March 4,

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLI No. 90

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Lush): Order, please!

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, His Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the wish of

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, that all present be seated.

HIS HONOUR, THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Frederick W. Russell,

C.M., LL.D.): Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of

Assembly:

The Third Session of the 41st General Assembly of this

Honourable House of Assembly is about to be prorogued, but before releasing you

from your duties, I wish to thank you for the careful and sympathetic attention

given to the important matters brought before you by my Ministers.

Fifty-three pieces of legislation were enacted during this

Session of the Honourable House of Assembly. In particular, legislative

initiatives were taken in finance, Crown lands, labour, municipal affairs and

the administration of justice.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

This Session was marked by the introduction and enactment of

a number of Bills to revise and reform many of our older statutes. Prominent

among these Bills was the passage of

an Act To Revise and Consolidate the Public

General Statutes of the Province. The last revision of the Statutes took place

in 1970. New Acts respecting the Provincial Court, Juries and the Sheriff's

Office were debated and enacted. Also, during this Session

an Act to regulate

lotteries and amusement devices was enacted.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

As my predecessor stated in His Address opening this Session,

following careful analysis by the Legislation Review Committee of this House, My

Government introduced amendments to The Labour Relations Act, 1977 which

addressed the sensitive issue of double breasting. My Ministers were heartened

by the level of debate and the input from the Committee during which the Bill

received a very extensive public review.

Another Bill which was also given considerable debate and

public discussion before the Legislation Review Committee was the new Lands Act

which was also enacted during this Session. This Bill, upon proclamation, will

revise and reform the law respecting Crown lands, public lands and other lands

of the Province. A new Act to revise the law respecting land surveyors was also

enacted during this Session.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly :

My Government has had to make difficult decisions and

implement measures to alleviate the severe financial situation in which this

Province finds itself. During this Session,

an Act respecting restraint and

compensation in the public sector was enacted.

In order to accommodate changes to the Federal pension law,

My Government introduced three Bills to revise and reform our pension

legislation, namely: a new Public Service Pensions Act; Teachers' Pensions Act;

and Uniformed Services Pensions Act. In keeping with My Government's mandate to

reform the law respecting the Auditor General, a new Act respecting that office

and the auditing of the Public Accounts of the Province was enacted during this

Session.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

As part of My Government's commitment to reform of our

post-secondary education system, My Government introduced a new Colleges Act

which has established colleges of applied arts, technology and continuing

education throughout the Province. As well, The Memorial University Act was

amended to provide for the affiliation of the Marine Institute with the

University under the name of the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial

University.

During this Session, My Government introduced a Resolution

and a Bill respecting amalgamation of certain municipalities and municipal

services in the Northeast Avalon Region of our Province. My Government is

certain that this initiative will in the long term give citizens in the

Northeast Avalon Region better municipal government.

Among the other significant legislative measures enacted

during this Session were:

An Act To Amend The Co-operative Societies Act;

An Act

To Amend The Evidence Act;

An Act To Amend The Schools Act; The Reciprocal

Taxation Agreement Act, 1991;

An Act To Amend The Hearing Aid Dealers Act; An

Act To Amend The Status Of Women Advisory Council Act; a new Fire Prevention

Act;

An Act To Amend The Electrical Power Control Act;

An Act To Amend The

Mechanics' Lien Act; and the Economic Advisory Council Act.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

I thank you for the large measure of supply you have granted.

I assure you that the appropriations that you have granted have been and will be

expended by My Ministers with care and efficiency.

It is my pleasure that the Third Session of this 41st General

Assembly now be prorogued and it is prorogued accordingly.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Pursuant to the speech of His Honour, this House stands

prorogued.