Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 6 March 2012 (47th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLVII No. 3)
2012-03-06
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
March
6, 2012 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVII No. 3
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!
Statements by Members.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from: the hon. the Member
for the District of Humber Valley; the hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe; the hon. the Member for the District of Conception Bay East Bell
Island; the hon. the Member for the District of Terra Nova; the hon. the Member
for the District of Bonavista North; and the hon. the Member for the District of
St. John's Centre.
The hon. the Member for the District of Humber Valley.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to commend two sisters,
Jennifer and Jocelyn Barnes, two young women from the Deer Lake area. Jennifer
and Jocelyn will be travelling to Haiti in late April to help in the Karen
Huxter Orphanage, which houses eighteen youth from the ages of infancy to
sixteen years. They are travelling as part of the mission team Hands Across the
Sea. This mission is dedicated to helping the children of Haiti.
Mr. Speaker, this is the second year for the sister team in raising funds,
not for their air travel, but rather for the upkeep of the orphanage. Again,
this year these two young ladies have created a unique T-shirt design and have
been selling the T-shirts with all proceeds to the children.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in commending
Jennifer and Jocelyn, and in wishing them every success on their mission.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, today it gives me great pleasure to showcase
Rocky Harbour and the Rocky Harbour winter carnival. Rocky Harbour is best known
as the administrative centre of Gros Morne National Park.
Rocky Harbour, however, is about much more than just summertime tourism. With
1,000 year-round residents, it is the largest town in St. Barbe district. In
Rocky Harbour you can find banking, hotels, restaurants, garages, building
supplies, groceries, federal and provincial government offices, a police
station, a great high school, and even a fish plant that sells to retail
customers. Home building is constant, giving consumers a choice of either a
brand new home or one with experience. Little wonder that the newest MHA for the
District of St. Barbe elected to establish his constituency office in Rocky
Harbour.
In contrast to summer tourism, this weekend is Rocky Harbour's winter
carnival. I have the pleasure of attending opening ceremonies on Friday, March
9, and I extend an invitation to other members of this hon. House, as well as to
the public in general, to come out and enjoy the Rocky Harbour winter carnival
this year. I wish to commend the organizers on keeping the spirit of winter and
community mindedness alive and well.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Conception Bay East
- Bell Island.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BRAZIL: Mr. Speaker, I stand in the House today to acknowledge the
Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Heritage Committee.
Mr. Speaker, in late February of 2011 I had the pleasure of attending a
public meeting to discuss promoting the heritage of this unique corner of the
world. While I assumed this would be poorly attended, as it may not be of
interest to a large sector of the community, I was pleasantly surprised when
over 150 residents attended with every intention of preserving and celebrating
their history.
This past week, the Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Heritage Committee released
the Our Heritage Document. This was developed under the leadership of Mr.
Winston Fiander, and a very talented, dedicated committee and a researcher who
researched the educational, historical, employment and social history of the
community. This document sets out the framework which will drive the
establishment of a permanent museum to house the many artifacts donated by the
residents of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's.
Mr. Speaker, the committee with the financial and moral support of the town
council are looking forward to preserving permanently the 500 years of history.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to acknowledge the Portugal Cove-St. Philip's
Heritage Society for preserving and celebrating their history.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Terra Nova.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. S. COLLINS: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today in this hon. House to
congratulate an organization in my district on its recent accomplishment. During
the 2012 Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Conference and Trade Show held in
Gander back in late February, the Eastport Peninsula Heritage Society was
announced as the winner of the prestigious Doug Wheeler Tourism Award. This
award, as many of my colleagues would know, is presented annually to an
individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the tourism
industry in this Province.
This society which is made up of volunteers runs the Beaches Heritage Centre
in Eastport. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, this centre is a cultural gem, not only in
my district but certainly throughout our Province as a whole. It showcases
traditional music and arts, develops and offers cultural and historical
programming, organizes a number of festivals and promotes the vast tourism
product that this area has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, and while the product that the Eastport Peninsula offers in
terms of tourism potential is great, what is equally as great is a strong and
dedicated group of volunteers that make up this society. It always amazes me how
much time and effort these folks put into the operation of the facility and it
is through their hard work that the centre realizes such overwhelming success.
This past summer, I was fortunate enough to have the former Minister of
Tourism, Culture and Recreation and our Premier attend the centre's grand
opening, and I think it is safe to say that all of us were thoroughly impressed.
I ask all hon. members to join with me in congratulating the society on their
accomplishment, and in the same breath, Mr. Speaker, thanking them for helping
to keep our Province's priceless cultural fabric vibrant and alive.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CROSS: It is with, indeed, great pride today, Mr. Speaker, that I
stand in this hon. House to congratulate the Town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity
on receiving a Torngat Municipal Achievement Award at the most recent MNL
convention in Corner Brook, in 2011.
Some of the things I am going to mention, Mr. Speaker, may not seem important
to larger centres in the Province but to a smaller community some of these
things are very significant. Mr. Speaker, this town has seen a very significant
amount of growth and economic development, and town spirit. The newly elected
council of 2009 inherited a significant financial challenge. They undertook a
full financial review, and as a result, reduced their DSR from 30 per cent to
13, and by negotiating a much lower interest rate on outstanding debt, they
qualified for over $400,000 capital works funding to install a new chlorination
system to get rid of an eighteen-month boil order in their water system.
Mr. Speaker, as a result of the improved financial picture, the town was able
to improve technology at the town hall by installing computer systems, Interac,
and credit card, and on-line payments, which resulted in more timely and
efficient payment of taxes by residents. Mr. Speaker, the town introduced new
group benefits and RRSP packages for their employees and committed to
significant employee training, which resulted in more efficiency and a greater
understanding of the town's infrastructure by its workers.
Mr. Speaker, the town council also hosts quarterly public town hall meetings
which enhance openness and transparency. These meetings have witnessed more than
two hundred in attendance, which approaches 30 per cent of the town's voting
population. Mr. Speaker, I could elaborate more on their accomplishments, but I
feel this is enough to reinforce why this town has received this very
distinguished award, the Torngat Municipal Achievement Award, from MNL.
I wish to congratulate Mayor Rogers, Deputy Mayor Pickett, and all
councillors and residents of the town on behalf of hon. members of this House,
and thank them for their unselfish and tireless efforts to improve life in their
town and deliver good, local governance.
Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, I stand today to pay tribute to the many women
who have worked so hard on a dream that was finally realized last week.
Eight years ago, the St. John's Status of Women Council had a vision of a new
facility that would combine the Women's Centre and its wonderful programs with
supportive housing in a women-centred environment.
Last week, I was so happy to attend the official opening of Marguerite's
Place, the realization of that dream. This welcoming and accessible building, in
the heart of my District of St. John's Centre, is a physical reminder of what
can be accomplished when people work together. Thirty years ago, when I was
coordinator of the Women's Centre, we could never have imagined such an
incredible thing to celebrate.
So, Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join with me in congratulating the
supportive staff of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, Canada Mortgage and
Housing, and especially the St. John's Status of Women Council and all of the
community groups and businesses who helped out who worked so hard to make this
happen.
During International Women's Week, it is only fitting to say: Bravo,
Marguerite's Place! Well done!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, February 6, 2012, marked the sixtieth
anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne as
Queen of Canada. It gives me great pleasure to rise in this House today as Her
Majesty's First Minister of Newfoundland and Labrador, to honour the sixty-year
reign of a sovereign who has dedicated her life to the service of others and who
has demonstrated great pride and affection for Canada.
The Diamond Jubilee provides an opportunity to highlight those in our
community who, like Her Majesty, have dedicated themselves to serving family,
community, and country. Through the Diamond Jubilee medal program, Canadians are
recognized for their significant contributions. Diamond Jubilee medals will be
presented to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians during ceremonies that will take
place across the Province throughout 2012.
The Diamond Jubilee is also a wonderful opportunity to honour our traditions
and history. Events and activities will take place in our Province this year,
which will highlight how Canada has evolved during Her Majesty's reign.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all hon. members, as well as all residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador, to join in the many celebratory activities that will
take place throughout our Province. A list of Diamond Jubilee activities will be
updated throughout the year on the Government House Web site. That said, Mr.
Speaker, there is no need to wait for an activity to be announced. Groups are
encouraged to organize their own celebration or commemoration: perhaps an essay
contest or an art show, a garden party or a tree planting, a croquet tournament
or a high tea.
Mr. Speaker, I invite all those interested to sign the congratulatory message
book currently located in the main lobby of Confederation Building. It will
travel across the Province throughout the year and in due course be delivered to
Her Majesty. What better way to send our own personal thank-you to Her Majesty
by adding our own names to the book that will undoubtedly become an important
part of the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, and part of our history.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: I thank the Premier for an advance copy.
Certainly, as we have grown up in Newfoundland and Labrador, we all have very
special memories of royal visits to our Province. I know in my own community
back in the late 1950s, I will say I can remember Queen Elizabeth and her visit.
I have very strong and very vivid memories of that.
What is really nice about this particular statement is that the Diamond
Jubilee award will give us yet another opportunity to recognize people who
actually build and volunteer in their communities. I know in my own District of
Humber Valley we have already started this process. There are many people who we
have already identified as potential winners.
I did notice the Premier had signed the message book. That is something I
have not done yet, but I will do that before it leaves here.
I thank you once again and I encourage everybody to participate in all of the
activities as they go around the Province this summer.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I too thank the Premier for an advance copy of her statement.
I too remember as a little girl here in St. John's being quite excited when
we marked Queen Elizabeth's ascension to the throne with fireworks. I guess they
had to have been down at Quidi Vidi. I remember they had a picture the
fireworks ended with a picture of the new Queen. It was really quite exciting. I
always remember that image.
I am very glad too that we as MHAs have been honoured to celebrate the
Queen's Jubilee by nominating constituents from our districts for medals, and I
am looking forward to hoping that those I nominated are going to get medals. It
will be a great moment.
The sixtieth anniversary Jubilee celebration provides an opportunity for all
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to mark the Queen's lifetime of public service,
and I think we all do appreciate the hard work that she has put into these sixty
years. Her family is no stranger to our Province. Over the past few years, I,
myself have been pleased to have had the opportunity as MHA in my district to
meet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2009, as well as the Queen's
daughter, Princess Anne, in 2010, when she presented colours to the Newfoundland
Regiment down in Pleasantville.
So, the whole New Democrat caucus joins me and the House in thanking the
Queen for her continued dedication and service.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the pleasure of joining Lily Cole, President of
the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association, for the launch of Education
Week in this Province. For the second consecutive year, the launch was broadcast
through an interactive Web site in schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,
allowing students and teachers to join in celebrating education and the
importance of learning.
This year's Education Week theme focused on technology, Mr. Speaker, and
yesterday's Web cast was an indication of the technological advances present in
our schools today. This government realizes the importance of providing a
quality education in an ever-changing global environment. In the past eight
years, Mr. Speaker, funding for K-12 education has increased by 42 per cent. We
are spending millions on new and existing infrastructure, additional teaching
resources, enhanced curriculum, skilled trades programming, arts programming,
and the latest technology to enhance teaching and learning in our schools.
In the past five years alone, we have allocated $16.4 million for the
purchase of computers and interactive whiteboard technology for the K-12
education system.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: In fact, Mr. Speaker, this year we will have more than 4,000
whiteboards in instructional spaces throughout the Province. We know, Mr.
Speaker, that education is the key to future prosperity, both on an individual
level and for the Province as a whole. As such, strategic investments in
education will remain a priority for this government.
I invite my colleagues in this House today to join me in celebrating
Education Week, and in recognizing the students, teachers, elected school board
trustees, school district staff, school council members and the many parent
volunteers who contribute to our school communities.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I would like to
take this opportunity to congratulate the NLTA on the launch of Education Week.
I would note their slogan, which is bilingual, is obviously a nice touch for
this diverse population.
As the member for a largely rural district, I understand the importance of
investment in technological advances. Without high-speed Internet now, a lot of
kids in this Province are not going to have an opportunity to take advantage of
these investments and this new technology that is available.
We must move beyond investments though. If you look at the studies from 2001
to 2009, we see that the amount invested in each student has more than doubled.
However, the graduation rate for high school students is still stable; it is not
increasing with that investment. We must take steps to move that forward. I
would like to recognize the NLTA for all that they have done for this Province
and for the students. It is a great step forward and I look forward to this
Education Week.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of St. John's North.
MR. KIRBY: Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for an advance
copy of his statement. I would like to congratulate the Province's teachers,
staff and students on the launch of Education Week. I hope that the remainder of
the school year is a happy and productive one.
We hear from teachers that they feel a lack of support from government to
deal with the complex demands of today's classrooms. We need more teachers,
student assistants and other professionals delivering student support services
and they need ongoing professional development to ensure the high-quality
education that every Newfoundland and Labrador child deserves to have.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Time and time again, this government has ignored any talk of reining in
spending. In fact, they have taken every opportunity to boast about the amounts
they spend. During their time in government they have spent unprecedented
amounts of public funds, often without a detailed plan for the future.
I ask the Premier: Recognizing our dependency on the volatility of oil
revenue, why did your government fail to have in place a proper financial
management plan for the people of the Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I refer the Leader of the Opposition back to his own reaction to
my Board of Trade speech just within the last two weeks, when he agreed with
everything I said in terms of fiscal management here in this Province. Mr.
Speaker, we have reduced public debt in this Province by almost a third $4
billion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: There are not countries in this world that could make
that boast. Mr. Speaker, we had to spend money because of the serious neglect of
fourteen years of Liberal administration, and we have done so in a great way.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: I would remind the Premier, too, that most of that oil money
was done by programs and projects that were done by past Liberal governments.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, after years of unmonitored, uncontrollable
spending practices in this government, this government is now following the lead
of Stephen Harper and telling the people of the Province there will be cuts
across the board.
So, I ask the Premier: What criteria will you use to make these cuts, and are
there any programs that will not be included in this review?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as responsible fiscal stewards, it is always, always incumbent
on us to be reviewing programs and spending within government, and that is what
we are doing now. That is what I referred to yesterday when I talked about a
review of core programming, ensuring that we are meeting our mandate, that there
is not wastage wastage that the Leader of the Opposition referred to in his
Reply to the Speech from the Throne. Mr. Speaker, we look for those kinds of
incidents all the time, and we manage the finances of the people of the Province
in the most responsible way.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: So we will find out later where the cuts will be or will not
be, but, Mr. Speaker, just last month the Premier was publicly speaking about
slowing the rate of growth in spending nothing about spending cuts or
reductions.
So, I ask the Premier: Why the sudden change in approach, and will Crown
corporations such as Nalcor be subject to those cuts?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we have not talked about cuts. What we have talked about is
reviewing all of our core mandates, reviewing all of our programs, ensuring that
the objectives and goals set out when we introduced those programs are being
met. We have asked all our departments to look for at least 3 per cent in
reductions, and yes, there are exemptions. Front-line health and education
services will be exempted. Policing services will be exempted. Child, Youth and
Family Services will be exempted. Income support will be exempted. There are all
kinds of areas where one can look for savings, Mr. Speaker; we do it all of the
time. We are doing a very focused look right now.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, since the announcement on November 18, 2010,
government has stated that Muskrat Falls will cost $6.2 billion; however, last
week, before the PUB, Nalcor corrected their numbers and added $1.1 billion in
interest costs. Now, the projected cost of Muskrat Falls is $7.3 billion.
I ask the Premier: Now that the costs have climbed to $7.3 billion, can
government advise what other expenses they neglected to include?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Muskrat Falls Generating Station will cost $2.9 billion and the
Labrador-Island Link will cost $2.1 billion. That is $5 billion, Mr. Speaker.
Into that, there is built in 15 per cent contingency and escalation costs. What
we are doing, Mr. Speaker, in terms of the overruns and the final numbers, we
will have them from Nalcor shortly.
I bring it back to the basic question. I say to the Leader of the Opposition:
Do you agree with the MHI report that we need power in the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador? If we need power, then we have to do something about
it. We have gone through the options. Muskrat Falls is clearly $2.2 billion
cheaper than any other option.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: We will answer the question.
Mr. Speaker, Emera and Nalcor have announced an indefinite delay in the
production of the detailed legal documents. According to the Premier, the
previous firm date of June 2012 for sanction has now been replaced with the hope
of sanction before the end of the year.
I ask this question to the Premier: Now that there is extra time available to
do a proper analysis of the project, will this government permit the independent
reviews by the PUB and others as recommended by the Joint Review Panel?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Muskrat Falls has been reviewed since 1976. In 1980 Vic Young, then Chair of
Newfoundland Hydro, recommended that Muskrat Falls proceed. We have had reports
done, Mr. Speaker, by Navigant, which was not independent enough for the
Opposition. We have had the MHI report. MHI, Mr. Speaker, was hired by the PUB,
independent of government and independent of Nalcor. MHI concluded that one, we
need the power; two, Muskrat Falls is the lowest cost option; $2.2 billion
cheaper than refurbished Holyrood with small hydro and wind.
Mr. Speaker, we have done reviews. What the Opposition Leader is saying is
continue to do a review until someone says Muskrat Falls is not the best option;
that is what he is looking for.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: What I am looking for, Minister, are reviews of other options.
The PUB mandate is to ensure the lowest possible price for ratepayers, yet
government has manipulated the process by asking them to examine just two
options brought forward by Nalcor: the Muskrat Falls option or an isolated
Island option.
The question to the Premier: Will government permit the PUB to examine
Muskrat Falls and compare it to other possible options to provide power to the
ratepayers and people of Newfoundland?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I say to the Leader of the Opposition: What
other options is he talking about? Refurbished Holyrood is the best of the other
options, Mr. Speaker, with small hydro and wind. Manitoba Hydro International
clearly concluded that there is so much wind that can be used, but it has to be
integrated into the system.
We have looked at natural gas, Mr. Speaker, extensively. In fact, I can say
to the Leader of the Opposition, I met with Ziff Energy out of Calgary on the
weekend while in Toronto on another matter. They concluded, clearly, that the
importation of gas from the United States is not economically feasible. Mr.
Speaker, we know, clearly, that the building of a pipeline from the Grand Banks
is not feasible. If the Leader of the Opposition has other options, I would like
to know what they are.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Minister of Health. In the 2011 election your
government committed to a new model of home care that would pay family
caregivers, and we have received numerous calls and e-mails about this
particular issue.
I ask the minister today: When can family caregivers expect to receive the
first cheque for the care that they provide to their loved ones?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we made a very firm commitment within the Blue Book, and it is a
commitment that we intend to see through. There is a fair bit of planning,
however, that is needed. This is a plan that we are looking at that has no model
anywhere in Canada, anywhere in North America. Once again, we are going to be on
the leading edge here. We are doing our due diligence; we are making sure that
what we put in place is going to be a plan that is workable for all families in
Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Many of the people in this Province went out there in the election and
supported your government simply because you were making a commitment to them to
help them provide for better home care for their loved ones and have financial
security.
I ask the minister today: How many people in this Province would be eligible
for such a program and, again, when can they start receiving the cheques?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, at present we have more than 6,000 people who take advantage of
home support in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are expending somewhere in the
vicinity of $140 million a year, and in the last few years we have had an
additional $104 million a year that we provide to home support care in this
Province.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to home support. We have changed the
eligibility requirements. We have done things like increase the options with
regard to liquid assets. Mr. Speaker, we have made more progress in terms of
home support in Newfoundland and Labrador than any other government has ever
done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright - L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The commitment in the election was very clear, I say to you, Minister, and I
have it right here in front of me. You outlined very clearly to the people of
this Province that you would provide supportive income sources for family
caregivers in this Province.
Can you tell me today you made that commitment months ago when you are
going to honour that commitment and when these families can start receiving some
income support?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am not sure what it is the member opposite is asking me for. She is talking
about income support, but I am assuming that she means home support. Yes, we
certainly made a commitment within our Blue Book. We will certainly see to it
that that commitment is honoured.
It will take some time to do the right job. We do not have an exact date that
we can give you, but I am telling you here and now: It is a commitment we made;
it is a commitment we will keep.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, one of the cornerstones of our fishery, the
Fleet Separation Policy, keeps big companies with deep pockets from buying under
sixty-five foot long vessels and their quotas. This has protected the inshore
fishery and rural Newfoundland and Labrador for years.
I ask the minister: Does he support the Fleet Separation Policy, especially
now that Nova Scotia supports it, or will he let the Harper Government remove
fleet separation from fisheries management and attack our rural communities?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Congratulations to the member on his first question. You picked a very
important topic to the Province.
What I can say to the member opposite, if one thing the last three months has
shown us in this Province is that this government is committed to try and fix
the wrongs of the past in the fishery. We recognize the tremendous impact that
the inshore fishery has on the rural parts of our Province, and many of the
larger parts, Mr. Speaker. We are going to take solid positions to make sure
that any change in fisheries policy from the federal government will reflect our
historical attachment to the resource, and we will make sure maximum benefits
come back to the people of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, the minister is on record as stating that the
principal beneficiary of the fishery should be the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
I ask the minister, given that his government has had three mandates from the
people to protect their interests, how can he now not know where he stands on
policies that protect independent harvesters and coastal communities?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think the member might be wise to sit back and put some of his questions
about the future of the fishery to some of the strong interest groups we have in
the Province. This government and I know very clearly where we stand. We are
committed to support the fishers in the Province and to do what is right and
make the decisions that are the appropriate decisions to improve an industry
that has some significant challenges ahead of it. The challenge in this
Province, Mr. Speaker, is not me or this government, it is the FFAW and all of
those groups out there with their own personal self-interests that rise about
the interests of the industry and the interests of the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, in January, ExxonMobil started an
international search for a company that can handle the $100 million in work on
Hebron, upon realizing our Province lacks the capacity.
I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What is the status of the expression
of interest?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
One of the commitments of this government was that our non-renewable
resources, the benefits that come from them will flow to the people of this
Province, both in terms of revenue, Mr. Speaker, and also in terms of jobs and
the building capacity in this Province. We have had discussions with ExxonMobil,
Mr. Speaker, prior to them going out with the international expression of
interest. I met with a company in the last few weeks that has expressed interest
in providing they say they have the capacity to build this module in the
Province. I can tell you that we are closely watching the Hebron Benefits
Agreement and we will make sure, as best we can, Mr. Speaker, that everything
that can be built in this Province will be built in this Province that relates
to our offshore.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, young apprentices are speaking to their
challenges finding work. Hebron Public Review Commissioner Miller Ayre expressed
concern at the labour shortage with megaprojects on the horizon. In December
2011, the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills said 84 per cent of the
recommendations from the 2007 Skills Task Force report have been addressed.
I ask the minister: Can you outline the 16 per cent of recommendations not
yet addressed and which of these should resolve the problem?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We had the Skills Task Force a number of years ago and we have implemented
over 80 per cent of the recommendations from the Skills Task Force. It is
certainly the commitment of government at this time, as we move forward, to work
with the labour market demands, which are different now than what they were
years ago. We want to take a new approach; we want to make sure we understand
the forecast. We understand the skills that are needed and we invest our money
directly into a way that we can assist our apprentices.
Mr. Speaker, it is not a process right now of going back in time and
reviewing a report from 2005 and what we can do. It is about making sure that we
are flexible enough to change and meet the demands of today's labour market and
tomorrow's labour market, and do what we can for our apprentices.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, the Hebron project was announced in the fall
of 2008. Three-and-a-half years later, ExxonMobil is looking outside the
Province to complete $100 million in work. Despite constant reference to the
past eight years in yesterday's speech, it is clear government was not thinking
ahead.
I ask the minister: How can government account for this failure to prepare
for $100 million in work to be completed in this Province work desperately
needed to move apprentices through their plans of training?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, earlier in Question Period we heard the boast from the Leader of
the Opposition that the benefits we get from oil were negotiated under a Liberal
Administration, a Liberal Administration that failed to negotiate benefits all
of the benefits that could be extracted from those projects for the people of
the Province.
We made no such mistake, Mr. Speaker. We have every commitment that is
possible from oil companies to maximize benefits to the people of Newfoundland
and Labrador from their assets. Mr. Speaker, the worst criticism that could be
levelled at us is that we have over-negotiated our capacity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I find it very interesting that the Premier today is talking about a review
of government departments in order to find savings. That was not in the Speech
from the Throne yesterday.
On the one hand, the Premier talks about across-the-board cuts to the tune of
3 per cent, yet at the next moment she is willing to commit this Province to the
most expensive project we have ever seen in our history, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the Premier: How does this government reconcile making taxpayers do
with less while saddling them with potentially crushing public debt?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: First of all, Mr. Speaker, let me correct the Leader
of the Third Party. There are no 3 per cent across-the-board cuts. I would
recommend that she listen to what we say on this side of the House before she
speaks, Mr. Speaker, because I am more than prepared to defend what it is we say
and do on the government side of the House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, it is good fiscal management to
understand how much money you have coming in and how much money you have going
out. It is also good fiscal management to ensure that your programs are
delivering the services that you design them for, Mr. Speaker. As in your
household, you should always be reviewing your income coming in and your
revenues going out, Mr. Speaker.
So, Mr. Speaker, I make no apologies for good fiscal management. Burdening
people with debt, Mr. Speaker we have reduced the debt by $4 billion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: In order to add to the debt, I would say, Mr. Speaker in
order to add to the debt.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if we were able to have discussions in this House on the Muskrat
Falls Project, perhaps we could have greater debate over the issues that are
being brought forward right now.
Last night in the media, the Premier said the House of Assembly is not
informed to the degree it needs to be to determine whether or not government
will sanction Muskrat Falls.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier to stand and explain to the hon. members, the
elected representatives of the people of this Province, why she thinks they are
not qualified to debate the biggest project this Province has faced to date.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am responding to remarks made by the Leader of the Third Party
in that information is not available to them information that is available on
the PUB Web site, the government Web site, and the Nalcor Web site. When you do
not know how to pull up information on a Web site and press print, you cannot
blame somebody for questioning your ability or capacity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the Premier, Mr. Speaker, that if we had a real debate in the House,
we could explain what it is that we are looking for that we were not allowed to
ask for from the PUB or from anybody else who did studies for Nalcor.
So I ask the Premier: Is she saying she does not believe in real debate with
back-and-forth discussion in this House on this issue?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely believe in debate in this House. I welcome in this
House for the first time in the year-and-a-half that this project has been under
discussion that we are getting questions from the Leader of the Third Party. She
finally has an interest in asking a question after a year-and-a-half. Well done!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the Premier cannot give
real answers instead of being defensive with what she throws back at this side
of the House.
If she wants real debate, I am asking her, Mr. Speaker: Will she provide the
Resource Committee with a mandate to investigate matters of importance to the
government and public? Will the Premier direct the Resource Committee to examine
and inquire into the proposed Muskrat Falls Project as is their responsibility
of government wanting them to do it as outlined in Standing Orders 65.(5)?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this is a project that has been under consideration by Nalcor
formerly Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro for a number of years. Mr. Speaker, a
number of technical studies have been done to inform this project. All of the
information has been provided to companies like Navigant for an independent
analysis to see if the methodology is correct and if Nalcor's assumptions are
correct. Mr. Speaker, as a result of questions posed here in this House, in
debate in this House, the questions were referred to the PUB. MHI are experts,
world-renowned, who have given their verdict on Muskrat Falls.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Joint Panel Review on the Lower Churchill Hydroelectric
Project, in its second recommendation, called on government to commission an
independent review of alternative options, which government seems to be
ignoring.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why is she ignoring the recommendations of
the only truly independent study of this project to date?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
During the last session of the House, we did not get a question from the
Leader of the NDP on Muskrat Falls; it is good to see questions coming now.
What I find interesting, Mr. Speaker, is that the late Jack Layton supported
the project. Thomas Mulcair, one of the leadership candidates, supports the
project. Premier Darrell Dexter supports the project. Jack Harris, former Leader
of the provincial NDP, supports the project. The NDP give this aura of being one
big happy family, yet they seem to adopt policies when it suits them.
I say to the Leader of the Third Party: Why don't you support the project? Do
you accept we need the power? Is Muskrat Falls the least-cost option?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Fisheries froze
research funding to the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union in retaliation of
criticism levelled against him by senior union officials. Yesterday's Throne
Speech noted the government wants all partners in the industry to work together
to find solutions to the industry's problems.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Does she condone such aggressive acts by the
Minister of Fisheries?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Indeed, it is a great opportunity to stand today and recognize the member's
first question; but, more importantly, it is the first question on the fishery
in five years from that party. So I think it is a great day, Mr. Speaker, and it
needs to be acknowledged.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, for the record, I speak to the member's question.
What transpired last week was the FFAW, like many groups in this Province,
receive funding from this government for a variety of projects you have heard
the Minister of Finance and the Premier on many occasions, even today, talk
about the need to be prudent with our financing and our spending. That is what I
have done, Mr. Speaker. I have said I will fund no more projects until they are
relevant and focused on our agenda as a government for the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Will the Premier direct the Minister of Fisheries to
immediately release the research funding to the FFAW and make a commitment to
work and convince other shareholders and stakeholders that they face similar
punitive measures by him in the future?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I guess one can only live in hope here that the
Premier will move you out of this portfolio, but until she does, I will continue
to do my best.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is actually misunderstanding
what transpired. What was frozen was future investment and spending. There is no
funding from this government that ought to have moved to the FFAW to support
projects that has been frozen. This has nothing to do with operational funding;
it has to do with projects that the group around the hierarchy of the FFAW and
that beautiful new building that they occupy downtown somewhere, it is
priorities they identified.
Mr. Speaker, to be clear, the action that I took was in response to their
condemnation of the way we are spending money on the fisheries, so it warrants a
further review.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, experience has shown that when communities get involved in the
discussion around the economic future of their fisheries, the results are
productive. The full participation of the community is key to developing a
successful industry that brings maximum benefit to the people who work in it.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: What she is doing to ensure all stakeholders
have full participation in planning the future of the industry?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to acknowledge that the member opposite makes a great point, very
reflective of the policy of this government, I might add. We have been saying
that for quite some time. The challenge that we have in facilitating discussions
is that too many organizations and too many interest groups, like we have seen
over the last two months in various communities across this Province, fail to
park their agendas at the door. It is very difficult for a government to provide
leadership in an environment where people are not prepared to come in and make
sacrifices and make changes for the betterment of the industry in the long term.
I say to the member opposite, I agree with your point and we will continue to
advocate from that perspective, Mr. Speaker, but we cannot change the industry
alone. We have to have the stakeholders involved and the federal government
involved.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the Minister of Fisheries: What is he going to do to engage the public?
We have the union, we have industry with ASP, but what are you going to do to
involve the communities, the people in partnership so that we can actually have
good productive discussion about the fishery and its future?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, there could be no greater discussion important to
the future of this Province than the fishery. All of us recognize that. That is
why during the last election the Premier stood with myself and the Member for
Burin Placentia West in particular, in a very heated debate - a very heated
debate - around the future of the fishery. We made commitments, and our biggest
commitment was that we are committed to doing what it takes within our scope of
responsibility to make positive changes for the future of the industry, Mr.
Speaker.
I say to the member opposite, until organizations like the FFAW - who have
vested interests in nothing but their own self-serving projects and agendas.
Until they are prepared to park that and to work with their members and accept
some of the realities on some of the changes that are required, it is very
difficult for government to make changes in this industry.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The time allocated for Question Period has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl South.
MR. LANE: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Select Committee appointed to
draft a reply to the Speech from His Honour, the Lieutenant Governor, I am
pleased to present the Report of the Select Committee which reads as follows:
"To His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable John C. Crosbie, PC,
OC, O.N.L.
May it please Your Honour: We, the Commons of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Legislative Session assembled, beg to thank Your Honour for the Gracious Speech
which Your Honour has addressed to this House.
MR. SPEAKER: When shall the report be received?
Now?
MR. KENNEDY: Now, Mr. Speaker.
On motion, report received.
MR. KENNEDY: I move, seconded by the Minister of Fisheries, that the
debate be deferred.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
Motion carried.
MR. SPEAKER: Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: In accordance with
section 273(3) of the Elections Act,
1991, I hereby table the Chief Electoral Officer's report on the election
finances for the calendar year 2010.
Are there any further reports?
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will ask leave to move the following.
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Assembly as follows:
WHEREAS
section 7 of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and
Administration Act provides that the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Assembly
is to be appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council on a nomination by the
House of Assembly;
NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that William J. Brown be nominated for
appointment as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill
entitled,
An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To
Amend The Consumer Protection And Business Practices Act. (Bill 6)
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill
entitled,
An Act To Amend The Provincial Court Act, 1991, Bill 7, and I give
further notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To
Amend The Family Violence Protection Act, Bill 8.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that the following private
member's resolution be debated at a later date, of the fixed House schedule.
WHEREAS the House of Assembly is the cornerstone of responsible government in
Newfoundland and Labrador; and
WHEREAS the effective and proper functioning of the House of Assembly is
essential to good government, effective legislative process and an open and
democratic society;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls upon government to
provide for a fixed House of Assembly sitting
schedule by introducing amendments
to the House of Assembly Act as follows:
Section 3 of the House of Assembly Act
is amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following:
(3) In 2012
and every following year, except years in which there is a general election
under subsection (2), there shall be a sitting of the House of Assembly (
a) commencing on the second Monday in March and adjourning on the Wednesday before
Easter Sunday; and (
b) commencing on the third Monday after Easter Sunday and
adjourning on the Thursday before the Victoria Day holiday; and (
c) commencing
on the third Monday in October and adjourning not later than one week before
Christmas Day.
Subsection (4): In years in which there is a general election under
subsection (2), there shall be a sitting of the House of Assembly (
a) commencing
on the second Monday in March and adjourning on the Wednesday before Easter
Sunday; and (
b) commencing on the third Monday after Easter Sunday and
adjourning on the Thursday before the Victoria Day holiday; and (
c) commencing
no later than thirty days after the general election day and adjourning not
later than one week before Christmas Day.
Subsection (5): Nothing in subsection (3) prohibits the House of Assembly
from sitting at times other than those referred to in that subsection.
Subsection (6): Where the Lieutenant-Governor in Council intends to adjourn
the House of Assembly earlier than the sitting dates referred to in subsection
(3) or to cancel a sitting referred to in subsection (3), the Government House
Leader shall (
a) table a report in the House of Assembly stating the reasons for
the early adjournments or cancellation; and (
b) on the first day of the next
sitting of the House of Assembly give notice of a motion to debate the report
referred to in paragraph (
a) and this motion shall have precedence over all
other substantive motions on the Order Paper.
Seconded by the Member for the Bay of Islands.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Certainly, I am honoured to rise here today in this House and present a
petition of a very important nature to the people of my district. It certainly
is an issue that I heard before the election, during the election, and I have
certainly heard it after the election.
Your Honour, I have a petition to the hon. House of Assembly to the Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador:
WHEREAS hundreds of residents on the Southwest Coast of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, including residents of the communities of Margaree,
Fox Roost, Isle aux Morts, Burnt Islands, Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou, Diamond
Cove, and La Poile, use Route 470 on a regular basis for work, medical,
educational, and social reasons; and
WHEREAS there is no cell phone coverage on Route 470; and
WHEREAS residents and users of Route 470 require cell phone coverage to
ensure their safety and communication abilities; and
WHEREAS the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development recently
announced significant funding to improve broadband services in rural
Newfoundland and Labrador; and
WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 470 feel the Department of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development should also invest in cellular phone
coverage for rural Newfoundland and Labrador;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to support the users of Route 470 in their
request to obtain cellular phone coverage along Route 470.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Again, I am being urged to say a few more words if I have some time. I heard
the Government House Leader mention that this is private business; however, if
you look at the Government of British Columbia, they have recently invested in
this in partnership in private entities. In TELUS they have invested $100
million to cover 1,700 kilometres along remote areas of that province.
This is something that can be done. Certainly, it affects all members of this
House, no matter their political stripe or colour. Obviously it would be of
great benefit to this Province and especially to the citizens who live in the
rural areas of this Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that I have
received a Message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
All rise.
The letter states:
As Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I
transmit a request to appropriate sums required for the Public Service of the
Province for the year ending 31 March 2013, by way of Interim Supply, and in
accordance with the provisions of sections 54 and 90 of the Constitution Act,
1867, I recommend this request to the House of Assembly.
Sgd.: _____________________
John C. Crosbie,
Lieutenant-Governor
Please be seated.
The hon. Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of
Transportation and Works, that the message, together with a bill, be referred to
a Committee of Supply.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the message, together with a bill, be
referred to a Committee of Supply and that I do now leave the Chair.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: Contra-minded?
Carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on
Supply, Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Verge): Order, please!
We are considering the related resolution.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation, please; we are about to start debating
this bill.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
We will start the debate as soon as I have everybody's co-operation.
We are considering the related resolution and Bill 2,
An Act For Granting Her
Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public
Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2013 And For Other Purposes
Relating To The Public Service.
Resolution
"That it is expedient to introduce a measure to provide to the granting to
Her Majesty for defraying certain expenses of the Public Service for the
financial year ending March 31, 2013 the sum of $2,738,246,500."
CHAIR: Shall the resolution carry?
The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Before I get into my remarks, which are incumbent upon me to perform as the
Finance Minister in introducing Interim Supply, let me first of all congratulate
you, Mr. Chairman, in your election to this new position.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: You have certainly distinguished yourself since becoming a
member of this House, and I am sure you will distinguish yourself once again in
this very important position.
I would like, while I have the opportunity, to congratulate the hon. Speaker
for his election as Speaker. The Speaker, of course, has distinguished himself
for many years as a Member of the House of Assembly, as a member of the Cabinet
as Minister of Business and the Minister of Health and Community Services. I
know that yesterday, his first day as Speaker, was a proud moment for him and
the members of his family, including his wife, Sandra, who I saw sitting in the
Speaker's gallery yesterday.
I also, of course, want to congratulate the Premier. I think I did this last
year at this time. She had taken over as leader of our party, therefore as the
new Premier, but now I congratulate her on her first election and being selected
as Premier by the vast majority of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: It seems quite common for people to add to those remarks
that she is the first female Premier; but, it is not because she is a female
that she was elected by the people, it is because they recognized the vast
majority of the people her outstanding leadership ability and what she will
bring to enhance future development and growth for the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador and all people in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Chair, I congratulate the Member for Mount Pearl South for moving the
Address in Reply, and the Member for Lake Melville for seconding it. They both
gave excellent addresses, if I may say so. I also have to say that I think the
style of the new Member for Lake Melville is noticeably different from the style
of the former Member for Lake Melville.
I want to also take this opportunity to congratulate all new members who have
been elected to this historic institution. I am a person who believes that
politics is a noble calling. I am sure that all members who have been elected
have come here with the intention of servicing the needs of the people who
elected them, and indeed the hopes and dreams and aspirations of all the people
of Newfoundland and Labrador. You are all here with the intention to leave this
Province a better place than when you first came, and I wish you all the best of
luck in your careers; having said that, I can now talk again about this
particular Supply Bill.
For those new members and people watching on television, the one basic
principle of our parliamentary democracy is that money cannot be spent by the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador until that money is approved and
appropriated by the elected members of this House. There are a lot of historical
reasons for that, that I will not bore you with today, but the House of Assembly
has a pamphlet it puts out about the Budget process, Interim Supply, the whole
idea of supply and how it came about, because the King who spent the money used
to demand the money and the House, the Parliament of the day resisted that
demand. The system evolved where the Crown will recommend the money. That was
the message, and we got this message from the Lieutenant-Governor, which the
Speaker read. That is the message recommending we spend this money, but before
the money can be spent the House of Assembly, the elected representatives of the
people, have to give the okay.
The bill is very simple; it is called the Interim Supply Act of 2012. It
says, and I will abbreviate here, from the Consolidated Revenue Fund there shall
be issued by the Finance Minister, sums and (inaudible) it is $2,738,246,500. It
is quite a lot of money, so I am going to use $2.7 billion for future reference.
It is such a massive amount it is hard to think of in terms for the ordinary
person, so I find it helpful to imagine we have 2,738 boxes, each with $1
million in it. I think that is a good way to try to appreciate the volume we are
talking about here. It is asking that this $2.7 billion shall be paid and
applied to the individual or by the individual heads of expenditure in respect
to the coming financial year, which is 2012-2013, towards defraying the charges
and expenses of public service of Newfoundland and Labrador as set out in the
schedule.
If we go to the schedule, the
schedule outlines the $2.7 billion and it gives
the headings where the money is going. The Consolidated Fund Services is getting
about $1.3 million, that is the smallest, and it goes right up to Health and
Community Services. Of the big three, if I can call them that in the schedule,
Health and Community Services is $962 million, and Education, which this year is
divided into two parts, there is Advanced Education and there is Education, they
total $624 million. Number one, Health, $962 million; number two, Education,
$624 million; and $466 million Transportation and Works, which is usually number
three.
Mr. Chair, the Interim Supply Bill is required to be passed by this House
during this spring session in order to allow for routine and ongoing operations
during the period while we are debating Budget 2012; while the Budget and the
main Supply bill are being introduced and being debated and approved by the
Legislature. When we bring in the Budget and the related Supply bill we are
going to be seeking approval for funding to spend for the entire fiscal year. It
obviously takes time for the debate and approval of the Budget.
There are seventy-five hours allocated to the Budget Debate, the Supply
debate and the consideration of Estimates which we will do in Committee and that
we will do here in the House. Until that takes place, the government needs the
money to conduct its day-to-day operations. During this period government will
require funding to pay its bills, and that is the purpose of this Interim Supply
Bill. The Interim Supply Bill and the main Supply bill are the two things that
happen every year in this House.
We are seeking today Interim Supply for $2.7 billion, and that is about 35
per cent of this year when I say this year, I mean the year 2011-2012. It is
35 per cent of 2011-2012s budgeted Current and Capital Account Gross
Expenditures. This will provide departments and this will provide public bodies
with sufficient cash flow dollars to manage expenditures for a three-month
period from April 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012, which of course is the first quarter
of the fiscal year. Mr. Chairman, in some accounts more than one-quarter of the
budget is required for those items which will need to be expended early in the
year as well as to provide for the calling and awarding of tenders and the
encumbering of funds.
Mr. Chair, this year you will note that there has been an increase of $68.6
million, which is 2.6 per cent to Interim Supply is being requested for
2012-2013 compared to the year 2011-2012. This is a modest increase and includes
provision for increased infrastructure spending, annualization of the 2011-2012
Budget decisions, and other program growth.
Interim Supply is basically intended to provide for the continuation of
ongoing government programs and projects. Included in the 2012 Interim Supply
Bill are ongoing housekeeping expenditures, including funding for seven pay
periods and ongoing project and funding requirements applicable to the 2012-2013
fiscal year.
I am advised by the Comptroller General, Mr. Chair, the legislation will need
to be passed and to receive Royal Assent by March 23, 2012 in order to allow
sufficient time to meet payroll, income support, and other expenditures, and
assure that these cheques can reach their destinations in rural parts of the
Province, rural parts of Labrador, effective April 1, 2012.
Mr. Chair, this is the first part, a very small part maybe it is considered
housekeeping of the Budget process. We will deal with the Budget process later
on when we will deal with the Budget and the related main supply bill. As a
lead-up to that, it has been traditional in this Province I think it was
started by the hon. Paul Dicks when he was Finance Minister that the Finance
Minister would travel around the Province and talk to people in their home
communities and their home districts about what they felt should be in the
Budget. I have followed that practice during the five years that I have been the
Finance Minister.
One of the things I notice is that we sometimes get people in the media who
criticize that practice. They say it is a waste of time. I have to say I find
that when I go to these communities and I ask the question is this a waste of
time, especially in this modern age of e-mails, Twitter, Facebook, and what have
you I have not had one person say to me that it was a waste of time. The
people in the communities appreciate it. They like the fact that members of
government, not just their member, will come to the community and listen to what
they have to say about their communities and about their districts. I think the
whole process is very worthwhile.
Of course, there is not enough time to go everywhere, as much as I might like
to. We seem to go to the same communities and maybe there is a lack of
appreciation in the communities you go to every year than the degree of
appreciation we get when we go to a new community that we have not been to
before. I think of going to places like down in Bay d'Espoir, down in St.
Alban's, with the hon. member from that district. I am thinking of Carbonear and
I am thinking of St. Anthony and Springdale. Springdale was extremely
interesting. There was a different point of view expressed in the community of
Springdale than I heard anywhere else.
Last year, we went to Hawke's Bay. I know that the hon. Member for St. Barbe
wrote to me and asked if we could go there again, but traditionally, we have
gone to St. Anthony. Last year we went to Hawke's Bay, so this year we went back
to St. Anthony, but I am certainly prepared, if I am in that role, to take your
advice and go back to Hawke's Bay this year. I remember Hawke's Bay very well,
because that is where I heard, very eloquently put, the plea for broadband. I
was pleased that there was an announcement of additional broadband. I was
disappointed that Bird Cove
AN HON. MEMBER: How many opposition (inaudible)?
MR. MARSHALL: How many opposition members
I was in St. Anthony. I have been in many districts throughout the length and
breadth of Newfoundland. I have done this five times, and I am happy to do it,
and I am glad to have gone to all these districts and talked to the people who
have had an opportunity to come here.
Mr. Chair, the financial situation of the government this year is very
strong. When I say this year, I am talking about the year 2011-2012. At the
start of the year, when we do the Budget and the Budget, of course, is a
forecast of what our future revenues might be, and what our future expenses are
going to be, and what we think the debt is going to be at the end of the year;
of course, it is a projection. Now, many of the things we are projecting are
pretty much the same every year, but the biggest item that affects our Budget is
the royalties and this year we are expecting about $2.8 billion in royalties
from the oilfields.
The revenues we get are based on the price of oil, based on the volume of oil
that comes out of the ground, and based on the US dollar exchange rate, none of
which we can control none of which we can control. So, in terms of price, we
have to rely on expertise, and we rely on corporations to provide us with
advice. We also look at the private forecasts which are public, and we rely on a
company in particular down in the United States for their advice on what future
oil prices are going to be.
We with respect to production, we rely on the C-NLOPB, the
Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board. They meet with the
oil companies; they are the regulator for the offshore, and they tell us what
production is going to be. What happened this year was that they gave us a
number at Budget time, and shortly thereafter they advised us the number had
changed dramatically. So, I asked them to come into my office and explain to me
how the projected, anticipated production could change by nineteen million
barrels. They came in; I have to thank Mr. Max Ruelokke for coming in. He
brought with him his vice-chair. He brought also a number of petroleum
geophysicists and geologists. They explained to me how, of course, it can
happen. The fact that the oil is under the ground and nobody sees it, the fact
that they operate in very severe conditions, and that the numbers can change
very abruptly. It might be helpful for Members of this House of Assembly; it
might be helpful for the media
CHAIR: Order, please!
I remind the Minister of Finance his time for speaking has now elapsed.
MR. MARSHALL: By leave, Mr. Chair, I will wrap up.
CHAIR: Does the minister have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
CHAIR: By leave.
MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
They explained to us and showed us how in our offshore you can go and have an
extra 90 million barrels of oil very quickly. It would be helpful, as I said,
for members of the media and for members of the Opposition to go to the C-NLOPB
and see that presentation and then can understand how volatile the revenue
numbers can be based on production and, of course, how difficult that makes
budgeting in this Province.
I want to assure the Members of this House of Assembly and I want to assure
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that we do not lowball the numbers. The
price we get from our advisors, the production numbers we get from the C-NLOPB,
and the exchange rate of the dollar which we do not control, we rely on the
Canadian government's estimate of where the exchange rate will be. With that, it
is very difficult to budget those numbers, but we certainly do the best we can.
Somebody said the other day that I did not hit my numbers. Of course, I did not
hit them, I exceeded them, and that is to the benefit of the people of this
Province.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Certainly, I listened very attentively to the minister in the presentation of
his bill today. I listened very closely when he talked about his consultations.
One thing I will agree with the minister on there is that I agree it is not a
waste of time. Any time that the government can go out and listen to what people
in this Province have to say is a good thing. The real key here is acting on
what people are recommending, acting on what the wishes, the hopes, the desires,
the asks, and the requests are of communities right across the Province. As long
as you go with the intent of listening and acting on what the needs are of
people in the Province, it is never a waste of time.
Mr. Chair, I would like to invite the minister, actually, to do a
consultation on the Budget in my district, in the District of Cartwright
L'Anse au Clair. I have invited him several times to come to Cartwright L'Anse
au Clair to listen to people in that particular area. I actually thought it was
going to happen this year and, I think, was squeezed out at the last moment.
Certainly, I hope, even if it is after the Budget, he will take the time and the
opportunity to come to the district and to hear the concerns and the issues that
people there have to express to government.
Mr. Chair, in the absence of that, I am always all too willing to stand in my
place in the House of Assembly and to talk about some of the needs in my
particular district, what needs to be done, and issues that government needs to
address, not only in my district but throughout Labrador and throughout the
Province in many cases.
It was only in the last two weeks, in particular, that I did an actual trip
through a number of communities in Labrador, starting in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
where I spent well over a week meeting with a number of groups and organizations
in that particular community and listening to their feedback and what they had
to say. In addition, I participated in the Combined Councils of Labrador, which
this year I think out of the thirty-one communities in Labrador there was
twenty-seven or twenty-eight of the communities that were actually represented
at the table for the full time and the full period of discussion.
Mr. Chair, also while in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, I had the opportunity to
speak to the chamber of commerce luncheon and talked about a number of
initiatives that need to be looked at in Labrador new, innovative ideas that I
placed on their table for further consideration and for them to act on as
Labradorians. These are things that the government are not doing. These are
things that are providing for a new vision and new opportunities right
throughout Labrador. I will certainly be getting into that in other speeches
that I will make today or in the days to come.
Also, Mr. Chair, we went to Labrador West. I can tell you what a boom in
Labrador West; it was absolutely amazing. While I have never lived in Labrador
West, unlike Goose Bay where I lived for quite some time, in Labrador West I
have visited there off and on throughout the years probably most of my life and
at least two and three times a year in recent years. Just going into the
community, you can really feel the difference, the transition that is taking
place there, and the boom that is happening. That boom is really happening
around one industry, and that is the mining industry.
The minister, just a few minutes ago, talked about the volatility of the oil
industry. Of course, the mining industry is just a volatile in many regards, but
I do not think we can ignore the fact that mining will become one of the key
contributors to the GDP of the Province over the next ten, twenty, and I would
even forecast the next thirty years, when you look at where the demand for
mineral is around the world today and what the prices are.
The catalyst for that mining development is really rooted in the heartland of
Labrador West. That extends throughout all the rest of Labrador, in every region
today, from the Northern region of Labrador to the Southern region, to the Lake
Melville area where we are hearing all kinds of talks of new mining. Right now,
today, I think there is something like eight new companies that are on the
horizon that are either in the stages of obtaining their environmental
permitting, moved into the development stage, or are still negotiating Impacts
and Benefits Agreement with the Aboriginal communities. Some of the companies
are still even in the exploration phases. Although they have now become listed
as part of the stock exchange, they are still very much into exploration phases.
You take all of these mines, and they are just not all around iron ore. Some
of these mines are really around uranium, around nickel, and also around what we
call rare earths, which is the newest commodity that I have learned about
recently; maybe everyone else knows a lot more about it, but when there was a
rare earths find, a mineral find in my district back a couple of years ago, I
did not really know what it was. I went out to start looking and figuring out
what it was, and came to learn that this is really the mineral of the future. It
is the mineral that is used in all of our television screens, used in the screen
of our BlackBerry; it is really the thing that is contributing to the
development of new technology. It is going to be in huge demand for many, many
years to come after this. There is absolutely no doubt.
I am very pleased, Mr. Chair, with what has been happening in the mining
industry throughout Labrador, but the mining industry has a tremendous amount of
needs as well. You cannot have big, industrial growth and big industry if you do
not provide the infrastructure for that industry. That was really what my talk
was about in Labrador West when I was there. I think that Labrador is very
evident of where the greatest need is today in this Province: one for
electricity; two for transportation; and three for technology.
If there are three areas that the government desperately needs to invest in,
in Labrador to support the industrial climate that is occurring there, it is in
those three sectors starting with energy first, starting with transportation,
and starting with technology.
In order for the mining industry to grow and develop, and for all of the
other companies to be able to supplement off that, they need to have that
particular infrastructure in order for it to happen.
So, when I hear the government talk about Muskrat Falls and talk about
selling power to Emera, it really blows me away it does, because the real
customer of Muskrat Falls power today should be the mining industry in Labrador.
That should be the real customer. They have mining operations today that will
sustain this Province for the next 100 years. We are not talking short-term. We
are not talking about a ten-year mining operation or a twenty-year mining
operation; we are talking, in some cases, 100 years of mining. We are talking
about mines today that are being developed in Labrador that are bigger than IOC.
For those of you who know how big IOC is, reaching 25 million tons of ore being
extracted in the next year, and growing to 50 million ton of ore and when I
say there are mines bigger than that, that is huge. That is huge.
Mr. Chair, the number one customer for Muskrat Falls power, in my mind,
should be the mining industry in Labrador. Mr. Chair, if there is any
development that is going to occur at Muskrat Falls, that should be the number
one priority of the government not Emera Energy, not a transmission line
across the Gulf of St. Lawrence, not transmission capacity through maritime
Canada, and definitely not exporting power to the cottage industry of the
Eastern seaboard of the United States.
So, minister, what I would say to you today, is that if you are prepared to
develop Muskrat Falls to ensure that the industry and the people of Labrador
become the first interconnected people and the first customers of Muskrat Falls
power, then I would have to seriously, seriously, seriously rethink my stand and
support that initiative. That would be the catalyst for me. Can I support power
going to Nova Scotia today absolutely not. I cannot do it, even if it is going
to be at no cost for transmission for us for the first twenty-five or
thirty-five years. I cannot support it because it is going to build industry
somewhere else and leave out the very people who deserve to have it first and
that is the people of Labrador.
Secondly, Mr. Chair, I agree that if Muskrat Falls power is going to be used
anywhere else, it should be to look after our own needs; but Mr. Chair, that is
not the direction the government is taking. The direction that the government is
taking, Mr. Chair, is saying we are going to bring power to the Island because
it is the lowest cost alternative, which we are still trying to get them to
prove to us. In addition to that, we are going to give 20 per cent of the power
to Emera Energy. In addition to that, Mr. Chair, we are going to export the
rest, we are going to sell it on the spot market for the best price that we can
get. When the question was asked of the government: Are you going to use your
revenues that you are going to make in the spot market to reinvest it back to
supplement the power, the ratepayer in Newfoundland and Labrador, the government
said no, we are not going to do that. We are not going to make a commitment to
do that because that is going to be up to the governments of the future what
they want to do, so we are not going to make that commitment today. Mr. Chair,
what I am asking of the government, what I am pleading of the government to do
is to please look in our own backyard first, and our own backyard needs power
today. Labrador needs power today.
I heard the Minister of Labrador Affairs sit at a panel a couple of days ago
- last week in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I want to challenge the minister on this
because when he gets up today I would like for him to explain it to me. He said
to that panel at the Combined Councils of Labrador, 40 per cent of this power is
earmarked for Labrador, Muskrat Falls power. I said to myself, well maybe there
is a document I did not read somewhere. Maybe there is something the minister
did not tell me. Maybe there is something Ed Martin did not tell me because
nobody has ever said 40 per cent of that power is earmarked for Labrador, other
than the Minister of Labrador Affairs.
Mr. Chair, that being the case, how is that power supposed to get to the
customers in Labrador? We have no transmission capacity to transport that power,
none, zilch. Every single bit of capacity that we have available to us is being
used. Today, there are mining companies - and the minister knows this. I know he
is new in the portfolio but I know he is doing his work; he just met with a lot
of mining companies in the last few days. He knows these mining companies are
today looking to Quebec to buy power to supplement their Labrador-based
operations. That should never be. The first transmission line that we should
ever build out of Muskrat Falls, I say to you, Minister, should be to the
industrial customers in Labrador. To date, there is not even an environmental
assessment tabled on that.
MR. KENNEDY: Muskrat to Churchill (inaudible).
MS JONES: Muskrat to Churchill, oh yes, because you have to tie it back,
but there is no transmission line being built, no second line going into Western
Labrador. There is no second line going into Happy Valley-Goose Bay to be able
to offload power to industrial customers. There is still no firm negotiation
with Vale Inco to bring power to Northern Labrador if they go underground
mining.
MR. KENNEDY: (Inaudible).
MS JONES: Mr. Chairman, I know the minister is meeting with all the
companies. What I am saying is there is no commitment. There is no commitment
from the government to bring industrial power to the mining companies in
Labrador. There is no commitment to build a transmission line to connect to
those particular companies, and, Mr. Chairman, there is no negotiated price on
industrial power to be left in Labrador. Mr. Chairman, there is not one power
purchase agreement signed to date between the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador or Nalco Energy and a mining company in Labrador.
The sediment and the saying that 40 per cent of the power is there for
industry in Labrador is all fluff, I say to the government. It is all fluff,
because in the absence of a transmission line to get it where it needs to go, it
is useless, absolutely useless, Mr. Chairman. It is of no value, Mr. Chairman.
It is like puffing into the wind, I say, that is what it is. It makes absolutely
no difference that you go out and say that if you do not have the infrastructure
there to deliver it; if you do not have the agreement with the mining companies
to sell it to them; if you do not have the rates set for industry and you do not
plan for it.
I say to the government opposite, do the right thing and burn the agreement
with Emera Energy. We do not need it; we do not need any deals with Emera
Energy. We do not need to be giving power to Nova Scotia. We do not need to be
lighting up every single cottage the Americans own on the US Seaboard, Mr.
Chairman, the Eastern Seaboard. We need to use the power at home, and that is
the recommendation that I would make to the government today.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: The Chair recognizes the Member for Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good afternoon.
I must say, it is great to be back on the government side of the House after
spending several years across the House -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: - exactly where my hon. colleague opposite now sits. It is good
to be back on this side physically and it is great to be part of this government
team.
Mr. Chair, I want to join the Minister of Finance in congratulating you on
your new role. I certainly think you are well dressed, and I look forward to
working with you in this new capacity that I hold, as well, and I congratulate
the Speaker on his election, also.
Most importantly, I want to thank the people of Mount Pearl North for
re-electing me this past October to serve as their representative in this hon.
House. I want to thank them for the strong mandate they have given to me to
continue to represent them, to advocate on their behalf, and to ensure that
their concerns are represented within this House and within our government.
I want to congratulate all my colleagues who were re-elected in October, and
I want to welcome and congratulate all those who were elected for the first time
in the October general election. I certainly want to congratulate my colleague
in Mount Pearl South on his election to the House, and on speaking for the first
time yesterday. I am sure he will be on his feet frequently in the weeks ahead.
Mr. Chair, I certainly want to extend my congratulations and thanks to our
entire team, especially our leader, our Premier. In this election, we were able
to secure a third term for this government, with thirty-seven seats even more
seats than the party won when it first formed government in 2003, which I think
is a tremendous accomplishment. It speaks to the strength of our leader, the
strength of our party, and the great work we are doing here in Newfoundland and
Labrador. I think it was a real vote of confidence in our leader and our party.
People know the great work that we have done over the last eight years. They
know we are listening; they know this is a responsive, accountable government.
They know we have made real progress in social development and economic
development in this Province. They know we have incredible energy. They know we
have new ideas to make this Province even better and healthier and stronger than
it has ever been before.
While we are here in this House in the weeks ahead, Mr. Chair, we are going
to outline the kinds of things that are going to continue to drive this Province
forward. We are certainly going to focus on the delivery of services to the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador, as we heard in yesterday's Throne Speech.
We are certainly going to give Newfoundlanders and Labradorians the added
support they need to pursue career opportunities, and we are certainly going to
create the kinds of conditions that allow our businesses and communities to
continue to grow and prosper here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This team, led by our Premier, has a vision for this place. We have a passion
for the people of this great Province, we have a plan for the future, and we
have the right leadership to drive Newfoundland and Labrador forward.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Now, Mr. Chair, I was going to speak a little bit more about
the Interim Supply bill. Before I get into that, if time permits, I want to
speak to some of the comments made by the Opposition House Leader in the last
number of minutes. I am sure the minister will have ample opportunity to speak
to specific issues that she raised, but I want to talk about Muskrat Falls for
just a moment. I want to emphasize the tremendous benefits that the Muskrat
Falls plan will bring to the people of Labrador.
We have had an energy plan that has guided our work for the last number of
years. The energy plan is extremely clear, that Labradorians will be the primary
beneficiaries of the Lower Churchill Project. In fact, Mr. Chair, more than 75
per cent 75 per cent of the work at the Muskrat Falls generation facility,
the work in constructing that facility, will take place in Labrador, including
construction of the dam, the powerhouse and transmission lines.
An estimated $450 million in income will be earned solely by Labradorians and
Labrador-based businesses with an average of 1,150 people per year employed in
Labrador for both the generation and the transmission components of the project.
The first consideration for employment with this project is going to be provided
to the Labrador Innu as outlined in the New Dawn Agreement and then it will also
benefit all Labradorians.
Mr. Chair, it is very clear that this is an important issue. We are going to
have ample time in this House to talk about Muskrat Falls and its impact on this
Province, and in particular, the benefits that will be derived to Labrador as a
result.
I would like to speak in the time I have left to Interim Supply specifically.
As indicated previously by the minister, this bill is necessary to ensure that
we have the resources we need to operate the day-to-day functions of government
without interruption until the Budget for 2012 is introduced, debated and passed
in this House of Assembly. Seeking approval for funding in this manner is a
routine act for all governments. With a strong Budget such as ours, I am sure we
will not have trouble passing it in this House, but in light of the processes
and rules as per our Legislature, we certainly have to go through the Interim
Supply process. I look forward to participating in that debate as it is ongoing.
We are seeking approval of $2.7 billion for Interim Supply, and this is only
a fraction of the revenue we need to operate in the upcoming fiscal year. It is
about 35 per cent, actually, of the current and capital account expenditures.
Departments require a set amount of cash flow just to continue to operate
without hesitation and the period we are talking about today runs from April 1
to the end of June 2012. There is a modest increase this year and this allows
for infrastructure spending, annualization of 2011-2012 Budget decisions, salary
increases, and other program growth. We certainly do not want to see any
services or programs interrupted or stopped that are so essential to the people
of this Province. There are also seven pay periods included in that time period,
Mr. Chair. It is important, obviously, that our employees continue to receive
their incomes as they work tirelessly to serve the residents of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
In order to meet payroll commitments, income support, other expenditures, we
do need to pass this Interim Supply bill. It does need to receive Royal Assent
by later this month March 23, I believe.
While it may sound like housekeeping, it is important to note it is necessary
to allow our government to maintain efficiency and productivity. I trust we are
all in agreement in that regard.
When I look at the economic highlights of the past year, I am reassured that
the Interim Supply request will be supported and honoured by the capable people
in our Finance department and by our minister.
It is interesting to note that 2011-2012 will mark the sixth out of the past
seven years that we have had a surplus in Newfoundland and Labrador. This shows
that we have been living within our means. Since 2004, our debt has decreased by
more than 30 per cent, from just under $12 billion to just under $8 billion. Net
debt, as a percentage of GDP, and has dropped from a high of 70.2 per cent to
26.7 per cent, which is phenomenal. In terms of net debt per capita, it is
improved from $23,000 in 2004-2005 to approximately $15,000. We no longer have
the highest net debt per capita in Canada. In fact, we are now ahead of Ontario
and Quebec.
When I look at debt servicing expenses, almost twenty-five cents of every
dollar received went to servicing the debt back in 2003-2004, the year when this
government took office. That has dropped to ten cents for every dollar received
today, which again is an incredible accomplishment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Standard & Poor's has given the Province the highest credit
rating in its history at A+. This reflects very favourably for any future
borrowing requirements. At the time of the upgrade they said the Province "has a
strong liquidity position, reflecting its past operating surpluses and prudent
spending practices".
The economy in this Province remains remarkably strong, and that is largely
due to good decision making that has been made by this government over the last
eight years. When I look back at economic performance in this Province, over the
past year alone we have seen real GDP growth of about 5.2 per cent; capital
investment grew by 17.7 per cent; personal incomes in Newfoundland and Labrador
increased by 6 per cent; employment increased by 2.7 per cent, recouping all the
losses experienced during the 2009 recession. This rate of employment growth was
almost twice the national rate of growth and the second best among provinces in
this country, Mr. Chair, behind only Alberta. This marks the shortest recovery
in employment from a recession since at least the 1970s.
More people are working in Newfoundland and Labrador right now than at any
other point in our Province's history. In the past year, retail sales grew by
4.9 per cent. The number of housing starts remains strong with close to 3,500
housing starts in 2011, and our population increased, once again, over the past
year, as well. So, it has been a great year. Mr. Chair, 2012 looks to be another
great year
CHAIR: Order, please!
I remind the member his time for speaking has elapsed.
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will conclude on that note, and I look forward to talking about
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. KENT: Pardon me?
CHAIR: Excuse me; I remind the member the time for his speaking has
elapsed.
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am sorry about the interruptions coming from across the House. I will
conclude on that note, and I look forward to having another opportunity to speak
to Interim Supply and what is ahead for 2012.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: The Chair recognizes the Member for Signal Hill Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I am pleased to have an opportunity to continue some of the thoughts I
started yesterday in my response to the Speech from the Throne. With this
Interim Supply bill which, as had been pointed out to us, it is absolutely
necessary that we pass so that government will continue to function and that the
services of government will continue to be delivered until the Budget is
approved it gives us the opportunity to be able to speak to many issues that
relate to Budget. Obviously, there is nothing that does not relate to Budget.
So, whether it is the delivery of services, whether it is the administration of
government, no matter what it is, whether it is our being here in this House, it
all takes money, and for just a short period of time we will be spending in the
Province $2.7 billion, as has been pointed out.
What I want to talk about, in particular, and why I am very happy to have to
the opportunity this afternoon to do it, is the point that was raised in the
Speech from the Throne. The government named three focuses or foci that they
wanted to concentrate on. The first one that they talked about was refocusing
government's approach to the delivery of services to people. Now, when I heard
that yesterday in the Speech from the Throne, I have to say that red flags went
up for me because I had to ask the question: What does this mean, refocusing
government's approach to the delivery of services to people? It can mean many
things, and there is nothing in the Speech from the Throne to really tell us
what it means. Today, and in the media last night, we have heard the Premier
make some references to the delivery of services and make reference to the need
to look at certain departments in government to see if they can save money. The
departments which will be approached and we do not know who they are will be
asked to look for a 3 per cent decrease in their expenditures.
Now, the Premier did say today in the House and we all heard her that
there will be some protection. It is not across the board, even though in the
media last night she did say it was across the board. She made clarifications
today and said there will be some things protected: Health will be protected and
education will be protected. She named a number of areas. What she did not point
out is: Why is this review necessary? Is there some indication from somebody
that there are places where there are expenditures going on that should not be
happening?
Now, we do recognize as a party that, for sure, there probably are areas
where you can always find efficiencies. As a matter of fact, in the fiscal plan
that accompanied our platform during the general election and of course we
will be standing on for the next four years we identified looking for a 1 per
cent amount of the Budget that could be found by just doing efficiencies in
government. So we do recognize that you can do efficiencies and save money to
use in other ways.
I am hoping what the Premier is talking about, number one, is finding money
that can be used in other ways. I would like to know the reason why 3 per cent,
Mr. Chair, was chosen by the government as the amount of money that seemed
logical to them. What was it that indicated, first of all, the departments and,
secondly, the amount of money? Maybe, as we continue this debate, the Finance
Minister will be able to give us an idea of how they came up with the 3 per cent
and where it is, in particular, they plan on looking for that; since the Premier
has indicated some things are being protected, but she did not say where the
money was going to be looked for.
The other thing that really concerns me is that today the Premier made
reference to attrition. While the government is not going to go out and
deliberately try to get rid of jobs and deliberately fire people or terminate
people, she did indicate that there would be probably some job losses by
attrition. Well, a job loss is a job loss, whether it is by termination or by
attrition. Once again, I would like to know where this is going to happen, where
government anticipates that there could be position losses by attrition. Jobs
lost by attrition mean fewer people working.
The refocusing on government's approach to the delivery of services is
language that disturbs me also, because it could mean a greater use of
technology in the delivery of government services. A greater use of technology
very often means a loss of human beings doing the work. There are places where
services being delivered, I believe, need to be delivered by human beings. We
need more people answering phones. We need more people that people in need can
actually speak to without sitting on phone lines for two and three hours
sometimes, as still is the case by the way. We keep testing this one out, and it
still is the case that there are some of the phone lines where people still have
to wait for hours to actually get a human being.
When government talks about refocusing its approach to the delivery of
services, I have to ask: Is this what we are talking about: a greater use of
technology, more use of phone lines, less use of human beings? I put to the
government members that this is not something that we want. I am sure that all
of the government members, just like the MHAs in my caucus, I am sure that all
of you have people who are complaining about how they do not feel well served by
some departments. Not because the people working in the departments are not
serving them well, but because the system has moved in such a direction that
there are not enough people to serve them. That is the issue. It is not that the
workers who are there are not doing their work well; it is that we do not have
enough people to deal with people.
If government is going to look at refocusing the approach to delivery of
services that is the thing I would like them to look at. I would like government
to do an assessment of how people on income support, how well they are being
taken care of by people. That covers a grand gamut of the population when we
talk about income support because that includes seniors, it includes students,
it includes people with disabilities, and it includes low-income people. How are
our people being served? If there is going to be a refocusing, that is one of
the things that I would like to see assessed. It seems, in the context of the
Speech from the Throne and especially in the context of comments that the
Premier has been making since the Speech from the Throne, that the refocusing is
more about attrition of positions, it is more about finding money to save at a
time when we do not need to be doing that in this Province, and that is the
thing. Even though we do not have the full Budget yet, with the figures that
have been put forward there is no crisis here. There is no crisis in this
Province. The downturn in income this year is a temporary thing; we know the
reasons for it. In actual fact, the $500 million that is mentioned we have no
idea, it might probably not even be a loss at all, because with the way in which
oil prices are going up, we might end up having a surplus again. We do not know.
Even if we have a few hundred million dollars of a downturn this year, even
if that happens, that is not a lot of money in the context of our Budget it is
not. Therefore, I hate to see this kind of action being taken when we have a
very temporary situation. It does not smack to me of long-term planning. I have
put a few questions forward to the Minister of Finance and I hope that as this
discussion continues, he might have the answer to some of those questions for
me.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
CHAIR: The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to start by thanking the members of Burin Placentia West for sending
me back here. It was a tight race, Mr. Chair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: All of us, Mr. Chair, who serve in this House recognize what
an honour it is. From time to time, Mr. Chair, it can be an outright pain, there
is no doubt about it, but when you serve in this House and you serve the people
of this Province, you do it with honour.
Mr. Chair, I have to thank the NDP because they drove my team to work harder
than they did in any other election.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: They worked harder than in any other election. Some would
claim that maybe I was a little too exuberant that night but, Mr. Chair, there
was an excitement in the air, I have to admit, and I wanted to show the workers
how pleased I was with their direction.
Mr. Chair, I have to get right into it right away. When the Leader of the
Third Party gets up to speak and somebody here says, where is the money tree?, I
have to go back to the words that the Premier spoke about today in Question
Period. I cannot quote her exactly now, but what she alluded to was the running
and the operation of government
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. JACKMAN: the running and the operation of government just as you
would your household. You cannot expend more than you take in. She spoke about
people complaining.
Well, I am going to speak to her about my household. I had five children. I
can tell you they complained. They wanted the new designer jeans. They wanted
the new toys. They wanted the new everything. Mr. Chair, before I would do that,
I would make sure that they had their basic needs of food, clothing, and
lodging. Mr. Chair, that is how I operated my home and I am very pleased to say
that I think I did an all right job at it.
Mr. Chair, I think we, as a government, are doing an exceptional job.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: I just want to quote the Premier yesterday in her speech
after the Speech from the Throne. She talked about what we have done, and our
approach has worked, but we must remain vigilant. The important thing was this:
the "well intentioned but utterly unrestrained social program growth drives
economies to the brink of bankruptcy." She mentioned Greece, Italy, Portugal,
Spain, Ireland, and others who have seen the unthinkable happen even the
mighty United States.
Mr. Chair, we have had people out there in the business community who have
applauded and used this Province as an example of the way to efficiently operate
and run government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Chair, I left the Department of Fisheries and
Aquaculture. As much as people talk about it and joke about it as one of the
worst portfolios you can end up in, I have to honestly say that for me was not
true. I would hope that most of us at some point might get an opportunity to
serve in that capacity, because it is the essence of what brought us to the
Province. We are going through a time of transition and there are challenges
with it, but it is truly an honour, and it was for me, to serve in that
capacity.
There is a dedicated staff there. They worked hours endlessly for the people
who work in that facility. There are challenging times, there is no doubt about
it, and all I got to do and I would bet that everybody in the Province knows
what is happening with that transition on the Burin Peninsula.
I have to say, if we had listened to the folks of the Third Party who object
to any exemptions, the plant in Marystown would have closed long before now.
Their policy is no exemptions. I also have to say, and I have to echo what the
Minister of Fisheries said today. I sat in that role for the last three sittings
of the House and not once not once did the Leader of the Third Party ask a
question on the fisheries, not once.
She can use whatever, and she can sit and shake her head and say no, she did
not ask one question on the fishery. I think it is shameful. It is shameful
because as much as she speaks about the care and she is often pontificating
about the people of the Province, for one sector, boy, she did not have much
interest. I have to say that. I am certain that with my colleague from Grand
Bank, the fisheries is in very capable hands and the two of us have adjoining
districts as we share the peninsula with the Member for Bellevue.
AN HON. MEMBER: We have help now from St. John's North.
MR. JACKMAN: We have help now from St. John's North. Yes, it seems to be
all right.
Mr. Chair, when I look back at the last year-and-a-half or so, I have to ask
to people to look at it as an onion and peel away the layers, just peel away the
layers, and ask whose interest is best represented. We always have to look that
way. We have to look to motive, Mr. Chair, because motive is very important.
Motive can certainly be a dangerous thing, especially when those with a motive
put it ahead of some of the people who they serve.
I have to speak to how all of this transpired in my district. Last January, I
had an indication that OCI was going to close the plant. I really could not
accept that was going to be the end result because for the longest time, that
plant in Marystown was, I suppose, the picture of groundfish operations in this
Province. We had major groundfish operations on the peninsula in Grand Bank, in
Fortune, in Burin, and smaller plants in many of the other smaller communities,
and this huge facility in Marystown. It was getting to a point where it was
going to be closed and I looked at there was some possibility of transition. I
spoke to the company and said, no way. They went back, and they came back with
an offer of, finally, from fourteen, to sixteen, to eighteen weeks and it got
rejected.
The thing that disappointed me about it all was that there were two issues
here: one was the plant closure, the other was the exemption. The leadership
shows, and I think it took a real gamble here thinking they may have been able
to get more. The company indicated we are done. Rather than accepting the
eighteen weeks, sitting down and trying to negotiate what the long term could
have been for the plant, the result was a closed door.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. JACKMAN: What is that? Oh, I have already mentioned it. Under their
rule, of the Third Party, Marystown would have closed years ago. In fact, there
probably would not have been much processing in the Province, Mr. Chair, I have
to say that.
I think in the end people will see who had the best of intentions. I can
assure you that I would think the majority of us in here have the best of
intentions. Oftentimes, motives will proceed what should be rightly done;
therefore, we can see the consequences and they may not always be good.
Mr. Chair, I am in Education now, responsible for zero to Level III. I have
to say, I could not be more than pleased to be there. For twenty-six years I
operated in the education system, everything from a classroom teacher right on
through to a program specialist at the board, and now to this role.
I will stand here and say, I do not think there is a government past and I do
not know if there will be a government future, that have invested more in
education than this government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Chair, I know my time is winding down, but I will be
back because I expect some volleys from across the way. I am looking forward,
Mr. Chair, to enlightening some of them on our initiatives and to ensure that
the people of the Province understand the true message of what we as a
government are doing in education.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: The Chair recognizes
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Member for Bay of Islands.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is a great privilege to give my maiden speech in the House of Assembly.
Before I start, Mr. Chair, I just want to recognize all the new members in the
House of Assembly. It is indeed a privilege and an honour to represent your
district. We are going to have differences of opinions, we are going to be
throwing barbs across to each other, but congratulations to everybody who won
because it is a privilege and it is an honour to be recognized by your peers.
So, to everybody, congratulations whoever won; to the people who put their names
forth, congratulations. Just putting your name forth shows that democracy is
alive and well. Congratulations to everybody and enjoy your stay in the House of
Assembly.
First of all, Mr. Chair, I have to say, it is a privilege to finally have the
House open.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JOYCE: We hear so much about the decorum in the House of Assembly, we
hear so much about decorum from the Premier, and yesterday the Premier, the
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, and the Minister of Health just never
stayed quiet. They just did not stop when the Leader of the Opposition was up
and the Leader of the Third Party was up. As the three leading members in the
front benches, if you want to show decorum, show leadership; show leadership.
That is all I have if not, we will sink to that level.
First of all, Mr. Chair, I just wanted to thank the people of the Bay of
Islands
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. JOYCE: I just want to tell the Minister of Fisheries: You cannot
bully me. You can bully other people, but you cannot bully me. He is over there,
Mr. Chair, with his mouth going. He has his mouth going already, Mr. Chair. You
are not going to bully me. The little man syndrome does not bother me, I can
tell you that right now. You can go off somewhere else and do what you like, let
me tell you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. JOYCE: Yes, he is over there telling me to come on, come on; the
little man syndrome. By the time I got over there, there would not be enough
padlocks to get in his office, Mr. Chair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. JOYCE: Anyway, Mr. Chair, I just wanted to let him know: be calm.
I just want to thank the people of the Bay of Islands
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Chair, a point of order.
Not only is the comment just made insulting and certainly has derogatory
terms, but I would consider what was just said as a threat, Mr. Chair. The hon.
member I use that term loosely the Member for Bay of Islands referred to the
fact: If I come over there, then the member opposite will not have enough time
to get to his
AN HON. MEMBER: That is a threat.
MR. KENNEDY: He will not have enough to get to his office to have the
padlocks on. That is a threat, Mr. Chair. It is unparliamentary. It is something
that I would suggest to you should not be condoned in this House. It does
nothing more than bring this House to the level of a street fight. All that was
said to this man is if you live in glass houses, do not throw stones.
I would like a ruling on that, Mr. Chair.
CHAIR: Are you speaking to the point of order?
MR. JOYCE: There is no point of order.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible),
CHAIR: The Chair will take a minute to consul