Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements; Statements by Ministers — 17 April 2008 (46th General Assembly, 1st Session, Vol. XLVI No. 13)
2008-04-17
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
April
17, 2008
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVI No. 13
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order please!
Admit strangers.
Today we welcome twenty-two students from Grades 4 to 9 from cole des
Grands Vents in the District of St. John's North. Accompanying the students
today are their teachers: Mme. Agathe Robichaud, Mme. Emmanuelle Tessier, and M.
Gaston Ltourneau.
Welcome to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Also present with us today is the former Speaker of the
House of Assembly and a long-time member of this House, Mr. Harvey Hodder.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Today we welcome members' statements from the following:
the hon. the Member for the District of Exploits; the hon. the Member for the
District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the hon. the Member for the District of Bay
of Islands; the hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au
Clair, the hon. the Member for the District of St. John's East, and the hon.
the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North.
The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Diana Tatic of
Bishop's Falls for being selected as one of the top five finalists in the CBC
Sports Skate Home with a Champion.
This is a national contest with submissions from across the country, with the
winners being selected by a panel of judges at CBC Sports.
Mr. Speaker, Diana is President of the Fallsview Figure Skating Club in
Bishop's Falls, and this year was faced with the challenge of keeping her club
together and working tirelessly to arrange skating time with a neighbouring town
while their local arena was closed for several months to undergo equipment
repairs.
She unselfishly gave of her time for the love of the sport and keeping the
program going for these young skaters.
Her story was feature in a 90 second vignette on CBC during the live telecast
of the Canada Figure Skating Championships in January of this year.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in congratulating Diana for her
dedication to figure skating and being selected as a champion of the sport.
Thank you.
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.
Today I rise to bring attention to the St. John's Housing and Homelessness
Network, which is holding a conference this week in downtown St. John's. This
event follows the National Homelessness Network Conference hosted in St. John's
in 2006.
The St. John's Housing and Homelessness Network is a group of
community-based service providers, government agencies and people at risk of
homelessness, who together are providing more housing and services to the
homeless in our community.
Network member organizations, such as Stella Burry Community Services and
Choices for Youth have in recent years developed shelters, services and
affordable housing to youth and adults who want to turn their lives around.
More shelters and affordable housing are in the works, thanks to the efforts
of these organizations, and their efforts with government, that help people
regain their lives, employment, education and training opportunities.
The St. John's Housing and Homelessness Network has made a great
contribution to our community. I hope that they will receive increased support
from the public and private sectors in many years to come.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. LODER: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to acknowledge
the Summerside Rockets 4-H Club. This club is the oldest in the Province, having
started approximately forty-five years ago.
I would like to congratulate all members and leaders for their
accomplishments and dedication to this worthwhile program.
Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two young ladies in the
Summerside 4-H Club: Jessica Hunt and LeAnne Young. These 4-Hers proudly
represented our Province at the National Citizenship 4-H Seminar held in Ottawa,
March 28 to April 3.
Having won the trip myself years ago, they, like me, found this trip very
educational.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members of this House to join me in
congratulating these two young ladies.
Mr. Speaker, as we say in the 4-H program: Thank you for your time and
attention.
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 recognize the Canadian Bible Society and
congratulate them on celebrating 196 years of faithful service to the mission of
the Canadian Bible Society in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, I had the honour of bringing greetings at their 196 th
Annual General Meeting here in St. John's last week and was joined by my hon.
colleague, the Member for Kilbride. I was very pleased to personally
congratulate them on their newest project, and that is providing a new revision
of the Bible in the Inuktitut language.
The project was the inspiring work of Reverend Dr. Bridget Schloss who spent
nearly thirty years as a missionary in Northern Labrador. Her work was made
possible through the translation skills of individuals on the North Coast and in
the Northwest River area who volunteered their time for this project.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Bible Society was founded to promote and encourage,
without doctrinal note or comment, the translation, publication, distribution
and use of the scripture throughout Canada and throughout the world.
Mr. Speaker, the Bible is available and I was amazed to learn this in
2,400 different languages around the world, of which twenty-three are now
Canadian Aboriginal languages.
Mr. Speaker, this organization gives scriptures for free to Canadian Forces
recruits, the visually--impaired, seminary students, prison inmates and other
communities. Mr. Speaker, they are spreading the word of God and affording
people the opportunity to find comfort in His teachings at the lowest points in
their lives and to celebrate His glory on happier occasions.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate the Canadian Bible Society, and in
particular the Newfoundland and Labrador District. I ask all members to join me
in recognizing the truly valuable work that they do. I am sure, Mr. Speaker, the
lives and hearts of the Inuit-speaking people in our Province will most surely
be transformed by this great work and their great efforts in producing the
Inuktitut Bible.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BUCKINGHAM: Mr. Speaker, prior to this new stage of my life's
journey, it was my pleasure and privilege to have been a teacher for twenty-two
years. In that time I have seen many changes in technology, in curriculum and,
God knows, school boards, but the inescapable truth of teaching is that when you
take away all of the technology, the books, and any money you might want to
direct at education, it comes down to a dedicated teacher standing in front of a
classroom full of students.
Mr. Speaker, I should also add that the ability to teach effectively is often
derived from the quality of the administration in that particular school, and
St. John's East is fortunate to have one of Canada's best.
Mr. Gerald Mercer, of Vanier Elementary School, has been selected as one of
Canada's Outstanding Principals by a national organization known as The
Learning Partnership. This award and I quote, "honours the extraordinary
contributions of dynamic education leaders in publicly funded schools -
principals who have made a measurable difference in the lives of their students
and their own local communities and who help ensure that Canada's young people
continue to receive a quality education."
Mr. Mercer recently returned from Toronto where he received his award and
also participated in a five day Executive Leadership Conference at the Rotman
School, which was also included as part of the recognition.
In acknowledging the many messages of congratulations he received, Mr.
Mercer, in a note posted on the school Web site, stated, "A principal can
only be successful when the people with whom he or she works are true partners
in education. I have been very fortunate to have very supportive families and
colleagues to work with at this school and at previous schools."
Mr. Speaker, with a philosophy such as this, it is no surprise that Gerald
Mercer has received this award.
I ask all members of this House to congratulate Mr. Mercer on being selected
as one of Canada's Outstanding Principals.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate the Seniors Independence
Group in Mount Pearl on recently celebrating its tenth anniversary.
The Seniors Independence Group operates in the District of Mount Pearl North
at Park Place Community Centre and provides seniors with services and
information that they may not find elsewhere. They offer support and a drop-in
centre where seniors in and around Mount Pearl can meet and take
part in
activities and games such as cards and bingo.
Mr. Speaker, with the ever growing seniors' population in Newfoundland and
Labrador, I think it is important to recognize seniors' groups like the
Seniors Independence Group, and commend them on assisting seniors in staying
active and participating in community activities. Retirement can be quite an
adjustment and the Seniors Independence Group assists seniors in making this
transition a positive one.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members in this House to join me in congratulating the
Seniors Independence Group on this wonderful occasion of its tenth anniversary.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the House of the
results of increased efforts by this government to protect threatened woodland
caribou herds in Southern Labrador from illegal hunting.
Our government committed $69,300 in new funding in the Northern Strategic
Plan for regular routine air patrols of threatened caribou herds. We felt that
increased patrols would help our conservation officers to intercept illegal
hunters and prevent animals from being killed.
Mr. Speaker, our increased presence this season began in late January, and I
am pleased to report that our conservation officers have found no sign of
illegal activity or hunting in the area to date.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE: This is very encouraging, given that in each of the past
two years nearly forty animals were illegally killed from these protected herds.
The taking of any animals in herds this size is unacceptable and threatens
the safeguarding and preservation of these herds. In the case of the Joir River
Group, only 100 animals remain while woodland caribou are nearly extinct from
the Birch Lakes of the Mealy Mountains.
Mr. Speaker, the additional funding made available through the Northern
Strategic Plan allowed our conservation officers to better plan enforcement
efforts and patrols of these areas.
The woodland caribou herds of Southern Labrador are protected by endangered
species legislation and no hunting is permitted on these herds. It was
anticipated that the regular patrols of areas known for illegal hunting would
discourage potential violators from engaging in this activity and we believe we
have been successful.
Mr. Speaker, this government takes very seriously its responsibility to
protect our natural resources and we will take the appropriate action against
anyone engaging in illegal hunting activity.
An important part of our enforcement effort is to ensure that hunters are
aware that our conservations officers are regularly patrolling these areas and
violators will be prosecuted. As a result of our increased presence this winter,
hunters did not take the chance of illegally hunting in these areas.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our conservation officers for their dedicated
efforts in protecting these herds.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Mr. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advanced copy of her statement today.
I think it is always important to have proper conservation measures in place
and if the investment in adding that kind of enforcement in the Labrador region
is curbing the amount of poaching that has occurred in previous years, well, we
are certainly supportive of it.
Mr. Speaker, I know from living in the region that in the last number of
years - this year, I guess, excluded - we have had a tremendous amount of
trouble with people coming in from Quebec, and especially Innu hunters out of
Quebec, and hunting in areas that we had considered being off limited or
protected areas. That has been a problem and I am pleased to see that problem
has been alleviated, at least for the time being.
Mr. Speaker, we do, however, have concerns about the Mealy Mountain Park herd
in particular, and the numbers of caribou that are in that herd. That is why we
are concerned about the fact that government is looking at reducing park
boundaries within the Mealy Mountain Park area and what impact or significance
that will have upon the caribou herds in that region, and if it will affect the
kind of protections and conservation measures that are currently in place.
The other issue, Mr. Speaker, which we have concern about, is the protection
being afforded to Metis hunters in Labrador. The fact is that many Metis
hunters, Mr. Speaker, had hunted consecutively for two years under their
cultural inherent right, using good enforcement practices, but last year
government felt the need to prosecute these hunters and are now dragging them
into the courts for doing something that legitimately was sanctioned originally
by (inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advanced copy of her statement.
I am very glad about the steps that the government has taken to provide
protection to the woodland caribou. I am aware that there have been surveys done
- a recent one done - of people in Labrador. This one was done by the Protected
Areas Association and they have represented to the Premier and to the minister
their concern with regard to the proposed Mealy Mountain National Park. They are
particularly concerned about the southern part of the calving grounds of the
Mealy Mountain woodland caribou herd and wanting that
section within the park.
I really encourage the Premier and the minister, in the discussions that are
coming up with regard to the national park, to approve that park according to
the requests and the recommendations of the people from Labrador, and to not in
any way reduce what the park would look like. Certainly, if you are serious
about the preservation of the woodland caribou herd, then including their
calving grounds in the Mealy Mountain Protected Area under a national park would
be a wonderful way to go.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am pleased today to recognize April as National Oral Health Month. Oral
health is an important part of our overall health. In recognition of this fact,
our government has made significant progress over the past four years to improve
access to dental services for residents of our Province through a variety of
measures.
In August of 2006, we signed a new agreement with the Newfoundland and
Labrador Dental Association to give dentists in Newfoundland and Labrador fair
compensation for eligible services.
As well, this past December we introduced a new Dental Bursary Program to
support an increase in the number of dentists practicing throughout Newfoundland
and Labrador, particularly in our rural areas. We invested $150,000 to implement
the program this year, and will invest $275,000 annually for the program. In
exchange for each bursary received, recipients commit to one year of service in
rural or in-need areas of our Province.
We also now have the benefit of services being provided by a part-time oral
surgeon as well as a new full-time oral surgeon. The arrival of the new
full-time surgeon is the result of recruitment efforts of this government, in
association with the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association and Eastern
Health.
Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to say that we have developed what is arguably
the best Children's Dental Health Program in Canada. A new agreement with the
Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association sets out an increased contribution
by the provincial government for dental services received by all children under
twelve, and children aged thirteen to seventeen in families of low incomes. This
agreement removed a financial burden for parents, benefiting approximately
74,000 children in our Province.
We are also taking innovative approaches to ensuring children get timely
access to dental services. In January of this year, a pilot clinic was initiated
to aggressively address the wait list for pediatric dental surgery in Labrador.
A pediatric dentist, Dr. Geoff Smith, led a surgical team into Happy-Valley
Goose Bay to perform thirty-eight oral surgeries over a four-day period. This
project resulted in the treatment of about 95 per cent of children in Labrador
that were on a wait list. I extend my thanks to Dr. Smith and his team, as well
as the Labrador Grenfell Health, for their contributions to this very successful
project. This new model of delivery has great potential for use in addressing
other areas of our Province with respect to dental services.
Mr. Speaker, these are just a few examples of the progressive actions that we
are taking to contribute to the health and well-being of the residents of our
Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, I thank the minister for an advanced copy of his statement.
Mr. Speaker, first when I looked at it and it said they had given dentists in
Newfoundland and Labrador fair compensation for eligible services, my first
indication was: Is government going outside of their pattern bargaining when it
comes to negotiating benefits for public servants and people who retain the
services in our Province?
Mr. Speaker, let me say this with regard to the dental services in the
Province. Argumentatively, I will not challenge the minister in terms of whether
we have the best system or not for children in our Province but what I will say
to the minister is that there are children in this Province who have not been
able to access the services of a dentist. In fact, his department is aware that
in communities in my district, especially in Black Tickle, they have gone up to
four years with no dentist coming into the community. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it
has been a long process of trying to negotiate constantly with the health board
to have some of these children sent out to actually see a dentist on a regular
basis. Even that has not been very successful.
Mr. Speaker, we also have tremendous challenges with orthodontic services in
that region of Labrador, and I have raised that with his department as well. In
times of the year when the ferry comes off the Strait of Belle Isle service we
have four months in which people who use the orthodontic services out of Corner
Brook are unable to access that service at an affordable rate, and his
department is aware of that. So maybe in his next statement he might want to
address those issues.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi
Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advanced copy of his statement.
I do agree that we are certainly moving in a very good direction with regard
to the children's dental health program but it is not universal and we have
many children who are still in need, not being able to see dentists regularly.
Certainly, the bursary program is going to work towards helping that but it has
to be increased. As long as we have any children who are on a wait-list and
whose teeth are deteriorating, we have a problem.
I note in the statement, 95 per cent of the children in Labrador who were on
a wait-list for oral surgeries were seen during the blitz that took place, the
four-day blitz. My question is, I wonder how much longer the other 5 per cent
will have to wait? I hope this is not something that will happen every now and
again but will happen on a regular basis so that these children will be taken
care of.
The other thing I would like to mention is the policy under Human Resources,
Labour and Employment of only doing extractions for people who are on income
assistance. We have to do much more to make sure that people on income
assistance are able to have good healthy teeth and have good dental health and
to be able to maintain that, not just have extractions when their teeth are
ready to fall out of their heads.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, in recent years progress has been made in
improving our physical education programming in schools throughout the Province.
Today, I would like to update my hon. colleagues on the provincial government's
three year, $3.2 million investment which is resulting in a renewed focus and
interest in physical education for students of all ages.
This year, the initiative is focused on the primary and elementary grades,
with $800,000 allocated for the purchase of items such as dance machines,
outdoor equipment, balls and bean bags, and other equipment designed for smaller
children.
Students and teachers in the intermediate and high school levels will already
be familiar with the new state-of-the-art equipment resulting from this
initiative. Every public high school has received at least $4,000 worth of
equipment such as aerobic machines, spinner bikes and commercial rowers. There
is also outdoor equipment such as snowshoes, cross country skis and GPS units.
Mr. Speaker, this funding supports a shift in programming that now focuses on
activities that appeal to more students. It includes a range of activities such
as rowing, in addition to the more common sporting activities like basketball or
volleyball. This in turn contributes to young people leading more active,
healthy lives.
The provincial government, Mr. Speaker, is committed to a comprehensive
health and physical education program in our schools. In addition to a new
physical education program, we have introduced healthy food guidelines, and this
year $800,000 has been allocated for the improvement of school cafeterias.
Mr. Speaker, funding to improve the health of our young people will provide
long-term benefits for our students' overall health and physical fitness. We
will continue to support steps that encourage our youth to become more
physically active and to lead active, healthy, productive lives.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for an advanced copy of her statement, and to
say, I guess any funding, regardless of how much it is, going into physical
education for the children of this Province is welcome news. There is no better
place to begin, Mr. Speaker, than in the primary and elementary grades so that a
different pattern of lifestyle can be made available to them, not only in the
physical education but the healthy food and living. It is good to see that our
young people are getting so active in so many different sports throughout this
Province.
I am very pleased to see that the minister mentioned $800,000 to be allocated
for the improvement of school cafeterias. I hope that some of this funding - or
maybe there is other funding coming in the Budget for some of the schools. I
know there are some in my district that are unfortunate enough not to have a
cafeteria. The children exercise in the auditorium and they have to go there to
eat their meals after, or to go back to their classroom. I have to say, it is a
good statement, Mr. Speaker, and anything that advances the physical education
for our children in this Province is greatly encouraged.
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.
I thank the minister for her advance copy.
I am glad to see what the government is doing to ensure good health and
physical fitness for our young people. This was outlined in the Budget, a
commitment of their Budget, and it is part of a three-year plan. What the
minister has outlined are steps that are very much needed to ensure that our
children are healthy in their youth and will grow up, then, to be adults who are
healthy.
One of the things I would be looking for in the Budget that we are awaiting
with bated breath, I would add for the Minister of Finance, is looking not just
at what the minister has in his statement. We need the equipment, we need the
cafeterias improved, but we also need children who are able to have good
lunches.
I would really encourage the government to make sure that in this upcoming
Budget we will have a School Lunch Program for all children in this Province.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers.
The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, this is not a Ministerial Statement,
obviously it is not on the Order Paper - but I rise on a point of order, if
I may, and I want to do so before Question Period.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, over the course of the last two weeks, in
response to questions by hon. members opposite, I have indicated that the
laboratory at the Health Sciences was closed for a five-week period. That was
actually deducted from a memo, an Eastern Health memo, in June 2005 which
indicated that Dr. Williams had asked that an investigation be conducted into a
five-week stoppage at the lab.
In fact, there was a stoppage of the ER testing in the lab, but the entire
lab was not shut down for five weeks.
I just simply wanted to clarify that for the record, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order, just a point of information.
Oral Questions.
MS DUNDERDALE: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Another point of order, I say to the hon. member?
MS DUNDERDALE: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS DUNDERDALE : Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise on a very serious matter today, Mr. Speaker, and one that is very
personal to me.
Two years ago, on May 26, my husband lost his battle with prostate cancer.
That had a devastating effect on me and my children. The five-year journey was
one that was very painful and had a profound effect on our lives.
We were very greatful for the care that we received from the cancer-care
clinic, and we were very greatful also for the care and concern and support that
we received as a result of community campaigns to provide care to patients and
to their families.
Yesterday, on a local radio station, there was a radio-thon for the Garden of
Hope associated with the cancer clinic here in St. John's, and this, indeed,
is a very worthy cause.
I rise to speak today, Mr. Speaker, not about the cause but a flagrant
breach, in my view, of the rules that have been laid down for us as Members of
the House of Assembly by Chief Justice Green.
Yesterday, on an Open Line show, a member of the staff of the Liberal
Opposition Office, Elvis Loveless, who is a member with the Research and Policy
Division of the Liberal Opposition Office, and a candidate in our last election
- somebody certainly who would be very familiar with the rules as they have been
laid down by Chief Justice Green, particularly with regard to donations by
Members of the House of Assembly on Open Line yesterday morning with Randy
Simms, Mr. Loveless announced donations by the Liberal caucus, naming all three
members of the caucus: Yvonne Jones, Roland Butler and Kelvin Parsons. Those are
the people he named, and their donation to this radio-thon as members of the
Liberal caucus. He further went on in the show to assure the host that he will
be doing lobby work in the political realm to make sure that members of other
caucuses would donate to this worthy cause.
Sure enough, at 10:29 yesterday morning, all members of our Cabinet received
a letter from Mr. Loveless, using the infrastructure that we have available to
us as politicians, on his official letterhead, asking us to donate to the
radio-thon.
Mr. Speaker, this is not about the cause. This is about a flagrant abuse of
rules as laid down by Chief Justice Green. Chief Justice Green has been very
clear to us, as MHAs and politicians, about how we can make donations. We cannot
make them as MHAs. We can make them as private individuals; but, in doing that
we have to be very, very discreet. In no way are we to allow our public
donations to curry favour with the public in any way.
While these announcements were not made or these e-mails were not sent
directly by a Member of the House of Assembly, they were sent by a staff person
using the infrastructure that is made available to them for their work as MHAs.
Having staff make announcements about our political donations, Mr. Speaker,
is allowing somebody, an MHA, to do through the back door what we cannot do
through the front door, and is a clear, clear breach of the rules.
I ask for your consideration of my point of order, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition, to that point of
order.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do want to speak to the point of order that has been raised by the hon.
member.
First of all, Mr. Speaker, I say to the hon. member that we certainly all
sympathize and share in a level of understanding of the hurt that she feels in
her loss. There is absolutely no doubt that I think probably almost every one of
us in this House has lost somebody close to us because of this disease.
No doubt our work in raising money, as I am sure we all do in our respective
communities and in our lives, for charities like this, is done purely out of the
inspiration that we have gained from those people we have loved as they have
suffered through this illness.
I would like to say that to the minister, Mr. Speaker, and now I would like
to speak to the point that she raises, because the point that she raises, in my
opinion, is not in violation of the legislation that was passed in this House of
Assembly. Let me explain, because it was done very innocently - very innocently,
I say to the minister.
The individual in question is a cancer survivor and, yes, he does work in our
office. He is also a volunteer with the Cancer Society on a number of
committees, and participates in many charitable events of that organization. As
he was leaving the office yesterday morning to go and give his service to this
particular fundraiser, he went around the office and basically said to us: Would
you like to throw in a few dollars as a donation? And we each reached into our
pockets and did so. It did not come out of our constituency allowances, it did
not come out of any government funds within the Legislature, Mr. Speaker, it
came directly out of our personal funds. Just like many members in the House of
Assembly, who I am sure give very freely of their own personal funds to many
worthwhile causes.
Mr. Speaker, when the individual - because I had spoken to them after. The
Speaker raised this with me. I did speak to the individual after and I did get a
transcript of what had transpired, because apparently it was publicly broadcast
by VOCM, with host Randy Simms. I guess a way of promoting the cause and
endorsing more donations. There was some comment made to the fact that we had
donated, and we were referred to as a Liberal caucus - and I certainly grant
that to the member.
Mr. Speaker, what I would say, is that we did give this money freely of our
own pocket, just like we give to many other charitable organizations. Mr.
Speaker, how do we control - I have asked many charities that I have donated to,
please do not use my name, or please do not say that I have given you this
money. It was an absolute oversight on this individual's part. It was not
intended to be in breach of any legislation, and I feel that it is not in
breach.
I want to refer members to
section 35 and
section 36 of the act that governs
this House, which we have passed. Provisions under that act allows for due
process to be done. First of all, Mr. Speaker, it allows for the establishment
of a code of ethics. We all know that a committee has only recently been struck
- I think it was last week - in this House of Assembly to look at the standards,
to establish a code of conduct and a code of ethics. Mr. Speaker, the process in
which this would be dealt with is that the member who has concerns would take it
in due process to the Code of Ethics and they would make a decision as to
whether this is valid and if this is a breach, or if it is not.
Mr. Speaker, I feel that under the act we have, the sections that govern
this, that this was not a violation, it was a miscommunication of information,
it was a misunderstanding. I have spoken to the cancer survivor in question
here, and, Mr. Speaker, they have certainly apologized for that. We feel there
is certainly no breach and was nothing done on our part, in any way, to breach
any aspect of this legislation or this code.
MR. SPEAKER: Order please!
The Chair will take the point of order as raised by the hon. Natural
Resources Minister under consideration and report back to the House at a later
time.
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, George Tilley, the former CEO of Eastern Health, stated
yesterday that he had not seen a 2003 memo, or that he didn't see that 2003
memo from Dr. Ejeckam until the Premier tabled it last May in the House of
Assembly.
I ask the Premier: How did this memo come to government and when was it
received?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am not sure of the exact date, but it was faxed to the Department of Health
and Community Services, and more directly to the deputy minister of the day, by
the Vice-President of Medical Services, Dr. Oscar Howell with Eastern Health,
some time mid-May, around that time - I am not sure of the exact date - but it
came by way of a fax and it grew out of a conversation that Dr. Howell had had
with the deputy minister of the day.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Maybe the minister can clarify for me what year he is referring to?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It was 2007.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the minister, if there is any indication that this memo ever existed
within the Department of Health and Community Services or within government any
time prior to that time?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I have not undertaken a search of that. I understand from
the conversation, I recall last year with the deputy, it was the first time the
deputy minister of that day was aware of the issue. I have not undertaken any
kind of a search to determine whether or not during the time of, because it was
a date - we received it last year in 2007, but the date that was referenced was
in 2003, a time before we formed government. I am not sure whether the members
opposite may recall themselves whether or not it was within government on their
watch before we got elected in October of that year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, indications have been made in comments by the
Premier that this particular information would have been in the hands of
previous governments and therefore would have been in the Department of Health
and Community Services in 2003. At that time, Robert Thompson, who is now the
chief liaison officer for the government in this inquiry, was the Deputy
Minister of Health.
Have you asked Mr. Thompson if he was aware of this issue at any time during
2003?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I have not asked Mr. Thompson that question
directly. Any comment I may have made about the fact that this memo was in the
department during their term of government, or that they might have had
knowledge of that, comes from my assumption that if they can understand and
believe, as a current day minister, that I would have full knowledge of every
single aspect of day-to-day operations in our four health authorities, I am
assuming that comes from their own personal experiences of having full knowledge
of the day-to-day operations when they were in government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do not want the assumptions of the minister, I want the facts.
I ask him: Will he discuss with Mr. Robert Thompson, who was the Deputy
Minister of Health in 2003, if he had any knowledge in 2003, under this
government or under a previous government, with regard to this laboratory and
what was happening?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thought I answered the question accurately because I thought she had asked
me: Had you done it? I said: No, I had not.
Now, in response to the question: Will you do it? Yes, I do not have any
difficulty at all. I will undertake to ask Mr. Thompson if he had knowledge of
that letter while he was a deputy minister.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, consistently over the last number of weeks the
Premier has been indicating in the public that this laboratory was closed for
five weeks in 2003. We know, Premier, from discussions with Eastern Health today
that this lab was not closed for five weeks. In fact, there was only eight, I
think, testing for antibodies that were not taking place out of about 100 and
two of those were related to ER-PR.
I ask the Premier, where he got the information, why he did not clarify it
until today when we inquired at Eastern Health, but yet, consistently left that
message in the public?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I indicated today, and I got up on a point
of order to clarify the record before any question was asked. It came
specifically from a reference in a memo from Eastern Health in June or July of
2005, which said that the vice president of quality and diagnostic has asked
that an investigation be conducted into a five-week stoppage. That is exactly
where it came from. If, in fact, the stoppage was less, well that will come out
during the inquiry. But, more importantly, ER-PR testing was stopped for a
period of time in 2003 when that government was in office.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the Premier has clarity on the information as of
today - we know that - and maybe in the future he could keep his comments
factual on that issue.
Mr. Speaker, my question for the minister: Last year the Newfoundland and
Labrador Medical Association compiled a database of equipment for the Province.
At that time there were over fifty pieces of diagnostic imagining equipment that
needed to be replaced immediately, such as X-rays, ultrasounds and bone density
equipment. They made a presentation to government in 2007, in the summer.
I ask the minister: What has the government done to address this issue, and
can he outline what equipment will be replaced this year, in what facilities
throughout the Province?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: If I were to accurately answer that question I would have to
ask leave for the rest of the afternoon to read through the list, the mountains
of documentation that we have about the equipment that we bought.
Since we formed government, Mr. Speaker, since we formed government, we have
spent $123 million on new equipment - $123 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: In fact, in the last twelve months we have spent over $40
million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: In fact, in the last two months we have spent $14 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: My colleague, the Minister of Finance, will stand in this
House in a short time from now and he will deliver a Budget; and, without giving
away too much, Mr. Speaker, I think I can very boastfully say that he will again
announce a significant investment in new equipment in this coming year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Because I believe the minister would take all day, if he was given the leave,
I would ask that he would
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: I ask that he would just table the information in the House of
Assembly, the breakdown of the monies that he states government has spent, and
what equipment was purchased with that money, please.
Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association also pointed
out that there are twenty-five piece of equipment that require a replacement
strategy to be implemented.
I ask the minister: Is government now addressing this, and will an
implementation strategy for this equipment be put in place?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: The investment decisions that we made last year, and more
particularly the last couple of months when we have spent a little over $14
million, that was informed by information we got from the Medical Association,
information we got from our four authorities. As we built this year's budget
we also looked to that information and that advice to help guide us as to what
might be the priorities for this coming year.
The four authorities have also been very much aware of that list presented by
the Medical Association, together with other things within their area of
responsibility. From that prioritized list we will announce, in a very short
period of time, some significant investments next year for capital equipment
that will help again to improve the delivery of health services in this
Province.
I think, Mr. Speaker, when the people of Newfoundland and Labrador look at
the commitments that we will make to health in this coming Budget, and reflect
on the over $500 million that we have increased the health budgets in the last
four years, and the kind of investment we have made in equipment, I think the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador will acknowledge the significant
improvements in health care in this Province since we formed government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I still have no idea if they are putting a strategy in place to deal with the
other aging equipment.
Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association also
recommended the expansion to support the Province's telemedicine system. I ask
the minister if he can tell me what that expansion would entail, and if it is
geared towards improving services in specific areas of the Province.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who
read the Telegram about three or four weeks ago would have seen, on the
front page, an oncologist here in St. John's doing a consult with a cancer
patient and their family member in the Burin Peninsula. That is the result of
our investment. That is the result of our investment in telemedicine.
Very soon I will be joining my colleagues in Labrador to open a new dialysis
unit there. That, too, is connected via telemedicine. I will be joining my
colleague from St. Anthony in a very short period of time to open a dialysis
unit there. They, too, will be connected via telemedicine.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear
MR. WISEMAN: As I say, Mr. Speaker, we have included in that long list of
investments I just referred to earlier, telemedicine, enhancement of
telemedicine strategy, as being a big part of that. We will continue to grow
that and continue to expand it; because, with the kind of money we have invested
in the fibre-optic network around this Province, it allows us to (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am quite familiar with telemedicine, I say to the minister; it has been
ongoing in the Province for the last decade or longer, not just in the last few
weeks.
Anyway, Mr. Speaker, I will switch my gears now. I want to ask some questions
to the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the Province is flush with cash as a result of increases in
revenues from offshore oil. It is somewhat ironic, I guess, that as government
coffers are full, consumers in the Province are continuing to pay some of the
highest fuel prices that we have ever seen in our history. Mr. Speaker, on top
of that, they are still paying very high levels of taxes I think some of the
highest in the country right now, in the Province.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the member to pose her question.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My question is for the Minister of Finance. Is government considering using
some of these windfall oil royalties to give consumers a break on gas and
heating taxes in the coming Budget?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Oil prices certainly are high, and it is something, of course, that our
government has no control over, but the Williams government certainly is aware
and recognizes the adverse affect that high energy prices have on the people of
this Province, especially our seniors and those on fixed incomes. That is
something, I can assure you, that the Williams government takes very seriously.
That is why, in our Budget last year, we took a number of initiatives that
were meant to put money in people's pockets to help them cope with the high
cost of living. We removed 4,000 people from the provincial tax rolls. We gave
7,800 seniors a $763 benefit. We gave the biggest tax cut in the history of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: We expanded the Home Heating Rebate for 95,000 people.
We indexed the tax system.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the member to conclude his answer.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to.
After having that Budget, which was called the most generous Budget in the
history Newfoundland and Labrador, I can assure you that our government looks
forward to presenting our new Budget, in which we will consider new initiatives
(inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Finance says they do not control the prices at the pumps;
but, Mr. Speaker, they do control the amount of taxes that the Province adds on
to oil and gas in this Province, to the consumer, and they do set those rates,
so that is where your control is, Minister.
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro have made application to
increase electricity costs to consumers by 6 per cent, starting July 1.
I ask the minister: Will government undertake any initiatives to protect
consumers, especially those on fixed incomes, from such a huge increase in the
cost of electricity that could foreseeably happen in the next year?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.
MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As everyone in this House should be aware, the rate increase that is being
applied for is as a result of the Rate Stabilization Plan, which is a plan that
protects customers from great fluctuations in electricity over the length of a
year.
We are now at a point where new filing is required. Everyone knows what is
happening with the price of fuel and the price of fuel has driven the cost of
producing electricity up. Unfortunately, we are still in a position in this
Province where we have to rely on thermal generation for 15 per cent to 25 per
cent of our electricity. That is why it is so important for us to get on with
the Lower Churchill and get clean hydro power and develop our wind resources so
we are not reliable on thermal generation and we have clean, renewable, cheaper
sources of electricity for this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Minister of Justice.
Minister, you met recently with the federal minister, I do believe, Mr. Day
to discuss the possibility of cost sharing the new federal penitentiary here in
the Province. We currently do not have any such facility.
I ask the minister, if he might be able to provide us with an update on the
department's progress in drafting a formal proposal for the new facility and
when might we expect to see that actually presented to your counterparts in
Ottawa?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I can inform the Opposition House Leader, when I met with Minister Day in
Ottawa I reviewed the history of corrections in this Province, the agreements
that we have in place with Ottawa, outlined the potential cost and possible
sites for a penitentiary and indicated to the federal government that we would
like to have a 70 per cent federal contribution to the construction of a
facility.
At that point, I said I will get this to you in writing. I came back to
Newfoundland and Labrador and within a week that letter was sent to Minister
Day. So, essentially, it is in the federal government's bailiwick right now. I
am hoping to receive a reply shortly. I will say that although Minister Day did
not rule out the possibility of a contribution, he certainly did not indicate
that they would do the same. I am hoping that the federal government will, for
once, step up and do the right thing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was under the impression from the media reports that I had heard and read
that rather than just a letter, which the minister says he wrote back, I was
under the impression, mistakenly obviously, that there was going to be some
formal proposal as to the penitentiary, what it might encompass and so on. That
was the reason I specifically asked: Is there any kind of proposal that is going
to be made in order to arrive at the percentages of funding? That is one issue.
I am just wondering, if there has been any level of activity as to what we
would actually like to see in the facility yet, or will that come later, once we
get a commitment that we will do it together?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would say to the Opposition House Leader, that the meeting with Minister
Day was very fruitful in terms of we laid out our position clearly and
concisely. I had in my possession at that time some draft consulting reports in
terms of the construction of a facility. There is a lot of work to do. I would
say to the people of this Province and to the Opposition House Leader, that at
this point we are in preliminary negotiations and until such time as the federal
government steps up to the plate, we do not know where this is going.
The proposal I put forward, as I just said, is that we were asking for a
70-30 cost share ratio, with the federal government contributing 70 per cent. We
outlined our reasons in writing and as the former Minister of Justice knows, is
this position is between us and the minister and, hopefully, as I have
indicated, the federal government will step up to the plate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This new facility, of course, when it becomes a reality would replace the
current HMP, or Her Majesty's Penitentiary here in St. John's. The current
facility is chronically overcrowded, lacks sufficient programming space and
staff, and does not provide adequate services to offenders with mental illness.
In fact, that situation has continued for quite some time, going back even to
the former Administration, I say.
I ask the minister: How does, or has any thought been given at this point,
that any new penitentiary would include or deal with the problem, particularly
of prisoners who have mental illness? Has that been contemplated?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In my short tenure as Minister of Justice I have visited the Labrador
Correctional Centre, I have been at the West Coast Correctional Centre in
Stephenville, and as late as last week I toured Her Majesty's Penitentiary in
St. John's.
We are aware of the issues that exist in Her Majesty's Penitentiary. We are
looking at ways of addressing these. Obviously, as the Opposition House Leader
would know, individuals who are in jail, there are oftentimes a combination of
difficulties with mental health and addiction. What I would say to the
Opposition House Leader, and by no means am I being snarky, I am just saying
stay tuned and you will have your answer in the next few days.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
According to the information that we have, Mr. Speaker, approximately 70 per
cent of the inmate population at the penitentiary at this time have a pre-diagnoized
mental illness and drug addictions. I understand it is the current policy that
if offenders admit they are experiencing withdrawal, they are often sent to
solitary confinement and not to medical professionals.
I ask the minister: Are you currently aware of this current policy at HMP to
deny inmates access to their medications, and how does this mix with the policy
that we support an offenders right to be rehabilitated?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It seems to me, I say to the Opposition House Leader, that your statistics -
I do not know where you are coming up with them, but from twenty years
experience in the criminal justice system, I know what is going on. I know that
there are problems with addiction and with mental health issues. However, to put
statistics on it seems to be a favourite tactic of the Liberals to throw out
things as facts. Well, that is not a fact, sir. Show me the documents. As for
your proposition that people are thrown in segregation because they have a
withdrawal, I do not know where you come up with that. So, what I would suggest
to you, if you have certain statistics, if you have proven facts, put them in
writing. They will be investigated, and I say to you, sir, in the next couple of
days stay tuned.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I do not understand why the minister is getting so defensive. We are asking
some questions and albeit, he does not have enough research staff to provide him
with the information. We will certainly undertake, with our limited resources,
to provide him with our information. I did not know he did not have the staff to
know this already.
Mr. Speaker, health care for offenders is a major consideration. It is now
mandatory for modern correctional facilities to provide ambulatory care as well
as certain programming designed to increase health awareness amongst offenders.
Given the fact that two suicides have been carried out at the HMP in the last
year, we wonder whether the current policies and protocols are adequate.
What interim measures are being taken to ensure that all members of the
offender population have access to medical care and therapeutic programming
before they are returned to the civilian population? Is it adequate, given what
has happened in the last year in these two deaths?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As the Opposition House Leader is aware, or should be aware, this government
has been very proactive in dealing with all aspects of the criminal justice
system under Minister Marshall, Minister Osborne, and now myself.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. KENNEDY: Sorry. Under the present Minister of Finance, the Member for
St. John's South, and myself.
I would say to you, I have not seen anything that the Liberals did in the
previous - ever how long you were in power, sir. The only positive point that
comes out of the Liberal Administration in Justice was the ordering of the
Lamier Inquiry, and that was only done for political gain. So, it is like
everything else the Liberals did in the dying days, it was trying to curry
favour with the public, and you were going to sell the Lower Churchill and do
everything else.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I really did not think this minister was so thin skinned that he would have
that kind of comment. My questions have been fairly straightforward. I do not
think they are earth shattering. For a political discourse that you just gave -
you are the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, I think you ought to be
able give a straightforward answer. There are no dramatics required for it. You
are not F. Lee Bailey in an American courtroom. Straight up -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
And I ask the hon. member to pose his question now.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Corrections Centre for Women has also come
under scrutiny in recent years, as evidenced by a report on facilities and
supports for female offenders from Labrador, which was published by the Office
of the Citizens' Representative, made several recommendations that -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
If the member has a question, I ask him to pose it.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Where is your department in implementing the
recommendations of that particular report, and if you do not intend to build a
new facility for women in Labrador -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I can indicate that myself, Minister Hickey and Minister Pottle visited the -
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. KENNEDY: Sorry, sorry. Sorry, Mr. Speaker.
Myself and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Minister of Labrador
Affairs, we visited the facilities in Happy-Valley Goose Bay. We went to the
RCMP lockup, and I can indicate that we will be addressing these matters in the
near future and that we are looking at what is needed in Labrador, but I can
indicate that the facility is needed to deal with youth offenders, individuals
who have mental health issues, and also female offenders.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier.
This Province is currently missing one-third of the complement of
pathologists and now we are losing even the one doctor whose subspecialty is
breast cancer pathology. The doctors are indicating that they are concerned
about their workload and about the fact that that will be increased if they have
to be called to testify at the inquiry.
Mr. Speaker, what is this government going to do to ensure that the quality
of testing will be maintained over the upcoming months, especially while the
Inquiry is in place?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Last year, in response to questions around ER/PR in this
House and more recently in giving evidence before the Inquiry, I talked about
the quality assurance initiatives, the quality controls that are currently in
place within Eastern Health for ER/PR testing. Those kinds of mechanisms, Mr.
Speaker, whether in the coming months or the last four or five months or during
this period of some anxiety by pathologists who may be a part of the Inquiry
itself and may be called to give evidence, these quality control mechanisms have
been in place for over a year now or close to a year now and they are working
well as I understand it.
You asked me the other day for some information that I am endeavoring to get
for you which will show clearly that the validation of the test results coming
out of the lab
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the member to conclude his answer.
MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There has been a validation by outside labs that have validated the test
results coming out of that area of the lab. I think when you see that you will
recognize
SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: A further question to the minister, Mr. Speaker.
What I would like to know is: Is there going to be extra help if doctors have
extra workload during the Inquiry when they have to appear in front of
the Inquiry? Is there going to be extra help to assure the quality of testing in
that instance?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, workload management is the responsibility of
Eastern Health. They operate the lab and they have a very capable and competent
management group there. In fact, this morning I met with the pathologist who is
responsible for that area of the lab and he is very much aware of the workload
that they have and very much aware of the kinds of supports they need to put in
place to make sure the work gets done.
Any of the pathologists or any of the staff at the lab who are participating
in the Inquiry and may need some time off for that, in that process the quality
of the service being provided and the quality of the test results will not be
compromised.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would just note before my next question, I am glad the minister is
remembering the request I made for information and I look forward to his
bringing that to the House.
On Tuesday, the minister said that, and I quote, in the ".Department
of Health and Community Services and the authorities themselves, there was a
fair bit of institutional knowledge around consolidation." That was talking
about when the four authorities were formed.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to people who resigned because they believe there
was no dedicated team put in place to deal with reorganization, and because the
frustration of trying to be heard was too great.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member, if she is reading, to refrain.
MS MICHAEL: This morning, the former CEO testified at the inquiry saying
it was like (inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask the hon. member to paraphrase the item that she is reading from, and
not to go reading from a document as a
preamble to a question. The Speaker has
already made this ruling many times in the past.
The hon. member, to conclude her question.
MS MICHAEL: I thought a quote from Hansard was allowed, Mr. Speaker.
I am very sorry.
MR. SPEAKER: I say to the hon. member, that was stated as well. Quoting
from Hansard is not permitted as a
preamble as well.
I ask the member to pose her question.
MS MICHAEL: My question, Mr. Speaker, I ask this government: Why will you
not recognize the difficulties with the reorganization of our health care system
that occurred, and put an external review in place so that this health care
system can be fully assessed as we move forward?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, the issue of evaluation, if you are going to
evaluate anything, you need to have a process conclude before you can evaluate
whether that was worthwhile.
I have said before in this House, and I will repeat it again today, there is
a transition taking place. We only put these boards together in 2005. I have
said many times that anywhere between three to five years would be considered a
normal transition period for consolidation of this magnitude, whether it is in
our health sector or consolidation of a corporate sector in the private world.
It does not really matter. Until that exercise is concluded, it is premature to
do an evaluation of the exercise itself. You will not get the kind of insight
that you need to inform your decisions on a go-forward basis, I say, Mr.
Speaker.
Thank you very much.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my pleasure to present the 2006-2007 Annual Report of the Heritage
Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Copies have been, or will be, provided to the hon. members, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents.
The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I have some documents to table in response to a
request from the member opposite for yesterday, but I suggest that, in the
future, if he is going to ask, he may want to just check the reports that are
already released.
He asked yesterday for the tabling of a report that I released last year, on
April 30, 2007. I guess he probably got it, because I also announced a $9
million investment at that same time, so I guess he overlooked it.
I will table them again today, just in case he did not get them. They are:
the organizational review that was done by Deloitte and Touche of our Child,
Youth and Family Services system. The other report that was referenced, Mr.
Speaker, was a review of the pathology workload in Newfoundland and Labrador.
That report is dated January 22, 2007.
I table those today as well, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents.
Notices of motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment.
MR. SKINNER: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to
introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To Amend The Labour Relations Act. (Bill 23)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To
Amend The Law Society Act, 1999. (Bill 22).
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to
introduce a bill entitled,
An Act To Amend The Mental Health Care And Treatment
Act. (Bill 24)
MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion.
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.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to
consider certain bills.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the House resolve itself into a Committee
of the Whole and that I do now leave the Chair.
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.
The motion is carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (T. Osborne): Order please!
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like for Bill 18,
An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A
Licensee Levy, to be considered by the Committee at this time.
CHAIR: We are now debating Bill 18,
An Act To Amend The Liquor Control
Act Respecting A Licensee Levy.
A bill, "An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A Licensee
Levy." (Bill 18)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK: Clause 2.
CHAIR: Shall clause 2 carry?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
On motion, clause 2 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in
Legislative Session convened, as follows:
CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK:
An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A Licensee Levy.
CHAIR: Shall the title carry?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 18,
An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act
Respecting A Licensee Levy, carried without amendment?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment,
carried.
CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I move that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.
CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise, report progress and ask
leave to sit again.
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit
again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
The hon. the Member for St. John's South and Deputy Speaker.
MR. T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered
the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bill 18 carried
without amendment.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of the Committee of the Whole reports that the
Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to
report Bill 18 carried without amendment.
When shall this report be received?
MR. RIDEOUT: Now.
MR. SPEAKER: Now.
When shall the bill be read a third time?
MR. RIDEOUT: Now, by leave.
MR. SPEAKER: Now, by leave.
On motion, report received and adopted, bill read a third time, presently, by
leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I move third reading of Bill 18,
An Act To
Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A Licensee Levy, now be read a third
time.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 18 be now read a third
time.
Is it the pleasure of the House that Bill 18 be read a third time?
All those in favour, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.
Carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A
Licensee Levy. (Bill 18)
MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a third time and it is ordered
that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Liquor Control Act Respecting A
Licensee Levy," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on
the Order Paper. (Bill 18)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, Order 2, Address in Reply.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It gives me a great privilege and honour to stand in this hon. House of
Assembly to represent the constituents of the District of Bellevue.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the
people of the District of Bellevue for their overwhelming support on October 9,
2007 provincial election.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this occasion to congratulate all my
colleagues of this House on their election and re-election success and wish them
well during their term of office. I look forward to working together with them
for the greater good of the people of this wonderful Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to go on record stating that I am the
first Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly for the Bellevue
District. The district as it is known today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: Such an achievement could not have been accomplished without
the great organizational effort put forth from my dedicated volunteer campaign
staff. I would like to say thank you to those people who made up that incredible
team. Everyone from my campaign manager, chief financial officer, campaign
headquarters manager, signature people, poll captains, scrutineers, and all the
people who worked hard throughout the district and took their time to go door to
door with me, day and night throughout the district.
Their help and dedication is without a doubt, one of the reasons I stand here
before you in this great hon. House today. To say thank you just does not seem
to be enough as these same people have told me time and time again that they
would campaign all over because they believe in this government, they believe in
our leader, our Premier and most of all they believe in me.
Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the
Premier, the former Minister of Municipal Affairs , the former Minister of
Business, the former Minister of Transportation and Works for taking time out of
their busy campaign
schedule to go door to door with me in my district. This
gesture meant very, very much to me and the constituents of the District of
Bellevue and I thank you very, very much.
It is a great privilege to be part of a government that leads you on a road
to success and guides you in a future of optimistic prosperity and who has good
management of the public dollar.
Mr. Speaker, family is most important. I would like to thank my wife Dallas,
our children, my brothers, sisters, sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws, aunts and
uncles who supported me in all my endeavours without a question.
Before getting into provincial government politics, I would like to give you
some idea of my background. Some of my work was with the fishery, working with
the fishermen's union for fourteen years, the Federation of Labour, inshore
fishermen, and others. I was also involved in the rural development, being a
member of the Isthmus Development Association for six years and a board member
and vice chair of the Discovery Zonal Board for five years.
In the political field, I held the mayor' position in the community of
Norman's Cove- Long Cove for eleven years, and was Chair of the Joint Town
Councils of the Isthmus area for five years. I held the position of Harbour
Master and Administrator at Long Cove for twelve years while being a member of
the Newfoundland advisory committee for Harbour Authorities throughout the
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for four years.
Mr. Speaker, in the District of Bellevue there are thirty-two communities,
eighteen of which are local service districts and fourteen town councils. These
towns and LSD's do not hold large financial pockets but hold a wealth of
dignity and pride as rural Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
This district is a prime example of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, made up
of fishing communities dependent on the health of the fishing industry. A
community with a population from thirty to a community of 1,100, the District of
Bellevue has a lot to offer. This district is full of history, heritage and
opportunities. It holds in its hand a renewable resource, the fishery.
Mr. Speaker, since being elected almost seven months ago to the House of
Assembly as a representative for the District of Bellevue, I have had the
opportunity to respond to many inquires for my constituents and I have met with
fourteen town councils and seventeen local service district out of eighteen, but
due to weather conditions, only one is left.
I have travelled the district a number of times, met with church groups,
sports and recreation groups, fire departments, boater's associations,
fishermen's committees, harbour authorities and I have attended community
celebrations and other functions.
I have also been given the opportunity on occasions to engage in public
annual general meetings with about seven communities of the district. This has
allowed me to better understand and address the concerns of the residents of
these communities, and I might say that their concerns are common and legitimate
throughout the whole district.
Being an elected representative of this party for the District of Bellevue
for the first time, Mr. Speaker, expectations are very, very high from my
constituents. I understand their concerns, and this is why it is important to
mention some of these concerns in this great hon. House today. Concerns such as;
depleted roads, closure of highway depots during the summer months, high fuel
costs of heating, diesel, and gasoline. These cause deficiencies for both young
and old, because they are very essential in their day to day life. The concerns
for lack of funding for non-profit organizations; the concern for
infrastructure, water and sewer, especially clean drinking water; poor cell
phone service; the concerns of subsidy funding for wait lists for seniors'
private all care homes. All of these and many more are hot topics of discussion
throughout the District of Bellevue.
With these concerns in mind, we have to ask ourselves where we have improved
in recent years. An example would be under the last Administration. Mr. Speaker,
there was a $25 million budget for road repair for the whole Province. Mr.
Speaker, under this government we had a $64 million in budget 2007 -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: - and a $73 million budget for the upcoming 2008. This
government has taken a great approach with such an increase. We have not seen
this type of financial commitment in regards to roads in years, by any past
Administration, but under our present leadership a focus has been placed upon
the repair and maintenance of roads throughout the whole Province.
Mr. Speaker, the roads in the District of Bellevue are in critical condition.
I have visited the constituents, the town councils, the local service districts
and the industrial areas, and the situation remains the same throughout, this
being the condition of their roads; but I must point out, Mr. Speaker, that the
bad roads are an accumulation of years of neglect to the roads throughout these
communities. I would like to recognize that these conditions have existed
previous to my election to office.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Transportation and Works has a tremendous job to
do. She has to try and administer a budget of $73 million for local roads
throughout the Province where there are needs everywhere. Our minister has done
a fantastic job in trying to adhere to and respond to the needs and condition of
roads, not just through my district but throughout the whole Province of
Newfoundland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: The minister has indicated a willingness to visit the district
with me to view and discuss the condition of the roads.
I want to thank the minister for this kind of dedication to her department,
and I want to thank the minister and this government for recognizing the bad
situation of the roads in our communities. I anticipate that a formal
announcement outlining significant improvement to road infrastructure in my
district will be made in the very near future.
Our actions from this government that address the concerns are: fuel rebates
in 2007 and 2008, which have helped to offset the cost of high heating. An
announcement of new schools and school renovations also recognizes the need for
better facilities for our children's education.
Mr. Speaker, on education week, I visited the Swift Current Academy in the
Local Service District of Swift Current. There, I met with teachers and students
and staff for a couple of hours and I want to express, Mr. Speaker, some of the
concerns from the teaching staff were addressed in the announcements from the
Minister of Education on March 12, 2008, the New Teacher Allocation Model, and,
on March 19, 2008, in the Excellence in Mathematics Strategy. These
announcements will make a great difference to the future of this school and
others within my district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: If I may, I would like to thank the minister for these
programs.
Health care has met concerns by providing insulin pumps for children eighteen
years and under, and introducing a new provincial Prescription Drug Program.
This is certainly a show of great understanding of the need, not only in my
district for such programs but throughout the whole Province.
On behalf of the constituents of the District of Bellevue, I want to thank
the government and the Minister of Health and Community Services for such
beneficial programs. They certainly benefit a number of constituents within my
district, and help to eliminate the stress of parents with diabetic children.
Tourism in my district is small in scale but is growing into a very important
industry. Tourism potential in Trinity Bay, Placentia Bay and Fortune Bay, is
very great and has not been developed to its fullest potential. Placentia Bay
has 365 islands, the same number of days in a year, and holds a lot of tourism
attraction. Fortune Bay areas in the Terrenceville and Harbour Mille area, with
its rugged shoreline, rivers and coves, have potential as well for ecotourism.
This district is riddled with bed and breakfasts, private parks, tour boats,
walking trails, historic landmarks, cabins, sandy beaches, archaeological sites,
and many scenic sites. Also in my district there is a lot of heritage, some of
which has not yet been registered but is under exploration.
To highlight some of the great attractions we have, there is the community of
Bellevue that attracts tourists to view the osprey and bald eagle. These
sightings have been filmed and aired on National Geographic.
We have archaeological sites, such as Anderson's Cove, for its Maritime
Archaic Indian discoveries, Russell's Point for the Beothuk Indian
discoveries, and Dildo Island for its Dorset Eskimo discoveries.
Dildo Island Adventure Tours, the Whale Museum in South Dildo, the
Interpretation Centre in Dildo, Woody Island Resort, and Kilmory Resort in Swift
Current, to name a few throughout the district, are all examples of the quality
of tourism we have to offer in this district.
Do you know that one of the great attractions in Swift Current today is the
antique cars that are presently owned and displayed by Mr. Vernon Smith, the
owner of Green's Construction in Goobies? He has twenty-nine cars, from 1908
to 1969 models. You can view them at his new display building in Swift Current,
and I and the previous Minister of Business had the opportunity last fall to get
a tour of this well-kept secret of vehicles, which are winning awards all over
the world.
The fishery in my district provides employment, stability and sustainable
development in twenty-two of thirty-two communities, and in the district we have
three bays: Placentia Bay, which holds a great deal of ground fishery, pelagic,
lobster and a crab fishery. There is also mussel farming on a small scale out of
Arnold's Cove.
Fortune Bay has lobster, herring, mackerel, crab and a ground fishery. They
also have aquaculture in the Little Bay and Little Harbour East areas.
In Trinity Bay we have a large concentration of pelagic species, such as
herring, mackerel, capelin, squid, lump roe, and ground fishery on a lesser
scale, but there is also a crab fishery and a lobster fishery in the Trinity Bay
area as well.
Throughout the district we have twelve fish processing plants, one secondary
plant, and our largest plant employers are Ice Water Sea Foods, Dorset Fisheries
and Woodman's Sea Products. We have a plant in South Dildo, and I am told that
this plant will operate on a status quo as that of 2004 and 2005. I am expected
to meet with the CEO of this company to discuss the future of this plant over
the next couple of weeks.
We also have Carino, a seal tanning plant in South Dildo. As you can see, the
District of Bellevue has great history and still today holds a great future in
our renewable resource, the fishery.
If I may, Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that in our blueprint our
government has committed funding for the fishery; $750,000 for occupational,
health and safety initiatives; $6 million for fishing industry research and
development work; maximum loan guarantee programs from $1.3 million up to $2
million; strong investments in agriculture and agrifoods development fund; $2
million to $5 million for the fishing industry workforce adjustment. These are
some of the thirty-three highlights of the blueprint commitments.
On June 9, 2004, this government invested $3.5 million into Ice Water
Seafoods, a plant at Arnold's Cove. This state-of-the-art facility now
maintains and has stabilized a highly skilled workforce in the Arnold's Cove
area.
In the District of Bellevue, Mr. Speaker, we have communities who depend on
the future of the industrial industry as well. Namely all the communities in the
district depend somewhat on the industrial workplace growth, but none as much as
Arnold's Cove, Chapel Arm, Sunnyside, Chance Cove, Come By Chance, Southern
Harbour, Norman's Cove, Blaketown, Old Shop, South Dildo, Terrenceville,
Goobies, and Swift Current. The existing oil refinery, businesses, and
contractors play great roles that contribute to the economic profile of the
District of Bellevue.
If it were not for the existing oil refinery in the District of Bellevue,
this district would not so prosperous. I want to recognize the North Atlantic
oil refinery for having a record-breaking accident free workplace in 2007. What
an achievement for such an industrial company.
I might point out, Mr. Speaker, that the Town of Goobies has employment of
200 personnel, and 120 of these are employed by Green Contracting.
Mr. Speaker, the future looks optimistic with the developments such as the
Voisey's Bay development, the new oil refinery, the LNG project, the Bull Arm
site development, and an optimistic outlook for contracts of two supply ships
and two provincial ferries at the Marystown Shipyard in our neighbouring
district. The potential of Gisborne Lake Development near Grand Le Pierre and
the growth in the tourism industry will provide new opportunities for growth in
infrastructure, new roads, business development, skilled labour force
development, maintaining schools, providing a sustainable future, thus allowing
my district's skilled workers who had to find employment in Western Canada,
the opportunity to come home and provide a decent living for their families.
Then the grandparents like me, can watch our grandchildren grow.
Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize our zonal boards. In my district they have
been outstanding. They have been there at all times for entrepreneurs, youth,
local business, large corporations, the aquaculture, the agriculture,
development, and all types of project growth for our economy and making our
economy successful and sustainable.
Throughout the district we see a lot of focus on development, and a lot of
this development comes from our zonal board's direction. I would like to
recognize the zonal board M-RON for their work in the District of Bellevue from
New Harbour to Blaketown. I also want to recognize the Discovery Zonal Board for
their important role from Swift Current through to Chapel Arm in my district. I
also want to recognize the Schooner Board on the Burin Peninsula for their role
Fortune Bay.
Mr. Speaker, these boards are certainly great contributors to the
organization and to the people in the district. For instance, an example of one
of the projects currently on their agenda is the Gisbourne Lake water bottling
project. The Schooner Board is working hand in hand with the Fortune Bay East
Development Association to try and develop this project.
Having said this, Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the development
associations for their incredible work and the outstanding part that they have
played over the years in rural Newfoundland. Whether you realize it or not, over
the years millions of dollars have passed though the management of rural
development associations. This has created employment throughout many parts of
rural Newfoundland and Labrador. That is a fact. Every year there are dozens of
projects funded that are made available through different government
departments, both federal and provincial and even money that is raised through
fundraising is filtered through the development association.
The zonal boards and the Rural Secretariat, along with the development
associations, all play an important role in the district. But we have to look
back at where the rural Newfoundland came from and acknowledge the active role
that rural developments have played in rural Newfoundland and are still playing
today.
I also want to thank and recognize the volunteer groups, the local service
districts, the town councils, community sports and recreation committees, fire
departments, seniors clubs, fifty plus clubs, Lions Clubs, wellness groups,
church groups, boys and girls clubs, the Legion, and the SUF clubs. Time will
not permit me to name them all but you can see there are quite a few that I have
named and there are many more not possible to name here today.
In
summary, Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to my
colleagues for their support and direction given to me since becoming the Member
for the District of Bellevue on October 9, 2007. It is team effort that
cultivates a true working relationship that benefits not just my district but
also the Province as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, I am energized about the opportunity to be able to contribute to
the management and growth of the future opportunities for Newfoundland and
Labrador. I believe that this proactive approach, under the direction of our
great leader, the Premier, will result in long-term sustainable future for the
people of this Province. He is an inspirational leader, our Premier, Danny
Williams.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: I am also excited about the challenges that lie ahead, and I
firmly believe that this government will meet and exceed all expectations of the
people of this Province.
I am proud to be part of this team, and I will continue to work tirelessly
over the term of office to accomplish effective representation and to address
any area that will collectively or individually give an advantage to the people
of the District of Bellevue.
Mr. Speaker, it has been a great privilege to speak to this great House and
to be able to voice my opinions of my constituents, through me to you.
Mr. Speaker, out in the District of Bellevue, and all parts of rural
Newfoundland and Labrador, there are a lot of reasons why one would want to
stay. If you live in a small community and you wake up in the morning, and look
out across the ocean and see the sun as it breaks above the high rigid
shoreline, and you breathe the fresh air and you smell the sea breeze, Mr.
Speaker, is the life that the people of the District of Bellevue cherish.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. PEACH: In closing, I would like to quote a phrase that was
repetitively said to me by constituents of the district in saying "outside
the pearly gates of St. John's and Mount Pearl, there is a life beyond the
overpass."
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
It is a pleasure today to get up and say a few words on the Address in Reply
to the Throne Speech.
I want to begin by saying congratulations to my hon. colleague from the
District of Bellevue on his maiden speech, and to say it is a pleasure to have
known him for some time, and members of his family, because both of us came from
the same neck of the woods, if you want to call it that, on the Burin Peninsula.
I want to congratulate him on a job well done.
Mr. Speaker, I guess when we look at the Throne Speech we know that it is an
overview of what we look forward to and anticipate on seeing or hearing about in
the Budget later on in this session.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to just touch on some of the issues in relation to
my district, and I have been elected now since 2001. I know the hon. member
touched on the tremendous amount of road work being done this year, and I have
already commended the Minister of Transportation on the funding that is being
forward in my district this year. Even though I got elected in 2001, up until
this year I think I received $140,000 for a road that was washed out and had to
be repaired. I didn't stand and complain about that, Mr. Speaker, over the
past six years because I know all too well the financial situation, I guess,
that this government started out in. Now, we are in a financial position and I
am very grateful that the minister recognized the problems not only in my
district but in other districts and has come forward with the finances this year
to help get some of that work done.
The other thing I want to mention, Mr. Speaker, is that in my district we are
very fortunate to live in close proximity to St. John's and are in the right
position on the Avalon Peninsula, because we know there is a tremendous spinoff
from what is happening in the oil industry and so on. Not only in my district
but in the neighboring districts of Harbour Main and Carbonear-Harbour Grace we
are very fortunate to have so many issues that bring people forward from time to
time, not only residents of this Province but outside of our Province. They come
to the area and when they travel to our area we know what happens; there is more
money being spent and it helps our local businesses.
I want to congratulate the group in Bay Roberts who are coming up with a new
venture this year. They are hoping to have in place, in a period of time, the
village relating to the 1940s and 1950s where a presentation will be made with
regard to the late Ted Russell's chronicle of Uncle Mose. We are looking
forward to that.
I also want to note that in my area there is quite a bit of farming related,
maybe a lot of people do not know that, but we do have some very successful and
fairly large farmers in that area and they add a tremendous amount to the
economy of the immediate area in my district.
I guess, like the hon. Member for Bellevue said, rural Newfoundland has
depended for years upon the fishery and it is no different in my district. We
know the tremendous impact of the fishery of today. Even though we lost out, I
guess, with the moratorium and the cod fishery, today we are very fortunate. In
Port de Grave and Upper Island Cove and the Bay Roberts area there is a
tremendous amount of high activity taking place at this time getting ready for
the crab fishery and the shrimp as well.
It was only about a week-and-a-half ago, I guess, or two weeks ago, I had the
great opportunity to attend the fishermen's breakfast and the fishermen's
church service that is held at the Pentecostal Church in Port de Grave, where
hundreds of people gather to give thanks for what has happened in the past and
look forward to a more successful year this year than in the previous years.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, we know that from time to time there are still
other issues that have to be brought forward. I do not bring them forward in a
manner of complaining, but out of concern for people who bring them forward to
us.
I guess one of the big issues that we encounter today, and I hear it mostly
from our seniors but other residents as well -
MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): Order, please!
It has come to the Speaker's attention that the Member for Port de Grave
has already spoken on this particular debate.
The rules under this particular debate are that members can only speak once
to the debate, so we will have to ask the member to take his seat.
The hon. the Member for Exploits.
MR. FORSEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to touch on the
Throne Speech today.
First of all, I would also like to congratulate the Member for Bellevue,
certainly an optimistic member. I am sure he is going to do well in his
district. It seems like he has all of his priorities straight, and with the
support of the members of the government and the Premier I am sure that he will
follow through on most of the issues that he wants to complete.
In the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, the first thing that is addressed, the
first issue that is addressed, concerns education and the government
initiatives, the initiatives in education. Just yesterday, our minister spoke on
some of the initiatives. This is why the private member's bill was brought
forward yesterday, putting the challenge out there to the federal government.
Then it is an onus upon them to see what we are doing as a Province, and the
investments we are making, and the benefits that we are deriving from that.
There are a number of things that come to mind, especially in post-secondary.
We have been very fortunate to have our 2.5 per cent interest on student loans
eliminated, and a freeze on tuition. You know, just recently I heard in the news
that New Brunswick is planning on bringing in a tuition freeze. Well, you know,
that is great for New Brunswick and it is an idea that they are just talking
about, and talking about bringing in. We have been fortunate enough now to have
had a tuition freeze for the past number of years, and under this Administration
we see the need to keep the costs down. Therefore, we are going to continue with
the tuition freeze.
Coming from a rural area of the Province there is, of course, a cost incurred
when travelling to the city or bigger centers to attend post-secondary,
University, College of the North Atlantic, and the cost can get a little bit
expensive, especially for accommodations and everything. This past year, this
government, of course, saw that need and then fulfilled it with the needs grant
well, actually, the grant on a needs basis. I believe the minister explained
it in good detail yesterday when she talked about the reduction bringing down
what it would cost a rural student and an urban student, what it would cost, and
the reductions that would be incurred, and the benefits for these students. So,
we have taken great strides in education, especially in post-secondary.
More to a district level, I do believe the investment in the K-12 has been
really what has impacted the rural areas, especially in the District of
Exploits, Mr. Speaker. I know this part year when we eliminated the cost of
textbooks I had a parent say to me: That is great. This year, in September, we
are going to save about $400 in the cost of textbooks.
Well, that is $400 in the pockets of that parent, or those parents, and they
can probably put it into some other need, whether it is clothing or whatever
else they need. That was a great investment there, the free textbooks.
Also, our minister spoke on the commitment to the School for the Deaf. When
she explained it yesterday - we have had some concerns with the School for the
Deaf, but over the years, and especially this past year, I know that the
Department of Education is committed to the School for the Deaf and they have
done great work with these students. Even though the numbers are down, we are
not going to give up on these students. They are valuable, and they make a
valuable contribution to society.
I know first-hand because I do have a very close relative who attended the
School for the Deaf. Of course, coming from a rural area, and a very rural area
at that, we did not know sign language. We did not know how to we had no one
to teach us, and the only place was at the School for the Deaf. I wish I had the
opportunity to actually learn sign language, because then I would have been able
to communicate with my relative a lot easier, but he got his education and he
went on to further his career into the labour market and is doing quite fine.
That, in education, was the first thing that was mentioned in the Throne
Speech. I think it is of importance and I think it needs to be repeated because
there are people out there who are finding the benefits from it.
Also, in the Throne Speech it talks about a strong people and basically what
we are doing for social justice. I know under our Minister of Human Resources,
last year, to bring in a $28.9 million Poverty Reduction Strategy - actually, it
is taking the lead in Canada. This was very surprising, because I did not
realize the impact that this particular program had in the rest of the country.
It was just recently that myself, as an MHA in a rural area - because I knew
this particular person in Alberta, they sent me an e-mail. These people are
involved in one of the colleges up there. They are very impressed with the
Poverty Reduction Strategy and they put in a request, actually, where we could
possibly go to their province and explain in some detail the type of work that
we are doing.
Even though it is making inroads in the Province, we are making inroads
across the country. Sometimes we feel like the federal part of this country is
not really recognizing what we actually should be getting, our just reward, as
we would say, from the feds, but we are willing, as a Province, to invest
ourselves and take the steps that are needed, and then of course making a
difference right across the country. I think that is just great stuff.
Also under the - my colleague, the Minister of Human Resources and Labour of
course knows what I am talking about, the Member for St. John's Centre, and he
is also the minister for affordable housing, and the home repair program. I know
that this past year there has been great strides made in the investment in
affordable housing. I saw the effects in my district. Just this past year, we
have had profit companies that have applied, and were successful, for affordable
housing projects, and also the non-profit. I know, just down in a small
community right now, we have two non-profit organizations putting up affordable
housing in that community.
I recall, actually just in October during the election, when I was knocking
on the doors throughout Bishop's Falls I came to an affordable housing
project. The people had moved in, and a gentleman came out and answered the
door. He was really appreciative of the type of investment. He could stay in a
beautiful accommodation; very low rent, subsidized heating, or at least it was
certainly lesser than what he was paying when he was out in a private apartment
or a private rental. So, they are really appreciative of that. Of course, it
does improve on the life of the seniors. They can afford this, which means they
will save more money and then they will have money for other things that they
need. Of course, a lot of this could not be done without the negotiations that
we were afforded by our leader, the Premier. He has been able to go out there
and negotiate what we need in the Atlantic Accord and bringing back some money
that was basically ours anyway, and probably more besides. I am sure he is going
to continue on that road to ensure that we get our just reward with regards to
the returns from our natural resources, especially our non-renewable.
In saying that, as well, some of the things that came out of the Throne
Speech. There was another one with regards to investments and initiatives
regarding municipal affairs. Over the past year there has been over $50 million
committed to Municipal Capital Works. Any minister who takes on this portfolio,
or any MHA who takes on the Minister of Municipal Affairs - I think it is a big
department. They got a lot of work on their hands because we do have a lot of
communities and, of course, the majority of them are rural and they need such
things as municipal infrastructure, water and sewer, and so on. I have been very
fortunate with the previous minister and, no doubt, with the current minister,
because I am sure he is going to have a lot of the same amount of money in his
budget this year as was last year, or maybe even a little bit more.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: So, the Minister of Municipal Affairs has a challenge on his
hands. However, I know if I want to bring the provincial investment into a
single rural district - we have seen many improvements, especially in the water
and sewer infrastructure in the District of Exploits.
I believe when I came in, in 2005, we had six communities that were in need
of infrastructure and upgrades, especially in their water; more so their water
services than their sewer. Because we are working towards regional services, we
have had now three communities in the district that have come on to the regional
services; which of course gives them a better service I guess, more supply of
the water needs with fewer breakdowns and less maintenance, which is what we are
looking forward to.
We had one community, in Cottrell's Cove, working on their water project
for years. It was just recently, a little better than a year ago, we were
fortunate enough to have the investment to upgrade their chlorinator and their
pump house, which was badly needed, Mr. Speaker. I recall the local service
chairperson saying this was the first time since the school in that community
was built - the first time since that school was built that they had approved
water from the public water supply. So, can you imagine how long they have been
down there without the services of approved water in a school, in a school of
all places, where they need the water? They are there teaching and these
students - actually it is a K to 12, so we are talking students from probably
five years old to seventeen or eighteen years old, and this past year was the
first year that they were able to avail of approved public water. So I think
that was -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: What happens when you make good investment and you do it in
the right places - no doubt, we are always going to have needs and we are always
looking for something else but we have been, I guess, fortunate in some of the
initiatives that we have been able to implement, especially in health care. I
know right now we have a situation that hopefully, with what is going on right
now, everything will be straightened out and we will be back on track and
everybody will be looking forward to, I guess, safe and secure health services.
However, there have been some good initiatives there.
I recall being in my district last weekend. I spoke to a constituent who was
paying a lot of money for drugs and when we brought in the new program in
October - I came out of the gas station, I saw him in the gas station and he
spoke to me. When I went out, which was about five or ten minutes later, the
gentleman was still there. The reason he was still there in the parking lot, he
wanted to say thanks. He said I really appreciate what you guys did in October
when you brought in that program. It meant so much to him because of the cost of
his drugs. So, that is the kind of stuff and the kind of stories that probably
you do not hear all the time but they are very important. They are important to
the people where I live, they are important to the people in the Province. When
you can walk on the street in your own district in your own town, and these
people can make these kinds of comments, then I believe, and I not only believe
I know, that we are doing the right things and we are making the right
investments.
Dental coverage: Again, along with the programs that we brought in regarding
the drug program we brought in the dental for the youth. I know our Minister of
Health mentioned it this morning. I know he was questioned by the Opposition on
certain things he should be doing or was not doing, but there are a lot of
things. As the minister said, he would want more than a half a day to explain in
detail what he has done and what that department has done that has been of
benefit, Mr. Speaker, to the people of the Province in health care. It goes
right from diagnostic equipment and the investment in diagnostic equipment right
down to dental coverage.
Then, of course, when we brought in the one for the thirteen to seventeen
where all of these youth now were covered on low income it made a big
difference to them. It is money again, Mr. Speaker, that they can take, put in
their pocket and spend on something else. If they are not spending their money
in textbooks and they are not spending their money in school fees and they are
not spending their money in drug costs, then it is money in their pocket. If
they are not paying more in income tax, it is money in their pocket.
These are all good initiatives that have made a difference for people on low
incomes, fixed incomes, whichever you might say. It has just been, I would say,
rewarding to them, monies that they can use for something else. I have seen it
in the district, in my District of Exploits.
I did not want to touch on Transportation and Works but I think I will, Mr.
Speaker, because my colleague from the Bay of Islands, of course, who is newly
elected, who came in in October - when I got up and spoke last year the former
member for the Bay of Islands, who was in the Opposition then, always had a
problem. It seems like he was interested in the District of Exploits. I do not
know why, because I always appreciated anybody wanting to help me. I thought
that the former member for the Bay of Islands probably had an interest in the
district, but apparently while he was trying to figure out what I was doing
there was nothing that he was doing in his own district. I guess that is why the
Bay of Islands decided, well, we need a change and we need to bring someone in
who is going to make a difference. They elected a new member, a member on the
government side, a member who got up the other day and started already talking
about what he
MR. PARSONS: (Inaudible).
MR. FORSEY: In all due respect, Mr. Speaker, to the Opposition House
Leader, when he was here he did not defend himself very well, so I don't
imagine he would be able to improve on that today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say the reason
we can do all of this - there is a saying and the saying goes like this, and I
think it applies to this government and more so it applies to our leader: the
reason we have gotten what we got in our negotiations is that you can compromise
strategy but you cannot compromise principle.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I am very pleased today to be able to speak in response to the Throne Speech.
One of the things that this government prides itself on is its concern for
health care. It keeps telling us that it is concerned and it keeps telling us
that it wants a topnotch health care system, and keeps telling us that they are
doing everything in their power to do that, but we are surrounded, right now,
with all kinds of proof that such is not the case.
I cannot understand why this government is having such a hard time thinking
about the possibility of having an external review. Today, in the question that
I put to the Minister of Health and to the Premier, once again I recommended an
external review to access where we are in the reconstruction process, the whole
reconfiguration of our health care system. The minister indicated that it really
was too early, that a transition goes on from three to five years so you cannot
even possibly look at evaluation before that time is up.
I have to say I have to differ and I beg to differ with the minister in the
response that he gave me. If there are indicators that something is really going
wrong, if there are indicators that we have major problems with the
restructuring of our health care system, and I believe we do, then why can't
we put the brakes on and say, now is the time to evaluate before we go any
further off the rails? I do not know how much proof we need that we have
problems.
One of the major areas that an evaluation would look at, an external
evaluation would look at, is the line of communications. How does the whole
system of communications work within our health care system? Now, we have been
getting information that indicates to us that the communications is not going on
very well and has not been going on very well. We have a history of it even
before the restructuring took place. So, we have a culture of poor communication
that came into the restructuring. We just do not look at where things started
when the four authorities were set up, we look at what culture came in with
those four authorities.
I cannot help but note that when you look at what happened with the memo with
from Dr. Ejeckam, the June 19, 2003 memo, the one that the Premier was able to
raise here in the House last year, when we look at that memo it is really
startling to know that according to the CEO of the day, Mr. Tilley, who is
currently appearing before the Inquiry, he did not see this memo. This memo was
directed to a Terry Gulliver. It does not even say on the memo what his position
was. It means that within the health care system that became the restructured
health care system, there was a lack of clear communication with regard to when
something was needed to be seen by higher management or by the CEO. I think
there is a major lack of a protocol that said this type of thing. Looking at
this memo which had to do with Dr. Ejeckam's concerns about what was going on
in the laboratories in the Province, this type of memo is something that there
should have been something somewhere that said, this puts off, you know, a
siren. This is something that has to go to the CEO.
The two Opposition parties received this briefing from Mr. Robert Thompson a
few days ago. When we hear from him that there is no doubt that there was a
breakdown in communication between Eastern Health and the other three
authorities when they were informing the patients who had to be retested, that
there was a breakdown in communications, and that the reason for that was
because there was nobody in charge, that there was nobody who overall had a job
of co-ordinating what was going on, and it was that breakdown in communications
that caused many women in particular to have not received word that they had to
be retested, or that retesting was done, or that their tests had come back - at
all kinds of different levels there was that breakdown in communication - that
bothers me, and it bothers me to think that the government does not want to look
at that and have it fixed. I cannot understand it.
Any of us who have been involved in institutions, whatever those institutions
are, whether they are business, whether it is education, whether it is health,
you are used to ongoing evaluation. You do not wait years before you evaluate
something. You have what is called ongoing evaluation. You have a system
whereby, at various moments, you look at what is going on inside of your
organization. That is certainly how I have always operated, as a person involved
in the not-for-profit sector. I am used to evaluative moments. I am used to
evaluative moments for staff, for the organization, for how our board of
directors is working with the organization. Ongoing evaluation is a normal part
of looking at where an organization is moving.
To have an ongoing evaluation is not a negative thing. It is not something
you do because an Opposition party is asking you to do it. It is not something
that, you know, oh, my gosh, why are we being asked to do this? It is part of
normal organizational structure to have ongoing evaluation, and I cannot
understand why this government is balking against it. It can only benefit us.
When you do an evaluation, you base your evaluation on what your goals have
been, and how you are meeting those goals, and are the