Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 22 November 2012 (47th General Assembly, 1st Session)
2012-11-22
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
November 22, 2012 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLVII No.
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Today, before we start proceedings of the House, I want to welcome some
special guests to the Assembly. Today, we are very privileged to be visited by
Chief Warrant Officer Terry Hurley. Warrant Officer Hurley retired yesterday
after giving forty-one years of service to the Canadian Military.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: He is joined, obviously, by his very supportive wife
Roxanne, for being by his side for those forty-one years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: We are also very glad this afternoon to have with us members
of the Immaculate Conception School Council in our galleries.
Welcome to our House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today, we have members' statements from: the Member for the
District of Port au Port; the Member for the District of Bonavista North; the
Member for the District of St. John's West; the Member for the District of
Kilbride; the Member for the District of Torngat Mountains; and the Member for
the District of Exploits.
The Member for the District of Port au Port.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this hon. House to congratulate
two business owners in the District of Port au Port who were recently recognized
with awards during the Small Business Week activities sponsored by the Bay St.
George Chamber of Commerce.
Jason Chaffey, owner and operator of Pizza Delight received the Leo Bruce
Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Mr. Speaker, Jason Chaffey has been with Pizza Delight for twenty-four years.
The business employs eighteen full-time employees. Jason received this award not
only for his successful business skills, but also for his involvement in the
community and his support for other local businesses.
Mr. Speaker, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the Lourdes
CO-OP. The Lourdes CO-OP has been serving its community for many, many years and
it is great to see this business being recognized during Small Business Week,
not only for its long-standing business service but also for its contribution to
the community and the region.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. Members of the House of Assembly to join with me
in congratulating Pizza Delight and the Lourdes CO-OP for being recognized, and
I wish these and all business continued success in our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bonavista North.
MR. CROSS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is with great pleasure that I stand today and speak about the highlight of
my first year as MHA. On September 6, I attended a very special event. The
family and friends of Mrs. Emma Hunt gathered at Badger's Quay to celebrate her
one hundredth birthday. Mrs. Hunt, a long-time resident of Valleyfield,
currently resides at Bonnews Lodge in Badger's Quay.
Aunt Emma greeted family and friends throughout the afternoon, and she was
very active in deciding details of her party. When the lunch menu was discussed,
she made it clear that fish and brews were to be the main course, and it was.
As friends visited to connect and comment on her birthday, she chatted to
those she had not seen for a while. To my father, George, an old friend, she
joked and reminded him that he had not dropped off her bake apples yet a tasty
treat that she looked forward to in season.
As I presented her with the customary certificates from dignitaries, she
said: Oh, such a fuss. Little did she know that we who were present felt as if
we were in the presence of royalty.
I know I felt confident, speaking for you, that with a smile and a hug I
proudly said Happy Birthday for all of you.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's West.
MR. CRUMMELL: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Reverend
Canon Doctor Cluett on receiving the Queen's Jubilee Medal. Reverend Cluett has
excelled in both the ecclesiastical and academic fields and was presented with
this medal in a recent ceremony at Government House.
Reverend Cluett has given over fifty years of distinguished service to his
church and community. Over the course of his career, he has served in the parish
ministry throughout Newfoundland and also in Hamilton, Ontario. He has a vast
volunteer experience and has served on numerous church communities, school
boards, as well as the Rotary Club of St. John's.
Mr. Speaker, Reverend Cluett served as a provost of Queen's College at
Memorial University from 1979 until his retirement in 1997. He had a tremendous
impact on the lives of many students during his years at Memorial and he was
also instrumental in re-establishing a Faculty of Theology at the university.
Mr. Speaker, I commend Reverend Cluett for his leadership and dedication to
his church and community, and I ask all hon. members to join me in
congratulating him on receiving the Queen's Jubilee Medal.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for the District of Kilbride.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize a great Canadian, Chief
Warrant Officer Terry Hurley, who has retired after forty-one years of military
service. He was born in St. John's, and is one of fifteen children.
Terry joined the Canadian Armed Forces and received his training at
Cornwallis and Gagetown before being posted at Petawawa, Ontario. In 1975, Terry
was promoted to Corporal, and in 1983 promoted to Sergeant.
In 1993 he was posted to CFB Halifax as Training Warrant Officer, and here he
met his wife, Roxanne, who was also serving in the military. In 2004, Chief
Warrant Officer Hurley retired from the regular forces and switched over to the
Reserve Forces with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
Terry has had many tours of duty in Cyprus, Egypt, West Germany, Yugoslavia,
and Sierra Leone. Recently, he was awarded the Chief of Defence Staff
Commendation from General Hillier.
In 2010, Chief Warrant Officer Hurley was selected to be the male model for
the CBS monument of honour, representing a World War I soldier.
Terry and his wife live in the Goulds. They have two children and two
grandchildren.
I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Terry.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate Susan "Fran" Williams on
receiving the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, the highest award of
recognition in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, Fran was born to Amos and Verona in Hopedale and learned early
about the way of life in Labrador. Ms Williams graduated from high school, which
was a rare occurrence for Inuit women at the time, and went on to complete
nursing studies in 1967, the first Inuit woman from Hopedale to do so.
After serving five years in the nursing field, Fran accepted a position with
the Company of Young Canadians in Labrador. She became an Inuit Education
Specialist for the provincial Department of Adult Continuing Education and a
liaison worker with the Status of Women.
In 1980, Ms Williams was elected as the first and only female president of
the then Labrador Inuit Association. Her four-year tenure saw important advances
on the path toward Inuit self-government.
Fran help found OKalaKatiget Society in Nain, and continues to play an active
volunteer role in the Nain Crisis Response Team.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Ms Fran
Williams on receiving the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador award.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, on June 9, 2012, Hockey Newfoundland and
Labrador held their annual general meeting and awards banquet. During the
presentations, Brian Tremblett of Bishop's Falls received the Minor Hockey
Meritorious Award for his dedication to minor hockey.
Mr. Speaker, Brian not only volunteers on the local level, as President and
Coach, but also on the provincial and national levels as well. As a provincial
representative, Brian facilitates the Speak Out program in the Central part of
our Province, specifically dealing with bullying, harassment and abuse in the
minor system. With Hockey Canada, he facilitates the safety training program and
this requires all trainers for each team in the minor system to comply with this
program.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating
Brian Tremblett on receiving this award and his dedication to minor hockey.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works; and the
Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise to share with hon. members today, November 22, National Housing Day,
and how Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation's accomplishments in 2012
continue to address the goals of the Provincial Social Housing Plan Secure
Foundations.
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing have made significant progress
this past number of years. Our rental housing wait list is down 25 per cent over
the past two years and the provincial government has increased and expanded
program funding with the aim of making further gains in addressing social
housing supply and demand.
We have completed the modernization of approximately 70 per cent of our 5,570
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing rental units, up from 30 per cent just five
years ago.
We have tripled annual renovations and modernization funding from our housing
units from $4 million to $12 million.
There has been a 25 per cent drop in maintenance calls over the past three
years which is certainly indicative of the amount of work completed by
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing's skilled workers.
We have quadrupled the Supportive Living Program funding, which creates
housing supports for persons with complex needs, from $1.2 million to $4.8
million.
We have doubled the Rent Supplement Program funding from $4 million to $8
million, and currently have 1,732 subsidized rental units in the private market
to assist people with low incomes.
We have also doubled the Provincial Home Repair Program funding from $4
million to $8 million for a total of $12 million annually in federal-provincial
funding to help people with low incomes make modifications and improvements,
enabling them to remain in their own homes.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, we have introduced very successful new programs
such as the Provincial Homelessness Fund, which helps non-profits expand to
provide services to individuals at risk of homelessness.
The Residential Energy Efficiency Program provides $4 million annually for
energy efficiency retrofits, and our Educational Incentive Program for tenant
families is one program that has supported the increase in the number of youth
studying in school from 48 per cent just four years ago to approximately 75 per
cent today.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador can proudly say we
are providing Secure Foundations, and we are continuing to provide more housing
solutions for individuals and families in greatest need throughout our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for his advance copy. There is no doubt there has been a
lot of money spent on housing in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and other
needs throughout the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Before I go any further on the government, I would just like to recognize the
employees who work with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, because they provide
a tremendous support to a lot of the people. I deal with them on the West Coast
and I just wanted to recognize the workers who work with Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing.
I would say to the minister: A lot of the reason why the numbers are down is
because a lot of people are after giving up applying for housing. Even though we
have done a lot over a number of years, there is still a lot left to do. We need
to be vigilant to the needs of the people. As our economy grows in the Avalon
region, so does the need for housing for lower-income people and even sometimes
a lot of times middle-income people, because of the cost of living. We must
remain vigilant.
The other thing is the residential assistance program, which has not been
renewed and will not be renewed with the federal government until 2014. We must
ensure that the federal government once again gets involved with RRAP, as it is
better known in Newfoundland and Labrador, to help out people who can stay in
their own homes.
I can say there has been work done with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.
There have been a lot of great initiatives taken and a lot of people have
benefited, but we must remain vigilant. We must remain and keep vigilant on
issues that are needed and keep improving in any way we can.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement, and thank
you once again for the re-announcement of existing programs. I commend the
non-profit community groups that are working so diligently on issues of
homelessness and support services for people with complex needs, and the fine
work being done by the staff at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.
Today I attended a forum on seniors and housing. Research shows that housing
is the number one concern among seniors. All of us in this House know that
because we get those calls. We are in the middle of a housing crisis that is
bigger than social housing.
Seniors, who are among the fastest-growing population in our Province, and
people with physical disabilities are perhaps among the most negatively impacted
by the skyrocketing cost of housing and the lack of accessible, affordable
housing. Young working families having to live with their parents, low- and
middle-income earners are spending more than 30 per cent of their income on
shelter.
Without, Mr. Speaker, an overall housing policy from this government there is
no relief in sight.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. the Member for St. John's South have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: No leave.
MR. SPEAKER: No leave.
The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister Responsible for
the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to inform this hon. House about a symposium that will take place
tomorrow, Friday, November 23, in Corner Brook, a symposium that will give
academic leaders and agricultural experts from various institutions the
opportunity to discuss the current agricultural research that is being conducted
in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The event, aptly titled Our Farms, Our Food, Our Future, will identify
opportunities to help strengthen agricultural production and lead the Province
toward an innovative, profitable, and sustainable agricultural industry that
includes more than 600 farms and an estimated 816 farm operators. The industry
is vitally important to Newfoundland and Labrador, from the contribution it
makes to the economies of our rural communities to the fresh local produce it
provides to our residents.
Participants in the symposium will hear about the current agricultural
research being conducted in the Province as well as provincial agricultural
research priorities. The symposium aims to foster partnerships among various
agencies and organizations and will generate next steps and actionable items.
Mr. Speaker, our new agricultural and agrifoods strategy provided the context
for this event. Our Farms, Our Food, Our Future lays the groundwork for the
continued growth of this industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. This strategy
will be used to help those attending the symposium reach the objectives set down
for this event, including the establishment of a shared understanding of
provincial agricultural research priorities.
It is our pleasure to join with Memorial University Grenfell Campus and the
Research and Development Corporation to host this event in Corner Brook.
Our government is committed to continuing its support of the agriculture and
agrifoods sector in Newfoundland and Labrador. We recently concluded
negotiations on a new five-year multilateral framework agreement to replace
Growing Forward, which will expire on March 31.
The new Growing Forward 2 Agreement will commit more money to Newfoundland
and Labrador for strategic initiatives, which could include research and
development as well as focus more attention on food safety initiatives. We
expect all of these initiatives will significantly enhance our ability to grow
more of our own food in this Province and will contribute to the food security
objectives outlined in our strategy.
Mr. Speaker, this industry creates indirect and direct employment for
hundreds of people in communities throughout the Province. Through long-term
planning and events like this symposium, we will ensure the industry for further
generations.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. As you
know, I live in one of the agricultural districts in our Province and, of
course, we see a lot of activity in the District of Humber Valley.
I am, too, pleased to see that the academic leaders and the agricultural
experts are gathering in Corner Brook this week and, of course, hosted by
Grenfell Campus and the Research and Development Corporation.
Over this summer I had the privilege, as I went around the Province, to visit
a few of the 600 farms and spoke with some of the operators involved in the
agriculture industry in the Province. In particular in Central Newfoundland, we
met some very interesting and innovative and creative farmers, I will say, that
are committed to actually growing many new forms of root crops and some
cranberry farms that we are seeing some of the benefits this year.
Some of these were investments that were made over many, many years now, and
even through a number of different Administrations. As I said, Mr. Speaker, one
of the things when we talked to the people who are involved in the agriculture
industry, there are some challenges, especially around access to Crown lands
right now. I think if there is anything that we can do to support this industry
is to make sure that we can make this land available, as well as support them
financially.
It is important too, if there is lesson that we have learned over this
summer, is what has happened with food safety through the XL meats in Alberta.
It is important that we do cultivate and fertilize, I will say, our agricultural
industry so that it can grow and indeed it can be an impact on the economic
development in rural Newfoundland.
I look forward to some of the discussion that we get from the Growing Forward
2 Agreement, and I certainly wish all of the participants and organizers a
successful weekend in Corner Brook.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement, and I would
like to see the research focused on land use and around food security.
The Nordic Economic Development Board, the REDB in my district, realized
opportunities in agriculture because they started inventorying it in the
district.
I would like to see the Growing Forward 2 program where you see funds
distributed not on a first-come, first-served basis and that the Department of
Natural Resources reinstate some of the funding to one of its land use programs
that it cut.
I really see in this an opportunity for co-ops and farmers markets to be
expanded, and for us to look at providing incentives to work with farmers and
local retailers and restaurants to see how we can provide some funding, some
incentive, to encourage that partnership to be fostered.
I welcome the food safety initiatives that can be expanded, and I look
forward to hearing more about that incentive.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OSBORNE: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Does the Member for St. John's South have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: No leave.
MR. SPEAKER: No leave.
The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in this hon. House
to announce that restaurant inspection reports are now available on-line.
Previously, members of the public were required to contact a government
service centre in their area to obtain a paper copy of an inspection report for
a particular restaurant. This could often take three to five business days.
Today, we are announcing a new level of access by making restaurant inspection
reports available on-line, twenty-four hours a day.
Mr. Speaker, this new information service demonstrates our government's
intent to proactively disclose information that is commonly requested. It
illustrates government's willingness to simplify and enhance access to
information and it is a good example of why we created the Office of Public
Engagement.
Mr. Speaker, our officers inspect thousands of food establishments in the
Province annually, under an agreement with the Department of Health and
Community Services. During each inspection, all aspects of food safety and
facility sanitation are reviewed for compliance. When problems are discovered,
our inspectors issue orders to correct any deficiencies and may
schedule
follow-up inspections to ensure establishments are following the standards under
the legislation.
This Web site provides a snapshot of these reports for restaurants and
take-outs across the Province, organized alphabetically and by region. Users are
able to scroll through inspection reports, dating back to April 1, 2012, and
obtain a report which outlines the status of a particular restaurant. The report
will indicate whether the establishment is fully compliant with the standards,
or whether these are issues which need to be addressed.
Mr. Speaker, the general public has the right to know that the establishment
in which they choose to dine is complying with all food safety standards and, as
such, we are pleased to announce this exciting initiative.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the member for the advance notice of his statement. I am pleased to
see this government come forward in at least one area of measured transparency,
Mr. Speaker. I agree that our restaurants and dining facilities need to be held
in the highest standards of health and safety, and agree with the minister's
statement.
I know this issue I think was raised about four or five years ago, Mr.
Speaker, and it was raised again through the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
I think the response was that if you want information it would cost you
thousands of dollars. I am certainly glad to see the government come forward in
making this information public.
Mr. Speaker, I think it was just last spring when the former Minister of
Service Newfoundland and Labrador referred to these requests for information as
frivolous. I am glad to see the government come full circle and make this
information available to the public, Mr. Speaker. Once again, it is good to see
this government come forward in transparency on this issue, and looking forward
to this government to come forward on transparency and accountability on all the
people's issues.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I also would like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his
statement. Congrats to the government for making this move. Short and simple,
this is a good move by government that ensures food safety. It gives consumers
transparency in seeing that cleanliness is also part of their decision making on
where to go to eat, so it is kind of important to them. It gives a clear
advantage to restaurants as well in their own marketing, showing what they need
to be doing in making food safety a part of their daily operations and as well,
again to their prospective customers.
I am glad to see they took some of the advice from the Cummings report in
releasing these reports and making them open to the public. Perhaps the repeal
of Bill 29 is going to be next on the menu.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. the Member for St. John's South have leave?
No leave.
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Premier is acting as if nothing can stop her from sanctioning Muskrat
Falls, even though there are still many outstanding questions. One of these
questions is the actual cost of power. Under the old cost estimates, Muskrat
Falls power cost 23.9 cents delivered to Soldiers Pond.
I ask the Premier: Since the price tag for this project keeps going up, what
is the new cost of Muskrat Falls power delivered to Soldiers Pond?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
What we have done when we released the charts and the projected rates, we
outlined the numbers in terms of actual dollars and what people would expect to
pay. Mr. Speaker, under the Muskrat Falls isolated option it would be 15.2 cents
in 2017 going up to 16.6 cents a kilowatt hour in 2030. Compare that, Mr.
Speaker, to Holyrood isolated option and it goes up to 19.5 cents in 2030.
Mr. Speaker, the power delivered to Soldiers Pond is only one aspect because
the power is then blended into the other power on the Island. To put it in
perspective, Mr. Speaker, Holyrood right now costs anywhere from 18.5 to twenty
cents a kilowatt hour to produce power at Holyrood.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, the minister knows that was not my question.
My question was: Based on the cost of construction at the recent DG3 numbers,
$7.4 billion at 824 megawatts of power delivered to Soldiers Pond, will someone
please tell us how this compares to the 23.9 cents in DG2? What is the new cost,
the updated cost?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, what we have tried to do is to answer the
questions for the public of this Province as to what it is going to cost them.
You can talk about kilowatt hours. You can talk about cost of power being
delivered to Soldiers Pond. What people want to know is: What is it going to
cost us to buy our power?
What we have done, Mr. Speaker, there is a rate calculator that is on-line.
We have also outlined, and it is in writing in the paper that we released, Mr.
Speaker, the cost to people. What is clear is that the Liberals stated for a
long time that power rates will double. The only thing that is clear, Mr.
Speaker, is that without Muskrat Falls, the increase in power rates will double.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Once again, I will ask the minister. It is obvious you do not
want to give the number when we compare it to the 23.9 cents.
Will the minister please tell us why he does not want to share this number
with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador? It is 23.9 cents in DG2. What is
it in DG3?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, as I have outlined on a number of the
previous questions, if you look at the electricity rates and that is what is
important to the people of this Province it is not how you get to the number,
but what is it going to cost us? What is it going to cost seniors? What is it
going to cost single mothers? What is it going to cost the average person to
heat their houses, Mr. Speaker?
What we know is that rates between 2000 and 2011 for the average ratepayer
went up 32 per cent, Mr. Speaker, or $45 dollars a month. Between 2011 and 2016,
they will continue to increase. What we will see with Muskrat Falls, Mr.
Speaker, is that it will be half the cost of the increase without Muskrat Falls.
The real issue, Mr. Speaker, for the people of this Province is not: What
does it cost per kilowatt hour? What does it cost me in my pocketbook? The
numbers are out there for everyone to look at, and I have not heard the members
opposite at this point outline how those numbers are wrong. That is the real
issue, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Well, one of the real issues is that the people of this
Province are being forced to pay 100 per cent the cost of construction for
Muskrat Falls on their power bills. The CEO of Emera stated that Nova Scotia
will have access to power based on the natural gas prices in New England, which
we know now have flattened because of the shale gas revolution.
So, I ask the minister: Will you finally commit that all revenue generated by
Muskrat Falls power will be used to offset rates for people of Newfoundland and
Labrador, the people who are paying for 100 per cent of this project?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as pointed out by the CEO of Nalcor on many occasions, what was
looked at here in determining the economic viability of this project was whether
or not the 40 per cent power required for the Island could pay for the project.
The CPW analysis did not include the 20 per cent of the power that will be sold
to Nova Scotia. It did not include, Mr. Speaker, the 40 per cent of the power
that would be available either for export or for use in the Province.
So, Mr. Speaker, what we have is a situation where we have a very viable
project, and people are going to pay electricity bills no matter what we do. Mr.
Speaker, the Holyrood option is, as we now speak, $2.4 billion more expensive
than the option of Muskrat Falls. Mr. Speaker, we have explored natural gas and
wind. One, we need the power; two, Muskrat Falls is the least-cost option.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, once again, the minister knows my question; the
question was very simple.
The Muskrat Falls project that you are proposing right now will generate
money. Why will you not commit your government to include all that revenue into
the ratepayer for the people that are actually paying for this power, the people
of Newfoundland and Labrador? Why not use that to offset their rates?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, one big difference between this project and
the BRINCO project, for example, is that was owned by the private sector, and
that was being built to make money for the owners of BRINCO, for the private
shareholders in BRINCO. This project is for the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Nalcor is owned by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. When this
project is done, the ratepayers will pay their rates, but any profits that are
available will come back to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is the
difference.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, that money will be used by the government of
the day to lower rates, if they decide to do that. Our government certainly has
done that from time to time in the past. We can build hospitals, and we can
bring in progressive social programs for the people of this Province.
This is a great project. It will lower people's electricity bills.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Once again, I will ask the question, and be very clear and
simple. We were already building hospitals, I understand; that is the commitment
that I heard yesterday. What we are talking about here today are rates for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Will you commit the revenue from the Muskrat Falls project to be used to
offset the rates for the ratepayers in Newfoundland and Labrador, the people
that are paying for this project?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As the Premier has indicated on numerous occasions, and the Minister of
Finance, my colleague, just outlined, what will happen with the excess monies
will be for the government of the day to determine.
The one point that is clear, Mr. Speaker: we are all going to pay electricity
bills in 2017. Whether that power is going to come from Holyrood, a refurbished
Holyrood, or from Muskrat Falls, we still have to pay power bills. Muskrat
Falls, Mr. Speaker, will stabilize and reduce rates.
As I indicated yesterday, I gave an example to the Leader of the NDP who
seems to think our government will proceed to financing without having any
revenue projections for example, in 2020, we know there will be $120 million
approximately available for the government of the day to determine what they are
going to do with. Will that be to build infrastructure, Mr. Speaker? Will that
be to put money back into rates? That will be that for government to determine.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, last year the Minister of Environment and Conservation clearly
indicated that the environmental impacts of Muskrat Falls on Lake Melville are
not as important to this government's balancing act as Holyrood.
Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal community sets out 12,000 fathoms of communal
subsistence fishing gear in Lake Melville every summer.
I ask the minister: Is this not important enough to warrant an environmental
assessment in Lake Melville?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I pointed out in my response last week, again, we do take any adverse
effects very, very seriously. Metal mercury concerns are one of those. Again,
Nalcor has consulted with the Aboriginal groups, key stakeholders, and the
general public in upper Lake Melville to gain insight into the concerns of the
community matters. Feedback from these consultations has been considered
throughout the entire environmental assessment process.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, time is running out on this year's shipping
season in Black Tickle in the North Coast of Labrador as winter conditions have
set in. A considerable amount of freight remains in Lewisporte and Happy Valley
Goose Bay waiting to be shipped on the Astron .
I ask the Minister of Transportation and Works: Will the government now add a
second vessel for the remainder of this shipping season to avoid extreme
shipping and unloading conditions?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, back on September 4 of this year the Northern Ranger
sustained a significant mechanical difficulty. Since that time, the motor vessel
Astron is providing very good service to the North Coast of Labrador in
the delivery of freight.
We made a commitment to the people of Northern Labrador that freight that was
delivered to the facilities in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, as well in Lewisporte,
before November 16 will be delivered. Mr. Speaker, right now we believe we are
going to live up to those obligations, we are going to live up to those
commitments, and we are going to deliver the freight as we said we would.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On June 1, our office submitted a Freedom of Information request for a job
evaluation report on trades in government. First, they asked for over $1,000 in
fees. We appealed and brought that cost down to $150. Five months later, we
received our information of 150 pages of completely blacked out documents of
text, Mr. Speaker.
My question to the minister: Tell me again, Minister, how has Bill 29, the
official secrecy act, improved openness and accountability in your government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of
the particulars the gentleman refers to. Our legislation exists, there are
parameters that surround that legislation, rules in regard to the privacy of
information and the release of information, and how that is done.
The particulars that the hon. member thinks has not been provided or has not
gotten due diligence, he can certainly pass it on to me and I will take a look
for him and be happy to do that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I would love to pass it on to you, but it is all
blocked out.
MR. SPEAKER: No props, I remind the speaker.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, a five-month tug of war to get the most basic
information on government policy is insulting to the people of the Province and
these tradespeople. Government claims that Bill 29 was a minor bill with no
significant effects on how information is released, yet we have seen major
changes in the past in the way government treats Freedom of Information
requests. They take far longer, cost far more and, as a result, we get way less
information.
My question is to the minister: Will the minister now admit that the Office
of Public Engagement is a worthless PR exercise designed to provide cover to the
most secretive government in Canada?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may not be aware of it, there
is legislation that exists, and there are parameters around the release of
information. It is a balance between the protection of privacy and certainly the
release of that information. There are protocols in place for that. There are
appeals processes to the commissioner; outside of that, there are appeals to the
courts.
He brings it here into the House of Assembly, waves around the papers, and
wants us to deal with it here. There is a process in place. Why doesn't he find
out how it works and deal with it. If there is something outside of that he
thinks is not being done, bring it to my attention and I will take a look.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, when Bill 29 was introduced in June, 2012,
both the minister and deputy minister publicly assured the media that the
provision of details around remuneration would not change. In fact, it did. The
term remuneration was changed to salary range. As they say, the devil is in the
details.
I ask the Minister of Justice: How is it that the minister himself did not
know his own legislation?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, prior to Bill 29, access to remuneration
included the exact amount of a salary of someone in the public service. It did
not include any attachment related to bonuses. Since Bill 29 has been enacted
here in this House, what now is provided is a range of the public servants
working for the Province, unless there is an exact salary amount attached to it.
In addition, what are provided are the calculations that are done to
determine what the bonus of that individual would be. Anybody out there could
find out what the maximum is for someone who is working in a position anywhere
in the public service based on that information that is now in the act, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: I say to you, Minister, your government said one thing
and it did another. Yesterday in the House, the Minister Responsible for Public
Engagement stated that the rationale for not providing total compensation
information is that it would breach the employer-employee relationship. I would
say, Mr. Speaker, public employees are employees of the public; they are paid
for by the taxpayers.
I ask the minister: Would you amend the ATIPPA and make this information
available to the public?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, when the statutory review was done by Mr.
Cummings, one of the things that he did, he took a jurisdictional look at what
was happening in other parts of the country and as well looked at the release of
private information related to remuneration.
One of the things he identified was that in releasing information
particularly related to the employer-employee relationship related to bonus that
is tied to performance of an individual in the workplace. The release of that
information, Mr. Cummings indicated, would not be appropriate, and is not
released in other jurisdictions as well because it goes specific to the
activities of that individual and their performance in the workplace.
We agree; that should not be public. What should be public is what is the
maximum amount that person could earn and is earning in the public service. That
is now available and it is out there. We will stand by protecting the privacy
information of individuals, of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, seven years ago this government introduced a
Safe and Caring Schools policy to protect our children, like the children in the
gallery from Immaculate Conception School. Yet in 2012, 22 per cent of Grade 12
students still admit to being bullied within the last thirty days; 40 per cent
are afraid to go on the bus the government's own figures. Recent incidents of
school violence and police involvement further highlight a serious problem.
Will the minister agree that his Safe and Caring Schools Policy has been a
complete failure?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I certainly will not.
This hon. member got up a few days ago and called what is happening within
the schools fluff around bullying. I would ask him to walk into a school and
tell all the students who take
part in Pink Shirt Day, and violence awareness
activities and so on, tell him to go out and tell them that it is fluff what is
happening.
Mr. Speaker, we are addressing it. One of the issues right now that is
happening I did an interview this morning, and we talked about: Is there more
of a heightened awareness around bullying? Mr. Speaker, there is. People are
reporting it more. People are talking about it more. We are investing with
schools and the whole gamut. Mr. Speaker, people are being more aware and they
are becoming more proactive.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, last January the minister hired Goss Gilroy to
review the Safe and Caring Schools Policy. The study was completed on August 31,
and the minister sat on it for two months before releasing it on November 2. Now
he is talking about doing another study.
Why won't the minister act on the report that the taxpayers have already
bought and paid for to reduce school violence?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, maybe the member should think back to some of
his voice messages that were left around just a little while ago.
Mr. Speaker, the report was released from Goss Gilroy. Staff and others were
engaged to develop a draft bullying policy. A protocol, Mr. Speaker, for
intervention and bullying awareness was developed so we can track and monitor
these things right now.
As of tomorrow, the Federation of School Councils will be the first group
that we will consult with. Those consultations will go on, Mr. Speaker, and then
we will end up with a product that will improve, track, monitor, and look at
interventions. Mr. Speaker, we end up at a better place than we are today.
It is good news, Mr. Speaker. The member cannot handle it.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, government's expert economist, Dr. Wade Locke, has predicted a
budget deficit this year and deficit budgets for at least the next ten years.
With hundreds of millions set aside for Muskrat Falls, will the Minister of
Finance assure this House and the people of this Province that services will not
be cut in order to meet financial obligations regarding government's Muskrat
Falls Project?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: I thank the hon. member for her question.
What is happening in the world today is we have an uncertainty in the global
world economy. It is leading to a slowdown in demand, and it is caused by what
is happening in Europe, it is caused by uncertainty because of the fiscal cliff
in the United States. So, companies might be deferring projects that they
intended.
That slowdown in demand is leading to lower commodity prices, lower oil
prices, and lower mineral prices as well. That affects royalties that
governments receive. It also lowers the profits of those companies, which means
they pay less tax. So, therefore, in a time of GDP slowdown, we will see lower
revenues.
Muskrat Falls is different. Muskrat Falls, the money that goes into Muskrat
Falls will not increase our debt
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, the minister has not been answering my question.
So, now I ask him: In light of the predicted future budget shortfalls, and in
light of the uncertainty that he just talked about, how can we afford to proceed
with an unproven multi-billion dollar hydro project?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MARSHALL: The equity investment and the debt taken up at Muskrat
Falls, the revenue generated will pay that back, and it will pay a dividend to
the Province to pay off any debt the Province takes out. There will be a return,
and the project will pay for itself. What it means, it means lower rates for the
people of the Province. We could continue to burn oil at Holyrood, but that is
madness. David Suzuki said burning fossil fuels to create electricity is
madness.
We are going to shut down Holyrood. We need to replace that power. We need
power on the Island. We need power in Labrador for economic development. This is
the way to do it without increasing our debt, and the project will pay for
itself.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I invite the minister to bring into this House the cash flow documentation to
show us dollar for dollar what he just talked about.
Mr. Speaker, a report from the Harvard Kennedy School suggests a worldwide
glut of oil production could drop the price of oil to below $60 a barrel for
some time. This downward movement in the price of oil erodes the government's
rationale for their Muskrat Falls Project.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What are the
implications for the future of this Province's offshore oil and gas industry?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, since I have been the Minister of Natural
Resources almost a year now I have met with the energy advisors that we use
in New York, that we use in Europe, and, Mr. Speaker, the short-term volatility
of oil is certainly something that can go up and down very quickly, depending on
what happens in the Middle East today. In terms of the long-term forecasting,
Mr. Speaker, they are based on fundamental principles of supply and demand.
To give you an example of why we are going to need more oil and why the price
will stay up, I saw a chart today, Mr. Speaker: seventy cars per thousand people
in China as opposed to 793 cars per thousand people in the United States; twenty
cars per thousand people in India, Mr. Speaker. These cars require steel to be
built. Eighty million people entering the middle class per year, Mr. Speaker,
the price of oil is going to stay around $100 to $105 per barrel.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, I hope that the experts that the minister was
speaking to were not the ones who told him that the price of oil right now is
going to be $124 a barrel.
I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: With things the way they are, what
are the implications for the ratepayers of this Province, soon to be chained to
this government's Muskrat Falls option for fifty years or more?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, the MHI did a sensitivity analysis in their
Decision Gate 3 numbers for the I know if they want to read it, it is at page
72. They looked at, Mr. Speaker, in terms of the accumulative present worth, the
PIRA-predicted prices.
Mr. Speaker, at a base price of $104, Muskrat Falls is $2.4 billion cheaper.
If it went to the low of $60 and there are many reasons why the experts do not
expect oil to go to that level Muskrat Falls is still half a billion dollars
cheaper in CPW.
We filed a report, Mr. Speaker again, I do not know if the Opposition has
had an opportunity to read it an update by PIRA out of New York, where they
indicate all the reasons why they do not think the PIRA low will occur, Mr.
Speaker. It is quite simple: $85 to produce a barrel of oil in Alberta
(inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, global energy experts say the foundations of the
world's energy markets are shifting and the US is poised to be a leading oil
producer by 2017, and all but self sufficient within twenty years. There are
profound implications for the rest of us if the world's largest economy no
longer needs to import any energy.
I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What plans is he developing for
government to be able to address this profound shift?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, Dr. Schwartz also deals with the PIRA update.
He deals with the effect of shale oil going up to 5.5 million to 6 million
barrels a day out of North Dakota, Mr. Speaker, and basically the Americans will
offset their needs with their own oil.
Mr. Speaker, the demand is still growing, according to PIRA. I am looking at
a report yesterday, Mr. Speaker, out of Scotiabank, indicating that while we
have a GDP in Canada of 2.1 per cent and the United States have 2.1 per cent,
China is growing in 2012- 2013 at 7.7 per cent and India, Mr. Speaker, is
growing at 5.5 per cent to 6 per cent.
India and China require more oil, Mr. Speaker. The principles of supply and
demand will apply. What we see with this shale oil, it means self-sufficiency
for the United States; it does not mean self-sufficiency for (inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, today is National Housing Day. In many parts of
the Province, housing costs have risen faster than anywhere else in the country,
and rents have increased four times faster than the rate of inflation. Rental
vacancies are at historic lows.
In Labrador West, contracting companies are buying apartment buildings to
house their workers, evicting long-term tenants. We are in a housing crisis with
no comprehensive housing policy from this government to deal with it and no
concrete action. This is not just about social housing.
I ask this government: What will it do concretely to help young working
families and middle income earners who cannot afford the skyrocketing housing
costs or rents?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as a government and as Newfoundland and Labrador Housing
Corporation, the focus and key focus is providing for those people who require
assistance in housing the most. They are the people who require these services
the most. Mr. Speaker, in doing so, what this government has done the
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has done in 2011, created 375
new rent supplements in private accommodations for the people who need the
services most, Mr. Speaker. That is now 1,700 rent supplements available in this
Province.
As well, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that since 2006, there have been 1,100
new private accommodations that were built with assistance from the Government
affordable housing to those people who need it
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, research shows that housing is a number one
concern for seniors and they want to stay in their homes. The median income for
seniors here in Newfoundland is $26,000, just over minimum wage for a lifetime
of work. The programs and assistance offered by Newfoundland and Labrador
Housing to seniors have long waiting lists and are not meeting their needs. We
all know this in this House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, I ask the government in the midst of this housing
crisis: What concretely are you going to do to help our seniors?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and
Labrador Housing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: Thank you again, Mr. Speaker.
I wanted to talk a little bit more about the Affordable Housing Initiative
Newfoundland and Labrador, and where since 2006, 1,100 new units have been
developed. Mr. Speaker, the people who are living in those 1,100 units are the
seniors in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; the people who require
this most.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DAVIS: These units are being built for our seniors; they are being
built for persons with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, these units and this project
has been recognized in Canada as the first in Canada to require a universal
design. I tell you, that speaks volumes for the vision of this government and
what we are doing for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Natural Resources Minister is on record in this House as saying they
would put Muskrat Falls' excess power for sale on the spot markets. However, at
the briefing for Ziff Energy on natural gas options, we were told that part of
the reason why natural gas is not an option is because of the volatility of the
spot markets.
Can the minister please tell this House why the natural gas spot market is
not an option but the electricity spot market is?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in our meetings with the experts, Wood Mackenzie, for example,
they indicated that if you had to build transmission now then the spot markets
may not provide a good profit. Mr. Speaker, our Maritime Link we get the energy
to travel for free. We then pay $5 to $10, Mr. Speaker, to transmit the
electricity per megawatt to the US. If we get $50 a megawatt hour, it is only
costing us $10 to get there and there is a $40 per megawatt hour profit. The way
the spot markets work, as I am sure the member opposite knows, they can range
from $25 to $100 per megawatt hour, depending on the time of day, time of year.
Mr. Speaker, it is the deal with Nova Scotia and the Maritime Link which
allows us to access the spot markets. That is why, Mr. Speaker, there is a
market for electricity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would say to the minister, there is probably not going to be a spot market
if the US is going to be self-sufficient and burning natural gas for
electricity.
Mr. Speaker, Muskrat Falls promises a steady supply of power, but it makes
this promise at an added cost to the municipalities' bottom line.
I ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs: What representation has the minister
made to government to address the extra funding needs that municipalities will
require to help keep the lights going?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs, time for a quick
response.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. O'BRIEN: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
I would ask the hon. member: Does he understand the word budget? Because that
is a part of the budget process and I will address that in that process.
MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.
MR. JOYCE: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bay of Islands, on a point of order.
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, during Question Period the Minister of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development challenged me to table the report. I
will just let the minister know, here is the report on behalf of the
tradespeople in Corner Brook. I hope you are going to do something with it to
help out the tradespeople in Corner Brook who cannot get the information from
the Member for Humber East.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The Minister of Finance, speaking to the point of order.
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, the JES is a matter that is being negotiated.
It is part of the collective bargaining process. The implementation of JES is
something the trade unions and the government have talked about for some time.
They are now negotiating the implementation (inaudible) at the table
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
There is no point of order.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On the Orders of the Day there is a motion there. Under Motions you will see
there is a motion there that I put on the Order Paper in the spring. I hereby
withdraw that motion.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition has directed
the House to remove the notice of motion that is on the Order Paper in his name.
Duly noted and we will do that.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.
MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This is the Immaculate Conception School Petition.
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 our schools are the heart of our communities and we should do what we
can to preserve them long into the future; and
WHEREAS the proposal to reconfigure Immaculate Conception School in Colliers
as a K-4 school denies students fundamental rights including the right to a
healthy, active, safe, and caring school environment; and
WHEREAS government is compelled to give school reconfiguration decisions some
consideration as was the case in 2005 when the PC government decided to ensure a
continuation of a K-12 system in Bishop's Falls; and
WHEREAS parents of Immaculate Conception School have been lobbying government
for a school gymnasium facility since 1999;
We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge government to
ensure that the Eastern School District is provided with adequate funds to
maintain Immaculate Conception School as a K-6 school. We further petition the
House of Assembly to urge government to ensure that a new school is constructed
to replace the existing inadequate facilities at Immaculate Conception School.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit these additional petitions from
Immaculate Conception School for the consideration of members of the House.
Parents are here in the gallery today and many of those watching the House
proceedings on TV or on the Internet have signed this petition.
They want members of the House to know that they want to keep Immaculate
Conception School as a K-6 school in Colliers. They want members of the House of
Assembly to know that they do not want Grades 5 and 6 children bused to Roncalli
Central High School. That was tried before and it did not work out.
They want members of the House to know that they are worried about the safety
of their kids if they have to attend a high school that was not designed for
smaller children. They want members of the House of Assembly to know that they
believe Immaculate Conception School is an excellent school with great teachers.
The problem they have, Mr. Speaker, which they have been lobbying officials
about since 1999, is that Immaculate Conception needs a gymnasium. They want
members of the House to know that when they said they wanted a gymnasium, they
did not mean the gymnasium at Roncalli Central High.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KIRBY: Finally, they want you all to know that they want a new
school. They believe that their children should have the same opportunities and
advantages as every other child in Newfoundland and Labrador, all the other
primary and elementary school kids in the Province. Nothing more, nothing less.
I hope the members opposite will think about all that and hear the concerns of
those petitioners.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have a petition to the hon. House of Assembly for Newfoundland and Labrador
in session assembled.
WHEREAS rental rates in the city have increased considerably within the past
number of years; and
WHEREAS rental component of the benefits provided to those receiving Income
Support has not increased at the same rate; and
WHEREAS the availability of affordable housing is becoming more and more
challenging, making it more difficult for those who receive Income Support to
rent suitable housing;
THEREFORE, we the residents of St. John's wish to petition the House of
Assembly in Legislative Session to review the living allowance portion of Income
Support that is used to pay rent.
Mr. Speaker, I know because I have some involvement with one of the soup
kitchens in the city that two years ago, or three years ago, there were sixty
people, every Friday morning, going to that soup kitchen. Now you are looking at
almost 200, and some days over 200, people on a Friday morning going to soup
kitchen for breakfast. That is a reflection, Mr. Speaker, of people finding it
more and more difficult to either pay rent or keep the heat on, or put food in
the fridge.
Mr. Speaker, this is a real issue. It is a real issue. The Budget process is
coming up, and I will ask Cabinet and the members opposite, the minister
responsible, to keep in mind the rental portion of Income Support when they
review the Budget this year, because it is a very real issue, and there are
people in this city and throughout the Province who are finding it more and more
difficult.
I commend government in some ways, because the economy of the city and the
Province is very strong, but with a strong economy, Mr. Speaker, comes
challenges. One of those challenges is a greater divide between the people who
can afford to pay their rent and the people who cannot.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.
MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS with declining enrolment distance education by Internet is now an
accepted way to deliver educational services to students living in small
communities; and
WHEREAS students have little to no say in where they or their families
reside; and
WHEREAS many families do not have the ability to relocate so that their
children can access educational opportunities in larger centres; and
WHEREAS many small businesses rely on the Internet to conduct business; and
WHEREAS high-speed Internet permits a business to be more competitive than
the slower dial-up service; and
WHEREAS there are no plans to offer high-speed Internet to the residents of
the community of Eddies Cove West; and
Whereupon the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the government to partner with the private sector and
offer high-speed Internet service to this community.
And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, this is a small community, as many small communities, and it is
being bypassed for high-speed Internet.
The cost to provide high-speed Internet in a package when the service is
going through the area is significantly less than to come back and fill in the
spots after the fact.
Mr. Speaker, we see as time goes by and the government closes schools and
makes education more difficult for students to access, high-speed Internet will
be one of the ways that they will be able to live at home and study, become
educated, and to try and catch up with and keep pace with a modern world.
Mr. Speaker, these residents of the Town of Eddies Cove West are petitioning
the House of Assembly and this is their petition.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have a petition to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled:
WHEREAS hundreds of residents of the South West Coast of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, including residents of the communities of Margaree,
Fox Roost , Isle aux Morts, Burnt Islands, Rose Blanche-Harbour le Cou, Diamond
Cove, and La Poile use Route 470 on a regular basis for work, medical,
educational, and social reasons; and
WHEREAS there is no cellphone coverage on Route 470; and
WHEREAS residents and users of Route 470 require cellphone coverage to ensure
their safety and communication abilities; and
WHEREAS the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development recently
announced significant funding to improve broadband services in rural
Newfoundland and Labrador; and
WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 470 feel that the Department of
Innovation, Business and Rural Development should also invest in cellular phone
coverage for rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to support the users of Route 470 in their
request to obtain cellphone coverage along Route 470.
And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, I had to get up on this petition today because I have two
separate roadways in my district that do not have cellphone coverage. A couple
of days ago I referenced Route 480 and today I wanted to do Route 470. That is a
lot of communities that have no cellphone coverage to cover anything. That is
not just to get into the safety needs that they have, driving up and down
desolate roadways in poor weather conditions. Let us not talk about the fact
they cannot get calls from work if they are working shifts. They cannot get a
call on their cellphone. They have to be sitting around in their house waiting
for that call.
The fact is, too, it is not just the residents who live here every day,
day-in and day-out, who do not have this basic service that should be provided.
The fact is we also have a number of tourists who are coming to this Province. I
know there was a nice application last year brought by the former Minister of
Tourism, an app to be used for tourism purposes. The problem is it cannot be
used in a lot of places in this Province.
We need to expand upon our cellphone coverage. We need to make sure that
service, which is basic and essential, is provided to all people in this
Province, no matter where they live.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in the House today to present a petition on behalf of the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador regarding chemical use and pesticides.
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 Tordon 101 contains the chemicals 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
(2,4-
D) and Picloram; and
WHEREAS the chemical Picloram is a known cancer-causing carcinogen; and
WHEREAS the provincial government has banned the cosmetic use of the
pesticide 2,4-D; and
WHEREAS safer alternatives are available to the provincial government for
brush clearance such as manual labour, alternative competitive seeding methods,
and/or the mechanical removal of brush; and
WHEREAS the provincial government is responsible for ensuring the safety and
well-being of its citizens;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to cease the use of chemicals covered under
its own cosmetic pesticide ban and begin using safer methods of brush clearance
that will not place its citizens in harm's way.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, when the chemical ban was announced in July 2011, people were
probably thinking that everybody was going to be included and everybody was
going to be following the ban, including government.
This petition is signed by people all over the Province, including Harbour
Main, Chance Cove, Conception Harbour, and a lot of rural areas where probably
water is pretty important. When it comes to using these chemicals that stay for
a long time in water, in particular Picloram which has been known to stay in
some water supplies for a very long time, upwards of ten years before it starts
to breakdown, the question has to be asked.
We know we have to have a safety mechanism for moose in the clearing of brush
on the side of the roads. We know we have to have our snowplow operators be able
to throw that snow right back off the road so the brush cannot be there. It has
to have a place to go.
In the interest of road safety it is one thing that we clear brush, but to
use chemicals and yes we know that chemicals work and they do a darn good job
in turning everything on the side of the road grey. At the same time there are
other uses, there are other things that we could be doing rather than using
chemicals to clear away brush.
For example, we get a lot of people in this Province, who visit this Province
particularly, who comment on how the lupins are growing so nicely along the
highways and they look so colourful. A lupin happens to be a pretty important
plant and is very competitive against alders which are growing. There are
alternative means of doing things. We can do things better and keep our water
supplies clear of some of these cancer-causing agents.
I would also like to say, Mr. Speaker, at the same time that government
should be leading by example here. It is very important that if government is
going to institute a ban on chemicals that it follow its own example and not be
using it. There are other ways that are a little bit cheaper and more cost
effective.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to the hon. the House of Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS education is a provincial responsibility; and
WHEREAS students in rural communities do not have the same technological
resources as students in urban areas due to their geographical whereabouts and
distance from urban centres; and
WHEREAS because of this, students in rural areas have a disadvantage when it
comes to school work and overall knowledge of the world around them;
WHEREUPON your petitioners call upon all Members of the House of Assembly to
urge government to assist in expanding the coverage of broadband Internet in all
areas of the Province in order to ensure equal access to education, current
events, and opportunities to residents of the Province.
As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, right now we have more than 200 communities in Newfoundland and
Labrador without access to broadband Internet, and that is significant. When we
look at what these students are talking about and when we look at education, it
is very critical that we provide an equal access.
A number of our students, especially in Northern climates and in a district
like my own there can be snow storms on many occasions. As we have CDLI,
distance education and distance learning happening and the instructor may be in
the metro area or may be in Central or Western they are teaching students all
over and if that one school is closed down, then they are missing out on
educational opportunities because the class is going ahead. They are not able to
be able to take advantage and get their school work done in the same timely
manner as others and be able to log-in at home.
That is a concern, Mr. Speaker, about allowing people to be able to go
on-line at home, to be able to have access, to be able to do their homework and
do it in real time. This is an opportunity for us to expand education across
Newfoundland and Labrador. If we look at Telelearning, we look at these centres
and we look at how we can partner with Memorial University and the College of
the North Atlantic to expand programming so that we can reduce geographical
barriers. Technology is key, and we really do need an advanced telecommunication
strategy.
I want to say that the people who have signed this are from Torbay, St.
John's, Goulds, Portugal Cove St. Philip's, Castor River South, Dildo, Comfort
Cove, and from Conception Bay South. A number of these communities would have
access to broadband Internet but they realize that education should be equal and
we need to look at expanding into many of the rural areas.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I call from the Order Paper, Order 6, second reading of a bill,
An Act To
Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting Annual Reports. (Bill 42)
Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The
Province Respecting Annual Reports". (Bill 42)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to rise for a couple of minutes to speak in support
of Bill 42,
An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting Annual
Reports.
The reason I want to speak to it, Mr. Speaker, is that this directly relates
to the mandate of our new Office of Public Engagement. We have seen now a number
of examples this week of proactive and routine disclosure of information. That
is something that I know our minister and our Premier, and others in this
government certainly support. That is why I have wanted an opportunity to speak
to this particular bill.
As part of a new Office of Public Engagement, we are working with departments
to proactively identify information that is sorry, Mr. Speaker, I am being
distracted by one of my colleagues, which would not shock those who are gathered
around me in this section. He is a distraction on most days, Mr. Speaker.
Charming, but distracting.
Again, we are working with departments to proactively identify information
that is commonly requested, that is deemed routine in nature, and we are working
with departments throughout government to make that information publicly
available. We saw a great example with the restaurant inspections through
Service Newfoundland and Labrador earlier today.
This bill being brought in by the Minister of Health and Community Services
is in that same spirit of openness, of transparency, of proactive and routine
disclosure, which is something we certainly advocate and support. Through this
process that we are going through with departments we hope to be able to
eliminate the need for some routine requests, and that will hopefully reduce
required staff time to respond to such inquiries as well.
I think that in terms of this particular bill and the acts that it impacts,
adopting a requirement to make annual reports of health profession regulatory
bodies public is going to enhance transparency, it is going to enhance
accountability within these health professions. It is also going to enhance the
public's knowledge of the work of the health profession regulatory bodies.
Again, Mr. Speaker, these changes are definitely in keeping with the spirit
of the new Office of Public Engagement, and they are definitely changes that are
in keeping with the new mandate of the new Office of Public Engagement. Our
Premier has said several times, as has our minister, the new Office of Public
Engagement is going to undertake this process of routine disclosure. It is going
to provide a proactive approach to access information that really reflects this
government's commitment to openness and to transparency as well.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a few more comments on this particular
bill, if I could. We are actually amending sixteen health professional statutes.
The amendments to each act are going to increase transparency and accountability
of the health regulatory bodies. Really, what we are doing here is ensuring that
the public has access to those annual reports.
As the minister indicated in her opening comments on this particular bill, we
are deeply committed to continuing to build a culture of openness, of
transparency, and accountability as well. This commitment, Mr. Speaker, is
supported through publishing the annual report of each regulatory body on the
Web site of the Department of Health and Community Services. If these regulatory
bodies in question have a Web site of their own, then the annual reports will be
published there as well.
Easily accessible annual reports will help keep not only members of the
various professions, but also the general public well informed about the
regulated health professions. It also will enhance their knowledge of the work
and mandate of the health profession regulatory bodies. I am sure that members
of this House will support these steps to create a culture of openness,
transparency, accountability, and I certainly hope that this bill will pass.
Mr. Speaker, to conclude, proactive disclosure of information is what this is
all about. I think this step that involves the various health professions really
reflects our overall Administration's commitment to openness and to
transparency. By adopting this requirement through this particular bill, we are
these professions.
I look forward to many more examples coming forward, Mr. Speaker, of routine,
proactive disclosure of information, which is keeping with the spirit and intent
of some of the positive changes we have made in terms of access to information
and protection of privacy. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will conclude my remarks.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I too would like to speak to this bill. We do see that there is definitely
some improvement in making some of this information easily accessible to both
the public and to legislators. It is a definite improvement from what has
existed.
However, there is a concern that
we have. One is why we no longer have these reports tabled in the House of
Assembly. We feel that it is important, that the work that these boards do
is very, very important, particularly in this time of increased technology in
health and also the stress that we have on our health care system. What these
reports do will point out some of the challenges and some of the problems that
some of these boards might be looking at. It is important that we not miss these
reports.
To have the reports tabled in the House of Assembly gives notice to all of us
that these reports are now available. That is an important issue. As well,
anything that is tabled in this House then goes to the Legislative Library,
which then means that these reports are categorized, the information is managed,
and the information is easily accessible. When we use Legislative Library staff
to help us in our research, they are able to do that.
I think to continue that tradition of tabling in the House is important, not
only for the sake of tradition, but also for the sake of formally notifying
legislators that in fact these very important reports are ready, reports that
reflect the work of the relevant bodies, organizations, and boards that are
presenting their annual reports.
I do have a few questions to the minister. I am hoping that the minister will
be able to tell us why these particular boards were included in the list to be
tabled in the House in the first place, and then why will they not be tabled in
the House now? I feel that if it is a matter of paper I hope it is not just
that well, then, there is a way of passing on that information electronically.
I do feel that it is important to continue in order to respect that
commitment to transparency and accountability. It is important to continue to
have these reports tabled in the House, again, as a mark that the annual reports
are done and are available, and also to follow through on the very efficient
work of the Legislative Library in terms of both housing information, formally
housing information, but also managing information and playing a role in
supporting all of us in the work that they do.
Also by doing so, by tabling in the House, it once again brings into focus
the very important work that these boards do, that these organizations do, that
the staff of these particular boards play in carrying out the work in our health
care system. Again, in this time of particular challenges in the health care
field, I think it is more important now than ever.
I look forward to hearing from the minister on those particular issues, and I
thank you for this time.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port au Port.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. CORNECT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stand today to lend my support for this important bill, Mr. Speaker. It is
certainly an honour and a privilege to stand and to participate in this debate
on behalf of the constituents of the great and cultural District of Port au
Port.
Bill 42, Mr. Speaker,
an Act to Amend Various Acts of the Province Respecting
Annual Reports I encourage all my fellow colleague members on both sides of
the aisle to support the proposed amendments that we are debating this
afternoon.
The changes proposed, Mr. Speaker, through this bill will have significant
impact upon the protection of the public. These changes, Mr. Speaker, will
reinforce our commitment to ensure openness, transparency, and accountability by
amending the statutes governing health professions in this Province to require
them, Mr. Speaker, to place their annual reports on-line for public viewing and
going worldwide. This will certainly make sure the general public has access to
the information regarding the operations and activities of the governing bodies
for each of the regulated health professions on a timely, Mr. Speaker, and on a
regular basis.
Mr. Speaker, in the case where the governing body does not have a Web site
where they can post their annual reports, these reports will be posted on the
Web site of the provincial government at www.gov.nl.ca. It is also important to
note, Mr. Speaker, that hard copies and/or paper copies will still be accessible
for those who request it. All you need to do is contact the board and it will be
made available. For the people of the District of Port au Port, you can
certainly call my office and I can get a copy of the requested report for you.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister already stated, the Department of Health and
Community Services is responsible for seventeen statutes of the twenty-three
regulated health professions of this Province. Sixteen of those statutes
establish stand-alone boards, councils, and/or colleges that have
responsibilities, Mr. Speaker, for regulating specific health professions. These
health profession governing boards serve to protect the public through
professional regulation. The boards ensure that the applicants for membership in
a particular profession meet defining criteria. Only qualified and competent
practitioners are permitted to become members of a particular profession and to
deliver health care services.
The boards also have the responsibility for disciplining members. Mr.
Speaker, when a board receives an allegation that one of its members may be
doing something improperly, the board must investigate and deal with the
allegation. With recent amendments to the health professional statutes in this
Province, discipline hearings must be held in public. Mr. Speaker, we have all
seen media reports about these hearings; however, without access to annual
reports, we do not know how many complaints health professional governing bodies
receive or how many are settled without a formal hearing.
Right now, Mr. Speaker, our current legislation says that the governing body
must prepare its annual report and submit it to the Minister of Health and
Community Services in a timely fashion. This must be done on a yearly basis.
What the amendments of this bill will do now is that the governing body will be
required to post their annual report on their own Web site and/or on the site of
the Department of Health and Community Services.
Oftentimes, Mr. Speaker, if a member of the public has an issue with a
particular health professional or requires information about governance of a
profession, he or she will go to the governing body's Web site or, in the
absence of a Web site, go directly to the Web site of the Department of Health
and Community Services at www.health.gov.nl.ca/health. It is therefore important
to note that the annual reports will be made available on these Web sites and
made available to the public.
Section 10 of the Transparency and Accountability Act requires all provincial
government departments and agencies to make their annual reports public through
the House of Assembly or any other method that is effective and accessible.
Requiring governing bodies of a regulated health profession is certainly
compliance with the act.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in this hon. House of Assembly to
approve this valuable bill that will improve access to annual reports, increase
availability of information to the public about the important work of the health
profession regulatory bodies, and ultimately enhance patient safety.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I do want to make just a couple of comments with regard to Bill 42,
An Act To
Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting Annual Reports.
What concerns me is that we really are not being given great rationale for
why this change has to happen. We did try to get an explanation around all of
this but nothing was that profound, to tell you the truth. I think there is
something I am going to say symbolic, but it is more than symbolic about
annual reports being physically brought into this House and being tabled in this
House, because, in actual fact, when it comes to these organizations, they are
acting under legislation. This body is the body that is responsible for
legislation, not just a minister, but this whole body is responsible for
legislation and for the passing of legislation.
When we have legislation that relates specifically to particular groups,
their annual report is really an annual report to this House of Assembly, not
just to the minister. For that reason, I think it is important that the House of
Assembly receive the annual reports and that we actually get them physically.
Another reason, besides what in some ways looks symbolic; we also need to
know that the annual reports are finished, that the annual reports exist. I
really do not think we have to be continually looking to see: Oh, is this annual
report done. Is it there? Has it come out? Is it on-line? It is very easy to
forget about a report and about an organization if you are not receiving it and
if you do not know that the report exists. I know that happens to me with some
of the reports come, I say: Oh yes, I am interested in reading the report for
this organization or for this body.
I do think it is important. I do not know why the government is doing it. It
does not seem clear to me why it is necessary, so I actually think that I do not
really see supporting this act. It is a small thing, I know, but my thing is:
why do it, number one; and, number two: I think it needs to continue because I
think accountability to the House is what is symbolized by the reports being
brought in here and being tabled here.
I think it is really important that we maintain the understanding of what the
role of the House is. We have too many times actually, in not the far distant
past, where we have experienced in this House where everybody's role is not
respected, where we do not understand that everybody in this House has a
responsibility for what gets passed in this House. We all have responsibility
for information that pertains to this House and to the work of this House.
I get concerned when I see something like this happening because I say: Is
this another way of just undermining the role of everybody sitting in this
House? I do not see the reason for it. I have not heard a good reason for doing
it. Yes, it is paper and that could be a reason that the minister would give to
say that we do not need the reports because well, do you need more paper. The
reports are important, they are symbolic, and I know from other experiences in
my life, and other people have talked to me about this as well, when things are
just posted on-line and you do not get any notification that they are there, you
also have a sense of forgetting that the actual thing exists or should exist. I
have sort of said that before.
I am not going to beat this death, but I am going to say I do not see the
need on one level for this to happen. To put it positively, I do think we do
need to have the report still coming to the House so the organizations
understand where their accountability is, that the accountability is to the
House of Assembly, not just to a minister. For that reason, I will not be
supporting the bill.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's South, speaking to the bill.
MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation will require boards involved to post their
annual reports on a Web site, should they have one. It will also require that
the Department of Health and Community Services post to their site the report.
That is a good thing because it will make the reports accessible to the average
person, to the general public. I see that as a good thing; however, the
legislation does now mean that the boards do not have to supply the reports to
the House of Assembly. I do have a concern with that; I share the concern of the
Leader of the Third Party on that particular point.
Under the legislation it says: The board shall prepare and submit to the
minister not later than six months after the end of its financial year a copy of
its report. It also indicates that the minister shall publish the annual report
on the Health and Community Services Web site.
Mr. Speaker, I will be proposing an amendment to this particular legislation
under
section 9.(2), for example, of the Chiropractors Act to say that the
minister shall supply or table a copy of those reports, one for each of the
recognized parties, to the Table of the House of Assembly.
I believe that these reports should be tabled to the House of Assembly, Mr.
Speaker. These boards are accountable to the Legislature; they are accountable
to government, not just the minister responsible. While I think that this
legislation, Bill 42, has merits in the fact that it will provide the
information to the general public on a more broad level, I do have concerns that
the reports will not be tabled in the House of Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services, if
she speaks now she will close debate.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, a very interesting debate on this particular bill, more debate
actually than I had anticipated. Really and truly, this is a bill about making
access larger, broader if we will. I believe that is what this legislation will
do.
There were a few questions, Mr. Speaker, that were raised throughout this
debate that we had last day and this afternoon. I will try to remember from last
day and respond to a couple of questions that were asked then, and then respond
to the questions that were asked here this afternoon as well.
There was a question asked, I think, from the other side of the House, from
the Member for Burgeo La Poile, I believe, in response to the imposing of a
levy or a fine of $1,000 for colleges or boards that had failed to file an
annual report. I am really happy to report to you that we have never had to do
that. That everybody in fact has filed a report to the minister's office, and so
we have always had that.
Now, with regard to the accountability issue and the business of whether or
not these should be tabled here in the House of Assembly and not on-line, or in
addition I am assuming I was hearing in addition to. We should point out;
there were only ever five that were tabled here in the House of Assembly. The
others were never, ever tabled in here in the House of Assembly.
All documents, I would like to point out, from the Department of Health are
subject to the Management of Information Act, which means they will be
appropriately archived and recorded by government. It is not that they would
never, ever be archived. It is not that they would never be produced in a paper
copy, Mr. Speaker. They all have to be produced in a paper copy. They all will
be archived, Mr. Speaker. That, again, is complying with the Management of
Information Act. That will absolutely happen.
It is not about paper. It is not about any of that. It is about access more
than anything. As I said, only five were ever tabled here in the House of
Assembly. I have only ever brought in one copy at a time. Frankly, I do not know
that anyone I cannot say that nobody has picked up a copy off the table once I
have tabled it, but I have only ever brought in one copy any time that I brought
in and tabled one of these documents.
I think the biggest point we want to make around this particular bill, Mr.
Speaker, is that the people of Province need to have access, putting them
on-line provides better access. Also, the people of the professions who are
involved in each of these boards, et cetera, they are the people who need access
to these reports as well. If they know they are coming they can get access
on-line. The boards themselves will also have paper copies available. So, if
anyone is looking for them, it is very easy to have them sent out to them.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I will take my seat and end the debate on this
particular bill.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now
read a second time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting
Annual Reports. (Bill 42)
MR. SPEAKER: The bill has now been read a second time.
When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?
MR. KING: Now, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Now.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting
Annual Reports", read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the
Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 42)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced
Education and Skills, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the
Whole to consider Bills 40, 41, and 42.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that I do now leave the Chair for
the House to resolve itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the bills
referred.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Motion carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Littlejohn): Order, please!
We are now considering Bill 40,
An Act To Amend The Health Research Ethics
Authority Act, The Medical Care Insurance Act, 1999 and The Mental Health Care
And Treatment Act.
A bill, "An Act To Amend The Health Research Ethics Authority Act, The
Medical Care Insurance Act, 1999 and The Mental Health Care And Treatment Act".
(Bill 40)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK: Clause 2.
CHAIR: Shall clause 2 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 2 carried.
CLERK: Clause 3.
CHAIR: Shall clause 3 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 3 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in
Legislative Session convened, as follows.
CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CHAIR: Shall the
preamble carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion,
preamble carried
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Health Research Ethics Authority Act,
The Medical Care Insurance Act, 1999 and The Mental Health Care And Treatment
Act. (Bill 40)
CHAIR: Shall the title carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,
carried.
CHAIR: Order, please!
We are now considering Bill 41,
An Act To Amend The Hearing Aid Practitioners
Act.
A bill, "An Act To Amend The Hearing Aid Practitioners Act". (Bill 41)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Yes, Mr. Chair, I have a question for the minister. In
some of the commentary referencing, I guess the reports will now be tabled on
the Web site, we will say the government Web site, as well as a Web site of the
organization.
MS SULLIVAN: (Inaudible).
MR. A. PARSONS: I am ahead of myself, I guess, am I? I thought you were
fast there. I apologize. I revoke my question.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK: Clause 2.
CHAIR: Shall clause 2 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 2 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in
Legislative Session convened, as follows.
CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Hearing Aid Practitioners Act. (Bill
41)
CHAIR: Shall the title carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,
carried.
CHAIR: We are now considering Bill 42,
An Act To Amend Various Acts Of
The Province Respecting Annual Reports.
A bill, "An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting Annual
Reports". (Bill 42)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: I will talk to the proper bill now, Mr. Chair.
CHAIR: Thank you, Sir.
MR. A. PARSONS: My question to the minister, it has been mentioned about
the report being referenced on the Web sites and I may have gotten confused
after various members referenced that it may be on one or the other. Will it be
referenced on both Web sites, both the government Web site as well as the Web
Site for the organization?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The answer to your question is they will certainly be on the Department of
Health and Community Services Web site. If they have a Web site, it will also be
on their Web site. So, both places if there is a Web site for the particular
board or group, but certainly always on the Department of Health and Community
Services Web site.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK: Clauses 2 through 17 inclusive.
CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 17 inclusive carry?
The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Just a question for the minister here. We talked about
the fact that it is not going to be tabled in the House. Will notice be provided
of when the reports are done, via e-mail I know they will not be tabled, but
will there still be a notice provided to concerned individuals?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Chair, they will be published; they will be put on Web
sites. In terms of whether or not notice will be given to the concerned
individuals, I am assuming that all boards have direct contact with the members
of their professions at all times. Without asking that question directly to
them, I am fairly comfortable in making the assumption that they would inform
the members of their profession that their annual reports are ready.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Will the Department of Health and Community Services,
which also tables all these reports, be sending out an advisory perhaps similar
to what you do in other departments, just to ensure that if you are not a member
of that organization but you might be interested, so that anybody who gets
government e-mails will get notice that they are reported?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: That is not planned, Mr. Chair. These are public documents;
they are available on-line for people who need them. Access to them is in no way
prohibited; people will be able to have access to them whenever they need them.
So, if somebody is looking for the document, it will not be very difficult to
find them.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to ask the minister again, perhaps a little more directly: What
is the rationale for actually discontinuing tabling them in the House?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Chair, in discussions that people in my department have
had with these various boards and so on, I think it is felt that the people who
most want these reports are the people who are involved in the professions.
These are discussed at their AGMs, as an example; they are available to them
through the AGMs. Tabling them here in the House has really not served very much
purpose that we are able to see.
anybody who wants them. That really has been the broader concern: how do we make
concern in this paper is: how do we make them more accessible? For us, putting
them on-line was the way to make them more accessible.
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Once again I would like to applaud this movement to make them more accessible
to basically anybody who does have an interest. I think that is an admirable
thing. Also, what it does is highlight and focus the work that all these boards
are doing, and that is really important. I can applaud that.
I do not see, however, why continuing to table them in the House has anything
to do with the action of making them more public to everyone else. Because these
boards do come under the coverage of the House, I do not understand how one has
anything to do with the other. I would like some clarification on that.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I understand what the minister is saying. I do not believe that you are
restricting access by putting them on-line. I think plenty of people have
access. What I am concerned about is that as a member, when they are tabled, you
are notified that they are there; it is up to you then whether you look at them
or go through them or not. If they are not going to be tabled now, then you
would not know that they are available unless you chose to look for it or were a
member.
I am just wondering why the government could not make part of the procedure a
standard e-mail sent out from that department saying the annual report and
audited financial statement of group A is now available for viewing at this Web
site. I do not think that would be hard; I think it still serves the purpose, it
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, the other option on that is that you could ask the boards
themselves to provide notification that they have already posted them on their
Web site.
Mr. Chair, this is not meant to be difficult at all; this is simply meant to
be more open, to provide more access to these reports. That is the entire intent
of this particular bill.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS ROGERS: Mr. Chair, again I applaud this action to make things more
accessible. I still do not understand in terms of the problem with tabling them
in the House. I do not think that has been adequately addressed. I would ask the
minister to speak to that.
I do appreciate making information more broadly available to everyone. We
know how great it is to have information given to us electronically and then it
is accessible all the time, but the fact that these boards do come under
report to the Legislature, I think it is a good thing to continue to do that.
I am not happy with just simply having a group notifying us. To have the
formalized process and to continue that formalized process of tabling in the
House so that the House is A, aware that the annual reports are done, but also
it is part of acknowledging the work that is being done by these particular
boards.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.
MR. A. PARSONS: I have two more quick questions to ask. Number one, I am
hoping for, on the record I think you stated this when you were speaking to
the bill the audited financial statement is a part of the annual report; I am
just hoping that I can get that on the record. The second part, and I think you
may have answered this as well: there will be a hard copy available somewhere of
this information, if you could just confirm on the record.
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Yes, Mr. Chair, the audited reports will also be made
available.
Mr. Chair, these are self-regulated bodies that we are talking about here and
the Administration is, our department is responsible for those self-regulated
bodies. I will have copies in my office if anyone needs a copy of the report.
They will be available to people who need these reports.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill- Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just want to get clarification of that last point the minister made. I
think it should be incumbent on these bodies and also on the department that if
there are people who do not have access to Internet and we know we have
thousands of people who do not have access to Internet if they make a request,
that there are enough hard copies, that there will be multiple hard copies, not
just one or two that can be sent out to the public if requested. I just want to
get clarification.
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
There absolutely will be. As I said, whenever I came to the House before and
tabled one of these, that was all I tabled; it was one. Other copies are in my
office if people want them. Copies will still be in the offices of these boards
if anybody wants them. It is a matter of making a phone call, sending an E-mail,
or checking with your any of your MHAs, any of your elected officials. Access to
these will be improved, Mr. Chair.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Chair, I would like to ask the Minister of Health
and Community Services, just for clarification around these boards and
professional associations, the times of when they table their report. They are
not done on a specific day of the year. They can range throughout the year. Is
that correct?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The answer is, yes.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.
MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Chair, I ask the Minister of Health and Community
Services, with all of these boards and now associations tabling their reports at
varying times of the year without any type of notice or tabling, then we would
have no idea when the reports are actually tabled without being given any type
of notice. This could lead to a significant waste of time to the general public
and to the members.
I think there would need to be something to make sure that people are aware
that these reports are available and when. Is there going to be something to
provide that (inaudible) notice, Mr. Chair?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This is really important. It sounds like it is only minor, but I think it is
important that a lot of these associations that are listed here probably in some
way are recipients of the taxpayers' money too, at the same time.
The second point I would like to make as well, is that you are talking about
posting them on the Internet, which is great, but there are a lot of people who
are out there watching this programming from the House and they depend sometimes
on the appropriate minister to stand up in the House and let them notify those
same people too, at the same time, that these annual reports are ready, be it if
they are from the Finance Minister or from the Minister of Health. There are
some people out there who watch the House and watch for the announcement that
this is being done.
I would like to point that out to the Minister, too, to reconsider about the
tabling of these particular changes in the House.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.
MR. OSBORNE: Mr. Chair, I would like to make an amendment to the act and
the amendment will affect several parts of the act. It is the same amendment,
but it will affect several parts of the act.
To be inserted after
section 9(2) of the Chiropractors Act, 2009;
section
3(2) of the Dental Act, 2008;
section 7(2) of the Denturists Act;
section 9(2)
of the Dispensing Opticians Act, 2005; the Health Professions Act
section 7(2);
the Hearing Aid Practitioners Act
section 6(2); the Licensed Practical Nurses
Act, 2005
section 9(3); the Massage Therapy Act, 2005
section 8(2); the Medical
Act, 2011
section 11(5); the Occupational Therapists Act, 2005
section 7(2); the
Optometry Act, 2012
section 13(2); Physiotherapy Act, 2006
section 14(5); the
Psychologists Act, 2005
section 7(2); the Registered Nurses Act, 2008
section
16(4); the Social Workers Act
section 16(2); the following: The minister shall
table copies of the report in the House of Assembly.
CHAIR: Thank you.
The House will consider a recess.
MR. OSBORNE: That is seconded by the Member for St. John's Centre.
CHAIR: Seconded by the Member for St. John's Centre.
The House will take a short recess to consider the amendment.
Recess
CHAIR: Order, please!
The proposed amendment is not in order.
Shall clauses 2 to 17 inclusive carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clauses 2 through 17 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in
Legislative Session convened, as follows.
CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting
Annual Reports. (Bill 42)
CHAIR: Shall the title carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
AN HON. MEMBER: Nay.
CHAIR: Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 42 without amendment?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
AN HON. MEMBER: Nay.
CHAIR: Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,
carried.
CHAIR: The hon. the Deputy Government House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee rise and report Bills
40, 41, and 42 and ask leave to sit again.
CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise and report Bills 40, 41 and
42 and ask leave to sit again.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit
again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER (Verge): The hon. the Member for Port de Grave and the
Deputy Chair of Committees.
MR. LITTLEJOHN: Mr. Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered
the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bills 40, 41 and 42
without amendment.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of Committee of the Whole reports that the
Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to
report Bills 40, 41 and 42 carried without amendment.
When shall the report be received?
MR. HUTCHINGS: Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.
The Deputy Government House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Bill 46,
An Act
To Amend The Motorized Snow Vehicles And All-Terrain Vehicles Act.
MR. SPEAKER: We are now considering Bill 46.
The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador .
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation that Bill 46,
An Act To Amend The Motorized Snow Vehicles
And All-Terrain Vehicles Act, be now read a second time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is seconded by?
MR. MCGRATH: It is seconded by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and
Recreation.
MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that Bill 46 be now read a
second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Amend The Motorized Snow
Vehicles And All-Terrain Vehicles Act."
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As many of you are aware, groomed trail development in Newfoundland and
Labrador began about thirty years ago. Many of you here, I am sure, own
snowmobiles and u