March 10, 2008

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVI No. 1

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Please be seated.

Mr. Speaker, the Justices of the Supreme Court have arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit the Justices of the Supreme Court.

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

arrived.

MR. SPEAKER: Admit His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: It is the wish of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor

that all present please be seated.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: May it please Your Honour, the House of Assembly

agreeable to Your Honour's commands, have proceeded to the choice of a Speaker

and have elected Roger Fitzgerald, the Member for the District of Bonavista

South, to that office and by that direction I present him for Your Honour's

approval.

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (John C. Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC)

On behalf of Her Majesty I assure you of my sense of your efficiency and I

most fully approve and confirm you as Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Your Honour, having approved the choice of this House in

constituting me as their Speaker it now becomes my duty, in the name of the

representatives of Her Majesty's loyal subjects, the people of this Province,

respectfully to claim of Your Honour their custom rights and privileges,

especially that they shall have freedom of speech in their debates, that they

may be free from arrest during their attendance in Parliament, and that I, as

Speaker, may have full access to Your Honour's presence at all reasonable

times, and that they have confirmed to them all their ancient rights and

privileges, which have been confirmed them by Your Honour's predecessors.

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTEANT GOVERNOR:

Mr. Speaker, I do confirm this House, on behalf of Her Majesty, in the

enjoyment of all its ancient and undoubted rights and privileges.

HEARTFELT GRATITUDE

Mr. Speaker and Members of the hon. House of Assembly.

Researchers in genetics at Memorial University recently made an exciting

discovery that offers hope to countless people, both here and around the world,

who are at risk of sudden, catastrophic heart failure at a very young age from a

condition known as ARVC. ARVC is especially prevalent in Newfoundland and

Labrador families, but, until now, there has been no way to tell if a person has

the faulty gene putting him or her at risk. Many families have been living under

a dark cloud of fear, wondering if they or their children would be next. Fifty

per cent of men with the gene die before age 40, while 80 per cent die before

age 50; and women and younger people are also at great risk of sudden death. An

interdisciplinary research team in cardiac genetics from Memorial, led by Drs.

Terry-Lynn Young, molecular geneticist; Patrick Parfrey, clinical

epidemiologist; and Sean Connors, cardiologist; has identified the genetic cause

of the disease. Others on the research team at Memorial who have joined us today

include Nancy Merner, Kathy Hodgkinson, Annika Haywood, Vanessa French, Barry

Gallagher and Lynn Morris-Larkin. These researchers, working with more than a

dozen families in this Province, recently located the single gene mutation

responsible for this condition, enabling individuals to be tested to determine

whether they are at risk. Those who are not at risk can for the first time rest

easy while those with the gene can be implanted with defibrillators that can

save their lives. Newfoundland and Labrador expresses its profound gratitude to

this team for their groundbreaking research and to all the families whose

participation in this study will help to save countless lives. You embody the

tenacity, intelligence and fighting spirit of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Proud, Strong and Determined

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Mr. Speaker and Members of the House

of Assembly:

On the 9 th of October 2007, the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador were given the opportunity to make a choice. Our people were asked if

they want Newfoundland and Labrador to be the master of its own house and

control its own destiny within the federation of Canada. Our people were asked

if they want to maintain the principle My Government adopted in 2003 of no more

giveaways. Our people were asked if they want Newfoundland and Labrador to stay

the course to self-reliance. On the 9 th of October, the people of our

Province, in overwhelming numbers, re-elected My Government with a powerful mandate

to build upon the initiatives of the past four years with pride, strength and

determination to achieve at long last the promise of a self-reliant Newfoundland

and Labrador. This was a resounding vote of confidence in the work of My

Government and the leadership of My First Minister. Under his direction, My

Government is beginning a new term full of new opportunities and new objectives.

My Government has made a range of commitments that are compelling and

comprehensive in scope and, over the course of the term ahead, My Government

will deliver for the people.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: The overarching goal of the term

ahead is to move Newfoundland and Labrador boldly forward to self-reliance .

In resource sectors such as oil and gas, electricity, mining, agrifoods and the

fisheries, in growth sectors such as tourism and culture, in leading-edge

sectors such as ocean technology and engineering, and in many other sectors of

our economy, the opportunities are phenomenal and unprecedented. It is no

accident that Newfoundland and Labrador stands on the cusp of a vibrant new

future. These opportunities are here because of My Government's planning, our

people's cooperation and My First Minister's leadership throughout the past

four years.

Already, Newfoundland and Labrador is turning the corner. The tide has

dramatically turned for the better in terms of job opportunities that are

arising for the people of this Province, now and in the future. Labour market

conditions have significantly improved, with unemployment in marked decline and

employment at a record high. My Government will work to ensure Newfoundlanders

and Labradorians are well-equipped to take advantage of the opportunities ahead

and the benefits of a prosperous economy. To give Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians a head start to prepare for the incredible career opportunities, My

Government commissioned and proceeded to implement the Skills Task Force report

and the White Paper on Public Post-secondary Education The Province's College

of the North Atlantic and Memorial University are leading the charge in

preparing our students for the careers that await. Memorial University has

already commenced a search process for a new President who will bring a renewed

vision and work collaboratively with the government to help Newfoundland and

Labrador move toward self-reliance and prosperity. My Government looks forward

to fulfilling our commitment to grant Grenfell College full university status

with a separate executive, senate and budget, while maintaining a common Board

of Regents to secure a strong partnership between the Grenfell and St. John's

campuses. With a solid education to ground them and leaders in a wide range of

disciplines to guide them, our graduates will be ready to take the reins of new

opportunities as they arise.

Thanks to the leadership of My First Minister and the approach of My

Government, our Province's influence is being felt and our voice is being

heard all across the country and far beyond everywhere, that is, except at

the federal Cabinet table.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: In the federal forum that once

mattered most, Newfoundland and Labrador is treated with little but contempt and

condescension. Ours is not the only provincial government to be treated with

disdain by the Harper Government, but no province has been treated more

dishonourably. My Government has been deeply frustrated by the current Federal

Government's refusal to honour among other promises their explicit

written commitment to remove nonrenewable resource revenues from the

calculation of equalization, a commitment worth an estimated $10 billion to

Newfoundland and Labrador according to independent economists. Given the

magnitude of this commitment, My Government cannot, in good conscience, either

forget it or cease to remind others of this broken promise. A Prime Minister who

makes such a promise saying "there is no greater fraud than a promise not

kept" stands condemned by his own words for refusing to keep it. By keeping

their word, the Harper Government would have advanced our efforts to address our

excessive burden of debt and achieve parity in the federation. Their actions are

not only disingenuous but also dishonest. They have proven they cannot be

trusted; but their great betrayal will do nothing to prevent us from achieving

our goals on our own steam. Despite their opinion that they will win a

government without Newfoundland and Labrador, our Province will achieve its full

potential as a prosperous and self-reliant partner within the federation with or

without this Federal Government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: We just want to opportunity to

utilize our natural resources to become self-sufficient. We will resist any

attempt to prevent this from occurring.

Ours is not the Province it was two decades ago. Indeed, it is not the

Province it was five years ago. Fiscally and economically, we stand in a far

more commanding position today than at any time in the past twenty years. As a

result of our collective efforts to wrestle down the deficit, to ratchet up

growth and to reach an agreement that fulfilled the promise of the Atlantic

Accord, we are for the first time in our history poised to come off

equalization very soon. This is a stunning achievement that will reinforce

the bold new attitude of self-confidence that has taken hold among

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

For fifty-nine years, Newfoundland and Labrador has contributed enormously to

the success of Canada. We have contributed resources of immeasurable value and,

of even greater significance, we have contributed countless people - talented,

tough and tenacious - whose energy and ingenuity have been powerfully

instrumental in building the economies of our sister provinces and territories

across Canada. As we move off equalization, it is time for us to benefit

in a different way. The time has come for Newfoundland and Labrador to become a

net importer of people. The time has come to reverse the trend of natural

resource giveaways. The time has come for Newfoundland and Labrador to become a

major centre of economic activity driving not only the Atlantic region but also

the economy of Canada. It is time for people to take notice, because

Newfoundland and Labrador is ready to lead the country.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Success in the twenty-first century

is not merely about racking up high economic growth statistics. Success is

about people . Success is about ensuring Newfoundland and Labrador

communities remain places where people can put down roots and raise their

families in an environment of social and economic security. This is

self-reliance at its most fundamental.

Under the leadership of My First Minister beginning in 2003, My Government

and the people of our Province joined forces in a concentrated effort to enable

all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to share in the bright future they desire

and deserve. My Government invested in socially progressive initiatives, including

the largest personal income tax cuts in our Province's history, a poverty

reduction strategy that national anti-poverty leaders herald as a model for the

country, increased funding for new diagnostic and other medical equipment,

insulin pumps for our children, new prescription drugs for those who need them,

new long-term care homes, record spending on education, free textbooks for our

students and the best post-secondary student aid package in the country. My

Government also bolstered our communities by investing in a multi-billion-dollar

strategy to improve infrastructure throughout the Province, and by developing

our Province's first Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador. Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians are better positioned now than ever before to take full advantage

of the fantastic opportunities at our doorsteps.

With renewed pride, hope and self-assurance, we are ready to continue the

journey we have started together. Strong within ourselves and strong within our

country, we are standing tall and striving boldly to bring Newfoundland and

Labrador into its own. As masters of our own destiny , with our eyes

focused clearly on the opportunities ahead, we will become stronger and more

secure than we have ever been before.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Strong Economy with Strong Communities

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Mr. Speaker and Members of the House

of Assembly:

Among Newfoundland and Labrador's most promising sectors is the energy

sector. My Government in September released Newfoundland and Labrador's first

comprehensive, long-term Energy Plan: a strategy extending out to 2041 to

prepare us for the expiration of the Upper Churchill agreements; a strategy to

position us as an energy warehouse in eastern North America; a strategy to

benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians first, while at the same time providing

the right climate to promote development. The release of the Energy Plan marked

a new era of self-confidence and promise for energy resource development in

Newfoundland and Labrador. Our vast energy resources - including oil, gas,

hydro, wind and others - will be developed in ways that bring sustainable

economic development opportunities to both Labrador and the Island, while

returning valuable royalties, dividends and other revenues to the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador.

My Government is especially excited about successfully negotiating equity

stakes in the offshore development projects Hebron and White Rose

satellites, in addition to a super royalty and industrial benefits. Those who

said it could not be done have been proven wrong.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: My Government rejected old, outdated

ways of thinking in favour of a bold, progressive, new approach. Securing equity

means having greater leverage to control our own destiny. We welcome our new

partners and look forward to many years of mutual success. My Government will

build on the other outstanding successes of 2007 in the coming year by advancing

a broad array of energy initiatives that will include: finalizing

framework agreements with the Hebron project partners; participating in the

development of the White Rose satellites under our new agreement; advancing the

Hibernia South project based upon successful reapplication; progressing the

Lower Churchill project development plan toward project sanction and first

power; advancing wind power development; completing an offshore Natural Gas

Royalty Regime that will provide a fair return to industry and the people of

this Province; working with the proponents to advance the proposed new refinery

near Come By Chance and the liquefied natural gas transshipment facility; and

promoting increased offshore and onshore exploration and development on the

west, south and east coasts and off the coast of Labrador.

Energy is not the only sector offering great promise. The Province's mining

sector achieved a record level of exploration expenditure of $138 million in

2007. The industry will continue to strengthen in 2008 with exploration,

expansion at the Iron Ore Company of Canada operation in Labrador West,

preparation for the construction of a nickel processing operation in 2009, and

the opening of new mines of Beaver Brook and Pine Cove, all of which will create

hundreds of high-paying jobs in rural communities. As production at Voisey's

Bay continues, we look forward to future development of the underground mineral

reserves.

We also have great expectations for our fisheries - the backbone of

many rural communities - which will benefit from the Province's initiatives

under the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy. These include processing policy

renewal, increased R&D, improved occupational health and safety, an enhanced

harvesting sector loan guarantee program and strengthened workforce adjustment

measures. We are also working with industry on innovative programs such as

implementation of fish auctions and an enhanced seafood marketing structure.

My Government is disappointed that the current Federal Government has not yet

acted on its promise to impose custodial management on the Nose and Tail

of the Grand Banks and the Flemish Cap, and will continue to press the Federal

Government to honour their promise. Reform of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries

Organization (NAFO) is no substitute for custodial management, in terms of

either timing or efficacy.

My Government is reaffirming its commitment that the Province would

participate in a cost-shared, federal-provincial early retirement/licence

buyback program.

The fishing industry last year achieved a production value exceeding one

billion dollars. My Government affirms that the fishing industry, which anchored

our proud past, will always be vitally important to rural Newfoundland

and Labrador as we work to build a strong, sustainable future. Both in the near

term and for generations to come, the fisheries will continue to be a major

employer, a major economic generator and a major source of pride throughout

Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: The aquaculture industry has

benefited since 2005 from a progressive suite of initiatives including

working capital investments in 2005, a capital equity program in 2006, and an

aquaculture health facility and wastewater treatment program in 2007 that

have broken through the barriers that had precluded the commercial development

of aquaculture for many years . Production of salmonids, which was less

than 5,000 tonnes worth about $15 million in 2007, is projected to reach 15,000

tonnes worth some $80 million in 2009. Success in aquaculture has brought an

exciting new sense of optimism and a brighter outlook to our south and northeast

coasts.

Our forestry sector, which has weathered particularly tough

challenges, will benefit from the implementation of the provincially-funded and

independently-produced forest sector strategy report. Initiatives advanced under

this strategy will reflect My Government's appreciation of the immense value

of our forest industry and a strong conviction that this industry does indeed

have a sustainable future in Newfoundland and Labrador over the long term.

Newfoundland and Labrador's economy will also benefit from My Government's

steadfast commitment to continue investing in the kinds of infrastructure and

services that embolden investors and stimulate growth. My Government has

already announced an investment this year of $182 million in road improvements -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: - the largest such funding in the

Province's history. This will include a record $73 million for the Provincial

Roads Improvement Program, an amount 10 per cent higher than last year's

figure, which set a record of its own. Funding this year will also significantly

improve the national highway system in Newfoundland and Labrador. My Government

will work with Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador to review fiscal

policies, to develop an infrastructure investment strategy that targets

resources in line with the needs and capabilities of our municipalities, and to

develop regional approaches to service delivery that will lead to stronger

communities with stronger economies.

Now turning to Labrador

Strong Labrador

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: With the release of the

Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador , My Government demonstrated an

unfailing commitment to Labradorians and an unwavering determination to ensure

the Big Land enjoys opportunities that are unprecedented in its long, proud

history. My Government's commitment to Labradorians will not fail, nor will

its determination to advance the well-being of Labradorians waver throughout the

implementation of the Energy Plan or any other venture. The Northern Strategic

Plan is a living document with clear goals and focused priorities for Labrador.

My Government recognizes that Labrador will play a significant role in the

overall future of the Province and looks forward to working with Labradorians to

implement the Northern Strategic Plan. Investments in Labrador under the plan

include completion of the Trans-Labrador Highway and other infrastructure

improvements along with important advances in health care, education, natural

resource management, tourism, culture and social services.

There are now two Ministers representing Labrador in the provincial Cabinet,

including for the first time in our Province's history an Aboriginal

woman who is serving as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: This Minister, who formerly served as

a member of the Nunatsiavut transitional government, will be instrumental in

working with Aboriginal leaders and communities in advancing the status of

Aboriginal people and Aboriginal women's issues in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Having welcomed the inauguration of the Nunatsiavut Government, My Government

will continue to implement the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement,

particularly the provisions respecting devolution of programs and services and

self-government. My Government will also work constructively with the Innu

Nation toward the achievement of a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement, and will

also work cooperatively to advance the well-being of the Metis people of

Labrador and the Mi'kmaq people of the Island.

Strong Governance

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: My Government moved

early and effectively to shine the spotlight of accountability on the operations

of the Government and of the House of Assembly. My Government commissioned Chief

Justice Derek Green to recommend an overhaul of management procedures at the

House of Assembly and subsequently enacted legislation reflecting his

recommendations. Among his recommendations was a call for whistleblower'

legislation establishing procedures for the disclosure of wrongdoings and

for protecting public servants who disclose wrongdoings. My Government will

introduce whistleblower legislation this year after appropriate consultation has

taken place.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Strong People

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Mr. Speaker and Members of the House

of Assembly:

My Government will build on important initiatives set in motion during the

first term, including the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Provincial Healthy

Aging Policy Framework, the Immigration Strategy, the Violence Prevention

Initiative and initiatives to advance the status of women; and will also take

new initiatives to advance the well-being of our people. With a new Minister

Responsible for the Volunteer and Non-profit Sector , My Government

will draw on the talents, energy and compassion of thousands of volunteers and

hundreds of community-based organizations across our Province who are working to

make Newfoundland and Labrador a better place to live.

With a new Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities and a new Division

of Disabilities , My Government will make great strides in enhancing

the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of our society. In

consultation with persons with disabilities, My Government will commission a

study of the barriers they encounter including barriers to public services,

education and employment - and develop recommendations and strategies to address

them effectively so persons with disabilities can take full advantage of the

opportunities that lie ahead in this Province.

My Government's groundbreaking Poverty Reduction Strategy has been

praised by advocates across Canada as a model others should adopt

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: - but our work has only just begun.

My Government is committed to maintaining an open dialogue with families and

community partners to ensure we are making the right investments and making a

real difference. My Government remains committed to helping people make the

transition from income support to the work force.

Promoting growth means implementing policies that are friendly to families.

The family is the foundation of our communities and our Province. We must

continue to build our reputation as a place where people can raise their

families in a positive, nurturing environment. My Government will proceed this

year with initiatives to provide support for growing families to make it

a little easier for them to make ends meet as they put down roots in our

communities.

My Government is particularly determined to advance the status of women in

our Province and will do so by promoting apprenticeship and employment

opportunities for women in nontraditional sectors, by encouraging their

participation in influential roles in the community, and by addressing the

special challenges that so many women face, which sadly in too many instances

include violence and poverty.

Strong on Crime

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: To ensure the security

of our people, My Government will build on the strong investments of the past

four years in crime-fighting and violence prevention. No one should live

in fear - not a child, not a senior, not a woman, not a victim of crime and not

a community.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: My Government will introduce further

steps to prevent criminals from beneficing from their crimes by seizing the

proceeds of crime and directing the value of these seizures directly back into

provincial law enforcement and crime prevention. My Government will also

modernize the Province's Human Rights Code, which has not had a major revision

for two decades. Specifics initiatives to battle crime and protect people will

be announced in the forthcoming Budget.

Strong Culture

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: Our Province's unique

culture has been shaped by our economy, our environment and people of many

ancestries. My Government this year will build on the work of the Strategic

Cultural Plan and proceed with a new Intangible Cultural Heritage Strategy

to help preserve, strengthen and celebrate our distinctive and intangible

cultural heritage, including languages, traditional knowledge and skills,

customs, and music. We will be welcoming others to share our culture here at

home as we prepare to host the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention and, in Corner

Brook a year from now, the East Coast Music Awards. We will also be preparing to

welcome visitors here for events of international significance in the next two

years: in 2009, the 100 th anniversary of the historic voyage to the

North Pole of Captain Bob Bartlett of Brigus, and in 2010, the 400 th

anniversary of the founding of Cupids.

My Government's unprecedented investments in tourism marketing are

paying off. In November 2007, Newfoundland and Labrador's tourism marketing

campaign won the Tourism Industry Association of Canada's Marketing Campaign

of the Year Award.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: In December, Newfoundland and

Labrador was named a top 30 travel destination for 2008 by Lonely Planet

Publications, one of the world's most respected travel guidebook publishers.

In February, the highly-respected Fodor's travel institution highlighted

Newfoundland and Labrador in a guide entitled "Where We're Going in 2008:

Seven Places Americans Have Yet to Discover". This national and

international recognition is a clear indication that Newfoundland and Labrador

is no longer the world's best-kept secret. My Government is working with the

tourism industry in the development of a new tourism vision and plan to ensure

we continue to develop our tourism products and experiences. We will continue to

creatively market the Province and build on our successes in ways that will

attract more and more visitors and the opportunities they bring to our

communities.

Strong on the Environment

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: Public concerns about

climate change, both globally and locally, have fostered a groundswell of

interest in finding better ways to live more sustainably. In 2005 My Government

developed a Climate Change Action Plan which, together with the Energy

Plan, plotted a path forward to energy efficiency, waste reduction and

sustainable living. This year, My Government will further update the action plan

and include new initiatives to prepare the Province for the impacts of climate

change. Specific initiatives will be laid out in this year's Budget and in the

months that follow.

The native woodland caribou on the island is an important historical

and cultural symbol for this Province, and an important resource for resident

hunters in the outfitting industry. It is the only woodland caribou population

in North America not listed as threatened or endangered. Still, caribou

populations on the island have been in decline since they peaked in the mid to

late nineties. My Government will strengthen its caribou strategy this year with

an intensive five-year research and action program to better understand caribou

population needs and threats, and will identify, test, and implement wildlife

management practices that can help ensure the long-term integrity of the herds.

Strong Health Care

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: Among the most

important priorities in health care delivery are facilities, equipment

and - most importantly - health care professionals. My Government remains

strongly committed to recruiting and retaining doctors, nurses and other

professionals who deliver the vital health care services our people need. My

Government will announce initiatives respecting all of these key priorities in

conjunction with this year's Budget. Among these initiatives will be an

increase in funding to address the most critical maintenance and repair issues

at health care facilities.

My Government has made significant investments in new health infrastructu re

and capital repairs and maintenance in health facilities throughout Newfoundland

and Labrador over the last four years, totaling $128 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Our health care system has been

strengthened with the completion of satellite renal dialysis sites in Burin, St.

Anthony and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the opening of two new cancer clinics in

Central Newfoundland. In the months ahead, we will continue to see the results

of this investment, including the openings of the new long-term care home in

Clarenville and the new Humberwood Addictions Treatment Centre in Corner Brook.

This year will also see the new primary health clinic and re-development of the

Blue Crest Inter Faith Nursing Home in Grand Bank completed. As well, we are

committed to making further investments in health infrastructure such as the new

health centre for Labrador West and the completion of the long-term care home in

Corner Brook. Our health care system has been further strengthened by an

injection of $76 million over the last four years in capital equipment, which

included such major investments as the addition of five new CT scanners

throughout the Province, an MRI machine in Corner Brook, a third MRI for the

Janeway Children's Hospital, and funding for two new radiation bunkers and

radiation treatment machines for the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre. My

Government is building on a record of unprecedented health care investments that

are working to enhance the health and well-being of all Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians.

My Government this year will implement Phase II of the Provincial Wellness

Plan, focusing particularly on the promotion of mental health, child and

youth development, environmental health and health protection. These objectives

will complement the Phase I initiatives that focused on healthy eating, physical

activity, tobacco control and injury prevention.

My Government broke new ground last year in releasing and commencing to

implement the Province's Healthy Aging Plan , and will proceed this year

to implement year two of the plan with further initiatives to promote the

well-being of seniors.

Consistent with the Healthy Aging Policy Framework, My Government will

advance a Long-Term Care and Community Supports Strategy , building on a

range of initiatives already underway. In particular, My Government will advance

plans to redevelop and modernize the Province's long-term care homes, to

improve home care services, to implement equitable financial assessment

processes and to redevelop standards for long-term care homes, personal care

homes and home support services.

Strong Minds

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: Nothing gives us more

optimism for a bright future than the confidence, hope and pride we see in the

faces of our students . Some are children whose paths we determine. Others

are older students who are charting their own course to a successful career. In

all cases, we must be supportive, innovative and always striving for excellence.

At the K-12 level , My Government will build on initiatives of the past

four years to advance the quality of education our students receive and respond

to needs that will make the system better able to position these students to

seize the opportunities before them, right here at home in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Strengthening our education system

means investing strategically in programs and in education professionals. My

Government has received and evaluated the recommendations of the Teacher

Allocation Commission and will announce its plans in the days ahead.

Since 2004, My Government has allocated $111 million for new school construction,

maintenance and repair projects . Funding has been allocated for the

construction of 11 new schools as well as renovations and extensions to many

existing buildings. There were 200 roofing, siding, window and exterior

maintenance projects completed or underway at a cost of approximately $25

million. In addition, over $2.4 million has been approved for 25 fire and life

safety projects, such as fire protection systems, fire rated corridors and

electrical upgrades. Approximately $2.6 million has been approved for 87 air

quality projects such as air quality and hazardous material testing,

remediation, carpet removal and ventilation. More than $24 million has been

invested in projects involving the repair or replacement of roofing, siding,

windows and brickwork since 2004 and other miscellaneous projects. Between

2005-06 and 2007-08, the budget for school construction almost doubled from

approximately $25 million to approximately $49 million. Additional work will be

announced in conjunction with this year's Budget.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: At the post-secondary level, My

Government in Budget 2007 announced significant enhancements to the student

aid program. Newfoundland and Labrador led the country in reducing

provincial student loan interest rates to prime, a 2.5 per cent reduction, and

now provides up to 50 per cent of provincial student assistance as an up-front

grant. Both of these advances reflect the priorities My Government heard from

our post-secondary students themselves.

My Government will continue to support the efforts of the Province's

post-secondary students and its institutions through the implementation of its

White Paper on Public Post-secondary Education. The tuition freeze at

Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic will continue for a

further four years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Making post-secondary education

affordable and accessible, and ensuring research and development are supported

within these institutions, continue to be key priorities of My Government.

the students themselves. They also help our Province to educate and retain the

skilled professionals we will need as new economic development projects commence

and opportunities expand. My Government established a Skills Task Force

during its first term and commenced an action plan to deliver on the

recommendations. My Government will continue to take measures to ensure that our

people are well prepared to take advantage of the many opportunities that lie

ahead.

My Government is determined to position Newfoundland and Labrador as a leader

in innovation and will establish this year, as a new Crown entity, the Newfoundland

and Labrador Research and Development Council , a groundbreaking initiative

to develop and lead a provincial R&D strategy to build a stronger

knowledge-based economy and plot a course toward sustained prosperity. My

Government will also implement year three of its Innovation Strategy and launch

the Ocean Technology Strategy which, together with the Polaris program and the

Northwest Atlantic Ocean Observing System initiative, will position Newfoundland

and Labrador as an international leader in ocean technology development.

The Future is Ours

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly: We are today at a

critical point in our history as we prepare to make the long-anticipated

transition from a have-not' jurisdiction to a have' Province. Our day

is now beginning to dawn.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: And with this dawning comes the

confirmation that the course My Government chose four years ago is the right

one. The principle of no more giveaways is the right one. The principle of

making our own way and taking control of our resources is the right one. The

principle of demanding accountability for federal commitments is the right one.

We are ready to be fiscally self-sufficient, to be economically sustainable, to

be socially secure and to be counted in Canada as strong contributors to the

federation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: The bright new realities awaiting

Newfoundland and Labrador demand the new way of thinking that My Government has

boldly embraced. No longer can we afford to listen to those who try to impose on

us their own outdated way of thinking. The time has come for us to chart out own

course, to determine our own destiny, to think outside the box that others have

tried to confine us within. New realities require new approaches. As the world

continues to change, we must continue to adjust our game plan to ensure the

approach we take is working. When there are successes, we must learn from them.

When there are setbacks, we must learn from them as well. We must be prepared to

try innovative approaches to ensure we remain relevant, on the leading edge of

change, riding the global wave that will carry us forward from the subservience

we have suffered for too long to the brand new future of self-reliance and

sustainability that is beginning to dawn.

SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: The support and confidence of

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that has sustained My Government these past

four years is the foundation for the successes we will achieve in the years to

come. The work that remains to be done will be achieved with the continuing

confidence and cooperation of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It is only by

continuing to work together that we will remain masters of the destiny we share.

Together, we will ensure our future is stronger than our past. Together, we

will show the world we are a powerhouse of opportunities with the courage,

competence, commitment and conviction to convert those opportunities into

sustainable prosperity for the benefit of all. The promise is within reach. The

future is ours. Proud, strong and determined, we will achieve our great promise

by standing tall together, united as one, Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Mr. Speaker and Members of the House

of Assembly, thank you for listening to me so patiently and without hurling any

foreign objects at me.

Estimates of expenditure will be laid before you in due course and you will

be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.

I invoke God's blessings upon you as you commence this new Session.

May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberation.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act To Provide For Leave For

Reservists. (Bill 1)

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Government

House Leader shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

The motion is carried.

Motion, the hon. the Government House Leader to introduce a bill, "An

Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act To Provide For Leave For Reservists,"

carried. (Bill 1)

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I think at this point we will have the

distribution of the Speech from the Throne.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. Government House Leader if he is going to move first reading

of the said bill?

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I move that the bill now be read a first time.

CLERK: A bill,

An Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act To Provide For

Leave For Reservists. (Bill 1)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 1,

An Act To Amend The

Labour Standards Act To Provide For Leave For Reservists, be now read a first

time.

All those in favor, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

The motion is carried.

This bill is now read a first time. When shall the said bill be read a second

time?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 1 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: His Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to make

a Speech to Members of the House of Assembly. We shall now take a few moments to

distribute the Speech of the hon. the Lieutenant Governor.

[The Pages distribute His Honour's Speech to all members]

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank His Honour the Lieutenant Governor for delivering such

a strong and motivating Throne Speech. This is the first delivery of the Throne

Speech for His Honour, and I would like to take this opportunity to commend His

Honour on his recent appointment as Her Majesty's representative in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

We extend our sincerest best wishes as he and Her Honour carry out their

duties on behalf of the Crown.

It is indeed a tremendous privilege to stand here amongst my colleagues in

the House of Assembly and speak to the Speech from the Throne on behalf of the

people of the District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans. I want to express

my appreciation to my constituents for supporting and entrusting me with the

responsibility to represent them in the House of Assembly. This is a wonderful

time to be a Newfoundlander and Labradorian.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: So many great and exciting things are indeed happening in

Newfoundland and Labrador. We have seen so very much accomplished in the past

four years and we will continue to build on these successes in the coming years.

In my District of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans, there is much evidence of

progress and good reason to believe in the potential that the future under this

government will bring. With a population of approximately 25,000 within a

driving radius of twenty minutes, Grand Falls-Windsor itself is the service

centre for approximately 100,000 people, one fifth of the population of this

Province. In fact, Grand Falls-Windsor is the largest town off the Avalon and

one that I am extremely proud of.

Through the EXCITE Corporation, we have successfully branded ourselves as a

centre of excellence in the area of information technology and health and life

sciences, and we are home to companies such as DPSI and Helpdesk-Now who

currently provide employment to some 250 people. With this government's

continued help, and the support of the Departments of Business and INTRD, we

will continue to build on those strengths.

Teck Cominco's Duck Pond Mine project has enticed many, many expatriate

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to return home to find good and meaningful

employment in the mining industry.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: In fact, the entire region of Buchans, Millertown and Buchan's

Junction, in my district, is besieged with a dozen or more junior mining

companies that are actively exploring and drilling. The future is indeed very

bright. However, there are also challenges facing my district. The Badger flood

has definitely been an example of the Dickens adage: It was the best of times;

it was the worst of times. So huge portions of the town were swept away and

several houses and community structures were lost. The resilience and

resourcefulness of the people of Badger and the hospitality of surrounding

communities saw them through.

Of course, we are all acutely aware of the challenges facing AbitibiBowater,

and in fact the newsprint industry globally these days. The soaring Canadian

dollar, exorbitant fuel and transportation costs, a declining market demand

worldwide, all contribute to difficult times in the pulp and paper business.

This government has clearly demonstrated its commitment to our mill and has

worked diligently with the former Abitibi Consolidated to reduce power costs,

resulting in the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor reporting some of the best energy

costs in North America. We will, no doubt, have to continue to work with the

company and monitor the situation at the mill as AbitibiBowater completes Phase

II of its internal review.

During our first four years in office, this government has made great strides

in moving our Province forward, towards a new era of prosperity, sustainability

and self-reliance. We look forward to building on those initiatives and

furthering some of the key strategies that we have been developing since taking

office.

Despite facing immense fiscal challenges, this government has worked

effectively and efficiently to improve conditions for all Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians. Last year, changes to the provincial personal income tax regime

saw the largest tax cut in the history of the Province and resulted in

Newfoundland and Labrador having the lowest personal income tax rates in

Atlantic Canada.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN : Strategic investments have been made to address the Province's

infrastructure that was allowed to crumble over the past few years. A $90

million Poverty Reduction Strategy has become a model, garnering the praise and

envy of anti-poverty leaders across the country.

Nearly half of our annual spending is devoted to health care, and this

government will continue to work to ensure that the needs of the Province's

people are met.

Our education system is on par with, or surpasses, any other in the country,

with last year's funding bringing the overall education budget for both K-12

and post-secondary in excess of $1 billion, second only to funding for health.

This government introduced the Province's first ever Energy Plan, which

will help to ensure that our energy resources are developed strategically in

such a way that returns maximum benefits to the Province for our future

generations.

We have set the stage to build a bright and secure future for our great

Province. Newfoundland and Labrador has never experienced such a bright outlook

for a more prosperous and self-reliant future. We have never been better

positioned to take advantage of the opportunities before us, and this success is

due largely as a result of the outstanding efforts and leadership of our proud,

strong and determined Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN : Strong governance is vital to building a bright future for

Newfoundland and Labrador, and this government has demonstrated this ability

time and time again during the last four years. As a result of prudent financial

leadership and effectively negotiated deals, our Province's financial position

has improved dramatically. We have gone from dealing with inherited billion

dollar deficits to record surpluses in this short period of time.

Based on our solid track record, the people of this Province endorsed this

government's efforts and gave us a resounding show of approval. With a fresh

mandate, we will go forward and continue to build upon the work of the past four

years. There is a renewed sense of optimism, hope and pride that you get these

days from people throughout the Province.

We have taken control of our destiny. There is no doubt that we have

definitely turned the corner in our journey towards self-reliance and are well

on our way to becoming a have Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: On behalf of my constituents in Grand Falls-Winsor-Buchans,

I proudly move that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply

to the Speech from the Throne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Isles of Notre Dame.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is an honour today to stand and represent the people of the District of

The Isles of Notre Dame and second the motion to the Speech from the Throne.

I thank His Honour The Lieutenant Governor for his delivery of a motivating

speech. The outlook for Newfoundland and Labrador is positive and contagious. It

is indeed an exciting place to live today.

The past four years this government has worked diligently and responsibly to

turn things around. In The Isles of Notre Dame district, for example, towns such

as Twillingate are receiving accolades in international travel guides

highlighting it as a world-class destination and, as a result, we are seeing

more tourists visit our region. This is a result of this government doubling the

tourism marketing budget over the past four years, committing $12 million to

promote the Province to the rest of the world.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: The creative and alluring advertisements that are receiving

recognition from international travel guide books and from the Tourism Industry

Association of Canada is a clear indication that this investment is successful.

Our government has committed to promoting and preserving rural Newfoundland

and Labrador, investing in cultural industries that serve to showcase our

artists and entertainers, promote our living heritage and develop infrastructure

to promote cultural industries at home, nationally and internationally.

Our government is contributing to sustainable communities, working with the

federal government and municipalities to provide water and sewer services to

towns such as Joe Batt's Arm and Seldom-Little Seldom of Fogo Island.

Our eight-year blueprint is a well thought out plan that continues to deliver

programs and services to improve the lives of the people of Newfoundland and

Labrador. This year's Throne Speech includes a wide range of initiatives that

will go a long way in addressing the challenges we face, creating opportunities

for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The people are excited about the future, and the vision this government has

for our Province. A strong and proud people look for a government that reflects

their values and goals. In 2007 they spoke loudly and provided us a clear

mandate to carry on and lead this Province into a future of prosperity. Strong

people deserve a strong government.

We all look forward to a time when we control and manage our resources and

see the people of this Province benefit from the developments. The Hebron

negotiation is a good example of this government sticking to its principles and

not backing down, so that we receive what is rightfully ours.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: The people were patient and stood with us throughout the

process, and for this we are grateful.

The economic prospects of our Province have improved dramatically since this

government came to power. A fiscal plan focused on infrastructure development,

strategic investments and expanding social programs and services has benefited

the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. As evidence of this, we recently

announced a budget surplus of $888 million and a positive change to the Province's

credit rating.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: The commitments made by this government have put our Province

on the right course towards economic strength and self-reliance. Strong

strategic plans in all sectors have resulted in jobs and growth throughout our

Province. Our Energy Plan initiative, designed to make strategic investments,

will benefit the people of this Province and result in economic self-reliance

and environmental sustainability.

The Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy aims to make our fishery more

economically viable and internationally competitive. In 2007, Newfoundland and

Labrador's seafood industry recorded a historically strong performance

surpassing $1 billion in production value. Our tourism marketing strategies have

received acclaim from all over. Led by offshore oil production, growth in

tourism and manufacturing, a boom in residential and commercial construction

activity, we are witnessing economic gains in all sectors which have resulted in

employment growth, higher wages and increasing consumer confidence. There is a

real, genuine feeling of optimism throughout our Province and the future looks

promising indeed.

This government is turning things around, and the policies we have developed

will see our economy grow through job creation and business development.

Businesses in all sectors and regions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador are

experiencing growth and success. Small businesses continue to be a major

contributor to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador, with employment numbers

having increased by nearly 10 per cent in recent years. This Province recognizes

the importance of creating an attractive business climate for business to

establish or grow operations.

When we came into government we strongly promoted investment in our

communities, and we will continue with this mandate in the future. We have

accomplished this by creating a solid infrastructure investment in areas such as

highways and roads, waste management systems, broadband networks, schools and

health centres to promote growth in our rural communities.

In its record setting provincial roads improvement strategy for 2008-2009,

this government invested $73 million in a strategy to improve provincial roads.

The people in my District of the Isles of Notre Dame received $2.475 million to

upgrade, resurface and pave roads which will have a positive impact on the area's

economy, creating jobs, safer driving conditions, and assisting our tourism

industry to grow. Areas such as Change Islands and New World Island will be

directly impacted by this investment. In fact, a large portion of our total

provincial infrastructure spending has been spent in rural Newfoundland and

Labrador and, as a result, have created thousands of jobs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Our Rural Secretariat and its partners throughout the

Province are working with local and regional partners targeting opportunity

development in sectors and regions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador to build

strong communities. We are seeing a new Newfoundland and Labrador emerge, one

that is stronger financially, economically, culturally, and environmentally.

People are looking to this Province and recognizing the positive events

unfolding here. As proof, Newfoundland and Labrador experienced population

growth in 2007, the first time since 1992.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Our government believes that strong and healthy communities

are essential to the success of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are utilizing

emerging technologies in health care so patients from remote areas can benefit

from the advice of specialists located outside their communities. We are helping

people get prescription drugs they need and investing in new long-term health

care facilities.

Our government is making this Province a model for other provinces; providing

the best post-secondary student aid package in the country, creating a Northern

Strategic Plan for Labrador, creating the largest personal income tax cut in the

Province's history, and spending record amounts on education. These decisions

lead to tangible benefits for our people, while this in turn will lead to

self-reliance.

As a government, we are extremely proud of our achievements over the past

four years and look forward to the future with a strong leader at the helm, a

comprehensive and solid plan, and a team who is determined that these positive

changes will happen. Together, with much pride and passion, we look forward to

the future and strive to realize the potential of the people and the place we

proudly call home, the great Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, I want to take the opportunity to welcome and thank our new

Lieutenant Governor in his delivery today of the Throne Speech, and also to

welcome our distinguished guests in the House of Assembly today, and to all

those who are watching at home.

The Throne Speech, by its very nature, is a positive speech. It is a message

of government that is written to indicate the direction they will take over the

course of the next twelve months. Today's speech, obviously, has many good

initiatives that will benefit the people of our Province. With a $1 billion

budget surplus, there are many opportunities that are available to government,

and these surpluses may be bigger as the price of oil continues to climb to well

over $100 a barrel, which is much higher than that projected by the Minister of

Finance just a few months ago.

Mineral royalties from projects such as Voisey's Bay, which has been one of

the most beneficial mining deals ever reached in our Province's history, are

also increasing. It is a matter of being effective managers and making the right

choices with the extra tax dollars. There are many decisions that will have to

be made and the people will judge if they believe the key priorities that they

have outlined are being addressed. I guess those discussions and those debates

will start on Budget day and in the days that follow.

While government has a significant pot of money to draw upon, there are a

number of issues in this Province today that are not being addressed. Mr.

Speaker, I would like to let government know that we get many calls at our

offices with regard to issues in the Province that are of concern to people that

they would like to have addressed. So while today's Throne Speech is full of

promises, we will monitor the actions of government to ensure that they follow

through on their commitments. As the Official Opposition, we will do our service

to strengthen the policies that they bring forward and to challenge them when

they do not act in the best interests of our citizens.

The strength of government is very evident in the numbers in this House of

Assembly. The power you exercise is evident in the limited finances and staffing

that is provided for Opposition parties like ours. However, we will not be

downtrodden and silenced but we will rise each and every day to be the advocates

of people, and our voices will be strong and they will be heard.

Your government has continuously stated your commitments to openness and

accountability and I feel that you have not met those commitments appropriately.

We need only to look in the past two weeks when government was forced to release

a three-year-old report on the state of hospitals in St. John's. The only

reason we know about the existence of these problems was because of the Minister

of Health's bungling of another file in a media scrum.

Government committed in 2003 to release all reports within thirty days of

their receipt. It was stated in previous Throne Speeches in this House. The

report outlining the condition of St. John's hospitals shows once again that

it was an empty promise. For a full three years these reports were hidden and

not a word from government about their existence - and this is just one report.

How many more reports exist that we know nothing about? Is this the openness and

accountability that government had committed to?

We also learned of the results of the faulty ER-PR testing for breast cancer

patients. Once again, government knew of these problems yet only communicated

the information when it came out through a court document. This is simply

unacceptable. When asked why government withheld the information, the Minister

of Health stated: they had to balance litigation against the rights of the

public to know - basically putting lawsuits ahead of people. I ask: How is this

openness and accountability?

We saw a similar approach when Eastern Health went to court to block the

release of so-called peer reviews. Even though the minister could have easily

decided that such a court case was not necessary, he allowed it to go forward.

Why block the release of information that can help improve our health care

system and aid in the restoring of confidence to people? Is this the openness

and accountability that was committed to?

How about the excess fees that were charged to the public, the media and the

Opposition every time we tried to obtain information from government

departments, when we have an Access to Information Act that is supposed to be

there to work on behalf of the people? Government charges significant fees to

discourage the access to information, or the release of sensitive information,

and this, Mr. Speaker, is not openness and accountability.

Why is government refusing to release the names of companies that have been

referenced in the Auditor General's report? Questions have been raised as to

whether proper procedures were followed when awarding millions of dollars of

public money to these companies. The department refused to release the

information and has forced us to apply under the Access to Information Act. I

have to ask why government is trying to hide this kind of information. What

companies are they trying to protect? We want to ensure that you meet your

commitments of openness and accountability, and this is the reason we raise

those issues today.

The Auditor General identified reports with regard to restaurants that were

not following policies designed to protect the public - a number of restaurants

in our Province that could potentially affect the health and safety of citizens.

Why is government refusing to release the names of these restaurants that are

involved? Again, I have to ask: Where is the openness and accountability?

Who can forget the lack of information that was released on the Hebron-Ben

Nevis MOU? Even though the Premier and members of his government, as I recall,

in the days of the Voisey's Bay debate, had often claimed that there was

insufficient information available and being released to make decisions

well, even fewer details are being provided on the Hebron-Ben Nevis arrangement.

We have yet to see any information come forward, and a full seven months have

passed since this announcement was made. Again, where is the openness and

accountability that your government had committed to?

Numerous requests have been made to the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board to

get information on the Province's recycling activities, budgetary expenditures

and annual reports. Requests were made by the media, ourselves, and by citizens,

that have not been fulfilled. Much of the information still remains hidden in

the minister's department. This is certainly not openness and accountability

that was earlier promised.

The Workplace Health and Safety Commission have reported documents on injured

workers; yet, these workers are being denied access to the information. Why is

the information being hidden from people whose interests are supposed to be

represented by that very agency? Again, I have to ask the government: Why not

honour your commitment of openness and accountability for injured workers who

need this information?

Mr. Speaker, those are a number of examples of how openness and

accountability - a hallmark of this government that was committed to in earlier

Throne Speeches - have not been upheld and honoured.

Mr. Speaker, it is one thing to make commitments in Throne Speeches; it is

entirely a different thing to honour and put those commitments into practice.

I want to talk about the Province's privacy legislation which lingered in

the filing cabinets of government for over five years before it was finally

dusted off and taken down just a few months ago.

While the legislation was snug in the cabinets of government, the private

information of our citizens was being intruded upon. Over the past few months we

have witnessed security breaches at Eastern Health, Memorial University, the

Eastern School District, and the Workplace Health and Safety Commission. It is

obvious that the supposedly developed protocols were not sufficiently in place

to protect private and personal information. Now, as a result of these breaches,

the personal information of thousands of adults and children has potentially

been exposed to criminals who may be looking to steal identities. Identity theft

protection is inconvenient, time-consuming and potentially costly for people who

are seeking peace of mind after their information is exposed. We have yet to

hear anything from government as to whether any assistance or guidance will be

provided to help affected individuals protect themselves.

Openness, accountability, and the protection of privacy were pillars of this

government's platform, a government who claims to be masters of their own

house. Unfortunately, these promises have foundered and it is the public who are

left vulnerable and without full disclosure of information. I want to encourage

the government to get back on track, to protect the privacy of our citizens and

rebuild confidence - people's confidence - in the fundamental commitments that

you have made.

I would like to comment on the economic commitments government has made today

in the Throne Speech. I am pleased to say that there are several things there

that will be beneficial and will certainly benefit the people of the Province,

should they be implemented.

Your government has had a wonderful opportunity over the last five years to

do some very positive things. High oil prices, high mineral prices, and

improvements to the Atlantic Accord have helped our Province see windfall

profits never experienced since Confederation.

I want to acknowledge and support the decisions you have made to pay down

portions of the debt, for recognizing and investing in new road construction,

and the need to address the infrastructure gap in our long-term care facilities

and our schools.

Certain areas of our Province are doing quite well economically while other

regions are not, and with the current trends and the increasing price of oil

there is a real possibility that we could be off equalization within the next

few years and termed by Canada as a have Province. The reality of all of this is

that we still have some of the highest unemployment rates in the country and a

net out-migration of about 10,000 people per year.

Are we to be off equalization, and a have Province, and yet have stats on

poverty levels in our own Province that exceed those of the natural average? The

only stability being offered in our workplace today is with those commuting back

and forth to Alberta.

The commuter trend may be a good fit for Newfoundland and Labrador right now,

but can this trend last or will we eventually see more and more of our people

and our families relocating to Alberta? I know, from the people I have spoken

with, they feel that being away from their family and only being home for a few

days out of every month or every six weeks is obviously very pressing and very

difficult.

The oil and gas industry will reach its peak within the next few years. We

need new projects and we need to rebuild our exploration industry offshore. We

went from $672 million in exploration projects to less than $40 million in the

past five years.

We want to encourage government to pursue those negotiations, to continue to

foster new developments in that industry, so that we may keep people living and

working in Newfoundland and Labrador. This is why we feel that government needs

to put more emphasis on expanding developments into renewable industries as

well, such as the fishery, the forestry and the agriculture sectors. These

industries have sustained our Province for centuries, as government has outlined

today, but have fallen to the backburner with all of the current emphasis on oil

and gas and mining developments in recent years. Our renewable resource sectors

are key to growing and sustaining our rural areas. All of us in this House spend

time in or live in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and we know that these

communities are struggling economically.

While oil and gas revenues balloon the Province's coffers, it is not

reaching out to the individuals and families who are struggling in many rural

areas of our Province, people who work in industries like the fishery, the

forestry and the agriculture sector. I know many families who descended from

generations of ancestors in these communities, who have had no choice but to

leave our Province in search of opportunity so that they would not lose their

homes and all their possessions. So overcoming the disintegration of renewable

industries and ensuring the survival of rural communities is indeed a difficult

task for any government in today's modern network of global industry, but the

time has come for all of us, collectively, to act and for government to act. You

need to decide: Are you prepared to use the resource revenues to invest in these

industries and revamp a new course for the future of all communities in our

Province? We believe it can be done, but attitudes must change.

I was appalled by the remarks made by the Minister of Innovation, Trade and

Rural Development in the Globe and Mail just a few short months ago when

he nonchalantly made the comment that his department cannot save every ailing

community. Mr. Speaker, we expect much more from a minister who is tasked with

innovation and rural renewal in a government that is flushed with oil money and

equipped with a new strong mandate. Government should not be the judge and jury

when it comes to which communities will live or die, but rather; we know you

have some control and you can take that control by not investing in renewable

resource sector industries and therefore not investing in the communities that

are dependent upon them.

We want to see this government make the fishery a priority. I was pleased

today to hear some of the strategies that government is outlining in the fishing

industry. Investing in aquaculture is one step, but you have to look at the

major hit that this industry has taken over the past few years. We have seen a

number of plants closed, we have seen hundreds of workers displaced from their

industry, we have seen more raw material being exported out of the Province

without production, we have seen the dismantling of a flagship company that

boasted one of the strongest marketing arms in our nation, and we have seen a

complete breakdown of communications with the federal government on fisheries

issues. All of these things negatively impact the industry in our Province.

There needs to be more emphasis placed on growing this industry, on investing in

research and development, on establishing a strong marketing division for our

Province.

The fishery summit that took place in 2006 - and I kind of reflected on it in

recent days - I thought of it more as

an act of frustration at the time because

we never did see any real strategies or developments that came out of that

summit, so maybe the Throne Speech today will be the turning point that

implements some of those things in the industry. Many communities in this

Province, Mr. Speaker, need the support of government to help them create

stability in the fishing industry. It is the industry that has provided

employment and income for thousands of our people for many years and it will

continue to do so in the future.

Our forestry sector is facing very difficult circumstances because of

marketing conditions that have weakened the demand for newsprint. We have

already seen the closure of the Stephenville mill, the Abitibi mill in

Stephenville, and I want to say to government, Mr. Speaker, that we will support

them to ensure that the future of the mills in Corner Brook and Grand

Falls-Windsor are stable in our Province for many years to come.

We must also look at the logging industry and the sawmill operations to

ensure that they are receiving the appropriate levels of government funded

support, both from a policy and financial perspective, and more emphasis has to

be placed on product development in this industry for export markets. There is a

need for our wood around the world and we need to work with communities to

design the products that they demand. Silviculture programs must remain an

important part of our investments in order to grow the Province's forests so

that opportunities will be available for many generations of Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians to come.

We have recognized that the opportunities in the agriculture sector are

enormous. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are very innovative people, as we all

know. They have continued to develop various products from the resources we have

here at home. They have been competitive in a global marketplace and our

products have been comparable to any that are in the market today. We must work

with our agriculture sector to find new opportunities and direction that will

provide a strong future for farmers and harvesters.

We need to support those who invest their own money and try new businesses,

such as those who invest in the fur industry in the Province. Government should

not turn their back on these farmers when they hit bumps in the road but rather

give them a hand up to a successful industry. I ask that government provide

support to the fur farmers who have been affected by Aleutian disease,

especially those who are on the verge of bankruptcy because of this. It is your

place to help build these industries and guide the people in them, not walk away

when times get tough. There are opportunities that we must seize upon so that

everyone who lives and works in this Province is able to stay here. Our oil and

gas and mining sectors may be driving our economy today but we cannot forget

that there are still many people out there who are struggling to make ends meet

on a daily basis.

Mr. Speaker, it would all be for nothing if we increased our revenues,

eliminated the debt and the deficit but did nothing to address poverty in this

Province and provide for those who need it.

We cannot forget the needs of the lower-income families who struggle with

rising costs and face issues of affordable housing, poverty reduction, and

access to social programs.

The Minister of Finance was quick to use a debt clock at his pre-Budget

consultations, but, Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister why not a social deficit

clock displaying information about the number of children who live in poverty,

the elders in our society who cannot afford home care, the numbers of people who

do not have adequate housing, especially in our Aboriginal communities, and

those who suffer from addictions that have no centre for services in this

Province? No, the debt clock was government's way of manipulating opinions and

encouraging people to support government's priorities and not necessarily be

free to express their own priorities.

We have been told, Mr. Speaker, by non-profit groups that they have to be

placed on a waitlist to meet with the Premier, and maybe the Premier can confirm

if this is true, but there are a number of groups out there, Mr. Speaker, that

lobby on behalf of low-income individuals and families, and it is evident that

poverty reduction must become a priority for this government. While they have a

plan that may be the envy of the country, we have statistics that are still

exceeding the national average. It is not enough to commission reports, you have

to be prepared to implement the recommendations, and we are asking that

government complete a social audit and act on the findings immediately in

efforts to improve the quality of life of low-income individuals and their

families.

At a time when the country is poised on issues of the environment and has

risen to the top of the agenda across the nation, your government has allowed it

to fall off the radar screen. The time has come for a complete review of the

mandate of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board. The minister needs to ensure

that more effective decisions are made, and that they reflect the best interests

of the Province's environment.

In five years you have not provided any recycling solutions for the thousands

of tires that pile up in this Province. You allowed the paper and cardboard

recycling program in St. John's to terminate. You are in your second mandate

and still have not provided realistic solutions to eliminate waste from landfill

sites, despite the millions of federal dollars that have been transferred into

this program in the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.

You have failed to put emphasis on clean drinking water. The Auditor General

has already identified major problems with the Province's inspection and

monitoring program as it relates to quality drinking water. We recently saw a

situation where scented and non-certified chlorine products made their way into

water supplies of dozens of communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,

and it was the authorities in another province that identified the problem, not

because we had the resources here in our own Province to identify it.

Clean drinking water is a human necessity; yet, we have nearly 200

communities still on boil orders in our Province. Government can afford to

provide clean drinking water to communities, and they should be doing it. It is

sad when towns cannot correct the problems with their drinking water simply

because they cannot afford to do so. Municipalities need your assistance, and

increasing the Municipal Operating Grant would be a good first step for

government at this stage.

Public sector employees have supported the government of this Province

through the lean years - supported many governments through the lean years - and

they worked with your government in 2004, accepting wage freezes and rollbacks

of previously negotiated benefits such as changes in sick leave. Now they need

to be supported by government and respected for the role that they play in our

society.

Especially hard hit by government's tactics in the last round of bargaining

were nurses. It was difficult enough to encourage young people to remain and

work in the Province when their counterparts across Canada were being paid more

and given more attractive benefit packages. Instead, new nurses coming out of

schools in Newfoundland and Labrador today face the lowest paid wages in their

profession of any other region in this country. As a result, we have a nursing

shortage of well over 400 nurses in our hospitals throughout the Province. These

hundreds of vacancies are resulting in a health care system struggling to keep

its head above water.

If we are to recruit and retain our professional workers, we must offer

competitive wages and benefit packages that will encourage these professionals

to stay and work in our Province. We can only hope that government's

discussions with the public sector unions will be productive, and certainly more

productive than the relationship they have currently fostered with our federal

government.

What is ironic is that government promised in the 2004 Throne Speech that one

of the main priorities of their government would be, and I quote, "to

improve federal-provincial relations in concrete ways that bring real benefits

to the people, economy and treasury of Newfoundland and Labrador." It

certainly appears that the relationship has significantly worsened since those

comments were first spoken.

Mr. Speaker, in all seriousness, I think that efforts need to be made to

foster a more co-operative relationship with our federal counterparts on issues

that are important to people in our Province. This is very evident in an area

that I represent, in Labrador.

In Labrador, Mr. Speaker, we have developments such as the Mealy Mountain

Park, the reserve status of the Innu, the stability of 5 Wing Goose Bay, that

are all files jointly shared by the federal-provincial government, that we have

seen little or no movement on. Yet government, again today, talks of its

commitment to Labrador.

I say to them: Your real test to Labradorians will come with the development

of the Lower Churchill Project. It will come in how well you listen to the

environmental concerns of Labradorians, and how they are rewarded for

developments like this in their land; because Labradorians, not unlike the

government opposite, do not want any more giveaways.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in our history, windfall revenues from our

offshore oil and gas industry are allowing us to meet the needs of our people. I

ask that government, as masters in your own house, not become obsessed with debt

reduction but rather meet our fiscal responsibilities of debt control and strike

a balance on social and economic investments.

We will be advocating for balance during this time of economic prosperity, to

ensure that nobody is left behind. We must address the problems with our health,

education and social programs so that larger problems do not arise in the

future.

There are many areas in which this government can improve. We take our

responsibility as an Opposition very seriously, and we will continue to

challenge government on a daily basis to ensure that they live up to their many

promises - not only those that they have made today, but those that they have

made in the past.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, I join with my colleagues, the former speakers, in

congratulating the Lieutenant Governor on his appointment and thanking him for

being here with us today and reading his first Speech from the Throne.

I also wish to welcome, and say hello to, all of our guests in the House of

Assembly and those who are watching us through the medium of television.

The Speech from the Throne, by its very nature, is going to be a very

positive document, and obviously the Speech from the Throne today was. It is a

document that deals with the big picture, and this Speech from the Throne today

certainly dealt with the big picture.

I agree with the government, and with the Speech, that we are indeed in a

very special time in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are indeed in a time that we

have never experienced before. The amount of resources that we have actually

coming into our Province for us to use is a whole new experience. It can be a

pretty heady experience, too, when you think about it, and I rejoice in that. I

am really happy that we have that situation. I would love to be Premier. It

would be great to be Premier right now, with this - I would love it - but on

this side.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MS MICHAEL: Sorry, Mr. Premier, but it is a wonderful time to be there

and to know that we have the resources to start meeting the needs of the people

in this Province. That is wonderful, and I rejoice in that too. I know how

wonderful the people in this Province are, and I, too, am committed to the

future of this Province and to the people in this Province.

I am a person who not only went away once and came home but went away twice

and came back, because I believe so much in this Province and I believe so much

in the people, and I believe in myself as a person who is a Newfoundlander and

Labradorian.

Obviously, the government is going to present, in the Speech that it writes

for the Lieutenant Governor to read, everything that is positive. Naturally,

they are going to do that - I would do it, too - but I have been elected to give

the other side. That is why I am here. That is why I am standing in opposition;

and I do not consider that a negative thing. It means being able to bring the

other side, and there are a lot of things that are on the other side - of things

that were in the Speech and things that were not in the Speech - and I think it

is my responsibility this afternoon to bring some of those details to the floor,

because as the old saying goes, the devil is in the details, and there are

details that are missing in the Speech from the Throne.

One of the things that I promoted for myself and for my party during our

general election was that I promised people who voted for us that I would be

their voice in the House of Assembly; that if they had concerns and issues I

would be sure that I would bring their voice to the floor of the House. One of

the things that I find missing from the speech is a voice that I am hearing

every day, a voice that I am hearing in e-mails that are coming to me, a voice

that I am hearing on the phone from people calling my office, a voice that I

hear in the media, and I think we have to recognize that voice.

When, for example, the government talks about wrestling down the deficit -

and I congratulate the government that it really did wrestle down the deficit in

a short period of time - when I hear that, the thing that comes to my mind is

that we have another deficit, a deficit that was created historically. It is not

created by one government, it is created by who we are, created by poverty that

we have experienced, created by times when we did not have the money to deal

with things the way we wanted to, and that is the social deficit that we have in

our Province. We do have a deficit in infrastructure; we all know that. We all

know the reality now if we did not know it before of the situation of the

infrastructure in our health care. We all know the deficit in the infrastructure

in our educational system. If we live in a community at all, we know that. If we

live in the Province at all, we know that. We do not need statistics to tell us,

we do not need reports to tell us, although it is good to have those things

because they confirm what we know.

One of the things we do not recognize as much is the deficit in programs.

Many of us have lived in other parts of the country. The two times that I lived

in other parts of the country, I lived in provinces where they had things that

we are still dreaming about, where they had and still have wonderful home-care

programs, for example, for seniors and for people who need long-term care at

home. They have childcare programs that we do not think about. They have

programs in schools that we still think; wouldn't it be wonderful to have

that. They have drug programs that are better than our programs. That is not to

say we are terrible because our programs are not as good. We have not had the

resources to be where they are, but now we do. So, I am not going to be

satisfied when I listen to elderly people on the phone speaking to me, senior

citizens, talking about their difficulty in taking care of each other because

they cannot afford home care, that they cannot afford the system that is being

offered to them.

The area of concern now that is coming in mostly to my office is not housing

anymore. It used to be. Now the phone calls I am getting are mainly relating to

health. Home care is a health issue and that is one of the ones. Inability to

get drug cards is another health issue. These are the concerns that are mostly

coming into my office now. You know, it is really hard when you talk to a senior

citizen who is sick, him or herself, and who is saying: Ms Michael, I just do

not know how much more I can take in taking care of my husband or my wife, I

cannot do it anymore, but I am a few hundred dollars above the limit of what is

allowed for me to be able to get home care; or, the amount of money we are being

told we have to pay, we just do not have it because an assessment is done on a

gross income, not on an income recognizing what the existing expenses are. These

are the realities.

I know my colleagues must be getting these phone calls too. I know you are

getting them because sometimes it is people from your constituencies who are

calling me, and that is a reality. That is the voice that we have got to start

hearing.

When I see the Speech From the Throne and I do not see, really, any serious

talk about moving towards because you cannot do it overnight a full plan

for a home care program. When I say that I am talking about a program, a program

that will say we do not have enough workers. Why don't we? Number one, we need

more training for workers; number two, we need higher wages - they will not work

for the wages we have; and number three, maybe we are too reliant on profit

oriented home care. How do we put a plan in place and have a step for this year

and a step for next year and a step for the third year and the fourth year in

that plan, so that we move towards a home care program that is accessible?

Of the statistic that has been given me, because I asked about this when I

was speaking to one of the social workers about a certain case, I was told that

of the people who call up and say, we really need home care, my wife and I or my

husband and I, or even an individual, we need home care, and when the assessment

is done and they are told how much money they are going to have to put into the

home care, I have been told by the people working in the system that 40 per cent

of their callers say, well, I just cannot afford that, and end up not having

home care. I am talking to people who are telling me, there is nothing else I

can do, Ms. Michael, we will just keep going as long as we can. That means as

long as they can until one of them gets so sick that they end up in hospital or

end up dead. I'm not trying to be dramatic here, this is the reality. This is

the reality we have to realize and listen to. This is the reality that we have

in our Province.

The same way with child care; the government says, and it says in the Speech

from the Throne, that it is concerned about the status of women, but when we

talk about child care and early childhood, we are talking about the children but

we are also talking about the families. In some cases those families have two

parents who are male and female. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes it is a

single woman who is taking care of her children.

We do not have a plan for a child care program in this province, and I am

really disheartened by the fact that child care and early childhood education is

not even mentioned in today's Speech from the Throne. That really disheartens

me, because it is something I have been harping on since I came into the House.

It is something I was involved in before I became a politician. It is something

that I know is essential for women out there. Women are not going to be able to

get jobs, even if they train or retrain, unless there is a good child care

program in place, and we don't have one in this Province and I see no mention

of that in the Speech from the Throne. That really disheartens me.

What I want to do here, Mr. Speaker, is speak to things I saw in the Speech

today, that are part of ongoing issues. Our senior citizens, from whom I get a

lot of phone calls, are suffering desperately. They are the ones who are not

accessing drug cards at the rate that we would like to see them access. Not

enough of them are able to access them but the majority of them need them. We

the Speech from the Throne there is a reference to looking at the criteria for

guess, bringing down the bar a bit. I want to say to the ministers responsible -

because there is more than one minister responsible here - that this is urgent.

It is so urgent that it needed to happen way before now. We cannot wait a year

or two years for that to happen. People are suffering now, and a lot of them are

senior citizens, senior citizens who cannot afford to heat their homes in the

winter, senior citizens who are really begging, and I get them begging on the

phone: Can't you get the government to see that even if we had more relief

from taxation on our heating fuel that would be another help? Because, you see,

if you only have an income of $15,000 or $16,000 a year every hundred dollars is

a lot of money. It is a lot of money! These are the people who we are talking

about, people who are on very low incomes. Even if you are a couple who are

earning $23,000 a year, and you are seniors and you are paying for drugs and you

are paying for other needs that you have, a little bit of home care yourself,

because you are not eligible to get help from government your money goes away

pretty fast.

I have been speaking to a man who finally got his drug card in November, a

cancer patient who had to come into St. John's, has been coming in now for a

number of years, and he has racked up $19,000 on a line of credit doing nothing

else but paying for his medical expenses. That is all that money has gone

towards, paying for his medical expenses. My constituency assistant has worked

for almost two weeks on that case and things are getting sorted out and things

are being put in place to help that man, but it took a lot of work to make it

happen. It took an awful lot of work to make it happen. So, when government - it

does not say it in this Speech from the Throne but we do have a department that

works on this.

When we talk about red tape and cutting down on red tape, and that is one of

the goals of government, it is not just red tape for industry, it is not just

red tape to make the government move more smoothly, but there is an awful lot of

red tape out there that individual people have to deal with when they are trying

to access the social programs of government. I will tell you, it takes an awful

lot to try to figure out what all that red tape is, and sometimes by cutting

through the red tape you actually do say, you know, this person is eligible, but

there is so much red tape the individual does not know how to deal with that.

The people who are inside the system are so overworked that I do not even know

if they realize that people do not even understand the programs that are there

and how much red tape they have to go through.

I am not going to harp any more on that. I think you are getting the message.

I hope you are getting the message.

We have an awful lot out there that is going wrong. While it is good to

congratulate yourselves and while it is good to say it is a great time to be

alive, for an awful lot of people out there it is not a great time to be alive,

and that is reality. By the nature of my job right now, I guess that is what I

have to hear on a daily basis. That is what I have to listen to on a daily

basis.

I want to make a bit of a switch right now. I could go through a whole list

here but I want to talk about some other things that are in the Speech from the

Throne to show the other side. For example, I am really glad to see that mining

is mentioned and that, yes, we do have income from mining as well, not just from

oil and gas, and we have income from a lot of other areas in the Province in the

resource sector.

One of my concerns is that we not make decisions around things like mining,

especially in the nonrenewable resource areas, that are going to be negative

somewhere else. For example, I agree - and I am really glad for the people in

Central Newfoundland, and I have been there and I know the benefit of Duck Pond

and the mine there, but we also did something that was environmentally, as far

as I am concerned, really, totally unacceptable. We took a healthy body of

water, Trout Pond, and allowed that, through our silence as a Province, to start

being used as a tailings pond. We stood by while an application was made to the

federal government asking that a federal government regulation called MMER - I

will not go through the whole thing - that that regulation allow Trout Pond to

get listed - Trout Pond and another pond that does not have a name, both of them

feed into the Exploits River - for that to go on the list of areas that can

become tailings ponds.

I was really disturbed that this government did not take a position on that

and this government sat back and allowed the federal government to make a

decision to allow that to happen. Now what has happened is, that set a precedent

and there are other mining areas across Canada where application is being made

for healthy bodies of water to become tailings ponds. Not only did we do

something bad for ourselves, we also helped set a precedent, through our

silence, for this to start happening throughout the country, especially in the

north because that is where most of the mining is going on.

Yes, I want mining. I am not going to say we should not have it, but we

should not allow things to happen that are going to destroy ourselves

environmentally. There was not enough evidence presented in this case. For

example, we do not know what is going to happen to the Atlantic salmon in the

Exploits River where millions of dollars were spent to bring the Atlantic salmon

back. Now because of Trout Pond and this other unnamed pond becoming a tailings

pond, we could, in twenty years time, be in a situation where we have dead

salmon. We cannot do that kind of thing. This is the other side of things that I

am talking about. That is why I am here, to show the other side.

It is the same way with the Energy Plan. We waited for a couple of years for

the Energy Plan. It finally came and what we got was a good vision, I admit, but

nothing concrete in it. We say that we are concerned about energy efficiency and

yet there is nothing in the plan - and I do not see anything in the Speech from

the Throne either - talking about the government putting resources into helping

residences, as well as commercial enterprises, to have buildings that are energy

efficient. For example, if we did that in the residential sector not only would

we have energy efficiency, which would mean that we were helping the

environment, but we would also help people to have homes that are cheaper to

heat.

Mr. Speaker, these are some of the issues that concern me. There are many

others and, as the government knows, you are going to hear all of them as we

continue to sit in the House. I will not try to cover all of them today. The

only thing I want to say is that we have to look at both sides. I know the

government does not talk about the surplus directly in the Speech from the

Throne but has been talking about it outside of the House, because we were not

in the House.

When I heard that out of an $880 million surplus, the government was

considering putting - I think it was a decision, I am not sure, they will have

to tell us - $700 million of that down on our debt, I say that is not where I

would go. Yes, put some down on the debt, I am not against that, but we have

enough resources now - I know economists who believe this, and I certainly

believe it and I have enough economic knowledge to know it is true. We have

enough money now to put money down on the debt if we want to put some more down.

We have enough money to have a balanced budget, which we have, but we also have

enough money to put a much, much larger infusion into the social debt that I

have talked about. That money is there. It is political will. What I encourage

the government to do is to think about that. I encourage you to get away from

this notion that we have to take vast amounts of money to pay down on that debt

because the payoff on an annual basis at this point is not enough. What we need

first, and surely the issue about our hospitals should be showing us this, and I

do not know for how many years, because this would have to be worked out - Is it

five? Is it ten? - I do not know, but we need to put major money into our

infrastructures, into our social programs, bring us up to standards that exist

in this country. When we do that, then we can say: Okay, now we really start

paying down that debt and now we start building a fund for the future but,

for God's sake, please take care of the present. Please take care of the

people who are suffering right now in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I will try and be as quick as I can. I

know people are probably getting a little tired. It is late in the afternoon and

people are starting to get fidgety in their seats. I feel your pain. That will

assure you that this speech is going to be quick.

Mr. Speaker and fellow Members of the House of Assembly, I rise first of all

this afternoon to thank his hon. the Lieutenant Governor for delivering his

first Throne Speech. As he stood there - I could go back forty years. He stood

steadfastly there on his feet for forty years, and it just reminded me of days

gone by when he stood so proudly in this House of Assembly and spoke so

eloquently.

I also want to extend my personal thanks to the mover of the motion of the

Address in Reply, the newly elected Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans, and

the seconder, the newly elected Member for The Isles of Notre Dame.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: These two individuals are representative of all members

of this hon. House who work tirelessly, tenaciously and effectively on behalf of

their constituents.

I also want to thank the Leader of the New Democratic Party and the Leader of

the Official Opposition for their comments.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our distinguished invited guests -

some of whom have taken their leave due to other commitments - members of the

media, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who are with us in the

Chamber today or who are viewing us through televised proceedings.

I want to thank the people of our Province who, in October, expressed their

confidence in our government by giving us a strong mandate to continue the work

that we are doing.

I also want to congratulate the hon. Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair

on her appointment, since the General Election, as Leader of the Opposition.

As the Throne Speech makes clear, the primary objective of our government's

second term is to secure a long-term sustainable future of self-reliance in

Newfoundland and Labrador. We are ensuring that our people have the tools to

seize opportunities and anchor their families here, to enjoy a greater measure

of prosperity and a higher quality of life. Working together, we will secure a

living legacy that will carry Newfoundland and Labrador forward with confidence

into the millennium ahead.

In the fall election campaign, voters overwhelming voted to stay the course

of the past four years. As the saying goes, if you ignore the mistakes of the

past you will be doomed to repeat them.

The people of this Province clearly still remember the situation we faced in

2003 and they do not want to go back there. In 2003 we inherited a fiscal mess,

massive deficits, the worst per capita debt burden of the country by far,

crumbling infrastructure, beleaguered social programs, high taxes, massive

out-migration, a lack of strategic planning in both the resource and social

sectors, and, most importantly, an attitude of despair.

Young people in our communities felt their only choice was to leave this

place that they love so much to find opportunities elsewhere, and they were not

happy about it. The irony was that we were sitting on some of the richest

resources and brightest opportunities in the entire country. It just did not

make sense that a Province so rich in potential should be so poor fiscally,

economically and socially, and so steeped in pessimism about its future; but, in

the words of Sir Winston Churchill, difficulties mastered are opportunities won.

So we embraced and implemented a new approach, a new direction and a new

attitude. It was tough, and sacrifices had to be made to pull our Province out

of the downward spiral and get us on an upward track, and we were criticized by

some for doing so, but I credit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for believing

in this Province strongly enough to stand steadfastly together while we made

that transition. People stayed the course because they envisioned, as we did,

that there was a bright light of hope and opportunity at the end of that tunnel.

We identified priority objectives and set out to achieve them. We got our

fiscal house in order and successfully negotiated important new revenues under

the Atlantic Accord. We invested like never before in the history of this

Province in infrastructure, including roads and broadband and schools and our

hospitals. We invested in education and skills development to prepare our

population for the opportunities ahead. We invested in innovation, improved the

business investment climate, and developed strategies sector by sector to

identify opportunities for growth.

We did invest in critical social programs such as health care and poverty,

crime fighting, violence prevention, and we will invest more, but the people

need to know - and I understand and I hear what you are saying. I know there are

needs out there, and I know there are individual needs, and we are trying

to get to all of them. I would love, and we would all love, to solve each and

every one of them, but right now we are spending about three-quarters of our

budget, our operating expenses, on social programs - is that correct, Tom? -

about 71 percent. As well, from an infrastructure perspective, we are probably

spending about half of our infrastructure capital on hospitals and schools; so

we are getting there but it does require the funds to do it.

The problem that we faced as a government, when we took over, we simply did

not have the money. Over the past four years we worked very, very hard to

improve on that, even at a time in the first year when we did not have money.

That is why the poverty reduction program is just a perfect example of a leading

edge model that people right across this country are heralding. Again, I do not

like to see people on television. I sit there and I watch the news every night.

I hear those stories and they give me cold shivers, but we are trying to deal

with it. We are going to do our best, and we are going to invest even more.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: We have generated jobs and growth as never before. Our

efforts have been results-oriented, and the results demonstrate that we are on

the right course. We have positioned Newfoundland and Labrador to take maximum

advantage of the incredible economic development and career development

opportunities that are spread out before us. We have developed the Province's

first energy corporation and positioned Newfoundland and Labrador to develop the

Lower Churchill for its own benefit, if the stakeholders have a will to proceed.

We have drawn a line in the sand against resource giveaways and offered,

instead, to partner with developers to harness our resources here in

Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have achieved an agreement designed to give Newfoundland and Labrador

equity stakes in the offshore and improved royalties - benefits that are now

being sought by jurisdictions like Alberta and Alaska. We are proud to have

blazed that trail.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: We have nurtured a business investment climate that has

led to strong interest in offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration, mineral

exploration and development, and wind power development. We have generated

tremendous excitement about new opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture,

agriculture and agrifoods, tourism and culture. We have demonstrated strong

leadership in innovation, research and development, and are moving forward in

ocean technology, software development, engineering, and a broad range of other

leading edge sectors.

Through our Skills Task Force and White Paper on Post-secondary Education, we

have laid the foundation to ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are

prepared for the many careers and entrepreneurial opportunities associated with

the major developments that are unfolding in Newfoundland and Labrador, and we

are seeing the tangible results of our efforts and reap the returns on the

sacrifices that we have made to get there.

Already, with major initiatives still on the horizon, we are witnessing job

demand that is outpacing supply. Already people are, in fact, moving back home

to seize opportunities that they once had to move away to find.

As the Throne Speech states, this is not the Province of twenty years ago, or

even five years ago. The day we cease to receive equalization will be a

milestone that will be a cause for great celebration in our Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: I can tell you that the growth that we have already

achieved has positioned us to come off equalization very soon, an achievement

that many people would have thought improbable or even impossible just a few

years ago.

Incredibly, for the first time in Canadian history, Ontario is seriously

talking of having to go on equalization, while Newfoundland and Labrador is

about to exit that program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: In essence, we would become the eastern engine, helping

to drive the largest provincial economy in the country. Just imagine that! Most

critical of all, we have seen a renewed spirit in our people, a bold new

attitude of pride and self-confidence that has taken hold in our Province. We

are walking with a new swagger and people are talking about our prosperity right

across this great country. Yet, in this process of turning the corner we see

that one thing has changed little, and that is the attitude of Ottawa towards

our Province. The federal government has become more a foe than a friend, more a

hindrance than a help.

The Harper Conservatives are developing a well-deserved reputation for being

untrustworthy, and one of their greatest betrayals so far was the betrayal to

Newfoundland and Labrador. Stephen Harper, Fabian Manning, Loyola Hearn and the

entire Conservative Party promised us in writing, during their election, that

their government would remove non-renewable resources from the calculation of

equalization. We believed them. "There is no greater fraud then a promise

not kept" - was their slogan. Despite this, Harper has absolutely refused

to keep his promise. So it is his own words that condemn what he has perpetrated

on us as a fraud. How can any person of the Harper team be trusted?

The past two years proved that there are no benefits for us in electing

Harper government members. People should not be fooled by supposed federal

government largesse in spending announcements of money that will rightly flow to

this Province in any event. That is why I will continue to advocate that

Canadians vote against any candidate who runs for that party in order to help

prevent a Harper government majority and the consequences it would bring to our

Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: It is as easy as ABC.

So notwithstanding federal roadblocks, we will achieve self-reliance on our

own steam. We have the natural resources. We have the human resources. We have

the brain power, the boldness, the work ethic and the thirst for success that

will drive us to succeed in the face of every challenge. This year, we will

again bring forward a surplus, but make no mistake, it is not a windfall to

squander. As Confucius once said: When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.

Our goal is not to reach a peak of self-reliance only to slip back into decline.

That would be the very opposite of sustainability and our children down the road

deserve better.

There are three main things we can do to lift our Province up to a higher

plateau. One is to get our debt burden down to a more reasonable, more equitable

level. On a per capita basis Newfoundland and Labrador's public debt is nearly

$22,000. That is more than double the national average and 70 per cent higher

than the debt load of any other province. Excessive debt strangles opportunity,

and that is true for provinces just as it is for households. We pay several

hundreds of millions of dollars a year to service our debt - $733 million a

year. So reducing the total debt burden frees up that money year after year

after year and enables us to invest in initiatives that will build a more secure

future. So let no one pretend to you that reducing our debt burden progressively

over time has no positive impact on our Province, our social programs, our

people and our future. Those arguments just do not stand up to scrutiny.

Secondly, we must continue to implement strategic planning and strategic

investments so we can stimulate economic diversification and growth, the kind of

growth that makes communities and families strong and self-reliant. The great

weakness of our economy for too many decades was the concentration of economic

activity in just a few sectors, leaving us overexposed to downturns that spelled

disaster for communities. We saw what the groundfish collapse of the early 1990s

did to numerous communities that were overexposed and vulnerable. In order to

diversify, we are investing directly in businesses, including aquaculture and

also in strategic programming that enables businesses to build networks, to

collaborate and learn from one another and gain entry to new markets that allow

their operations to grow.

Third, we must invest in infrastructure to make Newfoundland and Labrador far

more attractive to investors and far friendlier to the businesses that we

already have. We recognize from the outset that the energy sector presented the

greatest opportunities for growth and economic diversification and that is why

we have worked hard to produce the Province's first ever comprehensive energy

plan to guide us as we move forward. We now have a multi-faceted public energy

corporation to oversee a range of energy developments from hydro to oil and gas,

and our goal is to provide for the future long after this government has left

office to our repatriation of the Upper Churchill in 2041.

If I could just take a second, and we sincerely mean that as a government,

that we are not simply looking at the next four years or the four years after

that or the short term, and we are not looking to go out and spend money

haphazardly in order to win favour with the people. We are trying to have a plan

in place that will safeguard the future of our children and our grandchildren.

When I talk about the energy plan, as we have developed it in the minister's

department, we are looking out to 2041 because I am hoping - I hope I am

ninety-five and I am sat there before the television and just before I happen to

go, that we are going to get that Churchill back. I think everybody in the

Province thinks that, because that is about what I will be by then. But, having

said that, what we are trying to do is plan those cash flows that we do have the

sustainable cash flows so that we can maintain the social programs that are

necessary in this Province and build the hospitals and the schools because with

Hibernia and Terra Nova and White Rose, as they are now, the cash flows would

peak and then they would just drop off. Around 2010, 2011 they would drop off,

but with some variances in production with the White Rose extension, and with

the Hibernia South extension, we will be able to take those cash flows and ramp

them up again to get us up to around 2014, 2015. By that time those three

projects will start to wane and they will drop off dramatically.

In 2015, if everything works out well, we will have the Hebron project just

coming on. We will have the Lower Churchill project within a year, either way on

either side of that, which will be just coming on. Hopefully, that then will be

able to sustain those cash flows for an ongoing period; Hebron for a shorter

period of time, Lower Churchill for an ongoing period, forever, because it is a

renewable resource. When Hebron starts to tail off we have to remember by that

time we should be bringing our wind energy on, we should be bringing our gas on,

if not sooner, but our gas will just be getting developed. So these cash flows

should be able to be maintained to get us through that period of time.

Now, we are moving up into 2020-2025. During that period of time, hopefully,

the exploration that we are now doing at Orphan and Laurentain, and any other

basins and gas off the Labrador coast or anything else that gets discovered

should be kicking in, if not by then probably before then. So, we should be able

to maintain good,