May

8, 2008

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVI No. 24

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order please!

Admit strangers.

Today, the House of Assembly would like to welcome thirty senior high

students from Jackman All-Grade School in the District of St. Barbe.

Accompanying the students are teachers, Graden Pelley, Kay Brake and Beth

Crocker; chaperone, Tori Hann; and bus driver, Bruce Martin.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Members' statements today are by the following members:

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

the District of St. John's East; the hon. the Member for the District of

Humber Valley; the hon. the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North; the

hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland; and, the hon. the Member for the

District of Kilbride.

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

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate Jordan Thomas and Tiffany Parsons, two students

from Amalgamated Academy, Bay Roberts, who placed first in the TV/Video

Production at the eleventh annual Provincial Skills Canada competition, held on

April 4.

Mr. Speaker, Jordan and Tiffany have been invited to join Team Newfoundland

and compete at the national skills competition which will be held in Calgary

between May 24 and May 28 of this year.

This is indeed an honour, Mr. Speaker, and I ask all hon. members to join me

in wishing them both the best of luck as they go on to compete in at the

national level.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUCKINGHAM: Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize the

scholastic achievements of a young lady in my district as she pursues her quest

to become bilingual.

Ms Jessi Drohan, a student at Vanier Elementary School, has received the

first place honour for the provincial Grade 6 competition of the Heather Huxter

Memorial Story Writing Contest.

Each year the Canadian Parents for French, or CPF, sponsor this contest which

gives French Immersion students in Grades 4, 5 and 6, or Intensive Core French

students in Grade 6, the opportunity to practice their French writing skills.

Submitted stories to the contest must be between 150 and 250 words long.

The award is named in honour of Heather Huxter, the nine-year-old daughter of

Dr. Robert and Elaine Huxter of Steady Brook. Heather lost her life in a car

accident on the Trans-Canada in November 2000.

Heather was very involved in her school's French Immersion program and

loved reading and writing French stories. This contest is an effort to carry on

Heather's legacy of her love of the French language by providing an

opportunity for students her age to express their thoughts by writing in French.

Jessi Drohan's story was entitled, "Si J'etais un Animal" - or,

colleague.

In recognition of her accomplishments, Jessi was presented with a plaque and

an I-Pod by the president of the local

chapter of CPF at a recent school

assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in wishing Ms Jessi Drohan of

Vanier Elementary School congratulations on her accomplishments, and every

success as she continues towards becoming bilingual.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Humber Valley.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in this hon. House today

and pay tribute to the SEDLER Community Development Corporation. SEDLER is an

acronym that stands for Supported Employment for Deer Lake and Extended Regions.

Mr. Speaker, this organization was established in May 1994 to address the

needs of people with developmental disabilities. As a non-profit organization,

their efforts are focused in two main areas: first, to seek paid work employment

for clients in occupations that are suited to their individual interests and

abilities; and, second, to assist and support clients who wish to pursue

self-employment initiatives and encourage the establishment of small business as

an option to community economic development.

Mr. Speaker, SEDLER is committed to the conviction that every person,

regardless of the extent of the individual development disability, has a right

to both meaningful employment with equitable pay, and equal employment

opportunities.

The Employment Corporation is governed by the volunteer Board of Directors,

an Employment Co-ordinator and Placement Officers. These members are committed

to the attainment of equity and employment, in conjunction with people with

developmental disabilities. This is accomplished through networking, public

education, and establishing partnerships with local business.

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

the marvellous work SEDLER does on behalf of their thirty-five clients in the

marvellous District of Humber Valley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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 Skating Club and

congratulate its members on a successful thirty-first Annual Ice Show, "Fun

on Ice 2008". This event was recently held in Mount Pearl, at the Mount

Pearl Glacier.

Mr. Speaker, the Mount Pearl Skating Club offers a variety of skating

programs for all ages and ability, including CanSkate, StarSkate, Syncroskate,

and Competitive skating. Skaters at all levels participate in provincial

competitions and events of many varieties.

Mr. Speaker, engaging our young people in activity encourages them to be

healthy. Good practices and well-being and fitness that our youth develop at a

young age will serve them well as they move into adulthood. The Mount Pearl

Skating Club offers many programs that benefit young people in the Mount Pearl

area.

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

Mount Pearl Skating Club on their success at this year's ice show, and wish

them continued success in their efforts to offer support to those with an avid

interest in skating for sport and leisure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On Sunday evening, April 27, my colleague from the District of Kilbride and I

had the pleasure of attending a Youth Appreciation Night hosted by the Goulds

Recreation Association to mark the start of National Volunteer Week.

Some thirty-nine youth were in attendance at this event which recognized

seventy-nine youth from the Goulds area for the contribution they are making to

their community through volunteering. This involved youth that have volunteered

their time to groups such as the Goulds Leo Club, the Girl Guides, Boy Scouts,

the Volunteer Fire Department, the Skating Club, St. John Ambulance, St. Kevin's

Senior and Junior High, Goulds Elementary, St. Kevin's Parish, St. Paul's

Parish, and the Goulds Recreation Commission.

These young people were nominated for this recognition by the community

organizations in the Goulds, and many of the volunteers were nominated by

multiple organizations.

Many of these programs offered by these groups could not be possible without

the volunteers. They have given freely of their time so that the people of the

Goulds can lead happier, healthier and productive lives.

In today's society, where we often hear about troubled youth, it is very

encouraging to see so many of our youth giving back to their community and

taking on such a leadership role.

I ask all hon. members to join with me in commending these youth for the

services they are providing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Kilbride.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to recognize and show

by example how the young people of our Province have become so aware of

environmental protection.

Many of our schools have embraced the beverage container recycling program as

a way to show their concern for the environment, while at the same time raising

much-needed funds for school supplies and projects.

One of these schools is Hazelwood Elementary in my District of Kilbride.

Hazelwood Elementary has been conducting a very successful recycling program for

several years. This year, the Grade 6 students and their teachers have taken

responsibility for this program. Each day, the Grade 6 students go to each and

every classroom and collect recyclables. They sort the recyclables and keep the

recycling containers clean.

The four teachers and eighty Grade 6 students volunteer their time to promote

and run the program, and once every month they help with a recycling blitz for

the whole school community. This April alone, the school community collected

approximately 18,000 recyclable items.

Recently, Ever Green Recycling recognized the efforts of Hazelwood Elementary

for having the second-highest amount of recyclable items for an elementary

school in this Province.

Over the last two years, Hazelwood Elementary has received $15,497.59 for its

recycling program. Approximately $5,000 of this money has been used to provide

reading materials for all the classrooms of Hazelwood Elementary.

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

congratulating the Grade 6 students at Hazelwood Elementary, their four

teachers, and the program co-ordinator, Miss Kathy Duff, for a job well done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak about a number of

initiatives in Budget 2008 that the Department of Justice is undertaking which

will provide better access to justice, particularly for women and children in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, Budget 2008 has also allocated $279,000 to fund a Family

Violence Court pilot project in St. John's. Family Violence Courts are

specialized courts that help break the cycle of violence and have worked across

the country to help lower the burden on the legal system. Most importantly,

these courts work with victims and offenders to find solutions best suited for

all involved with an end goal of breaking the cycle of violence. It is our

responsibility to ensure that justice is carried out, victims are treated fairly

and offenders do not appear before our courts again. The Family Violence Court

initiative will lead the way in helping families who have unfortunately been

impacted by violence find the road to recovery.

As well, the Department of Justice will provide $254,900 to staff the Legal

Aid Child Protection

Section in Corner Brook with a lawyer, a paralegal, as well

as a full time social worker. This team will provide representation for parents

when authorities have intervened in the lives of their families. Intervention,

in many cases, involves an application to court and parents have a right to seek

both legal advice and representation. Legal Aid has always provided lawyers for

these cases, however this initiative will enable Legal Aid staff to work very

closely with Child, Youth and Family Services and will be of great benefit to

parents and families who approach Legal Aid for assistance during times of

crisis.

Further, Mr. Speaker, an additional $200,000 has been committed to establish

a Legal Aid office in Labrador West, a matter of concern raised by women's

groups in the region. This office will support the re-establishment by our

government, of the Provincial Court in Wabush in 2007.

These initiatives demonstrate that our government is committed to providing

improved access to an efficient and representative justice system and that we

are thinking outside the box to find solutions that work best for the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

I would certainly say that all three of these initiatives are good

initiatives; there is no question.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: It goes to show as well, Mr. Speaker, that you do not need a

lot of money, necessarily, to get some very positive and necessary results.

With respect to the first initiative, the family violence, I realize it is a

pilot project at this point, and hopefully it will indeed prove to be successful

and get to the point where we can have it on a permanent basis, because it is

certainly needed. I would say to the minister, as well, hat's off, because the

people I check with advise that not only was there good consultation between the

department and different groups who are impacted by violence, but it is good see

that the consultation was followed through on and we actually see the

initiative.

With regard to the Child Protection

Section in Corner Brook, I can attest

from personal experience that that is definitely a needed initiative and

hopefully that will get off the ground. To parents and families who are impacted

when the child protection teams get in place, it just causes frustration beyond

expectation and it just cannot be dealt with. So, it is good to see that.

With respect to the Labrador legal aid one, I think Noreen Careen deserves a

lot of credit too because she has been very active for years and years in

promoting improvements for legal aid benefits in Labrador.

I would encourage the minister, however, to keep the feet of the federal

government to the fire because they have fallen down on the ball in terms of

their contributions to the share of legal aid services in this Province and they

have done so repeatedly for the last ten or fifteen year.

It is good to see this, they are worthy initiative, and I hope they all turn

out to be very successful and permanent. In the meantime, keep the pressure on

the feds.

Thanks you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

I thank the minister for the advance copy.

Obviously, I am so pleased that all of these initiatives were in the Budget.

I am very pleased to have you announce them here today.

I will not speak to each one of them separately. I do know in particular the

Labrador West one is something that the Status of Women in Labrador West has

been looking for, for a long time. You had meetings with them and I am glad to

see those meetings were successful and you were able to come through for them.

The more that we can do to help women and children in this Province with

regard to dealing with violence, because most of the things they are dealing

with are violence related - they are also related to the need to seek their own

lives and having to separate from partners, and having every bit of assistance

that can be there can only be beneficial.

I look forward to hearing news from the minister with regard to Happy

Valley-Goose Bay, discussions I know that have gone on with regard to a new jail

for young offenders and female inmates. That is something that I continue to

look for from the minister, but I certainly thank you very much for what you

have announced today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, more than 80 per cent of the Province's land mass is Crown

land and it accommodates many uses including timber harvesting, farming,

recreation and roads. Crown land plays a critical role in habitat conservation

and the protection of watersheds and biological diversity.

Many people throughout the Province, Mr. Speaker, wish to avail of Crown land

for personal and business reasons and, as such, make application to the Crown

Lands Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation for the

issuance of legal land titles. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the division fields more

than 100 public inquiries per month regarding Crown land applications, and

approximately 100 applications per month require site visits to finalize

applications. The division also performs highly specialized legal analysis on

more than 1,500 land surveys each year to ensure the land applied for is the

actual parcel of land surveyed and does not overlap with any other existing land

titles or private land claims.

It is important, Mr. Speaker, that the people of the Province avail of this

service in an effective and efficient manner. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I was

very pleased to announce as part of Budget 2008 an investment of $720,000 to

help improve service delivery to the public regarding Crown land applications.

It will assist in the reduction of wait times for inquiries regarding the

acquisitions of Crown land, and add surveying resources to reduce the processing

time required for analyzing legal survey documents. This funding, Mr. Speaker,

includes the addition of three new land management officer positions, one in

each of our Central, Western and Labrador offices. Two land survey inspector

positions will also be created. The Crown land application process will be

expedited as a result of this investment, and residents of the Province will

have better access to this natural resource.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we continue to ensure the long-term

protection of Crown lands, as they provide environmental, social and economic

value to the Province. As such, $75,000 has been provided in Budget 2008 to

commence the development of a comprehensive Land Use Management Strategy. This

strategy will focus upon developing land use policies and plans, land

registration, management framework, as well as the overall administration of

provincial land. This was a Blue Book commitment made by the Williams government

in 2007, and I am delighted, Mr. Speaker, that we are working toward delivering

on that commitment.

Our unique natural heritage is critical to ensuring a healthy environment,

economy and communities for the benefit of present and future generations. We

must continue, Mr. Speaker, to ensure access to our provincial land resource,

while also sustaining and protecting the resource. These measures will certainly

go a long way in helping us achieve that goal.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank the minister for

an advance copy of her statement.

Once we see from this statement the large masses, I guess, of Crown land

throughout our Province, there is no doubt that protection has to take place for

whatever development might go ahead.

There are a couple of things I want to touch on, I guess. One of them is: it

is a serious situation when people go in and try to find out what is Crown land

and what is not Crown land. It is very confusing going back and forth from the

office, trying to find out and determine if they are on land that they can

really acquire. Mr. Speaker, it is good to see that there is additional staff

being hired in the various areas.

With regard to the Land Use Management Strategy there are a couple of things

I just want to mention to the minister, not in a critical way. Maybe one of the

things that can be looked at is the mapping, because I know in our areas out

there, the Denny's Pond area, that landfill that is not so good those days is

not shown where it should be on the map, when there are people looking for the

Crown lands, the lots.

The other issue is, this year at Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador I

think one of their twenty-seven resolutions was to call on government for any

land that could be used for economic development that is adjacent to them. They

would like to have it turned over to them free of charge. I think the way it is

looked at now, it is being sold to the municipalities for a fair market value.

I agree with the overall view of the statement and hopefully the minister and

the department would look at those two initiatives to the strategy plan.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill Quidi Vidi.

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

I thank the minister for the advance copy.

The one thing I think I would like to say is that I would like to see a bit

more priority being given to the Land Use Management Strategy. I am concerned

that we continue to sell off Crown land and yet we still do not have our Land

Use Management Strategy in place. The language is just a little bit too slow for

me, that as such $75,000 has also been provided in Budget 2008 to commence the

development of a comprehensive plan and then to say that we are working towards

delivering on the commitment. I would really urge the minister to see that this

development of a Land Use Management Strategy is done as quickly as possible

because I really do believe that has to have top priority over the selling off

of Crown land.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers.

Before the Speaker calls oral questions, I would again like to remind hon.

members, whether they are reading from prepared texts or whether they are giving

speeches in the House, it is just as unparliamentary to refer to people in the

House by their names as it is by referring to them in debate in the House. I ask

all hon. members from now on, when they read documents, not to refer to any

member by their name.

Oral questions.

Oral Questions

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, nurses in Bonavista are protesting today because of staff

shortages and workload concerns. We know the Minister of Health and the Premier

will meet later today with pathologists in the Province to address similar

concerns in their workplace.

I ask the Minister: have any immediate actions been taken, or are you willing

to take some action to address the concerns that have been expressed by nurses

consistently since last year?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As a government, I think, Mr. Speaker, we have demonstrated very clearly that

we are always ready to respond to the changing needs in our health system, to

respond to some of the challenges that we have in recruiting in some locations.

Bonavista is one location, I say, Mr. Speaker, where Eastern Health has had some

challenges in trying to recruit some nurses, and last year they came up with

some new financial incentives that have given them some success.

As I understand, Eastern Health is trying to work through now with each of

the facilities that they operate; each of the facilities has a responsibility to

provide their staff some vacation time for the summer. I think the issue being

discussed in Bonavista now, today, as I understand it, is the issue around

summer vacations, and how they might be accommodated. Eastern Health is working

through that issue.

I, myself, will be meeting with the Nurses' Union over the course of the

next week to discuss some of the issues that they think are important, that we

need to be addressing in the short term.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe the minister could give us an update in the House once those

discussions are completed, because last year this was a problem in which nurses

in this hospital and others around the Province could not get the vacation time

they wanted.

Mr. Speaker, these nurses in Bonavista have also decided that they no longer

want to do bookkeeping duties between the hours of midnight and 8:00 a.m. They

believe that patient care should be their priority.

I ask the minister: Why would nurses in our system today be required to

complete duties such as bookkeeping as part of their job description?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as many of you would know, as you have been patients in clinics

or hospitals around the Province, there are patient charts that are maintained

on every patient that you see. The clinician who has seen that patient has a

responsibility to do their own charting. So, whether it is nurses or physicians

or any other clinician, they would do their own charting as a normal course of

practice in seeing their patients.

One other thing that happens in some clinics throughout the Province, I say,

Mr. Speaker, and Bonavista happens to be one of them, during the midnight hours,

when the normal clinics are not operating, there is a physician available,

together with a nurse available, to provide services to patients who may present

in an unscheduled way for an emergency visit. When that happens, the nurse

involved would be the person who may have been involved with the registration of

that patient. It would happen as individuals come in - because it is an

unplanned visit, I say, Mr. Speaker. It is coming through the emergency

department. Sometimes it may be a very busy evening, but more frequently than

not after midnight it is a very slow night, so there is not enough clerical

staff to be able to provide ongoing service twenty-four hours a day. So, what

happens is the nurse provides that when it happens.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is it.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, these nurses really feel that their job is to

provide essential medical care in those particular hospitals. They also feel

that other support workers should be hired to do bookkeeping or certain levels

of record keeping that is required.

I ask the minister: Will you meet with Eastern Health to ask if those kinds

of services or support staff can be put in place?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: The answer is yes.

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is for the Minister of Education.

In the last couple of days, I have asked the minister a number of questions

regarding the new teacher allocation formula. Mr. Speaker, we know that this

allocation formula will remove teaching units from certain schools in the

Province.

I have to ask the minister: At what point will they start looking at the

quality of education, and preserving the integrity of the programs in smaller

schools, as opposed to just slashing teachers and transferring them out?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the whole essence of the new method for allocating

teachers is based on being able to provide the prescribed provincial curriculum

in every school in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, we do regular evaluations of the curriculum to ensure that there

is a quality education in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, what we have in this Province is a situation where we have a

declining birth rate. As I indicated yesterday, since 2003 we have almost 12,000

less students in the schools, and over the next seven to eight years, Mr.

Speaker, we are also going to be losing another 10,000 students. In saying that,

we also have schools where there is an increase in the school population. So we

wanted to look at a formula and a way and a method to allocate teachers that

would first start with the school, look at the programming requirements in that

school, and the needs of that school. As opposed to a top-down, here are your

numbers, go make it work.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister to conclude her answer.

MS BURKE: So each school will develop a plan as to how they can provide

the prescribed curriculum for the numbers that they have and, in consultation

with the board, the determined allocation is made. Then, that is how we allocate

the teachers.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, teachers in those schools that I have spoken with

have told me that, although population is declining, the needs of the students

are not fewer than they have been yesterday or the day before. In fact, Mr.

Speaker, they feel that there are larger problems related to learning

disabilities and behavioural problems, and other illnesses that some children

face.

I ask the minister: Are you concerned that fewer teaching units in some of

these schools will see certain students falling through the cracks in our

education system, especially in rural areas?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, one issue we talk about with this method of

allocating teachers is the cap on classrooms. We have it now at twenty for

Kindergarten and twenty-five, for September coming, from one to four, which will

roll out in Grade 5 and Grade 6 in the subsequent years, and twenty-seven at

Grade 7.

Another important component of this teacher allocation is also that in our

smaller schools where there is multi-grading we also have maximum cap sizes on

those classes so that, if there has to be a combination of grades that come

together, at no point will that exceed fifteen students.

There were caps in place in the previous formula that we no longer use, and

the formula that we have, in some cases, mirrors it but certainly is more

generous.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the minister talked about capping the number of

children in a classroom, and we have no problem with that - in fact, we think it

needs to be done but we do not think that requirement should be met by

moving units out of rural schools to meet that particular requirement, Minister,

and we have concerns about it.

I ask you: Why are you not prepared to cap the number of grades that will be

taught in one classroom?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, in some of our smaller schools in Newfoundland and

Labrador we actually have a number of schools that have less than twenty-five

students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. We also have many schools where there is

multi-grading, where we have one and two students per grade. Sometimes, in the

configuration, say, from a K-6 school - that will happen in St. Lewis next year

- there is actually one grade where they will be no students, so we will not be

teaching that curriculum.

Every school is different, every school is unique; the composition and the

numbers are there. That is why it is so important that, as we allocate teachers,

we start right at the school level as opposed to just basing it on numbers.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister - this morning, when she was on

Labrador Morning, she made a comment about a program for Aboriginal teacher

allocation, and the fact that there was $750,000 to be invested into that

particular initiative - can you tell me how many teachers will be hired, and in

what schools they will be placed?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, once we have that information finalized then I can

certainly speak to it. At this point, I can indicate that there are two guidance

counsellors and, as well, there is another teacher that will be working in the

school in Nain.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It seems like the minister really has very little information when it comes

to this. Yesterday I asked her how many teachers would retire from the system;

she did not know. I asked her how many new teachers would be hired; she did not

know. I asked her how many were going to be hired under this new Aboriginal

program; she seems not to know that.

Mr. Speaker, from yesterday, has the minister now had an opportunity to look

at the number of teachers that will leave the system this year, and the number

of new teachers that will be hired to replace them?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, what is important here is that we felt, based on

the new allocation of teachers, that in essence we would see more teachers in

Newfoundland and Labrador next year. We actually increased the Budget by over $3

million to accommodate the fact that we anticipate more teachers.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to be perfectly clear that there will be no

rationalization of the number of teachers in our schools based on the number of

retirements. We will determine how many teachers we need in the system, and we

anticipate we will need more teachers next year than what we had this year.

If a number of the teachers in the allocation that we require for next year

are present teachers who retire they will be replaced, but in no way are we

counting retirements or being cute about this or somehow using attrition. If we

have a required number of teachers, and a number of them retire, we will hire

the teachers that will replace the ones that retire.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the school boards have already made decisions and

schools have been contacted.

I ask the minister again - she makes a good speech, but - how long will be

have to wait to see the number of teachers that are coming out and the number of

teachers that will be hired to replace them? A very simple question.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I will try to give a very simple answer because I

have answered this question every day this week and I will continue to answer it

again today.

As soon as we have the information available, whether it is next week or the

week after, or in three weeks time, as soon as we know what the final

allocations are we can certainly make that public.

It is not something that we are going to try to hide, how many teachers we

have hired. It will be reflected in our budgets, it will be reflected in the

reports from our schools boards, and, Mr. Speaker, once we have those final

numbers I will only be more than too pleased to release them publicly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Is the minister also prepared to do another evaluation of the units being

removed from schools in Labrador - almost every school from the South Coast to

the North Coast - and look at how this is going to affect the programming in

those schools, the multi-grading in those classrooms, have a good hard look at

it and see if there is something that you can do to maintain the complement of

teachers that is presently there?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, it begs the question: Is our method of allocating

teachers and the fact that we did an extensive consultation, we had a report

from our commissioners, we did extensive analysis on it, was it only to say that

we will not move any teachers or schools would not lose teachers? We have

examples where schools will actually not be offering the grade they had the year

before, so it just does not make sense that, you know, we will come up with a

method so that everyone is protected.

What we have to do and what is prudent in this Province is to make sure that

as we have shifting populations, a declining birth rate and a prescribed

curriculum that we have to offer, that we have to do it in the most responsible

way we can. Mr. Speaker, just to assign numbers was not good enough. We want to

make sure that we look at the needs from each school and that is how we then

determine the number of teachers to provide that particular curriculum.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Most of my questions have been related to rural schools, but I was contacted

yesterday by a teacher who told me there was a guidance counsellor position

being eliminated at I.J. Samson school here in the centre of St. John's.

The minister launched an anti-bullying campaign in most of the schools around

the Province and drug awareness programs, all which these individuals are

responsible for in the schools. We know that centre city schools have their own

set of very unique problems when it comes to these things.

I ask the minister: Why is a guidance counsellor position being eliminated in

this school while the staff there are telling us that there is still a very

strong demonstrated need to maintain that unit?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, one thing that did not change for next year in our

new method of allocating teachers was the ratio for guidance counsellors. The

reason why that was not changed was I felt that the guidance counsellors do a

significant amount of work in the schools. There was a new ratio that was

recommended in the report but it did not provide enough rational or

accountability.

We actually have someone hired right now who is doing a piece of work to look

at the work of the guidance counsellors to help us with the accountability to

make sure that we understand how much work they are required to do, what is

reasonable to expect any particular guidance counsellor to do and how do we

ensure that that work is done in the timeframes that are suitable to the school,

to the students and to the parents.

Mr. Speaker, there has been no chances in the allocation for guidance

counsellors for next year, but it is a piece of work that I think is very

significant that will guide us in the future as we allocate guidance counsellors.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next questions are regarding the gas price regulation. I am not sure which

minister is responsible, so I guess whoever answers.

Mr. Speaker, there was a freeze on gas prices in Zone 11 in Labrador and that

freeze was lifted today, far earlier than it would have been in any other year,

and usually the service is delivered from what we call tanker to tanker. It is

fuelled up in the spring. When the tanker comes in to refuel in the spring, the

price changes. However, that price changed today and I would like to have an

answer as to the reason for it.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the Zone being lifted, but I do

not have the details as to why at this particular time, so I will take the

liberty of coming back to the House with the answer when I consult with my

officials.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, last evening I received several petitions from

residents on the Northeast Avalon, in particular those living between Torbay and

Pouch Cove, regarding the route of the proposed Torbay Bypass Road. These people

feel that the current proposal will turn two kilometres of the road through

Torbay into a five-lane highway. Instead, they suggested a new route that should

start at the boundaries of St. John's to improve the safety and congestion for

those concerned.

I ask the minister: Has a final route been chosen by government for the

Torbay Bypass Road?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS WHALEN: I thank my hon. colleague for the question.

The design work and our field survey work is nearing completion. An

environmental review is required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

prior to the project being approved for construction or to meet the requirements

of the funding agreement. A revised draft will be sent to Transport Canada and

work cannot be completed until we have an environmental report approved.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, during a recent information meeting at Torbay,

there were, I guess, officials there from the department as well as

approximately 120 residents. The concerns that they expressed were about the six

side roads and the many driveways which will come on to that main highway. It

affects some 214 residents.

I ask the minister: Will government consider constructing a highway that will

totally bypass the Town of Torbay?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, the survey data collection and detail design and

the property acquisition has been ongoing for some time with regard to the

Torbay Bypass Road, and it is nearing completion. The utility relocation design

and the construction to accommodate the bypass route is also underway, so all

that is in the design right now. There has been a fair amount of design work put

into this particular project. It is ongoing and we are looking at the best route

to alleviate the congestion and the traffic coming out from Torbay.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker.

At that particular recent meeting, some of the people living along those

routes were concerned about their property and the highway taking away their

lawns, as a matter of fact. That was the way it was explained to me. Others were

concerned about the construction, the delays that will happen there, more or

less a bottleneck where the traffic is fairly much tied up at this present time.

I know the minister said that the plans are ongoing, but I was just wondering

if she could give us an approximate date when the start up would be for the

construction of this highway.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS WHALEN: Mr. Speaker.

I thank my colleague for the question, but I cannot provide a date for him

right now. That process is still taking place and as soon as I have a date that

I can make him aware of, I certainly will do that for you.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Labrador Affairs.

I ask if he is aware that the price freeze in Zone 11 was lifted today and

that consumers in that region are paying twenty-two to twenty-three cents more

for petroleum products today on a product that was stocked in October, Mr.

Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

MR. O'BRIEN: As I informed the hon. House, this lies within the Public

Utilities Board. They have jurisdiction over that which is within my

responsibility as the Minister of Government Services. I will endeavour to

consult with those officials and determine the reason why it was lifted, and if

it was lifted early I will determine that as well and get back to this House at

a later date.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is obvious the Minister of Labrador Affairs has no knowledge of this, but

what I will say is I have contacted the Petroleum Pricing Commission, Mr.

Speaker, and I have spoken to individuals there and there was no rationale given

to me as to why this was done. I think it is unacceptable that people should

have to pay twenty-two cents more today for fuel that was stocked in October at

October's prices.

I ask if you can work immediately to consult with them and to see if this

reversal can be made.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

MR. O'BRIEN: As I just informed the House in the past two questions and

two occasions, I will endeavour to determine why it was lifted so early if

it is early, in fact if there are resources there and fuel capacity there to

keep the zone restricted. I will determine that and I will get back to the House

at a later date.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My next question is for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

From the information that we have received regarding teaching units being

transferred out of North Coast schools, were you aware that there could be up to

twelve positions, Minister, being removed from schools in your district? I ask

if you are concerned about this, and if you have had any consultation with the

Minister of Education or the school board on the matter.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS POTTLE: Mr. Speaker, for the last week I have been on the North Coast

of Labrador. I have talked with school councils, with parents, with principals

and with the school board, and they brought their issues and concerns forward to

me. I have forwarded them to the Minister of Education.

Right now the allocations are not finalized, and I have asked to be briefed

on that as soon as things unfold. I will be keeping up on it, and I am up on it.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister if she is concerned that taking

those units out of those particular schools will affect the programs being

offered in North Coast schools, especially the school in Nain.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS POTTLE: Like I said, Mr. Speaker, the allocation allowance has not

been finalized yet.

I am concerned with some numbers that are out there; but, like I said, they

are not finalized so it is kind of premature for me to base my comments yet. We

will wait for further information on that, Mr. Speaker.

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If the minister was meeting with principals and in the schools, she would

also know that they were contacted by the school boards and they were given

those particular numbers.

Is she telling me now that the school board has since changed its mind and

that they will be revamping their numbers?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I want to confirm what we had said yesterday, that

a number of

teachers had been given layoff notices because in their contract there was

date by which they had to be notified of their positions for next year. If there

was an ongoing process that was not finalized, legally, until they had a

position that could be offered, they would have to be notified of the layoff.

Mr. Speaker, that is what has been happening this week. We do not necessarily

have the finalization, the final numbers, for every school in this Province. As

I have said, whether it is in Labrador or any other part of Newfoundland, when

these numbers are finalized we will be releasing them publicly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just a quick question for the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

In the Estimates on Tuesday evening, I asked the minister questions with

regard to a number of fisherpeople in our Province who had sold their licences,

retired their licences, under a federal government program dating back three to

four years ago. Many of them feel that they had to meet discriminatory tax laws

under Revenue Canada at that particular time.

I ask the minister if he would support an all-party committee of the House of

Assembly to advocate on behalf of these individual fishers in our Province to

try and improve their benefits and to try and help them seek remuneration that

they were owed by the federal government. I ask if has had a chance to entertain

that, and if he has made a decision on it.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the member will recall, at the time that she asked the question, I

indicated that I certainly had no difficulty with it in principle, I would take

the matter under advisement and give it some thought, and when I was finished

that process I would report accordingly.

I have not completed that process yet, Mr. Speaker, but perhaps in due

course.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

My questions are for the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

The Auditor General highlighted the lack of a 911 service in this Province in

his report released in January 2006. He pointed out that Newfoundland and

Labrador is the only Atlantic Province without Province-wide coverage for

land-based 911 and recommended that the government consider implementing a 911

emergency response service.

I ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs why this government has not yet even

taken steps toward implementing a full Province-wide 911 service?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to inform the hon. member that we have taken some steps. We are taking

steps. When I became Minister of Municipal Affairs back in November, my first

meeting with the FES officials was to put 911 back on the table in terms of

moving it forward.

Right now we have some money there to engage a consultant to see where we are

going to go, because it is not just simply turning a switch and you are into

911. There is a significant amount of co-ordination. There is a certain amount

of sophistication that has to go into it. There is a certain amount of people

that have to be involved.

I had an opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to go to Nova Scotia and look at their 911

system. When I talked to the people there, it is just amazing how many things

they had to go through to make it a reality.

Mr. Speaker, we are from ground zero - we are moving forward. We have a lot

of hoops to get through, and we want the consultants to show us the way to get

there.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

I am glad to know that the minister has started moving on this, but he must

know that this is really urgent in the Province. Not all people are aware they

do not have 911. Children are conditioned to think that 911 is the number to

call in an emergency, and the Department of Tourism forecasts more travellers to

the Province, all of whom think we have a 911 system.

How long do you think this process is going to take, Mr. Minister?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell the hon. member how long it is

going to be.

Like I said before, we have to move from getting just think about it, Mr.

Speaker, the number of communities we have in Newfoundland and Labrador with no

numbers, just civic addresses on them. Just think of that part first. That is

only one hurdle that we have to get over. That is a monumental task on its own.

Just think of that one, the co-ordination of ambulance services, the

co-ordination of hospitals, the co-ordination of police services, fire

departments, volunteer and composite fire departments - that is significant.

To give a date, Mr. Speaker, is unrealistic right now.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, surely, if the minister has consulted already

with one province and knows what they went through, he should be able to at

least tell us if we are talking a year, two years, three years.

Can you not give us some specifics? The people in this Province are waiting

to hear those specifics, Mr. Minister.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: Mr. Speaker, I could give a very brief answer but I will not

do that because that would not be becoming of me as a member.

Mr. Speaker, I said before, the thing here is that we are moving ahead. It is

on the agenda for us to do something. I have to look at where we are, where we

are going, and how we are going to get there. Like I said, there are a lot of

hurdles to jump over. We are going to take our time to make sure it is right;

because, as I said, the co-ordination is very, very important. It is not like

just turning a switch and you are on 911 today and everything is all hunky-dory.

It is not that case, so to give you an exact time would be very premature for me

to do that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The time for Oral Questions has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

MR. RIDEOUT: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader, on a point of order.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise a brief point of order

for Your Honour's consideration, coming out Question Period, and not as much

for what took place today but perhaps for future guidance in case it takes place

again.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition questioned my colleague, the Minister of

Aboriginal Affairs, regarding teaching units as it relates to the Coast of

Labrador. She asked the questions in the context, as I understood them, of how

the minister felt about those matters, whatever the answer to them might be,

relative to her position as a Member of the House of Assembly representing the

North Coast of Labrador.

There are two points I want to make on that, Mr. Speaker. Number one,

ministers can only be questioned in Question Period on matters that are relative

to their departmental responsibilities. The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs has

no responsibility or jurisdiction over the allocation of teaching units.

Therefore, it is against the rules of order to question the minister regarding

that matter. The question ought to be appropriately put to the Minister of

Education.

The second point is that, while the minister has responsibility for

Aboriginal matters, she does not have responsibility for education in Aboriginal

communities, and the allocation of teaching units.

I bring that point to Your Honour's attention because it theoretically

could happen again at some point. I remember the very first question that I got,

as Minister of Transportation, was about a matter related to transportation in

my district, then, of Lewisporte. Of course, the Speaker noticed it right away

and intervened accordingly. It is inappropriate to try to question members as

members. You can only question ministers as ministers regarding ministerial

responsibility for matters that fall under their jurisdiction.

My colleague here has a lot of jurisdiction related to Aboriginal matters,

but one of which she does not have - she can give her opinion as an MHA, but she

cannot give her opinion as to the appropriate allocation for teaching units

because that is solely the jurisdiction of the school board concerned and the

Minister of Education. The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs does not have that

jurisdiction.

I just bring that to Your Honour's attention.

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

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: To that point of order, I would assume?

MR. PARSONS: Yes, to the point of order, Mr. Speaker.

I would certainly not agree with the comments made by the Government House

Leader. The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, I would think, unless we are all

completely wrong here, is the minister responsible for anything that concerns

Aboriginal Affairs. Now, I would think -

MR. RIDEOUT: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. PARSONS: I say to the Government House Leader, you do not normally

interrupt when anyone is speaking.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

MR. PARSONS: Maybe you should follow your own advice and let me finish

and then you can certainly respond. You do not normally do that.

To finish, Mr. Speaker -

MR. RIDEOUT: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

MR. PARSONS: Again, Mr. Speaker, it is very unusual for the Government

House Leader to be so disruptive and interruptive.

What I was saying here, Mr. Speaker, is, it so happens that the Member for

Torngat is also the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. As the Minister of

Aboriginal Affairs, I would think she has the say about anything that concerns

Aboriginal Affairs. I would think the quality of education for Aboriginal people

in her district is a matter of Aboriginal Affairs. That seems pretty logical to

me. It is the same as if there is a policing issue, the same as if it is a

municipal issue, the same as if it is a health care issue, any issue, an

environmental issue.

We asked questions in this House of that Minister of Aboriginal Affairs

concerning Mealy Mountain a couple of weeks ago. If we are not going to be able

to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs a question that impacts Aboriginal

people, what is the purpose of it? That is my first point.

The second point I would make is, I absolutely, fully agree that it is up to

government who responds. The Leader of the Opposition or any member of the

Opposition has the right to ask the question. Now, it is up to government if

the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs decides that she does not want to stand and

answer it, the government can designate who they want. They can have the

Minister of Municipal Affairs, if they want to, get up and answer that question.

That is totally the government's prerogative as to who responds, but it is

certainly the obligation and appropriate to ask a Minister of Aboriginal Affairs

questions about Aboriginal people.

In this case, the question was about the quality of education the Aboriginal

children are going to receive as a result of the teacher allocations.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House leader to his point of order or further

explanatory statement.

MR. RIDEOUT: I will make one point and one point only.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

I ask the hon. members for their co-operation.

MR. RIDEOUT: I will make one point and one point only. The question was

about the number of teaching units in schools on the North Coast of Labrador.

That was the question, Mr. Speaker, and that is the point I am bring to Your

Honour's attention.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

I ask members to my right for their co-operation.

The Government House Leader raises the point of order under an interesting

scenario, one that the Speaker certainly does not have the knowledge to refer to

right now, but the hon. the Opposition House Leader is 100 per cent right and

correct. Opposition members have every right to ask questions and government has

every right to either answer them or to direct a person to answer the question

or not to answer them at all. It is entirely under the purview of the government

of the day.

The Chair will take the Point of Order as raised by the hon. the Government

House Leader and report back to the House in a reasonable period of time.

Presenting reports by standing and select committees.

Tabling of documents.

Tabling of Documents

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to table the Annual

Report of the Public Utilities Board on Operations carried out under the

Automobile Insurance Act.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents.

Notices of motion.

Notices of Motion

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker.

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

Act to Amend the Legal Aid Act," Bill 29.

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

entitled, "An Act to Amend the Partnership Act," Bill 30.

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

entitled, "An Act to Amend the Provincial Court Act 1991," Bill 31.

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motions.

Answers to questions for which notice has been given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition to present and I guess it is in relation to the questions I

asked the minister today. The petition reads,

WHEREAS there is a need for a Torbay Bypass Road; and

WHEREAS the route proposed by government will cause safety problems and

create increased traffic congestion; and

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon all members of the

House of Assembly to urge government to reconsider the route being proposed for

the Torbay Bypass Road.

Mr. Speaker, I have petitions here signed by the residents of Torbay and

Bauline Line, Torbay and Pouch Cove, and Middle Cove, I think.

Mr. Speaker, the questions they are asking - they know that this road is well

underway of being constructed. What they are asking government, is wondering if

the route can be changed to start at the limits of the City of St. John's,

which will take the route two kilometres which is going to go through the Town

of Torbay. That is the concern of the residents.

I know when they had the information session there, the engineers did outline

some reasons for the route, the way it is going. One of the concerns that they

raised was the watershed area, but the people are saying that Bay BullsBig

Pond and Windsor Lake are close to highways as well.

The other issue was with regard to possible expansion to the St. John's

airport, even though there is no request for it now, and the landscape, they

thought, was fairly hilly and would be too steep for vehicular traffic. The

residents are saying, if that is the case, how would you be able to extend the

airport if the terrain is not suitable for a road?

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, they have made their concerns about it, and they have

asked us to bring forth the petitions as I presented today. Like I stated

earlier, the concern is, there are 215 residents in that immediate area and they

are saying at peak times now there is major congestion there, and they believe

that this will create more problems.

I am just asking government, through the minister - and I appreciate her

answers today - to reconsider the route, and hopefully the Torbay Bypass Road

will totally bypass the Town of Torbay and take the route that was proposed at

this public meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

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

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

I am very pleased to be able to stand and present this petition that has been

signed by hundreds of people from rural communities and various parts of the

Island.

Whereas 911 emergency number services are available only in the Northeast

Avalon and Corner Brook regions of the Island portion of Newfoundland and

Labrador; well, we now know it is being extended to Labrador West - and,

Whereas there is no single emergency services number or government sponsored

public education campaign for residents and travellers and tourists in the

non-covered areas of the Province; and

Whereas 911 is a universally recognized emergency service available in all

the other Atlantic Provinces, and citizens of this Province are unaware that the

service is not available Province-wide, which may actually hinder the timely

receipt of emergency services;

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

immediately undertake measures to install a Province-wide 911 emergency number

service, and put in place a public safety education campaign designed to help

the general public, travellers and tourists, be safer and better prepared.

This, Mr. Speaker, is an urgent situation. People around the Province,

besides the hundreds I have in my hand today, there have been thousands of

people who have signed a similar petition. I won't promise the minister that I

will stand up 50,000 times and present this petition over the next Parliament

it would take the next Parliament more if I did that - I will present them

in hundreds, but I do want the minister to know that it is thousands of people

who have signed this petition.

Mr. Bob Simmons, whom some of you know, has spearheaded this effort and he,

himself, has gotten about 90 per cent of the signatures.

The minister has announced today, and I am glad that he did announce, that he

has begun to take steps with regard to the setting up of a 911 emergency

service, but what I want to really urge the minister to realize is how urgent

this is.

We have had situations in the Province where people have assumed there is a

911 service, and they have used the 911 service expecting a response, and

getting nowhere because they do not know that a 911 service does not exist.

It is very bothersome that even inside of our government we do not seem to be

aware that a 911 does not exist everywhere; because, on their Web site, with

regard to the anti-violence initiative in our Province, the Violence Prevention

Initiative - and this is very disturbing - this is an initiative that, on their

Web site, is giving information for emergencies to the people of this Province

and at the very top it says: Emergencies - Call 911.

It does not indicate that only means something at the moment if you live in

Corner Brook or if you live in St. John's. So, even people inside of our

government agencies who have put Web sites together to help the people of this

Province are not aware that 911 is not available throughout our Province.

I look forward to having many times when I can stand and speak to this, Mr.

Speaker. I see my time is up now. I promise the House and I promise the

minister, I will come back next week and speak again to the issue.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to present a petition on behalf of residents in the Province who

are concerned about the new approach to allocating teachers in schools,

especially in schools where teaching units are being transferred out of their

school into other regions.

Mr. Speaker, many of these people believe that it is being done so that the

minister can meet her own requirements on classroom size and capping the number

of individuals who will be in a classroom.

I do not think anyone in this Province, Mr. Speaker, is against that

particular policy. In fact, it is something they have been asking for, for quite

some time, but I think it is wrong to try and do that and to meet that

regulation and requirement by transferring teachers out of smaller schools in

this Province in order to meet that complement.

Mr. Speaker, the residents in the Labrador region are particularly concerned

about this, and it is unfortunate that we have not heard from the Labrador

members who are in the caucus of the government, especially those who claim to

be in ministerial positions, Mr. Speaker, and how they feel about it, because it

will affect the programs that are being offered in many of these schools.

Schools in L'Anse au Loup, in West St. Modeste, in St. Lewis, in Port Hope

Simpson, in Rigolet, in Cartwright, in Black Tickle, in Postville, in Hopedale,

in Nain, every single one of these schools will now lose teachers; and they will

not be transferred into other regions of Labrador, but they will be transferred

right out of Labrador, and it will affect the programs that are being offered to

many of these children right now.

Mr. Speaker, I know for certain that many of the kids who go to school in

multi-grade classrooms are only now being offered the basic programs. That means

enough credits to allow you to graduate when you get to Grade 12 and allow you

to be able to go into a post-secondary education program. A lot of the courses

they do are already being offered on-line and they have the option to study

those credits in that format or not have any credit, which is unfortunate in

many cases. Sometimes you look at it in terms of the technology being available.

At least it allows them the opportunity.

Right now what we are going to see with the reduced number of teachers is

more grades being put in one class. I have no problem, Mr. Speaker, with

multi-grading. I was educated in a multi-grade classroom in a small school, but

I certainly was not in a classroom with seven other grades. I was always placed

in a classroom where there might have been two grades or three grades with one

teacher. I know how difficult that was for that one teacher being able to

deliver the curriculum of three and four different grades whether to one student

or to ten students. It is very challenging.

I think that what the minister needs to do and the government needs to do is

look at what are the minimum standards that we will accept. At what point do we

say three grades or four grades in a classroom is enough and therefore we should

have two teachers teaching Grade K-6 and not just one teacher? This is the issue

that they are raising. They are petitioning the government to have another look

at it and I certainly hope they will.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions.

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to call motion 3 which is the Budget debate. I believe last day

the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi finished her time and the next speaker

would revert to our side of the House.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a great pleasure for me today, as the Minister of Labrador Affairs and

certainly the Member for the District of Lake Melville, to get on my feet here

and have a few minutes to talk about the Budget and to have a discussion, I

guess, to inform the people of Labrador and certainly people of the Province of

some of the great things that are happening within Labrador and the great things

that our government is doing in Labrador.

Before I do that, this is the first opportunity that I have had since the

election to stand in this hon. House, I want to say that I certainly want to

send out my sincere thank you to my constituents in the great District of Lake

Melville, to the communities of Churchill Falls, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the

community of Sheshatshiu, Northwest River and Mud Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I am very, very pleased to sit here in this hon. House with this

government, to be a part of this government under the leadership of Premier

Williams and to sit with my Cabinet colleagues as we continue the road of

prosperity for our Province.

Mr. Speaker, the 2008 Budget without question is one of the best budgets. I

think, when we look at the issues that have come back and the comments, I

suppose, that have come back, it is very clear that the people in this Province

are pleased with the way in which we have shown great leadership under Premier

Williams and our government.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair is hesitant to interrupt, but for the second time the hon. member

has reverted back to something that the Chair has raised here several times in

referring to members by their names. I ask the hon. member for his cooperation,

I know it was a slip of the tongue, but if he would be kind enough to abide by

the parliamentary procedure here it would be appreciated.

MR. HICKEY: I apologize, Mr. Speaker, and I will try to certainly live up

to those expectations.

Mr. Speaker, one of the documents that I am very pleased to have been

involved with right from the start is the Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador.

You know, when you look back over the years, certainly in my municipal life as a

former mayor and a former town councillor I dealt with many governments. I dealt

with governments under then Brian Tobin, I dealt with governments under then

Roger Grimes, and certainly I can tell you in my municipal life it was very

frustrating. It was very frustrating for the people of Labrador from the

perspective that we could not get any commitments, any investment from the

provincial government of the day. I will say to you, that under this

Administration under the leadership of Premier Williams that we have made great

investments in Labrador.

When I look at the Northern Strategic Plan - and it is our plan, it is

Labrador's plan - it is a plan in which we look to the future and we look at

the investments that we are going to make in infrastructure. I just want to

highlight some of those investments, Mr. Speaker, because it is very, very

important. I remember the days, Mr. Speaker, when the hon. crowd on the other

side and the Leader of the Opposition who is there now - she was the member then

for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair - in which we saw the government of the day

want to take $97 million of the Transportation Initiative Fund and put it into

the general revenue of the Province. I can tell you that did not go over well

and they did not do it.

I will say to you, Mr. Speaker, that when we looked at the Lower Churchill, I

remember then Premier Tobin coming in to Churchill Falls and everybody had all

the bells and whistles. I think it was Bouchard, the Premier of the Province,

who was coming up. They did not even have the foresight to invite the Innu and

to consult with the Innu nation, whose very land was eligible for land claims.

I have watched all of this over the years. We have watched the Trans-Labrador

Highway. I always, at every opportunity over the many years, have fought - and

not only I but many leaders in Labrador - have fought for this Trans-Labrador

Highway. I take every opportunity to certainly recognize the efforts of the late

Lawrence O'Brien for his dedication in ensuring that the federal government

put in the $340 million to get that road work.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: I am glad that our government saw that this is a major

project, the most important transportation project for the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador. I will say it here today, as I always do, the future

of this Province lies in the development of the resources of Labrador. We do not

need to be sending our children to Alberta because we are going to develop

Labrador for the benefit of Labradorians, Labrador communities and for the

people of this Province, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Mr. Speaker, from the Labrador perspective there are many,

many issues, of course, that arise, and there are many, many challenges. I want

to go through, certainly, the transportation side because this is very, very

important. This is probably one of the most important issues that has faced

Labradorians and Labrador leaders over the last while. I am very happy to say

that with the work that was done by the two former Ministers of Transportation,

myself and the present Minister of Transportation, that we have moved the Trans

Labrador Highway from a dream to a reality. We are moving that forward in a very

big way, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the Northern Strategic Plan

and we talk about the great initiatives, we will see close on $300 million, Mr.

Speaker, spent on the Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador. You know, when we

look at some of the infrastructure, even the member, although she will get up

and she will get on her high horse and talk about the terrible things we are

doing as a government, you are not doing this and you are not doing that, let me

tell you, her district, the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, has

benefited greatly from this government.

When I look at issues like the new school that we are putting in Port Hope

Simpson, the new school that we are now in the process of constructing down in L'Anse-au-Loup,

when we look at a new depot that we put in Chateau Pond, why, we would have to

put almost $2 million in. Because she was the member who was a part of a

government that moved the highway, caused the rock cuts, our government had to

come in and spend close on $2 million for the depot to keep that road open

during the wintertime. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, we had great success on that.

I want to mention the new airport for Port Hope Simpson. I can tell you, when

I was the Minister of Transportation and Works, she had that buried that far in

the bottom, in the bowels of Transportation and Works, it took us three or four

days to get all the paperwork up to the minister's office so we could find out

where it was. For the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair to get up on her

high horse and say this and say that, we know the history and we know that she

did not deliver for her district, but this government has delivered for her

district.

I can say to you, when it comes to the small communities of Norman Bay and

Williams Harbour, they were paying fares on the ferry twice what they should

have been paying. They were paying twice what they should have been paying and

sometimes three times what they should have been paying for freight. They were

being gouged, and it happened under her watch, Mr. Speaker. The people out there

I am sure that are dealing with those types of issues know that.

We look at the Apollo and dropping the fares on the Apollo .

This government has had the Apollo on earlier and later than the hon.

crowd when they were in charge on the other side. I can say to you, Mr. Speaker,

I am very proud to be a part of this government that has done those good things

for the people of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair and for the people of Labrador.

One of the things that has been a huge issue for us in Labrador also, Mr.

Speaker, is regarding the issues of infrastructure. I am happy to stand in my

place here today and I am happy to say that in my district alone, in Happy

Valley-Goose Bay, they will see over $54 million worth of new infrastructure

with a new long-term health care facility. They talked about it, but they never

did it.

A new auditorium: again, they talked about it but they did not do it.

We have a new administration building, close on $3 million, that is being put

there with the Grenfell-Labrador regional health board.

Mr. Speaker, we will see a new francophone school established there, this

year, start of construction on that.

Of course, this year we will also see the expansion of the Government Service

Centre, Mr. Speaker, that is going to give us full service. I want to say to the

Minister of Government Services, our appreciation to have expanded that service

in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, that will serve not only the people of Happy

Valley-Goose Bay but certainly the people of Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, health care is a huge issue and has been a huge issue for a long

time for us in Labrador. I know in Labrador West - and I want to speak to the

hospital in Labrador West. The hospital in Labrador West is a very old hospital

and needed to be replaced. I have to say, while we have had movement and

commitment to spend close on over $60 million for a new hospital, I am a little

disappointed with the Iron Ore Company of Canada and the fact that we have some

issues regarding the site. I can tell you our government is committed to a new

hospital in Labrador West, and they deserve it, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: I can tell you, the Member for Labrador West, he makes sure

everybody in this government is aware of that need. The fact is, I can say to

you, Mr. Speaker, that I hope we will get a resolve to the land issue there and

get the construction going sooner rather than later.

A new college building is going over in Labrador West at $22 million.

Labrador West, Mr. Speaker, and let there be no mistake about it, is giving to

the resources of this Province through the mines, the Iron Ore Company of Canada

and Wabush. I have said this many times before, with the wealth of the natural

resources in Labrador, the wealth of the natural resources in Labrador, I see

great things happening for Labrador West. I see it, as I often say, as the new

Fort McMurray of the East. I can tell you, infrastructure is going to be a key

challenge for us. Affordable housing has got to be something that we, as a

government, are addressing and working towards. Working with the different

departments and ministers, we are going to address that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as we move forward with our plan, there is another initiative

that I want to talk about this year particularly. I want to certainly commend

our Minister of Justice. He has been to Labrador I believe six times since

October. Last week he was just up on the North Coast of Labrador. The tremendous

work that the Minister of Justice and the Department of Justice is doing now in

Labrador is unprecedented. I want to say, the correctional centre in Happy

Valley Goose Bay - the hon. Gerry Ottenheimer was the minister of the then

Peckford government that built that facility and opened it. Until our government

came into power, there had never been a Justice Minister under the old Liberal

administration inside of that building. Some of them should have been there, but

I can say to you, Mr. Speaker, we have had all of the Ministers of Justice there

going through that facility and we are making great improvements to the justice

issues in Labrador.

I am very happy when the Department of Justice and certainly the minister

made the announcement that we are going to spend some $300,000 this year toward

advancing the cause of a new correctional facility there, an add-on certainly

for the women who right now have got to go outside of Labrador. We also are

going to look at the issues of young offenders and the fact that they, too, Mr.

Speaker, are going to have a place in which we can house them, rather than what

has happened in the past.

The other one was the Legal Aid Office in Labrador West. That was something

that Labrador West had been looking for, for a long time. I am happy and I

commend the Member for Labrador West for keeping that on the front burners of

this government for me and every minister here; how important that was. I can

tell you, the present Minister of Justice saw the need, and his department was

not long in seeing the need either, when he focused them in on it. I can tell

you, that announcement was very welcome over in Labrador West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Mr. Speaker, I could go on here all day talking about the

good news that is coming out of Labrador. There was one piece of good news that

came out of the elections in October - and there were those on the island and in

Labrador, some of them, that said, oh, no, she's gone. She will all go red.

Well, I can tell you, she did not go red. We got our three seats in Labrador,

and I am happy to say here, Mr. Speaker, that we have a colleague here - she is

a colleague with me - as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and the MHA for

Torngat Mountains, and I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, there is nobody as

passionate as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs with this government about the

issues of Northern Labrador and the Aboriginal people of Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: It is a great honour for me to serve with her at the Cabinet

table and to call her a colleague as we sit around and talk about and ensure

that the issues of Labrador are dealt with in a most expedient manner, Mr.

Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the provincial Budget was good news for Labrador and I want to

take a few minutes because, while we work hard each and every day, all of us, as

ministers and MHAs to advance the cause of our districts and our regions, it is

Budget time, really, in which we see the fruits of our efforts.

While I can get up and talk about this Budget all day, and it is all good

news and it is all good investments, when municipal leaders from Labrador put

out press releases - and I want to relate to one we got on this Budget. This was

from Mayor Jim Farrell and Mayor Graham Letto from the Town of Labrador City. I

just want to put into the record what Mayor Farrell thought about this Budget,

and I want to quote him because it is important. He said: I think it was a

wonderful Budget, especially for the Coast of Labrador - said Jim Farrell, the

President of the Combined Councils of Labrador, who represents thirty-two

communities - I think it is a tremendous Budget, actually. We want to encourage

tourism to come to Labrador, and have a good highway, and every dollar we spend

towards that highway is a positive thing in my estimation.

The Mayor of Labrador City also gives great accolades to this Budget. He also

reminds us about the resources of Labrador, and the fact that we have been a

giving part and a giving region of this Province for many, many years, and it

will be many, many years to come we have more to give.

All Labradorians have ever wanted is our fair share. All we have ever wanted

is our fair share, to be a part of this Province, and I can tell you, under the

leadership of Premier Williams and this government we are making great headways

when it comes to those issues, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Even in my own hometown, Mr. Speaker, we had certainly great

accolades from the Mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I want to read them into the

record. Mayor Abbass also stated that, "Measures announced" - in

the Budget "will affect the town's budget in a positive manner.

The elimination of the RST on insurance and the increase in the payroll tax

threshold alone will save our taxpayers over twenty thousand dollars. A twenty

per cent reduction of the cost share ratio on capital works for the next three

years" will see a savings of over six hundred thousand dollars to the

community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Mr. Speaker, they are very, very pleased. So I say to the Leader of the

Opposition, while she is going around with all the doom and gloom, we will start

sending her some of these press releases to get her up to speed, because

obviously she has lost contact with the people of Labrador. She is so busy

trying to become Leader of the Liberal Party, and making sure she keeps the seat

she has, and all of that - and we all understand that; that is a tremendous

pressure. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, we are doing great strides when it comes to the

people of Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of other investments that I would like to

also talk about here today when it comes to Labrador, particularly when it comes

to the Department of Natural Resources. I want to commend the minister for her

work and her department's work, along with the work that has been ongoing

between the Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs and Natural Resources.

Certainly we will see close on $1.5 million from Natural Resources and

Environment into new officers, a land management officer, a land surveyor

inspector, an engineering technician. Many of those positions, Mr. Speaker, were

taken away from Labrador by the last Administration.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation, we have seen $500,000 going to be continued

by this government to be invested into the Labrador Winter Games to mark its

tenth anniversary, Mr. Speaker, and I can tell you the people of Labrador are

very excited about the Labrador Winter Games that will happen in the winter of

When we come to justice issues, there were a couple of points I missed when -

and I want to talk about certainly the close on $700,000 that has been allotted

by the Department of Justice for additional RCMP officers with the detachments

in Labrador. As part of this we will see some great investment when it comes to

the Department of Justice in Labrador.

There are a couple of other ones. Certainly, the $60,000 that we are going to

be putting into the sheriff's office, this is something that has been wanted

in Labrador for a long time. I want to commend the Minister of Justice for

pushing that forward because this is very, very important. It is a very, very

important opportunity for us to invest, and it is a great investment, I think,

in the justice programs in Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, this Budget is, without question, one of the best budgets that

we have seen in this Province, and for us in Labrador I will say I am very, very

pleased. I am very, very pleased with the work that we have been doing, and I am

very pleased with the commitment.

There are challenges, Mr. Speaker. There are challenges. There have been

always challenges in Labrador. It is not easy to do work in Labrador. It is

expensive to do work in Labrador, but let me say, Mr. Speaker, we are moving

forward with a great lot of pride and support from the people of Labrador on all

of our initiatives. I can say to you that I look forward to future budgets, to

bringing home more money to Labrador to address the and even, yes, even to

the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair

MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): Order please!

MR. HICKEY: - we will make sure that her district gets looked after, too,

because I get the calls -

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

MR. HICKEY: By leave, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the member have leave?

MS JONES: Give him a few minutes to clue up.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave.

MR. HICKEY: The Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair is really

enjoying this. I am glad she is listening.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of good things happening in

Labrador. I want to say that it has been a great pleasure for me, as the

Minister of Labrador Affairs, to be working with all of the different

departments. That is the beauty about the Department of Labrador Affairs. While

we may only be a small department, Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity to work

with the different ministers and the different departments, both at a

bureaucratic level and at a ministerial level, to advance the issues of main

importance to the people of Labrador.

I want to say, Mr. Speaker, I am very passionate about Labrador. It has been

my home since I was a small boy, and certainly I want to see us gain the maximum

benefits of our resources. I want to see our communities grow and prosper, and I

want to see our Province as a whole continue to move forward.

The fact that we have always been known as a have-not-Province and today we

are on the verge of being a have-Province instead of a have-not-Province is

because of, without question, the leadership of our Premier and the leadership

of this government.

When it comes to rural Newfoundland, I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to

go out to many of the regions and to drive on many of the roads, and I can tell

you it was a sad state, but we have put significant investment into

transportation initiatives and I will say to you, Mr. Speaker, the people of

this Province can expect more good work from this government as we move forward

in our mandate over the course of the next three years.

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the leave and I will be up maybe some

time in the future.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I certainly want to have a few words on the Budget, and I think I probably

have an hour this afternoon that I can speak, so I will take the opportunity to

deal with some of the things that we have seen in the Budget in terms of how

they will impact people, and some of the glaring omissions, I guess, that we

would have discovered as well in relation to how it affects the broader

population of the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I have no problem giving leave to any member in the House of

Assembly, I say to the Member for Lake Melville, to get up and to speak. He has

done it very rarely since this session of the House opened, so I certainly

understand his need to take a little bit of extra time.

Mr. Speaker, I will, before I move on, make a couple of comments on some of

the things that he has raised. It is obvious how desperate they are for good

news and good attention to the Budget when you have to stand up in the House and

start reading what everyone else had to say about you. If I had to stand up here

every day and read every single e-mail or every single note that I received with

regard to an issue in this Province, I would not get anything else done, I say

to the hon. member. I guess when you are desperate for good news, you do that.

Mr. Speaker, one thing that he did say that I somewhat agree with is that the

Member for CartwrightL'Anse au Clair did very well for her district in this

Budget, and I make no excuses for not acknowledging that, Mr. Speaker, because I

did. I think that the people in my district have been very active, they have

been very diligent in trying to pursue the interests and the infrastructure that

they require for their communities. I am just happy to have had the opportunity

to be able to support them, to meet directly with ministers within the

government who saw fit to bring forward to their colleagues these kinds of

infrastructure to be funded, and certainly supported the people in my district

and supported me in making that happen. I have no problem acknowledging that on

any occasion, Mr. Speaker.

What I did take exception to was his comment in which he said I moved the

highway. Well, Mr. Speaker, in my day I have been accused of doing lots of

wonderful, fabulous, unknown things but one of them was not picking up a highway

and moving it, I can honestly say that to you. I certainly appreciate the

comment in terms of the strength and endurance that I would carry in being able

to transport a piece of highway from one location to another. I say to the hon.

member, he gives me far too much credit when it comes to that because it is

certainly not something I could or would endeavour to do.

Mr. Speaker, having said that, I do not want to get into taking up the

valuable time that I have in debating the Budget to refer to some of the

rhetoric that has been raised, because I think on any given day we can get up

and talk about any kind of fluffy, puffy stuff that is going on within the

Province or within our own districts. There are also important things that need

to be acknowledged when dealing with the economic progress of the Province and

where we are going in the future.

Mr. Speaker, very early on government said that they would use part of their

revenues to pay down the deficit that this Province carries, and very early on I

said I had absolutely no problem with that. I think good leadership is

represented in how well you can keep your house in order and keeping your house

in order means that you have to look at the long-term and not just the

short-term. It means that if there is substantial debt that hangs over your

head, then you must be able to carry that debt and you must have a plan to

retire it over a period of time. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we expected to see much

more money being paid down on the debt than we did see in this Budget. In fact,

what we saw was small compared to what we had thought government would actually

pay.

Having said that, we do see where they made other investments that we did not

bank on. Although there was $350 million or so paid down towards the debt, there

was well over $300 million alone that was invested in Newfoundland and Labrador

Hydro. Mr. Speaker, $100 million of that went into building the equity base for

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro,

whereas another $200 million of that went into

investment capital for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

I have some concerns about that, and I will tell you why, because this is

over $300 million of taxpayers' money that is now being funnelled out from

government into a Crown Corporation that is arm's-length from government. It

is being placed there to invest in future projects that yet we have not seen a

deal signed on. Yet, we do not know what their investment equities will be, but

here it is laid out and preserved for that purpose.

We are also investing money to build up the equity within Hydro at a time

when Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is filing a rate review with the PUB to

increase the hydro rates of every single consumer in this Province. Why would

they be out there looking for more money to pay for increased fuel costs and so

on when we, as taxpayers, are already funneling well over $300 million into

their corporation this year?

I think that people need to stop and think about that. Even at a time when we

have a surplus budget that reaches $1.4 billion we still have to be concerned

about where the money is going and whether it is going into the right places.

Mr. Speaker, I would challenge government, I would challenge them at this

time, as to whether over $300 million of our money I think the exact figure

is around $319 million is the right place for this money to be going today to

be sitting in the equity fund and investment funds of Newfoundland and Labrador

Hydro. What is the long-term gain for us on that money? What is the short-term

loss for us on that money in terms of services, programs and infrastructure in

the Province? These are the kind of questions that we need to ask ourselves when

our money is being laundered in this particular way.

Mr. Speaker, when I looked at this Budget I said, in my initial comments to

the media, that it looked like a bankers' budget to me. I said that because

like every bank they hold lots of money. This government was holding lots of

money. In fact, like a banker they went out and they said, we now have your

money, it is $1.4 billion this year in surplus, and this is where we will spend

it, just like the bank would do.

I thought the Budget lacked vision in many cases, Mr. Speaker, because it did

not provide for the opportunity for industry growth in the renewable sectors of

our economy. I think that is very important, very important especially when we

have reached a time in our history where balancing our books and our surplus

budgets are dependent upon, basically, one industry and the fact that industry

is deriving a high price for its commodity. That is where we are right now. We

need to be very cognizant of the fact that we have to invest in other areas.

When you look at a budget that has a 10 per cent, I think, a $9.5 million

increase in program spending and I stand to be corrected on those numbers,

because I do not have it right in front of me but there was a substantial

increase in program funding that has to be carried over on a year to year basis.

If we are going to be able to sustain that, we need to at least see the price of

oil stay where it is today, or higher, or start investing in the renewable

sectors of our economy so that we can generate more growth and more wealth. Mr.

Speaker, it was short on vision when it came to those things, and that was the

reason I called it a banker budget. Like a banker, Mr. Speaker, the money came

not because of anything the bank did, and this money came not because of

anything this government did. The money that we are spending today is derived on

oil deals that were done by previous governments; oil deals like Terra Nova and

White Rose, Mr. Speaker, and Hibernia. Right now we know that in some of those

oil fields today that we have already drilled over half the inventory. We have

already drilled over half the inventory, which shortens the life-span of these

particular oil projects, as we all know.

Mr. Speaker, we know that is where the bulk of the revenue came from, and it

was not deals that were done by the government opposite. In fact, we have yet to

see one deal inked on the oil industry or the gas industry since this government

took office.

Where is the rest of the money coming from? From new developments in the

mining industry, developments like Voisey's Bay, that in mineral tax and

royalties alone is deriving well over $200 million into the coffers of this

government; a deal that was done by a Liberal government back in 2002-2003, and

a deal that many government members who were in opposition at that time stood up

and voted against. Today, Mr. Speaker, they are spending the royalties and the

profits of Voisey's Bay.

I did not hear the Member for Lake Melville, when he stood today, talk about

how good the Voisey's Bay deal has been for Labrador and for the Province. We

did not hear those comments from him, but I am sure he has appreciated the

millions and millions and hundreds of millions of royalties alone that have come

from this particular project.

Yesterday we saw in the news, the settlements being paid out to the Innu

Nation, that had negotiated something like 3 per cent of the royalty on this

particular deal; a very small amount in relation to what government themselves

have negotiated, where they have seen something like $9 million dropped into the

laps of two communities. That was real benefit on a resource that was developed

in their particular area.

Mr. Speaker, we had asked government as well that, once the royalties started

flowing from the Voisey's Bay Project, realizing our new fiscal position in

the Province today, that we would see a special fund allocated for Labrador. We

asked that $10 million a year be taken off the royalties of Voisey's Bay and

that it be placed into an investment fund for Labrador communities, but

government was not prepared to go for that.

It was new money coming into this Administration, money that they did not

have to calculate in previous years to cover education and health care in the

Province, money that they did not have to calculate for in previous years for

programming. It was new money, new money that could have been invested into

Labrador communities which, for many years, went through neglect of

infrastructure and needed the money in order to play catch-up and to diversify

the local economy. It would have come right off the top of the Voisey's Bay

deal.

Even taking that $10 million out a year, the provincial government still

would have gained well over $200 million for your own coffers. So it was a very

small percentage that we were asking for. Unfortunately, it did not happen and

that disappointed me; because I thought, for the first time, this was an

opportunity. We were moving from being a have-not-Province to a have-Province.

We were moving from a place where we were always vulnerable from a capital

position, and looking for extra money, to a place where we could stand on our

own two feet and budget for the services that we were able to commit to the

people of the Province. It was the first time in our history that we could have

been creative in launching a new investment capital fund for the Labrador

region, for the communities that are feeling the crunch of losing industry. We

could have done it based on the royalties from Voisey's Bay and government

would not have even missed it gone. They would not have even missed it gone.

Unfortunately, that did not happen.

Mr. Speaker, the point I started to make was this, that is was a banker's

budget simply because, like the bank, the money came from deals that were done

by other governments - the Voisey's Bay, the oil and gas deals - and this

government was merely the banker. They held the money and they said where we

will now invest the money.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the day when I can see this government

actually sign a deal - actually sign a deal - in this Province. They talk about

the refineries; they are going to build new refineries. Hopefully, with any new

refineries will come new jobs and we do not have people out on the picket lines

like we do today, with the current refinery that we have, but that is another

issue.

They talk about building refineries; we have yet to see it. They talked about

launching the gas industry, and what they will do there, looking at compressed

gas, looking at piping gas; we have yet to see anything happening in that

industry. They talked about negotiating deals with Hebron-Ben Nevis; we have not

yet seen a deal signed on that.

Mr. Speaker, maybe some time before the end of the next mandate of the

government opposite we will see a deal signed that will actually bring some

revenue into the Province over and above what has been done by previous

governments.

Even when you look at the agreements with the federal government, they have

not been successful in signing those deals even. They have launched a good

campaign. They sold the people of the Province in terms of rallying on the

bandwagon, and at the end of the day there was nothing secured. At the end of

the day, Mr. Speaker, it became nothing only an exercise in public relations and

standing for what you believe in. There is nothing wrong with that - I am all

for standing for what you believe in; I do it every day of my life - but

sometimes you can have a lot of hype with very little results, and that was

exactly what we had in the government's campaign to the federal government on

equalization. That was exactly what we had, a great deal of fanfare, a full

concert orchestration, Mr. Speaker, but very little results: at the end of the

day, only an opportunity for us to be proud of who we were with very little

money again coming forward under that particular agreement.

Mr. Speaker, we will look forward to seeing the time when this government can

get their socks up, pull their socks up, and sign a deal that is going to bring

revenues into the Province that they can say: This is what we have done to

generate royalties in the economy.

Let me tell you something about the price of oil. When we were in government

in 2003, when we left I think the price of oil was around $24 to $25 a barrel.

The year preceding that, I think it fell as low as $18 a barrel. Well, you know

today the price on a barrel of oil has reached $120. That is the difference. The

government opposite is receiving $100 more today for a barrel of oil than the

previous government received, and then you talk about your fiscal house in

order. It is the first time in our history, no matter who sits in government, it

is the first time in our history that the ability has been there and the royalty

on a resource has been there in this Province to allow it to happen.

Mr. Speaker, that realization needs to be there as well, that these members

are not having the privilege today of managing this kind of money in the

Province simply because of great deals they have done or decisions they have

made. It is simply because, Mr. Speaker, the fiscal realities in the global

market dictate today that we are able to earn more money, more royalties on our

resources than we could five years ago.

Is it a stroke of luck, Mr. Speaker? I would say it probably is a stroke of

luck, and a stroke of good luck, not just for that government but for every last

person in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker. They should feel lucky today,

that we are able to get those returns on our resources. Do you know something? I

hope it never changes. I hope it never changes. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that we

will always get top dollar for the royalties that we have and the developments

that we do, because that is the way that we will be able to play the catch-up

that we need to do in this Province. That is the way that we will be able to

really diversify our economies and make the investments in people that people

expect of us.

I know, I listened to this Budget, and do you know something? There are a lot

of good things in this Budget. There is a lot of good spending in this Budget.

It is spending that people have been asking for, for a long time in Newfoundland

and Labrador. I have been in this Legislature, Mr. Speaker, for twelve years,

almost thirteen years now, and I have seen governments on each side petition for

different issues and different subsidies and different benefits, all throughout

the years. I am glad to say that I am finally in a position to see a lot of it

starting to happen throughout the Province. I think that is a wonderful thing. I

think it is a wonderful thing when you are able to give back after so long to

the people of the Province. I think it is excellent, Mr. Speaker, to make

investments in them, but people's expectations are going to be high. You know

they are going to be high, simply because they have gone without for such a long

time. I think that all of us are in the same position.

I will be the first to admit that no one can do everything overnight. No one

can do everything overnight, but sometimes government needs to be questioned for

the decisions that they make. Like yesterday in the House of Assembly, when we

raised the issue around home care. Mr. Speaker, for a number of weeks we pushed

the issues around home care and the minister agreed that the financial

assessment tools that were being used were inadequate. They were outdated and

they were not applicable to today's current fiscal realities of what the

people's standard of living needed to be and what the cost of it would be.

Mr. Speaker, he did agree that he would have another look at it, and that was

fine, but we also realized that there were a lot of people in this Province who

needed emergency services for home care and right now they were not getting that

service unless they were prepared to live below the poverty line wage. That is

what they were being asked to do. They were being asked to take a poverty living

wage to reduce your financial situation to poverty level and then you can avail

of a subsidy under our program. That is unacceptable. We raised that yesterday

and we raised in the context that government had seen fit to invest $15 million

into a caribou study in the Province but did not see fit to implement an

emergency home care program until the full review of that program was completed.

That is our job, Mr. Speaker, to point out where government could have made

better decisions and invested their money in a wiser way. Just because they are

the banker, just because they control the money in the bank, does not mean that

they are always going to make the right decisions. That is our job to point out

when those decisions could have been made to the better interests of people and

encourage government to go in that direction. We are going to keep doing that,

Mr. Speaker.

People look at the economy of the Province, and I think that we should be

proud to realize that we are going to come off equalization. I think we have all

played a role in that. The private sector that has been through some very

difficult years in this Province, Mr. Speaker, when industry was down, they

stuck it out. They did not all move away. Some of them stuck it out. Some of

them continued to operate their businesses and build their businesses,

contribute to the taxes in the Province, the income tax, the retail sales tax

and the business tax. They still believed there was opportunity and they stuck

around. There are many others out there, Mr. Speaker, who really held out

through a lot of lean years until the economy started to shift in this Province.

Being a have province is a sense of pride for a lot of people, there is no

doubt about that. It is a sense of pride for every one of us here, because we

know as well that we were part of a government and part of individuals in the

Province who supported previous governments' decisions to strike deals and to

invest in deals that today we are seeing real return on for the Province. We

have a certain sense of pride of where we are going as well.

Mr. Speaker, we also have to be cognizant of the fact that being a have

province also comes with it the expectation that we can rise above the levels of

poverty. It comes with it, the expectation that I can afford things in a way

that I could not before, in terms of a cost of living and a standard of living.

It comes with it as well, Mr. Speaker, an expectation that I will have

employment and that I will be able to see services maintained in my community.

These are all things that come with an expectation of being a have province. You

cannot be a have province when your out-migration levels are still at a net

rate. You cannot be a have province when your unemployment rate is still

climbing to well over 13 per cent. These are the indicators that we have to

focus on getting down as well. We have to focus on reducing the cost of living

for people in the Province. That was the reason we put forward the option for

government to look at the gas tax, to look at reducing the amount of taxes that

were being charged to people in the Province on gasoline.

In the last twenty-four hours we have seen another increase in gasoline. For

example, Mr. Speaker, the provincial government today is charging 16.4 cents on

every litre of gas that you put in your car at the pumps. Every time that you

put the nozzle into your gas tank, every time that you click off a litre of

gasoline on that pump, you are paying to the provincial government 16.4 cents on

that litre over and above the regular taxes that are there on gasoline in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, it is the highest provincial fuel tax being charged

anywhere, I think, in the country right now. In fact, it is far higher than most

provinces even come close to. Even in Atlantic Canada, Mr. Speaker, we would

have to lower our gas tax, provincial gas tax at the pumps, by more than 4 cents

on a litre to be on parity with the rest of Atlantic Canada. Every time one of

you out there goes to the gas pumps and fuels up you can remember that 16.4

cents on that litre of gas is going to the provincial government as an

additional fuel tax over and above the regular taxes that you pay.

We asked, Mr. Speaker, that that gas tax be reduced. We asked that government

bring it in-line with the rest of Atlantic Canada, that they would reduce it to

at least 12.4 cents bringing it down by 4 cents or 4.4 cents. This would have

seen savings of up to $10 million to consumers in the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador over the next twelve months. That would have instituted $10 million

in savings at the pumps, I think it was, based on the numbers. Mr. Speaker, that

was an option that government had that they could look at, but they chose not

to, and still today we see the rates climbing. Many people out there are having

trouble putting their head around the reasons why government would not institute

that tax break for them.

Once you become an oil-producing province, Mr. Speaker, and you have the

accolades of being an oil production province in Canada and you have all the

accolades of being the province of wealth, the province of rising GDP, the

province, Mr. Speaker, that will move from being have-not to have, a province

that will move itself right out of the equalization subsidies being offered by

the federal government with that particular title, Mr. Speaker, of being an

oil-producing province comes an expectation of getting a break at the pumps on

your oil prices.

I can honestly tell you, not just on gasoline but on home heating fuel as

well - we have seen, Mr. Speaker, in this Province, home heating fuel increase.

Let me give you an example. It went up again today but I will just use the

example that was given to me for the 24 th of April of this year.

First of all, go back five years to when this government came into office.

Five years ago, in April of 2003, the price of home heating oil in this Province

was at 47.29 cents per litre. We will round it off, a little more than 47 cents

per litre. That was in 2003, when this government came to office. Today, or by

April 24 th which is the price I have here, it was nearly $1.12 a

litre. It was almost three times more per litre this spring than it was five

years ago when this government took office. That is a huge increase in home

heating fuel.

When people hear that we are finally a have province, that we are producing

$1.4 billion surplus budgets, and they know that their home heating costs have

tripled in the five years that this government has been in power, then obviously

there is an expectation: there should be more money for me to subsidize my home

heating costs. I should not be paying the highest rate in the country today to

heat my home. Sure, I am an oil province, I am rich! Why should I be paying this

high price? Mr. Speaker, with the accolades, with the title, comes an

expectation.

Look at gasoline, for instance. If you go back to when this government took

office, gasoline in the Province was less than 88 cents a litre. Today, Mr.

Speaker, it is up over $1.35 a litre, I think it is. I hardly know, because in

my own district it has reached almost $1.55 a litre, so it is a bit different,

but in St. John's, I think it is close to $1.35 now or maybe even more. Look

at the difference, Mr. Speaker. From 88 cents to over $1.34 or $1.35 a litre is

a huge increase in the price of gasoline, and on that price is the 16.4 cents

that the provincial government collects over and above the regular tax. These

are the reasons why people expect that they are going to get breaks on those

kinds of taxes, Mr. Speaker. When they hear that things are going well and that

we are doing well, obviously they want to see how they are going to benefit

themselves.

I looked at a poll, actually, this morning. I think it is on one of the Web

sites. I forget which one of the media Web sites it is. I remember looking at

the poll, and I think it must have been there for a while because a number of

people had voted. The question was: How has this oil money trickled down to

impact you? I think it went something like, very satisfied - some people, I

know, are satisfied, some people,