March 19, 2002 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLIV No. 1

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

Admit their Lordships, the Justices of the Supreme Court.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has

arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Ladies and gentlemen, it is the wish of His Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor that all be seated.

Thank you.

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (A.M. House, C.M., M.D., LL.D., FRCPC):

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Welcome to the Fourth Session of this, the Forty-Fourth General Assembly. It

is my pleasure to welcome all those citizens of the Province who are observing

these proceedings both here and, for the first time, in their own homes.

Queen's Jubilee

As members of this hon. House will recall, February 6, 2002 marked the 50 th

anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne. My

Government, on behalf of the citizens of the Province, conveys our best wishes

to Her Majesty. At the same time, My Government conveys the sympathy of our

citizens to Her Majesty on the recent death of her only sister, Her Royal

Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

First Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador

We meet in this Chamber at an important point in our history, as this is the

first Speech from the Throne to be delivered in the Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador. Changing the name of the Province is a symbolic yet

important recognition of Labrador's status as a full partner in the Province.

It will encourage all citizens to work together to meet the challenges and seize

the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead.

The name change, while very real for the people of Labrador, is also symbolic

of the changes our Province will face in the coming years. It reflects the

change My Government has sought to make in how we determine and meet our

commitments. It represents My Government's commitment to foster and manage

real change for the benefit of our people.

My Government believes that the next few years will belong to Labrador. A

significant part of My Government's agenda will be focused on pursuing

opportunities for development in Labrador - development that will be in keeping

with the views and aspirations of the people of Labrador. My Government's

commitment to develop a Labrador Economic Action Plan, to sign land claims and

self-government agreements with Aboriginal groups, to complete all phases of the

Trans-Labrador Highway and invest in other strategic infrastructure priorities,

and to continue to negotiate a Voisey's Bay deal and pursue the Lower

Churchill development are all indicative of the tremendous promise and real

potential that the Big Land holds.

Commending our People

For many, they year 2001 will be remembered as a year scarred by the tragedy

of September 11 th . The events of that day have changed us all. A

profound impact was made on all people well beyond those who experienced the

horror in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington. It is said that from tragedy

comes hope, and how we respond to such events reflects our spirit and

confidence.

The people of Newfoundland and Labrador responded to the tragedy as we have

responded so many times to crises within our own communities - with compassion

and hospitality. Our pride as a people and our tradition of caring shone

brightly and I am sure it left an indelible mark on the thousands of unexpected

visitors who spent time here. Perhaps John and Marie Unkle of Fairfax, Virginia

said it best: "The wonderful people of Gander and the surrounding community

made us feel very welcome and restored our faith in the basic goodness of

humanity.... You opened your homes and hearts to us. We will never the people...

for their generosity and compassion to total strangers."

Building on our long tradition of giving and helpfulness, it was only fitting

that the hard work and commitment to volunteerism in this Province be

recognized. 2001 was the International Year of the Volunteer, and we were

privileged to honour ninety-six volunteers in this Province by presenting them

with the Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Medal. The Volunteer Medal was an

opportunity to recognize people for their generosity, sense of caring and

community spirit.

Pride of Place

This was the year that our writers, our film makers and our actors brought

our world to millions of people. A world with a richness in culture and heritage

that is unparalleled. How could we ever forget the image created by Bernice

Morgan of Mary Bundle, a determined, hard-working, weathered woman, as the

entire nation became entranced by the sometimes cruel but binding life of the

people of Cape Random. Or the creative, eccentric Phonse, played by our own Andy

Jones, in the comedy hit Rare Birds . Or the witty, insightful reporter in

The Shipping News as played by our beloved Gordon Pinsent.

These are the characters we know intimately and instinctively. The people we

belong to, the people we have come from. The same people that we see every day

in corner stores, in post offices, on the community wharf and across the fence.

This is indeed a world built on a sense of place and intense pride.

Order of Newfoundland and Labrador

Recognizing outstanding individuals for their talent, vision, unique skills

and noteworthy contributions is something My Government wishes to continue to

do. To this end, we will advance the establishment of the Order of Newfoundland

and Labrador in the coming months. As the first Chancellor of the Order, I will

be meeting in the next few weeks with the members of the Advisory Council

leading to the nomination process and eventual selection of the first citizens

to receive the Order.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

An Open Government

One year ago My Government set out a bold and ambitious work plan to affirm

public confidence as it completes the mandate given in the general election of

My Government is committed to opening this government to the people of the

Province. All Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve to know what their

government stands for, what it intends to do and how it will do it. The

initiatives which My Government has pursued with intent and focus have had a

positive impact on the people of the Province. In the past year, My Government

has demonstrated that it is willing to be innovative and bold by making, and

delivering on, commitments that challenge the status quo.

Accountability through Change and Openness

Building from recommendations developed by an independent review panel, a new

Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was passed. The new Act

replaces legislation that was over twenty years old. It ensures clarity and

relevance in this new age of information, and is part of My Government's

commitment to a greater level of openness and accountability. The priority My

Government has placed on this Bill reflects the hallmark of this Administration.

That hallmark is real accountability. Ensuring real accountability to the people

of this Province is the foundation from which My Government intends to act in

all areas.

My Government believes that the people of this Province have the right to

view reports and studies commissioned by government, and to form their own views

on government action on the basis of the advice it receives. To this end, My

Government has adopted a policy of openness, of publicly releasing reports and

studies once they are received. My Government believes that, given access to the

same information, the majority of fair-minded people would reach the same

conclusions as the government. In the last sitting of the House, My Government

amended the House of Assembly Act to ensure that all reports required to be

tabled in the House of Assembly, including the Report of the Auditor General,

are released as soon as they are received, whether or not this House is in

session.

A further, important change towards real accountability was made with My

Government's decision to create a Citizens' Representative for the Province.

The Citizens' Representative, Mr. Fraser March, was appointed in December past

and began work on February first of this year. We now have in this Province an

individual, empowered by the people's House of Assembly, whose mandate is to

My Government has also established legislation on a new Child and Youth

Advocate to advance issues on behalf of children and youth in this Province. The

new Advocate will be in place in the near future. My Government believes that

this legislation will position Newfoundland and Labrador as one of the leaders

in child and youth advocacy in Canada.

Another important change My Government has made to ensure real accountability

was to televise the activities of this House of Assembly. People in over 126,000

households in every part of this Province are able to watch and listen to this

speech in the comfort of their own homes. Televising the House has been a

critical measure in ensuring that the people of this Province can witness,

first-hand, the deliberations which take place in this Chamber and democracy in

action.

Overall, these initiatives represent tangible and significant change in how

the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is more open and accountable to the

people of the Province.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Other Legislative Achievements

In the past year, My Government has demonstrated its action-oriented focus

through its sound legislative agenda. In the past year, sixty pieces of

legislation have been approved by this House, many of them groundbreaking.

In addition to bringing legislative life to its accountability agenda, My

Government has put forward several other pieces of legislation which have been

passed by the House of Assembly, including a new Endangered Species Act which

will help further protect wildlife in the Province; changes to the Economic

Diversification and Growth Enterprises Act, to further stimulate growth in the

Province's economy; changes to the Labour Standards Act, which will increase

the minimum wage and improve labour relations in the Province; and changes to

the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act, to ensure that provincial regulations

governing oil and gas development are consistent and fair to the Province and to

industry.

A Year of Accomplishments

My Government's record of accomplishments in the past year sets the pace

for another year of aggressive action. On the economic front, My Government

released the final report on the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth, attracted

new call centres to St. John's, Corner Brook, Carbonear and Grand

Falls-Windsor, signed a 130 megawatt recall contract with Hydro-Quebec,

increased the tax-free threshold on payroll tax to $500,000 and was recognized

with two prestigious international awards for tourism marketing. On the social

side of the ledger, My Government reduced tuition at Memorial University by 10

per cent, increased salaries for home support workers, renewed its emphasis on

literacy, made provision for support trusts for adult disabled persons to be

established by their families and created a provincial Youth Advisory Committee.

These are just some of the significant achievements from the past year.

Petroleum Products Pricing Commissioner

My Government also delivered on its commitment to regulate petroleum prices

by creating the Office of the Petroleum Products Pricing Commissioner, and hired

Mr. George Saunders to fulfil this role. Through this Office, My Government has

ensured that petroleum prices are set in a rational and fair manner, bringing

stability in pricing to consumers.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Strategic Action Plan

In the past year, My government has seen a change in leadership, a change

towards action and a change in delivering results to the people of Newfoundland

and Labrador. Leadership carries with it the challenge of managing change. My

Government believes that in this day and age our people demand a government that

is an agent of change, a government that is adaptable, flexible and responsive,

a government that listens and is quick to respond and take action.

My Government believes that actions speak louder than words. While we have

accomplished a great deal in the past year, there is much more to be done. The

right choices must be made if Newfoundland and Labrador is to prosper. My

Government, working with and for the people of this great Province, will

continue to set a bold agenda and attack it with vigour, with confidence and

with determination. My Government has a firm plan of action for the future.

Openness and Accountability

First and foremost, My Government is, and will remain, open and accountable

to the people. We shall continue to consult widely on priority matters and will

debate issues openly to inspire creative thinking and new approaches, not only

from Members of this hon. House, but from among our broad population.

Annual Reports

My Government has a formalized planning process in place which requires

departments to develop strategic plans which clarify their mandates, establish

their mission, set goals and identify strategic priorities. For Crown boards,

agencies and commissions, two documents have been issues: Achieving

Excellence 2000 - A Guidebook for Improved Accountability of Public Bodies

and Achieving Excellence 2000 - A Handbook for Improved Governance of

Public Bodies . These public body accountability framework documents are

another important step in My Government's efforts to implement effective and

up to date accountability measures throughout the public sector.

Building on these measures, and on the broad range of actions My Government

has already undertaken to ensure real openness and accountability, all

departments and agencies will be required to publish annual reports in 2003.

Through these reports, people may judge the effectiveness of My Government in

delivering programs and services that meet the needs of the people.

Strategic Social Plan and Social Audit

My Government has outlined a vision for Newfoundland and Labrador through its

Strategic Social Plan. It is a vision that encourages government, regions and

communities to work in partnership to improve long-term opportunities for people

and identify regional solutions to regional issues. Today, across the Province,

regional committees are working together to make a difference. They are

supporting partnerships that, for example, bring early childhood development

opportunities such as family resource programs to rural areas, build community

leadership through volunteer development, identify and promote career

opportunities for youth in their local regions and promote recreation as a way

to build stronger communities. There is an excitement and a vibrance as this

plan makes a real difference in the lives of our people.

My Government is moving forward with its social progress and audit report.

The report will begin to measure our social progress, and reflects My Government's

commitment to openness and accountability. Newfoundland and Labrador has been

recognized both in Canada and abroad for the ingenuity of its Strategic Social

Plan. My Government's willingness to work in a different way positions

Newfoundland and Labrador as a leader in social development.

Sustaining Rural Newfoundland and Labrador

The strength of rural Newfoundland and Labrador is critical to our growth,

sustainability and lifestyle. My Government understands that some regions of the

Province have not shared equally in our growth and prosperity. My Government

will continue to support economic development in rural Newfoundland and Labrador

through the twenty Regional Economic Development Boards and other community

economic development organizations throughout the Province. My Government

recognizes that the opportunities and challenges facing one region of the

Province, such as the Northern Peninsula, are different from those in other

regions, such as the South Coast or Labrador. My Government intends to take a

flexible approach to building stronger communities and stronger regions.

Last fall's Rural EXPO 2001, the first of its kind, was designed to

showcase and promote economic opportunities and business and community economic

development accomplishments in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. My Government

took the opportunity at Rural EXPO 2001 to present the first Community Economic

Development Awards to individuals and groups in recognition of the valuable role

they play in economic development at the community level.

Wilf Sutton and Tom Sutton were selected for the Outstanding Individual

Achievement Award. These men were instrumental in developing a strategic plan

for their hometown of Trepassey. Michelle Snow, who won the Excellence in Youth

Leadership Award, is an enthusiastic mentor and role model for youth in the

Province. The Random North Development Association, winner of the Innovation in

Education Award, has been a driving force in the field of literacy, particularly

in bridging the gap from education to employment for individuals who need

assistance in upgrading their literacy skills to participate fully in the

workforce. These and the other award winners have reason to take pride in their

accomplishments.

My Government will continue to support the Regional Economic Development

Boards as agents of economic progress and change. My Government is also

committed to establishing an agricultural land enhancement fund to further

expedite growth in the agriculture sector, particularly in the dairy industry,

and My Government will seek matching funds from the federal government to

supplement this initiative.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Fostering Partnerships for Growth

Economic opportunity can best be built through the collective commitment of

all members of society. Alliances of the many faces which make up our economic

and social base are not only useful, but critical.

That is why My Government recently established a Strategic Partnership

Initiative among government, business and labour to foster a new collaborative,

consensus-building approach to advancing the socio-economic interests of our

Province. This partnership is important in advancing My Government's overall

economic agenda as set out in the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth, and will

help business, labour and government work more effectively together to meet the

Province's economic challenges and capture opportunities at a strategic,

Province-wide level. There is real power when people work together on common

shared goals to advance a collective agenda, rather than fostering on issues

that divide them.

The core of this new initiative is a Strategic Partnership Forum held among

the three groups and chaired by the Premier. A highly successful first session

of the Forum was held on March 8, 2002 building on significant work that has

been ongoing for some time on this front. My Government will work diligently

with our labour and business partners to identify and address key challenges and

opportunities which will benefit from a collective tripartite approach.

Partnership with Aboriginal Peoples

My Government is committed to working with the federal government to resolve

issues of concern to our Aboriginal peoples. The social pressures and problems

of substance abuse which plague many Aboriginal communities are a tragedy that

cannot be ignored. My Government pledges to work in partnership with Aboriginal

peoples, and in collaboration with the federal government, to empower and assist

them in overcoming their tremendous challenges.

In the coming year, My Government will continue to negotiate with the

Labrador Inuit Association and the Innu Nation on their respective land claims.

My Government intends to sign the first self-government and land claims

agreement in this Province, which will be a watershed event in our history,

because this the right thing to do and will be good for all of the Province.

Improving Transportation Infrastructure

My Government has sought commitments from the federal government to improve

the Province's transportation infrastructure including a proposal to the

federal government for additional funding for the Province's highways. Of

particular significance, and in keeping with the aspirations of the people of

Labrador and commitments to the region, My Government will ensure the completion

of the Trans-Labrador Highway. My Government expects the federal government to

increase funding to address the poor condition of its federal wharves and

harbours in this Province. My Government will also be initiating a new vessel

replacement and refurbishment program on a cost-effective basis to address the

needs of our ferry operations.

Air access is a nationally debated issue in which the Province has great

interest. My Government has established a Cabinet Committee on Air Policy to

provide advice on commercial air presence and air access to and from various

parts of the Province. My Government believes that decisive national action is

needed to improve the quality of air service and ensure reasonable rates. My

Government will demand action from the federal government to address air access

issues in this Province.

Equalization Program Reform

My Government is a strong supporter of the principle of equalization but is

concerned about whether the present program will serve our Province well in the

future. My Government believes that we must reject any vision of Canada that

accepts "have not" status for some provinces as a natural order of

things. My Government will fight to achieve Equalization Program reform so that

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can receive their fair share from

Confederation, particularly on natural resource revenues.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly

Health Care

Newfoundland and Labrador place high value on their health and well-being.

This is why My Government is commited to ensuring that people have timely access

to quality health care services. It is about making the right choices so that we

have the right people, in the right place, at the right time so that the health

care system can respond effectively to the needs of our citizens. Last fall My

Government held a series of regional health forums across the Province. The

input which people provided will enable My Government to shape the principles

which will guide health care decision-making in the future.

Strategic Health Plan

In the coming months, My Government will release a new Strategic Health Plan

for Newfoundland and Labrador. This Plan will outline priorities for action,

strategic objectives and specific performance targets. The Plan will be built

around three goals which address: the health status of the population; the

the participation of individuals, families and communities in their own health

and well-being.

Wellness

My Government believes that we need to stop waiting until people get sick and

start focusing more on helping them to stay healthy in the first place. My

Government will continue to provide information to, and opportunities for,

citizens of the Province to enable them to choose healthier lifestyles,

including increased physical activity, better nutrition and reduced levels of

smoking.

Teen Smoking

My Government has taken a proactive role in promoting non-smoking behaviours.

It has strengthened anti-tobacco legislation by restricting the sale of tobacco

products to minors. On January 1, 2002, Newfoundland and Labrador became the

first Province in Canada to prohibit smoking in food establishments and other

public places frequented by children.

But more needs to be done to combat smoking by teens. And My Government will

do more to ensure that young people commit their lives to productive and healthy

endeavours rather than to smoking. My Government will continue to support the

Alliance for Control of Tobacco and work closely with its Teen Tobacco Team to

identify and act on the best approaches to getting the stop smoking message to

our youth. My Government is committed to making a difference and to achieving

results. After all, those who will hold our future will need strong lungs for

their voices to be heard.

Health Charter

My Government is making a commitment today to every citizen of the Province

to develop a Health Charter. This Charter will provide clear commitments to

understanding of the importance of a person's own responsibility in achieving

optimal health. This Health Carter will be developed by My Government with input

from the public and from health sector stakeholders.

Sustainability - A Continuing Priority

The cost of providing health care continues to place significant pressure on

public finances. My Government believes that health services must be financially

sustainable over the long term so that people can continue to have access to

quality health care. An ongoing commitment to efficiency and innovation is

necessary in the delivery of health services to ensure that human and financial

resources are always applied to the areas of greatest need. My Government will

work with health boards to ensure our health system operates on a sustainable

basis.

Need for Further Federal Funding

My Government will continue to press the federal government to live up to its

commitments in funding health care. My Government calls for effective federal

leadership in this area and a meaningful partnership among all governments to

ensure that Medicare remains a viable and cost-effective program.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly

Children and Youth

My Government believes in the value of investing in children. My Government

recognizes the importance of the early years and the valuable and crucial role

families and communities play in supporting children. My Government also

understands the importance of helping young people make a successful transition

to adulthood. It is indeed a fact that the children of today will be the leaders

of tomorrow.

Early Childhood Development

This past year, My Government announced a five-year Early Childhood

Development initiative. The Province's program, Stepping into the Future, has

been designed to specifically meet the needs of Newfoundland and Labrador, and

was developed in consultation with early childhood development stakeholders.

As with other areas of public policy, My Government intends to be accountable

to the public for its investment in this area. Work has begun on a framework for

the development of comparable indicators. My Government will report the results

of its investments to the public on a regular basis.

Education

Education continues to be a major priority for My Government. An integrated

approach to improving literacy has been developed, including a comprehensive

testing program to identify and diagnose reading difficulties and the allocation

of reading specialists for every school board.

My Government has moved quickly to implement the recommendations of the

Ministerial Panel Report on Education Delivery in the Classroom. All of the

eighty-six recommendations have been, or are in the process of being,

implemented. My Government will complete the implementation of the report's

recommendations in the coming year, especially those that refer to increasing

instructional time for students to improve student achievement.

My Government will increase online learning opportunities available for

students, with special emphasis on students in rural and isolated parts of the

Province. These opportunities, delivered through new Internet-based technology,

will provide students with the tools they need to succeed.

Student Aid

My Government recognizes the debt which students, particularly those from

rural areas, acquire through the financing of their post-secondary education

must be better managed through the combined efforts of government, students and

institutions. To this end, My Government will work with students on making

tuition more affordable and helping them obtain meaningful work experience in

career-related fields. My Government will also work with Memorial University,

the College of the North Atlantic and other institutions to give students more

recognition for prior learning and to increase credit transfer options. My

Government soon will be announcing a new Student Loans Program which will

improve existing debt reduction measures, reduce loan defaults and help address

student debt accumulation.

Violence Prevention Initiative

Through continuation of the Violence Prevention Initiative, which commenced

in 2000, My Government reaffirms its commitment to improving programs and

policies for women, children, the elderly and other groups of individuals

vulnerable to violence. The partners in this initiative include the community,

at the regional and provincial levels, and several government departments and

agencies.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

The Economy

Economic strength and quality of life are inextricably linked. Only a strong

economy can provide the means to support vital services such as accessible

health care and quality education. Only a strong economy supports assistance for

children, the elderly and the most vulnerable in our society.

As we move forward, it is clear that a new and changing Newfoundland and

Labrador is emerging. It is a Newfoundland and Labrador of enterprising,

educated and self-reliant people. It is a Newfoundland and Labrador that is

working together to create a competitive economy and a balanced social agenda.

It is a Province made up of people confident in their future.

My Government's Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth is working. It is an

action-oriented agenda with over 130 specific priorities for action. And fully

two-thirds of the priorities for action focus on the challenges confronting

rural Newfoundland and Labrador - making it a strong rural agenda as well.

Our economy has been growing. It has become much more diversified. Employment

is the most important indicator of a healthy economy. Employment is increasing

and reached an all-time historic high of 211,300 in 2001. Newfoundland and

Labrador has led or has been among the leading Provinces in economic growth and

new employment creation for the past four years. Of the 24,000 jobs created

since 1996, two-thirds have been created outside the North East Avalon region,

showing continued strengthening of our rural economy. The trend line for all

major economic indicators is projected to move in the right direction in the

years ahead.

But more needs to be done and more will be done. We need to bring the

unemployment rate down even further. We need to ensure that all regions of our

Province share in the ongoing economic recovery.

Investment Prospecting

In the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth, My Government committed to

develop an enhanced and focused investment prospecting effort to capture growing

national and international investor interest in our Province. My Government will

work in partnership with the private sector to develop the right tools and

incentives to be a truly competitive force in the marketplace. My Government

intends to outline a new and refocused investment prospecting strategy to

enhance our investment attraction efforts for the Province. My Government

remains steadfast in its commitment to make the right decisions to ensure that

Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be the right place for business.

Rediscovering Our Offshore

Petroleum developments will continue to drive our economy well into the

future. The hard work and investments of the past have yielded two producing

fields - Hibernia and Terra Nova - and a strong local industry. White Rose has

been given regulatory approval to proceed and now awaits a decision by the

project proponents. We must now focus on discovering new resources to fuel the

next generation of developments. New fields await discovery in relatively

unexplored areas of our offshore. The Jeanne d'Arc Basin defines our industry

today. New areas, such as the Flemish Pass and South Whale Basin, will be our

tomorrow. Already we are seeing industry move in this direction.

We are now on the verge of opening up vast areas of our offshore to

exploration. In a matter of weeks, a federal tribunal will determine a line to

separate the offshore areas of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. No

matter where that line may fall, it will be good news for both provinces.

Jurisdictional certainty will lead to exploration, discovery and development.

My Government is committed to working with industry to encourage increased

and aggressive exploration of our offshore. That means taking steps to improve

our competitive position world-wide, increasing regulatory efficiency and

heightening promotional efforts. My Government will work hard to secure the

future growth of this industry and our Province.

Forum on the Offshore

My Government is committed to a strategic focus in developing the offshore

industry, particularly with respect to the natural gas industry. My Government

will hold a Forum on the Offshore involving government, industry and labour, and

other important stakeholders. The Forum will provide guidance to My Government

on the potential to expedite natural gas development for the benefit of the

people of the Province.

Major Projects

Major projects such as Voisey's Bay and the Lower Churchill development can

generate significant employment and economic activity for Labrador as well as

other parts of the Province. My Government will continue to pursue major

projects that maximize economic benefits and opportunities in Newfoundland and

Labrador. That is My Government's mandate from the people of the Province.

Small Business

My Government also recognizes that a balance needs to be struck between

larger scale development projects and the need to foster the growth of small

enterprises in all areas of the Province. My Government committed in its Renewal

Strategy for Jobs and Growth to give greater priority and emphasis to small

business development and has implemented a number of new initiatives in recent

years to stimulate this important part of our economy. A Small Business Advisory

Council will be established to accelerate this effort and provide ongoing advice

and support to My Government in this area.

Coordinated Approach to Address Foreign Overfishing

The fishery has been the backbone of our economy for centuries and it will be

a central part of our future. Although the fishing industry has undergone

significant structural change in the last decade, some of the communities have

yet to recover from the collapse of groundfish resources. One of the key

challenges the industry is now facing is the return of foreign overfishing on

the Grand Banks, which will compromise the recovery of several key groundfish

stocks. My Government will work with the industry and the union to develop a

and is successful, in convincing foreign countries to adhere to strict

conservation practices.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

The Environment

My Government recognizes the links between the quality of our environment,

the strength of our economy and the health of our people.

Natural Heritage Stewardship

The rugged beauty and wildlife diversity of our Province have sustained our

unique culture for centuries, fostering in our people an intense love for and

interest in the outdoors. To this day, our people rely heavily on the wildlife

on our land, and the fish in our waters, and new generations stand ready to

pursue these traditions of their ancestors. Demonstrating and facilitating

leadership in this area is of paramount importance to My Government.

We must not take our natural heritage, nor our vibrant traditions that are

centered upon it, for granted. We must act prudently, but decisively, in

striking a balance between development and environmental protection. In this

regard, My Government is determined to act to ensure that the Province's

natural heritage wealth is not squandered, but managed for generations to come.

In keeping with this approach, My Government has established a Ministerial

Council on the Use of Outdoor Resources and, in the coming year, My Government

intends to dedicate substantive resources towards improved wildlife science. My

Government will establish at Memorial University a new Institute for

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Science, an innovative partnering arrangement that

will coordinate opportunities and activities associated with natural science,

research and development. My Government will also continue to press the federal

government to live up to its responsibility for inland fisheries management and

enhancement.

Safe Drinking Water

My Government will continue to implement its action plan to improve drinking

water quality. It will increase the number of inspectors. It will increase the

frequency of water testing. It will continue to provide funding to

municipalities to install or upgrade chlorination equipment and provide

appropriate training for municipal operators. And My Government will keep the

public informed of the results of its testing program, consistent with its

openness and accountability agenda.

Solid Waste Management

In last year's Throne Speech, My Government articulated its intention to

develop a long-range strategy to address waste management and to seek the views

of individuals, communities and other interested parties on that strategy.

Extensive consultations occurred last summer and fall and a final report, A Call

to Action on Environmental Protection, which provided recommendations for

government on how to proceed with modern waste management, was publicly

released.

The people of the Province have told us that we must improve our waste

management practices. Citizens have also told us that waste management is the

collective responsibility of individuals, communities, businesses, industries,

and government. My Government will be outlining a multi-year, province-wide

waste management strategy with the overall objective being to divert 50 per cent

of the materials currently going to disposal by the year 2010, and to phase out

the use of existing incinerators with the implementation of modern waste

management systems.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Looking to the Future

In the past decade, My Government has had to face many challenges. In the

early 1900s, our people understood hardship first-hand as the groundfishery

collapsed and governments reined in spending. My Government met those challenges

head-on, and with its new leadership will emerge from the lingering doubts these

challenges created.

This Province is at a point where its people are able to reach out to the

future and touch opportunity with their collective fingertips. Through its

action agenda, My Government will support the people of the Province in

extending their reach and grasping future opportunities, many of which are based

in Labrador, in a manner which is unparalleled.

With this decade serving as a fresh beginning, we are able to stand proudly

with a bright future ahead of us. My Government will commit it energies to help

each Newfoundlander and Labradorian boldly step forward with a confidence that

demonstrates our true capacity for excellence around the world. The people of

the Province can look forward to the next decade, knowing that it will belong to

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Securing our Place for the Future

My Government has built its record to date on positive change, and it will

continue to provide concrete results in the future. Today, My Government has set

out its agenda for the coming year. It is bold. It is ambitious. It is also one

against which the people of the Province can judge us. Today is also an

appropriate time to reflect on how our Province has changed in the five decades

since Confederation.

Newfoundland and Labrador's entry into Canada in 1949 was an extraordinary

event. Few would disagree that much has changed in the Province since

Confederation. We are a more educated people. Our demographic profile has

changed dramatically. The fishery today bears no similarity to the fishery of

fifty years ago. We have become more diverse and, because of our willingness to

embrace advances in information technology, we are no longer constrained by

geography. Our youth are global in their thinking and their views. For them, the

Internet has all but eliminated borders and cultural differences.

The international achievements of the College of the North Atlantic, and

indeed the reference to "the North Atlantic", demonstrates how we see

ourselves in a globalized world. The ten-year, $500 million contract which the

College signed with the State of Qatar illustrates the types of opportunities

available to Newfoundland and Labrador in the global economy.

For the past ten years, My Government has laid the groundwork for government

to move forward with its people. Education reform, sound fiscal management and

social and economic planning initiatives have prepared government to manage for

the future. It is timely for us to reflect, and to look at ourselves and the

goals we share for our society.

Royal Commission

To this end, My Government will establish a Royal Commission on Renewing and

Strengthening Our Place in Canada.

The Commission's mandate will be to involve the people of the Province in

seeking a broad consensus on a vision to position ourselves in the global

community, to renew our relationship with Canada, to complete a critical

analysis of our strengths and weaknesses and to provide direction for the decade

to come. It will address, among other things, who we were when we joined Canada

in 1949, how we have changed over the past five decades, our relationship with

other governments, our contribution as a society and where we see ourselves in

the future. The Commission will have a broad mandate to undertake necessary

research and conduct public consultations in the Province. Further details

regarding the Royal Commission and its Terms of Reference will be announced in

the near future.

We are at a crossroads. A review of where we have come from and our present

circumstances will help us create the future that we as a people want and

deserve.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Our future is bright and full of promise. We can take pride in our

accomplishments but we shall not rest on them. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

know where My Government is heading. They know its priorities. They know that it

has made, and will continue to make, the right choices.

There is no doubt that Newfoundland and Labrador's best days lie ahead. My

Government will remain focused in order to meet the high expectations we have of

ourselves, and our people have of their government.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Estimates of Expenditures will be laid before you in due course and you will

be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty. I invoke God's blessing upon you as

you commence your labours in this Fourth Session of the Forty-Fourth General

Assembly. May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor and the Vice-Regal party leave the

Chamber.

Mr. Speaker returns to the Chair.

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

MR. LUSH: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I shall on tomorrow ask leave

to introduce a bill entitled, "An Act Respecting Environmental

Protection," Bill 1.

Motion, the hon the Government House Leader to introduce a bill, "An Act

Respecting Environmental Protection," carried. (Bill 1)

On motion, Bill 1 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: His Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to make

a Speech to the Members of the General Assembly and we will now take a few

minutes to have the Speech distributed to all members of the House.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Mr. Speaker and hon. members of this House, it is with great pleasure that I

rise in response to the Speech from his Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

Mr. Speaker, as the Lieutenant Governor said in the Speech from the Throne,

this was the first time that a Speech from the Throne had been televised in this

Province. This is a major change from the past, and it is part of government's

overall approach to openness and accountability.

In the coming months we will be dealing with many of the matters raised in

the Throne Speech. People will have an opportunity to view their elected

representatives in action, and to examine what they are saying on the issues

that face Newfoundland and Labrador. The viewers will see a government taking on

issues and finding the best solutions for this Province.

My Speaker, his Honour mentioned the pride of place the people of this

Province have. This is certainly true in the historic District of Port de Grave,

which I am honoured to represent. This pride of place is evident in the many

people I meet as I attend events in the district. I am often moved by the

commitment which they have to their community and to the whole Province. It is

something which I think few other places in the world can match. We are unique

in many ways and we should value our cultures, our heritage, our lifestyle. We

have a lot to be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, pride of place and a recognition of the uniqueness of our

Province can also provide some guiding principles for the way we govern

ourselves. Last session, people saw a government that was willing to find

solutions that work for this Province on many issues. The establishment of the

Petroleum Products Pricing Commissioner is an example that we should not be

afraid to break from common practice in other provinces. Before the Commissioner

was put in place, many said it would not work and pointed out that other

jurisdictions did not have such regulations in place. If we look back over the

past year, it is now evident that it does work here in this Province.

While we support a free enterprise system, we must not be afraid to regulate

in a way to suit our own unique situation. This does not just hold true for gas

price regulations. It has been our approach with the FPI situation as well.

Mr. Speaker, we do not need editorial writers from national media telling us

we have to apply some kind of cookie cutter or one-size-fits-all capitalist

model to our situation. We are intelligent enough to develop our own plans. We

can do without these editorial writers. They know very little about us and seem

to care even less about the situation faced by the people of this Province.

Mr. Speaker, we have many opportunities for growth. We are open and

encouraging to those who want to do business in Newfoundland and Labrador, but

we should never be afraid to find our own way of doing things. We should be

assertive in the fact that we are a hard-working people and that our concerns

need more attention from other parts of Canada. We must be assertive in placing

our issues on a national agenda. From the Throne Speech, I just want to point

out two issues which I feel are vital to the future of this Province, where we

need to change and approach at the national level.

I am pleased to hear mention that government will work with other groups to

stop overfishing off our Coast. The Private Member's Motion that I sponsored

last Wednesday was on this very issue. During that debate, we all agreed that

Canada had to take bold action to solve this problem; but, Mr. Speaker, I sense

a feeling that we are just going through the motions.

There was very little media attention to the debate. Some of the longer

serving members of this hon. House made the point that what we were doing had

been done before, with no action to follow. Mr. Speaker, that may have been the

case, but it is more important today than any time in our history that we

refocus our attention on this issue. It is important that we strengthen our

resolve to see this issue to its proper conclusion. I am pleased to see our

government committing itself in the Throne Speech to change on this issue. This

issue is very important for my district to remain a viable area such as it is

today.

Mr. Speaker, there is another issue which is vital to our Province's

future, which was mentioned in the Throne Speech: The government's effort to

obtain a fairer arrangement on equalization payments and resource revenues from

the federal government. I think this is the most important issue facing our

Province today, and I also think it should be a major issue for all Canadians.

Canada is a country that was established and built on the principle that all

citizens, no matter which province they live in, should have a right to similar

services and opportunities. In fact, this principle is placed right in the

Constitution of this country. It is part of what we stand for as a nation. It is

part of what makes Canada the best country in the world. However, it saddens me

when I realize that this vision of our country is not yet a reality. The fact is

that successive federal governments have not kept its constitutional commitment.

In fact, we are slipping further away from this objective, one of our founding

principles.

It is clear that the current system is not working for Newfoundland and

Labrador and, as a Province, we seem trapped in a situation where we will always

be on the brink of financial disaster as we work to provide services for the

people of this Province. We are trapped in a cycle of dependency. This situation

is unacceptable to me, and I am pleased that the current government of this

Province is committing to having it changed.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: We have the potential to be a stronger Province, and we have

the potential to help make Canada even a stronger nation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: It is time, Mr. Speaker, for us, as a country, to reestablish

the basic principles that this country was founded on. As I said at the

beginning, this issue is vital to our future.

We are entering a period of resource development in this Province which may

be the last chance we have had in a long time to break the cycle of dependency,

but we will not break that cycle of dependency unless there are changes at the

federal level. Unless there is a new approach, the way things are now most of

the benefits from our new resource development goes to the federal government

rather than this Province. The way things are now we have no way of getting

ahead. There is no way out of the cycle with the current system, and that is why

it has to be changed.

I am pleased that Premier Grimes and the government have decided to make this

a very important cause. We have to change attitudes all across this country.

Yes, we even have to make changes with attitudes here in Newfoundland and

Labrador. We have to start speaking out and convincing all Canadians that things

have to change. If we succeed, Newfoundland and Labrador will be a better place,

and also Canada will be a better country. Yes, Mr. Speaker, the people of my

district will continue to work with this government to see that our tremendous

growth continues.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we will have a Royal Commission to look at

renewing and strengthening our place in Canada.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: I think such a commission will bring focus to important

issues which face us, as a Province, as we embark on the beginning of the

twenty-first Century, issues like management of the fishery resources off our

coast and equalization that is so important to this Province.

In conclusion, I would like to thank His Honour for his attendance here today

and I move that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply to

the Speech from the Throne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to stand here today

to accept a motion put forward by my colleague, the Member for Port de Grave. It

is also a pleasure for me to stand today as the Member for the riding of Torngat

Mountains representing the small communities in Northern Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, I listened with emotion and great pride as His Honour, in his

Speech from the Throne, talked about the important role that Labrador will play

in the future of this Province.

I stood on opening day of the last session in this House and spoke of how

proud I was to see the name of the Province changed from Newfoundland, to

Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, at 5:00 this morning, as I boarded the Air

Labrador flight to fly back to St. John's, traces of dawn broke in the eastern

sky. I watched twenty minutes later as the golden Labrador sun rose in all its

glory and cast a glow over the big land known as Labrador. As the aircraft

gained altitude and flew over the vast land, I could not help but realize the

words of the late Harry Paddon when he wrote in his song of the Ode to Labrador,

"Thy proud resources waiting still, Their splendid task will soon

fulfill...".

Mr. Speaker, Labrador will play a key role in the future of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, the Province, Canada, and many times the

world, see the severe problems that the Aboriginal communities face in Northern

Labrador. There are times when we slipped, there are times when we stumbled, but

we always managed to gain both hands on the wheel and steady the course for our

children and their future, and a brighter future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, this government has brought many changes to

the North Coast of Labrador; new roads, new schools, better housing, better

employment opportunities. As we talk of the development of Voisey's Bay and

the Lower Churchill, and to see the potential of large quantities of natural gas

off the Coast of Labrador, we realize the important role that Labradorians will

play in the future of this Province.

No greater commitment can be given to the people in Labrador than the

commitment made by this government last year: the development of a new

department, the Department of Labrador & Aboriginal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, spearheaded by an Aboriginal, my colleague,

the Member for Lake Melville.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ANDERSEN: Also, for the role that I was asked to play as

Parliamentary Secretary for Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs. Mr. Speaker, no

doubt that this office, with its head office in Goose Bay, and staff will play a

key role for the people in Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, we have reached an agreement in principle with the Labrador

Inuit Association, which brings them closer to a land claims deal. We have seen

the process of fast track negotiations introduced and accepted by the Innu

Nation. This Province has made a commitment to do everything that the Province

is responsible for to work side by side with the Metis nation as they strive to

move ahead in their goals.

Access North 2002, are celebrations based on Labrador this coming year. I

invite every person in this Province to come to the big land and see our beauty

and our wealth. While we are in the process of developing our tourism industry

in Northern Labrador, I want to congratulate the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse

au Clair who so often brags of what their role has brought to her communities,

and how it brought her communities together in fellowship and improved with

better employment.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I want to congratulate the Member for Port de Grave

on his words of wisdom this afternoon. It certainly is an honour for me to stand

and second his motion.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I must say it is indeed an honour for me to be here today as Leader of the

Opposition. I thank the people of Humber West, some of whom are in the gallery

this afternoon, for granting me this honour. I am also very proud to be part of

this day and this Throne Speech under the new name of our Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador. Just the ceremony itself, I must say, is

overwhelming, to be quite frank. I sat here and thought of what Abby might say,

my granddaughter, and Abby would have said: It is awesome, Poppy. I think that

is probably the best way to describe the setting here today.

On behalf of myself and the members of the Opposition, I would like to

express gratitude to their Honours, Lieutenant-Governor Max House and Mrs.

House, for the delivery of the Throne Speech today setting up the government

agenda for the year.

As well, on a personal note, Governor House and Mrs. House were neighbours of

myself, Maureen, and the family for many years, the most wonderful neighbours

you could possibly ask for. I commend them and thank them for the combination of

dignity, warmth and friendliness they have brought to the office, which I think

has endeared them for everyone (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I would also like to welcome today all the

many visitors that we have here in the gallery, as well as on the floor of the

Legislature. Some of whom have already left: the Hon. Chief Justice, hon. judges

of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, esteemed Heads of State, municipal

leaders, leaders of our police forces, the Armed Forces, distinguished guests,

including today - actually, we have four premiers in the House - the Hon.

Premier Grimes, of course we had Chief Justice Wells, a former Premier, Premier

Tulk and, of course my colleague, Premier Rideout. We certainly acknowledge

their presence today and the major contribution that they have made to this

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, we welcome the people. The

people who are here in the Legislature today, the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador, and the people who have joined us through television today to watch

these proceedings.

Mr. Speaker, today is both a traditional and ceremonial day and not a time

for rigorous or even raucous, partizan, political debate. I will attempt to stay

away from that but if I deviate ever so slightly, forgive me. We will certainly

try to keep things in the proper decorum and keep things under control given the

ceremonial occasion today.

I do not intend to deal specifically with the Throne Speech today, I will

reserve my comments for a later time. In fact, possibly after the Budget on

Thursday because the Budget is really the document and the presentation that

puts the meat on the bones or otherwise exposes the bare bones that are left

afterwards. We will reserve our comments until that time, Mr. Speaker.

What I would like to do today though, I would like to address what I think is

singularly the greatest challenge which faces the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador. That is the challenge of out-migration of our people. Just last week

we received the results of the Census of 1996-2001. The results were not good.

In fact, it was in the hearts and minds, and on the tongues of people all around

the Province; in kitchens, garages, and stores. I do not think people were

surprised by the results but they were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the

results. In those five years 40,000 people have left our Province, and since

1993 over 60,000 people have left our Province. The greatest loss of any

Province in the country. In fact, now our deaths are exceeding our births.

In my own district alone, the City of Corner Brook, it is in excess of 8 per

cent; the loss in that community over the last five years. In Stephenville it is

in excess of 8 per cent. In Deer Lake it is in excess of 8 per cent. Gaskiers

over 21 per cent; Long Harbour 23 per cent; Trepassey, greater than 18 per cent.

It is spread all over our Province, Mr. Speaker. It is spread mainly through

rural Newfoundland and Labrador but the number 40,000, even though it is a big

number, is meaningless unless we put it into prospective. If we woke up tomorrow

morning and all the homes in Corner Brook and all the homes in Mount Pearl were

boarded up, closed and vacated, that is the impact of 40,000 people leaving our

Province. We would be overwhelmed. It would be the greatest social tragedy that

ever struck the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, our Country of Canada.

That is the magnitude of this problem.

As I said before, I was not surprised but I was surprised by the magnitude. I

have had the opportunity, since I entered politics, to tour in detail this

wonderful Province of ours. It really came home to me on the Northern Peninsula

in January of last year. I had the strangest feeling, an eerie feeling, as I

drove through both districts with the now Member for The Straits and the Member

for St. Barbe. I had an eerie feeling of people not being around as we drove

through Eddy's Cove, St. Barbe, Savage Cove and Parsons Pond and St. Pauls and

River of Ponds. What I noticed - a strange feeling - was there were no people

around. There were no people walking the streets. Most importantly, I remember

on one three-day stretch I only seen two children walking the streets in three

days. A very serious and a very troubling sign.

I remember distinctively, two other situations. I went into a seniors' home

in St. Anthony and met a wonderful gentleman - I would suggest probably in his

mid-seventies or early eighties. I detected when I went in, that obviously his

politics were not similar to mine. However, he was very charming and we spent

twenty minutes having an absolutely wonderful conversation. I noticed that the

walls were full of three generations of people; perhaps fifty, sixty or seventy

pictures on the wall of different people. I asked him: Who are these people? Who

are they? Are they your daughters and granddaughters? He said: yes, they are my

sons and daughters, my granddaughters and their children. Three generations on

the wall. I said it must be wonderful. It must be fabulous to have them here in

the community with you, to have all these people around you. He said: they are

all gone, every one of them are gone. This man was alone in St. Anthony. The

godfather of dozens and dozens and generations and generations of people, and

they were all gone.

We stopped at another home. It was a cold winter night I remember, but I

cannot remember the community it was in. We went to a home and a woman answered

the door. We had a wonderful conservation with her, as we had all through the

districts. I asked her just basically about her life and what was going on. She

was there alone. All her children had gone away to the mainland to work and her

husband was gone and returned once a year. Another sad situation. What is

happening, the sadness of this, is that our families are breaking apart. Not

only is there out-migration, but our families are splitting up. That is serious

business because how can we continue as a society if our families are broken up?

That is something we have deal with. That is something we have to address.

Another sign of the times, a sign of the troubled times are our schools. I

attended several schools throughout the Province. Most recently, I attended a

school in Port aux Basques and I attended a school in Placentia. In the school

in Port aux Basques there was a wall of pictures again, happy faces, smiling

faces, proud children who had graduated and felt very good about themselves. As

you started from the late 1980s up to the late 1990s you could see the smiles

continue but the heads diminished and the numbers diminished. By the time you

got to the most recent graduation pictures it was probably less than one-third

of the children that were there before. A troubling sign.

Again, the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's and myself went to Laval

High School and sat down and talked to a Grade IX Social Studies class - Mr.

Russ Pittman's class, if I remember correctly. We had a great chat. We were

there for about half an hour and we talked about various things. I said: How

many of you are going to stay home and how many of you are going to leave? The

ones who were leaving, every hand except two went up in the class. There were

only two out of a class of probably about thirty or more children. Only two were

actually going to stay. I asked: why? They said there is no future, there are no

jobs, there is nothing for us here. Then, after, I said to them, "Okay, if

there are jobs, if there is opportunity, how many of you would stay?" All

of them put up their hands, except two, who would leave. Just the opposite of

the previous situation. The sad thing is that they have given up hope for the

future. The nice thing is that they still love their community, they still love

their Province, and they were prepared to stay if we provided them with

opportunity.

That motivates me, Mr. Speaker. That motivates me. It gives me the strength

and the conviction to try and find solutions. Honourable members opposite, from

time to time, talk about success stories; and there are some wonderful,

wonderful success stories in this Province. One that comes to mind is a

gentleman I met at Heathrow Airport yesterday, Chris Griffiths, one of the

greatest success stories in the Provinces, a young man who has built a

wonderful, wonderful business. He is a credit to the Province. We do hear about

the success stories, and those people are mentors and role models for the rest

of the children and for the young people in this Province.

However, when I hear the Minister of Industry, Trade and - and I did refer to

him as the Minister of Industry, Trade and no Rural Development, and I apologize

to him for that. That was done in debate, and I should have said the Minister of

Industry, Trade and very little Rural Development. Anyway, every time he gets on

his feet, he talks about how wonderful things are. How great he art. In fact, he

talks about the GDP, and how we have the highest GDP in the country in GDP

growth. He talks about the strength of the economy. He talks about how

employment numbers are going up. What does that mean to the ordinary, average

Newfoundlander? I cannot believe that he stands on his feet and talks about how

great things are and how wonderful things are.

I was with the Town Council in Placentia, where they talk about 72 per cent

unemployment. In caucus, just the other day, the Member for Bonavista talked

about a community with over 90-odd per cent unemployment in his community. I

talked to Melita Fillier in Englee, about where she is going to get the next

meal on her table. These are people who do not agree with the hon. minister.

These are people who are living the harsh, stark reality of being out there and

not seeing it happen, and it isn't happening.

We were over on Bell Island just a week-and-a-half ago, a very proud

community, desolate, barren, homes boarded up, probably reduced to about

one-third of the population it was in boom times. It is a sad commentary. The

only new businesses that are opening up are businesses that get liquor licences,

but there is nobody going in there. There is nobody going in to drink. They get

their liquor licences so they can get video lottery licences, so that they can

suck the last few dollars out of the few people who are left in the community.

That is sad.

A lot of our revenues are coming from gambling, from liquor, and from

prohibitive payroll taxes. That is where it is going. It is not a great story.

We have to start realizing what is actually going on out there. We are only

creating minimum wage jobs.

It is time for action, Mr. Speaker. The solutions that are being proposed and

have been proposed over the years simply are not working. We are losing our

people. They are going. They are going, gone. If 40,000 people have left our

Province, there are less people to buy groceries, to buy gas. There are less

people to pay taxes. There are less people to get haircuts. There are less

people to go to the hardware store. The ripple down effect to the economy, all

the way down. It trickles down, right to the bottom. So, the people who provide

these services, then they have to leave, and we would be on a death spiral. That

is what happens. That is the result of all of this. We have to realize that we

have a very, very serious problem. Don't pump us up with all the wonderful

things, the empty rhetoric that is in that Throne Speech, which was really

nothing more than a year in review, which was all it was. A lot of policies that

were there from the Tories over the years. I heard lots of the ones that the

Tories had espoused. That is all that was there. At the end of the day, what is

happening is, our economy is in a downturn.

Look at Ireland. Thirty-five years ago in Ireland, 60,000 people were leaving

annually. They have turned that around. Now, in fact, 20,000 people are coming

into their country annually. They did it! They did it with a plan. They did it

with co-operation, with people working together, understanding what the problem

was.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. WILLIAMS: Absolutely. We have said it for years, but you live in a

fool's paradise. You sit there and you talk about how everything is so

wonderful. Ask the people out there. Ask them. Ask them if they think it is

wonderful. It is not so wonderful.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: The place to start, Mr. Speaker, is with our resources. We

need to start and we need to deal with those who want to exploit our resources.

No more giveaways. Look at our fishery. That is why we were so concerned ten

months ago about the fishery, about FPI, because we saw what was going to

happen. We knew what was going to happen, and we were very concerned about it.

We should be concerned about the fact that most of our processing in the fishery

is done outside our Province. We need to be concerned about adjacency. The

fishery is the lifeline of rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: Oil and gas: Our oil is the greatest contributor to GDP.

What does that mean? It means nothing. They put it on a ship and it leaves

Newfoundland and Labrador. It is not processed here. Nothing happens to it here.

It drives up our GDP number. So what? It comes in, it goes into holding tanks in

Whiffen Head, and then it is shipped out. It is not processed in this Province.

Gone!

The royalties: Where do the royalties go when we finally collect the

royalties? They go to the federal government. Not only do we lose the oil; when

we get a royalty from the oil, the federal government claws that away so we do

not even get the royalties.

We have been suffering in silence. I suppose this government is going to have

a commission. It is about time. It is about time they took on their Liberal

friends in Ottawa.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: The iron ore in Lab City, it left Lab City to go to Quebec.

What happens? Lab City has a population decline of 8.4 per cent. And Voisey's

Bay, which Inco described as the largest cobalt, copper, nickel discovery in the

world. I has an interesting conversation with the councils of Placentia and

Happy Valley-Goose Bay. High unemployment in those communities, 72 per cent in

Placentia, and do you know what those councils said to myself and the member?

They said: We do not want a deal at any cost.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. WILLIAMS: They are not prepared to give it away.

What do you want? That is the question. What does this government want in a

deal? Let me read what this government said in the 1999 Throne Speech. That was

three Premiers ago.

MR. E. BYRNE: They were all there, by the way.

MR. WILLIAMS: They were all ministers at the time.

I quote from the 1999 Throne Speech, "A loud and clear message has been

sent to INCO by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador: there will be no mine

at Voisey's Bay unless the ore is processed in this province. That is the

choice. It is INCO's to make."

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: "My Government's position - the position of the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador - will not waver." That was the

position of Premier Tobin.

MR. E. BYRNE: So they got a mandate.

MR. WILLIAMS: It was a mandate. That was the mandate they got from the

people of this Province.

He wasn't talking weasel words about equivalent ore. He was talking about

the actual ore leaving the Province. That is the commitment that came in the

1999 Throne Speech.

When the ore goes to Sudbury, Newfoundlander and Labradorians are going to

leave this Province and follow.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, my comments are not political. They are quite

sincere.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. WILLIAMS: Honourable members may laugh, because they laugh at the

condition of this Province. They laugh about out-migration. They laugh at 40,000

Newfoundlanders leaving this Province. I cannot laugh at that. I am sorry, I

cannot share your laughter.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: We should not be shipping out raw materials. We should be

taking in raw materials.

Also during my trip to Argentia, I went to Epoch Rock. A wonderful project.

What they are doing is actually taking in raw materials from other countries and

bringing them into our Province, processing them and shipping them out and

making money on them. So they are using our skilled work force, our high-class

technology, and also our strategic location, to take in the raw materials and

then ship them back out at a profit.

I was also at North Atlantic; the same thing. They take raw materials from

outside the Province, bring it into the Province, process it, put our people to

work, and then they ship it back out. Why can't we do that?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: We need a change of attitude. That is what we need in this

Province, and that is my point, Mr. Speaker. We need a winning attitude, to give

those children in Placentia the hope that they deserve.

Your Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada is

something that I have talked about and our caucus, our Party, has talked about

time and time and time again. Jump on the bandwagon. No problem. Anything you do

that can help this Province and help its people, we will support, unequivocally.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: I can tell you what needs to be done with the federal

government. They need to be hit over the head with a mallet. That is what the

federal government needs. That is exactly what they need, because they are

stripping our people of their dignity. They need to understand the difference

between have not and have. The first thing that the commission should recommend

is the erection of a sign at Port aux Basques, that says: We would appreciate,

when you come to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, if you do not

mention the names: Pearson, Trudeau or Chrtien.

Do you know why? Because Pearson stole away the Upper Churchill on us. If

Pearson had given us a corridor, we would not be losing a billion dollars a

year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: The second Prime Minister, Trudeau, what did he do? He did

everything in his power to prevent us from getting benefits from offshore oil

and gas - absolutely everything. He and Marc Lalonde tried to stop us at the

gate, but Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney did not. So that is the second Prime

Minister.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: What does the third Liberal Prime Minister do?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. WILLIAMS: These are serious matters. Excuse me, these are very, very

serious matters.

What has the third Liberal Prime Minister done? Mr. Chrtien? He claws back

our future. He removes our chance to get ahead. He takes our royalties. He will

take 90 per cent from the Inco deal, if a deal is done. That is what he will

take.

That is the contribution that those three Liberal Prime Ministers have given

to this Province. That is the emphasis that Royal Commission should put on those

three (inaudible).

Finally, Mr. Speaker, a final point: I asked Mr. Pittman's class in

Placentia what they expected -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. WILLIAMS: The hon. minister has to be nasty on all occasions. Just

behave yourself, Minister, just until we get to the point. There is no need.

This is a very serious matter.

Mr. Speaker, the final question, the final point which has to be made, is one

that I put to the Grade 9 social studies class in Placentia. I asked them what

they expected of their elected officials. One young woman said, she just wants

politicians to keep their promises because they don't.

There is a big message in that for all us, because that is the impression of

school children in our Province. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that our Party won't

make any financial promises, because we won't. We are not making any

commitments to people on a financial basis. The reason is, we don't know - but

we will have a better idea after Thursday - in what kind of a fiscal mess you

are going to deliver this Province to us at the end of the day.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WILLIAMS: The second promise that we won't make is: We won't

promise to stop out-migration. We can't promise to stop out-migration, but we

will commit to do absolutely everything in our power to prevent it, to reverse

it, and to create meaningful employment for the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

As I have said before as well, Mr. Speaker, we will put politics aside and we

will commit to support anything that is worthwhile, that creates maximum

benefits for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, that your government puts forth.

We will support it unequivocally, and that is our commitment.

The final commitment that we will make is: We will not stand by and allow

this government to give away our resources without a fight from us, and you can

take that to the bank!

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise to take the opportunity to respond to the Speech from the Throne in

the manner that we are accustomed to, to recognize the Gracious Speech from the

Throne from the Lieutenant-Governor, representative of Her Majesty -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: - and to thank His Honour and Her Honour for their years of

service in the Office of Lieutenant-Governor under our Constitution.

It is, as most people know, perhaps the last year and the last Throne Speech

to be read by the Lieutenant-Governor, and I am very pleased to be here and to

participate in the first Speech from the Throne on the occasion of this Province

being officially constitutionally recognized as Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: I want to again acknowledge that this is a ceremonial

occasion and the people who are able to watch this on television did not even

see the whole of the ceremony where there was, prior to the Speech from the

Throne itself, an Honour Guard of representatives from the Canadian Forces and

from our two police forces, the RCMP and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary,

and also the firefighters and Penitentiary Guards, all part of a colorful

ceremony for the opening of the House of Assembly for this session. It is

something that we recognize as part of our Constitution, our guests here

representing the consulates of various countries as well, so it is a very formal

occasion in that sense and we do acknowledge that.

It is also, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the Speech from the Throne, but it

is actually the government's program. It is the government's speech, and it

is the government who, under our Constitution, provides the speech for His

Honour to read, and it is from that speech that we get the message that the

government wants to send about its program, about its vision, and about its

future.

I will get to that in a moment and I will try not to be too partisan in my

remarks, although inevitably, of course, in a political forum that is part of

our role.

I want to say, in following up a little bit on the remarks of the Leader of

the Opposition about out-migration, I share with him the sentiment and the

concern of members of this House, and members of this Province, about

out-migration and the potential damage that it can do to our Province, to our

families and to our future.

In my own family, there are eight children in our family. Four of us live and

work in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and four live and work in

other provinces of Canada. That is the history of many people and many families

in this Province.

I have to say that the sentiment that was repeated back to the House, that

seems to be afoot in certain places in the Province, particularly amongst our

school children - that is where I am most concerned about it - is the notion

that we have an assumption that there is no future and there are no jobs in the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I find that to be something that we - all

of us in this House of Assembly - should do everything we possibly can to turn

around in the minds of young people, old people, and all people in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: This is not to assign credit or blame to any side of the

House. The reality is that there are more people working today in Newfoundland

and Labrador than there have ever been, despite the fact that we have a

reduction in population.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: That is not to credit this government or to blame the

previous government or anybody. It is a fact of life; but, it is something that

everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador should recognize and ensure that, for

those young people who are looking for a future, there is a future for them here

in Newfoundland and Labrador -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: - and it is our job, whoever is in government, whoever is in

this House, to make sure that future is as bright as can be.

I have to recognize as well that the principal cause of the losses over the

last number of years has to be related to the fishery, and the collapse of the

fishery, the cod motorium, and the fallout from that. That is the principal

reason why so many people have left in the last number of years. It was delayed

by the TAGS program, the post-TAGS program, and other efforts to try and

ameliorate the losses, but the fact of the matter is that our principal natural

resource, our reason for existence, our reason for settlement, our reason for

development, first and foremost, the fishery, had a major and significant

collapse, and there had to be a price for that, both in terms of the economy, in

terms of population; and, sadly, we have seen it pay. But what it does do, in

recognizing that, it does tell us one thing and leave us with one sentiment, and

that is that the resources of this Province, whether they be the fishery,

whether they be other renewable resources such as the forestry, such as

hydroelectric development, or whether they be non-renewable resources, that

these are a sacred trust; that everybody in this Legislature who has some

influence on how they are developed, for whose benefit they are developed, and

the manner in which they are developed, has, as a principal guiding light, that

these are a sacred trust for the present and the future of this Province for

generations to come.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARRIS: That explains why, in this House of Assembly, we argue,

debate, and point fingers and blame whenever we feel the need to, as to what is

the nature of that development.

But, as I was listening to the Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, I was

thinking about three years ago when we got an election and, not this government,

the members of this government, were elected under a new Premier, and the

principal issue - in fact, the Premier of the day wanted to make it the only

issue in the election - was: which person, or which party, or which individual,

will sit down and negotiate a Voisey's Bay deal and a Churchill Fall's deal.

That was what was attempted, to make the only issue and the principal issue of

the election the contest of which of three leaders will be the one that the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador want to sit down and negotiate these deals.

What do we see in the Speech from the Throne three years later? Two

sentences? Two sentences. The first one mentions the two deals, the two

undertakings or potential undertakings. The second sentence says: We will

continue to pursue.

That is it, three years later. In that three years, we saw a shrimp

allocation to Prince Edward Island, of 1,500 tons. Not to Prince Edward Island.

Not even to the fishermen or the people of Prince Edward Island, but to a

business interest in Prince Edward Island, and the Minister of Fisheries of

Canada saying: Well, this was part of our job as the Canadian Government to

achieve some fairness between the four Atlantic Provinces over a Canadian

resource, the shrimp fishery off Newfoundland's Coast.

We saw during those three years, the recognition - because the figures were

made available, in fact, I made them available through a press conference - that

under the Voisey's Bay proposal on the table, through the Federal

Environmental Review Process, the figures made available to the public were that

if the Voisey's Bay deal went ahead under the current fiscal arrangements and

$4.9 billion and to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador $411 million or

$417 million. A ten-to-one advantage for the taxpayers and people of Canada over

the people of Newfoundland and Labrador for a resource within provincial

jurisdiction, within provincial boundaries in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

We have come to see the equalization formula as an enemy of progress in

Newfoundland and Labrador, as an enemy of self-sufficiency, as an enemy of any

kind of self-reliance in determining our own future and determining our own

priorities. While we have an issue, not where there is no future or there are no

jobs in this Province, but we do have a situation where there is no real equity

in this Province, Mr. Speaker, either internally - and I think it has been

mentioned, rural Newfoundland in terms of inequity, in terms of lack of jobs,

lack of opportunity. We also see it between individuals, Mr. Speaker, where the

gap between the wealthy, those who have well more than they need to sustain them

and those who have not enough. We see that growing, we see that developing, and

we see that becoming something that more and more has to be changed.

We have people who are living on social assistance with not enough food to

eat, with not enough money to buy food to eat. We see children going to school

hungry. The figures are usually represented as approximately 25 per cent of

school children going to school hungry. Yet, we have a school lunch program that

is only available to about 10 per cent of the schools in our Province. We have a

student debt-load that in its own way forces students to leave this Province

because they have to get the maximum paying job, wherever they can get it, to

get rid of their student loans so that they can hope to have a future instead of

having a program that sees them being able to take on their future here in this

Province and make their future and our future together.

Mr. Speaker, we have an offshore resource, which despite the words of the

Atlantic Accord, we are not the major beneficiary of the offshore resources. We

see a royalty regime that really has not been fully discussed or debated or

accepted in this Province. We have seen the development and maturing of the

Hibernia project and we have seen the value of the oil itself turning our GDP

numbers, putting them way up but the return to the people of this Province have

not been anywhere near what we should have. A pittance, Mr. Speaker, compared to

the value of the resource. We did not hear, in the Throne Speech, any

recognition of that inequity and any recognition that that must change.

Mr. Speaker, when I was listening to the Speech from the Throne I thought of

a glass of Ginger Ale; a glass of Ginger Ale left for hours and hours on a table

getting flatter and flatter. I did not see any vision and I did not see any

solutions to the problems other than: we will continue to support this, we will

continue that way, we will continue to plan. I felt that way throughout the

speech, Mr. Speaker, until finally at the end there was a little sparkle; a

little sparkle of hope. I think we have to recognize that the Speech from the

Throne does contain a sparkle of hope.

I remember in the fall of 1999, at our own convention, publicly questioning

the Terms of Union between this Province and Canada; questioning whether we have

a deal or an arrangement that is to the benefit of this Province or do we have

an arrangement that has contained within it - contained within that arrangement

barriers to development, barriers to self-sufficiency, barriers to trying to

achieve the kind of equality within Canada that we deserve as a people and

seeing that the very basis of our relationship with Canada must be examined and

changed and looked at seriously before we can move forward. When we see the

numbers on the Voisey's Bay projections, when we see what is happening on the

offshore and we seen what happened when our fishery resource was controlled by

Ottawa exclusively, we have seen the seeds of damage to our future and hope for

our future.

Mr. Speaker, when I heard those words in the Throne Speech about a Royal

Commission, I felt a little sparkle of hope because we do have to examine that

relationship. The previous speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, talked about

Newfoundland and Labrador and growing up in this Province. The principle issue

in my childhood - we talked about Confederation and its importance. In my

childhood, the principle political issue of the day - we had a Premier who was

in power for twenty-three years - was all about Confederation and the changes

that Confederation had brought and wrought in this Province, and it had been

enormous. There comes a point, Mr. Speaker, or there came a point when those

benefits, when the advantages, when the increase in our average annual income as

a percentage of Canada stopped. We have not made the kind of progress in terms

of achieving equality that we should. We have not seen us, as a people - not

only in terms of people's attitudes towards Newfoundland and Labrador, that is

something that is going to be hard for us to change. If they want to call us

names they are going to go ahead and do it. I am not worried about that. What I

am worried about, Mr. Speaker, is our ability to govern our own future,

influence our own future and control our own future. That is something that we

have yet to achieve.

So I look forward to a Royal Commission with a broad enough mandate to

challenge the Terms of Union themselves, with a sufficient level of credibility

and resources at their disposal to examine these fundamental issues and to make

recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, while I do not see in the Speech from the Throne a lot of drive

- it had to tell us that it was bold and ambitious; we would not have known it

from reading it - what I wanted to hear was what this government believes about

those issues. We did not really hear it yet, but I would say that there needs to

be significant change in the relationship between this Province and Canada

before we can achieve the kind of goals that we want.

Mr. Speaker, while the Speech from the Throne itself, I did not find

inspiring, there was a sparkle of hope in the Royal Commission, and I hope that

this government will follow through with its promise to provide a broad mandate

to allow us to examine all of these issues and hopefully build a consensus in

this Province that would see significant change for the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will attempt to be brief in my few comments today, out of respect for our

guests, particularly our captive audience here on the floor. Some of the others

in the public galleries have taken advantage of the opportunity to leave,

because they are free to do so. I believe that is a reminder to all of us as to

why this is seen as more of a formal perfunctory day rather than a normal

debating day, because we do not want to abuse our special guests who have come

to be with us. In any event, if you can endure for the next hour-and-a-half, we

will let you go, if that is okay with you.

[Laughter from audience.]

PREMIER GRIMES: Mr. Speaker, I do, as usual, want to thank His Honour and

Mrs. House today for being here and presenting the Speech from the Throne. It

shows that your point of view and attitude is everything. Unlike the former

speaker, the Leader of the NDP, and the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, I

could hardly stay in my seat in terms of being excited about the Speech from the

Throne. I was that inspired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: In any event, each person in the Province, having had the

advantage of seeing it live, televised for the first time in history, will make

their own judgement. We can only say our piece. Each person, because we have an

intelligent, very insightful electorate in Newfoundland and Labrador, makes

their own judgements about those kinds of things.

I would also like to thank the Member for Port de Grave and the Member for

Torngat Mountains for the resolution, the motion and the seconding, that we

prepare an Address in Reply. I can only suggest, there are only two words that

come to mind for the two speakers, that they both exuded eloquence and passion

in terms of what they did (inaudible). Thank you both very much for that today.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: The issue with respect to Newfoundland and Labrador, I

think the Speech from the Throne is rife with passages that remind us that the

name change was more symbolic maybe than something that speaks of opportunity

and actual events, but the Throne Speech itself did talk about the fact, several

times over, that it will be the view that this government sees. It will be

Labrador and developments in Labrador that lead our Province; and, in turn, our

Province is most likely going to lead this country in terms of real measures of

economic growth, like jobs for people and their families into the next decade.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: I mention this, Mr. Speaker: It was referenced today that

when the Chief Justice was here, we did have four Premiers. We had number four.

Bobby Orr comes to mind, for the Member for Lewisporte, because there was a

great contribution, even though he had a short career. In any event, there was a

great contribution made. Number five was the Chief Justice, of course, number

seven and number eight for the Province of Newfoundland; but I remind the people

that, while I am number eight as Premier of the Province of Newfoundland, it is

number one for the newly named Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and we

intend to move forward with that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is this: Today we are

here to look at general types of issues, visionary statements, goals and

objectives, rather than entering into specific detailed debate, because we have

lots of days ahead of us to do that, and we will. It will be the nature of the

kind of debate that started here today that I will not enter into today, other

than to say this: There is a little plaque that I keep close to my desk, that I

have had with me ever since, I guess, I went to university and started teaching.

It says: Attitude is everything.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Attitude is everything about how we deal with issues that

confront us here in the Province, because there are a couple of choices. We can

look at the size of the problems and difficulties and be consumed by the

magnitude of it, and throw our hands up in despair - and I heard part of that

here today. I certainly did not hear many solutions offered. I heard a lot about

some difficulties that we have. We have a choice; we choose to do both.

Just look at the employment statistics, Mr. Speaker: a record number of

people employed, 211,000; still between 30,000 and 40,000 people unemployed. We

talk to and represent both groups. We deal with the 211,000 who are delighted to

have more of an opportunity in Newfoundland and Labrador than they have ever had

before. We do not downplay that. We do not apologize for reminding people of

that happening, but we also talk every single day to the 30,000 to 40,000 people

who do not share in that yet, and who want to work with us to find a better way

so that maybe their circumstance can change and the numbers might go 220,000,

230,000, or 240,000 and the 30,000 number might become 20,000, or 10,000 or

zero. We keep working towards that objective and that goal. We do not despair

about it. We do not dwell only with the negatives and the fact that some people

are not yet sharing in prosperity and still have a difficult circumstance to

understand.

We accept the challenge and realize that in it there are some opportunities

for us to move forward together and make a difference, which is why we are

dealing with the strategic partnership forums. It does not suggest that the

government has or should have the answers, but suggests that when we work

together, as we have already started and committed to do, in a meaningful

fashion, with representatives of workers and labour, with representatives of

business and the government itself, then we can learn from models elsewhere,

like Ireland, like the Netherlands, like Iceland, and bring the parts that work

in Newfoundland and Labrador into play in our Province and make a real

difference. We do those kinds of things, so we do not despair. We do not get

consumed by the size and magnitude of the difficulty or the problem, but we work

at it to try and find constructive solutions.

Again, unfortunately, today we did have at least one of the speakers, the

Leader of the Opposition, talk a lot about the size and magnitude of the problem

and, par for the course, offer no solutions.

Just to give one example, he did mention the issue in Placentia & St.

Mary's, about the school children. The experience is the exact same one that

all of us get every single day when we visit, that there are some who do not

think there are great opportunities now, and we need to work with that. All of

them - we did not even have two who would suggest that they would not want to

stay if there were a good opportunity - they would stay. They like Newfoundland.

As a matter of fact, they love Newfoundland and Labrador and they want to stay.

They hope that some of us in here are doing something to try to give them a

better chance and a better opportunity tomorrow than they had today or

yesterday. The problem we have is this, in that very case of Placentia & St.

Mary's, we have a real prospect for maybe some opportunities related to Voisey's

Bay that involves research and development for a new technology to be used in

Argentia, but the Leader of the Opposition and the member for the area are

against it. They don't want it to happen. Then they will stand up today and

use that as an example of a problem in Newfoundland and Labrador, when the

federal government is willing to spend $100 million in our Province so that

something can happen in their community and their district and they are down

there talking to these school children and sharing in despair while speaking

against the proposition that could see the actual opportunities come to their

hometown, to their region and to their communities.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight just two things that

come towards the end of the Throne Speech. One of them is the recognition that

the migration patterns, both inside the Province and with respect to

out-migration outside the Province, are issues for us to confront, to understand

and to deal with and to use in our decision-making processes within the

government and with our partners in business and in the labour community. The

real issue everybody understands - and the real impetus for most of it was the

change in the fishery - was the closure of the groundfish sector. People have

said many times over that the change in our Province was the equivalent - if it

was transplanted and translated into Ontario - of closing the auto industry in

Ontario. That is the magnitude of change that has been foisted on this Province,

that we have dealt with and still produce record employment numbers despite

that. Some people had to leave and could not be accommodated.

What we are looking at now is making sure - because we have some disturbing

information that we are sharing with the public with respect to other natural

resources; wildlife, inland fish, moose, caribou, rabbits, those kinds of things

that are part of the Newfoundland culture, but the big game is also part of a

new and growing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador with outfitting, that the

state of the actual resource may not be as stable or solid as we would like to

think it is or are sometimes led to believe. There is an initiative in the

Throne Speech that indicates we are going to set up, with Memorial University

and in the Wildlife Division, an institute at the university of renewed science

capability inside the Wildlife Division to make sure that we understand

completely and totally what is happening to our big game, our small game, our

inland fish, so that those people - because we have record numbers who

participate in that in Newfoundland and Labrador as part of their culture and

heritage, that it will be there for them into the future, and that those who are

using those resources to build a brand new industry have some resource to build

upon into the future.

There will be initiatives announced in the Budget Speech in a couple of days

that give real evidence in support to that, because we do not want to go the

route with those natural resources that was followed with respect to some sort

of mismanagement of the offshore fish resource, particularly the groundfish and

Northern Cod.

The other thing, of course, is the whole notion that it is time - and I think

everyone has acknowledged it here today, all the speakers have acknowledged -

fifty-three years into Confederation, it is time for us to have a real, genuine,

total, frank examination of our place in Canada and Confederation; not that we

are talking about leaving or separating or certainly not that we would hit

anybody over the head with anything, we are not violent people. I do not have

any mallets but I tell you one thing, Mr. Speaker, there is a real issue to be

addressed in a meaningful fashion. We want to talk about strengthening our place

in Canada, renewing our place in Canada.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Part of that needs to be a look back historically, look

at the constitutional arrangement, look at the fiscal economic arrangements,

look at all the jurisdiction issues offshore, onshore and elsewhere. All of that

needs to be done, and a full Terms of Reference will be disclosed within the

next few weeks or so as we deal with this issue and provide an avenue for

everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador that has a genuine interest in that issue

to come forward and have their case heard and to state their point of view. From

all that, then to have a group on behalf of all of us that might point to some

real meaningful, constructive directions that we can do because there are many

things we have all tried. We have all gone - different stripes of government in

this Province - and petitioned the federal government of different stripes and

the answer has always been the same. There has been no change. I have made this

speech, Mr. Speaker, before. Provincial governments that are Progressive

Conservative have approached federal governments that are Progressive

Conservative, and nothing has happened. Provincial governments that are

Progressive Conservative have approached federal governments that are Liberal,

and nothing has happened. Liberal governments in this Province have approached

federal governments that are Progressive Conservative, and nothing has happened.

Liberal governments today, this Liberal government, is approaching a federal

Liberal government every day; the results are totally unacceptable. We need to

make sure that we understand that, and that we acknowledge that, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: In looking at those issues in a serious manner, a

thoughtful manner, a researched manner, a thorough manner, I am hoping that all

of us then can have a better position to collectively take forward to make sure

that we are better understood in Canada as to the fact that we are net

contributors to this Canadian federation. We are not a drag on Canada. We are

very proud contributors to the Canadian federation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Mr. Speaker, I will be surprised, though, if the new

history book that was, I guess, promoted here today by the Leader of the

Opposition, as to different federal Prime Ministers and what they did or did not

do, I am not sure that is going to be the version of it that stands the test of

time. There are things historically that will be examined as part of this

process, and hopefully again most of the partisanship in terms of political

stripe will come out of that debate and we will all try to do it collectively in

the best interests of what will promote our cause here in Newfoundland and

Labrador for the people we represent and serve.

Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by sincerely thanking His Honour, sincerely

thanking the mover, the seconder, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Leader

of the NDP, for their contributions to the debate today.

Thank you to our special guests for joining us. I know that we will work as

an Assembly here together to prepare the Address in Reply as moved and seconded

by the speakers today.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that an Address of Thanks be

presented to His Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor, in reply to the gracious

Speech from the Throne with which he has been pleased to open the present

session of the House of Assembly.

The members of the Select Committee will be: the Member for Port de Grave;

the Member for Torngat Mountains; and the Member for The Straits & White Bay

North.

Is it the pleasure of the House that this motion be received?

All those in favour of the motion, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: Against?

I declare the motion carried.

Notices of Motion

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

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS J.M. AYLWARD: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow move

that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to

consider certain resolutions for the granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty,

Bill 2.

I further give notice that I will on tomorrow move the following motion: That

this House approve, in general, the budgetary policy of the government.

Further, Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow move that the

House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider certain

resolutions for the granting of Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 3.

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

MR. LUSH: Mr. Speaker, I move that this House do now adjourn.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at

2:00 p.m.