Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 6 May 2008 (46th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLVI No. 22)
2008-05-06
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
May
6, 2008
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 22
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Today the Speaker would like to extend a warm welcome to the hon. Todd
Broomfield, Speaker of the Nunatsiavut government, and Ms Mary Sillet, the Clerk
of the Nunatsiavut government.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Speaker would also like to recognize and welcome
forty-four Grade 9 and Level I students from E.A. Butler All-Grade, Belanger
Central High, and Piccadilly High in the Districts of St. George's-Stephenville
East and Port au Port. The students are accompanied by their teacher Mr.
Strickland; guidance counsellors, Ms McDonald and Ms Greene, and chaperone, Ms
Morris.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Members' statements today will be from the hon. the Member
for the District of Bay of Island, the hon. the Member for the District of
Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, the hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland,
the hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North, the hon. the Member for
the District of Lewisporte and the hon. the Member for the District of Port au
Port.
The hon. the Member for District of Bay of Islands.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. LODER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this great House today to recognize 2840 Templeton Collegiate Royal
Canadian Army Cadets.
Mr. Speaker, forty years ago the above school opened in the North Shore of
the Bay of Islands, of which I became a member of the cadet movement.
Mr. Speaker, the inspection will take place on May 10 and will be conducted
by Captain Robert Wheeler another past member of the Corp. Captain Wheeler of
Meadows returned home last year after serving six months as a reservist in the
war torn country of Afghanistan.
Upon his return, Mr. Speaker, Captain Wheeler took up a position with the
regular forces as Captain.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members here today to acknowledge the great work of
the cadet movement and in particular to the fortieth anniversary of the
Templeton Collegiate Corp. and best wishes to Captain Wheeler in his new
capacity.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse
au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in the House today to recognize the life of Dr. Peter Roberts, who
passed away on the 29 April, 2008.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Roberts was a well known, respected doctor who served his
entire medical career caring for patients in Northern Newfoundland and Labrador.
His contribution to this region and the residents of my district in particular
will certainly have a lasting impact and his legacy will live on for years to
come.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Roberts later served as the Executive Director of the
International Grenfell Association and was the only person from this Province to
hold that position. He also had the honour of serving as President of the
Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association and as the founding Chair of the
Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, there were many more layers to Dr. Roberts that went beyond just
being a medical doctor. He was a man of many talents and had great
determination. His will power was evident when he taught himself carpentry,
welding and sailmaking skills. He was also a painter and printmaker and took
gratification in recording our Province's coastal landscape.
However, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Roberts was above all a fantastic and dedicated
medical doctor. He was passionate about the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians
that he served and he sincerely wanted to enhance services to them.
Mr. Speaker, his triumphs and contributions are immense; however as a modest
man, he never sought recognition for his achievements. This may be because his
father, Dr. Harry Roberts taught him and his brothers that much was expected
from people whom were given much.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great honour today that I recognize the life of an
inspirational Newfoundlander and Labradorian. I ask all members of his hon.
House to join me in acknowledging the Province's immense loss and extend our
sincere sympathy to the family of the late Dr. Peter Roberts.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Fermeuse-Port Kirwan Volunteer
Fire Department on their twenty-fifth anniversary. On Saturday, March 22, I had
the pleasure of attending a dinner to mark this occasion.
The Fermeuse-Port Kirwan Volunteer Fire Department consists of twenty-three
members and serves the area from Port Kirwan to Cappahayden. The contribution
that has been made by volunteers both past and present over the past twenty-five
years is indeed commendable.
Rural Newfoundland and Labrador in many places face challenges with
recruiting new volunteers and maintaining past levels. It was indeed encouraging
to see a good mix of young volunteer firefighters and experienced fighters in
the volunteer fire brigade that now make up the fire department. It certainly
bodes well to the future fire protection services in this area.
These individuals give freely of their time to the residents of our
communities so we can have someone to rely on in the event of an emergency. The
volunteer firefighter never knows what awaits when the alarm sounds, but they
respond without a moment's hesitation - day or night.
Mr. Speaker, much can be accomplished by co-operating and working together in
our rural communities. Joining together, taking up a common cause, working as a
unit for the benefit of others is what it means to be a firefighter and no doubt
the members of the Fermeuse-Port Kirwan Fire Department have done so for the
past twenty-five years.
I ask all hon. members to join with me in congratulating the Fermeuse-Port
Kirwan Volunteer Fire Department on their twenty-fifth anniversary and to thank
them for the contribution they are making to our communities.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer support and best wishes
to Elizabeth Button. Elizabeth, a sixteen-year-old Level II student from
Wareham, will be representing our Province in the National Air Cadet Speak-off
taking place on June 19 in Quebec City.
This skilled orator won the right to carry the Newfoundland and Labrador
banner by taking top honours at the Provincial Air Cadet Speak-off held at
Gander - an event which pitted her against cadets from St. John's, Happy
Valley-Goose Bay, and Springdale.
Elizabeth's topic at the event was: A Canadian who has made a difference -
Nellie McClung. Elizabeth spoke with such passion and eloquence, that it is safe
to say that Ms McClung herself, one of our nation's most important leaders in
the suffrage movement, would indeed be extremely proud of her efforts and the
manner in which she carried herself throughout the competition.
Elizabeth is a student at Jane Collins Academy in Hare Bay, and she currently
holds the rank of Flight Sergeant in the 840 Indian Bay Air Cadet Corp.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join with me in
congratulating Elizabeth Button on her achievements and wishing her the very
best as she prepares to represent our Province in Quebec City.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Last week was officially recognized by the Minister Responsible for the
Volunteer and Non-Profit Sector as Volunteer Week, and I want to rise in this
hon. House today to recognize the tremendous work done by the many volunteers in
all our communities.
Since becoming an elected member in October, last year, I have attended
numerous community events throughout Lewisporte District. Whether the event is
hosted by a town council, a local service district, fire department, a Lions
Club or otherwise, there is one common element always present. Yes, there is one
stabilizing influence at each and every function - that is the volunteer.
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our citizens depends on the tremendous volunteer
commitment made by men and women in their respective fire departments. The
efficient operation of our towns depends on the volunteer service of its
citizens and the care of our people is made a whole lot lighter, thanks to the
huge contribution made by the many volunteers in the many service organizations.
Members of this House, please join with me in recognizing and showing our
appreciation for our volunteers.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port au Port.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this hon. House to congratulate the winners and
the nominees at the recently held Stephen Awards Banquet in Stephenville. The
Citizen of the Year Award went to Dave Rex of Stephenville, who devotes
extraordinary time and effort to building and maintaining the community, making
this the second time he receives this award. Dave Rex is involved with the Lions
Club, St. John Ambulance, Duke of Edinburgh Program, Kindale Public Library
Board and the Indian Head Co-op Board of Directors.
Mr. Speaker, also presented was the Masters Athlete of the Year Award, of
which Don Cormier was the recipient. Don was recognized for his many years in
the sport. He is a power lifter and has competed on the local, regional,
provincial, national and international stage.
Other Stephen Awards presented that night were: Bryan Downey was named Male
Athlete of the Year; Kristen Cooze won the Female Athlete of the Year Award; and
Hillary Stacey was honoured with the Youth of the Year Award for her outstanding
voluntary work.
Mr. Speaker, sixteen Outstanding Volunteer Work Certificates of Merit were
also presented to individuals for their outstanding work in the community.
Congratulations to: Josephine Bennett; Larry Bentley; Kathleen Bourgeois; Norma
Childs; Muriel Chislett; Pansy Hayward; Michelle Heath; Dianna Kung; Bernice
McLean; Bob Miller; Lloyd Pye; Warren Quinton; Martin Simon; Chris Tiller; Alva
White and Bernadine White for their hard work and dedication and their
contribution in making our area a better place to live and work.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members of this hon. House to join with me in
congratulating all the award winners and nominees of the Stephen Awards on their
invaluable contributions to the community, their region, and the Province.
Flicitations et merci, Monsieur le Prsident.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform hon. colleagues and the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador that Ocean Choice International, OCI, will be
reopening the fish processing facility at Fortune in July.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, it is certainly very positive news that OCI
will reactivate the Fortune facility. It has been a difficult three years for
the community, but today we have some reason to celebrate. There is certainly
new hope for the people of Fortune, and our government looks forward to the good
things that lie ahead for that community.
OCI will be resuming a groundfish operation, focused on salt fish, at the
Fortune plant. Initially, the company will re-hire approximately thirty-five to
forty workers who were displaced when FPI closed the facility in 2005. Depending
on raw material availability, as many as seventy workers may be re-hired at a
later date.
Today's news is just another indication of how the sale of FPI is restoring
stability to the fishing industry. When the transaction was finalized, we knew
that our efforts would result in positive developments for all communities and
workers involved; and today the Fortune facility, for which FPI had no future
plans, has been given new life. While we recognize the challenges facing the
global seafood sector, we are certainly pleased to celebrate any gains and
successes that are achieved.
In addition to the Fortune facility, the plants at Burin and Marystown have
already recommenced operations since the provincial government signed MOUs with
OCI and High Liner in May 2007.
Mr. Speaker, since the Fortune facility closed in 2005, our government has
worked with the Town of Fortune to find a new operator for the plant and to ease
the difficulties endured by the residents.
From day one, we have been behind the displaced workers at Fortune. While we
explored future options for the facility, the community was able to benefit from
new workforce adjustment measures that were initiated by our government to
assist individuals affected by permanent plant closures.
Under the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy, we have allocated $2.5 million
dollars over three years for workforce adjustment measures. Fortune, Port aux
Basques and Trouty have all benefited from this initiative.
This is another example of our government's commitment to respond in a
timely manner to the needs of fishery-based communities in rural regions.
Mr. Speaker, the provincial government will continue to stand shoulder to
shoulder with the communities and the workers who depend on the fishing
industry. We have helped to secure new futures for Harbour Breton, Marystown,
Burin and now Fortune, among the many others who continue to benefit from our
focused approach to fisheries and aquaculture development.
We will continue to implement this approach as we move toward a renewed,
self-sustaining fishing industry for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for a copy of his statement today.
Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased for the people of Fortune. We know that
since 2005 there has been a very difficult transition for the people in this
community. I have been there several times myself and had opportunities to be in
town hall meetings there with well over 100 plant workers, I say to the
minister, and hear their frustrations first-hand of what it was like when that
plant closed, and the transition that they have had to make.
We are very happy for them today, to know that there is a company that is
prepared to go back in, to take risks, to put more capital in, and to reopen
this plant and create jobs in the community. We certainly would applaud the
efforts of OCI and wish them tremendous success in this Province; because, Mr.
Speaker, if they are not successful then neither will be the communities and the
individuals that depend upon the kind of opportunities that they create.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, we have to realize that we are in an industry
that is tremendously volatile on many occasions; today we are dealing with
issues around the shellfish industry and the crab pricing in particular.
I think, Mr. Speaker, while government may not have a role in directly
setting prices for crab in this Province, they have a role in finding out why,
on a global market basis, we are not able to purchase and export our product at
the same rates happening in other Atlantic regions in Canada.
I do not know why, in Newfoundland and Labrador, fishermen should have to
settle for a lower price than they are doing in Nova Scotia or in Prince Edward
Island, or in other places.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member to conclude her answer.
MS JONES: I certainly will, Mr. Speaker, and I would suggest to the
government that they may want to have a look at that and see what is
contributing to a lower price in this Province, and how we can increase the
price that we get in the market, Mr. Speaker, so that we are able to -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement.
It is indeed very good, a wonderful announcement, an announcement that will
bring
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation.
The Chair has recognized the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
As I was saying, I want to thank the minister for the advance copy and to say
it is indeed a very good moment for us here in the House and in the Province,
and especially in Fortune.
I would like to congratulate, actually, Ocean Choice International and the
Fish, Food and Allied Workers' Union, because they obviously worked well
together to come to this agreement, an agreement which has the workers
beginning, I think, at just over $11 an hour, which is a very good starting
rate.
It is a moment of hope for the people in Fortune. While government does not
have a direct role in running the fishery per se - we understand that - it does
have a role in working with the partners who are in the fishing industry. Doing
everything that we can to keep our renewable resource going is one of the things
that government has to become very, very serious about. This resource has always
been the backbone of our Province and when everything else is gone, when there
is no more mining, when oil is gone from that ocean and when gas has been
started and gone from that ocean, the fish should still be there.
Let this be a sign of hope that we can do that. I ask the government to work
with the partners involved in building on this for the future of the industry.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Since we are talking about the Town of Fortune, the Chair
would like to recognize Mr. Pat Parsons, councillor for the Town of Fortune, who
is visiting the Chamber today. Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further Statements by Ministers.
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this House today to recognize National Mental Health Week which
officially runs from May 5 to May 11. This year the focus is on the role of
businesses and employers in supporting good mental health in the work place.
This year's theme is, "Mental Health: Make it Your Business."
We now know that good mental health is not just the absence of a mental
illness, but the overall ability to feel, to think, to communicate, to live and
to be happy. When we experience good mental health we are better able to reach
our full potential and have a good quality of life.
Our government recognizes the importance of good mental health as a part of
overall health and well-being and we have made significant progress since
supporting mental health in Newfoundland and Labrador. One of the first steps we
took as a government was to introduce a new policy framework for mental health
and addictions services. Most recently, we introduced our new Mental Health Care
and Treatment Act to help make our Province responsive to the mental health
needs of our residents. We have also invested, Mr. Speaker, $14.6 million for
mental health and addictions services in the Province since we formed government
in 2003, including the most recent Budget with an investment of $1.7 million.
Mr. Speaker, as the provincial government is the largest employer in the
Province, we are committed to ensuring that our work environments are supportive
and address the needs of our employees. Through programs such as the Respectful
Workplace Program, the Workplace Wellness Initiative and the Employee Assistance
Program, we support employees experiencing various kinds of difficulties and
promote safe, respectful work environments.
Mental Health Week presents an opportunity for employers across our Province
to reflect on how their organizations support mental health needs of their
employees, by providing a healthy work environment. Supporting the health of our
people leads to a productive workforce and helps our Province sustain
prosperity.
I encourage all residents to be mindful of how they can take care of their
own mental health and use this week as an opportunity to take the necessary
steps to ensure that they live a healthy, balanced life.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the minister for an advance
copy of his statement.
We are certainly pleased to associate ourselves with the recognition of
National Mental Health Week. Mr. Speaker, while we live in a society of
tremendous stresses due to the high pace of life that we engage in these days,
we often find that there are more stresses in the workplace than probably there
were in previous years. In fact, I think out of the ten leading causes of
disability in the country, I think in the top five is mental illness, and it is
something like 30 per cent of Canadians in the workforce today who collect
disability pensions because of mental illness.
Mr. Speaker, I want to use this as an opportunity to highlight the many
stresses that we find our own employees in, in this Province, especially those
who are part of the public service. We look at nurses, for example, Mr. Speaker.
When you talk about how you can reduce stress levels in the workplace, the
Mental Health Society recommends to employers that you look at flexible hours
and that you look at having staff control their schedules more, and that they
have a supportive work-life balance. We certainly have not seen that in the
nursing profession in this Province in quite some time.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, last year many nurses in this Province could not even
take vacation time with their families because of the workload placed upon them,
the demands being placed upon them, in that profession. So, if we are going to
have a healthy balance we need to strike it here, within government first. Maybe
then we can lead by example.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the minister
for the advance copy of his statement.
I, too, am happy to recognize the National Mental Health Week. It is very
important, as it is with other issues in our society, that we take time to focus
on particular issues, and mental health is certainly one of the things that we
should be very concerned about.
The minister noted that this government did bring in, last year, the Mental
Health Care And Treatment Act, and I was very pleased that act was brought in.
During the discussion around that act we were able I was able, I guess, in
consultation with the minister of the time - to ensure that act had in it the
need for supports in community if people were institutionalized and were going
to be put back out into the community.
I think the same concern about supports in community needs to be made again
when it comes to even good mental health in the workplace, because the workplace
can do so much, and there can be programs to help people, but there are times at
which they require assistance outside of the community as well.
While we do have some programs here in this Province, we are weak when it
comes to programs to help people within the community, so I encourage the
minister during this week to look at what exists in other places, what could
exist here, and maybe this time next year we might have some more services in
our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform my hon. colleagues that
this Province has received yet another national award recognizing excellence in
our education system.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Memorial University's Distance Education and Learning
Technologies, known as DELT, and the School of Music, were chosen for this year's
leadership in educational technology award by the Canadian Network for
Innovation in Education.
The award recognizes the work done by DELT and the School of Music for
students to complete their application for admission, including the practical
portion, on-line. It can now be done, Mr. Speaker, from anywhere in the
Province, or indeed anywhere in the world. It means that students no longer have
to make the often time-consuming and costly trip to the university campus just
for the application process.
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador faces the challenge of offering both
K-12 and post-secondary education in a vast geographic area. Not all students
can make the move to one of the university's campuses. Distance education or
e-learning helps us bring the courses to the students. To this end, last year
the provincial government committed $1.5 million over three years to help MUN
finance new programs through e-learning.
We are also increasing our investments in K-12 distance learning. Budget 2008
provides an additional $1.6 million for our Centre For Distance Learning and
Innovation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: CDLI is an award-winning provincial e-learning program that
offers thirty-eight high school courses in 106 schools, bringing diverse
learning courses in art and music, and science and math, to students in rural,
remote and isolated areas.
Government recognizes the importance of education to the Province's
sustained economic growth and social vitality. We are investing an additional
$70 million in education in this year's Budget. Advancing technology,
especially to benefit rural areas of the Province, is one of the goals of our
can advance their education, regardless of their physical location. Distance
education open a whole new learning dynamic as individuals can study anywhere on
the planet.
I applaud DELT and the School of Music for developing this unique initiative,
and offer congratulations on winning the national award. We are very proud that
MUN is recognized nationally once again as a pioneer and leader in distance
education initiatives.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement, and to
extend congratulations to DELT and the School of Music.
No doubt, from time to time, when we talk about education in the Province, we
do bring up various issues that relate to concerns of parents, teachers, and
students as well, but we all agree, I can assure you, with the work that is
being done through distance education and e-learning, as it benefits students in
rural areas of this Province.
Mr. Speaker, advancing technology, and in particular distance education, I
have to say, truly works. I know of one individual in my district I don't
know if he is a retired teacher or not, but he, himself, is now teaching
music throughout not only this Province of ours but throughout this great
Country of ours.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour and we, too, congratulate them on winning
this national award.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for her advance copy.
I, too, congratulate DELT and the School of Music. It is wonderful when we
receive recognition for initiatives that are going on here in the Province. I am
pleased that we do have a Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation, and that
we have a program that is moving ahead.
The one thing - it is not a concern, it is just something I would like the
minister to think about - it would be very interesting to see an evaluation done
of how our program is going to date, with regard to the academic achievement of
students who are doing education through distance learning. It would be very
interesting to see if they are on the same level academically as students who
are getting in-class instruction in the same area. I have not seen any
evaluations yet; and, Minister, that might be something for you to think about.
I see you nodding and smiling. I think it would be something to pursue.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers.
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, back in March, the Minister of Education announced a new teacher
allocation model and it gave the impression that the new model would be
needs-based or program-based, and not on numbers, and that schools around the
Province would not lose teaching units.
I ask the minister today: While allocations are now being put out to the
various schools in the Province we are learning that there is indeed a reduction
in units. I ask her why this is the case.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, one of the most important areas that I had to
address as Minister of Education certainly was the teacher allocation and how we
allocated teachers to our schools. We were handed a formula that was based on
numbers only. As students came out of the system, teachers would be reduced. We
felt that was not working for Newfoundland and Labrador. So, Mr. Speaker, we had
commissioners go out, there was a broad consultation across Newfoundland and
Labrador, there was a report that was submitted to government and we certainly
did analysis on that report to ensure that when we look at the teacher
allocation in this Province, it is done in a fair and equitable manner. There
are a number of issues. There are a number of points that we have to consider as
we determine how many teachers are allocated to a particular school. Certainly,
it is not just based on numbers. As numbers reduce, it does not mean that
teachers come out of the system. If we look at some of the areas that we felt
were important, we can look at class size. We have put a cap on class size from
Grade 1 to Grade 3 at twenty-five. Based on the new -
MR. SPEAKER: Order please!
I ask the hon. the minister to conclude her answer.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, there is a quite a bit of information involved in
this new allocation. I am hoping I will get some supplementary questions so I
can further explain what we are doing in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have lots of questions, minister.
Teachers in small schools around the Province are already struggling to meet
the demands of curriculum that is being placed upon them by the Department of
Education and yet we hear this new model is going to further reduce units in a
lot of these schools. I talked to a school this morning that will go from a
classroom size with one teacher from K-3 in one class, now to K-6 in one class.
I ask you, minister: Why have the rural schools been targeted for reduction
and more multi-grading in those classrooms?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the new method for allocating teachers will
actually assist the schools in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Let me explain.
Prior to our class size - with the old formula and with our cap size at
twenty-five, if we had a school that had thirty-seven students in Grade 2, the
previous formula would say that you would have one point four-eight teachers.
Granted, if you had two classes of Grade 2, you absolutely needed two Grade 2
teachers, but the old formula provided only point four-eight if the number
happened to be thirty-seven in any particular school.
One thing that this new formula, this new allocation model does is it puts a
cap size from kindergarten at twenty, K-3 at twenty-five, four to six at
twenty-five, and seven to nine at twenty-seven. What it does importantly, Mr.
Speaker, is that if there is an elementary or a primary class that meets that
cap size or exceeds, that instead of having a point four-eight position, we will
actually have two positions. So, Mr. Speaker, this should actually help the
schools.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Again, Mr. Speaker, I will ask the minister my question. I will
ask her the question again, minister, because I have a list right now of schools
that are losing units and I am sure you have a list as well, but let me just say
this.
Why is it that small schools were targeted here to reduce units? Why is it
acceptable to have schools with K-3 grades in one class, now expanded to K-6 in
one classroom with one teacher?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation.
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the new allocation model allows the school boards
and the schools to work together to determine the needs of the school. We also
anticipated in this Budget that we would not be losing any teacher positions in
Newfoundland and Labrador. This is not about reducing teachers in Newfoundland
and Labrador. This is about being able to provide a fair, equitable means of
deciding how many teachers go into each school.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, there was additional money in the Budget this year,
$3.6 million, because we anticipated there would probably actually be more
teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador next year than what we have this year. Mr.
Speaker, we were handed with a formula that if we did not bring in a new formula
this year, and the fact that we did not reduce teachers last year, that this
year there would have been 144 less teachers in the system this year and the
previous formula that was brought in by the previous Administration would have
saw an additional 124 positions eliminated this year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister knows that formula was not working and we admit that, and she
knows that it has not been used. She knows that it has not been used in this
Province for nearly five years -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, yesterday I ended up leaving here after Question
Period with a strained throat because I was trying to ask questions. I would
appreciate it if they could keep the noise down today.
Minister, there may not be a layoff of teachers here but there is a reduction
in the number of teachers in the classroom in certain schools in this Province.
It is making it more challenging to deliver programming in these small schools
and I ask if you are prepared to take another look at those allocations?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, we will certainly, as we move through this new
allocation formula, be able to look at it and see how it is working for our
particular schools and ensure that we have our schools resourced to the point
that they are able to offer the courses and the programs that they need.
Mr. Speaker, it is surprising that the Leader of the Opposition said that the
previous formula did not work because her Administration brought it in. If they
did not think it was going to work, they should not have brought it in, in the
first place.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: If we want to talk about reductions in teachers, Mr. Speaker,
during their time in office, whether it was on whatever formula they used or the
old formula, they actually eliminated more than 2,000 teachers; 2,105 teachers
came out under the previous Administration. Mr. Speaker, we were prepared to
look at that formula to ensure that our schools are resourced in a more
appropriate manner.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The problem that minister has is she cannot admit when she is wrong and
something is not working. This formula, minister, is not going to work for small
schools in this Province. Let me give you this example. There are cases where
teachers would have five periods of prep time in the first fourteen days -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation. The Chair is having great difficulty in
hearing the Leader of the Opposition and I ask members if they would allow the
member to ask questions and listen to the answers as well.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, no trouble to know the Premier is away. The boys
are going to play now. They are all out on the playground now, Mr. Speaker.
Let me ask the minister this question. Teachers have been cut now in their
prep time. In fact, in some cases there will be no prep time for these teachers
in the classroom. This is not advancement, minister; this is a step backwards. I
ask if you have any concerns about the fact that there are many teachers in the
Province under this formula that will have no prep time for the multitude of
programs and grades that they now have to take responsibility for?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying there are more than boys on
this side of the House, and to be referred to as boys is an absolute insult.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, this new method of allocating teachers has been
able to provide more services to the schools than what we had in the past.
Prior to this new method, Mr. Speaker, there was no allocation for
specialists in the K-12 system. Mr. Speaker, we brought in a method so that we
could not just have classroom teachers in the primary and elementary grades, but
also specialists as well. We have also enhanced administrative positions, which
mean principals, in our schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
So, Mr. Speaker, just to conclude this, we have cap sizes throughout, from
K-9 that we will be implementing over three years. We have a specialist
allocation for K-6. We have more administrators. Mr. Speaker, on top of that, we
anticipate more teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador, but we also have 2,200
less students in our system.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I intended to give the women on the other side of
the House a little bit more credit than that, but obviously I was wrong. I will
group them all into one category if it makes the minister happy.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad she raised the issue on administration, because what
you have done, minister, is recognize there is a need for full-time
administrators in many schools in the Province - and I certainly compliment that
- but what you failed to recognize, was to add the extra time for them to do
this work. So many of the principals that were at half-time, that will now go to
full-time, their half-time instructional time will have to be allocated to other
teachers in the school, causing more workload for those teachers.
Are you prepared to add the extra units of time to make up for the full-time
administrators?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
If there is a question, who is the question - is somebody going to answer the
question?
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I was waiting for you to take your seat before I
stood to answer the question.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done in the Province with our new method of
allocating teachers, is taken an old antiquated formula - it never made sense
from the day it was brought in, that took thousands of teachers out of the
system; that would have seen thousands of more coming out; would have seen at
least, almost 500 more out of the system, that this government was not prepared
to take out.
Now, Mr. Speaker, we have a more appropriate allocation. We will roll it out
this year, we will keep with our class sizes, and we will increase the number of
positions for administrative units in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, do
you know who will benefit from this formula? It will be the teachers and the
students of this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, one example I want to give the minister is of how
special needs students will be impacted by these changes. The impact on the
literacy and numeracy support teachers that have been put in place in the
schools in Central Newfoundland - this special support program will now be
eliminated was what we were told this morning.
I ask the minister: How can this be called progress when many of these
students who need the additional resources are now going to be negatively
impacted?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, last year, under our Excellence in Mathematics
Strategy, we increased teacher units in Newfoundland and Labrador by
thirty-eight. That was thirty-eight numeracy specialists who went into the
system. They will remain in the system, Mr. Speaker.
The other thing that this allocation method that we have developed allows
schools to do is it allows them to assign a specialist position based on the
particular needs of the school, and the needs of the school are based on student
performance. So, if a school has a particular need, whether it is in numeracy or
literacy or other areas, it can use the specialist allocation to make sure that
they target the areas based on student performance so they can meet the needs of
the school.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister to table for us a
breakdown of the 282 schools in the Province in terms of their teacher
allocations for this coming year versus what their teacher allocations were last
year.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, once the school boards have made the determination
of the number of teachers for particular schools we can certainly table that in
the House.
What we have done this year is we have asked the boards based on the new
method of allocation to determine what the needs are in their schools. We have
not decreased the resources or funding for teachers in Newfoundland and
Labrador. In fact, we have anticipated there will be more teachers in
Newfoundland and Labrador than there was last year, Mr. Speaker. Once we have
the allocations down we can certainly table that information.
What we haven't done this year is, we haven't gone out and arbitrarily
assigned a number to the board and said, now, make this work. What we are saying
to the board this year is, tell us what your needs are, tell us how you are
going to have your schools, what needs you are going to address this year, how
many teachers you need based on the criteria that we have set out and we will
provide teachers.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don't believe this is the minister who yesterday was going to oversee all
the inspections in schools in the Province. Now, today she wants to wipe her
hands of teacher allocations.
Minister, many of the schools already know what their allocations are, and I
would like to get it tabled in the House of Assembly, and I would ask that that
be done within the next couple of days.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, as I just said, once that information is available
and the boards have their final numbers submitted to the Department of Education
I will certainly table that information.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Minister of Health and Community Services.
There are a number of families in the Province who are not pleased with the
way government is bringing forward the new baby bonus program. I know that he
has received a number of e-mails and calls, because I have received them as
well.
One woman told me her son was born on December 25, premature because of
medical complications, and she will receive nothing under this particular
program; however, other women who had their children within ten days after that
will receive the bonus plus the $100 benefit throughout that period.
I ask the minister: How do you justify exempting those particular women who
are currently on maternity benefits?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. WISEMAN: I am delighted, Mr. Speaker, that the Leader of the
Opposition has taken such a keen interest in one of our Blueprint commitments of
last year.
I want to repeat something I said in this House yesterday. Last year our
Party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, laid out
a platform as a part of a provincial election. In that platform there was a
series of commitments, a series of commitments that we plan to implement over
this term and lay the foundation for some of them to be implemented over the
next term. I say, Mr. Speaker, that was just one of them.
When we rolled that out in the fall, it was not an announcement of a
government; it was a platform of a political party. What has happened now in
this Budget - the Budget was released earlier this week.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This time, now as a government, we decided that there was going to be an
implementation date, and that implementation date was January 1, 2008.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, last week when I asked the minister if women who
are currently on maternity leave would get the $100 a month payment he said yes;
then he backtracked and said no. Well, I think his first answer would have been
the more appropriate answer.
I ask you again, Minister: Women who are currently on maternity leave today,
and will be for the next four, six or eight months, will they be eligible for
the $100 benefit? Will you change you mind and ensure that these women are
eligible?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear about this so there is
no misunderstanding.
I stood in the House and I indicated to the members opposite, and to the
members of this House, that I misunderstood the Leader of the Opposition's
question when I had answered it the day before. I want to be clear for the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador particularly, so there is no confusion at
all.
This program was introduced effective January 1, 2008. Anyone who had a
child, or adopted a child, on January 1 will be entitled to the $1,000. They
will, in addition to that, be entitled to $100 per month for twelve months. It
starts on January 1, 2008.
With any program - there has never been a program introduced by this
government, or any government prior to us, or will be by any government in the
future, that will not have an effective date. Those who made the
MR. SPEAKER: I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
With that effective date comes the benefits growing from that program.
Unfortunately
MR. SPEAKER: Order please!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there were about 1,100 babies born in this Province who will be
exempt from this benefit, meaning that there are approximately 1,100 women in
this Province who were on maternity leave - and most of them still are - as of
January 1, 2008, when this program came into effect. We know they will not get
the $1,000; but, Minister, will you at least approve the $100 monthly benefit
for those 1,100 or so women out there who are still on maternity leave?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am not really certain what the member is
trying to get at. I am not sure if she understands
MS JONES: (Inaudible).
MR. WISEMAN: I want to give a definition, Mr. Speaker, a definition of
effective date. That is the time on a calendar or on a clock which something
comes into force. The effective date of this program is January 1, 2008.
Mr. Speaker, many people were born last year. In fact, the party opposite was
in power for ten or fifteen years. I suspect that there were probably - at 5,000
births a year - 50,000 or 60,000 children born during their tenure in
government. Do they want us to go back and pick them up because they failed to
introduce progressive legislation? I don't think so, but when we bring in
programs we have to have an effective date, I say, Mr. Speaker.
Let me repeat again, the effective date is January 1.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, last Monday the Minister of Environment and
Conservation announced changes to the Butter Pot Park reservation system that
came into effect, I think it was yesterday. In particular, the minister
announced that twenty-five seasonal sites would no longer be set aside for some
patrons, leaving all forty seasonal sites available for reservation.
I ask the minister: How and when did you make the twenty-five affected
families aware of this change in policy?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this reservation system came into effect in 2007 and, as a
result of being in operation for one year, we thought it best to do a review.
There were some complaints that came in over the year.
As part of that review, one of the issues raised was the campers at Butter
Pot, and that there were twenty-five sites set aside for these campers. So, as
part of that review we looked at that. We wanted to provide equal access to all
people in the Province to have access to that public resource. Those people were
notified the day of the announcement, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: In 2005 the then minister worked with the Butter Pot seasonal
campers committee to establish a grandfather clause to recognize those families,
their long-term investment in Butter Pot Park, and they were there, Mr. Speaker,
for twenty-five to thirty years.
I ask the minister: Why did you decide to revoke an agreement that was made
by your government, with no consultation with those affected?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, governments review policies all the time so that
we make them better for people, for all people, of the Province.
One of the things that stood out was that there were twenty-five sites that
were not available through the reservation system. That was something that set
off an alarm, and we looked at that to make it fair and equitable to all people
of the Province.
The hon. member mentioned that some of these people have been there for
twenty-five to thirty years. In some cases, Mr. Speaker, some of them are only
there a couple of years. In fact, what happened was the people who were camping
there in 2004 were automatically allowed to be grandfathered in, in 2005.
It was not a fair system that was put out to all of the people, to the
public, and in the interest of fairness that is why I changed the policy, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, despite being given a last-minute chance to make
their case, those twenty-five grandfathered clause campers were told they would
have to reserve their sites on-line.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BUTLER: I ask the minister: Why would these senior campers be only
offered on-line registration as a means to secure their sites?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, I have to tell the member I did not quite get
the question at the end, but these twenty-five people did have the same
opportunity as all of the other 500,000 people in the Province, to have the
opportunity to book this site at 7:00 a.m. on Monday morning, of this week.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, I overheard someone say that I agreed with this
when the minister made her statement last week. I agreed with many of the
changes, but I can assure you I did not mention the one on Butter Pot Park.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation.
Ministers are having difficulty hearing the question in order to provide an
answer. I ask members for their co-operation or the Chair will have no other
choice but recognize members.
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the minister: How did any of your decisions actually solve the problem
of high demand for park spaces? Why would you not eliminate seasonal passes all
together, because they still can have seasonal passes?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the hon. member stands on
this, but this is a public resource and because it is a public resource that is
paid for by the taxpayers of this Province, every single resident in the
Province should have access to those sites.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where he is. We did have a conversation on the
phone about it after and my understanding - I did meet. I did provide an
opportunity to the people to come in and express their concerns. I told them
where I stood on the issue but I did give them the opportunity to hear them out.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Minister of Health and Community Services.
Many seniors need home care right now, as I spoke to the minister about
yesterday on the floor, but cannot afford it because the co-pay is too high, or
they are one of the 40 per cent of applicants who are denied any subsidy at all.
Government has admitted that the financial assessment tool is too restrictive
and needs to be replaced and I know that there is a study going on.
Mr. Speaker, will the minister, in the short term, replace the home support
financial assessment tool right away with the assessment procedure now used in
the low-income Prescription Drug Program as a model for making assessment?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: The financial assessment tool that is currently being used
for home support services, for placement in personal care homes, and other kinds
of supports for seniors and persons with disabilities has been on the go for a
long, long time; implemented long before our Administration formed government.
One of the things that we are committed to, Mr. Speaker, is making some
significant change and reform in our long-term care and community support
sector. One of the pieces of that, and as I said yesterday, one of the pieces of
that is the financial assessment tool that is currently being used. We want to
do it right, Mr. Speaker. We just do not want to do it in a piecemeal fashion.
We want to do what is right. We want to do what is right for today's
generation. We want to do what is right for future generations to make sure that
what we have are programs and services that are responsive to the changing needs
of seniors, and also that are sustainable in the long term. Our financial
assessment tool is one of the cornerstone pieces of that, and when we have the
analysis completely done and we are ready to move forward, then and only then
will we make any change.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think the minister would know, as I do, that short-term and long-term
planning is part of all planning and sometimes one has to have interim steps in
a long-term plan. Again, the minister also knows, the financial assessment for
home support is far more restrictive than the financial assessment that is done
when a person goes into a long-term care or personal care facility.
Will the minister immediately direct the regional health authorities to
replace the home care financial assessment tool with the one used to qualify for
assistance in a long-term care or personal care facility?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: The member opposite can frame the question in multiple ways,
but there is only one answer, and that is the one I gave yesterday, the one I
gave two weeks ago, and the one I am about to repeat again - which is,
fundamentally, we are in the process of revamping our long-term care and
community support system, and we are looking at all aspects of that. The
financial assessment tool that we currently use is one aspect of that. I say,
Mr. Speaker, and I repeat again, we are - as she has acknowledged - in the
middle of an evaluation of that tool as we speak. When we are finished that
assessment and we have clearly defined what might be an appropriate financial
assessment tool for the future, then, and only then, will we be prepared then to
roll anything new out.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will point out to the minister that I am not the only one unhappy with the
same answer that he gives to my question, no matter which way I put it - I
realize what I am doing - but there are many people out there unhappy with his
answer. It is clear to them now that he is not going to do anything to meet with
the needs that are in place at the moment that people are suffering from.
Okay, I will ask a question with regard to the long-term. Mr. Speaker,
jurisdictions across Canada are recognizing that demand for home care will only
increase and that the level of care must be based on need, rather than ability
to pay. Government cannot continue to heap great pressure on the shoulders of
one of the most vulnerable groups in our Province.
Will the long-term care and home support strategy, the long-term plan that he
is looking at, include home care based on need, and not on ability to pay?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Our government has clearly demonstrated in the last four
years that we are committed to enhancing home support services in this Province.
We have grown from some $85 million of four years ago, to some $115 million
today. In fact, there was $10 million, I think my colleague introduced in the
Budget recently; $10 million to enhance further capacity in the home support
system, I say, Mr. Speaker - all very clearly a reflection of our government's
commitment to enhance the programs and services to an aging population and
persons with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
MR. PARSONS: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader on a point of order.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I waited until the end of Question Period because I understand that is the
proper protocol to make a point of order rather than disrupt during Question
Period.
I would make a point of order, Mr. Speaker, concerning our Standing Order 7,
which deals with order and decorum. The point of order is that for anyone who
just watched this session we had here today and the session that we had
yesterday, it is absolutely disrespectful and disruptive what we have seen here,
and I am talking about the decorum. Nobody in this Chamber is unable to defend
themselves, I am sure. Everybody is here. Everybody is big enough and strong
enough and voiceful enough to stand up and say what they have to say. Nobody
here is opposed to a bit of humour. That goes with it too, anybody can accept
that.
What we have seen in the last two days, Mr. Speaker, is absolutely, I would
suggest, unacceptable. Some of the comments flowing back and forth across this
House are nasty. You, the Chair, yourself, seven times today had to call for
order on seven different occasions. I am sitting here, I would like to hear not
only the questions that are being asked, but as a member of this Chamber I have
a right to listen to the answers that are being given. Quite often, the answers
are good, no question about that. It is pretty difficult, as a member of this
House, to listen to the questions and to listen to the answers when you have
calls.
I will not get into naming anybody because that is not the point of my
raising the point of order; it is not about naming people at this point. That
responsibility and onus falls upon the Chair, if you feel that you must do so.
My point is to say that I think it is disgraceful, the public are watching this,
probably the most watched procession of the House of Assembly is the Question
Period time and people are noticing this.
Mr. Speaker, I would call upon you again -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. PARSONS: Again, Mr. Speaker, even while I am in the process of trying
to make a point of order there are disruptions and catcalls coming across this
House. There are people over there - I can stand on feet anytime if I want to
speak for myself, as can any member here. All I am saying is I think it has
gotten out of hand when you have answers being given and there is no way - I was
sitting here with an earpiece yesterday and today, which I have hardly ever used
since we started this sitting. I cannot hear, even with an earpiece in, because
of the disruptions that are coming.
I think, Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, it has gone off the rails, and I
would call upon the Chair to enforce Standing Order 7 so that all of us who have
a right to be in this Chamber, a right to be heard, can be heard and not have
the catcalls and so on get to the extent that it is now.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Deputy Premier.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I just want to make a brief comment on the point of order raised by my
colleague, the Opposition House Leader.
First of all, let me say this: If there is an issue of decorum, it is up to
Your Honour to notice it, as I am sure Your Honour does, and it is up to Your
Honour to do something about it, as Your Honour attempts to do every time the
matter surfaces here in the House. That is the role of Your Honour. It is not
the role of anybody else to stand and suggest that really, in essence, what
is happening is that the suggestion is that Your Honour is not doing your job,
and I find that kind of offensive, in a way, to be honest with you, Mr. Speaker.
It is probably not the intent, but that is the way it sounds to me.
There is plenty of blame to go around on that whole decorum issue. If the
Opposition House Leader cannot hear, and has to put in his earpiece, it is
probably because his leader is shouting right alongside of him. If I cannot hear
over here, and have to put in my earpiece, it is probably because some of my
colleagues are shouting behind me.
All I am saying, Mr. Speaker, it cuts both ways and it is incumbent on all of
us, from time to time, to realize that we do all have a responsibility to we
are not in a junior Red Cross Society here. We are in an elected Parliament. If
you want to see decorum, go to the mother of Parliaments in Westminster where
they have been known to take the Mace and face each other, so we are not all
that bad. We are not perfect; we are not all that bad.
I think the hon. gentleman's point is well taken, I understand that, but to
enforce the rule is up to Your Honour, when Your Honour notices or believes that
the matter is getting out of hand, and it is up to all of us then to have the
good sense to respect Your Honour's ruling, when Your Honour brings it to our
attention.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair certainly concurs with what is happening, I guess,
on both sides of the House, and the comments made.
Question Period is an intense time when members ask questions and government
gives answers. The Chair attempts to try to keep it to a level where ministers
can hear what is being said and members ask their questions.
These last couple of sessions have been disruptive, I have to admit, and it
is not where the Chair would like to see the decorum go in this House, so I ask
members for their co-operation. It makes it difficult for both sides, and both
sides have played a
part in causing the disruption as well, so I ask members for
their co-operation.
The Chair is reluctant to identify members when they make a shout across the
House. That is the nature, I guess, of the forum that we operate on, but the
Chair will not sit here and allow members to cause disruption for questions
asked or answers that have been given, that are important to the general public
of this Province.
I ask members for their co-operation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to call Motion 1, the Budget debate, and I believe the debate
was adjourned by our colleague from Port de Grave yesterday.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Some of my hon. colleagues across the way were wondering why I did not have a
petition today. I wouldn't be able to carry a petition off in fifty-two
minutes.
AN HON. MEMBER: Too much (inaudible).
MR. BUTLER: Too much.
Mr. Speaker, I must say, it is a pleasure to be able to stand again today and
bring forward some comments with regard to the amendment that we put forward
when it comes to Motion 1 on the Order Paper, the Budget Speech.
Mr. Speaker, as you listen from day to day and listen to hon. members, their
comments, very informative, it amazes me sometimes about how, when we bring up
topics or we ask questions about any particular topic, it is all the fault of
the former Administration or Administrations. Even though this government has
been in power for five years, Mr. Speaker, it is still their fault.
It is amazing, when we look at the wonderful Budget we have this year, with
all the millions and billions of dollars, nobody can give credit beyond last
year; and, Mr. Speaker, that amazes me.
I know hon. members are honourable when they make those comments, because I
am the type of individual - I recognize that there was a $6.8 billion Budget
this year, wonderful, but we have to realize how that money was derived. It is
over issues of former Administrations of all political stripes, to see what
happened in this Province, and thank God today the government in power is there
to see to it that this money is administered properly and we find ourselves even
estimating a surplus in March 2009 of $544 million.
Mr. Speaker, as an Opposition, we will continue to bring forward issues on
behalf of the people of this Province, and bring their concerns before the House
of Assembly. I have to say, and I think I speak for my hon. colleagues, that any
time we have issues, when we meet with various ministers in this government, we
have received excellent co-operation, no doubt about that.
I paid particular attention over the last number of weeks to the hon.
Minister of Transportation and Works, and the Minister of Municipal Affairs, who
I have had to deal with, and you give credit where credit is due. The same can
be said for other ministers. I have had issues when I had to go to the Minister
of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, the Minister of Government Services,
and others the Minister of Education and they do what they can for you.
I believe in giving credit where credit is due, but it is a two-way street.
Mr. Speaker, I guess in my comments, when I started addressing the Budget
Speech, I did mention the long-term care facility in Carbonear. I just want to
make a couple comments on that as well. It is very important because it is an
issue, not only an issue that I am bringing forward, but it is an issue of great
concern with the people in that immediate area.
It was only recently, and I think it was when the hon. Minister of Finance
and President of Treasury Board travelled to the Conception Bay North area, I
think the Mayor of Carbonear spoke very highly about this facility that they had
hoped they would see coming to that area. Hopefully, down the road, Mr. Speaker,
we will see that.
I am sure my hon. colleagues who represent districts adjacent to the
Conception Bay North area and the Trinity Bay Shore, I am sure they are hearing
the same issues. They are hearing the same issues that people would love to see
nothing more than a new long-term care facility for the Conception Bay North
area.
Hopefully this government, over the next number of weeks, will see to it that
possibly a new assessment will be done to see if the need is there, and to
verify what was to take place back in 2002, Mr. Speaker.
Yesterday, I just touched on the issue of workers' health, WHSCC, the
Workers' Compensation Board, with the new report that came down which
mentioned there will be changes with claim duration, early and safe return to
work, and various injury prevention, and that has to be done, Mr. Speaker, and I
touched on some cases with regard to the client services end of it.
We know that this system has to be preserved, to be accountable and a
sustainable system. After all, Mr. Speaker, that is funded 100 per cent,
totally, by the employers here in our Province. We know that. Then again, when
injuries do occur, the program is there so that those people will be looked
after until they come to the point where they can return to work once again.
All too often, Mr. Speaker, dealing with various constituents on issues that
sometimes have to go to the review commission, we hear stories where some
employers even pay thousands of dollars so that they can travel around any
community, watching an injured worker, getting him on video, costing thousands
of dollars. No doubt, there are probably some people out there who do abuse the
system, but they are not all the same and I think it is unfair to know that you
are being videotaped to see if you do something, just to try and get you out of
the system, Mr. Speaker.
I think in that review it was also mentioned and recommended that possibly
the Auditor General should go in, and have the rights to go in, and review the
books with workers' compensation. I think, Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly agree
with that and I think it has to be done.
Like I mentioned yesterday when I spoke, Mr. Speaker, in 2006, 61 per cent of
the cases that were rejected by the commission, when they went before the review
board, 61 per cent of them were allowed or referred back to the commission. In
2007, Mr. Speaker, 65 per cent were either allowed or referred back to the
commission. That alone, Mr. Speaker, I believe, is justification that it has to
be reviewed, and the recommendations that were put forward, I think, are very
fitting.
I also touched briefly yesterday about, in my immediate area, how important
the fishery was to the area, the communities of Upper Island Cove, Spaniard's
Bay, Bay Roberts and Port de Grave. I guess we never know when something can
happen.
I know the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture was involved with the union
and some of the people in an incident that is taking place now on the pricing,
so we never know from one day to the next what can happen in any given area to
upset the economy that we look forward to each and every year. It affects the
harvesters, who are finding it very difficult with the increasing costs, and
this is what it is all about: the price that they have been offered.
Not only that; it affects many other people in the given area, people who go
to the plants to work there and process the various products before they are
shipped overseas, Mr. Speaker. You never know. Yesterday I was on my feet saying
how wonderful it is, and I am sure it will work itself out. It is like the
Minister of Fisheries said, there is very little they can do about it, even
though maybe a consultation with them can speed up the process.
Having said that, I also touched on out-migration, which is a thing that
really bothers me. I know that no one can stop anyone from going away. If people
get it in their minds that they are going out West because the offers are that
much greater, Mr. Speaker, that is going to happen, but it is very troubling.
Only yesterday I was told a story about, in my area, where one contractor
there had twelve to fifteen people working and ten of them left the one day and
said: We are going out West. Not that we have anything against you, but we want
to go out where we can make more money than we are making here in this Province.
Hopefully, the time will come when that will be turned around, when we will
see - we know the minimum wage has gone up in this Province, and that will help
people to stay here, but when it comes to the people in the construction
industry of various trades, they move on because it is so lucrative for them now
to go back and forth. For some of them, their ways are paid and they come home
to visit their families after so many weeks.
I fear, Mr. Speaker, that the day is coming when that part of it is going to
end, because I believe when their children get out of high school many of them
are going to say we are going to move our families out West. No doubt, it is a
better place here to raise your family and that is why many of them are going
back and forth today.
Another issue I wanted to touch on, that bothers a lot of people - and I know
this goes back to the early 1990s and beyond that - is the school tax. I get so
many calls where people are so frustrated with the billing system that they have
now and the amount that they have to pay. It is not that they were against the
school tax in the beginning, even though they admit that it should have been
paid at that time, but it was left unattended to for so many years. I am not
laying fingers on anybody, but it was left there and a lot of people just forgot
about it. Lo and behold, after eight or ten or twelve years, finally they began
to receive invoices in the mail again, and some of the stories are very sad.
I know I can relate one: a lady who was eighty-eight years of age, from my
district, who had a business back twenty some-odd years ago, received a bill in
the mail for $5,800 and she was just devastated. When I went to visit her, I
took all of the information. When I came in, I believe that bill, the actual
principal of that bill, from the day when it was supposedly hers, was somewhere
in the vicinity of just under $1,000, and here she was receiving this invoice
for $5,500.
Mr. Speaker, another case I can relate to, is where this young lady received
an invoice on behalf of her parents, and both of them were deceased. One was
deceased for eight years and the other one approximately four years and here
she gets an invoice in the mail saying that you have to pay this school tax.
I believe that the system should be looked at. It is still ongoing today, Mr.
Speaker, and I know for a fact, just this past Christmas, I had a call from a
gentleman in another district, adjacent to mine, where a gentleman was off on
workers' compensation, getting a very low amount, and his wife was not working
at the time. They went to the supermarket to pick up their groceries - and
everything he did, he did with his debit card - and when he went to the cashier
he passed in his debit card and she said: I am sorry, we can't take your card;
there is nothing there.
When he went to check it out, what it was, the department had gone to the
bank and taken the money that was deposited in his account. Thank God, it got
corrected. Here was a guy with his groceries up on the counter, to be checked
in, and was told that he had to put them back.
There are cases like that, Mr. Speaker, and many of those people, many of
them, when they were working, back at the time the school tax was ongoing, they
had deductions taken from their wages, no receipts or anything for it now -
probably the employers are even gone out of business but, lo and behold,
after so many years they begin to get those invoices with a tremendous amount of
interest on them, and here they are now trying to defend their cases as to why
they are receiving a bill.
I know, for a while, government - I will call it, for a better word, a day of
grace, with interest relief. There was one gentleman who, I think it was just
two days prior to when the interest relief was put in place, he went to the
bank. He was trying to build this facility for his business, and he was told
that he could not get his loan because he owed the government $4,300. A
tremendous amount of that was interest, Mr. Speaker, but what he had to do, he
had to pay it. Lo and behold, two days after, they came in and the interest on
anyone's school tax bills would be deducted. He came to me, and we went and
met with the officials, but to no avail. Even though it was only two days, he
had to bear the burden.
Mr. Speaker, another issue I want to touch on is the home heating fuel and
the rebate program. I don't think there is anyone out there against the Home
Heating Rebate Program, because this year government, in their wisdom, extended
it to many other families beyond what it was in previous years, and to some
degree the rates were increased based on their income. Many people say to me,
that it is too bad it doesn't come out a little bit earlier in the year, when
they can, I guess, fill up their tanks just prior to the winter season starting.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say many people are affected by this. I know we have
called for a reduction in the tax on the home heating fuel, and government at
this particular time didn't think it was necessary or didn't proceed with
it. Many families, when you go visit them on various issues, I can assure you
find it very difficult to heat their homes. It is sad to say this, but I have
been in houses that when I went there they told me, you might find it cold
because we have the heat turned completely off. That is sad in this day and age
when people either have to heat their houses or eat, when they find themselves
in those situations. I can understand why. It is because of the tremendous
increase in the cost.
I will just give you a brief example, Mr. Speaker. One individual, when I met
with them, told me that in February month it cost $428 to heat their home. In
March month it was increased to $539 to heat that same house. There may have
been one or two days in the difference but the cost of the heating fuel had
risen. In Newfoundland it is not all fine weather in April month, but in April
month it cost $643. The cost of the fuel had escalated from $0.88 cents back in
February to $1.08. The tax paid at that time I think was somewhere in the
vicinity of $74.
Mr. Speaker, I call upon government hopefully, we will have a home
heating fuel program again next year.
AN HON. MEMBER: No doubt.
MR. BUTLER: No doubt we will, the hon. member says. Once again I say,
hopefully that will happen and hopefully they will look at it in such a way that
it possibly can come out a little bit earlier in the season for the individuals.
Mr. Speaker, another thing I want to mention I know it was in the Budget
this year about recruitment and retention for nurses and doctors. I am not going
to refer to it in such a way of bargaining, because those people are still
bargaining for their various contracts. I know personally, from individuals in
my district and from individuals I speak to at the Carbonear General Hospital
from time to time, those individuals are going through a very stressful time. We
hear it in the media and I am sure we all get the e-mails and the letters about
people who are working twelve-hour shifts on many occasions, only to get home
when they are called back again. They have a tremendous workload.
I know, Mr. Speaker, from travelling to the Carbonear General Hospital to
visit constituents from time to time and to see on a floor with probably sixteen
or seventeen patients, there were evenings when there is only one or two there
to care for them. Really, if one has to go anywhere or go for their lunch break,
there is only one person left on that floor. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, they do
a tremendous job, we all know that. They are trained professional people, but it
is sad when you see people on the floor of a hospital caring for those who are
sick, actually running from room to room to try to keep up with the needs. I
guess when there is only one or two of them there it limits their ability, what
they can do for the patients. I know the medical needs are looked after from
that perspective but there are many other issues that arise when those people
need immediate attention.
I heard an individual say the other day that - an individual who is a nurse
here in one of the hospitals in St. John's. She mentioned that one of the
people who worked with her - there was a vacancy and that vacancy has been
vacant now - that position has been vacant for two years. Nobody has been hired
on a part-time basis to go and give her a hand there.
It is also amazing the number of people who will be retiring in the next few
years. Hopefully, the retention program that we hear about will work. I know
there are things happening. I know two young individuals who live in my district
have returned to this Province from the United States and have taken up practice
here in St. John's. Hopefully, that will continue to happen.
Also, with the people who are in training, as they graduate they will see fit
to stay here. Mr. Speaker, it comes down to one thing again, they would love to
remain at home and work at home but the salary issue comes into force again. I
know we cannot pay everybody what we would like to pay them or what they are
getting in other places but we know for a fact that the nurses here, from what I
have heard, are the lowest paid. Some of them are 30 per cent less in what they
receive than in nurses somewhere else in the Maritime provinces.
We hear talk about all the job fairs, where people are coming in from other
provinces and other countries trying to attract our nurses to travel there. I
have to say, Mr. Speaker, unfortunately they are successful. I say unfortunately
because we are losing them, not that those people are going to different places
to benefit themselves.
Mr. Speaker, we do very little, I guess. Even though the last job fair that
was here the government did have a system in place advising people what was
available here in the Province, but listening to some of the people who were
taking part, they were very discouraged because very few people came in to see
what they had to offer.
All too often we hear different stories about individuals. We heard only
recently in the media about a lady who is a nurse here in St. John's. She went
to Toronto for a two or three day vacation and in doing so, she checked out what
it would mean to her if she went to, I think it was Boston. They were looking
for nurses in Boston. She went there and said the only reason she stayed here
was because there were relatives belonging to her that were sick and she did not
want to leave the family.
I know issues with health care go back over the years, and I guess they will
be with us for many years to come. I can remember when we were in government,
members opposite who were in the Opposition at that time, let me assure you,
they brought up many cases on health care issues, and rightly so. It seems to be
more of a troublesome thing today, now that the issue of the major work
opportunities that is in other provinces where they are paying so much more
money.
Mr. Speaker, this same lady, when she was visiting her friends in Ontario,
mentioned that at the airport she met three or four young individuals from this
Province who had just returned from the States and were interviewed, they were
going to return there and take up their duties.
Mr. Speaker, the same can be said for the recruitment of our doctors. We know
full well, Mr. Speaker, we hear it since the inquiry has been on, the regret
that people - specialists are deciding that they are going to move to other
provinces for various reasons. That is unfortunate.
I know in the Conception Bay North area, we have the same problem when it
comes to general practitioners. I have mentioned this on numerous occasions and
brought in petitions from residents who are really concerned about the lack of
general practitioners. The doctors that we have there, not a problem, they are
all good individuals doing the best they can, but for various reasons they move
on. Some of them who are residents of this Province, some of them move here to
the City of St. John's, and that is their prerogative to move here. Some of
them have taken their patients with them. They travel in here to Mount Pearl. I
know of one case where many patients - many residents of my district travel to
Mount Pearl to see the doctor that they had when he was stationed in Bay
Roberts. That is unfortunate for some of them, because many of them have
difficulty even getting to St. John's. It is not a problem -
AN HON. MEMBER: What is wrong with Mount Pearl?
MR. BUTLER: There is nothing wrong with Mount Pearl, I say to the hon.
member. That is not the issue, but unfortunately their doctor left our area and
went to Mount Pearl, and our residents are left without a GP. Hopefully, through
the recruitment program of this government that will take care of itself.
Mr. Speaker, we also have many GPs who come to our Province from various
countries. As a matter of fact, I saw my doctor this morning in the clinic in
Spaniard's Bay, a gentleman from South Africa, excellent doctor. My only hope
and prayer is that he is here for the long haul because I know over the past
seven years - I can speak from personal experience - I have had six different
general practitioners in that clinic in Spaniard's Bay. They move to the area
and it almost seems like when their probationary period is served, they up and
leave. That is unfortunate, and that is why we are left in the dilemma that we
are in. I know we cannot force them to stay here but hopefully, through a good
retention program, we will see an end come to this situation that we find
ourselves in.
I guess the most heart wrenching thing that comes out of all of this by not
having a general practitioner, is the residents when they have to come to St.
John's or go to Carbonear to have some specialty work done, whether it is an
X-ray, ultrasound, an MRI or what have you, they do not have a general
practitioner to send the reports back to. That is unfortunate. However, I think
many of them now are finding doctors in different areas. Some doctors that moved
from our area to St. John's even travel back out, whether it is once a month
or twice monthly, but they do travel back and visit the homes of our residents
to see them. So, that is all very well.
I think the biggest concern and the biggest problem with a lack of general
practitioners is the burden that it places on the emergency units of our
hospitals. I have heard it said that even though there are probably many general
practitioners here in the city, but the emergency units find it very difficult
to cope. The problem with it, Mr. Speaker, is that - I know from the area that I
represent, when they do not have a general practitioner, when they do not have
one they will try and call and they will get a recording saying: In case of
emergency, go to the emergency unit at the Carbonear General Hospital.
Naturally, Mr. Speaker, no matter what your complaint is, how minor or how much
of an emergency it is, everybody feels that it is an emergency and I am going to
Carbonear hospital.
We have a tremendous backlog of people waiting at the emergency unit. Really,
the staff who are there are overworked, but they cannot help it. You have to go
there, and I have had cases where people had to wait as long as eight and nine
hours to get in to see the doctor in the emergency unit. I am glad to report
that this year in the Budget - I know it is not going to do with any staffing,
but there is $4 million that has been allocated, I think, for the Carbonear
General Hospital to make some major changes down there, and no doubt major
changes need to be made. I know for a fact for people who go there to have an
ultrasound there is no waiting area and they have to take a chair, while they
are waiting for another patient to come out, and sit in one of the washrooms.
Hopefully this is going to correct itself. It is unfortunate that people have to
do that but I can assure, Mr Speaker, that is definitely happening.
I know we are always talking about our heath care. I believe, and have no
problem in saying, that when we look at the health care we have in this country,
I think we have a health care system that many other countries would want to
have. Just two or three years ago while vacationing in the eastern part of the
United States, when people asked us where we were from and we told them we were
from Canada and Newfoundland, they said: one thing we would love to have is your
health care system. Even though we complain about the issues, the long wait
lists and the shortage of nurses and doctors, the system itself I think is a
wonderful system, when we can go to a hospital at any given time and basically
it is free of charge. That part of it I have no problems with, but what happens
is when issues arise where things cannot be done, I guess, the way that we would
like to see them done.
I had a call just last week from an individual who is a prostate patient and
he is on the emergency list. He advised me that he has to wait until September
of this year. September of this year! Like he said, if it was problem, an
emergency, back three or four months ago, what is it going to be listed as by
the time he gets to see the specialist within another five or six months.
Many people, when they are patients at the hospital, they are given their
various medications. I know I had a call from another family who have a resident
who is a cancer patient and 80 per cent of their medications are covered. I
think this young gentleman even wrote a letter to the paper asking government to
look into it. Like he said, 80 per cent of his meds are covered but his
medications cost an additional $470, plus his transportation, plus the hospital
he has to come to, plus his meals when he comes to St. John's. He called the
department to see if anything else could be done for him. This is the response
that he received, and this is unfortunate. I am not saying every case is like
this but it has to be checked out. He was told that he must take his ex-wife to
court for child support in order to get additional help. He advised me that he
and his wife had been divorced for six years. That is an unfortunate situation
to find yourself in, that you have to go and take a lady to court that you
divorced six years ago for child support in order to get the additional
medications due to being a cancer patient.
Mr. Speaker, the other thing is the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Drug
Program, a wonderful program. There are four or five different areas now where
you can apply for your medications. One thing that is surfacing now, and I get
numerous phone calls and I am sure other hon. members do as well, is when you go
to your specialist and he writes out a prescription for you to take to the drug
store to get your medications and it is rejected by the drug program. What those
people have to do is take an application back to the specialist once again to
make out a paper that is known as the authorization form. Here is the same
signature going on a larger piece of paper rather than the prescription form
that he had. When he takes that back in he will get his medication. Mr. Speaker,
I think that is unfortunate and it has happened in so many cases that it is
becoming a problem for many people.
Another issue that we encounter like I said, we have a good health
program but there are little glitches, I guess. There are patients who receive
prescriptions from their specialists and from their general practitioners
telling them to take two pills per day. When they go and get it and they get the
little pill bottle back from the drug store: Sorry, you cannot take two pills a
day. We checked with the drug program but they are advising you that you are
only allowed to take one pill a day. Here we are in a system that is so good
going against what the specialists and the general practitioners are asking for.
We hear from time to time about the issue about oxygen. I know the Minister
of Health and Community Service answered those questions. This year, I know
there were some improvements with the oxygen issue, but many people, Mr.
Speaker, who find themselves having problems it is with the small canisters.
What it is, when they become of age - I know the cases that I am referring to -
when they become of age and receive their old age pension and the supplement,
they do not qualify any more, even though their financial means cannot provide
them with that help, and they find themselves in very difficult situation.
Mr. Speaker, over the past several months, and even prior to the last general
election, we had an opportunity to sit down and meet with the seniors of our
area and throughout the Province, the Newfoundland and Labrador 50 Plus
Federation. They sat down and expressed many concerns that they had. I guess
they are too numerous to mention here today. One of them was that they had not
had a raise in their pensions since 1989. I know the government at this time has
stated very clearly that nothing will be done in that regard. They were looking
for indexing in their pensions, and it is unfortunate that something could not
be done for those people. Because I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, when you hear
the stories that they have to tell, and what the value of the dollar was when
they went on their pensions versus the value of the dollar today and what they
have to do to survive, it is very amazing how they even make ends meet, Mr.
Speaker.
Another issue that they had is affordable housing. I believe there are
programs now coming out from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing that will see
additional units change, and hopefully they will be there to benefit the people
that need them the most.
One of the issues they bring up is doctors in rural Newfoundland and
Labrador. I guess I covered off on that. They find it a major concern having
some of our older residents travelling either to St. John's or other centres
throughout the Province from the community where they live because they do not
have a doctor. I guess one of the things government did listen to from them is,
they wanted to see a reduction in the registration of motor vehicles, and that
did take place. Government increased it to $180, and saw fit now, when the times
are better, to bring it back to $140. I am sure the seniors of this Province
appreciate that, because that was one of the issues they brought forward, not
only to us, but brought forward to government as well.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but make a few comments on federal relations. I
mentioned in the Budget yesterday - and I hope my figures are correct - that 27
per cent of this year's Budget is federal funding. Mr. Speaker, we hear so
much of the past, and I know when we were in government, the opposition of the
day used to say, look, why we are not getting anything from Ottawa is because
you have such a poor relationship with Ottawa; the former administration. Today
we hear battles back and forth. I know ministers on the opposite side meet with
their counterparts in Ottawa and good things are coming from it, but I think
overall there are some issues that are probably not being dealt with because of
what happened, back some time ago.
One of the issues I want to refer to is brought up fairly often, and that is
the ferry service to our Province, either from Argentia in the summertime or
North Sydney year-round. Hopefully the day will come, and I am hoping that the
Minister of Transportation and Works and other officials, whether it be the
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, in dealing with various federal issues, will
see to it that the service that is provided to the people of this Province
should be next to none. After all, it is our Trans-Canada Highway, when we look
at from Port aux Basques to North Sydney, and I can assure you that, travelling
at least once a year on that system, it leaves something to be desired. I know
they are referring to a new ferry that hopefully will come into the system
fairly soon. All I am asking is that our government here make sure that whatever
can be done will be done to see to it that our residents - and not only our
residents but the people from all over Canada and the States who come to visit
us, at various times of the year - have a reasonable means of transportation
coming to this Island.
The other one, Mr. Speaker, we hear so much about - and I am sure the
Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture is well-known on this one - is the
custodial management, and how the federal government are dealing with that. I
think more can be done there, Mr. Speaker. We are doing fine now because the
crab fishery and the shrimp fishery and other species are to a point where it is
carrying the day for us; but, then again, I believe that in years to come, when
all the oil is gone - and I hope they will keep finding oil wells - that we can
keep in the position that we are in, and have a Budget like we have this year.
Mr. Speaker, the day will come when we may have, and want, to go back to the
fishery, the way it was since we moved on this Island many, many years ago. The
cod fishery - I will always say it, I believe it - the cod fishery is the life
and the backbone of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Even though we can bring
different industries there, and the oil will bring benefits to various areas of
the Province, the fishery is far and foremost the most important.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to touch on a few issues, I guess, when it comes to
the environment and conservation, some of the major issues that face us on a
daily basis here in this Province. I know one that has been in the media for
quite some time, and that is the one that is known - and I know my hon. member,
the Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, told me the other day that it
is a landfill; you can't say dump. When I refer to the New Harbour issue, I
have to call it the New Harbour dump. It is a landfill all right; it is filled
up with everything that shouldn't be seen.
AN HON. MEMBER: It is engineered.
MR. BUTLER: What?
AN HON. MEMBER: It is engineered.
MR. BUTLER: It is engineered.
I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that is an issue that is of grave concern to the
people on the Trinity Bay side, the New Harbour landfill that is on New Harbour
Road.
I know for a fact that the Minister of Environment and Conservation has
attended meetings, even before becoming a member of the Cabinet, about that
issue over there, and how it is a major concern for the residents.
I know it has been ongoing for quite some time. I remember full well when the
site was cleaned up in Makinsons. I know, at that time, not knowing what was
going to come forward today, the canisters, the PCBs, were supposedly all
cleaned from those cylinders and they were taken there, they say, under the
cover of darkness.
It is not only that; it is not only the PCBs that are there. It is everything
being dumped in that facility. It was supposed to be closed down quite some time
ago. I know various ministers - and the hon. Speaker himself was a minister at
one time, when it comes to that facility, and he said: It has to be cleaned up.
It has to be closed. Money is not the thing; it is the safety and the concerns
of the people - but today we are still waiting for that to happen.
By closing that dump, which should be done, and the sooner the better, it
creates a major problem for the people on the shore, because now they are
negotiating or waiting for a report to come back to see if they can take their
waste material to Winterton versus St. John's. The reason for that is the cost
for those smaller communities. I know communities in my area travel to St. John's,
to Robin Hood Bay, but it is a tremendous cost to them. I know we have to do
something with the garbage, and hopefully sooner rather than later
AN HON. MEMBER: It is not garbage; it is waste.
MR. BUTLER: Waste, I am sorry. The hon. member keeps correcting me - the
waste and the landfills.
I have to say, the cost to those smaller communities is tremendous. They are
trying to make an arrangement to go to Winterton. Now, rather than eleven
communities, I only read this past week, I think it is all the way from
Whitbourne area all the way down the shore and back up the Conception Bay side
to Western Bay that find themselves in the same position.
Hopefully, Mr. Speaker, the day will come when all of this is corrected and
maybe there will be regional facilities for all that is to be carried out, and
it will not cost so much for the residents of the various areas.
Another issue, Mr. Speaker, I guess is our tire storage and recycling
program. I know on a couple of occasions we felt that was corrected, that we had
found the right solution to it, but we know full well that we are still
stockpiling them in Placentia and I believe in other areas, and it is costing
government. I believe this year it was announced that it would cost an
additional $500,000 just to stockpile them. Hopefully, in the very near future
the government will find a way to see that this is not a problem anymore.
Another issue that came up this year was the water quality. I know it came
about because of a report that came in from another province, but through it all
hopefully we have all learned a lesson. Once this was checked out we feel fairly
confident with the numbers of communities that have safe drinking water and that
the systems are checked properly. I know government has thirty-six of those
inspectors, but the report that I saw recently showed there were, I believe, six
vacancies.
Mr. Speaker, water quality is a very serious concern. It even came up in the
Auditor General's report. The concern that I had I know samples of water
are tested in the various communities, but I called a couple of the communities
in my district and the concern that they had as well is that the inspectors, and
I am not saying every town, but the inspectors didn't go to the actual
facility where the chlorine is entering the system. Taking samples from various
businesses and various homes, that was fine, but I think if the inspectors went
to I am not saying they don't go to some of them, but I know a couple they
didn't go to. If this chlorine that wasn't authorized to be used, if that
was in storage there they may have detected it. Thank God, it wasn't to the
point where anyone because sick or anything over it. It is good to know that the
issue has been looked into.
The other issue I want to touch on is poverty reduction. I know the
government has a system in place. We hear it often from members on both sides of
the House, because government members are on this side as well. Sometimes I get
lost when I hear the applauding behind me. I think it is for me, but it is not.
Mr. Speaker, they have a system and other provinces in our nation are looking to
implementing the same program. That is good, but, Mr. Speaker, we still have a
long way to go. There is no doubt about that, because I was reading the other
day - the hon. Member for St. John's North, in one of his speeches last year.
He made it very clear - I do not know if I will go along with his statement
because he said he felt that they were going to be in power for another twelve
to sixteen years. I do not know if I would go along with that part, but he did
say he felt very strongly about poverty. He made it very clear that even in that
timeframe maybe we will not be able to get it to the point where we want it in
this Province. Then again, hopefully we will. Even though government felt we
would have the lowest percentage of poverty in the Province for our country
within a ten-year timeframe. It is all fine to say that, but hopefully that will
happen.
One of the things I know I would like to see is - the Poverty Reduction
Strategy, we agree with that but I think we have to see the real evidence, what
is really happening there. Maybe a social audit is the way to go so that a
report card can be given. I know the coalition of religious leaders against
poverty, they were also advocating for that. So, hopefully the minister in his
wisdom will do just that.
The way poverty is defined with a low-income cut-off, some of the figures to
me were startling. In this report - and I think this was back in 2004 so it
might not be totally accurate at this present time. They stated that a family of
four living in rural Newfoundland - and they named the community, they named the
town, Baie Verte - is considered to be living in low income, in poverty, with an
after tax income, if they are less than $20,844. Then if you move into, a family
of the same size and you move into Grand Falls-Windsor, they need an after tax
break, they need an income of $23,856. If you move the same size family right
here in the City of St. John's, an after tax income of $26,948.
I know government this year has many initiatives to help combat poverty in
this Province, like the elimination of school fees and many other issues, but
still I think if we have to get the families up to a taxable income, after taxes
to the figures I just announced, no doubt - and government has increased the
minimum wage, but if you have someone working thirty or thirty-five hours a week
for fifty-two weeks a year, they are a long ways from those figures that I just
released. Hopefully, over a period of time that will be corrected, but to say -
regardless what the figure is, the main thing is to see that our people who are
below that line now, in the not to distant future that issue will be corrected.
The other issue I want to touch on just briefly, I guess, are some issues
that are under the heading of Municipal and Provincial Affairs. I have to say,
any day that anything comes forward that I believe is good, and there is lots of
good in the Budget, but there are lots of issues that have to be dealt with. The
announcement that the minister made with the infrastructure program, the
percentages that the municipalities will have to pay, I think it is just
wonderful. It is something that I guess is a lifeblood for our, not only our
medium-sized towns but our smaller towns, to know that they are on a 90-10
basis. The larger communities, which cover all of the ones in my district, are
either 90-10 or 80-20. I think that speaks very highly.
One of the things I would like to make a comment on is our Community
Enhancement Programs. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, a tremendous amount of good
comes out of those programs. Even though they are only small in nature and some
districts get more money than others, I have no problem with that because some
areas have more concerns and, I guess, a greater percentage of unemployment than
the other centres. Over the past couple of years I think I got somewhere in the
vicinity of $52,000. I could not believe that I only got $52,000 from the
Community Enhancement Programs, which are wonderful projects -
AN HON. MEMBER: Lots of jobs there.
MR. BUTLER: Lots of jobs there, as the hon. member says.
What really confused me was when I saw my member up in Harbour Main district
and he got $140,000 or $150,000 and my hon. colleague who was on this side of
the House then for Carbonear, not the new member, the previous member, he had
$150,000 or $160,000. I could not believe that my district was so rich and had
the two poor ones on each end. I am just calling upon the minister this year,
when he looks at the program, make it a little bit more.
I have to say, the work that is done with those projects, $5,000 or $6,000 to
some community hall or some sporting event where the facility that they use,
whether it is a field or an indoor attraction, it is tremendous. Not only that,
it helps a family to not have to go on social assistance in that particular
year. It may not be a high EI program, the money that they receive, but at least
they have dignity. By having their insurable earnings, they can probably get on
one of the EI top ups to the federal program and make it all that much better
for them. So, that is one of the things I would like to mention there.
When it comes to the Avalon Waste Management, I know there is a lot of work
that has to be done, hopefully, over the next few years. We all know of the Dog
Hill incident. That has gone by the wayside. A new committee has been put in
place, I understand. A couple of individuals from out in my area are members on
that, not in my particular district but in adjacent districts. There is a lot of
work that has to be done. I have to say that those towns - it has to be looked
at, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the cost for them of bringing their waste to
the Robin Hood Bay landfill. Believe it or not, I got it all right that time. I
never mentioned anything.
One other thing - I know my time is running down, I only got fifty seconds
left. One other thing I would like to mention is in reference to Human
Resources, Labour and Employment. Back a few years ago the minister of the day,
in her wisdom - twenty or twenty-four offices were closed. She used technology
as the reason for it. That is true. She made another statement today about
technology, and we know how it works. I have to say, and I am not saying all
twenty or twenty-four offices should remain open, but they did close in my area
and the workers were transferred to Carbonear just for a short period of time.
Now I think they are here in the city when it comes to income support. I just
wanted to make a comment that residents who have to use that system are finding
it very difficult, even though - I am not arguing about the technology side of
it, but they feel they are not being treated fairly and they cannot get to see
the actual worker that they are dealing with. From time to time, people who need
transportation on a quick notice, they are unable to get it the way they could
before, because they could actually go into an office and ask for that support.
Mr. Speaker, I will give you the pleasure of not having to stand and say I am
out of time. I just want to thank you for the opportunity.
MR. SPEAKER (Osborne): The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are going to fix it, right? A minister replying to a non-confidence motion
gets an hour if he so desires. He may not desire.
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much.
I want to take a few minutes - I do not know how many minutes, but I
certainly want to take a few minutes - to take
part in the Budget debate this
afternoon.
Before I do, though, Mr. Speaker, I want to take the opportunity as well,
because this is the first time since the House reconvened and since the election
in October that I will have had an opportunity to speak in a general debate in
the Legislature. I have spoken, of course, on numerous occasions, in introducing
bills or private member resolutions, or Question Period or whatever, but it is
the first time I have had an opportunity to speak in a general debate where you
can be wide-ranging and hit on a lot of topics.
In that context, I certainly want to take the opportunity to congratulate all
members who were elected to this place in October past, those who were
re-elected and those who were elected here for the first time. Mr. Speaker, I
have had the privilege of being elected to this Chamber on eight occasions.
While that is not a record, I understand that since Confederation it ties a
record.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: There is only a handful of people: Ed Roberts, former
Lieutenant-Governor, Paddy Canning, Tom Lush there is a handful, half a
dozen people, I understand - perhaps Mr. Smallwood himself, I am not sure - a
half a dozen people who have been elected that number of times. So I am tempted,
in one way, to go once more. I don't know
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: There are certain people out there perhaps listening to
this, this evening, who will have other thoughts in their head, but sometimes it
is tempting.
Also, of course, in that context of running and being elected here for that
number of times, in about a year from now - I believe it is October of next year
- I will have had the privilege of being the longest serving member in this
Legislature.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. RIDEOUT: Again, a good friend of mine, a person I had an opportunity
to serve with, actually, Mr. Canning, Paddy Canning, who represented
Burin-Placentia West, is the longest serving member of this Legislature right
now, at something over twenty-seven years, I believe. Come some time in the next
few months, I will pass that. It is a tremendous privilege, I don't mind
saying. I feel privileged and honoured. I didn't realize, when I came in here
as a young twenty-six-year-old in 1975, that I would still be here today and
have all of those years accumulated in experience. So, to all those people over
the years who have put their faith and their confidence and their trust in me,
it is humbling, and I want to say I am humbled by their kindness and by their
support.
I have managed to be elected in more than one district. It was a privilege to
represent the people of Lewisporte district for almost ten years, I guess; I was
elected there in 1999, and I left there in 2007. It was a tremendous group of
people to represent. I made some tremendous friends there, Jacinta made some
tremendous friends there, and we enjoyed immensely going to Lewisporte and being
part of the Lewisporte community. It certainly enriched us, and enriched our
lives, and hopefully we were able to make a contribution to the overall good of
the communities in that district in the time that we spent there; but I decided
in September, or I guess around September, that there was an opportunity to go
back home, an opportunity to go back to my political roots, to my birthplace, to
the place that had given me nourishment and encouragement over the years as a
young person who had political aspirations.
I have never covered up, or tried to cover up, the fact that I have had
political aspirations from the time I was a teenager, to the time that I arrived
in this place, up until this day. I make no bones, Mr. Speaker, or any
apologies, about having political aspirations. I would encourage young people in
Newfoundland and Labrador today, despite what they might hear about politicians,
to aspire to an elected political career. It is a privilege and an honour that
is bestowed only on forty-eight people, every four years, in this Province, to
come here at their wish and as a result of their vote, and to be their voice and
their representative in this House. That, in my view, is the highest calling
that any citizen can have in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: I encourage young people to aspire to be leaders, to be
political leaders in their towns, in their communities, in their Province, in
their Country, and I am sure they will. Just as we were young and idealistic
thirty-odd years ago, there are young idealists out there today who are
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They want to change the world and they have the
fire and the vim and the vigour and the vision and the determination to make a
difference, and I hope they will come forward and do that.
In that context, as I said, Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate all members
who have been elected here, those who have been re-elected and those who have
been elected for the first time. I want to congratulate Mr. Speaker for
accepting the onerous task of presiding over this place, and yourself as Deputy
Speaker and Deputy Chair of Committees and so on. It is not always easy to
preside over this place. We saw it today, perhaps, particularly during Question
Period when tem