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April 8, 2019

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 2

The

House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):

Admit strangers, please.

Order,

please!

I'd like

to welcome all the Members back to the House of Assembly and I'd also like to

welcome all those who are watching. We put out a press release last week, but I

would also like to welcome all those who will appreciate the fact that, now, for

the first hour of each session, we provide our broadcast with closed captioning.

I'd like

to thank all Members of the Management Commission –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

– and, in particular, all

those in the House of Assembly staff who made this possible. I think in the

Welcome

to all of you.

In the

Speaker's gallery today, I would like to welcome Mr. Trevor Paine and Ms. Janet

Paine. Trevor is an inductee of the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Hall of

Fame and was most recently recognized as a honourary lifetime member of the

Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association – one of only 10 people who have

been bestowed this honour.

Trevor

is retiring later this summer from the public sector and has spent his career

supporting recreation and sports development in Labrador.

Welcome

to both of you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

In the public gallery I just

had the pleasure of meeting, and I'd like to welcome, Mr. Joshua Parsons, who is

the subject of a Member's statement this afternoon. He is joined by his

girlfriend, Christina, and his parents Velma and Randy Parsons.

Welcome

to all of you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by

Members

MR. SPEAKER:

Today, we'll hear Members

speak from the Districts of Ferryland, Humber - Bay of Islands, Mount Pearl -

Southlands and Placentia West - Bellevue.

The hon.

the Member for Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the Goulds Lions Club. On

Saturday, March 21, I had the privilege of attending their 43rd annual charter

night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Goulds

Lions Club, past and present, for the outstanding contribution they have made

and are making to the Goulds and the surrounding region.

I've had

many opportunities to work with the Goulds Lions Club and see their efforts

improving people's lives. The club raises funds through a well-known outdoor

summer bingo and supports numerous community events such as the annual student

speak off, the Goulds Lions arena, the annual Santa Claus parade and many other

events and charitable donations. The Goulds is no doubt a better place because

of the tireless effort of all those involved.

I would

like to take the opportunity to congratulate the award winners from charter

night: Danny Ridgeley, the Lion of the Year, Melvin Jones Fellowship award and

Judge Brian Stevenson award; Charlie Phillips, Jim Linthrone and Pat Putt also

received Brian Stevenson awards as well; Theresa Aylward, Rookie of the Year

award; John Kinsella, President Appreciation award, as well as Doug Clarke with

President Appreciation award.

I would

like to ask all Members of the House to join me in congratulating the Goulds

Lions Club and all the fantastic work they have done over the past 43 years.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Humber - Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

recognize the Corner Brook Senior Hockey Association.

Wanting

to give back to the community for the tremendous support of the fans and the

business community in supporting the return of the Corner Brook Royals, the

organization decided that when the hockey season was over last spring and all

operating expenses had been taken care off, any monies left over would be given

back through a funding programs to sporting groups.

Proposals were invited from the Corner Brook and surrounding area from any

sporting group, not just hockey. The proposal could be for upgrading sport

venues, assisting with registration fees for children who may not otherwise be

able to participate, purchasing of equipment for other individuals or team

needs, or any proposal which promoted and developed minor sports.

Seventeen organizations were approved to share the $30,000 available in grant

funding, ranging from $300 to $3,000. Some of the successful applicants included

the Special Olympics, Meadows Recreation Committee, Corner Brook Minor Hockey,

Corner Brook Minor Soccer, Corner Brook Minor Baseball, the Humber Valley Speed

Skating Club and the Atlantic Girls Choir, just to name a few.

I ask

all Members to join me in recognizing the Corner Brook Senior Hockey Association

and the Corner Brook Royals for their generous gesture and proving that they

truly have community spirit.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount

Pearl - Southlands.

MR. LANE:

Mr. Speaker, it is my

privilege to stand in this hon. House to offer congratulations to two

individuals who have made a significant contribution to sport in my community.

The

Mount Pearl Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 by the Mount Pearl Sport

Alliance, and since that time has inducted 84 tremendous individuals. Today, I

would like to acknowledge the achievements of two others who have been inducted

in the athlete category.

Lana

(North) Burns has been inducted for her many accomplishments in the sport of

soccer, including being part of 10 provincial and one Atlantic championship

team, not to mention her many individual awards and recognitions both in

Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as during her time at Acadia University.

Cindy

Greening is a very accomplished multi-sport athlete, and while primarily being

inducted for her many accomplishments in the sport of both ice and ball hockey,

she has also competed in squash, softball and volleyball.

I would

ask all Members of this hon. House to join me in congratulating these amazing

individuals on this significant accomplishment and wish them all the very best

in their future sporting endeavors.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Placentia West - Bellevue.

MR. BROWNE:

Mr. Speaker, Joshua Parsons

attended St. Francis Zavier in Nova Scotia to pursue matriculation in music

school, and faced a choice to go elsewhere to pursue a career in music or return

home to Marystown. He did just that, and opened up the Marystown School of Music

this past fall, offering lessons in piano, voice, guitar, drumming and dance,

and has already employed others in his business to assist with his over 100

students and reduce his wait-list.

Mr.

Speaker, while he displays his deep musical talents, it is not this that garners

the affection of his students or the attention of our community, it is his drive

to do good, to spread his love of music and to see his students succeed. This is

what makes Josh stand apart.

Mr.

Speaker, his partner, Christina, a nurse at the Burin hospital, and Josh have

both chose to return home to Marystown. They are both an example for all young

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that you can succeed and live happily in rural

communities.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating Joshua Parsons on

opening the Marystown School of Music, and thank him for enhancing the economic,

cultural and musical tapestry of the Burin Peninsula.

Bravo!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Before we do proceed, it has

been brought to my attention that we do have representation from the Canadian

Cancer Society today in our gallery, and I suspect they're here for a Member's

statement.

I'd like

to extend a great welcome to you.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by

Ministers

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this

hon. House today to speak about the success of the Labrador Winter Games, which

took place from March 17-23 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay area.

It was a

tremendous experience taking

part in the opening ceremonies alongside community

and Indigenous leaders, my colleagues and many other guests. I was especially

honoured to recognize Mr. Boyce Bessey, an outstanding volunteer who had a long

history with the Labrador Winter Games ever since they began in 1983, and he is

dearly missed today.

During

the games I enjoyed watching incredible action on the volleyball court, exciting

races from the snowshoe course, and the expert marksmanship from the target

shooting range. I especially enjoyed leading an invigorating snowshoe trek with

an enthusiastic group of Special Olympians and youth. And, Mr. Speaker, yes they

did beat all of us.

Mr.

Speaker, this incredible event, the Labrador Winter Games, brings together

athletes, officials, volunteers and supporters for a week of competition,

camaraderie, cultural events and a celebration of the traditional Labrador

lifestyle. Athletes are proud to represent their communities and to compete in

the spirit of friendship and respect.

The

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to support the Labrador Winter

Games. I want to commend the board of directors, along with the event officials,

partners and volunteers for putting off a successful series of events.

Mr.

Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating Happy Valley-Goose

Bay for winning the Labrador Cup, as well as Sheshatshiu for receiving the

Premier's Cup, and to all those who participated in this year's Labrador Winter

Games.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We, on

this side of the House, gladly accept the Premier's invitation to join with him

in congratulating all the winners and participants at the Winter Games, and I

thank the Premier for an advance copy of his statement.

Passionate volunteers, excited spectators, and of course the thousands of

athletes there to compete have marked the games now 36-year history. The Winter

Games provide an excellent opportunity for young Labradorians to engage in

friendly competition and a wide variety of athletic pursuits.

Some of

our finest provincial athletes found their beginnings on the trails and in the

gymnasiums of these games. They forge friendships and even the occasional

rivalry that can last a lifetime. It's no coincidence that some call these games

the Friendship Games.

For all

those who participated, we wish them congratulations and hope that the memories

will last a lifetime.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I, too,

thank the Premier for the advance copy. Congratulations to Happy Valley-Goose

Bay and Sheshatshiu for wining their respective cups and to all the athletes who

represented their communities at the 2019 Labrador Winter Games. Also, the

staff, volunteers and family members who helped organize the many competitions,

cultural activities and other events that took place. It's a tremendous amount

of work.

The

Labrador Winter Games provide a valuable opportunity to celebrate the culture of

Labrador and its people and I congratulate all those involved.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

statements by ministers?

The hon.

the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.

MR. HAWKINS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

congratulate William Bruce-Robertson of Corner Brook, who is this year's

recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Awarded annually, this scholarship recognizes outstanding students from around

the world, including international students studying at Canadian high schools.

William is currently a level II student at Corner Brook

Regional High. He was selected based on his outstanding academic achievement and

his school and community involvement in extra-curricular activities.

The scholarship is valued at $50,000 over two years for

pre-university study in the International Baccalaureate Program at Pearson

College, a United World College in Victoria, British Columbia. The provincial

government contributes $34,000 to the scholarship, which offers a life-changing

opportunity for exceptional young people and will provide incredible support in

helping William fulfill his long-term goals.

I congratulate William and hope his time at Pearson College

enriches his life, solidifies the foundations for his academic future and opens

doors to new and exciting opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. Members to join me in

congratulating William and to wish him every success in his future endeavours.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I join with the minister in

congratulating William Bruce-Robertson of Corner Brook on receiving the Lester

B. Pearson Scholarship for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Pearson

College is a pre-university school with a mission to make education a force to

unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future for up to

200 students from more than 150 countries. This scholarship is truly an honour

and we wish William the best in the next exciting stage of his academic

pursuits.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I, too,

thank the minister for the advance copy. Congratulations to William

Bruce-Robertson on receiving this prestigious scholarship. Pearson College is

part of the United World College network of schools offering a unique global

learning environment, and it's very good that government continues to support

this scholarship.

commend William for his achievement, both academic and otherwise, and wish him

success in the opportunities this scholarship will open up for him.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

The hon.

the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House to acknowledge Cancer Awareness Month and the Canadian Cancer

Society's annual Daffodil Campaign.

Daffodils are resilient. They survive harsh winters and are among the first

flowers to bloom in spring. Daffodils are symbols of strength, courage and life.

For the Canadian Cancer Society they are also a symbol of hope for those

affected by cancer. Their annual fundraising campaign, which carries throughout

the month of April, gives us all an opportunity to make a difference.

Since

the 1950s, the overall cancer survival rate has increased from 35 per cent to

over 60 per cent, thanks in large part to research funded by flower sales.

purchasing fresh daffodils or daffodil pins, we are helping fund vital research,

prevention programs and support services so no one has to face cancer alone.

Wednesday, April 10, Confederation Building will be lit yellow in recognition of

Cancer Awareness Month and the Daffodil Campaign.

We have

all been touched by cancer in one way or another, and I encourage all

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to support this important cause.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I join with the minister in

acknowledging Cancer Awareness Month and the Canada Cancer Society's annual

Daffodil Campaign.

Cancer

doesn't discriminate between age, race or gender. It is something that has

likely touched the lives of everyone in our province. Supporting the annual

Daffodil Campaign is an excellent way of providing vital funding to cancer

research in our country.

encourage the people of our province to support this campaign during Cancer

Awareness Month. Let us help the Canadian Cancer Society create a world where no

one fears cancer.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

thank the minister.

How

lucky are we to have a whole host of staff and volunteers working with the

Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?

How very lucky are we, at the tables around the province they will once again

sell daffodils in their communities.

They

sell not only daffodils, but also hope; hope that is based on research,

prevention and support. As someone who has breast cancer, I know how important

that is.

Daffodil

Place is a crucial support and service to the people who have to travel to St.

John's for cancer treatment, and for their families. It is imperative that there

is more public funding to help keep that resource going for the people of the

province. Let's keep the lights on there.

Again,

bravo to all the staff and volunteers of the Canadian Cancer Society of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

statements by ministers?

Oral

Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, this is the

first opportunity we've had to ask questions on the announcement that the

Premier and our federal minister made on April 1. The claim was that the deal

had a $2.5-billion value. This morning, on

Open Line , the Premier stated that the value in today's dollars is less than

$1 billion.

Will the

Premier confirm this to this House?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, that is not what

I confirmed this morning.

What I

said based on today's dollars – as matter of fact, it was confirmed by Mr.

Cadigan, if you remember the call, that in today's dollars the value of the 8.5

per cent Hibernia shares would be around $1.3 billion. As a matter of fact, Mr.

Cadigan made a comment that it would probably be less than that.

What

we've been able to do is take that value to the $3.3-billion value, for a net

gain, guaranteed revenue stream for the people of this province – we could use

it as we see fit – of $2.5 billion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

I take it, Mr. Speaker, that

the Premier does agree that the face value of $2.5 billion is actually

considerably less.

Can the

Premier explain how he can claim that he can immediately reduce net debt by $2.5

billion when the value of the deal is considerably less?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, this is a

situation where facts matter – where facts matter.

It's a

guaranteed revenue stream of $2.5 billion. Nearly $2 billion of that is in the

first 11 years of this agreement.

Mr.

Speaker, yes, it has an arbitration clause that anything that is connected to

this agreement or arising from this agreement, there is an arbitration clause in

place. It also deepens joint management; it adds certainty to the offshore and a

guaranteed revenue stream of $2.5 billion to the people of our province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, I think we all

get the idea and know the point that arbitration can't change the terms of the

deal, they can only interpret them.

Section

3(a)(ii) of the agreement indicates that the provincial taxes collected from the

Hibernia Project will account toward the yearly transfer from Ottawa.

Will the

Premier admit that this is money the province is already receiving?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, the taxation, if

we had to have taken the 8.5 per cent route as the Leader of the Opposition

believes we should have, which would've assumed a lot of risk, no

decommissioning cost, no liabilities, that all stays with the federal government

through the course of this agreement.

There is

an arbitration clause that is in place for matters that will arise or connected

to this agreement, which is substantial. So, all of this is guaranteed revenue,

joint management, Mr. Speaker.

The tax

situation – if we had taken the 8.5 per cent, it would not have come to the

people of this province, as he suggests. Mr. Speaker, that is the taxable

amount, which is a very minimal amount. So it's a guaranteed revenue stream of

$2.5 billion to the people of this province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

I would again ask the Premier: How much in provincial taxes is included in the

$2.5 billion? Does this, not again, reduce the value of the deal?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, it's the $2.5 billion which is guaranteed and used at the

discretion as we should see fit. What is also not included in the $2.5 billion,

Mr. Speaker, is the nearly $100 million that will actually come to the province

from the interest that would be gathered.

Going

back to his previous question, that would be one around net debt. Mr. Speaker,

this comes off the books of the people of this province immediately. So we have

now reset the financial situation of this province from a net debt calculation

to 2015 levels, and included in all of that, we cleaned up a nearly $2.7 billion

deficit, which the Tory administration didn't tell the people of this province

and we've done that too, as we lead the country in GDP.

Mr.

Speaker, this government is turning the province around. This agreement will

help us even more.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

I ask

for co-operation.

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, those sound like

fighting words. On that subject, the Premier told

Open Line this morning that he does

not like federal Bill C-69, which would slow down offshore exploration and

development.

On a

scale of one to 10, where 10 is ready to fight, just how opposed is he?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to

fighting for Newfoundland and Labrador, make no bones about it, the Leader of

the Opposition, I read in a publication just last week, he said he is a Canadian

first, a Newfoundlander and Labradorian second. Well, I'll guarantee you, this

Premier is a Newfoundlander and a Labradorian first. You can put that on a scale

as 10.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, I'm going to

leave questions about secession from Canada to another time. Bill C-69 is the no

more offshore bill, and has the potential to restrict exploration and

development in the oil and gas industry. It challenges the joint management

principle entrenched in the Atlantic Accord.

Why did

the Premier fail to negotiate protection of exploration and development?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the

recent Accord discussions that we just had, we have deepened joint management.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, the industry has been very clear about one

area that they've wanted to make sure that there was increased certainty.

There's been a significant amount of investment that is made in the Northeast

Slope. There is always concern whether the federal government would come in and

put a marine protected area there. We have now taken that restriction out. So

there is certainty with that.

I can

assure you, the Minister of Natural Resources and myself, we appeared in front

of the Senate in Ottawa making sure the position of this industry – Bill C-69

must change. You want to come back to CEAA, 2012, which Harper put in place,

which now gives us a thousand days, literally a thousand days, to get an

exploratory drilling permit in place.

I ask

the Leader of the Opposition –

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

PREMIER BALL:

– is that what you're

supporting, Stephen Harper's CEAA, 2012?

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

The Premier should know, Mr.

Speaker, that Stephen Harper and I have had our disagreements.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. CROSBIE:

The federal Finance minister,

the Liberal one, under Mr. Trudeau, met with the Premier for two hours on

Friday.

How much

money for rate mitigation did the federal government agree to provide?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well,

I'll remind the Leader of the Opposition it wasn't his disagreement with Harper,

it was Harper's disagreement with you. He's the one who said no to you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER BALL:

You still wanted to go, if I

remember, put your name out there for the nomination to run for Stephen Harper

and he quickly came back and said no, we don't want you.

So, Mr.

Speaker, what I will say – I need to continue on with Bill C-69 because this is

an important decision and discussion that we need to have. We have stood by

industry. We want to remain competitive, Mr. Speaker.

Advance 2030 , carving out the oil and gas industry – let's be very

clear when it comes to Bill C-69, this province is asking for changes with the

federal government. It is not working for the people of this province.

I ask

the Leader of the Opposition: Is he supporting CEAA, 2012 like some of his other

colleagues are?

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

Thank

you.

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

I'm not sure what colleagues

of mine are supporting the legislation the Premier referred to. That certainly

isn't anyone in my caucus.

The

Premier said on Open Line today that

his plan for Muskrat Falls rate mitigation needs about $500 million per year. He

stated he has $300 million, needs another $200 million from financial

restructuring.

Can the

Premier confirm this information to the House?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

That is what I said on

Open Line , Mr. Speaker. As a matter of fact, it's what I said Friday

at another news outlet, NTV, on Issues and

Answers , that was played a few times over the weekend. Yes, that's the

analysis that we've seen, but I will tell you this mitigates Muskrat Falls. It

mitigates the impact of Muskrat Falls.

The plan

that was put out, the Crosbie hydro CHEAP plan, mitigates rates just to 17 cents

which is higher. His plan takes rates to 17 cents which is even higher than the

pre-sanctioning of Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker.

So,

we've got to do better things. Mr. Speaker, it's $200 million –

AN HON. MEMBER:

(Inaudible.)

PREMIER BALL:

Yes, it is, Mr. Speaker, I

hear him chirping at me. It's 17 cents –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

PREMIER BALL:

– that's what they think

people can pay.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, the Premier

knows very well that our plan would fully mitigate the effect of Muskrat Falls

on top of –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. CROSBIE:

– increases now already in

the pipeline that have nothing to do with it.

Would he

explain why, in relation to this financial restructuring he discussed with the

Minister of Finance, he is celebrating an arrangement that will place additional

financial burden on our children?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, what we had

discussed on Friday was achieving rate mitigation. The PUB said that we needed

to get at this urgently. We have started the process. Mr. Speaker, the PUB also

said that this is the single – the significant greatest potential to achieve

rate mitigation in our province.

Now, Mr.

Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition speaks about passing financial burden to

our next generation. Mr. Speaker, you must be kidding me. We wouldn't even need

rate mitigation if it wasn't for the Tory Muskrat Falls project. That is the

reason why we're having rate mitigation.

Mr.

Speaker, I've heard Members opposite just last week talk about this was a

fallacy that rates would double. Just a few days ago the Leader of the

Opposition and his group said that this was a fallacy.

Mr.

Speaker, we need rate mitigation because of Muskrat Falls, and we do not want to

put the burden on the next generation.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

Order,

please!

MR. CROSBIE:

Mr. Speaker, yes, we need

rate mitigation because of Muskrat Falls.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order!

MR. CROSBIE:

The Premier said we could

have walked away with the big cheque but the stability, the consistency is more

important to me.

I ask

the Premier: If you'd walked away with the big cheque from this deal you

announced, what would it have been?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, I wasn't walking

away with the big cheque because what I was looking for was a guaranteed income

stream so that we can actually reduce net debt in this province.

I would

say to the Leader of the Opposition as he just stood up there a few minutes ago,

did he just actually forget what his Members were saying just a few weeks ago?

When people in his caucus today – and you stood there or you sat there and

listened to those comments, Mr. Speaker, nodded your heads and agreed to them,

when they were saying that doubling of rates in Newfoundland and Labrador as a

result of Muskrat Falls was a fallacy. That is what your Members were saying

just a few days ago.

We need

to mitigate rates, Mr. Speaker, working with the federal government. The PUB

explains this; it's our greatest potential to achieve that rate mitigation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Well, you can tell the

Premier doesn't like questions about cheques, because what he's been able to

accomplish is that they're all in the mail.

defending having to pay Ottawa $800 million –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. CROSBIE:

– the Premier said that the

province is facing a fiscal crunch.

Is this

agreement the best solution for the province's fiscal crunch, or the best

solution for his re-election campaign?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, I

like the thought that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians would seek and consider

re-electing us as a government, Mr. Speaker, because we have done a lot of good

work.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, when he talks

about the financial crunch of this province, he need look no further than the

decisions that the Tory government left this province in.

It is

very clear, we have put in place a clear financial plan; return this province

back to surplus by 2022, 2023. We have taken this province from a looming $2.7

billion deficit in 2015 and turned that around. Mr. Speaker, that is not a

financial crunch. We are working our way through this, putting this province

back on track, creating jobs for Newfoundlanders. And, yes, Mr. Speaker, I will

say one more time, we will lead the country in GDP next year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Amongst that list of

accomplishments, the Premier might consider adding: And stonewalling questions

in the House of Assembly.

Under

the fixed election date legislation, first introduced more than a decade ago,

specific election dates have been legislated and placed to promote transparency

and fairness.

Will the

Premier bring an amendment to the House specifying the spring election date for

2019 before the writ is dropped and respect the principle of fixed election

dates?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, I

sense that the Leader of the Opposition is now starting to backtrack, because it

was only a few days ago that he was sitting in that chair and saying: bring it

on, call the election; let's have the election.

So I

wonder today if he is backtracking on those statements, Mr. Speaker. He's saying

his party is ready. He was actually challenging me, as Premier of this province,

to bring it on, call the election. That is what he is saying. So, as I say to

the Leader of the Opposition today, is that not what he's saying today? Indeed,

he is not ready for the election, because that is what he was telling the people

of our province.

I can

assure you, Mr. Speaker, that when the writ is dropped – there are certain

things we would need to do, commitments that we have made – the public will be

very aware of the financial situation of this province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

I heard an answer which,

again, stonewalls the House of Assembly and disrespects the spirit of the

legislation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. CROSBIE:

The House recently amended

the Elections Act to shorten the period to become a candidate after a writ is

dropped to just eight days. While the date may not be important to the Premier –

and our party is ready – it is very important to prospective candidates who are

considering running.

And

speaking of running: Why is the Premier running away from the principle of fixed

election dates when it matters to such good people who want to run?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Well, Mr. Speaker, the

changes in the legislation that the Leader of the Opposition is talking about,

matter of fact, was by the former Tory administration.

They did

this around the same time – when you remember in January of 2015, when they

changed the boundaries in this province to be of benefit to themselves. They

were going to carve out districts in Labrador, as an example. That is the

legislation that he's saying right now is wrong, is the very legislation that

the Tory administration brought in and fought hard in this House of Assembly.

So he is

now saying that that legislation that they supported, his colleagues supported,

was wrong?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

Order,

please!

MR. CROSBIE:

The legislation of which we

speak goes back considerably farther than the last administration, and again,

the principle is to fix the date.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order!

MR. CROSBIE:

In view of that, why is the

Premier afraid to be transparent and set a spring date in stone through an

amendment?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, if you look at

the

section of the Elections Act, it is clearly outlined what the rules are.

That is the process that was put in place by the former administration.

So, Mr.

Speaker, there you go. Just a few years ago it was a Tory administration that

brought in this very piece of legislation that he's now saying is not working.

Mr.

Speaker, we will be very fair to the people of this province. And like the

Leader of the Opposition who said to me so many times, bring on the election, I

am looking forward to the election so we can get to the people of this province,

give them the opportunity to see the work that we have done as a government, and

once and for all – I hear the Members over there chirping. Yes, indeed, as they

said just a few weeks ago that it was a fallacy about doubling electricity

rates, I am sure that will be one of the topics of discussion in this campaign.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Liberal fiscal forecast as released in

Budget 2018 , forecast a deficit of $507 million in fiscal 2019-2020.

With the

release of the provincial budget on April 16, I ask the minister: Is a $507

million deficit still the plan?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

budget will come down a week from tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, and we will lay forward

for the people of the province –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order!

MR. OSBORNE:

– exactly what the fiscal

situation is in this province and the fiscal forecasts.

I will

remind the Members opposite, that we are far ahead of what they projected in

2015 in terms of jobs today. We've exceeded their forecast in terms of capital

investment today. We've exceeded their forecast in terms of retail sales. We've

exceeded their forecast.

So we'll

stand on our record, because we've exceeded what they projected 2018-19 would

look like.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Budget 2018 , the Liberal government

promised a return to surplus in 2022-23.

I ask

the minister: Does your fiscal forecast, to be presented in budget 2019, show

that you're on track to meet that target?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

As I said, Mr. Speaker, the

budget will come out a week from tomorrow. But I can absolutely assure you, we

will put forward to the people of this province exactly where this province

stands from a fiscal situation, which is something they refused to do in 2015,

because they refused to tell the people of the province what the fiscal

situation of the province looked like. They refused to put forward a mid-year

update. They refused to respond to our party's demands to tell the people of the

province what the fiscal situation looked like.

We will

very clearly outline what the fiscal situation of this province looks like, Mr.

Speaker, because we have made significant progress from where you've left the

province in 2015.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That's

not what the Auditor General is telling us, and it is four years later. We'd

just like to get some answers of where we are. Are we still on target to meet

the targets outlined in the last number of budgets?

Last

year, concerns were raised that the Supply Act didn't require that transfers out

of the contingency reserve be tabled in the House and thus made public.

I ask

the minister: How much has been transferred out of the contingency reserve to

date?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

haven't used the full contingency that was put aside. The contingency reserve is

something that's been a long-standing tradition in this province. When you see

issues like the flooding on the West Coast that required emergency funding,

that's what the contingency reserve is for, Mr. Speaker.

I can

assure you, this government did not abuse that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On May

24, when concerns were raised, the minister said: If the funds are drawn upon,

the reasons for that and the information will be provided to the public. To

date, no details have been tabled in this House, nothing has been made public.

I ask

the minister: What is being hidden?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is

absolutely nothing hidden on this side.

Again,

unlike the former administration who hid the fiscal realities of the province,

refusing to put a mid-year update forward, refusing to respond to our party's

request to provide the people of the province, prior to the 2015 election, where

the province stood fiscally, Mr. Speaker. They were leading the people of the

province to believe there was a $1.1 billion deficit, only to find out it was

far more than double that when we actually got a look at the books. When we look

at the books, high-ranking officials in the Department of Finance informed the

government that we would not even make payroll without an emergency release of

Treasury bills.

So, Mr.

Speaker, we're not hiding anything, unlike the party opposite.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again,

it is four years later. Will the minister commit to tabling a full list of

transfers out of the contingency fund, and why hasn't he to date?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Mr. Speaker, we'd be more

than delighted to give full details of that.

Mr.

Speaker, as I said, we don't hide things on this side, unlike the Members

opposite who are very quick to hide the fiscal realities of the province. The

fact the province couldn't even make payroll shortly after the election in 2015;

something that party knew and refused to tell the people of the province or even

to tell the incoming government. As the former premier walked out of the office

and the new premier walked in, we were hit with that news.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well,

they sure did a great job of hiding the 300 tax hikes and 50 new taxes.

Hopefully, we won't see that happen again.

Mr.

Speaker, the Liberal government admitted –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order!

MS. PERRY:

– that they could not develop

their own plan to develop the economy when they hired McKinsey & Company to

develop a strategy, costing taxpayers of this province over $1 million. We are

still waiting to see the results of this report.

Now that

we know the budget will be tabled on April 16, will the Minister Responsible for

Economic Development immediately table the report in this hon. House?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Mr. Speaker, I am not ashamed

of the fact that we invested a million dollars to try and diversify and look for

ways to diversify the economy in this province. It was something that was

ignored by the previous administration.

In fact,

Mr. Speaker, their economic diversification plan was putting the province

billions of dollars in debt as a result of Muskrat Falls. So the one million

dollars we spent on this project pales in comparison to the billions of dollars

they wasted on Muskrat Falls.

This

report, Mr. Speaker, I said would inform budget 2019, it will. I also committed

to releasing the report shortly after the budget, and I will.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune for a quick question, please.

MS. PERRY:

Mr. Speaker, I ask the

minister: What is the updated cost for this economic diversification report, and

will you table the updated cost here in this hon. House?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board for a quick response, please.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We've

been very clear right from the outset, it was a fixed cost. That cost did not

change. It was $1 million.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Member for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Last

week, we learned the new Atlantic Accord agreement includes an $800 million loan

which a future generation will have to pay back to the tune of $100 million a

year starting in 2045.

I ask

the Premier: Knowing what he knows about the lopsided Upper Churchill agreement,

how could he make such a financial commitment 25 years out from now?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, the rationale

behind that – and I will say to the Member opposite, that is a very good

question. The rationale behind all that was get the guarantee of the revenue

stream, the $3.3 million – or $3.3 billion. In order to get the guaranteed

stream, that came from the 8.5 per cent shares of Hibernia, Mr. Speaker, the

revenue stream.

Mr.

Speaker, I just said a few minutes ago, based on today's oil price that would be

at $1.3 billion. We got a significant uplift and a significant increased value

to $3.3 billion.

So, Mr.

Speaker, in order to guarantee that, the federal government felt it was

necessary to actually maintain control of the operations who control that

revenue stream. That is the reason why in 2045 the aid instalments would start

totalling $800 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Member for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Well,

our party has been calling for the return of the federal government's 8.5 per

cent share in Hibernia since 2003, as would be proper if we were to be the

principle beneficiary of the offshore instead of begging from the federal

government.

I ask

the Premier: Why did he sign an agreement that did not include those shares

being returned to the province's control? Then he wouldn't have the problem he

just talked about.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Well, Mr. Speaker, again, a

good question.

It needs

clarification, because if we had taken the shares you would have had a value

today of $1.3 billion with the known reserve. Mr. Speaker, we got $3.3 billion.

But one of the issues around taking the shares means we would have taken the

decommissioning costs, we would have had to actually come up with capital

investment along the way, too.

I can

assure the people a guarantee $2.5 billion from those shares. What we took, Mr.

Speaker, instead of the shares, was the value of the shares so we could put it

right in the bank account of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

If we'd

taken the shares we'd also be sure of getting the revenue when the price of oil

goes up.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS. MICHAEL:

And I can guarantee you, in

the next 38 years it's going to go up and we won't get that revenue.

Mr.

Speaker, the Premier's Atlantic Accord deal includes a highly secretive $800

million loan.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS. MICHAEL:

Now, he's just tried to

explain it, but we didn't get any explanation before today.

Also,

last week there was a meeting with the federal finance minister on rate

mitigation. A meeting so secretive we were not even allowed to know who was

going to be at the meeting, and that's what was said publicly by the Premier.

So I ask

the Premier: What happened to his promise to make government more open and

transparent?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Well, Mr. Speaker, when it

comes to open and transparent, I want to remind the Member opposite, that the

$800 million question, I've answered that about six or seven times in the last

weeks. So, Mr. Speaker, that's been out there for a long, long time.

On the

meeting, Mr. Speaker; on Friday, I made it quite clear it would be with Minister

Morneau as he came into St. John's on Friday. I announced that last week, that

Minister Morneau would be coming to St. John's for a meeting on how we work

together to achieve rate mitigation, being very open and transparent. That came

right from the public document. That's right in the Public Utilities Board that

they released on February 15.

So I

don't know how much more information you can put out there. The genesis of why

we needed to get at it urgently, where the greatest potential is, Mr. Speaker,

and on Monday of last week announced that I would be meeting with Minister

Morneau on Friday afternoon here in St. John's. So that is pretty transparent

(inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Member for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Mr. Speaker, I point out to

the Premier, he was asked specifically by the media who else would be at the

meeting, and he wouldn't say.

The

Premier, when asked about an independent safety authority for the offshore, is

always quick to say safety is government's first priority, yet the new Atlantic

Accord has no mention of the independent agency recommended by Commissioner

Robert Wells in the report into the inquiry of the Cougar helicopter crash.

I ask

the Premier: If safety is his first priority, why did he do nothing to ensure

this agency was part of a new Atlantic deal?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you very much.

This is

indeed an important question. As we have said repeatedly, and I think it's on

behalf of all Members of this House, safety and environmental protection is a

priority for everyone in this province.

The

Member is referring to a potential for a separate safety regulator. Mr. Speaker,

I can say we do have someone who is responsible for safety offshore Newfoundland

and Labrador, and that person reports directly to the chair of the board of the

C-NLOPB, and is responsible.

The

Justice at the time did indicate that was appropriate and sufficient and there

is appropriate and sufficient safety regulations offshore Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Oral Questions has ended.

Thank

you very much.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Presenting Reports

by Standing and Select Committees

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

George's - Humber.

MR. REID:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As Chair

of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, I am pleased today to

present our final report on the development of a Legislature-Specific

Harassment-Free Workplace Policy. This work was ordered to the Committee by a

private Member's resolution unanimously passed in the House of Assembly on May

2, 2018.

Our

final report includes a proposed harassment-free workplace policy applicable to

complaints against Members of the House of Assembly and the recommendation that

it be adopted by the House.

addition to the proposed policy, the final report includes a recommendation for

changes to the principles of the Code of Conduct for MHAs, as well as a Code of

Conduct provisions outlined in the House

of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act . There are also

recommendations for other consequential statutory amendments to that act, to

give effect to the proposed policy.

Chair, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize my fellow colleagues

on the Privileges and Elections Committee: the Member for St. John's East -

Quidi Vidi, as Vice-Chair; the Member for Ferryland; the Member for Harbour

Grace - Port de Grave and the Member for Stephenville - Port au Port, as well as

the House of Assembly staff who supported the Committee. I thank them all for

their dedication and commitment to this work over the last several months.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Presenting further reports by Standing and Select Committees.

The hon.

the Member for Harbour Main.

MS. PARSLEY:

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the

Select Committee appointed to draft a reply to the speech from her Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor, I am pleased to present the report of the Select Committee,

which reads as follows:

To her

Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor, the hon. Judy Foote, PC, ONL:

May it

please Your Honour, we, the Commons of Newfoundland and Labrador in Legislative

Session assembled, beg to thank Your Honour for the Gracious Speech which Your

Honour has addressed to this House.

I move,

seconded by the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue, that the report be

adopted.

MR. SPEAKER:

When shall the report be

received?

MR. A. PARSONS:

Now.

MR. SPEAKER:

Now.

motion, report received.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded

by the Member for Harbour Main that the debate be deferred.

MR. SPEAKER:

Is it the pleasure of the

House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

The

motion is carried.

Further

reports by Standing and Select Committees?

Tabling

of Documents.

Tabling of

Documents

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

accordance with the Energy Corporation Act

and the Hydro Corporation Act, 2007 , I

table the 2018 Business and Financial Report for Nalcor Energy, as well as the

2018 Consolidated Financial Statements of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

tabling of documents?

Notices

of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

George's - Humber.

MR. REID:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give

notice that I will on tomorrow move the following motion: That the House of

Assembly concur in the final report of the Standing Committee on Privileges and

Elections on the Development of a Legislature-Specific Harassment-Free Workplace

Policy.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

notices of motion?

The hon.

the Member for Windsor Lake.

MR. CROSBIE:

Thank you, Sir.

As the

Member for Windsor Lake, I rise to move the following private Member's

resolution:

WHEREAS

the intent of the Atlantic Accord is that offshore development approvals should

be completed within 270 days, and such approvals are currently taking in excess

of 30 months;

BE IT

RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge the Government of Newfoundland and

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, established under the

Atlantic Accord, should be the responsible authority for conducting

environmental assessments of offshore projects under the

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 , CEAA, and that exploration wells should be removed from the CEAA

project list.

This

will be seconded by the Member for Ferryland.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just to

confirm that the private Member's resolution just read into the record by the

Member for Windsor Lake will be our private Member's resolution that we will

debate on Wednesday, Private Members' Day.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

notices of motion?

The hon.

the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Firstly,

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

An Act To

Amend The Automobile Insurance Act, Bill 3.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Insurance Companies Act, Bill 6.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you very much.

Further

notices of motion?

Answers

to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

background to this petition is as follows:

WHEREAS the Bay d'Espoir Highway and

its branch roads Routes 360, 361, 362, 363, 364 and 365 have become overcome

with very dangerous roadside alder growth; and

WHEREAS

the Coast of Bays region is a very busy area with a high volume of industrial

traffic for aquaculture, the fishery and hydroelectricity; and

WHEREAS

the region has a transient workforce that requires workers to travel the highway

at early morning hours and late at night, often in foggy, dangerous weather

conditions with no cell coverage; and

WHEREAS

there have been weekly incidents of moose accidents in this region, some very

serious and on a daily basis, Mr. Speaker, there are very close accidents; and

WHEREAS

all residents are very concerned and worried to drive the highway due to a fear

of a moose accident; and

WHEREAS

every effort should and must be made to protect the safety of residents and

reduce unnecessary road hazards for travellers.

Mr.

Speaker, I have here 12 pages of petitions signed from the community of Harbour

Breton. This is the one issue, Mr. Speaker, that each and every single community

in the Coast of Bays region is certainly in consensus on that we have been

overlooked by the Liberal government over the last four years and they have not

given consideration to the lives and safety of the residents of the District of

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

Mr.

Speaker, we heard in this hon. House last fall when I raised this petition that

we would be getting some good news on the brush clearing and we're still waiting

for it, Mr. Speaker. I certainly hope that it's not something that we have to

wait another six months to a year to see because this is about people's lives.

This is not about playing politics, Mr. Speaker, this is about doing what's

right and the Code of Conduct that's all about us, as governors, here in this

hon. House being sure that each and every area of this province is treated

equitably and fairly in the best interest of the people, not in the best

interest of politicians.

I seek

to hear from the minister that they will honour their commitment to address the

serious, serious problem with brush in the Coast of Bays region and in the

District of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Minister of Transportation and Works for a response, please.

MR. CROCKER:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the hon. Member for the petition. Towards the end of her remarks she talked

about priorities and MHA priorities. I just want to read a little

section of a

2014-2015 Auditor General's report: MHA priorities resulted in a lower priority

of roadwork being performed ahead of higher priority roadwork. MHA priorities

made up 46 per cent of the 2015 priorities for provincial roads, while projects

that were assessed to be essential made up only 23 per cent. Mr. Speaker, that's

their legacy of how they did their roadwork.

Mr.

Speaker, we introduced a Roads Plan and it's been tremendously successful. You

only have to go and talk to people in the industry and they will quickly tell

you how good our early tendering has been. The process of getting work done, our

ability to add extra funding towards to end of each construction season. We're

doing earlier tenders with brush cutting. We've committed to $2 million a year

for brush cutting and we'll continue that commitment.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

petitions?

The hon.

the Member for Humber - Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

background of the petition, I say to the Minister of Transportation and Works:

WHEREAS the successful proponents for the new hospital

in Corner Brook are scheduled to be announced this spring with construction

anticipated to begin in the fall and, as this is estimated to be a four-year

construction period, and as there are experienced local tradespeople and

labourers in the area;

THEREFORE we, the

undersigned, petition the House of Assembly as follows: To urge the Government

of Newfoundland and Labrador to encourage companies that are awarded the

contracts for the new hospital to hire local tradespeople and labourers, at no

extra cost to the taxpayers, so that they can work in their own area, support

the local economy and be able to return home to their families every evening.

Mr. Speaker, we

know the government is planning on making the announcement in the spring. This

is the spring, so we're hoping that the announcement will be made soon. Also, we

know the election now is going to be before the summer and the anticipated

construction start of the new hospital will be this fall. We're hoping that

government will make an announcement that there will be local workers hired, not

have them anticipate and wonder if it's going to happen like they brought in

people from last year, with the full commitment, I have to add, Mr. Speaker –

people know this, that the person I was dealing with when I was an independent

that there were going to be

local tradespeople hired, local people hired, working with someone that was

appointed by the government, with the commitment made that it will be done, and

they even asked me to go up and ask people to put their résumés in.

So I'm

anticipating that there's going to be a good-news announcement on the hospital

this spring. I'm also anticipating that there will be a good-news announcement

that the local workers will be hired by the local companies, and I encourage the

minister to keep up the work that he's doing to work with TradesNL and all the

prospective proponents, the two proponents left, for this. There are people from

all over the province; we have people here signing this from Paradise, from

Witless Bay, Random Island, all over. We have Gillams, Gallants, Meadows,

McIvers, all people in Newfoundland and Labrador who want to support the local

tradespeople.

As I

said before on many occasions, there's enough local tradespeople and labourers

in western Newfoundland that's going to be supporting in the Corner Brook area,

and I know the Member for Corner Brook would love to see local people hired out

as far as Port aux Basques, the Port au Port Peninsula, Green Bay, that area Mr.

Speaker, a lot of the Northern Peninsula, would mean a lot of the local people

would be able to work at this project.

So, I'm

hoping, collectively, that we can find, in our own hearts, to make sure that

local people are hired and working through the tradespeople and labourers so

that they all stay home. Four years is a long while to not have to go away. It'd

be nice to see.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Minister of Transportation and Works for a response, please.

MR. CROCKER:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the hon. Member for the petition. When it comes to Newfoundland companies,

Newfoundland workers, we always do everything we can to ensure their success.

We're working with TradesNL right now on a CBA, community benefits agreement.

It's something that you've seen in other jurisdictions in the country, and it's

certainly something that we look to be able to work with TradesNL and adopt in

our province.

But, Mr.

Speaker, I want to just go off for a second and talk about the great success

we've had with our infrastructure plan in this province. Similar to my earlier

remarks about our Roads Plan, we've had tremendous success with our

infrastructure program. You see a new long-term care centre in Corner Brook, a

new acute-care hospital coming for Corner Brook, new long-term care facilities

in Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander.

Our

commitment to finally replacing the Waterford Hospital, one commitment that

we're planning to keep – and I can assure people that next week in our budget

you will see more great investments in infrastructure in our province. We're

committed to Newfoundland and Labrador workers, Newfoundland and Labrador

companies, and we'll make sure that we look after our good infrastructure plan

in our province.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

petitions?

The hon.

the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Mr. Speaker, the cancellation

of the jawbone collection program for moose and caribou in the province in

Budget 2016 has resulted in the loss of important data and research

about big game. Jawbone collection represents the entire moose population

province wide.

THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the

undersigned, call on the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to reinstate the jawbone collection program for moose

and caribou in the province.

Mr.

Speaker, the jawbone is basically the first indication of animal health. And,

this is second, maybe third time I've presented this petition. I know the

minister did give the grace of standing up and replying to it last time, but

some of the facts were now very representative of what actually happened. I know

he did kind of try to put it back onto the previous administration, but this

program in itself was cancelled in Budget

2016 under this administration.

North

American-wide the populations of moose and caribou are under major pressure to

regenerate. Basically, right now, what we're doing is we're hunting the existing

population. So, we can see, in the very near future, mass reductions in

licences, which probably should happen now until we figure out what's actually

happening to the herds.

There's

just not enough scientific data being collected. I know there's a big pressure

because of the cost of that but the jawbone program is a very effective way to

collect a random sample of all animals harvested province wide and it should

definitely be a requirement of a licence that this jaw bone program has to be

participated in if they wish to get a licence the following year or the next

time their pool is selected.

So, Mr.

Speaker, I wish the government would reconsider this program in the upcoming

budget, as it is very valuable for scientific data collection and it can be done

in a very cost-effective manner.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources for a response, please.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. BYRNE:

Thank you very, very much.

This

deserves a big, cool drink of water. This is an excellent opportunity to talk a

little bit about what we are doing in Fisheries and Land Resources to improve

the status of our knowledge, our capacity and our management of our big game

resources.

Mr.

Speaker, I can say to this hon. House and to that hon. Member, you're right.

There was a problem – a deep, deep, dark problem. We had moose jawbones that

were piling up, that were just collecting in a corner without being processed.

They were piling up because there was insufficient lab space in Corner Brook. We

did not have the personnel or the space to be able to do it.

So, yes,

Mr. Speaker, there is an acknowledgement. There is an admission that I will

offer on the floor of this House right now, they were sent away to be done. Do

you know why, Mr. Speaker? They were piling up; they had to be done.

Now,

what I can report to this House is that we are investing $350,000 in new lab

space in Corner Brook, and we are going to get the job done, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon.

the Member for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

The

background to this petition is as follows:

There

have been numerous concerns raised by family members of seniors in long-term

care throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly those suffering with

dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive debilitating conditions,

whereby loved ones have experienced injuries, have not been bathed regularly,

not received proper nutrition and/or have been left lying in their own waste for

extreme periods of time. We believe this is directly related to government's

failure to ensure adequate staffing at those facilities.

THEREFORE we petition the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to instate legislation which includes the mandatory

establishment of adequate ratio of one staff to three residents in long-term

care and all other applicable regional health facilities housing persons with

dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive debilitating conditions in

order to ensure appropriate safety, protection from injuries, proper hygiene

care and all other required care. This law would include the creation of a

specific job position in these facilities for monitoring and intervention as

required to ensure the safety of patients.

Mr.

Speaker, I bring forward this petition which comes from – it looks like mainly

the central area of the province. I see Triton, Grand Falls-Windsor and Badger,

Norris Arm, Botwood, et cetera. So, from Central Island.

I'd like

to point out, Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to take leadership in this

country because the issues here are in other parts of the country as well. It's

only today I read a letter from a woman whose child, actually, is in long-term

care, and this woman was 79 years old. She was speaking specifically about

younger adults in long-term care.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

It's

difficult to hear.

Thank

you.

MS. MICHAEL:

But the issues she was

identifying are the same as the issues that are identified here, Mr. Speaker.

She was begging provincial and federal politicians to start working together to

really look at the issues of long-term care in our whole country.

We could

give leadership here, I say to the minister. In the context of meeting with

other ministers of health, bring out the issues of long-term care, how our

health care system is going to deal with the issues that have been brought forth

here in this petition – issues which are real.

We all

know the things that this petition refers to are things that are happening and

we should bring a stop to it right through our whole country, and let's become

the leaders.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

petitions?

The hon.

the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

These

are the reasons for this petition:

Newfoundland and

Labrador is the only province to still require an assessment and referral from

the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, CAMH, Gender Identity Clinic in

Toronto. The wait time for an assessment at CAMH is approximately two or more

years. In recent years, other provinces have improved their in-province

assessment and referral processes, in addition to increasing coverage and

funding for gender-affirming surgeries. Without adequate MCP coverage, these

surgeries can cost thousands of dollars.

The Department of

Health and Community Services is already engaged in investigating an in-province

assessment and referral process. Long wait times for gender affirmation

surgeries often contribute to prolonged gender dysphoria and worsened mental

health. Among transgendered youth aged 14 to 25 in Canada, 65.2 per cent

considered suicide – an incredible number, Mr. Speaker – and 36.1 per cent made

at least one suicide attempt in the last year, according to a 2014 Trans Youth

Health Survey.

THEREFORE we, the

undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to develop an in-province assessment process for

gender-affirming surgeries that would eliminate the need for an assessment by

CAMH as the sole referral option. Increase funding and coverage for

gender-affirming surgeries through MCP and expand the types of surgeries covered

to better reflect national standards.

Mr. Speaker, I've

stood and presented this petition a number of times, and over the past few years

I've pushed for this. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, I've presented to the

previous minister of Health and to the current one, names of doctors and health

care practitioners who were eligible, skilled and had the expertise to be able

to do this in-house assessment. No other province in the whole country of Canada

requires their people to go to CAMH anymore; no one else. Not even Ontario

requires their trans folks to go to CAMH for an assessment.

The minister has

said things are in place. Mr. Speaker, there is a psychiatrist here in this

province who used to do the assessments at CAMH in Toronto, and a few years ago

she was willing to do those assessments here. I don't know why the minister is

dragging his feet. I'd ask the minister to stand up and respond to this.

He's not

listening to me right now, but I would hope that he would stand up and respond

to this and tell us why, even in the light of the fact that 65.2 per cent of our

trans youth have considered suicide

and that 36.1 per cent attempted suicide in the past year. There's no longer any

reason not to do this.

Will the

minister speak to this, please?

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further

petitions?

The hon.

the Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands.

MR. LANE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There

have been numerous concerns raised by family members of seniors in long-term

care throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly those suffering with

dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive debilitating conditions,

whereby loved ones have experienced injuries, have not been bathed regularly,

not received proper nutrition and/or have been left lying in their own waste for

extended periods of time. We believe this is directly related to the

government's failure to ensure adequate staffing at those facilities.

THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to instate legislation which includes the mandatory

establishment of an adequate ratio, one staff to three residents in long-term

care, and all other applicable regional health facilities housing persons with

dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive debilitating conditions in

order to ensure appropriate safety, protection from injuries, proper hygiene

care and all other required care. This law will include the creation of a

specific job position in these facilities for monitoring and interventions

required to ensure the safety of patients.

Mr.

Speaker, I present this petition today on behalf of the Advocates for Senior

Citizens' Rights. My colleague for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi also just

presented one, and this is very important. It should be very important to us all

because we all have family members who are senior citizens, whether they be our

parents, our grandparents and perhaps, one day, us.

In the

case of seniors who have dementia and Alzheimer's disease and so on, they

require special attention in our long-term care facilities, because a lot of the

things that a person without that disease is able to do, such as feeding

oneself, as an example, a lot of times these people are not able to do it. So

it's not just as simple as saying we're going to provide food. They have to be

fed. There are situations where these people have to be changed on a regular

basis because they can't do it for themselves.

So, it's

very important. It's critical that we think of our seniors, and think of our

seniors that are in these facilities, that we want them to receive the best

possible care. This is not in any way to suggest – as I've said many times, not

in any way to suggest that the people working at these facilities are not doing

the best they can with what they have, but it comes down to staffing; having

enough people on staff at all times – that's an important point – at all times

to take care of our seniors.

It's one

thing to have it on the books that they're going to have X number of people

scheduled but if there're not always there, if we're not replacing people when

they call in sick or not replacing people on holidays and so on and our seniors

are left in this condition, it doesn't work.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Minister of Health and Community Services for a response, please.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

This

rather scattergun petition which the Member opposite keeps on bringing up raises

important issues. The prime concern of our long-term care and our home support

strategy is appropriate care for seniors.

With

respect to the Member opposite, his statements fly in the face of the last part

of his delivery. This is, unfortunately, seen by staff in long-term care as a

direct aim at their skills in compassion and caring. I have heard on frequent

occasions – in my own district, particularly – about this. And it's ironic that

while he stands up there with the best of intentions with this petition, he does

so with an approach which actually counters that of others. We have awards being

won in Central and in Western in this province at a national level for care of

seniors.

They are

no different in their feeding requirements, whether they're diagnosis is

dementia or stroke, Mr. Speaker, and the gentleman opposite obfuscates that

whole issue. I really would love to take another hour to dispel his arguments.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

The hon.

the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

I call Orders of the Day, Mr.

Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Orders of the Day, Sir.

Orders of the Day

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded

by the Minister of Natural Resources, for leave to introduce a bill entitled, An

Act To Amend The Correctional Services Act, Bill 2, and I further move that the

said bill be now read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that

the hon. the Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Correctional Services Act, Bill 2, and that the

said bill be now read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

The

motion is carried.

Motion,

the hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety to introduce a bill, “An Act

To Amend The Correctional Services Act,” carried. (Bill 2)

CLERK (Barnes):

A bill,

An Act To Amend The Correctional Services Act. (Bill 2)

MR. SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. A. PARSONS:

Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

motion, Bill 2 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded

by the Minister of Natural Resources, for leave to introduce a bill entitled, An

Act Respecting The Regulation Of Real Estate Trading In The Province, Bill 4,

and I further move that the said bill be now read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded that

the hon. the Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act Respecting The Regulation Of Real Estate Trading In the

Province, Bill 4, and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

The

motion is carried.

Motion,

the hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador to introduce a bill,

“An Act Respecting The Regulation Of Real Estate Trading In The Province,”

carried. (Bill 4)

CLERK:

A bill,

An Act Respecting The Regulation Of Real Estate Trading In The Province.

(Bill 4)

MR. SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the bill be read a second time? Tomorrow?

MR. A. PARSONS:

Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

motion, Bill 4 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would

call Address in Reply.

MR. SPEAKER:

Address in Reply.

The hon.

the Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Well, Mr. Speaker, it's

fantastic to lead off the address to the Speech from the Throne this afternoon.

I am so, so enthused and encouraged by what's written within the speech, some of

the highlights, some of the higher points that have occurred over the last term

of office of this government.

I want

to say how deeply appreciative that I am and my team at Fisheries and Land

Resources are to have such special mention, such appropriate mention to some of

the great work that the team within our forestry and our fisheries, our

aquaculture, our agriculture, our Crown lands, our protected areas, our

wildlife, all of the avenues that are so dear to each and every one of us in

this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador are held so tightly by my senior

officials, by my team within Fisheries and Land Resources. This year's Speech

from the Throne, this current Speech from the Throne, really did a fantastic job

of capturing that incredible momentum. Because, Mr. Speaker, there is truly a

renaissance that is occurring within our renewable natural resource industries.

It is

phenomenal to see it; it is even more incredible to lead it. I cannot say how

just incredibly pleased I am that the people of the province are taking

leadership and they are driving this with us, with our government, creating a

new environment, a new atmosphere and a new energy around farming our food and

our food security.

We've

teamed up with people, with organizations such as Food First NL, the

Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture, our numerous food producers

whether it be the Newfoundland and Labrador Beekeeping Association, our

agriculturists or the Newfoundland and Labrador horticultural association, our

sheep producers, our cattle producers, so many organizations which have played a

key role as we really brought forward some of the major initiatives to promote

food, food security and creating that culture around food that blends in with

our incredible tourism industry, Mr. Speaker. This is a renaissance, a new way

of approaching, a new of thinking about it and it is succeeding.

How is

it succeeding? Well, first off, Mr. Speaker, as the Speech from the Throne

indicated, we have targeted and we are succeeding at growing our food supply in

this province, increasing it by doubling it, doubling the amount of food that we

produce in this province. We need to take our food self-sufficiency to much

higher levels.

As we

know, Mr. Speaker, we only produce 10 per cent of the food we consume and we

have set an ambitious objective of doubling that by 2022. Well, that is

ambitious, but we can do even more, and we're on track and on course to doing

even more.

How so?

Well, look at what we've done. The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador was the

only province in Canada that did not have a post-secondary training program in

agriculture technology. Since 1949 to the present, we were the only province in

Canada that did not have a post-secondary program in agriculture to promote not

only the skills of farming, but also the entrepreneurship behind farming to

create the interest in farming and the confidence in farming. Because without

that capacity, without that post-secondary education opportunity, of course,

some would not necessarily gravitate to this as a career, as a vocation.

Now with

this program set to have its first enrolment in September of 2019, we have on

track an incredible vehicle to get people more enthusiastic and have greater

confidence in farming as an opportunity. And to help mitigate some of the human

resources, some of the labour shortage and labour skills shortages within the

agriculture sector. Because, Mr. Speaker, the agriculture sector is not our

grandfather's industry. It still comes with the same tenacity, the same level of

hard work and commitment that's required in it, but it is a very high-tech

sector now. That's why having post-secondary educational involvement is so

critical.

addition to that, Mr. Speaker, Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a

target footprint at Grenfell Campus, is looking at introducing a Ph.D. program,

a post-doc program in agricultural sciences. We already have several masters'

students doing incredible work in the field and in the laboratory on agriculture

and agricultural developments. We're using our resource station in Pynn's Brook,

but now we have that cluster, that synergy of post-secondary education and

post-secondary research, post-secondary developments that will aid and assist

our farmers on the ground. That's really important.

Another

thing that we're doing, Mr. Speaker, is we are promoting Wooddale. Wooddale, of

course, was the primary centre for our silviculture programs, growing tree

seedlings for our planting program, our silviculture program. Well, of course

with two of our three paper mills closing back in 2008, there left an

opportunity, a void, yet an opportunity in the greenhouses that exist there and

the expertise that exist there. We're producing seedlings now for farmers to be

able to advance their cold-climate crop rotation, their cold-climate sowing

season to be able to take advantage of the technology and the infrastructure at

Wooddale.

Last

year, Mr. Speaker, we set approximately 225,000 seedlings and various root crops

and other vegetables. This year, we are producing over 1.5 million seedlings.

It's an incredible amount. It's going to advance our food production incredibly,

advance the capacity of our farms and create a better rate of return for our

farmers. This is very important.

What

we're doing in Wooddale is above and beyond that. We're using this as a research

centre as well, coupled with Pynn's Brook, to do cold-crop climate research.

That's becoming very, very effective, too, Mr. Speaker.

Some

other advancements we're doing in agriculture – because I do really want to get

to forestry and to fisheries and to aquaculture as well – but some of the other

advancements, we're making land readily available. We identified 64,000 hectares

of agricultural areas of interest. Why that's so important is not just making

that land immediately available to farmers as we grow the number of farmers in

our province, we've already seen – based on the metrics of our funding programs

– 50 new farmers come in to develop farms in our province based on the metrics

of our funding programs, but we're seeing even more farms come in place as

farmers look for this land base to be able to develop farms.

Now, it

does not have a single, immediate value of providing land for farmers today. It

has an additional value of ensuring that that land base is protected and

understood and allowed to be used for farming in the future. One of the greatest

threats to farming in North America – in fact, in Western civilization – is the

erosion of our agricultural land base, of North America's agricultural land base

for suburban sprawl and for other industrial uses.

We are

in a very unique situation, in that we are somewhat green field in this regard.

By protecting that land base, by identifying it, protecting it and ensuring it's

there for the future, it has two formal, fundamental roles. One is to make the

land available for farmers today, as they adept and they grow they become

entrepreneurs in the farm business; but, two, it's also to identify it for

future protection, so that we always have food security in our province. A very,

very important point.

In the

St. John's agriculture development area, we saw just over 60,000 hectares of

land identified for protection. Over the years, Mr. Speaker, 20,000 of those

acres have been removed from the land base. Most of it during the Peckford

administration, during the Frank Moores administration, and just recently, in

2013, the last time the St. John's agriculture development area – land was taken

from our agricultural use and turned into another use was 2013, when 1,600 acres

was removed from the zoning for requirement for agriculture. So I can assure

you, Mr. Speaker, we won't be perpetuating that trend, I can guarantee you.

forestry, Mr. Speaker, we have introduced several new initiatives to encourage

increased utilization of fibre. We've amended our permitting system, our

permitting program. We've adopted to a use-it-or-lose-it program because, as we

know, there are annual permits that are issued.

The

annual permits should be based on utilization by the harvester, by the forester.

Often, however, those permits were just simply renewed without an analysis of

whether or not the fibre was actually cut. So there was a notion that there was

a property right that was associated with the permits. That does no one seeking

a job in the forestry industry any good when forest is left unharvested that was

meant to be harvested, but left unharvested and unutilized – underutilized or

unutilized – that does no one any good in our rural communities that are

dependent on our forest resources because it's left fallow.

The

second thing, it does no good for anyone looking to expand. An entrepreneur, a

forester of a lumber company, someone engaged in the forestry sector who is

looking for additional fibre who cannot get access to it because it is tied up

by someone who is not using it. Very important, fundamental, somewhat simple,

but difficult change to make, in that it had to be done. Sometimes you just got

to look at a problem with fresh eyes and investigate it and do what needs to be

done.

Now, Mr.

Speaker, I could tell you that this has gone over extremely well. Now those who

look for access to forest resources, who previously could not get access to

them, they're now seeing a new opportunity to be able to grow their business –

those who are entrepreneurial.

In our

fishery sector, Mr. Speaker, we're seeing new opportunities emerge. You know, we

are challenged often with less resources because of quota cuts by the Department

of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. We are seeing those challenges. We see those

challenges every day, but we also see great opportunities.

Even

though there may be less volume of fish hitting the wharf or the stage head, Mr.

Speaker, we're seeing increased value from our fisheries resources. Even though

the volume, the weight of product coming over the wharf is less than what it was

before, we're seeing greater value extracted from it. We're seeing greater value

because of increased quality; emphasis on quality of our fish products, emphasis

on greater value being added for our fish products.

That's

why this year, in the past year 2018, while there was less volume of fish landed

in Newfoundland and Labrador, our value still maintained at $1.3 billion, Mr.

Speaker. An incredible achievement. How was that able to be done? Well, in large

measure because of our success with the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. We have several

initiatives already underway and more to come, developing increased value within

the value-added chain, within the logistics chain of our fish resources.

We're

working to make sure that fishermen are extracting the greatest matter of value

from our fish products, and, as a result, Mr. Speaker, that has to come down to

the harvesters. As sellers extract greater value from our fish resources, that,

of course, increases the opportunity for increased price.

As we

just saw, Mr. Speaker, the fully independent fish price setting panel, after

hearing various arguments or various positions on what the price of crab should

be, came forward and said the price of crab for the start of the season of 2019

will be $5.38 a pound. Never in the history of the fishery has crab been at that

price.

While we

took a 9 per cent reduction in overall crab landings, overall crab quotas in

2019, we will actually see an increase in value to fishermen of that crab. So

that's very important for the enterprise holders, the fishermen that will still,

even though volume is down, value is up, and the total economic value to them is

still up.

We still

have a concern, Mr. Speaker, about our shore men, our crew members and, as well,

our plant workers. Because while the value is up for fishermen and value is up

for the plant owners, the amount of work that's achieved in a plant by four

plant workers is dependent on the volume.

today, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment and I, for

the first time ever, since the introduction of the program many, many years ago,

we announced at the beginning of the season that the Government of Newfoundland

and Labrador will stand tall with our plant workers. We have heard the call that

we need security, they need security and they need confidence in their future to

be able to grow and be part of their communities. For the very first time ever

at the beginning of the season, recognizing many of the challenges that are in

front of us for the fishery, in terms of reduced volumes, we announced today a

$2.5 million plant worker assistance program for 2019.

That is

very important and sends a strong signal to all those plant workers and all

those communities where plants are located that their government, the Government

of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Members on this side of the House, are very

much in step with their needs, their concerns and are acting on their needs and

their concerns.

They can

feel much more comfortable that they will have a secure future for 2019 and

beyond. Because as we grow, as we grow our fishery, as we grow the value of our

fishery, as we grow our aquaculture sector, one of the key things that I've

heard time and time again – and I readily adapt to it and agree with it – is

that the trick to ending precarious employment in our aquaculture sector is to

grow the volume of fish that's being produced.

Now with

the introduction of a new company into Newfoundland and Labrador, Marine

Harvest, that purchased Northern Harvest, and now has rebranded under Mowi, with

the introduction of Grieg NL with the strength of Cooke Aquaculture, and with

new interest in our trout industry on the South Coast of Newfoundland we will

see huge, huge growth in our salmonid aquaculture industry. And on the Northeast

Coast and other parts of the Island, our shellfish sector will continue to grow

and to expand. We'll use the Atlantic Fisheries Fund as well, Mr. Speaker, to be

able to facilitate this.

Our

natural resource sector is strong. Our renewable natural resource sector

continues to be a major driver of the economy, of our province and, in

particular, rural Newfoundland and Labrador. But never let it be said that these

industries are exclusive or unique to our rural areas. The fishery drives the

prosperity and well-being of every community, town and city of our province. Our

forestry sector drives the prosperity of every town, community and city in our

province. The aquaculture sector drives the prosperity of every town, community

and city in our province. Our forestry sector is the same; our agriculture

sector is the same.

Every

renewable natural resource that we have benefits each and every one of us. It

cannot be left unsaid or understated, however, that obviously where the resource

is extracted, where the harvesting occurs and where the growing occurs, that's

where you see a real fundamental value and importance to those industries and

that's why we nurture them. It nurtures us all, but we also maintain a very

strong, vibrant footprint in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

So, Mr.

Speaker, I am so pleased that the Speech from the Throne highlighted the Liberal

government's leadership in helping to create a renaissance in our renewable

natural resource industries. If you were to survey, if you were to ask the

people of our province do you support, do you have greater confidence, do you

have greater trust, and do you want the continued growth of our farms, our

fishery, our forestry, our aquaculture sectors, do you support our renewable

natural resources continuing to be developed in our province, the answer,

universally across this entire province would be yes, we understand better now

what these industries mean to each and every one of us. We support them and, by

doing so, we support each other.

I'm

delighted to get up and speak on behalf of the incredible professionals at the

Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. I'm delighted to speak on behalf of

all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that our resource sector is in good hands.

It's being led by real, solid professionals. It's seeing leadership; it's being

given attention which has never been given before. And now, Mr. Speaker, we are

prepared, as we move forward into the 21st century, into the years ahead, to see

that dividend being produced.

God

bless, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Warr):

The hon. the Member for

Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It gives

me great pleasure to rise on this 8th day of April to speak to Address in Reply.

I had a little bit of a

preamble designed, but I guess in following the former

speaker, the minister, I feel empowered to address a couple of situations right

away.

The

reality is the agriculture industry, not only in this province, but in the

Atlantic Canadian provinces is in peril. Largely, it's caused by the downward

pressure of prices combined by the upward vacuum of costs of production.

Doubling production is a great target but, as a farmer and as an industry, we

have to look at doubling our market share. While I understand the minister has

little or no experience in marketing a product, he has to realize that those

markets are currently being filled by somebody else. So if Newfoundland product

is to move into a marketplace, it has to push some other market-filling product

out.

That's

not going to be that easy. So in simultaneous action we need to focus on not

only doubling our production, but we need to double our market access. What

we're going to find, if we double production – and I know it's been quoted we

only produce 10 per cent of the food we eat. Producing that 10 per cent in a

short window of opportunity to sell it is going to result in a lot of bankrupt

and out-of-business farmers, a lot of heartbroken people who invested their

lives, who invested their whole fortunes in developing their farms.

So while

I'm encouraged by this administration's focus on putting programs into place

within academia, putting a focus on making land available, the problem is

they're not doing it in a sustainable way. It's not happening. What's happening

is it's going to be haphazardly developed. There are going to be existing

farmers that are pushed out of business and, like I said, a lot of

broken-hearted young people in particular with broken dreams because the

government is not supporting their talk with their funds.

With all

this extra pressure from new entrants, from academia, from existing producers,

we need to double the funds. How do we expect to double our agricultural

industry and subsequent food output without increasing the funding to

agriculture? Last year's budget seen a reduction of over $500,000 in our own

provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program and it's scheduled, to the best of my

knowledge – and I hope I am wrong – to be reduced again this year.

We often

heard about the federal-provincial partnership called CAP. Well, prior to that,

there was Growing Forward 1, Growing Forward 2, Growing Forward 3 and, prior to

that, there was the EPP program. See this is a continued part of our share as a

province, of federal money. It has really very little to do with any one

particular government fighting tooth and nail. It's basically our part of the

federal pot.

Now, how

we spend it is where our province has to stand up. We, in Newfoundland and

Labrador, are in a position where we have to clear more land. We have to put

more land in production;

whereas everywhere else in Canada, Atlantic Canada

included, we have farms and fields growing back up and trees and alder bushes

because markets are no longer there, it's no longer sustainable for farms to

produce on that scale, whatever it may be, but the farm land reserve in Atlantic

Canada is declining.

That

puts a bit of a challenge to us because not only are we clearing land,

conversely to the rest of Canada, we've got to make the argument that in

addition to doubling production, we are actually trying to carve out our own

marketing system and, ultimately, our food security of the province. Because

many other provinces look at the amount of funding that we put towards our

agriculture industry as unfair subsidization.

So we

need to look at more market access. We need to look at more creation of our

storage facilities, for one, so that we don't have that big glut of production

at the one time. In non-supply management, in particular, horticulture, beef and

sheep, we're lacking the infrastructure needed to break into the market to

displace existing products. There is very little reason for people to be hungry

in Newfoundland and Labrador because there is an abundant supply. So, as I said,

what has to happen is we have to make our industry more competitive.

This

administration's focus has been on the creation of jobs in agriculture; yet,

according to CFIB, a report that was released just prior to Christmas, the

number of jobs in the agriculture industry in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador has decreased by 80 per cent over the past three years. But, do you

know what? As a farmer, I realize that that's a reality, because as farmers we

have to find efficiencies. We have to find efficiencies in replacing labour with

machines, and that's been the way since the Green Revolution back in the 1940s.

The idea

of making an industry inefficient, creating more human resource opportunities in

the form of labour, is not going to create a sustainable industry. Yes, it is

fantastic to create more opportunities in agriculture for business people,

supply chains, that kind of activity, but as far as creating manual labour jobs

in agriculture, it is a step backwards. It is not going to provide a sustainable

industry and it is not going to provide food security for this province.

Again,

we hear the 64,000 hectares – and I was corrected on that last time, I said

acres. But do you know what? I still have not got the number of hectares that

have been released to actual farmers. I know personally of a situation where

there are farmers waiting over 18 months and haven't even heard anything yet. I

know personally of a farm that through an ill-guided bureaucracy, reduced their

employment by 25 per cent on account of a land allocation.

Now, I

hear the Member for Bonavista chirping me over on the side; I think that he

should maybe get out on a farm himself and do a little bit of work and he'll

realize what it takes to work on a farm and create a piece of productive land.

Now, I'd

like to know – maybe it's just my own personal knowledge of the industry and

these particular situations, but I can remember recently in two newspaper

articles, two young ladies who – their biggest impediment to developing a farm

is access to agricultural land. Yes, you don't necessarily need a large amount

of land to produce a lot of food, because there are lots of opportunities to

produce food in other ways. In greenhouse situations, which don't necessarily

need agricultural capacity soil. It can actually be built anywhere, as long as

you have access to hydro and water. But, again, in order to be successful you

have to have market.

The

minister got up and spoke of how much the agricultural land base has been

eroded. And, yes, continually the agricultural land base has been eroded,

especially that in the St. John's region. Actually, as of recent, of this past

year under the minister's own hand, there were appeals overturned and

agricultural land was taken out of the agricultural zone for other purposes. It

was actually only the municipality that finally put a stop to it and said no,

this project is not going ahead.

So while

he gets up and stands and says how this government does this and this government

does that, we need to see those actions in place. We don't need to see political

theatre. Political theatre will not feed people, it will not create a

sustainable industry and it will not create employment or economic activity for

the people of this province.

Now, on

to another role that we've been speaking about, and that's the forestry

industry. I, in my limited time here, have been aware of three potential

activities and proposals for Central Newfoundland and the aging and

over-maturing, what we call, the Abitibi stand. They did not go ahead because

they could not get access to fibre. They could not get access to the resource.

Very sustainable plans. I read two of the three from cover to cover.

Not only

did they look at harvesting the resource, they looked at maximizing the value of

the resource. Unlike the new deal that's been allocated on the Northern

Peninsula – which, by the way, not one tree has been cut yet; which, by the way,

there's no infrastructure on the ground. But do you know what it's done? It's

tied up a resource on the Northern Peninsula that could be used by local

sawmills to produce high-value lumber, to create a sustainable model of economic

development. Not only for the short time frame that the deal is going to

basically rape our whole Northern Peninsula of wood, turn it into low-value

pellets and ship it overseas for someone else's benefit.

AN HON. MEMBER:

(Inaudible.)

MR. LESTER:

I'm hearing from the other

side about a previous administration's attempt to do the same. But do you know

what? That is a project that still belongs to the taxpayer of Newfoundland and

Labrador. That is a project that still holds potential. That is an asset of the

people of this province. But instead of incorporating that into this deal, this

administration, once again, decided to use it as a political game piece, as a

political billboard at the expense of the taxpayer of this province and at the

expense of the people of Roddickton-Bide Arm.

When you

look at the economic model and success of a sawmill or a lumber operation, which

there are many successful throughout the province, we're not looking at what it

actually takes to make a business successful. It basically means that you have

to obtain maximum value for every product that's on that piece of land. You

can't walk over a log. Basically, that log has to be turned into something. The

sawdust from that log, the slab from that log, the top of that tree has to be

turned into something in order to make a sawmill viable.

The

lumber industry is very, very competitive. It's very, very competitive because

of the scale that we compete on. There is not one reason why we should be

importing lumber into this province while we're grinding up sawlogs to send

across the ocean to be burned to create electricity – not one reason. It should

be all used right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. It should be used here to

create wood, to create lumber for construction, create fuel, create paper,

create all sorts of products that we can employ Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

in.

Another

thing we hear from the side opposite is the GDP. So let's look at a small

country like Kuwait. Kuwait has an absolutely massive GDP, but most families

live in an area, their whole domicile occupies a space of probably your bedroom.

So, really, GDP means very little for the people of a country. When it's

translated from GDP to economic activity, that's what we have to look at.

Continued overspending and inability to manage our spending has created us

hungry all the time for more revenue, more revenue, more revenue.

While we

hear that the fiscal situation is in order on account of their activity,

unfortunately it's not. I would love to say, yes, it is; keep it up. But do you

know what? The only thing that's changed our fiscal reality has been the price

of oil, which we absolutely have no control over.

In a

time in our world and in this millisecond of existence as it pertains to the

total life span of our planet, we are now facing downward pressure on the use of

carbon fuels such as oil. We, as a province, are looking, as a way forward, to

Advance 2030 to increase our oil

production. Yet, our oil industry is so, so small.

Do you

know what? While those plans are ambitious, they are totally out of our control.

It is going to be the effect of climate change, the effect of pressure to reduce

fossil fuel consumption, it's going to be the appetite on world market that is

going to provide financial stability for our price of oil. We need to now start

looking at going outside.

But we

don't need to look far. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are wonderful,

resourceful people. Despite our climate, despite our geography, despite our

challenges of being the newest member of the family of Confederation, we've

persevered. We have many businesses run by families. We see resurgence in areas

where we thought all was lost.

So, we

don't need to go out and hire consultants who could tell us better what we can

do. We have those answers right here in our own province. All we have to do –

yes, we've done lots of listening, we're always listening it seems, we're always

seeking consultations and we're always seeking input. Yes, that's important, but

what's more important is what we do with that input, and that's something that

governments have not been good at.

waffle around on issues. A prime example is the plastic bag ban. We'll debate

that in the coming days. We've been told loud and clear by the people of this

province that this is something we have to do; this is something that is wanted

by the public. Yes, it may create a little bit of inconvenience for a lot of

people getting used to it, but there is no half way about this.

Friday, which was a very windy day, I happened to go down to dumpsite A, which

is the main dumpsite of Robin Hood Bay, which is probably the largest collector

of waste in all of Newfoundland. At that time, they were allowing one truck to

dump at a time. Do you know why? Because as soon as that truck dumped, I would

say 20 per cent of it flew off into the air out over the ocean. So they could

not get it covered up as soon as the wind was taking it and putting it in our

ocean.

Driving

along the side of the road going down to the dump site, there were snow banks on

the side of the road, still here because they were covered in plastic. There was

that much plastic on it, it was insulating the snow. So, there is no half way

about this. It's only a small step.

I know I

did receive communication from the former minister of Environment that it's only

2 per cent of the garbage that we produce, but we need to start making a step.

We need to start making a step for future generations. Once you make that first

step, the second is a lot easier. So that's what we all have to concentrate on

doing. Yes, there will be people who are not pleased with it, but we have to do

it for the future.

Which

brings us to the last couple of minutes I'm here standing, talking about the

future. I guess in my main career, outside of politics, I'm Farmer Jim and part

of operations on our farm is we entertain a lot of children. Do you know what

was on my mind the whole time this past weekend? I was looking at all these kids

with such excitement and running around enjoying our farm and all I could think

was: $800 million. But not only that: $1 billion that we're going to collect

upfront and spend.

What are

we going to spend that on? Are we going to continue to spend it on our

unsustainable management of government, or are we going to try to make things

better? Are we going to try to reduce the cost of government, provide more

efficient services and spend wisely? Spend wisely, that's another thing we're

not doing.

I have

seniors in my district who are going to go blind and become 100 per cent

dependent on the province for their care. Right now, they're living

independently. Why are they going that? Because this administration has put a

limit on how many injections they can get to prevent their eye condition from

getting worse.

How can

it be more efficient to cut out a $1,500 injection once every two months to

prevent somebody from going blind, versus taking that person who will now not be

able to look after themselves at all and put them in an institution?

I have

seniors who are going to emergency departments because the government has cut

out the seniors' dental care program and low-income dental care. Why? Because

they just cannot afford it. Do you know what? Seniors and the most vulnerable

are often the most quiet because they're embarrassed of their situation. They're

embarrassed. This government has placed embarrassment on the most vulnerable

sectors of our society.

Now, how

can we do that? How can we say it is not good spending to keep someone healthy,

to reduce the costs on our health care system? How can we not say that? Why do

we still do this?

This

government got elected on a promise that they were going to do better for the

people. We're 3½ years in and we're still waiting for them to make good on that

promise.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

MS. P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's

always an honour, of course, to stand in our place here in this hon. House, the

House of Assembly, our Newfoundland and Labrador Legislature to represent the

people who elected us. I represent the strong District of Harbour Grace - Port

de Grave and I got to say I had a great weekend on the ground at many community

events throughout my district from Bishops Cove, Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace, you

name it. It's always a good time in Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

Just to

quickly refer to my colleague opposite here, who I consider a good friend, Famer

Jim, a.k.a., he made a comment about not looking after our vulnerable

population. Well, I have to say and I can only speak for myself here on this

side of the House, I can say the argument was the same thing for the vulnerable,

young student population in Coley's Point Primary.

For

years we know, Mr. Speaker, that promises have been made. Money has been

allocated by the previous administration but nothing materialized. We talk about

a vulnerable population. I would argue that our youngest students as well as our

seniors are indeed the most vulnerable members of our society.

I'm

happy to say that it's this government –and I'm grateful that it's happening in

my time as MHA. As everybody can attest to here in this House, I talk about it

every time I stand in this hon. House. I'm happy to say that our government has

awarded $16.2 million to JMJ Holdings. It's a Newfoundland and Labrador company,

of course, that are going to take action. I'm told that the physical work can

start tomorrow, right from the minister's mouth, Mr. Speaker, right here. So we

can expect good work to begin on that long overdue school replacement.

The

student population varies between 350 to 400 in that area. It services children

all the way from Port de Grave, Hibbs Cove, Bareneed, Bay Roberts, Coley's

Point, Shearstown, Butlerville, some from the Clarke's Beach area and Bay

Roberts attend that school. That's the feeder school right there. That's where

they start. A lot of my friends have their children currently enrolled at

Coley's Point. I'm happy to say I visit the school frequently, but I look

forward to visiting that new building, with the doors scheduled to open in 2021.

So let's

bring that on. Can't wait to see that physical work begin on Coley's Point

Primary school replacement. It's going to be located on Eric Dawe Drive, which

is adjacent to Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts, another great school, another

great educational facility in the strong District of Harbour Grace - Port de

Grave.

Mr.

Speaker, and there are more students at Amalgamated Academy than there are at

Ascension Collegiate, the high school there in the area. So let me tell you,

there's lots of learning, lots of bright minds that will come out of Harbour

Grace - Port de Grave District.

Also,

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about roads. Roads are a problem everywhere. I hear

a lot in particular from folks in Port de Grave area – Hibbs Cove, Port de

Grave, Bareneed – and I have to say the road conditions are pretty deplorable in

that area. We're all competing for roads and for maintenance on our roads

throughout the province. I'm happy to say that some good roadwork has been done

on Cranes Road and the Thicket Road in Upper Island Cove, Spaniard's Bay and

Riverhead, near Harbour Grace, in my district, but we need to do more with our

roads.

It would

be great if we could fix all the roads, Mr. Speaker, but we have significant

kilometres of highway in this province. I have made a promise, of course, to the

constituents in this area that I will lobby and do my best to advocate for

roadwork in that area. As we know, the provincial government is responsible for

the roadway in Port de Grave and in Bareneed, and I will continue to advocate

and do everything I can to get road maintenance down there.

Also on

the Lighthouse Road in Port de Grave, there's a lot of exciting things happening

in this particular area of Port de Grave. Just recently, my colleague, MP Ken

McDonald, and I were at the boat-lighting festival in Port de Grave, the annual

boat lighting. That same night we were able to announce a joint funding

announcement of $154,000 to be invested in Lighthouse Road, to create the Green

Point light station as a world-renowned tourism destination in Port de Grave, a

beautiful example of a perfect coastal community. It's a very picturesque

community, the landscape and the ocean, and of course a lot of busy activity

within our fishery.

We have

a lot of our inshore and offshore fishers that live in Port de Grave and in

Bareneed and those areas, and it's just an area that I'm very proud of. So very,

very excited to see the development of the Green Point light station. I'm also

lobbying on behalf of residents down there to have Lighthouse Road paved. So,

again, roads are a number one issue no matter where you go, no matter what

district throughout the province, people want to see better roadways, and

rightfully so.

Having

said that, I'm also very excited to soon bring good news about Harvey Street in

Harbour Grace. I worked closely, of course, with the Minister of Municipal

Affairs and Environment on this, we've had multiple meetings, and let me tell

you Harvey Street is a main thoroughfare in the histo