May

12, 2009

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVI No. 19

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Today the House of Assembly would like to welcome twenty-nine individuals who

are part of the group "Gather", from the District of Trinity North.

The group meets with the objective of generating activities through healthy

eating, recreation, and other activities.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Speaker would also like to add that two members of this

group are the parents of the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Also joining us today in the gallery is Mr. Gerry Dean,

Mayor of the Town of Botwood, and Mr. Scott Sceviour, Deputy Mayor

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: The following members' statements will be heard: the hon.

the Member for the District of Bonavista North; the hon. the Member for the

District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for the District

of St. John's West; and the hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.

The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARDING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to acknowledge the tremendous contribution made to our society

by the world's largest service club organization, Lions Clubs International.

With 1.3 million members and 45,000 clubs around the globe, Lions

International is, without question, one of our most respected and valuable

service club organizations. From their campaigns to rid the world of preventable

and reversible blindness to their extensive list of programs aimed at youth to

their work with the disabled and their disaster relief efforts, the Lions have

worked tirelessly and selflessly to improve the world in which we live.

This tremendous organization continues to think globally and act locally in

their constant effort to improve the lives of millions of people around the

world. Here at home, the Lions have become an invaluable part of many of the

towns and communities throughout this Province.

Newfoundland and Labrador was built and continues to be sustained in large

part because of the efforts of dedicated service groups and community

organizations. The Lions have become an integral part of that chain of

volunteerism and community activism, and their efforts have undoubtedly helped

make this Province a better place. The Lions touch the best part of who we are

as people. They remind us that our community can only be as strong as its most

vulnerable member, and through their dedicated efforts they strengthen us all.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to commend our government for recently

acknowledging the valuable contributions of this very special group by

proclaiming April 25 of this year as Lions Appreciation Day.

At this time, I would ask all members of this hon. House to join with me to

thank and show appreciation for the continued efforts of the Lions organization,

both here at home and around the world.

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 JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is with tremendous pride that I rise in this House to congratulate a very

talented Jamiee Thomas from L'Anse au Clair who will represent the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador at the national 2009 Karaoke Star Jr. competition.

Mr. Speaker, YTV and CMT embarked on a multi-city tour to discover its 2009

Karaoke Star Jr. Their auditions were open to youth between the ages of six and

fifteen years of age, and there were 200 young people in our Province who

auditioned back in May May 4, actually. There were five finalists selected

from each city across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Jamiee took top spot in this Province and will now go to compete

in the national finals being held in Calgary on May 18 which I did not think

was too bad, Mr. Speaker, for a district that only has partial high-speed

Internet connection and all of the voting was done over the Internet.

Mr. Speaker, Jamiee is a fourteen-year-old Grade 9 student who attends

Mountain Field Academy in Forteau. She has been singing since she was two years

old, plays guitar and keyboard and writes her own music. She has been

entertaining residents in that area for years and will now have this excellent

opportunity to showcase her talent on national television.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the other participants from the Province,

the finalists, Amber, Alexandra, Damian and Kayla, and also encourage people to

vote for Jamiee online and wish her all the best in her final competition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of St. John's West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS S. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today I would like to offer congratulations to a constituent of mine, Andrew

Burgess, who recently completed the Boston Marathon. This, Mr. Speaker, is a

feat in itself. However, Andrew finished 2,236 which, when you consider that

there were more than 26,000 runners, is certainly most impressive.

His completion time was 3:07:06, the best time of the competitors from

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Andrew is dedicated to the sport of running and his performance this year

qualified him to enter the Boston Marathon again next year.

I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating Andrew and

wishing him every success in future competitions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a group of

volunteers who came together to form a community partnership unlike any other.

Mr. Speaker, on April 22, during Volunteer Week, the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health

Care Centre partnered with the towns of Botwood, Peterview, and Northern Arm to

explore the idea of a community volunteer recognition event.

At that event over forty groups and organizations were represented and the

Town of Botwood availed of the opportunity to recognize a volunteer in their

community with forty-eight years of dedicated service, in the person of Mr. Roy

Noseworthy.

Mr. Speaker, approximately fifteen groups contributed over 800 hours of

volunteer service of work at the Twomey Health Care Centre in Botwood, assisting

with recreation programs and meal assistance.

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

organizers of this event.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to tell this hon. House

today that the aquaculture industry in this Province is bucking the global trend

and moving forward despite the global recession. I am pleased to announce that

my department has signed a contract with Gray Aqua Farms Limited for an

investment of $16 million, including $1 million equity share and $6.8 million in

provincial loan guarantees.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: The company is establishing a salmon aquaculture operation

in the Bay d'Espoir region. My department made the announcement in June 2008

that our government would be partnering with Gray Aqua Farms Limited, and I am

pleased today to report that we are moving forward with that deal.

Our government is providing a loan guarantee of $6.8 million under the

Aquaculture Working Capital Loan Guarantee Initiative and an equity investment

of $1 million under the Aquaculture Capital Equity Investment Program. As well,

the company has private sector equity funding in place.

Mr. Speaker, these aquaculture financing programs have been instrumental in

attracting aquaculture companies to the Province by facilitating access to

private sector equity for them. Enabling this private sector investment is

especially important during these difficult financial times. The investment

attraction programs that our government has put in place have been working

extremely well.

This latest aquaculture project will create thirty-five permanent jobs in

marine operations and forty person years of employment in the seafood processing

sector. As well, it is anticipated that the initiative will create employment in

aquaculture supply and service sectors of up to 150 jobs. These are in addition

to the 400 jobs already created in aquaculture on the Province's South Coast.

The Newfoundland and Labrador headquarters for the company is located in

Conne River. I am also pleased to report that the company has fostered an

excellent relationship with the Miawpukek First Nation.

Gray Aqua Farms Limited is a well-established and successful family-run

company. They have been in the salmon farming business for twenty years in New

Brunswick, where they have recently expanded into char farming. They have been

incorporated in this Province since 2006. The company also has established sales

and distribution channels throughout Canadian and in the United States markets.

The company has provided our government with a very solid business plan that

will see their annual salmon production in the Province reach an estimated 3,500

metric tonnes and sales of over $24 million. Furthermore, they have provided our

government with that solid business plan and we look forward to working with

them in the future.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

As I was sitting there listening to it, it was just like dj vu, because

it was only a few days ago that the minister stood and made other announcements

in the aquaculture industry in the Province.

No doubt, this is an industry that is driven by the private sector. There is

absolutely no doubt about that. The fact that you have companies that are

interested in investing in our Province, investing their own money, is always a

good indicator of the potential we have with natural resources right across this

Province.

This is very important for areas like the Connaigre Peninsula, areas that

have been hit hard in this Province because of job loss, because of changes in

traditional industries, whether that be in the fishing industry or in the forest

industry, and any time that there are new jobs it is all relevant.

Mr. Speaker, in Newfoundland and Labrador in the last month, we cannot

forget, there are 2,800 people who have lost their jobs in this Province. There

are well over 8,000 who have lost their jobs in the last year, and this is a

Province that is not dealing with the full scope of a problem right now like we

are going to see in the coming months and in the next year, I say to hon.

members, because the construction industry and the aquaculture industry are not

going to be single industries to replace these over 8,000, nearly 9,000, jobs in

the Province, but they are all a help. It is all part, hopefully, of a broader

plan of government to look at new industry right across the Province and, most

of all, to look at revitalization of the forest industry in this Province, which

we have seen very little from the government on, which is suffering and which a

lot of these job losses can be attributed to because of the closure of the

forest industry -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to conclude her remarks.

MS JONES: - both in the sawmilling and in the pulp and paper sector.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the minister

for the advance copy of his statement.

It is always good to see advancements happening, especially in new

industries, and I know the government has given us at least acknowledged

that there is an aquaculture working capital loan guarantee initiative. I would

like to have more information, though, Mr. Speaker, from the minister with

regard to the implications of the equity investments that government is making

under this plan. What exactly is involved in the equity investments from the

perspective of the benefit to government and the benefit to the broader group of

people of the Province because of government making these investments? I think

that people would want to know this, and I think certainly people in the more

traditional aspect of our industries would want to know it, too.

Right now we have plant workers who do not know if they are going to be able

to work in the crab industry because we have processors not buying the crab that

is being caught, so we have a real obligation to people in the traditional

industry and I really would like to see this government showing to the crab

industry right now the same kind of leadership that it is showing to the

aquaculture industry.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to note that each year on May 12, the

anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birthday, health facilities, agencies

and community health organizations and public health units join together to

celebrate the contribution of public health and public health workers supporting

the optimal health of Canadians. This day is known as Canada Health Day.

This year, Newfoundland and Labrador joins other Canadian provinces and

territories in acknowledging this important day and the progress we have made in

improving the health of Canadians over the last century.

Collectively, we have made major advances in life expectancy, overall health

and well-being and quality of life. These improvements would not have happened

without the vital public health initiatives such as vaccine production, clean

water, pasteurization and better living conditions.

This year's theme, "Canadians Taking Care of Their Health",

recognizes how public health and public health professionals in Canada have

helped empower individuals to take care of themselves, their families and their

communities.

Mr. Speaker, our government, in conjunction with regional health authorities,

remains committed to initiatives which benefit the health and well-being of the

people of our Province. From our progressive smoke-free initiatives to the

introduction of new and effective vaccines for children and youth, our promotion

of infection-prevention measures and an investment of $4.1 million annually for

our Provincial Wellness Plan, we are placing a strong focus on supporting our

residents in healthy living.

Our government has also significantly increased funding for health and

community services to help enhance health outcomes for individuals. In Budget

2009, we invested a record $2.6 billion to further support the regional health

authorities in the delivery of quality health care services and programs across

our Province. As part of that funding, $3.9 million has been allocated to add

new drugs to our provincial formulary; $35 million to improve long-term care

services and $21.4 million investment to further enhance laboratory services,

cancer care and health information systems.

Mr. Speaker, our four regional health authorities have teamed up this year to

mark Canada Health Day by producing ribbons for the public which are being

distributed to staff and clients and patients and residents throughout our

Province today as we speak. Wearing the ribbons signifies that all employees

working with the health authorities throughout the Province are working

diligently to achieve the same vision: Healthy People, Healthy Communities.

I would encourage my fellow colleagues to wear a ribbon in recognition of the

special occasion and to recognize the tremendous efforts of health care

professionals across our Province who are working to provide quality care for

the people our Province each and every day of the week.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the hon. minister for a copy of his statement today. Certainly, we,

too, on this side of the House want to recognize Canada Health Day and certainly

recognize the exciting and new developments that are ongoing in the field of

health, not only in this Province but right across the country.

Mr. Speaker, Canada Health Day is also an opportunity to reflect upon the

past public health accomplishments, to appreciate all those people that work in

our health care sector every single day to deliver public services to people. It

is a time to also look at what our future health care and public health care

needs are and how we can improve and strengthen the health care system.

Mr. Speaker, it is no coincidence that this important occasion in Canadian

health history is named after Florence Nightingale who made her reputation as a

nurse working in the Crimean War, helping people in the field of medicine and

doing innovative and new things in that particular field.

Mr. Speaker, it was a nurse that was the foundation of Canadian health care

and Medicare as we know it, and it is nurses today who still maintain that

stature in our health care system. We live in a Province today where we have

5,000 nurses who at any minute could serve notice on government that they will

strike in this Province. At any particular time, Mr. Speaker, we may see our

entire health care changing, and we cannot afford that.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. Leader of the Opposition to conclude her remarks.

MS JONES: I certainly will, Mr. Speaker.

I encourage the government that on the eve of a strike in this Province, on

the occasion of Canada Health Day, that they would reconsider their actions and

look at arbitration on policy issues for nurses in the Province.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal HillQuidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, thank the minister for the advanced copy of his statement and I am

very pleased to congratulate all those in the health care profession who are

hard working, qualified and who give of themselves to our community, both here

in our Province and across Canada.

I was really interested in the, I guess the word would be slogan, for this

year's Canada Health Day: Healthy People, Healthy Communities. I cannot help

but noting that what we also need to look at is healthy nurses, healthy

communities; that in our system, both here in Newfoundland and Labrador and in

Canada in general, we have a major shortage of nurses. In Canada 11,000

full-time equivalent RNs are needed. Here in our own Province it is 1,000 nurses

that are needed and we know that our nurses are overworked. We know that they

are stressed. We know that they themselves are not healthy. The rate of nurses

who have to get sick leave is quite high.

So I say to the minister, yes, we celebrate Canada Health Day but we have to

make sure, minister, that we get a work force in place in this Province that is

healthy and can add to the health of our communities as well.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

Oral questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have just been notified that nurses have given notice to government that

they will take strike action, but it is an overtime strike that they are

planning and not a picket line strike.

I ask the minister today: What does this type of a strike or shutdown mean in

our health care system?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We were given notice approximately half an hour ago that the nurses' union

will take strike action but it will not be the typical type of strike where you

have picket lines, at least at the beginning. They are going to refuse the

members will refuse to work overtime.

Typically, Mr. Speaker, when we think of a strike we think of picket lines,

we think of disruption in service. That is very significant. This type of job

action and the Minister of Health may be able to speak to it more will

certainly have an impact.

What has happened here, Mr. Speaker, is obviously the president of the union

doesn't feel that she has the mandate to go out on strike.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: She obviously only has 50 per cent of the bargaining unit

who have voted to strike and she has a concern about the support of her members.

That is what is going on here.

In other words, Mr. Speaker, the nurses want to get their 31 per cent raise,

they want to receive their pay, they want to go on vacation, and yet they will

jeopardize the health care system in this way. It is very unfortunate, Mr.

Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would think that the nurses are doing this because they don't want to

cause undue hardship, Minister, on a health care system that is already

stressed. It is unbelievable that you could stand here today, as the Minister of

Finance for this Province, and incite them to do more than the action they are

taking.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister today: When will this strike be implemented,

and what will be the contingency plan within the health care system to deal with

the cutback in overtime?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I have to confess I don't understand the

question of the Leader of the Opposition.

Essentially, Mr. Speaker, we have indicated our concern for nurses and the

value that we place in their work. We have offered them a 31 per cent increase,

in these economic times unheard of. We know how hard nurses work.

Also, Mr. Speaker, at least 37 per cent of them voted to accept our offer, so

a significant number of them are happy with the offer we put in front of them.

Why wouldn't they be, Mr. Speaker? In this day and age, with a 31 per cent

increase and other issues to address, recruitment and retention, it boggles the

mind to understand as to why the union would not accept this.

As to why they are taking the step they are taking, Mr. Speaker, I don't

understand, but it is a typical situation of the union wanting to have their

cake and eat it too.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

All the minister is doing is spinning government's perspective on all of

this. The reality is they have given notice, we are going into a strike, and

there is going to be a cutback in overtime services.

I ask the minister today: When will that be implemented? When will nurses

stop performing overtime duties in hospitals in this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, the notice we have been given indicates that

the strike will begin on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, and it will begin with a

refusal by our members to perform overtime.

However, Mr. Speaker, it also means that the nurses, although there will be a

form of strike, they will not be on the picket lines but they will continue to

be paid their wages; they will want their 31 per cent raise. Particularly, Mr.

Speaker, I look at the overtime strikes dos and don'ts: Do work only your

regularly scheduled shifts, and do take your scheduled vacation.

In other words, we are going to have a type of job action that the union says

amounts to a strike, and I again have to reiterate, obviously the president of

the union does not have the mandate to take her members out on the picket line,

and that she has a clear concern about that mandate - and if I were in her

position, Mr. Speaker, I would too.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the head of the nurses' union got a very clear mandate from her

members, and the minister knows that, when they voted 63 per cent to reject your

final offer and 89 per cent to walk the picket line, Minister. Maybe you forget

that.

Mr. Speaker, the government can avoid all of this. They can avoid all of

this. Send the two policy issues that are existing to binding arbitration.

Minister, it seems like the nurses are prepared to allow for the health care

system to continue at some level. I ask you and your government: Are you

prepared to let it continue at every level and go to binding arbitration?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have been clear on a number of occasions, both the Premier and myself,

that we will not be going to binding arbitration.

It was interesting last night, Mr. Speaker, as I was reading Hansard in 1999,

and the Opposition at the time said to the Liberal government at the time: Why

won't you go to binding arbitration? Well, it would not be fair to the rest of

the unions in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, in 1999, the nurses were offered a 7 per cent raise, as opposed

to the 31 per cent raise which is currently on the table. Mr. Speaker, in 1999

there were 30,000 public sector employees who negotiated deals, the same as

there is today.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, we negotiated a deal with the correctional officers'

union for the first time in twenty-five years, that they have reached a deal,

and it shows that even a group with a right to binding arbitration could reach a

deal with us because we are fair and reasonable and trying to treat our

employees well.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to ask the minister today what impact this will have on the health

care system. We already heard stories yesterday of surgeries being cancelled in

the Province because the ICUs were full in St. John's hospitals. We are aware

again today that both the ICUs are full in St. John's hospitals.

I ask you, Minister: With the reduction of this service, what will it mean to

people who need surgeries and critical operations when beds are full and nurses

will be off the job?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday in the House, and a couple

of days previous to that, any time there is a work interruption, whether it is a

strike or a job action like we have heard described today, our primary

consideration is for those people who need emergency care, those people who are

the most critically ill, and those people will be attended to whether we have

this job action we just heard described or we have a complete walkout, a strike

as we typically would have experienced strikes in the past. Either way, Mr.

Speaker, people who are critically ill, people who need some emergency services

will still get it. There will be some changes.

This is a tactic by the union that requires a modification to the method of

operation by each of our four authorities, but clearly those people who need

emergency service and those who are most critically ill will get the service

that they need to make sure that they maintain the quality of life that they

deserve.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe the minister could give us an indication of how many overtime shifts

are being worked in the system, in our health care system throughout the

Province, so that we have an idea of how many nurses will be off, and the length

of time that we will have no nursing services provided within our hospitals in

the Province.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I think it is important, if the member opposite

were listening to the question in response from my colleague when he talked

about the notice that we received today, I think what the nurses' union have

done is clearly indicated that they are not going to work overtime in certain

circumstances. Because they have clearly indicated in their notice to us that

they will continue to work overtime at the end of their shift. If there is a

nurse assigned a patient load today, at the end of their shift, if they are busy

or they have additional patients, or the person who is coming in to relieve has

not yet arrived, any number of those circumstances, that individual will still

continue to work overtime on that shift.

The direction that we have been given, or the notice that we have been given

from the nurses' union is that if they are on their day off and the

institution or the organization that they are working with gets busy they will

not come in on their day off.

Clearly, this is not a suggestion that they will not work any overtime at

all. They have made a commitment to ensure that the patients that they are

caring for, at any give day, will continue to get the care that they deserve

from the nurse who is on that day if it requires overtime.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Earlier today, a fire was started at another St. John's school, the second

in the past couple of weeks, and reports have indicated that the fire alarm did

not go off.

I ask the minister: Have you been given any information as to why the fire

alarm did not function during this fire at the school this morning?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, for the information of the Opposition Leader, the

information that I have been provided is that there is an investigation ongoing

and there will be a report forthcoming.

I can say that, in that particular building, all fire and life safety codes

that are required were up to par. I can also inform the member opposite that

work was done in that school on those particular items within the 2008 school

year, and it has been inspected several times since then.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the minister says that all of the fire and safety

codes in the school were up to standard, but we already know the alarm did not

go off, so obviously there was a deficiency somewhere.

Mr. Speaker, we raised a number of questions around fire inspections and life

safety inspections in schools in this House of Assembly back in April and May of

last year. The protocol that was being followed by the school boards involved a

checklist that was being filled out by a school representative or custodian who

did not necessarily have any fire safety training whatsoever.

I ask the minister today: Have any of these protocols been changed over the

past year to provide for a more effective and a more accountable process of fire

and life safety inspections in schools?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I did not realize that the Leader of the

Opposition was an expert on fire safety, so I will try and judge my remarks

accordingly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. KING: As I said many times, and I will repeat it again, there have

been regular inspections and regular protocols followed.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the Opposition Leader is well aware that there are

daily inspections and there are annual inspections carried out, not only by

staff at the school level and board staff but by independent staff and

independent professionals who are trained to do these kinds of things.

I will repeat what I said a few moments ago, that all of the codes that are

required by the national building safety code and the fire safety code are

certainly in place for this school in particular.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

You do not need to be an expert to know if an alarm goes off or it does not

go off, Minister, so maybe you need to get trained in how to read sounding

alarms.

A year ago, we pointed out that there were deficiencies that existed within

the current fire inspection system for schools. It is unfortunate that a year

has passed and the government opposite has not been able to do anything with

regard to this process.

I ask the minister: Why is it that you and your government is unprepared to

look at implementing a process that involves detailed inspections conducted by

trained fire officials in schools in Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: I say to the member opposite, you do not have to be an expert

on many things to stand here in this House and ask those kinds of questions. I

just provided an answer to that, that we provide annual inspections and we

provide daily inspections and they are guided by the fire department and they

are guided by experts in the field, and there is not much more I can say to

that, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister also knows that these people are not trained. It is a checklist.

It is on one sheet of paper. It has ten or twelve items. The janitor, the

principal, the teacher, the cafeteria manager, anybody in a school can pick it

up and tick those particular things off. It is not being done by trained

officials from the Fire Commissioner's Office.

Mr. Speaker, the former Director of Education, Mr. Darren Pike, who is

currently the Deputy Minister of Education, committed last year to do a complete

review of the fire inspection process and to provide a report on schools in the

Eastern School District.

I ask today: Was this review ever completed, and if so, could you table a

copy of it in the House of Assembly?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: That is an earful, Mr. Speaker. I say no need to raise your

voice and shout. I can hear the question and I will do my best to answer it for

you.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I will talk about two particular things. One is

that you do not need to be an expert to perform the daily inspections that occur

in schools, Mr. Speaker. There is a checklist of items that have to be followed,

that are outlined by the Building Safety Code and the fire department. You do

not need to be an expert, Mr. Speaker. I suggest the Opposition Leader could

even do it if she wanted to.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the annual inspections are performed -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will conclude by saying that the annual inspections are in fact performed

by experts in the field, Mr. Speaker, people who are trained to go in and assess

fire equipment and fire alarms and fire emergencies and exit doors and all the

kinds of things that are a part of keeping a school safe.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister might stand there and think it's cool to play fast and loose

with life safety issues in schools in this Province, Mr. Speaker, but I

certainly do not feel that way. That is why we have been raising these issues

for over a year.

I ask him again, your deputy minister today, when he was a head and the CEO

of the Eastern School Board, committed to do a review of the schools in that

school district. Was the review ever completed, and will you table it in the

House of Assembly?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I say to the member opposite, that we have an

expectation that all reports and all inspections are performed on a regular

basis, the kinds of inspections that are very extensive and very intrusive.

I say, Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the daily inspections that are

performed in schools, we are talking about inspecting windows and doors and

hallways and the kinds of things that you do not have to be an expert to do.

Mr. Speaker, the annual inspections require more intrusive review. We are

talking about inspecting alarms in the ceiling and wiring and those kinds of

things, and they are performed by experts, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the member opposite, we have invested over $10 million in the last

number of years in life safety issues in schools because we are concerned about

what is happening.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister obviously does not know the answer, maybe check his Blackberry

and the deputy might have e-mailed him the information.

Mr. Speaker, back in June we wrote the Fire Commissioner's Office and asked

that there be fire inspections done in twenty schools in this Province. These

were twenty schools that were reported to our office by individual parents,

students or teachers.

I ask the minister today, if you can confirm whether these inspections had

ever taken place and what were the results of them?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, certainly, I will do my best to provide the member

opposite with as much information as I can for items for which I am responsible.

I have to say that I do not work for the Fire Commissioner; I do not work for

the Opposition Leader. I have never seen a request from the Opposition, so I

cannot respond as to whether the Fire Commissioner has acted appropriately.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe I will direct my question to the Minister of Municipal Affairs because

we did ask the Fire Commissioner's Office to carry out these inspections.

I ask the minister, if she is aware of these inspections ever being done? If

so, what were the results, because we never did hear back from the Fire

Commissioner's Office?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I will repeat once again for the member opposite.

I am obviously - I apologize to the House if I am not communicating clearly. We

are not aware of any such list. If the member opposite would like to provide me

with a list I will certainly endeavour to see if the particular schools

identified have been inspected.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, another week, another school affected by poor

air quality. This time St. Joseph's in Lamaline was closed due to the

discovery of mould. Fortunately, it appears the walls can be replaced and the

students will not be out of school too long. A comprehensive air quality review

could have picked up on this problem and fixed before the school even opened.

I ask the minister: With the continuing discovery of mould in the schools,

will you finally commit to a process that will inspect every school in the

Province.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I think I have responded to the member opposite's

question several days ago on that.

We are certainly very concerned any time we find mould in schools. I am

certainly very aware of the issue at hand and I have personally met with the

school council and the administration of that school. So I certainly do

understand all the details there, and I am certainly well aware that the

appropriate action has been taken, the problem has been rectified, an air

quality test has been completed, and results are expected back by the end of

this week.

I also remind the member that we are still continuing to be committed to air

quality through the process of enhanced inspections, Mr. Speaker, and as a

reminder, those inspections are carried out by professionals in the field.

Professionals like environmental health officers who go in and do very, very

extensive testing of the many assets of a school that could lead to moisture and

lead to mould.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, the only way this issue can be resolved is with

a comprehensive air quality study done.

Mr. Speaker, this summer season is an ideal time to inspect and identify

problems with air quality in the schools.

I ask the minister: What plans does government have to undertake air quality

inspections at the provincial schools during this summer season?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, as I think I have outlined before, we have an

extensive plan in place through the Department of Education, engaging

environmental health officers and others to carry out enhanced inspections and

inspections of building envelopes, and we are following through on a process of

regular inspection working through every school in the Province.

I say to the member opposite, that we will respond as the need arises. If a

district identifies to us a priority or a problem area, as they did just this

week in Lamaline, we will respond immediately.

I say to the member opposite that, clearly, we are taking direction from

experts in the field. From engineers who are trained in this area and they are

well in the position to advise us on what is the appropriate way to best try and

detect air quality issues, Mr. Speaker. It is a process that we have engaged in

right now, and it is a process that we will continue to use.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, earlier in this session I asked the Minister of

Government Services for an update on air quality testing in schools for

asbestos. The alternate minister committed to look into the issue and report

back.

In the 2009 Auditor General's report it was noted that only 28 per cent of

those schools requiring air quality testing had been tested as of April, 2007.

I ask the minister: How many of these schools are still waiting to receive

proper asbestos testing and how long will it take to complete the remaining

inspections?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, just for the benefit of the members opposite, I

think I actually tabled that information last week on a subsequent day to when

the question was asked. All but ten schools were completed as of March 31 last

year, and the other ten excuse me, March 31 of 2009, and the remaining ten

will be done this spring.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Justice.

Minister, I realize that federal sentencing principles are enacted by the

federal authorities; however, we have recently heard several cases of

individuals who were either convicted or facing additional charges for acts they

committed while they were supposed to be on house arrest. The most recent

unfortunate accident occurred over the weekend where a woman was killed in a car

accident near Boyd's Cove.

I ask the minister: Is the house arrest option a viable sentencing option in

your view?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is well aware that

sentences for criminal matters are set out in the Criminal Code of Canada, which

is

an act of the Parliament of Canada, not the Legislature of this Province.

Also, of course, judges assign sentences based on past precedent. As the hon.

member is well aware, under the rule of independence, judges are independent of

the House of Assembly and unfortunately I cannot tell them what they should be

doing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am well aware the minister cannot tell judges what to do. I am well aware

the Criminal Code provisions are federal statutes. I alluded to that in my

preamble. As the Minister of Justice you are responsible for the administration

of justice in this Province. That includes all of the laws, including the

Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker, there are obvious questions related to these instances, such as

whether these individuals were required to wear ankle bracelets to ensure that

they were following court orders to stay within the perimeters of their house

arrest.

I ask the minister: Are monitoring bracelets a part, a requirement, of all

house arrest sentences that are imposed in this Province? If not, do you know

why they are not?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to investigate and check

and provide an answer to the hon. member with respect to his question on the

monitoring bracelets.

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: In addition, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the

minister can tell me: Once a house arrest is imposed as part of a recognizance,

or some sentence, is there a monitoring process in place within our court system

which monitors the activities of these individuals and whether they do, in fact,

stay at home as they are required to do?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I will check with officials and get the

details on that question, and get back to the House.

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is for the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development.

Yesterday, TeleTech call centre announced it would be closing, throwing about

300 people out of work. I ask the minister: Did government have any advance

notice of this closure, and what, if anything, is anticipated will be required

to assist these individuals who are now out of work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SKINNER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, government was advised, as per the Labour Relations Act, through

the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, by TeleTech, the

employer, as is its legislated duty to do so. They gave notice that there will

potentially be layoffs come August month due to a loss of a contract, or a

non-continuation of a contract. That company is in the process of trying to find

other contracts to keep those people employed, and hopefully the layoffs will

not have to come into effect as notice was provided for.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi

Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, last week we in my office received information that an untrained

twentyish-year-old volunteer in the ER at the Health Sciences was stocking

medications, including IV bags containing different medications but with nearly

identical labels. Mr. Speaker, this type of situation is asking for trouble in a

busy emergency room situation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Health and Community Services if he can

confirm if this is a regular practice in hospitals' emergency rooms.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I said in the House earlier in my statement

that we have a $2.6 billion budget in Health. We have some 18,000 employees and

probably 4,000 or 5,000 volunteers. We have 130-odd buildings around the

Province, and she wants to know whether or not I know the work assignments of

volunteers in one of our health facilities.

Mr. Speaker, there is a certain expectation that the people of the Province

should have of what the minister should or should not know about what is going

on in our health system. We have four regional health authorities who have a

legislative mandate to be responsible for the delivery of health programs and

services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have delegated, through that legislation - in fact, the legislation was

passed here in this House of Assembly and members opposite would have voted on

it. That legislation gives them the mandate, the role and responsibility, to

deliver those services. As a minister, I would never know the work assignments

of all of the staff, let alone the some 4,000 or 5,000 volunteers, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi

Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I hope the minister is not making light of what I have just asked, in the

light of what happened with regard to medication that was given by error

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: - in the hospital in Clarenville, because that is the point

of this question.

Does the minister believe that it is proper for untrained volunteers to be

dealing with medications? I am asking does he believe it, and will he check on

the system of volunteering that would have volunteers working in this serious

area?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Now, that is a sensible question. That is not the question

that she asked in the first place. She asked whether I knew, and I do not know.

Now, whether or not we should have volunteers tasked and given certain

responsibilities that are critical to patient care, those where you need a

certain level of training, you need a certain level of understanding, or that

the issue that there is a certain degree of risk and there is a high risk of a

mistake, and if there is a mistake made there is a high risk of some harm to a

patient, in those areas, yes, I would acknowledge that it is inappropriate to

have volunteers involved in those kinds of tasks.

I say, Mr. Speaker, to whether or not I would, as a minister, know that is

taking place, no I would not - which was the subject of her first question. I

was not necessarily mocking the significance of your question. What I was

suggesting was, if you want some information in this House, ask a sensible

question and you will get a sensible answer. I have never been with any

information

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a Statistics Canada study released in 2008 reveals that

medication errors were strongly related to overtime and work stress. Adding into

this mix, the whole mix of untrained individuals restocking IV bags would seem

to be a road map for disaster.

Mr. Speaker, I am asking the minister: What will he do to specifically deal

with the situation that I have described and with this issue? He has not

answered that question.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: In our health system there are four authorities, Mr.

Speaker, that have been extremely successful in recruiting a strong network of

volunteers. Each one of our health organizations has auxiliaries. We have people

who operate gift shops. They have people who provide direct services to

patients. In fact, many of the members up in the gallery today are members of an

auxiliary in the hospital in Clarenville, the one you made reference earlier,

and they do fine work, they do quality work, they are dedicated individuals who

care about the patients they see.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: They care about the quality of care they give and they are

very eager to be an active participant in the delivery of that care and they do

great work. I encourage them, I encourage more to get actively involved, Mr.

Speaker, because we need them in our health system, our communities need them. I

congratulate them and commend them for their commitment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time allotted for questions and answers have expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Tabling of Documents

MR. SPEAKER: In accordance with the House of Assembly Accountability,

Integrity and Administration Act, I hereby table the minutes of the Management

Commission for the March 18, 2009 meeting.

Further tabling of documents?

Notices of Motions.

Answer to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate an opportunity to have a few words on behalf again of the

residents of south western Newfoundland with respect to the lack of dialysis

services in that region. I am still smiling actually, over the Minister of

Health's answer to one of the questions there recently. He is not known to

withhold information he says.

Anyway, we have some difficulty even getting some information from the

minister on this petition because the Town of Port aux Basques met with the

minister in Corner Brook last fall. He committed that, not to solve the problem

but he would at least check into it. He would consider it and get back to them

with what he thought was an appropriate course of action. I do believe that is

some six or seven months ago on the calendar. We have not even gotten a letter

acknowledging that he had the meeting, let alone anything about where we might

go to on a go-forward basis.

Meanwhile, the people who use dialysis in south western Newfoundland, every

where that stretches, from LaPoile up to the Codroy Valley, they make three

trips a week and they continue to make them since last fall, I say to the

minister, three trips a week, nine or ten people at any given time. So you are

looking at hundreds of trips that have been made even since he had the meeting

with the people out in that area and not so much as the courtesy of a letter

acknowledging their concerns. Not a letter even acknowledging their concerns.

Here we are in the meantime; we know we have a facility out there that is

capable of handling the dialysis piece. We still have a piece of work to do.

Exactly what corner you are going to put them in, do you have to take down some

walls and where are you going to situate them, but I am sure within the confines

of the Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Centre we can find enough room to put a

suite that looks after a satellite dialysis machine if that is what is resolved

to be the correct way to go. We also know that the money is available for the

equipment to be used in that facility. We also know that the people out there

want to do it that way, if they have a preference. Nobody likes to be getting

into their vehicle or in a taxi and travelling three times a week from Port aux

Basques to Corner Brook or Stephenville and back again in all kinds of nasty

weather.

By the way, we can get them in other places in this Province, with the same

types of numbers, in the Carbonear area, in the St. Anthony area, and the Grand

Bank area. We can do it all there but yet Port aux Basques has had this need and

been crying out with this need for some time now and no, we cannot even get the

- at least addressed, not even asking for the equipment like these other areas

and the training, the nurses are prepared to be trained. It would take somewhere

between, around eight weeks, I understand for the basic training, and then there

has to be some additional two to four weeks clinical training. We have the

staff, no doubt, who are prepared to commit to do that. They are concerned about

providing the service to people as well. Yet, this government won't even

listen and respond to a letter.

The costing issue: We have never ever gotten into what it cost. So far, the

government of this Province spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxi

fares. Now, the medication costs, the training costs, the nursing costs, the

technician costs, and so on, are all the same. Whether they do it Stephenville,

whether they do in Port aux Basques, or do it in Corner Brook, those costs are

static. They don't change. When it comes to the transportation costs to get

the patients from their homes to that facility, of course it does cost a good

deal more.

We have a taxi fare which is costing about $100 a day to each person.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask members to my left for their cooperation. Thank you.

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate your intervention. It is hard to hear oneself speak here in this

House sometimes, given the government members carrying on their private

conversations.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to conclude his remarks.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate your intervention again, because my time is up and it is time

for me to sit down. I will be back on the petition again as long as the House is

open in the next two or three years.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions.

The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure today to stand with another petition from the residents of

Triton and Long Island and all the communities in that particular area. The

people, not only on the island itself, have signed petitions, but petitions were

placed in various communities and it is a pleasure to stand and present those

petitions.

Someone asked me recently, why do I present petitions on behalf of the people

in that particular area. Number one, it is because I am the critic for

Transportation and they send them in. I know my hon. colleague from Signal

Hill-Quidi Vidi, the Leader of the Third Party, has received petitions and I am

sure MHAs from the area receive petitions. I know my hon. colleague from Signal

Hill has some to present. The reason I present them is because I am the critic

for Transportation. You do it, not because they are in your constituency, but

you do it because they are people with legitimate concerns. They send in

petitions and therefore you stand and present them.

The issue involved here, Mr. Speaker there were two things they were

asking for; a replacement ferry or a fixed link. The bottom line with their

petition is asking that a fixed link would be constructed between Long Island

and Pilley's Island.

They have good legitimate reasons for it. Number one, they say even with a

new ferry that is one issue, but they are saying it is more feasible for

government if they went with a fixed link. No doubt about it, it is a tremendous

task whichever way they go. They are saying that the replacement of the ferry

service with a fixed link is the ideal situation. They have some major concerns

being isolated, concerns with regard to hospitals, schooling, transportation of

goods from the fish plant there, and this is the reason they present those

petitions.

Not only that, they were promised a fixed link, the Long Island Causeway,

back on August 5, 2003; however, that was, I guess, placed back on the back

burner due to financial reasons but we know now the situation that we find

ourselves in, and we know there are many needs, but I believe once a promise has

been made then consideration should be given when the time arises and government

finds itself in a better financial position.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure today to stand and present another petition

on behalf of the residents, that government will immediately undertake measures

to construct a fixed link. I know the minister has agreed to meet with them, but

he told me a few minutes ago I think it had to be cancelled due to weather

conditions.

That is good news, to know that they are willing to sit down with the

committee and discuss the issue. Who knows? Maybe something will come from it;

but, Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure just to be able to stand and present another

petition on behalf of those residents.

Thank you very much.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions.

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate an opportunity to have a few words and deliver a petition to

this hon. House on behalf of the residents of Ramea, Francois and Grey River,

and that is with respect to the lack of nurse practitioners at the medical

clinic in Ramea, which services those communities not only through the clinic

but also through coastal clinics.

The clinic calls for a quota of two nurse practitioners, but for many, many

months now they have only had the one and have been unable to recruit the other.

There have been several options attempted to alleviate the situation. I must

say, we get good co-operation from the site facilitator in Burgeo, Ms Porter.

She tries her best - and the officials, of course, from Western - but sometimes

it is a policy issue that prevents it from happening. I understand there is

actually a shortage of four nurse practitioners in the Western district and you

might not notice it as much.

For example, there is one in Port aux Basques, a vacancy. There is a vacancy

in Stephenville and there is a vacancy in Corner Brook. Now, if you are down a

nurse practitioner in a place like Corner Brook or Stephenville or Port aux

Basques, you might not notice it, I would think, as much as you would notice it

in a facility where you only have two, and nobody else. You do not have doctors,

you do not have RNs, you do not have LPNs, and you do not have other nurse

practitioners to fill the gap. In the Town of Ramea you only have the two. There

is no one else. So, once you are down, you are down 50 per cent of your working

quota right there, and that is the problem, so the urgency is obviously far

greater if you are trying to replace one person who is 50 per cent of your

workload, vis--vis trying to replace one person who might be 0.2 per cent of

your workforce. That is why it is so significant that we try to have an

appropriate policy which allows adequate recruitment and retention for a person

there.

The current policy of the government for recruitment and retention only

applies if you are a new graduate or if you are someone from outside the

Province coming in. It has been suggested that maybe a solution here would be to

extend that in the case of rural communities so that the recruitment bonus that

is given could be given to anyone.

If you are, for example, a nurse practitioner in this Province, you may be

retired, you maybe have vacation time that you are prepared to go work in Ramea,

at least if the bonus were provided for a person to go there, someone in that

capacity, retired, may be desirous of going there, but there is no incentive

right now for them to do that.

If the incentive programming is good enough to use in other areas in the

Province, in urban areas and wherever we have shortages sometimes it is for

a specialist, sometimes it is for nurses, sometimes, in this case, it is for

nurse practitioners why would we not make the policy fit the circumstances,

particularly when you have these small, rural communities in our Province?

That is what is being suggested here. It is being put forward to the

officials at Western, and they said they would see that was passed on to the

Department of Health and hopefully those decisions can be made, because they

cannot be made by the people in Western. They have to be made by the policy

makers themselves, which would fall not at the board level in Western

Newfoundland but at the department level, at least, in Confederation Building in

here in St. John's.

That has been conveyed to the minister and, again, we hope he at least reads

the correspondence and pays some attention to it. We cannot say we have a good

track record with this minister in terms of responding. It is one thing to have

a problem. It is appreciated if you know that your problem is at least

acknowledged, and even that has not happened.

I am sure the minister has enough staff that he could acknowledge the

existence of the problem and give some indication of what he intends to look at,

or the timelines in which he intends to look at it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions.

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move Motion 10, pursuant to Standing Order 11, that the House not adjourn

at 5:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

Further to that, Mr. Speaker, I move Motion 11, pursuant to Standing Order

11, that the House not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that this House do not adjourn at 5:30 o'clock

today, Tuesday, May 12.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Nay.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.

Motion carried.

MR. SPEAKER: The further motion that the House do not adjourn at 10:00 o'clock

p.m. today, Tuesday, May 12.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Nay.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.

Motion carried.

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I will do some of the third readings we have.

I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board, third reading of a bill,

An Act To Repeal The Labrador Transportation

Initiative Fund Act, Bill 5, and that this bill be now read a third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 5 be now read a third

time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 5,

An Act To

Repeal The Labrador Transportation Initiative Fund Act, be now read a third

time?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

The motion is carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To

Repeal The Labrador Transportation Initiative Fund Act . (Bill 5)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 5 has now been read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Repeal The Labrador Transportation

Initiative Fund 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.

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board, that Bill 6, An

Act To Amend The Pensions Funding Act, be now read a third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 6 be now read a third

time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 6,

An Act To

Amend The Pensions Funding Act, be now read a third time?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

The motion is carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Pensions Funding Act. (Bill 6)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 6 has now been read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Pensions Funding Act," read

a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 6)

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to call, from the Order Paper, Order

2, the Concurrence Motion.

We will continue our debate from the Estimates Committee and we will hear

from the Social Services Committee.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the Concurrence debate for the Social

Services Committee be concurred.

The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today in the House and speak to the Social

Services Committee, Concurrence debate. I would just like to take a moment to

recognize those members who were involved in the Estimates: the Member for Port

de Grave; the Member for Grand Bank; the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au

Clair; the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the Member for Burgeo &

LaPoile; the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's; the Member for Port au

Port; and the Member for St. Barbe.

Mr. Speaker, in the Estimates Committee, the Social Services Committee, we

looked at the Departments of Municipal Affairs, Health and Community Services,

Education, Human Resources, Labour and Employment, and Justice. In that process,

Mr. Speaker, the Committee had an opportunity, obviously, to go through the

Estimates as presented by this government for the year 2009-2010, and as well,

to look back at the actuals for the last fiscal year 2008-2009.

Indeed, we had some very good sessions and an opportunity for all involved to

ask specific questions related to budgets, line items in terms of departments,

strategic direction the Province has taken, policies identified that government

is pursuing, and how the Budget allocations for the prior fiscal year and for

the coming fiscal year will certainly fit into the direction that government is

taking.

Again, I thank all the members for their participation, as well for the

ministers and for their staff, for what they brought to discussions and

certainly the detail that they provided in our session.

Mr. Speaker, first I want to speak to various items of the Budget in my time

allotted, but first I would just like to highlight some of the issues and items

that were identified as we went through with our Social Services Estimates

Committee. I will just touch on Municipal Affairs. Certainly, there was

discussion in regards to Municipal Operating Grants, there was discussion in

terms of Waste Management Strategy this government is pursuing, and as well as

terms of investment in Robin Hood Bay, and in terms of that in the role it is

going to play in terms of the future Waste Management Strategy as a central

point.

Also, discussion about the gas tax program in terms of funding through that

and how that layout works and how it will work in the future. Certainly, through

Municipal Affairs, the discussion on the Fire Commissioner's Office,

discussion on the 911 service, and discussion on the Expression of Interest by

the government and looking to see how we will move forward with that as a

government, in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As well as discussion

on Crown lands, municipal boundaries, various issues related to incorporations,

towns, local service districts, and in terms of items, what is important to them

and questions in terms of Crown lands.

As I said, we talked about the federal tax program in terms of the transfer

of federal monies and how money is directed towards the Waste Management

Strategy now that the Province is moving forward with; a whole array of issues,

no doubt, in terms of municipal affairs. We have so many towns and local service

districts around the Province, and no doubt, many volunteers and the role they

play in supporting our communities, giving up their time to work with

government, with local governance. They certainly do an outstanding job and it

is certainly a tribute to our communities and to our Province that we have these

people that do the work they do.

We know there are municipal elections coming up again in the fall and we

certainly hope that a lot of those individuals out there will continue to put

themselves forward for election to help run our towns and cities. As well, we

have new people coming forward, because indeed, it is a rewarding experience

these days, no doubt. With the initiatives of this government and some of the

things we are able to do with funding, with capital expenditures, with

infrastructure, we are allowing and helping, especially rural communities and

rural towns, to build infrastructure, to rebuild roads, water and sewer, a whole

range of infrastructure, to help sustain and build those communities.

The initiative in last year's Budget, certainly the 90-10 ratio for many

smaller communities and towns in terms of accessing municipal funding and what

those smaller towns needed to put in, 10 per cent. I have certainly seen in my

district, and I know talking to some of my other colleagues, they have certainly

seen it as well. This allows those smaller communities and towns to step forward

and be able to access funding, to build on their infrastructure needs, the type

of things they need to do in their community to maintain and to build on their

older communities, which is so important, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as well, Health and Community Services Estimates, the Committee

went through a whole range of items there. If you went through the Budget, Mr.

Speaker, anybody, in terms of the investment that has been made by this

government in Health and Community Services, just overall, it is just

tremendous. New initiatives every year in terms of the spending we are doing,

and continues what this government has done since it has come to power in terms

of looking at what we are spending, where we are spending it in our social

programs.

If you look at the Province's overall expenditures and where we expend the

Public Treasury, 37.4 per cent of the Treasury is directed annually to the

health care sector and that has continued to be increased over the past number

of years. Again, this year in the Budget it was increased again so that we can

deal with an array of issues, whether it is infrastructure, whether it is

service in our hospitals, whether it is how we pay our health care workers to

ensure they are competitive and to ensure they are duly awarded for the service

they provide in our health care sector right through.

The other parts of the social sector; I mentioned the health care sector was

37.4 per cent; other parts of the social sector are 13 per cent. If you add

those up, almost half of the public Treasury is directed to the social sector.

Education is over 21 per cent in terms of the investment, and once again this

year this Budget recognized the importance of education, our young people, as

well as post-secondary, and we continue to invest and put substantial dollars

into the field of education, which is so important.

Mr. Speaker, in terms of Health and Community Services we also spoke of

Memorial University in terms of expansion of the medical school and certain

enhancements there in terms of providing seats available, investments in the

medical school and trying to be competitive. We know there are challenges right

across North America, not only in this Province, not only in Canada but right

across North America, in terms of attracting and securing the health care

professionals we need, and this government is working diligently to do that.

Again, we are seeing that in this year's Budget.

Mr. Speaker, this Committee also looked at the Estimates for Education.

Again, we have seen a Budget that continues to invest in education, as I have

mentioned. The range of issues we discussed: we talked about mental health

issues in our schools, substance abuse, the challenges with that, and programs

that assist with that. We talked about the White Paper report and the

investments that we have seen because of that, approximately $136 million to

follow through on those initiatives. We talked about the Skills Task Force, the

recommendations of that, the ISP report, the new teachers' allocation and, as

well, the skilled trades program and, as well, the fact that the marketing board

was moved to the West Coast. An array of issues, Mr. Speaker, in terms of

education, a lot of good discussion on that in the Estimates Committee.

As well, Human Resources, Labour and Employment, one that I am a little

familiar with as Parliamentary Secretary to Human Resources, Labour and

Employment, a whole array of positive initiatives we have seen in that

department over the past number of years, and again this year we have seen in

the Budget.

There was discussion in our Estimates Committee in regard to the Workplace

Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. We had discussions on the appeal

process, certainly service delivery. We also talked about the Vibrant

Communities program, the Labour Market Agreement, the devolution of that

agreement which will see the EI component of that for training transferred to

the Province under a devolution agreement in November of this year, which would

come under the administration of the Province. Many jurisdictions in Canada have

already worked out that agreement. Newfoundland and Labrador, we will be going

there this fall and certainly allow us as a Province to specifically look at our

labour market and direct our training through that fund to what is required here

in the Province, either regionally or provincially.

Right now it is run under national, I guess, incentives or directions in

terms of what is needed, but with this devolution it will certainly allow us to

direct our program to what the labour market requires in this Province. As I

said, that could be locally, it could be regionally, it could be provincially,

but the point is that we can now direct those training initiatives to what we

identify is needed, and most importantly what our labour market identifies as

what is needed.

Mr. Speaker, we also spoke of income support, certainly in terms of many

additions made to that in various budgets and again this year, and in terms of

the results we are having. I will speak to that shortly, Mr. Speaker, in terms

of what we are seeing in terms of reduction in income support and helping those

transition and bridge into the workplace, those that are on income support and

government providing assistance, a hand up in terms of moving into the workplace

and certainly having success. I will speak to that shortly, Mr. Speaker.

A whole range of items that we went through and talked about. We talked about

the immigration sponsorship program, the success that is having. No doubt it is

important as well from a labour market perspective. Traditionally, I guess, we

have seen that immigrants who come to our Province, who initially land here,

have a tendency over the years - we could not retain them. We are seeing some

positive results in terms of that changing. We are seeing a higher percentage of

immigrants that come to this Province are indeed making this their place of

choice to stay and to be part of our communities which, as well, is so important

and plays a key role in our economy. In many areas, as we know, whether it is

the social sector or other sectors, there is often expertise and knowledge,

people that we do not have, and through an immigration program certainly that is

a key element to allow us to identify and to make those people available to us.

Mr. Speaker, the final area we looked at was Justice and a whole range of

items there in terms of the investments that have been made in prior years, and

continue to make in terms of infrastructure, in terms of the justice system. As

I said, a whole range of items we went through that were of importance and we

had very good discussions on that.

Mr. Speaker, just a few general comments in terms of this year's Budget.

This is my third budget in terms of sitting in this hon. House, being elected by

the people of Ferryland for the first time in February, 2007. For the last two

years I have had the privilege of chairing the Social Services Committee of the

Estimates. It is certainly a process where you come to understand and get

insight into a massive budgetary process in terms of what services are provided

by this Province and what job government has to provide.

I mentioned the amount of expenditures in areas like health care and

education; a tremendous amount of expenditures. We have continued to increase

those expenditures to try and provide the services for Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians as they so richly deserve. I think we are doing that, and we are

certainly meeting the needs.

Mr. Speaker, we know over the past year that globally, not only nationally

but in North America and around the world, we have had an economic downturn. In

the commodity markets, we have certainly seen a decline. When we look at our

Province and our natural resources, the commodity market affects us, no doubt.

We have seen that in terms of the mining industry, obviously the pulp and paper

industry, and the fishing industry. Yet, because of some of the direction this

government has taken when times were good, in terms of getting our economic

house in order, and in terms of royalties and other revenue generators we have

had, we have seen fit to invest that, starting programs, not just this year but

in prior years, in terms of infrastructure and investment. We have done that and

we are seeing the benefit of the day, when you see a Province like Newfoundland

and Labrador not being as economically hard hit as other parts of this country.

I remember reading a while back, that economists were talking about

Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador being probably a couple of provinces

that would do best in terms of weathering some of the challenges that are out

there. Who would have thought that ten years ago, Mr. Speaker? We are doing that

and we are doing it quite well.

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of initiatives that this government have

taken, and certainly continue to do in this Budget. Infrastructure, in terms of

municipal infrastructure and so forth, has been quite significant. We have seen

that in terms of announcements: an $800 stimulus package or overall

infrastructure spending by this government in all facets, in health care, in

education, in roads infrastructure, and right through, in all the needs of the

Province.

Mr. Speaker, there is one area I wanted to speak to, and we often hear

discussion on it in this House and outside. It is an issue that is related to

the Poverty Reduction Strategy started by this government a couple of years ago.

That was to look at, not specifically through one department, but more or less

through everything we do in terms of all departments and how we can take

initiatives in terms of reducing poverty and ensuring those in our society that

need assistance get that and they are given an opportunity to move forward, and

whether it is Income Support, through transition or to move forward into the

workplace, and be part and share in the prosperity we have in this Province, so

that all can share in that prosperity.

This takes a long-term, an integrated approach, to prevent and reduce and

alleviate poverty. It is not a quick fix, it is strategic identified with

financial commitments over a long period of time, and we are making improvements

in that. We have an annual investment now of about $132 million into that

strategy and we are seeing results.

We are seeing results in all available measures of low income. We are seeing

a reduction in the number of people living on low income. We are seeing a

decrease in depth of persistent of poverty and an improved ranking relative to

other provinces. Relative to what has been on in other provinces, we are seeing

success. Again, when we look at - there are 9,000 fewer people on Income Support

compared to 2003. Since August 2006, over 4,000 Income Support clients have gone

to work as of December 31, 2008. That is a result of a whole suite of packages

under the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

So, are there challenges, is there more to do? Yes, indeed there is, Mr.

Speaker, but no doubt, we are committed and we continue to put money into the

Budget, as I said, across a range of departments to continue to meet the needs.

Mr. Speaker, the other one I wanted to speak to was seniors, and some of the

things we are doing for seniors in that regard. Again, this year we have made a

number of investments which will help seniors, including $7.5 million to change

the financial assessment model for home support, and $3 million for social

housing units for low-income seniors. They will also benefit again from

significant expansion of Low Income Tax Reduction, which we started a couple of

years ago and continued to build on it this year. So there are more actual

dollars remain in seniors' pockets to assist them; some who, as we know, are

on fixed incomes.

Again, this year, I think we invested somewhere in the amount of $17 million

for a Home Heating Rebate program. I know a lot of seniors in my district avail

of the Home Repair Program through Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, and that

had additional funding added to it over the past number of years. So those are

initiatives, a few of them. There are many that help our seniors.

I have had the opportunity in my district to work with a whole array of

seniors' groups that are doing great work, in terms of our wellness program

and through the Department of Health and Community Services, and assistance from

that department with our seniors, in terms of getting them out, getting them

active. Not only from the perspective of recreation, but certainly from the

perspective of socializing and getting out there and meeting as a group.

Mr. Speaker, finally, I just wanted to comment before my time is up, on a

program that is run through the Department of Justice, the Inland Fish

Enforcement Program. I have had in my district a couple of groups that I have

met with over the past several months, and certainly speak very highly of the

program, the Inland Fish Enforcement Program, and talk to me of the fact about -

one in particular, I met a while back with the Renews River Conservation

Association, myself and my colleague, the hon. Minister of Tourism, Culture and

Recreation met with the group. One of the things they said to us was: What an

investment you made when you stepped up and got involved with that program. We

have seen tremendous results because of that. The Renews River now, in terms of

where it was before this and where it is now, they say has been substantial.

That is due to the volunteers, the people that are involved with it, but no

doubt, as well, through the program ran through the Department of Justice and

the ability of that program is certainly worthwhile.

The other group I wanted to mention, Mr. Speaker, is a group that was just

recently formed, the Witless Bay and Area Conservation Group that again, has

been involved with the Inland Fish Enforcement Program, speaks quite highly of

it. A quote from one of their pamphlets, I guess the last one they did. They

say: We have worked successfully with the IFEP to help prevent poaching in the

sea trout and salmon rivers along the Southern Shore. So, no doubt

MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): Order, please!

I remind the hon. member that his time for speaking has expired.

MR. HUTCHINGS: Leave to clue up, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, just to clue up, just one of those programs that I thought I

would identify, that I have worked with various residents on. There is a whole

suite of initiatives and programs, certainly, that are relative to my district

that are in the Budget, but I tried to give an overview, I guess, of the

Estimates of our Social Services Committee, where we are.

I again thank the members who participated, it certainly went well. With

that, I conclude my remarks, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure to be able to stand today with reference to the debate in

concurrence with regard to the Social Services Committee. As my hon. colleague

mentioned, he listed the departments that are covered under that Committee:

Human Resources, Labour and Employment, Municipal Affairs, Justice, Education,

and Health and Community Services. I have to say that I did not attend the

meetings with regard to Justice or Health and Community Services but I did take

in the other three, being the critic for them, and I have to say that not only

myself but all members on the Committee received the greatest respect, the way

the issues were handled and, when we presented our questions, how they

responded.

I guess when you go to the Estimates Committee there are two steps to the way

it is handled. First is the line-by-line items where we see what government

proposed and revised and the proposed budget for this year, and it takes into

different categories like salaries, transportation, purchased services,

supplies, property, furnishings and equipment, allowances and assistance. Then,

outside of that, we go into, I guess, our questioning period. I have to say that

- not speaking for the other members you usually have twenty-five, thirty or

forty questions for the minister, or the minister can pass it along to members

of their staff. I have to say, like I said when I began, we received the

greatest co-operation from the ministers and their staff and I want to thank all

those who were involved.

Sometimes when you ask questions, there are many times that the questions

probably cannot be answered right on the spur of the moment, but I have to say -

and I want to reference this; I was going to say it yesterday but time ran out

and I did not get a chance to speak to the Government Services Committee - I

wanted to note that the minister himself for Government Services, I know we

asked several questions and he assured me that he would go and try to get those

answers for me. I have to say, before that day was over I had a sheet, and as a

matter of fact I have them here, with all the answers to the questions that were

asked and he did not have the answers right at his fingertips.

That does not always happen, but I am sure the other ministers who were

involved in this particular Committee dealt the same way as the minister that I

just referred to. I have to say, it is not easy answering questions, I guess,

because you do not know what is coming to you. If you have thirty-five or forty

questions, the majority of the time they can answer them. I will be honest with

you; it is not easy all the time asking questions. From time to time when you

stand in the House, like I did last week, it is not easy when you read the same

one twice. From time to time we do run into problems like that.

When we get into debate, I know I have heard many members mention what is

happening in their districts. We have not heard all the announcements yet, I

guess, but I know there will be good news for each and every one of us, what is

coming down from this year's Budget. Some of it has been announced and more of

it has not. From time to time we hear individuals make comments about in their

districts there is nothing done over the last fourteen or fifteen years, it was

all doom and gloom, but I can assure you there are many issues that have

happened in their districts under previous Administrations of all political

stripes.

Then we hear people talking about how times have changed since 2003, with the

debt reduction and so on. That is true, Mr. Speaker, times have changed, but we

have to realize - I have said this before and I am going to say it again, and

many members on the government side have admitted, as they have been speaking

over the short period of time during this session - it is true that there are

many projects that started under previous Administrations that the funds began

to flow since 2003 and that is why we find ourselves in such a wonderful

financial position here in the Province. It helps each and every one of us to

know that infrastructure can be done. We heard an announcement yesterday by the

Minister of Transportation how a new funding agreement had been signed with the

federal government, and what that means to our Province, some $300 million-plus

coming through that.

What I am going to do, Mr. Speaker, is just touch on some of the issues that

I have brought forward, whether it is in the Estimates or whether it is in

Question Period or in various other mediums with regard to the issues within

those particular departments that are mentioned under that particular Committee.

The first one I am going to touch on is with Health and Community Services.

Mr. Speaker, there are many issues that we have presented to us from

constituents. They are not stories that we just bring up for the sake of

bringing them up, but we find ourselves in a very difficult position in this

Province. Many people have said it is a crisis situation. I have said it myself,

and we find ourselves only today I received an e-mail from a lady who is

working in the profession as a nurse, who works in the ICU and the ER in the

particular area of the Province that I come from.

They find themselves in a very difficult situation. She told me that any

given pay period there are three different shifts where she has to double the

shifts and has to stay on, and they find it very difficult, very tiring. I

believe, Mr. Speaker, that is why many of the people, many of the incidents that

are happening in our health care system are because those people are stressed;

there is a lack of professionals in different fields.

This young lady went on to say - and I am just going to quote what she did

say - she made a comment, and she was referring to all the hours she has to put

in and be away from her family. She said: It is better to work like a dog than

to be treated like one.

That is a sad statement for anyone to make, and that is how she feels. She is

a professional who finds it very difficult, with a shortage of people within the

system, and that is what they are saying.

I had another gentleman who came to St. John's for open heart surgery. He

had the same operation approximately ten years ago. He came to St. John's and

had all the work done and was supposed to be operated on; however, it got

cancelled and he was sent back home. A week-and-a-half after, he was called

again. He came in and everything was done, he was prepped for the O.R., and he

had his family home from the mainland. Lo and behold, before he went to the O.R.,

he got word: I am sorry; we do not have any beds available.

That man was sent back home. Five days after he went home, he was rushed to

Carbonear Hospital and it was only, I guess, a miracle that he got there in

time. I think it was four or five days after that he was transferred to St. John's

for his surgery and, I can assure you, he went through a very difficult time. It

all had to do with a shortage of staff, nurses not being available to help in

the various components of the ER or the ICU units.

Mr. Speaker, another issue I have brought up several times when it comes to

health in our Province - and I know government has been trying to recruit

doctors. I can honestly tell you, the clinic that I attend in Spaniard's Bay,

I think in the past two-and-a-half years I have had myself nine general

practitioners. It is not that I am hard on them, or anything like that, but let

me assure you the issue is they come from other countries and I can honestly say

they are good, trained individuals, if we could only keep them. If we could find

the means to keep them, but they come here, they are from different cultures,

and once the I call it the probationary period. It is like when you go into

construction. If you go on a job, if you pass the first thirty or forty-five

days they will keep you on. Unfortunately, they come here, they are very skilled

individuals, but they want to move to the larger centres, whether it is Ontario

or out west, where there are more people of their particular culture. That is

sad. We are losing those people. I do not know if anything can be done about

that, but that is the situation.

I have heard the minister answering questions when it comes to the pandemic.

The plan is in place and everything seems to be fine. I remember back in 2006 -

and I have been trying to find the information and maybe once I say this someone

will provide it to me - there was a $4.6 million plan for emergency and pandemic

planning. If I am not mistaken, in that

article it said that there would be

anywhere from thirty-five to fifty nurses who would be hired totally for that

situation if it should arise. They would be hired totally for that reason. I am

wondering if those people are actually in place. Because we have such a shortage

in nurses, I am just wondering if that ever panned out to the point that we do

have that taken care of.

Another issue I have brought up several times, and hopefully in the near

future something can be done about it, that is with regards to the oxygen

program for many of our seniors. They find themselves in a very difficult

situation being unable to afford the fees, the cost that they have to encounter

at home.

One of the other departments under that Committee was the Department of

Education. There are many issues I guess we bring forward from time to time and

we hear that new schools are being built this year, and that is wonderful good

news. We know that the announcements were made quite a few times but, put all

that aside, it is good to see those new schools.

One of the key issues that I bring forward from time to time is school bus

safety. I know that through the Estimates with Government Services, which was

the other committee, and through the Department of Education who have their own

fleet of buses through the school board, that is a serious situation. I know it

was brought up by the Auditor General back in 2004 and again in 2008 about some

issues with regards to inspections of the school buses. As I have stated to the

minister during our Estimates meetings, I told him some of the stories that I

received from bus drivers who have major concerns with regards to the buses that

they drive. The inspections are done and after the inspection is done, even to

some points where the equipment is changed again because they have different

numbers of buses and once the inspectors leave the issue has gone back to what

it was.

Even today with regards to air quality, and I know government deals with the

issues as they arise, but why I bring forward the comprehensive air quality

program, I believe, Mr. Speaker, that during the summer months when school is

closed what a better time to check our schools. Whether they all can be done in

one school season when it is closed, that is to be debated I guess, but if we

had that done, at least then when school is in session we would not have to

close the schools down, whether it is for a week, two or three weeks, and the

children are interrupted from their schooling, had to be transported to other

places, and so on. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, there are schools in my area

where children and parents have complained about various illnesses that they

encounter. Whether it is problems with their eyes, with breathing and so on. I

think there should be a comprehensive air quality study done.

Mr. Speaker, another issue with regards to the Department of Education. I

know the school councils and parents feel that they can be more actively

involved with regards to when it comes to gathering information and being a part

of the process. That is how they feel. They have spoken out on several

occasions, and hopefully, something can be done to look after their situation so

that they can bring forward the concerns. It is like anything else, it is like

when we talk about the fishery, who better to listen to than the fishers

themselves? Who better to listen to when it comes to problems that they see

within a system, whether it is right or wrong? At least, who better to bring it

forward than the parents through their school councils?

Another issue, Mr. Speaker, with the schools is with regards to drugs and

bullying. I know the department and the boards have taken various initiatives to

try to correct this problem. I know some of the schools have surveillance

cameras installed and so on. We hear talk of more today, about how some of the

schools go through lockdowns, how they are doing various drills and so on.

I think it was a school on the Burin Peninsula recently, where they had a

seminar. They all dressed with the same colour on, and they all took a pledge

that there would be no bullying in their schools. I think that is what has to be

done, because whether we believe it or not and I can assure you, I am only

speaking for the district that I represent. There are major problems when it

comes to drugs being on the school grounds. I know the teachers and the board,

and the education cannot deal with that, but collectively with the parents I

think something has to be done, because I have a concern that something major is

going to happen. When you hear talk of a junior high school with so much drugs

that is being passed around and some young kids being caught with it in their

class and so on, I think it has to come together. People have to come together

to correct this issue. It is not an easy one, it is not an easy issue to take

care of, but something has to be done.

Bullying is another concern, no doubt about it. I have heard talk of

incidents in the area that I represent, where kids from time to time will not go

to school because they are being bullied. I know a teacher cannot control that.

They are there to teach. I do not know if a system can be put in place where we

can have people go in the schools and help patrol the area. Mr. Speaker, it is

an issue, and it is an issue that has to be dealt with. We see it on the TV

screens now, and God forbid if it should happen in our little Province, but we

see it on the mainland, we see it in other provinces and hopefully, we can do

something that that will not happen here.

Also, under that particular department was the Municipal Affairs. There are

many issues we bring forward from time to time. Nonetheless, I guess, is the

waste management. Major things are happening throughout our Province. We hear

talk of the changes that are happening in Robin Hood Bay. We know that has to

happen. We know that is all good, but we also have to listen to concerns of the

various councils, not only in my district but throughout this Province. It is a

tremendous cost to those people and they are going to have to raise their fees

tremendously.

As I said before, we sent out a survey to many municipalities and dozens and

dozens of them replied back. I cannot say we heard from them all, but small,

medium and large local service districts replied back. That was one of their

main issues. We know this has to be done but the cost of it is going to be

crippling to us. The fees that they charge their residents, some of them are

going to double; some of them are going to triple.

We also have the issue with the teepees and incinerators. We know many of

those have closed over the years. They have closed down and that has to be done,

but there are some towns that have asked that they would remain open. I think

there was one in the Port aux Basques area recently. They have to remain open

for a little longer period of time.

Another issue is there are many communities I should not say many, I

suppose, but there are communities in our area where the waste, the garbage is

going to have to be transported by ferries from the towns where they live to

some other area. Let me assure you, that is going to be a costly venture for

those individuals.

Then we have water quality, one of the key areas, I guess, within our

Province. We know that we have many, many communities. If I am not mistaken,

there are 200-plus towns in our Province now that are under boil order. From

time to time we know that issues can develop where there can be, I guess,

individual errors made. It is very important. We have seen a couple of incidents

over the past few years where that has happened.

Another issue is with regard to the provincial emergency plan. I know the

department, the former Minister of Municipal Affairs, gave a report on this, and

the present minister the same way. Many municipalities are being prepared for

this emergency plan that government is asking to implement. I just forget how

many years it is they have to finalize their plans, but I have to say that the

communities in my area, I think each and every one of them, are on side. They

have a plan in place. All municipalities, the search and rescue people, the fire

departments, they are all working in conjunction with each other, and I have to

say that is what has to be done, but I am just wondering how far along are we

throughout this Province with that issue?

Another area that came up during our Estimates with the department was a

transfer of Crown land to municipalities. The municipalities applied to

government to have Crown lands turned over to them because they found that this

was a way to stimulate growth and attract business to their towns.

Government will transfer lands to the municipalities if it is used for roads

and other infrastructure needs within the town, but I think the message has gone

out that they will not turn Crown land over to municipalities just for the sake

of them taking it and trying to entice business people to come in. Government

will still sell this property at a fair market value, but I know when I attended

the municipalities convention this was one of the key issues that they brought

up. They thought it would be very important to municipalities in many areas in

rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Unfortunately, I know they went back and were

supposed to provide other information to the Minister of Municipal Affairs but

that has not transpired and the word that I have received is that this will not

take place.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity. I know my time has expired and

I look forward to presenting again later on.

Thank you very much.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Chair of Committees.

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker I am pleased today to be able to rise in this House and offer

some comments on the meetings of the Estimates Committee, the Social Services

Committee, of which I was a member. In doing so I would like to, as well, along

with the Chairman, the Member for Ferryland, thank the various Cabinet ministers

and their officials, who attended these meetings, the minister and department

officials from the Department of Education as well as the Department of Human

Resources, Labour and Employment, the Department of Municipal Affairs, the

Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Community Services.

Mr. Speaker, I always am impressed by the ability of the ministers to be on

top of so many different components in their departments. One of the things I

have found in these hearings was that the ministers personally were able to

respond to all of the questions, or most of the questions, asked by the

Committee members. In some cases they had to defer to their officials, as you

would expect them to do, but in a lot of cases they answered most of the

questions themselves, which speaks volumes for the ministers and their

capabilities, and the fact that they are on top of things in their department.

That was impressive because, when you look at some of the figures in those

departments, in the Department of Education we were dealing with revenues of

$1,234,234,000. That is a lot of money for a minister to be on top of and to be

able to answer so many questions as asked by the Committee members.

With Human Resources, Labour and Employment we were looking at an expenditure

budget of $292 million; with Municipal Affairs, $214 million; Justice, $222

million; and Health and Community Services, $2.6 billion. That is a lot of

money, Mr. Speaker, to be responsible for and to be able to answer so many

questions from the other side and from Committee members with respect to

individual expenditures and specific expenditures of the department.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out at this time that the procedure at

these Estimates meetings is very relaxed but also very detailed. The Committee

members ask questions of the government - mostly Opposition members - they ask

questions of the government and it is all done in a collegial, respectful

atmosphere. The information given is very informative. There is no political

pandering, or very little of it. As much time as necessary, as needed, is taken

to respond to the question. In fact, Mr. Speaker, in the Estimates of the

Department of Health and Community Services we had to come back for a second

session.

In situations where the ministers or their officials do not have the

information on hand they give undertakings to provide it, and some of the

information requested by Committee members is pretty detailed and they want

individual breakdowns. Certainly, the Committee members in all cases were very

satisfied with the level of detail given in the information by the various

departments. Also, I should mention that some of this stuff is done line by

line, so it is very specific and very detailed.

I mention that because the hon. Opposition House Leader, in his presentation

yesterday, suggested strongly that these meetings should be televised. In fact,

I think I have heard the Opposition members say over a number of occasions that

all standing committee work should be televised. Certainly, in the interest of

openness and transparency we can't argue with that. Certainly we have an

opportunity to supply information, give the public information to the extent

that we can.

Mr. Speaker, when I see the atmosphere in which these estimates are conducted

and when I see the respectful, collegial manner of the give and take of

information, I am wondering what television would do for that. Not all the

estimates are done in the Estimates Committees. For example, some of the

estimates are done here in the House. The estimates done here in the House are a

different ball game. When the thing is televised, then suddenly it becomes a

political debate, and I am not sure that a political debate serves the purpose

of examining estimates of various departments. It is a different ball game.

Debate in the House of Assembly is the nature of parliamentary debate and the

parliamentary system.

If the Opposition is requesting and looking for detailed information and

answers to questions, there is no better place to get it than in the estimates

hearings. I am just wondering, with what I see in the debates in the House,

whether television would add anything to the process.

I have to agree with transparency and openness, no doubt about that, but I am

wondering if the whole thing turns into a bit of a charade, and the procedure

that we follow now in the estimates, I wonder if that purpose would be defeated

if we went to the televised sessions? The Opposition constantly raised the

issue: They can't get information in Question Period. Well, I would certainly

suggest if you televise the Estimates Committees, they might have a similar

problem, because it turns into a political debate.

I am not sure that the respect the hon. Member for Port de Grave just

mentioned, how respectful the hearing atmosphere was - I would be in favour of

televising the Estimates Committees but only if it was continued to be carried

out in the same respectful manner as it is presently in estimates. I doubt very

much, given the political nature of government, that that would happen.

Mr. Speaker, it is not my intention here to insult the intelligence of the

viewing public, but I am wondering to what extent the viewing public would be

able to follow the information, line-by-line type information, that is carried

out in estimates when they don't have the information before them. We, in

estimates, have this information in front of us and we can go line by line and

fact and figure, but watching it on TV, I am not sure what purpose it would

serve.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Budget Estimates and these figures I just

mentioned, the figures on which the Budget is based, the millions, and to

departments, billions of dollars, I would be remiss if I did not congratulate

the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board for the Budget that he

brought down.

We, on this side of the House, sometimes chide him a little bit and compare

his performance with the performance of the previous Minister of Finance. It is

a situation where these two ministers have played musical chairs in departments

over the last couple of years. Sometimes there might be a tendency to get

confused on who the Minister of Finance is and who the Minister of Justice is,

but one is a former and one is a present. Certainly, the former Minister of

Finance, and currently Minister of Justice, had a different working condition to

work with than the present Minister of Finance.

I want to, just briefing, look at the Budget overview that we saw in one of

the Budget documents and look at the performance of 2008 and 2009. We see the

very positive performances in 2008. For example, the GDP was increased by 1.8

per cent; employment grew, the unemployment rate declined; personal income

growth; personal disposable income growth; retail sales expanded; total

investment was up; population was up, in fact, in 2008, and we had four

consecutive surpluses. We have now reached a point, of course, where we no

longer receive equalization.

In 2009, Mr. Speaker, in spite of all the gloom and doom that have been

forecasted and talked about all throughout the world, this globe, when we look

at our own situation as projected in the Budget, things are not looking all that

bad. The real GDP will decline, no doubt about that, as a result of the decline

in exports of minerals and oil. The unemployment rate, they expect it to rise

somewhat, and certainly Grand Falls has something to do with that. Personal

income and disposable income growth will still rise 3 per cent and 3.7 per cent.

Retail sales growth will still rise. Capital investment is expected to be

increased. Housing starts are expected to remain strong. So we are not in as bad

a shape as a lot of places are with respect to our predictions for 2009.

The minister does bring in a deficit of $750 million. That is based on $50

oil, which is a conservative figure, but it is a cautious figure and a prudent

one. We could take the position, well, there is a good possibility that will

increase, but because of the volatility of oil prices, then that would not be

prudent and probably misleading to go higher than that. Although we noticed

yesterday, for example, that oil was somewhere around $57 closed over at $57

a barrel. It is probably heading towards $60, but who knows where it will wind

up. So it is too volatile and probably misleading to say that look, this $750

million will be eradicated by the end of this year. Hopefully it will, but that

will be gravy for us, Mr. Speaker, if that in fact happens.

The $750 million Budget is due partially to the $414 million as a result of

the unilateral action of the federal government, and of course oil royalties

will be down because of lower prices. We are no longer receiving equalization,

and the net debt will be reduced below 8 per cent. So 2009 does not look so bad.

Mr. Speaker, I have been in this House now for, I guess, three years, and for

several years before that I have been interested in following budgets. I have

yet to see the perfect Budget. I marvel at the Opposition House Leader in his

reaction to the Budget Speech. He stood on his feet for three hours. I admire

him for that. I admire anybody who could stand on their feet for three hours and

speak in response to any subject. He did take all of three minutes out of the

three hours to say positive things about the Budget, and I suppose that is to be

expected. He cannot hold a candle, of course, to the former member for Grand

Falls who I believe spoke eighteen hours in succession, one occasion on the

Budget, and I believe six or seven hours at one stretch.

There are always deficiencies in budgets. There are always problems to deal

with. I can identify dozens of deficiencies in this Budget, any of us on this

side of the House can. If there were no deficiencies in this Budget, I would

have all my roads paved. That is not going to happen. All the medical needs of

the Province would be taken care of. There would be dialysis units wherever we

wanted one. That is obviously not going to happen. The easiest thing to do is to

criticize a Budget. No trouble to find things in them that they do not cover.

We, in this Province, Mr. Speaker, we are in a special position, and it is

due to the prudent fiscal policies of this government over the last three years.

It is witnessed, obviously, by the have status that we have now achieved. Have,

incidentally, is a confusing word and has been misinterpreted by an awful lot of

people in this Province. It is probably a bad use of terms. Many people suggest,

when we hear of have status, that we now have everything that we want. If we are

a have Province then why aren't all our roads paved? Why do we have medical

problems? Why aren't there dialysis units in every corner of the Province?

That is not what have means at all. Have simply means that what we do have we

are paying for ourselves. That is basically all it means.

Mr. Speaker, this Budget, as brought down by the Minister of Finance, is a

stimulating Budget stimulating the economy. It presents an aggressive spending

schedule and it is doing what the economists suggest. If I could again revert to

what this Budget will achieve, it will reduce the per capita debt back to less

than $8 billion, for example.

Mr. Speaker, some of the departments that we reviewed in our Estimates

committee, one of them was Education. I want briefly to look at some of the

things that we talked about in Education.

Budget 2009