March 18, 2003 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLIV No. 50

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. LUSH: Mr. Speaker, by agreement, both sides of the House agreed today

that we would elect the Deputy Speaker, since there were Cabinet changes and

some changes to the Officers of the House, and also the Deputy Chair of

Committees.

Mr. Speaker, I move that Mary Hodder, the Member for the District of

Burin-Placentia West, be elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I second this motion.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Member for

Burin-Placentia West be elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. LUSH: Mr. Speaker, I move that Roland Butler, the Member for the

District of Port de Grave, be elected Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the

House of Assembly.

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I second the motion.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Member for the

District of Port de Grave be elected Deputy Chair of Committees of the House of

Assembly.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

arrived.

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

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the wish of His Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor that all present pleased be seated.

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

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

The Fourth Session of the Forty-Fourth General Assembly of this Honourable

House is about to be prorogued, but before releasing you from you duties, I wish

to thank you for the careful and sympathetic attention given to the important

matters brought before you by my Ministers. Your commitment to your work and

your diligence deserve our appreciation and acknowledgment.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

Twenty-seven pieces of legislation were enacted during this Session. In

particular, legislative initiatives were taken in highway safety, the

environment, mining, forestry and income and employment support.

In light of the troubling news relating to the cod stocks in certain areas of

our Province, this Honourable House adopted a unanimous resolution requesting an

historic meeting of representatives of this House, the House of Commons and the

Senate to ensure that we work collectively and co-operatively for the best

interests of the people and communities of this Province.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly :

My Government introduced a new Student Financial Assistance Act to improve

debt reduction measures, reduce loan defaults and help reduce student debt

accumulation, measures to ensure that post-secondary education is more

accessible to all who wish to pursue it.

During this Session, in order to ensure that the Access to Information and

Protection of Privacy Act maintains my Government's commitment to a greater

level of openness and accountability, an amendment was enacted to provide for

the appointment of an information and privacy commissioner to conduct reviews

and hear complaints under the Act. This new officer of the House will soon be

appointed.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

Following reference to the Resource Committee of this House, two major

environmental bills were enacted during this Session. They are the Environmental

Protection Act and the Water Resources Act. The former Act covers areas of

environmental assessment, pesticide control, waste management, waste material

disposal and environmental issues generally. These amendments offer better

protection to the environment and to the people of the Province. The latter Act

is a revision and consolidation of the law respecting the control and management

of the water resources of the Province including the legislative provisions in

the old Crown Lands Act, the Water Resources Protection Act and the Well

Drilling Act.

To eliminate accidents and tragedies caused by persons driving while

intoxicated, my Government introduced tough amendments to the Highway Traffic

Act which dramatically increased the penalties for drunk driving offences and

also introduced a new law which will provide for ignition interlock devices.

Concerned about the safety of our citizens on the highways of our Province, my

government also introduced an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act which will

make it an offence to use a hand-held cellular telephone while driving a motor

vehicle. These amendments reflect the government's continued commitment to

making our highways as safe as possible.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

During this session, my government introduced and this House subsequently

passed

An Act Respecting the Provision of Income and Employment Support to

People of the Province. This progressive legislation was presented to members

following an intensive consultation with stakeholders and the public. One of the

main purposes of this act is to facilitate the provision of income and

employment support to eligible persons and deliver supports and programs that

assist individuals to achieve their employment and career goals. As well, a new

Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act was passed during this session, improving

the process for families obtaining support orders.

My government also introduced a bill to impose taxes on income from mining

operations within the Province and on income derived from persons holding rights

to mine. This new act will replace the old Mining and Mineral Rights Tax Act

which my government had considered to be inappropriate to deal with the recent

mining issues in this Province. Those who profit from this Province's

resources must fairly and justly recompense the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador. Also during this session,

An Act to Amend the Forestry Act was enacted

to provide for a uniform expiry date of the timber licences held by Abitibi

Consolidated Company of Canada. The amendment provides that the expiry dates,

which now vary between November 2002 and November 2021, will have a common

expiry date on December 31, 2010. This amendment has provided a measure of

security for the people of this Province who earn a living in Central

Newfoundland with this company.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

Upon a request by the City of St. John's Municipal Council, the City of St.

John's Act was amended to remove the ability of the Mayor to vote a second

time where there is an equality of votes. An equality of votes on a motion is

now considered to be the defeat of that motion.

In order to refine further the Adoption Act, adopted by this House in 1999,

various amendments were enacted during this session to clarify further and

improve the effectiveness of that act. These amendments have been suggested by

participants in an extensive consultation and training process over the last two

years.

Among the other legislative measures enacted during this session were:

An Act

To Amend The Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act,

An Act Regarding an

Agreement With The Newfoundland And Labrador Medical Association,

An Act To

Amend The Public Service Pensions Act, 1991,

An Act To Amend The Gasoline Tax

Act,

An Act To Amend The Tobacco Tax Act and

An Act To Amend The Teachers'

Pension Act.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

I thank you for the large measure of supply you have granted. I assure you

that the appropriations that you have granted have been and will be expended by

my ministers with care and efficiency.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

It is my pleasure that the Fourth Session of the Forty-Fourth General

Assembly now be prorogued and is prorogued accordingly.