Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 7 June 2007 (45th General Assembly, 4th Session, Vol. XLV No. 26)
2007-06-07
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
June 7, 2007 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLV No. 26
The House met at l:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
This afternoon we are very pleased and very honoured to welcome members of
the Newfoundland and Labrador
Chapter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans
Association. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans hold a very special place
of honour in our Assembly, and we are delighted to have you join us today.
Welcome - a very special welcome - to your House, the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: This afternoon, members' statements are as follows: the
hon. the Member for the District of St. John's South, the Minister of Justice,
with leave, and I do understand leave has been granted; the Member for the
District of Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune; the Member for the District of Bonavista
North; the Member for the District of Grand Bank; the Member for the District of
Placentia & St. Mary's; and, the Member for the District of Humber Valley.
The Chair recognizes the Minister of Justice and the Member for St. John's
South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Opposition for
leave to allow me to present this statement today.
As everyone in this House is aware, Canadians have a strong and glorious
peacekeeping tradition. No other region of the country has shown as much
dedication and courage in peacekeeping efforts as Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians, and, given our small population, it is really quite astounding
that there have been thousands of peacekeepers serve from this Province.
From peacekeeping efforts in the Suez Canal to ongoing efforts in Cyprus,
Canada's peacekeeping commitment is known throughout the world - and it has
certainly not been without sacrifice. Approximately 230 peacekeepers have lost
their lives in the service of peace over the last fifty years, and many of these
have been Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Mr Speaker, it is with these sacrifices in mind that I rise in this House to
bring to light the work of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association,
Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter. The Newfoundland and Labrador
Chapter has
done tremendous work to educate Canadians and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians
about the invaluable work that peacekeepers provide. Today, I want especially to
recognize their efforts to erect a permanent monument in the City of St. John's,
which honours all Newfoundland and Labrador peacekeepers, as well as those who
have fought with Canada prior to Confederation in 1949. All three levels of
government were approached for funding, and I am proud to stay that the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the City of St. John's,
did provide funding towards this particular monument.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all members in the House today join me in recognizing
the members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter, and I encourage all
Members of the House of Assembly, and all residents of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, to visit this outstanding memorial that was unveiled
in August of last year at Veterans Square, which is located in downtown St. John's.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Newfoundland and Labrador
Chapter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association for its excellent
work, and all members of the House for allowing me to make this statement today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
MR. LANGDON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of
attending two annual ceremonial reviews of Sea Cadet Corps movements in my
district.
On May 25, the Admiral F.J. Mifflin Cadet Corps in Hermitage reached a
milestone achievement and celebrated the tenth anniversary of their formation.
Twenty-four very active cadets from the community of Hermitage-Sandyville
presently make up the membership of this Corps.
Mr. Speaker, the staff members of this Corps include: Jeffrey Herritt, Myra
Herritt, Sharon Osmond and Norman Hollett. Mr. Speaker, these people have been
there for ten years, since the inception of the Corps. The reviewing officer for
this annual review was Brenda Pinto, President, Navy League of Canada,
Newfoundland and Labrador Division. The review ceremony included a banquet and
awards presentation with some seventeen awards being given to deserving cadets.
Mr. Speaker, on June 3, I had the pleasure of attending the 7 th
annual ceremonial review for the 3065 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in the
Major Noel Hand, Music Coordinator for the Newfoundland and Labrador Cadet
detachment.
There are currently eighteen cadets in this Corps and are under the direction
of Commanding Officer Maxine Clarke and staff and officers: Sheila Keeping,
Cathy Bullen, Winston Keeping and Steward May. I also wish to recognize the
local cadet corp.
Mr. Speaker, during the review ceremonies some eleven awards were presented
to very deserving cadets. The formal review was followed by a reception attended
by the cadets and invited guests.
Mr. Speaker, I want to wish the cadets, officers and staff of the Admiral F.J.
Mifflin Cadet Corp of Hermitage and the 3065 Royal Canadian Army Cadets of
movement.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to the
Cape Freels Heritage Trust, operators of the Barbour Living Heritage Village.
The Village, located in Newtown, Bonavista Bay, was recently presented with
an award from the Kittiwake Coast Tourism Association. The award recognized the
important contribution the site has made to the economy of the Kittiwake Coast
and the invaluable role they have played in the development of the tourism
industry in that region.
This is the latest in a growing list of awards received by the site, a list
that includes the Southcott Award for heritage preservation and restoration, the
Manning Award for excellence in the public presentation of historic places, and
the Scotiabank Award which recognizes exceptional efforts in customer service.
These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of a select
number of volunteers who have laboured hard and long to transform the Barbour
Living Heritage Village into one of Newfoundland and Labrador's premier
historic sites.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join with me in congratulating the
Cape Freels Heritage Trust on their most recent award and on their continued
efforts to restore and preserve our heritage and culture.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.
MS FOOTE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations and a
sincere thank you to Frank Crews of Grand Bank. Mr. Crews is the recipient of
the 2007 Newfoundland & Labrador Teachers' Association Bancroft Award.
The Bancroft Award recognizes outstanding service at the branch level of the
NLTA for the betterment of education and professionalism for teachers.
A teacher for over thirty-two years, Mr. Crews has been an active member of
the GranForLine Branch of the NLTA since 1980. He has held numerous executive
offices at the branch level including: communications officer, secretary,
vice-president and president, a position he currently holds.
Mr. Crews has been active at the committee level including membership on the
Ad Hoc Committee for Teacher Mediation and the Provincial Communications
Committee. He was a delegate at the NLTA convention in 1971, 1972 and from 1988
until the present. He was a member of the Branch Liaison Committee and Chair of
the Branch Public Relations Communications Committee.
Since 1988, Mr. Crews has chaired the Retirement Committee which organizes
celebrations for teachers in the GranForLine Branch. He was involved in every
aspect of these events, ranging from ticket sales to emceing the event.
Mr. Crews is presently the Principal of John Burke High School in Grand Bank.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating
Frank Crews and thanking him for his many years of service to teachers and
students in our Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this hon. House to congratulate two people in my
district for their outstanding achievements in recent weeks.
Priscilla Corcoran Mooney is a primary health facilitator with Eastern Health
at Placentia. She is an avid and hardworking volunteer in a number of
initiatives in her home community of
Branch and is also mayor of the town.
Mayor Mooney was recently nominated by Flare Magazine, along with 200 other
women across Canada, for the Community Volunteer Award. Last month she was
selected as one of only six winners across Canada, and was invited to Toronto to
accept her award.
Mr. Speaker, David Constantine is a teacher at Laval High School in
Placentia. Recently, at a national conference in Moncton, New Brunswick, David
received an award from the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education
and Recreation for teaching excellence in physical education.
Last week, at Laval High School, Mr. Constantine, along with co-teacher, Sean
Ryan, and their workplace safety students, received a provincial award for their
radio ad contest on Safety in the Workplace, sponsored by the Workplace Health
and Safety Compensation Commission. This radio ad will be aired on local
provincial stations.
I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Ms Priscilla Corcoran
Mooney and Mr. David Constantine and wish them well in their future endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to recognize four young
constituents from my district: Sarah Bass and Mila Major of Reidville; and
Brandon Roberts and Chantel Coles of Deer Lake. This fantastic four were
recently awarded the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Mr. Speaker, for any individual to qualify for this award, the participant
must undertake a balance program of leisure-time activities and meet the
prescribed standards in four important areas, including: community service,
adventurous journeys, physical fitness and skill development.
Sarah, Mila, Brandon and Chantel completed all the above requirements and
were presented with their Silver Awards at a recent ceremony attended by the
Honourable Ed Roberts, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
This group of four Level II students at Elwood Regional High School in Deer
Lake have set a wonderful example for their fellow students. They are well liked
in the school, very visible in the town, and great stewards for our Province.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join with me in extending congratulations
to Sarah, Mila, Brandon and Chantel. They are glowing examples of today's
youth, and I am proud to say they live in my district, the beautiful Humber
Valley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I understand that the
Opposition House Leader has a copy of the statement from yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to announce new service improvements
which will provide enhanced
interpretation services and overall engagement for
Innu and Inuit people involved in the justice system. This government recognized
the need for better access to the justice system for Aboriginal peoples and
their communities; and, Mr. Speaker, we have acted upon that need. These new
service improvements have been developed under the umbrella of the Northern
Strategic Plan, and are part of our overall commitment to the people of
Labrador, and are the result of extensive public consultations and input,
supplemented by cross-departmental efforts.
Through monies allocated in last year's budget, my department was able to
engage a consultant to research and consult on
interpretation issues in the
justice system. The consultant's report has been summarized and translated
into Inuktitut and Innu-aimun, and distribution of this document is currently
underway. Following the recommendations, we allocated $424,000 for an Aboriginal
interpretation initiative. With these funds we will develop and deliver a legal
interpreters course for Innu and Inuit interpreters in Labrador through the
College of the North Atlantic and we will be able to hire staff interpreters in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nain and Natuashish. We will also hire a senior advisor
who will facilitate access to justice activities and work directly with
communities to improve dialogue and understanding.
I am particularly pleased with the collaborative effort that was demonstrated
through the development of this initiative. My department has identified and
engaged all relevant stakeholders and has fully researched existing programs to
follow best practices for interpretative services for Aboriginal people.
Furthermore, we are actively building partnerships with Aboriginal
communities in Labrador, with educational resources, including the College of
the North Atlantic, Memorial University and the Department of Education, as well
as with the Public Legal Information Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. I
am very excited and enthusiastic about this initiative and look forward to
working with our partners to make this a meaningful and responsive program for
the people of Labrador, and I wish to congratulate all of those who were
involved in the development of these new services.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, these new Interpretive Services are yet another
example of our government's commitment to be proactive and fully engage
residents of all communities across the Province, including the communities in
Labrador.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. ANDERSEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Let me say to the minister, Nakummek means thank you for this commitment -
thank you in Innu for an advance copy of your statement.
Minister, let me say that the previous Administration did a lot of groundwork
as well to help bring about this initiative. The Member for Burgeo & LePoile
was instrumental with the women of Labrador in bringing in full-time policing to
the communities of Makkovik and Rigolet.
Minister, this is a good statement.
Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the negative effect that alcohol has had on
the Aboriginal people, not just in Labrador or Canada, but worldwide.
Mr. Speaker, we believe that we have people who have served time in Her
Majesty's Penitentiary for a crime that they are unaware they have committed.
What is far more important, Mr. Speaker, is that very little translation
services were available at the time.
Minister, if justice is to be served, then it is the Aboriginal people whose
time has come for justice in many ways. Let me say, as an Aboriginal, today I am
very proud of the statement you just made, that it is a good start and it will
go a long way toward the people in Labrador having a fair trial.
Again, minister, thank you for this wonderful initiative and certainly,
anything you can do for the Aboriginal people in Labrador, I trust that you and
your government will do so.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advanced copy.
This is a wonderful step in the right direction. I think there have been many
injustices in the past because of Innu and Inuit not understanding what was
going on, as my colleague has referred to.
I hope, too, that - and I am sure you are - the minister and the department
are open to exploring other ways with the Aboriginal communities that the
justice system can meet their needs. This is a step recognizing that it is
dealing with the justice system as it is, but I think we also need to have
conversations with the Aboriginal communities about justice being meted out in a
way that fits more within their culture and the way in which they do it within
their communities. I hope that would be the next step that your department would
look at.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Fisheries.
Most people in the Province would agree that the marketing and secondary
processing division of FPI is its most valued resource. Yet, your government is
allowing that division of FPI to be sold to a Nova Scotia competitor.
It is our understanding that the bid put forward by the Barry Group of
Companies for the purchase of FPI would have included all of its assets, that
meaning the Newfoundland portion as well as the secondary processing and
marketing division in the United States. This would have meant that all of FPI's
divisions would have been owned and operated by a Newfoundland company.
I ask the minister: Can he tell us why the Barry bid for FPI was not
acceptable to your government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I will have to undertake to have my memory
refreshed, so what I am going to say now I say with that caveat.
My recollection is that the Barry Group - FPI called for proposals for
certain categories of their assets: the marketing arm, the primary assets that
they owned in Newfoundland, and I think it was one other group. I believe there
were three parcels, if you want - I am searching for the right word here - of
assets that people could bid on. The Barry Group put in two bids.
I will have to undertake to have my memory refreshed what was included in
each bid. I do know that one of the Barry bids, and the bid that you would put
up against the OCI bid as a comparison, included the Newfoundland based primary
producing assets and the offshore scallop and shrimp. I do know that was one
parcel of bids, and that was a parcel that was -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the minister now to complete his answer.
MR. RIDEOUT: That was a parcel that was compared with the OCI bid.
Also, though, I have a recollection that Barry had another bid, but what was
included in that I would have to undertake to get the detail and get back to the
hon. member on it rather than - I am not prepared to fly by you know what on
this.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are not asking you to fly, but if you would - we are going to introduce
the bill to repeal the FPI Act later in the day, so if you could get the
information we would like to hear it. I do appreciate the answer that you gave.
Mr. Speaker, the residents of Little Bay Islands have been notified that
their crab plant won't be open or operational this year.
I ask the minister: What is your government doing for the employees of that
town who will find themselves without any source of income this summer?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that Little Bay Islands
has been advised by the operator, Daley Brothers, that they don't intend to
operate the facility this summer. The town, with the approval of the department,
took out an ad to try to determine whether or not there was any other interest
in operating the facility, leasing the facility perhaps from the owners and
operating it. That process is not completed, as I understand it.
Having said that, of course, the operation in Little Bay Islands right now
is, because it is on an island with ferry service and so on, very much at the
mercy, for anybody who might want to operate, of environmental conditions, ice
and so on. There is an interest, I can say, in an operator operating, but
whether or not present conditions would allow for that to happen is problematic
right now.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If the plant doesn't open in the very near future, the crab will be caught
and processed elsewhere.
I ask: What will you be doing for the residents of that community who will
have no source of income as a result of the plant being closed?
The other question, Mr. Speaker, concerns the crab license. I do believe it
is the policy of your department that if the plant is not operational in a
two-year period, then the license is cancelled. That is of grave concern to the
people of Little Bay Islands.
What I am asking, Mr. Speaker: Will you make an exception for that island
community to ensure that if the plant doesn't open this year, the license will
be available to them in the future?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, on the latter question first, I have checked
into this matter and it is my understanding that the licence on Little Bay
Islands is not in any jeopardy. The minimum amount of processing took place
there last year which protects the license. It is not in its second year of a
two-year phase out.
If, for some reason, environmental or otherwise, the plant doesn't operate
this year it won't be the second year of a two-year, it will be year one.
There isn't any problem as far as that goes in the immediate future.
In terms of employment for people on Little Bay Islands, if there isn't any
in the fish plant, Mr. Speaker, that is an issue we certainly will address as
time goes by, as we will in any community around the Province where there is an
employment problem because of a failure in a major industry, this case being the
fishery.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Just a quick supplementary on that, Mr. Speaker.
Maybe you could check this out as well, while you are checking out the
information on FPI. The Mayor, Perry Locke, is of the understanding that the
licence will, after this year, be two years of inactivity and that it did not
meet the necessary processing requirements last year. So could you check that
out and let us know, as well?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Yes, absolutely, Mr. Speaker.
I was approached by an operator who operated on Little Bay Islands
previously, and who, I understand, has had some interest in operating there
again this year and who raised, with me, what they understood to be a problem, a
carryover from last year in terms of processing.
The production reports that we have at the department indicates, Mr. Speaker,
and this is the advice I have received from senior officials in my department,
the minimum requirements to keep that licence current did take place on Little
Bay Islands last year. If there is anything different from that, that comes to
my attention, we will obviously deal with it and deal with it promptly, Mr.
Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My first two questions are for the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
Mr. Speaker, it is government policy this year for people in the Province
wishing to purchase salmon licences that you must have a valid government photo
ID. For those who do not have a driver's licence, for example, this means
paying an additional fee to get this piece of identification.
I ask the minister: Why are the people of this Province being forced to pay
the additional $25 to obtain a photo identification before they can purchase
their salmon licence?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I think the Opposition House Leader is probably
referring to the family licence situation, which was raised in our department, I
believe, about a week-and-a-half ago. That has been addressed. What we are
looking at is, the individual who purchases the licence on behalf of the family
is the one that we will require the ID from. They are not going to be required
from the other individuals who are on that family plan.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That was leading to my second question. I am pleased to see that there is
something being done with it. Unfortunately, again, that has not been made known
to the public.
I had a call yesterday afternoon from a gentleman in Port aux Basques who
provided me with your licence purchasing agreement and it says that the back
portion of the stub must be completed by the vendor, angler is to supply names
and driver's licence, photo ID from Motor Registration of all persons who will
be fishing under the licence. The gentleman in question, I do not mind - he
asked me, in fact, to say his name, Mr. Jack Elms, an eight-two-year-old vet
from Port aux Basques, for years has bought a licence for his
thirty-three-year-old, now, disabled grandson. All of a sudden, before he can
now get his salmon licence to put his grandson on as a family member, he has to
pay $25 for the grandson before he can buy the licence. So, that is the
circumstance. I think it is totally unfair.
My question, I guess, now that you said you are going to look at it, is: How
and when and how fast can that be distributed to the Province so people become
aware of this?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: In the case of the individual that you have mentioned, it is
unfortunate that they find themselves in that situation that they may not know,
but I can tell you that department officials have already been in contact with
the venues who issue the licences and they have been - people have been informed
of that. So, it is unfortunate in that particular case but there has been
notification sent out across the Province.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My last question will be for the Premier.
The government committed to a full judicial inquiry into the faulty breast
cancer hormone receptor testing issue which has been in the public domain for
some weeks now. We had the judicial inquiry announcement made, I believe, two
weeks ago now, plus.
I ask the Premier, again: When can we expect to see the terms of reference of
the inquiry and who government will be actually naming as the Commissioner?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the hon. member for that question. Right now there is a judge who is
considering taking over the inquiry. That person is having discussions with Mr.
Thompson with regard to consideration of terms of reference and to make sure
that the judge is comfortable with the exercise. So, that should be completed, I
would think, by the end of the week and we should be in a position by next week
to announce who that person is.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Human Resources,
Labour and Employment was on his feet in this House praising the government's
Poverty Reduction Strategy. This week in the news we heard once again that this
Province has still the highest per capita rate of food bank use in Canada.
I ask the minister: Given this statistic, does he think that this government
should be praised for their achievements in their terms of poverty reduction?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, last week in this House I did stand and announce some of the
initiatives that this government has undertaken. I will point out to the House
and to the people of the Province that we are basically not quite yet one year
into our Poverty Reduction Strategy. We have made tremendous strides, as have
been indicated in previous statements.
It is not about, necessarily, patting government on the back, Mr. Speaker, it
is about recognizing that it is a ten year strategy. There is progress that has
to be made. We are making progress and as we make progress we will eliminate
some of the barriers and hopefully, raise people out of the level of poverty
that they are into.
This government, Mr. Speaker, is interested in moving forward, recognizing
the challenges that we have and we will incorporate those challenges into our
strategy as we move forward over the next nine years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, no doubt, the poverty strategy was brought in
last year, but I say to the minister, this commitment was brought in, in the
Blue Book in 2003.
Close to 6 per cent of the people in this Province use food banks. This
entails approximately over 29,000 individuals, 41 per cent of them are children,
who use fifty-eight food banks in this Province.
I ask the minister: Does he think this is evidence of the success of his
government's Poverty Reduction Strategy? And, if not, can he tell this House
what they intend to do differently to address this unacceptable high number of
people who depend on food banks?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Mr. Speaker, this government has already committed $91
million toward our Poverty Reduction Strategy. We have done things like
elimination of schools fees. We have done things like providing school books for
children in our schools. We have increased the income support rates. We have
indexed them to the cost of living. We have put in special initiatives for
single mothers, mothers with new children, women's centres. There has been a
myriad of initiatives that we have done.
I will say, and I will continue to say, Mr. Speaker, that we do not believe
for a minute that we have addressed all of the initiatives that need to be done,
but it is a working document. It is a document that is in process and as new
things become available to us, new challenges - we become aware of them as a
government, we will address them. As has been said before, this is a ten year
strategy, we are in year one. We have made tremendous progress and we recognize
that we have more progress to make.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
We appreciate, on this side, the $91 million that is going to help the people
of this Province who are in need, but I say to the minister, after four years in
office, this past week we heard talk of a second soup kitchen opening up in
Corner Brook, right in the Premier's district or pretty close to it, Mr.
Speaker.
Given that the School Lunch Program and the Kids Eat Smart program and others
help feed our hungry children during the school season. Can the minister
indicate just how his Poverty Reduction Strategy will help feed those same
poverty-stricken children during the summer months?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Mr. Speaker, all of the initiatives with regard to the
Poverty Reduction Strategy are meant to try and address people who live in
poverty and people who face challenges.
With regard to the Kids Eat Smart Foundation, just as an example, as the
member is already aware the government of today has increased the amount of
funding that we provide to the Kids Eat Smart Foundation by $200,000, and I
believe another $50,000 was put into that strategy by the Department of Health
and Community Services as well, to increase their funding level to $750,000 from
the $500,000 that it has been in the past.
We will continue to work with our community based groups. A lot of the
initiatives that this government have announced have come from our community
based groups that we partner with and that we consult with. We will be
undertaking a consultation process in the future and we will continue to make
sure that the word we hear from the consultation process and from the people on
the ground are things that will be incorporated into our strategies.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Natural Resources in
reference to the new revised mandate of Newfoundland Hydro and the mandate of
the new energy corporation.
In the Hydro Quebec Act one of the objects of the corporation, in addition to
supplying power, is to pursue endeavours in energy conservation. The Act also
says, and I quote: The company may implement energy conservation programs. To
that end, it may grant technical or financial assistance.
My question for the Minister of Natural Resources is: Will the minister add
energy efficiency and conservation to the list of things that Newfoundland Hydro
and the new energy corporation will do as outlined in Bills 27 and 28?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the hon. member for the question.
Two days ago in this House those two pieces of legislation received a third
and final passage after a briefing that was afforded to members of the
Opposition. We have to keep in mind, of course, that what we have here is the
creation of a new energy corporation. Mr. Speaker, one would think, as this
process evolves - and, at the same time it is the creation of a new corporation
- that energy conservation would be very much part of the thinking and mandate
of a new corporation that is envisaged by both Bills 27 and 28.
I would say to the hon. member, yes, I am sure Hydro officials and executives
from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro will be very mindful of conservation
efforts and will take all steps to ensure that conservation practices are
protected, again for the benefit of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In that case, Mr. Speaker, my question is, I look first at what is happening
in a province like Quebec, where Hydro-Quebec and Quebec's energy efficiency
agency provide financial assistance for retrofits and energy saving technology.
Efficiency New Brunswick provides energy savings to consumers and has created
energy efficiency services in the province.
I ask the minister: Will this government set up an energy efficiency agency
as a separate Crown corporation, or as part of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro,
that will assist consumers to adopt energy efficiency technology and facilitate
the growth of an energy efficiency services sector?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: My answer is similar to the first, Mr. Speaker.
Again, it is the mandate of the new hydro energy corporation as envisaged
under both bills, Bill 27 and Bill 28, to do what is in the best interests of
all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. If that includes working with my
colleague, the Minister of Environment and Conservation, with respect to energy
efficiency, I feel quite confident in saying, Mr. Speaker, that will be done.
Again, this new corporation, its mandate is to move forward, to move forward
as we embark upon very significant megaprojects, again for the benefit of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and whatever can be done in the realm of
energy efficiency will be done, again, in the protection of the very people that
we have been elected to lead and to represent.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi has time for a brief
supplementary.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Natural Resources and the CEO of Hydro have been in the news
pitching green energy. Yet, Hydro was not deliberately given a mandate to invest
in energy efficiency initiatives in the bill, in Bill 27.
My question to the minister is: When will government use oil and gas revenues
on an energy efficiency program that will save consumers money, reduce demand
for dirty energy from Holyrood, and free up energy for new users?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Energy efficiency is certainly one of the key components of reducing energy
consumption. As I said here a couple of weeks ago to the member when she raised
a similar issue, we met with officials from New Brunswick to take a look at
their program. The Minister of Natural Resources and I have looked at how we can
incorporate that into our overall plan. I will just have to ask her to hang on
and see what is going to come out of it, but there definitely will be a
direction coming from this government in terms of retrofit and energy
efficiency.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.
MR. BALL: My question is for the Minister of Health and Community
Services.
I would like to remind the minister of a quote that he made on July 29, 2002,
in a press release, in which he used a statistical projection that 12.5 per cent
of the population would be in the senior bracket by 2006. He went on to say that
letting the home support problem fester unaddressed is a recipe for disaster.
In light of the fact that our seniors now comprise a much higher percentage
of our population, and that the home support problem has not been addressed by
this Administration, I ask the minister: Does he still stand by his 2002
statement that this home support sector is heading for disaster?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the hon. member and members of
this House is that we still believe that a quality home support program is still
at the heart of the supports that we provide to an aging population. We believe
that the work that we have been doing in enhancing home support services, and
the investment that we have made year over year since we have been in
government, not only enhancing the capacity and building the capacity but
enhancing the salaries that we pay to home support workers, will, in fact,
enhance the program, but it needs to be coupled with some of the other
initiatives.
Some of the work that we have done in our long-term care and supportive
services strategy and some of the announcements we are about to make as we roll
out our healthy aging strategy, all together, if you fit it all together, it is
a reflection of this government's commitment to support an aging population,
to support their independence as long as we possibly can, to provide the
necessary supports that -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the minister now to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
- provide the necessary supports to allow seniors to live in their homes,
independent, as long as they possibly can. That is the commitment we made in our
blueprint, that is the commitment we are working on today, and that is the
commitment we make to the seniors of this Province on a go-forward basis.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.
MR. BALL: I certainly support the minister in saying that the seniors
should have the ability to live in their own homes as long as possible, given
the fact that home support workers are still working for - some are still
between $7 and $8 an hour and it is, I think, very insufficient.
Another concern that we are seeing in the home support sector is that many
times people have to travel to and from different clients' homes and there is
no transportation allowance provided for this.
I ask the minister: Will he consider today to provide a transportation
allowance as part of this benefit package to help address this issue with home
support workers?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As a government, I think we have demonstrated very clearly over the last
three-and-a-half years that we have been re-evaluating the programs and services
that we provide. Any time we have an opportunity and we see an opportunity to
create an enhancement, to improve on, to build on, to enhance what we are
currently doing, we respond.
I just look at the track record. I ask the members opposite to look at the
last three years' budgets particularly. Look at the investment that we have
made in all aspects of health care.
I outlined in this House the other day that we, as a Province, in the last
two years have been some of the leaders in the increase and investment we have
made in health care. This year, $2.2 billion. If you look at the total overall
budget of this Province, that is a significant investment, and we continue to
grow our investment in health care, I say, Mr. Speaker. So, I say to the member
opposite, yes, we are prepared to look at -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. minister to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: - ways in which we can enhance our services, whether it is
home support, long-term care facilities, acute care facilities, community-based
programs of any kind. We are committed to continuous quality improvement, I say,
Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.
MR. BALL: Mr Speaker, the issue of professional shortages in our health
care system continues to be a major issue. Yesterday, the Minister of Health and
Community Services indicated that he is satisfied with the fact that we have the
highest number of nurses today than ever in our Province. Well, Mr. Speaker,
those numbers do not reflect the reality of what is required to deliver a
quality health care service.
Can the minister tell this House just what the real understaffing number is
for nurses in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I think if the member opposite were to check
Hansard, I think he would find my comment yesterday was that I was boasting the
fact that we had achieved those kinds of numbers. In fact, we had achieved the
same level - physicians, we have the highest number of physicians any time in
our history in this Province. What I also said, Mr. Speaker, if he recalls
correctly, I also indicated that we, too, had some concerns around some of the
issues of staffing in some locations. We, too, acknowledge that there are
occasional challenges with staffing. We, too, acknowledge that there will be
times, have been times in our history and I suspect there will be times in our
future, where we will have pockets of recruitment issues to deal with, whether
it is nursing, physician, Allied Health Professionals and many other disciplines
within our health system, I say, Mr. Speaker.
So, for the member to suggest that we are quite satisfied with the current
status, no, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. minister now to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: What we are committed to is continuing to build to improve
and to enhance, as I said a moment ago. So, I say, Mr. Speaker, yes, we are
pleased with the number of nurses we have. Do we want -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair recognizes the Member for Humber Valley.
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, the number is available. I did not hear it today
in this House but I know it is a major problem affecting the nurses in this
Province and I would certainly hope that as part of the resolution to the
problem that the minister would get that number. One of the problems in
retaining and recruiting nurses is a competitive benefits package. Soon nurses
in this Province could be the lowest paid in the country.
I ask the minister: With such a poor compensation benefits package, how can
you expect to attract and retain the nurses we need?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, to listen to the words
of the member opposite because he has used two different words but he has used
them interchangeably, but they are two different things: salary and benefit
package. Salary is one thing. That is what you get on your pay cheque. That is
what you take home, but when we look at the benefit package, Mr. Speaker -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. WISEMAN: When we look at the benefit package that we provide to our
health professionals, when we consider -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair asks the hon. minister to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, when we look at what we provide for nurses as a
part of that benefit package, when we look at annual leave, when we look at the
sick leave package, when we look at education leave, when we look at weekend
differential, shift differential, those sorts of things.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the minister to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: I say, Mr. Speaker, a fine testimony to what this government
has done for nurses in this Province. The Premier this morning -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.
MR. BALL: I would like to remind the minister, that it is not the
testimony they are looking for, it is the salary and the benefits package.
Mr. Speaker, not only are nurses understaffed and overworked, but we have
heard from other associations, including the Association of Allied Health
Professionals, and they are very concerned about the shortage of health
professionals in this Province, including psychologists, physiotherapists,
audiologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and
pharmacists. Obviously, our current package in not addressing the shortage of
health care professionals.
What are you prepared to do to solve this problem?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I indicated in the House yesterday in the
debate that, as a government, we have put in place, and have continued to work
with associations like the Allied Health Professionals and put in place for them
bursary programs. We have put in place financial incentives to assist them in
getting into educational programs.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador provides financial support to
Dalhousie University for occupation and physiotherapy students. We provided
bursary programs to allow us to attract many of those difficult to recruit
professions, I say, Mr. Speaker.
One of the things that is important, I listed to Carol Furlong this morning
on Open Line when she talked about some of the challenges her membership has
with recruiting. What she said, what was important is we are all working
together towards a solution, I say, Mr. Speaker. We are working with NAPE, we
are working with the Association of Allied Health Professionals, we are working
with the Nurses' Union, we are working with the physicians. All working
collectively trying to develop -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the minister to complete his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
- trying to develop an appropriate strategy to respond to some of the
challenges that we face today and will face tomorrow, because we want to ensure
that we have quality people in Newfoundland and Labrador.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse
au Clair. You have time for one question only.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.
It was outlined earlier by government that there would be ten community youth
council coordinators hired in the Province for a term of up to one year to
promote youth programs under Human Resources, Labour and Employment. I
understand, Mr. Speaker, that six of those areas have now been designated. I am
wondering if the other four are going to be designated? I also understand there
has been no positions selected for the Northern Peninsula or for Labrador.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Mr. Speaker, I am not quite clear on the position that the
hon. member referred to. If she is referring to the Community Youth Network, I
am not sure if that is what she is referring to, there have been some decisions
made on that and I can certainly discuss that with the member later. I have to
honest and say that the position you referred to is not one that I am familiar
with.
MR. SPEAKER: The time allocated for Question Period has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motions.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Just in case, I move pursuant to Standing Order 11, that
this House not adjourn on Monday, June 11, at 5:30 p.m. nor at 10:00 o'clock
on Monday, June 11. As I indicated, Your Honour, just in case.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair notes that the hon. the minister gave notice. He
said he was moving but the Chair reads that as giving notice.
Further Notice of Motions?
Answers to Questions for Which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to present this petition on behalf of residents in my area. It
is asking for cellphone coverage in the areas between the Labrador Straits and
Cartwright, in particular.
Mr. Speaker, I presented a number of these petitions already. I think this
one has another 150 signatures. I think, all together, there has probably been
hundreds of people who have signed these particular petitions in that area. The
reason for that being of course, as you know, there are long stretches of road
in that region between L'Anse-au-Loup and Red Bay, between Red Bay and Lodge
Bay, and especially between Port Hope Simpson and Cartwright, where there isn't
any adequate cellphone coverage. People often find themselves in a position on
that highway where they become stranded and have no communication contact.
We have discussed with Aliant and have made representation to Aliant to
provide cellphone services in that area, and in fact, Mr. Speaker, were asked to
submit a business case to them in terms of providing that service. They did
agree, at one point, on a business case, to provide the service in the Labrador
Straits area, although it only reaches into certain communities. However, the
business case that was put forward for the rest of the region was rejected and
is deemed to be a cost that is not acceptable for Aliant right now to install
that service.
What these petitioners are asking is that the government provide the
necessary subsidy in terms of partnering with a communications company to
provide that cellphone service in the area, whether that becomes Aliant, that is
now the existing provider, or some other company. What they are looking for, Mr.
Speaker, is to have a line that will allow them to be able to access someone in
a time of need. I don't have to tell you that once you are driving over
hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kilometres of gravel road with no
communities in between, you often find yourself in a situation where you end up
in snow storms, you end up stuck out in weather and not able to make it to the
next community, you end up having problems on the road, either having you tires
damaged or some other reason, and you don't have any way to reach anyone.
Mr. Speaker, there are a number of accidents that have happened on that
particular stretch of road as well, and they haven't been able to make any
contact. I know because I was in accidents myself on that road and I wasn't
able to contact anyone and just had to wait until someone came along to give you
some help or some assistance.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue for the people in that particular
area. It is a very important issue, because it is an issue upon which peoples'
lives depend. I think we have all heard of situations where -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's allotted time has expired.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will just clue up my comments now.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.
MS JONES: We have all heard of cases where people have been in dangerous
situations and cellphones have certainly allowed them to communicate with
someone outside in an instance that probably saved their lives.
I know, in my own district, just off the Coast of Forteau, there was a
situation where a group of seal hunters were out sealing and got stuck in foggy
weather and in ice, and, Mr. Speaker, had damage done to their boat and had to
abandon their boat and stay on an ice pan. Only for the fact that they had a
cellphone to contact someone on shore, to come out and rescue them, it could
have been a terrible tragedy, Mr. Speaker. Because they had that access to a
telephone and were able to let someone know what was happening, they were
rescued by local people in the area.
Mr. Speaker, I think that cellphone coverage is important in this particular
region of the Province, primarily in that northern area where there are all
kinds of dangers that people encounter on that highway, especially in the winter
months, in heavy weather and snow and ice, and I think that government should
listen to their request and seriously consider that issue and see if there is
something they can do to put cellphones into that area.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bellevue.
MR. BARRETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this House today to present a petition on behalf of a couple of
Terrenceville, Swift Current and Garden Cove, North Harbour, Arnold's Cove,
and that area there. There are two concerns with regard to the road
infrastructure within the District of Bellevue, and the prayer of the petition
is:
WHEREAS the
section of the road to Terrenceville referred to as "long
grade" is in disrepair and presents a safety hazard; and
WHEREAS the road from the Terrenceville intersection is also in deplorable
condition and in need of significant repairs; and
WHEREAS these roads are important transportation routes used to transport
school children and other traffic; and
WHEREAS the
section of the main Burin Peninsula Highway, particularly the
section going through Swift Current, and from Goobies to Swift Current, is in
need of serious repair;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon all Members of the
House of Assembly to urge government to find the necessary funds to repair these
roads.
And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, the first part of this petition here, when we talk about the
"long grade" going down into Terrenceville, it is a very, very high
embankment. As a matter of fact, right now, the traffic going down on this
particular road, to prevent themselves from falling over the bank, the traffic
itself, the vehicular traffic, is going sideways down over the bank and they
have to go on the inside of the road to make sure the school bus doesn't tip
over. The school bus actually has to go on the inside of the road, so that the
school bus will not tip down over the grade. That is how bad the grade is, on
this particular
section of the highway.
Mr. Speaker, this government and the school board, last year, closed the
and they promised that they would repair the roads, and make sure that these
on a school bus - five-year-old kids riding on a school bus, and they are riding
on roads that are treacherous. It is an accident about to happen, and this
government is just sitting back and doing nothing about it whatsoever.
Also, Mr. Speaker, the
section of the road from Swift Current to Goobies -
this government, when they got elected, decided that they were going to ignore
the Burin Peninsula. There has not been a cent of money, except for storm damage
and some bridge work done on the Burin Peninsula Highway, in the last four
years. The road from Goobies to Swift Current is in deplorable condition. As a
matter of fact, there have been serious accidents. There have been people killed
on this particular
section of the highway. The highway is in deplorable
condition
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's allotted time has expired.
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.
MR. BARRETT: I call upon the government and the Minister of Works,
Services and Transportation - we hear a lot about how much money is being spent
on roadwork in the Province. I guess it is just a fabrication, really, because
it is not accurate. We have the report here of the consolidated funds of the
Province. As a matter of fact, there has been a 55 per cent decrease, from a
high of $80.4 million in 2002 to a low of $36 million in 2005, on roads in our
Province. Since this government got elected, there has been less money spent on
highways.
We hear them talking, on the other side, all the time about the big fortune
they are spending on highways. In the year 2002, when I was the Minister of
Works, Services and Transportation, there was $80.4 million spent on our roads
within the Province. We are talking about the main roads, like the Burin
Peninsula. We are not talking about a byroad going to a small community. The
Burin Peninsula is one of the major economic and social regions of this
Province, and we have a government right now that is ignoring completely the
Burin Peninsula of this Province.
So, I am calling upon the government to move immediately and allocate money
to do the work on the Burin Peninsula Highway and make sure that this grade,
Harbour East and Grand Le Pierre to Terrenceville, is corrected immediately.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.
MS FOOTE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, want to speak to the petition with respect to the condition of the
roads on the Burin Peninsula, but specifically today the road leading to
Terrenceville, and certainly that part of the Burin Peninsula Highway that is
around Swift Current.
The conditions there, I have to say, because I have had the chance to travel
down to Terrenceville, I can tell you that what my colleague from Bellevue says
is absolutely correct. The condition of the road there is treacherous for
anyone, not just for people who are travelling on a school bus, our children,
but certainly for people who have to leave Terrenceville and travel to other
parts of this Province. It is dangerous, and while you might think it is okay on
a fine day, I call tell you, when the weather conditions are such as they are -
we know in Newfoundland and Labrador you can expect to see the weather change,
expect four seasons in one day, Mr. Speaker - the conditions are such that
certainly they are not amenable to having the roads the way they are leading to
Terrenceville.
The part of the Burin Peninsula Highway around Swift Current, again, I travel
that all the time. I spend a lot of time, as you would appreciate, on the Burin
Peninsula, as the MHA for the District of Grand Bank. Again, the conditions
there are such that I cannot imagine anyone in authority ever travelling that
and not just stopping and saying there is something we have to do about the
conditions on the Burin Peninsula Highway.
As my colleague from Bellevue has said, it is a major, major part of our road
system. It is one of the trunk roads off the Trans-Canada. You know, it is
really important for the residents who live on the Burin Peninsula but it is
also important for the tourists. We are always speaking about how important the
tourism industry is to our Province, and that it is, in fact, one of those
industries that we are trying to grow and promote. At the same time, how can we
expect tourists to even want to travel over roads that are in this condition? I
would expect that once they turn down the Burin Peninsula Highway, because of
the neglect by this government, many of them will just say: That is enough of
this. I cannot take a chance on going down over this highway, going down into
Terrenceville - one of the prettiest, prettiest places in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
I would expect that anyone going down there would have to say: No, I am going
to turn around and go back because it is too dangerous. I am here on vacation. I
am here for a holiday. I am not here to take my life in my hands.
On the Burin Peninsula Highway, around Swift Current and other parts of the
Burin Peninsula Highway, we as well have those conditions that would make people
think twice about going down the Burin Peninsula Highway and going to see what
the Burin Peninsula has to offer, which is a great deal for any tourist coming
to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, the conditions of the road are such that I would encourage the
Minister of Transportation to make it a point to go down there, because it is
one thing to have us stand up here and talk about it -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's allotted time has expired.
MS FOOTE: Just enough to clue up, Mr. Speaker?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.
MS FOOTE: Thank you.
I would encourage the Minister of Transportation to go down there. We can
stand up here and talk about it, and present petitions on behalf of the people
on the Burin Peninsula, but until, I think, he sees it first-hand, he is
probably just going to, you know, say: Well, that is okay. I will deal with it
when I can deal with it. I am emphasizing today how serious the condition is,
certainly going down into Terrenceville. I would encourage the government,
through the minister, to have a look at that.
On the Burin Peninsula itself, particularly around Swift Current in the first
instance, because that is where the petition is from, representing the people
who live in that area, but for all of the Burin Peninsula, leading right down,
right around the boot, I think it is time that the government took their job
seriously and put some money into that trunk road, which is a major, major part
of our road system in Newfoundland and Labrador.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, want to present a petition on behalf of the area residents of this
Province with regard to the closing of the road maintenance depots and the lack
of maintenance thereof in certain areas of our Province.
I want to speak, in particular, to the area of the District of Port de Grave.
Even though, Mr. Speaker, I know there was an announcement made last week in
conjunction with my hon. colleague from Carbonear-Harbour Grace, that we are
going to get a grand total this year of somewhere in the vicinity of $700,000.
We have seen all the reports coming out on the road work throughout this
Province, $2 million and $3 million for each area, but we are going to share our
$700,000. We are trying to find out, to be honest with you, where it is going to
be used.
MR. SWEENEY: The white line or yellow line?
MR. BUTLER: My hon. colleague said he is wondering if it is going to be
used to put the yellow or the while line on the road.
Anyway, Mr. Speaker, on a more serious note, there are several issues I want
to bring forward. Hopefully, government will take a look at them and see that
they can be considered this year, whether it is through the funding that is
going to be provided under this amount of money or maybe through some of the
road maintenance programs.
I have two particular roads. I know they are class 4 roads, but on those
roads there are seven or eight major businesses, farmers, both blueberry and
vegetable crop, and other people who have acreage in there where they grow hay
for their animals. Those roads are becoming in a deplorable condition. They are
not asking for them to be paved, Mr. Speaker, all they want is a grader to go
in, in the spring and again in the fall, to bring the roads up to a reasonable
level.
Another area, the same thing. A dirt road, lighthouse road in Port de Grave.
This is not a class 4 road. It is a road that is in the inventory of this
department and people are just asking that they would go and grade that road and
probably bring it up to a little better standard.
As my hon. colleague from Carbonear mentioned about the lines on the road.
All I hope is that the department will get out this year and get those lines
done sooner than they did last year. The snow was almost on the ground when we
finally got them to do the roads in the Bryants Cove and Upper Island Cove and
Bishop's Cove area. Through Bay Roberts, I have to say, I guess is one of the
most treacherous pieces of road in this Province. Today, there is very little
lines there and people just cannot see. It is bad enough when the lines are
there, let alone with no lines on them.
Mr. Speaker, having said that, I know there is going to be some paving done
in Spaniard's Bay this year and hopefully that will correct some of the
problems. I call upon the minister in the department - they are aware of those
situations - to just ask them if they would consider those, as well as probably
coming up with some extra funding this year for the New Harbour Barrens road,
which was started two years ago. This year, they totally cut off the funding. It
is being put in communities in different areas because it is an election year,
and no other reason, Mr. Speaker. That road is getting closer to the District of
Port de Grave. It is a link between the two areas, and I ask government to
intercede and see that some funding can be used there.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate an opportunity to present a petition on behalf of the residents
of the Burgeo & LaPoile area. Actually, not only Burgeo & LaPoile, some
of them come from the Codroy Valley area as well. It concerns the provincial
parks. I did it last week and, of course, I did not get any response from
government, so they asked if I would do it again. I almost feel like it is a
repeat of the porta-potty situation we had in Ramea last fall. In this case, it
concerns the parks and the use of our parks.
The minister has been out this week, the Minister of Environment and
Conservation, proclaiming this is Environment Week, make use of our environment,
treat it with respect, do it safely and so on. This is exactly what this
petition is about. The provincial parks are part of our environment. Yet, in
order to use them this government, in the opinion of these petitioners, are
continuing to gouge people for using them.
For example, to go to J.T. Cheeseman Park now, which is about five miles
outside of Port aux Basques - it is quite common in that area. People who work
all week long, that is the big thing in the summertime, they go up to Cheeseman
Park and spend the weekend. They cannot do it anymore now unless they call a
Quebec firm and pay $10.60 to make a reservation. In fact, a lot of people,
because they do not have the money to travel all over the Province or all over
the country, that is where they spent their annual two-week vacation. Lo and
behold, they cannot even do that anymore now on the one reservation $10.60 fee,
because you can only make a reservation in a provincial park in this Province
right now for up to seven days.
So, if you take your family to the park in Port aux Basques, Cheeseman, you
set up on your site, you have already paid your $10.60, meanwhile you pay for
all of your firewood or whatever else, too - everything you get now is user pay,
no question about it. God forbid. On top of that now, you are there seven days,
you have to up and move from your campsite because you have no guarantee you can
even stay there for the two-week period of your vacation. Then you have to pay
another $10.60. Now, that might seem minuscule to some people. Needless to say,
it grates everybody in this Province, bar none, that we are paying the $10.60 to
reserve a spot in our provincial park to a Quebec company. There is nobody, not
a government member, not an Opposition member who favours that. The fact that we
have students looking for summer jobs and everything else, and we have to pay
$10.60 to book a reservation in our park. Now that galls anybody. Besides that,
the little practicality pieces about, you can't even do it for two weeks, you
have to pay another $10.60 in order to stay on your site for week two - you have
to call in and do that. You can't go to your park administrator, for example,
while you are there and say, oh, by the way, Jack, I am going to stay on for two
weeks. Okay if I stay on this site? Apparently, he has no control over it. That
is all managed by the call centre. Can you imagine!
Then he has to up stakes now. Come Tuesday morning when his week is up he has
to up stakes and take everything out of site 21 and lug it all down to Site 42.
Meanwhile, he had to call Quebec to find out that it was Site 42 he was going
to. Meanwhile, buddy says, thank you very much, give me your credit card. I will
just charge you $10.60 to move.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's allotted time has expired.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you.
Absolutely unfair, Mr. Speaker! Just a moment to clue up here?
MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.
MR. PARSONS: Absolutely unfair! The government has to take a look at
this. This is absolutely reprehensible for the people of this Province.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
At this time, I would like to call Order 6, second reading of a bill,
An Act
To Amend The Highway Traffic Act, Bill 23.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 23,
An Act To Amend The
Highway Traffic Act, be now read a second time.
The hon. the Minister of Government Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to stand in this House and open
debate on Bill 23, which will amend the Highway Traffic Act to include the
mandatory requirement for booster seats.
We have taken considerable time and effort to examine this issue closely,
because quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, out children's safety is our main
priority. Much has changed since the current seat belt and child restraint
legislation came into effect in this Province in 1982. Over the last few years
awareness of the need for booster seats for a child over forty pounds and over
five years old has been growing. In September, 2004, the Canadian Council of
Motor Transport Administrators, a senior federal-provincial and territorial
advisory group that we are a part of, adopted recommendations known as the
national occupant restraint program. The use of booster seats is part of that
recommended safety program. Since then, three other provinces have used this
model to develop their own legislation, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia. Today
we are doing the very same thing.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation will require all children age eight and under
who weight between eighteen and thirty-seven kilograms which is roughly forty
and eighty pounds, and who are less than 145 centimeters or four feet nine
inches tall, to be in a booster seat while they are being transported in a
vehicle, excluding buses, which do not have seat belts.
What makes this legislation so important is that current seat belt restraints
in passenger vehicles are designed for adult bodies. This puts smaller children
at risk for serious injury in vulnerable body regions such as the neck,
shoulder, abdomen, and the groin and hip region, if they have not reached a
given weight or height.
Mr. Speaker, when a child is restrained properly in a booster seat which is
appropriate to their height and weight they are less likely to suffer serious
injury or to die in the event of a crash. The cost of a booster seat varies,
depending on the type of model, but they start between $25 and $35, which, I say
to my hon. colleagues, is less than the cost of a single tank of gas for many of
us. As well, a booster seat will fit a child for several years as they grow.
I am sure that parents and guardians will view booster seats as being equally
as important as infant and child car seats, which are already a requirement,
especially once they are aware of the risk of injury their child could face if
they are not placed in a properly installed booster seat.
To that end, in co-operation with the Department of Health and Community
Services, we will be conducting a public awareness campaign to inform parents,
guardians and other caregivers about the benefit of booster seats.
While these new requirements will be brought into effect in July 2008, we
would encourage all parents, caregivers and other drivers transporting children
to secure these children in booster seats as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge, in particular, the Newfoundland and
Labrador Public Health Association, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical
Association, the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador,
and the non-profit organization, Kids In Safe Seats, for their support and
encouragement on this important initiative.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace.
MR. SWEENEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to stand and say a few words this afternoon on Bill 23.
I understand the intent of the bill is to provide safe passage for our young
children in the Province. I see the rationale going up as far as age eight, and
I think it was ninety kilograms, in that process. Minister, we on this side of
the House concur with this for the protection of our children but there is
something I have to say.
I am dealing with a very troublesome situation today in my district, of 130
people not sure where their next dollar is coming from, and an increasing number
of crab plant workers from other areas, with small children, who are in contact
with our offices, who are not sure if they are going to qualify for any benefits
this year, or even get their amount of work. Minister, I will say that this is a
costly venture, especially for one lady I know who has three children under the
age of eight. For that family, right now, to go out and buy three booster seats
would certainly add a lot of difficulty to that family circumstance.
I certainly understand, Minister, where I would be if I had to face the
difference between buying groceries, booster seats, or paying my light bill. I
understand, Minister, you will probably come back and say that is July 1, 2008,
but still, when the future is bleak for the next little while, for the next
twelve months or so, that is little consolation.
I would like to say to the minister and the government: Why not create some
kind of a program that would help subsidize low-income families or people who
are in dire circumstances to acquire these seats for the protection of their
children? Again, it is nice to come up with these rules and these laws, and
whatever we want to call them, but when it comes down to finding the money and
the means for families to be able to acquire these particular seats it is a
different story.
Another suggestion I would have for the minister is to maybe eliminate the
sales tax on those seats, to make it easier for families to go out and purchase
them to protect their loved ones.
Minister, without getting political here, the condition of our highways right
now is creating a very great hardship on a lot of families with regard to
keeping their cars on the road - broken struts and so on, roads not being
repaired. My colleague was up a few minutes ago talking about the $700,000 that
was going to be put between our two districts. Well, $700,000 would not fill the
potholes in some of the streets in my district alone. I look at Harvey Street in
Harbour Grace, the deplorable condition that is in, and Bristol's Hope.
Minister, it is expensive to travel our highways, and for people with low
incomes - and anybody, I guess, with any income - to take two or three children
out in the car and travel our highway for the summer - the Minister of Tourism
has a brochure out this week talking about stay at home and travel the Province.
Well, that is great, but if you have to come up with probably $300 for these
booster seats for three children to sit in your car, it is certainly going to
cut your vacation short.
Couple that, Minister, with high fuel costs in this Province. The price of
fuel dropped today, I think, about four cents a litre, and I would suggest it is
only going to be a short period of time and it is going to go back up again.
Minister, protecting our children is of tantamount importance to us here in
this Province, but in the same boat, I think we should also look at some of the
social and economic needs that these families might experience in trying to get
these seats in place. Maybe having these seats in the car we could lobby our
insurance companies to drop some of their rates for people with small children
with these seats, to give a 5 per cent discount as they do sometimes in an
instance of a non-smoking home, or homes protected by smoke detectors and carbon
monoxide detectors, or if it is a non-smoking family, your rates will be lower.
I think there should be a lot of thought go into this and some help from the
government to lobby some of these agencies to help the poor of our Province.
Speaking of insurance, minister, I would suggest that maybe the 15 per cent
insurance tax that this government is currently charging people to insure their
vehicles, if we had that reduced it would go a long way to providing some means
to help some people purchase these booster seats. Minister, if you would
consider that - I do not think the members on this side of the House have any
great objection to providing a law to make our highways safer for our children
and to make the cars in which they ride safer. Again, I have to say that a law
is only as good as the enforcement that goes with it.
We have a cellphone law in this Province. That is not being enforced. That is
not being upheld. Every second person on the highway right now has a cellphone
stuck to their ear. I travel the highway everyday. I commute from Carbonear to
St. John's and I could literally count, I would say, hundreds of people with a
cellphone stuck to their ear. So, again, enforcement - making a law for somebody
to put a child in a seat is no good unless that law is enforced and that child
is put in the seat.
Minister, I would like to say to you, I have offered a few suggestions there;
a subsidy for the seats for families, or eliminate the sales tax, or both, I
think would go a long way to ensuring the better safety of the children of this
Province.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time that I have had this afternoon to
comment on this and, minister, I hope you pass these comments along to your
colleagues in Cabinet and the Minister of Finance and see if there is something
we can do to make this law more practical and more acceptable to the people out
there and more useable.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.
MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am delighted actually to speak to Bill 23 today,
An Act To Amend The
Highway Traffic Act.
I can relate to the issue here in this bill because I have four
grandchildren. It was only a few months ago that I went out and bought two
booster seats. I was surprised at the regulations on the booster seats. They
actually would cover children up to ninety pounds, the ones that I bought. I
thought to myself, too, you know that is a good thing.
I learned something last week, because when you have not had young children
for a while yourself, as parents, I did not realize because - I have a couple of
grandchildren now, one is seven and the other one is five, and I did not realize
when you actually sat them in your backseat without a booster seat and you put
the seat belt on them, that you had to actually take the seat belt and flick it
until it went into position. Because the weight of the child, in case of an
accident, would throw a child to the front seat or wherever, but if you actually
take the seat belt and you flick it until it snaps, then the child is actually
in a snug position with just a seat belt on. I did not know that until my
daughter and daughter-in-law told me.
Until next year, until this becomes law, I would say it would be a good piece
of public education to let parents or guardians or grandparents whatever, know
just this simple procedure to ensure the safety of a child riding in a vehicle
who is not even in a booster seat. For those in a booster seat, I expect you
would have to do the same thing because there is a lot of flexibility on a seat
belt and if you do not ensure - with an adult it is a different matter. If we
have a loose seat belt on, if there is a sudden change or if there is an
accident or whatever, automatically the seat belt will come tight on an adult
because of our weight, but it does not occur with a small child. They do not
have the weight for that to happen. That is a key feature that I learned myself
last week and with four grandchildren it is a very important one. I think this
is a good move by government.
I was watching last week when the RCMP reported on an accident, a fatality in
our Province, and they stated that had the people been wearing a seat belt it
would probably be a different story. First when seat belts were brought in as
legislation in our Province we had the highest user per capita across the
country. We had the highest user per capita across the country for seat belts,
but that has dwindled over the past few years. It seems people are taking a
different attitude now towards seat belt usage. That has to be reinforced again,
because lots of times we are hearing the RNC and the RCMP, whenever they are
asked to report on fatalities around our Province, they will always add that
seat belt usage should have been used.
In fact, they are saying that with traffic fines and tickets there are a
multitude of tickets passed out to people who do not wear seat belts. We need to
begin, and probably the minister, in her capacity as Minister of Government
Services, needs to launch, I think, an education program again, because it has
become a real problem in our Province. We need to talk about seat belt usage. We
need more than road signs on the highway. We need it in our living rooms, when
we are watching the news in the nighttime. We need a better education program on
that.
I do agree with my colleague, the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace, that it
is going to be an additional cost, for certain, bringing in this new program. I
remember first when bicycle helmets were introduced. The Town of Grand
Falls-Windsor, with their corporate sponsors, provided free helmets for young
bikers, originally, when bicycling helmets were brought in as a safety measure.
There has to be some way that you can probably partner with those producing
those booster seats to provide some kind of a subsidy, a discount, or something
like that to make sure that booster seats will actually be used.
You also have to consider the problem of the actual room in the vehicle, too;
because, if you put three booster seats in a small compact vehicle it is going
to be cramped quarters. You are going to find that children are going to be
fighting, throwing things at each other, and they are going to be irritated and
so on. Just by bringing in a small measure like that, having to put three
booster seats, probably, in the back seat of a small compact car, is going to
make a difference. It is going to make a difference, especially with snowsuits
on and heavy clothes in the winter.
It might have to be that a family with more than three children might have to
move up to a bigger vehicle. So, you might start out thinking that booster seats
is not a big expense, it is only in the area of $30 or $40, but it might cause,
through the implementation, for some families to have to actually move up to a
bigger vehicle that would cause more money that way.
I am sure that anyone who stands in this House will agree that anything that
can be done to promote and keep our children safe, there is not going to be
anybody against it. In bringing in change like this, when it comes to safety -
and I know, too, that someone called me today and asked me a question. They
asked me if Medic Alert bracelets were going to be provided for school-aged
children. Is this a government program? I said: I have not heard it announced
yet.
That is another issue that government needs to look at, Medic Alert bracelets
for children attending school, particularly elementary and primary grades, if
that could be provided. We need to do everything we can to keep our young people
safe, and this is one more step.
I would certainly agree with this legislation, and I would like for the
minister to take into account the suggestions that have been made by other
speakers here this afternoon. You have a whole year to bring it in. You need to
develop a proper education piece and you need to partner with those producing
and manufacturing booster seats and see if you can come up with some way to
lessen the cost for families.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I am happy to stand and speak to this bill, and in support of the bill.
I have some comments that I hope will be helpful, but obviously I think this
is a need. It is a need that has been identified by many groups for several
years now. I notice that the minister, in her introduction, did name the various
groups that they have been in consultation with. I am very glad to know that
consultation happened, and that the government has taken some steps towards some
of the recommendations from groups like Kids In Safe Seats and the Newfoundland
and Labrador Public Health Association, et cetera, the various other groups that
she named.
I, too, have a concern about trying to reduce the cost factor for families,
knowing that, in a lot of cases, it is going to mean especially more than one
booster seat. If you have just two years between children, you can easily have
two or three children needing booster seats all at the same time, and they are
not cheap.
I notice that in Ontario, Ontario has taken steps to remove the provincial
sales tax on booster seats, and they have also removed them on child and infant
seats. I think they removed the tax on child and infant seats first and then, in
2005, Ontario removed the provincial sales tax on the booster seats.
I think one thing that we could do to help parents is the removal of the
sales tax on the booster child and infant seats, all of them. I think it is
particularly important outside, or in rural areas outside of the major urban
areas, but in rural areas where car use is so essential, where people have to
use their car so much for getting around, even just for going to the store to
get milk sometimes. The booster seats are essential. Helping families with the
cost by removing the sales tax, I think, would be one way to deal with that, and
I do encourage the government to think about doing that.
It is hard to know what to say when you think of a family maybe having to
have three booster seats. I certainly would not want it to lower our birth rate,
at the rate that we are going with our birth rate. I think that it is an issue.
If somebody does have three, there are some cars that would not hold three
booster seats in the back seat. That is a reality, so it is an issue; however, I
do not think that we can stop putting this law in place, especially when you
read a statistic like this, that the Kids in Safe Seats organization put out in
April, that the death rate for children in this country between the age of five
and nine years old in motor vehicle collisions has not dropped in over ten
years. That is a pretty serious statistic. We have to bring down the number of
children who are dying in motor vehicle accidents.
The other statistic that goes with that one is that almost 50 per cent of the
deaths in children involved in motor vehicle collisions are children who should
be in booster seats. Almost 50 per cent of the deaths have been because children
have not been in booster seats.
In light of that statistic, I think we have to try to make this work. I
really would encourage government, as I have said already, to help families by
removing the provincial sales tax, as has been done in Ontario, for example. I
am assuming that we could only remove the provincial part of the HST. I am not
really perfectly sure how our tax system works when we want to reduce HST or
remove HST. I would like to see all the 15 per cent removed. If we can do that,
that is what I would like to see, not just the provincial part of the HST.
There are a couple of things in the Act that I would just like to comment on
or that bring up some thoughts, I guess. Before I do that, the minister also
mentioned that there will be a public awareness campaign program, and I think
that is absolutely essential. The program, I think, has to be a wide one. I don't
think it can just be notices in papers. I think maybe we need householders that
will have detailed pictures that show how the booster seats work and how the
safety belts work with booster seats; television ads that actually show the
seats being used and how a child is put in the seat; posters with pictures on
them that could be all over the place in public places showing how things should
be done. I think when it comes to this kind of thing a picture does speak much
more loudly than written word. Having these images everywhere that we go as the
public, I think will be very important. I hope that adequate money is in the
Budget for doing a really wide public awareness program, as the minister
indicated she will be doing.
One of the things in the legislation that I just would like to comment on is
the
section 2(5) that says, certain requirements do not apply to the transport
of a child described in that paragraph, paragraph (2)(c), in a bus or school bus
that has not been equipped with a seat belt assembly. I guess, that just begs
some comment on the need for seat belts in school buses. I know that there is a
lot of discussion on that in different parts of this country. I know there are
different ways of looking at it. Not everybody is on the same word with regard
to the efficacy of seat belts in school buses. However, some recent accidents in
Canada have indicated that safety belts in school bus accidents could have saved
lives.
I would like to see the government continue pushing this discussion and
meeting with the organizations that are concerned about child safety, meeting
with other experts, getting the feedback from other experts in Canada, and
really look at what it would mean to have seat belts in our school buses, to
have it mandatory.
I know some of the implications - it is not just economic - the refitting of
buses. Some buses cannot even be refitted, but a program could be started. I do
acknowledge that there are different points of view on this from experts. Not
all experts are agreed, but I would like to see the discussion going on here in
our Province and I would encourage the minister to help with that discussion.
The recognition in this document that some school buses are equipped with the
assembly, to me, begs that question of: Should we not have it mandatory in
Newfoundland and Labrador?
I think they are the comments that I wanted to make, Mr. Speaker. I am happy
to support this, and I know that the minister will be very thoughtful in the
ongoing work that will flow from the changes that are being made.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: If the hon. the Minister of Government Services speaks now
she will close debate on Bill 23,
An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act.
The hon. the Minister of Government Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleagues for their
input and suggestions in this bill.
I want to say to my hon. colleague also, she talked about the school bus with
no seat belts. In fact, there have been new guidelines from Transport Canada, as
of April 1, 2007, that will require some seat belts in school buses.
Also, I want to say that we are indeed going to be doing a public awareness
campaign in conjunction with community health. We will be working with those
people.
This will come into effect in 2008. We will give parents an opportunity to be
prepared for this legislation.
You know, you cannot put a price tag on our children's safety. I have to
say that our main priority is our children's safety.
On that note, I would like to move second reading of this bill, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill, Bill 23,
be now read a second time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
Carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act. (Bill 23)
MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time.
When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?
Now? Tomorrow?
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Later today, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Presently.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act," read
a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by
leave. (Bill 23)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Acting Government House Leader.
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Order 4, second reading of a bill,
An Act Respecting Safer Communities And
Neighbourhoods. (Bill 9)
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 9, entitled,
An Act
Respecting Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods, be now read a second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting Safer Communities
And Neighbourhoods." (Bill 9)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Residents want to feel safe in their own communities, in their neighbourhoods,
and the objective of this legislation is to establish a mechanism for government
to respond to complaints about targeted activities whereby residents feel unsafe
in their communities. We have seen several examples lately of grow ops,
marijuana operations and so on, in this Province. There have been a number of
busts of grow ops in the Province just in the past two weeks alone.
This particular piece of legislation will directly affect the activities that
adversely affect or harm a neighbourhood. It uses a civil law process to
suppress nuisances and to promote peaceful and safe communities and
neighbourhoods.
There are several features within this piece of legislation that make it more
effective than other approaches in ridding communities of targeted activities.
One of those is to address the revolving door rather than just removing an
individual from a residence and allowing an activity to continue at a residence
simply because police have not concluded an investigation on other residents
within a particular residence and so on.
Having said that, this particular piece of legislation does not deal with
criminal law. It does not deal with criminal activities. It deals with targeted
activities and ensuring safer communities and safer neighbourhoods. It also
provides immediate results in terms of shutting down problem locations because
of targeted activities.
In shutting down a location, I want to give an assurance that every
reasonable effort would be made to resolve the complaint informally. Every
effort will be made to deal with an informal process, alternative processes, to
speaking with the individual that is in question to identify and address the
issues that were uncovered as a result of an investigation by the investigators
and try to curb that activity through written correspondence to the individuals
long before a closure order is sought through the courts.
Experiences in other provinces, in fact, have shown that almost all incidents
are resolved through this informal process. If a property owner or the tenants
choose not to comply with the informal process and a co-operative process, the
investigation unit may apply to the court for a community safety order or a
closure order.
Again, Mr. Speaker, that is done as a last resort. The test for obtaining a
community safety order is that the property has to be habitually used for the
targeted activity, has to be creating an adverse effect on the neighbourhood or
community. As well, Mr. Speaker, a judge would have to look at whether or not,
and take into consideration whether or not, accommodations are available to
innocent occupants of a residence. That particular part of it is being put in
place as a result of an amendment that I am proposing to bring in, in third
reading, to give added protection to innocent individuals who may be affected as
a result of a targeted activity within a residence.
If a matter does proceed to court, the investigator acts as the complainant
as well, so there is protection to complainants who bring issues to an
investigator or the safer communities and neighbourhoods investigative division.
These individuals who bring a complaint would be protected, because any evidence
that may identify the person who made the original complaint is kept
confidential unless, of course, Mr. Speaker - and I will say that no
complainant, without their consent, will be identified to any other person, a
court, an institution, local authorities or law enforcement agencies. There is
protection and confidentially to a complainant as well. Having said this, Mr.
Speaker, I want to say: unless, of course, a complaint is frivolous or
vexatious. Then there is also within this legislation components to ensure the
protection of an innocent individual from a frivolous or vexatious complaint.
There are measures there to ensure that individuals who are innocent are
protected in these circumstances as well.
Removing persons from a property, as I have said, is a last resort. The
legislation provides due process to the property owners directly affected by an
order under this legislation.
One of the areas that we are looking to put an amendment in third reading or
committee on this, as well, is an amendment to extend that due process to
residents. It is not only landlords or building owners who would have the
protection of due process, it would also be the residents of the property as
well.
This legislation is designed to improve public safety in all of our
communities. The legislation is intended to deal with one house at a time. There
has been some concern raised by some stakeholders who we have consulted with,
that if there is a closure order and we shut down a residence, people will
simply pack up and move to another location and start the targeted activity in
another location as well. If the illegal activity moves to a new location,
officials will respond to any new complaints that are filed, Mr. Speaker, and
they will act on those and deal with those. We are not targeting individuals
here, we are targeting activities. We want to rid our communities of these
activities that make a community unsafe.
Mr. Speaker, safer communities and neighbourhoods legislation is a new way in
this Province to promote community safety, but it is not a new method of
promoting community safety. Manitoba proclaimed their legislation in 2002,
Saskatchewan proclaimed legislation in 2004, and we also have the Yukon and Nova
Scotia who have proclaimed legislation. This Province, as well as the North West
Territories, have introduced legislation during the current sittings of our
Legislatures.
Mr. Speaker, police agencies are quite pleased with this proposed
legislation. They, in other locations, cooperate with investigation units
created under the safer communities and neighbourhoods legislation with respect
to information sharing and the conduct of operations. We have consulted with
police agencies here in the Province as well and we are given the understanding
by police agencies that they are in favour of this legislation. It is another
tool in the toolbox that is intended to provide safer communities and ensure
that people feel safe in their communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to note, as I have said, that this is one tool.
It is not a panacea, it is not going to solve all of the problems, but this is
an extra tool, an additional tool, that can be used to ensure communities can
shut down places that are chronically and habitually used for targeted
activities for an extended period of time.
I think, based on the success in other provinces - and I met just recently
with my counterparts, the Ministers of Justice, from other provinces at a
meeting just last week, Mr. Speaker - and based on the successes that they have
and the successes that they have shared with me, we believe that this is a very
important tool for this Province and for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
At a 2006 federal-provincial and territorial ministers meeting for Ministers
Responsible for Justice, a report was tabled at that meeting, Mr. Speaker, and
that report lauds the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, who were the
provinces at that time who experienced great success as result of this
particular legislation, for their initiatives in adopting safer communities and
neighbourhoods legislation; as the legislation has improved and continues to
improve the detection and shutting down of clandestine labs and grow-ops within
communities.
As well, Mr. Speaker, it has supported the increasing capacity to respond to
community concerns about illegal drug houses. The working group recommended that
all provinces consider adopting safer communities and neighbourhoods
legislation. Many of our communities are now faced with situations, such as we
have seen last week and the week before, where there are marijuana grow-ops and
other drug operations operating out of residential properties. We have seen and
experienced great success with both the RCMP and the Royal Newfoundland
Constabulary in recent months with shutting down these types of operations. Mr.
Speaker, this legislation will be an added advantage to allowing, not only
through the criminal process but through a civil process now, to shut down
operations and to do it more expediently than the tools that are available right
now to the RCMP and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. So, this piece of
legislation is proactive and it provides the tools that are necessary to ensure
that our communities and neighbourhoods will remain safe and secure.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be bringing this legislation forward. It
received first reading last December and again in May of this year. It is very
progressive legislation. It is legislation that has worked very, very well in
other provinces and it is legislation that I believe will work very, very well
here. I want to say again, Mr. Speaker, that we are not targeting individuals
here and certainly innocent individuals should not be affected by this
legislation. What we are targeting here is targeted activities that cause
neighbourhoods and individuals within those neighbourhoods to feel unsafe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will have a few words as it relates to Bill 9, and I am sure there are many
others who would like to speak to this bill as well.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have to say that I have absolutely no problem
with having safer communities in our Province. I think it is all something that
we should strive towards and work towards achieving, safer communities and
neighbourhoods, and there is absolutely no doubt about that. You cannot argue
the actual principle of having safety anywhere in our Province, whether it be in
our communities, in our homes, in our workplace or whatever the case may be.
Mr. Speaker, I look at Bill 9, and I guess I look at it in the context of who
this bill is really going to be applying to. When you look at what this bill is
doing - and the minister says he does not want to target individuals, he does
not want to target groups and so on, but when you look at this particular bill
and you look at, in essence, what it is doing, it is monitoring and restricting
the uses of alcohol products, of drugs, of any type of crime that may be going
on in any proposed neighbourhood or community in the Province. It is all
outlined here, the specified uses of different things on properties.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of times when we hear, in our Province, of things going
on, especially in terms of alcohol, in terms of prostitution, in terms of drug
addictions, oftentimes it is related to poverty. It is often related to
homelessness, and it is also - many of the people who seem to fall into those
positions are people who have fallen, I would say to the minister, into very bad
times, as we used to refer to it years ago.
So, Mr. Speaker, to say that it is not targeting something, some group or
people, I think is wrong. I think that many of the people that this does target
are not homeowners, but they are actually people who either rent from government
housing or they rent in low-income housing. Mr. Speaker, I think that it is
targeting those particular individuals in particular.
I can say that because when I read through that particular bill and I see the
kinds of things that are going to be monitored by a director - I have no
problem, as I said, with safe communities, but I think that when you have a
director - and I do not know if this is going to be one director or ten
directors or twenty-five directors that is going to be appointed by the
government, but I do not know how one director is going to do the things that
have been outlined in this bill, in particular. Especially if they are based in
St. John's and they are serving the whole Province, but that is a different
issue. The issue that I want to speak to here is how this particular legislation
is going to impact upon people.
Mr. Speaker, the Women's Centres in the Province, the women's groups, the
activist groups who have been involved in the consultations in establishing
anti-violence legislation in the Province, have all added their voices to this
particular bill in terms of saying this is not the appropriate legislation. This
is not what we want and this is not what we are asking for.
Mr. Speaker, if you have all of those groups out there saying this is not the
legislation that we are asking for, or that needs to implemented, I guess it
begs the question of the minister: Who is asking for this legislation? Where
does this request and lobby effort come from, to see a bill like this being
implemented in the Province today?
If it is just something that he and his government decided they would go
forward with as an initiative, that is fine, I have no problem with that, but
there are activist groups out there today that are saying this bill is not being
implemented because it is going to be the means to an end for some of their
problems. In fact, what they are saying is, it is going to create even more
problems for them, and that it is not legislation that they are requesting or
that they have lobbied for. So the minister might want to tell us, when he
stands, where this came from and who was directing the government in terms of
this particular piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of these individuals who are saying this were part of very
in-depth consultations around the Violence Prevention Initiative, in which they
had working groups, in which their input was sought out, they suggested means by
which they could counteract violence in the Province, how it needed to be dealt
with, and at the end of the day it was their suggestions that comprised a
strategy which we know today as the Violence Prevention Initiative. Many of
these same people are saying that they were not consulted on this particular
bill. In fact, many of them have said, Mr. Speaker, that it is only in the last
few days that they have had anyone from the Department of Justice even engage
them in any kind of discussion. Once they became engaged in that discussion,
they discovered what the impact this was going to be on women and children in
our Province.
The minister has said that he is going to bring in some amendments as we go
along in the bill, and maybe those amendments might help clarify some of these
things to a certain degree, but these particular people, if they are living in
an area or in a home adjacent to this activity, or in a home where some of this
activity is even going on, even if they are innocent victims here, they stand a
chance of being evicted from their properties. They have to go through the court
system at a cost that many of them cannot afford.
We also know that written right in here in this bill is that, if they decide
to file a complaint application and it is frivolous or vexatious the court may
order the complainant to pay costs to the director in addition to another order
for cost. That is written right into the bill.
If I have a home where my partner, my spouse, my roommate, my whomever, is
trafficking into something that might be illegal, or I deem to be, or my
neighbours, and I want to protect my children and I file a complaint, does that
mean that if I lose this case that I have to pay for the expenses of the
director that I have had to call to supervise and investigate and all of the
rest of it?
Those things need to be clarified. These are expenses that people do not want
to have to incur. If there is a risk that they will, they are not going to use
the system anyway. They are not going to use it because they are not going to
take that chance.
Mr. Speaker, I had a call, actually, back a few months ago, when the Turner
inquiry was going on. I had a call from an individual, and this individual had
no custody rights over their grandchildren but had a concern with regard to
their grandchildren. They called me up and they were concerned about where these
grandchildren were now living, and if they were being supervised by social
services and being looked after, and all of the rest of it. I happened to ask:
Where is the mother of these children? Where does the mother live? Well, I don't
know where the mother lives - although it was his daughter. I don't know where
she lives. I know that she works in a gentlemen's bar downtown. I have not
seen her in over a year. I understand she is okay, but I do not know where she
is.
I said: Well, where is the father of these children? Well, the father is in
jail right now. So, I asked why the father was in jail. Because they were
trafficking narcotics, alcohol, running a prostitution ring, out of the
residence where he was living. The residence, as I found out, was a Newfoundland
and Labrador Housing house that this individual was living in.
So, if government wants to play an active role in terms of safer communities,
the first thing is to start screening some of these applicants that you are
placing in your own housing lots to start with. If the RNC can discover this,
and move in and crash this operation, surely these applicants should be screened
better before they are placed in that housing, especially in neighbourhoods
where there is other adjoining housing with children and families that have been
placed there by the government as well. That is certainly one of the places that
you could start in terms of reviewing that particular piece of it.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation - and I can only read the comments that have
been put out by a number of groups in the Province. I am sure that we will hear
from the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women on this particular bill
because she has been called upon directly to intervene - is what this letter
says, that I have received - that she has been called upon directly to
"....intervene and stop this bill from going any further. This legislation
will place women and children at risk and has far too much potential to do
harm...".
That is what is being asked of individuals, and this particular group is the
Newfoundland and Labrador Feminist Coalition, who is calling upon the minister
to intervene here and to ensure that this legislation does not pass. Maybe we
will get to hear from her in a little while.
Mr. Speaker, let me just tell you what some of the other people are saying.
This is from Noreen Careen, who happens to be a feminist who lives in Labrador
West, who has been involved with women's issues ever since I can remember, in
Labrador, and is a very active member. She says, "This is outrageous. In a
last minute effort to appease us, government Justice officials are scurrying
around the Province in an attempt to convince women's groups that this
legislation is good for women and families and communities. Well, it is not! In
Lab West we have a major housing shortage, no judge and no proper legal aid
services, and the provincial government is now attempting to bring in
legislation which could throw women and children on to the streets."
That is how they perceive this legislation. That is how they perceive it.
They perceive it to be written in such a way and, if implemented, that they will
lose some of the autonomy and the rights that they have, and that they could
indeed find themselves out in the street with nowhere to live based on how your
director and how the Province implements the policies that are contained in this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, that is a pretty serious concern, coming from a woman who has
given all of her life to women's issues in this Province, whether they be in
Labrador or otherwise, but has given her life to women's issues in the
Labrador City and Wabush area, who has lobbied and built up Women's Centres,
who has lobbied tirelessly day after day for proper accommodations for women in
that community, so that they have a good roof over their head and they have a
home to raise their family in. I know this personally and firsthand, because I
have dealt with this woman many times. When I get something from her that tells
me that she is very concerned about what is happening here, I take her concerns
very seriously, and I would suggest that the ministers do the same, the Minister
of Justice and the Minister for the Status of Women. You should actually pick up
the phone and call her, find out what it is that is troubling her so much about
this bill, and see if there is a way that we can make some changes here to
accommodate those people so they have a sense of security around this, because
they don't have it right now. These aren't people who are out there making
frivolous comments. They are people who understand the system very, very well.
They understand it very well because they deal with it every day.
Mr. Speaker, let me read this one, "Women and families are concerned
that our present laws are often limited in their approach but the solutions have
to come from the communities, and women's centres know these issues very
well." This is from Myra Reid. She cannot understand why they were not
consulted in terms of this legislation coming before the House of Assembly. They
have something to offer here and they feel that they have been left out, because
they were consulted after the legislation was brought to the House. I don't
know if it was before or after the first reading, I can't say that for sure,
but certainly the consultation has been in very recent days.
"In rural NL, we do not have enough services and programs for women and
children and we would like to see government focus on improving these rather
than bringing in legislation which puts the responsibility on landlords and
neighbours to police illegal activities in our communities." That is how
they feel. They feel that responsibility is being transferred over to the people
who live in and around their neighbourhood. Maybe, when you explain to us about
how this director is going to work, and we get to understand that a little bit
more, maybe that might give her a little more comfort, but I sincerely doubt it.
Of course, there were other comments, Mr. Speaker, from an individual with
the Gateway Women's Centre in Port aux Basques, Susanne Ingram, who is from my
colleague's district, the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile. I am sure that he
has already talked to her and can certainly enlighten you as to how they are
feeling about this in the Port aux Basques area, this legislation coming in and
how it is going to impact on them.
Mr. Speaker, in Bay St. George, as well- the Minister for the Status of Women
represents this district. It is her constituency. The Bay St. George area and
the Corner Brook women's council have also expressed their concerns and feel
that Bill 9 would have a negative impact on vulnerable populations. There has
been no lobby by equality seeking women's groups for this legislation. That is
what they are saying, they did not ask for this. Yet, they feel that they will
be left dealing with the fall out if government continues to fast track this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure what the minister had intended here was to be a good
bill, to be a bill that would implement safeguards and measures in our
communities so that w