June 7, 2012

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLVII No. 45

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Today we are very pleased to welcome to our galleries, two guests with the

Girl Guides of Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Office. We have with us Ms

Kay Penney, the incoming Provincial Commissioner, and Ms Pam Eavis, incoming

Provincial Deputy Commissioner.

Welcome to our Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today, we will have members' statements from the Member for

the District of Bellevue; the Member for the District of Fortune Bay Cape La

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

District of Conception Bay East Bell Island; the Member for the District of

Lake Melville; and the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

The hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate two Cadet Corps in the

District of Bellevue. 209 Great Eastern is a Sea Cadet Corps from Dildo; this

corps has cadets from surrounding communities from Blaketown to Green's Harbour.

On May 26, I had the great pleasure of attending the 209 Great Eastern ACR.

On June 2, I had the pleasure of attending the annual review of the 2093 Army

Cadets of Norman's Cove. This annual review marked the fortieth anniversary of

the 2093 Army Cadet Corps. The marches were superb, with boots shining and

uniforms outstanding. Mr. Speaker, both the 209 Great Eastern Sea Cadets and

2093 Army Cadets displayed the talent of professionalism like no other. Thanks

to their leaders and support of their parents, both annual reviews were a huge

success.

I ask that all members of this hon. House join me in congratulating 209 Sea

Cadet Corps of Dildo and the 2093 Army Cadet Corps of Norman's Cove on a very

successful year.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Fortune Bay Cape la Hune.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS PERRY: I rise today to commend the 3065 Royal Canadian Army Cadet

providing our young people with great experiences and helping guide them to

become our future leaders.

Cadets, your involvement in the corps is something in which you should take

great pride, and I thank you for inviting me to share in your awards banquet. I

thoroughly enjoyed the evening and it is a pleasure to pay tribute to the

following award recipients. Best Green Star and Junior Cadet went to LCpl

Patricia Hammond; Best Red Star, Cpl Quinton Poole; Best Silver Star, MCpl

Kaitlin Savoury; Best Gold Star, Commanding Officer, and Comradeship Award, CSM

Devon Hodder; Best Senior Cadet, RSM Drucilla Dominix; Most Improved Cadet, LCpl

Tucker Dominix; Best Dressed Cadet, SGT Kelsey Savoury.

I also commend your Captain, Maxine Clarke, and Civilian Instructor, Steward

May, for such dedication in promoting the program's core values of loyalty,

professionalism, mutual respect, and integrity.

I ask all members to join me in congratulating this corps and encourage the

cadets to continue their journey, enjoying all the rewarding experiences the

corps has to offer, which will serve you well as you progress through life.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is Seniors Month and I am happy to speak about the Seniors

Resource Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador. A non-profit, charitable

organization administered by a Board of Directors, their core values of respect,

choice, collaboration, growth, and development guide them in all the fantastic

work they do with seniors Province-wide.

The centre supports the well-being and independence of all older adults in

the Province through programs and they work to influence policies affecting

seniors. Our Province is one of the fastest aging in the country so we know how

important the work they do is, not only for the seniors of today but for all of

us even some of us here in this House.

The wonderful staff and volunteers at the centre work in partnership with

older adults, family members, volunteers, organizations, communities, and all

levels of government. They offer great services like a toll-free info and

referral line, a Community Peer Advocate Program, Caregivers Out of Isolation,

Mall Walkers, a Friendly Visiting Program, Seniors Speak Out on Elder Abuse,

Bridging Cultures, and more.

Friday evening the centre is having a dinner and auction in St. John's to

fundraise for the fabulous work they do. I encourage folks, everyone here, to

join them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BRAZIL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I recently had the privilege of addressing the Con Ba Su Area

Girl Guides AGM in Paradise. This includes the Towns of Paradise to Georgetown,

Mount Carmel and St. Mary's region. Currently, there are approximately 800

members in this area.

Several milestone pins were presented for years of service. They included:

Violet Butler, thirty years; Nina Butler, forty years; Carrie Gosse, forty-five

years; Zita Butler, forty-five years; Frances Rideout, fifty-five years; Rachel

Fagan, sixty years; Dot Bishop, sixty years; Ellaline Smith, sixty years;

Margaret Butler, sixty years; Margaret Greeley, sixty years. Unfortunately, Ms

Greeley passed away last week, Mr. Speaker.

On June 9, Kay Penney of Paradise will be installed as the new Girl Guides of

Canada Provincial Commissioner for Newfoundland and Labrador. Kay brings

seventeen years of service to guiding and started volunteering her time with

Girl Guides in the St. Thomas district. Pam Eavis, a resident of Topsail, will

be installed as the Provincial Deputy Commissioner.

At the Girl Guides of Canada national AGM held in Calgary this past weekend

Sharron Callahan was installed as the nineteenth Chief Commissioner for Girl

Guides of Canada. Sharon is a resident of St. John's.

I ask all members to join with me in congratulating the Con Ba Su Area Girl

Guides and their leaders.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for the District of Lake Melville.

MR. RUSSELL: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in this hon. House

to recognize the thirtieth Annual Labrador Indoor Soccer Cup, held in Happy

Valley-Goose Bay last week, with twenty-nine teams from all over Labrador and

thousands of spectators blocking the EJ Broomfield Memorial Arena for six full

days. It was certainly my pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to participate in the awards

ceremonies.

The men's event winners were: Lewis Concrete, consisting of Glenn Pittman,

Jeff Holwell, Brud Roberts, Keith Winters, Jody Snow, Carlos Spearing, Dagan

Kelly, Andrew Warr, Mike Daly, Adam Trasher, Colin Caroll, and Sheldon

Broomfield.

The ladies event winners were: Woodward's, consisting of Robyn Wells, Karen

Gregory, Gill Wade, Riley Winters, Jamie Rose, Brittany Coombs, Caitlin Lyall,

Kelcie Winters, Vanessa White, Keira Eavis, and Lindsay Gambin.

I would also like to thank the organizing committee, Mr. Speaker, consisting

of Chairperson Trevor Paine and members Paul Motty, Mick Emmens, Mal Wells, Carl

Cull, Pat Loder, Barry Keough, Glenn Pittman, Steph Janes, Gail King, Gail

Rowsell, Rob Densmore, and Michelle Pittman. Also, Mr. Speaker, thanks to the

sponsors: Bud Lite Bentley's, Woodward's, and Nalcor Energy.

I ask all hon. members to congratulate these players, organizers, and

sponsors for their great efforts in helping to make the 2012 Labrador Cup such a

phenomenal success.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the music department at

Lewisporte Collegiate and the great work being done by their music teacher, Mr.

Lindy Whitt.

The senior concert band is made up of eighty-four students from Levels I, II,

and III. It is the largest band in the school's history, which has continued to

grow despite the fact that the student population has decreased significantly

over the years. In a school of 260 students, to have a band membership of

eighty-four is quite remarkable.

This year the concert band has performed at many different venues and won

many awards. They received a gold standard at the Kiwanis music festival. They

won the Stanley Memorial Rose Bowl for best performance by a group, the

Alphonsus Hennessey Award for best performance by a concert band, and the Trans

Continental Award for the most outstanding performance of the festival.

Mr. Speaker, the dedication of the students, the passion of their teacher,

Mr. Whitt, and the support of the parental body have all come together to

attribute to this great success.

Members, please join with me in sending congratulations to the students,

teachers, and parents who are affiliated with the music department at Lewisporte

Collegiate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to provide an update

to this House on the Home Heating Rebate Program, which continues to benefit

thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians each year by helping them deal

with home energy costs.

The Home Heating Rebate is available to residents of the Province whose

adjusted family income was $40,000 or less and who have directly incurred costs

to heat their home. Regardless of the source of energy, Mr. Speaker, eligible

households on the Island receive a maximum rebate of $250 while those in coastal

Labrador communities can receive up to $500, depending on income level.

Mr. Speaker, as of May 28, more than 61,300 rebates have been issued for the

2011-2012 heating season totalling over $15 million. This can be compared to

2004-2005 when just 13,500 rebates were issued worth $3.4 million. Since this

government presented its first Budget in 2004, Mr. Speaker, approximately

438,000 rebates have been provided to residents of the Province at a value of

over $105 million.

Mr. Speaker, all applications for the rebate are received and processed by

the Home Heating Rebate office in Grand Falls-Windsor which was opened in early

2010. I want to commend the staff at that office, who have efficiently handled

tens of thousands of application forms each year while also answering enquiries

related to the program. The office provides similar services for the Parental

Benefits Program and the Residential Energy Rebate.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it clear that the Home Heating Rebate and

the Residential Energy Rebate are two completely independent programs. The

Residential Energy Rebate sees the elimination of the provincial portion of the

HST on home energy for all residents, regardless of income, who are invoiced for

energy use that they use in their residences. In most cases, the rebate is

applied at the point-of-sale and the savings can be seen directly on the

invoice. Many people are able to take advantage of both rebates.

If a resident believes they are entitled to receive the Home Heating Rebate,

I would encourage them to submit an application as soon as possible. The

deadline for the 2011-2012 rebate is September 30, 2012. Information, including

the required form, can be found on the Department of Finance's Web site.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement.

It is certainly good to get an update on this program. As we know, there have

been too many people over the years that have had to make the choice between

heating their homes, buying food, or buying medications. People should never, in

our opinion, have to make that choice of paying for those necessities and basics

in their lives; yet, indeed, through the colder days of the year it is often a

decision that has to be made.

This program, Mr. Speaker, is a very good effort to ensure that people do not

have to make that decision. That is why, when you think of the history of it, it

was first introduced in 2001. The date, I believe, was on January 11, 2001,

which is when we saw the first Home Heating Rebate. As we know, the Minister of

Finance of the day recognized the social impact it could have, and hence the

program was introduced. The program has improved, as we know, over the years as

the finances of the Province have improved, but the principle remains the same.

Some people need assistance to pay for their heat and government should help.

I want to remind people, as the minister said, that the deadline for

submissions for applications is September 30, 2012. I also want to recognize the

fantastic work that is done at the Grand Falls-Windsor office; the staff and the

due diligence they do. I know at my office, the district office, we deal with

this office on a regular basis and I want to commend the workers for the great

work that they do.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

As his statement notes, many people in this Province depend on the Home

Heating Rebate government chooses to announce year after year, and as the

minister noted, more and more people apply each year. Last year, government took

our advice and removed the provincial portion of the HST from home heating

fuels. We have been calling for some time, and I call again, for government to

take our advice again and stop letting people hang every year waiting for an

announcement that this program will again be offered. We encourage the minister

to make the Home Heating Rebate a permanent program.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge the opening of

the exhibition Black Ice: David Blackwood Prints of Newfoundland, happening at

The Rooms tomorrow.

David Blackwood is one of Canada's leading print makers and most popular

artists. Black Ice showcases iconic Blackwood etchings, revealing the richness

of his imagination. It also includes related historical artifacts and archival

material from Mr. Blackwood's own collection.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Blackwood has been telling stories about this Province in

the form of compelling visual narratives for thirty years. He is known for

exploring the timeless theme of the struggle for survival in our own distinct

environment and how this impacted on a centuries-old way of life.

Opening to the public at the same time as Black Ice is an exhibition

co-curated by Mr. Blackwood, entitled Back in the Day: David Blackwood's

Newfoundland and Labrador. This exhibition will be located in The Rooms atrium

and will feature images, related archival documents, and artifacts from The

Rooms collections. The exhibition draws on Mr. Blackwood's own experiences and

memories of Wesleyville, where Mr. Blackwood was born and raised.

There are a number of scheduled events planned while these exhibitions are on

display, including a public opening reception which Mr. Blackwood will be

attending tomorrow, as well as a special presentation by a senior curator from

the Art Gallery of Ontario, as well as guided tours of the Black Ice exhibition

beginning June 13 through to September 9.

I encourage all residents to take the time to visit The Rooms to see this

incredible exhibition highlighting the work of David Blackwood, one of our

Province's most distinguished artists.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

We also here would like to congratulate Mr. Blackwood on his exhibition. We

encourage all people in Newfoundland and Labrador who have the opportunity to

visit it. As we all know, he has over thirty years of history in Newfoundland

and Labrador, giving us his real life experiences through his art. There are

some through lithograph, the kites from Wesleyville where he grew up. One of the

most memorable ones, Mr. Speaker, that I can remember is The Lost Party,

from the SS Newfoundland disaster in 1914, that he did to try to keep

Newfoundland heritage alive.

I say congratulations to Mr. Blackwood. Congratulations to the people at The

Rooms for pulling off this exhibition, because it will keep Newfoundland and

Labrador's culture alive. It will let everybody know what it is like to live in

rural Newfoundland, the struggles that we had, and I just thank David Blackwood

for keeping all this alive for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his

statement.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to stand in celebration of the

incredible work of our own David Blackwood. From Hauling Job Sturge's House

to the Burning of the Methodist Church , to whales and mummers, the lamp

shining its light for us to see Uncle Sam Kelloway's , Granda Glover's

Place on Bragg's Island , the young woman from Wesleyville, Black Ice ,

and the lighthouse at Cape Spear beckoning to every Newfoundlander and

Labradorian. David Blackwood has touched our hearts, our souls, and our

imaginations, and told our stories. I, like many, cannot wait for this amazing

opportunity to be immersed in the cultural treasure he has given us all.

Bravo, Mr. David Blackwood.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday in reference to an ongoing situation at Kruger, the Minister of

Service NL sent out a press release stressing that government legislation would

not impede the implementation of the negotiated agreement. This has caused quite

a bit of concern with the unions, who really do not want to see changes to their

pension calculations, merely trying to hang on to the current pension formula.

I ask the Premier: What are you willing to do to settle this confusion?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot overstate how critical the circumstances are in Corner

Brook as it pertains to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, the mill that has been in

operation in Corner Brook, very important to the economy of Western

Newfoundland, and very important to the entire Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador. It is a very critical and a very sensitive time, Mr. Speaker.

I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that there have been some flags raised around a

section of our solvency regulations, regulations that we brought in to address

pressures, economic and global pressures that exist in the markets today.

Attention has been drawn to

Section 8(1)(k). I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that

it is our belief that 8(1)(

k) does not interfere in any way with the ability of

the workers in Corner Brook and the operators of the mill to conduct and carry

out a collective agreement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is where some of the clarity needs to happen. I think the union has

asked for clarity on this.

Just to be clear, and for the record, I ask the minister: Will you be willing

to implement and make the changes that are required to keep this pension plan

intact if that is what it takes?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this government has responded to this question directly to the

union in private meetings. We have responded to it publicly and we have

responded to it here in the House of Assembly, Mr. Speaker. We do not believe

that regulatory changes are required at this time to secure the benefits that

the pensioners have. They have our word as a government that if regulatory

changes do appear to be necessary, we will make those changes, but we do not

believe they are required.

Pension issues will not prevent an agreement between the union and Corner

Brook Pulp and Paper. Any impediments that may come up in the pensions will be

dealt with by this government to ensure that those pension rights are secured.

We cannot be any clearer than that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have been saying for quite some time that the mining industry in Labrador

will need power. Yesterday, the chairman of Alderon indicated that their project

will tap out all remaining capacity in Labrador West.

I ask the Premier: The mining industry needs power; how are you going to get

it to them?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

For months now, Mr. Speaker, in fact since Muskrat Falls has been announced,

we have indicated that Muskrat Falls will meet the growing Island demand, the

industrial demand at Vale Inco, and the residential demand. Also, Mr. Speaker,

Muskrat Falls will allow the extra 40 per cent of power that we will import to

the spot markets while we are waiting for the mining developments to go into

business will be provided to them. We have indicated clearly that Muskrat Falls'

extra power will be used for the mining companies if they sign on the dotted

line and an agreement is reached.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Nothing in the current Muskrat Falls proposal includes transmitting power to

the Labrador mining companies.

I ask the Premier: When will we see a transmission plan of getting the power

to those companies?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is really too bad that they were not paying attention to the

Minister of Natural Resources when he has addressed this question a number of

times in the House, and they were not paying attention because they did not

realize that the mining companies in Labrador would need this kind of power. It

is the same short-sighted arguments we have seen against Muskrat Falls since the

beginning.

Mr. Speaker, when bankable feasibility studies have been completed, when

mining companies are prepared to proceed with development, when they have

negotiated agreements with Nalcor on the purchase of power, Mr. Speaker,

included in that will be arrangements for transmission. We are not going to

build transmission lines willy-nilly all over Labrador until we find out where

these developments are definitely going to go ahead.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: I remind the Premier, I did not ask for her to build a

transmission line, what I asked for was the plan. Mr. Speaker, getting power to

these companies should be a top priority for this government.

I ask the Premier: What is your position on government funding for

transmission lines for these operations?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The $5 billion that is set aside for Muskrat Falls, or the current numbers,

Mr. Speaker, includes building a transmission line from Muskrat Falls to

Churchill Falls. So we then need, Mr. Speaker, to get power to Labrador West. If

these mining developments are going to proceed, and that is up to them, Mr.

Speaker, then there will have to be another 250 to 350 kilometre line built.

When these companies come in not only the iron ore but when these companies

come in with concrete proposals and indicate to us that they definitely want the

power, then at that point, Mr. Speaker, we will have discussions with them as to

the building of transmission lines and how the costs will be dealt with.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, the minister stated last week that the mining companies in Labrador

could not afford Muskrat Falls power.

I ask the Premier: Can you tell us today what would be the industrial rate

for Muskrat Falls power?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in this instance they listened to part of the answer, and only

part of the answer.

Mr. Speaker, the Opposition House Leader, the Member for Cartwright L'Anse

au Clair, said in a scrum some weeks ago that she would support the development

of Muskrat Falls if all the power was going to stay in Labrador. Well, Mr.

Speaker, if all of the power is going to stay in Labrador, they have to be able

to cover off the costs of that power, and mining companies alone could never do

that, Mr. Speaker. They could not take a $4 billion project and divide that

amongst six or eight companies and still pay for their power and make money.

That is why there has to be other customers to make the whole plan work, Mr.

Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just so the Premier can clarify: Are you expecting the customers in Nova

Scotia or New Brunswick or in New England States to pay for the cost of Muskrat

Falls power?

AN HON. MEMBER: No, no.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, Mr. Speaker; the customers in Nova Scotia are going to pay $1.2 billion

for the power. Absolutely, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, there is a way that these projects are

planned, not only in Newfoundland and Labrador, but in Quebec and all over the

world. Mr. Speaker, that expertise resides now in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank goodness, Mr. Speaker, we waited for the development of the Lower

Churchill until that expertise was here because the Liberals were going to give

every kilowatt of the power to Quebec, and we would have had to go to them to

see if we could do any of these developments in Labrador. Not anymore, Mr.

Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, yesterday in a ninety-minute time span there were

three motor vehicle accidents on the Outer Ring Road, all within Portugal Cove

and Torbay exits.

I ask the minister: Has your department done an investigation on the

condition of the road infrastructure in this

section of the Outer Ring Road?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, unfortunately motor vehicle accidents occur

on our highways. We would like to see none whatsoever, but in this particular

case there were circumstances surrounding those accidents, weather wise and

other wise. Of course, the investigations carried out will be carried out by the

most appropriate people, in this case, I believe, the RNC.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, having three accidents in a specific area in a short period of

time is very concerning.

I ask the minister: Are there any safety issues on this particular

section of

the Outer Ring Road, and are there any plans for improvements this year?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, when you look at the highway system here in

Newfoundland and Labrador and the construction of such highways, they are always

done to the national standards with safety in mind. As well, you have to look at

the individual accidents. A lot occurred within a small space of time. The

factors involved there, particularly on the day that you are referencing, would

be the heavy, thick fog. I know the investigating officer, when interviewed,

indicated that speed and distance, making sure that you drove according to the

conditions of the day, would explain why we did have that number of accidents

within a small period of time.

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, the comprehensive agreement between the

College of the North Atlantic and the State of Qatar will expire in August 2013.

Staff at the college is anxious over whether or not another ten-year agreement

will be renewed, as they would need considerable notice to relocate.

I ask the minister: Can you tell us what the status of the agreement is and

what is the future of the college in Qatar?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the negotiations with the State of Qatar for the

college have been ongoing for some time. They are continuing at this time. Mr.

Speaker, it is this government's intention to continue that contract, but in

saying that we also want to make sure that this Province is well protected and

we get the best results that we can from that contract.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, according to a recent report by the

Citizens' Representative, the College of the North Atlantic is being sued by

employees in Qatar for an end-of-service gratuity required under Qatari law. The

college has repeatedly used college funds to fight employees individually, even

though the State has, on every occasion, ruled against the college. In addition,

the Citizens' Representative has advised that Qatari court rulings must prevail.

I ask the minister: Why does the college continue fighting its own employees

in court, and when will the college cease these needless court actions and

distribute payment to college employees?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is our understanding based on the contract that we do not pay the

end-of-service awards that they would pay in the State of Qatar. The employees

who we are talking about are also covered under Canadian law and the Canadian

pension CPP, they pay into that as well.

We understand that there is an appeal going through the higher level of court

in Qatar regarding this issue. Mr. Speaker, it is our understanding that we will

be appealing that decision. We feel that based on our contract and based on

Canadian law and CPP contributions, that we do not pay that gratuity.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, we know of several instances of the college

being sued by these employees over their entitlement to this end-of-service

gratuity.

I ask the minister: Can you tell us how many lawsuits have now passed through

the courts regarding this end-of-service gratuity, as well as the estimated

costs for the college in legal fees and payouts?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: As I said, Mr. Speaker, this was a contract that had been

negotiated with the State of Qatar and how we pay the employees. Mr. Speaker, it

was our understanding that we do not pay the end-of-service gratuity based on

the contract. We have consulted with the State of Qatar; we will also be

appealing the decision to a higher court.

As we negotiate this contract, the concerns of this government are to ensure

that this government is protected and we are able to provide the services that

the State of Qatar wants. Mr. Speaker, it is not at all costs, and it is

certainly going to mean that we represent the best interests of this Province in

any negotiations we have.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers is

a federal-provincial program to help unemployed older workers in communities

affected by downsizing, or closures, find work. In February 2012, the federal

government announced $2.2 million in funding to help fund 115 unemployed older

workers through thirteen separate projects. We learned in Estimates that the

$2.2 million has been reduced to $897,500.

I ask the minister: Which of the thirteen TIOW projects will be axed in light

of this funding cut?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, as we move through this fiscal year, we look at

the labour demands and the issues we have to face, in particular with some of

the plant closures and we have a ministerial committee to address that as we

go forward, we are not necessarily dependent upon the federal government for

what programs or services we are going to offer, Mr. Speaker.

If there are needs we see in a community and there is a way that the

Department of Advanced Education and Skills or other departments that we work

with are able to go in and provide services, Mr. Speaker, we will do just that.

This government is not dependent on the TIOW from the federal government to

ensure we work with the people who are displaced in this Province, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, government's one simple reason for removing the

Parsons Pond road is the concern for moose and caribou populations. Meanwhile,

Nalcor's environmental impact statement for Muskrat Falls explicitly states

that, although the 1,100 kilometre corridor intersects twenty-four moose

management areas, including Parsons Pond, determining the effect on moose is not

practical because moose are not a native species and because their densities

pose hazards to drivers.

I ask the Minister of Environment and Conservation: How can you say that

moose populations are of concern in Parsons Pond, but irrelevant to the 1,100

kilometre Muskrat Falls transmission corridor, which passes through Moose

Management Area 2 and Caribou Management Area 69, which includes Parsons Pond?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Mr. Speaker, I am amazed I am amazed. I hardly know how to

respond to the hon. member. He is here asking questions in the House. He is

assaulting me every time he sees me, Mr. Speaker, to look after the moose. There

are not enough moose on the Northern Peninsula, Mr. Speaker. So here we are

making a decision to increase the numbers of moose and to make sure to protect

the wildlife we have in the area. Now he is against it because his local area

people believe this road should stay in place, Mr. Speaker.

As I said before, it is a very easy thing for us to do. Mr. Speaker, we have

to do the right thing here. We have to side on the side of conservation. It is

the right thing to do, and that is what this government stands for: doing the

right thing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, the contracts for seven of the nineteen

Regional Economic Development Boards ran out on March 31, but they have yet to

receive any provincial core funding for 2012-2013. ACOA has given the boards

just two more weeks to sign their contracts for 2013 but they need to know the

Province's intentions before they can develop their plans for this year.

I ask the minister: Is IBRD prepared to make their 2012-2013 commitment to

the RED Boards so they can meet the ACOA deadline and requirement?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural

Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this initiative was driven by the federal government, ACOA. They

decided to cut 75 per cent of the total funding for the REDBs. We have worked

closely, continue to work, my officials with the RED Boards as we move forward

through the transition. Our staff is engaged. We will certainly look at the

capacity we have on the ground. We have built that capacity since 2003. Our

programming and funding have increased substantially since then, almost $2

million to services and core funding, whether it is initiatives through finance

in terms of tax credits, those sorts of things. We are up to $200 million in

terms of economic development. We are confident we can work and move forward,

and work with the capacity on the ground to continue to build economic

development. We will certainly work along with those in the REDBs in the

transition period as we move ahead.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

In response to my question yesterday the Minister of Natural Resources stated

that he informed unions, government's framework of assistance for the Corner

Brook Pulp and Paper mill would involve the power asset.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What assurances has he

given Joe Kruger regarding his company's power assets?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things I did do as opposed to speaking to key

players, as the Leader of the Third Party has done, I have actually met with the

unions, sat down with them, sat down with the retired workers and heard their

concerns. They have outlined to me, Mr. Speaker, what they would like to see

government do if an agreement is reached. They have outlined the issue of

capital assets in the mill, the issue, Mr. Speaker, of their pensions. They have

raised the issue of the power asset. There have been no assurances given to

anyone on anything, Mr. Speaker. The power asset is there, it is a reality. It

is one of the things that make Corner Brook Pulp and Paper attractive, in that

it can provide cheap power.

Mr. Speaker, we are hoping at the end of the day that an agreement will be

reached. I suggest to the Leader of the Third Party that perhaps the key players

she is meeting with are not informing her of the true state of affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the minister, Mr. Speaker: What is it? Are they involved in the power

assets or not? Yesterday he said he would, today he is saying nothing about the

power assets, so make up his mind.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Premier and senior ministers gave Joe

Kruger an outline of the framework of assistance that will implement if Corner

Brook Pulp and Paper and the unions come to an agreement. Armed with this

knowledge, the next day Kruger gave the unions a deadline of June 15. Union

officials I spoke with have not yet received a smiliar type of briefing from the

government.

I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: When did he meet with the union

officials to brief them in detail on government's framework of assistance?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

The Kruger financial situation is very serious, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of

Finance was given permission by Joseph Kruger to meet with the unions and to

outline the dire straits in which this company finds itself.

It is not only the situation, Mr. Speaker, of this industry, but the

situation of this company. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about a framework, all I am

talking about - will there be a loan? There will be no subsidies, Mr. Speaker.

What we will be doing is looking at a way to help Kruger survive financially,

meanwhile looking after the assets in the mill, looking after the power assets,

Mr. Speaker, and trying to ensure that the workers of Corner Brook are looked

after. We are not playing politics, Mr. Speaker. We are here to help. We

understand the importance of this mill and we understand the situation which

families, friends and neighbours find themselves in, in the Corner Brook area

right now, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Unions in Corner Brook are staring down an ultimatum, Mr. Speaker. Time is of

the essence.

I ask the Premier: Will she send her Minister of Natural Resources to Corner

Brook to fully brief the unions on their plans?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this government has been in regular communication, not only with

Mr. Kruger and Corner Brook Pulp and Paper but with the unions long before we

came to this particular place. This is an industry that has been in dire

difficulty for a very long time and people in this Province recognize it. We

have lost two mills, Mr. Speaker.

In this effort to try and save Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, preserve the jobs

in that region, Mr. Speaker, and help contribute toward a sustainability plan,

there is a role for the union, there is a role for the employer, and there is a

role for government, Mr. Speaker. Everybody needs to get to their piece sooner

than later because banks are waiting.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The whole Province waits anxiously while the future of the Corner Brook Pulp

and Paper mill hangs in the balance, Mr. Speaker. Its closing will affect

everybody.

Government briefed the president and owner of the company that runs the mill

on its plans. Why won't government, I ask the Premier, let the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador, whom they represent, also know their plans?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the plan is quite simple. What we are saying to the people in

Corner Brook, what we are saying to the union, and what we are saying to Mr.

Kruger, is: you have issues to resolve where it is not appropriate for

government to be involved. Labour has to determine at what price they will

provide their services to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper. We have no role in that.

That is a negotiation between the people who work at that mill and the people

who own it. What we are saying is: once you conclude those negotiations and

through those negotiations work out a sustainability plan for the mill on a

go-forward basis, then we, as a government, will come in and try to assist in

securing that sustainability; this is the framework and the principles we will

use in determining what that support

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier knows as well as I do that the issue of the pension, which is a

key one, is not part of negotiations; that is under legislation.

Mr. Speaker, recently in the media, Emera President Chris Huskilson said

although he has yet to receive Nalcor's new numbers on the entire Muskrat Falls

Project, he sees his

part in the deal still on budget at $1.2 billion. We know

Premier Dunderdale would still consider sanctioning the project excuse me, Mr.

Speaker, I should not have used her name; I did, and that was an accident. We

know the Premier would still consider sanctioning the project if the price tag

rose to $8 billion. She has told us so.

So, I ask the Premier: has Emera indicated to the Province how much is too

much to pay for their part of the bargain?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Third Party thinks I am going to engage in

this kind of foolishness with her in the House of Assembly, she is sadly

mistaken.

Mr. Speaker, she takes one piece of information and flings out at the very

last question in Question Period an isolated piece of information that cannot be

answered in any kind of a sensible way here in the House of Assembly. She is at

again today, Mr. Speaker.

Right now we are dealing with Decision Gate 2 numbers. Mr. Speaker, when we

get to Decision Gate 3 numbers and we see how costs have escalated with regard

to Muskrat Falls, and we see how costs have escalated with all of the

alternatives, we will determine whether or not $8 billion is too much to pay.

And back to your Corner Brook piece, I would also like to share, Mr. Speaker,

that the pension issue is an issue (inaudible)

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

Since 2006, the provincial government has rubber-stamped federal plans to allow

mining companies to save money by using natural ponds as tailings impoundment

areas. As a result, we have lost Trout Pond in Central Newfoundland and are

about to lose Sandy Pond, the home of trophy-class trout and an endangered eel,

without a peep from the provincial government.

I ask the minister: Will his department stop any further giveaways of our

waterways for mining companies to use as cheap toxic dumps?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, our job in the Department of Environment is to minimize when

industrial development occurs and it does so within our role is to mitigate

environmental damage. In the case of Sandy Pond, that is exactly what we are

doing; we are mitigating the environmental damage. Putting those tailings

underwater, Mr. Speaker, is the best thing we can do. It is better than burying

them underground and it is better than stacking them in piles. That is exactly

what we have to do.

All he has to do is refer to the leader. The leader of his party sat on

environmental panels before, Mr. Speaker, and approved the actual burying. I

suggest he talk to his leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: We could be doing better than that, I say to the hon.

minister.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, the Harper government has introduced legislation

to dramatically cut the environmental assessment process and remove protection

of fish habitats. Environmental assessment in this Province has always relied on

federal regulations to protect our waterways, ecosystems, and fish habitats, and

now those regulations are gone.

I ask the minister: Will his department enact laws and regulations to

maintain the level of environmental protection this Province needs?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should obviously do his

research. He did not know about things that his leader did years ago, when she

sat on environmental panels. He does not know what he is talking about now,

either.

Mr. Speaker, in 1983, we passed in this House I did not pass it; I was not

here at the time the Environmental Protection Act. That act, Mr. Speaker, is

one of the most robust environmental acts in the country. We partnered with the

federal government. When we need their resources, Mr. Speaker, we partner with

them. We partner with them in a number of areas: Environment Canada is part of

our decision making; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; CEAA is a part of it;

Transport Canada; and Health Canada. Mr. Speaker, when we need their advice and

their issues, they will still come to this committee. Nothing will compromise

the environment of this Province.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, seniors have contacted us saying that their

65Plus drug cards were cancelled because they were no longer eligible for

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS ROGERS: the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS ROGERS: Maybe they did not do their taxes in time to get the GIS, or

maybe their income was a few dollars over the $16,368 cut off.

I ask the Minister of Health and Community Services: When will her department

do the right thing and stop tying eligibility for a provincial program to a

federal one, and be fair to seniors by making this 65Plus Plan available to all

seniors?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in this Province we have unquestionably one of the best programs

for seniors with regard to drug coverage that we are going to find anywhere.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, the member opposite was in this House when we

debated the legislation and when we looked at generics, and what we have in this

Province now is a situation where seniors who were covered under the NLPDP do

not pay any more than $6 per prescription. That is something that I think

demonstrates our commitment to the seniors of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member has time for a quick question.

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Will she introduce a policy

that people who are denied eligibility for one drug program, like the 65Plus

Program and are denied, that they automatically get information about other

programs that they are entitled to?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services a

quick answer.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, all of that information is available on our Web site and many

people who move from one program to another program know how to find that

information. Mr. Speaker, there are people who are no longer eligible from time

to time for one program who do meet the eligibility criteria for another

program, as in the Assurance Program, Mr. Speaker. That is all available

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I am sorry; the time for Question Period has expired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Tabling of Documents

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to stand today to table the 2011 Annual Performance Report of

the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

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

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice, seconded by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, that under

Standing Order 11, I shall move that this House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on

Monday, June 11, 2012.

Further, I give notice, under Standing Order 11, that this House not adjourn

at 10:00 p.m. on Monday, June 11, 2012.

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in response to the question asked from the Member for Cartwright

L'Anse au Clair on March 28 regarding the independent analysis of alternatives

to meet domestic demand for electricity, I would like to refer to the review

completed by Navigant Consulting for Nalcor Energy in September 2011. I would

also like to discuss, Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba Hydro International report.

MHI, Mr. Speaker, were hired by the PUB as an independent consultant to

review and report on the two options which had been identified as the least-cost

options to respond to the Island's power needs. In the time leading up to the

special debate in the House of Assembly, Mr. Speaker, we will also be tabling

reports in relation to natural gas and wind alternatives. MHI has been hired by

our government to complete an independent review of the Decision Gate 3 numbers.

The Navigant review, Mr. Speaker, considered a number of electricity supply

options that could be theoretically considered to meet future requirements.

Included options, Mr. Speaker, represent a range of choices from local

resources, to importing fuel from world markets, and to interconnecting with the

North American electricity grid. In

summary, Mr. Speaker, Navigant supported

Nalcor's position that of all of these possible scenarios, which were accessed

by Nalcor, Muskrat Falls represented the lowest-cost option.

The MHI report, Mr. Speaker, supports the Island's additional need for power

and concludes that the Muskrat Falls generating station and the Labrador-Island

link project represents the least-cost option of the two alternatives to deliver

the power. It concluded, Mr. Speaker, that Nalcor's analysis was reasonable,

appropriate, and was performed largely in accordance with industry best

practices.

In its report to the PUB, Mr. Speaker, MHI identified several reasons why

Muskrat Falls is the best option, which include: it is the least-cost option;

residential electricity demand and industrial growth is likely to grow faster

than Nalcor has predicted; Holyrood may need to be closed earlier than first

suspected; and carbon pricing in the future could make the isolated Island

scenario even more expensive. The MHI report, Mr. Speaker, applies an extensive

sensitivity analysis and even then concludes that Muskrat Falls is the

least-cost project to meet the energy needs of the Island.

With respect to natural gas, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources

has travelled to New York on several occasions, once with the Minister of

Finance and once with the Premier, where meetings were held with PIRA, a leading

oil-forecasting company, and Wood Mackenzie, a worldwide energy advisor. During

these meetings, Mr. Speaker, there were extensive discussions of the effects of

shale gas on present and future pricing of natural gas, the impact on North

American energy markets, and the worldwide market for natural gas.

The minister and departmental officials have also met with industry

representatives who have explored and continue to explore, Mr. Speaker,

developing our offshore natural gas. We are told that there are no plans to

develop natural gas in the short term, as it is not economically feasible. There

are two possible scenarios, Mr. Speaker, for using natural gas to generate

electricity in this Province. The first is to build a 350 kilometre to 650

kilometre pipeline from the Grand Banks, which has an estimated capital cost of

$1 billion to $2 billion, minimum; or two, Mr. Speaker, to import natural gas

into the Province, which I call the LNG option. Under the first scenario, the

pipeline scenario, the decision to develop natural gas and build a pipeline must

be a decision made by the oil and gas companies who have a license to develop

and produce. The Province cannot force the oil companies to develop natural gas;

we have no legislative authority to order an existing project to deliver gas to

the Province.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the current low price of natural gas,

approximately $3 per million BTU, is a deterrent to its development in this

Province. The price needed to make such development viable, according to the oil

companies, is a minimum of $10 to $12 per million BTU. The experts we have

consulted predict that gas prices will be in the range of $6 per million BTU for

the next decade. We are told it is simply not economically feasible, Mr.

Speaker, to pursue this scenario.

Similarly, in addition to exposing the Province to volatile fuel prices, we

are told that importing natural gas into the Province is cost-prohibitive. The

cost of building an LNG terminal alone, Mr. Speaker, will be in the range of $1

billion to $2 billion. Dr. Wade Locke reviewed this option and concluded that

natural gas would have to cost less than $5.75 per million BTU delivered to the

Province to be a cheaper alternative than Muskrat Falls. This compares, Mr.

Speaker, to the prices which are currently being paid in Europe and Asia and

which represent larger markets than our own, where they are paying currently

between $13 and $16 per million BTU.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, natural gas would not provide power for the mining

developments in Labrador. Muskrat Falls, however, would meet the Island's demand

and also supply power for industrial development in Labrador.

That being said, Mr. Speaker, our government has contracted Ziff Energy, a

Canadian consulting firm with many years of global experience, to provide

natural gas reports. Mr. Speaker, in relation to wind, in the next couple of

weeks we will be contracting a company to provide a report on wind.

Mr. Speaker, before the House of Assembly proceeds to its special debate, we

will be tabling reports on the liquefied natural gas option, the pipeline

option, and wind.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today in response to the Member for Burgeo La Poile, who has tabled

a question in the House of Assembly regarding the contract between Mr. John

Noseworthy and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As confirmed by an Order in Council tabled in the House of Assembly on

Thursday, March 8, 2012, former Auditor General John Noseworthy has been

retained by the Department of Advanced Education and Skills as a consultant to

complete an assessment of the current programming and business transformation

for the Department of Advanced Education and Skills.

This department was created to help address labour demand and has a mandate

to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador has the highly educated graduates and

skilled workers needed for this fast-growing economy. Given this new mandate, a

comprehensive transformation plan is needed to ensure all departmental policies,

programs, and services are streamlined and best fitted to meet the growing

labour demands of Newfoundland and Labrador.

To undertake this task, Mr. Noseworthy has been hired as a consultant to

examine programs, services, and delivery methods of the Department of Advanced

Education and Skills to identify ways to achieve greater efficiency and

effectiveness to best meet the future needs of this Province. Mr. Noseworthy has

a distinguished track record in the public service and has the right skills and

knowledge to successfully carry out this work. His experience and expertise in

reviewing program effectiveness, advising Cabinet ministers, and managing

projects, as well as his in-depth knowledge of government process and

accountability requirements, make Mr. Noseworthy the ideal candidate for this

position.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Advanced Education and Skills was created in

the fall of 2011 as a result of the merger of the former Department of Human

Resources, Labour and Employment and the Advanced Studies Branch of the

Department of Education. The new department was created in response to rapid

growth and expansion in the provincial economy and the need to focus on

supplying highly educated graduates and skilled workers for our fast-growing

economy.

This department will house the soon-to-be-developed Workforce Development

Secretariat. As announced in Budget 2012: People and Prosperity, this

secretariat will focus on ensuring that labour market policies and programs are

strategically aligned to develop and employ a highly trained and skilled

workforce that can meet evolving labour market demands. As a new department, the

minister and the executive are charged with the responsibility to develop a

clear vision and direction and to utilize the substantial resources available to

ensure the Province's workforce is developed. This will allow us to capitalize

on the economic opportunities that are known and predicted for the next five to

ten years, and to further position the Province to pursue and achieve long-term

economic success beyond 2020.

Mr. Speaker, I will conclude at this point so we can get through the other

business for the day, and I will provide my answer at another time.

MR. SPEAKER: You are rising on a point of order?

MR. BENNETT: Yes, Sir.

Should not this response be tabled by the minister?

MR. SPEAKER: Are you asking the minister to table her response?

MR. BENNETT: Yes, Sir.

MR. SPEAKER: The minister, when she concludes her comments, will table

her response.

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, if I could

MR. SPEAKER: (Inaudible) to the point of order.

MR. KENNEDY: The only concern I would have, Mr. Speaker, about tabling

the documents for example, the document I just read from then, I did not

finish it because of time restrictions. Hansard contains a copy of what is said.

What we are tabling is the notice or the answer to the question, and that is in

Hansard. Obviously, Mr. Speaker, there are time restrictions, and sometimes I

have noticed the last couple I have done, I have not had time to get through

them, so I would have some concern with that.

MR. SPEAKER: Further to the point of order.

MS JONES: Yes, Mr. Speaker, it was my understanding that the

long-standing practice in the House of Assembly is that when you read from a

document and you are asked to table that document, it is normally required.

Whether there are exceptions under our Standing Orders when it comes to answers

to questions which have been placed on the Order Paper, our Standing Orders are

not clear from what I have looked at and I would look for a ruling from the

Speaker on that.

MR. SPEAKER: I could speak to the point of order.

This issue of and the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair is accurate

in her observation in that the Standing Orders on this issue is somewhat

ambiguous. It is akin to some of the other Standing Orders that we have dealt

with in this House. Throughout this process of having questions that have been

laid on the Order Paper answered by Cabinet Ministers on behalf of Government,

it is government's prerogative to decide to answer the questions. There is no

Standing Order that says what that time limit should be, nor is there any

Standing Order that tells how long the question should be.

In many other jurisdictions, the language in Standing Orders is much clearer.

It is difficult to be guided by other jurisdictions and what their Standing

Orders may dictate. The Speaker in this Assembly would be relying on some

precedent, some past practice and rulings by past Speakers. Clearly, in the area

of ambiguity, the responsibility then rests with the Speaker to provide some

comment.

Let me just share with you some observations that we should be guided by. In

the absence of clarity in the Standing Orders, the Speaker can look to a couple

of things. Oral Questions, and very clearly in this House there is an

opportunity to ask questions orally. We have said that they will be forty-five

seconds to ask the question and forty-five seconds to respond. If the question

is much longer, if a member of the Opposition were to ask a question to

government that would require a fairly lengthy and in-depth answer, it cannot be

answered in Oral Question Period. Government has the opportunity, if they wish,

to have that answer provided in a written statement by way of Ministerial

Statements.

Then when you look at Ministerial Statements in this House, again it is

somewhat ambiguous in terms of the time allocated for Ministerial Statements,

but if you reflect on Ministerial Statements that are delivered in this House

today and in past sessions, they tend to range somewhere between two and four

minutes. If you were to be guided by that, in terms of allocating a time period

to provide an answer to the question, a complete answer to the question, not

spread over two or three days, but the complete answer to the question if you

were guided by that Standing Order, it would suggest that the answer has to be

provided, and provided in a two to four minute time frame. That would provide

some guidance to the House but neither - the Standing Orders are somewhat

ambiguous.

The Speaker has been trying to be guided by the Standing Orders that reflect

Ministerial Statements and provide some latitude in having the answers provided

for in somewhere between a two and four minute period. Ministers, if they wish,

can stand and provide an answer to the question that was laid on the Order Paper

by giving the answer orally, or they can table the document and have the

document tabled if they wish. So the minister responding has the opportunity to

one of each.

In debate in the House, clearly when ministers stand and read from a prepared

text, they have, if asked, an obligation to table what they read, but if they

are standing and giving an answer and using what might be very detailed notes,

they are not obligated to table that because they are not reading directly from

the text.

So, in answer to the point of order that is being raised and providing some

clarity to the House with respect to responding to questions that have been

placed on the Order Paper, in future we should be guided by my comment with

respect to Ministerial Statements. In the absence of anything clear in the

Standing Orders, I have had an opportunity in recent days to reflect on and read

some of the past rulings by previous Speakers who were again caught in the same

spot with very ambiguous Standing Orders and have relied on some judgment that

they used at that time.

The judgment that I am using now and the ruling that I am making to guide

this House is that ministers who are responding to questions that have been

placed on the Order Paper should be guided by the same timeline that they use

for Ministerial Statements, which would range somewhere between two to four

minutes. That four-minute period would be all-inclusive to provide the answer to

the question in total. If your answer is much more detailed and it requires a

much more lengthy response, then the minister can table the full document and

not enter anything into the record orally.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I present a petition to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS in the District of The Straits White Bay North, despite the $4

million Rural Broadband Initiative announcement on December 22, 2011, only one

community, Ship Cove, is slated for broadband coverage; and

WHEREAS the communities of Pines Cove, Eddies Cove East, Bide Arm, North Boat

Harbour, L'Anse aux Meadows, Great Brehat, St. Carol's, Goose Cove, Grandois,

and St. Anthony Bight still remain without services; and

WHEREAS many small businesses within the district rely on Internet to conduct

business; and

WHEREAS broadband Internet permits a business to be more competitive than the

slower dial-up service; and

WHEREAS broadband Internet enhances primary, secondary, post-secondary, and

further educational opportunities;

We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge the government to

reinvest in the Rural Broadband Initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed today by residents of Anchor Point, Black

Duck Cove, St. Anthony, Green Island Cove, Pines Cove, and Eddies Cove East. It

is quite clear that some of these communities of which the petitioners have

signed have broadband access, but they see the need for other communities to

really have a true connected network.

If we look at the value across Canada through the CRTC, what they have

reported in 2008, the Internet revenues from sales there in 2008 was $6.2

billion. It represented only a reflection of 15 per cent of telecommunication

sales. There is a great opportunity when we look at doing business using the

Internet.

Mr. Speaker, this is a petition I have presented several times in this House

of Assembly. I call on other members to urge the government to address this

problem because there are over 200 communities across Newfoundland and Labrador

that do not have access.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a petition.

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

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS with declining enrolment, distance education by Internet is now an

accepted way to deliver educational services to students living in small

communities; and

WHEREAS students have little to no say in where they or their families

reside; and

WHEREAS many families do not have the ability to relocate so that their

children can access educational opportunities in larger centres; and

WHEREAS many small businesses rely on the Internet to conduct business; and

WHEREAS high-speed Internet permits a business to be more competitive than

the slower dial-up service; and

WHEREAS no high-speed Internet service exists in the community of Bird Cove;

and

WHEREAS there are no plans to offer high-speed Internet to residents of this

community;

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

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

with the private sector and offer high-speed Internet service to these

communities.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, there are many small communities in Newfoundland and Labrador

who do not have high-speed Internet service. While the government has made some

advances and some steps forward, in 2003 approximately 60 per cent of the

residents of the Province had access to high-speed Internet service. Today, nine

years later, we are still only up to 85 per cent. Mr. Speaker, this means that

15 per cent of our population, approximately 75,000 or 80,000 people, have no

high-speed Internet service.

We have seen that businesses have had to close in small communities. These

small communities are being literally left behind in the high-speed Internet

sweepstakes. It is simply not good enough that government would throw blocks of

money in various areas and expect the best outcome. The best outcome, Mr.

Speaker, is to have a targeted approach that helps all of these small

communities access contemporary, 2012 high-speed Internet service.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today to present a petition.

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

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland

and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the Regional Economic Development RED Boards diversify, grow, and

strengthen economies throughout the Province by providing training

opportunities, marketing advice, proposal writing, leveraging of funds,

collaboration, and other means; and

WHEREAS the federal government's decision to cut funding to the Atlantic

Canada Opportunities Agency ACOA is resulting in the elimination of funding

to the RED Boards and their termination in May, 2013; and

WHEREAS 75 per cent of the operational funding for the RED Boards roughly

$3.6 million is provided by ACOA, with the additional 25 per cent from the

provincial government; and

WHEREAS the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development IBRD

has $200 million in their suite of programming, some of which has poor uptake;

and

WHEREAS just 1.5 per cent of the Business Attraction Fund of the Department

of Innovation, Business and Rural Development was used last year, $366,800 of a

$25 million budget;

We the undersigned petition the House of Assembly to urge the government to

commit to bridge funding in its 2013 Budget, which may come from the Business

Attraction Fund, to help preserve the RED Boards in Newfoundland and Labrador,

who provide to support to municipalities, communities, organizations, and

businesses.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, the petition right here is signed by residents of Paradise, St.

John's, and Mount Pearl. It is quite vital, the work that these organizations

have done, the nineteen of them across Newfoundland and Labrador. Right now,

they certainly are in a transition period and they certainly need funding to

continue their operations.

There have been millions of dollars that have been leveraged and there has

been great work done, whether it be looking at agrifood development, community

capacity building, workshops, or whether they are doing supplier training for

helping local businesses be able to tap into some of these larger projects that

are happening here in the Province. We are not talking about a significantly

large portion of money, when there is so much that can be unused in a

department. We would like to see these boards preserved.

Maybe they need to have a bit of a change in focus, Mr. Speaker, but there

does need to be the ability for these organizations to exist and provide

economic development, community economic development. They have been undergoing

performance-based management and they certainly can be given funding based on

their performance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, for leave

to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The City Of St. John's Act And The

City Of St. John's Municipal Taxation Act, Bill 30, and I further move that the

said bill be now read the first time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Minister of Municipal

Affairs shall have leave to introduce a bill,

An Act To Amend The City Of St.

John's Act And The City Of St. John's Municipal Taxation Act, Bill 30.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the Minister shall have leave to

introduce Bill 30 and that the said bill be now read the first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

AN HON. MEMBER: Nay.

MR. SPEAKER: Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs to introduce a bill, "An

Act To Amend The City Of St. John's Act And The City Of St. John's Municipal

Taxation Act", carried. (Bill 30)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The City Of St. John's Act And The City Of

St. John's Municipal Taxation Act. (Bill 30)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read the first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 30 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of

Treasury Board for leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act to Amend The

Public Service Collective Bargaining Act, Bill 31, and I further move that the

said bill be now read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board shall have leave to introduce a bill, An

Act To Amend The Public Service Collective Bargaining Act, Bill 31, and that the

said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that minister shall have leave to introduce

Bill 31 and that the said bill be now read a first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board to

introduce a bill, "An Act To Amend The Public Service Collective Bargaining

Act", carried. (Bill 31)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Public Service Collective Bargaining

Act. (Bill 31)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read the first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 31 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of

Treasury Board, for leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The

Public Service Commission Act, Bill 32, and I further move the said bill be now

read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board shall have leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Public Service Commission Act, Bill 32, and that

the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall have leave to

introduce Bill 32 and that the said bill be now read a first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board to

introduce a bill, "An Act To Amend The Public Service Commission Act", carried.

(Bill 32)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Public Service Commission Act. (Bill

32)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 32 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs, for leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The

Assessment Act, 2006, Bill 34, and I further move that the said bill be now read

the first time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Minister of Municipal

Affairs shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The

Assessment Act, 2006, Bill 34, and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall have leave to

introduce Bill 34, and that the said be now read a first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs to introduce a bill, "An

Act To Amend The Assessment Act, 2006", carried. (Bill 34)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Assessment Act, 2006. (Bill 34)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 34 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal

Affairs, for leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Municipal

Affairs Act, Bill 35, and I further move that the said bill be now read a first

time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Minister of Municipal

Affairs shall leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Municipal

Affairs Act, Bill 35, and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall have leave to

introduce Bill 35 and that the said bill be now read a first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs to introduce a bill, "An

Act To Amend The Municipal Affairs Act", carried. (Bill 35)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Municipal Affairs Act. (Bill 35)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 35 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal

Affairs, for leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act Respecting Regional

Service Boards In The Province, Bill 36, and I further move that the said bill

be now read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Minister of Municipal

Affairs shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act Respecting

Regional Service Boards In The Province, Bill 36, and that the said bill be now

read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall have leave to

introduce Bill 36 and that the said bill be now read a first time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs to introduce a bill, "An

Act Respecting Regional Service Boards In The Province", carried. (Bill 36)

CLERK: A bill,

An Act Respecting Regional Service Boards In The Province.

(Bill 36)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR. KENNEDY: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 36 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal

Affairs, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider

Bills 23, 24, 25, 26, and 28.

MR. SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that I do now leave the Chair

for the House to resolve itself into Committee of the Whole and to consider the

bills referred.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.

Speaker left the Chair.

Committee of the Whole

CHAIR (Verge): Order, please!

In Committee of the Whole this afternoon we will be considering Bills 23, 24,

25, 26, and 28.

We will begin with Bill 23.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act". (Bill

23)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

The Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Oh, no, (inaudible).

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clause 1 carried.

CLERK: Clause 2 to 5 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 5 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 5 carried.

CLERK:

Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in

Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK:

An Act To Amend The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,

carried.

CHAIR: We are now debating Bill 24.

A bill, "An Act To Extinguish Obsolete Actions In The Province". (Bill 24)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clause 1 carried.

CLERK: Clauses 2 to 9 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 9 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 9 carried.

CLERK:

Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor in House of Assembly in

Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK:

An Act To Extinguish Obsolete Actions In The Province.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,

carried.

CHAIR: We are now debating Bill 25.

A bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Optometry In The Province". (Bill

25)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clause 1 carried.

CLERK: Clauses 2 to 66 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 66 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 66 carried.

CLERK:

Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in

Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK:

An Act Respecting The Practice Of Optometry In The Province.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,

carried.

CHAIR: We are now debating Bill 26.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business Practices Act

No. 2". (Bill 26)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clause 1 carried.

CLERK: Clauses 2 to 6 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 6 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 6 carried.

CLERK:

Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in

Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK:

An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business Practices Act

No. 2.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,

carried.

CHAIR: We are now debating Bill 28.

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Chair, I wanted to ask a couple of questions on Bill 26.

I do not know if you saw me standing or not.

CHAIR: I did see you standing when we were passing the enacting clause

and the title. I did not see you stand when we called the clauses.

MR. MURPHY: It may be too late if that is the case, but I just wanted to

ask the minister a couple of questions on Bill 26. I do not know if we are past

that process or not.

CHAIR: With leave of the House we can do that.

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

CHAIR: Go ahead, the hon. the Member for St. John's East. Considering

that the bill is passed, we will not go back and do the vote, but you can go

ahead and ask your questions.

MR. MURPHY: I just wanted to get some clarification basically from the

minister as regards to the act and Bill 26, as regards to the permitting. I am

still not quite sure exactly the intent. I know it is moving from the licensing

of direct sellers. I am just wondering as regards to a bit of clarification on

that first of all, if he can give me that.

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. DAVIS: Yes, Mr. Chair, there is no change in the policy that is being

followed on licensing direct sellers. What has taken place is that many years

ago there was a change made in the legislation that existed at the time that

removed the requirement for direct sellers the people who are actually

conducting the business front line, door to door, or in a place other than a

place of business. The requirement for them to be each and individually licensed

was removed several years ago.

When the new act was developed in 2009, that requirement was erroneously put

back into the legislation. We did not change the policy, we did not change how

we did business during that period of time, but we did recognize that there was

an error in the act, and this was correcting that error. So, we have not changed

how we are doing business whatsoever. We are doing it the same way we have done

it now for twelve or fourteen, fifteen years.

CHAIR: The Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: I guess just a follow-up then to the minister. I take it that

bonding then, any type of selling, for example, as regards to that would have

the requirements of bonding, like alarm companies and that sort of thing, they

are going to remain not affected by this, or are there side effects from that?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. DAVIS: That is correct. The only thing that changes here is who is

required to be licensed. Direct sellers themselves have not been required to be

licensed in Newfoundland and Labrador for many years. The businesses who are in

the business of conducting business by way of direct selling license themselves

and they register how many people they have operating or working in their

business. So, that is the way it has been done now for many years in this

Province, and that practice will continue.

CHAIR: The Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have no other questions.

CHAIR: We will now debate Bill 28.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Psychologists Act, 2005". (Bill 28)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clause 1 carried.

CLERK: Clauses 2 to 21 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 21 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 21 carried.

CLERK:

Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in

Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK:

An Act To Amend The Psychologists Act, 2005.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,

carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. KENNEDY: I move, Mr. Chair, that the Committee rise and report Bills

23, 24, 25, 26, and 28.

CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise and report Bills 23, 24, 25,

26 and 28 carried without amendment.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, nay'.

Carried.

On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit

again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Lewisporte, and Chair of Committee of the Whole.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered the

matters to them referred and have asked me to report Bills 23, 24, 25, 26 and 28

carried without amendment and ask leave to sit again.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of Committee of the Whole reports that the

Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to

report Bills 23, 24, 25, 26 and 28 without amendment.

When shall the report be received?

MR. KENNEDY: Now, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Now.

When shall the bills be read a third time?

MR. KENNEDY: Now, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Now.

On motion, report received and adopted. Bills ordered read a third time

presently, by leave.

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I call from the Order Paper, Order 2, third reading of Bill 23.

I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, that Bill

23,

An Act To Amend The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act, be now read

the third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the bill be now read a third

time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 23 be now read

a third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement

Act. (Bill 23)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement

Act", read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper.

(Bill 23)

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 3,

third reading of Bill 24.

I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, that Bill 24,

An Act

To Extinguish Obsolete Actions In The Province, be now read the third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the bill be now read a third

time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 24 be read a

third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Extinguish Obsolete Actions In The Province.

(Bill 24)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Extinguish Obsolete Actions In The Province",

read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill

24)

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I call from the Order Paper, Order 4, third reading of Bill 25.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and

Skills, that Bill 25,

An Act Respecting The Practice Of Optometry In The

Province, be now read the third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the bill be now read a third

time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 25 be now read

a third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act Respecting The Practice Of Optometry In the

Province. (Bill 25)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Optometry In the

Province", read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order

Paper. (Bill 25)

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I call from the Order Paper, Order 5, third reading of Bill 26.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and

Skills, that Bill 26,

An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business

Practices Act No. 2, be now read the third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a

third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 26 be read a

third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business

Practices Act No. 2. (Bill 26)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business

Practices Act No. 2", read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on

the Order Paper. (Bill 26)

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

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 6, third

reading of Bill 28.

I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, that Bill

28,

An Act To Amend The Psychologists Act, 2005, be now read the third time.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a

third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 28 be read a

third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Psychologists Act, 2005. (Bill 28)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that

the bill do pass and the title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Psychologists Act, 2005", read a

third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 28)

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

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I call from the Order Paper, Order 8, second reading of Bill 27,

An Act To

Regulate The Personal Services Industry Act.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and

Skills, that we debate Bill 27,

An Act To Regulate The Personal Services

Industry.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 27,

An Act To Regulate

The Personal Services Industry, be read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Regulate The Personal Services

Industry". (Bill 27)

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before this hon. House today to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Regulate The Personal Services Industry. Mr. Speaker, the

Personal Services Act will continue the provincial government's commitment to

protect public health by implementing for the first time in this Province a new

regulatory environment for personal services establishments and tanning

facilities.

Personal services establishments are those that provide tattooing, body

piercing, and lesser known procedures such as scarification, skin peeling, sub

dermal implants, and tongue bifurcation. Tanning facilities, Mr. Speaker, are

those that provide clients access to tanning beds or booths that expose them to

artificially produced ultraviolet light. The purpose of the draft bill is to put

in place measures to better protect the health and safety of the public of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure this morning of hosting a press conference to

talk precisely about this bill and to lay out for those who attended some of the

specifics. I will be happy to do that here in the House this afternoon for those

of my colleagues who were unable to be there, but also for those who are viewing

via television. This act, I think is a very important act in terms of health and

safety in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, the measures that we make reference to will reduce the risk of

transmission of blood-borne diseases during procedures performed at personal

services establishments, and further, will reduce the incidents of disease such

as skin cancer or melanoma from the use of tanning beds in tanning facilities.

Mr. Speaker, many jurisdictions in Canada, the United States and throughout

the world regulates personal services establishments and tanning facilities.

Across Canada, the manner in which these premises are regulated and inspected

varies greatly, however. Public health interventions range from no regulations

at all and no inspections, to regulation and routine inspection.

Through the Personal Services Act we will be able to do the following, Mr.

Speaker, and I am sure the people particularly at home who are viewing and

hearing this for the first time will be interested. We will prohibit indoor

tanning facilities from offering services to persons under the age of nineteen.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: We will also prohibit personal services establishments from

offering invasive body modification procedures such as scaring, subdermal

implants, branding, skin peeling and tongue splitting to persons under the age

of nineteen. We will prohibit personal services establishments from offering

body piercing and tattooing services to persons under the age of sixteen without

the written consent of a young person's parent or guardian.

Mr. Speaker, further to those three regulations, we will require personal

services establishments and tanning facilities to provide information to clients

on the health risks of the services to be provided and to post health warning

signs in the premises.

We will require personal services establishments and tanning facilities to

comply with provincial health standards that will be developed. We will also

require personal service establishments and tanning facilities to register their

businesses with Service NL.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from operators of personal services establishments

and tanning facilities that they support the development of health and safety

standards. The provincial government will collaborate with industry

representatives to develop these standards, and it is expected to take at least

a year to carry out this work. The legislation will come into effect once

government has developed the health standards and other supporting regulations.

Mr. Speaker, my department commits to working hand in hand with Service NL,

as well as other stakeholders in the industry, as we ensure that the regulations

that we develop, the policies that we develop are the best that we possibly can,

Mr. Speaker.

We recognize that for tanning facilities we will be implementing an age

restriction that may result in minor economic impacts related to the

restriction. During our consultation process, we heard that tanning for youth

under the age of eighteen represents about 3 per cent of the clientele.

As with any legislation that imposes restrictions and standards on an

industry, we must ensure that establishments and facilities comply with the

legislation. Inspectors with Service NL will enforce this legislation, Mr.

Speaker. The Department of Health and Community Services will certainly

collaborate with Service NL to develop that inspection program before the

Personal Services Act comes into force.

Persons and operators who fail to comply with the requirements under the

Personal Services Act will face a fine, and inspectors will have the authority

to issue

summary offence tickets, which will be issued when there is

non-compliance of a written order given by an inspector. Fines for failing to

comply with the Personal Services Act will range between $50 and $5,000, Mr.

Speaker, consistent with the fines applied under the Tobacco Control Act.

Further, the act will allow inspectors to enter premises and to take the

necessary action. For example, issue the orders or in fact close a facility if

an immediate risk to health is identified during an inspection.

Regarding the personal services establishments themselves, Mr. Speaker, let

us first consider in a little more detail what this means for them, and then I

will talk about tanning facilities after that. As many of you will know, the

catalyst for the work leading to the regulation of personal services

establishments under this bill was the sudden death of a young woman from St.

John's in 2006 from infection complications arising from a body piercing. Mr.

Speaker, on a regular basis, I hear from the mother of that young girl. I know

she is watching today and applauding this action today, Mr. Speaker. I commend

her for her vigilance and for constantly keeping this before us.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, following an examination of the death, the

Chief Medical Examiner recommended that the provincial government enact

regulations regarding the operation of tattoo and body-piercing parlours to

establish consistent practice and reduce the potential risk to the public. In

our 2011 Blue Book, we committed to developing appropriate standards for the

industry to protect public health and safety. Today, Mr. Speaker, we are

delivering on that commitment.

Procedures performed at personal services establishments are often invasive

and involve the direct application of instruments and chemicals to the body. For

example, body piercing and tattooing involve the introduction of potentially

contaminated equipment through the skin, which can provide an opportunity for

the transmission of blood-borne diseases. These diseases include bacterial

infections, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV infection. When the Personal

Services Act comes into force, we will ensure that personal services procedures

are being conducted in premises utilizing equipment and procedures that minimize

the risk of disease transmission and protect the health of the client and the

worker doing the procedure.

I would like to address now some of the issues around tanning facilities, Mr.

Speaker. In 2009, the World Health Organization, better known as WHO, classified

UV emitting tanning devices as a Group 1 agent. This now classifies the use of

tanning devices with tobacco smoking and many other agents as carcinogenic to

humans, Mr. Speaker.

The WHO recommendation was based on the review of over twenty epidemiological

studies. These studies indicated that the risk of melanoma, which is a form of

skin cancer, increases by 75 per cent when the use of tanning devices starts

before the age of thirty. There is also evidence which demonstrates an increased

risk of ocular melanoma, which affects the eyes. According to the Public Health

Agency of Canada, the incidence of melanoma has increased significantly in

Canada over the past several decades.

In Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011, Mr. Speaker, the incidence of melanoma

was nineteen male and twelve female cases per 100,000 people. So, Mr. Speaker,

if we do the math on that, we are looking at about 150 incidences of melanoma

last year in this Province alone. Another recently published study in the

International Journal of Cancer suggests that there is a significant increased

risk of early onset melanoma when tanning beds are used during adolescence and

early childhood. Due to the significant amount of evidence regarding the link

between tanning bed usage and skin cancer, a number of jurisdictions worldwide

have implemented legislation that regulates tanning facilities. Australia and

some US states have already banned or are in the process of banning tanning for

youth under eighteen years of age.

With the increasing incidents of skin cancer and the connection between skin

cancer and tanning beds, we believe it is prudent to take action to prevent

exposure at an early age. An age restriction on the use of tanning beds is

supported by the medical community here in this Province, Mr. Speaker. It is

also supported by the Cancer Control Advisory Committee that I am happy to

have advise me on a very regular basis the Canadian Cancer Society, the

Canadian Dermatology Society, and the Canadian Paediatric Society.

In Canada, a number of provinces have either moved forward with regulating

tanning facilities or are considering doing so. Nova Scotia currently has

regulations in place to ban tanning for those under nineteen years of age. Nova

Scotia also requires tanning bed salons to display mandatory health warning

signs. This fall, British Columbia may limit the use of tanning beds to those

under eighteen, and Quebec is considering an age restriction as well. As you can

see, Mr. Speaker, we are among the top three or four provinces in the country to

move forward with this legislation.

During a targeted stakeholder meeting held recently, operators of tanning

facilities were generally supportive of health and safety standards for their

industry, such as: skin typing of all clients and not providing service to

clients with skin types that put them at a greater risk to skin cancer; having

certification and training for tanning bed operators; posting of health warning

signs; requiring clients to wear protective eye wear; requiring remote control

timers for tanning beds; and prohibiting self-service tanning beds.

Mr. Speaker, according to tanning salon operators at the stakeholder meeting,

about 3 per cent of their clientele are under the age of eighteen and the

financial impact on operators is expected to be minimal. By passing the Personal

Services Act and banning tanning to those under the age of nineteen, the

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will be implementing measures to protect

the future health of youth in this Province, Mr. Speaker, and we will

demonstrate a commitment to disease prevention. By doing so, we will become once

again a leader on the national stage.

Mr. Speaker, I implore everyone in this House to consider what we are

presenting here today as a very important piece of legislation, a piece of

legislation that looks to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Mr. Speaker, particularly of our young

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, particularly where we look at the age

restrictions around tanning to nineteen years and under who will be prohibited

from being able to receive those services, when we look at the age restriction

of nineteen as well for any body modification procedure, Mr. Speaker. I am happy

to say that in this Province at this point from the information that we have

been able to glean, there really is not very much if any of the body

modification procedures happening. In any case, we will now have some

preventative measures in place when we restrict that age to nineteen.

Then, Mr. Speaker, the other important piece, I think is the age restriction

that we will be legislating to the age of sixteen, with consent of a parent, for

tattooing and for body piercing. Some have asked me in the press conference this

morning the reason for sixteen as opposed to nineteen there, why did we choose

the age of sixteen. The reason is that the child youth act identifies the age of

sixteen as being the age when a child is no longer a child but a youth and is

able to emancipate himself or herself from a parent. Mr. Speaker, that is the

reason that we chose the age of sixteen for that particular prohibition that we

have put in place.

Mr. Speaker, I ask everyone in the House to give this some serious

consideration, some serious thought. I really do hope that we will be able to

unanimously support this bill, Bill 27,

An Act To Regulate The Personal Services

Industry of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Kent): Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am very happy to stand here today and speak to

An Act To Regulate The

Personal Services Industry, which is really a first for this Province. Given

that it was not very long ago that we were in this House, I was asking questions

on this, it will be awfully hard for me to not support this piece of

legislation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. A. PARSONS: I can indicate very clearly that I am in support of this

legislation, but I feel I should at least go through the reasons why we found

this to be an issue.

I could start off by saying that, as part of the Opposition, people sometimes

bring their concerns to you so that you can address government. That is how the

political process works. This is one of the issues that came to us. It is only

when you actually hear from these people, and you start getting into the science

and studies behind it, that you really get hit with the effect of some of these

things.

I am specifically going to talk about tanning to start off, because it has

been proven now that tanning contributes to cancer. It is out there. It is

contributing. I just look at some of the numbers. I will just go ahead of myself

just to say that also supporting this are a number of very renowned health

organizations: the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Dermatology

Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society, and the

Canadian Paediatric Society. So when you have these individuals on board, that

gives you an idea that the people who are studied in this field know that it is

a good thing.

When you hear some of the statistics, Mr. Speaker, about melanoma and skin

cancer being the most common cancer in Canada, with 80,000 new cases last year,

the converse of that is it is the most preventable form of cancer. Anything we

can do to help reduce this is going to help stem that rise in the number of

cases of this cancer. When you hear the numbers like one skin cancer diagnosis

every seven minutes, it is a staggering number and it is too much.

That is why this piece of legislation is aimed at young people. When you

reach that age of majority, when you reach nineteen, you are given that choice

as adult, someone having capacity that you can do things, good things, and some

things that may not be good for you, but you are allowed. I have heard some

people use this term, the nanny state, and are we moving too far. I do not think

that is the case here specifically, because we are looking at it through the

interests of children and youth. Again, by law, these children and youth do not

have capacity to enter into contracts and there is a reason for that.

We do not allow youth to buy cigarettes or drink alcohol. They have to reach

a certain age before they are allowed to drive. They are not allowed to vote

until they reach a certain age. In this case, we are eliminating that ability to

go out and contribute to your own medical malfeasance. It is going to hurt you,

so we are trying to eliminate that, especially when it comes to the tanning bed

issue as well as body modification.

I was very happy that the department gave us a full briefing. We sat down and

we had a chance to review the legislation in advance. We had a chance to talk to

the people who are involved in this. I have to be honest, the tanning is one

thing, but when you see some of the

definitions in the legislation when we talk

about personal services, such as tongue bifurcation, branding, skin peeling,

scarification, and sub-dermal implantation, I have to be very honest, a lot of

these things are and again, I do not consider myself dated; I am fairly young,

but a lot of these things are even new to me. It was not long ago that the only

thing you heard about really was maybe ear piercings and tongue piercings, and

then it went to the face, and now we are talking about operations where we are

going to have a forked tongue.

It has been proven that some of these operations, some of these procedures

are deadly; they are deadly, and that is what we are worried about here. If they

are not done in a sanitary, healthy environment by supervised officials, then it

can lead to death. That has been referenced by the minister here, and we need to

avoid that. I guess there are the two sides here; it is the preventing of the

actual act, and the second

part is the regulation of the industry. So again, we

are obviously very much in support of that.

I will just go back to the tanning part and just the numbers that we see. The

fact is that this Province had a 200 per cent increase in the numbers of

melanoma. So, when you see staggering numbers like this, we need to take a stand

to stem the tide of preventing this disease.

The other thing about tanning, when you think about it, when you talk about

some of the personal services, some of these are done for a cultural or

religious reason; again, I am not fully aware of that, but I know that that is

the case. Tanning is done mainly for aesthetic purposes. There is no purpose

that I am aware of just for the concept of beauty that has been put out there in

society. The fact is that 70 per cent of tanning bed users are females aged 16

to 29. Now, when they get over the age of majority, if they choose to do that,

that is fine, the same way if you choose to smoke cigarettes and contribute to

your own health issues, well, you are given that right; you have to be that age

majority when you have that capacity to make these decisions on your own.

I think one of the concerns was whether we are going to get a backlash from

individuals, and I think with any new legislation that takes away somebody's

right to do something, you are going to deal with that. I am sure that when

anti-tobacco legislation was brought out in the beginning, people complained

about it. When the cellphone legislation, cellphones while driving, was brought

out, people complained about it. Now when we look at cellphones, it is a natural

way, and we know that it contribu