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May 17, 2022

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. L No. 55

The

House met at 3:10 p.m.

SPEAKER (Bennett):

Order, please!

Admit

strangers.

In the

public gallery, I would like to welcome Nicholas Codner. Nicholas is the subject

of a Member's statement this afternoon.

Welcome,

Nicholas.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by

Members

SPEAKER:

Today we will hear statements

by the hon. Members for the Districts of Mount Pearl North, Baie Verte - Green

Bay, Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans, Lake Melville and Cape St. Francis.

The hon.

the Member for Mount Pearl North.

L. STOYLES:

Speaker, I rise in this House

to acknowledge a young man in my district, Alex Taylor, who is a Grade 8 student

at Mount Pearl Intermediate. Alex is just 13 years old. Alex has a love for

music and can play various instruments; also, he has the gift in singing.

He has

used his talent to help out in various community events. He has also done

several fundraising events to raise much-needed money for local communities

groups, such as the local food bank, Make-A-Wish campaign for the Children's

Wish Foundation, mental health and so on.

April of

this year, he organized an event for the Red Cross efforts for Ukraine, raising

almost $2,500. Alex not only excels in the community, but he's also on the

principal's list with a very high, impressive grade average.

Alex is

very lucky to have the support of his family. I ask all Members to join me in

supporting Alex.

Thank

you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Baie

Verte - Green Bay.

B. WARR:

Mr. Speaker, I rise to

acknowledge two constituents: Eric Colbourne, author of

The Diary of a Fishing Master , written

with Skipper Keith Bath from the resettled community of Horse Islands, now

residing in LaScie. Author Eric Colbourne is from Lush's Bight, Beaumont.

Mr.

Colbourne gives the reader an accurate account by expressing the risks of life

at sea. For those who know Skipper Keith Bath, he has the ability to turn a

near-death experience of falling into the frigid North Atlantic Ocean into a

comedy.

Skipper

Keith Bath and Author Eric Colbourne captivate the reader with intrigue and

interest of those earning a living at sea. The book includes fascinating life

experiences of an accomplished skipper of more than 50 years in pursuit of a

well-earned and honest living. One such experience was coordinating the rescue

of Little Jack, a fishing boat disabled by high winds on the Grand Banks.

I ask

all hon. Members to join me in offering Skipper Keith Bath and Author Eric

Colbourne heartfelt thanks for capturing a clearer understanding of the life of

those who earn a living at the sea.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

C. TIBBS:

Thank you, Speaker.

I rise

today to honour the students and staff of Exploits Valley High on their most

recent production of the high school musical

Footloose .

This

past weekend, Grand Falls-Windsor had the pleasure of witnessing a spectacle of

dance and song that showcased some of the greatest talents in this province. The

Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts not only kept us entertained, but played a

larger role in bringing a community together. After more than two years of

living in a global pandemic, our beautiful town was brought together under one

roof, in a packed theatre, with no shortage of smiles.

Special

congratulations go to the production team of Jennifer Clarke, Sandra Goudie,

Dawn Oldford and Scott Simms for their amazing work and dedication. The

commitment these young people put into this show during the past school year

should be commended, and their hard work shone through with each 2½-hour

performance.

As MHA

for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans, I want to thank the cast and crew, not just

for their presentation but after two long years of

despair, you have brought hope and inspiration to so many, and for that we are a

stronger community.

Thank you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Lake Melville.

P. TRIMPER:

Today, I pay tribute to a friend of mine, Marion

Broomfield, who died in February of this year.

Very much the heart and soul of the community of Mud Lake, Marion lived

there for over 85 years. She spent four years living in Happy Valley-Goose Bay

with her husband, Sam, before they moved back to the village where she was born.

In her pursuit of improved services for Mud Lake, Marion could be both

elegant and intimidating. Her particular focus was the beautiful United Church

and as the proceeds from the long-running Mud Lake Fair were dedicated to the

upkeep of this church, Marion was a dedicated promoter and lifelong contributor

to the annual fair. With the popular quilt auction, target shoot, canoe races

and plenty of good food, people would arrive by boat from all over Lake

Melville.

In 2012, Marion received Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal,

recognizing her contribution to Mud Lake. She will always be remembered for her

love of family – children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; the warmth of

her kitchen; and her welcoming hospitality.

I would ask the 50th General Assembly to join me in thanking Marion

Broomfield for a life well lived in service to her community.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Cape St.

Francis.

J. WALL:

Thank you, Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the

outstanding accomplishment of two constituents who represented our province at

the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier in Lethbridge, Alberta, in March.

Skip Nathan Young and alternate Nicholas Codner, both

from the town of Torbay, competed against the country's top curlers in Canada's

national men's curling championship from March 4 to 13. Young, age 19 and gold

medalist in mixed doubles curling at the World Youth Olympics in 2020, and

Codner, age 15, the youngest player ever to compete at the Brier, were joined by

Sam Follett, Nathan Locke and Ben Stringer to round out Team Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Speaker, they may be a young team, all being under the

age of 20 years; however, Team Young has certainly proven that they deserve to

be at the big game. Support from family, friends and fans from across our

province has added to the excitement of their first of, I'm sure, many Brier

appearances.

Speaker,

I ask all hon. Members to join me in thanking and congratulating Nicholas Codner

and Nathan Young for representing our province at the 2022 Brier and wish them

every success in their curling careers.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by

Ministers

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Justice and Public Safety.

J. HOGAN:

Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker,

police in our province often face difficult and dangerous situations. Today, I

would like to acknowledge the important work of the Royal Newfoundland

Constabulary and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Every day the dedicated members

of our police agencies show their professionalism and commitment as they work to

ensure the safety and security for the people of our province.

Police

Week 2022, being recognized from May 15 to 21, has a theme of 'Connected to Our

Communities.' Members of our police agencies, both uniformed and civilian, put

an emphasis on working with communities and community organizations to best

provide support to the people they serve.

We all

have a role to play in keeping the people of the province safe and the RNC and

the RCMP are examples of how we can work together with communities to make

Newfoundland and Labrador the best place to live, work and raise a family.

Speaker,

as a government, we have put an emphasis on working with police and community

partners to ensure we are living and raising our families in one of the safest

provinces in Canada. That security and peace of mind is a direct result of the

hard work and dedication of the members of our police agencies.

While

policing is a very rewarding job, it comes with significant risks. The sense of

security and quality of life we enjoy is because of the risks they take every

day and their devotion and passion for helping others.

Our

government continues to support the provinces police agencies and announced in

Budget 2022 almost $21 million for a

new radio system that will enable the emergency responders to communicate in a

timely manner with each other.

Speaker,

I ask all hon. Members to join me in thanking members of the RNC and the RCMP

for their service and the important work they do to protect the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

I thank the minister for

an advance copy of his statement.

behalf of the Official Opposition, on the occasion of Police Week, I would like

to thank the brave, hard-working and committed Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

who attend work every day to keep our communities safe. However, I do want to

urge the government to provide the needed resources and equipment to our

province's police forces. With the ending of the RNC vehicle replacement

program, I am concerned that the fleet will deteriorate and officers will be

forced to drive ill-equipped, damaged, or poorly maintained vehicles. Going

forward, we must ensure that the workforce and the people they serve are as safe

as possible.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS:

I thank the minister for an

advance copy of his statement.

We thank

all police across our province for their work. While we recognize policing is a

thankless and dangerous job, many members of our society still have trust issues

when they deal with the police. To re-establish trust, we call for a more

community approach to policing and for the creation of a civilian oversight

authority to build greater transparency.

Thank

you, Speaker.

SPEAKER:

Are there any further

statements by ministers?

Oral

Questions.

Oral Questions

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

D. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Speaker.

The

Prince of Wales asked the British parliament – and I quote his words – to find a

way to help ease the cost of living for families.

Will the

Premier take the advice of His Royal Highness?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

Thank you.

It is

wonderful indeed to have the Prince of Wales here visiting today, and his wife,

and I think we had a wonderful recognition and celebration at Confederation

Building, and certainly in the spirit of reconciliation, I think it was

particularly poignant that we were recognizing our Indigenous leaders.

I say to

the Member opposite that this government has made an investment of $142 million

to help with the cost of living. As I have said in this House, and will continue

to say, we are hopeful to do more to alleviate the concerns of the people of the

province; this is very difficult. But as the Prince of Wales has said to the

parliament of the United Kingdom, this is indeed a global issue and one which

all governments and all societies are dealing with.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

D. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

For the

last four weeks we've heard from the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that

what's being done by the Liberal administration is not enough. More needs to be

done to address the cost of living and the peril that it's having on people's

lives here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The

Premier said that today is a historic day: Gas prices are historically high. Is

this the history the Premier wants the people of our province to remember on

this historic day?

Can you

outline a relief program for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that will

do real justice to addressing the financial woes that they're facing right now?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

I say it is a historic day.

We spent this afternoon celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador history,

recognizing our Indigenous history, our Indigenous leaders, recognizing the role

of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, as well as our historic – being the

oldest colony for the British colonies. So it was a historic day, it is a

historic day.

I will say, regarding the price of fuel and the cost of

living, it is very, very difficult times for the people of the province. That's

why we were able to provide the most vulnerable with 10 per cent increases to

the Income Supplement, to the Seniors' Benefit, a cheque to those receiving

Income Support and lower cost fees and taxation for the people of this province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

minister's time has expired.

The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

BRAZIL:

Thank you, Speaker.

I would hope that it's a historically warm spring,

summer and winter for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to be able to heat

their homes and be able to have some sense of stability in their lives.

Speaker, the prime minister only had half an hour to

listen to the needs of Newfoundland and Labrador this morning.

Did the prime minister offer support or was this yet

another photo op?

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

COADY:

Speaker, the Premier speaks regularly with the prime minister. It was wonderful

to have the prime minister visit Newfoundland and Labrador today. They had an

opportunity to have a conversation around Canada Health Transfers, around the

cost of living, around immigration, reconciliation – there were a number of

topics that they did have the opportunity to speak about today.

I think it's important that Newfoundland and Labrador

is always represented to the prime minister. I think the Premier has a very

strong relationship and that is why we were able to get the $5.2 billion that

was required to help with Muskrat Falls and rate mitigation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

BRAZIL:

Thank you, Speaker.

Conversations are fine but we need tangible programs

and supports for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

BRAZIL:

Speaker, the Bay du Nord Project faced many scrutinies, more than any other

offshore project in our province's history. The prime minister said that the

future projects will face even more stringent conditions.

I ask the Premier: Is this how the federal Liberals

will prevent future development in our offshore industry?

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am always happy to have an opportunity to answer

questions on the oil and gas industry and, again, the efforts that we have made

to help it succeed, especially, during this time of transition – one that we all

recognize as happening, but we certainly realize there's also a future right now

for oil and gas.

What I can say is that, obviously, Bay du Nord has gone

through a stringent environmental process; one that took longer than we thought

it should take; one that we defended. Again, I would point out, I got some

questions from the other side about when I spoke up about the project, people

saying I was questioning the merits of the science on the project.

But do you know what? Those are the questions I'm going

to ask. Those are the questions I'm going to keep asking. At the end of the day,

we will do everything we can, whether it's with this province, the feds, you

name it, anybody. We feel this industry has a way to succeed.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

BRAZIL:

Thank you, Speaker.

And we acknowledge the minister's work in pushing

forward, as it is on this side of the House and the thousands of Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians who work in the industry, to make sure this happens. Our

worrisome issues here are about the federal government having a hidden agenda to

end the oil and gas industry in Newfoundland and Labrador .

So we all collectively have to stand up to make sure that it doesn't happen

under anybody's watch in this province.

Speaker,

the Finance Minister has repeatedly used the federal government as an excuse to

not take action.

Did the

prime minister agree to provide immediate relief to motorists in the province by

lowering the carbon tax?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

I certainly haven't used the

federal government as an excuse; I have merely pointed out the rules around

which we have to operate in this province. As I have indicated, we have provided

back to the people of the province the entire amount of provincial gas tax that

we gain from the price of fuel in this province. I have also indicated that

we're prepared to do something further as we progress through this year.

These

are indeed very, very difficult times for the people of the province, but we

have addressed the most vulnerable. We have provided for all residents in this

province through lowering of the tax on their home, of lowering the fees on

motor vehicle registration – just to give an example. These are the types of

things that we're trying to do to put money back in the people's pockets.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

D. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Speaker.

It was

your prime minister who imposed the carbon tax on the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL:

It should be him who takes it

off and does something for the people in this province.

People

in this province are suffering because they cannot get access to health care.

The Health Accord has been released but we still have not seen the

implementation plan's outline. The Health Accord will need federal funding.

How much

funding did the Premier receive today from the prime minister to assist with the

implementation of the Health Accord?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

As I indicated in an earlier

question, this was one of the most important things that the Premier has been

speaking to the federal government about, the Canada Health Transfer. Indeed,

all First Ministers, all premiers in this country are speaking about this in a

united voice. This is very, very serious and they need the support of the

federal government in order to have the strength that we need in our health care

system.

I would

also say to the Member opposite about carbon tax, it is the federal government's

policy to help address climate change. I'm sure the Member opposite would agree

that is a need within not only Canada but indeed the globe to address climate

change.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Stephenville - Port au Port.

T. WAKEHAM:

Speaker, I can tell you that

the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are suffering now. They can't even

afford to drive their vehicles to their medical appointments and they certainly

can't afford to be paying to see a nurse practitioner.

I simply

ask the minister: What do you say to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who

have seen another giant increase in the price of gasoline today?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

I say what I heard; I think

President Biden said yesterday, facing the same situation all across North

America and indeed the world. It is because we're emerging from the pandemic

and, of course, the war in the Ukraine. These are the situations that we're

facing.

We're

trying to manage as best we can in this province. As the Members opposite are

very well aware, as all of us should be aware, the money that we've already

provided to the people of the province, the $142 million, is borrowed from our

children and our grandchildren. We have to be responsible in the way we're doing

things, as we face this very difficult situation globally.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Stephenville - Port au Port.

T. WAKEHAM:

Speaker, first it was the

federal government, now we're hearing it's the United States that's the problem

and were going to give us the answers. I would just suggest enough time has

passed us by. We're not asking for a deficit to be increased, we're suggesting

go back and take a look at the monies that you already have budgeted.

So I

simply say to the minister, the people of this province are calling out. They

need your help. They need you to step up now. You've admitted that your budget

was not enough.

I ask

once again: Will you acknowledge today and provide us with what exactly you will

do to help the people in Newfoundland and Labrador?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

S. COADY:

Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians are intelligent enough to know that this is a global situation. I

merely pointed that out in my answer to the previous. I did not blame the United

States, Speaker; I merely pointed out as Biden had said yesterday this is a

global problem. I know that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians recognize same.

But in

the same voice I will say, Speaker –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

S. COADY:

My goodness there's lots of

banter back and forth today. I will say that's why in the budget we provided

$142 million in relief that we borrowed to be able to provide the people of the

province.

I know

and understand, and our government understands, how difficult this is on the

people of the province. That's why we're going to continue to try and do

everything that we possibly can to help put money in their pockets.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Bonavista.

C. PARDY:

Mr. Speaker, a little segue

into the next question would be from the Member for Baie Verte - Green Bay when

he mentioned Skipper Keith Bath, a sealing master. Of course, we just heard Rum

Ragged – Rum Ragged, what is it about fish that keeps us here, the question. The

team tasked with studying seals is reporting the largest concentration of seals

in the world, the largest seal population in the recorded history of our region

and fish stocks in jeopardy.

When

will the minister insist DFO take seal predation seriously and take efforts to

maximize our provincial quota?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

D. BRAGG:

Thank you very much, Speaker.

I guess

I should inform the hon. Member that last week or the week before, the federal

minister was in Corner Brook for an announcement on the seal science task force.

It was well received. It showed where it's going to be.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

D. BRAGG:

She's taking a serious look

at the sealing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

D. BRAGG:

Thank you, Speaker.

As I

tried to say, the federal minister was in the province last week. She's very

serious at looking at the science on the seals.

I look

forward to further conversations with her when I'm in Ottawa next week for the

summit on the seals.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Bonavista.

C. PARDY:

I'm glad she does acknowledge

now that seals eat fish. I think that is a good start.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

C. PARDY:

One little note, one of the

17 conclusions – and I just want to share this one before the next question –

the total prey consumption of harp seals in 2J3KL during 2014 was estimated at

3.2-million metric tons. That was the same year our commercial landings totalled

256,000 tons. The report stated that scientific research is needed to establish

the magnitude of the impact of the out-of-control seal population.

With

this level of understanding of seals at the federal level, how does this

minister plan to restore the balance in our ocean ecosystem?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

D. BRAGG:

I guess that's a question

best asked to the federal minister, but I'm pleased that the federal minister is

taking our seal problem in this province very seriously. I am very pleased with

that.

I look

forward to continued conversations with the minister on how we can go into a

harvest of the seals. I know in our province alone we spent over $700,000 in the

last three years on marketing opportunities for seal products.

Thank

you very much, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

B. PETTEN:

Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker,

the minister's mandate letter says: To ensure that the province fully benefits

from government investments by prioritizing local hiring including women,

Indigenous peoples and apprentices.

Can the

minister provide an update on the implementation of a local benefits policy for

public infrastructure and resource projects in Newfoundland and Labrador?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Transportation and Infrastructure.

E. LOVELESS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's an

important question because local employment is certainly first and foremost when

doing projects in this province, like the hospitals that we've built, and most

recently work on the mental health facility. I'm happy to report that in the

last three months we've been 100 per cent Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

employed there.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

B. PETTEN:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, and also on

November 13, 2019, he stood and told the House the same thing: 100 per cent

support of a local benefits policy. Yet, three years since, the Liberals have

failed to take any meaningful action.

I ask

the minister: Why isn't he taking action to ensure local Newfoundland and

Labrador workers are given priority on hiring on public infrastructure and

resource projects?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Transportation and Infrastructure.

E. LOVELESS:

I'm not sure how much more I

can make it clearer, Mr. Speaker. We strive on all projects to get 100 per cent

employment; we have a good record of 90 per cent-plus.

Like I

said, in the last three months, we've done 100 per cent. How much better can you

do than 100 per cent?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Terra

Nova.

L. PARROTT:

I'd suggest the minister go

to Corner Brook and pay a visit to the plasterers from Quebec and ask them if

they have Newfoundland birth certificates.

Thousands of people are currently employed in Texas and Spain working on

Newfoundland resource projects, all the while our skilled workers are stranded

without a job to support their families.

When is

this government going to stand up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and stop

letting our jobs leave the province?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Industry, Energy and Technology.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

presume that the Member opposite, who is my shadow critic, is asking about the

resource projects, is my assumption, so I'll take this question.

What I

can point out is that every agreement comes with a benefits agreement and,

again, the same as done by the previous government. The reality is we want to

have as many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians working as possible on these.

As it

relates to the offshore projects especially, we do have the C-NLOPB or soon to

be C-NLOEB that are looking at this that keep an eye on it.

If I

ever hear a complaint from somebody, I certainly pass it on to them to ensure

compliance with the agreement. But right now, I can tell you I get far less

emails from people looking for work than I did about two years ago.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Terra

Nova.

L. PARROTT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

minister understands the amount of work that went on in Corpus Christi certainly

with the West White Rose Project. Recently, we've seen Quebec MPs impeding the

approval of the Bay du Nord Project while hundreds of Quebecers are crossing the

border taking jobs in Labrador West and Voisey's Bay.

Why does

this government refuse to put Newfoundlanders and Labradorians first on these

projects?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Industry, Energy and Technology.

A. PARSONS:

Certainly, I don't want to

conflate the two issues. The political support for Bay du Nord on a federal

level is one thing; when it comes to our resource projects, that's another

thing.

What I

can tell you is that we've sat here in Estimates, and I believe the Member asked

questions on this before. The reality is that we have benefits agreements in

place, which are strictly monitored. We do everything we can to have

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians working.

I can

tell you, honest to God, I haven't had a Newfoundlander or Labradorian, as it

relates to those projects in Labrador, call me saying that they never got that

opportunity. But if one were to do so, I would certainly check into it to ensure

that we have as many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians working as possible.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

L. O'DRISCOLL:

Speaker, driving schools in

this province are reeling after being placed in the Facility Association for

vehicle insurance. These small businesses are now being forced to pay thousands

extra as they are forced into the insurer of last resort.

Speaker,

the minister has ignored their concerns and suggested they contact insurance

brokers.

Speaker,

why is the minister ignoring the legitimate concerns of this industry, which

your department regulates?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY:

Thank you, Speaker.

So when

we think about auto insurance in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Public Utilities

Board regulates auto insurance for people and consumers. When we talk about

commercial auto insurance, that's not regulated by the Public Utilities Board.

Recently, in the last insurance review, we did make a change so that companies

such as taxi companies could access fleet policies by insurance companies and

not go through the Public Utilities Board.

So it's

unfortunate the taxi companies have been unable to secure insurance through the

brokers that are available, and Facility is always available to them. It's

certainly something that we're going to take away and look into the next auto

insurance review.

Thank

you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

L. O'DRISCOLL:

Speaker, I'm referring to

driving schools, not taxis.

Speaker,

the media story states that these operators cannot even get the minister to

respond to the emails.

Why is

the minister telling operators to make representation at the next five-year

statutory review committee, when the minister's department still has not

implemented all the recommendations from the last review?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY:

Thank you, Speaker.

I've

spoken to many owners and drivers in driving schools. I'm not aware of any that

we haven't responded to; I certainly apologize if we haven't.

It's

certainly something that was raised at the last auto insurance review; we'll

certainly take a closer look at the next review.

Facility

is available to them and they are able to go and leverage any broker who's

available to sell insurance in Newfoundland and Labrador. We've provided driving

schools with a list of those brokers.

I really

feel for them that they've been unable to find a reasonable rate and they have

to go through Facility.

Thank

you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

L. O'DRISCOLL:

Speaker, these are single

individuals that have driving schools and the cost of living for them is really

too high, so you really have to have a look at that and get to them.

Similarly, the minister did not meet the insurance industry prior to announcing

her Turo, blindsiding them.

Again,

why does the minister have a closed-door policy for driving schools who are

being forced out of business by her hands-off approach?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY:

Thank you, Speaker.

So when

we think about Turo – and we're very excited by the announcement that there will

be another option for transportation this summer for Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians. When we have a new entrant, a company coming here and offering a

similar type of service, whether it's a pizza delivery company, or Turo, and

they have commercial insurance fleet policies that cover people when they're

driving, that's not something that we would go to all brokers and say: oh, by

the way, there's this new company and this new policy.

We've

been working with the Insurance Bureau of Canada and they are working with their

members just to make sure that those companies, who are interested, can

accommodate drivers who are interested with Turo.

Thank

you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

C. TIBBS:

I think many companies are

just asking for more communication, which is essential to running a good

business.

Speaker,

over the past 30 years, Newfoundland and Labrador established a world-class

workforce; however, the average age of a journeyperson is 55 years old, and our

apprenticeship numbers are cut in half. Stats Canada is projecting 4,600 trade

workers will retire within the next eight years.

Is the

minister concerned that the province will not have local workers for the

workforce to construct our own projects?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.

G. BYRNE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

This is

a very important question. It's one of the reasons why our government has

prioritized over $150 million per year to train Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

for the jobs and the skills of today and for tomorrow. It's also one of the

reasons why our province feels there is a strong necessity to recruit and

attract new talent from abroad, newcomers to come our province, to fill those

jobs.

The hon.

Member is quite right, by 2028 the average age of Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians, 50 per cent will be over the age of 55.

This is

a very significant event, which we have to plan for. That's why I'm very pleased

to receive the support from Members opposite for the plans and initiatives of

the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

C. TIBBS:

Thank you, Minister.

My hope

is that we can keep these people here to get over that hump as well.

Without

Newfoundland and Labrador benefits agreement there's no provision for the

inclusion of new young apprentices to enter the workforce. The Liberals have a

responsibility for workforce development, but are failing to provide opportunity

on their own projects.

Can the

minister tell us how many young apprentices are given an opportunity to enter

the workforce and develop their skills on public projects in Newfoundland and

Labrador? How many are employed today?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.

G. BYRNE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I really

appreciate the opportunity to address this question. In my own hometown of

Corner Brook, where a major construction project is under way, the number of

apprentices both male and female are quite significantly incorporated into that

particular project.

But what

the hon. Member speaks of is something which is of a higher order thought; it is

to change. The hon. Member supporting the notion of an industrial benefits plan

and incorporation of increased diversity within the workforce, he recognizes and

he endorses, as do we, that the workforce of Newfoundland and Labrador on the

jobsite must change, there must be more Indigenous people that are hired. There

must be more women. There must be more diversity.

Mr.

Speaker, coming from a community with a significant Indigenous population as

Corner Brook, I welcome that particular initiative.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Exploits.

P. FORSEY:

Thank you, Speaker.

Having

safe and easy access to firewood is a major factor in offsetting Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians cost of living.

Why does

the minister continue to impede fair access to domestic cutting permits?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

D. BRAGG:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

It is

very important that we have domestic cutting permits in this province because

many people do rely on the ability to go out into the great outdoors, boil the

kettle and cut a cord of wood or two. Most people cut, maybe, up to 10 for the

year. There is no shortage; there is no limit. You can have as many people as

you want on a permit to assist you. I think 10 or 15 is the number you can have

on a permit to help you cut a load of wood, Mr. Speaker.

It is a

great opportunity; we have ample wood in this province for firewood. We never

run short on the domestic permits and we continue to go down that road, Mr.

Speaker.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

J. DINN:

Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker,

the Minister of Education's answer to my question about the replacement of

school electronic devices demonstrated a penchant for avoiding the question and

for stating the obvious.

Since

the minister acknowledged in his answer yesterday that electronic devices don't

last forever, what financial assistance is his department prepared to offer

schools to help them replace the devices that have been deemed insecure and a

security risk by the district?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education.

T. OSBORNE:

Mr. Speaker, there were

schools, prior to government, providing about a $20-million investment to

provide a Chromebook to every single Grade 7 through 12 student in the province,

so there is no need to replace those. Those devices are still very new. The

school districts still have a good supply of devices for Grade 7 to 12 students.

Mr.

Speaker, I know that the school district is working with schools that have, many

years ago, bought devices – we're talking six, seven, eight, nine years ago and

these devices have aged out, but they are working with them to try and reformat

those devices to keep them viable.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

J. DINN:

Speaker, we're talking about

the primary grades, K to 6. Some schools are facing replacement costs, probably

in the tens of thousands or over $20,000 worth, and will not be able to replace

them without help from the government.

Considering that government controls the purse strings, not the NLESD, can our

students, teachers and parents count on government's financial help in replacing

these school electronic devices that can't be repurposed?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education.

T. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I

mentioned in my previous answer, Mr. Speaker, I know the school district are

working with schools that have devices that have aged out to see if they can be

reformatted, at which point there won't be a need to replace those devices. It

is an important issue, Mr. Speaker, but if they can be reformatted, they will

be, and the school district is working

with them to try and assist.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

EVANS:

Thank you, Speaker.

I ask the Minister of Health: What are the wait times

for mental health and addiction services in Labrador-Grenfell Health for

residents who are looking for treatment?

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Speaker.

I don't have an up-to-date answer but the last time I

inquired, which was in the last couple of months, we were aware of minimal or no

wait times for counselling. Addiction services are delivered on a walk-in basis.

There is no appointment necessary. Doorways provide those, as well as local

mental health and addictions hub.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, in the near future, we will

be announcing an alcohol action plan for the province, which is part of

Recommendation 47 from Towards Recovery .

This has been crafted with significant input from Labrador and the Indigenous

groups because we acknowledge that we, as a province, have a significant

challenge there. I look forward to being able to present more about that in the

near future.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Lake Melville.

TRIMPER:

Speaker, originally intended as a temporary solution, the Labrador Inn is now

the largest shelter in Labrador, supporting up to 38 vulnerable people on any

night.

Given the business plan of the Labrador Inn is to

provide Level 1 and Level 2 assisted care, with over 33 apartments scheduled to

open by the end of this year, will government have an alternate, hopefully

permanent, solution in place and in time for the winter?

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.

ABBOTT:

Thank you, Speaker, for the opportunity to respond to the question.

Right now I am happy to report that we are working with

the Action Team in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on a long-term solution. We are

funding during the course of this year.

I want to thank the Labrador Inn, the manager and the

staff there, for supporting the guests at the Labrador Inn while we are going

through this period of looking for a long-term solution.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Lake Melville.

TRIMPER:

Speaker, again, residents in Mud Lake and vicinity are anxiously watching

Mishta-shipu start to flood and crossing their fingers that this will not be the

disaster year the government has predicted will occur in the next 15 years.

Will government finally meet with these residents and

provide the support to move them out of harm's way?

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

DAVIS:

Thank you, Speaker.

As the hon. Member would know, we have made great

strides with the residents of Mud Lake, preparing for a potential high water

levels, to ensure residents have a stringent monitoring system. He has worked

very closely in the past and currently with that process. As the Churchill River

increases, based on that, we are going to monitor that situation. I understand

this weekend the levels began to fall again.

T o answer your question, Member, we're definitely going to sit down and

willing to sit down with the residents of Mud Lake to discuss the options that

may lay in front of them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Lake

Melville, quick question, no

preamble, please.

P. TRIMPER:

Minister, will the relevant

government departments arrange to meet together with the concerned residents

soon to make a plan and offer their support for this relocation?

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Environment and Climate Change.

B. DAVIS:

Thank you, Speaker, and thank

you for the question.

course, as I said previously, we'll be willing to sit down and bring the

departments together that need to be together to sit down and talk to the

residents about this very important issue. We established this flood risk area

as well. I know the hon. Member was involved quite heavily in that, and I thank

him for his involvement in that and look forward to sitting down with the

residents.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

Time for Question Period has

expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Presenting Reports

by Standing and Select Committees

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Stephenville - Port au Port.

T. WAKEHAM:

Speaker, I am pleased to

present the first report of the Public Accounts Committee for the 50th General

Assembly. I thank Members of the Committee for their diligence, as the Committee

carried out important work in the fulfilment of its mandate.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

Any further presenting

reports by Standing and Select Committees?

Tabling

of Documents.

Notices

of Motion.

Answers

to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

L. O'DRISCOLL:

Thank you, Speaker.

The

background to this petition is as follows:

Route 10

on the Southern Avalon forms a large

section of the Irish Loop. This is a

significant piece of infrastructure and is the main highway along the Irish

Loop. This highway plays a major role in residential and commercial growth of

our region.

Therefore, we petition the House of Assembly as follows: We, the undersigned,

call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador that immediate brush cutting is required on Route 10 of the Southern

Shore Highway, as large sections of brush along this highway are a significant

safety hazard for the high volume of travelling motorists who travel this

highway daily. This work is essential in the prevention of moose accidents along

Route 10.

Speaker,

I've presented this before on a couple of occasions. It's something that

hopefully the minister can get figured out, how to get some brush cutting done

in the area. I went through Trepassey last week – I had to go up to a meeting –

and the alders are actually growing out through the guardrail, and there are no

leaves on it yet. And that's just in one section. Along some of the sides of the

roads, especially in the areas where there are moose, it is pretty evident that

they're popping out on the road and you haven't got any time to react.

So it's

something that we certainly should be looking at. I'm sure the minister is

hopefully looking at that and will be able to take care of it and look at it in

the region. Whatever we have to do, hopefully we can get it done.

Thank

you.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Transportation and Infrastructure for a response.

E. LOVELESS:

Just a quick response. It is

beyond important, the safety of all of our roads and the Member has brought that

to my attention a few times. Certainly, it will be a part of the discussion as

we plan for brush cutting for this year.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

background to this petition is as follows:

WHEREAS

individual residents and municipal leaders have spoken to the deplorable road

conditions in the District of Harbour Main; and

WHEREAS

the district is made up of many smaller communities and towns: like Holyrood,

Upper Gullies, Seal Cove, Cupids, Colliers, South River, North River, Roaches

Line and Makinsons, who have roads in desperate need of repair and paving; and

WHEREAS

these roads see high-volume traffic flows every day and drivers can expect

potholes, severe rutting, limited shoulders and many washed-out areas along the

way;

THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the

undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to immediately take the necessary steps to repair and

repave these important roadways to ensure the safety of the driving public who

use them on a regular basis.

Speaker,

the people of Harbour Main District and myself included are beyond disappointed.

Yesterday the Provincial Roads Plan outlined the construction projects and there

will be no paving at all for any of the District of Harbour Main.

I can't

even say how upset I'm already hearing that people are about this. How is this

possible? The first question I ask: Is it because politics is out of paving? No,

I suspect not. I believe politics is still in paving and I am surprised that the

minister here, he got up in debate last week and said that he was listening to

the Member for Harbour Main when I was speaking. Well, he was not listening. He

came out to the District of Harbour Main and went from one end of the district

to the other, with me, to see the condition of the roads out there. He is well

aware of how deplorable these roads are.

These

are safety issues that we're talking about now, Speaker, yet it is being

ignored. The concerns of the people have been ignored; they have been overlooked

once again. I don't understand how this government, who is supposed to be

concerned about the safety of the people that it represents and governs, is

overlooking the serious condition of the roads. When we look at from Holyrood to

Upper Gullies, it is deplorable. Look at the road down in South River; it is

deplorable. Down in North River, in Colliers – Speaker, this is beyond

acceptable. We are so upset that this has been ignored once again, despite our

advocacy and lobbying for this minister to listen.

We have

to be concerned about the condition of

the roads for the safety of the people who

travel over them and there are many important thoroughfares that we are

referring to. As well, Roaches Line – nothing.

So, Mr. Speaker, we are very disappointed and it's just

a very sad situation,

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for a response.

LOVELESS:

understand that you can be disappointed but if the Member can find me that money

tree, then I would be happy to accept that money tree to invest in the roads.

It is a challenging situation, no doubt, but I

challenge the Member to travel across the province and have a look at the road

system. I did a lot of that last – and I reference this man's district as well.

Not because it is a Liberal district because ambulance travels over his roads,

students and buses go over his roads as well, absolutely. It is a difficult task

in trying to plan, but I still have to live within the financial means.

I travelled your district and I travelled other parts

of the district. There is a lot of demands and –

HON. MEMBER:

(Inaudible.)

LOVELESS:

Yeah, no problem. I did take the time to visit your district. I am listening,

but because there is no answer that I am giving you, what you want, it doesn't

mean that I am not listening.

So bring me your money tree that you are talking about.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Bonavista.

PARDY:

Thank you, Speaker.

Before I start my petition, I want to acknowledge Mrs.

Rita Durdle from Bonavista who is 88 years young today, as a history and

generations of family being involved within the fishery and, thus, the petition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PARDY:

With the release of the Atlantic Seal Science Task Team report and the

significance of the commercial harvest to the fishers and plant workers in the

District of Bonavista, we feel that the seal population is far greater than the

ecosystem can sustain and, as a result, the large population is certainly

preventing the rebuilding of our valuable groundfish stock and the very

significant landed value of our commercial harvest.

We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to

urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to immediately address the seal

predation by taking proactive measures on fulfilling our current provincial

quota of seals and enhancing the markets of seal products within our province

and other jurisdictions. And the petition ends with: Action is long overdue.

Part of the report mentions a seal summit. I know that

a lot of fishers in my district are saying, just what we need, another summit or

another report or another study. This has been studied for years. I quoted John

Efford back in his time; Tom Rideout, back in his time.

They were stating the same thing as what we're stating now: We don't need

another summit. Summits are always good where people can converse and discuss

the issue, but we certainly don't need that as our first priority action – that,

the fall, we're going to have a summit to sit down and we'll talk about the seal

population.

The

report states: “… that the high population abundance of grey seals and harp

seals, which are at or approaching historic levels, are having a serious impact

on the ocean ecosystem in Atlantic Canada.” For most people listening now you'll

find that harp seals, in 2019, they determined they were at about 7.6 million.

They spend about six months in our waters. Imagine what they eat in the six

months. The growing population of grey seals back in 2016 were reported to be

close to half a million. All I'm saying is they're year-round in our waters. If

we don't soon start to take action, we're going to have no stock that we can

commercially harvest.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS:

Thank you, Speaker.

We, the

undersigned, are concerned citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador who urge our

leaders to return the marine shipping service between the Island portion of our

province and our Northern Labrador communities of Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville,

Hopedale and Natuashish and Nain.

This

marine service was removed in the spring of 2019, resulting in freight services

having to be trucked to the port of Happy Valley-Goose Bay then shipped to our

Northern Labrador communities. Since then, additional shipping has directly

impacted the prices of food, building materials, vehicles, including trucks and

off-road vehicles, household goods and many essential services for our

communities.

Our

Northern Labrador communities are totally isolated with no road access and

marine transportation services are limited to five months out of the year, on

average. With the cancellation of the direct marine freight service from the

Island portion of our province to our communities, residents are witnessing

exorbitant price increases and basic needs impacting overall quality of life.

Mr.

Speaker, this is an important petition for my communities, because it's

impacted, basically, the cost of living in the district. It was taken off in

2019, and we've seen the prices of food, building materials, machinery,

equipment, infrastructure, even the cost of houses have gone up. Today, while

the Minister of Finance was answering questions, and while the Minister of CSSD

was speaking in this House of Assembly, I heard the words – and it's important

words, and I really would like to acknowledge the fact that they spoke about it

– they talked about Indigenous leaders. They talked about reconciliation when

answering questions.

Do you

want know something? Reconciliation is about past harms done because of

government policies in residential schools. Actually taking the Innu and Inuit

of Northern Labrador and putting them into residential schools, removing them

from their parent's influences, from their culture and from their language. I've

got to say, Minister, in my district, many of the people, the Inuit that were

harmed, have died before it was ever acknowledged the harm done to them.

I'd like

to say now we hear in this House of Assembly talking about the prices of gas,

but right now once the price freeze comes off in Northern Labrador, because the

ship can't get into the ports yet, the price of gas will probably go up to about

$2.57 a litre.

The

caribou has been decimated, through no fault of the Innu and Inuit of Northern

Labrador – the main staple of food. Now, people are struggling to actually feed

themselves, to heat their homes, to actually have a roof over their head,

Minister.

So I ask

if the freight boat, the Lewisporte ferry as we call it, could be returned so

that we could actually have some reasonable relief from the price of food and

the prices of all the materials that we need in our communities.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

Member's time is expired.

L. EVANS:

Thank you.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

J. BROWN:

Thank you, Speaker.

The

reason for the petition:

The need

for senior accessible housing and home care services in Labrador West is

steadily increasing. Lifelong residents of the region are facing the possibility

of needing to leave their homes in order to afford to live and receive adequate

care. Additional housing options including assisted living care facilities like

those found throughout the rest of the province for seniors have become a

requirement for Labrador West. This requirement is currently not being met.

WHEREAS

the seniors of our province are entitled to peace and comfort in their homes

where they have spent a lifetime contributing to its prosperity and growth; and

WHEREAS

the means of an increasing number of seniors in Labrador West to happily age in

place are not currently available in the region;

WHEREUPON we the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon the House of Assembly

to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to allow seniors in Labrador

West to age in place by providing affordable housing options for seniors and

assisted living care facilities for those requiring care.

Again,

thank you, Speaker.

I bring

this petition again on behalf of the residents of Labrador West and the

residents of Labrador, actually. This one has a lot of residents from Happy

Valley-Goose Bay signed it, actually, because they also understand the needs of

Labradorians.

I know I

did speak to the minister and there is some movement, but I do bring it again

because it is a very important topic for the people of Labrador West. They just

want to age in place happily just like everybody else. They want the same

services that everyone else in this province gets to enjoy. They shouldn't be

forced to leave their community to retire and live in peace. They should be able

to retire around their friends and family. I know I want to retire around my

friends and family when that time comes and age in place with everyone that I

hold dear. So the people of Labrador West deserve the same.

Once

again, Speaker, I do want to bring this petition forward. I think this is very

important. As a population, we should actually take our seniors into

consideration when we do make decisions. One of them that is important is

finding the resources and the services so people who've spent their entire lives

building something can enjoy it in their golden years.

Thanks

again, Speaker.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development for a response.

J. ABBOTT:

Speaker, thank you for the

opportunity to respond.

As I

mentioned to the Member earlier this week, I had a meeting with a committee from

Labrador West to look at affordable housing options. It was a very positive,

constructive meeting. I think we are trying as hard as we can, through the

provincial government, working with our federal partners and the community that

we will find the path forward in short order to start addressing the affordable

housing issues in Lab West.

SPEAKER:

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

S. CROCKER:

Thank you very much, Speaker.

Speaker,

I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance, for leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 5, Bill 63, and I

further move that the said bill be now read a first time.

SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that

the hon. the Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce Bill 63, and

that the said bill now be read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Motion

carried.

Motion, the hon. the

Minister for Finance and

President of Treasury Board

to introduce a bill, “

An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 5 ,”

carried. (Bill 63)

CLERK (Barnes):

A bill,

An Act To Amend The

Revenue Administration Act No. 5. (Bill 63)

SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the bill be read a second time?

S. CROCKER:

Tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

motion, Bill 63 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

S. CROCKER:

Speaker, I move, seconded by

the Minister of Health and Community Services, for leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Forestry Act, Bill 61, and I further move the said

bill be now read a first time.

SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Government House Leader have leave to

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Forestry Act, Bill 61 ,

and that the said bill now be read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Motion

carried.

Motion, the hon. the

Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture to introduce a bill, “ An

Act To Amend The Forestry Act ,”

carried. (Bill 61)

CLERK:

A bill,

An Act To Amend The

Forestry Act. (Bill 61)

SPEAKER:

The bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the said bill be read a second time?

S. CROCKER:

Tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 61 read a first time, ordered read a

second time on tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

S. CROCKER:

Speaker, I move, seconded by

the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, for leave to introduce

a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Child And Youth Advocate Act, Bill 62, and

I further move the said bill be now read a first time.

SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that

the hon. Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Child And Youth Advocate Act, Bill 62, and the said bill be

now read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Motion

carried.

Motion,

that the Government House Leader to introduce a bill, “An Act To Amend The Child

And Youth Advocate Act,” carried. (Bill 62)

CLERK:

A bill,

An Act To Amend The

Child And Youth Advocate Act. (Bill 62)

SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the said bill be read a second time?

S. CROCKER:

Tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

motion, Bill 62 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

S. CROCKER:

Thank you very much, Speaker.

I move,

seconded by the Member for CBS, that this House do now adjourn.

SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that

this House do now adjourn.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Motion

carried.

This

House do stand adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10 a.m.