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March 7, 2018

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 50

The

House met at 10 a.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):

Order, please!

Admit

strangers.

Orders of the Day

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

From the

Order Paper, I call Motion 1, to move that the House resolve itself into a

Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider a certain resolution for the

granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 36, seconded by the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform

the House that I have received a message from His Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor.

MR. SPEAKER:

All rise, please.

I am in

receipt of a message from His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor dated 2nd of March,

2018:

Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I transmit a

request to appropriate sums required for the Public Service of the Province for

the year ending 31 March 2019, by way of Interim Supply, and in accordance with

the provisions of sections 54 and 90 of the

Constitution Act, 1867 , I recommend

this request to the House of Assembly.

Sgd.:_

________________________________

Lieutenant-Governor

Please

be seated.

The hon.

the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move,

seconded by the hon. Government House Leader, that the message, together with a

bill, be referred to a Committee of Supply.

MR. SPEAKER:

The motion is that the

message, together with a bill, be referred to a Committee of Supply and that I

do now leave the Chair.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

This

motion is carried.

motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply,

the Speaker left the Chair.

Committee of the

Whole

CHAIR (Warr):

Order, please!

We are

considering the related resolution and Bill 36,

An Act Granting To Her Majesty

Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For

The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2019 And For Other Purposes Relating To The

Public Service.

Resolution

“That it

is expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the granting to Her Majesty

for defraying certain expenses of the public service for the financial year

ending March 31, 2019 the sum of $2,806,552,200.”

CHAIR:

Shall the resolution carry?

The

Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury

Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr.

Chair, I rise in the House today to speak to Interim Supply. It's an annual bill

that we're required to pass in the House of Assembly to allow for the financial

administration of ongoing government operations during the interim period while

budget 2018 is being introduced, debated and approved by the Legislature.

When we

introduce budget 2018, we'll be seeking approval for funding to spend for the

entire fiscal year, but it normally takes time to allow for debate and approval

of the budget. During this interim period, we need to provide funding to the

government departments so that the ongoing work of core government and public

service can continue without disruption. This is the purpose of the Interim

Supply Bill.

Mr.

Chair, today we are seeking the approval in Interim Supply for the sum of

approximately $2.81 billion. This represents an increase of approximately $102.9

million from last year's Interim Supply bill. While Interim Supply is based on

the 2017-18 budget figures, in some cases allowances are made for anticipated

increases in 2018-19.

There

are increases in numerous areas through the normal course of business. The

primary increase relates to the anticipated severance payouts resulting from the

collective agreements which is currently being finalized, the one with NAPE, and

severance has led to an increase of $205 million for Consolidated Fund Services.

As I've

stated on numerous occasions, the removal of severance through our collective

agreement with NAPE is a significant achievement. Many governments have

attempted to eliminate severance through collective bargaining and have not

succeeded. We've been able to achieve this, and in doing so have eliminated a

significant financial liability.

A few

months ago, there was some misinformation spread about severance that I'd like

to address here. Severance has been recognized by our own Court of Appeal in

1997 as an earned benefit, and to suggest it is a gift is factually incorrect

and misinformed.

Our own

federal government spent approximately $3 billion to pay out accrued severance

starting in 2010 to eliminate their growing financial liability. The federal

government recognized how valuable this was, and so do we. While we are seeing

an increase as a result of this in our Interim Supply, I submit to the House

that the long-term benefit of this far outweigh the short-term increases.

This

legislation, Mr. Chair, must be passed to receive Royal Assent by March 23,

2018, in order to allow sufficient time to ensure payroll, Income Support and

other expenditures are funded effective April 1, 2018.

Interim

Supply provides departments and public bodies with the necessary cash to manage

expenditures for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2018; essentially, the

first quarter of the new fiscal year. This includes ongoing housekeeping

expenditures, including funding for upcoming pay periods and ongoing project

funding requirements applicable for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

This

Interim Supply bill makes provisions for the transfer of funds from the

Department of Finance to other departments for expenditures for compensation,

benefits and other associated adjustments; transfers from the Consolidated Fund

Services accounts to other departments for special retirement or other payments,

should they be necessary; and transfer of funds to and from various heads of

expenditures to facilitate expenditures for financial assistance, as may be

approved from time to time by Treasury Board.

Interim

Supply is an important bill that is intended to provide for the continuation of

ongoing government programs, services and projects. The bill needs to be passed

to continue routine and ongoing operations while budget 2018 is going through

the Legislature for debate and approval.

As we

approach budget 2018, our province continues to face a serious fiscal situation.

We, as a government, have been transparent about this since very early in our

mandate. I've said on many occasions that our government is taking a balanced

approach to fiscal management. Our focus, as a government, is on delivering

programs and services that are important to the public in smarter and more

efficient ways.

We know

that there are some services that people in the province rely on with great

regularity. Services such as health care, education, transportation and others

that affect the daily lives of people in Newfoundland and Labrador. As MHAs, it

is incumbent on us to ensure that the people we represent have access to the

services that are needed. This becomes a significant challenge in times of

fiscal restraint, but it is a challenge that must be addressed head- on.

For

measures such as reducing the size of our public sector, primarily through

attrition, through zero-based budgeting and implementing a risk-based approach

to estimating revenues, our government continues to look at creative ways to

correct the course without significant fiscal pain. The cost of delivering

reasonable services to a widely dispersed and aging population remains a cost

challenge.

Mr.

Chair, I know that it's a procedural motion, but it is nonetheless an important

one. The funds allocated under this bill go towards the work of our departments

who are moving forward with our balanced approach. We recognize that we need to

identify the best approach to secure better outcomes and provide better access

to programs and services. Successes in this area include actioning our vision

for health care on the West Coast, and advancing a much-needed long-term care

facility and new hospital in a manner that strikes a balance between the need to

deliver better services and our fiscal ability.

Another

example of smarter government is found within ServiceNL who have partnered with

other Atlantic provinces to secure a new service provider for driver's licences.

By working co-operatively, we've achieved cost savings and secured a product

with improved security that prevents identity theft and fraud.

This

replacement photo driver's licence system builds on other recent enhancements to

Motor Registration Division's services, including the introduction of online

driver's licence renewals, the move to a 10-year validity for driver licence

photos, continued discounts for online renewals of driver's licences and vehicle

registrations and a customer flow management system implemented at the Mount

Pearl location.

Guided

by The Way Forward we are supporting

job creation and industry growth in rural and urban areas. We are also making

investments in transportation, health and education, and many other areas to

create an environment of business success and job growth. Our approach to

economic development has also led to boosting new employment opportunities in

such industries as oil and gas, mining, aerospace and events.

Some

example include: Husky Energy's West White Rose extension, which will create

upwards of 5,000 person years of employment and economic benefits exceeding $3

billion over the life of this 25-year project. We have provided a $2.25 million

forgivable loan to Provincial Aerospace, which will help create 150 person years

of employment over five years; a $17 million loan to Canada Fluorspar,

supporting 3,000 person years of employment in the first 12 years of the mine's

operations, and another 525 spinoff jobs are anticipated to be created as a

result of the mine reopening.

Helping

to create new jobs and successful business is essential to strengthening our

communities, so too is investing in infrastructure projects that support the

delivery of public services and maximizes their potential to encourage greater

economic activity.

Over the

next five years we are allocating nearly $3 billion for new and existing

schools, health care facilities, roads, bridges, municipal infrastructure and

more. This sizable investment will help stimulate the economy, creating more

than 4,900 full-time jobs annually for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It will

foster business development throughout the province and ensure access to modern

facilities where public services can be delivered. New facilities also help make

communities more attractive places to live which support efforts to increase the

province's population.

laying our solid plans to advance infrastructure initiatives, as well as

programs and services, we are open to finding new ways of doing things. It also

puts in a more strategic position for the province to balancing our goal of

supporting access to important services while stimulating the economy.

Mr.

Chair, I'm sure that there are other examples within our government and I'm sure

that the hon. colleagues in this House will take their opportunity to speak to

this bill and to highlight some of the successes that they've had this year. I'm

sure we'll hear from the Opposition as well, and I look forward to their

comments as we move forward with this.

With

that, I'll conclude my remarks by saying that it's an honour to have the

opportunity to speak to this important piece of legislation and I look forward

to hearing from all colleagues in the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

Shall the resolution carry?

All

those in favour, 'aye.

The hon.

the Opposition Leader.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I know

it's early, Sir, I know it's early. That's the new glasses, Mr. Chair. I have a

feeling you may be going back and forth a bit today before you move to the next

question, but thank you for giving me a chance to address Bill 36 today.

Bill 36

is known as Interim Supply. For those people who are tuning in and not familiar

with Interim Supply, essentially Interim Supply grants funds to the government

to continue to operate as the government until a budget is approved.

Interim

Supply allows for the continuation of programs and services and very important

ones. I want to use this first opportunity just to acknowledge that it's

actually the public service who runs government on a day-to-day basis from snow

clearing to health care, to education to our justice system. It's the public

service and public servants individually who make that happen and make that

operate.

Mr.

Chair, without Interim Supply, our public service wouldn't be compensated for

the work they do and government would come to a halt. In the United States,

we've seen it happen a couple of times in recent months and over the last decade

there have been a few times it's happened where the federal government

essentially have come to a halt because they couldn't finalize budget

allocations to allow that to happen.

suppose theoretically that could happen here. If we were to continue Interim

Supply debate, which as an Opposition Party we can, and the process we have here

we can continue to debate in Committee repeatedly Interim Supply. If we were to

run the Interim Supply debate into April 1, then the government wouldn't have

any funds to operate. They wouldn't have an opportunity to continue to pay their

bills or keep the lights on for that matter.

That's

what Interim Supply does. It's an annual event or an annual bill that usually

comes through around early or middle of March. It then gives lots of opportunity

for the Opposition and government to have a debate and discussion about Interim

Supply, for the government to continue to operate and for public service to

continue to do the job that they have.

One of

the significant parts of Interim Supply debate that we're quite aware of is that

every year for budget debate there's a fixed allotment of time. I think it's 70

hours. Is it? I'm looking across the way if someone –

AN HON. MEMBER:

Seventy-five.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Seventy-five hours allotted

for budget debate. One of the interesting parts of that is that time used for

Interim Supply comes off the budget.

MR. HAGGIE:

(Inaudible.)

MR. P. DAVIS:

What was that, Minister?

MR. HAGGIE:

You don't have to use it all.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Don't have to use it all.

Okay. The Minister of Health says: We don't have to use it all. Maybe we'll only

use three or four hours. It would be better. However, I think we're going to be

close on 75 this year. I anticipate we'll be close on 75 hours this year, as we

are most years.

The time

used, Mr. Chair, on Interim Supply, on debate of Bill 36, is part of the budget

time. So it comes off the budget debate. Historically, Opposition Parties don't

tend to use a lot of that time because right now we don't know what the fiscal

plan is for the government for the year coming. We don't know what the plan is;

not only fiscal but fiscal plan drives the plans of programs and services for

the government in the coming year.

As an

Opposition, we don't know what that is yet. We quite often look and say we're

best off to use our time to use for the budget debate after we know what the

budget is going to contain, what's going to be in the budget and how government

plans on providing services and programs, some of the ones that I just

referenced, into the coming year.

We know,

Mr. Chair, that the government doesn't enjoy the price and value of oil as they

have in the past. Oil has stabilized and increased since the end of 2015. That's

been a benefit.

remember 2014 and 2015 when oil crashed. I quite often refer to Bloomberg when

I'm talking to people in the coffee shops and around the province. They talk

about all of a sudden the oil money went, can you tell me what happened. I'll

pull out my phone and I'll look up Bloomberg. I'll look at the price of oil,

I'll look at the five-year price of oil and you'll see the oil high above the

$100 mark.

Right

around the same time I announced I was going to run for the leadership, which

was the first of July – July 2, I think, was the actual date I announced I was

going to run for the leadership – 2014, around that same time the price of oil

started to drop, and there's a graph – I know we can't use props here in the

House of Assembly, but if you go on Bloomberg and look at the price of Brent

crude and look at the five-year pricing, you'll see the graph comes along over

$100. Then all of a sudden it dropped, and it continued to drop until the fall

of 2015.

Through

my time in the office as Premier, it dropped and dropped and dropped. Then right

after the election in 2015 things started to stabilize and came up. It was

nowhere near where it was, Mr. Chair, but it started to stabilize and come up.

That's good for the province because it provides more resources to the

government to provide those programs and services, and I'm sure it was a breath

of relief.

As that

stabilization continues, there's slowly a climb back which creates revenue for

the province and for the government and helps drive the economy. The reality is

we're tied to natural resources. That's what our province is tied to.

Recently, we hear talk of the province is going to go bankrupt. I don't believe

it for a second, Mr. Chair. I don't believe for a second the province is going

to go bankrupt. Bankrupt is when your debts exceed your assets, but if you think

about our assets –

AN HON. MEMBER:

It's not even close.

MR. P. DAVIS:

No, it's not even close, I

say to the Member opposite. It's not even close.

If you

look at our assets in Labrador, where he represents, there's huge, huge

untouched potential in assets in Labrador. A group of people, a workforce and a

community very well know how those assets are to be extracted and can be

utilized, and they're very, very good at it. They're very, very good at that.

There are untapped resources in Labrador.

If you

look at our offshore resources, which are probably two of the most

mega-resources we have today that we look at and talk about with our economy,

the offshore oil resources, only 2 per cent of expected or suspected reserves

offshore right now are tapped into. Only 2 per cent of the offshore potential.

In the

mapping that was done while we were in government, and I know the current

government and the minister will maybe speak to this at some time during Interim

Supply, but we know due to the work done and exploration done off the Coast of

Labrador, that there's the potential for oil fields larger than the Gulf of

Mexico right off our own coast in Labrador.

So when

you look at what we believe our assets to be and what they contain and the value

of those assets, there's no way our debt is reaching anywhere close to the value

of those assets, and that's what it is. What the province has today is they have

a liquidity problem. They have a cash flow problem. They have a problem whereby

you can't extract the value of those resources and assets today to meet the

demands of the province.

remember back long before I got into politics, I remember back in the '80s and

'90s. Times were tough back in the '80s and '90s as well. I was a public

servant, and I tell you, it was a hard thing to do to be a public servant back

in those days.

policing, I remember we had cars that weren't fit to be on the road. That was

the bottom line. Police cars we used to respond to emergency calls that

shouldn't have been on the road.

remember days, back in those days, Mr. Chair, sitting in the police station at

night waiting for someone to take a break so we'd have a police car to get in to

go out and respond to calls in our own area, because we never had enough police

cars to do the work back in those days, back in the late '80s and into the '90s.

That was reflective of the tough and difficult times the government was facing

at the time.

I know

back in the '90s, when the government was taking what was seen as a value and an

equity stake in the operations of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, instead of

putting that back into improving those resources had to use those for day-to-day

operations. Government was looking for every opportunity to put it into the

day-to-day operations.

We were

able over those years as a province, and this is not a partisan comment by any

means or anything, but as a province and as industry and so on were able to grow

and grow the economy, then things started to turn and become better for us.

Hibernia was probably the turning point for that. We look back now when we

talked about: Should we put more effort into exploration versus our focus on

production? Yes, we probably should have. If you look at what happened overseas

and how they approached it a little bit differently. Yes, it probably would have

been in the long run a little bit – but it's still there. The assets are still

there.

I know

the minister and the Premier have talked about expediting and speeding up time

from exploration to production. I fully agree with them. We worked on that as

well. We have to find a way to reduce that timeline and red tape and process.

You do that by establishing a standard of expectation for oil companies so they

know exactly what the rules are at play. Not do one-offs, but have a

standardized approach so that companies can be – but it has to be one that's

inviting so companies can know: Why should I go there and make investments?

We've

seen recent investments by oil companies here in property development and so on,

which shows they have a long-term view, that they're here to stay. I know if you

look historically through history and time, you'll quite often see that when the

value of oil drops off, companies are looking for that next opportunity for

exploration to get those wells going for long-term sustainability for their own

companies.

That's

where it's a great opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador today. While it

does drive the economy, when exploration goes up – and we've seen good interest

in exploration over the last couple of years – that means people have to service

that industry and that drives our economy. Someone has to feed the workers and

supply the rigs and the drill rigs. That helps to drive the economy.

People

are true when you look at our economy that over our history it's gone like this.

That's the nature of being a society, an economy and a province that relies so

much on the vast wealth of natural resources that we have. Of course, what every

government has ever talked about is: How do we smooth that line out? How do we

stop those highs and lows and how do we smooth that out for longer

sustainability?

Alberta

tried that. They started taking some money and putting it away and saying when

times go bad now, we'll have this fund to help us. They burned through it so

quickly when oil dropped. They burned through so quickly but, fortunately, it

was a buffer. I don't think it's the answer in itself; you have to find those

stabilities.

We look

forward to the budget. We're going to speak some more on Interim Supply and some

of the things that the government has done recently. We're probably going to

give them some views. We've all attended budget consultation sessions.

There's

only one budget consultation session that we never had a representative from the

Official Opposition and that was one in Labrador. In fairness to everyone, I

think it was scheduled and cancelled twice. It was scheduled to happen and

cancelled. I think it was weather or some other reason for that, but I'm sure

there's a good reason. It was cancelled twice and it was finally held. We never

had anybody there but we had fully intended to have someone attend that one as

well. We did have someone at every budget consultation session other than that

one.

Between

now, through Interim Supply debate, and we get through budget debate, then we're

going to talk more about what we saw and what we heard during the budget

consultation process, which was an important one. It could have been done a

little bit differently and we're going to talk about that as well. We'll discuss

was it the right way of doing it and so on.

Governments come in and try things differently. Maybe next year they'll change

it, but they'll only change it maybe if they hear feedback that there might be a

better way of doing it in the future.

Mr.

Chair, I'm going to sit down. I've up my time at this point in time. As I said,

while our Interim Supply time comes off our budget debate time, we'll have some

comments to make during Interim Supply for some time. We're going to spend a

little bit of time in Interim Supply; it won't be just a give me and walk away.

It's important that we talk about Interim Supply and how it can be utilized, the

importance of our public service and some of the thoughts and ideas that we'll

have on the current operations of the government today.

Thank

you, Mr. Chair.

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for

Placentia West - Bellevue.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. BROWNE:

(Inaudible) it's a pleasure to stand in the House of Assembly as always to

represent the people of my district. It's been a very exciting place as of late.

Of course, Marystown has been swept with Olympic fever, as I have so often said.

We're very looking forward to Kaetlyn's return back to Marystown, more details

to follow.

Mr.

Chair, there's much happening in the District of Placentia West - Bellevue that

I'm very involved with and very proud of: the ongoing collaborations that we

have between myself, the various ministers, municipalities and not-for-profit

groups. I want to provide an update to Members of the House on matters

pertaining to my district, one of the most, if not the most, industrious

district on the Island of Newfoundland, certainly.

I want

to talk about where we have come, where we are and where we are headed. Where we

have come, I think it's important to look back to two years ago when government

was formed. We're here discussing Interim Supply, a budgetary matter, Mr. Chair.

The people of the province were sold a bill of goods during the last election

and told there was a $1.1 billion deficit. I think it's important, not to cast

blame or aspersions on anyone else, but just to speak of facts and remember

where we were at that point of time in history.

discovered, upon forming the government, that number would have been $2.7

billion. I think it's important to recall that, Mr. Chair, because it colours

all of the other decisions that had to be made in terms of finding and achieving

savings and raising revenues. So swift, decisive action had to be taken. We had

to reassure bond rating agencies and lenders that we wouldn't go bankrupt, as it

was a concern at the time, Mr. Chair, and it was very difficult. It was very

difficult for many of us personally. It was difficult for the people of the

province. We understand that but it was necessary, unfortunately, due to the PC

mismanagement of a decade.

Mr.

Chair, there is more than doom and gloom in this province. In fact, there's a

lot of bright positivity happening and that's what I want to focus my time today

on. Despite all of those challenges, Mr. Chair, the Seniors' Benefit was

increased by some $250 and spread over quarterly payments. I've been getting

feedback from seniors in my district saying that this is helping them better

manage their finances and it's become easier for them. We've also introduced the

Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement for senior citizens, low-income

families and persons with disabilities for them to better achieve what they're

trying to do.

Also,

Mr. Chair, and I will preface this account by saying the Member for Burin -

Grand Bank and I, the Minister of Fisheries, the Premier

have been dealing with the issues surrounding surf clam on the Burin Peninsula.

It's something that we're very concerned with and very active on that file to

ensure that the people we represent, their voices are heard on that issue with

the federal government.

I do want to commend the federal government for the

many partnerships that we've had with them in terms of funding arrangements and

cost sharing. For example, in my district, over the last two years we've seen

nearly $10 million in capital works and infrastructure projects. We have secured

hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure spending from the federal

government that we've been able to do meaningful projects throughout many of our

districts, including my own.

We look at Marystown, Parkers Cove, Terrenceville,

North Harbour, Come By Chance, Arnold's Cove and Chance Cove, all of these

communities that benefited from agreements that we have signed with the federal

government to enable cost-sharing arrangements on those types of projects.

We've also announced economic development projects,

such as nearly $100,000 for expansion of the Marystown Industrial Park which

will, please God, be home of the largest aquaculture salmon hatchery in the

world that Grieg will hopefully build –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

BROWNE:

have our fingers crossed. I know that some Members across the way are against

jobs on the Burin Peninsula and against that kind of economic development. I can

tell you not to take your leadership campaign down there because that's not what

the people of my district want to hear, I can guarantee you that, because we are

very supportive of sustainable, environmental and economic development. We

respect the environment but we also respect the fact that the people of the

province – we need jobs, Mr. Chair.

I can tell you as the MHA from Marystown and for the

Burin Peninsula and for Placentia Bay, I'm very concerned that we do things

right and we will be doing them right, and I'm very confident that this project

is going to be a roaring success.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

BROWNE:

Mr.

Chair, we've also made investments in tourism and culture and heritage; $68,000

I'd like to highlight for the Marystown museum and Jerome Walsh heritage site.

Mr. Chair, the Jerome Walsh Museum, as many who have visited Marystown would

know, is a living testament to Mr. Walsh and the stories that he told and

there's so much history there. We had a $155,000 for the 50th anniversary of

resettlement in the Arnold's Cove region. They even have an app, Mr. Chair.

I think this is interesting for all Members. They have

an app developed that you can download to your phone and as you're walking about

the community, different stories will be told of the different homes, of where

they came from, whether it was Bar Haven or Merasheen, or Tacks Beach or Isle

Valen, the number of communities that came into Arnold's Cove and it tells that

story, so it is a

really good example of intangible heritage.

We also

saw a very big investment of $814,000, Mr. Chair, into the Smallwood Crescent

Community Centre. It's in an area of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units.

That's very important as well to invest in those types of community operations

and ensure they have a good, robust foundation moving forward.

course, many of the investments that we made were in such good strong

partnership with our former MP Judy Foote. I just have to say again, I thank her

on behalf of the people of the province for her contributions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. BROWNE:

Mr. Chair, there are other

investments being made, of course. My district is seeing over $10 million in

road maintenance and repair work.

We had a

great announcement, the Member for

Burin - Grand Bank and I, $1.3 million to

support shipyard workers in Marystown for retraining opportunities. As we bridge

from the Hebron Project, now many of them are engaged with Husky.

We had, as was mentioned by the Minister of Finance

just moments ago, a $17 million repayable loan for Canada Fluorspar in St.

Lawrence; such a success story happening in St. Lawrence. It's a file that's

been around for quite some time. I don't know why it didn't get off the ground.

I know that the former premier and her former Cabinet were there for a large

ribbon cutting in 2011. I have no idea why it took an extra five years to get it

off the ground, but we're very proud that we got that off the ground, took it

across the finish line and people are back to work.

Mr. Chair, where we are now and where we are going

there's much anticipation for the future. As I mentioned, the Marystown

Shipyard, we're working with a potential owner now, a new buyer to come in and

buy the shipyard. It will bring stable, meaningful employment back to Marystown.

The Cow Head facility now is undergoing the living module for the West White

Rose Project.

That's very important, Mr. Chair, but I think it's

important also to get back to our history of shipbuilding and have a stable base

of employment. Two hundred or 300 jobs at a shipyard over 20 years are more

positive in the long run than 1,000 jobs for one year on a megaproject. So we

want to have that stable base and still be able to accommodate the large

projects, but have that stable base.

We look at Bull Arm as well; there are two proponents

that are in lease negotiations with Nalcor. We're looking forward to expansion

there because there's so much opportunity that Bull Arm can provide to the

people of the province.

As I've touched on as well the Grieg project, Mr.

Chair. Something the Member for Burin - Grand Bank and I – we've worked like

dogs on this. How many calls on Sunday mornings did we have with Grieg trying to

settle a deal between government and them? Of course, we understand now it's in

the courts. We're awaiting that decision very anxiously. I certainly look

forward to the day when we can stand up and cut a ribbon on the Grieg project

and have sustainable

aquaculture.

We were

down on the South Coast with the Cabinet committee on jobs and we toured the

sites down there. It's a wonderful story on the South Coast of the province, and

I congratulate that area for really taking it and running with it because I

believe there are many solutions for the future that we can avail of, that we

can focus on, that we can do it right in many ways and aquaculture is going to

be one of them.

We have

a shipyard on the cusp of development. We have a mine now at the construction

phase in St. Lawrence. We have the Grieg project, hopefully, coming through in

the next number of months. We have the Husky living quarters being built in

Marystown.

There

are a lot of good things happening in the economy, Mr. Chair. We've turned the

corner and as has been reported here in the Chamber, and I will continue keeping

Members informed, our Olympic spirits are being lifted, as well as our economic

ones, and we look very forward to having our hometown champion Kaetlyn Osmond

home in Marystown in April.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's

indeed an honour to stand for the eighth time to talk to Interim Supply, after

eight years of being in this House, to talk about the budget lines that will be

proposed. As the Member for Topsail - Paradise had outlined explaining to those

who may be listening at home, the process of what Interim Supply is all about,

it's a financial support mechanism to ensure, until a budget is debated and a

passed, that there is adequate finances to be able to continue the operations of

government, to meet our payrolls, to meet our expenditures when it comes to our

contractors and to ensure that the civil service, which are the heart and soul

of how we operate government in Newfoundland and Labrador, are not having to

worry about where their paycheques are coming from or having to hold back on

projects or programs or services that they provide the people of Newfoundland

and Labrador with, as part of that.

I've had

the privilege of being, this coming fall, a civil servant in some way, shape or

form for 35 years and have very diligently followed every budget and, in a lot

of cases, sat in this House in the gallery as part as my responsibility in my

positions to look at interim funding and look at the debate that was going

around there.

Sometimes it's an opportunity for the government side to get up and tout all the

positive things that are going on and it's an opportunity for the Opposition to

get up and tout all the negative things that are going on. But for the

betterment of everybody in Newfoundland and Labrador, this is about ensuring

that the people who run our province, the people who on a daily basis provide

the services, who go out of their way to do due diligence to ensure that

Newfoundland and Labrador and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians move forward, and

that's what they do.

So we

need to ensure that there are no stress levels there, particularly at middle and

upper management because they're the ones who have to dictate exactly what

monies flow down to front-line services. And you can't start cutting front-line

services when there's an expectation, unless there's been a full, open debate.

So the norm has always been, give or take a certain amount of money, from 30 up

to potentially 40 per cent interim funding could be allocated to offset what a

particular budget may be. It depends on the time frames that you're expecting

your budget debate to go on.

I might

add – and the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue has outlined a lot of the

potential positive things that are coming, and I hope they all come to fruition.

Nobody more than this side of the House wants everything that's been outlined by

government and all the potential positive projects and the positive new programs

and services to work. And we're confident, there's no doubt. All these things

can be good, beneficial entities for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

But we have to have an approach to make these work.

There's

no doubt through proper negotiations, through supports, through in some case,

compromise, to opening up dialogue and listening to what stakeholders

particularly have to say, you get a better understanding of exactly how we can

make things work, and what's in the best interests of Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians; but particularly, what makes us equipped to be able to compete

nationally and internationally so that it's not about us trying to go somewhere

to sustain a living, it's about us sustaining our living here, but drawing

people back to us. That our base here grows from what we do. One, we bring back

ex-patriots; two, we bring in, through immigration, new people who want to be

part and parcel here, but we give them opportunities.

It's a

simplistic approach; it may not be the easiest to do it because there are all

kinds of factors. But a proper plan and proper inclusion and proper dialogue can

make that happen. When we have conversations around developing an industry, if

we have conversations around partnering with other jurisdictions, these are all

positive things. When we talk about the one thing that we all have and we all

agree to, we have, by far, the most productive, the most talented, the most

committed workforce anywhere.

It's

unfortunate that a lot of those skilled individuals are working somewhere else

for companies outside of Newfoundland and Labrador, but with proper vision, the

proper investment in our economy and growing some of those industries, there's

no doubt – we saw what happened over the last decade when the oil industry

boomed, how many expats came back. How many of them used their skillset to help

grow Newfoundland and Labrador.

doubt, we've had a financial challenge the last number of years, and it has been

mentioned here, a lot of it, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you

look at it, related to the cost of oil and the revenues generated from that.

While that can be a blessing on one side and a scorn on the other, it's a

reality of what we deal with in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Every

government for the last decade and a half, and no doubt for the next decades

going forward, will have to take into play the revenues that are generated from

the oil industry and have a system in play, or plan in play, that fluctuates

with the upswing and downswing of the oil industry. That's part and parcel of

being prepared for good governance. That's part of that, and it's part and

parcel of talking about how you diversify your economy.

You

still have to do your day-to-day operations. That's what Interim Supply is all

about, the day-to-day things you're committed to. You can't deviate from them.

There are things that the taxpayers expect, the citizens expect, and that you've

committed to as a government, particularly for a period of time. Those periods

of time will deviate from 60 days, 90 days, 45 days, depending on the process

you're going to push out.

There's

no doubt, in budget debate – and I suspect now the budget line is done – of what

has been carved off as investments in new areas or decreasing spending in

another area, or an elimination of a program or services has to be taken into

mind when you determine what you're going to use for your interim funding.

That's how the process works.

There's

no doubt, there are negotiations that go on with the unions. That's already

taken place. There are other parts and parcels of that, that will unfold as the

months and the next year goes forward.

As we

talk about interim funding, the key to interim funding is let's be stable until

our budget is down which outlines the plan of action to address, particularly,

how we deal with – if it's a financial crisis, or if it's about overspending, or

if it's about investing in different avenues, or if it's about growing the

economy. In a lot of cases you take all of them into account, and it becomes a

happy balance in how you make that work.

As we

debate this, and we'll have an opportunity to talk about it. It's not only about

touting what's not working or what is working. It's having that holistic

approach here, that there's a balance of finding things that work in some

regions and may benefit those regions. That investment there might be an

immediate return and be of total benefit to the residents living there, and the

companies and the businesses and that, and even from a political point for those

who represent them, but the spinoff from that may be seen and felt five, six, 10

years down the road in other areas in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The same

way when we partner with outside entities, when they come in here and do an

investment – and I know the Northeast Avalon becomes the hub of a lot of the

initial investments, but the plan has to be that this is going to be the hub

where the discussions become and the partnerships are developed, but the

entities that are going to be able to deliver those services, and benefit from

them can be vast and geographically cover the whole part of this great province

of ours.

We have

to have these types of discussions and those types of plans when we look at how

we invest our money and how we set a plan that talks about diversification. That

means training in our educational institutions. I've seen a couple of the

institutions now that are doing wonderful work in trying to attract people who

come from an entrepreneurial background and have different approaches to

outlining what would be great services.

We're

talking about attracting back people who have been very successful in other

jurisdictions who are connected to Newfoundland and Labrador. It's about looking

at other types of industries that are out there, particularly high tech. We're

talking aerospace or biotech. Things that could be done here.

You do

not need massive manufacturing, but from revenue generating and from employment

based, can be very effective here. Because they bring back specialists who can

open up other kinds of avenues for diversification. They are also – in most

cases, if not all cases – extremely well-paying positions, which in turn means

more money into the economy, more taxes paid and more people then generating

part of the next level of our growth strategy and our population moving forward.

They bring a skill set then that adds to it.

As we

look at how we invest our money, and no doubt as we get into the debate on the

budget and it becomes fine-tuned as to exactly what programs are going to be

there, how government are going to outline their investments to move the economy

forward, we'll get a better understanding. I'll be the first to stand up and pat

government on the back if I see a program or hear of an investment that I think

is in the best interest of the residents of this province. I'll say kudos to you

guys, keep doing that, we'll support that. I have no problem, as part of that

whole process, supporting that if there are ones there that we're going to

question the challenges about a particular program that serves benefit to the

people here.

In any

case, and I go back to my days as a civil servant, when you were giving briefing

notes to executives or ministers, you would talk about – particularly in years

when there had to be cuts. When there was a spending challenge versus a revenue

income, that you'd have to say: While I understand it's easy to cut this

program, the benefit of cutting this program is only financial. It's immediate

financial. It's not financially beneficial in the long run because if you cut

here, it will cost you more down the road. Sometimes you have to be cognizant of

the balance on two of them.

Mr.

Chair, I will get a chance to speak to this again.

Thank

you.

CHAIR:

The Chair recognizes the hon.

the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

MS. P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

(Inaudible) House of Assembly and it's, of course, my first time standing to

speak to Interim Supply this new fiscal year. As our Finance Minister outlined,

Interim Supply certainly is important to speak to and it's important that the

cash flows to our perspective districts to provide services and infrastructure

to our constituents and whatnot.

On that

note, having said that, I am certainly happy and excited to give an update on

Coley's Point Primary school replacement, the project. As we know, this is

something that's been ongoing, something that's been needed for years and years.

Well over a decade this structure should have been replaced.

Just a

little brief history again on the structure. As we know, this building exceeds

65 years. There are currently students in that building who can say my

great-grandparents attended school and were educated in this very building.

I made a

recent visit to Coley's Point Primary, as I do frequently, happy to be there on

National Family Literacy Day, the annual event. Of course, I'm invited to read

there every year and it's a great opportunity. When I go, I get to speak with

the young students, the staff and it's very, very exciting.

Let me

tell you, as a school community they certainly do their

part in doing the best

they can to promote healthy living, education and whatnot. It's great to get on

the ground and actually have some fun.

Let me

tell you, there are young, bright minds coming out of Coley's Point Primary

School. The great feedback, of course, that was also given on full-day

kindergarten. I'm happy to say it was this government that brought that forward,

and lots of great, positive feedback. They say the learning level and the

success of the students who graduated from their first year of all-day

kindergarten, going into grade one, of course, they're very well prepared and

their reading levels are much higher than previously; before the time, of

course, that all-day kindergarten was introduced.

Again,

the building is 65 years-plus. We have a student population of just over 300.

The principal informed me that about 315 students are currently attending

primary school at Coley's Point. It services areas such as Port de Grave,

Bareneed, Butlerville, Shearstown, even Clarke's Beach. Some students come there

from Clarke's Beach and, of course, Bay Roberts proper and Coley's Point.

They're certainly looking forward to that.

As we

know, this will take several years and is a multi-million dollar project. Money

was announced last year of $750,000. I am reassured by the minister in a recent

meeting that this project is on track. As a matter of fact, I invited the Town

Council of Bay Roberts to attend a meeting with the minister and the department

and everything is on track. Hopefully, we can go to tender this fall, 2018, for

that school.

I also

outlined, and I will remind, in The Way

Forward document a multi-year plan for infrastructure investments. We have a

completion date of 2021 for Coley's Point Primary School. I'm certainly looking

forward to that. I'm going to speak about this until we turn the sod on that

project. I invite all hon. Members to come and to be part of this because it is

a long overdue, awaited event to happen here in the District of Harbour Grace -

Port de Grave.

Again, a

bouquet to that school community out there, the principal, the parents, even

surrounding residents. Everybody supports this initiative. I'm very proud of the

students coming from Coley's Point Primary and all schools in the district.

I'm also

happy to make a visit to all my schools in the District of Harbour Grace - Port

de Grave: St. Francis in Harbour Grace, St. Peter's of Upper Island Cove, Holy

Redeemer school in Spaniard's Bay, Coley's Point Primary, Amalgamated

Academy in Bay Roberts and, of course, Ascension Collegiate – the high school

where I graduated from – for teacher and education staff appreciation week. It's

nice to go around and to get feedback and to make those personal visits. It

certainly is appreciated on all ends.

I also want to talk about some good things that are

happening in Harbour Grace in particular. I want to talk about in Harbour Grace

we get to celebrate the second oldest continuing sporting event in North

America, second to the Royal St. John's Regatta, we have the Harbour Grace

Regatta. I'm happy to say that recently by working with the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development and the volunteers on the ground in

Harbour Grace for the boathouse out there at Lady Lake, that I'm happy to

announce $10,000 to go towards equipment and infrastructure upgrades and whatnot

to support this committee.

Also at this time, I'd certainly want to throw some

recognition out to Mr. Bud Chafe. I used to be a rower actually back in those

days, in my high school days in Harbour Grace. Bud Chafe was by coxswain out

there, as well as (inaudible), a friend mine who I went to school with. It's

something that we can celebrate out there and, as I say, it's the second oldest

continuing sporting event in North America, the Harbour Grace Regatta.

So some well-deserved funds to head out there: $10,000.

If you have an opportunity, by all means, certainly drop out to the regatta.

It's a wonderful annual event, attracting rowers from all over the province. I

know that Placentia also has a rowing team out there and we have teams that come

from all over the Avalon and across the province that come out and take

part in

this event. So happy to say that.

Also, as we know, roads are a major focus and the road

conditions across our province. I'm happy to say I've had regular meetings with

the minister and the department really lobbying and advocating for Cranes Road

and work on the Thicket Road throughout my District of Harbour Grace - Port de

Grave.

Cranes Road is certainly a major thoroughfare that

connects Spaniard's Bay to Upper Island Cove and even adjacent to the Thicket

Road, which connects the Town of Harbour Grace. I'm told that we will be getting

work on those roads this coming fiscal year. I know that the crew at the depot,

who I also visit regularly, the highway depot in Bay Roberts, they'll be happy

to hear that there will be good work, of course, moving forward on that.

I know that the residents and the volunteer

firefighters in Upper Island Cove are very excited as well. I'm happy to

announce that we just recently announced this past spring, myself and the

minister, a long overdue medical unit fire truck for the volunteer department in

Upper Island Cove. I will tell you about Upper Island Cove not only are this

crew responsible for the well-being and protection of properties and residents

in the Town of Upper Island Cove, but they're also responsible for the

municipalities of Bishops Cove, a neighbouring community, and also Bryants Cove.

Given the geography of this particular area, they

respond to a lot of medical calls and it's

proven record times that the

volunteer firefighters are able to respond actually faster than the ambulance in

the area, given the geography. So they've worked hard for this, the volunteer

firefighters: volunteer Chief Harvey Mercer, also Darren Mercer, just to name a

few. They are very dedicated to what they do, and they're very well received by

the residents. They're a big player and they help out the community. Everywhere

you can see them, you can see the volunteer firefighters if there's something

going on, whether it be a benefit, or whether it be a parade in a neighbouring

community, you'll always see them there. So I'm very proud of the volunteer

firefighters that we have throughout the District of Harbour Grace - Port de

Grave, and we can't wait to get the keys and get to that new vehicle.

Again,

as I mentioned, it is a medical unit rescue fire vehicle, so long overdue. I

know they have been lobbying for that for quite some time for years, but I'm

happy to say that it's our government and our minister that were going to be

bringing that forward. The minister just walked in; I know he made the trip to

Upper Island Cove out there and we got to make that announcement, and again,

it's something they worked very hard for, and we're happy to see these things

coming forward.

We know

we are arguable facing the most difficult time economically in the history of

Newfoundland and Labrador, but as the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave,

and I can safely say it's the same for all hon. Members here in this House,

we're certainly dedicated to doing the best we can for our residents, bringing

the best services forward, advocating for them where possible. That's the number

one priority of any MHA or any elected official in any jurisdiction of the

world. You're here to represent your people and I'm certainly honoured and

grateful for the support that I continue to receive in the strong District of

Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

So I

certainly will be keeping the House and the public informed about updates for

Coley's Point Primary school. Again, it's a long, long, long overdue project.

Like I said, a 65-year-old structure. We know it should have been done years

ago, years and years ago, but I'm happy to say it's this government that will

bring this forward. I look forward to the day where we will turn the sod on that

project, and again hopefully anticipating going to tender this coming fall,

On that

note, also, Mr. Chair, I want to make recognition to tomorrow is International

Women's Day, and as we look around we still need to increase the numbers of our

female politicians from every level, municipal, provincial and obviously

federal. Let's do what we can and when that opportunity comes up to take that

chance or to take that risk, let's doing everything that we can to advance women

and to reach out to other women who want to get involved.

tomorrow is International Women's Day. We certainly will be recognizing that. I

think the official colour is purple, so I'm sure it'll be a purple House of

Assembly here tomorrow. I'm happy to say I will be speaking at an event in my

district in Harbour Grace tomorrow to recognize this. So again, let's do what we

can. A great Canadian hockey player once said: We miss 100 per cent of the shots

that we don't take. To women out there everywhere, to our male colleagues, to

everybody: Take those shots, do what we can to advance the cause.

On that

note, Mr. Chair, I certainly will take my seat. It's always an honour to speak

and to represent the great people of Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The Chair recognizes the hon.

the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

I, too,

am happy to stand to speak to this bill on Interim Supply. I listened very

closely to the words of the Minister of Finance where he talked about this is a

balanced approach to a fiscal situation and that they are looking at the cost of

delivering reasonable services. He said a few times this is a balanced approach.

Mr. Chair, I would like to speak to that in terms of one particular issue. He

said it's also about making smarter government decisions or making governments

smarter.

Mr.

Chair, I want to talk about the issue of bus passes for people who are in

receipt of income support or people who are in very, very low income. Last

month, a letter was sent to the Minister of Finance with a copy to the Minister

of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, a copy to the Minister of Health and

Community Services, a copy to myself as MHA for St. John's Centre and a copy to

the St. John's Transportation Commission, Metrobus.

It was

signed by 60 individuals. A number of individuals are physicians who are serving

our citizens in the St. John's metro area – a number of doctors, a number of

nurses and nurse practitioners and a number of social workers. So these are

front-line workers as well as a number of community activists or people speaking

on behalf of community services throughout the St. John's metro area and Mount

Pearl, Paradise, Kelligrews, Kilbride, all those areas.

Mr.

Chair, it's a matter of urgency. It's a matter of human rights. It's a matter of

dignity. It's a matter of the social determinants of health and they're all

spelled out very clearly. So far they have received only one response, aside

from my response to them. I've been in touch with them a number of times.

If we're

talking about smarter government, if we are talking about balanced fiscal

decisions, a balanced budget and fiscal decisions that approach our financial

situation in a balanced way, this is a very serious issue because it is about

people having to access our health care system. As it stands now, the policy for

people in receipt of AES – and let's look at income support, the situation. If

you are a single person in receipt of income support, if you do not have a rent

subsidy, you may be paying the majority of your income support on shelter and on

heat and light.

Some

people are left with anywhere from $100 to maybe $150, or sometimes less, for

food, transportation, clothing, personal items, hair care, over-the-counter

drugs – because the over-the-counter drug program was cancelled in the last

budget. We're talking about senior women who need calcium to prevent

osteoporosis or those who are in the process of osteoporosis. People who need

iron supplements. If you need iron supplements, those are expensive. You may

then need stool softeners because of the effect of the iron supplements. Then

also the adult dental care program was cancelled. Some of these, government can

talk about saving money, but mostly it disadvantages in a disproportionate way

the people who are living in abject poverty. It further entrenches them in

poverty.

Now, the

issue of a bus pass, what is happening is that people have to prove they have at

least eight medical appointments a month in order to get a bus pass. If you only

have $100 a month for your food, for your incidentals, for your over-the-counter

drugs or if you have to get some dental work done, which you can't, so people

end up in emergency because they can't afford dental work because the dental

program has been cancelled, you have no money left. There is no money for buses.

One trip

in the metro area is $2.50. Well, that doesn't seem like a whole lot. But if you

do one return trip a day, that's $5. If you do that three days a week, that's

$15. If you do that three days a week, four times a month, that's $60. That

might be half or more than half of the money you have to live on. It's not

tenable; it's not possible.

So let's

look at what that means. It means people miss their medical appointments. It

means people are becoming incredibly socially isolated. Oftentimes, people in

receipt of income support are people with multiple problems. Sometimes it's

mental health issues. What we see then are people cannot get out to their

support groups, to The Gathering Place, for instance, where they can avail of

medical appointments, where they can avail of food. We have stories of people

not being able to go to the food bank to be able to get extra food that they

can't afford and bring it back home because they have no transportation. We know

that transportation is a basic human right.

We also

hear stories of people who are – I have people in my district calling me because

they can't get out at all; they have no transportation. They can't afford the

bus pass. We know that our buses are very underused, and that there is a

possibility to partner up with Metrobus, with the city, and with the province to

look at providing bus passes to people. Not just a little bit of extra money, or

not even a cheque for a bus pass, but again you have to have eight medical

appointments.

So we

see people going to their doctors and begging their doctors to write that they

will see them eight times a month so they can get a bus pass. Doctors are

furious about this because they are so aware of the social determinants of

health. One of the social determinants of health is poverty, isolation and lack

of contact with support groups. What happens is maybe a doctor will write on

behalf of – and the doctors are saying it in these letters. I would like to

table these letters, Mr. Chair, so that the Members of the House of Assembly can

see these are doctors who are saying that they know that the people they are

seeing need this assistance.

People

can say oh, well there you go; there's that bleeding heart again. This saves us

money in the long run. It keeps people healthy in terms of their mental health

because they are able to access programs all over the city. It means they can go

to food banks. It means they can go to The Gathering Place. It means they can

visit their family and their friends. What if your friends live halfway across

the city? Can all of us imagine not being able to get out to visit those who are

part of your social and family support network?

Again,

we're talking about some of the most vulnerable people in our society. If people

aren't seeing this so much as a human right, about a dignity situation, it's

economic justice, it's social justice, it's all about saving us money in the

long run. It's making sure people have the support that they need to be well and

to attend groups.

What

happens, we have people making multiple visits to their doctors in order to

qualify for a bus pass. What happens if you miss two of our appointments in

March? Does that mean then you no longer have your bus pass for April?

So we're

having people use very expensive services in order to get a bus pass that will

help keep them well. These are front-line workers: doctors, social workers, who

are begging government to do the right thing.

There is

also within this letter – and I would like to table this letter so all Members

of the House have the opportunity to read this letter. I know that our Minister

of Health and Community Services absolutely understands the issues of the social

determinants of health. I know he does because he has spoken to me about this.

He understands it. As having been the chair of the mental health and addictions

all-party committee, he had also heard these stories. He also knows how

important this is.

believe we can do the right thing here. This is about smarter government. This

is about fiscal balance. Mr. Chair, I can tell you that the additional comments

made by doctors, by health care providers and by social workers, who are added

to this letter, really reveal how important this is.

Mr.

Chair, I see that my time is up. Again, I beg my colleagues in the House to look

at these papers, to really get a good picture of what this request is all about.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Chair.

CHAIR (Reid):

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. HAWKINS:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's

certainly a real pleasure for me today as well to speak. This is the third time,

I guess, in three years in preparation of the budget that I've had an

opportunity to stand on Interim Supply. I know for sure, Mr. Chair, that the

time allotted will not be sufficient for me to talk about some of the issues and

concerns that I have.

I just

want to make a quick reference to the consultations that were held, and I think

the Leader of the Official Opposition made mention of it. I want to recognize

the fact that my hon. Member and colleague across the way for Fortune Bay - Cape

La Hune attended the consultation in Grand Falls-Windsor. It was very positive.

It was great to have colleagues attend that event as well.

I know

that the Leader of the Official Opposition said that he was going to bring

forward some ideas on better ways to do consultations. I hope he has better

ideas than they had when he was sitting in the previous government. As mayor,

Mr. Chair, I attended many of those consultations with the previous government.

I would

not consider them to be consultations because consultation gives you an

opportunity to discuss and talk about issues. That never, ever happened. All

that their idea of a consultation was to bring as many people in, sit down, give

you about five minutes to talk about what you want or what you'd like to see.

Then they would talk about – with their doomsday clock and everything else they

had up there – issues that concerned the government. That's not consultation.

I have

seen, from my experience in consultations prior when I was mayor of Grand

Falls-Windsor, that if you had seven people or six people attend these

consultations, you had a large number. Mr. Chair, in the last three years we

have done it differently. We have consultations where we engage stakeholders,

people of interest. We give them an opportunity, we sit into a dialogue and

we're seeing attendance increase.

In our

most recent one we had in Grand Falls-Windsor we were probably – I think if the

hon. Member would serve me correct on my memory – about 25 or 28 people which is

exceptional. Last year we had about 30 to 35 people. This is an opportunity.

These consultations work and I'm going to be anxious to see what other ideas the

Leader of the Official Opposition would bring forward to improve on what we are

doing versus what they did when they did their consultations several years ago.

As I

said, this is the third budget that we are preparing for. As I reflect on the

abysmal situation that we were faced back three years ago, and to see where

we've come three years ago to where we are now, it's been exceptional. We're not

there yet, Mr. Chair. We have many, many challenges we're facing. I know, beyond

a shadow of a doubt, that the last three years, as we've worked through these,

have been very, very difficult.

Mr.

Chair, it was unfortunate in a sense because sometimes you want to talk about

shock treatment. What we received when we were elected back in 2015, and then

trying to put together a budget for 2016, will certainly classify as shock

treatment. Nobody, I don't think – anybody, I'll use the term anybody – really

realized the impact that $2.7 billion had.

I know

some people argue and say Members of the Opposition who were in government at

the time should have known. That's okay, should have known. Maybe they didn't

know the full extent.

Well, I

know on this side of the House we surely didn't know there was a $2.7 billion

deficit that we had to address. We didn't have five years or 10 years to address

it. We had to address it within several months. That was an unfortunate

situation, Mr. Chair, and obviously from that we had to make some really, really

tough, tough decisions. I firmly believe that as we move forward, I believe we

do have a better future.

Mr.

Chair, last week I attended the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction

Association, they had their 50th anniversary. I attended a function last week

where I spoke to a group of young people, apprentices, post-secondary students

that are looking at getting into the trades. I must say, I was so pleased with

the comments from Rhonda Neary and also James Loder. James was the chair of the

convention committee. I must say, hats off to James because he talked about the

fact that there is indeed a bright future for our young people. There is a

bright future in our construction industry.

Mr.

Chair, it's very important for us to realize that we cannot forever be talking

about doom and gloom. We've had too much doom and gloom, and doom and gloom does

have an impact on economy. Because if you do not have confidence in the markets,

if there's no confidence in the markets, if it's doom and gloom, markets are

impacted. As soon as you have a positive attitude, you'll see an improvement.

So, Mr.

Chair, it's time for us to start looking at reality and listening to industry

sectors. People who are out there that know and certainly are putting out

information, as Mr. James Loder has done, from the Newfoundland and Labrador

Construction Association, talking about a positive future for our young people.

Mr.

Chair, not only that, but over the last number of years the Premier has put

together a Cabinet committee on jobs. All of us in government, and I'm sure

Opposition agree, that it's important for us to work together in partnership. We

all have a job to do. I believe if we work in collaboration and we work in

partnership with each other, I believe in the end we will have results and they

will be positive results.

The

Cabinet committee on jobs are now looking at – we have gone through three very

successful summits. We started in Gander with the aquaculture summit where we

had the industry sector come together. We had a combination of young people. We

had a combination of people that are working in an industry. We had academia. We

had a partnership, a collaboration of people to discuss the future and look at

opportunities in the aquaculture industry. I believe we have a bright future in

the aquaculture industry. I believe there are significant opportunities, and I

believe we have a future for our young people.

Mr.

Chair, we went on from there, where we did the agriculture summit in Grand

Falls-Windsor. Again, a very similar format, a very similar setup, whereby we

had people who are in the industry. We had academia and we had people in

research. We came together and talked about how we can improve and how we can

increase opportunities in agriculture. I know our minister for forestry and land

resources is making a significant impact with regard to providing agricultural

opportunities for those that are interested in getting in the industry.

So, Mr.

Chair, I believe we have a bright future in the agriculture industry as well. I

think the challenge for us now is to encourage more young people to get involved

and to look at other opportunities and engage immigrants into the agriculture

field as well.

The

third summit that I consider to be very opportunistic for all of us is the

technology summit we held two weeks ago. It was a great opportunity where we had

industry; we had companies that are working day after day after day with our

young people, with young entrepreneurs to provide opportunities. One of the

glaring things they said is that we cannot find enough skilled workforce to be

able to provide the expertise we need to do the research and provide

opportunities.

Mr.

Chair, that is another opportunity. It's a significant opportunity for us to

find and work with the industry to provide opportunities for our young people.

Again, it's important for us to work with our post-secondary education to make

sure the skill sets are there for our young people to get into the technology

industry.

So, Mr.

Chair, that's just a couple, or three examples where I believe that we do have a

bright future for this province –

CHAIR:

Order, please!

MR. HAWKINS:

– and I am so pleased and

confident to be part of this government to do that.

Thank

you, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.

certainly is a pleasure to rise in this hon. House on behalf of the fine folks

of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune and bring the views of rural Newfoundland and

Labrador to this hon. House, Mr. Chair.

I'm

going to come back to my colleague and the conversation around doom and gloom in

just a second, but first I want to pick up where my colleague for St. John's

Centre picked up. She talked about the struggles and challenges of our seniors

in this province, struggles and challenges that have gotten far worse in the

last three years.

I was in

the Avalon Mall this weekend and I stopped to buy lunch. I still haven't been

able to get this gentleman out of my head. We struck up a conversation; he was

an elderly gentleman, perhaps in his eighties. We were talking about what we

were going to buy for lunch. I said: I think I might get a Mozza Burger. He

said: I'm going to have the Buddy Burger. I said: Yes, they're good too. He

said: Yes, and they're cheap. He said: I can afford a Buddy Burger because

they're only $2.50. He said: I have my drink because I bought it at the Dollar

Store before I came over.

It broke

my heart, Mr. Chair. I bought him an ice cream and I made his day, but to think

that an ice cream is a luxury for a senior is very, very disheartening. To see

measures in previous Liberal budgets that cut supports to seniors, cut their

diabetic strips, yet we continue to see money like $22,000 spent on a study to

ask people why they're not moving back to Newfoundland when we all know the

answer is because of higher taxes, Mr. Chair. That's the reason people are not

coming back to Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MS. PERRY:

Going back now to my

colleague – and I've started the heckling, Mr. Chair. If you're going to raise

these points, then prepare to be countered because doom and gloom, I think, has

been perpetuated in this province far worse than it ever has under Liberal

governments.

In fact,

Mr. Chair, thank goodness I had no floods and fires this year in January and

February. I had the opportunity to sort through some old papers in my office. I

came across an

article called the rural lament. I thought, oh my, Liberal times

are always about the doom and gloom. They like for people to think oh, the sky

is falling, that's why we had to raise your taxes. Not true, Mr. Chair, the sky

is not falling.

In 2007

and 2008, Newfoundland and Labrador was recognized as a star province because we

rode the downturn in the oil industry, which did happen in 2007-2008, all across

the globe, similar to what was happening in 2015. But this province threw its

tax incentives, tax breaks that fostered business growth, supported the private

sector, actually enabled us to ride that wave without doom and gloom. The last

three years, not so much.

referred to coming into an abysmal situation in 2015. Well, this government was

quite aware of the challenges that were coming in oil. That is why this

government was honest with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and told the

truth. We stated HST would have to increase by 2 per cent. We stated an

attrition plan would have to be followed to reduce the size of the public

service. We did not want mass layoffs. We had a plan of attrition.

That was

the worst thing possible – the worst thing ever. We're not going to cut taxes.

We're not going to cut jobs. Lo and behold, what happened when they got in? None

of that was true. It was the slash and burn. Not only did they raise HST by 2

per cent, they introduced 300 more taxes, Mr. Chair. That is what created an

abysmal situation for Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

MS. PERRY:

I stand here today in the

face of all of this heckling from my colleagues and I say –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

I ask

all Members to show some restraint so we can all hear what the speaker has to

say.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair,

for your protection.

I can

honestly say that the people on this side of the House, all Members of

government opposite, believe in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS. PERRY:

We believe in the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador. We believe in the potential of this province and we

believe that in 2019 people will stand up and say: Do you know what? We're going

to vote with logic. We're going to vote in what we believe in. We're going to

vote in the people of the province and the future that we all know is there if

we all work towards it, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS. PERRY:

The message of doom and gloom

is not one that we believe in. We believe in the people and our ability to turn

things around, Mr. Chair.

There's

so much I want to talk about this morning and we don't have a lot of time. So

I'm also going to talk about the budget consultations.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS. PERRY:

Again, we have differing

opinions on what the budget consultations have been like in years past versus

years today. Like my colleague, I worked with a Regional Economic Development

Board and budget consultations were always a very big thing. We spent months

consulting with communities, municipalities, local stakeholders and we prepared

submissions to the government of the day outlining what the priorities of the

people were. What we're finding instead, in budget consultations of the last

three years, is we're being led to think a certain way and guided in a certain

direction by the nature of the questions that are there.

personally, was very alarmed about the focus on ferries. Rural Newfoundland and

Labrador has contributed a great deal to the Province of Newfoundland and

Labrador. The capital city of St. John's exists in large part because of the

contributions of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. I, for one, will stand in this

House each and every day in support of our rural communities, which I believe

make up the fabric of who we are. I strongly believe in supporting them, Mr.

Chair. They will continue to hear me advocate on their behalf for their

continued existence and continued support.

I took

it upon myself to look at the budget consultation documents over the last three

years. There was a lot of talk in 2016 about attrition; in fact, there was a 30

per cent reduction target over three years. Here we are now, Mr. Chair, we're

two years in; we don't hear anything about these targets. One of the things that

I hope someone will stand up and tell us, over the course of the budget debate,

is exactly where we are with these attrition targets.

Have we

actually increased the number of employees in public service? Or have we really

gotten down to 20 per cent and we'll hit the 30 per cent mark by next year? I

don't know, Mr. Chair, because it's really hard to clarify that. It's very

difficult to get the facts. Hopefully, that will be discussed by Members

opposite and shown in their budget documents just where they are in achieving

those targets.

They

also talked about eliminating waste and identifying opportunities to do things

better and more efficiently. Again, Mr. Chair, we fail to see where this has

taken place. We certainly do hope this budget will bring some clarity to what

their plan actually is, because three years in we are still waiting to see what

that plan is going to look like for turning things around in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

I will

say we do have confidence in the people; we do have confidence in the

entrepreneurs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS. PERRY:

It is the entrepreneurs who

will turn things around and it is the entrepreneurs who are going to make

Newfoundland and Labrador a better place for all of us to live in once again.

I plead

to the people who are contemplating leaving this province: hang in there, times

will get better. This province is robust with opportunity and abounds with

natural resources.

With the

right leadership, Mr. Chair, we will achieve the prosperity that Newfoundland

and Labrador has within its reach, and 2019 is only a year away, Mr. Chair. It's

time for everybody to really take a close look at what was promised versus what

was delivered and to look to a new government in 2019.

Thank

you, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for

Windsor Lake.

MS. C. BENNETT:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

It's a

privilege to stand in the House this morning, particularly after such a

passionate oratorical from the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune. There was some pretty interesting bits of

information that she threw out during her comments and I'll certainly look

forward to addressing those.

Mr. Chair, we stand here today talking about Interim

Supply. As Members of the House certainly understand, but for those who are

watching at home, this is really about a cash management practice. The budget,

as the Finance Minister had articulated earlier today, budget 2018 will be

brought into the House for all of us to debate. The work I'm sure is ongoing in

preparations for budget 2018. There's a huge amount of effort, and I'm sure

passion, being brought to the work not only by the public sector employees that

are involved but certainly by the Premier, by the Finance Minister, by the

Cabinet and all those involved in the decision-making process around the

upcoming budget.

I want to take this opportunity to wish the Finance

Minister strength and resilience as he does the hard work of leading

government's efforts to bring forward a budget, but I must address the comment

from the Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune when she talked about her

government's choice in 2007-08 to spend money.

In 2007-08, I'd remind the Member opposite, was the

highest price of oil that we had seen in decades. The former administration, at

a time when the rest of the country was experiencing a recession, we weren't in

Newfoundland. There was no economic downturn in Newfoundland.

If you go back and look at the facts, you will see that

the economy in Newfoundland and Labrador during 2007, 2008 was

moving along as expected.

There was no recession in the province. The government of the day chose to spend

money – as a member of my district said to me one day – like drunken sailors.

Not only

did they spend that money, but they also had the responsibility and oversight

for public sector pension plans that at the time, in the course of a four-year

period, lost almost $2 billion. The same amount of money that I believe a former

premier stood up on the escalator at the airport and proudly displayed as the

cheque that he brought back from his lobbying efforts in Ottawa, Mr. Chair –

that same money evaporated from public sector pension plans.

The

Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune can go back and talk about history. What I'd

like to do today, Mr. Chair, is to talk about today's situation and the facts.

When we look at the cash flow challenges that this

particular government faces, which as the Minister of Finance reported in his

mid-year update, about an $820 million deficit –

HON. MEMBER:

What did you say?

MS.

C. BENNETT:

$820 million deficit. I'm very proud to be a Member of a government that worked

hard to get the Roads Plan out –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

C. BENNETT:

– so that contractors and the employees in this particular work can do a better

job of bidding and we can get a better return for taxpayers' dollars. That's

because of the work of this government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS.

C. BENNETT:

was also pleased to hear recently the Premier say the fiscal targets that our

government established were important and remain a priority, and I have said

that to him. I am pleased that's his position.

Our government continues to be transparent around the

oil forecast, whether it's the price of the oil per barrel, whether it's US

exchange. Certainly, I look forward to hearing the production numbers when the

upcoming budget is released in the next number of weeks.

I'd also like to make clear at this particular moment I

have many constituents in my district that work in the offshore oil industry. I

want to say, in a very distinct way, that I support the actions of the C-NLOPB

in reprimanding Husky for its actions in allowing 84 people to be put at risk

because oil extractors put money before people's lives. Our responsibility as a

government is to call them on that.

While the Member

for Topsail - Paradise did a very eloquent job of talking about the history of

oil price, we know all too well on this side of the House, as do all the people

in the province, the impact of oil price as part of our revenue. That's why I'm

really proud of the transparency that our government has provided with that

information.

I'd also

say that I'm very proud of the transparency around the information we're

providing on debt. I respectfully disagree with the Leader of the Opposition

when he made reference to the comment he did while he talked about potential

bankruptcy. He didn't mention provincial debt, that I remember hearing him say.

Our

provincial debt is significant, Mr. Chair, but let's be frank about where that

debt has come from. I spoke about the 2007, 2008 spending from the previous

administration. Nobody in this House can deny that a project that doubled in

price and is going to be now laid at the taxpayers' and ratepayers' feet to be

able to pay for this is going to be a significant, significant, impact – $12

billion, Mr. Chair, for Muskrat Falls.

The

debts and liabilities that this province have are significant, Mr. Chair. When

we have to look at how the budget is going to impact the economy of the

province, we have to also take into account – as I'm sure the Premier is, as I'm

sure the Minister of Finance is, as I'm sure the entire Cabinet is – the global

economy.

When we

look at the impact on things around the oil price, for example, whether it's

fracking in the US, whether it's the global shift to more climate friendly power

sources, and the worlds understanding of climate change, we also need to

understand the global geopolitical environment.

recent as today, we're seeing stock markets react because one person left the

White House. One person who is rumoured to be holding the reins of a trade war

in our world that could significantly impact, not just Newfoundland and

Labrador's economy, the Canadian economy and the global economy.

Mr.

Chair, I have had many conversations with constituents in the last number of

months about the financial situation of the provincial Treasury, about the

provincial economy. I have many members in my district, many constituents in my

district who are raising young families who want their children to stay here. I

can tell you, Mr. Chair, that this government, that this side of the House is

going to do everything we can to ensure that mothers like me have the

opportunity to say to our children: Yes, this is a place for you to choose to

stay and live and work.

But hope

comes from action. That's what this government is going to continue to do to

make sure that the things that need to get done, like the roads program that I

mentioned earlier, like the investments in infrastructure that are going to be

driving economic activity in parts of the province that need that economic

activity, that those efforts are the ones that we focus our attention on.

Mr.

Chair, let's also be clear that as we face these challenges of deficit and debt,

that we also recognize the significant impact that demographics is having on our

province. Demographic challenges are going to continue to affect service

delivery. They're going to continue to affect how we provide the services such

as health care and education to the people of the province. Those are the

reasons why passionate debate is important and partisan rhetoric is important,

but the facts have to be dealt with and have to be addressed.

Mr.

Chair, as long as I'm sitting in this seat in the House and as long as I

represent the District of Windsor Lake, I will not forget that we have a

responsibility to the 5,000, roughly, young kids who entered full-day

kindergarten last year, who have their lives to live based on the decisions that

this House makes over the next coming weeks.

Thank

you, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

Everybody has trouble remembering the name of the new district, St. John's East

- Quidi Vidi.

I'm

happy to speak in the Interim Supply debate because it gives us an opportunity

to look at how we are spending our money. What we're doing here today is getting

ready to approve the expenditures that need to happen in the interim between now

and when the new budget is put in place. We can't have March 31 come without

having approval for monies to be spent after March 31. So for those watching,

that's what this is about.

It is a

time in looking at this bill, a bill that is going to be spending over $2

billion, that we look at the importance of assessing of how we spend our money,

not just looking at debt and deficit, which are going up under this government,

I would point out, but how we are spending the money and how we are taking care

of people. One of the issues that I want to talk about right now is something

that's very serious, Mr. Chair, and I hope that I'll be able to speak to it

without having to work my way through a wall of sound because we are dealing

with serious issues in here. What I want to talk about today does have to do

with health of women. In actual fact, I say to the government, what I'm putting

forward would actually be taking care of women and saving money at the same

time.

Recently, all of our caucuses, all three, had the opportunity to meet with the

medical students from Memorial University. Every year they have a campaign;

issues that they think are very important, serious issues. They come and they

meet with our caucuses and talk to us. I don't know if they've met with the

Minister of Health and Community Services yet, but they will be I think – yes,

he's nodding his head. That appointment is set up and they have met with our

caucus. I understand they also met with the Official Opposition.

The

issue that they are looking at this year is the issue of the fact that access to

abortion in our province is not something that's the same for women throughout

the province. If you live in the St. John's area, for example, in the general

area, then you can have access to abortion services both through the hospital,

Eastern Health, the Health Sciences, as well as through the Athena clinic.

you're living in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, it's a different issue. It

means paying money to come into St. John's, travel expenses, the expenses of

while the woman is here, being taken care of. It's very, very expensive,

approximately $1,500 for an abortion and an expensive process very hard on women

in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

The

interesting thing and what has been presented to us by the medical students is

information about a pharmaceutical that is available here but it's not covered

by MCP. Mifegymiso is a pill; it's actually a combination of two pharmaceuticals

that can be taken within the first nine weeks of gestation and creates an

abortion that is non-surgical. So physically, it's much easier on the woman than

going through a surgical procedure.

The

pill, the cost of it, is $350 as compared to a surgical abortion, which is

$1,500. If this pill were used as it is in more than 60 countries in the world

and if it were available here, universally available under our MCP as it is in

six provinces in Canada – so it's universally available under the medical

program, our health care program, in six provinces in Canada, and in other

provinces there's partial coverage.

So what

the medical students are asking for is not for something that's strange. It's

for us to come on line with what's going on around the world and in our own

country. It is something that would be safer because when you have a surgical

procedure if you have to have a full anaesthetic – general anaesthetics are

always dangerous. So it's easier on the woman. Then the fact that it would be

able to happen in the woman's community, she does not have to go through the

stress – the financial stress, number one, of getting into St. John's and the

stress of travel, et cetera.

Now,

there's more to this than making the pill available. I think it should be made

available under our health care program. It should be on the list of

pharmaceuticals that are covered. We also have to make sure that – an abortion

is an abortion, and I would bet there's not one person in this Legislature who

doesn't know a woman who has had to go through the struggle of making a decision

about a pregnancy. It is not easy. It is not easy at all. And I know several

who've made decisions for abortions. And it's not a flip of a coin, it's

something they've put a lot of thought into, circumstances that cause them to

make the decision to have the abortion, and it has an impact on a woman.

We just

can't talk about abortions, whether it's surgical abortions, or whether it's an

abortion that's caused by the taking of this pharmaceutical, we can't talk about

it lightly. We know that there needs to be services provided to women who have

abortions. It doesn't matter how that abortion is caused. You need services

prior to help you make the decision, you need support while going through the

procedure and you need support after. That's a proven fact.

When you

have a clinic, like the Athena clinic, that's certainly what happened there. I

find that there's something very interesting going on in Corner Brook, and some

of my colleagues may know about it. In Corner Brook it was a combination of the

Corner Brook Status of Women Council working with doulas – doula is the name for

people, who are mainly women, who are birth coaches – to give them the

opportunity in Corner Brook to support women who get abortions. They've gone

through special training. The training they've gone through was through the

Atlantic Abortion Support Services in Halifax. They're specially trained to work

with women who decide to have an abortion. It's an extension of what they do as

birth coaches and I think it's an important extension.

What

these doulas are trained to do is exactly what I said a minute ago: to work with

women during the decision-making time, to be there with them when the procedure

is happening, which could be surgical or which could be drug induced and to be

there afterwards as a support for however long a woman may need that. Right now,

the drug is available and women can use it here in the province. It's just that

it's not covered by our health care plan so then it's limited. Low-income,

single women in rural Newfoundland, for example, are not going to have $350 to

pay for this drug.

Corner Brook the doulas, along with the Status of Women Council who worked with

them, are there and ready to put a plan in place so that they would be ready to

work with women who need abortions and be there for women, whether it was

surgical or drug induced. They can't go ahead with their plan, especially when

it comes to the support of the use of the drug – they can but they really do

need to know that they have support of physicians and they have support of

pharmacies. If it's going to be a universal service that they're offering to all

women who have decided to have an abortion, then they need to know this drug is

being covered by our drug plan.

I stand

here supporting what the medical students are saying. I think it's extremely

important. It's important, as I said, for uninsured, young, low-income-earning

women in rural communities in particular. I think it will be something that

would offer women some sense of security, not having to go through a surgical

procedure when they could go through this drug-induced procedure.

So I ask

the government to seriously consider what the medical students are talking

about.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Chair.

CHAIR:

The hon. the Member for

Bonavista.

MR. KING:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's

amazing what you have to listen to on a Wednesday morning with that crowd over

there. At least the NDP had something sensible to say in both their speeches.

Just to let the Member for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi know, we, as a caucus,

will be meeting with the MUN medical students tomorrow morning at 10:30. We look

very much forward to having that conversation with them.

Getting

back to what the Opposition had to say, it's a revisionist history. The

Oscars were on Sunday and the original screenplay winner couldn't have come

up with a better script than they had come up with. I can't believe they

actually believe what they're saying.

The

Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune can't actually believe that. She was

laughing the whole way through her speech. It was like an inside joke to get us

roiled up and pretend that the previous 12 years didn't happen.

The

Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island gets up and says we have a shortage

of skilled trades here in Newfoundland and Labrador because they're all gone;

yet he is the one who signed the contract to build two ferries in Romania. Even

the Romanians wouldn't buy Romanian ferries, Mr. Chair. They've been lemons the

whole time and the only bought a one-year insurance policy.

I mean

if you go to Best Buy, they try to get you a three-year plan.

AN HON. MEMBER:

They forgot the wharf.

MR. KING:

Then they forgot to buy the wharf; yes, that's right. They bought the ferries –

my friend, the Member for Placentia West – Bellevue, talk about skilled trades,

all those skilled trades could have been kept here in Newfoundland and Labrador

if they built the ferries in Marystown.

You

wouldn't have to go to the federal government with your hand out and say can you

please forgive the tariffs because apparently they forgot to ask for that too.

Boy, oh boy, oh boy, make no wonder we're in the situation we're in today.

Then the

Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune talks about how bad it is right now, how

bad the Liberals are. They wasted $20 billion of oil revenue.

AN HON. MEMBER:

How much?

MR. KING:

Twenty-five billion dollars in oil revenue and then another $4 billion in lost

tax revenues so Danny Williams could give his rich buddies a break.

That's

where it all went. It didn't go to the lower income people. The biggest

benefactors of that tax cut back in 2007 were the wealthy, the people who didn't

need it. And then they get up here and wonder why we're in the state we're in

today. That is why we're in the state we're in today. They spent like drunken

sailors, Mr. Chair, and I know a thing or two about drunken sailors.

AN HON. MEMBER:

You spend your own money.

MR. KING:

Oh, that's true. They weren't

like drunken sailors. At least drunken sailors spend their own money. They spent

the money of the taxpayers of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KING:

Then we get into the boondoggle of Muskrat Falls. How great that was going to

be, it's going to bring clean energy to Newfoundland and Labrador, solve all of

our problems. Do you know what? It was going $6 billion but that's okay because

power rates aren't going to go up. They're only going to go up a little bit to

cover off a small cost.

Where

did that expand to? Twelve billion dollars, double. Where are power rates going

to go? They're going to double.

AN HON. MEMBER:

What about Humber Valley

Paving?

MR. KING:

Oh, I can go on and on about Humber Valley Paving.

They get

up so self-righteous and stand in Question Period and talk about what Members

over here do when they gave their buddy, a former leader, the pseudo premier of

the province of 2014, a $19 million writeoff for Humber Valley Paving. That's

the stuff they're at and they wonder why we're in the situation we're in today.

Then the

Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune says well, times will get better, wait

until 2019. Well, times are already getting better. We've made changes that are

actually having a positive effect on Newfoundland and Labrador.

We've

seen great investments here in this province. We've invested $3 billion into an

infrastructure plan. We've created a five-year paving roads plan – that the

Member for Conception Bay South got up and asked a question last fall. Yes, he

actually asked that question. So if you're spending less money, how are you

getting more pavement? Because it's called having a plan. It's not doing 100

metres here, 100 metres there, a kilometre there and a kilometre there to try to

win votes, like they used to do. I can tell you from my district, they certainly

didn't do a very good job of it to see the conditions of the roads out there.

The worst roads where the former Finance Minister's roads, and we got to work on

that. Unbelievable the stuff they get on with over there.

What

we've seen actually in the District of Bonavista is some significant investments

in infrastructure. Through municipal capital works Clean Water and Wastewater

Fund, we've seen infrastructure investments in the district. The water tower in

Bonavista is one example of that, a multi-million dollar project that was long

overdue. It was announced by that crowd about two or three times but they never

did get around to doing it. Do you know what we did? We actually did it with

water and sewer upgrades through Phase I in Bonavista.

We had a

section in Bonavista, Route 235, the Birchy Place area, which had been without

water and sewer for 40 years. Where were your investments in water and sewer, I

ask you? There were none. This past year we had Phase I done and I've been

advocating very hard to get Phase II done. Hopefully we'll see that soon.

We're

seeing the replacement of the Bar Bridge in Catalina. I can tell you one thing;

if the former Member was there we certainly wouldn't see the Bar Bridge done in

Catalina. He read the riot act to council apparently.

We've

seen new lift stations in Trinity Bay North, a water line replacement in Trinity

Bay North, the second biggest community. We're going to see paving upgrades

there. We've seen water upgrades for George's Brook-Milton.

Now

imagine, they've had problems with the Lily Pond connection in Milton for about

four or five years. That was the former Finance minister's community. You mean

to tell me in four or five years that crowd couldn't get the funding when the

Member was the minister of Finance. Apparently, if you're a Cabinet minister on

that side then you can have as much money as you want.

AN HON. MEMBER:

That's how we got bankrupt.

MR. KING:

Well, that's true enough,

that's how we got bankrupt. Do you know what? We were able to get Milton finally

on a stable water supply through George's Pond last year; a $1.6 million

investment, Mr. Chair. We're looking at other upgrades for that area as well.

We're

looking at building upgrades in Port Rexton. We're working with the town of

Trinity to help them with a new town hall. We have emergency funding for Upper

Amherst Cove. Those are significant investments in infrastructure in

communities, in municipalities and local service districts in the District of

Bonavista, Mr. Chair. That's just two short years.

When the

Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune said: Don't worry, times are going to get

better, I think that's a pretty good investment. They haven't seen that in the

previous four years, that's for sure.

We've seen commitments to road and brush cutting. We

talked about our five-year Roads Plan.

To the Member for CBS, the reason we can get more

paving done for less is because we actually do bigger projects. We're not out

there looking for votes and trying to please everyone. We're taking a large

project and we're doing the works of it. One example of that is the neck across

from George's Brook over to the Bonavista highway. That's been bad for 20 years.

HON. MEMBER:

Just 20?

MR.

KING:

Well, it's been bad for a long time.

A former

member for Trinity North and a former member for Bonavista South couldn't get

along, couldn't see the benefit of actually working together to get a good road

done. I got it done through our five-year Roads Plan, and lobbying hard for it,

within two years. It's unbelievable.

We've

seen road improvements along Route 230, another two kilometres in Port Rexton.

We've seen levelling done in Trinity East. We've seen another six kilometres

done at Father Morris Pond to Port Union. That was long overdue. It was supposed

to be done years ago, but due to political interference from that crowd, they

said, no, we'll go do something else. We'll do a kilometre here, a kilometre

there and try to win a few votes. That was long overdue.

I hope

to get another chance to get up and speak to the benefits of Interim Supply, and

I look forward to speaking again.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR (Warr):

Order, please!

recognize the hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair.

It's a

pleasure to get up after a couple of interesting debates, Mr. Chair. It's all

part of the process. I respect it and it's entertaining. I'll have a few

comments to make in a little bit, but I figured it was more appropriate in this

conversation on Interim Supply to talk a little bit about my district at first.

We all

get up and say – I know my colleague from Cape St. Francis has great pleasure in

getting up on the beautiful District of Cape St. Francis every opportunity, and

I respect that. I think we all represent beautiful districts and we live in a

beautiful province. My district is no different, Mr. Chair. Conception Bay South

is quite a beautiful district and I'm very proud to represent it.

I know

the Premier has the virtue this year of having the Winter Games coming out in

Deer Lake. We just, in 2016, had to showcase my own community. I think they did

a great job. I certainly hope, and I'm sure the community of Deer Lake will do

the same this coming winter and I wish them the best.

Mr.

Chair, we talk and we listen to a lot of rhetoric, and I may have a couple of

comments as time goes on. I'd rather try to keep it a little bit contained for

now, but we all come in this House and do our part, whether in Opposition,

whether on the government side, whether in Third, independent, whatever role we

play we all advocate for our own districts and do what's best for the people who

elected us to represent them in this House.

I get up

in this House and I'll ask the ministers or I'll speak to the minister regarding

roads, or I'll speak to the Minister of Justice regarding policing. I'll speak

to various ministers regarding any issue that's important to my district.

Because each one of us represent the area because it's important to the people

we represent and it's our obligation to the people.

saying that, I have an issue in my district. I know the Member for Bonavista was

just commenting on all the roadwork. He had pavement done in his area and he's

very, very proud of it. So he probably should be, but my district is in dire

need. The main route runs through my community and it's – I spoke in the House

on a petition the other day and I said there were 20 tires ruined, there's

probably more than that. That was in a 24-hour period.

People

come to me and I respond to them. It's one of the promises I made upon being

elected. I said I would never shy away. Sometimes those conversations are not

easy when you get people wanting their car fixed, this fixed or complaining

about the roads. They're coming to you wanting you to intervene. It's a

challenge but I've always been one of those people, I feel that – my virtue has

always been honesty will set you free.

Sometimes being honest is not the easiest thing. It's not the easiest thing to

do sometimes because people don't like the answer, but I always promised when I

used to knock on doors, you'll get an answer. You may not like it, but I'll tell

you the truth and I'll do my best. That's gotten me to this point and it's going

to carry me through, Mr. Chair, because I'm one of those people that conscience

– they're not providing the other alternative. So it's the only way I can be set

free. I live on those grounds.

I enjoy

the back and forth debate and I enjoy listening to some of the commentary. Fair

game, some comments are made against the former government and us. It's fair

play, and some of it you just tip your hat. You go in and you have your bout and

you tap gloves after the fight.

Some of

the commentary said opposite – I'd like to point out, and it's not meant to be a

to and fro, but the Member for Windsor Lake got up and spoke passionately after

my colleague from Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune had roiled up the troops across the

way. She talked about the gloom and doom comments and whatnot.

December of 2015, I remember it. People came to me and people remember the day.

She was part of the gloom and doom that came over the province in December of

2015. She was sat at that same table, at the news conference that said we're in

big trouble.

AN HON. MEMBER:

And you were.

MR. PETTEN:

No one is arguing if we were

in big trouble or not, Mr. Chair.

It's the

commentary; it's the lasting effect of those comments. I've heard it for almost

going on three years. We're in the third year now and people still talk about

it.

It put a

fear in people. People are afraid to spend. I hear people have money but they're

afraid to spend it. That's a line I hear, and I'm sure a lot of Members in this

House hear the same thing. They're afraid to spend, not knowing what the future

holds.

Consumer

confidence is down. We all know that. We hear all these anecdotal stories. We

hear it every day. Consumer confidence is down. You talk to business owners –

I'll give you a good example. I have an automotive garage in my district. I have

several, obviously. This one has been around for a long time, pretty reputable

place, always had what I consider decent business. It employs I don't know how

many people, probably half dozen people.

Several

weeks back I was talking to another automotive garage in my area and they said

this guy took in $300 last week – $300. It's a sign of the times. I guess people

are going elsewhere, they're not getting stuff done that needs to be done and

this was just one of the many stories that we hear.

Our

economy is struggling under this tax burden. I won't get into my rant. I could

go on about taxes and all that and everyone over there will be shouting. I don't

want to do that. What I want to try to do is speak from the gut on it because I

talk to people in the district – and everyone here in this House, I'm sure, does

the same thing. There has to be a better way.

We say

that all the time. I know people say this crowd here – and I won't point out the

Member for Bonavista. I always refer to the government as the government whether

you're Liberals, but you're the government. We are the Official Opposition, the

PC Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. I think that proper language in this

House should be referring to us in a proper tone. I don't think anyone here are

the other crowd. Anyway, I just wanted to correct him on that.

saying that, there has to be a better way. We go and we always argue

equalization and you listen to the debates going on and on. We don't have a

revenue problem; we have a spending problem. We've heard Members opposite

criticize that the money that the former administration wasted and whatever –

and I don't agree that we wasted that money, but that's the commentary that was

said in this House. But the spending has not changed. There's been some

tinkering. The spending has not really changed much, Mr. Chair.

It's

been reported you will not qualify for equalization because of the revenue; your

revenues are too high. You have to change the formulas and what have you. So

what else can you do if you're revenues – if you have a household and you're

taking in $200,000 a year and you can't afford to pay your light bill, what do

you do? The $200,000 is not changing. You got to do something with your

expenses. You got to cut that one vehicle or you got to cut the one phone or you

got to change how many times you're going out. You got to change your lifestyle.

You got to change your spending habits. Those are not easy decisions, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

MR. PETTEN:

I don't advocate for people

to be losing jobs; I'm not one of them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

MR. PETTEN:

I don't advocate for those

things, Mr. Chair, but I know there are tough decisions. Governments, no matter

what stripe, are faced with those difficult decisions. I always say actions need

to match words. When I hear the opposite criticizing what this crowd –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

CHAIR:

Order, please!

MR. PETTEN:

– as the Member for Bonavista

kept saying “that crowd,” but what's being done differently today when it comes

to that than what was done when the former administration was in power, I've yet

to see. I don't know what the answer is. I think that taxation is not the

answer. I'm not a believer in taxes. I never believed in excessive taxes. As

much as last week I stood in this House on a private Member's motion on carbon

tax because I don't believe in taxes.

Everyone

here can disagree with me. You can all have your opinions. I have big shoulders.

That's irrelevant. That doesn't matter. That's my opinion. We agreed as a

caucus, we felt that way. We're paying our fair share. We took a stance. Agree

with us or not, that's irrelevant. Three hundred taxes and fees were not the way

to rejuvenate this economy.

I'll go

back to my comment just a few moments ago there, people feel that there's lots

of money there – people have money but they won't spend it. That's the reality.

A 15 per cent tax on insurance is crippling people. That's a crippling tax.

personally, in my whole household I have two daughters, vehicles, your home,

everything else. It's costing an extra $1,000 just in my household. Fifteen per

cent on taxes – I have two young girls driving, their premiums are not very

cheap, trust me. I think anyone here can attest with having children. That is a

burden upon us.

Again,

Members opposite can criticize and look and question me, that's fine, but I'm

not making this stuff up. Anyone here who has a young child or a young person

driving around, you're looking at $3,000 for insurance plus tax. That extra tax

is affecting businesses, not only young people, it's affecting families. The

remainder of the taxes – and you got the gas tax. The carbon tax could be coming

sometime, too, and that's going to affect everybody.

Those

are all features. Like I said, I could have gotten up and there's lots of time

in the budget debate, I'm sure I'll have a couple of rounds yet. I could have

gotten up and fired up the troops and done it, but I think the most important

thing, the message I personally feel – and I really feel it, it's not pretend –

that we have to try to find a better way to do things.

I don't

have all the answers, Mr. Chair, but I'm willing to provide input in finding the

right answers. I don't believe the way we're heading now is the right direction.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

CHAIR:

The Chair recognizes the hon.

the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Chair, I'm going to speak

pretty low because I don't want to be classified as a bully today if I raise my

voice a bit and speak up. People sometimes take things way out of context and

make statements which aren't true. I'm going to keep myself low so the Member

for Mount Pearl North won't have to feel bullied today. I won't bar any doors.

You can rest assured I won't bar any doors.

I heard

the Member who just got up speaking. We have a lot of issues. But do you notice

the one thing he never gave? One solution, not one. Do you want to talk about it

and tell us what we wouldn't have done? Muskrat Falls.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JOYCE:

Do you want a second one? The

Roddickton pellet plant never developed one pellet. Why not talk about the big

oil down in Parson's Pond somewhere, the $10 or $12 million holes drilled? Not

one bit of oil.

Do you

want me to continue on? Do you want to talk about the $40 million for the

hospital in Corner Brook when there wasn't one piece of steel put into it? Do

you want me to keep going, of stuff you shouldn't have done?

Mr.

Chair, this is the kind of stuff that I try to stay calm because I don't want to

intimidate anybody, but you just can't take it because I lived through it. I

lived through the seven announcements for the hospital in Corner Brook when they

walked out there and made seven different announcements on the hospital.

I can

tell you one thing, the Premier of the province made a commitment while he in

Opposition that he will find a way. Guess what? The long-term care has been

awarded. Guess what? The RFQ for the acute care hospital has been put out. Guess

what? We're working on the Waterford Hospital. Do you know why? Because our

Premier of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador said he's going to do the

right