PDF Version

November 18, 2019

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLIX No. 19

The

House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Reid):

The Government House

Leaders are ready? Yes.

Admit

strangers.

Order,

please!

In the

Speaker's gallery today, I would like to welcome Dr. John Campbell, Ken Dicks,

Sister Roisin Gannon, Sister Bernadette Doherty and Sister Lois Greene. They are

joining us this afternoon for a Member's statement.

In the

public gallery, I'd like to welcome teachers Michael Kinsella and Elizabeth

Murphy, along with students from the Mount Pearl Senior High civics class.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Also in the public gallery, I

would like to recognize family members of Mrs. Margaret Doyle, visiting us today

for a Member's statement.

Statements by

Members

MR. SPEAKER:

Today, we will hear Members'

statements by the hon. Members for the Districts of Lewisporte - Twillingate,

Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans, Labrador West, Topsail - Paradise and Harbour

Main.

The hon.

the Member for Lewisporte - Twillingate.

MR. BENNETT:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Roots

are important to Cottle's Island Lumber Company. Roots anchored in the soil of

our beautiful province which grow the spruce and fir upon which Cottle's Island

has built its business. Roots growing through four generations of this family

owned and operated business. Roots supporting generations of families who have

made their living from the logging, processing and transportation of Cottle's

Island Lumber products and roots nourishing the communities of our region.

Cottle's

have proudly turned logs into lumber, siding, panelling and flooring in several

styles to make our homes beautiful and strong, along with high-quality fuel

pellets and firewood to make our homes warm.

In this,

their 50th year of operation, they've added a new log sorting system to maximize

the value of the resources they harvest and a state-of-the-art kiln that will

allow Cottle's Island Lumber to better service customers and expand production

capabilities that will provide new employment opportunities for the communities

in Notre Dame Bay and Central Newfoundland.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Cottle's Island Lumber

on 50 years of successful operations in the forest products industry.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise

in this hon. House to recognize a dream which will soon become a reality, a

reality made possible through the hard work and dedication by these special

guests here today: Dr. John Campbell, Ken Dicks, Sister Roisin Gannon, Sister

Bernadette Doherty and Sister Lois Greene, amongst others.

These

are just a few of Lionel Kelland Hospice board members. Their commitment, along

with the devotion of a strong community, has raised over $880,000 to open a much

needed end-of-life care facility in Grand Falls-Windsor. The facility is only

possible due to the Presentation Sisters' donation of a wonderful building,

quite fitting for its future purpose.

The

Lionel Kelland Hospice and its staff offer dignity and comfort to dying patients

and their families. We hope this is the beginning of these important units

throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. To my community and the board members of

the Lionel Kelland Hospice, I say thank you for ensuring future patients will

have a private, personal and, yes, Mr. Speaker, a beautiful experience as they

leave this world on to the next.

Thank

you and God bless you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

MR. BROWN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand

in the House today to recognize Ms. Noreen Careen of Labrador City. This year,

Noreen was honoured with the Newfoundland and Labrador Seniors of Distinction

Award for her decades of community and volunteer work in Labrador West.

Noreen

has been a tireless advocate and the voice of women and seniors in the Big Land.

She has been an active participant in organizations and groups such as the

Status of Women Council, the Labrador West Housing and Homeless Coalition,

Seniors Pioneer Living, the NL 50+ Federation, and the IOC-Labrador West

Community Advisory Panel, just to name a few.

Ms.

Careen also serves as a member of the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and

Seniors. Noreen is perhaps best known for her work with creating the Hope Haven

outreach program and emergency shelter, which helps women and children in

Labrador West to overcome domestic violence.

Noreen

Careen is an amazing member of our community. I ask all hon. Members to join me

in recognizing her continued work on behalf of women and seniors in Labrador

West.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Topsail - Paradise.

MR. P. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is an

honour for me to stand in this House and congratulate Levi Moulton, a

19-year-old resident from the beautiful District of Topsail - Paradise.

Last

month, Levi, who attends Memorial University and is a member of the Sea-Hawks

Cross Country team, was recently named Memorial's athlete of the week but also

named Atlantic University Sport men's all-star, after finishing fifth in the

men's eight-kilometre AUS championships on October 26 in Fredericton, New

Brunswick with a time of 25:58.

This

made him a conference all-star and secured Levi a place in the national

university championships hosted at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario this

past November 9.

Completing 9.9 kilometres, Levi finished with a time of 33:28 seconds, placing

him 87 out of 143 participants – an outstanding accomplishment.

Levi has

also had success this season with the Sea-Hawks, taking seventh place at the

StFX invitational on September 21 and also taking third place in Wolfville, Nova

Scotia on October 5.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating Levi on all his

cross-country accomplishments.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

MS. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I am

delighted to honour a very special lady, Margaret Doyle, from Avondale in the

District of Harbour Main who celebrated her 100th birthday on October 12.

Mrs.

Doyle is a mother of eight with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She has been a lifelong volunteer in her school and church communities. Even

today, she remains very active and continues to be keenly interested in

politics, literature and the arts. A cause of great pride is her family's

connection to theatre, and she has seen every production of theirs, no matter

where she had to travel across Canada or abroad.

recently had the pleasure as her MHA in attending a commemorative mass in her

honour in Conception Harbour with her many friends and family members – one of

whom was the well-known Damhnait Doyle, who sang as part of the heartfelt

celebration. This was followed by a celebration in her home where I first-hand

witnessed the quick wit and humour of this extraordinary woman.

I ask

all Members to please join with me in recognizing Mrs. Margaret Doyle.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by

Ministers

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister

Responsible for the Status of Women.

MS. HALEY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the Mokami Status of Women

Council as they celebrate their 40th anniversary this week.

The

Mokami Status of Women Council started in 1979 when a group of women began the

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Status of Women Council. Soon afterward, it adopted its

current name.

The

initial focus of the council was to start a transition house in the area, Mr.

Speaker, but their work soon expanded to other women's issues.

Today,

the Mokami Status of Women Council is an equality-seeking feminist organization

that links women by sharing ideas, resources, skills, experience and knowledge.

They are dedicated to serving the needs of the women in their community.

Mr.

Speaker, I was pleased to have the opportunity to have travelled to Happy

Valley-Goose Bay in October, where I was able to meet with the executive

director, Raelene Vickers, and several council members.

During

our visit, we were able to discuss some of the great things the Mokami Status of

Women Council have accomplished over the year, such as: The Women Helping Women

Program; the creation of a resource manual; a drop-in service; a weekly craft

group; resident retreats which are held each year, Mr. Speaker; and a guardian

and tots group.

After 40

years, the Mokami Status of Women Council continues to do great things for women

and girls in their region.

Mr.

Speaker, I ask all of my hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating the Mokami

Status of Women Council on an amazing 40 years.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

MS. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

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

Opposition, I would like to extend a heartfelt and sincere congratulations to

the current and past members of the Mokami Status of Women Council; 40 years of

service to the women and girls of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area is a

tremendous accomplishment.

Mr.

Speaker, this organization does so much more than advocating on behalf of women

and girls. They offer support groups, a gently used clothing store, host craft

classes, special events and even run a lending library which has a wide range of

resources, fiction and non-fiction books.

I would

also like to take a moment, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the work of all the Status

of Women Councils across this province. Together, they are continuing to

advocate on behalf of women and girls and in the process they make their

communities a better place to live and work.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

MR. BROWN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, too,

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

Mokami Status of Women Council on 40 years of amazing work in Labrador, Lake

Melville.

The

council has campaigned hard for more housing for vulnerable women, and even

developed some of their own units. The women helping women program supports more

than 450 women and children, providing personal hygiene and infant care items.

It also plays a crucial role in counselling and supporting women who are victims

of violence. It deserves adequate support for its growing needs. I congratulate

them on 40 years of excellent work.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Furthers statements by

ministers?

The hon.

the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Mr. Speaker, it is truly an

honour to rise today in this hon. House to highlight

The Way Forward

on Adult Literacy , the province's

partnership-driven adult literacy action plan.

The

five-year plan includes 30 actions and was developed through engagement with key

stakeholders such as adult learners, adult literacy service providers,

Indigenous groups, community organizations, industry, labour and post-secondary

education institutions. I was pleased to see so many of these stakeholders at

the official launch of the plan at The Murphy Centre on October 17.

I want

to especially thank the dedicated staff at the Department of Advanced Education,

Skills and Labour for making all of this possible.

Mr.

Speaker, literacy is more than just reading and writing – it is the ability to

find, understand, create, communicate and compute using printed and written

materials in different situations. Our vision for Newfoundland and Labrador is a

strengthened adult literacy system that helps people get the literacy skills

needed to lead healthier, more productive lives and fully take

part in the

province's economy.

The

Adult Literacy Action Plan will be supported by $60 million in funding over five

years and will be implemented in three phases. The first phase includes 12

actions to be completed by March 2020. We will work with the adult literacy

stakeholders to build on the existing strengths, improve current programming and

services and develop new programs to support adult literacy.

One of

the highlights of launching the plan was hearing the personal and inspiring

story of Gladys Pardy from Marystown, this year's recipient of the Council of

the Federation Literacy Award. After dropping out of high school and spending

over 30 years in the workforce, Gladys made a life-changing move by going back

to school to complete her adult basic education. After finishing her program

early, Mr. Speaker, Gladys is now enrolled in the child and youth care worker

program at Keyin College. She's absolutely amazing.

Mr.

Speaker, I invite all Members of this hon. House to join me in congratulating

Gladys Pardy. I look forward to more inspiring stories like hers as we continue

to implement the important work of advancing adult literacy throughout our

province.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. Member for Topsail -

Paradise.

MR. P. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

thank the Member opposite for a copy of his statement.

behalf of the Official Opposition, I would like to offer my congratulations to

Ms. Gladys Pardy and to all of those who make a life-changing decision to obtain

their adult basic education certificates. Mr. Speaker, the story of Ms. Pardy is

truly inspirational. Her story is a testament to the fact that hard work does

pay off and that every person can obtain education with hard work and the proper

supports in place.

I would

also like to take a moment to thank those who teach the adult basic education

course. These mentors work diligently to help individuals put their best foot

forward, but also to inspire students to think beyond the adult basic education

program.

Mr.

Speaker, literacy is a must in this world. I encourage anyone who wishes to

follow Ms. Pardy's footsteps to do just that. I'm sure all Members of this House

would be happy to chat with and assist any constituents who are considering

attending the program.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MR. J. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I also

thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I, too, join in his

congratulations of Gladys Pardy on her wonderful accomplishment.

As a

important work. There is a direct correlation between literacy and good

government and the health of society.

Good

government and better public policy come from an educated and informed populous.

Those who need adult literacy training must be encouraged to step up and take

advantage of the actions the minister notes, not only for themselves, but for

the good of our province and our country.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

The hon.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. BRAGG:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and

this will be my first ever minister's statement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. BRAGG:

I rise today to highlight the

positive work of municipal leaders which was recognized at the annual

Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador Conference and Trade Show this past

weekend here in St. John's. I was very pleased to join Premier Ball and other

ministers and MHAs at the convention to acknowledge the work of our municipal

councils and employees who work tirelessly every day to improve our communities.

I'd like

to extend a sincere congratulations to all long-service award recipients whose

hard work and dedication have made a great difference and helped to build

vibrant communities across our province.

Mr.

Speaker, I was also extremely pleased to join Premier Ball for the fourth annual

Premier's Forum on Local Government. We participated in thoughtful, frank

discussions about the municipal approach to health, diversity and inclusion. The

input from delegates that participated in the forum will be vital as we continue

to work to support our municipal leaders to achieve the common goal of ensuring

Newfoundland and Labrador is the best possible place to live, work and raise a

family.

I know a

lot of the hon. Members in this House of Assembly had their political starts

with municipal governments and I ask you all to join me in thanking everyone who

helped organize the convention. It is certainly no small task to run such a

successful event. We look forward to continuing the ongoing collaboration with

municipal leaders and staff that supports building safe and sustainable

communities across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

Mr.

Speaker, we are also pleased to recognize the valuable work of our municipal

leaders across the province, which was highlighted at the recent Municipalities

Newfoundland and Labrador Conference. I, along with many of my colleagues, had

the pleasure to attend this year's conference. It was an impressive event that

provided a great opportunity for constructive discussion.

enjoyed meeting representatives from many municipalities and hearing their

concerns and opinions on a wide variety of issues affecting their communities.

There's a tremendous amount of work being done in the municipalities across the

province and, of course, there's still work to be done addressing important

issues such as drinking water, firefighting and emergency services and, of

course, waste water regulations.

I would

like to congratulate and thank the members of MNL for their continued commitment

to providing improved services and to making our municipalities better and

stronger places to live and work for our residents here in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

MR. BROWN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank

the minister for an advance copy of his statement. As the minister knows, I had

an opportunity to attend the conference as well. The MNL Conference is a

productive venue to talk with municipal leaders and the province on a host of

issues facing municipalities today.

I join

with the minister in congratulating the municipal leaders and the MNL staff for

yet another amazing conference.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

Further statements by

ministers?

Seeing

none, Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

chairman of Northern Harvest, parent company Mowi, has apologized to the people

and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the catastrophic salmon die-off.

Will the

minister responsible for aquaculture follow the example of the chairman of Mowi

by apologizing for his handling of the salmon catastrophe?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, there is no

doubt that lessons have been learned. Those lessons have been incorporated

within our new robust policies, our licence conditions and the things that will

be established within regulation.

The

learning environment that was provided is unfortunate. It's regrettable. I'm

delighted that the president of the company apologized not only to the

government but to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The one

point that I think this House can take and take some clear confidence in is that

with the robust set of policies, with the robust licence conditions, with our

advancements on the Code of Containment we're working on with the federal

government and with the new regulations, which will be put in place, aquaculture

is going to be sustainable and it's here to stay providing jobs for

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Clearly, the answer, Mr.

Speaker, is the minister will not be tendering an apology.

People

across the province are voicing frustration over delay in applications with

Crown Lands, with some reports of two to five years wait time. Yet, I heard the

minister at Municipalities NL this weekend say that the backlog is cleared up.

How can

the minister explain this discrepancy between his version of wait times and what

people are encountering constantly?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

I really want to thank the

hon. Member for the question. It does provide me with a platform to be able to

speak of the great things that have been happening in Crown Lands. Yes, there

have been serious problems within the Crown Lands application process.

Mr.

Speaker, we did have a backlog of 10,000 applications that were – some delayed

as much as 10 years. That was very serious. We put in place a service delivery

standard now of 90 days. We have eliminated the backlog.

One of

the issues we did identify was that there was a shortage of front-line staff.

When I became minister responsible for Lands, we recognized there was upwards of

a 48 per cent vacancy rate within the Crown Lands, front-line services and

offices. We said that's not good enough and we fixed the problem, and that

helped fix the problem of the backlog.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

Well, Mr. Speaker, I was at

that town hall on Saturday and I was incredulous to hear the minister say the

turnaround standard was 90 days.

Can the

minister explain why the application of Great Northern Port corporation for land

for industrial development near St. Anthony, perfected in June, is still

awaiting decision five months later?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Yet another example of a

great question, and I appreciate the hon. Member for asking it.

I had an

opportunity to ask the mayors from the region to get input from them and I,

during the course of that meeting, was able to explain that, as they were well

aware on June 19, the environmental assessment was released. There were a number

of issues within the environmental assessment and the release which were

outlined, that, of course, the proponent would have to fulfil. We're working

directly with Great Northern Port corporation to try to map out their strategy

to deal with what is required for a Crown Lands application.

Mr.

Speaker, this is not an uncomplicated application. It deals with over 1,000

acres of land and seabed. It's a very important application for the area, but

what I do know is that there is a very strong appetite for good, solid

communication and for delivery of a good product.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Leader of the

Official Opposition.

MR. CROSBIE:

What I hear the hon. minister

saying, Mr. Speaker, is that there are items outstanding that his department has

sought from the company.

The

thing about Great Northern Port is that industry and jobs are the best hope for

the Northern Peninsula.

Will the

minister assure the House that he will investigate the status of the application

for lands for development at Crémaillère Bay and report back to the House this

week on a likely date for a decision by Crown Lands?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

There is

no doubt that there are items that remain outstanding. Those items, in part,

were listed within the environmental assessment release. It's a public document.

That, obviously, would be part of an LGIC consideration of an application, along

with other elements. Obviously, with a land base of a thousand-plus acres of

land and sea, this falls within LGIC, or Lieutenant-Governor in Council,

consideration, which is a requirement of statute. Obviously, with that comes a

significant body of information that would have to be considered, including

business plans.

Mr.

Speaker, let's not confuse the issue. There are questions that the company are

very much aware of that are included within the environmental assessment

release, which they know they have a responsibility to provide answers to.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

General

Electric software which is required for the operations of the Labrador-Island

Link was supposed to be operational in 2017. Two years later, this software is

still not installed and working.

I ask

the minister: How will this impact the delivery of power to the Island?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

people of the province are aware that there are concerns around GE Grid, a

contractor to the Muskrat Falls Project, delivering on a software program for

transmission. We have been following this concern for quite some time, through

the Oversight Committee and, of course, through the board of directors.

As the

people of the province know, Mr. Marshall, the CEO of Nalcor, has been public

about this concern, and he has been to visit GE Grid most recently, Mr. Speaker,

and has assurances that by early January of 2020, the software solution will be

available to Nalcor and they will then start the commissioning on that process.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The CEO

of Nalcor spoke about this when he testified at the PUB. He noted that it could

be two or three years before the software is fully operational.

I ask

the minister: Will this delay full power from Muskrat Falls?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Member opposite is absolutely correct. Mr. Marshall has been very forthcoming on

the concerns around this. I believe his statement to the Public Utilities Board

is fully commissioned, versus available for power.

I have

assurances by the CEO of Nalcor, who is following this on an hour-by-hour basis

– not just a day-by-day basis, but an hour-by-hour basis. He advises that we

should have software – as the people of the province know, we actually have some

monopole software. We did take delivery over the transmission line, but we will

be following and monitoring this. They will be operational throughout 2020, Mr.

Speaker, but there will still be commissioning changes and concerns following

that implementation.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The CEO

of Nalcor said that he had a positive meeting with GE and a version of the

software will be ready this year.

I ask

the minister: Is this the final version which will be used or an interim

version?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I would

not presume to know enough on the intricacies of this transmission package or

the software package to say whether it will be the final version, Mr. Speaker.

We have yet to receive that version. Nalcor will start the commissioning of that

new software come January. There will be updates to that software. Everyone

knows that there are software updates as we go through a process, Mr. Speaker,

it happens with our home computers and our telephones, but there will be

continuing updating of that software.

We are

still on track throughout 2020, as that software is being implemented, to get to

full power by the end of 2020. That's according to the CEO of Nalcor.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

minister noted that we are engaged with another contractor to develop a backup

plan.

I ask

the minister: How much is this backup plan costing and how quick can this

solution be implemented if GE does not deliver the software in time?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As has

been done throughout the Muskrat Falls Project, Mr. Speaker, when we do see

challenges with delivery, like we did with one of the other major contractors

that was doing their work in Muskrat Falls for the power generation, we're

seeing concerns now about some of the software around power transmission.

always have a plan B just in case something does go untoward but, right now,

according to the CEO of Nalcor Energy, we should see that software by the first

of 2020 and then, throughout the year, as we move to full power by the end of

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last

week, Nalcor's CFO was removed from his position with a $900,000 compensation

package. This is just one example of the employment contracts in place at

Nalcor.

I ask

the minister: Will she commit that all future employment contracts signed by

Nalcor employees will fall under Treasury Board guideline?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Natural Resources.

MS. COADY:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I do

want to remind the Member opposite, it was during his tenure in government that

that contract was originally developed. The obligations under that contract, of

course, now that the board of directors have made a decision to release without

cause one in particular employee, that the obligations under that contract have

to be met.

As the

Member opposite knows, we have been saying to Nalcor Energy over the last –

since we became government – that Treasury Board guidelines are important for

all contracts – sorry – for all employment within Nalcor.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

No doubt

we're all aware here that this was an existing contract and would have to be

lived up to. But what we're asking is that in future Nalcor's contracts would be

in line with Treasury Board. That's what we ask for anybody in other

organization we have here, and particularly those who work in government.

Mr.

Speaker, for nearly two years, a number of municipal leaders and others in

Central Newfoundland and Labrador have been lobbying government to consider

Gander as a base for an air ambulance to improve response times and save money

for the operation.

I ask

the minister: Does he think it's about time to consider Gander as a base of

operations for air ambulance?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

Our air

ambulance system is a hybrid. Part of it is provided by staff based in Gander,

through government Air Services dispatch, which is based in hangar 21, if I'm

not mistaken, at Gander International Airport. The other part of that is

provided by a backup and a backup to the backup, one of whom is based in Gander,

and when operationally appropriate can base their machine out of Gander.

On a

go-forward basis, we are looking as part of our ambulance review to streamline

both the organization of both ground ambulances and air ambulances. The prime

consideration is high standards of care and quality of care, and that's where

our focus is, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Opposition House

Leader.

MR. BRAZIL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I should

clarify, one of the companies that provides an aircraft for the air ambulance

process is based out of Gander. The air ambulance service is not based out of

Gander.

With 27

municipalities from Central and Southern Newfoundland lobbying to have an air

ambulance base in Central Newfoundland, doesn't the minister think it's about

time he and his senior officials attended the meetings they have been invited

to, to discuss and assess the proposal put forward by these municipal leaders?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

From the

ambulance perspective, I've been happy to meet with a multitude of

municipalities, and indeed I met with some at MNL on Friday of last week.

Specifically, Gander, but also others. So I'm certainly open to any discussion

around that.

I would

point out that there isn't technically an ambulance base anywhere in the

province, if the Member opposite wants to go into detail. The aircraft are moved

dynamically, based on clinical need, and there are flight teams that are

currently housed in St. John's and in Goose Bay. I'm open to any suggestions,

and personally, as the Member for the District of Gander, I'd be happy to see it

there.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

MS. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, the Official Opposition would like to express our sympathies to the

family of Lloyd Fudge Sr. of McCallum, who passed away a few weeks ago while

moose hunting in a mountainous area at Facheux Bay.

behalf of the family, I ask the Minister of Justice and Public Safety: Why was

the decision made to deny the son's request for an emergency airlift from this

remote location, leaving them to fend for themselves?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education and Early Childhood Development.

MR. WARR:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

thank the hon. Member for the question.

I'm at a

loss, Mr. Speaker, to give an answer here today. I'll certainly look into the

question and provide an answer back to the House.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Harbour Main.

MS. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:

Mr. Speaker, when

people pass away suddenly in our communities, the police and other agencies step

in to do their work. Many people in our province, and visitors, go hunting and

hiking in remote locations.

I ask

the minister: If he's unaware, can he please advise us of what the protocol is,

what's the official procedure to make that decision to deny emergency service

and support in this horrific situation.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Education and Early Childhood Development.

MR. WARR:

Again, Mr. Speaker, while I

don't have the information, I'm certainly going to take the Member's question

under advisement and I will report back to the House.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, last week, funding was committed for the capital costs of the Lionel

Kelland Hospice in Grand Falls-Windsor.

I ask

the minister: Will he commit to funding the committed $1.3 million needed for

operational costs at this time?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I was

delighted to go to Grand Falls, two weeks ago now, for the announcement about

the design RFP being released. Construction should start there, my

understanding, in early 2020.

With the

issue around operational standards, we do not have any in-house operational

standards for hospices and residential services here. So, we have been

discussing with Mr. Bradley and the Lionel Kelland board around what those

standards would be and we'll probably temporarily steal Ontario's. At that

point, we'll be in a position to figure out exactly what operational costs will

be incurred on this new model.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

Mr. Speaker, I have to ask,

on May 8 of this past year the Premier sat in front of some of these people and

committed the $1.3 million. If they weren't in line to do it now, how were they

in line to do it then?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Health and Community Services.

MR. HAGGIE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

As I

say, we're breaking new ground here around hospice, and residential hospice in

particular. I think the important thing is to get this right. We cannot afford

to have Lionel Kelland fail.

Equally,

if $1.3 million is not enough, what do we do if we've committed to a number? I

think it's impractical at this stage and, indeed, our discussions with Mr.

Bradley and the board have been very cordial and collaborative, not at all

positional. I would suggest we are best continuing in that vein when we discuss

how best to staff this hospice.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

I thank the minister for his

response.

Mr.

Speaker, last Thursday when I posed a question about waste water regulations,

the Premier's response seemed to suggest that this was not a big concern for

community leaders across the province. The outgoing president of Municipalities

Newfoundland and Labrador, however, told the conference that the new federal

waste water regulations remain one of the most pressing issues facing towns in

this province.

How can

the Premier dismiss the concerns of municipalities and the municipal leaders

across the province?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well,

first of all, I would suggest that the MHA who's asking the question here not

mislead and not confuse what the question is all about. Last week, what you

asked about was people going to jail about not meeting the current regulations.

You had actually said people were concerned about – not going to jail.

When I

answered that question, I said I had met with the group four hours that same day

and no one said to me they were concerned about going to jail. As a matter of

fact, I spent five hours with the same group on Saturday night, Mr. Speaker,

with one Opposition Member there, that being the Member for Labrador West. We

had a considerable contingent there supporting MNL on Saturday night.

Mr.

Speaker, they are concerned. I've expressed this in many interviews that I would

have done with the media about the regulations and the impact on communities,

the impact on the Treasury of the provincial government. These are federal

guidelines and we are committed to working with MNL on this issue and many other

issues. As a matter of fact, MNL was very complimentary to the work of this

government at the closing ceremonies on Saturday night and spoke highly about

the open door policy we have in our office and our willingness to work with

them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Grand

Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

MR. TIBBS:

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Keats

himself said that it was an issue. They are being threatened – they are. I talk

to municipalities all the time and they are being threatened about going to

jail. Some of these are actually on a volunteer basis, so these people don't

deserve that kind of treatment.

Mr.

Speaker, two of the resolutions put forward at this weekend's MNL conference

addressed the importance of the waste water issue. Municipal leaders are very

worried about not being able to be compliant with these regulations.

Minister, what exactly are you doing to advocate with the federal government on

behalf of our municipalities right here in this Province about the issues?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. BRAGG:

Mr. Speaker, thank you very

much for the question, and a great question indeed.

should be great for me to notice, too. I was in environment back in 2012 when

these recommendations came into effect. Back in 2012, this came into effect,

with an end date of January 1, 2015. So this is not a new scenario we just came

up with. This has been ongoing for the last almost eight years, Mr. Speaker.

My plan,

and the plan of our department – as soon as the new minister is sworn in, we

plan to meet and look for a way that we can maybe, not so much to change the

regulations but find a way we can work within it.

This

weekend I met with close on – I'm going to estimate – 30 municipalities. One was

more concerned about the waste water than anything else. The other ones, it was

a concern, I kid you not, but way more top priorities for their towns than the

waste water regulations. We're going to find a way to work with these people.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

MS. EVANS:

Mr. Speaker, my question is

for the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.

It's

been over two years since the government entered a memorandum of understanding

with the Innu Nation leadership on the inquiry into the treatment of Innu

children in care. At the time, the Premier indicated the terms of reference

would be set by July 31, 2017 and the inquiry started by September 30, 2017,

over two years ago.

Why has

the Premier failed to live up to his commitment to the Innu Nation?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, I

will guarantee you, this Premier has not failed in living up to his commitment.

We made a commitment to this. As a matter of fact, it was just this morning we

got some recent information. We're prepared to move on with this inquiry.

I can

tell you now that we are, as a government, completely engaged with the Innu

Nation and with the Innu people of Labrador on this inquiry. Putting in place

the appropriate measures to make sure the inquiry actually makes the

recommendations and gets to the point where information is shared, Mr. Speaker,

in languages and legal representation is available to those who are involved.

I will

tell you, this government is committed to getting this inquiry done; committed

to getting it done, however, with the full group of all those who are involved.

They will be involved in every step along the way, as they have been.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

MS. EVANS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Child and Youth Advocate report released in September painted a grim picture of

the treatment of Inuit children in the children protection system. Almost half

of Indigenous children in care are Inuit. Sadly, children are being removed from

their communities because of a lack of foster care homes.

Mr.

Speaker, in order to become a foster parent, individuals need to complete the

PRIDE training, PRIDE program, Parent Resources for Information, Development and

Education; however, potential foster parents in Nain have been waiting over

three years to complete the training.

Why is

this not a priority for the minister?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development.

MS. DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

thank the Member for her question.

There's

a lot of effort that goes in between building a positive relationship from the

Department of CSSD and all of our Indigenous partners and our partners around

the province.

Mr.

Speaker, I was in Nain on the 5th of September when the Advocate released her

report. I was happy to talk about some of the progress that we have already

made, full complement of staff in all our Inuit communities at that time,

tremendous progress. The Member knows the challenges even around staffing.

The new

bill that we brought in to the House in May '18, proclaimed June 2018, the

Advocate acknowledged that we are well on the road to implementing.

Mr.

Speaker, we now have new partnerships where we're working with families and

connections in the communities like Nain to help keep children in their own

communities.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

MS. EVANS:

There are foster homes

available, they just need the PRIDE training. Waiting three years to become a

foster parent while children are sent outside is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker.

The

Advocate's scathing report also highlighted other failures of this minister's

department, such as one Inuit foster home didn't have an annual review in over

22 years – no review. Another example is an Inuit child – very serious – had 11

different social workers handling their file – 11 different social workers. No

consistency, no help for our most vulnerable.

Does the

minister consider this a failure to the system?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development.

MS. DEMPSTER:

Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate

for this hon. House that I do believe the department has an ongoing and

respectful relationship with the Indigenous groups. In this case, we're talking

about a Nunatsiavut Government, Mr. Speaker.

I was in

Nain in September; I'm actually going to be back in Nain on the 27th of

November, working very closely with the minister for social services, with his

deputy minister.

We've

had challenges with staffing on the Coast, but I believe that we have made

tremendous progress and our number one priority is keeping children in their own

homes with their family. As a last resort, when we have to move them out, Mr.

Speaker, we always look to place them in kinship homes first and we have had

success, and we will continue to build upon that success in partnership with the

Indigenous governments.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

MR. BROWN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The

Minimum Wage Review Committee members were announced just a month ago. The

deadline for consultations is December 2.

I ask

the minister responsible: Will he table the committee's terms of reference and

explain why government is not allowing adequate time for proper public

consultations?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm very

pleased that the Minimum Wage Review Committee has been struck. As part of the

statutory requirement, they have met multiple times and they have released an

engagement on engagenl.ca. The terms of reference was released when they

launched the committee. That can be made available. If it's not publicly

available, certainly do so.

It's

really important for minimum wage that the balance is struck for employers and

employees and that everybody has the opportunity, that wants to contribute to

this online survey does. I would encourage Members of this House to reach out to

employers, employees and have them contribute. The last time the Minimum Wage

Review Committee was struck, they did five public engagement sessions in the

community, and there was just a small number of people that attended publicly.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Labrador West.

MR. BROWN:

Our minimum wage in this

province is so low that at the current rate of increase, it won't reach $15 an

hour until 2030. That's a decade away.

Will the

minister instruct the Minimum Wage Review Committee to include in its report and

timeline of getting to $15 an hour minimum wage than currently it is projected?

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will

say that the Minimum Wage Review Committee is an independent committee. They

represent employers and employees. They do have a terms of reference to abide

by. They have reached out for public engagement. There were over 300 submissions

that were received even just over the weekend on engageNL. There is interest in

this, Mr. Speaker.

One

thing I will not do is instruct the committee and predetermine any type of

outcome. They have a terms of reference and they will come back with the

recommendations and they will do the report on this matter.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MR. J. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Aeration

is one measure used to mitigate against warm-water events. In the 2018

aquaculture application from Marine Harvest, Mowi, aeration equipment was

supposed to be inspected daily.

I ask

the Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources: Was aeration equipment in use in

the cages where the die-off of some 2.6 million salmon occurred? If so, what was

the frequency of inspection?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

As part

of the application process the hon. Member refers to, there was an inclusion of

a requirement for various mitigation measures, both proactive and reactive.

There was an inclusion, but I have to admit, if I were to offer a criticism of

the application that was put forward in 2012 and the application process from

that time, relatively, it was a boilerplate application. You just simply

acknowledge that there would be an existence or an assumption of certain

equipment that was there.

What I

can report to this House, Mr. Speaker, I think is far more valuable. There is a

requirement now under licence condition that not only proactive measures be in

place, but mitigative measures. They include 20-metre-depth cage sites, aeration

equipment on site. I can get to the hon. Member with a specific answer to the

times that inspections occurred and other things. Those are not available to me

at this point in time.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for St.

John's Centre.

MR. J. DINN:

Mr. Speaker, a little over a

month ago the minister asked the Marine Institute to carry out an investigation

into the salmon die-off.

Would

the minister update us on the terms of reference of this investigation and who

exactly at the Marine Institute will lead it?

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank

the hon. Member for the question. Yes, indeed, the Marine Institute has been

asked and they have accepted, in principle, to conduct an independent

third-party investigation or a review of the incidents in question. They hold

the pen.

In other

words, they will write the final words to the draft. We're expecting that. We

would like to have that as soon as possible. Obviously, time is somewhat of an

essence. But we do also appreciate and respect that the university itself wants

to get this right.

There

has been some questions about the independence and the ability of the university

to be able to engage in this particular piece of work. I have full confidence in

the independence and the academic autonomy to be able to produce truth to power

related to this event, and I look forward to the university getting back to me

with their final piece of work.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The time for Question Period

has expired.

Present

Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling

of Documents.

Tabling of

Documents

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Transportation and Works.

MR. CROCKER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thursday, during Question Period, there was reference to the Aker report, and I

wish to table a copy for the Members opposite.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further tabling of documents?

accordance with

section 19(5)(

a) of the

House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act , I hereby

table the minutes of the House of Assembly Management Commission meeting held on

September 25, 2019.

Further

tabling of documents?

Notices

of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Lake

Melville.

MR. TRIMPER:

Mr. Speaker, I give notice of

the following private Member's resolution, which will be seconded by the Member

for Mount Scio.

WHEREAS

The Way Forward on Climate Change

highlighted increasing electric vehicle usage within the province as a

priority for this government; and

WHEREAS

increasing access to electric vehicle charging stations will encourage the

transition to electric vehicles;

THEREFORE BE RESOLVED that this hon. House supports the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador in its efforts to establish a network of electric

vehicle charging stations across the province.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Pursuant

to Standing Order 63(3) the private Member's resolution entered by the Member

for Lake Melville shall be the one to be debate this Wednesday.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

The hon.

the Government House Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give

notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act Respecting The

Demise Of The Crown, Bill 18.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

Answers

to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Answers to

Questions for which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just

want to be a little clearer. In Question Period, based on the question asked by

the Member for Labrador West, when the news release went out for the Minimum

Wage Review Committee on October 16, in the backgrounder in the release the

terms of reference is clearly stated there as to what the purpose and the terms

of reference for the committee, and that's what they are ascribed to abide by.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Children, Seniors and Social Development.

MS. DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Also, in

response to Question Period and the Member's question from Torngat, I neglected

to also share that we provided funding to Nunatsiavut Government for them to

hire two social workers, to recruit and make foster homes available and we

passed over the ability for them to actually deliver PRIDE training in an effort

to make it faster and reduce the times that people were waiting, Mr. Speaker.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further answers to questions

for which notice has been given?

Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Humber - Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

present another petition on behalf of the residents of Humber - Bay of Islands

(inaudible) on Route 450. I could read the petition again, just for the House

and for the people.

WHEREAS

the rainstorm of January 2018 caused major flooding to Route 450, South Shore

Highway in the Bay of Islands, and there are areas of the highway that still

have not been repaired including pavement repairs to a

section of John's Beach,

clearing of debris from gabion baskets, the tender for Cammies Brook Bridge and

replacement of other necessary work throughout the region was not done, and

where the condition of the road is causing safety concerns for motorists;

THEREFORE we, the undersigned, call upon the hon. House of Assembly to urge the

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure all urgent repair work and

upgrades are included in the Department of Transportation and Works tender call

for the 2020 construction season, and carried out immediately in the spring to

ensure the safety and well-being of the motorists using the highway.

Mr.

Speaker, again, I wrote the department on many occasions. There is some work –

and, of course, I know the Minister of Transportation and Works can dispute if

it was part of the damage or not, but I'll just use one area. I know the

minister is aware of it, and I know the minister, once he became aware of it in

the last day or so, or even this morning, is taking action on it. So I have to

recognize that, I got that letter back from the minister.

It's the

part in the John's Beach area where there was major flooding. When we were

there, we all considered part of the flooding, where the tractors actually tore

up the road and had to release the water to run, because there were so many

houses flooding. Because of that, all that pavement was torn up with the heavy

equipment in the area, they said it was the heavy equipment, it wasn't the

flooding, and it was never repaired.

I'm

going back last year when it was committed to have it done. This stretch that

I'm speaking about now, that's still open, is about a four-foot stretch. That's

it, but there are about five potholes a foot each which were caused by the

floods, and we just can't get that small stuff fixed. I can go through a lot of

the smaller things, but I know the minister has committed to help with it. The

gabion baskets, where we know haven't been done.

There's

another serious incident that may happen – and I'm going to bring it to the

minister's attention now. To be fair, I haven't brought it to the minister's

attention yet. I took pictures. It's when they put in the culvert in John's

Beach, this is probably about a 50-foot drop the culvert was down. It's a big

culvert. It's a big job that was just completed. On one end they have the guard

rails, on the other end coming up from Lark Harbour there are no guard rails

going into that ditch. If someone goes off the road three or four feet, they're

gone down 50 feet.

To be

fair to the minister, I haven't brought it to his attention, but I will be

sending him pictures later this afternoon or tomorrow and I will be asking.

That's the kind of small stuff that right now they're saying, well, it's only a

guard rail, but if someone goes over that area, it's very dangerous and it's

very steep. So to be fair to the minister, he wasn't aware of it. He will be

aware of it later this afternoon.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Transportation and Works.

MR. CROCKER:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

I thank

the hon. Member for the petition.

Mr.

Speaker, just to the Member's petition. We do have a business case approved

under the northern and rural funding to actually do the permanent fixes to the

John's Beach area. I've asked staff this morning to make sure that if we have

the asphalt recycler in place, that we can actually make some temporary repairs

to those areas to get us through this winter season.

With

regard to Cammies Brook Bridge, Mr. Speaker, we actually issued that tender this

year, but there were some complications, I think, with Newfoundland Power. We

had to rescind that tender, but it will be in an early tendering package going

out this year.

To the

other point the Member just mentioned about the rail. Mr. Speaker, if he sends

me that information, I'll make sure it gets to staff in the region as quickly as

possible.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Torngat Mountains.

MS. EVANS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We, the

undersigned, are concerned citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador who urge our

leaders to return affordable air transportation to the region of Northern

Labrador through subsidization of the cost of airfare between Happy Valley-Goose

Bay and the Northern Labrador communities of Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville,

Hopedale, Natuashish and Nain.

Our

Northern Labrador communities are totally isolated, with no road access or

marine transportation, which is limited only to the summer months. With the

provincial government cancellation of the Lewisporte freight boat to our

communities, families are now struggling with increasing costs of basic needs,

including food security.

Our only

means of transportation is marine or air. Our marine transportation service is a

once-a-week ferry running July to October. Our air transportation service is

provided by a single monopoly airline, Air Borealis. The cost of air travel for

residents living in Northern Labrador is grossly disproportionate to their

available income, thereby restricting travel and increasing cost of living and

contributing to isolation.

THEREFORE, we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows:

We, the

undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to provide an air transportation subsidy to reduce the

cost of air travel between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the Northern Labrador

communities.

Now,

just looking at this petition for a second, people automatically will say: Why a

subsidy? That seems a little bit unfair. I'm just going to point out, for the

Labrador districts now – Lake Melville District, Cartwright - L'Anse au Clair

District, Labrador West – my friend in Labrador West. That's in Labrador. If

they need to travel to visit friends and relatives, they can get in their car

and drive to Goose Bay or drive down the South Coast, drive into Quebec, drive

to Newfoundland, right? The only cost is the cost of maintenance of their

vehicle and the gas, or they can actually fly on travel with the airlines.

In my

district, every single community in my district is isolated and that isolation

is not just a lack of road access. It's a lack of actually being able to travel,

being able to visit people, being able to go on sports tournaments, being able

to just socialize with friends and relatives. It's very, very important for

people to understand that. We are totally isolated.

Just

looking at some of the costs now. I have the costs here on my phone. I just want

to be able to let people know. For example, two parents with two kids who want

to travel – the most northern community now in my district is Nain. For two

parents and two children to travel to Goose Bay – that's just to Goose Bay

return – is $4,116. That is crazy. That's insane.

A single

person to travel is $1,029.

MR. SPEAKER:

Does the Member have leave to

conclude her comments?

MS. EVANS:

The point I'm trying to make

is that it's really, really important for this subsidy to be put in place.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

Further petitions?

The hon.

the Member for Mount Pearl North.

MR. LESTER:

Mr. Speaker, the road map

guiding the future of Newfoundland and Labrador is

The Way Forward – allegedly a vision

for sustainability and growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

achieve sustainability today and for future generations, we must be held

accountable for the effects of our actions on climate change – today and for

future generations.

According to The Way Forward on Climate Change, the provincial government's

climate action plan, the province is already experiencing effects of climate

change.

Newfoundland and Labrador joined the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and

Climate Change in 2016, but it is not on track to meet its 2020 target.

The

effects and threats of climate change fit the official definition of an

emergency.

Therefore, we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the

undersigned, call on the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to declare a climate emergency and put a plan in place

to mitigate, adapt and ensure resilience to the changing climate.

Mr.

Speaker, I had the privilege of speaking with a group of young people today who

are very much engaged in what's happening with our climate. Many of their

signatures are here on this piece of paper. The decisions that we make today

will far more affect them than it will ourselves. We cannot look beyond what is

happening right in front of our own eyes today. Our climate is changing and it's

not for the better.

When

people think of global warming, it's not global warming; it's global

catastrophe. I quote Greta Thunberg when she said that we have to act like our

house is on fire because our house, this world that we call home, is on fire.

Mr. Speaker, it has to go beyond plans. It has to go beyond words. It has to go

concrete actions. It doesn't have to be entirely massive actions, even small

ones that we could start today.

Mr.

Speaker, I would love to hear what this government sitting has done. Not what

they have planned but what they have done. I look forward to the minister's

response.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Municipal Affairs and Environment.

MR. BRAGG:

Mr. Speaker, it was a great

petition. It's great to be a part of the climate change, but I bring everyone's

attention to The Way Forward and our

plan on the Climate Change Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador.

I would

ask each Member on the other side to reference this guide. I could table this

right now, Mr. Speaker, if he would like. We are very ambitious in what we do.

Our targets for 2030 are meant to be ambitious because they're meant to

challenge every person that lives in this province. I was a part of the 4,000

students that marched upon Confederation hill so that we could support climate

change initiatives for this province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. BRAGG:

Mr. Speaker, some order would

be nice here right now. A little bit of protection, please. If not, I will carry

on.

I look

forward to many other petitions on this because the more we can bring and

highlight the need to address climate change initiatives for this province –

because this is a global concern, Mr. Speaker, climate change. I thank the

Member opposite for the petition. I thank him so very much and I ask him to

bring forward one each and every day (inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER:

The minister's time has

expired.

MR. BRAGG:

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. Member for Placentia

West - Bellevue.

MR. DWYER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

The

Member for Placentia West - Bellevue.

MR. DWYER:

I'll save you on the one for

Bull Arm until tomorrow. I'll get back to that one tomorrow. We're only getting

so many in today.

The

reason for this petition is about highway 210. It's the main road going through

the community of Swift Current.

The

Department of Transportation and Works are currently working on a two-year

project on highway 210 from Garden Cove towards Pipers Hole.

The

current tender for the highway work includes highway 210 only. The side roads of

Swift Current are not included.

The side

roads in Swift Current are in a deplorable condition. The side roads have not

been repaved since the initial paving in the early 1970s. The side roads, which

were used to divert traffic during the current tender construction contract, are

in worse shape now due to the extensive traffic it endured.

THEREFORE we petition the House of Assembly as follows: We, the undersigned,

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

Labrador to consider paving/upgrading of the sides roads including Darby's Cove,

Sharpe's Lane, Maple Crescent, Old Church Road, Academy Hill, Hollett's Point

and Shoal Cove Heights in Swift Current on the current existing road upgrade

project as an add-on.

I have

pictures and everything there, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Transportation and

Works and I have spoke on this. I just drove through there again this weekend.

There doesn't seem to be anything done on it yet for side roads, which is really

not acceptable because they use the side roads to divert traffic. Currently,

they're using the side roads – a couple of side roads that I've mentioned in my

petition on behalf of the people of Swift Current, they're using Old Church Road

to store heavy equipment overnight, which is right next to the playground which

is used on a regular basis. It's also the road where the post office is.

Having

this heavy equipment parked there overnight is certainly not helping upgrade

that road. I call upon the minister to listen to the people of Swift Current. If

we're calling this a project for the Town of Swift Current, then I think it's

incumbent on the minister to provide some work inside the Town of Swift Current

as opposed to just cutting Route 210 straight through their town. Obviously,

they have kids that ride bikes. They walk their dogs and stuff like this. It's

not Route 210 that goes through Swift Current for them, it's Seaview Drive, Mr.

Speaker. I look forward to the response from the minister.

Thank

you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Topsail - Paradise.

MR. P. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS

current means of transportation for persons who are unable to access

inefficient, expensive and inadequate; and

WHEREAS

the availability of suitable transportation systems –

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR. P. DINN:

– is crucial to enhancing participation in all aspects of community life.

Accessible, affordable transportation must be provided in a dignified,

respectful manner; and

WHEREAS

throughout the province, individuals living with mobility challenges identify

transportation as one of their greatest needs;

THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the

undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador to take a more proactive approach to ensuring

affordable and inclusive transportation is available for all individuals who

Mr.

Speaker, this is not my first time bringing this petition forward. We have lots

of data. The recent Seniors' Advocate report spoke to more and more seniors

returning and re-entering into the workforce after retirement. As we know, more

and more seniors have issues with driving their own vehicles. Some can only

drive at certain times; some with any kind of weather, are not out there. So if

they're re-entering the workforce, then they need transportation to and from.

We also

know the recent report, Vital Signs ,

that was done by the Harris Centre. They spoke to the silver ceiling, again,

addressing the issue around more and more seniors returning to go to work.

We also

have the public transit review that was just done by St. John's. That report

speaks to the expense of transportation for those with mobility and

schedules that will allow them to efficiently use transportation systems. They

talked about the unreliability of the current systems that cater to those in

need.

Again,

we're not talking just about seniors in this particular instance. Again, from

the report, we're talking about individuals who have physical disabilities,

vision disabilities, hearing disabilities, intellectual and learning

disabilities, mental health disabilities and neurological disabilities.

Mr.

Speaker, there are many, many individuals out there who are looking for, as I

said, a more proactive approach, a more dignified approach that individuals in a

reliable and cost-efficient manner can get to and from where they have to go.

This is not an issue or a problem that's going to go away. We are an aging

So we

petition, on behalf of these individuals, to come up with a better approach to

transportation for these groups.

Orders of the Day

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Speaker.

From the

Order Paper, I move, seconded by the Minister of Health and Community Services,

pursuant to Standing Order 11(1) that the House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on

Monday, November 18, 2019.

MR. SPEAKER:

The motion has been moved and

seconded.

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Carried.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Order 2,

under Motions, I move, seconded by the – sorry, Mr. Speaker, I was reading.

Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Health and Community Services, for

leave to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Provide For Damages And Recovery

Of Opioid Related Health Care Costs, Bill 17, and I further move that the said

bill be now read a first time.

MR. SPEAKER:

It has been moved and

seconded that the hon. Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a

bill entitled,

An Act To Provide For Damages And Recovery Of Opioid Related

Health Care Costs, Bill 17, and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?

All

those in favour?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against?

Carried.

Motion,

the hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety to introduce a bill, “An Act

To Provide For Damages And Recovery Of Opioid Related Health Care Costs,”

carried. (Bill 17)

CLERK (Murphy):

A bill,

An Act To Provide For Damages And Recovery Of Opioid Related Health Care

Costs. (Bill 17)

MR. SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

first time.

When

shall the bill be read a second time?

MS. COADY:

Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

motion, Bill 17 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Order 2,

third reading of Bill 5.

MR. SPEAKER:

It has been moved and

seconded that a bill entitled –

MS. COADY:

If you recognize me, Mr.

Speaker, I'll go there.

MR. SPEAKER:

What?

MS. COADY:

If you recognize me, I'll go

there.

MR. SPEAKER:

Okay, Bill 5.

The hon.

the Government House Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move,

seconded by the Minister of Service NL, that Bill 5,

An Act To Amend The Highway

Traffic Act, be now read a third time.

MR. SPEAKER:

It has been moved and

seconded that Bill 5 be now read a third time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?

All

those in favour?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I just want to speak about (inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER:

Okay.

The hon.

the Member for Humber - Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just

want to speak on something that I was asking questions to the Minister of

Service NL and the Minister of Transportation last week, and it was about the

role of the registrar. As I mentioned, the registrar, at one incident in the

province, they contradicted what the Minister of Service NL said four or five

times in writing. The Minister of Transportation and Works said four or five

times, it took almost nine months. I don't even know, actually, when it was

withdraw, but it took about eight, nine months to get it resolved.

I just

want to let people know, this is why it's so important that we put in the

regulations, if there's a suspension and if someone is going to be released or

the amount of time is released off the suspension, why it's so important to have

regulations in place. Because when I was standing on that, I'm sure people were

saying, here's Eddie Joyce going again, there's something going on. I know a lot

of people in Chapel Arm, I was dealing with on it also. There's one set of rules

for people in St. John's and one set of rules for everybody outside, and it was

the registrar.

When the

Minister of Service NL stood last week and said it was withdrawn, the X plate

for the Kubota in St. John's, can you tell us when it was withdrawn? This is why

it's so important. It was nothing for me, but if you have a registrar who makes

a decision and the Minister of Service NL is aware this decision is made, which

is against the act, which is against the letters that she has written herself,

against a letter that the Minister of Transportation and Works has written, this

is why we need: what are going to be the stipulations in place for the registrar

of this province, whoever it may be?

It may

be five years down the road, it may be 10 years down the road; if a registrar of

this province can make this arbitrary decision now and the minister was aware of

the decision, the Minister of Transportation and Works with his act, he wrote a

letter, he should have been aware. I'm not sure if he was, that's up to him, but

if you have a registrar down the road who can make arbitrary that I'm going to

suspend your licence for 15 days instead of 90 and someone out in Humber - Bay

of Islands somewhere puts in the same application: no, yours is going to stay

the 90.

This is

a prime example. It took me a while to get to it, and I know people were

wondering where I was going with it, but it's a prime example of how we have to

put regulations in place. That if there is a rule made and a regulation, it's

for everybody in Newfoundland and Labrador, not for certain people. When the

regulation is put in place, it has to be enforced by the minister.

In this

case, the minister was aware of this X plate that was given. A number of people

in Chapel Arm couldn't get their X plate. It was taken away. They had the same

opportunities for commercial purposes, they couldn't get it, but because someone

knew somebody or some other regulation that we know nothing about, which the

minister wrote and said: it don't exist, can't happen – that's why. So when you

speak to your group in Chapel Arm, you can tell them now they're being treated

like every other person in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

It took

eight or nine months to get to it. It took letters that were false to get to it,

but when you talk about some suspension – if you want to talk about someone's

suspension, that if someone got 90 days and someone says I got to have this to

get back and forth to work. Okay, I broke the law, but I need this just to go

from 8 in the morning to 4 o'clock. If the regulation is there that if you need

it for work you should get it, and it shouldn't be just enforced for people on

one side of the Island. People on the other side can't get it, so this is very

important.

I ask

the minister: When was that X plate withdrawn? It's very important to know when

that was done, when the X plate was withdrawn. When it was, why weren't the

people that we made application to, to use it for a business opportunity, why

weren't they given the same opportunity as whoever is given this X plate by the

registrar?

Why

wasn't it communicated? Whatever is withdrawn, why wasn't it communicated back

to all the other Kubota owners I represented? I know there were other letters

sent to the minister about commercial businesses, can we use it for commercial

businesses, and it was a flat no.

The few

people in Chapel Arm – and I think there were five in Chapel Arm – the two or

three that actually do have businesses and were using it for their businesses,

when I wrote them and sent them copies of the letters that were sent back to me,

they said: Oh my God, how can you do it in St. John's and not here? Don't ask

me, I'm trying to find out for you. Don't ask me, I have no idea.

I'll ask

the minister: Can you tell me when that was withdrawn? Has it been communicated

to all the other owners who made the request – through me, some probably without

me – that it has been withdrawn and the reason why?

Can you

explain why this registrar had the authority to give this X plate and how you,

as Minister of the Crown, knew about this X plate, knew about this act being

broken, knew it went against your own comments and letters, knew it went against

the Minister of Transportation's own letters that he wrote to the City of Corner

Brook – and how we can let this go on for so long and not be communicated to the

people. This is so important, that if we're going to put in regulations to

ensure that everybody is going to be on the same playing field, we have to

ensure the regulations.

This is

why I'm skeptical of this. I agree with the bill, no problem. One hundred per

cent it's an excellent bill. There are going to be some kinks along the road, we

all know that. We all know there are going to be kinks along the road, but when

you give discretionary power to a registrar of the province – it may be five

years, 10 years down the road – when you give discretionary power without

putting in the guidelines that's going to be treated for everybody in this

province, we're going to run into the same problems that we just ran into in the

last six, eight, nine months, probably even longer.

This is

why, Mr. Speaker, it was so important for me to bring it up, because I had

first-hand knowledge from a lot of people in Chapel Arm, how their rights were

denied but other rights for other people – I still don't know how you can

approve something if you denied it to everybody else. I still don't know. It's

beyond me.

I ask

the minister also – and this is a great time. This is great for Chapel Arm

because they asked me, the people in Chapel Arm, what is unique commercial

needs? I can't find it in the act. I wrote and asked, where is it in the act,

unique commercial needs? They asked me, I don't know. I can honestly say, I

don't know.

Here is

a great opportunity for the minister to tell us where in the act, where the

registrar, which you're aware of because I wrote you. I don't know if I wrote

you, but it was – I think I did, and asked for that, show me in the act where

unique commercial needs is for something to be registered in St. John's but

nowhere else.

I say to

the Minister of Transportation and Works also, where the registrar will be using

the powers under the Highway Traffic Act ,

that you ensure also, I say to the Minister of Transportation and Works,

that the guidelines for the registrar that is going to be part of this

legislation, which is a dual legislation between Transportation and Works and

Service NL – it's a dual legislation – that you ensure the guidelines are there

that everybody in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador are treated the same

way.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Service NL, if she speaks now will close the debate.

The hon.

Minister of Service NL.

MS. GAMBIN-WALSH:

No, I'm responding to the

Member opposite, Mr. Speaker.

ordered the review, Mr. Speaker, when the issue and concern was brought to my

attention. As the Minister of Service NL, I'm not involved in the operations. I

don't get down to that level, Mr. Speaker. I did order the review.

Thank

you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

It has

been moved and seconded that this bill be now read a third time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Carried.

CLERK:

A bill,

An Act To Amend The

Highway Traffic Act. (Bill 5)

MR. SPEAKER:

This bill has now been read a

third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and that its title be as on

the Order Paper.

motion, a bill, “An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act,” read a third time,

ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 5)

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Government House

Leader.

MS. COADY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Order 4,

Second Reading of Bill 10.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Mr. Speaker, I would like to

move Bill 10, seconded by the hon. Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. SPEAKER:

It has been moved and

seconded that Bill 10 shall now be read a second time.

Is it

the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All

those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR. SPEAKER:

All those against, 'nay.'

Passed.

Motion,

second reading of a bill, “An Act To Amend The Forestry Act.” (Bill 10)

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Fisheries and Land Resources.

MR. BYRNE:

Well, thank you very much,

Mr. Speaker, this is excellent.

This is

Bill 10, because it's a perfect 10. This is a bill which speaks to the value of

the power of the consonant, the letter: S. It speaks to the value of the

precision of words and language and how important words and language within

statutes can be in administering and interpreting acts.

This is

Bill 10, it's a perfect 10 because it creates value for seniors; it creates

value for those who harvest wood for domestic purposes but occasionally need

help. It speaks value to those that would like to have a helper or helpers

assist them in harvesting their domestic wood that they use for heating their

own homes and their own cabins. It speaks to how we as a government respond to

practical, pragmatic requests from those who we serve.

Every

Member on this side of the House, Mr. Speaker, has been very aware that there

has been some frustration, some concerns expressed by the fact that under our

Forestry Act , not just our guidelines

or our regulations, but under the act itself, the capacity for a permit holder

for domestic wood harvesting – although they retain a privilege and an

opportunity to be able to receive assistance in the harvesting of their permit

by a helper, it has been restricted to only one helper, singular. This is where

the power of the letter S comes in, the consonant S, which is being amended in

this act to allow not just for a person, but for persons.

This is

very, very straightforward and simple, but it is so important. By amending the

legislation to allow multiple assistants or multiple persons to assist a

domestic wood harvesting permit holder, they now have the option to be able to

add additional names.

The

frustrating point, the frustrating part of all of this, Mr. Speaker, was that

those who obtained a domestic wood harvesting permit, they had an opportunity to

list a single assistant, but in case, as we always know, sometimes that helper

may not necessarily always be available.

You may

want to have your son, you may want to have your daughter, you may want to have

your uncle, you may want to have your cousin, you may want to have a close

friend who will help you harvest your domestic wood permit so that you can heat

your homes. You may have a period of ill health and you may need multiple people

to help you with that.

Under

the existing act – and this is where the letter S comes in – when you use the

singular form of a noun, person, as opposed to the plural form of the noun,

persons, you are left with a requirement as minister to only allow one helper to

be listed. This amendment simply expands the jurisdiction or the authority of

the minister to be able to add multiple helpers to a domestic forestry permit by

adding the letter S. That's the power of the simplicity of language.

It's

very, very important, Mr. Speaker, because what we'll see is that domestic

permit holders will be able to add multiple helpers to the list. This will

prevent red tape; it will prevent unnecessary delays. In the past, as I said

earlier, you could only have one designated helper, and if that designated

helper was not available to you on any particular day, then, of course, you were

left unable to harvest your wood or to go work on that particular day.

Now, for

the clarity of the House and all those that may be watching and listening, the

permit holder, herself or himself, does not have to be present while the helper

is cutting the wood. The helper can be out harvesting the wood as long as

they're designated, as long as they're listed on the permit. Well, of course, as

we experience now, there's been a lot of confusion, a lot of frustration because

the helper who is listed has not always been available, so all activity stopped.

By adding multiple persons to the permit, the domestic permit holder can then

ensure that a range of people – up to 10 is what the intention of the government

is – will be able to harvest on behalf of the permit holder.

Now, Mr.

Speaker, this is good because it helps. As we know, seniors in particular

sometimes would avail of the helper designation. People who may face ability

challenges often request the help of assistance. It's also something that

mothers and fathers do. They go out with their daughters and sons to harvest, to

take their annual wood. Now this has all been perfectly made streamlined and

easier and legal to be able to have more than one helper on site cutting a

domestic wood permit.

Mr.

Speaker, the government's intention goes well beyond this particular act or this

amendment. I also want to announce, for the benefit of the House, our intention

to revise regulation as well to allow the gifting of firewood. Right now, it is

illegal – it is contrary to the regulations for a domestic wood harvester/permit

holder to gift wood to someone who may be in need of wood.

This

regulation is not in place right now, so I caution all those who may be

listening. This authority is not currently in place to be able to gift wood from

your domestic wood permit, but it is coming, and coming very, very quickly.

The

principle here is very simple. Just as we have an opportunity to gift moose

meat, big game animals, by conveying the meat with a letter attached indicating

that there is a rightful entitlement to have harvested the big game animal to

begin with, and that the meat is being conveyed to an eligible recipient and the

eligible recipient is retaining a document that says that the meat was gifted,

much the same will occur in the gifting of firewood.

Mr.

Speaker, this is very, very well received news from so many in our province, so

many who would like, first off, to be able to gift wood to an elderly family

member or a neighbour who cannot necessarily go out and cut wood themselves, we

now have, or soon will have, that ability to be able to gift firewood in much

the same way, much the same process in which we gift big games animals, moose

meat in particular, for example.

This

amendment to the regulations will be coming, and coming soon. Stay tuned, Mr.

Speaker, for a final update on when the regulation will be in place, what the

rules around the gifting of firewood will be and when exactly it can occur. But

I am delighted to make that announcement on behalf of the Government of

Newfoundland and Labrador and this side of the House that we have listened and

listened carefully to the expectations, the hopes and to the points of view of

people who have been asking for two considerations.

One, the

number of helpers assigned to a domestic cutting permit be expanded from one to

more than one, to multiple persons. We are doing that, as a government, because

we are listening. Mr. Speaker, we're going to go beyond that. In the coming

days, I'll be making further announcements about legally being able to gift

firewood. I'll provide the rules that will be attached to it, but it will be

very simple and straightforward. It will be great news.

Both of

these provisions are great news for those that would like to get some help,

first off. Second off, it's great news for many, many seniors who would like to

be able to have multiple helpers associated with their wood cutting permit, as

well people who would like to be able to receive a gift of firewood from those

who do have a domestic forestry permit and a domestic wood permit and that of

course, includes many, many seniors.

Mr.

Speaker, on average, there are about 25,000 domestic forestry permits that are

issued in Newfoundland and Labrador; 25,000 harvesting about 500,000 cubic

metres annually. This is very important, this is not an initiative which is

somewhat boutique-ish in its form or nature. It's not something that's limited

to a small number of people; 25,000 domestic forestry permits are issued every

year in Newfoundland and Labrador.

These

two provisions will go a very, very long, long way in making it easier to be

able to harvest your domestic wood, to be able to heat your homes but also to

share the benefits of not only our forests, but your hard work assisting others

with their own needs to be able to heat their houses and to enjoy the warmth of

a wood stove on a dark and cold winter's night.

Mr.

Speaker, I don't think much else needs to be said. This is very straightforward.

In some respects –

AN HON. MEMBER:

You already said too much.

MR. BYRNE:

The hon. Member says I said

too much. I can never say too much when it comes to helping seniors, Mr.

Speaker. When you help seniors, when you help those with ability issues, when

you help those who want to be able to share, you can never ever say too much.

I'm

delighted to continue to speak and expand on the benefits of this government

initiative, but I will close off by saying, sometimes, when things are so

straightforward, so sensible, so meaningful and so valuable, it strikes me that

they weren't done before.

This is

something which is very, very reasonable, straightforward and responsible to do.

It strikes me that it was not done before. Sometimes it just takes the act of

listening, the act of acting to get things done. I, as the Minister of Fisheries

and Land Resources for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, am delighted

to take on that challenge.

Thank

you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (Bennett):

The hon. the Member for

Exploits.

MR. FORSEY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like

to thank the minister for his briefing and officials of his department to

provide the amendment to subsection 27(3) of the

Forestry Act to allow more than one

assistant on a domestic wood cutting permit.

Mr.

Speaker, I'm glad to talk to this one today because this does particularly

interest my area, and it sure would help the people of my area, because it's a

question that has been posed to me a couple of times, actually. This is

something that would help the people that need wood for their source of heat.

There are many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that need wood for their source

of heat, and a lot of times accessing that wood, that domestic wood cutting,

sometimes creates a problem with only one person as the helper on the

application.

So, Mr.

Speaker, having multiple applicants – now, how many helpers are going to be on

that application, well, yes, that's up to the minister; we don't know. But it

will certainly help the person get that wood for their heat. Especially with

seniors, people with disabilities need to take advantage of the helper permits.

One son could be gone away, sickness can happen, anything can happen that they

need to get that help to get the wood cut for their permits.

So, yes,

Mr. Speaker, we are in favour of this amendment. It's good for my area, and like

I said, it's good for people that need to obtain wood for their main source of

heat or secondary source of heat. Especially with disabilities and the elderly,

like I mentioned.

Mr.

Speaker, not only are wood cutting permits good for the collecting of the wood,

but it also cleans up our forest area along the sides of the roads. People take

the blowdowns, that kind of stuff. So it really cleans up the visibility on the

side of roads, getting access to that kind of stuff. So the more people on that

permit can certainly help out in that manner.

Mr.

Speaker, in the briefing it was also said that the permit holder won't have to

be present during the wood cutting, as it was on the previous application that

the permit holder was supposed to be there during this activity. Which creates a

little more help, because sometimes the applicant can't go or doesn't have

access to go, so they need to get the wood home when they need it, and this can

be done.

Now,

whether that's going to be the permit holder with the helper, with regard to the

note to be able to gift the wood, I don't know if that's going to be gifted from

the permit holder themselves, or is that going to be able to gifted from the

helper that's listed on the permit. So it creates a little bit of a confusion

there of who is able to gift the wood. If the helper is there alone gifting the

wood, is the helper going to be giving the wood to someone else or is the permit

holder going to be giving the wood to someone else? It seems to me there's a

little tiny bit of confusion there. I'm sure that will get straightened up.

Mr.

Speaker, I've had a lot of seniors in my area say to me it would be nice to get

this done. I'll be glad to see this one go through as soon as possible so that

we can get this done. Not only that, they don't have to revisit the forestry

office in order to get – when the helper leaves and they don't get anybody to

help. When the helper leaves and they need somebody else, they don't have to go

in to the forestry office to say I need my other son or my cousin or my friend

to be put on that permit, they can list all those as soon as possible. If one

can't do it, then the other one can. It alleviates time and availability to get

the permit and get the wood out of the woods to their home so they have their

source of heat. That's a good part as well.

Mr.

Speaker, this also gives the minister how many people are available to go on

that maximum permit now. How many people are on that permit? That's up to the

minister. He will be deciding that. Also, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the

permits if one helper is on one permit, are there going to be other helpers on

another permit – the same helper on one permit that's on another permit. If one

helper can go for his father, the other helper, that same helper can go for his

brother. How many permits will one applicant, one helper, be allowed to take

advantage of? That's something that has to be decided as well. I'm sure that it

all helps out to get the wood done.

There

are 25,000 permits out there right now, Mr. Speaker, so that will tell you that

there are many people needing a source of wood to be able to get that wood home.

The more people that's on the permit, the better it is for that applicant,

especially the senior or disabled person to be able to get that wood home.

Twenty-five thousand permits out there tells me there are a lot of people that

are using wood for fuel and heat.

According to the department, Mr. Speaker, the permit handling will be handled by

the officials and that people won't have to revisit. Also, Mr. Speaker, on that

permit, wood cutting permit, if you're going cutting wood during the fire

season, you also have to get another permit allowing you to cut the wood during

the fire season. So I don't know if the minister is going to collaborate all

that into one permit or if you have to buy two permits or which way it has to be

assessed with regard to fall and winter as it is to summer cutting.

Maybe

it's just one permit will allow one person to have everything stated in the one

so that once they have their permit, they will have their permit. The permits

right now, Mr. Speaker, are $25 for a regular permit and $16.25 for seniors.

Hopefully that remains the same.

Other

than that, yes, that creates a great deal of alleviation from people who need to

get this work done. The more people on the permits to help people create their

heat and source of heat for the winter when they need it is a good thing to

happen. We'd like to see this done and we'd certainly like to see this brought

forward.

With

that, we will be in agreement with this amendment. It was great being able to

speak on this because I know that in my area there are many, many people that

want this done and they need to get the wood access. It's been raised to me many

times in my district.

Mr.

Speaker, in Committee, I guess there will be some questions that will need to be

asked because I did mention a couple of things there then. In Committee, there

will be some questions that will be asked as this moves forward.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. Member for Humber -

Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just

want to stand for one minute and support the amendment from the government on

(inaudible). I cut wood and sometimes on private land and other times when you

go out.

Mr.

Speaker, this happens to be so helpful to a lot of people. I'll just give you a

good example. If you're out cutting wood today and you can't get your helper,

you're in the woods alone with a power saw, just the safety concerns in that

alone with having no one around you if you happen to cut yourself somehow.

I know a

lot of elderly people in the Humber - Bay of Islands also who like to have their

firewood. Their sons may go in and get their firewood and has to be on the

permit and they may not be able to go if one of the brothers can't go with them

or a neighbour. So, it's good all around.

understand the management part of it for the minister, but when you look at it

with the rising cost of electricity, I can assure you in a lot places in rural

Newfoundland and Labrador wood is going to become another source of heat, which

is already a big source of heat, but will probably be used more. I could see

more people installing wood stoves.

I know

the Member just brought up about people with disabilities that can't get in the

woods. That's a great point you brought up, because people with disabilities –

they may not be severe disabilities but disabilities that you can't go climbing

over logs, you can't get in the woods, you can't lift a power saw. So the idea

of people with disabilities that are disadvantaged by that word, “S” makes a

huge impact to their lives.

I know a

lot of seniors would use it. I know for safety concerns, a lot of people would

love to have other people when they can't find the person who's on the permit to

go with them. It is a safety concern. To all of us who are representing people

in rural districts, this has been brought up to us on many occasions. On many,

many occasions this has been brought up to us and a lot of times we try to

explain it and we try to push to get it done.

It's so

funny, Mr. Speaker, here's a minister from Corner Brook, who's not even from

rural Newfoundland and Labrador, brought in to protect people cutting wood;

cutting wood for people out around rural Newfoundland, because I don't think

you're allowed to cut wood in Corner Brook. Minister, I just want to recognize

that also, that you recognize also the rural parts of the province on that and

the impact it has had.

I'll

just give you an example. For us going in Lady Slipper Road – I know the Member

mentioned also about all the down falls that are already there. So if I'm with

somebody and I'm not on the permit, I can't lift a stick of wood. I'm not

allowed to go in and help with the wood. Now, if the other person on the permit

was there, the two of them could do it, but if I'm there, I'm not allowed to get

involved.

Now, if

he was hurt with a power saw, and that's probably why a couple of times

(inaudible) someone got hurt with a power saw: Okay, you can go in and give

first aid or get help, but, technically, you weren't allowed to lift a stick of

wood; even though you are with the person, even though it's a safety concern,

you weren't allowed. To all rural Newfoundland and Labrador and all the people

who cut wood, this just makes a lot of sense.

I know

in Committee there are going to be some questions asked about the number of

people who can be on a permit. I don't know the exact number that can be put on

a permit, I guess that depends on the minister. There are other questions that

are going to be asked, but, in general – and I'm sure this is going to be passed

in this Legislature – this is a great piece of legislation. This is something

for the safety concerns of people with disabilities, and for more people, with

the rising cost of electricity, that people now will be able to install wood

burners, that they can get help – especially with seniors.

always hear in this House of Assembly that seniors are going to be impacted with

the rising cost of electricity. Now, if you have a senior who puts a stove in,

okay, they can get their son or somebody to get wood for them. That saves a lot

of cost to seniors. So this makes sense all around for everybody in the Province

of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I want

to commend the minister from Corner Brook for the wood cutting permit to add “S”

so other people can cut wood for safety and for other people in the province and

keep down costs.

Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for Lake

Melville.

MR. TRIMPER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd also

like to thank the minister, and I'll follow on my colleague, the Member for

Humber - Bay of Islands, in that this is a big deal. While it's just some subtle

changes in the text, this is a big deal for the rural parts of this province,

and I'm really glad to be on my feet speaking about it.

I also

wanted to speak about it today because I have a forestry degree. This is my

professional training in some 35 years – is it 35 – 35 years ago I was

graduating from forestry at UNB, and it was certainly a very different time back

then. Back in 1984, when I graduated – just a little quick background – firewood

collected in this province represented some one million cubic metres of wood. At

that time we had about 32,000 permits; and at the time, Minister, they were only

$5 a permit.

Now that

represents, as you indicated in your remarks, we're harvesting about half a

million cubic metres of wood now through firewood. That represents some 25,000

permits, and the cost of those varies. So while the demand has come down

somewhat, it is still extremely important for this province.

Back in

– I was challenged by my colleague here. I specialized, actually, in woodlot

management at the time. It was interesting, in the 1980s – and this is just how

much things have changed. My woodlot management professor, his name was Joakim

Hermelin, from Sweden, and he used to say the forest industry was very important

in Sweden. It was only slightly ahead of revenues from ABBA at the time. So

that's how things have changed a lot. ABBA at the time was generating about $200

million in revenue. So it was no pushover industry themselves. Anyway, I

digress.

But I

did want to mention how things again have changed. Back in the early '80s, late

'70s, the preoccupation in forestry and forest managers was all about the AAC –

the annual allowable cut. Looking at our industry, especially in this province,

we used to have three operating mills, a huge demand for domestic cutting for

firewood, for other types of uses and so on.

We had

projected back in the '80s, that Newfoundland and Labrador, and all of the

Atlantic provinces, frankly, were going to go through a 15- to a 20-year gap

where there would be not enough wood. There was a desperation on at the time as

to how are we going to come up with the fibre to keep all these saw mills, pulp

and all the other uses going. We were into everything from pre-commercial

thinning to fertilizing. We knew that if we started planting trees, they weren't

going to be of a sufficient merchantable size by then.

It was a

hard spot to be in, and then along came the Internet, and it was an amazing

decline in demand. We saw mills collapse in this province as they have across

the country and, frankly, around the world. Anyway, just to mention that little

side story. It's just how much things have changed.

Minister, you may like to hear me talk about the fact that we have, currently,

about one-third of our Newfoundland and Labrador homeowners use some form of

firewood to subsidize or support their heating in their homes. What's even more

important – and for those of us who represent rural districts in this province –

25 per cent of the households in this province are solely using firewood for a

heating source. This is as of 2014; 25 per cent. To me, that's a pretty

substantial number, and that's why this is, Sir, a 10. It is a big deal.

We do

have an opportunity now with less demand and a chance to learn from the past. I

would suggest that we are starting to wisely manage and use our forests in a

much more sustainable way. This is a renewable industry. It is virtually carbon

neutral – not completely, but it's essentially almost registering zero in terms

of our net emissions into the atmosphere, and, of course, it's insulated from

the ups and downs of the petroleum industry.

Borrowing on some good notes from my colleague, the Member for Baie Verte -

Green Bay, where woodcutting, especially by people to supplement their heat, is

also a big deal. I'd just like to also pass on some other thoughts and get right

to the rationale for what we're dealing with in second reading. The way it's

worded right now is in the past, the name of the assistant used to be printed on

the permit, and that person was the only one who could help with harvesting

timber.

I got to

say, in my office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, we have been encountering this

problem of having to go and get another permit or get another name added to the

list. So I'm really looking forward to seeing how this is going to roll out

because it will mean now that any permit holder will not have to rely on a

single person to help and assist them with harvesting their timber. It's

certainly going to be much easier for certain individuals, especially seniors,

people with disabilities and anyone else who's having difficulty in doing that

work.

I have

my own woodlot – it's quite a large one – with a company, so I enjoy spending a

lot of time in there, but I do know how difficult it is to get the help if

you're not able to time-wise or, certainly, if you have some physical

limitations.

As I

said, if you needed to get another friend on that permit to cut the timber,

that's where you found a problem. With this move here today and with this Bill

10, we certainly will see many more options for people to go out and procure

their firewood; again, a good, sustainable resource-harvesting strategy.

address this procedural slowdown, that's what we're addressing here today and I

thank the minister for doing that. This amendment will make it so that more than

one assistant can be added to a timber permit. This means that when one of your

friends is not available, another person will be able to assist you. It'll save

on a trip and it'll save you from the headache of having to go back and get your

permit reissued, which I've been hearing about in Labrador.

It's

very much a good thing. Many people in many of our districts on both sides of

this House are going to feel some nice, warm pats on the back when they realize

how this will help us. Especially as this province has an aging population, we

do have a vast number of people who are relying on timber who are seniors. As I

said, 25 per cent of our provincial households use wood solely as their source

of heat.

The

minister has talked about the role and support for seniors. It's great. I'd also

like to quickly highlight, back in January 2 of this year for the first time

individuals have been able to go online and renew their domestic cutting

permits. That is also providing a great support for this pursuit and supplement

and ways to deal with.

As we've

all been talking so much about rate mitigation and looming costs for

electricity, being able to much more easily access your permits and then procure

your wood is what this government is all about. Certainly, this service cut down

on paper waste and by using electronic processes, the Digital by Design aspects

of The Way Forward will provide a

better and more responsive service for our citizens.

Minister, I agree with you. It is a 10, it is a big deal and I thank you very

much for the time to speak to it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Member for

Humber - Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE:

Mr. Speaker, I stand on a

point of order.

The

Minister of Service NL just made a comment that she cancelled the X plate – and

this is very important to the people in Chapel Arm. She cancelled the licence as

soon as she became aware of it. That was her statement just then. I assume every

person who makes a statement in this House must be correct and honest in the

statement.

Mr.

Speaker, I have here emails –

MR. SPEAKER:

What's the Standing Order

number, please?

MR. JOYCE:

Forty-nine. I have emails

here that were sent to the minister and to Alan Doody September 18 and September

20 explaining about the X plate in St. John's and a picture of the X plate

itself in St. John's. On September 23 there was a letter written from the

registrar who wrote: I'm responsible for the licensing of vehicles and your

emails to Minister Gambin-Walsh and to Allan Doody, Assistant Deputy Minister,

has been forwarded to me for response. Thank you for bringing this to my

attention.

I can

confirm there has been no changes concerning the licensing of the off-road

vehicles. Under the legislation, as registrar, I may assess the use of a vehicle

and use the proper plate accordingly. With respect to the photo, being reviewed

by the official division; following the assessment of the decision of the

registrar, it was communicated to the registered owner. The vehicle is

registered to a commercial company and used for unique commercial needs. I was –

MR. SPEAKER:

Order, please!

This

doesn't appear to be something under Standing Orders. I will ask you to move on.

MR. JOYCE:

It's a statement that the

minister made in this House and I am asking you –

MR. SPEAKER:

The Chair has made a ruling.

MR. JOYCE:

Pardon me?

MR. SPEAKER:

The Chair has made his

ruling.

MR. JOYCE:

But what is your ruling?

MR. SPEAKER:

It's not within the Standing

Orders.

MR. JOYCE:

So you're allowed to make a

false statement in the House?

MR. SPEAKER:

No, Sir.

MR. JOYCE:

(Inaudible) this what the

Standing Orders are for.

MR. SPEAKER:

The Chair has made his

ruling.

MR. JOYCE:

(Inaudible) I'm not finished

it.

CHAIR:

We'll review it and get back

to you.

The

Chair has made his ruling. Please take your seat.

MR. SPEAKER:

The Speaker recognizes the

Member for St. John's Centre.

MR. J. DINN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When

good legislation comes to the House, we are happy to support it and this is one

example of this good legislation. If anything it highlights the whole notion of

It's

interesting last week when this was first to be discussed, I don't know if any

of you follow Land & Sea on CBC but

there was a great show on called The

Little Lumberjack about a gentleman Ralph Coombs in Bay d'Espoir, 89 years

old. Retired when he was 65 and spent the last 20-plus years in the woods

cutting wood as a pastime. It was his hobby he said and, basically, it's what

breaths life into his world.

His

family figured he shouldn't be in the woods, but he comes to the woods alone to

work. Five years ago, he had a stroke and the one concession he made to his

family, of course, was the fact that he took a cellphone in. However, his sons

tend to go with him now. So you can sort of see here for this gentlemen, if he

were unable to go into the woods, it would take away a good chunk of an activity

that brings meaning to his life.

As has

been noted, the Forestry Act , as it

currently stands, allows for the name of one assistant in the permit, and that

person has to be there to assist in the cutting of the allotted timber.

Basically, if another person is required, it results in a refiling of the

permit, more red tape, more wasted time, I guess, for those who wish to cut the

wood. What we can see is that this amendment, since it allows multiple

assistants on the permit, it negates the need to refile each time.

From our

point of view, this is a good piece of red tape reduction. It's an excellent

change that will benefit many people in the province, and not just those in the

rural areas, although they will be greatly impacted in a positive way. As noted,

the amendment will also allow people with disabilities, seniors and others

having difficulty in accessing domestic timber to get their wood harvested. From

our point of view, that's a very people-oriented type of bill and legislation.

With

that, Speaker, this is probably the shortest time I've spoken and I'll sit down.

MR. SPEAKER:

The hon. the Minister of

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.

MR. MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I

thank you for your Member's statement for the District of Lewisporte -

Twillingate recognizing a company 50 years contributing to the forest industry

of our Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Cottle's Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR. MITCHELMORE:

It's very positive to hear

the Member for St. John's Centre talk about the importance of today's

legislation, as to how it's all about helping people. I will say, Mr. Speaker,

that as a very young child, I remember helping my father, certainly, stack up

lots of wood. Like many others, probably, in this House, I've done quite a bit

of packing tiers of wood over and over and over because the primary source of

heat at home on the Great Northern Peninsula, like many others, is by firewood.

We have

a tremendous amount of domestic woodcutters on the Great Northern Peninsula and

we have a long storied history of forestry. There were towns that were created

just because of the vast fibre resources in Main Brook and Roddickton, known as

the land of lumberjacks, and in Hawkes Bay and some very important impacts to

the economy.

I want

to thank the Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources for taking significant

action on forestry, bringing it to the forefront and making sure that we have a

forestry action plan here in our province. That is so important, and being

willing to look at the act itself and make necessary changes that will help

people.

Mr.

Speaker, in my own district – district 17 and 18, if you go by forestry

districts – there are an average of 2,500 domestic cutting permits per year

issued, and over 55,000 cubic metres of timber that will be cut based on those

allocations. That's more than 10 per cent of all of the forestry that would be

cut by domestic permits, cut on the Great Northern Peninsula. That shows the

significance of wood as a heat source for people on the Great Northern

Peninsula.

As our

population and demographics age, it's really important that we make good,

positive policy shifts here as government. These regulations that we're debating

here today will provide greater access to the province's forestry resources,

enabling permit holders to obtain the assistance of one or more individuals to

help the cutting of timber for personal consumption.

The new

regulations will benefit individuals, certainly in my district on the Great

Northern Peninsula, previously unable to cut wood due to health or mobility

issues, especially older or infirm residents who generally use firewood as a

primary source of home heating. We want people to be able to stay in their homes

longer to build that stronger sense of community, especially in rural regions of

our province.

The new

regulations certainly help mitigate against potential abuse and align with the

province's commitment to sustainable forest management. I commend the minister

for putting this forward and I want to talk about how important the forestry is

on the Great Northern Peninsula.

When I

moved b