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May 21,

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 30

The

House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman):

Order, please!

Admit

strangers.

Before

we start today's proceedings, I want to welcome some special guests to our

gallery today. We have with us

Raylene Mackey of the Goulds.

Raylene is one of eight recipients of the URock Volunteer Awards that were

presented last week. I had the

pleasure to be a part of that ceremony actually.

Raylene was also Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador in 2013.

Welcome

Raylene, and congratulations.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

We are also pleased today to

welcome to our gallery Ms Carol Furlong, President of NAPE.

She is accompanied today by some of her staff, but also some workers from

the group home in the Bay St. George area together from Grand Falls and from

Burin.

Welcome

to our galleries.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by

Members

MR. SPEAKER:

Today we have members'

statements from the Member for the District of St. John's Centre; the Member for

the District of Lake Melville; the Member for the District of Carbonear

Harbour Grace; the Member for the District of Lewisporte; the Member for the

District of Humber Valley; and the Member for the District of Virginia Waters.

The hon.

the Member for the District of St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I salute the incredible, dedicated workers representing three, Level IV

residential care group homes: the Bay St. George Youth Assessment Home, the T.J.

McDonald Home in Burin, and Pine Heights in Grand Falls-Windsor.

I thank them for the continuity of service they provide to some of the

most vulnerable and challenged youth in our Province.

Each

group home is staffed by highly-trained, experienced public sector workers with

oversight by a volunteer community board.

They provide the youth with stability, expertise, treatment programs

based on relationships and trust, and a safe, supportive home.

They work closely with schools, health care and families to give the

youth the support they need to heal and to be the best that they can.

In a few weeks all these group homes will be closed and the children will

be moved elsewhere. It is a sad time

for the communities that have proudly and generously supported these

well-established homes, a sad time for the staff, and a sad time for the youth

who for some, the group home has been their home for years.

Mr.

Speaker, I thank these workers and their colleagues for the service they have

provided and I ask all members to show their appreciation and gratitude.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Lake Melville.

MR. RUSSELL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

today to recognize Mr. Bob Simms for founding and running the Goose Bay Judo

Club for close to the past forty years, Mr. Speaker.

In 1976

Mr. Simms started the Goose Bay Judo Club and has built it into one of the

largest Judo clubs in the Province not to mention one of the most successful

ones. For almost forty years the

Goose Bay Judo Club has been one of the mainstay sports for many young adults in

the Lake Melville region. The club

is so large that they have a waiting list to accept new members.

Mr.

Simms, unfortunately, is moving away from Goose Bay and will no longer be

teaching Judo in Lake Melville.

However, due to his dedication and hard work, I am sure Judo in Goose Bay will

continue to be one of the most popular sports in the region.

I ask

all hon. members of this House to join me in celebrating the great

accomplishments of Sensei Bob Simms.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR. SLADE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize seventeen-year-old Allison

Somers, a promising young swimmer from Carbonear.

Allison

was one of eighteen members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Swim

Team that attended Hyack Festival Youth Cup in New Westminster, British Columbia

from May 16-18. Allison was the only

swimmer from Carbonear Harbour Grace who joined other members of the team from

St. John's, Mount Pearl, and Corner Brook.

At the

festival, Allison faced off against some of the best swimmers the country has to

offer by competing in six individual events and two relay events.

Her top finishes included ninth in the 200 fly, eleventh in the 400 Free,

and fourteenth in the 100 fly for girls sixteen to eighteen-year-old category.

As a

senior member of the Poseidon Swim Club, Allison has taken top awards at most of

the provincial swim meets she attended during the 2013-2014 season.

This is one of the last events she will participate in as a member of

Poseidon Swim Club as she pursues both her academic and sports career.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Allison Somers on

her swimming achievements and wish her success in her future endeavours.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Humber Valley.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House today to congratulate those who received awards at the

recently held Deer Lake Sea Cadet Annual Inspection.

I had the pleasure of attending the event and was very impressed with the

level of professionalism exhibited by all those who participated.

Mr.

Speaker, I would like to thank the Deer Lake Sea Cadets for the invitation and

recognize the following award recipients: the Brian Morrison Award to Leading

Seaman William Pittman; Best Dressed Junior Cadet is Able Seaman Victoria Power;

Best Dressed Senior Cadet, Samantha Janes; the Esprit de Corps Award to Leading

Seaman Hannah Rubia; the Commanding Officer Award to Chief Petty Officer First

Class Aaron Hiscock; and the Instructor's Award to Chief Petty Officer Second

Class Samantha Janes.

Receiving 5-year Navy League Service Medals were Chief Petty Officer First Class

Aaron Hiscock, and Chief Petty Officer Second Class Samantha Janes.

Petty Officer Second Class Tyler Spracklyn and Petty Officer Second Class

Christopher Cabot both received 4-year service medals.

Mr.

Speaker, I would like to congratulate all members, parents, and leaders of the

Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 73 of Deer Lake.

I ask

all members of this House to join me in congratulating the Deer Lake Sea Cadets

on their Annual Cadet Inspection and wish them all the luck in their future

endeavours.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Virginia Waters.

MS C. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House today to recognize the 26th annual St. John's Rotary Music

Festival which was held May 4-14.

This annual non-competitive festival has been organized by a group of dedicated

music educators and supporters. It

is the largest festival in the Province for school bands and choral music.

This

year's festival, like previous years, achieved its objectives to provide a

high-quality educational experience for all its musical participants of all

ages. Perhaps the most memorable

piece for the participants was the opportunity to work with world-class

clinicians from across Canada and the United States.

This year, 4,500 students from this Province participated in either

school and community bands or choirs, totalling 109 groups.

What is

unique about this Rotary Music Festival compared to others is that every

participating group is given the opportunity to perform for their peers, as well

as at one of the nightly concerts scheduled that week where the public are

welcome to attend as well.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all the hon. members to join me in congratulating the organizers,

our youth and our schools for another successful festival adding rich

educational value and cultural opportunities through the leadership of committed

volunteers.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by

Ministers

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister

Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KENT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

today in this hon. House to acknowledge the recipients of the 2014 URock

Volunteer Awards. The stage was

filled with stars last Thursday night as we honoured this year's award

recipients at a special gala event held in Mount Pearl.

The

URock Volunteer Awards were established in 2010 to recognize the remarkable ways

in which young people are giving back to their communities.

Nominations are accepted in two categories individuals and

organizations.

Mr.

Speaker, this year's URock Awards event was our biggest and best yet.

It was also an example of how technology is uniting us more than ever.

Along

with over 300 people who attended the event at the Glacier, our NLYouth.ca Web

site was viewed over 1,200 times on Thursday evening, with webcast audiences

across Canada and around the world.

One of these viewers included Melissa Thomas, a URock award recipient from Mount

Pearl who was unable to attend the ceremony in person, but was able to follow

the show on Twitter and on the webcast while attending field school in Italy.

Mr.

Speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the other recipients of

the 2014 URock Volunteer Awards.

They are: Richard Churchill of Clarenville; Raylene Mackey from Goulds; Natasha

Noel from St. John's; Fallon Piercey from Conception Bay South; Donald Slaney

from St. Lawrence; Chanelle Cluett from Wabush; and the Corner Brook Regional

High Pride Alliance.

All

award winners received custom-designed electric guitars designed by students at

College of the North Atlantic and guests enjoyed performances by some of the

Province's top young musical acts.

The event was hosted by Newfoundland and Labrador comedian, Matt Wright.

Mr.

Speaker, having the support of family, friends and mentors and getting

recognition from them inspires young people to continue their volunteer work.

As a

government, we are dedicated to supporting their efforts and we are working hard

to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the best places in the world

for young people to receive an education, start a career and build a future.

I ask

all members of this hon. House to join me in congratulating the 2014 URock

Volunteer Awards winners.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for The

Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

Volunteering is the heart of community building.

When a person gives freely of his or her time, knowledge, skills or

financial resources to further a cause, big things can happen.

Our

caucus is very excited and energized by the incredible work done by volunteers,

especially our youth as they take on new roles, responsibilities, and

challenges, become more engaged, and instill positive change on society.

Melissa Thomas, Richard Churchill, Raylene Mackey, Natasha Noel, Fallon Piercey,

Donald Slaney, Chanelle Cluett, and Pride Alliance at Corner Brook Regional

High, thank you for being role models and leading by example.

The

Member for Mount Pearl South was in attendance and we certainly applaud the

utilization of technology at such an event, which illustrates that youth are

global citizens pursuing education, volunteering, and gaining life experience

abroad.

future years, consideration should be given to a scholarship or bursary to help

further education or make a contribution in which the youth would be involved.

This would allow the gift to continue giving.

Congratulations, URock award winners 2014.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East.

MR. MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would

also like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement here

today. According to the award

winners here, we do rock and they do rock as well.

I would like to thank government for their engagement with youth in this

particular case with the URock Awards.

They have been on the go now for a few years.

I can

speak for one young gentlemen who is here on the list and how much he has an

effect on the Burin Peninsula. Just

about a week-and-a-half ago or two weeks ago, I was invited to speak to the

founding meeting of Mothers Against Drunk Driving on the Burin Peninsula.

I speak in the name of Mr. Donald Slaney, who is the founding member down

there. We cannot discount the effect

these youth have on our Province and the effect they are going to have on

everyday lives, and this is just one example.

I would

like to thank again the government for their participation in this and

congratulations to all the winners of the URock Awards this year.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Service NL.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL:

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to

rise in this hon. House to announce we have listened to the residents of

communities in Northern Labrador, and will now provide them with the option to

automatically select a shorter seven-month vehicle registration for passenger

vehicles, light trucks, and vans.

We are

extending this option to permanent residents of the communities of Nain,

Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville, Rigolet, Black Tickle, Williams Harbour, and

Norman Bay.

Mr.

Speaker, these municipalities are located along Labrador's northern coast, where

many residents are unable to use passenger vehicles during the winter months.

The seasonal registration option permits renewal for a seven-month period

at a fee of approximately $82 for most vehicles, as opposed to the standard

twelve-month vehicle registration fee of $140.

The new

automatic option allows vehicle owners in these communities to register a

vehicle from May 1 to November 30, after some of the snow and ice has receded

and when many residents in these northern communities are able to start using

their vehicles. As always, the

option for a year-round registration will still be available if desired.

Mr.

Speaker, this option recognizes that these residents are often unable to use

their vehicles during the winter and as such it is only fair that we extend the

option to conveniently and automatically pay only for the months when they are

able to use their vehicles.

The new

option will also be available to residents of these communities who choose to

renew online at eservices.gov.nl.ca.

Of course, residents may also call the Motor Registration Division toll-free at

1-877-636-6867.

Mr.

Speaker, this initiative will meet the needs of residents on the North Coast of

Labrador. This government remains

committed to making programs and services more accessible and affordable to all

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and this new offering now responds to the needs

of those Labrador communities in terms of their geographic location and way of

life.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

I would also like to thank my colleague, the Member for Mount Pearl

South, for giving me the opportunity to respond as he is the critic for Service

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr.

Speaker, I am very appreciative of this government's decision.

I think it was three ministers ago that I did push the issue.

I think then the Member for Topsail was the minister and he said that he

would check into it. Then the Member

for Labrador West said that it was a work in progress.

I am glad today to stand here and hear the current minister make this

announcement.

It took

three years, Mr. Speaker, and it shows how fast things can get done and how slow

sometimes it takes. In Northern

Labrador and some of the other communities on the Coast of Labrador and maybe on

the Island portion of the Province too, we do have snow for seven months of the

year. Most times in those areas the

roads are not plowed and the only time the vehicles can be used is during the

summer months.

I am

very appreciative of this. I thank

all three members who were ministers on this portfolio for the hard work they

have done over the last three years.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East.

MR. MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would

also like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement today.

I was thinking when I was reading the statement earlier, this is a good

move on the part of government in reducing the fees.

I almost said to myself for the kind of winter that all of Newfoundland

and Labrador had, we should all be eligible for the $82 this year anyway.

Mr.

Speaker, it is a good move on the part of government, but there are some things

that they still have to address.

They are looking at $1.56 a litre, for example, up there in Nain right now.

We are looking at high food costs.

While we are thankful about the $82 being down there for the seven months

registration on vehicles, there is plenty more that we should be looking at too

in order to help control costs. We

know this is a good cost-saving measure for consumers up there and the drivers

up there, but there is a whole lot more that we should be looking at too.

Thank

you very much.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise today to update my hon. colleagues on the work of the Supportive

Housing Action Team. This group was

established to help address short- and long-term housing needs for displaced

residents of Newman's Boarding Home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

It is chaired by Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.

I wish

to express sincere thanks to all community groups, government agencies and

departments, and the Nunatsiavut Government who came together so quickly and

responded to residents' urgent needs, immediately providing shelter and

necessary supports. Following the

short-term response, the community partners have also expressed their

appreciation of our approach in focusing on long-term solutions, and we cannot

give them enough credit for stepping up in the way they have to help find

housing for those individuals who were displaced.

Today

the majority of tenants are in public or non-profit rental housing or with

family and friends, receiving supports and assistance as necessary, while

long-term solutions are sought.

recognize this is a complex problem and finding longer-term solutions requires a

combined effort across multiple organizations and community groups.

The Supportive Housing Action Team includes senior officials from across

a number of provincial government departments Advanced Education and Skills,

Health and Community Services, Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, as well as

Labrador-Grenfell Health and representation from the Nunatsiavut Government.

Mr.

Speaker, the team has been meeting weekly and is fully engaged and working with

Melville Native Housing, the Salvation Army, the Labrador Friendship Centre, the

Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the area MHA for the district and also the

Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, and others in the community, to

ensure long-term housing solutions are developed.

As we

consider options and work towards solutions, we are grateful to everyone

involved for the time and effort they have contributed.

The collective response was truly outstanding and is a testament to what

can be accomplished when we all work together, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

MS DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for the advance copy of his statement, and I thank my colleague

from St. John's South for allowing me to respond.

Certainly, housing is something close to the hearts of myself, my

colleague for Torngat, and all of us in the Liberal caucus.

We are pleased to see community groups and Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing coming together to help displaced residents of Newman's Boarding Home.

Losing

your home is a very stressful experience for anyone.

Boarding house residents live on very low incomes and so their options

for relocation are limited. This

situation illustrates just how close homelessness is for some people.

Despite reassurances from government that megaprojects in Labrador will

have minimal impacts on things like housing, we continue to see the gap widen

between the rich and poor as limited housing stock is threatening housing

stability for many.

Mr.

Speaker, we have asked the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing about the future of the Paddon Home, which has sat vacant for four years

now in a community facing a housing crisis.

This is shameful, Mr. Speaker.

The minister responsible maintains that it is too soon to say what the

Paddon Home will be used for. For

those on the brink of homelessness in Lake Melville, I say the decision cannot

come soon enough.

I urge

the government to make a decision on the Paddon Home and to consider developing

a housing plan that addresses the full scope of housing issues in our whole

Province.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I, too,

thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement.

It is good that government departments rose to the occasion in response

to the closure of Newman's Boarding House.

I would expect nothing less.

I know how concerned the departments as well as the other agencies would have

been. It is good to know that all

are being taken care of.

I am

glad to see the mix of people involved with the supportive housing action team

finding long-term housing solutions, as well as supporting the residents in

transition. This collaborative

community-based approach is essential to the planning government must do for

long-term housing solutions across the Province.

I was

pleased, for example, to be at the opening of the new NLHC seniors housing in

Pleasantville today. I would

encourage government to commit to providing affordable, accessible housing at a

faster pace to help the growing number of people who need it.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It has

been reported that technical problems in three or four areas have delayed the

final text of the CETA deal.

Finalization is a long way off, as the federal government and the EU still have

to consult with provinces and the member states.

I ask

the Premier: Where is the process now, and have these consultations started with

the federal government?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, indeed, a number of months ago when Canada announced they had reached

an agreement with the EU we were very pleased in terms of the outlook for

Newfoundland and Labrador and what we were able to achieve with Canada through

the CETA agreements. At that time,

it was indicated that sixteen to twenty-four months would be the process to

legalize the text, to make conversions in regard to language and so forth.

That process is underway. We

continue to dialogue with the federal government.

We have

started in relation to the $400 million fund that we were able to negotiate, and

started a process now to be ready.

When the final agreement is signed, that money becomes available.

So over that period of time we will be ready to access those funds and to

build our industry, our seafood industry which is so important to us.

The future looks bright in regard to that fund and our industry.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We know

that the $400 million fund of course $120 million of it from our own Province

is determined by finalization of the deal.

The EU trade negotiator said that the technical discussions have proven

to be more difficult than they had originally foreseen.

It appears that CETA is being held up by disagreements in intellectual

property rights by pharmaceuticals and other issues.

I ask

the Premier: What role is your government playing now in this discussion?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, the dealings around the actual text are taking a little bit more time

than we had anticipated. However, my

officials have been actively engaged and are still involved in the project, and

are still actively involved with the negotiators and with those writing the text

in Ottawa as part of the facilitation of this process.

Mr.

Speaker, I would not want to characterize that as being a difficulty, it simply

takes time to get that done. We do

anticipate that will happen sooner rather than later.

We do know that the level of engagement is intense; people are working

furiously to get that piece of work accomplished.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It was

not my words talking about it being a difficult negotiation.

These are the words of the EU negotiator.

Mr.

Speaker, Nalcor's business and financial report says that the power purchase

agreement for Muskrat Falls was signed last November.

I have asked for this document many times, but it has never been

available. The former Premier said

last November that when it was finalized it would be made public.

I ask

the Premier: Six months after the power purchase agreement has been signed, will

you now table that agreement?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly

be happy to take the Leader of the Opposition's request to Nalcor and get a copy

of the agreement and the appropriate time assurance that it is tabled here in

the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Mr. Speaker, we have been

hearing as we have been asking for the documents to be tabled and made public is

that they would be appropriate. It

has been six months now and that is long past what we expected to be an

appropriate time frame I would say.

Nalcor's

report also states that the generating plants, the transmission assets, and the

distribution systems can continue to run indefinitely with ongoing maintenance.

It says that Nalcor's assets are expected to be used for an indefinite

period with no removal dates to be determined.

I ask

the Premier: What does this mean to the future of Holyrood?

Are you backing away, or are you still committed to closing Holyrood in

2020?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr. Speaker, the chairman of

Nalcor has certainly made it clear that they put in place a plan.

The first

part in the plan was to ensure they had the people there to

develop a world-class organization.

They addressed safety; that was the first issue they had to deal with.

They also put in an asset management plan and looked for a source of

future energy in the future, recognizing that generation was going to keep up

with supply.

The

other thing we did, Mr. Speaker, is that the previous government was withdrawing

dividends, and I understand that. We

are withdrawing dividends from that company.

What we did in order to address these maintenance issues is that in 2007

we left the dividends in the company so they could use that money to double the

cap, which is what they have been doing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

question is about the Holyrood Generating Station, the generating plant, the

closure, and the commitment to the closure in 2020.

This has been a big piece of the argument for Muskrat Falls.

I ask

the Premier: The closure of Holyrood in 2020 is that still the commitment of

your government?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr. Speaker, there has been

no change. Nalcor is going to

develop Muskrat Falls, and when Muskrat Falls is commissioned, within a

reasonable time after that, the Holyrood plant will be decommissioned.

We will then have energy for the people of the Province at the least-cost

option, the lowest cost to them, and we will also have surplus energy, which

will be available for the first time to take to market in the US and the

Atlantic Seaboard without having to go through the Province of Quebec.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In 2004,

the government announced an agreement with Icewater for the Arnold's Cove fish

plant. At the time, government said,

Our approach ensures that the quotas and the historical rights to this fish

will remain in Newfoundland and Labrador.

That was the quote. Today it

is in the news that a quota owned by the provincial government is being

harvested by Nova Scotians, by a Nova Scotia boat, and it is also being landed

in Nova Scotia, therefore not providing any of the direct employment benefits to

our Province.

I ask

the Premier: Why are you allowing a quota that is owned by the people of this

Province, owned by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, to be fished and landed in

another province?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, in 2004 when High Liner decided to leave the Province and basically the

assets that are here, this government stepped in with $3.5 million knowing the

value of the fishery at the time.

Obviously, we had a downturn in the cod fishery, but knowing it was going to

come back. We did not want to stand

by and make sure we used one of the most mechanized and most modern plants in

the Province let that go down.

What we

did was we stepped in; $3.5 million for Southern Harbour to Clarenville, for

that region.

Today, it employs 120 to 180 unionized employees, and we have seen the result of

our investment, Mr. Speaker.

Now, in regard to the actual quota allocations, those

as well were bought by this government, certainly leased back to the company

with the benefit of allowing them to generate extra revenue to continue their

operations, to grow that operation to where we are today, that we can meet the

needs in the cod fishery when it comes back in the years to come.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, in 2004 the government also said that this deal

would have the highest economic and job impact.

Well, obviously now if you are stepping away by allowing this to be

landed and shipped by Nova Scotians, that is not the highest economic impact.

What the minister is saying is that there is no one in Newfoundland and

Labrador who could actually fish that quota, I take it.

This quota has been landed in Nova Scotia and it is bad

enough, as I said, it is being fished by Nova Scotians.

So why did you not insist that this be landed and fished by

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Mr.

Speaker, these allocations, over 100 foot vessels, it can be transferred to any

entity in Newfoundland and Labrador now.

They are free to negotiate with Icewater in regard to transfer of species

and get access to that.

Is the hon. member suggesting that we are going to pick

between the inshore harvesters and those 180 workers in Arnold's Cove, and we

are going to shut down a very stable cod facility with the cod coming back?

This was a comprehensive agreement to build the industry, not to walk

away from it, but to step in when High Liner stepped out.

We stepped in to make sure it was secured, and we are going to continue

to do that and work with all industry to make sure it continues to move forward,

Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, what we are suggesting is that you step in and

step up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, not for Nova Scotians.

Get the maximum benefit for our Province.

According to the twenty-year deal struck in 2004,

Icewater pays the provincial government $50,000 a year to lease the quotas for

Newfoundland and Labrador. The

provincial government now estimates that these quotas are worth $16 million to

$20 million that is the total package.

So I ask the minister: Why was there not at least an

escalator clause or some provision in your agreement, your lease, to allow for

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to enjoy some of this benefit?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, let alone the investment we made in the

people in Arnold's Cove and the region, I said it is a return we got in terms of

what we paid for that and what it is today.

Mr. Speaker, this is all about the industry, the cod industry, in terms

of that plant, state-of-the-art facility, and where we are moving ahead now with

the return of the cod industry so that we can start that process again.

In regard to the allocations, I say to him again, if

there is any entity in Newfoundland and Labrador that wants to work with

Icewater, in terms of transfer of quota, whether it is other species for cod, or

whatever it is, that is open to do.

They are invited to do it. We would

not stand in the way if it is not in the economic disinterest of Arnold's Cove,

but this is something we invested in, in the cod fishery.

It is important, that plant is extremely important, and we believe in it.

If the hon. member wants to pick and choose in the industry, get up and

say he wants to pick and choose between the industry.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR.

SLADE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, ten years ago government leased the 130

ton halibut quota to Icewater for a twenty-year term.

In 2004 no consideration was given to putting a condition on this lease

or a possible sublease.

I ask the minister: Why did your government fail to

ensure conditions on the lease to Icewater that would guarantee benefits to our

Province?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, what a failure, for ten years we have Arnold's Cove operating.

We have a state-of-the-art facility in Arnold's Cove that is certainly

ready for the opportunities. They

are selling into the UK, they are selling into France, and what an opportunity

they are going to have when the economic agreement comes and we can get cod

right into the EU.

The hon. member, again I say to him on the other side:

Are you going to start picking and choosing between the industry?

This is a viable industry. If

there are other entities out there that want to get access to this quota or

allocation, they can certainly work with Icewater to do it.

If it does not negatively affect Icewater and what they are trying to do

out there, we will not stand in the way, but we encourage them to have

discussions.

Once again, I say to him: Who are you picking and

choosing in the industry?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR.

SLADE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would say we are going to stand up and

speak for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians; that is what I would say.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SLADE:

Mr.

Speaker, I ask the minister: How much revenue are we losing through the sublease

of the 130 tons, a quota that could be going back to build up our fishing

industry?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Let's go back, Mr. Speaker. Ten

years ago the plant was going to close, assets were going to be taken away, no

work for Southern Harbour to Clarenville, those workers who were there, no

opportunity; we were going to shut down the cod industry, have no infrastructure

left, have no ability to adapt and to restart the industry when the time has

come, but we did not want to go there.

What we did as a government, $3.5 million we invested; we purchased those

quotas.

Financially, that was certainly a different day then,

but we saw it as so important, the fishing industry, we invested to get those

quotas so that would allow Arnold's Cove collectively, in terms of royalties for

those quotas, be able to build that industry, build that operation to the point

they are at today and then as we go forward in terms of what is happening in the

cod industry, they will have an opportunity.

It is a benefit of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the Province invested $2 million at a dividend of 3 per cent in the

form of equity a year ago in Icewater Harvesting Inc. for an eight-year period

to provide long-term benefits to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Less than one year after making this risky investment, the vessel has

sunk.

I ask the minister: What returns have been paid to date

by Icewater, given the Province is to receive an annual dividend?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, indeed there was a $2 million loan to

Icewater in regard to Cape Dorset in

regard to actually fishing some of those quota allocations.

It was going quite well.

Unfortunately, they lost that vessel.

We are now going through a process my colleague in IBRD in regard to

the insurance and the payout on that, the terms of our investment, and the

return on that investment. That has

been working through now and I think in the weeks ahead we will be able to

confirm the details of that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the Department of IBRD in Estimates confirmed this equity investment

was fully secure. Unlike traditional

loans, when an equity investment goes south, the personal assets of the

directors or shareholders are not at risk.

Given no asset remains, I ask the minister: How much of

this $2 million will taxpayers be left footing the bill, given other creditors

have charge on this sunken vessel?

Is our equity sunk like the Cape Dorset ?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I never understand why it is that the

glass is always half empty over there on the other side.

What we are trying to do as we are working with Icewater in this is the

same as was done ten years ago, which is to try to ensure that there is

sustainable industry in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SULLIVAN:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, there is an insurance policy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SULLIVAN:

Yes, we are working with all of the proponents.

Mr. Speaker, we hope to have a resolution to that.

Our aim, unlike theirs, is to keep businesses open.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Mr.

Speaker, every day we are hearing more and more stories of drug-related crime.

It is a common occurrence to hear of break-ins, armed robberies, and even

shootings. Eight years ago,

government committed to a Provincial Substance Use Strategy to prevent and treat

substance abuse.

I ask the minister: Where is the strategy?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mental health and addictions is a very difficult and

challenging facet of many people's lives.

It affects every family throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

It is very unfortunate that when people fall into a life involving mental

health and addictions, it quite often as well leads to criminal activity as the

member opposite has referenced.

We have made significant investments in mental health

and addictions. Just recently, after

coming in this department, I had the pleasure of announcing our new anti-stigma

campaign. It is a very important

campaign which is hopefully going to broaden the knowledge and understanding of

mental illness and addictions that affect people throughout Newfoundland and

Labrador. It will broaden the

knowledge and understanding for the people of the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, that is a fine

initiative but it is not the one I am talking about, the one that this Province

committed to eight years ago and spent millions of dollars on.

The

strategy was not just a commitment on paper, it was a major undertaking.

A Province-wide committee was formed with representatives from Education,

Justice, RNC, RCMP, health boards, community stakeholders, and individuals in

recovery. The strategy was written,

the documents complete, where is the strategy?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

appreciate the opportunity to discuss further on the importance of mental health

and addictions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Just before coming to the House of Assembly today I had the opportunity

to meet with the Newfoundland and Labrador Advisory Council, Mental Health

Advisory Council. A very diverse

group of significant backgrounds and areas, and very strong representatives of

the Province; a very important group that are going to work with me, educate me,

and assist me in the development of programs and how we do better.

invest over $100 million annually in mental health and addictions in

Newfoundland and Labrador. We have

950 women and men throughout Newfoundland and Labrador who work with people with

mental health and addictions.

Mr.

Speaker, these are significant investments.

We have significant partnerships.

We are investing in people.

We are investing in new facilities for Newfoundland and Labrador, all in the

best interests of mental health and addictions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, this Province

committed to a strategy. They put

millions of dollars into that strategy.

Again, we see nothing. The

minister is walking away from the question.

The

people involved in creating the strategy were committed to completing it and

getting it right. It took over two

years to do the consultations, do the research and consult with stakeholder

groups. It is a needed strategy,

obviously.

I ask

the minister very specifically: Where is this specific strategy?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I do not

mind talking about this, I tell the member opposite.

He can calm down and ask his questions and I will provide him with the

answers because I do not mind talking about the investments that we are making

in mental health and addictions. It

was a very informative discussion we had today, as I was just referencing.

One of the things that we talked about today is the investments we are

making in facilities.

We are

building two new youth facilities, Mr. Speaker, that never existed before in

Newfoundland and Labrador. One for

youth who are dealing with addictions in Central Newfoundland, and one for youth

dealing with complex mental health needs being built in Paradise, just outside

of St. John's. We are building a new

adult addictions centre in Harbour Grace.

As well, we have investments this year and work underway to replace the

Waterford Hospital, a very needed facility for Newfoundland and Labrador and

very important work that we are doing, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Member for St. John's North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KIRBY:

Mr. Speaker, we continue to

hear from parents, students, and educators who point out that our schools lack

critical mental health support services for our youth.

In its pre-budget submission, the Federation of School Councils called

for youth mental health and addictions counsellors at a ratio of one per 500

students, but government failed to provide the funding need for this.

I ask

the minister: Has his department completed an assessment of the mental health

supports needed in our schools, and if not, when does he plan to make this issue

a priority after all these years of neglect?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KING:

Mr. Speaker, it would be very

easy for anyone to stand up in the House and find flaws with a particular

strategy or a particular initiative or a particular part of society, but the

reality is this government has invested millions and millions of dollars in

education in this Province over the years.

recognize the issue that the member raised.

I spent twenty-plus years in the education profession, and I recognize

that solving complex problems like that is not solely the responsibility of the

education system, Mr. Speaker. It is

the responsibility of a partnership with parents, and the responsibility of a

partnership with the health care system.

We have resources in the system.

We have guidance counsellors who perform a role a very specific role, I

might add and there comes a point in time when there is a diagnosis of a

particular problem in the education system when it moves to people with more

expertise, such as the health care system.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's North.

MR. KIRBY:

I am glad the minister is

making that connection, Mr. Speaker, the lack of supports with youth with mental

health needs is one of the most pressing issues in our schools across the

Province today, yet this government still does not have a handle on it.

They are neglecting it.

School guidance staff tell us that students who suffer from mental illness are

increasingly in need of help.

I ask

the minister: When will he commit to improving the guidance counsellor

allocation to reflect the growing need for guidance and counselling supports in

our schools?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We look

at the resourcing needs of education every single year when we do a budget, and

in between budget periods we are always doing an assessment of the needs.

I will

say to the member that the issue of the mental health challenges in the school

system will not be solved by increasing guidance counsellors, because the

guidance counsellors are not providing the specialized services for the problem

that the member has identified.

There has to be other supports in place to address those needs.

Part of that is working with the home to find the right program, and part

of it is referring at the appropriate time to the health care system, Mr.

Speaker. That is why we also invest

in health care, because we have specialized people who can provide specialized

services. The education system

cannot and will not ever provide every service that every individual needs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Virginia Waters.

MS C. BENNETT:

Mr. Speaker, in January the

AG expressed concerns about expensive external consultants carrying out oil

royalty audits. The AG said staff

are paid between $40 and $65 an hour, while consultants are paid between $85 and

$340 an hour, and the department was not properly resourced to complete the

work.

I would

ask the minister: Why are you ignoring the AG's recommendation and continuing to

use expensive external consultants?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, we certainly recognize and accepted the original recommendations of the

Auditor General in the 2008 report.

This year, in 2013-2014, there were two new permanent audit positions to assist

with the audit inventory. Certainly,

now we do not use currently consulting services.

So recognizing what the Auditor General suggested we moved on that with

those four new positions and take it very seriously in terms of what the return

is to the Province.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

The PUB

has noted in its interim report neither extreme weather nor other unusual events

were significant factors in the January 2014 system events and outages, yet the

Minister of Natural Resources suggested otherwise in the media during the

crisis.

I ask

the Minister of Natural Resources: Why did he blame the cold weather when it was

not a factor?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr. Speaker, we have the

advice and recommendations of the PUB, for which we are very thankful.

We also have the report of Liberty Mutual, the consultant for the PUB.

Nalcor has done its own internal review as has Newfoundland Power.

My understanding is they align with each other and now what is happening

is they are starting to take action.

Nalcor

put in place a number of years ago an asset management plan to deal with a

large, aging asset base. It put in a

plan that is going to expedite the plan.

They have recently purchased a combustion turbine.

They are also assessing a recommendation about getting more resources.

Again, I

always have to mention the fact that the government of 2007 stopped taking

dividends from Hydro and left the money in the corporation so it could have that

for capital expenditures, which have doubled over the last five years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The PUB

has expressed doubt that Hydro can install extra generating capacity in time for

next winter.

I ask

the Premier: What plans has government made with municipalities and emergency

service organizations for ensuring that elderly, sick, and vulnerable people are

safe if we find again ourselves without power or heat in the depths of winter?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, we certainly value the PUB and the recommendations they make in terms

of hydro, particularly, in terms of the circumstances we have seen over the past

number of months. At the end of the

day, it is important that all are certainly in the right direction in regard to

these issues and the recommendations that were made.

We respect that, and we expect Nalcor and Hydro specifically to follow up

on those to make sure at the end of the day that we have the best possible

service for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, which they certainly

deserve, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

question was about what happens for the people if the service fails.

Mr.

Speaker, government seems to be still committed to hiring a consultant to

examine the Province's power system and its relation to the North American

system when Muskrat comes on stream.

The PUB is proving beyond a doubt they have the confidence and professionalism

to do this work.

I ask

the Premier: Why not ask the PUB to complete this task?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr. Speaker, the PUB was set

up as a regulator in the electrical industry.

We value the role they play.

We know from time to time they are going to take initiatives and they are going

to carry out their statutory responsibilities to serve the people of the

Province, but so will Nalcor.

Nalcor

is an energy company; it is the people's energy company.

It has been set up to create value and get wealth for the people of the

Province over and above taxes and royalties.

Nalcor has its own responsibility to ensure that as we get ready to

connect to the North American grid for the first time ever, that we do a review

of our management, the operations, and the regulation to ensure that we are

ready for when that very important interconnection takes place.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, 3,800 people

have signed petitions asking the minister to reverse his decision to privatize

the care of our most vulnerable children and youth in group homes in Burin,

Stephenville, and Grand Falls-Windsor.

I ask

the minister: Will he listen to the people of these communities?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN:

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that

there are people who are in the galleries who are impacted by this decision.

Some of these people I know personally who work in Burin.

Mr.

Speaker, I know of the service that they have provided over the years to the

youth they served. I can say to the

member that the decision will not be reversed.

There was a process that went through, an RFP was put out, and a

framework was developed. Individual

groups then made their submission and they awarded a contract to Blue sky on the

merits of their applications.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, 3,800 people see

the value of providing high-quality, specialized continuity of care for troubled

youth in their communities who need support and treatment.

I ask

the minister: Is privatizing their care to save a few bucks worth the upheaval

and suffering this move is causing the children in these communities?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN:

I guess, Mr. Speaker, she has

made the decision that Blue sky is not going to provide a quality service.

I ask her that she submit that to that group.

Mr.

Speaker, again I have said this in education and I will say it in this: We will

leave no child behind and we will do what we can for children.

This is now a provision of a service that is different from what was

provided before. Before, these were

correctional facilities and the children who went there were often issued by the

courts to go there. Now, Mr.

Speaker, what is being provided is more of a residential setting and more of a

provision of that family setting service within the community.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, the deadline to

move the children in the Stephenville group home was May 19.

It is May 21 and children, staff and boards still do not know when the

children are leaving, where they are going.

The staff is laid off as of May 31.

I ask

the minister: Is this the efficiency you hoped privatization would bring?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN:

Mr. Speaker, it is my

understanding that the service provider continues to see if they can make

inroads with the community of Stephenville so that we can get this service

provided so that these youth can get on with the transition that is taking

place.

We have

indicated to the service provider that if they cannot meet their deadline they

should certainly get in contact with us, and then we will see where we take it

from there, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The time for Question Period

has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling

of Documents.

Tabling of

Documents

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MS JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, pursuant to

section 26.(5)(

a) of the Financial Administration Act, I am

tabling one Order in Council relating to the funding pre-commitments for the

2015-2016 fiscal year.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Notices of Motion.

Answers

to Questions for Which Notice has been Given.

Answers to

Questions for which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance.

MS JOHNSON:

Mr. Speaker, some questions

came up in Estimates last night and I do have some answers.

Is this the appropriate time to provide them?

MR. SPEAKER:

Yes.

MS JOHNSON:

There was a question by the

Leader of the Third Party around the professional services in the Office of

Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, so I can table that document.

There

was a question around when we go to look for borrowing, how that process is

done. This has been a long-standing

tradition since Confederation, I am told, that there is a management group,

which is made up of the five major banks, as well as a banking group, which is

made up of seven smaller banks. This

is a process where the managing group provides advice as to which day and which

time specifically is best to go to the markets, and then they see out this

process for us. This has been in

place for decades, Mr. Speaker.

There

was also a question around this $5,700 in revenue under Financial

Administration,

section 2.4.01; that $5,700 was for revenue that was received as

personal expenses incurred by employees in the 2012-2013 fiscal year, but it was

paid in the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

An example of that would be telephone expenses.

There

was also a question from the Member for Virginia Waters around the director of

brand management, so I have that position description as well as the specific

accountabilities included with that position.

I can table that as well.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the

hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS

the provincial government recently announced a new framework for staffed

residential care, which included awarding contracts for three group homes in the

Province to the private sector; and

WHEREAS

Pine Heights Group Home in Grand Falls-Windsor is one of the group homes

affected by this decision by government; and

WHEREAS

as a result, forty-five public sector workers lost their jobs in the Province,

including sixteen in Grand Falls-Windsor alone, some with over twenty years of

experience and expertise in the field; and

WHEREAS

the Pine Heights Group Home has been offering high-quality care to children with

complex needs in the community for many years; and

WHEREAS

the transition of the children in care at the home will in some cases split

these children from their friends and group home counsellors, relationships

which have taken years to develop, this transition has the potential to cause

undue stress and harm to the children;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House

of Assembly to urge government to reverse its decision to privatize the Pine

Heights Group Home in Grand Falls-Windsor.

As in

duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr.

Speaker, I have 3,800 signatures in total with more coming.

This is a very serious issue.

It is not just about the loss of jobs.

It is about the privatization of the care of our most vulnerable youth

who are in care, youth who have been entrusted into the care of Child, Youth and

Family Services, entrusted into the care of the state.

We have a moral and a legal obligation not to simply warehouse these

children, but to give them comprehensive rehabilitative care.

Their

care has been privatized to a company whose sole purpose is for a profit.

These group homes were overseen by community boards that had the best

interests of children. I am not

against profit, Mr. Speaker, but this is not where for-profit companies,

corporations should be wading in.

The

government, Mr. Speaker, the minister has abdicated its moral and legal

responsibility to ensure that these children are safely taken care of, that

these children have opportunities for rehabilitation.

This is not about simply providing a homey atmosphere.

These are children who need rehabilitation, who need treatment.

It is not about providing simply a homey atmosphere.

We need

staff who are fully trained, who are fully experienced.

This is not going to happen with a for-profit corporation that is hiring

staff with no experience at $13 an hour.

Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent on this minister to do the right thing, to

stand up to their moral and legal obligation.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS ROGERS:

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

Barbe.

MR. J. BENNETT:

Mr. Speaker, a petition to

the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS

there is no cellphone service in the Town of Trout River, which is an enclave

community in Gros Morne National Park; and

WHEREAS

visitors to Gros Morne National Park, more than 100,000 annually, expect to

communicate by cellphone when they visit the park; and

WHEREAS

cellphone service has become a very important aspect of everyday living for

residents; and

WHEREAS

cellphone service is an essential safety tool for visitors and residents; and

WHEREAS

cellphone service is essential for business development;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House

of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to partner with

the private sector to extend cellphone coverage throughout Gros Morne National

Park and the enclave community of Trout River.

As in

duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr.

Speaker, believe it or not, the Minister of Municipal Affairs yesterday appeared

to have although he did not have a very good grasp on how cellphones would

work with somebody on a cliff in Trout River, he did make that commentary, he

did invite the Opposition and anybody who was interested to partner with him to

approach the federal government.

That is exactly what I would like to be doing today on behalf of the people of

Trout River and the other areas of Gros Morne National Park.

The

major cellphone carriers have an opportunity to advance cellphone service

throughout Canada. They also have an

obligation because they are getting a very special deal with the federal

government to promote cellphone coverage throughout Canada.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

Orders of the Day

Private Members'

Day

MR. SPEAKER:

Today being Private Members'

Day and it is now 3:00 o'clock, according to our Standing Orders we now need to

go to the Member for Fortune Bay Cape La Hune to introduce the motion that is

on the Order Paper in her name.

MS PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move,

seconded by the Member for Harbour Main, the following private member's

resolution:

BE IT

RESOLVED that the House of Assembly supports the provincial government in its

efforts to position Newfoundland and Labrador for leadership in Arctic

development, which will be amplified in 2016 as our Province hosts the annual

international Arctic Technology Conference.

Mr.

Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure for me to rise in this hon. House today and

introduce a motion that recognizes the provincial government's leadership in

Arctic development which will, as I just said, be amplified in 2016 as our

Province hosts the annual international Arctic Technology Conference.

Nearly

every aspect of life in Newfoundland and Labrador is shaped in some way by the

ocean. It is not just our history,

it is our nature. It is who we are.

From our early ancestors on the water catching cod to our ocean

technology companies who are today leaders in a wide range of fields, from

satellite-based monitoring to working with developing sophisticated autonomous

underwater vehicles, this Province and our people have been on the leading edge

when it comes to ocean opportunities.

Our

deeply rooted culture in ocean innovation has turned what many view as

challenges into opportunities and competitive advantages.

When you think about it, Newfoundland and Labrador has extensive

experience working in harsh and cold climates.

This experience has perfectly situated us as the ideal path to the

Arctic.

With our

rich heritage rooted in the Arctic, we have long recognized the potential that

the Arctic has. While not

geographically located in the Arctic, the water surrounding us here in the

Province is colder than anywhere else south of sixty degrees.

It is even colder than the waters near Norway, parts of Alaska, Greenland

and Iceland. Surrounded by cold

water and extreme weather conditions, our experts are successfully developing

cutting edge technology and world renowned solutions to operational challenges

in the Arctic.

The

Province's extensive expertise and untapped potential means that we play an

integral role in Arctic development.

This is the motivation behind the Arctic Opportunities Initiative.

Through this initiative, our goal is to bolster economic development by

positioning the Province as the ideal staging ground for Arctic activities.

We want,

Mr. Speaker, to create an environment in which local stakeholders can benefit

from emerging opportunities, northern communities can thrive, and an environment

that will further attract global industry leaders.

In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador has become synonymous with oil

and gas and the offshore. We know

this industry and we have helped change how to explore, and ultimately thrive in

demanding environments.

Our

ocean technology innovators have experienced the gambit of what the ocean can

offer; drifting sea ice, towering ice bergs, and immense North Atlantic waves.

Together, we have learned to operate successfully and safely in the

Arctic and sub-Arctic.

Newfoundland and Labrador's seasoned shipping and offshore supply and service

experience has led to the development of a strong, highly capable sector of over

500 companies, Mr. Speaker. This

sector can meet operational requirements and possesses some of the world's top

ice-classed offshore supply vessels.

Our

expertise in ocean observation, oil spill response, remote sensing, ice

management, telecommunications and navigational systems, underwater vehicles and

marine simulation is recognized globally and has positioned us as a world leader

in ocean technology. It is clear

that Newfoundland and Labrador is well positioned for future growth.

Positioning the Province as the path, building local capacity and

fostering economic development and business opportunities will remain important

priorities, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to develop, refine and implement the

Arctic Opportunities Initiative.

Recognizing the potential that exists in Newfoundland and Labrador for Arctic

exploration and development and building on the world-class industry and

academic expertise in this Province, we have been chosen to host the prestigious

Arctic Technology Conference in 2016.

This conference was created by the organizers of the Offshore Technology

Conference held annually in Houston, Texas at which Newfoundland and Labrador is

regularly featured.

Recognizing the Arctic as an area of growing interest and opportunity, the OTC

created the Arctic Technology Conference.

Modelled after the OTCs multidisciplinary approach, the Arctic Technology

Conference focuses on cutting edge technologies and innovative practices needed

for the exploration and production of natural resources in harsh and cold

climates, while emphasizing respect for Northern peoples and the environment.

Since

the inaugural conference in February, 2011, the ATC has quickly become known as

one of the world's most comprehensive Arctic events, attracting over 1,000

delegates and roughly 100 exhibitors from around the world.

The ATC is an important event for many local

stakeholders and provides the provincial government with an excellent platform

from which to advance the goals of the Arctic Opportunities Initiative.

With an international and targeted audience in

attendance, the ATC is an opportune venue to profile the Province's many

Arctic-related capabilities and network with industry and academia from around

the world, thereby happening to strengthen the Province's position as a key

Arctic player. Our government has

participated in all three ATC events held to date, and along with ACOA and the

City of St. John's, we have demonstrated a very keen interest in bringing the

prestigious conference to St. John's since 2011.

ATC is not the only world-class prominent conference

that will be taking place in this Province, Mr. Speaker, over the next several

months. From September 14-19, St.

John's will proudly host the prestigious OCEANS'14 conference with more than

1,200 delegates and 150 exhibitors from around the world expected to be in

attendance. OCEANS'14 will be the

largest oceans conference ever held in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This high-profile event will provide the Province's

ocean technology sector with an international platform to showcase its research

and development initiatives, extraordinary marine infrastructure, and foremost

education and training capabilities.

To date, nearly 130 booths have been sold, twenty-three of which are from our

local ocean technology (inaudible).

That is quite impressive, Mr. Speaker.

The businesses and companies we have in this Province are phenomenal.

With OCEANS'14 on the horizon and as we eagerly look

forward to the Arctic Technology Conference in 2016, we also look ahead to

hosting the annual international conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic

Engineering in June 2015. This

conference will showcase the diverse range of engineering activities related to

challenging marine and Arctic environments, from exploration and production of

oil and gas in challenging deep waters, developing technologies in the ocean

renewable energy sectors, deep-sea mining, protecting marine habitat, to

developing structures for extreme ice loading.

That is just a small sample, Mr. Speaker.

Last year's conference was held in France, with this

year's taking place in California before coming to St. John's, Newfoundland and

Labrador next year. It is not a

coincidence, Mr. Speaker, that all these conferences are converging on our

Province. The world has taken notice

that Newfoundland and Labrador is on the leading edge of ocean and Arctic

development. The world is coming to

us, to listen to our experts, to see what we have to offer as we continue to

demonstrate our leadership in Arctic development.

In addition to these three major conferences I have

outlined, there are many other important oceans and Arctic events taking place

right here in Newfoundland and Labrador, including the annual NOIA Conference,

Maritime & Arctic Safety & Security 2014, Arctic Oil & Gas North America, and

Arctic Shipping North America Forum.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be introducing

this motion here today, and I look forward to support from my hon. colleagues in

this House as we continue to develop our potential and continue to shine the

light on Newfoundland and Labrador.

I invite my colleagues here in this hon. House to join us as ambassadors for

this Province's abundant ocean technology and Arctic-related capabilities, with

some phenomenal entrepreneurs, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker for the opportunity to speak to the member's private

member's motion pertaining to wanting Newfoundland and Labrador to be a leader

in Arctic development, and to also highlight the conference that will happen in

2016 around Arctic technology.

The conference itself is quite significant in the fact

that when we look at what is going to happen around the knowledge sharing, the

research, and the technology of bringing stakeholders together around the

world's harshest climates to bring all these academics, to bring business, to

bring community, you have more than 1,000 delegates and exhibitors from all

around the world. This is where you

can look at facilitating and creating really meaningful projects and strong

partnerships moving forward.

We have had some discussions about things like this in

Estimates when we talk about the Arctic Opportunities Initiative and the value

of what a conference can bring to a region.

So when this is hosted in 2016 in St. John's, this will have significant

spinoff for the local business community and for us to shine a light on our best

assets; whether it be looking at the Marine Institute, looking at Memorial

University, the College of the North Atlantic; research institutions that we

have, like the work that is happening with Dr. George Rose and other areas, the

Research and Development Corporation; and to highlight the industries that we do

have, whether it be in the oil and gas in the offshore sector, or whether it be

looking at the mining opportunities or the potential in our fisheries sector;

and where we take this forward, and the opportunity to look at where business

and where local business can benefit from being able to be leaders and look at

pursuing the opportunities that are there in the Arctic.

That is what this is ultimately about.

We want to make sure that business is engaged, that they want to be

involved in the Arctic, that they know the opportunities, and that government is

facilitating that initiative, providing the guidance it needs, and playing its

role because the business community must be engaged in this whole process.

If we go back a little while, there was the Arctic

initiative launched. I believe it

was in 2010, maybe 2011, this initiative was launched.

In it there were stakeholder sessions that happened throughout the

Province. I had the opportunity, or

my office did, to take in the one that was hosted in St. Anthony.

We saw these stakeholder sessions happen a while ago, but we have not

necessarily seen much come from that point.

I would like to see where the follow-up is, where that engagement has

led, and what kind of plan the minister, through her department, is carving out

for Arctic opportunities and initiatives because surely there is a lot of work

to be done, not only leading up to this conference but tapping into the

opportunities when it comes to Arctic investment.

This type of private member's resolution, we had one

very similar introduced in November 2012.

I spoke to it then about the Arctic Opportunities Initiative and

developing a plan. At that time, the

Prime Minister of Canada was talking about the Arctic, Arctic sovereignty, and

the investments the federal government would be making in these initiatives.

Since then, we have seen a little bit of a step back from the federal

government. I am wondering what that

changes at the provincial level, what that means for our local business and

local entities, and where we are going as we move forward.

Certainly, our opportunities depend on investment and

we need to have that investment. We

have seen it in oil and gas, we have seen it in mining, and there are more

opportunities to expand that, whether it is on the Island or in Labrador.

I think there is a real role here, too, for the Minister of Fisheries to

play a critical role when we are looking at the Arctic, when we look at the

change in climate, and when we look at the impacts that is having on our

fishery, the differing technologies, and what that is actually meaning to

biomass and species that are there.

We are certainly seeing and we are hearing a resurgence of codfish and other

ground fish, pelagic, moving into our waters.

We have seen that. We need to

see a plan as to how we can capitalize on those opportunities and that

transition.

When we

look at the tourism potential that will come from Arctic opportunities and

investment, we look at ecotourism where people could be looking at taking people

out on the waters, we look at the cruise ship ports and the destinations that we

are creating, whether it be on Fogo Island or whether it be in northern parts of

Labrador in the Torngat Mountains, or looking the UNESCO status that Red Bay

just recently achieved. There are

opportunities to have this fully developed, but there are gaps we see where

items like federal custom officers may need to be put in place to expand the

capacity, expand that trade and how we are going to get and facilitate when we

look at international agreements like CETA and how that can bridge into where we

get further economic development.

Arctic

research is a key piece. We should

be looking at specifically creating a centre of excellence around Arctic

research and that piece of technology.

Utilizing how we apply technology, how we look at ecosystem research, and

to have that located in a place of the north, whether it be in Labrador or

whether it be on the Northern Peninsula.

I think they would be strategic areas to look at the high-risk

environment, potentially high reward that would come from looking at doing

business in the Arctic.

There is

potential for hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars in this, and I

have already talked about the institutions.

We have very strong business here in Newfoundland and Labrador, strong

communities. We need to find that

collaboration where there seems to be a disconnect between the provincial

government and community and what is actually happening around this initiative.

You have

the one stakeholder session, and that does not mean there is a real plan as to

where you are going forward with port development and infrastructure.

Looking at the transportation links that are needed to truly capitalize,

what is the provincial government prepared to do to make that investment?

Whether the investment is in key port infrastructure for Arctic shipping,

whether that would be in places like St. Anthony or whether that be in

Cartwright or whether it be somewhere else, St. John's, to look at: Where do we

make that investment, and how do we engage the municipalities and the business

community around that so those areas have strategic ports?

We see

in St. Anthony, where it has the second containerized port for shipping

internationally in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Eimskip comes biweekly and does shipping into Iceland and into Europe.

Could that be expanded further? Are

there other companies that could be involved in these types of investments?

Surely that has to be part of the plan as we look at the free flow of

goods and services and how we get things to Arctic areas.

It is something that members on this side of the House have brought up

several times, when we looked at the investment in our deepwater ports and when

we look at the flow of goods and services, transportation links.

I know

the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair has raised moving past a

pre-feasibility study and to looking at the feasibility of a fixed link and what

that actually means for the free flow of goods and services to be able to get

through North America, to get to the Island, and to flow goods and services

through Labrador as well and into Quebec.

It creates a world of opportunity.

If we do not do that feasibility study, then we are certainly not able to

move forward in a dynamic economy and in a global world to be more competitive.

Advanced

transportation links are needed, not less.

When we signed the Atlantic Gateway agreements we had stated that we were

in a brilliant geographical position, just like the Arctic, but every other

province and every other territory is racing for that piece of the Arctic as

well.

When we

look at the Atlantic Gateway, there were seventeen projects in 2011 underway

totalling $229.2 million. Our

Province's share? None.

We did not get any of that from the federal government.

If we are not active and we are not creating those partnerships with

business, with municipalities, with our academia, then we are not really going

to capitalize if there are federal funding initiatives and infrastructure

projects that are needed to move our Province forward.

We have

missed other opportunities when it came to national shipbuilding and the

shipbuilding procurement that will see multi-billions of dollars going to other

provinces, but not in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This all went to Nova Scotia and British Columbia.

Those are dollars that we are not going to receive.

We need to be able to look at the cross-departmental opportunities and

focus on the things that we can do to change, develop, and invest in the Arctic.

We have

seen significant cutbacks in jobs at the federal level, whether it be in the

Coast Guard where we have seen several Coast Guard radio stations slated for

closure in St. Anthony, on the South Coast, and in St. John's.

We have seen a downgrade in services when we look at search and rescue

and the critical role they need to play.

That needs to be expanded.

We also

need to look at, if you are going to be leaders, we are certainly laggards right

now when it comes to telecommunications, when it comes to when we talk about

it, we are twenty years behind the times of basic 911.

We have more areas of the Province that do not have access to broadband

Internet and slower speeds than other places in the country, most other

jurisdictions.

We are

at a real disadvantage when it comes to the fact that only 66 per cent of the

population has a speed at greater than ten megabits per second.

Most of the people have the absolute bare minimum.

It puts us at a competitive disadvantage when we are looking at all the

technology offerings that are out there and expanding cellphone coverage.

I think

the Minister of Municipal Affairs talked about it in debate, when we talked

about the 911 and how important it is to put in more cellular infrastructure and

work with the providers. I think

that ability is there, especially when the provider is willing and puts forward

proposals to put that investment there, to put those investments in key

infrastructure. The Province is

ready to partner, because that will truly build stronger communities, stronger

rural communities and partnerships when we look at moving forward.

We also

see federally, there is a broadband Canada program that is put in place.

We (inaudible) happening to those dollars, we truly do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. MITCHELMORE:

We need to accelerate the

growth and move past. We need more

fibre strands happening, going through the North, in Northern communities of

Labrador, on the Northern Peninsula, and in many other rural communities across

the Province. We need to see a

multitude of different technologies deployed, whether it is Wi-Fi mesh networks,

whether it is looking at cellular, whether it is looking at non-wireless

technology. There is lots of

potential there.

Where is

the plan, a strategy if you are not looking at tangible goals?

We have not seen that plan put forward as to what the Arctic initiatives

are. What is the actual plan put in

place for key areas of the Province to capitalize on any investment in the

Arctic? Are there going to be

dollars associated with it? Is this

going to come from the Department of IBRD, or is the Department of Finance going

to play a role in that plan? Because

we have seen in many instances where there have been strategies announced, and

we have seen time and time again a year or two later after the fact, there has

not been a whole lot of movement and they end up getting cut or rolled into some

other program.

We want

to see where the dollars are going to match up to make sure that local regions,

local areas of the Province are really in a key investment to be able to

capitalize on new technology and new investments.

I certainly believe, and I feel this government obviously believes, that

we can excel in the Arctic but we need to see a real commitment from government.

We need to see the kind of energy put into the plan that is tangible.

We need to see real measured initiatives that can be based on the real

world and can really put our Province forward.

Like I

said in the past, the Atlantic Gateway, we should have been strategically

located. We are saying it again for

the Arctic, we are in a great geographical position.

We talk about export and we talk about our great geographical position

when it comes to markets to Europe, but in many cases we have not capitalized on

the opportunity that is there at our doorstep, and some of that responsibility

falls upon government to create those plans and live up to its commitments to

making sure business and community can capitalize on the real opportunities that

are there. We need to, where

possible, put forward open, accountable, transparent best practices so we can

develop and expand the opportunities that exist in the North.

certainly have no problem in supporting this initiative, as long as a plan is

developed. I think the conference

I hope I am able to attend in 2016, this type of initiative, because there

really is a lot of good work that is done here in the Province and there is a

lot of potential where we can capitalize on that, but like I said, we need to

see that concrete plan. I look

forward to other speakers addressing some of those issues, maybe, that I raised.

certainly will support this resolution that is put forward before the House.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the member opposite for his comments, as well, and certainly for his support of

this initiative because it truly is a wonderful initiative.

As my colleague the Member for Fortune Bay Cape La Hune said, we are

bringing the world to Newfoundland and Labrador as a result of this particular

initiative, and so we should, Mr. Speaker, because we have so much to offer in

this area of Arctic opportunities.

The member opposite asked some very good questions and I hope I will be able to

answer those questions as I proceed through some of what I had hoped to be able

to say here this afternoon around the Arctic development.

Mr.

Speaker, we have been working diligently as a government, and certainly through

the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, to develop and

implement this Arctic Opportunities Initiative.

As the member opposite just alluded to, we have been doing that through

stakeholder engagements. They were a

very vital part because we had to hear where the stakeholders were, how they

wanted to contribute, and what they wanted to contribute to this particular

initiative.

We also

had to ensure they were onside and we had a vision that was common, so that took

a little work. We were really happy

to have had that opportunity to engage.

When I get further into this text, we will be able to show how we

actually have engaged them in putting together an implementation plan now for

what we heard from those stakeholder agreements.

Mr.

Speaker, we also met with the Nunatsiavut Government, and that was an extremely

important piece of work for us, again, as we came to understand the Aboriginal

culture and as we came to understand what it is the Aboriginal peoples can offer

to this particular program and to the initiatives we are launching.

It was a real eye-opening piece of work that happened there as part of

the stakeholders meetings that were held.

The

business community, Mr. Speaker, were also exceptionally engaged in this

process. One of the things that I

was delighted to learn in coming to the department is that we have over 500

companies in the Province right now that are anxious and active and have the

capabilities and the capacities to get involved in the initiatives that we hope

to see happen as a result of implementing this strategy.

So, that was really heartening, and I think the networking and the

relationship building that we did with the business partners also proved to them

that we are serious about making sure that Newfoundland and Labrador is the path

to the Arctic, and I have no doubt that we can do that with the help of all of

the people that are involved.

Academic

institutions, Mr. Speaker talk about a centre for excellence, as the member

opposite just reflected. I believe

we have them in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

The work that is happening at this Marine Institute is second to none.

AN HON. MEMBER:

Awesome.

MS SULLIVAN:

As one of my colleagues

behind is saying, it is awesome.

Whenever

I have gone there and I have seen some of the simulation work that they are able

to do, it is truly inspirational and inspiring.

Whenever I have gone to C-CORE and looked at what they are doing there

Dr. Claude Daley, and the work that he is doing around exploring, around ice

conditions, and how we can actually function within these really harsh

environments, particularly in Arctic ice, and through C-CORE as well.

I think that we have some centres of excellence that the world itself

would love to be able to emulate, Mr. Speaker.

So, that

is sort of the direction that we took in starting to get a framework in place

and putting a foundation down, and we have been, as I said, very diligent about

taking a look at that.

Now, Mr.

Speaker, we could ask the question, as well, as to: Why are we interested in

doing this? Why do we think that

this is a good niche for us? Well,

there are so many advantages that we in Newfoundland and Labrador have as we

position ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities.

Certainly, we are very strategically located on the international

shipping lanes and the northern sea routes.

So that is an obvious advantage to us.

We are home to Arctic communities and Aboriginal peoples, and my

colleague will speak to that later on this afternoon and broaden that out for us

so we understand just how with working with the Nunatsiavut Government and with

NunatuKavut and the Innu Nation that we can make inroads there.

In terms

of transportation and logistical expertise in remote locations in Arctic-like

conditions, the Woodward Group of Companies certainly have amazing skill in that

area, PF Collins, A. Harvey; we know that we understand that part of the

industry.

Experience in safe and sustainable development of natural resources: We only

need to mention Suncor and Chevron, and ExxonMobil and Husky Energy, and all of

the work that those companies are doing in those very cold, harsh and ice

infested environments, Mr. Speaker.

They already can help us understand how it is that we can proceed there.

The

mining sector: When we look at that and we look at the diverse and

environmentally sustainable northern mining sector, then we understand from the

work that Vale are doing, we understand from the work that the Iron Ore Company

of Canada is doing, Rio Tinto, past work as well that is happening, just how to

function there.

The

speaker opposite also referred to the industrial infrastructure that would need

to be put in place. I believe we

have support and a growing support in our sectors, particularly around

accessible ports, Mr. Speaker. I

make reference to St. John's, Lewisporte, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay,

and St. Anthony where, with ACOA, we actually did some dredging work not very

long ago to make that port even more accessible.

I look

at the work that we are doing industrially at Bull Arm Fabrication, at Bay Bulls

Marine Terminal, Cow Head Fabrication and so on.

We have expertise, Mr. Speaker, make no doubt about it.

Our job now is to ensure that we mobilize all of that, put it into the

package that helps us grab the attention.

Because make no doubt about it, the eyes of the world are on the Arctic

right now, and we very clearly have our gaze pointed in that direction and with

all the resources that are needed to make this possible.

We have

a world-renowned technology sector with oceans, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I reference the Marine Institute which is second to none.

The simulation, the tow tank, the flume tank, all of those if you have

not had opportunity to go and check those out, I really suggest that you go up

there and take a look. The National

Research Council, again in terms of offshore engineering, in terms of the ice

tank and the tow tank, it is amazing the work that is happening over there, and

of course C-CORE with the centrifuge.

Mr.

Speaker, I could use up all of my fifteen minutes just giving examples of what

we know already that we are able to do here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I think we need to make reference as well that the global industry has

made Newfoundland and Labrador their Northern Atlantic base of operation.

Now, that tells us something, Mr. Speaker.

When the world is coming here to set up because they too have a vision of the

North, they too have a vision of the Arctic, then we know we are doing things

right and we know that we are strategically positioned.

Talk about Rolls-Royce, for example, Schlumberger,

Statoil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Technip, we can go on and on with the people

who have set up here. They know how

well positioned we are, and that we are at the forefront of developing

innovative technologies and solutions, Mr. Speaker.

Look at C-CORE and how it is applying its

locally-developed solutions and experience to leading the European Space

Agency's Polar View project. Look

North, Mr. Speaker, at a national centre of excellence where researchers are

able to identify potential transportation corridors.

We have it all right here, Mr. Speaker, and we need to use that and use

it to our advantage.

Our goal, of course, is to ensure economic development

for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

It is to continue to diversify the economy here in Newfoundland and

Labrador, and it is to create an environment where our local companies and other

stakeholders, other subsidiaries, can benefit from the emerging opportunities

that present themselves to us as a result of Arctic operations.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that our stakeholder input

therefore has been very valuable. We

heard what the stakeholders had to say and we listened.

As a result of that now we are learning to develop those relationships,

to sustain them, and to brand our Province as the place, as the path to the

Arctic. We are, I believe, bringing

the world to our home here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SULLIVAN:

are doing that, Mr. Speaker, through the three conferences that we have been

able to attract here. We are the

envy of many places around this continent because they wanted those three

conferences and we have all three of them coming here.

We have OCEANS'14 coming here in September 14-19, I

believe are the dates; 1,200 to 1,300 people from around the world coming here.

What opportunity that presents for us.

We are selling out in terms of the booths.

We also have ATC that is coming here, Mr. Speaker, in 2016.

We have OMAE which is coming here in 2015, the oceans mechanics

engineering association and so many others that want to come.

They want to see what we are doing here.

HON. MEMBER:

are open for business.

SULLIVAN:

That is a really good point. One of

my colleagues just said, We are open for business.

We certainly are. Business

has been ongoing on this file for many, many years.

As I said, the 500 or more companies that are already in place have shown

us proof of that. We have a very

comprehensive approach, I believe, as we move forward and we are putting

together that formal action plan that the Member for The Straits asked about.

Our overall plan then will identify three strategic

directions and he did ask about what we were going to do.

One is positioning ourselves as the path by developing better

communications so that everybody knows what we offer here, Mr. Speaker, and

positioning our strategy such that we are reaching out to all of those areas and

bringing in all of the people within Newfoundland and Labrador who

want to be part of this, and can be.

We are participating and sponsoring key Arctic-themed events.

We are continuing to work with our stakeholders in building those

relationships, and we are establishing partnerships with other northern

jurisdictions. That is so important,

Mr. Speaker. We cannot do this in

isolation. Our northern

jurisdictions are so important to us.

Apart from that, our second step is to build local

capacity, and we are doing that by developing a provincial inventory, by

increasing outreach on how to do business and working with local partners.

We are identifying the gaps, Mr. Speaker, and we are filling them in.

Thirdly, we are fostering economic development and business opportunities

right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I was at Common Ground a little while ago during

Innovation Week and somebody there came to me and spoke about the Arctic

opportunities, and some ideas that he had around how to foster that development

here. It was really exciting to see

that. People understand that they

have a place to come, they have a place to be supported, and that we are there

to help them.

Mr. Speaker, I can go on about a variety of other

activities. The member opposite also

asked about who we might be partnering with to ensure this implementation

strategy. Well, the Research &

Development Corporation, the Marine Institute, the Nunatsiavut Government, and

other groups. We also have a

ministerial steering committee in place, a deputy minister steering committee in

place. I think, as we raised our

national profile, one of the best things that we are doing is that we are

connecting with the Arctic Council, which is chaired by Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

I have had the privilege of working with her.

She is the Chair of the Arctic Council.

I worked with her as well when she was the Minister of Health for the

country, so we had many interactions.

We will continue to work with her to ensure that the message on

Newfoundland and Labrador is getting out.

We are continuing with Noia and we are continuing our

work with NATI. Mr. Speaker, one of

the other ways that we know we get our message out is when we go to events and

sponsor events like Northern Lights, like the ATC that my predecessor went to,

like the Offshore Technology Conference, like Arctic Oil & Gas North America,

Arctic Shipping North America, ISO Plenary, the Expo Labrador, Northern

Exposure, and so many more.

Our goal, as I said, is to promote economic development

and activity in Newfoundland and Labrador by creating the right environment, by

ensuring we have engaged everyone here in the Province, and by ensuring we have

done the outreach that is going to get us noticed and that is going to affirm

that we are the place to be, that we truly are the path to the North.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that with the eyes of the world

now looking northward, Newfoundland and Labrador is ready to lead the way.

I am so happy to be part of that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR.

EDMUNDS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister and the Member for

Fortune Bay Cape La Hune for an advance copy of their notes because I heard

the same thing on November 21, 2012 when the Member for Lake Melville spoke to

it, Mr. Speaker. The only problem is

what has happened from back then until now is very little.

Industry has taken the lead, Mr. Speaker, in leaps and

bounds. I remember attending the

Noia Conference and they were talking about pushing Newfoundland and Labrador

forward, and I support that. What

they did not know is the state of the infrastructure, so I told them.

They were shocked.

A little while after, I asked the minister, the Member

for Labrador West, when he announced the ferries: Are you going to upgrade

infrastructure? The answer was no.

This is a government that is poised to go North?

I do not think so, Mr. Speaker; I think there is a lot of work that has

to be done. I will support this PMR,

but I realize from living in the North that there is a lot of work that has to

be done.

We have organizations, like the St. John's Board of

Trade, that have gone forward. They

even recruited a senior government member to get on board their Labrador and

Arctic working group. I would have

thought it would have been the other way around, Mr. Speaker.

The PMR that was presented in 2012 by the Member for

Lake Melville was much more elaborate than what I heard today.

I had faith that this would go.

It is too bad that

the Member for Lake Melville

just spoke to it, because nothing happened after.

Nothing happened after.

We talk

about the world is coming to us. I

heard the Member for Fortune Bay Cape La Hune say the world is coming to us.

I heard the minister talk about the world is coming to us.

Mr. Speaker, we have to go out and get the world.

Nova Scotia is poised and ready.

listened with much dissatisfaction and watched the MP for Labrador put $500,000

into a port in Quebec. We could have

had those resources. We could have

opened up, but there was nothing from the government, Mr. Speaker, to support a

railway to a port in Labrador. So,

Quebec is ready to go.

Churchill, Manitoba looks at their community as a gateway to the Arctic.

Mr. Speaker, we have organizations that have taken the initiative,

companies that have taken the initiative.

We have companies like Woodward's Oil that could not wait for this

government. They have gone on and

they are delivering supplies right across the North.

We have tourism companies like Adventure Canada that do tours from

Greenland to Iqaluit to Baffin Island and down the Coast of Labrador to St.

John's. They could not wait, they

took the initiative.

We talk

about having the resources and to be strategically placed.

I agree with all of that, Mr. Speaker.

The resource is over 500 years of marine industry in our Province.

We have the best. The

minister referenced the Marine Institute and other companies.

I fully agree, Mr. Speaker, in the offshore technology when it comes to

oil and gas. We are the best.

We are the best, Mr. Speaker.

We have a lot to present and we are strategically located.

The Coast of Labrador is longer than circumnavigating the Island portion

of our Province.

Mr.

Speaker, this government cannot even get an icebreaker to help the

Apollo out.

We are talking about marine shipping and ferry passage to Northern

Labrador. I talked about this

earlier in this session. The

Northern Ranger that provides tourism

services went dead in the water. I

am a marine navigator by trade, Mr. Speaker, and the term dead in the water is

the last thing you want to hear when you are onboard a vessel.

This is how this government is poised to go forward in the Arctic?

Mr. Speaker, it leaves a lot to be said.

certainly look forward to 2016 for us to host an Arctic conference.

An international conference that will bring hundreds and thousands of

people to talk about how to open up ourselves, how to sell ourselves as the

gateway to the Arctic, and how to sell our resources that we have to offer to

benefit from the Arctic.

I heard

the minister say that all eyes are on the Arctic.

That is so true. Living in

the subarctic if you may, Mr. Speaker, because we live just south of the Arctic

Circle line. If we look at Voisey's

Bay, if we look at Muskrat Falls, if we look at Strange Lake, if we look at the

tourism potential, this whole Province is strategically placed.

It is strategically placed, it has a lot to offer, but it is lacking in

initiative.

At the

NOIA conference, Mr. Speaker, there were a number of presenters there.

I remember one industry official talked about Newfoundland and Labrador's

expertise. I will quote this: In

working in a harsh environment, combined with its proximity to the Arctic, makes

it a natural centre of excellence when considering developments in Arctic

environments.

Mr.

Speaker, truer words were never said.

The only thing is once you look at harsh environments you have to look at

a safety factor. Just to give you

some example of what it is like I may have stood in this House before and

unfolded this story, but it is relevant.

I took

part in a search and rescue just south of Makkovik a few years

ago. The search and rescue was a

total success, Mr. Speaker. The

cormorant helicopter lifted off from the nearest base in Gander and it took them

five hours to travel south of a community and do a successful rescue.

Five hours, and that is the closest point.

Mr.

Speaker, if you are going up to the Arctic, until you get to Baffin Island,

Gander is the only cormorant on the East Coast that can go North.

We do have the 444 Squadron in Goose Bay but they are not as equipped.

If you get in trouble and when we are talking about Arctic development,

tourism fits right into that category.

We have

sailing ships, we have cruise ships that are continuously going up and down the

coast. I just made reference to

Arctic Adventures. Mr. Speaker, in

the event of an accident somewhere between Cape Chidley on the tip of Labrador

and Baffin Island, which is some 390 miles of ocean, what do we do for mass

rescue? How equipped are we?

Tourists are going to look at that.

I worked in the tourist industry, Mr. Speaker.

I did it for ten years. I

totally understand how much of a factor safety is and having the safeguards in

place.

Mr.

Speaker, I talked about the Apollo and

there are so many people travelling on it.

Time and time again I have heard my colleague from Cartwright L'Anse au

Clair talk about, question where this government cannot access an icebreaker.

I know it is a federal issue but it is a service, it is this government's

mandate to go after that service, Mr. Speaker, they could not do it.

We talk

about a sea route and I think traditionally you think of the sea route as the

gateway but, Mr. Speaker, the Inuit from Nunatsiavut and from Nunivik have

traditionally integrated the Nunatsiavut Government as part of their circumpolar

conference, part of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami have always had discussions all

over the North in Labrador. They are

poised, they are ready to go. They

have their communications.

seems, Mr. Speaker, everyone has their ducks lined up except for this

government. The reason I say that is

because I heard this presentation or this PMR two years ago, and I am hearing

the exact same thing again. The

notes that were provided for the minister and for the mover of the motion, Mr.

Speaker, I pretty much have them in my hand.

It is the same thing; the only difference is this time we do have

something to look forward to, and that is the conference that is coming up in

2016. Everyone is ready to go.

There is an old saying that if you build it, they will come.

Well, sometimes you have to go after it and, Mr. Speaker, that is where

this government is lacking, what can be done between now and 2016, I am fully

supportive of it. I will fully

endorse it, but just to say that it has to be done.

Mr.

Speaker, I could read the same notes I did two years ago because they are still

relevant. If it has come to

representing PMRs, I would like to talk about a PMR that was submitted, and

actually submitted by our side, on search and rescue.

It is the same thing in this category when you look at going north into

the Arctic. In the North, they

supported that PMR. The only thing

is they gave it lip service and we have not seen anything since.

As a matter of fact, what we have seen is the closure of the marine

search and rescue sub-centre in St. John's.

We have seen closing down and cutbacks in coast guard presence.

That is not how we go forward to present ourselves to the Arctic as a

gateway.

Mr.

Speaker, I think there is a lot more that has to be done but in the meantime, as

I have said, before I take my place, I supported this PMR two years ago and I

will gladly support this PMR again today.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Lake

Melville.

MR. RUSSELL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I

always do when I rise in my place in this hon. House, I would like to thank the

people of Lake Melville for their continued support.

I would like to say it is an honour and a privilege to speak to this

private member's resolution here today.

commend the Member for Torngat Mountains across the way for his passion.

It is all appreciated, Mr. Speaker.

I am glad he remembered that this was discussed before and there have

been stuff that has happened, but the bottom line here now is I am so depressed

I do not know if I am going to be able to continue.

My goodness, to turn everything into a talk about search and rescue, ice

breakers, and all that and to try to look at the people who are out at home

watching and to try to have them convinced that the federal responsibilities are

on this government right here during a private member's resolution that should

be celebrating our educational institutions, our youth who are in those

institutions, our business sector, and our innovation as a people and a Province

in order to take advantage of what is coming from the opportunities in the

North.

With

that being said, I would just like to say he did make some positive reference, I

will give him that, about the fact that we are positioned well.

We certainly are. You can

talk about our academic and research development facilities, infrastructure, and

our technology, Mr. Speaker; we are certainly well positioned in taking

advantage of all of those opportunities.

Mr.

Speaker, what inspires us to do these things the way we do, to develop our

industries, to get our educational institutions in-line, and to make sure that

we position ourselves and take advantage of that?

It is the legacy of our Province's explorers, our elders, and our

traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

I will

just say very quickly, as I do many times in this House, as it is on the Island

it is up in Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

Knowledge and tradition are passed down from elders to the youth in our

communities, father to son, mother to daughter, and whatever the case may be.

That is what leads us to be the type of people that we are, which is to

keep pushing the boundaries when it comes to technology, exploration, and

opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I

will give the member from across the way a little bit of kudos, too, because he

did talk about our expertise in operating in a harsh environment.

If you talk about Labrador, if you talk about Newfoundland, and if you

talk about our great legacy of fishermen, hunters, and trappers, Mr. Speaker, we

certainly know how to survive and make do in terms of living in a harsh climate

to support our families and our communities.

Everything from development in the middle of Iceberg Alley, unmanned

vehicle technology, and we have gone so far as to get involved in monitoring

icebergs with satellites. We are

certainly doing a lot.

Again,

not to go off topic, Mr. Speaker, I am just going to say I talked a little bit

about our industry side of things and I talked a little bit about our

educational side of things, but in terms of what we are doing, Mr. Speaker, as a

government it is great to say you talk about tuition freezes, you talk about

elimination of student loans, you talk about continuous continuous

dedication to our students and infrastructure developments on the campuses

across this great Province, Mr. Speaker.

We are certainly serious about what we do.

One

thing that has happened since this was brought up last time, I will say to the

member from across the way, is simply this: we have stepped it up in terms of

our partnering, Mr. Speaker. I would

like to give a little bit of mention here to our partnering in specific with the

Nunatsiavut Government as we implement our Arctic Opportunities Initiative.

I will go back a little bit in time and take you back to even before I

was actually a member of the Nunatsiavut Government.

I had worked for a development corporation and we had partnerships with

companies, Aboriginal groups, and Nunavut itself, if you will, in terms of

delivering supplies and partnering up in terms of fishing quota and vessels, if

you will.

The

Nunatsiavut Government has the personnel.

They certainly have the youth who are taking advantage of post-secondary

student support programs to get involved in opportunities that will take place

further north. They have the

government; they have the members in place who want to see our youth thrive.

You have to look a little further than just behind your doorstep, Mr.

Speaker. You have to see what is out

there for the kids and you have to dream a little bigger, if you will, in order

to truly grow and to be able to develop as a society and as a people.

Mr.

Speaker, I will say something about the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies as well,

which is a part and parcel with the government that we are partnering with.

They are certainly ambitious in terms of acquiring infrastructure,

construction companies, heavy equipment operations, and all of those things that

will allow us through a mutually beneficial partnership to get out there and to

get into a position where we can seize an opportunity.

Whether it becomes research and development, whether it becomes bidding

on a project, whether it becomes starting a new industry, or whatever it happens

to be, they are ready to go and so are we.

It is

not as if this was talked about before and nothing happened.

I believe the member from across the way said the Member for Lake

Melville spoke about it and then he did nothing.

Well, Mr. Speaker, it takes more than one member on any one given side of

this House to make something like an Arctic Opportunities Initiative take place.

You simply just do not say hey, let's go do this, bang, we go up to

Nunavut and say here we are, and let's go.

It does not work that way.

You have

to have your ducks in a row; you have to have your partners in place, which we

are doing. You have to get out there

and see what those opportunities are.

You have to strategically pick where you are going to put your investment

and then you have to go after it, as the member said.

This is not a government that simply talks and walks away, Mr. Speaker.

We get it done. When it comes

to this, we are going to be moving towards getting it done up there too.

Like I

said, Mr. Speaker, with the partnerships and the collaboration that takes place,

what you are going to see is the enabling of success inside of Northern

communities. You are going to see

growth and prosperity, just as we are seeing in Newfoundland and Labrador right

now, but further up North in Labrador and up into the Northern regions of

Canada, up into Nunavut.

What you

are going to see are entrepreneurs.

You are going to see students, like I said before.

You are going to see beneficiaries of land claim agreements take

advantage of post-secondary student support programs.

They are going to get out; they are going to get job opportunities.

Local businesses and entrepreneurs are going to get the ability to get

involved and everybody is going to benefit from this.

It is not just about one particular group, one government benefiting from

this, but it is everybody involved, and that is where partnerships come into

place, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, just to talk about some of our northern

communities, we have a wealth of traditional knowledge.

You talk about the unique experience that it is living in Northern

Labrador, I can only imagine now going way, way up above the treeline and being

born and raised in Nunavut, Mr. Speaker, a totally new experience again.

It is probably similar in terms of the cold, but other than that

definitely a different situation altogether.

It is these decision makers who have been leaders in

these northern communities all this time.

These are the people that we need in partnership and side by side with

us, Mr. Speaker, in order to make the right decisions about how to proceed when

we are talking about just that opportunities that happen in the North and in

the Arctic.

We talk about Qalipu Nation, the Innu, the Inuit, the

Metis of NunatuKavut, we certainly have our share in this great Province and

not to leave Miawpukek out of that as well; I better include them all.

When you are talking about traditional knowledge and I will just give

you one example. If you were to go

up through Torngat National Park, which is a little bit north of the hon. Member

for Torngat Mountains, his district, what you see is a base camp with an

electrified bear fence and you have bear monitors who are Inuit born and raised

people there who are trained experts marksmen with