Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 7 November 2013 (47th General Assembly, 2nd Session, Vol. XLVII No. 26)
2013-11-07
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
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November 7, 2013 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVII No. 26
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Before we start today's proceedings, I want to welcome a couple of special
guests to our gallery. We are joined today by the Mayor of Bishop's Falls, Bob
Hobbs, together with the Deputy Mayor, Doreen Tremblett, from Bishop's Falls.
Welcome to our gallery.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from: the Member for the
District of Bonavista North; the Member for the District of Cartwright L'Anse
au Clair; the Member for the District of Kilbride; the Member for the District
of Torngat Mountains; the Member for the District of Exploits; and the Member
for the District of Humber West.
The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CROSS: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I stand today with jubilation to inform all assembled that the
volleyball season is well underway at Pearson Academy.
On the weekend of October 9-13 the Pearson Astros Junior High Male Team was
one of two schools from Newfoundland and Labrador to be invited to the
Scotiabank Classic Volleyball Tournament hosted at Dalhousie University in
Halifax.
The Astros served up a powerhouse attack and blocked with a stunning defence
to complete the tournament successfully and travel home with the gold medal in
their possession.
The Junior Astros, coached by Mr. Craig Loder and Mr. Duke Kelloway was
comprised of Kristopher Winter, Alex Kean, Lucas Hunt, Jonah Winter, Kyle
Gaulton, Zachary Dunn, Dylan Humphries, Alex Melindy, Cameron Gill, and
Mackenzie Landry.
These Grade 7-9 students were remarkable ambassadors for our Province, and
their skill did not outshine their good sportsmanship and congeniality. Coach
Loder looks to a great year of competition and says his team may leave their
mark in many more tournaments this season.
I request a united voice from all hon. members to congratulate the champion
Pearson Astros and recognize their stellar representation of our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright L'Anse
au Clair.
MS DEMPSTER: Mr. Speaker, John F. Kennedy once said, "One man can make a
difference and everyone should try". I rise today to pay tribute to a man who is
certainly making a difference in the fight against diabetes.
While walking on a cold Labrador night and missing his wife Liz who had
passed away with complications from diabetes, he had a thought. He would walk
across Labrador to increase awareness of this disease, raise funds for research,
all the while educating people on the benefits of healthy living.
Mr. Speaker, eight years, 1,800 kilometres, and $40,000 later, Guy continues
his annual trek. This year, at the age of seventy, having covered Labrador from
L'Anse au Clair to Labrador City, he started his walk across the Island. His
most gruelling component will be the Labrador sea ice from Rigolet to Nain, once
he finishes the Island portion. His commitment to this endeavour is commendable,
and important, as this disease continues to escalate in our Province.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in paying tribute Guy
Poole, one man who is following his passion and making a difference.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, Ruby Church in Goulds celebrated its one hundredth
anniversary on September 10, 2013. A group of about twenty-five members of the
Ruby family, the Goulds Historical Society, and other supporters marked the day
by inviting ninety-three-year-old Mrs. Violet Ruby, who was married at St.
Matthew's in 1944, to add a ceremonial dab of paint to the exterior of the
building to signify the work needed to spruce up the structure.
In 1913, a local farmer, George Ruby, built this church because the main
Anglican church was thought to be too far away. While St. Matthew's was never
consecrated as a church, the cemetery was. St. Matthew's was regularly used for
worship until 1964, when St. Paul's Anglican Church was completed just up the
road.
Since then, the Goulds Historical Society has worked very hard to preserve
this structure. In 1988, the building was designated as a registered heritage
structure, having great historical, cultural, and tourism potential. It is
probably the oldest building in Goulds.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in commending the Ruby family,
the Goulds Historical Society, and others, for their dedication in preserving
this historical gem.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to pay tribute
to the Inuit of Northern Labrador who fought alongside the Royal Newfoundland
Regiment and sacrificed their lives in World War I. I pay particular respect to
Lance Corporal John Shiwak, Charles Mesher, and William Groves, who laid down
their lives at Beaumont Hamel.
Mr. Speaker, many of our Inuit ancestors saw action in World War II, as well.
Some of them included Frederick Frieda, Edward Webb and Thomas Flowers from
Hopedale, Abia Millie from Hebron, Edward Gear, George Budgell, Max Budgell from
Rigolet, Levi Pottle from Back Bay, Job Lane from Big Bay, Abraham Ford from
Black Island, Richard White from Kauk, William Winters from Kammasuk, Douglas
White and Peter Bright from Nain.
Mr. Speaker, many of these Inuit were immediately classified as snipers
because of their superior marksmanship. Mr. Speaker, those Inuit soldiers from
Nunatsiavut were proud to protect their homeland. They fought and died with
their fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians so that we can enjoy our freedom
today.
I ask all hon. members to join me in paying tribute to the Inuit soldiers
from Nunatsiavut.
Lest we forget!
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, the Lions Clubs International foundation
presents the Melvin Jones Fellowship award to Lions members for the dedicated
humanitarian services to their town, province, and country. The two most recent
recipients of the award are Lloyd Thompson and Arthur Snow; both are members of
the Botwood Lions Club.
Mr. Speaker, criteria for the award includes contributions to the Lions Club
and community, work on projects, and working hard on a volunteer basis for your
community. It is the highest award you can receive in the Lions. The Melvin
Jones Fellowship is named for Melvin Jones, founder of the Lions Clubs
International.
Mr. Speaker, these two gentlemen have over 100 years combined of volunteer
service with Lions. I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating
Lloyd Thompson and Arthur Snow on receiving this prestigious award.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber West.
MR. GRANTER: Mr. Speaker, I stand in this hon. House to congratulate Gary
Graham on receiving a Doctor of Laws degree at Grenfell Campus Memorial
University's spring convocation 2013.
Music teacher, organist, and choir director, Dr. Graham has been a force in
the musical, cultural, and artistic life of Corner Brook since 1966. He has
contributed much to the AIDS Committee of Western Newfoundland, the Status of
Women Anti-Violence Walk, Western Memorial Regional Hospital Foundation, the
Children's Wish Foundation, the Corner Brook Rotary Club, Theatre Newfoundland
and Labrador, and Gros Morne Summer Music. For his efforts and guidance, Dr.
Graham was recognized by the Province in 2004 as one of the first recipients of
the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.
For his contributions, especially to the many young students he directed in
music and his contributions to the cultural and music fabric of Corner Brook and
Western Newfoundland, I ask all hon. members to join with me in congratulating
Mr. Gary Graham on the conferring of Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Before we move into Ministerial Statements, I want to
acknowledge two councillors from the Town of Fortune. Dave Holloway and Yvonne
Harris are joining us in the gallery today as well.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Ministerial Statements.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to highlight what has been
gained through the recently signed Agreement-in-Principle on the Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union.
Mr. Speaker, years of tough negotiation by the provincial government has
achieved unrestricted access to the richest seafood market in the world, and
created a new era of opportunity for the provincial fishery. Tariff barriers as
high as 20 per cent and end use restrictions on our high quality seafood will be
no more. These gains are expected to generate $25 million for the provincial
fishing industry when the agreement comes into effect, and add as much as $100
million to the industry annually.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, we created an unprecedented cash infusion into the
provincial fishery when we successfully negotiated a new $400 million
federal-provincial industry enhancement fund. With this fund we will advance
research and development. We will explore new marketing initiatives. We will
increase fisheries science activity. We will enhance provincial fisheries
infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, with this fund we will make the industry more
competitive than any other time in its history, and the families that rely on
the fishery will benefit for generations to come.
Working in consultation with industry, we will seize the opportunities
emerging from this Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement by providing
support to processors, both large and small, to help them successfully enter new
markets. We will help harvesters pursue innovations and efficiencies with
harvesting technology. We will support the development of new value added
products that generate employment for plant workers, and we will engage in
promotion that differentiates our products throughout Europe.
Mr. Speaker, the terms negotiated by this Province through CETA are landmark
achievements that are good for the fishery, good for our nation-leading economy,
and good for communities in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. They were made
possible by the vision and tenacity of our Premier, and have the potential to
grow the production value of our fishery well beyond the $1 billion mark it has
already achieved to date.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
Mr. Speaker, when we look back on the tenure of this government, the
disasters and the boondoggles, the giveaways and the losses, it will not be the
loss of three paper mills, it will not be the disastrous expropriation of the
Grand Falls paper mill, it will not be the $12 million white elephant that the
Premier, when she was Minister of Natural Resources, approved in Roddickton, an
absolute throwaway; it will be the loss of our historic protein in the fishery.
When the Premier stood up last week, she honoured and said the key mover and
shaker, the key architect of this disaster, was the Deputy Minister of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development, Mr. O'Rielly. Mr. O'Rielly was
appointed February 23, 2006, as the Deputy Minister of Fisheries.
In his biography, as produced by the government, it said, "Mr. O'Rielly
served in management positions with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador,
including assistant deputy minister with the Department of Fisheries and
Aquaculture." He also worked for Argosy Seafoods and Clearwater Fine Foods. "He
also worked as an independent fisheries development consultant" and he put
together a large clientele of industrial clients.
This is the same gentleman the Premier tasked with putting together the CETA
deal for her, six years in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and now
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I remind the member that his time has expired.
MR. BENNETT: Thank you, Sir.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement, but it is time
government came clean on their plans for the $400 million they will be spending
to enhance the fishing industry.
Mr. Speaker, I ask them: What is their plan? How much will be spent on
marketing, and what will that marketing plan look like? What area of fisheries
science will see extra money? What infrastructure projects are in the works, and
who is going to be involved in the decision making? Will all of those who are
going to be affected be involved in the decision making?
Most important, Mr. Speaker, will the workers who are most going to be
affected by whatever the changes are, will they be involved? Will this
government tell us how they are going to benefit specifically?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. the Member for the District of The Straits
White Bay North have leave?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits White
Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister as well for an advance copy of his
statement.
The removal of the tariffs is certainly extremely positive
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE: and I would encourage public consultations with
harvesters, processors, and community stakeholders. I also see opportunity for
small-scale fisheries to benefit, and will be sharing my views.
If we innovate, we can move forward with long-term sustainable fishery jobs,
which can offset and replace those that will be lost that are lower paid and
short term. So I look forward to hearing more on this.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to inform hon. members of the provincial government's ongoing
efforts to improve and strengthen the transportation network throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our Provincial Roads Improvement Program, with a budget of $59 million this
year, has delivered on a long list of upgrades this past construction season,
ranging from guide rail and culvert replacements to rehabilitation and
resurfacing of dozens of kilometres of asphalt on our highways.
Mr. Speaker, significant progress has been made this year on all three phases
of the Trans-Labrador Highway and construction continues on the Team Gushue
Highway with major underpass work now taking place. The Conception Bay South
Bypass project is nearing completion with a $4.4 million tender award for paving
and a $2.9 million contract for the construction of Scott's Road underpass. The
four-lane divided highway from the Massey Drive Interchange to the Corner Brook
Industrial Access Road is also close to completion with $6.5 million in contract
work invested this year.
Bridge replacements and repairs are also playing an important role in our
overall infrastructure improvements this year. We have invested more than $1.8
million in rehabilitation projects, including Sandy River Bridge, Horwood River
Bridge, Parsons Pond Bridge, North Harbour River Bridge, Little Salmonier River
Bridge and the Curtis Causeway Bridge. We have invested over $5.3 million in
bridge replacement projects including Main Point Bridge, Gull Island Bridge,
lift bridge in Placentia is well underway and construction has begun on the
approaches for the replacement of the Sir Robert Bond Bridge.
Emergency repairs played a crucial role in transportation upgrades this year.
Over $1.8 million in repairs were necessary on the Trans-Canada Highway near
Pasadena following damage after record water levels were experienced on the West
Coast. A berm was constructed at Exit 12 to reinstate the ramp and the
Trans-Canada Highway and further repairs to the Trans-Canada Highway and the
ramp at Exit 13 are now nearing completion. A rain storm on the Burin Peninsula
also caused damage requiring quick action. More than $675,000 was invested to
undertake emergency repairs in Lawn, Lord's Cove and near Cow Head Lookout.
Mr. Speaker, since 2004, we have invested more than $1.4 billion to upgrade
our roads and highways to enhance the transportation system here in our Province
and improve the safety for residents, tourists and businesses in Newfoundland
and Labrador.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for a copy of the Ministerial Statement.
Mr. Speaker, I urge government to ensure that when we do replacements of
infrastructure and upgrades on infrastructure that we look at climate change, we
look at the future, we look at stronger storm surges, and we look at extreme
weather conditions and flooding. Some of the work that has been carried out was
because the infrastructure was not able to handle these extreme weather
conditions. We need to start focusing on that when we put infrastructure in
place in the first place.
We are still having protests in areas like Conche, La Scie, and Harbour
Breton because of poor road conditions. Some of the secondary roads, Mr.
Speaker, are still not addressed.
We have a ferry replacement strategy that I will remind government is long
overdue. We need the ferry replacement strategy looked after, Mr. Speaker,
because this is something that people in coastal communities require. I ask
government to look at the ferry replacement strategy and deliver on their
promise.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would also like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his
statement. I would also like to reiterate, too, that some of these repairs that
he is talking about were due to extreme weather events. Yes, the government's
transportation plan if it has one and it should have one, it should have one
in the very near future should be readily adaptable to that, to climate
change.
At the same time, in order to have a transportation plan in place, government
would be able to save money in the long run by doing that, by having that
transportation plan in place so that we know what roads and everything are going
to be worked at in the future.
Government are projecting to collect close to $180 million in gasoline taxes
this year. To see that there was only $59 million put into roads, I think that
some more questions have to be asked about the distribution of the monies when
it comes to roads and indeed for our ferry transportation.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Does the Member for St. John's North have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.
MR. KIRBY: Thanks to the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
Team Gushue Highway goes right through St. John's North. While it has been a
headache for some, we are certainly looking forward to its completion. It will
ease the morning commute, the evening commute, and also help relieve some
traffic pressure on neighbourhood roads.
Some suggestions for the hon. minister going forward; I think it is important
to get tenders out as early as possible so that companies can know and plan for
the work that has to be done. It is also important to partner more with
municipalities. We can package up municipal road building and infrastructure
projects with projects that are provincial to get a lower cost and a break.
We are always concerned about safety on our highways. We would like to see
more twinning and more of those rumble strips to make sure everybody is paying
attention and wide awake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, yesterday we asked the Premier about the cost of
internal and external renovations for the Confederation Building. The minister
replied and said it was around $50 million.
Government's own documents show that this is not true. The cost just for the
external renovations is expected to be $51.1 million, 150 per cent over the
original budget.
I ask the Premier: Now tell us, what is the total budgeted for the internal
renovations?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is almost embarrassing to stand here and have to answer a question in the
fourth day sitting in the Legislature and the Opposition has nothing better to
talk about, nothing more pressing with issues than to talk about the renovations
that are happening on the building.
If you check Hansard yesterday I said the renovations for the exterior of the
building, with the windows, was about $50 million. I think $51 million is about
$50 million. So, that is very close to where it is at, and a price has not been
put on the interior yet.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: I am not sure about the minister, but when it comes to $50
million of the taxpayers' money, Mr. Speaker, it is important to the Opposition,
and it is important to the people especially the ones struggling from day to
day to try to make a living.
Government's ATIPP documents show that the internal work on the eighth,
ninth, and tenth floors of the Confederation Building alone is expected to be
$6.52 million just for phase I, Mr. Speaker. The internal renovations are
expected to take four to six years.
I ask the Premier again: What is the total cost of the renovations for the
Confederation Building, and what assurances can you give the taxpayers that you
will not exceed the budgetary amount?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to correct the member from across the
House. It is not renovations that are being done to the eighth, ninth, and tenth
floors; it is repairs that are being done mechanical and electrical repairs
that are being done those floors.
It is very difficult to put a solid price tag on it until you get in and you
find out how much repairs need to be done there. So until we get that work done,
we really cannot put a final price tag on that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, this government has been promising a fiscal
framework with municipalities since 2008. This weekend is the MNL convention. It
will soon be 2014 and they are still waiting for government to fulfill the
promise.
I ask the Premier: What is the status of the fiscal framework negotiations,
and why have you failed to live up to your commitments?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental
Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Very much looking forward to the next few days at the Municipalities
Newfoundland and Labrador Convention. Engaging in a new provincial-municipal
fiscal framework with our municipalities in this Province remains a very high
priority for the Department of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs.
In fact, in my first few weeks on the job I have already had two meetings
with the President of MNL to talk about that very issue. I look forward to
providing an update to the participants in the convention this weekend, and we
are on track to deliver on the new fiscal framework over the next couple of
years.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: I take the minister at his word, but the commitment was made
in 2008 and that is why we need to keep the government's feet to the fire.
Mr. Speaker, municipalities are facing new responsibilities and extra costs
on a daily basis. New sources of revenue are critical for the sustainability of
our cities and towns.
I ask the Premier: Budget 2014 is fast approaching; will the fiscal framework
be addressed in this Budget?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental
Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the needs and concerns of
municipalities large and small in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is why we are
reviewing and working on a new fiscal framework. It is why we have arrived at a
new MOG formula, and I am pleased to say that for many communities in
Newfoundland and Labrador they will receive an increase in Municipal Operating
Grants in 2014.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: In addition to that, we have extensive consultation planned
over the next year with municipalities, with local service districts, with
people who live in unincorporated areas, with anybody in the Province who
receives municipal services. We want and need their input to ensure that we get
this right because it is important to all municipalities in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, it is great talk but there is no commitment that
it will be done in 2014, as was committed in last year's Budget.
Mr. Speaker, in May 2012 government passed a new Animal Protection Act and
announced $50,000 for the SPCA to develop a public awareness campaign. We know
now government has reneged on this commitment, and I voted for this act with the
commitment of this funding.
I ask the minister: Will you commit today to work with the SPCA and provide
the $50,000 you promised?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, what the member refers to is obviously our
government's commitment and concern for the animal welfare in this Province and
our commitment and concern to work with those people who are committed, Mr.
Speaker, to work with communities and work with families who have pets, who have
animals that need the proper care.
Mr. Speaker, yes, I am more than willing to continue to work with the SPCA on
behalf of government and to do all we can to show our support for animal welfare
in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Will you reinstate the
$50,000 your government committed for education on the new act which you
introduced?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I think it would be fair to say that our
government has shown our commitment. We have a new act. We have committed new
money. We have budgeted more money to the SPCA, Mr. Speaker, and we are trying
to work through a process with the SPCA to be able to help with issues in
communities.
Collectively, Mr. Speaker, we will work together to try to address those
issues. Certainly our funding that is needed to help support those issues, when
we get it right, Mr. Speaker, we are certainly going to be there to support the
SPCA.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, just on that note: Will the minister please
commit, because it is all of our responsibility to ensure animal protection in
this Province. It is a serious issue. I voted personally for this bill because
it is a great bill. We need the education.
I ask the minister: Will we do it collectively and do our duty right and
commit the $50,000 for a public awareness campaign to show who can enforce these
regulations and what the regulations are across the Province? Would the minister
please make that commitment for the sake of the animals in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate it when the Leader of the
Opposition acknowledges the good work of government, and acknowledges the work
that we have been doing on behalf of animal welfare in this Province. Obviously,
when we are talking money, those are budgetary decisions that will work through
a process.
Beyond that, Mr. Speaker, I think we are clear, and I think the people of the
SPCA are clear that we will continue to work with them. There are some issues,
in terms of enforcement issues and so on. We are aware of those, but we will
continue to work with the SPCA in the spirit of the act that we brought in, Mr.
Speaker, and in the spirit of commitment that this government has made to animal
welfare in the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I assume the $50,000 will be used, if necessary. I thank the minister for
that.
Mr. Speaker, in 2011, the Member for Humber East and Humber West said that
the construction of the new hospital would begin in 2012. This past August, the
Minister of Health said it would start in 2015. Just two weeks later, the
Minister of Transportation and Works said he did not know when the construction
would start and would not give a timeline on the construction.
I ask the Premier: Will one of you make a commitment to the people of Corner
Brook and Western Newfoundland, which they deserve, when can they expect a true
date of the construction of the hospital to begin?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is a commitment I can make to the people of Western
Newfoundland, and that is we are committed to building this hospital and that is
why we have invested or said we will invest $500 million to it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, the work that we committed to starting is
actually underway right now. There is a very interesting process that the member
opposite might want to know about, in the way that we are now working with the
consultant to map out and to actually, through lean processing, work out what
every single room in that facility is going to look like, how it can have the
best patient flow, and how it can work best for the people of Western
Newfoundland.
This is a state-of-the-art facility and we are really proud of the work that
we are doing there. We are moving forward as committed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yesterday, the Minister of Justice asked for examples in delays of justice in
Labrador. One docket case alone, Mr. Speaker, includes three assault charges,
one resisting arrest, seven failures to comply to a probation officer, twelve
breaches of undertaking, all while waiting for the initial charge of assault to
be put on the table.
I ask the minister: Given that the docket is full of similar cases, do you
believe that this is truly protection of victims' rights?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I said to the member opposite yesterday, our primary focus is on
protecting victims. We are not about defending criminals, as was suggested by
the member yesterday.
As he would also recall, I talked yesterday at great length about the
significant investments we have made in the justice system in Labrador. I will
also remind the member that I sent him an e-mail twice asking him if he would
forward me some confidential information rather than raise it in this House. I
would gladly go and have a look at specific circumstances to see if it in fact
was an issue that the government could deal with, or were we talking about a
judiciary issue which is completely independent of government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, I can gladly forward the docket. There are all
kinds of examples on there.
Mr. Speaker, by the time the offender makes it to court, breaches of
undertaking are often thrown out and the offender is once again put on
probation, all in the interest of the court's time. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, there
are a lack of resources.
I ask the minister: Given the existing backlog of the court's docket, will
you now provide the required resources to deal with the terrible delay of
justice?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, investment in the justice system and I am not
going to repeat everything I said yesterday and over the last number of days and
weeks. Clearly, if investments are required we are prepared to look at it.
It is shameful for any member of this House to stand up and question the
independence of a judge in this Province and expect that the Minister of Justice
is going to tell judges what to do. I am sorry, I do not have that authority nor
do I want that authority.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, following the public backlash from extensive
cuts to the justice system in the last Budget, the minister announced a review
of the Sheriff's Office. The minister said this review would be important in
helping to determine the optimal resourcing levels and structure of the office.
I ask the minister: What is the status of this important review?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The member is correct. We in fact did carry out an extensive review of not
only the Sheriff's Office, but of Legal Aid and many other parts of the Justice
Department. We did that upon the advice of a number of independent individuals,
and it was good advice. I believe you are going to see continued improvements in
the Justice system.
We made significant gains over the last eight to ten years, investments in
policing, investments in court services, investments in victim services,
investments in justice in Labrador. I expect that the report the member refers
to will be available to me in the very near future. Once I have had time to read
the report and assess the implications, including the financial implications to
government, the report will be made available to the member with a briefing, if
so desired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, this review was to be completed and
submitted to government by September 13. Obviously, it has been delayed almost
two months now.
I ask the minister: Why was the report delayed, and when will it be
finalized?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: As I was saying, Mr. Speaker, from our perspective, it is not
about the timeline as much as making sure you have a quality report, and the
individual doing the work has travelled across the Province. As I understand it,
they have met with individuals in the system, in the Sheriff's Office system,
and talked to other people who are connected to the legal system, connected to
the judiciary. They have talked to people who use the system to seek advice and
input. They have visited facilities to look at whether there are structural
changes required.
I am anticipating a very comprehensive report, but unfortunately, Mr.
Speaker, since I am not the author of the report I cannot say why the report is
delayed. I can only say that I have been given good advice to expect a report in
the very near future.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, last spring I asked the minister about
implementing full-day kindergarten and he responded that his department was
investigating and looking at the numbers.
I ask the minister: What is the update on when we can expect implementation
of full-day kindergarten in our Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, we continue to look at the full-day
kindergarten. We have never ruled it out. Mr. Speaker, we have decided our
investments are where research would tell us to invest, in those earliest years.
It is why we are now on the third year of a $4.3 million investment in our zero
to three years, Mr. Speaker, and we look forward to that continued investment.
We do our decisions based on research, Mr. Speaker, and that is where exactly
we have invested our funding.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, the full-day kindergarten would come after the
baby blankets, not before.
Our Province lags behind in early childhood education and our children are
paying the price. The minister claims space is one of the challenges of adding
full-day kindergarten.
I ask the minister: With all the savings he claims from school board
amalgamation, could he not redirect some of the school board savings to help our
small children?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, let no one in this Province question our
investment in education. Let no one question it.
Mr. Speaker, we still have the best student-teacher ratio of all provinces in
Canada.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Since 2003, we have increased the per pupil investment by 70
per cent. Never question our commitment to education and if he has a further
question, I will continue my list.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has recently upped its
predication on how much sea levels are rising. Government's current policy only
allows a fifty-metre buffer from the coast. While this may be appropriate for
development in some areas, it is clearly inadequate in others.
I ask the minister: We have seen communities affected by coastal erosion such
as Daniel's Harbour; are you prepared to revisit the department's policy on
coastline development to better reflect the recent findings of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As the Minister of Environment, I am confident with the legislation that we
have in place regarding our coastlines. Mr. Speaker, further to that, this
Province has always taken climate change very seriously. We have the office
established. We certainly make sure that we are aware of the research. We want
to make sure that our policies and the way we do business in this Province and
the way we look at industry and we look at greenhouse gas emissions makes us a
leader within Canada, Mr. Speaker.
We have targets set for this Province. We continue to monitor our targets and
we want to make sure that as we move towards 2020 that this Province becomes the
leader within Canada for greenhouse gas emissions and to deal with the issues of
climate change.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: My question was about coastline development, not emissions.
We know that the Island of Newfoundland has been assessed for potential
coastal erosion; government has had that report for two-and-a-half years. Its
findings are startling, Mr. Speaker, concluding that over 250 communities are at
high sensitivity, twenty-five of those at extreme sensitivity, for coastal
erosion.
I ask the minister: When will you act on this report? Do you have any plans
for a similar study for the Coast of Labrador?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, climate change is not something that is unique to
Newfoundland and Labrador; it is something that all parts of the world are
dealing with.
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that this Province identified since we took
government in 2003. We have set up our Climate Change office. We have experts in
that office who inform the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Our
investments speak for themselves. We have not closed the door on any
environmental issues in relation to climate change.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that we continue to look at what
causes climate change in Newfoundland and Labrador, whether that is greenhouse
gas emissions, coastal erosion, or any other effects that we have to deal with.
It could be the weather changes. We want to make sure we are aware of these
issues and we have the proper investments to make sure we look after the health
and safety of the people of this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, government has had the report for
two-and-a-half years. They should be aware that over 250 communities are at high
sensitivity and twenty-five communities at extreme sensitivity.
Are you going to change the coastline development policy of fifty meters or
not, for the communities that are at extreme sensitivity?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, as I said, I am quite confident in the legislation
that we have in Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition to that, we have
information. We are more than willing to work with our communities to ensure
safety in these communities. I hope the member is not suggesting that we
resettle 250 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The more information we have allows us more ways to consult, to deal with,
and to look at options to deal with issues. When a report outlines issues, it
does not mean we have to change everything, but it certainly means, Mr. Speaker,
we are aware of issues. We have to implement the necessary solutions when we are
dealing with particular problems.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, 696 safety directives have been issued to two
mining companies in Labrador West in the last year. Eleven of the twenty-six
workplace fatalities in the last year were in the mining sector, yet there have
not been any full-time occupational health and safety officers in Labrador West
for the past three years.
I ask the minister: Why has your government failed to fill these important
OHS positions in Labrador West?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service NL.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CRUMMELL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, any discussion about safety is an opportunity. We currently have
two positions for inspectors in Labrador West, which have been vacant for about
three years. We have gone through several unsuccessful attempts to fill these
vacancies. The labour market conditions in Labrador are causing issues with
public and private sector organizations, and we are doing the best we can in
terms of fulfilling these vacancies. We are very confident in our protocols and
our inspection protocols with regard to inspecting the priority areas in
Labrador and the rest of the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair, for a
quick question.
MS DEMPSTER: Mr. Speaker, depriving people of standard services is unfair
and unjust. Many communities in our Province are doing without broadband or they
have substandard dial-up service.
I ask the minister: What is your plan to ensure our residents and business
leaders are treated fairly by providing them access now to high-speed Internet
service?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the member's question because it gives me an opportunity to talk
about all the wonderful investments we have made in broadband in Newfoundland
and Labrador. Since coming into power in 2003, Mr. Speaker, we have spent $29
million which has leveraged $115 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, in 2003 we had 114 communities with broadband;
we are now over 500 communities, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Just recently this year in the Budget we announced another
$6.2 million for further investment, and that RFP will be coming soon.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Yesterday, the Minister of Health and Community Services said her department
is looking at increasing the hours of physicians and other health professionals
in ER departments during peak times.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: When will these additional physicians and
nursing professionals be in place to cope with emergency room congestion?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated yesterday, we are exceptionally concerned about
wait times in all areas of health care, and that is why we have invested so much
money into ensuring that we improve our wait times right throughout the system.
In fact, we have seen some phenomenal improvements in our wait times, which
is a testament to how well we are doing the work. We have A plus ratings, where
once we had C ratings, Mr. Speaker. We have been acknowledged by CIHI. We have
been acknowledged by the Wait Time Alliance and so on for doing exceptional work
here. The people in our Clinical Efficiency Division, Mr. Speaker, really need
to be commended for the extraordinary work they have done in improving wait
times.
We have invested money now in our emergency departments, and I have every
confidence that we will see the same kind of good results there as a result of
those investments.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Too bad I did not ask a question about wait times.
We continue to hear about understaffing problems in our emergency rooms. One
senior I am aware of, and there are more than this one, was put in a room by
herself for several hours with no attention from staff, no water, no food, no
blankets.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Does she realize the urgency of the need for
more ER staff in our hospitals?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, our mandate as a government in terms of health care is to
provide quality care. Mr. Speaker, we are delivering on that. We have seen that
through the accreditation process at Eastern Health which was 94.2 per cent, at
Central Health which was in excess of that, at about 95 per cent, and at
Labrador-Grenfell as well. The accreditation is currently underway now at
Western Health.
We are seeing that quality care is being provided in all of our health care
authorities, Mr. Speaker. That is our mandate. That is what we are going to
continue to do, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The minister forgets what was said about ER in that accreditation report.
Since Budget 2012, government has promised to set up Rapid Response Teams at
hospitals to help seniors avoid long stays in the ER and return home with
short-term supports.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: When will these Rapid Response Teams be up
and running?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, she is quite right, we are actually leading the way here. This
is a very innovative process of putting in place rapid response. We committed to
doing two, but in actual fact we have decided now because of the success of the
two that we have started with that we are going to have four Rapid Response
Teams right throughout the Province. We are seeing incredible results with them.
The ones that she is asking about are in place, Mr. Speaker, and we are
continuing on through the Province. As I said, when we can look at CTAS or doing
the triage system and identify the patients who can be seen faster and take them
out of the emergency wait rooms and into other areas of the hospital, we really
do make huge improvements in the overall wait times in those emergency rooms.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Much of the emergency room congestion across the Province is due to people
not having access to a family doctor.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Will the department look at establishing
primary health care clinics, a proven solution to ER congestion?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am really happy to stand here today and talk about the
improvements that have happened in terms of being able to have access to family
physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador, and to specialists in Newfoundland and
Labrador. Mr. Speaker, right now we have more doctors practicing in this
Province than we have ever had in our history.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: We have 1,155 doctors, Mr. Speaker, more than we have ever
had in our history. We were also early adapters of nurse practitioners in this
Province, to the point now where we are 123 per cent better than anywhere else
in Canada in terms of the per population ratio on nurse practitioners. We are
seeing huge improvements there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think the minister needs to go down to Burin and look at the doctor
situation there because there is a chronic shortage already.
Mr. Speaker, the recent release of the Province's ambulance review speaks to
several changes and severe changes that are needed in order to have more
effective patient transfer and care. Paramedics were consulted on the matters
involved, as well as other public. Now government has started a new round of
consultations. We would like to know why?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I will respond to his
preamble first. I was in Burin two weeks
ago he was asking me if I should go down and had many conversations around
the doctors. We are working on recruitment. We have seen some improvements in
the recruitment in doctors down there, Mr. Speaker, and we are continuing to
work on that. Things are moving.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Now, Mr. Speaker, as to part two; in terms of the ambulance
review, we are very happy with the recommendations that have come forward
through that ambulance review. Our goal is to see a more patient centric
ambulance review.
We have the recommendations. Now that we have them we are going back to the
various stakeholders of the ambulance operations in this Province, that being
the ambulance operators, the ambulance health professionals, and those who use
them, Mr. Speaker, to see where they sit with those recommendations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for St. John's East, time for a quick question without
preamble.
MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, the new consultations spell yet a further delay
implementing a fix. Paramedics are getting tired of the delay, they want relief.
When are they going to get it?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have no idea where the member opposite is getting that
information. I have been speaking with ambulance operators; I have been speaking
with the professionals. Mr. Speaker, they are very happy that we are consulting
them at this point in time. There will be no delay. We have committed to having
that done by early December and then moving on, as was suggested within the
recommendations that came to us.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
In accordance with
section 19.(5)(
a) of the House of Assembly Accountability,
Integrity and Administration Act, I hereby table the minutes of the House of
Assembly Management Commission meetings held on April 23, May 15, and July 16,
Further tabling of reports?
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill
entitled,
An Act to Amend the Law Society Act, 1999. (Bill 23)
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that the Minister of Finance and President of
Treasury Board will move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the
Whole to consider a resolution relating to the advancing or guaranteeing of
certain loans made under the Loan and Guarantee Act, 1957. (Bill 24)
MR. SPEAKER: Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.
MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland
and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS violent workplace incidents involving convenience store clerks and
gas station attendants are a serious health and safety issue; and
WHEREAS many public and private sector employees are being left in vulnerable
situations, especially in the opening and closing of their buildings and
establishments; and
WHEREAS all workers deserve protection from danger and harm; and
WHEREAS current government regulations are inadequate in providing even basic
protection for those vulnerable workers; and
WHEREAS it is the responsibility of employers to keep workers safe, and the
responsibility of government to ensure employers adhere to regulations;
We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge government to
immediately enact legislation and regulations to protect workers in hazardous
workplaces, including late shifts in convenience stores and gas stations. This
legislation must direct employers to have a minimum of two workers on site after
10:00 p.m. and before 6:00 a.m., or have a secure barrier between the worker and
customer in place before these hours.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
I say, Mr. Speaker, it is certainly troubling and concerning, if not
disturbing, that we have seen such an increase in the number of violent
incidents in workplaces in our city and other parts of the Province over the
past few years. Oftentimes this involves people working for minimum wage in the
service industry. A lot of those workers are younger workers. These are people
who are perhaps trying to earn a few bucks to go to university or college, or
people who have no other alternative. This is the only work they can find. So it
is increasingly dangerous for those workers because of these sorts of dangerous
incidents.
Certainly, lots of people have opined and hypothesized about why it is that
this is happening, some combination of our economic situation and social
conditions in the Province. I do not have an expert opinion on that, because I
am certainly not an expert in this area, but I think we need to try and do more
to protect those workers and ensure that their workplaces are safe. I think the
ideas in this petition are a good place to start.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland
and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS Labrador-Grenfell Health employs a nurse practitioner at St. Anthony,
able to take appointments and operate a full scope of practice for which nurse
practitioners are licensed to operate; and
WHEREAS Western Health at Port Saunders and Norris Point on the Great
Northern Peninsula has similar nurse practitioner practices; and
WHEREAS nurse practitioners have advanced education and training beyond the
registered nurse level and provide comprehensive care ranging from health
promotion and prevention to diagnostics and treatment, including ordering
diagnostic tests, prescribing pharmaceuticals, and performing procedures within
a legislated scope of practice, and
WHEREAS nurse practitioners are alleviating physician shortages in rural
areas across Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador by operating clinical
practices in collaboration with physicians and other health practitioners,
leading to better access to services and shorter wait times; and
WHEREAS residents from Eddies Cove East to Reefs Harbour deserve to have
regular nurse practitioner clinics that are available to other residents on the
Great Northern Peninsula;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to ensure that a nurse practitioner
clinical practice be established at The Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre to be
fully integrated with the clinical practices of physicians.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by residents of Blue Cove, St. Barbe,
Foresters Point, Reefs Harbour, Flower's Cove, Savage Cove, Pines Cove, and
Green Island Brook. It is highly important that when you have health care
professionals on staff, when you are able to recruit nurse practitioners, that
they be fully utilized and able to practice the full scope. It gives a better
value for our healthcare dollar, and certainly makes sure that healthcare
operates in a way that meets the needs of people.
So the residents of my area are certainly asking for nurse practitioner
clinics to be fully integrated at the Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, to the hon. House of Assembly for the Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS home care allows the elderly and people with disabilities to remain
within the comfort and security of their own homes, home care also allows people
to be discharged from hospital earlier; and
WHEREAS many families find it very difficult to recruit and retain home care
workers for their loved ones; and
WHEREAS the PC Blue Book 2011 as well as the 2012 Speech from the Throne
committed that government would develop a new model of home care and give people
the option of receiving that care from family members; and
WHEREAS government has given no time commitment for when government plans to
implement paying family caregivers;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to
implement a new home care model to cover family caregivers.
As in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, one example of one family who is really pressing this matter is
a family in Port Saunders. One of the family members has been regularly sending
e-mails and letters to the minister and to the Premier pleading. The situation
is that there is an elderly relative and she suffers from dementia. Because of
this, she does not really take to strangers very easily.
She is not easy for a home care worker to manage. People suffering dementia
have all sorts of issues. Certainly caregivers may have a difficult time dealing
with people who are stricken with dementia.
The issue is that there is a qualified family home care provider who could be
hired if the program were to be extended. The alternative is that strangers
provide the care. In the ordinary course that might not be much of a problem,
however, in the case of strangers because of her dementia it is very difficult
for her to adjust to a new person. Any turnover within every few months or so,
she is dealing with a stranger in her home and she is absolutely terrorized.
This is really cruel and inhumane that somebody would have to have that sort of
a fate in their advancing years, past eighty years of age.
This is the type of a patient and a person who could benefit from the
government making good on its promise in 2011 to fund this type of home care and
they are not doing it. It was recommitted in 2012, budgeted in 2013, and it
still is not being provided. Mr. Speaker, if the funds have been allocated, the
commitment has been made, the promise made, why is it, these people want to
know, that it still is not forthcoming?
I get calls on a regular basis. The last time around when funds were approved
in the Budget, my explanation was it looks like it is enough for three quarters
of the year. Maybe three months in the government is going to start with the
program and take it into next year. It has not happened and these people are
really pleading for relief in this situation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have a petition.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS hundreds of residents of the South Coast of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, including residents of the communities of Burgeo,
Ramea, Grey River, and Franois, use Route 480 on a regular basis for work,
medical, educational, and social reasons; and
WHEREAS there is no cellphone coverage on Route 480; and
WHEREAS residents and users of Route 480 require cellphone coverage to ensure
their safety and communication abilities; and
WHEREAS the Department of IBRD recently announced funding to improve
broadband services in rural Newfoundland and Labrador; and
WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 480 feel that the Department of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development should also invest in cellphone
coverage for rural Newfoundland and Labrador;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to support
the users of Route 480 in their request to obtain cellphone coverage along Route
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, it is another opportunity for me to stand up and put in a
cellphone petition. Again, it is a huge issue in this Province. At this point it
is not really a want, it is a need. It is a necessity all over this Province. We
have very rugged terrain with a very large and different demographic everywhere.
It is an issue that affects us all. There are certainly plenty of members
across the way who have areas that just do not have cellphone coverage. My
district has two routes particularly, Route 470 and Route 480, that do not have
coverage. It is getting to the point now where it is a safety deterrent. It is a
tourism deterrent. It is an economic deterrent. It is just not acceptable in
this day and age.
I can understand government does not have the ability to do everything that
they need to do. However, government has no excuse not to at least have a
strategy put together to say how we are going to address this. I do not even
know if they can identify the areas that are not covered. I have asked for that,
and I have yet to receive it from the former minister.
I look forward to working with the new minister to discuss this issue. Again,
we cannot be reactive here; we need to be proactive. It is being done elsewhere.
We need to get this done. I will continue entering those petitions until such
time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have a petition and I will read the petition.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland
and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act was introduced in the
House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, debated, approved by Members of
the House of Assembly, and received Royal Assent in June of 2007; and
WHEREAS this legislation has not be proclaimed into force; and
WHEREAS this legislation was intended to make our communities safer, and we
believe if the government proclaimed this legislation into law our communities
would indeed be safer;
WHEREUPON we, the undersigned petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to
proclaim into law the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act.
Mr. Speaker, the legislation that was voted on in this House of Assembly, I
do believe, would make our communities safer. I know that the minister has
recently announced a joint police taskforce, and I commend him for doing that. I
think it is actually a very good move. It is something that will, in fact,
provide results; but the reason for this legislation, Mr. Speaker, was because
law enforcement can only go so far unless they have enough evidence to get a
search warrant, make arrests, and take a case to trial.
This legislation, Mr. Speaker, would give the Department of Justice and peace
officers within the Department of Justice a little more ability to deal with
some issues; for example, on Tessier Place in my district where police had been
aware of a property on Tessier Place dealing in drugs and prostitution and other
very serious issues but, for two years, the police were unable to get enough
evidence to shut that property down or to make arrests. The Department of
Justice would have been able to do so. I firmly believe it would have made a
huge difference in that neighbourhood.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that government will reconsider the safer communities and
neighbourhoods legislation and proclaim it and put it into force and allow
communities to make the complaints to the department and for the department to
be able to investigate those complaints and make the community safer.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland
and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS government has a responsibility to ensure that Internet access is
broadly available so people have a right to be able to access the Internet in
order to exercise and enjoy their rights to freedom of expression and opinion
and other fundamental human rights; and
WHEREAS St. Carol's still remains without broadband services; and
WHEREAS residents rely on Internet services for education, business,
communication and social activity; and
WHEREAS wireless and wired technologies exist to provide broadband service to
rural communities to replace slower dial-up service;
We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge government to
assist providers to ensure St. Carol's is in receipt of broadband Internet
services in Newfoundland and Labrador.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, I guess in Question Period today, it is to be acknowledged that
government has invested $29 million and levered over $100 million in funds to
create that infrastructure, that backbone into a number of communities.
What we need to do now is where we have about 200 communities still without
broadband is make sure that we do that mapping model. We know that there are
communities that are close together, that there are other solutions, whether it
be using wireless, or wireline, or other technologies to provide broadband and
expanding that service. It is so essential for our rural communities that we
have broadband so that we can grow the economy, that we can have more
educational opportunities, and that we can build vibrant rural economies in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
I am certainly looking forward to working with the minister and urging all
government members, let's press this issue, let's get behind broadband because
having an advanced economy is certainly important.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS minimum wage is a provincial responsibility; and
WHEREAS minimum wage is intended to be a living wage, but experience from
minimum waged employees have proven different; and
WHEREAS because of this, these workers find it hard to support their
families, local businesses and the provincial economy;
WHEREUPON your petitioners call upon all Members of the House of Assembly to
urge government to increase the minimum wage and tie it to the Consumer Price
Index so individuals can afford to financially support themselves, their
families, local businesses, and the economy.
As is duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, on Sunday, I attended a youth leadership
function called RADHOC at Memorial University. The young people who participated
and this is the second petition; they provided two petitions to federal
representatives and two petitions to provincial representatives. I appreciate
that the government has addressed minimum wage over the past several years and I
appreciate that government has more recently addressed minimum wage and said
that the minimum wage will increase and there are set intervals.
The young people who have asked me to present this petition actually they
asked the Member for Mount Pearl South to present the petition and he thought it
would be more appropriate that I should present the petition, so he asked me to
do so.
The young people make a good point when they say: tie it to the Consumer
Price Index. Because by tying the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, that
would create certainty, certainly less administration, if it were tied to the
CPI every six months or whatever would be a reasonable time span, as government
pensions are and other government benefits are. It would be, in effect,
self-indexing so we would not have to come back as frequently and deal with
minimum wages.
Dealing with minimum wages every so often creates a conflict between
employers and employees and it certainly would be unnecessary if the government
would adopt the approach taken by these young people. That is the purpose of
this petition, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 13, and I would like to move:
WHEREAS, in accordance with
section 45 of the House of Assembly Act and
section 39 of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration
Act, the Commissioner for Legislative Standards has recommended to this
Honourable House:
1) that MHA Brazil be reprimanded by the House of Assembly for failing to
file an accurate disclosure statement; and
2) that MHA Brazil be reprimanded by the House of Assembly for violating the
Members' Code of Conduct.
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly concurs with the
findings and recommendations of the Commissioner for Legislative Standards and
asks that the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island stand in his place in
this House and apologize to this Assembly for his failure and violation as cited
by the report of the Commissioner for Legislative Standards.
MR. SPEAKER: Is there a seconder for the motion, the hon. Government
House Leader?
MR. KING: The Member for Gander.
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you.
The hon. the Government House Leader, to the motion?
MR. KING: Yes, to the motion, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a few comments that I want to make, and I am not going to
be long, but just to recollect for a few moments. Upon learning that there might
be a possible problem or issue with respect to what we are talking about today,
I want to be very clear that our government and the Premier acted very quickly
to make sure that we demonstrated openness, transparency, and accountability in
trying to determine if in fact there was an issue. We took it very seriously.
There were a number of reports that were conducted. I think it is very clear
that the member realizes a mistake was made and has certainly been very openly
apologetic to members of his constituency and this House.
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate from government's perspective that we all
recognize there are expectations of us as Members of the House of Assembly, both
inside and out. Certainly, I am sure, on many days people question whether we
live up to their expectations in the House, particularly in Question Period when
we do have a little bit of sport and a bit of fun. The reality is people do hold
us to high standards. When it comes to the behaviours that we exhibit outside of
the House of Assembly in carrying out our daily duties, we recognize there is a
high standard and people have high expectations. We are responsible for living
up to those expectations.
What has happened here, Mr. Speaker, I submit, hopefully never will happen
but could conceivably happen to any one of us at any point in time. We have
standards that apply to us. We have a Code of Conduct, and I am sure all of us,
perhaps even right now, are wondering if there is something that unintentionally
or otherwise we have done or are doing that could put us in a conflicting
situation.
Many of us, as you would know, Mr. Speaker, are involved in our communities
outside of politics. We are involved because we live in the communities and we
want to stay connected with people and to reach out to the residents. We are
involved, frankly because, for many of us, it was involvement in the communities
such as the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island that launched most
of our political careers. It got us engaged in working with the public and in
advocating on public issues, and garnered an interest in us to take that a step
forward.
We all recognize the issue we are talking about. We all recognize the
standards that we live by. We all recognize I think that there is close scrutiny
on our actions and on what we do. It is fair to say I am sure all members
would agree that whether a mistake was made, whether it was intentional or
whether it was innocent and unintentional, we have to take responsibility for
our actions. The motion that I have brought forward today on behalf of
government simply reflects that intent, that the member take responsibility for
the actions.
My wish, Mr. Speaker, coming out of this motion today, assuming that the
House will support the motion, would be three things; first of all that the
member will in fact stand in his place, do as the motion asks and apologize and
accept responsibility for the actions. I have every confidence that the member
did no ill harm here, did not intend to do anything wrong, and will apologize
and has learned from it.
My second hope, Mr. Speaker, is that all of us, besides the MHA for
Conception Bay East Bell Island, will also learn something from this incident.
Perhaps if nothing else, the Code of Conduct that perhaps many of us do not
often read, from time to time maybe we should read it and make sure that we are
not doing something to ourselves or putting ourselves in a situation
unintentionally that puts us in a breach of the code. As I said, I hope all of
us have learned something from this and perhaps develop a keener understanding
of the rules and the expectations.
Third, I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that the public will see in this a couple
of things; number one, perhaps a recognition that we are all human. Politicians
are no different than members of the public. We do things sometimes that cause
us to perhaps exercise bad judgment or perhaps make a mistake, oftentimes
unintentional.
We are no different and I say this a lot in my district when I talk to
people - the only difference in the forty-eight of us here is that our names
went on a ballot and we won and got the right to sit in here. We are no
different than the other people we represent. I would hope the public would see
today perhaps that there is a very human side to members of this House.
Secondly, I would hope that the public would have respect for this House of
Assembly and for the people in here in seeing that we are taking the issue very
seriously, all members here, and that we are holding one of our own members
accountable for the actions that have occurred. We are going to take the
appropriate action today.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I have made a few points that I thought were
important to make on behalf of government. I want to conclude my remarks and
invite my colleagues, whoever may wish to speak next.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stand today as the House Leader for the Official Opposition and to speak to
the matter before us. I am speaking today on behalf of the entire Opposition
caucus.
Today, in front of us we have a motion that stems from a complaint and a
subsequent report by the Commissioner for Legislative Standards. The facts of
the matter have been laid out by Mr. Powers, and I certainly do not see any need
to reiterate or rehash these matters. I think the report speaks for itself and
lays out the situation very clearly.
In many ways, we are here basically because of serious events that impacted
this Legislature back in the mid-2000s. Again, the facts of that time have been
laid out very well, have been very well reported. What happened did lead to a
very comprehensive review and a report that was filed in 2007 by Chief Justice
Green, the Green Report that we all know very well.
It certainly was a dark period. The purpose of this was we needed to rebound
and we needed to restore confidence in us, members of the House of Assembly, as
public officials. That is what we need to do, is restore confidence in the
people that we represent. The Code of Conduct was born, legislation was created,
and a guide for members was created as well and established.
Being an elected member of the House of the Assembly carries with it a great
responsibility. We have a duty to those that we represent, and I am very
confident when I say that every single one of us in here takes that duty very
seriously, every single one of us. What happens, though, when it involves one
member of the House it really does have the effect, in some ways, of affecting
all of us as members.
One other thing that comes out of this as well is it is very hard for us, as
members, for one to judge another. Therefore, we did establish the position of a
Commissioner of Members' Interest, whose task was the duty of ensuring that
there are no conflicts of interest; ensuring that the confidence is maintained,
and to make sure that the people know we are in here and we are doing our job
and doing it well, and again, looking out to those we represent and whose trust
we are here to maintain.
We accept the findings of the Commissioner in this case. Looking at the
report, the Commissioner has found that the member breached the code due to an
oversight. To me, an oversight is similar to an absolute liability offence in
many ways. The lack of intent, even if there is no intent there, it does not
remove the responsibility or the wrongdoing. So the commission of the act alone
is enough to satisfy the wrongdoing, even if the offender or individual did not
intend to commit said act.
In the world that we live in, the political world, perception is reality. The
appearance of wrongdoing, or just being perceived to be involved in wrongdoing
can be fatal. It can be fatal to all of us. We have been entrusted by the public
to protect their interests. As members, we have to do everything to make sure
that this trust is maintained. I think that is the big, overarching theme here,
is that we have to ensure that trust is maintained. We have gone through a dark
period. We have learned from that. I think everybody has learned from that.
The situation itself, we are talking about disclosure statements. Again, it
is just another step that is vital in maintaining the confidence in our system.
Obviously, government acted very quickly on this. The fact that the matter was
referred to the RNC very quickly shows that it was taken serious and was looked
at as serious. I think everybody was satisfied and relieved when the RNC did
their due diligence, did the report and came back and the case was closed. We
are happy to see that.
We have reviewed this report and we have reviewed the motion made by the
Government House Leader. The legislation points to different penalties that can
be found or enforced upon a member who is found in breach. In this case, the
Commissioner recommended the penalty of a reprimand. We are satisfied with that
finding, and with the Government House Leader's motion. We will be supporting
that motion.
There is certainly no enjoyment to be found in having to deal with a matter
of this nature. Nobody is happy to have to deal with it, but it is necessary if
we are to ensure the confidence of the people is still there with us. Any breach
has to be treated as serious, which I think this has been.
Any breach, even when by a sole member, affects every single one of us.
Therefore, I am satisfied that this has been treated seriously, that due
diligence has been exercised, the matter has been dealt with in a public manner
and I am hoping this will satisfy the public and us all. Again, it is something
none of us wants to be here for, but we are here and I think it is being dealt
with in a satisfactory manner, and it is the only way to deal with it.
Those will conclude my remarks, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
As House Leader, I too represent our caucus and I think it is important to
speak to this motion because of its seriousness.
The report by the Commissioner for Legislative Standards gives us an
opportunity here today to reflect on our responsibilities under the House of
Assembly Act, the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration
Act, and as well, the Members' Code of Conduct which was asked for by
Commissioner Greene, as has been mentioned already, and which is referred to in
our Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act.
As elected representatives, we are responsible to the people of the Province
for our conduct. That is why we have a Commissioner for Legislative Standards.
We have to be held accountable for all we do that relates to us in our role as
MHAs, and we all know how wide that accountability is. Our experience, if
nothing else, teaches us that once we become elected.
Part of that accountability is the individual responsibility. We all have to
make sure we understand our duties and responsibilities and the legislation that
covers the carrying out of them. We have to make every effort to ensure that we
understand fully the acts and the Code of Conduct. The fact that we are here
this afternoon and having this discussion I am sure is going to send all of us
into making sure that we do have clear understanding.
There is one thing I would like to focus on. The major finding of the
Commissioner deals with conflict of interest, which is referenced in our Code of
Conduct: "Members will base their conduct on a consideration of the public
interest. They are individually responsible for preventing conflicts of interest
and will endeavour to prevent them from arising. Members will take all
reasonable steps to resolve any such conflict quickly and in a manner which is
in the best interests of the public."
We, each one, shall need to read carefully the Commissioner's report where he
guides us in how to interpret conflict of interest, himself using a broader
interpretation than that found in the House of Assembly Act, in order to ensure
accountability, transparency, and public trust in the administration of our
offices as MHAs. I welcome the Commissioner's report since it offers us real
clarity in this area. Public trust can be lost in many ways, and we have had
other examples of public trust being lost in this House. That has been
referenced, too, by the Opposition House Leader. The report now gives us a
bigger picture in which to assess how that can happen and how we can act with
integrity, and that is the important thing.
Mr. Speaker, we will be happy as a caucus to vote to accept this report.
MR. SPEAKER: Is the House ready for the question?
AN HON. MEMBER: Yes.
MR. SPEAKER: All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
The hon. the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I apologize to the House of Assembly for my oversight.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I call from the Order Paper, Order 3, third reading of a bill,
An Act To
Amend The Services Charges Act, Bill 5.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Environment
and Conservation, that Bill 5,
An Act To Amend The Services Charges Act, be now
read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that this bill be now read a
third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 5 be now read a
third time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Services Charges Act. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a third time and it is ordered
that the bill do pass and that the title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Services Charges Act", read a third
time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 5, second reading of a bill,
An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 4, Bill 12.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member of Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. O'BRIEN: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am glad to get on my feet today to speak
to
An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration Act No. 4, Bill 12. This is a
piece that we need to get done
MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded by?
MR. O'BRIEN: Oh, I am sorry, Mr. Speaker.
It is seconded by the Minister of Education.
MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that Bill 12,
An Act To Amend
The Revenue Administration Act No. 4, be now read a second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration
Act No. 4". (Bill 6)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, I am sorry for forgetting to mention the seconder, but I am on my feet
this afternoon to speak to
An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration No. 4,
Bill 12. This piece of work, Mr. Speaker, seeks the approval to amend the
Revenue Administration Act to make some minor technical details and a change
relating to the mining tax.
The mining tax, Mr. Speaker, is required once the operator achieves
commercial production. In other words, they have significant expenditures and
time may very well pass between the decision to move forward with a mine,
bringing the mine into production, and actually achieving commercial production.
So right now, Mr. Speaker, we have to rely on the first mining tax return
filed by the operator, which is filed when the commercial production is
achieved. Then we get the opportunity to review the expenditures to determine
their appropriateness and the deductibility. As well, due to the fact that
significant time may have passed, documents certainly may not be available, if
at all, so that makes it hard for the people in the Finance department to do a
proper evaluation on the commercial operation and what has transpired between
the time they first entered into the process to bring that mine to production.
So it is relative to these recent amendments in the Revenue Administration
regulations that now require a person that holds a mining lease to file a tax
return. This amendment that we propose today is to add a new provision that
would make
Part I,
Part II,
Part VII, and
Part X of the act apply to a person
who has been issued a mining lease, but who is not yet liable to pay tax under
the act, Mr. Speaker.
So I want to be clear on that. The person would not be liable to pay tax, but
they certainly would be liable to file a return. That way the Finance department
can do an evaluation.
To just explain a little bit further, Mr. Speaker,
Part I of the act contains
the general administration provisions, such as maintaining the books and
records, confidentiality, and penalties and offences under the act.
Part II of
the act is the Inspection and Compliance provisions which provide officials with
the necessary legislative authority to inspect a business and/or their books and
records.
Part VII of the act is specific provisions for the administration of
the Mining and Mineral Rights Tax Act.
Part X contains the Regulations,
Transitional and Commencement provisions.
The reason a new provision is required is because a person who only holds a
mining lease is not yet a taxpayer under the act. This amendment will make that
person subject to the provisions of the act as if they were a taxpayer.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, this is really a bit of housekeeping in regard to
the act. It would make the process more transparent and clear for the Department
of Finance to allow our people to actually evaluate the operation in its
entirety from its beginning to the actual time that it goes into
commercialization. The reason for that, to be clear on that as well, is this is
a long period of time we are talking about from the first start to going to
commercialization. Sometimes records get lost; sometimes records are not filed.
This way we will collect them all the way along, and it will make it a lot more
transparent in that process.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I will take my place in the House and listen to all
the comments of my hon. colleagues across the House. I will take any questions
or anything that they might provide in regard to their speaking. I certainly
consider this just a simple amendment to the act to come in-line with the
regulations to certainly enable our Finance officials to do their job more
effectively and provide a service that they provide to the people of the
Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is a pleasure to stand today and speak to Bill 12,
An Act to Amend the
Revenue Administration Act No. 4. Obviously, given the very meagre size of this
bill, it is a housekeeping bill. I hate to use the term that it has not much
substance because that is not the case; everything we change has substance to
it. However, it is not a large bill and it is more of a housekeeping nature.
My understanding of it is that it has to deal with regulations, and
regulations that are being gazetted. When we talk about the mining companies,
there is often a very long span of time in between the time they get their
leases and the time they actually go into production. During that period of
time, there is no payment and no taxation.
Basically what we are trying to do here is we are trying to amend this so
that mining companies will now have to file the tax returns on a yearly basis so
that the Province has a better handle on the amount of expenses that have been
incurred in relation to that project. That seems like a very sensible amendment,
obviously. The good news is, with everything going on, it seems like something
we might see more of because we do see a lot of news stories going on these days
with mining.
Actually, there was a story in the paper just this week about more
exploration going on, on the Burgeo highway, more finds on the Burgeo highway
near Stephenville. When you talk about what is going on, there are a lot of
districts all over the place certainly in my own I have seen some work, and it
is very exciting, very encouraging.
I do not think this provision is onerous on any company. I think it is
necessary. What we need to find out is that when the mining company actually
does go into production, what are the expenses being incurred by that company?
We need to know what these companies are expending and what it is costing.
Again, there could be a huge period of time between the time they get the lease
and the time they actually go into production.
Speaking to mining, again, I had an opportunity to speak to different
companies over the summer that were out in my district and just getting a handle
on the amount of time and the amount of money that goes into the process leading
up to production. It is absolutely amazing. You have no idea until you have sat
down with them.
This is basically formalizing this approach. It is timely and we need to find
out what these expenses are. This needs to be changed in the legislation because
the change in regulations was insufficient to mandate the mining companies to
file expenses in their tax returns annually. So it needs to be done. If we do
not do this, companies are able to forego that recommendation and obviously we
do not want that.
Again, I would love to stand here and continue on about mining because there
is a lot of good news in the mining industry. I am very happy to see that and
hopefully there will be lots of tax returns coming in that are identifying this.
Hopefully our goal is to reduce the amount of time in between mining lease and
production because once that production starts the revenues coming in are
certainly going to be great for this Province.
I am happy to speak to this amendment. We will be supporting this, obviously.
I may have some questions during Committee and look forward to hearing the rest
of the comments by members.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: (Inaudible) and I am happy to have the opportunity to speak
to Bill 12,
An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration Act No. 4. I thank the
department and the minister for the briefing that our staff received on this. We
feel quite comfortable with the fact that the change that is being suggested is
truly nothing more than strictly housekeeping and it actually makes legal a
practice that has been going on for a long time. Making sure that this practice
is put in legislation then becomes very important.
The amount of time, that has been pointed out already, but the amount of time
that lapses between somebody getting a lease and going through with a decision
to mine and then getting the mine into production is a long time; and it is
important, I think, to hold companies accountable for the fact that they are
using the land. I think that would be the rationale for the fact that they would
need to file tax reports, that they are using the land. Whether they have gone
into production or not, there is a responsibility for the fact they have been
given a lease and a responsibility for the fact that they are using the land and
the resource that belongs to the people of the Province.
It is extremely important that we have legalized this practice that has been
going on. The technical amendment allows tax officials the access to mining
properties and records from the issuance of the lease. That is really, really
important that the companies are being held accountable.
I think it is important, especially with companies coming in from outside of
our Province and outside of Canada that we have a legal document that is very,
very clear. They do not always come in knowing what our standards are here. They
may know it in some ways, but they come in with standards from the country where
they are coming from, whether those are environmental standards, labour
standards, standards around doing the business. So it is very important that we
are clear with them and that we make sure that anything that we want in practice
is legal, binding, and in our legislation.
That is why I would ask the government to think about other ways, especially
with the growth that is happening in mining in the Province, think about the
other ways in which government should also be looking at the companies that are
doing the mining and looking at legislation in other ways that we may need to
put in place.
We have had experiences here in the Province where mining companies coming in
from outside of the country do not seem to understand our labour standards, for
example. It would be very important for this government to do something that
they promised some years ago, and that was looking at anti-scab legislation.
Because we have had proof in this Province that you have companies coming in
that think it is quite all right to keep workers out on an eighteen-month picket
line, for example.
I do encourage this government to do more than housekeeping when it comes to
putting legislation in place dealing with mining companies. Housekeeping is
important, having correct legal language in there to cover practices that are
going on is important, but I ask the government to look more closely at the
other issues that they have to look at with regard to the influx of mining
companies into our Province and make sure that they do a little bit more work
than just housekeeping when it comes to looking at legislative change for the
people and for the workers, especially in the mining companies in this Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills. If
he speaks now, he will adjourn debate.
MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, I am happy to adjourn debate in regard to the
amendments to the Revenue Administration Act, Bill 12. I am happy to see that my
colleagues across the House are in concurrence and in support of the proposed
bill. It certainly will not be a burden on the companies doing business in our
jurisdiction with regard to the mining industry.
As well, it will enable the Finance officials in the department to do their
work more effectively, to evaluate the expenditures that takes a company from
the period that they are given a lease to the actual time that they go into
production. This is all good. Again, I want to thank my colleagues across the
House for their comments and their support on the bill.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now
read a second time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 4.
(Bill 12)
MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time.
When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole?
MR. KING: Now.
MR. SPEAKER: Now.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 4",
read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole presently, by
leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and
Skills, that the House do now resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to
consider Bill 12.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the House do now resolve
itself into Committee of the Whole and that I do now leave the Chair.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Littlejohn): Order, please!
We are now considering Bill 12,
An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration
Act No. 4.
A bill, "An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act No. 4". (Bill 12)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The bill that was put forward is quite simple in nature, but I did have a
question for the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills because it talks
about when "issued a mining lease, but who is not liable to pay tax under the
Act."
Is there a timeline of which somebody could hold a lease? It may have
commercial value and they are just not producing, that could have impact where
they could be charged fees?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. O'BRIEN: Under the current legislation, Mr. Chair, there is no time
frame. It is hard to predict how much time it would take from the time that a
lease is actually issued to the time of production. There are a lot of variables
that have to come into play, including financing. These are usually big
operations, so that period of time is unpredictable. To put a time frame on it
would really hamper the growth in the industry on a go-forward basis.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Yes, Mr. Chair, I will be speaking in support of this bill;
my entire caucus, I think, is going to support this bill.
One of the points that have not been mentioned, which I think is probably
useful, is that one of the big challenges in government is estimating revenue.
Undoubtedly, estimating revenue from oil, from mining, and from all sorts of
resource development is a tricky process. If you have a company, such as a
mining company, for example, and they spend many years in development, they rack
up all sorts of expenses, losses that they have carried forward for three, five,
seven, or ten years.
The Finance department is expecting they are going to come ashore with maybe
a couple of hundred million dollars profit one of these days in their first
year; meanwhile, they have a couple of hundred dollars worth of losses they are
carrying forward, then the Treasury is trying to estimate a certain amount of
income based on when they will become profitable without having any real insight
into what their losses are.
I think, even though it is a very short bill and it seems like a relatively
minor bill, it probably seeks to do more. Maybe the original drafters in the
department would like to have some better view, a better idea of what the
revenue will be when whatever mining enterprise comes in and becomes profitable.
I think it is a useful bill, even though it is small. It is useful for
streamlining anticipated income. To do that you need to know what the losses
are. If the companies are filing tax returns, then at least the Province knows
what the losses are that are being carried forward. The losses have to be
recovered before we get any tax revenue.
That is my only point on this bill. I am happy to support it.
Thank you.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant Governor and House of Assembly in
Legislative Session convened, as follows.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,
carried.
CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee rise and report Bill 12.
CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise and report Bill 12.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit
again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): The hon. the Member for the District of Port de
Grave.
MR. LITTLEJOHN: Mr. Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered
the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bill 12 without
amendment.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of Committee of the Whole reports that the
Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to
report Bill 12 without amendment.
When shall the report be received?
MR. KING: Now.
MR. SPEAKER: Now.
When shall the bill be read a third time?
MR. KING: Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: On tomorrow.
On motion, report received and adopted. Bill ordered read a third time on
tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This time I call Order 1, Committee of Supply: (
a) Resolution and Bill
No. 8 Respecting the Granting of Supplementary Supply to Her Majesty.
MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that I do now leave the
Chair.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Littlejohn): We are considering the resolution, Bill 8,
An Act For
Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Additional
Expenses Of The Public Service For the Financial Year Ending March 31, 2014 And
For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
A bill, "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For
Defraying Certain Additional Expenses Of The Public Service For the Financial
Year Ending March 31, 2014 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public
Service". (Bill 8)
CHAIR: Clause 1.
The hon. the Member for Humber West.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRANTER: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is a great opportunity this afternoon to stand and speak to the Address in
Reply bill, but before I do I just want to say congratulations to the Forget Me
Not Campaign in Corner Brook, that this morning unveiled another memorial to
those who laid down the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War and the Second
World War and the wars that have been fought since.
In particular, to Dave Higdon and Gudrid Hutchings, as Chair, persons of that
particular committee who have been working over the last little while on raising
funds. I want to wish them well tonight as they embark upon their second annual
gala in Corner Brook and wish them very much success in that this evening.
Mr. Chair, I, like many of my colleagues, have had the opportunity over the
last number of months, in particular over the summer, to travel around the
Province and chat on doorsteps and at family gatherings and at reunions and
barbecues; and, yes, Mr. Chair, probably too many barbecues over the summer.
Mr. Chair, if there is a theme that runs through all conversations, no matter
who I had a chance to speak to over the summer, was of great growth over the
past ten years, and great and vast opportunities that await this place.
I had the opportunity this past Saturday, while picking up my car at a garage
in Corner Brook, to have a conversation with a gentleman who had left
Newfoundland nearly forty years ago. With only a few holiday visits, he came
back a number of times, but came back a couple of years ago to retire. Without
me prompting him, his thoughts, or his dialogue, in the few minutes that I had a
chance to speak with him, he talked about and put into context the situation
that he found himself in returning to Newfoundland and how great of a change
that has taken place over the last number of years.
He recalled life nearly forty years ago when he left Newfoundland and
Labrador, with the lack of growth and the lack of opportunity, the reliance on
short-term seasonal employment, Mr. Chair. He recalled crumbling infrastructure,
little infrastructure investment, and only little bits of investment in our
people.
He said after working away for nearly forty years and returning to this place
he returned to a different Province; more importantly, Mr. Chair, he returned to
a different people, and he returned to a people who have vast opportunities
today and vast opportunities in the next number of years.
Very quickly he felt he was surrounded by a people and a place that believed,
a Province that had matured over the last forty years to take its rightful
place, plan, develop and implement its own destiny. He articulated to me
because he has only been back for two years that he said all of that from
someone who looked in from the outside, because he had spent so much time away
from Newfoundland, his own Province.
Mr. Chair, he said that he could not believe the changes in nearly
everything. He talked in a very frank way about politics in this Province and
spoke strongly of the good decisions made in Newfoundland and Labrador over the
last decade or so. I was interested when he spoke of the need to make tough
decisions, ones that will serve the Province well as we move forward.
Leadership, Mr. Chair, means the ability to make tough decisions. Not only the
ability, but the integrity to actually make them and carry them out.
He did not have all praise for the government, like no one should, but I felt
good that he recognized that making decisions based on principles and fact, not
on opinion, is the way to go.
Mr. Chair, like this man I spoke to last Saturday, many of us, myself
included, had many conversations this past summer and again, there is no doubt
in my mind, there is no doubt in the minds of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians,
that we as a people and we as a place feel better about where we are and we are
geared to move forward in a very position way. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians
feel good about where we are and about the destiny that we have before us.
Our communities are doing better, Mr. Chair, but there is still work to be
done and this government is up to the task. That does not mean that everything
is perfect and there is not more good work to take place. There is much more
work to do in Newfoundland and Labrador, but this government is up to the task
to deliver.
To the contrary, Mr. Chair, as a government we recognize the vast changes
that we have made for the betterment of people in this Province, but we are
equipped to make this place ever better in the next few years.
Mr. Chair, these things do not just appear; they do not just pop up before
our eyes. It requires planning, it requires determination, and, yes, decisions
that are based on principles. We know the state we can get ourselves into if we
make decisions that are not based on principles. All you have to do is go back
and look at the history of Newfoundland and Labrador and see what government did
and the state that this Province became when they started to make decisions that
were not based on principles.
Mr. Chair, this, I believe, is a golden opportunity in this Province in many
areas. I just ask the people who are listening at home to reflect on where we
were to where we are today and the potential that we have for the next four,
five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty years out. We have a gold
opportunity in oil, in mining, and in tourism.
Yes, in the fishery, we have a golden opportunity and we have just laid some
groundwork for that. In forestry and agrifoods and in research and development
amazing things taking place in Newfoundland and Labrador in research and
development, monies that government has put into research and development has
garnered hundreds of millions of dollars from the investments that we have made
in research and development. Opportunities in education, and, yes, in private
business.
You only have to travel around the Province, all over the Province, in
Labrador, from the Northern Peninsula to the South Coast to the East Coast, to
see what opportunities we have in private business and the list goes on. Hebron
is an example; it will make a significant contribution to offshore production
and its royalties, garnered by the Province including $14 billion in capital
costs.
Work opportunities, as my colleague to my left spoke about a few days ago, in
Marystown, Bull Arm, Long Harbour, and recently with the announcement in
Argentia and Labrador and yes, Mr. Chair, in Western Newfoundland and
Labrador. Others will sustain and build upon the growth opportunities for this
and future generations. The North Amethyst site will produce an estimated 6
million to 8 million extra barrels of oil and, among other projects, will assist
in driving the economic engine as we move forward, Mr. Chair.
Just last week we celebrated Mining Week 2013 in the Province, and the
excitement associated with the current and future opportunities are numbing in
mining. The mining industry has played a significant role in positioning our
provincial economy on a strong footing, Mr. Chair.
The industry employs directly 11,500 lucrative paying jobs for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The mines of Newfoundland and Labrador provide
the world with many key commodities. The industry in this Province, Mr. Chair,
produces more than a dozen mineral compositions that contribute to our economy
and our way of life. I will list just a few that we are producing in
Newfoundland: iron, nickel, copper, zinc, aggregates, cobalt, gold, and silver.
Last summer, Mr. Chair, I had the opportunity to visit the Port au Port
Peninsula where dolomite is being mined. That is an amazing facility out on the
Port au Port Peninsula, run by local Newfoundlanders and Labradorians a local
family from the West Coast, from Corner Brook who is providing nearly
year-round employment to 125-plus people. It is an amazing, amazing facility.
I was told last week that the value of mineral exports alone for this year is
estimated to be at $4.3 billion $4.3 billion. Last spring, Mr. Chair, I was
glad to go to the press release downstairs in this building, where we talked
about the agreement to mine underground in Voisey's Bay that will create
hundreds of jobs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and also generate
millions of dollars for the economy of this Province.
Work on the Labrador Trough through Tata Steel represents our first new
producing iron ore mine in nearly fifty years in the Province. Alderon's Kami
Iron Ore Project is moving toward sanction and will create economic engines and
benefits and drive the economic growth in this Province.
Mr. Chair, I could speak on and on about this particular topic, and I might
get a chance to speak to it again; but what it means is that we are able to take
the economic engine that minerals and offshore oil is generating for the people
of the Province and invest in our communities, invest in our schools, invest in
hospitals, invest in new clinics, and invest in our highways. That is why it is
absolutely, critically important.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
CHAIR: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It was strange to hear, where we are on Bill 8 about the funding, the $1,400
for the workers that they are trying to get out, the government workers, it is
strange that the Member for Humber West never mentioned them once. I guess after
laying off 1,400, I wouldn't blame you for not mentioning the 1,400 who were
laid off, and a lot from your own district and a lot from your own association.
When you want to stand up and speak about the bill, we should speak about the
workers, what this is for, instead of speaking about the bill but I would be
ashamed, too.
Mr. Chair, I would be ashamed, too, if you were walking in here now and
talking about how good the government is after just laying off 1,200 to 1,400
people. A lot from his own district, a lot he knows personally, a lot who are on
his own association, but he never had the courage to bring up what we are
discussing here today.
We are discussing here today the hard work of the civil servants in this
Province. That is what this bill is about. This is not here to tout government.
This is not up here to tout government. This is what this is all about, Mr.
Chair. This is what it is all about.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
MR. JOYCE: I heard a Parliamentary Assistant over there saying something
but I do not think he ever stood up yet on his feet to talk about the 1,400
people who were laid off, Mr. Chair, and I bet you he will not. He will not
stand up and talk about it because he was the one who helped to make the
decision to do that.
I say to the Member for Humber West, if you want to get up let's speak about
the bill. Let's speak about the people who were laid off. I think the civil
servants do a great job. I look down in the Bay of Islands; I look at the people
in Transportation and Works. I look at the work they do keeping the roads safe.