VOL. 4 PRELIMINARY UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR THE PERIOD: 3:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 1979 NO. 10

~rch 27th., 1979 The House met at 3:00 P.M. Hr. Speaker in the Chair. HR. SPEAKER: of Assembly Mr.Jacob Olowo , Tape No. 480 DW - 1 Order, pleese! I am pleased to welcome to the House who is a senior counsel with the drafting division of the Ministry of Justice of Ondo state in Nigeria. SOME HON. MEMBERS: ~!R. SPEAKER: Hear, hear! The gentleman is attac~ed to the office of the Legislative eounsel of Newfoundland for a period of four months and he will be observing drafting of legislation and the procedure of the House of Assembly while he is here. I would also like to Yelcome on behalf of hon. members Mr.

Charles Ballam,a former Minister of the Crown and a former member of the House of Assembly. SOME HON. ME}ffiERS: Hear,hear! MR. SPEAKER: I should also inform hon. members of three matters which have been communicated to the House through. me : one, a letter from the han. member for St. John's South (Dr. Collins) tendering his resignation as Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairman of Committees; a letter from the han. member for Harbour Grace (Hr. Young) tendering his resignation as Deputy Chairman of Committees~and a letter from the han. member for Port de Grave (Mr.

Dawe) informing me 1 and communications fran the hon. Leader of the Opposition informing me on the same matter,that the han. member for Port de Grave will henceforth sit with and is part of the caucus of the official Opposition. SOME RON. MEMBERS: MR. SPEAKER: SOME HON. MEMBERS : Hear, hear! STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS The han. Premier. Hear, hear! 1199

Marcil 2.7, H79 Tape 481 SD-1 PRJ::MIER PECKFORD: Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to move a motion to make the present member of Bonavista North (Mr. Cross) the Deputy Speaker of this honourable House. I perhaps would like to have t~at matter taken care of ~irs_t_._ __ ~_i_r, at least move that _moti.on-_ab_<(_ before I get into a Ministerial Statement that I have. -. : ~s~. I move that X&. SPEAKER: (Mr.Ottenheimer) The han. Leader of the Opposition. Mr. W.N. ROWE: Unfortunately, I _ _vtas not conferred with on the matter but I have no hesitation at all to ~econd the motion.

It probably would have been a little better had I been given some advance notice on it so that I could have given unanimous consent on this side of the House, but I have no doubts on the matter, Sir, and I gladly agree. MR. SPEAKER: It has been ruled and seconded that the hon.member for Bonavista North be Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of this House of Assembly. Is the House ready for the question? Is the House ready for tne questionl The hon. member. ~ffi. NEARY: Mr.

Speaker, I think it is only fitting, Sir, that either the Premier or the new Government House Leader,now that the old one has beeu fire<i-and I might say _I found the hon. gentleman very reasonab_le to deal with, very easy to get along with. We always managed co come to some kind of agreement after fo~r or five cups of coffee, the hon. gentleman and myself. I am sorry to see him demoted, Sir- ~ut, Mr.

Speaker, the hon. the Premier or the Government House Leader should have the courtesy and the decency, Sir, to confer, to consult, with my hen. colleague, the Leader of the Opposition, rather than to come into this House cold and make a motion in the House and t;!1en expect the Leader of the Opposition or somebody on this side of the House to second the motion without any prior notice. It is unheard of, Mr. Speaker, MR. MARSHALL: Is the hen. member speaking on a point of order, Mr. Speaker, or is he just allowed to have the floor of the Houser ~:'lEARY: debatable motion.

No, I am speaking on the motion; it is a 1200

~!arch 27, 1979 Tape 481 SD- 2 ~!R. SPE..\.lG:R: (Mr . Ottenheimer ) Order , please! Order , please! I ~ill read Standing Order 43(

o) which puts the =tion in perspective: "The member so elected as Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees shall contin ue to act in tha t capacity until th e end of the Par liament for ~hicb he is elected , and in the case of a vacancy by death, resignation or othe rvise, the iiouse shall proceed forthwith to elect a successor . " I t is that :~otion t!lat we are no~ on. It is a debaub~e ClOtion. 1201

~!arch 2 7 , 19 7 9 Tape 482 EC - 1 liR. NEARY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is this the crowd that brought democracy to Newfoundland who are now trying to silence the members of the House? Now, Sir, the Deputy Speaker of this House is supposed to be impartial, non-partisan, Sir. You would expect the hon. gentleman to be introduced to the Chair for the first time, I believe - the han. gentleman, the member for Bonavista North (Mr. G.

Cross) sat in the Chair, I believe, on one or two occasions when he was Deputy Chairman of Committees, sat in the Chair, I believe, maybe on three or four occasions, not for very long periods because Your Honour and the member for St. John's South (Dr. J. Collins) occupied the Chair most of the time, and the member for Harbour Grace (Mr. H. Young),who is now a minister, sat in the Chair most of the time. But I believe on two or three occasions the hon. member for Bonavista North was called upon as well as my colleague, the member for Fogo (Capt. E.

Winsor) was called upon three or four times in the last session of the House to occupy the Chair. What I am saying, Sir, is that the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees, Sir, should go into their positions, into the Chair, without any dark cloud hanging over their heads at all, without any sign of their being partial. And it has been tradition. 'Joey'- they used to call him a dictator -'Joey' did it all the time, always advised the Opposition even though I think there were only three members in Opposition at one time - A~l RON. MEMBER: MR. F. ROWE : MR. ~lEARY: Joey who?

Do not show your ignorance, boy. - always advised the Opposition even though they only had three sitting in the House at one time, who he intended to nominate as Speaker and Deputy Speaker. That is all we had at that time, there was no 1202

EC - 2 :~ 1 . ~; :::.>.;t·;: :>~pucy c :~al:::na:l o: Cooclt : ees. i:;ouse sa ;: . A:C t~at ~as co~~on cou =tesy . ~ece~cy, Si=. ' . -.' and only a cocplece ?Oli:ical ignoramus ~oul~ do i : a~y ot~e:: ~ ay, Si : , ~et up i:l the House o£ Asse~~ly and ~a~e a ~otion - i c hou c anybody !n t he Opposition having a~y prio r kno ~ ledga of t he motion being moved. Sir. ~o~, Sir, is t hac the ·.tay ~hat t~is government is go!ng to fuoctio~ that : he new 12UJ

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 483 GH-1 MR. NEARY: Premier is going to function after going out blowing their ho=s this last couple of weeks about bringing derrocracy to Ne-l'foundland? I have nothing against the hon. gentlem:m for Bonavista North (Mr. Cross) . I am not going to argue the rreri ts or otheJ:wise of whether or not he can fill the position of Deputy Speaker. I will reserve my judgerrent on that particular item for a future date. That is not the issue at all, Sir. We all remember what happened when the rrember for Harbour Grace (Mr.

Young), the hon. gentleman will recall, when the sarre thing happened and the hon. gentleman occupied the Chair and never lived it down. MR. YOUNG: You captained it. MR. NEARY: The hon. gentleman never lived it down. The hon. gentleman was always suspect. His i.rrpartiality was always suspect in this hon. House because the Goverrment House Ieader or the Pre:nier of this Province - MR. MARSHALL: A point of order, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: (Mr. Ottenheirrer) A point of order, please. MR. MARSHALL: It is accepted, Mr. Speaker, that one is not allowed to cast allusions or aspersions on the Chair.

It is appropriate for the han. m:mber, if he wishes to, although I do not know why he wishes to prolong it, to debate this rrotion, but when he casts allusions upon the Deputy Chainnan of Camti.ttees who sat in this legislature during this session, he is casting allusions and aspersions on the Chair and therefore is out of order. I do not think, Mr. Speaker, if I may suggest, that we are going to serve the interests of the Province of Newfoundland by continuing along in that vein and tearing down the fabric of this House. MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There certainly is a general rule that no bon. m:mber may cast aspersions upon the Chair or criticize the Chair or defer in debate to the Chair except on a substantive rrotion of which notice is given, which is not the case here. Now I think even though the bon. gentlei!13I1 is not now one of the presiding officers of the House, his actions in that capacity during t.!Btperiod of tirre would bring it within the ambit of criticizing the Chair. Under a relevant 1.2D4

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 434 MR. SPEAKER: motion to criticize the han. gentleman's activities as minister would be obviously a different matter. But for the period that he was a presiding officer of the House then I think the rule is sufficiently important that it covers that period as well. The hon. member for LaPoile. NM - 1 MR. NEARY: So, Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, Sir, the Government House Leader or the Premier may argue that ultimately the decision rests in the hands of the Premier and the government, that they are the ones who come in and make the - MR. MARSHALL: MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, Mr.

Speaker. A point of order. MR. MARSHALL: On a point of order, I would just like to get the yardsticks downed properly . I rose on a point of order, and Your Honour indicated that the han. gentleman was out of order in casting aspersions on the Chair, and the hon. gentleman got up and continued his debate. I would feel that it is incumbent on the hon. gentleman to retract the aspersion that he made on the Chair himself because otherwise there is no point in making a point of order, Mr. Speaker. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. NEARY: Mr. Speaker, that is not a point of order. Can I carry on with my few remarks?

MR. SPEAKER (Ottenheimer): Order, please! The matter has come up and obv iousl y the Chair must deal with it. When words are used or references are used which t h e Chair j udges to be unparliamentary, depending upon,I suppose,the seriousness of it, sometimes 1205

Narch 27, 197 9 Tape No . 48 4 N •1 - 2 t•m. . SPEAKE R : the Chair will order the hon. member to withdraw, and at other times the Chair will point out to the hon. member that it is not in order to continue in that vein and the Chair will not require a retr ·action or a withdrawal but will order the hon . member not to pursue J;urther a line of argument which has bee.n judqed to be out of order. That I think is the sequence of events leading up to my last ruling. When I said that it. was out of order 1 the hon. gentleman to my knowledge did not continue, has desisted from that line.

So I do not feel that there was a reference of such a nature which would require a withdrawal. I think the hon. gentleman has brought himself within the ambit of the ruling of the Chair 1206

March 27, 1979, Tape 485, Page 1 -- apb MR. NEARY: Thank you, Your Honour. I wonder if they would give us back the Minister of Justice as house leader, Sir? Mr.

Speaker, to draw my few remarks to a close, Sir, I want to go on record as saying that even though the government has the right - it is the government's right - to make this motion, traditionally, and in keeping with parliamentary tradition both inside this Province, outside the Province,in every other jurisdiction across Canada and under the British parliamentary system upon which we pattern ourselves, it is a matter of courtesy to let the Leader of the Opposition or the Opposition house leader know in advance, probably a day before or the morning before, the government intends making such a motion.

So I want to go on record, Sir, as saying I consider this to be downright discourteous. It is contemptible~ It is shameful, Sir. I must say that I am disappointed that the new Premier would get off, start off this session of the House on the wrong foot. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. SPEAKER (Ottenheimer): The hon. the member for Conception Bay South. Before recognizing the hon. member, and more for the sake of our records than anything else, I did rule that this was a debatable motion.

And since it is infrequently that this matter comes up, I will indicate my source of it so that it is there and our records are quite clear, In Beauchesne, the Fifth Edition, page 99, listing motions which are debatable states: "(

g) for the election of the Chairman of Committees of the Whole House." I merely do that so 1207

~larch 27, 1979, Tape .jSS, Page 2 -- apb ~lR. SPEAXER: complete and clear. ~!..~. NOLAN: that our records are The hon. the member. Mr. Speaker, it is rather regrettable, it 5eems to me, thac we have to start off in this vein . Here we have a House of Assembly that has ~ot effectively met, you might say, since last June or July. Why it ~as necessary to close the House down because the PCs were having a conva~tion, of course, is something the people will have to examine for ~,emselves.

But all the members of the House of Assembly will recall the rather unpleasantness that occurred when the hon. member for Harbour Grace (Mr . Young} - MR. RIDEOUT: For ~,e same reason . MR. ~OIJI.N: - for pretty much the same reason. Now I realize the hon. the Pra~er, the new Premier, has been b~sy 1208

March 27, 1979 Tape 486 Mr. Nolan: in the last few days, but it seems to me that if he sincerely meant what he said and others opposite that they are concerned about the workings of the House of Assembly,that it should be and it would be PK - 1 more effective and so on, that if one were really sincere about that he would normally expect anybody to start off with the normal courtesies that have been referred to. Now that certainly did not happen in this particular occasion.

Now one I suppose could say that the han. the Premier was too busy to do so, but surely he could have appointed one of his delegates to make the necessary approaches and have it discussed and then we could have come in here and go at it and have the proper seconding. I do not mind telling you that I would not be at all surprised if some of the - I am sure the hon. Leader of the Opposition would not mind my saying this; I believe that some of your colleagues are a bit concerned that you seconded the motion~frankly. It is nice to play ball, but it happens for two sides of the House.

And it seems to me that as a matter of courtesy it should have been brought to your attention in the first place before entering this House so that we know exactly where we stand, but that was not done. And if this is going to be the trend, the trend setter 1 then we are obviously going to be exposed to a number of other discourtesies that no member of the House of Assembly can agree to. So let us start now and find out exactly where we are going. It is not enough to go around mealy-mouthina to the press and so on that the House is not working, that it is a bear pit and this,that,and the other. AN HON.

MEMBER: It is worse than that. MR. NOLAN: I mean if the leaders in the House of Assembly are not prepared to start off on the right footing 1 well then you have to take some responsibility. Now this has not been done in this case and I am not in any way attempting to speak against any member who might be appointed to the position. But I well remember the debate 1209

March 27, 1979 Tape 486 Mr. Nolan: that surrounded the appointment of the han. member for Harbour Grace (Mr. Young), and I thought we would have learned a lesson from that, in fact, there were people opposite who told PK - 2 me privately\and told others too, but obviously the new broom is not working here on the very first opening moments of this House of Assembly as we continue the session, and that is most regrettable. When are we going to learn, Mr. Speaker? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. SPEAKER (MR. OTTENHEIMER): The han. the Premier. PREMIER PECKFORD: Mr.

Speaker, I feel obligated to respond to some of the comments being made by the Leader of the House for the Opposition and for the member for Conception Bay South (Mr. Nolan). MR. F. ROWE: On a point of order, Mr. Soeaker. PREMIER PECKFORD: This is a debatable motion, Mr. Speaker, and I think I am allowed under the rules of the House to debate in the same way as the members of the Opposition are. MR. SPEAKER: I have to hear the point of order. MR. F. ROWE: It might be a point of clarification more than anything else, Sir. The Premier introduced this motion, and does he now close the debate if he speaks to it? MR.

SPEAKER: The han. the Premier. PREMIER PECKFORD: To that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I take it that it was a motion that put before the House and I guess if I put it before I close it, and have already been recognized by the Chair, and so that therefore am now in the process of closing the debate. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh! MR. SPEAKER: Order, please! Order, please! There are certain motions to which an han. member in making that motion has a right of reply. There are other motions which an han. member does not have a right of reply.

Although my inclination is to give a ruling immediately, my instincts tell ~e a certain thing, I wish to be sure of it and therefore the only courtesy that I can extend 1210

March 27, 1979 Tape 486 PK - 3 Mr. Speaker: to all hon. members is to adjourn for a few minutes so that I speak~not from my instincts,but from my knowledge. SOME HON. MEMBERS : Hear, hear! 1.21.1.

~rch 27th., 1979 Tape ::-<o. 487 DW- 1 ~- SPEAKE!'.: (Mr. Otte_nheimer) Order, please! As with a number of matters 1 the decision on this was not as immediately evidented as I had thought.! am not aware of any precedent in this House of Assembly and to my knowledge there was no precedent in Ottawa. Standing Order 53 (

b) in our Standing Orders reads, " A reply shall be allowed to the mover of a substantive motion but not to the mover of an amendment, the previous question or an instruction to a Committee." What has to be decided is whether the motion is substantive or not. To examine the various k~ds of motions, fifth edition of Beauchesne, page 151 and 152 distinguishes between four general kinds,what he calls substantive, privileged,of which there are a number of different kinds,incidental and subsidiary.

Substantive is defined by Beauchesne as follows, "Substantive motions are self­ contained proposals, not incidental to any proceeding, amendab~e and drafted in such a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House." I think the full understanding of that really is apparent when one compares it with kinds of superseding motions and dilatory motions and others. The motion before the House is that the hen. member for Bonavista North (Mr. Cross). be designated Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker.

I have to ask myself whether that motion contains a self-contained proposal ,whether it is incidental to any proceeding~ whether it is amended and drafted in such a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House 1and I have to say that it is substantive motion which gives the hon. member a right of reply. And I must inform hon. members that if the hon. member speaks now he closes the debate. 121.2

March 27, 1979 PREMIER PECKFORD: for that ruling. MR. W. ROWE: MR. SPEAKER: Tape No. 488 NM - 1 Mr. Speaker, thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Order, please! I recognize the hon. Leader of the Opposition. Whenever there is a right of reply that closes the debate,it is incumbent upon the Chair to advise hon. members of that at each time. I did not have the opportunity the last time because a point of order carne up so quickly,but I do so now. And then I have to recognize any hon. member who has not spoken to exercise his right to speak. The hon. Leader of the Opposition. MR. W. ROWE: Mr.

Speaker, I will not delay the House very long at all. I will just reiterate one or two points that have been made and introduce a new point.

First of all, Sir, I would have appreciated very much -not myself personally; I could not care 1ess 1 to tell you the truth -but as the leader of a group in the House of Assembly -and if there was another group in the House of Assembly the same courtesy should be afforded to the leader of that group -I would have appreciated being informed of the motion which the hon. the Premier, especially his first motion before this House, the motion which he was going to bring forward, especially since it is a matter of great delicacy. It is not something which is necessarily a government motion.

It is a matter which affects the members of the House individually and groups in the House and therefore whenever possible the hon. the Premier, or the hon. the 1213

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 488 NM - 2 MR. W. ROWE: House Leader should always, in my view, resort to the traditional courtesy of conferring with the leaders of groups in the House in order to make sure that wherever possible the election of a Speaker, a Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Cornrnittees,for example, is unanimous, if that can be achieved.

Because every member of course is bound by the decisions of such an hon. gentleman sitting in that Chair and it is good for that hon. gentleman and the House to know that everybody in the House has respect for that gentleman as a referee in this House, as a Speaker or a Deputy Speaker. That is the reason why this courtesy has grown up over the years. Therefore, it would have been better if the Premier had done us that courtesy, either through his House Leader and my House Leader or directly to me. To answer the question which the hon. member for Conception Bay South (Mr.

Nolan) raised concerning my seconding of the motion, let me say quite clearly and plainly here now that the only reason I seconded the motion was because I did not want to embarrass in any way the hon. member for Bonavista North (Mr. Cross). I am sure that he probably thought that the matter had been settled across the House and for me to get up and say, "No, I am not going to second it," or "I am not going to do this," would have been embarrassing to him as well as embarrassing to the new Premier. So, therefore, I decided that I would second the motion, even though I had no prior notice of it. 1214

Narch 27, 1979 Tape No. 488 NM - 3 MR. W. ROWE: Let me also say, I do not know what my colleagues feel on this matter because we had not had a chance to discuss it in caucus, let me say for my part, I have no regrets about having seconded 1.215

March 27, 1979 Tape 489 EC - 1 MR. W. N. ROWE: the motion. I would like to see the han. member in the Chair as a Deputy Speaker. We will see how he makes out in that position. I wish him all the best in the position, assuming that this motion passes. It can pass because the government, of course, has the majority in the Rouse. I have no regrets about seconding it.

The only regret I have is that the normal courtesies did not prevail in this particular case and that this matter, which should not have been a matter of any animosity, any acrimony, any debate whatsoever, as a matter of fact has given rise to this debate which probably in a way can be looked at as wasting the time of the Rouse, and it is unfortunate that the new Premier got off on such a bad footing. Sir. Thank you, MR. SPEAKER: (Mr. Ottenheimer) If the bon. the Premier speaks now he closes the debate. PREMIER PECKFORD: Mr.

Speaker, I feel obligated to rise and respond to some of the criticisms levelled my way to this side of the House by hon. members opposite. It just so happens, Mr. Speaker, in trying to be fair and democratic and to ensure that equal and fair representation from both sides of the House were given as it related to the appointment of officers for this House - political, if you will, for want of a better word: officers for this House- that yesterday I asked for a meeting with the hon. the member for Fogo (Capt. E. Winsor) and invited him to take the position of Deputy Chairman of Committees of this House.

And the han. member for Fogo said that he would consult with his leader and give me an answer today- not Deputy Speaker, Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. I invited a member from the Opposition to be a part of the officers of this House to act in the role as Deputy Chairman 1216

~larch 27, 1979 Tape 489 EC - 2 PRE~IER PEC~FORD: oi Committees, to be a part of t he process of this House. !he bon. the member for Fogo (Capt. E. Winsor) then indica ted to me1 as I would have done if I were in his position, "1 must consult with my Leader and then I will give you a decision tomorrow." The hon. the ~e~oer for Fogo th~n went and spoke co his leader and today at around qua rter to one, twelve minutes co one, he came to my office and indicated t hat he was unable to accept the position of Deputy Chairman of this bon . House. I think, Mr.

Speaker, that this demonstrates a desire on the part of ~yself and on the part of the government that I represent that we want to be democratic, that we want to involve members on bot h sides of the House into the ongoing ope r ations of this institution. SOKE RON . ME~BERS: Hear, l:.ear! PRE~IER PECKFORD: Mr . Speaker, 1 am not one, and this go vernment and the Cabinet here that were appointed today are not people who wish to be autocratic, who wish to be dictatorial. We want co see this hon. Hou se operated in a respecta ble aanner involving all ~embers of the Souse.

And this was ~hy ! , yesterday . in total possession of my faculties, asked the hon . member for Fogo to participat e in the ongoing operation of this hon. House , and why 1 1217

~arch 27,1979 Tap~ No. 490 AH-1 PREHTER PECKFORD: offer~d him on b~half of th~ gov~rnm~nt, on b~half of th~ Hous~,if you will,to mov~ a motion. .~d now today, Mr. Sp~aker, it so happ~ns, as somebody has already indicated, the hon. member for Conception Bay South (Mr.Nolan), that I have be~n a busy man in the last couple of days and I have no motion to put forward as to who should be th~ Deputy Chairman of Committe~s.

The only motion that I have to put forward today to hen. members is a motion for the member for Booavista North (Mr.Cross) to be Deputy Speaker because I had offered a position to the Opposition benches and th~y hav~ refused. So therefore I have - MR. NE.~Y: MR. SPEAKER:(Mr.Ott~heimer) PREMIER PECKFORD: That is not true. Order, please! I have offered a position to a ~ember of the Opposition, that position has been refused by that member,and I thought I had done what was right and proper, democratic: to involve all members of the House, all parties in the House in the ongoing operation of this hen. institution.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I make no apologies_to the Leader of the Opposition,or anybody on the other side,in the way I have tried to conduct and to start this House off on the right foot this time. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. W.ROWE: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point affecting,! suppose~my privileges as a member of the Reus~ and - MR. SPEAKER: A point of privilege. MR..W.ROWE: -the privilege of the House on this fresh new matter which the hen. the Premier has now introduced into the d~bate and for the record, Sir, it cannot go unchallenged or un~ualified as compared to what he has said.

Now it has got nothing to do with th~ matter of fact, Sir, it has got to do with my having b~~n mention~d as a m~mb~r and having had conferred with the hen. member for Fogo (Capt. Winsor) concerning his appointment or election as Deputy Chairman of Committees of this House. MR. MARSHALL: I rise on a point of privilege. 1.21.8

¥-arch 27,1979 Tape No. 490 AH-2 MR. !lEARY: He is on a point of privilege. Sit down, boy, and do not be making a fool of yourself. _ MR. SP~R:(Mr.Ottenheimer) Order, please! I must ask both bon. tentle- meu to take their seats. When a point of privilege b being p-resented obvi()usly nothin.g can interject or supercede it. There is au onus upon the bon. member presentiD.g it and upon the Chair to be strictly relevaut and not t .o enter into debate. And then of course the Chair is in a position to say whether there is a prima facie case or not.

So I c.~l this to the hon. gentleman's attention and ask him I think in general; I am not indicating the bon. member who is now speaking -but in general there haS been a tendl!llcy to allow these submisstons on privilege for people t~ take too wide an advantage and to go to too g·reat length~ The hon. member. MR.W.ROWE: This is the nature of the poin .t of privilege, Sir, which has often been used in this House also, p.erhaps, called in the literature a point of personal explanation. Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Fogo (Capt.Winsor) came to me yesterday afte~oon and indicated - 12i9

March 27, 1979, Tape 491, Page 1 -- apb MR. W.N.ROWE: and it was news to me. It had never been mentioned to me before as Leader of the Opposition- that he had been asked by the Premier to become Deputy Chairman of Committees. I said, "Interesting, and we will discuss it tomorrow morning." The next morning we did discuss it. The matter was even raised in caucus, although I did not raise it in caucus as the result of having conferred with the hon. the Premier, and I said to the hon. the member for Fogo (Capt. Winsor), Mr. Speaker, "Do what you want to do. Make up your own mind on it.

You can decide to become Deputy Chairman of Committees or you can decide not to become Deputy Chairman of Committees; the matter is in your hands." And when he left me, the hon. member, I did not know what his decision was going to be, for that matter. He went down and conferred with the Premier and came back - I had an inkling what it was going to be because he had indicated to me earlier - but he went down and he told the Premier he could not take the position of Deputy Chairman of Committees.

But for the hon. the Premier, or for any minister, Sir, in some way to give the impression that the Opposition were against this, or that I was personally against it, or that we said no to the hon. member for Fogo, Sir, is a complete misstatement of the true situation. I want the record to show that, Mr. Speaker. And if the hon. the Premier would care, Sir, to ask his House Leader to confer with the Opposition House Leader, or if he wishes to speak to me on it, I will be happy to do so.

If we want to make an arrangement by mutual consent as to whom should be the officers of the House, I would be delighted, within ten minutes notice, Sir, to meet the hon. the Premier and to discuss that matter and if possible to get a by-partisan representation among the officers of the House. 1220

March 27, 1979, Tape 491, Page 2 -- apb MR. NEARY: MR. W.N.ROWE: that, Mr. Speaker. SOME HON. MEMBERS : PREMIER PECKFORD: Hear, hear~ I would be delighted to do Hear, hear~ Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege, or as the Leader of the Opposition likes to call it, a point of personal explanation& I think that I should have the opportunity to respond in the same way the Leader of the Opposition did. Let the records show, Mr. Speaker, that I offered a member of the Opposition, who consulted then with his leader.

There was no great positivism, there was no great overwhelming support from the Leader of the Opposition to one of his caucus members to participate in being an officer of this House and that the Leader of the Opposition wants to now suddenly get up and wash his hands, Mr. Speaker, completely of the matter. That is one thing. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh~ MR. SPEAKER(Ottenheimer): Order, please~ Order, please! I must point out to the hon. gentleman, and I will read the rubric under which both his remarks and the han. gentleman to my right's remarks are being entertained.

May, page 343, "In regard to the explanation of personal matters, the House is usually indulgent and will permit a statement of that character to be made without any question being before the House." Further on; "No debate should ensue thereon. But if another member is involved in the personal statement he is generally allowed to give his own view of the matter and to say whether he accepts it or not." Further on; "General arguments or observations beyond the fair bounds of explanation, or too distinct a reference to previous 1221.

Maret: 27, l 979 Tape 492 Mr. Soeaker: (Mr. Ottenheimer): debates are out of order. The hon. gentleman to my right, under that rubric,gave an explanation of a matter as it affected him. I recognized the hon. Premier because since he was involved he also has the right then to make a brief comment, but there may be no debate. SOME HON. EMBERS: Hear, hear~ PREMIER PECKFORD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, very much. Suffice it to say, Mr. Speaker, that a position as an officer of this House was offered to a member of the Opposition who consulted with his leader, and that hon. member who was offered the position refused.

PK - l MR. SPEAKER: The motion before the Chair is that the hon. member for Bonavista North (Mr. Cross) be elected Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees. SOME HON. MEMBERS: MR. SPEAKER: SOME HON. MEMBERS: MR. SPEAKER: SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear~ Those in favour "Aye". "Aye"._ Contrary "Nay". The Ayes have it. Hear, hear~ declare the motion carried. STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! PREMIER PECKFORD: Mr. Speaker, I wish to touch briefly on the legislative programme which my government will put before this hon.

House during the remainder of this ses:ion. Changing conditions demand new i ri tiatives and we as a societ ' , 'nd this House as its centra 1 orgar l '' Ust pro vi de answers to new prob 1 ems as well as new answers to our new perception of some old problems. Mr. Speaker, the following are typical of the new initiatives which will be requested. 1222

March 27, 1979 Tape 492 PK - 2 Premier ~eckford: 1t is, I am sure , the earnest desire of all members of this House that ~~e alleviate the social, economic and transportation difficulties currently experienced by the people of Labrador at the earliest possible date . It is tru e that many of these problems can be solved without legislative action. However, this -louse can do something 'lihich is both a concrete steo forliard and also symbolic of our broader commitment. That something is to establish a fourth separate seat in this House for the Labrador portion of this Province. SO~IE HON . MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER PECKFORO: Conseouently, Mr. Speaker, I will later today take great pleasure in giving notice of my intention to introduce a bi 11 which wi 11 pro vi de the peop 1 e of Labrador •Hi th that fourth seat. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! PREMIER PECKFORD: t1r. Speaker, this "i 11 ~~i ll propose that a ne~1 district, to be called "Torngat Mountains;• be established to take in the coast of Labrador, North of Gros~1ater Bay and Lake Melville.

That portion of :he coast of Labrador South of Lake Melville and Groswater Bay. ' ncluding the area now in the District of Straits of Belle Isle :would comprise the district of Eagle River. I might add that the bill at the same time would amend the boundaries of the District of Baie Verte-!·1hite Bay 1223

March 27, 1979 Tape 493 SD-l P~~ER PECKFORD: so that the Roddickton area would lie henceforth in the District of Straits of Belle Isle, an arrangement which should both serve the people of the Roddicton area better than the present and give the member for Baie Verte-white Bay a more manageable district. Mr. Speaker, I urge this House to give its speedy and unanimous approval _of this bill as a symbol of our deep concern for the problems faced in the mainland part of our Province. Mr.

Speaker, increased affluence, industrial development and resource activity are daily putting increased pressures on our natural environment. While it is true that we are more fortunate in this respect than many other jurisdictions, we can not be complacent . There have already been many cases where our carelessness has caused great, and sometimes irreversible, damage to our natural environment, With new and accelerated industrial and resource activities just around the corner, it is vital that we ensure that these activities take place so as to effect our natural environment in the least way possible.

Consequently, Mr. Speaker, my Government will be introducing a Bill to be entitled "The Environmental Assessment Act" which will provide for a framework to ensure that the environmental aspects of all projects which either involve Government approval or funding are subjected to a rigorous environmental assessment. I might add, Mr. Speaker, that the framework of the act will ensure that while the environment is protected, the red tape is kept to a minimum. This Province, Mr. Speaker, needs industrial and resource development and we must ensure that our regulatory systems do not unnecessarily hinder development.

The new Environmental Assessment Act will, I am sure, strike the proper balance between these two objectives. Mr. Speaker, another area which requires the urgent attention of this House is the area of women's rights. In this respect we will place before the House two ~ills; one to be entitled "The Matrimonial Property Act" to ensure a more equitable division of property 1224

March 27, 1979 Tape 493 SD-2 PRE.'1IER PECKFORD: between spouses on the dissolution of marriage,and the other "An Amendment to the Human Rights Act" to remove certain discriminatory features as between sexes presently contained in certain acts of this Legislature. Mr. Speaker, over the last thirty years the people of this Province have gone through social, economic and political changes of great magnitude, Although we are part of the great Canadian family of provinces, our people have a very deep attachment to the histroical and cultural heritage that is theirs.

Perhaps more importantly they now realize the important role that such a strong culture can play in providing the underpinning for action in all sorts of fields of endeavor, We must, Mr. Speaker, as a people, make a deep commitment to give more aid and encouragement to our artists, .both professional and amateur. Consequently, Mr. Speaker, my Government will introduce a bill to establish a Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and to provide for a Newfoundland and Labrador Arts fund. As in all things, Mr. Speaker, Government cannot:. force-feed our cultural development.

The vitality of a society's cultural activities must remain the exclusive preserve of the individual. However, Mr. Speaker, Government and this House is called upon to provide new recognition and assistance and the proper climate for the development of our artistic community and our culture generally. I am sure I speak for all members of the douse in expressing these sentiments, The final area on which I would touch is the area of political reform. Mr. Speaker, it is essential to the vitality of our political processes that:. participation in those processes be free and open to all, in fact as well as in theory.

It is increasingly apparent to all, I am sure, that this Province must join with our sister jurisdictions en 1225

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 494 NM - 1 PREMIER PECKFORD: the Mainland in amending our Elections Act to provide for a disclosure procedure with regard to campaign contributions and to provide for the partial public financing of election expenses. I give notice of my government's intention to proceed vigorously with the bill presently on the Order Paper to amend the present Elections Act to do just that. Mr.

Speaker, in addition to ensuring that participation in our political process is free and open to all, we in this House must also portray an image of seriousness and work so as to maintain the trust placed in us by the people of the Province. In this respect, I would like to give notice that I will be asking the House to fully utilize the committee system already in place to deal with the forthcoming budget.

I furthermore look forward to the co-operation of the Opposition in a general way so that we can both enter the forthcoming general election, which is inevitable, proud of the respective roles that we have played in meeting the challenges which face this Provice today. Mr. Speaker, in the words of the ancient Chinese curse 1 "We live in interesting times; Opportunities and dangers abound." As a society, both provincially and nationall~ we vacillate between confidence in our potential and despair at our prospects.

History, particularly our own, tells us that by courageous,united action we can determine the shape of our future. This House is called upon to play a major role in that task, to provide a focal point in marshalling our collective courage, ingenuity and enterprise to take this Province through these perilous times and bring us to that far shore where lies a more prosperous and more equitatle society for us all. Let us pray that we are up to that task. 1226

1-!arch 27, 1979 PREMIER PECKFORD: SOME HON. MEMBERS: ~- SPEAKER: SOME HON. MEMBERS: ~. W. ROWE: Tape No. 494 Thank you very much. Hear, hear! NM - 2 The hon. Leader of the Opposition. Hear, hear! Mr. Speaker, the last time we had a Throne Speech that promised everything there was an immediate general election. I cannot help but say that I hope the same thing happens this time although - ~R. NEARY: No such luck. ~R. W. ROWE: - the situation may be somewhat complicated by the federal election. ~R. NEARY: Frank Ryan does not know what to do yet. ~R. W. ROWE: There is still time, Sir.

But without getting into any of the merits or demerits of the situation, there will be plenty of time for debate on it, Sir, let me by way of response to the Premier's Ministerial Statement first of all congratulate him personally for his election as the Leader of the PC Party, one of the two major parties in the Province, perhaps one of the three major parties in the Province after the next election. I see some of my friends in the gallery there today who hope that my words are true. Let me also congratulate him on his appointment as Premier of the Province.

He may have gotten off to a bit of a poor start but I do hope that it picks up from here. And I want to offer him my congratulations and my very best wishes as long as he is Premier, and as long as he is in this hon. House. MR. NEARY: For the time being. MR. w. ROWE: Let me also offer my congratulations to the hon. ministers who have been recently appointed~ The hon. President of the Executive Council who carne from the backbenches to go up in the government once more; the hon. 1227

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 494 NM - 3 MR. W. ROWE: backbenches to go up to the government once more. The hon. Minister of Finance, the member for St. John's South (Dr. Collins) I welcome him in his capacity as Minister of Finance although he may be missed, I do not know, as Deputy Chairman. We will have to see how the hon. member for Bonavista North (Mr. Cross) does there. I would also like to express the congratulations of this side of the House to the hon. member for Ferryland district (Mr. Power) on being elevated to the position of Minister of Tourism, and to the hon. member for Harbour Grace (Mr.

Young),who has become Minister of Public Works and Services. I offer them, Sir, our congratulations and the very best wishes of members on this side of the House. We will be watching them very carefully. We hope that they do do well in their port- folios. Naturally we will be offering criticism where it is merited or warranted and we will be offering advice as well. Let me, Sir, also welcome publicly here in the House the decision of the member for Port de Grave district (Mr. Dawe), to come back to his natural political horne as a member of the Liberal Caucus. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. W.

ROWE: We are delighted to have him join us, Sir, or rejoin us 1 1228

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 495 EC - 1 ~R. W. N. ROWE: a man of infinite political wisdom, experience, some twenty-five years or so, in the political life of the Province, and we certainly welcome him, as I say, back into our caucus and I do hope that he does reconsider his at least tentative decision not to enter into the next provincial election.

I hope he reconsiders that decision because I would personally very much like to see him run in some district in the Province, Whether it is the one he presently occupies or another one is a matter for his decision, but, Sir, I do hope that he chooses to stay in public life in this Province. Sir, let me make some comments of a general nature on what the hon. the Premier had to say and perhaps one or two matters on which he had no comment whatsoever. For example,I was a little disappointed not to hear him mention what the government's proposal is with regard to the Public Accounts Committee.

I thought he might have mentioned that. I do hope that before too long he will have a public statement on it. I hope that he intends as a new premier to resurrect that committee, make it vigourous, vibrant, buoyant and act as the watchdog of government spending in this House and outside at its committee meetin~s. MR. NEARY: yet. ~R. W. N. ROWE: But Frank Ryan has not told him That may be right.

And, Sir, I also hope that he will follow the tradition that is followed in nearly every civilized country using the parliamentary system of government of having the Opposition, specifically the Opposition Leader,name the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee - MR. NEARY: Hear, hear! MR. W. N. ROWE : - to make sure that the Public Accounts Committee has the fullest possible force and has the fullest possible effect when it comes to scrutinizing 1229

March 27, 1979 Tape 495 EC - Z MR. W. N. ROWE: spending. and watchdoging government MR. NEARY: Hear, hear! MR. W. N. ROWE: Another thing which was not mentioned, Sir, was the strange goings on with regard to the Department of Housing. Before the House closed down prior to the P.C. Leadership Convention, the most important item of priority on the government's plate, as expressed to us by the bon. then House Leader (Mr. Hickman) was to get this Department of Housing through the House.

Now we suddenly find that the matter has fallen in priority and that we have a Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing again,which was the traditional way of handling that particular portfolio, But we were under the impression that the government, the ministry were going to pursue new directions, new departures from the old way of doing things, so I am surprised that the hon. the Premier did not mention that in his list of goodies announced to the House a little earlier on. As far as the fourth seat for Labrador is concerned, Mr.

Speaker, there is nothing that the Premier could have mentioned that would be more welcome to members on this side of the House. Your Honour will recall that when the commission which was set up reported and asked for briefs,we submitted briefs to the commission along those lines that there should be four seats in Labrador , the Liberal caucus- I, as a matter of fact, had some hand in drafting the submission. When the matter came up for debate because of a bill introduced into this bon.

House to redistribute the seats in Newfoundland and Labrador, once again we dug in rather forcefully,!£ memory serves me correctly - MR . ~ EARY : ei ght. 1230

~arch 27, 1979 MR. W. ~. ROWE: seat for Labrador. Tape 495 EC - 3 - in our efforts to get a fourth We thought that that was of vital importance. We considered the way it was handled,and that is straddling the Strait of Belle Isle with a quarter of a seat in Labrador, we thought that was the wrong way then, we think it is the wrong way now, although the seat has been very adequately represented, greatly represented by the present incumbent. But, ~r.

Speaker, w~ have always been in favour of a fourth seat for Labrador and we certainly believe that that should be proceeded with post haste in order to make sure that before the next election is called the people of Labrador do have an opportunity to have this extra seat.

I would mention, Sir - and this will come up when the bill comes in for debate - I will mention that I have grave misgivings - and perhaps the government draftsmen can take this under consideration as a result of the government stating their position on it - but I have grave misgivings over the intention stated by the Premier to have the Roddickton area taken out of Baie Verte - White Bay and put in the Straits of Belle Isle.

One of the main reasons, Sir, is that this, without further change, will make the3traits of Belle Isle district, which is one of the most rural districts in the Province, one of the most far-flung districts in the Province, a district of some 12,COO or 13,000 in population, and a district, Sir, which,I would say without getting into debate, would be impossible for any man or woman no matter how good, how great a representative in this House to adequately 123~

~!arc:h 27., 19 79 Tape No. 496 DW - 1 !1R. ILN. ROWE: represent and I do hope that t~e government before it comes into the House,and we have our sides dr~ and we get into a sort of a confrontation position on it, that the government can take that into consideration because I think that would be a mistake. The women's rights, Sir, I will just touch on that very briefly. You will remember, Sir, that in the last session of the House one of my hon. colleagues,! believe the member for Windsor- Buchans (Mr.

Flight),introduced a private member's resolution in the House calling upo• the government to bring in this legislati~n to make sure that matromonial property could be properly looked after by legislation~and also we made some references to needed changes in the Human Rights Act. I am glad to see that the hon. the Premier has followed our advice in this regard.! do not know what kind of argument he has gotten from the }linister of Justice because youwill recall that he did not want to bring in le~islation.

He wanted to bring in a white paper and have it discussed and debated and perhaps legislation brought in somewhere down the road. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of matters which are also mentioned but I will clue it up as quickly as I can, not touching on everything but some of the more important matters. Political reform;again, Sir, we have expressed our position publicly as being completely in favour of the initiatives which the hon. the Premier has now announced.

The only problem with it, Sir, and the ~atromonial Properties Act legislation as well and other matters mentioned, is that they have been promised by the P.C. administration from time to time in the past, seven or eight times as a matter of fact.

I do hope that this time we have a committment which will be written into law and as long as it ie a reasonable, decent piece of legislation which encourages and fosters democracy in this Province then of course it will go through this House,with debate certainly because members will have to have their say on it but without any needless ·acrimony or without any stalling: whatsoever because we would like to see that as much as anyone else in the Province. 1232

~arch 27th., 1979 Tape No.496 DW - 2 ~. W.N. ROWE: The Committee, Sir, referring the Budget to the Committee of the House for scrutiny: That is a matter which again I would ask the hon. the Premier to tread very softly on.

I would like,as a member of this House and Leaner of the Opposition,to state my position without having heard in detail what the Prenier proposes~ but the more debate in a public forum like this House on tae public spending in this Province the better it is for the people concerned and the more we tend to take matters out of this House and put them in to a committee which may not be adequately covered by the press,because the press cannot be everywhere,which may not provide for a reasonable amount of debate on gove~ment expenditures, then, Sir, the more the people of this Province will suffer.

I would like to see the govern­ ment step very softly to make sure that they are very circumspect about what they are doing before they whip away from this House the right to scrutinize every single department of government and the spending in it when the budget and the estimates are brought before the hon. House. Finally, Sir, although the hon. Premier did not refer to it directly in his speech,I would like to say a word about his new administration.

It is a matter which was rai~ed publicly earlier today by the Premier,! have already wished the new Cabinet the very best as far as we can wish the~ the very best in their duties and their jobs. I will say, Sir, that a number of people I have talked to outside the House as well as my ot~ colleagues were somewhat disappointed that the expectations which were raised were not fulfilled. We have no new faces in the Cabinet although everyone in the Province expected to see a number of faces from outside the confines of the backbenches of the P.C. Party in this House.

We have in effect,I suppose, what could be called a reshuffled Moores administration with a number of new faces from the backbenches being brought into the Cabinet. We expected more new faces from the outside which would have given a better indication that this was a government which was going to provide new 1233

Xarch 27 ., 1979 Tape No . 496 ow - 3 ~!R.

W. ~ • RO!JE: direction, going to provide new policies, new depanures fro !!! t-'1~ •>ld •.rays of doing things and I do hope, Sir, that this disappoin tment with regard to t!:le personnel, not to th e peopl e who are in i t although the Cabinet is far too large with seventeen people , but the fact t hat there are not other new people in i t as the hon. the Premier and others indicated during the P.c. leadership race that this fi:::s t disappointment which we have had with re~ar~ to the Cabinet is not in fact one of a se r ies of dis appointm ents in that regar d which we will see over the coming weeks .

Thank you, ~!r . Speaker. SOME BON • }!E~1BRRS: Hear, hear! 1234

March 27,1979 Tape No. 497 AH-1 ~. SPEAKER:(Mr.Ottenheimer) The hon. minister. MR. MORGAN: ~r. Speaker, I wish to make a Ministerial Statement. I would like to advise this hon. House that approval has n~ been given by this government for a special interim financial assistance programme for broiler producers affected by the recent labour dispute at the Newfoundland Farm Products. SOME RON . MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR.MORGAN: As most people , know, all parties directly involved with the broiler and swine industries in the Province incurred substantial losses because of the strike at the abattoirs, at both Pleasantville and Corner Brook, including producers, the feed companies and the corporation itself. The most seriously affected by the event, however, were the broiler producers themselves in that they were unable to recover financially to the extent that they could reconvene business with any likelihood that theyrcould remain financially viable.

A great many of the birds they had had to be condemned during the period of the strike and consequently producers made no profit with which to continue payments to the feed companies for past debts and, more importantly and a more significant factor ~ to be able to purchase new feed supplies so vital to them to start new crops of chickens. Consequently, some broiler producers could quite easily have their operations fold if not for the government assistance now forthcoming. So based on a number of meetings with the parties involved the following has now been approved by the 'rovincial Cabinet.

Government will guarantee payments to the producers to a minimum of seventy-five per cent of the feed and chicken costs,plus forty cents per bird for birds,in the barns during the strike~which they lost. A return by the way of approximately thirty-seven to forty cents per bird over the feed and chicken costs was considered to be a normal return to the producers in the Province. 1235

~!arch 27,1979 Tape No. 497 AR2 MR. MORGAN: Applying this formula to the various producers it is estimated that the total interim payments would be in the vininity of S400, 000. This is including the East Coast and ~o/est Coast producers. I might also, Mr. Speaker, point out that certain qualifications have to be added to this scheme of financial assistance. I will mention these qualifications briefly.

(1) Before any payment is made to any producer there should be a written agreement reached between the producer and the feed company concerned that a new crop of birds will be started in the producer's barns and supplied with necessary feed inputs. Also, the invoices for feed and chicks must also be submitted to government before we make a payment to them.

(2) The above calculations of cost are estimates only, as the exact details of the losses to the producers and the feed companies and others concerned are not yet available. ( 3) There will be a review of the total losses caused by the strike in order to determine and recommend a final compensation formula.

(4) Newfoundland Farm Products Corporaticn has already absorbed other major costs associated with the strike, i.e. , the transportation of the product to· the Mainland, payments for low grading product caused by heavy weights, losses in the market place. These total losses have not been incurred by Newfoundland Fzrm Products Corporation as yet, therefore the value of these losses is presently unavailable.

(5) It '"as anticipated, Mr. Speaker, that this year Newfoundland Farm Products Corporation would have an operating surplus; however~now because of the strike situation and the occurance of that strike the annual governme•nt grant which we hoped to be reduced this year by $400,000 will not now occur. 1236 =

~arch 27,1979 Tape No. 497 AH-3 Mil. MORGAN: Mr. Speaker, it is hoped that this financial assistance, this new sch~ now , this interim financial scheme for the broiler producers in the Province will enable the broiler producers who have been hit particularly hard to adopt some reasonable optimisl!l in that industry and that they may be able to continue in their present endeavours and hopefully maintain an il!lPortant segment of our current agricultural economy. SOME HON • MEMBERS : !ffi. SPEAKER: MRS. MciSAAC: Hear, hear! The bon. member for St. George's. I just want to make a couple of comments, Mr.

Speaker, o.n the minister's statel!lent. I understood that he said that Newfoundland Far111 P~oducts annual grant would be reduced by $400,000 which I understand would be the total amount that the government is putting into Newfoundland Farm Products. I understand it is $400,000 ann~, per year. MR.. MORGAN: ~S.MciSAAC: No, it is $~.6 million per year. Then I would say, Mr. Speaker, that if the g.overnment is putting $2.6 miilion into Newfoundland Far111 Products they should certainly look on it as SQllle·thing that they 1237

March 27, 1979 Tape 498 PK - l Mrs. Mcisaac: should have a little more control over and see that working conditons do not get to the level that they were, and the thing is that this is what caused this strike. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MRS.

MCISAAC: And there is $2.5 million of the taxpayers money going into it, and it is not being very well controlled by government as working conditions get to the level that they got to this year where Newfoundland Farm Products workers went out on strike and as a result put all the broiler producers out of business in the Province, some of them are probably out forever and a day. I see no way in the world that some of those broiler producers are ever going to get back into business - PREMIER PECKFORD: They will now. MRS.

MCISAAC: - even with the subsidy, With the amount that the government are going to put into it,I do not see that it is going to put those broiler producers back into business - MR. NEARY: Bad labour relations. MRS. MCISAAC: - unless there is a lot less broiler producers in the Province than think there are. That is all I want to say, Mr. Speaker.

I think that if we are pumping that much money into something we should certainly see that working conditions are up to standard and try and eliminate strikes and look after the people who are trying to earn a living and trvinq to orovide jobs for other people in the area such as the broiler producers and prevent the import of frozen products from other provinces. Thank you. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. SIMMONS: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. MR. SPEAKER: (MR. OTTENHEIMER): A point of order. MR. SIMMONS: Mr.

Speaker, the minister who just reported he has been reported publicly as the Minister of Lands and Forest, The legislation now, of course, calls for the Department of Forestry and Agriculture, and 1238

March 27, 1979 Tape 498 PK - 2 Mr. Simmons: I can well understand his having reported as he has done today or given a statement because of the existing legislation. But I wonder would the Premier or the Government House Leader undertake to inform the House what minister is responsible for what department pending the new legislation. Do I ask, for example, the member for Bonavista South (Mr. Morgan) questions related to agriculture at this moment or do I ask the member for Naskaupi (Mr. Goudie)? I wonder could somebody indicate to us in what portfolios these ministers were sworn into this morning?

And more particularly what responsibilities will be theirs until the new legislation is through the House? SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. SPEAKER (MR. OTTENHEIMER): The hon. the Premier. PREMIER PECKFORD: To that point of order, Mr. Speaker, I think that is an appropriate question to be asked under Oral Questions, Section (6) of the Agenda for today's proceedings. SOME HON. MEMBERS: MR. SPEAKER: CAPT. E. WINSOR: MR. CALLAN: CAPT. E. WINSOR: Oh, oh! PRESENTING PETITIONS The hon. member for Fogo. Mr. Speaker, be~ to present a petition - Beg leave. - on behalf of 317 voters of Fogo.

And the prayer of the petition is that "whereas the Fogo Island Fishermen's Co-op located at Wingwha in Fogo is a prime producer of fish products;

whereas the fresh and salt fish from the stages and flakes along the Northside of Fogo is produced and handled along the side and unpaved heavily travelled road;

whereas the said road on the Northside which is upgraded at a joint expense to the Province and Fogo Town Council of in excess of $100,000 three years ago is again rapidly deteriorating and will need extensive renovation- or upgrading,! should say- if not paved during the coming construction season;

whereas all the roads in Fogo have not seen major construction in years and are literally impassable; 1239

~larch 27, 1979 Tape 498 PK - 3 Caot. E. Winsor:

whereas Fogo Town Council cannot meet the cost of major road constr uction, we1 the people of Fogo:do earnestly petition the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to help us with the following priorities ; ( 1) pave the said road leading to the Fogo fish plant and the said road on the Northside of Fogo during this coming construction season.'' SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! CAPT. E. WINSOR: " Up9rade the remaining roads in Fogo during the construction season of 198Q and pave the said remaini ng roads in Fogo during the constructio n season of 1981." Now, Mr.

Speaker, it is coincidental that I should oresent this petiti on here in this House this afternoon because it is only a fe-w hours previous to this that the new i·1inister of Transportation and Communications is a native son of Fogo Island. can see great hope now for roads on Fogo Island and especially this particular one on the Northside of Fogo. I do not have to use any argument to convince the han. minister how bad those roads are. It does not only apply to Fogo itself, it applies to 1240

March 27, 1979, Tape 499, Page 1 -- apb CAPT. WINSOR: the whole of Fogo Island. I would strongly urge the minister to give very serious consideration to this petition if for no other reason but the fact that he is a native son of that area. Previously there have been some tentative commitments made to do some upgrading and paving of roads on Fogo Island this year. I trust the new minister will adhere to that and do all in his power in convincing other members of the cabinet how important it is to have roads in Fogo and roads on Fogo Island, upgraded and paved.

The hon. minister knows that Fogo Island now is a very productive area. It has become a very self-reliant community and I am sure the hon. minister feels very proud of that fact. When he was Minister of Welfare- or Social Assistance- I think he took great pride in saying that there were very few people on social assistance on Fogo Island. A great accomplishment! And now, the hon. minister,surely, will not let them down nor will he let the economy of Fogo Island deteriorate to a point where they will have to come once more, on their knees, begging for some road work. I submit, Mr.

Speaker, that Fogo Island,from now on,will get special attention in road construction. I firmly and strongly support this petition. I ask that it be received and placed on the table of the House and referred to the department to which it relates. MR. SPEAl<ER: LaPoile. MR. NEARY: The hon. the member for Mr. Speaker, I support the petition so ably presented by my colleague the member for Fogo (Capt.Winsor), on behalf of 317 of his 1.241.

March 27, 1979, Tape 499, Page 2 -- apb MR. NEARY: constituents, voters in the district of Fogo,who want to get their roads upgraded and paved. Now, Sir, I believe we have to take our hats off to the people on Fogo Island, Mr. Speaker. The people of Fogo Island, Sir, are an example to any community in this Province. If there is ever a community that pulled itself up by its boot straps, it is the people who live on Fogo Island. Now, Mr. Speaker, they have come from practically 100 per cent - MR. MORGAN: MR. NEARY: No thanks to resettlement. - 100 per cent - well, Mr.

Speaker, the hon. gentleman can yap, yap all he wants, Sir. MR. MORGAN: No thanks to resettlement. Th~y s~rvived ~n thei~ own. MR. NEARY: Mr. Speaker, I call upon the government House Leader to restrain the hon. gentleman.Before the decorum of the House is lowered, and before we create a bear pit in this House again, will the hon. House Leader restrain the members on the government side, please? Mr. Speaker, it is an example that should be followed in other parts of this Province.

Now, Sir, one of the things that the• people, the fishermen and the fishermen's co-op on Fogo are concerned about is the quality of their fish. They have to transport their fish over gravel roads that are muddy, dusty and dirty. And that is one of the main reasons, Sir, they want their roads upgraded and paved. And if there was no other justification, if there was no other justification in this world, Sir, that would be sufficient justification for the minister 1242

~arch 27, 1979, Tape 499, Page 3 -- apb HR. NEARY: year, not hesitate SOME HON . MEMB.ERS : MR. ~"EARY: to be moved in this fiscal Oh, oh! Mr. Speaker, I call upon the government Hous e Leader or the Premier to try to restrain the hon . member for Bonavista Sou~~ (Mr. Morgan), Sir. Otherwise, Your Honour knows that the decorum of the House is going to be lowered and I hope nobody will blame it on this side of the House, Sir . Here we a.re trying to do our duty to the people of thi s Province and we a.re being interrupted by members on the other side of the House .

Your Honour doe s not have to do anything , I just ask the government House Lead er to take note . Would the governm ent Hous e Leader take note of ~~at, pleas e? MR. MORGAN: Sit down! Do not be so foolish . Sit down! AN HON . NEl-!BER: Tell him not to embarrass the new leader. MR. NEARY: Mr . Speaker, the hon. gentleman is a source of 1243

Harch 27, 1979 Tape 500 EC - 1 MR. NEARY: embarrassment to the hon. the Government House Leader. So, Mr. Speaker, I support the prayer of the petition and I do hope, Sir, that in the interest of furthering the cause of the Fishermen's Co-op on Fogo Island and seeing to it that they get a good quality product in that co-op that the minister will,in this fiscal year coming up, make plans and set aside an allocation of funds to upgrade and pave the roads that are specified in the petition presented by my colleague. AN RON. MEMBER: MR. SPEAKER: (Mr. Cross) SOME RON. MEMBERS: MR. BRETT: Hear, hear! The hon. minister.

Oh, oh! Mr. Speaker, in responding to the petition, it has been suggested that maybe I should pave all the roads in Fogo Island, run against the hen. member and defeat him. Being a native son, it should not be that difficult a job. nut I acknowledge the petition and assure the hon. member that it will be considered along with the many needs for paving and reconstruction across the Province. MR. SPEAKER : (~r. Ottenheimer) 1-lenihek. The hon. the member for ~lR. ROUSSEAU: Xr. Speaker, I have another petition unless there is somebody else who wants to speak on this particular petition. Mr.

Speaker, I have a petition signed by 3,100 people from the towns of Labrador City and Wabush, only 3,100 people, Mr. Speaker, because as all hen. members of the House and I suppose most of the people on the Island part of the Province know, it is pretty cold this time of the year, but of the people canvassed, ninety-nine percent of them signed the petition. The petition, Mr. Speaker, reads in three parts and I would like to go over each one 1244

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 500 EC - 2 ~IR. ROUSSEAU: individually, if I may: "We, the undersigned residents of Labrador City and Wabush, hereby request and petition that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador lower the school tax in Labrador West while still providing the same standard of services in education available to Newfoundlanders living on the Island portion of our Province." Now, Hr.

Speaker, I renember standing up in this House of Assembly seven years ago and making a maiden speech in which I said, "The people of Labrador ask for no more but no less than the Island part of the Province." They are requested to pay, I think, now - I stand to be corrected - but I understand the highest school tax in the Province. They pay $15 more per person than the people in St. John's. ~ow, Xr. Speaker, I have on many occasions obviously not understood in the hon.

House and by the hon. people who attempt to try to understand the problems in Labrador that a person in Labrador has to take $2,000 to $3,000 net off a salary per year to arrive on the Island part of the Province to spend the Summer with his family, so that saying that the salaries in Labrador City and Wabush are much higher than the salaries on the Island portion of the Province, I do not feel, Hr. Speaker, nor do the people in Labrador City and Wabush feel, is correct. And by the way, Mr.

Speaker, also - and hon. members of the House, I am sure, are aware - not everybody in Labrador City and Wabush work at the Iron Ore Company of Canada or at Wabush Mines. Now, Mr. Speaker, I know that there are problems here and I must say I thank the Minister of Education. I presented the petion to him some weeks ago and he responded to it and this morning the Chair person for the committee met with the minister and listened to the poin~s put across by the committee and,as I say, I appreciate that very much. But I certainly would like to feel on 1245

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 500 ~c - 3 MR. ROUSSEAU: behalf of the 3,100 people in Labrador City and ~abush who presented this petition to me to present to this bon. House that at least their needs will be heard and that they will be asked co pay no more than or no less than - if that be the wish of the decision makers - that it be equalized between the Island part of the Province and the western part of the Mainland pa rt of our Province . They also request and petition the government to supply free school bus transportation for students attending our schools in Lab rador City and Wabush, and, Mr.

Soeaker. that is, I think , a reasonable request, the buses going in the morning and back in the afternoon. But again, we have 30,000 hearty souls, many of which have gone to Lab ra dor to work and have not gone to Alberta or soaewhere else but have gon e to Labrador to work when it was a wilderness and it is a cold, cold, cold area. And the kinderga r ten, ~rades f, II and III are not expected, I do not think, by any rational pe rson to walk back and forth in degrees approachin g 30, 40 or 50 below zero. There are no facilities in the schools up there for canteen services or luncheon periods. 1246

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 501 NM - 1 MR. ROUSSEAU: The children have to travel back and forth and at one point, Mr. Speaker, I lived less than a quarter of a mile from the school and mornings when I had to walk to school when my car was snowed in, that I would get very, very cold walking that very small distance. And some houses are three to three and a half miles away from the school. So it is a long walk. Finally we requested in a petition that you make available to the people of Labrador West a comprehensive explanation as to the use of all funds collected so far by the Labrador West School Tax Authority.

Now, Mr. Speaker, these I think are reasonable requests. I am going to make a suggestion and I would ask the Minister of Education, or his designate, and if it be his designate to do so with an open mind, to sit down with the school boards, with the School Tax Authority, and with this committee and try and reason out the problems that are being encountered by the people, the 3,100, and I am sure many more would, who have signed this petition. I think, Mr. Speaker, that ~s a reasonable request. I fully support the petition. I notice here on the page I have there are three names, Leo Barry, Bill Rompkey, and J.G.

Rousseau, who is the member of course, signed the petition. I fully support it. I refer it to the table of the House and ask that it be referred to the department to which it relates. MR. SPEAKER: Bay de Verde. MR. F. ROWE: The hon. member for Trinity - Mr. Speaker, I would like to support the petition so ably presented by the member for Menihek (Mr. Rousseau) on behalf of 3,100 people in 1247

Harch 27, 1979 Tape No. 501 NM - 2 MR. F. ROWE: Labrador City and Wabush City, concerning the lowering of the school tax in that area to make it comparable to the school taxes that are being paid on the Island portion of the Province. The member indicated that in one instance the school tax is $15 more than,! believe, the $75- so $90 - $15 more than the tax paid in St. John's. Sir, this just goes to point out the inequity of that particular school tax. It just cannot be applied equally and fairly throughout this diversified Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

And, Sir, that is why one of our policies obviously is to eliminate the school taxes in this Province as quickly and as soon as possible.

And I feel, Sir, since the revenue thatis gotten by the various school boards throughout the Province amounts to only approximately 2 per cent of their total revenue anyway, and you have all this duplication of administration for the collection of the school taxes and the school tax is one of the most regressive school taxes that is applied in this particular Province, that the one way of getting rid of the problems that the hon. member for Menihek brought to the House's attention this afternoon is to eliminate the school tax altogether, and pay for that 2 per cent out of the general revenue of the Province as we have indicated on various occasions over the last few years.

Sir, it is the most regressive tax and I do not know to what extent it occurs in Labrador City and Wabush City; we quite often think of that as being an area without very much unemployment and with necessarily not too manv pensioners and this sort of thing. I do not have an actual correct reading on that but one of the things that disturbs me greatly,and my colleagues,is the fact that collection agencies 1248

March 27, 1979 Tape SOl GH - 3 ~ffi. F. ROWE: are arbitrarily sending off demand notices, unknowingly presumably, to widows and widowers and pensioners and this kind of a thing and frightening the living day­ lights out of them because they think they are going to be brought to court the very next day. Sir, I repeat that I think in support of the particular petition that they only way to rectify the inequalities, inequities, the regressive nature of the school tax as indicated by the member for Menihek is simply to eliminate it altogether.

Sir, as far as the free transportation of students to school in Labrador is concerned, in Labrador City and Wabush City, I can certainly see a need for that under the very diverse weather conditions and the cold weather conditions in Labrador, particularly in the winter, but obviously if you do such a thing for Labrador City and Wabush City you certainly have to have a look at places like the Great Northern Peninsula and other parts of the Province, other than Labrador City in Labrador and on the Northern Peninsula and northeast coast where the same weather conditions really do apply.

So, in all fairness, we got to have a look at the whole provincial scene before we start making exceptions for any particular part of the Province. I did not get the last par~ 1249 =

Xarc:h 27, 1979 Tape 502 SD-1 MR. F.

ROWE: the third part of the memoer's petition to be presented, Sir, but I repeat that I do whole-heartedly support the petition and recommend to the Government that they look very carefully at the possibility of eliminating school taxes altogether because it is a most unfair tax and 1 simply put1 it is impossible, it is fiscally impossible to apply such a tax equally and fairly and squarely across this Province where you would not be hurting many people and I think that the School Boards can be adequately compensated for that approximately 2 per cent of their revenue through the general revenue of the Province.

MR. SPEAKER: (Mr. Ottenheimer) Hon. member for Placentia. MR. W. PATTERSON; Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to - MR. SPEAKER: Is this a separate petition? MR. W. PATTERSON: Another petition. MR. SPEAKER: I had thought the bon. gentleman was speaking to the same petition. Hon. Leader of the Opposition. MR. W.N. ROWE: Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the petition which was presented by the member for Menihek district (Mr. Rousseau). on behalf of thirty-one hundred residents of the area and I rise, Sir, to give it our whole-hearted support on this side of the House.

When this matter first came up there was some correspondence between the Chairperson of the Menihek Concern Citizens' Committee,who I believe was the person who really spearheaded this petition and went around,Miss Linda Gilles, and she, of course, sent letters of to the hen. Minister of Education with copies to a number of other people. And in that letter she made some very valid points which I will refer to very briefly, Sir.

I can table the letter as well, it makes no difference; most members of the House probably have it already, But, Sir, she makes mention of the fact that, as my hon. colleague did, that the School Tax Authority in the area issued a letter warning people that serious action will be taken against them - a fine of 25 dollars, 14 days in jail or both - if the tax was not paid and she said, "We feel that this sort of tactic is unnecessary as most 1250 =

March 27, 1979 Tape 502 SD-2 MR. W.!i. ROWE: people here are conscientious citizens." I would agree with that, Sir, it may be a little heavy handed. I do not know all the circumstances but certainly from the uproar that this kind of a tactic has caused, it may certainly be going beyond what is absolutely necessary. She also mentions the fact referred to by my hen. friend opposite that we have the highest school tax in Newfoundland, ninety dollars per working member of a family, fifteen dollars higher than that of St. John's area,with a projected increase this year.

She goes on to say to talk in terms of the amount having to be paid for the school bus fares, six dollars per child per month to a maximum of thirty dollars. Then she mentions a number of other things which are really in the nature of questions and shows, Sir, that perhaps the School ~ax Authorities may not be operating in a way which is conducive to information going to people in this Province who have to pay taxes. She says,"Who has the final authority in setting the school tax and bus fares for a particular areaZ Why are there such inconsistencies throughout the Province in the amount paid?

Is one area getting a larger grant than another and does one area pay more than another, for exampld" And she says, "That there seems to be very little public knowledge about our School Tax Authority and how money is spent. Is it possible to have this made available in a yearly report with highlights available to the press?" Very valid points, Sir, and very valid questions asked by the Chairperson of the Menihek Concern Citizens' Committee. I replied to the letter, of course, Sir, although it was only a copy to me with •a letter also to the hon.

Minister of Education setting out our position on it and I reiterated the fact that it is a matter of policy for the Liberal Party, the Liberal Caucus to eliminate school taxes as they are presently instituted and collected and that the cost oi education should come out of the general revenues of the Province and our main reason for doing that, Sir, is as my bon. colleague from Trinity-Bay de Verte (Mr. F.

Rowe) said, school taxes and that kind of taxes are the most regressive taxes possible and imaginable and are taxes which hit the poorar off people much harder than those who are better off and well able to pay. 1251

~arch 27 , 1979 Tape 502 SD- 3 MR. W.S. ROWE: One matter which was brought co =y attention was the reply from the ~nister of Education to Xs. Gilles, the Chairp erson,in vh~ch he states that the imposition of a poll tax of ninety doll ars was arrived at after a s tu.dy was made by the !ax Authori~J of salaries received by residents of Labrador Ci t y-Wabush as compared to St . John's and it was found that a tax of ninety dollars 1252

~arch 27, 1979, Tape 503, Page 1 -- apb MR. W.N.ROWE: in the Labrador West area was equivalent to a tax of $75 in the St. John's area. Well, Mr. Speaker, I do not know how they arrived at that figure. Anybody who spent any time in Labrador West and compared prices, for example, would know that it is not enough to compare the level of salaries which are being obtained by the people in Labrador West compared to St.

John's, you also have to look at all other factors as well, including things such as the cost of living, the cost of heating your horne in Labrador West during the Winter months, the high cost of the basic necessities of life, like food and clothing, in that particular area. Therefore, Sir, I would say that $90 as compared to $75 in the St. John's area, based on the salaries received, or the average salary received, is not the right way, not the equitable or fair way to arrive at the imposition of a school tax in that area, assuming one is going to have school taxes and school tax authorities.

I think there is rank discrimination in this regard. I am not sure if the member for Menihek district (Mr. Rousseau) stated that forcefully or not, but there is rank discrimination. And I think the fact that the tax could be arrived at on such a faulty data basis, faulty informational basis is enough to require the Department of Education to make sure that the tax is, at least for the time being, equalized.

And when a Liberal Government gets into power in this Province, Sir, we can assure the people of the Province, in Labrador and on the Island of Newfoundland, that school taxes as they are presently instituted and collected will be eliminated and we will no longer have this albatross hanging around the necks of so many people who are not able to pay it adequately 1253

March 27, 1979, Tape 503, Page 2 -- apb MR. W.N.ROivE: without cutting into the basic necessities of their lives. MR. SPEAKER(Ottenheimer) : LaPoile. MR. NEARY: The hon. the member for Mr. Speaker, I support the prayer of the petition presented by the member for Menihek, Sir. I had occasion recently, Mr. Speaker, to visit Labrador West. While I was there I was invited by the Chairman of the Concerned Citizens Committee, Mrs. Giles, to attend a meeting at her house, which I agreed to do.

That was before we faced off against the firemen in Labrador City during Mackey Night,when we down attending the Winter Carnival. It was a very interesting meeting, Mr. Speaker. And I want to point out to this hon. House, Sir, that the number of people that signed that petition is an indication of the strong feeling that the people of Labrador West have over this matter. It is almost unanimous, almost 100 per cent of the voting population.

People over eighteen years of age signed that petition strongly, vehemently opposing the discriminatory tax that has been slapped on them as opposed to the school tax that is being paid in other parts of the Province by people who live in industrial areas, urban areas and here in the City of St. John's. Ninety dollars is what they are being charged in Labrador City and Wabush, $90. The average across Newfoundland is $75.

And the reason they are given, as my hon. friend knows, the reason - and the former Minister of Education,who today was demoted and flicked out of that portfolio,told these people in Labrador West in a letter that the hon. gentleman wrote, that the reason was because their averag~ income was higher than it was in other parts of the Province. The hon. gentleman had no basis for saying 1254

~larch 27, 1979, Tape 503, Page 3 - - apb :>!R • NE..l.RY : s~at.ement. that. That was a false ~tr. Speaker, t.here was a time when you could argue that the income in Labrador tvest, In Labrador City and Wabush was higher than in any o~~er part of the Province. You could argue that but you cannot argue it today, Sir. The Post Office workers, the municipal employees in St. John's. Bowaters, Price (Nfld), the employees down in Baie Verte are probably t .aking home as much if not more as the workers in Labrador City and in Wabush.

So, therefore, Siz, as the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, it is rank discrimination, it is discrimination of the worst kind. And i: this House, Mr. Speaker, that gave the school tax au~~orities the right, who passed the law in this House to give them the right to collect that tax, if we cannot role it back, Sir, then we are not worth our salt, we are not fit to say that we are members of this House . Ne gave the 1255 --

March 27, 1979 Tape 504 PK - 1 Mr. Neary: School Tax Authorities the right to collect that tax, and if they abuse and misuse that right then it is up to us here in this House to remedy the situation. And God only knows the people of labrador West have been down-trodden, have been forgotten, have been neglected long enough without letting the school board in that area get away with charging this discriminatory tax, $15 more than in any other part of the Province. And if we cannot change it we should be ashamed of ourselves. We will all resign and go out and have a general election, if we cannot change that.

We have the authority in this legislature to do it and the fanner Minister of Education can say a 11 he wants," Oh, this is not up to us, it is not up to government, it is up to the school board!'' What' foolish nonsense, Sir! MR. SPEAKER (MR. OTTENHEIMER): Order, please! I must point out to the hon. gentleman that he is entering in the area of debate. MR. NEARY~ Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but get emotional over this issue, Sir. was there and I heard the feeling of the people and I know how they feel about this. They are terribly upset over it and I do not blame them. AN HON. MEMBER: Everybody is upset. MR.

NEARY: And the minister had the unmitigated gall to write the Cha i nnan of The Concerned Citizens, Group to say it is because your income is higher than it is in other parts of the Province . Mr. Speaker, so is the cost of living higher. AN HON. MEMBER: School taxes. MR. NEARY: Heating fuel, recreation and sport, housing, the cost of living, the cost of gas, clothing, transportation, everything is higher in Labrador West, and they are paying the highest school taxes in the whole Province.

People down there are no better off financially, no better off; they take horne no more than the postal 1vorkers in the City of St. John's. And therefore, Sir, it is our duty. Sir, we should be ashamed of ourselves if we do not force the school board to roll back that tax. 1.256

March 27, 1979 Tape 504 IB-2 MR. SPEAKER: The han. member for Naskaupi. ":-l. GOUDIE: Mr. Speaker, I would just like to take a couple of moments of the time of the han. House to offer my support to the petition presented by my colleague from Menihek district (Mr. Rousseau) in Labrador. I was contacted by Ms. Gilles by telephone some time ago having been in the area at the same time as the han. gentleman from LaPoile was there. I was not contacted at the time. However, I was contaced by telephone when the lady expressed the concerns which subsequently were expressed in the petition presented. I might add that in relation to the school busing

section of this particular petition, it is not new to me. I as a member of the press six or seven years ago went into the area and did a number of reports on the problem and I think it is a very valid point of the petition, the

section dealing with the busing of school children. The temperatures as the hon. member for Menihek suggested are extremely low in the Winter months. You get out in the daytime and you see ice crystals forming in the air. Every bit of moisture is wrung out of it and all you have are ice crystals going down into your body. It makes it a little difficult for young children to cope with as well as the older children attending schools up there. The $15 above the regular rate,if I can use that term, I think should very well be looked at as well in relation to the school tax and the school tax authority.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I support the petition. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member for Placentia. MR. PATIERSON: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Fair Haven, Placentia Bay. It reads: "We, the undersigned are all voters and residents of the community of Fair Haven in the electoral district of Placentia. We humbly and respectfully request that the road leading to the community of Fair Haven and roads around the community be paved if at all possible this fiscal year.

If the entire road cannot be paved,we would appreciate that a start be made and completed in two phases." Mr. Speaker, I wish to support this petition and to state that Fair Haven is a small community on the southside of 1257 =

March 27, 1979 Tape 504 IS-3 MR. PATIERSON: Placentia Bay. It is a fishing community and it is approximately nine miles from the Trans- Canada Highway. There is a gravel road in there. It was first built I believe in 1956 and since then it has been upgraded here and there but not enough to bring it up to a good standard. The children of Fair Haven are daily transported to a Trinity Say school over hazardous roads in the Wintertime. 1258

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 505 GH -1 ~lR. W. PATTERSON: I think that we should make an effort to try and bring this road up to grade, up to standard, and have it paved if at all possible this year. I would ask that this petition be tabled and referred to the Department to which it relates. MR. SPEAKER: Han. member for Lapoile. MR. NEARY: Just briefly, Sir, I do not want to delay proceedings, we wish to support the prayer of the petition presented on behalf of the member from Placentia East (Mr. Patterson) on behalf of his constituents in Fairhaven.

I must say, Sir, that people were very gentle and reasonable in the prayer of their petition. They said that if the Government could not see fit to pave the whole road this year they would be satisfied just to see it started and continue on next year and the following year. You cannot be any more reasonable than that, Mr. Speaker, and I cannot see how the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Transportation and Communications can resist a proposition like that that is so fair and reasonable. And I hope, Sir, that they will be able to start that road, at least get part of it done in this coming fiscal year. MR.

SPEAKER: MR. WOODROW: Hon. member for Bay of Islands. Mr. Speaker, I have a petition also. The prayer of the petition is;"We,the undersigned residents of the Electoral District of the Bay of Islands do hereby petition our Provincial Government to disallow any increase proposed by Newfoundland Hydro 1979-80. Any increase granted due to the increase in the cost of fuel cannot be justified due to the fact that we are charged each month on our Hydro bill for the fuel used by Newfoundland Hydro. This rate 1259 --

March 27, 1979 Tape 505 GH - 2 MR. WOODROW: fluctuates each month depending on the amount of fuel used." And, Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to say that on this petition we hava 993 names, taxpayers and/or residents, and there are more to follow. I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, just like to have three points to say about the petition. Number one, that I am deeply concerned and disturbed with the proposed application by the Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Corporation to increase Hydro rates by an estimated 20 per cent.

If such an increase is granted to Newfoundland Hydro, it will place another serious financial burden on individuals who are already finding it increasingly difficult to meet costs of escalating power rates, food and housing price increases. Number two, Mr. Speaker, Newfoundlanders are becoming sceptical about Newfoundland Hydr~ which has promoted an image of highly paid executives, expensive offices and executive jets. We simply cannot afford such luxuries in the wake of consistently increasing power rates, particularly in a Province abundantly rich in hydro-electric resources. Mr.

Speaker, I think that every Newfoundlander would add his name to the 993 residents who have already signed this petition. In the interest of all Newfoundlanders throughout the Province, I strongly urge Government to place a freeze on any power rate increase proposed by Newfoundland Hydro during the upcoming year. Now, Mr. Speaker, I have the petition placed with the proper department. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Leader of the Opposition. MR. W. ROWE: I rise once more to support this petition so eloquently and forcefully presented by the member for Bay of Islands (Mr.

Woodrow) 1 signed by 993 names. 993 people have signed their names to this petition. In doing so, Sir, I must express my regret and disappointment that this eloquent 1.2oo

March 27, 1979 Tape 505 GH-3 1•!R. W. ROWE: member of the House, knowledgeable, eX?erienced member of the House, has once more been passed over as far as the formation of a Cabinet is concerned. I was very, very surprised to see that. MR. NEARY: He supported the wrong cancidate. ~1R. 1<1. ROWE: Well, I do not think it should be a matter of support, I think it should be a matter of talent, how articulate a person is in getting out the Government's point of view and the policies, 1261. -·

~!arch 2 7, 19 7 9 Tape 506 RT-1 MR. W. ROWE: experience and the way a member conducts himself in the political forum and this hen. nember,passes with flying colours- XR. S. NEARY: That is right. MR. W. ROWE: -on all those points. I am very surprised and disappointed - MR. S. NEARY: One of our pets over there. MR. W. ROl-TE: Yes. I am very disappointed to see that the han. member is still in the back benches. I hope to see him in the Government, in the Cabinet, very shortly. member's petition. would support it. Sir, I would like to support the han. He said that everyone in Newfoundland I am sure he is right.

I am sure that if this petition had been submitted to the two hundred and fifty - getting up for 300,000 adults in this province, that every one of them with, perhaps, the exception of the officers he referred to of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, every one of them would support a petition demanding that there be no further increases in the cost of electricity and, indeed, that there should be decreases in the cost of electricity from here on.

I agree, Sir, with him in asking for a freeze on any further increases in electrical rates in the cost of electricity for domestic usage, for the households in this province. liTe stated that earlier when the House last met; my han. colleague and I stated that this was part of our policy to push for a freeze on increases in electrical rates, we should keep them as they are now and there should be a subsidy, if necessary, out of the general Treasury of the province.

Now, we have heard some arguments back and forth on that before, and we will probably see further arguments as to where the additional money will come from. 1262

March 27, 1979 Tape 506 RT-2 MR. W. ROWE : But, Sir, this is a necessity of life. It is, again, one of those occasions where being a necessity of life, as the price goes up the cost goes up; those who are least able to provide for the necessities of life are hurt hardest.

Therefore, Sir, it is necessary that we not see any further increases in this regard in the coming number of years especially since we are likely to see in the next four or five years the Lower Churchill coming on stream, and if the right things are done we should see a recall of power or the value of power from the Upper Churchill which can be used to subsidize domestic usage of electricity in this province. So, there is nothing that I would support with greater fervour and greater enthusiasm than this request by my hen. friend across the House there. I know that his heart is in it.

I know that he means what he says when he says that there should be no further increases in electricity because there are many people in this province without adequate shelter, without adequate money to provide for the cost of heating their homes, or lighting their homes, for that matter, who are going to be hurt more and more as time goes on, and we are going to see young people, children, who are going to suffer as a result of this increasing cost of a basic necessity of life. As with food, clothing and shelter, electricity cannot be considered any kind of a luxury whatsoever.

It is incumbent on any government which is trying to represent the best interests of the people of the province to make sure that this necessity of life, since it is under their control directly, if the cost of food is not. their control directly, Mr. Speaker. this cost is under They can do something about it, and if they want to represent the people right and properly in this hon. House they should make sure that these costs do not go any higher, that, in fact, they are rolled 1263

~!arch 27, 1979 Tape 506 RT-3 ~!R . l<i. ROWE: back as my hon. colleage mentioned with regard to che school tax, and that the people who are less well off in this province, the so-called disadvantaged p-ople in :his province, are not led to suffer any more than t~ey are now as a result of spiralling costs of electricity in this province. ~!R. S. :-lEARY: :!R. SPEAKER: ~!RS. H. HC ISAAC: Hear, hear! Hon. member for St . George's. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say a few words in support of the petition.

I have a petition right now being circulated in my district for the same cause, or against the same increase, and I hopefully will have it ready to ~resent within the next few days . !here is certainly no way that people can keep up with the rising cost of electricity.

A few years ago - in fact, l will go back to when I had electric heat installed, which was in 1970, and at t ha t time, every time you turned on the radio, or television, or picked up a newspaper, all you could see was the big campaign, convert to electric h ~at and how much cheaper and cleaner it was. ~ell, it was fairly cheap at that ti~e because the highest bill that I received in 1970 was forty-nine dollars and some odd cents, and I kept them all and I still hav e them. Last month my bill was one hund red and seventy-five dollars . So, it is certainly 1264

March 27, 1979 Tape No. 507 GH -1 MRS. MCISAAC: escalating, well out of propor­ tion, in nine years my bill alone has gone from $49 to $175, which is more than triple the cost when it was first installed, and there is no way in the world that people on low incomes, in low income brackets, can keep up with the cost of living.

I cannot do it, and I am not really in the low income bracket, but I do not see any way in the world that the low income people and the people on social assistance can heat their homes = and most of them have been led down the garden path by the companies and encouraged to convert to electricity and then up goes the rates, so they just cannot do it. But in the meantime, I think that the Government certainly should look into what is going on with Newfoundland Light and Power and Newfoundland Hydro before any further increases are granted.

Everywhere you look you see a vehicle, a Newfoundland Light and Power vehicle or a Hydro vehicle. Every second person working with the company has a vehicle,and what is happening as far as shareholders are concerned? Where is the money going? From what I can understand about 80 per cent of the shareholders in the company are outside the Province, so the money that is being made is not even being invested in this Province, it is going outside. And I certainly support the prayer of the petition and hope that the Governments will certainly take a look at it and put the clamps on Newfoundland Hydro. MR.

SPEAKER: Hon. member for Lapoile. MR. NEARY: Mr. Speaker, there was a time in this Province, Sir, when if you mentioned nationalization or provincializing an industry or a public utility, you would 1265

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 507 GH - 2 MR. NEARY: be branded as a communist; definitely you would be called a socialist as if it was something that you had to be ashamed of. But today, Mr. Speaker, I would submit, Sir, to this House that it is very popular. It would be a very popular thing indeed for this House and elected members of the people of this Province to take a look at nationalizing - oh, I do not know if that is the proper term; probably•provincializing•- some of the public utilities companies in this Province.

And I would think, Sir, that the best place to start would be with the Newfoundland Light and Power Company,who are showing record profits,as well as my hen. colleague's old Alma Mater, the Newfoundland Telephone Company, showing record profits. MR. SPEAKER: (Mr.Ottenheimer) Order,please! A point of order has come up. MR. W. MARSHALL: There is no debate in considP.ration of a petition,but I think the hon. member is ranging very wide in the realm of debate. MR.

SPEAKER: The prayer of the petition,as I understand it 1 is asking either the House or the Government or both to take necessary a~ticn to preclude an increase in the cost of electricity, so it would be to that subject~ I think if one were to develop a speech on the policy of nationalization, one would be into a subject somewhat different. I can see they are related but the hen. member must confine his remarks to supporting the prayer of the petition. MR. NEARY: Mr.

Speaker, I thank Your Honour for your ruling, I think, Sir, one of the first steps to be taken in this Province to curb any further increases in electricity rates is to nationalize the Newfoundland Light and Power Company. 1266 =

Marc~ 27, 1979 Tape 507 GH - 3 MR. NEARY: Now, Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons why electricity rates have doubled since we have had a Tory Government in Newfoundland, one of the reasons, Sir, is that up to a few years ago when the present Premier was minister of Mines and Energy, and it is the hon. gentleman's policy we are following now, Newfoundland Hydro was subsidized from the public treasury and still is to a certain degree.

But my hon. friend and the administration of a year ago issued an ultimatum that Newfoundland Hydro either had to break even or declare a profit, and that is the reason for the increases, Sir; we are following a policy laid down by the present Premier who was then the minister of Mines and Energy. And that is why the people out in Bay of Islands are faced with these record increases in electricity rates. MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I must point out that the hon. gentleman is straying from supporting the petition and getting into a matter of debate, a matter of debate wi t h respect to a particular policy with which he disagrees. I would ask him to avoid debate and to confine his remarks to supporting the petition. MR. NEARY: Mr.

Speaker, I would submit, Sir, to the House that if we are going to curb electricity rates in this Province that what we have done, this House, the Government of this Province, have nationalized the production of power but we have allowed a private enterprise, a private company, to distribute the power, and therein lies the problem, Mr. Speaker. MR. W. MARSHALL: MR. SPEAKER: MR. W. MARSHALL: Point of Order. Point of Order. The hon. gentleman has been c alled to order by Your Sonour on t wo occasions f or debating. Re then continues on to continue to debate and I submit it 1267 =

~arch 27, 1979 Tape 508 RT-1 ~R. W. ~ARS HA LL: is flaunting Your Honour's ruling. Your Honour makes a ruling and it is to be respected by all members of this House. MR. SPEAKER : The substance of the ruling I gave is quite clear and it was to avoid debate. All I can say is that that obviously is operative, and I re-draw to the attention of the han. gentleman.I would not be in a position now to say that since giving that ruling and up to this point he has given evidence of disregarding it. a position to say that at this time. I would not be in MR. S. NEARY: Mr.

Speaker, give us back the Minister of Justice, a man who knows the rules of the House. If the han. gentleman is going to be House Leader, let him go out and learn the rules. Now, Sir, my han. colleage, the Leader of the Opposition, made a statement a few moments ago that is a very significant statement, and I hope that it did not fall on deaf ears on members of the opposite side of the House. The statement was this, Sir, that with the change of political tide in this province the people will be almost guaranteed of a freeze on electricity rates for at least a five-year period.

That is a firm commitment, Sir, of the party that sits on this side of the House. MR. SPEAKER: Order, please! (Mr. Ottenheimer) I must point out that the hon. gentleman has quite clearly strayed from the Standing Orders which require him to support the prayer of the petition, and he is on to a quite different matter now, but the time is up as well. MR. S. NEARY: Just a point of order, ~r. Speaker.

I would like to point out to Your Honour, I am not challenging Your Honour's ruling but I believe in the prayer of the petition, Sir, the people do ask for a freeze on electricity rates, and that is what I was referring to, Your Honour. We will put a five-year freeze on with a change of political tide in this 12S8

:·larch 27, 1979 :·IR. S. ~EARY: :!R. SPEAKER: Tape 508 province. Order, please! Your time is up. RT-2 I think the gentleman is aware of the point I made and it is a valid one. Ron. member for Trinity-Bay de Verde. MR. F. ROWE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my support to the petition presented by the member for Bay of Islands (Mr. L. Woodrow), signed by, I believe, 998- MRS. H. MCISAAC: MR. F.

ROWE: district, Sir. 9 9 3. 993 people residing in his particular I represent a district which is very close to the provincial capital, Sir, and I would not have thought that I would get the number of complaints relating to the high cost of electricity as I received from my constituents than when I represented the northern district of St. Barbe North. But, in the last couple of years, Sir, I have received a tremendous number of complain~sabout the hardships that people have to endure with respect to the high cost of electricity. Sir, I cannot help - AN HON. HEMBER: From all over. MR. F.

ROWE: And from other districts, as well, of course. I cannot help but stand behind the member for the Bay of Islands district and support him wholeheartedly in his call for placing a freeze on the electrical rates in this province. Sir, when we talk about placing a freeze on electrical rates we get up here and scream and yell all we wish but, obviously, in the support of such a petition one has to look at possible ways of how one would go about placing a freeze on electrical rates. Obviously, if there was a simple solution to this problem it would have been 1269 --

March 27, 1979 !ape 508 RT-3 HR . F. !OWE: carried ou r a lo n g time ago. Obviously, it is a very dif:icult proolem , and my coll ea ge from LaPoile (Mr. S. Meary) made a few su~gestions. Sir , I believe t h e hon . the Premier, e it h er before, du r ing, or after the leade rs hip convention, made some reference to what he was going co do with ERCO with respect to the subsidies or the amount that they are paying for their elec tr icity do wn there. I hope that th e Premier , Sir, gees up and supports this particu lar petition and elab orates on ~hat exactly he was trying to get across with res pect to his policy, o r his government's policy, 1270

~~rch 27, 1979 Tape 509 SD-1 MR. F. ROWE: relating to the ERCO plant in Long Harbour in this particular Province. So the Premier has mentioned it; probably he has some idea, so mechanism whereby a formula will be changed, a mechanism will be changed in order that a freeze can, in fact, be put on electricity rates in this Province. Obviously we have to considered ways of doing it.

One way, suggested here this afternoon, possible provincialization or nationalization, whatever you want to call it,of the Light and Power Company, amalgamation of Newfoundland and Labrador aydro and Newfoundland and Labrador Light and Power Company. There are all kinds of alternatives that are available for study. And I would like to hear from the Minister of Mines and Energy (Mr. c.

Doody) and the Premier on possible alternative action that can be taken for the purpose of freezing the electrical rates in this Province, Sir, because it has gone way out of sight, the people simply can not afford to pay the electrical bills in this Province. Normally mortgage fees or costs and some other costs would be the highest current cost of a family in this Province.

Now we have the very sad situ~tion, Sir, where the electrical fee for a family is amongst the highest fee that a family has to pay to survive in.this particular Province, and we are living in a Province which is not exactly known for its warmth,climatically speaking and, therefore, a serious look has to be given at this. I would like to raise one other point, Mr. Speaker, if I may, and that is the matter of -Mr. Speaker, the hon. the House Leader is awfully edgy today.He is distrubed about time,he is disturbed about whether we are relevant to the point or not.

On the first day, Sir, as House Leader, he should relax just a little, Sir, and not show anxieties to the han. House and the people in the - ~ffi. W.N. ROWE: MR. F. ROWE: bit better MR. S. NEARY: And advise the Premier a little better. - and probably advise the Premier a We are debating a petition, by the way, introduced by one of his own members. 1271

~!arch 27, 1979 Tape 509 SD-2 ~IR. F. ROWE: Exactly,_ I am sure the hon. House Leader has some very strong feelings on this particular matter. It was che hon.

House Leader, as a matter of fact, who condemned the Government a few years ago for spending, what was it, $100 thousand, $100 million, just thrown out for the premature start up of the Lower Churchill Falls, Lower Churchill Development• So I would expect to see the House Leader get up and support this petition, Sir, and give some of his ideas to the House of Assembly for consideration, but, Sir, I do support the House of Assembly, I do support the prayer of the petition, Sir, presented by the member for the Bay of Islands (Mr.

L Woodrow) .• He was very sincere in the presentation of the petition and I think it is one of the most active issues in this Province at the present time. It is certainly one of the most active concerns of the people and it bears serious consideration by all members on both sides of the House. MR. NEARY: Hear, hear! ~IR. SPL~R: The hon. member for Windsor-Buchans. _:'lR• FLI (.;HT: Hr. Speaker, I would like to say a few words with regard to the petition so ably presented by the hon. member for Bay of Islands (Hr. Woodrow).

I suppose, Mr.Speaker, in looking at whether or not we can stop Hydro or we should not allow an increasel we have to look at what the purpose of that increase is. Now, Mr. Speaker, I recall a CBC p~blic affairs Programme quite recently when the Chairman of Newfoundland Hydro, Mr. Groom, made the statement that Newfoundland Hydro must maintain its financial integrity and he tried to explain away the increases we have seen in the past and justify the ones we are going to have in the future. And he pointed out, Mr.

Speaker, that we are presently s~bsidizing Erco by $13 million per year and we are subsidizing Price (Nfld.), Bowaters, and he named several ether corporations,by roughly another, I think, $4,000, a total subsidy to those companies of $16 million. Now, it will be interesting, ~tr. Speaker, to know that if the increase that Hydro is proposing r i ght now woul d in effect equal the amount of subsidy that we are indeed paying 1272 --

~!.arch 27 , 1979 Tape 509 IB-3' ~1R . t1. rear: Erco , Sowaters, Abitibi - Price or any other industry of this Pro·vince because I say here , Sir , that we should not be su!lsidizing Erco , we should not be subsidizing ?Tice {::fld .) and we should not be subsidizing Bowaters. These corporations are making a for tune and are ~aking it off the backs of the Newfoundlanders who cannot afford electrici ty - :1&. SPEAK.ER: MR. FLIGliT: ~1R . NEARY: _11R. Sl'EAKEa: (Mr. Ottenheilller ) gentleman would please take his seat Orde T, please! - in the.ir homes. Hear, hea r! Orde r, please! I realize that - if the bon.

I Tealize that any area of electt'ici t7 one can suggest is related to the petition ~b ut really the purpose is to support the peti:i~n and gene t'al comments upon subsidization of pulp and paper mills and Erco is a bit removed fTom suppoTt of the petition . The hon . member. ~. FLIGdT: Thank you , ~. Speaker . ~. Speake r, the ochel' point that I was going to make is that 1273

:-iarch 27, 1979 Tape 510 GH - l ~!R. FLIGHT: before the House adjourned, this House approved borrowing power for Hydro - $200 million. Now, Mr. Speaker, we have to assume that when Hydro asked for that borrowing power that they were looking at, they knew then that they would be looking at increasing the cost of electricity in this Province and that is what we are debating here, Mr. Speaker, asking to stop Hydro from further increases in the cost of energy in this Province and the cost of electricity. And, Mr.

Speaker, the Premier, the then Minister of Energy, in presenting the bill that approved Hydro to borrow $200 million indicated that the reason for that borrowing was roughly $80 million for the Hinds Lake development, roughly $100 million for the Upper Salmon development. Now, Mr. Speaker, the fact is that top officials of Hydro have told me within this past week that Newfoundland Hydro has not cleared, the Upper Salmon has not yet been cleared for development, that the various reports of feasibility, that it has not been cleared for actual development, that the feasibility studies are not finished.

The Upper Salmon may or may not go ahead, but we have given Hydro the authority to borrow $200 million, $100 million of which will be spent on the Upper Salmon. The present hon. House Leader objected tn that kind of financina. Mr. Sneaker, and there was $30 million of loose ends left lying around and the Premier defended that borrowing by saying that Hydro needed that $30 million for housekeeping. Now, Mr. Speaker, it would be interesting to ask again the question if the present cost of the increase that Hydro is proposing is equal to the $30 million that they got for housekeeping, and, Mr.

Speaker, I can wind up my remarks by saying with the kind of approach that this Province and this Government have allowed Hydro to operate under, there is no wonder the cost of electricity is going to go up and if we do not stop that 1.274

~larch 2 , 1':179 Tape 510 GH - 2 ~!R. ?LIGHT: kind of approach then, Mr. Speaker, we 1vill get back to where Newfoundlanders will not be able to afford electricity . They will not be able to afford the, not luxuries, but the necessities that come from, are provided by, electricity and the culprit in the arena, Mr. Speaker, is Newfoundland Hydro with the complete co- operacion oi the Governm ent oi this Province. MH .• SPEA.KER : Presenti ng reports by standing and special committees . Notices of motion . Hon. Minister of FL,ance. DR . COLLINS: Mr . Speaker, I have the hon our to table the following reports - MR.

SPEAKER: Order , please! May we revert to presenting reports of s anding and spec ial committees; SOME HON . MEi•!BERS : ·Yes. PRESENTING REPORTS DR . COLLINS.: L>lr . Speaker, I have the honour to table the foll01 -1ing reports: the report of the Auciitor General :or the financial year ending the 31st. of ~!arc· h 1978; aJ.so the Public Accounts of the Province for the ye ar ending 31st of ~larch 1978 and also Special Warrants issued since the House last sat in ~ebruary . :O!R. SPEAKER: Hon . Minister of Public Works and Services. MR. H.

YOUNG: I have the honour of tabling the annual report for the Newfoundland and Labrador Computer Services Lim~ted for 1978 . M.~ . SPEA...'<ER : :1R. P RElUER : OTICES OF MOTION Ron . Premier. :1r. Speal<er, it is with great pleasure that I give notice that I \vill on tomor:::-ov; ask leave to introduce a bill 1 "An .a.ct To Provide ?or Additional 1275 --

March 27, 1979 Tape 510 GH -3 MR. PREMIER: Representation For Labrador In The House of Assembly". MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Sorry, I do not have an appropriate list yet. Hon. Minister to my left anyway. MR. J. DINN: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow ask leave to introduce a bill 1 "An Act To Amend The Workers' Compensation Act". MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister. DR. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on tomorrow I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled "An Act to Amend the Crown Guarantee and Loan Act, 1973". MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister. MR. HICKMAN: Mr.

Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow ask leave to introduce a bill, "An Act To Amend The Schools Act", a bill, "An Act To Repeal The Teachers Loan Act", a bill, "An Act To Amend The

Interpretation Act", a bill, "An Act To Amend The Chairman Of The Board Of Commissioners Of Public Utilities Pension Act, 1974, No. 11". I do not know if that is number 11 or Roman numeral II. MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister. MR. HICKEY: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill, "An Act To Provide For The Registration Of Qualified Social Workers." MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Minister. MR. MAYNARD: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow ask leave to introduce a bill "An Act To Provide For The Ratification Of The Sale Of The Stephenville Linerboard Mill And Its Conversion to a Newsprint Mill". 1276

Mar