Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 10 May 2010 (46th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLVI No. 18)
2010-05-10
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
May
10, 2010 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 18
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today the Chair welcomes the following members' statements:
the hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland; the hon. the Member for the
District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for the District of
Humber Valley; the hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay
North; and the hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to pay tribute to an outstanding
young man, Michael Dinn, who lost his courageous battle with cancer on the
morning of March 5, 2010 at the age of 35.
Michael was best known to many in this Province as a well respected hockey
official. He began his officiating career in 1991, becoming an official with the
Goulds Minor Hockey Program. During Mike's time with the Goulds program, he was
instrumental in developing the program and helping to build its profile on a
provincial level.
In 1997, Michael was largely responsible for forming the Goulds Referees
Association. Michael also served as the president of the Metro Referees
Association for the last several years, as well as provincial officiating
instructor and evaluator. He was one of only a handful of officials in
Newfoundland and Labrador to obtain a Level VI certification.
He was also a linesman for the Fog Devils in St. John's, as part of the
Quebec Major Junior League. In November 2009, Mike was selected by his
community, the Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, to serve as an Olympic
torchbearer in recognition of his leadership and commitment to the community.
Despite his many accomplishments on and off the ice, Michael often said his
greatest moments are far away from the rink and near his family. In 2007 Michael
married Mandy Everard, and the couple moved into their new home in Maddox Cove.
His son, Joel, was born in April 2009. Michael is also the nephew of the hon.
the Member for the District of Kilbride.
Even through his illness, there was never time for pity. Those who visited
Michael came away feeling recharged and positive, a testament of his character
and outlook on life, despite the fact that he was ill.
Mr. Speaker, Michael Dinn will be forever remembered as one of the Province's
finest hockey officials. He had a level of respect on and off the ice that was
unprecedented and an unwavering desire to serve his community in the great
Canadian game of hockey.
I ask all hon. members to join with me in expressing our sympathy to
Michael's parents, Russell and Louise Dinn, his wife, Mandy, and their loving
son, Joel.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Humber Valley.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KELLY: Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in this hon. House today and
pay tribute to Robyn Langdon. Robyn, a Level II from Elwood Regional High School
in Deer Lake climbed up the public speaking ladder over the last few months. She
won the Rotary Club of Humber regional speak-off and, most recently, the Lions
West Coast district championship in Corner Brook.
Mr. Speaker, Robyn is heading to the Atlantic district speak-off competition
as one of two students representing Newfoundland and Labrador. The next level of
competition will be in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and will see speakers from
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Maine compete for the
title. She feels it is a great honour to be going to represent her Province.
Mr. Speaker, Robyn is eager to participate in the elite competition, share
her speech with a new audience and make her first visit to New Brunswick. The
Multiple District Speak Out competition is from May 21-23.
Mr. Speaker, public speaking benefits people of all ages, including children.
It instills confidence and enables people to become better communicators and
generally more successful in all aspects of life - personal, social, business
and in the field of learning. It builds their self-esteem. It helps them to feel
comfortable talking in public.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in
congratulating Robyn Langdon on her recent public speaking successes and to wish
her well at her next competition in New Brunswick.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate Kayla Carroll, a
resident of St. Lunaire-Griquet who was one of the eight recipients awarded with
an inaugural URock Volunteer Award on April 24. This award recognizes the
outstanding work done by young volunteers and organizations with a connection to
young people.
Ms Carroll is well known in my district for her volunteer efforts and is a
fine example to the youth in our Province that volunteer work is not only
rewarding but also essential to non-profit organizations.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in
congratulating Kayla on this achievement and wish her well in her future
endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to recognize the achievement of
Botwood Collegiate Robotics team on claiming gold in their category at the
Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador competition held at the College of the
North Atlantic in St. John's on March 26.
Mr. Speaker, the Skills Canada Competition for Robotics is an engineering
project to encourage individuals with different skill sets for co-operative
teams to design, fabricate and operate a robot.
Mr. Speaker, this year's competition was entitled: pipe fitter. The robots
were to take possession of their assigned plumbing connectors and deliver them
to the target destination of their choice in an assigned home space.
Mr. Speaker, this year's team consisted of team members: Stephen Antle, Tyler
Cramm, Meaghan Jeans, Garrett Slade, and teacher Mr. Brian Antle. They will now
represent Newfoundland and Labrador at the National Competition at Waterloo,
Ontario May 20-24.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating
Botwood Collegiate Robotics team on their first place finish.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au
Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in the House today to congratulate an extraordinary youth from
Forteau, Ms Katie Flynn, who recently received one of the most prestigious
scholarships in Canada, the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership.
Mr. Speaker, this major national scholarship valued up to $70,000 rewards
students who have shown leadership in many areas including: environmental
cleanup, the promotion of social justice, and the fight against poverty. Katie
was awarded one of twenty scholarships out of 4,000 applicants from across
Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Katie attends Mountain Field Academy and since winning Miss Teen
Canada Galaxy, she has been a strong voice for youth and an avid volunteer in
her community. She has served as youth representative on the municipal council,
the Labrador Straits Development Corporation, and currently sits on Futures in
Newfoundland and Labrador's Youth Council and the provincial Youth Advisory
Committee. Katie participated in a youth parliament, organized a World Vision 30
Hour Famine and is also active in her faith community.
Katie recently succeeded in bringing an elected student council to her school
and was elected as president. She is also a member of the Centre for Distance
Learning and Innovation's Youth Advisory Group. She is a peer tutor,
participates in various sports, and recently won the Lions Club Speak Out
Contest. She plans to pursue a career in economic development in human advocacy
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues today to join with me in
congratulating Ms Katie Flynn as well as Mr. Cody Dunne from Booth Memorial, who
were the only two recipients from our Province, on their tremendous
accomplishments and in receiving the TD Scholarship.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I am sure everyone joins me in wishing every
success to these two young people.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish today to recognize May 9-15, 2010, as National Police
Week.
Police Week reminds us that police and community co-operation is the key to
safer homes and communities. In celebration of this, numerous activities will
take place throughout the Province in which both the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary will participate. Presentations
are happening at local schools with an emphasis on safety and drug awareness,
and events will also be held at community halls and seniors' residences.
On Wednesday, a multi-denominational church service to acknowledge National
Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist
Church in St. John's. I am looking forward to attending for the first time and
joining newly appointed Chief of the RNC Robert Johnston and Assistant
Commissioner Smith of the RCMP, along with other law enforcement agencies, to
pay tribute to those uniformed officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in
the line of duty.
Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity, along with my colleague, the
Minister of Government Services, to join Assistant Commissioner Smith to unveil
two 1950 styled patrol vehicles to commence celebrations of the sixtieth
anniversary of the RCMP in our Province. These two vehicles will be rather busy
this week as they circulate throughout Newfoundlander and Labrador to celebrate
police week, along with RCMP members who will proudly be wearing their Red Serge
and high brown boots and breeches internationally recognized and beloved
symbols of the force.
Our government's support of our police forces is unwavering. In Budget 2010
we provided funding to support an enhanced policing presence for Postville,
Labrador, an additional Internet Child Exploitation officer in Gander, and the
continued redevelopment of Fort Townshend, the historic home of the RNC, North
America's oldest civil police force. In total, our government has provided an
additional 141 new officers since 2004 and we have increased our investment in
policing by almost $40 million.
The Department of Justice has forged an excellent relationship with both the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary which I
look forward, Mr. Speaker, to continuing. The women and men of our police forces
have extraordinary occupations and provide us with an invaluable service, often
under extremely difficult circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, Police Week is our opportunity to recognize these actions and to
thank them for their service. I encourage all residents to participate in Police
Week activities and acknowledge these remarkable efforts.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
I would like to take this opportunity first off, to also congratulate Robert
Johnston as his swearing in as the new Chief of the RNC. Congratulations to both
the RNC and the RCMP, of course, and we thank them for their invaluable service
which they provide to our communities. Also, the co-operation that exists
between the RNC and the RCMP is just amazing, because they do have a lot of
joint operations and so on. So, albeit they are two different forces, one being
provincial and one being of a national scope, they certainly do co-operate in
our Province in carrying out a lot of joint operations and do a masterful job of
doing it together.
Of course, feeling safe in one's community is very, very important and it is
because of the great work that both police forces provide to our citizens that
we are able to feel safe in our communities. Also, of course, the educational
aspect that they bring to our communities, teaching kids about law, respect for
the law, drug awareness programs and so on. All of which they do in addition to
their typical and their usual policing activities. They are indeed forces that
we are proud of. We also extend our congratulations to them, not only as police
officers but we thank them as well for the invaluable role they play in our
communities as citizens, ordinary citizens. If we did not have people like the
police officers we probably would not have a lot of minor hockey associations in
our towns and the support that we get from coaching activities and so on. So I
would like to thank them for that as well.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, want to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
I am very pleased to stand and acknowledge the National Police Week and the
National Police and Peace Officer's Memorial Day. It is a very important
function that police officers perform in our society and I am happy to see more
communities where there has not been policing be put in by the government when
communities are asking for it. If they are asking for it, it means that we
should respond.
There have been many changes in both of the police forces here in our
Province over the last couple of decades. We see many more women in both the
RCMP and the RNC. We see the police officers very involved with the community.
One area in particular where I know they have been involved is in dealing with
violence issues and being part of the consultations with the Violence Prevention
Initiative. I think the role they play there is absolutely essential.
One thing I see in my own district is the work that is done by Constable
Kevin Foley, who does tremendous work through the program called DARE. I have
been in schools in my district where Constable Foley is there, I see the great
relationship he has with the students and the family. So I am really happy to
recognize him, and also recognize all of the members of both police forces in
our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SKINNER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supporting the progression of companies and projects from start-up to
commercialization is integral to the provincial government's economic
development agenda. It is an agenda focused on building strong, economically
diversified communities.
Mr. Speaker, the provincial government's economic development agenda is also
about far more than just financial gain. Economic development is the driving
force - however, working with community groups to balance the social and
economic requirements of our communities and regions is invaluable. To meet
these demands, trained facilitators, including staff from the Department of
Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, facilitate workshops and collaborate
with community groups through the Community Capacity Building program.
This program has been highly utilized by community groups who view it as an
effective platform to identify and manage opportunities focused on increasing
the capacity of local organizations and ultimately encourage greater levels of
social and economic development. In 2009 alone, more than 130 working sessions,
involving almost 4,000 participants, were held in communities across
Newfoundland and Labrador.
In early 2009, it was the Community Capacity Building program that served as
the starting point to address the social and economic issues that materialized
following AbitibiBowater announcing that it was ceasing operations in the
Central Region. Bringing together more than eighty local stakeholders that
included regional economic development groups, municipalities, union officials,
and many others led to the identification of opportunities for economic
activity, and instilled confidence that the future would be bright for the
region's residents.
Through the program, short and long-term opportunities were assessed and an
action plan established. Partners were quickly mobilized to advance development
of a cranberry industry in the area and confirm land availability, environmental
considerations, and market opportunities. Mr. Cyril Langdon, Chair of the
Exploits Valley Economic Development Corporation, described the program as
providing a great opportunity for stakeholders to share ideas, prioritize
opportunities, and identify partners for project implementation.
The Community Capacity Building program is also playing an important role in
the provincial government's Poverty Reduction Strategy. By working with
community groups such as the Community Centre Alliance, we are enabling them to
work with lower-income individuals to strengthen their skill-sets, develop
business and strategic plans, and open the door for them to be larger
contributors to the provincial economy.
Mr. Speaker, the provincial government looks forward to continued
collaboration with our partners at the local level through the Community
Capacity Building program. Coupled with strategic investments, they are critical
in the sustained development of all of our communities and regions.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
First of all, I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his
presentation. It is good to see where the program has been effective in Central
Newfoundland, in particular, given the situation that they face with the mill
closure and so on. I think it just reaffirms for us the importance of having the
input of local stakeholders when it comes to any types of decisions and ensuring
that they are sound and logical and the correct decisions on important issues.
I know at times we all have a tendency to want to move things forward hastily
and we forget the importance of having local input and so on. We can see that
throughout our Province in many different aspects. I would certainly suggest
that based on the success in Central that we would want to do that in every
situation. If so, then I am sure that we can be very pleased with the decisions
that we make. Getting people together, talking about success and being able to
measure that effectiveness is very important for us going forward.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I am really
glad to see that the ITRD training programs and capacity building sessions are
still available to communities and other groups who want to develop their local
economies. I believe very strongly in the need for community-based economic
development because that is where our social development is going to work as
well.
As before in this House, I do encourage the minister, as maybe he already is
doing, to look closely at the model that they use in Ireland; there are other
places too that have community-based development models. The model there I think
is close to what we are aiming for here. I think it is more structured, maybe,
than it is here. I would encourage the minister to look at it. The program
called LEADER is based on the concept of partnerships and special areas of
disadvantage, both urban and rural. I think the model fits the needs that we
have here in this Province. I would also hope that when the department is
helping local groups identify partners for enterprises that they be encouraged
to look at co-operative models of business development, not just as individual
entrepreneurs. Co-op enterprises, as the minister knows and I know, are working
very well in this Province, in the forest products and agrifoods industry but
they need stronger support from government and I encourage the minister to
continue looking in that direction.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend we understand that President Obama has issued a
moratorium on new drilling leases until there is a full and further
environmental review. Yet, today, we are going deeper into the North Atlantic
Ocean, drilling a well in 2,600 metres of water off the Coast of Newfoundland
and Labrador, which is one kilometre deeper than the British Petroleum well in
the United States.
In light of the current environmental spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I ask the
government today, if they have reviewed our own environmental protection
safeguards for Chevron's ultra deep water drilling project which just started?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we have. Chevron released, in this past week, quite a
considerable amount of information with regard to its drilling plans in the
Orphan Basin. Mr. Speaker, we have confidence in the regulatory and legislative
regime that we have in place with regard to offshore safety. We constantly look
at those regulations. The Premier made a commitment here in the House of
Assembly last week to do an independent review of the boards regulations and
that process is currently unfolding, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I said, Chevron is now drilling a well in 2,600 metres of water; 1,000
metres deeper than the British Petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico. We saw over the
weekend the enormous difficulty in trying to stop a leak that far under water in
the Gulf of Mexico.
I ask the Premier today, Mr. Speaker: Does he have any concerns about the
drilling project off the Coast of Newfoundland and Labrador and the technology
that is being used? I ask him: How can he give assurances to the people of the
Province that this can be prevented and protected when we see what is happening
in the Gulf of Mexico today?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is always a risk associated when you go offshore, whether
you go there in a boat to fish or you are drilling for oil. What we have to do,
as best we can, is understand that risk and do everything we can to mitigate it.
We understand that the Stena Carron, the oil rig that will be drilling the
exploratory role in the Orphan Basin has at least three backup systems. We are
required to have at least one; other than the drilling of a relief well, Mr.
Speaker, one of three systems. I am happy to report that the Stena Carron has
all three.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I also would like to ask the minister, because there was a commitment last
week for the independent review board, she indicated it again today.
I would ask the government, Mr. Speaker, when we will see the details and the
framework around the independent review board and when we can see them start
their work in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the terms of reference have been developed and are now in the
approval process. As well, there is a scoping exercise ongoing to find the
appropriate individual or agency to do this piece of work. It is extremely
important that we get it done in a timely way for our own information and
knowledge, Mr. Speaker, and for that of the people of the Province. So it will
be done as quickly as possibly can be done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Scientists in the Province who scrutinize both government and industry's
responses to oil spills charged that the monitoring of chronic oil pollution
from offshore oil and gas activity is inadequate due to a lack of independent
observers on platforms, due to lack of aerial surveillance and a lack of public
disclosure of details of pollution events or even methods used to monitor these.
I ask the Premier today, Mr. Speaker: Why are the experts telling us that
there is no credible and comprehensive program in place to monitor oil spills
and pollution, yet your government giving people assurances of the Province that
everything is fine?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, before any activity happens in our offshore there is a very
comprehensive review that goes on, not only in terms of the C-NLOPB but also in
terms of the Canadian Environmental Protection Agency. We have a number of
departments, both federally and provincially, that are engaged. Operational
plans are developed; they are reviewed by external agencies that have
international reputations, Mr. Speaker, such as Lloyd's of London - that
certainly would be a name that we are all familiar with here in this Province.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier has already undertaken to do an arm's-length review
of all of the safety procedures that are used in our offshore. We are not going
to predict what the outcome of that is going to be. Up to now, Mr. Speaker, we
are satisfied. We know that there are risks, there are always risks but it is an
understood risk, and at this point in time we feel that all measures are in
place to mitigate that risk.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, Justice for Children and Youth, a local non-profit advocacy
group, has been advancing the causes of children in our Province for many years.
They have devoted hours and hours of their own personal time trying to help
children and families. They were instrumental in advocating for the
establishment of the Child and Youth Advocate office and are now appalled by the
fact that we have an Advocate who will not speak for the children.
I ask the minister: When will you recognize that it is the Advocate's job to
speak out on issues affecting our children and to ensure that this happens
within this office?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, the act that sets up the Office of the Child
and Youth Advocate is permissive legislation; it sets out the roles and
jurisdictions of the Officer of the House. It is not prescript, it does not tell
him how to do the job, it does not lay out any regulations with how often he
should talk to the media or if he should talk to the media at all.
The Opposition is suggesting, Mr. Speaker, that by not talking to the media,
he is not advocating for children. How they can make that rationalization is
beyond me, Mr. Speaker. The Officer of the House has a job to do. In the latest
report, for example, he did his investigation, he made his recommendations. The
recommendations have been made, now it is up to the receiving party to act on
the recommendations. There is nothing in the act that requires him to speak to
anybody.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: I say to the minister, that being the case, maybe it should not
be permissive, it should be mandatory. Maybe what we should be doing is telling
him the specific details of his job.
Section 3 of the act, however, Mr. Speaker, requires that the Advocate
protect and advance the rights of children and youth. The Child and Youth
Advocate's 2008-2011 own business plan states that the Advocate and staff engage
in children and youth agencies, government departments and the general public in
all discussions and consultations. Yet, this advocacy group has been trying for
months to get a meeting with the current Child and Youth Advocate, but to date,
they have not been successful.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister, because the Advocate is not fulfilling the
requirements of his job: If he is not meeting with the people who have
first-hand knowledge of the issues, does he feel, as the minister, that this is
an acceptable behaviour for the Child and Youth Advocate office?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, with respect to what the Advocate is doing
in his job and who he talks to and who he does not and who he consults, that is
not a question for the Minister of Justice to respond to. The Advocate has his
role to play. The Opposition Leader, as I have mentioned, indicates that by not
talking to certain people he is not doing his role. There is no logic in that
reasoning, Mr. Speaker. The Advocate is fulfilling his role. We are very pleased
with the job he has done in cleaning up the mess and the shambles that office
was in.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When you have a group like Justice for Children and Youth and they are unable
to access the Child and Youth Advocate to talk about issues regarding children
in this Province, I ask the minister, does he actually think this is acceptable
behaviour for this office?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I know very little about the group that the
hon. Leader of the Opposition just referred to. I assume that there are a lot of
similar type organizations out there that want to talk to the Child and Youth
Advocate, and I assume that he has talked to a lot of them. I am sure he will
consult with all and sundry to get the information he needs and make his
recommendation.
If there is one group who was left out of that, it is not for me to suggest
that that Advocate should meet with that specific group, there may be any
reasons in the world why he did not.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, so far what we know is that we have a Child and
Youth Advocate today in this Province who is temporary, who is not speaking to
any politicians, who refuses to speak to the media, who will not speak to
community groups who approach him, and he will not speak to the findings within
his own reports. We also know, Mr. Speaker, he is being paid at $175 an hour by
the government, and we know he is entitled to a provincial pension.
So I ask the government today: Is Mr. Rorke collecting his provincial pension
while being employed as a temporary Advocate in this Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, given the situation we had in that office as
of September of last year, this government had to make a decision to find
somebody who was competent to fulfill that role in an acting capacity, to get
that office back on stream, to re-establish morale, to advocate for youth, and
to do all of the things that office is supposed to do.
We were very fortunate, Mr. Speaker, to get a person of such impeccable
credentials as Judge Rorke. He is a retired judge - I assume he has a pension as
a retired judge. Whether he is collecting it or not, I would not know, but if he
is, he is certainly entitled to it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Over the weekend we heard that 1,200 workers at six OCI plants across the
Province have handed their union a strike mandate. These workers are being asked
for concessions relating to vacation pay, overtime and holidays. Now, Mr.
Speaker, when Ocean Choice International bought these plants in 2007, when the
government dismantled FPI, workers at that time agreed to take wage cuts for a
short period of time.
Today, Mr. Speaker, these workers earn less than they did six years ago, and
I ask the minister: Does he not agree that it is time that this company started
to give back to these workers so that they make a decent wage? I ask him if his
government has been intervening or having any discussions in this process
between the company and the union.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Leader of the Opposition is right. During the FPI debate, there was a
time when government acquired some funds to assist that transition.
Mr. Speaker, right at this particular time, both parties are into
negotiations. That is what negotiations and contract talks are about, Mr.
Speaker. We certainly hope that in spite of the strike mandate that was taken
over the weekend, we hope that both sides can come to an agreement here and find
a resolution.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Not only is Ocean Choice International after inheriting the assets of FPI
under an agreement with the government, not only are they not paying their
workers at a wage that is acceptable, but we understand that they are also not
meeting the terms of their agreement that they signed by government for the
five-year period between 2007 and 2011.
In 2007 at the Marystown plant, there were between 400 and 500 people working
two shifts. Today the workforce is about 230 employees and they are down to one
shift. I ask the minister: Why is OCI not living up to the terms of their
agreement and what is government doing about this to ensure that they do not
continue to downsize and jeopardize the livelihoods of the fish workers in that
area?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, this is probably one of the most challenging
times to be in the groundfish business, which exactly is what the OCI plant in
Marystown is. It is in my district, Mr. Speaker, so I know all about the
challenges that they are facing at that particular facility.
Mr. Speaker, they have rolled out a plan. Government has been in negotiations
with them around the OCI the shipping out of yellow tail. We met with the
union there. We met with the company. We made an agreement in conjunction with
the union at that particular site that we would assist in those measures. We
certainly hope that they will have continued performance and improved number of
workers in that plant, but there is no doubt about it, it is a challenging time
to be in the groundfish industry and we can only hope for the best as a result.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We understand that this company, as I said, has not been paying their workers
properly since they took over the plants in 2007. We have also been hearing from
the municipality in the area that they have outstanding taxes over the past two
of their five-year agreement with government.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister today - this company has really inherited
this entire enterprise. Many people's lives depend upon the jobs in these
particular plants and we have understood that there has been a proposal to
government for funding from this company.
I ask the minister today if he can confirm if that is the case or not, and if
so, can he tell me what that will do to stabilize the industry and provide
benefits to the workers that are affected?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am certainly not aware of funding that the
company has requested to assist with financial operations.
The OCI operations, as is other processors and harvesters across the
Province, often submit applications to government under technology programs, Mr.
Speaker, that will help reduce, let's say, heating costs or fuel costs and costs
of that nature. That company would not be any different than any other company
or harvester within this particular Province.
So, Mr. Speaker, if that is what she is referring to there has been an
application to that regard, but in terms of financial assistance around
operations, no, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, government's hand-picked consultant who completed a review of
the air ambulance services in the Northern region of our Province has already
proven that his work is questionable by submitting a poorly researched report.
We also know that while he was in a leadership role with the health care system
in James Bay that he had major issues with air ambulance, including an incident
in 2009 that resulted in the death of an elderly patient.
I ask the minister: Were you aware of these past incidents and why would you
hire an individual who has a questionable record of his own in providing
effective air ambulance service?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we hired a consultant who had quite an extensive resume, who had
worked in various places throughout the country in various capacities. This
consultant reviewed, essentially, the numbers that related to flights in and out
of Labrador, in and out of St. Anthony, and came to a conclusion at the end of
the day, Mr. Speaker, that the public could best be served by the placement of
the air ambulance in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
So, Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of what the hon. member opposite is
suggesting there, but it is a very serious allegation to be making, and I am
hoping that he is simply not throwing this out for the sake of ruining another
person's reputation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, in this week's Northern Pen , a reporter
asked Mr. Drodge several questions about the report and his response was no
comment. The reporter even asked: Do you have a comment about anything at all?
His response was no, no comment; so again, another hand-picked consultant
unwilling to answer questions about the reports.
I ask the minister: Is there a reason that this person is refusing to comment
on a report with such ramifications in health care delivery in the Province,
especially if he truly believes in his recommendations?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, one of the issues that we have looked at since the receipt of
Mr. Drodge's report is the actual implementation of the recommendations. So I
have asked the supervisors of the provincial air ambulance program, being the
medical director and also the paramedic in charge, to look at the
recommendations to see if they can be implemented. At the end of the day, Mr.
Speaker, a report prepared by the Lab Grenfell employees accepts that the
numbers put forward by Mr. Drodge are accurate, and, in fact, Mr. Speaker, the
eight recommendations agree with recommendations two to seven. The only
disagreement that the report prepared by the Lab Grenfell employees has is with
the placement of the air ambulance.
So, again, Mr. Speaker, there does not appear to be any dispute with the
numbers put forward by Mr. Drodge, the recommendations put forward. The only
dispute relates to where the ambulance should be.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, we have heard that before, and I beg to differ,
but nevertheless, the reason Mr. Drodge refuses to speak basically is, in my
opinion, his report is a farce.
The Opposition office required documents back in March related to Mr.
Drodge's research for his report, paid the fees being charged, and now
government tells us we have to wait another two months to receive the
information; another example of this government breaking the access to
information legislation in an attempt to hide the information.
I ask the minister: Why are you hiding this information, or are you afraid it
will prove how weak this report really is?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do not think there is anything being hidden in terms of the cost. It is my
understanding, the cost of the report cost we paid the consultant around
$10,000. That is my understanding. That can be finalized by my department.
Mr. Speaker, what we have to look at here is a basic issue of, where can we
place the air ambulance to best protect the people of this Province? We have had
a number of incidents in Labrador which are very unfortunate, and which we are
all aware of. The placement of the air ambulance in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr.
Speaker, will mean now that all people in this Province will be within sixty
minutes access to air ambulance, a situation that did not exist in Lab West
while the air ambulance was in St. Anthony.
Secondly, Mr. Speaker, what we looked at is, where are the greater number of
people living? We know that the population of the Labrador region is at least
twice that of the St. Anthony-Port au Choix region. Thirdly, Mr. Speaker, we
have to look at the issue of the risk factor. There is a much greater risk
factor in Labrador right now, not only in relation to population but in relation
to heavy industrialization of the area. When you look at all of these factors,
Mr. Speaker, the recommendations of Mr. Drodge are certainly sensible, that we
are looking at implementing them, and we made significant Budget investments
this year in
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, I would suggest if the minister would follow some
of the things that were in the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development's statement earlier, that it might have helped in making his
decision in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, government has given notice to air ambulance employees that the
service will be moved to Goose Bay on May 30. Obviously the minister is rushing
this decision; his actions will create more problems in the system. One of the
main recommendations of the report was that the medevac flight team would be
there as well.
I ask the minister: Will medevac teams with the necessary flight medical
specialities requirement be available to fly in Goose Bay on May 30?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think the hon. member is aware that whether or not the air ambulance was
placed in either St. Anthony or Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the second medical
flight services team was announced in the Budget this year. There is a period of
time that we have to advertise for these jobs, they are speciality jobs and
there has to be a training period. So, Mr. Speaker, we are in that process of
doing the hiring right now. It will be a while before people are in place, but I
can assure the member opposite that we are looking at other alternatives to
ensure that air ambulance is provided to all areas of this Province.
As I indicated, Mr. Speaker, when I was in Lab West, there was a
recommendation by the doctors there that perhaps we should use Quebecair in
certain obstetrical emergencies, and we have agreed to do that. What we are
looking at now, Mr. Speaker, are other alternatives here to ensure that the best
possible service is provided. We may have something to say on that in the next
couple of days, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, the main recommendation that made this work was
the medevac team. Now we realize that it will not be available in Goose Bay and
all medical flights basically in that case all flights will have to travel to
St. John's before responding to an emergency. Moving the plane to Goose Bay will
now add an extra hour to the response time.
I ask the minister: How will this increased delay in the absence of the
medical flight team - how will this increased delay help patients and improve
the air medevac service in the Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In this Budget, this year, we announced a new plane which will be
approximately $8 million. We also announced, Mr. Speaker, a second medical
flight services team which would cost about $1.1 million annually. Obviously, we
have to do the hiring, and until the announcement was made in the Budget we
could not begin that process.
Mr. Speaker, there will be a period of time in which we will have to ensure
that services are available and as I have indicated, I am currently in
discussions right now with other groups to achieve that end, Mr. Speaker.
Earlier today, again, I met with the air ambulance personnel for the Province.
We are going to be making changes to the way air ambulance services are
delivered in this Province in terms of both dispatch and the availability. Mr.
Speaker, what we have to do is look at how do we get our out-of-province
residents out there in the best way possible. So, the changes cannot all take
place overnight, Mr. Speaker, but they will take place and what we will have is
a stronger air ambulance system as a result of this change.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White
Bay North.
MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, again, a very simple question to the minister. The
fact that we are moving the aircraft without the medevac team means that that
plane has to fly from Goose Bay to St. John's for the team versus flying from
St. Anthony to St. John's.
My question is: Why would we rush the relocation of the plane before the
medevac team is in place?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
One of the reasons that we have to make this move and to make it as quickly
as possible, we have had a number of unfortunate incidents right now in St.
Anthony, at least one incident where a pilot has refused to fly. So we have a
situation where we have to stabilize this situation. We are going to move that
plane to Happy Valley-Goose Bay as soon as possible. The report came down on
March 22, Mr. Speaker, and we cannot allow for situations like this to arise in
light of what is going on. So we are going to move that plane as soon as
possible, it will be moved at the end of May.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is very disappointing knowing the Premier's commitment to an
objective study of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico, to then hear the
Minister of Natural Resources say that there is no intention of stopping
exploratory drilling in the Orphan Basin until government understands more about
what happened in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Speaker, this thinking is
counterintuitive. It would make more sense to stop drilling until we know what
happened so that we can prevent such catastrophes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why government is not pressuring the C-NLOPB
to stop the drilling in the Orphan Basin until we know the results of what is
now an environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural
Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, there is always a risk when you are operating
offshore. What we need to know, as best we can, what is that risk and how can we
best mitigate it? We have confidence in the plans that the C-NLOPB have put
forward and the federal government under the Environmental Protection Act, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we are not going to shut down our offshore under these
circumstances. We have a degree of security, as much as one can rely on, that
the proper measures and countermeasures are in place. We will endeavour to learn
more and do more as best practices evolve, but we do not see a rationale, at
this point in time, for shutting down our offshore.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the minister talks about risk - and I have heard her talk about
the risk. If an accident occurs in the Orphan Basin and I am talking about the
Orphan Basin; we are talking about an exploratory drilling rig, not the whole of
our offshore production. If we have an accident there similar to that in the
Gulf of Mexico, we can expect crude oil to spew uninhibited into the North
Atlantic for quite some time.
Mr. Speaker, today the minister is saying that the people in our Province are
used to risks on the water. Mr. Speaker, this kind of an accident is not an
acceptable risk. I ask: Can the government explain to the people of this
Province why they are willing to take this risk?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the NDP's premise is faulty. Unless she fully
understands the regulation and requirements that are in the United States, which
I suspect she does not, and compares them to the regulation that we have here,
Mr. Speaker, I do not think she can make that kind of a statement.
In The Globe and Mail this week, there was discussion about the
requirements and the lack of requirements in the United States with regard to
backup systems when a blowout prevention stack fails. Mr. Speaker, there are
requirements one of three that are required here in this country. Mr.
Speaker, the Stena Carron has all three of those capacities.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, oil industry observers and analysts say the equipment needed to
drill a relief well would not be available fast enough should there be a rupture
in the Chevron well, which is 2,600 metres beneath the ocean. Mr. Speaker, the
C-NLOPB say that until they understand more about what is happening, they do not
see any reason to stop drilling.
Mr. Speaker, I have to question both the C-NLOPB and the provincial
government's reasoning. Why won't they put a halt to this project until we know
how to deal with incidents so far beneath the ocean? We have no idea.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, her premise is faulty again that we do not have any idea. Indeed
we do have ideas, Mr. Speaker.
Now, Mr. Speaker, a relief well is not the only fail-safe mechanism if a
blowout prevention stack fails. There are at least three more that have been
identified in this country - one of them is required for drilling offshore. The
Stena Carron has all three capabilities on the rig, Mr. Speaker, plus it has the
option of drilling a relief well.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Question Period has been so quiet and attentive the Speaker
is reluctant to move on.
The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
The Chair would like to recognize His Worship Churence Rogers, the Mayor of
Centreville-Wareham-Trinity who is present in the gallery today.
Welcome, sir, to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Pursuant to
section 25, subsection 5(
a) of the Financial Administration Act,
I am tabling six Orders in Council relating to funding pre-commitments for the
2010-2011 to the 2014-2015 fiscal years.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents?
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Today being Monday, preceding Private Members' Day - it is the Opposition
private members' this Wednesday - on behalf of the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse
au Clair, seconded by the Member for Burgeo & La Poile, we would like to enter
the following private member's resolution for consideration on this Wednesday:
WHEREAS drilling and production in our offshore areas brings not only
economic benefits, but real risks of environmental disaster, as we have seen
with the Louisiana oil catastrophe which will have impacts for decades to come;
and
WHEREAS the offshore oil industry polices itself through the C-NLOPB and
there are concerns on their lack of transparency in addressing oil spills, as
well as resources available to address a major emergency event; and
WHEREAS there is no comprehensive safety regime or work plans for oil spills,
no independent monitors on rigs and oil extraction is exempt from the Canadian
Environmental Protection Act, the Fisheries Act, and the Canada Shipping Act;
and
WHEREAS Chevron is currently drilling in deep waters without immediate backup
plans and oil analysts say it could take up to three to four months for backup
rigs to become operations; and
WHEREAS the Grand Banks represents one of the richest fishing banks and
fragile ecosystems in the world and thousands of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians could be gravely impacted should a major oil spill occur; and
WHEREAS British Columbia and the Pacific States have a combined oil spill
task force in place with annual work plans - notwithstanding a moratorium of
offshore drilling on the West Coast;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly encourages the
provincial government to immediately put into place a task force to examine the
current environmental and safety procedures, policies and processes; make
recommendations for "best practices and technology" changes; review the industry
on an annual basis; review protocols for potential oil spills in Placentia Bay;
produce an annual work plan to enhance oil spill preparedness and response
capabilities throughout all drilling areas and oil transport routes near
Newfoundland and Labrador to avoid and-or mitigate the effects of a possible oil
spill that could devastate the waters off our coast for decades to come.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act
Respecting The Practice of Social Work. (Bill 20)
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motions?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I will go to the Order Paper, Motion 4.
With that, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Government Services, for
leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To Amend The Insurance Companies Act
No. 2, Bill 19, and I further move that the said bill be now read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair is going to have to ask the hon. Government House
Leader if she would be kind enough to repeat the bill number please.
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Bill 19, Mr. Speaker, on the last page.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Government House
Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To Amend The
Insurance Companies Act No. 2, Bill 19, and that the said bill be now read a
first time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 19 be now read
a first time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
Motion, the hon. Minister of Government Services to introduce a bill, "An Act
To Amend The Insurance Companies Act No. 2", carried. (Bill 19)
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Insurance Companies Act No. 2. (Bill
19)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 19 has now been read a first time.
When shall Bill 19 be read a second time?
MS BURKE: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.
On motion, Bill 19 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, we will go to the Order Paper, Order 1, third
reading of Bill 5.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, that Bill 5,
An Act To Provide Liability Protection On
Portions Of Pedestrian Trails, be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a
third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that this bill be now
read a third time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Provide Liability Protection On Portions Of
Pedestrian Trails. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 5,
An Act To Provide Liability Protection On Portions
Of Pedestrian Trails, has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the
bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Provide Liability Protection On Portions Of
Pedestrian Trails", read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the
Order Paper. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, Order 2, third reading of Bill 12.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, that Bill 12,
An Act To Amend The Grand Concourse
Authority Act, be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that
Bill 12 be now read a third time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Grand Concourse Authority Act. (Bill
12)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 12 has now been read a third time and it is ordered
that this bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Grand Concourse Authority Act", read
a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 12)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, Order 3, third reading of Bill 13.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Government
Services, that Bill 13,
An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business
Practices Act, be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that
Bill 13 be now read a third time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business
Practices Act. (Bill 13)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 13 has now been read a third time and it is ordered
that the bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Consumer Protection And Business
Practices Act", read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the
Order Paper. (Bill 13)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, we will move to Order 4, third reading of Bill 14.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Government
Services, that Bill 14,
An Act To Amend The Private Investigation And Security
Services Act, be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that
Bill 14 be now read a third time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Private Investigation And Security
Services Act. (Bill 14)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 14 has now been read a third time and it is ordered
that the bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Private Investigation And Security
Services Act," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the
Order Paper. (Bill 14)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, we will call from the Order Paper, Motion 1.
MR. SPEAKER: Motion 1, the Budget Speech.
The hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It gives me great pleasure to stand in this hon. House and speak to Budget
2010. I want to thank the Minister of Finance for delivering a Budget for this
government that highlights our youth; a Budget that covers a broad area; a
Budget that has self-reliance; a Budget that will keep us on a good course to
stimulate the future while we are still facing an unstable economy.
Mr. Speaker, our minister travelled throughout the Province and listened to
the people. Budget 2010 allows our government to make sound decisions that give
us an economic outlook that remains positive.
Also, I want to congratulate and welcome the new additions to this hon.
House: the Member for Topsail. I hope he enjoys representing his constituents as
I do in representing mine in my district, the great District of Bellevue. I also
congratulate him and the Member for Terra Nova on presenting their maiden speech
in this hon. House just a few days ago. They delivered a speech that was very
positive, very much full of confidence and pride to be part of a team and a
government who are doing the right things; a team which has a leader who stands
up for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and what he believes in.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great honour that I stand here in this hon. House of
Assembly for the District of Bellevue and represent my constituents in this
great hon. House. Since being elected in 2007, the people of the District of
Bellevue have seen a great change. They have seen improvements to roads,
housing, water and sewer, health care, and the list goes on, Mr. Speaker. We
have seen funding in the fishery to the fish plants in Arnold's Cove, Icewater
Seafoods, and Dorset Fisheries, Long Cove. We have seen maintenance on wharves
from special assistance grants. We have seen improvement to recreation
facilities. We have seen a great focus on community, healthy and active living
programs.
I want to talk about some of these areas of funding, and emphasize the
funding amounts, Mr. Speaker, but time will not permit me to talk about all the
good things in this Budget, all the great things our government is doing for the
people of this great Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; however, I will talk
about funding that means a great deal to the constituents of the district I
represent.
I would like to address a broad range of funding under the Budget that helps
many constituents in my district: funding that comes in small packages.
Nitty-gritty is what they call it - small packages, as one would say, Mr.
Speaker funding that means a lot to the towns and communities in my district,
and individuals who received the funding.
Mr. Speaker, I have thirteen towns in my district, I have eighteen LSDs in my
district, and three small communities that are not represented by any committee
at all. Mr. Speaker, thirty of these towns and communities depend on the fishery
and, as you can see, the fishery is very important to the district. Southern
Harbour a town in my district I refer to as the second Petty Harbour 80 per
cent of the town revenue and income comes from the fishery. The town relies
fully on the fishery for its survival.
I am pleased to see a resolution to the crab dispute, and to see our
fishermen back on the water. I want to congratulate our Minister of Fisheries on
a great job of keeping both sides together and bringing our crab fishery to an
opening again this year.
Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to highlight our government's commitments
to the fishery that were announced in the Budget: $2 million for the Fisheries
Technology and New Opportunities Program; $1 million to the Canadian Centre for
Fisheries Innovation to support fisheries and aquaculture research and
development; $250,000 for a Fishing Industry Safety Council; $100,000 for
communications in support of the sealing industry; $300,000 for continuing
development and implementation of a provincial Coastal and Ocean Management
Strategy and Policy Framework; $100,000 to Dorset Fisheries in Long Cove to
pilot new machinery toward replacing retired employees.
We all hear of the difficulty plants are facing in getting workers to replace
those who retire. Well, Mr. Speaker, this is a piece of machinery that will deal
with the downsizing of employees at the pelagic species plant in Long Cove
through retirements.
Let us not forget the fisheries enhancements programs we had last fall for
fishers who needed to qualify for EI benefits. Almost every fishing community
had a project, and people working in my district.
Mr. Speaker, other areas of funding: an increase of $1.4 million to
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation maintenance annually to a total of
$10.2 million. Many people from my district, Mr. Speaker, under low-income
families, have qualified for home repairs. I visit many home owners in low
income. I have seen first-hand the need for this program. Our government has
recognized the need for this program. It is a program that is much appreciated,
and the people of my district thank our government, thank our Premier, and thank
our Minister of Finance for increasing this program.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but mention the people who have benefitted from
this program under the disability funding portion as well. Mr. Speaker, I could
tell some great stories about families who needed a wheelchair ramp for someone
in the household; someone who had to change the heating system in their house
because someone was on oxygen; seniors whose homes needed to be upgraded because
of the age of the home. Mr. Speaker, to see smiles on their faces; to see the
thank you cards mailed into my office; to talk over a coffee at their home and
to hear the appreciation from someone who benefitted from this program, gives
the satisfaction of being an MHA and puts things in perspective to say that our
government is doing the right things.
Mr. Speaker, it shows our government has their heart in the right place. Why
do we do this, Mr. Speaker? Because we care, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, an additional $797,000 to expand coverage for
insulin pumps to be extended from eighteen to twenty-five years of age; $1.4
million for individuals up to eighteen years.
Mr. Speaker, I had a discussion with a family whose daughter and son will be
in St. John's this year attending post-secondary, and both have diabetes. Just
imagine the cost to that family, but thanks to this government life can be a lot
easier, not only financially but with a piece of mind knowing that their
children could avail of an insulin pump up to the age of twenty-five years.
I, myself, faced this situation just a couple of years ago, Mr. Speaker. Our
son developed Type 1 diabetes at the age of fifteen. When he was going to
post-secondary a few years ago he did not have the option of an insulin pump, he
had to mix his insulin needles himself. Many restless nights for his mother and
many worries that no one could imagine for both of us. Walking the floor, you
might say, some nights, Mr. Speaker, when there was no answer on the phone when
you called him, when there should have been. Then you worried: Did he take his
insulin or did he not, or did he mix it right?
Now, Mr. Speaker, our government has relieved this stress. Insulin pumps are
now covered. Again, I would like to thank our government, my colleagues, thank
you to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health for making funding
possible under this Budget. This is fantastic, Mr. Speaker, a great relief for
many families across the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, firefighting; funding increased to municipalities
for fire truck acquisitions to $2.5 million this year and $7.6 million over the
next four years. Back in 2008 our government announced a program of 90-10, which
allowed fire departments to be able to afford to apply for funding. Mr. Speaker,
that is a great benefit to all fire departments because before the funding was
at a 50-50 cost-shared funding basis and most departments could not afford to
apply for funding and in most cases had to buy second-hand clothing for their
department, boots, trucks, pumps and other equipment. Today, Mr. Speaker, this
government have made it possible for fire departments to apply to renew their
equipment and to request new fire trucks, to update their fire departments and
to better train their firefighters.
Last year, Mr. Speaker, our government gave the Fire Fighter's Association
$150,000 to help provide training programs throughout the Province. Many fire
departments are taking advantage of these sessions. An increase of firefighting
equipment of $1 million this year and $2.5 million over the next four years;
this under the 90-10 program will allow fire departments to upgrade their
equipment in communities and towns that need to do so. To work in a fire
department with new equipment certainly assures firemen of their safety when
they have the proper tools to do the job. It allows firemen to be able to fight
fires and enter into properties and enter into homes knowing that they can do so
without taking unnecessary risk. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the
firefighters in my district who take pride in what they do and do a very
professional job with the equipment that they have. I also want to recognize the
working together of communities and towns in fighting fires. All neighbouring
communities are auxiliary to each other.
Mr. Speaker, $200,000 in Home Heating Oil Tank Storage Replacement Assistance
Program. Mr. Speaker, this may seem to be an issue that is not of grave concern
to the Opposition. However, low-income families now can renew their oil tank
without having the burden of trying to find $1,200 up front. When you are on low
income it is not easy to get $1,200 at once but now under this program they can
now make application to Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and if they are
eligible under the low income, they can receive a repayment loan of $25 per
month. This might be a laugh to the Opposition, and I even heard similar
comments from highly-paid individuals, but to the low-income families out in the
district they are very appreciative. Our government recognizes that we had to do
something and we did. We did this, Mr. Speaker, because we care.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, I cannot go without mentioning the increase of
Low Income Seniors' Benefit from $800 to $900. Wellness grants, an additional
$200,000 for community-based agencies programs under the Department of Health
and Community Services through our Healthy Aging Strategy. These programs are
very important to the groups out in the communities who are trying to promote a
program and operate on very low funding.
Mr. Speaker, our government has realized the importance of healthy and active
living and providing such funding, allowing our seniors groups to purchase
exercise equipment, plan outings, plan trips, and to do something they have
never done before, come visit the House of Assembly. The groups that availed of
the funding in my district, Mr. Speaker, I gave an invitation to them to
organize a tour of the House of Assembly and our office has arranged six tours
for different communities, 50+ Clubs, and I have groups already that visited the
House and we have more to come, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, I had a group from Come By Chance 50+ last week,
where you yourself had the opportunity to speak to them and some of my
colleagues as well, including the minister of not-for-profit and voluntary
organizations.
Mr. Speaker, over the next couple of weeks we have more groups to come. As a
matter of fact, I have a group from Sunnyside tomorrow; and yet to come, groups
from Norman's Cove, Long Cove, Swift Current, Arnold's Cove and Dildo. I have
visited some of the 50+ programs and I want to say, Mr. Speaker, it is an
atmosphere and an experience that I invite all my colleagues in this hon. House
to witness. They know how to enjoy themselves, they are being active, they are
contributing to their community, partnering with the youth in some communities,
and they have developed a healthy lifestyle. Our government again has recognized
the need and I want to thank the Minister of Health and Community Services for
promoting this program and the people of my district as well want to thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, Capital Grants increased for recreation and sport
facilities up to $300,000 for a total of $1.3 million; recreational capital
grants has helped communities and towns in my district.
In 2007, funding towards playground upgrades in St. Bernard's; in 2008,
upgrades to a soccer field in South Dildo for the areas from New Harbour to
Fairhaven. I might say, Mr. Speaker, this also benefits the youth from the
Minister of Environment and Conservation and the Minister of Justice districts
as well. Children from all around love to play soccer each year. Dr. Bonasteel
has been very active in promoting soccer in this area and has been volunteering
his time in coaching, managing and mentoring the youth and families for healthy
active living in these areas and I want to thank him for his involvement.
In 2008-2009, $10,000 was given to the Come By Chance for recreational
facility upgrades; $15,000 to Southern Harbour in 2009 for equipment for a
playground. The town itself raised $12,000 to construct the playground in memory
of a young girl who lost her life a few years ago. This capital grant will
contribute to the purchase of a piece of equipment for the playground that will
fulfill the hearts of many in memory of the young girl in that town.
Mr. Speaker, coverage for cancer drugs, new therapy drugs under the
Prescription Drug Program; $606,000 to enhance the Medical Transportation
Assistance Program to allow reimbursement of mileage for private vehicles used
when the total kilometres over a twelve-month period is more than $5,000; $2.4
million for continuing planning and construction of a new residential treatment
centre in St. John's for children and youth with complex mental health and
behavioural issues; $131,000 to help organize and develop programs promoting
healthy eating and physical activities.
Mr. Speaker, extra beds for dialysis patients in Clarenville this one was
very important to some people in my district. Some families who had to travel
all the way to St. John's, about two hours drive, who now can travel to
Clarenville in half an hour. These people have to travel about four times a
week, Mr. Speaker, and they told me to thank our government and also to thank
our minister for making this possible.
Mr. Speaker, $2.5 million to improve the income threshold of Newfoundland and
Labrador's Prescription Drug Program under the Access Plan, this will benefit a
lot of seniors in my area.
Mr. Speaker, education spending of $3.4 million to Memorial University and
College of the North Atlantic; $18 million for a 500-bed residence at Memorial
campus, $88.3 million in Corner Brook - and $7.5 million for upgrading to
existing residences. All monies announced, Mr. Speaker, will help many of our
youth who attend these colleges and universities each year to further their
education in post-secondary. Mr. Speaker, $2.2 million to advancing the
Excellence in Mathematics strategy through new curriculum textbooks and
resources for students and teachers; an additional $5 million to extend the
tuition freeze at MUN and $1 million at the College of the North Atlantic.
Mr. Speaker, there is much other spending in education. As a matter of fact,
the total budget for the Department of Education is $1.3 billion alone. This
education funding is a very important investment in the future of our youth.
Mr. Speaker, twenty-seven new personnel hiring for the Department of Child,
Youth and Family Services; this department will receive a total of $167 million.
This department under the leadership of our Government House Leader and the
minister responsible will see many positive changes to serve and protect the
youth of our Province.
Mr. Speaker, job creation programs these programs are administered by HRLE
and I might say they are doing a fantastic job at administering these programs.
The application process has been speedier, the turnaround of getting projects
approved are by far efficient than that of the federal departments, and the
personnel are great to work with. These programs, these projects are a great
asset to church groups, recreation groups, fire departments, harbour
authorities, local service districts, town councils and the rural developments.
These projects give the opportunity for infrastructure maintenance repair to
buildings and wharves, retaining walls along the shorelines, and other buildings
throughout the towns, Mr. Speaker.
My district, since our government took over this program in November 2009,
has received nine meaningful programs. In Terrenceville, we have the seen the
completion of the fire hall construction; in Grand Le Pierre, a community park
construction; and in Long Cove, extension of a tourism enhancement to construct
and install eight floating docks. They are just some of the great projects in
the great District of Bellevue.
Mr. Speaker, many communities and towns have benefited from water and sewer,
funding for upgrades and new construction since I have been elected in 2007. We
have seen municipal infrastructure, water and sewer extensions and upgrades in
Norman's Cove, Sunnyside, Southern Harbour, Arnold's Cove, Thornlea, treatment
plant in Come By Chance, and we also saw fire and emergency trucks in Arnold's
Cove in 2007 and a fire equipment truck in Southern Harbour in 2008.
The spinoff from the Vale Inco Long Harbour project has seen many needs for
extra housing units and to meet the challenges we have to concentrate on
completion of water and sewer in these towns. With the new company investing in
Come By Chance, and under new management, we are expecting a growth of
employment. Growth of employment and new investments mean more people moving in
and more need for housing development. Our government recognizes the need and we
have been very instrumental in providing funding to water and sewer projects
throughout the district.
Funding provided from Municipal Affairs for a project to replace a breakwater
in Chapel Arm with armour rock and a shoreline construction of retaining walls
and marginal wharves; emergency funding for sewer outfall in Norman's cove. Mr.
Speaker, these are some of the infrastructure through Municipal Affairs.
I know my time is pretty much run out there now, Mr. Speaker, but I
SOME HON. MEMBERS: By leave.
MR. PEACH: By leave, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, road improvements on the Burin Peninsula Highway 50-50
stimulus cost-shared by the federal and provincial government in paving and
upgrades of eight point nine kilometres interchange on the Burin Peninsula
Highway, and an interchange at Come By Chance-Sunnyside federal and provincial
stimulus, 50-50 cost-shared as well.
Mr. Speaker, in 2009 levelling in New Harbour, Dildo, Old Shop, Fair Haven,
Sunnyside, Long Cove and North Harbour. Since I have been elected in 2007 paving
in the Town of Chapel Arm; paving through the community of Bellevue; recapping
of main road from Chapel Arm through to Norman's Cove-Long Cove; paving and
upgrades of the main road in St. Bernard's-Jacques Fontaine; upgrades in Harbour
Mille, upgrades near Pipers Hole, Swift Current; replacement of two large
culverts in Little Harbour; Monkstown road ditching, brush cutting, road space
build up and crushed stone finish top. Mr. Speaker, bridge repair on Grand Le
Pierre highway, upgrade and paving of long grade in Terrenceville, and repairs
to Little Bay Bridge in Little Bay in Fortune Bay.
Mr. Speaker, all these things, I might point out, have been neglects of the
past Administration -
AN HON. MEMBER: And the member.
MR. PEACH: - and the past member.
All, Mr. Speaker, are investments in the great District of Bellevue for the
safety of motorists travelling through the great District of Bellevue. I also
want to thank my colleagues, the Minister of Fisheries, MHA, Burin-Placentia
West, and the Minister of Education, MHA for Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Also, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation and Works
for their support and working with me in securing funding from the federal and
provincial 50-50 cost-shared stimulus for the Burin Peninsula Highway.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, this shows how a team works together to improve
our districts.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all my colleagues in this hon. House for their
support as well. Most of all, I would like to thank our Premier, our leader, for
the countless hours and dedication he has for the people of this great Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a man that listens, he is passionate, he
understands, his door is always open to his colleagues of this House. I am very
proud to be part of a great team with a leader who has a positive vision for the
future of Newfoundland and Labrador. Why Mr. Speaker? Because we care!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Mr. Speaker, many times we heard on Open Line shows about the
negativity of rural Newfoundland. We have heard from the Opposition in this
House many times, as well, Mr. Speaker. I want to put a little different spin on
this today.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. PEACH: Spin span.
Rural Newfoundland and Labrador has a lot to offer, Mr. Speaker. Let's just
ask a few questions, a little trivia, if I am allowed, Mr. Speaker. We always
hear people say that all stays inside the Overpass. Well, Mr. Speaker, where do
people go from the great cities to fish for salmon and for trout? Rural
Newfoundland. Where do people go from the cities to relax? Rural Newfoundland.
Where do people go from the cities to get a good feed of lobsters? Rural
Newfoundland. Where do people go of the city to build a cabin?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
MR. PEACH: Thank you. Where do people of the city go to hunt moose,
rabbit and partridges, et cetera?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
MR. PEACH: Thank you. Where do people go to visit tourism, enjoy walking
trails, hiking, boating, skidooing, and buy (inaudible)? Rural Newfoundland.
Where do the companies go to find hard-working people? Rural Newfoundland, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is a reason why I ask these questions, because we all
depend on each other. You can change these questions and show that rural
Newfoundland and Labrador depends on the city as well. Rural Newfoundland and
Labrador is people of pride with a passion for where they live and love their
lifestyle. They are outport people with outport ways.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Grand
Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HUNTER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is a job to follow that act today. My colleagues here in the
House do such a wonderful job in speaking and telling us about their districts.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to also say welcome to our two newest members in
the House of Assembly, the Member for Terra Nova and the Member for Topsail. Two
great people added on to our caucus and going to contribute a lot to this
government, I can tell you that right now. From hearing the speeches that they
made last week and showing how dedicated they are to the people who elected them
to come in here, it is a given that they are going to do a wonderful job.
Mr. Speaker, having said that, I just want to reflect a little bit back on
years ago when I first came in the House of Assembly, this is my twelfth Budget
now that I will be speaking on since I have been here. Just to go back to the
day when I first was elected and came and took my seat in the House of Assembly,
it was probably the most important day in my career and probably will always be
the most important day because there is a lot of pride in coming in here
representing the people who elect you in your district.
Mr. Speaker, we always learn from our colleagues in the House. There are so
many different things that happen in rural Newfoundland and, of course, in urban
Newfoundland, and we must learn from what other people are talking about in
their districts. My colleague in Bay Verte-Springdale, for instance, the
Springdale area which used to be in my district, I had a lot of pride
representing that part of the district. Now to see from the representation that
Springdale has now, I am very comfortable in knowing that they are going to be
well represented here. From the speech he made last week, Mr. Speaker, he did a
great job and I am sure what he was saying, that we care, applies to every
member in this House of Assembly; every member is here because they care.
Mr. Speaker, my four-and-a-half years here, in the beginning, I came in
Opposition, and I tell you that was not an easy time when we came in Opposition
with such a large government. So, I can understand how the Opposition has to do
their job in keeping government to task to make sure we do our job. Even in
those days, Mr. Speaker, even yourself, and a couple of us went to Harbour
Breton in a big snowstorm one time to meet with the fisherpeople and the plant
workers down there, and I tell you that was a challenge. We were down there in
the biggest kind of snowstorm. We got stuck at least I got stuck there. Some
of you got back but it was a big challenge, not only because of the time and the
problems that we were having in the fishery at the time in Cape la Hune
district, but of course, it was a challenge for us to get around as Opposition
members. We attended many, many functions around the Province representing the
party and our caucus. Our goal at that time was to take over government. We
worked very hard attending many, many by-elections, working most of it out of
our own pocket.
Mr. Speaker, you can see the commitment that we have had in the past from the
members that we had in our caucus. Some of them were very good speakers. We had
speakers who could get up in a moments notice and speak for hours. The Member
for Waterford Valley at the time - that was the district - could speak for hours
and hours; our former member for Kilbride area. We all had good speakers at that
time and put a lot into speaking, especially on the Budget, when back then we
used to have the critic, and the minister had unlimited time. Some of the time
we were here sitting nighttime, long hours debating the Budget.
Mr. Speaker, this Budget is a very good Budget. We have a brochure here with
Budget Highlights that tells all the things that government is doing and have
done in the last year and shows all the plans for this government in the coming
year. If anybody had a chance to read down through it you would see so many good
things here, so much money being spent by this government. Every member here can
look down through these highlights on the Budget and pick out things that they
are doing in their districts; some of the very good things they are doing in the
districts pertaining to education and health care, and roads. It is a very good
document to refer to when you want to spell out exactly what you are spending in
your district.
Mr. Speaker, we also get an opportunity too, as part of the Budget process,
to sit in on committees. We have committees where the Opposition and committee
members can ask questions to the different departments and the ministers. It is
all highlighted in a book called Estimates. Opposition members can pick out
parts in every department and ask questions on where the money is being budgeted
for and how it is going to be spent. Not only that, Mr. Speaker, they can go
back and look at where they spent money last year, whether they overspent or
under spent in last year's Budget. It creates an opportunity for everybody to
find out exactly what is going on when it comes to government spending the money
of the people of this Province.
Mr. Speaker, when we get an opportunity to speak we can certainly speak on
anything we would like to speak on in our districts or whatever. The Budget
process gives us that opportunity to do that. We can always outline some of the
things in our district, most members can attest to that. A lot of things are
done in rural Newfoundland, as my former colleague just spoke on, all the things
that are good in his district. That goes for all the districts here, Mr.
Speaker.
One thing I have to remember to bring up right now that I am so delighted
about and so appreciative of are the councils in my district. The councils, most
all of them, are volunteers. They work for the people who elected them in their
different communities. These councils, Mr. Speaker, are doing a great job in
making sure that in their communities government helps and that they perform for
the people who put them there.
We are so lucky this year, and the last couple of Budgets, Mr. Speaker, with
the Capital Works Program. In the past, when we had the other Capital Works
Program where some of the projects had to go 70-30 and 50-50, then small
communities could not take advantage of any government money to do anything in
the communities. In the last couple of years in my district we have certainly
done lots of capital works projects. We have done many different projects with
water and sewer, road paving, and municipal infrastructure with town halls.
There were so many projects, Mr. Speaker, it would take you probably half an
hour just to list off all the projects.
We are very lucky that we can take advantage of the 90-10 agreement now, even
though there are still some towns in my district, and some in everybody's
district in rural Newfoundland, I would imagine, that cannot take advantage
because 10 per cent is still a high amount for some of these small communities
with very little tax base to take advantage of that. In my district, especially,
I am so lucky to have some of the towns that are very prosperous. Some of the
communities in Green Bay South are doing very well. We have some towns with
numerous businesses in the town.
I was talking to a businessman the other day in Triton and he told me he
could not take on any more work this year, and the construction season is only
just starting. He has over $10 million worth of work on his books now, and he is
working very hard. That is only one contractor in my district. In the Green Bay
side we have a lot of other businesses there that, of course, are successful
because they work all over the place. They go out and they do work in the
forestry industry and they do work in the mining industry.
The fishery is certainly a big part of the success in my area. Even though we
are going through a downturn, we have, right now in the Green Bay South area, a
lot of mussel producers, mussel farmers that produce 70 per cent to 75 per cent
of the farmed mussels in the Province. They put a lot into it, and with the help
of this government we have made money available to these producers to keep up in
the technology, to keep up in the harvesting techniques, so that they can be
more efficient and more profitable.
Even though we cannot control the markets and the market prices, we still
have a lot of people fishermen and plant workers - in my district. We have an
OCI plant in Triton, at times with 300 workers there that depend on the crab
fishery mostly, even though we do some mackerel and caplin; and, of course, the
company is always looking for opportunities to do more. Even at that, they are
having a struggle to keep these people in the fishery in rural Newfoundland.
Our young people want to move away. They want to get into other careers. We
are finding now that it is hard to find younger people to get involved in the
processing plants in the Province. We are no different. In Triton we are having
trouble keeping our young people there; but, having said that, we still are very
successful in keeping our young people involved in Newfoundland industries.
A lot of people in the Green Bay South area do work at the Duck Pond mine;
they work in other mines outside the Province. Some commute back and forth to
Alberta. A lot of money is being brought back to the Province in parts of my
district, and you can certainly see that when you see an increase in population
and an increase in housing in that part of my district. Even on Long Island last
year we had a couple of houses built. Even in Triton we had three subdivisions
going at the one time, now with a shortage of land to develop more housing lots.
The developers are starting to struggle now to find other areas that they can
develop.
The potential is there; the potential is there for all of Green Bay South to
prosper a lot from other industries. We have a lot of them that go overseas to
work. We have one young fellow - I was talking to his wife the other day - down
in Saudi Arabia working. Another guy is on a ship somewhere, down in the
Antarctic working on a ship. These people are very well-paid and they come back
to the Province. You should see the things they have around them because of
their prosperity, which they share with other people in the district.
Mr. Speaker, my district is spread out a lot, like a lot of other rural
districts. Even on the Grand Falls-Windsor side we are not doing too badly after
the tragic loss of our paper mill and the downturn for a little while in the
forest industry. Some of the contractors are starting to pick up and they are
starting to come back. Most of the businesses in the town are starting to come
back, and a lot of them are doing very well.
There is some confusion over what part of Grand Falls-Windsor is my district
and my colleague's district for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans. Sometimes even a
lot of people in the town do not realize the part of the district, and some of
my colleagues are not sure on what part of the district is mine. Since the last
change in the boundaries, I have certainly enjoyed the extra part of Grand
Falls-Windsor that I have taken into my district. I have all the north side of
the Trans-Canada Highway right up to the light and power building and office on
the Trans-Canada, everything north of that. If you went to Canadian Tire, you
would be in my district; if you went to the mall you would be in my district; if
you went to any of the heavy equipment suppliers out there you would be in my
district, on Hardy Avenue, Cromer Avenue and, of course, part of Grenfell
Heights.
I also took in a new part of my district now, which would be Wooddale.
Wooddale is certainly a very important part of my district to me. Where I used
to be agrifoods critic, I used to put a lot of time into the agrifoods and
forestry sector, attending many, many meetings all over the Island, and meeting
many farmers and the Federation of Agriculture. I put a lot of time into that
and now I do have, from the last change, a lot of farms in my district. I have a
dozen or so farms in Wooddale, a few over in Green Bay South area, and a couple
on the highway there in the Springdale area. That is a part of my district that
I am very interested in, the farming community - I pay a lot of attention to
them - and the forestry industry, which is dear to my heart too. Having grown up
in a forestry community, everybody was connected one way or another to forestry
in Central Newfoundland. I enjoyed working over the years, helping out sawmill
operators and some logging contractors.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, the downturn is certainly only for a short
period of time, I think. I think that we are going to come out of this and we
are going to be a lot stronger. We do have a great resource in forestry, and
that is going to make a difference to all Newfoundland and Labrador. Timing is
everything, and right now, with the downturn, we are having our time of
struggles, but that will change.
Mr. Speaker, in the Budget we have a lot of areas of spending that government
does, and it is no different in my district than others. We have a lot of money
spent on roads, over $10 million in the last six years that we have spent in
roads in my district. This year there is going to be more money spent on roads
in my district. We have more money allocated for water and sewer projects, and
more money for the other social areas like recreation. We have put a lot of
money into different areas that we have recreation grants. Senior citizens, of
course, we are always trying to do something to help our senior citizens. We are
putting grants out for senior citizens to be active and healthy, and we have
been very lucky with our Budgets to do that.
Mr. Speaker, we are lucky in Grand Falls-Windsor - not lucky - I say we are
very fortunate to have the government that we have, that can produce a Budget
such as we had in the last couple of years, and again this year with the Budget
that we have, to do the things that we need to do. With over $7.9 million going
to be spent in Central Newfoundland hospital, that is something we have been
looking for, for awhile. Now government is going to take that initiative to make
sure we have that infrastructure up to date and working a lot better than what
we had in the past.
We do recognize the education aspect in the area; government is going to be
spending $500,000 for some retrofit and renovation at Exploits Valley High. We
just went through a renovation process at the Windsor Stadium. We spent a couple
of million dollars there through our multi-year Capital Works program with the
town. We have done a lot of paving projects throughout my district through the
Capital Works program, through the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor. It just keeps on
going.
The town has done a great job in spending not only the taxpayers of Grand
Falls-Windsor's money, but the taxpayers of the Province when we throw in our
share of the Capital Works program. Our town has to be commended. The staff and
the council have to be commended for doing such a great job; and our council in
the past, because in the past we had a great council that put a lot into our
town. Even through the hard times that we have been having with Abitibi, the
town has stayed steadfast and worked with community leaders, they worked with
government, and of course things are not as bad as they could have been if
everybody had panicked and tried to do other things.
So we are working very hard trying to help alleviate the stress and the
downturn of Abitibi, but it is going to take a while to do that. We are still
talking; we are still meeting with proponents. The government is working very
hard through our Minister of ITRD who has done a great job in helping the people
of Central Newfoundland. The Minister of Natural Resources has been very good to
the people of Central Newfoundland. It is not only in my district, Mr. Speaker,
we have surrounding districts.
As I was saying earlier, years ago when I was the Member for
Windsor-Springdale I was pretty well the only PC member in the Central area. I
was bordered by Grand Falls-Buchans, a Liberal member, Exploits with the Premier
of the day and a Liberal member. Deer Lake was a boundary of mine, and Cape la
Hune was a boundary. I was responsible at that time to being a shadow member for
all those Liberal districts that were in Central. It kept me very busy because a
lot of people did not want to talk to their Liberal member - the PC people of
those districts. I was given the task, of course, to represent them at times and
to work on their behalf here in the House and through departments. I did not
mind doing that but as time went by and our government became popular and people
wanted a change, then we elected a PC member in Exploits. Our Member for
Exploits, a great addition to our caucus, took a big lot of the workload from
me. Of course, as we went on with Deer Lake with a PC member, then we had Grand
Falls-Buchans with a great member. It just made my life a lot easier, Mr.
Speaker, and it gave me a lot more time -
MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): Order, please!
I remind the hon. member that his time for speaking has expired.
MR. HUNTER: To clue up?
AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.
MR. HUNTER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Let me say that I am very pleased today to get a chance to have a few words
at least in this Budget process seeing as it is my twelfth Budget. Just to have
a few words to say about our government, our district, the things that we have
done in our district. There is so much difference between now and it was a few
years ago. We have the money, the finances to do that, and I really appreciate
our ministers who are there for me when I call for help in different things in
the district. Of course, we have a long ways to go and this government is on the
right track to make this Province a lot better place for our residents, and my
colleagues here in the House are doing a great job in representing their
districts. I look forward to another four or five years representing the people
in my district.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say thank you and I give
my colleagues a chance to have debate in the Budget.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am going to garner the attention of all the folks now for the next twenty
or so minutes.
Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a pleasure for me to get up today and follow the
Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South, my colleague, and my colleague
from Bellevue.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to kind of take my few minutes and take it in the
context of what I have seen happen in terms of this Budget but more, in
particular, as to what I have seen since I come into government in 2003. The
previous speaker, the MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South talked about
the time and some of the things that he has seen since he came into government.
I would kind of like to speak to some of the things that I see that have been
part of our Budget this year and Budgets past, that really jump out at people
and speak to things that really impact individuals on the ground.
Mr. Speaker, we know the nature of politics. We know that there are two of
our members who got up and spoke, I am the third one. Somebody in the Opposition
will get up after us, and they will start to attempt to twist things around and
make comments. I do not know if it is so much to discredit as it is to portray a
different side as they see it. One of the previous speakers mentioned negativity
around rural Newfoundland and Labrador and that he does not see signs of that.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say the same thing. Now I am sure that people in the
Opposition will get up and try to counter, like I said, the things that we say,
but I thought the essence of my speech would be to focus on a few things that
have happened since 2003.
Mr. Speaker, I remember coming in, in 2003, and really being very green to
politics. It was almost to a point where my phone was ringing practically every
day, quite often every day, and that people had an expectation as we came into
government, they wanted everything and they wanted everything quickly.
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign I remember things that really, really struck
me. One of the things was that we had the highest debt in the country. It was at
$12 billion, and for every individual in this Province it equated to somewhere
around $24,000 per individual. I thought that was just staggering. That in
itself was something to campaign on, that we had ourselves in debt $24,000 per
individual. Mr. Speaker, that was one of the things I campaigned on and said
that it was simply unacceptable, and we as a government campaigned on that.
Another thing, Mr. Speaker, was the issue of we wanted to see better returns
for our resources, and we campaigned on no more giveaways. So, Mr. Speaker, for
the first couple of years, there is no doubt about it, it was quite challenging.
Then we started to make some changes into the types of things that really,
really impacted individual's lives. I mean, there are a couple of things that
really have stood out for me since that time. I am willing to bet anybody who
was in government during the last term will always remember the Atlantic Accord.
There is no doubt about it; it is something that is etched in my memory and it
will always be there.
Second, Mr. Speaker, was to be able to say to the people in the Province and
to be able to share with the people of the Province that we had reached a point
where we could be at have status - a population of 500,000 people. I think often
we were a people who may have - our sense of place within Canada, we did not
always, I do not think, take pride in that. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, from
where I sit and from where many people sit, that has certainly changed.
If we were to look a bit deeper then, into the things that really, really
impact upon people, I can guarantee you one thing - and I am willing to bet that
every member who came into government with us in 2003 and before heard about the
roads. They talked about the roads being in deplorable, deplorable conditions.
If I am not mistaken, Mr. Speaker, I think in our first year our roads'
budget was something like $6 million. From that it went up to $24 million to $26
million. Following that, I believe it went up to $48 million to $49 million and
then on up until the present in the vicinity of $70 million. There are places in
this Province where the roads have been improved and improved extensively. It
has been improved for the purposes of our own people in the Province but,
equally as important, we know that the many people - the tourists who travel to
our Province.
We did not want them going away talking about the horrific road conditions
that existed in our Province and as such, the investment. I am very pleased to
say that the MHAs for Bellevue and Grand Bank and myself, being the three
representatives on the Burin Peninsula, worked very closely on that stretch of
road. I have to commend the Member for Bellevue because while the
section of the
road that is being worked on right now is not in our district, it certainly
impacts upon our district. That gentleman has worked long and hard to get that
project, along with myself and Minister King for the District of Grand Bank to
see that come to fruition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, taxes take a look at the taxes. When you can
get on your feet and say that we are now, we have the lowest taxes in Atlantic
Canada there is something to be said for that. It is something that people, you
hear it in a Budget Speech one year, and then after a while you just forget that
it is there because you take it for granted. Think about that, Mr. Speaker, we
have the lowest taxes in Atlantic Canada.
I go back to where the debt was. As I said, when I came into government in
2003, it was at $12 billion, $24,000 per capita, and now, Mr. Speaker, it is
below $9 billion. It has been reduced to below $9 billion. I believe the per
capita debt now is somewhere around $14,000 per individual not acceptable by
any means, but Mr. Speaker, if you see where we have come to in that short span
of time, I think it is quite significant.
Mr. Speaker, I go to education. Look at some of the investments in education.
Again, I say to the people who are watching and the people in the House that,
oftentimes, they happen in a particular Budget year, we kind of forget them, but
take a look at the tuition. We have the second lowest tuition in all of Canada.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: What a commitment to our youth.
MR. JACKMAN: And that tuition is frozen. That is certainly, as the Member
for Lake Melville has said: What a commitment to students.
Take a look at another one, there was always the issue in education about
fees. Students were charged fees. Those fees have been removed. We have
textbooks that are provided free of charge to students. I was to a CNA
graduation College of the North Atlantic graduation - on Friday past, and to
see the quality of programming that institution has, and the pride in those
people who were graduating, and the expectation of getting the jobs that are out
there, I think it speaks to the commitment that this government has made to the
educational institutions from the schools to our post-secondary institutions and
the advancements that they are making at those institutions.
Mr. Speaker, I can speak to the infrastructure; anybody who looks to the
construction industry or roadwork, the schools that are being built - $89
million going into school construction. Couple that with what we have invested
over the years, and I do not think anyone can question our commitment to
ensuring that we have safe environments in which our students live and work.
I have to speak to the Minister of Government Services who was down in my
district just a little while ago to open a Government Services centre down
there. It is a centre that provides to the Burin Peninsula so that many of the
services that they would normally have to do through the mail or travel to St.
John's or Clarenville before will be able to do them now in our particular area.
Right now, through the commitment of our government there are two ferries
being built at the shipyard in Marystown at the Kiewit facility, and we hope
that there will be two more to follow and much work going on in that particular
facility related to our provincial ferries and other ship construction if and
when the country the federal government announces further projects to that
regard.
The health care, Mr. Speaker I know that people have heard me speak on this
before, but when I came into government in 2003, there were two very burning
issues around health care down in my district; that being around dialysis and CT
scan, and a third one was around having a centralized health care facility in
the northern part of my district. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you and I stand
proudly here to say that those three commitments have come through and that
speaks volumes for the investment of this government in facilities and the
provision of care in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Check and see the number
of dialysis units that have been put across the Province, the investment in new
MRI equipment, and that just speaks volumes to where we have invested and the
investment in quality health care in the Province.
Mr. Speaker, I have to speak to my own department, the Department of
Fisheries and Aquaculture. I do not think it is widely known, but our government
invests three-and-a-half times our total Budget is three-and-a-half times
bigger, larger, than all of the other Atlantic Provinces' investments in their
fisheries departments combined. That tells you, Mr. Speaker, that speaks volumes
to our investment and our support for that fishing industry.
The aquaculture industry that my colleague for Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune can
attest to is growing in leaps and bounds in her particular district. I had one
of the reporters up in the area ask me, he said the question that we need to
speak to in aquaculture and the investments that are made is: Where would the
thousand or so people be if they were not engaged in the aquaculture industry?
We are investing in bio-security measures to ensure that we protect, to the
extent that we can, against disease in the aquaculture industry. That means we
have invested heavily in waste water treatment, in new wharves again this year
to make sure, to the extent that we can, that that industry is protected and
that it is safe and secure and that they are providing a quality product on an
ongoing basis.
We have many, many programs in our department. It is a department, Mr.
Speaker, that I am very proud to be minister of. A number of people have said to
me: You poor creature, what have you gotten into? Mr. Speaker, I have to say
that I think it is probably one of the best departments to work in, in
government. I came from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and I
have to say that was not too bad of a department, Mr. Speaker, it was a
wonderful, wonderful department. This department here, I am enjoying equally as
much as I did my former department.
This department, Mr. Speaker, is of critical importance to the people of the
Province, but in particular to the people of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. As
I have said to many people, you do not find too many fish plants down on Water
Street. The fish places that my colleagues for St. John's talked most about are
Ches's and Leo's, but we have to say that the products that come out of Ches's
and Leo's come from our communities in rural Newfoundland.
Mr. Speaker, is shaking his head no, not for him. Well, I have to have to
check on that because if he is not, he is missing out on a few things. I say to
him, Mr. Speaker, he does not know fish. I am only joking, Mr. Speaker, I am
certain that he does.
I have to say that in discussions around the fishery, sometimes people talk
about the divide of the Overpass. I can tell the people watching from rural
Newfoundland and Labrador, that the MHAs in the St. John's area are as
interested and concerned about fisheries issues as I am and all of our
colleagues. We are working as closely as we possibly can with the processors and
with the harvesters to see if we can work our way through - I do not even think
restructuring is the right word to use, Mr. Speaker. I think it is a means of
working together to establish what the fishery of the future is going to be
like.
I met recently with my Atlantic counterparts. The minister from Nova Scotia
said something that struck a cord with me, and I think he is exactly right. He
said that the fishery of today is not the fishery of my grandfather's day. All
we have to do is take a look at the operations that many of these harvesters
have and they are certainly quite different from the means and the capabilities
of harvesting that our grandfathers often engaged in. They have bigger boats.
They have more advancement in technology, and that is often because of some of
the things that we invest in.
Our Fishing Industry Technology Program stands now at $2 million. That is a
fund whereby harvesters or processors make application to government and
decisions are made to award them money based on the ways that they may see
advances and improvements made in their particular sector. For example, it may
be in one particular plant how they can reduce their cost of heating. In another
harvesting sector it may point to how they improve vessel operations to reduce
their fuel costs. So, those are the types of programs that we have in place in
our department. We also look to programs through the MOU process, and I am
certainly hoping that I can get both sides to look very carefully at the
marketing aspect. This is somewhere where we have to go. We are one player on a
global scene.
Mr. Speaker, I recently went to the Boston Seafood Show, and if there is one
thing I learned from stepping out and looking at the venue where they displayed
seafood producers and what not around the room, I soon learned that while we in
the Province may think that we are a major, major large player in the world
seafood market, Mr. Speaker, in fact we are just one of many. Around that
marketing strategy, that seafood marketing council, I think it is something that
we definitely have to wrap our head around and we have to work with both the
harvesting and processing side to ensure that that works. We are making progress
in that, Mr. Speaker.
Now that we have the crab fishery underway, and hopefully the shrimp fishing
industry will get underway in very, very short order, I intend to call both
sides together then because we have two major tasks before us. One is that we
need to start talking now to see what it is we have to do to open the 2011
fishery. I know we are just opening the 2010 fishery, but the annual ritual that
we seem to get into and debate about getting the fishery started, I think the
conversations need to start happening right now so that we can get talks under
way about opening the 2011 fishery.
Of course, through the MOU process, I hope we can see some advances whereby
we take a look at how this fishery in the Province is going to look in the
future. There is no doubt about it; there are two ways that this can happen. We
can allow evolution to