Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 13 March 2013 (47th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLVII No. 76)
2013-03-13
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
March
13, 2013 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol.
XLVII No. 76
The House met at 2:00 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from: the Member for the
District of Signal Hill Quidi Vidi; the Member for the District of The Straits
White Bay North; the Member for the District of St. John's East; the Member
for the District of St. John's South; the Member for the District of Burgeo La
Poile; and the Member for the District of Lewisporte.
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, March 10, I had the great honour of
attending the fiftieth anniversary People of the Sea Service at George Street
United Church.
This service in that wonderful, beautiful church was a moving reminder of how
closely our history in this city is entwined with the powerful and complex ocean
around us.
For fifty years, the People of the Sea Service has paid tribute to, and
sought protection for, the men and women who work on the ocean.
For all those years, the Church Lads Brigade Regimental Band has been an
important part of the music of the People of the Sea Service, as indeed they are
of so many local events.
In recognition of their fifty years of musical leadership, the congregation
of the George Street United Church presented the CLB Regimental Band with a
plaque to commemorate the band's important annual contribution.
With members ranging in age from eight to eighty, the band is an integral
part of the Province's musical heritage.
I ask all members to join me in congratulating the George Street United
Church and the CLB Regimental Band on the fiftieth anniversary of the People of
the Sea Service.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits White
Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Speaker, the annual Snowmobile Ride to Support
Breast Cancer Research is an inspirational show of community unity, and shows us
what can be done when an entire region works together towards a goal.
The event was established by Donna Grimes and Betty Dempster nine years ago.
In the twenty-seven communities from Eddies Cove East to Eddies Cove West,
community representatives line up participants and sponsors and help with
ordering meals and collecting registration fees.
This year the weather did not co-operate for a big snowmobile trek, but the
event went ahead anyway as a walk. More than 300 people gathered in Plum Point
to raise just over $18,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. More than
$100,000 has been raised since the event started. Marie Hughes from Green Island
Brook, who now works in Iqaluit, came back for the event, bringing $4,500 in
sponsorship money and seven prizes with her.
Every community participates; Flower's Cove even makes race day its annual
civic holiday. Businesses, individuals, and municipalities donate prizes.
Residents volunteer months in advance.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the entire area of The Straits for the way they pull
together to make this happen.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to congratulate a resident of St. John's East who recently
celebrated his one-hundredth birthday last month.
Engineer Tom Kierans is well known in the Province for more than just his
longevity; his thought-provoking suggestions have caught the imagination of
generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
He may be best known in the Province for his long-time advocacy of a fixed
link between the Island of Newfoundland and Labrador. In St. John's many
remember his innovative suggestion for the rock arena, a stadium built inside
the Southside Hills of the city. Eventually, of course, the city built the Mile
One Centre, but Kierans' unique solution endures as a good example of the
importance of thinking outside the box.
Tom was born in Montreal and graduated from McGill in 1939 with a degree in
Mining Engineering. He moved to St. John's in the early 1950s. He did the
underground design work at the Churchill Falls site and in 1973 joined the
engineering faculty at Memorial University.
When he retired from MUN, Kierans was named director of the Alexander Graham
Bell Institute at the University of Cape Breton.
On February 13, Tom Kierans turned 100 years old. I ask that all hon. members
join me in congratulating him.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend the Shea Heights Community Centre and all the
volunteers who have once again delivered another successful winter festival this
year.
This year's winter festival was well attended and enjoyed by all. As usual,
the community has much to be proud of.
The residents of Shea Heights have a very strong sense of community spirit,
which is evident in the involvement of all residents in community events such as
the annual Santa Claus parade, the winter festival, and the annual Folk
Festival. This year represents the tenth anniversary for the Folk Festival,
which I am sure will be the best to date.
I am delighted to recognize the Shea Heights Community Centre, and all the
volunteers who dedicate their time to build community spirit. I would also like
to recognize the residents of Shea Heights for building the community to what it
is today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Port aux Basques Blaze Peewee
A hockey team. The Port aux Basques team won gold at the Barry Lush Memorial
Tournament, held at Sydney, Nova Scotia, this past weekend. The fourteen-player
team, comprised of both male and female players, was the only team from
Newfoundland and Labrador to compete in this tournament. The other eight teams
were from the Cape Breton County area.
The Blaze played a four-game round robin finishing with a 3-1 record. The one
loss was to the Sydney Peewees, who they turned the tables on to defeat 4-1 in
the championship game. This is the first time in twelve years that a team from
Port aux Basques has travelled to Sydney to compete. The team thoroughly enjoyed
the competition, meeting new players, and hope to have the opportunity to play
there again.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending
congratulations to all the players and their coaches on winning gold at the
Barry Lush Memorial Tournament in Sydney. Great job!
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very brave and
courageous lady from my district. Maxine was diagnosed with breast cancer in
September 2009. For three-and-a-half years, Maxine lived with this disease and
nothing ever dampened her spirit. Maxine always wore a smile that could not be
erased.
She is best known for her kind, loving spirit and as a person who saw the
opportunity in every challenge and the good in every person. Maxine had great
faith that helped her maintain a positive outlook and to also face each day with
a thankful heart.
As an example of her heartwarming and positive spirit, I will share this
story. In her last remaining hours, her breathing was getting harder and she
looked to be very uncomfortable in her bed. I was concerned and worried that she
might be in pain, so I called in the nurse for some help. The nurse looked at
her and said: Mrs. Verge, how are you are feeling? Maxine could not open her
eyes, but she smiled a little and went like this. [Thumbs up]
On March 1, 2013, Maxine put on her wings and she flew up to heaven. Her
smile, her positive attitude and her spirit will remain in my heart forever. I
love you, Maxine, and to you I give a big thumbs up.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Ministers' Statements.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to attend an announcement today regarding the
expansion of the Choices for Youth very successful Train for Trades program in
St. John's.
Since 2010, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has been a very
proud partner in this worthwhile program. Train for Trades supports at-risk
youth in our community through access to valuable on-the-job construction
training and experience.
This national award-winning program will now be doubling its capacity to
train and employ young people through a generous donation of $2.1 million from
Hibernia Management and Development Company.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Mr. Speaker, this partnership and support is an excellent
example of the good work and important relationships being fostered between
government, industry and community groups. This is big business giving back to
the community in a big way.
Mr. Speaker as a result of this new partnership, twenty youth will take
part
in the forty-four-week program this year. This will include two weeks of
training through the Carpenters Millwright College followed by forty-two weeks
of on-the-job experience.
Participants will help construct six new Choices for Youth affordable housing
units being built for their very youth. This project is made possible with an
investment of $750,000 from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation
through the Affordable Housing Program.
This year, participants in the Train for Trades program will help carry out
modernization and improvement work on ten Newfoundland and Labrador Housing
rental units. This is part of a pilot project in partnership with the Canadian
Union of Public Employees, Local 1860.
Mr. Speaker, the Choices for Youth Train for Trades program has been very
successful with 80 per cent of participants going on to post-secondary education
or employment. Mr. Speaker, I just learned before coming in the House this
afternoon that six of the six current participants have just received notice
that they have all successfully completed their GED.
I ask this hon. House to join me in congratulating Choices for Youth and all
their partners on the expansion of this innovative program, and to thank
Hibernia Management and Development Company for making a key investment in
supporting young people in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
I wish all participants and all the partners, past and future, the best of
luck and best wishes in all future endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy. This program, Choices for Youth
Train for Trades, is a very worthwhile program for the youth at risk in the
Province. Also, CUPE has played an important role here to allow the youth to
work under their guidance at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. The minister
mentioned CUPE and they should be recognized for that, and also the Hibernia
Management and Development Company for putting in this $2.1 million. It is a
worthwhile contribution from a corporate citizen to help the youth in this
Province.
The most startling point that I noticed in the press release that the
minister put out, which I take the pleasure in as being a former youth
counsellor, is that 80 per cent who graduate go on to post-secondary or
employment. That is a great rate. If there is some way that we can increase the
rate to 100 per cent, which we are all striving for, but this opportunity gives
the youth an opportunity to go and look at new trades, look at new
opportunities, give them self-worth, and above all that do something useful,
like when they are building units for people with special needs and for advanced
needs for youth.
Congratulations to the government for developing this program,
congratulations for getting the youth involved, and to CUPE and to Hibernia
Management and to the youth themselves for saying that we need a better future
and working at it and being dedicated.
Congratulations to people around.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's North.
MR. KIRBY: Thanks to the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
Hibernia Management and Development is rightly applauded for this investment in
our young people. Likewise, we should applaud the efforts of Choices for Youth,
the staff there in Train for Trades, for extending a lifeline to youth who would
otherwise be at risk of becoming statistics as a result of their
often-challenging circumstances.
At a time when this PC government is cutting funding to Employment Assistance
Services providers and cutting off a vital lifeline to unemployed
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, it is good to know that Hibernia and Choices
for Youth have a lot more foresight than that.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Does the Member for St. John's South have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: No leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House to offer
congratulations to the winners of two prestigious tourism awards that were
announced at the 2013 Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Convention. They
strive for excellence, they provide lasting memories for visitors, and they are
fine examples of the tremendous people and organizations that make up our
provincial tourism industry. They are Stan Cook Jr., who won the Doug Wheeler
Award, and the Cupids Legacy Centre, which won the Cultural Tourism Award.
The Doug Wheeler Award is presented annually by the provincial government to
honour the late Doug Wheeler, a long-time public servant who did exceptional
work promoting the Province as a tourism destination. The award recognizes
outstanding contributions to the tourism industry, and Stan Cook Jr. is most
certainly an exceptional contributor.
With his father, Stan Sr., he helped build one of the Province's most
successful adventure tourism operations: Stan Cook Kayaking. Since 1970, this
family business has been earning provincial and national recognition for the
unique experiences and world-renowned hospitality they offer to outdoor
enthusiasts. In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Mr. Cook is also a
tireless advocate for the provincial tourism industry. He has held positions on
a number of provincial and national boards, associations, partnerships, and
committees, and most notably served as President of the Tourism Industry
Association of Canada.
The Cultural Tourism Award is presented by the Department of Tourism, Culture
and Recreation in partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage and
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. It recognizes attractions that put
extraordinary effort and creativity into providing authentic cultural tourism
experiences experiences that make a lasting impression on visitors and lasting
economic benefits for their region.
Mr. Speaker, the Cupids Legacy Centre is certainly deserving of the award, as
it has quickly become a key provincial attraction. The centre expresses the
is internationally recognized for its conservation and archival techniques,
highly trained interpreters, and use of technology.
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in applauding both award
winners for their tremendous contributions to the Newfoundland and Labrador
tourism industry.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of the statement. I was at the
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Convention and the luncheon where they
announced these two winners and it was a pleasure to be there to take this in
and to congratulate these two individuals on the success they have achieved in
this burgeoning industry.
We all know Stan Cook Jr. in this Province and the contributions that he has
made. We all know that he is not only a force here in the Avalon Region, but his
impact is known all over the Province and certainly his presence on the
different boards that he serves on as well. Mr. Peter Laracy, who accepted an
award for Cupid's Legacy Centre the great work they have done recognizing the
historic monument that we have there and the history of this Province.
We get many opportunities in this House to criticize government initiatives,
but we also need to take time to make sure we recognize when something is done
right. We had an opportunity to watch the great new ads that our Department of
Tourism has put out, and again, everybody can recognize the great work that it
is doing. Our numbers are going up and we are working together to make this
happen.
The individuals and groups in this Province who are providing that
first-hand, excellent tourist experience, we need to contribute to that, make it
easier for them to do the job and continue this great industry.
Congratulations to the government on this, congratulations to the department
and to the two individuals receiving these awards.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, would like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his
statement.
I had the pleasure of attending the HNL conference and recognizing the
contributions made by Mr. Stan Cook, Jr., the people of the Cupids Legacy
Centre, other award recipients, and those involved in the industry. They are
very well deserved for all the hard work and dedication that they do.
That being said, as a rural MHA I would like to see more action from this
government. Both the minister and I know the hard truth about what his
government's cuts will do to rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, before I begin I would like to say to the Member
for Lewisporte, we want to send our thoughts and our condolences to his family
and his friends.
Mr. Speaker, after ten years in power, this government has created a
financial mess that they have no idea how to get out of. The brought in Wade
Locke at $250 an hour and Deloitte for $4 million for help.
I ask the Premier: After ten years in power, why is it only now you are
looking for a sustainability plan?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I have said on a number of occasions, in 2003 we inherited a Province that
was not only financially bankrupt, but there was an infrastructure deficit that
was huge. What we have done over the last number of years, Mr. Speaker, is we
have increased more than doubled our heath spending, increased our education
spending by 70 per cent, and increased our infrastructure spending by more than
200 per cent.
We have had to rebuild this Province, Mr. Speaker, and to do that we have had
to spend the money wisely. I am sure that you will not hear members opposite
complain about things that went into their districts.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing now is that we have to make sure that our
revenues and our expenditures can coexist. We started this process over the last
number of years, but especially last year; we reduced our spending to less than
1 per cent, we released our ten-year debt reduction plan, and we are continuing
on that road of fiscal prudence.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Interesting to hear the Minister of Finance talk about
inheritance. What he does not talk about is a great inheritance that he received
that has produced over $15 billion in offshore royalties. That is what he used
to rebuild this Province. It was not about a sustainability plan.
Mr. Speaker, over 2,000 people this government has added to its core public
service. Apparently they have not been able to hire anyone who is able to put
together a financial stability plan. Now you are spending millions, as I said,
for Wade Locke and Deloitte.
I ask the Premier: Why are you spending millions on consultants when you have
not been able to come up with a plan using the resources already within
government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I find it very unfortunate when you hear comments like that coming from a
politician in this House, Mr. Speaker, basically taking away from the good work
done by the economists in the Department of Finance, and all of the people that
we have in our public service who work so hard.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: It seems to be a theme of this government, as we have seen
with the MHA for St. Barbe, Mr. Speaker. What we have done is we have hired Dr.
Locke. Dr. Locke was hired to provide some advice. He is recognized in this
Province as having expertise in the mining industry, oil and gas industry, and
in debt reduction, Mr. Speaker.
We offered to pay Dr. Locke. Basically, my approach is you pay people for
what they are doing. Dr. Locke is the one who has offered to do the work for $1.
We are not he is giving us his time and expertise and we are availing of that,
Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, my comments were not about the great people who we
have working in our departments. How would you feel if you were in your
department and you were undermined by bringing people in? Dr. Locke is a good
guy; he has done some great work. You are the one who made the decision.
Mr. Speaker, again yesterday the Premier refused to say that she paid two
Tory campaign managers in a secret government bonus plan.
I ask the Premier: Why is it that you can go to Budget Estimates and see the
exact amount that a young doctor makes in this Province, but you cannot see the
bonuses paid out to Ross Reid and to Len Simms?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This bonus program was brought in a number of years ago, Mr. Speaker. It
could be up to 10 per cent of base salary. There were a number of individuals at
the deputy minister or equivalent level.
I did not speak personally, but we have spoken to both Mr. Reid and Mr. Simms
and they have no problem releasing the amounts that they were paid in terms of
their bonuses. Mr. Simms received a bonus of $10,315.31 a very good deal, at
that, I would say to you, Sir and Mr. Reid received a bonus of $5,939.50.
There is no secrecy, Mr. Speaker. All we are trying to do is we are outlining
the work that has been done. This information was provided to The Telegram
in an ATIPP request; back in October 18 it began and we responded again after
Christmas.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Four questions in this House later and we finally get the answer. The Premier
is hiding behind Bill 29 to protect the exact amount of
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. BALL: taxpayer money she gave to her campaign managers.
Mr. Speaker, the Information and Privacy Commissioner has released a stunning
report on the freedom of information case. It outlines in detail of over four
years the Department of Justice dragged the case through the court and used
every excuse possible to delay the release of this information.
I ask the Premier: Why did you allow this to go on so long, and what are you
doing to ensure that this travesty of justice never happens again?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this case was around the exemption provision in terms of access
to information of the Department of Justice. A determination was made, it went
to court. The court made a determination on that and recommendations were made.
They were brought back to the minister. The minister committed yesterday to
reviewing that, and at that time, he would certainly release very quickly, in
terms of what that information is.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As we know, the court ruled against it. They still dragged it out. This
fiasco occurred before the passage of Bill 29, when the Commissioner had
authority to examine potential solicitor-client information. Bill 29 forces
applicants to go to courts, meaning big costs and long delays.
I ask the Premier: Why has government thrown up those unnecessary roadblocks
of information access, and when will you take the necessary steps to remove
them?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I made note of the Privacy Commissioner, some of the comments he
has made in regard to Bill 29. He said he has not seen any significant
difference in the amount of information accessible pre-Bill 29 to post-Bill 29.
It is a little different than what we are hearing from the other side of the
floor, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, in regard to solicitor-client privilege, we
went through a review, five years, as the ATIPP legislation requires to do. Mr.
Cummings carried out that review with consultation. In and of that, at that
particular time, he recommended that solicitor-client, in terms of those
situations
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. HUTCHINGS: taking into account that type of information. The route
was to go to court, if there was an exception in terms of it was not provided.
That recommendation by Mr. Cummings was accepted as part of the review of the
legislation. We make no apologies for that. That was recommended, and we
certainly adopted that recommendation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say, the minister should read the report, because that is not what Mr. Ring
is saying.
Mr. Speaker, tenders closed on the Strait of Belle Isle ferry service six
weeks ago. To date, government has not awarded any contract and the vessel is
supposed to be in service in about two weeks.
I ask the minister: Why have you delayed this decision?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we invest tens of millions of dollars every year in providing
ferry services to people who live in the remote parts of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Recently, we announced a Request for Proposals to provide a
fifteen-year service to the people of Labrador, for The Straits of Labrador and
Northern Labrador that will provide a service they have never had in the history
of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker. It will provide roll-on roll-off
service that will be able to carry passengers, freight and vehicles, a service
that has never been provided to them before.
To get to that service, Mr. Speaker, we have to provide a short-term tender.
We have called tenders. We are assessing the bids, and until the bids have been
properly assessed and we have done our due diligence we will not be prepared to
award the tender until that work has been done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The lowest bidder on the contract has a vessel that we understand is tied up
in Turkey someplace and it does not meet the CSI standards and even has a
loading ramp that is welded shut.
I ask the minister: Do you think it is possible that you can have this vessel
pass Transport Canada regulations, be available and in service by April 1?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the interest in our ferry service from the member opposite, but,
Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us as a government that we have to follow
a process, a process that is laid out in the tendering process and is also
required under the Public Tender Act.
Unlike the member opposite who has been encouraging us to break the act, we
have to follow the law, Mr. Speaker. We have to follow the rules and follow the
law and we have to do due diligence to this process.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I say to the Premier, I did not see any tender notice on John Noseworthy or
Ross Reid, or any of her other Tory hats, Mr. Speaker, that she put in position
over there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that CAI is a company that has
been riddled with headaches and disaster ever since they started taking over
marine service contracts in Labrador. Last year, we saw the saga of the Dutch
Runner , Mr. Speaker. It got so bad that the government had to go and take
the vessel out of service. We saw what happened this year with the Bond ,
when they put her on dry dock for refit and could not afford to get the vessel
off the dry dock.
I say to you minister: Why are you going to give an operator with such a bad
track record any consideration for this contract knowing they do not even have a
vessel that they can have in service come April 1?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, what a pleasure it is to get up and get the facts on the table.
I can tell you that. When the members opposite were in power, the ferry
replacement strategy they had was a vessel called the Nonia , a bargain
they picked up for $1 million overseas and brought over here. It took years and
years of work, a $9.8 million investment by the people of the Province, by this
government when we inherited the rustbucket, the Nonia , from this crowd
over here and we had to put that in service.
It took years to do it, Mr. Speaker, and only recently we decommissioned
that. We could not waste any more money on it and now we are left to deal with
the fleet we have, which have built on, Mr. Speaker. We built two new
forty-two-metre vessels, the Grace Sparkes and Hazel McIsaac .
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: We built them at over $50 million and they are providing great
service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador today. We have tenders out
now to replace the Winsor down in Fogo Island and Change Islands, and we
are building a new swing vessel, another forty-two metre vessel, to provide
services to the people of the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Opposition House Leader.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister loves to talk about what happened ten to fifteen years ago. I
want to talk about what you are doing on your watch as a government.
Mr. Speaker, the contract for the service
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: on the Strait of Belle Isle has been expired for months. They
knew for years the contract was going to run out and they never went to tender
until January 10. Now, Mr. Speaker, we are two weeks away from having a service
put in place in a place in this Province where we have a tremendous amount of
traffic, between Labrador and the Island.
I ask the government today: When are you going to do just service to the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador that have to use the Strait of Belle Isle,
and award a contract to put a ferry service in place by April 1?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what we will not do: We will not be breaking the
law like the hon. member over there wants us to do. We will follow the law. We
will follow the Public Tender Act.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: I will tell you what else we will do, Mr. Speaker, and I will
tell you what we are doing. She wants to talk about what we are doing on my
watch. We are providing year-round service now, ferry service to the people of
Labrador. It runs out of Corner Brook throughout the winter months and then we
have the summer service that has been there for a number of years that we now
had an RFP out for a fifteen-year service, a service they have never seen
before.
We built the highway in Labrador, Mr. Speaker, for the people of Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Recently, Mr. Speaker, we announced $85 million to continue
with the paving of that very much needed and used highway, the Trans-Labrador
Highway, like never seen before.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: (Inaudible) met with the parents of Whitbourne Elementary to
receive their 500 letters of protest against the closure of their K-12 school in
June 2013. They feel the current school closure process is flawed for a number
of reasons.
I ask the Minister of Education: Will he admit the current school closing
process does not serve our students and our communities well, and commit to a
review of this outdated and backward policy?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Any time there is a school closure in a community, it is a very sensitive, a
very emotional issue. Mr. Speaker, I can truly speak to it myself. I was
principal of a school that closed under the party opposite, under their watch. I
know first-hand what parents, teachers, and students are going through.
Mr. Speaker, we have elected boards. The reason we have elected boards is we
want to remove politics from the situation. We have had representation, Mr.
Speaker, from the community groups; they have made representation to the school
board. The member for the area has made representation on their behalf, Mr.
Speaker. That elected board has made a decision based on the facts that they
had.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Half-a-dozen years ago during the Bishop's Falls by-election
the former Premier said that no viable schools would be closed. On the
government's own Web site, it states that all students have a right to attend
their neighbourhood schools.
I ask the Minister of Education to reassure the Whitbourne parents who are in
gallery here today that he would defer the closure of their school until he
corrects the many flaws in his school closure policy.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am very aware that there are parents from
Whitbourne in the gallery. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, I understand what they
are going through. Mr. Speaker, again I do not want to appear to repeat myself,
but there is a process of consultation that boards carry out and groups make
representation. Then they make the decisions based on the facts.
Mr. Speaker, the fact is not only in this particular area but there are other
areas in the Province where our students are declining. We have lost 14,000
students over the last, I believe, ten years, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, in
rural parts of our Province, that is continuing. Mr. Speaker, this is a board
decision that was made by an elected board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, last night I attended a meeting regarding
funding cuts to EAS agencies, many of whom are here today. Government staff have
confided that they are terrified of the workload coming with these cuts. The
Avalon region alone is already at critical staffing levels.
I ask the minister: How many more clients will these 139 staff serve? How can
you risk the turnover by overloading your staff?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
One thing I can say, Mr. Speaker, the job market in Newfoundland and Labrador
has never been brighter thanks to this government and with the economic
opportunities that we have available.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, we have a series of career work centres across
Newfoundland and Labrador, and despite what the Member for Burgeo La Poile may
think or may say, they are very professional and they are able to do their job.
I consulted with many of them yesterday. They are very excited about the moves,
but, Mr. Speaker, we are able to deliver the services that the people of this
Province need to help them attach to the labour market.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile, for a quick
question.
MR. A. PARSONS: Well, the minister mentioned job markets certainly
going to be a lot more crowded with these cuts.
Twelve of your government work centres were not created until 2007-2008, when
EI service delivery was being negotiated.
Will you admit the duplication has nothing to do with EAS agencies, but is a
creation of your department?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, there is a duplication of services because this
government since 2003 was committed to having Career Work Centres in
Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2009, we inherited the Employment Assistance
Services as contracted service when the LMDA devolved to the provincial
government.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that this government from day one has been
committed to ensuring that the people of this Province have access to the
services that they need to help them attach to the labour market.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Prior to my question, I would like to on behalf of my caucus to offer our
condolences to the Member for Lewisporte and to thank him for his courage here
today.
Mr. Speaker, in February, Quebec Hydro pulled back on its hydroelectric
development projects because Quebec is predicted to have a power surplus through
to 2027, created domestically as well as by the increasing shale gas development
in the US.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: why have she and her government continued on
their Muskrat Falls folly?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is incredible to me that the Leader of the NDP continues to persist in her
attack on Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker, despite the support that project has in
this Province, across the country, and even by members of her own party.
Certainly, the NDP are known, Mr. Speaker, for their support of the labour
movement.
Mr. Speaker, these are thousands of union jobs available here in the
Province, particularly in Labrador, and the Leader of the NDP is against it. It
is mind boggling; I cannot understand why they do not support this project. It
is good for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and the ratepayers of
Newfoundland and Labrador. It is good for taxpayers in Newfoundland and Labrador
and it is good for unions in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am sorry the Premier was not at the Town Hall I was at last night; she
would have seen absolutely no support for the Muskrat Falls Project.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why does she expect the people of the
Province to pay through their teeth
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Why does she expect the people of the Province to
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS MICHAEL: pay through their teeth for her pet project while deficits
are ballooning and government will be adding to the debt?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, here we go again. The Leader of the NDP is really going to have
to stop pretending that she does not understand the fiscal structure of the
Province. Mr. Speaker, I have challenged the Leader of the NDP to tell us where
in the 2012-2013 Budget, where five cents of that Budget is associated with
Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker. She has yet to respond to the challenge, Mr.
Speaker. I ask her again to show the people of Newfoundland and Labrador how
2012-2013 and when we get the Budget for 2013-2014 where in that Budget
there is money allocated to Muskrat Falls.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I point out to the Premier that if we are spending billions of dollars
which we are, and will have to borrow for our equity in Muskrat Falls that is
having an effect on the economy of this Province and on the backs of the people
of this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, in June of 2011, economist Dr. Wade Locke warned
of looming government deficits, saying: we do not need to face a crisis, but we
do have to plan to avoid one. Obviously government did not listen, and here we
are. Today, we read Dr. Locke warning government once more, this time not to do
anything drastic in trying to deal with the very crisis he warned them to plan
to avoid.
So I ask the Premier: Will the Premier let the public know exactly how
drastic are the targets she has set for cuts to government departmental
spending?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We do not do things in secret like the Leader of the NDP wants to, Mr.
Speaker. What we do, we are doing in public. We have decided to hire Dr. Locke
to avail of his expertise, Mr. Speaker, and that is what we are doing.
Last year there was a ten-year debt-reduction plan outlined. We reduced our
spending by it to 1 per cent, Mr. Speaker
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. KENNEDY: and what we are trying to do is ensure unlike the NDP;
spend, spend, spend and forget tomorrow, that is what their plans are all about,
Mr. Speaker, if you call that a plan. Our plan is to provide for a bright,
prosperous, and sustainable future for this Province, Mr. Speaker, and on Budget
day it will all become clear.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, last fall government stopped at nothing to
ensure it got its Muskrat Falls Project started. Now we are facing a fiscal
crisis created by the same government.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Knowing this crisis was looming for the
people of the Province, why would she commit us to a ruinously expensive project
that will not produce adequate revenues for many years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Since she obviously will not take anything we have to say about the fact that
the deficit is not related to Muskrat Falls, I would suggest that she read
@TelegramJames' blog. It is all outlined there. He sat down with officials in
the Department of Finance, Mr. Speaker, and all she has to do is read the blog.
It is all there in black and white. We will even give you a briefing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in 2006 government released its Provincial Wellness Plan
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS ROGERS: with much fanfare, even including Olympic gold medal winner
Brad Gushue. It promised much.
Expert staff in Health and Community Services addressed long neglected
crucial issues affecting the health of the people of our Province. Last week,
the minister terminated key positions in this department: health promotion
consultant, nutrition consultant, environmental health consultant, and injury
prevention consultant the backbone of this plan.
I ask the minister: How can she possibly fulfill the commitments of the
Provincial Wellness Plan with these drastic cuts?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we are into the spin again. It just goes round and round and
round and round. She comes into the House they talk about sustainability in
this House over and over again. Sustainable health care if you do not do
something about the health care system, it is never going to survive. Mr.
Speaker, we heard that time and time again in the last session of the House of
Assembly.
What are you going to do about the sustainability of the health care
programs? What are you going to do about sustainability in our hospitals? What
are you going to do about sustainability? Mr. Speaker, they want to continue to
spend; we want to find efficient ways to deliver quality services. We are doing
just that, Mr. Speaker; it is very apparent.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday in this House, the minister stood up
and praised the work of her staff for National Nutrition Month, yet has
terminated one of only two provincial nutrition consultants.
We have among the highest rates of chronic diseases, diabetes, heart disease
and other health issues. Health prevention does save us money.
I ask the minister: How can she guarantee this work be done if she is pushing
people with expertise out the door?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we are more than concerned about health and prevention in this
Province, and you only have to look at the initiatives we have in place. I do
not have time enough in thirty seconds to enumerate all of them, but I will do
that later on this afternoon, just to refresh her memory in terms of what we are
doing in terms of prevention and health care in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, I ask her, if she wants us to keep everybody and every single
position in place, what do you want me to cut in terms of programs? What
services do you want cut? That is what I want to ask you because you have talked
about sustainability. Now, you cannot have it both ways; you cannot have
sustainability and continue to spend, spend, and spend. So you tell us what your
plan is.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Environment and Conservation has a proposal from a company in Mount Pearl
that deals with the storage of some radioactive material. The deadline for
public comments is set for April 17. The project raises very many questions.
Does the minister plan on hosting a public forum as another way to consult
with residents of the city to alleviate any of the concerns that may arise from
this particular project? Will he be asking for an environmental preview report
on it?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, this government takes seriously any
environmental issues and we made sure we put in place an environmental
assessment that would deal with all concerns of everyone, an opportunity during
the first stage of the assessment for anyone who had anything to say about the
project or projects, to put it in writing, and to make sure it was put into
place, and again, making sure the proponent also provided all the information
that was necessary for any project to go forward.
We value our environment in Newfoundland and Labrador. We make sure as a
government that we have in place the people and the experts to deal with it. I
say, Mr. Speaker, I have confidence that we will do what we need to do to
protect the people and the environment of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The Natural Resources Minister said in the House yesterday that the drilling
program at Flat Bay was done under the confines of the Petroleum and Natural Gas
Act and the Petroleum Drilling Regulations, so let us talk about environment
again for a second.
Can the minister commit to making changes to drilling regulations that will
protect the public and our environment from the dangers of slick water fracking?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, this government supports
economic development in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, this government supports exploration and
development of a potential oil play for the people of Western Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Obviously, Mr. Speaker, in doing that we also will ensure
that any exploration, any of the development takes place in accordance with
rigorous environmental protection laws that we have in place.
Mr. Speaker, for years wells have been drilled in the world. I think there
have been 2.5 million wells drilled in the world in the last while. There has
been 175,000 wells drilled in Western Canada and they have all had hydraulic
fracking. We have regulations in our act and in the regulations
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Your time has expired.
The member has time for one quick question without
preamble.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
If an EIS was done for the Flat Bay project, we cannot find it. Will the
minister table the report if there is one available?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation, for a
quick response.
MR. HEDDERSON: Again, I say to the member opposite, you will not find it
because it was not done. What was done was due diligence on behalf of Natural
Resources under the act which made sure that there was no environmental damage
done. Anything that was done at that particular time was done under strict
guidance and strict regulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.
I want to just take a moment. I want to remind members of the House that
inasmuch as it may on occasion be tastefully done, it is okay to make a
reference to someone who may be in the gallery. However, it is inappropriate to
engage in any way in conversation with anyone in the gallery either to direct a
comment or to solicit a comment. I would ask members to be guided by that.
Presenting Reports by Standing
and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I present to the House: To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the Western School District is considering a multi-year plan to close
Bayview Regional Collegiate at St. Lunaire Griquet in June 2013; and
WHEREAS it has been proven from students that have graduated from Bayview
Regional Collegiate, they have excelled in their studies to prepare them to move
ahead and achieve their career choices; and
WHEREAS teachers and staff at Bayview Regional Collegiate are qualified and
continue to provide a strong academic program with a full curriculum to all
students attending; and
WHEREAS Bayview Regional Collegiate has developed a playground, library,
drama club, Kids Eat Smart lunch program, school council, and other activities
with exceptional community support; and
WHEREAS Bayview Regional Collegiate housed a K-12 school in the past with
200-plus students who have had access to a science lab, cafeteria
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Art room, computer lab, gymnasium and extracurricular activities; and
WHEREAS the parents, business operators, social groups, concerned citizens,
and students of the Municipality of St. Lunaire Griquet request to rescind
this proposal;
Since Bayview Regional Collegiate has met and exceeded all aspects set forth
for a viable school, we the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge
the government to ensure that the Western School District is provided with
sufficient funding to keep Bayview Regional Collegiate at St. Lunaire Griquet
open, and as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, the actual distance to go from L'Anse aux Meadows, through all
of the eight communities, to St. Anthony where these students are proposed to be
bused would equate to over forty-eight kilometres. The first student on that bus
run would be an hour-and-a-half on a highway that is virtually a dead zone for
cellular coverage.
We have seen in the area where busing happened in the past, when you had
multi-denominational schooling, where students were bused from Cook's Harbour to
St. Anthony and they spent a night on that cellphone-dead highway because of
weather conditions. We have had a number of them. We have had a number of school
closures on the Northern Peninsula due to lack of weather. There have been some
instances where students in St. Anthony had their schools closed but residents
of L'Anse aux Meadows to St. Lunaire Griquet could actually go to school.
There are two schools in this community of St. Lunaire Griquet and Gunners
Cove. Either one of those facilities could host 100 students of a K-12, or a K-9
system. That would be quite adequate, Mr. Speaker. With the closure of this
school and the inability of the minister and the Western School District to
actually enter in and talk to the students and the parents and the concerned
people on what this is going to mean, it is going to adversely impact people,
Mr. Speaker.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, a petition to the hon. House of Assembly of the
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of
the undersigned humbly showeth:
WHEREAS there is no cellphone service in the Towns of St. Paul's, Cow Head,
Sally's Cove or Trout River, all of which are enclave communities of Gros Morne
National Park; and
WHEREAS there is either very poor or no cellphone service in most of Gros
Morne National Park; and
WHEREAS visitors to Gros Morne National Park, more than 100,000 annually,
expect to use cellphones when they visit the park; and
WHEREAS cellphone service is an important safety feature for numerous
travellers, hikers and others in the park; and
WHEREAS cellphone service is necessary to modern business development;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to partner
with the private sector to extend cellphone coverage throughout Gros Morne
National Park, and the enclave within the park.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, this is signed by people primarily from Cow Head in this
petition; a few are from St. Pauls. These are vibrant communities within Gros
Morne National Park. We are lucky to have communities in rural parts of the
Province that are doing so well. The other communities mentioned Sally's Cove
is virtually non-existent; it has fewer than twenty people.
However, in the next short while, with the proposed oil drilling and
hydraulic fracturing in the area, there will be a great upsurge in business
activity. One of the issues that you really need in a modern-day business is the
ability to have cellphone service.
The individuals in these small towns have no cellphone service or very poor
cellphone service. In the case of Cow Head, Mr. Speaker, what residents
routinely do is they get in their car and they drive a couple of kilometres out
to the head, where it has a little more elevation to use a cellphone. That does
not really seem to be a very great benefit.
In the case of St. Pauls, it is right in an inlet area. It has more than 300
people; a fairly substantial contractor is the contractor. One of the
individuals related to that company is one of the proponents in the new
high-speed Internet that is being developed throughout the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, cellphone service at one point would be similar to how we may
have looked at telephones in the past, or maybe how we would have looked at
other services. Cellphones are an important requirement today, not just an
add-on or something to think about afterwards. It is an absolute necessity. I
would urge, as these petitions urge, the House of Assembly to urge the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to move forward and work with the
private operators to extend cellphone service to these communities.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I have a petition.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest unemployment rate in
Canada; and
WHEREAS the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador anticipate a labour
shortage of 70,000 people by 2020; and
WHEREAS eliminating the career practitioner knowledge base is contrary to
attaching people to the labour market; and
WHEREAS Employment Assistance Services (EAS) agencies are grassroots hubs in
communities providing services like skills development, resume development,
interview skills, facilitating attachment to the labour market and the
community; and
WHEREAS EAS agencies help individuals with complex needs find and maintain
employment in communities throughout the Province; and
WHEREAS EAS agencies have been serving thousands of people for years,
building expertise and rapport; and
WHEREAS loading the workload of 226 employees onto 139 Advanced Education and
Skills employees would be an overwhelming expectation, increasing staff turnover
and thus decreasing rapport with clients; and
WHEREAS EAS funding comes from the EI fund, built by workers to help them
when and where they need it most; and
WHEREAS moving services away from people who lack the means to travel long
distances is not in line with the Labour Market Development Agreement's
principle of citizen-centred service;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the government of Newfoundland and Labrador to reverse
the decision to cut funding to EAS agencies in the Province.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Now, Mr. Speaker, this is just the first petition of this nature that I will
be presenting in this House and I am sure I am going to be getting plenty more,
because they are coming from all over the Province. These widespread cuts, over
200 jobs, affect every region in this Province: they affect Labrador, they
affect St. John's, they affect Port aux Basques, and they affect Central.
In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting with a number of these EAS career
practitioners last night here in the city. These workers range from Baie Verte,
Marystown, Roddickton, St. John's, and Stephenville, amongst many others. They
are here in the town and they are upset. They are upset for a number of reasons.
Number one is the obvious decision to cut their job without consultation. They
have three months notice.
The other issue is the lack of respect that has been shown by government to
the job they do when they hear the answers coming from members of the
government, particularly the minister. The fact is they provide a skill base;
they provide knowledge to these people, trying to attach them to the labour
market, one of the primary targets of this government. We have 70,000 job
shortages and we are cutting out the people who attach people to the labour
market. It seems contrary to the vision and certainly contrary to what we are
trying to do in this Province.
When the minister says they inherited the offices, well, I would say these
offices were here before you. They were here before this government. They were
here before the Career Work Centres. They have been here, in many cases, for
decades providing this base of knowledge to help people get jobs.
What they want is an opportunity to consult with them, to work to find these
efficiencies that need to be done. They want to work with government to see if
we can find a better way rather than cut them across the board.
I would say to you, Mr. Speaker, this is just the first one. We will be
presenting these on a number of occasions because they are going to be coming
from all over the place. This is just the first one. Again, keep in mind, they
want to work together.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Orders of the Day
Private Members' Day
MR. SPEAKER: This being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, and it is now
3:00 o'clock, I now call upon the Member for the District of Terra Nova to
introduce the motion that stands on the Order Paper in his name.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. S. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If I may, before I begin with this motion, I, too, would also like to be able
to speak a moment to our colleague. It is great to see our friend and colleague,
the Member for Lewisporte, back today. He has had quite a few challenges in his
own personal life over the last number of years, and certainly the last number
of weeks especially. It is great to see him back. We are certainly here to give
him all the support we can, and I think I speak for everyone in this House when
I say that.
As legislators and politicians there is lots of things we have different
opinions on, but certainly, the importance of family is something that bonds us
all. It is a common bond we have. We all feel for him and we are keeping him in
our thoughts and prayers.
Mr. Speaker, just to read this into the record once again:
BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House affirms that, by investing billions of
dollars since 2004 in vital infrastructure including highways
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I am assuming you are proposing the motion, seconded by
MR. S. COLLINS: Yes, I am sorry. I am proposing the motion and it is
seconded by my colleague, the Member for
AN HON. MEMBER: Mount Pearl North.
MR. S. COLLINS: Mount Pearl North. I am sorry; I always get the two
colleagues mixed up.
Mr. Speaker, if I can continue, vital infrastructure including highways,
roads, bridges, ferries, municipal and regional infrastructure, heath care
facilities and schools the government has taken the responsible approach and
promoted long-term fiscal strength and sustainability.
Mr. Speaker, I guess we all have the opportunity to stand today and speak to
this, and I think it is one of these topics that is vast and for the very fact
that it is vast, I think, speaks to what our government has done since taking
government in 2003. I will try to keep some focus on it. Because again, when you
have such a vast area to go in, sometimes you can go off on tangents. I know
there is a number of speakers going to be speaking to this today and we are
going to try to bite off bits and pieces just to get across the level of
investment we have had in infrastructure in this Province over the last number
of years.
As I said, it is certainly a pleasure to speak to this today and to introduce
it, a motion that will clearly outline the many key investments this government
has made into vital infrastructure that we see around us every day. I truly
believe that the majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians see this and
certainly recognize it, as it is in every corner of the Province, both here in
Newfoundland on the Island and in Labrador.
As of late, Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing a lot of overriding themes
coming from the crowd opposite, and that is that we have made reckless
investments. We have been spending recklessly. Frivolously is another word I
have heard. So, I would like to be able to address that. I know, as of late, we
have heard from both our Premier and the Minister of Finance, as well as other
members here that have had an opportunity to stand to their feet and speak to
different things over the last number of days.
We have asked quite clearly, as was just actually asked today in Question
Period, please point out where you see our spending as being frivolous or
reckless. It is one thing to call it; it is another thing to prove it. While I
am speaking today, and I will be speaking on a vast number of topics, I
encourage the Opposition to take notes. If at any point whatsoever I raise
something in the infrastructure investments that we have made, if they see that
as frivolous or reckless spending, I encourage them to get up and respond to me
after I sit down; because I would be very interested in knowing, as would many
other people.
So what we have here, just to get the lay of the land, we have an Official
Opposition who has a financial record; it is a dismal record. I think everyone
in this House remembers where we were before this government took over in 2003,
and we know the type of record that these folks have. That is why we have not
seen much of them since 2003, and there is a limited number of members across
the way.
So their record is dismal. We have acknowledged that. Most everybody here
certainly can appreciate that. Now, on the other side as well, we have the Third
Party that has no record at all. I think that speaks volumes. Again, it is quite
easy to speak to something when you have no record to stand on.
What really strikes me is that in recent days we have even heard the Official
Opposition, who has a dismal financial record, criticizing the Third Party for
their ideas. That really puts in perspective how bad the ideas and how bad these
fiscal plans that they put forward really are when you have the Official
Opposition criticizing them as well. That kind of puts a perspective around
this.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I am a person who considers myself pretty well versed in
history. I studied history in university; I taught it in high school. I really
have a firm belief that in order to know where you are going and where you are,
you have to know where you have been. So, I would like to take a little bit of
time, again, just to get the lay of the land, and to put forward some facts. I
know the crowd across the way deals with a lot of non-facts, clichs, and things
that they think appeal to different groups in the public, but I would like to
review some of the facts. As I said, I can back up all these facts. If they want
to quiz me on it after, they are certainly welcome to.
Let us take a look at what has been done since this government took office
less than a decade ago, which in the grand scheme of things, Mr. Speaker, is not
that long. Let us begin this discussion by giving an idea of what we faced when
we took government in 2003. It was a very, very different place; I can assure
you. Our people faced far greater challenges, we had a government that was
disconnected and unaccountable, and we had a people who were simply
disenfranchised and communities that were living in just a neglected state. That
is the picture of it. It was dismal it was absolutely dismal.
We inherited a significant deficit and debt, but let me speak to the deficit
we inherited and I am not only speaking of financial deficit. I am talking
about service deficits, program deficits, and infrastructure deficits. In all
facets, we had deficits. So, what exactly did we inherit, you ask? We inherited
crumbling roads I just took a couple of these, things that came to my mind
when I gave this some thought leaky roofs, and mouldy schools. We all know the
horror stories of mouldy schools in this Province; failing municipal
infrastructure; an underpaid public service sector we recognize that, and I
will speak to that in a moment - and a ferry fleet that was an embarrassment,
with no light at the end of the tunnel. It was neglected infrastructure, plain
and simple.
I would challenge you to find a province pre-2003 that was in a worse state
than Newfoundland and Labrador. I think you would be hard-pressed to do so. We
had the reputation of being the poor, destitute cousin of Confederation, and it
was with good reason, because we just simply did not have anything here. What a
sad state it was, obviously.
Think back to the times when you folks travelled. I know I did some
travelling, even though I am younger than most here, so I am probably less
travelled than many. Think about when you travelled outside the Province
pre-2003, 2004 and travelling outside; what was the perception of Newfoundland?
How did you feel when you saw other provinces and how others were doing and
compared it when you came back home? There was a huge deficit; there was a huge
difference, I would say.
This government upon election in 2003 was facing huge, daunting challenges, a
challenge that we were ready, willing, and able to face. First, we had to deal
with our financial situation, which obviously, like I said, was in a terrible
state. We did that; there were growing pains with it, but we got through that.
Then, of course, we see the light at the end of the tunnel.
When we turned that corner, Mr. Speaker, we turned that corner. As soon as we
had the financial means we began the massive uphill climb to address the vast
deficiencies in our Province. That was a huge climb.
The evidence of this investment can be seen throughout our communities and
Province, like I said, in every corner. It is no good for a member to stand to
his or her feet today and say: I do not see any investment in my district.
Clearly not true impossible.
We saw investments in our schools, not only the physical buildings, but in
our teachers and students. Highways, bridges and certainly, anytime I talk
about a bridge I like to congratulate my colleague from Placentia on the recent
announcement in his district, a huge announcement for the people.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. S. COLLINS: Just that announcement alone: $40 million into a rural
community.
AN HON. MEMBER: How much?
MR. S. COLLINS: Forty million dollars that is just one. Again,
congratulations. I know he worked hard on that, as well as the minister.
We saw huge investments in the municipal projects, cultural centres
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER (Littlejohn): Order, please!
MR. S. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Historical sites, post-secondary education facilities, as well as
unprecedented investments into our students through the best student loan
program in the country combined with lowest tuition, which has been frozen for
years, and interest-free status on the provincial portion of your student loan
huge, huge strides for students, and I certainly can appreciate that maybe more
than others as a person who is currently repaying a student loan. I hope to do a
member's statement in the coming future, very near days, when I get that paid
off. I can appreciate that first-hand, what that has done.
We saw vital investments in the hospitals, health care centres, long-term
care homes for our seniors which I will speak a little bit more about in a
moment and then there was funding for provincial ferries, airstrips, air
ambulances, new water bombers, and the list goes on and on and on, Mr. Speaker.
Since 2004, the provincial government has invested more than $5.4 billion in
infrastructure.
AN HON. MEMBER: How much?
MR. S. COLLINS: Five point four billion dollars.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. S. COLLINS: And who was that for? It was for the benefit of every
single Newfoundlander and Labradorian, while at the same time we paid down debt,
approximately $4 billion. Not only are we putting money in, we are also putting
money into our debt, which the Minister of Finance spoke about a couple of days
ago, the servicing of debt; that debt is a huge expense in itself. We have
serviced that and we paid down debt while at the same time putting huge amounts,
massive amounts of funding into infrastructure, vital infrastructure in this
Province.
Revenues from our oil and mineral resources provided this government with the
ability to address the deficits left behind by the former Administration. We
make no bones about that. Obviously, we are very thankful for the oil. It is
something that I think is going to bring us well into the future as well. With
that being said, we are not short sighted; we know there is a life span to oil,
of course, the bigger picture when it comes to our energy plan, Muskrat Falls
being massive piece of that.
Not only are we thankful for what we have, we want to make sure that we are
going to have that and be able to be sustainable into the future, and Muskrat
Falls plays a huge piece into that.
We invested heavily into essential services in infrastructure and we did so
because it was in desperate need, plain and simple. Again, these were not just
simple things. They were things that had to be done and I want to stress that:
they had to be done because they were left years without being done.
Mr. Speaker, it is the same difference. I say to the opposition members, it
is no different than if you own a house. You cannot just have a house years and
years and years and never invest into it, never put back into it, because it
will fall down around you and that is what we had.
Let us compare our Province to a house. In 2003, when we took the house over,
it was falling down. The foundation was in ruins and everything above it was not
fit. That is what we came to see. That is what was handed to us. The results,
obviously, have been substantial, Mr. Speaker, and they have been dramatic. No
matter what part of the Province you travel to, it is obvious, as I have said
before.
Let us look at some specifics. Again, this is a very huge topic and I would
like to break it down in some specific areas to talk about the funding and the
level of investment.
As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Community Services,
I get to see first hand the investments and the level of service being provided
to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador on a daily basis. I would like to
take a minute to speak about some of the investments in Health and Community
Services. I kindly ask for your patience while I touch on a couple of these.
These, of course, go back to 2003-2004.
I would say again to the Opposition Parties: sharpen your pencil. As soon as
I strike anything that you believe is frivolous or reckless spending, I would
kindly ask you to make a note and when you get up after me, you would have your
say. That is what I look forward to.
Let's talk about new health care facilities since 2003-2004. We have
developed and constructed eight new health care facilities. Humberwood
Addictions Centre in Corner Brook, construction complete; Labrador West health
centre, construction ongoing; Corner Brook acute care, planning ongoing;
Paradise Youth Treatment Centre, construction ongoing; Grand Falls-Windsor Youth
Treatment Centre, construction ongoing; and Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre,
construction ongoing. You can see the massive amount of investment we have and
all of these projects that are up-and-coming: Green Bay health centre, planning
ongoing.
Then we have Glovertown clinic, which is near and dear to my heart,
construction is ongoing. I hope in the next few months we are going to see that
place open, which I really look forward to. It was something that was
desperately needed.
If I can just put my district lens on this, I am very intimately familiar
with Glovertown and the state that clinic was in, and the level of mould that
was downstairs. This is where we were sending our sick people to get treatment,
to a mouldy clinic. This government recognized that and put the investment into
it. After it is all said and done, the building is going to probably be
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
MR. S. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The building is probably going to run in the ballpark of $1.5 million to $2
million, I would imagine.
Let's talk about new long-term care and community support facilities since
2003-2004. We have developed and are constructing nine new long-term care
facilities nine new long-term care facilities. I will give an example of some
of these: Corner Brook Long-Term Care Facility, construction complete; Corner
Brook Protective Community Residences, construction complete; Clarenville
long-term care facility, construction complete; and North Haven Manor,
Lewisporte, construction complete. I look at the Member for Lewisporte and I
know that was something he was very proud of, and so he should be. It is a great
facility.
Happy Valley-Goose Bay Long-Term Care facility, construction complete; St.
John's long-term care facility, construction ongoing; as well as the Carbonear
long-term care facility, Clarenville protective care residences, and the
Bonavista protective community residences. So many projects, either done or
under construction.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I want to speak on a few other things. I know my time is
getting low. It is funny, when you try to prepare a speech you want to try to
stay within your confines of fifteen minutes. That is what I have here, and I am
down actually now to just one minute. I will have an opportunity. The greatest
thing about standing up and introducing a motion is having another opportunity
to stand on your feet. I will get back in a little bit, but I will take the last
minute just to go over some more health investments.
We have invested over $500 million since 2003-2004 for renovations and
equipment; renovations and repairs making up $200 million and capital equipment
approximately $300 million. Health care investments touch every single person in
this Province. I do not have to ask someone, I can tell you. I can guarantee it
touches every single person. From the time you are born to the time of your
passing, you are touched by the health care system. These investments are key
and the fact is they were neglected for years and years.
I used the example of the Glovertown clinic with mould in the basement. That
really sums it up. That is a small, small piece of the bigger problem that we
had to face us when we took government in 2003.
Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the Opposition having an opportunity to
stand up now and tell me exactly where this frivolous spending was because I
would like to know what we should not have done. Let's not talk about anything
else. Let's take this opportunity and give us your advice. I kindly seek it.
With that, I will take my seat and I look forward to the opportunity to get
up once again.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If you want to look at frivolous spending, I say to the member, look to the
left with the Parliamentary Assistant to the Office of Public Engagement. If you
want to start, just look to your left.
I say to the member, when you stand up and say the long-term care facility is
complete in Corner Brook, I say to the member the Member for Humber West, do
you know what his number one priority is in Corner Brook this year? It is to get
the last wing of the long-term care facility open. You do not even know what you
are talking about.
If you want to talk about
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I remind the hon. member, I ask him to address the Chair.
MR. JOYCE: Can you tell him, he does not know what he is talking about?
MR. SPEAKER: I ask you to address the Chair, please. Keep the
personalities out of it, please.
MR. JOYCE: I will.
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Sir.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you.
If you want to talk about some frivolous spending, let's talk about the $30
million spent up in Parsons Pond to drill two holes for nothing. Let's talk
about the $11 million to the pellet plant down there going nowhere, against all
the officials. Everybody said no, do not do it except who made that decision?
The day the Premier of the Province who was the minister at the time.
Let's talk about the office in Ottawa, millions upon millions spent for
someone to pick up the newspaper, Mr. Speaker. Let's talk about the $200 million
boondoggle out in Abitibi, out in Grand Falls. Do you want me to keep going?
Let's talk about the $12 million for a Rural Secretariat that no one even
knows what they are doing around here, not a soul. Let's talk about the
Department of Business that spent $30 million that we had very, very hot not
one job or one business brought in this Province, Mr. Speaker. That is $283
million right there off the top of my head. That is not even counting the
billion dollars that was promised for the hospital in Corner Brook that is not
even spent yet.
Mr. Speaker, I will get back to the motion that was put forward. It is
talking about bridges, ferries
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. JOYCE: - long-term sustainability. Long-term sustainability, Mr.
Speaker, that is put in here.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot pass on the comment that was made yesterday by the
Premier who is offering us, the Opposition, a lecture on debt and deficit. The
same Premier who announced there was going to be a $4 billion deficit in the
next three years. t reminds me of the fox going to show the chickens how to
build a chicken coop. It is just amazing how the Premier could actually stand up
and do it. It is amazing.
Mr. Speaker, you want to talk about the $5 billion infrastructure program
that the member so proudly stood up and announced the $5 billion. Guess what,
Mr. Speaker? When the Auditor General went into this government and asked this
government: show me your plan, how we spent the priority, see if you could save
money. Guess what? There is no plan. How was it spent? We do not know. That is
what the Auditor General himself, Wayne Loveys, said.
We do not know. We do not know if the money was spent in the most efficient
way. We do not know if the priorities we do not know where all the money went.
That is what the Auditor General said. Mr. Speaker, not only did the Auditor
General say that, Loveys filed a formal complaint with the House of Assembly
citing denial of access.
If you want to talk about the cone of silence: this was before Bill 29; just
imagine how bad the secrecy in this government is now. When the Auditor General
of this Province, who is hired by this government, cannot get access, Mr.
Speaker, to how money is spent, and you want me to support a motion put here?
You want me to support a motion?
Mr. Speaker, I will just go through it. Just say I wanted to support this.
For some reason the Member for Bay of Islands wants to support this, Mr.
Speaker. I may look at this here the long-term sustainability. If I want to
support this, I will get some people mad at me. I will explain who I will get
mad at me and I do not want people mad at me; I like people liking me.
You know the ones who will get mad at me? I do not want the Premier the
Premier said: this is not sustainable; we have to reign in our spending. How can
you, the member standing up here, put in a motion of long-term sustainability
when the Premier stands up and says it is not sustainable it is just not
sustainable?
Who do I want to be mad at me? The Premier of the Province who says this
what we were doing is wrong, it is not sustainable or the Member for Terra
Nova? I think I am going to pick the Premier because I cannot vote for this here
today anyway. I think I am going to pick the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, and also my good friend the Member for Humber East, the Minister
of Natural Resources; I do not want him mad at me. The former Minister of
Finance, the Member for Humber East, on December 14, 2012, said the government
needs to cut because the current plans are unsustainable.
Seeing we are in a neighbouring district, I do not want you mad at me. That
is what you said: it is unsustainable. That was December 14, 2012, three months
ago.
MR. SPEAKER: I remind the member to speak to the Chair.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the Member for Terra Nova I cannot support
something that the Minister of Finance does not agree with, that the Premier of
the Province does not agree with; I am sorry, I cannot support it.
Take a guess: who else cannot support it, Mr. Speaker? Take a guess at who
else cannot support it. A former PC candidate who got $150,000 to do a report
for the department over at Advanced Education and Skills, which we are not going
to use because John Noseworthy called the level of recent spending of the
government unsustainable.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, John Noseworthy, the former Auditor General said that. I do
not want John Noseworthy mad at me, so I say to the Member for Terra Nova: I
cannot vote for it because this is just too many people too many people who
are saying in this Province, that what you are doing is unsustainable. It is
unsustainable, Mr. Speaker.
It is easy to stand up, the Member for Terra Nova, and say one thing when you
have the Premier, the Minister of Finance, the former Auditor General, Mr.
Speaker, saying it is unsustainable and they would even vote against this here
if they believed in what they said earlier.
Mr. Speaker, I will just keep it going now. I ask the Member for Conception
Bay East Bell Island, when you look at this report: how are you doing with the
ferries over on Bell Island, because part of this here says the ferries. How are
you doing with the ferries?
Get up. I am sure the people from your area would love for you to stand up
and tout this government on the great ferry replacement
schedule that they got
elected in 2003. I am sure you are going to stand up. I am sure you are going to
stand up now and say: listen, I think the ferry
schedule that we have in here,
the replacement
schedule which they made commitments, which we made
commitments, which we did not follow through, which we promised people; we never
followed through, but I am going to stand up and vote because I am told to do
it.
That is a good way to do it here today now: stand up and talk about the ferry
schedule. You will have your opportunity to speak. You stand up; you stand up
and talk about the ferry schedule, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is another one I forgot. I forgot about this one. I have
to backtrack a bit. I was so excited that I forgot about this one another one
who feels that the spending is unsustainable and why I cannot vote for them. It
is the same person who is just getting hired
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
It is an unacceptable noise level. I ask members to be a little more
attentive to the speaker.
Thank you.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is another one I
MS SULLIVAN: (Inaudible).
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health is saying something. The
only thing I want you to say is when the hospital is going to start, when the
tender is going start on construction. Anything else, you can say it, but right
now that is all I am talking about is the hospital in Corner Brook. If you
really want to stand up I will even give up my last five minutes, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: I remind the hon. member to speak to the Chair.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the one I forgot was Wade Locke unsustainable,
predicted a decade of annual deficits. Now, they just hired him for $75,000 to
come in and say here is what you are doing wrong. He is the same one who said
that, and you want me to vote for this here and have the Premier upset with me
and the Minister of Natural Resources upset with me. Who else? Have the former
Auditor General, John Noseworthy, and now have Wade Locke mad at me. I cannot
have it, so I have to vote against it.
If you look at the ferry service ask the member for Coast of Bays. How is
the ferry service down your way? Ask the member for Coast of Bays, Mr. Speaker,
is she going to vote for this here and talk about the great replacement ferry
strategy they have here now, with the calls down there where the people could
not get on a man injured down there could not even get on the helicopter
because he could not even lay down. Yes, I would love to see them stand up and
say the great ferry replacement strategy here today, Mr. Speaker. It is great to
see that all of them are going to jump up now and just pad the desk, push the
desk, and knowing that the ferry replacement schedule, which was brought in in
2003, was not followed through it was not followed through, Mr. Speaker. It
just did not keep up.
In the bridges, Mr. Speaker, when the Auditor General said there is no plan
for inspection for the bridges across the Province, or replacement schedule. You
want to talk about all this and you want to talk about all this going on, Mr.
Speaker. When the Auditor General herself and Mr. Speaker, if you want to talk
about some ways you should spend money, let us look at the hospital in Corner
Brook. Something that was committed back in 2007 not done. Not even to the
tender
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. JOYCE: I know, Mr. Speaker, it is hard for them to listen to the
truth over there, let me tell you. It is pretty hard, but I guarantee you, this
is one member who is not going to stand here and be challenged by the Member for
Terra Nova saying give us some examples. I just gave over $300 million examples
of wasted government and Mr. Speaker, do not get me started on the number of
PC appointments that are in this government that is wasting government funds.
Now, all of a sudden, all these people, oh we do not need them we do not need
them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask members to be considerate of the speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I find it very frustrating when I bring up facts
and you get shouted down. Especially when you bring up the hospital in Corner
Brook, which is very near and dear to my heart, Mr. Speaker. I just hope one
thing. I asked them, VOCM, CBC or The Telegram , do not put it on a poll
if the hospital should be built because we will lose, I guarantee you. We will
end up losing. I will lose because when they are stacking the polls, Mr.
Speaker, I guarantee you that, I hope it do not go on-line.
That is why if you look at the hospital in Corner Brook, Mr. Speaker, the
hospital is one thing that I advocated and I know the members advocated. You can
advocate, but there is nothing done by this government. We started back in 2007
when the shovel was put in the ground and construction was going to start. We
turned around and it was said the construction was going to start in 2011, and
it was not just before the election. In 2012, we said oh, we are starting the
design work, under Estimates; the design work is not done.
We turned around then in 2012 again, Mr. Speaker, when we went through the
Estimates, it was not done. Then we had the Premier meet with the city council,
telling the city council of Corner Brook if it is $500 million or $600 million,
it is not on. Mr. Speaker, I challenged the Member for Humber West three days
ago he was at the meeting. It is time for him to stand on his feet and say
that Councillor Leo Bruce mislead the people in Corner Brook and mislead
everybody by going public and saying that the Premier made a statement if it is
$500 million or $600 million, it is not on. Here is your opportunity. This is
the third time I gave him that opportunity.
Mr. Speaker, the funny part about it, the next day there was another
MS SULLIVAN: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services, on a
point of order.
MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, while the member opposite is up there talking
about delays in doing what is the right thing for the people of the Western
portion of this Province, I just want to point out that this is not something
that I wanted to put out there, but let's add some clarification to this debate.
Stephenville -
MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
Thank you.
MS SULLIVAN: Well, Mr. Speaker, I believe that I am (inaudible).
Thanks for your ruling.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, if I thought she was going to announce a tender I
would stay down.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, all I have to say here is I cannot support this
motion. After $300 million of this waste of money, I cannot support long-term
sustainability.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is a lively afternoon here in the House of Assembly, I can assure you.
During the last few months we have been working very hard on this side of the
House. I can tell you that my Cabinet colleagues and I have been working very
hard since the House last sat in December.
I think the crowd over there must have been doing dancing lessons, Mr.
Speaker, because they have learned how to do the twist, I can tell you that.
They have been learning how to do the twist and they are getting really good at
it.
We are paying attention to the twist they are trying to put on things over
there, Mr. Speaker. I do not mind at all, standing up here and talking about the
investments that we made in Newfoundland and Labrador. I do not mind at all
talking about it and telling the people of Newfoundland and Labrador about the
good investments we have made.
If the Member for Bay of Islands wants to talk about ferries, I would be more
than glad to talk about ferries. I had a chance
AN HON. MEMBER: Talk about the hospital.
MR. DAVIS: I will talk about the hospital; I sure will. I will get to
that.
I had a chance in Question Period today to mention about ferries. I am glad
he wants to talk about investments in ferries. We do have a vessel replacement
program underway in which we are investing millions of dollars for new vessels
and new services for the Province, to improve the services of the Province and
to provide those very much needed services for the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Much unlike they did, Mr. Speaker, because their Vessel Replacement Strategy
was a vessel called the Nonia . We all know the Nonia , and I think
everyone in the Province knows about the Nonia . They should know about
the Nonia . It was only last month that we decommissioned the Nonia .
It was a vessel that was purchased by the previous Liberal government for just
over $1 million; $1.2 million, bought in Estonia to be brought to Newfoundland
and Labrador.
They were going to spend $1 million to Canadianize it, and they were going to
have it in service in eighteen to twenty-four months. Mr. Speaker, that never
happened. They spent their $1.2 million, and when we came into government we are
still trying to wrestle with the burden that we had known as the Nonia .
It ended up costing $9.8 million to put that vessel in operation. Since then,
we have spent $19 million on required refits. Every year ferries in Newfoundland
and Labrador, and rightfully so, which Transport Canada, who is the regulator
they have very strict regulations to ensure safety, the safety of the vessels,
the people who operate the vessels on a daily basis, and the people who ride on
them for very necessary transportation purposes. The regulator every year does
inspections. We have to follow regulations and do a refit, an annual refit and
repairs.
This year, the vessel went in. This past summer, in July, the Nonia
went in for refit. When a vessel goes in for a refit, there are times they
found that the steel was too thin, is what happened. I questioned: I wonder why
is the steel too thin? It is below the requirements of Transport Canada. Why is
it too thin?
It turns out it was too thin when they bought it, but Transport Canada had
provided an exemption because it was a different strength of steel. They agreed
to that. Transport Canada now has said: We are not going to allow this any more.
Any of the steel there would have to be replaced. Nine million dollars it would
cost to return that vessel to operation.
The officials in my department, who I will say have tremendous experience in
ferries, refits, ferry operations, repairs and maintenance, told me it is going
to cost $2 million a year for the next five years to keep that in operation.
That is $19 million to get five more years out of it. That is why I made the
decision that we cannot continue to do that.
The two new vessels that we purchased, the first two new vessels that were
provided in the Province in twenty years, the Grace Sparkes and the
Hazel McIsaac , were $27.5 million each. So we are going to fix up the
rustbucket, the problem we had, the Nonia, or we are going to make good
investments in new vessels.
What we have done is we have announced we are going to build a couple of new
vessels. We are going to build another forty-two metre vessel, a swing vessel
similar to the Grace Sparkes and Hazel McIsaac . We are going to
build a vessel to replace the Captain Earle W. Winsor . It is the largest
boat we have, by the way, and it provides services to the people of Fogo Island
and Change Islands. That is what we are doing, Mr. Speaker.
I tell you, the hon. Member for Bay of Islands over there decided to talk
about the Bell Island service. Let me talk a little bit about the Bell Island
service because I can tell you that the member on this side of the House who
represents the people of Bell Island, he and I had many discussion about
ferries. I know how important the ferry service is to him. He has taken a lot of
time when opportunities present themselves to educate me in the necessities of
the service, the importance of the service, and also about the peaks and valleys
of the service. That happens with a lot of services.
The Member for The Isles of Notre Dame and I had many conversations about the
Fogo Island-Change Islands service as well. The Member for Terra Nova, we have
regular discussions about the service for St. Brendan's, as an example, and that
occurs. I thank them for their patience, their support, and also for the
information they provide to me.
You know, back in the days of the government over there, when the Liberal
government was in power, they had two ferries. Currently, there are two ferries
running on Bell Island. We had two ferries there when we had the assets
available to put on there. Back in those days, they only had two ferries nine
months of the year. For three months of the year they had to rely on a single
ferry. I can tell you, back in the days when the Liberals operated the service
and the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island just enlightened me on
this; I was not aware of it before - back in those days, there were thirteen
crossings a day to get people from Bell Island to Portugal Cove. Today, the
regular
schedule is to be twenty or twenty-one, or twenty-two crossings on a
regular day.
Mr. Speaker, I would say to you: that is a significantly better service than
was ever provided to them before. As a matter of fact, we had a chat about the
economy, the importance of the economy and the difference the economy is having
on the people on Bell Island.
He was telling me this is anecdotal from the hon. member back in those
days there were 230 commuters who used to commute daily to cross Portugal Cove
to the Northeast Avalon for work. Today that number is over 500 a day - 500 a
day - and I think that speaks volumes, Mr. Speaker, to the economy of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Member for the Bay of Islands also mentioned hospitals. I am going to
tell you now about hospitals and the way they used to do business. The first
announcement for Stephenville hospital actually occurred in April of 1989; back
in 1989 when the Liberals were in government, the Premier of the day announced
there was going to be a new hospital in Stephenville.
The elections in 1993, 1996, 1999 guess what happened?
AN HON. MEMBER: Nothing.
MR. DAVIS: Nothing. Then, the Premier of the day, Premier Tobin, was
Premier of the day from Stephenville, actually and nothing happen with that
promise. That is right; all of those years. Construction finally occurred in
2001-2002 and then it opened on the eve of the election in October
AN HON. MEMBER: During the election.
MR. DAVIS: During the election. During the election campaign the hospital
finally opened; 1989 to 2003 1989 to 2003. I am told when it opened there was
still plaster on the walls, there were no locks on the doors, but they rushed to
get it open.
MR. JOYCE: A point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, the hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just heard the comments that the
member made about another hospital. That is why this Member for the Bay of
Islands is staying on top of the hospital in Corner Brook, to ensure that it is
done the fastest and the best way possible, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Thank you.
The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I try not to interrupt the hon. member too often, but he is quite an expert
in points of order, because he does it every day, and does it every day to try
and use up other members' speaking time. So, if that is the way we are going to
operate, then that is fine. That is his right to do that, and I respect it, and
if he wants to use up my time, then that is fine as well.
The member opposite also talked about bridges. Let me tell you about bridges
for a minute, Mr. Speaker, because we have 807 bridges that my department is
responsible for throughout this Province 807 bridges. I will tell you, bridges
are pretty important, because the highways and roadways that cross over bridges
are not much use without those bridges. I will tell you what, they are pretty
important to us.
I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, in ten years previous to us coming into
power, in ten years previous to 2004, when the members opposite were in power
and I will talk about what we did, don't you worry. I know what the member
opposite likes for us to talk about: do not talk about the history of them, talk
about what we did. So, it is good to put it in perspective, Mr. Speaker, good to
put it in perspective.
Fifty-six structures underwent improvements; fifty-six out of 807 had some
improvement. I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, in the last ten years are
you ready? $36 million we spent on bridge repairs and $154 million on bridge
replacements. That is almost $200 million, and of those, we have either repaired
or replaced 267 bridges in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker 267 bridges.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: That improvement of those bridges is about the safety of the
people of the Province. It is about the safety and usefulness of those
structures for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. So, just to recap: ten
years previous ten years previous to that, fifty-six.
So, you can imagine the piece of infrastructure that we inherited. When our
government came into power ten years ago, we had to make significant investments
to try to improve on our bridges and our roads in order to bring them up to a
standard that would be useable.
We are still doing it. Of 807 bridges, we have done 267, which is a
significant amount, but there is still work to be done on those investments. I
ask the hon. members opposite if they would like to identify some bridges maybe
in their own districts that they do not want us to upgrade or repair. Maybe we
can take them off our future list that we have for doing bridge work around the
Province.
I would like to point out as well, Mr. Speaker, while it is on my mind
because the Member for Bay of Islands made a suggestion that the Auditor General
could not find out where we spent the money. He did not know where the money
went.
I say, again, back to their dancing lessons; there is a twist again, Mr.
Speaker, a twist on the facts.
AN HON. MEMBER: A significant twist.
MR. DAVIS: A very significant twist, because the Auditor General knew
exactly where the funding was spent. That was not his concern at all, but he
knew exactly where it was spent. For the hon. member to get up here and
misconstrue the Auditor General and his findings is sad. It is unfortunate, but
that is the way he wants to do his job and I am fine with that.
Recently, when I first went into the Department of Transportation and Works,
I went out with the Member for St. George's Stephenville East. I went out to
the Searston Gut Bridge out on the West Coast of the Province.
I am going to tell you, you want to see an important event for a community.
We went out there to open a new bridge. The whole community came out almost $5
million investment in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. They came out; they
brought a bagpiper with them. The whole town came out and I never saw so much
appreciation and excitement in a community on an opening of a bridge before.
They bag piped us across the bridge. One of the Cormiers, a very talented
family, well known on the West Coast, bag piped us across the bridge to the
jubilation, excitement, and the pleasure of the people of the community.
When we got over it, we were going to do a ribbon cutting, and I can tell you
we were so caught up in it that we did not do the ribbon cutting until we got to
the other side. Then the people of the community all wanted a piece of that
ribbon to remember the day that the new bridge opened. You talk about
appreciation for an investment, almost a $5 million investment for people of a
community who had been separated by the loss of this structure in their own
community.
We went to a community hall.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. DAVIS: It was hosted by the people of the community. Went to a
community hall, they had a big celebration. Then they say: are you going to be
here Saturday night for the dance? Saturday night, they held a big dance in
celebration.
That is what infrastructure is all about, especially in rural Newfoundland
and Labrador. I think we should open all our bridges and all our buildings now
with a bagpiper, because I am going to tell you, it was a great celebration.
They clearly, clearly demonstrated how important an event that was to them.
I spoke to a lady just a couple of days ago, just this week, Mr. Speaker, and
this past weekend she traveled from the North East Avalon to the West Coast and
back, across the Trans Canada Highway. She made a point of saying to me that she
noticed the good condition of our highway and how much better it is now than it
has been in the decades gone by. The one that she mentioned was the Sir Robert
Bond Bridge across the Exploits River. That is a critical piece of
infrastructure.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: I can tell you the member for the area there has also taken
the time to come speak to me, as a lot of members do always like to come talk
to me about their districts. He has clearly articulated the importance of it.
It was upgraded in 2011; there is a new bridge, a two-year project underway,
and we look forward to the completion of that in 2015. Mr. Speaker, that is part
of the infrastructure work and investment we are making, and I tell you, we make
no apologies for the investments that we have made for the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is certainly a privilege to stand here and address this PMR today. What we
have heard, I think, in the last half hour or so, or forty-five minutes now, has
been really, when you look back, there have been a lot of examples given about
where this Province was back in 2003. For some reason, the government is now
taking the position that they want to go back there as some starting point or
something. What they always talk about is that they have had to rebuild the
Province or the infrastructure deficit that was actually in this Province at the
time.
Typically when you talk about when you inherit a deficit problem or you
inherit anything at all that would cost you money, you would also look at and
give credit where credit is due, and I think it would be time that you would
say: when we came into this, what else did we inherit? There was no question,
and I have said it before, that in 2003 you were left with revenues in the $4
billion range and expenses in the same area. We did have a balanced budget;
there were some deficits, only minor compared to the deficits that we are
talking about today.
There are some things that happened leading up to 2003 that for some reason
the members opposite do not really talk about a lot. For some reason, we do not
hear people talking about Hibernia. We do not hear members opposite talk about
Terra Nova, White Rose, or the work that was done with Vale Inco. They do not
want to talk about it.
There was one member opposite who spoke a few days ago about the 4,000 jobs
that are currently in Long Harbour. Who signed that deal in Long Harbour with
Vale Inco? Was it the members opposite, I ask, Mr. Speaker?
MS JONES: No.
MR. BALL: It was not. It was not the current government. This was an
inheritance. This was an inheritance that this government and they were
willing to quite gladly accept it. The same as it was for Terra Nova, the same
as it was for Hibernia, and the same for White Rose. Those particular projects
have generated significant dollars for this government to use as they rebuilt
this Province over the last number of years.
Today's PMR, however, is about sustainability. How is it that we address
those problems we have inherited, as they say? How do we address that in a
sustainable fashion? Mr. Speaker, the same ability is not about how you react to
a particular issue. It is about how you support a decision that you made. It is
about making the decision that can last for the long term.
If you go back and look at the history of oil royalties in our Province and
the impact it has had on our budgets as it impacts the amount of money that we
have had to spend, I want to bring up some numbers for you, Mr. Speaker. Back in
2003 and 2004, does anybody know what we received in oil royalties? Well, it was
about $127 million.
In 2004-2005, it was about $265 million. In 2005-2006, it was $532 million.
In 2006-2007, it was $423 million. Listen to this number now, in 2007-2008, $1.7
billion. In 2008-2009, it was $2.2 billion. In 2009-2010, it was $2.1 billion.
In 2010-2011, it was $2.4 billion. In 2011-2012, it was $2.8 billion, with an
estimate of about $2.2 billion. On that inheritance right there, that totals
about $15 billion; $7.4 billion of that has been generated since 2010-2011.
I would challenge anybody, any of the members opposite, to pick up any of
those agreements and show me where they have had an influence, show me where
they have had impact on generating that revenue. Where is it? It is not there.
I will say, unlike some people who have spoken today, there is a time to give
credit where credit is due. As I look at the Minister of Finance, back in 1985
there was a significant event that happened for this Province. Of course, that
was the Atlantic Accord. From all of that, we see a lot of the work that was
done here. That set the framework for a lot of the major deals that were done.
It was Liberal governments that actually brought those deals to a close and it
was Liberal governments that are responsible for generating those oil royalties.
In the future, we do not know what the future holds, but Hebron will probably
have a significant impact on where we will go. Hebron will contribute to the
economy of the Province, not just about jobs. We certainly hope that is a
successful project and that it will generate oil royalties, although the royalty
regime has changed for Hebron.
Mr. Speaker, these are just examples of where it takes a succession of
governments to actually create the successes that we have had today. This was
not about the hard work of the members opposite. This was not about that. This
was about the hard work of predecessors for this particular government. They did
inherit some challenges that they had to address, but I can guarantee you they
were given a big chequebook to be able to do it with and they were given a big
bank account to be able to do it with.
MS JONES: All together, how much is that on Liberal deals?
MR. BALL: That is about $15 billion.
MS JONES: About $15 billion.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, sustainability, as I said, is about support.
Today, we have heard over recent weeks about the decisions and how do we contain
our spending. What do we do to control spending to what they call sustainable
levels?
This week, I had the opportunity to speak to a young man from the Province
who told me his story. His story was that six years ago he was recruited by this
particular government to come back home. As he called it, I got the call to come
back from Alberta. He answered that call. Two Fridays ago he received another
call. He told me the call was to go back to Alberta. The call to go back to
Alberta though, was not a decision he wanted to make. It was a decision he had
to make, simply because he was one of the individuals who has been let go. He is
now looking for work back in Alberta.
Six years ago he made a decision to come back home, to come back to the place
where he always wanted to live. He did that thinking his own life and his
paycheque were sustainable, but that is not the case. When he came back, he took
a job and worked hard for six years.
As a matter of fact, he has
helped people transition in to a new workplace for them, but his job was not
sustainable. That is what he is being told right now. The mortgage that he has
on his house is not sustainable with his current paycheque. The car that he has
to deal with he has to tell his family now that I am heading back to Alberta.
Back to Alberta because
MR. KENNEDY: Why didn't he get a job here?
MR. BALL: He could not get a job here, I say to the Minister of Finance.
He has made a decision now, and he has lost confidence. He has lost confidence
in this and now he has the decision made to go back to Alberta. It is a decision
that he has made.
AN HON. MEMBER: It is his choice.
MR. BALL: Exactly; it is his choice. It was his choice to come home
because he felt that the decisions, the workplace, and the job that he had
accepted would be there for the long haul, but this thirty-year-old gentleman
right now is heading back. In his case, like I said, he was recruited, asked to
come home, and he has done this and made a decision to live here.
I also want to talk a little bit about debt. We talk a lot about debt right
now. I mentioned in this House a few days ago that it took us about fifty years
to get to a debt of $9 billion. In 1997, the net debt in the Province was about
$7.2 billion. In 2003, that net debt was about $10.6 billion. This year, the
projected net debt is to be just under $9 billion about $8.9 billion. The
issue here if you take the current deficits that this government is now
forecasting at $4 billion over the next three years, we will see net debt at a
level higher than they were back in 2003.
Right now, this government were given huge opportunities over the last ten
years, they were given access to oil royalties like we have never seen before in
the history of this Province, and they were given the ability to actually grow
this to be sustainable and manage the growth.
One of the things that you talk about when you manage growth in your
province, you ask yourself: How do we demonstrate that; how is it shown?
Typically, when you look at a province that is said to be doing good and these
are good times, you ask yourself: What is the unemployment rate in that
province? That is a key indicator into Canada right now. We compare ourselves to
other provinces. This is what we do.
Well, last week when the numbers were released, again province by province,
what happened? Again, we find ourselves as a Province here in Newfoundland and
Labrador we are, at unemployment rates, the highest in Canada. It is the highest
rates in Canada.
This is an area that we were never proud of. This is a position that we held
for a number of years. Through all the discussion that we have had and all the
good times that we have had and everything that we hear in a positive way when
you speak to people in a lot of the areas in our Province, what they are knowing
is that we are now currently unemployed to the highest rates that we have in
this country.
Mr. Speaker, I spoke about the debt, and there is no question that you have
to manage your debt and you have to do it in a sustainable fashion. You do not
put what you want to be sustainable prog