June

20, 2012 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 51

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Before we start today's session, I want to welcome to the gallery a former

Member of the House of Assembly, Ms Mary Hodder, who used to be the Member for

Burin Placentia West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Welcome back.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today, we are going to have members' statements from the

Member for the District of Lewisporte; the Member for the District of Burgeo

La Poile; the Member for the District of Cartwright L'Anse au Clair; the

Member for the District of Port au Port; the Member for the District of

Bonavista South; and the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young hockey player

in my district. Lucas Batt started playing hockey at the age of five, but his

drive, determination, and talent saw him progress through the system at a quick

pace.

After playing with the bantams for only one year, Lucas was granted

exceptional player status with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador and started

playing Triple A Midget at age fourteen. Lucas played on the provincial

under-fourteen team, the provincial under-fifteen team, and the provincial

under-sixteen team.

Mr. Speaker, at the age of fifteen, Lucas left home and moved to Wilcox,

Saskatchewan to attend the Father Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, which is a

private boarding school. This school has Grades 9 to 12 and an elite hockey

team. Lucas did his Grade 10 while in Saskatchewan and he played with the Notre

Dame Argos, where he finished as the second leading scorer on the team.

Recently, Mr. Speaker, on June 9 in Quebec City, Lucas was taken in the second

round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft by the Victoriaville

Tigers.

Members of this House, would you please join with me, with Lucas's family,

his mom Denise and his dad Glenn, and the entire town of Lewisporte, in

congratulating Lucas Batt.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Relay for Life 2012 Committee

of Port aux Basques and area on raising $67,629.05 during the relay held in Port

aux Basques on June 9. Co-chairs Janet Doyle and Holly Farrell say this is the

largest amount collected to date. I was very honoured and privileged to be

included in this celebration of survival and the memorial of loved ones.

This year's relay included nineteen teams from all over the Southwest Coast,

as far as La Poile, and was attended by the largest number of cancer survivors

and caregivers to date. Ms Dollie Doyle was named Survivor Ambassador and her

husband, Mr. Ron Doyle, was named Caregiver Ambassador.

The evening started with a dinner for cancer survivors, followed by the

survivors' victory lap and speeches. Mr. Sidney Scott of Isle aux Morts told his

story of diagnosis and survival. The relay ran from 5:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and

volunteers kept everyone entertained with music, games, and skits. There was

plenty of food and prizes donated by local business and individuals.

Janet, Holly, and their nineteen-member committee, along with countless

volunteers, did a tremendous job and are to be commended for their hard work and

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. A. PARSONS: dedication to this worthy cause.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending

congratulations to the Port aux Basques Relay for Life 2012 Committee on another

successful relay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in the House today to congratulate and thank all the communities in

Labrador that participated in the Relay for Life events in 2012. Mr. Speaker,

there have been four events held thus far in Labrador; two in my district in

Charlottetown and L'Anse au Clair, as well as one in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and

Labrador West.

The Relay for Life in Charlottetown attracted seven teams from Southern

Labrador communities and raised a total of $18,000. The event held in L'Anse au

Clair was the first ever Relay for Life in that area and it constituted of

eighteen teams from the Labrador Straits and the Quebec North Shore. They raised

a grand total of $44,000.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr. Speaker, also held their Relay for Life this past

weekend and the sixteen teams from Central Labrador raised a total of $58,000.

Mr. Speaker, Labrador West held their ninth annual Relay for Life raising a

total of $121,000. The twenty-five teams who participated included teams from

the Labrador West region and nearby Fermont, Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, the four Relay for Life events in Labrador raised an impressive

$240,000 for cancer research, and I am pleased to say that I was able to

participate or attend three of the four events. Those events would not be

possible without the hard work and dedication of many volunteers and team

members who worked tirelessly to organize them and raise these funds.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating these

teams, these communities, and these participants in Labrador who took

part in

this year's Relay for Life events.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Port au Port.

MR. CORNECT: I rise in this hon. House of Assembly to congratulate the

top winners of the thirty-eighth Annual Stephenville Rotary Music Festival.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. CORNECT: The festival encourages and provides opportunities for the

youth in the Bay St. George area to develop and showcase their musical talents.

The Rose Bowl Award is the highest award given at the festival and this year's

winner was Stephen Eckert. Stephen was recognized for the giving the top

performance for his outstanding piano solo.

Also, Samantha Budden earned the best vocal award for her musical talent.

Lourdes Elementary School Choir was decorated with the Best Choral Scholarship

and Stephenville Middle School Grade 7 Band was awarded the Best in Band. There

were many other youth and groups who were recognized for their talents and they

are all to be congratulated.

Mr. Speaker, all of the organizers, adjudicators, and volunteers are to be

applauded for making the annual Rotary Club Music Festival a very successful and

important event.

I ask all hon. Members of the House of Assembly to join with me in

congratulating this year's winners and all the participants of the thirty-eighth

Rotary Music Festival and to thank them for making the festival yet another

success.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bonavista South.

MR. LITTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, hon. colleagues, I would like to recognize and congratulate the

Grade 2 and 3 students of St. Mark's School in King's Cove for winning The

Energy Diet Challenge, sponsored by Shell Canada and Canadian Geographic .

In May of this year, the students accepted their award-winning banner and a

smart board as one of the grand prize winners in the national challenge.

From February 6 to March 30, with the help of their very dedicated teacher,

Mrs. Aylward, the students collected points that had them conserving energy and

teaching others how to do the same. They achieved a total of forty-one points by

completing seven challenges, including Post-It, Making the Energy Grade, and

Drew's One Hour No Power. Each of the student's hard work paid off, beating out

nearly 500 schools across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, members of the House, please join me in congratulating the Grade

2 and 3 students of St. Mark's School, as well as their teacher, Mrs. Alaina

Aylward, on such an impressive achievement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Port de Grave.

MR. LITTLEJOHN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today in this House to congratulate table tennis athletes Adam Drover,

Nick Hiscock, Jerry Hiscock, Alexandra Wells, Chris Hussey, and Tony Smith on

their medal-winning performances at the recent Atlantic Table Tennis

Championship held at Ascension Collegiate.

The event attracted over sixty athletes from across Atlantic Canada,

competing in team and individual events. Team Newfoundland and Labrador won both

the Senior and Junior Men's titles, while finishing runner up in Junior Women's.

This was the first time that Table Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador has hosted

this competition outside the metro area, and from all reports, it was a

resounding success.

I want to congratulate and thank the local organizing committee led by Mr.

Paul Drover for their time and effort in preparation for this event. It takes

countless volunteer hours to have events as this run smoothly from start to

finish, and this event was flawless.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating our athletes and

organizers on their success.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Before we move on to Ministerial Statements, I want to

acknowledge two former Members of the House of Assembly, and two former Cabinet

ministers who have joined us in the gallery today: Mr. Paul Oram, the former

Member for the District of Terra Nova; and Mr. Trevor Taylor, former Member for

the District of The Straits White Bay North.

Welcome back.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: I am not sure what the message is, three former MHAs show up

on the same day, but we will assume they missed the night sittings.

Now we will move on to Ministerial Statements.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to provide an update to the House of Assembly

on an important initiative that we feel is making a difference in the lives of

some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Since 2005, the Mental Health Court has been operating in St. John's helping

participants access medical and community-based support. This court, Mr.

Speaker, is based on the recognition that certain offenders who suffer from a

mental disorder may commit offences as a consequence of their mental disorder or

related lifestyles. They may have inadequate or inappropriate housing, very

little employment, very little support, and they may not be taking their

prescribed medications or they may be self-medicating with alcohol and drugs.

Mr. Speaker, to date, 416 participants have appeared before the Mental Health

Court and in the last fiscal year, 2011-2012, fifty participants appeared in

relation to 149 charges. What is particularly encouraging, Mr. Speaker, is that

89 per cent of those participants engaged in support from the community where

they reached their treatment goals. In our view, this is a strong indicator of

success.

Anecdotally, Mr. Speaker, we are also hearing positive feedback from various

sources. In a recent decision, the Court of Appeal stated that the involvement

in the Mental Health Court has been a success and that the specialty court

process has worked. We have interviewed participants who have said that the

process has changed their lives and helped them with their recovery. They have

expressed their gratitude because they were treated as a person rather than a

number. Mr. Speaker, to me this is the greatest feedback we could receive.

The provincial government is certainly aware of the benefits of specialty

courts such as the Mental Health Court. In Budget 2012-2013: People and

Prosperity, this government recommitted to continue the pilot project for the

Specialized Family Violence Court. We are also undertaking an evaluation of

various drug treatment court models across the country in order to determine the

best approach for this Province.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the Provincial Court of Newfoundland

and Labrador, Public Prosecutions, the Mental Health Project of the Newfoundland

and Labrador Legal Aid Commission, Eastern Health, and Corrections and Community

Services for making the Mental Health Court possible and the success story that

it is.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I am very glad to

hear about the success of this project. Anybody who is involved in the legal

system has often seen people with mental health challenges get caught up in the

system. It is certainly hard on them, and some do not understand why they are

there or how they got there.

The court system is optimized at dealing with criminals, but it has not been

very good at dealing with people with mental health challenges. There are people

who break the laws, but once you get into the details of their offence you

discover they are not criminals in the traditional sense. This Mental Health

Court can help fill that gap and it concentrates on a dimension of offenders we

just do not pay enough attention to, Mr. Speaker. There have been too many

reports of judges complaining about having to sentence mentally ill patients

because they simply had nothing else, no other options that they could rely on.

This specialized court is a step on the road of ensuring there are more choices

in how to address these offenders.

I am also glad to hear that the family court project continues on, and as

well as work on the drug treatment court. However, I would like to see a bit

more progress on the drug treatment court which was promised but I do not know

if there have been any funds invested in this thus far, Mr. Speaker. Not only

must the time match the crime but the time must also match the offender.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank also the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

Thanks to all the people who worked so hard to make Mental Health Court work. It

is important and progressive work. I have heard praise from my own constituents

who have been through the process; however, the court is only one piece of the

puzzle. People need adequate community support, affordable housing, mental

health and addictions counselling and services. Without adequate community

support the courts cannot do its job. Also, good luck with developing a drug

treatment court. This is also forward and progressive work which is much needed

in the Province, and it must move beyond just research.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On the heels of Public Service Week, I rise today to acknowledge a positive

initiative carried out through staff in my department.

Through the creativity and hard work of staff of the Policy and Planning

Branch of the Department of Fisheries, our government recently published a

children's book titled Jake the Puffin's Amazing Adventure . The book is a

fictitious story based on the actual event of Paddy the Puffin, who managed to

make his way to Montreal, Quebec, in 2011. By reading the book and completing

the accompanying activity guide, children learn about the importance of coastal

and oceans management.

Mr. Speaker, we thought this was a great idea from the start and have been

excited to follow it through to completion. Over the past few months, we have

seen a creative process at work and in the end we have a product that is fun,

informative and thoughtful.

The book was officially unveiled on June 9 at the World Oceans Day event at

the Marine Institute, and the reception since then has been incredible. Schools

throughout our Province have already submitted requests for extra copies of this

valuable resource for students.

The book is a great example, Mr. Speaker, where staff went above and beyond

the call of duty. Their personal commitment is indeed very appreciative here

from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Government of Newfoundland

and Labrador. All of our people indeed are working hard on behalf of the

Province.

The ocean continues to be an economic driver throughout Newfoundland and

Labrador today. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that we continue

supporting projects that enlighten and educate children and encourage them to

carry forward with an affinity for the ocean and our coastlines like generations

of individuals before them did.

Mr. Speaker, whether it is through science-related expeditions for students,

scholarships, World Oceans Day activities, or an educational book for children,

our government is committed to the youth of our Province and indeed committed to

the sustainability of our fishery, oceans, and coastlines. Mr. Speaker, this

book is available for download from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Web site, and other copies are available upon request.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I want to join him

in very heartily, Mr. Speaker, commending the staff at the Department of

Fisheries and Aquaculture for this innovative and very practical initiative. Not

only is it important that our public servants be encouraged to unleash their own

creativity and step outside of the box from their usual work, but, Mr. Speaker,

what an innovative way to teach our children about the ocean and all the aspects

that inhabit it, and how we use it as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

I think we all remember the story of Paddy the sea bird that was found in

Montreal, Mr. Speaker, and was brought home to the rehabilitation centre in Ship

Cove. It is nice that has turned into something that can be used as a tremendous

learning tool, not just in the schools in our Province, but for children around

the world as well.

Mr. Speaker, what I would do is in commending the staff in the department and

recognizing the wonderful work that they have done, I also might suggest to them

that they might want to do another book and they could call this one: the hon.

minister and Captain Kipper fly off in Question Period. I think that would make

for an interesting story itself.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of good storybooks they could do

while we are in that department. I am recognizing the former Member for The

Straits White Bay North and the former Minister of Fisheries, who is in the

gallery today. When I think about it, Mr. Speaker, I think of another great

storybook about how the Fisheries Minister, Mr. Speaker, swaps raw material for

jellybeans in the House of Assembly. That was a wonderful episode in our history

for sure.

There is a lot to write about, Mr. Speaker tons to write about, I say. I am

glad to see that the people in the department, the public servants who work for

us in this Province, are capturing the real messages in the jobs that they work

in. They are using their energy and creativity to bring those messages to the

children around the Province to teach them about our resources, about our

traditions, our culture, and most importantly, our Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. This is an

interesting project, and kudos to the staff who worked on it. It is always a

good thing to see people unleash their creative side, and I hope this is not the

end, like the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair had just stated.

It would be a great opportunity to work with other departments and to develop

a series of publications on other important issues in this industry such as

co-operatives, harvesting new species, and protecting and sustaining the

industry. Maybe we can work with a local group of storytellers to look at

stimulating entrepreneurial activities and further economic endeavours. The very

most important piece of this is that in all the work that we do, it is teaching

our next generation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The type of fuel used at Holyrood is currently priced at $94 to $96 a barrel.

Recent fuel projection provided by the PUB to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

based the consumer electricity rates on oil price at $118 a barrel. This means

we have unjustified high electricity payments.

I ask the Premier: When will Hydro submit revised fuel pricing projections to

the PUB to adjust down the prices to consumers?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In terms of the projections for oil pricing, it is done in two ways. There is

the short term, where we try to look at or PIRA in New York, for example, will

look at what takes place over a couple of months and then we have to look at

what takes place over a period of time.

What we see from the latest increase, Mr. Speaker, that came out from

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro was based on the price of oil as it existed. At

this stage, however, I think it would be somewhat precipitous to start making

adjustments or to say that we should go back before the PUB when the price of

oil is at $96, Mr. Speaker. As Dr. Mark Schwartz, the head of PIRA in New York,

had put it: all it takes is one event in the Middle East and the price of oil

can shoot up again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: I will remind the minister that this has been well over a year

now when we looked at the prices that are actually trending much higher.

After months and months, there is still no finalized term sheet with Emera or

final arrangements with the federal government on the loan guarantee.

I ask the Premier: Why have these aspects of the Muskrat Falls project been

delayed so long and when do you expect to see them finalized?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, both these instruments that are drawn up for signing by both

parties, contractual agreements between both parties, are complicated pieces of

work. I am happy to report to the House and to the people of the Province that

both pieces of this work are progressing extremely well, Mr. Speaker, and we

hope over the next number of weeks that there will be official announcements

made on both.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We know this has been an ongoing process right now and certainly the delays,

I would imagine, are a lot longer than we anticipated, but, Mr. Speaker, I will

move on.

The development of Muskrat Falls is contingent on the ratification of the New

Dawn Agreement with the Innu Nation. Last week, the Chief of Natuashish stated

publicly that the agreement was dead and that he would never support it.

So, I ask the Premier: What does this do to your Muskrat Falls development

plans?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The New Dawn Agreement was negotiated over a long period of time with the

heads of the Innu Nation and the chiefs, Mr. Speaker, and their representatives

from Natuashish and Sheshatshiu. The agreement was signed it is a signed

document, which brings enormous benefits to the Innu Nation in Labrador, Mr.

Speaker. It gives them first priority in terms of the jobs available, and also a

very significant commission for lack of a better term and also, very

important to the Innu people: redress for the Upper Churchill.

So, Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the Chief of Natuashish, I would

suggest that he should consult a lawyer before he starts making comments like

that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, recently I met with the Marystown Shipyard Family Alliance, which has

been advocating since 2006 for justice to the workers affected by the

multi-chemical exposure at the Marystown Shipyard. That dates back to 1967. They

appears to be working against them, rather than working with them.

So I ask the Premier: When will she do the honourable thing and request that

workers' compensation go to Marystown and talk to the individuals whose health

has been affected and negatively impacted by this tragedy?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There has been a tremendous amount of work done in relation to Marystown

Shipyard, the workers of Marystown who worked there for many years and just

recently, as we announced and discussed in this House during this session, the

IRSST report, which was a comprehensive document which was developed to review

shipyard workers and the potential hazards that exist in shipyards. That

document is now being used to assist in the adjudication of cases from Marystown

and from other industries as well, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Well, I remind the minister, there may have been a lot of work

done, but right now there is not a whole lot accomplished. Close to ten years

ago, the University of Toronto completed a study commissioned by the government

that suggested that Marystown was a ticking time bomb for cancer. It is a decade

later, and the latency period for cancer, as we know now, to develop an

exposure, is well beyond us.

So I ask the Premier: Will you instruct the minister who is responsible for

workers' compensation to set up intake clinics similar to what they do in

Ontario, and to formally document and monitor those workers who have been

impacted?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member opposite in his

preamble to his question has indicated that

it was a suggestion. We cannot work on suggestions, we have to work on facts

that are available to us, we have to make the adjudication of cases based on the

facts that are available, and have to do that with consideration for each and

every individual case.

Every individual case that comes before the Workplace Health, Safety and

Compensation Commission is given due diligence, I can assure of that. I can

assure the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is a very serious matter for

us. We are continuing to work with the individuals in Marystown. We will use the

best evidence available to us to help us adjudicate those cases.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister will know in a second here it was not only the University of

Toronto that made this suggestion. In 2000, there was a press release from the

current MHA for St. John's South and this is what was said: The liability in

Marystown "extends to the clean up of contaminants, restoration of marine

environment and compensation to the workers or their families who incurred

health problems because of the contaminated workplace."

I ask the Premier: Does she concur with the MHA that the Province is still

liable for the Marystown Shipyard workers?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The working conditions and the existence of certain chemicals in shipyards

and other industries, not only in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker, but

throughout Canada and throughout the world were very different many, many years

ago twenty, twenty-five, or thirty years ago they were very different than

they are today.

We have a very good track record currently in this Province for Occupational

Health and Safety. We have very good practices in place. We have good

legislation, which we have made improvements to. Just this past year, we have

made more improvements to our Occupational Health and Safety regulations. We

will continue to do that, Mr. Speaker, because the safety of the workers in

Newfoundland and Labrador is paramount for this government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, all the news out of NOIA this week is the

need for more skilled labour. For example, Vale has stated they have hit the

wall when it comes to supplying their Long Harbour project form the local or

regional labour pool. Meanwhile and I am sure all members get the same we

get e-mails every day from apprentices saying they cannot find work.

I ask the Premier: With all the jobs supposedly available, why can't these

people find work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, there is a two-pronged answer to what we are

addressing from the hon. member today. One is the apprentices in Newfoundland

and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, this Department of Advanced Education and Skills,

through previous Budgets and again this year's Budget, has put a significant

amount of money into wage subsidies for apprentices so employers will have the

ability to hire apprentices in workplaces where apprentices may not otherwise

have that opportunity.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, the College of the North Atlantic has

increased its funding year over year. We have almost doubled the number of seats

in skilled trades in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, through our

investment in post-secondary and as well through our investment in the

employers, we are certainly making contributions we feel are necessary in order

for the people of this Province to be able to participate in the labour market

and what we know as the upcoming labour shortages in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the efforts. We know the

efforts are there, but we are just not getting the results.

Each union in the Long Harbour collective agreement has stipulated a minimum

and maximum ratio of apprentices to journeypersons. They can range from a

minimum of one apprentice to five journeypersons, to a maximum of one apprentice

to one journeyperson. While the parties to this agreement agreed to maximize the

placement of apprentices, we are hearing Vale's preference has been closer to

three journeypersons for each apprentice.

I would ask the minister: What role can government play to ensure apprentice

placements are maximized on these special projects?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, there are certainly ongoing talks and negotiations

as we move through any major project in Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure that

the people of this Province have the ability and the opportunity to participate

in the jobs that are available.

One thing, Mr. Speaker, this government does, or has done at this point in

time, as every government does, is there is a ratio set for apprentices. That

includes the maximum that a journeyperson to an apprentice could be, but, Mr.

Speaker, any negotiated contract on any given workplace, it is the employer's

prerogative as to how they want to set up journeypersons and apprentices. One

thing that most employers keep in mind, especially in workplaces that could be

hazardous, is they do not necessarily follow the ratio. They have to follow what

is safe for that particular environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: The Minister of Advanced Education and Skills indicated

to CBC in March that government isn't yet willing to legislate a certain number

of apprentices to be taken on for projects.

I would ask the minister: With Bill 37 before the House and special project

owner and operators facing a skilled labour shortage, might it be time to

legislate better ratios to resolve the shortage?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, it is a very important question because we all

want to make sure that apprentices in Newfoundland and Labrador have the ability

to work. We would love to be able to legislate the ratio and the number at any

given day for any given work site. Mr. Speaker, we can set a ratio and we can

negotiate and work on contracts, but we also need to make sure that the

employers have the latitude to set up a workplace that takes into consideration

the safety of the people who are on that site.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot insist that a higher number of apprentices are on the

site that would exceed what they feel makes a safe work site. So, as much as we

would like to do it, we have to make sure that the employer still has the

latitude to provide safety for the workers on that site.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, unions are not adding to their list unless

there is a reasonable chance of work for those at the bottom. Those already on

the list often remain there while they work in Alberta and hold out for enough

work from projects like Long Harbour so they can come home.

I would ask the Premier: Where were you two years ago when Vale Inco was

sending Long Harbour construction projects to Texas, like the 160,000 metres of

pipefitting work, instead of utilizing our local workforce?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a timely question indeed, and I am going to recommend an action

to the Member for Burgeo La Poile. I met with Gus Doyle and his executive this

morning from the unions, Mr. Speaker. There is nobody being blocked from being

added to the list, I am assured by Mr. Doyle.

I would encourage the Member for Burgeo La Poile to meet with Mr. Doyle and

his membership, who represent over 10,000 workers in this Province, and have a

talk with him about the opportunities that abound in Newfoundland and Labrador,

and abound, he assures me, for every qualified worker to join their union, Mr.

Speaker. If there is any reluctance, it is around apprentices. They still

continue to add apprentices, but with some caution.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The long-awaited, long-term care plan for aging and disabilities in our

Province finally saw the light of day today. Four years later, and it only

contained two concrete initiatives. It is shocking and disappointing, I say, Mr.

Speaker, to see the lack of any concrete initiatives for seniors and families in

this Province.

I ask the minister: Why do we not see a concrete initiative around

family-based home care today?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to correct the member opposite, there

are seventy initiatives that were outlined in this long-term care strategy this

morning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, if she had been at the news release this

morning she would have known that. There are seventy initiatives in there. One

of those initiatives, Mr. Speaker, if you had read this strategy, is on page 23,

I believe, and it outlines very clearly our plan around paid family caregivers.

It is an initiative in this strategy. It is an initiative that we have committed

to; it is an initiative that we are going to see through. It is an initiative

that we are going to announce very, very soon. We said that this morning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What the government rolled out this morning was they launched two specific

initiatives that they are ready to move on in the Province. One of the

initiatives that is critical to families in this Province is the home caregiver,

family caregiver program. I say to you minister, you committed to it in an

election, you committed in this House that it would be part of the strategy.

I ask you today: When are you going to roll out that program so that families

in this Province can give the care they need to their loved ones?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to suggest to the member opposite that she get a

copy of this strategy. She could not make it down there this morning. If you got

a copy of it, you obviously never got to page 23, page 23,

section 3.1.2; read

it. It tells you we will implement this family-paid care giving. We will do it

soon.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is a big difference in what we will do and what we are doing. Four

years ago, you said you were going to do a long-term care plan for this

Province; today we have seen it four years later.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Is the minister saying today that families in this Province may

have to wait four years until they get ready to launch an initiative? I ask

today, Mr. Speaker, why is the government not honouring their commitment they

made when they were knocking the doors in this Province and giving the people in

this Province a family caregiver program now? Why should they have to wait four

or five years to see it?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is both infuriating and irresponsible. The people of

Newfoundland and Labrador are out there and they know that we have made this

commitment to them. They are waiting for it. I am telling you here today, we

told you this morning at the press conference had you been there that we are

doing this. The ink is on the paper. We are close to finalizing this. You will

see this very soon. Stop fear mongering to the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is the same government that six years ago said they were going to do a

hospital in Corner Brook. Four years ago, we have been waiting for a long-term

care plan. Now, Mr. Speaker, we are over a year now in this Province waiting

almost two years for a family caregiver

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker has recognized the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Now it is time for them to act on that commitment. The Wait Time Alliance,

Mr. Speaker, also says that the bed blockage in this Province is costing huge

amounts of dollars. It is costing our health care system over $100 million every

year and meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, the budget for the next five years for the

strategy combined is $160 million.

I ask you today, minister: Why was the bed blockage issue not addressed in

this strategy and why was there no concrete initiative around this?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, I wish I could have twenty minutes to respond

to this, because again, this is not fair. First of all, on that Wait Time

Alliance, I want to point out we are rated third in the country in terms of

meeting the benchmark (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Third in the country, Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, in terms of addressing bed blockage, let us look at what we

are doing here. There are any number of initiatives that will address that

within this strategy. We are looking at enhanced physician services that will

keep people out of hospitals and out of emergency departments, with more visits

by physicians in their homes, Mr. Speaker, to seniors in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

We are looking at a rapid response program, through our emergency departments

and through a number of other departments that will keep people from actually

having to go to a hospital in the first place. They will be triaged at home, Mr.

Speaker.

We are looking at the family caregiver

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The strategy for long-term care and community support services released today

says government will have a pilot project this year that will place eight people

requiring a higher level of care in three private personal care homes. It seems

that government is moving toward a private for-profit nursing home care system

through the back door.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: When did government decide to start

changing our public long-term care to a for-profit care system?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, this is the second opportunity we have had to thank the Opposition for

the advance copy of their questions, or at least their (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: So I do thank them for that, Mr. Speaker, but your questions

were predictable in any case.

Mr. Speaker, what we announced today listen to what we have announced; we

have announced that we are spending

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

AN HON. MEMBER: The Third Party.

MS SULLIVAN: You are right, the Third Party.

Mr. Speaker, we announced today that we spent annually $660 million on

long-term care services and community support services in this Province. What we

further announced today is a commitment of another $160 million in annual

spending in long-term care.

Mr. Speaker, when you add that up, we are spending more than three-quarters

of a billion dollars annually on long-term care

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we know that many people are on wait-lists for nursing homes

across the Province, and also that the new Hoyles-Escasoni facility in St.

John's will only have twenty-six additional beds to the current building.

Mr. Speaker, government is building facilities without creating enough beds

to deal with waiting lists and acute care patients who need convalescent beds,

and now they are continuing by having a pilot project in more personal care

homes.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Is government's use of private nursing

home facilities really a temporary arrangement or a permanent direction?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, once again I really do wish that the member of the Third Party

had come to the press conference this morning as well, or had taken the time to

read this strategy because she did not. In fact, she was out in the news

criticizing the strategy within about ten minutes of our press conference being

done. I do not know how she could have cracked the spine on this. I am pretty

sure she did not because what information she is putting out is totally

inaccurate, so I know that she has not read this.

Mr. Speaker, the focus of this particular strategy is not about loading up on

that end of it in terms of long-term care. What we are doing in this strategy is

we are working on optimal independence for our seniors and persons with

disabilities in this Province and quality of care.

Mr. Speaker, that is a continuum of care that does not start with long-term

care homes. That starts with better health care systems in the first place, that

starts with (inaudible)

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What we received today from the government was another strategy without a

clear plan for action to deal with the crying need for a long-term care and home

care plan. What was presented was another pilot project

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: As well, the strategy forecasts the need for 984 more

long-term care beds by 2022, ten years' time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: What is government's plan for having 984 more

long-term care beds ready by 2022?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again this is really difficult. I have the temptation again to

pick up this strategy and read it to the members opposite so that they would

understand exactly what it is that this focus is about. Mr. Speaker

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker recognizes that there may only be another week or two left in

this session; however, be patient. I ask members to be tolerant.

The Speaker has recognized the hon. the Minister of Health and Community

Services for a response. Please pay attention as she gives her answer.

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is hard to get it all out in here today. Mr. Speaker we have completed at

some substantial costs: a long-term care facility in Corner Brook. We have

completed a long-term care facility in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr. Speaker. We

have completed other long-term care facilities. We are in the process, Mr.

Speaker, of working on a long-term care facility here in St. John's

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I now invite the minister to read her own strategy where it says we need

another 984 beds, and none of those facilities will cover that.

Mr. Speaker, today's strategy as well says that government spent $3.9 million

over six years on creating a needs-based assessment tool for determining

people's needs for home care; however, the same document also says that

government will continue to impose a means test on people looking to receive

home care.

I ask the Premier: Why spend the money on designing a needs assessment when

your intention is still to approve care by imposing a means test?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, when we are using an assessment tool, it is to assess the needs

of the clients in terms of how many hours of care they need and the kind of care

that they need. That is a very important aspect of what we do whenever we are

looking at clients in the health care system. We need to know what their needs

are.

I make no apologies for getting one of the best tools in North America to be

able to do that, the interRAI tool. I make no apologies for making sure that the

assessments that we do on our patients are the very best assessments that we can

possibly do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing Corporation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker has recognized the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation and I know he is expecting it, so I assume he will be ready.

Many seniors who are struggling to pay rent cannot be helped by the Rent

Supplement Program because there is a wait-list and payments are tied to the

landlord. Mr. Speaker, British Columbia has a special program called Shelter Aid

For Elderly Renters, which pays a monthly rental allowance directly to all

low-income seniors who need it.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Will his government implement a specific

rental allowance program for seniors in this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for an advance copy

of her question. I will proceed to talk about what the Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corp are doing for seniors and what this government is doing for seniors

here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For instance, with the affordable housing, Mr. Speaker, we are investing

heavily and right now we have about 1,100 units ready for seniors, in

particular, or those with challenges. As well, Mr. Speaker, we have managed

housing and I just reference one in particular from the District of St. John's

North, Northwest Rotary. We have forty units, Mr. Speaker, especially for

seniors, and the average rent is a little over $300 a month.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, the Provincial Home Repair Program has a

wait-list of 2,200 people and the maximum grant is only $5,000, in today's

dollars, and after that you have to take out a loan or wait seven years to

reapply for more work. Mr. Speaker, most of the people who use the program are

low-income seniors. We have the fastest aging population in the country,

proportionately.

I ask the minister: Will his government increase the amount of home repair

grants so more seniors can remain living in their homes?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, one of the most successful programs that we

have in our housing corp. We are talking about investing I am just looking at,

$9.8 million last year helped 2,500 homeowners, mostly seniors in rural areas.

Mr. Speaker, I ask again, what more can we do?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on March 26 of this year, Service NL issued a ministerial order

to Sea Treat Limited giving the company ninety days to clean up and remediate

the company's former fish plant site in Englee.

I ask the minister: With four days left of the ninety, how is the clean up at

Englee proceeding?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As you referenced, I know it has been a long session and I apologize for

repeating the answers because I have given this information so many times over

the last couple of months. As a matter of fact, I have given it directly to the

hon. member opposite in discussions we have had with him.

The circumstances in Englee are very complex legal matters, Mr. Speaker. I

can assure you, I can assure the people of Englee and the people of Newfoundland

and Labrador that we continue to work through these very difficult legal

challenges that exist. We continue to try and make progress to move this

forward, and we will continue to do so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Given that it looks like this is not going to happen in the ninety days, the

ministerial order, I ask the minister: What he actually plans to do, the

specifics to protect the residents of Englee from the deepening threat of this

derelict building?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is obvious the member opposite does not understand what is at play here

and what legal complications and legal challenges really mean. He obviously does

not get it, Mr. Speaker. I have tried in as many ways as I can to try to explain

to the hon. member that these are circumstances that we must deal with. They are

very complex legal matters. We have to work through them in the best way that we

can. We are doing that, and we will continue to do so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

I ask the member to ask a quick question without

preamble.

MR. MURPHY: Well then if that is the case, when will this government

AN HON. MEMBER: Never.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.

Order, please!

The Member for The Straits White Bay North rose on a point of order on

Monday of this week, and I had indicated at the time that I would have an

opportunity to review Hansard. I have done that, and I rule there is no point of

order.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

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

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that under Standing Order 11, I shall move, seconded by the

Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, that this House not adjourn at 5:30

p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Further, I give notice, Mr. Speaker, under Standing Order 11, I shall move

that this House not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

MR. SPEAKER: Answers to Questions for Which Notice has been Given.

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in response to the Member for St. Barbe who has

tabled a question in the House of Assembly regarding the Department of Advanced

Education and Skills Job Creation Partnership. He has asked us to inform him

what was wrong in the content of a news release he issued with respect to Job

Creation Partnerships.

The Job Creation Partnerships program is helping people gain the work

experience and skills necessary to secure a long-term attachment to the labour

market. Mr. Speaker, this program provides funding through direct contributions

to sponsors or through the extension of employment insurance benefits for

project participants, and may include in-kind or in-cash contributions from

sponsors.

All Job Creation Partnerships projects are assessed taking into account

factors such as the local economic and employment conditions, including the

number of employment insurance beneficiaries in the region, as well as the

benefits for project participants and their communities. One key point that the

MHA for St. Barbe wrongly failed to mention in his news release is that the JCP

projects awarded during the latest round of approvals completely reflect these

criteria.

For example, in the District of Burgeo La Poile, held by the Official

Opposition, $619,347 was approved for seven projects. This was the second

highest amount approved, totalling just under 10 per cent of the total, $6.82

million. I would also like to point out that while clearly established criteria

were followed in the approvals process for the JCPs, the Official Opposition

holds 12.5 per cent of the seats in the House of Assembly, and their total

approved projects under the JCP program was 12.7 per cent. The Member for St.

Barbe was wrong not to point this out.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to information contained in the news release issued

by the Member for St. Barbe, the following information was wrong. Information

given regarding five of seven districts mentioned was wrong. Information

regarding the total amount of funding for the District of Trinity Bay de Verde

was wrong. Information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount

for the District of Grand Bank was wrong. Information on the amount of projects

approved and the funding amount for the District of Carbonear Harbour Grace

was wrong. Information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount

for the District of Ferryland was wrong. Finally, information on the amount of

projects approved and the funding amount for the District of Placentia St.

Mary's was wrong.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, on a petition. It is concerning the concern today

that the minister made on her new strategy.

To the hon. House of Assembly for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly

sheweth:

WHEREAS home care allows the elderly and people with disabilities to remain

within the comfort and security of their own homes; home care also allows people

to be discharged from hospital earlier; and

WHEREAS many families find it very difficult to recruit and retain home care

workers for their loved ones; and

WHEREAS the PC Blue Book 2011 as well as the 2012 Speech from the Throne

committed that government would develop a new model of home care and give people

the option of receiving that care from family members; and

WHEREAS government has given no time commitment for when government plans to

implement paying family caregivers;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the

House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to

implement a new home care model to cover family caregivers in the 2012-2013

Budget.

Mr. Speaker, we notice again today, we hear the minister come up today with a

new strategy that we are going to look at. This was a commitment that was made

in the 2011 election. It was a firm commitment made by the government, Mr.

Speaker.

There are a lot of people out in Newfoundland and Labrador, all throughout

Newfoundland and Labrador actually, who find it very difficult to find family

caregivers and home caregivers. It is a struggle for the family caregivers, Mr.

Speaker. There are a lot of instances that I know personally where people just

cannot get home care they just cannot get it. I understand one of the

ministers mentioned there are twenty across the Province that the family cannot

provide this care.

Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment in 2011. Everybody in the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is expecting it. We are hoping today to

see the strategy implemented, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, it was not in it.

Once again, I present this petition, Mr. Speaker. I did not present any

petitions in the last little while, because I was hoping it was going to be in

this strategy today, which it was not. I urge the government once again to

follow up on their commitment to take care of family caregivers. Who it is going

to help are the most vulnerable people in Newfoundland and Labrador the people

who need help.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS hundreds of residents of the Southwest Coast of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador, including residents of the communities of Margaree,

Fox Roost, Isle aux Morts, Burnt Islands, Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou, Diamond

Cove, and La Poile, use Route 470 on a regular basis for work, medical,

educational, and social reasons; and

WHEREAS there is no cellphone coverage on Route 470; and

WHEREAS residents and users of Route 470 require cellphone coverage to ensure

safety and communication abilities; and

WHEREAS the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development recently

announced significant funding to improve broadband services in rural

Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 470 feel that the Department of

Innovation, Business and Rural Development should also invest in cellular phone

coverage for rural Newfoundland and Labrador;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the

House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to support

the users of Route 470 in their request to obtain cellphone coverage along Route

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to bring this one up again today because I actually

received a call from a young girl in Burnt Islands today, which is on Route 470.

She sent me a message through Facebook and just said: Why can't we have

cellphone coverage in Burnt Islands, but there is some in Port aux Basques? I

actually had a conversation with her and explained there are some complications

here, as the minister has outlined, but that yes, everybody in this Province

should have cellphone coverage, no matter where they are.

This is somebody who was very young, but everybody has cellphones these days

and deserves to have that coverage. I thought it was timely and I am glad to

bring it up again today, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

Orders of the Day

Private Members' Day

MR. SPEAKER: This being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, we will now move

to the debate and the resolution as put forward by the Member for St. John's

Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the provincial government currently only has a strategy for social

housing that does not deal with the full crisis of affordable housing in the

Province; and

WHEREAS the home ownership assistance program promised by this government in

the provincial election has not come to fruition; and

WHEREAS shelter is a human right and all people in the Province have the

right to housing that meets the national occupancy standards; and

WHEREAS the House of Commons passed a motion on May 4 that the federal

government should: (

a) keep with Canada's obligation to respect, protect and

fulfill the right to housing under the UN International Covenant on Economic,

Social and Cultural Rights; (

b) support efforts by Canadian municipalities to

combat homelessness; and (

c) adopt measures to expand the stock of affordable

rental housing, with a view to providing economic benefits to local housing

construction businesses;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to commit

to a provincial housing and homelessness action plan;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to call

upon the federal government to renew the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, the

Affordable Housing Initiative, and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance

Program when the programs are up for renewal in 2014;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to create a

Division of Housing and Homelessness that will be given the responsibility to

co-ordinate government-wide action, and work with all levels of government and

the community on affordable housing.

Seconded by the Member for Signal Hill Quidi Vidi.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise in this House to speak to this private

member's motion on housing.

MR. SPEAKER: Is there someone seconding your motion?

MS ROGERS: Yes, I said seconded by the Member for Signal Hill Quidi

Vidi.

MR. SPEAKER: I am sorry. Thank you.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Having a secure, safe place to live, meaningful work to do, a collection of

family or friends and good health care are the pillars of a well-functioning

society. Having a secure place to live is a foundation to be able to fully

participate in society. It enables you to get on with your life; it enables you

to get on with it and to participate fully.

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the work of the folks at the

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation who deliver wonderful programs and

supports to residents who use their programs. I commend also the incredible work

done by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and Homelessness Network, its

staff and partners, and particularly in their role in the development and

support of projects that were submitted to the federal provincial housing and

homelessness initiative program. This group also, Mr. Speaker, plays a very

significant role in lobbying government and pushing for more comprehensive

approaches to the services required by people in our Province with complex needs

and who become the growing number of homeless people in our communities. All the

non-profit groups who have developed and deliver incredible services through

their supportive housing initiatives, these are groups with expertise who work

with limited resources and who have worked so hard again in the whole area of

ensuing affordable housing for all citizens of the Province, for all people of

the Province.

Now I know that many of us went door to door in the last campaign and a lot

of us heard a lot of stories about people worried about their current housing

situation. Many of those people were seniors; seniors who were worried about

their present housing situation and then seniors who were very worried about

their future housing needs. Whether we were rural or urban districts, many of us

heard the stories about the housing challenges that our constituents face.

I remember and I have mentioned this in the House before being in three

different apartment buildings in my district, just in one night, and the number

of seniors who spoke to me about their rising rental costs, who lived in fear

that they were not so sure that they could afford the next rent increase. They

said: I cannot do one more rent increase. They had no control over that.

Somebody would say: If they cannot afford their rent, they will have to move

somewhere else. As we all know, there is nowhere else for them to go. In the

City of St. John's there is nowhere else for them to go. The wonderful housing

projects that have started for seniors across the Province already have waiting

lists, even before a nail is driven.

We have seniors living in fear. We have seniors who are facing a housing

crisis. We all talked to young families who were talking about how to make ends

meet, whether it was with their student loan payments and their child care

payments and then, on top of that, a mortgage payment. Families who were

struggling to make ends meet, and this in a time of prosperity for our Province.

This does not look like prosperity for all.

I came across young working families living in basement apartments and their

rent were equivalent to a mortgage payment, should they have been able to get a

mortgage payment. They could not qualify, even though their monthly rent may

have been equivalent to, or even in some cases more than what a mortgage payment

would be, but they could not qualify or they did not have enough money for a

down payment or the closing cost. Therefore, they are stuck in a cycle of paying

rent and not being able to take advantage of building up family wealth through

equity in their own home ownership.

Then, we have all come across people with mental health and addictions

issues, or folks released from correctional facilities living in deplorable

boarding house situations. We all know about these young families. Some in our

own families who face these particular challenges, or who are stuck in these

kinds of situations, stuck with no perceivable or foreseeable way out.

In February, myself, with the Member for The Straits White Bay North, went

on a little tour of the Province and stopped in a few places to speak to people

about their housing issues. The stories were the same, whether they were in

rural areas or urban areas. The housing problems we currently face in our

Province, those housing problems have not crept up on us unexpectedly. These

problems have been developing for a while, and we could see them coming. Over

the past five years it has accelerated, and without any concrete government

intervention, we can see that the acceleration is speeding up with no relief in

sight.

Last year, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released its new stats

that said the average price for a new single home in Newfoundland and Labrador

has doubled since 2004. So, the average price to buy a brand-new home since 2004

has doubled, and it has doubled to $350,000. That price acceleration has

increased faster than the income factors. People's income has not doubled since

Also, the average price now for a used home in the Province is $266,459. So

that, coupled with the increase in cost of living in general, is making it very

hard for people to be able to afford adequate housing. Should you not be able to

get into the housing market, there is nowhere to rent. For any of us who would

need a place to rent now today in St. John's, for whatever reason, if we somehow

lost where we were living, most of us would be hard-pressed, even those with a

higher level of income would be hard-pressed to find a decent place to live.

Those are simply the facts. That is simply the reality.

Also, rents have almost doubled in the same time period. In most parts of the

Province, whether it be rural areas or urban areas, the vacancy rates are below

1 per cent. We cannot talk about this housing crisis, because whether we want to

call it a crisis or not, people are feeling the crisis in their day-to-day

living. People who are on the verge of losing their housing, because they cannot

afford increases, or seniors who are on the verge of losing their housing

because they cannot afford to stay in their houses, or because of physical

limitations their houses are not accessible, this is a housing crisis for them.

In their day-to-day living it is not simply a problem, it is a crisis, because

we all know if you do not have a place to live you cannot get on with your life.

We cannot talk about this housing crisis within our Province without looking

at the big picture, and the future looks bright. We are in a time of prosperity.

There is a growth of economic diversity Province-wide, from Labrador down to the

Southern Shore. With large-scale developments in the resource sector, it brings

some very concrete housing challenges, as we have seen in many parts of our

Province, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, LabWest, and Long Harbour. Work camps will not

address all the housing needs of our workers.

We know there will be an influx. Over the next so many years we know there

will be an influx of thousands of workers because the jobs are there and they

are needed, their labour is needed. With these developments and with the influx

of workers, also come an increase in service industries, and the workers who

become part of those service industries, and their families, because it is not

just all single workers who will arrive. One would hope that families will

arrive, that they will build communities, that communities will expand, and with

that will come the attendant need of services.

What has this government done to prepare for those housing needs and the

impacts of this on the relevant communities? What has government done to take

care of the challenges that come along with the influx of thousands of workers

and with the growing population of aging citizens? What has this government done

to prepare? We know there are programs through Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation that attend to some needs, but what has government done to this

growing, accelerating problem we have facing us now? If we look into the

not-too-distant future, we see it is growing at an exponential rate.

We do have the largest aging population proportionately in the country. We

know that seniors are faced with some of the most difficult housing challenges:

energy-efficiency problems, and homes that are too big for their current needs.

They have nowhere else to go. Should they decide to downsize?

Prosperity brings these extra challenges to people who do not benefit nor

share in the prosperity, but who in fact may experience negative effects those

who work in the low-wage economy, because in some of these service industries,

they will be low-wage jobs. How will people afford a place to live those who

do not have paid employment, those on very limited income, those with complex

needs with mental health or addiction problems, those who have been victims of

violence and must move, those who have been displaced and have no family or

community supports, people released from correctional facilities into

homelessness, and then the average working family, again, who is faced with an

unbridled, escalated, and volatile housing market, where their own incomes have

not increased at the same accelerated growth as has the cost of housing and the

general cost of living?

The government has attempted to address some of these issues through some of

the very successful programs of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation. There is a social housing rental program. I posit that although

this can be a very positive program, it carries its own problems as well. They

have a number of programs, which I will not have time to list right now.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to speaking again, to not only the doom and

gloom, because I think there are some positive aspects

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the member that her time has expired.

MS ROGERS: I will speak again.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in this hon. House to

speak to the Member for St. John's Centre's private member's resolution. This is

not the first time I stood in this House to talk about the many good things this

government has been doing regarding housing and homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I have examined this resolution and when one looks carefully at

the resolution, it is clear that the Member for St. John's Centre and, for

that matter, the Third Party does not have a firm grasp on housing and

homeless issues. Certainly they do not have a grasp on our government's many

initiatives and progress in this area. As well, Mr. Speaker, this is the type of

fear mongering found in the resolution that is typical of the Third Party when

dealing with complex social issues.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes there are challenges when it comes to

housing. We are committed to working with various levels of government and with

various private and community agencies to develop solutions to these challenges.

We recognize in a strong economy, the housing sector is often impacted, in some

ways positively and other ways negatively, especially for lower-income earners

and those in greatest need. Mr. Speaker, we understand the issues and we are

confident we have the policies and programs in place to meet the challenges of

today and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, while the Third Party continues to throw out what it thinks are

simple solutions to complex problems, we really must look at the facts. Mr.

Speaker, in a recent CMHC press release it said Newfoundland and Labrador has

the third-lowest housing prices in the country. I would like to correct the

Member for St. John's Centre. She said that the average housing price of a new

house in Newfoundland and Labrador is $350,000. Mr. Speaker, the average in

this same report, it was $276,000. In St. John's it is $350,000; we can argue

over that one. This is probably the same report that you are referring to and I

have the report right here in front of me if you would like to have a look at

it.

In a subsequent release exactly a day later, CMHC reported that vacancy rates

in communities of over 10,000 people in April 2012 was 2.7 per cent in

Newfoundland and Labrador while the national average was 2.5 per cent. Mr.

Speaker, it is clear that, benchmarking Newfoundland and Labrador versus other

provinces, we are not in a crisis situation. In fact, we are doing better than

most provinces.

While this is true, we do recognize there are certain areas of the Province

where housing challenges do exist due to the vibrancy of the resource sector,

but, Mr. Speaker, our government has been working to meet these challenges.

Mr. Speaker, as we look closely at the private member's motion there are

three distinct resolutions, so let's have a look at them one at a time. The

first resolution urges the government to commit to a provincial housing and

homelessness plan, but, Mr. Speaker, this resolution is redundant. The Province

has a provincial social housing plan, it is called Secure Foundations. It was

released in 2009, resulting in many tremendous accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious the Third Party tries to minimize and dismiss the

social housing plan, but when the forty-fourth annual Canadian Housing and

Renewal Association Congress met here in the Province just last month, the

amount of positive feedback for our social housing plan was simply overwhelming.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, many delegates from many different jurisdictions commented

that they should be doing more work like we are doing here in Newfoundland and

Labrador. They were complimentary, not only about the process in which the plan

was developed, including dozens of community-based organizations and advocacy

groups, but they were complimentary on the quality of the document and the

action plans contained within it. The social housing plan focuses attention of

those in our society who are most at risk and in the greatest need. Mr. Speaker,

our government has spent tens of millions of dollars in a wide variety of

programs to help alleviate the challenges low and moderate-income families have

been experiencing in recent years in terms of affordable housing.

Mr. Speaker, here are just a few recent developments, programs that I would

like to highlight which are indicative that our social housing plan is not only

alive, it is in action. Mr. Speaker, over the past six years over 1,300

affordable housing units were built through government funding. The minister

referred to that earlier in Question Period. The Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation is in the process of building twelve units in Pleasantville

for seniors, while at the same time partnering with the City of St. John's on

another twenty-four affordable housing units, nine of which are for single

people with complex needs.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time ever, our government, through the tendering

process, made land available to contractors with the condition affordable

housing units must be included in the development. Mr. Speaker, this is

happening in Southlands. I saw the tender in the paper today. There needs to be

at least 100 affordable housing units in this tendering package, and, Mr.

Speaker, that is progress.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Just to put things in a bit more perspective, Mr. Speaker,

millions of dollars have been spent on Memorial University's campus, as well as

rental campus in Corner Brook for new residences for 500 and 200 students

respectfully, which is going to free up hundreds of apartments in St. John's and

Corner Brook for the local rental market. Mr. Speaker, this is a very

significant move as well and it is going to really have a positive impact on the

rental market here in St. John's and in Corner Brook.

Mr. Speaker, with Budget 2012, the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation increased its rent supplement by $1 million, which now positively

impacts over 1,750 families. Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the

millions we are providing in the Heat Subsidy Program, the Home Modernization

Program, the Residential Energy Efficiency Program, the Provincial Home Repair

Program, and the list goes on. So when I hear members opposite say they think we

have no plan, they lose credibility. They undermine their arguments, and

finally, Mr. Speaker, they minimize their ability to effect positive change by

not recognizing the facts and becoming part of the solution to the challenges

before us.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the resolution urging government to commit to a

homelessness action plan, I would like to inform the Third Party there is such a

program. It is called the Supportive Living Program, formerly the Provincial

Homelessness Fund. Mr. Speaker, the Supportive Living Program was recently

transferred to the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and a recent

budget increase has provided for $4.8 million annually. The Supportive Living

Program's budget of $4.8 million annually is directed specifically to on the

ground groups that are tackling the issues of homelessness head on. Fifteen

different organizations managing twenty-four different projects throughout this

whole Province, and these organizations include Choices for Youth, Stella Burry,

Brighter Futures, Community Education Network, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, one of Canada's leading advocates for antipoverty initiatives,

Senator Hugh Segal, wrote in a recent

article just the other day, in The

National Post , that except for Newfoundland and Labrador, all provinces in

Canada pay welfare rates beneath the poverty line. Mr. Speaker, this

government's commitment to building a Province where things are better for your

family, for your children, for your grandchildren and your neighbour's children

and grandchildren has not gone unnoticed in the rest of this country.

Mr. Speaker, the final resolution urges the government to create a new

division of housing and homelessness. Mr. Speaker, again, the Third Party is

requesting setting up a new bureaucracy and for what? To deliver programs, do

research, and commence collaboration that is already being done? This is a tired

and redundant proposal.

Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation does exactly

what this resolution calls for, and even more. Do we need to create a new

housing division? The answer is obvious: of course we do not.

Mr. Speaker, one final point. In the private member's motion, there is a

reference to the creation of the home ownership assistance program promised in

our 2011 Blue Book. Mr. Speaker, I can tell the members opposite, we are working

toward making this commitment a reality and we are prepared to restate it in the

House today through an amendment to the resolution, along with some other minor

amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I will not be supporting this motion in its present format, and

I would now like to put forward an amendment for the consideration of this hon.

House.

Mr. Speaker, I, the Member for St. John's West, seconded by the Member for

Harbour Main and Minister Responsible for Housing, do move that the Private

Member's Resolution currently before the House be amended:

(1) in the first recital clause by deleting the word "only" and replacing the

words "does not deal with the full crisis of" with the word "includes";

(2) in the second recital clause by replacing the words "the home ownership

assistance program promised by this government in the provincial election has

not come to fruition" with the words "this government promised in its 2011 Blue

Book to develop, following a period of consultation, a program to help families

with incomes up to $60,000 with the first purchase of a modest-priced home";

(3) in the first resolution clause by replacing the words "commit to a" with

the words "continue to implement its";

(4) in the second resolution clause by replacing "the Affordable Housing

initiative and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program" with the words

"and the agreement for investment in affordable housing"; and

(5) in the third resolution clause by replacing the words "create a Division

of Housing and Homelessness that will be given the" with the words "ensure

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation continues to fulfill its".

Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of that amendment here for your purview, and I

leave it with you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Verge): Order, please!

The House will take a brief recess to consider the amendments put forward.

Recess

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I have considered the amendment put forward the Member for St. John's West.

The amendment is in order.

I go back to the hon. the Member for St. John's West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We do our homework over here and we made sure we had that right. Thank you

very much.

Mr. Speaker, just to finish up here quickly I have about three minutes on

the clock I just want to say to every hon. member in this House, the

amendments that we have put forward to this resolution are minor in nature, but

they do change a few things for sure. I think there is no reason why everybody

in this House should not unanimously support these amendments.

We actually left some of the language in there, Mr. Speaker, that was brought

forward by the Third Party. We do believe that they are thinking about the

average Newfoundlander and Labradorian, and people in need, just like we all

are. In particular, there is one piece of language there; the motion calls for

the creation of a division which we know we are not going to do; we already

have one to: "co-ordinate government-wide action, work with all levels of

government and the community on affordable housing, and be responsible for

research and the development of provincial housing policy...".

Mr. Speaker, in terms of coordinating government-wide action, the Social

Housing Plan is a direct result of such collaboration. We are already doing it.

There is already a ministerial and a deputy minister's committee on the Social

Housing Plan that brings together all the key players in government related to

housing. This refers to that piece that is in the resolution.

There is an Interdepartmental Advisory Committee from key officials from

Justice, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, Advanced Education and

Skills, Health, and others that governs the Supportive Living Program, which

focuses on the needs of the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. Mr.

Speaker, we are fine with that language. There is another little piece here that

was called out in the motion that we are okay with.

In terms of research and development, the Housing Corporation has a

department called the Policy, Research, and Monitoring Department. They are

looking at housing policy issues, completing jurisdictional reviews, and

research constantly. Furthermore, they are just in the process of hiring a new

senior policy analyst who will have a focus of looking at issues of housing

affordability and will be a key contact with stakeholders who want to discuss

and research specific ideas and challenges.

Mr. Speaker, some examples of innovative things happening over at the Housing

Corporation: reconfiguring larger units for which there is little demand in this

day and age into multiple smaller units for which there is very high demand, and

encouraging small-size dwellings that are more affordable. I just mentioned a

recent request for proposal for a large portion of land in Southlands requires

that the successful proponent construct a large portion of smaller two-bedroom

and three-bedroom units between 800 and 1,000 square feet.

Mr. Speaker, our government is doing many, many things to address what we

know are challenges, but there is no crisis out there. We are meeting these

challenges head on. We have a plan in place. Mr. Speaker, we are going to put

the necessary resources behind that plan to make sure we execute with excellence

throughout the duration of this living, breathing document we call our Social

Housing Plan.

Mr. Speaker, again I want to encourage all hon. members in this House to

support the amendments and the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I take the opportunity to stand and speak on this, because housing issues,

homelessness, and social housing is everybody's concern. I say to the Member for

St. John's West: I personally do not need any lecture about housing and

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, I can assure you of that. I do not need it.

It takes away from the argument when you try to give lectures. I was setting up

social housing for people with disabilities long before you knew social housing

was even considered. There is no need of it there is absolutely no need of it.

We do not deserve it, because we are all in it together.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I would ask the member to speak to the Chair.

MR. JOYCE: Sorry, Mr. Speaker.

Once again, I get a bit upset when I feel people on this side are being said

to not listen and we are not involved with it. It is absolutely not true, Mr.

Speaker. I just want to let the Member for St. John's West know how many times I

was involved with housing, twenty-five and thirty years ago, long before I was

involved with politics. There is no need, because it is an issue for all of us

in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, before I go any further I just want to compliment the staff at

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. I know the work that they undertake is

sometimes challenging and is never ending. There is always a need for staff. I

said it to the minister in Estimates that I pass onto the staff in Corner Brook

how grateful I am because I know our offices are in, if not daily contact, I am

sure it is an average of ten or fifteen times a week that we are in contact with

the minister's office in Corner Brook. The staff there are very professional and

always willing to help. I just want to ensure that the staff are well recognized

for the work that they do in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, housing is everybody's concern in this Province, the government

side, Opposition, all levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. A

lot of times we look at people with low income for the social housing and that

is one aspect of the housing that the government is looking at. There is also

the aspect of the seniors, Mr. Speaker. I know the government has put in some

good initiatives for seniors in the Province. I know the minister was just out a

few weeks ago and was with the seniors in Corner Brook for a new initiative for

apartments out in the United Church. That is a well-deserved and a

well-recognized initiative that is being done for seniors.

A lot of the problems with the seniors, Mr. Speaker, are their increase in

rent, if they are renting, or even if they are in their home, the increase in

cost and the increase in heat. Maintaining their home sometimes becomes just

unbearable. Mr. Speaker, as we know now, about 13 per cent I think it is 13

per cent, from my reading of people on the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

list now are seniors, and that list is rising daily. The more senior complexes

that we can set up, Minister, the more affordable housing, the more housing that

we have for people with disabilities, which would include seniors and other

people with disabilities, is greatly appreciated throughout the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I just heard the Member for St. John's West saying there is no

crisis. There might not be a crisis, but I guarantee you there is definitely a

need for more social housing across the Province. If you do not think there is

more of a need in social housing across the Province, come with me for awhile.

There have been steps done, absolutely, no doubt, but we cannot minimize the

concerns that people have out in the Province; we just cannot do it. I

understand there are a lot of steps being taken. I applaud a lot of initiatives

that the government has undertaken over the last number of years. I applaud the

federal government also when they were renewing the programs for the residential

assistance program.

Once again, I urge the government, in 2014, that we do whatever we can to

ensure that we renew this program because it is a great program. The number of

people that has helped to stay in their own homes is very encouraging. If

anything, if there is any possibility to increase that program with the federal

government, Mr. Speaker, because as we all know and it is just the way we are,

the people who live in their house the houses get older, they become less

energy efficient over time and every year the need almost arises. I do not think

we can ever meet the demand, and I do not think anybody expects any government,

this government or any other government, to meet every demand that is out there.

We must as a group, as parliamentarians, as all stripes, all levels of

government, the federal, provincial and municipal, Mr. Speaker, strive to

improve it on a daily basis.

Many times I have raised issues in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, and

once again there are a lot of initiatives. I would not minimize some of the

initiatives that the government has taken to help out people in social housing,

help out the benefits for people, putting in strategies for people to stay in

their own homes, putting in strategies for the residential assistance program,

putting in strategies to ensure that people can find social housing. I think we

all must strive to ensure it.

Mr. Speaker, we always talk about the number of people who are in

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and the wait-list. The wait-list has dropped.

The wait-list has dropped for people looking for social housing. Mr. Speaker, I

will just give you a stat; in 1995 to 1999, the vacancy rate in Newfoundland and

Labrador was 13 per cent. There were available apartments around, affordable

apartments, Mr. Speaker. The vacancy rate in 2011 was a little over 1 per cent.

What we see, Mr. Speaker, is the need for apartments. Once there is demand on

apartments, the cost rises that a lot of people who could afford apartments

years ago cannot afford them now. What happens, Mr. Speaker, the need for social

housing increases. *That there is just geography, that there is because of the

oil boom in around the St. John's area and other areas of development. That is

why we find that the vacancy rate is much lower now, that people who need social

housing, their increase has gone up because their ability to find something that

they can afford, something that they need, has decreased, and their power has

diminished to find apartments. Therefore they seek social housing, Mr. Speaker,

and other ways to stay in their own homes, as we mentioned, through residential

assistance programs.

Mr. Speaker, as we see, a lot of times, we see with Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing, there is almost some kind of stigma put to it, but we have to realize:

around 70 per cent of people right now who are looking for some kind of housing

or are in rental housing right now as we speak, Mr. Speaker, are not in

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing; 74 per cent of people who rent are not in

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. The idea is, if there is some way that we can

help a lot of people because what happens with 74 per cent in rental units all

across Newfoundland and Labrador is as the rent goes up, their ability to stay

in their apartments and look for affordable housing decreases. This is a major

concern.

This comes sometimes when you get an influx, for example, for the Northeast

Avalon; when we get an influx, and, Mr. Speaker, when everybody is building the

new houses, and apartments are less, and you have the university town, the

people who sometimes can afford a level of rental cannot afford it. That is a

major concern for all of us.

Another thing that is a major concern for all of us, Mr. Speaker, is the

average rent. The two-bedroom apartment in 2009-2010 went up 9 per cent, so what

we see is a major increase in rental going up to this level, Mr. Speaker, but

yet the inflation rate is down to about 2 per cent, a little over 2 per cent.

What we see is the inflation rate is down low, but a skyrocketing rate for rent.

What happens then is that puts a lot of people out of the range to be able to

keep their rent, find new apartments, and stay in their own apartments. I say to

the minister that puts extra demands on Newfoundland and Labrador Housing for

social housing and other things.

Mr. Speaker, these are all concerns that we have to address as a society. By

no means would I ever suggest that the minister or this government can solve all

these problems overnight. It cannot happen, Mr. Speaker, but I do have to raise

the issue that there are concerns out there that we all have to strive together

to work towards.

Mr. Speaker, I know the Member for St. John's West just mentioned the

amendment about not setting up another division. I agree with that 100 per cent.

I agree; if we put in another layer of bureaucracy I feel that the

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, now under the minister, is

capable of handling, working towards, and striving towards their goal.

I will support the amendment that was made by the minister, because I feel

that they are doing a great job. It is a tough job, Mr. Speaker, and if anybody

some of us have more dealings with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing than

others. Some of us realize the tough positions that some of those staff are put

into, because demand is high and sometimes geography changes, demographic

changes, the social need changes, and the housing changes; it is whole mirror of

problems. The more initiatives that we could put in to keep people in their own

homes, Mr. Speaker, are going to alleviate problem and help with it.

Another concern that I have to raise, Mr. Speaker and I raised this during

Estimates with the minister, and I know the minister is aware of it, and I know

there are changes being made, but it is a concern out on the West Coast: 80 per

cent of all the units, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units, are all three

and four bedrooms now. This is not a blame game here with me; this is not a

blame game. This is just the reality of what we took over; 80 per cent are three

and four bedrooms. Eighty per cent of all requests are for one and two bedrooms.

It is a major concern.

I know during Estimates, the minister mentioned that there are improvements

to be made; they are putting money, when they can, into making renovations, even

doing some new initiatives to separate some, trying to make one a one bedroom

and the other into two bedrooms, separating them. I applaud the minister and the

government for that, because what happens when someone goes into a three- or

four-bedroom apartment is that the heat goes up and the maintenance goes up. The

other initiatives that they had, Mr. Speaker, go up, not only for the residents

that have to heat, but for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, for the unit

itself. That is a concern. I know the minister and the department are looking at

it. I know the minister has made some changes to it; that is just another

initiative that we must look at.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that people with disabilities is

another major issue. I know our government took the lead and our Province took

the lead in the social design for housing all across Canada. I applaud the

minister and I applaud the government for that. Mr. Speaker, I have been

involved with housing for people with disabilities for a number of years. It

does me a great pleasure to know that our government and our Province took the

lead to have the international design for people with social housing being set

up now.

The other thing we have to try to ensure, Mr. Speaker, and this is not more

of a Newfoundland and Labrador Housing issue but it incorporates it, is trying

to find some way we can get some extra services into some of the units for

seniors so people can stay in the units. I will mention to the minister about

the one out in Corner Brook. I know it is not the minister's responsibility, Mr.

Speaker, but if there were more units made for people with disabilities, so if a

senior happens to take a stroke or if a senior happens to become less mobile

they can still stay in the same unit which they call home. I know that it is a

private business. Mr. Speaker, those are just some concerns I have with

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.

There are some good initiatives. I will not stand up here and say that there

have not been some improvements made. I know the wait-list has dropped. I also

know the request for the RRAP program has decreased. I do not think it will ever

go away. We have to strive to look at new initiatives and look at new ways.

Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting the amendments made by the Member for St.

John's West. I will be supporting those amendments because there are some good

initiatives. It is like anything else we do as parliamentarians, we have to

strive to make things better and we have to strive to work together to ensure

that people in social housing and who need the social programs, are there when

they need it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am delighted to be able to get on my feet in this hon. House today and to

speak once again on housing and the housing challenges that are presented to not

only this government but to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr.

Speaker, I would say to you these challenges are many. There is no doubt in

anyone's mind that housing is a right and a right that must be protected.

Certainly, this government over its last couple of terms has made tremendous

strides.

I welcome the words from the Official Opposition as I believe, because the

member who just spoke was a member back in the 1990s. I think he remembers well

the challenges that were presented. We had a stock of well over 5,000 units that

were deteriorating, dollars were few and challenges were many. These housing

units, and the Housing Corp. itself, trying to maintain these with very little

in the way of resources, working hard.

Fortunately, as we came into government in 2003 on to 2004, our fortunes

changed and we did put significant dollars in the right places. We are moving

along in such a manner that we are addressing not only the infrastructure

deficit that was presented, but also using programs as tools to basically

address the challenges that are presented to the government and to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador; especially those, I would say, Mr. Speaker, who find

themselves, what we call, in vulnerable situations. It is these people in

vulnerable situations who find themselves looking for better housing. The onus

is on us as a government to make sure that we have a plan, and a plan that is

not just on a day to day but takes into account what is happening and how we are

going to address it over a period of years.

In this particular case, in 2007, we did put forth a plan. That plan, Secure

Foundations, has already proven itself to be the proper direction as we go

forward. A plan, I would say, Mr. Speaker, that did not just drop out of the

sky. There were extensive consultations throughout the Province to bring to

government the needs, the challenges and the way forward. Mr. Speaker, the

hundreds of people who were involved in those consultations gave us the

directions. As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that we do not take

ownership of the plan as much as the people who came to us are the owners of

that particular plan. They are the ones who said to government, this is the

direction that you should be going into. We listened, we put a framework in

place, and now we find ourselves in an excellent position, Mr. Speaker, four,

five years into the plan where there have been tremendous differences in how we

deal with housing issues.

Mr. Speaker, as well, I compliment the Member for St. John's West. This is

not the first time that he has been on his feet asking this House to support

this government in its plan for affordable housing, social affordable housing,

and housing affordability, I would say as well, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we put

forth a motion, or I should say he put forth a motion a number of weeks back.

Again, it was kind of disappointing, Mr. Speaker, to find that members opposite

did not see fit to stand and support his motion, which was a motion that asked

basically for the House to endorse what this government is doing in going out

and investing heavily in trying to make sure that we are providing for the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, they did not stand for 1,300 modifications to private homes to

make them more accessible. What did they vote against? They voted against 1,100

social housing units. They voted against expanded rent supplements. They voted

against a reduction in rent from 30 per cent of gross income to 25 per cent of

net income. They voted against residential energy efficiency grants for 4,300

low-income homeowners, and more, Mr. Speaker.

Of course, the Member for St. John's Centre stood up days ago, as a matter of

fact it was last week, and the first line in her motion is, "WHEREAS the

Provincial Government currently only has a strategy for social housing that does

not deal with the full crisis of affordable housing in the Province". Now, Mr.

Speaker, we ran in this term on a Blue Book that specifically states that we

will be looking to find ways to address housing affordability in this Province

of Newfoundland and Labrador. I say to the hon. member, we are what, six months

in? We indicate that we are going to do it. We have committed to do it, and we

are going to do it; but, we are not going to do it as I rose in the House the

other day. We are not going to do without going to the people who this is going

to serve. We are not going to go without going to the partners that we need in

order to make this a successful program. When you look at a Blue Book, Mr.

Speaker, this is not about a four month and you do not all come in and wave a

magic wand and say, okay, everything we promised, here it is.

I ask the Third Party to maybe have a little bit of patience, and to own up

to the fact that this government has committed to it and we are going to get to

it. Basically, you have to consider that there is a process that goes in place.

This is a change. When we get to the Third Party, again, all I can hear when

they get on their feet is more, more, more and more. I can understand that. I

would like nothing else than for this government to say you have a blank cheque,

Mr. Minister, do what you like with it. That would be excellent; however, there

is a responsibility that goes with any government in making sure that they are

fiscally responsible. I tell you that when we look at the Housing Corp. of

Newfoundland and Labrador, they have strategically petitioned government for

funds they can invest in the housing corp. that will bring about the needed

changes that we need as we continue to move forward.

Again, Mr. Speaker, this government does have a plan. It is a plan that is

accepted by all of our partners out in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador. They were the ones that came forward, and every year we review with

those same people to ask them direction as we go forward. It is a work in

progress. Has it solved all of the problems and all of the challenges? No, I

say, Mr. Speaker, but it has set the groundwork to ensure that we are moving

forward in the right direction and a direction that we are satisfied as a

government is meeting the needs of the people outside.

The second

WHEREAS is, "WHEREAS the home ownership assistance program

promised by this Government in the provincial election has not come to

fruition".

Again, if you can simply put a program together in six months, I suggest that

your cry would be but you have not consulted with anybody. You have not asked

anybody. In six months you have thrown in this program, yet you have not done

the consultation. As a matter of fact, I have heard that on other things, again,

from the Third Party. You have to give the time that is required. This is not

just a willy-nilly, let's get on it. We have to make sure that we are doing it

properly.

You will notice that there are parts of this motion that we have not touched.

The third

WHEREAS is, "WHEREAS shelter is a human right and all people in the

Province have the right to housing that meets the national occupancy standards".

Listen, there is no member in this House going to stand up and say we need to

amend that. I believe all of us are on the same page when it comes to the fact

that we want to make sure that the people of this Province are adequately served

with housing.

The next

WHEREAS: passed a motion to provide the federal government should

keep again, a statement that we all can certainly agree with.

When it gets to the THEREFORE, "urge Government to commit to a provincial

housing and homelessness action plan."

Give us a break! How many times do we have to say that we have a plan? How

many times do we have to say that the plan is working? How many times do we have

to say that it is a plan that was put together by the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador who have vested interest in making sure that plan is doing what it

should be?

AN HON. MEMBER: All the stakeholders.

MR. HEDDERSON: It is all the stakeholders.

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge Government to call

upon the Federal Government to renew the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, the

Affordable Housing Initiative", we had to amend that because, again, it is not

accurate and our amendment will point to the fact of the agreement that we do

have with the federal government. There is nothing of any malice there. It is

just making sure that it is factually correct.

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge Government to create

a Division of Housing and Homelessness." Again, I say, if that is your answer

to the housing challenges that we have in Newfoundland and Labrador, that we are

going to set up another division I keep asking you to list off what that

division would do and I have not gotten a response back. From what I have heard

peripherally you are talking about the exact same thing that we are doing in the

Housing Corporation, and coupled with Service Newfoundland and Labrador with the

Residential Tenancies Act, we are covered off. As well, I have a minister's

committee within government, I have a deputy minister's committee within

government, I have an interdisciplinary committee within government that deal

with the overall picture of housing in the Province and has government reacting

to it.

I do not know how many levels that you want to create, but if that is the

most creative thing that you can put forward the Official Opposition do not

even agree with you. I think that if there is anyone's house that should be in

order, I think you should get yours because you need to. I will be surprised if

in your responses you do not talk about something universal because that seems

to be a mantra with you as well. Everything has to be universal.

I say to the Third Party that you have to make sure that you are serving the

people you say you are serving and make sure that when you are going forward

again, with regard to the Third Party, it is about a new division, get a plan,

and as well somewhere along the way you were going to build more units until you

found out that those fifty units or so are included in our affordability with

our partnership with the federal government and that we are indeed doing that.

Again, I am at a loss. This is the second time we have asked the Third Party to

join all of us in making sure that as we move forward we are doing as we should.

As well, bring it back down around to the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation. We are very pleased with the progress the Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation has done, from a corporation that was struggling in the

1990s to get the resources, to get the direction to move forward as they should,

and to repair and maintain the units that they have. I take my hat off to the

people, in particular the CEO, who has brought that corporation to a level that

it is more than responsive to the needs of what is going on out there in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, we are not saying we have everything solved. We have in place

the investments, the strategy, and the plan for us to move forward and to

address it. As well, with the support we get around government, in particular

Justice, Health and Community Services, and Service Newfoundland and Labrador,

we are on the right track, Mr. Speaker. For the first time in decades, we see

light at the end of the tunnel. We are determined as a government to continue to

support those people who find themselves in vulnerable situations. We will move

forward and hopefully expand to those between 40,000 and 60,000 and at that

point, Mr. Speaker, I will just hold off and thank you for the opportunity.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for The Straits White Bay North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is quite a pleasure to speak to the private member's motion that was put

forward by the Member for St. John's Centre. I would just like to say that the

original motion which was put forward certainly does not dismiss any of the work

that is being done by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. We

recognize the work they do with their mandate, which is responsible for social

housing.

When it comes to the original member's motion, it talks about the importance

of dealing with the overall provincial issue of housing and affordability. This

is why when it looks at developing a plan we recognize that there is a Social

Housing Plan that was developed in 2009, but the issue around affordable housing

is much larger than that. That is why the first resolve was talking about

developing a provincial housing and homelessness plan.

We recognize that government has programs and services developed for that

plan and many of them are very good and very well implemented. However, Mr.

Speaker, housing is an absolute right, it is a need, it is a basic, and it is a

driver for economic sustainability in many areas. Everybody needs shelter. If we

look at it in that way and we look at the engine of which housing can be, then

we can really build some momentum here in Newfoundland and Labrador on that.

If we look at the MHA for St. John's Centre, and myself as the MHA for The

Straits White Bay North, we hosted a housing road show with public

consultations across the Province, in areas such as: St. Anthony, Norris Point,

Stephenville, Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, Clarenville, St. John's, and

there was also added Marystown, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. There we listened,

Mr. Speaker. We listened to the challenges of affordable housing and housing

affordability that is growing both for the rural areas, suburban and urban

centres.

I would like to highlight some of those issues, some of those suggestions and

matters pertaining to affordable housing and housing affordability. Just in my

very own district and it is not just about Newfoundland and Labrador Housing,

because we are currently facing a shortage of those units but also other units

and rental spaces in the district. When a Newfoundland and Labrador Housing unit

becomes available, there is certainly more than one call to fill it.

We also have apartment units in the area that have been purchased and tenants

are given advance notice to move out. It is done in due process; however,

finding a space to rent in an area where there is a less than 1 per cent vacancy

rate, that is considered by real estate agents when it is at less than 3 per

cent it is at nil. It creates real challenges and this is where we need to plan,

a plan for the economy so that we can grow it. In order to do so, we see that

when the rental rate is at less than 1 per cent, there are gaps for the current

renters, gaps for students in student housing, gaps for professionals and for

when there are projects. We need to work with the stakeholders to develop and

devise that land use plan and look at this.

I have had cases, Mr. Speaker, where professionals have accepted jobs to move

into the Town of St. Anthony and they have not moved in because there is no

available space for them to live that is affordable. While we were on our

housing road show, we were in Stephenville, and professionals had talked to us

and said: We have left the Town of St. Anthony because there was no affordable

housing there for us as a professional that is available. So, having adequate

stock is something that we need to look at and plan for.

There are several needs when we look at supportive housing to keep people

close to home. If we look at the shortage of another group of seniors, we have

long-term care facilities in the Province that have no vacancies. This has

impacts. It has impacts on personal care homes that deal with Level I and Level

II care, where they have greater stress on them to hold residents maybe a little

longer, where they have to end up going to a hospital to get that tertiary care.

I have had people who have been out of hospital for fifteen months-plus, who

have not been able to get to that long-term care facility to deal with that

Level III care. That is adding quite a cost.

There has to be an adequate plan to deal around all of these issues, because

if we have seniors' housing units that deal with independent living and then to

make that level advancement to the next step where they need a Level I or a

Level II care, then there needs to be an available space for them. So those are

issues that we have to look at. We have to work with it, and this is why we are

calling on a division of ho