Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements — 24 March 2004 (45th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLV No. 4)
2004-03-24
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
March 24, 2004 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLV No. 4
The House met at 2:00 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER ( Hodder): Order, please!
On a point of order, the hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. ANDERSEN: Mr. Speaker, I want to touch on a few things that happened
in the House of Assembly yesterday, and one that holds very dear to the people
in Labrador and the Aboriginal people.
I quote from Hansard, "MADAM CHAIR: The hon. the Member for The Straits
& White Bay North. AN HON. MEMBER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture. MADAM CHAIR: I am sorry. The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture". Mr. Speaker, there was no reference as the Minister for
Labrador Affairs.
At 5:20 p.m., when the Member for Lewisporte rose, "CHAIR: Order,
please! The hon. The Minister of Transportation and Works". Mr. Speaker,
there was no reference to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, in Labrador we were quite disappointed when a member from
Labrador was not appointed to Cabinet, but I know the two hon. gentlemen who now
hold the portfolio for Labrador Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, I came to this House of Assembly, elected by the people in my
riding. I hold Labrador very dear to my heart, and I am a proud Aboriginal. The
hon. Pierre Pettigrew in the federal government was referred to as Minister of
Health and Intergovernmental Affairs, and twice he told reporters and other
people: I am also the Minister of Official Languages, and the reason why is
because I believe in our languages in Canada.
Mr, Speaker, I think when ministers are recognized in the House, they should
be recognized by their full portfolio. For the people in Labrador, who sometimes
feel aggravated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, this adds insult
to injury. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is an oversight, but at least I think
ministers should also have the courage to stand up and admit that they are also
ministers. In this case, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture should have
said, I am also the Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs, and the same with
the Minister of Transportation and Works. We are proud of where we come from,
and I hope that this can be corrected in the future, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We can only concur with the member's point of order and obviously ask the
Chair, whoever may be sitting in it at the time, that in future course, for the
record of Hansard, for the public record which is Hansard, that anybody in this
House who is being recognized, whether it be the Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture and Labrador Affairs, or the Minister of Justice, or the member in
their capacity, that the Chair reflect what their official title is in this
House. We concur with the member's point and understand it fully.
MR. SPEAKER: I do believe that we have a consensus here, that if there
has been any affront to the Member for Torngat Mountains or to the members
representing Labrador districts by any member of this House in reference to
titles that ministers carry or otherwise reference the districts, then the
members know that we should be cognizant of that, the sensitivities that are
involved. I can assure that the Chair and all occupants of the Chair will do
everything we can to assure that the member's concerns are addressed and
hopefully there will be no further difficulties and concerns raised or caused to
be raised by the member in this regard.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements to be read in the
following order: The Member for Burgeo & LaPoile, the Member for Mount
Pearl, the Member for Grand Bank, the Member for Trinity North, the Member for
Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune, and the Member for Lake Melville.
The hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to recognize the heroic work and sacrifice of several citizens
of Burnt Islands who have recently served with the Canadian Forces in
Afghanistan. Conrad Keeping, Kyle Keeping, Craig Hatcher, Marty Bryan and Jeremy
MacDonald were all members of the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan, making an
effort to improve the lives of the Afghani people.
All have made our Province proud, especially Corporal MacDonald who, along
with two others, was injured on the morning of January 26 during the suicide
bombing in which another Newfoundlander and Labradorian, Corporal Jamie Murphy,
was killed. Corporal MacDonald spent quite some time recovering at the Canadian
Forces Camp Julien until returning home with the rest of his unit.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the sacrifices that the many
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians serving in uniform have made in Afghanistan as
they steadily improve that country. I would also like this House to recognize
the sacrifices made by their families. We sadly mourn the death of Corporal
Murphy and wish Corporal MacDonald a full recovery from his injuries. We are
very proud of all of them, and indeed proud of all Canadian troops serving
overseas.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, Hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. DENINE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Today I use this House to pay tribute to the passing of a very distinguished
gentleman, Mr. Kell Ashford.
Mr. Ashford was a former Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor of the City of
Mount Pearl. Under his leadership, he laid the foundation for the present day
Mount Pearl. He was the longest serving Mayor of the Town of Mount Pearl then.
He was a tremendous volunteer with the Lions Club and he lived the motto of the
Lions Club - We Serve to the Nth Degree. He participated in many activities in
our community and contributed to the quality of life in our community.
He was honored as being selected the Mount Pearl Citizen of the Quarter
Century. He was a tremendous individual, Mr. Speaker, a friend and a pioneer for
the community of Mount Pearl.
I ask this House to join with me to offer condolences to his family.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS FOOTE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations to the Town
of Grand Bank which celebrated its 60 th year as an incorporated town
this past November.
The historic town of Grand Bank was the Province's third incorporated town
when it was given Royal Assent on December 28, 1943. Mr. Speaker, Grand Bank is
presently the oldest independent town in Newfoundland and Labrador.
To mark this special event volunteers and employees of the town organized
many celebrations which were well attended by the residents of Grand Bank and
surrounding communities. Local businessman, Randell Pope, donated 150 historic
photographs to be displayed in the town's new municipal centre. Memorial
University archivist, and former resident of Grand Bank, Bert Riggs, was keynote
speaker at a public function and gave an account of the town's history.
Mr. Speaker, Grand Bank has seen many of its former residents go on to make a
name for themselves, including Albert Hickman, who was sworn in on May 10, 1924
as Prime Minister of Newfoundland; T. Alex Hickman, former member of the House
of Assembly and former Chief Justice, in whose honour the former Minister of
Justice, my colleague, the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile, named the courthouse
in Grand Bank; Max Keeping, a news anchor with the CTV affiliate in Ottawa;
Robert Parsons, teacher and successful author, and Wayne Follett, who is
Regional Director General with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, just to
name a few.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in extending
congratulations to the people of Grand Bank on the 60 th anniversary
of the incorporation of their town.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Trinity North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to acknowledge another great achievement of one of Newfoundland
and Labrador's most colorful personalities. Donna Butt, has been named as a
member of the Order of Canada by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. The Order
of Canada, Mr. Speaker, was established in 1967, and is the country's highest
honour for lifetime achievement.
This latest honour follows Donna's being awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws
degree from Memorial University at the session of convocation held in May, at
Grenfell College. It also comes in a season which celebrates Rising Tide's 25 th
Anniversary as a professional theatre company and the 20 th
Anniversary of the company's highly successful political Revues.
Mr. Speaker, for those new members of the House, you know you have made your
mark on political life in Newfoundland and Labrador when you are covered off in
the annual Revue.
Donna Butt became involved in theater as a member of Newfoundland's Mummers
Troupe. Since 1978 she has been working full-time to create a dynamic
professional theatre company. Donna has been a driving force in Newfoundland
theatre for the past twenty-five years and under her direction the company has
played a major role in the theatrical and cultural life of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Whether as an actor, writer, director or producer, Donna works tirelessly to
promote and maintain professional theater in this Province, especially in the
work that seeks to portray the culture and character of Newfoundland and
Labrador. Nothing exemplifies this more than her work in Trinity where the New
Founde Lande, a large historical pageant, has become a cultural flagship on the
Bonavista Peninsula. With the addition in 1994 of the Summer in the Bight
Theatre Festival, a companion event to the pageant itself, plus its extension in
2002 into the autumn season, the Trinity Bight region now has become one of the
Island's primary tourist destination point.
MR. SPEAKER: The member's time has expired.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask members of this House, though, to join me today in congratulating Donna
Butt . I welcome all of you to join her theatre company this coming summer and
to see the great work that she is doing, and the great work she is doing on
behalf of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. LANGDON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Olive MacDonald of Harbour
Breton. Mrs. MacDonald celebrated her 103 rd birthday on February 7 of
this year.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit with Mrs. MacDonald just
prior to her birthday, which was widely celebrated by her family and the entire
community. The Knights of Columbus provided live entertainment as many
individuals and organizations visited to bring gifts and messages of
congratulations. The whole community shared in the celebration of this great
milestone.
Today, Mrs. MacDonald resides with her daughter Shirley in Harbour Breton.
She has four children, thirty-two grandchildren, fifty-seven great-grandchildren
and twelve great-great-grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating
Mrs. MacDonald on her 103 rd birthday and wishing her continued health
in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Lake Melville.
MR. HICKEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this hon. House today to recognize and
offer congratulations to the organizing committee, sponsors and to the folks of
the communities of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, North West River, Mud Lake and
Sheshatshiu and to take this opportunity to inform this House of the great
outdoor event which took place in my district, the great District of Lake
Melville, during the week of March 14-21, 2004.
This yearly event, Mr. Speaker, is known as Snow Break.
Mr. Speaker, Snow Break 2004 was a week centered around taking advantage of
the great Labrador outdoor activities available to those of us who are blessed
to live in the "Big Land", our beautiful Labrador.
Snow Break 2004 was focused on events for the whole family, including
snowmobile races, wilderness snowmobile trail rides along some of the most
breathtaking groomed trails and picturesque landscapes Labrador has to offer.
The events also included games of hockey, a children sports day, cross country
skiing on the beautiful trails of the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club, community
lunches organized by the local Lions Club and the United Church women's group,
a Toboggan Hill party complete with bonfire and hotdogs sponsored by the Kinsmen
and Kinettes, snowshoe races and family tug-of-war.
It was a great week, Mr. Speaker, but the highlight of the week was the
Guinness Ride.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that it was a record setting day in Labrador
with 840 snow machines registered from as far away as Russia -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's time has expired.
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: By leave.
MR. HICKEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am proud to say that it was a record setting day in Labrador with 840 snow
machines registered from as far away as Russia, the United States and Surrey,
BC, to take
part in a record breaking snowmobile ride.
Mr. Speaker, it may just be a new Guinness Record for the highest number of
consecutive snow machines to travel in an unbroken line. We will wait now for
the Guinness officials to take a look at the tapes of the trek and decide if all
riders complied with the rules.
I ask all members of the House of Assembly to join me today in congratulating
the organizing committee, sponsors, volunteers and my constituents for their
support and participation, as it was again testimony to the great community
spirit, pride and determination of the people and communities in the Lake
Melville District of Labrador.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to advise the hon. House of a recycling initiative of the
Departments of Environment and Conservation and Transportation and Works that
demonstrates government's commitment to progressive waste management and
protecting our environment.
Effective March 31, 2004, a mandatory paper and cardboard recycling program
will be in place for the east and west blocks of Confederation Building.
Cardboard and paper will no longer be allowed to be discarded through regular
garbage disposal.
Mr. Speaker, there have been increased efforts by many individual departments
and government's Interdepartmental Recycling Committee regarding paper
recycling over the past couple of years, and I commend these employees for their
efforts to date; however, we recognize that more needs to be done. Government is
dedicated to showing leadership in all areas in helping to protect our
environment. A mandatory recycling program for paper and cardboard demonstrates
not only our leadership, but also our dedication to prudent and progressive
waste management.
The Department of Environment and Conservation's Green Committee and
members of the Interdepartmental Recycling Committee are available to give
advice to departments in their paper and cardboard recycling effort. As well, a
"Paper Wise" bulletin has been posted on the Green Committee's Web
site to give employees some guidance on how to reduce paper consumption.
Mr. Speaker, an analysis of waste streams in the Province shows that
approximately 30 per cent of all waste going to landfills is paper and
cardboard. A mandatory waste diversion program for paper and cardboard at
Confederation Building is another important step in the implementation of the
Province's Waste Management Strategy and in reaching our goal of a 50 per cent
reduction in the amount of waste going to landfills in our Province. Mr.
Speaker, we will also be considering a mandatory paper and cardboard ban in
other government buildings in the near future.
I wish to point out that other recycling programs for such products as
beverage containers also exist within Confederation Building and we encourage
people to participate in these waste diversion programs as well.
Mr. Speaker, government is committed to going beyond mandatory cardboard
recycling within our own operations. I am pleased to say that I have recently
struck a working group of government officials, the MMSB, the Newfoundland and
Labrador Environmental Industry Association, and the Newfoundland and Labrador
Federation of Municipalities to prepare a report on what can be achieved in
paper and cardboard recycling in this Province. I expect a report in about six
weeks. I look forward to that report and the possible implementation of
diversion programs and a strategic approach to paper and cardboard recycling
throughout this Province.
Mr. Speaker, putting in place a mandatory paper and cardboard recycling
program at Confederation Building is all about leading by example and taking
action to protect our environment. Government will continue to show its
leadership and take action, Mr. Speaker, as we move forward in our efforts to
achieve a Province-wide waste management system.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BARRETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the hon. minister for the advance copy of his
Ministerial Statement. It is great news, that we are no longer taking paper and
cardboard out of Confederation Building, the east block and the west block. All
of the public servants now will have to be involved in a recycling program.
I guess it is disappointing to note, what about the other government offices
around St. John's? There is no mention here of any paper and cardboard
recycling. I guess the other thing I would like to point out is that this comes
into affect on April 1. I would not imagine that there will be very much paper
or cardboard circulated here on April 1. As a matter of fact, it is nice to know
that the two ministers have been designated as essential workers to collect the
cardboard boxes from the Tim Horton's on the picket lines on April 1.
Congratulations to the Minister of Environment and Conservation for such a great
opportunity to recycle the Tim Horton's cardboard boxes.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It took five long months, Mr. Speaker, for the minister to finally make a
statement on the environment. I thought that when the Premier appointed him
Minister of Environment he also took away his tongue. Over here, he was a tiger.
Over here, every day, he was a tiger on the environment, and now he has turned
into a paper tiger over there, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARRIS: Five long months we have been waiting, and what has he done?
He has caught up with the employees in the government buildings and he is now
going to recycle paper and cardboard.
Mr. Speaker, we expect a lot more from the minister, given what he did when
he was over here. Now that he is the Minister of Environment and Conservation,
we are expecting great things from this minister. So far we have not gotten
them. We will be over here to criticize and expect them to live up to the
reputation that he got over here for being a tiger on the environment and, if he
does not, we will be here to criticize him.
Mr. Speaker, we want to hear a statement every week from this minister about
what he is doing to protect the environment -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's time is up.
MR. HARRIS: - to save energy and to be a conservation tiger on that side
of the House as he tried to be over there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today in my role as Minister
Responsible for the Status of Women.
I am pleased to recognize that the Women's Health Network, Newfoundland and
Labrador, is hosting a policy workshop today promoting the advancement of
physical activities for girls in this Province. The purpose of this workshop is
to give girls a voice in policy development and have policy-makers respond to
their needs.
The workshop will bring female youth from the St. John's region
face-to-face with program developers in government. This will allow them the
opportunity to discuss the physical activities that girls value and present
policies they feel will have a positive impact on girls' well-being and
health.
Physical education and recreation are two areas where we cannot assume
programs and policies have the same effect on everyone. Gender equality does not
mean treating women and men as if they are the same. Instead, it reflects a
concern for understanding the difference in women's men's lives and the
possible need for different strategies to achieve equitable outcomes.
The Women's Policy Office and the Departments of Education and Tourism,
Culture and Recreation will each be giving presentations at this workshop. These
presentations will demonstrate the importance of adopting physical education and
recreational policies and programs which have been analyzed to determine the
different impacts they might have on women and girls and to mitigate them where
possible.
Health advocates are urging Canadians to be physically active to decrease
their risk of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression,
and other diseases. Yet, physical activity among Canadians is low and has been
declining among youth in the past decade. According to the Canadian Association
for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, only 25 per cent
of girls in Canada are physically active.
The issue is important in Newfoundland and Labrador because this Province has
among the highest rates of physical inactivity in the country.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to work with my hon. colleagues, John Ottenheimer
and Paul Shelley, in considering the impact of their decisions on all women in
their curriculum and program development.
The workshop entitled "Our Time! Building Policy Capacity for the
Advancement of Physical Activities for Girls in Newfoundland and Labrador"
is taking place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. today in the Foran Room at St. John's
City Hall.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement and
to congratulate her publicly, Mr. Speaker, on being appointed as the Minister
for the Status of Women, a very noble, very proud position to hold as a woman, I
am sure. I congratulate her and wish her well.
Mr. Speaker, I too want to commend the Health Network of Newfoundland and
Labrador, a non-profit, a non-government agency which has done great work in
this Province in promoting the well being of women. They have encouraged women
to study our own health issues, to do the research that has been necessary to be
able to document and use in further reports on health care throughout the
Province.
Mr. Speaker, what the Women's Health Network is doing now is timely, timely
when you look at the obesity rates that have been recorded in Newfoundland and
Labrador within our general population and also within our school system. They
cannot do it alone, Mr. Speaker, and that is why we have to continue to build on
the infrastructure in our communities, like gymnasiums and recreation centres
and programs, to all areas of our Province, so that we can promote good physical
activity and good infrastructure, and that our children will have a more
balanced program and a more balanced lifestyle no matter where they live in the
Province.
Mr. Speaker, I was fortunate, as a member, to be able to see six community
gymnasiums and recreation centres build in my district in the last five years.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member's time as expired.
MS JONES: Just time to clue up, Mr. Speaker?
MR. SPEAKER: By leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. SPEAKER: By leave.
MS JONES: That has certainly gone a long way to promoting physical
education in those communities.
I commend the Women's Health Network. I hope that the government of the day
will continue to sponsor, financially, the work that they do, so that they
cannot only hold sessions like this in our capital city but they are able to do
so all throughout the Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like, also, to thank the minister for an advance copy of her
statement and we would also like to thank the Women's Network on this
initiative; this initiative, Mr. Speaker, under very trying circumstances,
because according to this letter from the Women's Health Network dated
September 30 last year, they send out notice that they would be in danger or
forced to shut operations completely on October 31 if they didn't receive
funding from different stakeholders around the Province. They have done this in
spite of the many difficult financial situations that they face.
Mr. Speaker, again I would like to congratulate the Women's Network on this
initiative.
MR. PARSONS: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: A point of order has been raised by the Opposition House
Leader.
MR. PARSONS: I apologize for interrupting the Member for Labrador West,
Mr. Speaker, but this being Private Members' Day, and it being 2:29 p.m. now,
I am assuming we have consent to go beyond 3:00 p.m. to finish the Ministerial
Statements. Normally, I understand you would stop at 2:30 to allow the thirty
minutes for Question Period. I am assuming we have consent on that.
MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, this government would never take away any time
from Question Period to let the Opposition have their time to hold us
accountable. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, there may be even days when we
will say we will extend it, by leave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
The member has about fifteen seconds left.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We, too, would like to see this program expanded through rural areas of the
Province where young women in our Province may not have available the same
infrastructure that people have in the city for physical activity, and we want
to stress on the Minister of Education the importance of physical activities
within the school system. But, Mr. Speaker, this government has to ensure
physical activity takes the profile that it deserves. I hope the minister's
congratulations and praise for the Women's Network today is reflected in the
Budget on Tuesday so that the Women's Network and other women's groups in
this Province -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The member's time has expired.
MR. COLLINS: By leave, just to clue up, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: By leave.
MR. COLLINS: I hope that the Women's Network and other women's groups
in this Province, their needs are reflected in the Budget on Tuesday so that
they can have the money to do the work that is so much needed in this Province.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and
Labrador Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, last week I attended the International Boston Seafood Show. This
the foremost show for seafood products in North America, and perhaps in the
world. There was a significant number of our Province's fishing companies and
fishery workers present. The professionalism of the Newfoundland and Labrador
Pavilion and its exhibitors was second to none.
Mr. Speaker, due to a cabinet meeting, I was unable to attend the Department
of Fisheries and Aquaculture's reception at the show on Saturday night. My
staff informs me that it was one of the best received and better attended to
date. Over 400 guests from Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia sampled
Newfoundland and Labrador seafood that was contributed by members of our seafood
industry. The federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Minister Geoff Regan,
was among those in attendance.
Mr. Speaker, while in Boston, I met with Minister Regan and impressed upon
him the importance of federal investments in our aquaculture industry. I
repeated the Province's position that a limited cod fishery should be opened
in the Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. We talked about the need for a
conservation first approach to management of our very important snow crab
resource. We discussed international fisheries issues, including custodial
management. We also reviewed the challenges faced by this Province's cooked
and peeled shrimp industry in 2004.
Mr. Speaker, the world market for seafood products is very competitive.
Meetings I attended in Boston with fish companies and their American brokers
confirmed support for our emphasis on seafood excellence. These discussions
solidified my view that a new and improved Quality Assurance Program, as
recommended in the Dunne Report, is essential for members of the Newfoundland
and Labrador seafood industry to derive maximum benefits from a finite resource.
Mr. Speaker, a healthy fishery will and must play a pivotal role in this
Province's economic well-being. I look forward to continuing to work with all
industry stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Newfoundland
and Labrador fishery.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to respond to the statement issued today by the Minister of
Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Labrador Affairs.
First of all, I would like to thank him for the advance copy of the
statement. I am really glad that you had the opportunity to visit the Boston
Seafood Show, albeit, you were a day late. It is a great show. I had the
opportunity to visit myself. It is a very important show for industry
participants from this Province.
I note that you again, had an opportunity to speak with the federal minister
and again you mentioned the Gulf fishery without making reference to the fishery
in 2J+3KL. I assumed that you had forgotten about the people in that area
because you had never mentioned them when you talked about your talks with the
federal minister.
I also note that you talked to the minister about Aquaculture. A very
important part of our fishing industry here in this Province, an area with a lot
of potential. We are moving in the right direction but, again, like the minister
said, we need extra funding. Unfortunately, we did not hear any mention of
funding for Aquaculture in the federal Budget yesterday.
Now that the minister raised it, I guess he could not tell me today because
like the members here yesterday, they cannot tell me what is in the Budget but
we are expecting a sizable chunk of money for Aquaculture in next week's
Budget.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the member's time has expired.
MR. REID: By leave, Mr. Speaker, one more second to clue up.
MR. SPEAKER: By leave.
MR. REID: With regard to the shrimp fishery, I would like to know what
happened to the minister's plan with his auction system, that great plan that
seems to have fallen apart in a very few number of days?
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of issues raised here, a lot of issues that we
certainly will be debating in the coming weeks.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Boston Seafood Show is a very important showcase and business opportunity
for the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery products and companies. It is
important for government, of course, to be represented there as well.
I am pleased the minister had the opportunity to talk once again with the
Minister of Fisheries in Ottawa, but we have to - the proof of the pudding is in
the eating, they say. We talked about custodial management. We will find out
later today, I think, whether or not he was successful in persuading the
Minister of Fisheries and his government to support what the all-party committee
unanimously reported in the House of Commons last year, that we should adopt
custodial management on the Nose and Tail of the Grand Banks.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The member's time has expired.
MR. HARRIS: We will see if he was successful in his efforts to convince
him on that point.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the federal Budget, as everyone knows, was tabled in Ottawa last
evening and a budget that regrettably, as I see it, has very few benefits for
the people of this Province and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in
particular. One area that was totally inadequate, in my view, was health care
funding as announced last evening.
Meanwhile, this morning in Newfoundland and Labrador the federal Finance
Minister, in a radio interview, stated that we should not expect any more
because the premiers had signed an Accord for the amounts that he announced in
the Budget. Mr. Speaker, I know for a fact that there was no Accord signed by
any premier during the period of time that I held the office. So I am wondering,
and asking the question: Does the Premier know which signed Accord the federal
Finance Minister is speaking about to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador
today? And if not, what does he plan to do to challenge such statements when
they are made in Newfoundland and Labrador erroneously? Is there a signed Accord
that the current Premier participated in, or what does he plan to do about
correcting the misinformation?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. Leader of the Opposition that I was not
aware of that statement which was made by the Minister of Finance. I would have
to actually check that statement just to verify the accuracy. I understood it
took place - was it in a radio interview?
AN HON. MEMBER: CBC Radio.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: CBC Radio. I did hear part of that interview this
morning but I did not get all of it, so I would have to verify the accuracy of
that. However, I can assure the hon. Leader of the Opposition and all Members of
the House of Assembly that, of course, health care and health care financing is
something that I fought for at the First Ministers' table time and time and
time again.
The federal government has indicated it has made, in its opinion, significant
financial assistance to the Province. In fact, the premiers feel that it is not
adequate. They feel that we should move to the Romanow formula. At the very last
meeting that we had with the Prime Minister there was some serious discussion on
additional funding and the fact that the $2 billion was being provided, but it
was not being entrenched in the base and that it would not be on an annual
basis.
So, there is an ongoing difference of opinion and a very strong difference of
opinion between First Ministers across the country and the Prime Minister of the
country and, in fact, the federal government.
I can assure the Leader of the Opposition, members opposite and the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador, that we are fighting very, very hard for increased
funding for health care in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, just for reference, it was CBC Radio Morning News this morning,
and in the same interview the federal Minister of Finance stated that he did
speak to all of the finance ministers provincially over the weekend. This was
also confirmed by the provincial Minister of Finance to describe the final terms
of the equalization renewal that we have arrived at. Newfoundland's federal
minister, Minister Efford, in an interview during the same period of time,
talked about Mr. Goodale or, in fact, has talked about the fact that the
Minister of Finance in Newfoundland and the Minister of Finance in Canada, and
all the other Ministers of Finance discussed this and made the changes in
equalization.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I am asking the member now to finish his question.
MR. GRIMES: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The question is this, I concur fully with the Minister of Finance that the
equalization changes too were absolutely, totally, disgustingly inadequate. The
two ministers are suggesting that our Minister of Finance has signed on and
agreed to it in radio interviews this morning. Did that occur, or are we going
to challenge the misinformation?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance; President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our Minister of Finance has not signed on, or agreed to anything that is
going to take away or be detrimental to the benefits of our Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SULLIVAN: And the Federal Minister of Natural Resources indicated the
finances in our Province are a nightmare. I am going to stand up and fight for
an improvement in equalization or any aspect on behalf of that. I have done so
with the minister. I am going to be appearing next month - on an invitation I am
going to Ottawa to make a presentation to the Senate Committee on dealing with
equalization. We want to fight and get our fair share, that we are not getting
now under the current agreement.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am delighted to hear the answer, and I would hope at the first opportunity
that both the Premier and the Finance Minister will work with their colleagues,
that they have a growing better working relationship with, to make sure that
they do not make such insinuations again in Newfoundland and Labrador, that this
minister would sign onto the ridiculous equalization numbers that were in
yesterday's Budget.
One last issue from the Budget yesterday, Mr. Speaker. There was no direct
reference, anywhere in the speech, to the Atlantic Accord or the changes that we
discussed in Question Period yesterday. However, very deep in the back of the
Budget, in Annex 6, there are references to changes to the Nova Scotia Accord,
and also to the Newfoundland and Labrador Accord.
The federal ministers have been suggesting that the Province has concurred in
what has happened to date. Have we, I ask the Premier, concurred with a
recognition that Nova Scotia has not been the principal beneficiary so far with
their offshore -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the member now to finish his question.
MR. GRIMES: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
- so that they get an immediate $30 million in cash, while the only reference
to Newfoundland and Labrador is that we might change the date some time, when we
might look at it in the future. Is that what we can expect with respect to the
offshore and the changes that are in the offing which we talked about yesterday?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am quite encouraged by the fact that Nova Scotia did get some
benefit. I am delighted that they have gotten some benefit. I think, in fact, it
is $25 million. In fact, that strengthens our argument. This was something that
was announced even a couple of weeks ago, that there was going to be a change in
Nova Scotia's offset formula. Basically, they were resetting the clock,
because initially when it kicked in I think only (inaudible) was in play and
Sable had not come on stream. So it was an opportunity for the federal
government to give Nova Scotia some benefit.
We have spoken as recently as this morning with the Minister of Finance in
Nova Scotia and they have indicated, of course, that this has nothing to do with
their principal beneficiary argument or, in fact, their Crown share argument,
which is different than ours. They will be moving forward with that, as we will
be moving forward with it.
The same time that Minister Efford, the Minister of Natural Resources, talked
about the financial nightmare that we have in this Province - and, of course, we
truly do have a financial nightmare, which I can say quite honestly, Mr.
Speaker, we inherited. We did not create, and we are trying to strengthen out.
At the time that he did speak about the financial nightmare that was left
after this current government -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the Premier now to complete his answer.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
He did, in fact, indicate however that there could be recourse, and there
should be recourse, through the bilateral negotiations that are going on between
on the Atlantic Accord whereby we put together a very good approach, a very
simply approach, whereby Newfoundlanders and Labradorians would get 100 per cent
of their revenues from the offshore oil and gas.
That is something we are pursuing and that is something, as I indicated
yesterday, that we have the full support of eleven of twelve premiers across the
country; as well as the support of the new Leader of the Conservative Party. We
are looking forward to a response from the Leader of the New Democratic Party,
and we will be putting it to the federal government as indicated yesterday.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: On a supplementary, the hon. the Leader of the Opposition
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A final supplementary.
With respect to a story reported in the local media today, The Telegram ,
when again our federal minister, who is working very hard on our behalf - does
the Premier, on behalf of the government, agree with his assessment that we
should work only at the offshore provisions, we should agree with the federal
government to seek no more changes in equalization for the next five years,
because, as his phrase is, our federal minister in the federal government is:
You can't expect to have your cake and eat it too. The problem, Mr. Speaker,
being is that they have our cake and they are eating it too.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. GRIMES: So are we going to listen and cooperate with our federal
minister who says: Don't ask for anymore changes in equalization for five
years. Is that what they talked about in their meeting a couple of weeks ago? Is
that the plan? Have we signed onto no equalization for five years because we
might get something -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member to get to his question.
MR. GRIMES: - we might get a few crumbs from the cake some time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I understand that the hon. Leader of the Opposition has serious personal
issues with the Minister of Natural Resources. Obviously, there is some long
history and some bad blood between them.
Personally, as Premier of the Province, our government does not have that
personal problem or a confrontational relationship with this particular
minister. As a matter of fact, there is a quote from the hon. Leader of the
Opposition last year whereby he acknowledged: Again, I want you to know that the
federal-provincial relationship is strained, very strained, probably at an
all-time low.
The little display that he just put on a few minutes ago will show you why it
was at an all-time low. We are prepared to work with the federal government. We
are prepared to co-operate and collaborate, but we also prepared to take them on
when we have to take them on. Make no mistake about it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: But, our new approach will be to build relationships,
to get results, to get the kind of results that we got on 5-Wing Goose Bay, to
get the initial results we are getting on surveillance in the offshore.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: It is working! The new approach is working, as opposed
to the old approach which was given by the hon. Leader of the Opposition.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. the Premier now to finish his answer.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: You also heard the Minister of Finance indicate that he
is going up to speak on that equalization, to advocate the Province's position
on a ten-province standard so that we do not suffer and do not lose $210 million
like we did in this last budget.
We will fight when we have to fight, but we will try and build relationships,
unlike what the hon. gentlemen opposite did that damaged this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SWEENEY: Mr. Speaker, today my questions are for the Minister of
Government Services.
The minister announced last week that she was moving forward with reforms to
the automobile insurance industry in this Province. She says that she observed
reform packages and systems in other provinces and came to the conclusion that
her new plan was the best.
I ask the minister today: Where did this government dream up the idea of a
$2,500 deductible? Why has it never been used anywhere else? Why have industry
experts and insurance analysts never heard of it and feel that it does not work?
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the hon. gentleman
for his question.
Mr. Speaker, that is what the new approach is all about. We just do not do
things because other provinces have done them. We do not mind coming up -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We do not mind coming up with new ideas. We do not mind coming up with novel
ideas. We do not mind coming up with good solutions. We took our time to look at
this. Unlike the hon. gentleman opposite, we did not wait years and years and
years to deal with insurance. We dealt with this problem within the first five
months that we were in office, and we have come up with a solution, and this is
just the first step.
Let me remind the hon. gentleman opposite that we are going to have a
comprehensive hearing to deal with all issues of insurance, not only automobile
insurance, but commercial insurance, residential insurance, marine insurance.
All stakeholders will have an opportunity to have a say at that particular
hearing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Carbonear-Harbour
Grace.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SWEENEY: That was not all that complicated so I will try another one,
Minister.
Judging from the Premier's answer, I assume that the minister does not know
where she got it.
This government had a master plan last August. It came out two days on the
heels after the Liberal government announced their plan. The only thing added
differently was a moose stuck in there somewhere. What is after happening now,
since August, they have caved in to the lawyers and insurance companies of this
Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SWEENEY: Why aren't they doing what they promised? Where is the 20
per cent discount that they promised the consumer last August? What have you
done? You have not protected consumers.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member to finish his question.
MR. SWEENEY: Minister, could you answer that question?
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, what this government is doing is very
clearly protecting the consumer. We are not making announcements for the sake of
making announcements. We have had careful deliberations on this particular
matter. We have looked at the experience in Nova Scotia, in New Brunswick, in
Prince Edward Island. I have consulted -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I am asking all members to keep the noise level down. It is impossible for
the Chair to hear what is being said and it is impossible, I am sure, for
members who are listening by way of television to be able to follow the
questions and the answers.
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have consulted with other governments, with other jurisdictions. We have
looked at the experience in New Brunswick. We have looked at the experience in
Prince Edward Island. We have looked at the experience in Nova Scotia. We
understand that some of the experiences in these other provinces are not in fact
working out. As a result, we are going to do our very best to deliver the best
for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
We indicated that we would target a reduction of 20 per cent. We have, in
fact, achieved an interim reduction of 15 per cent which is the first step on
the way to a hearing where we will also try and increase the number of motorists
that are not uninsured, so that we can further reduce premiums to achieve
greater savings for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are just going
to do it right. That is the difference.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A final supplementary, the hon. the Member for Carbonear-
Harbour Grace.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SWEENEY: Minister, I would like to ask you how you expect to keep
this deductible, how to make this deductible bring the rates down. Lawyers have
already said, Mr. Speaker, that they will be looking for higher awards to
compensate for the $2,500 deductible. They are in the news saying it. Why was
she too scared - and I think I have an inclination this afternoon already that
she is not allowed to answer these questions - why was she too scared to
implement this cap that her government promised?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this matter has been considered and is placed in the hands of
the Public Utilities Board. It is being considered by the regulatory body in
this particular Province.
MR. BARRETT: (Inaudible). Go on. Go on.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: The deductible has been based - if the hon. Member for
Bellevue would just allow me to answer this very, very important question. This
has been placed in the hands of the Public Utilities Board. We asked for an
actuarial study. This has been done on actuarial results. The results have been
indicated that on a basis of a $2,500 deductible that there will, in fact, be
savings to the consumer. As well, there will be savings from collateral
benefits. As well, there will be savings from calculations made on net wages as
opposed to gross wages. As well, there will be savings on collision, on
comprehensive, and other services that are offered to the public. Savings!
Savings! Savings! Savings everywhere and based on actuarial results!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Premier and concerns his auto insurance policy
released some five months after the election. The major feature was a freeze on
insurance rates as of March 17. Will the Premier acknowledge that, in fact,
consumers renewing their policies in March, April, May, June and July, and as
late as September, will be paying increases on their insurance, increases that
were already accrued by the PUB and, in fact, will have no freeze at all
affecting their rates as they come on stream?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that there is
actually, in fact, a freeze in place right now and as soon as the legislation -
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
PREMIER WILLIAMS: The hon. Member for Fogo -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
Again, I am asking members to tone down their commentary. It is impossible
for the Chair or others to follow the discussion if we continue to have shouting
back and forth from both sides of the House.
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: As well, I can assure the hon. member that legislation
will be put before this session of the House of Assembly, and once passed, will
be effective. So therefore there should be, in fact, a reduction in premiums for
people who have already paid their premiums.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have in front of me the top ten insurers in Newfoundland with increases
from 10 per cent, 15 per cent, 20 per cent, and in some cases 33 per cent, which
the Premier promised to roll back by about 9 per cent after he gets around to
it. Will he not acknowledge that the people who are affected by this will, in
fact, after all of this is over, will be paying more in insurance in the future
than they are paying right now?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi will acknowledge
that there is, in fact, an immediate reduction of 15 per cent that will take
place as soon as the legislation is passed. As well, he will also acknowledge
that we cannot be irresponsible, we cannot go without all the information. In
fact, in order to have a comprehensive hearing of all issues of insurance,
issues that are important to everybody in our constituencies in this entire
Province, issues like commercial insurance, issues like marine insurance, issues
like home insurance, very important to all of us, they had to be dealt with at a
hearing. We had to amend our legislation and our regulations in order to have a
detailed hearing.
As well, in order to get accurate, complete information, in order to properly
review auto insurance on a finer basis as closed claim study has to be
completed. The last closed claim study, if I remember correctly, was around
1996. Unfortunately, the government at the time -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the Premier now to finish his answer.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: - of which the hon. Member for Fogo and Twillingate was
a member saw fit to do absolutely about it, and we are doing our best..
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The last time I calculated this, a reduction of 9 per cent is what the
government claims on third party liability, when deducted from an increase of 22
per cent works out to an increase of 13 per cent.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HARRIS: Will the minister confirm that his plan to supposedly reduce
auto insurance is actually going to end up costing consumers more this year?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. member that there will, in fact, be a 15 per
cent reduction. That is the case. That is based on the most current accurate
financial information that we have. That is based on the actuarial study which
has been filed with the Public Utilities Board. That is based on the benchmark
study which has been filed with the Public Utilities Board. We are relying on
the best possible information that we can get. We are not going to go out on an
ad hoc basic and arbitrarily impose a rate, because it simply will not work.
We are doing it with the best available information and these issues will all
be properly aired at a comprehensive hearing which will deal with all types of
insurance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune.
MR. LANGDON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. LANGDON: Mr. Speaker, my questions are also for the Minister of
Government Services as it pertains to insurance.
On August 27, last year, the current Premier announced his intentions for
dealing with automobile, home and commercial insurance. We were promised a study
would be done in 120 days and changes would be made immediately.
Again this week we hear of businesses closing and volunteer organizations
struggling to afford insurance. What will the minister do to help the fire
departments and other volunteer organizations while she continues her study of
the industry?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I don't know if the hon. gentleman
opposite -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: - was listening when, in fact, we gave the previous
answer, but this government is trying to correct a lot of messes that this past
government has left us. In fact, the government that this particular member was
a minister of saw fit to do nothing for years and years and years about these
problems. Now, we have a huge insurance problem in this Province and we are
dealing with it.
We recognize the problems with the volunteer fire organizations. We recognize
the problems with commercial insurance. We recognize the problems that it is
creating with small businesses. We recognize the profits that are being made by
insurance companies on residential insurance policies, but we are dealing with
it in a proper manner and we are dealing with it as soon as we can. We will deal
with it, Mr. Speaker, and we will correct the problems and the mess that was
left by the hon. members opposite.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Fortune Bay-Cape la
Hune.
MS FOOTE: What a way to treat a woman!
MR. LANGDON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do feel for my friend, the Minister of Government Services. I have known
her for a long time as a colleague in municipal government. I am sure she is
disappointed that she cannot answer today.
Community fundraising events will be cancelled, volunteer fire departments
will be shut down, and volunteers will be afraid to continue to volunteer.
MS FOOTE: (Inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. LANGDON: The Community Services Council, a group which represents
many volunteer organizations, has called on government to address the issue but
to no avail. This is not what people heard. This is not what people wanted. Why
didn't the minister do what she promised and address the urgency of the
problem?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat it time and time again. We are addressing the
urgency of this problem. We are doing it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we
are left with the legislation and the regulations which were left by the
previous government. That does not allow us to get this matter before the Public
Utilities Board until we can bring legislation to this House of Assembly which
can be debated and discussed. Then we will straighten the problem.
We are very aware of it, we are very sensitive to it, we are very concerned
about it, but the hon. gentleman opposite was a member of a Cabinet that did not
act on this very file and he should be ashamed of himself.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Community Services.
The minister's underlying philosophy of providing quality health care to
areas of this Province is quite evident in our Terms of Reference to the Hay
Group, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister of Health and Community Services realize
that the removal of services from rural communities could mean the difference
between life and death for some people? Tell me, Mr. Speaker, is she prepared to
place dollars and cents ahead of the well-being of people who live in rural
communities in this Province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to first of all say that this government is committed to a
universal publicly funded health care system.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible) write down the answer (inaudible)..
MS E. MARSHALL: No.
The hon. member across the way, again today, is fearmongering.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote from a Request for Proposal from the
Health Care Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS E. MARSHALL: In November, 2001, the hon. members on the other side -
MR. SPEAKER: I ask the minister now to finish her answer.
MS E. MARSHALL: - issued a Request for Proposals for an operational
review of the Health Care Corporation of St. John's, and I would like to quote
from that call for proposal. These are things now that the members opposite were
requesting.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I am asking the minister now to complete her answer.
MS E. MARSHALL: Number one, to identify a recovery plan to recoup on
operating deficits, to identify cost reductions, cost containments and
reasonable revenue opportunities that would result in improving the financial
operations of the St. John's Health Care Corporation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'anse
au Clair.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am not the minister. I am not the government. I am not making
decisions today (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I will ask the minister, again, because I have
asked her for three days in a row and she has not answered the questions in this
House on health care. Maybe I should give them to the media and she can go
outside and answer them but, Mr. Speaker, again I ask the Minister of Health and
Community Services: Is she willing to sacrifice the health care services and
clinics in communities in this Province like Howley, Black Duck Cove,
Stephenville, Flower's Cove and many other communities around the Province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Minister of Health and Community
Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This government will provide good health care to the residents of this
Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair, just
time for one short supplementary.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your generosity.
Again, my question is for the Minister of Health and Community Services.
Does the minister believe that the health boards in this Province should be
amalgamated or just plain eradicated altogether?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are looking at a variety of options with regard to the health care boards,
and the member may become aware of our plans on Budget day.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. E. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is normal, if there are points of order that need to be raised during
Question Period, that you raise them after. I have had an opportunity, in other
functions and roles in this House, to raise those even during Question Period;
however, I raise this one which happened during Question Period.
While the Premier of the Province was answering a question directed to the
government on the insurance issue, the Member for Grand Bank shouts out: What a
way to treat a woman! - as if the Premier of the Province in some way was
treating one of his colleagues in a disparaging or diminishing or some sort of
way.
Mr .Speaker, members opposite know, and they should know, and I will just
quote for them, that when it comes to Question Period: The Premier or the Prime
Minister of the government answers for the government as a whole and is entitled
to answer any question directed to the government, or the Premier or the Prime
Minister may direct that question to one of his ministers.
Mr. Speaker, just to remind hon. members opposite, I remember when I was
Leader of the Opposition in this House, asking the Minister of Mines and Energy,
four days straight, who happens to be the Leader of the Opposition today,
questions regarding Voisey's Bay and, for four days straight, guess what? The
Premier of the Province answered, not the Minister of Mines and Energy, who
happens to be the Leader of the Opposition. Four days straight!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, my point is this: For members opposite to try
to make a point that because the leader of the government and Premier of the
Province is dealing with an insurance issue, and a member opposite sings out:
What a way to treat a woman! I tell you, from one member, I disrespect and
detest that comment because it infers something that is not true. I ask the
member to do the hon. thing, stand up and remove her remark from the floor of
this House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS FOOTE: Mr. Speaker, I stand by my remarks. I cannot believe that a
minister of the Crown, someone who has been appointed to head a department,
someone who the constituents, her constituents, the people of the Province, have
put their confidence in, could not give the same answers that her leader, the
Premier, stood up and gave.
Women have worked very hard in this Province and in this country to get
ahead. They have worked very hard to become politicians and to be able to
represent the people of the Province, just like the men have, and I take great
exception to anyone suggesting that a woman who has been given - confidence
placed on that woman to represent her people and the people of the Province, as
a Minister of the Crown could not stand and answer the questions; the answers of
which were as simple as what the Premier gave today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. E. BYRNE: (Inaudible) the only person that has disparaged the gender
today is the Member for Grand Bank and nobody (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. E. BYRNE: I ask that member to remove the comment.
MR. SPEAKER: I think the Chair has heard sufficient commentary on this
particular matter. I would like to quote for members, Page 432, of Marleau and
Montpetit. Very clearly, it says, "Questions, although customarily
addressed to specific Ministers, are directed to the Ministry as a whole. It is
the prerogative of the government to designate which Minister responds to which
question. The Prime Minister..." - or in this case the Premier -
"...may respond to any or all questions posed during Question Period."
It is a longstanding tradition in this House that it is the prerogative of
the Premier of the Province to respond to any question, to all questions, or no
questions. In fact, it is well written in this particular reference that
ministers may answer the question, may defer the question, may take the question
as notice, may make a short explanation as to why they cannot furnish an answer
at this time, or simply they may choose not to respond at all. It is entirely
the prerogative of government, according to the references that I have, to
decide who answers which question and on any particular day.
Thank you very much.
MR. E. BYRNE: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, the Government House Leader.
MR. E. BYRNE: In view of your ruling, Mr. Speaker, I ask, again, that you
ask the member to remove her remark from the record because it is disparaging to
the government, to the Leader, and to the person she made it about. Mr. Speaker,
there were many times in this House when she sat right there when the Premier
answered for her, and not one member stood up and challenged that. I ask you,
Mr. Speaker, to ask her to remove that disparaging remark from a colleague in
this House.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: To the most recent point of order raised by the hon.
Government House Leader, Mr. Speaker.
His first comment was that this was a remark made by the Member for Grand
Bank which is on the record. I, first of all, challenge that. I do not believe
there is any such remark on the record by the Member for Grand Bank to that
effect. Any comments - maybe the Premier and the hon. Government House Leader
might do the courtesy of allowing me to respond to the point of order that was
raised by the Government House Leader. That is all I ask, for that common
courtesy. That is what we are dealing with here, points of order and courtesies.
Mr. Speaker, we have no difficulty whatsoever with your ruling, that it is
totally within the prerogative of the Premier, as the first Minister of this
Province, to answer any and all questions that he decides to answer, regardless
of whom it is asked of. We do not have any objections to that. If there was any
inference that the Member for Grand Bank said anything, the only thing she was
commenting on was her disappointment that the minister, who was appointed to
answer those questions, could not get to answer them. It does not reflect in any
way, shape or form upon the Prime Minister, the Premier's right to respond on
behalf of government. We wholeheartedly support your ruling in that regard.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader to the point of order.
MR. E. BYRNE: I appreciate the Opposition House Leader's remarks, but
the fact of the matter is there was an oversight on his part.
The Member for Grand Bank did say it, then she stood in her place and
admitted she said it, and then went on to say that she would not withdraw it. My
point is this, that in view of your ruling, Mr. Speaker, in view of the ruling
which you just made - which is very clear and which we had pointed to - than I
ask you to ask that member to remove the remark that because the Premier, in
exercising his prerogative, was doing something negative against women, or in
this case, a colleague of ours who happens to be a woman. That is the point, Mr.
Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The final commentary on this point of order.
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Yes, Mr. Speaker. If that is going to be the case I think we
should advance to stage two, because the hon. Government House Leader said that
any comments by the Member for Grand Bank were disparaging. I do not think there
was any disparagement, or insults, or aspersions cast upon anyone in the House
here; if the hon. Member for Grand Bank said anything. Any person who stands up
in this House and supports any gender I think should have the applause and
accolades of all of us, not to be suggesting that there is anything negative
said in that connotation. In fact, it should be supported.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair will review the tapes and will advise on tomorrow's
sitting as to the ruling that will be most appropriate.
MR. HARRIS: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, the hon. the Member for Signal
Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MR. HARRIS: Mr. Speaker, I would just like to draw to your attention that
during Your Honour's ruling - while you were issuing the ruling on the point
of order that was raised, some members chose to use the opportunity to heckle
during your ruling. I know you were paying attention to your ruling and did not
hear it, but some of the members are new members and perhaps it would be wise to
remind them that it is totally inappropriate for members to speak when Your
Honour is standing and giving a ruling on a point of order. It was almost
impossible to hear, in some points, your ruling because of heckling coming from
members in the House during - while you were on your feet giving your ruling on
a point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: I would like to remind all members of the House that when
the Chair is standing and speaking to the rest of the House that all members
should be silent. That is well within the parliamentary practices. I would
advise all members that they should practice that as far as is possible, and in
future, when the Chair is commenting to the House that we should hear the Chair
in silence.
Today being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, we have a motion by the Member
for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair, and notice has been given.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to present this motion to the House of Assembly. I will read the
motion, Mr. Speaker, for Hansard:
WHEREAS health care is one of the essential services provided by a government
to the people of this Province; and
WHEREAS there is a demonstrated need for improvements to health care services
in many areas of this Province; and
WHEREAS in several cases improvements to health care facilities have been put
on hold without sufficient explanation; and
WHEREAS the government has directed health care boards to produce cost saving
plans that will result in service cuts in many rural areas;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that Members of the House of Assembly call on the
government to reaffirm that health care is a priority item that cannot be
compromised; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Members of the House of Assembly
call upon the government to proceed with all previously announced improvements
to health care facilities as they were originally scheduled.
Mr. Speaker, I do not think you should ever have to bring a motion like that
to the floor of the House of Assembly. I think when commitments are made from
governments to the people of the Province, that even in transition those
commitments should be honoured because it is always about people. It does not
matter under what stripe you come to this House of Assembly. It does not matter,
Mr. Speaker, we all come here for the same purpose. We come to represent the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
When a case can be documented that there is a need for a cancer treatment
centre in Grand Falls it should not matter under what stripe, Mr. Speaker, it
comes to this House. The case is a good one. It has been documented. It is
needed. It is necessary. It should be under those pretenses that this hon. House
and that any government should honour the commitments to people.
The purpose of this motion is to highlight some very important pieces of
infrastructure that people in this Province have lobbied for. Actually, some of
the members opposite, when they were on this side of the House, stood in this
House and lobbied, spoke and petitioned the government of that time on these
very same pieces of infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, their opinions should not have
changed. Their philosophy and their principles should not have changed.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to the people of Grand Falls, as I am sure that
the members who represent the districts in the Central region will know. The
Member for Windsor-Springdale, his constituents use the facilities in Grand
Falls; would use the cancer treatment centre when it is open and in operation.
The Member for Lewisporte, his constituents, would use it, Mr. Speaker. It is an
invaluable piece of health care infrastructure that needs to be done in Central
Newfoundland.
Mr. Speaker, the people in that area where just appalled. They were shocked.
They were shocked to find out that this particular facility had been put on hold
after making a case that was so substantive, that was so important and critical
to the medical needs of the people in that area and then to find out that it was
put on hold, without any real explanation, without any real definitive answers,
just: It is on hold.
Let's talk about the people on the Burin Peninsula, Mr. Speaker, the people
on the Burin Peninsula who lobbied for a health care facility. Lobbied, Mr.
Speaker, came to this House, sent petitions, sent letters, did their homework,
the board documenting all the facts and the complete need in the area for a
health care facility. Government responded, responded by investing the money,
making the money available in fiscally tight times because the need was so
great. The need was so important, Mr. Speaker, that we had to find the money to
do the hospital on the Burin Peninsula.
Just as the contract was going, the design work was done, the engineering
work was done, the groundwork was laid, the contract was beginning, what
happens, Mr. Speaker? It is on hold, with no answers, no explanation to the
people in that area: the people who are sick and ill and cannot be driving over
the highway on the Burin Peninsula to access over facilities. It was so
important to have that hospital in the Grand Bank region, so important, Mr.
Speaker. This is what they wanted.
Now, let's talk about other facilities. Let's talk about the clinic in
St. Alban's, small rural area of this Province desperately in need of a health
care facility, desperately in need of a clinic. They have to drive over some of
the hardest roads in our Province in terms of weather and climatic factors, Mr.
Speaker. They need to have that new clinic in St. Alban's. Yet, it has been on
hold with no answers, no explanation whatsoever, something that the people in
that area documented the need for, something for which they went out and lobbied
government. We saw the need, Mr. Speaker. We saw the need to put health care
facilities in these regions of the Province.
A great deal of money was invested by the former government in health care
facilities all over the Province, Mr. Speaker. You do not have to go far. You
can just go back to the 2003 Budget, the 2002 Budget, which looked at money for
Fogo Island, the health centre, a brand new health centre for Fogo Island, a
beautiful facility, and much needed, very much needed in that particular part of
the Province, Mr. Speaker because they are very isolated, very rural. They
needed to have that kind of clinical health facility in their particular region.
Mr. Speaker, we never made any apologies for doing that. We certainly did
not, and we never will, because we need to be able to ensure the people in this
Province, no matter where they live, whether it is in Fogo Island, whether it is
Grand Bank, whether it is in Stephenville, or whether it is in Grand Falls, or
whether it is in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, or whether it is in Mary's Harbour or
whether it is in Nain, that they have access, that they have access to health
care facilities and health services, and that requires infrastructure, valuable
infrastructure.
Going back again, the 2002 Budget, the money for the Clarenville long-term
care facility, money to do the needs assessment, to do the actual study to
determine what the actual need in the region is and how desperate it was. Mr.
Speaker, the results speak for themselves. The results speak for themselves in
terms of where the need is.
Then we look at the money in the 2002 Budget for Gander, to do the work on
the Gander hospital, a beautiful facility again. Stephenville, $35 million
invested in Stephenville in a new hospital facility, a beautiful health facility
for the people on the Port au Port Peninsula and on the West Coast of the
Island, with very valuable services in this hospital. Then, in Corner Brook, an
MRI that is on hold because of some renovations that are needed in the hospital,
which is absolutely ridiculous, Mr. Speaker, absolutely ridiculous.
When you look for the answers, when you look for the explanations as to why
these things are on hold, why they are delayed, why they are cancelled, the
answers are not forthcoming. They are not there.
I want to read to you something, Mr. Speaker, because the Member for Trinity
North, when he was the health critic - today he is not the Health Minister; no,
he did not make the minister's portfolio - the Member for Trinity North stood
in this House on this occasion, or was it in a press release? No, I believe it
was in a press release. Yes, it was indeed. It was in a press release and he
stated that, "Government ministers who drag out the old excuse of funding
constraints prove just how shortsighted they really are."
Now, Mr. Speaker, that was a quote from the Member for Trinity North who was
the health critic at the time. He said that, "... ministers who drag out
the old excuse of funding constraints prove just how shortsighted they really
are." Because he said, at that time, that, "... early diagnosis is
critical to successful treatment, and early intervention...". He was
talking about MRIs. That is what he was talking about. He was making the point
that no minister should ever use fiscal restraint as an excuse when it comes to
health care services in this Province. A good point, Mr. Speaker, a good point.
The point was well taken, but that is the message that we are getting today. The
message that has been delivered to the people of Central Newfoundland who were
so proud to finally be getting this cancer treatment facility, the message that
has been delivered to them is one that says it is on hold because you are not
high enough a priority. You are not high enough on the priority list to have
this particular piece of infrastructure completed, to have this particular
request honoured.
No, Mr. Speaker, it cannot be important enough. That is why it is on hold,
because we have seen other things that did not be put on hold. There was $1
million announced for marketing in the tourism industry. Believe me, I am pretty
proud of it. I am a big supporter of the tourism industry, always was, and wish
there could be more, but that announcement was not put on hold. No, indeed it
was not. It was not put on hold like the health care facility in Grand Bank. It
was not put on hold like the clinic in St. Alban's. No, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps
the Minister of Tourism has a lot more clout, I say. Perhaps he has a lot more
power. He can broker the money easier. He can get the commitments quicker.
Perhaps it is because of his experience in politics, the years of service in
this House. Perhaps that is what it is because, Mr. Speaker, he got his $1
million. He got the $1 million for the marketing campaign, but there was no
money to put the MRI in Corner Brook. No, Mr. Speaker, there was no money to do
that. There was no money to do the cancer treatment in Grand Falls. No, there
was no money for that. Perhaps we should have gotten the Tourism Minister to go
to Treasury Board. Perhaps that is what we should have done. We should have
gotten the Tourism Minister to go to the Treasury Board and get the money to do
the health care facilities, because he is the man with the money. Everybody else
was put on hold. Everything in the health care sector in infrastructure has been
put on hold.
The only thing we have heard is that the Premier is still going to move
forward with the long-term care facility in Corner Brook. The number one
priority for health care, he says, in the Province, the long-term care facility
in Corner Brook. That is good news, Mr. Speaker. That is good news for the
people of Corner Brook, good news for the people of the Province, but we have to
deal with all of the long-term care needs, all of the long-term facilities that
need to be placed within the Province.
Do we expect the government to do that in five months? Of course we do not.
Nobody in the Province expects that, Mr. Speaker. People are calm, cool and
rational when it comes to these things, but they do expect, Mr. Speaker, that a
commitment made will be kept no matter what the stripe of the government that
occupies this hon. House, because the commitments were made based on the need,
on the critical need, of the people who live in those areas.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member for Trinity North, again when he was the Health
Critic - because he had a lot to say, you see, when he was the Health Critic, he
doesn't have a lot to say now but he used to have a lot to say, Mr. Speaker,
when he was the Health Critic - he would stand up in the House and he would talk
about the need for health care, the need for MRIs, the need for new hospitals,
the need for long-term care. Do you know what he would say, Mr. Speaker? I told
you already but I will tell you again. He would say, "...that minister who
drag out the old excuse of funding constraints prove just how shortsighted they
really are." Now, Mr. Speaker, that is what he is saying about his
colleagues on the other side of the House. He is saying they are shortsighted.
Now, I know that he is carrying the books for the Minister of Health. I know
that, Mr. Speaker. I know, because they are big books, you see. They are big
books, Mr. Speaker, and I know he is carrying the books. Now, he would like for
her to be carrying his books, but that is not going to happen. He is going to be
the book carrier, she is going to be the minister, and now he is telling me she
is shortsighted because she is using fiscal constraint as an excuse for putting
a halt to health infrastructure in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to tell you, the people of this Province have made
health care their number one priority. It doesn't matter where they live, it
doesn't matter what peninsula, what bay or what harbour, it is the single most
important issue in the minds of all of our residents. It is important for them
that they have a government that listens and responds to their particular needs.
Mr. Speaker, we have made a lot of investments in health care over the years.
I talked already about the money we put into the Fogo Island Health Centre, a
very important project, much needed in that area. Let's talk about the money
we put into the new hospital in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr. Speaker, an
absolutely find hospital serving the people of the Labrador area, something to
be proud of, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to looking after the health of the
residents of our Province. It is not always about dollars and cents, it is also
about infrastructure and it is about service.
Let's talk about the money for Stephenville.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I remind the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair that her time has
expired.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The time has gone so quickly, but I look forward to speaking at the end of
debate.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works and
Aboriginal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Let me first of all begin by thanking my colleagues for asking me to lead the
debate for our side on this particular resolution. Of course, I am pleased to do
so.
First of all, I want to look at the resolution as it is presented by the hon.
Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, Mr. Speaker.
"WHEREAS Health Care is one of the essential services provided by a
government to the people of this province...", I do not think anybody in
this House would take any quarrel with that, Mr. Speaker. That is, like the old
fellow would say, a penetrating insight into the obvious. There is nothing new
or exciting or anything of that nature contained therein.
The next
whereas is, "WHEREAS there is a demonstrated need for
improvements to health care services in many areas of this province...".
Again, I would think that is pretty well a given. That is another penetrating
insight. You know, this is a pretty good motherhood statement to which nobody
would take any offence.
The next
whereas, "WHEREAS in several cases improvements to health care
facilities have been put on hold without sufficient explanation...". Ah,
says who, Mr. Speaker? Who is it that is making that allegation? That is a
political statement, I would say. That statement is coming from a person who has
another political perspective. I can say that does not cut much ice with us.
"AND
WHEREAS government has directed health care boards to produce
cost-saving plans that will result in service cuts in many rural areas...".
Says who, Mr. Speaker. The author of this particular resolution, a political
partisan, that is where it is coming from. Has this ever happened before? Did
any governments in this Province before, previously, ever ask health care boards
to see if they can find savings? I believe the Minister of Health made reference
today during Question Period where the people who are now the Opposition asked
health care boards to find efficiencies and savings only just a few months
before they left office. So, this is not something that governments do not do.
Then it says, "THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that Members of the House of
Assembly call on the Government to reaffirm that health care is a priority item
that cannot be compromised...". Well, I do not have a great deal of
difficulty with that, Mr. Speaker. I might quibble over the wording, compromise.
Does the member who wrote the resolution mean cannot be changed? Is that what
she means when she talks about compromise? Does she mean that there cannot be
more efficient and other ways of doing things? Do we have to do things the same
way as we did them 100 years ago, Mr. Speaker? Is there a better way of doing
things? That is what we are prepared to look at.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Then the author of the resolution goes on to say,
"THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Members of the House of Assembly
call on Government to proceed with all previously announced improvements to
health care facilities as they were originally scheduled."
Mr. Speaker, let the word go out from this place today. Let the word go out,
in case there is anybody out there who does not know it. Let it go out to every
bay, harbour, cove, tickle, nook and cranny in Newfoundland and Labrador, that
the men and women who make up the government on this side of the House today
have nothing, no lesson or no commitment, to take from the people who are now
the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: We do not intend, nor are we, Mr. Speaker, ever intending to
be bound by a government who tried to use the taxpayers' money to buy their
way back in office.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: We are not going to do it. We did not go around with our
cheque book during the election campaign behind the Premier, and we are
certainly not going to do it now that the taxpayers have entrusted us -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Now that the taxpayers have entrusted us with their cheque
book, we are not going around, necessarily, without doing due diligence, keeping
the commitments that were made by a government that was trying to buy its way
back into office. We are just not having any part of it, Mr. Speaker. It would
be wrong. It would not be the right thing to do. It would not be new leadership.
It would not be a government with new vision and a new Premier. It would be just
doing things the same old way that they were always done. That is not
(inaudible) for the people on this side.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, we could have tinkered around with that
resolution. We could have put forward amendments. We could have played with the
words, but we are telling it right up front, Mr. Speaker. We are going to vote
down the resolution.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: We are not going to play with the resolution. We are not
going to tinker with the resolution. We are just going to vote it down, because
the resolution came from a government who were trying to buy their way back in
office on the backs of the taxpayers of this Province. This government, the men
and women who make up this government, are having no part of it, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, there may well be some of those commitments
that will be kept. There may well be some of them that ought to be kept. For
example, the cancer clinic in Central Newfoundland is one that comes to mind. I
am sure there will be - after we have had an opportunity to analyze, review and
do the due diligence on a lot of those, many of them will be kept, but they are
not going to be kept, and we are not going to be bound to keep them, because
they were commitments made by a previous government.
I remember in 1989, Mr. Speaker, when we lost the election of 1989 and then
Premier Wells took over. He made it very clear right up front that any
commitments that we made during the 1989 election he was not going to be bound
by, and nor should he. It is the same thing with this government today, Mr.
Speaker. This is a political resolution put on here by a fearmongering member of
the Opposition who, when they were in government, used to always accuse us of
doing that kind of thing. Well, they are doing exactly the same thing. It does
not do anything to serve the health care needs of this Province, and this
government is going to do the right and proper thing and stand on our feet as
men and women and vote it down, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS FOOTE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to speak to the private member's motion today on health care
improvements because I think it is a vital motion. Clearly a lot of the new
initiatives or the initiatives that the government opposite are having some
difficulty agreeing with or supporting are of vital importance to people
particularly in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. I have listened to the previous
speaker talk about some of these projects being initiatives started to try and
win elections. Well, I can certainly speak to the project in Grand Bank, the new
health care facility which comprises or should comprise - if it is ever
constructed - a new clinic and a seniors' home. For fifteen years, in fact
when Bill Mathews was the MHA for the area, it was under discussion and it took
the Liberal government to make the commitment because of the analysis that was
done by all of the stakeholders involved, including officials in the Department
of Health and Community Services.
This is not something that was decided overnight. This was not something that
was decided a year before the upcoming election. This is something that was
given careful consideration, thorough analysis that everybody involved took the
time to analyze to determine the need, because again we wanted there to be
efficient, effective use of taxpayers' dollars, but there was a serious need.
We are looking at the only cottage hospital left in Newfoundland and Labrador,
and it is in Grand Bank. The Minister of Health and Community Services visited
that site just a short month ago, so she was able to see first-hand the
deplorable conditions under which the employees of the clinic work, and where
people from all over the Burin Peninsula go for services. Certainly, no one can
point to that as an election ploy. We need to make sure that our people have the
type of health care facilities that they not only need but deserve.
The senior citizens' complex, built to accommodate people who were
receiving Level I and Level II care, that is no longer the case. Today, people
living in that home receive acute care, Levels III and IV. So the employees
there are trying to deliver a service in a facility that was designed to deliver
something other than what they are delivering today. The need is there. The need
is obvious. The need has been proven. I call on this government to live up to
that commitment, not because it was a commitment given by the previous
Administration, but because it is the right thing to do.
To hear the previous speaker go on about these commitments being made as
election ploys and that they are going to vote down this motion. I cannot
believe that they would vote down this motion just because they somehow have it
in their heads that these facilities are not necessary. They are in what are now
Liberal held districts. That does not mean they are not necessary. People who
live in these districts are people of Newfoundland and Labrador; have the same
needs and concerns as the people who live in Progressive Conservative held
districts. So do not turn your backs on them because they chose to vote other
than Progressive Conservative. Understand that their needs are as valid, as
important, as the needs of your constituents.
I would like to quote the Chair of the Peninsulas Health Care Board, Frank
Crews, when referencing the need to replace the old cottage hospital which
houses the clinic. He said: The clinic will first of all provide the physicians
and staff with a first-rate place in which to work. They will have
state-of-the-art equipment and technology to work with, in stark contrast to the
cottage hospital where even the most fundamental things do not exist. All of
this will make it easier to attract physicians to the area. Mr. Crews is telling
it like it is.
Now when the minister announced that the project would be deferred, she said:
Although she understands the residents of Grand Bank area - and here, Mr.
Speaker, the reference alone goes to show how little the minister understands
about the need for this facility, because, in fact, people from all over the
Bruin Peninsula and off the Burin Peninsula actually are residents of the Blue
Crest Seniors Home. She said: although she understands the residents of Grand
Bank area will be concerned about the deferral, it is necessary for us - meaning
the government - to be prudent in spending our health care dollars and ensure -
and here, Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely astounded at the minister's remarks -
that health services meet the needs of the population. Obviously, this facility
will meet the needs of the population. How come the population in the District
of Grand Bank do not matter?
Given the thorough analysis that was undertaken by officials in the
Department of Health and Community Services, by the health care board, by the
employees who are involved and who are affected, given that thorough analysis I
cannot, for the life of me, understand how the minister can make such a
statement. Now maybe she did not read the press release when it went out,
because I know that the directors of communication may have written it, or may
have approved it, but I cannot believe that the minister would have said that.
She has to ensure that health services meet the needs of the population.
Clearly, the population on the Burin Peninsula need and deserve the same kind of
care and attention that the rest of the population in Newfoundland and Labrador
need and deserve. What an irresponsible statement to make. Who are the people of
the Burin Peninsula if they are not part of the population of Newfoundland and
Labrador?
Another concern I have, that I want to raise along with this motion, is a
commitment that the previous government - the government that I was so proud to
be a part of - gave for a CAT scan for the Burin Peninsula, and I am sure the
Member for Burin-Placentia West is as concerned about this as I am. We need a
CAT scan on the Burin Peninsula, it is of paramount importance. It was brought
home when a young woman had an accident several months ago and she was in a
coma. We do not have a CAT scan on the Burin Peninsula. The doctors did not know
what was wrong. They had no way of determining what was wrong, so they had to
try and airlift her into St. John's. Well, the weather was such that they
could not airlift her. For three days she was in a coma with swelling. Her
family were desperate; did not know what to expect. Well, they finally were able
to fly her into St. John's. Imagine if we had, had that important piece of
equipment on the Burin Peninsula; where for months of the year the road
conditions, because of the weather and such, that you can be stranded. Just last
week people were stuck on the highway for six, seven hours. We desperately need
this piece of equipment.
I go and look at one of the commitments in the Blue Book. It was to place
diagnostic and treatment equipment in regions of the Province where it is most
needed. I am hoping - and I am sure the Member for Burin-Peninsula West is as
well, and I am hoping he has some influence here. I am hoping when the Budget
comes down that indeed there will be funding for a CAT scan for the Burin
Peninsula. It is desperately, desperately needed. I am calling on him, the
Member for Burin-Placentia West, to do everything he can to bring influence to
bear on the Minister of Health and Community Services and the Minister of
Finance and the Premier, that the Burin Peninsula desperately, desperately,
needs a CAT scanner. To help, the Burin Peninsula Foundation, the Health Care
Foundation, has already committed to raise a portion of the funds to help pay
the cost of that piece of equipment. So, I am calling on the Member for
Burin-Placentia West to do everything he can to convince his colleagues of the
importance.
I want to also make reference to a quote by the man who used to be the critic
for health on this side of the House when he was in Opposition, who is now the
Parliamentary Secretary, and I want to call him the member for Clarenville but
it is Trinity Bay North, right?
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible)
MS FOOTE: Trinity North.
In a press release when he was the critic, he said, "For the people
whose lives are on hold and perhaps in jeopardy while they wait for MRIs, CAT
scans and other procedures, this isn't an academic question. While governments
fritter away their opportunities and taxpayers' money, patients face the very
real prospect of their condition rapidly deteriorating for lack of access
to..." diagnostic equipment and treatment. "Is that acceptable in a
country that boasts a supposedly-universal medicare system? Its time the
government answered for its negligence and did something to get these patients
the timely medical help they need."
Well, well, well. Clearly, he is going to bring pressure on the minister
while he is sitting behind her, nudging her, and encouraging her. I am sure he
is going to make sure that she does the right thing. I am sure, if the common
sense is there, that he is going to make sure that the areas of the Province
that so desperately a CAT scanner will get the equipment.
Now, we know that there is an MRI going to Corner Brook. That is not even a
question. There is an MRI going to Corner Brook.
AN HON. MEMBER: They don't even have to wait for the Budget.
MS FOOTE: They do not even have to wait for the Budget. There is a
long-term care facility going in Corner Brook; do not even have to wait for the
Budget. There is space to accommodate the MRI going in Corner Brook; do not even
have to wait for the Budget. So, I am not sure who had the influence on the
Minister of Health and Community Services to make that decision. I do not think
it was the Member for Trinity North. It may have been another member, but I am
going to call on the Member for Trinity North, along with the Member for
Burin-Placentia West, to bring whatever pressure they can to bear on their
colleagues to deliver on this most vital piece of equipment for the Burin
Peninsula.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Trinity North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted. I am flattered, in fact. More than delighted, I
am flattered. The two speakers from the opposite side who have spoken today have
seen fit to quote me. I had not realized that I was going to have such a
profound effect on the members opposite when I stood in this House and spoke, so
I trust that they will give me now the courtesy of giving me their undivided
attention because I will say something in a few moments equally as profound. I
thank them very much for listening with bated breath to what I am about to say.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I want to correct something. The Member for Grand Bank had
said that the Member for Lewisporte's suggestion that he will not support this
motion has something to do with politics. I want to remind the members of this
House, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, that there is nothing
further from the truth. We were elected as a government in the fall of 2003 to
represent all of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. As a government,
regardless of how the district voted, whether it was Liberal or PC or NDP, or if
they did not vote at all, we have a responsibility as a government to represent
all 530,000 people in this Province and all forty-eight electoral districts, and
that is what we are going to do.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: We are going to do it with a fairness and a balance, and we
are going to make decisions on health spending based on sound, solid evidence
and on the merits of each of the discussions that we will have in and around how
we should allocate resources.
I say to the member opposite, that is exactly how this government is going to
function. It has nothing to do with politics, unlike the things we have
witnessed in the last fifteen years, unlike the vote buying that occurred during
the election, unlike the vote buying that occurred during all of last year
leading up to the period of the election. That is not what we are about, Mr.
Speaker. We are about balance and fairness.
The other thing I want to do, Mr. Speaker, and I am certain that as the
Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair quoted me today, as the Opposition
health critic, I want to bring the member's attention to something she said
yesterday. Here is a member who stands in this House daily, poses questions to
the Minister of Health and Community Services as if the member opposite is an
informed individual coming from a position of fully understanding the health
system. I want to point out something from yesterday. I had to go back this
morning and read in Hansard because I could not believe what I heard her say
yesterday as she tried to fearmonger, as she tried to mislead the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador - not just the people of this House but the entire
population of this Province - when she started to talk about and made reference
to the population-based approach. She said: Whenever you hear there is going to
be a population-based approach to health care, one has to become concerned.
Mr. Speaker, just as a bit of education, for the benefit of the hon. member
opposite so she does not embarrass herself when she stands in this House in the
future, and does not embarrass herself when she talks to people who fully
understand the health system and how it actually works - I do not want to have
her become embarrassed - but the population-based approach is what it is all
about these days. Population health is where you look at a broader view of
health care. You look at social economic issues. You look at issues around the
health status of a population that includes their level of education, their
level of employment, their level of income, the infrastructure that exists in
the communities in which they live, whether there is water and sewage. That is a
population-based approach to health care, looking at it as a comprehensive view.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, it is recognized as the only approach to health care,
so much so that in 1999 the Canadian Centre for Health Information established
an institute for population-based approach to health care.
Here you have the member opposite standing in this House and suggesting in
her comments yesterday that population health meant, because there is a shift in
the population of the Province, now we are going to start re-allocating health
care. Nothing could be further from the truth, Mr. Speaker. A population-based
approach to health is looking at a comprehensive view of the health status of a
population, and that is what we are about, Mr. Speaker.
What is somewhat ironic, I just want to - this document here, Mr. Speaker,
this is a report that was released by the members opposite in September, 2002.
This was their master plan. This was their strategy by the former Minister of
Health and Community Services, who sat with that party opposite. He stood in
this House and said this was going to be the blueprint, this was going to be the
guide of the government of the day to take us into the future. Here is what it
said. It talked about sustainability. It says, "The health and community
services system is facing increased costs during a time of fiscal
restraint." It goes on to say, "The purpose of highlighting these
challenges is to help people understand why change is necessary."
AN HON. MEMBER: That wasn't that crowd, though?
MR. WISEMAN: That is that crowd over there. Exactly, I say to the hon.
member. The people on the opposite side of this House said it was necessary to
change. "While there may be no immediate solutions to these problems they
need to be considered in the restructuring of the system."
They planned to restructure the health system in 2002, but did nothing about
it. They just sat back and said, we should wait until an election. We should
spend the next twelve months buying votes before we tell them what they are
planning to do.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Here is what is really funny. They are talking about their
new approach. Their new approach in September, 2002, was going to be, "A
new approach for determining the location of health and community services in
the province will also be developed. A new set of location standards will be
established...". This crowd was planning to take services from one place
and move them to another. They were going to have a new practice for locating
services. They were planning to close clinics. They were planning to close
hospitals. They were planning to relocate services.
It is here in black and white. No, it is green and black. In September, 2002,
this was what that crowd over there were going to do. Now, I wonder what
happened. In September 2002 the former minister released this report and assumed
no one was going to read it. What did they do? Did we see any action? Did we see
them establishing a new set of standards? Did we see them have a new planning
exercise to talk about the location of services?
Now, here is what they went on to say, "Every effort will be made to
keep the citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador aware of the changes that will be
taking place in the health and community services system." What changes
were they talking about I wonder? They didn't tell anybody during the election
last year that they were going to make changes. Did you hear that?
MR. FITZGERALD: No, nothing.
MR. WISEMAN: No. The only changes we heard them talk about last year
during the election was running around the Province with cheque books promising
to open this and buy this and expand this.
Do you know what was really funny? What was really funny was they were only
doing it in those seats that they wanted to secure. They were not doing it in
the seats and in the districts where they thought they didn't have a prayer of
winning. That is why many of us on this side of the House didn't hear those
commitments in our districts. They were only making those commitments in the
twelve or dozen seats over there because they wanted to get their backsides back
in their seats over there this time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: This document in September 2002 clearly reflects their
intention. This document released in September 2002, I didn't read this in
their Red Book. I didn't read this in their election platform. They were
trying to conceal it. They weren't going to campaign on this. They were going
to campaign on a series of promises, to grow, to expand, to build, to buy. They
weren't talking about relocation of services then like they are here. These
are their own words.
When I saw the hon. member across this House stand up today and say that we
are playing politics, we are looking at picking on the Liberal districts, I mean
it is sickening when you consider that those people over there, two years ago,
were talking about closing, relocating of services, developing new standards for
where services should be. They were talking about a new approach as well.
That is the operative word. The operative word in this document, which the
Member for L'anse-au-Clair went on about yesterday - and I could read from
Hansard, on and on, where she keeps referring to the word and being critical of
our Minister of Health and Community Services for using the word sustainability.
This document is full of that word. This document in September 2002 is full of
sustainability.
It shouldn't be any real surprise. We are elected in this House to take
care of the best interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, not the
best interests of the people who live here today only, not the best interests of
the people who sit in this House, but the best interests of the people of the
future.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I look across this House today and I don't know all, but I
see some grandparents over there. I see the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans. I
see the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile. I see the Member for Cape la Hune. All,
as I understand, are grandparents. We are going to make decisions about health
care in this Province for your grandchildren and for our grandchildren on this
side of the House. Those are the people for which we need to have a health
system, and the word sustainability is an operative word. It is not only an
operative word in Newfoundland and Labrador, but it is an operative word
throughout all of Canada. We need to be responsible as parliamentarians. When we
make decisions in this House about the future of health care, we need to be
responsible. We need to think about the future. We need to think about our
children and our grandchildren, not about today, not about elections, not about
election promises, not about commitments that were made in the pre-election
period last year by a crowd of people who knew they were on the way out and it
was easy to go around the Province making promises and commitments and writing
cheques and going to tender and issuing contracts. It was easy to do it then. As
we sit here today as a new government, and I say to the members opposite, as you
sit as responsible parliamentarians, do not look at where we are today. Do not
look at short-sighted promises you made in the interest of clinging on to your
seats. Look at the future of the health system of this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Let's not be partisan about this. As you look at the
history of this Province or other provinces or our entire country, governments
change, parties change. Some day I assume that your leader over there will stand
and say he might want to be the Premier once again, and some time down the road
that may, in fact, happen. You may, in fact, some time, four or five terms from
now, inherit the government again. If that were to happen, you would look at us
and say that we were irresponsible in the decisions we made today to hand you a
health system in ten years or twenty years from now that is falling apart. We
are not building a system for just tomorrow or the next day. We are building a
system today for decades down the road.
We ask you to join with us in helping us make responsible decisions in the
best interest of the future generations of this Province, and not ask us to
react to some short-sighted knee-jerk promises you may have made to get
yourselves re-elected last fall. Don't be so narrow-sighted. Live up to your
responsibility as parliamentarians, looking after the best interests of the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is for that reason that I ask you to
withdraw this motion so we do no have to stand here and vote and reject it. Do
the reasonable thing and withdraw it, because it is based on nothing but
partisan politics and does not reflect your mature interest in the long-term
viability of our health system.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to rise today and say a few words on the motion as put forward
by the Member for Cartwright-L'anse au Clair.
I want to say first, Mr. Speaker, that there is indeed a need for change in
our health care system and there is room for improvements to our health care
system. One of the things that I want to say up front is that we do not want to,
nor are we interested in seeing anything that is a mix with the 3P health care
system that was talked about, about a year ago.
We believe that health care in this Province has to be a fully public funded
health care facility that is available to all people of our Province regardless
of the income levels that they may or may not have. It is something that we are
entitled to as a resident of this country and of this Province, and we would be
totally against anything that may come forward that in any way reflects the