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April 16, 2018

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 7

The

House met at 1:30 p.m.

Admit

strangers.

MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):

Order, please!

In the

Speaker's gallery today I would like to welcome seven guests from the Miles for

Smiles Foundation that will be referenced in a Ministerial Statement today, and

joining us they are: Tom Davis, Jessica Moriarity, Jillian Hammond, Connie Pike,

Kerry Lynn Callahan, Randal Wheeler and Bev Moore-Davis.

Thanks

very much for joining us today.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Also in the Speaker's

gallery, I would like to acknowledge friends and family members of Mr. Al

Chislett who'll be recognized in a Ministerial Statement today. I'd also like to

say, I worked with Mr. Chislett and it's indeed an honour to be here today in

this recognition.

Joining

us in the Speaker's gallery are Mr. Chislett's wife, Sherry Doyle; his son,

Bradley Chislett; daughters, Emily and Rebecca Chislett; sister, Daphne

Chislett; brother, Dave Chislett; nephew, Jason Chislett; grandchildren, Julia

and Jacob Chislett.

As well,

we also have former colleagues and friends of Mr. Chislett: Beaton Tulk, former

premier of this province; Norm Mercer, President of Newfoundland and Labrador

Prospectors Association.

Thanks

for joining us.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

In the Public gallery today I

would like to recognize Pegah Memarpour with End Homelessness St. John's, who'll

be mentioned in a Member's statement today.

Welcome

to you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

I would also like to thank my

fellow Members of the House of Assembly today who are wearing green and yellow

ribbons symbolizing our collective support for the families and communities

affected by the terrible tragedy with the Humboldt Broncos. This Legislature

joins other Canadians who have come together to similarly pay their respects.

There

will also be a Member's statement and a Ministerial Statement dealing with this

today.

Statements by

Members

MR. SPEAKER:

For Members' statements today

we will hear from the Members for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave; Fortune Bay -

Cape La Hune; Conception Bay South; Placentia West - Bellevue; St. John's

Centre.

The hon.

the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.

MS. P. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is

with a heavy heart that I stand to recognize the Humboldt Broncos hockey

organization, the team which faced the recent unimaginable fatal tragedy in

Saskatchewan. There were 16 deaths as a result of the collision between the

team's bus and a large semi-truck.

Although

so far away, the Humboldt tragedy has a connection to our province. Parker Tobin

was one of the junior hockey players who died. His father, Eddie Tobin, is from

Bay Roberts, and Parker's mom, Rhonda Clarke grew up in Heart's Content. Many

members of the Tobin family still reside in Bay Roberts. Parker was the team's

goalie, he was 18.

The

municipality, along with surrounding Conception Bay North residents, came

together right away and gathered for a vigil at the Bay Arena on Thursday night,

and on Saturday night there was a charity hockey game. The Town of Bay Roberts,

along with the volunteer firefighters – myself included – took on the local

RCMP. It was a full house for both the vigil and the hockey game, raising more

than $8,000 to support Parker's family.

Mr.

Speaker, this tragedy has indeed hit close to home. The former member for my

district is a childhood friend of Parker's dad.

behalf of all Members here in our House of Assembly, we extend sincere

condolences to all of the loved ones affected by this tragedy.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House today to deliver accolades to Boyce Stewart, Harbour Breton's

Citizen of the Year for 2017.

Mr.

Stewart has been an active member on a number of the Town's sub-committees,

including the Beautification Committee, the Sunny Cottage Corporation, Elliot

Premises, the local Rod & Gun Club and the Harbour Breton Harbour Authority.

Along with his charitable work throughout the community as President of the

Harbour Authority, he is held in very high regard by the community and we thank

him for his commitment, which has played an instrumental role in completing

crucial projects for the town, including: construction of the new wharf on the

north side and extension of the fisherman's wharf on the south side; the

construction of 12 floating docks; the completion of a breakwater, and many more

initiatives that serve to improve our fishery infrastructure.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all Members of this House to join me in congratulating Boyce

Stewart for his dedication to his community and the very well deserved honour of

Citizen of the Year. We look forward to his continued commitment and initiative

for years to come.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise today to speak about a tireless advocate in my district, Mr.

Clayton Delaney, who suffers from ARVC – a rare heart disease.

Clayton

has been a strong advocate for many years for AEDs to be available in all

schools and anywhere there's a need. Unfortunately, many members of Clayton's

family have been inherited the same medical issue. He has taken this initiative

to work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, community groups, as well as

myself, to bring awareness and to ensure no life is needlessly lost.

Since

AEDs are now in my most schools, recreation centres and public places, his new

initiative is creating a registry. Mr. Speaker, this man is dedicated to the

cause. I'm happy to report Clayton has received his heart transplant in Ottawa

on March 18 and is doing well. While waiting in Ottawa for his new heart, he

asked me to keep advocating for this registry, and I say that's passion, Mr.

Speaker.

I ask

all hon. Members to keep Clayton in your prayers and to thank him for his

commitment to making our world a better place.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Placentia West - Bellevue.

MR.

BROWNE:

Mr.

Speaker, the best way is the Osmond way, and what a weekend it has been!

A raucous airport arrival, a celebratory Olympic event

here at Confederation Building, culminating in hometown celebrations where

literally thousands of people came out to meet Kaetlyn, celebrate her

accomplishments and watch her skate on her home ice. Her dog Rasquette, and her

parents Jeff and Jackie, travelled home too. In fact, in her mother's speech

Saturday night she said I was Kaetlyn's number one fan, and I'm inclined to

agree.

The entire weekend was fabulous. I thank many of my

colleagues for joining me on the Burin Peninsula. And as we mark Volunteer Week,

let me say a special thank you to the tireless organizers who made these events

possible. Our hometown pride was at its peak, and it showed.

When asked by a reporter why she lists Marystown as her

hometown, she gave the perfect response: “It never really occurred to me to put

anything else … I always say Marystown, it's where I am from.”

Mr. Speaker, it's this humble spirit that earned

Kaetlyn not only her Olympic and world achievements, but the hero's welcome she

was given. And if I know Kaetlyn, it won't be long before I rise in my place

once again to say: “She's done it again!”

Welcome home, Kaetlyn!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS.

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last Wednesday night over 100 volunteers met at the

Boys & Girls Club in St. John's Centre to do the second Point-in-Time Count

organized by End Homelessness St. John's. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., volunteers

spread out across the city counting our city's homeless population.

The goal was to meet and survey people living on the

streets, in parks, in cars, abandoned buildings; in emergency shelters and

short-term housing; the hidden homeless couch surfing by staying with friends or

relatives; and people accommodated in public systems such as hospitals or

correctional institutions who had no fixed address when released. I also went on

the Count and was humbled by the resilience of the people that I met.

End Homelessness St. John's is chaired by the former,

amazing MHA Shawn Skinner, coordinated by the amazing Bruce Pearce, and the

Count was organized by the amazing Pegah Memarpour, all champions to end

homelessness.

Bravo to them and to the incredible, dedicated volunteers.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The

hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today on behalf of the Government of Newfoundland

and Labrador to offer condolences to the family and friends of those affected by

the horrific bus accident earlier his month in Saskatchewan that claimed the

lives of 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. One of the young men

that we lost that day was Parker Tobin, who had ties to this province.

Travelling by bus to sporting events is a rite of passage

for young athletes and team officials across the country, including right here

in Newfoundland and Labrador. The trips themselves are often memorable, a big

part of the fun, sometimes more fun than the games they are headed to. I know

these bus rides strengthen bonds and lead to team building. So when tragedy

strikes something so innocent, it is difficult to comprehend.

When the news reached Newfoundland and Labrador, I reached

out to Premier Moe to express our province's deepest condolences for the immense

loss. I shared with him that this province and its people mourn with fellow

Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, what has been remarkable over the past few

weeks is the outpouring of support from around the world; the vast majority of

which have no direct ties to those involved in the accident. Whether it was

through financial donations or by deciding to become an organ or blood donor,

people have stepped up in an effort to honour and remember those that were lost.

Mr. Speaker, the victims of this tragedy and those who

loved them will forever remain in our thoughts. We also stand with the community

of Humboldt and the Province of Saskatchewan as they begin what will be a long

healing process.

I ask all Members of this House of Assembly to join me in a

moment of silence.

(Moment of silence.)

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the Premier for the advance copy of his statement today. I also thank him for

addressing what certainly has been a heartbreaking experience for all Canadians.

Such a loss of 16 lives in our own country hits home for so many.

Mr.

Speaker, over the last couple of weeks, during the Easter break in particular,

thousands of children travel on buses – not only for sporting events, but

throughout the year they sometimes travel for attending field trips and other

activities within their community or within their school. It's not uncommon to

have families, parents and supervisors following not too far behind by buses.

It's all the more reason why this terrible tragedy strikes home to so many, to

all Canadians, to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Mr.

Speaker, in small towns it's not unusual for hockey to bind communities. Quite

often, hockey is the centrepiece that brings residents together. That's

certainly the case for this community.

Just to

wrap up, Mr. Speaker, it's worthy of noting, I believe, that sometimes from the

darkness of such terrible tragedies that happen, sometimes comes a glimmer of

light. Canada has wrapped their arms around Humboldt, around Saskatchewan,

around the team, the families and also around the survivors. We'll keep them in

our prayers.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the Premier for an advance copy of his statement. We, too, send our condolences

to the families and loved ones of the victims of this incomprehensible tragedy.

The outpouring of support shows how close we all are and how we, as Canadians,

feel such a strong sense of community, even if that community is thousands of

kilometres away.

The

healing process for all those involved will indeed be long. It is our hope that

the support of all Canadians will provide some solace along the way.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

The hon.

the Minister of Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today,

we recognize a life well lived. Al Chislett was a self-reliant man and a

visionary whose entrepreneurial spirit improved and enhanced the mining industry

in our province.

In 1993,

Al Chislett and his partner, Chris Verbiski, were looking for diamonds in

Labrador. In mid-September of that year, just as the weather was starting to

turn, they made a most incredible discovery.

As they

headed back to camp, they spotted something from the air – a thick stripe of

rust-coloured rock on a hill above Voisey's Bay. That strip of rock led to the

discovery of the world-class Voisey's Bay mine.

Since

construction began at Voisey's Bay, the project has generated some 35,000 person

years of employment. Mining operations began in 2005 and approximately $15

billion of nickel, copper and cobalt have been recovered.

Born in

Islington, Trinity Bay, Al earned a diploma in business administration Ryerson

University and worked in accounting and construction before changing course and

pursuing a career in prospecting. Mr. Chislett became the first person in the

history of the province to receive a prospector's grant from government, a

program that continues to this day. His company, Eagleridge International

Limited, continues to prospect and develop projects in this province.

I ask

all hon. Members to join me in recognizing Al Chislett – a true pioneer of the

mining industry, a great entrepreneur and a humble man. And to his family, we

offer sincere condolences.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want

to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement. On behalf of the

Official Opposition caucus, I join with the minister in recognizing the

contribution which Al Chislett made on the mining industry and, in fact, our

entire province.

Mr.

Speaker, Al Chislett was a true entrepreneur. He helped, as we know, discover

the Voisey's Bay mine. The discovery of this has seen thousands of

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians receive jobs and put us on the world stage.

This discovery also sparked remarkable progress in our mining industry and

inspired many other prospectors to continue their exploration and to build the

industry in our province.

I had

the privilege of meeting Mr. Chislett several years ago. I enjoyed hearing his

well-thought-out viewpoints and his vision for the mining industry and for our

province. He was a true advocate for the development of the industry and a true

advocate for our province.

I hope

that others in this province are inspired by this accomplished individual and

follow in his footsteps. I wish his family our condolences on his passing and

his legacy as an entrepreneur, business leader and trailblazer will live on.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister. Al Chislett was indeed a true pioneer, and his work brought

prosperity to many in this province and to many beyond our borders. Chislett may

not have found diamonds, but he himself was a diamond in the rough, showing us

all what hard work, dedication and a little luck can do. Look what a

prospector's grant can reap. There are great mining discoveries yet to be made

in this province, and perhaps some in Mr. Chislett's name.

Our

condolences to Al's family and friends and colleagues, and bravo to Al Chislett

for showing us how it's done.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

The hon.

the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to

recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and advise that starting tonight

we will light the Confederation Building blue in recognition. This month, we are

raising awareness about the issues facing child and youth victims of violence

and drawing attention to the role everyone in the community has in helping keep

children and youth safe.

As the

Minister of Justice and Public Safety, violence prevention is extremely

important and, as a father, I believe keeping children safe is paramount.

Mr.

Speaker, in this province between 2006 and 2012 more than 10,000 violent crimes

were reported against children under the age of 18. This causes psychological,

emotional and physical harm.

It is a

top priority for our department and this government to ensure the justice system

works for everyone, particularly victims. I'm pleased to say that our Victim

Services program offers extensive support to children and youth victims of

violence including referrals for counselling, safety planning, court preparation

and assistance with completing Victim Impact Statements.

Mr.

Speaker, this month and every month, we are committed to doing whatever we can

to prevent child abuse.

Finally,

I'd like to thank Ms. Bev Moore-Davis who continues to do outstanding work to

help victims and survivors of child abuse with her organization Miles for

Smiles. Ms. Moore-Davis knows first-hand what it is like to be a survivor. It

takes a lot of courage for her to put herself out there for this extremely

important cause and we will do whatever we can to help her address these

important issues.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for an advance copy of his statement today. As the Official

Opposition, we join with the minister in recognizing April as Child Abuse

Prevention Month. It's a month to celebrate it, especially in the most recent

years, led by Ms. Bev Moore-Davis – a lady who I can tell you I've grown great

respect for in recent years of seeing the resilience that she has, the efforts

and the work that she leads within Newfoundland and Labrador and also beyond our

own boundaries.

congratulate her. I thank the team that's around her for continuing to work and

focus on child abuse and the needs of raising this publicly, and also recognize

the benefits to survivors who are looking for support, help and assistance when

they're looking to speak out and to deal with their own experiences.

Congratulations to Ms. Bev Moore-Davis and also to her team. I hope she has a

good month. I see she has many activities. I encourage people to join them in

those activities.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister. When travelling around the province, the All-Party Committee on

Mental Health and Addictions heard of extraordinarily long wait times for

psychological and psychiatric services for children. We also heard from

educators about the need for more counsellors in the school system to support

our children.

I want

to thank Bev Moore-Davis and all the community organizations, Victim Services

workers and front-line social workers in child protection who do such incredible

work. It is the services to our people, as well as prevention. Bravo!

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

Oral

Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, in Estimates a couple of weeks ago when the Minister of Justice was

asked what funding is being provided to the province by the federal government

to support the legalization of marijuana, the minister referred us to the

Minister of Finance.

I ask

the Minister of Finance today: What's the total funding expected from the

federal government? Can he table a breakdown and details of that funding?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will

say to the Member opposite that I'm not aware of any funding directly from the

federal government for cannabis. I can check with the department, but I'm not

aware of any funding.

We are

anticipated, Mr. Speaker, to generate a revenue this year of $5.8 million as a

result of cannabis. The costs associated with implementation of cannabis are

going to be about $4 million, so it will be net revenue to the province of about

$1.8 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the Official

Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say to

the minister: During the Estimates, the department rolled out their expectation.

They weren't sure on the current amount, but their expectation built right into

their Estimates of $500,000 from the federal government for offsetting funds.

Minister, are you telling me now that there are no funds that you're aware of

that's coming to the province from the federal government to offset the cost of

implementation of marijuana?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Finance and

President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Mr. Speaker, I know that the

federal government are giving $1.9 million in training and I think $500,000 for

ticketing, but nothing directly towards the retail and distribution of cannabis.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

No, it's

actually the Department of Justice who is offsetting funds, and the breakdown

provided to us was: $100,000 for fines administration; $100,000 for public

prosecutions; and $300,000 for the operations of provincial court. But, again,

the department couldn't provide details on the revenue and it was only what they

were expecting at that point. They didn't know firmly what was going to be

received from the federal government.

I ask

the minister: Do you have any better idea – I ask the Minister of Finance: When

do you expect to know the details of what offsetting funds will actually be

received by government?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

I just outlined that to the

Member. It's $1.9 million, Mr. Speaker, as well as $500,000 for ticketing and

justice related issues.

The

first question that the Member asked, I had thought he was talking about the

retail distribution of cannabis. There's nothing to go towards the retail

distribution but there is funding, Mr. Speaker, for ticketing and other such.

It's $1.9 million and $500,000; $2.4 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The $1.9

million, Minister, can you table a breakdown by department of how those funds

will be utilized?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I'll be

happy to provide that information to the Member. We'll get that information to

him.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Nova

Scotia Liberal budget outlined and forecast $20 million in revenue related to

the sale of marijuana. So that's $20 million in revenue to their budget.

Why does

the revenue in our province only budget $2.2 million for marijuana tax revenue

versus $20 million for Nova Scotia? Can the minister tell us why there's such a

significant difference?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our sale

and distribution of cannabis in this province goes through the Newfoundland

Liquor Corporation and they've provided us with the budget and their estimates,

Mr. Speaker, on gross revenue to the province as a result of the sale of

cannabis and that's where the numbers are derived.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We know

the legalization of marijuana is going to cost the province more than is

collected through taxation.

I ask

the minister: How much has been budgeted to address the total cost associated

with the legalization of marijuana in Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I did

outline in an earlier question from the Member that the revenue is anticipated

to be $5.8 million. The costs associated with the retail and distribution of

cannabis through the NLC is roughly $4 million. So it's a net revenue to the

province of $1.8 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Budget 2018 , government approved a $20

million transfer to Nalcor to help fund $28 million in exploration budget.

I ask

the minister: Can you advice if funding for exploration has been decreased for

this fiscal year?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY: Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

There's been a five-year program for exploration in

offshore. This program has yielded great benefits, I say, Mr. Speaker, to the

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and really did unveil our prospectivity.

This program, of course, is year over year over year and we continue to do that.

Some years are higher amounts funded because you need to do 3-D. Some years are

lower amounts funded because you have to do 2-D.

Mr. Speaker, as we move forward this will fluctuate, as it

has under the former administration and as it will continue. It depends on what

program you're doing in the year ahead and what needs there are based on the

prospectivity, the requirements of the program itself, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wonder

if the minister can tell us: What's the actual reduction in the program from

2017 to 2018? What's the dollar figure?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY: Mr.

Speaker, if you take it just in that particular year. Last year we had the

highest program ever for exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador because we've

put an awful lot in the 3-D program, Mr. Speaker.

Last year, I believe, if memory serves me, it was about $38

million, but that was because it was a 3-D program. It was the highest, the

largest 3-D exploration program in the world.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS. COADY: This

year we're going to continue the analysis of that 3-D seismic program. In

addition to that, Mr. Speaker, we're adding new – adding new seismic data to

that program for a new seismic program worth about $20 million.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

(Inaudible) is the investment

in the seismic data and that information. It drives investment and opportunity

in our province, and that's what we're talking about.

Is the

minister concerned that a cut in exploration funding will lead to a decrease in

available seismic information which entitles oil industry investments in our

province and as resulted, as she said, in record land sales in prior years?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will

provide to this House how much the seismic program has been increasing under

this government.

Mr.

Speaker, we have been very focused on the development, the continuing

development of the oil and gas opportunity off our coast of Newfoundland and

Labrador. We will continue to do that.

We've

just released Advance 2030 , which was

celebrated really by the entire province, the industry, people involved in

labour, people involved in training. Everybody was very receptive of this

program because what it shows is we're going to be developing a program that is

going to double – more than double – our opportunities in offshore Newfoundland

and Labrador.

Mr.

Speaker, we're going to take last year's seismic data, the 3-D seismic data,

continue to add to that data and continue to do the results so that we can drive

exploration.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, indeed, oil and gas Advance 2030

that the minister speaks of envisions 100 new exploration wells drilled,

shortened time from prospectivity to production and direct employment of 7,500

people, but Nalcor is cutting exploration budgets.

How can

you meet your vision of Advance 2030

if you're cutting exploration budgets?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Natural

Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will

help to try and educate the Member opposite of how this program actually works.

What happens, Mr. Speaker, is every year we go out, we do some seismic; last

year, as I said, the largest 3-D seismic program in the world.

You have

to take all that data, Mr. Speaker, take it into a data room, have experts that

we have at Nalcor Oil and Gas company and they have to review all that data.

While they're reviewing all that data – which is going to take some time because

it is 3-D data – we're also continuing the program by investing in 2-D and more

3-D seismic so that we can look at various other areas around offshore

Newfoundland and Labrador.

We are

really supporting a robust opportunity in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS. COADY:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Member for Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, maybe the minister can educate us on the details of Nalcor's plan for

2-D and 3-D seismic research for this particular year?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Natural

Resources.

MS. COADY:

Mr. Speaker, I'd be happy to

have that information available to this House. I will confer with the lead at

Nalcor Oil and Gas and make sure that we have the full program details. They're

still being worked out, as we move forward to look at the various areas that

need additional research and development, looking at the information that we

currently have and adding to that.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

minister wants to educate us but doesn't have the details. Mr. Speaker, the

consulting contract exists to support –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

The consulting contract

exists to support the C-NLOPB related to seismic-related work.

I ask

the minister: Will this cut in budget affect that contract and land sales that

are driven by the C-NLOPB?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Natural

Resources.

MS. COADY:

Mr. Speaker, if we have a

contract in place, then the contract is already in place. This is for future

work in making sure that we continue the program that has been under

development.

We want

to make sure that we have a strong exploration program in offshore Newfoundland

and Labrador. Part of that is doing 2-D seismic in the area where land sales are

coming up; part of that is doing 3-D seismic to give an even more in-depth

detail, Mr. Speaker.

We've

consulted with the Nalcor Oil and Gas experts in this; $20 million is being

invested to ensure that we have the details that we need to continue to entice

the world to come here to do their exploration, Mr. Speaker.

Everyone

is quite excited about our offshore oil and gas opportunity. I'm sure the Member

is as well.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, the Premier stated that a review of the Atlantic Accord has now started

and that opportunities would be there to make changes that it reflect the

current financial environment of our province.

Premier,

what exactly will you be looking for and could you provide an update?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, as

I think most people in the province would know by now, that we met with the

Prime Minister on Tuesday of last week. We had a very good meeting, and, of

course, the reason for reaching out to the Prime Minister was the very issue

that the Member opposite just raised.

So the

Accord, as you know, back in 2005 when the last agreement was struck, made

provision for a review of the Atlantic Accord which would have to be completed

by March of 2019. Under that review process there are a number of decision

areas, or areas that would be open for review, things like – as the Member

mentioned – equalization, but also as you compare Newfoundland and Labrador when

it compares us to other provinces in terms of financial asperities.

So, Mr.

Speaker, it will be a broad discussion. Finance will be involved. Our office

will be involved; officials from the Justice department and so on, Natural

Resources and others.

Mr.

Speaker, right now, all I will tell you is this, is that the Prime Minister was

engaged and very anxious to get the review started.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, in the review that the Premier has referenced, will you be asking for

changes to how both renewable and non-renewable resources are recognized in the

calculation of revenues as defined in the province's fiscal capacity?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

As of today, Mr. Speaker, we are talking to the Prime Minister, something that

Members opposite refused to do for many years on this very issue. But I will

say, Mr. Speaker –

MR. HUTCHINGS:

(Inaudible.)

PREMIER BALL:

Well, I would like to remind

the Member opposite, they had the occasion in 2009 and 2014, both of which they

decided not to attend.

But, Mr.

Speaker, we talk a lot about equalization. We talk a lot about federal

transfers, either be it health or social transfers. There's about $75 billion

that goes from the federal government into the provincial governments now on an

annual basis.

Our

province, Mr. Speaker, I've said this quite openly on many times, received $750

million this year. Compared to other provinces, we do believe that that's a

disparity. That is one of the reasons why we've reached out and asked for this

review, Mr. Speaker, and the review will be started.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I remind the Premier, we met with the former prime minister. We weren't

afraid to tell him we didn't agree with him.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for

the protection.

Quebec's

billions in revenue from the sale of hydro from the Upper Churchill does not

reduce the amount of equalization Quebec is entitled to.

I ask

the Premier: Is this an area where you'll make representation for changes?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of

all, like the Member opposite, I remember the TV clipping from this meeting with

the prime minister on a cold Friday night that lasted a few minutes when he

stepped outside the meeting and said we don't trust that crowd.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Please proceed.

PREMIER BALL:

He said we don't trust that

crowd.

Well,

Mr. Speaker, we had a very good meeting. It's like everyone, when you sit with

whoever they are, Mr. Speaker, you must make your points. I will guarantee you,

on the meeting that we had with the prime minister, all of these issues,

including the Atlantic Accord and many other issues impacting Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians, were discussed at that meeting. One of which, as he just

mentioned, is indeed the Atlantic Accord.

But keep

in mind, Mr. Speaker, the Accord was put in place for one reason: to make sure

that Newfoundland and Labrador is a primary beneficiary of our offshore

resources. That's the objectives, and that's the one that we'll be reviewing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

prime minister yesterday in talking about the pipeline referenced Sydney to

Campbell River, so you might want to mention to him that Eastern Canada exists

beyond Sydney and it exists in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier

have his Minister of Finance release the presentations made over the past three

years by the federal government related to equalization and changes we

requested?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Mr. Speaker, I take exception

to what the Member opposite just mentioned. When he talked about Sydney and

Campbell River, he forgot the early part. If he was paying attention to what the

prime minister said yesterday, actually St. John's was mentioned in this comment

as well.

So why

is it that you would single this out today in this House, knowing full well that

you're not really expressing exactly what happened yesterday, or did you

deliberately leave that out for political reasons? Mr. Speaker, we are meeting

with the prime minister. We are meeting with the minister of Finance, and I

watched that very closely what happened yesterday. Obviously, Members opposite

did not take the opportunity to be as close to what was happening there

yesterday.

What

happened yesterday, I believe was good for Canada, Mr. Speaker. There are things

that are happening on our offshore which is also good for Canada, but let me

tell you this my goal is – who I represent are people of Newfoundland and

Labrador and we will not be playing politics with people in our province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Ferryland.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Mr. Speaker, I watched the

discussion with the prime minister. What he said, he had been in Fort Mac, met

with workers there last week and was amazed by all the workers that were

involved in the industry from Canada. He said from Campbell River to Sydney.

That's what he said. Now, I don't know, Newfoundland is not included in that

distance, I don't think, but maybe the Premier can explain that.

didn't answer the question, so I'll ask the Premier: Can the Minister of Finance

release the documents he has sent to the federal government related to

equalization and requested changes over the past three years?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I

said a few weeks ago – first of all, I'd like to remind the Member opposite,

maybe what he should do, rather than get in this to and fro he should just go

back and review the tapes. Our province, St. John's, was mentioned by the prime

minister yesterday. Let's be very clear about that.

Mr.

Speaker, what we're into now is a negotiation about the principles of the

Atlantic Accord which were put in place in 2005. Equalization, where we fit and

how we compare to other provinces, it's part of all of that. What is also part

of this is legislative and regulatory changes that would impact future

discoveries off of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr.

Speaker, all of this will be part of the review of where we fit, what is the

impact on our offshore, what is the impact of offshore royalties and its impact

on equalization. All of that now is open for discussion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess

they're not going to release the presentations because there are none.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. PETTEN:

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday

the minister indicated he would review the final recommendation of the

Independent Expert Advisory Committee regarding targeted soil removal and the

capping of wetlands.

I ask

the minister: Can he provide an update on his review of this report? Has he

actually read it yet?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

With

such a serious issue, Mr. Speaker, playing such political points on this – and I

remember the Member, how many times did you ask in this hon. House on behalf of

the people that you represented, asked the government that went ahead and

finally sanctioned Muskrat Falls: Will you start methylmercury limits so we

could see the baseline? He asked. It wasn't done once.

I can

tell you where it's at. The information has been put in. It is being reviewed,

Mr. Speaker.

I have

to say – and I always said this when we were in the Opposition – that if the

proper work was done before this was ever sanctioned, we would not be in this

position. We did not need Muskrat Falls, the biggest tax on Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians that any of us are going to see in our life.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Mr. Speaker, it's Question

Period. We get up and ask questions and government answers, so I don't know why

the minister is getting offended.

As for

another point, he's the most political Member on the other side when it comes to

questions. We're asking questions. His answers are always political.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. PETTEN:

We're asking questions.

People deserve those questions and they deserve answers, Mr. Speaker. I'm going

to try again.

Minister, this project is underway. A decision is urgently needed. When will you

make a decision?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Minister of Municipal

Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, am I political

when it comes to the safety that the Member brought up many times? You better

believe I am, when he asks those questions over and over and over.

Mr.

Speaker, there's one thing that we will do – and I said it when I was in the

media – we would review and analyze the report. We would meet with Mr. Reimer –

there has been a message gone to Dr. Reimer to have a meeting. Then we would

meet with all other groups.

We would

not be like the group that sanctioned Muskrat Falls without doing their due

diligence, barring the PUB from it, Mr. Speaker, ignoring the joint review

panel. That's not what we're all about.

What

we're going to do is analyze the report, then we're going to meet with Dr.

Reimer and meet with all the groups involved. We're going to do our due

diligence, unlike the Members opposite who just rammed it through because it was

the right thing to do, they thought.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Mr. Speaker, I hate to keep doing this. I want to remind the minister, the group

he refers to is sitting over with him: Minister of Finance, former minister of

Finance, Minister of AES. Why don't he go and talk to them? Sure, he got them

next to him; he doesn't have to ask us any questions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. PETTEN:

Mr. Speaker, the CEO of

Nalcor has said: There is not one documented case that I'm aware of that

flooding a reservoir has caused harm due to methylmercury. It's in the

environment. It's everywhere.

Has the

CEO of Nalcor advocated to you to decide against soil removal and capping?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I may be

political, but the facts are we're spending over $20 million doing an inquiry

because of the boondoggle that this government approved – the previous

government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. JOYCE:

That's what this causes, this

Muskrat Falls Project, without doing the due diligence.

Mr.

Speaker, if you ever went through and you look at the report, if the Member ever

took time to read the report, you could see all the experts, they all had a

different opinion. There were two who said move it. There were some more who

said just parts; some say capping. Mr. Speaker, that is what we're going to be

looking at. We're going to be reviewing it all.

And the

Innu Nation has a very strong view. So do you just steamroller over the Innu

Nation? Do you steamroller over them, or do you just try to get a view and get a

consensus, Mr. Speaker?

We're

going to consult with everybody involved. We are not going to do what the

previous government did and make the boondoggle of Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker.

We're going to consult and try to come to a consensus for all the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Mr. Speaker, all we're asking

is: When are you going to make a decision? The people deserve that – it's a

simple question. Answer the question. That's all we've done. He's not answering

any questions. I'm going to ask one more now.

The CEO

of Nalcor has also said – and this is a quote – this has never been done

anywhere, so my expectation is this will not be required.

So will

your decision be based on the CEO of Nalcor's comments that this isn't

necessary?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, again, I'll

answer the question. We'll make a decision when we do due diligence and consult

with all the groups involved.

Mr.

Speaker, once again, the Member opposite obviously didn't read the report

because if he read the report and is trying to single out Stan Marshall or this

government, you can see, even in the report, Peter Penashue himself said, the

experts even said themselves – now, you can say that Peter Penashue is wrong.

You can laugh as much as you like over there, but you stand up and say Peter

Penashue is wrong when he said himself that the report shows that this hasn't

been done anywhere in the world – anywhere in the world. They're unsure of the

consequences. That's what was said in the report.

So this

is not Stan Marshall; this is the report. If you feel – if you want to keep

laughing, say Peter Penashue don't know what he's talking about and the people

who read the report are wrong (inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS. PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members

of the local arts community are concerned over a partnership between MusicNL and

the federally funded CBC's Studio F, a partnership which the minister has given

his blessing on Twitter.

I ask

the minister: How can you endorse something which may put local recording

studios out of business?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And I

thank the Member opposite for the question. We certainly have a very robust

music industry here in Newfoundland and Labrador. The industry association is

MusicNL. They are an independent entity; they are not part of government.

The

local broadcaster that she highlighted is the public broadcaster. It is a

federal entity. So any partnership between an industry association and a public

broadcaster, which is a federal entity, has nothing to do with the provincial

government.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune for a very quick question, please.

MS. PERRY:

CBC receives hundreds of

millions of dollars annually from the federal government, Minister, and your

department provides funding to MusicNL.

MR. SPEAKER:

A quick question, please.

MS. PERRY:

Do you feel is it appropriate

that public money may be used to fund a federally funded music studio and put

local studios out of business?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation for a quick response, please.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And we

certainly support both MusicNL in how they advance the music industry in

Newfoundland and Labrador to supply programs, to do export development, but also

support private business and the opportunities that they have to grow when it

comes to the recording that they do and also the connectivity with public

institutions or private institutions to do training and other opportunities.

Consultation will take place. That's what MusicNL had said. It is their program.

It has nothing to do with the provincial government.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, the real

unemployment rate in our province is heading for 20 per cent, the highest in the

country, and actual employment rates are also going down. There is a looming job

crisis and without a proactive strategy there is no immediate relief in sight.

The Premier has been in his position now for 2½ years and the job situation has

gotten worse under his government.

I ask

the Premier: Does he not realize what our people are facing? What is he going to

do about it?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of

all, let me begin by welcoming the Leader of the Third Party to her new role. We

look forward to working with her.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you.

To the

question that she asked, Mr. Speaker, certainly that is something that's very

important to me and our government. It is one of the reasons why we put in place

The Way Forward in 2016, which is

really about growth and sustainability in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I think

the Member opposite, too, would know that we're just coming off and finalizing

really three megaprojects in our province which is leading to the increase in

the unemployment numbers. As a matter of fact, if you look at the rates, they're

really back to where they were in 2009 and 2010 levels right now.

As a

matter of fact, when you look at The Way

Forward , as we've been working very closely with industry making strategic

investments, it is all about job creation in our province, Mr. Speaker. We are

making a difference.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The Leader of the Third

Party.

MS. ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, we all knew that

those megaprojects were coming to a close, so that's no surprise. There's been

no planning; he's been at this for 2½ years now, his government.

Mr.

Speaker, we are all hearing more and more young people say they are leaving the

province because they can't find work.

I ask

the Premier: What concrete assurances can he give to our young people, and

working families who desperately need work and want to stay, that there will be

jobs for them?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There

are many things that we've been doing as part of

The Way Forward .

Mr.

Speaker, I want to remind the Member opposite, too, when she talks about

investments in Newfoundland and Labrador, will she please explain to the people

of Newfoundland and Labrador why it is that you refused to come to budget

consultations when you were given the opportunity in December to do it? You

refused to come. You deliberately stayed out of budget consultations. Why is it

you stand in this House today without a plan, without any suggestions for the

future of Newfoundland and Labrador?

We have

put in place The Way Forward , Mr.

Speaker. We've met with the tech sector; we've met with aquaculture which she

does not support. Agriculture is attracting jobs to Newfoundland and Labrador

and we're hoping for some big news in the mining industry as well.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Half a

century of royal commissions, task forces and government white papers have

recognized that closing the gender wage gap requires universal affordable child

care. A gender-based analysis of the provincial budget would have shown that a

child care program is an economic necessity for women.

I ask

the Minister of Finance: Why did his supposedly gender-based budget not result

in a plan for a universal affordable public child care program?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education and Early Childhood Development.

MR. KIRBY:

Mr. Speaker, the record

shows, the only time that the NDP supports child care is times when –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. KIRBY:

– we're not required to vote

on it in the House of Assembly. For example, when the NDP decided to turn their

back on their election promise to support full-day kindergarten, they teamed up

with the Progressive Conservative Party to vote against full-day kindergarten.

To deny thousands of mothers out there the opportunity to have their children in

a better education program so that they wouldn't have to provide child care for

half of that day.

that's what we see from the NDP. When it's election time they support child

care; when it's time to vote in favour of child care, they vote against it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's East - Quidi Vidi.

MS. MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I ask

the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development: When will he act on

the evidence that affordable, quality child care is good for the economy and

working women and start working towards a public universal child care plan?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education and Early Childhood Development.

MR. KIRBY:

Mr. Speaker, we started to

act on that commitment the day that we came into office in 2015.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. KIRBY:

We implemented full-day

kindergarten against the wishes of the NDP. We introduced an increase in the

salaries through the early learning and care supplement for early childhood

educators who are dominated by a women-dominated workforce.

We have

announced recently the largest investment in early learning and care in the

history of Newfoundland and Labrador in this most recent budget, some $62

million in funding for early learning and care. So we take no lectures from the

Member opposite.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Oral Questions has ended.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling

of Documents.

Notices

of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give

notice of the following private Member's resolution on the legalization of

marijuana to be debated on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

It's

moved by myself as the Member for Topsail - Paradise to move the following

private Member's resolution:

WHEREAS

the Trudeau government intends to legalize marijuana in 2018, even though many

important questions about the impact of legalization have still not been

answered; and

WHEREAS

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve answers to such questions prior to

legalization;

BE IT

RESOLVED that this hon. House calls on the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador to promptly release its analysis on the impacts of legalization on

Newfoundland and Labrador including the social, medical, fiscal, economic,

legal, penal, educational, residential and cross jurisdiction impacts; and

BE IT

FURTHER RESOLVED that the hon. House calls on the Government of Newfoundland and

both levels of government can assure Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that

effective measures are in place to inform people of the impacts of legalization,

monitor, evaluate and respond to the impacts in real time, address any social

and medical consequences as they arise, protect people from marijuana impaired

drivers, protect people from second-hand exposure to marijuana products and

compensate our province promptly and fully for any negative fiscal impacts on

legalization.

Mr.

Speaker, that motion is seconded by the Member for Ferryland.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, the private Member's resolution just introduced by the Member for

Topsail - Paradise will be the resolution that we'll debate on private Members'

Day, Wednesday.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.

MS.

PERRY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled:

The residents of Hermitage and surrounding area depend

on timely access to medical services. The amount of days that medical services

are being provided at the Hermitage Medical Clinic has been reduced from two

days per week to just two days per month.

Residents of the Hermitage area, including many

seniors, must now travel approximately 50 kilometres to Harbour Breton to

receive medical services and no public transportation is available in this area.

The residents of the Hermitage area have expressed concerns about their ability

to receive medical services in a timely manner as well as safety concerns

related to travelling for medical purposes.

Therefore we petition the hon. House of Assembly as

follows:

The undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call

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

to extend operations at the Hermitage Medical Clinic to include an extra two

days of services per month for a total of four days per month.

Mr. Speaker, the community is really not asking for a

lot. They're asking to have access to medical services of a doctor or a nurse

one day per week. Mr. Speaker, it breaks my heart that they're even in this

position because I strongly believe they should still be availing of a clinic

that is open from Monday to Friday and fully staffed as it was until only

recently.

In rural Newfoundland it is very disheartening and

depressing to see the Liberal government whittle away, whittle away, whittle

away our services, our essential services

in health care. There's one

thing more important than anything else that we have in this province, and

that's our people. Our people will not excel, thrive and flourish; we will not

attract investors to our communities without a decent health care system in

place.

moving forward, I certainly will continue to rise in this hon. House. We have a

number of these petitions to present until we hope to hear the news one day –

and we'll continue at this until we do get the news that the clinic services

will be restored to the people of the Hermitage area.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Could I ask for order please?

The Speaker is having difficulty hearing those who have been addressed to speak.

Thank

you.

The hon.

the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I've

been given the honour and privilege to present this petition on behalf of the

undersigned residents of Port Blandford. These are the reasons for this

petition.

Port

Blandford and surrounding region's economy is reliant on tourism and related

outdoor activities. The forest in and around Port Blandford contributes heavily

to a thriving tourism industry, employing many residents. The forests in and

around Port Blandford sustains a large wildlife population including the once

endangered and now threatened species, the Newfoundland Marten. The council and

the residents of the community were not properly consulted before important

decisions were made.

Therefore, we petition the hon. House of Assembly to call upon government to

immediately cancel any plans for clear-cutting in the Port Blandford area as

identified in the five-year plan; and, furthermore, before any current or future

decisions are made concerning wood harvesting in our region to direct the

department to ensure the appropriate consultations are conducted with active

involvement from the municipal council and an opportunity for its residents to

be engaged.

Mr.

Speaker, these residents are really frustrated with the situation. They've met

with ministers and MHAs and they're still at a point of confusion. Many of

these, as stated, rely on the tourism industry for their incomes. Tourism is a

great contribution to our economy as it attracts outside monies into our

province.

Many of

these tourism operations are now at a point of maturation where they're looking

to pass them on to future generations, make significant investments, and all

this is on hold until we get some clarity regarding the clear-cutting operations

proposed for the area.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon.

the Member for Conception Bay South.

MR. PETTEN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the

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

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of Newfoundland

and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS

Newfoundland has the highest incident of cardiac disease in Canada and we need

to do what we can to improve our ability to save lives; and

WHEREAS

the implementation of a new registry can be completed for less than the cost of

a new vehicle; and

WHEREAS

after implementation, the annual cost will be five cents per resident;

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

of Assembly to urge government to enact legislation requiring all AEDs in the

province be registered with an online registry. This registry must also be

linked to the 911 system to enable faster response times in the case of cardiac

emergencies.

And as

in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr.

Speaker, I've presented this petition several times. As a matter of fact, the

Member's statement I did today on a gentleman in my district is directly tied to

this petition. It's something that I've spoken about many times and I'll

continue to advocate because I think it's necessary.

AEDs, we

have them all installed around the province, and it's a great job by the former

administration and the current one to finish this off, but it's very important

that we have a registry in place. And this registry, you'll know where they are.

You tie it to your 911 system. If there's an emergency, a first responder can

pick up the phone and call directly and find out where the nearest AED is.

They

save lives, Mr. Speaker. And as evidenced by, like I say, this family in my

district who suffer from this rare disease, they were very passionate about it

because it is life-saving equipment. Without the AEDs on site – and not a matter

of them being on site, is the batteries be working, for them to be operational.

That's what this registry is about: to be operational and to be ready, when

needed, to be there for anyone – me or you, or a first responder.

On this

note, Mr. Speaker, it's not been spoken publicly, or at least not to my

knowledge, but just this past evening someone I know quite well, actually, and a

very close friend of my constituency assistant, their lives were saved at the

CBS arena as a result of these AEDs being available. Someone collapsed on the

ice. It was a coach in his 40s, collapsed, and six attempts to bring him back

with this defibrillator.

Finally,

they got him back. It was a very serious issue. I suspect probably the media may

bring it up, because it's usually a big deal. His life was saved and it's a

great, fast response. I mean, on the way to the hospital, they had to stop twice

and restart his heart. Very lucky man to be alive today, and I'm glad to report

he's recovering, but without that AED there, operational – it's not a matter of

it being there sitting in a box; it has to be operational.

This

registry will make it operational because it will be constantly check the

batteries, make sure it's up and running. The first responder, when that

happened, had there not been one right there, they could pick up the phone, call

and there's one 100 feet away or in the next building. This is a necessity. It's

a very cheap, $25,000-$30,000 cost. I'll continue to advocate because I think

it's not a matter of want, it's a matter of need – a must. We have to have it.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon.

the Government House Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Orders of the Day.

MR. SPEAKER:

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would

call from the Order Paper, Motion 1, the Budget Speech.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader, to continue his remarks.

MR. HUTCHINGS:

I'm certainly pleased today

to rise to respond to the budget. We have some time left from the previous

sitting when I had the opportunity as Opposition Finance critic to respond to

Budget 2018 . At that time, I went through a lot of parts of the

budget as laid out by the Minister of Finance.

I think

today I just wanted to – one particular issue that's budgetary in nature and

it's related to my district, I want to speak to that first, then I just want to

touch on some of the commentary and some of the response since the budget was

brought down.

Obviously, we had a recess for Easter and for constituency week and, since then,

there has been a lot of dialogue and a lot of discussion in province in regard

to Budget 2018 and where people

believe it's going, what the content is and I'll touch on a little bit of that

in a few minutes.

One of

the areas I wanted to just mention from my own particular district is some of

the challenges – and I've heard from people in my district certainly over the

past couple of years and just recently – in regard to the UNESCO World Heritage

Site in Portugal Cove South and some of the challenges in the funding of that

project and some of the challenges that the fabulous volunteers in the region

are having in regard to that.

We had

worked – certainly through my time as being an elected official – very hard with

the community and with many of the fantastic volunteers there who, on their own

over the past 30 or 40 years, have worked very hard to preserve these fossils

which are well over 500 million years old and the preservation of those fossils.

I think

of people like Kit Ward from Portugal Cove and all the work she has done. Back

then, there wasn't a lot of structure in regard to how they'd be cared for and

making sure they were preserved. There were even incidents where people went out

and tried to chisel out a fossil and take it away, out of the fossil beds, but I

mentioned Kit Ward and people like that who, for decades, have been doing the

volunteer work to make sure that they're preserved.

Then we

went through the point of trying to have it recognized as a World Heritage Site.

That process started, the site was shortlisted, UNESCO went through the process

and finally, in 2016, received a designation and all that work culminated in

that and certainly the recognition of it.

That

property and the land surrounding it, that was part of reserved land. It was a

reserve and extended in regard to conservation by the province and managed by

the province. People may not know that's the first and only provincial

designated UNESCO site that's operated by the province. That was a continuation

of that land that was under control of the province at the time.

With

that, obviously, comes – and I know leading up to the actual designation, our

administration had invested significantly in the work to be done, to get the

proper work done. There's a dossier; a large document needs to be done with a

lot of scientific information and so forth that needs to be presented for

UNESCO. There's a management plan needs to be done, all of that as well.

That was

all funds made available to do that, to allow the bid to go forward and to be

successful, and indeed it was. There were those who worked in the department as

well, within government that played a role in that. As well, there was some

assistance from Parks Canada in regard to overseeing and I guess taking a look

at the documentation before it went in. Because they would have the expertise,

because they would operate most – I think it may be 18 UNESCO World Heritage

Sites in Canada. So they would be quite familiar with it.

We did

receive that designation, and, as I said, a lot of the funds that are generated

are generated by volunteers through fundraising, those types of things.

Obviously, this is now a World Heritage Site, which last year we saw an increase

in numbers. The site also is a gateway – the

interpretation centre is at

Portugal Cove South, the building is there. They have, obviously, an

interpretation centre. You can go in and receive information and look at the

fossils. There is a replica of the fossils there that you can see. So you don't

have to go to the actual site if you didn't want to, but that's all part of the

interpretation experience.

That

building is operated by a local group there, a volunteer group. They also serve

– as I said, it's a gateway to Mistaken Point. It's also a gateway to Cape Race

and the wireless communication centre that's at Cape Race as well; which, as we

know, was the first wireless message that was sent from the sinking

Titanic that was received out there.

So there's been investment in that as well. That's been upgraded and had

visitors last year collectively. Numbers were up to almost 10,000 people that

went through and they continue to grow.

The

challenge we have, and I relate it back to the budget, is that for the past –

since the designation we've been looking for government and for various

departments to look at investing and allowing that entity to have the investment

it needs, whether it's staffing, whether it's infrastructure, whether it's the

shoulder parts of the tourism season, which we know is extending in the

province. We have a lot of out-of-province visitors from May really up to

October.

Last

year I remember meeting with the department, with the minister at the time, and

as well looking at particular requirements, in regard to budget requirements.

There's a request made in writing to the minister, probably – I think they were

looking for anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000 to allow, you know, to put it at a

level of a world stage and requirements for funding that would allow them to do

what they needed to do. To date, I don't think they've received a response to

that, which is quite amazing. Again, I think they've written recently, emailed

the minister again and asked for a response.

The

other issue that causes some concern when you're looking at opening for the

season, and they've opened the facility and get up and running, is regards to

charging fees for provincial sites. That was brought in, I do believe, in last

year's budget, or maybe the one before. It was suspended for one year and this

year I think it's coming in.

Again,

the volunteers are waiting to hear on how that's going to work, how much money

is going to revert to the operations of that facility, because I've seen their

budgets. In the last couple of years they've run a deficit; yet, this is a World

Heritage Site. UNESCO designation where it's advertised around the world, even

used in some of the government's own tourism ads; yet, we don't have the support

today or a look into the future that need to actually take full advantage of

this opportunity.

Anybody

who's familiar with the Southern Avalon was certainly hard hit by the closure of

the ground fishery. I've seen out-migration, but this is one of the, I guess,

areas that we had thought – and I think rightfully so – could look to rejuvenate

that area, small business and employment.

We've

seen some of that already when you look at some of the activities that have

taken place in Trepassey. I did a private Member's statement here on Inn of

Avalon, Carol and John Devereaux and the work they've done with the Trepassey

Inn and the investments that have happened there. Employment; I was talking to

the owners just a little while back. They talked about this summer coming and

some of the bookings and what they have. They're tremendous entrepreneurs,

business people, did great investments and taken advantage of an activity like

Mistaken Point but you need to have provincial support to continue to grow that

and to maximize the opportunities.

Portugal Cove itself, I know there's a venue that has been bought, a coffee

store being put in. A place for someone to drop in and get a bite to eat, as

well as looking at further development. So that's all the things that happen

when you seize that opportunity, like UNESCO World Heritage Site designation,

but you need the ability, and government needs to recognize that and support it.

To date,

with the volunteers, I know they're extremely frustrated. They're looking at the

coming season and whether they'll have the opportunity to continue to operate

and do what they need to do.

I did

mention in regard to paying a fee that was introduced last year for provincial

sites, and that was suspended. What happens now is that people that go into the

venue right now often make a donation. I think last year the donations somewhere

reached about $28,000 in the amount of money that's collected. So that goes in

to those volunteers and their ability to operate that site, and they depend on

that.

you're going to implement a fee and you're not telling those volunteers is that

fee, whatever it is, whether it's $20 or $25, is going to revert right back to

the coffers of their operating budget, they're not going to give it back to

them, they have another deficit in regard to how they want to operate and if

they can operate.

Those

were things that were outlined in a letter last fall to the department. I said,

again, no information in regard to a response to that and their concerns, and no

idea if there's increase or assistance that they have asked for. When you're

looking at economic development and seizing opportunities, tourism, small

business, entrepreneurship, I mean all of that is tied into a project like that

and the region which needs it and certainly needs that support.

I know

the Estimates are coming up tonight with the particular minister in regard to

the department. My colleague is part of that and, hopefully, we can ask those

questions and get some answers and get some support in regard to moving forward.

But I can't say enough as well about the volunteers. As I said, they are

volunteers, putting in tireless hours over the past number of years and continue

to do today.

Even for

the UNESCO World Heritage Site, these folks are out selling tickets and

fundraising in that way to get what they need to operate the

interpretation

site, which supports UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's kind of hard to believe

that that would be allowed to happen, but that is the case today. That they're

fundraising in what would be the second year, second full summer of a World

Heritage Site.

certainly look for some support and direction from this budget for those folks

there and for everything that they're doing because it is a tremendous

opportunity for growth and for economic development and certainly for the

preservation of the fossils and what we see there. We look forward to that over

the next while in regard to what government is going to do for that and look for

answers to it.

Mr.

Speaker, I spoke earlier – and I wanted to bring that up because that's specific

to the district and it certainly is specific to the budget. The other one too

I'll just mention is related to fisheries. My district, certainly from Petty

Harbour right to St. Shott's, traditionally have strong connections to the sea,

strong connection to the fishing industry. Crab is huge. Groundfish was king for

so many years or so many centuries, I would think, and then with the turn in the

ground fishery, it was the shift to shellfish. Crab in that area is huge. As

well, we have processing facilities in Aquaforte, in Cape Broyle, in Witless Bay

and provides significant generation of revenue to the economies. It's important,

plus the whole fish harvesting side.

So we've

seen some changes in some of the information that's come down in regard to crab

and the reduction in quotas and what that means. I've received calls from a

number of people, whether they're plant workers wondering in terms of the

employment this summer and what it's going to be like in regard to a reduction

in quota, how long are they going to operate and, as well, for those fishing

enterprises too, which are small businesses, and how that affects their

enterprise in regard to price and volume. So there are certainly concerns with

that.

One of

the things in budget – my colleague, I know, from Cape St. Francis has been

following up on this – is in regard to the Atlantic Fisheries Fund and the

ability to leverage dollars from that. I think the amount of money, federal

dollars that was leveraged last year, was very small.

I know I

had people particularly interested in the ground fishery and wanted to get the

automated handlines for cod, looking at accessing those kinds of projects and

money for those. Again, this year in the Estimates – and he can speak to it much

better than I can, but I think there is limited amount looking at leveraging

those dollars from the Atlantic Fisheries Fund, which is a concern.

As we

look to some of the challenges that we face, we always talk about diversity and

looking at other species or developing other industries. That's a huge piece

that we want to get more details on as we go through the budget and what can be

obtained and how we can drive that economic opportunity, especially in rural

Newfoundland and Labrador.

We know

even urban centres get a great return from fishing and fishing enterprises, but

it's also the base of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, processing facilities,

harvesters who are all there and part of the industry to drive it. So that's

another issue in regard to the budget and how we move forward with that.

I did

speak earlier about when the budget was brought down and some of the commentary

since then in regard to the plan laid out by the government of the day.

Originally – I guess they're still going with the seven-year period they talked

about in getting back to surplus and some of the initiatives they had, some of

the criteria they're talking about in revenue generation, through taxation,

through economic development, economic indicators, what return is going to be

back to the economy and all those types of things.

There

has been a lot of discussion in the past couple of weeks in regard to that.

Usually a fiscal plan, you have the bond-rating agencies will look and see,

well, is this in keeping, over the next long-term period, of what we need. That

goes directly to your ability to borrow. Does your rate stay where it is? Does

it go lower? Does it go higher? That relates specifically to your ability to

service the debt. Some of those commentaries I just wanted to speak to in regard

to – some local in regard to commentary and what we've seen to date.

The

Canadian Federation of Independent Business looked at some of the plans that

were laid out by the Finance Minister. They believe there's certainly risk here

in regard to the plan that's been laid out in terms of meeting those targets.

They say the government's current plan is not based in reality and does not

address the spending problem with increasing the cost of doing business in the

province.

That's

the concern I guess in any budget and in any long-term fiscal plan you lay out.

It's all intertwined. So as you tax or try to be competitive in other

jurisdictions – it's a disincentive to operate a business or to grow your

business or to move to a particular area. All that's factored in, in regard to

what people pay and what they got left in their pocket at the end of the day.

doubt, at some point you need to raise revenue, but you need to strike that

balance in regard to being able to raise revenue through taxation and being

competitive enough where people will spend, people will move here, people will

live here, grow their families here and you have people working, which is the

trickle-down effect which drives your economy. Those were concerns that were

mentioned by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and some of the

thoughts they had in regard to what needed to be done.

One of

the bond rating agencies, Moody's, made commentary in regard to some of the

budget and what was outlined in it; talked about the plan to return to a balance

in 2022-23 but forecast larger deficits than previously anticipated before

attaining the goal. They highlighted the fact that deficits in 2018-2019 and

2020-21 remain elevated, 8.9 per cent and 8.7 per cent of revenue.

The

budget plan faces increased exposure to other risks about revenues and spending

measures because the margins were so tenuous that any fluctuation on either side

would lead them to believe the goal of '22-'23 could not be met. They concluded

the province was facing increased risk, that it will be unable to attain its

goal of balanced budgets by 2022-23.

I don't

think we've heard from the two other bond rating agencies in regard to their

interpretation, but I guess that will come in the near future and probably

during this budgetary process as we go through it here in the House of Assembly.

The

other interesting point of note is when we look at the expenditures, it would be

roughly up about 2.5 per cent from the revised forecast of 2017-2018. That is a

contrast to the plan; 1.4 reduction expended annually across the rest of the

budget. So the dynamics of spending when the department –as you go from year to

year trying to keep it marginally is challenging. That, as well, they mentioned

elevates the risk and to meet those objectives that have been identified.

We look

at commentary from the National Bank of Canada in regard to some of the comments

in this and what was laid out in the 2018 Budget. They did recognize the

lowering of the Retail Sales Tax on auto insurance over four years and

increasing the threshold for the provincial payroll tax effective January 2019.

That's an attempt to look at the amount of taxation and trying to be a little

bit more competitive in regard to our jurisdiction to others.

Also,

recognize – we do as well – there was a new tax credit for search and rescue

volunteers who play such an amazing and important role in our communities and in

our region. There was also reference to the fact of the independent review of

the taxation system is ongoing with recommendations apparently to be

incorporated in maybe 2019, which would be next year's budget.

The

National Bank of Canada references about the long-term fiscal forecast and

whether government remains on track to return to surplus in '22-'23. They say

the path back to balance isn't exactly a straight line and talks about the fact

of, some of the projections for the next number of years: getting back to

balance will require meaningful spending restraint, outright reductions in the

final four years of the fiscal plan and some tough decisions are still to come.

We'd

view the budgets near economic assumptions as cautious. For instance, the

government has assumed a 0.8 per cent contraction in real GDP where a number of

private sector forecasters see positive real growth this year and, moreover, the

outlook for the GDP price deflators quite cautious in our estimation reflecting

an average oil price forecast is well shy of current levels.

That

goes as well to the issue of the price of oil and how that's determined. I know

the minister spoke the other day in regard to the agencies that – I think there

are 11 that so-called experts, I guess, that give financial data every year and

projection data, international forecast of where a barrel of oil is going to be

at any particular time. And that's well-educated information in regard to where

it might be, but it's far from definitive. I think the current administration

took the middle of the road in the projection that's coming for this particular

year, but you certainly look at geopolitical and other things that are happening

in the world. It's very tenuous in regard to changes up or down, and to be able

to forecast out three or four years, and those forecasts to be met.

That's

one of the challenges that you have. Yet, when we were in government, we were

told time and time again you can't depend on oil, you can't be addicted to oil

but nothing has really changed in that. If you look back at the last two budgets

in what was budgeted and what came back as actuals in terms of revenues, any

improvement that has occurred has occurred to the fact that, you know, we've had

increased production where you didn't expect it, or we have an increased price

of oil, or the exchange rate happened in our benefit for supporting that oil and

it came to our benefit. So these are things that really continue and they still

cause some challenges in meeting targets as we move forward.

Another

commentary we had was the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies that talked

about particular aspects of the budget. There are reasons to doubt this

forecast, let alone avoid financial problems in the future. They talk about

we'll continue to run cash deficits of an average of more than $2.1 billion.

They referenced a zero-based budgeting that we've heard so much about over the

last couple of years. And other tweaks – the government operations have only

produced modest changes to the government's financial directory.

They

talk about calls for decrease in spending in the last years of the planning

period, which is that seven-year period that we spoke about. And they referenced

a bond-rating agency that is a risk since the provincial government have to make

significant reductions in spending, in addition to controlling for inflation.

And there's no indication how the government plans to achieve those reductions.

There's

other reference made to vulnerable to factors beyond its control, since about 40

per cent of the budget relies on revenue from mineral and oil royalties. As we

know, they can dramatically change from one quarter to another and certainly

from one year to another. So that's a concern that was expressed in that regard.

As well, add to that the risk of the plan to increase oil and gas production

beyond – and that's referenced to what would occur without Hebron's growing

output. So it's all tied to a lot of elements that may or may not come to

fruition, but it is tied to economic indicators and worldwide indicators in

regard to the price of oil.

This

goes back to when we look at some of the commentary that we've seen over the

past couple of weeks. We've referenced here in the House and we've asked

questions in regard to commentary made by the Auditor General in 2017 in the

seven-year fiscal plan that was laid out and some of the concerns that were

expressed at that time. The issue was expenses and how much revenue you can

actually generate through taxation until the point in time you reach that

threshold where it's a disincentive and you're not raising that amount of

revenue that you expect to raise.

The

Auditor General at the time talked about expenses were expected to drop by only

2.3 per cent over that period from 2017-2018 to 2022-2023. But with those other

variables that were mentioned in the other reports I've alluded to, even with

inflation, it's hard to determine or make a clear determination on whether those

are obtainable, and information to date and most opinions to date indicate they

are not.

Expenses

over the six-year period are forecast by the province to reduce slightly. As I

said, the 2.3 per cent decline works out to about $187 million. Newfoundland and

Labrador generates more revenue than any other province. Per capita spending in

this province is substantially higher than per capita revenues and we spend more

than every other province by a considerable margin.

I was

happy to hear that the Premier after some time, and us asking for the past

two-plus years, that they're going to start a process with the federal

government to look into the Atlantic Accord, looking at equalization, and in

regard to, certainly from our perspective, an oil-producing province like

Saskatchewan and Alberta, and if that could be amended, and looking at things

like fiscal capacity, your ability to raise revenues, what that looks like, and

how could we do that to our benefit, and how we can – Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians – get a greater cut of that program, because that's all about

reasonable taxation for reasonable services. And most would argue that's not

occurring now in our province. There is a federal program like equalization that

we should be able to avail of.

Noteworthy, the other two major transfer programs are health and the social

transfers, and both of those I think in the budget I looked at were just

improving by the designated percentage. So there's no new money, per se, but

we're receiving what's required as was set out in the agreements.

The

Auditor General recognized Newfoundland and Labrador spends in excess of 21 per

cent more per capita than the next highest province, which is Saskatchewan. Now,

some of that certainly goes to our geography and the ability to make those

services, meet those needs but, again, it's something to look at.

The

Auditor General back in 2017 said Risks to Achieving a Balanced Budget: “ A

budget forecast involves making reasonable estimates based on realistic

assumptions regarding expectations of future outcomes. The longer the forecast

period, the greater the risk that expected outcomes may be significantly

different than expected.

“The six year revenue forecast to 2022-23 is based on

assumptions regarding such items as oil prices, oil production, exchange rates

and future economic activity in a variety of sectors of the economy.

“While it is possible that the forecast may be exceeded,

there is considerable risk that the revenue forecast may not be achieved.” That

was back in 2017 and that analysis is pretty similar to what I've just gone

through in regard to bond-rating agencies, some banks, the Canadian Federation

of Independent Business and others as well.

Some of the reasons for that, that the forecast would not

be achieved: Oil royalties may be less than expected as a result of lower than

expected oil prices, lower than expected production and items of that nature.

Other tax revenue may be negatively impacted by a slowing economy.

So we have in The

Economy , which are a part of the document of the budget, you can go through

that and people can see what the actual indicators are in the province, whether

that's housing starts, whether it's retail sales, all of those variables that

drive the economy, you can see where they're headed and a lot are not headed in

the right direction.

With that “the six year forecast” – the Auditor General

said – “of expenses assumes a slight decline over the period. Keeping expenses

at these forecast levels will be challenging.” So that's some of the concerns

that was expressed back last year in regard to the plan that was outlined and,

again, this year, it's expressed in some of the commentary in regard to the

budget.

So when you look at a return to a balanced budget, there

were a lot of ifs involved with that in regard to the current plan and the

Auditor General recognized at the time if oil prices increase, if production

increases, if economic activity occurs as predicted and spending is constrained

over the period.

“If this does not occur, the Province will have to look to

other means to move to a balance.

“Closing the budget gap would require either more revenue,

less expenses or a combination of both.”

“The Province increased a number of taxes in Budget 2016.

Currently, on a per capita basis, this Province has one of the highest tax

burdens in the country.” That, in and of itself, is a huge issue when your

economy is slowed, you have one of the fastest aging populations in the country,

you want opportunities for young people who are here to live and raise their

family, to start careers here.

I think

I saw a stat some time ago that over the next number of years about 5,000 people

are coming out of our public service. It's a great time through that process to

align our service delivery, find ways we can do it different if we can. If not,

we need those young professionals here to service our public sector, and

certainly the private sector, so they can pay taxes, stay here and build our

community, and all those things that are needed to have a buoyant and a recovery

in our economy.

The

other point that was mentioned some time ago was about the new revenue

generations that are going to come from – about $1.1 billion, I think, in

'22-'23. The Auditor General referenced that as well in 2017.

“Almost

27% of this growth is expected from oil (predominately increased oil prices) and

the remaining 73% from other sources (including expected profit from Muskrat

Falls).

“Looking

at the Province's revenue per capita provides a basis for comparing revenue

generation in Newfoundland and Labrador with other provinces.”

That's

interesting, because a lot of times we've heard there and heard from the Premier

that there's no sale for that. You can't sell it on the spot market and so forth

and so on; yet, in their budget forecast it specifically stated that sales from

excess revenue will be factored in to the $1.1 billion in increased revenues to

balance the books in 2022-23.

Those

are some of the commentary to date in regard to the budget; not all, obviously,

but the general consensus is the targets extended by this particular government

for a seven-year period aren't obtainable. The fiscal plan is not sound and the

economic indicators are not strong in regard to allowing the economy to be at a

level and function at a level that is going to start that jump that's needed in

the economy.

Now we

have a lot of resources, as we know, and there is and can be a bright future for

Newfoundland and Labrador. We have great business leaders and a great business

community. We have entrepreneurs. We have great post-secondary institutions. We

have great innovators and have, over the past couple of decades, invested

heavily and have much of that infrastructure that's needed. I think our

resources are strong. We, like much of the country, rely on natural resources. I

think there are opportunities here to move forward but we need a sound financial

plan to do so.

I'm

interested to see – over the weeks ahead we'll have discussions on various parts

of the budget. We'll have Estimates. I know a couple have been completed

already. We'll get greater details in regard to the government's plan and dig

down into the details on what's going to affect the lives of Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians with this budget, and we look forward to doing that. Certainly, we

look forward to debate over the next number of weeks as we go through Estimates

and ultimately vote on this particular Budget 2018 .

With

that, I conclude my comments, Mr. Speaker, and look forward to the debate.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Warr):

The hon. the Member for

Bonavista.

MR. KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like

to thank the Member for speaking for two-and-a-half hours. I know standing on

your feet for that long – I know it carried over the span of two weeks. Now the

Member for Labrador West is getting mad at me because I'm being nice to him, but

that's going to change shortly.

First of

all, I'd like to start off by congratulating all the volunteers in the District

of Bonavista, Mr. Speaker. This week marks the 40th anniversary of Volunteer

Week in Newfoundland and Labrador. I know in your district and in my district

there are several events going on. The largest one will take place in Port Union

at the factory of the Coaker Foundation on Friday evening. It's always well

attended. Thank you to volunteers, volunteer organizations for all you do.

I'd also

like to congratulate several people. I know last year the NDP got on their high

horse and said we weren't allowed to congratulate people, we were wasting time,

we should be focused on the budget; but I think this is an opportunity to get up

and say some good things, not like the NDP who are all doom and gloom all the

time. We have to recognize the good things that are going on in our province.

First of

all, I'd like to recognize Team Gushue. Now, that was an off topic for them last

year. You weren't allowed to congratulate Team Gushue after certain days. It's

like wearing white after Labour Day. After a certain time we weren't allowed to

congratulate Team Gushue for the NDP. So I congratulate them for winning the

Brier and coming in second in the World's recently.

Also, to

Kaetlyn Osmond – I know my friend from Placentia West - Bellevue has said it

several times, but Olympic gold medalist, silver medalist, bronze medalist and a

world champion. I didn't get in here on Friday but I got an autograph, so thank

you. It was great to see.

Also to

Liam Hickey, who is not just a winter Paralympian, he's a summer Paralympian as

well. He won silver in the sledge hockey competition. It's great to see good

things in Newfoundland and Labrador, even though the NDP don't want us to

recognize the good things that are going on. So we'll leave it at that.

Mr.

Speaker, this is our third budget delivered by our government, and to talk about

where you're going you got to talk about where you've been.

You take

the PC government from 2003 to 2015, 12 years, and their legacy is not one of

any great celebration that we can have here in this province. Their legacy, at

the end of 2015, was a $2.75 billion deficit, Mr. Speaker.

AN HON. MEMBER:

Nothing to have a ticker tape

parade about.

MR. KING:

No, Sir.

Mr.

Speaker, when the Premier and Cabinet were sworn in on December 14, 2015, there

was no big honeymoon there. They met with the Department of Finance.

When the

PCs in Budget 2015 said they were

going to run a $1.1 billion deficit and that a barrel of oil was going to be $71

all year long, you know what, Mr. Speaker, when the Premier met with the

Department of Finance that day, December 14, 2015, he found out that deficit

was, in fact, $2.7 billion. Just imagine that, going from $1.1 billion to $2.7

billion.

When

Ross Wiseman said he wasn't good at math, he got that right. He wasn't very good

at math; $1.6 billion in the difference from what they had projected.

What

that meant is they faced, on the first day on the job, Mr. Speaker – 11 days

before Christmas, government almost never made payroll. Imagine that. The first

day on your job you face a $2.7 billion deficit put forward by the former PC

government and you almost don't make payroll. You have to work out a deal with

the lenders to get people paid so they can afford to have Christmas.

That's

the PC legacy, Mr. Speaker. It's not a great one to have, I tell you that.

AN HON. MEMBER:

Shameful.

MR. KING:

It is shameful.

We go

back. The Member for Ferryland said: We're addicted to oil. For us saying that

we're, as a Liberal government, addicted to oil. That's the crowd over there –

oh sorry, the Member for CBS, I'm not allowed to say the crowd over there. I

know I offended you because you weren't a Member. You were a patronage

appointment for that government, but you weren't a Member. I wouldn't want to be

part of that crowd either, so I apologize.

Mr.

Speaker, addicted to oil; 10 years of oil revenues equalling $25 billion and at

the end, in 2015, you have a $2.7 billion deficit. I mean come on, addicted to

oil. They put all their eggs in one basket. I'm going to get to what we're

doing.

AN HON. MEMBER:

They put all their oil in one

basket.

MR. KING:

Sorry, yes. All in one

barrel, actually, but that's not quite the legacy that they want.

They

went up to Ottawa; Danny Williams thumping his chest, tearing down the flags and

picking a racket; comes back and said we got her, b'ys, we got her, $2 billion –

but what that $2 billion actually was, was his advance on his paycheque.

Mr.

Speaker, let's say if you expect a paycheque a month down the road and you go to

your boss and say: Boss, can I have an advance on my cheque? That's what he

actually did. He didn't go get $2 billion. He just took an advance on his

paycheque. So we should be seeing that in last year and this year. So that's the

legacy: tear down flags and pick a fight with Ottawa, try to get a few votes

that way. That was their legacy: fight with Ottawa.

They're

still at it now. They want to get over there and say oh, you guys have issues

with your federal counterparts. Yes, but at least we get in the door and we can

have sensible discussions with our federal counterparts.

Mr.

Speaker, what we had to do was we had to take some serious measures to get our

fiscal vessel back on course. We had a tough budget in 2016. When you get faced

with not being able to make payroll for your employees, you have a lot tough

decisions to make – the tough decision that our Premier had to make that their

former premier wouldn't make. We're seeing that today where we have our vessel

on the right course.

What we

did was we took that $2.7 billion deficit that we faced and, in

Budget 2016 , we had projected to bring

it down to $1.8 billion, but we did do better than expected. We made

cost-cutting measures. We did better than expected in revenues and, by that end

of that fiscal year, we were down to $1.1 billion. One year, we reduced the

deficit by $1.6 billion. That's getting serious about getting your fiscal ship

in order, Mr. Speaker. Last year, we saw the deficit further reduced down to

$852 million and, this year, we have a projected deficit of $683 million.

Now,

this is not some great thing where you are happy to have large deficits like

that. When you look at where you come from and where you are today, it's night

and day, because we had to make the tough decisions. We made the tough

decisions. Decisions that the former government wouldn't make, we made them and

we're seeing the benefits of that today. So we're well on our way to being back

to surplus by 2022-2023, contrary to what the Member for Ferryland would say.

They all

talk about doom and gloom, and the NDP talk about doom and gloom. Mr. Speaker,

do I think there's a bunch of doom and gloom? Not at all. We are on the right

track – we are on the right track. With

The Way Forward document released in October of 2016 we are on the right

track, and that's not all doom and gloom.

We have,

in my district alone – I'm going to talk a little about the District of

Bonavista – we've seen infrastructure renewal that they haven't seen the likes

of in years. We've seen major road and municipal infrastructure projects being

done. Last year, there was a road done that the old Member for Bonavista South

and the old Member for Trinity North used to argue over getting done. I don't

want to get it paved because it's not in my district, and the other one would

say the same thing. Me and my friend from Terra Nova, even though it's all in my

district, we said it benefits the whole peninsula going up to Clarenville and

back to get that road done, and it was done, and people are talking about how

great it is to have a good road to drive on.

I don't

know what they spent $25 billion and $4 billion in lost tax cuts that were given

to Danny Williams's rich buddies, I would say. Twenty-nine billion dollars, so

where did it go? They talked about schools, all the schools they built. Well,

they tried to shut down Catalina Elementary. They had the former Member for

Bonavista South saying to the school board rep at the time, now shut it down,

shut it down; we want everything to go to another community. Thank God that

didn't happen. So when they say they're building schools, in my district they

were trying to shut them down, Mr. Speaker.

Talk

about road improvements. If you drive around my district, you certainly didn't

see any road improvements that they put in place. You might see a kilometre here

or a kilometre there where they tried to get a few votes, Mr. Speaker. Because

of our five-year roads plan, part of The

Way Forward document, we actually have stability and this year alone the

District of Bonavista is going to receive $6.9 million for roads. That's 9 per

cent of the provincial roads budget, Mr. Speaker. Out of the $77 million, we're

getting almost $7 million of that – 9 per cent. And it's long overdue, Mr.

Speaker. That's not even putting a dent into what needs to be done because of

the neglect of the previous PC government.

One of

the biggest tourism regions in the province had roads neglected year after year

after year. Thank God we're finally starting to see work down on roads in my

district. Unfortunately, everyone can't get it done, but we're working hard to

get as many as we can done.

We've

seen significant funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and

Innovation. Today alone, I had a list handed to me of all the organizations –

and I think there are 10 or 12 organizations that are receiving CEDP funding in

the hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's supporting our tourism industry in

the District of Bonavista. I brag about it all the time. The District of

Bonavista is booming, Mr. Speaker. You see people coming from all over the

place. You drive around you see licence plates from the United States, different

parts of Canada and you'll see a lot of locals coming there as well.

It's

very important that we invest in these organizations, in these 10 or 12

organizations. Because if we want to grow our revenue in the tourism industry

from $1 billion to $1.6 billion in 2020, you have to have good investments in

things like roads, supporting groups that are providing good services, good

experiences to people who come and visit.

Mr.

Speaker, we've seen investments in hotels, restaurants. We've seen investments

in non-profit organizations through partnerships with our federal government. So

when they went to Ottawa and had the door slammed in their face, stood on Elgin

Street out in the rain wondering why they couldn't get a meeting with Stephen

Harper, our ability to work with the federal government is seeing partnerships

formed so that we get significant funding both through ACOA and both through

things such as the Building Canada Fund, Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.

In fact,

Mr. Speaker, you see George's Brook-Milton, specifically Milton, four or five

years without a reliable source of water. We're using Lily Pond. They had the

Finance minister represent their district and they couldn't get a water project

that would connect them with George's Pond just outside George's Brook.

Within

the first year, we got the funding through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.

It was a $1.6 million investment, Mr. Speaker. Last summer, the people in Milton

finally had a reliable source of water. So I'd say that's a great thing, a great

reason to partner with the federal government.

When

they're tearing down flags, thumping their chests and starting rackets, we're

actually working with our federal counterparts. We may not always agree on

everything they do, but it's great to have that relationship where you can have

a conversation and get things done instead of grandstanding for votes.

Mr.

Speaker, we've invested in the Enhanced Seniors' Benefits and low-income

supplement. Every three months people in our province see that on their GST.

That's been a huge success for us.

We've

seen a Cabinet Committee on Jobs. So when the Member for Ferryland gets on and

says: oh, they're still addicted to oil. He's full of it; anyone knows he's full

of it.

Mr.

Speaker, the Cabinet Committee on Jobs has focused on aquaculture, agriculture,

the tech sector and now mining. I know the NDP doesn't support aquaculture. They

proved that in a meeting in St. John's a couple of weeks ago, but we certainly

do. It's a great industry. When you can see Grieg right now, that's going to

provide hundreds of jobs on the Burin Peninsula, jobs that we need.

In the

agriculture sector; Mr. Speaker, there are four key industries in the District

of Bonavista. You have the fishery, agriculture, forestry and tourism. The

agriculture sector right now in the District of Bonavista is growing. We see a

number of different dairy farmers in the district who are provincial award

winners. There's a young gentleman in Harcourt right now who started up a farm a

couple of years ago. He's a dairy farmer and he's very successful. That's what

we want to see, young farmers engaged.

There's

another couple in Elliston who are looking at getting greenhouses up and running

on the Bonavista road going from Elliston doing non-traditional vegetables. Mr.

Speaker, this is wonderful that we're seeing young people engaged. With the

Cabinet Committee on Jobs focused on agriculture you're seeing that. I've got

vegetable farmers coming up to me and saying because of the investments put

forward by PAAP and Growing Forward 2 ,

and government's focus on agriculture industry, they're able to have better

production. They're better able to buy the equipment that allows them to have

better production.

One

farm, Three Mile Ridge, was able to operate year-round. They're still selling

vegetables from last year. It's a pleasure to drive by and stop in and pick up

fresh vegetables from their farm instead of having to go to a store where

they're shipped in from elsewhere.

Mr.

Speaker, that's the kinds of things we're doing with our Cabinet Committee on

Jobs. We're putting in place the mechanisms so these industries can grow. They

didn't have the foresight to do that. The previous government didn't do that.

They were so addicted to oil that anything else, they had the blinders on. They

didn't care.

Mr.

Speaker, the tech sector; I was at the Tech Summit a month ago, a little over a

month ago; 40 businesses which we are partnering with through private industry.

We're working with them so they can be successful. Those 40 businesses, we're

going to help them grow with the help of industry stakeholders. Once those 40

tech industries are flourishing, then we'll start working with others. If you

look at the age of the people in that room, they didn't have grey hair like

yourself, Mr. Speaker. They had full heads of hair, young, ambitious, young

people. They were go-getters, right out of university ready to go. That's the

people we're helping.

So when

the Opposition and the Third Party get up and say doom and gloom, doom and

gloom, no one wants to stay here. Do you know what? Most of the 40 businesses

from that industry want to stay here. They're excited to be here. They're doing

the hard work to stay here.

I'm

getting a little short on time. I'm only on page 1 of the two pages of notes. I

know the mining sector is important in your area. You're the leader in mining in

Newfoundland and Labrador, as you tell us. Then you see a focus on the forestry;

renewable fishery through our $100 million federal Fisheries Fund. It's not a

phantom fund like they had. It's actual money that's being rolled out to

fishermen right now and industries right now.

Mr.

Speaker, with that said, I'm going to take my seat. I'm going to have two more

opportunities to speak.

So thank

you very much.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. P. DAVIS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Thank

you for giving me time to speak on the budget this afternoon and to address and

have some commentary and discussion on what we saw in

Budget 2018 which is essentially a repeat of

Budget 2017 which is essentially a repeat of

Budget 2016 .

The only difference is when we go back to 2016 we can

recall – we recall back in 2016 the previous Finance minister was planning to do

a fall cost reduction budget. She said in 2016 there was going to be three

pivotal points or three decision points, announcement points, being the spring

of 2016 when the government hammered Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as

individuals, hammered business, hammered the economy, hammered rural

Newfoundland and Labrador, hammered everything they could possibly hammer on

taxes and fees.

The saviour that was put out there by the current

government was that in the fall we're going to reduce our cost of operations. We

hear members opposite talk quite regularly about the significant cost to operate

government. There's no two ways about it, there are significant costs associated

with government.

The fall

2016 came and the Premier said: No, no, you all got it wrong. Everybody got it

wrong. That's not what we're doing. We're just going to do a fiscal update, is

all that was going to happen in the fall of 2016. Somehow the minister had it

wrong. We heard it wrong. We interpreted it wrong. Everyone had it wrong except

for the Premier. No, it wasn't going to be a cost reduction in the fall; it was

going to be a fiscal update.

Then in

the spring of 2017, the previous minister of Finance said there was going to be

further cost reduction in the spring of 2017, and it wasn't. It was essential a

repeat of 2016.

Mr.

Speaker, what was significant about 2016 was all the very difficult and

challenging taxes and fees they put on Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

recently heard the current Minister of Finance reference: Not shocking the

system. Well, that was language I used back in 2015 because we knew oil was

going to continue to go in the wrong direction. Predictors said: Oh, it's

bottomed out. The next day it's getting worse. That's it, it bottomed out. The

next day it gets worse. There were many predictions that said, okay, it can't

get any lower than this, and it did in 2015. Plus we lost production back in

In 2016,

we were talking about – well, we didn't want to do it. We were trying to smooth

it out. We didn't want to shock the economy, shock the system.

That's

what the current Finance Minister talked about. Recently, I've heard him use

those types of words about not shocking the system when it came to reducing the

cost to government. Because there's no doubt, if you cut out a large number of

public servants than that has an impact on, not only public service but on the

province.

remember back in 2013 when we had a cost-reduction budget. We sat on the

government side. The Members here on this side, and some of the Members over

there now that are – especially some over there who are ministers today. They

were all aboard us and were daily just beating us up.

remember the numbers getting larger and larger and larger – factiously, by the

way. They weren't accurate. They were getting larger and larger and larger.

Every day they'd come in: Oh, they laid off 500 people. Oh, they laid off 600

people. They laid off 700 people. They laid off 800 people, into the thousands

and so on. They just kept ballooning the number, and they criticized us for

trying to reduce the size of government.

Then we

took an approach on attrition. We said: I agree with that. That was in 2014,

2015. When oil was falling, I said: We have to very careful. We can't fall just

simply with oil and rise with oil. We have to try and level it out, and we were

worried about shocking the system.

I know

the current Finance Minister has talked about not shocking the system, but it's

in stark contract because we see program spending is still increasing. They used

to talk about zero-based budgeting. We asked the minister: Is zero-based

budgeting still something you're talking about and so on? The last day we sat –

the budget came down March 27; we only had one day in the House after that to

ask questions. The minister gave very, what I would term, curt answers, one-word

answers and they'd all laugh and chuckle over there and find it very amusing.

Then he'd get up and give another one-word answer and they thought it was all

very amusing. But the people I spoke to during the Easter break from the House

certainly didn't find it amusing when they were trying to find out what's in our

future.

listened very carefully to the Member for Bonavista. You know, he's a new

Member, Mr. Speaker, and I respect that. He's going by the notes he was given,

and I respect that too. He was given and told what to say and he's following the

notes that he has, but he forgets to talk about a lot of things that happened in

the past.

Long

before I was involved with provincial politics, I remember when he referenced

Danny Williams came to power in 2003 and talked about how the province was

bankrupt with infrastructure, mouldy schools, bridges that were being closed,

roads that weren't fit to drive on. In 2003 it was exactly what happened when we

found a significant deficit or some had said the province was bankrupt of

infrastructure back in those days.

So there

was a long road ahead, a very long road, a difficult and challenging road. I

remember when I got elected in 2010, I was only in here a few weeks and I was

thinking do the Members in the Opposition ever come in and not ask for more.

Because it seemed like whatever happened – I went through my first budget

process when I just got elected in a by-election an