May 7,

2012 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 27

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Today I would like to welcome to the Speaker's gallery, the Chief of Police

of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Mr. Robert Johnston, accompanied by his

wife, Gloria.

Welcome, Chief.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: In our public galleries today we are joined by twenty-one

members of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps #67 from Windsor. The cadets are

from the District of Grand Falls-Windsor Buchans and Grand Falls-Windsor

Green Bay South, and are accompanied by their Commanding Officer, LT(

N) Mark

Whiffen and Officer, LT(

N) Jenelle Carter.

Welcome to our gallery.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today we are going to have members' statements from the

Member for the District of Humber West; the Member for the District of Grand

Falls-Windsor Green Bay South; the Member for the District of Bay of Islands;

the Member for the District of Burgeo La Poile; the Member for the District of

Mount Pearl North; and the Member for the District of St. John's North.

The hon. the Member for Humber West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRANTER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today, I stand to pay respect to an individual that left his mark on the

lives of many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Dr. Thomas Christopher (T.

C) Farrell passed away on April 14 at the age of

eighty-seven. T.C. came to Newfoundland in 1950 after studying medicine in

Dublin, Ireland. When his plane landed in a raging snow storm, he was wearing

only a light rain coat and worn-out shoes.

Tom had not planned on staying, but there was a dire need for doctors at that

time. He travelled the coastline from Bay St. George to Corner Brook providing

for the sick. T.C. eventually married and Newfoundland became his home away from

home.

His medical practice was extensive and he was loved by his patients. He was

always there for them in their time of need.

Dr. Farrell represented the District of Humber East from 1971 to 1979. During

those years he held many portfolios and served as President of the Executive

Council and as Deputy Premier.

Dr. Farrell was a great story and joke teller. He was an avid fisherman who

loved to spend time at the family's property in the Codroy Valley.

I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in extending deepest sympathy

to his wife Margaret, his children, and extended family.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor Green Bay

South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUNTER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, hon. colleagues, I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate

Si Thompson for winning Citizen of the Year for Grand Falls-Windsor. In our

town, when you hear volunteerism, Si Thompson is the name that comes to mind.

Even though there were twelve fantastic people nominated, Si deserves top

recognition for his hard work. He has been a friend of mine for forty-two years.

Si is retired from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment as an officer. He is the

founding member of Exploits Ground Search and Rescue and he served as President

of Environment and Resources Management. He is an executive member of Ducks

Unlimited.

Si was involved in the first-ever Relay for Life and donates his time to the

Status of Women Central as well as volunteering with the Red Cross, which of

course takes in 9-11.

I ask my hon. colleagues to join with me in congratulating Si Thompson as

Citizen of the Year for Grand Falls-Windsor.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for District of Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize one of the newest members

of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame.

Former powerlifting champion, Joy Burt, of Gillams in the Bay of Islands, was

inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at the gala held in St. John's on April

14. Joy was a word champion on the powerlifting stage from 1986 to 1992 when she

represented Canada at the World Powerlifting Championship. She won silver medals

in 1986, 1988, 1989, and gold in 1987 and 1992. At the 1992 championships, she

was named the Champion of Champions, which is a designation indicating the

strongest competitor pound for pound in the competition.

Joy was also an elite soccer player and won numerous awards over the years

including three-time winner of the provincial Elizabeth Swan Senior Female

Athlete of the Year and four-time winner of the Corner Brook Female Athlete of

the Year. Joy is also the first female inducted in Newfoundland and Labrador

Soccer Hall of Fame.

Joy is currently the Mayor of Gillams and a Grade 5 teacher at Templeton

Academy in Meadows.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in congratulating Joy Burt on her

tremendous accomplishments over the years and her contribution to sports in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to

an accomplished, dedicated, and devoted individual, a spouse, mother, doctor,

teacher, mentor, and friend to all who had the honour of knowing her.

Dr. Meridith Marks passed away on April 22, 2012, after a courageous battle

with cancer. Dr. Marks was born in Channel-Port aux Basques and raised at the

Cape Ray lighthouse.

She completed her medical studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland and

residency at the University of Ottawa, where she later became a professor in the

Faculty of Medicine and assistant dean of the faculty's Academy for Innovation

in Medical Education.

A specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Marks brought her

skills and calming touch to clinical practice at the Rehabilitation Centre in

Ottawa with a focus on amputee rehabilitation and a steadfast commitment to

excellence in medical education. Dr. Marks was honoured by multiple clinical

care and teaching awards that noted her local and national contributions. She

leaves to mourn her partner, Peter Bruneau, and a large circle of family,

friends, and colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join with me in paying tribute to the

late Dr. Meridith Marks.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate a resident of

Paradise and a great friend of mine, Damian Follett, on his recent success in

the music industry.

In March of this year, Damian's song, Long As You're A Good Man , made

the independent Christian charts, and remained there for approximately six

months. It peaked at number thirteen. Overseas, this song also made the

independent European country charts and stayed there for approximately three

months, peaking in the top twenty. Damian's second release, Summertime ,

made it to number fifty-nine in the independent country charts as well. Another

release, One Of These Days , peaked in the top ten.

Damian has been writing songs and performing for several decades. He is well

known locally and is another example of the amazing talent we have here in

Newfoundland and Labrador. I have been enjoying his music for many years.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating

Damian Follett on his significant achievements in the music industry and we wish

him continued success in the future.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. North.

MR. KIRBY: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the tireless

volunteers of an organization that has been serving the people of my district

since 1985. The West Heights neighbourhood association was started in 1985 by

Joe Wells.

Now, thirty-seven years later, the association is thriving with a volunteer

board led by Lisa Stoyles and Gail Chaulk. The City of St. John's named Lisa

their volunteer of the year three years ago, but she is very modest about her

work. Like many noteworthy volunteers, she insists that she does the work not

for recognition but to make a difference in her community.

The West Heights neighbourhood association is very active, and celebrates

most of the usual calendar events. It also sponsors a neighbourhood cleanup day,

a garden party and family barbecue, and right now they are delivering an Arts in

the Community program in conjunction with Vibrant Communities.

Mr. Speaker, we know the huge importance that a solid sense of community

makes, especially to young people in this sometimes challenging world.

I ask all hon. members of the House to join me in thanking these outstanding

volunteers, Lisa and Gail, whose work makes such a difference to so many people

in their neighbourhood.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to acknowledge National Nursing

Week. In recognition of the dedication and achievements of the nursing

profession, the second week of May has been celebrated as National Nursing Week

since 1985.

The theme of National Nursing Week 2012 is Nursing The Health of Our

Nation. It reflects the positive impacts nurses make to the lives and well-being

of the public.

Mr. Speaker, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses represent over

40 per cent of our health care workforce. In fact, we have more nurses working

in our Province than we have ever had, including 6,307 registered nurses and

2,685 licensed practical nurses. They guide decisions related to patient care

and health care delivery each day. Whether they are interacting directly with

patients or working to advance education, research or policy, nurses play a

vital role in our Province's health care system.

Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support efforts to enhance the

quality of the workplace and the quality of work life for nurses and all of our

health care professionals. On April 23 and 24, the Department of Health and

Community Services hosted the 2012 Nursing Leadership Conference. This was a

very successful conference attended by over 300 nurses from across the Province.

The conference focused on quality work environments.

In the interest of further improving the quality of the workplace for nurses

and licensed practical nurses in the Province, we are in the process of

implementing an Injury Prevention Pilot Program for Long-Term Care. This program

will be piloted at ten sites across the Province with a goal of reducing injury

rates for nurses.

We are also committed to continuing to address the recruitment and retention

needs of the workforce. I am pleased to say that there are now thirteen

nurse-specific recruitment initiatives in place, made possible through an

investment of more than $2.5 million annually.

Mr. Speaker, nurses make invaluable contributions with their skills,

expertise, and commitment to quality care. On behalf of the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador, I want to thank all nurses in the Province for their

continued leadership, and extend best wishes to them for National Nursing Week.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the minister for the advance copy of the statement. It is

certainly a privilege to be able to stand here and recognize this week as

National Nursing Week. The theme, Nursing The Health of our Nation, this

indeed does reflect on the positive impact that nurses and their profession make

upon the health care system, not only in our Province but across the country.

Whether it is the 6,307 registered nurses or the 2,685 licensed practical

nurses, they play a valuable role, especially in what we have been saying and we

have been hearing. They will play an even larger role when we get to the chronic

disease management strategy, certainly in the wait time reduction. I believe

there is an area there where we can utilize nurse practitioners even more.

We are very happy to see that there is a pilot Injury Prevention Program put

in place. This is certainly well needed right now. As we know, this profession

is one where we see large injury rates. We are pleased with this initiative.

Whether it is a nurse who is working in construction, working offshore, or

working in one of our institutions, we are certainly pleased today to be able to

support and recognize National Nursing Week. Not only National Nursing Week, but

we want to say thanks to all the nurses for the work they do on a day-to-day

basis.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of her statement. I am very

pleased to stand here today with the minister and with the Official Opposition

Leader to celebrate the dedication and tremendous work of our nurses. They are

an essential part of our health care system.

I am very pleased to see the introduction of an Injury Prevention Program for

nurses and, I presume, others who work in long-term care. I also encourage the

government, Mr. Speaker, to look at proposals from the registered nurses'

association, which they are publicly promoting regarding the positive

contributions nurse practitioners can make to quality health care in the

Province.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this House of Assembly to

congratulate Chief Robert Johnston of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary on his

appointment as Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. Chief

Johnston is just the second Newfoundlander and Labradorian working as a police

officer in this Province to receive this prestigious honour at the officer's

level. Assistant Commissioner Larry Warren, retired, of the RCMP and brother of

the Premier was the first. Chief, you are in good company.

The Order of Merit of the Police Forces was created in 2000 to recognize

conspicuous merit and exceptional service by members and employees of the

Canadian police forces whose contributions extend beyond protection of the

community. There are three levels of membership which reflect long-term,

outstanding service: Commander, Officer, and Member.

Mr. Speaker, Chief Johnston joined the RNC in 1979 and was assigned to

uniform patrol in St. John's but soon found his niche in the Criminal

Investigations Division. Throughout the years, he progressed through the ranks

of the RNC and, in 2010, became the twentieth Chief of Police. During his

career, Chief Johnston has shown outstanding leadership resulting in a number of

achievements. Mr. Speaker, he leads by example and is looked up to by all those

within the ranks of the RNC. His dedication to service and integrity makes him

an excellent choice to be included for this honour.

In addition to Chief Johnston's appointment, Inspector Sean Ryan of the RNC

and Inspector Patrick Cahill of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will also be

inducted as members of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. They now join

five other current members in Newfoundland and Labrador who have achieved this

great honour.

Mr. Speaker, the provincial government continues to support both the RCMP and

the RNC in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 2004, policing budgets have

increased by over $52 million and there are an additional 145 uniformed police

officers on the street. Budget 2012: People and Prosperity provided funding for

an RNC officer for the Child Exploitation Unit and $4.1 million towards the new

RCMP contract.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating Chief

Robert Johnston, Inspector Patrick Cahill, and Inspector Sean Ryan on their

appointments to the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. They will receive their

orders at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 9.

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 would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. Our

heartfelt congratulations go to Chief Robert Johnston, Inspector Sean Ryan, and

Inspector Patrick Cahill. It is certainly great to have the chief here with us

today in our presence. We already knew that members of our provincial police

forces were equal to any in the country. It is certainly nice to see the country

recognize that.

When you ask a small child what they want to be when they grow up, police and

firefighters often top the list. They often top the list because even small

children understand and respect these professions. Police officers are held up

to a higher standard than almost any other profession. Their power to arrest and

detain means they have to exercise a level of responsibility that few others

ever have to exercise, and it takes a special person to do that job.

The recognition of Chief Johnston, Inspector Ryan, and Inspector Patrick

Cahill shows the world that the RNC and RCMP are professional, competent, and

extraordinary forces. These individual members could not reach this level of

achievement if their values and standards were not shared by their fellow

officers. This recognition reflects well on all the law enforcement police

officers in this Province. So again, congratulations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Congratulations to Chief Johnston, as well as Inspectors Ryan and Cahill, on

the awarding of these honours. They reflect well on them and the Province's

police services in general. Thank you for your dedication bravo.

Government has supported the police services of this Province, and I hope

they will step up and provide these hard-working men and women with the

resources they will need to deal with some of the new problems that we may see

that come with our newfound prosperity in the Province.

Again, thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

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

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, recordings related to the Burton Winters tragedy indicate that a

call for assistance left Makkovik on Sunday night, and the coordination centre

in Makkovik was told to call back the next day for support.

So I ask the Premier: Has the internal investigation into the Burton Winters

tragedy confirmed this call, and why did it not reach Fire and Emergency

Services until Monday morning?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, it is a terrible tragedy, in regard to what

happened in Makkovik back on that particular date, but I have to re-establish

the facts here in this House, as I have established them before. The RCMP have

also confirmed, in regard to a press release and a press conference today, that

no call was made to Fire and Emergency Services until Monday morning I think

it was January 29, whatever it was and Fire and Emergency staff also have

confirmed that, in regard to their own internal log; also, that can be confirmed

by the facts and the log of Aliant itself, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The recordings also reveal that the provincial Fire and Emergency Services

were not aware of a specialized resource known as the Civil Air Search and

Rescue Association, CASARA, which was available to them for the search for

Burton Winters.

I ask the Premier: Why wouldn't Fire and Emergency Services personnel in the

Province be aware of all the resources available to them for their search?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, as I stated in this House some time ago, the

lead agency when it comes to ground search and rescue in this Province and

elsewhere in Canada is the policing agency that has jurisdiction in that

particular region. That policing agency has the sole responsibility of engaging

any resources that they might need in regard to supporting them in a ground

search and rescue operation. CASARA is one of those and that would be the lead;

they would take the lead in regard to engaging those as spotters.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: There seems to be certainly a lack of communication in terms of

resources. Mr. Speaker, the role of the provincial search and rescue in the

Burton Winters tragedy has been questioned by the Opposition and others on

several occasions. The minister has repeatedly stated that proper protocol was

followed and that the FES did everything it should have done.

Given the latest information, will you now table the internal investigation

to the House of Assembly?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, as stated by the Premier in previous questions,

we have no problem with regard to tabling any of the documentation that we have

within Fire and Emergency Services and any of the correspondence that we have

had with the minister in question, Minister MacKay. I am waiting for one more

response with regards to a letter I wrote about a week or so ago and once that

is in, I will be ever so happy to table any of my documentation in this House,

Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The latest recordings released by DND cast even more doubt on the Province's

role in the search for young Burton Winters. The recordings clearly indicate

that a call for assistance left Makkovik on Sunday night, the same evening that

Burton went missing. We understand that it was the RCMP; there is a coordination

and a communication problem here.

Given the latest information and the need to revisit existing protocols, will

you now initiate a public inquiry into the Burton Winters tragedy?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been consistent in its iteration of the facts

regarding the Burton Winters tragedy since the very first day. There is no new

news that has come to light in the last twenty-four to forty-eight hours, Mr.

Speaker. As the minister has said, the police in charge of that jurisdiction are

the lead in search and rescue activities. They go to the resources available to

them and FES-NL is one of those resources to request support. FES-NL

received the first request for support on the Monday morning, approximately

8:30. That has been confirmed by the minister, by FES-NL's own logs, by the RCMP

and by Aliant, Mr. Speaker. There is no new news here.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are asking for the public inquiry because what happens, there seems to be

a clear breakdown in communication. The RCMP did not notify until the next

morning, we lost the services that night. It is clear now that resources of

CASARA were not notified, and they were available to help in that search. We

believe at least that a public inquiry into this matter would identify all those

problems. The family, the people of Labrador, obviously, and for the people of

the Province would know that in future what resources exist.

My next question is, Mr. Speaker, people are reeling from the recent blow to

the economy on the Burin Peninsula. They have seen the Marystown plant close,

last week the Burin plant, and the future of others are in doubt as well.

I ask the Premier: What have you done at this point to address the serious

situation developing on the Burin Peninsula and to give the people of that

region some hope for the future?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Indeed, the member phrases it very accurately that we have been dealt a very

damaging blow on the Burin Peninsula as we have in other parts of the Province.

As I articulated here in the House last week, we will be announcing a Cabinet

committee in the coming days that will step up not only for the Burin Peninsula

but for all plants.

Mr. Speaker, we need to understand that the changing demographics in the

industry is what is causing the problems and it is going to give us more

challenges to deal with. Just to give you a quick example, in 1989 we had 16,600

harvesters in this Province, today we have 10,000; we had 214 fish plants, today

we have 100; we had 21,000 plant workers, today we have 10,000.

The industry is changing, Mr. Speaker. We all have to be prepared for it, but

we will step up to help those as they go through this transition period.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, in the 2003 Blue Book and in subsequent news

releases in statements of the House, the current government committed to

building replacement ferries in this Province, now they are stepping back from

those commitments.

I ask the Premier: Does it make sense to have these vessels built at the

shipyard in this Province, especially given the economic benefit that could

bring to the hard hit Burin Peninsula?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In response to the member's question on the other side, basically we are

moving forward with our vessel replacement strategy. Currently, in the works

would be the third boat which would be built in Marystown. As well, we are

moving forward with the Winsor replacement which we hope could be built

in the Province. If not, obviously there might be other alternatives, but right

now we are concentrating on moving our strategy forward.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier was part of the Administration that made these commitments. The

situation with the Bell Island ferry over the past weekend is the latest example

that we need these new ferries.

I ask the Premier: Will you now personally get involved and resolve the

impasse with Kiewit so that the people of the Burin Peninsula can see benefits

for this work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Again, Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to making

sure that the vessel replacement strategy moves along in a timely fashion. As

well, we are talking with Kiewit. We have made representation, and they have

made representation to us. I am sure that in due time some resolve will come to

that situation.

Again, I say that we have made a commitment as a government. The strategy is

in place and we are determined to carry it out.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, five fish plants have closed in this Province

in less than four months and the Fisheries Minister, all he does is manage the

fallout of displaced workers.

I ask the Premier: Why is her government content to sit on the sidelines when

it should be taking a more active role in shaping solutions to the fishery amid

changing times?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the only members sitting on the sidelines are

members opposite who are living in the past. This government has been very

active in the fishery for the last number of years. There is only one

significant thing that we have not done to help this industry, and that is to

pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of some in the industry to

get them out of the industry quicker than natural attrition is going to do.

The fact of the matter is we have been very supportive of the fishing

industry by way of marketing, by the way of investment in technology. To all

plants that ever came forward looking for support from us, we have been

extremely supportive. We support harvesters through the Fisheries Loan Guarantee

Program. We support plant workers in times where there is adjustment measures

needed, Mr. Speaker, and we would do it again on this watch.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, the secondary processing plant at Burin is

slated for closure at year-end. Seven months notice should be adequate time even

for this government to find a solution.

I ask the Premier: What is her government doing today to find other

opportunities for this plant?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I can assure members opposite that we will be very

aggressive in trying to support the Burin Peninsula and the plant in Burin. We

understand the devastation.

Mr. Speaker, let's be very clear here on what this government has done. We

have supported a business in Grand Bank that is arguably one of the best success

stories for small business in Newfoundland and Labrador: Dynamic Air Shelters.

We have pumped in nearly $20 million to reactivate a mine in St. Lawrence. We

have supported investment in a marine industrial park in Marystown. We have

built two ferries in Marystown.

This government will not walk away from the Burin Peninsula, Mr. Speaker, but

we will not make foolhardy decisions like herring factories, as the member

opposite does.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, there is less and less seafood processing in

this Province.

I ask the Premier: What is she doing to address this issue and to bring more

value-added processing to our plants in our Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the fishing industry is going through challenging

times. I try to be as clear as I possibly can in this House and through the

media that government provides policies and programs to support the industry. It

is the vision of this government not to be involved in the day-to-day operations

of fish plants any more than we are going to be involved in day-to-day

operations of oil companies and those kinds of businesses.

We will provide whatever supports are required. The fact of the matter is the

industry is changing. It is a challenge for some processors and operators in

Newfoundland and Labrador to compete in a global marketplace. If we are going to

do that, we have to make changes, we have to accept there are going to be

changes, and manage the change as best we can. Mr. Speaker, we will do that.

I say to the member opposite, as I said before, if we can find another

operator to go into Burin, we will be there tomorrow to do whatever we can to

support that, Mr. Speaker. We are not going into Burin and operate a fish plant

ourselves with nothing to do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, the tragic overdose of Chrissy Pearce

illustrates numerous shortcomings in the system, little to no follow-up, no

long-term counselling, and no available beds at detox. Despite all efforts from

a family desperate to save her, the system failed Chrissy.

I ask the minister: Lack of addiction services in this Province is not new;

now someone has lost their life as a direct result. Why was she not admitted to

Homewood in Guelph or in another facility to help her deal with the root causes

of her addiction?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite well knows that I cannot speak to specific

cases in this House of Assembly or in the media; however, what I can tell the

member opposite and to all who are listening is that we have a number of

services in place with regard to the treatment of mental health and addictions

in this Province.

In the last three years, we have invested over $29 million in terms of

possible means of supporting people who are suffering from addictions and from

mental health issues within this Province, Mr. Speaker, and we will continue to

follow up on those. There are numerous options for counselling, Mr. Speaker. We

have a Recovery Centre. There is the Opioid Centre. There is option to be sent

out of Province; that happens upon referral and once all other treatments have

ceased.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, like so many with addictions issues, Chrissy

Pearce suffered from depression. Pearce's partner recounts the involvement of

Child Protection Services and a revolving door of social workers; none of whom

enforced required drug testing or provided any substantial follow-up.

I ask the minister: Given all the investments this government touts, why did

the system fail her?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, once again he is asking me to comment on a case

that he knows I cannot comment on. Again, I will suggest that we have numerous

options available to people in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, we can only provide the programming. There is a responsibility

as well for people who are supporting and for family members and others to be

involved in the support that an individual needs, and we provide help in

providing the support to family members as well. Mr. Speaker, the protocols that

we have in place around mental health and addictions are protocols that have

seen a great deal of success over the past years, and we are continuing to

invest, Mr. Speaker. Just last week, Eastern Health was able to announce the

awarding of a contract for adult addictions here in Harbour Grace and

(inaudible)

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, families struggling with addictions issues

will tell you there are not enough services available. There is no intervention

program to help families come together and address these devastating behaviours.

There is no guarantee a bed will be available, should their loved one finally

agree to receive help.

I ask the minister: We are aware of treatment facilities on the horizon, but

we need an emergency response now. What are you planning to do?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if I might, I will just go through some of the options that are

available in terms of addictions treatments. There are a range of services, of

course, that are available. One is a crisis line. Another is a mobile crisis

response team. We have a psychiatric assessment unit at the Waterford and other

psychiatric assessment units as well, Mr. Speaker. There is a nineteen-bed

Recovery Centre. We have Humberwood. We have the Opioid Treatment Centre as

well.

Mr. Speaker, there are twenty-seven sites available across the Province for

additional counselling and treatment. We have out-of-province available as well

and, in addition to that, in last year's Budget, we continued to support by

putting in place $3.2 million of investment to hire additional specialists to

help out in this area, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, government transferred a fast craft search and

rescue vehicle from St. John's to the RNC detachment in Corner Brook; however,

that emergency vehicle in Corner Brook is not operating. It has not worked since

it was in Corner Brook.

I ask the minister: Are you aware of the fact that the RNC emergency fast

craft vehicle in Corner Brook is not operational?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of vehicles in our system,

both in corrections and in RNC and RCMP. If there is a vehicle that is not

working in the system I am sure there is probably more than one, but I am not

aware of any one particular vehicle at this time.

If I can respond, Mr. Speaker, if there is something that I can find out and

get back to the member, I certainly will.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I was just trying to get this because I know the

Member for Humber East is aware of it; he was aware of the emergency vehicle

that is not operational in Corner Brook. The people in Corner Brook are

expecting this service, I say to the minister.

I ask the minister: Will you take it upon yourself to look and see if this

emergency vehicle is operational? If it is not because it was out for a test

run in October; they identified the problem, they already have the request in to

have it done, because the people in Corner Brook expect the service.

I ask the minister: Will you take it upon yourself to look into this matter

and have this vehicle operational, please?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Justice, I do not get

involved in the day-to-day operational activities of the police force or the

police assets. That is an internal operation for the RNC in this case. Again, if

there is something there that is important to the people of the community as the

member suggests, it is something that I can place an inquiry on.

As far as the operation of the RNC, Mr. Speaker, and the operation of

vehicles, I would not have any particular information on any specific vehicle.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

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

In one year, six fish plants have closed around the Province, throwing

communities into turmoil, yet we are hearing no answers from the government.

There is a real lack of leadership, Mr. Speaker. To say we have a fishery

readjustment plan is not enough; saying you can retrain workers is not enough

when we are talking about older workers and isolated communities.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: What is this government doing to really help

the workers from Burin, Marystown, St. Lewis, Port Union, Black Tickle, and La

Scie?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are doing the same thing for these workers, and will do for

others the same thing we did in Stephenville, Grand Falls-Windsor, and Harbour

Breton. We are committed to communities in this Province that find themselves in

economic distress. We do not always have the answers at hand. There are not easy

answers to be found by anybody, but we walk the walk with communities, Mr.

Speaker. We do not just talk the talk.

Wherever the journey takes these people, their government will be there with

them, and we do our best to diversify the economy and meet their needs in the

meantime.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I say to the Premier that in May 2011, the much-awaited MOU on

the fishery came out, and government out and out rejected the document instead

of seeing it as a basis for serious discussion. The MOU had concrete suggestions

that still have the potential for restructuring the fishery and making things

work for everyone involved in the industry. This government totally reneged on

its responsibility by refusing to sit and talk about the recommendations.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier if this government will sit down now with

all parties and get control over what is happening in the industry.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, it would be wonderful if this government

did have that kind of control. Unfortunately, we do not. We are only one of a

number of stakeholders in this industry. Where we have control, where we have

influence, we exert it.

We did not reject the MOU out of hand. There were a number of recommendations

in that MOU that are under very serious consideration, especially around

marketing. Mr. Speaker, we were not going to invest hundreds of millions of

dollars that took a handful of fish plant operators out, took a handful of

licensed operators out, left fish plant workers behind again, as many

proposals that have been put forward have done in the past and leave the other

people in the boat stranded. That is not how we operate, Mr. Speaker. Our

investments have to mean something for all of the people involved in this

industry.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I point out to the Premier, Mr. Speaker, that the government was the one

stakeholder who would not sit at the table and discuss the MOU. It was the

government who was a stakeholder who would not sit.

So, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries told us last week that High Liner

told him that there was nothing the government could have done to stop the

closure of the Burin plant. It appears that the minister had thrown up his hands

and accepts that there is nothing he can do now that the plant is closed. This

attitude is a total abandonment of fishing people and communities.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Is this what government will do from now

on just sit back and wait for companies' decisions and then surrender?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, one thing this government will not do is abandon

people and communities. Our record has been very clear on what we will do to

support individuals through challenging times.

Let me remind the member opposite who obviously has not read the MOU, or

certainly does not understand what she read here were the recommendations in

the MOU: that we support a marketing council, we are doing it; that we support a

lobster buyout, we are doing it; that we support a massive $600 million buyout

of processors and leave plant workers behind the only thing in the MOU that we

did not support was that, because it does nothing for communities and it does

nothing for plant workers, Mr. Speaker.

We will focus on helping people through this process, but this government is

not going back into the days of pumping money into operating fish plants.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the crisis is a crisis in the Province, not just a crisis in the

industry. Everyone in this House has to be involved in dealing with what is

happening. We need everyone's experience and input.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Will she set up a special all-party

committee, not just a Cabinet only committee, to deal with our current crisis?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, I have said it time and time again in

this House, to have these all-party committees requires some confidence in that

the people opposite know what they are talking about.

We have had the Member for Torngat Mountains this morning on every media

outlet in the Province talking about a cover-up of the Burton Winters tragedy,

Mr. Speaker, in the face of the correction put out by the RCMP, propagating

incorrectness for political advantage, I suggest, Mr. Speaker, instead of a

pursuit for the truth. It is very offensive, Mr. Speaker, and then he wants an

all-party committee.

Now, obviously, we have the Leader of the Third Party who has not taken the

time either to read the MOU or government's response asking the same thing. It

is ridiculous, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Friday on the On Point radio program, a government member

said that they would consider inviting representation from the NDP and Liberals

to the Cabinet committee.

I ask the Premier: Did your government member know what he was talking about?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one thing that I can confidently say since I have been in this

House is that when anyone speaks on this side of the House, they know a darn

sight more about it than anybody on the opposite side.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits - White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Englee certainly still feel abandoned by this

government. Mr. Speaker, how we deal with plant closures is a true test to

government and one that this government has failed. Mr. Speaker, the closures

are very disconcerting to the people who live in communities with fish plants.

We must help our rural communities become resilient. Adjustment packages are not

the solution and government must work with these communities and others affected

to forge the way.

Mr. Speaker, what additional measures is the minister planning on taking with

vulnerable communities and stakeholders to help transition them into the future?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the member opposite is getting

his information but everybody in the industry supports the adjustment package we

have. There is some discussion about the level of compensation in some areas.

The fact that we offer an employment program first of all for those who choose

or cannot move on to something else is number one; number two, we offer

retraining for those who want to do it.

Mr. Speaker, let me tell you a quick story. One year ago this past weekend I

had the opportunity to attend an ABE graduation in Fortune, a man was displaced

in the Fortune fish plant who just finished his Grade 12. Friday morning, I

attended the graduation in Marystown where he finished a carpentry course. A

true testament, Mr. Speaker, that there is hope for people, more hope than the

member opposite wants to provide people in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries points towards

the vulnerability of small plants by suggesting that regional multi-species

plants are the path to the future. By saying this, people around the Province

working in plants are now worrying about their livelihoods. Some say this is

fear mongering.

Mr. Speaker, will the minister tell the House of Assembly the information

that he knows regarding future upcoming plant closures?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, government does not operate fish plants, so I have

no knowledge about upcoming plant closures. When I spoke about possible closures

several days ago, I spoke about it from the context of the trend we have seen

since 1989, and I projected that there are going to be more plant closures.

Mr. Speaker, I am hearing from the industry all over that that is going to

happen. That is not us, me, the government, or the Premier closing fish plants.

We are stating a reality, that the industry is changing and if we are going to

remain competitive in a global seafood industry, we have to change and ensure

number one, that our product continues to be at the highest quality it possibly

can be; and number two, that we can compete price wise with anyone in the world,

Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the problems encountered over the Burton Winters search all seem

to be pointing the finger at EMO and the slow response to the call for help

until the next day. Mr. Speaker, according to a CBC Radio report this morning,

calls to EMO from the RCMP that Sunday show a request was made for assistance

then.

Mr. Speaker, what is the minister doing to improve the department's protocols

for responding to such requests?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP has clarified the reports in the media this morning

with regard to the protocols followed. Mr. Speaker, the policing who are in

charge of the jurisdiction where a search is being conducted are the lead on

that search. They are the ones who call in the resources as they are needed. EMO

does not run the search and rescue. Fire and Emergency Services does not conduct

the search and rescue operations. The police were the lead in Makkovik. The

rangers were second in command. Mr. Speaker, they called on resources that they

needed them. The RCMP made the call to FES-NL 8:30 on Monday morning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, addictions are on the rise. There is one

residential treatment facility to serve the whole Province. It has a wait-list

of six to seven weeks. The Pleasantville detox centre does not have the

resources to take the people waiting desperately to get in and there is no,

absolutely no medical detox program in the Province. Mr. Speaker, families are

in crisis, people are dying.

I ask the Minister of Health and Community Services: What is her department

doing to fix the problem of people not getting the treatment and the support

they need in a timely manner?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as I outlined in previous questions that I answered here in the

House today, this department is committed and this government is committed to

seeing to it that the services that we provide through mental health and

addictions are top-notch services in this Province, Mr. Speaker, and that is why

we continue to invest. That is why we have announced just last week that Eastern

Health has gone forward with a program that will see to it that the Harbour

Grace adult addiction centre will be open very soon. They have issued the

contract. We are moving forward with the two youth

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time for Question Period has expired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of documents.

Notices of motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Mount Pearl South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. LANE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that I will on Wednesday be moving the following Private

Member's Motion, seconded by the Member for Port au Port:

WHEREAS over the course of the next ten years, Newfoundland and Labrador is

projected to see some 70,000 job openings; and

WHEREAS our government since 2003 has laid the foundation for this growth by

commissioning and delivering on both the White Paper on Public Post-Secondary

Education and the Skills Task Force to prepare our people; and

WHEREAS our government, since the release of the Skills Task Force Report in

2007, has invested approximately $95 million in the areas of apprenticeship,

science and technology, training and infrastructure; and

WHEREAS Budget 2012 invests $4.1 million in new funding to support the

following initiatives to advance apprenticeship opportunities and support women

and other under-represented groups in skilled trades in Newfoundland and

Labrador, including: a Journeyperson Mentorship Program to help increase the

number of certified journeypersons available to provide required workplace

training for apprentices; expansion of the Apprenticeship Wage Subsidy Program

that helps provide work experience to apprentices, with a focus on first and

second-year apprentices including those from under-represented groups such as

women and persons with disabilities; and registration of pre-apprentices in an

Apprentice Tracking System to assist students completing entry level skilled

trades programs to secure employment and progress to journeyperson status; and

WHEREAS Budget 2012 also invests $200,000 to establish the Workforce

Development Secretariat, which will focus on ensuring that labour market

policies and programs are strategically aligned to develop and deploy a highly

trained and skilled workforce that can meet evolving labour market demands; and

WHEREAS a further $10.8 million in federal funding administered by our

government through the Labour Market Development Agreement and Labour Market

Agreement will support training and programs such as the Apprenticeship Wage

Subsidy and the Office to Advance Women Apprentices; and

WHEREAS our government has extended the public post-secondary tuition fee

freeze in 2012-2013, expanded the Student Financial Assistance Program to

increase the study period exemption from $50 per week to $100 per week, and

continued the up-front needs-based grants and the interest-free student loans as

part of its progressive commitment to provide students in this Province with the

best student aid program in the country; and

WHEREAS our government is also investing to expand programs such as Memorial

University's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the oceans sector of

the Marine Institute, while also investing in new and improved infrastructure at

our public post-secondary institutions;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House supports the initiatives the

provincial government is taking to prepare Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for

career opportunities in the skilled trades in our Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Pursuant to

Section 63.(3) of the Standing Orders, I am announcing that the

private member's motion which will be debated on Wednesday will be the motion

giving notice by the Member for Mount Pearl South.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that under Standing Order 11, I shall move that this House not

adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, 2012.

Further, I give notice, Mr. Speaker, under Standing Order 11, that this House

not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2012.

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?

Answers to Question for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, today I bring a petition on behalf of people

from another electoral district than my own.

Mr. Speaker, to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned humbly

sheweth:

WHEREAS with declining enrolment, distance education by Internet is now an

accepted way to deliver educational services to students living in small

communities; and

WHEREAS students have little to no say in where they or their families

reside; and

WHEREAS many families do not have the ability to relocate so that their

children can access educational opportunities in larger centres; and

WHEREAS many small businesses rely on the Internet to conduct business; and

WHEREAS high-speed Internet permits a business to be more competitive than

the slower dial-up service; and

WHEREAS no high-speed Internet service exists in the community of Loch Leven

and the electoral district of St. George's Stephenville East; and

WHEREAS there are no plans to offer high-speed Internet to residents in those

communities;

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

House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland to partner with the

private sector and offer high-speed Internet service to these communities.

In duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, the government's Broadband Initiative is a good first step and

it has provided some high-speed Internet service generally to larger communities

that are close to each other, with large pools of people. However, a very large

number of communities with smaller numbers of people have been left behind.

The people in these small communities are very, very concerned because it is

as if the road went by and you did not get hooked up. It is as if all of the

communities have telephone services and you do not have telephone service.

High-speed Internet, today, if someone is going to carry on business or take

part in distance education, is a necessity.

Clearly, with young people and students using high-speed Internet for

distance education, to compare the cost to supply teachers and to supply

everyday schools is a much, much greater cost. Clearly, in comparison to what

these costs would be, high-speed Internet would seem to be a very viable way to

carry on business in small communities and also for young people to acquire

education through distance education.

Mr. Speaker, the word is out that people all over the Province realize they

may get left behind. They are very concerned. Small communities are coming

forward and saying: Is there anything you can do? Please present a petition on

our behalf in the House of Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.

MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is a petition for review of the Department of Education school bus

transportation policies, and it reads:

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 school district restructuring has resulted in longer bus travel times

and more hazardous winter travel for rural students of all ages; and

WHEREAS due to recent school closures, children living within 1.6 kilometres

of school face increased barriers of congested streets and busy intersections in

the walk to school, and parents without cars are having more difficulty getting

children to different schools on foot; and

WHEREAS those child care centres outside the 1.6 kilometre zone and directly

on bus routes are included in kindergarten noon-time routes, causing hardship

for working parents; and

WHEREAS the 1.6 kilometre policy has been in place since 1975, and student

transportation policies have not been reviewed through public consultation since

1996; and

WHEREAS parents are expressing the need for more flexible policies for

student transportation and school restructuring to meet the current needs of

school children;

We the undersigned petition the House of Assembly to urge the government to

conduct a review of school bus transportation policies and school restructuring

to ensure safe and quality education for all school children in the Province.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure members of the House of Assembly are familiar with the

urgency of this issue, and today this petition has petitioners from Burin Bay

Arm, Creston South, Marystown, and Woody Point quite a number of petitioners

from Woody Point on this one.

One of the important topics for this proposed review would be looking at

school bus transportation policies for pre-school-age children in child care.

Oftentimes, parents are unable to get a seat for the children on a desired bus

route, and that is the bus route that would go by the child care provider who

cares for their children during the day. Parents often have to wait for what is

called a courtesy seat, which has to be applied for each year, year after year,

and sometimes that can be taken away; if a family moves in with children, the

seat becomes unavailable to them.

My constituents have been told by the Eastern School District that the only

alternative is to find a child care provider that goes by their homes. Because

of the child care problems that exist in the City, that is often not a

possibility, so switching child care providers is really not an option, Mr.

Speaker. So, there is another ongoing problem that would be the subject of an

in-depth review of school bus transportation policies, and I hope that Members

of the House of Assembly will see fit to put forward this review before long,

Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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 in the District of The Straits White Bay North, despite the $4

million Rural Broadband Initiative announced on December 22, 2011, only one

community, Ship Cove, is slated for broadband coverage; and

WHEREAS the communities of Pines Cove, Eddies Cove East, Bide Arm, North Boat

Harbour, L'Anse aux Meadows, Great Brehat, St. Carol's, Goose Cove, Grandois,

and St. Anthony Bight still remain without services; and

WHEREAS many small businesses within the district rely on Internet to conduct

business; and

WHEREAS broadband Internet permits a business to be more competitive than the

slower, dial-up service; and

WHEREAS broadband Internet enhances primary, secondary, post-secondary, and

further educational opportunities;

We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge the government to

reinvest in the Rural Broadband Initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, although many of these communities do not have high populations,

I just take, for example, one of them like L'Anse aux Meadows, which has a

UNESCO World Heritage site, that just received some cuts from Parks Canada in

terms of a reduction of staff. This as well has impacts on visitation and on the

greater business community and what they are able to do to foster further

development. Having something as central as broadband Internet allows a company

to truly market, to have on-line stores, to do on-line sales.

There is so much missing when we talk about doing an initiative and doing it

strategically so that we are spending the taxpayers' dollar in the best possible

way. If you look at Pines Cove and Eddies Cove, these communities were missed

out in a string of communities, as well as Bide Arm which is part of the town of

Roddickton Bide Arm, part of a town that does not have access to broadband

Internet. If the plan was done strategically, all of these communities certainly

would have received broadband Internet service. We are in a period of time where

the information highway is where we need to go in the future if we are going to

build resilient, vibrant communities.

Let's take stock, investing in rural broadband has already leveraged quite a

lot of money from the private sector, as the Minister of Innovation, Business

and Rural Development has noted. That is a good thing, and we certainly need

more of it. The $2 million in this year's Budget is not going to see all of

these communities and maybe not any of them receive the broadband. I present the

petition and I ask for assistance on behalf of the people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper finish

quick; I bunkered down for the petitions Motion 1, the budgetary policy of the

government.

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Mount Pearl South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. LANE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Let me say, first of all, what a pleasure it is to rise in this hon. House

today and to speak to what I think was another great Budget by this government.

I am so pleased to have the opportunity to speak. I was so pleased when I heard

the hon. House Leader last week when he said that there would be lots of

opportunity for those of us on this side certainly to speak and that we would be

sitting day and we would be sitting night, if necessary. I was very pleased to

see that because I have a lot to say. I know I have spoken to a lot of my

colleagues; they have a lot to say about this Budget. I am prepared to stay here

as long as it takes, Mr. Speaker. That is what I was elected to do. If they want

to camp out all night, I will bring the marshmallows, absolutely.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important before we concentrate on where we are to

today, it is important that we look at where we came from. When this government

came to power, we know the legacy that was left behind by the Opposition Party

for sure. They left us basically on the brink of bankruptcy. We were over $12

billion in debt and I see the members across with their heads down, and I do

not blame them. They should be hanging their heads in shame for the mess that

they left this Province in, but, thankfully, this party was able to take the

reins to show some responsible fiscal management and turn this Province around.

In 2004, Mr. Speaker, the servicing of our debt took 23 per cent of our gross

revenues. That is twenty-three cents out of every dollar that came into this

Province for required services for this Province had to go out to pay on the

debt. Now we are down to something like ten cents. This is using our calculator,

not the NDP calculator of course.

Mr. Speaker, besides the debt that we found ourselves in, we can look at the

situation we had with our roads, with our infrastructure, and with our schools.

If you look at the roads, and this is not just side roads and roads in some of

the smaller communities, even the Trans-Canada Highway, we never had potholes;

we had craters. As far as our hospitals go, they were in a state of disrepair.

As far as our schools go, they were in a state of disrepair. As a matter of

fact, when we talk about schools, coming from the health and safety industry

and I know a lot of people in that industry - I know guys that basically made a

living for the last number of years just in writing reports condemning schools

as a result of the mismanagement by the previous Administration.

Firefighting infrastructure, as well, the fire trucks were practically

non-existent; they were not fit to use, most of them. The RNC-RCMP, the people

who we depend on to protect our citizens, our property, and so on; you look at

the state of that infrastructure, you look at the lack of resources for

training, the lack of equipment so that these fine men and women could do their

job and protect our society. It just was not there.

In terms of municipalities, you look at underground infrastructure, drinking

water issues, recreation facilities which were non-existent non-existent

recreational facilities, and the few that they had were in total disrepair. So

there is no doubt, I think it is fair to say, and I think everybody in the

Province knows, that in 2003 when this government took over, she was definitely

in shambles as a result of the now-Opposition party. Yes, you should have your

head down for sure.

AN HON. MEMBER: Keep it up, now.

MR. LANE: I will keep it up. I would say to the hon. member that I could

keep it up; I could stand here for the next two hours talking about it, but I am

going to move on.

So, anyway, since taking the government in 2008, I think it is fair to say

that we have seen a remarkable change in this Province for the benefit of the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I know when I look in my district, the

District of Mount Pearl South, I can certainly see how the investment has gone

in my community in terms of the infrastructure.

In the City of Mount Pearl, our roads have never been in better shape. We

have recreational infrastructure second to none at the Reid Community Centre, at

the new Glacier, at the Team Gushue Complex. On a regional basis, we have seen

investment in the waste-management facility at Robin Hood Bay, the wastewater

treatment facility at the south side; there have been upgrades to Bay Bulls Big

Pond. We are now seeing the Team Gushue Highway being completed. All kinds of

good things happening in the City of Mount Pearl, and it has all happened under

the watch of this government, Mr. Speaker.

It was interesting when I looked at some of the stats that were presented in

the Budget based on 2011. I have just noted a few: retail sales rose in 2011 by

5.1 per cent; personal and disposable income both increased by 6.3 per cent in

2011. In 2011, Newfoundland and Labrador enjoyed the lowest annual unemployment

rate in thirty-six years, Mr. Speaker; I think that speaks volumes. Employment

grew by 2.7 per cent to reach 225,400 in 2011, which is an all-time high here in

this Province. It is the strongest employment growth rates in the country, as a

matter of fact, 2011 was for Newfoundland and Labrador. We had mineral exports

which grew by 22 per cent to about $4.6 billion, which is the highest mineral

shipment value on record in this Province. Construction employment in 2011 was

the highest ever recorded as well. Investment in Newfoundland and Labrador

increased by 21.9 per cent to $7.4 billion and that is billion with a B, Mr.

Speaker in 2011. I think it is fair to say that 2011 was a great year for

sure.

In terms of 2012, we also have some very positive forecasts as well. We are

expecting retail sales to increase by 4 per cent this year, and that is going to

surpass the $8 billion mark for 2012 in Newfoundland and Labrador absolutely

fantastic. We are going to have a personal income, a disposable income,

projected to grow by 5.4 per cent in 2012; employment, Mr. Speaker, is expected

to grow by 1.8 per cent in 2012, and capital investment in Newfoundland and

Labrador is expected to rise by 30.1 per cent in 2012 to $9.6 billion. I think

that is absolutely phenomenal. That is going to represent the strongest growth

once again, that is going to represent the strongest growth in the country, Mr.

Speaker.

As I said, Mr. Speaker, when you look at the debt servicing that we had when

we took over in 2004, it was at 23 per cent; now for 2012 we are forecasting

that we are going to be down to 10.8 per cent. We have more than cut the debt

servicing cost in half, which means that basically we have an additional 13 per

cent to 14 per cent in debt servicing money that we were paying out. That is an

additional 13 per cent that we have to spend on much needed programs and

services in Newfoundland and Labrador. I think it is fair to say that we have

certainly turned the corner and we are doing well as a Province. How have we

done this, Mr. Speaker? We have done this by investing responsibly; that is how

we have done it.

It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that we are a have Province. Quite

often, particularly we hear the Opposition and the Third Party talking about

have-Province status. I think it is important that we all need to realize as

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians what have-Province status really means. Being a

have Province is basically just a calculation that is done by the federal

government, which determines whether or not we are going to receive payment from

Ottawa. We have reached the point in our history as being a have Province where

we would no longer receive those payments from Ottawa. That all sounds great and

it all reflects where we are today in terms of our economy, but the one thing,

Mr. Speaker, that is not reflected in the have-Province status is the debt that

was left to us by the former Administration. That is why the Atlantic Accord was

negotiated in recognition of that, to try to give us the opportunity to get

ahead and pay that debt down. We have been successful in paying this debt down

by some $4 billion, and I think that is a remarkable achievement for sure.

I would say to the Third Party in particular, Mr. Speaker, being a have

Province does not mean we have the magic formula for growing money trees. That

is not what have Province means. Every time that you decide you are going to

spend money here, you do not have it to spend somewhere else. Just like your own

personal finances, Mr. Speaker, and just like your own budget, you cannot have

it and spend it too.

I believe it was at our last session, last Thursday, Mr. Speaker, in the

House I heard the hon. Minister of Municipal Affairs. He said it right.

Everything that he said to the Third Party I certainly want to say ditto,

because he nailed it. He was absolutely right when he talked about the Third

Party's irresponsibility when it comes to spending money.

It is important that we need to invest wisely, we need to understand the

costs, and that is what we do, Mr. Speaker. I just want to give a couple of

examples, and I gave these examples I believe in my maiden speech as it relates

to the Third Party. It is important that I highlight these again because it only

speaks to their concept of money and money management, or lack thereof shall I

say.

We had one example there, Mr. Speaker, of course on the full-day

kindergarten. The Third Party in the last provincial election promised full-day

kindergarten. Elect us; we are going to implement full-day kindergarten. Now,

that all seems fine. It sounds great in theory, but most of us who live in the

real world I think we understand that it is not just as simple as just

implementing something. When you implement programs it costs money.

There is also a difference between capital costs and operational costs. Many

of the things that I hear from the Third Party relate to operational costs. They

are not just one-time expenditures like you would spend on capital. Every time

you add an additional program or you hire more people, then there is that

ongoing cost, not just for this year but for years to follow. I am not sure if

they understand that because it does not seem like they do.

MR. MURPHY: (Inaudible).

MR. LANE: Well, yes. The Member for St. John's East, I think he kind of

gets it a little bit, but I am not sure about the rest of them for sure. They

were going to implement full-day kindergarten. When asked, Mr. Speaker, by the

media: How are you going to pay for this? What is it going to cost? The Leader

of the Third Party, their response was, I do not know. I do not know what it is

going to cost. We have not costed it out yet. We do not have the resources; we

do not have the people to cost it out. That was their response. This is the

people's money we are talking about here.

Let's just talk about the people's money for a second, because one of the

demographics that never seems to get talked about a lot here are the average

working person. I think it is important to understand that dynamic. In an

average family you have a husband, a wife, and you have probably two kids.

AN HON. MEMBER: Two jobs.

MR. LANE: At least in my area, Mr. Speaker, the husband is working, the

wife is working, and they have a couple of kids. They do not have two jobs like

the hon. Member for St. John's North. They generally have one job apiece. They

have to go out, they have to get up every single morning, get the kids to

daycare or get them to school, pack lunches. They have a mortgage they have to

pay for; they have a car payment that they have to pay for; they have groceries

they have to pay for; they have to pay for their heat, their light, their phone

and so on, their cable, their normal expenses. Maybe, if they are somewhat

thrifty with their money and they put money aside like most of us do, at some

point in time they are actually going to get to enjoy a little vacation; nothing

wrong with that, going to get a little vacation.

Now, Mr. Speaker, these are the people that are working hard every day. When

they get their paycheque, as we all do and you look at your pay check, you

look at your gross pay and then you look at your net pay; everybody gets that

real shock when they look at it and say: My goodness, where did all the money

go?

AN HON. MEMBER: The net pay is gross.

MR. LANE: Yes, the net pay is gross, somebody said. That is true.

When they get up and they look at that, Mr. Speaker, they are saying: My

goodness, where did the money go to? They went to pay for all of the programs

and services that are provided by the various levels of government. These are

the people who work hard every day to pay for all this. Every time the members

opposite get up and say we need to spend more money on this, more money on that,

more money on something else, these are the people generally that have to pay

for it all.

Most of us, I think, sort of would represent that class of people. Now there

are people who do well and there are people who do not so well. I think we all

realize as a society we need a social conscience; there are people, through no

fault of their own, that fall upon challenges or they have various issues

preventing them from earning a good living and access to programs and services.

As a government, we recognize that and we do our best to provide those services

for those people, but we cannot be all things to all people. There has to be a

reasonable balance. That is what this government is all about: finding a

reasonable balance.

I think that when you sit back here as I do, day after day, week after week,

listening to the Opposition and, in particular, the Third Party, Mr. Speaker

they know nothing about balance. All they know about is spend, spend, spend.

That is all they can do is spend, spend money.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. LANE: They have no concept. They seem to have no concept from where

the money is coming from like I said, except for the NDP money trees.

Now, another way, though they had a great idea, a brilliant idea of where

they thought some of the money was going to come from. The Leader of the Third

Party, Mr. Speaker, decided that she was going to

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. LANE: breach all the oil contracts, Mr. Speaker, right? In the last

provincial election they promised more in spending than they would ever be able

to take in revenues, so they were going to breach the oil contracts. That was

their solution, Mr. Speaker, right? Now, how great is that for our Province?

There would be nobody under that type of administration, nobody would ever

want to do business with us. There would be no remnants, no remnants whatsoever

of the oil industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. As I said when I spoke one

time previous, the only thing that would be left from the oil industry in

Newfoundland and Labrador under an NDP plan would be the lawyers that would be

left behind to sue us for what we were worth for trying to breach these

contracts, and nobody would ever want to do business here.

So, Mr. Speaker, the NDP obviously have no plan or, I am sorry, the Third

Party. They have no plan. A Third Party's plan is bankruptcy. That is what it

is; it is bankruptcy to Newfoundland and Labrador. It is bankruptcy for us

today, it is bankruptcy for our children, it is bankruptcy for our

grandchildren. That is what it is.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. LANE: Now, Mr. Speaker, I could go on forever speaking about the

Third Party, but you know what? Here is a secret; here is a little message to

them: I think the people are starting to catch on to you. I think they are

starting to figure it out. Every time, after every Question Period, people are

starting to catch on. They are getting it.

AN HON. MEMBER: They tell us every day.

MR. LANE: And I am hearing it. That is right, and I am hearing it, right?

I am going to predict that next time around, there is not going to be an orange

crush, there is going to be an orange crash. That is what there is going to be.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. LANE: Now, Mr. Speaker, I am going to move on, because I have only

got and that is the sad thing about this; I have so many things in this Budget

I could speak about, and I am running out of time. Now, I am hoping

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave. By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Order, please!

MR. LANE: I am hoping that the opportunity is going to come that I am

going to be able to stand up again

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. LANE: By leave? By leave, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave.

MR. LANE: Now, Mr. Speaker, I am hoping that I am going to have the

opportunity to stand again, and again, and again, to start talking about some of

the things in the Budget, because I have spent twenty minutes here and I really

have not had an opportunity to speak to a whole lot of things here, and I

certainly could. I have seen investments here in health all kinds of

investments here in health, Mr. Speaker investments in K-12, investments in

post-secondary, investments in the fishery, investments to skilled trades, into

seniors' programs, and child care.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am going to conclude now. I realize my time is up. I hope

to have the opportunity to speak again, and I know I have many people on this

side who are anxious to get up and speak to this Budget.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe North.

I apologize for misidentifying your district. It is the Member for The

Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will certainly take the time to talk about the investments that were made

in Budget 2012. Budget 2012 should be a model for change, one that builds

resilient communities because too many of them are not in prosperity, as is

being promoted. Many are being sustained by oil revenues, and not necessarily

our oil revenues, but Alberta's. There are too many communities across

Newfoundland and Labrador with transient workers and transient families that are

being sustained by other economies happening in this Province. This is largely a

very short-term mechanism to sustaining these rural communities.

Mr. Speaker, we need to really take the time, because we still have the

highest unemployment rate anywhere in the country in this Province. We have to

really focus on and build transitional towns in this interim process because,

Mr. Speaker, this transient work sustaining rural communities will not last

forever. There must be sustainable urban and rural planning. That is something

that is truly, truly missing here in this Budget.

There is much revenue being touted in Budget 2012 and there are a lot of

expenditures as well. I question: Are we getting the best value for all of this

money that is being thrown out there? It is our tax dollars and we need to make

sure we are getting the best investments from these tax dollars.

After travelling around the Province, we listened to people myself and the

MHA for St. John's Centre. We visited many communities and we did a housing road

show. We visited the communities of St. Anthony, Norris Point, Stephenville,

Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, Clarenville, and St. John's; we were in Happy

Valley-Goose Bay, as well as in Marystown, absolutely. We heard about housing

challenges from students to seniors to working individuals. The needs are very

great and they are diverse to find not only affordable housing, which is what

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing deals with, but also housing affordability,

being able to get in and buy those homes for the very first time. We have seen

many of our smaller urban centres as well as the metro area here start to

explode when it comes to housing prices. They are starting to really escalate,

and people are not able to keep up to those standards when it comes to getting

in and affording those homes for the very first time.

I want to talk a little bit about in a town like St. Anthony. There are many,

many employment vacancies at the hospital, one of the key employers in the

district. This presents a lot of problems. Certainly, we cannot recruit and

retain employees. The Minister of Health and Community Services had talked

earlier about how we have more nurses employed than any time in our Province's

history, yet we have a great level of vacancies still at that hospital and we

are not able to recruit professionals that are needed because we do not have

housing for them. There is no housing stock and availability, so we are not

going to retain those services. There is no plan in the Budget to look at

helping to address that. The hostel there in St. Anthony to help patients that

are coming in from the outside area for overnight surgeries and their families,

it has been several times that nobody can get a booking there. It is not just

St. Anthony; this is happening all across the Province.

We look at education is starting to increase, enrolment is increasing in many

of institutions, and this is a wonderful thing, but what is being done for

student housing? Many of the institutions do not have dormitories. There have

been investments made to expand residences in Corner Brook 200 beds. This is

absolutely wonderful, but the problem is there are only 200 and there is an

incredible wait list.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. MITCHELMORE: This is being in the process. Fifty of them are being

allocated for the College of the North Atlantic and another 150 elsewhere, but

to be able to fill when you have a wait list of 600 you are not going to meet

the demand. There needs to be planning when you are looking at expanding

hospitals and services, as well as long-term care to look at providing temporary

accommodations. There should be a plan to look at that when it comes to housing.

There is something that the provincial government must give further

consideration. Work, especially with municipalities, municipalities that are

struggling, municipalities that are seeing high levels of growth, we need a land

use plan. We do not have that here in the Province. We need to further reduce

red tape. Lots of measures can be taken. I am experiencing where we are seeing

people who are living in homes and communities for quite a number of years and

they want to sell their homes now because they have moved out to Alberta and

elsewhere. It is changing and they want to sell these homes to be able to

retire. Because of red tape that exists and a long level process to get the land

approved and to go through it, we need to find a way to reduce that in Crown

lands and maybe make some Crown land available to municipalities that are within

their boundaries so that they can have development and create revenue generators

for these towns, especially the small ones that are so strapped for cash. This

would help enhance the economic development and small business development in

the regions.

As my colleagues have called for, we need to see an investment when it comes

to looking at the long-term care and home care strategies that are there. One of

the ways is looking at housing. When we plan for hospital developments and

expansions, it is to make sure that we do have that adequate care, not just more

attempted plans and reviews without actually seeing any development. People are

continuing to wait wait for basic needs in communities and regions. That is

very bittersweet for many of the small municipalities.

Health care and community services are imperative to regions and

sustainability as with educational services that I have talked about. I can say

that the government has planned for a future in the Straits region in my

district, as we have seen a hospital that is going up, a health clinic or centre

that is going to serve twenty-six communities from Castor River to Eddies Cove

East.

However, the planning process was plagued with much confrontation; it was

during a time when Lewisporte, as well, was in danger of losing vital health

services. The power of the people certainly prevailed here, but yet I am really

unsure if government has planned for the added care, or if it is just going to

be additional office spaces. We do not really know what is going to be inside

this health centre.

It has been announced and re-announced, and we are seeing the structure go

up, but will we see therapy services there? Will we see a satellite dialysis?

Will the people in this hospital have a dedicated nine-to-five nurse

practitioner clinic? They have a nurse practitioner, but there is no

nine-to-five dedicated clinic which can improve the outcomes and continuity of

care for local patients.

The centre has had locum doctors for several years and they have had an

inability to retain them. A lot of professionals are looking for additional

services, services as other members have talked about, recreational services,

other things in communities and supports. How can you provide these additional

services that professionals and other members of the community are demanding

when you are not able to provide basic clean drinking water, and have water boil

orders and the worst roads in Atlantic Canada?

This does not look at really building a vibrant community. Regions have to be

unique; they really do. To have those additional services, they need to build

those vibrant communities, especially in rural regions. I have seen many dollars

announced in the Budget; however, as a young person and a trained business

professional I am trained in business; I have operated my own business for

period of four years. I have helped youth get into business in rural regions,

more than sixty of them get started, as well as hosted and trained a number of

people and provided lending to a number of clients on the Great Northern

Peninsula to get into business and get business started. I know the importance

of budgeting and what it is to look at the value of money, and the value of

investing, and investing dollars strategically and doing it not only in urban

but also rural and growing centres.

We cannot just throw money at problems and spend the most amount in health

care across Newfoundland and Labrador and not get the best value and services

for the people. There are ways to do things better. This is something that I

say; we need to look at more long-term planning, more inclusive planning that

actually is constructive and co-operative, a way to be rational and reasonable

across the board.

We have seen this government that has been unable to plan for the short term,

unable to deliver on commitments that we have seen around ferries, or attract

business from abroad from a failed Business Attraction Fund that has used so

little money in Newfoundland and Labrador, when that money could be put to so

much better use. It is a way of structuring programs to get the best value for

people; we can do that, but we have to work together on that.

In health care, we see the retention and recruitment and utilization of staff

as being one of the key issues, especially in my district, as a way to move

forward.

I want to take some time to talk about the fishery, because we are seeing

plant closure after plant closure in the Province. I do believe that there are

models for change. They can only be found if people work together on a regional

level to really, truly build vibrant sustainable fishing communities. This can

involve many forms. It can be co-operatives. It can be partnerships with

companies. It can be large corporations. It can be community quotas. It can be

bridging the small-scale value-added for our future smaller fishing processing

sectors that have potential in some shape or form. Maybe it will not be in

seafood, but maybe it will be in something else. If we see where large

corporations can just go into a community and take everything that is in a

plant, from the steel doors to the heaters, to everything that is in there, well

then that facility is going to have no value and no use to a community, and

cannot be used in the future to attract new business. We do need to see some

stronger leadership and legislation.

Where I have seen in my district, the fish plant of Englee be completed

destroyed, with equipment that was left in it, such as refrigeration and other

equipment. So, it is not that they took everything out of it. It could have been

used for something else. There are ways where we can work with industry to help

bring down costs and save money, such as bulk buying, or whether it is working

with harbour authorities to create storage facilities, ice making machines, and

do refrigeration, so that bait can be stored over winter. Maybe this will not be

done alone. It could be done with a company so that they do not have to ship the

product and then ship it back, and everybody can have a win-win situation, from

the harvester to the plant owner.

My district is one that has the highest dependency on the fishery in the

Province, according to those who are employed directly in the fishery and then

those who indirectly get the economic spinoffs from the fishery. We have a very

diverse sector when it comes to my area. We do have aquaculture from a mussel

farm that is there, and there certainly could be more, but that is a very small

section, a small portion of the industry in my district but I do think there is

potential. When we look at char and we look at the limestone ponds that are

there in Cook's Harbour, there is potential.

We have harvesters that are there, both big and small, buyers of all shapes

and forms. We have a number of plant workers and processors who own small

plants, they are independents; processors who lease plants that are owned by

community groups and non-profits; processors that are very large players in the

industry, and processors that partner with the community, such as the SABRI

model, which has sixteen communities working together with not only operators,

but the sixteen communities are made up of plant workers. They are made up of

towns, they are made up of rural economic development, and they put back. They

invest in infrastructure in the community, and a small quota is owned by the

community. The people there are certainly seeing the greatest economic benefit.

Because the quota is there, there is commitment to the people.

There are processors that are certainly uncommitted to my region, failing to

meet minimum processing standards and reneging on promises, as there are across

the district. We need where there is greater enforcement, whether it is through

the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture or Service Newfoundland and

Labrador, where closures such as the Englee fish plant do not happen in other

communities and are dealt with.

Sandy Cove is falling apart as a fish plant, which is owned by a company. It

is failing to employ any people, and it has been for the last several years.

Smaller plants are shipping versus creating local employment. Can there be

something that we can do? Can we have that discussion as a Province, as a people

with communities, with people?

We have had a very productive fisheries forum in Plum Point that had a number

of stakeholders at the table that used good adaptive technology from the Rural

Secretariat. It was a way to work on initiatives to move the industry forward.

There is a lot of emotion in the fishery, but if the forum and the aptitude is

done right and we have that will, the political will from the provincial

government as well as with the federal government, we can have some very

constructive dialogue on the fishery.

We have no idea where the industry is headed, but we all have a role to play.

I think it is time to certainly involve all players from all political stripes.

We do need to see something like a standing committee or a special committee

going forward to be willing to be part of the process, because I certainly am.

I want to see ways that we can really invest and really look at building

these vibrant communities and transitioning towns. Whether it is building fish

markets or farmers markets, or whether it is retraining people in other skills,

or doing fisheries tourism. Whether it is using culinary experiences with seal,

as we saw with the Seal of Approval Dinner, how successful that was, adding seal

in the menu. I am very encouraged by some of the initiatives the current

government is taking and an interest into the seal fishery. We need to see more

of that and we need to look at how it can benefit small, rural communities. We

need to see a higher level of enforcement and monitoring around the fishery when

it comes to looking at auditing fish plants and the processing facilities, and

making sure that the standards are being kept and that quality is there because

quality is something that is highly important.

This government has announced in the past and continues to announce seafood

marketing and talks about all it is doing in seafood marketing, but we really do

need to get beyond that. I put out we need to have a provincial marketing

strategy, as we have had with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation,

very unique, very award-winning ads that sell Newfoundland and Labrador. I have

travelled thirty countries around the world and when I tell people I am from

Newfoundland and Labrador, they can identify Newfoundland and Labrador. They

talk about these brilliant ads that they see on airplanes, that they see on the

Internet, that they see elsewhere. This is something we should be very proud of,

as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

We need to continue to do this with the fishery, to create a brand around the

fishery. It has been a mainstay of the Province since the beginning. We have so

much potential to look at, not only in training but looking at the role of

fisheries, harvesters, and plant workers, looking at the unique food, and the

unique aquaculture. All of this can be put in different ads and can be sold as a

mated Newfoundland and Labrador brand, not niche marketing around companies and

things like that. These large companies have marketing budgets and dollars. They

can invest and they are doing their own thing when it comes to marketing brands.

That is something that has been a failure because we have wanted to get all

players at the table to do this. When we talk about marketing consortiums, we

are talking about corporate lingo and corporate language. There is stuff that

can be done that can really, really benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians,

market our industry, and show pride in the fishery around that.

There are things that we can do, and government can take a stronger

leadership role around marketing and marketing the Province. Not necessarily

does that mean having all players at the table when it comes to doing their

campaign. We need to see movement on this. The money has been announced,

re-announced, and promised, and people are getting very, very tired of that. We

do not to see that further in the Budget.

I have talked about different things around tariffs. We really do need to

look at what is going on in CETA. I will have a chance to talk about that a

little bit later. We need to look at licensing and making sure we are getting

the best process when it comes to certification, how we are going to do

certification, and investing money on that. We see that sometimes things that

government invests in do not work, like the cod demonstration plant with Cooke

Aquaculture. The minister stated the economics are not there, but the effort was

made to try to see if we could grow cod there. We have to continue. We have to

keep looking at alternatives to make sure that we can have things going on in

the fishery. I want to talk more about the fishery, and I will have an

opportunity to do so as I get up to speak.

If I could have a few seconds to say some of the challenges undermining the

strength of our rural economies flow from deliberate interventions in the

economy over years by government at all levels. If government has created many

of the conditions that damage rural sustainability and viability, they have the

power and obligation to intervene and strengthen these communities to enable

them to survive and thrive in a modern world.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Verge): Order, please!

I recognize the hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am looking forward to a short chat, Mr. Speaker. I have listened to the

member opposite and people have often said the easiest place to be in government

is on the other side because all you have to do is get up and criticize day

after day after day. That is all you have to do.

Now, Mr. Speaker, in amongst all of his bemoaning and his wish lists and

everything else that comes from it, I will just touch upon a couple points that

he made. He talked about long-term planning. The man has to be out of it if he

thinks that people on this side, or anybody in government, just all of a sudden

snaps their fingers and say we are going to do this, that is it, over with,

let's go on to the next thing. That is what he is kind of alluding to. Mr.

Speaker, I will ask him to take a look at his own district. Talk about a new

health facility, let's talk about the construction of a new school up there, and

let's talk about dialysis that has gone into his district. Let's take a look at

the Opposition House Leader; two new schools went into her district. Mr.

Speaker, that is about planning and it is about being genuine to the people you

serve. That is it. It is as simple as that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am not glad that he won his seat, but I am

glad on one account. I see the other four members of the Third Party looking to

him, Mr. Speaker, when he speaks. They are starting to try to understand the

fishery, Mr. Speaker. I would say he is the only fellow over there who knows

what a fish is. I am going to say, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Third Party, I

spent twenty-three months in that portfolio and I would challenge anyone to

Hansard and see how many times during Question Period the Leader of the Third

Party asked a question on fishery. Mr. Speaker, I would challenge anyone to go

to Hansard in the time that I was in that fisheries portfolio to see I can

tell you, Mr. Speaker, zero zero. She did not ask one question during Question

Period on the fisheries.

Mr. Speaker, I do not think she understood it. She did not understand it then

and does not understand it now. I am glad the Member for The Straits may be able

to enlighten her just a little, as he might be able to enlighten some of the

others, because they do not always listen to what we say, Mr. Speaker.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible)

MR. JACKMAN: Yes, I heard; flatfish and gravy. Mr. Speaker, I have heard

of fish and drawn butter, dry fish, the works of it. I have to be honest with

you, Mr. Speaker, I have not had gravy with my fish. I have not had gravy with

my fish. Mr. Speaker, I have to be honest with you too, I do not intend to. I do

not intend to have gravy. I will have it with my beef and my chicken but not

with my fish.

Mr. Speaker, in all seriousness, I would like to speak for a few minutes on

what is happening on the Burin Peninsula. This is a very challenging time. There

is no doubt about it. Being an MHA is challenging in the best of times, but when

you face some of the things that the Burin Peninsula face, it is very

challenging. That is the role of the MHA.

I went to a South Coast music festival this weekend, and when I stood up and

spoke, Mr. Speaker, I talked about thanking the folks who performed on that

night. The reason I did was, I said to them, it has been a very difficult week,

not only for me but for the people who were in that audience. Whether they work

on the plant or not, they know somebody who worked there or have someone who did

work there. It is exactly what brought us to the Burin Peninsula in 1968. It is

what brought my father there. He was a lumberjack who went to work in the fish

plant in Marystown because there was a job available to him. I said to the

people there that night - for two hours we sat and we listened to young people

and old people sing - what I said to them is: We will get through this. Working

together we will get through this. Will there be challenges? There certainly

will.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: There certainly will be challenges, Mr. Speaker, but we will

get through it. I am going to say to the people across the way, anybody who

knows me I do not operate in a negative world. I have not, cannot, never will. I

suppose I might be the eternal optimist because I see a future on the Burin

Peninsula.

The Minister of Fisheries who answered questions today, he talked about two

industries that are happening. Look at our investments in industrial parks; in

Marystown, another industrial park in Burin. Go back to the member's statements

about planning. Does he think that we just threw money there just to say, okay,

we are going to build an industrial park? No, Mr. Speaker, it is about planning

for the future which we know will happen in these areas.

AN HON. MEMBER: We stood by Harbour Breton, we stood by Fortune, and we

will stand by them.

MR. JACKMAN: We stood by Fortune, we stood by Harbour Breton, and we are

standing by Port Union. We will stand by the workers in Marystown as we will the

workers in Burin. We as a government have never abandoned the workers when they

have found themselves in plight

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: and, Mr. Speaker, we never will. We are now putting the

Minister of Fisheries will speak on it a committee in place. I have to say,

the announcement in Marystown came in December and we had been doing some work

through it for the future, for the people in Burin. As a matter of fact, I would

say in the last couple of months there were three or four times I and the

Minister of Fisheries met with the mayor, met with the local of the fish plant

union. We were planning and hoping that we might be able to avoid this, and we

were looking at opportunities. Well, an unfortunate thing happened last week,

but look, as I have said, we will not abandon these people. We will work with

them and we will find a solution, Mr. Speaker. There is no doubt about that, I

am convinced of it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I want to speak about the department. I have to

tell you, some of the members opposite, there is no way in the world they

believe in what they are saying. Mr. Speaker, they have people who are writing

political statements for them. They get up and they say them, I do not think

they believe in them. I truly do not think they believe in them. I am willing to

bet you, and I know this to be the case, in some particular instances if you go

and speak to some of the members opposite and they will tell you, what

government is doing here, there and there, are great things.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Great things, but that is politics, Mr. Speaker. They are

not going to get up in the House and say they are great things. I am going to

take you through some of the initiatives in education. Mr. Speaker, just listen

to this statistic.

We have increased the K-12 education budget from $604 million to $867

million. That is a 44 per cent increase. Listen to this one: The per-pupil

investment I hope the Member for St. John's North is listening, for the love

of God, and hopefully I will say something that will sink in and he will stand

up some day in this House and acknowledge it. Listen to this: Our per-pupil

investment in K-12 has increased from $7,400 to $13,229 a 78 per cent

increase.

I am going to ask the member opposite. Schools fees are gone. No more school

fees in our system. Textbooks for K-12 are free. You tell me, Mr. Speaker, in

the history of this Province when that existed. This government has invested in

education like no other government in this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: We spend $1.3 million annually on inclusive education. This

one is the one I would like to remind members opposite. In 2008, we brought in a

needs-based teacher allocation model. It costs us $32 million a year. Mr.

Speaker, if the old model previous to 2008 had existed, we would have 822 fewer

teachers in the system today. Just imagine the impact if we said tomorrow we are

going back to the old formula and 822 teachers are coming out. Mr. Speaker, it

would be devastating. I would say to you that the education system we have

today, because of initiatives like this around the teacher allocation model, is

better than at any time in this Province's history.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: I would like to speak a little bit to our commitment to

teachers. We have, Mr. Speaker, a student-teacher ratio in this Province better

than any other province in this country. Our student-teacher ratio is 11.9 to 1.

That includes the guidance teachers, special education teachers, and whatnot,

but the average class in K-9 in this Province right now is eighteen. Mr.

Speaker, any of us on this side who were teachers, any of those on that side who

aspired to be teachers, will remember the days of the thirties and thirty-fives

and the forties class sizes of thirty, thirty-five, forties.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. JACKMAN: Some members opposite experienced, I can see that.

Mr. Speaker, we have gone with a class size caps in our grades. Now, senior

high is different because we know that is based on courses that are offered and

whatnot. We have in our classrooms today classroom sizes and teachers, I will

contend to you, which equal and better any across this entire country, Mr.

Speaker.

AN HON. MEMBER: Highest grade in masters (inaudible).

MR. JACKMAN: Highest grade in masters, the member reminds me, of across

this country. So, we have qualified teachers.

Mr. Speaker, we talk about the special education allocations. In 2010, we

allocated an additional 25,000 special education hours to support teachers and

students in our classrooms. We spent $15 million annually on student assistants.

We have spent $7 million over five years on special planning thorough the ISSP

process for student support and to offer teachers supports that they need in

their classrooms.

I ask everyone to listen to this one: One in seven teachers in this Province

is allocated to special education. When the members opposite get up and that

Member for St. John's North who gets up and talks about what we are doing for

special education, there is one in seven teachers allocated for special

education services. Mr. Speaker, he either misses the point or more aptly, Mr.

Speaker

MR. KIRBY: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for St. John's North, on a point of order.

MR. KIRBY: Mr. Speaker, no one over here, especially me, is missing the

point here. In fact, this minister has gotten up now I believe this is exactly

the same speech he gave in Committee of Supply just a short time ago, so there

is nothing new here to me, Mr. Speaker. I got the point.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I did not get the point, just did not get the

point.

All I am saying, Mr. Speaker, is that I do not think that the member opposite

dismisses it. He knows it, but politically he cannot acknowledge it. He just

cannot acknowledge it.

AN HON. MEMBER: MUN does. His colleagues do.

MR. JACKMAN: Oh, yes. Oh, definitely.

Mr. Speaker, I want to speak a bit about infrastructure. This year in the

Budget alone, we have allocated $115 million. Listen, get this, Mr. Speaker

the member opposite, listen since 2004, we have allocated over $567 million in

approved school construction $567 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Now, Mr. Speaker, listen to where they have been allocated:

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Torbay, Placentia, Port Saunders, L'Anse-au-Loup, Port

Hope Simpson, Baie Verte, and we put two in Paradise. Five more new schools are

under construction in St. Anthony, Carbonear, and St. John's. We have added

replacements for St. Teresa's, we are working on the Virginia Park situation,

and now a new high school in the West End of St. John's.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: This year we have announced the first step in the planning

for five new schools, and in Corner Brook, doing work on the reorganization of

the Corner Brook situation.

We, Mr. Speaker, this government and the Member for The Straits is talking

about not planning. Mr. Speaker, my goodness gracious; just what have I listed

off? Did he think we just happened upon these and said, let's build these on a

whim? Not likely, Mr. Speaker; this is around good planning, good, sound

planning, and for education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: And for education, Mr. Speaker, it means a better education

for the people of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to get into some of the initiatives. I have to

say, I have been pleased to see some of the members opposite taking

part in

them. Just a couple of days ago we were at a school where a school won an

inclusion award. We have to commend these teachers and these students, because

they have moved mountains from where we were ten, fifteen years ago, Mr.

Speaker.

When we talk about Safe and Caring Schools, we are moving more towards action

than paying lip service to those programs that we roll out. Mr. Speaker, we have

been acknowledged nationally for moving and putting a resource into our schools

around My Gay-Straight Alliance, putting a resource in the schools that

recognizes the young people who struggle with sexual orientation in our schools.

For so long, Mr. Speaker, we kind of let it slide by, maybe looked at it as

being out there. Today, rather than paying lip service to Safe and Caring

Schools and saying that we respect and care about every student, we are actually

moving into taking action to show that we support the things that we do.

MR. JOYCE: That is a good move. That is a good move.

MR. JACKMAN: I hear the member opposite saying, a good move. Indeed, it

is a good move, Mr. Speaker. It is indeed a good move, and a good member

opposite who acknowledges it.

AN HON. MEMBER: The Member for the Bay of Islands.

MR. JACKMAN: The Member for the Bay of Islands, he wanted me to mention

that, Mr. Speaker, and I would not deny him that. It truly is a good initiative,

it is a good acknowledgement, and I would hope that members opposite would say

that this initiative, like so many other initiatives that we have introduced in

our education system, has made our school system one of the best in this country

of Canada, Mr. Speaker.

My time is winding down, but I am looking forward to more opportunities. On a

bit of leave, Mr. Speaker, I can go for a bit longer, because I can open up more

of the notes that I have.

Mr. Speaker, to clue up, two points that I would make

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the member

MR. JACKMAN: Just a minute, if I could, to clue up.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education, by leave.

MR. JACKMAN: Yes, if the Member for St. John's North had not interrupted

me so much, Mr. Speaker, I would have been finished by now. I can assure him

that.

Two points, Mr. Speaker, that I want to clue up on. One is that I truly am

pleased to be a minister in the Department of Education. I think it is at a

better time in education than we have ever had before, Mr. Speaker. Second, as I

started out in saying, a very challenging time in the District of Burin

Placentia West and on the Burin Peninsula.

I will say the end result, the end product, will be very positive. It will

mean that, working together and putting politics aside, we all collectively work

together for the betterment of the people we represent, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, this is actually my third time speaking to the Budget. I guess

by nature I typically try and give credit where credit is due. During my first

two opportunities to speak, what I have done

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. BALL: The member opposite says I will need more than twenty minutes,

so we will see where this goes.

What I have done is I tried to take certain programs, certain departments,

and actually drill down in some of the areas; some areas that there has been

some good work done, some areas that we think we could actually make some

improvements and obviously get some better return on some of the money that we

invest in those programs. I spoke at length about health care, about the impact

on our communities within the Province; about forestry and agriculture, where we

feel that some diversification within those programs could actually help,

especially the rural areas of our Province where we could obviously keep some

people home.

One member mentioned today, I guess during the speaking time, that there was

no doubt that if you move off the Northeast Avalon, indeed some of the biggest

employers within the Province are Alberta bound. I talked about the

apprenticeship program, a lot about affordable housing, and about search and

rescue. All those programs and projects in particular, affect all of us in

Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

Today, as I said, this is my third time speaking. I will try and be as fair

as possible. I will give credit where credit is due; there is no doubt about

that. You cannot have a budget of over $6 billion and not have some good things

associated with it. There is significant value when you spend that kind