Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 18 May 2010 (46th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLVI No. 23)
2010-05-18
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
May
18, 2010 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 23
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Today the Chair would like to extend some special welcomes to visitors in our
gallery. The Chair would first like to welcome Kaitlin Strong from Heritage
Collegiate in the District of Bonavista South who has been selected as
Newfoundland and Labrador's 2010 Lester B. Pearson Scholarship winner. Kaitlin
is accompanied by her parents, William and Suzette Strong.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Speaker would also like to welcome ten students
representing the Beachy Cove Elementary Student Council from the District of
Conception Bay East & Bell Island. The students are accompanied by their
teachers Joe Day and Roxanne Roberts.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Speaker would also like to welcome the 50 Plus Group of
Swift Current-Black River and Garden Cove from the District of Bellevue. The
group is accompanied by founder Shelly Borthwick, Lorraine Smith and Linda Eddy,
as well as the vice chair of the Swift Currant-Black River local service
district, Mr. Bruce Mercer. I understand Pastor Rowe is part of the group, and
the bus driver, Mr. Victor Romaine.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair would also like to welcome His Worship, Mayor Eric
Skinner from the Town of Harbour Breton.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: The following members' statements will be heard: the hon.
the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South; the hon. the
Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North; and the hon. the
Member for the District of Bellevue.
The hon. the Member for District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUNTER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, and my fellow hon. Members of the House of Assembly, I rise
today in this hon. House to congratulate Miss Grand Falls-Windsor, Erynn
Linehan, for being named Miss Teen Fitness at the 2010 Miss Teen Newfoundland
and Labrador Pageant.
Erynn is a Grade 11 student at Exploits Valley High and is involved in
basketball and volleyball. She states that sports are her forte and the
competition for Miss Teen Fitness included such things as 310 squats and sixty
push-ups.
Erynn, special thanks for representing the District of Grand
Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South. I ask all hon. members to join with me today to
congratulate Erynn Linehan for being awarded the Miss Teen Fitness 2010.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in this hon. House today to
congratulate the Grade 12 graduating class of Harriot Curtis Collegiate in St.
Anthony. I had the honour this past weekend to attend the graduating ceremony of
Harriot Curtis Collegiate, and was very pleased to watch as forty-eight students
received their graduation certificates. A moment I am sure that will be forever
etched in their memory.
These graduates are our future and I want to commend them for staying the
course and achieving this wonderful goal. The valedictorian at this year's
graduation was Ms Kathryn O'Rielly, a title I am sure she well deserved. The
theme for the graduation was: Whatever Tomorrow Brings. My wish for these
students is that tomorrow will bring them success in whatever path they choose,
whether it be to further their education or to enter the workforce.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in
congratulating the Grade 12 graduating class of Harriot Curtis Collegiate and to
wish them well in their future endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the 50 Plus Club from Swift
Current-Black River of Placentia Bay. This club is a newly formed club, only
holding their charter meeting in 2010.
Mr. Speaker, the Swift Current-Black River 50 Plus Club is partnering with
the youth of their community and have organized an active and healthy living
program for their community of Swift Current and the neighbouring communities of
Garden Cove and North Harbour.
I would like to recognize three very special women of this group the
founders: Ms Shelly Borthwick, Ms Lorraine Smith, and Ms Linda Eddy. It is their
hard work and dedication that has brought forth the formation of this 50 Plus
seniors group. These individuals are actively promoting the Province's active
and healthy living program initiatives in the Swift Current area.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all hon. members join me in wishing the Swift
Current-Black River 50 Plus Club all the best in their future endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today to congratulate the
winner of one of the largest scholarships awarded in the Province. Teachers and
students at Heritage Collegiate in Lethbridge have a lot to celebrate today,
because Kaitlin Strong, a student at the school, has been named the winner of
the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship.
Ms Strong, a sixteen-year-old Level II student, was selected on the basis of
both academic achievement and the quality of her character. She is involved in a
variety of school activities, from concert band to volleyball and softball, and
is editor of the student newspaper. Ms Strong is also a member of the school's
winning robotics team which will represent this Province at the international
robotics competition in Hawaii in June.
Outside of school, Mr. Speaker, she is a proficient downhill skier, scuba
diver and piano player. Truly, her parents, William and Suzette Strong, have a
lot to be proud of.
In September, Kaitlin will travel to Pearson College and together with 100
other students selected from more than eighty countries around the world, she
will spend two years studying at the college and graduate with the prestigious
International Baccalaureate Diploma. This is a pre-university course of study
designed for highly motivated high school students which offers a comprehensive
international curriculum.
Pearson College, Mr. Speaker, located near Victoria, British Columbia, is one
of the thirteen United World Colleges. These colleges are dedicated to the
promotion of international understanding by creating an environment in which
students are brought together to both study and to serve the community.
The provincial government is proud to support this renowned scholarship
program with a $35,000 annual investment which goes directly to the college to
fund the education of two students from Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker,
in September, Kaitlin will join Brandi O'Keefe from Ferryland, who received the
2009 scholarship.
Mr. Speaker, providing funding for students' education and future is one of
the most important investments governments can make. To that end, we provide
approximately $254,000 in scholarships annually to high school students alone.
This is an investment we are pleased to make because it is an investment in our
future.
On behalf of the hon. House, Mr. Speaker, I offer my sincere best wishes to
Kaitlin and I hope that in the years to come, she returns to Newfoundland and
Labrador to contribute her skills, her knowledge and her determination to the
betterment of our great Province.
Thank you.
Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & white
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to first of all thank the minister for an advance copy of his
statement, and certainly we would like to join with him in congratulating Ms
Strong today in the wonderful accomplishment. It is a wonderful
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sure.
Not only is the scholarship itself a unique scholarship; it is something that
has been on the go for many years. I believe since 1974 this scholarship has
been offered, and the Province and has partnered with the college to do this. To
see that our Province has such dedicated and such disciplined and committed
young people to participate in such a scholarship program is a wonderful thing.
I trust that the funding will continue as further years come upon us and we will
see more inspiring people from our Province participate in the same thing.
I would like to also mention, of course, there are other scholarships, as the
minister would be aware of, and I think a couple of our students from the
Province just received the TD Scholarship, Cody Dunne from Booth Memorial, and
also Katie Flynn from Mountain Field Academy in Forteau.
Certainly, all that participate in scholarships again, I would acknowledge
and congratulate, and a special congratulations to Ms Strong and her family
today that are here.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement, and I am
delighted to stand and pass along my congratulations to Kaitlin Strong and her
parents. Kaitlin is obviously an extraordinary student and will certainly
benefit from receiving the scholarship to Pearson College.
The International Baccalaureate program really is a fantastic program,
allowing students to take university level courses, and at the same time receive
intellectual stimulation, which is wonderful, but also doing community service
work and being able to take
part in a creative, artistic and physical component
that is also part of the program. We can see from the description of Kaitlin's
activities that this will suit her wonderfully. The IB program graduates are
well-rounded young citizens who want to be leaders.
The program is actually offered in St. John's at Holy Heart of Mary School;
it does cost around $1,000 per student. I really encourage the minister to look
at how we might be able to increase the number of students who actually do the
program here in Newfoundland and Labrador, and see an investment that would
allow more students to be able to benefit from this wonderful program.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, today's youth are the building blocks of our Province's future.
As reflected in the Speech from the Throne, Budget 2010, the Youth Retention
and Attraction Strategy, and the actions of all provincial government
departments, supporting the development of the Province's youth is a high
priority.
The youth-related initiatives of the Department of Innovation, Trade and
Rural Development are largely based on the long-standing Getting the Message Out
program, and Innovation Newfoundland and Labrador: A Blueprint for Prosperity.
We are motivated by the goal of developing future leaders in business,
academia and the public service. We believe that it starts by fostering an
innovative and entrepreneurial spirit among youth at the junior high and high
school levels.
Today, I am pleased to stand in this hon. House to announce the launch of a
province-wide youth innovation and entrepreneurship initiative the Youth
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teacher Resource Manual that will be delivered
to junior high and high school students as part of their curriculum in fall
The manual is an extension of the Getting the Message Out program's classroom
material that has been delivered by teachers to students as part of their
curriculum for the past five years. Materials included in the manual will
highlight for students how innovation can be leveraged to create entrepreneurial
opportunities, how it benefits our local communities and how it strengthens the
provincial economy.
To best capture the interest of students and stimulate discussion in the
classroom, the manual includes a series of case studies that profile local
entrepreneurs who have experienced success in a wide range of industries such as
manufacturing, tourism and advanced technology.
In an increasingly competitive, knowledge-driven business climate, the need
to reach out to students is great. The need may be even greater to help create
awareness of the possibilities that exist in Newfoundland and Labrador and to
instill an entrepreneurial spirit among youth for the long-term success of our
Province.
Achieving our goals and opening the eyes of youth to what is possible in
Newfoundland and Labrador requires hard work and extensive collaboration.
This new manual would not have been possible without the ongoing
collaboration between teachers and the Departments of Education and Innovation,
Trade and Rural Development.
I would like to acknowledge the important role that the staff of the
Department of Education played in this initiative. Their work ensures that the
new material is presented in an easy-to-use format and consistent with the
objectives of the existing curriculum.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would, first of all, again like to thank the minister for an advance copy
of his statement.
I would acknowledge that this is a good initiative. We all know that if we
capture the imagination of the youth while they are young then we have them
forever. His first statement: Today's youth are the building blocks of the
Province's future - that is the way we look at youth, but I would also ascertain
that the young people are not only our future but they are our present and
supporting them through their education process with different initiatives
certainly is very important. This program to show young people of the Province
that you can stay in our Province and still be successful is key, and the way
that you can catch them before they make the life changing decisions to leave
the Province because we know it is very difficult to bring them back.
Entrepreneurship is not just a spirit, it is an attitude and it is a way of
looking at the world, a way of life. Whether you are bottling water or you are
doing something different from that and so on, it takes that entrepreneurial
drive. So the earlier it is learned, the more likely it will stay with them
throughout adulthood.
Again, thank you, and I would trust all of our young people will involve
themselves in these types of programs.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I am
delighted with the initiative that he has told us about today because I, too,
see the future of this Province and the young people of today, and I see a
bright future for us in this Province. That is why it is important to teach
young people of all the opportunities that they can use as they move into post
school life.
I would hope that this manual will profile not only local entrepreneurs and
individual entrepreneurs but also talk about the whole co-operative spirit, and
how people with entrepreneurial spirits working together also create wonderful
businesses in this Province and how that has been part of our history. I, too,
hope - and I look forward to seeing the manual to see what is in it, but I, too,
hope that the manual will also show young people the great strides that have
been made by working people joining together in labour organizations to better
the working conditions of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
I applaud the manual that the minister has told us about and I look forward
to seeing a copy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the provincial government is delighted to partner once again
with the Newfoundland and Labrador Lung Association to support projects and
programs that both reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our Province and
contribute to a healthier environment. With a contribution of $50,000 from my
department, the Lung Association will work toward advancing activities in the
area of climate change and air quality.
Through our partnership, a variety of programs have been delivered such as
Tire Pressure Information Clinics; Idling Awareness Campaigns for vehicles, with
a particular emphasis on school buses; and a Retire Your Ride program aimed at
reducing the number of older, high polluting vehicles on our roads. All in all,
Mr. Speaker, the combined outcomes of these projects is estimated to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in this Province by more than 2,300 tonnes annually.
Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of joining the Lung Association and the
Western Newfoundland and Labrador School District in Corner Brook for the launch
of their anti-idling campaign. The initiative is aimed at reducing idling around
schools and educating drivers on the health and environmental implications of
their actions. I witnessed first-hand, Mr. Speaker, the commitment that these
young people have to environmental sustainability. These children even had
violation tickets to issue to their parents, family and friends who may
potentially idle their vehicles in their presence, and they spoke passionately
about how idling affects us all. I am pleased to report, Mr. Speaker, that all
schools under the Western School District are now idle free. Initiatives like
this one are made possible through our support of the Lung Association and their
dedication to healthy living and a healthy environment.
We recognize that these initiatives are extremely instrumental in increasing
awareness around the issue of climate change and its effects on our Province.
Partnerships with organizations like the Lung Association also add to the
successful implementation of our Climate Change Action Plan. Furthermore, in the
recent Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, we committed to consultations on
climate change and the development of a discussion document on a climate change
policy.
Mr. Speaker, we look forward to maintaining supportive relationships with
community partners such as the Lung Association, as we continue to educate the
people of the Province on climate change and the health benefits that are
derived from environmental stewardship.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement and to say
that we are pleased to see government working with the various organizations
throughout the Province, and in particular the Lung Association.
There are a couple of comments I would like to make with regard to Mr. Thomey
and the Lung Association. I know there are other initiatives, and I am just
wondering if the minister has decided or made any decision on the smoking ban
that those people are fighting for within cars where children are also aboard
the vehicles.
Mr. Speaker, another issue, we talk about the Retire Your Ride program, the
idling of older cars. I know in my area I have been after the Department of
Transportation and Works to put an extension on a parking area out there where
100 cars park each day, so there will be less cars and vehicles and emissions
going into the air, Mr. Speaker.
The top one all together, is last year at the Municipalities Newfoundland and
Labrador Convention they put a motion forward against the use of pesticides for
cosmetic reasons. I know the City of St. John's put a motion forward the same
way. The people who are involved here, Mr. Speaker, are the Canadian Cancer
Society, the Lung Association, The Newfoundland Medical Association, the
registered nurses, the Canadian Association of Physicians.
So I ask the minister - I know we have not heard anything from her yet on
whether that is going to take place or not, but we hope that issue will be
brought forward. I say to the hon. members opposite, she just made her statement
and rather than me asking her, she should have had it in her statement.
Mr. Speaker, I say to the minister, I want to thank you for the opportunity
to speak
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BUTLER: and, Mr. Speaker, hopefully the government will continue to
work with great organizations like the Lung Association.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advance copy of her statement. I am really glad
to hear about these awareness campaigns because they are very important,
especially around schools or in the whole school district for getting children
involved and for reducing pollution around a vulnerable segment of our
population. I am glad to hear about all the schools in the Western School
District now being idle free.
Mr. Speaker, we need more than awareness and incentive programs. We need to
develop and enforce much stricter vehicle emissions limits as has happened in
other jurisdictions such as British Columbia, and in a State in the U.S. like
California. We need to have regulations that ban idling outside of all our
public buildings in this Province in order to eliminate the problem because
awareness programs have not been effective and they will not work without
regulation.
Government must also act more to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. We must
install scrubbers at the Holyrood Generating Station. Imposing a gas flare tax
to eliminate the pollution being created in our offshore is something else that
would help with greenhouses gases. The alternatives to flaring are more
expensive, so the industry has to be required to do them; they will not do it
voluntarily. Our children will thank us for doing much more than just awareness
programs if we put some of these regulations in place.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, on the Open Line program this morning in responding to a private
member's motion that government has on the Order Paper relative to the energy
corporation's decision out of Quebec, the Minister of Government Services and
Lands indicated that it was perfectly acceptable to debate a motion and vote on
it even though he had not read the material relative to the issue.
I ask the minister: Is this how you run your department in making decisions
based on what you are told, never reading the information or the material for
yourself?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is right in that we put forward a
motion to be debated in private members' day tomorrow with regard to the Rgie
ruling in Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, when we got that decision last week we invited members of the
Opposition to a briefing provided by Nalcor to explain the gist of that ruling.
translation. We had hoped to have it by now and have it in their hands earlier
this week. We do not have it, Mr. Speaker. It is not going to be available
today. We do not expect members of the Opposition to debate a resolution without
all of the relevant information, therefore we have withdrawn. We will put it
available.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, since the Deputy Premier has risen to speak for
the Minister of Government Services and Lands on this issue maybe she will
answer the other questions as well. She is right; she did inform us late this
morning that they would withdraw the motion this afternoon. However, Mr.
Speaker, I have to question why two backbenchers in the government would bring
forward a motion that they had little or no information regarding, Mr. Speaker,
and why would the Minister of Government Services and the Minister of Business
go to the public airways and defend the fact that government would make this
decision without proper information?
I ask the minister: Is it standard practice within her government to make
decisions on the blind?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural
Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very significant issue for this government and we do
been briefed on a regular basis on this issue, on the grounds before we laid the
complaints with the Rgie, on what happened during that whole process of the
hearings. Mr. Speaker, they were briefed when we got the results by Nalcor and
by Nalcor's legal team.
Also, Mr. Speaker, within our departments we have the capacity to translate
ourselves the documents that came out of the Rgie. The official translation
requested by the Leader of the Opposition and promised by the Premier is not yet
available, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do not put a lot of credence into briefings, I say to the minister
opposite. We got briefings from your government on Abitibi as well, and then we
find out you expropriated a mill and liabilities around the environment which we
were told were not part of the deal, Mr. Speaker. So forgive us if we want to
see the information and read it ourselves.
I ask the minister again, Mr. Speaker: When that motion was being tabled in
the House of Assembly yesterday I was receiving an e-mail on my BlackBerry from
Why would you even bring a motion to the House of Assembly to be voted on when
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, talk about accuracy of information that is presented here in the
House. When we expropriated the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor, even though we did
it inadvertently, we did not take on the remediation responsibilities for that
site. That has been pointed out to the Leader of the Opposition a number of
times, and had she been familiar with legislation that was probably brought in
under your own Administration, you would know that to be the truth. They did
know it when they were in power, Mr. Speaker, they certainly do not know it now.
With regard to the other issue, Mr. Speaker, we did not have it when the
phone call was made yesterday looking for it. We hoped to have it yesterday. It
is not available. A decision was made this morning, Mr. Speaker, to withdraw
this motion in the House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It just goes to show that this government makes decisions on the blind. They
make it based on what they are told, not what they actually have in their hands,
Mr. Speaker, and that is the kind of law-making decisions that we are seeing in
this Province today.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the Budget Estimates Committee, the Minister of
Natural Resources advised that there is currently no capacity to transmit extra
power to the Avalon Peninsula with our current transmission infrastructure.
Using our current lines, power from hydro projects such as the Exploits can only
be transported as far as Sunnyside. This came as somewhat of a surprise to me,
Minister, since I have heard your government talk about, on a number of
occasions, reducing the amount of power generated at Holyrood with clean energy.
So I ask the minister today: What is the issue that currently prevents excess
power from being shipped onto the Avalon Peninsula?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, again we have further evidence of the knowledge that was held by
these very people who sat in government. The situation we have with the
infrastructure coming on the Avalon Peninsula did not occur in the last seven
years. This has been the situation with regard to our infrastructure and with
regard to Holyrood for a number of years.
Yes, especially when we talk about development of the Lower Churchill, we
talk about bringing clean, green energy to the Avalon Peninsula, and we will no
longer require the facility at Holyrood. Until we make a decision, Mr. Speaker,
on the Lower Churchill project, we will not be making significant and expensive
repairs to the infrastructure because we do not need them at this point in time,
and we are not going to spend good money after bad.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
She has not told us what the problem is, so I do not know if she does not
know or she just does not want to tell us.
Mr. Speaker, we do know that with the closure of the Abitibi mill in Grand
Falls-Windsor there is eighty-four megawatts of electricity going into the grid.
The minister confirmed yesterday that there is extra power available at Bay
d'Espoir, but they are spilling water because of no demand and flat industry
growth.
I ask the minister: As a result of the power from the Exploits, how much
extra capacity do we currently have at Bay d'Espoir's generating facility?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it depends on the drawn down on the load, the time of year and
so on. I do not keep monthly statistics in my department on the draw down of
power coming out of Bay d'Espoir.
Mr. Speaker, the Exploits River does not have a reservoir system, so there is
no way to store power. When the electricity is generated on the Exploits River,
it is put immediately into the grid. What happens in our facility in Bay
d'Espoir then, power is stored because water is stored in the reservoir.
Sometime over the summer when demand has been low - we have had two pulp and
paper mills shut down, Mr. Speaker it has caused us to spill water because
there has not been a great demand.
That is simply it, Mr. Speaker. I have talked about it a number of times
publicly and here in the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We know that there is extra power available at Bay d'Espoir. We know that the
government opposite allowed two paper mills to close on their watch, and we know
that we cannot transmit that excess power onto the Avalon Peninsula.
I ask the minister if she can give us some answers in terms of have you
looked at what kinds of infrastructure upgrades are required. Have you put any
cost on being able to run this power into the Avalon grid, and if that is
something that is in the plans for Nalcor or government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, usually we are under criticism from the Opposition about how
much time we spend around energy and particularly the development of the Lower
Churchill, any investment in that project.
Hours and hours are spent in terms of addressing the energy needs that we
have here in the Province, in discussions around the elimination of fossil fuels
being used in the generation of power, particularly as it relates to Holyrood,
and, Mr. Speaker, planning to deal with the Holyrood situation.
We are very blessed in having green power for the majority of our needs here
in the Province, but to be a totally green Province is our objective.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask the minister: If there were upgrades made to the
transmission capacity on the Avalon Peninsula, how much clean hydro power could
we transmit to this region of the Province, and would oil consumption be reduced
at Holyrood resulting in lower cost of electricity for the consumers of the
Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Of course, Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. Nalcor has
costed out the infrastructure that is going to be required to bring in the right
number of megawatts of electricity to serve the Avalon Peninsula with the
elimination of Holyrood. That is a stated goal of this Province. It is one of
the major reasons why we are so focused on the development of the Lower
Churchill, Mr. Speaker.
All of the infrastructure that is going to be required to bring the power
onto the Island part of the Province, transmit it across the Province and
eliminate Holyrood, and also create a subsea line to Eastern Canada and through
to the United States is all part of the planning of the development of the Lower
Churchill.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister talks about the Lower Churchill transmission line, we are
talking about using the water that we are spilling today to provide cheap, clean
energy to people on the Avalon Peninsula, Minister.
After the mill in Stephenville closed, the government put $10 million in
place to offset electricity costs to industrial customers.
Now that we have less industry demand to draw on this money and no forecasted
industry growth at this stage, I ask the minister: What is the balance of this
account?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is nice to know that she pays some attention in Estimates, some more
attention than she normally pays here in the House, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Rate Stabilization Plan in this Province that helps
even out the cost of fuel for our industrial customers. When Abitibi in
Stephenville closed, they left a deficit in the Rate Stabilization Plan. As a
result of that, government made an investment, a deposit into that plan of $10
million so that our other industrial customers in this Province did not have to
pick up Abitibi's debt with regard to that deficit.
Mr. Speaker, the Rate Stabilization Plan now has a surplus. I will be happy
to give her the exact number. We are in a position to withdraw that $10 million
now and apply it in a different way.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As we know, this money was intended to ensure a stable price for the
industrial users of the Province while oil prices moved up and down. We know now
that with two less paper mills in the Province that there is no longer a demand.
The minister talks about withdrawing the money, and I ask her today: Is there
any reason why you would not now invest that money into a Rate Stabilization
Plan for residential customers in this Province so they do not have to go
through a rate increase this year?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, she demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the Rate
Stabilization Plan and what it is used for. Mr. Speaker, the plan from time to
time has deficits, and actions are taken to correct those deficits. Mr. Speaker,
at other times the plan has surpluses and they are dealt with as well.
In terms of this current surplus, with regard to the $10 million we put in to
smooth out the closing of the Abitibi mill in Stephenville, that portion of the
money is going to be removed. Decisions have still to be made with regard to the
remaining surplus. We will take that under consideration with Nalcor and our
other industrial customers, and there may very well be a solution as she
suggests, to do something for residential customers.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, what I do know is that government is prepared to
put millions of dollars into rate stabilization for industrial customers, but
yet Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro today is going before the PUB looking for a
2 per cent increase in everybody's light bill in this Province as a part of rate
stabilization.
I ask you minister, you have millions of dollars sitting in this fund: Why
are we going to allow consumers in this Province to pay more this year when you
can easily transfer the money you had for big business into small households in
this Province so they do not have to pay the differential themselves?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural
Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the Leader of the Opposition that
the industrial customers make the deposits to the Rate Stabilization Plan, not
the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. We did in that initial instance
because we were trying to shelter our other industrial customers, like the
refinery, Mr. Speaker, like Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, Mr. Speaker, because we
were trying to protect them from having to pay a bill that they did not incur.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Newfoundland subsidizes electricity users in
this Province in our isolated coastal communities. Mr. Speaker, we are
developing a project in Ramea that will hopefully allow us to really minimize,
if not eliminate the use of fossil fuels in our isolated communities, and, Mr.
Speaker, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador subsidize isolated communities
in the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am happy the minister raised the rural communities and the isolated diesel
customers. Right now, while this millions of dollars sits in this fund the
business community, Mr. Speaker, the small businesses, the one and two family
owned businesses on the Coast of Labrador, the north and south coast, pay nearly
twenty cents a kilowatt hour for power compared to the five cents kilowatt hour
in places like Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
I ask the minister: Why will she not consider subsidizing those small
business, commercial operated industries on the Coast of Labrador so that they
have a competitive playing field with places like Happy Valley-Goose Bay?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural
Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment to residential electricity
customers in Labrador under the Northern Strategic Plan. We provided an extra
subsidy to keep their rates in line, in the lifeline block, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
Speaker, we have continued to do that in each subsequent year. Mr. Speaker,
again, she displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the Rate Stabilization
Plan. It is under the purview of the PUB, Mr. Speaker, and that is not
government's money, with the exception of the $10 million, Mr. Speaker. That was
money put there by industrial customers to make their own cost more predictable.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On April 26, the Minister of Education advised the public of a $5 million
overpayment to employees at the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar. He
stated at that time that an external review would take place. We asked questions
in this House on April 29 and May 5 but the minister stated that the consultant
had not yet been selected.
I ask the minister: If you have now been in a position to hire the
consultant? If so, who that individual might be, and would you release the terms
of reference of his hiring?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member opposite is correct. As everybody
would recall, we did discover an overpayment, an error of some $5 million made
by the college with respect to the Qatar operations. We did, as a government,
and I as the minister, disclose that to the public through a release, and I did
meet with the media and spoke in this House on any number of occasions about the
process that we would follow and the expectation that we would have to have a
process put in place where there was an external review, external to the college
system, to get to the bottom of what happened, what transpired, and what was
needed to rectify the situation. We have started that process, Mr. Speaker. We
are finalizing the contract details now with an individual who will oversee the
process. In the meantime, the work and the collection of data have commenced and
I will be in a position within a day or so to release further details to the
member opposite.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the minister, Mr. Speaker: Will you be prepared to release the terms of
reference that you are hiring that consultant?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: I think I have already indicated, Mr. Speaker, just a few
moments ago, that it is our expectation that the terms of reference will include
a complete review of the process, what the circumstances and the decisions made
that led to the error in overpayment and the error in billing of the
administration fee to the State of Qatar. I think I have also indicated, Mr.
Speaker, that we will part of the terms of reference will include a review of
what exactly the amounts we are talking about are. As I remind the member
opposite, and folks who are listening today, that we said $5 million is an
estimate based on what we have been provided by the college.
All of those questions, Mr. Speaker, will be part of the terms of reference,
and as I said a few moments ago, we are going to be open and transparent on the
process. When we have the details finalized around the consultant, we will
release all those details to the public and I will be prepared to answer any
questions at that point in time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the minister's undertaking, and we certainly would like to have
a copy of it. We like to have the written documentation wherever possible so we
can read it before commenting on it, necessarily.
I am glad the minister mentioned about in his first answer he talked about
disclosing, and there is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that he did disclose the
incident, but I say to the minister, there is some issue with disclosing the
details and the facts surrounding this incident.
Mr. Speaker, the minister committed in this House on April 29 that he would
gladly share information related to this issue with the public. He said again
today, he wants to be open and transparent. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, his
actions say something completely different. We submitted an Access to
Information Request to the minister's office, to his department, requesting
information on this issue and he sent us a bill for $345.
I ask the minister: If you are truly open and accountable on this issue, why
would you continue to put roadblocks in the way of releasing this information?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I realize members opposite are not in the habit of
stating the facts, but I want to correct the member opposite, I did not submit a
bill to the Opposition. As a minister of a department, I have no engagement
whatsoever in that process.
As a minister of a department I have no engagement whatsoever in that
process, but I remind the member opposite that there is ATIPP legislation in the
Province that outlines the process that individuals can follow if they want to
seek information.
I also remind the member opposite that the bills and the Estimates that are
provided are based on the piece of work that is required, the amount of time
that is required, the amount of human resource time that is required, the amount
of effort and photocopying and gathering materials; it can be quite extensive,
Mr. Speaker, depending on the nature of the request.
The correspondence that the member opposite would have received would have
been based on an analysis performed by someone in my department and responded
appropriately.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the minister, Mr. Speaker, you talk about open and accountable out
of one side of your mouth and then we are told we have to pay $345.
Minister, if you are truly open and accountable on this issue and you are
prepared to be up front with the public, will you release the information or do
we have to cut the cheque first? Let's see how open you truly are.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I am certain, on live TV and in front of these
good people in the gallery, the minister is not looking for political favours to
contravene a process put in place by government for the public protection of
information.
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. gentleman would like to listen, I will give him an
answer, if he is prepared to listen; if he is prepared to listen -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader asked a question. I ask members for
their co-operation in listening to the answer.
The hon. the Minister of Education.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
For the interest of people listening, let me just state this for the record:
I have explained to the member opposite the process for ATIPP, but let me remind
the member opposite that perhaps before he starts criticizing this side of the
House, go back to his own staff; because on May 7 a detailed message was left in
the office of the Opposition asking that they call the Department of Education
to clarify the nature of their request so that bill could be adjusted
accordingly. No call was returned to our department, Mr. Speaker, (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, residents of Terra Nova are very upset with what they see as a
broken promise by this government, to pave the road to their community. The
residents say the promise was made quite clearly by the Minister of Business and
the Member for Trinity North during last fall's by-election in the region.
Roadwork for Terra Nova district was announced yesterday, and there was nothing
allocated for this road.
I ask the Minister of Business: Will you confirm that you made this
commitment? Why was such a commitment made during a by-election? Was it only a
means to buy votes during a by-election, Mr. Speaker?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: As the former Minister of Transportation would say:
Foolish, is it? How foolish can you be, to get up in the House of Assembly and
talk about political favours and promises when, in actual fact, what this is all
about is that there is a certain amount of road money that is set aside, there
are priorities that are set, and my job as minister is to go down through those
priorities. Unfortunately, that piece of road did not get in the priority that
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. HEDDERSON: I am not talking about promises. I am talking about
basically that we are moving forward a strategy, Mr. Speaker, and over time I am
sure that the priorities, that being one of them, will get done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair is about to recognize the hon. the Member for the District of
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the government announced on May 7 the resumption of the Iron Ore
Company of Canada's expansion plans. This decision was wonderful news for
Labrador West; however, for those residents struggling to find affordable
housing in this area, this good news adds great anxiety to their inability to
find places to live.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier if this government will recognize the urgent
need for affordable housing and put more money into the Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing Corporation budget to build housing units in Labrador City.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and the
Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, again, when it comes to affordable housing,
this government has certainly demonstrated over the last number of years that we
are trying to meet the need, that we are putting dollars into affordable
housing, and that we are moving forward with a strategy.
Mr. Speaker, with Lab West, as with other parts of the Province, we hope that
we can get to a point where we can achieve the goal, which is to provide
affordable housing for all.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I point out to the minister that, in spite of the money that went into this
year's Budget for the NLHC, it is money going into refits and other renovations
that are absolutely needed. There are only four new units in NLHC's program for
this year, and they are in Nain.
Mr. Speaker, while continued recovery of mining operations will help to
ensure future growth, economic development and employment benefits in Labrador
West, the cost of housing has more than doubled or tripled in the past few
years, negatively impacting low- and middle-income people.
So, Mr. Speaker, once again I ask: Will the Premier direct Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing Corporation to look for housing stock in Labrador West to
develop into social housing units?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: Again I say, Mr. Speaker, obviously we do identify the
needs that are throughout this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The stock
that we have, for example, in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, we have over
5,000 units that we are looking at - some of these that are fifty or sixty years
old - and before we move out into new construction and that sort of thing we
have to make sure that we are taking care of the stock that we already have.
That is why part of our strategy is to go back and repair these fifty-year-old
and sometimes sixty-year-old units, and not only to repair them but also to
reconfigure them so that we can have more units.
Again, as well, this government has moved forward with an increase in
subsidies so that we can go into areas where we do not have units, and provide
assistance to our tenants so that they can have affordable housing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The situation we are talking about in Labrador West is one of great urgency,
Mr. Speaker. We have heard from people who are under tremendous stress and who
cannot afford the high cost of shelter. Women are stuck in abusive, violent
relationships - I have an example right here on my desk of one - and cannot
leave those situations because they cannot afford to pay rent on their own, even
if they have jobs. People are couch surfing. Mobile trailers are renting for
$3,000 per month.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister Responsible for NLHC if he will meet with
concerned stakeholders in Labrador West to try and do something about the urgent
lack of housing, and come up solutions that will deal with the present and not
in ten years' time.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, when we put together the housing strategy two
years ago there were extensive consultations with the very people the hon.
member is referring to. Having said that, though, Mr. Speaker, and I hear the
member coming back, but having heard that as well, I have no difficulty in
meeting with any group that want to express concerns, because I think it is
very, very important that we as a government get out, listen to concerns, and
respond appropriately. So, again, I would welcome any sort of a meeting with
these people.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
The hon. the Minister of Business, on a point of order?
The hon. the Minister of Business.
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I was reluctant to have done this during
Question Period, but Question Period is now over.
I want to go back to a question posed by the Member for Port de Grave with
respect to the Terra Nova district. I just want to remind the member opposite
that when they left power, none of that road was done at all. Our government has
actually paved about 75 per cent of that road.
I say, Mr. Speaker, the point of order
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
If there is a point of order -
MR. WISEMAN: There is and I will get to it, Mr. Speaker -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
If there is a point of order, I ask for the hon. member to make it now.
MR. WISEMAN: I think it is important in this House, Mr. Speaker, that
when we make statements, and when we make comments about other members, that
they are accurate. You cannot stand in this House, with the protection of the
House, and make comments that cast aspersions on members opposite.
I say, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has suggested that I have done
something that is illegal. In fact, I made a commitment - I made a promise to
buy votes. Buying votes is illegal, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the member opposite to stand and apologize and withdraw that accusation
that I was, in fact, buying votes. So, apologize, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members for their co-operation. If members have a difference of opinion
here and want to talk personal, I ask that they take their conversations outside
and their differences outside.
There is no point of order.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Resource Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have
directed me to report that they have passed, without amendment, the Estimates of
expenditure of the following departments and agencies: the Department of
Business; the Department of Environment and Conservation; the Department of
Fisheries and Aquaculture; the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development, the Newfoundland and Labrador Research and Development Corporation
and the Rural Secretariat; the Department of Natural Resources, the Women's
Policy Office; and the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity at this time to recognize
and thank the members who served on the Resource Committee. They were: the
Members for Burgeo & La Poile; Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South;
Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; The Isles of Notre Dame; The
Straits & White Bay North; Labrador West; and Lewisporte.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to beginning the concurrence debate on these
Estimates within the next few days.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further reports by standing and select committees?
Pursuant to
section 214 of the Elections Act
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Order, please!
Pursuant to
section 214 of the Elections Act, I am tabling the report of the
Chief Electoral Officer on the by-election in the District of Topsail.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask leave now to withdraw a
motion.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Does the hon. Member for the District of Bonavista North have leave to
withdraw a motion to present a new motion for Private Members' Day on this
Wednesday?
AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member, by leave.
MR. HARDING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Member for Labrador West, that the private member's
motion put forward by me as the Member for Bonavista North on Monday, May 17,
2010 be withdrawn.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, you may have already received leave, but just to
clarify, we had leave to withdraw a motion and we are also now going to ask for
leave to put forth another private member's motion for debate on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. Member for the District of Lewisporte.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Baie
Verte-Springdale, the following private member's resolution:
WHEREAS the provincial government has engaged post-secondary students since
2003, and to demonstrate that this government is listening to students, it has
implemented a suite of initiatives to improve access to post-secondary education
in Newfoundland and Labrador, including a multi-year tuition freeze at Memorial
University and College of the North Atlantic and significant improvements to the
student aid program benefiting current students and graduates;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House applauds the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador for its outstanding national leadership on student aid
most recently, the elimination of interest on the provincial portions of student
loans, effective August 1, 2009, and the extension of the tuition freeze at
Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic for yet another year.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
It is like the old song: The twenty-fourth of May and we gotta get away. So,
Mr. Speaker, I present another petition on behalf of all the individuals
throughout the Province, petitioners from Smith Harbour, Burlington, Middle Arm,
Stephenville, Seal Cove, King's Point, Hare Bay, Dover and the Eastport area.
So Mr. Speaker, I will read the prayer of the petition exactly as it has been
recorded:
WHEREAS we, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, have always built cabins
or tilts away from our homes for hunting, fishing, berry picking or just
spending time up in the country or places around our shores, sometimes just to
get away from the stress of everyday living, a place to relax and enjoy the
great outdoors; and
WHEREAS your government has come down hard on the thousands of cabin and
trailer owners that are out on our land with eviction notices and forcing them
to move without providing them with an alternative; and
WHEREAS Kruger Inc. has timber rights to approximately one-third of all
forested land on this Island and is refusing the vast majority of applications
for cabin development;
WHEREUPON your petitioners call upon all Members of the House of Assembly to
urge government to have compassion on the citizens of this fair Province and
allow them the right to enjoy what is rightfully ours. We were born on this land
and should have the right to enjoy it.
And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, before I go into the few comments I want to make on this
petition, I have to go back to the speech yesterday by the Member for St. John's
South, where he got up and he ranted and roared about all the good things, and
about how the Liberals will be going knocking on doors and asking for your
support next election. Well, Mr. Speaker, I had three phone calls after that
yesterday. They said: You ask that gentleman - they did not know his name and
did not know his district. They said: Ask him to speak to his colleagues in the
House of Assembly - and said, yes, when they come knocking on our door, we are
going to say: How come you never stood for us with our petitions about camping
in the gravel pits or whatever with the cabins?
Mr. Speaker, one gentleman I heard from lived in the community of Dover, and
he told me there are ninety of them, ninety individuals go to, I think it is
called Greenspond Road every year, camping. It costs them $50 to travel there
and $50 back. He said: We cannot afford to move back and forth every weekend.
One of the town councils out there even called government to support them
because they know anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000 comes into that community
from the people who camp in that area. He told me, he said: Look, we are getting
mixed messages. We were told we cannot go back there, not even for a short term,
not even allowed on the site.
Whereas other people are being told they can go
somewhere for a short term.
So, Mr. Speaker, I call upon government again, call upon government to sit
down and consult with those individuals because they are saying we are going
back to that site on the twenty-fourth of May weekend. We are going back there,
and God help the people who come to take us out of it. That is the feeling and
that is not fair.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Verbatim.
MR. BUTLER: That is verbatim. Those people are saying to government: sit
down and consult with us before something is done that we do not want to do.
Mr. Speaker, I present this petition on behalf of those residents and
hopefully the government will consider their decision.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stand today to present a petition from the people in my district who are
calling upon the government to look at paving the
section of highway between
Goose Bay and Red Bay. Mr. Speaker, this is just one of many petitions that I
will present in the House of Assembly on this particular issue.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that if you were talking to a lot of these people
today in different regions of Labrador they would be happy just to get a little
bit of roadwork done today in many of their communities.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair is reluctant to interrupt, but the Chair has made a ruling here on
a previous sitting of the House that there are two things that must happen when
members stand to present petitions. Number one, the prayer of the petition must
be read right from the beginning. Number two, their petitions must be vetted
through the Table of the House of Assembly. I do not know if the hon. member
vetted the petition to the Table but she certainly has not read the prayer of
the petition. So I ask the hon. member to at least read the prayer of the
petition and in the future, whatever petitions are presented, to put them
through the House of Assembly prior to standing here in the House for petitions.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do apologize for not reading the prayer; however, I was told by the Clerk
that the petition is in order.
Mr. Speaker, to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador in Parliament Assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents
humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the residents of Red Bay to Goose Bay use a
section of the
Trans-Labrador Highway that is unpaved and in poor condition; and
WHEREAS this road is no longer suitable for the traffic volumes that travel
this route; and
WHEREAS government will not commit to provide funding to even begin paving
for Phase II and Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway; and
WHEREAS the residents of this region deserve a similar standard of road as
the Island portion of the Province;
WHEREUPON the petitioners ask the House of Assembly to urge the government to
provide funding to pave the road from Red Bay to Goose Bay;
And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, that is the motion before the House of Assembly, and I guess
this stems from the fact that in an interview one morning by the Minister of
Labrador Affairs, which indicated that this paving was not a priority for
government, that they were going to focus on paving the
section between Goose
Bay and Labrador City before they looked at paving of other sections.
Mr. Speaker, we know in Labrador that this paving project will be contingent
upon federal money and that in order for us to secure that money with the
federal government there needs to be a proposal submitted by the provincial
government asking the federal government to partner with us, to invest money to
do this. To say, Mr. Speaker, that this could be ten or fifteen years out is
unacceptable. I think that any time there are issues like this raised by the
public, it should be a concern for those who are elected to represent them.
Those issues should be brought forward, Mr. Speaker, to the government.
Right now, today, Mr. Speaker, we have hundreds of kilometres of road in
Labrador that are unpaved. Today, if you were driving from Mary's Harbour down
to Red Bay, you would be driving on one of the worst pieces of gravel road that
you have ever seen in your entire life. I drove over it on Sunday, Mr. Speaker,
and I bet I could not find a place that I could measure with a ruler that did
not have a pothole from one distance to the other. There were so many potholes
in that road it was unbelievable.
I received calls yesterday, Mr. Speaker, from people telling me that the
potholes in the road are so bad that they cannot even drive over it any more.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, we have to transport people by ambulances over these roads. We
have people who commute every day to work. We have kids today who are being
bused over those same gravel roads up to twenty, thirty kilometres in these
communities to attend school.
Mr. Speaker, we are asking the government to give some priority to this
issue, and don't just sit on it and wait ten years or fifteen years before
acting because that is not acceptable to the residents who live there. In fact,
Mr. Speaker, if I was to talk about paving, the
section of road between L'Anse
au Clair and Red Bay in my district, which is a paved road, has more potholes
than you would often find in some gravel roads.
In fact, over the weekend I had eight different cases presented to me of
people who lost tires and rims off their vehicles because of potholes in the
paved roads. That is how big they are, that is how bad that
section of road is,
and not even any signs to indicate where these big potholes are. This is costing
people a lot of money because of the wear and tear on their vehicles. If you are
losing tires and rims every other week because of potholes in the paved roads or
in the gravel roads, well then that is something that government needs to be
concerned about and look at doing something about. So far, we have not seen any
action, Mr. Speaker, and that is why people feel they need to bring their
concerns through a petition to the House of Assembly, and we will be bringing
forward many of these petitions in the days to come.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to call from the Order Paper, Motion
MR. SPEAKER: Motion 1, the Budget Speech.
The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to stand in this hon.
House this afternoon to highlight our government's continued commitment to the
people of this Province and investments announced through our Budget 2010.
First of all, I would like to start by acknowledging the leadership, the
vision and the commitment of our approximately 3,500 elected officials and staff
in the Province. Municipal governments work diligently to secure the many
essential services that affect our everyday lives and they play a vital role in
strengthening our communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador for today and
for future generations.
The Budget supports our government's vision to secure our future and benefits
all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians through strategic targeted investments to
improve the lives of our residents throughout our wonderful Province.
Municipalities are the backbone of our Province and we remain committed to
investing in communities and people to ensure that residents have access to
reliable, effective and efficient services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: I would like to reference some of the positive investments
announced in last month's Budget and some impacts that it will have on our
municipalities.
Government's intention to produce a balanced Budget was impacted by the needs
of some specific groups, especially municipalities. Significant funding for
municipalities will focus on two areas this year, the capital infrastructure and
the solid waste management.
Our government will continue our aggressive infrastructure strategy and
invest $1 billion to strengthen the infrastructure in 2010. The provincial
government infrastructure strategy is unprecedented and will introduce $5
billion over the next several years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: Provincial spending in support of municipal infrastructure
projects in 2010 will be $135.5 million. The Province will leverage an
additional $53.4 million in federal funding provided under the various
federal-provincial cost-shared agreements for a total municipal infrastructure
program budget of $188.9 million, an increase of $34 million over Budget 2009.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: With municipal contributions factored in, the total investment
in municipal infrastructure in the Province in 2010-2011 is anticipated to be
the largest in history at approximately $225 million, Mr. Speaker. This funding
will enable the department to maintain the current enhanced cost-shared ratios,
enable projects scheduled to be tendered this year to proceed, and enable the
department to offer a Municipal Capital Works infrastructure program, continuing
with the enhanced cost-shared ratios.
The review process for 2010-2011 Municipal Capital Works applications is
almost completed and we expect to be in a position to approve funding in the
coming weeks. An investment to strengthen the administrative support and the
engineering resources will focus on improving administrative functions related
to building Canada and MRIF programs and the department's multi capital works
and its Municipal Capital Works programs.
Target investments are underway to improve water quality issues
Province-wide. Our government has committed to a minimum of $6 million annually
for water quality, and another $4 million annually to waste water treatment.
Following an application and consultant's review, twenty-three communities are
committed to installing the potable water dispensing units. An additional
fourteen communities are further assessing this option. The tender has been
issued for the probable water dispensing units and we expect installation of
these units will begin in the coming months.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: In partnership with municipalities, government is supporting
the capital cost through provincial funds and through the federal gas tax
program for the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy. This is a financial
benefit that few other jurisdictions enjoy, and a direct saving to
municipalities and their residents. Since we announced the implication of the
strategy in 2007 we have spent $65 million, and in 2010 we have budgeted $26
million in support of initiatives associated with the strategies.
Investment in Fire and Emergency Services Newfoundland and Labrador speaks to
our government's support for local and regional fire protection and demonstrates
our continued support for the more than 6,200 volunteer firefighters across
Newfoundland and Labrador. Budget 2010 commits the Province to a $10.1 million
investment over the next four years to support the provision of fire protection
services by municipalities and the volunteer fire service; $2.5 million will be
provided to assist municipalities to acquire and/or replace fire trucks. This
represents an increased in capital funding by $800,000 for fire equipment. To
help address the high demand for new vehicles, a total of $7.6 million will be
provided over the next four years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: Funding allocated to assist municipalities acquire other
critical firefighting equipment has doubled from $500,000 in 2009-2010 to $1
million in 2010-2011. This is a part of an investment of $2.5 million over the
next four years. Funding will be allocated with particular focus on firefighter
safety, and will be used to assist municipalities to ensure volunteer
firefighters have access to proper personal protective equipment and
self-contained breathing apparatuses.
We continue to support members of the volunteer service to approximately
$175,000 annually paid out for workers' compensation premiums for volunteer
firefighters, and accidental death insurance premiums at a cost of $41,000. We
look forward to a continued partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador
Association of Fire Services, and the Province's many volunteer firefighters to
make further improvements to the fire service across the Province.
We have committed to investing in our communities, and ensuring that
residents have access to reliable and efficient services, and working with our
municipalities to make our communities stronger and enhance the lives of
residents throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, my background is in municipal politics - when I started out -
and I have to tell you, I have great appreciation for every elected member and
staff, and this government has great appreciation for the many hours they put
in, in volunteerism, and in most cases none of them receive stipends. They do it
with the goodness of their heart, to look after their family and friends and to
strengthen their communities.
I just recently attended a Gander symposium where I met with almost 300
people it was the largest turnout ever and, I have to tell you, I received
very positive feedback from what this government has been doing for
municipalities. The cost ratio of 90-10 was one of the things that they have
already expressed their gratitude to this government for.
We will continue with our municipalities; we are committed to them. One of
the things that I have been talking to the municipalities, as well, is looking
at regionalization. I think there is a need for municipalities out there to
cost-share with their neighbours and look into getting dialogue on about sharing
services and making affordable taxation for their citizens.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: I am happy to say that some communities have contacted the
department. We are not forcing regionalization, but Municipalities Newfoundland
and Labrador just recently wrote a paper, on which they are going to be
consulting with their membership about regionalization. I do believe it is going
to be the way of the future, particularly in rural Newfoundland where the
population is decreasing and there are a lot of people on fixed incomes.
I am encouraging all of the municipal leaders out there to indeed look at
regionalization for their citizens, and start that dialogue with the many
councils that surround them, their neighbours, because there can be benefits for
all concerned.
On that note, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to
stand here and address the Budget.
Last, I would be remiss if I did not thank the Premier, my colleagues, and
everyone who wished me well in my recent illness. I would like to thank them for
all of their well wishes, and I am glad to be back here in the House of Assembly
again with all of my colleagues.
Thank you so much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): The hon. the Member for the District of The
Isles of Notre Dame.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to stand today, and a
great pleasure to follow my colleague, the hon. Minister of Municipal Affairs.
It is good to have her back at the helm, and in good spirits and looking great.
I am sure that I speak for all of the House, and indeed the people of the
Province, it is certainly great to have her back.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity today to have a few
words about Budget 2010. Each year we go through a budgetary process and the
minister gets an opportunity to travel the Province. We, as MHAs, get a great
opportunity to engage with members of our district - whether it is unions, or
towns, or groups, or individuals to give us some direction, some feedback, and
help government make its plan, its annual plan, for the expenditures of the
Province.
Now, Mr. Speaker, through this whole process in the last few years that I
have been able to be involved in this, it is important to recognize that through
one Budget we are not able to solve all the problems; we are not able to reduce
all the debt. We have a responsibility, and it is important that through the
Budget we are able to continue the government's direction, the vision and plan,
continue to be able to make strategic investments, continue with progressive
investments, continue to be able to make decisions that are sustainable for the
future. This particular Budget, Budget 2010, the hallmark of this Budget is: The
Right Investments For Our Children and Our Future.
Mr. Speaker, this Budget is an unprecedented $7.1 billion, and two of the
biggest Budget expenditures are in health care and education; $2.7 billion in
health care and $1.3 billion in education. Mr. Speaker, as a government, we
recognize the importance of health care and education, not only to our
communities but indeed to the future growth of our Province, and we are going to
invest in our Province and invest in our children. There is no better way to
invest than right into health care and education.
Today, Mr. Speaker, as I speak about the Budget, as many of my colleagues
have stood in this House and will continue to do so today and reference the
numbers and the decisions that have been made by government, I want to preface
some of my comments today with references to rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We
hear so much from the other side, condemnation about our government's treatment
of rural Newfoundland, the rural-urban divide. We hear terms used very loosely;
terms like leadership and legacy just thrown out there on a whim. Mr. Speaker, I
want to address some of that today.
Mr. Speaker, I sit here sometimes and I consider all the things we are doing
in the Province, and certainly what we are doing in my own district. We get
comments sometimes that suggested that perhaps they are the only ones who know
anything about rural Newfoundland, or the only ones who have any interest in
rural Newfoundland. Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth.
I have had an opportunity all of my life to live in rural Newfoundland and
work in rural Newfoundland, in places like Springdale, Twillingate, Fleur de
Lys, La Scie, Baie Verte, Brent's Cove, Summerford, and, Mr. Speaker, I
represent thirty-seven rural communities. We all understand, those of us who
live in rural Newfoundland and grew up in rural Newfoundland, those of use who
have family and relatives in Newfoundland, we know the special quality of life
that it offers. We know the importance of neighbours supporting neighbours. We
understand the importance of our volunteers in our fire departments, our Lions
Clubs and our town councils. We know that health care and education is sacred,
and, Mr. Speaker, we know that the economy is deeply rooted in the fishery. We
know through our rural way of life, Mr. Speaker, that we can raise our children
with a great sense of security, where we live, where we are proud of our culture
and our heritage.
So, Mr. Speaker, when I hear some comments about rural Newfoundland and what
our government is doing, it is frustrating. It is to a point, Mr. Speaker, when
I hear - as a government, we have to make tough decisions, we had to support
rural Newfoundland, we had to make decisions in the best interest of the
Province and when we do, members opposite are very quick to throw the blanket
over rural Newfoundland and make this tough decision into a generalization that
rural Newfoundland is going to die. We are responsible for the demise of rural
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, personally, I do not like the criticism, I think it is unfair.
When we hear comments from the other side, like: our government has washed their
hands of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. I have heard comments from the other
side to say that: it is clear that our government has failed the people with its
stated agenda. Mr. Speaker, I have heard comments from the other side:
government suffers from disconnect from rural ways and rural people.
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. I want to take an
opportunity today to talk about my district and the Province. Quite frankly, Mr.
Speaker, I do not think the people of rural Newfoundland are fooled by the rants
or the insinuations from the other side because I think the days of taking
advantage of rural Newfoundland and Labrador and the people are long, long gone,
and we respect that as a government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, rural Newfoundland, we have a $5 billion plan in
this Province's infrastructure plan. This year alone there is a billion dollar
infrastructure plan, Mr. Speaker, and if I look at - we have all heard reference
to the municipal affairs, the plan for 90-10. That has obviously been a great
decision by our government and great for the people of rural Newfoundland and
Labrador, where we know we need the support, we need to recognize the needs and
do what we can to improve the quality of life in these areas.
Mr. Speaker, I can go to places like Joe Batt's Arm, where I met with the
people of Joe Batt's Arm. They were waiting over twenty years for the next phase
of water and sewer and they had some serious water and sewer issues in areas
like Brown's Point. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand today and say they do
not have that problem any more. We have delivered on that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I go out to a town like Crow Head in my
district, they were on a boil order for five years. Working with the council,
the tenders are about ready to go so we can address those water problems. Mr.
Speaker, this is not washing our hands of rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, I can speak about the roads. Hundreds of millions of dollars
have gone into roads; $177 million this year of our provincial road share. In my
district alone, The Isles of Notre Dame, the last three years we have benefited
from this roads money up to the amount of $8 million, and my district is as
rural as it gets.
I can go into Change Islands where they told me they were waiting thirty
years thirty years - to get their roads paved, Mr. Speaker. Those roads are
paved!
AN HON. MEMBER: How many years?
MR. DALLEY: Thirty years, Mr. Minister.
I can go on to Route 340 into Twillingate and New World Island, Mr. Speaker,
one of the most popular tourism destinations in the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Well, we have paved those roads for the benefit of residents and we
have paved those roads for the benefit of tourism.
Mr. Speaker, we go into Summerford and Cottlesville, an area where we have a
fish plant with 200 people commuting daily. Their roads were almost impassable.
Well, not any more, Mr. Speaker. We have delivered on that, we have paved those
roads.
Mr. Speaker, we go into an area like Bayview where they have been promised
election after election after election that they are going to get their roads
paved. Well, when this summer is done they will drive on new paved roads in
Bayview. Mr. Speaker, we have not failed the people of The Isles of Notre Dame
and we certainly have not failed the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, another important area for my district is ferry services. We
could go down to the South Coast or to Bell Island, or other areas around the
Province, but in my district, Change Islands and Fogo Island have a great
dependency on ferry services. It is critical, it is essential, it is so
important, Mr. Speaker. We know the condition of the ferry fleet in this
Province. It is our government, through significant investments in Budget 2010,
some $70 million that we will invest in new ferries, we will invest in upgrading
terminals and we will invest in refitting the vessels that we currently have.
Mr. Speaker, a part of that investment is a commitment to the people of
Change Islands and Fogo Island that we will build a brand new state-of-the-art
ferry that could be in the range of $70 million or $80 million, a nice
reinforced ferry that is long overdue; because we recognize that the economy on
Fogo Island is growing, we recognize the vibrant fishery on Fogo Island and
Change Islands area and the rapid growing tourism industry. We want to support
that, Mr. Speaker. We are going to make that commitment to the people of Change
Islands and Fogo Island and our ferry investments, our commitments to the people
of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Surely, Mr. Speaker, our actions, our
investments, our commitments is certainly not a sign of a government who is
disconnected from rural ways and rural people.
Mr. Speaker, we have made significant investments in education as well, and I
am sure we will get an opportunity to follow up on them tomorrow. Our $5 million
investment in tuition fees so that Memorial University has the lowest tuition
fees in the country, outside of the residents of Quebec, and our College of the
North Atlantic ranked second in the country. Mr. Speaker, these low tuition
fees, supported with the elimination of interest on a provincial portion of
student loans, is making education more affordable and more accessible in this
Province.
Mr. Speaker, being a rural educator and a parent of two children, I realize
the importance of education and the importance of post-secondary education. I
see these kinds of investments particularly important for rural Newfoundland and
Labrador because I have always felt our education has a higher cost due to
travel, due to accommodations and so on. We will reap the biggest benefit from
these investments, Mr. Speaker, again, significant investments to the people of
rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
Budget 2010, Mr. Speaker, we saw an investment of $1.2 million to put an
extension on New World Island Academy so that we can address some of the
programming needs and the capacity needs of the school.
Mr. Speaker, as was alluded to yesterday by the Minister of Education, who
started to list off some of the investments, particularly in and around the city
that we are making in education, I would like to follow up on that today because
I, too, have had much discussion with my colleagues about education and many of
them have lobbied hard for their districts. As a result, Mr. Speaker, of that
work, as a result of listening, as a result of setting our priorities we have
made significant investments in education in this Province.
I ask all members of this House, and certainly the people listening today,
just listen to the list of investments that our government has made this year
and in recent years: a new school for Happy Valley-Goose Bay; a new school for
Baie Verte; a new school for L'Anse-au-Loup; a new school for Placentia; a new
school for Port Hope Simpson; a new school for Port Saunders; a new school for
Torbay; redevelopment of the school in Flower's Cove; renovations completed to
the school in Wesleyville; an extension on a school in Clarenville; an extension
the school in Witless Bay; an extension to a school in Kelligrews; a new school
for Carbonear; a new school for St. Anthony; extension to a school in Gander; a
$1.2 million extension on New World Island Academy; redevelopment of schools in
Grand Falls-Windsor; new MUN residences; and an academic building in Corner
Brook.
Mr. Speaker, that is what is on our list today, some $400 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, a $400 million commitment by our government
right out into rural Newfoundland that protects the education and, in my mind,
protects our communities.
Mr. Speaker, it demonstrates our government's commitment to our youth. It
demonstrates our government's commitment to education. We have not failed the
youth of this Province, and to the members opposite, we have not failed the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, the list goes on. There are so many initiatives out there in
rural Newfoundland. We have millions of dollars going into Shorefast for job
creation on Fogo Island. We have millions of dollars going on the Northern
Peninsula for development of a pellet plant operation to support the forest
industry. We have millions of dollars being invested in the South Coast in
aquaculture. We have millions of dollars being invested on the West Coast for
health care, long-term care facilities and hospitals. We have millions of
dollars being invested in Labrador on roads and schools and hospitals so many
initiatives, Mr. Speaker, out in the rural areas.
In addition to that, we have so many initiatives in our government that is
putting money back into the pockets of the people in this Province: reduction in
personal income tax; improvement in the provincial drug program, adding drugs to
that program. We have seen an increase minimum wage; fuel rebate programs; free
textbooks; increased senior subsidies; wage increases of 20 per cent for the
public sector. Mr. Speaker, one initiative after another and the list goes on
and on. That is not a sign of a government who is disconnected from the people
of this Province, and that is why I take exception to it.
Mr. Speaker, we all live in reality too. We realize we are not perfect. We
have many challenges. We always have, and we will continue to have challenges. I
contend today that we are not done. We are quite prepared to roll up our
sleeves, listen to the people, and do the work that needs to be done and improve
the quality of life in our communities and continue to make the right decisions
to support the people of this Province.
One particular area that I want to mention, obviously, is the fishery. We
know we have challenges in the fishery, Mr. Speaker, but I do want to compliment
our Minister of Fisheries who has been out front, very open in discussion, and
quite engaged with the industry and what is taking place in this Province in our
fishery. He has been quite available to me and I certainly appreciate his door
has been open for many of my constituents who wanted to have a discussion about
the fishing industry.
Mr. Speaker, our government is supporting and driving the MOU process where
we are going to engage with the processing sector and the union to ensure that
we get this fishery on a solid footing, to make the decisions that need to be
made, to co-operatively work together to try and deal with the uncertainty in
this industry.
Mr. Speaker, as a government we have been very open and very supportive of
the fishing industry, but our minister has been clear and we have been clear. We
are not prepared to invest in this problem, but we are quite prepared to invest
in the solution, and that is where our government is trying to get to. We want
to make the investment in the solution.
Now, Mr. Speaker, having said all of that and outlining so much of what we
are doing in rural Newfoundland, it certainly begs the question why do we always
get these comments, the criticisms about rural Newfoundland, how they throw the
blanket over everything. Mr. Speaker, somewhat predictable, we look back and we
listen to them - I am sure it will ramp up. They have a leadership convention
going on soon. We are heading towards an election. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I
think they will try to stand up and exploit rural Newfoundland and take
advantage. If we sit here and we listen to them and we look at the times that
they referenced rural Newfoundland, and they referenced leadership, they
referenced legacy, the reality is, what kind of vision are they offering it is
probably a vision of the past, as was referenced yesterday. Maybe they want us
to go back to ignoring the poor conditions of our roads, ignoring the conditions
of our hospitals and schools. Perhaps we want to get back to ignoring the
condition of the ferry fleet. Perhaps we want to get back to ignoring our
massive debt. Mr. Speaker, that is the vision that we hear. Perhaps we should go
back to where we were. Dwell on the problems and not dwell on the solutions, Mr.
Speaker.
Well, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out something about leadership today, and
I am not sure if it is arrogance or ignorance someone else can make that
decision. When I hear comments like, do not wait twenty years to do something,
or they will make the comment, it is okay to speak up for the Province, but
sometimes you have to deliver. What a comment to make for our Premier and this
government, Mr. Speaker.
I will not get into the polls, I will not get into what the people are
saying, but let me point out some qualities of leadership and the people can
decide. We have two leaders on the other side and one on this side. Let me see,
understanding the knowledge of the past, vision, capacity, inspiring and
motivating, ability to capture an audience, practical, accepts responsibility,
mental toughness, energy, passionate and strong conviction, intelligent. Mr.
Speaker, those are qualities of leaders, and I do not need to compare the two.
All I can say, the more they reference leadership, the more they draw the
comparison. I say good luck to them in trying to find a new leader that can lead
this Province the way that this government and this Premier has done in the last
seven years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Now, Mr. Speaker, they have referenced legacy in this House.
Let's talk legacy for a minute. The legacy of the previous Liberal governments
and Liberal leaders - I could go back to the first one, and maybe the legacy is
Confederation, Mr. Speaker. Well, rightfully so, but we cannot help the legacy
is also the Upper Churchill. What a great legacy to leave this Province, the
Upper Churchill.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. DALLEY: We could go to the next Liberal leader, Mr. Speaker, and we
can talk about legacy of slash and burn and stress and fear in the minds of so
many of our public servants.
We could go to the next leader, Mr. Speaker, of the Liberal government. The
Liberal government, what did they do? Well, there was a period of time in this
Province where we had debt that was out of control, and bottom line is that
leader basically used the Province for his own agenda. Even the Liberals would
say so. Then we get into the last leader, Mr. Speaker, they had and what did we
see? Almost $1 billion deficit annually in this Province - that is a legacy, Mr.
Speaker.
If we want to talk legacy, and they use the term loosely, what is our legacy
going to be as a government? What is our Premier's legacy going to be? What are
we going to leave behind for the people who are coming in the future? Maybe it
will be the $2 billion cheque, Mr. Speaker. We remember him coming down the
escalator: We got it! We got it, were the words. That was after the Liberal
leader in Ottawa said: Take it or leave it. No, we did not take it or leave it,
Mr. Speaker.
Maybe the legacy of this government is going to be the oil royalties and all
the money that is coming into this Province. Well, Mr. Speaker, I was there the
day when our Premier stood up in a hotel downtown talking about Hebron. When he
said: At long last, the day for which we have worked so hard has finally
arrived. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the oil business. What a legacy, Mr.
Speaker! What a legacy!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Where do you think $4 billion in health care and education
comes from? Where do we know that we can give 20 per cent pay increases? How do
we put a $5 billion infrastructure plan in place? Mr. Speaker, the oil royalties
are reaping its benefits for all of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, maybe our legacy will be the Poverty Reduction Strategy. Maybe
it is going to be the fact that we are the governments that finally got maximum
benefit of our resources. Mr. Speaker, maybe the legacy of this government and
this Premier is that through all of our collective efforts we have been able to
change the hearts and minds of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Maybe
our legacy is that we now have a Province that is confident, proud and steadfast
in our determination to become self-reliant, masters of our own destiny.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, as for leadership, the people of
the Province will decide leadership. As for legacy, Mr. Speaker, I just
referenced a number of things but I think the reality is, and I think they know
it; the best is yet to come when it comes to a legacy of this Province, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: I do want to say a final comment, Mr. Speaker, we have not
washed our hands of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We have not been
disconnected from rural ways and rural life, and I can assure you we have not
failed the people of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We have not failed the
people of The Isles of Notre Dame. Mr. Speaker, we are making the right
investments, the right investments for our children and our future.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of St. John's North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDGLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As many have commented over the past few weeks, Mr. Speaker, each member of
the House gets an opportunity to speak once on the main motion and it is a
pleasure to take my turn and to do that.
As we begin, I would like to welcome the two new members who were recently
elected, the Member for Terra Nova -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for the District of St. John's
North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDGLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is nice to have such an enthusiastic response when you stand to speak.
I would like to also welcome, Mr. Speaker, the Member for Topsail. I would
like to wish them well in their careers here in the House. I know they will do
well. I know they will stay grounded and I know that they will keep the attitude
that the people of the Province in their districts sent them here on their
behalf as employees of the people in the district.
Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks we have listened to Budget Speeches by
most of the members in the House. Of course, because there are so many on the
government side we have heard very many positive things being spoken about. So
much so that The Telegram , Mr. Speaker, commented in an editorial of all
the positive things that were being said about our government and about our
leader and so on like that. The Telegram seemed to be almost bored by the
process and said: Don't worry faithful readers, it is only another few days and
it will be all over.
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is why we are here. It is our task to point out the
positive things that this government is doing, the positive aspects about the
Budget. I was particularly delighted, Mr. Speaker, to hear the rural members,
the Member for The Isles of Notre Dame and the Member for Terra, speak so
positively about rural Newfoundland. So often we hear the phrase that rural
Newfoundland is dying, Mr. Speaker. I think we have to recognize the fact, it is
quite obvious that it is changing, but I do not think it is dying, Mr. Speaker.
It was so good to see the Minister of Municipal Affairs here this afternoon.
I would like to commend her for her courage, her fortitude, her dignity and the
dedication that she is displaying at this time in her life and in her career.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDGLEY: Mr. Speaker, there are times when we are challenged. The
Minister of Municipal Affairs spoke so positively today about how rural
Newfoundland and its small communities are finding creative ways, as rural
Newfoundland is changing, to continue and to survive.
Mr. Speaker, the Opposition, of course, has its duties to do as well in this
Budget process. It is their task to point out the deficiencies that they may see
in the Budget. They have had to stretch and look hard to find them, but that is
their task to do. It would be a boring place in here, Mr. Speaker, if everybody
was on the same note. So we have to have three or four people on the other say
that this possibly might not be as good as everybody is saying.
In my remarks this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, I would like to focus on two
things. Number one, the role of the Opposition and the approaches that the
Opposition Parties have taken, and to focus a little bit on the philosophy of
the New Democratic Party more than anything - the socialist party, if you will -
because there is a stark difference between that philosophy and the philosophy
of this government.
As a part of pointing out that difference, Mr. Speaker, and the difference in
philosophies, I would like to say as well, and point out in my remarks where I
think this government is not spending enough money. Now, some may be alarmed and
surprised at that and say: What is a government member doing that for, pointing
out where the government is not spending enough money? Mr. Speaker, I would like
to tie that into the difference in philosophies of the two parties.
On the Opposition side, Mr. Speaker, we have four Liberals over there. I
would like to say at this point, I sat through the 2003-2007 period when there
were probably twelve or thirteen of them over there. Actually, I think that the
four who are over there now are doing a better job than the twelve or thirteen
did three or four years ago. Now, that may be, Mr. Speaker, that the fewer of
them there are the better job they do. I am not quite sure if there is a direct
relationship there or not, but we will see what we can do in 2011 to maybe make
them even better, reduce their numbers smaller and then they can do an even
better job.
The remarks, Mr. Speaker, and the approach of the Opposition is not always
well researched. We saw a stark example of that yesterday when the questions
related to the hon. Minister of Environment and why she did not do this and did
not do that. Of course, they got that from the radio, and just because it is on
the radio or in the newspaper it does not mean it is true, but they went with
that in Question Period. Of course, CBC this morning spent most of the morning
apologizing and retracting. I expect somewhere along the way maybe the
Opposition will do the same thing.
I would like to commend them though, Mr. Speaker, because from the first four
years that we were here we found the Leader of the Opposition undertaking a lot
of personal attacks. I have to say that this Opposition has not resorted to
that, although there was one point when the Leader of the Opposition, in her
two- or three-hour speech, in her long speech, did focus on a number of the
members of the government side, but it was more in terms of policy and positions
that those members have taken rather than personal attacks.
I was amazed when we first came here, Mr. Speaker, to watch the then Leader
of the Opposition and you could count five or six personal attacks on the
Premier at that time. I thought, Mr. Speaker, it was unbecoming. That is not why
we were sent here. We were sent here to represent the people of our districts
and not to be as schoolyard children.
Mr. Speaker, the other Opposition over there is the member for the NDP, and
her approach to Opposition is a constant and consistent message; it is totally a
socialist message, Mr. Speaker. The situations that she brings and she
referenced in passing today a situation with a lady who is a victim of violence,
or something like that she brings real situations to the House, there is
absolutely no doubt about it, but her approach and the solutions that she
offers, I have to say, are devoid of any semblance of reality. She brings a real
situation, but the solutions and the approach that she brings do not relate in
any way, shape or form to realities of financing.
Mr. Speaker, I make these remarks not to disparage the hon. Leader of the
NDP, because I think her remarks are coming from a position of sincerity. She
means well, she does her research, and she brings an enlightened approach to the
House, but not always connected to reality, Mr. Speaker.
The philosophy of the NDP, Mr. Speaker and I think it is important to
understand this, and the Leader of the NDP referenced it in her own speech - she
said: The reason that I am doing a written speech, Mr. Speaker, is that I want
to lay out very clearly where we come from as NDP when it comes to economic
analysis.
I think she did lay it out clearly. She laid out very clearly the stark
difference between their party and the governing party. There was a reference
down in the Leader of the NDP's speech, and she said, "It is the job of elected
government to create systems that work for everyone, not just for some." They
work for everyone, not just for some.
She went on to say, Mr. Speaker, "It is the job of elected government to make
sure that the communal pot is shared so everyone is living in a healthy and
nurturing society." An ideal, Mr. Speaker, worthy, I suppose, of us pursuing,
that everyone would share equally from the communal pot.
We remember the days of Communism, Mr. Speaker, and I suppose, if you want to
pursue that, it may be a worthwhile ideal that we are all equal, but I do not
think, in reality, it is a realistic philosophy for the society in which we
live. It is not a share and share alike. There is no element, I suppose, of
Robin Hood in it: rob the rich and give to the poor.
I suppose we should, at this point, commend our own Alan Doyle for his
worthwhile work in Robin Hood as Allan A'Dayle, but that is not an approach, Mr.
Speaker, I do not think, that we can apply to economics of governing. At the
same time that the Leader of the NDP paints this picture of communal living, and
everybody sharing equally from the same pot, she paints the dark picture of this
government as being closely related to the extremist reform party Conservatives
as they are in Ottawa. She ties us to that reform party and says that we are, in
fact, carrying out the exact same policy. She throws in, in her speech - and I
do not know if she wrote the speech herself or if it was written for her - words
like Rolls-Royce, to link us with the elite of society.
She references, Mr. Speaker, tax breaks for the rich. I quote from her
speech, "It is not enough for this government to say that it is reducing poverty
by bringing the minimum wage up to $10 an hour while at the same time giving tax
breaks to corporations and wealthy individuals." She would paint us, Mr.
Speaker, as an elitist government, a government that wants to only look after
the rich, give tax breaks to the rich.
I remember a couple of years ago when the pathologists were clamouring, Mr.
Speaker, for more money, making their case that they deserved to be paid, and
they were threatening to leave the Province. The Leader of the NDP spoke in the
House at that time and said: I do hope that this government is going to pay
these pathologists what they are worth.
Now, their salaries are up in the range of $200,000 or $300,000 a year, I
cannot remember exactly, but she said: I do hope that the government will pay
them what they are worth so that we can keep them here in the Province for the
benefit of our citizens.
Then, when a Budget was brought down some time later and our government
removed the surtax, which was a tax on higher-paid individuals, the Leader of
the NDP says that this surtax should never be removed; these rich people should
be taxed because where else are we going to get the money?
You cannot, Mr. Speaker - there is an expression for it, and I will use the,
I suppose, more dignified expression - you cannot inhale and exhale at the same
time. You cannot do both, Mr. Speaker.
The phrases, Mr. Speaker, of the Leader of the NDP, the philosophy that is
there, I will repeat it: It is the job of elected government to make sure that
the communal pot is shared so everyone is living in a healthy and nurturing
society.
Through her speech, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the NDP used the word
"imagine" eight or nine times, phrases such as: Imagine if the money from the
increase in equalization. Imagine the benefit to people. Imagine the benefit
to government. Imagine what would happen. She goes on to say: Imagine what
would happen if government had a vision. Imagine if the custodians of Nalcor.
As I sat down that day, Mr. Speaker, and listened to the NDP Leader speak,
and heard all of these words, "imagine", I could not help but think of our dear
departed friend, John Lennon, who wrote Imagine . I will quote from that,
Mr. Speaker, if you do not mind: Imagine no possessions; I wonder if you can, no
need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people, sharing
all the world".
Mr. Speaker, this is exactly
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. RIDGLEY: I am being encouraged to sing, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps in
another venue, at another time, when we are feeling more jovial I will undertake
to sing it, but not at this point, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. RIDGLEY: I relate that to doesn't it sound exactly like the same
thing, the philosophy of the NDP? We are all gathered around the communal pot,
all sharing the same time.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP Leader referenced in her speech a $308 million increase
in equalization and offset revenues that came to this Province, and in her
speech, Mr. Speaker, she spent it at least two or three times.
She says: Imagine if the money from the increase in equalization and offset
revenues were used to start a child care program. Then she goes down to say:
Imagine if $75 million of that $308 million were to be used to we could do
away with revenue from the VLT machines and use that $75 million.
Now your $308 million is down to $233 million, but then she goes on to say:
Imagine the benefit to people of our economy if some of the extra revenue - this
same revenue that we spent on child care, and with the VLT reference - imagine
if this went into fully meeting the need for affordable housing, instead of just
putting a Band-Aid on our housing crisis. So now with the money we are going to
fully meet the needs of a fully funded affordable housing program, Mr. Speaker.
So, we have spent it on child care - the same money - we spent it on doing away
with the VLTs and offsetting that revenue, and now we have spent it on meeting
the needs in affordable housing.
Mr. Speaker, on April 26, the Leader of the NDP rose and spoke about the
budget and she referenced it here again today the $1.2 million that was
spent to build four housing units in the community of Nain. Her phrase in
reference to that, Mr. Speaker, was that these four new units were a pimple on
an elephant. Now, Mr. Speaker, that was $1.2 million. So if the Leader of the
NDP wants to put a complete rash on that elephant from head to toe and trunk to
foot, how much would it cost to put a rash of pimples on that same elephant?
There is no connection to reality. You make an effort to do things, you make an
effort to build four units, but it is never enough.
Mr. Speaker, I reference, in the same day, the Leader of the NDP spoke about
the fact that Newfoundland and Labrador Housing is doing some much needed
repairs and maintenance to their properties. There was almost a touch, a
connection to reality, because the Leader of the NDP said: I appreciate that it
is difficult for government to do it. Now imagine, she almost touched the
reality. You cannot do it all, she said, it is difficult. She recognized that
fact, Mr. Speaker. She goes on to say: We have to look at priorities, and
affordable housing must be a priority. Well, that was probably on a Tuesday. On
a Wednesday, then we have a home care as a priority, we have to do that. Then,
on Thursday, we have child care as a priority, and we have to have a completely
funded drug program.
Mr. Speaker, a budget has to appreciate the difficulties that are in society.
You cannot simply do it all, you have to look at priorities and you have to make
choices within those priorities. So, more so than the reference to John Lennon's
Imagine , I think that the Leader of the NDP is taking us down a long and
winding road to strawberry fields where nothing is real.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDGLEY: You have to make choices, Mr. Speaker. You have to make
choices. There were some 200 groups who brought their needs in the pre-budget
consultations. They are listed off here - I do not actually have time, Mr.
Speaker, to read them but there is a full range, 200 different presentations to
the Minister of Finance that say these are our needs.
Had the Leader of the NDP been there, it would have been yes of course, yes
of course and yes of course. When you are governing, Mr. Speaker, you have to
make choices from within those groups. The Leader of the NDP spoke about the
investments, as we call them, she said: They are not investments; they are
necessary expenditures. She said: They are expenditures that must be made to
meet the needs of our society. Must be made - so each of these groups who came,
we must spend money on what they have asked for. You cannot do it; that is not
government, Mr. Speaker.
Where are we not spending enough money, Mr. Speaker? I said I would say we
are not spending enough money. We are not spending enough money on education.
Every teacher, every principal, every student, every parent in this Province
will tell you that they could use more teacher assistants, more teachers, more
custodial help in the schools, more maintenance of their schools.
We are not spending enough money, Mr. Speaker, on health care. We have spent
$2.7 billion of the $7.5 billion on health care. Mr. Speaker, we are not
spending enough, the wait times are too long
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I will remind the hon. member that his speaking time has expired.
MR. RIDGLEY: By leave, Mr. Speaker, just to clue up?
MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North, by leave.
MR. RIDGLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are not spending enough money on housing, Mr. Speaker. Of the 5,000 or so
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units in the Province, St. John's North has
about 780-800 of them. We have the most in the whole Province.
Every day, every week my office deals with the needs in Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing. I have been in homes which are despicable, I have been where
the mould is there, I have seen rodents crawling around, and I have seen leaks
coming down in kitchens and bedrooms.
Mr. Speaker, we are not spending enough money on housing. The simple fact is,
Mr. Speaker, we do not have enough money to do it all. We have to make choices.
I would say to the Leader of the NDP, in conclusion - and I do not want to
sound like the former Premier of the Province, Mr. Peckford, to say that someday
the sun will shine and the have not will be no more. The have not will always be
there, Mr. Speaker. I would say we are doing it, we are getting there gradually.
Mr. Speaker, the ice is slowly melting; here comes the sun.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is certainly my pleasure to be able to speak today regarding
the Budget because there are a number of initiatives within this Budget that are
very important for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and in particular
for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.
Mr. Speaker, before I speak about the Department of Child, Youth and Family
Services I would certainly like to take a few minutes to talk about some of the
investments in this Budget or in previous Budgets for that matter that affect
the District of St. George's-Stephenville East. Mr. Speaker, that district is
one since I have been elected as the MHA that has had significant challen