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May 28,

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 34

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR.

SPEAKER (Wiseman):

Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Before we start proceedings today I want to acknowledge

some special guests that we have with us.

In the Speaker's gallery we have Dr. Lawrence Newhook with his wife Judy.

They are from Meadville, Pennsylvania.

They are accompanied today by Lawrence's son, Dr.

Timothy Newhook, and his wife, Dr. Alexandra Newhook.

They are from Virginia. They

are going to be visiting the William Henry Newhook Memorial Clinic in

Whitbourne, which is named after Dr. Newhook.

Welcome to Newfoundland and Labrador, and welcome to

the gallery.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

think we will hear a little more about their visit from the Premier in a few

moments.

I am also very pleased today to welcome to the public

galleries Ms Cyrilda Poirier and I apologize for the mispronunciation if that

is the case. Cyrilda is the

President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Francophonie Federation.

We will learn a little more about the federation in a few moments as well

from the minister.

Welcome to the gallery.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Her

French will be much better than mine.

Statements by Members

MR.

SPEAKER:

Today we will members' statements from the Member for the District of St. John's

East; the Member for the District of St. John's South; the Member for the

District of Torngat Mountains; the Member for the District of Cape St. Francis;

the Member for the District of Baie Verte Springdale; and the Member for the

District of Fortune Bay Cape La Hune.

The hon. the Member for the District of St. John's

East.

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate Mary Queen of Peace, a

congregation and a school in my district celebrating their fiftieth anniversary

this year.

Mary Queen of Peace grew out of St. Raphael's Parish.

In the early 1960s, one new building housed both the church and the

school. The first pastor assigned,

in 1964, was Father Michael Connolly.

The first Mass in the present church was celebrated in December 1984, and

the building was dedicated on June 21, 1985.

I am proud myself to be a graduate of Mary Queen of

Peace, and can speak for the dedication, then and now, of the teachers and staff

at the school. Mary Queen of Peace

Parish continues to thrive under the Very Reverend Frank Puddister, who has been

the priest there since 2006. The

people, who are the core of any church, are exceptional, actively participating

in congregational and community events and programs.

Archbishop Martin Currie conducted the Celebration Mass

on February 23. Other events this

year include a spring concert, a Parish Mission, and, of course, a dance later

on.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating

Mary Queen of Peace Parish in St. John's on their fiftieth anniversary.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Before I acknowledge the Member for St. John's South, it was just brought to my

attention that we are honoured as well to have another guest in our galleries

today, a former member of this House, a former member of the Cabinet in

Newfoundland and Labrador, and a former MP and Cabinet minister in the House of

Commons: Mr. John Efford.

Welcome, Sir.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

has gotten a lot tamer since you left.

The hon. the Member for St. John's South.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today to recognize Barbara Ivany who, just this

past week, has retired from her thirty-five-and-a-half year career of dedicated

service in long-term care.

I have known Barbara for a number of years in her

capacity as social worker and administrator at Saint Luke's Homes that, I

might add, is one of the better long-term care homes in the city.

Barbara is an exceptional individual with an outstanding record of

service. She has worked tirelessly

and has contributed significantly to the quality of life and care for the

residents of Saint Luke's and their families.

To Barbara, being an administrator was more than just a

job. Her dedication was evident by

the many improvements to make life better for the residents of Saint Luke's.

Some of the many accomplishments that she had were: the

establishment of a Resident Council and family support group; opening of a Tea

Room for residents and their visitors; the opening of the Mildred Boyce Cottage,

for the use of out-of-town family members; the building of private rooms with

private bathrooms; the building of a Friendship Centre for use of cottage and

BMM residents; the building of a gazebo to encourage outdoor activities; the

introduction of the Angel Care Program and Music Therapy Program; the expansion

of the Adult Day program; and the planning for a new supportive living complex

to be built on Old Topsail Road beginning this summer.

I ask all members of the House to recognize Barbara and

her significant contribution to Saint Luke's Homes.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR.

EDMUNDS:

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to congratulate Dr. Stacey Shiwak, an

Inuit lady from Labrador and a single mother, who recently graduated from the

Doctor of Dentistry program at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Stacey, whose family is originally from Rigolet, was

born and raised in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and left home at the age of

twenty-three to pursue a career in dentistry.

Having completed both the dental therapy and hygiene programs at

different work terms in the North, she soon realized that the Doctor of

Dentistry was her next obvious goal.

After twenty years of training and practice, Stacey will be returning to

Labrador in June to begin her practice along the North Coast of Labrador,

a region where access to

dental care has been lacking for a long time.

Over the

years, Stacey has been committed to her Aboriginal roots, having practiced in

Nunavut, Nain, and Conne River. She

will now continue her practice in Labrador, and will be returning home with her

son Jack, who has been with her every step of the way.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating Dr. Stacey Shiwak

on receiving her Doctorate of Dentistry.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Cape

St. Francis.

MR. K. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House today to recognize a group of students from St. Francis of

Assisi, in Outer Cove, and their teacher, Ms Edwina Connors.

The

kindness, giving and compassion of children have never been more evident than in

these students of St. Francis of Assisi, who have raised over $40,000 for the

Terry Fox Foundation.

Connors and the students wanted to do something different after a visit to Mile

0 where Terry Fox began his journey of hope.

Ms Connors noted there was no place to sit.

The young students came up with the idea of The Bench.

Along with the teachers and staff, they eagerly contributed pennies,

nickels, dimes, quarters and other fundraising to help with the fund.

By March they reached their goal of $1,250.

The bench is ordered and will be delivered on June 9.

I look

forward to joining the students and Ms Connors at the dedication of the bench at

Mile 0 along with the Mayors of Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove and St. John's.

This

year, Ms Connors is retiring and I want to thank her for her positive influence

on the children at St. Francis of Assisi, and have an enjoyable retirement.

I ask

all members to join with me in thanking all who helped with the project The

Bench.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Baie Verte Springdale.

MR. POLLARD:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House today to congratulate the 837 Northeast Squadron of the

Springdale Royal Canadian Air Cadets upon its fortieth Annual Ceremonial Review.

The

reviewing party, Constable Julie Gordon, Lion Jerry Brett, Captain Jonathan

Edison, and the Squadron personnel were very pleased of the accomplishments of

each cadet.

Dedicated parents and community supporters welcomed the parade order and were

treated to various mobile and static displays, topped off with a delicious

lunch. The ceremony also included

the presentation of various awards to the deserving recipients.

Over the

years, officers, cadets, parents, and outstanding community support have

contributed immensely to the success of the Squadron.

Through hundreds of hours of effort, cadets have demonstrated that their

motto, to serve, to learn and to advance has been emulated.

The Cadet program provides direction to many who would have otherwise

drifted, purpose to the uncertain, and recognition to the unnoticed.

Over the

past forty years, the 837 Northeast Squadron saw over 3,000 youth from the

surrounding area graduate from the program, reaping many dividends.

Their participation enabled them to mature into responsible citizens.

I ask

all hon. members to join me in applauding the efforts of the 837 Northeast

Squadron on its fortieth annual inspection.

Thank

you very much.

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 more accolades to very talented individuals

from my district who participated in the 49th Kiwanis Music Festival.

There were so many, Mr. Speaker, I could not get them all in my last

statement.

Thanks

to music instructors Kendra and Whitney Willcott-Benoit, Lauren Burke, Lesley

Sheppard, Robin Power, Tammy Rae Garden, and Valerie Coombs for fostering such

exceptional talent.

For

their excellent performances, I would like to congratulate from Conne River,

Alaina Joe, Cassidy Lambert, Grant McDonald, Zoe MacDonald, and the Joe family;

and from Harbour Breton, Rhianna Sheppard.

From Bay

d'Espoir Academy, the Grades 4, 5, and 6s all excelled in their choral speeches,

and I commend the Grade 6 Recorder Ensemble for demonstrating their exceptional

skills.

addition to youth mentioned in my last member's statement, there were also

outstanding performances by Brianna Hoskins, Kennedy Willcott, Emma Collier,

Garrison George, Liam Murray, Aisha George, Jade Rose, Reanna George, Kailee

Pink, Kendra Willcott-Benoit, Natasha Hunt, and Barika Sutton.

You are

all shining stars, and I certainly look forward to your accomplishments at the

fiftieth annual Central Newfoundland Kiwanis Festival next year.

I ask

all members of this House to join me in extending congratulations to these

amazingly talented individuals as they continue their musical journey.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by

Ministers

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As we

continue to advance the Honour 100 initiative in commemoration of those who

served so valiantly in the Great War, I rise today to celebrate the legacy of a

medical pioneer, magistrate and a solider, whose contributions to the community

and the lives of his patients continue to ripple out today, more than fifty

years after his passing.

Dr.

William H. Newhook was born in Harbour Breton in 1892; he was the youngest of

eleven children. He attended school

at the Methodist College in St. John's and then he became a teacher in Bonne

Bay, but his true calling was in medicine.

Dr.

Newhook did pre-medical studies at Mount Allison before moving to McGill

University to study medicine, but his studies were interrupted by the Great War.

Like so many other Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, William Newhook

stepped forward to serve.

Interrupting his medical studies, he enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical

Corps and he served as a sergeant overseas.

When the

war ended, he returned to McGill, finished his medical degree in 1919, and then

came back home. He practiced

medicine in Hearts Content, in Hermitage Bay and in Old Perlican before serving

as the first medical officer at the Markland Cottage Hospital.

For twenty-nine years, he was a pioneer of medicine in the Whitbourne

area.

When not

practicing medicine, he was dispensing justice as a magistrate.

He played the organ and sang at church.

He also served in community organizations and he established a

scholarship to help promising young students pursue their own dreams.

It was

not easy to practice medicine in those days.

His practice covered a very vast area.

He frequently took the speed car on the rail lines to Old Perlican

pumping the handle the entire way and after seeing to the needs of his

patients, repeating the grueling process to get back home again.

He regularly made house calls, taking the government boat to get to

patients isolated from medical care on small islands.

Then

came another war, the Second World War.

This time, with years of medical expertise and his own battlefield of

experience to draw upon, he trained Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the very

skills they would need to serve in the Medical Brigades overseas, treating the

wounded as he himself had done a quarter-century before.

How many lives was Dr. Newhook responsible for saving?

No one knows, but we do know this.

We do know that whether in war or in peace, he never ceased to serve.

By the

time 1963 arrived, he had dedicated forty-four years of his life to medical

practice in this Province. On March

29, he was again at work at the hospital, ready as always to meet the needs of

others, and that is when and where his long life of service came to a sudden

end, but it was not the end of his influence.

In 1982,

when the Markland Cottage Hospital was designated a teaching clinic for Memorial

University's Medical School, the facility was renamed in his honour as the Dr.

W. H. Newhook Community Health Centre.

That rustic building continued to serve as a hospital until 1986 when the

old facility was closed and a new clinic was open, also bearing his name.

William

Newhook inspired his son Lawrence to follow in his footsteps by becoming a

medical doctor also. Lawrence in

turn inspired his own son, Timothy, to do the same.

Today,

as the Speaker indicated, we are privileged to welcome to our gallery, along

with his wife, Judy Newhook, Dr. Lawrence Newhook, his son, Dr. Newhook's

grandson, Dr. Timothy Newhook and Timothy's wife, Dr. Alexandra Newhook, all of

whom are currently practicing medicine in the United States.

They have come here to honour William's legacy.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask that all of us, as members of this House, join with the family on

behalf of the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who we collectively represent in

celebrating the life and the legacy of Dr. William H. Newhook.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

We have jobs here for you

all.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the Premier for the advance copy of his statement.

What an awesome story, what a narrative, and a legacy that has been left

to the Newhook family. On behalf of

the Official Opposition, I want to welcome the members of the Newhook family in

the gallery today.

Dr.

Newhook certainly exemplifies the value of rural doctors in his commitment that

he made in many communities, in particular, the Whitbourne area.

If we think about this, it was an era that was much different than

providing medical services today.

When we think about the onerous task without technology, without cellphones,

without even just a transportation system that you could depend on, it was

certainly a challenging time. We

recognize that today.

He was a

well-respected doctor for the area.

So much so that not only did we get the health care centre named after him, but

then of course renamed after him. As

we talk about his commitment to medicine, today in this statement we recognize

the courage that he has shown in his commitment to peace for our country.

Just imagine interrupting your study to go to serve in the Great War, and

then to do it a second time in World War II realizing that you can contribute to

training our young men and women overseas.

His

dedication of forty-four years of medical service and volunteering in the

community to this Province is something we should all take time to celebrate and

to reflect the contribution that Dr. Newhook has made.

After his passing, it is something that his family here today can be

extremely proud of.

As we

celebrate this Honour 100 initiative I, on behalf of my colleagues, support the

recognition of Dr. William Newhook and his legacy to this great Province.

Thank

you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the Premier for the advance copy of his statement.

I, too, welcome the members of Dr. Newhook's family.

It is an honour to remember Dr. William Newhook who was one of the many

people whose hard work, sacrifice, and devotion to their fellow citizens made

Newfoundland and Labrador a better place.

Dr.

Newhook served the people of this Province with dedication and energy, qualities

that would have served him well in his military service.

I think of energy when I think of going up a track to Old Perlican,

pumping their way up; that is quite a hill that he would have taken.

These

qualities served him well in his military service, which was recognized, those

qualities, when the Markland Cottage Hospital was renamed in his honour.

I suspect Dr. Newhook himself never knew how many lives he saved.

I am sure to him it was the desire to serve others that motivated his

work, using his skills to aid and comfort those in distress.

I thank

the Premier for giving a greater public face to this wonderful man, who I think

is one of many who has given so much to us in the generations of our Province's

history, and which his family is continuing where they now live.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

today in this hon. House to inform my colleagues that May 30 is Provincial

Francophonie Day.

Mr.

Speaker, in 1999, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador declared May 30

Provincial Francophonie Day. May 30

is a very symbolic date for the Francophone and Acadian community in

Newfoundland and Labrador. It was on

this date in 1987 that the first sod was turned on the site of the future

Sainte-Anne School and Community Centre at Mainland on the Port au Port

peninsula, which, of course, is the traditional heart of the Province's

French-speaking community.

Depuis

cette date, Monsieur le Prsident, les Francophones, les Acadiens et leurs

nombreux amis et partenaires, y compris le gouvernement de

Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, se runissent tous les 30 mai pour lever le drapeau

franco-terre-neuvien-et-labradorien qui exprime l'esprit et la tnacit da la

communaut.

Our

government will continue its long-standing tradition of partnering with the

Francophone Federation of Newfoundland and Labrador to mark Provincial

Francophonie Day with a flag-raising ceremony just outside of these doors.

My colleague, the Member for Port au Port, and the only Francophone

Member of the House of Assembly, will represent the provincial government at

this event and will help raise the flag outside of Confederation Building.

Monsieur

le Prsident, les lves de l'cole Francophone locale, l'cole des

Grands-Vents, montreront leur fiert communautaire en faisant flotter de petits

drapeaux et en se joignant la chorale Francophone, La Rose des Vents, pour

chanter Canada et l'hymne de Terre-Neuve.

Last

year, our government proudly signed a five-year federal-provincial agreement on

the delivery of French language services; recognized the late Emile Benoit, a

well-known musician and storyteller from the Port au Port peninsula as a Person

of Provincial Significance within the Provincial Historic Commemorations

Program; and financially supported Festival Jeunesse de l'Acadie a Francophone

youth project held in Mainland on the Port au Port peninsula.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in congratulating the

Francophone and Acadian community of Newfoundland and Labrador for its role in

contributing to the tapestry of our Province's cultural diversity.

We can all be proud to be part of our Province's past, present, and

exciting future.

Merci,

Monsieur le Prsident.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for The

Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Mr. Speaker, I thank the

minister for an advance copy of her statement.

We, too, join the government in celebrating Francophonie Day.

Despite the small and scattered Francophone population in our Province,

we recognize that almost 25,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians speak both of

our official languages and that more and more children are opting for French

Immersion. We must strive to make

these opportunities more readily available.

The

French Shore Historical Society of Conche, in my district, has a 225-foot

tapestry of Jacobean linen that depicts the history of le Petite Nord.

Through assistance from the Department of Advanced Education and Skills,

they are commemorating the Treaty of Utrecht, signed 300 years ago, and will

travel the Province to places like Plaisance and Port au Port.

The Port au Port peninsula has a rich French and Acadian history and

culture, and I strive and encourage people to visit and look at the

contributions made by the late Emile Benoit.

The

Official Languages Act of 1969 really coincided with the collective rebirth of

interest in French heritage and since then, we have seen a lot of organizations

stage the socio-cultural projects for the promotion of their identity and

language.

Fdration des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador does a great job of

promoting activities of the Francophone community on a provincial scale.

Flicitations!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the minister for the advance copy of her statement.

I am always pleased to celebrate Provincial Francophonie Day.

It is important that we recognize all the cultures that are part of the

history of Newfoundland and Labrador because for so long, we did not do so.

When I

was a teacher of French, I was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on

French in the school system for then Education Minister Gerry Ottenheimer, and

at that time there was one Francophone member from the Port au Port peninsula on

that committee. We are so far ahead

of where we were at that time, Mr. Speaker.

Il me

donne beaucoup de plaisir de dire felicitations a toutes les personnes de la

langue franaise dans notre Province.

Merci, and congratulations to all members of the Francophone community.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Primary

health care means offering front-line services with a team of health care

professionals such as doctors, nurses, and many others.

Evidence shows that well-planned investments in primary health care can

result in significant savings and improve access.

I ask

the Premier: Given that Newfoundland and Labrador has the most expensive health

care system in Canada, why hasn't your government invested in primary health

care to improve patient access and the sustainability of our system?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want

to join in the Leader of the Opposition's sentiment about the value of health

care in Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in the highly-qualified and very

efficient professionals who we have providing health care.

We have excellent professionals providing health care in Newfoundland and

Labrador. I know the member opposite

agrees.

Mr.

Speaker, we have worked diligently, we have worked very hard with the regional

health authorities in recent years to create a more effective and a more

efficient operating health care system for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

We do spend a significant amount of money.

Almost 40 per cent of our total Budget is spent on health care for the

people of the Province, and we have had good success with that.

We have

had improved wait times in many areas.

We have some of the best wait times in Canada in many areas right now,

Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

minister also knows that the value for what we spend in health care that in

Canada right now we are near the bottom.

In 2006, as an example, the government cut the funding for the Office of

Primary Health Care and stopped providing leadership in that role; however,

evidence does show that improvements in primary health care mean better health

outcomes.

I ask

the Premier: Why are you continuing to ignore the evidence that shows improved

primary health care is better for the people of our Province?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would

have to disagree with the member opposite in some of his comments.

We are making great improvements in health care.

Just yesterday, I was at the Health Sciences Centre here in St. John's

when they had a naming ceremony for the new catheterization labs, a very

important valued piece of equipment and processes for people with significant

cardiac issues.

It is a

$10 million investment. It was a

shared project between government a $4.5 million investment by the Government

of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Speaking with the doctors there yesterday, they tell me that bringing this

technology to Newfoundland and Labrador has in -turn caused three new young

growing and inspiring experts in the field to Newfoundland and Labrador to

provide services to the people of the Province, Mr. Speaker.

I think that speaks well in investments in the projects we are making.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I remind

the minister that investing and spending money in health care is one thing;

getting the outcome is something else.

Sixty-three per cent of our physicians have indicated that a significant change

is needed to improve primary health care for our Province.

Many provinces have established frameworks for innovative change in

primary health care.

I ask

the minister: Why are you continuing to ignore the opportunity to improve the

health care system in Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, we have more

doctors working in Newfoundland and Labrador than we ever had in the history of

this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

We have 54 per cent I

believe the number is correct 54 per cent more nurses than the Canadian

average working right here in Newfoundland and Labrador, per capita, Mr.

Speaker.

We are

making investments in technologies.

We are making investments in our infrastructure throughout Newfoundland and

Labrador, in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and in urban places of Newfoundland

and Labrador. We are bringing in the

specialists and the experts, highly trained and highly skilled, right here to

improve those incomes because he is right, that is what it is about, is giving

the best outcomes for patients, the best outcomes for Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians, and we are doing it, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Government has been taking a reactive stance to physician vacancies in our

Province. They are doing this

throughout the Province and leaving many people in our Province without

consistent service, and they are doing this without a Province-wide human

resources plan, something that many health care providers have been asking for a

long time. Our Province will

continue to struggle without this human resources plan.

I ask

the minister: Why have you not done something as simple as putting in a human

resources plan for our health care professionals?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, as I have said,

we have been doing significant work in improving health care for Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians, in a board scope and a broad range.

We have been doing work in human resources on recruitment and retention

of specialists and special health care providers.

A couple

of weeks ago the Member for Burgeo La Poile, opposite here, talked about a

study that we developed eight years ago.

I went looking, because there was no study developed eight years ago.

It was actually a consultation plan that we did six years ago.

We did not spend millions like he said.

We had done twenty-six consultations throughout the Province and we

learned from those consultations. I

can tell you, Mr. Speaker, looking for the report that he talked about that did

not exist, I did find some older reports and I tell you, I look forward to the

opportunity to share those with the people of the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will

remind the minister now; I will share with you a report right now.

This is it. You talk about

retention; 20 per cent of Memorial graduates from our Medical School, that is

what stays here in our Province. We

do not have a human resources plan.

Without that strategy, how would we ever expect to retain our own graduates?

Since 80

per cent of the doctors trained are leaving the Province after graduation: Why

do you not even have a plan of recruitment for our own health care

professionals?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, I think he has

erred on his numbers. I am pretty

sure he erred on his numbers. I will

tell him now in a few minutes. I am

going to have a quick look to double check my numbers because I would not him to

be wrong and me to be wrong. I want

to make sure I get the facts right because we are held accountable.

We are held accountable for the people, we are held accountable to this

House, and it is important that we get our facts right.

I am going to have a look at those, and if I can, through the next

question or two, come up with those numbers here, I will certainly share them,

Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, a resident

seeking support for a friend in crisis last month was shocked to learn that

Eastern Health's mobile crisis unit only operates Wednesday to Sunday.

The Regional Director of Eastern Health Mental Health and Addictions

Program said this restriction is not budgetary.

I ask

the minister: If budget is not a factor, will you expand the mobile crisis

team's hours to seven days a week?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

We may do that, Mr. Speaker,

we may not.

What we

have to do, this project that the hon. member opposite refers to is a pilot

project that was set up a number of years ago.

It has been conducted in the Northeast Avalon area for about four years

right now. There is an evaluation

process that is taking place. We can

evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

Do the hours of the program match the needs?

Does it need more hours, different hours, shorter hours?

That is all part of an evaluation process that will happen.

I should

point out that the mobile response unit is only one tool that is available for

health care providers in the Northeast Avalon, because there is no mobile

response for other parts of the Province.

It was a pilot project set up in the metropolitan St. John's area, the

Northeast Avalon area, but there are numerous other resources to people who

require assistance and supports when they have an incident or an episode or

require psychiatric support. There

are a number of those other opportunities that are available, especially in the

Northeast Avalon.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, it is

unfortunate that the minister's pilot program does not cover those individuals

with crises on Monday and Tuesday.

Mobile crisis teams were a recommendation from the 2003 Luther inquiry into the

deaths of two men with mental health issues who were shot dead by police.

Judge Luther specified police only be called when there is a concern for

personal safety. In a case last

month, a police car and a police van both responded.

I ask

the minister: What are you doing as Health Minister to end the policing of

mental health?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Policing, and the police response that is available throughout Newfoundland and

Labrador, highly qualified, highly trained police services from the RCMP and

also the RNC. The RCMP in rural

parts of the Province and the RNC in the urban areas.

I can tell you they are highly trained and also have done a significant

amount of training when responding to calls related to people who are in a

mental health crisis. That is

another tool that is available.

We also

have psychiatrists available around the clock, twenty-four hours, seven days a

week through different parts of the Province.

We have an emergency clinic at the Waterford Hospital.

We have emergency rooms throughout the Province that also can be availed

of, and we also have a twenty-four hour, seven day a week crisis line, Mr.

Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, I am talking about a mobile crisis team and the Luther inquiry

saying do not send the police and the minister talks about sending the police.

Overall,

the dental budget for kids and adults was underspent by $4.7 million last year

and the department's own deputy minister attributed some of these savings to the

low per person cap which makes the program inaccessible.

I ask

the minister: Will you commit the $4.7 million saved last year to this year's

adult dental plan so those who need dental work most can access it?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Adult Dental Program in Newfoundland and Labrador is another fine example of the

work this government has done for the people of the Province, Mr. Speaker.

In fact, it is the only dental program of its kind in the country.

The only Adult Dental Program of its kind in Canada, Mr. Speaker.

There

was a budget of $6.7 million allotted in the Adult Dental Program last year.

That budget amount was not fully utilized.

What we did this year to correct that, we have increased the allowable

amount available to people in the Province so that we could increase the

services provided to them. Also,

then increase the budget allotment to reach what we had budgeted and planned

for.

We have

made an increase in that, Mr. Speaker.

It provides more opportunities for people and more funding for people who

need the program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Burgeo La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS:

Mr. Speaker, what the

minister did not say is that the changes they have made have actually had less

people accessing this program, and he talks about how good it is.

Let's

talk about the adult denture plan, which is even more absurd.

If you need a full set of dentures you will have to live with either the

top or the bottom dentures for a full year before you are approved for the

second half in the next year.

I ask

the minister: Will you revise this ludicrous cap so people on low-incomes who

need dentures are treated with dignity?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

appreciate the opportunity to talk more about the Adult Dental Programs that we

have in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have invested heavily in them. We

continue to do that. We have made

commitments to invest in dental programs for children, for youth, for adults,

and for seniors.

The

denture program is a good example as well.

There is a maximum of a $750 funding allotment allowable to seniors who

meet the requirements, meet the eligibility criteria under the Newfoundland and

Labrador Prescription Drug Program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. DAVIS:

Over two years they can

complete top and bottom. They are

eligible to replace every eight years.

I think it is a good program, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The hon.

the Member for St. John's North.

MR. KIRBY:

Mr. Speaker, autism spectrum

disorder is affecting one in sixty-eight children in this Province and we have a

wait-list of about 400 children waiting to see a specialist.

Children are on wait-lists for months and even years waiting for an

assessment that can take as little as two hours to complete.

I ask

the minister: Why do children and families have to wait months and sometimes

years to get an assessment that only takes two hours to complete?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Autism

is another very important matter, especially affecting children in Newfoundland

and Labrador and impacting families of Newfoundland and Labrador as well.

This year, Mr. Speaker, we have made significant improvements and

increases in investments in autism services.

There is

$2 million this year invested. That

will be annualized at $3.9 million annually from 2015-2016 and onwards, Mr.

Speaker. That is creating twenty-two

new health positions to provide better services and care for children and

families who deal with autism and live with autism.

There are more investments we are making to address the needs of autism,

for people with autism throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's North.

MR. KIRBY:

Mr. Speaker, in the Budget

the government announced funding for a new developmental pediatrician; however,

we have heard that this funding simply moved the person from a private practice

into the Janeway. It seems no new

resources were added to the health care system.

This announcement was just more smoke and mirrors from government.

I ask

the minister: Is this true, yes or no?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There

are twenty-two positions, as I mentioned, that have been created during this

year's Budget. Two million dollars

additional funding is $2 million additional funding; $3.9 million annualized in

the years to come, Mr. Speaker. That

is additional funding. I am trying

to explain to the member opposite that means new funding for new positions.

There are twenty-two new positions.

Those

positions have to be filled. They

will be filled from a variety of sources.

They may be filled from people who are in private practice elsewhere, but

those positions will be filled to complement the health care services within the

regional health authorities for people with autism.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for the

District of Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

MS DEMPSTER:

Thank you.

Mr.

Speaker, despite urgent requests from physicians, Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians wait time to access critical physiotherapy services there simply

are not enough physiotherapists to meet the demand.

Residents are forced to either travel hundreds of kilometres for care or

live with debilitating pain.

I ask

the minister: What is being done to address the physiotherapy backlog and

wait-list that exists all over this Province?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can

tell you in my twenty-eight days as the Minister of Health, in that relatively

short period of time, there are a large number of program areas that are a

concern for people throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Physiotherapy is one of those as well.

I can

tell you, if you look at our record, Mr. Speaker, our record is that we have

done very well in looking at wait times and demands for services where there has

been an under availability of resources to provide the services that are

necessary. We see changes and

fluctuations in demand for services as time goes on, as demographics change, as

population changes and needs change.

Also, as technology and health care availabilities and training changes, there

is a difference in approach.

Mr.

Speaker, our record speaks well, and we will deal with those wait times as we

have done with others.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

MS DEMPSTER:

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious

that the lack of physiotherapy services is costing the health care system,

impacting the ability of employees to return to work, and hindering the health

and well-being of many residents living in rural parts of the Province.

I ask

the minister: Will government seek to enter into agreements with out-of-province

schools to improve the recruitment and retention of physiotherapists to

under-serviced areas?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Some of

the agreements the member opposite is referring to are in place.

We have done well in dealing with the needs of people.

We have done a number of consultation processes throughout the Province

in recent years. It is important to

us to provide services in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and I say to this

House, very important to us to ensure dialysis is a good example of how we are

providing services, localized services, in rural parts of Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Mr.

Speaker, my understanding is members opposite, their plan one time was to

centralize services. It sounded to

me like to take services out of rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Maybe the Leader of the Opposition can tell us or explain to us what that

was all about.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for The

Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Mr. Speaker, echocardiogram

or ECG services are used to diagnose, manage, and follow up for patients with

any suspected or known heart diseases.

This service was provided in St. Anthony hospital for years but has been

cut. Hundreds of patients now have

to travel to other regions wasting valuable time and money to get this vital

service.

I ask

the minister: Why are you making people of the region travel unnecessarily,

adding further costs to the health care system through medivacs and other

medical travel?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, I am so glad I

had to go digging for reports there a couple of weeks ago, a week or so ago when

the Member for Burgeo La Poile asked me to start looking for reports, because

there are reports there back from the days when the Liberals were in government.

If you look back in those days, they wanted to streamline services as

well, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. DAVIS:

I tell you, as you look back

in the history you will have to ask maybe the member or the Leader of the

Opposition can speak to this because their plan was to reduce services in rural

Newfoundland and Labrador. They were

going to centralize services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and take those

services out of the region.

I ask

the member opposite, who is asking the question: How would your plan be affected

by what your plan was back in those days?

How would your problem be affected by their plan back in those days?

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for The

Straits White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Mr. Speaker, the minister

should stop revisiting past reports and fix and find the solutions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Anyone who is familiar with

the hospital would know that the equipment is already there.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Mr. Speaker, the equipment is

already there at the hospital and it is sitting idle.

There is a technician currently working at the hospital who can use the

equipment. All that is required is

the necessary training and commitment from the government to provide the

service.

I ask

the minister: Will he commit to saving our health dollars and improving patient

care by ensuring echocardiogram service is reinstated at St. Anthony hospital

immediately?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

He is putting his foot down

over there now, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I should explain. Just a

couple of weeks ago the Member for Burgeo La Poile I do not mean to pick on

him because he is generally a decent guy, but he brought it up.

He asked me to go looking back through some older reports, but you do not

have to go back that far, Mr. Speaker.

All you have to do is listen to the speeches that were delivered just a

couple of weeks ago. They talked

about then centralizing services.

Maybe

members opposite can explain: What do they mean by centralizing services?

Do they mean taking health care out of rural Newfoundland and Labrador?

Is that what they are talking about, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount

Pearl South.

MR. LANE:

Mr. Speaker, as of February,

2013, the average wait time for placement in a long-term care facility was

eighteen to twenty-four months. This

wait time for long-term care is causing acute care bed blockage which is a major

factor in ER overcrowding.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. LANE:

I ask the Minister of Health

and Community Services, this government has had ten years and billions in oil

revenues to prepare for the aging baby boom: Why haven't you better prepared our

population for its long-term care needs?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Member for The Straits White Bay North never got up to answer what I asked him

to explain to the people. Now we

have the Member for Mount Pearl South talking about wait times.

Let us

talk about wait times in Canada, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. DAVIS:

Our plan we have some of

the best wait times in radiation therapy in the country, and the best wait times

for bypass surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, cataract surgery.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

The best wait times in Canada

right here, Mr. Speaker.

I would

like to see how they are going to do that when they streamline and rip the

health care out of rural Newfoundland and Labrador and they build their centres.

How are they going to do that?

I would like to know how they are going to do it.

Maybe

when the Member for Mount Pearl South gets up he can explain to the people of

the Province how streamlining and moving health care from rural Newfoundland and

Labrador is going to be better

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Mount

Pearl South.

MR. LANE:

Mr. Speaker, I was asking

questions about long-term care. I

wish he would answer my question.

Mr.

Speaker, as of January 2012, 25 per cent of acute care beds in the Province were

blocked by patients requiring alternate levels of care, like rehab and long-term

care. It costs about $150 a day for

an alternate level of care bed. It

costs about $1,800 a day for an acute care bed.

I ask

the Minister of Health and Community Services: What percentage of acute care

beds are occupied by patients requiring alternate levels of care today?

What are the added costs being borne by taxpayers due to this bed

blockage?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, the member

opposite raises a very important issue and a matter that we have been addressing

for a number of years, when people who need an alternative level of care other

than acute care beds still remain in acute care beds.

I tell you what we are doing for that.

In St. John's, we are building a new facility; 460 new long-term care

beds being built in St. John's.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. DAVIS:

Two hundred and twenty-nine

beds in Carbonear. We are building

long-term care beds, Mr. Speaker, in Labrador City and in Happy Valley-Goose

Bay. We are building facilities in

Bonavista and in Clarenville because that is going to address the needs of the

people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We are

building them in Bonavista; we are building them in rural parts of Newfoundland

and Labrador. We are not ripping

them out like the members opposite plan on doing, Mr. Speaker.

We are putting them back in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS MICHAEL:

Well over 1,000 people are

waiting for dentures many for over a year because of government red tape and

delays in approvals for denture work under the Adult Dental Program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MS MICHAEL:

Yet $2.5 million was unspent

in this program in last year's Budget.

I ask

the Minister of Health and Community Services: Why has the department slowed

down the application process for denturists and their patients?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I mentioned earlier and I will mention it again, the dental program in

Newfoundland and Labrador, the Adult Dental Program in particular, is a program

like no other in Canada. It is one

of the only programs, as I understand it, in the country for people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have

a dental program that provides services to people who meet the eligibility

criteria under the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program.

We have a denturist program for seniors.

understanding, Mr. Speaker, while there is a significant demand for this

program, right now there are about 100 cases being approved every second week,

so that those people can avail of those services of obtaining their dentures.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

There

are over 1,000 unapproved.

The

Adult Dental Program was supposed to be a three-year program.

Denturists agreed to take lower pay and made costly investments in new

equipment, only to see government strangle the program.

I ask

the Minister of Health and Community Services: Why has he left those

professionals holding the bag?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is

a demand for the service. The member

opposite is correct in what she is saying; there is demand for service.

She is correct in what she is saying today, because she makes errors

sometimes when she comes to the House of Assembly, and so do we, but it is

important that we get our facts right.

A couple

of weeks ago she stood here and said that we are moving Level IV patients into

personal care home. It was

incorrect. She refused to admit her

error, but I am quite willing to admit errors and make corrections when I need

to.

I can

tell you that our dental program and our denture program is a very important one

to the people of the Province. We

have a budget of $6.7 million and while the members of the Liberal Party might

it find it funny; it is a very important program for certain people in the

Province, $6.7 million. We have made

amendments and improvements to the program this year so we can provide services

to more people. We are approving

applications on a daily basis and those people are receiving those services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I ask

the minister: Is it good policy to have seniors who have had all their teeth

extracted wait six months or longer for dentures, because that is what is

happening?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Mr. Speaker, it is never a

good thing when people have a delay in needed health care, and that is why we

have made significant planning. We

have looked for efficiencies. We

have improved services. We have

developed new programs. The adult

denture program and the dental program are new programs.

It has only been operating for a couple of years.

Before

that, Mr. Speaker, they had no opportunity for services.

So this program is providing services to numerous Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians. It is providing

services to seniors throughout the Province.

It is an important program, and that is why we continue to make the

investments in it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

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

MS ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today,

another story of a senior precariously placed while waiting for a long-term care

facility. What was once a geriatric

transitional ward at the Waterford now also houses tertiary care patients; some

who are young and aggressive. This

is poor treatment for either category of patient.

Staff are working hard to serve both populations in a very difficult

situation.

I ask

the minister: Will he guarantee the safety of seniors who are put in this unit?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Waterford Hospital has three different geriatric units.

They have an acute care geriatric unit, and they have two residential

geriatric units contained in their hospital.

I can tell you, I have visited and attended the Waterford Hospital many

times over the years for a number of different reasons.

I know the staff there take their roles very seriously.

I know that the care of patients is of utmost importance to all of them

at all times, and the services they provide to them is very important to people.

People

who deliver services at the Waterford Hospital take a lot of pride in the work

that they do. There are three

different units there. There are

patients there who need very important care.

Mr. Speaker, we are about to open a long-term care facility and some of

those patients will be moved to that new long-term care facility in St. John's,

coming this fall.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Mr. Speaker, I asked the

minister: Will he guarantee the safety of seniors who are put in this unit?

Mr.

Speaker, seniors are being stuck in acute care hospital beds, geriatric

transitional wards, hospital emergency room corridors, or left without adequate

home care support. One hundred and

forty-five seniors are on wait-lists for long-term care in the Eastern Region

alone. The care and housing of

seniors Province-wide is at a crisis point, with no relief in sight.

I ask

the Premier: Will he strike an all-party committee to deal with the growing

crisis of senior care? This is not

going away.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just

outlined earlier some of the investments we are making into long-term care.

We cannot create long-term care beds overnight.

It takes a long time to establish these facilities; it takes a long time

to plan them and to build them. We

are building the facility in St. John's, as I referred to, 460 beds, scheduled

to open this coming fall, a much needed piece of infrastructure for the people

of the Province. We look forward to

that opening as well as anyone else does.

Right

now, Mr. Speaker, there is an equivalent number of people moving into long-term

care in a three-month period as there is on the wait-list.

So, there is turnover. Not to

paint the picture wrong for the member opposite and to completely disagree with

what she says because some people stay on the list longer than others.

Priorities are dealt with by need, but in a three-month period there are

as many people moving into long-term care as there are on the complete

wait-list.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The time for Question Period

has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Tabling of Documents

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Service NL.

MR.

CRUMMELL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to table 2013

Annual Performance Report of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation

Commission. It is a good piece of

work; have a good read over there, members opposite.

There is some good information here about the good things that are

happening with the Commission.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

CRUMMELL:

Mr.

Speaker, I just want to table this document and welcome members to have a read

at their leisure, and I welcome questions in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Finance.

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to

section 26.(5)(

a) of the

Financial Administration Act, I am tabling two Orders in Council related to

funding pre-commitments for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to give notice that I will ask leave to

introduce the following resolution.

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Assembly as follows:

WHEREAS

section 42.1 of the Access to Information and

Protection of Privacy Act provides that the Information and Privacy Commissioner

is to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on a resolution of the

House of Assembly; and

WHEREAS

section 42.2 of the act states that a

commissioner may be reappointed; and

WHEREAS the appointment of the current commissioner,

Mr. Ed Ring, expires on June 24, 2014; and

WHEREAS it is proposed the Mr. Ring be reappointed as

the commissioner for a term of two years;

NOW THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that Mr. Ed Ring be

appointed as the Information and Privacy Commissioner for a term of two years.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I presented a petition here yesterday

regarding Saint Luke's cottages; I have another one to present today.

WHEREAS Saint Luke's cottages has been using the

continuum of care model since it opened.

It entails priority access to long-term care beds, as clearly stated in

the Saint Luke's handbook, which is given to all tenants.

Further commitment was confirmed in 1995 under the Single Entry System

established by Eastern Health. This

allowed cottage tenants to join Saint Luke's if they were no longer able to

function independently regardless of their level of care; and

WHEREAS Eastern Health has arbitrarily changed this

practice in recent months; Level II cottage tenants are now being forced to

leave and live in personal care homes when placement is needed.

This breaks the commitment to the continuum of care model; and

WHEREAS we became aware of this change in practice when

a ninety-three-year-old tenant, who lived at Saint Luke's cottages for thirteen

years, was forced to find other living arrangements after returning from

hospital. This incident has caused

other tenants to worry about their future.

Saint Luke's Homes is committed to the continuum of care model; however,

it is being abolished by the decisions made by placement services;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to request that

Eastern Health and provincial government direct the staff at Placement Services

to continue to honour the existing agreement and past practice to have the

tenants of Saint Luke's cottages moved over to Saint Luke's Homes when they can

no longer manage to live in their cottages.

Mr. Speaker, the idea of aging and placement has been

one that Saint Luke's has practiced with tenants going into Bishop Meaden Manor

and from there to Saint Luke's cottages, and from there to Saint Luke's Homes.

This provides a sense of security and a sense of relief for many of the

tenants. They know that as they age

with their friends and other tenants at Saint Luke's cottages they will have

first choice of a placement at Saint Luke's Homes.

I know that Saint Luke's cottages are looking at

building a facility on Old Topsail Road starting this summer.

That will, in large part, relieve some of the concern that tenants have

of the cottages here because some of those tenants, instead of having to go to

personal care homes, will be able to move from the cottage to the building that

is being constructed on the Saint Luke's property this summer, so that property

will probably be a year or thereabouts until final completion of construction.

What I would certainly like for the department to do

and for Eastern Health to do is to look at allowing the practice of Saint Luke's

cottage tenants to continue to go to Saint Luke's Homes as they require that

level of service up to such a point the building is built.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Orders of the Day

Private Members' Day

MR.

SPEAKER:

now being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, there are only a few seconds before

we get to 3:00 o'clock. We hardly

have time for another petition.

I now call on the Member for St. John's South to

introduce the motion that is on the Order Paper in his name.

The hon. the Member for St. John's South.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The private member's resolution for those who are

viewing and for all members of the House:

WHEREAS Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest

median age in Canada; and

WHEREAS one in six people in our Province today are

seniors, and by 2025 one in four people who will be seniors; and

WHEREAS access to safe, accessible, affordable housing

is one of the most significant challenges and issues facing seniors;

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly

urge government to develop a comprehensive housing strategy for seniors.

Mr. Speaker, when looking at housing, we do have an

aging population in this Province. I

just want to talk about that a little bit before moving to other issues that I

want to speak about regarding this.

The baby boom is now aging, and those born between 1946

and 1965 are now between the ages of forty-nine and sixty-eight.

If you look at the people in this Province who are sixty-five years of

age or older, there are 87,465. If

you look at the baby boomers, who are between the ages of fifty and sixty-four,

there are 126,575. So, clearly,

based on those numbers we do have an aging population.

There are fewer children to now care for their aging

parents than there were three or four decades ago.

The number of senior citizens could exceed the number of children for the

first time in Canada's history.

There are, therefore, less children, as I said, to care for the aging parents

compared to previous years and this puts competing demands such as career,

married life, and their own children because people are getting married now at

a later age than they were twenty, thirty, or forty years ago, or even sooner,

so they are older when they have children.

Years ago, the children could care for their aging

parents. Those children of the aging

parents, their children have already grown, in most cases.

That is no longer the case today, where you have the children of aging

parents still have children themselves.

Years ago, you would have both parents but you would

have one of the two parents working, and the other parent home looking after

home and family. That relived a

little bit of pressure because the spouse who was home and able to look after

home and family also had additional time to look after their aging parents.

That is no longer the case today, where you have both sets of parents

working. You have career demands on

both sets of parents, married life and, as I said, children.

So if you look at the fact that you have aging parents,

we need to develop a comprehensive housing strategy in this Province to help

look after our aging population.

When you look at, in many cases, the biggest struggle for individuals is the

cost of housing and even if they own their own home, the cost maintaining that

home, the cost of heating that home and the cost of providing food and

utilities.

Mr.

Speaker, more so in the case where you have individuals who have lost a spouse,

now surviving on a pension, the single pension or survivors' benefits trying to

maintain a home. Many of our seniors

today are living in cold homes with empty fridges, and that is a reality; not

everybody, but even the ones who are able to survive are not able to survive as

comfortably as they did in previous decades.

It is a

concern. It is a concern when you

look at the fact that the population is aging.

It is not quite double, but you look at 87,465 people in this Province

are now above the age of sixty-five.

Well, between the ages of fifty and sixty-four it is 126,575.

The timing is appropriate now where we look at a comprehensive strategy

to look after our seniors because of that aging population, because of the

change in demographics and the change in the structure of that demographics

where children no longer have the same time on their hands to be able to care

for their aging parents. They have

competing demands.

Mr.

Speaker, this Province has the fastest aging population in Canada and an

increasing demand for seniors housing and supports.

Housing is, as I said, the greatest single expense that most people have

and the income levels of our Province's seniors are lower than the national

average. In addition, a large

proportion of our seniors live in rural areas.

The health status and income levels are important determining factors.

I am

just going to shift gears a little bit and talk about the fact that if we can

help seniors stay in their homes longer and I understand there is a cost to

doing that, but if we can help seniors stay in their homes longer there is far

less expense on the Province when you look at having to put seniors in personal

care homes or assisted living, or long-term care.

It is a

strategy, it is a policy that is well worth looking at, well worth exploring,

Mr. Speaker, from a cost perspective as well as the fact that many seniors would

prefer to stay in their own homes if they had the support network and the

ability to do that. Many of them are

forced out of their homes because they simply cannot afford to maintain it.

They cannot afford the transportation to and from medical facilities.

They cannot afford and do not have the ability to provide those

necessities.

Mr.

Speaker, the seniors, as I said, would prefer to remain in their own homes as

long as possible. The benefits of

aging in place including a feeling of independence and comfort, safety,

security, the ability to be near their family and having familiarity with their

surroundings. There are barriers to

remaining at home, including the inability to maintain their property, as I have

explained, the inadequate finances and illness, the need for that safety and

security, inadequate family support, transportation.

To overcome those barriers, creating housing incentives is needed.

I am not

coming down on government. There are

aspects that I would say need improvement.

The availability of housing, especially for seniors.

The availability of one-bedroom housing units.

The level of rental support through Income Support and so on; but, that

is not the issue today. The issue is

finding ways and putting in place a comprehensive policy to help seniors stay in

their homes longer, to look at the many factors that are contributing to that,

including the fact that we have a very rapidly growing senior population, an

aging population.

If you

look at, age in place initiatives must also take into account the diversity of

situations and needs of seniors given the differences in age, physical ability,

mental health, economic and financial status, gender, rural versus urban status,

current housing situations, culture and personal references.

This is

not an easy solution, I understand that, but that is the reason we need to

develop a comprehensive policy for seniors housing, Mr. Speaker.

It is not something to say: Well, we are doing a great job, or we are

doing this, we are doing that. We do

have a situation that will have a growing demand on the need for seniors

housing. As I said, if we can keep

seniors in their own housing longer it will be far less expensive on government

than personal care homes or assisted living accommodations and so on.

Mr.

Speaker, a seniors housing strategy should be a planning document that will

specifically address the needs of seniors, including but not limited to,

That strategy, Mr. Speaker, should be reflective of the Province's

population statistics. I have

already outlined those, but if you consider the fact that a senior is anywhere

over the age of sixty-five, and in 1990 one in ten people were considered to be

seniors. Today, it is one in six

people considered to be seniors, and by 2025 one in four people in this Province

will be considered to be seniors. It

is something we definitely need to put a focus on.

We need

to start to look at how we are better able to assist those seniors to stay in

their own homes, and not only to stay in their own homes but a comprehensive

strategy. It is not only including

the ability to age in their own home and in their own community, to age in place

seniors, Mr. Speaker.

How we

put all of those pieces of that puzzle together to ensure the strategy will fit

the aging population so that we are not trying to catch up, we are not trying to

focus on a problem, but create a solution to that problem before it is created.

We look at geographical location to larger urban centres, the desire of

many people to stay in their own homes or to age in place, a housing continuum

and care options for seniors.

Mr.

Speaker, a

summary of a report done by the Atlantic Seniors Housing Research

Alliance in 2010 and that report was titled Seniors' Housing: Challenges,

Issues and Possible Solutions. The

main investigator was Mount Saint Vincent University.

However, there were other groups that were involved as well including:

Dalhousie University, University of PEI, Memorial University of Newfoundland and

Labrador, the University of New Brunswick, the Research Council of Canada, and

the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The

group found that there were nine key issues: Housing design: safe, accessible

lifetime housing; availability of home supports; availability of a continuum of

housing choices; availability of transportation when and where needed; supports

for housing transition planning; recognizing housing costs and affordability

issues; housing needs of seniors who are vulnerable or socially excluded; the

potential for community capacity building; and, planning for tomorrow's Atlantic

Canadian seniors.

Mr.

Speaker, we heard some questions today around seniors, health questions to the

Minister of Health. Some of those

were the fact that you have now people taking up acute care beds because there

is a lack of long-term care beds in this Province.

That as well needs to fit into a comprehensive strategy on seniors

housing.

You look

at the fact that we are building facilities such as the facility we built in

Corner Brook where there were not enough long-term care beds in that facility.

A year or so later, government had to put additional funding in the

Budget to try and increase the number of beds in that facility.

So when we build facilities, we are not always building

them to meet, not only today's needs but tomorrow's needs; because when you

build a facility and open the doors of that facility and it is already filled at

capacity, you are not even meeting today's needs.

The planning for long-term care, the planning for assisted living, for

personal care, also has to be a part of a comprehensive seniors' housing

strategy. We need to look at all of

these aspects, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I cannot stress enough the fact that we have an

aging population, a population that is rapidly aging to what is considered to be

seniors. So, a comprehensive

seniors' housing strategy is something that we need to act expeditiously on, in

my opinion.

The Seniors Resource Centre: I am familiar with some of

the calls and inquiries that they are getting from seniors from all over the

Province. The latest issue the

single largest issue, I should say, that the Seniors Resource Centre hears from

seniors is related to housing. There

are many different aspects related to housing.

Seniors want to live independently for as long as they can that is what

we are hearing in their own homes and their own communities.

There are many different issues related to this such as

community supports, home care the availability of home care.

If you look at, as part of the strategy, providing home care to seniors

who are living in their own homes, it is far less expensive than assisted living

or personal care homes or long-term care facilities.

You look at the issues of snow clearing for seniors.

That has to fit into a strategy as well, or wood cutting, wood cutting

for seniors who heat their homes with wood, home maintenance, affordability.

The wait-list for social housing there have been some announcements

lately on social housing, but they do not meet the needs.

The wait-list far exceeds the number of social housing units that are

available today, and especially for seniors.

Not only today and I say especially for seniors today, but you look at

the fact that the seniors' population is rapidly aging, so more especially for

tomorrow.

You look at smaller communities and some have seniors'

complexes, but there are some smaller communities without seniors' complexes.

MR.

SPEAKER (Verge):

Order, please!

I remind the member that his time for speaking has

expired.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will have an opportunity to speak a little more

later.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Port at Port.

MR.

CORNECT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to stand in my

place this afternoon representing the great District of Port au Port, and its

people, to speak on the private member's resolution as put forth by the Official

Opposition. I am delighted as well

to have the opportunity to provide an overview of the various programs and

housing options offered through the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation that is designed to assist low-income seniors throughout our

Province.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing has some excellent programs in place that have been assisting

seniors throughout Newfoundland and Labrador for many years and continue to

assist seniors in our Province today, and well into the future, I would add,

because we are continuing to invest in these programs.

When you talk about housing, I want to talk about the

Investment in Affordable Housing, or IAH as they call it.

Mr. Speaker, this is cost-shared 50-50 with the federal government and is

delivered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.

The Affordable Housing Program helps create modest, affordable rental

housing for low-to-moderate income households.

Mr. Speaker, eligible private sector or supportive

living housing sector proponents receive capital funding for the construction of

affordable housing units, primarily for seniors as well as families, persons

with disabilities, or persons with complex needs.

Since 2004, approximately 1,117 new, affordable housing units have been

created throughout Newfoundland and Labrador through four previous investments

in affordable agreements.

Mr. Speaker, we now have a new $68 million investment

in the Affordable Housing Agreement that is about to be signed over in the

coming weeks. What this new

agreement will do, it will provide $28 million over the next five years to

create approximately 590 additional, new affordable housing units, the majority

of which will assist seniors. This

will bring the number of affordable homes, mostly for seniors, to approximately

1,700 Province-wide by the end of the agreement in 2019.

I want to talk a little bit about the Provincial Home

Repair Program as well. Mr. Speaker,

the remaining $40 million from this new investment in the Affordable Housing

Agreement will be used to help fund the Provincial Home Repair Program.

This federal-provincial cost-shared program, which has been in place for

thirty-six years, is administered and delivered by Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation as well.

Low-income households are provided with financial

assistance to improve their homes, thereby allowing them to stay in their homes

much longer. Mr. Speaker,

approximately 86 per cent of people assisted under PHRP, or the Provincial Home

Repair Program, are seniors with low incomes.

The average homeowner recipient is sixty-eight years old, has an annual

income of $18,646, and occupies a forty-eight-year-old house in the rural part

of our Province.

Mr. Speaker, in 2013-2014 the Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation provided $6.2 million through the Provincial Home Repair

Program to assist approximately 1,650 clients to continue living comfortably in

their own homes. Items that

clients may be eligible to upgrade include windows, doors, siding, insulation,

roofing, and heating systems all of which can improve the energy efficiency of

a home.

The Rental Housing Program, Mr. Speaker, the

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation again owns and administers 5,568

social housing units throughout various regions of the Province with the

greatest concentration of units located in the Avalon Region, 3,166; and in the

Corner Brook Region, 804.

Just this past week, Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing Corporation also increased its own housing portfolio with

twelve new seniors' units located in the Charter Avenue building in

Pleasantville, through a $2.3 million investment.

Mr. Speaker, 34 per cent of the 5,568 homes house

seniors aged sixty-plus. In

addition, all seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units are eligible

for heat subsidies. Throughout its

own social housing portfolio, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has

forty-one buildings, Province-wide, totalling 420 units, which are designated

seniors' buildings.

Mr. Speaker, the Home Modification Program and as I

have mentioned, there are many affordable housing options offered by

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation for seniors throughout the

Province. The Home Modification

Program is another such program. It

is designed to provide funding to low-to-moderate income homeowners, $46,500 or

less, seniors, and persons with disabilities who require significant

The program, Mr. Speaker, helps promote independence, self-reliance,

assists with a better quality of life, and enables individuals to remain in

their own homes for a longer period.

This past fiscal year, Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland

and Labrador Housing Corporation's Home Modification Program provided $1.9

million to assist approximately 300 seniors with low-to-moderate income s

The Rent

Supplement Program, in partnership with private landlords, Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing Corporation provides 1,732 affordable one and two bedroom units

for households with lower incomes by subsidizing the rental difference between

what the private landlord is charging and what the tenant can afford to pay.

This is a program whose funding was doubled by this government from $4

million per year which it had been to $8 million just a few years ago.

The

budget was increased again in 2014 to $9 million and will enable Newfoundland

and Labrador Housing to increase the rent supplement to 1,882 units

Province-wide in 2014-2015. Mr.

Speaker, the majority of these households assisted under the Rent Supplement

Program are seniors with an average age of sixty-plus.

Mr.

Speaker, I want to talk about REEP as well, the Residential Energy Efficiency

Program. REEP is designed to assist

low-income households, $32,500 or less per year, in making energy efficient

retrofits to their homes. The

average client profile is sixty-six years old with an annual household income of

$20,395 and is living in a forty-nine year old home, generally in a rural part

of the Province. Eighty-three per

cent of applicants for the Residential Energy Efficiency Program are seniors.

2013-2014, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation provided $1.5 million

to assist approximately 500 homeowners.

In Budget 2014, the program was reinstated to 2012 funding levels and

extended for three years at $4 million per year.

Mr.

Speaker, what this will do, it will enable Newfoundland and Labrador Housing

Corporation to serve up to 1,000 low-income homeowners annually with energy

retrofits that will significantly improve affordability by reducing heating

costs. To date, Mr. Speaker, we have

been able to assist more than 4,500 homeowners with energy retrofits through the

Residential Energy Efficiency Program with an estimated average energy savings

of 32 per cent or $735 annually.

These retrofits make housing more affordable while reducing greenhouse gas

emissions. Homeowners can avail of a

grant up to $3,000 per unit on the Island, and in Labrador $4,000 per unit.

Mr.

Speaker, I want to talk about the Partner-Managed Housing program.

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation's Partner-Managed Housing

program provides over 1,000 affordable rental housing units throughout the

Province and assists mostly seniors.

These are managed by sixty non-profit groups, including the City of St. John's,

Humber Valley Seniors, Marystown Kinsmen, Melville Native Housing, Robert's Arm

Interfaith Seniors, Harbour View Homes, Harbour Grace, Random Interfaith,

Clarenville, among others.

Mr.

Speaker, I want to remind our hon. colleagues that Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation is the Crown corporation responsible for the implementation

of government's social housing policy and programs.

In addition to seniors, their focus is providing safe and affordable

housing to low-income families, persons with complex needs, persons with

disabilities, and single adults with low income.

Seniors

are the fastest growing proponent of our Province's population.

As you can plainly see from the long list of programs I have described,

Mr. Speaker, seniors are certainly a main priority for the Newfoundland and

Labrador Housing Corporation and this government.

At this

point, Mr. Speaker, I want to make an amendment to the resolution.

I move, seconded by the hon. Member for Humber West, to amend the motion

by adding a fourth recital clause which will read:

WHEREAS

the government's social housing strategy includes several housing

initiatives giving seniors access to safe, accessible, affordable housing.

Also

adding in the resolution clause after the word seniors the phrase

incorporating its existing housing initiatives from which seniors are

benefitting.

Mr.

Speaker, the new amended resolution would read:

WHEREAS

Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest median age in Canada; and

WHEREAS

one in six people in our Province today are seniors, and by 2025 one in four

people will be seniors; and

WHEREAS

access to safe, accessible, affordable housing is one of the most significant

issues facing seniors; and

WHEREAS

the government's social housing strategy includes several housing initiatives

giving seniors access to safe, accessible, affordable housing.

THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to develop a

comprehensive housing strategy for seniors incorporating its existing housing

initiatives from which seniors are benefitting.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

Before

we consider the amendment, I would like to take the opportunity to recognize the

Deputy Mayor of New-Wes-Valley who is joining us in the gallery today, Mr. Ken

Hoyles.

Welcome

to our gallery.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The House will now take a

brief recess to consider whether the amendment is in order.

Recess

MR. SPEAKER:

The amendment is determined

to be in order.

The hon.

the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I rise here to

speak on this today. I understand

the amendment is in order. The

amendment does not change the original intent of the private member's motion,

but once again it just shows government, that even when the member puts in a

motion it almost has to be like you have to brag everything we are doing.

Mr.

Speaker, there is absolutely no doubt there has been good stuff done.

I am one of the people who stood up in this House on many occasions to

talk about the good things, but, when you look at the amendment, several housing

initiatives - that is right, several several are not enough.

That is why we are introducing this motion, when you say several are not

enough.

When you

add the other part of the amendment, incorporate its existing housing

initiatives from which seniors are benefiting, there is no doubt there are a lot

of programs here that the government has initiated that benefit seniors, but are

they working? Are they working to

the extent they should? Did it work

in the 2012 strategy plan that you put in place two years ago?

Are they working?

Mr.

Speaker, when this motion came forward and we discussed this motion, this motion

was more to say, let's all, as parliamentarians, develop a strategy for seniors.

Let's all have this open discussion, because there are major concerns for

seniors in this Province.

I know

the former Minister of Health, we spoke about this on several occasions, Mr.

Speaker. I have to say to the former

Minister of Health, when it came to seniors, we dealt with a lot of seniors'

issues. I know the former Minister

of Health helped out a lot of senior groups in the District of Bay of Islands.

I know we had a disagreement on the hospital, but I cannot deny the

initiative that she was undertaking for seniors in this Province.

I cannot do it. When there

are issues that I have for seniors, I cannot step back and say that the minister

was not there.

I even

remember once or twice, Mr. Speaker, it was on a Sunday afternoon that the

minister's office and staff were there to help out seniors.

There is no doubt that the former Minister of Health when we had

discussions on the seniors, everybody is committed to this.

The former Minister of Health was one person also who is very committed

to seniors in this Province. I know

that personally. I am sure the

current Minister of Health is also.

I know,

Mr. Speaker, there are times when we have disagreements in this House, one was

with the hospital, but I cannot take away the commitment that the former

Minister of Health had to seniors in this Province and the people in this

Province. I refuse to do it because

it would not be telling the truth and I cannot do it.

remember one case when I called on a Sunday evening and the minister and her

staff was there available, helping me out on something, Mr. Speaker, that was

we all agree that we are all here to help seniors.

We all agree to that, and I would never deny anybody in this Legislature

that. I know the Member for Humber

West; we deal closely on seniors issues out in Humber West, the Bay of Islands,

and the Cormack area also. I would

never take that away from the Member for Humber West.

We may disagree on some issues, but one thing we cannot disagree on is an

initiative that we would try for seniors, Mr. Speaker.

This

PMR, Mr. Speaker, was more for all of us to come together and say, is the

strategy working? Is the strategy

working that is in place now for seniors in this Province?

We all mentioned that there were a large number of seniors in this

Province, and the number is growing on a regular basis.

On a daily basis it is growing, the number of seniors who need

accommodations.

Mr.

Speaker, accommodations for seniors comes with all the support groups and

support initiatives that we need to keep them in their homes for long-term

care facilities, for long-term needs for seniors.

There is a complex and a variety of needs that they need.

Home care is one.

I will

just give you an example, Mr. Speaker.

Out around the Corner Brook area, and I always said this, we need greater

efficiency in home care services. We

need it. If we are planning on

trying to keep seniors in their own home, especially in rural areas Mr.

Speaker, I would not stand here today and say I have all the answers.

I do not have all the answers.

I do not

think any member in this House of Assembly has all the answers, but we need to

find some way that we can come up with a comprehensive strategy for seniors and

housing for seniors that will encompass home care, that will encompass

affordable housing, that will encompass ensuring that seniors could stay in

their own home with the electricity bills, the light bills, the heat bills, and

transportation costs. This is what

this private member's resolution is, Mr. Speaker, which I am glad to second, is

we need to come up with a strategy for this.

Mr.

Speaker, I heard the member speak about Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.

There is no doubt Newfoundland and Labrador Housing has some initiatives

in place for seniors. There is no

one denying that. I know during

Estimates when I was talking about housing, there is absolutely no doubt that

there are some good initiatives like the RRAP, the energy rebate program.

That is a good program. The

question is, Mr. Speaker, is there any way we can increase it because the

(inaudible) increase the cost for some seniors.

I know

my colleague mentioned it. One of

the greatest concerns a lot of seniors have and I know a lot who are into it

is what happens if a spouse passes away?

If you are living on two incomes, Mr. Speaker, and one passes away, you

are down to one income but you have the same number of bills.

This is the kind of initiative that we need to look at in the private

member's motion.

The

design for homes for seniors, Mr. Speaker, this is very important, the design

for homes. Mr. Speaker, I had the

pleasure of being involved with some groups with people with disabilities for a

number of years. We did a lot of

studies and reviewed a lot of studies across Canada.

The most vulnerable group now for mobility issues, and even becoming

paraplegics, are seniors.

When we

hear about designing Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, when we hear about new

programs, Mr. Speaker, we have to incorporate the design for seniors who have

mobility issues. The greatest

numbers who are now becoming paraplegic are seniors, because of their age, the

deterioration in their spine, disease in the spine and other reasons.

When we

asked questions earlier about seniors and seniors' issues, there is absolutely

no doubt when you stand up and say we spent this amount of money, we spend this

much for housing, we spent this much to ensure that a lot of units are

wheelchair accessible. There is no

doubt, but we have to face the reality that there are many seniors out there who

cannot afford housing. We have to

face it.

How are

we going to solve it, Mr. Speaker? I

do not have the answers. I will be

the first to admit. I do not think

anybody on the government side has all the answers.

do not think anybody would stand up and profess to have all the answers.

What we need and this is the private member's resolution is a

strategy that we can first develop, maintain, and two years down the road we

have to look at the outcomes. It is

no good to put in a strategy and say oh, we have the strategy and just take it

and put it on the shelf and say hopefully it is all going to work; we have to

set outcomes in that strategy. Then

we have to have some way to review the outcomes to see if they are working and

if the outcomes are not working, how we can revise the strategy as we move on.

We have to do that.

I know the government developed a strategy in 2012, and

two years later I have not seen any updates on this strategy.

I am not sure if there was any ever given.

I have not seen any updates on the strategy.

Did we check the outcomes on the strategy that was developed in 2012, Mr.

Speaker? I know when you go to a lot

of groups, when they set up a five- or ten-year strategy they have outcomes to

see if you are meeting the goals that you set out.

That is what I was thinking about, Mr. Speaker.

That is why I feel that we need the strategy but we need to make sure it

is affordable, attainable, and we have to have a way to look at the results of

the strategy.

Mr. Speaker, private partner, public partner

partnership is a great way and I know there are groups that have taken

advantage of that. I know there are

some private individuals who have taken advantage of that.

I think it is great. If that

is what we need to do, we need to do it.

Mr. Speaker, however we and I mean government.

However government can come up and find some affordable housing for

seniors, I am the first one to say we need it.

We need to first recognize that there is a problem out there.

We need to do that. We need

to recognize that there is a problem out there.

We need to recognize that the strategy that was put in place back in

2012, or the strategy that came out we have not seen the outcomes.

We have to see where it is at.

I am not standing alone here; I can assure you, I would

say every member in this House of Assembly, every member, had calls about

seniors about affordable housing.

This is not unique to this party.

This is not unique to the NDP. This

is not unique to the government.

This is a provincial issue, Mr. Speaker.

I am sure there is not one of us in this House of Assembly would want to

hear another call from a senior saying I cannot afford to live in my home.

It is sad.

So this is what this private member's resolution is all

about. This is not an attack on

government. This is absolutely no

attack on government. This is just

raising the issue again. This is

taking this issue and let us have a frank discussion about where we are, where

we need to go, and how can get there.

That is what this is all about.

I have no intent here to try to criticize anybody; there is lots of time

for that. There are lots of things

to bring up you could always bring up issues, but we need to come together,

Mr. Speaker.

I see the amendments that the Member for Port au Port

made, Mr. Speaker, and the only part that I disagree with is several.

I agree there are several initiatives, but we need more.

The second part, Mr. Speaker, incorporating existing housing initiatives

from which seniors are benefitting, I agree; there are some who are benefiting.

I will vote for the amendment.

I have no problem with that, because I always recognize issues and some

initiatives that this government has done for seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I brought this up in Estimates.

It was not this year; it was last year.

There are wait-lists for the social housing for seniors.

There are wait-lists. I

understand that they are not going to disappear overnight, but when we hear

about oh, the list has gone down, this is one thing I just want to let the

people in the Province know: The list has gone down is 100 per cent correct.

Part of the reason, Mr. Speaker, is that after one year, your name is

taken off, gone. That is why the

list has gone down.

I am sure there is extra housing, but that is why the

list is always very low. Because

after a year, your name is taken off the list; you have to go through the whole

process. People just find it so

cumbersome that again, if they move to a certain part of a city, like in Corner

Brook, they move from one area to another, they have to go through the whole

process. They have to go get the

doctor's referrals. They have to go

to Income Tax. They have to go

through the whole process again.

That is why the list is down so far when they stand up and say: Oh, well, the

lists have dropped a lot. You have

to look at why.

Mr. Speaker, this is not unique to St. John's, Corner

Brook, or Gander. This is rural

Newfoundland. It is a major issue in

rural Newfoundland. This is why we

need a comprehensive review of the housing for seniors for all Newfoundland and

Labrador, for rural parts, urban parts, St. John's, Corner Brook, Gander, and

Deer Lake. In all parts, there are

seniors with major issues.

Mr. Speaker, we also need a lot of shelters and hostels

for seniors for short terms. This is

part of the strategy. If you ever

look at seniors who come into some emergency situation, have to move out, and

have nowhere to go. The next thing

you know they are into a long-term care facility because they have nowhere to go

on a short-term basis. That is part

of the strategy of the housing.

Mr. Speaker, I see my time is up.

I ask members to support this.

I do support that government does has initiatives there for the seniors.

I support every one that you can get even more, if possible.

Mr. Speaker, I just thank everybody for participating

in the discussion today. Let us all

remember that no one in this House wants to have a senior move out of their

home. Let us all work together to

improve the housing for seniors.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Humber West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

GRANTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is indeed a great opportunity this afternoon to

stand in this House and speak to this private member's motion.

I am not going to stand on this side of the House and disagree with

anything that the member from across the way had to say for his fifteen minutes

on the floor of the House. As he

said and everyone on this side of the House and all three parties, we all have

significant seniors in our lives, whether they be individuals who are in our

families or individuals who we have as close friends, or seniors who are friends

of friends who we have.

We have seniors in our district, Mr. Speaker, who often

pick up the phone and call you on numerous issues.

I for one am not going to stand in the House today and say that I do not

receive any phone calls from seniors or children of seniors looking for answers,

or solutions to situations that seniors are in.

Just a couple of days ago I had the great privilege of

standing in this House and recognizing one of the seniors in Corner Brook, Mr.

Fred Alteen, who was recognized as Citizen of the Year for 2013 in the ACE

Awards. It was a privilege to

actually do that, someone who served in World War II and who has been a member

of the Royal Canadian Legion for over forty or fifty, sixty years I do believe,

Mr. Speaker, and just who contributes like many others in the community to make

Corner Brook and the surrounding area a better place.

I often think of people in Corner Brook like Bernice

Buckle and Israel Hann who have been advocates for not only seniors' issues, Mr.

Speaker, but issues of people in general in the Corner Brook area.

I think of the late Minnie Vallis and Gertie Hynes.

Her and I sit down often and have numerous conversations about issues

that are reflective on what seniors need in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to healthy

aging and building a more age-friendly Province.

Over the past several years we have funded seniors' groups and

organizations that focus on involving and supporting seniors in their

communities. We have implemented the

Long-Term Care and Community Support Services Strategy that looks at a full

continuum of long-term care ranging from initiatives like home support, the paid

family caregiving option, the roles of personal care homes, and long-term care

I know

the Member for the Bay of Islands just referenced that it is a provincial issue.

It is not only a provincial issue.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize on this side of the House, as do other

organizations and the federal government, that as our population ages, it is not

only a provincial issue; it is a provincial issue right across the country and

it is a Canadian issue. I would say

it is an international issue as our population ages and lives longer.

The issue of housing becomes more and more important as we age.

It is

important to remember that, ten years from now, or fifteen years from now, the

people who will replace us could be standing on the floor of this House, Mr.

Speaker, and also talking about issues with regard to seniors and housing.

This government has contributed and other governments have contributed to

building seniors complexes, whether it be long-term care facilities in Corner

Brook. I know when it opened.

Now we are going back and build another long-term care facility, and

other long-term care facilities throughout the Province.

We need

to continue to do these kinds of things for the residents of Newfoundland and

Labrador. That is something that

this government, Mr. Speaker, is committed to.

Mr.

Speaker, we have implemented many programs to put money back in the pockets of

seniors including a number of programs like the Low Income Seniors' Benefits,

the Affordable Housing Program, partner-managed housing, the Provincial Home

Repair Program, and the Residential Energy Efficiency Program.

I will give you an example of one in Corner Brook down on West Street and

Park Street; the partnership that the federal government and provincial

government made with the United Church in Corner Brook to open up housing units

on Park Street and West Street in Corner Brook in the United Church.

Actually it was in the old gymnasium attached to the United Church.

We need

to look for and search out more partners that could do that in our communities,

right throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

I want to say to the residents of Humber West that there are a number of

people who are advocating for more of these throughout the Province.

Last week, I sat down with a number of advocates in Corner Brook and the

Corner Brook area just to sit and listen to about how we can partner, how

government can partner with other organizations, not only in Corner Brook but

also throughout the Province.

That is

what this debate is about here on the floor of the House today, Mr. Speaker.

We have reduced fees for any adult over the age of sixty-five on drivers'

licences and vehicle registration fees, fees for fishing, hunting, camping, and

woodcutting. I think this is one we

should be very proud of through the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription

Drug Program 65Plus Plan, no senior using this plan pays more than $6 for

prescriptions for covered medications.

When we

look at housing, Mr. Speaker, it is not only the building in which someone

lives. I know it is critical, but

when we look at monies the seniors have and affordable housing, it is all about

the package of money that they have and what money they can keep and retain.

We all

know the challenges. Every single

one of us here knows the challenges of the monies that seniors have and some of

them with the lack of money that they have for housing.

These programs that we have implemented over the last number of years are

a part of that package, to be able to put more money back into the hands of

seniors into their pockets, whether it is to be used to pay their heat and light

bill, or whether it is to be used for extra food on their table and those kinds

of things. We are all sympathetic

and empathetic more than sympathetic, empathetic to all these kinds of things.

That is

what this government has been doing over the last little while, Mr. Speaker.

It does me proud as a Member of the House of Assembly for Humber West, as

all members of this House, when you get a call from a senior and you are able to

help them out with an application or with a program, whether it is the

provincial Home Repair Program or the Residential Energy Efficiency Program.

That is important that we as MHAs are able to do that for the seniors who

are in our districts.

I take

great pride when I am able to do that, and find out, when I get a call from a

senior two or three months down the road, and they are telling me they have

received some funding for new shingles on their roof, or for new siding, or for

new windows, or to control the mould problem that they might have in a damp

basement. We have all taken good

pride in that in our districts. I

take great pride, Mr. Speaker, when I hear from my constituents in Humber West

as would others in this House who would do the same.

We have

also implemented a Healthy Aging Policy Framework that includes initiatives such

as the Ageless Campaign which promotes positive images of aging, and recognizes

the contribution of seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Ageless Campaign is based on the fact that ambition, involvement, and

participation in society can be lifelong activities, Mr. Speaker.

We all learn from our seniors.

There is

not a day goes by that we shall not learn something from our seniors, Mr.

Speaker. They have a wealth of

knowledge; they have a wealth of background.

They have a wealth of information to pass on to this generation and other

generations. As we age and we become

seniors, our ability to pass on our knowledge to the generation that is coming

behind us is absolutely critical. We

must never forget in many of our communities the valuable insight, the valuable

knowledge that our seniors have. I

can tell you one thing, I take great joy in listening to the seniors when I

speak to them in my district, because they have a lot of advice they can give

us, a lot of advice they can pass on to this generation.

Mr.

Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Healthy Aging Research Program provides

funding for a wide variety of topics related to healthy aging that address the

priority research themes of caregiving, peer support, community capacity, crisis

intervention, rehabilitation, and dimension.

We do not need to go far into our communities to find out the depth and

the breadth of the involvement that our seniors have.

started off about eight or ten minutes ago listing off four or five people in

the community of Corner Brook and Humber West and Humber East who played a

significant role in how strong the community has become.

We could go throughout the entire Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

and find in our communities seniors who still serve on municipalities and who go

to the meetings, who still serve in their church, and still serve on hospital

boards and contribute on a daily basis.

That is the kind of support we need to give all of our seniors in our

Province.

I am

proud to say that this government has supported our seniors in Newfoundland and

Labrador for numerous years and will continue to support seniors in Newfoundland

and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. GRANTER:

Mr. Speaker, the Age-Friendly

Newfoundland and Labrador Grants Program is designed to provide funding to

incorporated municipalities, Aboriginal governments, communities, and senior

organizations throughout the entire Province to support them in planning for an

aging population.

Mr.

Speaker, it is funny because I opened up an envelope just yesterday in my

office, in my new role in the Department of Health., and there was a magazine

that was passed on from the 50 Plus Federation, a newsletter from the

Newfoundland and Labrador Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation.

They referenced and I just pulled one

there from seniors, an important part of the community.

This was from the president.

This was an

article that was written in

The Georgian in Stephenville seniors, an important part of the community.

The

gentleman Robert Rogers is a strong supporter of seniors sharing their talents

and skills with others. He stated

that seniors are an important part of the community and they need the

interaction. They need the support

of other partners, namely their town, their school, their parish, other

organizations and businesses, Mr. Speaker.

This is what we are debating here on the floor of the House today.

I do not think anyone from the other side of the House or this side of

the House would argue about anything that I just spoke to you about with regard

to the importance of seniors in our communities.

Mr.

Speaker, you talk a little bit about age-friendly grants, I just had a quick

look and it was also referenced in this magazine that came out in May month.

The Town of Torbay and Aquaforte, St. Jacques-Coomb's Cove Recreation

Committee, the Town of Cupids, the Town of Pasadena, Mount Pearl, Fogo Island,

Lewisporte, Trinity, Fortune, Kippens, and St. Anthony all received age-friendly

grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 in the last little while, 2013-2014.

In the

Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Seniors Organization Grants: the Canadian

Red Cross; New Visions 50 Plus Club in Trinity Bonavista Bay; the Town of Bird

Cove; VON St. John's grants; the Curling Seniors 50 Plus Club in Curling, that

is in the Member for Bay of Islands district; Trepassey 50 Plus Friendship Club;

Three Rock Cove Recreation; the Labrador Friendship Centre; the Town of

Carmanville; Jimmy Pratt Memorial Outreach Centre; St. John's Native Friendship

Centre; South West Coast CN Pensioners Association; Exploits Community Centre;

the Town of Meadows and that is also in the Member for Bay of Islands district.

point, Mr. Speaker, is this, it is recognized that the valuable purpose of

seniors groups in all regions of the Province and the contributions that seniors

make, whether it is a small contribution that allows their seniors club to

operate, or allows a club to be able to go and pick up some seniors and bring

them out to a tea or bring them to a dinner, bring them to a supper, to be able

to get them out of their home. This

is what a housing program is all about.

It is not necessarily about the mortars, the bricks, the windows, and the

siding. Although that is very

important, that is very critical, it is also about the other programs that we

are providing for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Yes,

someone would ask you the question and someone would ask many of us the

question whether you are sitting on that side of the House or this side of the

House, they would say: It is not enough.

The answer to the question is: Right, it is not enough.

We need to continue to provide the services for the needs of our aging

population.

Just as

we built long-term care facilities in Corner Brook and in other parts of the

Province a new one going to be opened up here in St. John's, a 400-plus bed

facility going to open up this coming fall the answer to that is not enough.

Again, we will continue to provide those kinds of services and five years

down the road or three years down the road, we will have more beds available.

Five years down the road, there will be more homes available.

Ten years down, the road there will be more available.

That is what this is all about; it cannot all happen overnight.

As our

population ages, Mr. Speaker, there is more and more need.

There is going to be a greater strain on the public purse and on the

resources to provide this for our seniors.

Let me say to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador as I stand and

address this group today, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has shown

time and time and time again over the last number of years since we have been in

office that we have not forgotten our seniors.

Whether that is a reduction in fees, whether it is the home programs that

we have contributed, or building of these long-term care facilities, we will

continually stand by our seniors in the Province, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we

will listen to what the issues are out there and we will move forward advancing

the cause of seniors in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I take that great pride in that, as I do my colleagues on this side of

the House, and I know other members of the other side of the House as well.

Mr.

Speaker, I only have a couple of minutes left.

We know that many older adults in our Province live in their homes in

their own communities. We recognize

that seniors need affordable, accessible, safe, and energy-efficient housing as

I have just referenced. By providing

these supports, we can preserve seniors' independence allowing them to age in

place as long as they are able to.

I speak

no further than my own mother who is a senior I will not give her age to the

people of the Province who is still able to live in her own home in Pool's

Island in the beautiful District of Bonavista North, who is able to still live

in her own house and care for herself and take care of her own needs.

That is what it is all about.

Mr.

Speaker, this year approximately 42,000 households throughout the Province will

receive a total of $40.4 million; through the Newfoundland and Labrador Low

Income Seniors' Benefit which will be received in October 2014; through

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, 456 housing units specifically for seniors

have been constructed or renovated, options through the Affordable Housing

Program since 2006. Since 2009-2010,

$17.5 million has been allocated through Newfoundland and Labrador Housing for

partner-managed housing. The

upgraded housing project served more than 1,400 households, of which, 80 per

cent are for seniors.

Mr.

Speaker, I could go on and on and I want to conclude but my point is that I

am not disagreeing. We are not

disagreeing with what the Member for Bay of Islands said or the intent of this

motion on the floor today. We all

agree and I would say that we are all committed.

Every member of this House is committed to supporting our seniors, and if

that is a continuation of more and better and modified housing where the people

stay in their own homes, or we provide the necessary beds for them at long-term

care facilities, when seniors get to that point, that is what I am committed to

do and stand on the floor of this House and get the support of this government,

and I know that this government supports seniors in the Province of Newfoundland

and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Littlejohn):

I remind the hon. member his time has expired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MS ROGERS:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I am

very happy to stand and speak to this amendment today.

I would like to first start off, Mr. Speaker, by saying this is not about

charity. This is not about charity

and taking care of our seniors. This

is about justice. This is about

respect. This is about fairness.

It is not about charity and taking care of our poor seniors.

People who are seniors today are people who, for the most part, have

worked hard all their lives, whether in the paid economy, or whether they have

been homemakers and raising children.

What is it like, what has happened that we have come to a point in our

communities because we all hear the stories.

I have lots of stories to tell from constituents; a lot of us do.

A lot of us know how tough it is for many of our seniors in Newfoundland

and Labrador.

Newfoundland and Labrador, we all know that we have the fastest-growing

proportion of seniors in our population of anywhere else in the country.

Not only that, we also know that we have the highest proportion of

seniors who are in receipt of OAS and GIS and GIS is a Guaranteed Income

Supplement which means we have the highest proportion of seniors who are

basically living at the poverty line, and we know that poverty is one of the

most severe forms of violence.

Mr.

Speaker, poverty is injustice, and you do not ameliorate poverty by charity.

This is not about charity. It

is about social policy. It is about

developing social policy that is effective, that is about maximizing our

resources; it is about ensuring safety, and health and well-being.

Mr.

Speaker I attended a meeting that was facilitated by the Canadian Medical

Association of Canada and it was a