Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 22 May 2014 (47th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLVII No. 31)

2014-05-22

Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)

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May 22,

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 31

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR.

SPEAKER (Wiseman):

Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Before we start today's proceedings, I want to

acknowledge some special guests in our gallery.

Today, we are joined by three individuals who are on the executive of the

Association for Early Childhood Educators: Mary Walsh, Helen Sinclair, and

Joanne Morris.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR.

SPEAKER:

Today we will have members' statements from the Member for the District of St.

Barbe; the Member for the District of Conception Bay East Bell Island; the

Member for the District of Bellevue; the Member for the District of Bonavista

North; the Member for the District of Burgeo La Poile; and the Member for the

District of Kilbride.

The hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize and

congratulate the Dredge family on providing seventy years of mail service to

Black Duck Cove, Forrester's Point, St. Barbe and Pigeon Cove, communities in

the District of St. Barbe.

Three successive generations of Dredges have been

Postmasters. Abraham Dredge Sr. was

Postmaster for four years, from 1943 to 1947.

Mr. Dredge was a businessman who agreed to provide this service when

nobody else was available.

His son, Abraham Dredge Jr., next served as Postmaster

for forty-six years from 1947 to 1993.

Often away, he was backed up by his wife, Gladys, nee Stephens, from

Eddies Cove East. On his retirement

in 1993, their son, Abraham George Dredge III, became Postmaster.

Affectionately known as Abey George, the third

Postmaster Dredge still carries on the family tradition from a home-based post

office in Black Duck Cove, providing postal service to four communities for the

past twenty-one years a combined milestone of seventy years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House to join me

in recognizing and congratulating the Dredge family on this unprecedented

service in the District of St. Barbe.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand to recognize Raymond (Ray) Will, a resident of

Portugal Cove-St. Phillips. Ray,

originally from the United Kingdom, moved here in 1977 and had a reputation as

being a great distance runner, and he quickly proved it.

From 1978 to 1982, Ray competed in the Masters age

group, ages forty to forty-four, never defeated provincially and was the

top-ranked Masters runner during 1978 and 1979 in the 1,500, 3,000, 5,000,

10,000 metres and marathon categories in all of North America.

Ray was voted as Track and Field Athlete of the Year in

1979, and became a volunteer coach that spanned some thirty-five years.

He coached at the local, provincial, and national level.

He was head coach of MUN Cross-Country Team, coach of Canadian Women's

Cross-Country Team, and coach of Newfoundland and Labrador's Canada Games entry.

Ray attended the Olympic Games, the World Track and Field Championships,

Commonwealth Games, and the Pan-American Games.

Athletes coached by Ray set almost all current

provincial records between the 400 to 10,000 metre categories in all age groups.

Ray's achievements led to his induction into the Newfoundland and

Labrador Sport Hall of Fame this spring.

Honourable colleagues, please join me in congratulating

Ray Will for a deserving recognition.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

PEACH:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to

recognize all of the 2014 Grade 12 graduates from the five high schools in the

Bellevue district. They are:

Crescent Collegiate, Tricentia Academy, Swift Current Academy, Fortune Bay

Academy, and St. Joseph's All Grade.

All of the hard work and dedication has paid off for

the graduates. I had the pleasure of

attending the graduation ceremony at Swift Current Academy, Fortune Bay Academy,

and St. Joseph's All Grade, while my assistant attended the graduations at

Crescent Collegiate, and Tricentia Academy.

There were four students graduating from Swift Current

Academy, ten from Fortune Bay Academy, eleven from St. Joseph's All Grade,

sixty-nine from Crescent Collegiate, and twenty-seven students from Tricentia

Academy.

The graduations had different themes to make for

memorable nights for the students, parents, teachers and special guests.

The themes ranged from Around the World to A Night in Hollywood.

We had a wonderful time at all five of the ceremonies.

I ask all members to join me in congratulating these

graduating students of 2014 on their accomplishments and wish them all the best

in their future endeavours.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Bonavista North.

MR.

CROSS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in my turn today, to recognize the many and

varied individual contributions to the Salvation Army ministry in

New-Wes-Valley. The Wesleyville

Salvation Army got its start in a waterfront twine loft in the 19th century, as

members of the Greenspond Corps missioned there in the month of May, 1894.

Jesse Hann is recorded as the first soldier.

On Saturday, May 24, I have the distinct opportunity to

visit the Corps and share in their celebration of 120 very active years.

As their Web page states: We hold worship services weekly.

We give pastoral care. We

provide ministries for women, men, youth and children.

We donate funds for overseas missionary activities.

As a boy, I remember my mother driving to Wesleyville

from Badger's Quay with some of the other Anglican ladies after our short

service concluded. They visited the

Salvation Army to hear testimonies and to share in the livelier and much longer

service. Both of my sons were

involved in the Cubs and Beavers growing up as part of the Salvation Army

ministry in their sponsorship for youth through Scouts Canada.

When citizens of the north side of the bay get involved

it is usually a total commitment.

Together here today, let all of us salute the Hanns, Sturges, Keans, Tillers,

Kelloways, Barbours, Bests, and all the others in that area.

One hundred and twenty years, Mr. Speaker, and still growing strong.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Mr.

Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Elizabeth Bragg of Port aux

Basques, known to all as Bette.

Bette was born at Port aux Basques on January 19, 1946,

the daughter of the late Wilfred and Patricia Gillam and the eldest of six

children.

For approximately thirty years Bette volunteered with

many organizations on the southwest coast.

She was a long-time member of the Dr. Charles L. Legrow Health Care

Centre and relentless when it came to fundraising for this group.

She was a board member of the Port aux Basques Employment Corporation, a

Lioness, served on the Executive of the Chamber of Commerce, the Come Home Year

Committee, Roman Catholic Women's Guild, Raise the Bruce Committee, John Cabot

Celebrations, Viking Celebrations, the Mariners Marinettes, and was both a team

and committee member of various winter carnivals.

She will be deeply missed by her husband, Nathan Bragg

Jr., her two daughters and their spouses, four grandchildren, and one

great-grandchild, two sisters, three brothers, as well as a wide circle of

family, friends and associates.

I ask all members of this House to join with me in

paying tribute to the late Bette Bragg, a true credit to her family and

community and to extend condolences to her family on their loss.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride.

MR.

DINN:

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize and pay tribute to one of

the largest sheet metal shops in the Province.

Jenkins Power Sheet Metal located in the Goulds is celebrating its

twentieth anniversary.

With twenty qualified sheet metal workers currently on

staff, Dave Power and Rod Jenkins lead a team involved in delivering a number of

services including customized sheet metal component designs, manufacture and

installation. They provide

industrial, commercial, and institutional ductwork.

They design and install for hospitals, hotels, commercial kitchens and

more.

This company has built an enviable record for

competitive pricing and on-time completion of projects.

Jenkins Power is a hands-on service where the two

owners handle all sales activities, tenders, and on-the-job project management.

This company is always upgrading.

The co-owners of this business have strong family

backgrounds in sheet metal work, as do many of those on the team.

Dave Power's father, Pat, worked for many years as a tinsmith and Rod

Jenkins' grandfather and uncle were well known in the trade.

Today, Dave's son, Stephen, is in training in the trade.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating

Jenkins Power on its twentieth anniversary.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

MCGRATH:

Mr.

Speaker, day in and day out public works professionals throughout Newfoundland

and Labrador do exemplary work.

Often working behind the scenes, these women and men

are the backbone of managing and maintaining all aspects of local, municipal,

and provincial infrastructure. They

keep our marine infrastructure operating as safely and efficiently as possible,

they keep our road infrastructure in good condition, and they ensure buildings

and properties are appropriately maintained.

They also play integral roles planning and building infrastructure

projects.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of acknowledging

the contribution of public works professionals by officially proclaiming this

week as National Public Works Week.

Co-ordinated by the Canadian Public Works Association,

National Public Works Week is a way to recognize the important role of public

works in our communities.

This year's theme,

Building for Today, Planning for Tomorrow ,

is consistent with our government's vision.

Over the last number of years, we have invested in the

development of essential infrastructure that will help shape our Province's

future and serve as catalysts for economic development.

This same infrastructure makes our communities more attractive to young

families who want to live near modern, state-of-the-art facilities and is

transforming the delivery of important programs and services throughout the

Province.

Whether it is new wharf infrastructure in St. Anthony,

health care facilities in Flower's Cove or Glovertown, and several educational

facilities, public works professionals play key roles in bringing projects from

concept to completion.

Mr. Speaker, it is exciting to see the Province's

infrastructure continue to grow and progress.

This year, we will be opening a new hospital in Labrador West, a new

long-term care facility in St. John's, and new treatment centres in Grand Falls

and Paradise.

In the coming year, we will continue to advance new

health and education infrastructure, including the new regional hospital in

Corner Brook, replacement of the Waterford Hospital and the penitentiary, and

new schools.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the public works

employees for their professionalism and commitment to these initiatives and the

many others that positively impact the people of the Province on a daily basis

and make our Province a great place to live, work, and do business.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's South.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for an advance copy

of his statement, but while the statement is full of things that government will

do and promises they will undertake, and it is tempting to talk about the things

they have not done, I am going to avoid that temptation and focus more on

thanking our public service professionals.

The Province's public works professionals do good work and they deserve

to be commended.

I will say you do not miss anything until it is not

there, and if these public service workers did not do their job, the people of

the Province would certainly miss it.

They often go about their daily work, Mr. Speaker, without any thanks,

recognition, or praise, and they deserve that praise because they help keep our

traffic moving, they help keep our children going to schools, and they help keep

our hospitals operating.

I would like to thank this time to thank those people,

the professional people who continue to ensure our infrastructure operates.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister for the advance copy

of his statement, as well. While we

can stand here in the House and thank the professionals we have working for

government in public works, there are times and I spoke to person who is

working in the public works field for government just a little while ago.

They said that they felt like they were not being used to their optimum

potential, for the simple reason that government's failure for some of its own

policies has been shining through; and I can only point at the Auditor General's

report when I say that: roads, bridges, and ferries.

When it comes to the strategic planning on the part of government to

maintain the important infrastructure that is out there like roads and bridges

and like what I have just said, government has an abject failure there.

Yes, they did great when it comes to some of the other infrastructure

that is out there, like hospitals and schools and such; and for that, those

employees deserve our thanks. There

are others out there thinking otherwise.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Municipal and

Intergovernmental Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise in this hon. House today to talk

about the Spring 2014 Fire and Emergency Training School, taking place in

Clarenville from May 24-30.

This is the seventh year that Fire and Emergency

Services-Newfoundland and Labrador have co-ordinated large-scale training that

includes courses and seminars on a wide variety of topics from emergency

management to fire protection.

Mr. Speaker, as we work to continually improve and

update our course offerings, I am very pleased to announce today that we have

added three new programs to the training school Fire Operations in the

Wildland Urban Interface, Technical Rope Core Rescue Training, and Mental Health

First Aid for Youth.

The Mental Health First Aid for Youth Program was

created through a collaborative training effort between the Royal Newfoundland

Constabulary, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Department of Health and

Community Services, and the Para-medicine Association of Newfoundland and

Labrador. The program was developed

to help first responders provide initial support to individuals who may be

developing or experiencing a mental health problem.

Mr. Speaker, the importance of prevention and training

cannot be underestimated and these efforts help keep the residents of our

Province safe and protected.

As one of the leaders in providing safety training

programs for the Province, I am very proud of the ongoing work that Fire and

Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador has been co-ordinating and I am

very grateful to our many partners for their support.

Training school is offered at no cost to officials and

volunteers and is open to members of fire departments, municipal

representatives, public works, maintenance personnel, emergency response

organizations, and non-governmental organizations.

I encourage interested individuals to visit the Fire and Emergency

Services-Newfoundland and Labrador Web site to register.

Mr. Speaker, once again, the provincial government will

make funds available through a 50-50 cost-share arrangement for municipalities

to assist with the travel and accommodation expenses incurred while attending

these important training opportunities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR.

JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of the

statement. Congratulations to Fire

and Emergency Services NL again for putting off this training in Clarenville.

I thank Clarenville, the residents, and the fire departments for helping

to put off the training for people all across Newfoundland and Labrador.

As the minister mentioned, there are three new courses

being offered this year. It is

great. The Mental Health First Aid

for Youth program is a great initiative that was developed by four different

organizations. Mr. Speaker, as you

see, the Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface and the Technical Rope

Core Rescue Training are very vital.

Just as an example, out in Lark Harbour in the Bay of

Islands, Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of hiking trails and a lot of mountain

area. That will become useful to a

lot of the fire departments.

I know the government supports this program.

I know they give funding for it.

As we all know, fire departments now have become a lot of first

responders in a lot of emergencies in Newfoundland and Labrador, so anything we

can do as parliamentarians to help support and train these volunteers is

welcome. I commend the government

for again supporting financially the people travelling to Clarenville for this

training.

As we all know, Mr. Speaker, all throughout the last

number of years, our climate is changing.

Disasters are changing. Our

first responders need this new training.

We need it, and they have to have it because they will be the first

responders. So any new program that

comes in will be welcome.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister for the advance copy

of his statement here today. I am

very pleased to see this announcement again today that the Fire and Emergency

Services training will be going on for the seventh year, in this case in

Clarenville. I would like to thank

the government for their input into this to maintaining services like this.

Every day we get a stark, staring reminder, I think, of

how important it is to have a first responder there and how lucky we are in

cases not to be the person who is responding to some of these scenes.

We have a responsibility, too, at the same time as citizens to make sure

we are careful in our driving and careful when using fire so we do not have to

have these people using these services they have learned and the skills they

have learned in being first responders.

Again, thanks to government for that.

I certainly would like to know, Minister, at the same

time about the Mental Health First Aid for Youth program.

Hopefully in another day he will come out with another statement on that.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today in this hon. House to recognize May 25 to

May 31 as Early Childhood Educators Week in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This week will serve to recognize child care professionals who make a

significant contribution to development and care of the children in our

Province.

Currently, there are more than 1,200 individuals

working in the child care sector across Newfoundland and Labrador, including

regulated child care centres and family child care homes.

In addition, there are early childhood educators working in many other

settings related to child care, such as family resource centres, post-secondary

institutions, and in research and consulting.

Through Budget

2014: Share Prosperity, Fair Society, Balanced Outlook , an additional $11.4

million has been allocated for child care services, bringing the Province's

total child care budget to approximately $42.5 million.

Mr. Speaker, this funding is focusing on the continued implementation of

our 10-year child care strategy, Caring

For Our Future: Provincial Strategy for Quality, Sufficient and Affordable Child

Care in Newfoundland and Labrador .

A key component of this strategy is promoting a system

of quality child care. Early

childhood educators play a vital role in the development and delivery of child

care services. Our government is

committed to providing a variety of supports to early childhood educators, such

as early childhood education bursary programs and the Early Learning and Child

Care Supplement.

Mr. Speaker, along with representatives from the

Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador, I will have

the pleasure of proclaiming Early Childhood Educators Week on Monday, May 26.

Mr. Speaker, I say I look forward to meeting them.

During the week, early childhood educators will have the opportunity to

celebrate their profession and participate in professional development and

networking events.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members in this hon. House to

join me in recognizing and thanking all early childhood educators for the

important work that they do for our most valuable resource our children and

our youth.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement. I am happy on behalf of

the Official Opposition to recognize Early Childhood Educators Week and the

important work that ECEs do in our Province, and to welcome our special guests.

ECEs, Early Childhood Educators, do play a vital role in our society as

they care for our children while we work, helping them socialize, learn early

literacy and numeracy, as well as to express themselves creatively.

Accessible child care is a crucial component in any

society, but ours in particular. The

Conference Board of Canada forecast a population plunge here in the Province to

482,000 by 2035. Whether we actually

experience that much of a drop in our population remains to be seen, but the

fact that the number of deaths outpaces births in our Province is a cause for

concern. We must do what we can to

support people considering having children, and part of that is supporting early

childhood educators in reaching their goals.

With just over 7,800 regulated child care spaces in

this Province and over 60,000 children under the age of thirteen, there is a

considerable gap. Subsidies are one

way to help child care become more accessible for some parents, however, we are

hearing from some centres that they are considering denying spaces to subsidized

parents because there is such a delay in being reimbursed by government.

During Early Childhood Educators Week I would urge

government to please review the wait times for these centres to be reimbursed.

Not only are they small businesses trying to survive, they are vital to

the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement. I am very happy to stand

and express my appreciation and that of our caucus for the valuable contribution

of early childhood educators in this Province.

I welcome the representatives here today.

These highly-trained professionals are also highly

dedicated and passionate about the work they do with children.

I am sure that parents across the Province admire and appreciate their

skill and commitment every day.

Unfortunately, even with bursaries and a salary supplement, salaries for early

childhood educators in this Province are among the lowest in Canada.

What we need in this Province, Mr. Speaker, is an early

childhood and child care program. A

seamless program under the Department of Education adding to our educational

system of publicly administered and delivered child care program like the one in

Quebec where it costs parents only $7 a day to have their children taken care

of.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Teachers in our Province have been without a contract

for almost two years. Yesterday,

talks broke off between government broke down again.

Teachers are saying that government is taking a narrow and extreme

position.

I ask the Premier: When are you going to show the

teachers the respect they deserve and negotiate in good faith?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, let me say how much we

value our teachers, not only as MHAs, ministers, and people on the other side of

the House, but as parents. First and

foremost, my parents were my first educator.

I am my child's first educator, but teachers come a very close second.

I am sure many of us could not be in this House today without the

assistance of our teachers in our learning and our upbringing.

To question our value for teachers, let there be no question that we

value our teachers.

I find this an unusual circumstance that I am talking

about negotiating items in the public.

However, given that the President of the NLTA did discuss some of the

issues in public; it leaves me with no choice to do so.

I know I only have a minute to answer, so upon other questions I will

continue with where I am going.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is no question it is an unusual circumstance,

because just last month talks broke off between teachers and government.

This has been ongoing now for about two years.

At that point a conciliation officer was appointed.

After five days of conciliation they were no closer, according to NLTA,

to reaching an agreement.

The

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Let me be clear, we did not break off talks yesterday.

In fact, meetings were occurring up until yesterday by senior officials

on both sides.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is an unusual circumstance.

We do not believe we are being narrow.

We believe we put a fair position on the table.

As I said, the issues are being discussed in public.

So just to lay it out for the information opposite and for people

listening, and especially for teachers.

I met the President of the NLTA February 13, along with his negotiating

team and mine. They had five issues

on the table, Mr. Speaker, family leave being one.

They were looking for three days family leave; personal leave they were

looking for two days.

Administrators, principals, they were looking for five days.

Maternity leave was on the table, an enhancement there; as well as

lunchtime supervision.

At that time, our short list, we had two items and

with subsequent questions I will continue.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, the Minister of Finance said that government

is not looking at major concessions from teachers but the NLTA says that

government is seeking significant concessions and that it will impact all

teachers; concessions about issues that you just talked about.

Obviously, there is a disconnect.

There is miscommunication here somewhere.

I ask the Premier: The concessions you are seeking,

would you consider them nothing major or significant as the NLTA says?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

good point to ask the question because it leads me into the two issues we did

have on the table; but, just to finish, they had five issues at that time and

they removed two: the maternity leave and the lunchtime supervision.

They then added seniority and inclusion.

That brings me to our issues that we had on our short

list at that time, and we do not believe they are major concessions.

I would be happy to explain them to you and why we do not believe they

are major concessions.

Currently, in the collective agreement it states an

administrator or principal has to make every effort to ensure that a teacher is

replaced so that a substitute is called in.

We are asking that principals have the discretion to call in.

Let me be very clear, because Mr. Dinn said there could be circumstances

where children would be sent home.

Under no circumstance would government ever support children being sent home

rather than call in a substitute teacher.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I really believe this gets to the root of the problem.

We still have NLTA that is taking a very different position right now in

this round of negotiations. They

still do not understand that this has significant impact.

This government does not understand the significant impact that teachers

are saying this would have on them.

Government and our teachers began this round of bargaining over two years ago

but teachers are saying that government's position demonstrates a lack of

respect and threatens to disrupt the educational system.

Those are the teachers' words.

I ask the Premier: Why are you letting those

negotiations drag on for over two years now and threatening to disrupt the

education system?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will just continue to explain our position and then

the Leader of the Opposition and others can decide where they are, Mr. Speaker.

Again, let me be clear, we have no intentions of ever sending home

children when a substitute could be called.

The other important piece around this, Mr. Speaker, is

this is current practice anyway.

Principals currently do exercise discretion when calling in substitutes.

So we are only asking to reflect that wording in the current collective

agreement.

The other really important thing to point out here is

we are not looking for any savings.

There is no budgetary requirement around this.

The budget for substitutes will remain exactly the same, so there is no

major concession on our part. We are

asking them to do what is currently happening in practice.

We are not ever once suggesting that substitutes not be called in for in

class instruction.

I will continue with the next question, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Privacy Commissioner released a report yesterday

saying the school board violated six sections of the Access to Information and

Protection of Privacy Act when it inappropriately called and disclosed personal

information of a teacher.

I ask the Premier: Can you explain six sections of the

act that could be violated by this public body?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KING:

Mr.

Speaker, I thank the member for the question.

As the member would be aware, school boards operate at

arm's length from government. So the

day-to-day operations of the school board certainly would not be in the purview

of my department as minister, or any other minister.

What I would say to the member, though, is I am aware

of the report and I acknowledge and accept the recommendations.

I have given some very clear advice to the board that they need to move

forward and they need to make sure this does not happen again.

It happens from time to time.

I had a breach when I was the Minister of Justice, in

my department. As I said to the

person at that time, it is unacceptable.

People expect public servants, whether they are government or school

board officials they expect privacy, and they expect their private information

to be protected. As the Minister of

KIRBY:

Mr.

Speaker, not many years ago this government forced an underfunded inclusion

model onto the schools of this Province.

As a result, many of our students are not getting the attention they

deserve. The underfunded inclusion

model has now become a key stumbling block in the failing contract talks with

the NLTA.

I ask the minister: Why is government refusing to

discuss solutions to this problem with the NLTA?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as I said this was one of the items that

were added to their short list. This

was added in April; it was not on the original short list.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, we agree that inclusion

is significant. We have said at the

table that there would be no issue with the NLTA meeting with the Minister of

Education, meeting with myself, to continue discussions on this very important

matter.

We believe that inclusion is critical, Mr. Speaker, and

all children should be able to be taught in an environment where everybody is

included. That is something we are

very supportive of and supportive through this process as well.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's North.

MR.

KIRBY:

one over here disagrees with that, Mr. Speaker.

One of the NLTA's sticking points is government's refusal to establish a

joint committee to review the resourcing of the inclusion model.

All students are at risk of failing and at risk of falling behind because

the inclusion model is underfunded.

The NLTA is merely asking for a committee to be established to review the

serious problem that this government created.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

KIRBY:

ask the minister: Why is this government still refusing to work with teachers to

find a solution to a problem that you created?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KING:

Mr.

Speaker, as my colleague, the Minister of Finance, has referenced, the

philosophy of this government is we believe all students have a right to an

education. That does not mean simply

an academic education; it means social development and it means emotional

development. There are more

opportunities than not where students will benefit tremendously by being in the

company of their peers in a classroom through an inclusive environment.

That is our philosophy and we support it fully.

I acknowledge and I accept there are challenges in

certain instances where the model creates problems, and we have to work around

those. We are committed to doing

that. We are committed to resourcing

the system.

I can say to the member, and through the member to the

SLADE:

Mr.

Speaker, the same government who shouted no more giveaways has allowed Nova

Scotia

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR.

SLADE:

Mr.

Speaker, the same government who shouted no more giveaways has allowed Nova

Scotia

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

SLADE:

to harvest Newfoundland and Labrador fish for the past ten years.

Now that they have been exposed for not protecting our resource, the

minister is saying he is willing to look at how it can be done differently.

I ask the minister: Was there anyone from our Province

who approached government expressing an interest in fishing this quota; and if

so, what were they told?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Mr.

Speaker, this quota is leased to Icewater and at any time, any entity that

wanted to discuss different options in regard to access to that are free to talk

to Icewater. To my knowledge, no one

has questioned me in regard to what the possibilities are.

I have had some discussions on it.

As always, it has been discussed with Icewater.

If there is an option or something you want to discuss and bring back for

us to review, we would certainly be happy to do it.

Again, in regard to a giveaway, the hon. member

mentioned yesterday protecting Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Let me tell him there are 180 people working in Arnold's Cove.

There are small businesses in Arnold's Cove as well and the region from

Southern Harbour to Clarenville that are getting rewards out of the decision we

made in 2004. I will let him know

they are Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and we are there to support them as

well, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR.

SLADE:

Mr.

Speaker, this is not about the workers at Icewater or Icewater itself it is

not about it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

SLADE:

is about getting more into that plant so they can work longer periods of time.

That is what it is about. Mr.

Speaker, this is not about helping Icewater.

This is about your government's failure to stop the giveaway of our fish.

A fish harvester claims he has been trying to talk to

the Department of Fisheries for more than three years to access this quota, but

he has been ignored. He also tried

to reach Icewater and was put on to the company's resource allocations manager,

who lives in Nova Scotia. The fish harvester has two boats tied up and is ready

to hit the water to fish those quotas.

I ask the minister: How does he intend to make it

happen for this Newfoundland and Labrador harvester and others like him?

Is he prepared to talk to Icewater to fix this matter?

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Mr.

Speaker, in regard to harvesters, I ask him to give me the name and I will

follow up. I also remind him on

April 12, he was in my office and he wanted an update on CETA.

The officials gave him an update.

At that time, he said to me he had a lot of people who wanted information

on CETA. I said to him: Give me the

numbers, give me the e-mails, and I will get in touch with them, or my staff

will. Since that time, Mr. Speaker,

how many names do we have? Fifty?

Ten? We have zero, Mr.

Speaker. He never passed them on.

Again, he is here today if you have someone here who

wants to speak to the minister or wants to speak to my department, pass it on,

we will deal with it, and move it ahead, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the Minister of Municipal Affairs said on Tuesday this government has

done a great deal to improve cell coverage throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,

yet this Province has the worst cell service in Atlantic Canada.

Users already pay a fee for 911 and will now be double billed.

Many users will not even have access to this vital emergency service.

I ask the minister: What has his government done to

expand cell coverage to rural communities?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite had been listening,

he would have heard it said that we are doing everything we possibly can to

encourage providers to get involved with us, particularly through the RBI three

and two, in terms of providing additional cellular coverage.

In each of those calls, we have asked the providers to come in along with

their broadband ask and look at cellular coverage.

That is something that we are very committed to, Mr. Speaker.

My question to the person opposite there would be: What

have you done? How have you

encouraged those providers to do the same thing?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, there has been no approval for towers through the RBI at this point in

time. This government has done very

little to nothing. I have been

working with providers and getting proposals to the table.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the 2011 Tory Blue Book stated this government would work with service

providers

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

The

Tory Blue Book stated that the government would work with service providers to

develop a plan to expand cell service in the Province.

Clearly, business owners, residents and visitors without cell coverage

see this as an empty promise. We

have been waiting three years.

I ask the minister: Will you table this plan to expand

cell service as you have committed?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, a business

plan has to be made and has to be put in place for that cellular service to be

Order, please!

SULLIVAN:

Where is there plan?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

If members want to have their Question Period with

across the House conversations, by all means, but this is thirty minutes

allocated for Question Period and I was about to acknowledge the Member for St.

Barbe.

The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, recommendation 38 contained in Decades of Darkness recommended the

Department of Justice review the decision to stop providing institutional

clothing to inmates. If the decision

is maintained, a limit should be placed on the amount of personal clothing

permitted and the number of times it can be received.

I ask the minister: Has this decision been reviewed; if

so, by whom, and with what result?

In particular, how many times can inmates now receive personal clothing to wear

in prison?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Justice.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

FRENCH:

Mr.

Speaker, isn't it ironic? This was a

policy of the former Liberal Administration of changing the clothing and the

uniforms in prison. When he refers

to the Decades of Darkness and request 38, he should go back to his own party's

policies of years gone past.

This is a government that took the Decades of Darkness

very, very serious, Mr. Speaker. We

are very concerned about the state of the current penitentiary and we were a

number of years trying to work with the federal government as a matter of fact.

So much so that we have decided that is it, we are about to build a new

prison in this Province.

A few short months ago we did come up with Parkin

Architects Limited, one of the best-known architects in North America, that are

now working with two other local companies.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, it was this government that commissioned the study called the Decades

of Darkness. They appear to be

ignoring the recommendations.

Decades of Darkness also recommended that an employment equity plan be

developed, particularly for the Department of Justice, and expanded to include

all four groups of employment equity including women in non-traditional roles,

Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities.

I ask the minister: Has this recommendation been

implemented; if so, how many people from these groups have been hired and how

many of them are currently employed?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Justice.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

FRENCH:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to continue on with my answer, Mr.

Speaker, concerning the new prison because obviously it is something this

government believes in significantly.

We have tried to work with the federal government and we are continuing

on.

Right now, we have not decided on a plan.

I am expecting the plan in the coming months, which will decide on a

conceptual plan, Mr. Speaker, but it will also offer more programming.

The Decades of Darkness talks about more and more programming in our

prisons. That is one of the things

we are hoping to achieve with this new prison.

As for the specific item he referenced, whatever number

it was, Mr. Speaker, I have no problem finding out that specific point he is

making. I will certainly get back to

him as early as this evening, if I can find it out.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, I remind the minister I wrote the same letter to him on February 20,

three months and two days ago, and he has yet to answer the question.

That is why I am asking today three months and no response.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Justice.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

FRENCH:

Mr.

Speaker, as Ministers of the Crown we get all kinds of correspondence on a

regular basis. I do know about a

letter he wrote the previous minister with a list.

If I recall correctly, I am thinking it was seventeen pages long.

One of its actions was to adopt a policy that, by 2011, 25 per cent of

all new provincial government light vehicles purchased would be energy

efficient, including hybrids.

I ask the minister: Considering the target is now

three-and-a-half years old, have you met the commitment, and what percentage of

government's vehicle fleet is now energy efficient?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SHEA:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will endeavour to meet with the various

ministers and departments and get that information.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As a former teacher and school administrator, I am

absolutely shocked and stupefied that this government would even think about

making discretionary the use of substitute teachers when a teacher is validly

absent. I know that substitute

teachers are essential to the daily running of the school system.

I ask the Premier: Does this government really not know

the impact on students and teachers of the concession that they are demanding?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I really appreciate the member asking questions about

this because clearly the Official Opposition were not interested in hearing the

full story. After they hear

everything that is on the table, perhaps then they can tell us if they feel this

is a major concession or not we do not.

We absolutely agree that substitutes are a critical part of the education

system. They are absolutely needed.

Under no circumstance would we ever have a child sent home because a

substitute would not be called.

All we are asking for is change in the wording, which

currently exists in practice today, that principals have the discretion to call

in a substitute. What we are looking

for is not within in-class instructional time and I will give the member an

example, which I am sure she would be familiar with.

Public exam time, Mr. Speaker.

Currently, right now, principals may or may not call in a substitute when

public exams are ongoing. We just

want the wording to reflect that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Mr.

Speaker, I love the way they make it all sound so simple.

I cannot image that the NLTA is upset over that.

I really cannot get over I cannot get over the arrogance of this

government, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MICHAEL:

Let's go into another example of the arrogance of this government, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MICHAEL:

Societies are judged by how they treat their most vulnerable members, and so are

governments.

I ask the Premier: Why is his government reneging on

the responsibility by placing the care of young people with complex needs in the

hands of for-profit companies?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Mr.

Speaker, as I have said several times.

Our first priority, Mr. Speaker, is the provision of quality care for

these youth. Through a process, a

frame work that was set out prescribing the types of things that we want in

care, the RFP process was put forth.

As a result, submissions were made.

Based on that criteria, a group was given the contract, Mr. Speaker.

I certainly hope the member is not saying that the

service this company is providing is not up to what is required for these youth,

Mr. Speaker. In fact, it very much

is so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

These youth were getting quality care.

Now youth in the three new Level 4 residential care homes still do not

know where they are going to live, who will care for them, or when they will be

forced to move. That is quality

care?

I ask the Premier: Why is he not stepping in to take

care of this crisis, because it is a crisis?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Mr.

Speaker, as I have tried to explain, the type of service that is being provided

the type of care that is required is different.

These homes, Mr. Speaker, once provided protective custody.

These youth were there for choice of a better word, they were placed

there because of court issues.

Today, what we are providing is more of a residential type foster home.

If we can get our heads around that, and if the Leader

of the Third Party can get her head around that, the service is different from

what was required previously. The

company that has been awarded this contract, Mr. Speaker, is a reputable one and

they will provide that quality service.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

ROGERS:

Mr.

Speaker, these are not foster homes.

Foster home children are placed with families.

These are Level 4 residential care where staff are hired and paid, and

rotate on schedule.

Mr. Speaker, while government was preoccupied washing

its hands of its responsibilities for the care of young people with complex

needs, the company they hired to do this has dropped the ball.

The homes are not ready and will not be ready for the time frame.

How could government have bungled this so badly?

I ask the Premier: What is the plan to ensure these

children remain safe while in care?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Mr.

Speaker, let me assure the member of one thing, these children will be safe

while in care. Never, never ever

doubt that.

Mr. Speaker, I doubt very much if the hon. member has

taken the time to look at and understand what has been laid out, the four levels

of care that are being provided.

Through the development of a new department, the development of that continuum

of care, Mr. Speaker, I would invite her to sit with us and our officials to

allow us to explain to her so that she may come to understand it better.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

ROGERS:

Mr.

Speaker, I am fully aware of the continuum of care strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Will he ask the Child

and Youth Advocate to assess whether the children who are in Level 4 residential

care group homes are remaining safe in the middle of this current chaos that

this government has created?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Mr.

Speaker, first and foremost, I, as the minister, know exactly what I am talking

about. We provided foster care for a

number of years.

The second thing I would ask the member, has she taken

the time to sit with Blue sky to ask them what their provision of service is

like, Mr. Speaker? Why doesn't she

do that before she condemns?

She is simply not taking the fact that I have

explained, that the type of care that is being offered in these settings now,

Mr. Speaker, are different from what was provided before.

Why doesn't she take the time to educate herself on it?

She may come to understand it better.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre for a quick question.

ROGERS:

Mr.

Speaker, I ask the Premier: Will he ask the Child and Youth Advocate to assess

whether the decision to hand over their care to a for-profit company was in the

best interest of the children?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services for a quick response.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Mr.

Speaker, I would assume the Child and Youth Advocate they feel free to

investigate should they feel the need.

Again, I conclude with this, I would ask the member to educate herself.

She is making too many assumptions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

time for Question Period has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice under Standing Order 11, I shall move

that the House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 26, 2014.

Further, I give notice under Standing Order 11, I shall

move that the House not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. on Monday, May 26, 2014.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

MCGRATH:

Mr.

Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An

Act To Amend The Works, Services and Transportation Act, Bill 21.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

The hon. the Minister of Finance.

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act 2000, No. 2, Bill 20.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR.

JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise again today to present a petition on behalf of

the residents of Corner Brook, Western Newfoundland and Labrador, concerning the

hospital:

WHEREAS we wish to raise concerns regarding the recent

delay of construction of the new hospital in Corner Brook in Newfoundland and

Labrador;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the government to commit to the

planning and construction of a new hospital in Corner Brook as previously

committed to and in a timely manner as originally announced without further

delays or changes.

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition again here today on

people from Corner Brook. There are

people here from O'Connell Drive, Mount Bernard Avenue, and Webster Place.

Once again, they asked me to present these petitions to ensure the

hospital is done in a timely manner.

Mr. Speaker, I heard the minister today, the Minister

of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, ask the Member for The Straits

White Bay North: What would you have done?

What would you do? I will

tell you what I have done. With the

help of the Opposition and the people in Corner Brook, the action committee, we

showed the need for radiation and a PET scanner in Corner Brook.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JOYCE:

That is what we have done as an Opposition.

That is what Opposition does.

When the minister wants to stand up and say, what have

you done? I will show what I have done.

We have done it so well, Mr. Speaker, we have proven our case and even

the Premier jumped onside a week later.

The Premier said not one unit but now we may need two units, and that is

what I have been saying all along. I

am glad, Mr. Premier.

PREMIER MARSHALL:

(Inaudible).

MR.

JOYCE:

The

Premier is over there saying thank you for your help.

Mr. Premier, like I said, we have to work together for the people of

Western Newfoundland and Corner Brook.

Mr. Premier, I say I will work with you with any part of it, if it

happens to be cellphone coverage, Mr. Speaker, but right now it is the hospital

I am presenting a petition on. We

have to ensure we have the best needs.

Mr. Speaker, before this House closes I am going to ask

the Premier: Before any commitment is made on the design of the hospital, will

there be a public meeting so all the residents of Western Newfoundland and

Labrador who want to have a view and have their comments so they can have their

input? Mr. Speaker, if the issue was

not raise, there would not be a PET scanner in Corner Brook and there would not

be radiation unit in Corner Brook; now we are going to have two.

I know, Mr. Speaker, and I am speaking from the heart

here because I have the information, the ultrasound units will be reduced they

will be reduced. I will provide the

Premier with the documentation that I had to get under freedom of information

again, that 90 per cent of people in Corner Brook Hospital who used the

ultrasounds were outpatients. They

were outpatients, I say to the Premier.

They cannot use the mobile unit, as said that they will be able to cover

with the other three.

I say to the Premier: Just wait for the final report,

but you can rest assured, if the minister wants to know what I am after doing, I

have proved it, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

JOYCE:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the provincial government recently announced a

new framework for staffed residential care, which included awarding contracts

for three group homes in the Province to the private sector; and

WHEREAS TJ McDonald Achievement Home in Burin is one of

the group homes affected by this decision by government; and

WHEREAS as a result, forty-five public sector workers

lost their jobs in the Province, including seventeen in Burin alone, some with

over twenty years of experience and expertise in the field; and

WHEREAS the TJ McDonald Achievement Home has been

offering high quality care to children with complex needs in the community for

many years; and

WHEREAS the transition of the children in care at the

home will, in some cases, split these children from their friends and group home

counsellors relationships which have taken years to develop.

This transition has the potential to cause undue stress and harm to the

children;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to reverse its

decision to privatize the TJ McDonald Achievement Group Home in Burin.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I have yet again hundreds and hundreds and

hundreds of signatures here of people in Burin, people in the district of the

current Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services who are very, very

concerned about the well-being of the children in the group home who are in

government's care.

Now, the minister said that they are sort of like a

foster home. Mr. Speaker, there is

no such thing as sort of like a foster home.

There is a Continuum of Care Strategy that this government has

established with four levels of care.

The first three levels are foster care: Level 1, foster care; Level 2,

foster care; Level 3, specialized training for foster care; Level 4 is

residential care. It is not with

families. They are staffed.

Staff are hired and trained, they are scheduled, and they rotate.

There is twenty-four hour care a day and there is care seven days a week.

That is not foster care. That

is not sort of like, something like, similar to foster care.

It is totally different, and the minister knows that, Mr. Speaker.

This minister also knows that the company the

government has bungled this whole transition.

The children in Stephenville were supposed to be transferred by May 19.

Two days ago, on the Internet, the company that has this contract has

advertised saying we need to buy a house and not buy a house in Stephenville.

Mr. Speaker, nothing is ready for these children; the

children are in stress.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

ROGERS:

Thank you very much.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's North.

MR.

KIRBY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS oral health is intrinsically linked to overall

health and health care is universally covered in our Province; and

WHEREAS many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been

forced to wait for a year or longer for much needed oral surgeries; and

WHEREAS residents with emergency cases and others who

need oral surgery must seek medical attention in other provinces; and

WHEREAS the cost of access to oral surgery outside the

Province is prohibitively expensive for many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians;

and

WHEREAS the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

covers only 50 per cent of travel costs and requires a $400 deductible; and

WHEREAS this financial burden and the lack of adequate

oral surgery services in Newfoundland and Labrador is creating a two-tier system

within the health care system;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to ensure that a

more adequate level of access to specialist primary care based oral surgery and

oral surgical procedures is provided in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We further urge the House of Assembly to urge

government to review the level of financial assistance currently provided

through the Medical Transportation Assistance Program to residents who must

leave the Province for oral surgeries.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, on this petition today we have residents

from the District of St. John's North and residents from the Town of Bonavista.

This is a petition that has been signed by people across the Province.

I was not really aware of the situation with oral

surgery until a constituent of mine drew my attention to it.

My constituent had a number of contacts with the Department of Health and

Community Services to try to get some assistance.

I know that she endured significant pain and stress as a result of having

to wait a long period of time to have a needed oral surgery completed.

She had to travel outside the Province; she had to go

to Nova Scotia. I understand that

one of the oral surgeons here does a clinic here but the major surgery that has

to be done, when they need it, is done in Nova Scotia.

My constituent had to travel to Nova Scotia at a significant expense to

her. To say nothing of the amount of

time that she missed at work as a result of being off due to having this

particular issue.

I think we can do better than this.

We do have a universal health care system in Canada and supposedly in

Newfoundland and Labrador. It really

is not fair for people to have to travel to a neighbouring province at great

expense to themselves when they have to have this surgery, one that is medically

necessary.

So, Mr. Speaker, I hope members will pay some attention

to this and the government will act on it.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

KIRBY:

Thank you.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl South.

MR.

LANE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS current government regulations deny busing

services to students who live closer than 1.6 kilometres from school; and

WHEREAS parents have expressed concern that children

living within 1.6 kilometres of school face dangers in walking to school, such

as congested streets, busy intersections and no sidewalks, especially during

winter weather conditions; and

WHEREAS the $75,000 review of the school transportation

system completed by Deloitte recommended that the Department of Education

consider reducing the 1.6 kilometre eligibility zone for Kindergarten and

elementary students; and

WHEREAS the $75,000 Deloitte report also noted that

only 10 per cent of those surveyed for the school transportation system review

agree that the current 1.6 kilometre policy is reasonable for students and

families; and

WHEREAS parents are continuing to demand more flexible

policies to meet the current needs of school children;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to change the

outdated 1.6 kilometre school busing eligibility policy in order to ensure safe

travel to school for primary and elementary school children in the Province.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, this is a petition I have now presented a

number of times in this House, and will continue to do so on behalf of the many

parents, many families, students in my district, and I know in other districts

throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in the urban areas.

Although I know there are issues in rural areas as well, but speaking

certainly to my district and areas in the urban districts, that getting children

to school safely is a concern.

Particularly for families who perhaps do not have a car and so on and are forced

to walk their children to school, or their children are forced to walk to school

on their own.

As I said, this area in particular, the Mount Pearl-St.

John's area has been growing in leaps and bounds, as we know.

There is a lot of traffic congestion, a lot more than there ever was

years ago, and students are forced to travel along roadways, cross, in many

case, busy four-lane roads and so on.

Particularly in the wintertime when the snow is not cleared from

sidewalks, which happens from time to time it depends on the area, of course

it causes a real safety concern.

Mr. Speaker, this is all about safety.

As it said here, there was a report done that recommended the 1.6

kilometre rule should be changed to reflect things such as safety and so on.

It was never implemented by government, and I am calling on government to

do so.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

LANE:

Thank you.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition.

The petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS hundreds of residents of the South Coast of the

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

Burgeo, Ramea, Grey River, and Franois use Route 480 on a regular basis for

work, medical, educational and social reasons; and

WHEREAS there is no cellphone coverage on Route 480;

and

WHEREAS residents and users of Route 480 require

cellphone coverage to ensure their safety and communication abilities; and

WHEREAS the Department of IBRD recently announced

significant funding to improve broadband in rural Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 480 feel that

the Department of IBRD should also invest in cellphone coverage for rural

Newfoundland and Labrador;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

to support the uses of Route 480 in their request to obtain cellphone coverage

along Route 480.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Now, Mr. Speaker, this is a petition I have put in this

House on numerous occasions but it has special significance today, because we

actually heard today that the government has no plans whatsoever to implement

their promise from the 2011 Bluebook that they will work on cellphone coverage.

The Member for The Straits White Bay North, I have

heard it all now, he actually asked questions and the responses were: Well, what

would you do? Now it seems we have

clearly understood that the government wants us to do their job for them, and we

are happy to do that. It was done

with the Corner Brook hospital where we did work, along with the committee,

yeoman's work, to make sure that the right information was out there.

Again, government came around and made the right decision.

So, it seems now we will have to get ready to start working on cellphone

coverage.

I am happy to stand here and speak for the many members

of this House on both sides who are facing this issue.

That is what we are going to do.

We are going to work on the promise the government made, but obviously

has no idea whatsoever on how to implement it.

It could be, as the former Finance Minister said: Well, it is not really

promises, it is a platform. That is

something to keep in mind as we move forward.

This is a serious issue.

There is absolutely nothing being done.

We asked a question about cell service, and you talk about broadband.

So we will keep working on this.

We know that we will put our plan in place.

When we are done with our research we will present to government, and

hopefully they will do the right thing and provide this essential service.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the residents of the Pynn's Brook area are

facing dangers in turning their vehicles safely off the Trans-Canada Highway,

Route 1 highway, into their own driveways; and

WHEREAS it is common practice on TCH Route 1 to impose

speed reductions for traffic travelling through communities such as Badger, Deer

Lake, Bishop's Falls, Gander, Clarenville and Whitbourne; and

WHEREAS highway traffic accidents along the stretch of

the Trans-Canada Highway Route 1 through Pynn's Brook have caused deaths and

injuries;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to reduce the

maximum speed limit on TCH Route 1 through Pynn's Brook area from the present

100 kilometres an hour to sixty kilometres an hour.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, it is not unusual to see speed reductions

going through communities along our highways.

We know exactly how dangerous our highways are.

In particular, I can speak for this

section of highway through Deer Lake

and Pasadena in the area of Pynn's Brook.

That needs extensive rework in itself right now because of the rutting

and everything that is done on the highway.

Mr. Speaker, it is pretty simple.

Whenever I drive through this area many vehicles are there waiting to

turn across the traffic in order to get into their own driveways.

It is dangerous.

I say to the Minister of Transportation, this is an

easy fix. It may be a case where

there might be a little bit of bureaucracy here that is tying this up.

The residents there are only looking for safety to go through.

That is not the only thing, Mr. Speaker.

I have stood in this House many times on this petition with signatories

on those petitions, for example, from Deer Lake and Corner Brook.

It is not just the residents there that are concerned about it.

It is also the people who are driving the highway in between.

That is not to mention the other people who go through there every day.

They all know exactly how dangerous that stretch of highway can be.

We have to recognize the fact that government last

year, while it was doing work in the Pasadena area, for example, dropped the

speed limit. So it is not going to

be the first time for government to actually break out the brush, paint up a new

sign, put it up there and give everybody proper notice that the speed limit is

down. As they have done in other

towns, other cities in this Province in bringing down the speed limit to ensure

a safe entry into your own driveway.

Mr. Speaker, I will leave it at that.

I know I am going to be getting plenty more of these petitions from other

signatories in this area. I am told

there is more in the mail. I will be

standing once again in this House to speak on these people's behalf to drop the

speed limit. It is an easy fix here.

The residents are not asking for much.

A drop in speed only ensures more safety for the residents and the

motorists in the area.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A petition to the hon. House of Assembly of the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of

the undersigned humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS there is no cellphone service in the Town of

Trout River, which is an enclave community in Gros Morne National Park; and

WHEREAS visitors to Gros Morne National Park, more than

100,000 annually, expect to communicate by cellphone when they visit the park;

and

WHEREAS cellphone service has become a very important

aspect of everyday living for residents; and

WHEREAS cellphone service is an essential safety tool

for visitors and residents; and

WHEREAS cellphone service is essential for business

development;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

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

and Labrador to partner with the private sector to extend cellphone coverage

throughout Gros Morne National Park and the enclave community of Trout River.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I think I saw a glimmer of light today

from the Minister of IBRD. I really

think that I did see a glimmer of light.

I think it was: What would you do, or what would you suggest, or what

would you recommend? I think this is

the type of green light that the people of Trout River are looking for on this

type of an issue.

If we still had the Red Ochre Board, the Regional

Economic Development Board but it is gone.

That would actually be one of the local agencies that would undertake a

market survey, which they used to do, to be able to determine the market

feasibility and what it would cost, the cost-benefit analysis of doing a

cellphone study in Trout River.

If the minister is genuine and sincere about what

members on this side can do then I would, without any hesitation, team up with

the town council of Trout River, put a committee in place, and implement a

survey of the people who visit the park.

Also, to determine the number of people who actually have cellphones,

what the usage would be, to find appropriate land, and to find a spot where a

cellphone tower could be erected.

If the minister were to commit for a nominal sum to

fund a cellphone study then take the results of that study which would in all

likelihood be very positive to private sector companies and with a commitment

from the government, we probably could have cellphones in Trout River within the

next year or two. That would be a

great step forward. If the minister

is really encouraging members of this side of the House to work with her and

extend cellphone coverage, Mr. Speaker, she can accept that as an offer from

myself and the people of Trout River.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Mr.

Speaker, as per Standing Order 32, I move, seconded by the Minister of Child,

Establish And Implement A Province-Wide 911 Telephone Service For The Reporting

Of Emergencies, Bill 14.

It is so moved by me and seconded by the Minister of

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs that the said bill be now read the third

time.

MR.

SPEAKER:

is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion

that the bill be now read a third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR.

JOYCE:

(Inaudible) have a few minutes, Mr. Speaker, to speak on this bill.

There has been some talk about bringing in the 911 system, as in theory

we are all in support of this. Some

of the major concerns I want to express on behalf of the Opposition, and I think

there may be other people who want to have a few words also, is that this was

committed back five, six, or seven years ago and now we are getting into the

basic 911 service.

It is a concern we have because to get into the Next

Generation of the 911 service, this Province now, because of a lack of detail

from this government and a lack of commitment, is about three, four, or five

years behind most provinces in Canada with the 911 system.

When we hear about we do not even know what the cost is going to be, we

are not sure if it is going to be with the fire department in Corner Brook

because of negotiation, yet we have to vote on the bill.

I know the Opposition supports 911 and the principle of 911, but there

are a lot of major concerns we have over this.

When the former minister went and had a press

conference, they were talking about one or two centres across the Province.

They would be established across the Province, one or two centres.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of it then was up to $1 per phone.

What happens? That was going

to be a cost for a building, hire their staff in two or three different

locations across the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, but now we find out

we are not going to have those construction costs.

We are not going to have a lot of additional costs that were associated,

but we will still see the cost up to $1 the cost per phone per province up to

$1.

There are some questions, Mr. Speaker, we want on the

record: How about people who have cellphones six months of the year in cottages,

cabins? Do they still have to pay $1

a year when they cannot how about where you do not have cellphone coverage, do

you still have to pay for it? These

are a lot of questions, Mr. Speaker, that have been brought to our attention and

have been brought to my attention.

These are a lot of concerns that we have raised with the minister himself.

The other question we have asked, and the minister can respond: When will

the Next Generation of 911 be implemented in this Province?

When will it be implemented?

By standing up and saying we are going to move to the

Next Generation, we are going to take all the money in, we do not know how much

it is going to cost, but we are going to take all that money in.

We do not know how long it is going to be before we implement the Next

Generation. We do not know what the

cost will be, but we are going to take in about $7.2 million a year.

Mr. Speaker, there are some major concerns about this

911. We are in a situation whereby a

lot of the municipalities will need civic addresses.

It was brought up that in New Brunswick, I believe, it is up to the

householder or the homeowner to have the civic addresses; it is their

responsibility. Mr. Speaker, here in

this Province municipalities say yes, we agree with 911 and yes, we will help

out with civic addresses; but we need the fiscal framework because we cannot

afford it on our own to do this.

We are being asked again to support 911.

Again, we agree with it in principle, of having an emergency number

across the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, yet we are asked to vote on it

and I will be voting for 911, but I have to put in these reservations that I

have about it. Without any fiscal

framework, yet we are going to implement the Next Generation and we are going to

implement 911, the question is: Will the Province follow through on their fiscal

framework to ensure that the municipalities have the opportunity and have the

resources to bring in these civil addresses?

It is a big concern.

The minister when he spoke on 911 last week, spoke

about cellphone coverage. I was

actually shocked today. Mr. Speaker,

911, as we all know, a lot of people depend on it tourists travelling, with

cellphone coverage. We know that

there are a lot of areas that we do not have cellphone coverage.

I was absolutely shocked today, Mr. Speaker, when the

Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development looked at the Member for

The Straits White Bay North and said: What is your plan for cellphone

coverage? I am absolutely shocked

that we would bring in a 911 system here and have a minister they stood up

here for years and committed to bringing in cellphone coverage and have a plan

for cellphone coverage, and we hear today the minister stating in this House of

Assembly to all the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that one of the integral

parts of this 911 system is cellphones where people are travelling and people

expect to have that service. The

minister today said there is no plan to bring in cellphone coverage in this

Province. I was absolutely shocked.

To look across at the Member for The Straits White

Bay North, who has been an advocate for his district and for the Northern

Peninsula as others members here, all on the Opposition side, for years now he

has been asking: What is the strategy?

I remember the former Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural

Development saying: Yes, we are approaching the federal government, we have a

strategy. We found out today there

is no strategy.

The people in this Province, Mr. Speaker, with

cellphones, a lot of them cannot use it when they are in their communities, and

a lot of tourists. We have to have

some public awareness in the campaign that when tourists come to Newfoundland

and Labrador, with the lack of cellphone service we have, that they cannot use

the 911 service.

Mr. Speaker, like I said before, and I say it again,

this government took this initiative and did not make it a priority.

Now we are trying to play catch-up to many provinces in Canada.

It is shameful. It is

actually shameful.

No one can disagree with having 911, a common number

for everybody to phone, Mr. Speaker, but if you are going to bring in a system

where everyone can use 911, we need to have a plan that all components of 911

comes into play. One of the

components is: Where is it going to be located?

We do not know yet. We have a

good idea: St. John's is one; Lab West is another we were told; and they are in

negotiation with the fire department in the City of Corner Brook.

That is one.

What is the cost?

We do not know the cost. We

have no idea what the cost is going to be, Mr. Speaker.

We were told there were going to be different units set

up across the Province, different centres.

That is not true now. That is

not going to happen anymore, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to stand and I am going to say

I support the concept of 911, but I urge the government to bring all the

components together. If they set up

a board, if we do need another board, another layer of bureaucracy to implement

this program, we have to ensure the funds are spent properly.

When we were in the briefing again, I thank the staff

from the department for the briefing, it was a great briefing.

What we were told: Yes, we are going to collect all the funds.

Up to $1 for all these funds which is a potential of $7.2 million.

If you take out hiring the four or five people they were looking at, I do

not know how many other people they are going to hire in Corner Brook or St.

John's, that has not been that is a lot of money.

We asked the question, Mr. Speaker, will the money be

reimbursed back? They said no, we

have to get ready for the next generation.

How much will the next generation cost?

We do not know yet. We are

almost here in an area of blind faith with the government.

The other question, Mr. Speaker, that I think the

Member for St. Barbe asked was, can government use any of these funds in general

revenue? The minister said we were

told and the staff, yes, it can be done.

I asked the minister would there be any changes brought in to ensure that

cannot be put back in general revenue?

If there is a surplus somehow, how can we take the surplus and then give

dividends back, cut down the rates on people who are using the 911 service?

If it is $1, cut it back to seventy-five cents, eighty cents.

What we see here now, we see a lot of money going in and we are not sure

how it is going to be spent. There

are no timelines on the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to have those comments on

the record. I will say it once more

and then I will take my seat. That

in principle we agree with 911, but there are some reservations about how this

is handled, about the commitments that are made by government, the cost by

government, and as we found out today, the lack of planning for cellphone

coverage for all the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Once that is done, Mr. Speaker, you may get a much more

favourable view. As the Opposition

and I am sure I am speaking on behalf of most of the Opposition members here,

for the ones in rural we understand the need for cellphone coverage.

I am not sure because I know there are a lot of members over there for

government from rural Newfoundland who do not have cellphone coverage; yet,

there is not a word said. I am just

speaking on behalf of the Opposition here, that it is very, very vital for every

day. It is very, very vital for this

911 system.

I will take my seat, Mr. Speaker.

There will be a lot of questions asked on this.

As the critic for the department I will stay and ensure that what the

minister committed to is being carried out.

I will ensure that the people of the Province are kept.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, the Minister of Innovation,

Business and Rural Development asked the Member for The Straits White Bay

North, what is he doing with cellphone coverage?

If we have to do the government's job to ensure that 911 is going to be

safe, we will start doing our job here.

I am sure the Member for The Straits White Bay North will take the lead

on that for cellphone coverage for the Opposition, because we were told there is

a plan. That it was part of this 911

system, but now we find out it is not.

Like the hospital in Corner Brook, if the Opposition

has to step forward and bring out all the points and prove to the government it

can be done, and prove a way it can be done, we will do it, Mr. Speaker.

When the minister offers the challenge to the Member for The Straits

White Bay North, the challenge will be accepted.

It will be met, and I can assure you before this is over the Opposition

will have this 911 system improved.

It will have enhancements done to it, and we will not be making vague

commitments that it is going to be done somewhere in the future.

We do not know how much it is going to cost.

We do not know where the service is going to be, but we are going to

charge you an amount. Even though

what we committed to that we needed the money for, we do not need it now but we

are still going to charge you anyway.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of unanswered questions on the 911 system.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, and in fairness to the

minister, if residents are listening, because this 911 system will come in place

people have to realize that this will not improve the services for emergency

vehicles, emergency personnel coming to your doorstep.

The minister said that before.

I agree with him. It will be

more of a central point now where everybody will have the same number.

It is a great move. It is

definitely a great move, but people must realize, Mr. Speaker, this will not

increase the speed of the service for 911.

People must not depend on that right now until the

enhanced system comes in, which we are not sure when it is going to be in place,

but they cannot come in. I just want

to let all the residents in the Province know who are watching, and whoever

looks at this later, Mr. Speaker, that do not depend on a more speedy service

from the emergency personnel because of this 911.

Mr. Speaker, with that I will close on my few words, a

few of the concerns we have in the Opposition.

I am sure there are going to be other Opposition members speak on this,

Mr. Speaker.

In closing, I will say to all of the members of the

Opposition and to the government, support us in bringing in cellphone coverage

to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Obviously, your minister spoke today and said that there is none.

I was shocked. I say support

the Opposition because from now on, we are going to take the lead like we did

the hospital in Corner Brook; we will take the lead, and we ask the government

to support us in bringing cellphone coverage to all the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, there was a person who once said to me

it was my father: Do not walk in front of me; I may not follow.

Do not walk behind me because you may not follow me, but you walk with me

because I am going to get it done anyway.

That is what the Opposition is going to do here now.

We are going to get it done and have cellphone coverage and that is going

to help 911 service in this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the Member for Harbour Main, that

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that Bill 4,

An Act To Amend The Mental Health Care

And Treatment Act be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill,

An Act To Amend The

Mental Health Care And Treatment Act.

(Bill 4)

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is my pleasure to rise before this House today to

introduce Bill 4,

An Act to Amend the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act.

Mr. Speaker, in 2007 this government introduced the Mental Health Care

and Treatment Act. Before that act

came into force in 2007, the legislation had not been updated since 1971.

The Mental Health Care and Treatment Act clearly lays out what an

individual can expect from the health care system if detained for a psychiatric

assessment under the act, involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric unit, or

placed under a community treatment order.

Mr. Speaker, involuntary admissions to hospital is not

taken lightly in this Province. The

act takes a rights-based approach to guide involuntary admissions to a health

care facility and considers the patient's right to health and safety and the

health care system's obligation to provide treatment and support services.

Involuntary admission and community treatment orders

are required for a small number of persons with the most severe mental illnesses

to prevent physical and mental deterioration and harm to an individual and to

others. They can also assist in a

mentally ill person's right to health which has been impeded by the mental

illness itself.

An individual may be involuntarily admitted to a health

care facility where there are two certificates of involuntary admission signed

by two health care professionals who may be either a physician, a nurse

practitioner, or a psychiatrist. The

certificate may state that a psychiatric assessment has been conducted and the

person named in the certificate has a mental disorder, which impairs the

person's judgment or behaviour, impairs his or her capacity to recognize

reality, or impairs the person's ability to meet the ordinary demands of life in

respect of which psychiatric treatment is advisable.

Also, as a result of the mental disorder, is likely to

cause harm to himself, herself, or others, or to suffer substantial mental or

physical deterioration; is unable to fully appreciate the nature and

consequences of the mental disorder or to make an informed decision regarding

the need for treatment, care, supervision; and also needs treatment that can be

provided in a psychiatric unit.

An individual may be subject to a community treatment

order where he or she meets the same criteria of an involuntary admission, as I

just mentioned; however, in addition, the individual must have been detained as

an involuntary patient on three or more occasions in the preceding two years or

has already been the subject of a prior community treatment order.

Two, the services are available in the community that

the individual requires so that he or she will not likely cause harm to himself,

herself, or others or to suffer substantial mental or physical deterioration.

Three, a psychiatrist has developed a treatment plan for the individual

which can occur in the community.

Four, the health care professionals, persons, and organizations who are part of

the individual's treatment must all agree in writing to be named in the plan.

If an individual does not comply with the provisions of

the community treatment order, he or she may be involuntarily admitted to

hospital for treatment. Mr. Speaker,

it is only in the most serious of cases of mental illness that individuals are

involuntarily admitted to hospital or subject to a community treatment order.

The Mental Health Care and Treatment Act outlines the processes and

procedures related to the certification, the community treatment orders, the

patient's rights and reviews conducted by the Mental Health Care and Treatment

Review Board.

As government, we conduct reviews of legislation in our

Province to ensure it reflects the needs of people in of the Province, does not

contain outdated provisions, and reflects modern legislative drafting

principles. We also meet with

stakeholders in the field of mental health to discuss the act and identify any

areas of improvement.

Mr. Speaker, we have a Mental Health Care and Treatment

Act Stakeholder Committee, which consists of representatives from the Department

of Health and Community Services, the four regional health authorities, the

Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Legal

Aid Commission, the Consumers' Health Awareness Network of Newfoundland and

Labrador, commonly known as CHANNAL, the Schizophrenia Society of Newfoundland

and Labrador, the Canadian Mental Health Association of Newfoundland and

Labrador, and members of the Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board.

Mr. Speaker, the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act

has been evaluated by the Newfoundland and Labrador

Centre for Health Information.

The results of their findings were released last fall.

In conducting its evaluation, the Centre for Health

Information received input from a number of individuals and groups.

They include: the mental health care providers, physicians, peace

officers, provincial rights advisors, members of the Mental Health Care and

Treatment Review Board, individual patients who have been subjected to the act,

consumer organizations such as CHANNAL, and the Canadian Mental Health

Association.

The evaluation report identified two specific issues

regarding the provisions in the act related to the role of rights advisors and

the requirements of community treatment orders.

This finding was consistent with the feedback we have been receiving from

our stakeholders.

Bill 4, that is being debated before the House today,

addresses these issues through three amendments: firstly, it clarifies that a

rights advisor may offer advice and assistance to an involuntary patient as

defined by the act; secondly, it adds a requirement that a rights advisor follow

up with the patient and their representatives within ten days of the first

meeting between the rights advisor and the patient; and thirdly, it removes the

requirement that a community treatment order contain an undertaking by the

person who is the subject of the order.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 4 builds on the role of the

Province's rights advisors to better meet the needs of patients by ensuring that

they are aware of their rights under the act, and clarifies the criteria

required for community treatment orders so that they are accessible to those

individuals who may benefit from such orders.

Being involuntarily admitted or placed on a community treatment order is

a very difficult situation for an individual and for his or her family.

The act ensures that individuals and their representatives are fully

informed of their rights under the act.

Rights advisors are tasked with the responsibility under the act.

Bill 4 clarifies that rights advisors are responsible

for advising involuntary patients and those patients subjected to a community

treatment order of their rights under the act.

One of these rights includes the right to make an application for review

to the Mental Health Care and Treatment Review Board.

Mr. Speaker, while initial contact with patients and

their representatives is very important, we know that during the first

twenty-four hours a rights advisor would see patients when they are most ill and

most likely distressed by the events that are occurring to them.

Given the circumstances, they may not fully understand or appreciate the

information being provided to them by the rights advisor.

Follow-up contact is thus necessary to ensure that patients and their

representatives both fully understand the patient's rights under the

legislation.

Bill 4 amends the act to require rights advisors to

make a follow-up contact with the patient and the patient's representative

within ten days of the initial contact.

This follow-up contact is to ensure that the patient is fully aware of

their rights and understands all of their rights under the law.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember that the

purpose of the act is the treatment and protection of individuals who are very

ill and need treatment that is ordered for them, either in a hospital or through

a community treatment order.

The Mental Health Care and Treatment Act allows for

individuals to be treated in their community under a community treatment order

where the individual meets the criteria set out in the act.

This allows these individuals to stay in their communities under the

supervision of a psychiatrist and receive treatment such as medication and other

supports instead of being involuntarily admitted to the hospital.

Since the act came into force in October, 2007, this is

the first time in this Province that community treatment orders have been

available to individuals who meet the criteria.

Mr. Speaker, not all persons meet the criteria for these community

treatment orders; however, for those who do, we want to ensure that the process

of these orders works well and as best as it can in the best interest of those

patients.

From an evaluation of the act and the information we

have received from our stakeholders, Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the

requirement in the act that the community treatment orders contain undertaking

by the patient has been preventing the issuance of community treatment orders in

circumstances where all other criteria have been met.

This has required individuals to be involuntarily admitted to the health

care facility to receive treatment instead of remaining in a community.

Bill 4 removes the requirement that the community

treatment order contain an undertaking, thereby ensuring that these orders are

an option for those who requirement treatment but who are able to continue

within their communities.

Mr. Speaker, there are over 900 health professionals in

our Province, including case managers, nurses, social workers, occupational

therapists, counsellors, outreach workers, psychologists, physicians,

psychiatrists who help deliver mental health and additions programs and services

every day to the people of our Province.

These are the people who will be working with patients in health care

facilities and also through the community treatment orders.

Mental health and addictions services are a priority

for our government. We have made

annual investments of approximately $100 million to help support the delivery of

mental health and addictions services to individuals and families in communities

throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

This bill will augment and enhance the high standards

currently in place for individuals who are subjected to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the introduction of this bill demonstrates our government's

strong commitment to improving the mental care and treatment of Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians and we will continue to look for ways to strengthen our

services through improved legislation, investments, and resources.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in

supporting this bill. I look forward

to debate in second reading. As I

said, I do encourage all members to join me in supporting this bill to maintain

and enhance mental health services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER (Verge):

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am happy to stand here today and speak to the Mental

Health Care and Treatment Act, and the amendment.

The first thing I would like to say is I appreciate the

time taken by the department to provide us with a briefing some time back.

You get a lot of legislation and it is nice to be able to have the

department sit down with you and explain why they are doing what they are doing,

and it helps us to do a better job as the critics.

Being the Health critic, it is easier for me to do my job to review these

pieces of legislation and speak to them knowing their mindset and why they

drafted what they did.

I made some notes on this act, and I just want to go

through them. The minister today did

a good job of explaining what is going on here and the purpose of this.

I will just put some comments out there on my understanding of this and

what may need to happen.

This act, as the minister mentioned, was amended back

in 2006 or 2007 and it had been the first time in over thirty years there had

been changes made. It is good to see

they have kept up to their commitment.

The legislation says you have to review this every five years, so it is

good to see that it is being done.

It is necessary to do that.

I have made it clear in this House on a number of

occasions; I have some grave concerns when it comes to health care in this

Province, especially around mental health care.

I have made them clear. I had

an opportunity in Estimates to speak to it.

I will speak a little more about that as well, because I think it is

pertinent to the discussion when you talk about mental health and mental health

care.

When it talks about this act, we are dealing with a

rights advisor. I thought maybe we

should put it out there on rights advisors, maybe a little more information on

who they are, what it is they do, and their function.

Rights advisors are individuals who serve people that are either (

a) involuntarily admitted; or (

b) have been issued a community treatment order.

I guess the first thing to realize is that in many cases there are two

individuals who are taken into custody, for lack of a better term.

The first is individuals who do so voluntarily.

They admit themselves. In

that case, a rights advisor is not necessary because they did so of their own

free will. In this case, we are

talking about individuals who are involuntarily admitted.

My understanding, if the number is correct, is that there were 260

admissions last year in this Province.

Now, that does not mean there were 260 people.

Many people have multiple admissions but there were 260 of these in the

last year, just so people have some context on this.

Under the current legislation, 13.

(2) A rights advisor

shall not be a person who is (

a) involved in the direct clinical care of the

person to whom the rights advice is to be given; or (

b) providing treatment or

care and supervision under a community treatment plan.

That makes obvious sense. You

are not going to have someone who is involved in the care advocate for this

person and speak for their rights.

That would be an inherent conflict.

These individuals are speaking for those who are

involuntarily admitted and need assistance and need advice.

Now we have four in this Province, just so people know.

There two in St. John's, one in Grand Falls-Windsor, and one in Corner

Brook. Normally their background is

they have some sort of post-secondary education, a social science degree whether

it be psychology or sociology, something along those lines.

My understanding is the caseload at any given time for

one of these individuals is twelve to thirteen patients.

They talk to their patients and they advise them of their rights and chat

with them about what is happening and what needs to be done moving forward.

Again, this is information that I have, is there are normally no more

than ten community treatment orders at any one time and it is usually a lot less

than that, but ten would be the maximum.

I feel it is good to put this information out there

because it is one thing when you speak to a bill that is new and being created

and you can give a backdrop to it, but when you are talking about an amendment

to a bill oftentimes you are not speaking about the purpose of the bill.

You are speaking to why you are changing it.

It is nice for people to have an understanding of what this bill stands

for, what it means.

When you look at the actual legislation, the sections

that are being done here, under 14(1) we are talking about the functions of a

rights advisor. I think the wording

is being changed from, The rights advisor may offer advice and assistance in

accordance with this Act to (

a) a person who is detained in or admitted to a

psychiatric unit. The wording is

now changed to: (

a) a person who is an involuntary patient.

That takes into account the voluntariness versus

involuntariness when it comes to the rights advisor and who they will handle.

You may have a person who, of their own accord, checks in for their own

wellness versus a person who is taken in not of their own accord.

That is who we are dealing with here.

That is a fairly simple change but it means a lot

because there is obviously a big difference between anybody, anywhere, at any

time doing something of their own free will versus not of their own free will.

The wording is simple but it is pretty substantial in what we are

covering off here.

Subsection 14(2) is being changed as well when we talk

about the functions of a rights advisor.

Now what we are talking is they will meet in person or by other means as

soon as possible and in any event within 24 hours of becoming an involuntary

patient. That one is more of a

change to reflect the overall change that is being made, just to change the

wording there, simply reflecting we are talking about detained or admitted to

simply involuntary.

The big thing for people to remember here is that there

must be a meeting within twenty-four hours of being admitted. That is the big

thing to remember here. There has to

be that meeting.

Now, I am going to talk a bit further about one of the

follow-up provisions here, which I think is crucial and necessary.

I will get to that now, actually.

When you go to subsection (2) when we talk about the functions of the

rights advisor, there has to be another follow-up.

Often within the twenty-four hour period, people are still unwell.

They are not well enough to discuss their case.

What we are talking about now is a change will be made

to the legislation to reflect this and say that you will meet then, and then you

will meet again within ten days. I

think that makes all the sense in the world.

Again, you meet with somebody within twenty-four hours, depending on

their state of mind and if we are talking about an involuntary admission, we

are talking about someone who has a severe mental health issue, and therefore in

that twenty-four period they are probably quite agitated and not in the right

frame of mind, we will say, for lack of a better term, to discuss their case.

You have that initial consultation, and you have to

have it, but now within ten days you are going to meet again.

Hopefully the individual is in a much better place to be able to discuss

the matter and, more importantly, what we do going forward.

That changes here. It is

legislated in now to say within ten days, and that is great.

It also allows the rights advisor an opportunity to review the

certificates so they can do a better job of representing the rights of their

client, we will say, the individual.

I think that is good. That makes

sense. It is a smart change to the

legislation.

There is another small change, still in subsection (2),

where the word and is added.

Again, that is simply housekeeping, a very small change there.

When we talk about this bill and, I think, when you

talk about the Mental Health Care and Treatment Act, we are talking about an

issue in this Province, and not just this Province, but this country is getting

more attention and that is a great thing.

Mental health care and mental illness is something there has been a huge

stigma attached to for way too long, and it is only now we are getting the

message out there that it is common.

The statistics that I have seen are one in five.

That is a staggering statistic when you think about it.

I know the minister mentioned this in the House I

think it might have been yesterday, and I was actually at the same announcement,

when we talked about the new ad campaign that is being unveiled by the Province,

I think it is: understanding now. I

might have it wrong, but there are a lot of commercials, you will see them

during the hockey games and you will see them at various times.

The purpose of these ads, and I believe there are three different ads, is

that when we talk about mental health, mental illness, and substance abuse too

because that is also a part of this program when we are talking about this, we

are going to do better if we all understand and we make a better effort at

understanding.

As I said to the minister here in the House, I said it

in Estimates, and I have said it on numerous occasions, it is a good move.

We had a little joke during the Estimates because I have said at various

times that some of the advertising that happens by this government is pure

propaganda. He asked: Was this

propaganda? I said: No, no, this is

a good one. This is good stuff.

Some of the stuff that gets put out is beyond belief, but this is a good

one. This is good, it is necessary,

and let us get more people talking.

You take someone like Clara Hughes who many of us had

the opportunity when she came here to the Province to meet with her and talk to

her. This is somebody who is a

world-class athlete, a true hero, who would seemingly be at the top of the world

winning Olympic medals in the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, it is hard to

believe, and she was suffering.

For someone like her to come out and speak, it makes a

big difference. I really think it

does do a lot to know someone like this who you look up to and you think has it

all was suffering and has depression.

I think this campaign that she has is great.

Coming here to the Province, I got an opportunity to meet her.

I still

Document details

Collection	Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	2014-05-22
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	2014-05-22
Language	en
Format	htm
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	1fa655ea57484c4e5569c93b6f3c54e35ceb7cdc

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