Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 31 May 2011 (46th General Assembly, 4th Session, Vol. XLVI No. 33)
2011-05-31
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
May
31, 2011 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 33
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Today, the Chair would like to welcome thirty-two members of the Heritage
United Church Prayer Shawl and the United Church Ladies Group and their friends
from the Districts of Terra Nova and Bonavista South. The groups are accompanied
by their leader, Ms Vi Parsons, and their bus driver, Ms Lydia Wiseman.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: The following members' statements will be heard: the hon.
the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member
for the District of Bay of Islands; the hon. the Member for the District of The
Straits & White Bay North; the hon. the Member for the District of Baie Verte-Springdale;
and the hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride.
The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in the House today to congratulate an upstanding young man from Red
Bay who was recently recognized at the URock Volunteer Awards Gala for his
contribution to his local area.
Mr. Speaker, Johnathon Earle was one of eight winners honoured with the
prestigious title - and a custom-designed electric guitar - which acknowledged
the unique and creative ways that young people volunteer.
Mr. Speaker, Johnathon is a twenty-five-year-old law student at UNB and has
done an extraordinary amount of volunteering while excelling academically as
well. He has been instrumental in the success of two key projects in Southern
Labrador. The first was the Moulder of Dreams Pottery Studio that employed five
people with myotonia, and the second was a Think Green recycling business for
Grade 6 students. Jonathan has also been a member of the Youth Advisory Panel
advising government on its Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy and in June,
2009, he became one of twelve youth to receive the prestigious National
Aboriginal Role Model Award, an organization he remains active in.
I ask my colleagues in the House of Assembly to join me in recognizing
Jonathan for his contributions to my district and for being a role model for
many young people in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is also a pleasure, Mr.
Speaker, to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the other seven award
recipients who received awards in our Province as well.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. LODER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to recognize Mr. Darren Park, owner of Park's
Carpentry Limited of Hughes Brook.
Mr. Speaker, Park's Carpentry started business in the mid-1980s with three
employees and one old truck, and within a couple of years the numbers grew to
just under ten. The firm continues to grow and specializes in new home
construction.
Within the last week, Mr. Speaker, Park's Carpentry won the Atlantic Home
Warranty Program's Customer Choice Award in the under twenty-five homes per year
for 2010. This is the third time that Mr. Darren Park and his firm won this
prestigious award.
Mr. Park states, much of his business success must be attributed to his
suppliers and the quality of their products. The team of Park's Carpentry
deserves most of the credit, as they are professionals at what they do. They
work hard and take pride in their work. Mr. Park thanks all of his wonderful
customers that supported him over the years.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members here today to recognize Darren Park and all
his employees for their accomplishments and pride they put in their work on a
daily basis, and wish them well in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate Emma Graney, Editor of The
Northern Pen in St. Anthony, on receiving one of the most prestigious awards
at the Newspapers Atlantic Awards Ceremony that was held in Halifax on May 21.
Ms Graney was awarded the 2010 Outstanding Journalist Award.
Emma, originally from Australia, moved to St. Anthony from Vancouver last
April to work with The Northern Pen and to experience life in
rural Newfoundland. Both her and her husband, Juris, are reporters with The
Northern Pen and have quickly become well-known throughout the Northern
Peninsula and Southern Labrador for their outstanding reporting skills.
In addition to this award, Emma was recently awarded silver at the Canadian
Community Newspaper Awards that was held in Vancouver for the best historical
feature section, and The Northern Pen also picked up second for the best
holiday edition. I would also like to note, Mr. Speaker, The Northern
Pen was presented silver for best community reporting in any medium at the
Atlantic Awards Ceremony in Halifax.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in
congratulating Emma and The Northern Pen on receiving such
recognition this past year and to wish them well in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Baie
Verte-Springdale.
MR. POLLARD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It gives me great pleasure to rise in this hon. House today to acknowledge
and show appreciation to the Springdale Volunteer Fire Department.
Mr. Speaker, comprised of women and men, this extremely dedicated, courageous
group of volunteers are the unsung heroes of our community. Responding not only
to house fires, but to other types of emergencies such as motor vehicle
accidents, cold water rescues, the Springdale firefighters have served the
people of the area with pride and with passion. For that, Mr. Speaker, they are
to be applauded and commended, and never to be taken for granted.
The Springdale fire department serve with excellence as they faithfully meet
every Monday night for training and to go over policy and procedure so that they
meet and surpass current standards. Mr. Speaker, we really are not aware of the
huge amounts of volunteer hours they put into their fire department and the
commitment of their spouses as they try to raise funds for new equipment and try
to keep it in top-notch condition.
I had the pleasure to attend their annual ball this fall and I have to say,
Mr. Speaker, it was an evening of fun, good humour, and appreciation. It was
encouraging to see many awards and certificates given out indicating their high
level of commitment to unselfishly serve the community. Led by outstanding fire
chiefs over the years, and strongly supported by their town council and the
community, the Springdale fire department is poised to protect and serve its
citizens to the best of their ability and to do it with great pride.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members in this hon. House to join me in conveying my
appreciation to the outstanding commitment of the Springdale fire department in
carrying out its duties.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, I stand in this hon. House today to congratulate
Goulds Elementary for being chosen as one of the fifteen schools across this
country to host an Everyone Jump Concert, a unique health promotion initiative
that focuses on type 2 diabetes.
The Everyone Jump Concert took place at Goulds Elementary on Monday, March 28
at 10:30 a.m. The two young moderators had the audience and student population
totally involved as they sang, danced and jumped.
Everyone Jump is a school-based diabetes prevention program that teaches
students how to prevent type 2 diabetes through the adoption of healthy
behaviours. It is well known that Type 2 diabetes is largely a preventable
disease with healthy eating, regular physical activity and the maintenance of a
healthy body weight. Yet the rising incidence of this illness, coupled with
obesity, particularly among children is a growing concern across Canada.
The Everyone Jump Program and the concerts are both part of a national
program sponsored by Ophea and Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., a leader in diabetes
treatment and care.
I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Goulds Elementary, its
students, and staff.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader and Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, last week I had the honour of attending one of the
convocation ceremonies at Memorial University. I rise this afternoon to offer
congratulations to our Province's newest university graduates.
It was truly inspiring to look out and see literally hundreds of our future
leaders ready to take the world by storm. They joined the thousands of alumni
who are proud to call Memorial their alma mater.
Mr. Speaker, this Province has finally begun to benefit from being a
resource-rich land of opportunity. Our most valuable resource will always be our
people, especially our young people who will build on the economic foundation we
have laid and help this Province reach its full potential in the future.
Our government is committed to ensuring Memorial University continues to
offer students a world-class post-secondary education that is both accessible
and affordable.
Tuition fees are among the lowest in the country, Mr. Speaker, and we have
invested heavily in a tuition freeze to keep it that way. Upfront, needs-based
grants, which were eliminated in the 1990s, were reintroduced in 2007 and
expanded in 2009, so that post-secondary students can now receive almost 60 per
cent of their provincial assistance in the form of a non-repayable grant. Also,
this government has eliminated the interest on the provincial portion of student
loans, the first province in Canada to do so. Combined, these initiatives
represent an investment of more than $225 million.
We are also investing in the university itself, its people, its programs and
its infrastructure. Since 2003, Memorial University's operating and capital
budget has increased by 152 per cent from $145 million to $366 million this
year.
Our strength is our people, Mr. Speaker, and our future is in the bright
minds of young women and men who can envision what this Province can be, and who
have the skills and knowledge to make that vision a reality. I invite my
colleagues to join me in wishing them all the best as they pursue their chosen
endeavours.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement. I,
too, would want to offer congratulations to our Province's newest university
graduates and, indeed, graduates from all of our colleges and different
institutions. It truly is an inspiration to see our young people as they stand
and get their diplomas. I certainly want to wish them well in their future
endeavours, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to note that there is a lot of commentary in this statement
about the investments of government and the fact of what is being done in
education. We do know that the tuition freeze that was mentioned was brought in
by the Liberal government some years ago when Budgets were much less than what
they are today. It has been maintained, but it has not been improved.
I would suggest that more needs to be done. Affordable, accessible education
should be a right, not a privilege. Every individual, every young person in
Newfoundland and Labrador, graduating from high school should have the same
access to it regardless of their own personal and family financial situations.
We still have issues with young people graduating having to leave the
Province to find work. These are all challenges that will continue to be around
us, Mr. Speaker. I trust that we will see improvement and that opportunities for
young people will only improve in years to come.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of the statement and also join with
others in extending congratulations to all the graduates from our post-secondary
institutions here in the Province. I know they must feel proud; I know their
parents and those who support them feel proud. Of course, they come out hoping
that they are going to find a job here in this Province. Unfortunately, many of
those who are going to graduate with trades and university programs do still
have to move away. I have many families in my own district where when I go door
to door they tell me their young people are not living here and they wish they
were living here.
In spite of everything that we are doing for our students, we still know that
they are coming out with heavy debt loads and we have people with heavy debt
loads who are now out working still trying to pay them off. I think in this
Province we should do a forgiveness of debt for those who have it, and make life
easier for them. I think, too, what we have to do in this Province is that we
need to expand the needs-based grant program, as has been requested by the
Canadian Federation of Students. A lot has been done, but a lot more has to be
done if we are going to keep our young people here in this Province.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
With the value of mineral shipments expected to climb to $4.8 billion,
exploration expenditures expected to increase to $127 million, and direct
employment set to jump by more than 20 per cent, this is an incredibly exciting
time in Newfoundland and Labrador's mining industry.
This growth is giving rise to countless opportunities for small and
medium-sized enterprises. In Labrador West, for example, companies such as Carol
Lake Metal Works and Labrador Rewinding are strengthening their workforce so
they can secure new business from local mines, and ultimately expand their
operations.
As a government, a priority in our business and economic development agenda
is to enable local companies to fully explore and realize benefits attached to
our natural resources. Quite simply, we want to facilitate the growth of small
and medium-sized businesses and create an environment where they can become more
successful, more profitable, and employ even more Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians.
To accelerate the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, and enable
them to target opportunities within the supply chain of mining and exploration
companies, and for that matter, other large-scale industrial projects, the
Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, delivers a Supplier
Development Program. Through the program, interactive information and networking
sessions are held in communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador that help
create awareness of bidding opportunities and purchasing practices of large
procurers of goods and services.
For local businesses, this program serves as a platform to learn more about
purchasing requirements and creates awareness of some of the vast opportunities
that exist. For procurers, they are able to acquire greater insights into the
depth of products and services that exist in the Province. Most importantly, it
helps build important linkages between vendors and procurers.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday June 10, the department, in co-operation with the Baie
Verte and Area Chamber of Commerce, Emerald Zone Corporation, and College of the
North Atlantic, is hosting a session titled Supplying the Mining Industry.
Scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., this session, which is free of charge,
coincides with the twenty-fourth annual mining conference in Baie Verte and is a
must-attend for those looking to target opportunities within the rapidly
expanding mining industry.
I encourage all interested participants to contact officials at the
Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development to learn more about this
valuable initiative.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the minister for an advance copy of her
statement. It truly is an exciting time for mining and mineral exploration as an
industry in our Province. The industry is rolling back from a downturn that it
faced in 2008 and 2009 when we went through the global recession. It is today,
fortunately, back on the verge of approaching the employment numbers and
expenditures that were reached before the downturn.
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador is not known just for its fishing and
its oil, but obviously it is an important mining jurisdiction historically as
well. At one time, the Island was the leading world producer of copper. The
grades of iron ore, for example, that came from the grounds of Buchans remain
unmatched throughout the world today. We are setting similar standards in our
productions of nickel and copper at Voisey's Bay.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly would congratulate the entrepreneurial companies
that are mentioned there from Carol Lake Metal Works and Labrador Rewinding and
showing their commitment and foresight needed to keep reinvesting in the
industry when times are not so well. These companies are operating in the
world-famous Labrador iron ore deposits in a region of our Province that is
seeing a lot of new exploration and mining production in the coming years as
well.
The minister, in her statement, mentioned Baie Verte and the Baie Verte
mining show coming up next month. There is a lot of special mention, I guess,
that can go there to the people of the region. Mr. Speaker, even during the
darkest days of mining, that part of the region continued to stay focused and
stay attached to the mining. Certainly, they are showing the rewards of that
today.
Mr. Speaker, let me conclude by saying that it is the grassroots prospectors
of our region and geologists of the Province really who drive the industry by
their efforts. Today, I would like to congratulate them as well.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement. There is
absolutely no doubt that the mining industry is on a whole new upsurge in this
Province, particularly in Labrador West. Any visit there will impress upon
anyone what is happening.
It is also very important that smaller companies, not just the large
companies, international companies that do the actual mining, but smaller
companies get support and smaller companies are encouraged in this Province. It
is good to see companies like the Carol Lake Metal Works and the Labrador
Rewinding and the work that they are doing because they are helping increase the
employment rate, there is no doubt about that, and increase skills training
which is extremely important. Having myself lived on the Baie Verte Peninsula
when it was a booming mining peninsula, I am glad to see this effort with regard
to the Supplying the Mining Industry session in Baie Verte. I think it is
extremely important that we do that.
The other thing that we have to look at, Mr. Speaker, especially right now in
Labrador West, and we have to do it for anywhere else that we see this growth
happening, we have to plan. What has happened in Labrador West, there was no
long-term planning, so consequently we have an unfinished or just beginning
hospital while we needed that hospital a good four or five years ago, if not
longer, and affordable housing is a major issue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS MICHAEL: So, Mr. Speaker the government has to keep up with business
and has to make sure that long-term planning is done to put an infrastructure in
communities where the mining industry is booming.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Governor of Vermont has announced that New England has
excess generating capacity largely because of natural gas. The governor also
said it is a buyer's market for electricity with many utilities offering to sell
them power.
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see the Lower Churchill developed but a deal that
has to be fair for our taxpayers and has to make economic sense. The reality is
that the Muskrat Falls Project makes no sense without customers beyond this
Province.
I ask the Premier today: Where are the identified buyers for this power?
Because a project this size makes no sense without it.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if we were developing power only for market, we would be
developing the full Lower Churchill.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to the Leader of the Opposition that
markets have not dried up since 2003. In fact, if we developed everything in
Eastern Canada that is now under consideration we would only be able to meet 25
per cent of the demand just in the Eastern United States. Mr. Speaker, we are
concerned first and foremost with the needs of the people of this Province and
Muskrat Falls makes sense for them without any other customers.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
No power purchase agreement and it is not only the Governor of Vermont who is
saying this. Mr. Speaker, Hydro-Quebec recently signed a twenty-six-year power
purchase agreement with Vermont. They are going to sell electricity for about
5.8 cents per kilowatt hour. If Muskrat goes ahead the wholesale price would be
above fourteen cents per kilowatt hour.
Premier, New England can get their electricity cheaper than this government's
plan for Muskrat. The only identified profit to be had on Muskrat is the profit
that will be earned on the backs of the people of this Province.
I ask you today: Why should we have to pay more for our own resource than
people on the mainland? I say to you, this is not the Lower Churchill deal that
the people of our Province envisioned.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if we could get 5.6 cents kilowatt hour electricity into this
Province, we would be buying it. We would not be trying to develop 14.3 cents
kilowatt hour electricity. The people of Nalcor - people on this side of the
House have not lost their minds. We are not trying to give it away, Mr. Speaker.
We will not give it to Hydro-Quebec to sell, which is what you were going to do
and put all the money in the coffers of Hydro-Quebec. We are not prepared to do
that, Mr. Speaker. What we need to do is assess the needs of the people of this
Province.
What is the cheapest option to provide power for this Province to continue to
thrive and grow as it has done in the last eight years, Mr. Speaker? The answer
to that is Muskrat Falls.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Maybe for her, but not for the people who have to pay for it, I
say to you Premier.
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswick is exploring for natural gas. So it is not just
Vermont, it is not just the deals with Quebec. New Brunswick is exploring for
natural gas and looking at expanding its nuclear output to meet its future
needs. The only markets for Muskrat power today are Nova Scotia, which is
getting it for free as long as they pay for their own link, and the people of
our own Province who will have to pay the highest prices on the Eastern Seaboard
because of your deal.
Premier, the reality is that you have no identified buyers for this power. I
ask you, again: How is this multibillion dollar megaproject feasible when you
are selling less than 40 per cent of the power and then you are only selling it
to the people in our own Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is feasible because we will charge 14.3 cents a kilowatt hour, which will
be roughly the equivalent of what people will be paying on the isolated system
in 2016. Mr. Speaker, any other power purchase agreements that we enter into
will bring money back into Nalcor, which can be used on a decision of the
government however it is felt appropriate to do so. Some of that may be done in
rate reduction, Mr. Speaker.
If we get a loan guarantee when we get our loan guarantee, I should say,
from the federal government that will reduce those 14.3 cents even further.
Mr. Speaker, this deal makes sense for ratepayers in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: The Premier knows that is not the case, Mr. Speaker. She knows
the people in our Province cannot afford this project and this power.
On the weekend, economist Wade Locke made a presentation in Gander. He
delivered sobering news to the people attending a meeting of credit union
directors. Like the Auditor General, Dr. Locke said your government spending is
unsustainable and because of declining oil production going forward this
Province is on the verge of running billion-dollar deficits annually.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, Dr. Locke said that in ten years' time, this
Province is facing a provincial debt of $18 billion and that is not even
counting the debt that is associated with Muskrat. Now, that is quite a legacy I
say, Premier, for your government
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. Leader of the Opposition to pose her question.
MS JONES: So I ask you today: Given what Dr. Wade Locke's dire forecast
is how can we possibly afford to borrow another $4.4 billion for Muskrat Falls?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, when we came into government in 2003, our friends opposite were
running a $12 billion deficit and a $1 billion over expenditure on your Budget.
That is what you were doing. Mr. Speaker, we brought that debt down by almost $4
billion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: We reduced our spending, Mr. Speaker. We have
increased our royalties. While even our reserves may go down in the next four or
five years, our return from our oils will be even higher, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Now, Mr. Speaker, this is a question better asked of
her own caucus. A $174 million reduction in gas tax is a figure they got right,
because they lifted it right from our Budget documents. Now, Mr. Speaker, what
is broadband going to cost?
So instead of asking us about what we might do to the debt, what are you
going to do it?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
No response to Dr. Wade Locke who says the Premier and her government is out
of control and saddling the people of this Province with debt. She will not
respond to that, because she knows it to be true.
According to Dr. Locke, potential retirees now outnumber new entrants in the
workforce and will continue to do so going forward. That means there will be
fewer people working and paying taxes and able to afford steep increases in
electricity bills when Muskrat Falls comes on stream.
Again, I ask you: How can we possibly afford a Muskrat Falls Project that
only sells power to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians? If there are fewer people
working, as Mr. Locke indicates, how much more will we have to pay to pay off
Muskrat Falls?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, here we go again. We are going to finish
the way we started: no vision, no plan, and no hope. The better question that
she needs to ask her caucus, given the aging population that we have and the
demand on health care: How are we going to afford - according to their new
platform - to provide home care to everybody in this Province for as long as
they want and for as many people who want it? That is the question: How are you
going to pay for that?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We know the Premier does not support home care for our seniors. We know the
Premier does not support broadband Internet for rural communities.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: We know the Premier does not want to put money back in people's
pockets in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair is having difficulty hearing the hon. member pose her question. I
ask for members' co-operation.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: We know she does not support any of those initiatives, Mr.
Speaker, but we do not know why she will not answer to Dr. Locke, knowing that
what he says could potentially come true in the next few years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: Now, Mr. Speaker, another point Dr. Locke noted is that
interest rates are expected to go up. Mr. Speaker, even if you look at the 7 per
cent Nalcor has budgeted for interest charges that would amount to an additional
$900 million to the cost of Muskrat Falls.
I ask the Premier: If Dr. Locke is right and interest rates go up during the
construction of this project, how much more will we have to pay for our
electricity on Muskrat Falls?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
loan guarantee that is going to reduce our interest rates by over 2 per cent.
That is what is going to happen to interest rates.
In terms of the Auditor General, the hon. member talked about the Auditor
General, let's see what he said; she always refers to the Auditor General. Here,
on page one of his report: "There have been significant surpluses and reductions
in net debt". Two
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member knows full well that he is not to recite any documents here,
or read directly from the papers.
I ask the hon. member to close his answer.
MR. MARSHALL: The Auditor General said that this government is being
sustainable because we are running surpluses six surpluses in the last seven
years. We have reduced net debt by $3.8 billion, we are paying down our direct
debt $400 million this year, $400 million next year, $400 million last year,
Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. MARSHALL: When the hon. member was in office, they did not pay net
debt by a dollar, not a dime, not one copper, Mr. Speaker, and that is the
difference.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It was our government who signed White Rose, Mr. Speaker, and Hibernia, and
Terra Nova, and the Voisey's Bay deal, which is where you get all your money
today, minister, to be able to look after the finances of this Province. The
Auditor General says it is not sustainable, Dr. Wade Locke says it is not
sustainable, the government will not answer to that, Mr. Speaker.
The Premier likes to tell the people of the Province that their power bills
are going to double, regardless of Muskrat Falls; however, that is not the case.
She says it is because we are tied to the price of oil. What she does not say is
that we are using Holyrood less every year. In fact, we used 2 million barrels
of oil less last year than we did ten years ago. Also, GLJ Petroleum
Consultants, which are used by Dr. Locke, are forecasting that oil
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Again, I ask the hon. member to pose her question. The member knows that we
have forty-five seconds to ask and answer questions.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, GLJ Petroleum Consultants are forecasting that the
cost of oil will be less in 2016.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I call on the member again, if she has a question, to pose it or let the
Chair recognize another member.
MS JONES: Based on what they are forecasting, why is it that you are
inflating the projections that you are using to cost out Holyrood?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
World renowned forecasters are telling us this week that the price of oil is
going to continue to rise. Now, Mr. Speaker, there are the facts. Listen to the
news, you hear today they are talking about shutting down nuclear reactors in
Germany because they are so unsafe. New Brunswick relies on nuclear power.
Ontario relies on nuclear power. People are trying to move away from fossil
fuels whether it be oil or gas. Mr. Speaker, this Province is an energy super
warehouse. We have what the world wants. We will bring it to market. We will
supply our own people, Mr. Speaker, and we will earn from those resources for
generations to come.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
All we are doing is asking the government day after day to back up the
information. GLJ Petroleum Consultants, which were used by Dr. Wade Locke, are
forecasting that oil will cost less in 2016 than it costs today, I say to you
Premier.
Why are you inflating your projections about the use and cost of Holyrood?
Why don't you give the people of this Province the facts to back up what you are
saying? If not, we are going to go on what experts in the industry are telling
us, not on what you are telling us with nothing to back it up.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, we would all be better served if they
tried to use their own intelligence to work their way through some of these
things instead of relying on what people tell you. Mr. Speaker, in the eight
questions you have asked in the two months of this House of Assembly, it has
been what this person has said, that person has said and you have been all over
the map. We have provided you with the forecast I say to you, Mr. Speaker
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible)
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: and to the Leader of the Opposition, from leading
experts in the world on forecasting oil prices, Mr. Speaker. We have provided
the generation forecast for this Province, for the next twenty years, Mr.
Speaker. Do your own research; find out what is happening in the Eastern United
States, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on one hand they are saying you are fiscally
irresponsible, on the other hand they are saying spend, spend, spend. They are
all over the place it is enough to make you dizzy in here.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: You said it, Premier, not me.
Mr. Speaker, the only thing that I would like to remind the Premier of is
this: she is trying to bring forward a deal that is going to double up the cost
of electricity for people in this Province. She does not have a power purchase
contract with anyone else outside of this Province. We know that other areas,
Mr. Speaker, are already filling their power needs with power elsewhere, cheaper
power, than she can provide from Muskrat Falls. We know that professors like
Doctor Locke, Mr. Speaker, are forecasting that her spending is unsustainable.
I say to you Premier, it is time for you to answer to the people of this
Province and tell them what it is that justifies this deal. Why is it that they
will have to earn their hard earned money to pay for a project that is
unsustainable and uneconomical?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition's view on people changes as
frequently as her statistics do on Muskrat Falls. Dr. Locke is a hero today,
somebody we should all be paying attention to. He was a complete and utter idiot
when he defended the fibre optic deal. So what is it? Is he a brilliant analyst
or is he somebody who does not know what he is talking about? Make up your mind.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is easier for the Premier to tear people down than to answer to the people
of the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier one last question
on energy prices
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair has recognized the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Natural Resources and Nalcor officials have all confirmed
that the base cost of Muskrat Falls power will be 14.3 cents per kilowatt hour.
That is if there are no construction overruns. What she does not say, however,
is that Newfoundland Power will have to add its cost and markup to that rate as
well. Our research shows that Newfoundland Power's markup varies from 40 per
cent to 60 per cent.
I ask the Premier today: Is it true Newfoundland Power, if they add just 40
per cent for its markup to the price that this will not double up the cost of
power to the people of the Province? You know the difference and you know
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this is another myth they have been banging around for weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the 14.3 cents per kilowatt hour includes the cost of the plant,
includes the cost of transmission, plus the return on transmission, it includes
return on equity, the cost of the debt interest, it includes the Labrador link,
and
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: it includes the rate of return, which is regulated
by the PUB in this Province. The rate of return that is earned by public
utilities in this Province, Mr. Speaker, is regulated by the PUB.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Included in that 14.3 cents are costs of overruns.
There are costs of overruns included in the 14.3 cents.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, on April 13, 2011, your government announced enhancements to the
dialysis service in St. Anthony. It is almost two months later and the wait list
still exists. The hours of operation are still the same. Patients are still left
in limbo waiting for someone to act. In fact, a recent e-mail from the CEO of
Labrador-Grenfell to one of the families on the waiting list states they hope to
be in the position to open the facility by the fall. That is almost a full
Budget year later.
I ask the minister: Why is this government and the health board dragging its
feet on such an important issue?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do not think it is fair to describe what this government is doing with
dialysis as dragging our feet. Mr. Speaker, since 2005 we have opened dialysis
sites in Burin, Carbonear, Gander, St. Anthony, Labrador West, Port aux Basques
and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. This year, Mr. Speaker, there was a $3.1 million
announcement where we extended dialysis in Burin, in St. Anthony, and also
announced new dialysis in Harbour Breton.
Mr. Speaker, between the Budget announcement and the opening of a unit, there
are certain things that have to take place. What is going on in St. Anthony, Mr.
Speaker, is that there has to be a new water system installed and that takes
time. There also have to be nurses trained. Essentially, we have announced the
money in the Budget. We will extend dialysis services, but the fall is when it
will take place that is correct.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have been speaking to family members throughout this week,
family members who are here in St. John's, who are doing dialysis, have been
here for three or four months, and do not know where they are going. We
understand today from the CEO that advertisements for the nursing positions have
not even yet been posted, let alone the two months or so of additional training
that will be required. The CEO says they are hoping to move forward as soon as
possible to advertise the additional dialysis nursing positions.
I ask the minister again: Why would there be a delay in advertising those
positions, a very fundamental piece of it, when they will play such a critical
role in the delivery of dialysis services?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Without getting into the details of any specific case, I am aware of what the
member opposite the family he is talking about. I did reply to them yesterday
in detail. I said to them I understand your anger and frustration, I understand
why you feel the way you do. I outlined in detail the process.
As for why the advertising has not taken place, I agree with you, they should
have been done by now. I have instructed the CEOs of both Labrador-Grenfell and
in Eastern Health to advertise for these nursing positions. Dialysis is a basic
service that is required by the people of this Province. It is something that we
are very proud of what we have done.
I say to the member opposite, on that point we do agree, Sir. To these
families, and to all of them, we are doing the best we can but between the
Budget it takes time to implement the services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is good to see that someone is taking action, quite frankly, because they
do not appear to be listening to the correspondence from the CEO of the board.
The St. Anthony expansion, Mr. Speaker, is delayed and will not see a
dialysis centre open until the fall. We realized on April 13 as well, the
government announced its expansion of three other sites in St. John's, Burin and
Stephenville.
I would just like to ask the minister: Are those proceeding ahead of the unit
we are speaking about today?
Mr. Speaker, thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, the Budget is not passed yet, but I will say in all seriousness, Mr.
Speaker, that the Members for Grand Bank and Burin-Placentia West
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. KENNEDY: have been in constant contact with me. We have people who
drive over that Burin highway, Mr. Speaker, to go to Clarenville and St. John's.
It is very unfortunate.
No, to answer your question, it is going to be the same time frame. Again,
there was some delay in advertising for the nursing positions. We are looking at
the fall. It is my understanding and the House Leader could tell us that the
Port aux Basques unit is either opening very shortly or has just opened. Lab
West, Mr. Speaker, is open. We are doing the best we can. As for Harbour Breton,
I have indicated in the past, Mr. Speaker, it takes time.
What I say to all the people of this Province: The message here is that this
government cares about each and every one of you and about your family members,
but it does take time to put things in place.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the people of Port Union are still in limbo after Hurricane Igor
and the damage to their fish plant over eight months ago. They are frustrated
with, we know, the government's failure to provide adequate assistance. They sat
in the gallery in April. The Premier promised government would find a way to
help. Over a month later, the people are still waiting.
I would like to ask: What is taking so long to respond?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are indeed working our way through that process. Myself and my two
colleagues, the other ministers who are involved from Municipal Affairs and
HRLE, have been working with our staff. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, we
have a meeting tomorrow morning with the union with the latest update. So, Mr.
Speaker, things are progressing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Fisheries recently as well sent out a letter to the key
players involved in the MOU in March to clarify some confusion about the
decision to reject the MOU report. I understand at least one of those players,
the FFAW, has sent in the response to the department.
I ask the minister today: Could he state clearly without going around in
circles with the whole issue what the status in the process is now? Does he see
that there will be any future developments arising from the process of the MOU
we have been through?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, we have received responses
from both parties. We do look forward to working with them. There are other
initiatives, Mr. Speaker, in the MOU around marketing and inventory financing
that we are working our way through. We hope to be able to work with the
industry around that.
Mr. Speaker, if we are going to make the changes those are the types of
things that we need back from the industry. To be quite honest with you, Mr.
Speaker, I did expect more back from both parties but we will work our way
through that I am certain. Mr. Speaker, the one response that I did not get back
yet, got it from everybody else on outside buying except the Opposition
Liberals, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill- Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this year's Budget announced a twenty-five cent increase for the
home support hourly subsidy rate. It is our understanding that every year in
recent times there have been increases of at least fifty cents, if not more, to
the hourly salary for home support workers. Both the employers and union came to
agreements based on the expectation that government would continue this pattern.
Mr. Speaker, I ask what is the Minister of Health and Community Services
going to do about the shortfall in the expected wage increase for home support
workers.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, as outlined by the member opposite we did
increase the home care support rate by twenty-five cents, but, Mr. Speaker, as
we look at and we have often talked about the long-term care strategy, there are
a whole bunch of issues that we have had to look at. This year we dealt with the
personal care homes. We increased the small personal care home subsidy, Mr.
Speaker, by $792,000 or $2,000 a month. Prior to the Budget we put a million
dollars into isolation grants. Mr. Speaker, we also are building our facilities
trying to finish off with our long-term care facilities. Significant
investments, Mr. Speaker, in the St. John's long-term care facility, Carbonear
and Lewisporte.
Mr. Speaker, what we are doing, we are not focusing on just one area. The
continuum of care is something we are looking at from the time the person is in
the home until the time they go into the long-term care. Mr. Speaker, need I
reiterate all the money we spent on senior's wellness and we are getting our
money back, Mr. Speaker, a hundred fold.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, this government recognizes its responsibility for the existence of home
care but under this government the home support hourly rate subsidy is an
essential part of the home care system and, Mr. Speaker, this year's drop in the
government subsidy is set to have a detrimental impact.
Mr. Speaker, could the minister clarify for employers, the union and workers
why this year's investment is only twenty-five cents more?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, what we have to do as a government in the
Budget process, we have to look at all of the needs and we have to balance those
needs. Now, I could be wrong, Mr. Speaker, but I thought we had also, in the
previous year, Budget 2010, increased the home care subsidy rate by twenty-five
cents. That is still approximately $3.5 million, if I remember correctly, Mr.
Speaker.
What we have done in the last number of years is invest over $200 million in
providing services, and again in the long-term care sector. I come back to the
basic point that this year we spent approximately $300,000 on seniors' Wellness
Grants. We put probably $100,000 out there in small grants to our seniors. What
we are doing, Mr. Speaker, we are trying to combine the preventative approach
with the treatment approach. Home care is one aspect of that, it is an important
aspect, but we are looking at all aspects of the provision of care.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we need a publicly funded and administered system where all home
support and long-term care facility workers are trained and paid equally. We are
coming to the end of the session of this House and the long awaited long-term
care and community support services strategy is still on the missing list, Mr.
Speaker. It is shameful that people in the Province still do not know what this
government's plan is for home support and long-term care.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister, before we close this House, will he tell us
exactly what he and his government envision for the care of the sick and the
elderly in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I do not want to correct the member opposite in
her use of grammar, but it is not a question of what we envision, it is a
question of what we have done. What we have done, Mr. Speaker, is spent over
$200 million
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, what we have done is spent over $200 million.
We built long-term care facilities throughout this Province, state-of-the-art
facilities in Corner Brook, in her own district in St. John's, Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi. Look at the towers rising down there.
What we are doing, Mr. Speaker, our strategy will outline where we are going
to go in the future but that does not take away what we have done in the past,
because the past leads to that strategy, which will lead to the future, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the Minister Responsible for the
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, to table the commission's
2010 annual performance report.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Pursuant to
section 10 of the Public Tender Act, I hereby
table the report of the Public Tender Act exceptions for April, 2011 as
presented by the Chief Operating Officer of the Government Purchasing Agency.
Further tabling of documents?
Notices of Motion.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in the House of Assembly today to present a petition on behalf of
people in Newfoundland and Labrador, and especially on behalf of women who are
asking that government reduce the age for screening of breast cancer in
Newfoundland and Labrador. They are asking the age be reduced from age fifty to
age forty, which is a new benchmark being established by provinces all across
Canada.
I will read the prayer of the petition which says:
WHEREAS breast cancer is the most common cancer among Newfoundland and
Labrador women excluding non-melanoma skin cancer with approximately 370 women
to be diagnosed with breast cancer in Newfoundland and Labrador this year; and
WHEREAS we have one of the highest mortality rates from breast cancer and
breast cancer in young women tends to be more aggressive; and
WHEREAS the benchmarks for Newfoundland and Labrador's organized breast
screening program is age fifty; and
WHEREAS women aged forty to forty-nine are not eligible to participate in
Newfoundland and Labrador's organized breast screening program while women aged
forty to forty-nine are eligible in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta,
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories and the Yukon; and
WHEREAS there is evidence that routine mammography screening of women in
their forties can reduce mortality from breast cancer by at least 24 per cent
but Newfoundland and Labrador still does not allow women in that age group to
self refer into their breast screening program;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to allow women aged forty to forty-nine to be eligible for
breast screening to begin at age forty and that all women be able to self refer
through Newfoundland and Labrador's screening programs.
Mr. Speaker, women throughout this Province cannot understand why the
government is not prepared to implement this new benchmark and policy around
breast screening for women in terms of early detection of breast cancer. Mr.
Speaker, we know that more than 370 women in our Province again this year will
be diagnosed with breast cancer. We know that more and more, younger women are
being diagnosed with breast cancer. We are asking our government, we are asking
the Province to bring us in line with the rest of the country. We want to allow
women in this Province to be able to self refer for mammography testing at least
at the age of forty and over, not fifty.
Mr. Speaker, the government can commit to do this and they can commit to do
it now. We feel, as an Opposition, that this is a very important issue. We feel
it is one that should be implemented in this Province. We feel there is clear
evidence out there to support this. That is why all the other provinces in
Canada are already doing it and others are reviewing and committing to do it.
Just recently, the Province of Ontario has said they will reduce the benchmark
for all women in their province and they will design a program of self referral.
Mr. Speaker, I hear from women all the time who were diagnosed at an earlier
age, who were diagnosed before the age of fifty. There is clear evidence out
there to support this.
I ask the government: Why drag this out? Why not make a commitment to the
women of this Province and move forward with this program?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I take this opportunity to present a petition once again on behalf of the
residents of Cape Ray who live in the District of Burgeo & La Poile. It
concerns, of course, the roadway from their community leading to J.T. Cheeseman
Provincial Park. It is only about a couple of kilometres at best, 1.5 kilometres
maybe to two kilometres long. It is gravel road, it has never been paved. They
are not asking for pavement. They are asking, basically, that it be made usable.
It is in deplorable condition right now. The prayer says:
WHEREAS the Department of Transportation and Works of the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador is responsible for the funding and maintenance of
roads in the community of Cape Ray; and
WHEREAS the roads at Cape Ray are in a deplorable condition, including the
road leading from the community to J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park; and
WHEREAS the citizens of Cape Ray demand the roads be upgraded;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to provide sufficient funding to complete
the necessary repairs to the roads at Cape Ray.
The principal concern here, as I have indicated to the minister privately
and I actually drew him a diagram as to what the roads were. He said he would be
checking into it. As of today when I checked, there has been nothing done with
it and nothing has been committed to be done with it. It is amazing that such a
small stretch of road with a few loads of fill and a grader, all of which are
adjacent to and right in the community, and we cannot get this done.
Apparently the guy on the ground there, vis--vis Transportation and Works,
who cannot do it and does not have the authority to do it, too frightened to
move to do it. Anyway, I brought this to the minister's attention. He is going
to speak - and hopefully we can get something done here. It is very frustrating.
It is not only the citizens who use this, Mr. Speaker. There are literally
dozens, hundreds, and thousands of tourists who go into that park and come out
through that community. So it is a small piece of work to be done or being
requested here, for a large reward, for example, how we impact the citizens and
how we impact people who travel to our Province to visit.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I get up today to present the remaining petitions I have on behalf of the
people in the District of Twillingate-New World Island. These are with regard to
the Notre Dame Bay Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, the issue out in the hospital there was that there were five
acute care beds that were redesignated as restorative care beds in their
facility. There was a need for restorative care beds in this hospital but there
was also a need for acute care beds. Government, as opposed to expanding the
service, they cut out five of the acute care beds in this facility and they
redesignated it to restorative care.
It is a little tricky, Mr. Speaker. It sounds good when you make an
announcement and put out a press release, although the member said yesterday
there was no release put out, but there was. When you put out a press release
announcing that you are going to do this project to provide alternate care for
people in the area, expand the service in the hospital, you would think that it
is something new and that a cut is not being considered as part of this project.
Mr. Speaker, these people have petitioned the House of Assembly and I will
read their petition for the record:
WHEREAS there were fifteen acute care beds in the Notre Dame Bay Memorial
Hospital Health Centre; and
WHEREAS five of the acute care beds closed last summer and did not reopen in
the fall; and
WHEREAS the availability of acute care beds is critical to the people of
Twillingate-New World Island; and
WHEREAS the shortage of acute care beds is resulting in people being denied
admittance to Notre Dame Bay Memorial Hospital Health Centre; and
WHEREAS the people of Twillingate-New World Island do not want to see their
health care services cut;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to reinstate the five acute care beds in the Notre Dame Bay
Memorial Hospital Health Centre.
Mr. Speaker, these petitions have come from communities all over that area
because there are people all over the region who depend upon the service there.
Just going through the petitions, they came from places like Herring Neck, Bay
View, Durrell, Morton's Harbour, Valley Pond, Bridgeport, Summerford, Virgin
Arm, Cottlesville, Twillingate, Carter's Cove, Too Good Arm, Crow Head those
were just some of the ones that I jotted down when I was going through this.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the member for the area said that we did not even
propose any questions around this particular issue. We did, we actually wrote to
the minister and to the regional health care authority. We wrote them back in
February; I have the correspondence here. We asked them to clarify what was
happening in this facility in Twillingate-New World Island, the health care
facility. We did receive a letter back about six weeks later from the minister.
We also received a letter a couple of weeks later from the CEO of the health
corporation explaining what was happening here, and we did correspond with
people in the member's district who had called us about this. We gave them
copies of those letters. We explained the situation and the responses we had
gotten, and it was their decision, Mr. Speaker, to petition the government and
ask the government to restore those beds in their health care facility. So
whether the member for the area agrees with it or not, that is the story, that
is how it unfolded, and that is the reason they are petitioning the House of
Assembly today.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate an opportunity, the last time this session, to enter a petition
on behalf of the people of La Poile. Hopefully, we will have it done, so when I
come back here in the fall, Mr. Speaker, I will not have to hound the Minister
of Transportation and Works anymore to get this done. I think this is the number
eleventh or twelfth time we have done this.
The petition reads, very clearly worded, Mr. Speaker, to say what it is that
is needed:
WHEREAS the people of La Poile must use the provincial ferry system in order
to travel to and from La Poile; and
WHEREAS the people of La Poile and visitors are required to wait at the Town
of Rose Blanche from time to time for the ferry; and
WHEREAS there is no restroom-waiting room at the Town of Rose Blanche where
users of the ferry service may use washroom facilities; and
WHEREAS citizens of all ages, men, women, children, seniors, disabled persons
require washroom facilities as a basic human need in the course of their
travels, and particularly while they are awaiting transit systems; and
WHEREAS it is an abuse of human dignity as well as health and safety
regulations to allow such degrading and dehumanizing circumstances to continue;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to immediately construct and operate a
waiting room-washroom facility at that location.
People commonly call it the porta-potty petition, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we do
not want a porta-potty petition, we want a washroom petition. We did this back
earlier on for Ramea, Grey River area, and the minister of that time came
through with it. I have had some conversations with the current minister and
hopefully he will see his way clear so that we can manage to do this, because it
is one of the few locations and areas in the Province where people are still
using very demeaning, dehumanizing circumstances. Hopefully, they can get a
washroom. It is not a big deal but absolutely essential if you are travelling
and using their provincial government service.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We will go to the Order Paper and we will call Motion 2, which is Bill 30.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I have received a message from His Honour, the
Lieutenant Governor,
MR. SPEAKER: All rise.
As Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I
transmit Estimates of sums required for the Public Service of the Province for
the year ending 31 March 2012, by way of further Supply and in accordance with
the provisions of sections 54 and 90 of the Constitution Act, 1867, I recommend
these Estimates to the House of Assembly.
Sgd.: ____________________________
John C. Crosbie, Lieutenant Governor
Please be seated.
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Government House Leader, that the
Message be referred to a Committee of Supply.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the letter be referred to a Committee of
Supply and that I do now leave the Chair.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (T. Osborne): Order, please!
The Committee is now reviewing the resolution and Supply Bill.
Resolution
"That it is expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the granting to
Her Majesty for defraying certain expenses of the public service for the
financial year ending March 31, 2012 the sum of $4,690,903,500."
CHAIR: Shall the resolution carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, resolution carried.
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: Clauses 2 to 4 inclusive.
CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 4 inclusive carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clauses 2 through 4 carried.
CLERK: The schedule.
CHAIR: Shall the
schedule carry?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
On motion,
schedule 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:
Whereas it appears that the sums mentioned are required to defray
certain expenses of the Public Service of Newfoundland and Labrador for the
financial year ending March 31, 2012 and for other purposes relating to the
Public Service.
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:
An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For
Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending
March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
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 resolution and Bill 30 carried without
amendment?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed a resolution and a bill
consequent thereto, carried.
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Chair, I move, seconded by the Government House Leader,
that the total contained in the Estimates in the amount of $4,690,903,500 for
the 2011-2012 fiscal year be carried, and I further move that the Committee
report that they have adopted a resolution and a bill consequent thereto, and
ask leave to sit again.
CHAIR: The motion is that the total contained in the Estimates in the
amount of $4,690,903,500 for the fiscal years 2011-2012 be carried, and that the
Committee report they have adopted a resolution and a bill consequent thereto,
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 (Fitzgerald): The hon. the Member for St. John's South and
Deputy Speaker.
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Committee of Supply have considered the matters to them referred and have
directed me to report they have passed the amount of $4,690,903,500 for the
2011-2012 fiscal year, have adopted a certain resolution, recommend that a bill
be introduced to give effect to the same, and ask leave to sit again.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of Committee of Supply reports that the Committee
have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to report
that the Committee have adopted a certain resolution, and recommend that a bill
be introduced to give effect to same, and ask leave to sit again.
When shall the report be received?
MS BURKE: Now, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Now.
When shall the Committee have leave to sit again?
MS BURKE: Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.
On motion, report received and adopted. Committee ordered to sit again on
tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance,
that the resolution be now read the first time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that this resolution be now read a
first time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that this resolution be
now read a first time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: That it is expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the
granting to Her Majesty for defraying certain expenses of the public service for
the financial year ending March 31, 2012 the sum of $4,690,903,500.
On motion, resolution read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. the Minister of
Finance, that the resolution be now read the second time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is properly moved and seconded by the hon. the Government
House Leader that this resolution be now read a second time.
Is it the pleasure of the House that this resolution be now read a second
time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: That it is expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the
granting to Her Majesty for defraying certain expenses of the public service for
the financial year ending March 31, 2012 the sum of $4,690,903,500.
On motion, resolution read a second time.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance,
for leave to introduce the Supply Bill, Bill 30, and I further move that the
said bill be now read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of
Finance shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled the Supply Bill, Bill 30,
and that this bill be now read a first time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 30 be now read
a first time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money
For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year
Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
(Bill 30)
Motion, the hon. the Minister of Finance to introduce a bill, "An Act For
Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of
The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other
Purposes Relating To The Public Service", carried. (Bill 30)
On motion, Bill 30 read a first time, ordered read a second time presently,
by leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance,
that the Supply Bill be now read a second time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded by the hon. the Government House
Leader that the Supply Bill, Bill 30, be now read a second time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 30 be now read
a second time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money
For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year
Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
(Bill 30)
Motion, second reading of a bill "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain
Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The
Financial Year Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The
Public Service". (Bill 30)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance,
that the Supply Bill be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is properly moved and seconded that the Supply Bill, Bill
30, be now read a third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money
For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year
Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service.
(Bill 30)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 30, the Supply Bill, is now read a third time and it is
ordered that Bill 30 do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money
For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year
Ending March 31, 2012 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service",
read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill
30)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We will return to the Order Paper, and I will call Motion 1.
MR. SPEAKER: Motion 1, that this House approves in general the budgetary
policy of the government, otherwise known as the Budget Speech.
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I guess there is a first for everything, and I might try it again in October.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: I have to say, Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour and a
pleasure to be given the opportunity here this evening to say a few words in
closing during the fourth session of the forty-sixth General Assembly.
I would be misleading - I do not want to mislead this hon. House - if I said
I did not stand here today with some mixed emotions. After twenty-two years it
is difficult to just walk away; however, the decisions that I made prior to the
election of 2007 still stands and I know it was the correct decision for my
family and I. It is totally personal. My party and leader have my support 100
per cent.
As of tomorrow, June 1, until 8 p.m. October 11, I will be doing whatever I
can to return a Liberal candidate to the hon. House of Assembly from the
District of Port de Grave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: During my twenty-two years, I have had the opportunity to
work under fourteen leaders of our Party. From 1966 to 2007 I have been actively
involved with thirteen general elections, plus all federal elections from 1966
to 2011. During that time I have witnessed ten Premiers who have led our
Province, all the way from Premier Smallwood to our current Premier, Premier
Dunderdale. I must say, I had a relationship good and bad, because five of them
were Liberal and five were PC.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, twenty-two years; yes, twenty-two
years. Twelve years as executive assistant sitting here in the gallery, and ten
years this coming June as the elected official for the Port de Grave district in
a by-election in 2001, re-elected in 2003, and again in 2007.
As my political journey is winding down, I can honestly say, I enjoyed every
minute. Making thousands of friends, my life has been enriched with the hundreds
of memories that will last forever. Over twenty-two years I have worked with
people from Georgestown which is now in the District of Harbour Main, as far in
the other direction to Brians Cove, which is in the District of Harbour
Grace-Carbonear. Today, my district consists of communities all the way from
Island Cove to and including Makinsons. I have to say, I am very proud of all
the residents and humbled by the support they have shown me.
I can assure you, my colleagues will attest to this, it takes great teamwork
and tremendous support to survive the election of 2007, which I classify as a
Tsunami.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUTLER: I want to pay tribute to a few people, with your permission,
Mr. Speaker. The four departments: Social Services they were called then:
Transportation and Works; Fisheries and Aquaculture; and Intergovernmental
Affairs. The tremendous working relationship I had there when we were working in
those four departments, friendships that were made and last to this very day.
To the Commissionaires, the security, Hansard - God only knows how many times
they had to come to me and say: What was that you said? We cannot pick it out -
our parliamentary library, the Table Officers here in the House, and yourself,
Mr. Speaker, as well as the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the corporate members who have
a difficult job to do as the investigations unfolded here in the House, and the
tremendous job they have now to keep us all straight and above-board.
I want to recognize the staff in the Official Opposition office. Even though
we are small in numbers, we did not get all the funding we wanted a few years
ago, but having said that, those young men and women are a credit to the office.
They go beyond the call of duty doing their research so that our leader and
fellow colleagues have the information that we need from time to time. Also to
my co-worker of twelve years, while I was an executive assistant and ten years
she has been my constituency assistant, Ms Joan Efford who now works in the
office in Bay Roberts, I want to thank her.
To my colleagues in the Official Opposition, what can you say? Two of them, I
have worked with them now for the full ten years. In a by-election a little over
a year ago, my colleague from The Straits & White Bay North came on stream. I
have to say he is a character, a great friend, and someone who keeps me going
every day. I want to thank all three of them for the extra work that they have
done over the past several weeks for me.
I want to thank my family. I know Maude and Darrell are here in the building
today, but also the immediate family who are at home. Because, ladies and
gentlemen, anyone who enters the political arena, it is not an easy life when
you want to have a good family life. We all know that, the ministers know more
about it than the backbenchers from the time they spend away from their
families. It is a tremendous chore on any family, but it is a profession that
calls for that and I want to commend each and every one of you.
To the constituents in Port de Grave district, I want to say, once again, a
sincere thank you for your support. To the hundreds of calls that I have
received in the past, I would say, four or five weeks, calls of congratulations
and calls of saying: Why don't you reconsider and run again? To them, I say: I
am sorry.
To all colleagues here in the hon. House, all forty-seven forty-six, one is
the Speaker but we are all forty-seven colleagues I want to say it has been an
honour and a pleasure. I believe over the ten years I have been here, many
friendships have been made. There are times we all do not agree. You hear that
every day as we heckle back and forth across the House. To each and every one of
you, the member of the Third Party and all government members, I want to wish
you good health and success in the future, but not the amount of success I have
to offer to my own colleagues when October comes.
Mr. Speaker, I have to mention one member here in this hon. House and that is
the Member for Lake Melville. On many occasions when I would stand, he would
say: Socrates is on his feet again. You will hear it now. Well, I could not get
a quote from Socrates but I did get one from Confucius. He said: "Our greatest
glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail."
Mr. Speaker, if anyone followed my career from the time I went to work with
John Efford up to now, I failed many times. I have fallen many times, but it is
because of the great people of the District of Port de Grave that they have
lifted and planted my feet on solid ground. I am humbled to be standing here
representing them today.
So, Mr. Speaker, with that, I say: Thank you for the opportunity and God
bless you all.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
First of all, I would like to express my personal appreciation to the hon.
Member for Port de Grave, because I knew him long before he got into politics,
through the Lions organization, and I know that he has always done a really good
job wherever he has gone. So I would like to thank him personally, and wish him
all the best in the future.
Mr. Speaker, it is always an opportunity and a privilege to say a few words
on a Budget, and today certainly is my privilege now, even though I have been
told I do not have much time, because the Premier is going to need a fair bit of
time. So I am certainly prepared to give her whatever she needs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I want to also congratulate all those who spoke
on the Budget, especially my colleague for Humber West, he is our newest member.
I say that because there are three of us here now, out of the forty-eight, who
have direct roots to the little Town of Greenspond in Bonavista North. That is
myself, who was born and raised there, the hon. Member for Humber West, his
parents were born and raised there he moved to Pool's Island a short time
after and the hon. Opposition House Leader, the Member for Burgeo & La Poile,
his parents were also born and raised in Greenspond. So I thought I would just
like to mention that for the record, three sitting members from such a small
community at any one time.
So, Mr. Speaker, over the past eight years or so we have certainly come a
long ways in this Province. Back then, eight years ago, when we had our first
Budget, the Premier at the time made the statement that he would need or his
government would need eight years to lay the foundation for this Province, and
that has been done, Mr. Speaker. Now, we have a new Premier, and she is building
on that foundation. I do not think we should forget, Mr. Speaker, who this new
Premier really is. We should not forget that she was a key player, when she was
Minister of Natural Resources, in negotiating improvements to the Province's
agreement with Vale Inco, and now we have the Long Harbour Project out there
going full speed ahead. In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, she was also, when she
was Minister of Natural Resources, instrumental in playing a major role in
securing unprecedented super-royalty and equity agreements with
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: the White Rose Project, with the Hebron Project, and with
Hibernia South Extension. Also while Minister of Natural Resources she was
directly involved and played a key role with the planning and development of the
Muskrat Falls hydro-electric deal.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I think the people of the Province should
remember that when October 11 comes.
While driving back from my district on Sunday, Mr. Speaker, I was listening
to CBC, I think it was, and they made a comment about the Liberal AGM here in
St. John's on the weekend. One of the things that the Leader of the Opposition
said was that she wanted to change the fiscal management system that our
government has been following. Mr. Speaker, I could hardly believe what she was
saying. It is only recently that Standard & Poor's, the largest and most
reputable credit bond rating company in North America, that they upgraded our
credit rating from A to A+.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: The highest that has ever been since we have been a Province
of Canada.
Also, Mr. Speaker, only recently the Chairman of the Bank of Canada classed
Newfoundland and Labrador as the best jurisdiction in Canada in terms of fiscal
management.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: In fact he went on to say that Newfoundland and Labrador
should be used as a model for this country in terms of fiscal management. Mr.
Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants to change that.
Also, Mr. Speaker, more recently the Chief Economist with the Scotia Bank
said that our investments this year in infrastructure are really important
investments and they are good investments even though we may have to borrow to
do that. She also referred to that move as one of the great ones in terms of
economic and fiscal management, Mr. Speaker. I think the people of the Province
should be very cautious in listening to what the Leader of the Opposition will
be saying between now and October 11, especially in terms of fiscal management.
Mr. Speaker, I wanted to make a few comments about the Muskrat Falls deal, if
I could, because in our Throne Speech and in the Budget we placed great emphasis
on that project and so we should, Mr. Speaker, because Muskrat Falls is one of
the most attractive and clean energy projects in North America.
I do not think we should forget the fact either, Mr. Speaker, and I think
most people realize that the era of cheap energy anywhere in the world is
imminent, not only because of the depletion of these resources because, as we
all know, they are non-renewable. Since 2000, energy prices, in terms of fuel,
have quadrupled and they are still going up. Also, we should not forget that
countries like Tunisia and Egypt that were major exporters of oil are now
importers of oil. It is also being said that countries like Bahrain, Yemen and
Syria also major exporters of oil, are now becoming in the not too distant
future importers of oil. So that is going to have a major impact on the world
prices of oil, Mr. Speaker.
With respect to the Muskrat Falls deal, I think as important as the obvious
benefits might be in terms of employment opportunities, in terms of potential
economic advantages especially for Labrador, in terms of security of clean
electrical power, the benefits from that project are immeasurable.
Normally, Mr. Speaker, when you hear talk of a Budget being presented, you
would always look for whether there are going to be tax increases or whether
there are going to be cuts in services. Whenever you see that, you would have to
say that it is a good Budget. This year again, Mr. Speaker, no tax increases, no
cuts in services, so most people I think would agree that we have presented
another great Budget for the people of this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, just another few comments if I could in terms
of the Muskrat Falls development. I refer to comments made by Mr. George with
the small independent business association when he said our spending has
increased by 75 per cent. Well, Mr. Speaker, so has our revenue increased by 75
per cent. He also said that we should put money into a heritage fund. I would
like to ask the question, Mr. Speaker: When we are investing in the Lower
Churchill Project, what is that doing? When we are investing in a renewable
resource, what is that doing? I can only say that if you want to call it a
heritage fund or whatever, that it is investing in the future of this Province.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that the foundation has been
laid. We are building on that foundation. From region to region, resource to
resource, industry by industry, and enterprise by enterprise, Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians are moving forward with boldness in the marketplace. We are
moving forward to generate the kind of economic activity that is going to
sustain our communities for generations to come. With the vision, with the
ingenuity, and with the passion of our new Premier
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: and with the right public policies of her government, Mr.
Speaker, we shall ensure that our wealth of natural resources will work to our
advantage and will provide lasting benefits to the future of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in this House today and speak to
Budget 2011. It is the eighth Budget of this government, the eighth since 2003,
but it is my very first Budget as Premier.
Let me begin, Mr. Speaker, by first offering my gratitude to the Minister of
Finance for his masterful work. Our Department of Finance is second to none
second to none and I commend them for their unwavering commitment to the
people of this Province. A job well done, Minister. Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, this year, the minister began this
process as he has done in years gone by. Mr. Speaker, he started to prepare his
Budget by first listening to the people of this Province. He travelled the
length and breadth of Newfoundland and Labrador to hear what our people had to
say about what was important in their lives.
Mr. Speaker, listening is a trademark of this government. Members of this
caucus do it day in, day out. They go home in their communities. They are out
amongst the people they serve and represent here in the House of Assembly. They
talk to them in their own homes, in their own communities, about what they want
from their government. They bring that back here and clearly reflect it at the
caucus table and at the Cabinet table, Mr. Speaker. That is what drives policy
development and program development in our government. Nothing is more important
to me, as Premier, than hearing from the people of the Province that we are
charged to serve and nothing is more important to the caucus that I work with
every day.
Mr. Speaker, too many people in this world live under governments that do not
listen. Mr. Speaker, to have such a high standard is extremely important, not
only for the people here in the House of Assembly but for the people of our
the people, by the people, for the people. Mr. Speaker, that always has to be
the guiding principle for everything we do. We do that by building partnerships
and a sense of community wherever we go in this Province. We talk about
self-reliance and being masters of our own destiny, we can only do that if we
all become one team working together. Only then do we reach our greatest
potential.
We have an obligation to work as partners to secure a strong and sustainable
future for the people of this Province. We owe our children and their children
nothing less than our total engagement, not only as politicians but as the
people who live in this beautiful place and are charged with seeing it grow and
prosper. So that means we have to work with open ears, with clear vision, with
compassionate hearts and an unfailing commitment to the best interests of the
people we serve. We need to continue to listen day in and day out.
We have shared values in this Province. Despite all our colourful accents and
our brogues, we really do speak with one voice. We express very fluently our
values, what is important to us as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Most of us
speak most of the time about the goals we share as a people and as a Province
and the fundamental values that under carry all of those goals.
Mr. Speaker, we want an economically sustainable future here in Newfoundland
and Labrador. We want our society to be grounded on sustainability. Mr. Speaker,
we want stability in our economy. We are a resource driven Province. It was the
fishery resource that brought the first people to our shores, Mr. Speaker. The
fishery is extremely important and we have had wonderful highs in this Province
from the fishery, but we have also experienced terrible lows. That is why it is
important to diversify, so that when we have that ebb and flow in our resources,
when we have that ebb and flow which is so normal in commodities, there is
something else to help us ride out the storm.
People are very realistic in this Province. You could not live in this place
and not be grounded in reality. One of my favourite, favourite books is
Random Passage . I read it every year, because I go down to Trinity every
year. When I go to Trinity I have to go out to Cape Random and the movie set
where they filmed Random Passage . I have to bring my book with me because
it is such an inspiring story about who we are as a people, about our
forebearers who built this place.
Sometimes in the middle of winter when it is sleety and cold and barren and
the wind is whistling, you think about the conditions under which those people
lived. You think to yourself, how bad was it where they came from that this was
good? This was good to be in such a harsh climate without enough food, without
proper shelter, without proper clothing. As tough as it was, it was better than
where they came from. Not only was it better than where they came from but here
they also sensed an opportunity, an opportunity to build something better.
The courage and the fortitude of those men and women as they went into lonely
coves and harbours, where they fished day and night, where they lived in huts
put together with a few small trees and mud, where they bore their children and
tried to educate them, tried to build community. You cannot help but be lifted
up by the stories of who they were. You cannot help but be inspired by their
vision, their passion and their tenacity. If they had the courage to invest
everything they had, even their lives, in the building of this place, how much
more for us who are so much better off in so many ways to continue to build on
what they started for us?
That is what we have been doing in this government for the last eight years.
We have been standing patiently and unflinchingly, fighting for things like the
Atlantic Accord, like equity stakes in our offshore oil projects, and like
Voisey's Bay development enhanced Voisey's Bay development that saw real
benefits come to the people of the Province, not best efforts like the original
agreement stated. Best efforts are not good enough. You need real benchmarks
that can be measured.
The people of this Province demand today real benchmarks. We are tired,
tired, tired because in the midst of our hard work and our struggle to sustain
ourselves and build community, too many people came our way and took advantage
of us too many people. We saw our resources building better lives for people
outside of our Province. We made a solemn promise as a government and as a party
in 2003 that there would be no more giveaways and that we would develop
resources in this Province in the best interest of the people of the Province.
Yes, we want investors to come. We go all over the world encouraging them to
do so, telling our story, telling them what is available to them in Newfoundland
and Labrador, this wonderful place, and telling them: You come invest your money
with us and we will do everything we can to ensure that you get a healthy return
on that investment and that you will get something back. We also need to tell
you the people of the Province need to get something back as well. So we need to
become partners in building a success story around your company and building a
bigger success story in building the economy in this Province.
That is what we have done, and we have succeeded, Mr. Speaker. We have done
really well. We will continue to do well into the future. Mr. Speaker, we have
prospered in the last eight years and some of that, no doubt, has been due to
the price of oil and the resurgence in commodities like iron ore. It is also due
to good fiscal planning. It is also due to good solid investments in the
business community in this Province, to economic development, to rural
development specifically. It has been in the midst of great difficulties for
some of our people.
I will never forget early in our term going to Harbour Breton when Fishery
Products International announced the closure of the plant. The community came
together to talk to Premier Williams at the time and to myself. It is not a
moment you would ever forget, Mr. Speaker. To stand in the midst of men and
women who could not see a way forward, who were stressed to the absolute maximum
because they were worried about how they were going to look after their
children. Were they going to be able to live in their community? Were they going
to have to leave their community to go places beyond and leave their homes
behind and leave everything they had worked their whole life for that would be
no value to them beyond Harbour Breton? To stand in a room where grown men, who
had risked their lives every day facing the perils of the sea, crying, sobbing;
proud men but so caught in fear, anxiety and stress that they wept openly.
Mr. Speaker, people came forward with all kinds of ideas about what we ought
to be doing down in Harbour Breton. We were roundly chastised when we would not
put a shrimp plant down there, roundly criticized when we would not have roll-on
roll-off ferries that just did something for tourism down there. I mean there
was no end to the suggestions that were coming forward. Mr. Speaker, every time
we investigated and really strongly felt that it was not appropriate to make
that kind of investment, we were given the gears, we were hauled over the coals;
the selfish, uncaring, cold people, a cold government that was not responsive to
the people.
That was not the case, Mr. Speaker. We persevered, we worked with the
community, we studied the region, we looked at what was possible, and we looked
at what the strengths of the region were. What did they have in resources, Mr.
Speaker? We looked at an industry that had just been limping along for years in
aquaculture, and we found a jewel, a jewel that we could polish and do something
with. Mr. Speaker, that is what we did. We talked to the community about it. We
went to people who were involved in the aquaculture industry outside of this
Province who had an expertise. We brought them in. They formed partnerships on
the ground in Harbour Breton. This government made the appropriate investments
in infrastructure, in working capital funds.
Mr. Speaker, what a joy it was for me and members of the Economic Policy
Committee of this government to go back last year to Harbour Breton. The place
was buzzing. The energy was incredible. To be taken on a tour of the plant that
was in full production, processing fish raised on fish farms, salmon raised on
fish farms. The plant that had been falling down in disrepair was vibrant with
energy and people earning a living making good money. To talk to mayors in the
surrounding community who have wept because their community was going to die a
few years before, saying we need more money for infrastructure, the roads cannot
keep up with the traffic and the eighteen-wheeler trucks going in and out of
this place. That is the difference, Mr. Speaker.
It is an easy, easy thing for governments to do, is to throw money at a
problem. Even better, if you can give it to the people in the community and say,
here you go, straighten yourselves out. Knowing full well that often the
resources they need to do that are not available to them, that the capacity is
not there to do it, they do not have the access to do what they need to do. When
they spend the money and nothing results from it, governments get to walk away
and say: well look, we did what we could do. We gave you $10 million, we gave
you the $15 million. Not only did you fail the first time, you failed again. So,
this community is a write off. You are a bunch of losers because you just cannot
get it together.
Now, I saw that happen. I saw that happen in this Province when governments
walked away from their responsibility and set communities up for another failure
and then blamed them when the inevitable happened. That is not the way this
government does business, Mr. Speaker. That is not the way this government does
business.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: We walk with our people because that is what we are
charged to do as politicians. We do not become separate from our communities
because we get elected to this House of Assembly. We listen to what people have
to say. We work with them to find solutions. We go beyond the community when the
capacity is not in the community to do what needs to be done. We source it in
other places and we bring it home to work with our community partners to
rebuild, to grow, and to reinvest. Mr. Speaker, while we are doing that, we see
the difference that kind of approach has made in the lives of the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our initiatives in education; what that has meant for young people and access
to post-secondary education. What a joy it was, Mr. Speaker, to be a member of
this government when for the very first time, five years ago we went over $1
billion investment in our Budget in education in one year. Mr. Speaker, that is
absolutely marvellous.
Mr. Speaker, I came from a generation that had to get over apologizing for
who we were and what we sounded like. I marvel at our young people here today.
Mr. Speaker, I was here in this House of Assembly this morning with ninety-one
young elementary school children. They are bright, they are smart, they are
healthy, they are beautiful, they are full of energy, and they are full of hope.
Mr. Speaker, it lifts you up. If you ever needed a reminder of what we are doing
in this place, all you had to do was come here this morning and look at those
beautiful young faces and know that the world is available to them. Why is it?
Because they will be properly trained, educated, and supported in our
communities here in this place. They will be fed and looked after by their
parents because they have the means to do it. They will either be able to do it
because of the good work that is available in this Province and the good wages
that are available to the people in this Province from all the different
businesses that we have on the go, all the different resources that we have
being developed here in this Province, or because of the social programs that we
have to support families who are going through a rough patch. We are doing our
very best to make sure nobody gets left behind, that we are an inclusive society
and that everybody in this place matters to us.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, we are doing that, and one of the main
ways we are doing that as a government is by being fiscally responsible. Look at
the wonderful things we are able to do in this place. In 2003 when we came to
government, we were $12 billion in debt. Our annual Budget had nearly a $1
billion deficit, that first year.
I will never forget our first Budget exercise for as long as I live. I came
to this place full of enthusiasm, full of passion for this place, filled with
ideas about how working together with my colleagues I could make a difference in
the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and then I got in the Cabinet
room and we had to deal with the Budget. Basically, we were bankrupt. Not only
were we not able to have a great deal of discussion about new initiatives, we
had to talk about what we were going to cut just to keep the place afloat.
I remember night after night not being able to sleep, almost becoming
breathless with the responsibility that was on our shoulders to try to find a
way forward. How many times did we talk about carving it off a little piece at a
time, what we could manage, and doing what was right and trying to find a way
forward. Mr. Speaker, we found the way forward. Since that time, how many
surpluses, Minister?
AN HON. MEMBER: Six.
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Six consecutive surpluses in our Budget and we have
reduced our debt by almost $4 billion - unheard of.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: While we have been able to improve the standard of
living for every Newfoundlander and Labradorian. We have invested in hospitals.
We have invested in schools. We have invested in highways and bridges. Mr.
Speaker, we have invested in small and medium-sized business to drive the
economy of this Province.
Mr. Speaker, when we came in 2003 the Liberal government of the day was
investing $2.6 million in economic development in this Province - scandalous,
absolutely scandalous - with $1 billion deficit and a $12 billion debt. What
were you doing with the money because you were not trying to build the economy
of this place? Today, under this government, over $130 million is available to
businesses in this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, in terms of our offshore, a royalty
regime that had been negotiated on Hibernia, the top tier that nobody it would
have taken a miracle for us to ever get the full payout on that project and
receive the kind of royalties that people talked about in the agreement. Mr.
Speaker, we had companies delaying investing in our offshore because there were
no timelines on them. They could keep it for fifty years, or seventy-five years,
or 100 years. When the time was right for them, they would come invest in
Newfoundland and Labrador, because there was no requirement for them to develop
like there was in most other places in the world.
If you had to develop something over in Asia, they were telling you to hop to
it and you better get it done in a certain length of time or you were going to
lose your lease. So why would you invest over here when you knew that one was
safe? You go secure the one that you had to make the investment in, and our
government said oh no, you do not. While we did not get a great deal of support
in terms of the whole land tenure piece, Mr. Speaker, we were able to bring
enough pressure to bear on the oil companies, again amidst a storm of
controversy and abuse, often led by our friends across the way I might add. They
always understand the other person's point of view. They have a little
difficulty aligning themselves with the aspirations, the hopes, and dreams of
the people in Newfoundland and Labrador. If somebody has a contrary point of
view, you can look for a good explanation of it and a spirited defence, often,
of the other point of view from across the way.
Mr. Speaker, we were able to bring incredible pressure to bear on the oil
companies that they had to be more responsive, more respectful of the people of
this Province if they were going to do business here. They came back to the
table and as a result we were able to negotiate Hebron - unprecedented benefits
to the people of this Province. For the first time in the history of this
country, gender and diversity plans, probably the first in the world, Mr.
Speaker. Even now companies come back to us and say we were so resistant on that
piece, yet we are taking the template that was developed in Newfoundland and
Labrador and we are applying it around the world because it works for us, it
works for our partners in other countries.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, we were able to negotiate super
royalties. We could not dream it twenty-five or thirty years ago, it is a
reality here today. Mr. Speaker, we became partners in the development of our
own resources by taking equity, which will bring returns to the people of this
Province for as long as there is oil out there.
How good were these arrangements? Well, Mr. Speaker, there is going to be a
little shifting, a little weaving, and ups and downs as we go through our oil
reserves in the next two years. Our oil reserves are starting to drop now, and
that is why it is important that we encourage companies to keep exploring and to
keep investing in Newfoundland and Labrador, because we need to find new oil
reserves. Even though our reserves are dropping, our royalties, our income from
oil and gas is going up. It is going up because this government negotiated those
super royalties and got that equity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: So, Mr. Speaker, while we give clarity to the
business community about what they can expect from the people of Newfoundland
and Labrador, when we give them clarity about what Newfoundland and Labrador
expects from them when you invest in business development here in our own
communities all over this Province - I heard our wonderful Minister of
Innovation, Trade and Rural Development speak in this House last week, talking
about over 70 per cent of the small- and medium-size business funding that we
have in this Province going outside the Northeast Avalon.
Mr. Speaker, you can see it in communities as you go about this Province. You
can hear it in the voices of our young people who are such proud Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians, who have such hope for this place and such confidence in who
they are and what this place is, and their role in what it will become. Mr.
Speaker, it just lifts you up. How can anybody not be moved and not be
passionate about what we do when you hear those young voices? They talk to us
all the time. It is absolutely marvellous. We have achieved that balance of
investment, fiscal responsibility, listening to our people and making the right
choices with them about what it is they need for a healthy life here in this
Province.
Mr. Speaker, one of the most exciting projects that we have been involved in
is the development of Muskrat Falls. The Leader of the Opposition pounds day
after day in this House of Assembly with her two or three questions around
Muskrat Falls, and yet, she cannot knock this file back. She cannot do it
because this is work that has been well done.
Mr. Speaker, everybody in this Province has a scar on their soul from the
Upper Churchill contract. Every one of us, who is old enough to understand,
knows the wrong that was done to the people of this Province in that contract
that gets done day after day, after day. I was Minister of Natural Resources for
four years, and I dealt with the Churchill River in one way or another, almost
on a daily basis. Even with that amount of exposure, I could not desensitize
myself to the terrible wrong that has been done to the people of this Province.
All I needed to hear was that in 2009 Hydro-Quebec earned $2 billion from the
Upper Churchill and Newfoundland and Labrador earned $67 million, to put me in a
state.
Now, Mr. Speaker, while that is a great hurt in the psyche of the people of
this Province, there is also a great fear that can go with that when you are a
government and you are looking to do the next deal. Nobody, nobody ever wants to
be hung with that epitaph, that you developed a second Upper Churchill; that the
benefits of one of our greatest resources went to people out the very history
we are trying to change, to be part of repeating that mistake is nothing that
any government wants anything to do with it. Although, Mr. Speaker, I have to
say, we came pretty close to doing that in 2003. We came close to doing it in
2003, because if you keep doing the same old thing you will keep getting the
same old result.
Mr. Speaker, one thing that oil companies have is expertise and one thing
that Hydro-Qubec has and can well afford because of its great income, is
expertise. When you go to the negotiating table you better be prepared. You
better be prepared to deal with your opponent. You need to deal; you need to be
as smart, as bright, and as well-informed as the person who is sitting across
the table from you.
I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, I do not know all of the negotiators in
the 2003 deal because it is hard to know who knew anything about it. The board
of directors of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro did not know anything about it.
From statements made here in the House of Assembly I do not think the Cabinet
knew about it. The Premier knew about it, Hydro-Qubec knew about it, and I can
guarantee you the people of Newfoundland and Labrador did not know anything
about it. In terms of what we know of what was negotiated, Mr. Speaker, it is
hard to think how it could get worse than the Upper Churchill.
The 2003 deal on the Lower Churchill was worse than the Upper Churchill. At
least we are getting $67 million a year now on that deal. Remember when that
project would have been going forward, it would have been going forward when the
bottom was falling out of the world, when we were having the economic crisis
that we are just starting to get out and beyond now. That is when all of that
so you want to talk about overruns. Newfoundland and Labrador would have been
responsible for all of the overruns. If we could not finance the overruns now
remember we had a $12 billion debt then Hydro-Qubec would finance the
overruns and end up owning the whole project.
I do not mind questions on overruns, Mr. Speaker. It is a good thing that we
were around as an Opposition in 2002 and 2003 to ask those questions. Mr.
Speaker, you cannot be paralyzed by fear, you have to move forward. It is our
greatest resource in this Province today. I mean we have 3,000 megawatts in the
Lower Churchill. We have another 6,000 megawatts in its tributaries. We have
ridiculous amounts of wind in Labrador. We talk about 5,000 megawatts because
people can relate to 5,000 megawatts. It is hard to relate to 10,000, 15,000, or
20,000 megawatts of wind, but there is phenomenal wind in Labrador. There is
phenomenal wind in this Province. There is new technology being developed around
tidal energy. We are surrounded by water.
So the opportunities for this place are enormous. As our Minister of Finance
put it so eloquently, it will provide income for our children, our
grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, as long as the waters run to the sea
or as the wind blows. Mr. Speaker, the fact that we have hydro and wind together
makes it even more valuable.
We talk about the fact that you cannot store wind so you cannot store the
electricity from wind. What we mean by that is if we have a lot of rain, we can
store water in a reservoir. That is like storing energy in a reservoir. So we go
through a time when we do not have a lot of rainfall, we can take water out of
the reservoir. It is like taking electricity out of the reservoir. You cannot
store wind somewhere.
We have not developed the technology, although we are working on it in Ramea.
We are storing wind in hydrogen. That is a project that may revolutionize energy
generation in our isolated communities and in the North, and that is so
exciting. Right now, we do not have the technology to store wind. So when the
wind is blowing and generating electricity, we have to use it. We have to put it
into the grid right away because there is no way to store it.
As we all know, even where you have the best wind, sometimes the wind drops
out. Now what do you do? What is your customer going to do now? What are your
people going to do now, somebody who is running a mine or running Long Harbour
down there? What are you going to do when the wind drops out? You have to be
able to call on another source of energy to backstop the wind and to say: Okay,
the wind is not blowing now, but do not worry, we are still going to deliver
your energy because now we are going to draw on our reservoir in Bay d'Espoir or
we are going to draw out of our reservoir on the Churchill River and we are
going to flow electricity to you for that.
So when you sell wind to any customer, you have to be able to backstop that
wind. That is how the industry refers to it. You have to backstop the wind.
Well, they are not giving you something to backstop the wind for free. That is
the big issue between, for example, PEI and New Brunswick. PEI has great wind
regimes and they are developing their wind. They do not have anything to
backstop the wind with so they have to go to New Brunswick and say: Can you sell
us some power from Point Lepreau, your nuclear reactor? Can you sell us some
power from that because we have to have that on standby to be able to use it
when the wind stops blowing and our turbines stop running, we still have to be
able to feed our customers the electricity they need. New Brunswic