April 24, 2002 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLIV No. 12

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Carbonear- Harbour Grace.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SWEENEY: Mr. Speaker, the Business School at Memorial University has

become the first in Atlantic Canada and only one of eight in the country to be

credited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

This Association is one of the higher education's most prestigious and

rigorous accrediting bodies. It stresses academic excellence and dedication to

continuous improvement and it is the highest distinction offered to business

schools nationally and internationally.

To achieve AACSB International Accreditation, business programs must satisfy

the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to curriculum,

faculty resources, admission, degree requirements, library and computer

facilities, financial resources and contributions to research.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in congratulating the Business

School at Memorial University upon achieving this prestigious accreditation.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Trinity North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ROSS WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Roman Peddle of Gooseberry Cove on

receiving the Canadian Forces Cadet Award for Bravery.

Mr. Speaker, on September 16, 1999, when Roman was only sixteen years old, he

jumped into the water in Southport Harbour to save his young friend, Kayla Dean.

She has fallen from the wharf nearby.

Roman was a member of the Royal Oak 2997 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Core in

Little Heart's Ease. Mr. Speaker, Roman is an exceptional cadet and throughout

his time as a member of that cadet core received many awards for his

participation in both local and provincial events.

This award, Mr. Speaker, acknowledges an exceptional act of bravery and has

only been presented twenty-four times since it was established in 1948, and

Roman is only the third person in Newfoundland to receive this award.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask members of this House to join with me in thanking

Roman for his heroic act and congratulate him for receiving this very

prestigious award.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burin- Placentia West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS M. HODDER: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to

congratulate a former resident of Marystown who has been named Chairperson of

the National Adult Cystic Fibrosis Committee.

Dale Walsh, son of Pat and Mary Walsh of Marystown, was first diagnosed with

cystic fibrosis at the age of six months. Now twenty-nine, Dale will work with

other committee members to consider and resolve issues of concern to adults with

CF on both a national and regional level.

Mr. Speaker, Dale is a former Vice-Regional Representative, as well as a

Regional Representative for Atlantic Canada, and has been actively involved in

issues dealing with CF for the last four years. He currently is working with our

Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and resides here in St. John's

with his wife, Peggy, and one-year-old daughter, Regan.

On behalf of all members of this House, I congratulate Dale Walsh on being

named Chair of the National Adult Cystic Fibrosis Committee and wish him well in

the future.

Thank you, Mr. speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MANNING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I take the opportunity today to inform the House of a special celebration

that will take place in Branch, St. Mary's Bay, this coming Saturday night. It

is a celebration of a community, family and friends of Austin and Agatha Nash,

who will celebrate their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary on April 28.

I have known Mr. Austin and Mrs. Agatha for many, many years. They are quite

honest, hard-working people, who raised a family during some very hard times in

a small fishing community of Branch, St. Mary's Bay.

I ask the Members of the House of Assembly on all sides to join with me and

their family and friends as they celebrate a great achievement of sixty years of

marriage for Austin and Agatha, and come together in the community hall in

Branch this Saturday, and I would say it is going to be a time tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate Bay Roberts author, Gordon Francis, on the

recent release of Book II of the Jonathan Dreamed of Dragon series,

called The Return of Ozon . This children's book provides enjoyment but

also includes information about environmental pollution.

A former drama teacher, Mr. Francis has been given readings to Grade 3

classes where his book is part of the authorized list of resources. The author

enjoys impersonating characters from his book to add to the imagination of his

young audience.

Mr. Francis has published other books and is the co-author of Process and

Purpose , the Language 3101 text used in Newfoundland and Labrador schools.

He is due to retire from a thirty-year teaching career at the end of this school

year, and is looking forward to working on Book III of the series.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Francis on publishing this new book

and encourage him to continue his work which brings enjoyment to so many young

people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last night, Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of joining with the Kinsmen and

Kinettes to pay tribute to a project that celebrates the National Kinsmen and

Kinette President's visit to our Province, the National Cystic Fibrosis

Conference, National Organ Donor Week and Volunteer Week generally. The project

is known as the Kin Organ Donor Awareness Campaign or Kin-ODAC.

Adopted right here in our home Province at Corner Brook's Odyssey 2001,

during the National Kinsmen and Kinette Convention, it is a legacy to a young

St. John's East Kinsman whose inspiration started it, a young man by the man

of Andrew Hatfield. The program has enjoyed tremendous success all across Canada

since its inception.

Since August, Kinsmen and Kinettes all over Canada have become ambassadors of

the Organ Donor program in their communities, volunteering their time, and

educating their families and friends, all the while further enhancing their

faithful commitment to their national service project, Cystic Fibrosis.

Their CF fundraising efforts aided researchers in their quest for a cure, and

now they are hoping that their Kin Organ Donor Awareness Campaign will mean more

access to precious transplant options that have evolved from the success of that

research.

I am sure I speak on behalf of all members, Mr. Speaker, when we say that we

congratulate all the good work of all Kinsmen and Kinettes throughout our

Province and we wish them well throughout this very important campaign.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question today is for the Acting Minister of Industry, Trade and Rural

Development.

This morning, a representative from the St. John's Real Estate Board, which

actually represents St. John's Metro area and the bulk of the Northeast

Avalon, in an interview, said this: The housing market in this part of the

Province is booming.

When asked why it was booming, he did not say it was because of people coming

from outside the Province to buy homes; he did not say it was because of the oil

and gas industry for people coming to buy homes; he said, one of the single

biggest factors why the housing industry in this part of the Province is booming

is because of the demographic shift of people from rural Newfoundland to this

part of the Province to seek employment opportunities.

Wouldn't the minister agree that this is an indictment of this government's

abysmal failure to grow and diversify the rural economy of Newfoundland and

Labrador? And, is it also an indictment and a statement of fact that this

government is void and has run out of any creative ideas to grow and create jobs

in rural Newfoundland and Labrador?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, it is not a position of this Administration to

indict anyone or anybody at this point. The Opposition House Leader asked a

question - and I am tired of saying this - again, if you ask a question you

ought to be courteous enough to allow me to respond.

As everyone knows, this Administration has a Jobs and Growth Renewal

Strategy. The shift of demographics in this Province from rural to urban is not

a phenomenon that is unique to this Province. Anybody who has checked any

demographics across this country in North America, the shift generally in North

America is from a rural based economy to an urban economy, but that does not

make it right and that does not make it what we want it to be. Rural

Newfoundland deserves a chance to survive and will be given a chance to survive

by allowing this Administration a chance to implement the Jobs and Growth

Strategy of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This government has gone a long way in the last little while to create a

spin, to create a myth, to create a perception, that things in rural

Newfoundland and Labrador in this Province are better than they have ever been.

For example, Mr. Speaker, in this year's Budget Statement, Budget Speech by

the minister, it was said that this year, for the first time, we have had more

people employed than any other time in our history, and that the bulk of those

people - 63 per cent of those jobs were created outside the Avalon. It goes

against any and all of the indicators that economists are putting forward.

Let me ask the minister this: Does he stand by the statistics that his

government used on Budget day and other days that say for sure that right now

there are more people employed in full-time positions than ever in our history?

Is that still your position?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, the information that I have available

indicates, and this is done independently, that since 1996 there has been 23,000

jobs - in excess of 23,000 jobs actually - created in this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: We have the most people working in this economy ever, and of

those jobs in excess of 23,000, 63 per cent of those jobs have gone to rural

Newfoundland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Instead of preaching doom and gloom and being defeatists,

this Administration's role is we want to be positive because if you do not

believe in yourself, like we do, and if you have a negative attitude, like the

Opposition has, we are never going to get anywhere if we don't believe in

ourselves first. We do, and we believe in this Province and the people of this

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the only people who believe, on that side of the House right

now, are themselves and if you do not believe them, ask them. That is what I

say. Any sound, sober analysis of what the government just said in terms of -

MR. SWEENEY: (Inaudible).

MR. E. BYRNE: What is the matter, guy? What is the matter with the Member

for Carbonear-Harbour Grace? Stand up on your feet for the first time and say

something as opposed to yapping in the backbench, because that is all you do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, any sound sober analysis -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member now to get to his question. He is on a supplementary.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. E. BYRNE: He got some.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member now to get to his question quickly.

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, any sound -

MR. SWEENEY: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. member on a point of order.

MR. SWEENEY: Mr. Speaker, I am not afraid to stand up and tell the truth.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Again, I remind hon. members that during Question Period points of order

should be kept until the end of Question Period.

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Any sound, sober analysis of the employment statistics used by this

government in the recent Budget Speech shows a completely different story. Mr.

Speaker, the question is this: Wouldn't the minister agree that the $3.441

million emergency employment program, created for the statistics, 6,617 people

who showed up as being employed in the Province when in fact they were only

employed for two weeks? In short, the question is this: Wouldn't you agree

that your own emergency employment program inflated artificially the numbers

that led you to claim, and your government to claim, that you had the highest

employment rate in the Province in recent time? Isn't that the fact, minister?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: I take it from the comments of the Opposition House Leader

that he is opposed, and his party is opposed, to the special incentive

initiative that we had.

This Administration implemented a program here that would be of benefit to

these people who are in desperate straits and needed some assistance. You can't

preach doom and gloom on the one hand and then fault an Administration that is

trying to help these people in desperate circumstances.

If you don't agree with a program that is intended to help people, don't

fudge your words, stand up and say you don't agree with it, because we are

into helping people over here.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Perhaps you might like to ask, as well, in terms of what you

are trying to do for people in rural Newfoundland: Does the Opposition disagree

with what happened on the Burin Peninsula with White Rose? Do you disagree that

the yard has been turned over to someone who is going to make people have a

gainful livelihood? You can't criticize these things without wearing the

backspin that goes with it. If you are going to criticize what we are doing in

rural Newfoundland, I take it you will stand up and tell the people in Burin

that you are opposed to what we are doing in Burin. I take it you will tell the

people in Carbonear that you are opposed to the jobs that went out there and the

call centre.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the minister now to conclude his answer.

MR. PARSONS: Those are signs of progress, those are signs of success, not

signs of failure, as you would have everyone in this Province -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What we are opposed to is this government spinning, concocting, misleading,

trying to convince people in rural Newfoundland and Labrador that things are

better than they actually are.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Minister, the people in this Province know exactly, the

people in rural Newfoundland know exactly, what your government has not done for

them. They don't need me or any other member to say it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. member is on a supplementary, I ask him to get to his question.

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As a result of artificially inflating the numbers, government then, Mr.

Speaker, tried to hide behind and say, look what a great job we did, when they

did very little.

I would like to ask the minister this question: How can he stand up and make

the claim and the assertion that things in rural Newfoundland and Labrador are

better than they have ever been in our history since Confederation, when 55,000

people packed up suitcases, packed up cars, packed up children, and went to

Alberta, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and other places just to find some gainful work for

themselves and their families?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, we talk about spin; and the master of spin is

at it again today. Nowhere has it ever been said as it has by the spin doctor,

by this Administration, that rural Newfoundland is in the best shape it has ever

been in its history. Nowhere has that been said by this Administration. Nowhere.

What about the 500 jobs that are in Central? Do we discount those? Is that a

failure as well? I would like to take this opportunity as well because there is

a lot of talk here about doom and gloom, who does what and does not show their

hand, and openness and accountability. I was asked a question last week by the

Opposition House Leader concerning the consulting contracts and I will take this

opportunity to clarify this for the public as well. I undertook to table these

documents -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, if things are so great in rural Newfoundland

and Labrador as this government would like to make out, let me ask the minister

this question. Would he agree with a study by CIBC, a division headed by CIBC,

from a well-known economist called Benjamin Tal, that said in the 1990s,

particularly from 1996 to the period that they have talked about until now 2000,

that Newfoundland and Labrador was the only Province in Canada that lost

employees up to a maximum up to 5 per cent. The only Province in Canada. Would

he agree with that study that was produced? If he does agree with it, because

that is the fact, how can he then stand and assert that his government has done

so much for so many over the last eleven years of Liberal administration?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Not only are we bereft of ideas, we are bereft of questions.

I think if anybody wants the facts, I will read a few statistics. The

Province - and this is not compiled by our in-house spin masters as you would

suggest; these are facts that are determined by independent people, independent

indicators - the Province led Canada in GDP growth in 1998, placed second in

1999, shared the lead with Alberta in 2000. These are facts. This is not spin or

a creation of figments of someone's imagination.

Again, unless everyone on the other side has missed the reality of the

moratorium that took place in this Province, the most devastating blow that ever

hit this Province economically, where most of our people were employed, and this

Administration never turned its back on the people and said: Let the chips fall

where they may. This Administration decided, as it should and ought to, that we

have to create alternatives for these people, the vast majority of them who live

in rural Newfoundland, not in urban centres, and that is exactly what this

Administration has been about since the collapse of the fishery.

This Administration is intent on making it a success, not closing their eyes

to the reality. Nobody is suggesting the job is finished. It is not finished.

This Administration would never claim that it is over.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister now to conclude his answer.

MR. PARSONS: We have a lot of work to do, but there is one thing about

it: this Administration intends to do it and intends to plough ahead and achieve

what needs to be done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A final question to the minister. Would he not agree - and again these are

not my statistics or anyone else's statistics; these are facts that have been

demonstrated through economic studies and I might add, Mr. Speaker, information

that comes from government's own departments - would he not agree that, in

trying to create the perception that things are so great in rural Newfoundland

and Labrador, that things are so good, that they have been the best in our

fifty-year history, would he not agree with his own statistics which say that 80

per cent of new jobs created by this government are part-time, dominated mostly

in the service sector, and are female dominant? Would he agree with those stats?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, we have no problem whatsoever with facts. I do

not think anyone who has ever lived in Newfoundland will contest or criticize or

misunderstand that most of our jobs in Newfoundland have been of a seasonal

nature anyway.

As far as I know, and as long as I can recall, most of our industries in this

Province are based upon seasonal types of activities. That is a reality. Call it

what you want, you cannot spin that. There are lots of other economic indicators

if you want them. The problem is, there is no reality on that side when it comes

to seeing the facts for what they are. You always put a doom and gloom scenario

on things, and that is not what is going to make this economy work. You people

should be more creative and give us some ideas if you have any; but we suspect

you are bereft of those ideas.

This government has a plan and we will see that the plan is implemented and

fulfilled. We are not quitters and we are not simply just critics.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. E. BYRNE: A final supplementary.

Mr. Speaker, we have propped up this government too long with our ideas and

the fact that they shouldered most of them are right here. Let me ask him this

question, one final question: What can the minister tell a family from Middle

Arm, who I talked to this morning, who are leaving - and they represent what

Statistics Canada say, that another 35,000 to 40,000 will leave if things do not

change in the Province. What can he tell that family today about GDP? Does it go

good with gravy? Does it go good with mustard pickles? Does it go good with

anything at all because they have not been able to eat it, which you have tried

to shove down their throats for the last several years?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: I trust, Mr. Speaker, that is not the same book or plan that

they had when they were going to open seventy-five more fish plants in the

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PARSONS: Maybe that

section has been deleted from the book.

I would tell those people, who he is talking about: Have faith, because we do

not like the idea of them having to leave rural Newfoundland any more than they

like having to leave. We are fully intent and determined that anyone who has had

to leave because of poor economic circumstances, will, while this Administration

is on watch, at least have some hope of returning, which is more than I can say

for what is on the other side.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My questions are for the Minister of Environment. Government has awarded the

tire recycling contract without ensuring that the proponent was properly

prepared to get the program up and running. Government failed to put the proper

mechanisms in place to ensure that the program would operate smoothly. We have

heard stories from municipalities that they are confused as to their obligations

and responsibilities. There are tire retailers with stockpiles of tires. They

are simply running out of space. Existing recyclers also have concerns.

My question for the minister is this: What does the minister intend to do to

correct the problems that are currently existing in the tire recycling program?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. K. AYLWARD: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for the

question and just to say, first off, it is a very good policy for the

environment that we are proposing to do and that we are doing now. There is a

scattered problem with it at this point, but for the most part we have over 240

landfill sites that we are dealing with. We have a scattered problem with some

of the clarifications that we are dealing with, and it will be implemented. We

are three weeks into the program that is going to be running forever in this

Province. We need the program because we need to cleanup our landfill sites in

the Province. I do appreciate the endorsement of the hon. member when the policy

was announced. He does support the policy. It will be in full effect very

shortly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for St. John's South.

MR. T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, among the tire retailers who have run out of

room to store their tires we know of at least one example where the retailer has

offered, at his own expense, to deliver the tires anywhere in the Province, even

to Argentia, just to get them off his site because he cannot store any more. He

has simply been told that he has to continue to store these tires until the

arrangements have been made to do otherwise.

Mr. Speaker, what is the minister going to do between now and such a time

that these arrangements are made to alleviate the concerns of this tire

retailer, as well as others, in terms of liability and the lack of storage

space?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. K. AYLWARD: Mr. Speaker, within the next few days we are asking for

some patience in some areas and basically, this program will be up and running

in full course. We are working with all the retailers and we are dealing with

individual issues on the short-term, but the overall plan will be full in effect

very shortly. I can assure the member that any retailers who have trouble should

contact the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board and we will deal with the issue.

The overall policy, once its fully operational very shortly, is going to have a

really positive impact on this Province. We are looking at making - I want to

thank the former minister for bringing the policy forward and to say that this

policy is going to create new opportunities. Also, we are looking at new

recycling initiatives after this one is up and running.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

A final supplementary, the hon. the Member for St. John's South.

MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Because of a lack of planning, I say to the minister, tires are now being

dumped outside the gates of landfills who are no longer prepared to accept them.

Why would government announce and implement a tire recycling program before

putting the proper planning and proper mechanisms in place to allow for a smooth

and effective operation from the start?

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Don't you think that it would have been

better off to do the homework upfront before implementing this program as

opposed to damage control after the program was implemented?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. K. AYLWARD: Mr. Speaker, with 240 landfill sites, and we are

implementing a new program, we are working through it, I assure the member that

we are, on a daily basis, on an hourly basis, in contact with all the

municipalities. All of the municipalities, Mr. Speaker, I can assure you, are

supportive of this policy. We are just making sure, when we clarify the policy,

that we deal with their concerns. So there is a little bit of extra patience

required for the new policy. We are looking forward, Mr. Speaker, for it to be

successful.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. J. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank the members on the opposite side of

the House for their support today.

Mr. Speaker, there are over 900 kilometres of dirt road and some 1,500

kilometres of twenty-five-year-old paved roads in the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador. The Minister of Works, Services and Transportation knows that over

$300 million is required for provincial roads as soon as possible, Mr. Speaker,

but only $18 million has been budgeted this year for provincial roadwork.

Can the minister tell us how he and the government plan to address this very

serious situation, and the escalating concerns of the municipalities and the

people of the Province about the very poor conditions of the roads in this

Province?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Works, Services and Transportation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BARRETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the hon. member for his in-depth question. The minister

has travelled on most of the roads around this Province, and there are a fair

number of roads that are in fairly poor condition. This government has allocated

$20 million this year for the Provincial Capital Roads Program. We will be in a

position within the next couple of weeks to announce that program to address the

most urgent needs around the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

MR. J. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It should be noted that he did not answer the question, and that my in-depth

question has a bit more to it than his power point display to the minister in

Ottawa when he was up there on February 5 at 5:37.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Works, Services and Transportation agree

with the Premier's statement on March 25 in this House of Assembly, that

basically government would do less work on roads on the Island portion of the

Province to accommodate for the $97 million they stole from the Labrador

Initiative Fund to balance the budget? In other words, Mr. Speaker, the people

in the Province who had a little chance of getting roadwork done this year, will

have a lesser chance next year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Works, Services and Transportation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BARRETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to remind the hon. member, ever since I have been in this world

Labrador has been a part of this Province called Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BARRETT: This minister, since he was sworn in, has travelled

extensively in Labrador and has looked at the transportation needs in Labrador.

As all roadwork in this Province, we do it on a priority basis within the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, which includes the great territory of

Labrador. We have committed to complete the Phase III of the Trans-Labrador

Highway, which is a top priority -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BARRETT: - presented to Minister Collenette in a proposal on February

5, and not a power point presentation as some people might suggest. As a matter

of fact, this minister -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. the minister now to conclude his answer.

MR. BARRETT: - can stand here and say that I am fifty-four years of age

and I have never done a power point presentation in my life, so therefore I do

not know what the hon. member is talking about. Labrador is a top priority in

terms of the Trans-Labrador Highway.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. the minister now to conclude his answer.

MR. BARRETT: This government stands on record as being very committed to

completing the Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway. The monies will be

allocated in next year's budget to address road improvements and road

constructions -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. the minister now to conclude his answer.

MR. BARRETT: - on the mainland portion of the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador and on the Island portion of this Province.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. BARRETT: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister now to take his seat.

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Mines and Energy and concerns the

Electricity Policy Review of this government which has enormous implications for

the future of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, including the potential loss of

government's ability to direct Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in the public

interest.

There are no public hearings scheduled, Mr. Speaker, and this government's

idea of what it calls public consultation involves private meetings by

invitation with Wallace Read, the consultant, and with departmental officials.

Mr. Speaker, will this government support the call by the Newfoundland and

Labrador Federation of Labour, by the IBEW, by consumer advocates and supported

by the New Democratic Party, for a public information program on these various

options, and full public hearings across the Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Mines and Energy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have put in place a process to hear from all who want to speak to the

issues raised in the Electricity Policy Review. It was announced about thirty

days ago. There is another thirty days left in that process. I can tell the hon.

member, quite honestly, that we have had next to no representation with respect

to the inadequacy of the process we put in place. Now, I do acknowledge that the

IBEW, Bob Clarke and others, raised the issue publicly last week in a press

conference, and I appreciate them doing it, quite frankly, because to the extent

that they speak to the issue, in and of itself, has some value in raising public

awareness that there is a process in place, and that activity is ongoing.

I have heard the comments. I have responded to it directly through the media,

and I am happy to respond in the House by saying that at this point the process,

in our judgement, is more than adequate, it is more than fair, and it will more

than suffice with respect to the level of consultation that we believe is

appropriate to deal with the issues raised, at what point it is concluded, and

the Commissioner, Mr. Read, has brought forward recommendations. We will move

forward with whatever action or activity or adjustments to the policy that we

might think appropriate at a later time in the year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi

Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Mr. Speaker, it took government four years to complete

initial review and it is allowing only sixty days for public consultation by

invitation only, I say, and some of the options put forward here could be

categorized as creeping privatization and others could lead to huge increases in

electricity costs for the people of the Province. Will the minister not

acknowledge that the reason that people have not been talking is because they do

not know about the proposals? There has been no public information process,

other than a press conference he held several weeks ago, and people have not

been given an opportunity to respond. Even routine rate applications hearings,

or rate increase hearings -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. HARRIS: - have public hearings. Why will the minister not

schedule

public hearings for this important process?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Mines and Energy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the process has been very well publicized, is very well known,

in addition to the information that we have made available, directly in press

handouts and in the release of the document. We have put the information on our

Web site. We have written, literally, every stakeholder that we have any idea

might have an interest in speaking to this. We have invited all, through the

media, to come forward and ask for a copy of the document if they want it. We

have done it on a direct basis with all the stakeholders that we can identify.

We simply believe that the process is adequate and it will accommodate the

fundamental requirements and obligation that we have to seek input. Once the

consultation period has expired we will move forward and take appropriate

action.

With respect to his comments on the issue -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister now to conclude his answer, quickly.

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

With respect to the issue of creeping privatization; the document, press

release, and communication that we have put out have been squarely categorized

and prefaced by saying that this has nothing to do with privatization of

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, it is not on the agenda, it is not an issue, it

is not an option.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Question period has ended.

Answers to Questions for Which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I was asked by the Opposition House Leader last

week in this House about tabling reports or contracts by the Department of

Industry, Trade and Rural Development concerning consultants. I indicated in

successive Question Periods last week that it would take some time to get that

information.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. PARSONS: Yes, I had the criteria as well, the guidelines. These

guidelines were in fact - and I have them all here to be tabled, as well as the

consultants contracts. These guidelines were implemented in 1985, have been used

by successive administrations. The information, by the way, that the Opposition

House Leader had was not released to him by way of a freedom of information

request, as was indicated. There was a request made, I understand, by the Member

for Kilbride directly to department officials without the assistance or need of

an FOI request and the information was provided based on that, because it was

freely asked and freely given.

I would also point out that if there is anything in any of these contracts

that is not understood by the Opposition House Leader, I would certainly make

myself available and departmental staff to review anything that he has any

concerns with about any of these consulting contracts. Again, I do not think

there is any need of being cloak and daggerish about this. When you talk about

things that are open and transparent, we want to be and will be open and

transparent. By all means, I will table this information for the House and for

the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: It being Wednesday, Private Member's Day, under the Orders

of the Day the hon. the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island, I

believe, has a resolution.

Private Members' Day

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell

Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WALSH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise today to introduce this Private Member's Resolution on

an industry that is making a significant impact on the economy of Newfoundland

and Labrador. The motion which was read into the record yesterday is:

WHEREAS the film industry in Newfoundland and Labrador has grown

significantly over the last number of years due to the creation of the

Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation and supported by such

measures as the Telefilm Equity Investment program and the Telefilm Industry Tax

Credit Program; and

WHEREAS the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Industry has reached a level that

provides a foundation for significant future growth but needs further

infrastructure to increase local and guest film and television productions; and

WHEREAS recent large scale film and television productions such as The

Shipping News, Rare Birds and Random Passage will enhance the profile

of Newfoundland and Labrador to a worldwide audience and may encourage other

filmmakers to film in this Province; and

WHEREAS the enhancement of the local film industry to a higher level was one

of the areas supported by the Final Report on the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and

Growth; and

WHEREAS the impact of film and television productions can enhance the

economies of both urban and rural Newfoundland and Labrador;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

continue to support initiatives that promote the continued growth of the

Newfoundland and Labrador Film Industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, in

conjunction with local film industry representatives, continue to lobby the

Federal Government for funding to support this growth industry.

Mr. Speaker, the resolution that comes forward today I believe is significant

because we have to look, not just at what has happened in the last one year in

this Province, not just look at the films that have made us all very much aware

of the production and the economic possibilities in our Province - and those I

mentioned, such as The Shipping News, Rare Birds and Random Passage .

I think what we have to do is take a look back also at opportunities that we

have missed.

Many of us remember thirty years ago when -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible) Orca .

MR. WALSH: Yes, when Orca was produced, when The Rowdyman

was produced, John and the Missus and A Whale for the Killing . We

had an industry that was on the verge of thriving and creating an impact in

Eastern Canada that could have made us number one. It could have taken us, at

that point in time, to a stage where the industry in Newfoundland would have

leaped forward in, I guess, leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, we missed that

opportunity. Those productions are films that we all remember, hold dearly and

cherish. However, we were not able to take advantage of it.

Now we have seen yet another explosion in terms of quality films being

produced in our Province. It is customary, in the last six or eight months,

indeed the last twelve months, to see stars such as Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin

Spacey actually sitting and relaxing in our restaurants and, I guess, our

lounges in Newfoundland. I remember one story of Kevin Spacey this past year

while in Trinity. He was up at a local establishment, the people of Trinity were

there relaxing, and someone said casually, as you would say to a neighbour:

Kevin, would you like to shoot a game of pool? The man felt relaxed enough that

he came over, he enjoyed the evening with them, and joked on national and

international television afterwards that he felt awkward knowing that there were

actually security people there in the Province to look after him; that he

understood how to pronounce Newfoundland. He understood what the people of this

Province were able to bring to him and to the character that he portrayed.

I think when we look at the potential, we have to realize that in

Newfoundland and Labrador today there is an explosion of energy. The individuals

who were involved in the productions that are taking place are developing their

talents, developing their skills, and preparing themselves for greater and

indeed lasting careers.

I think when we look at the vitality of these individuals, we fully

understand that Newfoundland and Labrador is alive in the film industry. There

are the spinoffs that sometimes we do not realize. There are the potentials that

we do not see simply because a movie has come here. I believe the best example

of what can happen anywhere is the movie A River Runs Through It. It is a

Robert Redford production. It was produced in Montana. It did not win an Academy

Award but it was a critic's choice and was enjoyed by people who thought that

movies can be made today without guns and bullets and bodies everywhere. It was

a nice folksy movie.

Within a month of its release, the area in which the motion picture had been

produced received some 300,000 requests for either places to stay; was there

land available; what could they do to have a part of what people saw in this

movie? Three hundred thousand requests. That is an economic impact that could

happen in Newfoundland simply because of the kinds of movies that are being made

here.

I am told by people in the Department of Tourism that in January after the

release, I think, of The Shipping News , requests went up by 38 per cent.

I am told that John Fisher of Fishers Loft in Trinity, today is scrambling

trying to find ways to accommodate the people who are calling him to look to

stay with him. In actual fact, a number of people, and I do not want to dispel

the fact that there is no availability of space in Trinity, but there are places

in Trinity that are already booked for this season. It is hard to think of the

tourism industry in our Province, knowing the kind of weather that we are

experiencing today outside this House and outside this Legislature, but they are

booked. They are booked for the summer.

The increase in information packages to companies such as Maxxim Vacations

that have now, because of the movie industry, planned tours for individuals who

wish to come to our Province to enjoy what people are now seeing.

I look back in terms of trying to figure out the approach to the movie

industry that was lost some thirty years ago but that now has rebounded, and I

think, really, that Mark Vaughan-Jackson of The Telegram probably said it

best in the 30 th Annual Business & Industrial Review. The

headline that he used said: Slow and steady pace is the winning ingredient for

the Province's movie sector. And it is.

I believe that when we look at the success of Random Passage , that was

filmed in the Trinity area, and when it was broadcast on the CBC they averaged

some 1.5 million viewers, one of the largest audiences that the CBC has been

able to generate. Rare Birds is yet another example of what can happen in

Newfoundland in terms of the movie industry. In terms of Rare Birds , many

critics have written and one, I think, in particular, with the Toronto

newspaper, The Toronto Star, or The Globe and Mail, said

that in the movie one of the rare birds was actually Andy Jones, and Andy Jones

is a treasure in this Province. William Hurt said it best: The movie would not

have been the success that it is today unless Andy had been there.

That kind of a compliment, to come from the William Hurts of the world, says

to us that the opportunity is there. Knowing full-well that we had a 38 per cent

increase in our tourism inquiries says that the film industry can do more for

this Province than simply the short period of time that they are here.

I do not know if people realize it or not, but if you take what the film

industry can do in Newfoundland - and I had the opportunity to spend some time

in the last little while and indeed today with Leo Furey, who is the executive

director of the industry. Leo said that the statistics are showing that the film

industry in Newfoundland, evolving as it is, could equal, without a doubt, that

of a small paper mill. It could equal probably that of three or four fish plants

around our Province. The nice thing about the industry in Newfoundland and

Labrador is that it is not stationed in a situation where it is bogged down in a

city like St. John's. In actual fact, the majority of the productions that

have taken place in Newfoundland over the last number of years have taken place

outside of the major urban areas, and I think the film industry bodes well for

that.

We have seen a number of films that we have heard about that had critical

acclaim, and we mentioned those a little earlier, such as The Shipping News

and Rare Birds , but we had other such as the Bingo Robbers , which

was a production here in Newfoundland, done in digital video. That has received

not only acclaim across Canada but in other jurisdictions where it has been

shown. It is currently showing on the movie network and, in itself, is gathering

momentum.

What about the possibilities for the future? Well, we have a number of them.

Our local filmmakers are looking at concepts and ideas that will bring other

major attractions to our Province. I had an opportunity last fall to discuss an

idea in terms of even a documentary film that an individual, who was a part of The

Shipping News, said that she would love and would welcome the opportunity to

develop a documentary on VOWR. I see that as an example of something that I

believe would be welcomed not only in the Province but I think it would auger

well anywhere in Canada, the radio station VOWR, and what it has been able to

accomplish and what it still is accomplishing today.

We have been successful in other areas of our film industry. One of the

areas, of course, that comes to mind is the St. John's International Women's

Film and Video Festival. That is a yearly event. In actual fact, that yearly

event here in the Province has been named by Attractions Canada as an important

cultural event for anyone who may wish to be touring, or are touring, our area.

When we look at some of the other films, smaller films and their filmmakers,

we showcase a number of them. It showcases, more importantly I guess, the talent

that is available to this industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have to grab a hold to this industry and make it grow. We all know that

Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver have established themselves as they call,

Hollywood of the North. We know that, and that some $2 billion is spent annually

in those particular markets.

In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia has moved faster than any other province in

Atlantic Canada in establishing themselves as the leader in the movie industry

and production in Atlantic Canada. Last year, Nova Scotia saw $130 million spent

in movie and TV production. This year, in Newfoundland and Labrador, we had a

boom in the sense that some $22 million was spent. Next year we should not

expect that much, from what I understand from those involved in the industry.

What we should expect is a lower amount, but that amount will come in at around

$12 million to $14 million.

I know of one particular case when they were shooting some scenes here in St.

John's for a particular movie that it began to rain. The producer simply

turned to somebody and said: We need eighty or ninety - I cannot remember the

exact number - raincoats. Go get them. They came back within an hour, and

someone had generated a $4,000 sale just to meet the needs of the productions

that afternoon.

We should not be disappointed when we hear the numbers next year dropping

from $22 million to $14 million. That is a far cry from where we were three

years ago when the Film Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador was

established and we had barely $3 million in production.

We have lost, as well, some productions that could have given our industry a

greater visibility. We lost This Hour Has 22 Minutes , I am told, because

somewhere along the way various governments could not find $50,000 to help them

do their pilot. It was lost to Nova Scotia for $50,000.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. WALSH: I am not sure, it was one of ours. It may have been around the

same time that we were coming and you were going. I am not quite sure, but it

was lost.

The point I am making is to reflect, not upon why it was lost or who lost it.

I make the point only to emphasize the need for us to ensure that this industry

has the support that it justly deserves.

Halifax has been able to get the jump on us as well simply because the major

production studio, CTV's Atlantic office is there, Telefilm Canada's

Atlantic office is there. Because of that, they have a little greater

opportunity to grab a hold of things that are happening.

What we have been able to prove to the film industry across Canada is the

fact that we have been able to provide individuals and talent that the movie

industry did not know existed here. We have also been able to provide them

scenery that is unsurpassed anywhere in North America; whether it is the

mountains, the valleys, the lakes, the streams, the coastline, the shoreline. We

have been able to offer them something that is visually acceptable to people

around the world to the point of wanting them to be here, wanting them to come

here.

I do not anticipate that we will see, in our lifetimes or any lifetime, I

guess, of those of us who may even follow in our footsteps, that we will reach

the $2 billion in productions that are happening in Ontario, British Columbia

and Quebec. But I do believe that we can carve out a portion of that in

specialty films that will allow the industry to grow here and allow those who

have decided in their chosen walk of life, that the film industry and production

industry is where they would like to be, that they, themselves, will be able to,

not just eke out an existence but will be able to live comfortably, will be able

to grow in stature, will take their talent, their enthusiasm to other parts of

Canada and, indeed, as other Canadians have, to Hollywood where productions are

made and they, themselves, will come back to enhance what is happening here.

Some of the major companies that are producing in Canada today, such as

Alliance Atlantis, are producing some of the most watched television programs in

the United States. CSI is one of the most popular programs in the United and

States today and is virtually all Canadian. Alliance Atlantis has also been able

to take productions that are produced in Canada and find venues for them around

the world.

I think, Mr. Speaker, we can only imagine the potential that exists in

Newfoundland and Labrador if our industry is able to develop, if our industry is

able to grow. I think we need to recognize that, as an industry, it will only

flourish if it has the support of those of us who sit here in the Legislature to

help them with their financial needs, but also to help them encourage and,

through ourselves, encourage Ottawa -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I just want to remind the hon. member that his time is up.

MR. WALSH: By leave, I will just take a moment.

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave to finish?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave.

MR. WALSH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will take a moment just to clue up and then allow other participants.

I think what we have to do is look at giving them the opportunity, and we can

do that as legislators today by saying yes to this industry and by helping carve

a path for them, and with them, through to Ottawa so that we can take advantage

of those kinds of monies.

I was at a federal-provincial Finance Ministers Conference some years ago,

and the Finance Minister for Ontario at the time was Ernie Eves, and they were

looking at ways that we could develop things across Canada. He mentioned that

the amount of money that, in actual fact, goes into Ontario in the film industry

or in other provinces across Canada is equal to, almost, what we see coming in

equalization to Newfoundland. He said that that is one more door that we could

open. I appreciated his comments at the time because it was a door that we could

open into more funds that exist within the cultural departments in the Province.

I will, in my closing remarks, refer to some of the new productions that are

hoping to come to this Province which will involve many new areas in the

Province, including one that is being looked at - and I guess I announce it

publicly here - even for Bell Island; but being there for others, and I will

come to that eventually.

I was asked by one of colleagues about a sound stage. In the entire

preamble

of what I am doing here in the beginning is to open the door for my colleagues

to refer to the sound stage, which I will emphasis more in my closing comments.

Mr. Speaker, thank you, and thank my colleagues for the indulgence of

allowing me to go a moment or two longer.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MANNING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today to make some comments on the resolution put forward by the

Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island and say unequivocally, on this

side of the House, we fully support the resolution put forward by the member

because we believe also, on this side of the House, that the film industry in

Newfoundland is a growing industry, that it is an opportunity to create jobs in

the Province, an opportunity to sell ourselves to the rest of the world, Mr.

Speaker, through film. It is an opportunity for us to put our name on the map.

The member put forward a resolution that we have no problem whatsoever in

supporting, Mr. Speaker. As the member touched on, there are many positive

things that have happened in the Province over the past number of years, and

just recently in the past year or so. We, on this side, as did many people in

the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, watched the movie The Shipping

News . I watched the film myself. It was an enjoyment just to have the

opportunity to watch that.

Rare Birds ; we all know the accolades that have been sent Newfoundland

and Labrador's way on Rare Birds and indeed, to the actors who took

part in that film. Andy Jones, as the members opposite know, is a treasure; is

one of Newfoundland and Labrador's treasures. As a matter of fact, I had the

opportunity to meet Mr. Andy Jones on Sunday night past. I attended a fundraiser

at the LSPU Hall on Duckworth Street for Agnes Walsh who lost her home to a fire

out in my district a few weeks ago. The people involved in the industry here in

St. John's - Agnes is a playwright and has done some incredible, incredible

work out on the Cape Shore area over the past couple of years and brought

stories of the Cape Shore to life in plays that she has put off; most

noticeably: Answer Me Home . Another one that she did was The City of

Point Lance and her latest creation last year, Mr. Speaker, was A Man

That You Don't Meet Everyday , the story of Patsy and Bride Judge of

Patrick's Cove. Andy Jones was one of the people who made an appearance at

that fundraiser on Sunday night, along with many others, and it was a pleasure

to meet the man and have a chat with him and certainly to congratulate him on

the great efforts in Rare Birds .

Random Passage ; certainly another great opportunity for Newfoundland, Mr.

Speaker. Somewhere in excess of 1.5 million viewers per night took in Random

Passage . Once again, it was a great show about our past and where we have

come from. It is so important, Mr. Speaker, to look back at the past and to be

assured that we came from a solid background and it helped us go forward in the

future. Random Passage was something that received accolades throughout

the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, but indeed throughout the country of

Canada.

I talked to several family members who are away and working in different

parts of Canada who took in the show and were delighted with it. Hopefully, the

site of Random Passage in Trinity, can be developed into a major tourist

attraction over the next little while. I am sure, with the foundation that has

been laid in the past couple of years, we will see more opportunity to create

films in this Province, more opportunity to involve our local people, and more

opportunity to give some of the smaller communities in our Province, especially

the ones in the rural parts of the Province that are finding it tough - it gives

those communities and those people an opportunity to partake in the new and

emerging industry, but it also gives them an opportunity to show the talents

that we have in this Province. I think I would be remiss if I did not mention

Gordon Pinsent and his role in Random Passage , and a godfather of film in

Newfoundland and Labrador and another provincial treasure that we all hold dear;

Mr. Gordon Pinsent, who took a tremendous

part in Random Passage .

We, on this side of the House, see the benefits of the film industry. We see

the benefits of this new and emerging industry that has come to our Province;

what it does for the economy and what it does, as I said, especially for the

rural parts of our Province. We welcome anything that gives us an opportunity in

rural Newfoundland to enhance the economy, and certainly the film industry is

one of the ways to go.

Mr. Speaker, as I looked through the resolution put forward by the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island, I am a bit weary about one part of it,

and I say that in all honesty. As a matter of fact, it is the last line in the

resolution. I am sure the member will have the opportunity, when he gets on his

feet - I will go back to the second last paragraph, it says:

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

continue to support initiatives that promote the continued growth of the

Newfoundland and Labrador Film Industry.

Again, there is no problem with that part of the resolution. I fully support

it.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador,

in conjunction with local film industry representatives, continue to lobby the

Federal Government for funding to support this growth industry.

Again, we fully support that lobbying effort, but what we are concerned about

on this side of the House, and which we have been concerned about over the past

few weeks, is the fact that the impression that has been left with the federal

government for funds that already have been allocated to this Province, that

have already been allocated to this government, and what the government has done

with that.

Mr. Speaker, I will refer, if I could for a moment - and it is a very serious

matter because if we are out looking for money from the federal government for

the film industry, for the fishing industry, for any part of our tourism

industry, if we are looking to Ottawa for money for roads, if we are looking to

Ottawa for money for development of infrastructure throughout our communities

and our Province - it is like: Well, how are you going to spend that money? Is

it going to be spent wisely? There are always those questions. I am sure the

federal government, even though they have been raking in millions and millions

of dollars, Mr. Speaker, of surplus this past year, are still concerned about

how their money is spent.

We have to go no further back than just a few weeks ago, Mr. Speaker, when

the Minister of Finance brought down her Budget, and we were informed that an

agreement that had been signed, the Labrador Initiative, that the government

opposite was planning on taking $97 million out of that to help with this year's

deficit in this Province. Why that concerns me is because we have the MP for

Labrador, Mr. Lawrence O'Brien, who is very skeptical.

Mr. Speaker, I quote from a comment Mr. Lawrence O'Brien made. I will just

read the quote if I could. "The province has fumbled the ball badly on this

file. They broke the trust of the federal government, but more importantly, the

trust of the people of Labrador and the province." That concerns me,

because we are going off to Ottawa to look for funding, to look for money, to

enhance the film industry in this Province, and a few years ago we signed an

agreement worth $340 million. That agreement was signed, sealed and delivered

for Labrador, Mr. Speaker, and to take that $97 million out of that agreement

and put it into the general revenue of the Province, and then we are saying here

that we continue to lobby for money for the film industry, we have to ask: Is

the federal government going to look at this Province and say, well, we can't

trust you, we can't trust the government, because if we give you money for the

film industry in the Province you may go spend it on something else. You may put

it towards the deficit. You may put it towards some other idea or some other

plan you have, not the one that you laid on the table before us. Mr. Speaker,

that is the concern that we have on this side of this House. That is the concern

that we have espoused on this side of the House for a number of weeks now.

I go back to the MP for Labrador and his comments, Mr. Speaker. He says,

"If the province doles out tens of millions of dollars on the basis of a

PowerPoint slide show, is it any wonder they are so far in debt that they have

to steal from the Labrador Transportation Fund?". I mean, this is heavy,

heavy stuff, Mr. Speaker, when you have the MP for Labrador standing up and

making comments of this nature, when at the same time we have a private member's

resolution before us trying to get everybody in the Province to lobby and look

for money from the federal government. At the same time we have a member of the

federal government, a member of the Liberal federal government in Ottawa, who is

very, very concerned that the money they are sending down here, the agreements

that they sign, are not lived up to, the agreements that they sign and put

forward here with the Province are not adhered to, and they are not fully

brought through. That is the concern that we have on this side of the House.

We certainly will continue and do what we can on this side of the House, Mr.

Speaker, to lobby the federal government for any funds to help the industry here

in the Province, but, at the same time, we have to ask the government opposite,

that they follow through on the deals that they sign with Ottawa. If they don't

follow through we are going to have the likes of MP, Lawrence O'Brien, upset

again, and he is going to be going back to Ottawa and saying: Well, we can't

sign deals with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We can't sign deals

with the government down there, for the simple reason they don't live up to

their part of the agreements.

Then, Mr. Speaker, we get the Minister of Labrador of Aboriginal Affairs who

is supposedly dealing with the MP for Labrador in the federal government, and

that creates its own set of problems. That is why I think it is necessary that

we revisit that issue today because it concerns me that we have a situation here

where the federal government and a representative of the federal government are

very concerned about agreements that are signed here in the Province and the

fact that these agreements are not lived up to by the provincial government, and

that we have the MP for Labrador who says that, basically, they stole $97

million from the Labrador Transportation Fund to put towards general revenue to

try to do something with the Budget this year to make it look much, much better

than what it really is. At the same time, we have a private member's

resolution before us today, asking us to lobby the federal government for

funding to support this growth industry.

While we have no problem supporting the lobbying efforts of the government,

while we have no problem supporting the lobbying efforts of the film industry,

Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned that the situation would be, once again, when

we go to Ottawa with cap in hand, that we would not receive the proper

presentation, we would not be given the proper opportunity to put forward the

concerns we have for the simple reason that the federal government would be

skeptical.

Mr. Speaker, I quote right from Lawrence O'Brien, himself, "Forgive me

for being sceptical..." That is the MP for Labrador saying that. Further

down, the MP says, "They have come to the table with their feet dragging,

and they always leave their wallet behind." These comments are very, very

important today as we sit here and debate a private member's resolution asking

us to call on and to lobby the federal government for funding when we have a

situation where the MP for Labrador is upset of the fact that we had a deal

struck before that wasn't adhered to, we had deal struck before that was not

followed through on. I am sure, as most members in this House are aware, that

this situation is over yet and that the federal government will be taking into

consideration what has happened in Labrador when it comes to finding funding

from the federal government, finding funding for the film industry in this

Province, Mr. Speaker.

At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we have a situation out on the West Coast of

the Province where we have another MP upset. I really have to ask myself how the

lines of communications operate, because out on the West Coast of the Province

we have another MP upset, MP Gerry Byrne, who is very, very upset about what is

happening and the fact that the Member for Bay of Islands made some derogatory

comments against Mr. O'Brien in regards to his role at ACOA. Once again, we

have a situation where we have another MP upset with some of the people in the

caucus opposite. I have to ask myself how do we go, with cap in hand, to Ottawa

looking for funding for our film industry, which is an important industry in

this Province, which is an important aspect of the growth industry in this

Province, when we have the MP, Mr. Gerry Byrne, very, very upset with the Member

for Bay of Islands.

Once again, throughout the media last week, we heard the comments of the

Member for Bay of Islands and MP Gerry Byrne, and on April 18, 2002, on CBY

Morning Show in Corner Brook, we have an interview carried out by Dorothy King

and it says, "Good morning, gentlemen." Mr. Joyce said, "Good

morning, Dorothy." Gerry Byrne said, "Good morning, Dorothy. Hi,

Ed." That was the last of the niceties. This goes on for seven or eight

pages and that was the last of the niceties.

We have a situation here where we have people who are representing us in

Ottawa, are representing us sitting in the caucus of the Liberal Party, are

representing us sitting in the Liberal Cabinet in Ottawa, Mr. Speaker, who are

very upset with comments coming from across the House on this side, very upset

with negative comments that are going their way on initiatives they are putting

forward.

MR. SPEAKER (Mercer): Order, please!

The hon. member's time is up.

MR. MANNING: By leave, Mr. Speaker, just for a minute to clue up?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the member have leave?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: To clue up, by leave.

MR. MANNING: I just say, Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we take

the opportunity to do what we can for the film industry, but in order to get the

film industry's house in order, I advise the members opposite, especially the

Cabinet ministers, to get their own house in order first.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. J. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I was caught a little bit by surprise. I was expecting someone on the other

side to speak to this, Mr. Speaker, but I will certainly take advantage of the

time.

I want to say a few words on this private member's resolution on the film

industry, Mr. Speaker. When you think about it, I suppose, you would say there

are many issues in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador that could be

coming forth in this House of Assembly as a private member's resolution. I

find that this resolution is timely, in actual fact, with respect to the

industry itself, because one night this week I was watching a television show

and the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island was saying we should

take advantage of the opportunities here. He talked about thirty years ago when

we had some missed opportunities when we had the movie Orca being done

here, the movie The Rowdyman and others. Maybe we did have some missed

opportunities.

It was only the other night I was watching a show on television, one of the

information shows, and it was comparing the film industry in Hollywood to the

film industry in Canada. Now, Mr. Speaker, apparently many of these production

companies now are moving north through Canada to Toronto and to B.C. to film

movies. For obvious reasons, of course, the exchange rate within the country of

Canada and the U.S. and the salaries of the people who work on these

productions, it is much cheaper, apparently, in Canada. So, the Hollywood

industry is fading. The film industry in Canada is being promoted and is being

built all the time, and a lot of work from the people down in the States.

It was only recently, as the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island

stated, that we had, this past year, the movie Rare Birds and Random

Passage and The Shipping News . I saw all three, Mr. Speaker, and I

was impressed, let me tell you, for a number of reasons which I will get into in

the next little while.

I think that we should, as a Province now, try and be even more competitive

with places like Toronto and Ontario and B.C. if, in fact, what that show was

saying the other night was right when they compared Hollywood and Canada in the

film production industry, Mr. Speaker. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have the

opportunity now to take advantage of that situation.

Now, with the movies themselves that were done here in the past year or so, I

want to talk a bit about the industry itself in Newfoundland and Labrador and

the chance to enhance the economies in rural and urban Newfoundland.

In rural Newfoundland, for example, he talked about Random Passage

being done in Trinity. The show was a series on television and, with respect to

that, it is not only the workers themselves and the building of the sets and the

industry itself, but we have the actors and actresses in those productions.

In Random Passage we had some local actors, of course. The one I was

most interested in, Mr. Speaker, is a young lady from Logy Bay, in my district,

a young girl who went to school with my son at St. Francis of Assisi in Outer

Cove. She played the part of Fanny, the young girl who was associated with the

native Indian there. She played that

part very well, was very professional, a

very, very good actor, I would say to the Members of the House of Assembly, and

she should be congratulated for that, as other local actors should be

congratulated. I know this young girl personally and she did a great job.

Everybody from that community was so proud of her and, of course, all of

Newfoundland and Labrador. She actually played the part where she died on the

beach. That was so real. She did a very professional job on that. Mr. Speaker,

her name was Sarah Power.

The issue with respect to Rare Birds , the movie itself, that

production, again, the money that was brought into the Province was new dollars

put into circulation: new dollars for the actors, the actresses, for the sets,

for the manufacturing of the different stuff that they used in that movie. Rare

Birds itself, some people may not know that a fair portion of that was actually

filmed and done in Logy Bay. I just happened to be on that set a number of

evenings when that was being produced and being filmed. The set that was in Logy

Bay was the shed itself, Mr. Speaker. William Hurt was in this movie. The shed

where the submarine was built, that the actor Andy Jones built, of course -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: Yes.

- the set itself was on my father-in-law's property in Logy Bay, Mr.

William Power. We were on the set many evenings watching this being produced.

The final scene, the explosion, was done just down behind his house, believe it

or not. I remember some people staying up until - I will tell you a little

story, now, and this happens to be true. That night - and this happened - a

number of people were on the set waiting for the explosion that night to be

done. It was going to be at 1:00 a.m., then it was going to be at 1:30 a.m. This

will tell you some of the trials and tribulations of the people putting off

those productions. This scene was supposed to be at 1:00 a.m., then 1:30 a.m.,

then 2:00 a.m., 2:30 a.m., then 3:00 a.m. I stayed up for this. I stayed up on

the set, as well as a number of other people from the community. Anyway, 4:00

a.m. came. I said: I have had enough of this. I am going home and going to bed.

I live just down the road from this. Four o'clock in the morning I went home

and went to bed. What happened? I never had my head on the pillow and I heard

the explosion. There it was. I missed it, that part.

The submarine itself was in his shed where he constructed it, where he had

his fire going and he had the different product that he had to get rid of in a

hurry when the police came by. And, by the way, with respect to that, when you

talk about people involved in these productions, there were members of the RNC

involved in this production, Rare Birds . The St. John's Regional Fire

Department was involved in this production. The rental of properties, the

construction of the sets, all of these lend to the industry, Mr. Speaker, and it

is something that should be promoted.

The Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island, by bringing forth this

resolution and getting support from this House of Assembly to lobby the federal

government to put money into this field, it is a positive thing.

I was listening to the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's and he was

making the point, a very good point, that the government should be very careful

when they are asking for money for certain things - as they did for the Labrador

Initiative Fund where there was $97 million taken out of that fund and put into

general revenues. I think that this could make the federal government very wary

of putting money into certain things that they are afraid -

MR. WALSH: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: Now the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island is

saying it is terrible what we are doing to this resolution. I do not know if he

heard all my words.

MR. WALSH: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: Well I hope he was. I don't know what he is saying. I am

only agreeing with the point that the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's

made, I say to the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island. It was a

logical and legitimate point, and I happen to agree with the point that he was

making.

With respect to The Shipping News ; again, it is a good movie -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: It is too bad that the Minister of Fisheries can't take

this resolution seriously. The Member for Conception Bay East put a good

resolution forward. We happen to be agreeing with it. The Minister of Fisheries

is over there making comments now, asking if I applied for any parts. I would

say, Mr. Speaker, the real actors in this House of Assembly are the members on

that side of the House, not on this side of the House. So, no, I did not apply

for any parts, I say to the Minister of Fisheries. Maybe, if he wants to speak

to it, he could get up and speak to it, I say to you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. BARRETT: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: Again, the members on the other side of the House are

trying to interject here and get me off my topic. The Minister of Works,

Services and Transportation should be more inclined to keep appointments that he

makes with Members of this House of Assembly than trying to interject on the

other side of the House.

MR. T. OSBORNE: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: By the way - I was just reminded by the Member for St. John's

South - the former Premier applied for a part. He was in a part for Random

Passage . He did not say much, but he was there.

This is a thing that goes on with all the Liberal Premiers. We had the

present Premier on the stage down at the Junos with the Ennis Sisters trying to

gain political points, which was so crass, it was unreal. Then the federal

minister was up trying to talk about giving money to the Junos and the film

industry at that time, which was out of place, I thought. Anyway, I thought it

was quite crass.

The movie The Shipping News - and the Member for Conception Bay East

& Bell Island spoke to this. He talked about Kevin Spacey and the part he

played, and the Member for Placentia & St Mary's talked about Gordon

Pinsent and the excellent part that he played. Again, he made the movie. Gordon

Pinsent made that movie, as did Andy Jones made the movie Rare Birds .

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. J. BYRNE: Again, Mr. Speaker, it is too bad when we are on our feet

over here trying to make some good points that the Minister of Fisheries

continues to interject, but that's it I suppose, it is the nature of the

beast.

The movie The Shipping News was on and it had quite an acclaim in the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I seen that movie and I saw Kevin Spacey

and heard the stories. I actually saw him on television - as did the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island who spoke to this - on some of the talk

shows promoting Newfoundland and Labrador. He talked about the scenery, the

Province itself, and he talked about the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. He

was basically saying how cooperative and nice, down-to-earth, good, solid people

here in Newfoundland and Labrador. I do not think they are used to this, where

they could come here and maybe walk down the street here, like George Street,

Water Street or Duckworth Street in St. John's, or through Trinity, Bay Bulls,

or whatever the case may be, be recognized but not be hounded. I think they

appreciate that, these individuals, and appreciate the way that we treat them

here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Shipping News ; again, I seen that. Another very good production. The

thing that amazes me is how they put these productions together where they can

film in one location and you would not know but it is ten miles away somewhere

else. I seen that firsthand with respect to Rare Birds .

I am not going to take much longer. I just want to say that the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island has brought forward a private member's

resolution that I think is timely, that I think the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador should now start promoting itself even more so, especially in light of

the fact that Canada is getting film productions from Hollywood. I do not know

if the Member for Conception Bay South seen this show the other night where, as

I said earlier, the film productions from Hollywood are moving north to B.C., to

Vancouver, to Toronto, and maybe we can draw more of them here and take

advantage of that. As the member said, we missed the opportunities thirty years

ago and maybe now, if this is handled right, if the provincial government and

the federal government can come together and support this - I expect the

Minister of Tourism is going to say a few words on this. I would think they

would.

MR. JOYCE: (Inaudible)

MR. J. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, again, I have to say that the members on the

opposite side of the House are fairly quiet today, but there are a few over

there, the Member for Bay of Islands is trying to interject here again. I expect

the Member for Bay of Islands to get on his feet and say a few words on this

very serious resolution that the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell

Island has put forward. Again, I do not see him on his feet that often in this

House of Assembly. I hear him heckling often, but I do not see him on his feet

very often speaking to the very important issues that we deal with in this House

of Assembly.

Just in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island, it is a timely resolution. I support it.

I think most members of this House of Assembly will support it. Some people

might question that there might be more serious issues to be addressed here, but

then again, this has the possibilities or the makings of a very serious

productive industry in Newfoundland and Labrador where we can employ people in

all aspects of that industry from acting to the construction of the stages

themselves, or the scenes and whatever the case may be.

With that, thank you for your time.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment.

MR. K. AYLWARD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just wanted to have a few minutes to speak about the resolution put forward

so ably by my colleague and friend from Conception Bay East & Bell Island.

He gave a very good overview there of what is occurring out in the industry.

We have had a very good rebirth of this industry in the last three or four

years. I was just over in a portfolio where it was being worked on in the last

year. We seen some very good success with film companies coming into the

Province, being able to develop new film productions and also working with the

film industry in the Province, who have been, themselves, much more organized in

the last three or four years with the creation of the Newfoundland and Labrador

Film Development Corporation a few years ago by the provincial government. That

has seen a more organized industry in this Province. Many of the directors here,

and the very highly qualified technical personnel that we have in our Province -

I can think of Mr. Pope as one, who is a director and has done a tremendous

amount of work. Amongst others, these people also now have some backup. They

have some equity investments, tax credit programs that they can take advantage

of to develop local films. There has been a real abundance of local film

production put forward in the last period of time, Mr. Speaker, and that has

helped grow the industry locally. We have also, with that, seen the major film

studios looking at our Province in a different way. They have discovered what a

lot of other people are discovering about this place: that it is a special place

to do business. It is a special place, with its people, where you can come to do

business and get a lot of co-operation. We are welcoming people.

This industry, what I would like to say about it also, is a clean industry.

It is an environmentally clean industry in that sense. In my new portfolio, I

welcome that. It is an industry that can take advantage of our scenery, of our

wildlife, of our outdoors. As a matter of fact, National Geographic has

done some films here in the past and one of the areas that we are asking the

film corporation to look at was to concentrate also on going after the national

geographics of the world to look at doing wildlife films. We have an outstanding

science director in our government with wildlife, Mr. Shane Mahoney, who has

been involved in some film production with some of the major broadcasters in the

world, one including the BBC, where we had a great film production done here of

our ocean resource back about four years ago. I think the hon. member, Mr.

Walsh, was the Minister of Tourism at the time. That People of the Sea

video was shown to hundreds of millions of people around the world but it was

made off our shores. It talked about what happened here with our ocean, with

some of our fish resources.

Film production can have a major benefit for us, more than just producing the

film itself. It has other values for us as a Province. That is the thing that

our film people are also telling us, and that is also what our own people are

discovering, that you can see a film made in Toronto or Vancouver, downtown, or

that could be made in New York or Boston or wherever. It doesn't really matter

because it all looks the same; but in our place here, it is very different.

The other thing about our place that is attractive and can become more

attractive to the film industry is the fact that the history and the archeology

that is here, a lot of that could be incorporated as potential film development,

as themes for potential film development. The history of the place rises up and

can be taken advantage of, Mr. Speaker.

There is a different reason why we need to promote this industry and to get

it more active. I really give credit to the film corporation, to the officials

who have worked on that, but more so to the entrepreneurs who are in the film

business in this Province. They have done a great job of getting this place on

the map in a different way.

I had the privilege of being at a couple of film premieres, and I believe

that the former Minister of Education was involved when she was Minister of

Industry, in the development, I do believe, of The Shipping News and

getting that here. We had a premiere in Toronto a few months back, about

December or January of The Shipping News and a couple of other films. The

reviews about the way that they were treated - the films themselves were getting

reviews, but the review about the way they were treated was also something to

hear. You hear that from people who have come from away. As my colleague was

saying earlier, when Kevin Spacey speaks so highly about our place, that is very

positive for us because we are talking about international stars who have been

here on our shores in Newfoundland and Labrador. They have only seen some of it,

and what they have seen they fall in love with. So we can have more out of this

film industry and that is what we have been doing, taking advantage of it. We

need to do more, and that is what this resolution talks about.

The other part of the resolution that I like is, it is asking the federal

government to get more involved in this industry in this Province. They have the

ability to do that, and I was seeking more of their interest a few months ago,

trying to get them more involved here because they are involved in some other

provinces in a bigger way. They have set up a couple of corporations that are

involved in developing the film industry in Canada but, again, we have to get

them to pay more attention to Newfoundland and Labrador. The federal government

has to look at this place differently in the future on a whole range of areas

and a whole range of industries, in particular in the film industry, as an

example, where our history and our archeology and our wildlife, and so much of

it is so special that we need more investment by the federal government in this

industry, in this place. I like that in this resolution today because it really

does say what we need to do, and we need to continue to work to make this

industry grow in the Province to make it happen, and to see our Province on the

big screen and having the credits showing that it is produced in the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador, and the scenery that we have, also spreads the good

word about this place.

It is not just a direct employment of the film industry. It is not just a

direct investment of the film industry. It is also about the tourism and

marketing values that we get out of it. It is also about letting people know

what is in this place, and that is really important. So, this is an industry

that is on the move. We need to do more. We have done a lot so far together and

we are going to more in the future, Mr. Speaker.

When you look at the outstanding wildlife resources that we have, that is an

area of special interest that I think we need to get more attention on when it

comes to the film industry. I was just reading a book, and I am just about

finished it: Lament for an Ocean . I tell you, I think the feds could help

finance a film about what they have done with the offshore in taking care of our

fish resource offshore. That deserves a film to be done, because that is an

environmental nightmare, an environmental problem that we have to deal with. I

was talking with my colleague, the Minister of Fisheries, about that issue

recently. So, there are good, sustainable development themes that could be used

in the film industry that I am going to start reaching out to the film industry

about, because that one in particular is one that needs to have a documentary

done because of what has happened, and what is continuing to happen offshore.

The film industry, for us, can have more value. We have to take advantage of

it, and we are, and I support the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to speak for a few minutes about the resolution before the House

concerning the film industry in the Province and, in doing so, first of all I

would like to pay a little bit of tribute to the people in the Province who have

built the industry here. I know members have spoken about recent successes with

films like The Shipping News , which is a Newfoundland story written by an

American and produced by an American company; and, of course, Random Passage

was a production of Irish-Newfoundland, a co-production, produced by Barbara

Doran, and films like Rare Birds , I think, is probably the quintessential

Newfoundland story put on the screen in very short order, a very entertaining

book made into a movie. Even though the producer was Lions Gate Films from

British Columbia, it really was, I suppose, the first commercial level

Newfoundland film which has been a real success in the box office; and a great

job done by the writer, Ed Riche, who also wrote the screenplay. That was not

his first movie, Mr. Speaker. It does not happen that way.

Ed Riche also wrote the script for a film called Secret Nation , one

that perhaps the Royal Commission on our relationship with Canada should have a

good close look at. It is a story about Confederation and about the secret

nation - sort of fictionalized account about how Confederation came about and

the secret nation that exists despite the fact that the vote was counted a

particular way; quite an interesting story.

But even back further than that, Mr. Speaker, we had films like The

Adventures of Faustus Bidgood going back to the 1970s, a film done by

Mike Jones and Andy Jones, some of the Codco people; a very interesting film

made with great difficulty, I have to say, with great difficulty over a long

period of time. These are the people who were the foundation of the film

industry in Newfoundland. Mike Jones is a renowned cinematographer who cut his

teeth on the big screen with the Faustus Bidgood production.

We had films like Undertow , a Francine Fleming film done in the 1970s,

as well. I, myself, was involved in the 1980s in a company called Red Ochre

Productions. I played a minor role and was executive producer on one of the

films, but that company under the leadership of Ken Pittman, who has done a

tremendous amount to contribute to the film industry of the Province and is

widely regarded by all those, not only in the film industry but in the arts, as

a former director of the Arts Council and a person who taught at NASCAD in Nova

Scotia.

He came back here and decided that you could really actually make a living

making films in Newfoundland. It was terrifically difficult, it was tremendously

difficult. Ken used to talk about the $700 cup of coffee, and the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island mentioned the difficulties of getting film

financing. We were dealing with Telefilm Canada which was in Montreal, and the

$700 cup of coffee, Mr. Speaker, was the price of getting to Montreal to have a

cup of coffee that somebody who lived in Montreal could have for seventy-five

cents. I think, that is what coffee cost in those days. It cost someone in the

film business in Newfoundland and Labrador $700 to have that kind of a contact

with the people who were financing the industry, who were the movers and

shakers, who you had to have contact with if you were going to get your film

produced. You needed the support of Telefilm Canada, you needed the support of a

broadcast license, you needed the support of private investors, you needed the

support of actors and film crew and camera people and directors who were willing

to work for part of their salary, for only part of their fee, and take the rest

in investment in the film, because that is the way it had to be put together;

bits and pieces and bits and pieces to make a film work.

The first feature film that was produced by Red Ochre Productions was done in

the summer of 1987, a film called Finding Mary March , a wonderful story.

It was shot in Buchans mostly. A wonderful story written by Ken Pittman, a story

about the Beothuck Indian and a fiction about a modern day descendant of a

Beothuck who was in fact finding her roots and the history of the Beothuck and

the story of the Beothuck people in Newfoundland and Labrador; all tied in with

quite a wonderful story. Red Ochre Productions also produced a book called No

Apologies another of Ken Pittman production; and a wonderful television show

called, There's No Better Place Than Here , a half hour piece for a

national series on stories about Canada. We have had lots of films leading up to

the successes that we recently have seen.

In addition, we have tremendous documentary filmmakers and talented people

about. There is a beautiful documentary called The Last Days Of Okak ,

done by Ann Budgell and Nigel Markham, about the consequences of the flu

epidemic after the First World War on the Inuit in Okak, many, if not most, of

whom died as a result of not having any defenses in their immune system to that

flu.

We have lots of talented Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have developed

their skills making films throughout a large number of years. I am thinking of

people like Ken Pittman; like Mike Jones; Paul Pope, who is also, I think,

involved in a film called Undertow with Francine Fleming; Bill

MacGillivary who has worked on a number of films here in the Province, a

Newfoundlander living in Nova Scotia; Barbara Doran; and I have mentioned people

like Debbie McGee. We have young directors like Mary Lewis who won awards for a

short film called When Ponds Freeze Over , a beautiful film, a beautiful

story on film. We have very talented crews. We have people like Derek Norman, a

very skilled film editor. We have camera people, we have producers, we have

people involved in making films work and making things happen. It is a very

distinct type of business, Mr. Speaker, that it takes a lot of time and a lot of

energy to get the skills to play a role in, and that has been done.

I can't talk about the people who have developed the film industry in this

Province without talking about an organization called NIFCO. I think this is an

organization called the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Cooperative here in

St. John's that is kind of a cooperative of people involved in producing, and

film editing. They put on courses for high school kids, for young people, they

train people in the film arts, they operate a studio, they have editing

facilities, and they have had a lot of help over time.

I remember back in the 1980s, the people who were involved with NIFCO had

bought one building down on King's Road, and the individuals, who were

actually film artists, spent their time with pick and shovel digging out down

below ground, and they have below ground on King's Road a film screening

studio, because they didn't have enough room in the building that they had.

They literally dug themselves another room and space down below where they were,

in order to be able to have a screening room so they could show films. That is

the kind of dedication that you saw and the commitment to the art that you saw

amongst people in this Province who wanted to make the film industry work. They

believed in themselves, they believed in their art, they believed that there

were stories to be told and that those stories could be told on film.

That is the basis of the film industry in Newfoundland. That has been added

on, and we are all delighted. I know everybody involved in NIFCO, everybody

involved in the film industry, was delighted to see The Shipping News

being shot primarily in this Province, and to see Random Passage on the

screen, a beautiful story, some of which was shot in Ireland, of course, because

they participated in the financing along with CBC , but much of which was

shot, of course, in Trinity, in the Trinity area, Old Bonaventure, and other

places within the Province. We have seen, with great delight, Rare Birds

shot entirely in this Province. A terrific story and a great bit of fun, and a

wonderful adaptation by Ed Riche of his own novel which was published a couple

of years ago and was itself, a great piece of entertainment and story.

So, we have our culture now being able to be expressed with our own artists,

with our own talent, with our own writers, with our own film crew, with our own

assistants. Anybody who has seen the end of a film can see how many people are

involved in a film because it takes several minutes to roll, very quickly, up

the credits of all the people who were involved. People in this Province were

finding out, what is a best boy and a key grip. All these things people were

learning in the 1980s and 1990s.

We have a lot of talented crew around here but one of the things that is

happening now - and I want to get to my second point to make here - that we have

a maturing film industry in the Province but we need to go to the next step. We

need to have a continuity of work for people who are involved in this industry

because if we do not, we are going to lose them. They are going to go to Nova

Scotia, they are going to go to New Brunswick, and they are going to go to

Toronto. They are going to go elsewhere and bring those skills with them. It is

same sort of argument that we make sometimes about Marystown and having people

who are skilled in shipbuilding and working in that industry. If you do not have

work for these people they are going to find their way to Alberta, or to British

Columbia or to somewhere else where there is steady work.

We do have to maintain availability in this Province if we want other films

to come here. Instead of bringing all their crew with them, the crew people, the

trained people, are here. They need to have a continuity of work to be available

to be here. So that is the stage we are at now, Mr. Speaker, where we have a

tremendous amount of energy, a tremendous amount of commitment - I mentioned Ken

Pittman and Red Ochre Publication. We have a whole host of production companies

around this Province today who are doing tremendous work, a lot of creative

ideas and a lot of talent just waiting to have an opportunity to explore those

talents and to put those talents to work.

We need to have something that Nova Scotia has had for a number of years. One

thing that they did have - when we talked about the film development corporation

here, we were slow off the mark, I have to say. It was a long time coming, to

have a dedicated film development corporation. There was support from

Newfoundland and Labrador. There was financing support from the government

through just general financial support - and I can't think of the name of the

organization, I don't know if it exists. The Newfoundland development

corporation provided film financing and film support, but it was a case of

fitting round holes in square pegs many times. It was not dedicated financing

for film, and the financing of film is very different than the financing of

manufacturing or the financing of other types of enterprise activity. It was

necessary to have our own film development corporation, and that did come a

little later than other provinces like Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New

Brunswick.

What we now have to do is play a little bit of catch up because we have to

get to the stage of having our own sound studio. I know the Member for

Conception Bay East & Bell Island is going to talk about that, but it is

something that is on the minds of everybody involved in the film industry in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

There are at least three sound stages in the Province of Nova Scotia, all of

What has happened is that films like The Shipping News , which had large

parts of it shot here, actually went to Nova Scotia afterwards to do the sound

studio work. They had some of the money spent here, some of the work spent here,

there was some crew from here. They brought some crew in. There are whole issues

having to do with the availability of equipment, specialized equipment,

specialized lighting, specialized support for the film industry. All of these

things tend to centre around a sound studio. The more post-production work that

you can have in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador the better able you

are to maximize the benefits from an industry.

Many people have spoken about the tourism side of it. That is something that

is a spinoff. That is a spinoff that I think we all value and recognize the

importance of. We like people to see our beautiful landscape. We like people to

understand our culture. We like people to be attracted by what interests many

people about Newfoundland and Labrador. I have to say that that is secondary. It

is a good reason to support the industry, but the industry can stand by itself

as a productive industry employing people on a significant basis with a lot of

dollars spent in this Province that get regenerated and is part of economic

development and economic activity.

The sound studio is a must, and the sooner we are able to put in place a

first rate sound studio in this Province the sooner we are going to be able to

sustain the level of critical mass that will allow more people and more film

production companies to be able to come here. Because gathered around that

studio will be the key grips, the people who put together the sets, the

carpenters, the people who are able to organize the logistics. There is a

tremendous amount of logistics that goes into making a film. If you have so many

days to make a shoot, and if you can't do it all in the day and the time that

you have, everyday it is costing you an additional $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000.

So the logistics -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. member's time is up.

MR. HARRIS: If I may have a couple of minutes to clue up?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave, to clue up.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank members for leave.

All of these people who are involved in making the film industry will be

attracted to be a part of an area which has a sound studio. As a result of that,

people who are scouting, film companies who are doing a production, whether it

be from Hollywood, or whether it be an independent from other parts of the

United States, Canada, or elsewhere in the world, who are scouting locations are

also looking for places where they can make their film at a reasonable price

with the people around. If we have a sound studio here - it is going to cost a

fair buck and it is going to require a commitment from this government, but it

is also going to require an effort by this government to get support from the

and we would like to see that here.

I think we have to get a consensus around that as the next step to develop a

critical mass, to make this industry work, to do all the things that it does for

the local economy, plus the tourism industry, and develop our stories, our

talent, our culture. It is a great industry, and I look forward to the comments

of the Member for Conception Bay East & Bell Island when he closes the

debate later on this afternoon, and other members who might want to contribute

to it.

I gather the Minister of Tourism will speak in a moment. It is very important

to our tourism awareness of this Province but it is also an industry in its own

right that deserves to have support for economic development reasons and for

generating a tremendous amount of money. I do not have the statistics on how

much money was actually spent on film in this Province, but I know even a small

film, like Rare Birds , spent $2 million or $3 million in a very short

period of time, which obviously benefits local employees, local workers and also

the economy as well.

So, thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the indulgence of the House for a few extra

moments, because this is an important industry. I commend it to you for your

support.

MADAM SPEAKER (Hodder): The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and

Recreation.

MS BETTNEY: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I am very pleased today that my colleague from Conception Bay East & Bell

Island has chosen to bring forward this motion to provide this highlight and

this spotlight on what is such a very important part of our economy, and a piece

that has such excitement, that is fundamental to the industry. We have all had

the pleasure in recent months of seeing that really highlighted and intensified

through all of the recent productions that have taken place. I think everyone of

us, in the House here today, would reflect and feel the same pride that I felt

when you watched the credits go up showing these Newfoundland and Labrador

productions with all of our local artists and producers, and scriptwriters and

so on. That is one of the real benefits that we have from this industry. So I

think that it is important that we continue to support this industry, as the

member has put forward in his resolution, but more so, that we also continue to

pursue the federal government in their involvement in promoting and developing

and strengthening this industry in our Province.

Madam Speaker, we all know that Newfoundland and Labrador has a wealth of

talent in this Province. All of us are familiar with our many artists who reside

here. You can think of the names that other members have mentioned like Andy

Jones, and I think of people like Marion White who has done such tremendous

writing and with her production a few years ago of The Untold Story which

is an absolutely tremendous chronicle of the women's movement in this

Province. We all delight in the skill and expertise of people like Mary Walsh as

she performs national and international audiences. Of course, I would also

mention people like Gerry Rogers who has won awards throughout North America for

her film, just two years ago, My Left Breast, which is still being used,

not only to create information and awareness amongst women and people, families

throughout our country and elsewhere, but also for entertainment because if

there was ever a film that you watched that you laughed and you cried, and you

came away from deeply touched, that was one of them.

We know that our writers, our actors, our comedians and directors, our film

crews and our producers, are tremendously talented. I do believe I am right in

saying that, per capita, we probably have the most talent of this nature, of any

other province in this country.

Every time a visitor comes to our Province, we have an opportunity to display

that talent to them. They are so often struck and so often have said to me, in

different settings, commented on the amount of talent, the musical talent, the

acting talent, the dancing, the singing. This is something that we take for

granted, that we know it has been part of us all our lives; but when others come

here and are exposed to it, they are so tremendously impressed.

As the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi has indicated, a lot of development

has gone into the film industry and where it is today. There are many, many

people throughout our history who have contributed their energies and put their

time into trying to build this industry. I think that shows in the quality of

what we have today.

From a provincial perspective, Madam Speaker, I believe that 1997 was a

milestone, a very significant milestone, when we actually, as a government,

created the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, because it

is since 1997 that we have been able to put together the programs, the Equity

Investment Program, the development loan program, and the marketing supported

program that has provided close to $10 million to help foster this industry in

the Province. We have been able to provide support to people like Gerry Rogers,

to producers such as Paul Pope and Ken Pittman, and to Barbara Doran, as well as

to scriptwriters and crews. Being able to provide that seed money, to provide

that investment, is the stimulus that causes this to happen and allows our

industry to take another step forward. That is what we have seen in the past

five years.

We know, as a provincial government, that this industry is certainly very

important to our Province. It is labour intensive. It is export oriented. We

know, as my colleague, the Minister of Environment, indicated, that it is very

environmentally friendly and it really does not compete with other industries in

this Province. As a side benefit, it also promotes tourism and rural as well as

urban activity. Because, one of the things I noticed in looking at the

information associated with this industry is that there is equally as much

activity taking place in this industry in rural parts of our Province as there

is within the urban centres. That really gives us a chance to move out towards

the rural areas, some exciting new job opportunities and some exciting new

spinoff benefits from this kind of activity.

Madam Speaker, we do know that, of course, the film and the video industry is

a global industry. It is a very large one, and it is only one part of a

worldwide entertainment business, but every aspect of this industry contributes

so significantly to our gross domestic product here in this Province. Even

though it is a small industry at this point, it is small but it is growing and

it creates hundreds and hundreds of jobs when it is operating at the level that

we have seen this year.

There are many stages to film development. There is obviously the development

itself of what the story will be, what the production will be. Then there is the

pre-production phase. You go into production and then, of course, there is the

post-production phase which my colleague from Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi also

referred to.

If you look at the number of different types of people who are employed

throughout all of that, the list is really impressive. When you go from the

writers and the directors to the production managers and casting directors, you

have all of the editors, sound editors, composers, musicians, and film crews,

the list goes on and on. We know that we have wonderful talent to be able to

fill all of those positions here in this Province and to really be able to do

quality work.

We also know, of course, that it draws upon so many goods and services that

it also contributes to our economy in an indirect way as well. Those people in

the Trinity area would tell you that the indirect contribution to their economy

was quite significant through the productions that they have had in the past

year.

The other aspect of the film industry, though, which I think is so important

to us because of its connection with tourism is, that it really does support the

cultural creativity of our own producers and it gives them a chance to tell our

story but also to showcase our Province. I believe my colleague from Conception

Bay East & Bell Island mentioned in his comments the level of increase of

inquires that we had in tourism connected with these recent productions and with

the Junos.

I know, for the Junos themselves, we found that the level of inquires the

week before it took place, even before it happened, had increased by 67 per

cent. In the week after, it increased by 37 per cent from this time last year,

this day last year. As an average there has been an increase of 40 per cent in

inquires on our 1-800 number.

People who have seen this land of ours and have been so impressed by it and

have taken the time to pick up the phone and try to find out, what can I find

out about this part of Canada? What can I learn? How can I get more information?

How can I come and visit and see for myself what this has to offer?

These stories are enticing tourists to our Province, and I know that in

England, for example, where The Shipping News has been so popular, we are

just now starting to see some real increase in the inquires coming from Great

Britain and from England itself as a result of just that one show, The

Shipping News. There are a lot of benefits to us, to our bed and breakfasts,

to our hotel and accommodations industry as well, as a result of this.

Madam Speaker, with the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development

Corporation, which we put in place in 1997, we set a five-year mandate for the

corporation. We indicated, in setting it up, that we would have specific

objectives, we would provide it with financial assistance, and then, at the end

of five years, we would evaluate it to determine whether or not those objectives

had been achieved and how well the industry and the corporation had performed in

terms of its mandate.

Madam Speaker, we have now completed our review of the Film Development

Corporation. I am very pleased to say that our review of the corporation shows

that these objectives that they have, have been met. They have done a

tremendously good job of achieving what government envisioned for them to

achieve. It has shown that the industry has generated up to $20 million of

activity in this Province, and we believe that it can grow even larger than

that. This is a very good start and we are very pleased with the progress that

we have made, but we would expect that in another five years' time that can be

increased by at least 50 per cent, that we could have a $30 million industry and

more. The potential is there to grow this industry. Socially and economically,

the film industry can provide those kinds of benefits in our Province.

The study recommends that there are a number of things that we have to do if

we are going to be successful in continuing to grow the industry. It indicates