November

25, 2008

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVI No. 39

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Admit strangers.

Order, please!

Before we carry on with routine proceedings, I would like to observe an old

parliamentary tradition. I have the pleasant task of formally welcoming two new

members who have been duly elected in by-elections since the House closed in

June 2008. These new members are: Mr. Kevin Pollard in the District of Baie

Verte-Springdale, and Mr. Kevin Parsons in the District of Cape St. Francis.

I have been advised by the Clerk of the House of Assembly that these new

members have taken the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown as required by the

Constitution, and have signed the Members' Roll.

Mr. Premier.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mr.

Kevin Pollard, the Member for Baie Verte-Springdale, who claims the right to

take his seat.

MR. SPEAKER: Allow the member to take his seat.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Mr. Premier.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mr.

Kevin Parsons, the Member for Cape St. Francis, who claims the right to take his

seat.

MR. SPEAKER: Allow the member to take his seat.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: I welcome all members back to the continuation of the First

Session of the Forty-Sixth General Assembly, with a special warm welcome to the

two new members who have just been introduced: Mr. Kevin Pollard and Mr. Kevin

Parsons.

As Speaker, I look forward to the co-operation of all members as we ask

questions, provide answers and participate in debate on issues important to

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, the people who have allowed us the privilege

to sit in this House of Assembly.

Today, the House of Assembly would also like to welcome some special guests

who are seated in the Speaker's gallery. Joining us are the parents of the

newly-elected Member for the District of Cape St. Francis: Mr. Kevin Parsons

Sr., and Mrs. Mabel Parsons.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: We are also happy to have visiting with us, and again

sitting in the Speaker's gallery, Mr. Aidan Maloney, a long-time former Member

of this House of Assembly.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I stand today on a point of privilege.

I would like to address some recent statements by the Leader of the

Opposition that certainly attack, or reflect, or challenge, or question the

impartiality of the Speaker.

I would like to refer to 71.(1) of Beauchesne which indicates, "The

Speaker should be protected against reflections on his or her actions."

Further to that, Mr. Speaker, I also want to address 168.(1) of Beauchesne

which indicates, "The chief characteristics attached to the office of

Speaker in the House of Commons are authority and impartiality." As you

come down through that

section it further states, "Reflections upon the

character or actions of the Speaker may be punished as breaches of privilege.

The actions of the Speaker cannot be criticized incidentally in debate or upon

any form of proceeding except by way of a substantive motion." It further

reads, "Confidence in the impartiality of the Speaker is an indispensable

condition of the successful working of procedure, and many conventions exist

which have as their object, not only to ensure the impartiality of the Speaker

but also, to ensure that there is a general recognition of the Speaker's

impartiality."

Mr. Speaker, certainly it is the responsibility of all members to ensure that

the confidence in the Chair or the Speaker of the House is maintained at all

times. Confidence in the Speaker keeps the parliamentary process ongoing. Any

time we question or reflect upon the actions of the Speaker we certainly impede

or certainly attack the whole parliamentary process and what we stand for in the

House of Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, the role that you play as Speaker certainly represents the

dignity of the House of Assembly. An attack that is attached to the Speaker

certainly attacks all members of this most Hon. House.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to some information, some quotes

that have been recently in the media by the Leader of the Opposition. I want to

certainly draw attention to a news release by the Office of the Official

Opposition on November 18 of this year. It says - it is attributed to the Leader

of the Official Opposition: It is unfortunate that the Chair which would be

you, Mr. Speaker was willing to participate in such an attack on the

democratic principles of our democracy. This was the third time that the Chair

voted with government to defeat a motion that would provide additional

resources.

Again, on November 18, 2008, CBC News has the Leader of the Official

Opposition quoted as saying: "He" meaning you, Mr. Speaker "broke

the tie and he sided with the government on each and every occasion, which

causes me to believe this is a biased process."

"He," meaning you, Mr. Speaker, "broke the tie and he decided

with the government on each and every occasion, which causes me to believe this

is a biased process."

Further, on November 19, 2008, The Telegram quotes the Leader of the

Official Opposition as saying, "This is a biased process." Further, in

the same news

article in The Telegram attributed to the Leader of the

Official Opposition, his failure, which certainly reflects on you, Mr. Speaker:

"His failure to do so was to comply with the agenda of the government

members (on the commission)."

VOCM on November 19, 2008, a reporter indicates, "a move in which the

Opposition Leader, Yvonne Jones, is claiming biased."

Mr. Speaker, whether the statements were direct, indicating that you were

biased or impartial, could be questionable, but what is not questionable are

these statements, certainly, attack the impartiality of the Speaker and

indicates that the Speaker is participating in a biased process, and any attacks

on the Speaker like that are not acceptable in the House of Assembly or

certainly under the laws that rule this land and how we operate as a House of

Assembly.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am asking at this time that the Leader of the Official

Opposition apologize for any attacks on the Speaker that would indicate that the

Speaker in any way has acted biased or in a way that was not impartial.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader to the point of

privilege.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I respond at this point in a preliminary fashion just, of course, having been

made aware of the point of privilege. We will, of course, as the Official

Opposition, review the documentation that has been referred to by the Government

House Leader and be in a position to respond in tomorrow's meeting of the

House.

I would point out, however, I can tell right now, basically where the focus

will be and that is that you function, the Speaker functions, not as the Speaker

in the circumstances of the commission meetings. You may use the name Speaker'

generically but in your role, and I take it that is what the Government House

Leader is alluding to here, is the comments that the Leader of the Opposition

made about the Speaker's actions while he was Chair of the Management

Commission. The rules that govern the conduct of MHAs in this House of Assembly,

vis--vis how we should and ought to treat the Chair and do treat the Chair is

with respect, has nothing to do with comments that a member might make in a

separate Commission committee meeting, where you function as the Chair. So that

is where we will be going, Mr. Speaker, but we will take that under advisement

and we will certainly make our comments in due course.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader, to the point of

privilege.

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to make one further point on that,

because certainly in the Chair of the Management Commission, you would be there

by virtue of being the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the Speaker of the

House of Assembly does not carry on as the Speaker of the House of Assembly only

during proceedings of the House. Certainly, any role that you would play in the

administration of this hon. House, you would always retain your position as the

Speaker.

Further to that, even when as the Speaker that you leave the precincts of the

House or you are not participating in the Management Commission, according to Beauchesne

section 168.(2) it further outlines the responsibility and how far reaching

it is for the Speaker to be impartial. Subsection two in Beauchesne under

section 168 reads, "In order to ensure complete impartiality the Speaker

has usually relinquished all affiliation with any parliamentary party. The

Speaker does not attend any party caucus nor take

part in any outside partisan

political activity." That just shows, Mr. Speaker, that I feel that all

times you will be considered the Speaker of this House and in any actions that

you perform either in the House outside or certainly as you chair Management

Commission, that all the rights and privileges of being the Speaker should be

upheld.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We will not belabour the point, at this point. Suffice it to say, that your

role as Chair of the Management Commission is an administrative role, as

outlined by Chief Justice Green when he personally drafted the new House of

Assembly Accountability and Transparency Act which we adopted in this House in

June, 2007. There are no comments been made about anybody with respect to your

role as Speaker in the House of Assembly. Any comments made by the Leader of the

Opposition or anyone else were made about the Speaker in his role as Chair of

the Management Commission. There is a proper way to deal with legislative

interpretation and that is what we will be directing our comments to. If an

apology is in order at the end of the day and we feel it is, you have no doubts

that it will certainly be forthcoming but we definitely need to get an

understanding of when the Speaker is the Speaker and when the Speaker is the

Chair, because otherwise if we are going to start taking the rules that govern

the House of Assembly into every committee of this House we are going to have

big problems.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair takes points of privileges that are raised by any member of the

House very serious. It reflects on, not only the independence but the autonomy

of the House as well. The Chair would certainly give Her Majesty's Loyal

Opposition ample time to respond and at that particular time, depending on the

response, then the Chair will decide in consultation the point of privilege that

is being raised by the hon. Government House Leader.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Members' statements today are from the hon. the Member for

the District of Port de Grave, the hon. the Member for the District of Fortune

Bay-Cape la Hune, the hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au

Clair, the hon. the Member for the District of Port au Port, the hon. the Member

for the District of Burgeo & LaPoile, and the hon. Member for the District

of Mount Pearl North.

The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On October 23, 2008, I participated with 200 others in Project Michael at All

Hallows School in North River.

Fifty ladies of the Moving for Health exercise group formed a committee to

honour Master Corporal Michael Neil, who is presently serving with the Canadian

Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

The group decided to send Christmas boxes to Michael and his troops as a way

to say thank you for their demonstrated loyalty to their country.

Michael's parents, Rosemary and Wilf Neil of Clarke's Beach, were elated

with the tremendous support and the knowledge that twenty-four boxes filled with

gifts and treats were on their way to Afghanistan.

The organizing committee and the staff and students of All Hallows School are

to be commended on a very successful project.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in saying thank you to those

who were involved, and to pray for a safe return for Michael and all those who

serve with him.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Fortune Bay-Cape la

Hune.

MS PERRY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the life of Mr. John Carter, who

celebrates his 100 birthday tomorrow, November 26.

Fondly known as Jack, Mr. Carter was born in Cape la Hune, the most western

community in my district, on our Province's Southwest Coast. He has led a

remarkable life, and hails from a long line of fishermen. In 1930, he joined the

crew of the Bluenose and is one of the last surviving sailors of this

famous vessel.

Jack served in World War II with the Canadian Merchant Marines, then went on

to become a Chief Engineer, and continued his life of sailing. At the age of

eighty-two he married Violet Carter, and they continue to live happily together

today.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join with me to extend

best wishes to Mr. Carter and his family as they celebrate 100 years of an

extraordinary life.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday, Jack!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse

au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in the House today to highlight and recognize the continued growth and

success of the Junior Canadian Ranger Patrols in my district.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to congratulate the Junior Canadian

Rangers, their corporals, master corporals and their sergeants from the

Cartwright Patrol who were recently selected as Top Junior Canadian Ranger

Patrol in the Province for 2007-2008. This represented the third consecutive

year this patrol has been honoured with this award. Congratulations are also

extended to Sergeant Roy Sainsbury, who was honoured as Sergeant of the Year for

the Province's Junior Ranger Patrol as well.

Mr. Speaker, the Cartwright Patrol is one of ten Junior Ranger Patrols in

Labrador, and one of five in my district. They just celebrated their tenth

anniversary in Canada, and their mandate is to provide activities in remote and

isolated communities across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to welcome a new patrol that was recently

established in my district, consisting of fifty-nine youth from the communities

of Mary's Harbour, St. Lewis and Lodge Bay, and headed by Master Corporal Brad

Rumbolt. This new patrol did initiation training, and held a banquet in Mary's

Harbour this past weekend. There were over 250 people who attended the banquet,

including other Junior Ranger Patrols from the Labrador Straits, Cartwright and

Port Hope Simpson, as well as their Senior Canadian Rangers and military

personnel from the 5 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group out of Gander.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members in the House to join with me in congratulating

the Cartwright Junior Canadian Ranger Patrol on their success, and welcoming the

new Mary's Harbour Patrol and their leaders to the Junior Canadian Rangers

movement across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port au Port.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CORNECT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on November 1 of this year I had the privilege to attend a

solemn ceremony at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery in Lourdes to recognize fourteen

forgotten veterans of the First World War from the Port au Port Peninsula who

have finally received grave markers.

It was while researching an upcoming book on veterans from the Port au Port

Peninsula that author Bill O'Gorman discovered a significant number of people

had served but, most interestingly, fourteen soldiers had never had a proper and

recognized headstone.

In working with family descendants of these men, information was given to the

Last Post Fund officials and alas the ceremony was held honouring these brave

soldiers.

They were ordinary individuals from small Newfoundland outports who made

extraordinary sacrifices, driven by the belief that their actions in the present

would make a significant difference for the future. No doubt they were all

young, eager men off to fight in a foreign land so that we could live a life of

freedom. We must never be allowed to forget the tremendous price paid by these

brave souls, who have served to protect our society and freedom from those who

have attempted to take it away.

They may not have had the headstones but we can thank Bill O'Gorman, the

Lourdes Heritage Committee and the 3012 Lynx Army Cadet Corps for their hard

work to amend the fact that these men will now have a resting place that is

marked and placed for them.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. Members of this hon. House of Assembly to join in

congratulating and thanking all those who have made this commemorative ceremony

possible and to forever remember our women and men who served and continue to

serve our Province and country.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo and LaPoile.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize and congratulate twenty-one-year-old Corporal Kirk

Keeping of Port aux Basques on his service to our country and his safe return

from Afghanistan.

Corporal Keeping is a member of the 1 st Field Ambulance Edmonton

with the Canadian Armed Forces. He recently returned from a successful tour of

duty in Afghanistan. Kirk's position with the military is a medic and during

his mission he was attached to the platoon infantry unit from Shilo, Manitoba.

Kirk went on foot patrol with his unit and attended to the wounded soldiers and

Afghani locals. When he was not on foot patrol, Kirk worked out of the base

where he also provided medication to Afghan civilians who could come to the base

for medical attention. He was in Afghanistan for eight months.

He is the son of Melvin and Faye Keeping of Port aux Basques and Kirk is

currently stationed at Edmonton, Alberta.

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

thanks and congratulations to Kirk Keeping on his service and his safe return.

All the best to Kirk and his family.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance

on a very successful thirteenth annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony and

banquet. At the ceremony, four athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador were

honoured and inducted into the Mount Pearl Sports Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance is very active in recognizing the

achievements of those who participate in sport. It is an organization that is

committed to ensuring that youth and adults alike have access to programs and

services in the community that focus on active living and sport.

Mr. Speaker, this annual event hosted by the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance

honours those individuals who have, and in some cases, still do, contribute to

sports and athletics in a very significant way. It is through their individual

commitment that we are able to continue the work and operation of sporting

organizations in our communities in this Province.

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

Mount Pearl Sport Alliance in honouring the achievements of these individuals. I

would also like to congratulate specifically the most recent inductees, under

the category of Builder, Evan Ash and Cindy Sooley; under the category of

Athlete, Dave Penney and Sherry Morrissey. Each of these individuals are very

worthy of this honour. I would like to wish them all the best in their future

endeavours and hope they continue their contribution to sport.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge and apologize for the fact

that my ministerial statement was late getting to the Opposition parties. I do

apologize for that - little growing pains, first day back at work here in the

House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize, November 25, as the International Day

for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

This day has been marked by women's activists since 1981 and was recognized

by the United Nations in 1999. This date came from the brutal assassination in

1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican

Republic, on orders from the Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo.

Mr. Speaker, women around the world are subject to sexual abuse, domestic

violence and other forms of violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue

is often hidden.

Our government is committed to reducing violence in Newfoundland and

Labrador. We are into the third year of our Violence Prevention Initiative. This

is a six-year, $9.2 million program to combat violence in this Province. It is a

government-community partnership to develop and implement long-term solutions

for those most at risk of violence in our society.

Mr. Speaker, early in 2009 we will launch our biggest social marketing

campaign to date, which will focus on preventing male violence against women.

Violence against women is also the theme of this year's Violence Prevention

Stakeholders' Conference being held here in St. John's next Tuesday and

Wednesday, December 2 and December 3. We are expecting over 150 community

stakeholders and government partners of the Violence Prevention Initiative to

attend, and we have lined up important and informative speakers on this subject.

We anticipate a powerful and thought-provoking presentation from Brian Vallee,

the author of Life with Billy and War on Women , as he confirms

this issue as one of international concern and importance.

Mr. Speaker, we are working together with communities to tackle this issue

and to spread the message that violence in any form is unacceptable. We

anticipate next week's conference will strengthen these relationships and will

go a long way towards ensuring all our partners are equipped with the

information they need to create real change in our Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I certainly want to recognize, as well, today as the International Day for

the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Not only, Mr. Speaker, are we reminded of the cases of violence against women

around the world but also in our own Province as well. We also live in a society

today where women are still suffering from sexual abuse, from domestic abuse,

and from other forms of violence that exist within our community and oftentimes

within our workplace.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there always have to be continuous efforts,

not only to promote and enhance the programs and services but also, Mr. Speaker,

we all have a role to play in eliminating the oftentimes external forces which

lead to violence in the home or in society. I talk about poverty, I talk about

mental illness, I talk about addictions, all of which we need to turn our

attention to as well, because once we start to eradicate some of these other

barriers that are in society oftentimes we see healthier communities,

communities that are more free of violence both in the home, in the workplace,

and in society in general.

Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to see that the event that will take place next week

will engage community leaders and stakeholders and will provide a strong

message, a message to all of the people of the Province, that there is a role

that we each play to eradicate violence within our communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Applause]

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

I thank the minister for her apology. A late arrival of the statements is a

rare occurrence. We were wondering today what happened, so you are forgiven,

Minister. Thank you very much for recognizing it.

I am pleased, as well, to stand and recognize the International Day for the

Elimination of Violence against Women. I was very pleased, actually, when I

learned a couple of weeks ago that Mr. Brian Vallee would be taking

part in the

symposium that is going on. I have read the book, I have heard him being

interviewed on radio, and I have to say that what he presents in his book, in

particular The War on Women - although I have read Life With Billy as

well, but especially The War on Women - is an analysis that is very

jarring but is an analysis that is true. Many more women are killed on a regular

basis in this country than our soldiers who die in war. That is a fact. That is

not to say that we are saying anything against the soldiers dying in war, but if

we recognize the reality of the death of our military, why aren't we

recognizing to the same degree the death of women who are being killed regularly

by their partners? That is his message, and I really would encourage all of us

to read this book because it really does challenge one, when one reads it.

The other thing that came to me, not just when I read the book but as part of

an ongoing analysis, obviously, by all of us, is that the vicious cycle does not

begin with the woman who is married to an abuser. It starts when she is a child,

and very often women have been children who are abused. So, when we talk about

violence against women, we need to realize that we are talking about girls,

little girls, teenage girls, and girls when they become married or in a

relationship.

I just put all this out, Mr. Speaker. I know I am going on a little bit

longer than usual. I beg your leave just for a few more seconds to say that

anything that we can do to break that cycle is important, not just for those who

are caught in it but for our society, because as long as this is going on in our

society we are a sick society.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Before I recognize further comments by ministers, I just

want to refer and speak to the people in the gallery and say that the Speaker

welcomes everybody to the House of Assembly, and you are always welcome here,

but I ask those who are visiting not to show their approval or disapproval if

anything is said on the floor of the House of Assembly. I ask for your

co-operation.

Further statements by ministers.

The hon. the Minister of Business.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer some well-deserved recognition in this

hon. House to the business students from Memorial University who won the 2008

Students in Free Enterprise World Cup.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Mr. Speaker, this was no small feat. At the competition in

Singapore in October, this group of talented, ambitious young Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians represented Canada in facing the best business students from

around the globe - teams from more than forty different countries and they

walked away world champions.

I recently had the pleasure of attending and offering congratulatory remarks

at a special reception at the university in honour of the team and their

tremendous achievement. It was also a chance to enjoy a repeat performance by

the students of their impressive winning presentation. It was not just their

energy, professionalism, and top-notch presentation skills that won them the

competition. It was also the commendable work that SIFE Memorial carries out on

a regular basis: the inspiring entrepreneurial ventures and the community

leadership projects that they were able to showcase in their presentation.

Mr. Speaker, this year alone, SIFE Memorial members gave over 26,000

volunteer hours to these projects, which help promote knowledge and practical

experience among youth in important fields, including entrepreneurship and

environmental education.

In Singapore, not only did they show the world how their initiatives enrich

the community, but they also promoted Newfoundland and Labrador on an

international stage to leaders in business and education, and peers from all

over the world. So, while their work, their dedication and their success has a

direct impact on our local community, it also resonates across continents and

cultures.

Their success, Mr. Speaker, speaks volumes about Newfoundland and Labrador -

our incredibly talented people, our world-class university, and our ability to

compete with the best from around the world. In that respect, these students are

true ambassadors for our Province.

The Department of Business and the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development were pleased to support the SIFE Memorial team with $20,000 to

facilitate their participation in Singapore, so they could show the world what

we are accomplishing right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure all honourable members will join in acknowledging the

world champs. They are shining examples of how young Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians can be active leaders, and what can be accomplished with a little

imagination, determination and teamwork.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We, the official Opposition, would also like to congratulate Memorial

University students who took

part in this competition and, indeed, became the

world champions.

I understand one part of the competition involved a group from my colleague's

district of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair back in Port Hope Simpson. It is a

project called Moulder of Dreams. In fact, what they do is they have an

established business now whereby they mould pottery and, in fact, it is being

marketed on line.

Memorial business students have proven for some years now that it is not a

fluke that they are very good and that they are indeed champions. They have been

winning successfully, national champions for some years, and now, of course,

they have proven what they really are, and that is world-class.

We, as well, would like to congratulate these students, congratulate Memorial

University, for a fantastic program.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi

Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Of course, I too am quite pleased to stand and congratulate the team from

Memorial University.

I think we are all aware of the world-class standing by our university and we

are all very proud of our university. This is just one example of the many

programs that are noticed internationally with regard to the work that goes on

in our university.

I don't have a lot of information right now about this year's team I have

had about other teams, and unfortunately I can't name what it is they did this

time. Knowing the success of the other teams that have won on an international

stage from this program, I know that whatever they did had to have been quite

innovative, creative and exciting. So, thank you to the minister.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Statements by Ministers.

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Premier.

As of today, eight of ten provinces have released updated financial numbers

and economic forecast. Ottawa will release their numbers on Thursday, yet in

Newfoundland and Labrador we have not seen an update.

So I ask, when will the people of the Province, or when can we expect an

updated budget and economic forecast from the government?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as everyone in the hon. House is aware, there are very volatile

economic times in the Province and the country and throughout the world.

Fortunately, in the Province we are probably one of the most stable

jurisdictions in all of North America.

We are in the process though of evaluating and constantly evaluating and

re-evaluating the information that goes into an economic update. I want to try

and provide the best possible information to the people of the Province, and

indeed, the members of this hon. House.

We can certainly assure this House that this update will be provided during

this particular segment, during this particular sitting. Hopefully, we will be

able to do it within a fortnight. I think the Minister of Finance hopes to have

it available within a fortnight, but it will certainly be during this particular

sitting of the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, last spring in the budget government announced a

surplus of $544 million and projected also a surplus of $379 million for the

next year. I guess because of the change that we are seeing taking place right

now, maybe the Premier could tell me if they have at least looked at those

numbers and if we will be looking at a deficit this year overall or if we will

still be able to maintain that surplus position?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can speak in very general terms. We certainly have looked at it. It is

something that, of course, obviously we try and review as often as we can with

the best information that we can put together.

Because of the higher oil prices in the first half of this fiscal year, which

have now been tempered by the much lower oil prices and I say higher or

lower, that is in comparison to the $87 per barrel which we have used in our

budget forecast. So we are certainly on the upper side in the first half, it

looks like we are going to be on the down side in the second half. If it

averages out in that $90 range, then we will be on target with our budget

surplus. We certainly expect to have a surplus. We certainly expect to have a

surplus of at least the projected surplus, at this time.

With regard to surpluses or deficits going out, it depends very much so on a

couple of things. First of all, obviously, what our budgets are going to be and

what our operating expenses are going to be over the course of the three years

out, but as well, it is going to depend on the price of oil. For example, if we

do have a $60 price of oil per barrel on average, over the next few years, then

we can certainly expect to see deficits.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I heard the Premier say again today, and I have heard this a couple of times,

that we are insulated from some of the activity that we are seeing happening on

a national and global level within the economy, but I guess we do have to

acknowledge the fact that we do depend heavily as well on export industries and

being able to sell our commodities at fair prices all over the world. Mr.

Speaker, nationally we are seeing right now the government put some plan and

strategy around what is happening within the economy. They are holding

discussions at different tables. They are seeking the advice of people in

industry and business.

I guess my question to the government is: What are your plans to do that?

Will there be consultation with industry, with the business community to look at

how we mitigate some of this impact in Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

All of our ministers and our caucus members are in constant discussions with

members of industry at all levels, from the ground up.

With regard to our plan, our plan is going to be exactly the same plan that

we put into our Blueprint five years ago, nearly six years ago I guess by the

time it was prepared. Our plan has been the same one for basically good economic

times as it has been for bad times. We started out with a very poor economic

situation and that focused us. That made us sure that we were going to do the

things that were necessary in order to get us through good times and also lead

us into possible bad times down the road.

As a result of that very prudent, fiscal management we have done a lot of the

right things and I am very proud to say so. We have done it as a team, we have

done it together and we have talked about it and we have planned it. We have

looked at putting a lot of money into infrastructure which has certainly fuelled

the economy here in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have paid down our debt

dramatically and hope to do that again this year which positions us. We have

also reduced our taxes, our personal income taxes and also other taxes, like

insurance taxes and school fees, and the list goes on. Final and a very, very

important thing that we have done is we have also reduced our public pension,

unfunded -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. Premier to conclude his answer.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have also reduced our unfunded pension liability which is something that I

never, ever thought our government in a term or two terms would ever get a

chance to do. We are now seeing that on a national basis pension funds are

actually in trouble, having lost significant amounts of money. So we are ideally

positioned, the same plan. We are going to stay the course.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, we certainly feel that an economic plan is

warranted over and above what has been planned out and discussed within

government. After all, we are facing a different climate, a different

circumstance. Obviously, when there is money rolling in and government is able

to spend to offset and increase the amount of activity ongoing in the economy it

helps but right now we are dealing with a situation where the future of the

Grand Falls mill is uncertain, where the proposed refinery is in a bankruptcy

position before it ever got to see a hole in the ground out there. The Come by

Chance expansion is on hold. The fishing industry has lost a major source of

capital and the Alberta economy, Mr. Speaker, is rapidly slowing down to the

point that many of the transient workforce in this Province may not be able to

depend upon it for the rest of the year.

So I ask the government again, are you ready to sit at the table to start

looking for the solutions and be able to put in place -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: - an economic plan that will see the entire Province and all

industry sectors get through this?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As the hon. member opposite knows, the global reality now is that certain

industries, particularly the forestry industry, are certainly in difficulty. No

one can speak better to that than the Minister of Natural Resources.

We are meeting constantly with Abitibi officials. We are meeting with the

union. We have met with community leaders and stakeholders, staying very, very

close to that problem. What we have done is we have offered to enter into,

obviously, an exchange for timber rights with the company, the company has

rejected that and that would be a significant amount of money which could be

infused.

We have also sat down and had detailed discussions with the members of the

union as to what they see as solutions. We are prepared to basically use that

money for the timber rights, to put it into the mill to give some longevity to

the mill.

The reality of the fact here is that we have an owner who is not prepared to

invest a cent in that property. So it would be wrong for government to start to

throw cash at that in unlimited amounts of money when, in fact, that the owners,

Abitibi, have not bothered to put a cent into it.

With regard to the oil refinery, there has been a real legitimate effort

there by a great consortium of people, local and international, from Europe

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. Premier to conclude his answer.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is a multi-billion dollar financing effort. That financing, as I

understand it, was to have come from the United States and because of what

happened down there with the sub prime debt problem that funding was not

available and they just did (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is for the Minister of Health and Community Services.

Mr. Speaker, over the past couple of months we have been in discussions with

families whose children are suffering from mental illness. They feel the

government and the health care system have failed in meeting the needs of their

children. One of these deficiencies is the lack of adequate services for

programs to address youth mental health. Two of these families have young

children - and I know the minister is aware - who have spent months at the

Janeway on the psychiatric ward without any long-term treatment plan.

I ask the Minister of Health today: What is government's plan to deal with

the need of those youth who need treatment within our Province?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This government is very much aware of the many challenges facing our mental

health system. That is why, back in 2005, we laid out a policy framework for

mental health services in this Province. It was because of that recognition,

because of that understanding of some of the challenges facing people living

with mental illnesses. As a result of that policy framework, back in 2006 we

introduced legislation in this House. In fact, it was enacted in the fall of

2007, I believe. It was the first time that the legislation was revamped for

over thirty years, Mr. Speaker, and that was an initiative of this government.

We did that in consultation with many of the stakeholders from the communities

and individuals who are living with mental illness, individuals who are involved

in providing supports to people with mental illness.

I say, Mr. Speaker, in the last three to four years this government has been

very actively engaged with the community, with supporters of mental health

services and other providers of mental health services, to ensure that we have a

range of mental health services in this Province second to none, and we are

continuing to build that, I say, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have no problem with the legislative changes that were made they were

needed - but we need services and we need treatment for these people as well.

Mr. Speaker, some of these young people have spent months, up to a year, at

the Janeway. According to hospital administrators, this unit was designed as a

short-term acute care unit for young people with behavioural problems, not as a

treatment centre for mentally ill youth. There are no programs and services

available here at home to help these children effectively deal with their

issues.

I ask you, Minister, again: When is government going to recognize the

seriousness of these problems, and why did these families have to go public and

exploit their case in order to get the attention of you and your government?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the significance of the question being asked by the hon. member

opposite, but one of the things I would ask her, though, is: to suggest that

there are no services available for people in this Province with mental health

issues I think is a gross injustice to the many hundreds of people who are out

there actively involved today in providing supports and mental health services

in this Province.

We have about 280-290 people in the community-based programs and services, I

say, Mr. Speaker, supporting people with mental illness. We have the Janeway

with an array of programs and services, some of them in-patient and some on an

out-patient basis. About 95 per cent of all the patients who have received care

in this Province receive it on an out-patient basis, I say, Mr. Speaker. So, to

stand in this House to say that there are no services available is a gross

injustice to those hundreds of people who do a great job each and every day of

the week providing supports to individuals with mental illness, and support for

their families, I say, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That does not give me any answer as to what this government is going to do,

to deal with lack of services and treatment for youth who suffer from mental

illness.

Mr. Speaker, the government does have a report. They received it in December

2003, at which time the minister was then the Parliamentary Secretary for

Health, and it outlines significant problems related to youth mental health

services in our Province. Many of these problems have worsened each year; yet,

government has not made serious efforts to deal with this specific group or to

implement most of these recommendations.

I ask the minister: Why have you not acted to address the problems that were

highlighted in the report? It existed in the department. We have seen a number

of people in treatment increase from seventeen youth in 2003 to over fifty

today.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

I ask the hon. member to pose her question.

MS JONES: I ask you, Minister: What are you going to do to implement

proper services and treatment for these people who need it immediately?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member opposite mentions a report that was written back in 2003.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge that there was a report written at that time. I

think half a dozen people were involved, some from the community, some from

within the department and some from some of our regional health authorities.

That report was, in fact, brought forward to the Administration at that

particular time and the officials in the department looked at it and realized

that there were some solid recommendations in there but at this particular time

they were not prepared to move forward with them.

I can advise the members of this House and the member opposite that about

three weeks ago I tasked three officials in my department with a program, or a

process, rather, to pull out that report and actually look at what was

recommended at that time to see whether or not those recommendations are valid

today. If they are, we want to make sure that we are able to respond

appropriately to the challenges we are finding in our mental health services.

That is not unlike, Mr. Speaker, I say, with respect to the whole addictions

piece as well.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister to complete his answer.

MR. WISEMAN: I say, Mr. Speaker, you might recall the OxyContin Task

Force indicated that the best approach at that particular time was to continue

to send people outside the Province for addictions counselling. Again, I say,

Mr. Speaker

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is a very serious issue and I cannot believe I am just hearing the

minister say that it was only five weeks ago when he had officials take out this

report and do some analysis on it.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the recommendation in that report was to identify the

need at that time that existed, which was seventeen youth in treatment outside

the Province. Today, on any given month, we have fifty youth in treatment. We

have seventy-five youth who are in independent living or group home

arrangements, Mr. Speaker, and who are not getting the proper treatment that

they require.

This report recommended that there would be a facility that could accommodate

twelve youth with mental illness, emotional disorders and concurrent disorders.

I ask you, Minister: Are you prepared to look at that recommendation in light

of the circumstance we find ourselves in, in this Province today?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Again, I say, Mr. Speaker, I am not treating this matter

lightly. This government takes this issue very seriously. I laid out, in my

first response, the kinds of issues we have done in this Province and, as a

government, the issues we have taken on the challenge and responded to.

Mr. Speaker, when I made a comment about this report, it was not just that I

took it out after 2003. In 2003 the report was looked at, the same way as I was

commenting earlier. The OxyContin Task Force indicated that sending children out

of the Province was more appropriate than establishing an addictions treatment

centre in this Province.

Those two issues, and that was some time ago - one was in 2003 and the other

was about 2004 in both those issues officials in my department now are

re-evaluating the recommendations of that time with a view of consideration for

an addictions centre for the Province.

The same way with the 2003 report; at that time it was decided not to move

forward. What I have done now, in light of some events in recent past with

issues that have come to my attention, I have asked officials in the department

to revisit that report to determine if there is merit in moving forward with the

recommendations that were laid out in that particular program.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, in 2003 it was determined that it cost

approximately $250,000 for an independent youth living in or out of the Province

that was in placement. We are looking at those numbers today and saying it would

cost about $12.5 million annually, or more, and this does not include the hidden

costs: the costs that are associated with sending children out of the Province,

the emotional costs of separating families, or the social cost of removing

children from their communities and from their neighbourhoods and their friends.

I ask the minister: When he made the statement a couple of weeks ago that the

numbers in this Province do not warrant a treatment centre, was he looking at

the realistic numbers that we are dealing with today in terms of the number of

people in treatment, and was he looking at the cost that our youth are paying,

as well as the cost

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I would only be too glad to engage members

opposite, or anyone for that matter, in a discussion around the recommendations

that were in that report, when we have had a chance to review it and determine

what our recommendations will be on a go-forward basis.

The data around the cost of sending people out and the part of this

analysis is one of two things. One, there is a financial piece of it, and I

acknowledge that, but in this particular case here our focus is going to be on

what is going to be in the best interests of those people who need mental health

services in this Province. Do we have the capacity, from a human resource

perspective, to implement a program and sustain it in the long term, is one of

the questions we need to ask ourselves.

The other points that have been raised by the member opposite, in terms of

the stress it creates for the individuals themselves and for their families, we

acknowledge that; we recognize that. If I did not recognize, and we as a

government did not recognize and acknowledge those issues, we would not be

re-evaluating that report of 2003.

That is the very reason we are doing (inaudible}.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Over this past summer, the world has witnessed the financial meltdown of our

fellow island neighbour, Iceland. In particular, their banks have collapsed and

are now either in receivership or merging, or in buyouts or are liquidating. It

is estimated that the banking sector, the Icelandic banking sector, provided

roughly half of the capital of this Province's fishing industry. Meanwhile,

industry watchers are predicting major declines in seafood processing and

seafood demand.

My question for the minister is: Do you and does your government have any

plans to stabilize the fishing industry in this Province given this serious

credit crunch?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the member opposite for the question because obviously, as has been

already alluded to in the House today, there are some very difficult times that

industries are facing. The fishing industry is no different, especially given

the type of industry that we have, which is global, and our markets very much

dependent on, I guess the European markets, the American markets, Japan, China

and all over the world. But, again, it is not a time for us to panic. It is a

time for us to make sure that we are doing what we have to do as an industry to

address these particular challenges. We have been in contact with the industry,

we are monitoring it very closely and we are prepared to do what is necessary in

order to make sure that that industry remains viable, sustainable and

competitive.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess it is quite clear; they do not have any plans.

My next question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.

Prices of almost all commodities have gone into steep decline. One of them,

of course, is iron ore. Wabush mines has announced a 40 per cent cut in

production. The company says that layoffs are guaranteed, temporary workers will

be let go, overtime will be eliminated and contractual work will be cancelled.

Other mines have already announced layoffs as well, Beaver Brook Antimony Mine

and the mill near Glenwood has reduced their workforce by twenty.

My question for the minister is: Does the government have any plan to address

the impacts of this downturn in the mining industry on the Province or are we

pinning all of our hopes on Long Harbour, which was a good Liberal initiative?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, as we have said time and time again through this Question Period, we

are in a very volatile time in the economics of the world these days and

commodities are getting hard hit, there is no doubt about it. We are feeling the

effect of it right here in Newfoundland and Labrador, in some of the instances

that the Opposition House Leader referred to.

We are in regular communication with mining companies here in the Province.

Wabush Mines met this week. We are waiting to here from them about what their

go-forward plan is. They have indicated to us at this point in time that there

is a reduction in their concentrate at about 40 per cent and that temporary

layoffs - people who have temporary positions with them will be laid off and

some contracts will not be followed through on.

MR. SPEAKER: I ask the hon. minister to complete her answer.

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We continue to monitor this situation and work closely with the industry to

mitigate the effects that they are feeling.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is also for the Minister of Natural Resources.

This past summer government signed the Hebron deal and government claimed

that the announcement of this project would inject some-$20 billion into the

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: We also understand that the government is negotiating

the Lower Churchill deal. At the time of Hebron, oil prices were close to $150 a

barrel. Now, of course, today they are hovering around $50 a barrel. We must hit

at least $50 a barrel, as I understand it, before the super royalty regime would

kick in under Hebron in any case. The Premier says that the project will survive

without specifying what changes will be made to the project plans in light of

the changed economic circumstances.

My question for the minister is: Do you anticipate that there will be any

changes to the program, particularly in terms of project timelines and financing

both for Hebron and the Lower Churchill, given the situation we find ourselves

now in the economy? Will such an update be given publicly?

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am happy to report that I met with the vice-president for the America's

of Exxon Mobil just within the last month. They do not see any amendments or

restructuring of their planning at this point in time. Remember, construction on

Hebron is not scheduled to begin until 2012. We will see first production around

2015, 2016. The company is in a very strong economic position now. It does not

see any problem in meeting its demands and expects that the same is true for

their partners. So, it is business as usual with regard to the Hebron project.

In our own planning for the Hebron project and our purchase of equity in that

project and so on, we used a full range of numbers around oil, Mr. Speaker,

ranging anywhere from $40 and beyond. So we are very sure of what we are doing

around the economics of this project.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is for the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development.

In the last five years, the greatest source of employment for rural

Newfoundland in this Province has actually been employment in rural Alberta.

Estimates of the number of commuter workers have ranged up to 10,000 people from

this Province working in Northern Alberta in the tar sands and other projects.

Now the latest news from Alberta is cutbacks in investment, delays of projects,

and actual layoffs of personnel.

We have heard the minister, in his former capacity, talk about the improved

in-migration figures that we have for this Province. I just hope the

in-migration is not based upon our Newfoundlanders staying home permanently.

Does the minister have any contingency plans

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to pose his question.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have never seen a group so anxious to give a non-answer before.

Mr. Speaker, does the minister have any contingency plans to deal with the

fallout which the Alberta turndown in their economy is going to have, obviously,

for the workers in rural Newfoundland

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SKINNER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, I hope that they all come home to

stay.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. SKINNER: Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite, I do not intend for

them to come home and stay on EI, which seems to be what the member opposite

wants.

We have experienced in-migration. We have seen people return home to this

Province for work. We have opportunities here in this Province. They are

continuing to grow. The sectors that we have already spoken about in Question

Period are employing people. We expect that there will be lots of opportunity

for our people here in this Province who are currently working outside the

Province, who are currently commuting outside the Province, to return to this

Province to find gainful, meaningful employment, and we expect that will

continue into the future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

Mr. Speaker, during the spring session of the House, the Minister of Health

and Community Services was continually asked about the need for improvements in

the way home care is provided in this Province. Repeatedly, the minister said

that a report on home care and long-term care would be available in the fall.

Well, we are here now in the last week of November and the people of the

Province, and I, are still waiting for this report.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Health and Community Services: Where is

the report that you told us we could expect this fall?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the challenges in this House, when the members opposite try to pin you

down for a date and you give an approximate - you give a season, like fall -

someone decides they want to pick a date on a calendar and hold you to that

date.

I am very reluctant to say it is still going to be in the fall. I said last

year, in the spring. It is a major piece of work, it is a comprehensive piece of

work, and we want to do it right. We have still not concluded that process. I

hope to have it finished in the very near future but I am reluctant, again, to

give a time frame, not to be held to it as I am now in the House.

So I say to the member opposite: It is still being worked on, and when we get

it concluded I will be only too glad to share it with you and others in the

Province; because, as you have said, many people are anxious to see it. It is

going to be a significant piece of work, I say, Mr. Speaker, and it is going to

affect a lot of people. It will build on the significant investments that we

have made in home support in this Province in the last five years.

We have taken a budget -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I point out to the minister that good planning usually involves timelines,

and we are all used to doing that. I know that you cannot pinpoint a date but

the fall is pretty broad and the minister does have until December 21, which I

think is the first day of winter, so let's see if we might be able to get it

done by the first day of winter, Mr. Minister.

I would ask you, since you seem to be far along in the process - and that

pleases me - could you give us some specifics as to what we can expect with what

the report is dealing with?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: If I were in a position to give you very specific

information, the report would be complete. I am in a position to tell you that

it is very broad. We are looking at all aspects of long-term care and community

supports, whether it is a lack of home support services, whether it is long-term

care homes, whether it is personal care homes, or whether it is the kind of

equipment that is provided by people who are availing of home supports. It is

the financial assessment process, dealing with the client contribution, so I

say, Mr. Speaker, it is very broad.

To give a very specific answer about what might be the outcomes of that

evaluation on any one of those points would be premature and it would be

irresponsible of me, I say, Mr. Speaker, to start to speculate what might be in

that report or what my colleagues may want to add to it when we as a department

are finished and what government may want to endorse and bring forward for the

people of this Province as they look at the kind of supports that they need to

stay independently living, I say, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time for questions and answers has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to move the

following resolution:

Be it resolved by the House of Assembly as follows:

WHEREAS

section 7 of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and

Administration Act provides that the Law Clerk is to be appointed by the

Lieutenant-Governor in Council on a nomination by the House of Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that Ms Lorna Proudfoot be nominated for

appointment as the Law Clerk of the House of Assembly.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a

bill entitled,

An Act To Repeal The Pickersgill Fellowship Act," Bill 41.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a

bill entitled,

An Act To Repeal The Memorial University Foundation Act, Bill 42.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Repeal The Labrador Linerboard Limited

Agreement Act, 1979, Bill 47.

Mr. Speaker, I further give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill

entitled, "An Act To Repeal The Labrador Linerboard Limited Agreement

(Amendment Act), 1979, Bill 48.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce

a bill entitled,

An Act To Repeal The Newfoundland And Labrador Computer

Services Limited Amendment Act, Bill 46.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Real Estate Trading Act, Bill 39.

I give further notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An

Act To Repeal The Corporations Guarantees Act, Bill 43.

I further give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An

Act To Repeal The Certified Public Accountants Act, Bill 44.

I give further notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,

"An Act To Repeal The Chartered Accountants And Certified Public

Accountants Merger Act, Bill 45.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act, 2000 And To

Repeal The Financial Corporations Capital Tax Act, Bill 38.

MR. SPEAKER: Further Notices of Motion.

The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To

Amend The Arts Council Act. (Bill 40)

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, with mutual consent from the Third Party and the

Official Opposition, we are asking leave to introduce a Private Member's

motion today to be debated tomorrow in the House of Assembly. Ordinarily this

motion would be introduced on a Monday but where this being the first day of the

fall sitting, we are asking leave to introduce a Private Member's motion

today.

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave?

The hon. the Government House Leader, by leave.

The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I rise to move the following Private Member's

Resolution:

WHEREAS Memorial University enjoys its well-deserved reputation as a

world-class institution serving 18,000 students with a budget in excess of $400

million; and

WHEREAS the government's White Paper on Public Post-Secondary Education in

Newfoundland and Labrador states that the government is committed to maintaining

autonomy and academic freedoms and notes that Memorial University is an

autonomous organization; and

WHEREAS the government recognizes that autonomy is a necessary precondition

to the proper functioning of Memorial University and has accepted the

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada's "Statement of

Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy"; and

WHEREAS academic freedom is defined by the Canadian Association of University

Teachers as: "the right to teach, learn, study and publish free of

orthodoxy or threat of reprisal and discrimination"; and

WHEREAS

section 51 of the legislation governing the university namely, An

Act Respecting The Memorial University of Newfoundland, which has been in place

since 1973 - defines a process whereby the Board of Regents, in consultation

with the University Senate, must forward candidates for President of the

University to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council for approval; and

WHEREAS the government recognizes that education is fundamental to

Newfoundland and Labrador's growth and prosperity; is committed to a strong,

vibrant post-secondary education system in our Province; and is willing to work

collaboratively with the Board of Regents and the university's administration

to ensure that Memorial is one of the best universities in the world with the

best leadership in the world;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly affirms its full support

for the academic freedom and academic autonomy of Memorial University.

Seconded by Derrick Dalley, the Member for The Isles of Notre Dame.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Further notices of motion.

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the Long Island Causeway

Committee.

Now, Mr. Speaker, this petition has been circulated not just in Long Island

but in communities all over that district. It is regarding the committee's bid

and lobby efforts to the government to have a causeway built to Long Island as

opposed to a ferry service.

This causeway was committed to under previous administrations and was

estimated at a cost of about $26 million to construct. In fact, Mr. Speaker,

under the current government, they re-evaluated that and determined that the

cost had escalated and was no longer prepared to honour the commitment that had

been in place, and certainly made that known to the people in the area but

the people on Long Island are resilient people. They are like people in all

other outport areas within this Province, and that is, when they see something

worth fighting for they will continue to fight. Such has been the case for the

last five years for the people on this tiny island. In doing so, they have

engaged the support of the communities around them. Communities like Triton and

Brighton, and Pilley's Island, and Springdale, and King's Point, and Grand

Falls, and Windsor. All of these communities, Mr. Speaker, and those residents

have signed this petition in support of this community. I guess all of this came

to a halt back in the summer.

Back in the summer, when the Minister of Transportation, who did not go down

to Long Island to announce a new ferry service for the people of Long Island and

Little Bay Islands, and tell them that you will not get a causeway very

cowardly approach, I might add, but yet went down to Marystown, where they

thought they might build a ship, and made the announcement. To me, that is

totally disrespectful of the people of this area when you are looking at

providing future services to them. The announcement of a new ferry was far-far

distanced from a new causeway that they had wanted. Not only that, Mr. Speaker,

the ferry is reducing the service to the people who live on Long Island.

When all of this came to a head, the one who was left out of the loop

apparently in all this was the MHA for the area, who happens to sit on the

government side of the House. The member who sits in the caucus with the

minister was not informed that Cabinet had made a decision; that the minister

was going out and making these announcements, that the bureaucracy had already

coerced all the facts and laid it out on the table and sold the package inside

of government. It was the member who was left out in the dark.

Now, I do not know how things function within that government. I guess I have

a little bit more insight today, that you do as you are told and if you are not

told, you do not do anything. That is the only approach that I can see. Mr.

Speaker, in governments that I was a part of you were always informed, you were

always consulted. The people who elected you had a real voice, your opinion

counted. It is obvious that on that side of the House your opinion accounts for

very little, if anything at all. Anyway, it came to a head.

Now the petition that I have has thousands of signatures on it. I will be

presenting this petition over the course of the next four weeks that this House

sits. Every day, that I have an opportunity, I will stand here to advocate on

behalf of the people of Long Island because they are not getting enhanced

services, or better services, or causeways. In fact, they are getting a new boat

that is going to downgrade the level of service that they have been accustomed

to, and that is not the right approach for government to be taking.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Further petitions?

The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to present a petition today with regards to a long-term care facility

for the Conception Bay North area. I will probably use the full three minutes

today to read the prayer of the petition, but I can assure you between now and

2011, when the next election comes, there will be lots of petitions coming and I

will not have to read the prayer of the petition:

WHEREAS a 2001 study determined that Conception Bay North and Corner Brook

were the number one priorities for long-term care facilities for the entire

Province and a second study by an external consultant in 2007 recommended a

three-story long-term care facility for the Conception Bay North with capacity

for 180 beds, three dementia bungalows with ten beds each, for a total of 210

beds; and

WHEREAS the Corner Brook facility is being built and government announced in

October 2008 that two new long-term care facilities would be built here in St.

John's; and

WHEREAS the present structures clearly need to be replaced with a modern

facility, but in 2008, Conception Bay North's long-term care facility has

slipped to at least sixth place behind Corner Brook, Clarenville, Happy

Valley-Goose Bay, Lewisporte and St. John's; and

WHEREAS government has recognized there is a tremendous requirement for

additional facilities for our seniors and that there is a need to make a

strategic investment into a long-term care facility for Conception Bay North,

yet has failed to commit funds to this priority area;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon all members of the

House of Assembly to urge the government to reassess their decision to drop

Conception Bay North on the priority list and commit to all residents of the

area that the assessments completed in 2001, as well as in 2007, be implemented

and a new long-term care facility be built in the Conception Bay North area;

As is duty bound your petitioners ever pray.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

I ask members for their co-operation. The Chair is having great difficulty

hearing the Member for Port de Grave. I ask members if they would be kind enough

to take their private conversations to the outside.

The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I had a job to hear myself.

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear to all hon. members on both

sides of the House, I am not standing here and arguing that the facilities that

have been built in the other community should not go ahead. They deserve a

long-term care facility, and I commend government for doing that, but I do know,

Mr. Speaker, this has been on the table since 2001, and last year the Minister

of Health and Community Services recommended to government his department

recommended - that $1 million would be in last year's Budget, 2008-2009, for

this long-term care facility.

All I am asking government is this: If you can come up with the money, the $1

million, to do two long-term care facilities in St. John's, why not do one in

Conception Bay North and one in St. John's? We are not against the two in St.

John's; but, after being number one priority with Corner Brook, here we are

now right at the bottom of the barrel.

I am calling upon the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board,

the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace, the Member for Harbour Main-Whitbourne,

the Member for Bellevue, and the Member for Trinity-Bay de Verde, three

ministers in this government, I plead with you, on behalf of the people of that

particular area, that they would see what they can do this year, at least that

this study would be done and carried out for a long-term care facility in the

Conception Bay North area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions.

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the first order of business that we would like to

address today is certainly an issue that I guess no one really felt we would

ever have to come to this point in our General Assembly at this time; but, as

everyone knows, last spring - I think the day we closed the House of Assembly

unfortunately, we had the death of our Member for Cape St. Francis, Mr. Jack

Byrne. At that time, upon his death, the member was the Deputy Speaker here at

the House of Assembly.

According to the Standing Orders, it reads, under Standing Order 5. (2),

"The Member appointed as Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of Committees shall

continue to act in that capacity until the end of the General Assembly for which

he or she is appointed, and in the case of a vacancy by death, resignation or

otherwise, the House shall proceed forthwith to appoint a successor."

Because, as I indicated, unfortunately, we lost Mr. Jack Byrne, a very

valuable member in this Legislature, we are at a point where we need to appoint

a Deputy Speaker. At this time, I would like to move that Mr. Tom Osborne, the

Member for St. John's South, be elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of

Assembly.

MR. SPEAKER: It is properly moved and seconded that Mr. Tom Osborne be

appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

The motion is carried.

[Applause]

On motion, Mr. Tom Osborne appointed as Deputy Speaker of the House of

Assembly.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, in following the fact that Mr. Osborne, Member for

St. John's South, is the Deputy Speaker, that leaves the position as Deputy

Chair of Committees of the House of Assembly vacant. In order to fill that

position, I would like to move that Mr. Felix Collins, Member for Placentia

& St. Mary's, be nominated as the Deputy Chair of Committees for the House

of Assembly.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

It is properly moved and seconded that Mr. Felix Collins be appointed as the

Deputy Chair of Committees of the House of Assembly.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

The motion is carried.

[Applause]

On motion, Mr. Felix Collins appointed as Deputy Chair of Committees of the

House of Assembly.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, on Orders of the Day, we would like to go to the

Address in Reply.

MR. SPEAKER: Before I recognize the hon. Minister of Transportation and

Works, the Speaker will just read the names of those who have already responded

to the Address in Reply. It is a continuation of the same debate. The members

that have already spoken, for the information of members present, are: the hon.

the Member for Exploits; the hon. the Member for Ferryland; the hon. the Member

for Conception Bay South; the hon. the Member for CartwrightL'Anse au

Clair; the hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile; the hon. the Member for

Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the hon. the

Member for BurinPlacentia West; the hon. the Member for Mount Pearl South;

the hon. the Member for Bellevue; the hon. the Member for Grand Bank; and, the

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as I was listening to Question Period today I was thinking -

well, I was thinking a lot of things, certainly - I thought, you know, what a

difference five years make.

I looked at the two new members who came in here this afternoon to take their

seats after two by-elections this summer or spring, whenever it was summer,

I guess two new members who came into a radically different House than some

of us walked into five years ago when we were first elected to government, and a

radically different position for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, just to refresh everybody's memory, when we came in here five

years ago as government, and took over from the hon. Opposition, the current

Opposition

AN HON. MEMBER: What is left of them.

MR. TAYLOR: What is left of them, yes.

- we inherited, it is no secret, a Province and a fiscal situation that was

horrendous. I don't think that is too strong a word to use. We had a situation

where we were approaching $12 billion in debt, the highest per capital debt in

the country, which we still have, by the way, although some of the debt has been

reduced. We still have the highest per capita debt in the country, twice as high

as the next highest one in the country, that being Nova Scotia.

More importantly, Mr. Speaker, at that time we were, as everybody knows or

most people would know, facing a situation where projected deficits were in the

order of $1 billion. That was five years ago, so that would have been for

fifty-four years of our existence in Canada we have been a have-not Province and

have been depending on transfer payments from the federal government just to

sustain basic services here in Newfoundland and Labrador. I say basic services

because, as everybody knows, the services that the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador have been able to avail themselves of are, in many respects, inferior

and we all acknowledge that to the kinds of services that you see in

many other parts of the country.

Fast forward, Mr. Speaker, as I said through the last five years to find

ourselves where we are today in the fall of 2008 where, basically, at least the

first part of Question Period today revolved around how Newfoundland and

Labrador and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador were going to preserve

the wonderful position that we had managed to get ourselves in over the course

of the past five years, how we were going to manage to insulate ourselves from

the global economic meltdown that is taking place, the crisis that is taking

place in the financial markets throughout the world, the recession that has hit

very hard in the United States and across Canada and other parts of the world,

and how, Mr. Speaker, in the face of project cancellation and downsizing in

Western Canada, in Alberta and Alberta oilfields, in the tar sands in

particular, how, Mr. Speaker, we were going to ensure that our significant

projects in energy development here in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Hebron,

White Rose, Hibernia South, and what have you, how those were going to fare over

the course of the coming months and years. What a difference in a matter of five

years!

The question from the Leader of the Opposition to the Premier was: The five

hundred and some old million dollars that you projected in a surplus last spring

when you brought down your budget, do you have any idea where that is going to

be this year? The Premier, even though we don't have the exact numbers right

now and we won't for some time obviously, was able to stand up here today and

say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we will, at the end of this year, host

somewhere in excess of half a billion dollars in surplus for the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. TAYLOR: To be able to stand here today, Mr. Speaker, after five years

and be able to point to people, to be able to demonstration not only to people

in Newfoundland and Labrador but to people across this country, how we managed

to take the $2 billion that was wrestled from the federal government as part of

the Atlantic Accord negotiations with Prime Minister Martin, take that and pay

down our unfunded pension liability and stabilize the pension plans of our

public sector workers, our teachers, the people who work in these buildings, the

people who work in our schools and our hospitals and what have you, Mr. Speaker,

what a difference!

If these two members that walked in here today, the kind of debates that we

had to participate in as a Cabinet and a caucus five short years ago,

four-and-a-half years ago when we sat around our caucus tables, we sat around

our Cabinet tables, and debated such things as cutting the School Milk Program,

reducing funding for dentures, increasing vehicle registration fees, just to try

and send a message to the bonding community and to the financial community that

we took seriously the financial position of the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador and that we were not going to squander away any opportunity that we had

to right the books in Newfoundland and Labrador and put this place back in a

position where today, as the Premier said, we are one of very few, probably the

only jurisdiction or one of very few jurisdictions in North America that is in

the position where we if the bottom does not go out of her any further than

it already has, if it manages to hold together at all, that for the foreseeable

future we should be okay. There are not very many people, not very many

jurisdictions and not very many governments in North America that are able to

stand in their legislatures and make that kind of a statement here in the fall

of 2008. To consider where we came from is what makes it all that much more

remarkable.

I hear from time to time people, commentators in the public, members in

Opposition, you know some of their former colleagues - like former Premier

Grimes talking about how the good fortune that we have had has been as a result

of stuff they have done or as a result of high oil prices. Well, the fact of the

matter is, we all know, whether they know or not, we all know and I think if you

look at public opinion polls, I think the vast majority of people in

Newfoundland and Labrador, somewhere in the order of 85 per cent of them,

somewhere in that order, the highest probably approval rating that any

government has ever seen in this Province at least, and probably even in the

country, that the vast majority of people in Newfoundland and Labrador get it

even though the three or four members in the Opposition do not.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, the reason why we are in the fiscal

position that we are, the reason why we see in-migration for the first time

since we see positive population growth, I should say, and in-migration for

the first time since 1993, the first time in fifteen years here in Newfoundland

and Labrador is as a result of the decisions that were taken by this government

five years ago. The very critical decisions that were taken by the Premier, by

the Cabinet, by caucus, when we said in the lead up to the election, and in the

days following the election back in 2003, that there would be no more giveaways

here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. TAYLOR: I remember the former Leader of the Opposition and some other

of his colleagues and we all, I think, remember back in the fall or winter,

whenever it was of I cannot even remember the year now, but about three

years ago when we were in the heat of battle, you might say, with the federal

government over the Atlantic Accord and trying to make sure that the spirit and

intent of the Atlantic Accord that was signed back in the 1980s, where

Newfoundland and Labrador would be the primary beneficiary of any offshore oil

development, that that spirit and intent was lived up to in practice. As a

result of that, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the Premier secured a $2 billion

cheque from the federal government and substantially renegotiated the

underpinnings of the Atlantic Accord and put us in a position where we are

today.

At that time, let's just refresh our memories at that time, members

opposite will recall, and we will recall, and the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador, I am sure, can recall. What happened down in the Baine Johnston Centre

in front of a television camera, when there was a scrum taking place by our

federal representative in the Cabinet at the time, supported by the Liberal

Opposition here in this Legislature, who said that the $1.4 billion, you could

take it or leave it. What was their response? Now, their response was we should

take it. What was the Premier's response? The Premier's response and this

government's response was: We will leave it. We will leave it. If you cannot

do better than that then you can take it and, as the saying goes, put it where

the sun don't shine.

So, Mr. Speaker, that was the approach that we took, and that was the same

approach that was taken when Hebron when we were going through, and the

Premier and the Minister of Natural Resources were in the negotiations with the

Hebron Consortium for the development of Hebron. There is such a radical

difference - and as I said, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador know this.

There is such a radical difference in the approach of this government to

resource development, to negotiations with the federal government and what have

you, to Opposition parties, to past Liberal governments in particular.

If you look at the Hebron deal let's just look at the Hebron deal for a

second. We all know what the approach of the previous government was. The

previous government, because this was a heavier oil, because Hebron was harder

to access, because it was going to be more costly to develop, the Opposition

party, Mr. Speaker, the government of the day back prior to 2003, were prepared

to enter into a deal with the Hebron Consortium to develop Hebron where there

would be something less than, a royalty regime less than the base that had been

established before; than the generic royalty arrangement that had been

established and laid out as a policy of the government, but in order to see the

Hebron development move forward they were prepared to sign an agreement that

would have resulted in a royalty arrangement that was less even than that.

What happened here? What happened under the leadership of our Premier? What

happened under the leadership of our Minister of Natural Resources and under the

leadership of our Energy Corp? Mr. Speaker, what happened here? What kind of a

deal did we sign? Well, I can tell you we did not sign a deal. Our team did not

sign a deal and did not give any indication that they were prepared to sign a

deal that would result in anything less than the standard formula and, as a

matter of fact, insisted on a couple of other things that we were told we were

foolish for insisting on by the Opposition. No way in the world were we ever,

ever going to get an equity position in the development. Not a chance, Mr.

Speaker. That is what we were told. We were foolish to be chasing it and that we

were comprising the future of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the oil industry of

Newfoundland and Labrador by even going to look for that and a super royalty

arrangement.

Well, Mr. Speaker, what was the deal at the end of the day? The deal at the

end of the day, Mr. Speaker, was 4.9 per cent ownership in the Hebron

development; $120 million in research and development funding; a super royalty

arrangement to kick in when oil is over $50 a barrel. Yes, we know there is some

volatility in the markets right now, but over the life of that field just think

where the price of oil is going be. I do not think there is any economist in

this world, and I do not believe there are many people in Newfoundland and

Labrador, Mr. Speaker, if any, who believe that over the life of that project,

from 2015, 2016 onwards, when oil starts to pump out of Hebron, that anybody

believes that the price of a barrel of oil is going to be less than $50 a barrel

on average over the twenty-year life of that field. Mr. Speaker, that is the

kind of approaches that have been taken.

Mr. Speaker, we all know, even though we have had good fortune and we are in

a very good position right now, that we are not insulated from what is happening

in the world. We know that the meltdown in the Icelandic banking institutions

could have an impact on our fishing industry. We know that the decline in the

economy in the U.S. will have an impact on consumption of seafood, of newsprint,

of lumber, of oil, what have you. We are already seeing that. The evidence is in

front of our faces. Mr. Speaker, we know, and we have over the course the

Leader of the Opposition today asked: What kind of a plan does this government

have in order to deal with the volatility in the marketplace to make sure, to

protect us to the extent that we can be protected going forward?

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier said, we laid out very clearly, over the course

of the last five years, we are not - maybe they would take the approach that you

need to make knee-jerk reactions to these types of events in the world economy.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we know that there might be adjustments required, but if you

have thought out and articulated and laid out and implemented a very carefully

crafted plan over the course of time, you will have built in to that plan for

downturns in the economy.

We understand that we cannot depend on the oil and gas and the resource-based

industries that we have here in Newfoundland and Labrador, that are driving our

economy right now, indefinitely. We all know that the day that we start taking

the first drop of oil out of Hebron we are one day closer to the last day that

we will take oil out of Hebron.

Mr. Speaker, why do I bring that up? Well, I bring it up because over the

course of the past five years we have laid out an innovation strategy. We have

developed an infrastructure strategy. We have worked on a transportation

strategy. We were criticized in our early days. The hon. members opposite

criticized us, made fun at us, mocked us, for the first couple of years that we

were in government because we were taking all this time to sit around tables and

bring people in and debate about how, and strategize and plan. Get on with doing

something, they said.

Well, Mr. Speaker, I think you reap what you sow, as they say. We sowed well

in the first couple of years. No, we did not run off, we did not make a lot of

investments, but we took the time to size up the landscape in Newfoundland and

Labrador, to look at the world economy, to look at where we thought oil and gas

was going, to look at the resource-based industries, and to have a very hard

look at research and development, to have a look at our oceans, to have a look

at where the opportunities might be in ten years' time for the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

That is why a couple of years ago, back in August 2005, the then Minister of

Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, now the Minister of Natural Resources,

released the Province's innovation strategy with funding of $5 million

annually associated with that. That is why we introduced the IRIF fund, the

Industrial Research and Innovation Fund, $5 million annually that our

universities, our College of the North Atlantic and our Marine Institute access

on a regular basis and lever it five to one for research and development

activity here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

That is why, in the run up to last year's election, when we rolled out our

policy platform, we announced that we were going to establish the Newfoundland

and Labrador Research and Development Council with an annual budget in the early

going, at least for the first three years, of $5 million annually.

We know that we have to invest wisely now, just like it was important to take

the $2 billion that we got, back a couple of years ago, and invest it in the

Teachers' Pension Plan, and invest it in the uniformed I do not even

remember all the plans, now, but anyway - the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses'

Union plan and what have you. The various pension plans that we have in

government, we invested in them and look where we are today. While we see

throughout North America, and throughout Canada in particular, that pension

plans are in trouble, because we made the right decision back then it was

easy. I can remember members of the Opposition again, back a couple of years

ago, questioning why we would take the $2 billion and pay it down on that debt,

to fund up our pension plans. They questioned us: Why didn't we not take some

of it and put it into infrastructure or into this, that, or the other thing?

We made a conscious decision at that time that it was important for the

people, number one, the people who had worked for us for a lifetime, who had

spent their lives working for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and

supporting the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, to ensure that they had

stability and had security in their pension plans when they retired, and had no

worries, when they got up in the morning on a Thursday or whatever it was, and

they went to the post office or went to their bank, they could be sure that

their pension was going to be deposited and not have to worry about it any time

in the foreseeable future.

Mr. Speaker, we could have squandered away that $2 billion. Where would we be

today, in the middle of a financial meltdown, with the debt that we were

carrying and we still carry a substantial amount? Where would we be today if

we had squandered that away like some previous governments have done, when they

had one-time payments?

Mr. Speaker, we all know Term 32, I believe it was I forget the number

now in the Terms of Union, where we were supposed to get $8 million every

year from the federal government in perpetuity. We all know what the previous

government did back in 1998-1999, I believe it was; they took a one-time payment

of a hundred and some-odd million dollars. I think it was $160 million, if my

memory serves me correctly. They took twenty years' payments up front, had

that term stricken from the Terms of Union, so the $8 million that we get

annually, they took it all in one shot not all in one shot, because it was

in perpetuity, so $8 million for infinity, or as long as Canada exists anyway,

we would have received. Now we do not receive it any more.

What did they do with it? They took it, and it is gone. They did not pay it

down on the debt. They used it. I am sure they had legitimate reasons to use it

at the time, but so could have we, with that $2 billion that we received, but we

chose not to do that. We chose to take the money that we have been able to get

our hands on over the past few years and pay off some of the debt that the

Province has accumulated. As a result of that, Mr. Speaker, we are in a position

today of much improved strength over what we could have been and would have

been.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is important the Member for

Burgeo & LaPoile asked the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development, a little earlier, do we have any plans for - I guess basically what

he was saying was for economic diversification or what have you.

The fact of the matter is, when we came into government five years ago there

was just in that department alone, in Innovation, Trade and Rural Development,

approximately two-and-a-quarter, two-and-a-half million dollars available in

total for economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador. Not much of it in

the way of grants, some of it in the way of loans or equity or what have you,

but that was it, two-and-a-half million dollars annually.

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the first three or four years that we were in

government we made conscious decisions and we knew that our revenue stream was

starting to improve, that our fiscal situation was starting to turn around, but

even when it was not, even in those first early days, we made a conscious

decision to make capital available, to make monies available to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador so that they could engage in economic diversification.

Mr. Speaker, we developed a comprehensive plan for regional economic

diversification throughout the Province. We looked at the various regions of the

Province. You need look no further than Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune to see how

successful that could be. We looked at Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune, that region,

the Coast of Bays. We looked at it very closely, Mr. Speaker, and we identified

aquaculture as being -

MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): Order, please!

MR. TAYLOR: By leave, just to conclude this one point, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Yes.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave.

MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, there is so much good news I could talk here for

hours this afternoon; there is so much to talk about.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we looked at the Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune area, the

Coast of Bays, even though there were troubles in the fishing industry. We all

know the troubles that were plaguing Harbour Breton. The aquaculture industry in

the form of the salmon farm - I forget the name of the farm now - but anyway it

was in financial difficulty at the time. Mr. Speaker, there were all kinds of

suggestions that we should walk in and bail out that salmon farm, you know, a

one-time shot, prop it up and what have you; that we should do something to prop

up Harbour Breton, find fish somewhere.

Mr. Speaker, we stepped back from it, we looked at what the Comprehensive

Regional Diversification Strategy said, and what it said was invest in

aquaculture. Encourage the industry down there. Do what you needed to do.

We developed an aquaculture loan guarantee program. We put funding in place

for capital. We talked to Cooke Aquaculture. We worked with the Barry Group at

the time, even though they have left the scene right now from an aquaculture

perspective, from a farming perspective, but we worked with all of these people.

We worked with Gray Aquaculture, Mr. Speaker, in New Brunswick, and Northland.

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the past four years, we have essentially tripled

the size of the industry down there, and that industry will triple in size again

over the course of the next three years.

Mr. Speaker, that is what good planning does. That is why we are where we

are. It is because we took the time in those early days when it was very

difficult and we planned in difficult times, and that is why we are successful

today, Mr. Speaker, in good times.

Thanks very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port au Port.

MR. CORNECT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, let me start by saying it is indeed a privilege to stand here

today in this hon. House of Assembly to reply to the Speech from the Throne

which was delivered on March 10 of this year.

I speak today, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the great district of

Port au Port, to whom I owe a lot. I express my sincere appreciation for their

support and their confidence that they have entrusted in me.

Mr. Speaker, there are many exciting things happening in Newfoundland and

Labrador. Our Province is abuzz around the country. Most of all, Mr. Speaker,

there is a renewed and revitalized energy amongst us. Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians have a proud, a determined, and a strong feeling of identity.

In the Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, that was the first thing that was

mentioned, the confidence the people of this Province have in our government as

we move toward self-reliance and to become masters of our own house.

Mr. Speaker, in the words of former Premier A. Brian Peckford: Some day the

sun will shine and have not will be no more. About 20 years ago, when that was

said, there was a lot of optimism but that fell short. Then the Liberals took

power in 1989 and the cut and slash took place. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? This

Province, through our government's decision making, planning, and fiscal

responsibility, have achieved this. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we achieved this

tremendous accomplishment one year ahead of schedule. This is indeed remarkable.

It is a cause for celebration, and this is a part of the reason why there is a

renewed confidence in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, there are many opportunities here in this great Province of ours

because of our diligent planning and our wise spending and investing. With the

support of our people and with the strong and productive leadership of our

Premier, our Cabinet, and indeed our caucus, we will achieve a new and bright

future for ourselves, our grandchildren, and our great-children. Mr. Speaker,

Newfoundland and Labrador is turning the corner and we are indeed very proud of

that.

Mr. Speaker, the tide that has kept us at sea for so long has changed. We

have seen an increase in our population. In fact, our Province has reported its

first annual population increase in sixteen years, maybe twenty-five as the

previous speaker alluded to. Newfoundland and Labrador's population increased

by 1,436 over the past year, and we now stand, as of July 1, 2008, at 507,895

proud and strong Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in this Province. The

population increase, Mr. Speaker, was the result of positive net-migration and

the first net in-migration to the Province in twenty-five years.

More and more, Mr. Speaker, we are seeing our families and friends coming

back to the Province because of the opportunities that lie here. We are

equipping ourselves with the skills, the education, and the resources so that we

can control our own destiny.

In 2003, we stood firm on a platform of no more giveaways. The agreement we

have with Hebron is an example of this fact. We can say that we are a partner in

this development and we stand to reap the benefits of this project that will be

shared by all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We are especially excited about

the equity stakes we hold in Hebron and White Rose in addition to the super

royalty and the industrial gains we will see from this project and projects to

come. This means we have a greater ability to control our future.

In the Speech from the Thorne, Mr. Speaker, we also said that we would

welcome new opportunities and partners. Well, through high quality and

productive discussion Long Harbour will now see growth. As well, we will venture

with Vale Inco in the construction of the Hydromet facility for the processing

of Voisey's Bay ore. This is incredible news, Mr. Speaker, for the Province.

This was the government's preferred option, and through the hard work and

dedication and commitment of the Minister of Natural Resources we have

accomplished this. It will mean well-paying jobs for years to come, and

hopefully, Mr. Speaker, bring our skilled workers and families back to the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Strategic investments, Mr. Speaker, have been made to address our Province's

infrastructure that certainly needed to be fixed. After years of neglect, we

were faced with this momentous challenge of needed improvements, but we didn't

deflect it, we didn't ignore it, we addressed it, we took it head on. We met

the challenges, we rose to the occasion, and now we are seeing the benefits of

our decisions.

Mr. Speaker, we have invested over $100 million dollars in the Poverty

Reduction Strategy, a model strategy that has been highly praised and is the

envy of many anti-poverty leaders across the country and indeed across the

Province.

Mr. Speaker, we have expanded the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug

Program to include low income residents.

There are now free textbooks for all students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

What a great achievement, Mr. Speaker. I know growing up on the beautiful Port

au Port Peninsula in a family of eleven I didn't have that luxury. Many times

the school photo pictures were not brought because we had to buy school books.

Mr. Speaker, a great accomplishment! Thank you to the Minister of Education and

the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The job start benefit program to assist people in leaving income support and

starting a new job; there is the family Board and Lodging Supplement for people

with disabilities; we also have increased the operating budget for the eight

women's centres in the Province; and increased and will continue to increase

the minimum wage.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to working with stakeholders and partners as we

work together to reduce, alleviate and prevent poverty in the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, half of our spending is dedicated to health care.

As we face the challenges that lie within the health care sector, the people of

this Province can rest assured that this government will continue to work hard

and effectively so that the health needs of our people are met. I see in my

district alone, Mr. Speaker, investment in CT scanners, in dialysis machines,

health line, seniors' programs, and throughout the Province MRI scanners,

machines and so forth, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, never in the history of this Province has there been ever a

greater influx of money and priority given to education. Our education system is

no doubt as good as what is offered in the rest of this country, and I would say

that our educational system probably surpasses many others in the rest of this

country.

Now, Mr. Speaker, can you imagine, over $1 billion is allocated in budget for

both K-12 and post-secondary education in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador. So you tell me that this government is not trying to educate our

students for the future. Yes, we are.

Since 2003, our government has repaired leaky roofs, drafty windows, rotten

doors and dilapidated siding on many of our schools. We have built and

constructed new schools, as well, across the Province. I know in my District of

Port au Port, just this summer, new roofs were provided for schools in Cape St.

George, Mainland and Stephenville.

Other significant initiatives were enhancements to the school aid program.

Our Province leads the way as we reduce the provincial student loan interest

rate to prime. That is a 2.5 per cent reduction. We provide up to 50 per cent of

the provincial student assistance as an up front grant. The tuition freeze at

MUN and the College of the North Atlantic will continue making our institutions

affordable and accessible.

Mr. Speaker, the Skills Task Force that was established during our government's

first term delivered an action plan to ensure the fulfillment of its

recommendations because it is important to educate and retrain. We need skilled

professionals to develop and expand new economic development projects such as

Hebron, White Rose, Voisey's Bay, Lower Churchill, and the other developments

that have yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, we are investing in roads. This year alone a record of $73

million was spent in the Provincial Roads Improvement Program. In my district,

$1 million was allocated and some of the work completed was the replacement of a

culvert in Red Brook, resurfacing of Route 460 from Queen Street to West Street

in Stephenville, resurface of a

section of Route 463 in Piccadilly, repairs to

armour stone for the protection of Route 462 in Fox Island River, resurfacing of

a

section of Route 462 for Port au Port East, and repairs to roads that received

damage caused by water line cuts throughout the district.

Mr. Speaker, these improvements in these roads will lead to creating a safer

and smoother road system that will no doubt have an impact, a positive impact,

on the communities and certainly the economy as we thrive to develop tourism in

the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Speaking of tourism, Mr. Speaker, investments in marketing are paying off

both at home here and abroad. Investments in the Stephenville Theatre Festival,

enhancements to the Arts and Culture Centre, improvements to the Stephenville

High School Track and Field, and funding for the Stephenville Primary Recreation

Facility will no doubt attract visitors and provide opportunities for the

region.

Mr. Speaker, next year in 2009 the whole of the Port au Port Peninsula,

communities like Cape St. George, De Grau, Red Brook, Marches Point, Sheaves

Cove, Lower Cove, Ship Cove, Jerrys Nose, Abrahams Cove, Piccadilly, West Bay,

Lourdes, Winterhouse, Black Duck Brook, Three Rock Cove, Campbells Creek, Felix

Cove, Port au Port West, Aguathuna and Boswarlos will have the opportunity to

host activities and showcase our culture and our traditions as we embark on

hosting a Come Home Year 2009 for the great Port au Port Peninsula. I invite all

my hon. colleagues in this House to join us next year in Port au Port for our

Come Home Year celebration. Again, Mr. Speaker, no doubt this will attract

family and tourists alike to come back home.

Make no doubt about it, Mr. Speaker, we are striving and working hard to make

our Province better by making our communities safer and improving their

infrastructure. To support this, the government increased its capital budget by

$34.4 million annually to about $84.3 million per year. As part of this

announcement, Mr. Speaker, government also introduced a new cost-shared ratio

for municipalities of all types of required infrastructure work. In my district

all communities, with the exception of Stephenville, qualify for the ninety-ten

portion with Stephenville eligible for eighty-twenty.

This is great news, Mr. Speaker, exceptional news, remarkable news, news

welcomed by Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, municipalities right

across this Province, local service districts. The business community is excited

about this as well; and, most of all, Mr. Speaker, the people of the Province

are excited about this news. It is going to improve the infrastructure that has

been long waiting for improvements.

Other achievements, Mr. Speaker, of this government: we negotiated and signed

a New Dawn Agreement which marks a new beginning for the Innu of Labrador and

their relationship with the Province, Upper and Lower Churchill issues resolved.

An agreement with the Innu, Mr. Speaker, means the Lower Churchill development

is now on the radar screen for government to pursue.

Mr. Speaker, we agreed to receive $2 million in the Atlantic Accord when the

naysayers said take what you can get, come back home and celebrate with that

but, we did not. We went for the pot of gold and we got the stars.

Who would have thought, Mr. Speaker, that we could own 5 per cent equity

share in White Rose? We released, Mr. Speaker, for the first time in the

Province, a long-term energy plan for Newfoundland and Labrador. Mineral

exploration has also boomed in the Province. I look at, in my district, Atlantic

Minerals in Lower Cove, which has been in existence for over twenty years,

employs over 100 employees. What a remarkable story for Port au Port.

In the Speech from the Thorne it was said that government is promoting

increased offshore and onshore exploration development on the west, south and

east coast and on the Coast of Labrador. I look in my district, Mr. Speaker; we

have lots of activity in oil and gas. We have seen CIVC do exploration, and now

in Cape St. George we have PDI Production which we know in Cape St. George a few

years ago we did hit oil and gas and now it is just a matter of finding out how

much is there so we can produce.

Personal income tax reduction: Mr. Speaker, the Province brought down being

the high taxed province in the country to the fourth-lowest in the country. What

an achievement on that!

Mr. Speaker, we also awarded a $50.5 million contract for the construction of

two intra-provincial ferries to be built right here in Newfoundland and

Labrador. Mr. Speaker, we are also strengthening the child, youth and family

services system. We invested $9 million in that program. The new teacher

allocation model, which is based on two key elements, a focus on programming and

teaching needs, and maximum size classes in the K-9 system.

We invested, Mr. Speaker, in the long-term comprehensive cultural strategy

with an investment of approximately $17.6 million in new funding over three

years for the further development of the art