Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 11 March 2008 (46th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLVI No. 2)
2008-03-11
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
March 11, 2008
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 2
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from: the hon. the
Member for the District of Topsail; the hon. the Member for the District of
Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for the District of Mount
Pearl North; the hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo & LaPoile; the
hon. the Member for the District of Grand Bank; and the hon. the Member for the
District of Port de Grave.
The hon. the Member for the District of Topsail.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to pay tribute to a resident of
Paradise who has made a significant contribution to the Special Olympics
movement in Canada at the regional, provincial and national levels.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Evan Ash has been an integral part of the Special Olympic
program for the past ten years. He started with the Mount Pearl Club as a member
of the fundraising committee and later assumed the role of Program Director from
2002 to 2006.
Evan has served as Chef de Mission for Team Mount Pearl at the Provincial
Games five times. He has been a member of Special Olympics Newfoundland and
Labrador's Provincial Board of Directors since 1998 and sits on the organizing
committee for the Chapter's two largest fundraisers. Evan also served as a
member of the Special Olympics Canada Coaches Sub-committee.
Taking his commitment to an international level, Evan participated as a
"fan extraordinaire" by travelling with his family to Nagano, Japan,
to cheer on his son Andrew, a member of Team Canada's 2005 Snowshoeing Squad.
This past November, Evan was named Special Olympics Canada's 2007 Volunteer
of the Year and was the recipient of the 2007 Jim Thompson award. Evan was
selected for this honor from a group of nominees across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Evan
Ash for his outstanding contribution to Special Olympics and on receiving such a
prestigious award.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this House today to extend congratulations to Elizabeth Penashue,
who was recently awarded the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in
Environment and Natural Resources. She was presented with this award on Friday
night in Toronto at the Fifteenth Annual National Aboriginal Awards Gala.
Mr. Speaker, this award was established to encourage and celebrate excellence
in the Aboriginal community. The awards are recognized both nationally and
internationally, as one of the highest honours the community can bestow upon its
achievers. The award broadcasts the success of individuals who have discipline,
drive and determination to set high standards and accomplish their goals.
Ms Penashue for decades has fought to protect her homeland and the Innu
traditional lifestyle. Her activism work began in the early 1980s in opposition
to NATO low-level flying. For ten years she demonstrated and negotiated, camped
out on the runways with mostly women and children, and barricaded roads to stop
the flights and the noise of the jets.
Annually since 1996 she has led a 150 mile snowshoe trek through the
traditional Innu lands. In the summer, she leads a month-long canoe trip on the
Churchill River. Modestly and softly she has declared, "I am a voice for
those who cannot speak for themselves, such as the animals, plants and other
beings."
Ms Penashue was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from Memorial
University in 2005. She has nine children, thirty-three grandchildren, and five
great-grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Elizabeth Penashue, who has been a
long-time friend of mine, on receiving this prestigious award, and I would ask
all members of this hon. House to join me in offering our congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the nominees and
winners of the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance Awards for 2007.
In particular, I would like to congratulate Peter Tobin, Junior Male Athlete
of the Year; Dominique Linehan-Hall, Junior Female Athlete of the Year; Laura
Murray, Senior Female Athlete of the Year; David Forbes, Senior Male Athlete of
the Year; the Pearlgate Bantam Boys Bowling Team, Junior Team of the Year; Dogs
Rugby Senior Women's Team, Senior Team of the Year; Leila Boland, Peter
Haliday Executive of the Year Award winner; Brad Ford, Coach of the Year; and
lastly, Andrew Martin, Official of the Year.
Mr. Speaker, it is very important to encourage all citizens to participate in
sport, especially our youth. I commend the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance in its
efforts, and for taking the time to honour the hard work and dedication put
forward by individuals and teams in the area of athletics.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating the
winners of the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance Annual Awards for 2007, and also
recognize the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance for the positive work they do on a
daily basis by offering support to those with an avid interest in minor sport.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to congratulate the Town of Port aux Basques, the Port aux
Basques Minor Hockey Association and the organizing committee, on being selected
one of the five finalists in the 2008 Kraft Hockeyville competition. Kraft
Hockeyville 2008 is sponsored by Kraft Canada together with the CBC, the
National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association.
CBC cameras first came to Port aux Basques on January 31 to film the town,
interview various residents, players, coaches, and take in a series of hockey
games. Port aux Basques was initially chosen from over 1,100 applicants as
finalists throughout Canada by a panel of contest judges based on community
spirit, originality and passion for hockey.
Thanks to on-line and telephone voter support from all over our Province and
around the country, indeed around the world, via Internet, Port aux Basques has
made it through Round One of Hockeyville 2008 and are now one of the top five
finalists.
With this win comes a $20,000 prize for improvements to the Bruce II Arena.
As part of the competition, Hockey Night in Canada broadcasters Scott Oake and
Kelly Hrudey broadcast live from the Bruce II Arena this past Saturday, and the
Bruce was a rockin' until 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Mr. Oake and Mr. Hrudey,
along with their crew, were wholeheartedly welcomed into our town and treated to
first-class Newfoundland and Labrador hospitality and entertainment.
The participation and spirit throughout the entire weekend was phenomenal,
and the excitement was contagious. Businesses, homes, vehicles and residents
were decorated with hockey jerseys, posters, hockey sticks and anything to show
their passion for the game of hockey.
On a special note, former Port aux Basques Mariner and Montreal Canadien
player, Mario Roberge, returned to Port aux Basques for the weekend event and in
a moving ceremony on Friday evening his Port aux Basques Mariner jersey number
14 was retired and lifted to the rafters at the Bruce II Arena. Mario Roberge,
of course, went on to become a member of the Montreal Canadiens, when they won
the Stanley Cup in 1993.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending
congratulations to the Town of Channel-Port aux Basques, the Port aux Basques
Minor Hockey Association and the organizing committee on being chosen one of the
five finalists in the 2008 Kraft Hockeyville competition. I also ask for
everyone's support for Port aux Basques when the next round of voting begins
on March 29. We are a small town with a population of approximately 4,500 people
but with the help of the whole Province and our friends and family throughout
the country we can make Port aux Basques number one.
Before I conclude, I note that the new member for formerly Fogo-Twillingate
was also a former member of the Port aux Basques Mariners. On that note, I say
go Port aux Basques!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young woman from my district by the
name of Kristen Francis. Kristen is a Level 2 student who attends John Burke
High School in Grand Bank.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to being a member of the Principal's List for
maintaining a 90 per cent or higher average since 2005, Kristen holds an
impressive resume of involvement and achievements, including: Program Assistant
with the local Cutting Edge Figure Skating Club; youth soccer coach; a member of
both the Grand Bank Sea Cadet Corp., as well as the Southern Sharks Figure
Skating Club.
Mr. Speaker, she was also first runner up in the 2006 Grand Bank Lions Club
Speak Off.
Selected as the winner of the Miss Teen Southern Newfoundland and Labrador
Pageant for 2007, Kristen participated in the recent Miss Teen Newfoundland and
Labrador pageant right here in St. John's and was named First Runner-Up.
This is a tremendous accomplishment, and all of us from the District of Grand
Bank are proud of Kristen and her achievement.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in offering
congratulations and best wishes to Kristen Francis - a young lady from Grand
Bank who has a tremendous future ahead of her.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Robert Slaney of Upper Island Cove, and former member of the Cee Bees Minor
Hockey League, has been short-listed as one of the five finalists for the Marcel
Robert Trophy Award.
Robert is a proud member of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League, and this coveted award is for the Scholastic Player
of the Year.
Mr. Speaker, to be selected as one of the top five is a testament to Robert's
commitment to both hockey and education. Robert is enrolled in the business
administration program at Cape Breton University. He attended a final review for
this award on March 3, 2008, and the winner will be announced on April 2 in
Montreal at the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Golden Puck Awards.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me, along with Robert's parents and
family, in wishing him every success on April 2.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to acknowledge the
important occasion of Social Work Week in our Province, which runs from March 10
to March 14. This week presents a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to the
over 1,100 social workers who make a meaningful difference in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Social workers play a vital role in our health and community services system
as they help individuals and families across our Province in areas ranging from
support for those impacted by addictions to ensuring the protection and safety
of our children.
Social workers are counsellors, problem-solvers, administrators and
developers of policy. Their presence is integral in our hospitals, community
organizations, mental health clinics, long-term care homes, in the correctional
and justice system and within the provincial government.
Mr. Speaker, one particular area where social workers are making an
invaluable contribution is within the Child, Youth and Family Services system.
Last year, our government announced an unprecedented investment of $9 million to
strengthen this system. Since then, we have filled approximately seventy new
positions for social workers and support staff.
This is a substantial achievement and demonstrates that we are well on our
way to filling the 118 new positions we announced in Budget 2007.
Our government values social workers and their significant contribution to
the people and communities that make up this Province. It undeniably takes a
very special person to be a social worker in a profession which can be a
challenging one. Our 1,100 social workers who provide invaluable service every
day are true assets to our Province and our people.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying a tribute to the social
workers across Newfoundland and Labrador for their dedication and contribution
to their professions.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We want to join with the government in acknowledging and recognizing the
tremendous work that social workers do in the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Mr. Speaker, they are our frontline workers. They are the people who
often have to respond in homes and in other facilities around our Province,
whether it be hospitals, penitentiaries, rehabilitation centres, or whatever the
case. They often deal with people at their lowest points in society. Mr.
Speaker, I do not need to tell anyone in this House of Assembly what some of
those cases could potentially be.
Today, we live in a Province where social workers are dealing with more cases
in addiction services than they have for a very long time. Perhaps for the first
time in our history we have more cases than we have had previously. They are
dealing with more foster children in custody. Eastern Health itself has a 20 per
cent increase in the number of foster children that are now in their care. We
have increased numbers in other regions of the Province, in our Aboriginal
communities, where we have upwards of 200 Innu children who are in the custody
of the state.
Mr. Speaker, these people deal with some very comprehensive issues at some
difficult times in our history. I want to acknowledge the work that they do, the
contributions that they make and I hope that government will recognize those
contributions as they bring down their budget and have further negotiations with
public sector unions, because it is evident the reason we still have vacancies
in this profession is because we are not providing for the kinds of benefits
that will attract social workers to Newfoundland and Labrador.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, am very pleased to join in saluting the social workers in our
Province. I do believe that they are probably one of the most overworked and
overstressed groups of workers that we have, especially our social workers in
the child, youth and family services. They are highly skilled, highly committed
workers. I think we have to assure though that all these support services and
supplementary systems are in place to help them in their work. I know one of the
areas that is of a major concern is the fact that when children are in care we
do not have adequate foster care services for those children. It has been
publicly in the news, we all know it. It has been verified that very often
social workers have to stay in hotel rooms with children when there are
emergency situations. So I really urge the government to work hard at building
up our foster care program and our emergency care services so that we do not
have social workers who are highly skilled having to be overnight in hotels with
children.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, students in today's classrooms have many
resources at their disposal which enrich the learning process. These include
educational games, computer software and hardware and instructional DVDs and
videos. One very important enrichment initiative that the Department of
Education is proud to support is The Telegram 's Newspaper in Education
program.
Each year, the department contributes $5,000 to help bring this program to as
many schools as possible. By the end of this school year, more than 600,000
newspapers will have been delivered to 185 K-2 schools and Adult Basic Education
programs throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. In total, more than 26,000
students and 1,800 teachers are taking advantage of this innovative initiative.
There are a number of benefits to a program like this, Mr. Speaker. It
creates a desire in young people to read. It helps students improve the reading
skills they will use throughout their lives. It can be used to enhance just
about any course, from language arts to global issues, and from mathematics to
science; and it bridges the gap between classroom learning and the world
outside, putting the lessons in perspective and making them real.
There are many initiatives supported by this government that help our
children learn and grow, and strategic investments in programs and initiatives
that contribute to student success. For example, Mr. Speaker, phys. ed classes
have gotten more interesting from Kindergarten through high school with $3.2
million worth of new equipment. Artists are coming into our classrooms with our
$10 million Cultural Connections Strategy. Our $11 million skilled trades
program is introducing skilled trades training and equipment to high school
students. This all speaks to the diverse and interesting learning experiences
available for today's students. Our more than $1 billion allocated for
education this year is clearly funding some great initiatives.
Mr. Speaker, I commend The Telegram for its ongoing support of
learning in our schools. It is partnerships like this that make our classrooms
great learning places.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement, and to
agree with her that I assure you that many of our classrooms have many resources
at the disposal of our youth in this day and age, and I want to congratulate the
department in being involved in this initiative with The Telegram .
As she mentioned about the software, the hardware, the DVDs and videos, I am
sure, as I look around this hon. House, many of us never had the opportunity to
deal with those issues when we went to school, and to know that so many students
and teachers in this day and age avail of such services.
She mentioned about gapping the distance between classroom education and
worldwide. I can assure you, and I speak for myself, many moons ago - and that
would be many moons ago - little did I have a newspaper, not even a television,
to go by. All we had to listen to was a radio, to know what was going on in our
workplace.
To know all the millions of dollars that are going into education, we are
very thankful of that, because every cent that goes in helps the children of our
Province, but that does not take away, from time to time, that we will be
bringing forward issues that are expressed to us as concerns for the people of
this Province.
My closing comment, Mr. Speaker, will be that I hope all teachers and
students find themselves in safe environments, risk-free environments, as they
carry out the many initiatives that we have today in our schools.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement, and I apologize
to the Minister of Health and Community Services for not having thanked him when
I stood before.
These initiatives are wonderful initiatives, and I think there is some
evaluation going on that indicates that these enhancement programs are essential
to the school system and to the courses, whether it is the partnership with The
Telegram , whether it is the Cultural Connections Strategy, the skilled
trades program, all of them.
I would encourage the minister and the government to see these not as
projects but as efforts that need continued funding. I know that the $10 million
for the Cultural Connections Strategy is coming to an end, and I look forward to
seeing such money being continued in the upcoming Budget, especially because it
benefits not just the children but also benefits the artists who always need
support from government in maintaining their careers.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier.
In 2005, the Eastern Health Authority spent $450,000 on a comprehensive
facilities review that identified critical problems with the physical structures
of health care buildings, including the four hospitals in St. John's. These
reports have been hidden for the past thirty months, and only released when the
Minister of Health accidentally referenced them in a recent media scrum.
I ask the Premier: When did you become aware of these reports, that they even
existed, and the recommendations that they contained?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the hon. Leader of
the Opposition for that important question.
Mr. Speaker - I will try to keep it within the time frame - what government
has been wrestling with in health care and in other departments is serious
infrastructure problems with regard to new buildings with maintenance and
repairs. The Health Department, particularly, has been basically looking at an
overall plan to revisit the facilities, to look at relocating some of the
facilities, to redesigning some of the facilities, to repairing facilities,
building new facilities. I would have to say probably our top priority initially
was for new facilities.
From my own perspective, I have never seen that report; but, having said
that, the first time that we would have even become aware of it as a government
I remember back it would have been early last fall when the Cabinet was
asked to provide a half-million dollars for a consultant report in order to
consider infrastructure issues and site planning, and that was part of that
overall plan, but I have never personally seen the report myself over the thirty
months.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, when such reports are commissioned by government,
and they have such startling recommendations as these reports have, I would
expect that Cabinet Ministers would be responsible to bring those reports to the
attention of Cabinet and government.
I have to ask: Were these reports ever brought to Cabinet, or their existence
raised in terms of the needs that they were asking for in those documents?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: As the hon. Leader of the Opposition is aware, when she
sat in Cabinet, general discussions take place in Cabinet with regard to general
planning.
As, of course, of last fall we were still four or five months away from a
Budget plan - assuming, of course, obviously, that we were re-elected. That
process is all part of the general discussion that would go on with regard to
planning.
We usually input in the fall into the planning process in order to prepare
our budgets. As a general rule, departmental reports don't necessarily come
before Cabinet. Some do, some don't. When they do, we have detailed
presentations on them.
There was no detailed presentation on this particular report as, in fact, as
I understand it, it was a buildings assessment - is exactly what it was. So it
was discussed in the context of the overall infrastructure program and site
planning and maintenance and repair generally.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I guess what is surprising for us is that we have
seen two Budgets being brought to this House by the government opposite since
these reports were tabled with the Department of Health and Community Services;
yet they have not been addressed.
I do realize that the Premier, last week, announced that they would increase
their infrastructure budget this year to try and deal with some of the critical
problems here. I think he quoted an additional amount of $6 million.
I have to ask the Premier today, Mr. Speaker: Does he feel that this amount
of money is sufficient to address the critical problems - not the overall
problems that were outlined, but the more critical problems - that have been
outlined in these documents?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I would have to honestly say there is
never enough money to deal with all the problems in maintenance and repair,
whether it happens to be in our hospitals, in our schools, or other
infrastructure. To deal with the critical problems - the critical problems that
we are presently aware of - this would certainly appear to adequately deal with
those.
From our understanding, when we considered this over a week ago, there would
have been approximately $22 million or maybe $23 million from fourteen. So, when
you have used the term six I think what I had said actually was, we would
increase it by about 50 per cent. We are in that range of $21 million, $22
million, $23 million. If that is what is necessary to deal with critical
problems in the hospitals then that will be provided.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Obviously, I asked the question because our analysis of the reports indicates
that the critical areas that need to be addressed are going to cost
approximately $100 million to do.
My question for the Premier would be: Have they looked at a plan to be able
to address all of those problems or when will they have an opportunity to do
that?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the member opposite for doing the critical analysis of the report.
Our understanding is there are four different categories and category number
one, priority number one, with the investment we have suggested we will be
making next year, together with the you have to remember, Mr. Speaker, over
the last four years we have spent close to $40 million on maintenance repairs in
our health facilities throughout this Province, in addition to close to $80
million in new construction, and with the projects we have committed to over the
next four years, a total investment in capital alone will probably be closer to
$300 million. If you look at that kind of capital investment in new structures,
together with what we are spending on repairs and maintenance - and in one
single year in addition to that one of our regional health authorities, Eastern
Health, spent an additional $30-odd million of their money to be able to put
into maintenance and repairs as well.
Given the commitments we have made, the investments we made in the past, and
what we are gong to be spending next year and in the future, we will be able to
deal with the high priority issues that were identified in that assessment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the minister, yes, I did do the analysis, but I understand from the
media scrum that you did not even read the documents.
My next question is: There are sixty-one other health facilities around the
Province, and I ask the minister: Has your department completed any recent
cost-analysis for critical upgrades in those sixty-one other facilities? If so,
can you table those documents in the House of Assembly, and if not, can you give
me the timelines on which these will be done?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There are multiple questions to that so you will have to give me a bit of
latitude on the forty-five seconds.
The issue around the reports themselves: Eastern Health has a software
package that allows them to do the profiling that they have done, and keep in
mind that this was a facility management software package. This was not a
specialized report that was commissioned akin to other reports that government
on occasion may commission. This was part of populating a database that Eastern
Health has to manage their health facilities. The other three authorities do not
have that kind of capacity, they are smaller authorities and they have fewer
facilities. What they have done themselves is they have done an evaluation based
on their own
interpretation of what it is needs to be done, and through their
budgetary requests they have made a submission to government looking for funding
for next year to be able to do the necessary repairs and maintenance in their
respective regions.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I take from that answer that there has not been
any other analysis done on critical upgrades in the other sixty-one health care
facilities in the Province.
Mr. Speaker, there have been numerous upgrades, as we know, required to
health care infrastructure and some of them we have heard outlined in the media
lately. One is the lack of sprinkler systems that exist in some of the Province's
hospitals and long-term care homes. Just last month twenty-two privately run
personal care homes were ordered to close in this Province because they did not
have sprinkler systems to protect against life and safety hazards caused by a
potential fire. We learned, after the fact, that government-run facilities were
in a similar situation. The people of the Province certainly do not appreciate
being governed by hypocrisy.
I ask the minister: When is government going to do away with the double
standard and install the sprinkler systems at government-owned facilities as
they have indicated needs to be done at privately run facilities?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: The personal care homes that she is questioning or raising
were personal care homes that were identified by the Fire Commissioner's
Office as needing to install sprinkler systems based on the evaluation of those
facilities and the nature of the construction. The health facilities that are
operated by our four authorities, they too have been evaluated by the Fire
Commissioner's Office on a regular basis. I understand, from a recent
statement by the Commissioner's Office, that he plans to do some in the near
future. Any time the fire commissioner identifies a hazard in any of our
facilities we will respond appropriately.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The fire commissioner has already recommended that there are two facilities
that need to have this installation done immediately, the Dr. Walter Templeton
Health facility on Bell Island and the Newhook Clinic in Whitbourne.
Mr. Speaker, we know that there are other facilities as well in the Province,
but I ask the minister: When will government move to install the sprinkler
systems in those two that have been identified? Again, I ask: What is the plan
to address this lack of safety infrastructure in the other health care
facilities in the Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to challenge the
statement just made with respect to the other hazards in other facilities. As I
said in my previous answer, the Fire Commissioner has not identified or directed
us to maintain or to fix, to change or to add to any of the other facilities. He
has identified that the sprinkler system is necessary to be installed in Bell
Island and in Whitbourne. Government, as I said a moment ago, when he has given
that direction and made that comment to us we will be responding appropriately.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable that the minister thinks it is
acceptable to have acute care facilities in this Province that do not have the
proper sprinkler systems installed, and again I have to ask: In facilities like
Western Memorial Hospital, like the Paddon Home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, when
are you going to take some action to address the needs in those facilities?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Heath and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Once again I want to go back to my earlier comment. I am not
in a position and we do not have officials in my department who have the ability
to do those kinds of assessments. That is why the Fire Commissioner's Office
is staffed with the capable, competent people to be able to do that kind of
evaluation.
With respect to the Paddon Home, he has indicated the fact that we have now
started construction, tenders have been awarded, a new long-term care home is
being built in Happy Valley-Goose Bay to replace the home. As I understand it,
the Fire Commissioner is satisfied that with the current safety practices within
the Paddon home and the fact that we are in the midst of building a new one that
is acceptable to him. I understand he has done an evaluation of Western Memorial
Hospital and he has considered the construction methodology used when that
building was built in terms of fire walls, the construction material, the
disaster plans that they have, the staffing levels they have, the ability to
able to contain certain blocks and sectors of the building. All of that I
understand was given consideration and that is why he has not, in fact, given us
a recommendation today to install it in that building.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My next question is for the Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.
Some of the privately run, personal care home operators have told us that
they were inspected and passed by government as late as six months ago in order
to qualify for their licenses to operate. They said there were no conditions put
on the inspection report related to the necessity of installing sprinkler
systems and no correspondence was sent from government issuing any ultimatum
until the final decision was made.
I have to ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs: Is it common practice for
the Fire Commissioner to allow facilities in our Province that are in violation
of fire code laws to pass inspection?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DENINE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the personal care homes were identified a number of years ago to
have a sprinkler system installed. That is why, back in 2005, this government
came on side and did a cost-sharing ratio of 75-25.
The fact that the order was going on for a time period 2005, 2006, 2007, this
year the fire commissioner stated to me: It is time to stop it; we need to bring
it to an end.
That is the reason why the closure orders were issued. Now, when I say
closure orders, basically we said the closure orders but what we want to do is
compliance. After all that, after a month, Mr. Speaker, twenty of the twenty-two
facilities that were asked to comply did comply.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The recent revelation that the government does not have proper sprinkler
systems in hospitals around this Province, and that other serious public safety
concerns exist in our health care system, was shocking and disturbing. This
attitude towards public safety also raised concerns about public safety in other
aspects of government.
I ask the Minister of Education if she can tell us if schools in this
Province are regularly inspected, and if they are all in compliance with the
current fire safety regulations?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, we take fire safety very seriously in our schools.
It is my understanding that there are no outstanding orders from the fire
commissioner's office in relation to our schools, or any work that has been
identified as fire safety at this point in time that has not been completed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, this government has developed a reputation for
not being open and accountable. In the case of public safety, it is important
that parents be assured that schools comply with current fire regulations. With
this in mind, I ask the Minister of Education: Will she obtain and make public
information related to when fire inspections in each of the schools were
conducted, and would she also release the nature and results of such
inspections?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, as I had just said, we certainly take fire safety
in our schools as a very important issue. All schools, at the beginning of the
year, have fire safety week. They all practice their fire drills. They are all
timed to make sure that all of the children, particularly the youngest students
who are new to the school, come in and practice fire safety.
Mr. Speaker, if there is any information within the department regarding
safety orders, regarding inspections, regarding our compliance with them, if I
can compile that information and see what is available I will certainly make it
public.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for her response.
We know government has not followed its own fire safety regulations in
relation to hospitals in this Province. When government allows such serious
problems to go unaddressed, it becomes even more important that the Minister of
Education assure the people of this Province that children are safe in our
schools.
Will the minister confirm that some of our older school buildings have not
been required to comply with current fire regulations, and can she tell us what
government intends to do about this problem?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding - and as I have said now
twice before during this Question Period - that fire safety in our schools is
absolutely important and it is a very serious issue. We make sure when school
starts in September that the fire safety plans for that school are made known to
all students, that evacuation routes are known. It is practiced. They do fire
drills throughout the year.
Mr. Speaker, some of our schools are more than forty years old, some are
brand new; but, Mr. Speaker, in every single case, in every school, we want to
make sure that we do follow fire safety codes and that, based on that building
and based on the standards for that building, and what is required, we make sure
that is followed. That is very important. The school boards understand it, the
individual schools understand it, and certainly the Department of Education
understands it.
I had already made a commitment that we will go back, we will go through
whatever information is available regarding fire safety in our schools, what
work was completed or needs to be done. Whatever information I have, that is
available, I will make it available in this House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, this government's lack of concern for student
safety is nothing new. Back a year ago when I asked -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, back a year ago when I asked the minister would
the department be conducting a comprehensive review of schools in this Province
in terms of toxic mould and air quality, the minister dismissed the idea, saying
she knew where the problems were and said such a study was not necessary.
I ask the minister: Was she aware of the problems at Hillside Elementary in
La Scie at that time, and does she think it would have saved these children a
lot of problems if she had listened to the request for a comprehensive review
when I made it a year ago?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, this government - more than probably any other
government in the history of this Province - has made the conditions and the
safety and the maintenance of our schools a priority.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Since 2004, this government spent $111 million on repairs and
maintenance to our schools. Included in that, Mr. Speaker, were 200 roofing,
siding and window projects that were done that specifically addressed air
quality
Mr. Speaker, when we dealt with the capital plan from the Central Nova School
Board last year, La Scie was number twenty-six or number twenty-seven on their
priority list.
Mr. Speaker, it came to our attention last week that there was mould in the
school following an incident where we found a leaky roof and, Mr. Speaker, we
immediately attended to that issue. We have taken care of the students - they
have a place to go in La Scie - and we are doing that work immediately to make
sure that school is a safe environment for those students.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the minister, we commend her for correcting the problem when she
knew about it, but this issue could have been detected back in December 2006.
Why wait until March 2008 to have it done, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, in the Speech from the Throne, it was revealed that
approximately $2.6 million has been approved for eighty-seven air quality
projects, such as air quality and hazardous material testing, remediation,
carpet removal and ventilation.
I ask the minister: Will she be making all information related to those
eighty-seven air quality projects, including the air quality and hazardous
material testing results, made available to the public?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, when we go in and we do work at a school, it is
not done in a way that is private or secretive. If the work is going on in the
school, there has probably been a public tender that has been let so we can get
the best available price we can to get the work done, and the scope of the work
is defined in that tender.
If we want to expand Question Period tomorrow, and give me more than
forty-five seconds, I will read out more than 200 projects that we have done, as
government, to address specific air quality issues.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, this government first promised in 2003 to, quote: shift the
focus of seniors' care so that the first priority is for people to remain in
their homes, and other types of supportive living arrangements, rather than
requiring them to move into nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
In the 2007 election platform, this government promised to, quote: continue
to improve home care services, and to commit to a long-term care policy.
In the Speech from the Throne yesterday, we heard that your government still
intends to, quote: advance a Long-Term Care and Community Supports Strategy that
will include a plan to improve home care services, implement equitable financial
assessment and re-develop standards
I ask the Premier: What is your government going to do in the short term for
seniors who are now living in desperate situations at home, without home care,
and who may not benefit from what is going to happen down the road?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health & Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Since we formed government in 2003 the budget for home support in this
Province has increased by some $30-odd million dollars, Mr. Speaker. That is a
significant investment, a major investment by this government, and I think a
reflection of the commitment we have made to improve the lives of seniors who
live in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, we have increased the rates that we pay to
home support workers. If not three times last year, one year alone as a result
of some changes in the minimum wage, I say, Mr. Speaker. We continue to invest
in advancing the capacity we have in the number of individuals who get home
support in this Province. That, together with the other initiatives announced in
our healthy aging strategy, I think reflects our government's true commitment
to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as they age.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister's answer, except it
does not answer the question. We know, and I indicated yesterday in responding
to the Speech from the Throne, that a large percentage of people who inquire
about home care do not take it because they cannot afford the system that is
offered to them.
The Minister of Health and Community Services acknowledged publicly on
February 20, in response to media coverage of Patrick and Shirley Connors, that
the financial tool used to assess people applying for government-managed home
care, quote, just does not work and that the way financial assessments are done
- again, a quote from the minister - needs to change.
Mr. Speaker, my question, again: How can your government, Mr. Premier, allow
this situation to continue in the present without putting some emergency plans
in place to help people in desperate situations?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, one of the things we do not want to do, we do
not want to move prematurely as we have been talking about in the past, and the
Speech from the Throne alluded to the notion that we want to move out and move
forward with a long-term care and community support strategy. There are many
people, there is a seniors population, there are persons with disabilities, who
avail of a vast array of community supports. We are in the process now, we are
re-evaluating the programs that we have, re-evaluating the financial assessment
tools because we want to make sure, Mr. Speaker, that when we roll out our
strategy it is a reflection of what we will need well into the future. So, we
want to make sure that what we do, we do it right; we better understand the
implications of the current financial assessment tool for those who will take
advantage of it, and we want to make sure when we construct it, when we change
it, when we make any improvements to it, it reflects the changing needs of the
population on a go forward basis.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: A final question then, Mr. Speaker.
How can we view dealing with emergencies as moving prematurely? I want to
know if there is going to be money in the upcoming Budget to help with the
emergency situations that seniors are facing in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, the seniors of this Province, the persons with
disabilities in this Province are accessing home support daily. There are people
today who are accessing home support services, as they did yesterday and as they
will on a go forward basis.
With respect to the upcoming Budget, we all look forward to our colleague
standing in the House and delivering what will be his second, if not third,
great Budget for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I think all of the
announcements he will make in the Budget will reflect our government's
commitment to once again improving the quality of lives of the people who live
in this great Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Innovation.
Mr. Speaker, since this government was elected, and again yesterday in the
transparency and accountability. Surely the minister would agree that of all
issues to which these principles should apply, the spending of public funding
would be on the top of the list.
My question to the minister: Do you, as minister of that department, intend
to have your department adhere to those principles of openness, transparency and
accountability in this operations and disclosures?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development.
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I can absolutely confirm that we do, in our department, adhere to those
principles, which is why every cent of money that we approve is made public.
Sometimes there is some delay in the time period that it takes to make it public
because we are working with other financial institutions and other agencies like
ACOA and Services Canada to collaborate on joint announcements, waiting for
their funding to be improved and what have you, but we have no problem in
disclosing any information on finances that we provide to anybody in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In February of this year The Telegram published a report that
government had issued two loans totaling $675,000 to a company called SAC
Manufacturing of Paradise. This company cashed the cheques, closed down, and the
company directors promptly moved to Alberta. No government news releases were
issued, nor any announcements made about this funding, when the money was
dispersed, or when the company closed its doors. No information was ever
released by the department to the public. The public only found out about this
when a local media followed up on a report from the Comptroller General almost a
year later - not the Auditor General but the Comptroller General.
My question to the minister: Please explain how this is openness,
transparency and accountability when your department never, ever voluntarily
released any of this information of its own volition.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite can appreciate, we disperse
about $20-odd million annually, probably somewhere in that order anyway. Most of
the programs that we have in place right now did not exist when they were in
government. I think they had $2 million available for economic development. As I
said, we have somewhere in the order of $20 million to $25 million in our
department available for economic development.
Some of the communication protocols, Mr. Speaker, I have to admit, were
somewhat lax in the early going of the development of these programs. I have
asked our department, our communications director and our executive to review
our communications protocols to ensure that that instance does not happen in the
future. I can assure the House and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,
there was no attempt to try and hide this information from the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador and we will be making changes, as I have said, to our
communication strategy to ensure that this does not happen in the future, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if you will bear with me, I have a number of documents to table.
First of all, pursuant to
section 49.(2) of the Financial Administration Act,
I wish to table the attached list of temporary loans that were raised under
section 48 of the act since my last report to the House tabled on May 15, 2007.
Also, pursuant to
section 55.(3) of the Financial Administration Act, I wish
to report that there were no guaranteed loans paid out by the Province since the
last annual report, also on May 15, 2007. While there are none to be tabled, it
is necessary to indicate that in a report to the House.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
section 55.1(2) of the act, I wish to
report there has been no guaranteed debt of any Crown corporation or agency
assumed by the Province since May 15, 2007 annual report.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is the first one.
Secondly, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
Section 28. (4) (
e) of the Financial
Administration Act, I am tabling one Order-in-Council for the creation of one
new activity of expenditure for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
Section 26. (5) (
a) of the Financial
Administration Act, I am tabling thirty-four Orders-in-Council relating to
funding pre-commitments for the 2008-2009 to the 2012-2013 fiscal years.
Mr. Speaker, there is one more.
AN HON. MEMBER: Finally, (inaudible).
MR. T. MARSHALL: Finally, there is one more.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
Section 28. (4) (
e) of the Financial Administration
Act, I am tabling five special warrants relating to the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents?
Pursuant to
Section 273. (3) of the Elections Act, 1991, I, as Speaker, would
like to table the annual report of the Chief Electoral Officer on election
finances for January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006, and a report on election
finances for a by-election held in the District of Placentia & St. Mary's
on February 21, 2006.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I would like to move, seconded by the
Opposition House Leader, that the following members constitute the Striking
Committee. Of course, the Striking Committee is the committee that will be
responsible for populating, striking, other committees for routine business of
the House: myself, as the Member for Baie Verte-Springdale; the hon. Deputy
Government House Leader, the Member for St. George's-Stephenville East; the
hon. Deputy Speaker, the Member for Cape St. Francis; the hon. the Member for
Burgeo & LaPoile; and the hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the Striking Committee be the
members as recited by the hon. Government House Leader, seconded by the hon.
Opposition House Leader.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
Motion carried.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to present a petition on behalf of residents of Newfoundland and
Labrador. It is a petition that has been circulated Province-wide, in reference
to the drug and alcohol addictions that exist in our Province.
I will read it for you, Mr. Speaker, into the record, and I should note for
the House of Assembly that there are thousands of signatures collected on these
petitions and they will be presented at different times in the House of Assembly
over the next period of time that we sit.
WHEREAS Newfoundland and Labrador is currently lacking a long-term drug and
alcohol addictions treatment facility for its residents;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to establish a long-term drug and alcohol addictions treatment
facility in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, the reason I bring this petition to the House of Assembly is
because I support the people who are making this request. I support them in
their efforts, because I do know that there are problems in our Province as it
relates to drug addictions, alcohol addictions, and other addictions as well;
but, Mr. Speaker, we do not have to look far to see many examples of how drug
addiction has increased in communities right throughout the Province.
There is more need for education around drug addictions and alcohol
addictions than I think we have ever seen before in our past, and there is
certainly a greater need for the services that people depend upon, who are
addicts.
Mr. Speaker, I was looking in The Telegram a few days ago, when there
was an
article there regarding drugs, and the growing problem with drugs in our
Province. I think the drug market in the Province has become so big at this
stage that the RNC has even announced that they will have to double up the
enforcement officers they have working to combat the drug problem in the city in
particular.
Mr. Speaker, those kinds of announcements become alarming, and it is a
realization that it is not a problem that will go away. It is not something that
we can brush under a rug and forget about, but it is actually something we need
to take action on.
Mr. Speaker, the Chief of the RNC, Joe Browne, has said that drug use has
gotten so widespread that buying drugs on the street is almost like buying
coffee.
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the Chief of Police is exaggerating his comments.
I think his remarks are founded on his own experiences, and founded on the kind
of drug busts and arrests that they have been making through the RNC.
Mr. Speaker, back a few years ago the RNC made a statement that they thought
80 per cent of all of the crime in the Province was drug related. Today they are
making a statement that 90 per cent of all of the crime in the Province, or in
this area that they serve, is drug related, and those are very alarming numbers
as well.
Those people who are out there identifying the need for a long-term treatment
facility for drug addicts and alcoholism are people who are either affected by
it directly or indirectly.
We all know that any time there is a person in our families or in our
households who develops problems with addiction, it affects the entire family
unit. It affects everyone. So, Mr. Speaker, these people are identifying the
need based on their own experiences, based on the fact that they have had a
brother or sister, a mother or father, who have been affected.
Mr. Speaker, I know that my time is nearly concluded. I do have a number of
these petitions that I will present over the next few days in the House of
Assembly, and I hope that hon. members will be prepared to listen and to support
the pleas of the people who are petitioning us.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I want to present a petition today to the hon. House of Assembly of the
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled. Seeing that this
is the first time that this petition has appeared, I will read the petition:
WHEREAS Conception Bay North was the number one priority for a long-term care
facility for the entire Province in 2000-2002; and
WHEREAS Conception Bay North in 2006 has slipped to sixth place on the list,
behind Corner Brook, Clarenville, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Lewisporte and St.
John's; and
WHEREAS the present structures need to be replaced with a modern facility;
and
WHEREAS there is a tremendous requirement for additional facilities for our
seniors;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon all Members of the
House of Assembly to urge government to reassess their decision to drop
Conception Bay North on the priority list and commit to all residents of the
area that the assessment of 200-2002 be implemented and a new facility be built
in the Conception Bay North area; and
As is duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, over the past several years now - that assessment was done back
in 2000-2002 and it was done by officials of the department. It was to the
point, Mr. Speaker, where even the size of the facility - they determined that
their requirements were up to 240 beds. It was so far progressing along that
even proposals were sent to the three major centres out there, Carbonear,
Harbour Grace, and Bay Roberts, asking them how they would handle the situation
if government decided they would go one way or the other. Not only that, it was
even determined that possibly it might be constructed adjacent to the Carbonear
General Hospital, and the expenses probably would have been less with the
heating and so on.
Mr. Speaker, over the past three years I have asked different Ministers of
Health and Community Services, either in the House or through the Estimate
Committees, what happened that Conception Bay North was dropped from a top
priority in the Province to sixth place? I have yet to be able to get any
answers. I understand there were no further assessments done to say that it was
inappropriately done in the beginning. It was only, I think, when the Minister
of Finance was going around - the Mayor of Carbonear even mentioned the facility
and how the other facilities were not adequate anymore. We referenced the
Interfaith Home, the Harbour Lodge, and I know back a few years ago the
Pentecostal Home in Clarke's Beach, they were all to be combined together into
this one new facility. Mr. Speaker, by having this facility I can assure you it
takes the burden away from Carbonear General because all too often beds are
filled by residents and patients who could be out in a long-term care facility
whereas they are occupying spaces in the Carbonear General Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, I am calling upon government today to recommit to Conception Bay
North, to the long-term care facility. I am not standing here today saying that
the other six facilities that I mentioned, the other six communities, that they
do not need it, sure they need it and all the power to them if they get their
facilities. I understand, and I think Corner Brook and Clarenville have been on
the list.
Mr. Speaker, I want to call upon my three neighbouring districts, all
represented now by Ministers of the Crown, the District of Trinity-Bay de Verde,
the District of Carbonear-Harbour Grace, the District of Harbour Main and my
colleague from Bellevue district, that they will all come together and ask
government if they would reconsider and at least have another assessment done to
see what happened, why Conception Bay North has been dropped from the list.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
Before I call orders of the day, I would like to take this opportunity to
introduce to Members of the House of Assembly our Pages for this session. We
have two Pages who are returning from the Forty-Fifth General Assembly, Michael
Young and Jeffrey Blackwood, and we have two new Pages, Willis Wiseman and
Blaine Cowan.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: I am sure I echo the thoughts of all members, that I hope
your stay is both enjoyable and rewarding.
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Motion 1, please, Interim Supply.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that I have
received a message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.
MR. SPEAKER: All rise.
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 2009, 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.
The hon. the Minister of Finance.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Government House Leader, that the
message together with a bill be referred to the 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 this motion?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: Against?
The motion is carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (T. Osborne): Order, please!
Bill 2,
An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For
Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending
March 31, 2009 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
Resolution
"That it is expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the granting
to Her Majesty for defraying certain expenses of the public service for the
financial year ending March 31, 2009 the sum of $1,902,039,700."
CHAIR: Shall the resolution carry?
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Before I speak to the resolution and the bill, which is Bill 2, I think it is
appropriate that I first of all extend my congratulations to Mr. Chairman for
your election to this position, and also to the hon. the Speaker for being
elected to his position as the new Speaker of this House, a task that at
sometimes is extremely difficult, but I am sure that with the abilities and the
talents of the new Speaker, that those tasks shall be handled with much aplomb
as well as much dignity.
I also want to take this time to congratulate the new members who have been
elected. There has been quite a change since the last time we stood in this
House.
AN HON. MEMBER: For the better.
MR. T. MARSHALL: For the better, indeed. It may take me awhile to get
used to looking over across the floor. Instead of seeing the smiling face of the
former member for Grand Falls-Buchans and the former member for Torngat
Mountains - I don't know if I will ever get used to seeing the Member for
Conception Bay South. It is quite a change indeed, but it is great to see new
members. My colleagues from the Bay of Islands, the hon. member from Deer Lake,
the hon. member from St. Barbe and other friendly faces. It will be quite a
change indeed.
For all new members, I think it is indeed an honour and a privilege to
represent your area in the people's House. This is the House of the people and
I know that all members of all parties certainly take the fact that they
represent their districts very seriously. Certainly, I am sure that all members,
no matter where you are from and what your talents, will use those talents and
abilities to make the Province a better place once you have left it. I am sure
you will leave the Province in a better situation than when you found it. I
congratulate all of you and wish you all well.
Before us today is something that is formally referred to as a Resolution and
an Act. The Resolution says that,
Be it resolved that it is expedient to
introduce a measure to provide for the granting to Her Majesty for defraying
certain expenses of the public service for the financial year that ends March
31, 2009 the sum of $1,902,039,700. The bill is entitled
An Act For Granting To
Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public
Service, for that fiscal year, And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public
Service. The
short title of the Act it is called the Interim Supply Act of
What this Act is doing is looking for your approval, is looking for the
approval of the elected representatives of the people to spend a certain amount
of money until such time as the main supply bill or the Budget is passed.
Because money cannot be spent by the government until it is first approved in
this Chamber by the representatives of the people.
What we are seeking here in Interim Supply, Mr. Chairman, is approval of the
Legislature and those who are responsible to the people of this Province for the
sum, as I said, of about $1.9 billion. This amount represents about 34 per cent
of the 2007-2008 budgeted current and capital account gross expenditures. It
will provide the government, it will provide departments of the government and
public bodies, with sufficient cash flow dollars to manage current and capital
account expenditures for the period from April 1, 2008 through to the period of
June 30, 2008. That is the first fiscal quarter of the 2008-2009 fiscal year. As
you know the fiscal year of the government starts on April 1 and ends on March
31 of the following year.
When we bring in the Budget we will be seeking funding to spend during the
whole year, from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009, but of course it takes some
time for the Budget to pass. There is a certain amount of debate that has to
take place. I believe it is seventy-five hours, and the debate that takes place
on this particular resolution, on this particular bill, Interim Supply, will
count towards the seventy-five hours allotted for the Budget Debate. Because it
takes some time to pass the Budget, it is necessary to provide funding to the
government to pay its day-to-day bills, and that is the sole purpose of Interim
Supply.
Now, in some accounts more than one-quarter of the Budget is required to
provide for those items which will need to be expensed early in the year, and as
well to provide for the calling and the awarding of tenders and the encumbering
of funds. Now, there is a 14 per cent increase being requested for Interim
Supply this year over last year's $1.7 billion. The increase approximates $238
million. This increase, the reason it is more this year is because provision is
made for inflation and for program growth, and for the annualization of the
2007-2008 Budget initiatives.
When an initiative is brought in, it may not be brought in on April 1; it may
be brought in six months later. In the Budget there will only be an expenditure
of funds for six months but, of course, that program will follow in the
following year; and, of course, in that year you need funds for the full twelve
months, so you will hear that word annualization quite a bit in this Chamber.
As I said, the increase includes provision for inflation, program growth and
annualization of 2007-2008 Budget initiatives.
Now, some of the hon. members in this House will recall that when we did
Interim Supply last year there was a 12 per cent growth over the previous year,
2006-2007, in their Estimates.
So, as I said, Interim Supply is basically intended to provide for the
continuation of ongoing government programs and projects included in the
2008-2009 Interim Supply bill, our general ongoing housekeeping expenditures. We
also have funding for seven pay periods and ongoing project and funding
requirements applicable to the forthcoming 2008-2009 fiscal year.
This bill needs to be passed on or before March 26 in order to be able to
process cheques, including Income Support requirements which will have to be
mailed to Labrador and to other more distant parts of the Province, and to meet
government's payroll obligations for April 2, 2008.
Mr. Chairman, I will be announcing, in due course, the date that I will table
the full Estimates of Expenditure for 2008-2009, and that is the Budget bill, at
which time we will seek authority from the House to spend money for the full
twelve-month period.
Mr. Chairman, last year, when I introduced Interim Supply, I provided a brief
overview of the inaugural Budget consultations that I had undertook. At that
time, my predecessor had resigned from government on December 29, or just
shortly before that, and I was appointed on December 29. Of course, I then was
engaged immediately in the
process of what is called pre-Budget consultations. My predecessor had done
the eastern side of the Province and I did Labrador and the West Coast.
This year I have had a chance to conduct pre-Budget consultations right
across the whole Province. We had two in St. John's. We were in Carbonear, in
Labrador City-Wabush, in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, in Corner Brook and
Stephenville, in St. Anthony, Marystown, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, and
Clarenville.
Now, I know there are cynics who write letters to the editor or comment in
the media that these pre-Budget consultations are a waste of time. I strongly
disagree with that. I think it is important that the Minister of Finance get
around the Province and hear, in the regions of the Province, what are the
priorities of the people in those areas.
Mr. Chairman, one of the things I suggested we do this year is that, instead
of going to the usual larger communities, maybe it was time for the Minister of
Finance to take a year and not go to the usual large communities. Maybe it was
time for the Minister of Finance to go to some of the smaller communities.
There wasn't time to do that this year, but I would strongly suggest to the
Minister of Finance - who is the Minister of Finance in the next Budget process
- that maybe it is time, instead of going to Corner Brook, to maybe do
pre-Budget consultations in Deer Lake, to go down to Port aux Basques, to go to
the North Coast and South Coast of Labrador, to go to smaller communities on the
Great Northern Peninsula than St. Anthony, just to get a more rounded view, a
fuller view, what the aspirations and the hopes and dreams of our fellow
citizens are, and what they would like to see expressed during the Budget
process.
The meetings were very helpful, and we used a bit of a new format this time.
Usually, people would come in and they would read - at least last year - their
speeches, or they would read their petitions. This time, we tried a different
format. We asked presenters to give us their priorities for their organizations,
for their groups, for their regions of the Province, and then I wanted to engage
in a discussion, to have a two-way discussion to discuss the issues facing the
Province and give me an opportunity to ask them to give me their advice as to
what they felt should be in the Budget - and not just related to their main
priority, but to look at the big picture, to look at what I had to do as Finance
Minister, and help me out in my dealings.
When you talk to people about what a Finance Minister has to do, and while
last year we got up and I think I was on my feet for an hour and a half
outlining what was referred to as the most generous Budget in the history of the
Province, I took the approach that what a Finance Minister generally does in a
Budget deals with three main areas. He or she deals with three main areas: the
revenue, which is the money that comes in; the spending; and then the effect of
those two, which is dealing with the debt.
In terms of revenue, we talked about the taxes. We talked about the fees. We
talked about last year's Budget, where we gave the biggest tax decrease in the
history of the Province, where tax benefits were given under the lower income
tax benefit, which provided tax benefits to 5,200 low-income Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians and, in fact, removed 4,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians from
the provincial tax rolls entirely.
We talked about the low-income seniors' tax benefit. There were a lot of
seniors' couples in this Province - over 7,000 to be exact - whose incomes
were too high to be eligible to receive this seniors' tax benefit. By raising
the threshold, that provided over 7,000 seniors, 3,800 couples, with a cheque
for $763 back in October.
We talked about reducing fees. What fees should be raised? What fees should
be lowered? What taxes should be raised? What taxes should be lowered? We
recognize that when you lower taxes that puts money in people's pockets. That
helps take the oil well and transfer it through the government to the people who
need it, and that is one of the things that government does: we take from the
wealthy and we transfer it to people who need it.
We talked about eliminating and reducing 170 fees that we did in the Budget
last year, including ferry fees. We then talked about: if you lower taxes, while
that put money in people's pockets, while that gave people a chance to get
ahead, while that made our economy more competitive, while that helped us
attract and retain skilled workers, we also knew that we needed revenue in order
to spend it, to do the spending side, to do the things that people want to see
their government doing.
We talked about spending on programs. We talked about spending in the last
Budget. The home heating rebate - when we came into office, when our government
first came into office, the home heating rebate was going to 11,000 people and
it was $100. Each year we made enhancements in that. Each year, as revenues
permitted, we kept increasing that rebate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: This year, Mr. Chairman, that rebate, instead of going
to 11,000 people, there are now 75,000 people eligible for the rebate. Instead
of getting $100, people are now going to receive $300, and in Labrador, in
Coastal Labrador, they are going to get $400, because in Coastal Labrador they
have to use stove oil, which is more expensive, and because their consumption
rates are higher. We recognize that, thanks to the good advice given us by the
hon. Member for Torngat Mountains, and we were able to do that.
Also, I talked about the taxes; we are still talking about spending. We gave,
for children who needed insulin pumps, free insulin pumps; a wonderful
initiative for government. Of all of them, the elimination of fees for schools
books, the elimination of school fees. Of all of the things we did, I think the
most wonderful thing we did was increase the Provincial Drug Program. The
enhancements made to the Provincial Drug Program now allow 96,000 people to be
eligible for that drug program, and that is wonderful, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: In addition to that, the Minister of Finance made
further enhancements to the drug program that benefited 14,400 people by
ensuring that low income citizens in this Province do not have to pay more than
5 per cent of their family income on drugs, and the government pays the other 95
per cent. Could we go farther? Hopefully, as our revenues improve, we can, but
it is still a wonderful program that is going to help 14,000 people.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, there was $477 million worth of new funding
this year over the previous year. In addition to that, over and above that,
there was $345 million that we estimate is going to be spent on infrastructure;
that is new hospitals, that is new long-term care facilities, that is new
schools, that is roads and that is broadband.
CHAIR: Order, please!
I remind the hon. member that his time for speaking is up.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Chairman, I did not realize the time was passing so
quickly, and I will conclude my remarks at this time.
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you for that leave.
We did speak about the spending and I asked the people where they wanted us
to see further spending in terms of infrastructure, spending on program
expenses, but we also talked about - unfortunately, we also have to spend some
money on the interest on our debt, and that was mandatory spending.
I pointed out that the Auditor General - this is where I first saw it. The
Auditor General pointed out in a report of March 31, 2006, he talked about the
fact that we were spending - well, this year we are spending about $733 million
of the taxpayers' money on interest on the debt. Now, he talked about the
amount of debt we have and the fact that our per capita debt was twice the
national average. He talked about a number of formulas, he talked about debt to
GDP, what our interest is compared to our total revenues, but the thing that
struck home with me and the thing I wanted to make sure the people of this
Province were aware of was the fact of what the Auditor General called the
interest bite, monies of the taxpayers of this Province that had to be spent on
interest on our debt rather than going into health care, rather than going into
education and rather than going into public services.
Now, what I asked the people to do, I said: Look at this number. Look at how
much we are spending on this, and the question is: What should we do about it? I
asked them to advise me what they felt we should do about it. Now there were
different views expressed. Some people said they did not care about the debt,
and I disagree with that. Others said to me that we have to spend every dollar
we have and pay that down on the debt, and I equally reject that argument. I
believe, and I have said this from the day I became Finance Minister in the
first interview I gave, I believe in taking a balanced approach. A balanced
approach means doing something on the revenue side, doing something on the
expenditure side and doing something on the debt side so that our debt is down
for the days when the oil and gas revenues stop coming in.
Do I believe in putting every cent of the surplus on the debt? No, I do not.
Have other people in the media mischaracterized my intentions as wanting to do
that? Yes, they have. But I am here today to say that we gave the biggest tax
decrease in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador in a Budget, the Budget
that was brought in in April. We spent so much money for the citizens of this
Province that the Budget was characterized as the most generous Budget in the
history of Newfoundland and Labrador, but what we had not done, and if we are
going to take a balanced approach, it is something we have to do, we have to
recognize that we do have to pay down some of that debt. The Auditor General
said that until we do that, until we bring in a debt reduction plan - now these
are not my words, these are the words of the Auditor General. He said until we
do that, until we bring in a plan to eliminate the deficit over time, that we
have not turned the financial corner.
I have looked at the Budgets of the NDP Government in Manitoba. I have met
with the NDP Finance Minister from Manitoba, Mr. Greg Selinger, and I have
discussed this with him. I looked at his Budget of 2005, and the biggest
priority of the NDP Government in Manitoba was debt repayment. They talked about
four pillars, they talked about a balanced approach, but debt reduction was part
of their strategy as well.
So, again, I do not suggest in any way that the surplus all go to pay down
the debt. The surplus will be used - and I said this in the Budget Speech last
year, that we will use the surplus to build infrastructure. We will use the
surplus for hospitals and long-term care facilities and roads and broadband and
the infrastructure that you need for economic development, and we will also pay
down some debt. We will do what is responsible, we will do what is reasonable
and we will do what is sustainable. Our spending must be sustainable so that our
economy is diversified and our economy is growing so that we are ready with a
diversified economy from the day when the oil and gas revenues are no longer
there, and, mark my words, they will not be there sooner rather than later.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I wanted to rise and have a few words with regard to the bill that the hon.
Minister has just presented to the House, Bill 2.
Mr. Chairman, before I do that I would like to welcome the new members to the
House of Assembly, the newly elected members and say that they are very
privileged, all of us are, to sit in this place and represent the people of this
Province. I certainly look forward to, over the next session of the House and in
their four years here, listening to them espouse the views of their constituents
and to participate in the debate on issues that are important to the people that
they represent.
Mr. Chairman, I am especially pleased and want to take the opportunity to
acknowledge and congratulate the Member for Torngat Mountains, the first woman
to hold the Aboriginal portfolio in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador,
and to say that many people throughout Labrador are very proud to see her
appointed to that position and I am sure she will do a remarkable job.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Mr. Chairman, the minister today is looking for almost $1.9
billion, and I can only look at those numbers and say that usually it is one
third of the total budget. So we are expecting a big budget this year, Mr.
Minister. One that could possibly see us exceed $6 billion into the coffers of
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and if that is the case, it will no
doubt be the biggest public treasury that we have ever seen in this Province.
I say to the minister, his challenge is going to be to top his budget from
last year, I guess, in terms of his commitments to expenditure because as the
revenues of the Province grow, so do the demands on the funding that is there to
be shared by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I do not think it is any
secret that in our history, not just this government but previous governments,
governments that I was a part of and others before me, Mr. Chairman, often found
themselves in challenging fiscal times; times where they were not able to rise
to the occasion and meet what some of the needs were of people out there in
communities across our Province. Over time, often they have been patient and
other times they have been not so patient, and as a result of it we have had
public sector strikes and we have had protests and we have had rallies and we
have had numbers of things in which people advocated and used their voice to
advocate for the needs of themselves and others.
Mr. Chairman, all of a sudden we are in a position, because of extremely high
prices of oil and gas, because of the fundamental developments we have had in
the mining industry and the revenues that have been accruing to government from
the mining industry, that we are able today to say that we are in a better
fiscal position and a better position to start responding to some of the needs
of people in our Province.
Mr. Chairman, I remember when we were in government back in 2003. We had just
signed on and seen development in the White Rose oil project. Hibernia was
already operating. Terra Nova, I think, was on the go at that time and oil was
coming in at $28 a barrel, I remember at one point. Today, I look at it and it
is almost $108 a barrel. Certainly, the worldwide demand for that product has
driven the price and allowed us in Newfoundland and Labrador to not only enjoy
the revenues from it but to be able to provide for a higher standard of living
and a better standard of living for the people that we represent.
Mr. Chairman, all of those things have contributed. We have seen extensive
developments in the mining industry that have contributed to the revenues as
well. In fact, today I would have loved to have been at the announcement for
IOC, the expansion in Labrador West. It is certainly a company that I have
supported for a long time. They did great work in Labrador West and today are
announcing a major expansion that will not just benefit the people in that
community but will benefit people all over Labrador and all over Newfoundland,
people who today are moving in a transient workforce in Alberta will now have
the opportunity to seek employment in places like Labrador West and be able to
work in our own Province.
We have seen deals like the Voisey's Bay deal. Irregardless of the opinions
that were, I suppose, recorded of members in the past, the Voisey's Bay nickel
deal will go down in history as one of the most adequate deals in terms of
providing for the people of the Province in terms of revenues and mineral
benefits. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Not only do they have
agreements that allow millions of dollars a year to accrue to the Aboriginal
groups in Labrador, but they are also major contributors to the revenues of the
Province. And, if the Minister of Finance wanted to do some calculations, I bet
you will find that the Voisey's Bay project alone - when you look at corporate
tax, mining and mineral tax, income tax and royalties that are being paid out -
is contributing probably between $700 million and $800 million a year to the
provincial coffers. He is shaking his head. So perhaps he is going to give me
the real number in a minute, but I would imagine it is pretty fundamental
contributions that are being made from that project into the coffers of the
Province.
As well, we have seen an increase in the exploration work in the mining
industry, new mines coming on stream, those like the one at Duck Pond, which I
had an opportunity to visit and see that particular mine in operation, and then
other new mines. I think five new mines now that have been identified, just in
the northern region of our Province, that could potentially come on stream,
providing there are sufficient and adequate negotiations with their
environmental groups in Labrador and with the Aboriginal peoples, that we might
probably see some of those mining developments move forward over the next four
to six years in the Province.
So, all of these things combined are making, no doubt, a significant
contribution to the revenues of the Province. I think it is important to point
that out that these are mostly developments that have occurred in our past
history and it is only now that we are seeing the real remunerations from them
and the real royalties from them accruing into the provincial coffers. Of
course, people want to share in that wealth and a lot of these people are people
who have been disadvantaged under social programs in the past, many of them live
in communities that have struggled economically or have worked in industries
that have seen almost a complete disintegration, in some cases, or at least
tremendous downscaling. Industries like our renewable sectors, such as the
fishery, the forestry, the agriculture sector. Now, of course, they are looking
to government and they are looking and advocating for portions of money for
programs and services that they feel they have waited long enough for.
I know that there will be challenges for the minister and those challenges
are only surmounted by the numbers of requests for infrastructure because as we
went through the lean years, before we could enjoy the royalties of White Rose
and Hibernia and Terra Nova projects and Voisey's Bay mines, we had to go
through lean years where we were waiting for those royalties to be paid out and
those investments to seek a return. Mr. Chairman, as a result of that, we have
had infrastructure deficits, and we all realize that. Unfortunately, they are
all coming to the surface at the one time, and this will be a challenge for the
minister as he deals with the infrastructure in our education sector, in our
health care sector, deals with everything from our road infrastructure to our
water and sewer in communities, and so on. So, there are obviously lots of
demands.
I am pleased, when I heard the minister say today, that his words on paying
down the debt was taken out of context or exaggerated a little. Minister, I
agree that there has to be a responsibility of every government to look at debt
and plan for debt and plan for the elimination of debt, but I also believe that
it is a responsibility of government to provide for, in the best possible way,
services and infrastructure and employment opportunities for people so that you
continue to grow a strong Province and that you continue to have people who do
not have to move away but can stay here and enjoy the lifestyle that we have
become accustomed to. I think that, while we have to practice some debt control,
we also have to be fiscally responsible and we have to achieve balances in how
we invest and spend our money.
Mr. Chairman, I think that government realizes there are a number of issues
out there that need their attention and need to be addressed, and many of them
we will raise in the House of Assembly over the next few days as we debate this
particular bill, but also as we provide for motions and statements in the House
we will continue to raise those issues on behalf of people.
Mr. Chairman, I will start with the health care sector because it is one of
the sectors that I think we have seen the most issues developing in, in the last
little while. Certainly, almost every day that you turn on the news there is an
issue around health care, whether it is to do with infrastructure, whether it is
to do with equipment, or whether it is to do with wait lists or physicians or
nurses or whatever the case may be, so I will start there.
First of all, I would like to say that I was very disappointed yesterday when
I saw the headlines in the news that the nurses' union had broken off their
negotiations with the government. Mr. Chairman, I hope this is only a temporary
thing. I hope they will get back to the negotiating table with government again,
and I hope that there will be some meaningful negotiations and respect shown;
because, as you know, nurses are not only the front-line workers but they are
the front lines of our entire health care sector. It does not matter if you walk
into a clinic, if you walk into an operating room, if you walk into emergency,
if you walk into a laboratory, if you walk into any aspect of a health care
facility, it is the nurses who are the front-line workers in our hospitals, in
our seniors' homes throughout the Province.
Mr. Chairman, they have been going through a difficult time. In 2004, when
they were in negotiations with government, they took a freeze on their wages in
the first two years, with only a small increase in the third year. They accepted
the regressive negotiations of rolling back sick leave for nurses in the
Province, but they did it buying into the argument that at the time there was a
price tag on everything and we could only afford so much, and they were
co-operative, but over that period of time we have seen significant challenges
develop in the nursing profession, to the point where even permanent jobs in the
profession can no longer be filled. We are being told by people in the nurses'
union that there are up to 400 shortages of nurses throughout our Province
today.
Mr. Chairman, this is the reason why we had incidents like we did last
summer, where we had to close down any kind of surgeries - I think it was at the
Grand Falls hospital - where there were interruptions in services in the Gander
hospital. I might add that in the Gander hospital today there are twenty-five
nurses they need immediately, and could use up to forty nurses just on staff in
that one hospital today.
Mr. Chairman, we have seen interruptions in services in Labrador hospitals,
at Western Memorial, where people had to work double time and overtime, where
they had to stagger their vacation time with their families simply because there
was such a shortage of nurses in the health care sector and they were not able
to provide the levels of service that they were accustomed to providing.
Mr. Chairman, since that time we have seen even more nurses leave the system.
We have more vacancies today than we did back in the summer, so that will tell
you what the challenges have been in some of these hospitals.
I talked to a number of nurses who work in various capacities throughout our
hospitals, but I talked to a group of nurses a while ago when I was at Gander
hospital and one of the things they had indicated to me then is that almost
every one of them was working overtime. Every one of them was coming in - even
management was coming in and working nursing shifts during the nights and on
weekends because they did not have enough nurses to be able to provide the level
of service that they currently had been offering in that particular hospital.
So, Mr. Chairman, I am disappointed that the negotiations have broken off
with the nurses, because I think if there is one group of public servants out
there that government really needs to seriously look at in terms of what kinds
of benefits and wages are being paid it is this group.
Nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador today are the lowest paid of all nurses
throughout our country, and that is not good enough. There is no way that we are
going to be able to attract even our own nurses coming out of the school system,
out of our own nursing schools, to stay and work in the Province, knowing that
they have to incur, first of all, a major debt, but secondly to pay it off with
the lowest wage being paid anywhere in the country.
This is obviously a current issue, a very significant issue, and one that is
contributing to a growing problem, and that is the shortage of nurses in our
health care facilities right across the Province.
CHAIR: Order please!
MS JONES: Mr. Chairman, I will conclude my comments on that statement. I
am sure we will have other opportunities to debate Interim Supply.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Lewisporte.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, it is indeed a pleasure to stand in this House today and
proudly introduce myself to the House of Assembly as the government member
representing the residents of Lewisporte district. The past few months have been
a great time of learning for me.
Mr. Chairman, I have been fortunate in my professional and in my personal
life. I have held several positions in the education field, including fourteen
years as a school principal in three different schools. The experience I have
gathered through my interactions with parents and children, while different from
those of being an MHA, I believe have helped prepare me to be a strong advocate
for people. As well, rubbing shoulders with children on a daily basis has helped
me to keep my feet on the ground and my head out of the clouds.
It has always been my dream to enter politics, but I did not really think it
would happen until after I had retired from education; however, something
surprising - at least surprising to me - happened in the spring of 2007. The
hon. Member for Lewisporte district at the time, the current Member for Baie
Verte-Springdale, the hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Government House Leader
and Deputy Premier, announced that he would be moving from Lewisporte district
and seeking the nomination in the District of Baie Verte-Springdale in the
October 9 election. Well, that announcement left me, and some of us, wondering
who would represent the Progressive Conservative Party in the upcoming election.
Some friends and family encouraged me to consider the idea of seeking the
nomination. At first, I dismissed the thought, thinking it would be later in
life when I decided to enter politics; however, after careful consideration and
consultation with my family and with friends, I gave it more serious thought,
and I began to think: this may be the right time for me to throw my hat in the
ring. I did and, as they say, the rest is history.
Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the voters of Lewisporte district for giving me
their overwhelming support. As a first-time candidate seeking election, I am
stepping into this position with greater than 70 per cent of the popular vote in
my district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: The confidence placed in me by the voters of Lewisporte
district is both humbling and motivating. I want to say thanks to all of the
voters in Port Albert, Stoneville, Horwood, Victoria Cove, Rogers Cove, Boyd's
Cove, Birchy Bay, Baytona, Loon Bay, Comfort Cove-Newstead, Campbellton, Michael's
Harbour, Little Burnt Bay, Embree, Stanhope, Brown's Arm, Porterville,
Lawrenceton, Norris Arm North, Norris Arm South and Lewisporte.
I would also like to thank the members of my campaign team for their
unfailing support. Their many hours of work expended on my behalf can never be
repaid.
Most of all, Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank my family for their untiring words
of encouragement and for their understanding during all my foul moods during the
campaign days.
Mr. Chairman, Lewisporte district is a great example of Newfoundland and
Labrador culture at its best. Built along the bay, we are a proud, strong and
determined group. It is a great place to live and indeed, I believe, a great
place to serve.
Over the past four years, the Williams' government has invested in the
future growth and economic stability of Lewisporte district through initiatives
including, but not limited to, the following: In the area of roads, in the past
four years, this government has invested millions of dollars in the upkeep,
resurfacing and repair of connecting highways throughout my district.
Again this year, in conversation with the Minister of Transportation and her
officials, I have received assurance that needed repairs and upgrades have been
budgeted for this construction season. A formal announcement by the Minister of
Transportation detailing the specifics will take place soon.
In health care, for many years the residents of Lewisporte district have had
their health concerns met through services delivered in several different
buildings, in several different areas of the Town of Lewisporte. You have
doctors' clinics in one section, lab facilities at another end, and emergency
services in another area. There has been a desire by residents and health care
providers to have all these services brought under one roof.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to say this will soon be the case. It will be the
case because this government has committed to the construction of a one-roof
health care facility in the Town of Lewisporte that will serve the health needs
of all residents in my district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Plans, Mr. Chairman, are underway and this project will soon
become a reality.
On behalf of my constituents, I wish to thank this government for their
continued support of health care in the Lewisporte district and indeed in the
entire Province.
In the area of recreation, tenders have recently been called for a major
renovation to our regional recreational complex, the Stadium, which is located
in the Town of Lewisporte. This Stadium is the only arena in my district, and it
has served residents in all twenty-one communities throughout the district for
many years. A significant financial investment has been made by this government,
which will enable our youth and our adult population to practice and to play in
a fully modern recreational facility.
In the area of government services, Mr. Chairman, on Thursday, January 17,
2008, the Minister of Transportation visited my district and officially opened
the provincial headquarters for marine services. The location of this department
in a rural district speaks of another significant investment that the Williams'
government has made in rural Newfoundland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Decentralization of government decision-making bodies out in
the field is another example of the faith and the confidence this government has
placed in the future growth and the long-term economic stability of rural
Newfoundland. These government positions have added to our economic growth and
to the sustainability of our region.
Mr. Chairman, I could continue but time wouldn't permit me to say all that
has been done to assist with the needs of the people in my district.
As well, Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity
to pass along my gratitude to our previous member. He is the current Member for
Baie Verte-Springdale, the hon. Government House Leader, Deputy Premier and
Minister of Fisheries. I think I will even call him Minister Rideout.
Minister Rideout represented our district for eight years. During my campaign
days I listened to many expressions of gratitude and respect as constituents
throughout my district expressed to me their disappointment that he was leaving.
The sentiment expressed by my constituents I think can be summed up this way: It
is no doubt that they have on mass great respect for their previous member,
great admiration of his character and indeed they were disappointed when he
announced that he was going to be leaving the district.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, I think at one point during the campaign it was only
myself and my wife who were happy he was going. Of course, my disappointment was
only assuaged by the fact that I was hoping to replace him.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Premier Williams for accepting me as a member of
this team. I am very pleased to be a member of the Williams Government and I
intend to work with him, his Cabinet and this caucus to advance the issues
brought to my attention by the people in my district and throughout the
Province.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I wish to quote something from Hansard that I came
across in doing a little research. It was written on the opening day of the
Forty-Fifth Assembly, on March 18, 2004, approximately four years ago.
Our Premier, Mr. Williams, said the following, "Mr. Speaker,
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are not looking to their government for
miracles. They are looking for strong leadership that listens, get all the right
information, makes strong decisions and moves ahead progressively towards
concrete goals. They are looking for a government that will work on their
Province's behalf, creatively, constructively and compassionately."
Mr. Speaker, I believe our government under the leadership of the hon.
Premier Williams has listened to the people. They have done the research and
they have provided leadership, leadership that has brought this Province from a
position of deficit to an era of surplus, from an air of gloom to an atmosphere
of optimism and from an age of burden to a future of promise.
I am pleased to be elected by the people of Lewisporte District to be a part
of this government and I look forward to faithfully and honestly fulfilling this
role.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CHAIR: Order please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairperson.
First of all, I would like to congratulate the hon. Member for Lewisporte on
his maiden speech. It is not easy standing in this room for the first time and
doing that. We have all done it. So, congratulations to you.
I would also note the two hon. members who gave their virgin speeches
yesterday. Again, I did get to speak to one of them who admitted to having been
nervous. I said you certainly did not look it, and it is nothing to be nervous
about. It is just another room and that is how we have to look at it because we
are in here, we are privileged people with a heavy responsibility when we are in
this room. If there is anything special about the room that is what is special.
It is not because it makes us special people but we carry a burden and we carry
a responsibility to represent the people who have chosen to ask us to be in this
room. I think we are all aware of that but it is always good too, to remind
ourselves of it.
When I stand in this room, I stand knowing that I have a constituency and a
group of people who have asked me to be here through our democratic process, and
I am aware of the fact that they are the ones that I really am accountable to.
They are the ones who are watching and wanting to know that what I am
representing is what they want me to represent.
I am glad, in this first new session that we are all into now, to have this
bill, to be able to speak because it will give me an opportunity to speak to
some issues that I am concerned about and have been concerned about. I am glad
to be able to have the opportunity of raising them here in this room with my
colleagues, and also raise them publicly so that anybody in the Province who
wants to watch us knows what we are raising.
I come from an interesting district, because Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi - I guess
a lot of districts do, but I think this one does have some real extremes in it
and those extremes keep me in touch with a reality that is very important. In my
district I have everything from people - and there have been some large numbers
living in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, having subsidized housing, people
needing a lot of assistance because of being low income. I go all that range,
right through to millionaires. In some parts of the district the millionaires
and those on low-income are living pretty close to each other geographically.
So, when I stand here I think about both of those groups. What I find
interesting is that when I speak to the people in my district who are better off
than other people in the district, one of the things they say to me is that they
want me, when I stand in the House and when I am speaking out publicly, to
address injustices that they themselves who are better off, who have been
fortunate enough to get into a situation where they do not have any financial
worries, they are aware of people, their own neighbours not too far down the
road who do have problems. So, they have an expectation that when I stand in the
House I am going to speak to the needs of those people.
When we come here and we look at something as heady as budgets almost up to
$6 billion in humble Newfoundland - I can remember when we had our first $1
billion budget here, and I am sure we all can. Now we are up to $6 billion,
almost. I suspect with the budget that is coming up we are probably going to see
it over that because last year, the present 2007-2008 Budget was about $5.5
billion. So I suspect we are going to be over $6 billion when we get into
2008-2009.
As I said yesterday in my response to the Speech from the Throne, it is
pretty heady, when you think about it, that we have so much money to work with
and to be able to take care of our needs in this Province. That is why I cannot
stop speaking about the people who are in need, because we have to see them as
the touchstone for how well we are doing. It bothers me that we can have, at the
drop of a hat, $15 million go to investigate what has happened to the caribou on
the Island and we can, over a weekend, in a couple of days, have all kinds of
inspectors go out and almost miraculously overnight have bridges and trestles
inspected so that people can use the trails in this Province. That is fine, but
I find it really difficult when that speedy response to an issue is not the same
when all of a sudden we have child care facilities in St. John's putting the
prices up, low-income women calling and saying: I can't afford to pay the new
rate. Yet, we cannot come up with emergency money to meet that need. I find that
very, very curious, why all of a sudden we can take care of counting caribou but
we cannot take care of a single mother who cannot meet the new rate at the child
care centre where her children are going.
It is the very same thing when I get phone calls, and you get them, and some
of them have been public in the news, from people who are saying: I am
absolutely desperate. A woman who called and said: My husband has to go to the
hospital regularly for treatments. He is disabled. He is getting so bad now that
we have to carry him down to the car in order to get him to the hospital, but I
cannot afford the amount of home care that I am being told I am going to have to
spend. There is something wrong when we cannot come up with money in an
emergency situation like that.
What I would like to point out is that these are not individual cases. It is
not: Oh, we have this one couple here or this one mother here. We have a
systemic problem, and that is the issue that has to be faced. I know with regard
to home care that the Speech from the Throne is saying there is going to be a
long-term strategy put in place, and I certainly hope that long-term strategy is
going to deal with the systemic issue. I know the Speech from the Throne said
that there is going to be a review of the financial assistance evaluation, how
that happens, and I hope that in the future that is going to be changed
systemically. We have to deal now with the fact that we have systemic problems
that are causing people to continue living in very difficult situations. So,
part of dealing with the systemic problem is having a short-term plan, not just
a long-term plan. I do not want to be dramatic, but if somebody is dying and the
dying can be taken care of by a short-term plan, you do not look at long-term
preventive care. You deal with the emergency stuff first and then you do long
term. Well, it is the same thing. If we have a system that is not working for
people, and we know it has to be helped but the system is not working seriously
for some people, then we have to deal with it. I get very frustrated, I have to
say to my colleagues, when I see our government lightly dealing with the
emergency situations that exist.
It takes a lot out of a person, an individual or a couple or a family, to
have to come and explain their situations, to have a man who has cancer to have
to come and say: I now have a line of credit that is almost $19,000 because I
cannot afford to pay for the things I have had to pay for, so the only way to
take care of my health was to let my line of credit go up.
Not only does he not have the money to pay for what he needs, but now he also
has a debt that is building up. This is not acceptable, not in a Province that
is part of Canada, not in a country where we say that we have a universally
accessible health care program.
That is the point I think I would like to speak to, the fact that we seem to
have a narrow definition in Newfoundland and Labrador of what our health care
program is, because home care is a health care program. In other provinces, home
care is part of the health care program; because it is health care, except it is
health care that is taking place in the home with assistance. We seem to have a
totally different notion about home care here in this Province. We seem to think
oh, it is just a private thing that is going on. Well, it isn't. If this
government is serious about wanting to assure that seniors can go on living in
their homes, even when they require care, then we have to do something very,
very systemically different than what we are doing.
It is the same way with our emergency services in this Province as well. In
some cases we have public services that are absolutely excellent, that have
paramedical people in the ambulances, in the emergency vehicles, emergency
response vehicles, people who can really take care of those who need help at
that moment. Yet, in other places we have publicly run systems that do not have
paramedics, that, if you happen to have, for example, a heart attack, you could
die while you are in that emergency response vehicle while being brought to
hospital. Emergency response vehicles are part of health care. They are an
essential part.
CHAIR: Order please!
MS MICHAEL: I will clue up, Mr. Chairperson, just to say that I will have
more time to raise issues that I am concerned about. I am just encouraging the
government to realize that we have to broaden our notion of what it is that we
are talking about when we are talking about health care in this Province.
Thank you.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, I am pleased today to be able to rise and say a few words with
respect to Bill 2, the Interim Supply bill, looking for funding of approximately
$1.9 billion.
Like the hon. Leader of the Opposition, I, too, look forward with
anticipation now to one of the best Budgets that we could possibly anticipate in
this House.
Before I do, Mr. Chair, I want to, as well, reiterate the comments of
previous speakers and congratulate all the newly elected members to this House -
all members, but especially the newly elected members.
It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be elected to serve your
constituency and to serve in this House. There is no greater position that you
could be put in than to be given the trust and confidence of your voters to
represent them in the House of Assembly, in this Legislature. It is a position
of trust, a position of confidence, and something we should be very proud of and
hold very high.
Hand in hand with that, Mr. Chair, is the satisfaction that one gets out of
being able to help people in his or her district. Make no mistake about it, as
an MHA we are empowered with a special ability, a special opportunity to help
people. That is the nature of the business. There is no greater reward, no
greater satisfaction, than to be called by a constituent and thanked for
something that you did for them. It might only have taken a telephone call, a
letter, a visit to a particular official in government, but most of the time you
can do something to help most of the people in your district. That is the
greatest feeling about being an MHA, the fact that you are empowered to help
people.
It is the people you represent. Always remember, it is the people who put us
here and it is the people who can take us out of here. It is a great feeling to
be able to help people. It is a great opportunity, a great honour and privilege,
to be able to help people in your constituency, to help your communities, and
that is what makes this position so worth