VOL. l PRELIMINARY UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR THE PERIOD 3:00p.m. -6:00p.m. THURSDAY, FEBR UA.RY 27, 1980 NO. 52 ~~= ~ouse mec at 3:00 p.m . ~r. Speaker in t~e Chair . ~ieutenant-Gover~o= has arrived. ~cimit His ~onour ~na Lieutenant-Governo~. MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: The First Session ot the Thir:y-Eighth General Assemoly oi this Honourabie House ot Assembly is about to be proroguea. out )efore releasing you from your dunes 1 wish to convey to you my appreciation for the careful and symoathet1c attention you have ~iven to the important matters brought before you by my Min1sters.

Forty-two p1eces oi legislation were enacted during this Sess10n ot ~he Honourable House of Assembly Ma1or legislative initiatives were taken in the areas oi matrimonial property law. the administration of just1ce. municipal law. health. education and pensions. The Matrimonial Property Act was passed with the pur;Jose of reforming che law with resoect to the property of married persons.

Among the important provisions conta1ned 1n tnis Act are the principles that each spouse has a one­ half interest in the matrimonial home and that matrimomal assets acquired during a marriag-e are to be di•Jided equally The Act gives jurisdiction to the court to vary a div1sion of assets ii an equal division would be grossly ~n,ust or unconscionable. The Act also provides !hat persons may enter into mamage contracts to deal with the1r relationship and such contracts would take them outSide the .<~_ct . This Act IS an 1mportant step forward in reforming the existing !aw. MR.

SPEAKER ANO MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: This Session has seen advances in the area of the administration of justice. The Small Cla1ms Act was enacted providing ~he framework Nithm Which pract1ce and procedure rules may be des1gned specifically ior small cla1ms. The Jurisaiction of Provincial Court JUdges is lim1ted under that Act to one thousand dollars. As well during th1s Session. =1 new

Summary P~oceedings Act was ~assed . This Act deals w1th prov1nc:al offences and prov1ncial :curt mquiries. Both ai these Acts repeal. replace and :nodermze the prov1s1ons oi The

Summary Jurisdiction .C..ct. Also 1n thiS Sess1on. The Provmc:al Court Act was amended to change the reference oi Magistrates co Prov;ncial Court JUdges. Se•1era1 ex1stmg ;J1eces of ieg1slation were also amenaea 1n chiS Sess1on 'Jy l he rluman Rights ~nti-OISC~ I mlratlon Act. 1979. This Act was ~assed :o remo•te anomalies ;n ?rov1nc:a1 ! e~Jslat l on char may be ·:onstrued as discriminatory 481.4 February 27, 1980, Tape 1915, Page 1 -- apb MR. SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: Substantial progress was made in the area of municipal government.

The Municipalities Act was passed to amend, revise and consolidate the law relating to the establishment and administration of municipal government in the province. Also in this Session, The Lower Churchill Development Act was passed to facilitate the development of the hydro-electric power potential of the Lower Churchill River. A new Provincial Anthem Act was enacted in this Session. providing legislative recognition or the words and the music of the provincial anthem, the ·'Ode to Newfoundland". MR.

SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: This Session has seen another advance in the area of health. The Generic Drugs Act was passed to provide for the substituting of prescribed drugs by their lowest cost generic equivalem, unless otherwise specifically directed by a doctor. The Pharmaceutical Association Act was amended to remove the requirement that the governing body of the association have at least eight councillors from St. John's and also to provide for regional representation on the council.

The Medical Act was amended to provide that the Registrar of the Newfoundland Medical Board could be a medical practitioner who is not a member of the Board. In the area of education there were amendments in this Session to The Schools Act requiring School Boards to organize special classes for handicapped children within their school systems or by arrangements with extra-provincial or inter-provincial educational authorities.

Amendments to that Act also provided that capital expenditure for native education. which is shared by Canada and the province, would be excluded from the traditional arrangement that apportions capital grants on a per capita basis. In this Session amendments were made to The Workers' Compensation Act that removed the limitation on compensation payable to a Newfoundland worker who is employed outside the province for a period in excess of eight months. The amendments also permit my Government to increase compensation by Order in Council.

Amendments were made to The Occupational Health and Safety Act enabling the making of electrical regulations. adoptrng electrical codes or standards and providing for the appointment of advisory committees on technical matters. 4815 -~- -------:----~- lmoonan amendmen.s were, aae ro T' e Public Servtc: tPens1cnsJ Ac: hese amename rs ~ n ab le he Po:ns1on =!an o :Je iundea ana ;Jr vtoe u 'N i<h he authority to absorb extsnng ~ens ion !unds o · :moioyees .vho are br i1 tnt : .e Pens;on ?ian oy regu1auon e I cr;ase 'JI ?::ns1ons .lc . i979 or-ovtdes mcreases tn :~ens1ons to ;JUalic 3ervants. MR.

SPEAKER ANO ,VIEMBERS OF HE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: I t .an 'fOU lor he large measure oi ; op y •jou ; ave g anted. I assur:: you r ar he aopropnations t at you ave .ranted mil j e ::xpendea 'Jy y :Vhntsters w11h care and .:iiic1ency. I 1s my pleasure i .at r e Firsi Sess1on Ji hts trty-cighth General ssemoly ow Je roroguea and •t ts pr .rogued accordingly s"C.ar.ds 48i6