Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 11 May 2010 (46th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLVI No. 19)
2010-05-11
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
May
11, 2010 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 19
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Today the Chair would like to welcome some special guests who are visiting us
in our galleries, a special welcome to the members of the Sunnyside 50 Plus
Group from the District of Bellevue.
The Chair would also like to recognize Mayor Robert Snook and Councillor Boyd
Snook from the Town of Sunnyside, who are both very active members of the 50
Plus Club as well.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair would also like to welcome the Mayor of
Millertown, Mr. Kevin Greene.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair would also like to offer a special welcome to Ms
Franoise Enguehard, the winner of a prestigious award for her most recent
French language novel.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: The following members' statements will be heard: the hon.
the Member for the District of Bellevue, the hon. the Member for the District of
Mount Pearl North, the hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte, and the
hon. the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans, by leave.
The hon. the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans have
leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: By leave.
The hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, 50 Plus clubs are being developed throughout the District of
Bellevue. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House to recognize the 50 Plus
Club of my district who are doing very positive things.
This club from Sunnyside has developed a very active, healthy living program.
They work closely with their town council and have partnered with their youth to
administer a fitness group in the basement of the Sunnyside Lions Club. All
equipment, I may add, was put there through great fundraising.
I would like to recognize Mayor Robert Snook and his councillors for their
support and promotion of this great project.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to congratulate Mr. Boyd Snook, who has been
instrumental in organizing this 50 Plus Club and assisting in getting these
programs developed.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in
congratulating the 50 Plus Club of Sunnyside for their volunteer services and
making the active, healthy living project possible.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the
recipients of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards at the Gold level.
Mr. Speaker, this success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of
those individuals who participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards Program. I
myself have participated in the program and know first-hand the commitment and
perseverance it takes to accomplish this award.
I would like to recognize all recipients, in particular, Catherine Orr,
Andrew Harvey, and Andrew Hynes of Mount Pearl. I wish them all the best in
their future endeavours and hope that they continue to participate in those
activities that are of great interest to them. They are role models for others
who have hopes of exploring their inner talents and interests.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating the
achievers of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards Program.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, cancer is a terrible disease. Each year hundreds
of people in our Province receive the shocking news that they have cancer. All
these people, in their own unique way, eventually find the strength to cope with
the news and the courage needed to face a more uncertain future.
Joining us today, Mr. Speaker, is a resident of my district who has been
bravely walking the cancer road for close to a year now.
On her fiftieth birthday, September 25, 2009, Maxine did not attend her
planned party because, instead of celebrating, she was undergoing day surgery to
confirm the suspected diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer.
Since that time, Mr. Speaker, Maxine has undergone six months of extreme
fatigue and sickening nausea brought on by chemotherapy treatments. She then
bravely faced the pain and the discomfort of surgery and she is currently
completing her final week of radiation treatment.
Mr. Speaker, her prognosis is good. Anybody facing cancer must battle
physical pain, emotional turmoil and mental anxiety. Maxine's positive attitude
has enabled her to face each day with a smile, along with hope for many years of
health and happiness.
Maxine is thankful to her family and friends for their prayerful support. She
is also very thankful to our doctors and nurses who, through their
professionalism and their compassion and their sincerity, have been of
tremendous help to her as she travelled the road to better health. Finally, she
is thankful to God for providing her and her family with the strength and
determination needed to face each day with a thankful heart.
Mr. Speaker, Maxine's battle with cancer is not unique. Her experiences are
shared by many men, women, seniors and children throughout our Province each
day. Their battle is difficult and their determination should serve as an
inspiration to the rest of us to never give up, to never give in, and to always
maintain a positive attitude.
Members of the House of Assembly, please join with me in recognition of all
cancer patients throughout our Province. Also, please join me in especially
honouring Maxine, a truly brave lady, a person of extreme optimism, a person who
happens to be my biggest fan, my partner, my wife, my best friend.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Grand
Falls-Windsor-Buchans, by leave.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today in this hon. House to congratulate a Francophone author who
recently earned a prestigious award. Ms Franoise Enguehard, a writer and
well-known member of the Province's Francophone and Acadian community, has
received the Prix des lecteurs from Radio-Canada, the French-language network of
CBC.
This award was presented to Ms Enguehard on April 22 in recognition of her
acclaimed novel, L'archipel de docteur Thomas , which was published in
crivaine et membre bien connue de la communaut francophone et acadienne
provinciale, madame Enguehard s'est vu dcerner le Prix des lecteurs de Radio
Canada, pour son roman acclam, L'archipel du docteur Thomas, publi en 2009.
This distinction acknowledges Ms Euguehard's novel as the best
French-Canadian fictional work of the year. In addition to receiving this
wonderful honour, Ms Enguehard was the recipient of a $5,000 bursary from
Radio-Canada.
Originally from the neighbouring French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon,
Ms Enguehard has been an active member of this Province's Francophone and
Acadian community and an indelible presence in our artistic and cultural
landscape for many years.
L'archipel du docteur Thomas takes place in St. Pierre and centres around
the discovery of a collection of photographs taken at the beginning of the
twentieth century by an enigmatic doctor about whom little is known.
Fascinated by the photos' retelling of a forgotten way of life, a successful
architect and a young student attempt to shed light on the reasons why Dr.
Thomas abandoned St. Pierre and his collection so long ago.
The novel, Mr. Speaker, addresses themes which are common to both
Newfoundland and Labrador and St. Pierre and Miquelon, including attachment to
place, out-migration of youth, the loss of built heritage, and the pervasiveness
of our natural environment.
Ms Enguehard has penned other notable works, including Les Litanies de
l'le-aux-Chiens and Le Trsor d'Elvis Bozec .
A graduate of Memorial University, Ms Enguehard has worked in the fields of
journalism, translation and education. In addition to writing and operating her
own communications firm, Ms Enguehard serves as president of the Socit
nationale de l'Acadie, Chair of the provincial Historic Commemorations Board,
and Chair of the 2011 North Atlantic Forum organizing committee. She is also a
member of the Province's Rseau culturel francophone.
Ms Enguehard has previously been honoured with the Ordre national du mrite
by the Government of France and the Ordre des cent-associs francophones here in
Canada.
I ask my hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating Mme Enguehard on the
occasion of this significant achievement, a first for a writer from this
Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Business.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador like the rest of the world, has felt
the effects of the most recent global recession. However, we have remained far
better positioned to weather it than many other jurisdictions internationally
and here in Canada. We had the right plan and a strong foundation already in
place, which guided us through the downturn and kept our momentum going. Now
Newfoundland and Labrador is set to resume growth in 2010, and confidence in our
economy is soaring once again.
Consumer confidence in this Province is the highest in the Atlantic region.
Incomes are growing, housing starts are rising, and so, too, is the retail
trade. In fact, Newfoundland and Labrador recorded the strongest increase in
retail sales among all provinces in 2009, and another 5 per cent growth is
projected this year.
Business confidence is very strong as well. According to the Canadian
Federation of Independent Business' latest Business Barometer, even though on a
national scale optimism has fallen of late, the level of business confidence in
Newfoundland and Labrador is the second highest in the country and well above
the Canadian average.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: In fact, Mr. Speaker, the survey showed that 98 per cent of
firms in this Province rate the overall state of business here as either good or
satisfactory.
Mr. Speaker, I talk to business people both in and outside our Province who
see the steps our government is taking and the positive climate for business
investment and the growth being created in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are
doing this by investing in programs that facilitate business expansion, by
investing in our education system and initiatives that support the development
of the skilled labour on which most businesses rely heavily, and by improving
the tax and regulatory environment, including further reductions announced in
this year's Budget reductions in small business tax and further reductions in
personal income tax as announced by my colleague in the most recent Budget.
More and more businesses are recognizing that Newfoundland and Labrador is an
attractive place to be. Capital investment growth is poised to lead the country
this year, Mr. Speaker, at a projected 23 per cent increase. This will be
spurred by the industrial activity and expansion, from Long Harbour to Labrador;
and also our own government's unprecedented investment in infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, this is a choice location to invest, to pursue a career, and to
live. Our government will continue to ensure that we have the environment to
support new investment attraction which will generate prosperity and pay
dividends for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians well into the future.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the advance copy of the minister's statement.
The only thing missing today is the blue pompoms, I say to the minister. It
must be the polling period again, Mr. Speaker, and it is very unique to see how
conveniently we have some information left out.
I do start my response by saying thank you very much to all of those
individuals and corporations in this Province who do keep our economy going.
Thank goodness for you people.
The minister conveniently left out a few things. For example, he is the
Minister of Business, ladies and gentlemen, and he forgot to mention that he
heads up a department that in the last three years since it has existed it has
had $75 million to use to attract businesses to this Province. Guess how much
they have spent? Less than $10 million. Guess where $8 million of that $10
million went? It went into the boot factory in Harbour Grace, and I say to the
minister and I say to the Premier the catching going around -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair has recognized the hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr, Speaker, for your protection.
Mr. Speaker, I notice there was a photo a couple of years ago about the $8
million they put into the Harbour Grace boot factory but a caption out there
today, Mr. Speaker, is: Who got the boot? There were fifty workers who were laid
off last Friday, I say to the minister.
Mr. Speaker, you look at the Estimates in the Budget for this year, it showed
that it cost $5 million to operate this business last year. Guess what? They
only put $4.5 million out the door. I suggest, Mr. Speaker, it is time to get
rid of the Department of Business and put it back into Industry, Trade where it
ought to be instead of being a pet project of the Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
Obviously, this is good news and it is good to see that our business
community is strong.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: I would like to recognize both the people who give leadership
in the business community, as well as the employees who work hard to develop the
business climate that we have in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: However, Mr. Speaker, while things are going well and while
average incomes are rising, we also have a responsibility in this House to
remember the many people who live on fixed incomes and others who are seeing
housing costs outpace their salaries. We have an income gap that is spreading
now between the high earners and the low earners in our Province and that is
leading to problems.
I do encourage government while they do more investment in business, both
small and large, and while they do look at the labour market development and how
we have to develop more jobs in this Province, to also make sure that our social
programs keep pace with those who do not benefit from what is happening in the
Province right now.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health damaged the reputation of an
air ambulance pilot in this Province. He tried to suggest that the reason they
were moving the air ambulance by the end of this month out of St. Anthony was
because a pilot refused to fly this past weekend.
Well, Mr. Speaker, what the minister did not say was that this pilot was
indeed sick and that this pilot was told only a few hours before he was due to
fly that he would have to make a decision within two weeks as to uproot his
family and to move if he wanted to keep his job. The other thing the minister
did not say, Mr. Speaker, is that the decision to move the plane had been made
before the pilot even called in sick on that shift.
I ask you today, minister, to do the honourable thing, to stand and apologize
to this pilot and to his family for the accusations that you threw at them
yesterday.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, let's talk about damaged reputations and
spurious allegations and let's look at what the Member for The Straits & White
Bay North said yesterday when he talked about Mr. Wes Drodge having been
responsible for the death of an individual in James Bay.
Mr. Speaker, we have looked at that report. Mr. Drodge was the CEO of the
James Bay Hospital and no responsibility for the air ambulance in that area. Mr.
Drodge, Mr. Speaker, operated the land ambulance only. So if we are going to
talk of spurious allegations being made against people, let's look at what
happened there yesterday. I note that when the MHA was asked to go out and make
his comments publicly, he did not do it then, he backed down.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the minister: Is he intending to apologize to this pilot and to his
family for the false accusations he made yesterday?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding, when I look at the
information that was provided, that the individual in question refused to fly.
Now that is the information that I put out there yesterday. I indicated that
there was a situation that had been looked at by Labrador Grenfell Health; they
are the authority that deals with this matter. They had spoken to the
individual. There had been at least one other incident, Mr. Speaker, that caused
us concern. There is no question that the plane we announced on March 26 that
the plane was moving and these individuals were notified recently that the plane
would be moving. As a result of what is the emotional and volatile situation
that exists in St. Anthony, we felt it best to move this plane as quickly as
possible and that is what we are doing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister indicated yesterday that it was because this pilot had refused
to work, which we know now was indeed sick, I say to the minister, along with
other incidences that prompt him to move this aircraft out of St. Anthony
immediately.
I ask you today minister: Tell us what those other incidents are?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
There was another incident that occurred around the day of the protest - I am
informed by the paramedics here who run the air ambulance system - that did not
meet with their approval.
Also, Mr. Speaker, there have been a number of other e-mails sent to me by
pilots that have been by one pilot in particular, has been particularly
disconcerting. When we look at, Mr. Speaker, that five pilots are moving, and we
have a number of them who are obviously refusing to comply with the requests
that are being put forward to them, then this is something that Labrador
Grenfell has to deal with. I understand, Mr. Speaker, that the Labrador Grenfell
authorities have dealt with these individuals. They are personnel issues within
the health authority, and I understand that they are satisfied that they have
been dealt with and there will not be a repeat.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister is fairly cavalier in his attitude, and yesterday he did state
that it was this incident over the weekend regarding this pilot that prompted
him to move the plane immediately.
I ask the minister today: Isn't it true that the decision to move this
particular aircraft took place even before this pilot called in sick for this
shift?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Hansard will reveal exactly what I said. I think what I indicated was that
there are a number of factors there that required the movement of this plane,
and there had been an incident this weekend which caused us concern. Mr.
Speaker, the pilots and the other individuals had been notified that they had a
number of I do not know if it is seven or fourteen days to determine if they
were going to move with the plane, and it had been indicated, yes, that the
plane would be moving by the end of the month.
So I think if you review Hansard, what I said was that there are a number of
factors, but this was sort of a factor now that caused us to even move along
quicker because of the potential danger to the health care system.
Mr. Speaker, I had, over the weekend, on the day of this incident, received
e-mails from the Director of Air Ambulance in the Province and also the Chief of
Emergency Medicine in the Province expressing their concern about what had
happened in St. Anthony that day.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister has stated that he wanted to move the plane quickly to stabilize
the situation. In actual fact, he has now further demoralized the system and
will be putting a plane in another area of the Province that has no medevac team
and is an extra hour flying time from St. John's.
I ask the minister today: How is this action going to stabilize the system as
we see it today?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
As a result of everything that has taken place since last July, there has
been a lot of review and thought gone into the air ambulance system and how it
should be best structured.
Mr. Speaker, as a result of the question raised by the MHA for The Straits &
White Bay North yesterday, I went back and had some work done on statistics, and
it shows that approximately 5 per cent of the flights that pick up the medical
flight service team come out of St. Anthony. So the St. John's aircraft goes
with the medical flight service team to most of the requirements in this
Province. A lot of them, Mr. Speaker, are routine flights and we know that
approximately half the flights had the medical flight service team.
I am currently discussing as we speak, yesterday, and will be again tomorrow,
discussing with the people who run the air ambulance system how we can best deal
with this situation. When we announced in the Budget that there will be a
medical flight service team, it was recognized by all that it would take time to
recruit and train the proper personnel.
So, Mr. Speaker, the plane will be in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We will
continue to fix up the system and we are working on solutions as we talk.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister also knows that the second air medevac, the aircraft that is
based in St. John's, is currently down and is scheduled to be down for the next
few days, even a week, and that this has been a frequent thing that has been
happening with this aircraft over the past year.
I ask the minister: Will you confirm that this is indeed the case, and will
you also explain to the people of this Province how with one provincial air
medevac left in operation today, how moving it to Goose Bay where there is no
medevac team, is going to help to support the rest of the Province and provide
for a more effective service? Why are you not waiting until the plane, the new
plane, is on the ground in St. John's?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Leader of the Opposition raises a very good point in terms of the
problems with the plane in St. John's. That is an older plane and we announced
in this year's Budget $8 million to replace that plane.
Now, Mr. Speaker, what we will be looking at we are told by the experts in
the air ambulance division of Eastern Health that two dedicated aircraft with a
charter service suffices to serve this Province. We have charter airplanes, Mr.
Speaker, that are available to us and that we hire on a regular basis. In fact,
we spent quite a lot of money on charter aircraft.
In relation to what the hon. member is talking about, Mr. Speaker, I can
indicate that as late as yesterday discussions were ongoing to address the
issue: if you have two planes, there is one in the air or one down, how do we
deal with that situation? We are currently looking at a short-term solution and
we may be in a position in the not too distant future, Mr. Speaker, to outline
how we are going to provide an efficient and effective service with one plane in
Goose Bay and the other plane in St. John's.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the minister's response is evident that he has no
clue what he is doing. He is putting the lives of people in this Province in
jeopardy, Mr. Speaker. How can he stand in the House today and defend moving an
aircraft further north to a site with no medevac team in place at this stage
when the other aircraft in the Province is not even in working condition?
I ask you, Minister, to start putting your head around this issue and start
making decisions that will provide for the life and safety of people in this
Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Further questions?
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will ask the question again. You have only one air ambulance plane
available to the people of this Province right now. You want to move it further
north where there is no air medevac team in place at the present time and where
you have an aircraft in St. John's that is not in working condition.
I ask you, Minister: Why would you do this knowing that you are putting
people's lives in jeopardy?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, by not doing this we are putting people's
lives in jeopardy because I think we have to go back to how all of this began on
July 15 last year with the terrible incident that occurred in Labrador West. We
have to then move forward, Mr. Speaker, to September and what occurred in Happy
Valley-Goose Bay and, most recently, what occurred in Labrador West.
Mr. Speaker, we have identified our risk area - the major risk area right now
as being in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the Labrador West North Coast area. Mr.
Speaker, the hon. member opposite presented a petition to this House asking to
have the plane moved to Labrador; we have done that.
Mr. Speaker, as pointed out by the MHA for The Straits & White Bay North,
there is quite extensive medical personnel in St. Anthony; four anaesthetists in
St. Anthony for a population of 14,000 people on the Northern Peninsula; four
general surgeons, Mr. Speaker, more than in Grand Falls-Windsor or in Gander.
Mr. Speaker, besides all of that we have put over $12 million in capital
equipment in this hospital in the last number of years. There is a hospital
there to serve the needs of the people. I would suggest to the members opposite
that they should concentrate on that because when you look at the numbers of
doctors there, it certainly causes concern.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If the minister was really concerned about the people in Labrador, he would
be adding a third air medevac aircraft in this Province today and not
diminishing the service in the way he is.
Mr. Speaker, the minister is telling us today that because he does not like
the comments from pilots with the air ambulance services and e-mails and letters
in the papers, that he is going to promptly move the plane out of St. Anthony
before there is even a medevac team in Goose Bay, before there is even a new
aircraft on the ground in St. John's.
I ask you, Minister: Do you not see how this will jeopardize the service
further to the people of the Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated whether or not the plane is
in St. Anthony or in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the reality is that the medical
flight service team would not be in place for approximately eight to ten months
to a year; people have to be recruited and they have to be trained.
Secondly, Mr. Speaker, most of the medical flight service flights come out of
St. John's, approximately 95 per cent of those flights, so that they originate
in St. John's.
Thirdly, Mr. Speaker, I have indicated that we are aware of the situation
that exists and that we are working on it as we speak. I am in contact with the
air ambulance experts at Eastern Health who dispatch throughout the Province,
Mr. Speaker. We will take such steps that are necessary. As I indicated, as late
as yesterday, we were discussing which charters we use, how do we use them to
provide the level of service that is required.
So at the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, this is the right decision. We are
making it for the right reasons and when we look at a population of 30,000
people as opposed to 14,000 we look at twice as many flights coming out of
Labrador and we look at the risk areas, Mr. Speaker, this is the right decision.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Trevor Taylor, the former high-ranking Cabinet minister in the Williams
government recently sent a letter to the Northern Pen . In the letter he
stated that the people of The Straits & White Bay North voted against the
government and implied that they are now being punished related to the air
ambulance decision. This is a very serious allegation being put forward by
someone who worked inside this government and very closely with the Premier.
I ask the Premier today: Are the statements made by your friend and former
colleague accurate and if not why would this ex-cabinet minister make such
statements?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, this government
never has and never will inflict retribution on a district; it does not happen.
During my entire life, I watched it happen too much while Liberal governments
were in power in this Province -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: - and saw too many communities and people punished for
supporting the government. So, in fact, as I have stated before when this
decision was being made with regard to the air ambulance, we convened a
committee of Cabinet ministers to make sure that there was no partisanship
whatsoever went into this decision. In fact, we have indicated throughout - and
Minister Taylor has advocated very, very strongly on behalf of his district up
there. He has advocated for roads. He advocated, of course, for the air
ambulance. He advocated for funds for the bottling plant for the hon. member
right now so we could employ people in The Straits &White Bay North.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition knows very well that we support
districts. We support your district. There is a school in L'Anse au Loup. There
is a school in Port Hope Simpson. More road money has gone into your district
than the entire Province collectively put together, so we do not punish
districts.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The former Cabinet minister, Mr. Taylor, also bragged about the investments
that he secured as an MHA and left the impression that that would now stop
because the people of his district voted against the government.
I ask the Premier: Do you stand by Mr. Taylor's description of how decisions
are made around your Cabinet table?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member opposite continues to
speak out of both sides of her mouth. One day this is a one-man show; it is a
dictatorship. Another day now she is advocating that because he was a team
member and he had a strong voice at the Cabinet table that he was successful in
advocating for his district. Well, we are quite proud of the fact that he and
every member here, and every member over on that side of the House advocate
strongly for their district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: This morning I met with four members, yesterday
afternoon I met with three members to hear specifically, exactly, what they
wanted for their districts.
Trevor Taylor was a strong voice at the Cabinet table. He is very proud of
his record on the Northern Peninsula, just as Wally Young, the Member for St.
Barbe district is proud of what he has done. Everybody here makes a
contribution. Everybody advocates for their district. As I have said before, we
do not exclude hon. members opposite. To the school in Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi,
we do not sit there and say because someone sits on the opposite side of the
House that they are going to be punished because that is not a government
district.
Trevor Taylor did a good job. He advocated for his district, but certainly no
more than any of the other hon. members that join us here in this House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Taylor, in his letter, also said that he provided the necessary
information and arguments to his Cabinet colleagues to keep the air ambulance in
St. Anthony.
I ask the Premier: If Mr. Taylor's information convinced you and Cabinet to
keep this air ambulance in St. Anthony over the past several years, why did you
ignore the validity of this information once he resigned?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, we come down to the nub and the heart of
this. This issue was raised by the Leader of the Opposition. She brought a
petition to this House. She asked that this particular service be moved to
Labrador. We then conducted a study. I would have to say, quite honestly, that
until that study was conducted I did not know where the chips would fall. I had
no idea where the preference would be. We now find that St. John's is number
one, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is number two, and if, in fact, there was ever a
third air ambulance it would be in Deer Lake. So, St. Anthony has been
completely eliminated from the picture as a result of the actions of the hon.
member opposite.
While that was happening and while that petition was being brought before
this House and while that study was being done, the Member for The Straits &
White Bay North, at no time met with the minister or asked for a meeting with
any of us.
So, you are the author of your own misfortune. You asked for a solution, we
gave it to you and now you are blaming us for it. That is not acceptable.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the Premier, in case he has
not noticed, I do not sit at the Cabinet table, I do not make decisions, and I
do not own the decisions, Premier, that you make in this Province, and it will
be you and your Cabinet that will own that decision.
Mr. Speaker, let me ask this question to the Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture, because last week we found out, Mr. Speaker, that the remand centre
for Happy Valley-Goose Bay was cancelled and the funds were removed from the
Budget. Well today, Mr. Speaker, I have learned that the funds allocated to
build a new wharf in my district, in Williams Harbour, which had been allocated
for the past two years, has now been cancelled and the funds have been removed
from the Budget.
I ask the minister to confirm that that is the case, and if so, tell me why
that is?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I came into this department in November, Mr. Speaker, and we were in the
midst of Budget preparations. One of the issues being brought forward was the
Williams Harbour wharf. Take it back to 2007, there were tenders called but the
tenders came in 35 per cent over budget, so it was re-tendered again. Two bids
were made, Mr. Speaker, the lowest bid, the bidder disqualified himself, backed
out of it, and the other bid was of a million dollars, in that particular range.
When I found out that the volume of traffic there is about four to five boats
that tie up there, I had to question whether this was a prudent investment
during this Budget process. I am not saying to the member that I will not bring
it forward, all I am saying, Mr. Speaker, is before we are going to finalize
something, I want more information to guarantee that this is a worthy
expenditure.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to remind the minister that this is a community that is on an
island in the middle of the Atlantic with no roads and no transportation
network. It is a fishing community whose wharf burnt down, whom your government
seen fit two years ago that it should be replaced and made a commitment to the
people to do just that.
I ask you today, minister, to continue that commitment and to, at the very
minimum, give the people in this community a wharf to dock their fishing boats
at.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, what I have directed officials to do is to see
and work with the people in that particular area to see if there are
alternatives.
Mr. Speaker, I simply cannot stand and say, yes, here is a million dollars
and go to it. I want to make sure that the investment that we make is the best
one. So I will have officials work with the community to see if there are in
fact alternatives, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, a front page story in The Telegram today is about fishing
company Cold North Seafoods, owned by Daley Brothers, who want to transfer its
licence to St. Joseph's, which will leave another community, Little Bay Islands,
very likely having to close up shop.
So I ask the minister: Does the future of this or any other community
depending on the fishing industry come into play when decisions such as these
are made by the fish licensing board and ultimately approved by your department
as the Minister of Fisheries?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, from the statement you would take that a
decision is made, and that is very far from the truth.
Mr. Speaker, the fact that it was advertised in the paper on Saturday points
to a process that indeed is working, Mr. Speaker. A company has asked to
transfer a licence. They have to issue it through the media, through the paper.
Proponents, community leaders, community groups have two weeks to submit, it
goes to the licensing board, they review all the information and then a
recommendation will be brought forward to my office, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, back during a by-election in 2008 the Town of La
Scie on the Baie Verte Peninsula was reassured by this government they would get
a shrimp licence transferred from St. Joseph's. It will soon be two years now
and people have yet to see the reality of that promise.
I ask the minister: Why this promise is not fulfilled and if indeed he
intends to make good on this commitment?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, the proponent has to put the licence there. We
have granted - I cannot tell you specifics to that right now but I can certainly
get follow-up information and bring it to the House, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits &White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, the minister has been referencing of late about
the evolution of the fishery as the MOU process unfolds and I think we are
starting to see the beginnings of that process now with licence transfer
requests and so on.
I ask the minister: Given the implications of communities for plant closures
and so on, can you reassure these communities that they will be given a voice in
the MOU process so they can help decide their own future?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, we had Estimates last night, it generated a few
questions it seems.
Mr. Speaker, the MOU process is indeed unfolding. Mr Speaker, I think we are
at a point in this Province in the fishing industry where people recognize that
things cannot continue as they have always continued. Both parties in this MOU
process have admitted to that and they want to work as closely as we can.
Mr. Speaker, if we are going to change or somehow manage the evolution of the
fishery in this Province I think that community representation is key because
there is not only fish plant owners and harvesters who have a stake here, Mr.
Speaker, it is all the communities that are involved and they certainly should
have a say in that, and I am welcome and open to any commentary that those
groups want to provide.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, one of the communities that expressed much concern
about the future of their fish plant is that of New Ferolle on the Great
Northern Peninsula. This multi-species plant was bought by Deep Atlantic Sea
Products, Greg Mullowney, in May of 2009 for $1. This would be the second year
now with no production.
I ask the minister: Why has he allowed this community to be held at ransom by
this operator, and if Mr. Mullowney allows his licence to lapse, what it will
mean for the community whose residents feel like they have been forgotten in
this situation?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I made a commitment to both of the Opposition
parties last night in the Estimates. It might be a good thing for them to come
over and we will give them a little briefing on the MOU and how it is moving
along, and that they might, in fact, Mr. Speaker, come out and support this
process. We often hear criticism from time to time. Well, if they had some of
the ins and outs of the MOU that they might want to support that process along
the way.
In reference to New Ferolle, Mr. Speaker, the MHA, Mr. Young, has certainly
met with me on it, the Member for The Straits has raised the issue as well. Our
most recent conversation with Mr. Mullowney, he reports to us, Mr. Speaker, that
he indeed intends to go in there and operate. Hopefully, the folks in the area
will see that rather soon, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Natural Resources spoke about
regulations and safeguards regarding potential accidents in the offshore and
that there will always be risk, but, Mr. Speaker, regulations and safeguards are
useless if the worst happens and oil spill containment technology fails in
extremely deep water.
Mr. Speaker, there is latent hypocrisy in saying that a review of what
happened in the Gulf is required on the one hand and then allowing exploratory
oil drilling to ocean depths of 2.6 kilometres on the other hand. How do we know
that what is happening in the Gulf cannot happen here?
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: How can the people of this Province have any
confidence that government is serious about protecting lives of workers and our
fragile environment?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is no one in this House or outside of it that would ever
be able to tell the member opposite that there is no risk associated with
drilling for oil or putting any kind of a ship on the water, whether it is for
fishing or for drilling or for whatever.
What we have to do, Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, is understand that risk
as well as we can, understand how we can mitigate that risk, put the proper
legislative and regulatory controls in place, and then decide whether or not
that is a risk that is acceptable.
That has been done by the federal government, by the provincial government,
by other agencies, by certifying third parties, Mr. Speaker, and we have decided
in this Province, in this country, in this world, that there are acceptable
risks.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to point out to the minister that all of those people in the
world that the minister is speaking about are starting to question things now
that they cannot deal with what is happening at the bottom of the Gulf of
Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, the government explained yesterday that they will not stop
exploratory drilling in the Orphan Basin because it is unlikely a spill will
happen in the first place. Today, Chevron is promising to be careful in the wake
of the current oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This kind of thinking is
setting us up for a reactive response to a disaster and puts us at great
disadvantage.
Mr. Speaker, we know nothing is impossible, and it was that kind of rationale
that allowed the S-92 to be approved without a thirty-minute dry run capability.
Sikorsky said the likelihood of complete oil loss was extremely remote. Well, we
know how remote it was, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member to pose her question.
MS MICHAEL: I am posing my question, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the Premier today: Will he put a halt to exploratory drilling until we
have better information on what caused the blowout on the Transocean rig and how
to contain a spill at 2,600 meters deep (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
If there is an answer to be given, I ask that it be put forward now.
The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is disconcerting to stand in the House and try to answer
questions when the member demonstrates such ignorance about what goes on in our
offshore.
Any time that you drill a well, whether it is onshore or offshore, Mr.
Speaker, you need a blowout prevention valve. Mr. Speaker, not only are they
used in exploration wells; they are used also in drilling production wells,
which happens in Hibernia all the time.
Mr. Speaker, there is no assurance that we can give to the member opposite,
or anyone else, that there will not be something happen in our offshore that is
going to have some kind of an environmental impact. Does she want us to shut
down all three producing projects, Mr. Speaker - because there is risk there -
as well as any exploration work that is going on (inaudible)?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
The Chair would like to refer back to Question Period again and ask hon.
members, when they are asking questions, or answers are being provided, that
they not refer to members by their names, but by the executive position that
they hold or by the district that they represent.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, the Government Services Committee have
considered the matters referred to them and have passed, without amendment, the
Estimates of the following departments, agencies and offices: the Department of
Government Services; Government Purchasing Agency; Intergovernmental Affairs
Secretariat; Volunteer and Non-Profit Secretariat; Department of Labrador and
Aboriginal Affairs; Department of Finance; Public Service Commission; Office of
the Chief Information Officer; Department of Transportation and Works;
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, the Committee Vice-Chair is the Member for Port de Grave. The
other members on the Committee are the Members for: St. John's East; The Straits
& White Bay North; Kilbride; Bay of Islands; Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; Burgeo & La
Poile; Baie Verte-Springdale.
The Committee would certainly like to thank the ministers and their staff in
the particular departments for allowing us the time to review their revenues and
expenditures, and also responding to questions that were put to them during the
Estimates procedure, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further reports by standing and select committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Answers to Questions for Which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stand today to present a petition from the people on the Northern
Peninsula, Mr. Speaker, in the New Ferolle area. Mr. Speaker, these individuals
have submitted a petition, and obviously they are looking for answers on the
condition and the sale of the fish processing licence that was issued for the
plant in New Ferolle.
Mr. Speaker, these individuals, who did not work last year because that plant
did not open, were under the impression that when the licence was given to the
operator for $1, that operator would go in, would reopen the plant, and would
process fish in that community.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member for the area is well aware of the
issue, probably much more than I am, in terms of what is happening there, but
this is a situation where these particular workers are afraid that again this
licences in this Province would dictate that once the licence is dormant for a
period of time that it would be revoked or it would be lost, and if that was to
happen what would it mean for this particular community?
They really feel that they have no control over the situation as it is right
now, that they are at the mercy of a processor that was given a licence and a
plant for $1 and has not met the commitment of operating and providing for
employment in the community, and if they continue to not operate and the plant
lies dormant then what will happen to the licence. The community is afraid that
the licence would be transferred out of that particular area, because it is a
multi-species plant including a crab processing licence, and they are concerned.
Mr. Speaker, they have been petitioning the House of Assembly. They have been
making calls to government offices with regard to this issue. I know they have
made many calls to my office on this particular issue. I understand the minister
says today that the operator says that he intends to operate, but he certainly
has not given that assurance to the people in the community, that he intends to
operate or what species he intends to buy.
Mr. Speaker, we know, because of the number of plants that has been shut down
on the Northern Peninsula, and the number of plants that have not been opening
in the past year, that small-boat fishermen are finding it harder and harder to
have somewhere even to sell their catch these days. That is what is happening in
a lot of these regions around the Province.
There is one thing about streamlining licences in the area, amalgamating
plants and restructuring the industry, but you need to be cognizant of the fact
that if you live in a certain area of this Province and you are a small-boat
fisherman, and you are bringing in only a few pounds a day of a certain species,
and there is no local plant in your area to buy or process, these people are
really out of a job. They do not have a livelihood. I remember, Mr. Speaker,
talking to fishermen even in the Cook's Harbour area last year who did not have
anywhere to sell any of their fish.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue in New Ferolle; it has been going on for over a
year. We are into the second year of the issue, and I ask the minister to work
with this community, to work with the plant operator, to get this plant open,
and, if not, to secure the licence for that community so that they can move on
with a new operator and start processing fish in that community and put people
back to work again.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my pleasure again today to present a petition on behalf of my district
on the moving of the air ambulance service. I would just like to reference the
comment of the Premier a moment ago when he said that it was not a political
move. He referenced the petition that was presented last summer, some 3,000
signatures from Labrador.
I want to remind the Premier and the minister and this government that we
have presented 5,000 signatures from people along the Northern Peninsula and the
West Coast and Southern Labrador on this movement. We have attempted many times
to arrange meetings with the Premier. Our council has met with the minister, I
have met with the minister, there have been numerous e-mails and letters come
through. There have been public rallies, there have been demonstrations, you
name it; it has taken place.
At no time since this decision was made six weeks ago have we been able to
even get the minister to reconsider what is being done; to get the government
and the Premier to really sit back, and whether they should take a second look
at this decision that was made. It is very difficult to get away from the
conclusion that this was a political decision. When the decision was first
announced, I was one of the first people to stand and say that I did not think
it was political, that I believed it was a lack of information and so on. I have
to stand today, Mr. Speaker, and acknowledge with many other people in this
Province who have acknowledged the same that it is very political.
Even though we have been able to present much information that discredits
this report, discredits the process, here we are again this week with the
minister announcing that they are going to fast track it and move the aircraft
to Goose Bay. No medevac team in place; the service is just not there to
properly do the thing and so on. Again, a service that has been in St. Anthony
servicing the Province well, I might add, for fifty-five years, all of a sudden
you have to move it out before you are really ready to do it.
It is one thing to say that it is not political but really, many residents of
this Province have already made that conclusion and some day, I am sure, that
the government members might even want to acknowledge that as well. It is very
unfortunate that this kind of a decision gets made because of sour politics, if
you will. The fact that you would take a service that is so vital to this
Province, that you would remove a piece of the economic engine that drives our
district and so on, and that you would do that just to kind of get even at a
district if you will, or whatever the case might be. There are other options.
Options have been placed before this government and yet there has been -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask hon. members to my left for their co-operation.
The hon. the Member for The Straits & White Bay North has been recognized on
a petition and is still using his time to present the petition.
The hon. member.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, we have offered solutions. We have tried to be a part of finding a way
through this. Residents have worked tirelessly in organizing and presenting the
facts from many who work with Labrador Grenfell and
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I remind the hon. member that his time for presenting his petition has
expired.
MR. DEAN: yet, it has all fallen on deaf ears. Unfortunately, I guess
that will be a reflection of the government
MR. SPEAKER: Please, does the hon. member have leave?
MR. DEAN: and in time we will see the outcome of that.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
From the Order Paper, Mr. Speaker, I would like to move, seconded by the hon.
Minister of Health and Community Services for leave to introduce a bill,
An Act
Respecting The Practice Of Social Work, Bill 20, and I further move that the
said bill be now read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER: I ask the hon. the Government House Leader if she would mind
repeating that bill number again, please?
MS BURKE: Bill 20, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: It is properly moved and seconded that the hon. the
Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act
Respecting The Practice Of Social Work, Bill 20, and that the said bill be now
read a first time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt a motion that Bill 20 be now read a
first time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
Motion, the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to introduce a
bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Social Work", carried. (Bill 20)
CLERK: A bill,
An Act Respecting The Practice Of Social Work. (Bill 20)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 20 has now been read a first time.
When shall Bill 20 be read a second time?
MS BURKE: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.
On motion, Bill 20 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to call from the Order Paper, Motion
MR. SPEAKER: Motion 1, That This House Approves in General the Budgetary
Policy of the Government.
The hon. the Member for the District of Port au Port.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a privilege to stand in this hon. House of Assembly
this afternoon and take some time to talk about Budget 2010 which was delivered
on March 29.
This year's Budget, Mr. Speaker, focused on its theme: The Right Investments
For Our Children and Our Future. Mr. Speaker, when we look back at post budgets
since 2004, since we took over government, and its themes you will quickly
realize that our Premier and government indeed does have a plan for Newfoundland
and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, it has been the approach of this government since being elected
in 2003 to make investments to ensure a prosperous future for our children and
our grandchildren. We have come a long way, Mr. Speaker, from the bleak and
hopeless days under the previous Administration and that is due to strong
leadership, proud results and strategies, determined minds and a strong will to
get the job done.
This Province, Mr. Speaker, is on the centre stage. We are the envy of the
country. We are a shining example of a Premier, of a government, and of a
Province that has turned things around as we become masters of our own house and
firmly on the path to self reliance. As the Minister of Finance said, this is
not the time to slam on the brakes. We must move forward. This is what we must
do, Mr. Speaker, if we are to reach our goals and our destination.
Our measures, our planning, our policies, our programs, our investments will
grow the economy and of course it will enhance the lives of all Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians. The things we have done and will do, Mr. Speaker, will
certainly build a strong footing and foundation for a great future for our
Province. Budget 2010 tells us where we are making the investments to ensure
this bright future.
Mr. Speaker, we are spending in education. In fact, we are spending $1.3
billion in education, the largest ever for education in this Province's history.
We are investing in improvements in the K-12 system; for example, $2.2 million
for the Excellence in Mathematics Strategy which will be done through new
curriculum, textbooks and resources for students and teachers.
Mr. Speaker, we are investing $1.9 million for the extension of the class
size cap for Grade 6s and 9s and complete the implementation of capped class
sizes from K-12. We are also investing money to augment the number of hours for
student assistants so that our students will be provided with the highest
quality of education possible. Mr. Speaker, this equates to about 25,000 hours
per year.
We are investing in our K-12 infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. We are building new
schools, renovating others; we are addressing repair and maintenance problems. I
know full well, Mr. Speaker, the need for infrastructure repairs in our schools.
Since 2007, since I became the elected MHA for the District of Port au Port,
approximately $1.6 million was spent in my district for roof repairs, window
replacement, brick and siding, electrical upgrades, soundproofing of musical
rooms, just to name a few in our ten schools. The ten schools are: Ecole Ste.
Anne, Ecole Notre-Dame-du-Cap, Our Lady of the Cape, Lourdes Elementary,
Stephenville Primary, Stephenville Elementary, Stephenville Middle School,
Stephenville High School, Piccadilly Central High and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Mr. Speaker, we are also investing $250,000 to the Provincial Information and
Library Resources Board for repairs and maintenance. In January of this year, I
was pleased to join my hon. colleagues, the Minister of Education and the Member
for St. George's-Stephenville East, Minister of Child, Youth and Family
Services, for the official reopening of the Kindale Library in Stephenville.
Through government spending $200,000, the library underwent the installation of
a new roof, windows, furniture, shelving, flooring, a new circulation desk and
refurbished washrooms. Mr. Speaker, a reading area was also designated and
renovated at Cape St. George Public Library.
These, Mr. Speaker, were the first changes and repairs since 1991 at the
Kindale Library in Stephenville. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it was the year that they
opened. Much needed renovations and repairs were done. Over the past four years
our government has provided $1.8 million plus one-time funding of $1 million for
infrastructure improvements, development of the early literacy program and
increased operating hours at forty-seven libraries across the Province. We also
increased salaries and training.
Again, Mr. Speaker, we are investing in our provincial roads. We are spending
approximately $235.6 million in provincial and federal funding for roads and
bridges throughout the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: The Provincial Roads Improvement Program, which all roads in
my district fall under, is starting to roll out. While there has been no formal
announcement for my district, yet I am working with the Department of
Transportation and Works to highlight priorities for the district and provide
input on where the work for improvements should be done. Since 2007, we have
seen much needed improvement in my district in roads and, indeed, throughout the
Province. One only has to ride the Trans-Canada Highway from Port aux Basques to
St. John's.
Our government, Mr. Speaker, recognizes that municipalities and communities
are built on a strong foundation of sound infrastructure. Our government's
commitment of $135.5 million for municipal infrastructure, combine that with the
federal contribution, and the municipal community contribution, this makes our
total investment at approximately $225 million; record investments, Mr. Speaker,
in municipal infrastructure.
In the District of Port au Port, while I await this year's project
announcement, last year, the Town of Cape St. George received $2.1 million for a
waterline extension of approximately six kilometres. The Town of Stephenville
received funding for improvements to municipal roads, approximately $1.3 million
for upgrades to Queen Street, Main Street, Hillview Avenue, and Ocean Drive.
Mr. Speaker, we are also investing in diversification. We are investing in
tax credits and incentives - $61 million. To the Regional/Sectoral
Diversification Fund - $11 million. We are investing in the Innovation
Enhancement Fund, the Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Export Development
Fund, Oceans of Opportunity Strategy. We are investing in the Small and
Medium-sized Enterprise Fund, and Mr. Speaker, we are also investing in the
Business Attraction Fund.
Mr. Speaker, we are investing in the fishery, aquaculture, forestry, mining,
agriculture, and the list goes on and on and on. The investment in our Poverty
Reduction Strategy this year will be a whopping $134 million, a combined total
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: That, Mr. Speaker, is for a combined total $482.7
million since the strategy was introduced in 2006.
Mr. Speaker, I look at the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
and she certainly has a smile on her face and certainly a worthwhile smile
because we know that this strategy is working for the people of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, we have many naysayers, especially from the two
Opposition parties. We can never do enough to please the Leader of the NDP who
professes to be the champion of poverty reduction. She wants everything. She
wants everything, but yet, when we laid the ground work and we put the strategy
in place it is not good enough, or we are not doing enough, or it is not what
she likes to have done. Sorry, the people of the Province agree with what we are
doing and we are delivering to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, let's take a look at where we are spending this
year. Mr. Speaker, $2.5 million to increase the income thresholds under the
Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program Access Plan; $310,000 to
enhance the Family Justice Services Division; $519,000 for the continuing Family
Violence Intervention Court; $2.4 million in funding for Supportive Living
Community Partnership Initiative; $125,000 for supports for Inuit women in
Labrador; $100,000 in sustaining funds for the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women's
Network; $6.8 million in affordable housing to build an additional 230 rental
units for seniors, persons with disabilities and person requiring supportive
services. We will spend $17.6 million to leverage funds to modernize and
renovate more than 2,300 housing units in the Province. We saw some of that work
as well last year in my district.
Mr. Speaker, we are increasing the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing
Corporation's annual maintenance budget to $10.2 million. We are providing $1.2
million to the raise the heating allowance to low income tenants who rent from
the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, $70,000 in
additional funding for transitional employment support services for victims of
violence and $44,000 in additional funding for women centres, including one in
my own district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, we are also investing $200,000 to continue the
Home Heating Oil Tank Storage Replacement Assistance Program. The minimum wage
is set to go up to $10 an hour in July, a commitment made, Mr. Speaker, a
commitment delivered by this government.
Mr. Speaker, our seniors will see an increase to the Low Income Seniors'
Benefit, another great initiative that this government has enhanced since 2003.
This year seniors who are eligible to see this benefit on their October GST
Rebate, paid by our Province to our seniors, our Province's Low Income Seniors'
Benefit will go up to $900 per senior or senior couple. This is for senior
couples and singles with partial benefits for incomes up to $33,500. This means
more seniors are now qualifying for the benefit. Again, Mr. Speaker, this is to
fulfill our mandate. This is to fulfill the commitment made to make Newfoundland
and Labrador the Province with the lowest level of poverty in Canada by 2014.
These are just a few of the accomplishments thus far and I would be here for
days, Mr. Speaker, weeks, Mr. Speaker, months, Mr. Speaker, I would be here a
year on my feet if I had to detail all the initiatives and programs of our
strategy, our investments and our concrete solid results.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, we are investing in health and well-being and
we are spending 10 per cent more than last year. When I look at this number I
cannot believe how many zeros or how many digits are to this number, this
Budget, this investment we are spending in health care. Mr. Speaker, we are
investing $2.7 billion yes, with a B - in health care, an incredible amount of
money for health care.
Mr. Speaker, we are investing $5 million to continue to implement the
recommendations of the Cameron report; $3.2 million to cover the cost of ten new
drug therapies under Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program. This
will include cancer drugs.
Mr. Speaker, we are investing $240,000 for a new Colorectal Cancer Screening
Program. In my district, just Friday past in fact, I was joined by the hon.
Minister of Health and Community Services and the MHA for the great District of
St. George's-Stephenville East and the Minister of Child, Youth and Family
Services where our government made significant investments in health care in the
region. Mr. Speaker, the Province is investing over $950,000 for a new urology
outreach program which was just implemented at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital in
the beautiful Town of Stephenville to serve the whole Bay St. George region.
Mr. Speaker, this program will provide support for enhanced access for
patients in the region for an investment of $410,000 in equipment, in addition
to new positions to support this program. The new outreach program at the
hospital will provide flexible cystoscopy procedures and outpatient consultation
weekly to reduce wait times. The wait time right now is about sixteen weeks.
Through this investment and this new program we would like to cut this to a more
reasonable period. We would like to cut it down to about six to seven weeks.
This new specialized service will advance and enhance the quality of health care
already being provided to area residents at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital. It is
yet, Mr. Speaker, another shining example of this government's commitment to
health care in all parts of our Province.
Since 2003, Mr. Speaker, our government and our Premier has invested over $5
million in health care equipment, repairs, and renovations in the Stephenville
area. We are funding $606,000 to enhance the Medical Transportation Assistance
Program to allow for reimbursement of mileage of over 5,000 kilometres over a
twelve-month period when using a private vehicle. An investment of $1.1 million
for dialysis machines for Labrador City and for Port aux Basques.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, we have a lot of people in our district, and in
fact in the whole Province, who are of Aboriginal decent. Budget 2010 calls for
the creation of an Aboriginal Health Liaison that would help develop a
Provincial Aboriginal Health Policy Framework. In addition, $200,000 for the
Provincial Wellness Grants Program for community-based agencies and groups in my
district who have benefitted from these grants in the past and will for years to
come.
Mr. Speaker, we are increasing capital grants for recreation and sports
facilities to a total of $1.3 million, and I thank my hon. colleague, the
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation for the foresight and the vision on
wellness for our seniors and our communities.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: There are municipalities, Mr. Speaker, and groups in my
district, such as Three Rock Cove of Port au Port East, Lourdes, and
Stephenville who have received grants from this program.
Mr. Speaker, we are investing $8.9 million so we can increase the home
support hourly rate by seventy-five cents in July of 2010.
Mr. Speaker, another great initiative of this government was the insulin pump
therapy for our children up to eighteen years of age. In Budget 2010, the Budget
allocated another investment of $797,700 to expand the insulin pump therapy so
that young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five can also avail of this program,
depending on the eligibility. This is in addition to the $1.4 million already
there for people up to eighteen years of age. When the Budget was brought down,
Mr. Speaker, I received an e-mail from a constituent, a parent in my district
who had lobbied for this and who had presented a discussion at the pre-Budget
consultation in Stephenville. She e-mailed thanking our government and remarking
on how we had delivered on a very important and necessary piece of life-giving
equipment.
Mr. Speaker, Budget 2010 also allows for investment in mental illness and
addictions with the construction of a treatment centre for the people in Grand
Falls-Windsor and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, although we are forecasting a $194.3 million deficit, we are
doing this so that we can continue to stimulate the economy, to expand and
develop new programs and to continue to hire and retain, to continue services
and to continue to invest in our people.
Mr. Speaker, the investments we continue to make will certainly make the
bright future and prosperous future full of opportunity and hope, full of
renewed energy and excitement, full of growth and diversification, but most of
all, Mr. Speaker, it will have the people of Newfoundland and Labrador feeling
proud, strong and determined.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am glad today to have a chance to get up and speak about Budget 2010-2011,
but I also want to mention some other initiatives in previous Budgets.
Before I get into my Budget remarks, I think I would be a bit remiss if I did
not congratulate our most recently elected MHA, the Member for Topsail, seeing I
am his closest city neighbour. He may be getting sick of hearing this stuff, but
congratulations and best wishes. I am sure your previous experiences in
municipal politics and with the RNC will be valuable in your work with your
constituents in the future.
I also want to congratulate yourself and our Member for Terra Nova for very
good maiden speeches. Your first speeches in the House of Assembly were great.
Actually, when you were up speaking, I was thinking about the time I had to get
up. Not knowing that it was a maiden speech I had to give, I got up and spoke on
the Budget. I did not thank anybody. I was not near as wise as our new Member
for Terra Nova, who got up and first of all thanked his wife sincerely. I did
not mention mine and I have two couches worn out ever since. I guess there is
more wisdom in youth than in age sometimes. Anyway, it is great to see young men
and women being a part of this government and being Members of the House of
Assembly.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank, or to congratulate, our new
Chief of Police, Bob Johnston. Also, I want to thank retiring Chief Joe Browne
for the great co-operation I received from him in the past when I was a St.
John's city councillor. When I was a city councillor I had to deal with many,
many cases of vandalism, home break-ins, speeding, et cetera, in the Goulds and
Kilbride. Even several years - I think it was about 2002 - Kilbride was rampaged
with home break-ins and robberies. People lost barbeques and everything you
could imagine out of their sheds and out of their backyards. I called a public
meeting together at the time, got 300 people at that, and had great co-operation
from the RNC. We ended up having some seminars, Neighbourhood Watch seminars,
and some meetings, and we set up neighbourhood watches on a number of the
streets in Kilbride, which resulted in us curbing all of the vandalism and all
of the robberies and that. I have Chief Joe Browne to thank for this, because he
was instrumental at that time. He was not chief at the time; I think he was
Deputy Chief, if I am not mistaken, but he did great work with us.
Prior to 2003, because of my dealings at the time with the RNC, I found out
that they were experiencing serious organizational difficulties due to budgetary
shortfalls and a lack of adequate funding from the Liberal government at the
time. The RNC membership was aging, and there was no plan in place at the time
to replace retiring officers. The guys who were on duty were being asked to
cover off too many overtime hours. I even heard stories of RNC people not even
having reliable vehicles to respond to calls that they were getting. I also
remember at the time, being at a pre-Budget consultation in St. John's, and I
listened to a brief presented by the RNC Association outlining their concerns
and the impact their concerns and their lack of funding was having on the safety
of the public.
When the Premier and his government took control of this Province in 2003, I
think one of the first things they addressed were the concerns of the RNC.
Several batches of new officers were trained. I do not know if I should be
calling them batches - it sounds like some cooking material or something but,
I think 141 new recruits were added to the force here in this Province. Now,
they were trained in this Province, too, which is a good thing to know. New
equipment was purchased. Today, the RNC is much better equipped manpower-wise
and equipment-wise to protect the public.
I was also glad to hear, when the new chief was installed there recently,
that the funding to the RNC has increased by 75 per cent for the last five or
six years. If there is anything that people want from their governments, it is
protection. People put public safety above all else, even snow clearing or
whatever else you can do.
Mr. Speaker, the concerns of the RNC prior to 2003, were just one example of
the problems that were embedded in the whole economic fabric of Newfoundland at
that time. Operating government budgets were gravely in deficit, reaching close
to $1 billion. In 2002, I think the operating deficit for the Liberal government
was close to $1 billion, which meant that they were spending $1 billion more
than they were taking in. The public debt was close to $12 billion, and steadily
growing. The debt was costing nearly $1 billion in annual interest costs. Taxes
were high, jobs were scarce, and infrastructure was crumbling. Public buildings
like schools and hospitals were not being maintained properly. Municipal Capital
Works at the time had slowed to a trickle; that was those Municipal Capital
Works that depended on provincial cost-sharing. I can remember at the time, if I
am not mistaken, in 2002 the provincial roads money, or maybe it might have been
all the capital works, I think, was about $20 million, which is nothing compared
to what this government is spending in the last number of years. Roads were
deplorable.
Back in 2003 the Premier and his government took control of a Province that
had all the elements of recession. The Premier and his team put a financial plan
in place and stuck to it. In two years, things began to turn around. For four
successive years, 2005-2008, there were operational surpluses rather than
deficits. The capital debt was paid down from $12 billion to below $8 billion.
Interest payments on this debt were reduced by over $250 million a year; money
that was now being used to pay for other services. An aggressive infrastructure
program was put in place. Millions of dollars was spent on roads, schools,
hospitals and equipment. Many schools that had leaky roofs, windows and doors
were fixed. Many schools received equipment needed to offer quality programming,
such as gym equipment, lab equipment and computer equipment.
I have been the MHA for the District of Kilbride for a little over three
years. During this time I have seen nearly every facet, every sector of
government responsibility get major budget investments. We have built or
committed to build schools, not only in PC districts but also in Liberal
districts, as was mentioned in Question Period today. We have built or committed
to build hospitals, care homes, transition houses, treatment facilities, roads
and bridges, ferries. We have supplied equipment for schools and hospitals. All
government service agencies got new equipment. I can remember highway depots
back in 2002 not having proper ploughs, or reliable ploughs and sanders to do
the highways. Today, a lot of these depots have new equipment that is able to go
out and look after the roads in the wintertime.
We have brought in a free textbook program for high schools, and a
Prescription Drug Program that is pretty well available to everybody except with
a few financial qualifications. We have brought in needs-based grants for
post-secondary students, and we have brought in an improved Home Heat Rebate
Program. First when this Home Heat Rebate Program came in it was only $100 a
year, if I am not mistaken; today it is much better than that.
We are providing the funding necessary to accelerate the Provincial Home
Repair Program. By 2012 and 2013, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
are hoping to be dealing only with current applications, which means that,
rather than having applications five or six years old, they are going to be
dealing with the ones that are passed in on that given year. Right now, some
district offices are already dealing with recent applications. It is only
another year or so and they will be after catching up on everything. I think by
this year all the applications in for 2009 will be dealt with.
We have increased benefits to seniors. We have invested in several healthy
living programs for adults and children. This year's Budget will continue this
investment with increased funding for after school programs for school children.
Also, we have added new programs for seniors. I am very glad to see that this
government is recognizing the need to provide funding to help with after school
programs because I think we had a recent report card on the physical abilities
or the physical status of our children and I do not think it was a passing grade
at all. Now, I think, by investing here, we will be taking some steps to correct
this.
This government has, in successive Budgets, cut taxes. Provincial income tax
has been cut on three occasions since I came here. The insurance tax has been
eliminated. The payroll tax has been reduced. One that is very close to my
heart, one that I had a lot of calls on, not near as many now, that we have
eliminated the interest on the provincial portion of student loans. Now, I do
not know how significant that might mean to some people, but it is very, very
important for past students who owe a lot of money and now they see that their
interest rates or payments could be cut or they could be out of debt faster than
they had before. One young lady that I was dealing with, I think she is going to
pay her debt off in a couple of years faster now because the interest rates have
been eliminated by the Province. It would be nice now if the federal government
would do the same thing, reduce the interest on the federal portions and
students would have an awful lot better chance of getting along.
There was $40 dropped from the vehicle registration costs. We have spent
millions on maintenance and repairs. We have increased wages for public sector
workers and home care workers. Back in 2003, I think, the wages for home care
workers were $6. Today, home care workers get $11 an hour with an increase
approved in this Budget for July 1, which will bring it well over $11. We have
added teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors, care workers, wardens, and
health and safety officers, environmental protection officers. The list goes on
and on.
We have listened to the people and responded accordingly, but we realize that
there are still lots to do. This government does not rest on its laurels and
think that we have everything finished, by no means; we know there are still
lots more to do and we will continue doing lots.
Today our government continues to follow a sound financial plan, one that is
helping us navigate the current worldwide economic downturn. In 2008-2009, the
entire industrial world was hit by a terrible economic slowdown. Countries like
the USA were left crippled. Many people lost their jobs, their houses and their
savings. World economic experts laid plans for governments around the globe to
follow. This plan told governments to cut taxes, pay down debt and invest in
infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, this plan sounds very familiar. It is the plan that
this government has been following since 2003. I guess the world can learn from
us.
We all know that this Province did not escape untouched by the worldwide
recession. Our resource industry took a hit when commodity prices went down.
Consequently, our revenues were lower in 2009-2010. We were faced with a
dilemma: Will we continue on the economic path we had chosen in 2003 or cut
spending so that we could balance the Budget? The Premier and our government
decided to continue the plan that we were on. I think this was a very, very wise
decision, especially when you consider that this economy that we are in now
depends so much on government spending. If we had cut spending, jobs would have
been lost and the economy, I think, would have slipped back into something like
they are having in the States. I think it was very, very smart thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, Budget 2010-2011 continues to benefit my district like the
previous years' Budgets. One of the most significant initiatives in this year's
Budget was $500,000 allowed, or allotted, to commence planning for a new high
school for the West End of St. John's. This high school will accommodate the
students of Kilbride. This has been a hot topic in my district ever since 1999
when the Liberal government at the time decided, in their lack of wisdom, to
close, or to take Beaconsfield out the high school system. They would not listen
to the advice of the planners, the parents, and the people who knew a lot at the
time. I think it was all political actually because Kilbride was a very PC
district at the time, so they did close the school, not allowing that Kilbride
was going to grow and that this whole West End area of St. John's was going to
grow considerably at the time.
If you look today and you go in through Kilbride you can see what we are
talking about, that these people who predicted the growth in Kilbride were
really right. There are several subdivisions after going up and several more
started in Kilbride. Actually, one started off Griffin's Lane last fall and a
month ago there were twenty-five housing starts there. Today, there are probably
forty, so Kilbride is growing. The decision that was made in 1999 was a bad
decision. A lot of people in the Kilbride district are happy that this
government is now committed to putting a high school in the West End.
Budget 2010-2011 continues to invest in infrastructure projects in my
district. Several projects have been funded under the present three-year
multi-year capital works program, and work has been completed or will be
completed on upgrading part of Bay Bulls Road, upgrading part of Brookfield
Road. We are going to get a new soccer field in Goulds, which is started and
should be finished in the next few months. Mr. Speaker, $75 million has been
provided for water treatment projects at Petty Harbour Long Pond and Bay Bulls
Big Pond, Dooling's Line has been upgraded and widened, and a sanitary sewer for
Kieley Drive and Everard Avenue have been completed.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of money has been invested in Kilbride district, there are
still lots of work to do, and we know it. We need a community centre in
Southlands. We need a community centre for Kilbride, a better community centre
for Goulds, we need water and sewer services extended in parts of Kilbride and
Goulds that do not have water and sewer, and the main road through Goulds and
Kilbride needs to be upgraded to urban standards with sidewalks. Another issue
that is prominent that we will be working on, and we have already expressed our
concerns, are the issues around affordable housing.
Before I finish, Mr. Speaker, I have to take I have three minutes left. I
think I would like to take a couple of minutes to comment on the Abitibi
situation. Now I have been listening intently for the last few weeks about what
is going on out in the Grand Falls and Central Newfoundland area. Now, I go to
Grand Falls or the Central Newfoundland area fairly often, probably a few times
a year, to go hunting. I have been over vast areas of that over the years, and I
think one of the proudest moments I had, one of the times I said I was tickled
to death, back in 2008, when this government decided to expropriate the assets,
or the land, the water, the power rights, the timber rights from Abitibi. I
think this was one of the smartest moves that could ever be made.
We can only imagine what would happen if we had not done it. You imagine if
we did not have to do this. All of this land, all these water rights and all
this timber would be out of our control, and someone else could have come in,
Abitibi could have sold those off to someone else.
Now, the reason I like the idea of expropriating these assets is that now we
have a land base that someday we can use, probably when the oil is gone. We know
that this Province is self-sufficient in eggs and milk and what is the other
one? eggs, milk and chicken. We are importing fruits and vegetables and a lot
of meats, and I think the day is coming when you are going to see vast parts of
Central Newfoundland being a food producing area.
Abitibi came here and here is the key point I will make Abitibi came here
probably 100 years ago to produce paper. When they came here a lot of
concessions were made and they were given water rights and timber rights and
land rights. Today, they are not producing paper so they do not deserve to have
these assets. So I am glad that they do not have them any more and that we took
it on them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: Before I finish up, I have to mention Labrador. Now, I am on
this earth a good while, probably longer than most of you here, and I do not
think ever in my lifetime have I seen such investments that have been put into
Labrador. Never! We are after investing in highways and hospitals and all kinds
of schools in Labrador. We have responded to the problems that are unique to
Labrador. Never before did I see this happen in past governments, never, and I
think this government has made a strong commitment to Labrador. We have two
excellent ministers representing Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: We also have a great MHA representing another part of Labrador.
These people work tirelessly for Labrador.
So, Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I will have to say this, I fully support the
financial direction the Premier and our government is taking in this Province
and I fully support Budget 2010-2011.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): The hon. the Minister of Human Resources,
Labour and Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a great opportunity for me to stand in this
House again today and speak about the Budget. You will recall or some who are
diligent watchers and vigilant watchers will recall that I did speak on the
amendment earlier and I am always happy to get up and have some comments around
Budget 2010, particularly around the good initiatives that that Budget has
enabled us to either continue on with or the new initiatives of this Budget.
Before I get into what the intent of my talk today was going to be, which was
to deal with the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, I did
want to pick up where my colleague left off when he mentioned Grand
Falls-Windsor and the area of Central Newfoundland. He is certainly exactly
right. I am ever so happy that if the mill had to go down in Grand Falls-Windsor
that it was this government that was in control; that it was this government
that was in power and that it was this Premier who had the leadership to take us
through that most difficult time in our history, and it was this Premier who had
the courage to say those are our resources and we are having them back. That
will probably be the proudest day in my life in this House. I am hoping to be
here for some time yet to come but I have no doubt that that will probably be
the proudest day.
Though, Mr. Speaker, we have come through some difficult times in Grand
Falls-Windsor-Exploits, the surrounding area, the whole of Central Newfoundland
and we are not all the way through those difficult times, I have to say that
because of the leadership, the initiatives of this government and the work that
has been done, not just by Cabinet but by all my colleagues who have been
supportive, by the ministerial taskforce that has been put in place and the
local CDC, the local Community Development Committee, as well as the
partnerships that we have forged with the business community out in the area, as
well as the partnerships that we have forged with the labour community in the
area, I believe we have come a long ways. When I spoke about two weeks ago I
outlined all of the major investments that have been made in the area, and
though I am tempted to go there again, I am fully cognizant of the fact that I
only have twenty minutes and I would like to speak to the work of my department
as well.
Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not at least acknowledge this press
release that I received just moments ago. Even though I had been aware that it
was coming, it is so nice to see it on paper. The press release starts with,
"New retail development for Grand Falls-Windsor." I do not know if the camera
can pick this up or not but it is so happy to be able to see a press release
like this coming out of Grand Falls-Windsor that talks about major new retail
development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: The president of Econo-Malls was in Grand Falls-Windsor just
yesterday to make that announcement. What a boost for the community to see the
Queensway open up, to hear that the mall itself is now full and that Econo-Malls
already has offers of new vendors, new retail development that wants to go into
Grand Falls-Windsor and set up.
Mr. Speaker, we know that people told us that once the mill was gone, the
town was gone. Anything but that is true, Mr. Speaker, anything but that.
Instead, we have seen all sorts of positive investment in the town because
investors believe in Grand Falls-Windsor, because they know that this government
is supporting Grand Falls-Windsor, the Exploits Valley and all of Central
Newfoundland through all of its investments. To see this announcement this
morning was certainly a boost to everybody out there I am sure in the region,
but it was certainly a boost to me and I was so happy to have received that
particular announcement.
Now, Mr. Speaker, what I would like to do today though is focus on the many
positive initiatives of the Department of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment. When I tried to do that the last time I spoke, I sort of ran out of
time, did not get opportunity to talk about all the highlights of this
department but I think it is important to know that the Department of Human
Resources, Labour and Employment is perhaps one of the busiest departments and
it is one of the best good news departments that we have within government.
There are so many positive programs that happen within the Department of Human
Resources, Labour and Employment. Our gross annual budget, Mr. Speaker, is about
$492.6 million; lots of investment that is able to happen through there.
When we talk about Human Resources, Labour and Employment, one of the
important challenges that we face in that department has to do with our labour
market challenges. We meet those challenges head-on through our department with
our approaches and opportunities and partnerships with clients, with business,
with labour, with community agencies and other government departments. That
includes specific measures, Mr. Speaker, such as strategies to attract and
retain youth and immigrants, and strategies to improve labour market
participation of current and potential workers, especially under-represented
groups.
Mr. Speaker, we provide, through HRLE, supports to employers in accessing the
employees that they need as well. It is not simply about trying to help
employees find opportunities to work in this Province, but we provide supports
as well to employers. It is probably a little-known aspect of some of the work
we do over there, and that is why I wanted to take this opportunity to speak to
it.
We have seen some major investments. I think of the HR Toolkit, the Human
Resources Toolkit that we have put in place for small and medium-sized
businesses. The support that has received, the accolades that that particular
toolkit has received from our small and medium-sized businesses that sometimes
do not have the HR capacity required to be able to deal with all of the ins and
outs of keeping and sustaining a workforce. That toolkit provides them with many
resources. It provides them with templates, for example, that are helpful in
attracting and retaining a labour market.
I could talk at length about the toolkit and about many of the other
investments that we have made for our employees. Particularly, if I were to
mention JobsinNL.ca, perhaps one of the best known Web sites in Newfoundland and
Labrador now by people who are looking for employment or by employers who are
looking to advertise for the positions that they have not yet filled. The Web
site was launched just a few short months ago but the response has been
phenomenal, both from the business community who have told me time and time
again that they have found that particular Web site to be invaluable; but also
by young people and people of all ages who are using the site to look for job
opportunities. They can actually put their resumes up on-line at that particular
Web site, JobsinNL.ca, and the can apply for jobs on-line through that
particular Web site. Employers are using the site to manage resumes that are
coming to them as well. It is an incredible Web site.
Mr. Speaker, we have made investments in the targeted initiatives for older
workers programs as well. Most recently, HRLE supported job creation through the
Bridging the Gap model. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of being in Clarenville
with my colleague, the Minister of Business, in his District of Trinity North,
to announce $1.38 million in funding to the Random North Development Association
to deliver six projects, Mr. Speaker, under the Bridging the Gap program. That
program will employ seventy-seven individuals throughout the Province.
Community-based programs like Bridging the Gap are instrumental in helping us
grow the economy and grow the communities within Newfoundland and Labrador. Many
people have spoken positively - and I see my colleague to the left, the MHA for
Baie Verte-Springdale who is nodding in accordance with that because, of course,
in his area one of the community groups and one of the employer's businesses who
have benefited and can attest first-hand to the value of the Bridging the Gap
initiative is Newfoundland and Labrador Vegetation who, in fact, took many of
our displaced Abitibi employees and then trained them - it is an education to
employment program - trained them in the area of vegetation control and will be
able to supply them with employment at the end of the program. It is a fabulous
program, Mr. Speaker, and I was so happy to be in Clarenville last week to make
those announcements.
My colleague, as well, the Minister of Education joined us via the
technology, which is a wonderful thing to see. He, too, was pleased and happy to
see that his area of Grand Bank also would have benefited and will continue to
benefit from the program known as Bridging the Gap. Again, some very good work.
Another important initiative that I would like to highlight and that I am
really proud to say that I was part of is a brand new program that we have
initiated and just launched a little while ago, a couple of Thursdays ago, I
believe, at the Home Show here in St. John's, Newfoundland, which is Try the
Trades. It is a really unique venture, Mr. Speaker. Try the Trades is an
initiative that we undertook in partnership with the Canadian Home Builders'
Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. They actually came to us recognizing
that particularly in the residential trades area there are difficulties and
there are labour shortages, there are difficulties in finding people to do the
work. So, they asked us if we would be interested in partnering with them and,
of course, we were.
The program is a really nice concept that involves giving people opportunity
to try a particular residential trade for two weeks or four weeks, depending on
the time that somebody has available. It involves two or three days of an
in-classroom setting where they would actually go in and study things about
workplace health and safety, occupational risks, and so on, but then be mentored
by a particular person in a trade and go on the jobsite to have opportunity to
try that trade without having to invest a whole lot of money as opposed to
others who would have to go and spend a year or eighteen months or two years in
a particular school to learn about that trade. They are actually on site
learning and after two weeks or four weeks, whatever they choose then they have
opportunity to say: This is an area where I would like to work; this is an area
now that I want to pursue or I do not want to pursue. That is just as valuable,
Mr. Speaker, in knowing what you do not want to pursue.
The beauty of this program is that you have the opportunity to be mentored by
somebody in the trade and you have not had to invest any money in the training
yourself. You have just had this opportunity to have a look-see. It is a great
program. It is one that we are really happy to be partnering with the Canadian
Home Builders' Association on, and it is a program that I think will really take
off and show great promise for the future.
Mr. Speaker, there are so many programs that I could talk about within HRLE
that we could we could use of the rest of the Budget Debate doing that, and so I
am going to have to be a little bit strategic in terms of areas that I do look
at.
Mr. Speaker, our historical challenge of too many people and not enough work
is now giving away to the new reality of emerging labour market shortages. Many
small and medium-sized employers across the Province now require support to find
and keep the skilled workers that they will need to compete. For this reason, in
Budget 2010, the Department of HRLE will undertake a comprehensive labour market
review. We have many, many programs within HRLE, within the Department of
Education, within the Department of INTRD, so along with my two colleagues in
those departments, we have struck a committee to look at the labour market
itself, to look at the programs that are there, to look at the needs of
employers, to look at the needs of employees, and to see how to best streamline
the process so that we have efficient, effective programs that people can access
easily so that we can streamline applications for people to access those
programs and so that we can have a suite of labour market programs that will
better reach out to the needs of every Newfoundlander and Labradorian.
It is a massive undertaking, Mr. Speaker, when you look at the fact that we
have recently devolved the Labour Market Development Agreement from the federal
government to the tune of about $133 million, when you look at the fact that
through the stimulus infrastructure investments there will be another $14
million, and when you look at the fact that through our other pre-existing
programs within HRLE, INTRD and Education, we probably have $250 million worth
of labour market programs that we utilize and can utilize now here in this
Province. So the task of that review will be to see how can we best use that
money, how we ensure that it is getting into the right hands, and that we have
created, for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, programs that are suiting their
needs, that are tailored specifically to their needs; because having taken over
that amount of money, the $133 million from the federal government, we have
discovered that some of the programs did not really fit the needs of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It will be our task now to ensure that the
programs do, in fact, meet our needs.
So that devolution has certainly been a very positive thing for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It was a seamless devolution in my opinion,
very few people were aware that that transfer of some seventy-seven individuals
and $133 million had happened because there were absolutely no blips, nothing on
the radar that would have caused people any great concern. We are continuing to
offer the programs, Mr. Speaker, as they have been over the last few years, but
we will be looking toward tailoring and streamlining them as best we can. JCPs
are a very good example of that the Job Creation Partnership programs, and
many, many announcements have been coming up from my department about the huge
amounts of investments that we are making now in Newfoundland and Labrador, not
only to provide employment, Mr. Speaker, but to ensure that organizations, to
ensure that municipalities, fraternal groups, whatever, have opportunities now
to have infrastructure brought into their communities in a way that they could
not before. So we are very, very happy with how things are working with regard
to that.
There are several other initiatives of my department that I think, besides
the labour market, are deserving and merit some comment here. The Office of
Immigration and Multiculturalism, Mr. Speaker, is doing some wonderful work here
in this Province. Since we launched the official strategy in the year 2007, we
have seen a marked improvement in the number of immigrants who have come to this
Province and have declared this to be a premiere destination, a destination of
choice in Canada. We have invested about $6 million in our provincial strategy.
It is known as Diversity ~ Opportunity and Growth. We are seeing great results
from that strategy - some 400 immigrants that we are attracting on average.
Other jurisdictions have seen some success but not the degree of success, in
terms of increases, that we are seeing here.
Our Provincial Nominee Program is just growing in just leaps and bounds, Mr.
Speaker, and we are certainly very happy with that. Through our Provincial
Nominee Program, we are able to attract highly skilled individuals to come to
this Province to fill jobs that otherwise have been very difficult to fill. Most
of the people who are nominated through the Provincial Nominee Program are less
than forty-nine years of age, they have degrees, they are working in - I think
it is 51 per cent off the Avalon, 49 per cent on the Avalon. They are working in
areas of health science, particularly, and engineering. Highly degreed', highly
successful people in this Province and we are very happy to have them.
Recognizing not only the value of the work that they are able to perform for us
here in this Province, but also what they add to the cultural fabric of who we
are as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, Mr. Speaker.
In terms of work that is happening through the Office of Immigration and
Multiculturalism, we are all so extremely happy. YRAS, our Youth Retention and
Attraction Strategy is another area that I must make reference to, if I am to
speak to Budget and talk about the great investment that we have made in the
young people of our Province.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote something that Premier Williams said at
the launch of the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy back in November when
he said, "This strategy marks the beginning of a new era of partnership with the
young people of this province, and reflects our shared commitment to ensuring
that Newfoundland and Labrador continues to navigate its way toward prosperity
and self-reliance." Mr. Speaker, I cannot agree more. Attracting young people to
this Province, keeping the young people that we have already in this Province
certainly lays the foundation for it is the very cornerstone for that future
success in this Province. We need our young people, we need their strength, we
need their energy, we need their ideas and we want them. Not only that, Mr.
Speaker, through the rounds of consultations that we had in the development of
this particular strategy we certainly learned from our young people that they
need and want us. They want to stay here, they need to stay here, it is part of
their fabric, it is part of who they are and they certainly do want to be here.
Mr. Speaker, the strategy itself is a $15 million commitment to our young
people to find ways and opportunities to ensure that they have the ability to
stay here or to come back if they have already left. We have forty-one action
items within that strategy. I am happy to say that we have had great movement
throughout the strategy in a very short period of time. We have seen parts, or
if not all, of some of those initiatives already implemented and about
thirty-one of those particular initiatives we have been able to either start or
we are working our way through those initiatives.
Some very good strategies there, Mr. Speaker, in terms of providing
opportunities at the job entry level point because that is what our young people
told us. They told us very clearly that they needed entry level jobs in order to
be able to stay in this Province. They are not saying that they want to start at
the top but they are saying that they needed entry level jobs.
Mr. Speaker, through our wage subsidy programs, through our new
apprenticeship programs, which I think we should speak to here this afternoon as
well because we have done a fair bit of work in the last few months at enhancing
our apprenticeship program. Again, the Minister of Education, the Minister of
INTRD, and myself within the chair of the Human Resources, Labour and Employment
are looking at what we can do to improve that but certainly within our own
provincial infrastructure we have increased the number of apprenticeships.
In fact, we have doubled the number of apprenticeships that are available
through the Department of Transportation and Works, through our health care
authorities, through our school boards and wherever we can within government and
Government Services. We have done everything that we can to improve the
apprenticeship opportunities for our young people. Having said that, we realize
that we have not yet accomplished the task at hand, which is to be able to
provide opportunities for all of our young people there and so we are continuing
to work. When we mentioned the labour market review earlier, that is part of
what we will review within that strategy, but it is certainly part of another
study that the Minister of Education and I have undertaken in the last little
while.
Those are some of the examples, Mr. Speaker, but when we encounter issues,
when we encounter problems we are extremely open to finding ways - and just this
session, in the winter semester we had opportunity to find a way to help out
about thirty extra -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I remind the hon. member that her time for speaking has expired.
MS SULLIVAN: By leave?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member has asked for leave. Does the hon. member
have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: Yes, go ahead.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment, by leave.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So, Mr. Speaker, when we learned that there was a second cohort of
engineering students who were going through at Memorial University School of
Engineering who had difficulty finding opportunities for placement this term;
then we got involved. We helped out. We put forward the subsidies that were
needed for employers, for businesses and so on to take in those students, and we
are happy to report that all of those students were in fact placed.
Mr. Speaker, though I have many more things that I can talk about in the good
work of HRLE, I will thank you for the leave and I will take my seat and hope
that there will be another opportunity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
With that, Mr. Speaker, for this afternoon we will adjourn debate on Motion
Mr. Speaker, we would like to return to the second reading of Bill 4,
An Act
To Amend The Provincial Court Act, 1991.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is thrilling to rise in this House once again to take
part in debating yet
another important bill, another important piece of legislation that this
government has presented in this session of the House. In recent days in this
hon. Legislature, Mr. Speaker, I have had a chance to speak to important pieces
of legislation, relevant and pertinent pieces of legislation related to consumer
protection, related to private security.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I am speaking to another bill that truly does impact
people's lives in this great Province of ours. I am speaking to Bill 4, which is
related to
An Act To Amend The Provincial Court Act, 1991. Yesterday, we had a
couple of hours of lively and informed debate on this bill. It is really a bill
about judicial independence, accountability, and the Provincial Court system is
certainly something that impacts thousands of citizens in this Province on an
annual basis.
In the minister's opening remarks he made reference to a great new
development in the beautiful City of Corner Brook, the opening of the new
courthouse in recent weeks, and the hon. the Member for Lewisporte also had some
great remarks related to the Provincial Court system.
The Opposition however, Mr. Speaker, you want to talk about relevance, it was
amazing to see how forty minutes of valuable time in this Legislature was chewed
up yesterday during this debate. The Opposition House Leader rose and he did
speak about the importance of the tribunal process, which is actually what this
piece of legislation addresses, but he went on to talk about judicial
independence. Then he suggested that government should be directing and
controlling the Child and Youth Advocate, Mr. Speaker, an officer of this House,
which I found quite ironic.
This bill that we are debating today is about ensuring decisions are made
without political interference. Yet, yesterday during Question Period and during
this very debate on this very bill, Mr. Speaker, the Opposition suggested that
we should in fact interfere with the work of an officer of this House. So, the
Opposition talks about how we should all be respectful of judges and the
judiciary that is a tough word I just discovered and their roles, Mr.
Speaker, and that the Opposition was quick to point out that there are processes
that should certainly be followed when we are dealing with courts and with
judges.
Yet, during Question Period yesterday, and during the remarks from the hon.
Opposition House Leader, we saw the Opposition attack the Child and Youth
Advocate, interestingly enough, who is a former judge, because he would not meet
with the Leader of the Opposition. The nerve of them to suggest that the
Advocate is not doing his job, Mr. Speaker, that he is not answerable to the
people simply because he will not meet with politicians.
It is interesting that during the debate on this particular bill we are
actually talking about the importance of judicial independence, the importance
of accountability and, really, the importance of transparency within the court
system - interesting and ironic, Mr. Speaker.
This amendment to the Provincial Court Act is a necessary one. There has been
a delay in the tribunal process that this legislation addresses, and an
extension of about three months has been sought. That is really what we are
trying to address in this particular bill.
While we have had a couple of hours of debate already on this particular
bill, we are really talking about a bill that is two sentences. It relates to
subsection 28.2 of the Provincial Court Act, 1991. We are repealing that
particular subsection and substituting one simple sentence, Mr. Speaker, that
allows for the report to be presented by September 30 as opposed to the April 30
date that is spelled out in the current piece of