Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements — 4 April 2006 (45th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLV No. 7)
2006-04-04
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
April 4, 2006 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLV No. 7
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): Order, please!
Admit Strangers.
This afternoon we are pleased to welcome in our public galleries twenty-seven
French Immersion students from Leary's Brook Junior High School in the
District of St. John's North, with their teachers Mr. Shane Fitzgerald and Mr.
Scott Barker.
Welcome to our House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: This afternoon we have members' statements as follows: the
hon. the Member for the District of Terra Nova; the hon. the Member for the
District of Grand Falls-Buchans; the hon. the Member for the District of
Exploits; the hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo & LaPoile; the hon.
the Member for the District of Labrador West; and the hon. the Member for the
District of Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for the District of Terra Nova.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great educator and wonderful
man. On March 24, Mr. Paul Boyle, a teacher from Glovertown Academy, passed away
and with that an enormous loss was suffered. Last Thursday, the school held a
memorial service for Paul. Mr. Speaker, approximately 1,000 people showed up to
pay their respects and to celebrate the life of this tremendous person.
I would like to take this opportunity to speak to Paul's life, a life that
was sadly cut short. While his life ended prematurely, this certainly did not
mean that it was without success or reason. I would argue that Paul accomplished
in his short life, more than most would hope to accomplish in a full lifetime.
Paul was born on August 18, 1963 at the Banting Memorial Hospital in Gander,
to proud parents, Ada and Roy Boyle. Paul and his family moved to Goose Bay,
where his sister Rhonda was born and remained until 1970. At that time they
returned to Gander, settling until 1985.
He graduated from St. Paul's High School in 1980. After which he enrolled
at St. FX's University, thinking he wanted to become an engineer but
eventually found himself at Mount St. Vincent, where he completed a Bachelor of
Arts Degree and then at St. Mary's University, pursuing a more passionate
career in Education acquiring his Bachelor of Education.
He married Debbie on May 24, 1988. They were delighted to present to the
world two beautiful daughters, Chelsea born in 1989 and Carly born in 1996.
Paul enjoyed life to the fullest. He was passionate about many things: art,
drama, sports, woodworking, cooking and even gardening with his wife. Above all,
Paul loved spending time with his family.
For the past eight years Paul has been a member of the staff of Glovertown
Academy. His passion for teaching and his love of students could be seen in
every class he taught. He touched many lives in both school and outside in his
personal life. Mr. Boyle will never be forgotten as his memory will forever be
carried in the hearts and minds of his students and friends. His energy and
laughter will be forever echoed in through the halls of Glovertown Academy. As
Mr. Boyle would say: Kids, be careful out there.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all hon. members would join with me today to pay
tribute to Mr. Paul Boyle.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.
MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and to say thank you to Walwin
Blackmore, a long time distinguished municipal politician who spent four years
as councilor and a combination of twenty-four years as mayor of the former Town
of Windsor and the newly amalgamated Town of Grand Falls-Windsor.
Walwin Blackmore is a native of Bell Island, and a graduate of Memorial
University and the University of Ottawa. He spent seven years teaching in
several communities prior to coming to Booth Memorial High School as Vice
Principal, in the former Town of Windsor, in 1969. In 1972 he was appointed
Principal, remaining in that position until retirement in December of 1991.
Walwin Blackmore entered municipal politics in November of 1977, became Mayor
of the former Town of Windsor in November of 1981, re-elected in 1985 and in
November of 1990 was elected the first Mayor of Grand Falls-Windsor. I had the
pleasure of sitting on that first amalgamated council with Mayor Walwin
Blackmore for two terms and he served in that position until September 27, 2005.
Throughout his thirty-seven years in the central area, he has served on the
Windsor Stadium Committee, Windsor Minor Hockey Association, Central
Newfoundland Hospital Board, Central Newfoundland Community Futures Board,
Central Newfoundland High School Hockey League, Beothuck Senior Hockey League,
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities, Central University
Committee, Canadian Bible Society, Canadian Volunteer Initiative, and in various
positions with the Park Street Corps of the Salvation Army.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in
congratulating Mr. Walwin Blackmore on a distinguished municipal career and
thank him to his contribution to public service in our Province. Happy
retirement, Walwin.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to stand in
this House to recognize the heroic efforts of two firefighters from the
Peterview Volunteer Fire Department. They are Fire Chief Chris Torraville and
his fellow firefighter Darrius Brenton.
Approximately 9:30 Saturday evening on March 18, three snowmobiles carrying
four people went through the ice at Gills Point between Norris Arm and Peterview.
One person made it to a cabin on shore and contacted the police. From there
several rescue teams were mobilized, including the Peterview Fire Department.
Chris and Darrius travelled across the bay on snowmobile until they arrived
close to where the tragedy occurred. Then, without fear for their own lives,
they continued on ice board, where the ice was only one to two inches thick.
Because of the weakness in the ice, the two firefighters had to wade in cold
water for three-and-a-half hours in darkness until more rescue teams could reach
them.
A terrible tragedy occurred that night with the loss of three lives, but not
without the final attempt by these two firefighters to save them.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask all members of this House to join with me in
recognizing the bravery of Chris Torraville and Darrius Brenton.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to recognize six outstanding Port aux Basques military personnel
now serving in Afghanistan.
Kevin Osmond, son of Roy and Grace Osmond, Lakes Brook; Wade Hodder, son of
Bernice Hodder, Grand Bay; Peter Osmond, son of Reg and Evelyn Osmond, Grand
Bay; Chris Short, son of Norman and Julia Short, Grand Bay; Ray Lomond, son of
Gerald and Ellen Lomond, Mouse Island; Paul Parsons, son of Albert and Viola
Parsons, Channel, are all currently serving in Afghanistan.
Mr. Speaker, these individuals left their hometowns to pursue careers in the
Canadian Military and they have indeed done us proud. Their dedication to the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador and our country to serve in Afghanistan
during this most difficult time is an inspiration to us all. We hope and pray
that their mission is safe and successful.
I ask all members of this House to join with me in recognizing these brave
individuals who are all outstanding Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, who are
"Standing on Guard" for thee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
MR. R. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On March 18 to March 20 the first ever Cain's Quest snowmobile race was
held in Labrador West. The race covered a distance of 1,200 kilometres, and
racers were not permitted to use groomed trails. Teams consisted of two racers,
and both machines had to cross the finish line in order to qualify. There were
twelve teams from the local area, along with teams from the Labrador Straits,
Quebec and Nova Scotia.
It was a gruesome race, Mr. Speaker, that tested both physical and mental
endurance, pushing both riders and their machines to the limits. The riders went
through the middle of Labrador in mostly unfamiliar territory, sometimes at
night, using only coordinates on their GPS to get them from checkpoint to
checkpoint.
The event was filmed by SnowTrax TV with the use of a helicopter, and will be
shown on TSN later this year. In addition, coverage was also provided by Atlantic
Snowmobiler Magazine , Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine , and some
provincial media.
Mr. Speaker the winning team was Gerard Rumbolt and John Efford.
I was waiting for people to look, then.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. R. COLLINS: The winning team was Gerard Rumbolt and John Efford from
Labrador West, with a time of fourteen hours, one minute, or an average speed of
sixty-five kilometres an hour. They captured the first place prize of $10,000
and I am happy to say, Mr. Speaker, they donated $5,000 of that to the Labrador
City Youth Center.
Second place went to a team from Quebec, with Dave Dumaresque and Shannon
Strangemore of Labrador West finishing third.
I would like to thank the White Wolf Snowmobile Club, the many volunteers,
the racers and the sponsors who made this event such a tremendous success.
Already, planning is in progress for next year which will see a longer course
and more participants. This event and others like it go a long way to promote
the huge potential for Labrador Winter Tourism.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
MR. LANGDON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the Town of Belleoram on reaching a
tremendous milestone. On the evening of Saturday, April 1, I was delighted to
participate with the community and celebrate sixty years of incorporation. It
was a pleasure to join with residents, current and former councillors and
municipal representatives from the region on this important occasion.
Belleoram was one of the first towns in the Province to incorporate as a
municipality. The first meeting of the Belleoram Town Council was held on
September 9, 1946, at a courtroom in Corner Brook. Mr. Josiah Rose was elected
Secretary/Treasurer by the committee. Interestingly, it was agreed that he be
paid a remuneration of $25 per month to assist with the formation and operation
of the new council. The new council, under the leadership of the first Mayor, J.
R. Burdock, began immediately to bring new infrastructure to the town. Water and
sewer was installed in the town in 1948.
Mr. Speaker, the Town of Belleoram has seen many changes over the years. Some
of these changes have created challenges for councils and residents, while
others have helped make the community a better place to live. As a community,
Belleoram continues to accept the challenges and grasp social and economic
opportunities that come their way.
It continues to be a pleasure for me to work with the Town of Belleoram. This
town is an important part of the Coast of Bays Region and is committed through
dedicated leadership to making the economy in their part of rural Newfoundland
and Labrador sustainable.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate former mayors, councillors and staff for
contributing their time and effort for the success of the town. I also want to
express gratitude and thanks to the current Mayor, Steward May, current
councillors and Evelyn Savory, Town Clerk, for organizing the celebration of
their incorporation.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating
Belleoram on the anniversary of sixty years of incorporation as a municipality.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment, and Labrador Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SHELLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my hon. colleagues about meetings I
attended with federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for
labour on March 17.
The purpose of these annual meetings is to promote co-operation among labour
jurisdictions in Canada. Throughout the year, the Canadian Association of
Administrators of Labour Legislation works on common labour issues and
challenges being faced throughout Canada.
Mr. Speaker, one issue that sparked much discussion was labour supply and
demand. A shortage of skilled workers is a serious issue here in Newfoundland
and Labrador, just as it is throughout other provinces. I used the opportunity
to highlight the strategic approaches our government is taking to address this
problem: our White Paper on Education, our Immigration Strategy, our Poverty
Reduction Strategy, and the retraining of workers.
Another theme, Mr. Speaker, was the need to promote a safe and healthy
workplace. A productive workplace is one where reasonable and cost-effective
policies allow workers to perform at their best. Employers, workers and unions
must recognize that everyone benefits from a workplace environment that promotes
good mental and physical health.
Mr. Speaker, a separate meeting of Atlantic Ministers of Labour is scheduled
for June to further discuss these issues and others. At that time, I expect to
report further on the significant progress made on our immigration and poverty
reduction strategies.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace.
MR. SWEENEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of the update on his travels.
It is interesting to note, Minister, that while you are having discussions
with your counterparts there is a job fair taking place in the Province this
week. Over 400 people showed up in Stephenville for interviews for jobs in
Alberta, 400-plus people showed up in Central Newfoundland, and last night
500-plus people showed up at Salon D at the Delta Hotel, and today Salon D down
there is filled again with people looking for jobs in Alberta. Minister, your
jobs is daunting, there is no mistake about that, and I am glad to see that you
are working on it.
I would suggest that maybe partnership with the private sector, putting some
investment into the private sector to encourage jobs here at home, would be a
much better effort by your government.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The member's allotted time has expired.
MR. SWEENEY: To conclude, Mr. Speaker?
MR. SPEAKER: By leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.
MR. SWEENEY: Mr. Speaker, we are losing Newfoundlanders hand over fist
day after day. The thing the most hurting proof, apart from the boom that we
have in Labrador, is the people leaving this Province and heading West. I think
there should be emphasis placed on that, and, Minister, I encourage you to keep
up discussions with your counterparts because there is a lot of work to be done.
This Province is in a tailspin right now for labour. There is going to be a
major shortage here over the next little while.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
MR. R. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
There is no question about it, skilled trades in this Province, and indeed in
this country, are much in demand. There is a shortage because we went through a
period of time where all of us were equally guilty, I guess in some ways, of
pushing our children towards universities and towards the IT sector rather than
the traditional trades. It is time now that we have to play catch up in order to
deal with the needs that will be there for the future.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The member's allotted time has expired.
MR. R. COLLINS: By leave, Mr. Speaker?
MR. SPEAKER: By leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave is granted.
MR. R. COLLINS: While I agree with the minister and the previous speaker
on the need to cooperate with other provinces, I think in this Province itself
the minister should give some consideration to probably holding a conference
between labour and business and government to get a better handle and identify
exactly what the needs will be, not only in the long term but in the short term
as well.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Further Statements by Ministers.
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the secret negotiations between government and the
Hebron-Ben Nevis partners fell apart. While the Premier says they were not
secret, nobody really knows what the details are that were being discussed.
I ask the Premier: Would he be prepared to provide the details of the
so-called super royalty regime to the people of the Province through the House?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have already indicated yesterday, in answer to the first question that was
asked by the hon. Opposition House Leader, exactly what the tenets of the deal
were. The exact specifics of the super royalty, I guess if we had agreement from
the other parties, there would be no problem providing it. We want to make sure
we just do not break their confidentiality on something like that, but there is
no secret agenda here with regard to the tier three royalty. We would only be
too delighted to disclose it. We just want to make sure that is fine with the
other parties. But there is no secret, no hidden agenda here.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you.
We look forward receiving those details on the super royalty.
Another important aspect, that nobody seems to know about, is the equity
stake being requested by the Province. Could the Premier advise what equity
stake was requested by the Province at the commencement of the negotiations,
what was offered by the companies, what was eventually refused, and would he be
prepared to table that information in the House?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, that has been indicated. We have made no
bones about it for, probably, the last six to nine months. We have come out and
we have indicated exactly what we wanted from an equity perspective. We said we
certainly wanted equity. We wanted super royalty. We also talked in terms of
secondary processing for the Province, as well as maximum benefits for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians so that we would have our fabrication
facilities at 100 per cent capacity.
In light of the comments that were made by Chevron yesterday, who indicated
that, in fact, they put a better package on the table, we responded as a
government when questions were made on the equity because there was an
implication by Chevron that, in fact, this deal broke down on equity. Well, on
Thursday night past, we had reached an agreement on equity. A critical milestone
for them on equity was 5 per cent. Five percent and above jeopardized the joint
venture agreement. There was extra voting rights. There were other rights and
privileges that were above 5 per cent. Our preference would have been to obtain,
at least, 8.5 per cent. That was our original goal because that is a benchmark
which has been set by the federal government in the Hibernia project and that
was a number that we were trying to achieve. However, in order to try and reach
an agreement with these companies, we moved to the 4.9 per cent position because
that was a position that they felt was acceptable to all the partners.
So, contrary to what Chevron are saying with regard to the equity position,
equity is not what it broke down on because we basically had a tentative
agreement on equity and on super royalty on Thursday evening. The matter on
which it broke down, which I explained yesterday to the House, was they reverted
to the January 26 position, which is investment tax credits which were in the
range of $400 million to $500 million, which was something that we had virtually
assumed was off the table and was gone. They then reverted to a position of two
months ago, which was absolutely unacceptable to the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Contrary to the comments across the House from the
Government House Leader, this information has all been public. The details have
not been public. The gist of what is being talked about may well be out in the
public forum. The reason for the questioning is to ask if we can actually have
the detail, and people would be more enlightened and more informed.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier said that government would be willing to buy the 38
per cent share of Exxon to try and move this deal forward. I ask the Premier:
How would this valuation take place in terms of what it would cost? How much
would government be willing to spend, and what would government do, or are
government considering doing, given Exxon's position - at this point, at least
- that they are refusing to sell?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, as the hon. House Leader is aware, this is
not the first time that this project has been shelved. While the hon. party
opposite was in government, of course, this project did not go ahead at the same
time and possibly for the same reasons, I do not know.
Having said that, with regard to the price that the government is prepared to
pay for Exxon Mobil's interest, we are dealing in hundreds of millions of
dollars here. I am not prepared to announce to Exxon Mobil today what we are
prepared to pay them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: With all due respect to the hon. gentleman opposite,
with a legal background and a negotiating background, that would be foolhardy.
Under the circumstances, I certainly would not be prepared to announce it under
any circumstances.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: I appreciate, Premier, as well, having a legal background,
but I guess a common sense background as well that you would not want to
necessarily show your hand to the other party.
The nature of the question, however, was: Is the breakdown concerning the
equity revolve around the fact that you cannot arrive at a price to pay, or is
the breakdown on the equity issue revolve around the fact that Exxon just simply
would not even consider the issue? That was the level of detail that I was
looking for. I realize, and would appreciate that as a Province you certainly do
not want to disclose what you would ultimately be prepared to pay, but my
understanding is that they just simply refused to even talk about giving you an
equity share, or selling you their share.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: I note in your comments, actually last evening in a
broadcast that you were involved in, you agree with the principle of equity. You
think it is a good idea for this government to bargain for equity, and I
appreciate that. Having said that, I have already said that on Thursday night
past, when we were dealing with the negotiating party for the consortium, they
agreed to an amount of equity, a quantity of equity, which was 4.9 per cent.
They also agreed to a quantum. They agreed to the amount. They agreed to the
value, and that was already put aside. So, that was done. So, at that point the
person who is negotiating on behalf of the consortium said: Ok, fine. Here is
the amount of equity that we are prepared to sell. Here is the value which we
are prepared to sell and which we are prepared to offer for it. Here is the
super royalty which we are prepared to get, and we actually negotiated up the
super royalty at that particular point in time. Then when they send a memorandum
into us, the memorandum gets cute and basically comes back and says: Oh, yes,
but we want all the terms that are in the January 26 agreement, with the
exception of these two. So, we basically said that is not on. Because what would
have happened then, that would have clawed back everything that we gained. We
would have ended up with an agreement that was basically less than generic,
which is exactly what your government was prepared to accept some two years ago.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Continuing, with regards to the issue of the Exxon
percentage, was it a part of the discussions regarding their possible share to
government that you would have to compensate them for their original exploration
cost? Does government have any idea, at this point, as to how much - in addition
to purchasing a share, if you bought that share, how much would government also
have to invest in terms of up-front or start up costs in terms of the field and
infrastructure?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Obviously, in valuing any share or any interest in a
project you have to take into consideration what they have already spent - which
I think the term is probably pre-development cost, which would be the term. Then
you also have to look at what the value of the project is. So, then you have to
ascertain what the quantity of the reservoirs are and projections could be that
- they could be anywhere from - a ball park, probably about 550 million.
Having said that, when you try to put together the final valuation then you
have to strike a number, and that is exactly what we have done. So, all those
things are all part of it. Now, with regard to the project itself, if you are a
partner in the project then you participate in the cost of the project. You are
either a full partner or you are not a full partner. So, as a full partner you
would be prepared to invest and step up as the project moves forward.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader
MR. PARSONS: Premier, I do not think there is anybody in this Province
who disagrees that we ought to have the best deal possible when it comes to our
offshore resources. The approach, particularly when it comes to dealing with
private companies, may be somewhat suspect and has not yield results yet.
The Premier chastised Exxon yesterday as the Hebron-Ben Nevis partner who
scuttled the deal, and Exxon and others are still - maybe some people don't
appreciate this - but are still very key players in our offshore industry, and
are very important to the future natural gas development from Hibernia, Terra
Nova and White Rose.
I ask the Premier: Are you concerned that no to a Hebron-Ben Nevis deal may
delay the time frames and the development possibilities that exist with regard
to natural gas?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I watched with great interest last night the broadcast and the interview on CBC
where yourself and the Leader of the New Democratic Party were present. It
was interesting to note that from the outset the Leader of the New Democratic
Party generally supported the position that government has taken in this
particular matter.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: As well, he made an interesting observation, that Norsk
Hydro, a company that is owned by the Government of Norway, would, in fact, have
a 10 per cent interest in our project, and it was most reasonable for us to have
to seek an equity position on that particular project as well. I commend him on
that observation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Now I am going to tell you what you said last night,
and you changed your position from the start of that interview. By the time you
got to the end of it, you were moving closer to the hon. Member for Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
These are your exact words: If it is going to be a weak deal, there should be
no deal. We are suggesting that the Premier should stick to his guns by all
means. Those are your exact words. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a bit
of posturing on the part of the oil companies because they obviously in secret
couldn't get the arrangements they wanted. All of the sudden, this morning
after the March 31 st deadline passes, we see a press release from
Chevron.
You obviously agree with what we did. Are you trying to take a different
position here in the House today, because that is not what I am hearing from you
on the other side of the House?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Premier, this being Question Period I will ask the
questions, but I certainly have no objection to yourself or to any media in this
Province clarifying what I believe doesn't require any clarification. I have
no problem whatsoever with the Province taking a hard and fast stance at this
time with the oil companies, and I have said that. Absolutely no problem with
that at all!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PARSONS: Whether it is the current Premier or anybody else, if we had
to end up with a weak deal I firmly believe there should be no deal.
All I am trying to do, and I think you gathered from the questions I have
asked today, is flesh out some of the details. It is quite easy having the
residents of this Province saying, we take a side for the Province, the Premier's
current stand, or we side with the oil companies, without having the full
information. That has been the tenor of my questions since yesterday.
I commented quite openly, as well, that Chevron is not into the habit of
calling Opposition parties and offering to give a briefing, unless there is some
purpose of them either. That is why I question their posturing issue from the
oil companies.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. PARSONS: Premier, again, I am trying to get some further information
and detail here so that people have a good understanding and know, when they
take a stand, why they are taking it. Exploration is a key to new developments
offshore.
I ask the Premier: Has government been given any indication from the oil
industry, in the course of these ongoing discussions and negotiations with
Chevron and their partners, whether future exploration might in any way be
sacrificed or compromised because of an inability to strike a deal on Hebron-Ben
Nevis?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: I am interested in the hon. gentleman opposite's
comments with regard to saying that he would not take a weak deal. Well, when he
was a Minister of the Crown and when that party on the other side of the House
was in government, the Premier of that party at that time, in June of 2003, said
- and this is in reference to the Hebron project - he does not know yet if
changing the regime means the Province would get less royalty revenue at the
beginning or less royalty overall, but he says either way it better than not
having the Hebron development go ahead at all.
Well, that might have been the policy of your government; that might be the
policy of your leader, who sits in the gallery today. It is not the policy of
this government, and there will be no more giveaways.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you.
It is quite obvious, Mr. Speaker, that the Premier does not want to peel back
some of the layers on the onion here and give the detail. I have asked the last
two questions here and, instead of getting any answers or even a commitment that
we might get some information, I have gotten rhetoric.
I say to the Premier as well, with regards to whatever position any former
premier might have taken, and any former minister of mines and energy or natural
resources, the water on the beans has substantially changed since 2003, and I
think we all appreciate that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: I mean that in a political sense. One only need take the
price of a barrel of oil, for example. We are not talking about $20 barrels of
oil any more; we are talking about $60 barrels of oil, and that leads directly
into my last question. Perhaps the Premier, again, might be more forthcoming
with his answers.
Many business people in this Province, Premier, industry associations, trade
persons, professional workers, have expressed their concern. It is not coming
from the Opposition; it is coming from media reports that we have read today and
we have heard on TVs and radios as well, legitimate concerns. These people are
concerned that with this project not moving forward on Ben Nevis for the
foreseeable future they have these concerns.
I ask the Premier: Have you consulted with any of these people? Are you
concerned that this impasse, if it lasts too long and you do not strike a deal,
what devastating effects it would have on our economy? Have you consulted with
these people?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: As the hon. member is aware, Mr. Speaker, there is a
detailed energy plan consultation that is going on throughout this Province,
which is being conducted by the Minister of Natural Resources. In doing that, he
has gone through the entire Province. He has talked to a lot of the
stakeholders. He has had submissions from a lot of the stakeholders.
One of the stakeholders is NOIA. In their presentation to the government
during the energy plan consultation process, NOIA's recommendations dealt with
engineering; the Province develop an industrial development and procurement
strategy to guide the Province in negotiations such as those currently underway
for the development of Hebron. Elements of this strategy should include - and I
quote NOIA - 100 per cent of front-end engineering and design feed and detailed
design to be located in the Province.
I can assure NOIA that the proposal that was put together by this proponent
was substantially less than what they asked for.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Fisheries.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is on public record repeatedly in the
last few weeks, saying that FPI broke the law by taking another one of our
resources and shipping it to China for processing; and, as a result, that
company was going to be charged in the court of law.
I ask the minister: Have charges been laid? If not, why?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture said previously in
this House, and outside this House, there appeared to be some discrepancies
between what was allowed to be shipped out and what actually got shipped out by
Fishery Products International in the past year. There was an investigation that
took place by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture officials, and right
now an investigation is ongoing between Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
officials in consultation with the Department of Justice. When the appropriate
time comes, if charges are warranted, charged will be laid, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Well, you talk about a backflip. It is a wonder you are not
doing cartwheels across the floor here.
The Minister of Fisheries stood in the pan of a truck on O'Leary Avenue and
said: FPI broke the law, they broke the law, they broke the law, and they will
be charged and charged and charged! Here, today, we have his predecessor
standing in for him saying there is some discrepancy in what the minister said
and what they actually uncovered in the Department of Fisheries. So, you are
saying now, what the minister said last week wasn't true?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. REID: Are you saying now that charges will not be laid?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, when the time comes to lay charges, it is
on the basis of the evaluation of the Department of Justice. That is where that
lies.
Furthermore, the only people in this House who made a backflip are the Leader
of the Opposition, the Member for Grand Bank, and the Member for Fortune
Bay-Cape la Hune. Why don't they inform the House of what happened in the
Clerk's boardroom last spring when they met with me and advised me that I
should allow redfish from 3O to be shipped out of this Province to China for
processing by the operators of the fish plant in Gaultois? Prior to that, Mr.
Speaker, there was not one pound of fish authorized to be shipped out of this
Province; and, when it was done, it was done on the advice of -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. TAYLOR: - those three members, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Colleagues, we are in the middle of Question Period. Time is short.
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Transportation and Works stands here today and says something
that is completely the opposite of what his colleague said when he was into a
rant in the back of a pickup truck on O'Leary Avenue last week. Mr. Speaker,
we have heard that come from that government time and time again when it comes
to FPI.
I ask the minister: If what he said last week is something different from
what he is saying this week, how can the people who work for FPI in the Province
believe anything you are saying about the amendments, or anything else you are
going to do with that company?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, what I said today is exactly consistent with what the Minister
of Fisheries and Aquaculture said last week. This matter now is in the hands of
the Department of Justice, and a determination on charges will be made by the
Department of Justice. That is consistent with what every government does on
this type of file.
Now, Mr. Speaker, as I said before, you want to talk about truthfulness, you
want to talk about who is dealing with the facts, the fact of the matter is: the
Loyal Opposition to Her Majesty here, today in this House and for the past
couple of weeks, have been on a rant about fish being allowed to be shipped out
of this Province. The only fish, over and above what was allowed to be shipped
out by previous ministers, like the Member for Twillingate & Fogo and
Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, the only fish, in 2005, that was allowed to be
shipped out of this Province was fish from 3O, redfish. That was based on the
advice of the Member for Twillingate & Fogo, the Leader of the Opposition,
the Member for Grand Bank, the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune, in the Clerk's
Boardroom last May, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Again, I am asking members for their co-operation.
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the minister opposite, it was your Minister of Fisheries who said
that FPI broke the law and they were going to be charged. Not me, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Fisheries stated that fish landed by
the FPI vessel, the Newfoundland Lynx , would be processed in this
Province. Now that he has had a chance to investigate this allegation, or this
point, can the minister now tell me at what FPI plant that 1.8 million pounds of
turbot will be processed?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I suspect that the 1.8 million pounds of turbot will be
processed in the same plant, under the same conditions that the 8 million pounds
of turbot that was shipped out of this Province when he was minister in 2002,
Mr. Speaker. The conditions that apply to turbot in this Province - the
processing requirements on turbot today are the exact same processing
requirements that were imposed on the industry in 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000. Do I
have to go back any further, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, if the fish is to be processed in the Province, it will be. If
there is an exemption required, consistent with the exemptions that were
provided by the Member for Twillingate & Fogo, the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse
au Clair, the former Member for Port de Grave, when he was the minister, and the
Member for Bay St. George, Bud Hulan, when he was the minister, all of those
conditions, Mr. Speaker, have been issued over the years, going back probably to
when Walter Carter was the minister.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture stood in this House yesterday and
said that the fish aboard the Newfoundland Lynx would be processed in
this Province and his colleague is standing today and saying that it will not be
processed in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, for the past two-and-a-half years this government has stated
repeatedly that there are too many -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition who was placing a question.
MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, for the past two-and-a-half years this minister
and his predecessor have stood everywhere in this Province and said that we have
too many people employed in the fishing industry, whether they be plant workers
or harvesters. Yet, up until the election, the federal election just a couple of
short months ago, they made no formal representation to the federal government
for an early retirement package.
I ask the minister, if he was serious about an early retirement package and
he is preparing a proposal to go to the federal government, why haven't you
included your portion of it in this year's Budget?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we have said consistently that we support an early retirement
program for plant workers in the fishing industry. That was articulated to the
federal government last fall and in the federal election this past winter, and a
proposal has been submitted to the federal government just last week, I believe
it was.
As for the Budget appropriation, Mr. Speaker, there are all kinds of ways for
the provincial government and the federal government to put their hands on
money, should money be required. Mr. Speaker, there is such a thing as a
supplementary supply bill. There is such a thing as a Special Warrant. I am sure
that if the federal government came across today and said here is our $70
million, then, Mr. Speaker, we would not be very long finding our $30 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Finance.
Yesterday in Question Period, the Minister of Finance, while refusing to
provide any hope of getting help from this government to people incurring
catastrophic drug costs, stated that his program of co-pay for prescription
drugs for families under $30,000 income would start in September. Will he
confirm, Mr. Speaker, that this program will indeed start in September, as he
stated in the House yesterday?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, delivering a program - delivery of the drug
program -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
A question has been asked by the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I am asking members for their co-operation. Colleagues, we have limited time.
The Chair recognizes the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
First of all, I did not say it starts in September. That is incorrect. There
is a certain part of the program. The drug program for prescription drugs will
start on January 1, 2007 under the Prescription Drug Program. That is because it
is necessary to get the systems up and running to be able to accommodate the
requests to deal with a new output of $32.8 million.
I do remember saying yesterday, Mr. Speaker, that that member over there has
asked for numerous things. We delivered. He asked for the moon; we gave him the
moon. Now he wants the sun and stars. There are some people in this Province you
can never satisfy, and he happens to be one of them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
What I said yesterday after Question Period, if this minister was the
Minister of Finance, when they started talking about medicare they would still
be talking about it because we would not have it, Mr. Speaker.
What I want to ask the minister, Mr. Speaker: given that spending on drugs
has now approached 16 per cent of total health care spending,
whereas we only
spent 13 per cent on doctors, doesn't he now agree that all people in the
Province should have access to a drug plan or an insurance plan, such as he has
and I have, as members of this House, that all teachers have, that all public
sector workers have and that all those have with a workplace plan? Doesn't he
agree that everybody should have access to an insurance plan for drugs?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When we came into office there were about 100,000 people in this Province who
had access to a drug plan; people on income support and low-income seniors,
people who qualify for the guaranteed income supplement. As a result of our
initiatives, I sat on a committee with many of my colleagues and very strongly
endorsed the single most thing in this Province affecting poverty is access to
drugs. I fully support it and everyone of my colleagues did. That is what we did
on this issue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Right now, Mr. Speaker, almost 200,000, close to 40 per
cent of our population - we have doubled it in three years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. SULLIVAN: We would like everybody to have access. The member there
wants multi-million dollar people, $250,000 people getting access. The money
only goes so far. If we give it to everybody who are making $100,000, $150,000,
$200,000, we have less to give to people who need it most. Isn't that the
philosophy of your party?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Mr. Speaker, the minister's Budget last week spent $450
million more this year than last. Why is it that this Province is the only
province in the country with no co-pay government program for catastrophic drug
costs, if that is the case?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Catastrophic drugs are ones that have come under considerable discussion.
Just a year ago, when I was Acting Health Minister, I participated in a national
health ministers' meeting on catastrophic drugs, and my colleague, the
Minister of Health and Community Services, is participating and discussing this
on a national level in his capacity there.
We are very supportive to have a national catastrophic drug. A former
not seen it yet.
They are working toward that goal. It is difficult for some people, with very
expensive drugs. We are sympathetic to that. The minister is working with his
colleagues across the country, and hopefully something can develop on this. I am
sure the minister will speak to that in due course.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The time allocated for Question Period has expired.
MR. LANGDON: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: A point of order has been raised by the Member for Fortune
Bay-Cape la Hune.
MR. LANGDON: Mr. Speaker, I want to clarify the position that, when I met
with the minister in his boardroom last year, over in the Department of
Fisheries, with Max Taylor -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. LANGDON: In the minister's boardroom, I met with him, over in the
office.
The problem was with the 3O redfish for the particular South Coast plant. The
fish that was permitted by the minister from 3O was brought to Gaultois by
Newfoundland boats, sixty-five footers. They were brought to the plant. The
people from the community of Gaultois, who live in that community, took that
fish, put it into boxes, it was semi-processed. From that particular situation
it was then taken, semi-processed, to particular markets abroad.
I thought, at that particular time, it was not shipping it to a
factory-freezer trawler going overseas. The people from Gaultois got pretty much
their same number of hours to be able to get work.
That is my point. That is the situation.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Speaking to the point of order, the hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. E. BYRNE: I speak to the alleged point of order raised by my
colleague opposite.
Mr. Speaker, there is no point of order. It is a point of frustration. It is
a fact of the matter - that is what it is. It is not a point of order. It is a
point of frustration expressed by the member.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member. I ask him for the
same professional courtesy that I provided to him.
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is this: It is a long-standing principle
in Beauchesne , in Marleau and Montpetit, in all of the parliamentary
orders, even in our Standing Orders, while they are silent, we go to those
references that I just mentioned. The fact of the matter is that the acceptance
of a word of a member in any House or Parliament is paramount, and that is why
Speakers have ruled from time immemorial that therein lies the possibility of
why there may be differences, but the point of order raised by the member is
exactly not a point of order but a point of frustration expressed by him.
MR. SPEAKER: Speaking to the same point of order, the hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
MR. LANGDON: Mr. Speaker, what I said to the minister, and he agreed that
what I said was right, I was only making a point of clarification, (inaudible)
point of order or whatever.
It is the fact that what I had said - he gave the impression that I agreed
for all the fish that was offshore to be sent abroad, but that was not the case.
He agreed with me, and the people of Gaultois community did get employment from
it, and it is very little different than what you have in the crab. You bring
your crab ashore and you put it in boxes, et cetera. I was agreeing with him,
but I felt that I was -
MR. TAYLOR: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Members will know and recognize that it is not uncommon, following Question
Period, for members to have points of view that are divergent. In this
particular case, a point of order has been raised and, in essence, it arises
from Question Period. It cannot be a point of order; it rather is a point of
debate. In this particular matter, I would ask members if they could raise those
issues in debate rather than on points of order.
There is no point of order in this instance.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair is reluctant to name members by districts or by positions; however,
if the exchanges across the floor continue, the Chair will have no choice but to
name people by their district or by their position and ask them for their
co-operation.
The Chair has asked for the Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motions.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion 1, to move that this House approves in general the Budgetary Policy of
the government.
MR. SPEAKER: Motion 1 has been called.
The hon. the Member for Topsail.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am very pleased, Mr. Speaker, to stand in this House today and talk about
the Budget that was presented to us last week, and there are certain areas I
would like to focus on. There are quite a few areas that we could actually brag
about, but I have selected some that are of great interest to me.
The first area I would like to speak to, Mr. Speaker, is the marine services
in the Department of Transportation and Works. The Estimates Committee for that
department took place yesterday and I was very interested in hearing the views
of the minister. I think that we should talk about the Marine Services Division
of the department because it is quite a large program. I think there are many
people around the Province who don't realize how large the program is.
Actually, it is now in excess of $62 million. It has gone up quite significantly
over the last few years. Actually, Mr. Speaker, I think that last year it might
have been around $50 million, so it has gone up about $10 million over the past
year, which indicates this government's commitment to rural Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, one area that has been of particular interest to me is the new
marine services strategy. Although it hasn't been released yet, I am looking
forward to it. I am quite pleased, Mr. Speaker, that this government has
committed $1.5 million for planning and design for two new ferries for the
Province. People in rural Newfoundland might be aware of this, but some people
in rural Newfoundland might not be aware, that the ferry program is quite big,
that the Province actually has twelve marine vessels or twelve ferries. The
previous government, Mr. Speaker, didn't keep those ferries upgraded. Of the
twelve vessels that the Province has, the average age, I think, is around
twenty-eight years, so the ferries actually are getting quite old. Professionals
tell us, people who are professionals in that area, that the normal life cycle
of a ferry, a marine vessel, is twenty-five years, so a lot of the marine
vessels are actually passed their useful live. I realize that the government has
put money into them to extend their lives and keep them upgraded, but the fact
of the matter is that the ferry vessels, the marine vessels that we are using in
this Province, are quite old. It is time that we took a look at them and started
to replace them.
I think everybody was focused last week or the week before when a ferry sank
off British Columbia. I think we can have our fears allayed because Transport
Canada does vigorously inspect the ferry vessels.
I would like to talk, Mr. Speaker, about some of the specific ferry vessels,
just talk about how old they are and when we last had some built. There are
three ferry vessels that were built, oh, I would say, fifteen to twenty years
ago. The Beaumont Hamel was built in 1985, Mr. Speaker, so that vessel is
twenty-one years old. It is time that we started looking at replacing that one.
The Gallipoli was built in 1986, Mr. Speaker, and the Flanders in
1990. They are the newest vessels that were built for use in this Province so I
think, Mr. Speaker, that it is incumbent on us to get down to work and start to
look at replacing some of these vessels.
Mr. Speaker, money was in short supply a decade ago, so one of the things
that the Province did was purchase second-hand vessels, and we did that, or the
government of the day did that. They purchased the Earl W. Windsor in
1997, and I believe that vessel is still in service. Then, in 1999, the last
vessel to be purchased was the Nonia , I think we called it the rusty
bucket. We bought it somewhere over in, I believe, Eastern Europe. We got a good
deal on the purchase of it, Mr. Speaker, but we did not have a good handle on
how much it was going to cost to fix it up. We thought that it would cost
probably about a couple of million dollars but actually it cost, I believe, in
excess of $10 million to fix it up. I think, Mr. Speaker, it was about six years
before we were able to get that vessel upgraded enough to put it into service,
but I understand it is in service now.
Really, Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, all of these vessels are getting
quite old, they are getting more expensive to operate, and it is time that we
started to look at replacing them. This has always been an issue that has been
of concern to me, so I was quite pleased to see the $1.5 million provided for
planning and also to initiate design.
I did hear, Mr. Speaker, there have been some comments made in the media.
Some people have complained and said oh, we are planning, you are spending too
much time planning; you should get right in there and start building the
ferries.
Mr. Speaker, I am a great believer in planning. If you are going to be
spending a lot of money like that, let's get out there and plan it right so
that, at the end of the day, we end up with marine vessels that we are happy
with, and we put them in service and people will be happy with; because, if you
do not do adequate planning then what happens, Mr. Speaker, is that we end up
usually with something that we really are not happy with.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to move on now from ferry services and talk about
the financial position of the Province. For most people who know my background,
of course, this is something that is of great interest to me. Actually, when the
Budget book was passed out on Budget day, of course, I looked at the pages at
the front to find out exactly what our fiscal position was going to be. Mr.
Speaker, I was very, very pleased to see that, while we had projected a deficit
for 2005-2006, we are now projecting a surplus of $76 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: I think, Mr. Speaker, that this is the first time I have
ever seen a surplus for the Province of Newfoundland. I was doubly pleased when
I looked at the budgeted surplus for next year, which is for 2007-2008, and we
are budgeting a $6.2 million surplus. I also understand that the numbers
presented in the Budget are very conservative, so, who knows? Maybe we will have
a bigger surplus than $6.2 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS E. MARSHALL: It was quite a surprise, Mr. Speaker, to see that we have
turned around the financial position of this Province so quickly. We have always
seen deficit numbers and now, for the first time for this Province, we are
starting to see surplus numbers.
The other thing I would like to talk about, Mr. Speaker, is the actual Budget
document and also the financial statements of the Province. About fifteen years
ago, we took a look at those documents and found out, really, they weren't
well prepared; that, because they were not properly prepared, you were really
able to move the numbers around and give the wrong impressions, or even the
wrong projections as to what the Budget surplus or deficit should be. So, I
would like to say, I compliment the Minister of Finance -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: - that the actual Budget document has improved in its
preparation. It is on the consolidated accrual basis of accounting. I know now
that MUN has been included. It is the last organization to be included. So the
Budget document, the numbers in there are fairly reliable. I compliment the
minister on that.
I would also like to mention the Budget document. One thing that has always
surprised me, though, Mr. Speaker, is that there is a lot of attention given to
the Budget document, and the Budget is really projected numbers. Really, it is
just your plan for the year. While I have always been interested in the Budget
document, I would like to see the actual financial statements. I am always
interested in the actual financial performance of the Province. I would like to
say that the financial statements that this government prepares at the end of
every year, and there was a set of financial statements released just before
Christmas, we have an excellent set of financial statements.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: They are prepared on the consolidated basis of
accounting. They are based on the accrual method of accounting. It is an
excellent set of statements and I am very, very proud to be associated with
them. I would even say, Mr. Speaker, that our financial statements are the best
financial statements of all the government jurisdictions in Canada. So, again,
my compliments to the minister.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak briefly now on our
roads budget. Again, this stems from the Estimates Committee yesterday for the
Department of Transportation and Works. I think, just driving around the
Province we can see that our roads have deteriorated over the last number of
years, and not only our roads but also the bridges and this is something very
visible. I mean, we see potholes everywhere. It has been a commitment of this
government, since we came to power, that we would put monies into roads and
upgrade our infrastructure. Because really, building and maintaining our
infrastructure is the primary obligation of government. Mr. Speaker, I am very
pleased that the Minister of Transportation and Works has budgeted over $142
million for our roads program.
The other point that I would like to make, Mr. Speaker, is the amount of
money that is being put into replacing heavy equipment. One of the problems that
we have been having in the Department of Transportation and Works over the last
number of years is that the heavy equipment - what is out maintaining the roads,
especially doing snow clearing - like the ferry services, we have not been
replacing them. We have not been upgrading them. So quite often we have heavy
equipment that requires a lot of maintenance work and a lot of equipment is down
at the one time. So I was very, very pleased to see that there is about $10
million put in for the replacement of heavy equipment.
A similar problem, Mr. Speaker, has been the infrastructure throughout the
Province, and that would include public buildings, like health buildings,
schools, hospitals and things like that. Again, it is like the roads, you can
see it through personal observation.
I have three children. They are in Memorial University now but they did
attend schools in the Province, and just going and visiting the schools, just
looking around the schools you could see that the schools were in a state of
disrepair. My children went to Prince of Wales Collegiate, and just walking
around that school you could see that the school needed some money for
upgrading. How can students learn in a school when the windows do not close
properly, when they are cold? How can they learn? Then, how can the parents have
confidence in the school system if they go into the schools and see that the
schools are in a state of disrepair, or the kids are coming home from school and
saying to their parents: Mom, I was really cold in school today. I couldn't
learn. I couldn't hear what the teacher said. So, Mr. Speaker, I must
compliment the Minister of Education for that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk about the increased funding that has been
provided for the RNC and also for the RCMP. I think we all know that we have a
new Chief of Police now, Chief Joe Browne. I would like to congratulate him on
his new job. I have met a lot of RNC officers over the last number of years and
one of the issues that they keep raising is the issue of restraint. Many of them
have said that restraint is having a real impact on the force. For example, they
were driving old cars that were quite often in for servicing. I think one RNC
officer told me a while back that it was a real challenge to find uniforms for
their new recruits when they were sworn in. Of course, the force itself, the
members of the force were getting older and it really needed to have some new
recruits come into the force.
While the RNC, Mr. Speaker, was under restraint, unfortunately crime was not
under restraint. So I am very pleased that this government has provided
additional funding to the RNC, and also the RCMP. We must remember that this
Province is serviced not only by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, but also
by the RCMP. Also, there is additional funding in there for staffing, for
vehicles, for uniforms, things of that nature.
Mr. Speaker, last night I was just browsing through the government Web site
and I just went back and took a look at the Budget Estimates from a few years
back. Actually, I went back, I believe to 1999-2000, whatever is on the Web
site. I know for the RNC, I believe the budgeted number for 2003-2004 was just
over $24 million and it is now up to $31 million. So, I am looking forward to
the improved services provided by both the RNC and the RCMP. Of course, Mr.
Speaker, I live in the District of Topsail, that is the district that I
represent, and there have been some issues regarding policing out in that area.
So I am very pleased that this additional funding will be able to help alleviate
some of the concerns that we have in my district.
The last thing I would like to mention about the Royal Newfoundland
Constabulary and the RCMP is that they have their 101 annual general meeting for
the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs in August, and I am sure that both the
RNC and the RCMP will be very proud to fund that event, knowing that they are
properly funded by the government.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to move now from talking about expenditures; I am
going to talk a little bit about revenues. I was very pleased to hear the
Minister of Finance announce, when he read the Budget Speech, that there is
going to be a review of the Province's overall tax structure. Of course, that
is something that is of great interest to me. Everybody who lives in
Newfoundland, and I think even people who live outside of Newfoundland, are
quite aware that we have very high taxes here in Newfoundland. It is very
important that we be competitive with the rest of Canada in all of our taxes. So
I was very, very pleased to see that there is a commitment on the part of the
Province, that we will be reviewing the overall tax structure of the Province.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk a little bit now about the Department of
Education, and education in general. I do have three children attending Memorial
University. So, of course, they have come up through the education system in
Newfoundland. I was very, very pleased that education is the pivotal area for
this Budget. I was very, very pleased that the 151 teaching units that were
supposed to come out of the system, which the allocation formula calls for
removal of, that we are going to reinvest those teaching units back into the
system, and that we are going to review the teacher allocation model. I think
that is a great idea. I did see, it might have been in the Telegram , Mr.
Speaker, but there were some numbers there regarding the number of teachers in
the Province and also the number of students. Of course, numbers have always
been of great interest to me. I think it is very important for us to take a look
at that teacher allocation model, look at exactly where the teachers are being
employed and revisit that model. It seems that we do need a different formula.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to compliment the minister on providing
funding for the new curriculum that focuses on Newfoundland and Labrador's
unique history. When we were in school - of course, I am one of the baby boomers
- we studied Newfoundland history and, of course, we all remember what we
learned in that. Unfortunately, the students who went through the last number of
years are learning very, very little about Newfoundland and Labrador's unique
history. There was some funding put into the system last year, but I understand
that this new curriculum will focus on the higher grade levels. I am very, very
pleased with that course. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it interests me so much that I
am looking forward to reading the textbooks for that course.
Mr. Speaker, a number of parents have indicated to me they are quite pleased
with the increase in the instructional grant - it went from $80 per pupil up to
$150 - and also the extra $1 million for prescribed consumable workbooks. I
know, Mr. Speaker, from talking to some of the constituents in my district that
some of them, when school starts up in the fall, are really strapped for cash.
Between clothing their children, buying sneakers, getting them ready for school,
their pencils, pens, things of that nature, that when they also have to pay
school fees and for consumable workbooks it is really a great pressure on the
family's income. I was very, very pleased, Mr. Speaker, that that funding will
alleviate some of that funding requirements for some of the parents.
I would also like to talk about the freeze in tuition at Memorial University.
I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, that many members in this House, both on this
side and the other side, probably attended Memorial University back in the
1960s, 1970s or even later.
AN HON. MEMBER: 1980s.
MS E. MARSHALL: Okay, 1980s too.
AN HON. MEMBER: And 1990s.
MS E. MARSHALL: And 1990s too. At the time I attended, and I attended
back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and at that period of time tuition was
at fairly reasonable rates. You could get student loans and you could get
grants. I think it was at that time, really, that the students living in rural
Newfoundland were able to afford to come into Memorial University and be
educated. I know, for myself, I am from a middle-class family. I have four
brothers and a sister; we all attended Memorial. My husband is from a little
community, Freshwater, down behind Carbonear, from a middle-class family. They
were also able to attend Memorial University.
Over the years, of course, attendance at MUN, the cost has really started to
increase. I think that the freeze on tuition will make education costs more
affordable for many students in Newfoundland and Labrador. Educating our
children, that is really important. It is one of the primary objectives of a
government. It should be one of our primary responsibilities. I think the best
thing that we can do for our children is to educate them so they can get out in
the world and make a living for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue on with education, but I would like to
talk a little bit about the physical health of our children. I think it is like
some of the other things that are happening in this Province, that visually you
can see things happening. Visually you can see that our children are getting
bigger, they are not in shape like they were years ago, so $1 million has been
approved to extend the purchase of phys. ed. equipment for students. There has
also been $250,000 budgeted to implement new school food guidelines. I think
those are excellent ideas.
I think, though, Mr. Speaker, I would like to add to it and say that, while
the Department of Education will do its best to try to make our children more
physically fit, it is not only the schools that are responsible, not only the
government, but that parents and the community also have a responsibility. If
people are not in good health, if they are not getting their exercise and eating
right, really, you are looking for long-term health problems. We do have a
problem. For example, diabetes is on the rise in this Province. It leads to
heart problems, and things of this nature, so anything that we can do to get our
students more fit - not only our students, though, Mr. Speaker, but also adults
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's allotted time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Has leave been granted?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted for some concluding comments.
MS E. MARSHALL: Okay, Mr. Speaker, I will take one minute.
There is one program that I would like to comment on, and that is the dental
program for children. We budgeted just over $4 million for that program over the
last number of years. I am fairly familiar with that program and I can say that
many, many children in this Province have poor oral health. A lot of children
who should be going to see the dentist are probably not, or should be going to
see the dentist more but are not. I think that sometimes we forget that dental
health is really part of our wellness plan, that dental health is also part of
health. Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to see that this government has
increased the funding for the dental health program for children. It has gone
from just over $4 million to $8.6 million. My compliments to the Minister of
Health for that.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I will sit down but look forward to further
commenting on the Budget.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
It is a pleasure to be able to stand today and take
part in the Budget
debate.
When I was asked the other day, by one member of the media, what did I think
of the Budget?, I said to them: Having being involved, I guess, in the political
arena inside and outside the House of Assembly for quite a number of years, I
have yet to see a Budget that did not have some good into it; but, at the end of
the day, regardless of what political stripe, you are always looking for
something else in the Budget that wasn't there. I guess this Budget is no
different, Mr. Speaker.
I have to say, my hon. friend, the Member for Topsail, when she was up
speaking, I do not know why she was looking at me so much when she was talking
about exercise and proper eating habits. I could not understand why. I cannot
understand that.
Mr. Speaker, the other thing, I overheard the Minister of Fisheries, the
other day when the Budget was being read and everything was so quiet on this
side of the House, he looked over and said: All the members of the Opposition
are white in the gills.
I am going to tell you one thing: I think if the Minister of Fisheries was
here today and he heard the former Minister of Fisheries talking to the Member
for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune, I would say he would have been pretty red around
the gills.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say, like members on this side of the House have said
before, no doubt about it, there are many good things in this Budget, like all
Budgets. I was elected in 2001 and was fortunate enough to sit on the other side
of the House, re-elected in 2003 and sitting in Opposition, and you see both
sides of it. I guess, when that happens, when you are on one side, I think our
leader said one day: When you are on one side, things change by just crossing
the floor.
Regardless of what side of the House you are sitting on, you are elected by
the people of your district and you come here to represent them to the best of
your ability and to bring their concerns and the concerns of the people of this
Province to the floor of the House of Assembly.
I just want to touch on several issues. With regard to the budget for
education, I know there was, I think, $100 million allocated this year in the
budget for education. No doubt, there are many good things that will happen with
this money being spent.
Mr. Speaker, I want to touch on some other issues. I do not want to sound
negative or be complaining but, when we hear talk of such a surplus, I think
there are other things that could have been done.
I am pleased with the announcement of school fees - the estimate going from
$80 to $150. I will tell you what I am hearing back from the people in my
district and outside of my district: Thank God for the elimination of school
fees, because now our children will not be going around the Province with boxes
of chocolates and bars, trying to get enough money -
MR. REID: Wait and see.
MR. BUTLER: I say, wait and see.
- going around selling their chocolates, having auctions, to try and get
enough money for supplies in the schools. With this funding now, hopefully that
is going to take care of the full problem.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: That is what we are led to believe.
MR. HICKEY: (Inaudible) over there.
MR. BUTLER: Here we go again, the Member for Lake Melville, they always
go back to the past. We are living in the future now, and I am looking forward
to good things, I say to the hon. member.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, we talk about the 151 teachers staying in the
system. That is good news, but when we hear the concerns that were expressed by
principals and teachers around this Province who were suspended because of the
concerns and stress they were placed under, keeping 150 in the system cannot
correct those problems. You can do an assessment on the ratio or what have you,
Mr. Speaker, but it will not correct the problems.
We talk about the sixty-seven school buses, a good-news story, Mr. Speaker.
When we were at the lock down on Budget day, I asked them: Where are the
sixty-seven buses for? They are all going to some school board in some area of
this Province. That does very little for the system that we are involved in, in
my area, where people have to go out, compete, and bid low prices for their
tenders and end up with buses that probably are not up to standard. There is
nothing in the system for those people to improve on the buses that they have.
Mr. Speaker, we talk about the libraries. I know there is money allocated for
extra hours in some of the libraries, but I asked a question. I understand there
are twenty-eight requests in for libraries in areas of this Province where today
there is not a library.
Mr. Speaker, I know there is a freeze on student tuition. That is a good
thing for them but we were hoping, with the surplus that this government has,
that there would have been some other system where debt reduction could have
been looked at, Mr. Speaker.
We talk about, in the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.
We had our Estimates meeting here last night and I have to thank the minister
for the responses that he gave. I mean, there are many people - the 5 per cent
that they will receive will be a tremendous increase to those people who are in
need. I am looking forward - I asked questions to the minister last night with
regards to the new telephone technology, with regards to the plan that is in
place for poverty. I have to say, Minister, the jury is still out. I wish I
could be as positive as you were last night, but I am looking forward to it and
hope that is what happens, Sir.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BUTLER: Because it is going to take many years to get to the level
where - it is supposed to be eliminated, I think, by 2010, poverty in this
Province. I look forward to that day and I have to say, the jury is still out.
The other thing, Mr. Speaker, I want to touch on health care in the
Conception Bay North area. There is no doubt about it, I am glad to see that
there are going to be new health hospitals or clinics in different parts of
Labrador, cancer clinics around the Province, but I have to ask a question. Back
a few years ago the Conception Bay North area was number one on the list for a
home care centre - and I am glad that the people here, who are listed in the
Budget, in Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Lewisporte, St. John's and
Clarenville are going to get new facilities, but I am just wondering: What
happened to the area of this Province that was listed number one a few years
ago? It was not politically done. There was an assessment done by proper people
in authority who determined that that area was number one on the list. That is
one of the things that concerns me, Mr. Speaker, and I hope this government, in
due course, will take a look at that.
The other one is doctor shortages. Last year I mentioned about three doctors
who were going to leave Carbonear hospital and I was accused of being
fearmongering. I have to say that those three doctors have left the Province.
There are notifications in now from one, if not two other doctors who will be
leaving.
Mr. Speaker, general practitioners in the Conception Bay North area, people
are going to a clinic now and have to wait six to eight weeks to see their
doctor, even if it is only to get their prescriptions renewed. At one clinic in
Spaniards Bay there used to be two doctors there, now we have one who only
operates on half a day. They are being told: Take your file, go find a doctor.
Mr. Speaker, there is nowhere for them to go in the Conception Bay North area.
Many of the people now travel to Mount Pearl to see a doctor, who relocated from
that area to Mount Pearl.
MR. DENINE: It's a good spot to go.
MR. BUTLER: I have to say, it is a lovely spot to go to but it is a long
distance for people to have to travel to see their doctor.
Mr. Speaker, we hear talk about the wait time for different pieces of
equipment will be reduced, and that is good news for the people of this
Province. But, I have to say, and I saw this happen firsthand at the Health
Sciences Centre, there are registration places there for four lineups when
people are going in to see the various specialists and go to the various
divisions. I was there one morning and there were only two opened up. The people
were lined up all the way out on the steps outside the main entrance. When asked
why this was, there was a shortage of staff.
At the Carbonear hospital speaking to workers there, for thirty-one patients
on one particular floor there are three nurses and one nursing assistant. I was
also told that on an evening shift, if an emergency should come in, the head
nurse has to go to emergency, leaving two nurses looking after thirty-one
patients. That, to me, is not treating the patients fairly. They are not people
who are just there for no particular reason. They are very sick individuals and
are at the hospital.
Mr. Speaker, I believe with regards to our CAT scans and the MRIs, I do not
know if it has ever been looked at by anybody, but it seems like those pieces of
equipment - I am wondering if they are utilized to the fullest. They are
probably operating from 9:00 to 5:00 or 9:00 to 4:00, I do not know, but to know
that we have to send people outside of this Province, I am wondering if even
that can be looked at.
Mr. Speaker, I think it was last week we heard the minister refer to the
figures in relation to in-migration or out-migration, whatever terminology you
want to use, stating that it was the highest increase of people coming into this
Province in the last, I think it was ten years, fifteen - twenty years was it?
Well, according to the stats that I have from Stats Canada, it shows that last
year there was an out-migration of 2,930 people. I know the members opposite
will come back and say: Well, look at how many left when you were in government.
That is all fine, Mr. Speaker, but we are talking about today, with our economy
supposedly turned around to a great extent and we can see the flow of revenue
from the offshore, but I am going to tell you, the flow of the oil from the
offshore is nothing in comparison to the flow of our young people leaving this
Province. I have never seen the like in my area.
Last year in one community, in Bryants Cove, seventy-nine men left and went
away. Due to the problem with the raw material sharing last year, as the
fishermen left the boats they went away. I was told today - I have not seen it
myself - that there are ads placed on the local channels in my area and in
Trinity Bay area where they are asking for people to go to work as deckhands on
a fishing boat. I never thought that we would see fishermen advertising for
deckhands to go to work on a fishing boat.
As my hon. colleague for Carbonear-Harbour Grace mentioned today, the list of
people who are lining up to go to Alberta to find work. Personally, it is
frightening to know that so many young people are leaving. We hear talk about
our skill shortages, skilled trades people. There are so many people from this
Province working in other areas of our country, whether they be carpenters,
plumbers, electricians, welders, insulators, all they need, Mr. Speaker, is some
work back here in this Province and a one-way ticket home. I am going to tell
you, there are an awful lot of skilled people who can return to this Province.
Mr. Speaker, when we talk about out-migration, last year when those people
left, they went by themselves. They stayed until the early part of this year and
they returned. I guess if there is a sad note to it - it is wonderful they could
find work, to go away and provide for their families, but the sad
part is the
reality that is happening this year. They are returning out west and they are
taking their families with them.
Mr. Speaker, we talk about skilled people - and I know there are programs
being put in place to train our young people. There are new programs for the
high schools. That is all fine, but I think we have to find a way that when
these young people are trained that there is a means for them to stay here in
the Province. The sooner that is done - I know everything cannot happen
overnight, but I will give you one incidence where two young girls in my
district who were in receipt of social assistance went through the system and
they were retrained. Both of them became nurses. Today, one is working in
Florida and the other one is working in Alberta. I am proud of them, that they
broke the cycle, they got out of the system - but to know that they have gone
away, unable to find the work here in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, I guess some of the biggest concerns, and I mentioned to the
minister last evening - like you would ask the question - did he think any of
the HRLE offices would reopen? I guess I got the answer that I was expecting,
no, but you try anything to try to bring the system back to how it was.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that in the area of the Province that I represent, in
the Port de Grave district, the people are fortunate in that area because they
live in close proximity to the Cities of Mount Pearl and St. John's and a lot
of them travel back and forth here to work - and to know that there are hundreds
of them who are planning this year.... Many are gone, others are leaving. I can
only imagine what is happening in more rural areas of the Province, more areas
which are less fortunate than the area that I live in, because they are not
closer to the main centres where the main purpose and the greater portion of the
benefits from the offshore are happening.
Mr. Speaker, with that note, I will just conclude for now and hopefully take
up more time later on. I want to thank you for the opportunity, and I look
forward to others in debate.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Are we ready for the question?
The hon. the Member for Lake Melville.
MR. HICKEY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, indeed, it is a great pleasure for me to stand in this hon.
House and to represent the people of the great District of Lake Melville here
this afternoon, I say to my good friend from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair. There
is lots of good news coming your way this afternoon, I say to my good friend and
member.
I know she is not used to good news, but I will say this: I am happy that we
are able to speak to this Budget today and to talk about some of the very
positive things that are happening in Labrador; indeed, certainly, some of the
Budget announcements.
I can tell you, having looked at this week's paper, Mr. Speaker, it says:
Budget boosts for the Big Land. Government announces additional spending.
Headlines in the local paper this week in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and in
Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, as we go through the Budget process, and as everybody knows,
there are many decisions that have to be made. There are many needs throughout
the Province. I can tell you, certainly, coming from Labrador, we have had many
needs for many years. I will say we are addressing these needs. The Premier has
been firm on his commitment that the needs of Labradorians will be paramount in
this government, in discussions, and I think that reflects in, certainly, some
of the expenditures that we have seen announced over the past couple of weeks in
Labrador, and indeed in the Budget that was announced by the Minister of Finance
a couple of days ago.
Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about a few of the things that are highlighted in
the Budget. Of course, we know we have some very positive news regarding a
long-term health care facility in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a fifty-two bed
facility. I can tell you, there are many families looking forward to the day
that we can open that facility. Just last week, I had a good friend of mine who
had to move from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to St. John's because the care and
need that she needed, she just could not get there. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that
over the course of the next year or so that we will be able to see construction
of this new long-term health care facility so that people will not have to leave
their homes, their families and their friends, to come to St. John's, Corner
Brook, or some other part of the Province because they need to get the care that
they cannot receive in Labrador.
We can talk about the auditorium. I am very pleased that the auditorium
facility is going to be moved forward. I want to commend the Minister of
Labrador Affairs for his work on this particular file, and for the commitments
that we have gotten from the Province and indeed the federal government to move
this particular piece of infrastructure forward.
The arts community has been, for many years, without a performance space in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but I can tell you this space will not just be for Happy
Valley-Goose Bay; indeed, it will be for Labrador and for the people of
Labrador. I can tell you, the students in the many schools along the North Coast
and South Coast who come to Happy Valley-Goose Bay for the Labrador Creative
Arts Festival and other type of events, I can tell you, it will be a welcomed
venue for those type of activities in the arts program.
Certainly the other big issue, when I was back home over the weekend, is that
people are very encouraged by the establishment of a new extension to the
College of the North Atlantic to improve our post-secondary education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, as we move along in our resource
development - and I am happy to report that things are going well with
negotiations with Ben Michel and the Innu Nation, with regard to land claims and
these types of issues, but the Lower Churchill is going to be coming upon us and
I hope that we will find ourselves in a position to be able to develop that
particular project. I can tell you, that the College of the North Atlantic is
going to play a key role, I have to tell the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au
Clair, in training our students, in training our young people for those jobs
that lie ahead. I can tell you, this is a huge piece of infrastructure that has
been required for many, many years.
I just want to say, as we look back on the other colleges and the upgrades of
the colleges throughout the Province, it was very interesting, when I became MHA
I found that the one in Labrador was one of the few throughout the Province that
had never received any upgrading, had never received any extensions and that
type of maintenance. I tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is very gratifying and I can
tell you, talking to the young people in Labrador over the past weekend, they
are very excited about the new opportunities that the College of the North
Atlantic are going to be able to provide to our young people, to Aboriginal
people in Labrador to prepare them for the resource sector developments that are
going to take place over the course of the next number of years.
I want to spend a couple of minutes talking about some of the other points
that were raised in the Budget. They are very, very important, although they did
not get the highlights that some of the bigger ticket items got. I want to go
through them, and particularly when it comes to infrastructure, Mr. Speaker.
Infrastructure is something that throughout Labrador, and, indeed, throughout
the Province - we have seen over the course of the last number of years
certainly a depletion in the infrastructure dollars, particularly in the past
government. We certainly seen facilities become, basically, dilapidated; lack of
maintenance, lack of concern, lack of care. Well, we are trying now, this
government, to improve that infrastructure; try to improve our schools and our
roads and all this type of infrastructure that is very, very important to the
Province.
This year there will be an unprecedented investment, in excess of $2 billion,
to modernize the Province's infrastructure and continue to grow the economy
over the course of the next six years. It is very, very important that our
government look at investing in infrastructure. It is very, very important for
the continuity of programs and services, that infrastructure play a key role in
that. We are going to spend somewhere in the vicinity of $60 million in the
provincial roads program; another $29.7 million in cost shared for Trans-Canada
Highway improvements; $25.5 million for Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway.
That one is a huge one, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you for us in Labrador. We are
certainly looking forward to 2009 when we are going to be able to drive from the
border in Quebec, Labrador West, all the way to The Straits. That will be a
happy day for Labradorians and that should be a happy day for our Province.
I will say, Mr, Speaker, that I was pleased to see $10 million in cost-shared
funding to extend the Team Gushue Highway between Torbay Bypass Road, including
$6 million for land acquisition; $2 million for land acquisition for various
road projects, and $15 million for the Trans-Labrador Highway to start a sealed
surface between Labrador West and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I can tell you, having
driven the road - and I know my good friend from Labrador West will tell you
also, that for anyone to drive the Trans-Labrador Highway on a hot summers day
without air conditioning, it is a feat in itself, when you have to eat dust
pretty well the whole entire way. I can tell you, it will be a happy day for all
of my constituents and for the people of Labrador when we can drive on a sealed
surface from Labrador West right to The Straits. Hopefully, over the course of
the next five years, we will be able to look at an opportunity to drive from
Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Labrador West on a paved surface, Mr. Speaker.
Great things, Mr. Speaker, great initiatives on behalf of our government to
improve infrastructure. There were also a number of other ones that I wanted to
talk about here today, particularly when it comes to the improvements to the Sir
Robert Bond and to the Northern Ranger . Those two vessels - and I
cannot underestimate or underscore the importance of this - are key, at the
present time, for the shipping of goods and services into Labrador. The Northern
Ranger provides a great service to the people of Coastal Labrador, from Nain
right down through to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I can tell you, it is welcomed
news.
I am sure we will hear the Member for Torngat Mountains on his feet
commending our government here on this great initiative to upgrade the Northern
Ranger and the Sir Robert Bond so that we do meet those cargo issues
and those issues that have been long outstanding on the Coast of Labrador. We
are addressing them as a government. I can tell you, we are addressing them. We
are taking them all into consideration and hopefully, over the next while, we
will see those improvements.
When we look at the total package in Labrador, I can tell you that it is very
exciting for me as an MHA from Labrador, particularly from Central Labrador,
because I can tell you, over the course of the next number of years we are going
to see some great opportunities for development; particularly in the forestry
sector, particularly in the mining sector, particularly when it comes to tourism
and hydro development. Those are the key resource sectors that are going to
impact, not only Labrador, but our Province as a whole. I can tell you that the
future of our Province - and I have said this many times - lies in the
development of the resources here in Labrador.
I was very pleased last week when members of the Innu Nation, Mr. Ben Michel,
the President, and Mr. Daniel Ashini, one of his land claims negotiators, came
to St. John's and met with the Premier, the Deputy Premier and the Minister of
Natural Resources, and talked about this project. I can tell you we are going to
work hard with our Aboriginal partners to ensure that we get a deal that is
satisfactory to everybody. I hope that we will see some success on that
particular file over the course of the next few months and into the summer.
The resource sector is very, very important to our Province. As I watched the
news over the last couple of days - and I was in Tim Hortons in Happy
Valley-Goose Bay yesterday afternoon and I was talking to a number of folk
there. They wanted me to pass on publicly to the Premier and to our government
the tough stand that we are taking against the oil companies here to ensure that
our Province gets the very best deal that we can for Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: I can tell you, wherever I go I hear it: Finally we have
leadership, we have the leadership, we have the government that is basically
going to ensure that our children and our grandchildren get the very best
benefits of our natural resources, Mr. Speaker. That is a very, very important
issue for every one of us here on this side of the House. I can't underscore
the importance of that more, and I want to congratulate the Premier this
afternoon and encourage him to move on. These big oil companies have been taking
their fair share out of it, we haven't been getting our fair share, and I can
tell you the people of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador want to see us
getting our fair share, and I think we are going to see that under this
government and under this Premier, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, health care is a huge issue for us in Labrador and I want to
take a couple of minutes because I want to talk about the health care issues. As
an MHA, I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that each and every day I get people coming
to my office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay who have issues regarding medical travel
and issues regarding finding a home for their loved ones. Every day I see those
issues, Mr. Speaker, and I am sure my colleagues, the other MHAs, see it coming
from their districts. We are trying to address that, and one of the key issues
that was fixed this year, I am very, very happy to report, is the issue of the
kidney dialysis unit going to be installed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
I can tell you the story of a young man who grew up in Happy Valley-Goose
Bay. There are a number of these stories out there, Mr. Speaker, but I am going
to touch on this one in particular. He has had to live away from his family in
St. John's for six years. Six years he has been away from his family. For
anybody to be moved away from your family just because you can't get kidney
dialysis is just not acceptable, Mr. Speaker. I want to say how very pleased
that family is, and other families, that we have made the move to ensure that
the funding is there for the kidney dialysis unit. I hope that over the course
of the next number of months, as this file moves forward, we will see many of
those people from Labrador being able to move back to their communities, move
back to their own homes, move back to their families. It is very, very
important, I say to you, Mr. Speaker, for those people to be able to come back
home and get that type of treatment.
Mr. Speaker, there is one other topic I want to talk on today, and it took up
a bit of press time last week, I can tell you, and it took up a large portion of
my time as an MHA last week, and that is the whole issue of 5 Wing Goose Bay.
Although there was some fearmongering going around the community and there were
some moments there last week when people were not really sure, I want to commend
the new Minister of National Defence, Minster Gordon O'Connor, for coming out
publicly on Monday morning and reconfirming the commitment that he made to the
people of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, that he made recently to Premier Williams in
Ottawa, and the commitment that Prime Minister Harper made to our Province in a
letter that he wrote to the Premier during the election. The commitment is
there, Mr. Speaker, it is solid, 650 troops on the ground. We are going to see
an army base there with an extra 100 support troops for a UAV squadron. This is
fantastic news, Mr. Speaker, for the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and for the
District of Lake Melville.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: I can tell you that, as we move forward, Mr. Speaker, on all
of these files there will be more opportunity for me to speak in this hon. House
and to talk about some of the good news that is continuing to flow out of this
government. I will say to you, Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to serve with this
government and this Premier as we change; change the past, a past of giveaways,
a past where we have not done the right thing in the best interests of the
people of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a new time, Mr.
Speaker, with new leadership.
I can tell you the oil companies are getting it in spades that we are going
to stand firm, we have a Premier who is going to stand firm, and everyone over
here in this Caucus on this side of the House is behind our Premier as we move
forward.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: Anyway, Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity.
I look forward to further debate at a future time.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER( Fitzgerald): Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I just want to have a few words on the Budget today. I am sure there is going
to be lots of debate over the next few days and coming weeks as we flush out all
the items in the Budget and some of the items that do not appear in the Budget
as well, I say to you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I say to the hon. members, in the ten years I have been here I
have never seen a Budget with something that was not good in it. Every Budget
that I have seen has had good things; yes, it has. Every Budget I have seen in
ten years has had some good things in it. Mr. Speaker, I have seen some Budgets
that have had not such good things in them, and I only have to go back a couple
of years when my hon. colleagues opposite brought in budgets that raised the
fees on every single living person in this Province. I can guarantee you, that
was only two years ago, and they were not all standing in their places those
days and saying, how proud I am to jack up the rates on your ambulances, or how
proud I am to jack up the fees on your moose licence, or how proud I am to jack
up the fees on your birth certificates and all of these things, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: We did not hear them up bragging then.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague, I think, said the other day: Thank God we are
surrounded by oil. I would say it is a good thing. It is a good thing in this
Province that we are, and fortunate not just for us who are here and not just
for this generation, but for many generations of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to come. As long as the oil prices stay high, as long as we
continue to have oil developments - I guess we are in some troublesome times
today with one company, but hopefully all will not be over. Hopefully we will
still be able to secure a deal and be able to carry on.
Mr. Speaker, we live in a Province, I think, where in the last year we had a
development of something like 111 million barrels of oil, at some of the highest
prices that we have ever seen in our history which has allowed us to generate
some good revenues, good revenues for this Province, good revenues that can be
invested for the benefit of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Mr. Speaker, I think it was a great stroke of luck on our part as a Province,
that we are fortune to have those kind of resources and to be able to benefit
from them like we have. I hope we can continue to do that because in
Newfoundland and Labrador we certainly need it. We have had a lot of years where
we have had tight budgets and very little money that could be invested. We went
through some of the most significant economic disasters in Canadian history in
the early 90's with the failure of the cod moratorium. It takes a long time for
a Province the size of ours, that has been so dependent upon one industry, to
try and rise above that and to put things back together.
I am pleased today, Mr. Speaker, to say that there is some new wealth in this
Province and that it is being used to benefit the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Mr. Speaker, I could not wish for anything more than for us to
continue to have that kind of wealth and that kind of revenue generation from
our resources. But, Mr. Speaker, the debate is always about how money is
invested. It is like fish. There is a debate when you have no fish and there is
a bigger debate when you have a little bit of fish. It is like the Budget and it
is like money. When you have no money, you still have a lot of people looking
for it, and when you have some, you have even more people looking for it. That
does not change.
Mr. Speaker, when you talk about the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador,
you do not talk about one city and you do not talk about one town. It is not
about just what happens in the urban area of St. John's or in the City of
Mount Pearl or in the City of Corner Brook. It is all encompassing, what happens
from one peninsula to the other, from one bay to the other, from one community
to the other. Together, Mr. Speaker, we have to ensure that all communities can
survive and prosper. That means making investments that are strategic in areas
of the Province. I think that was the thing that was most glaring in this
Budget, the fact that there was little investment for rural communities across
Newfoundland and Labrador, very little investment in terms of economic
generation, new industry development and job creation.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, when you look in the Department of Innovation, Trade
and Rural Renewal -I mean, the minister stood in the House last year, on April
19, 2005, and listed all the strategies that the government was involved in. I
am going to name some of them today, because, I am going to tell you, it is a
year later and I do not know how either one of those initiatives, undertaken by
her department, has benefited anyone in my district which is a completely rural
district. I would also have to ask how any of them have benefited any of the
people who live on the Baie Verte Peninsula or in the Burgeo area or in the
Burin area or in the Trepassey area, or in any of those communities right
through White Bay, right through Bonavista Bay.
I would like to ask, because she stood on April 19, 2005 and she was so proud
to talk about establishing the Innovation, Research and Advanced Technology's
branch. The provincial innovation strategy was another one. The Comprehensive
Regional Diversification Strategy was another one. Then there was the Business
and Marketing Development Program which did have some money in it, but I am not
sure if anyone who I know of receive any. Then there was structure of the Rural
Secretariat. Now, that was one, I can guarantee you. I do not know what they
have done. They have had some meetings but I do not what else they have done.
Then there was the Ireland Business Partnership. Now, I do not know how much
profit and revenue is being generated there, but she can certainly tell me, I am
sure. Then there was the Centre for Information and Communications Technology,
Mr. Speaker. That one was set up. Then there were the Supplier Development
Initiative set up. Then it was the Strategic Partnership Initiative set up. Then
it was the Red Tape Reduction Committee set up. Mr. Speaker, there is another
page of them, of strategies and initiatives and groups and organizations. It
went on and on and on and on.
Mr. Speaker, I have to ask: How did any of this benefit the areas like I
represent? Let me tell you something, of all of those initiatives and all of
those strategies and all of that money being invested, not one of those things
helped me in June of last year when over 500 plant workers in my district were
thrown out of work; not one thing there helped them. Mr. Speaker, not one thing
in this Budget is going to help them this year. This year, when I have four crab
plants in my district that I know are going to close down - that is just my
district. There are going to be plants in 3K, in 3L, in the Gulf, in every part
of this Province, that are going to close down early in the summer. There are
going to be hundreds, there are going to be thousands, of workers who will not
be able to get enough employment to qualify for their EI.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the members opposite don't want to hear this
because they are over there now and they are crowing. Maybe the Member for Mount
Pearl doesn't have a lot to worry about, but I can tell you the Member for
Clarenville should have lots to worry about.
Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, I didn't see one thing in this Budget that is
going to help these people when their jobs are gone the end of June, and that is
a concern for me. I don't see one thing there that is going to save the rural
economy of the Labrador Straits which is an area that thrived on tourism, that
thrived on the fishing industry, that had the fastest growing business economy,
I suppose, in any rural area of the Province only three or four years ago.
Mr. Speaker, this is what concerns me. It is great that we have the wealth
that we do in the Province but it is also wise to know how we are going to
invest it to benefit the most people. In fact, what we don't see here is a
real strategy to help rural communities in this Province. It is absent, it doesn't
exist, and there are no investments for their benefit.
What we did see was a little bit of investment in infrastructure, like roads,
which is great, Mr. Speaker, but like a missus on the Port au Port Peninsula
told me a couple of days ago when I talked to her on the phone - she said: We
are getting some road money this year. It means that they won't beat up their
pickup trucks when they are leaving with the load of stuff for Alberta. That was
what she said to me, and this is true, Mr. Speaker. That is the kind of attitude
that is now being developed in our Province, and it is being developed because
they are not seeing new job creation in these communities. In fact, what they
are seeing is out-migration, and a lot of out-migration, Mr. Speaker.
Stats Canada says 13,763 people left this Province in 2005; just released a
couple of days ago, on March 23, I think it was, or maybe it was the day after
when this was released. Mr. Speaker, that is the number of people who are
leaving. That is not the people who are moving to Alberta, working for four
months and coming home. These are the people who are leaving and not coming
back. They are not coming back, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there were over 13,000 people, almost 14,000 people, who left
this Province last year. There was a net loss of almost 4,000 people out of
Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, last week the minister got up in the
House of Assembly and was bragging because 10,000 people moved into Newfoundland
and Labrador. What she did not tell us was, almost 4,000 people left and did not
come back. That is what she failed to tell us, Mr. Speaker.
I can guarantee you, I heard people on the Open Line calling. People actually
called from down on the Burin Peninsula and said: I don't know where these
10,000 people come from, because they are not living in my community. I think it
was called Parkers Cove. I think it might have been the community of Parkers
Cove - I am not sure now - but they are not living in this community. In fact,
they are leaving this community.
I can tell you where else they are not moving to. They are not moving to
Flower's Cove, on the Northern Peninsula, when only a couple of weeks ago I
sat on an airplane with a woman from that community who, right now, her husband
is in Alberta, her parents are in Alberta, her brothers and sisters are in
Alberta and, come the end of June, her and her young son will be in Alberta,
none of them returning to the Province, Mr. Speaker. That is the reality of what
is happening.
Let me tell you the other reality of what is happening. We are talking about
skill shortages in Newfoundland and Labrador. Yes, you are right, there is a
skill shortage but, Mr. Speaker, there is going to be a greater skill shortage;
because, when you look at a company like we have this week holding job fairs all
over the Province, in Stephenville a couple of days ago with 400 people
attending, in Grand Falls, I believe it was, when over 400 people showed up for
a job fair, recruiting people. Down at the Delta Hotel today, the salons down
there are filled, filled, with hundreds of people at a job fair, being recruited
to Alberta. Do you know what they are being offered? They are not only being
offered full-time jobs; they are being offered incentives, money up front,
incentives. They are being offered five-year contracts. They are being offered
relocation allowances, to move their families out of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Sell your houses, they are being told, because we are going to buy you a house
in Fort McMurray. You sign the five-year contract. That is what they are being
told today, hundreds of them, I say.
Here I am, Mr. Speaker, standing in the House of Assembly today with three
resumes upstairs on my desk from three young welders who graduated from the
College of the North Atlantic programs, who cannot get a job in Newfoundland and
Labrador. They cannot get a job in this Province because there are no apprentice
programs to take them. They do not have any training, and no one in Newfoundland
and Labrador is going to hire them. So, where are they going, three young
people, twenty and twenty-one years old? Do you know where they are going? They
are gone to the job fair today, and I can tell you where they are going right
after that.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MS JONES: That is where they are going, and that is the sad reality.
So, yes, there are good things in this Budget but you have to be realistic.
You cannot just put rose-coloured glasses on and say the job is done and it is
all over, because that is not the truth of it. The fact of the matter is, we
have a huge problem still, today, in this Province.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MS JONES: There is no need for the member to get all upset over there. I
am just merely pointing out the situation that confronts us. I am merely
pointing out the situation that confronts us.
Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate today because we do have some revenue. We are
going to have some forecasted revenue into the next six, eight, and probably ten
years. Whether there is another deal done by the government ever in our history,
we are going to have some revenue for the next six or eight years, there is no
doubt about that, so we have to really get serious about the problem that
confronts us; because, I am going to guarantee you, it is not a great feeling.
It is not a great feeling when you start seeing the demise of these communities.
It watched it last summer.
I do not have to go down to Harbour Breton today, or down to Fortune, or down
to Hawkes Bay where the population a few years ago was over 700 people and today
it 350. I do not have to go down to Flower's Cove, where a couple of hundred
people have already moved out to it. I can go to my own district and I can
watch, come the end of June last year, when the only groundfish plant in my
district hardly had anything left to process because the quotas that were up
north in OA and OB were given to people from outside of our c