools, with more than $50

million in the past two years alone. This expenditure, made possible by school

reform, has seen the construction of twenty-three new schools in communities

such as Blaketown, Roddickton and Plum Point, and forty-nine major renovation

projects. This represents the largest capital investment in our schools in the

history of our Province.

My Government will make the necessary investments to ensure that, within five

years, every school from Nain to St. John's is brought up to a level that

meets or exceeds national standards.

My Government is proud of its accomplishment that computers are readily

available in schools to all students, regardless of where they live. Our next

commitment is to link every classroom to the Internet.

My Government has agreed to make a further $5 million investment in broadband

infrastructure in the Province, through the Centre for Distance Learning and

Innovation. We are awaiting confirmation of partnership commitments from the

federal government and the private sector.

Supports and Services

My Government established a study group with NAPE and CUPE to examine the

hours of work issue for secretarial, janitorial and maintenance workers. That

report was publicly released earlier this year. My Government is studying the

report and will work towards implementation with their union partners.

Textbooks are currently provided free of charge to students in Kindergarten

to Grade 8. My Government currently provides a 40 per cent subsidy for textbooks

to students in Grades 9 through 12. My Government will explore ways and means to

further reduce the cost of textbooks in the high school program.

My Government's education agenda is ambitious and forward-thinking. It

addresses our students, our teachers and the supports they require to achieve

and to excel. My Government believes that, if our children are to reap the

benefits of our vision and promises, we must be willing to sow the seeds today.

Post-Secondary Education: An Achievable Goal

My Government believes that students should graduate with the skills and

knowledge they need to become productive citizens. They are committed to making

education at the post-secondary level accessible to all who choose to pursue it.

My Government is keeping that commitment.

Lowering Tuition

Today, more than 80 per cent of the high school graduates in this Province

pursue a post-secondary education. In support of this, My Government committed

to reducing tuition at Memorial University of Newfoundland by 25 per cent. They

are keeping this commitment.

With a 20 per cent reduction over the past two years, tuition rates in our

Province are the lowest in the country. Tuition rates at Memorial will decrease

by a further 5 per cent this coming September. Newfoundland and Labrador stands

alone as the only Province in the country that is lowering tuition for the

benefit of its students.

Over the past four years, My Government was instrumental in the

implementation of a tuition freeze at the College of the North Atlantic and the

Marine Institute, making current tuition rates at these institutions among the

lowest in the country.

Lowering Debt

My Government has made changes to the student aid program aimed at reducing

student debt and making post-secondary education more affordable. These measures

include new debt reduction grants and enhanced interest relief, so that students

can shed their debt faster.

For example, a student who borrows at the maximum level of $275 per week for

the length of his or her degree program is eligible for $15,000 in debt

reduction. This means that students who borrow at the maximum level have no

provincial student debt, and amounts to a 40 per cent reduction in the student's

overall debt load.

With these measures to bring about low tuition rates, and with a revamped

student aid program, My Government is making affordable post-secondary education

available to the greatest possible number of students.

Youth Opportunities Newfoundland and Labrador

Youth out-migration, youth employment, student debt, rural revitalization and

business expansion are all challenges that My Government is addressing. This

year, My Government will commence a Youth Opportunities Newfoundland and

Labrador program to provide incentives for post-secondary graduates burdened by

student debt to stay and work in the Province after graduation. The finalization

of program details will be a participatory process with students and other

stakeholders in a roundtable convened for this purpose.

The All-Important First Job

My Government will also provide incentives to employers who hire cooperative

work term students, and to those who hire new graduates in their field of study.

Youth Opportunities Newfoundland and Labrador will give graduating students a

helping hand as they begin their professional careers and will encourage them to

remain part of the social fabric of their communities and their Province.

Quality, Accessible and Sustainable Health Care

My Government is committed to providing a quality health and community

services system that improves the health and well-being of individuals,

families, and communities. My Government's resolve to meet this commitment is

shown in Healthier Together: A Strategic Health Plan for Newfoundland and

Labrador.

This five-year strategic health plan sets out the major long-term goals, and

identifies the objectives, actions and targets, by which My Government will be

measured. The directions outlined in the plan were a result of extensive

consultations with the public and key stakeholders.

Delivering a Sustainable System

Each year, My Government spends $1.5 billion, or 42 cents of every program

dollar, on health care. My Government increased health care spending by 50 per

cent since 1994-1995. People, however, deserve more than increased health care

spending; they also deserve a guarantee of excellent care.

Providing a Quality System

In keeping with My Government's commitment, a Health Charter will be

released shortly. The Charter's purpose is to outline what people can expect

from the health and community services system, and an understanding of our own

individual responsibility in achieving optimal health and well-being. The

Charter will reflect public input received during the current consultation

process.

Healthy People

Wellness is an overarching theme of My Government's strategic health plan.

To improve the health status of the people of the Province, a wellness strategy

is being developed. Four key areas have been identified for immediate work. They

are health promotion, injury and illness prevention, health protection, and

child and youth development. My Government will take advice and guidance on our

wellness strategy from the recently created Provincial Wellness Advisory

Council, chaired by Dr. Catherine Donovan.

Physical activity is a major health determinant. Research indicates that 60

per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are not active enough to achieve

health benefits. To address this problem, My Government established a coalition

of individuals from the fields of sport, recreation, health and education to

develop a provincial strategy that will increase the physical activity levels of

the people of the Province.

Tobacco control initiatives continue to be a key element of our wellness

agenda. My Government's Teen Tobacco Team has been instrumental in promoting

the "stop smoking" message. Since 2000, smoking rates of those aged

fifteen to nineteen in Newfoundland and Labrador have dropped from 28 per cent

to 22 per cent. My Government is committed to achieving an even greater

reduction in smoking rates, particularly for those in their early teens. My

Government will not rest until 100 per cent of teens stop smoking.

My Government believes it is time the tobacco industry accepted

responsibility for the negative impact its product has on the lives of

individuals. To this end, My Government has announced its plan to recover the

enormous health costs associated with tobacco use through the courts.

Mental Health Strategy

My Government also recognizes that a new strategy is needed in the area of

mental health. It is the lack of community-based services that is most obvious.

My Government will formulate a mental health strategy leading to a more

comprehensive set of mental health services.

Caring for Autistic Children

My Government has announced a further investment of $1.88 million over three

years for autism services in the Province. Early intensive intervention services

will be offered to pre-school aged children who are currently waiting for the

service. This increased funding will also address the anticipated demand for new

referrals to the program as they arise.

My Government's strategic health plan sets out a new direction for primary

health care as the central focus of the delivery of health and community

services. This represents a new direction for primary health care: a team-based,

interdisciplinary approach where physicians, nurses and other health

professionals cooperate in providing services twenty-four hours a day, seven

days a week.

My Government's goal is to ensure that every region of the Province can

avail of appropriate primary health care services on a twenty-four hour a day,

seven day a week basis, within five years.

Enhancing the availability of diagnostic care, treatment services and

equipment is critical to reducing waiting times and ensuring the quality of our

health care system. My Government will make new investments, including support

for specialized staff training and equipment, which will improve access to

diagnostic services.

These initiatives demonstrate My Government's leadership in ensuring that

our health care system provides quality and accessible care to the people of the

Province.

Opportunity and Prosperity

A challenge we face as a Province is the belief amongst some, that

Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be a place of little or no opportunity

for our people, particularly for our youth. This defeatist attitude, and the

myth that there are no opportunities in our Province, is being dispelled every

day by citizens of our Province who are making a difference.

Small Business Grows the Economy

Small businesses continue to make a real difference in our economy. Almost 95

per cent of all businesses in the Province are small businesses. There are more

than 20,000 small businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador today, creating 80 per

cent of all the new jobs in our economy.

It is people like Lindy Rideout, the owner of Sea Knife Kayaks in

Cottlesville, who are reversing the trends of the past and showing that a strong

economy provides jobs and opportunities for our people to stay in our Province.

His company is one of the largest kayak producers in Atlantic Canada. To market

his high-end kayaks, the company has opened an office in Ontario and is setting

up distributors across Atlantic Canada. This kind of thinking and creativity

demonstrates that today's rural Newfoundland and Labrador is securing its

future.

My Government has strengthened the overall small business environment in

recent years to encourage growth and new jobs in this vitally important sector

of our economy. This remains a priority for My Government. New measures and

initiatives will be announced in the upcoming Budget to build an even stronger

environment to help small businesses grow and succeed in all parts of our

Province.

Regional Economic Development

My Government is committed to building stronger regions and stronger

communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. It is critically important

that all regions of the Province share in our economic progress and that the

overall economy develops more fully on a regional basis. The twenty Regional

Economic Development Boards are providing leadership on this front and My

Government intend to ensure that they remain an effective partner in moving the

economy forward.

The Rural Development Associations throughout the Province also play an

extremely important role in community economic development. My Government values

their contribution and is committed to strengthening their capacity to help to

implement the strategic regional development plans that have been prepared by

the Regional Economic Development Boards.

Leading Economic Growth

Major Canadian banks, and organizations like the Conference Board of Canada,

have declared our economy to be the fastest growing in the country. Our GDP

growth has nearly tripled from 2001. More than 60 per cent of the 27,000 jobs

created in the past several years have been outside the St. John's area.

A Climate of Investment

My Government have been successful in creating a climate for investment, jobs

and growth that is showing a positive impact. My Government has an aggressive

plan to achieve this objective. It is the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth.

It is, in large measure, a rural agenda reaffirming the commitment of My

Government to rural Newfoundland and Labrador. It is working.

It is clear that we are on the right track in this Province.

Three Priority Sectors

My Government's Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth identified a number of

priority sectors that could achieve great levels of growth if given the proper

support. Three of these are tourism, aquaculture and information technology.

Tourism

Newfoundland and Labrador is emerging as a tourist destination of choice. Our

tourism sector has grown dramatically over the past decade, with marked,

sustained growth over the last five years. Tourism continues to be a priority

sector in My Government's economic plan and this approach is paying dividends.

Spending by visitors in the Province reached an estimated $304 million in 2002,

an increase of 27 per cent since 1998. When one adds resident tourist

expenditures to non-resident expenditures, they are estimated to be over $620

million a year.

In December 2002, My Government announced the creation of the Newfoundland

and Labrador Marketing Council, which is co-chaired by government with Roger

Jamieson, a tourism industry leader. This represents a new opportunity for

better industry involvement in tourism marketing. It is reflective of the mature

state of the tourism industry, builds on the tourism momentum of recent years

and allows industry and government to work together more closely in promoting

the Province as a tourism destination.

Aquaculture

The fishery endures as a cornerstone of our economy and our heritage. My

Government remains steadfast in its commitment that the fishery should be a

proud and viable part of our future. Our diversified fishery is reaching a

record $1 billion in value again this year.

Aquaculture has become an important part of that sector and the economy of

rural Newfoundland and Labrador. The Aquaculture Strategic Plan, developed by

industry and My Government, has facilitated a focused effort to industry

development. It concentrates on four established species: Atlantic salmon,

steelhead trout, blue mussels and Atlantic cod.

Since 1999, the export value of the aquaculture industry has risen 13 per

cent. It reached $20.5 million in 2002. Blue mussel production reached 1,700

tonnes in 2002, an increase of 18 per cent over the previous year. It is

entrepreneurs like Juan Roberts, who produced 1.4 million pounds of mussels at

his farm in Triton last year, who are making the aquaculture industry grow.

My Government's $1 million contribution towards construction in Bay Roberts

of the first commercial cod hatchery in North America will make us world leaders

in egg-to-plate aquaculture technology.

Information Technology

The information technology sector averaged more than 10 per cent annual

growth from 1992 to 1997, and grew by more than 25 per cent in each of 1998,

1999 and 2000. Today, in our Province, we have more than 200 IT firms and 4,000

IT professionals, generating $600 million in business around the world. The

information technology sector remains a significant generator of employment and

we are proud of the contribution this industry continues to make to our economy.

My Government looks forward to partnering with Aliant over the next three

years on a $1.5 million Near Shore Development Initiative to aggressively

establish the Province as a recognized centre for information technology

development.

Business Attraction Agency

The attraction of new investment, new companies and new industries to our

Province is an important part of My Government's plan for economic growth and

job creation. In 2003, My Government will establish a new Business Attraction

Agency for the Province to capture growing national and international investor

interest in Newfoundland and Labrador, working in partnership with the business

community and with regional and municipal economic development organizations.

Labour Market Development Strategy

Newfoundland and Labrador, like other jurisdictions nationally and

internationally, is being challenged with labour market issues such as changing

demographics and skill shortages. My Government is continuing its work with the

Labour Market Development Council, a government-established advisory group of

employers, labour, post-secondary and student representatives, to develop a

provincial labour market development strategy. This strategy will be designed to

assist in responding to current and future labour market challenges and to

strategically position the Province in an increasingly global economy.

Ex-Patriate Labour Registration Desk

Local employers say that, more frequently than ever before, they cannot find

employees in our Province to satisfy new or growing operations. Many of our

people also wish to return home to work. My Government is interested in

facilitating the return of these skilled workers by establishing an ex-patriate

labour registration desk, to match Newfoundlanders and Labradorians wh live

outside the Province and want to return home, with employers who can offer them

a job.

Labrador

The richness of Labrador's resources is well know, and the prospects for

that part of the Province shine bright. In order to provide a greater level of

understanding and service to the people of Labrador, My government has, for the

first time in its history, two members representing Labrador in the Cabinet.

My Government will continue to work with the people of Labrador to promote

the development of Labrador's resources in an environmentally responsible

manner. And it will do so with the best interests of the people of Labrador, and

the Province generally, foremost in our minds.

My Government will complete Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway between

Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Cartwright. While this commitment is not conditional

on federal funding, My Government has proposed a partnership approach to the

project.

My Government has been able to reconfigure the Labrador Marine Service so

that communities on the North Coast have a more frequent ferry service than they

ever had before. For the people in Labrador West and the Happy Valley-Goose Bay

area traveling on the ferry to the Island via Cartwright, costs and travel time

will be reduced. Southern Labrador will become the main transportation route for

entry into and out of Labrador and connections to the rest of the Province,

which will in turn provide a great deal of potential for future economic growth

in this region.

Partnerships for Success

My Government believes in working in partnership with people throughout the

Province. This approach demonstrates our commitment to dialogue and openness. It

is a way to ensure that the people's priorities remain the government's

priorities.

Strategic Partnership Initiative

In January 2002, My Government announced a Strategic Partnership Initiative

of government, business and labour. The objective of the Partnership is to

advance the Province's overall economic agenda. An early priority established

by the Partnership was to identify and to address key issues that need to be

tackled together by government, business and labour to improve the Province's

productivity and competitive position in an increasingly global economy. My

Government is committed to working with business and labour as equal partners in

dealing with these and other strategic challenges to advance our economy.

Community Partnerships

My Government acknowledges the valuable role the Premier's Council on

Social Development plays in providing advice on key social policy issues, most

recently the new Income and Employment Support Act.

Last year, My Government asked the Premier's Council to provide advice on

ways to strengthen and develop the voluntary, community-based sector. The

Premier's Council recently submitted its recommendations and, in the coming

weeks, My Government will be announcing a comprehensive action plan focusing on

how government and the voluntary, community-based sector can work more

effectively together to achieve our common goals.

Partnership with Women

While gains have been made towards gender equity, more work in this area

still needs to be done. My Government's commitment to advancing the status of

women is reflected in its establishment of a Women's Policy Office to provide

an essential link between women and government decision makers, and to

facilitate gender inclusive policy development. It is also reflected in the

sustained support of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women and

Women's Centres through the Province. These commitments will continue.

The problem of reducing violence is not one which government can solve on its

own. My Government established the Violence Prevention Initiative, a

government-community partnership, to work with key groups on a regional basis

and together, to make communities safer for everyone. Through this Initiative,

My Government has committed funding through fiscal year 2004-2005 to improve

coordination of services for victims, to increase public awareness and to

support community mobilization on issues related to violence.

Partnership with Aboriginal Peoples

My Government's relationship with the Aboriginal people of this Province

has never been stronger. This past year saw the conclusion of agreements with

the Innu and Inuit to enable the Voisey's Bay development to proceed, in a

manner consistent with their priorities and objectives.

on the first land claims and self-government agreement in this Province will be

completed in the coming months. Progress is also being made on the Innu Nation

land claim. It is My Government's sincere hope that, with a fresh start, the

Mushuau Innu will find a better life in Natuashish than the one they left behind

in Davis Inlet.

Partnership with Municipalities

Strong local governance is essential to the social and economic growth of

communities. My Government will continue to expand and enhance the

infrastructure which is so essential to the growth and health of our

communities. Communities throughout the Province will see an investment in

municipal infrastructure exceeding $300 million over a three-year period.

Through its Debt Relief Program, My Government has reduced the debt load of many

rural communities by a total of $47 million and created the financial stability

for continued growth.

My Government has committed $31 million to the clean-up of the St. John's

harbour.

Democratic Reform

My Government believes in basic democratic principles that maximize the

opportunities for inclusiveness and fairness in the electoral process. Public

service is an honourable profession. My Government is dedicated to strengthening

and building the integrity of our public institutions.

Campaign Financing

My Government plans to strengthen the rules pertaining to campaign financing

in advance of the next general election. Legislation will be introduced shortly

to provide for limits on campaign contributions to a party or candidate during

an election campaign. We will provide for limits on third party spending if the

third party is acting independently of a registered party or candidate. The

rules will be more transparent with respect to the amounts which individuals and

parties can spend during an election.

Size of Cabinet

The Electoral Boundaries Act establishes the review process which must

be undertaken every ten years respecting electoral districts. Later this year,

My Government will receive a report from a commission setting out

recommendations concerning the number of seats for this hon. House.

My Government is of the view that the size of the Cabinet should be a fixed

percentage of the total number of seats in the House of Assembly. Following the

determination of the number of seats, My Government commits to a Cabinet size of

no more than one-third of the number of districts.

Election Dates

After full public consultation, My Government will introduce legislation to

require that provincial elections be held on a set date every four years. This

will provide a greater degree of stability and certainty in the electoral

process.

Our Relationship with Ottawa

It is very clear that our relationship with the federal government is an

issue of great interest and concern to the people of our Province. While the

Province is a partner in the Canadian federation, My Government shares the

people's view that we are truly an equal partner. For a partnership to be

truly equal there must be respect on both sides.

Unfortunately, at this time, the level of indifference, disinterest and

disrespect towards provinces is increasing. This was quite obvious during the

recent First Ministers' Meeting on health care. It was also clearly evident in

recent decisions taken with respect to divestiture of the port facility in

Stephenville, and the virtual closure of the weather forecasting office in

Gander. The federal government has failed to respect the people of this Province

and this must change.

All-Party Committee on Cod Fisheries

Last November, without any consultation or warning, the federal Department of

Fisheries and Oceans announced through the media it was contemplating closing

cod fisheries beginning with the 2003 season. In response to a resolution passed

in this House of Assembly, an emergency meeting took place in Ottawa on December

2, 2002 resulting in the formation of an historic All-Party Committee to present

a united provincial position on this serious issue. My Government is pleased

with the cooperation and collaboration on this matter.

My Government calls on the federal government to respond positively to the

recommendations contained in the report of the All-Party Committee, which was

publicly released on March 17 th , to help rebuild and protect the

Northern and Gulf cod stocks, and to assist those who depend on these renewable

fish resources for their livelihood.

Foreign Overfishing

The issue of foreign overfishing and the exploitation of our fishery

resources is one of profound significance to the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador. My Government has established the Provincial Advisory Council on

Foreign Overfishing to provide advice on how we can work to resolve the issues

related to overfishing on the Nose and Tail of the Grand Banks. We have proposed

the concept of custodial management to the federal government.

My Government will continue to press the federal government to live up to its

responsibility of protecting our fisheries resources.

All-Party Symposium on Equalization

The leadership of all provincial and federal elected officials in this

Province is required to effect a change in the relationship between Newfoundland

and Labrador and the federal government. To this end, My Government will expand

on the success of the All-Party approach initiated to respond to the troubled

state of the Northern and Gulf cod fisheries by convening the first annual

symposium of all Members of this hon. House and all federal Members of the House

of Commons and Senate from Newfoundland and Labrador.

This will be an annual event, held each fall, to tackle a priority issue of

importance to the people of the Province. The issue My Government is proposing

for the first symposium will be Equalization, a timely one given the review of

the program which is scheduled to be completed in 2004. Business and labour will

also be invited to participate in this symposium on Equalization through the

Strategic Partnership Initiative.

Lower Churchill Development

Canada's increasing need for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions raises

development of the Lower Churchill. Now that the federal government has ratified

the Kyoto Protocol, My Government will continue to explore with Ottawa, over the

next several months, the role which this clean, renewable energy project could

play in reducing Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.

My Government remains firmly committed to developing the Lower Churchill with

partners that are committed to maximizing the returns, benefits and

opportunities for our people.

Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Economic Development Board

As of March 31, 2003, the last of the existing federal-provincial,

cost-shared comprehensive economic development agreements will expire in

Newfoundland and Labrador and in the other Atlantic provinces. My Government has

proposed to the federal government a new model for economic development

programming in Newfoundland and Labrador, namely the establishment of a

Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Economic Development Board.

This board would bring together most of ACOA's provincial office and most

of the business lines of the Department of Industry, Trade and Rural

Development. This pilot project would have the goal of eliminating the overlap

and duplication which currently exists, and pooling the collective resources of

the two orders of government in support of common economic development

objectives and priorities.

During the period of time needed to fully operationalize this model, My

Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement be extended by one year to March

31, 2004. This would allow for an orderly transition.

My Government remains convinced that much more can be achieved if the voice

of Newfoundland and Labrador is better respected in Ottawa.

Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening our Place in Canada

A centerpiece of last year's Throne Speech was the announcement of the

Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening our Place in Canada. The degree

of public interest and involvement in the Commission's work to date speaks

volumes about the importance of this initiative. My Government looks forward to

receiving the final report of the Commission by June 30, which, in many ways,

will chart the future course for Newfoundland and Labrador.

The People's Congress

In recognition of the importance of this initiative to the people of the

Province, My Government will organize a People's Congress within sixty days of

receiving the Commission's report. The People's Congress will bring together

elected federal and provincial officials from all parties, municipal leaders,

Aboriginal leaders, representatives of the social, business and labour sectors,

with representations from women, youth and seniors. The intended outcome will be

an action plan flowing from the recommendations of the Commission report.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

My Government will continue to engage the people of Newfoundland and Labrador

as we advance our agenda, as we further our ability to seize the opportunities

before us to control our destiny. The strong spirit and determination of the

people of the Province carries us through challenges and leads to prosperity. It

will serve us well, as together we build the new Newfoundland and Labrador.

A Vision for this Province... A Plan We Will Achieve

My Government's agenda is large and ambitious.

It is an agenda that is practical and affordable. It demonstrates a

government of energy, of vision, of ideas, and of leadership.

It is an agenda for the people. An agenda to be delivered in partnership with

the people.

It is because of My Government's commitment to a structured long-term

approach to strategic policy planning that it is able to govern effectively and

deliver on its commitments.

While My Government recognizes that the challenges are great, it also

recognizes that our opportunities are even greater.

My Government believes that together we are building an education system that

will enable our children to seize any opportunity that the future will offer.

My Government believes that together we are building a health care system

that provides quality and accessible health care that is sustainable.

My Government believes that together we are building a society that allows

people to have the quality of life they want and deserve.

My Government is driven by a firm commitment to our children that the

Province they inherit from our generation will be a better one.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Estimates of expenditure will be laid before you in due course and you will

be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.

I invoke God's blessing upon you as you commence this new Session.

May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor and the Vice-Regal party leave the

Chamber.

Mr. Speaker returns to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. LUSH: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I shall ask leave to introduce

a bill entitled, "An Act To Incorporate The Newfoundland And Labrador

Centre For Health Information," Bill 1.

Motion, the hon. the Government House Leader to introduce a bill, "An

Act To Incorporate The Newfoundland And Labrador Centre For Health

Information," carried. (Bill1)

On motion, Bill 1 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, has been pleased to

present a Speech to the members in this General Assembly. We will now take a few

moments to have the Speech distributed to all hon. members.

The hon. the Member for St. George's-Stephenville East.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. K. AYLWARD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to congratulate His Honour on delivering his first Speech from

the Throne to the people's Chamber. He has done it elegantly and with

sincerity. His Honour continues to make a great contribution to public life in

the Province and is committed to the people of the Province.

I would also like congratulate the MHA for Burin-Placentia West on her recent

election as Deputy Speaker for the House of Assembly. I would also like to

congratulate the MHA for Port de Grave on being elected Deputy Chair of

Committees, to the new members of Cabinet on their appointments, and wish them

well in their duties.

The Throne Speech outlines a variety of priorities which the people welcome.

The Strategic Health Plan will help our people. The Minister of Health and the

MHA for Port au Port and I are delighted that the new hospital for Stephenville

will be opening later this year, again showing our commitment to the people of

the region.

I want to thank my constituents for the continued support they have shown me

during the past twenty years. It has been a privilege to serve the people of the

great District of St. George's-Stephenville East.

The district has much potential and has seen progress. The beautiful Codroy

Valley has seen new tourism development and Stephenville has grown into a

regional growth centre. The Abitibi Consolidated paper mill is the most

important economic engine for the region and present challenges will be met,

working together. We need to concentrate on solutions which will ensure a

long-term future for the workers and the town, and I am confident that those

solutions will be found.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the announcement of the People's Congress resulting

from the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening our Place in Canada. We

must be realistic about our place in Confederation, and our people have

attempted every diplomatic approach to the upper Canadian government and

bureaucracy. Prime Minister Chrtien said in a speech to the Board of Trade at

St. John's on May 6, 1984, as the then federal Minister of Mines and Energy,

he committed that we would: receive the benefits from the offshore until we were

in a position to share the future prosperity with the rest of Canada.

I have a copy of the speech. I will table it here. The Atlantic Accord is not

fulfilling its commitment. We are supposed to be "the Principle

beneficiary".

The federal government is receiving more revenue on all our resources than we

are because of the financial arrangements Ottawa has dictated to this Province.

My comments are not a lament but a demand that the potential of Newfoundland and

Labrador, and its people, be allowed to be realized. Our people are talented and

have a spirit that is strong and willing, but the shackles must come off, the

straight jacket that Ottawa has put on this Province has to be removed, and we

have to regain the ability to develop ourselves.

This Province is just not seven seats in the House of Commons of over 300. It

is much, much more and has brought much more to Confederation; yet, because of

negative impacting policies by the federal government, we have difficulty moving

forward. This week the federal government announced a decision to cut out most

of Environment Canada's presence at Gander and are attempting to privatize the

port of Stephenville, potentially impeding and impacting hundreds of jobs in the

future. The airports have been downloaded and one has to wonder what the words

"federal presence" means anymore.

The Throne Speech highlights economic development and it is impressive to see

the projects that this government has been able to develop and bring forward,

such as Voisey's Bay mine, the White Rose Oil development, and the Boundary

Decision win. These are more reasons for economic optimism than every before;

yet, the financial benefit that should flow through the Province is held back by

a federal government that believes it is doing us a favour with the so-called

equalization formula. With the Upper Churchill power development plus offshore

oil flowing, even now we are an energy powerhouse and we should be having larger

benefits from Ottawa for these resources.

The Royal Commission on strengthening our relationship in Canada will report

soon, and I am hopeful that it will highlight some new angles to pursue and how

to pursue them. It will be up to this House of Assembly to decide the next moves

and also how we gain and use leverage to get the central government to pay

attention.

Mr. Speaker, the Speech highlights democratic reform and we must appreciate

that democracy should not be taken for granted. As we sit here today, we are on

the edge of a military conflict in a location of the world where democracy is

only a wish. The world of 2003 is more volatile and we are all very appreciative

of the great society we have built here in Canada.

To all Members of this House of Assembly, I wish you well and I thank the

Premier and Cabinet for the co-operation provided to me as a member of the

Executive Council for the past nine years.

In conclusion, I would thank his Honour for his attendance here today and I

move that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply to the

Speech from the Throne.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Gander.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS KELLY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a great honour to second the motion that a Select Committee be

appointed to draft an Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

The Speech from the Throne offered us a review of many of the initiatives

this government has undertaken, and shows how these are linked to future

directions we will be adopting. This year's Speech from the Throne certainly

demonstrates this government's record of achievement and it also presents an

exciting vision for the future.

The hon. Member for St. George's-Stephenville East talked about the work of

the Royal Commission on Our Place in Canada and federal-provincial relations as

the most important issue for the future of this Province.

I agree with this point of view and I want to support his comments by talking

about a timely example of the problem we are having with federal-provincial

relations, an example which illustrates the federal attitude towards this

Province. I want to talk about the cutbacks by the federal government at the

Weather Centre in the district that I represent, Gander.

Mr. Speaker, the recently announced cuts to the Gander Weather Centre are

simply unacceptable. The weather office provides a vital service to the people

of this Province and the people of this Province, maybe more than anywhere else

in Canada, depend on accurate weather reports. Fishers in this Province make

decisions based on the weather forecast.

We decide to go on the highway based on weather forecasts. The thousands of

calls this Weather Centre receives demonstrates that the service is needed and

valued by the citizens of this Province.

Weather forecasting is also very important to the development and safety of

several sectors of our economy. The aviation industry, highway transportation,

fishing, shipping, and our developing offshore oil and gas sector all depend on

reliable weather forecasting. The 103 Air Search and Rescue unit, at 9 Wing

Gander, which has saved many lives off our coast, depends on accurate up-to-date

weather forecasting. There is no denying the importance and value of this

service.

Mr. Speaker, the way this announcement was made deserves some comment. When

the federal Minister of the Environment made the announcement he tried to

characterize it as good news. The news release, said the minister

"announced an Investment of $75 million over five years that will allow the

Meteorological Service of Canada to improve the quality of its forecasts and its

services to Canadians in all regions."

Mr. Speaker, I want to make a few things clear here today in case anyone is

confused. I want to be clear because it is important that the people of this

Province know exactly what is happening. We are not getting any improvements in

weather forecasting. Despite the ten positions related to marine and ice service

being located in Gander, the people of this Province will not see any of that

additional $75 million invested here. There should be no confusion, this is a

cutback in the amount of money being spent here in our Province. The $75 million

will go to other provinces.

There should also be no confusion on another point as well, it is also a

downgrading of service. Meteorologists have been providing weather services from

Botwood and Gander airport since the late 1930s. With forecasts for this

Province being done from Halifax, local knowledge will not be included. The

people developing the forecasts will not have the provincial awareness and

expertise, and consequently the

interpretation of the data will not lead to the

high quality forecasting of weather we have grown to depend on.

Mr. Speaker, the cutbacks at the Gander Weather Office are not just about

jobs involved and the impact that their loss will have on Gander. It is not just

about the level of service that will be provided. These issues are of critical

importance but there is another aspect to this as well. This issue is also

important because it is part of a larger trend. It is part of a larger problem.

That larger problem is the way we in this Province are treated by the federal

government. This is an issue which demands the attention of every Newfoundlander

and every Labradorian.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier and I met with the federal Minister of the

Environment earlier this week and he agreed to look at the facts and figures

again in light of our discussions. My government will also prepare a report to

present to the federal minister outlining how forecasting can stay in this

Province in a cost-effective manner. Through the Minister of Intergovernmental

Affairs, and the Minister of Environment, the Premier and myself, as MHA for

Gander District, this government will leave no stone unturned when it comes to

fighting to have this decision reversed.

Mr. Speaker, there are some other issues in this year's Speech from the

Throne which I am very impressed with. They include health, strengthening

democracy and economic development. But in particular, I want to talk about

something that is very dear to my heart, this government's education agenda.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give a very quick review of this ambitious and

forward thinking education agenda that includes: the best pupil-teacher ratio in

Canada; new initiatives for pre-school and early childhood development; a

sharply declining drop out rate; a New Safe and Caring Schools Action Plan;

substantial progress in provision of online learning; exceeded recommended

teacher allocations; a new educational program enhancement initiative that will

see additional school based teachers in music and the arts, also promoting

healthier lifestyles, and improving student achievement in specific program

area; a plan that within five years every school in our Province will meet or

exceed national standards; ensuring every classroom has a link to the Internet

and computers; post-secondary initiatives such as decreasing tuition by 25 per

cent with the last 5 per cent coming this September at Memorial with a tuition

freeze continuing at the College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute;

a new student loan program put in place last year and now further action on

student debt with upcoming roundtable consultation and providing incentives for

employers who hire new graduates in their field of study; two years ago the

Premier put in place a Youth Advisory Committee. Today, His Honour unveiled

Youth Opportunities Newfoundland and Labrador: a major new policy thrust

focusing on building opportunities for our future - which is our young people.

This is a Record of Achievement and a Forward Thinking Education Agenda.

There are some in this Province who would say that we should never, under any

circumstances, run a budget deficit. They would say we should always balance the

budget no matter what we have to cut to make that goal a reality. Those people

are focused purely on financial management while not concerned about the health

and social needs in our Province. I am pleased to see that this government is

willing to take initiatives to address social needs and to invest for the

future. All the while, of course, recognizing that we have to have a fiscal plan

that addresses the issues in the near long-term.

The focus on education in this speech is something I am especially pleased

with, and governments' record in this area should be emphasized. This record

provides a solid foundation to continue the vision His Honour outlined to us

today. We have a government and a Premier with a Record of Achievement and a

vision for the future. I think we should start referring to our Premier as the

Education Premier. I am confident when it is time to choose, the people of this

Province will choose the clear record, the clear plan for the future, and the

party that cares about people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am certainly honoured this afternoon to present the reply to the Speech

from the Throne for the second year as Leader of the Opposition.

On behalf of myself and the entire Opposition, I would like to thank His

Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor, for a very well presented Speech - no surprise

to anyone I am sure - from the Throne outlining the plans of this government for

the upcoming year, or at least until a general election is called.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our invited guests; some

familiar faces which I do not get to see as often as I did in my previous

career. Welcome to the Chief Justices and fellow honourable Judges of the

Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Court of Appeal and the

Provincial Court; to our esteemed Heads of Church and State, to the leaders of

our Armed Forces and police forces who keep us safe and secure in these times of

grave and imminent danger. Let us all hope and pray for a speedy resolution to

the pending conflict overseas, and may God bless the men and women of our Armed

Forces who serve around the world in these very difficult times.

Mr. Speaker, we also welcome our labour leaders, our business leaders and our

municipal leaders. Also a warm welcome to other distinguished guests, including

former Lieutenant Governors, members of this hon. Legislature, and former

premiers. A warm welcome to members of the media and most importantly, to the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador who are with us in this Chamber today or

viewing us through the televised proceedings.

Mr. Speaker, this year's Speech from the Throne is indeed a very special

occasion. The current government is now in the last year of its maximum

five-year term of office. By law, they will soon be obliged to call an election.

That makes for very exciting times in provincial politics as it will not be long

now before parties begin to present the people with their election platforms,

their plans for the future. It will certainly make for lively debate, not only

in these chambers but in kitchens and cabins across our Province. I look forward

to that debate with great anticipation.

Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, government has once again elected not to

present the Official Opposition with an advance copy of the Speech from the

Throne. Therefore, rather than attempt to respond to government's message in

an ad hoc or off the cuff manner, we will take the necessary time to review it

in some detail and will put forward our thoughts on particular issues over the

coming days and weeks.

That being said, Mr. Speaker, there is nothing like an election to prompt

political parties of all stripes to make promises and commitments to the

electorate. That certainly happened in today's Speech from the Throne. You can

be certain that as soon as we walk through the doors to this Chamber, party

leaders will be asked if they will honour the election promises made by this

government.

I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that our party has its own thoughts and plans

as to where we want to lead this Province. Those ideas will be the basis of our

election platform and will be the primary focus of our communications as we head

into the election. But, while we will be concentrating on our proposals, because

that is what the people expect of us, I am certain that both members opposite

and the NDP caucus will also bring forward suggestions that may have merit. Not

unlike the government in today's Throne Speech, we will consider and adapt

worthwhile policies from other political parties if they have merit and if it is

appropriate to do so.

But, let's be clear, regardless of when the election is called, it is quite

obvious that all parties are now in full election mode. Promises are being made

by government that require a significant financial commitment without a parallel

plan to ensure that our sparse financial resources will be able to honour these

obligations. I, for one, and my caucus, won't be bound by the political

commitments made by a government in the last days of their electoral term

without first evaluating them through a comprehensive due diligence process. It

is nice to tell people exactly what they want to hear, but such action would be

totally irresponsible without a thorough analysis.

So, Mr. Speaker, with those ground rules now in the public record, I would

like to use today as an opportunity to discuss some of the problems we see

facing this Province and outline our plans for correcting those problems.

But before I do that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to publicly thank several

members opposite for their years of dedicated service to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador. For their own reasons, the Members for St. John's

North, Lake Melville, Burin-Placentia West, Gander and St. George's-Stephenville

East have decided to bring an end to their political careers.

Mr. Speaker, I have come to learn that political life requires enormous

personal sacrifice and commitment. Those who give their heart and soul to public

life, as I am sure these five individuals have, know full well of the sacrifices

to which I am referring. Although we have exchanged political barbs in the past,

I would like for these individuals to know that their contributions and efforts

are greatly appreciated. On behalf of our entire caucus, and indeed the entire

Opposition, if I could take the liberty, I would like to thank them all for

their services and wish them well in their future endeavors.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: As we all know, departures in the political world mean new

opportunities for those who decide to stay. I would also like to wish the

government's new and expanded Cabinet great wisdom in their decisions and the

best of luck in their new portfolios.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we must turn our attention to the matters at hand.

Given that an election will soon be legally required, this is a good time for

all parties to highlight areas and issues that are of concern to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador, and identify policies and procedures for addressing

those concerns.

As I see it, Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest challenges facing this Province

involves the way in which our resources are managed. Resource mismanagement is

one of the main reasons why I chose to get into politics. When I look at our

Province, I see so much opportunity, so much potential and so much promise.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, we have never been able to successfully

capture that opportunity, that potential, and that promise.

Mr. Speaker, I am not here to assign blame for that. Winston Churchill said:

If the present tries to sit in judgement of the past, it will lose the future.

We must look to the future and not the past. We must not fall into an abyss or

remorse and self pity but view our Province as a land of opportunity. However,

the squandering of our resources is clearly a matter of fact. When we entered

Confederation in 1949 we brought to Canada vast resources of iron ore, enormous

hydroelectric power generation potential, high quality timber, a world class

fishery that had supported our people for generations, and a proud and hard

working people who have a work ethic second to none.

We brought all of those resources to Canada and believed that we would become

a meaningful partner in our federation. We expected to benefit from the

development of our resources. We asked for nothing more and rightfully expected

nothing less.

However, Mr. Speaker, expectations have not been met. It is our opinion that

our resources have not been managed properly and that we are not benefitting

from their development as we should. Our history, before Confederation and

after, is to negotiate agreements that see benefits accrue to other parts of

Canada and, indeed, other countries in return for marginal long-term benefits

for Newfoundland and Labrador. In many cases, our resources have been exploited

without proper negotiation. Let's consider a few examples.

Our iron ore is shipped to Quebec and other countries for processing. Our

cheap hydroelectricity from the Churchill is sent to Quebec, where it is used as

an enticement for economic development and job creation for Quebecers. Our oil

is sent to the United States. The only jobs Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

receive from its processing is by working on the tankers that steam to and from

refineries in the United States. Our fish has been caught by many vessels

carrying flags from many different countries all around the world, and soon our

nickel and our copper and our cobalt will be shipped to Manitoba and Ontario

where it will create jobs for Ontarians and Manitobans.

What few benefits we receive in the form of royalties from our natural

resources are almost entirely clawed back by a government in Ottawa that seems

only interested in taking jobs from us rather than creating new jobs with us.

Just last week, as has already been mentioned, instead of creating a Regional

Centre of Excellence for Weather Forecasting in Gander, the federal government

elected to move that service to Halifax. That is indicative of a trend that has

emerged with the federal government in which federal jobs and projects are given

to other provinces instead of our Province, Newfoundland and Labrador. If the

technology allows weather forecasting to occur from satellite weather stations

in other provinces, then let's build that Centre of Excellence in Gander

instead of Halifax. There is no reason why that cannot happen. Satellite signals

do not have to cross on an expensive ferry ride to get to Newfoundland and

Labrador. I happen to know because I used to be in that business.

Mr. Speaker, my point is that too many of our resources are used to benefit

people outside of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is wrong and it must be

stopped.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: A lack of benefits from the development of our resources is

one of the primary reasons why so many of our young people have left this

Province for opportunities elsewhere. Over the last ten years, our population

has decreased by 10 per cent. Of greater concern, the rate at which people are

leaving is increasing. Our population dropped by 7 per cent over the last five

years.

Our government boasts that we have led the country in GDP growth in three of

the past five years, but what do Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have to show

for it? They had the highest rate of unemployment in the country, at 18 per

cent. They have among the highest per capita debt, the highest out-migration and

tax burden in the country, and they have among the lowest per capita income,

birth rate and fiscal strength.

These facts are stated on page 3 of the document entitled, What We Heard, by

the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada. This is

not only what the Commission heard. This is what we all are hearing every day in

our Province, this is what we know, but the important question is: What are we

going to do about it?

One student, when asked by the Commission what picture reflected what was

happening in our Province, she suggested a U-Haul, which was a prevalent sight

in her own community.

One woman told the Commission, "It breaks your heart to see your

children leave, but it breaks your heart even more to see them stay in an

environment where they have no opportunity."

I cannot help but notice the sharp contrast between what we heard from

government today and what the Royal Commission heard from our people. We must

indeed practice what we preach.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, we need to start creating some meaningful

opportunities for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, or hearts will

continue to be broken.

That strong desire to create long-term opportunities for Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians is why our party took such a strong position on the development of

Voisey's Bay and the Lower Churchill. It is not that we were anti-development,

Mr. Speaker. Quite the contrary. We want to see these resources developed, but

developed in such a way that maximum benefits accrue to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador. By taking a strong stand on key issues, and offering

constructive suggestions as to how negotiations can be improved, it was our

intention to strengthen government's negotiating position and perhaps gain

some concessions that would otherwise not have been possible. Our Province has

learned before, that without the appropriate safeguards and guarantees, we are

not protected.

Mr. Speaker, if our Province is to have hope for a bright future, we need to

start creating job opportunities. It is our party's position that small and

medium-sized businesses will be key in creating these opportunities. Small and

medium-sized business enterprises are by far the major employer in this Province

and create 90 per cent of all new jobs. I spoke with two of those entrepreneurs,

a husband and wife in Rocky Harbour last Friday, who employ eighty-four people

in our Province in the tourism industry.

Over a month ago, I visited a steel fabrication centre in Bishop's Falls,

which employees approximately fifteen people and services niche markets. I

visited a glove factory in Point Leamington, which employs over sixty-five

people and, in fact, provides goods for the military. I spoke with an

entrepreneurial young man in Sunnyside who employs four people by recycling old

clothing for industrial rags.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: I spoke with an entrepreneur in Hawkes Bay in the lumber

industry, who hopes to double his workforce in the near future from twelve to

twenty-four. I spoke with an entrepreneur in St. Anthony on Saturday who has a

successful snowmobile business, and I counted over 700 snowmobiles at the

Grenfell Run in Main Brook. These are just some of the 20,000 small businesses

that are the real backbone of our economy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: We have to hear what some of our entrepreneurs have told

our Royal Commission in its report. Some of our entrepreneurs have told our

Royal Commission that government officials do not have a good understanding of

the support needed for development of business in this Province.

That is why earlier this year our party announced policies intended to

facilitate small and medium-sized business development. For example, it our

intention to reduce barriers and restrictions that prevent or impede the

establishment or expansion of businesses and create an investment climate that

will stimulate economic growth.

We will address the payroll tax because it discourages businesses from

expanding their operations. Rather than providing a $20 million dollar tax cut

to the owners of the largest nickel, copper and cobalt deposit in the world, we

would like to provide tax cuts to those businesses that in fact need it most.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Businesses that do not have $10 billion worth of revenue,

businesses where a tax break could mean the difference between a healthy bottom

line or foreclosure, the difference between hiring a new employee or laying off

an existing employee.

We will look for ways to facilitate access to venture capital and funding for

research and development in order to help small business mitigate risk.

We will create a new arm of government that will report directly to the

Premier's Office and be responsible for business development within the

Province. This department will also oversee the business of government and

ensure that government tendering and business opportunities are in fact above

board and in full compliance with the laws of the land, creating a level playing

field for all.

It is also our intention to introduce leading edge lobbyist legislation so

that businesses can have open access to the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador. The days of influence peddling and hired guns will soon come to an

end.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, it is our firm belief that by creating an

environment in which businesses can flourish, we will create new job

opportunities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. In a Province with an

unemployment rate close to 20 per cent, and much higher in rural communities,

new job opportunities are greatly needed.

What is more, we need to find new and different economic opportunities for

our people. We need to become more aggressive in pursuing business

opportunities. We should not limit ourselves to what other people tell us we can

do. We need to put in place the basic infrastructure and technologies that allow

industries to develop. If we are missing basic requirements for economic

development in a particular industry, we must find ways of filling that gap.

That will not happen with a complacent mindset. It will require an aggressive

can-do attitude. Any government that we form will have that winning attitude.

Mr. Speaker, out-migration, economic diversification and the proper

management of our resources are three of the most important challenges facing

this Province, but indeed there are others.

People in this Province, as in every other province in the country, are

entitled to certain essential services, basic services, Mr. Speaker, such as

health care, education, roads, and water and sewer; services which many people

in other parts of Canada take for granted. However, they are the basic

necessities of life and our people deserve to have them.

Indeed, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador deserve timely access to

doctors and nurses, access to hospital beds and diagnostic services, and they

should not have to pay for these services out of their own pocket.

The children of Newfoundland and Labrador deserve schools that do not have

air quality problems, or water fountains that are not usable because of boil

water advisories. They should not have to travel to school on unsafe roads, on

buses that are in need of maintenance to such a degree that they have to be

taken out of service.

Communities should not have to choose between water and sewer service or a

recreational facility. Such choices pit our people against each other - those

who already have the services against those who do not.

How do we change that, Mr. Speaker? How do we find the money to provide

people with these essential services? It comes down to sound management

practices. While that obviously includes our natural resources, it also includes

our fiscal resources.

The Public Tender Act and the Financial Administration Act are regularly

circumvented, which leads to the potential of contracts being awarded at an

inflated cost. It can also result in lawsuits and the acquisition of sub-par

goods and services. These laws were created for a reason, and the governments of

the day should comply with them.

We also need to put in place greater measures of accountability and control

on the expenditures of public funds and decisions regarding public resources.

Our party announced a plan to do just that when we unveiled policies on

accountability and transparency early last year.

We will also require all government departments and agencies to submit

business plans with clearly identifiable performance objectives and strategies

outlining how those objectives will be satisfied. This will eliminate the

needless waste that occurs through inefficient management and will put fiscal

resources where they can be of the most benefit to the people.

Next, Mr. Speaker, there is a strong need to reunite our Province. Nowhere is

that more prevalent than in Labrador. Many Labradorians view their relationship

with this Province the way most of us view our relationship with the federal

government. So much is taken, with very little being put back. They do not

believe that they are receiving a fair return on their resources given their

enormous contributions to the provincial economy. This has resulted in strong

feelings of alienation, distrust and dissatisfaction.

We need to work with our provincial counterparts in Labrador to ensure that

they also receive a fair return on the economic development of that portion of

our great Province. They are concerned about the high cost of transportation,

the completion of the Trans-Labrador Highway, the high cost of electricity on

the Coast, and a general feeling of not being appreciated. They must be

reassured and they must be convinced that they are an important and integral

part of a Province in which we can grow together in a true partnership.

Mr. Speaker, we are also facing a critical crossroads in the history of our

fishing industry. Myself and several of the Opposition members, including the

Leader of the New Democratic Party, just returned from a presentation in Ottawa,

together with government members and Senators from the provincial and federal

Legislatures. We jointly compiled a report with a comprehensive set of

recommendations to provide certainty, stability and sustainability for our

Northern and Gulf cod stocks. We have provided a blueprint for the Government of

Canada to work with us to restore our fishery and safeguard our rural

communities. As a result of this effort and our party's leadership in setting

up the Coalition for Custodial Management, I am confident that by working

together as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and putting aside our partisan

differences on major issues, we can bring diverse and conflicting groups

together to further the objectives of our people.

But we must, Mr. Speaker, present a united front and cast aside petty and

personal agendas. Our fishery is critical to the future of rural Newfoundland

and Labrador and we cannot and we must not accept a demographic change in our

Province whereby half of the people in Newfoundland and Labrador must live

within an hour of the capital city. Proper management of our fishery,

stimulation of our tourism industry and diversification of our economy should

help to reverse this trend and revitalize the rural areas of our great Province.

Mr. Speaker, it its preliminary report, the Royal Commission reported what it

has heard from the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and confirmed what we all

know. We have a vast, beautiful Province, with a rich and diverse culture and a

passionate, warm, open and determined people who want to make Newfoundland and

Labrador an even better place for their children and for their grandchildren.

But the Commission also reflected the strong sentiment in the Province and

listed six major areas of concern: 1) The unbearable loss of the fishing

resource; 2) High rates of unemployment, out-migration and the lowest birth rate

in the entire country; 3) The weakened state of our provincial finances; 4) Our

inability to utilize our oil revenue for economic prosperity; 5) The

extraordinary losses of windfall profits to Quebec from Churchill Falls; 6) The

failure of the federal government to treat the Province as an equal partner in

Confederation.

Mr. Speaker, the problems which I have outlined earlier, together with those

identified by the Royal Commission, reflect failure in public policy at both the

federal and provincial level.

These failures were succinctly captured by the Royal Commission on Renewing

and Strengthening our Place in Canada; findings that come directly from the

mouths of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The document reads, and I quote,

"There was a strong consensus that there is something wrong with this

picture." I agree, Mr. Speaker, there is something wrong with this picture.

The problems facing this Province are not new. They have accumulated over the

years and have culminated to the point where many have become systemic. And just

as these problems did not occur overnight, they cannot be fixed overnight. It

will take time and it will take a comprehensive strategy but, Mr. Speaker, these

problems can be fixed and they will be fixed.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Our party will tackle each of these problems one at a time

in a priority manner, and by working with the people we will bring about

meaningful and positive change. That is the promise that we make to the people

of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like once again to refer to the Royal

Commission's document, What We Heard. In that document, a post-secondary

student said, "We must take charge of our own future. No one else

will."

That is what it means to have vision, Mr. Speaker. A vision means that we

will not be complacent and do things the way they have always been done. We will

look for new and creative ways of doing things. We will look to solve problems

instead of creating them. We will think outside the box and adopt innovate

solutions, some of which have been successfully implemented and adopted in other

provinces and countries. We will seek to create meaningful benefits for

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and we will do so in an open and a fair and an

accountable manner.

Mr. Speaker, to close, we must build on our greatest strength, and that is

the belief of every Newfoundlander and Labradorian that their Province is the

best place in the world to live and raise a family. We all believe that. We

believe it because it is true. We have a passion for our culture and our

heritage, and we are proud and we are determined and we are resilient. We owe it

to past generations, we owe it to future generations, and we owe it to each

other. As Loved Our Fathers So We Love.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise to make the traditional few remarks on the Speech from the Throne,

that are made on this occasion. I have to confess that I did not, unlike the

Leader of the Opposition, write my own throne speech so I will just -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: Although I may touch on some of the same topics that he

related to, I will try to respond to the remarks so well presented by our new

Lieutenant-Governor, his first job and first time as our new

Lieutenant-Governor. Traditionally, it is a time we recognize and acknowledge,

having the presence of our Leaders of Church and State, the Supreme Court

Judges, who have now departed, and guests in the gallery who take an interest in

every nuance of what happens when a government gives a Speech from the Throne,

acknowledging its plans for the year, announcing part of its vision, some more

of which we will get in its Budget, and generally setting the tone for the

coming session of the House and the coming year.

It is, of course, slightly different this year because, as has been

acknowledged, I think, by the Premier to the media earlier today, and clearly in

the speech of the Leader of the Opposition, this is an election year and we

anticipate the kind of program that this government presents now, and the

comments made by opposition parties, both the Official Opposition, the

Progressive Conservative Party and our party will be watched very closely by

people in the Province for signs of what we stand for, what we would do, how we

criticize, what government's program is and the alternatives that are

presented. In that light, Mr. Speaker, there are a number of themes that emerge

from the Speech from the Throne.

I want to acknowledge, first of all, that I certainly agree with the

sentiments that we are living in a different province today than we were ten

years ago. The last decade has seen an enormous amount of change in this

Province. We have seen it in education reform, a whole set of changes to our

school system. We have seen oil development to the extent that we are now the

producer of approximately one-quarter-plus of the needs of Canada on a daily

basis for oil. We have seen significant - and I accept that this has been very

positive to date - significant development in our relationship with the

Aboriginal people, although there is a lot more to be done particularly with

respect to the Mtis and with the Mi'Kmaq Off-reserve on the Island portion

of the Province. That is a significant change that has happened. We have seen

great changes in our fishery. The significant and devastating results of

overfishing by the nations of the world, including Canada, have resulted in a

moratorium of our cod with devastating results to communities and individuals

around the Province.

These changes have brought us into the new millennium with a smaller

population, unfortunately, where far too many people have had to see their

future not in this Province despite our vast resources, our quality education

system and the opportunities that are here, but to see them leave this Province

to seek their future and their fortune for themselves and their families

elsewhere.

So, it is in that context that in the new millennium we also have significant

changes in communications. The Internet was almost unheard of ten years ago and

we are now a part of the wired world where things are totally different in terms

of people's understanding of what is going on in other provinces, in other

countries and in other parts of the world where developments are taking place.

It is in that context that the current measures being proposed by government

in the Throne Speech are being evaluated and, in fact, are being evaluated, in a

new change, by people across this Province in all of Newfoundland and Labrador,

live on television, as we speak today and as we debate in our Legislature every

day that the Legislature is open. So, that is another significant change, where

the people's democracy in the House of Assembly is available to the public and

the citizens on a live basis. Perhaps that is why the Speech from the Throne,

and the government in the Speech from the Throne, talked about reforms of

democracy as being necessary and perhaps urgent.

We will debate all these measures in the House of Assembly when they come

about, but I think opening up this debate should open up the debate even

further. Yes, we may consider whether there should be four-year terms. Yes, we

should look at election financing and ensure that the control over parties and

over policies is not left to those who can afford and who will use their

influence to influence party decisions and decisions of government. When we

start looking at changes in democracy we should also look, clearly, not just at

the size of Cabinet because that is something government could change, up until

now, anytime they want and justify if they wish. Perhaps rigidity in that

particular area is of no real significance. Perhaps we should go further and

start looking at the whole idea of representation itself and consider - as is

being done in Prince Edward Island right now - the form of democracy known as

proportional representation that exists in virtually every country of the world,

save two or three; one in which every vote counts so that every person who goes

to the polls has their vote counted in the type of representation and the level

of representation in the House of Assembly.

We should go further than just say we should have a certain size of Cabinet

or the vote should take place in a certain period of time. We should look at the

idea of representation itself. That is a way, Mr. Speaker, to also deal with an

issue that we have been struggling with, I think, individual parties struggle

with, some more successfully than others, in the issue of gender equity. We need

to achieve gender equity in representation in the House of Assembly. It is very

difficult, if not impossible to do, in this so-called first past the post system

that we have.

If you look around the world, Canada is in thirty-sixth place in terms of

representation in our House of Commons. Those countries which are achieving very

close to gender equity are those countries which have proportional

representation and a high degree of respect for equality in how the party is put

together, their platforms, their candidates and their list of candidates for

election.

If we are going to have electoral reform, if we are going to reform

democracy, then we should reform it so that it is more representative of our

parties, more representative of what our voters choose and more representative

of the men and women in our society who are our citizens, who equally are under

the rule of the laws that are passed and the measures that are taken by

governments.

A very important theme in the Speech from the Throne today was that of

education. Education is one of the most vital measures that government provides

for its citizens and in this Province, very vital to our well-being, our

economic and social development, both as individuals, for families, for our

children and for our Province as well. I am pleased to see that government will

continue its promise to reduce tuition at Memorial University by a further 5 per

cent. That is out of step with the rest of the country. I have to say, Mr.

Speaker, I think we should go further. But, whether we are out of step or not we

do, and we may, have to go it alone on this issue because of the vital

importance to this Province of having a highly educated workforce.

We have serious skill shortages, as have been noted. I think, Mr. Speaker,

that is as the result of a failure of our post-secondary education system, on

the non-university side, to properly offer training opportunities for young

people; to leave it to private colleges to support opportunities at very great

expense to students who then have burdens of student loans. In some cases we

have seen a great failure in the private college system to deliver quality

education. We have to revitalize and re-energize the College of the North

Atlantic to ensure that not only does every student coming of age have an

opportunity for post-secondary education, either at the university level or at

the college level, so that we encourage students to get the kind of skills that

are in demand and give them equal importance in terms of providing, not only for

our Province's future but for their families as a university education

provides.

In the area of post-secondary education, we have also seen changes. The

government deserves credit for recognizing the inadequacies of the Student Loan

Program as they exist and significant changes have been made, but they have been

made on a go-forward basis, Mr. Speaker, and there is a decade, or nearly a

decade, of students who have endured the highest rate of cost of education, a

burden on individuals, than we have ever seen in our history. Those students are

still there. Many of them have been forced to leave because the burden of that

debt required them to go for the highest paying job that they could get,

regardless of where it was. Many of them are, unfortunately, gone.

That decade of students is a cohort of young people who deserve some

consideration as well. We should look at how we can alleviate the burden that

has been placed on them as part of trying to bring some of these students home

to work here in the Province. It is no good to be able to have a job after

graduation if the level of income that you make is not going to allow you to see

the light on a $30,000 or $40,000, or in some cases a $50,000 or $60,000 debt

that students may have.

I know of one young person, for example, in excess of a $50,000 debt to

achieve her nursing degree. She went to California because there she could get

enough money to be able to somehow or other see the light of beating back this

enormous debt so she could start living her life as a normal person, to achieve

the kinds of things that she and everybody else wants for themselves and their

families.

Mr. Speaker, we have made enormous progress in development in this Province.

In oil and gas, for example, we are now capable of producing 300 million barrels

of oil per year; an enormous quantity of oil. Yet, despite the advances in our

gross domestic product that that brings about, we are still clearly unable to

say that oil and gas development and that oil and gas production is, in fact,

bringing prosperity to our provincial Treasury and to our people. There is

something clearly wrong with the way that has developed, the way that has

transpired, whether it be through the Atlantic Accord, or whether it be through

constitutional changes, or court challenges. In fact, I believe very firmly that

the oil and gas off our shore ought to belong to Newfoundland and Labrador

constitutionally. Just as Canada was built over a period of 100 years, by adding

oil and gas rights to the Province of Alberta, adding most of Northern Quebec to

the Province of Quebec in the late 1900 century, the oil and gas resources that

we brought to Canada with Confederation should, in fact, be transferred to

Newfoundland and Labrador as part of our constitutional right as a Province of

Canada.

We have seen in the Speech from the Throne an emphasis as well on some

programs to be put in place. Affordable housing has been mentioned as one which

a federal and provincial agreement is expected to be signed in a few weeks. I

have to say we certainly welcome that, but it is one that we have been trying

for a year-and-a-half to get this Province to sign on to. It is clearly very

important that we see affordable housing developments take place in this

Province. We have a great need for more affordable housing throughout

Newfoundland and Labrador.

To go back to the education issue for a moment, Mr. Speaker, there is clearly

a need, not only at the post-secondary level, but also at the K to 12 level, for

advances to be made. We have to ensure that all of our young people are

educated, both at the K-12 level, at the post-secondary level, and ready to do

what we need to do to ensure that more and more educated young people are here

to build our future and to challenge the realities that some of us and some of

our past generations have been unable to solve.

It was mentioned that the cost of high school text books is going to be

addressed a little further. Well, I want to mention two issues that affect an

enormous number of families in this Province, Mr. Speaker, and these are not

necessarily every family, but a large number of families in this Province are

seriously affected by these issues.

I am talking, first of all, about the fact that we have a child poverty rate

in this Province of approximately 25 per cent. We have children going to school

hungry throughout this Province on a daily basis. That has been recognized and

acknowledged by the School Trustees Association, by the Kids Eat Smart

Foundation, by politicians, by petitions in this House. Yet, we spend in excess

of $300 million a year on teachers' salaries in this Province to provide the

best quality of teachers that we can for our students so that they can learn

better. When it is acknowledged that hungry children cannot learn very well,

then perhaps we should spend some more money, enough to ensure that children in

schools are not hungry. We want to see a universal quality school meal program

delivered on a stigma-free basis to every school child in this Province.

We also have the issue of school fees where each year, despite the fact that

government has made available budgets for school boards, schools require

families to come forward with money to provide extra things in the classroom,

for materials for each child. In some cases, where there is three or four

children in the family, it is an enormous burden on children and families who

cannot afford to pay it. We would like to see the elimination of school fees and

ensure that the materials and what is needed to provide that education is

available in each school for each school child.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most fundamental concerns that people in Newfoundland

and Labrador have has to do with the Churchill Falls agreement, with the Lower

Churchill proposal that was debated last fall, and what in fact is going to

happen to the future of hydroelectric generation in this Province. As part of

the vision, I would have expected and I would certainly want to see, as a vision

for this Province and for any future government of this Province, a greater role

for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro. We talked for months and months in the

debate about the privatization of Hydro as to role that Hydro-Quebec played in

Quebec - the engine of economic growth for that province. We have, in

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, a public organization that has the ability, the

size, the strength, the resources, with what they have in Churchill Falls, both

Lower and Upper Churchill, and the ability of that organization to transform

parts of this Province and they play a significant role in our own future and

control of our own future.

The Speech from the Throne mentioned that the Kyoto Accord offers some

opportunities with respect to the Lower Churchill. I will say first of all, of

course, it was this government that opposed the Kyoto Accord in the first place.

Our party, nationally and provincially, fought very hard to get the Kyoto Accord

adopted. One of the reasons is that the Kyoto Accord actually offers

opportunities to this Province, not threats and not anxiety; in fact,

opportunities for us to - as was mentioned in the Speech from the Throne -

energy policy with a national grid. It certainly offers us opportunities in this

Province to look at alternate energy options, for example, replacing our diesel

generation with wind generation, which we are touching on but not doing to a

large enough extent. We are burning enormous quantities of Bunker C oil in Seal

Cove as part of our provincial-wide grid when there are opportunities to replace

that through perhaps support from the Kyoto program protocol and other

opportunities that are there, development of our gas resources, and start

talking about bringing gas onshore with new technologies. We have opportunities

in retrofitting houses that should be part of any response to the Kyoto

obligations that are undertaken by provinces and by the country. There are many,

many opportunities that could be part of a new vision for Newfoundland and

Labrador Hydro.

The lack of extreme reference to Labrador in the Throne Speech, aside from

the fact that we now have two members from Labrador in Cabinet, does not deal

with the enormous problems that are still experienced in Labrador by the people

who need desperately better air and road transportation links both within

Labrador and to this Province. The availability of air services to Labrador has

been diminished considerably in the last little while.

There is the high cost of access to health care and medical services as a

result of the cost of air travel from Labrador. We have seen the Province with

actual participation by the people of Labrador in developments such as Voisey's

Bay where the adjacency principle, although talked about, is not easily

enforceable and not easily monitored. So, there are many improvements that need

to be made, Mr. Speaker, in bringing the people of Labrador into full

partnership as part of our economic development and activity, not only for the

developments in Labrador but developments in other parts of the Province.

There has been a significant breakthrough, Mr. Speaker. I will say that last

fall the historic meeting in Happy Valley-Goose Bay of leaders from the

communities in Labrador to discuss the possibilities of a hydro development on

the Lower Churchill was, in fact, in my view, a defined statement that for the

future there will be no major development in Labrador involving Labrador

resources without the full consultation, consent and participation of the people

of Labrador in that development. I think that is a very positive step, one that

any future Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will have to build on to

ensure that is always a part of making development happen fairly for all of the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

A further theme, and the final theme I will refer to, Mr. Speaker, with

respect to the Speech from the Throne obviously relates to the

federal-provincial relationships that we are so bound by, so affected by,

perhaps more so than many other provinces, and ones that define obviously our

relationship with Canada going back some fifty years.

We certainly supported and are on record as supporting the creation and the

work of the Royal Commission on our future in Canada and we look forward to the

recommendations that will come out of this. I, myself, had a session with the

commissioners last week to talk about the various aspects of our relationship

and the things that concerned us most about what has happened and what can be

done about it.

We certainly have to look to the past, to the things that were done, some of

which we helped to do ourselves, that have put us in the place that we are right

now, in a high unemployment situation, despite the fact that the Canadian

will tell us that Canada is not enduring a recession, we are doing very, very

well. Yet, here in Newfoundland and Labrador, we are still suffering with the

highest unemployment rate in the country.

What we have seen with the federal government over the last number of years

is downgrading, downloading, privatizing, deregulating, closing, whether it be

services, whether it be airports, whether it be airlines deregulating. The most

recent examples people have mentioned already today, the virtual closure of the

weather office in Gander, the privatization of a port in Stephenville without

any consultation, and six months ago indicating that they might close the

fishery in the Gulf and on the Northeast Coast as an inevitable thing, without

any consultation with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

That is not new, Mr. Speaker. When the fishery was closed in 1992, that was

announced by the federal Fisheries Minister of the day from this Province

without any consultation with this Province either. So we are used to not being

consulted on some of these issues, but I do not think, Mr. Speaker, that it can

be resolved on a one issue basis, on an issue by issue basis. As we have seen in

the last number of days, these issues keep coming day after day where the

federal government is doing things that have enormous consequences to this

Province and we are left to try and field the inequity one issue at a time in a

manner that we are really not capable of responding to. I think the question is:

Do we get any respect? Well, I guess it is not a question of respect. It is a

question of whether or not this Province's place in Confederation is properly

recognized. Whether the government of the day gets any respect or not is perhaps

irrelevant in the long run. We need to ensure that the measures that are in

place, constitutional or otherwise, ensure that we are full participants and

people of this Province are full participants in the measures that are available

from Confederation and available to citizens of Canada generally.

Our fishery, of course, has been, for generations, for centuries, our most

important resource and we have an obligation, as individuals and as people in

this Province, not only as leaders but every person in this Province from the

fishermen, the fish harvesters, the plant workers, people in the communities,

young people, children, people who have an interest in the fishery from a

recreational food fishery point of view, we all have an obligation, and if we do

not take it on ourselves, we do not have the right to insist that the Government

of Canada take it on. But we have an obligation to do everything we can to

rebuild that fish stock off our shore. The Northern Cod in 2J+3KL was the

largest single marine protein resource in the world. We have an obligation, as

citizens of this planet, to take on our part to rebuild that stock, and if that

means sacrifices in the short term, we have to make them, but we have to do

everything we can to put that stock back in shape. We have presented, as an all

party committee of this House, all parties in this House, the House of Commons

and the Senate of Newfoundland representatives, a comprehensive, unanimous

report of great historical importance for the fact that it was done that way.

Never before since Confederation.

level of unanimity in our Legislature and amongst parliamentarians from

Newfoundland and Labrador. I look forward to a positive response on that, and if

we do not get it then I think that will speak volumes about the concern that we

have and has been expressed by others through the Royal Commission in this House

for many years. We are at a crucial point when we are looking at issues like

that, Mr. Speaker, and I think there are opportunities for all parties to work

together.

I note the Speech from the Throne mentions the possibility that other

opportunities might work on issues of great - I was going to say national

importance, Mr. Speaker, because we think of ourselves still as a nation -

importance to all of our citizens that are not merely of a partisan nature and

not necessarily determined by whether you are a Social Democrat, a Conservative

or a Liberal; issues that are common to all of us, that we think we need to work

together to ensure we have a common front on.

I think that is a positive statement. I think we have worked positively on

this particular issue with respect to the Gulf and Northern Cod, and I think we

can work in that way in the future. We will, of course, in the coming weeks and

months, debate in a more partisan way because today's debate normally is

treated as a non-partisan event where you can, in fact, compliment the

government on things that they have done in a good way without suggesting that

you are not going to challenge them the next day in Question Period, or the day

after that in an election, in terms of their record, in terms of what they

propose and what you propose as a party. There will be plenty of time for all of

that, Mr. Speaker. No doubt you will see that and the people watching at home

will see that in the days and weeks and months to come.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I think we have a very interesting time ahead

of us over the next few months. Each party will do their very best to present

their vision for the future of this Province and their representatives who they

propose to enact that vision, and I think the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador will be the better for it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I feel like a teacher teaching a class at the end of the day, the long day,

but in any event, I do want to thank His Honour for being here today. I hope

people did not miss one thing that will probably be historic. His Honour today

was showing a dash of Trudeau, I believe, with the rose in the lapel. I hope

someone in the media takes note of that because I don't believe we have had a

Lieutenant Governor adorn himself in such a fashion in the past.

I know when the swearing in was done, His Honour made a difference, too, by

having some Patsy Cline played here in this Chamber. I guess every time he comes

here we should get used to seeing something a little different or unique from

this particular honourary figure in our Province, the head of the government.

Again, thank you to our special guests here. I almost feel like asking if you

want to take a break and stretch, but I know if you do that you will probably

leave. So hang on for just a few minutes and we will finish the day's

proceedings.

A couple of things, Mr. Speaker. I think it is helpful and useful and I

appreciate the participation by all the speakers today, the Mover, the Seconder,

the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the NDP, in terms of this being more

of a formal perfunctory day, because we do have hours and days and weeks and

months for us, as forty-eight elected politicians, to debate the pros and cons,

the merits and demerits, of what was read today in a Speech from the Throne that

lays out the plans for the government that I lead and am so proud to lead at

this point in time. There will be different points of view on various issues, as

the Leader of the NDP just pointed out, that we can deal with. We have lots of

time to do that, not necessarily to try to do all of it today.

From time to time, Mr. Speaker, it is useful that when a statement is made

that is incorrect, it does need to be corrected. The inference was given by the

Leader of the Opposition that it was customary to have a copy of the Speech from

the Throne in advance so you could prepare your remarks. That is not the custom

anywhere in the British Commonwealth. It has never been done. No member of the

House of Assembly anywhere, in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada or

elsewhere, gets these particular copies, not the members on any side of the

House. It is not a tradition or custom that has ever been used; just so the

record is clear.

If it is an excuse someone wants to use as to why they didn't want to talk

about the Speech, well that is an excuse they can use, but it is not because

there is a custom of giving somebody a copy of His Honour's Speech in advance

so they can get their speech ready. That never happens, never has happened, is

not a custom and doesn't occur.

Mr. Speaker, in this particular Legislature, too, there are a number of us

gathered here today, our special guests, the people in the Gallery and the

people watching on television; an initiative of this government, to have a

televised Legislature. I will talk about the Leader of the Opposition again,

just one other small political point, talking about the fact that there should

be an election soon. The fact of the matter is, there is no election required by

law in Newfoundland and Labrador until February of 2004. I don't believe there

is anybody else in this Province, let alone in this C