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March

6, 2017

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 63

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR.

SPEAKER (Osborne):

Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Today, we are pleased to welcome to our public

galleries representatives from the Children's Wish foundation, who will be the

subject of a Ministerial Statement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR.

SPEAKER:

For

Members' statements today we have the Members for the Districts of Labrador

West, St. John's East Quidi Vidi, Fogo Island Cape Freels, Cape St. Francis,

Harbour Grace Port de Grave and Mount Pearl North.

The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

MR.

LETTO:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate a master athlete, a

volunteer extraordinaire and resident of Labrador West. Alf Parsons has been

involved in sports since 1969 with hockey, curling, trap and skeet, golf,

biking, triathlons and cross-country skiing on provincial, national and world

levels, where he has truly left his mark.

Alf has participated in many World Masters

cross-country events since 2003, mainly in Europe, where he has won bronze and

silver medals. For his achievements, Alf has been inducted into Newfoundland and

Labrador cross-country hall of fame and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports

Hall of Fame.

This year, Alf attended the Canadian Masters in New

Brunswick where he had podium placements in four races and is now attending the

World Masters in Switzerland.

Alf serves on the executive, coaches youth and he's a

trail designer at Menihek Nordic Ski Club. Over the years, Alf has cooked more

steaks than George Foreman and cut more wood than Paul Bunyan to keep this

organization alive. Alf is also an avid golfer and runs the junior program at

Tamarack Golf course.

I ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating Alf

Parsons on his outstanding accomplishments and wish him well in Switzerland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I take great pleasure today in rising to celebrate a

constituent who, last December, was justifiably recognized by the province for

her enormous contribution to choral music.

I am speaking, of course, of Kellie Walsh, founder and

artistic director of the internationally award-winning Lady Cove Women's Choir;

artistic director of the internationally celebrated youth chorus, Shallaway

Youth Choir; and co-founder and now artistic director Emeritus of Newman Sound

Men's Choir.

We have a rich choral culture here going back centuries

and the envy of many in other parts of Canada. Kellie Walsh is a fruit of that

culture, and with her passion for and understanding of it brings it to new

heights. Her work and the choirs she conducts are acclaimed worldwide.

Kellie uses choral music to break down barriers and

unite people. Her choirs encourage members' leadership potential, identity

building and social and civic engagement. Her latest project is the Shallaway

Lauda Ensemble, which celebrates neurodiversity. I'm certain Lauda is destined

to be her latest success story.

I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Kellie

Walsh on her well-deserved investiture to the Order of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Fogo Island Cape Freels.

We're waiting on the Member for Fogo Island Cape

Freels.

MR.

BRAGG:

And

we are ready to go.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize the valuable work and ongoing

commitment of the Fogo Island Co-operative Society. In 1967, Fogo Islanders had

a life-altering decision: Leave their beloved home and resettle, or stay and

make the island a prosperous place to live and raise a family. To survive, the

people turned to what they knew best; they turned to the sea.

Following a process of community self-discovery, now

known worldwide as the Fogo Process, local fishermen formed the Fogo Island

Co-operative Society Ltd., a community-based enterprise on which they built the

economy of the island.

Their story is well known, Mr. Speaker. They built more

boats. They built bigger boats. They took over the processing facilities left

abandoned. They sought and found new markets. The Fogo Island Co-op not only

survived, it thrived. Today, the organization is over 50 years old.

When giants in the fishing industry failed, the Fogo

Island Co-op remained strong and continues to focus on the future; a future that

will take us back to our very beginnings, Mr. Speaker, back to cod.

I ask all hon. Members to join me in celebrating the

Fogo Island Co-operative Society.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

MR.

K. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to acknowledge the

residents of Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove for their thoughtful and

compassionate spirit. This past December, the residents of the town came

together to offer a fellow resident, Anne Blanchard, a powerful act of kindness

which, as they say, is sometimes the best medicine a person can receive.

Anne has been battling cancer for the past five years.

During Christmas, roughly 100 residents from the town, including the mayor and

some town staff, gathered to sing Christmas carols outside Anne's home, despite

the cold and miserable weather. Anne's husband Tony, son Jordan, daughter Keely

helped Anne out to the front step to see the crowd gathered, and she was clearly

overwhelmed by their act of kindness.

The event was organized by the town, which also

provided the crowd with glow sticks, and volunteers provided the song sheets.

Everyone agreed that the blustery weather was no challenge for the supportive

community, and the message to Anne was loud and clear she's loved in her town.

I ask all hon. Members to join me in commending the

residents of Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove and sending best wishes to Anne

Blanchard and her family.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Harbour Grace Port de Grave.

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate the Bay Roberts Volunteer

Fire Department. I was very happy to attend their annual firefighters' ball this

past weekend to celebrate the 74th anniversary.

Along with providing fire and emergency services to

Shearstown, Butlerville, Country Road, Bay Roberts, Port de Grave, Bareneed and

Coley's Point, the department participates in many community events and

fundraisers. It's the dedication and community spirit such as this which

contributes to the great success.

Residents and volunteers have once again come through

for our community. On Saturday evening, it was announced during an NHL game that

Bay Roberts has made the top 10 Kraft Hockeyville 2017 nominations

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

hear, hear among the chosen communities across Canada.

Citizens, town staff and the team at Powell's

Supermarket worked very hard to make this happen by promoting and organizing

events such as a recent friendly ball hockey competition. The Bay Arena is one

of the busiest stadiums in the province, with doors opening every morning at 6

o'clock. Kraft Hockeyville voting takes place on March 12 and 13 to select an

east and west finalist.

Of course, we ask everybody across the province to

support Bay Roberts, with the hopes of becoming the next Kraft Hockeyville. As

we know, Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador certainly is one big team after

all, and of course these details can be found on the Kraft website.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate and

recognize a young resident of Mount Pearl, Noubahar Hasnain, who has chosen to

be a federal delegate for Daughters of the Vote. Noubahar was selected by the

organization, Equal Voice, as one of 338 women across Canada. With 1,500

applicants, Noubahar is representing the federal riding of St. John's South

Mount Pearl.

Noubahar is a first-year engineering student at the

University of New Brunswick. She's hoping to enter Civil Engineering next

semester, and aims to work full time helping build infrastructure in developing

countries.

On February 23, as Members of the House know, the

Daughters of the Vote for Newfoundland and Labrador visited our Legislature for

a day of learning and orienting on legislation and women in leadership. Noubahar

will take a seat in Parliament in Ottawa on March 8.

Equal Voice's ultimate goal is to ensure women are

dynamic and equal participants at every political decision-making table in the

country.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of this House to join me

in congratulating Noubahar and many other young women on their accomplishments

to date. I would also like to recognize the extraordinary work of Daughters of

the Vote.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Before we move to Statements by Ministers, we'd also like to welcome to our

public galleries today Gal Corbineau and other representatives of the

Francophone community for Newfoundland and Labrador, also the subject of a

Ministerial Statement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Service NL.

MR.

TRIMPER:

And

Francophone Affairs, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to inform my hon. colleagues about Les

Rendez-vous de la Francophonie.

Pendant Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, du 2 au 22

mars, les Canadiennes et les Canadiens reconnaissent et ftent la culture et la

langue franaise de notre pays. C'est une occasion de rapprocher nos communauts

d'expression anglaise et franaise. Cette alliance est trs importante cette

anne alors que nous clbrons le 150e anniversaire du Canada.

Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie is a part of the

event surrounding the Journe Internationale de la Francophonie on March 20 a

day that is celebrated every year around the world to promote the French

language and its numerous cultural expressions.

Mr. Speaker, many activities are taking place in the

province over the next couple of weeks to mark this occasion and to give us all

an opportunity to learn more about Newfoundland and Labrador's rich French

culture and history. These include community gatherings, film viewings and

educational activities, among others. To find out more information on how to

participate, residents can visit the Franco TNL Facebook page.

Je profite de l'occasion pour remercier la communaut

francophone et acadienne dynamique de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador pour leur riche

contribution la socit de notre province. Je veux aussi reconnatre les

personnes qui travaillent trs fort dans nos organismes francophones et qui font

du bnvolat dans nos communauts. Nous flicitons votre nergie, enthousiasme

et dvouement.

Bon Rendez-vous de la Francophonie tous et toutes!

Merci beaucoup.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis and the critic

for Francophone Affairs.

MR.

K. PARSONS:

want to thank the minister in advance for the copy of his statement. I wish I

could speak French like the minister could.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize 2017 as the

Rendez-vous de la Francophonie and upcoming International Francophonie day. This

event will be celebrated around the province and around the world, and provides

a great opportunity to promote French language and culture.

We have a rich French culture right here in our

province. I encourage residents to learn more about it, and the upcoming

celebrations should be great. I hope everyone participating in these events and

activities right across the province in the coming weeks enjoy themselves, and

I'm sure it will be a great success.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, am happy to join with the minister in

congratulating our wonderful Francophone community. La langue franaise et les

gens qui la parlent enrichissent nos vie de faon incommensurable.

Unfortunately, the French classes formerly available to

government employees have been reduced to an online, for-profit program with

limited enrolment. I'm sad to say employees basically enter a lottery to see if

they can take training. C'est inacceptable et pas le geste d'un gouvernement qui

apprcie la francophonie.

Merci, monsieur.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further statements by ministers?

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Mr.

Speaker, I'm pleased to rise today to proclaim March as Children's Wish Month in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HAGGIE:

Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is the largest and only all-Canadian,

wish-granting charity dedicated to granting wishes to children between the ages

of three and 17 diagnosed with life-threatening illness. Over the last 30 years,

Children's Wish has granted wishes to nearly 25,000 children. Here in

Newfoundland and Labrador, 802 wishes have been granted.

I had the pleasure last week of meeting an amazing

young lady, Raiya, one of the foundation's ambassadors for Children's Wish

Month, and other representatives from the local

chapter to sign an official

proclamation. Tonight, beginning at 6:30 p.m., a ceremony will take place in the

lobby of the Confederation Building, East Block. My parliamentary secretary will

be there as the building is lit up in blue to recognize this organization and

the work that they do. The lights will be turned on each evening until Saturday,

March 18.

Mr. Speaker, granting the single wish of one child can

make a huge difference in their lives and for their families. I ask all Members

of this hon. House to join me in expressing our sincere appreciation for the

work of the Children's Wish Foundation.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And I thank the minister for the advance copy of his

statement this afternoon. We join with government in recognizing and celebrating

March as Children's Wish month right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As the Minister said, over the past 30 years 25,000

children have had wishes granted. And equally as impressive over that time

period, no eligible child's wish has ever been denied a remarkable

accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, the Foundation rightfully states that joy

is a wonder drug and that wishes raise the spirits of a seriously ill child and

give respite to their family.

On behalf of myself and the Official Opposition, and

everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador, I offer sincere thanks to this wonderful

organization and commend them for their tremendous work. I'd be remiss if I were

not to encourage folks to visit

childrenswish.ca

to contribute and help grant a wish to a deserving child. We can all help make a

difference and we all support this great cause.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for the advance copy of his

statement. Congratulations to the Children's Wish Foundation for their amazing

work. I am sure tonight's ceremony will be a huge success, and I hope government

will follow the lead of the dedicated people at the Foundation and fix the

problems many parents face with medical transportation when they have to

accompany a seriously ill child to the Janeway or out of province. Parents

should not have to fundraise or face financial difficulty because their children

are sick.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further statements by ministers?

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

are aware, in 2015 the Liberals campaigned on many promises. And one such

promise was to be more open and transparent, a more open and transparent

government. They said that they would make more information available than ever

before.

So I ask the Premier: As part of your restructuring, if

that's the case, why are you eliminating access to information departmental

positions?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well I can assure the Member opposite that I am

certainly not making it more difficult or put up barriers to provide information

to those that request it. I think the Member opposite would know that if there

is an issue, certainly he could take those concerns to the Privacy Commissioner.

That is a process that's been outlined within access to information, protection

of one's privacy, Mr. Speaker. So there is a process as outlined there.

I can assure the Members opposite, and all Members in

this House, that I am certainly not protecting information, and I certainly am

committed to openness and transparency within government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR.

P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well I'll ask the Premier this. I'll ask the Premier if

he can confirm that access to information coordinators within government

positions are being told they have to apply for other jobs, that their jobs are

being eliminated.

Premier: Can you confirm that?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm

certainly happy to stand here as Minister Responsible for ATIPPA and talk about

ATIPPA itself. Certainly we have no idea what the Member opposite is talking

about. What we need to worry about in this Province is access to information,

and what I can say is that with the changes we've made and changes that we

advocated while we were in Opposition, we want to see more access to information

and more protection of personal privacy. That's what we campaigned on, that's

what we asked for when we were in Opposition.

I think

what we all need to remember here is that no matter the changes that we make,

there will be no impacts on access to information. It's something we campaigned

on and we stand by, and certainly didn't take any lessons from the other side

on.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I'll ask

the Premier once again if he can confirm, and maybe the minister will speak for

him, but can he confirm that positions that deal departments that deal with

access to information, can you confirm that you're saying they're not being

eliminated? Can you confirm it?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of

Treasury Board.

MS. C. BENNETT:

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House in the last

week and a bit, the restructuring that we are currently in the process of going

through has a number of impacts on individuals. Most of those individuals have

been communicated to now.

I had a

privilege of having a briefing by my officials just before coming into the House

today on those numbers and we'll be providing the details of the positions that

are impacted. Certainly, as part of the process under flatter, leaner management

a review of the workloads and the positions that are in departments, that are

management positions, were looked at.

As I've

said to the Member opposite several times in Question Period over the last week,

certainly we'll provide transparency for him and for Members of this House, and

more importantly even the public of the province on those changes as soon as

possible.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. P. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, one of the benefits of ATIPP, Access to

Information and Protection of Privacy Act is so that individuals in the province

can find out information. Sometimes we struggle trying to get information from

government here in Question Period and that's why I ask so many questions.

I'm

going to ask the question again because the Premier and two ministers have risen

now, neither one of them answered the question, and it's very simple: Are you

eliminating access to information departmental positions or are you not? We hear

that you are.

The

Privacy Commissioner has said that access to information processes, because of

the big increase in requests, is starting to collapse under its own weight. Are

you considering that? Are you eliminating positions?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am certainly happy to stand here and speak to ATIPPA

and access to information. It's ironic, because I can remember being on that

side a couple of years ago when the current Opposition Leader stood right there

and talked about ATIPPA and how we should get rid of it and how we should have

the most draconian legislation in the entire country. So I find it funny that

he's standing here today.

We are very concerned about ATIPPA, we always have

been. When we were in Opposition, and right here now, we have seen a tremendous

increase in volumes in the requests that are coming in and we do our best to

make sure that we live by the current ATIPPA act, one that was brought forward

and voted on unanimously in this House.

Our goal is to stick by those guidelines. If people

have concerns about that they'll go to the newly, I guess, implemented Privacy

Commissioner if there are any concerns with that, but right now our department

has continued to do this work, continued to get the requests and continue to put

the information out to the people of this province, as it should be, and

certainly not like it was with the previous administration.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR.

P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

We're not getting answers from this government here

once again today. So maybe the Premier can tell us this, because they have a

history now of politicizing positions. They politicized the Clerk's position;

they politicized deputy minister positions and assistant deputy ministers.

Is it your plan, Premier, to politicize these access to

information positions in departments? Is that what the plan is about?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd be happy to respond to the question about

politicizing positions within government. Well, no, that is not the case at all.

These are not positions which should be or would be politicized.

Mr. Speaker, on the other hand, I would like to remind

all Members of this House that we have taken one lesson from the previous

administration, something that we will not do; as an example, just prior to the

election last year when we saw a number of appointments that were political

appointments that were made in the late days of the prior administration. One

such appointment was indeed the CEO of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, Mr.

John Ottenheimer, who ran for the leadership of the PC Party.

Mr. Speaker, if there's anyone in this House that

understands political appointments is the Member opposite because he's made

quite a few.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR.

P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Nowhere in the history of this province is there a time

when the Clerk was a politicized appointment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

P. DAVIS:

The

Clerk of the Executive Council should be independent from all politics and the

current Clerk today

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

P. DAVIS:

The

current Clerk today was a leadership candidate for the Premier's party, Mr.

Speaker, and he is now head of government. They've established clearly an

environment where if you're a Liberal friend you get a job; if you're not a

Liberal friend you don't. They clearly and continue to clearly show that trend.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

P. DAVIS:

I'm

going to ask one more time, because they don't want to answer the question if

they're reducing resources or not.

At a time when your own minister says there's a

continuous increase in the number of access to information requests, we know

that ATIPP coordinators are under a tremendous amount of stress with the growing

number of requests.

Will they make a commitment here today not to reduce

those positions and continue to provide access to information to the people of

the province, information they're struggling to get right now from this

government?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm certainly happy to stand here and speak about

ATIPPA. I hope all the rest of the questions today are about ATIPPA and we can

talk about the stark contrast between our administration and the previous

administration which used to buy toner by the boxes because of all the

blacked-out documents that they liked to put out when they were in government.

The fact is any positions that happen will be done

through a competition process. That's how it goes. He knows that's how it goes,

and we'll continue to do that.

Again, we realize there are challenges when it comes to

the new ATIPP Act that only came on the heels of our opposition to their Bill

29, which the current member likes to stand up over here and talk about how we

should reduce access to information. We've improved access to information. We'll

continue to do that, and to make sure that access to information is there, it's

respected and when the requests come in, that the information is put out there

on a timely basis. We will continue to make that pledge.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR.

PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in last year's budget this government

eliminated 24-hour snow clearing and promised their decision would achieve

savings of $1.9 million.

Can the minister tell us if government is on track to

achieve these savings?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's certainly a pleasure for me to speak today with

regard to snow clearing. I want to just start by applauding the 700 men and

women that we have that are on our highways

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HAWKINS:

that are on our highways every single day and in some situations, Mr. Speaker,

as well as nighttime, trying to make sure that our highways are safe. This has

been an extraordinary winter when it comes to snowfall.

If you just want to look at all of our workers,

particularly on the Northern Peninsula and Labrador over the last four days, a

significant amount of snow. We have done an excellent job, Mr. Speaker, in

making sure that our highways have been cleared, and we will continue to do

that.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR.

PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'll just shorten it up this time. Can the minister

tell us if government's on track to achieve the savings they've outlined in

their budget of $1.936 million?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Mr.

Speaker, I will try to shorten up mine as well.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things that, I guess, all of

this province needs to be aware of is the fact that a lot of misinformation has

been coming from this opposite side. One of them is 24-hour snow clearing

they've been talking about.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, we on this side

believe it or not, we on this side have gotten calls and emails from people on

Fogo Island, the Burin Peninsula, Random Island, that never, ever had 24-hour

snow clearing, and the reason they got that is because Members opposite has not

been giving the correct information.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, we've even had tweets

out from the Member for Mount Pearl North saying that he applauds the people,

that's the mayors, that are actually looking to restore 24-hour snow clearing on

Route 210 who never had it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR.

PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess the answer is no.

Through an access to information request, we learned

that, as of the end of January, government had already spent over $3.7 million

in snow clearing overtime 700 employees are pretty stretched, if you ask me,

Mr. Speaker.

If government would openly release the numbers, we

would know this figure is much higher today. Will the minister table costs of

snow clearing overtime so we can see if there are any savings by cutting the

24-hour snow clearing?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Mr.

Speaker, if the Member opposite did his work, he would have found that overtime

in the previous year was $4.2 million for the same time. So we have $3.7 million

in the same time frame. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, the amount of cost for

the 24-hour snow clearing that the Member opposite is talking about to the same

period of time this year, last year, in the previous year, it was $1.5 million.

This year, so far, it's been $407,000 which we have done.

What has happened, Mr. Speaker, with our 24-hour snow

clearing, it has been very clear. I've been very clear right from the beginning.

We said that we would provide snow clearing, 24-hour snow clearing on only the

13 routes because there are 274 that never ever had 24-hour snow clearing, and

we said that we would do that based on a need and when the need came up, we have

done a great job in making sure that the people have been out and getting those

roads cleared.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR.

PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to correct the minister on one point. We have

the ATIPP request; $4.2 million was spent all last year, not comparable to the

$3.7 million that's up to the end of January. We have another 2 months to go,

Mr. Speaker, so that number will be higher. And I wish the minister would come

clear, instead of pointing fingers, that conversations we're having with our

constituents that are concerned, maybe they should do the same.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

PETTEN:

Thirteen routes, Mr. Speaker, take up 70 per cent of the population. So I'm

asking the minister will you table the information we're requesting.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Mr.

Speaker, I certainly, as the Minister of Transportation and Works, take great

pride in the work that we are doing and we will continue to do. As we said, we

were looking at a new model of doing our snow clearing, particularly during the

nighttime. And as, of course, I've mentioned over and over again, it's

unfortunate that the Members opposite have tried to politicize this by saying

that we removed 24-hour snow clearing when, in fact, 24 snow-clearing was on 13

of the excess of 284 routes that we had.

Mr. Speaker, the other issue I guess that we're talking

about when we look at the snow clearing, we realize that there are only two of

the 13 routes that actually had 24-7. The other five had 24-5. So we have

changed the model we are doing in 24 hours.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

HAWKINS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR.

PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess that was another long list of nothing.

So I'll ask the minister again: All across the province

people are complaining that the roads this winter are in the worst condition

they've ever seen. Now we're seeing the Liberal government has saved no money by

cutting 24-hour snow clearing, so will you commit to doing the right thing and

re-instate 24-hour snow clearing?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Mr.

Speaker, I don't know how many times I've got to make this statement. I thought

I made it clear last year in the fall of the year when the Members talked about

the 24-hour snow clearing and we said we're having a new model of 24-hours snow

clearing, which has been effective. There were some bumps along the road not

pun intended starting it off, because any time you have a new model in place,

you're always going to have that.

But if the Member looked at, particularly, the last

couple of months and how we've been doing it, I think people have been very

pleased with the way in which we are doing the 24-hour snow clearing. Mr.

Speaker, we will continue to do that.

As a matter of fact, my department is a department of

innovation. We're also looking at newer ways of doing things. We're not like the

old government, keep the same thing year after year after year, so we're looking

at new ways of doing things.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

PETTEN:

Mr.

Speaker, one more question. I want to point out, in 2008 this was brought in as

a pilot project; 2011, not political people, staff re-assessed this and said it

was feasible to keep moving, and they actually added roads on to this 13 routes.

It was increased because it was a success. So, Mr. Speaker, he should go back

and ask his own department officials who done that study.

One final question: Is the Liberal government

considering privatizing snow-clearing operations in this province?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR.

HAWKINS:

Mr.

Speaker, in answer to that question, there are some areas in the province that

we do some contracting out, but right now that's certainly not something that

we're entertaining, and we haven't had that discussion.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister of Health and Community Services give

us an update on his response to the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical

Association's proposal on reviewing health facilities and services in

Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, I met with the Medical Association on several

occasions. Their rebuilding document focuses very clearly on a whole raft,

probably eight or nine, common areas which line very well with government

policy, and I'm keen to keep that dialogue going. I think we work very well

together.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

I ask the minister: How can your government prepare to cut another $100 million

from the health care system without any kind of coordinated vision and actual

planning?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Mr.

Speaker, I'm pleased to say that as part of

The Way Forward document, health, as

part of this government, has a very clear vision for where we want to go with a

primary health care, patient-focused system that is distributed in communities,

which is, if you like, a step care model which has been referred to in the

all-party committee, on which the Member sits, where the right provider in the

right place at the right time. I think those facts align very nicely with

The Way Forward document.

We don't have a strategy, Mr. Speaker. We have a plan

and we're going to implement it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

know that the minister supports our primary health care framework and that's a

good thing, but very little resources have been allocated to bring it to life.

As the Liberal government prepares to cut $100 million

this year from the health budget, how can we have any confidence that the

various regions of this province will be treated fairly when there is no

province-wide plan and standards related to service levels?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

I'm

not sure where the Member opposite gets his figure from, Mr. Speaker. I mean,

quite frankly, if you look, recently this government has invested significantly

in health care. There's a long-term care facility in Corner Brook to meet the

demand there. We have an acute care facility, RFQ consultancy (inaudible).

Our focus is very much on outcomes and using the

dollars that we have wisely and efficiently rather than any arbitrary number,

such as the gentleman opposite came up with.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

We've heard from a variety of sources, Mr. Speaker, that the $100 million figure

is the one that the minister and his department has focused on cutting this

year. So we will find out soon enough, I guess.

The NLMA is calling for an independent review of health

facilities and services. Without a plan, government will fail to address the

root of its challenges in a rational, evidence-based way. We support the review

that they're calling for. The NDP supports a review, health professionals

support a review.

Why won't this government agree to the review?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

We have met with the NLMA and other interested groups,

the RNU and a whole variety of health care providers, around planning for health

care delivery into the future. The NLMA is one group of stakeholders. They have

an interesting plan and their recommendations align very clearly with ours. We

have a plan, and we're working through implementing it, and we look forward to

continuing discussions with any of the interested stakeholder groups, Mr.

Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

Mr. Speaker, the government is well into the second year of its mandate. Having

meetings and discussions is no longer sufficient. I know these meetings have

taken place, but the minister hasn't provided any kind of response to the NLMA's

proposal.

Minister, we both know that the health care system

today is not sustainable. Reform is needed. The approach proposed by our

province's Medical Association, supported by other health care professionals, is

logical. You've now had a proposal from the NLMA for a year. Why not get on with

it, why not take action?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

We have taken action, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest if he read

The Way Forward document it would talk about primary health care

teams with specific reference to Burin and Corner Brook. It talks about

implementing immediately the recommendations from the All-Party Committee on

Mental Health and Addictions, which will be reporting shortly. We have an

infrastructure plan in place. We have a chronic disease plan in place. We have a

whole variety of things. I think to cherry-pick and focus on one individual

group's report distracts from the bigger picture and doesn't really paint an

accurate reflection of the implementation and planning this government has put

forward in the health care field.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl.

MR.

KENT:

I thank the minister for once again listing a whole bunch of initiatives that

were undertaken and executed by the previous administration. I appreciate the

acknowledgement.

What the NLMA is now calling for is different, though.

It's consistent with the Liberal election platform commitments. It's consistent

with commitments that are in The Way

Forward document, which I did read.

Why has government sat on the Medical Association's

proposal for the past year when it's consistent with what they promised during

the election campaign and consistent with their infamous

The Way Forward document?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Mr.

Speaker, it's interesting that pretty well every recommendation and every

implementation that this government has come up with, the Member opposite seeks

to take some kind of credit for. Yes, he may have come up with lots of thinking

and lots of planning, but in actual fact we've actually delivered.

He thought of Naloxone, we've got the kits out there.

He thought of Suboxone, we got the kits out there. Suboxone has been off the

branded formulary since 2013. It was on the market in 2003. There was plenty of

time for the previous government to do something. We have actually done it; we

have not talked to them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

Mr.

Speaker, the Medical Association is calling for an independent review process

that will lead to higher quality care, it will lead to improved safety and it

will lead to greater efficiency. Does the minister disagree with that? Such a

review would also make future budget decisions easier.

What will it take for government to get on with it and

undertake such a review? It's a simple question.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community and Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

We are getting on with it. We have met with the Medical

Association. We've met with the RNU. We've had stakeholders. We've met with folk

from Tasmania. We have a plan. We are looking at multi-planned approach, looking

at primary care, at secondary care and speciality care in an integrated and

cohesive way.

Our plan aligns very nicely with the NLMA; I don't know

why the Member opposite is trying to create this rift when none exists.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

I'm

not trying to create anything, Mr. Speaker, just hoping for some action and some

leadership, which is sorely lacking from that government, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

KENT:

know cuts are coming, Mr. Speaker. The minister's responses today don't offer

any confidence whatsoever otherwise.

Will the minister commit to consulting with communities

and consulting with regions before any further cuts are made to our province's

health care system?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Over the last 12 months, possibly 14, I have travelled to not quite every

district in the province but I've certainly met with significant number of

stakeholders and groups and communities from the South Coast to Baie Verte to

Corner Brook to the urban areas of St. John's, this

HON. MEMBER:

Don't forget Labrador.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Oh,

my apologies; yes, Labrador West, Goose Bay and Nain. So I think it's very

disingenuous to suggest that my department has not engaged with community groups

or community stakeholders. They are integral partners in what we are going to

plan and initiate and implement for a better health care system in this

province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North, for a very quick question, no

preamble.

MR.

KENT:

Mr.

Speaker, I'm not suggesting that they haven't consulted. It's their favourite

word

MR.

SPEAKER:

preamble.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

KENT:

Will the minister commit to consulting with communities and with regions before

making $100 million this year of cuts to the health care system?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services, for a quick response.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Again, I don't know where he gets his number from; it's fictitious. I won't talk

about fantasies or any authors from over the seas. The facts of the case are we

have consulted; he can't damn us for consulting too much and then tell us for

not consulting at all.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Finance's aggressive public sector

bargaining move last week recalled the employer tactics that led to long, bitter

labour disputes at Voisey's Bay and St. John's International Airport.

I ask the Premier: Why has his government chosen the

very same high-priced collective bargaining consultant, McInnes Cooper, who

represented employers in both those disputes?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MS.

C. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, we, as a government, take our responsibility as an employer very

seriously. We also take our responsibility to the taxpayers of the province very

seriously. And collective bargaining is a process that government goes through

periodically. And it's a process that must be respected and must be worked on by

both parties in a way where the objective is an agreement.

Mr. Speaker, our decision, and I would suggest that

NAPE's decision as well, to move to a conciliation process on those bargaining

units is a testament to the fact that we both believe that an agreement is

possible, and that's our priority.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board: How much, to date, have this government paid for the advice of McInnes

Cooper?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MS.

C. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, we've taken advantage of the expertise inside of our own departments,

the Human Resource Secretariat, the Department of Justice, as well as an

external consultant to provide the best advice to ensure that as a government

and more importantly as an employer that the process that we're undertaking is

one that is based on recognizing and respecting the process.

I don't take my responsibility as the Minister

Responsible for Human Resource Secretariat and a lead minister on collective

bargaining lightly, nor does our government; and we will continue to make sure

that the steps we make are made in a way that respects the process, particularly

in light of the fact that we are faced with a very difficult situation in our

province. And this is a very difficult round of bargaining.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

So no answer how much money they're giving to this

group of people who are really great at making strikes long enough to really

treat employees in this province unjustly. And that's who they are using.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Finance: Do the

announced terminations of non-bargaining unit positions include a reduction in

the number of staff of the Labour Relations Agency who provide conciliation

services and who will have an extra workload because of government's latest

draconian move?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MS.

C. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, as an employer, I can assure you that our priority and focus is on

reaching a negotiated settlement with our public sector unions. We have had time

at the table to have meaningful dialogue. As I said in the House last week and

to the people of the province, conciliation provides us an opportunity to reach

a negotiated agreement, and that's exactly what we're working on, Mr. Speaker.

The work that is done as part of conciliation, we would

expect that the regulatory arm of government would be prepared to handle that,

and I'll certainly defer to the Minister of AESL on his team's preparedness.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi for a very quick question.

MS.

MICHAEL:

ask the Premier, is he laying the groundwork for forcing a public sector strike

or lockout to save money?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board for a quick

response.

MS.

C. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, if that Member opposite thinks that any Member on this side has a

position other than acting in the best interest of the taxpayers and acting in

the best interest of our employees, she is sorely mistaken. Our priority is a

negotiated settlement with our collective bargaining groups, and conciliation

provides us an opportunity to do just that, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

time for Question Period has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MS.

C. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will move that the

House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider a

resolution for the granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 71.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS.

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise to give notice that I will move the following

private Member's resolution, seconded by my colleague the hon. Member for St.

John's East Quidi Vidi.

Member for St. John's Centre to move:

WHEREAS the federal government has introduced pay

equity legislation in the public sector; and

WHEREAS pay equity has been proven to not be

universally achieved by collective bargaining alone; and

WHEREAS lack of pay equity disproportionately affects

women, and women in Newfoundland and Labrador earn on average 66 per cent of the

wages of their male counterparts; and

WHEREAS government needs to give leadership on this

issue of fairness to women;

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge

government to start the process to enact pay equity legislation in the province.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.

MS.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The motion just presented by my colleague from St.

John's Centre will be the subject of debate on Wednesday coming, the private

Member's motion.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR.

KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the government has not implemented curriculum

to teach the basic monetary skills needed by our youth; and

WHEREAS the government of our province has a

responsibility to act in the best interest of our youth; and

WHEREAS the youth of our province deserve the greatest

level of respect and consideration;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to introduce

financial education into provincial curriculum to prepare youth for the monetary

and financial challenges of life upon entering the workforce.

And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to have an opportunity this

afternoon to speak to this issue once again. I've presented several petitions in

the past on this issue of financial literacy, especially when it comes to young

people in our school system.

I met last year with a group that I know the Minister

of Education is familiar with, FLY financial Financial Literacy for Youth, or

FLY which was founded last year, and its purpose is to teach basic financial

and money management skills to high school youth through their career

development class. But what these young people have found in the work they're

doing as volunteers is that it really isn't enough. We've recognized for a while

that there's a need for more education related to financial literacy to be

embedded into our curriculum in the K to 12 system.

I want to applaud the efforts of the Memorial

University alumni that are out presenting to high schools in our province, but I

want to join with them in calling on government to fix the curriculum and make

sure that this is addressed. Maybe through the ongoing task force on educational

outcomes this is an issue that will come up and maybe we'll see some

recommendations related to it.

The lack of financial literacy in our society is

causing people to be taken advantage of by lending companies and credit card

companies, for instance. We hear about that regularly. Unawareness can have a

large impact on people's financial future. Thirty-four per cent of Canadians

indicate that they're hoping to win the lottery to help finance their

retirement. Young people are not being taught enough about debt or about savings

and doing so could actually help future generations. Given the state of affairs

in our province and the doom and gloom created by this current government,

bankruptcies are on the rise.

So the need for a heighten level of financial literacy

in our society has never been greater. The current state of the economy calls

for increased awareness of personal finances. And individuals can find

themselves in trouble by acquiring too much debt.

Lending institutions make their money from charging

interest, and I think it was Albert Einstein who said compound interest is the

eighth wonder of the world. Those who understand it, earn it and those who

don't, pay it. I think that statement still rings true today.

So let's positively impact our career development

curriculum in our schools by teaching young people these skills that they need.

Everyone has to face personal financial decisions, and we can have an impact by

addressing this in our K-12 curriculum.

Thank you.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS.

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS government plans to remove the provincial

point-of-sale tax rebate on books, which will raise the tax on books form 5 per

cent to 15 per cent; and

WHEREAS an increase in the tax on books will reduce

books sales to the detriment of local bookstores, publishers and authors, and

the amount collected by government must be weighed against the loss in economic

activity caused by higher books prices; and

WHEREAS Newfoundland and Labrador has one of the lowest

literacy rates in Canada, and the other provinces do not tax books because they

recognize the need to encourage reading and literacy; and

WHEREAS this province has many nationally and

internationally known storytellers, but we will be the only people in Canada who

will have to pay our provincial government a tax to read the books of our own

writers;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government not to impose a

provincial sales tax on books.

And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, this still goes beyond reason. It flies in

the face of reason. Once again, we have the lowest literacy rate, we have the

highest illiteracy rate and this tax on books makes no sense whatsoever.

In speaking about it, our own Rick Mercer, celebrated

comedian, actor, commentator, said: When you are increasing taxes on books, you

are accepting the fact that fewer books will be sold. And so, it is an attack on

literacy. There is no other way to look at it.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that nowhere else in Canada is

there a provincial tax on books. Very few places in the world there is, and it

makes no sense whatsoever. We know that this tax will put a damper on reading in

the province, with one of the lowest literacy rates in the country.

Now, the other thing, Mr. Speaker, that people may not

be aware of, there are online sellers from other parts of Canada who will send

books to individual customers in Newfoundland and Labrador and they are not

charging the provincial sales tax. That means there is such an extra burden on

our own booksellers here in the province. It's breaking the backs of our

independent booksellers.

So any way you look at this book tax, which was

aggressively put forward by this government, it is damaging. It is damaging to

the literacy levels of individual people. It's damaging to our own writers. It's

damaging to our own independent booksellers, which are independent and private

businesses.

Mr. Speaker, this whole book-tax conundrum is damaging;

there is nothing redemptive about it at all.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.

MR.

BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the 2016 provincial budget impacted adversely

and directly the education programs at Beachy Cove Elementary in Portugal

Cove-St. Philip's; and

WHEREAS the student population of Beachy Cove

Elementary is growing exponentially and this growth is sustainable into the

future; and

WHEREAS parents request the re-instatement of the

previous teacher allotment formula for Beachy Cove Elementary for this year and

subsequent school years to service the growth and enrolment, and be able to

provide all students with equal opportunity to enrol in the French Immersion

program;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the government to reinstate the

previous teacher allocations in order to provide children of Beachy Cove

Elementary the right of quality education.

And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, as we've seen and we've had a lot of

debate and dialogue here, publicly, and within the House of Assembly around the

issues of a deteriorating education system, that has nothing to do with the

quality of the teachers or the administrators or the support staff that we have

in the education system.

It has solely do with the resources that are necessary

to be able to offer proper programs like intense French Immersion; to offer

programs around inclusion; to offer basic programs around physical education and

proper monitoring and proper supervision; to offer other kinds of courses about

extra-curricular engagement. Because the cuts that have happened to our

education system this past budget, it has a detrimental effect on what's

happening in every school system.

In Beachy Cove Elementary, a community and a school

that's growing by leaps and bounds, they have unbelievable support mechanisms

from the community, from the school council, from the town itself, from the

administration and all the teachers; but they can only do so much in an

overcrowded system, in a system that doesn't allow the resources that are

necessary, particularly when they want to. They're committed to wanting to be

able to offer a good quality full-day kindergarten, a good quality of inclusion

program, good quality French immersion, good quality social programs that

benefit the students and are the holistic approach to a well-rounded citizen

that we want produce here, and they have restrictions.

Administrators and you have to give them all credit

everywhere in this province do a lot with the minimal resources that they've

been given in the last 12 months. As a matter of fact, they haven't been given

additional resources; there have been resources taken away. In some cases,

they've been given, for full-day kindergarten, additional services there, but at

the expense of other programs. While, at the same time, overburdening those

kindergarten teachers to ensure they have to do additional supervision. They

have to deal with inclusion challenges. They also have to deal with issues

around limited space within their facilities.

So all of these have contributed to making our

education system at a point where it's starting to fall behind. The only cause

here is that we're not resourcing it properly.

Mr. Speaker, I'll have an opportunity to speak to this,

not only Beachy Cove Elementary, but all the other school systems here about

proper resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I call Orders of the Day.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

would call from the Order Paper, Order 4, second reading of Bill 68,

An Act To

Amend The Highway Traffic No. 5.

I would ask, seconded by the Minister for Service NL,

that the act be now read the second time.

MR.

SPEAKER:

is moved and seconded that Bill 68 be now read a second time.

The hon. the Member for Fogo Island Cape Freels.

MR.

BRAGG:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's a privilege to rise and speak on amendments to

Bill 68,

An Act to Amend the Highway Traffic Act No. 5. From our last day, which

I suppose we will refer to as yesterday, in this House and listened to everyone

speak, I think we can all agree, this is not only an important bill but a very

emotional bill. I'm guessing there's not a person in this House or sitting at

home that cannot relate a horror story seared in their memory relating to

drinking and driving.

We look at the stats and we talk about drinking and

driving, mostly we relate to the death and destruction that it's caused. Being a

dad now, but growing up in an area when drinking and driving was I really

don't know how to say this. It was not accepted but it was more like: look at

him, he's loaded, he can't drive. And then we would go and say something like:

Can he?

Many of us watched our family and friends have one too

many and take the wheel. Many of us now wish we had taken the keys. So far we

have heard stories that are heartbreaking of families torn apart, moms and dads

burying their loved ones, and children burying their moms or dads, all as a

result of drinking and driving.

Young people have the highest rate of traffic deaths.

Fifty per cent of these deaths are caused due to impairment. I hate stats,

especially the ones of this horrible nature.

I looked up the MADD site. It said they support Uber

and Uber supports MADD, and I'll get to that point in a second.

As I said in the beginning, I'm a dad, a dad who gave

up numerous social events on Friday and Saturday nights to make sure my daughter

and most times, most of her friends got home safe. We lived 30 minutes away from

a bigger community in which our kids went out. There were no taxis in our area.

I remember many times setting the clock for 2 a.m. so she would have a safe ride

home.

Many of you may think and I hope that all other

parents did the same. Meanwhile, I did have a chance to smile at some of the

stories they told on the 30-minute ride home. As my nephews and niece all got

older I would often tell them, don't ever get in a car with someone who has been

drinking. Call me and I will come and get you, especially if you're afraid your

mom and dad will be mad.

Mr. Speaker, I only wish other youth would have called

their moms and dads. I remember all too well a couple of accidents in my area

from the time my daughter completed levels I, II and III in high school, one was

a fatality. Actually, Mr. Speaker, I'm sort of filled right up here thinking

about it. I remember what the parents went through looking for their child, and

I don't need to tell you how that story ended.

The other one, the parents will be forever in care of

their child, and that is sad. Many lives were affected. Most of us carried on,

but the parents and the siblings will forever have heavy hearts filled with fond

memories but all overshadowed by one horrible memory that will forever hang over

them.

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned about Uber. I was Uber in our

area before anybody knew what Uber was. I'm very proud of it, that I was the dad

that most times Allison and her friends called to come pick them up; not that

other dads and moms didn't do it, but I seemed to be the one that always got the

call.

I thought I would be the first one to mention about the

seat belts, but the hon. the Leader of the Opposition mentioned it before me. I

think it's worth mentioning again. My dad drove and never knew what a seat belt

was. He thought the only reason to put it on was to save $75.

Shortly after I got my licence the seat belt law came

in, and after a couple of warnings and losing that $75, I became accustomed to

putting it on. Now it's second nature. My daughter got her licence at 17. She

never thought you could ever drive without putting on a seat belt. What I'm

thinking here and what I'm hoping we do is change the mindset of the people.

Today, we are bringing in zero tolerance for any driver

under 22. Just think about it, for the first five years they would have trained

themselves that one drink is one drink too many. If that can save one life, Mr.

Speaker, it's worth it just one life. Maybe we'll see 22 is not the magic

number and five years for all new drivers will be the new norm.

I haven't even mentioned the new changes to the

penalties, impoundment of vehicles. When we were briefed on that, most of us

were shocked to find out that we didn't impound vehicles when someone was picked

up by the side of the road impaired.

The other thing is the ignition interlock. It sort of

sounds like something from another world, but like the hon. Member for Lab West,

I saw it. Not that I've had to use it but I saw it in a vehicle. Naysayers may

say, well, there's nothing to that. All someone else needs to do is blow in it,

start the car and they can go. Nothing could be further from the truth, Mr.

Speaker. By the time they put the car in drive, you have to blow into it again

and again and again and again and so on. It's a machine that really, like it had

pulled you over. To be honest, if you blow it and it's over, sirens will go off,

the lights will flash. So that will be another thing that we can see.

I'd say this; no amount of penalty will stop everyone

from drinking and driving. It's an enforcement of everyone in this House,

everyone who is watching at home, anyone who has ever seen anyone get behind the

wheel; we have to be the biggest advocate for that. You can put the enforcement

there, we're going to impound you and restrict your licence forever. People may

still do it but if we see it first and report it, we can make a difference.

I'm going to relay this story to you. I remember

gassing up years ago, as I waited to pay for the gas the person in front of me

was buying a case of beer. Not a sight you're not used to seeing but he could

barely stand. I waited to pay, when I looked out the window I saw this very same

person get into a pickup and drive away. I was absolutely mortified. You're

wondering how old I am, but there were no cell phones at that time. So I paid

for my gas, I berated the clerk. I found out afterwards the clerk was related to

this person small towns of course, that's bound to happen.

I went home, and all the way home I was thinking, just

suppose someone was out with their family for a drive and I know it's always

about what-ifs or it could have been worse but a family out for a drive

looking for ice cream. Once again, we'd be looking at the headlines with

horrific results.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for allowing me

the time to speak and support this bill. I would like to thank the Minister of

Service NL and also thank the Minister of Municipal Affairs and their staff for

the fine work that makes this bill passable. And to the people at MADD, keep up

your good work because no amount and you don't go unnoticed.

So thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte Twillingate.

MR.

D. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It gives me great honour as I represent the people of

Lewisporte Twillingate to speak to Bill 68,

An Act to Amend the Highway

Traffic Act No. 5.

Although the title may not appear to have much impact

on the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, the content and implications of

this act will have great consequences to those who choose to commit the selfish

and inconsiderate act of driving while impaired.

Shortly after we held the media release on Thursday, I

posted a video clip on my Facebook page and I received a number of responses,

all in support of this bill. I also had the opportunity to attend a number of

functions in the communities of Laurenceton, which they hosted their winter

carnival this past weekend; Loon Bay, for the unveiling of their fire truck, and

Lewisporte, where they had their firemen's banquet over the weekend.

I've had the opportunity to speak to a number of people

concerning this bill, and all of them had to agree that this is a move in the

right direction to reducing impaired driving, especially among our young people.

I too would like to thank the former Minister of

Service NL, along with his staff, for initiating this bill, and the current

minister for seeing it passed. I would also like to acknowledge Mothers Against

Drunk Driving national president, Patricia Hynes-Coates, and the many volunteers

for their dedication and commitment to the safety of all drivers, and who are

seeing these regulations implemented.

Last May, I attended a presentation by the provincial

chapter of MADD. Seeing the staggering statistics of impaired driving in

Newfoundland and Labrador and listening to the heart-wrenching stories of loved

ones who have been impacted by an impaired driver really highlighted the serious

problem we have in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the impacts to family members

and loved ones.

To know that the City of St. John's has the highest

rate of impaired driving among all major cities in Canada and that it is double

the national average, that is disturbing and very scary.

Across Canada, young people have the highest rates of

traffic deaths and injuries due to impaired driving, and motor vehicle crashes

are the leading cause of death among ages 16 to 25. And, in these cases, drugs

or alcohol is as factor to 50 per cent of these crashes.

Mr. Speaker, these statistics really highlight the

serious problem we have and, more importantly, the need for immediate action.

And that is what this government is doing. For some of my colleagues who shared

their stories of family and friends that were victims of impaired driving, I'm

sure we all have our stories and we all know of someone that has been impacted

by an impaired driver and the way it have changed their lives forever.

It is my hope that by legislating this bill, it will

deter drivers from sitting behind the wheel and taking the lives of someone

else's mother, father, child or friend into their hands. This is why I'm

supporting Bill 68, as I'm sure all other Members in this hon. House of Assembly

will be supporting. We all have a role to play so that another tragedy doesn't

happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR.

EDMUNDS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's an honour to speak to Bill 68,

An Act to Amend the

Highway Traffic Act No. 5. Now, Mr. Speaker, they say there's no greater pain

than feeling the loss of a child. Over the last five years, I've had several

opportunities to sit down with some of the MADD chapters and hear some of these

stories. When I grew up, as a kid I think as far back as I can remember, there

was one vehicle in my home community. Now, Mr. Speaker, there are upwards of 60

or 70 and it's a small town, 360 people. I can speak of the same situation all

along the North Coast.

Vehicles are only used in the summertime, because

there's no snow clearing in our communities. So we relate to snowmobiles and

ATVs more so, Mr. Speaker. When you talk about a motorized vehicle, a snowmobile

and an ATV are under the same classification as a car or a truck.

We've had our share of snowmobile accidents; it doesn't

need alcohol to have a snowmobile accident, Mr. Speaker. I broke my ankle this

winter while using a snowmobile. So it can happen at any time. The problem is

when you add alcohol to the situation. On the North Coast of Labrador, the age

where you can operate a snowmobile legally is 13.

Now, Mr. Speaker, there are upwards of 100 to 200

snowmobiles in a community at any given time. If you have someone under the

influence operating a snowmobile, with people as young as 13 years old, it's a

recipe for disaster, and we've had our share. We've had our share of

alcohol-related snowmobile accidents causing death. It's not something that

anyone would like to see.

I'd just like to give a shout out to Mrs. Hynes-Coates

and the MADD chapters in the province for their persistence in cutting down on

drunk driving in our province.

Being in this position for the last five, going on six

years, I was a new driver to St. John's and I had to learn my way around. So I

was actually quite shocked to learn that St. John's has the highest number of

alcohol-related offences in traffic, Mr. Speaker. Again, I think, thanks to the

MADD chapters, work is being done to cut down on drunk driving.

I, too, would like to thank the Minister of Service NL

and the Minister of Municipal Affairs for taking this approach against drunk

driving one step further.

Mr. Speaker, up in my district, snowmobiles aren't just

used for recreation. Snowmobiles are your link. They replaced the dog teams of

old and snowmobiles are used for hunting, fishing and access around the

communities and to other communities. There was a time when I could put as many

as 12,000 kilometres on a snowmobile in one year but, due to the nature of my

position, I'm gone a lot now, so that number is dropped to 8,000, which is still

a fair number of kilometres.

The point is that the only

section of this

Highway Traffic Act that is really

applicable in my area is the impoundment. Now, as I said, snowmobiles are used

for work, they're used for harvesting and they're used for travel. I think the

good approach here is that this will send a lesson to those who engage in

drinking and driving that you will lose your snowmobile and when you lose your

snowmobile, you lose your transportation and you lose your access to the land,

which is a big part of my culture and a big part of my heritage.

So, Mr. Speaker, with that, I will take my place and,

again, a shout out to MADD for their persistence in pushing the

don't-drink-and-drive message forward.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR.

CROCKER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure to take just a couple of

minutes this afternoon to speak to Bill 68 and the good work that this bill

does, and the importance that it has to the people of this province, making us a

leader in drunk-driving legislation in the country. The great work done by MADD

has to be recognized for pushing government to do the right thing, and this is

the right thing.

I'm going to take a little tiny, different approach I

think for a minute, Mr. Speaker, to talk about this new regulation when it comes

to young people. I have two teenage sons; one who just turned 17 this past

October and one who will turn 16 in April. When you think about some of the

stories that we've heard over the last couple of days with regard to people that

have been impacted by drunk driving and the results of that, I reflected, to

think about my son that, last year, was able to get his driver's licence and,

God willing, my younger son will be old enough to get his driver's licence this

April.

It gives you a minute to reflect, and one of the things

I reflected on over the last number of days is my oldest son has been given the

opportunity to actually get his driver's licence, and there are a lot of young

people who are never given that opportunity because of the criminal act of

drinking and driving. That opportunity for young people doesn't come. Mr.

Speaker, in that, what I've drawn on, as a parent, is we're not asking too much

of our young people not to consume alcohol until they're 22 years old.

That's not too much to ask, when you realize that some

young people will never get the opportunity to drive. So when it comes to asking

our children and, as a father, we're not asking too much and it's about time

that this responsibility is taught to our children. When we talk about road

safety, we think about our kids getting in the car and you're worried about them

speeding and other different things, breaking the rules. Well, this is just

another one of those rules of the road, and I can speak for any parent, I guess,

that has a child that is just after getting their driver's licence. On a

Saturday afternoon when my son says Dad, I'm going to take the car for an hour

and do this, or do that, from the time he leaves the house until the time he

gets back, it's a worry. So again, Mr. Speaker, my children are fortunate enough

to have the opportunity to drive and I don't think for one minute that it's too

much for us to ask of our children not to consume alcohol when they're driving.

Mr. Speaker, I've lost friends to drinking and driving

over the years and it's a very difficult thing for anybody to deal with so I can

only imagine, again as a parent, the tremendous loss that it has to be. It's

just actually terrible that this day and age we're actually here still having to

have this debate. It's time we move past this debate, Mr. Speaker, and work with

groups like MADD to even move this file maybe even a little bit further, and

that's very important.

It becomes a level of acceptance, I guess. In 1990,

when I was graduating high school, in my high school in Heart's Content, we were

HON. MEMBER:

1990?

MR.

D. BENNETT:

Yeah, 1990.

We were the first graduating class in that high school

to ever have what was a safe grad. So if you think back now, that's 27 years ago

and now that's become acceptance. For our young people, the idea of not being

able to consume alcohol and drive until you're 22, maybe it's a lesson for all

of us that we're asking our kids to do that, maybe it's something that we should

be challenging ourselves as people over 22 to do.

Mr. Speaker, just to a couple of other points of the

bill when we look at mandatory ignition interlock systems, again, if a person

chooses to break the law and drink and drive, this is a consequence that

undoubtedly they should face, absolutely, undoubtedly. To even think that this

was voluntary measure, we're long past that time.

Again, just on the final point of the bill, the seizure

of the vehicle. Mr. Speaker, when you think about it, my department, we're

responsible for many safety issues in the enforcement division and you take if

you arrest somebody for something and it's an infraction, you would seize their

weapon or whatever that person was using, but we weren't seizing these vehicles.

How many times have we heard somebody arrested for impaired driving twice in the

same day totally unacceptable; your car becomes a weapon and there's no way

that we would arrest anybody and give them back their weapon. Mr. Speaker,

that's what we have been doing.

So, Mr. Speaker, again, to MADD and other groups that

long fought for this legislation, to the previous minister, the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment, I know put a lot of work into this bill and

today to the Minister of Service NL and Climate Change, thank you for the great

work you've done.

Just over the weekend being in my district and talking

to many people, people are very, very supportive of this bill. I talked a high

school principal on Friday night and like she said to me, again, it's not too

much to ask of our young people, Mr. Speaker.

I'm very proud today as a parent, and a parent of young

drivers, to support Bill 68.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER (Warr):

The

hon. the Member for St. George's Humber.

MR.

REID:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's an honour today to rise and speak on this bill and

to add a few words. A lot has been said about this bill, so I won't take my full

time, most likely, but I wanted to say a few words just to add my support and

some points to this debate, Mr. Speaker.

It's an important step here that's being taken to

improve public safety and to reduce impaired driving. These changes will

strengthen the impaired driving laws, impose tougher penalties on those who are

impaired and it will better prepare our young people to be safe and

conscientious drivers.

So, specifically, the changes that we're talking about,

people have talked about them and the importance of them, but I will just review

them quickly. Impounding vehicles: As others have mentioned, one of the problems

is that people were, in the past, being caught two or three times for impaired

driving in the same day. They were go back and get their vehicle, which was

still by the side of the road. So this legislation will result in the impounding

of vehicles and will make that not happen. So that's an important step in and of

itself.

The mandatory Ignition Interlock Program which takes

place after someone has served their time without a licence, this is another

measure to protect people from repeat offenders, people who, despite having lost

their licence, maybe would attempt to drink and drive again. So that's an

important measure as well that's happening here.

Mr. Speaker, there's another measure here: drivers

under 22 years of age have to maintain a zero per cent blood-alcohol content

level. That's a way of people who are becoming new drivers, they may be

experimenting with drinking as well, it sends a message to those drivers in the

early stages of their driving how important it is not to drink and drive and I

think that's an important measure as well.

Other people have mentioned that they're fathers of

children who are entering the years where they're driving, and I am as well. My

daughter is 15 now, so in the next few years she'll be looking at getting her

driver's licence, and I certainly support this measure in terms of the impact

that it will have on her.

These changes that are taking place, many have

mentioned that, in this province, our regulations and our laws related to

impaired driving haven't been as strict as those in other provinces in the past.

What's happening here now is we're going from amongst the least strict laws in

terms of impaired driving, to some of the most strict laws in terms of impaired

driving. That's very important in terms of the way we operate as a province.

A number of people have mentioned that we're looking at

laws, changing the laws and putting more restrictions on people who drink and

drive. What we really have to move towards and this is happening as well in

society, it's about changing society's views, changing the way we think about

drinking and driving, changing the way we think about impaired driving and

impaired drivers. And that's happening very slowly, I think, in society, but

it's happening because of groups like MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving. And

it's a very important thing to be happening in our society.

It's because of the groups like MADD the district

that I represent, the Bay St. George area and Corner Brook as well, have very

active MADD chapters, and they've been doing a lot of things, like they have

their Stride walk, their red ribbon campaigns. They have a Christmas campaign.

They have information booths and tables set up at community events, and they

have their candlelight vigils, which continues to send the message to people

that drinking and driving is no longer acceptable in society. I think that's

what has to happen. I want to compliment groups like MADD and others as well for

the work they're doing in this regard.

It's through their work and dedication to their cause

that this change is happening. I guess if anyone wants to look at, take dispute

with the fact that a small group of people can't change society, can't change

the laws in society, they need to look at the example of what MADD has done in

this regard. They've changed societal views. They've met with our caucus and

impressed upon us the importance of the changes that they wanted. Now, here we

are in the House debating this legislation that they lobbied us to have brought

forward.

It's been a short period of time but I'm very happy

that these new laws are being brought in to be debated here. I want to

compliment the previous Minister of Service NL and the current minister as well

for the work they've done, and the officials in the department for bringing this

legislation forward in such a timely manner and the work they've done on making

this happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Harbour Grace Port de Grave.

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It certainly is indeed an honour to get up and speak to

this Highway Traffic Act . It certainly

is, and although this is positive legislation, it surprises me that it has not

happened prior. As elected officials, it is our duty to initiate positive change

for the well-being and the benefit of the people of our province.

So I'm certainly pleased that we are bringing this

forward but I'm also very pleased that all Members are supporting this change of

course to improve public safety by introducing these amendments to the

Highway Traffic Act . Again, it's

always a pleasure to stand here and represent the district, the strong district,

as I say, of Harbour Grace Port de Grave District and a chance to address our

viewers at home.

Just listening to the CBC

Morning Show actually

on Friday after the House had closed last week, after we had some great

constructive debate here I say debate with hesitation because everybody is in

agreeance of course of these changes, but just to hear what some reporters of

course had being saying about this.

There was one

reporter from CBC of course who had gone out and done some streeters, to get

opinions on these new amendments. Of course, streeters are simply when a

journalist should go out and interview random people, and they went to Memorial

University. Several young students were interviewed on this and not one, I

didn't hear one negative comment or concern about this.

Again, they went to

the young people in our province, our young students, and everybody was

certainly in agreeance of these changes. Also, there was a lawyer that was

interviewed on the show as well. Again, they were hard pressed to find some

negative connotations or negative comments on this. Of course, journalists know

how to ask a question, the same question ten times to try and get an answer, a

different answer, but you know everybody was in compliance with this and

everybody

supported it.

One thing that was noted of course, by enforcing zero

tolerance it eliminates that judgement call. When people often go to a party, go

to a social, go out to a bar, at the Breezeway, wherever they should go, people

are if they're having a drink they're asking themselves this question: Can I

have another? Will I be over that limit? Enforcing this legislation will

eliminate making that judgement call.

I will say for on the record, if we were to go even

further and not just implement this for children or rather young people of 22

and younger across the board zero tolerance, I would certainly support that

fully. And I will say that on the record here in our House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Also, just to highlight as well, not only do we have to have concerns about

impaired driving of course, something that we certainly when I got my licence

back in the late '90s, I won't say the exact date, but when I got my licence I

remember being so excited to get on the road, to have that freedom and to have

that privilege, but something we never had to think about at that time was, of

course, texting.

Smartphones were not of common use at that time. It's

something that we they say if a driver is texting and not paying attention to

the road and handling their smartphone or whatnot it is just the same or perhaps

even worse or even more dangerous than being impaired. So that's something we

need to raise awareness about.

When you're on the road it's not just your own safety

that you're focused on or your passengers, it's everybody else around you. It's

pedestrians, it's other drivers, it's people on motorcycles. I will talk about

motorcycles as well. I do myself, I drive a motorcycle. I enjoy it. It certainly

is a privilege, but having said that it's something you have to focus on and be

extremely, extremely careful and practice extreme caution.

I did the program, actually, offered by Safety Services

NL. It was quite an extensive program, instructor Darren Dunphy at the time. One

thing that they emphasized was huge, was that although you can have a drink and

drive a vehicle, a car, an SUV or whatever, any enclosed vehicle, but they

certainly do not encourage that on a motorcycle. You wouldn't so much as smell a

bottle cap as they say, by driving a motorcycle.

That takes me to a memory now, an unfortunate memory

actually. It was last summer. I happened to be driving in the metro area. It was

on a Sunday afternoon, and I noticed a person was driving on a motorcycle and I

noticed the driving was erratic. I mean, at one point in time this driver on the

bike went up over a curb, swerved in and out of lanes. I thought to myself, this

driver is definitely impaired. Either that or there's something seriously

happening.

So I quickly noticed what was happening, it instilled

fear in me instantly. I slowed down and I gave him some space, because I could

quickly see what was happening. I mean this guy is going to go down and sure

enough, not even several blocks up the road, I came up I didn't see it, I

didn't want to see it. It was terrifying for me. It was traumatic to even

witness that driving of this gentleman on a motorcycle.

Sure enough, when I approached it, all the cars were

stopped and this guy had wiped out. Thankfully, I don't think he collided with

another vehicle because it was quite evident he was certainly having some

challenges operating that bike and down he went. I must say, it just goes to

show how important it is to emphasize that no alcohol you shouldn't have a sip

of alcohol when operating any motorized vehicles.

Also, now at this time I want to commend and recognize

the Coates family. Unfortunately, it was Nick Coates who happened to be on a

motorcycle. Of course, as we know, that fateful, horrific day, he was on a

motorcycle and hit by a driver. I certainly want to commend them because

unfortunately it was such a horrific event that brought this on for them but

what that family is doing in conjunction with the support of everybody else who

is involved in Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, they certainly are to be

commended.

I also saw her, of course, this past week talking to

our local media and she did a great job. I know she spoke with pride. She could

speak from the heart and there was certainly no doubt the passion that was

behind those words, of course, when she spoke, and very proud to say and to

acknowledge her for being the national president. So not just is she a leader

here in our province for this initiative, she's a leader province-wide on a

national basis, and no surprise, Mr. Speaker, that we have a fighting

Newfoundlander to lead this.

So let's give the Coates family a round of applause

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

and let's show our appreciation for what they're doing. It certainly is

remarkable. Just last week we spoke to legislation about women in leadership

roles. Well, this is a fine example of a strong woman in a leadership role.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Absolutely, and of course we have to do our part as private citizens. If we see

somebody who we suspect to be impaired, pick up the phone. We have Crime

Stoppers which is anonymous, if you're not willing to disclose your identity or

whatnot, but make that call because you could be saving the life of that person

behind the wheel or a loved one, or anyone who's on that road. We certainly have

to do our part as private citizens.

Again, as I mentioned, I would support a zero tolerance

across the board for any of this. Not just alcohol but, of course, drugs are

something to be looking out for, and prescription drugs as well. So we certainly

have to work together.

It is worth mentioning that when we go out for a night

of entertainment, when we're out with our colleagues or we're out with our

family or whatnot and we're having some drinks, and we're doing so

responsibility, it's important to keep in mind that it's not a great idea to

wake up at the crack of dawn at 7 o'clock or 8 o'clock or even 9, depending on

how much you have consumed the night before, and get behind the wheel. As we

know, many people are picked up for driving under the influence the next

morning. Unfortunately, that has been the case where people have died and

they've been the victims of people who have consumed heavily the night prior to

going out and taking to the road. So it's certainly very important to keep in

mind.

I know if I'm ever going to be having some recreational

beverages, I don't plan to go anywhere the next morning, early. I make sure it's

well in the afternoon, of course, for me, personally.

Also, it's something that a lot of the constituents and

our establishments that we have in the District of Harbour Grace Port de

Grave, this is something that is taken very serious there. We have two RCMP

detachments located in the district. One in Bay Roberts on Bareneed Road and the

other actually in Harbour Grace on the Conception Bay Highway in the corner of

Alberta Drive. So we have a large police presence in our district; very pleased

to say that. It's something that's taken very seriously.

Throughout the community events and the organizations,

the leaders who take the time to organize these and when they're speaking, they

always say: Let's have a great time tonight. Let's make some memories. Let's

enjoy the moment, but, please, enjoy it responsibly. Make arrangements to get

home safely; to have someone come pick you up; take a taxi cab. That final

message is: Don't drink and drive. We all have to promote awareness and

certainly do our part.

Some establishments, I will name. Actually a lady,

Donna Fowler, she's the owner of Kelly's Landing in Bay Roberts. She's very

involved in a lot of community events that we have, whether it be for the

Trinity Conception Placentia Health Foundation or any cause, this woman puts her

hand to that cause and she promotes safety and safe practice in everything she

does. She has that establishment and, sure enough, there's no excuse. She has

one of those direct lines. One of those telephones that are on a wall in a

prominent place in the establishment; you just pick up that phone and it's a

direct line to a cab. So there's no excuse for any of us to operate a motorized

vehicle after consuming alcoholic beverages. There are lots of ways around that,

to get out there, to be responsible, to enjoy and to do so responsibly.

I certainly am supporting the amendments to the

Highway Traffic Act for young people

under the age of 22 and, of course, the interlock ignition; that's all

brilliant. It should have been done a long time ago, but I'm very proud, very

happy to say that this is happening now and we have the unity of all Members

here in this hon. House.

I know a lot of people want to speak to this. It's very

positive legislation in a time when we're facing many challenges, as we know,

arguably the most in the history of our province, fiscally, but it's so

wonderful when we can bring strong legislation for the people of our province

such as this and it's not costing us a dime to do that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Absolutely.

I also want to commend my colleague, of course, the

Member for Placentia West Bellevue, strong district and my colleague for Burin

Grand Bank; they've taken a leadership role among our own caucus to

incorporate and to have the organizers from MADD come into our caucus room and

really promote that. So I want to commend them on that for their leadership role

in this because it's something they've been very passionate about.

Again, it's our volunteers such as the Coates I

understand Mrs. Coates is back now; we want to commend you for your work. We're

very proud of the work you're doing. You're doing us all proud on the national

stage. We saw you in the local news of course last week, so good for you. Again

she's back, ladies and gentlemen, let's give her a round of applause and let's

make the viewers at home aware of the great work she's doing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

P. PARSONS:

Mr.

Speaker, always a privilege here to stand and represent my District of Harbour

Grace Port de Grave.

I will now take my seat and give my colleagues an

opportunity to speak to this wonderful, positive legislation and we look forward

to the support of each and every person here in the House of Assembly here

today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR.

HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It's difficult with a piece of legislation like this,

with so many speakers, to get up and say something that may be different or new.

I think the amendments, though, do stand on merit. They are evidence based. The

concept behind zero tolerance for 16 to 25, people may say well, why have you

just picked on that age group, but I think it's an initial step for a group of

folk who are plagued with drinking and driving.

We've heard that the incidents of accidents in that

group are high. It's a combination really of inexperience and then when you

factor in alcohol, alcohol, the first thing that will do is actually impair your

ability to make a decision. That's your first problem and the second thing after

that is it impairs your ability to react and your physical coordination.

So that combination of inexperience in driving

situations within impairment on various levels, compounds things. A full third

of all alcohol-related serious injuries and illnesses fall in this 16 to 25

group.

It's about de-normalizing behaviour. One of the reasons

I wanted to stand up and I suppose is maybe unique to my own situation. I came

to this role from a different career, three decades as a front-line surgeon and

clinician, and this phenomenon of drinking and driving has quite literally been

the scourge of my career.

Right back from the beginning, you close your eyes and

you see all sorts of things you don't want to see because they march through

your head every night. And really and honestly, it is sad enough to lose a child

but to see that happen week in and week out for the same reason really defies

belief. And if a generation of practitioners don't have to go through that, I

really think this act will have achieved more than it ever set out to do, quite

frankly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HAGGIE:

The

other pieces, the interlock, there is a feeling that somehow driving is a right

and not a privilege and I don't think that you can justify that on any level. I

think if you have sinned for want of a better word served your penance, I

think you owe it to yourself and everybody else to show that you can get

yourself back to where everybody else thinks you should be. And the interlock, I

think, is a reasonable, thought-through way of dealing with this. And it's not

just a key that relies on alcohol or lack of it, it is also a monitoring system

that can be interrogated by the registrar of motor vehicles so that you can see

if someone is trying to deliberately play the game, circumvent the system.

Is it a foolproof system? Of course it isn't, but it's

enough of an inconvenience and an expense for the individual that it's a

statement of intent, and I think the sooner we rejig the idea that there is

anything normal about having alcohol and getting behind the wheel of a car, I

think we win on that basis again.

Again, the impounding is perfectly sensible. You have

someone who is impaired, they get booked, they get processed, they go out, they

go back and pick their car up and they may still be under the influence. So

really, I'm not going to beat this to death. I felt it was important for me,

having spent 35 years picking up pieces, just to make the observations I have.

And I will commend this bill to the House.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Stephenville Port au Port.

MR.

FINN:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It is certainly a pleasure to stand today and take my

place and add commentary to what has been an extensive, I'll say, discussion, if

you will, as the Member for Harbour Grace Port de Grave pointed out.

Typically, when we speak to legislation we refer to it as a debate. I think it

would go without saying that carrying on from the debate on Thursday this is

more of a discussion. Certainly, everyone has a voice to lend to this

conversation.

So I'm just going to take a moment just to state for

the record, if you will, and perhaps to those who might be joining us today,

we're continuing discussion on Bill 68. That's

An Act To Amend The Highway

Traffic Act No. 5.

There are three major takeaways, if you will, from this

amendment. I'll read them, if you bear with me. The Bill would amend the

Highway Traffic Act to:

One, reduce the permissible proportion of alcohol in

the blood of a person who is under 22 years of age and not a novice driver while

he or she is operating a motor vehicle or has care or control of a motor vehicle

to 0 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millimetres of blood;

Two, introduce the mandatory use of an ignition

interlock device on the reinstatement of a driver's licence or driving

privileges of a person who has been convicted of impaired driving offences under

the Criminal Code ; and

Three, add regulation making authority to enable the

seizure and impoundment of a motor vehicle where a person is impaired or fails

or refuses to comply with a demand by a peace officer.

In short that's the lengthy version as noted in the

legislation and, of course, we're all anxiously awaiting the day that this

legislation does come into effect. As with most of the other Members, I'll add a

great thanks to the various ministers who played a role in this portfolio: the

Member for Bay of Islands, who's now the Minister of Municipal Affairs and

Environment, and formerly the Minister of Service NL; and, of course, the Member

for Lake Melville, who is now the Minister Responsible for Service NL. Between

these two ministers and their staff, it was quite apparent, as we attended the

briefing just last week, how much work has actually gone into this.

It has been mentioned of course, we wouldn't perhaps

be here at all today discussing this and debating this in the House if it wasn't

for the fine folks, Ms. Hynes-Coates from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the

voice they loaned to us this past fall.

Attending the briefing, as noted last week, just to

throw out again and I guess to put into context; Members of the House of

Assembly are invited to briefings on a regular basis for various pieces of

legislation. This particular briefing was a jam-packed room, I can tell you. All

Members took the opportunity to attend and listen to the officials who've worked

diligently on this, and who are very pleased to have been some driving force

behind this.

I'm certain the Minister of Service NL will it will

be great to point out some of the fine folks who are the driving force behind

this. Bill 68 68, what that means is this is 68th piece of legislation we're

discussing in the House of Assembly since assuming office in November of 2015.

So for the 48th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, this is Bill 68,

the first bill I've seen with ultimately unanimous support from all sides;

absolutely, unanimous support. In addition to that, I don't know if there has

been a bill debated in this General Assembly that has had the amount of speakers

to lend their voice to this piece of legislation. So that certainly speaks

volumes in itself.

The first piece of the amendment of the act around

young drivers and I guess we're trying to curb societal thinking. Of course,

has been noted, statistics will point out I think young drivers somewhere in the

age of 16 to 25 was noted, made up only of about 13.6 per cent of the

population. But they attribute to about a third of the impairment-related

driving offences. So while they only make up a very small portion of the

population, being responsible for a third certainly has something to say about

shaping a young mind and encouraging a young mind to think twice.

While radio ads and we hear them all too often on

various media streams the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation would

have information at their stores. We constantly see these ads. We see the red

ribbons, and we see the red ribbons on various vehicles. You can't go to very

many parking lots without seeing a red ribbon. All these things play a reminder,

but a reminder can only go so far.

I think with this legislation, the intent to the young

driver, as to all drivers, but primarily one of the pieces here changing the

young drivers to bring the blood alcohol content to zero. Beyond important, and

I think will be well-received. As the Member for Harbour Grace Port de Grave

mentioned, just Friday with some of the media commentary, it was noted that

going around Memorial University, for example, that young students were very

receptive of this.

The ignition interlock system wow! I tell you, when

we attended the briefing and it to be said that this was a voluntary measure in

the past, it was almost like there was just this moment of silence, where people

were just kind of shocked. I know of course we had heard it, and we had heard it

when Ms. Hynes-Coates was invited to speak to the Liberal caucus. But just to

think about that for a moment, and then to put Newfoundland and Labrador in

perspective with the rest of the country, and only our province, I believe along

with the Northwest Territories and you can correct me if I'm wrong, Minister.

I believe it was just our province and the Northwest Territories, were the only

two that had a voluntary system.

To think that this was a voluntary measure before, it's

almost I guess of course as a Member of the House of Assembly, and I can only

speak from my perspective, but you learn so much and you get saturated in terms

of information overload. Whether that's to do with legislation or constituency

work or laws of the land or different jurisdictions, but this was something that

I can honestly say I was not aware of. To think that this was a voluntary

measure in the past is just mind blowing. I guess it speaks volumes to the

report grading that Mothers Against Drunk Driving had put out and published

there, giving us an F. And, no doubt, we certainly deserved an F as a province

if that was to be the case.

So this is a mandatory piece, and the Member for Fogo

Cape Freels had spoken about well, of course, you would have to blow into the

ignition interlock system. When you start the vehicle, you may go a few

kilometres. It may just randomly beep again and you'd have to blow into it again

and so on and so forth. So that's a deterrent in itself, but even in order to

get there, even in order to get to that point, you're still going to have to pay

some close to $1,000 or $1,100 to get the system installed. So right away we

have a financial impediment. So to those who are picked up for this type of

offence, that's a financial implication, number one.

Number two, they're going to have the vehicle could

very well be impounded as well. You drive across this province, and of course

there are times I just drove across the Island just this past weekend and not

often do I drive the full 775 kilometres from Stephenville to St. John's but

there are some times when I take the opportunity to or may have to for other

reason, and you drive across the Island you see vehicles kind of parked on the

side of the highway. I often think to myself, my god, they must have had a

breakdown or something went wrong with the vehicle, or any number of cases, but

this is exactly one of the cases as well.

To think that you've been pulled over for impaired

driving, the RCMP or the RNC have you pulled over, they've issued the offence

and you've been arrested and what have you, and your vehicle can just stay

there. I mean that's a danger in itself. You talk about the

Highway Traffic Act . That's a danger in

itself to have the car just stalled on the side of the highway.

This is why, as

Members have mentioned, we heard instances where people were picked up twice in

the same day, perhaps returning to their vehicle. So the impoundment piece is

critical as well, because after you go through the piece where you have to pay

to get the car un-impounded, and that of course could range, because there's

going to be cost to have it towed. There's going to be a cost of the different

private operator that you'll have to pay to get the vehicle released, and then

you're going to have to pay a cost to get the ignition interlock system put in

place as well. These measures are absolutely game changing ,

I think, when it comes to deterring drinking and driving.

As I said, there's much to be said about the number of

Members who spoke. What really struck me this past Thursday, two Members in

particular spoke, which I think with great emotion and passion, that being the

Member for Harbour Main speaking about her mother. And my gosh, you know your

colleagues and you hear stories about your colleagues and their families, and we

all go through various challenges, but to hear her story that she shared about

her own mother was certainly something that will stick with me, and something

that I'll always remember every time I speak with the Member for Harbour Main.

To hear the Member for Virginia Waters Pleasantville

reference the fact that he knew young Nick Coates; that's something that I

didn't know as well. And, of course, we've all been touched by these instances

and I guess that's why this bill speaks volumes to not only all of us in the

House of Assembly, but to all citizens in Newfoundland and Labrador.

It really shows how far we've come as well. I listened

to some of the commentary; I did listen extensively to

Radio Noon on Friday. Excellent job, Mrs. Hynes-Coates, with the

Radio Noon on Friday; certainly radio

could be your next career choice, by all means; very articulate and very good

words spoken there.

I listened to the commentary the Minister of Service

NL had called into Radio Noon on

Friday and added his commentary as well. I guess a lot of debate has occurred

since this was introduced on Thursday and some have said well, you've gone too

far; some have said you haven't gone far enough and these type of things. But I

think the biggest takeaway is that we went there, and you have to start

somewhere.

As I went home the weekend and I had a number of

conversations with people in the district, and had a great chance to talk with

some folks just yesterday at a community breakfast with the Winter Carnival, and

one of the I'll say older adults I guess, to put it quite properly had

said to me: John, you wouldn't believe what it was like here in the '70s and

'80s. And I said: Well, what do you mean?

And he said: Sir, in the'70s and '80s, we'd all be down

to what was then known as one of the night clubs. I won't mention it. People

would get off work of course, the history of Stephenville with the Linerboard

and the Abitibi paper mill, a lot of folks they'd get off, you'd go have a few

drinks and you'd go home. And he said there'd be instances where the police

would pull you over, check and see if you were all right, and then say, now Sir,

we're going to follow you home to make sure you get home safely; full well

knowing they were impaired. That was the societal type of norm, if you will.

We'll just take our time; we'll follow you home to make

sure you get home safely, and continue to watch them operate the motor vehicle

down the road. So to think that's where we were just some 30-odd years ago is

absolutely mind blowing. And knowing that and knowing that we can only make one

change at a time, you have to start somewhere.

So while there has been some commentary around the age

restriction and some of the nuances here with respect to the suspension and why

is it only three days and five days I mean there's a number of things you can

pick at, I guess, and that would go with just about anything; but the reality is

we had to start somewhere, we started here, this is beyond a significant very

first step certainly beyond a first step.

And these are the types of conversations that we need

to continue with. I think, as you'll hear from the Minister of Service NL when

he will look to close debate, I'm sure will certainly add I'm willing to bet

this wouldn't be the last time we make an amendment to the

Highway Traffic Act . You have to take

the proper time to go through with the legislation and to get the regulations in

place and to see what type of impact that has. You also have to be very much

aware of the impact this is going to have on various communities, the additional

responsibilities with RCMP and the RNC, the impoundment, getting the various

mobile centres.

There are a few fixed centres right now across the

province that have the ignition interlock system in place, and then there's a

mobility piece, where, if you need the system installed, there's a mobile unit

that can come to you to have this installed and you can go to them and have it

installed. To get some of these things in place will certainly take time, but

this is something that had to start somewhere.

For those in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving movement

and we have a great

chapter in Stephenville I know they do some fine work,

and the Member for St. George's Humber had alluded to that. In addition to the

awareness campaigns and the red ribbon campaigns and the marches and the

fundraising efforts, one thing that they do for young drivers and it's certainly

something to see, Mr. Speaker, if you haven't seen it they did one I think

just last year, correct me if I'm wrong, in St. Joseph's sorry, St. Joseph

High is now Appalachia High in the community of St. George's. They did the

mock disaster.

So when we hear from the Minister of Health referring

to his previous life and his profession, and having to see individuals come in,

in this type of situation where they've been victim of a crash as a result of an

impaired driver. When you get the students involved in these type of situations,

where they see the mock disaster, you see the ambulance response on site, you

see the paramedics on site, you see all of our first responders across this

province who all play a very, very critical role in addressing some of the

severity that can come of impaired driving, when you see the mock disaster, it's

just like the real thing.

For those who haven't seen it, I encourage you if

there's a Mothers Against Drunk Driving

chapter in your region and they haven't

perhaps had an opportunity to preform that at a school or at a community or at

any event for that matter, I'd encourage you to get in contact with your

chapter

and perhaps, as a Member of the House, you can work with them to ensure that

that type of situation can get replayed. There's something about talking about

drinking and driving and there's another thing when the visual piece is there.

I guess on that note, I can only go a little bit

further to thank Mrs. Hynes-Coates and those with Mothers Against Drunk Driving

who continue to tell their story. Because in telling their story, they're

reliving it every time. They're reliving it every time they tell it. I cannot

even begin to imagine what they must feel like; I honestly can't. To have the

compassion and the will and the desire to share that story over and over and

over again, it just certainly speaks volumes to their desire for change and

their compassion and will to work with legislators and to work with RCMP and to

work with enforcement of all levels to ensure that our roads are a safer place.

The Minister of Transportation and Works spoke to this

legislation on Thursday, and of course he hears a significant amount about

everything to do with our highways. Mr. Speaker, we have some 9,000-plus

kilometres of highways in Newfoundland and Labrador. I believe some 9,700-odd or

it is 9,070, but in any event, it's between 9,000 and 10,000 kilometres of road

in Newfoundland and Labrador.

You can picture, it's only 7,000 kilometres if you

hopped in the car and drove from St. John's to Vancouver. So we have a great

enough challenge as it is in ensuring adequate infrastructure and funding for

maintenance and what have you. Can you imagine the ability from our RCMP and RNC

to enforce this over some 9,000 kilometres of roads? So by giving and putting

this piece of legislation in place, that's certainly going to make their job a

lot easier. We most certainly hope it would deter folks from thinking twice