VOL. 4 THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE 37Tll. GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRELD1INARY UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR THE PERIOD: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1978 :w. 1

T Dece~er 4, 1978 The Rous:e met at 3: 00 P .~r. :IR. SPEAKER: Tape No. 1 ~m- 1 Order, please: I have to ask bon. members if there is un.ani.rlous consent for the proceedings today to be covered by radio, television and perhaps photographs from the prin t media? RON. • !EMBERS: :!R. SPEAKER: SERG'"'J:.&'IT-AT-ARNS: Agreed. Agreed. ~lr . Speake ,r, their Lordships t he Judge s of the Sup,re!:le Court have arrived • • IR. SPEAKER: of t~e Supreme Court. SnGEA...'IT-AT-ARllS : Admit their Lordships the Justi ces Mr. Speake r, His Honour t he Lieutenant-Go vernor has arrived. .!R.

SPEAKER: Admit His l:onour the Lieute.'lant- Goveoor. aON. GORDON A. WINTER: (Lieutenant-Governor): and !·fet:lbers of the lton. l:iouse of Assembly: :,!r. SpeakeT

December 4, 1~73, Ta~es 2 and 3 I welcome you to the Fourth Session of the 37th General Assembly of the Province of N-foundland. This House of Assembly opens at a time of confidence and optimism among_ our people. This Province has known more than its share of economic hardships, but today there is indeed just cause for optimism. In my last address to this Assembly, we were eagerly looking forward to the visit to our Province of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, the Prince Philip, and family. Their visit was a time of great personal and national satisfaction.

We are proud to be Newfoundlanders and Canadians. We are also proud to be part of the Commonwealth. Her Majesty has since informed me of her appreciation for the warm hospitality and for the many and sincere expressions of loyalty and affection which they received from all parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. We were also honoured in 1978 to be the host Province for the Canada Games for the Physically Disabled. Their determination in spite of disadvantage was in a way symbolic of the history of the people of this Province. We are glad that they were able to be with us. MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: Six years ago My Government accepted the challenge of building in this Province a sound economy within an equitable social fabric. My Ministers can be pleased with the progress. Per capita income in 19n was $5,048, over twice the figure of $2,455 for 1972. Retail trade figures show that our people at this Christmas Season have more spending power than ever before. Our children have better clothes. Our youth have better educational opportunities. There are more refrigerators per capita, more telephones per capita, more washing machines, and more automobiles.

The standard of housing is higher. We have more miles of paved road, more homes with indoor plumbing, and more homes with electricity. There are better hospitals, more senior citizens homes, and better schools. In the midst of talk about regional disparities when compared to other parts of this great nation, we would do well to compare ourselves to where we were just a few short years ago. Much progress has been made. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: In 1972 My Government embarked on a program of regional resource development.

A Department of Rural Development was established, along 2 : .... - ,· .,

with a Department of Industrial Development. Regional offices were established around the Province by the Departments of Fisheries and Forestry and Agriculture. In particular, Government presence in Labrador has been strengthened. Further, My Ministers and officials have travelled extensively throughout the Province to hold meetings and obtain the comments and advice of the people with respect to the policies and programs d their government. The result of this process has been the forging of a stronger developmental dialogue between Government and people.

It is by working together that we will continue into the 1980's to further enhance our prosperity. My Government wishes to acknowledge the important role of the Government of Canada as parmers with us in social and economic development. We particularly refer to the manner in which the Department of Regional Economic Expansion has been responding to provincial priorities. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF TME HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: The best example of My Government's concern for development in all regions of the Province is the recently revealed regional fisheries development strategy.

My Government firmly believes that the resources of the sea will be the mainstay of our economy. The fisheries will be the most important growth component for the foreseeable future. Fish landings will increase in volume and value. Employment will increase and incomes will rise. The regional fisheries development strategy is based on the best data available on our fisheries resource, harvesting technology, processing requirements , and markets. Officials of the federal Department of Fisheries were involved. The fishermen have been consulted, and their views will continue to be taken into account.

The fishermen's union has been asked for its views. The Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador will likewise have opportunity to comment. The second major study recently completed was on the Feasibility of a Primary Landing and Distribution Centre. This study established the Centre's compatibility with the ex ising components of the fishing industry, and My Government has accepted the consultant's recommendation that Harbour Grace be the site. The Centre will be the operational base for a fleet of offshore wettish and freezer trawlers.

Fish will be landed at Harbour Grace and distributed either fresh or frozen to seasonal plants on the Avalon 3

Peninsula and Northeast Coast. This will create additional employment in communities from Bonavista to Trepassey. Plants in Catalina, Arnold's Cove, Port de Grave, Hant's Harbour, Fermeuse, Charleston, and other towns are part of this plan. Th!t benefits clearly will extend far beyond the port of Harbour Grace. My Ministers will introduce legislation to establish a Fisn Procurement and Distribution Corporation (FPDCl to operate the port.

Other activities of the Corporation will include the acquisition of fishing vessels by charter, purchase, or construction; the chartering of vessels to fishing companies; the buying of fish; the sailing of fish to processing plants; and arrangements relating to the unloading,. handling, storage and distribution of fish as they pertain to the Primary Centre COI1c&pt. The activities of the Corporation will complement private sector initiatives and it will be dissolved once domestic harvesting operations can ensure adequate supplies of fish to processing plants on a continuing basis.

The FPDC will be a Crown Corporation reporting directly to the Minister of Fisheries, and its Board of Directors will include representatives of Federal and Provincial Governments, industry, plant workers, and fishermen. The Corporation will be established on January 1, 1979, at which time a Chief Exea.~tive Officer will be appointed. My Government will begin immediately an engineering assessment of all inshore ports to determine what facilities will be required. Initial emphasis will be given to those ports which account for the major share of inshore fish landings.

Consultants will be required to meet with local Fishermen's Committees in the course of their work. The Small Craft Harbours Branch of the federal Department of Fisheries and Environment will be directly involved in all phases of planning and implementation of harbour improvements. Fishermen of this Province are unanimous in their praise for the Marine Service Centre Program. It is planned to extend this program to upgrade a number of existing centres and to construct several new facilities at strategic locations.

My Government's commitment to an expanded longliner program reflects the growth potential of this sector of the inshore fishery. Appropriate financial and technical assistance programs will be continued for this sector in the form of low interest loans and mortgage support. It is projected that upwards of 430 new and replacement vessels will have to be 4 -od:

7 intraduct!d into the fleet over the next SIMJft years. Special attention will be focused on the Labrador Region and a special vessel assistance program for resident Labrador fishermen will be inttoduct!d on April 1, 1979. My Government will ask naval architects to design a special multipurpo• vessel for use in the seal fishery. Harvesting of seals is important in the context of fisheries management, and contributes substantially to the incomes of fishermen in certain sections of the Province. It is our aim to ensure that Newfoundland continues to take a leading role in this traditional industry.

Regulations will be introduced with respect to the transportation of fish in non-insulated conveyances. Additional ice-making capacity will be provided, and better fish handling facilities constructed. My Government will take definite steps to increase cold storage capacity. The Province is already refurbishing 3,000 metric tons of capacity at Argentia. In addition, new facilities of 5,000 tons capacity each will be constructed on the Northeast and West Coasts. These facilities will be strategically located to receive finished product from a number of plants.

My Government will continue its policy of complementing and assisting the private sector in processing and marketing. We must extract the maximum employment and incomes from the raw material provided by our fishermen. In support of this objective, My Government will 1. Increase the maximum level of secondary processing incentives; 2. Give companies which are planning secondary processing activity preference in the leasing of provincially-owned fish plants; 3.

Undertake an assessment of the centres where secondary processing is most feasible and seek development proposals for further processing activity in these centres. Funding assistance will be awarded in support of viable proposals; 4. Place increased emphasis on new fish product development. A new product development laboratory, construction of which has already commenced, is being established in conjunction with the College of Fisheries. My Government will be pursuing with vigour other activities as outlined in the development program to 1985.

Particular attention will be given to the saltfish industry with the intention of revitalizing this important sector of the fishing industry. A major marketing initiative will be commenced, along with an advertising and promotional campaign. The Province will add to its scientific capability in fisheries management. 5

MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE Of ASSEMBLY: My Government was extremely pleased to have been able to announce the sale of the Labrador Unerboard Mill to private interesn. With the continued coopention of the Government of Canada, all arrangements should shortly be comphtted so that the mill may become a healthy component of our forest industry, providing steady employment and high incomes for wori<ers of Stephenville and the Bay St. George area. MR.

SPEAKER AID MEMBERS OF ·THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: For over fifty yean the forests of Newfoundland have provided a solid base for a large portion of our economy. They should continue to do so indefinitely, but we must make i!MIItments now to guarantee better forests for future generations. My Government has just completed a five-year forestrV development plan, and is ready to embark on another five-year program. Beginning in 1979, My Government will expand reforestation of areas ravaged by the spruce budworm. Disease resistant spruce will replace balsam fir.

The output of the provincial tree nursery will be doubled from six million to twelve million seedlings per year. My Government will continue large scale programs to salvage deed and damaged timber on both Crown and company lands. First priority will be giYen to high unemployment areas such as Bay d'Espoir. We will be availing of the opportunity of using Canada Manpower funds for this and other forest improvement activities. Insect control will be a major concern in 1979.

The spruce budworm epidemic has moved eastward from its previous concentration on the west coast, and over 5 million cords of timber are dead or dying. My Government will research and apply the most suitable means of controlling this enormous danger to our. forest. The forest access road program will be continued. By the end of the next five-year program approximately 1200 miles of roads will have been completed. These roads improve wood supplies for sawmills and paper mills, aid forest management and protection , and provide access routes for our people.

My Govemm ent will study the feasibility of small thermo-mechanical 6 ·. -.

pulp mills and other specialty plants to use wood outside the economic radius of the major pulp and paper mills. An extensive pilot project has been completed in cooperation with the two pulp and paper companies into cable logging on steep slopes. This project involved visits to Scotland where this technology is highly developed. It has now ~ proven commercially feasible to harvest thousands of cords of wood which had been inaccessible. To encourage the use of this technology, My Government has arranged for the Community College in Stephenville to give a course in smep slope logging next year.

The feasibility of whole tree chipping of hardwoods for use as a fuel supplement is being tested in a pilot project being conducted by My Government and Price Newfoundland Ltd. of Grand Falls. In addition to savings in fuel costS. forest stands will be cleared for replacement by commercial softwood species. My Government believes that we must strive to make full use of our forest resources. To this end regulations will be introduced to minimize waste in harvesting operations. MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: It is a dominant policy of My Government to stimulate the development of all our primary resources. Agriculture is becoming more important to our economy, with farm cash income exceeding $20 million in 1977. My Government will introduce programs to supply fresh, quality produce at competitive prices. and to raise significantly our percentage self-sufficiency over the next five years. For example, by 1983 Newfoundland will grow 60 per cent of its vegetables. com pared to 30 per cent at present.

Milk and pork production each should meet 29 per cent of local demand instead of the present 16 per cent.

Whereas we now produce 20 per cent of our lamb consumption, by 1983 we will produce 36 per cent, and 90 per cent of eggs. These targets will be achieved through several programs. My Government will direct special financial assistance programs to commercial farms. We will provide guidance on new techniques in agriculture. An intensive land classification program will be carried out. In addition to on-farm vegetable storage units, a number of centralized vegetable packaging and marketing facilities will be constructed in 7

agria.~ltural areas. Veterinary ser~ices will be improved, and new laboratories constructlld at the Mount Pearl Experimental Farm. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY; Mineral resoun:es provide the largest single component in our Gross Provincial Product, and potential exists for new developments in uranium, base and precious metals, and industrial minerals. The new Mineral Holdings Impost Act requii'9S claim holders to invest in exploration or forfeit claims.

Mineral exploration is now iit an all-time high in terms of the number of companies involved, the range of minerals sought, and the distribution of exploration activities. You will be asked to approve an amendment to The Mineral Act to provide for the reversion to the Crown of any mining lease on which production has ceased, regardless of previous legislation under which properties were obtained. We will continue our very successful program of geoscientific and resource evaluation surveys under the Mineral Development Subsidiary Agreement.

My Government is very concerned to assist the town of Buchans to adjust to the impending closure of the mine. In line with existing policy, an industrial development · officer will be assigned to Buchans early in 1979. My Government has just signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to establish the Lower Churchill Development Corporation. That CorpQration will be incorporated under federal charter, and will begin a new phase of development of the massive hydro electric resources of Labrador.

The Corporation will be seeking to remove all obstacles to the recommencement of construction work in the Lower Churchill basin. My Government is working now to attract energy intensive industries to Labrador, as well as ultimately provide a transm ission line to the Island. My Government has approved a multi-year program by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro to replace diesel generators at a number of communities with lines to the provincial hydro network. At present, it appears economic to construct lines to Mud Lake, Gallants, Long Island.

Greenspond, Change Islands-Fogo Island, Grand Le Pierre-English Harbour East, Millertown, and Hampden-Sop's Arm. The Corporation will be preparing an inventory of other areas that may be served by small, local hydro Stations. It is the intention of My Government to design and install a small scale plant as a pilot project. In 1978 the strong position taken by My Government on offshore oil 8 :

and gas exploration was proven to be wise and prudent. Drilling resumed and another major gas SU"ike resulted. Imperial Oil has just announced its plans to drill in 1979, and as many as ten operations rm~v be going simultaneously. In 1978 some S40 million was spent by the oil companies, and expenditures in 1979 could be close to S200 million. Through the Petroleum Regulations, My Government is well equipped to maximize benefits to Newfoundland in terms of din!Ct employment and expenditure on goods and services within the Province. A manpower information svsmm is already in place to match jobs with people.

Funds ~ already been nK:eived from oil companies to establish training courses to meet the needs of offshore operators. CQmpanies will be increasing their research and development expenditures in this Provinc:e. Neverthel~ My Gowmment will give highest priority to environmental controls. MR. SP£AKEA AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOU~BLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: My Government has taken stePS recently towards the creation of a year-round, deep water port in Labrador.

The demand for such a port is coming from potential heavy induSU"y based on energy from the Lower Churchill, possible development of offshore oil and gas, and development of vast iron ore reserves in western Labrador. My Government has requested the Government of Canada to put an icebreaker in Lake Melville this month during the period of ice ridging. Certain ice studies will be undertaken over this winter, and perhaps the "M. V. Arctic" will conduct ice trials in Lake Melville next spring.

If the shipping season can be extended, My Government envisages the ultimate development of a major port linked to western Labrador by an all-weather highway and a railway. MR. SPEAKER A8D MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: My Government has carefully studied the tourism industry in our Province and is pleased to explain its policies and plans for this induSU"y. These policies and plans take into account the needs of Newfoundhmders who wish to vacation in their own Province, and also the needs of our visitors.

The cornerstone of our tourism policy is to preserve, enhance, and mari<et an image of uniqueiless.. Newfoundland is truly a vacation with a difference. Our scenic, cultural, and historical attractions are unique in North America. In Trinity, My Government will join with the community to restore historic buildings and improve existing homes that will renew and preserve the true character of one of our oldest settlements. 9

A modet fishing project will be constructed tn a communitv to be announcad. This exhibit will include a tvpical home, surrounding buildings, and a fishing stage, all in conjunction with a gift shop and a restaurant with traditional menu. My Gollel'l'lment will construct specially designed cottages for seasonal use by travellers to rural portions of our Province. Roadside chalets and information plazas will direct tourists to points of interest. Package tours will be dewtoped which will emphasize scenic routes, fishing trips, and wildernes hikes.

My Government will build three hundred new campsites over the next five yean. A haspitalitv · and Clltllring training program will also be introduced. My Govemmant accords high prioritv to management of wildlife resources. The Hunter Safetv Program will be extended next year. Measures will be devillld to combat flagrant, extensive poaching, and game laws will be rigidly enfon:ad. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF TME HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: My Government in 1972 began a program of rural development which involved the people of rural areas in planning their economic destinies.

Thirtv-six Rural Development Associations are now active. They have documented specific arees of potential development. It is a process that is unique in Canada and which is attracting international attention. The rainbow trout farm project of the Upper Trinitv South Development Association is an outstanding example of work that is being done by these Associations. By 1980, 300,000 pounds of trout should be ready for market. The Twi II ing~New World Island Development Association was responsible for a filletting operation at Herring Neck. In Grand Falls a food preserving centre is being established.

Other projects are a smokehouse project in Greenspond, a fish processing plant in Argentia, a greenhouse in the Labrador Straits area, and a fisheries development project at Port Kirwan. My government has demonstrated its commitment to rural Newfoundland, and will continue these efforts. Rural development loans haite assisted companies producing fertilizer and feeds, polished stones, and specialized furniture. My Government will offer a sawlog inventory assi:otance program again this winter to help operators finance their cutting operations. An intensive study of the handicrafts industry will be conducted 1.0

. ,. over the next four months, and a promotional program is in effect through gift shows and sales in other pans of Canada. In order to facilitate marketing of Newfoundland products of all types, My Government will create a Newfoundland and Labrador Exposition Centra in St. John's. This will be a display and sales outlet for manufactured products. preserved foods and crafts. All products will be identified as meeting standards of excellence. MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEM8L Y: My ~inisters will bring before this Honourable House such legislative changes as will be necessary to implement the announced government reorganization of departments and responsibilities. These changes are part of the efforts of My Government to improve the level of services despite tight financial constraints. My Government will make plans this year to establish a provincial Resource Development Bank. This bank will centralize all lending operations of various agencies and departments of Government.

Loan applicants will deal with one set of approval criteria and application procedures. Accounting will be computerized, and operations will in most respects resemble those of a commercial bank. My Government is confident that this will improve the service to the business community and give better control and administration. My Government is proud of the progress that has been achieved in recent years in the health care system and in social services. During this session, My Government will reveal its long range hospital construction plan.

Our emphasis will continue to be on prevention of disease and social ills, rather than on cures and corrective measures. Budgetary provision will be made to expand health education, particularly with respect to nutrition and prenatal care, and other community-based services. Our objective is to help people make better use of the facilities and services being offered. All possible support will be given to programs of physical fitness and recreation, which have been shown to contribute so much to the general wellbeing of persons of all ages. My Government is acutely aware of the needs of senior citizens.

You will be asked to approve a program in which Government will pay the major share of the cost of prescription drugs for all senior citizens. Further, you will he asked to approve legislation to provide for the substitution of lower cost high quality drugs for more widely used brand name drugs .

My Government plans to continue implementing the recommendations of the Gushue Report. In addition to improving the safety and level of care offered by institutions, My Ministers will be examining the entire sySIIIm of care for the elderly. My Government betiiM!S that many senior citizens could be better served by homa support services than by institutions. With some assismnce. families will be abla to continue the tradition of caring for the elderty to the banef"rt of all. My Government notes with concam the increasing problems in our society associated with alcohol consumption.

It is a contributor to poverty. to family breakdown, and to crime. My Government will seek to control liquor advertising. and increase its information programs. We will examine whether there is a need for further controls on licensed outlets, particularly with reference to hours during which liquor is available. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: My Government will be presenting a new Municipalities Act for your consideration. The new Act will be basad primarily on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Municipal Government.

With respect to capital projects, work will continue on the Waterford Valley Trunk Sewer, the St. John's Urban Region Water Supply, and the Exploits Valley Regional Water Supply. Work will commence on the Northeast Trunk Sewer in St. John's. In Labrador, My Government will conduct Community Planning Studies in all major coastal communities which will prepare the way for designing roads and water and sewer systems appropriate to the special conditions there.

With the reorganization of Departments, My Government will transfer the responsibility for occupational health and safety in mines to the Department of Labour and Manpower. Priority attention will be devoted to resolving dust problems at Labrador City. My Government will also conduct a one-year study into the levels of air contaminants in the community of Long Harbour. Amendments to consumer protection legislation will be proposed to offer better protection in the areas of direct selling, used automobile purchases, and credit contracts. My Government continues to be aware of the problems of over-regulation.

The Action Group has helped the individual and the small businessman, but regulations may hinder larger businesses as well. A 1.2 -.

thorough examination of all regulations will be conducted. The Economic Development Advisory Council will be asked to review the findmgs and report on possible changes. My Government reaffirms its commitment to reform of matrimonial law, and will be tabling a policy statement along with legislation in this Session. Representations and briefs from interested groups have been carefully studied, and a complete review of this very complex matter is being undertaken with the object of removing inequities with respect to the rights of both marriage partn~ MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: My Government will embark on major new initiatives in education. We have accepted the recommendation of the Minister's Advisory Committee to intnxluce Grade· XII on a phased basis, beginning in September, 1980 with the Grade X class. Details will be presented to this Session in due coune. A second initiative will be to enrich the school auriculum with more Newfoundland and Labrador content, especially in literature, history, and culture . A comprehensive history of Newfoundland and Labrador will be commissioned.

In keeping with our emphasis on developing Newfoundland expertise in resource development, a special scholarship program will be established for graduates of Memorial University to further their studies in the physical sciences associated with the fishery, oil and gas, forestry and mining. My Government intends to introduce an exciting new concept to harness the enthusiastic and adventurous spirit of the youth of our Province. Early in the New Year we will unveil the framework for the establishment of a Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Corps, a concept which will represent a pioneer move for our Province.

The Corps will enable a selected number of young Newfoundlanders to interact in a highly planned and disciplined fashion with many aspects of our way of life, including exposure to the northern environment, practical participat ion in experimental marine ventures, novel agrarian, forestry. and geological activities, and other worthwhile projects to be defined and announced. The New Year has been declared the International Year of the Child and My Government will be taking special action to advance the welfare of the Province's greatest resource, our children.

Our children are growing up in turbulent times in which traditional values are being challenged and when the basic unit of our society, the family, is subject to great stress and strain. 13

As a focal point for the Province's activities during the International Year of the Child. a Conference will be held to discuss fundamental issues relating to our children. ""'- issues will include child nutrition. the care of children, and the rights of children before the law. Consideration will be given to the appointment of a Children's Advocate in the Department of Justice and particular emphasis will be given to the prevention of child abuse. A number of special activities will be undertaken to harness the energies of children through organized groups and to channel these into meaningful projects.

Investigations have been completed into the Judicature Act and replacement statutes will be presented for your approval. My Government will introduce a Small Claims Act and a revised

Summary Jurisdiction Act. My Government will submit a new Elections Act for your consideration. This Act will establish regulations concerning election expenses and contributions. The Public Accounts for the period ending March 31, 1978, will be placed before you, for your usual thorough review. You will be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty. MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: It is with much assurance and eagerness that My Government presents this report and program of action for your consideration. There is an air of optimism among our people in this Province.

This is a good place to live. People don't want to II!IMI. Newcomers want to stay, not because of low taxes or low cost of living, but because we have a pleasant and humane society. In 1978 there is a contagious consciousness abroad that this Province is on the threshold of bigger and better things. Our people deserve it, and they want to be part of it. Our resource foundation is firm; our goals realizable. My Government is committed to apply itself diligently to its task. MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: I invoke God's blessing upon you as you commence your labours in this Fourth Session of the Thirty-Seventh General Assembly. May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations. 1.4 : ·. ·.

December 4, 1978 Tape ~ o. 4 ~ru - 1 • IR. SPEAKER: The hon. Xinister of Justice • .:tr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow ;15!;. leave to introduce a i>ill, "An Act Respecting Elections, Controverted Elections, and ·Eleetion financing ." :!otion, the han •. linister of Justice co introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting Elections, Controverted Elections , and Election Financlng 1 " ·carrted. On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting Elections, Controverted Elec.t .ions and .Elec.ti _on Financing," read a first time, ordered read a second time on tolllOrrow . ~.

SPtAKER: His Ronou.:r the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to make a speech t:o hen. members of the Hou5e of Assembly and for purposes of greater accuracy I have obtained a cop'~ thereof which wlll now be distributed to hen. members. 15

December 4, 1978 Tape 5 PK - l MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member for Kilbride. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. R. WELLS: The gracious Speech from the Throne which has just been read by His Honour takes as its principal theme the development of the resources of this Province and in that context speaks of both human resources and natural resources. The speech strikes a note of optimism and a note of pride because resource development policies and the firm stands taken by the Province have shown them$elves to be correct. Mr.

Speaker, every province of Canada has had at one time or another its periods of growth and prosperity, its times of adversity but no one can deny that we are now entering a period of unparalleled growth. Wherever you go in the Province or in the country it is an accepted fact that the combination of our resources, our geography, the domestic and foreign requirements for fish products, paper, minerals, hydro-electricity, and oil and gas,togethe~mean one thing,and it is that from now until the end of the century Newfoundland and Labrador will be one of the wealthiest and most exciting places in the world.

That fact, Mr. Speaker, is known and discussed wherever major investment decisions are being made in North America and Europe. What this administration has made clear to our own country Canada, to other countries, and to major corporations is that development in this Province must proceed on the basis that we must benefit from processing and .iob creation,from conservation, and the wise use of resources and from appropriate royalties and taxes. I for one, Mr. Speaker, would prefer that a resource of ours would remain undeveloped rather than be developed to the principal benefit of someone else or another country.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. WELLS: This is not chauvinism, Mr. Speaker, but a recognition of what has happened to Newfoundland and Labrador for nearly 400 years. It is clear to everyone that our government stands firmly and squarely against any further exploitation of this Province by the sale of unprocessed resources or cheap raw materials .

December 4, 1978 Tape 5 PK - 2 Mr. Wells: In this connection, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a specific reference. 17

December ~.1978 Tape No. 6 AH-1 MR.R.WELLS: I congratulate the government on entering into the Lower Churchill Development Corporation. I believe that the Lower Churchill will be developed, but I would rather see the project delayed for a generation than see it sold outside of the Province no matter for what price. No amount of cash for export power can benefit us as much as would industry brought to the Province by the availability of electric power. And I hope.Mr.

Speaker.to hear from government and from this House during the session, a clear and unmistakable policy statement that we are not in the business of exporting power,with the exception of the very short-term, but we are in the business of attracting industry to the power here in Labrador and on the Island of Newfoundland. Mr. Speaker , the people of this Province have made it clear that they are not flower children and that for better or for worse they want and demand the goods and services that go hand in hand with the modern industrial state.

As I see the role of government 1 it is to work with and foster industrial development by private enterprise and to provide the public services and the atmosphere in which private enterprise can function within the guidelines of public policy. Mr. Speaker, a former political figure once said to me,"If only the amount of work which has been done on the sea around us could have been done on the land,what a country we would have been." I welcom~especially as member for Kilbride,the emphasis which is to be placed on agriculture.

Our soil and climate do not encourage agriculture but I believe that we can do more than we have been doing in recent years for some land has gone out of cultivation and some livestock numbers have dwindled rather than increased. We h~ve, Mr. Speaker, to recognize that the farmer and fisherman are the important people of the future and that their incomes are reflecting and will reflect that status and that young people are choosing farming and particularly fishing careers over the so-called white-collar jobs which so attracted our generation. And I think it is exciting, Mr. Speaker, that this is so 1.8

Decel!lber 4 ,1978 Tape No. 6 AH-2 and that the financial rewards make it so. Ther e f.s no !!lore important area of Newfoundland l!fe than the fishery and there is no lllOre prolllising ar ea. There are points of dispute, ~r. Speake r, between this ~rovince and Ottawa in the managelllent of the 200 lllile lilllit but we must give 19 : ::.

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 7 DW - 1 MR. R. l-lELLS: credit where credit is due. I for one did not dream ten years ago that the 200 mile limit would ever happen.But it has happened and the management of the resource is here to staY• .\nd though we may argue over the details of management and control,a prosperous fishery and a growing fishery will mean more to us than any other part of our economy. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the administration on their plans for the fishery and their emphasis on it as referred to in the gracious Speech from the Throne. Mr.

Speaker, I note with pleasure the plans outlined in the Speech for improvement to health and social services and in particular the plans which lvill assist the elderly and ·· those unable to help themselves. The way in which these matters are approached is a measure of our society and we would all agree that we must do everything within our power to spend wisely the dollars available for social purposes. One area, Mr. Speaker, in which we must do more is the: field of nutrition and physical fitness.

It is an area where wise leadership is more important than dollars. l-'e have become a generation in which the majority are spectators and the minority are participants, where the few are trained and developed to give incredible performances while the many participate in a minimum of physical activities and ignore every · rule of nutrition and fitness. I believe, Mr. Speaker, a change is coming through- out Canada and the United States but we still have a long way to go and we must realize that more public dollars on sports facilities is not by any means the whole answer.

People, young and old alike_, must be motivated to seek and develop for themselves,and often by themselves,their own p%0grammes for fitness and healthful living, I welcome the government's commitment to the encouragement of individual health just as much as its programme for the cur.ing of the sick~ theone being simple, inexpensive and largely in the hands of each individual,the other complex, expensive and dependent on highly trained professionals. 20

December 4th. , 1978 Tape No. 7 ow- 2 ~t:l.. R. WELLS: l·lr. Speaker, the speech .we heard this afternoon is a document of policy, of optimisn, and faith in this Province. It is the nature of human beings to belie~e in different solutions to the same problei!IS and even to differ in the identification of problems and priorit~ es ,but I do kno~, Kr. Speaker , that the intention .s and concepts in this speech will be 2:1.

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 8 EC - 1 ~R. R. WELLS: debated fully and vigorously over the next weeks and months. We in this House have a choice, we can debate the issues, discuss solutions and stimulate public debate or we can, as has happened before, allow the House to think below that level. I sincerely hope, Mr. Speaker, that this session will produce discussion which will serve this Province and the people who live here and which will attract people to public life rather than repel them from it. After all, we are debating about our home and its future. With these remarks, Mr.

Speaker, I have much pleasure in moving that a committee be appointed to draft a reply to this most gracious Speech from the Throne. sm~E BON. MEHBERS :· Hear, hear! :1R. SPEAKER: The han. the member for Grand Falls. HR. LUNDRIGAN: Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour for ~e to second the motion presented by my colleague from Kilbride (Mr. Wells) in moving a vote of thanks and an expression of appreciation for the gracious Speech from the Throne.

It is also an honour for me as the member for Grand Falls, having been in the legislative process for eleven years, to have my first opportunity to be associated in this capacity in such an expression. I want to say on a parochial note that I was very personally pleased to see the reference in the Throne Speech to the social field, the one which has been an agJ~avating one for me personally, and I think most members of the Legislature appreciate that any progress in the direction as stated in the Throne Speech is very, very welcome.

Let me congratulate my two colleagues on their appointments to the two important .. portfolios of ~unicipal Affairs and Housing as well as the portfolio of Rural Development, the member for 22

Oeceuber 4, 1~73 Tape No. 8 EC - 2 ~1R. LU~IDRIGA N: Naskaupi (Mr. Goudie) and the member for Mount Pearl (Mr. N. Windsor). ~r.

Speaker, we have seen really in the expression from the gracious Speech from the Th rone today a new c h allenge to all of the members of t hi s Legislature, a challenge which points out the areas that we need and can make very effective progress , as the member f or Kilbride (Hr. !~e lls) said , the challenge t hat can make Newfoundland and Labrador into one of the great 'have' areas of our Provin ce, the most exciting part of certainly Eastern Canada and perhaps if we look in terms of a frontier land, as we are to a considerable extent, the ~ost excitin g area in the whole of the nation . We are loo k in g 23

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 9 NH - 1 MR. LID."DRIGAJ....-: at challenges that have been realized in t~e last number of years.I reiterate the statements on fisheries. We have come a long way from the days when the Continental Shelf was introduced first as a national concept. I look at my colleague, the Minister of Fisheries, and recall the events leading up to ten years of struggle and determination to make the Continental Shelf a concept that ~~as understood by Canadians.

I believe today our combined efforts as a people, as a Legislature, as members of Parliament, that we have been able to promote the fisheries into a national concern, and a national challenge rather than just a parochial issue which we have always been preoccupied with in our own Province. We still look at the challenge of forcing ourselves to dedicate and rededicate our commitment to the aim that not a nickel's worth, not a pound of the resource will ever go outside this Province in an undeveloped fashion.

We must rededicate ourselves to the aim and objective that not a pound of the resource ~dll go outside the Province to foreign bottoms and other nations that are prosecuting our resource at the present moment. These are challenges that we must face this year in this Legislature.

In the forest field; it is still one of the greatest c!lallenges when ~~e realize that only, at today' s statistics, thirty per cent of all of the forestry products that we use in our Province are ~roti~ced locally. ~ow we must ensure that not a stick of lumber, not a bit of bqo by four, not a thing reiating to the forest industrJ comes from offshore. That is a challenge that we must assune as a Legislature. In the field of agriculture, the gracious Speech points out the fact that we aim at increasing our production in some areas to ?0 per cent of our production 24

December 4, 1978 Tape ~o . 9 ~~t - 2 ~m.. LUXDRIG.-\.N: capability. This should be another dedicated aim of t be people representing the people of our Province ~ tbe Legis~ature. I coulc go on into the f~e~d uf services where,even today with the great acl1ievements we are still looking at in roads alone, according to my colleague, a $1 billio n requirement is needed over the next nucber of years for bieh~Yays improvements and transportat:ion improvements.

In the field of soci~ services 1 geoerally speaking, a field 1-1here we ::~re not able to oeet the commitment with our own financial resources and hence the need to look to Ottawa for continuous support in the field of social services. In the field of :1ydro development:, as we have talk ed about so dramat:ically over the last several yea r~> I believe this is tit.e year 1978/79 fo r us as a Legislature , to come to grips with the gnawing problem of the fact: that we are exporting to another Province a re·source that is double the total reve .nue base o f our 01m Province anci 25 :

December 4, 1978 Tape 10 PK - 1 Mr. Lu.ndri oa.n: consequently the need for us to address ourselves as a Legislature to this particular area. The area, of course, is the redevelopment of the other resources in Labrador. So, Mr. Speaker, I could go on and talk about education and various other aspects of the Throne Speech which have been identified here today, but the most important thing I want to say in seconding the motion proposed by my colleague is the fact that as a Legislature we represent the people of this Province, fifty-one elected members, fifty-one elected legislators.

We have been given the responsibility to guide the Province through the very challenging period that Hes ahead of us, the exciting period that we are facing in the next year or the next number of years, and I think it is incumbent upon all of us in the Legislature this year; the 1979 season which is coming our way,to recommit ourselves collectively as a legislative body to the aims and the objectives and the challenges and the goals that have been put forward in the gracious Speech from the Throne.

I think the people are expecting us as legislators to set new examples, to paint horizons, tn set qoals, to state objectives so that the people themselves can rekindle the excitement that I think all of us are feeling here today. So it is with a great deal of pleasure, Mr. Speaker, that I have the honour of seconding the statement and the expression of appreciation proposed by my colleague for Kilbride. SOME HON. MEMBER: Hear, hear! MR. SPEAKER: (MR. YOUNG): The hon. Leader of the Opposition. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. W. N. ROWE: Mr.

Speaker, first of all let my words be one of welcome to the diqnitaries here today gracing our Chamber representing church and state. Once a year, Sir, we have the honour of having their presence in this august Chamber and I am sure I speak for everybody, every member of this House of Assembly when welcome them here and say that we welcome their presence at any time during our deliberations to come. 26

December 4, 1978 Tape 10 PK - 2 MR. NEARY: Hear, hear! MR. W. N. ROWE: Let my second words be ones of sadness, Mr. Speaker, that we are unfortunately deprived of the presence 27

December 4,1978 Tape No. 11 AH-1 }~.W.ROWE: of the leader of the government, the Premier today. When the hon. Deputy Premier gets up to speak he may have a word on that. I assume he is ill, I understand he is ill. I am very sorry about that because his presence always, of course, graces this chamber,when he is here. We.are very sorry to see him absent today. I trust that his illness will not last long and that we will soon have the benefit of his deliberations in our debates as well. Now, Sir, let me get quickly to the Throne Speech itself. This Throne Speech, Mr.

Speaker, cauld be assumed,I suppose, to be the last enunciation of government policy before the next election. tve can presume, we can assume that this Throne Speech is tmat this government, this administration wants to present to the people some months iro. advance of going to the people, submitting its fate to the people in the next provincial election and, therefore, Si-r, I,for one, as a member of this House and as a member of the Loyal Op·position in opposition to this government, I for one expected with some anxiety, some trepidation a Throne Speech which would be of such benefit and enunciating policies of such benefit to the people of this Province that we could be fearful on this side of the House of our very existence following the next election.

That was the anxiety and fears trltich I had. Well, Sir, I could have saved myself any sleepless moments, any anxiety and any fears because the plan of development, short-term mid-term and long-term development trltich I,for one,expected this government to unveil here today leading up to the next election simply did not materialize I am very sorry to say. The Throne Speech which we just had read by His Honour - and of course no offence meant to His Honour, His Honour reads the Throne Speech which is provided to him by the government - this Throne Speech, Sir, had nothing whatever, 28

December 4, 1978 Tape No, 12 HR. W.N. ROWE: of originality in it, Very little of any imagination whatsoever was shown· in this Th£One Speech. It seemed to be,to me as I listened to it and as I followed along, a repetition, a barren repetition of what we have heard for nine Throne Speeches since 1972, this is the ninth. It seems to me, Mr.

Speaker, and I will be interested to hear what other members of the House have to say as the debate proceeds, it seems to me to be the barren kind of Throne Speech of a government which has run out of steam, of a government which has seemed to have given up all hope of governing this Province in a proper fashion. In fact, Sir, I think I would be fair in saying that it seems to be the Throne Speech of a government which,after seven or eight years in office now admits defeat 7 it cannot grapple with the momentous problems facing us in Newfoundland and Labrador today.

It seems to be the Throne Speech of a government which has lost all further interest in ever again forming the government or the administration of this Province. One example, Mr.

Speaker:To DW- 1 hear in a Throne Speech leading up to an election the old, tired cliche of government restructuring, the restructuring of government programmes trotted out again after the disaster of the last restructuring programme which took, God knows how much time, energy, and talent and money to accomplish exactly nothing, to hear that trotted again, Sir, is an example of the barrenness of this particular speec~, a speech Sir, which repeats for the seventh or eighth time promises and commitments made in 1972 and in succeeding vears.

In fact some good ideas which were enunciated in that Throne Speech,seven or eight years ago 1 the government this time, Sir- which have never been put into effect- 29

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 13 EC - 1 MR. W. N. ROWE: the government this time seemed to be simply too embarrassed to even bring the promises and commitments out again; a tired Speech, Sir, the Speech of a government which has run out of steam and which has given up all hope. Now, Sir, let me say a word about one or two of the specific things mentioned in this Throne Speech and some things which were not mentioned in the Throne Speech, but first of all, the Linerboard mill in Stephenville. Mr.

Speaker, I,in speaking on behalf of my colleagues, reaffirm the statement of welcome and support for any reasonable and sensible proposal to reopen the Labrador Linerboard ~ill and get it going for the benefit of the people of Stephenville and the whole Bay St. George area. We are 100 per cent, Mr. Speaker, behind any such proposal. SOME RON. MEMBERS: ~R. W. N. ROWE: Hear, hear! So much is that the case, Sir, that last week - and I mention this for the first time publicly - I got aboard a plane here in Torba~ accompanied by my hon. colleague, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (Mr.

Si~mons), and flew to Toronto, having made an appointment with Mr. Tom Bell, the head of Abitibi-Price, flew up for the sole purpose of sitting down with him and telling him that as the Leader of the Opposition of this Province, as the alternate Premier of this Province, we were 100 per cent behind the proposal which has now been accepted by the government, and we gave him every indication of our support and our encouragement to proceed with this matter and to get that mill 30ing once more, Mr. Speaker, as soon as is humanly possible. Why would we not hope that this proposal goes through? This project, ~r.

Speaker, which can be of untold benefit to the people of the area 30

December 4 1973 l'ape ~ o. 13 EC - 2 ~fR • ~1. ~~ . ROT~E : and to the Province was a Liberal project put there by the former administration of wh ich I was a pa rt. I was proud of the pr oject then, Sr. Speak er, and I am proud of i t now, and I certainly hope that the matter can go through with all deliberate speed. In fact, Sir, there would b e no h arm to say that every member on th i s side of the House o ppos ed the close ­ d own of the Labrador Lin erboard mill,to start with, 3.1

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 14 ~- 1 MR. W. ROWE: eighteen months ag~. MR. NEARY: Six years of misnanagement. ~. l~. ROWE: We oppossed it. It should never have been closed down and I will make mention of that again in the future, in a few minutes. MR. NEARY: Skulduggery and mismanagement. HR. W, ROWE: But let me say this, Sir, that having voiced our support, having voiced our encouragement to the government and to Abitibi Price and to everybody concerned, we have to say that, as usual the maiiiler of the announcement that this proposal, this bid by Abitibi-Price had been accepted by the government ~•as ~rrong.

It turned out later that two essential ingredients, namely the tax concessions from the Canadian. Internal P~venue Department and the D~ grants had not yet been finalized. And that is why I came out, having heard this on tl1e radio for the first time, not from the government, heard it on the radio from our Minister in Ottawa, Mr.

Jamieson, that these two essential ingredients had not been fina!ized and completed, having heard that I immediately, as soon as I heard it, drafted telegrams to the Prime Minister of Canada, to the Hinister of Internal Reve:1ue and to the Minister of Regional and Economic Expansion, ~1r.

Lessard, in which I said; "Speaking on behalf of the Opposition once more, that although the proposal had been announced as a completed and final sale it now turns out that it is not,in fact,final and I therefore urge the government, the Prime lllnister and his colleagues to finalize the matters -the tax concessions, and the DP.EE gra;J.ts -finalize these matters, complete them as soon as poss~tle in order that the sale could,in fact,go through and become final and benefit the people of the Province. Of course we favour the reopening of the Linerboard mill, ¥r. Speaker. As I said it should never have closed.

It would have been far more valuable as a going concern, far more valuable as a going concern than it would be as a mothballed, closed 32 :

~ovember 4, 1978 Tape No. 14 NM- 2 ~!R. '~· ROWE: up Linerboard mill. Besides the fact that figures, we have not gotten them from the government but indicatioLs that I have show that it cost more to the people of this Province to, in fact;close down that mill than 33

December 4, 1978 Tape 15 PK - 1 Mr. W. N. Rowe: if it had been kept open over the last year or year and-a-half. The closedown costs, Mr. Speaker, are very much inflated, have gone well over estimates, and if it had been kept open the cost would not have been nearly so great not to mention at all the most important fact of all, Sir, the complete economic and social disruption to the lives of hundreds, thousands of people in the Stephenville area and the Bay St. George area. MR. NEARY: Even our tennis team down in Boston went bankrupt. MR. W. N. ROWE: We are glad, Mr.

Speaker, to see that the proposal of Abitbi-Price has been accepted, and I state here publicly, . to the government, to the Deputy Premier and to his colleagues today, that we are behind any reasonable proposal to get that mill going, we encourage its opening, it should never have closed, and we hope that it opens very soon. Now, Sir, let me say a word about a matter which was not mentioned in the Throne Speech, namely, the Come By Chance refinery. Again, speaking for my colleagues, we welcome the public indications that progress is being made,apparently1 towards reopening that project as well.

Again we support and encourage the efforts of all concerned, Mr. Speaker, to get that project, the Come By Chance refinery going. I will say,however,that there does seem to be a slight problem. In the declining days of the last session of the House, the Premier and the other ministers concerned did not give the impression that they are fully in control of what is going on regarding the Come By Chance refinery.

I think my colleagues will agree that the members of the government did not give the impression of having a clear and firm grip on what was going on with regard to the reopening of the Come By Chance refinery. Apparently the government was not even consulted or advised until it was announced that the proposal of First Arabian Corporation had been accepted by the receiver for the first mortgagee. We still do not know, Mr. Speaker, although we should by this time, we still do not know whether the gover nment favours the 34

December 4, 1978 Mr. W. N. Rowe: of the Shaheen group~ Tape 15 proposal of First Arabian or the proposal The Shaheen group proposal, certainly on PK - 2 paper,appears to be much more to the benefit of the people of this Province. but we do not have the government 1 s ideas. ot the government's position on those proposals. Let me say. Sir, that it is up to the government. a government which seeks to lead on behalf of the people of this Province,to make its position clear. How do I know or how do the people of this Province know which of these proposals is most in the interests of the people themselves? 35 ::

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 16 ~!R. W .N. ROWE: That is why we have governments and it is up to this goverll!Dent to take a firm position now, l1r. Speaker,before the die is cast or before we go too far beyond a situation where what the governmen~ says or does can make any difference whatsoever. And the government? in making its position known,should accept only that deal and that proposal, Sir, which is in the best interest of the people of this Province not just in the best interest of the first mortgagee •.

ECDG or Kleinworth Benson over in Britian,but in the bast interest of the people of this Province no matter what the first mortgagee may like or not like. And, Sir, as I say we support the government and any­ body else in their reasonable and,hopefully,energetic efforts to get the Come by Chance refinery going again. DH - 1 Let me say. in passing one final word, Sir, for the moment on these two protects. The Come by Chance refinery was put there by the former Liberal administration and the linerboard mill as well.

These two p~ojects were closed down for a variety of reasons under this present administration. lie have no>r reached the point where it is hoped that by 1981 the linerboard mill in Stephenville and the Come by Chance refinery may be going again. That is the hope! MR. S. NEARY: steel mill going again. l·!R. W. N. ROWE: The neKt thing they will have the That, Hr. Speaker, is ten years just about exactly ten years after this administration first took office in January of 1972. As far as these two projects are concerned Mr. Speaker, it can be truly said that these have been ten wasted years.

We will find ourselves in 1981 at exactly the same position that we were in regarding the Come by Chance refinery and the liner­ board mill 7 if everything goes well,in exactly the same position as this Province was in in 1971. That is progress, Mr. Speaker: !here 36

December 4ch., 1978 Tape No. 16 OW - 2 MR. W .N. ROWE: is something to proud of ! That is real achievement by this administration,co have arrived in 1981 at che posicion thq were in 1;hen they took over the reins of power back in early 1972. Now, Mr. Speaker, on the Lower Churchill Development Corporation lee me say this as well;we as a party and as a group in this Rouse,welcome and suppor t the federal/provincial Crown corpo ratiot;t now set up to deal 37 -

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 17 EC - 1 MR. W. N. ROWE: with this project. But in saying that, Sir, let us be very clear and let the public of this Province be very clear what exactly it is we are talking about when we talk about the federal/provincial Crown corporation, development corporation, to deal with the Lower Churchill.

That is the corporation, Sir, which is set up to study the feasibility of the Lower Churchill to determine whether its development is viable and economic, to decide upon alternative methods and ways of developing that project,if it is viable and economic, to inquire into marketing and financing and methods of getting the electricity and power to the markets. set up to do, Sir. That is what that corporation is Once again, we are confronted as a people in this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador by a little prob~em. If we have now arrived, Mr.

Speaker, at the point where we are spending money and setting up corporations to study the feasibility and possibility of getting the Lower Churchill going, why then, it may be asked, did this administration in the months leading up to and during the 1975 general election spend $110 million of public money - provincial money too - on construction, or the start of construction of the Lower Churchill power development in Labrador? $110 million, Mr.

Speaker , no matter what the Minister of Mines and Energy may say or the Deputy Premier or anyone else, $110 million, the great proportion of which is now wasted public money down the drain. Why would they do that if it is only now that we are trying to determine the feasibility, tte economic viability of that project? You do not have to strain your imagination very much, Mr. Speaker, to come up with the answer to that particular question, a start up for purely political purposes at the expense of this Province, $110 million worth of tax dollars and public money. 38

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 17 EC - 2 HR. W. N. ROWE: The more one probes into the energy and the power policy of this government, Sir, the more one comes to the conclusion that the public has not been well served over the past number of years. Let us just for a moment look at the BRI:lCO takeover in Labrador which included the Upper Churchill power. My han. friend and I, during our visit to the Mainland to contact Mr.

Bell and to support his takeover proposal, happened to come across a man who had been very close to the scene in Labrador, associated with BRINCO, in fact, And we asked him some probing questions on the BRINCO takeover and he told us, Sir -and I am sure that public documents will support this - he told us that BRINCO as a private company had invested in the Labrador - the assets which were taken over by the Newfoundland Government-had invested $53 million, and yet, Sir, we find that when the government took over the BRINCO assets in Labrador it paid in excess of $160 million, and this person, Sir, whom I do not mind mentioning privately to the Premier or Deputy Premier - I would not mention him publicly - this person, Sir, left no doubt in our minds that the people of this Province paid more than three times too much for those assets as far as the people are concerned.

He was not complaining and BRINCO certainly was not complaining, but the people of this Province paid over 39

December 4,1978 Tape No. 13 AH-1 J-<R. T'. ROWE: three times as much as those ass~ts were worth,to accomplish ~hat? What did we gain by this takeover? T~e went dangerously close to being considered a Banana Repub 1 i c by !~all Street. We now have a huge debt which we are paying interest on,which is the reason why people in this Province cannot have roads paved or hospitals constructed or water systems put in, and we put another $100 million down the drain.

Every now and then, Sir, I am very amused to hear some member of the government side of the House on the public airwaves say how negative members of the Opposition are. But, Mr. Speaker, let me assure you that I have no desire to be negative nor am I,I hope, negative by nature but the facts which surround the administration of government by this government on the other side of the House are negative. It is the facts which are negative, it is the government's actions which are negative and which have been counter-productive. _§OME HON.MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR.W.ROWE: And if anyone seeks reasonably to tell the truth about the actions of this administration it is impossible, Mr. Speaker, to be positive. You have to be negative if you are going to tell th~ truth. You could gloss over the truth and pretend that it does not exist but I and my colleagues on this side of the House have no intention of glossing over the truth, Sir, where public money is concerned. $100 million wasted on the premature startup of the Lower Churchill, $100 million given away on the takeover of the BRINCO assets,whith accomplished exactly nothing.

Over $200 million of public money down the drain, Mr.Speaker, in this Province. And then the hon. member for Grand Falls (11r.Lundrigan) who took a hrave stand when he resigned on a matter of principle concerning a hospital, the han. member for Grand Falls (~r.Lundriganl hopes that hospital construction will continue this year now and get it underway. The Speech from the Throne mentions the possibility of hospital construction with no definite dates given and no commitments made. 40

December 4, 1978 Tape 18 1:r.

Speaker, I tell the people of Port aux Basques, of Grand Falls, of the Burin Peninsula, of the Donavista Peninsula that if it were not for ·;:he incredible wastage of public money on this mixed up, confused energy policy of this administration lvhere $200 mllion <Iere wasted - confused and mixed up would be the most charitable way to characterize it, other people might t:ay ~1at it 11as done for blatantly political purposes, out I say, Sir, ti·.at if these things had not been done and this $200 million had not been wasted then the people of these areas would have their hospitals today or they would be well under construction, and the people ... ho are now, this day in the middle of the winter, carting Hater to their homes in ua:.1.y areas of rural ~lewfoundland 1muld have their 1vater systen and the roads l>"hich my hon. colleague from Bellevue (Er.

Callan) it.Cntioned si10uld !Je paved - at every opportunity he has - those roads, l:r. Speaker, would be paved now or well in the process of being upgraded and paved. It is the extravagance, Sir, the 11aste ~1hici1 has caused t!1is govemment to renege on its basic commitments to t!•e ;k~1foundland people. I was in the hospital over in ?ort aux Basques with my hon. colleague the member for Lapoile (Fr. i~eary) not a month ago - ~.1'.. • \i • RO',;E : - t'",iO \;reel .... s a£o, anti <t.rhat I saw t:1ere, ~~r. Speaker, men anu women, some 1vith te=inal ill:1esses jlllllilled in together in rooms, in wards, llr.

Speaker, not t!-J.rough auy fault of their mm, not t;1rough any fault of the administration of the hospital, tlley are trying to do t:1eir best, the adcinistration and the staff of tbe !lospital, but the facilities, !"r. Speal;er, are so hopelessly out .. oded and in need of updating, of modernization. For the sake of a fe~1 million dollars the people of the Port aux Basques area and the other areas -;hat I have me~tioned could have their modern ho::;pital f'lcilities, for the sake of tile millions "hic.'l "ere ~~astec by lad. of r.overnment control on the Health Sciences Centre, Hr.

Speaker, ,.;hic:l 'Oe ilave se<.n revealecl ::.:::. recent days, for ~he sake of that, 41.

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 19 N!! - 1 ~IR. IV. RO\~: _che people of the Port aux Basques area, of Grand Falls, of the Burin Pen!nsula, of Clarenville or the Bonavista Peninsula, they could have their modern facilities and would not have to put up ~?ith the sight, the spectacle of 1vhat goes on in some of the less modern hospitals in Newfoundland today, not through the fault of the administration or the staff, they are doing their best, but purely as a result, Hr. Speaker, of the extravagence and waste of this administration.

Also in the area, not mentioned in the Throne Speech I ,_notice, but also in the area of energy policv let me mention that everyone I have. spoken to in Ne1vfoundland in the last couple of weeks is amazed that our Premier and our Hinister of Hines and Energy could be up in Ottawa; or anywhere else L'l the country, supporting increases, :1r. Speaker, increases in the cost of oil, the cost of gasoline in this Province. l1R. ~lOLA.~; ~""NEARY: MR. W. ROWE: this could take place. !-!H.. NEARY: ~!R. W. ROWE: Shame! Shame! Resign! Resign~ Everyone, Sir, is simply amazed that 'l'hat is 1vhat they did.

And the obvious question, Sir, is why lvould a government which seeks to persuade the people of this Province that they are acting in the best interests of the people of this Province, why would they not only agree but actively encourage a policy which would increase the cost of gasoli~e to the hard-pressed people of Newfoundland and Labrador2 1fuy would Ne1vfoun~and, the poorest province in Canada, be cosying up to Alberta, the richest Province in Canada, and helping that Province get more money into its coffers to go with its multi-billion dollar heritage fund,that is already developed, at the expense of the consumers of Ne1vfoundland and Labrador?

Why waul~ that be? Some uncharitable souls, ~!r. Speaker, have indicated that this government is so outraged at the thought that 42

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 19 N:1 - 2 MR. lv. ROWE: the federal government might do something which gives it some political glamour, or makes it look good politically, that they are even willing to act in the worst interests of the people of this Province. I do not say that the governme~t is acting politically in that fashion.

What I do know, Sir, and what I think and believe is that the reason they are doing it is because this government, through the waste and extravagance, two or three examples of which I have already given, is so completely strapped for money to run this Province that it has to pray for and hope for further equalization payments and grants from Ottawa and the only way, of course,that it can get further equalization grants from Ottawa, further money from Ottawa to keep the Province going is to try to Jet the richer provinces of Canada more money through the increases in gasoline and other ways that can flow into the federal coffers and then come back to this Province.

In other words, Sir, to take the complication out of it, what this government is trying to do is inpose a further indirect tax on the people of this Province without~! might add, having the courage to come into this House and debate it and even talk about it or ask for it, but to do it up in Otta~~a, hopefully far enough away from the Newfoundland people - i1R. NEARY: ~·lR. W. ROWE: do notice it, Sir. Nobody •Hill notice it. - so that nobody notices it.

But people It is a desperate move by this government to try to obtain more money from Otta~1a and that, Sir, is a further indication of what the wastage and extravagances of this government have led to; Hhere this government will go llp and seek to have Alberta get more noney for its oil and its gas off the backs of the Ne~•foundland consumers and the Labrador consumers in the hope that they will get more money through equalization grants from the Governmen~ of Canada. HR. NEARY: They should resign. 43

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 19 ;m - 3 YR. W. RO\ffi: That, Sir, is

an act and an action ~Jhich is not in the best interests of t he people of this Prov:!.r.ce 44

December 4, 1978 Tape 20 PK - 1 Mr. W. N. Rowe: and I echo the thought of somebody a moment ago, any government in this day and age with inflation rampant, with the cost of living sky-high, with nearly every family in this Province strapped to keep body and soul together, any government which would go up and agree to,in fact, encourage an action which would increase the cost of living so substantially is a government which does not deserve to represent any longer the people of the Province . And, Sir, to add insult to injury is Alberta grateful for the position taken by the Newfoundland and Labrador Government?

To add insult to injury we read in the public papers and the newspapers the other day that Alberta,from its billions of dollars,has now agreed to make loans to other provinces in Canada,aside from the loan which was made to Newfoundland, and it is interesting to note, Sir, that the loans are for a lower rate of interest than that which was paid by the Newfoundland Government when it borrowed its money, its $50 million in spite of the fact that interest rates generally have gone up since the time of our loan.

That is the appreciation shown by the Government of Alberta to thecosying-up attitude,in the worst interests of the people of this Province1 expressed or demonstrated by our own Provincial Government here, Sir. And something else mentioned in the field of mines and energy in the Speech from the Throne is the Buchans situation, Mr. Speaker. We will have that mine in Buchans closing down in about four months, very regretfully and very unfortunately.

This government to date has been distinguished by the lack of concern, the callousness, and the lack of interest which it has shown to the people of Buchans, the miners in Buchans and the people living in Buchans, and the Buchans area. The ideas of the Task Force, which suppose-the Task Force put its report in MR. FLIGHT: MR. W. N. ROWE : what7 three years ago? Two and a half or three years ago. Two and a half or three years ago. The ideas of this task Force which I have read through, Sir, many times, and most of 45

December 4. 1978 Tape 20 PK - 2 Mr. W. N. Rowe: which I agree with entirely. the ideas of the Task Force have not been considered even by this government let alone implemented. And we see now in the Throne Speech - MR. FLIGHT: One line. MR. W. N. ROWE: - one line with reference to the people of Buchans. They are going to set up an industrial development officer or something in Buchans a month or two before the close down. A suggestion made along with scores of other suggestions by the Buchans Task Force two and a half or three years ago or even longer, we are now seeing it going in.

Talk about a policy or a philosophy, Sir, of too little too late~ and there you have it exemplified in the case of this government's lack of concern with Buchans. Now. Mr. Speaker. there will be plenty of time to get into all aspects of the Throne Speech ~ during the Throne Speech debate itself and in other legislation, so I am not 90ina to ~enti0r everything. But I will mention the fishery and thedevelopments or lack thereof in the fishery since this government came to power seven or eight years ago.

First of all, I think it is instructive to point out that since this government came to power there have been seven or eight Ministers of Fisheries culminating in the present one we have today. It would also be instructive to point out that fisheries was the largest, loomed the largest. and was the largest single area of mention in the Throne Speech of 1972) and that since that time in eight separate Throne Speeches we have had, Sir, the same promises and the same commitments made by this administration in Throne Speech after Throne Speech.

And once again we have in this ninth Throne Speech of this present administration the same promises. the same ideas. the same so-called commitments thrown out with regard to 46

Decem~er 4, 1978 Tape No. 21 NH - 1 !1R. ~~. ROWE: the Ne1o~foundland and Labrador fishery, Last month there 1vas a conference attended by the minister- no members of the House 11ere even allowed to get into the workshops :, or no members of the press - but the minister called the co,~fereuce, sc.me representatives of the fishermen were there, and these promises were once mor~ made to the fishermen. Unfortunately, ~fr.

Speaker, and this is ·.vhere one is forced to bring the government to task, unfortunately it turned out that these promises, these collllllitments, made unilaterz.~::.y by the provincial government, will require, if they are going to be implemented, hundreds of millions of dollars, $.5 billion $500 million,perhaps,if they are going to be implemented 1 and it turns out that all, nearly all of these hundreds of millions of ~ollars need to be provided by the federal government in Ottawa. That is okay.

One would have assumed that the federal government and the provincial government had gotten together, had agreed on a plan and this was no1v being anno\lllced by the c!inister of Fisheries and the government. It turns out again, Sir, that far from agreeing to these grandiose plans announced by the Uinister of Fisheries, the government of Canada and the !Unister of Fi.3hcries, the federal :1inister of Fisheries in Ottawa did not even have any knowledge of the ideas and plans which 1vere put out by the 'finis ter of Fis~leries on behalf of his government. AN ~ON. i'!EMBER: It is true. It is not a lie. MR. H.

ROWE: Well the llir.ister of Fisheries, Sir, is an l1onourable gentleman, the Uinister of Fisheries here and the 11inister of Fisheries from Otta1va . .,. . ... :!e :linister of Fisheries from Ottawa came out and publicly stated that he had no notion of 1vhat the }finister of Fisheries here was talking about and had not agreed to anything.And even if, Sir, the ;1inister of Fisheries in ~:lis Province 47

,. "' December 4, 1978 Tape No. 21 :m - 2 ~. \~. ROWE: can produce, which he has not done, can produce some correspondence, some documentation, some telegrams, ._or telexes and table them on the table of this House, even that, Sir, is a far cry from the agreement of the Government of Canada to spend the hundreds of millions of dollars which are necessary.

I am afraid, Sir, and this is very unfortunate, and I am sorry to have to say this, but I am very much afraid that it is another example of this government looking for, desperately searching for some political kudoes, some pats on the back, that it is willing to go out on a limb and announce as a fait accompli, as something completed and finalized something which,in fact,has only reached its first stages of planning and development. And, Sir, that statement 1~hich I just made a moment ago is compounded by the fact that at this Fisheries Conference,which the ~anister of Fisheries Glr.

Carter) 'Closted, although we were not allowed to get in on various things as members of the House, it 1¥as noticed by members of the press and members who were there looking around, that the most e~dent gentlemen present were members of the P.C. Partv's P.R. Firm busily filming 1~hat was going on at the conference and the ~Iinister, unfortunately, had to come out and subsequently admit that some or all, some at least of these films, uere going to be used for a political purpose.

The press secretary to the Premier, not being a politician himself, the Premier not having gotten to him in time, the !H.nister of Fisheries (Hr. Carter) not having got- ten to him in time came out and admitted, I suppose in his naivete ~embers of the government would think, admitted that these films were being taken for political purposes. Well, Sir, the people of this province and the fishermen of this province I do not believe for one I:I.Ol'lent will tolerate being used for political purposes by this 48

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 21 cw- 3 }!R.. l-1. RO'\I.'E: government or any other government, and that is the way it should be. And it is too bad that this govern- ~•t, which has made over the years some statements regarding the Fishery, some commitments and ideas regarding the Fishery 49

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 22 EC - 1 ~!R. ~7. N. ROHE: has only now at this late date shown its true colours with regard to the fishery. They do not intend, apparently, to do much about the development of the fishery as long as they can get the impression abroad that they are actively and feverishly working on behalf of the fishermen of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is noteworthy, Mr.

Speaker, that the only real activity, the only sign of energy, the only time when the full talents of the Premier, the Minister of Fisheries and other members of that government were utilized to their fullest was on the Nordsee deal involving a foreign multi-national company, involving a proposal to fish the Northern cod stock with the very real danger of ruining that cod stock as a source for our entire Northern, Northeastern and Eastern inshore and nearshore fishery in this Province.

And one can only ask why it was with regard to the Nordsee deal, this deal involving a giant multi-national company, this was the only time that we saw real energy, real imagination, real dedication to the fishery on the part of this administration. That is the question that the ~ewfoundland people have to ask themselves and have to answer for themselves, Mr. Speaker. Why would that be? - hundreds of commitments made and never fulfilled except for this massive effort with regard to the Nordsee. Now, Kr.

Speaker, very briefly I want to touch on a number of policies, some of which were mentioned in the Speech from the Throne, which we as an Opposition, which we as a Liberal Party, and which I, as Leader of this party, want to see implemented by this government, and if not by this government then by us as a government when we have the privilege and honour of forming the administration in this Province. 50

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 22 EC - 2 MR. lv. N. ROWE: has to be done. Mr. Speaker, it is clear what I know, my colleagues know, I am sure there are members on the other side of the House who know, it is clear what has to be done to get this Province moving economically, and, Mr. Speaker, I, for one, and speaking on behalf of my colleagues, we are determined that these things will be done, because if they are not done, this Province will be doomed to economic disaster. Let us look at the fishery, Sir, for a moment, compared to what has been offered by this administration.

I believe wholeheartedly, Sir, that there must be developed in this Province a full and comprehensive plan for the development of all aspects of the fishing industry. This has never been done - perhaps it could not have been done before the 200 mile limit came into effect a short time ago. But now that the 200 mile limit has been brought in by the government in Ottawa, we now need a plan of development involving our government, involving the federal government, involving the fishing industry, and most important of all, the representatives of the fishermen and the processors, the plant workers.

The government of this Province must take the lead in developing this plan, but, Sir, it would be useless for this government to simply develop a plan without having the full co-operation of the government in Ottawa, the industry and the union representing the fishermen and the plant workers. The federal government has most of the jurisdiction in the fisheries; everybody admits that, it is a fact of life, buL it is our fishery, Mr. Speaker, it is the fishery of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and for that reason, and that reason alone, the provincial 5.1 : .-

December 4th., 1973 Tape No. 23 DW-l NR. W.N. ROWE: government must take the lead in developing a full and comprehensive plan for the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery. Mr. Speaker, such a plan if it was commenced now1and after the next election, Sir, I guarantee this if we have the honour of forming the government)within a year after the next election,or if it were commenced now7 within a year such a plan could be fully developed and ready to go in into effect.

It is a plan, Sir, which would deal with all elements of the fishery not just the ad hoc disjointed elements which we have seen in the last number of years, something in slings here or something pushed here but no overall ;1an of development. It would have to take into consideration all elements and all aspects of the fishery.

Conser- vation, Sir, now that we have the 200 mile limit, conservation which is designed to protect our own fishermen not foreign fishermen, conservation designed to protect the welfare and well-oeing of the inshore, near-shore fishermen of Newfoundland and our own trawlermen, conserva- tion methods for their benefits, Sir, and not conservation methods designed to enhance easy deals with fore~gn concerns and foreign companies. The plan, Mr. Speaker, must involve quality controls on all aspects of the fishery.

If the Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery is ever going to get into the ~rkets and capture its great share of the markets in Europe and the United States then every shopper in the United States and in Europe, Sir, must learn through experience over the next number of years that the products of Newfoundland and Labrador are the very best fish products produced anywhere bar none including Iceland, including Norway, including West Germany, including anywhere on this globe.

So there has to be some hard decision making regarding quality controls in the fishery and quality controls in the processing of our fish. !1arketing, Mr. Speaker - and all these things go hand in hand, the conservation, the quality controls, the marketing - the marke~ing of our fish cannot be left 52

December 4, 1978 Tape 23 IB-2 MR. W. ROliiE: to any single element in the ~ewfoundland Fishery. The marketing of our fish, Sir, must involve the governments as well, not in some sort of a socialistic takeover, not in any effort to undermine private enterprise but the governments, provincial and federal must get highly involved with the industry and with the union in the marketing of our fish in the United States, in Europe and in Asia. The importance of this, Mr.

Speaker, can be seen from the fact that it is the federal government which must negotiate with these countries lower tariff barriers to process products so that we here in this Province can have the jobs which come from further processing rather than sending out big chunks of the crude unprocessed product to the European or the American or the Asian market. We have to get the further processing here and it is the federal government which must be involved in that. We must take the lead in technology, }rr.

Speaker, with both governments getting highly involved and we have to get involved as governments in the protectio~ of our fishermen from these onerous, terrible risks associated with the fishery such as catch failure and gear loss and we have to provide reasonable and sensible insurance programmes. Mr. Speaker, we will be spelling out our policies in this regard as time goes on but there has to be a full and comprehensive programme for the development of our fishery.

And, Sir, if that is done the best expert advice which I can get, studies that I have read and expert advice from people who know the fishery in government and outside, believe that if we develop it to our full potential the fishery in this Province can be worth five or six times or more than the worth it is today. And one does not have to strain one's imagination to realize the tremendous impact on our economy, Mr. Speaker, from the full development of the Newfoundland Fishery. And this can be done, Sir, not just by knocking Ottawa, 53

December 4, 1978 Tape 23 IB-3 MR. lv. ROWE: as this administration has been doing, not just by proceeding unilaterally without regard to the Fishermen's Union, without regard to Ottawa, without regard to : :. 54

~ece~ar 4, 197U Tape .Z4 G<.-1 l:R. ~i • ::.o:<"E: anyone else catering to the multi- nationals/ not by using the fishermen, !:r. Speaker, for political purposes as \Je ::;.ave seen it ;,mfortunately in the past couple of months; not JY fits ano;;. starts; not iJy pushing this here and pushing that there, but by sitting dmm and all elements of the fishery coming up with the full plan involving the conservation, the cont.ro::.s, the marketing and all other aspects, ::r.

Speaker, which can make the fishery viable in tilis Province_, and without which, Sir, the fishery will stagnate and will not reach its full potential. It can be done, t:r. Speaker, and it 1dll be done as =ar as I am concerned and as far as my colleagues are concerned. r>ou, l'ir. Speaker, let me touch briefly on our pclicy '<iith regard to the development of the Labrador power and the usage of Labrador power. Let ce repeat in case there is any ndstal~e in anybody's mind our policy regarding the Upper Chur~~ill power, the single biggest power source, Er.

Speaker, in the world with all of its value - nearly all of its value - going presently to the province of Quebec. \ihen "tle look at our thirty or forty thousand unenployed in this Province, 1~r. Speaker, an.J you realize that $800 million or $900 mill~on worth of value is going to the Province of, Quebec from our resource, it is enougt to ~ake your iJlood i:Joil.

And the reason tl<ey are gettill6 $700 r.tillion or $;:}00 million or $900 ••illion ""'orth of value is beca~·.se the situation has changed so drastically and so radically since the time that the deal was first signed bacl~ in 1~65 or 19G6, tl,at instead of getting a reasonable profit from the Gpp.:or Churchill, the Province of Quebec ·:1011 sets a tremendous windfall profit of llllndreds of millions of dollars. Unforeseen changes and hikes in tile oil prices caused it, ~ir. Speaker, as tile v.-indfall profit uhici:J. is going to the province of Quei:Jec. !Jell, :-rr.

Speaker, ~<e as a party and es a governr.,ent representin~ the ;{eldoundland people are deternined ~'e are going to ,c':r. Speaker, get back a fair share of the value of the l:'pper Churchill pot>er. \.;e are going to force 55

December 4, 1978 Tape 24 GII-2 ~~. r..O~'E: renegotiation of that deal •>hicil "ias changed so radically, which :1as altered so drastically, Sir, that I ~muld venture to say that any code that was ever between two private individuals would be forced to say that the foundation has utterly fallen out of the contract and the agreement, the situation has changed so radically since the deal was first entered into. The power, Er.

Speaker, the electricity is on our side of the border in La!>rador, the s'dtch is on our side of the border, and so any government which does not make use of the fact that the switch and the power are on our side of ti1e border to get more money on our side of the border is derelict in its duty and does not deserve to form the government of this Province. Hr.

Speaker, the magnitude of the situation is seen that if we ••ere to get only one-half of these "indfall profits or values now going to Quebec, which ~•auld be in the area of $4GO million, that $4JO nillion is equal to the money, the income going to the provincial government today from all sources every single year - every_year, $400 million or $500 Iaillion goes to the provincial government by taxation and by all sources not counting the federal government - we could double, :rr.

Speaker, in one fell swoop, •1e could double the revenues of this provincial government. .md so I for one am determined, absolutely determined to see that this comes to past. Nm·T, Mr. Speaker, as far as the LoHer Churchill is concerned, some hard decisions have to be made there as well. Some people thinl~ it is reasonable to assume that the federal government r.tigb.t proclaim a corridor through the province of Quebec to allow our po~;er to get to the market. I do not think, l:r. Speaker, that there is a government in Canada or that there ever "ill be a govern:r1ent i1~ Canada, 56

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 25 EC - 1 MR. W. N. ROWE: who will have the temerity to proclaim a corridor through the Province of Quebec as long as Quebec is a Province of Canada. I do not think they will do it. I think we have to look at other methods of developing that power. We heard the latest statement from the Province of Quebec whereby Mr. Levesque said there is no way he is going to oblige this Province by : helping us get our power to the markets.

The only way he would help is if he buys the power from us at the border at a price which he will dictate so that they can resell to Consolidated Edison or someone else in the United States at highly inflated profits once more. So, Mr. Speaker, the way things are at present, I do not think we can expect too much from the Province of Quebec as far as accommodating our desires is concerned.

I will be·very interested in seeing what this federal/ provincial corporation brings in, but at the present time, Sir, unless there are facts and evidence to radically alter the situation as it presently exists, I have to say that the Labrador power, the Lower Churchill, must first of all be developed for use in Labrador and industrialization in Labrador, that any surplus from that must be brought to the Island part of the Province and if sold on short-term contracts, sold by means of transmission lines under the sea across the Gulf. ~r. Speaker, ten years ago that was laughed at as a joke, the Anglo-Saxon route.

As it now happens there is no doubt whatsoever about the technical feasibility of such a plan, and fortunately with the rise in oil prices dictated by the OPEC nations, the economic and financial viability of that kind of a deal, that kind of a transmission, is well within our reach. And we should 57

December 4 , 1978 Tape No. 25 EC - 2 SR . W. N. ROWE : explore that possibility as soon as possible, Sir - further development in Labrador of our raw materials, any s~rplus power for the benefit of the Island part of our Province to reduce domestic rates of electricity and so on, and any sales that take place - and this can apply to the Upper Churchill as well - any sales that take place, take place on a short-term basis to the United States or to the Maritime Provinces. And, Mr.

Speaker, I am convinced as a person interested in the future of this Province, that in these two policy areas alone, the proper development of the Newfoundland fishery and the proper development and use of our Labrador power would be enough in themselves to make Newfoundland and Labrador one of the most prosperous provinces in the whole of Canada.

We have a population of 560,000 people and we have resources, Sir, which would make land masses and populations far exceeding our size exceedingly jealous, and it is only because we have not developed these resources properly that we have not achieved the prosperity that we should have. Now, Mr. Speaker, this party, the Liberal Party, stands committed to the full 7 proper development and use of these resources.

And I know that will bring the prosperity and the pride and the dignity that can go with full employment at high levels of income such as is now being attained in other regions of Canada - Alberta, Saskatchewan, for much the same reason, the proper use and the proper development of their own resources. Mr. Speaker, before I sit down let me say quite briefly what I think should be the policies of this government and failing 7 in default of this government, what we will do following the next election in a number of areas. 58

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 25 EC - 3 In Education, Sir, we believe that education is the single most important area of social policy in this Province and that as long as we have the rate 59

December 4, 1978 Tape 26 Gi.i-1 YR. ·,;. ROWE; of one-i1alf the national rate of graduates from high school, from universities, from trade schools that they have across Canada, as long as <i'e are one-half and that is what we are, there can l:e no cutbacks in education such as i1ad been advanced by this government in recent years. f~d we are lQO per cent behind the idea of Gr~ce XII being implemented as soon as possible as a policy in this Province.

In fact, Sir, in 1971 one of my colleagues, then the minister of education, publicly introduced the concept of Grade XII but vas unable, because of certain unfortunate happenings in a general election wiLicii follo•:ed shortly after, to implement it fully. ~ow seven or eight years later \>Te see it enunciated in a Speech from the Throne once more. I :1ope, Sir, that it goes through this time. My han. colleague, the member for Lapoile (Mr. S. Heary) has had private members' resolutions and bills on the Order Paper for years asking that Grade ~;:II be brought in.

I hope now, Sir, that it does come to pass and we \>Till certainly, Sir, if this government does not bring it in, then we are committed, as a matter of policy, to bringing it in when we form the government. Policy considerations for the elderly, Er. Speaker, this gove=ent, this party, rather, when it forms the sovernment,stands committed to the idea that all prescription drugs and medication for the elderly in this Province should be provide free of cost.

Hell, as long as you have any cost borne by the elderly people in this Province or any chronic users of prescribed medication for that matter, Sir, then you are going to have people who suffer, who are cieprived of other essentials of life because of the neec to spend money on essential drugs. He stand co=itted, Sir, to policies regarding care and health for elderly people to remain at horr.e and not to be institutionalized at the drop of a hat.

We arc comrdtted Sir, to a iJolicy of nunicipal taxes and rates being ~iped out as far as the el~erly in this Prov::.nce are concerned; and, if necessary, to be subsidized by the provincial government. :. ::iOI:LE HO:>. ~§llBERS: Hear, hear! 60

December 4, 1978 Tape 26 Gll-2 nt. \L ROl!E: It is simply £II'.azing, Sir, the number of elderly people in this Province, senior citizens, , ... ho cannot afford, ;:ithout depriving themselves of the essentials of life, to pay the I:J.llllicipal taxes and rates which are imposed upon them,on pain of going to court and being penalized, and so we are against that l:ind of thing, and ~ve are in favour of 1-riping it out once and for all. Nr. Speaker, in the area of Buchans, ~-:·hich is the concern of my hon. colleague the wel!lber for Windsor-iluchans (}:r. G.

Flight), we are in favour of the vast r::ajority of all of the recommendations in the Buchans Task Force. When I say vast majority, there are certain things o;hich are outside of the govemnent 's control because they depend on local initiative, but an~vhere that the governr.~ent is involved and can be involved 'N'e 11a.nt to see measures taken to alleviate tl::.e problems, the economic hardship that is going to arise in the near future. A couple of matters - the roa,l to llowley, Hr.

Speaker, this could !Je done in conjunction with the :Iinds Lake project which could be of such benefit serving as infrastructure to other developments in the town of 3uchans 1 1vhy did not the government go ahead with that? They uill not do it, Sir. The Hinds Lake project which is nearby and ~:l:ich any reasonable government would use as at least a short-term measure to alleviate and ~et rid of and lessen the economic problems ~-rhich are going to come to Buchans as a result of the mine clc:;e-down, this government will not even look at that proposal, Sir. T:1ey will not even look at it.

Well, Sir, ..re a=e committed to that kind of a proposal on grounds of simple decency to the people who are involYed. SOEE RON. HE:•ffiERS : Hear, hear! r~. RO'..JE: In the area, Sir, of equal rights I made a co=it:lent the other day and we have made it public here in this ;rouse of Assembly that we are, as a party, in favour of equal rights and equal opportunities a..•,: equal duties for all individeals in this Province, all aciul t ir~di vid.uuls, and this v_ToulO::. particularly 61

Cacecb~r 4, 1973 ~ape 2o GJ.;- 3 ~:R • W • ROi.fE : apply in the area of wol!:en' s rl::;hts. lie put = the Order Paper las t session t.nC. we suppo rt and rcaffirn our suppor t for the c oncept of equality and equity in the area of na;:r:i.uonial pro?ercy la\:s, anc, Sir, I have no hesitation in confirming our policy in that regard and our ceterminadon to bring in equica;..le laws w-hich woul d apply to all individuals and to bring all indivi dua ls up to ttte same level of social equality and opportunity and duties. Nat ive gro ups, ~r. Speaker ~ The callousness and lack of concen 62

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 27 EC - 1 ~!R. W. N. ROWE: shown by this government towards native groups on the Island and in Labrador, Sir, is simply shocking. Whenever anyone approaches the government, the government's attitude is, 'Sue us, take us to court.' Well, Sir, our policy will be one of a complete reversal of that callous and uninterested policy, a policy of sitting down and listening to what claims or suggestions are, sitting down and negotiating with native groups in this Province. How can you make any commitments at the moment about exactly what your position will be?

In many cases the final claims are not finalized, but I do make this commitment, Mr.Speaker, it will not be a matter of sending them off to court, it will be a matter of sitting down and as reasonable men and women trying to arrive at an equitable, sensible, reasonable solution acceptable to both sides on these claims and these matters which are of great concern to the native groups at the moment. l1R. NEARY: MR. W. N. ROWE: The area of Youth, Mr. Speaker - Got another Youth corps. got another Youth corps set up . What is that, the fourth or fifth one, under a different name?

MR. ~lEARY: That is the fourth one. lVill they have uniforms? Will it be like the Hitler movement? MR. W. N. ROWE: Mr. Speaker, a great deal of moTiey is needed to help our youth in this Province and the government should not think that they can get away with these pious platitudes cf setting up this and setting up that. A great deal of money is needed, money for recreation for our youth to tap their energies and their talents, not just for the elite but for other people, all youth who want to get involved in recreational 63

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 27 EC - 2 ~R . ~;, N. ROWE : activities. It costs money . Youth centres, Mr. Speaker, cost money, but these are the things, these structures, these buildings, these facilities are things which are needed if the youth are going to be catered to properly and they would more than pay for themselves, Mr. Speaker , in the reduction in vandalism, in reduction of lives being wasted or devoted to the wrong kind of social activity, more than compensated for, Sir , the expenditure of that kind of money. Alcohol and drug abuse, Mr.

Speaker: ;his government if it had a social conscience would use a far greater proportion of the money which it gets for alcohol sales, tens of millions of dollars gained by this government on the sale of alcohol, booze, liquor, beer, wines, spirits of all descriptions, and a pitifully small amount of money, Sir, used to help with rehabilitation of people who are alcohol addicts, alcoholics, or people who might come under severe problems with regard to the abuse of drugs. Money has to be committed to this social enterprise and I say here, Mr.

Speaker , that that kind of money would more than return itself to the public purse in the rehabilitation of lives which may have been ruined or partially ruined by abuse of alcohol and drugs. And I congratulate the efforts of volunteer societies. aswell,- Harbour Light, St. Clare's is involved in it ~1R . NEARY : HR. W. N. ROWE: I congratulate them, Sir. Hear, hear!

The detoxation centre. -Detox centre and all these, But the government has to get in in a bigger way, has to spend much more money, and pious platitudes are not enough, it will take millions of dollars and the government should get into it. enough money off alcohol consumption, They are making l~t them put a little bit back into rehabilitation and education programmes 64 ::.

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 27 EC - 3 UR . W. N . ROl-lE: regarding alcohol and drug abuse. MR. NEARY; Hear, hear! 65

December 4, 1978 Tape 28 IB-1 MR. W. ROWE: Rural development, Mr. Speaker; The government takes a great deal of credit for rural development. I do not know why. There has not been one original thing done, Mr. Speaker, by this government in eight years. MR. NEARY: You laid the foundation when you were minister. MR. W. ROWE: Rural Development Associations which this government will try to take credit for or will cite as examples, Sir,were started long ago, Mr. Speaker, and were funded first by the former administration. MR. NEARY: When they were all Liberals, carrying their Liberal membership cards. MR. W.

ROWE : Yes. And, Mr. Speaker, the Rural Development Association should be congratulated but the government should not try to take political advantage of them They are dedicated volunteers and workers, Mr. Speaker, who are trying to do a job for their districts and for other areas and they should be congratulated. And I am very proud of the role which I,personally,and this party have had in formulating the plans and setting up the funding for rural development associations nine or ten.years ago. MR. NEARY: Hear, hear~ MR. W. ROWE: And finally, Mr.

Speaker, this afternoon - I know the minister is getting anxious, the minister having written the speech is now anxious to get up and say how good it is and I will be finished in a few minutes - Mr. Speaker, there are many policies which we want to ennunciate, positive policies for the benefit of Newfoundland and Labrador during this session of the House. Time does not permit even touching on them at this moment. have mentioned several, but there is one policy, Mr. Speaker, that we are determined as a caucus to see implemented and to see done. Mr.

Speaker, even if we were to fail dismally at all the others which I have mentioned and please God we will not fail dismally in them:.but if we were, Sir, there is one policy which we are determined to get implemented in this Province and I am talking, Sir, about reforms and rules and laws designed to clean up politics in Newfoundland and Labrador. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear~ 66

December 4, 1978 Tape 28 IB-2 MR. NEARY: Get back to public tendering. MR. W. ROWE: Our people, Mr. Speaker, are disgusted and well they should be at the waste and corruption which goes on under the present system of politics in this Province, disgusted! And, Mr. Speaker, we are dedicated, I personally am dedicated to strict rules and laws regarding any gifts or gift giving to politicians by anybody in this Province with severe penalties attached to any breaches of these regulations. We are dedicated, Mr.

Speaker, to limits, strict, severe limits on contributions made to political parties with disclosures by anybody, individual or corporation in this Province and to limits on spending by political parties and candidates. We are 100 per cent in favour, Mr. Speaker, of a Public Tender Act with teeth. What is the good of a law, Mr. Speaker, if people can flaunt it and break it - MR. NEARY: The ministers are told to break it. The ministers are telling their senior civil servants to break it. MR. W. ROWE: -giving the people the idea that everybody involved in politics in this Province is somehow corrupt or crooked.

It has got to be changed, Mr. Speaker. The curse of corrupt patronage has to be changed, has to be done away with and removed from the political fabric of this Province. As the member for Kilbride (Mr. Wells), I believe, said a moment ago, how are we ever going to attract the very best people, men and women to politics in this Province if all they see and all they hear and all they smell is skulduggery and corruption and wrong doing and waste? We will not do it an~ this Province is desperately in need - MR. NEARY: Abuse to the public treasury. MR. W.

ROWE: - of the very best people coming forth and offering themselves as public figures and as politicians. MR. NEARY: The Health Science Complex is a good example. MR. W. ROWE: Now, Mr. Speaker, as I said, if I were to fail in everything else that we have set out to try to do I am determined to succeed in rooting out the evil which may exist in our political system today and make what I believe to be the high calling of politics the 67

December 4, 1978 Tape 28 IB-3 MR. W. ROWE: decent and honourable and honest profession that it should be and a profession, Mr. Speaker, which acts for the people qf the Province 68

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 29 C"J- 1 '\!R. l'. ROWE: and not against the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Thank you Sir. ~JR. SPEJ\KER: The Hon. ~!inister of Justice. ~·!R.

HICJ.OIAN: The late Sir Winston Churchill said in one of the famous war debates that any member of Parliament or indeed any person who spoke for raore t:1an t•Jenty minutes had nothing to say. \-71th that in mind I apoligize to our guests and to the viewing audience and to those who are unfortunate enough to have switched from Another World to see even another episode of another : world, I commend them for hav:!.ng turned back their sets. _,. Mr. Speaker, firstly may I,on behalf of the Ron. the Premier, indicate to han members and to our guests his deep disappointment in his inability to be present today.

The han. gentleman, the Premier of this province, is ill in bed on doctors adVice w:~ere,if the doctors get their way, he will remain for the rest of this week. He is suffering from a severe bout of tl1e flu and for the past couple of weeks he has been working night and day on government business. Newfoundlander's who saw him perform at the 'First ~nister's Conference had every reason to be proud, proud of the fact that he was rated by the press as having given the best performance of any of the Fi::-st :!inisters present.

On behalf of government, I wel­ come to the House today representatives of church, representatives of State, representatives of various org~~iz~ticns, and former speakers of this Chamber. It is a tradition that we are determined to see continue-JH1 .;_n that same :igl:.t I congrat-ulate the han. the member for Kilbride (Hr. ;.rells) and the hen. the member for Grand Falls (Hr. Lundrigan) for their excellent, precise and to the point speeches that they delivered this a:!:ternoon. Hr.

S;eaker, I have to confess that the han. and learned leader of the Opposition has placed n-:! in a somewhat a,1;;c;1ard position, Generally speaking, tradition dictates that on opening day the leader of the Opposition speaks for about ten minutes and the Premier for about fifteen and generally speaking 69

December 4, 1973 Tape No. 29 cw - 2 MR. liiCIG%N: there is little,if any,partisanship prevail. There are the usual comments by the hon. the leader of the Opposit:lon as to what is nd.ssing from the Speec;h from the Throne and there maY even be some attack llpon the government but this is !:he first time since I have been a member of thi.s iion. Rouse that I have seen an hon. leader of the Opposition spend an hour and thirty two ll!inutes and twelve seconds totally on the defensive and I just do not know whe.re to begin. I do know this, Mr. Speaker, that the so-calle .d r~aforms : that ha11'e been allUded to by the. hon. gentleman opposite are in the Speech from the Throne 70

December 4, 1~78 Tape 30 Gl:l-1 so I thank him most sincerely for commending the government for having t!1e leadership to bring it in. SO!:E HON. l£Hl>ERS : llear, llear! I cannot figure out where the governme~t stands ~•ith respect to the Labradar Linerboard L:illlited. I have no hesitancy in saying at all that the lcoores' administration is proud, has never been prouder, of its record '·rith respect to the rev:i.talization of the paper mill, not the linerboard mill, the paper mill in Stephenville based on Island wood with a company ••hose reputation is worl<lwide, with a company SO:lE liON. J.iE~lBERS: l!R.

HICI\Yu\J.'i : Hear, hear! - trith a company which is one of the best corpcrate citizens that ~jewfoundland has ever seen and the people of Grand Falls and Central Newfoundl=d will attest to tllat, w·ith a company that has already sold over 50 per cent of the product of its new macl1ine in Stephenville and still will have orders to pick up long before the mill comes into operation. That is the kind of approach that ~~e are determined to follow. That is the k::.ncl of approach, l:r. Speaker, t·rhere I am sure the people of Bay St.

George and the people of Newfoundland t·rill stand shoulci.er to s~1ould<or wi=h us in seeldng it through to fruition and seeing to it that once this paper mill opens; like Grand Falls and Corner Brook it never will shut again. so::E B.o,; . rEt'l!ERS: !~ear, l1ear! But, 1-Ir. Speaker, the Cppasition say "He have to do somet!ling about this.

He have to approve it, but at the same time we have to shed some crocodile tears and we have to point out some flaws." So, they searched and they searched and they found that when tl1e r1on. the Premier announced it only once or twice did he nentio:J. that there is a DREE grant to come to this organization. T:1ey overlooked the fact that the i10n. !'r. Jamieson and the han. ::r. Lessard mentioned it in the area tluring a certain contest v.·here 71.

Dece~er 4, 1973 Tape 30 GH-2 lLR. HIC!Q.!A."; we saw a young man go into Parli=ent as a result of a democratic exercise of the votes in that area. So, they kne,.; about it. Trtey forgot to understand the approach to tl<is. Our approach simply is this: that there is a DP.EE program initiated by the government of Canada designed to enable certain provinces includinG ]ewfoundland to re-establish on a strong foundation industry - this is a matter of right, not a matter of a gift. It is a right; it is a right of the people of Bay St.

George; it is a right of tha people of Stephenville to receive a DREE grant to aid in the recouping of some of the losses in the re-establishment of that industry; and it is also -a right of every Canadian to have certain tax ~vrite-offs. These are not things t:<at the people of Bay St. George would want us to go to Ottawa on our knees for. We will not have to do it anyway because Ottawa has ~een on sides from the very beginning, and I can assure the people of Bay St.

George that this administr(ltion, the !!cores 1 goverrunent, is totally on side and totally committed to their future development and their future employment. Sm'E HON. HEl:BERS: Hear, hear! mt. fiiCK!lAN; }~r. Speaker, there is one thin[' that the hen. the Leader of the Opposition said today that is correct be;·ond all reasonble doubt. He said "During the past nine years, for the past nine Speeches from the Throne of the l·!oores 1 administration, the largest emount of space, ink, print has been taken up with matters involving and dealing with fishery". That is true. I do not apologize for it.

As long as the Progressive Conservative party Zor:us the ~;overn- ment of this country, that is the ~~ay it is going to l>e. SQ!!E EO~!. ~:El!IlERS; llear, hear! l1r. Speaker, agai::1 I thank the l10n. gentlen~• opposite for confirming and corroborating and congratulating our ilinister of Fisheries on the plans and the programs that he has enunciated, because these matters that cai!le out over a perio.l of a 72 ' L)~ •

~cember 4, 1978 Tape 30 C:!-3 '"' . ...:.'\.. half an hour or r:ore as to ~.:ilat the polic .ies 1;ould i>e in the unlikely event that . the hon . gentlenan opposite ever formed the government have already been completed and are in pla ce under the leadership of our . tinister of Fisheries . Ask the people of .~In old's Cove. Ask the people of Tritoc.. 1\sk the people of ilari>o ur 2 reton. T .ey v:'i.ll tell you what plans this administrat:.c-n has lai d do~m . They will ::ell you abo ut the added ecpl.oYl=lCilt; and if you do n.ot !leliev e ll:e go ask t..'Je people of St. La•.Jrence.

And that is where we saw leadership :r. Speaker . Let !ll2 point out, "r . Speaker, that in the last Spe ech from tile Throne, the Speech from . tbe Throne , 73 -

December 4, 1973 Tape No. 31 EC - 1 ~tR . HICKHAN: the so-called empty Speeches from the Throne that contain promises that are not kept. Let me simply draw to the attentio~ of hon. gentlemen present certain things that were contained in last year's Speech from the Throne; one, the Lower Churchill Development Corporation was promised. Is that an empty promise? No, it is a fact, in place on the initiative of the Premier of this Province. That is why it is in place. SOME RON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR.

HICIU1AU: In the last Speech from the Throne, His Honour read these words, "Hy Government will be co-operating with private enterprise to establish a fish plant and attendant fish catching systems in St. Lawrence to alleviate the effects of the closure of the mine. The sod was turned in St. Lawrence two weeks ago. Fishery Products with the aid of both governments have now started excavation to build a fish plant there which will assure the future of the independent people of St. Lawrence. Is that an empty promise? SOME HOU. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! HR.

FICKMAN: The conviction was expressed last year that the Linerboard mill would be sold and that we were optimistic that the mill would be used for bleach craft pulp or newsprint. That has been accomplished. Is that a record that this governnent should apologize for? Mr. Speaker, last year in the Speech from the Throne, we indicated that we were takinP, a certain position in defence of Newfoundland's right to draft, prepare and proclaim gas and oil regulations to insure that any benefits that may lie offshore in this Province will be for the benefit of Newfoundlanders.

There were some who said it should not be done. Those purveyors of woe said, 'If you do that no one will come artd exploit our resources offshor~. "ou ~rill drive 74

December 4, 1978 Tape No. 31 EC - 2 free enterprise away.' MR. HICKMAN~ But we did it. The oil industry will spend more money next year off the coast of Newfoundland than ever before in our history and Newfoundlanders will be the beneficiaries thereof. SOME HON. ~EMBERS: Hear, hear! l·!R. HICKMAn: ~r. Speaker, we also in the last Speech from the Throne said we woulrl bring in a Mineral Impost Bill, a bill that is designed to see to it that there be further ~ccelerated exploration in the Province of Newfoundland.

We did that, this House approved it, and let me give you two figures that may be significant to show that this policy is working, that this Province is indeed on the move. In 1972 in the area of mineral exploration - that was the year that the Moores Government came to power - in 1972 there were thirty-five claim stakes; in 1978. this year, with the Moores' Government working with the people and for the people, there were 9,000 claims staked for mineral exploration in Newfoundland. SOME HON. MEMBERS: t1R. HI CKI1AN: Hear, hear! That, Mr. Speaker, is performance.

I have mentioned the Labrador Linerboard mill, but I