May 3,

2012 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 26

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from the following

members: the Member for the District of Port au Port; the Member for the

District of Bonavista North; the Member for the District of St. John's West; the

Member for the District of Kilbride; the Member for the District of Torngat

Mountains; and the Member for the District of Exploits.

The Member for the District of Port au Port.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CORNECT: Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the winners and nominees

at the recently held Stephen Awards Banquet in Stephenville on April 21 as part

of Volunteer Week 2012.

Susan Oates was honoured with the Citizen of the Year Award and Sonali Verma

was honoured with the Youth of the Year Award, both for their outstanding

volunteer service to the community. Jesse Byrne was the winner of the Junior

Male Athlete of the Year Award; and Jillian Forsey was presented with the Junior

Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Mr. Speaker, also that evening, nineteen Certificates of Merit for

Outstanding Volunteer Work were presented. Congratulations are extended to:

Randy Alexander, Carmie Bozec-Young, Rose Brown, Audrey Burden, Marina Cormier,

Martina Cormier, Mary Dawson, Clyde Doucette, Wanda Griffin, Phyllis Hapgood,

David Mills, Josie Noseworthy, Carter Powers, Kim Saunders, Bilal Sikandar,

Evelyn Smith, Rosie Verma, Riley White, and Patricia Woodrow for their hard

work, dedication, and contribution in making our area a better place to live and

work.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members of this House to join with me in

congratulating all award winners and nominees of the Stephen Awards on their

invaluable contributions to the community, the region, and the Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bonavista North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CROSS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Imagine, Mr. Speaker, the score is tied, it is overtime, the puck leaves your

stick and tickles the twine. The familiar "He shoots, he scores!" makes you a

hero. Well, this happened three times for three different teams that skate out

of the Beothic Arena in 2012.

It is with great pleasure that I rise to do the dishonourable action of

boasting in this hon. Chamber today. It was a fitting end to, arguably, the

greatest championship series in the Central Newfoundland Recreational Hockey

League three-year history. Troy Stratton, the league's regular-season top

scorer, notched the Beothics' season-winning goal in overtime in game five of a

best three-out-of-five series to beat the Gander Flyers.

The Beothics are comprised of players who grew up in the Straight Shore

region of Bonavista North. Many of them commute home on weekends for games from

all over the Province and were dedicated to their hometown team. This Beothics

win provides me with bragging rights over teams in the league which represents

the Districts of Gander, Lewisporte, and the Isles of Notre Dame.

This team also motivated the Easter Tournament teams in our minor hockey

league, because the PeeWee team scored in overtime in the championship game at

home in New-Wes-Valley, and the Atom team did it in double overtime in Bishop's

Falls.

I invite all members to join me in congratulating these teams, their coaches,

and the fans the Kings of Overtime.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's West.

MR. CRUMMELL: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the St. John's Elks

Lodge, which hosted the Eighteenth Annual Provincial Elks Convention this past

weekend.

Mr. Speaker, the convention included a number of workshops, as well as a

banquet and dance, which I had the pleasure of attending. The National President

of the Elks of Canada, Mr. Jerry Wernicke, was a special guest. He travelled

from British Columbia. In speaking with him, I can assure you he was very

impressed with the convention, and he was equally impressed with our beautiful

city.

Mr. Speaker, I have been involved with the Elks for many years, and I know

first-hand that it is a wonderful service organization with a long history. This

year marks the one hundredth anniversary of the Elks of Canada, and next year

will mark the eightieth anniversary of the Elks in our Province. They are a

fantastic group of men and women who promote and support community needs across

our Province and our country.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating the St. John's Elks Lodge

and, indeed, all participants in this year's provincial convention for making it

a very successful event.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Kilbride.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, students from St. Kevin's High School, Goulds,

recently competed in Skills Canada Province-wide Trades and Technology

Competitions held in St. John's. This is an annual competition sponsored by the

Newfoundland branch of Skills Canada, with first place finishers moving on to

compete nationally.

St. Kevin's sent seven students to this year's competition: Hilary Williams,

Kerra Howlett, Stephen Connors, Megan Gosse, Devin Sooley, Raylene Mackey and

Julia Buckley. These students had the option of competing in several categories

including hairdressing, plumbing, carpentry, cooking, video productions,

computer animation, graphic design, and workplace safety. The team won three

medals.

Devin Sooley and Raylene Mackey won a silver medal in video productions,

Stephen Connors won a silver for his performance in a job interview competition,

and Julia Buckley won a silver medal in the workplace safety category.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in

congratulating the St. Kevin's High School students and their teacher, John

Goldsworthy, on their success in this competition.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize a most remarkable elder from the

community of Natuashish.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Joachim Nui Sr., an inspiration to

us all and a role model for both Innu and Inuit alike. Joachim Nui was born in

Northern Quebec back when the Innu were still a nomadic people, travelling the

interior of Labrador and Northern Quebec.

Mr. Nui raised a large family as well as taking in and fostering many young

people in the community. Mr. Nui has been employed as a trapper, fisherman, and

a community leader in both Davis Inlet and Natuashish.

Mr. Nui retired as an employee of the provincial government a number of years

ago, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Nui continues to practice his ancestral lifestyle, while

passing on his knowledge and experience to many young people in Natuashish.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members in this hon. House to join me in recognizing

the leadership and accomplishments of Mr. Joachim Nui Sr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Exploits.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 16, during Volunteer Week, I

and the Minister Responsible for Volunteer and Non-Profit were fortunate to

attend a volunteer recognition banquet at the Royal Canadian Legion in Botwood.

The event was sponsored by the Towns of Botwood, Peterview, and Northern Arm.

Mr. Speaker, what was so special about this event was the number of groups

and individuals recognized for their dedication to volunteerism.

Mr. Speaker, the population of these three towns is less than 5,000 people,

however, there were 105 groups and individuals recognized during the event; and

furthermore, there was a volunteer of the year named for each community. For the

Town of Northern Arm, Allan Cranford, for the Town of Peterview, Marion Hibbs,

and the Town of Botwood was shared by Frank Dominie and Graham Hayter.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in recognizing the

contributions of this group of volunteers, and all the volunteers in our fair

Province.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Mr. Speaker, the provincial government recognizes the lifelong

contribution of seniors to their communities and to the Province. Budget 2012:

People and Prosperity includes $3.7 million to provide seniors aged sixty-five

and over with a 35 per cent reduction on driver's licence and vehicle

registration fees, and other licences and fees for such things as hunting,

fishing, cutting wood, and camping.

Our seniors have spent a lifetime contributing to this Province. They are

drivers, they own snowmobiles, they hunt and fish, and they visit our numerous

provincial parks and enjoy all that Newfoundland and Labrador Has to offer. It

is important that seniors are supported in their ability to remain independent

and that efforts are made to improve their financial well-being and overall

quality of life. The provision of fee reductions as announced in Budget 2012:

People and Prosperity, will support our seniors in this way. This is especially

significant, as Newfoundland and Labrador has a growing population of seniors

who are continuing to be active long into their retirement years.

Seniors' discounts for hunting, fishing, and camping fees are effective

immediately. The reductions on non-commercial motor vehicle and driver's licence

fees are effective June 1, and will apply to all that are eligible for renewal

from that day forward.

This program, Mr. Speaker, complements the goals of the Provincial Healthy

Aging Policy Framework which aims to recognize older persons, celebrate

diversity, support communities, encourage health and financial well-being, and

support employment, education, and research. The Healthy Aging Policy Framework

was developed in close consultation with seniors in this Province and outlines

the key issues and strategic directions which will prepare Newfoundland and

Labrador to respond to the needs of seniors now and into the future.

I am pleased that government is able to deliver on this initiative, and to

promote healthy living and enjoyment of our natural environment for seniors of

this Province. A full

schedule of fee reductions will be released to the media

and will be available shortly on the Web site of the Department of Environment

and Conservation and also Service NL.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to see the government invest this money into

reduction of fees for seniors. This Province, Mr. Speaker, was built on the

backs of seniors. Many seniors find themselves in situations where they do not

have a lot of money for things other than necessities. It is great to see the

government recognize this.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. EDMUNDS: There are some larger issues, Mr. Speaker, that the

government needs to address. By 2025, 25 per cent of our population will be

seniors. We have the fastest-aging population in Canada. This is going to pose

huge challenges for the government of this Province, our health care system, and

for our families. We need to ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have

the supports and the care that they require as they age.

Action, Mr. Speaker, must be taken now. It is better to plan now and act now

to manage and mitigate the effects of change rather than to stand by and do

nothing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement.

These are nice measures, but they are crumbs. Seniors face too many

challenges these days: housing, home care, health care. These challenges are

growing.

If you really wanted to help, you would offer true universal drug coverage

for all seniors, you would ensure there is affordable housing with supports for

all seniors in need to keep seniors in the community as long as possible, and

you would provide real universal home care. This is what would really help our

seniors.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to highlight the

sixtieth anniversary of the Arts and Letters Awards Program. The creative

process in Newfoundland and Labrador is fostered through this program, which is

open to both amateur and professional artists.

Since 1952, many of the Province's most successful artists first experienced

the thrill of exhibition through winning the Arts and Letters Awards, including

David Blackwood, Scott Goudie, and Christopher Pratt in the visual arts; Kevin

Major, Helen Porter, and Michael Winter in the literary arts; and John Herriott,

Michael Parker, and Brian Sexton in the musical category.

When seventeen-year-old David Blackwood won the competition in 1958, an

admirer saw the winning piece and inquired if it was for sale. Blackwood

replied, "Yes, for sale for $20. If Ms Roche thinks that's too high, I may

consider reducing the price."

The program acknowledges the creative talent of established writers,

composers, and visual artists, as well as the Province's young up-and-coming

talent. Over the last sixty years, thousands of artists throughout the Province

have participated in this program.

Mr. Speaker, with $135,000 received annually from the provincial government,

the Arts and Letters Awards Program is a shining example of the arts initiatives

being supported by this government. I encourage everyone to visit the Rooms to

see the Arts and Letters exhibition, featuring artists who were part of the

program this year. The exhibit runs until May 13.

Since the launch of the cultural strategy in 2006, the provincial government

has made significant investment in arts and culture in Newfoundland and

Labrador. Support for arts and culture continues to be one of our priorities.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The names that he listed there were almost like the names from the Hall of

Fame in their particular categories. I understand that these appointments are

administered through a committee of the Department of Tourism, Culture and

Recreation.

We know that Newfoundland and Labrador has one of the most vibrant cultural

communities in the country, with a wealth of talented artists who have made

their mark locally, nationally, and internationally. Many of these artists have

gained their first recognition through this program, so we congratulate them for

this. We also recognize the fact that it is very important that we get those

young writers and those young artists off to a good start. This is what this

program does; it provides some of that necessary encouragement. I commend all

the people that participate. If there is an area of investment that this

government can make where they get significant return, it is certainly in this

community.

I thank the minister for the statement today and thank you, Mr. Speaker, for

your time.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, I too thank the minister for the advance copy of

his statement.

The sixtieth anniversary of the Arts and Letters Awards is truly worth

celebrating. Almost without exception, the success of many of our artists is

because of initial government funding in the very initial stage of the creative

process. Although the arts in our Province are our pride and joy, our Province

has the third-lowest per capita investment in the creative process in the arts

in the country. Our artists earn among the lowest average incomes for artists.

Every dollar invested, we know, in the arts, generates $2.86 in economic

benefits to the Province. In this time of prosperity, Mr. Speaker, we cannot

afford to it is not a time to cut funding to the creative artistic process, to

the arts.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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.

This afternoon, SNC-Lavalin will hold its AGM in Toronto. It has been

reported that there is a possibility that some of the major investors will

attempt to vote out the Board of Directors.

I ask the minister: Will you now direct Nalcor to stop spending with

SNC-Lavalin until the company and the police have sorted out this ongoing

scandal?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I indicated a couple of days ago, SNC-Lavalin is the biggest construction

company in Canada with more than 28,000 employees worldwide. They have offices

in forty countries and operate in 100 countries.

Mr. Speaker, we have an incident that occurred that was investigated

internally and the board concluded that there was no impact on other aspects of

their operations. As I indicated, the Nalcor President and CEO, Ed Martin, have

spoken with the individuals at SNC-Lavalin. Again, there is no indication of any

sort that there is an impact on what is going on with Muskrat Falls.

Mr. Speaker, what we have here in Muskrat Falls is SNC-Lavalin is not a

construction bid, but they are doing the engineering, the procurement, and the

construction management with an owner team for Nalcor.

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I remind the minister that back in February we heard that the CEO of Nalcor

had been talking to one of the executives at SNC-Lavalin, and that person is no

longer there. So, some of that confidence that we have in this company might be

shaken a bit.

On Tuesday, I asked the Minister of Natural Resources a direct question, if

Nalcor had required a performance bond from SNC-Lavalin. The question was not

answered.

Since then, I am sure you have had the time to speak with Nalcor. Can you

confirm that performance bonds have been posted?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Leader of the Opposition is accurate; I have had the opportunity to

review this and to obtain the details.

Mr. Speaker, the performance bonds, it is my understanding, are a fairly

common feature for construction contracts, but because the contract with

SNC-Lavalin, at present, is not for construction but for engineering procurement

and construction management, a performance bond is not appropriate. Mr. Speaker,

when we advance to construction on the project, if we advance at that stage, we

will have performance bonds in place with the contractors engaged in the

construction work.

By the way, Mr. Speaker, I understand that SNC-Lavalin was awarded a contract

in Alberta the other day, I think, for $1.8 billion. Obviously, in Alberta they

are continuing to do business. Something that happens in another part of the

world cannot obviously, or arguably, be transposed into what is going on in our

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister seems very confident in SNC-Lavalin. The Minister of Natural

Resources has stated that this is a $60 million contract that was awarded to

SNC-Lavalin. This was done through a Request for Proposals.

Now that this Request for Proposals has been completed, your government has

claimed that all of the information on Muskrat Falls can be available. So, with

this in mind, will you actually table the RFP not the contract, the RFP but

as well, a signed contract with Nalcor and SNC-Lavalin?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the member opposite misinterprets my confidence. My confidence is not

in SNC-Lavalin. I know nothing more than what I read in the papers, what I am

told. My confidence is in Ed Martin, the President and CEO of Nalcor, who, as

the Premier has indicated on numerous occasions, has been involved in high-level

projects and has the best interests of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

at heart.

Mr. Speaker, in relation to the tabling of documents, there are commercial

sensitivity clauses that Nalcor has to adhere to; we will certainly have those

discussions. If the contract and the RFP can be the RFP would be a public

document, but again I want to make sure there are no commercial sensitivity

clauses. What documents can be provided, will be.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Leader of the PC Party in Nova Scotia has introduced a bill to protect

ratepayers in that province from higher power rates. The bill would ensure that

Muskrat Falls is reviewed by the Utilities Board after all the information is

available.

I ask the minister: Will you allow our Public Utilities Board the opportunity

to review the Muskrat Falls Project once all the information is available, just

as your PC colleagues did in Nova Scotia?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

These are not our PC colleagues in Nova Scotia. We are not one big, happy

family in the PC Party in this country, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we are probably

more closely aligned with Premier Dexter's vision of the future as an NDP

Premier than we are with anything with the PCs.

Mr. Speaker, what we are doing here in terms of Muskrat Falls is we are

looking at all of the options. We will provide those documents when we receive

them. In relation to the PUB, it came to my attention today that the $2 million

that we thought had been spent on that wasted process, Mr. Speaker, was actually

a lot more. In fact, we know that as of today MHI's bill was a very significant

one. It makes sense to use MHI. I have also asked for the PUB to give me a break

down of their consultants they utilize including the (inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Fisheries. Recently, two crab processing

plants have just closed in my district in St. Lewis and in Black Tickle. One

hundred and twenty workers have been displaced from their seasonal jobs and

these communities are devastated. Mr. Speaker, they are reaching out to the

government to help them through this period and through this devastation.

I would like to ask the minister today if he can outline what response

mechanisms you have in place and how soon we can get some of this moving for

those communities.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is indeed a great opportunity to stand and speak to the very sensitive

issue. I want to say to the member opposite that all of us in the House are very

concerned and we offer our empathy towards anyone who loses employment.

We do have a fish plant closure program, and I am going to be very pleased to

sit with the member opposite and members of the community to work through the

process, but we will have a Cabinet committee put together in very short order.

We will offer wage subsidies. We will have an opportunity for retraining; we

have employment programs, an opportunity to do some economic development. Any

other opportunities that exist as we partner with the community, I say to the

member opposite, we will certainly be there to support the people. Above all

else, we recognize this is hard on the people and their families, and we will be

there to work with you and your constituents.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

For more than ten years now, the Province has had a policy in place through

the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture that says that crab caught in 2J

must be landed and processed in 2J. This policy has helped maintain the crab

processing industry and hundreds of jobs throughout the coastal Labrador region.

I ask the minister today: In light of the fact that there are some plant

closures, will his government continue to commit to maintaining this policy in

the 2J region in order to protect the plants and the jobs of the people who are

still employed in the industry?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, as the member has said in the

preamble to the

question, the policy we are referring to has been in place for quite some time

and it was put there for a very specific purpose, to protect the processing

sector and the resource around Labrador. I have been contacted by a number of

different groups asking to reconsider the policy, Mr. Speaker, but let me be

very clear for the House and for the constituents. We have no intention to

change that policy at this point in time. What we will do, though, given the

changing in the processing sector in Labrador, is we will take some time this

season to assess how it works for the harvesters and the processors there and we

will re-evaluate at the end of the season, which will also give us an

opportunity to consult with the stakeholders and see how they feel about any

potential changes and how it might impact the area.

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

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that High Liner Foods is

pulling out of Burin at the end of the year, costing 121 full-time jobs.

I ask the minister: Were you aware of this, and can you confirm that it is in

fact the case?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the decision. We met with Mr. Demone of High

Liner Foods slightly before lunch today, and it is terrible news. There are more

than 120 people affected, it is a tough decision. We had a good chat with the

company about the circumstances. What they are telling us is that they are more

than pleased with the quality of the workforce in Burin. They are more than

pleased with the commitment of the municipal council to the company, working in

partnership. The challenge that they face, Mr. Speaker, is one that we have

talked about many times in this House. It is the proximity of doing the

processing and getting it to market, where they are located, the exchange rate,

and the cost of fuel.

It is purely a business decision, Mr. Speaker, but I want to be very clear,

as I was a few moments ago, this government will stand with the people of Burin

on the Burin Peninsula. We will be there to step up and to assist them in an

adjustment package.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: I ask the minister: In your brief discussions with the

owner-operator, have you had an opportunity to determine if the Province will

look for another operator for the Burin plant?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the discussions we have had today focused very

much around the company's decision, the rationale for the decision, the

implications for the community, how that is going to be communicated out today,

and where we go in the very short term. We are less than two hours into the

process, so with all due respect, I say to the member opposite, I think those

kinds of things will come. At this point in time we are trying to figure out how

the process will unfold for the company in reaching out to the workers, and more

importantly, for government in responding to reach out to those workers and

those families who are going to be devastated by this news and wondering what

their future holds.

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

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, after fighting valiantly for months for the

jobs and their futures, the workers at Marystown have had to admit defeat and

give up.

I ask the minister: Is it true that he refused to even discuss a financial

package with them as long as they kept fighting with his friends at OCI?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I am not even going to stoop to the level of the

question. The fact of the matter, first of all, is it shameful that anybody

would refer to the actions of the Marystown workers as admitting defeat and

giving up. Nobody in Marystown is giving up. What the people in Marystown are

saying is they accept there is a plant closure, they need to move on with their

lives, and they need some assistance. Mr. Speaker, I assure you, and I assure

everybody in this House, that this government will be here for the people of

Marystown and the people of Port Union, as we will for the people of Black

Tickle and Burin, and any other community that needs assistance.

Our Cabinet committee will be formed within a number of days, Mr. Speaker. We

will be engaged with the local constituents. We will do what it takes to help

those workers adjust and move forward.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, this morning the minister finally agreed to

help the beaten down and starved out workers from Marystown with some money.

I ask the minister: Is he going to force the taxpayers of the Province to pay

the bill, or is he going to enforce the contract negotiated by the former

Premier and the former Minister of Fisheries and make OCI pay?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, the company contract has been reviewed many times

by many worthy legal opinions and it has been confirmed that they have honoured

their contract. What we will do is, in fact, yes, we will use money belonging to

the taxpayers of this Province, which is all we have to use as a government.

That is what we do; we spend taxpayers' money. We will use that, and we will

provide supports to the community in Marystown, as we will do for the workers in

Black Tickle, Burin, St. Lewis, Port Union, and any other plant that closes.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very, very unfortunate circumstance, but one that we

all knew was going to occur, and it will continue as the industry changes and

rationalizes, but this government will not walk away from the workers who are

affected by this closure.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the deadline for Requests for Proposals on shipping service to

the North Coast of Labrador has passed. Mr. Speaker, we understand that there

are a total of five proposals for the minister's consideration.

I ask the minister: When can we see the RFPs and when will the decision be

made on freight service to the North Coast and to Black Tickle?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, the due process would unfold; we have

accepted those five proposals and are now in the process of going down through

each of them and making a determination, first of all, if they are compliant,

and also obviously getting to the point where we could choose the best one to

serve the needs of the people for freight on the North Coast.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, when the vessel replacement strategy was announced, it was

stated on several occasions by the Premier and the ministers that construction

of the vessels will take place in the Province. Today we hear Expressions of

Interest for the Captain Earl Winsor replacement to go worldwide and the

minister had already been speaking to a company in Norway.

I ask the minister: Why has the government changed its position on

constructing vessels in this Province and providing much-needed employment to

the Marystown area?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, in response to the question from across the

House: obviously we are moving forward with our vessel replacement strategy. A

call has gone out from all corridors to make sure that we do it in a timely

fashion. Again, we are currently into negotiations with Peter Kiewit for the

third boat, and also we are covering off on our options for the fourth boat,

which is the replacement for the Fogo Island-Change Islands boat. Of course, we

are in a position now where we are coming to the end of the design process, we

are moving forward to procurement eventually, and we want to make sure that we

have explored all options so that when the time comes, we can choose the right

alternative.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Very little comfort to the people of the Burin Peninsula,

Minister, I say.

Mr. Speaker, the government is presently in dispute with Peter Kiewit in

Marystown over the construction of the last two vessels. The construction of the

third vessel is dependent on a resolution of this conflict. The people of

Marystown and the Burin Peninsula suffered another blow today.

I ask the minister: How long is this government prepared to wait to resolve

the issue? Is this just a pressure tactic, and the people of Marystown and the

Burin Peninsula are used as pawns to get this resolved?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, we have great respect for the people of the

Burin Peninsula, so much respect.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: So much respect, Mr. Speaker, that we are doing everything

as a government in our power to ensure that the third boat is built. They have

built two boats already. We are absolutely delighted with those two boats; it is

just that we have to make sure that we protect the interest of all of the people

of Newfoundland and Labrador. In our negotiations we will go forward only when

those interests are protected.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, the demand for improved freight service and

passenger service to the North Coast and Black Tickle has far surpassed the

vessel capacity of existing vessels such as the Astron and Northern

Ranger normally required in that region.

I ask the minister: Will he guarantee that this year's service will not be as

bad as service provided in past years by the Dutch Runner , Northern

Ranger , and the Astron ? I must add, Mr. Speaker, that the time for

shipping is coming quickly upon us; I ask the minister how fast he can give us

back an answer.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, this government makes sure it works in the

interest of people of all of Newfoundland and Labrador. We fully appreciate the

concerns of the people on the North Coast to make sure that we have in place an

adequate freight service.

With that in mind, we did change how we went out about our business this

year; we just had reference in the question before about an RFP to ensure that

the boat that goes in to that particular service is the boat that is applicable

for the needs of that particular service.

With regard to time, this is not something that we can rush, but we also

realize that June 1 or thereabouts is when we need a boat. We are certainly

making provision that there will be a boat available for that particular time.

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

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

Today we know that the Nova Scotia government will leave no stone unturned to

make sure that there is a hearing before their Utility and Review Board

concerning their part of the Muskrat Falls project. They will make regulatory

changes if they have to, to make it happen. The Nova Scotia Government are going

to ensure that their public utilities board conducts a full review of their part

of the Muskrat Falls Project.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: Why is this government

continuing to resist allowing the PUB to look at the final Decision Gate numbers

when they come?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The answer is quite simple, we have no confidence in the Public Utilities

Board in this Province to perform the task that they would be asked. They were

asked, Mr. Speaker, given nine months and millions of dollars to provide an

answer to a question. They abdicated their responsibility and refused to answer

that question, Mr. Speaker. I cannot speak for the regulatory process or the

regulatory board in Nova Scotia, Mr. Speaker. Maybe they have that confidence.

What we are going to do and what we have done is hire Manitoba Hydro

International, real experts in the area, Mr. Speaker, who were hired by the PUB

to review the Decision Gate 3 numbers. We are going to file the other reports,

Mr. Speaker, and we are going to give the Opposition what they requested, the

opportunity for full debate in this House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

That answer speaks for itself. I hope the PUB is hearing what the minister is

saying.

During the provincial election, the City of St. John's asked government to

refund the provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax. Monday night at the

St. John's City Council meeting, we learned that the city and Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing could build four more homes for needy families if the Province

rebated the HST paid by the city on the new housing project in Pleasantville.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Finance: Will he rebate the provincial

portion of the HST to the City of St. John's for this housing project to help

deal with the housing crisis in this Province?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, the City of St. John's is asking the

government to turn over many of its taxes to the city

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I am advised by my colleague here that

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing brought $4.4 million to the City of St. John's

for the twenty-nine units that were constructed in Pleasantville. Mr. Speaker,

we cannot raise the revenue, then give the revenue to the City of St. John's,

then raise the revenue again, and give it to them again. We either give it

through offering tax concessions or we do it in direct contributions, which $4.4

million has been done in this case.

Mr. Speaker, I am advised by my colleague there is $29.8 million being spent

on affordable housing this year, $8 million for the Provincial Home Repair

Program, and money for the rent to income rent sups, and rent geared to income.

So there is lots of investment that the City of St. John's and all the

municipalities can take advantage of

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Another question for the minister - no, this time it is for the Minister of

Natural Resources. Last year the Department of Natural Resources energy policy

division, according to the Budget and the Estimates booklet, overspent their

grants and subsidies budget by $42 million, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What was the $42 million spent on?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Leader of the Third Party is quite correct, you will see there was a $2

million for grants and subsidies and we overspent by $42 million I think, Mr.

Speaker. What it related to was the Innu settlement under the Lower Churchill.

The agreement had been to pay $2 million per year. We happened to have $40

million in the Budget so it was thought the best way to deal with it was to

provide the money to Nalcor who will provide to the Innu over a period of time.

So essentially, the question you would have asked me on Monday morning, that is

the answer.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Forty more million to Nalcor; thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In response to my question in the House last Tuesday -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: In response to my question in the House last Tuesday

requesting salary details which government had decided not to make available

this year, the Minister of Finance said he would make the information available

in due time. It seems due time has not yet arrived, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the Minister of Finance: When will he release the information?

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

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, after the question was asked in the House, I

instructed officials of the Department of Finance to engage with officials in

other departments to gather the information and I undertook to provide the

information as soon as we have it. When we have it, I will be happy to provide

it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, last week Canada's budget watchdog noted

government cutbacks have a negative effect on the economy. The reverse of this

is also true, program spending boosts economic performance.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Finance: Why doesn't this government look

at programs like child care and home care as an opportunity for economic growth?

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

Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, this government is spending in program

expenses this year $6.6 billion. That is the highest that we have ever spent in

any one year. In addition to that, we have engaged in an infrastructure

investment of another $900 million. Mr. Speaker, unlike dictatorships in some

countries of the world, that take their revenues and keep it and divide that up

amongst their family and their friends, every dime that comes into the Province

of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker, we give it back to the people and we

will continue to do so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

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

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday in the fisheries Estimates meeting, the minister stated possibly

there could be 20 per cent less fish plants in five years and that there was

only $2.375 million for the fisheries workers' adjustment program in this Budget

year.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen closures in Port Union, Marystown, St. Lewis,

yesterday in Black Tickle, and today an announcement that the High Liner plant

in Burin will close by the end of the year. Over 600 workers could be out of a

job and that equates to less than $4,000 per person under this program.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: What are the short and long-term plans that

he has in place to adequately take care of the people, some of whom committed

more than forty years to these plants?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, as I said a few moments ago, we are certainly all

very concerned with plant closures. The number that I quoted in Estimates was a

guesstimate' based on the trend we have seen over the last ten years. I was

very clear to members when I said that; it was not a hard and fast concrete

number.

We are very concerned with the news that we are hearing, all of us are; all

of us, or most of us, recognize that there are factors that are outside the

control of government when it comes to fish processors and plants that they

operate. The Budget line that we provided for is an estimate based on our best

guess of what fish plants may close and who may need our assistance.

I do not have a crystal ball to predict what is going to happen into the

future, but I will say to the member opposite, Mr. Speaker, that the amount in

the Budget will be increased as we need, to implement our program of support.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in July of 2011, this government instituted a ban on five

pesticides used for cosmetic purposes. Such chemicals as 2,4-D, mecoprop, and

dicamba were supposed to be removed off store shelves before the next growing

season. In spite of the weather, we are there.

Mr. Speaker, any product that contained any of these five chemicals was also

supposed to fall under this ban.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, yesterday I went chemical shopping and found

these pesticides still on the store shelves.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, is the minister enforcing the ban on these

chemicals, and what is his department going to do to make (inaudible)?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we banned what I call the big five last

year. We had numerous meetings with the landscaping industry as well as

concerned environmental groups here in the Province. That was the five we

committed to and we did ban the five. The hon. member is right that they should

be banned. They are banned. They are not allowed to be used as of May 1 this

year.

I just want to remind the hon. member, he seems to have bought them recently.

I hope they were not on the black market, Mr. Speaker. I also hope he does not

use them, because if he uses them, he will be facing a significant fine.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, government has wisely spent money on expanding

the tourism season in the Province, but yesterday we saw from a memo that their

friends in the federal government pulled the rug out from under the Province by

surprising us with cuts to Parks Canada sites in the Province. The minister has

said no one in government saw the cuts coming. Mr. Speaker, we all know these

cuts will impact tourism operators near the affected sites. While the apex of

the tourism season is fast approaching, the minister says they will be

refocusing their efforts in light of these cuts.

So, I ask the minister: When can the people involved in the tourism industry

expect a response from this government?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, the national parks and our national sites in

Newfoundland and Labrador are obviously a very important part of our tourism

appeal. These cuts are concerns to us, obviously. We have invested; we have

worked with industry, the leadership in the industry, our tourism board,

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, our destination management organizations,

and all of the non-profit and private investors out there that help support this

industry. We have worked very closely with them to build a very solid and strong

tourism industry in this Province. Despite the cuts, we are open for business,

we have a lot of tourist attractions in this Province, and we will continue to

grow our tourism industry and continue to be able to deal with whatever

challenges we face.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, the tourism industry is lucky to have programs

such as SWASP and JCP, but the funding announcements arrive too late, leaving

businesses and organizations in a state of uncertainty while the tourist season

fast approaches. Mr. Speaker, I left the Estimates meeting today with the

impression that there is a lack of coordination between departments on these

programs.

So, I ask the minister: What will the minister do to help make these programs

more responsive to the tourism and cultural industry's needs?

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.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify for the member that the employment

programs, whether it be SWASP or whether it be a job creation project, are

funded through the Department of Advanced Education and Skills, because the aim

for these jobs that are created from this government money is to be able to

provide work experience to help people attach to the labour market, and provide

meaningful work experience.

That means that it is not directed solely at tourism or the arts or anything

like that. It can go to those areas; it can go to other areas as well, Mr.

Speaker. I just want to clarify: the program is not there to solely support

tourism and the arts.

Thank you

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, I bring this 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 communities of

Bellburns, Portland Creek, St. Pauls, or Sally's Cove; and

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

communities;

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, the people in these small communities would really like to get

into this part of the twenty-first century. Clearly, in the twentieth century we

saw a great explosion in information technology, distance education, Internet,

and the World Wide Web. These people who are in the District of St. Barbe would

really like the opportunity to catch up with other people who have had

high-speed Internet now for maybe a decade, maybe more.

There have been commitments made for high-speed Internet in the government's

broadband strategy, but these communities have been left out and they really

would like to be able to participate. These communities are contributing

communities in the Province, they feel that they are being left behind, and I am

bringing this petition on their behalf.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland

and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS Route 434, Conche Road, is 17.4 kilometres of unpaved road; and

WHEREAS the current road conditions are deplorable; and

WHEREAS the provincial government in the 2011 Budget set aside five

kilometres of paving that was not started; and

WHEREAS it is the government's obligation to provide basic infrastructure to

all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians; and

WHEREAS improved paved road would enhance local business especially

tourism, which is vital to the health of the communities affected.

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

allocate funds in the 2012 provincial Budget to pave Route 434.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Now, Mr. Speaker, the community of Conche is really a tourism town. It is at

the heart of the French Shore, which has the

Interpretation Centre there. It has

the only of its kind in North America, a 222-foot tapestry on Jacobean linen

designed by Jean-Claude Roy and done by the women of Conche in the embroidery.

It is there, it is on display, and it is a major anchor site on the northeastern

side of the Peninsula.

They have a writers' retreat there. There are certainly a number of other

trails and attractions, a B&B, and they have a caf. They have so much

potential, but when you have to travel over a gravel road with significant

potholes that was ranked the seventh-worst road in Atlantic Canada by the CAA

and I know that the Minister of Transportation and Works said that he is not

doing any of the roadwork based on polling, but this certainly is a road that is

quite deplorable based on the petitions and images and work that I have seen.

We need to look at how we can advance and create tourism in the region so

that we can foster and grow economies. The fish plant in the area as well is

facing hardship with transportation because they have to travel over such a

deplorable road that is gravel. It is a basic right today to have better

transportation networks in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I table a petition to the hon. House of Assembly in the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled. The petition of the

undersigned humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the Premier has the authority under the Public Inquiries Act to

establish a public inquiry into matters of public concern; and

WHEREAS there have been several tragedies in the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador where search and rescue responses have been called into question; and

WHEREAS the Burton Winters tragedy has increased awareness for search and

rescue capacity in Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the Maritime Search and Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John's is scheduled

to close on May 8, 2012;

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

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

establish a public inquiry into the search and rescue in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I must point out that this latest copy of this petition did not

come from my district; rather, my hon. colleague from Lake Melville, the people

in Upper Lake Melville, as well as the people on the North Coast, the South

Coast, in Labrador West, and throughout the Province.

Mr. Speaker, these people are calling upon this government to have a public

inquiry into what went wrong with search and rescue with respect to the Burton

Winters tragedy. Mr. Speaker, we all know that something went wrong because of

the lack of response times with respect to the seven hours lost with Fire and

Emergency Services, as well as the lateness in search and rescue

coming from Gander and Goose Bay.

Mr. Speaker, the only reason the family has pushed this matter in amongst

their grieving is that they do not want to see what happened with young Burton

happen to another family in this Province or in this country.

Mr. Speaker, beneath it all, what happened with the Burton Winters tragedy

did show one thing very clearly, is the system that is in place now did not

work. It also identified the many problems within search and rescue protocols,

both on a provincial and a federal level.

Mr. Speaker, I urge every member in this House to

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. EDMUNDS: urge this government to act upon this petition and to

initiate a public inquiry into the tragedies that have happened, most recently

being the Burton Winters tragedy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition to the hon. House of Assembly for the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled. The petition of the

undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS home care allows the elderly and people with disabilities to remain

within the comfort and security of their own homes, home care also allows people

to be discharged from hospital earlier; and

WHEREAS many families find it very difficult to recruit and retain home care

workers for their loved ones; and

WHEREAS the PC Blue Book 2011 as well as the 2012 Speech from the Throne

committed that government would develop a new model of home care and give people

the option of receiving that care from family members; and

WHEREAS government has given no time commitment for when government plans to

implement paying family caregivers;

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

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to implement a new home care model to

cover family caregivers in this year's Budget.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, one of the pleasures of doing your job as an MHA is being able

to speak out about the concerns that face your constituents on a daily basis,

and this is one of the ones that I get e-mails and calls from on virtually a

daily basis. It is a huge issue across this entire Province, and it is something

that was promised, but we have not seen that promise kept yet.

In this case, this petition actually has signatures from the people of Ramea.

Ramea is in kind of an even harder position than normal in that the people of

Ramea do not have the nurse practitioners that are supposed to be covering that

area. Right now, they are only serviced by one nurse. Again, the department is

working on that issue, Western Health is working on that issue, but when you

combine that with the lack of home care, it really creates a very tough

situation.

These people, not only do they have to move, but in some case they cannot

just go to Burgeo, they have to go all the way to Corner Brook. Just to see

their loved ones they have to travel by ferry, which is hard enough in times of

good weather, but especially in times of bad weather, and when there is a

disruption it creates a huge negative factor on the well-being of these people.

The fact is one of the factors in someone's well-being is their comfort

level. We should be making sure people can find comfort in their own homes. It

is certainly something that would be easier on our budget as well, knowing we

can keep people in their homes as long as possible. So, again, I call upon the

government to do this, I will continue to raise this issue at every opportunity

that I get.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today I rise again with a petition for cameras on the Burin Peninsula

Highway. I will just read the prayer:

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 Burin Peninsula Highway is long and desolate, varying in

elevation, with highway conditions that are often difficult; and

WHEREAS this stretch of highway does not have adequate cellphone coverage to

allow for quick response times for people in distress who need help; and

WHEREAS this highway has innumerable hazards that have led to the death of

travellers in this area; and

WHEREAS no highway cameras are currently operating to let travellers know

about road conditions and warn of possible hazards;

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

install cameras on the Burin Peninsula Highway that will allow travellers to

check on the condition of roads.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke to this item before, and I think that these people have

a valid point, the people that are signing this. This is a way for them to get

their message to government that they are dealing with such conditions on the

highway. This petition is signed by any number of people in the Fortune,

Marystown, Grand Bank, Lamaline area, but in other areas too, as far away as

Clarenville, and some over on the West Coast of the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot reiterate how important this road is. It is probably, I

guess, well up there when it comes to road use. Next to the Trans Canada

Highway, I would think that the Burin Peninsula is probably one of the main

roads that are used in this Province in order for the transport of goods and

carrying on of commerce.

I would also like to reiterate that, Mr. Speaker, the use of cameras is

something that everybody is getting used to now. We tend to turn on our TVs and

our television stations are going on with the conditions of the roads right

around the Province and it would be so nice and inclusive to see the Burin

Peninsula Highway, approximately 300 kilometres of roadway from top to bottom,

covered on this. It is a vast expanse of highway, very lonely in a lot of areas

and, of course, the residents down there have to deal with bad weather.

Again, Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to present this petition on

behalf of people of the Burin Peninsula.

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

MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to present an anti-replacement worker 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 strikes and lockouts are rare and on average 97 per cent of

collective agreements are negotiated without a work disruption; and

WHEREAS anti-temporary replacement workers laws have existed in Quebec since

1978; in British Columbia since 1993; and successive government in those

provinces have never repealed those laws; and

WHEREAS anti-temporary replacement workers legislation has reduced the length

and divisiveness of labour disputes; and

WHEREAS the use of temporary replacement workers during a strike or lockout

is damaging to the social fabric of a community, the local economy, and the

well-being of its residents, as evident in the recent use of temporary

replacement workers by Ocean Choice International and Vale in Voisey's Bay;

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

enact legislation banning the use of temporary replacement workers during a

strike or lockout.

As in duty bound, your petitions will ever pray.

I know, Mr. Speaker, yesterday there was some dispute on the other side of

the Legislature about the appropriateness of rising on these petitions here in

the Legislature. I just wanted to point out that this particular petition came

to me yesterday; it was faxed from the Canada Post outlet in Deer Lake at 2:34

while the House was in Session, after I took my seat here in the Legislature

yesterday afternoon.

These petitions are coming into our offices, our constituency offices, on a

daily basis, and we continue to present them on behalf of the residents of

Newfoundland and Labrador who see fit to present these and send these in.

I just wanted to say, as I present these petitions on behalf of my

constituents I try to always explain a little bit further about why we would

want to have such anti-scab legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador. I will

have a lot more to say about child care once I have an opportunity to get in the

Budget debate, and I hope that will be today, Mr. Speaker.

If somebody has child care and they are off work because of a labour dispute

and they cannot get back to work, Mr. Speaker, they could very well lose that

child care space and not be able to get it back. Child care is so hard to find

in Newfoundland and Labrador right now. That is another one of the reasons why

we would want to have the

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member's time has expired.

Orders of the Day

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

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I call from the Order Paper, Order 1, the Budgetary Policy of the Government.

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask leave of the House. Normally,

the Member for the Bay of Islands would finish up his time from the previous

day. I would like to ask leave that he be deferred until later in the afternoon

and that the Member for Torngat Mountains would speak first to the motion.

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: The member has leave.

The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I unfortunately could not be here yesterday because I had the flu bug, but I

did hear many presentations, Mr. Speaker. What I hope to do today is to gear my

statements more towards the district of which I represent. I have heard many,

many references to many, many districts throughout our great Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker has recognized the Member for Torngat Mountains. I would ask

members if they would keep their conversations to a minimum so we can hear the

member speak.

The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, I would like to commend the minister for some of the

announcements throughout the Budget delivery. I was glad to hear the Minister of

Transportation and Works make comments on some infrastructure in the District of

Torngat Mountains, Mr. Speaker, namely to the need for increased landing

assistance at the airstrips. I was especially glad to hear him make reference to

the need for changes to the airstrip in the community of Nain.

Mr. Speaker, I was also glad to hear housing being announced for the

much-needed caregiving workers that we hope to go into the communities of

Hopedale and in Nain. I was also glad to hear the minister commit to continued

mediation of the damage done by the air force in the community of Hopedale.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up in Hopedale; it is part of my life. If I could only

have my time back now to note the things I have seen: tractors being driven into

ponds with no drivers aboard; trucks being driven into ponds; and roads being

doused with waste oil to keep the dust down. These are some of the things I saw

as a kid growing up, and I am sure we are just getting at the problem in

Hopedale. The community of Hopedale, especially the new subdivision, lies

directly in the drainage of where all of this activity took place in the 1960s

and 1970s. So I am glad to see the government is making steps in looking out for

the health of the people in Hopedale.

Mr. Speaker, there are a few things I would like to address with respect to

the Budget. A lot of these I have outlined in my maiden speech and a lot of them

were presented to me as I ran for the election back in October. This, I think,

is as good a time to bring them forward as any. One of the things that was

brought to my attention, and is still brought to my attention I have mentioned

this to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs as well as the Minister of Service

Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, that is the high cost of living in the

District of Torngat Mountains.

Mr. Speaker, the best two examples I could probably bring to the table, one

is the sale of a 200 gram bottle of asparagus tips in the community of Hopedale,

which retails for close to $7. Mr. Speaker, I checked the prices in St. John's.

I think it was just over $1. So there is a 500 per cent difference in prices.

Another thing, Mr. Speaker, is a one-half inch sheet of aspenite, which retails

in my district for as high as $45 and is nearly twice the cost of a piece of

plywood on the Island portion of Province. This cost of $45 compares to $13.99

to $15 in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. These, Mr. Speaker, are just two examples of

the cost of living in my district.

Mr. Speaker, I also understand that the further north you go, we are bound to

see an increase in the price of goods. Mr. Speaker, the prices that are in place

now are nothing short of ridiculous. Mr. Speaker, we have some prices that

reflect the cost of shipping in some stores, and we have stores that reflect the

true cost of shipping. Mr. Speaker, as a business operator, I can assure you

that the costs of shipping, especially in the summer months, are not as high to

warrant a 500 per cent to 600 per cent markup on commodity items. Mr. Speaker,

we wish that all stores in my district would follow suit.

Mr. Speaker, just to say again that I brought this to the attention to the

Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, and I have also brought it to the

attention of the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador. It amazes me to

see the government regulate the cost of alcohol. For example, the price of a

case of beer in St. John's is the same as a case of beer in Nain, and you cannot

charge any higher costs. The cost of baby formula, fresh produce, and other

basic necessities go from 150 per cent to 300 per cent higher. This confuses me,

Mr. Speaker, because both ministers said that they could to do anything. I see

the regulation on alcohol is forced upon every one of us, yet we see the basic

necessities with price increases that do not reflect the cost of shipping. Mr.

Speaker, wholesalers and some retailers are making a lot of money and are

allowed to make a lot of money in my district without any control.

So, again, I will stress the fact that the only thing that the government

controls is the price of alcohol, yet we must pay extremely high prices for the

necessities of life. As I said in my maiden speech, Mr. Speaker, we are part of

this Province, we are the northern part of this Province; however, we do not

live in the High Arctic.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk a little bit about the comments by the

Minister of Transportation and Works earlier this week on commitments to the

airstrips on the North Coast of Labrador and, specifically, to the airstrip in

Nain. Mr. Speaker, I was privy to a conversation between a past Minister of

Transportation and Works and the past vice-president of the Labrador Inuit

Association at the time, and this was approximately six years ago when the

minister at the time, a member of the government across, indicated to the

vice-president of LIA at the time that in two years they would have a new

airstrip in Nain. Mr. Speaker, this was four years ago. Again, I am glad to hear

the Minister of Transportation make reference to it.

Mr. Speaker, the airstrip in Nain that I will talk about very quickly has

had, I think, somewhere between eight and eleven accidents over the last twenty

years. I have witnessed at least three of them. Where the airstrip is located in

Nain, we were only lucky that some of these aircraft did not involve people in

the community and, more importantly, housing in the community, which runs

adjacent to the airstrip.

The airstrip in Nain, Mr. Speaker, is at the end of the community and

underneath one of the larger hills surrounding. It is only through the

experience and the skill of the commercial pilots that fly with Innu Mikun and

Air Labrador that there have not been more accidents.

Mr. Speaker, Nain is very famous for wind shears and more than one airplane

has gone off the runway in the process of landing. Some have gone off the runway

in the process of taking off.

Mr. Speaker, the need for this airport to be moved is now. As a matter of

fact, I think it was yesterday that this airstrip needs to be moved, before

there are more accidents and more deaths that will come with the dangers

involved here.

There is an increase in movement of people in Labrador. We are seeing it

every year. Most times airlines are filled, making two trips a day up and down

the coast. Mr. Speaker, this involves utility companies, exploration companies,

government employees, and regular day-to-day traffic.

Mr. Speaker, it was just last week, while I was en route back to St. John's

from my constituents, that I watched two airplanes approach the same runway, one

at either end. It was not a very comforting thing to watch, but what it pointed

out is the need for more landing equipment to make aircraft landing safe.

Pilots are sometimes caught in compromising situations through no fault of

their own, Mr. Speaker. As on the Avalon Peninsula, the North Coast of Labrador

is subject to weather changes without any warning. Many, many times, airplanes

have had to cancel their approach and go on to other alternates. This just slows

down and creates havoc for backlogs in passenger service.

Mr. Speaker, we need extra landing information. Many, many pilots have

pointed out to me, actually, the specific type of equipment that is needed. This

would ensure increased traffic, as well as, more importantly, an increase in the

ability to land the aircraft safely.

Mr. Speaker, during Question Period I brought up some questions on

transportation to the North Coast. Over the last ten years, we have seen a

major, major increase in the need for increased and additional marine services

for the District of Torngat Mountains. Mr. Speaker, we have had many, many, many

cases where there have been long waits. What I mean by long waits is at least a

month for freight to get from Goose Bay to the community of Rigolet, which is a

six-hour steam and ninety-eight mile distance.

I had the unfortunate opportunity of talking to one gentleman who shipped a

truck from Goose Bay to Rigolet, Mr. Speaker. The truck was found in a container

in Lewisporte. This example alone warrants the need for better services, for

increased services to the North Coast.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER (Verge): Order, please!

stores to get freight shipped to them should not mean having to compete with

contract companies to get basic necessities in. We have had basic food groups,

vegetables we could not identify which vegetable it was by the time it got to

some of the communities, while two shipments before, we saw roof trusses arrive

for buildings with no equipment to make the foundation. Mr. Speaker, these are

the kinds of things that we are dealing with. I am not a carpenter, Mr. Speaker,

but I know you have to build a foundation before you can put a roof truss on it.

That much I do know.

Mr. Speaker, the shipping yes, I have to say that the shipping on the North

Coast is a mess; it is ridiculous. In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, the

Nunatsiavut Government has just lifted the mining moratorium. So we are going to

see increased demand for shipping from exploration companies, as we seen just

prior to the moratorium where we had drill rigs and drill rods and exploration

equipment also competing with stores that were trying to get necessities in for

foods and along with general construction that happens on the North Coast.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk a little bit about the infrastructure with

regard to marine shipping in Northern Labrador. Each community in Labrador has a

shed approximately twenty by twenty with the office portion, the infrastructure

of the office being approximately four feet by six feet. Mr. Speaker, this would

not be acceptable in any other place in Labrador or any other place on the

Island portion of our Province. We question why should it be good enough for us?

It is something I will address in my closing remarks, Mr. Speaker.

These little sheds that we have in our communities, Mr. Speaker, the garage

doors are broken and in some cases missing. It was a bit comical a few years

ago, Mr. Speaker, upon hearing the announcement of a visit by the Minister of

Works, Services and Transportation, to see some workers scrambling to try and

make the buildings look presentable and to stick up the signage that was

supposed to be there. Mr. Speaker, it was quite funny to watch, I assure you.

The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, with regard to the infrastructure for marine

support on the North Coast of Labrador is that it is not practical and they do

not address the needs that arise on a daily basis. Mr. Speaker, one of the

questions that I ask: Is there a reason why we do not have freezer storage space

in our communities? In many, many cases we have seen store owners, and myself

being one of them, Mr. Speaker, ship back ice cream and send back frozen

products because it had thawed through refrigeration units breaking down.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Or it had been sitting on the dock without any notification to the store

owners that the freight was in fact there. These are some of the things, Mr.

Speaker, that we would like to see addressed, we would certainly like to see

addressed in this coming year.

Mr. Speaker, before I close I would just like to talk a little bit about the

caribou herd, the George River caribou herd especially. I did discuss this with

the minister and we did talk a little bit about it during Estimates. The George

River caribou herd once numbered 850,000 in the early 1990s. This herd

fluctuates on the natural life cycle, and some of the elders inform me that it

is a forty to seventy year life cycle.

Mr. Speaker, in the 1950s this herd went down to approximately 6,000 animals.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, this herd was used as target practice by the

aircraft that landed and practiced on the air force base in Goose Bay during its

heyday. Some of the numbers that were killed on a daily basis by the air force

personnel was staggering.

This herd is now at the bottom of the cycle while the predator list, Mr.

Speaker, is at the top. This is natural. The only thing in this day and age is

the concern for over harvesting. With the number of user groups, and it is

almost common knowledge now with the technology in both caribou location, GPS,

snowmobiles, everybody is now a hunter, Mr. Speaker. This is going to have a

damaging effect on the caribou herd.

Mr. Speaker, there is a concern here on what needs to be done in terms of

making sure this caribou herd follows its decline and restoration on a natural

basis. I pointed out to the Minister of Environment and Conservation, and I

think to some part he has agreed that there needs to be a co-management board or

an advisory committee of all the user groups in the Province, as well as in

Quebec, Mr. Speaker, and there are many.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to say that I have travelled

throughout the Island portion of this Province and to Western Labrador, and I

have seen a lot of beautiful infrastructure in communities that are very, very

much smaller than the smallest community in my district, and what they have and

what they take for granted, Mr. Speaker, we can only wish for.

I will close off with this message to the government across: Why should we,

on the North Coast of Labrador, have to wish for what the rest of the Province

takes for granted?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It is certainly a delight for me to stand up this year and speak to the

Budget, as I do every year, and probably get a couple of opportunities

throughout the year to highlight some of the things that our government does. I

am certainly delighted to have the opportunity, I know it is a pretty

interesting process, and it is a daunting process, actually.

One would think when you are dealing with a $7 billion or $8 billion Budget,

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of money, but let me tell you and I say to the

people watching on TV it certainly disappears in a hurry. When you can sit

around the table and debate and discuss some of the tough choices you have to

make, it is very difficult. Obviously, it is no secret that our government has

had a significant input into the health care of the Province. Just this year

again, there are significant investments that I hope to get to talk about in a

minute and again, significant investment in education.

That has always been our one-two priority, and obviously, that is where the

biggest majority of our resources I believe about 50 per cent of our Budget

goes into that area. It is endless, because anytime either one of us get a call,

whether you are on this side of the House or that side of the House, and it is

health related, or especially as it relates to our kids, we take it to heart and

we take it home with us. That is why this government has had the social

conscience it has had. Much to the chagrin of some of the people on the opposite

side, and the Third Party might not think so, but I can attest to it, Mr.

Speaker, that we certainly do have a social conscience.

I will just quickly tell you a little story. I was at a conference, and I

actually ran into an artist; she was a writer. She started with me by having

discussion of how socially responsible our government was. She went on and on

and on and we bantered back and forth; so much so, I had to ask her political

stripe. You know me, being a political guy. She reminded me that she was in the

west part of the country and she was an NDP, but if she lived in Newfoundland

and Labrador, she would have to be a PC because of our social responsibility.

She told me that she actually worked with this group. She worked with a group

who are nationally known, and she used to go around the country giving speeches

to different groups and different people about being socially responsible, about

doing the right things, about reducing poverty, Mr. Speaker. Lo and behold, she

told me that she used to use the Progressive Conservative Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador as one of her examples in speaking about social

responsibility and poverty reduction in this country, Mr. Speaker. There was no

secret, she was not of a political stripe I was, of course, here in this

Province however, she did see the good things we were doing here in this

Province and used us as an example. I joked with her that she should come and

run for us as a candidate. Of course, we both had a joke about that.

I just wanted to point that out, Mr. Speaker. Although people would believe

that a Progressive Conservative government has a very right-wing agenda, Mr.

Speaker, I would think that if you went back in the history of time, you would

probably never find a more left-leaning Progressive Conservative government than

you have today in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Mr. Speaker, there are certainly a number of things I would

like to touch on. The hon. member just mentioned the George River caribou herd,

so I cannot not speak about the Budget but to speak about the $1.9 million

investment that we have had with the George River caribou herd. We are one of

the contributors, along with our partners in the Nunatsiavut Government and so

on.

The hon. member is right; this was a herd of 800,000 animals in the 1990s. We

are down to about 55,000 now and some people project that we will be down into

30,000 by the end of this season, Mr. Speaker. Although the member spoke about

it, we have certainly been working with all of the stakeholders in the area. I

wanted to point out some of the things we have done because I did not want the

hon. member to leave people with the impression, especially the people of

Labrador and up the North Coast, that we have done nothing. Nothing could be

further from the truth. Like I said, it is a $1.9 million investment.

In 2010-2011, we took a number of drastic measures for the people there, for

the outfitting industry, and for people who hunt caribou on a regular basis as a

food staple, as a source of fresh meat. Mr. Speaker, I have to point out I

would not want anyone to think that we have been doing nothing. Last year, we

went to one caribou per one resident. At one time, you could buy a licence and

have more than that; you could have two, actually. We have no transfer of

licences. One time, I could go hunting in Labrador and if my whole family wanted

to buy a licence, give it to me, and if I had five people in my family, I could

go a day of hunting and shoot ten caribou. Mr. Speaker, that is no more. There

is no more transfer of licences.

Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, we have no more commercial hunt. That was a

difficult thing to do. We saw outfitters in the area with significant income and

employing people, Mr. Speaker. We had a commercial harvest as well for a butcher

shop. I had actually been at the store, Mr. Speaker, bought filets from him, and

bought a number of products from him that were fabulous and really had the

potential to probably be marketed a lot further than Labrador. Because of

conservation and because we believed in the resource, we were forced to do no

other initiative but to shut that down. I tell you, Mr. Speaker, that did not

come without any soul searching on behalf of all the members on this side of the

House. It was a tough, tough decision.

Then, of course, this year we had a reduction of the resident harvest. Right

now there is a reduction of the resident harvest. We have restrictions, I should

say, on the harvest; right now you have to buy a licence from one of our offices

in Labrador.

We are trying hard to keep an eye on what is happening in Labrador and commit

the money to it as well. We have a voluntary herd health monitoring program,

because we do need science, Mr. Speaker, to find out what is actually happening

with the caribou in Labrador. There are all kinds of theories, and some very

good people, by the way, some very experienced people with theories; that means

a lot to us, and is something that we listen to on a regular basis.

Mr. Speaker, we have been doing a number of things to monitor George River

and it can be a little frustrating at times. There are an awful lot of naysayers

out there, but we are erring on the side of conservation at this point and we

will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, as well, the hon. member talked about coming together with

different groups and so on. Well, let me just say that we are having a

significant amount of stakeholder consultation. We have met with the Nunatsiavut

government on a number of occasions. Just last week, I believe, we met with the

Innu, and we have met with the Inuit as well. We have met with the NunatuKavut

Community Council, Mr. Speaker. We have also started consultations with

Aboriginal groups in Quebec. We have been headed down this way for quite some

time; this consultation started a year-and-a-half ago, or two years ago, I

should say, and continues to today.

Mr. Speaker, we could be looking at a total allowable harvest next year. Let

me say, quite frankly, that will have a massive impact on all groups concerned,

because we are dealing with land claims agreements; we are dealing with rights

that people have to hunt caribou. If we go in with a total allowable harvest,

which is no doubt where we are headed, we could be in for some big reductions in

the availability of caribou to the residents of our Province.

Mr. Speaker, that is something to keep in mind. It is not something that we

enjoy doing. Obviously, the easy thing as a government to do would be open

season go flatten what you want, fill up your freezer, get as much of it as

you can, make as much sausage as you can but that is not something we are

willing to do, Mr. Speaker.

I just want to again assure the hon. member that we have been meeting with

groups. We do have an advisory committee struck, Mr. Speaker, and we will

continue to work with our stakeholders.

The other thing that we did, I forgot to mention, was we reduced the season

significantly. We have a much shorter season now than we had in the past, Mr.

Speaker, again, all in the name of conservation. I just had to touch on that.

Just before I sit down, I should lay out the number of people who are

involved in the advisory board, just for our listening audience and for the hon.

member, just to let him know who is involved. It is the Nunatsiavut Government,

the Torngat Wildlife and Plants Co-Management Board, the NunatuKavut Community

Council, the Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association, TCR, IGAAS, DNR,

and the Newfoundland hunting and fishing group. Mr. Speaker, like I said, we

have a significant group of stakeholders involved here, one we are delighted to

work with.

Mr. Speaker, I have digressed quite a bit there. I am halfway through and I

have not stopped talking about caribou. I have not even started talking about

the caribou on the Island portion of the Province yet. I always like to point

out a couple of things that we have done in our district this year, Mr. Speaker.

Before I have a few comments to my friends opposite on some of the things that

they would like to see in the Budget versus some of the things that we would

like to see, I have to reflect on a couple of things that we have seen happen in

my district of Conception Bay South in the last while.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank particularly now the Minister of Municipal

Affairs and the Premier of the Province, Premier Dunderdale, who last year and

the year before, I brought many issues to both of them and both of them saw what

I was saying and agreed to the infrastructure commitment to our town long

before our recent release of the numbers, I might add. Now Conception Bay South

is the second-biggest community in the Province, surpassing everybody else. St.

John's is number one, obviously, and second is although we are not a city, we

are a town; we are certainly the biggest town in the Province and we are

actually bigger in population than two of our other cities, bigger than Mount

Pearl, bigger than Corner Brook.

Mr. Speaker, it is a significant thing that is happening in Conception Bay

South. We see an awful lot of young families, and I always felt that we were

playing catch-up when it came to our infrastructure; that continues today, but

we have made great strides.

Just in this Budget, Mr. Speaker, there is the final commitment of $10.5

million for the CBS bypass. That is something that started that was announced

back in the late 80s as a road to be done under Roads for Rails. It was my

friends in the opposite, the Official Opposition, Mr. Speaker; when they were in

government, they decided to make some adjustments to the Roads for Rails

agreement.

It was unfortunate, at the time; I guess the people of Conception Bay South

were in Opposition then, but they were in government for two terms with the

Liberal Administration. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the transportation minister

of the day and I have done quite a bit of investigation on this, by the way;

the transportation minister of the day pulled the money from the CBS bypass,

reduced the size of the lanes, and moved it to other places, so much so, it was

early 2000 before we got it back on track again. I thank the former

Administration who started the ball rolling, and then it was the current

Administration that put the final touches on it with this $10.8 million, Mr.

Speaker, and I believe it was more money in the previous contract.

So, now, Mr. Speaker, we are finally going to see the road completed.

Although it is a two-lane, it was supposed to be a four-lane, but at least we

are going to get it finished, Mr. Speaker. That $10.8 million is there to

complete it, and I want to thank, like I said, the Premier in particular, and

the Minister of Transportation, and my colleague who represents the West End of

Conception Bay South, and my colleague who works with me on the East End of

Conception Bay South, for bringing this together.

As well, Mr. Speaker, we have had a significant amount of water and sewer

work that I could get into. Another thing I mentioned was the young families,

Mr. Speaker. The young families demand and need infrastructure and, in

particular, young families are looking for recreation infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, we had an arena in our place that was built for, I guess,

probably 10,000 or 12,000 people at the time in the 1970s. We now see our

community at about 25,000 or 26,000 people; like I said, the second biggest

community in the Province. It has now been approved, and will be built; I think

construction has started. They have started some clearing of land and so on, Mr.

Speaker. It is going to be a beautiful facility, a $22 million facility, Mr.

Speaker.

My colleagues from Paradise will see the same, and my colleague from

Carbonear Harbour Grace will also see the same, Mr. Speaker.

Again, it was about Premier Dunderdale believing in the importance of young

people and recreation in our Province and making that commitment; as she made

the commitment to the people of Marystown when it came to recreation

infrastructure, Pasadena, and many, many more. I just want to acknowledge that,

Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I stand in the House and sit in the House everyday and

listen to my colleagues opposite. There is a difference, there is a real

difference starting to develop on the Opposition, Mr. Speaker. We have the

Liberal Opposition, then we have the Third Party, and it is a real interesting

dynamic. I have never enjoyed the House, I do not think, any more than I do now,

Mr. Speaker. It is because of this dynamic, and it is not always agreeing and

agreeing sometimes. They even vote against each other now.

I remember when the current Leader of the Third Party was here by herself,

and she would always vote with the Official Opposition, Mr. Speaker. I thought

she was a Liberal. Most days I thought she was part of the Liberal Party because

she always voted with them. In the last couple of days I have seen the whole

party vote differently. So, it is a really fun dynamic that I enjoy watching. It

brings a different flavour to the House, a different mix of questions, Mr.

Speaker, but it is enjoyable. It is enjoyable to see that divide; it is a lot of

fun.

Mr. Speaker, I have to point out one thing - and obviously I am no Liberal,

and obviously I will never be a Liberal, but I will say one thing for the

Official Opposition, they do think about money. You notice when they ask

questions, the Leader of the Official Opposition, he talks money, he understands

business, he gets that the dollar can only go so far. You can sense that in him.

He knows that someday, I am not sure when but someday, they have made decisions

in the past based on the amount of money that is before them. Like I said, that

is a tough decision and a daunting task to do a budget for the whole Province

when you only have X amount of money.

Mr. Speaker, my friends in the Third Party have absolutely no concept, none.

I referred to it a couple of years ago as the NDP calculator, and we should get

one. We should get one in this House and somebody somewhere in the confines of

this beautiful building there is the calculator I am looking for, Mr. Speaker.

There is the one I am looking for. I would love to have that prop. Can you hand

that over to me? I know I am not allowed to have props, but, Mr. Speaker, we

need a calculator in this House. I am suggesting one like this, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. FRENCH: One like this. I am sorry

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the hon. minister that he is not allowed to use props of any kind in

the House.

The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

MR. FRENCH: I hope that our audience at home get the meaning of that

little, small calculator that I have. Mr. Speaker, what we would (inaudible)

need with a calculator like that would be a safe full of $100 bills. There are

not enough trees in Newfoundland to grow the hundreds and thousands of dollars

we would need to keep up with these guys.

Mr. Speaker, it just goes to show. Look at what happened in Ontario way, way,

back. The NDP government came into power and got elected. They committed and

promised everything to everybody. Mr. Speaker, within three short years they

fired them through the door, because they just about bankrupt, at the time, the

richest province in the country. They just about flattened them in three years.

Mr. Speaker, you cannot be everything to everybody.

You stand here today and you hear a member talk about housing and how we

should take the money from the HST, give it back to them and let them do it. If

we do that okay, we can do that, sure we can. Now remember, there is only so

much money to go around. If we do that, then we have to stop a number of things.

Then we have to stop funding the arts community in St. John's, Mr. Speaker,

which is a vibrant, healthy community. We would have to shut that down. We would

have to shut down giving grants to the artists in our Province, Mr. Speaker, and

that would be unfortunate. We would have to stop doing a number of initiatives;

stop expanding the St. John's Convention Centre, shut that down; stop doing

water and sewer; stop doing paving; stop doing our Municipal Operating Grants.

There are a lot of things to consider, and you cannot be everything to

everybody. That is one thing, I think, the NDP in this Province forget. They

constantly are up, standing on their feet, demanding money for this, demanding

for that, and that is fine, but, Mr. Speaker, once you spend it somewhere, you

have to take it from somewhere else.

Mr. Speaker, it is all about choices. You can stand in this House and be a

member of this House, but you should always realize and the general public out

there realize this. The people in Newfoundland and Labrador know what it is

about. They have managed their own households and they have paid bills; like us

all. We all do the same thing, Mr. Speaker. As a friend of mine once said, you

cannot buy your groceries on the Visa forever. Mr. Speaker, I fear that if they

ever got their hands on the public Treasury of this Province, we would be in

sad, sad shape.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to point that out. It is quite common. They want a

big child care plan. Well, we have just announced tens of millions of dollars

for child care in this Province, tens of millions of dollars for foster families

and so on over the next ten years massive. They would do more than that. We

have a significant amount of money spent on drug plans, but they would do more

than that.

It is all right to do more than all that. They can stand up every day and

talk about education. As my colleague the Minister of Education has explained on

numerous occasions, we have spent more money on education and roads than any

other government since time here in this Province. So, Mr. Speaker, they are

looking for all of this. That is fine. We understand there are needs in the

Province. We do; we deal with it every day. Again, Mr. Speaker, you can only

squat the nickel so far and we have to be responsible.

One of the things we have done as a government is we have been very

responsible, Mr. Speaker. Here we are going through an exercise now where all of

our departments look for 3 per cent of extra frills. We try to cut down all

frills, and we will continue to do that. We will continue to spend wisely. Mr.

Speaker, we will continue to invest in the people of the Province, but not

ridiculously. We have to be rational about this. I remind my colleagues opposite

that when they are up standing and asking for that, I think they should always

have a tagline on what they are going to take away.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I recognize the Member for St. John's East.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, if

there is any lesson in holding up a big calculator like that, it is to crunch

the big numbers that this government is dealing with. Now we know the secret of

why we need the Lower Churchill developed: It is to power up a calculator like

that.

The simple fact of the matter is

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. MURPHY: That got them going, Mr. Speaker, but I will also tell my

friend the Environment and Conservation Minister that he should have gotten a

smaller calculator and conserved a little bit more energy than what he did when

brought out something as big as that. This is a story he can tell his

grandchildren, Mr. Speaker. He will be bouncing his grandchildren on his knee,

and his grandchildren are going to be awfully bored with the Budget of 2012.

I will carry on from that. Mr. Speaker, the one thing that I noticed about

this Budget, you look for a lot of things in Budgets, and the one thing that the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador expect to see can be pretty much summed up

in one word, which would be expectations. Instead, what I have seen and what I

have been hearing over the last couple of weeks since this Budget has been

announced can be summed up in one word as well, and that is frustration. The

people of Newfoundland and Labrador have been waiting long enough to see the

proper investments made. I will be guaranteed that this government has made some

and I will repeat it, some investments, but they have not gone the right way

with everything.

The first thing that was readily apparent to every single consumer and

taxpayer in this Province, Mr. Speaker, when it came to the project that we know

as the development of the Lower Churchill is that the Nalcor highway, the Nalcor

seaway, and the Nalcor road got the money first. This government chose to carry

a deficit this year by putting as much money into Nalcor as what they did and to

let the rest of the people of this Province wait for the most basic of

necessities, like ferries or proper roads to drive on.

Let's call it $664 million that they put directly into Nalcor in the cash

assets. They put more money in the cash assets, but they chose to carry a debt

when they did not have to and they put it all on the backs of the people. That

part of the Budget, let me give you a percentage now; what was it a $6.2

billion Budget, I believe; $6.2 billion project as well - 11 per cent of the

Budget, as far as we know and as far as the numbers I crunched, about 11 per

cent of that Budget is gone to Nalcor. It is really hard to believe.

I will tackle a couple of the issues that I found in this Budget. The

Environment and Conservation Minister talked a little bit about conservation,

but one of the numbers I found really disturbing when he talks about

conservation, and I will say it, for one job loss that I did hear about,

particularly a biologist position over on the West Coast and I think that the

West Coast of the Province is at a point right now where it is going to be

facing some pretty heavy development pressures. If that is under Old Harry or if

that is under oil exploration that is in the Parsons Pond area, but the West

Coast is almost pristine and I think that the loss of a biologist position over

there is pretty important. The loss of one job position we are talking

forty-five jobs this year is pretty important, and it is just as important as

the next job losses that are going to be coming when government chooses the

mainstream and discovers core mandate over the next ten years.

Let me get back to it. The defining definition of this Budget, the key word

there was prosperity. Prosperity is defined as "having or characterized by

financial success or good fortune; flourishing; successful well-to-do or

well-off" and includes other such factors, such as happiness or wealth.

Mr. Speaker, I will say it, I do not think a lot of people are going to be

happy with this Budget. They are not, and we are hearing it. It comes from any

one side. Like I said, people's expectations are high, but we have gone from

expectation to frustration in just the few things that I have mentioned, if it

is ferries or if it is roads. There are some letdowns.

In the Minister of Finance's speech, he mentioned the Real Gross Domestic

Product. According to the Minister, it was going to be only measuring 0.1 per

cent. It makes you wonder, outside of oil, how much did we really diversify our

economy? If oil collapsed tomorrow, what else would we be falling back on?

We have an unemployment rate that ranks around 13 per cent. We cannot do

better than this with the money that we have in this Province? Mr. Speaker, we

are so flush with cash, and we keep hearing it, that we are flush with cash. We

have $2 billion in cash assets. The government does not know what to do with it,

but it is pretty much determined now on the part of the people of Newfoundland

and Labrador that money is going to go towards Muskrat if not all of it, then

at least half of it. That is $2 billion that the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador need, to know right now they do not have to be waiting on a new ferry

system, they do not have to be waiting on new roads. They should not have to

wait for universal child care to happen because the money is there to pull off a

project like that now.

Again, we are talking about an unemployment rate that ranks around 13 per

cent. If your definition of prosperity includes having all of this money and

everything, why is food bank use so far up? Why do we see an extended use of

food banks when we are talking about the money that this Province has? It is a

pretty good question, isn't it? I do not see government addressing food bank

usage.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: Food bank usage is a pretty good sign on how people are

doing. I do not know anybody who is happy requiring the use of a food bank. It

is a pretty good indicator of how your economy is doing.

The Budget theme is People and Prosperity, and this Budget is all about

having the money but not letting any of that money out to address your own

people's needs. I cannot sum it up any better than that. I think it was Caroline

Kennedy who came out and said some time ago and everybody knows who Caroline

Kennedy is, the daughter of John F. Kennedy to sum it up, that besides having

prosperity and the fact of having money in your hands, you also need a

prosperity of kindness and decency; a prosperity of kindness and decency. In

some cases, I do not see it in this Budget.

I am going to take this for the next several minutes, and for the other two

speaking times that I am going to have, I am going to take it and in general

shove out a couple of thoughts about what I have in the Budget. I am going to

take it case by case, and the first department that I am going to take is

Environment and Conservation, because I think there are a couple of things

there. I already touched on one, as regards to what I did not see in the Budget

and what I did see in the Budget. The loss of a biologist position, I think, is

pretty important.

I am going to throw it out to them now, as regards to the Multi-Materials

Stewardship Board. I know I asked you a question in Estimates the other day, but

as regards to the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, I would like to have a

little chat with everybody about the recycling that we are doing with tires, for

example. This is just a small picture, because I am talking about the creation

of green jobs in this Province, or the potential for green jobs in this

Province. Like I said, we are dealing with about a 13 per cent or 14 per cent

unemployment rate, and these tires right now are down in Placentia, Argentia

area, they are being stored. At the same time, on the other side of the bay,

pretty much, we are talking about the collapse of some of the basic industries

that are connected to the fishery right now. We are talking about a heavy

increase in the unemployment rate there that happened pretty much today.

AN HON. MEMBER: What are you going to do, burn them in Corner Brook?

MR. MURPHY: I am not talking about burning them in Corner Brook, because

that is just the fault with the recycling program as we have it now. You are

shipping it off for an end use of a product that people are paying $3 a tire for

now, and here we have, as a people, the worst roads in the country.

The other day, I think it was the Canadian Automobile Association that had a

survey on Atlantic Canada roads and five of those roads are in Newfoundland and

Labrador. I think the government should be ashamed to see it, and here we are

with a viable aggregate that can be mixed in with road asphalt because road

asphalt is very expensive to extend the life of the roads in this Province. We

could be talking about the creation of green jobs, extending the life of roads

so that government would not have to address the repaving of roads in twenty

years' time. They could come back and actually save the consumer some money in

the long run and, at the same time, the road itself becomes recyclable.

I think it is time for government to actually sit back some time and look at

some of the initiatives that it is doing and what it can be doing in the future

to keep money here, and to create green jobs and keep dollars in this Province.

As well as that, you would probably save that $6 million a year in shipping

costs to Quebec. Again, I will touch on it. When you burn tires, something is

going to go up into the atmosphere, and what does that do for the environment

department? What does that do with the final burning of a product? Again, it is

not very good on the environment.

I will give you an idea of what to be doing with the conservation end of

things, now. In this Budget I did not see anything that would call for a grant

or a subsidy program, for example, for the installation of heat pumps, that sort

of thing, in houses. We know that we are talking about the energy conservation

things; let's talk about a grant or a subsidy so that we do not have to pursue

things like Muskrat Falls.

This government has always been asking the question: Do we need the power?

Well, then, I will turn it around for them when it comes to that. When it comes

to the conservation end of things, we should have been asking the question, how

much power do we need, because by the time the numbers come out, we are going to

find out that there is really not going to be that much power that we are going

to need anyway.

I will go and I will talk about, for the next little bit, the park

reservation system. This one absolutely astounds me, because here I am; I am

coming out of my pup tent and I am going to tell you the way it has been over

the last couple of days from the people I have been talking to.

We have a contract that is centered in Ontario, an Ontario call centre.

Again, I will say, the 13 per cent or 14 per cent unemployment rate

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MURPHY: - that is right, the people I talk to are ending up talking

to people in India, so this company that you have contracted, that government

has contracted, Mr. Speaker, to run the reservation system

MR. FRENCH: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation, on a point of order.

MR. FRENCH: Mr Speaker, we do not have a call centre. The call

centre went out to public call, public tender. It was awarded to a person in

Ontario. Mr. Speaker, who is at the other end answering the phone I have no

idea, but it is in Ontario; that I can assure the hon. member, not in India as

he refers to.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The proof is in the pudding there, that they did put out a call for tenders,

if you will, and somebody else answered that tender. Somebody outside of the

Province answered that tender, Mr. Speaker. We do not have anybody that is

running a reservation system here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. FRENCH: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Minister of Environment and Conservation, on a point of order.

MR. FRENCH: Mr. Speaker, what he is suggesting is that we shut down the

call centres here and stop taking calls from Texas. I guess that is what he is

suggesting, and we not share our resources.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: Mr. Speaker, I will say it again, in case the Minister of

Environment and Conservation wants to come into this pup tent and we will have a

little chat about it, I am talking about job creation in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

It is fairly simple to me that when you are talking about a 14 per cent

unemployment rate

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again I will say it, and I will finish off my comments with regard to the

park reservation system with something as simple as this: with a 14 per cent

unemployment rate in this Province, and with people looking for work, we can do

much better than farming it outside the Province than what we have done as

regards to the park reservation system here.

Mr. Speaker, all I can say is that

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. MURPHY: I will carry on with it anyway.

As regards to government's ten-year austerity programming that is coming up

now, that the Finance Minister deals with, he is talking about examining the

core mandate over the next nine, ten years. So far this year we have heard that

forty-five jobs are gone. I have to question the need as regards to that kind of

austerity programming, where he is actually going to be going in, slashing and

cutting, in the future when we are going to have all these people who are going

to be retiring anyway. Why don't we just wait for the people to retire? That is

austerity programming in itself.

If we are going to be losing about 25 per cent of the workforce due to future

retirements, we do not have to get in there and slash and burn and express doubt

amongst the rest of the people who are working for government, who are keeping

this Province going. All we have to do is sit and wait for them to retire. I

think it is over the next nine years we are going to be seeing that 25 per cent

reduction in the workforce anyway. Having government departments waste money on

looking at their core mandate itself is going to be self-defeating. Again, I

will say it: it is not doing a lot for the morale of government workers.

I will carry on. It is a little bit frustrating, like I say, when I see that

government is going to be wasting the Finance Minister can stand up later on

and he can probably say it as it is, but I think it is $500,000 of government

money that is going to be looked at, is going to be tossed toward something that

is going to be happening anyway. I can think of better uses for $500,000, Mr.

Speaker.

We are looking at something else, too, as regards to the workers in this

Province and the negotiations that are ongoing. There are not going to be any

wage increases, which means things get harder, not only for the people who are

working for government or the people who are carrying on government business.

Whenever you tighten the belt of the government worker, and if you are not going

to be granting them any kind of an increase and this is going to be a fair

argument for the Finance Minister to get up and ask - there are a lot of people

in this Province who expect government to lead, and they set a standard by which

everybody else follows. They do. A business will go ahead and look and see what

government issued as regards to the wage increases that they have given to their

own workers, and they will go ahead, they will turn around and they will do the

same thing. If government workers do not end up with a little bit of a wage

increase and I do not think that they are going to be asking for anything too

out of line this time around, as regards to what they are going to be looking

for. They deserve an increase; they deserve an increase far beyond what Nalcor's

budget got. It is remarkable in some aspects of that.

I would like to say, whenever you do not consider an increase to government

workers, that reflects on everything else that happens within the Province. It

reflects on business; it reflects on somebody else who is going to be the

beneficiary of that government dollar that is going to be spent out there in the

economy. So I ask government to reconsider that and put some deeper thought into

that.

Let's talk about the small business tax. We did not see a cut from 4 per cent

to 3 per cent to support small business. I think that small businesses were

relatively disappointed in this Budget. I think that a small move like that to

save small business, about $4 million overall that it would have contributed to

the Newfoundland and Labrador economy, would have gone a long way to helping

businesses in this Province and to help keep the economy going when we are

supposedly in troubled times. I do not think troubled times are what we are in

right now. This troubled time has been chosen by this government, and I think

the number with regard to what we are giving to Nalcor and the debt number at

the end of the day both dictate that.

I want to touch on Intergovernmental Affairs and their role, because I really

have not seen or heard anything concrete happening out of this department in

quite some