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April 24, 2018

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 11

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER

(Trimper): Order,

please!

Admit strangers.

We'd like to welcome everybody back to another week in the House of

Assembly. In the Speaker's gallery today I would like to welcome Sandra and Con

Milmore. They are from the District of Mount Pearl North and they will be

acknowledged in a Member's statement today.

Welcome to you both.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER:

Today we will hear

Members' statements from the Districts of Mount Pearl - Southlands, Mount Pearl

North, Burin - Grand Bank, and Harbour Main.

We may have a fifth statement, stand by for that, but right now the

Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands.

MR. LANE:

Mr. Speaker, it gives me

great pleasure to rise in this hon. House to recognize the accomplishments of 12

individuals who have given their time and talents to the sport of hockey in the

City of Mount Pearl.

Five of these individuals: Jim Keough, Jim Alyward, Paul Billard, Charlie

Stevens and Nita Pope have been inducted into the Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Hall

of Fame in the category of builder. Five others: Noel Keough, Ted Pearson, Glen

Neil, Roger McGrath and the late Cliff Ralph in the player category. Wally Ball

in the official category and Dave Murphy as an official and builder.

Hockey, like many other sports, provides tremendous benefits to youth,

not only from a health and wellness perspective, but also in providing lifelong

lessons such as the value of hard work and commitment and working as part of a

team. Through the tireless efforts and unwavering commitment of these Hall of

Fame inductees, many young people in my community have benefited from both a

physical and a social point of view and have gone on to be very healthy,

well-rounded and productive citizens.

I would therefore ask all Members of this hon. House to join me in

commending these individuals for their contribution to this great sport and on

congratulating them on being inducted into the Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Hall of

Fame.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in

this hon. House today to congratulate Mount Pearl's most recent Citizen of the

Year.

In a recent ceremony at the Reid Centre, Sandra Milmore was awarded the

Richard Levandier Award for the 2017 Mount Pearl Citizen of the Year.

Congratulations, Sandra, on this well-deserved accomplishment.

Through her volunteer activities, Sandra has improved the lives of many

citizens of Mount Pearl. Just a few of her valuable endeavours include the

Canada 150 Local Hero Award in 2017. Also in 2017, Sandra, and her husband, Con

Milmore, were named the Knights of Columbus Father John B. Kent Council Family

of the Year. She is the president of Saint Vincent de Paul's Newfoundland and

Labrador Council and president of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary.

Sandra volunteers for Mount Pearl City Days, the Frosty Festival and coordinates

Mount Pearl's Seniors lunch and bingo programs.

I would also like to thank the award nominators and congratulate the

other nominees, Bren Rumsey and Stephen Thistle.

I ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating Sandra Milmore and

thanking her for all she has done for our community through her tireless

volunteer efforts and outstanding contributions over the years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of Burin - Grand Bank.

MS. HALEY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as we are well aware, the seas off our coast, though for

centuries have provided us with bounty, oftentimes have given up that bounty

reluctantly. Those who take to the sea to earn a living are often faced with

horrific conditions – conditions that threaten and have taken many lives.

However, Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate to have the Canadian Coast Guard at the

ready to take the call when jeopardy is near.

On February 22, several members of the Canadian Coast Guard were honoured

at Government House when the Lieutenant-Governor, on behalf of the Governor

General of Canada, presented them with Exemplary Service Medals. Among those

acknowledged were two individuals who reside in Fortune, Mr. Speaker: William

Skinner, a neighbour of mine and Peter Parsons, who happens to be my uncle.

Although 20 years of service is a requirement for this medal, service

time is not the key consideration when deciding recipients. It is a medal

reserved for those who demonstrate a high level of leadership, Mr. Speaker,

dedication and passion for the job.

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

recipients and thank them once again for all they do to protect their fellow

mariners.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. Member for the

District of Harbour Main.

MS. PARSLEY:

Mr. Speaker, I am

overjoyed today to rise in this hon. House and recognize Ms. Mary Flynn on the

occasion of her 100th birthday. She is watching from home today. Family, friends

and members of the community joined in celebrating this special milestone. I was

pleased to have been able to join with her as part of this celebration.

Born in 1918, Aunt Mary is known throughout the community of Clarke's

Beach as a very humble and down-to-earth lady with a one-of-a-kind sense of

humour. For over 65 years she sang in the church choir, and has over the years

shared the gift of music and song.

Still living independently in her own home during the summer months, but

spending winters with her family, she plays cards four or five nights a week,

loves nothing more than a good old fashion waltz and caps off each day with a

glass of whisky.

The love and faith she shows to everybody is simply remarkable, and it is

the same love and faith that has enabled her to have lived such a fulfilling

life.

I ask all hon. Members to join me in sending 100th birthday wishes to

Aunt Mary and wish her many more years of good health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

And before we move on, I

would like to recognize a former Member of this House of Assembly, Mr. Stelman

Flynn.

Please send a welcome to our former colleague.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

I must say, I probably

had four notes passed to me since you walked in. So you must realize it's very

difficult to sneak into these premises. Thank you.

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. HAWKINS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday I had the pleasure of attending the Central

Regional meeting of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador in Grand

Falls-Windsor to announce $567,000 to support the Welcoming

Communities-WelcomeNL Initiative, and a partnership with MNL.

This funding will enable MNL to implement WelcomeNL throughout the

province, beginning this year in Labrador City, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and

Corner Brook, and in 2019 expanding to Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander.

Mr. Speaker, Welcoming Communities promotes the integration and retention

of newcomers to the province with individuals and organizations working together

to provide services and supports to help them feel at home. By promoting

diversity and multiculturalism these communities aim to attract and retain new

residents, encouraging social, cultural and economic growth.

As part of this initiative, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador has

also launched the WelcomeNL toolkit and website. This dynamic online resource

will assist municipalities in better understanding their role in promotion of

immigrant attraction and retention and the benefits of immigration.

The Welcoming Communities Initiative is a key priority in

The Way Forward on Immigration in

Newfoundland and Labrador, the province's collaborative, partnership-driven

immigration action plan to increase immigration to 1,700 newcomers annually by

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of hon. colleagues to join me in encouraging

municipalities across our province to become welcoming communities and to learn

more by visiting

welcomenl.ca .

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the hon. minister for a copy of his statement. Increasing the

population of this province is vital to our future. The retention of newcomers

is imperative. Partnering with MNL can lead to great opportunities for all

regions of this province.

This side of the House overwhelmingly supports this initiative because

the Welcoming Communities partnership with Municipalities Newfoundland and

Labrador is the key action of the former administration's Population Growth

Strategy I have here in my hand.

Of course, this was back in a time where population was increasing, the

economy was strong and taxes weren't through the roof. Regardless, I'm more than

pleased to see the government realize the benefits of our population growth and

I'm hoping, for the sake of the province, to see positive results.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. This is

a really important initiative and I'm glad that Municipalities Newfoundland and

Labrador is spearheading it, and I'm glad the government is supporting that.

We know from surveys that the most important retention factor is finding

a job. We have to make sure that we are creating an environment where there is

employment for newcomers. Secure employment is key to making people want to stay

and increasing our retention rates.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

The hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.

MS. DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On Saturday evening, my beautiful daughter and I were pleased to attend

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador's 11th annual Stars and Legends Gala. I rise

today to recognize the award winners and the Hall of Fame inductees.

The 2018 award recipients are: Senior Female Athlete of the Year: Heather

Healey (Baseball); Senior Male Athlete of the Year: Liam Hickey (Sledge

hockey/Wheelchair basketball; Junior Female Athlete of the Year: Maggie Connors

(Hockey); Junior Male Athlete of the Year: Campbell Clarke (Rugby); Executive of

the Year: Kevin Higgins (Baseball); Volunteer of the Year: David Coates

(Baseball); Coach of the Year: Peter Densmore (Rugby); Team of the Year – no

surprise – Team Gushue (Curling); Official of the Year: Scott Critch

(Basketball).

This year's Newfoundland and Labrador Sport Hall of Fame inductee are:

Laura Breen in the Athlete category (Soccer); Benedict Dunne in the

Athlete/Builder category (Track & Field, Soccer); John McGrath in the

Builder category (Soccer); John Slaney in the Athlete category (Hockey).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank provincial sport

organizations and the many athletes, coaches, managers, parents and volunteers

who support participation and excellence in sport at every level.

I would also like to congratulate and thank Sport

Newfoundland and Labrador for hosting this prestigious event again this year.

Through their achievements, these great athletes not only

bring pride to their communities and our province, but also promote healthy

active living. Through The Way Forward ,

our government has made a number of commitments aimed at supporting

participation in sport, recreation and healthy active living.

I ask all Members to join me in congratulating this year's

honourees for their hard work, dedication and tremendous contribution to amateur

sport in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is truly encouraging to see that the level of athleticism in

this province continues to grow, as our athletes make us proud when they compete

on the world stage.

On behalf of the Official Opposition, I'd to congratulate

the 2018 Stars and Legends award recipients and this year's Newfoundland and

Labrador's Sport Hall of Fame inductees. Being awarded these accolades are true

accomplishments which we should all be proud of.

To Heather Healey, Liam Hickey, Maggie Connors, Campbell

Clarke, Kevin Higgins, David Coates, Peter Densmore, Team Gushue and Scott

Critch, I offer my congratulations and encouragement.

I'd also like to recognize Laura Breen, Benedict Dunne,

John McGrath and John Slaney on their induction into the Newfoundland and

Labrador Sport Hall of Fame.

The culture of sport in this province has never been

stronger. I thank all of the coaches, managers, volunteers and parents who

support our athletes and look forward to future success in sport.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

- Quidi Vidi.

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

I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of her

statement. I'm happy to join with her in recognizing these wonderful individuals

who are not just athletes, but who are also an active part of their communities,

and the minister mentioned that.

We must do all we can to support athletes and those who

support them and ensure that all young people have adequate opportunities to

participate in sport and physical activities. I know the minister made reference

to programs and we have to increase those programs, especially within our school

system.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and our

province's entire agricultural community, I'd like to commemorate the life of

Arthur Gill, a true pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur in our province's

agricultural industry. Sadly, Mr. Gill passed away too soon on Wednesday, April

18, at the age of 88 years young. I wish to offer condolences to Mr. Gill's

family and friends, his daughter, Janice Gill, who proudly continues to hold her

father's torch and is a manager in the Agriculture and Lands Branch of the

Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, and we thank her for her work.

No stranger to hard work, Art Gill and his wife Vanda were the first to

acquire and clear land for farming in Wooddale in Central Newfoundland in the

1960s – no small feat of that day, and they didn't stop there, Mr. Speaker. In

1969, Art Gill took over his father-in-law's dairy farm in Bishop's Falls and

relocated it to nearby Wooddale. He continued to expand, and today Mr. Gill's

farm is a beef, sheep, forage and cranberry operation – a going concern, if ever

there was one.

Ever the

pioneer, Arthur Gill was the first farmer in the province to successfully grow

alfalfa and grain to feed his dairy herd. Mr. Gill was also renowned for his

outstanding knowledge of soil fertility and crop production, and was a proven

leader in the province's dairy industry.

Mr.

Speaker, Art Gill's contribution to this province's farming community continues

to inspire, to set the bar high for what we can achieve through hard work,

through perseverance, dedication and through innovation. Please join me in

recognizing a life in agriculture, a life truly well lived.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

I thank the minister for an

advance copy of his statement. The Official Opposition joins with government in

recognizing the contributions of Mr. Arthur Gill as someone who spent his entire

life in the agriculture industry. I understand and sincerely appreciate the hard

work, perseverance and dedication that is required to be as successful as the

Gill family.

I take

my hat off to Mr. Gill and thank him for what he has done for the industry,

helping to build it from its early days into what it is today. I had the

personal reward of meeting Mr. Gill on several occasions. The first time I ever

met him, I was still in diapers. He actually came to my grandfather's farm to

talk about dairy cows, about registering his herd. Right up until Mr. Gill

retired from the dairy industry, he maintained one of the only registered

Holstein herds in the province.

Our agriculture industry could be the lifeline in many of our rural

communities. It provides employment as well as valuable contributions to our

province's well-being and future plans of food security.

I encourage the government to continue to increase its support to the

industry and the new entrants such as the government did when Art Gill was a new

entrant back in the '60s. These new entrants of today will accept the torch from

individuals like Mr. Gill and continue to grow a vital industry in this

province.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I'm

pleased to join with the minister in extending condolences to the family of

Arthur Gill.

With today's renewed interest in agriculture, I think he is the perfect

role model for young people entering the industry. Arthur Gill had energy,

imagination and ambition – qualities which led him to the success he and his

family enjoyed. He showed the next generation of farmers, through his life's

work, how it's done.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of

the Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my questions today will begin for the Premier. The questions

I ask are, what I believe to be, very important. I ask them with great

seriousness but I believe they need to be asked.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier if he can confirm if any harassment or

bullying-related complaints have been filed or made to his office by any Member

or Members of his caucus or his Cabinet.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will certainly answer that question. Before I do, I will say that it's

very obvious and evident by the actions of this government that we take this

issue very seriously. We have a number of committees that are made up of senior

Cabinet Members that we have in our Cabinet that are participating in those

committees.

I have also spoken out, both nationally and provincially, many times on

this issue. We now have a new harassment policy in place within government. It

will be fully implemented by June of this year, Mr. Speaker. No, there have been

no allegations that have come to me on any issue facing our caucus or Cabinet

Members.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the Premier referring to change in policy. It's been a good

and important amount of work. My question was about – and I want to be clear on

this – if any Members of his caucus or Cabinet have made any form of harassment

or bullying complaints to him as the Premier or to any Member of his staff. It's

a very clear question, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, I think I've

answered that question.

No, there has not been, Mr. Speaker. I have not received any allegations

or complaints from Members of this caucus or my Cabinet. I have made that quite

clear.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the Premier – and I know that he has said himself that addressing

harassment is a leadership issue.

I ask the Premier: What's the process to deal with harassment or a

bullying complaint if one was to be made? He says there has not been any

complaint made by any Member of his caucus or his Cabinet.

I ask him: What would be the process if someone was to make a complaint

about bullying or harassment regarding any Member of his Cabinet or his caucus,

to him or to his office? What's the process, Premier?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well that process I think was clearly outlined just a few weeks ago when

we developed and announced the harassment policies within government, and there

were a number of initiatives that were there. The steps were all outlined. They

are all there for the public record.

Mr. Speaker, these policies are well documented, and I think the Member

opposite has spoken quite clearly on that. So we've been – as I said, these

policies, the guidelines are now in place, Mr. Speaker, and there has been no

harassment allegations that have been made to me, and I will say that once

again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just noticed at the end of the last question, he said there have been

no allegations made to him.

Has there been any allegations made to your staff, Premier?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, no. No,

there's not. I have outlined very clearly the policies and the procedures that

would be within our government. I could go on and give examples of within his

own caucus, but I'm not going to go there.

This is an important issue, Mr. Speaker, facing this province and we have

made our position, I have made my position quite clear by putting a new policy

in place. Not to overly politicize this, but this is a government opposite and

individuals asking these questions that had every opportunity in the past to do

so, but we have taken action on this, Mr. Speaker.

As I've mentioned, we have senior Cabinet ministers who are participating

in many committees right now. As a matter of fact, just recently through a

private Member's resolution in this House, we had all MHAs that sit in these

seats and clearly have voted in favour of further changes.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women if she has

received, or is she aware of any written or verbal or otherwise, aware of any

complaints with respect to harassment or bullying that's been experienced within

her own caucus by any minister in the Cabinet?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister

Responsible for the Status of Women.

MS. COADY:

Mr. Speaker, I take this

question very seriously. I think in any harassment, any bullying, any violence

or any of the like kind has to be addressed, has to be addressed quickly.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of any circumstance. It has not been

raised to me at all privately or otherwise, but I do encourage the Member, if

he's aware of something that he needs to come forward with, I think he should do

so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, last week I asked the minister if he could release an

assessment of what the average family in Newfoundland with two small children

will pay in extra costs for food, clothing and other necessities as a result of

the trickle-down effect of the carbon tax.

Last week he could not. Can he today?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I made it

quite clear on many occasions that the carbon plan that we will be presenting in

the very near future to this province will outline all the effects to

Newfoundland and Labrador. The money that we have from the federal government

and the province has put in for new initiatives, for green initiatives in the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

So I'll say to the Member, when we roll out the plan, all the initiatives

that will be involved, all the effects of the carbon tax to the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador, but I'm just glad of one thing, that the Member

finally realizes that this is a federal carbon tax for all provinces and

Newfoundland and Labrador.

What we have done in this province, Mr. Speaker, we said we will do what

we can, a plan for Newfoundland and Labrador to fit Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians, which will include the offshore, which will include major

industries, which are major employers in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador. That plan will be rolled out in the very near future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We've been waiting for the made in Newfoundland and Labrador approach

that protects the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The federal tax, but the

provincial government needs to stand up for the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Your government is bringing in a new tax that everyone in Newfoundland

and Labrador will have to pay.

How much will the new carbon tax cost residents and households in

Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Once again, Mr. Speaker,

I just have to clarify the

preamble, that this is a federal carbon tax. It's not

a tax that the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is bringing in. It's a

federal tax imposed on all provinces and territories in Canada.

As I told the Member on many occasions, and I'll say it again, when we

roll out the plan and when we look at all the initiatives and roll out, there's

already a lot of ideas brought in on how we can use some of the funds that the

federal government, the $44 million – we're matching the $44 million, Mr.

Speaker, for green initiatives of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We'll roll out the plan. We'll be upfront, and as we said earlier, the extra

money on the gas tax will be eliminated when the carbon tax is brought in.

Mr. Speaker, we will make a made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador to fit

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians so we can help grow the economy, the green

economy, in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister, are you meeting the targets from large industry covered under

your Management of Greenhouse Gas Act ?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Municipal

Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, as we said

earlier, the offshore of Newfoundland and Labrador is vital to all the provinces

and some of the bigger industries. We will be working with all industries, all

the offshore companies, to do what we can to help mitigate whatever concerns

they may have, to work with them.

There are targets that are set, Mr. Speaker. We will be trying to reach

the targets to the best of our ability. There are backstops put in from the

federal government, so we have to try to meet up to those backstops. If we don't

get to those backstops, they will fill it. We have to try to work with a plan so

that if we don't do it, to have a made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador plan, they

will come in and backstop it.

That's our goal is to ensure that we do what's best for Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians, what's best for the offshore. Mr. Speaker, we will lay out

that plan in the very near future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Conception

Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to remind the minister the offshore is not part of the Greenhouse

Gas Act. Those five industries, on-land industries – we've asked that question:

What about the offshore? Maybe we'll get some details later on.

What are the latest results of your greenhouse gas monitoring at the

Holyrood facility?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Municipal

Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

I never heard the

question, Mr. Speaker. Sorry, if he could just speak up a bit. I never heard it,

sorry.

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Conception

Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, what

are the latest results of your greenhouse gas monitoring at the Holyrood

facility?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Municipal

Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, Holyrood, as

we know, is a part of the whole broad that we have to look at for all of the

industry that we have to keep in place. Once again, there are put in place – and

it is part of it.

What we have to do for the Holyrood monitoring site, Mr. Speaker, there

are some – what they put in and we have to decide what we can do dealing with

the industry. What we're working at is working with the industry to help

mitigate whatever pain they may have to save jobs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I'm sure the Member opposite is going to say we should work with the

industry to ensure, Mr. Speaker, that we reduce any impact whatsoever to save

jobs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Conception

Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, I do appreciate jobs but we have to protect our environment too.

Will greenhouse gas be reduced at the Holyrood facility?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, of course

the targets are set and we'll all be working with Holyrood to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions and that's a part of it, Mr. Speaker, for all industry in

Newfoundland and Labrador. We all signed on to that so, yes, greenhouse gases

will be – we just have to find a way that we can do it in a way to keep

employment and help with all the economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. So yes,

we'll be working with Holyrood to reduce emissions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister, I ask you: Will Nalcor be paying a carbon tax for the Holyrood

facility in 2019? If so, how much will Nalcor have to pay?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member has asked an awful lot of questions of a nature, about the

plan and the process by which this province will address the climate change

issue. My hon. colleague has done tremendous work in this area. He will be

announcing a policy very, very soon.

As the Member opposite knows, the idea behind the Muskrat Falls Project

was to introduce more carbon neutral and green energy to this province. It will

move from 80 per cent to 98 per cent of renewable energy of this province as

that project comes on stream and the closure of Holyrood takes place.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I remind the minister, Holyrood wasn't included in the Greenhouse Gas

Act, that's what we're asking. It's still open, still operational and this tax

is coming next year, so I think it's a very valid question.

What reduction in greenhouse gas emissions do you expect with your carbon

tax?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, we're going on estimation. The first year for the greenhouse is

about 80,000 tons; the second year is about 134,000 tons.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of Cape St. Francis.

MR. K. PARSONS:

Thank you very

much, Mr. Speaker.

Minister, you said you were surprised to hear this weekend about the New

Harbour fish plant closing.

Have you reached out to see what other plants will not operate this year?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, we certainly were very, very surprised and disturbed to hear that a

company would use, on a Friday afternoon or a Friday evening, a notification

period to inform its workers that it would no longer be operating the plant for

the coming season.

It would be our expectation that under whatever circumstances that may be

affecting our fisheries resources off our coast, whatever federal decisions have

been taken to reduce stocks that all within the industry abide by what we

understand to be a social contract, a social licence, that we treat our workers,

the very workers who are the success of this company, we them with respect and

we provide them with due notice of any intention, any information available.

And I have definitely reached out, not only to this company but to the

entire seafood processing industry of Newfoundland and Labrador to come forward

with any information of any operational plans which would be affecting working

in this province.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Cape St. Francis.

MR. K. PARSONS:

Thank you very

much, Mr. Speaker.

With the reduction in both the shrimp and crab quota this year, and the

low catch rates so far, do you expect a reduction in the hours for plant workers

this year, and do you anticipate any more closures in plants?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, there were significant reductions, quota reductions on all coasts

of Newfoundland and Labrador, and that obviously will have economic impacts on

our industry. It is too early to tell exactly what those impacts will be. We're

monitoring them very, very closely.

It's one of the reasons why, Mr. Speaker, we, our government, has taken

the path of increasing value, promoting value, promoting the economic benefit of

value and the jobs of value added to be able to support our workers, our

communities and our industry when, in times of reduced quotas, we can still

maintain an economic threshold, an increased economic impact by expanding on

value.

I'd ask the hon. Members, the folks on this side, and including that

side, to help us in that effort.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Cape St. Francis.

MR. K. PARSONS:

Coming from a minister that let go 25 per cent of surf clam quota to New

Brunswick.

Mr. Speaker, have any of the operating licences for fish processing not

been renewed in this year's department?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, all requests for licence renewals have been honoured, but I would

ask the hon. Member, if that's the way he wants to go: Could he explain what

happened in 2006 in Fortune? Could he explain what happened in 2007 in Port aux

Basques and Trouty? Can he explain what happened in 2009 in Englee? Can he

explain what happened in 2010 in Gaultois? Can he explain in 2012 what happened

in Jackson's Arm, Little Bay Islands, Port Union, Marystown, St. Lewis, Black

Tickle and St. Bride's?

Can he explain what happened in 2013 in Hant's Harbour, Jackson's Arm in

the crab plant there, and in Burin? Can he explain what happened in 2015 in

Burnt Islands?

Mr. Speaker, there are circumstances in our fishery which are not

necessarily in the control of the communities or its workers. What we do ask is

that we all work together to respond to this crisis. Our government is prepared

to stand up for the fish plant workers of the community.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Well, given they've been

governing for two years, I think it's about time.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. LESTER:

In recent media comments,

the current minister indicated that the chair and members of Mistaken Point Cape

Race Heritage Inc., the group that operates the

interpretation centre that

serves as a gateway to Mistaken Point UNESCO site – it is said by the minister

that the volunteer organization has not made their need for additional funding

clear.

Minister, are you aware that this group met with the former minister,

with senior officials in your department in April 2017 following your budget and

asked for an additional $75,000 to operate the facility?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, what I am

aware is the amount of funding that's being provided to Mistaken Point Cape Race

Heritage association is the exact same amount of funding that has been provided

since 2013.

What I am also aware is, I am concerned that there is a misrepresentation

being made by the hon. Member that Mistaken Point may close. It's been stated

before in the House that Mistaken Point is in question as to whether or not it

may operate this year. Nothing could be further from the truth, because as we

know, Mr. Speaker, it is the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador that

operates, that maintains and runs the site of Mistaken Point. It is an

ecological reserve within our boundaries. We provide $400,000 a year and nine

staff to make sure that that site will continue to operate in 2018, and we

guarantee that.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

The issue in question is

the

interpretation site, the gateway which is part of the UNESCO heritage

requirements to maintain its designation. That's what we're concerned with. I do

believe I can quote the chair of the Mistaken Point Cape Race Heritage saying

that it may actually close if it does not get the additional funding.

Minister, this same volunteer group wrote you in November 2017 seeking

assistance and an update from your department. This is the only provincially

managed UNESCO site in the province.

Why didn't you and your department respond to this group operating the

site?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, we have

responded to the group. In fact, we lease that space within the Edge of Avalon

Interpretation site. We provide just over $26,000 a year in lease fees. We have

two offices there, approximately 390 square feet. Plus, we also additionally

supply some supports to the common areas.

We supply $26,100 per year in lease fees to ensure that that

interpretation centre stays open. We staff it. We actually make sure the staff,

the nine personnel that are employed by the Department of Fisheries and Land

Resources work out of that building and provide support for the

interpretation,

but we also provide $15,000 a year which is the exact same amount of money that

was provided by the previous government to ensure that association remains open.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

In the meeting of April

last year the group also provided recent budgets which outlined expenditures,

revenues and what was required to keep the site operating.

Have you reviewed these documents?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Fisheries

and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, the site

remains operational because it is a provincial government site. It will be

maintained by the provincial government as per the agreements. It is maintained

because we provide over $400,000 per year in salaries of provincial government

employees who manage and run the site itself and conduct the

interpretation

facilities.

We provide an additional $26,000 a year in lease fees to the Mistaken

Point Cape Race Heritage association. We provide an additional grant of $15,000

per year for that heritage society's operations, plus we provide additional

students every year, each and every year.

It is a provincial government site, maintained, controlled and run by

provincial government employees. Mr. Speaker, please understand, this site will

not close any time.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

The site itself has

supposedly been there for 350 million years. What we're speaking of is the

interpretation centre which is a key element in maintaining the UNESCO

designation. That is where the lack of funding occurs.

The management plan indicates the province is the primary source of

operational funding. Why is appropriate funding not in place?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Fisheries

and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, $26,000 a

year in a lease fee, to allow the officials from the Department of Fisheries and

Land Resources, is provided each and every year to the building's owner, the

Mistaken Point Cape Race Heritage association. We also provide the staff that

provides the

interpretation of the static sites there. We also provide $15,000 a

year.

I'll ask the hon. Member a very straightforward question: If there was an

issue with $15,000, why did you not, as a government, include an additional

amount? That is exactly the amount of money that's been provided to this group

since 2013 without deviation or without change. Fifteen thousand dollars a year

is provided to support this group.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

The actual difference is

the designation. There's working towards the designation, then the designation

happens. The Mistaken Point UNESCO management plan states its support for

2016-17 should have been $500,000.

I ask the minister: Why is the plan not being followed?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Fisheries

and Land Resources?

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, the plan is

being followed very, very carefully. The

interpretation plan, the actual plan

itself, was submitted towards UNESCO.

If there was an issue, the former government failed to identify it. If

there was an issue, the former government failed to budget for it. If there was

an issue, the former government failed to put that money in the reference. They

did not believe at that point in time that further funds were required, because

they would have booked those funds for this particular project as part of the

overall initiation process to get it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They did

not do that.

We are providing as a government, we are ensuring that this site has the

resources to be a world-class facility, a world-class site, and it will maintain

its UNESCO designation. That is a guarantee.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

In order to maintain its

designation it has to be adequately funded.

Is the minister now committing to adequately fund this site?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Fisheries

and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker.

This site will be adequately funded.

We have $400,000 per year, which we provide for staff, which under the

agreements would be maintained and controlled by the provincial Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador. We additionally offer operational and maintenance

supports. We had great success last year in getting the road access improved to

the site with our federal partners. We have a bridge over Watern Brook that's

already been purchased, that's ready to install. We have students ready to come

on board and onsite.

We have a number of measures to make sure that this agreement, that this

site will maintain its UNESCO World Heritage status. But we'll go one step

further, we'll build on those successes and make it an even greater site and

ensuring that it has the resources to be able to do what needs to be done, which

are already in place, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Mount

Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

(Inaudible) figure of

$400,000, but in 2016-17 it was actually recommended to be $500,000. I can't

understand why you would not follow this plan outlined by the UNESCO management.

Can you assure that in future the Mistaken Point Management Plan is going

to be followed? That includes the necessary recommended funding. This is

essential to keep the elements required to be met by the four years following

the date of inscription. We need to see that these are being met in order to

maintain our designation.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources for a quick response, please.

MR. BYRNE:

I'm not aware of a

question there, Mr. Speaker, but I will take the opportunity to highlight the

fact that in 2013, their former government, their government, had a park

interpretation program manager, which was referenced by the hon. Member for

Ferryland as being unstaffed at this point in time.

What both Members have failed to point out is that position was

eliminated in 2013. There have been successive staffing issues that we as a

government have had to deal with. This is an important site, and we take it

very, very seriously. We will have this site fully staffed in 2018, that's

ensured.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of

the Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, Saturday

morning a woman at the Clarenville Correctional Centre for Women passed away. I

offer my most sincere condolences to her family and friends. This woman had

reached out for help and had been a voluntary patient at the Waterford Hospital

before being incarcerated again, after an appeal by the Crown for a longer

sentence that she had already served before the appeal was completed.

I ask the minister: What will he do to guarantee a thorough risk

assessment was done for this woman and that she got all the help she needed

before she was transferred and incarcerated again to Clarenville?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Justice and Public Safety.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I can confirm that the RCMP is investigating a fatality at the women's

facility in Clarenville from the past weekend. Certainly, all of us, not only in

the Department of Justice and Public Safety but in government, offer our

condolences to the family.

What I can tell the Member is I will not be discussing the details of

this matter in this House at this time right now while these is an investigation

ongoing. What I can say is that we've had significant services on site to offer

supports to both inmates and staff who dealt with this tragic incident, and I

look forward to the investigation continuing.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of

the Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, in their

report Towards Recovery , the All-Party

Committee on Mental Health and Addictions made strong recommendations regarding

the delivery of mental health and addictions services in correction facilities.

Recommendation 17 directs government to “assign responsibility for the provision

of health services in prisons and the associated funding to the health and

community services system, to improve mental health and addictions services and

supports for inmates.”

I ask the Premier: What work has been done and what is the status of this

recommendation?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Justice and Public Safety.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Certainly, I could have taken this question or my colleague, the Minister

of Health, was also ready to take this question.

What I can say is that this process is in the works, where the transfer

of health services will go from a Justice responsibility to a Health and

Community Services responsibility. That work is ongoing. Obviously, it takes

some time in order to deal with this, but it's something we've taken seriously,

all the recommendations, and that one will be made effective.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

the District of St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

In Estimates this morning, the Minister of Natural Resources sounded less

optimistic than she has formerly regarding Vale's intention to develop the

underground portion of the Voisey's Bay mine, noting all decisions are still on

hold.

I ask the minister: What power has she with Vale to hold them to their

intention to develop the underground mine?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Natural

Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will say that Vale has done a global review of its mineral projects and

that they have continued to consider going underground at Voisey's Bay. I will

say again, and Members opposite have heard me say this repeatedly, that there is

a great economic opportunity for them to go underground. Vale has determined

that they will go out and do a streaming exercise for cobalt, which means that

they are considering their opportunities in Voisey's' Bay.

Mr. Speaker, I remain cautiously optimistic, but I will say that there is

a development agree. Should Vale determine that it decided not to go

underground, we'll be exercising that development agreement and the remedies

they are under.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I invite the minister to table that development agreement so we can see

the power that she does have. Mr. Speaker, the minister also confirmed this

morning that the open-pit mining operations at Voisey's Bay end in four years.

I ask the minister: What assurances can she give the people of Labrador,

especially those employed at the mine, that they will continue to reap the

benefits of that resource passed 2022?

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

I thank the Member

opposite for the question – indeed all the questions that I've had about

Voisey's Bay and about Vale's intent. Mr. Speaker, Vale has done their global

review. They are analyzing how they are going to move forward in Voisey's Bay.

We have had multiple conversations with them, especially to encourage

them to go underground. They are proceeding with the streaming of cobalt, which

will help fund I think any developments and would ensure that they have a desire

to go underground as well, Mr. Speaker.

Commodity prices continue to fluctuate for copper and we are working with

Vale to ensure that they see the benefits of going underground and will continue

to do so and, hopefully, in the very near future we'll have some positive news

about that development.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The time for Oral

Questions has ended.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Baie Verte - Green Bay.

MR. WARR:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the Member for Stephenville

- Port au Port, the following motion:

WHEREAS restorative justice processes are

rapidly being adopted within Canada, as well as internationally, as a way of

responding to crime and victimization; and

WHEREAS in 2009 the United Nations recommended

to adopt basic principles on the use of restorative justice programs in criminal

matters;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House

urges the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to explore the benefits of

adopting restorative justice practices in the province in consultation with

outside organizations and Aboriginal groups.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Pursuant to Standing Order

63(3), the private Member's

resolution just entered will be the one that is debated this Wednesday.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Here are the reasons for the petition that I'm presenting today:

Our licensed child care system is a patchwork of private, for-profit

centres – 70 per cent of all the centres – non-profit, community-based centres

and family daycare, plus a small number of education and workplace-based

centres. It is nowhere near meeting the child care needs in our province.

Affordable licensed child care is often in short supply in rural parts of the

province. Even in St. John's, there are long wait-lists for quality child care

programs.

Child care programs have both social and financial benefits for society.

Studies show that high-quality child care and early childhood education programs

result in better cognitive language and numeracy skills that help economically

disadvantaged children transition to school on the same level as other children.

Investing in child care creates jobs; $1 million invested in child care

would create 40 jobs, more than in any other sector. And that comes from the

Child Care Human Resources Sector Council.

A gender-based analysis of the provincial budget would have indicated the

need for a public child care program as a key way to close the wage gap between

women and men in this province.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly as

follows:

We call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland

and Labrador to take immediate steps to put in a place a plan for a gradual

transition to a universal regulated, publicly funded and fully accessible child

care and after-school care program.

It's really a shame and something we should be ashamed of in this

country, Mr. Speaker, that we do not have a national program, as do many other

countries in the world, especially in Europe and Scandinavian countries. We

should be ashamed as a province that in spite of that, we are not doing what

other provinces have done and are doing. Provinces like Quebec, which have shown

that a child care program there has been a boost, not just for employment and

employment of women but it has actually been a boost for their economy;

provinces like PEI, which did put in place a plan to transition from a patchwork

quilt, like the one we have, to now a public child care program.

In Ontario, where they're preparing for an election, both the governing

party and Opposition parties are putting in place in their platforms very strong

positions with regard to child care because they recognize the need for a child

care program.

I really beg this government to listen to the voices of people in this

province and do what they are asking.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education and Early Childhood Development for a response, please.

MR. KIRBY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Ontario also has full-day kindergarten; they had it several

years before us. The NDP promised it in their election platform and then voted

against it here in the House of Assembly. The Member can answer to the voters on

that issue.

I'm pleased to say this year we have a historic amount of funding going

into early learning and care. Some $62 million for early learning and child

care, specifically, on top of millions of dollars for full-day kindergarten, in

addition to new initiatives associated with the Premier's Task Force on

Improving Educational Outcomes, for early literacy intervention.

We are making great strides in early learning and care. That is in part

because of our great relationship with the federal government. Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau's government honoured its pledge to fund public early learning

and care. We signed a bilateral agreement with them just before Christmas and

now are in receipt of some $22 million in funding for early learning and child

care over the next three years.

I could continue, Mr. Speaker, but we're making great advancements in

early learning and child care, no thanks to the Member and her party.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Thank you.

Further petitions?

The hon. the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's an honour to present this petition to the House.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of

Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS opioid addiction is a very serious problem affecting many

individuals and families in our province, and the Bell Island area is no

exception; and

WHEREAS the effects of these problems have implications that negatively

impact many people, old and young; and

WHEREAS support and treatment programs have been proven to break the

cycle of addictions and have helped many into recovery;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon

the House of Assembly to urge government to establish a Suboxone-methadone

treatment plan for Bell Island, which will include a drug addictions counsellor

at the hospital and a drug awareness program in the local school.

And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, we've had a multitude of discussions here and have come to

an agreement, by all sides of this House, that the opioid epidemic is a major

issue that affects everybody, from every age category, from every financial

background, from every geographic part of our province. We need to have a

collective approach to that. We've taken steps. We're collectively agreeing to

take steps to ensure that we move things forward.

We know we have professionals in health care and we know we have agencies

that can provide services. We know we have to develop partnerships with our

educational institutions. We know the residents and the not-for-profit sector

plays an important role here.

Mr. Speaker, when you deal with remote or isolated communities, and

particularly an island within the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador itself

has some particular challenges there. For some of our addicts to be able to get

the proper treatment, methadone, for example, having to travel from Bell Island

to the hospitals here in St. John's or to the clinics to get that becomes not

only encompassing, it becomes a very costly process. When you deal with the fact

of Mother Nature and the ferry services and these types of things, it has a

major impact on their reliability, plus the supports you need to be close at

home.

We have a very valuable asset for Eastern Health with the hospital on

Bell Island, and there's no reason why we couldn't be providing services. It's

not an additional cost. It's a matter of manoeuvring the monies you now have to

better fit the need. Right now, unfortunately, there's a demand on Bell Island

for addressing these type of issues. When you take the service away from the

people and make them have to come to the service it becomes more costly. It

becomes more of a restriction and, obviously, it has an impact on the better

gain here which is better health.

What we're proposing is that a full dialogue be taken. We encourage the

department and the government to work with Eastern Health, any other

professionals, to start providing some of these services on Bell Island. Because

what we'll say from the economy of scale, it would be by far a better

investment. We know the outcomes will be much better and we know the other

supports that would be necessary would be hands on, would be in the community

that could be supplied and serviced by the community there.

So we're encouraging government to take a serious look at this, provide a

plan, develop a plan and put the services in place.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll get a chance to speak to this again.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon. the Member for

Cape St. Francis.

MR. K. PARSONS:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

This is the reason for my petition. School aged

children are walking to school in areas with no sidewalks, no traffic lights and

through areas without crosswalks which is very unsafe for children, it puts them

at risk.

Therefore we, the undersigned, call upon the

House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure

the safety of all children by removing the 1.6 busing policy where safety is an

ongoing concern.

Mr. Speaker, this is probably the fifth or sixth

time that myself and other colleagues here have presented this petition. I

understand there's a cost to everything but there's no cost to safety. When it

comes to our children and walking along roads, I'll give you an example in my

district. Torbay Road has an average of 17,000 cars a day travelling along

Torbay Road. As you can understand, there are no sidewalks there. In the

wintertime, in particular, it's really dangerous because you're talking probably

10 to 12 inches where children can actually walk with snow and ice and

everything else.

Mr. Speaker, it's a major concern. I understand

the department and I understand the 1.6 policy but some buses are going to

classes and going to the new school there that have a lot of empty seats on it.

I'm sure we can work

with the schools, school councils in the area, local town councils and everyone

to ensure the safety of our children. It's very important that our children get

to school safe.

I know there are areas in this province where this won't apply because

there's less traffic and stuff like that, but I know it's a major concern on the

Northeast Avalon. I know it's a major concern in my area and I want to make sure

that children get to school safe.

Also, Mr. Speaker, what's happening in a lot of cases is parents have to

drive the children to school. It puts more traffic in our school parking lots

where that's a major safety issue also. If we address this where it's necessary

for the safety of our children, I think everyone will benefit.

Thank you very much.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Orders of the Day.

MR. SPEAKER:

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government

House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I

call from the Order Paper, Order 3, second reading of Bill 4.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government

House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Yes, Mr. Speaker,

I move, seconded by the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, that Bill

4,

An Act To Amend The Status Of Women Advisory Council Act, be now read a

second time.

MR. SPEAKER:

It is moved and seconded

the Bill 4,

An Act To Amend The Status Of Women Advisory Council Act, be now

read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, “An Act To Amend The Status Of Women

Advisory Council Act.” (Bill 4)

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister

Responsible for the Status of Women.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm very pleased to stand today as Minister Responsible for the Status of

Women to give second reading to

An Act to Amend the Status of Women Advisory

Council Act. Over the next several minutes I will explain why this bill is

necessary but, in essence, this bill will improve the appointment process for

the president and CEO of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women

and improve clarity in the language of the act.

The Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women was established by

the provincial government in 1980, almost 40 years ago. That's hard to believe

that 1980 was almost 40 years ago, Mr. Speaker.

It received legislative standing at that time with the introduction of

the Status of Women Advisory Council Act .

The advisory council was given a very important mandate. It was created with the

objective of advising the provincial government on issues affecting the status

of women and raising awareness of women's issues within the general public. This

remains the purpose of the advisory council to this day. The advisory council

works to ensure that all women throughout the province are thoroughly

represented in government programs and policies.

As Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, I rely on the Provincial

Advisory Council on the Status of Women to provide sound advice and guidance.

I'm very grateful for their continuing dialogue. I meet with them regularly, Mr.

Speaker, and I have had cordial and very important discussions with them

regarding the many issues that affect the status of women in this province. And

to that end, the Advisory Council and its president and CEO, currently, Linda

Ross, other staff and council members are highly involved with initiatives of

the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and they do incredible work.

The Advisory Council moves initiatives forward and holds governments to

account. The Advisory Council works to achieve this goal through research and

advocacy and by working with governmental and community partners. Some recent

examples of this include government's partnering with the current president and

CEO of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women on the Minister of

Justice and Public Safety's Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls.

Linda Ross is the co-chair of that committee – very highly involved – and

the committee aims to share information, exchange ideas and come up with actions

to support an end to gender-based violence in Newfoundland and Labrador. And we

thank her for her ongoing work.

The committee includes a group of government and community

representatives who have the experience and knowledge of issues surrounding

violence against women and girls, as well as individuals with lived experience.

The committee first met, Mr. Speaker, on December 8, 2017, and as a

result government has taken steps to address the concerns brought forward at

that meeting, including broadening the definition of violence in the

Family Violence Protection Act to

ensure victims of emotional, psychological and financial violence are also

covered by that legislation. That was Bill 1 in the House this session, and it

speaks to how serious this government takes this issue.

Ms. Ross was also instrumental recently in addressing a need for changes

to the Schools Act on February 14 of

this year. In a meeting with representatives from the community groups, the

Provincial Advisory Council, the Minister of Education and Early Childhood

Education committed to reviewing the

Schools Act to ensure it is responsive to the needs of students. At that

time, he attributed this change to concerns raised by students and community

members.

These are just a few of the recent examples of work completed by the

Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women which helps to improve the

social and economic status of women in our communities.

Throughout the past decade, significant research and work was completed

particularly in the areas of restorative justice, women's leadership and human

rights, which benefits not only the women of our province, but all people in our

province. At any given time, there are a wide range of initiatives in which the

Advisory Council is working in tandem with government to represent women and

help us to do more for the women and girls of our province.

I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to thank Ms. Ross and her

team for the work they have contributed, and they have helped to push forward

this government. Your efforts will be evident for years and generations to come.

And I really thank them for all their efforts, their incredible sincerity in the

work they do.

While progress has been made in many areas, there is still much work to

be done in order to advance the economic and social status of women in our

province. In the past, the president and CEO position has been selected through

a process that specifically sought a candidate for the position. This process

involved canvassing and consulting women's organizations eventually resulting in

a list of preferred individuals from which the final candidate was selected.

With the creation of the Independent Appointments Commission, the

appointment process is now implemented through that body. When beginning the

process of searching for new board members and a new president and CEO – which

was initiated when Ms. Ross gave us her decision to retire later this year – it

was identified by the Independent Appointments Commission that the current

wording of the act required the position to be filled from the volunteer board

members. If approved, recommended amendments will remove the requirement to

appoint from the existing 11 members and will enable the Independent

Appointments Commission to recruit for the president and CEO position through a

separate process.

To be clear, the proposed changes will not alter the current functioning

of the Advisory Council. Rather, it would allow the Advisory Council to proceed

as it does now, that is with a paid, full-time president and CEO position which

will be appointed through the Independent Appointments Commission.

The Status of Women Advisory

Council Act , the act that governs the Provincial Advisory Council on the

Status of Women, outlines the duties of the Provincial Advisory Council, the

process of appointments of members and other relevant information about the

function and accountability of the council. Included in the act is a description

of the duties of the president and CEO, as well as details as how this position

is appointed.

Currently, subsection 8(1), (2) and (3) of the act states: “8.

(1) The

Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint from the 11 members, a president

and vice-president of the advisory council.

“

(2) The president is the chief executive officer of the advisory council

and shall direct the activities of the advisory council and coordinate its work.

“

(3) Notwithstanding

section 7, the president shall be paid an annual

salary.”

There are three points that this subsection addresses in relation to the

role of the president and CEO: the appointment process, the duties of the

president and the annual salary. This subsection includes the crux of why we are

seeking to amend this legislation. I will speak first about the appointment of

the president and CEO.

Subsection 8(1) state that the president must be appointed from the 11

members, and they are volunteers, of the Advisory Council. Advisory Council

members are volunteers.

Section 7 of the act confirms this, as it states:

“Members of the advisory council shall serve without reimbursement other than

(

a) remuneration for those meetings of the advisory council that a member

attends that may be prescribed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council; and (

b) disbursements for expenses necessarily incurred by a member in connection with

the work of the advisory council, that may be prescribed by the

Lieutenant-Governor in Council.” The act is clear that these are volunteer

positions. They do not receive a salary.

When members of the public apply to represent women as members of the

Advisory Council, they are applying for a volunteer board role, and it is not

their intention to apply for a full-time staff position.

And we certainly do appreciate – I'm going to just take a moment, Mr.

Speaker – all those that come forward in any capacity with the independent

advisory commission, to put their names forward. Many of our board positions are

voluntary, like as is this one, Mr. Speaker. The fact that there are so many who

come forward, put their names forward, certainly a commendation to the

volunteers in this province, and certainly appreciate the hard work and extra

efforts that they give to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

To appoint a president and CEO from this pool of volunteer applicants

would not be appropriate, and that has not been done in the past. It has not

been the way that position has been filled. Filling the role of the president

and CEO with the right person is vitally important. We need to build upon the

work that we have been doing with the Advisory Council and all our Status of

Women Councils.

We can only do that if we have the right person and the right woman in

the job in that position; professional, full-time, carrying on the important

works. That person must have a number of characteristics. She must be a

collaborator; she must be capable of partnering with diverse stakeholders,

including the provincial government and organizations throughout the province.

The president and CEO of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women

must know how to advocate for women and bring issues to government's attention

and move them forward.

And finally, the president and CEO must commit to doing this full time.

We need to continue to have a president and CEO as a full-time position.

Anything less would be watering down the mandate of this very important role.

Therefore, the following substitutions are proposed: 4.(1) “The advisory council

shall consist of the president and 10 persons appointed by the

Lieutenant-Governor in Council…. A member whose term of office has expired shall

continue to be a member until a successor is appointed.”

“8.

(1) The Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint a person to be

the president of the advisory council…. 9.

(1) The Lieutenant-Governor in Council

shall appoint a vice-president from the persons appointed under subsection 4(1).

(2) Where the president is unable to exercise the powers and duties of

president, the vice-president shall act in place of the president and subsection

8(3) applies to the vice-president as the most appropriate in the

circumstances.”

These changes allow for a separation of the roles of a volunteer council

member and the paid professional president. While the president will remain a

council member, the president will no longer be appointed from the 11 members.

Instead, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall appoint a person to the

president of the Advisory Council.

Subsection 9(1) and (2) refer to the role of the vice-president and the

responsibility of the vice-president when the president is unable to exercise

her powers and duties. In particular, it states that subsection 8(3), which

refers to the salary of the president, will apply to the vice-president, as

appropriate under these circumstances. This change reflects the volunteer nature

of the vice-president's role and the fact that the vice-president may not be

able to take on this role full time.

Beyond this, there are two other housekeeping amendments also required in

the act. First, several terms used in sections 4, 8 and 9 were not previously

defined and they should be defined. It is proposed to amend the definition

section of the act to include those

definitions.

Under 1.1 in the act, these

definitions include: “(a) 'advisory council'

means the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women - Newfoundland and

Labrador continued under

section 2; (b) 'member' means a person appointed under

subsection 4(1) and the president; (c) 'minister' means the minister designated

by order of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to be the minister responsible

for the status of women; and (d) 'president' means the person appointed under

section 8.” All other

definitions in this

section will remain the same.

Secondly,

section 4(4) was amended to delete the word “appointed,” as it

was the only time that the word “appointed” appears before the word “member” in

the act.

Mr. Speaker, we know that now more than ever we need a president of the

Advisory Council on the Status of Women who's eager, enthusiastic, will act on

the issues of importance of women in this province. We know we need a strong

president because the women of our province still, in 2018, encounter barriers

not faced to the same degree by men in our province; this includes economic,

social and violence-related barriers.

For example, women in Newfoundland and Labrador earn 66 per cent of what

men earn. Women are still responsible for the majority of unpaid care, Mr.

Speaker, including child care and senior care. Approximately 5 per cent of women

over the age of 15 will experience at least one incident of sexual or physical

violence in their lifetime.

That is why, along with the support of our government, that our

government provides to the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women,

we also fund 10 Violence Prevention Newfoundland and Labrador organizations,

eight women's centres, the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women's Network, the

Transition House Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Multicultural

Women's Organization of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Newfoundland and Labrador

Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre, Transition Houses throughout the

province and many other organizations which work every day to help advance the

status of women in our beautiful Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I want to say thank you to all those involved in that hard work. They are

diligent in their efforts, Mr. Speaker, to address the concerns of violence

against women and are diligent in their concerns to ensure the status of women

is equal to that of men in this province.

I also want to recognize and thank – I know last week was Volunteer Week,

but I want to take the opportunity to recognize all the volunteers. Many, many,

many people volunteer for these organizations, give willingly of their time,

their attention and their skills, Mr. Speaker. We can't thank them enough for

the efforts they make in our community.

It is because of this work why we established a committee of ministers

representing multiple departments that has been tasked with addressing the

issues of violence in our province. Mr. Speaker, this committee oversees

collective actions to address issues of violence in our province.

As Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, I had the privilege of

chairing this committee. It also consists of Ministers of Justice and Public

Safety, Education and Early Childhood Development, Health and Community

Services, Children, Seniors and Social Development, Service NL and Advanced

Education, Skills and Labour. You can see, Mr. Speaker, that a lot of ministers

from this government have come together to collectively work to ensure we

address the concerns about violence against women.

Through these efforts, we are ensuring the voices of those experiencing

violence or harassment are heard when we are updating any program or policy

throughout government. We are committed to providing safe learning and work

environments for everyone, but especially girls and women. Currently,

legislation and policies including the Safe & Caring Schools Policy, the

Residential Tenancies Act and the

Municipalities Act are being reviewed

to that end.

By examining current policies and programs and legislations, we are able

to work to address root causes. We accomplish this through initiatives such as

the mental health and addictions initiatives, including implementing

recommendations from Towards Recovery ,

a report by the All-Party Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, housing,

including the upcoming provincial housing plan to end homelessness, and the

Poverty Reduction Strategy and other measures to reduce income inequality.

As a government, we have put a strong focus on preventing and eliminating

violence and we plan to continue on this path. In the coming months, we will

build and grow our current violence prevention activities and work towards

ensuring we have a responsive approach for the coming years. However, we cannot

do this alone. Ending violence requires a collective response, and it is not the

work of any one committee, community group or government department. Our

government works in collaboration with community stakeholders to find long-term

solutions to eradicate violence.

We hope that these changes to the

Status of Women Advisory Council Act will allow us to proceed with

identifying a strong president and CEO for the Provincial Advisory Council on

the Status of Women who will partner with the community, with government in the

coming years and help us to create change for the women of our province.

Frankly, the women of our province need and deserve strong representation. Now

is the time.

I ask for support of this Bill 4 to change the legislation so that we can

not only fill the volunteer positions on the status of women advisory committee,

but also to attract a stellar candidate as president and CEO.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I look forward to the debate.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Reid):

The hon. the

Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's once again a pleasure to rise in this hon. House on behalf of the

people of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune, a fine group of people that I represent,

full of integrity and quite pleased to be their Member.

This bill that we have before us today, Mr. Speaker, it's a fairly

straightforward bill. Some of the bills that come into the House are quite

complicated and require an extensive amount of research and consultations. But

this one is really a simple change and, as the minister has explained, it's a

change to the process that has been identified by the Independent Appointments

committee because right now, simultaneously, they're filling the board of

directors as well as the position of president and CEO, and of course the

president and CEO is a paid position. The others being volunteers, a different

process is required.

Mr. Speaker, like the minister who spoke before me, I'm going to talk a

little bit about the Provincial Advisory Council because it is an absolutely

incredible entity. I'm not 100 per cent sure, I do stand to be corrected but I

think it may have come about in the Peckford era, back in the '80s? Yes.

It was a need identified some 30-plus years ago that women's rights were

still behind the eight ball and things still were not changing for women. Mr.

Speaker, here we are 30 years later and we still have a long, long, long ways to

go for women in the workplace and women's rights overall. The function and the

role of the Provincial Advisory Council is very important for the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador and for all groups and entities really that are

forming policies with respect to women's issues. So they are an absolutely

incredible group.

When I served as parliamentary assistant to the Premier, I had the

pleasure of working with this group quite extensively, and a very, very

impressive group of very strong women. I certainly would like to take this

opportunity to say thank you to all present and past board members who are

really taking great strides to make a difference in women's lives.

Mr. Speaker, here in our House of Assembly, we are still, as women, very

small in number. We are trying to make a difference in the lives of women. We're

trying to make the House of Assembly a workplace that is suitable for women and

that can attract more women to this hon. House. In order to do that, we still

need significant change. Hopefully, we will see some ideas come forward, even

from the women's Advisory Council pertaining to politics and women's roles in

politics.

The more support we can get province wide in terms of trying to recruit

women, I think the better off the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador will be

because women bring an additional element to governance. We're new to the role

and I often – something that's been on my mind a lot lately, we talk about the

way politics used to be versus the way politics is today.

Back in the day, I do believe – I don't think anyone who sits here can

actually remember these times, but apparently there was a time, Mr. Speaker,

when in the House of Assembly you could drink and you could smoke. I'm kind of

glad that isn't the case because I can only imagine how the debates would

digress if you were allowed alcohol into this Chamber.

Also, a part of the way politics used to – I wish I could say used to.

Also, a part of the way politics operates, there was smoking, there was drinking

and there was bullying, Mr. Speaker. That aspect of politics hasn't changed so

much. We really don't have a strong enough mechanism in place that we can go out

to a woman and confidentially say yes, that's a great workplace for you to go

to. You will find you'll enjoy it just as much as your previous employment.

That would be a nice thing if you could actually go out and try and

recruit women in that way instead of talking to them about the fact that

bullying and intimidation is still pervasive in politics, quite pervasive in

politics in this province, in politics in this country, and I would say, Mr.

Speaker, throughout all Parliaments.

As women, we're going to continue to stand up and we're going to get

stronger and stronger and stronger in our push to have more women in the hon.

Houses of Assembly, and of Commons and of the people. We're going to bring more

integrity in time with the increased presence, I believe, of women in this hon.

House.

We're all familiar with the Weinstein movement. The minister, in her

comments, spoke about concerns about bullying. She spoke about the need for safe

environments, work environments, especially for girls and women, Mr. Speaker.

We're still looking forward to seeing that happen. Certainly, I for one,

and I'm hearing comments of agreement from my colleagues here as well, we're

going to stand together and we're going to tackle this issue. We're going to

work with all the sitting parliamentarians. We're going to work with all the

women support groups, like the women's Advisory Council, and one day – and I

hope it's in my lifetime. In fact, I hope it's sooner than that. I hope it's in

this sitting that we're going to see some positive change in that regard, Mr.

Speaker.

I will take advantage of the opportunity once again – I do have two

budget speeches left as well – to echo my comments that I made during the debate

that was brought to this hon. House on bullying. To bring forward policy, as the

Premier has announced he's going to do for June, is not enough. It's really not

good enough. We need legislation. We need legislation that has teeth, that can

hold perpetrators responsible, Mr. Speaker.

We need the government of the day to not only give lip service to

changing bullying, we need them to set the example of the very highest bar. Only

then, will we truly see change that works and change that is in the best

interests of men and women and all people of this fine province, because it will

indeed improve the culture of politics and the governance of our fine province.

I'm going to get back to the bill again and how important the women's

Advisory Council is. As I said in my opening comments, this bill makes a

legislative change to the appointment process for the president and CEO only of

the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. This will bring it in

line with current practice and allow the job of president and CEO to be

advertised and appointed outside of the call for nominations for the 10 members

of the board.

The Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Mr. Speaker, has

10 volunteer members and one paid position. That's not going to change with this

legislation. All of that will remain the same. The current legislation indicates

that 11 members are appointed to the Advisory Council and then the

Lieutenant-Governor in Council appoints one of those 11 people to the role of

president and CEO.

This was identified as being problematic because the president and CEO is

a paid position while the remainder of the committee are volunteer members. In

the past, two separate recruitment processes have been carried out. There was

one for the volunteer members and a separate process for the president and CEO.

The implementation of this legislation is going to allow that to continue, Mr.

Speaker, as well.

When the Women's Policy Office asked the Independent Appointments

Commission to carry out the appointment process, the IAC asked for the

legislative changes that are being brought forward today by the minister, as

their

interpretation of the act didn't allow them to run the two processes. They

felt the legislation needed to be changed in order to accommodate that. So this

legislation clarifies that 10 members are appointed to the council and that the

president is appointed separately. This legislation allows the practice to

continue.

So it's not a complicated piece of legislation, as I said in my opening

comments. It's important that we pass it because it's very important that the

board has a full slate of directors, and has a very, very, very strong president

and CEO, Mr. Speaker.

The term length for members are three years and members can apply for

reappointment. And the term length for the president and CEO of the paid

position is also for three years, and the president can be reappointed as well,

Mr. Speaker.

The IAC, or Independent Appointments Commission, is currently recruiting

members, and they will post the president position following the passing of this

legislation. So here's a good opportunity as well for any women who are out

there that think they would like to have a stronger role in policy formation.

Keep your eye to the IAC website and there will be a job posting there for the

position of president in the not-too-distant future.

The legislation does not include provisions about the staggering of board

appointments; however, the staggering does happen by the board itself. They're

doing that through their own strategic planning, and there will be some of the

members of the current 10 who will reapply for their positions. But there is a

wonderful opportunity here for women from all across this province to serve on

this board.

It doesn't matter where you live. You can live in Labrador, you can live

in The Straits, you can live in Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune – and I'm quite

pleased to say I've had two women, two very strong women from my region sit on

this board and thoroughly enjoy it.

So to all of you females out there in Newfoundland and Labrador, keep

your eye out for this. It's a wonderful opportunity. We, as female

parliamentarians here in this hon. House, certainly look forward to working with

you as we endeavour the long uphill battle of changing the culture of politics

in Newfoundland and Labrador, and actually making it real. We're far from there

yet, but we plan to make it real. That the House of Assembly will be a safe

place, just as safe for women and girls as it is for men, and one day bullying

will be eradicated.

Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development.

MS. DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure on this Tuesday after a long weekend to stand and speak

for a few minutes to

An Act To Amend The Status Of Women Advisory Council Act.

I am happy, Mr. Speaker, to stand today as the Minister of Children,

Seniors and Social Development, as the Member for Cartwright - L'Anse au Clair,

as a female who grew up in a house of 12 people, we had seven rambunctious boys,

as I put it, and then there were three girls. So I understood the different

roles there, but more importantly, Mr. Speaker, as the mother of a 21-year-old

daughter. Whenever I speak to women's issues, it's always her beautiful face

that's before me and reminds me of why we need to do everything we can to

support and encourage strong women coming behind us.

Mr. Speaker, the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women

advises government on the interest and concerns of women and girls in our

province. They play a critical role in helping advance the status of women in

NL. Over the last couple of years, as the provincial rep with the national

steering committee for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, I've had the

opportunity to work on a number of occasions with the Provincial Advisory

Council. One I'm thinking of is the Daughters of the Vote, when we celebrated

that and we brought together close to 40 young women. They had a day here in the

Legislature and they heard from a number of speakers. I really saw first-hand

the value of the work that the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of

Women does.

The Advisory Council comprises of women from throughout the province who

bring together diverse experiences and backgrounds to advise on the varied

viewpoints of women and girls. Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely essential, it's not

just a nice to have but it is essential that we have those diverse experiences

and backgrounds.

Just as I was listening to the hon. Member moments before I stood, I was

thinking about my travels this weekend. Being in Goose Bay, those women would

have different viewpoints, different experiences, than women here in metro. Then

I was on the coast in my hometown in Charlottetown, the background and the

experience of those women who live in coastal communities, from the North Coast

and the South Coast, would certainly be different. Yesterday, I spent a few

hours in St. Anthony and, again, you would have that different viewpoint and

experience. So essential, Mr. Speaker, that we have all of those diverse

backgrounds at the table to advise on the varied viewpoints of women and girls.

The Advisory Council is set up as an arm's-length organization to ensure

the interests of women are well represented. So when we say they're

arm's-length, it's essential. We don't control then. We don't direct them. They

carry out this important work.

In addition, members and the president will be appointed through the

Independent Appointments Commission. I know here in the House everybody would be

familiar with the IAC, Bill 1, when we formed government trying to take the

politics out of some of the appointments happening, so that is a merit-based

appointment process which should serve to strengthen, hopefully, the number of

women that come in. I don't have the stats right in front of me, but I do

believe the numbers are up of the females applying and finding their way into

positions.

Mr. Speaker, in my travels through the years and long before public life

in 2013, I have always encouraged women to put themselves forward, to serve on

boards and encourage them, talk to them about the opportunities they could have

in helping to shape Newfoundland and Labrador. I've told this story here before

in the House, but I'll take a moment to tell it again.

One young girl who came to work with me as a secretary many years ago and

I guess it was September and elections were up for municipalities around the

province. I said: You should put your name forward. She said: What do they do

besides collect garbage? I saw her recently at the Health Sciences actually and

we always joke about this story. I said: Here's what they do and you're young

and you're starting a family and if you want to have some say in your community

and things you want to get for your children, that's a great table to sit at.

Long story short, she did put her name forward and that young girl who is

now with the Town of Holyrood, she went on to serve on many, many boards and

committees and she did very well. She had a lot to offer and she's doing great

work today, Mr. Speaker.

That's just one example of how it's incumbent upon all of us as women and

as men to reach out and to mentor someone, to encourage them when we see an

opportunity to say you'd be a great fit for this. I've been observing you. I can

see the skills and talent you have. Sometimes it just takes that little nudge to

put your name forward and once they get started, you really don't know where

they're going to end up. We all have many examples of strong women throughout

Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I often thought, and I sat in your chair for 20 months and

sometimes sitting in the chair and late into the night doing the spring sitting

and you look around the wall here and I often would think, when I looked at the

portraits in this hon. House or if you went for stretch and you took a stroll

through the hallways just outside, you can see why we need a Provincial Advisory

Council on the Status of Women. You can see why we need to encourage more women

to step into leadership roles, why we need to encourage more women to step up

into the political sphere.

When we see in these portraits and photos – what we see is the total

absence of women. Here since 1949 in Newfoundland and Labrador, we have never

had a female Speaker in this province. We know that women are under-represented

in leadership positions and politics is no different.

But I am optimistic, we have great women in the House right now in all

parties, Mr. Speaker, I would add. We have strong women representing their

various districts, and I believe we're on the right track. I am hopeful that, as

we go forward, those numbers will continue to climb.

It's important to note that it's not just our province where we have this

under-representation. People are grappling with this across the country and

trying to encourage more women. Probably BC – the last time I checked – maybe

had the best representation.

Mr. Speaker, without balanced representation, we must be concerned about

whether the interests and concerns of women and girls are being represented when

decisions are made. One of the reasons women cite for their under-representation

in politics is the hectic

schedule of the legislature. So we, as government – I

was very pleased to be a part of this – to make the legislative calendar public

well in advance of the House opening, this is just one way to help encourage

women to get involved in politics. It's just one way, Mr. Speaker, but every

little bit helps.

Again, my female colleagues will understand this. When you step into

public life, it's very hard to plan for family things, it was hard to plan a

vacation; it seems you miss the birthday and the anniversaries, and those are

the prices that come along the way. So something like a legislative calendar, I

can just flick online now and have a look and say the House closes on this date.

We always have to be mindful of the events and commitments in our district, the

people that we work for, but it helps us a little better if you want to have

that little escape with family and find some balance, which is also very

important.

As the provincial representative on the national steering committee of

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians – I've been in that role since the fall of

'14, I believe it was – I take great pride in representing our province at the

national level to discuss increasing women's representation in Parliament. Mr.

Speaker, since I've been in that role, I've had the opportunity to meet women

from right across the country, from the territories, many strong women. I have

participated in campaign schools to support women in the territories, put their

name forward and run. And sometimes we think – I know my colleague for Fortune

Bay - Cape La Hune has quite a travel on the weekend and a large district that

she serves – it's only here in Newfoundland and Labrador that we have those

challenges that we deal with, but I can tell you in the territories when they're

going to run for public life they maybe need to take a plane to get into the

district. They maybe need to take an interpreter with them because there are

language barriers and things like that.

So it's important for all of us. There's a small percentage of us in this

province across the country. It's important for all of us to support each other,

Mr. Speaker, if we want to grow that representation.

Entities like the national steering committee of Commonwealth Women

Parliamentarians and the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women are

very important for many reasons. I'm just going to mention two or three here,

Mr. Speaker. In raising issues of importance to women and girls at

decision-making tables; in ensuring a gender lens is applied to all the work we

do. And my colleague, the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, does a

great job in ensuring every paper that we bring, all of us as females, we look

through that.

I believe because she takes her role very serious, she looks at that at a

more heightened level through that lens of ensuring that the gender lens is

applied to all of the work that we do so that we can reflect on how programs and

policies affect men and women differently. All the while, our one goal is a

shared one, and I believe I can speak for all of the women here in the House,

all of the female MHAs, all of the while working to get more women at those

tables.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to just say that I totally support

the changes proposed, and I would encourage as the debate continues that all of

my colleagues here in the House support this amendment today.

Thank you for the opportunity again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of

the Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I'm happy to stand and to speak to Bill 4,

An Act To Amend The Status Of

Women Advisory Council Act. Mr. Speaker, I can remember when the council was

first set out, and I remember that the first president was Ann Bell. Ann Bell

was a wonderful feminist activist – she still is – and she was that first

president.

Ann Bell came from Corner Brook and she moved to St. John's, but then

also travelled all over the province to do the work she was asked to do as

president. She was then followed by Wendy Williams, a very good friend of mine.

Again, another incredible feminist activist. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to stress

that it is so important that whoever fills this role is a feminist. This is not

just about being a woman; it's about a woman who operates from a feminist

ideology, which means she is very much aware that there are systemic barriers

and blocks that stop women from having full equality in our communities.

So it's not about feeling nice about women or it's not about thinking

wouldn't it be good to do some things, it comes from a real philosophical

approach to life that's bedded in the understanding that there are systemic

barriers. It's not just happening to individual women or individual girls, but

they are systemic and they are systemic issues that must be addressed in order

for women and girls to have full equality in our province, in the world.

There are feminists, activists all over the world, all over the globe

doing this very important work, and we also know that women's rights are about

human rights. That is something that we talk about, and we also know that our

rights are never given to us. That they are hard won. As a feminist activist

myself, I have worked for years, for years to address the systemic barriers to

full equality for women and girls in our province and in our country. As a

matter of fact globally as well, as a documentary filmmaker, I produced a number

of films that addressed systemic barriers to women and girls.

One of the films I did was called

The Vienna Tribunal which was a film about the violation of women's human

rights all over the world. This took place in Vienna where there was a UN panel

that listened to testimony from women and girls from around the world.

When I asked to do this, I was invited by an incredible international

women's rights group who first starting coining and using the phrase: women's

rights are human rights. I thought I'm not so sure that this is the best

material from which to do a film. When you have a panel of judges from all over

the world, a tribunal, United Nations tribunal listening to testimony from women

and girls from all over the world, I thought no, that might not be the best

material for a film. Mr. Speaker, but I agreed to do this and I was so moved by

the power of the voices of the women and the girls who testified.

They were all ages and they talked about issues all over the world. There

were Korean comfort women who were used during the Second World War by Japanese

soldiers, women in their 80s who talked about that experience. There were women

who were lesbians living in countries where it was illegal to be so, who had

been arrested, who had been imprisoned. There were women talking about the

inability to have access to safe therapeutic abortions. It was so powerful just

the simple act.

When I made that film, Mr. Speaker, what I did was I cleared away all the

noise; I cleared away all the distractions. It was basically hearing different

women from different parts of the world simply stand and give their testimony.

It wasn't about just recounting the horrendous human rights abuses, it was also

about resilience, strength and the commitment so many of these women – it took

courage to stand and to not only tell their story, but demand change.

As a matter of fact, there were a few women who took

part in this

tribunal who couldn't return to their country after testifying because it wasn't

safe for them. Many of those issues have changed since that time, Mr. Speaker.

Not because our rights were given to us, but because we worked so hard for them.

We still have many systemic barriers ahead of us.

That's why it's so important that our Provincial Advisory Council on the

Newfoundland and Labrador, but it's about the voice of the women and girls of

Newfoundland and Labrador to government that this Provincial Advisory Council's

role as an independent statutory arm's-length organization must represent the

women and girls of this province to government for the sole purpose of pushing

for change and equality. That is the role of the Provincial Advisory Council on

the Status of Women.

After Wendy Williams – and Wendy Williams was someone who helped start

Planned Parenthood here in the province, who was doing very important work.

Wendy also lobbied for fully funded abortion services here in the province for

the women of Newfoundland and Labrador. Followed by her was Joyce Hancock,

another incredible feminist activist who pushed and pushed and pushed for the

rights to improve the status of women and girls in this province.

Joyce was from Stephenville, Wendy Williams was from St. John's and then

there was Leslie MacLeod. Leslie MacLeod also was the executive director of the

St. John's Status of Women Council. It was during her term that Marguerite's

Place was put in place, another fantastic feminist activist. Leslie MacLeod

continues to do incredible work now as a feminist activist in conjunction with

Thrive, with Blue Door, with the Multicultural Women's Organization.

These are women who are presidents, who did effective feminist activism

in their role and continue to do so, because they know how important it is and

because they are feminists. It's not about just being a professional as was

stated earlier in the House. It's about having that understanding of these

systemic issues.

Then our current, soon-to-retire president, Linda Ross, who came from a

background of years with Oxfam. Looking at the issue of the status of women

issues globally, and how global issues affect women and how also women in

different parts of the world can work together to ensure we have more equality

all over the globe for women and girls.

I would like to thank all these feminist activists, all of them for the

incredible work they have done. None of it goes unnoticed. We know the advances

that have been made by women, by the women's community here in the province.

Also, when speaking about the Provincial Advisory Council, it's not just

about the presidents. It's also about the board of directors. The board of

directors as well, each and every single appointment to that board must be a

woman who has a feminist analysis, who has an awareness of systemic issues and

who knows that her role is to bring the concerns of the women and girls in her

region of the province to the table of the Provincial Advisory Council on the

Status of Women.

Again, their role is to lobby government, to advocate on behalf of the

them. It's about having that very important role of pushing and prodding and

advocating and also celebrating and commending government when government does

do the right thing, when government does do policy or legislation that improves

the lives of women and girls in this province, that addresses systemic barriers.

That is the role of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, that

is role of the board and that is the role of the president.

I'd also like, at this point, to also commend the women activists around

the province and the young girls who are also involved in feminist activism

around the province.

I don't know if people have looked into the kind of work that the Girls

Guides are doing recently in Canada. They are promoting feminist activism. It's

wonderful. They're looking at issues of violence against women. They're looking

at issues of pay equity. They're looking at issues that address systemic

barriers to women and girls participating fully and equally in our society. So I

would like to commend all those activists and the feminist activists in the

student movement. I would like to commend all of them for the incredible work

they are doing.

It is the responsibility of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status

of Women to really be in touch with these activists all over the province. To be

their voice at the table where decisions are being made. That is the role of the

Provincial Advisory Council and all those who are associated with it.

I'd also like to thank the staff at the Provincial Advisory Council who

do research, who do papers to advise government on where things should be, but

it's so important that there be an openness and a two-way street with the

Provincial Advisory Council and with civil society to ensure that we are all

working together to improve the quality of lives for women and girls. It is so

important, Mr. Speaker.

It can't happen, we can't have people just involved in the administration

of the office of the Provincial Advisory Council, that this is not only an

arm's-length independent, statutory organization, but it's embedded in our

communities. It needs to be embedded in our communities right across the

province, right around the province and this is the work that the Provincial

Advisory Council has been doing.

That also leads me to the issue of: How do we comprise the board? We need

to make sure that there are women, and also we have to look at the issue of

transwomen and people who are on the non-binary system. We have to make sure

that all female-identified women are represented on the board of the provincial

advisory committee and that their needs are also represented through the voice

of the provincial advisory committee.

We have geographic considerations as well to consider and we have

diversity to consider: immigrant women, racialized women, women with physical

disabilities, lesbians. It's so important again that our board for the

Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women really reflects the diversity

and the reality of the lives of women and girls in our province. Wouldn't it be

great to have a really young woman on this board as well?

One of the things we haven't done so well lately in the women's movement

is we haven't paid enough attention, I believe, to the issue of mentoring and

how important that would be to be able to mentor young women. I like to do that

myself as a politician. When we look around, 25 per cent of our Members are

women. It's not good. Here we are in 2018 and only 25 per cent of the women here

at the tables in our province where decisions are made, only 25 per cent are

women.

When we look at how long it takes us to get more representation, who

knows, maybe it will be the year 3000 before we gain equality and parity here in

the House of Assembly. It's hard to say, but it's taken us a long time to get to

this point. Sometimes we get a little further ahead and sometimes we lose some

ground.

I would also like to think that what is really important, again we are

looking for feminists to be on this board. We are looking for a feminist to be

the president. I believe it's really important to have at least two positions on

the board of directors for the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of

Women that are chosen from all of the Women Centres, the Aboriginal Women's

Network and the Multicultural Women's Organization. They should be able to

choose members themselves that represent them and that are their voice here on

this board because they are the front-line workers and they know the needs.

It is imperative that we have an indigenous woman on this board. It's

imperative that we have an immigrant woman on this board. It's imperative that

we have a specific representation of a woman from the Women's Centres and the

Status of Women Councils from across the province. They are doing the front-line

work and they need to be at that table.

The Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women is women's and

girl's voice to government, advising government, advocating on behalf of women

and girls and pushing government. We cannot let up because we know that often we

gain ground and then we can lose ground. Those of us who have been at this for a

long time – and, Mr. Speaker, I've been at this a long time and a lot of the

women who I've mentioned here today have been at it a long time – we know that

our rights are not given to us, they are hard won.

I just want to briefly – I only have a few minutes left – identify some

of the issues that I think are really pressing in our province. The issue of

poverty among senior women in Newfoundland and Labrador is shameful. We have the

highest percentage of senior women in receipt of OAS and GIS who live on about

$13,000 a year.

Out of that they have to pay rent, their over-the-counter medication,

their dental costs, their transportation, their food, their phone, their TV and

birthday card for their granddaughter. Out of $13,000 year for single senior

women on OAS and GIS, they are living far below the poverty line. It is

shameful. When we just came out of years of prosperity, to think that our senior

women in Newfoundland and Labrador are living in poverty and going to food

banks, there is no excuse for this.

I'm also concerned about the high levels of gender-based violence against

women and girls in our province. We need a task force on this issue. The women

on the front lines, every single Women's Centre and Status of Women Council has

pushed for this. The families of women who have been murdered or who have been

victims of gender-based violence are pushing for this. There's no longer any

good reason not to push forward on this.

The issue of pay equity – I presented a private Member's motion last year

asking government to start the work for pay equity. I would have assumed, here

we are in 2018, that we already would have arrived at that. Where is our

all-party committee on pay equity? That was at least a very concrete step that

government could do was to call an all-party committee on pay equity to get

things rolling. We keep asking what's happening; there's no response. I have no

reason to believe that anything concrete is happening. If I am wrong, I'd like

to be proven wrong and I will celebrate that. But, Mr. Speaker, we are no

further ahead, a year later, on pay equity than when my private Member's motion

was passed unanimously in this House.

There are a number of other issues. There was a women's theatre festival

that received no funding this year. We have women students, female students in

female traditional faculties who don't get paid for their work in their student

placements. That is not equity.

Mr. Speaker, there is so much work that we have to do and I believe that

the women of Newfoundland and Labrador are ready to do that work –

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS. ROGERS:

Again, I'd like to thank

all those on the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, staff,

board members and Linda Ross, and I look forward to working with them in the

future.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

MS. P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's always an honour and a privilege to stand

here in our spots and represent the districts of course which we represent. In

this case, I represent the strong District of Harbour Grace - Port de Grave and

I'm happy to say there are a lot of strong women, strong, independent

volunteers, women who take initiative that come from Harbour Grace - Port de

Grave, and that's certainly something I'm very proud of.

Just for our viewers at home, Mr. Speaker, just

to go over that this bill, Bill 4, which we're speaking to,

An Act To Amend The

Status of Women Advisory Council Act, this would amend the

Status of Women Advisory Council Act to remove the requirement that

the president of the Advisory Council be appointed from the persons appointed as

members of the council – just for our viewers at home.

As I mentioned, it always is an honour to stand

here. For nearly 40 years, the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of

Women has been an advisor to the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

and to the government as a whole. It has been the voice for women and girls in

our communities on issues that are of importance such as gender-based violence,

bullying and harassment, and gender equality.

At this time, I'd like to talk about my own

personal dealings with the president Linda Ross who was very helpful. Prior to

becoming an MHA, I was a journalist and I have covered many stories pertaining

to violence against women, crimes and even these topics in general. I must say

Linda has always been a strong, adamant voice in this role and I would like to

commend her and all she stands for.

Over the past number of months issues of violence against women,

harassment and, indeed, all forms of bullying have increasingly been brought

into the light. More and more, incidents being experienced by women are being

openly discussed, and of course we see this everywhere, Mr. Speaker. Especially

in a recent move in Hollywood even, the MeToo campaign. We're seeing people

bring these issues forward. People in the workplace, if their colleagues are

experiencing this, they're witnesses. They're coming forward, and it's certainly

something we need to see. As a society, we are at a tipping point.

Both the Time's Up and the #MeToo campaigns have brought these issues to

the forefront. Communities around the world are moving to prevent and eliminate

all forms of violence, including harassment. We're in the year 2018 and it's

certainly a time. Times have changed. Times have modernized and there's simply

no room for harassment o