Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard — Members' Statements — 22 March 2007 (45th General Assembly, 3rd Session, Vol. XLV No. 39)
2007-03-22
Newfoundland and Labrador — Debates (Hansard)
March 22, 2007 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLV No. 39
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Before we proceed with routine proceedings, I would like to observe an
ancient parliamentary tradition. I have the pleasant task of formally welcoming
four new members who have been duly elected in by-elections since this House
last sat in December 2006. These new members are: Mr. Dwight Ball, in the
District of Humber Valley; Mr. Tony Cornect, in the District of Port au Port;
Mr. John Dinn, in the District of Kilbride; and Mr. Keith Hutchings, in the
District of Ferryland.
I have been advised by the Clerk of the House that these members have taken
the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown, as required by the Constitution, and have
signed the Members' Roll.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
[The new member, escorted by the Leader of the Opposition, enters the Chamber
and approaches the Chair.]
MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mr. Dwight
Ball, the newly elected MHA for Humber Valley, who wishes to take his rightful
place in the House of Assembly.
MR. SPEAKER: Let the member take his seat.
Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
[The new members, escorted by the Premier, enter the Chamber and approach the
Chair.]
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct honour and the
pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Tony Cornect, the Member for Port au Port, who
claims the right to take his seat.
MR. SPEAKER: Let the member take his seat in the House of Assembly.
Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I also have the pleasure of presenting to
you Mr. John Dinn, the Member for Kilbride, who also requests the right to take
his seat.
MR. SPEAKER: Let the member take his seat.
Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Finally, Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct honour and
the pleasure of presenting Mr. Keith Hutchings, the Member for the District of
Ferryland, who claims the right to take his seat.
MR. SPEAKER: Let the member take his seat.
Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Again, congratulations to all hon. members who have just
taken their seat for the first time in this most hon. House.
This afternoon, we would like to welcome several special guests. In the
Speaker's gallery we welcome the Member-elect for the District of Labrador
West, Mr. Jim Baker, together with his wife, Mrs. Theresa Baker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: We would also like to welcome Mrs. Teresa Hutchings and Mrs.
Marie Cahill, family members of the Member for the District of Ferryland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: In the public galleries today we welcome twenty Level 2 and
Level 3 students from Crescent Collegiate, in Blaketown, in the District of
Bellevue. The students are accompanied by their teachers, Mr. Calvin Young and
Mr. Gabe Ryan.
Welcome to our House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: We also have twenty students from Memorial University who
are here as part of their Political Science Course 3700, and that course is
entitled: Parties and Elections in Canada.
Welcome to our House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, if I may, we move from a very joyous
occasion to a somewhat sadder event. I would like to just take a moment to
explain the absence, very briefly, of the Leader of the New Democratic Party
today.
Last evening, the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi suffered a serious
personal loss as her mother passed away. I am sure all members of this hon.
House will join with me in sending our most sincere and our heartfelt
condolences to Ms Michael and her family.
I understand that her mother was, of course, her biggest supporter, was very,
very proud of her recent achievement, and watched her every day when she was
televised in the House of Assembly.
At any age it is a tragic and devastating loss to lose one's parent. I
would like herself and her family to know that our thoughts and our prayers are
with her at this time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We were all saddened, today, to hear of the passing of the Leader of the New
Democratic Party's mother last night, Mrs. Ann Rockwood.
On behalf of the members of our caucus we, too, would like to send our
condolences to the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, as well as her family. We
would just like for her to know that, even though we know that this is a very
difficult time for her, it may be of some comfort to know that our thoughts and
our prayers are with her.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair will ensure that these messages of condolences are
conveyed to the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi and her family.
Statements by Members
MR. SPEAKER: Members' statements today are as follows: the hon. the
Member for the District of Trinity-Bay de Verde; the hon. the Member for the
District of Bay of Islands; the hon. the Member for the District of Exploits;
the hon. the Member for the District of Grand Bank; the hon. the Member for the
District of St. John's North; and, the hon. the Member for the District of
Humber Valley.
The Chair recognizes the Member for the District of Trinity-Bay de Verde.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Danielle Seaward, who was crowned
Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador 2007 on February 25. Danielle, the daughter
of Beverly and Clyde Seaward, is a constituent from Heart's Delight and is a
Level III student at Crescent Collegiate.
Danielle has earned numerous scholarships, is very athletic - winning medals
in basketball, tennis and hockey, as well as being a member of Crescent
Collegiate's cheerleading squad. She is also an active volunteer as president
of Students Against Drunk Driving at school and fundraising for her church and
other charities.
Mr. Speaker, at seventeen years of age, Danielle is an outstanding role model
for young women, and indeed, a true ambassador of the youth of our great
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. She is a true example of what the youth
of our Province have to offer and can accomplish.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all members to join with me today in
congratulating Danielle and wishing her well in her role as Miss Teen
Newfoundland and Labrador 2007.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the Bay of Islands.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to recognize an
initiative of a group of teachers, seniors and community representatives who
make up the Templeton Academy Heritage Committee on the north shore of the Bay
of Islands.
Project T.A.L.K.S., or Templeton Academy Linking Kids and Seniors, is a
project designed to bring together seniors and students who reside in the seven
communities serviced by the Templeton Academy in Meadows.
Through a grant received through the New Horizons for Seniors program, the
Heritage program developed will see a variety of activities taking place over
the next number of weeks, such as visiting the local seniors' home,
traditional cooking and baking, rug hooking, and folk dancing, to name a few. In
addition, a traditional fishing stage will be recreated and plans are complete
to finish a cookbook.
Mr. Speaker, this project is receiving tremendous positive feedback from
seniors and students involved. It is providing seniors an opportunity to share
their personal experiences with the students and give students the opportunity
to experience some of our traditions and culture.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending
congratulations to the Heritage Committee, the seniors and the students for
initiating such as great project.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. FORSEY: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to stand in
this house and congratulate Mr. Jiggs Borland on being awarded the Legion of
Honour by the President of France, Mr. Jacques Chirac.
Mr. Speaker, Jiggs, as he is commonly known, fought on the front lines during
the Second World War and spent eleven months as a scout for the 2 nd
Canadian Infantry Division and was part of the Liberation of Dieppe in
September, 1944.
This medal is a reward in recognition of the outstanding contribution by
Jiggs during the fierce battles of the Liberation of France and Europe.
Mr. Speaker, according to the French Ambassador, France wants to honour a
great Canadian soldier who fought for freedom. This is an achievement he can be
proud of.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask all members of this House to join me in
congratulating Frank (Jiggs) Borland on receiving this prestigious award.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS FOOTE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations to Dana
Farrell of St. Lawrence.
Dana has graduated with a Doctor of Chiropractor with Honours from Palmer
College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Dana has also received a Certificate
of Merit in Radiology, is a member of Pitaudelta' (pie-tie-delta), after
earning special distinction while maintaining a superior scholastic standing.
She is also a member of the President's Club, the highest honour to be awarded
throughout her entire studies.
Dana has been accepted into the International Chiropractic Honour Society and
is now working at the Monson Chiropractic Clinic in Rockford, Illinois. She is
the daughter of Keith and Cynthia Farrell.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating Dana
Farrell.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.
MR. RIDGLEY: Mr. Speaker, because we are a small population, I believe it
is tremendously important that we celebrate the major achievements of one of our
own. With that thought in mind, I rise today to congratulate a Newfoundland and
Labrador author, Kenneth J. Harvey, on having won the Rogers Writers' Trust
Fiction Prize valued at $15,000. The award was presented in Toronto on March 7,
and was awarded in particular for the book Inside , a story set in St.
John's and revolving around a character who is wrongfully convicted of murder.
Kenneth Harvey, whose parents come from Bell Island, was born in St. John's
and spent most of his life here before moving to the quieter life of Cupids for
some fourteen years and is presently back in St. John's. He went to school at
Mary Queen of Peace and then Gonzaga High School.
Although Mr. Harvey has written more then a dozen books, many people will
know him best as the author of The Town That Forgot To Breathe , which
takes place in Bareneed. That book has been sold in over thirteen countries and
has been translated into more than a half dozen languages. It won the Thomas
Randal Atlantic Fiction Award and it brought Mr. Harvey the distinction of
becoming the first Canadian to win Italy's "Libro del Mare" ,
awarded each year to the best book published in Italy, which deals with the sea.
Mr. Harvey's editorials have appeared on CBC radio, in numerous magazines and
in major newspapers. Additionally, he has held the very prestigious post of
"Writer in Residence" at both the University of New Brunswick and
Memorial University.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating
Kenneth J. Harvey, a native son and an international best selling author, on his
many accomplishments, including the most recent, the Rogers Writers' Fiction
Prize.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Humber Valley.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to recognize a
constituent from my district, Ms Chantell Coles of Deer Lake, who recently
placed first in both the Deer Lake Lions Club speak off and first in the Humber
Rotary Club speak off in Corner Brook.
Due to her win at the Rotary Club in Corner Brook, Chantell will be
representing youth from the area at the Adventures in Citizenship program which
is scheduled for the end of April in our nation's capital. The Adventures in
Citizenship program allows her a five day stay in the capital city and will have
her meet with 250 students from across Canada to learn the parliamentary system.
They will tour Ottawa as well as experience billeting with a Rotary Club member
from Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, sixteen-year-old Chantell is the older of two children of David
and Sharon Coles and is currently enrolled in the Level II program at Elwood
Regional High School in Deer Lake. Upon graduation, Chantell hopes to further
her education in the medical sector, specializing in Pharmacy.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending
congratulations to Chantell on her two first place finishes. She is a shining
example of the great talent we have in our Province's youth.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Statements by ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to inform my hon. colleagues
about a pilot training program for school board trustees across our Province.
The Department of Education and the Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards
Association have partnered on a professional development opportunity for all
school board trustees in each of the five school districts.
The Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards Association approached the
Department of Education for support with this important initiative. They
stressed the need for training that would allow the board members to better
perform their duties. The Department of Education agreed this project is
beneficial and a worthwhile opportunity for our elected volunteer school board
trustees. School board members and school boards play a key role in the
development of our education system, our communities and our children.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education has been working closely with the
School Boards Association to development four specific training modules. Topics
include governance, policy development, the School's Act, 1997, and
communications. The modules were presented to school board representatives prior
to implementation and the content was extremely well received by all.
Training sessions are currently being delivered throughout the Province and
are expected to wrap up mid-summer. An investment of $35,000 will see school
board trustees receive professional development training to enhance their
understanding and performance of their duties.
Mr. Speaker, this year as well, government created a school council liaison
position to work directly with school councils in the Province. This position
provides support to the volunteer work of parents.
I would like to take this opportunity today to report that positive feedback
to this initiative has been tremendous. In addition, a revised school council
handbook is in the final stages of development and will be delivered to school
councils across the Province.
Mr. Speaker, school council members and school board trustees give freely of
their time and expertise to the education of our young people. Providing
professional development and support are important initiatives that recognize
the critical role these volunteers play in the development of our education
system.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the minister for an advanced copy of her statement and to say
that we on this side commend the Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards
Association for approaching the Department of Education in going forward with
this wonderful initiative.
Mr. Speaker, I noticed one of the four criteria is communications, and
communications, I can assure you, is very important. Since my colleagues and I
met with the board and the trustees recently at their board office on Water
Street, I can tell you the communication between myself and the executive
director of the board has improved tremendously. So communications is very
important.
The only caution I put in the wind, Mr. Speaker, is that I hope this
initiative and the training is not to, more or less, try and muzzle the trustees
and toe the party line, as we see all too often; similar to what happened in the
incident that was tried with our teachers recently, Mr. Speaker, but that did
not work too well.
Overall, Mr. Speaker, it is a good initiative and we want to commend as well
the school council, the trustees, as they volunteer to carry out the work of the
children of our Province.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further Statements by Ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am pleased to rise today to inform this hon. House that applications for
the 2007-2008 moose and caribou draws, and black bear licences have been mailed
out to all qualified resident big-game hunters of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Enclosed with each application is a copy of the 2007-2008 Newfoundland and
Labrador Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Mr. Speaker, the Hunting and Trapping Guide is a valuable tool that contains
information on wildlife management plans for provincial game and fur-bearer
species, including opening and closing dates, hunting and non-hunting zones, and
other changes related to big game and small game hunting and trapping.
This year's management plan includes 26,725 moose and 2,760 caribou
licences available on the Island. This represents an overall increase of 570
moose licences and a decrease of 1,325 caribou licences compared to last season.
In Labrador, the number of moose licences available remains unchanged at 185.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight a couple of changes found in the
Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Last year, my department introduced restricted Sunday hunting provisions.
This year, I am pleased to say that Sunday hunting will be permitted from
November 4 through to April 30, 2008 in all areas throughout Newfoundland and
Labrador. We feel this change will improve consistency and awareness of
regulations while providing an opportunity to hunt in all areas of the Province
where hunting seasons are open. As this is still a new proposal, my department
will closely monitor the coming season to determine what we will do in future
seasons.
This year also marks the final year of a five-year management plan for
ptarmigan seasons on the Island. Officials from my department will evaluate
information concerning preferences for opening and closing dates for ptarmigan
before the 2008 season.
In 2006, a woodland caribou health monitoring project was implemented and the
department sought participation from caribou hunters to provide specific samples
from their caribou kill. Again, in 2007, we will be asking caribou hunters to
participate in our program. The data collected from this program, along with
ongoing research and monitoring initiatives, will help us better understand the
factors that might be contributing to the decline of the caribou populations,
and therefore enable us to make the best management decisions possible.
Responsible hunting and trapping is important to the overall success of the
fur and game management programs in our Province. I encourage all hunters and
trappers to keep conservation in mind as you have a safe and enjoyable season.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bellevue.
MR. BARRETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I
guess it is good news for the hunters of the Province today.
I have been getting some inquires from hunters - and the minister may be able
to address this at some future date - that the increase in the moose licences
will be to the outfitters and not to the ordinary hunters; that the moose
licences, the increase is going to outfitters and not to the ordinary hunter.
There have been people calling my office and asking this particular question.
The reduction in the caribou licence, is there a sign that the herds are in
danger? These are the questions that I would like to ask the minister. Are we
compensating for the loss of the caribou licences by increasing the moose
licences, and will that put the moose population in danger?
I am also very pleased that the minister has extended the Sunday hunting to
other areas of the Province. It was a big complaint, that everybody was not
included in the Sunday hunting. For people who work, I guess, five days a week,
and they were only allowed to hunt on Saturdays, being able to hunt on Sunday is
a great addition and I want to congratulate the minister on extending the Sunday
hunting.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers.
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that the federal government broke a commitment that
it had given to the people of this Province, both orally and in writing, this
past week. I ask the Premier if he could tell us how much we will lose over the
next five years as a result of this broken commitment.
I would also like to ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker, if he thinks that our
federal minister should resign from the Harper Cabinet.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the hon. Leader of
the Opposition for that question.
You know, as I think all hon. members feel, we are deeply disappointed by the
circumstances that arose during the federal budget. The losses for Newfoundland
and Labrador on this particular promise and commitment are significant. In the
short term they could be in excess of a billion dollars, but over the long term
they could be several billions of dollars; because the commitment that we had in
writing from the Prime Minister, which he gave on six separate occasions - twice
to me, once to Premier Klein and Premier Calvert, and twice in the election
platform - really made the Atlantic Accord perpetual, carried it on forever.
There is a renewal in the Atlantic Accord whereby we would have to qualify in
2010-2011 and 2011-2012 in order to get the next eight years of the Atlantic
Accord. If we had that full commitment that he had given us of 100 per cent
exclusion of non-renewable natural resources there would have been no need for a
re-qualification. There would have been a term that went on forever.
If you look at the possibilities, it could be as much as a billion dollars a
year from that point on. Now, that is maximum, that is a stretch figure. It is
impossible to quantify the end number because it depends on the amount of oil
that we have over an extended period of time, but the impact is very, very
significant.
With regard to the question of the resignation of the minister, that is
something, I think, that he will have to decide himself. We certainly had a
promise that was made to us, a firm commitment that was supported by the
minister, and what action he decides to take in the future is his doing.
From our perspective, I have made our position very, very clear, that we will
be campaigning against federal Conservatives in the next election.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is now obvious that the Premier's threats over the past several months
have not worked on Stephen Harper. In fact, it appears that they have not even
worked on our three federal Tory MPs, who are now standing firmly behind Stephen
Harper.
I ask the Premier: Do you think that your continued confrontational approach
will be of any value with negotiations that you are currently having - and
future negotiations - with this federal government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, my firm approach with federal governments
only kicks in when promises are broken. We had a very, very strong commitment
from this man and from his party. When the leader of a party gives you a
commitment in writing - a very clear, a very unequivocal commitment - then we
have a right, as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, to rely on that.
When someone tries to deprive us of what are our proper resources, our proper
royalties, our proper revenues, and impede our chance to be self-sufficient,
then I am going to stand up, as leader of this Province, and I am going to fight
for that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: The other thing I want to share with the hon. Leader of
the Opposition and members of this House is also a commitment that Prime
Minister Harper made when he was Leader of the Opposition. This was during the
time that we had the encounter with the former Prime Minister, Paul Martin,
where we achieved the Accord. He sent around a householder to people in this
Province, and on the front of that was: There is no greater fraud than a promise
not kept.
This is his householder; his name is on the back of it, the hon. Stephen
Harper, who, at that time, was Leader of the Opposition. In it, he talks about
the Martin government. He says: The Liberal government is taxing away your
future by clawing back your oil and gas revenues. The Conservative Party
believes that they are the key to real economic growth in Atlantic Canada. That
is why we would leave you with 100 per cent of your oil and gas revenues; no
small print, no excuses, no caps - and he turns around and he does exactly that.
When we have a householder that goes out and makes that kind of a statement,
when we have a commitment in writing to myself, on two occasions, when we have a
commitment to Ralph Klein, as Chairman of the Council of the Federation, when we
have a commitment to Lorne Calvert, as Premier of Saskatchewan, and we have two
national election blueprints, and he reneges on that and he breaks that promise,
then I will confront him and I will fight with him, and I will do whatever I
have to do for Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: I agree with the Premier's statements when it comes to Prime
Minister Harper, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. REID: But it must be even more galling, I say to the Premier, for you
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will say it again. I agree with the Premier's view of the Prime Minister,
but it must be even more galling for him, that he campaigned for Stephen Harper
during the last federal election and he still broke his promise to you.
Mr. Speaker, equalization is not the only issue of concern with regard to
federal-provincial relations. A very important, current issue has to do with FPI.
Your own Fisheries Minister said last week that the sale of FPI will not go
ahead unless the federal government agrees to transfer the quotas currently held
by FPI to the Province, or to the provincial government.
I ask the Premier: What impact will your damaged relationship with Minister
Hearn have on this issue? Will Minister Hearn now support the quota transfers?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and
Aboriginal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Leader of the Opposition is correct, I certainly did make a statement to
the effect that he has quoted. If there is going to be, and if this government
and this House is going to be asked to consider a sale of the assets of FPI,
then there is going to have to be a transfer of quotas and licences associated
with FPI and their offshore activity to the Province or a Crown corporation
controlled by the Province or some such entity.
What effect will the present situation have on Minister Hearn? In that
regard, Mr. Speaker, that is a question that will have to be directed to
Minister Hearn. I have no indication that he will do anything, other than
positively and appropriately deal with that request when the time comes.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, on Thursday last week the federal minister, Mr. Hearn, said that
he would not entertain any discussion about the transfer of quotas until he
receives a formal request.
I ask the Premier: Has any formal request been made of the federal minister
to entertain the transfer of these quotas? We already know that you rejected one
proposal that was on the table and we know that you must have seen the other one
because you rejected one and said that you preferred the other. Have you or
anybody in FPI discussed this issue with Minister Hearn?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and
Aboriginal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, thank you very much.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question.
We have in fact, yes, seen and dealt with, as I announced publicly a couple
of weeks ago, the two proposals, that FPI indicated to us, through the special
independent committee of their board, met their minimum requirements; the
proposal submitted by the Barry Group and the proposal submitted by Ocean Choice
International, OCI. After a period of due diligence on our part, we concluded
that the proposal that best met the public interests of the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador was the one submitted by OCI. That has been
Is the minister aware that the Newfoundland government has made that
decision? Yes, he is, Mr. Speaker - the federal minister, I mean. Is he aware of
that in writing? Yes, he is. He has been informed of that in writing by me. He
has been informed of that in writing from FPI. He has been informed of that in
writing by the proponent that we recommended to FPI for consideration.
Further to that, Mr. Speaker, the federal minister has been aware for months,
going back at least on a face-to-face just before Christmas in December, that
this request was pending to him by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. REID: I guess what you are saying, Minister, is that the comment that
the federal minister made in The Telegram last week - and it is in his
quote, by the way - when he said that he has not been asked and there has been
no formal presentation made from the transfer of quotas, that he is lying. Now,
that was his latest last Thursday. So I would assume that you have talked to him
since last Thursday, or made the proposal since last Thursday.
Mr. Speaker, another important issue, and it concerns an early retirement and
licence buyback program for those involved in our fishing industry. In fact,
that issue was so important that it was one of, I think, the sixteen questions
that you put forward to the three federal leaders before the election last year.
Yet, there was no mention of it in the Budget this week.
Can the Premier tell us the status of that request for an early retirement
and a licence buyout program cost-shared with the federal government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and
Aboriginal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, on the
preamble to the question by the Leader of the Opposition,
it is certainly far from me to, on the floor of another Parliament, accuse a
minister, provincially or federally, of lying. I know what the quote is, but I
have no idea of the context of it. Again, the minister will have to speak for
himself in that regard.
In terms of the recent federal Budget and an early retirement package and
licence buyout, Mr. Speaker, all of those issues have been clearly pressed by
this Province as priorities since the day we became government, I suggest.
Certainly, they have been front and center in all negotiations that we have
with the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans federally.
The early retirement package and a licence buyout program have been a vital
part, an integral part, of all discussions and negotiations that we have had. It
has been a vital and integral part of the fisheries renewal process that the
Premier and the federal minister himself have engaged both their governments or
representatives of their governments on, so it has been front and center, Mr.
Speaker. What the federal government chooses to deliver, and how it is wrapped
up in the budget, if at all, I do not know, but the federal minister himself did
tell us only a few days before the federal budget that the federal response to
the fisheries renewal process would be dealt with in the budgetary process
nationally.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, over the past couple of days we have heard the
Premier saying that we are going to move on, and that we are going to do things
on our own.
I ask the Premier: Are you prepared to initiate a limited - I say a limited -
early retirement program and licence buyout if the federal government refuses to
participate? In other words, will you spend that 30 per cent of the program that
you committed to last fall on such a program?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and
Aboriginal Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, we think, if there is going to be a buyout of
licences, if there is going to be an early retirement package or program, that
fishery, has a responsibility to be a partner in that. We are not going to send
any signal today that is going to let anybody prematurely off the hook. The
Canada to live up to that responsibility, and that includes coming to the table
with funds to help finance any program that we may embark upon.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions are for the Premier or for the Minister of Intergovernmental
Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty obvious over the past few days that our
relationship with the federal government is off the rails and at an all-time
low. We all understand that our federal-provincial relations ambassador, Mr.
John Fitzgerald, has not been able to get through any doors in Ottawa and, in
fact, has been told to keep his mouth shut and stay out of the press.
I ask the Premier: Who is Mr. Fitzgerald going to wine and dine with now,
besides himself, since you have declared war on your federal Conservative
cousins? Do you see any role now for this half-million dollar feel-good
ambassador's position?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: I have no idea, Mr. Speaker, where the hon. member gets
his information. Dr. Fitzgerald plays a very significant role, a role of
importance, representing the Office of the Premier, representing the Government
of Newfoundland and Labrador, and representing the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador, in Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, when any minister travels to Ottawa to meet
with his or her federal counterpart, he is at all times accompanied by Dr.
Fitzgerald. In fact, only two or three weeks ago I travelled to Ottawa. I met
with three or four of my federal colleagues, and on each occasion I was
accompanied by the good doctor; so, I say to the hon. member, what he is saying
is completely irrelevant. It is not in any way representative of the truth. He
plays a very significant role of importance on behalf of the people of this
Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That was a real substantive answer. Well, I think the Province is in for
more, would like to have more, for half a million bucks, than Dr. Feelgood's
limousine service when they go to Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, besides the equalization commitments that the Prime Minister
made, he also made commitments to the Province on defence spending. These
commitments in his January 4, 2000 letter were extensive.
Can the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs advise this House what has been
accomplished in over a year now, since January of 2006, with respect to Mr.
Harper's commitment to put 650 army personnel in Happy Valley-Goose Bay? We
have heard of low-level officials and base commanders speaking in the media
about the issue, but what of true substance is being done, or is this another
case where the Province has not been able to put a deal together with the feds?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, I do not have to canvass the past year. I
can refer to two nights ago when the Wing Commander, Colonel Mark Matheson, in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, made some of the following comments. This is the
Colonel: I have to say that the Canada First defence plan is evolving in a very
positive fashion for Goose Bay. Goose Bay is one of the strategy's anchors in
the north of Canada - referring to the military strategy of the north.
He goes on to say: I anticipate there will be people in offices that are
being constructed, who will be posted in Goose Bay this summer to begin the
planning process with respect to the very projects that the hon. member is
referring to.
Perhaps the most important comment, and this is by Colonel Matheson himself,
at the same meeting, is when he concluded by saying: I am very optimistic about
the future of the Wing.
Mr. Speaker, the government made a commitment. I have met with my counterpart
on a number of occasions. Yes, that is somewhat, perhaps, confused by events of
the past number of days; however, when I hear Colonel Matheson say, within the
last forty-eight hours, comments such as these - in fact, Mayor Leo Abbass, the
Mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, on the public media today, is making the
comment that he shares this optimism and he is looking forward to a very bright
future for 5 Wing Goose Bay in the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is amazing, amazing. We hear a lot of fluff, and about optimism and
whatever else. I asked the minister a simple question: What have you done in a
year? Don't get up and give us a bunch of fluff.
Hearing the Commander of Happy Valley-Goose Bay up talking about looking for
office space, we have more office space in Goose Bay now than what we have in
Stephenville. There is all kinds of office space around the Province. When are
you going to do something on the issue?
Mr. Speaker, the same letter by Mr. Harper, of January 2006, included a
commitment to put a new territorial defence battalion of 500 people in the
Avalon Region. We know the federal government is continuously decreasing their
presence in this Province, and taking jobs out of the Province, but the silence
is deafening on this 500 job commitment.
What have you done, Minister, to secure these 500 jobs for the Province? Are
we in the same state as we are with respect to the Happy Valley-Goose Bay jobs,
the 650? What have you done?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, this government has been proactive with
respect to military and federal presence throughout. I, as the Minister of
Intergovernmental Affairs, have met repeatedly with my federal counterparts. I
know the Premier has met and has discussed this issue with his colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of federal presence is paramount. Whether it is
military presence, whether it is the issue of the environment office, whether it
is the issue of the Gander airport, the issue, Mr. Speaker, of federal presence
is important. On behalf of this government, and in my role as Minister of
Intergovernmental Affairs, we will continue to pursue the very issue that is
being raised.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am bewildered. Maybe we are going to have to adopt the same strategy -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. PARSONS: - with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs that we do
with ministerial statements. Maybe we will send you over the questions in
advance so you can at least read the questions and get the answers put together.
What a bunch of fluff!
Mr. Speaker - and I am assuming he knows as much about this as he did the
last question - another part of the Harper defence commitment in the January 4,
2006 letter, I say to the minister, was a new unmanned aerial vehicle squadron
for Happy Valley-Goose Bay; a third part of his commitment. God only knows how
many jobs this might lead to. What, Minister, have you done on this piece of the
commitment, or with the concentration on the failed equalization issue, did you
simply forget about this issue? What about these jobs?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: The commitment, Mr. Speaker, is a new rapid reaction
army battalion and a new long-range unmanned aerial vehicle squadron -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: - at CFB Goose Bay. This forms part and parcel of the
commitment. This forms the basis upon which discussions have taken place between
the Premier and the Prime Minister, between myself and the federal Minister of
Intergovernmental Affairs, between myself and the federal Minister of National
Defence.
Mr. Speaker, it is all part and parcel of the commitment that was given by
the federal government and it is one that we have worked proactively on in the
past. We continue to work on it today and, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to
pursue it in the future.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I suggest to the minister, maybe he should read the letter and the next time
I ask him the questions he will at least know what was in the letter. We know
what goose egg this crowd have done. We know whose goose egg has been gotten
here, Goose Bay, and that is what you have forgotten about.
Mr. Speaker, the minister talks about fighting for this Province. Well, the
federal government is going to spend billions of dollars on navel contracts in
the next two to three years - all public knowledge - and we have not heard squat
from the Premier about pushing this issue with the feds.
Has the Premier done anything, anything whatsoever, on the joint services
supply contract which could bring hundreds of jobs and billions of dollars to
this Province, or where you so wrapped up in the equalization piece that
everything else just fell by the wayside? What have you done on these contracts?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is right when he says that
particular issue is an issue of importance to the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador, but he is incorrect when he alludes to the fact that nothing has been
done.
As recently as two-and-a-half to three weeks ago, when I met with a number of
federal colleagues in Ottawa, one minister that I met with, in addition to our
regional minister, was, again, Minister O'Connor. That particular project was
discussed in detail. He fully understands and comprehends the importance of that
project to the Marystown shipyard, to the people of the Burin Peninsula, and to
the people of the entire Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As a federal
minister he, quite correctly, cannot intervene or interfere in the process but
he is clearly monitoring it. He is fully supportive of an equitable solution and
resolution, and he fully understands - and it seems to me that this is critical
- he fully understands and appreciates the importance of that particular
contract to every single Newfoundlander and Labradorian.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have heard more about feel-good words here today and optimism and equity
and all that stuff, let's see some results, Minister. Let's see some results
instead of fluff.
Mr. Speaker, my final question, and this is for the minister as well: I
understand that these JSS contracts are down to two possibilities, one in
British Columbia and one which includes some possible work for this Province. In
B.C., Premier Campbell is lobbying the federal government daily and publicly on
this issue to win this contract for his province. It is down to two. I
understand that Peter Kiewit, who we all know in this Province as being active
on the Burin Peninsula, is part of a consortium that will bring part of these
contracts to this Province if they are successful.
Are you willing to get personally involved, Premier, and make the required
investment so that the Burin Peninsula can benefit from this contract which is
worth millions? Might this not be part of a solution to the hemorrhaging of our
people through out-migration?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member opposite that I have been
personally involved in the greatest detail. This file is getting a lot of
attention. It has been discussed by Cabinet. The one thing that we do want, and
we have asked for, is we have gone back for more information. In the facts that
we have before us, and the business case that we have before us now, there is a
significant ask here - probably in excess of $50 million, if I remember
correctly - but we do not feel that we have enough information from a company
like Peter Kiewit that is in a very strong financial situation, to make sure
that it justifies a significant investment of that magnitude.
Having said that, this government is prepared - the minister, Minister
Jackman, has basically advocated this very strongly for us, quite frankly, in
the Cabinet. As a result of it, we are having a real hard look at this. So when
it comes to stepping up for the Burin Peninsula and stepping up for the people
of Marystown, we will step up as we have stepped up for the Connaigre Peninsula
and the Port au Port Peninsula and the Northern Peninsula and any other sectors
of this Province. We will be there, but we need to know the facts. We need to
know the business case and we need to make sure that the investment that we make
is the appropriate investment under the circumstances.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is obvious the Premier is all over that file, just like he was the
Stephenville file on Abitibi, so let's see if the Minister of Transportation
and Works and Labrador Affairs is all over this issue.
Back in November of 2006, the minister issued a news release that the federal
government had presented an offer for federal funding to surface the
Trans-Labrador Highway.
I ask the minister: Is this deal signed and ready to go, or is this another
area where the federal-provincial relations are strained and the Province cannot
reach a deal with the federal government?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and
Labrador Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the hon. member for her question.
Now, Mr. Speaker, let me say this to you. The Department of Transportation
and Works, and indeed this government, has been in discussion with the federal
government for a number of years now about the Trans-Labrador Highway. It has
been a priority for this government and it has been a priority for this Premier.
I say to the hon. member, that just yesterday, Mr. Speaker, I spoke to Minister
Hearn and we are about ready, in his words, to get this deal signed off on the
Trans-Labrador Highway. Along with that, Mr. Speaker, another $45 million of
(inaudible) funding in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: I heard all of that before, Mr. Speaker. I even heard a deal
was inked, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: I heard it was inked. I heard the contract was ready to be
tendered, Mr. Speaker, and it is still not done. The Prime Minister committed in
writing to the Premier, and I quote: That a Conservative government will support
a cost-shared agreement to complete the Trans-Labrador Highway.
I ask today: Has the Province submitted a proposal for a cost-shared
agreement to complete the full Trans-Labrador Highway from L'Anse au Clair to
Labrador City? If not, how come you have been lax in asking the federal
government to deliver on that commitment, I say to the minister?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and
Labrador Affairs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This government has been committed, and will continue to be committed, to the
completion of the Trans-Labrador Highway. Just this year, Mr. Speaker, we spent
up to $70 million on construction of Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway. We
have just completed $25 million on a new bridge across the Churchill River. I
can say to the hon. Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, that we will
complete the Trans-Labrador Highway with or without the federal government, I
say, but it is their responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to cost share this fifty-fifty
with the Province, and that is what we have been in negotiations with, with the
federal minister and with the regional minister for Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it was a Liberal government that signed the $340
million agreement on transportation for Labrador, and that minister has been
joyriding on that Liberal-signed initiative since the day he took office!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, recently in the budget -
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
We have time for a very brief question.
The Chair recognizes the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I say to the Member for St. Barbe, if we had to
wait for his government to find money to put a road in Labrador, we would be a
long time without a highway, I say to you, Minister.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the federal budget there was a $600
million infrastructure agreement signed on highways, the largest infrastructure
agreement announced, in the federal budget yesterday. The money is for core
highways only in a country which does not include the Trans-Labrador Highway, so
I am glad today to hear the minister say the Province will go it alone.
Do I have a commitment from this minister today that his government will put
the funds necessary to do the Trans-Labrador Highway servicing this summer, with
or without the federal government's (inaudible)?
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and
Labrador Affairs.
MR. HICKEY: The Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair is starting off
the session in her normal way.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
MR. HICKEY: Let me say this, Mr. Speaker: I will put this government's
track record, when it comes to expenditures in Labrador, against her and her
government when they were there. I can tell you that, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: Mr. Speaker, we have spent some $200 million to commitments
to the people of Labrador, on transportation and other infrastructure. In her
district, we just changed the ferry rates. We just improved the ferry rates -
that she did not do, I can tell you. We extended the ferry service, Mr. Speaker
- that she did not do, I can tell you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HICKEY: We put (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The time for Question Period has expired.
MS JONES: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
A point of order has been raised by the Member of Cartwright-L'Anse au
Clair.
MS JONES: Just a very brief point of order, just for clarification to the
minister.
It was his government that increased the ferry rates on the Strait of Belle
Isle. In addition to that, the total savings on a passenger service between
Cartwright and Goose Bay next summer, to the individual passenger, will be
thirty cents; so thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. member will know that we cannot extend Question Period by a point of
order, and points of order deal with parliamentary procedure, so there is no
point of order. There may be a disagreement between hon. members, but there is
no point of order.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
MR. SPEAKER: As Speaker of the House of Assembly and Chair of the
Commission of Internal Economy, I wish to table the report of the Commission for
the fiscal year April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. I wish to reference and quote a
paragraph at the end of page 2. This paragraph has been written in consultation
with the Auditor General.
"The list of salary, allowances and allowable expenses and guidelines
with respect to the specific amounts in each category of expenditure and the
amendments to the Morgan Commission Report are attached to this Report and set
out in
Schedule "B". In light of a review currently being undertaken
by the Auditor General,
Schedule "C" - the listing of expenditures by
each Member of the House of Assembly during the fiscal year - has not been
included as this
schedule in recent annual reports has been identified by the
Auditor General as containing incorrect information. The Auditor General has
stated that his ongoing review of constituency allowance will be completed
before October, 2007."
Further tabling of documents.
The hon. the Minister of Justice.
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As required by
Section 14 of the Electoral Boundaries Act, I rise to table a
copy of that report, the 2006 Electoral Boundaries by the Electoral Boundaries
Commission.
Mr. Speaker, this report has been previously provided to all members in
advance of this tabling today.
MR. SPEAKER: Further tabling of documents.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
AN HON. MEMBER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: I am sorry, the hon. the Minister of Justice.
The Chair recognized the hon. the Minister of Finance first, who was standing
in his place.
The hon. the Minister of Finance.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will move that the
House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider certain
resolutions for the granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 71.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice.
MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask for leave to introduce a bill
entitled,
An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act, Bill 72.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I wish to move, pursuant to Standing Order 11,
that tomorrow, Monday, March 26, the House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. or, further,
that the House not adjourn at 10:00 p.m.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow, Monday.
MR. SPEAKER: I do believe the Government House Leader meant to say that
he was going to give notice today, not move the motion itself -
MR. RIDEOUT: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: - so the Chair takes it as a notice of motion.
Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity.
Just to confirm, with regard to the procedure in the next couple of days, I
guess, I have had some discussion with the Government House Leader and we have
agreed that there are certain circumstances which normally you might give
notice, or be required to have leave to give notice, that we have had those
discussions and we will be consenting, for example, to the House opening
tomorrow, Friday, which is not normally a sitting day, as well as any other
motions that are required to expedite legislation such as the Electoral
Boundaries Commission that the Minister of Justice just alluded to.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair acknowledges there has been consultation between
the two House Leaders and the Chair, and I do understand an agreement has been
reached on the normal notices that would be required, and leave has been granted
to proceed with government business, particularly the Interim Supply motions and
the Electoral Boundaries legislation, and also leave for the House to meet on
tomorrow, Friday, from 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
The Chair understands these motions have been agreed to by the House Leaders,
and the Chair - unless the Chair hears differently - will not ask that question
again unless it is brought to the Chair's attention for some specific reason.
The Chair understands it will operate on that agreement in the next several
days.
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I just wish to confirm what my colleague across
the way has said, and which you have reiterated. That is the understanding; that
is the agreement.
Under Notices of Motion, I just moved the notice of the motion for Monday, so
that obviously there is some debate on whether I was allowed to move it tomorrow
or not, since we are sitting by leave tomorrow - tomorrow being Friday.
Therefore, I moved that motion under Standing Order 11, or gave notice of it
under Standing Order 11, so that it will be on the Order Paper for Monday if we
need it. We do have the consent that has been alluded to by my colleague across
the way and reiterated by Your Honour.
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you very much.
Are there any further notices of motions?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.
MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the residents from the North
Shore of the Bay of Islands. I will read the petition today and I will be
presenting more over the next several days.
WHEREAS the residents of the communities of the North Shore of the Bay of
Islands do hereby voice our concern over the deplorable condition of the North
Shore Highway;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to immediately allocate sufficient funding
to repair potholes, collapsed culverts and sunken gravel shoulders of the
highway to ensure public safety in a five-year plan for the upgrading and
resurfacing of the whole North Shore Highway from Ballam Bridge to Cox's Cove;
as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, there is a piece in the paper from the minister who was invited
to a meeting on the North Shore, which he committed to attend but he never
attended. He goes ahead and says: The minister believes that the problem falls
with the Liberal Member for the Bay of Islands, Eddie Joyce, and says the
meeting was orchestrated in that way.
I say to the minister, here is a petition of 1,000 people today, to say:
Minister, you are wrong. They are the ones who wanted the meeting. They are the
ones who have concerns. They are the ones who asked to meet with you, not Eddie
Joyce. I must say, the minister committed to have a meeting. The meeting never
did take place. He committed - he said: Why don't you fly into St. John's. I
might meet with you in St. John's.
I will just let the minister know that the Town Council of Gillams, in the
last several days, have written you now - just for the public record - to invite
you to a meeting out in the Bay of Islands area concerning the road condition.
We have invited the former minister, the Member for The Straits & White Bay,
to a meeting out there. He refused to meet. The Member for Lewisporte was
invited out to a meeting a few years back when he was Transportation Minister,
and he refused to meet out there.
Mr. Speaker, the condition of these roads is very unsafe. This has now gone
beyond a Liberal or a PC district getting a bit of funding. This is unsafe
highways. This is the residents of the North Shore of the Bay of Islands, 1,000
strong in just this petition alone, saying that, we need something done before
someone gets injured, before a fatality happens in the District of the Bay of
Islands. They work within the system; I work within the system.
I know I said it publicly, that there are a lot of ministers across the way
that I deal with on a regular basis. We do have a mutual respect for each other
in our positions, but, for whatever reason, this minister just absolutely
refuses to meet with anybody, and this is a safety issue. This is a matter of
people being injured. There are many instances. If the minister ever shows up
out there he will hear of conditions where people go off the side of the road.
There are drops in the road right where the pavement ends, about six to eight
inches, and it is extremely dangerous.
This is a petition that they asked me to present. I will be presenting one
again tomorrow and one on Monday to the same effect.
Mr. Speaker, I present this petition for the people of the Bay of Islands and
urge the minister to meet with the residents and come up with the funding to
make our roads safe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Back again on a petition. I guess the three Ps we call it, the porta-potty
petition.
First of all, I guess, you talk about bouquets and bricks. Well, I would like
to give a bouquet - I hope it is going to be a bouquet when the Budget comes
down on April 26 - to the Minister of Transportation and Works. Everyone is
aware - the people of Ramea, Grey River and Burgeo have certainly been aware,
from the last Session where I raised the porta-potty issue, as we call it - more
particularly and more specifically of the need for a washroom, restroom
facility, in Burgeo to accommodate the ferry users in that part of our Province.
I understand - I hope on good authority - that the Minister of Transportation
and Works is going to deliver on that project. In fact, he has been out in the
media, back in January, and indicated as such. In fact, Mr. Arthur Marsden, the
President of the Citizens Club in Ramea, tells me that he has it on good
authority too, that this is going to happen. I would like and hope that I am
going to be able to thank the minister for that come April 26.
Now, come April 26, I hope - just for a short time anyway - he will move the
porta-potties to Rose Blanche-Diamond Cove because we have the same problem a
little further up the coast. Go a little further west and we have the identical
situation. Rightfully so, the people of Grand Bruit and LaPoile jumped all over
me when they heard me up here making a petition on behalf of the people of
Burgeo and Ramea for washroom facilities. They rightfully jumped all over me and
said: Hey, you are our member. How come you are not petitioning to get the same
thing put here in Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou-Diamond Cove? That is what I am
about today in this petition; the same thing, identical circumstances. The
people who go waiting for the ferry down there, it could be hours if the ferry
is delayed due to weather or whatever; in fact, an even worse situation. The
closest washroom to anywhere where the ferry lands is about five to ten
kilometres away. Anyone in a vehicle waiting for the ferry to show up who gets,
whatever, short taken, has to use the washroom - it could be a child, it could
be an elderly person, it could be a man or a woman. It is not gender specific
when you have needs of washrooms. It is a human, basic, decent, humanity need,
and the minister has not looked at it.
I understand, from very good authorities, even within his own department,
that it has been identified as a priority. I say to the minister, you cannot
treat one area differently than another. For example, the area that services
Fogo Island, I think every place where the ferry lands they have a restroom or
washroom facility. The people of Rose Blanche and the people of Harbour Le Cou,
and the people of Diamond Cove and Grand Bruit and LaPoile should be treated no
differently. They are entitled to it. It is a basic, human dignity to have
washroom facilities if you are waiting to use the provincial transportation
ferry system.
I am here today, and I am very pleased to speak on behalf of those people,
particularly of LaPoile and Grand Bruit. I ask the minister to wrap his head
around this one now. Don't rush the porta-potties up there because that is not
good enough. We are not asking for porta-potties. We are just asking for porta-potties
until you get the real thing there, and the real thing should be there, I would
suggest. Spring is breaking, spring broke two days ago, and there is no reason
why we cannot get that done for the people of Grand Bruit and LaPoile.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Chair has not received notice or confirmation of a petition.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: No, no, but we vet our petitions.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: Pardon?
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair made some comments some time ago that all
petitions should be vetted through the Assistant Clerk, and that has been
happening on a regular basis. My notes do not indicate that the hon. member's
petition has been vetted by the Clerk. That is the only point that I am making.
MR. RIDEOUT: In the meantime, the hon. member can proceed with her
petition.
MR. SPEAKER: If it is the will of the House, then the hon. member who has
a petition - the will of the House is that we would hear it.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER: I say to the hon. member, there may be some mis-communication
that has occurred, so the Chair will hear the petition.
The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.
MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Just for clarification for the record, the prayer of this petition was
already approved by the Clerk in the previous Session of the Legislature and has
been presented similarly in the House before.
Mr. Speaker, the petition is presented on behalf of the residents of Williams
Harbour and it relates to the residents of Williams Harbour wanting to have a
road connection.
I would like to explain that, Mr. Speaker, because, for those Members of the
House of Assembly who do not understand the geography of that part of Labrador,
Williams Harbour is only about twenty-two kilometres from the main highway, of
the Trans-Labrador Highway, which runs into Pinsent Arm, but in order to build
that road there needs to be a bridge across a place called Winter Tickle,
because Williams Harbour is indeed on an island.
Because of the global warming, Mr. Speaker, and the fact that our
temperatures have been getting milder every year, there is always more of a risk
that particular tickle will not freeze up in the winter. In fact, last winter -
not this winter, last winter - residents were not able to get off the island of
Williams Harbour by snowmobile for the entire winter. Even attempts that were
made found that snowmobiles went through the ice and people could have lost
their lives, only for the fact that they were taking all of the necessary safety
precautions in trying to cross over that particular tickle.
Mr. Speaker, when we were in government we had committed to build a road into
this community. It was at a cost of between $5 million and $5.5 million, and a
lot of the preliminary work was done. Unfortunately, the government opposite and
members opposite chose not to build this particular piece of highway. In fact,
Works, Services and Transportation at one point commissioned a study and came
back and said it was not economically feasible to put this road into Williams
Harbour and therefore would not do it. Well, Mr. Speaker, I would like to argue
that it is not economically feasible to build a lot of the roads that have been
constructed in Newfoundland and Labrador, but they are done so to alleviate
hazard and hardship on the people who live in these particular communities.
Williams Harbour is a community of people who live around the fishery. They have
to go off the island for health care services and for a lot of the other
services that we rely on and take for granted every day.
I want to appeal to the current minister, Mr. Speaker, who is from Labrador
and also knows this community very well. I want to appeal to him to build this
road into the community of Williams Harbour. Bite the bullet and spend that
small amount of money to see this community connected by road.
I know now that the government is looking at putting a bridge across Winter
Tickle for the residents there, so they can get off the island in winter by
snowmobile. God, we would applaud that and we would welcome it, but it is a far
cry from giving these people the real transportation network that they deserve,
and that is a road network into their community.
How can you be so ruthless and so heartless as to deny such a basic service
to a community like this in our Province? Last year, the Department of
Transportation and Works spent $60 million in roadwork in this Province, and yet
would not build this road into Williams Harbour for those residents.
This year, the minister already - the same minister who is the Minister
Responsible for Labrador Affairs - has announced over $70 million in roadwork
for the Island of Newfoundland. For God's sake, have a heart. Do not be so
ruthless. Put the money there to build this road to the community of Williams
Harbour, so that these people can get off the island, can connect with the
Trans-Labrador Highway, and can carry on with the level and style of life that
most of us enjoy everywhere else in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a small
sacrifice, a small investment for the government, and I can only plead with you
today, that you make this a reality in the budget that is coming down next
month.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, before preceding with the Orders of the Day,
pursuant to Standing Order 65.(d), I wish, as Government House Leader, to name
two new members to the Public Accounts Committee.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. RIDEOUT: Okay.
The government nominees on the Public Accounts Committee, replacing a couple
of members who were on the Committee and have since become ministers, the new
members will be the Member for Placentia & St. Mary's - and, Mr. Speaker,
I can inform the House that government members will be nominating our colleague
from Placentia & St. Mary's as Vice-Chair - and the other government
member on the Committee will be the Member for Baie Verte.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to agreement, at this time I would like move first
reading of Bill 72,
An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act, commonly and
colloquially known as the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, I guess.
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of
Justice shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The
House Of Assembly Act." (Bill 72)
Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Justice shall
have leave to introduce said bill?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
Motion, the hon. the Minister of Justice to introduce a bill, "An Act To
Amend The House Of Assembly Act," carried. (Bill 72)
MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 72,
An Act To Amend The
House Of Assembly Act, be now read a first time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that the bill be now read
a first time?
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
CLERK: A bill,
An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act. (Bill 72)
MR. SPEAKER: Bill 72,
An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act, has now
been read a first time.
When shall this bill be read a second time?
MR. RIDEOUT: Presently, by consent.
MR. SPEAKER: Presently, by leave.
On motion, Bill 72 read a first time, ordered read a second time presently,
by leave.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, at this time, again by leave and with consent,
I would like to move to the process regarding Interim Supply. I believe in that
context the next matter would be to recognize the minister who would have a
message from His Honour.
MR. SPEAKER: The Chair recognizes the notices have been given earlier and
we are proceeding on leave, and the Chair will not refer to leave further.
The Chair now recognizes the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of
Treasury Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that I have received a message from
His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.
MR. SPEAKER: All rise.
The message is dated 20 March 2007. The text is as follows:
As Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I
transmit a request to appropriate sums required for the Public Service of the
Province for the year ending 31 March 2008, by way of Interim Supply, and in
accordance with the provisions of sections 54 and 90 of the Constitution Act,
1867, I recommend this request to the House of Assembly.
Sgd.: _______________________________________________________
Edward Roberts, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland & Labrador
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I move that the message, together with a
bill, be referred to a Committee of Supply.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the message, together with a bill, be
referred to a Committee of Supply.
All those in favour, aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.
The motion is carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr.
Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Fitzgerald): Order, please!
The committee is ready to hear debate on Bill 71,
An Act For Granting To Her
Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public
Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2008 And For Other Purposes
Relating To The Public Service.
The committee is ready to hear debate on Bill 71 and the resolution that
accompanies that particular bill.
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is a pleasure for me to stand here today, in a new position, to lead off
the debate on this resolution. Under Bill 71 there is a resolution: That it is
expedient to introduce a measure to provide for the granting to Her Majesty for
defraying certain expenses of the public service for the financial year ending
March 31, 2008 the sum of $1,664,000,000 less $1,000.
We will start the debate by saying that what we are seeking here, in Interim
Supply, is approval by the House of Assembly, the representatives of the people
of this Province, for the sum of $1,663,999,000. This amount represents
approximately 33 per cent - I should say, basically 33 per cent, just so that
everyone feels familiar. It is 33 per cent of the 2006-2007 budgeted current and
capital accounts gross expenditures. It will provide government departments and
public bodies with sufficient cash flow dollars to enable them to manage current
and capital expenditures for the period of time that runs from April 1, 2007
through to the period ending June 30, 2007. That, of course, is the government's
first financial quarter, first fiscal quarter.
Now, this is something that we do every year. Every year, at this session of
the House, the government asks the House of Assembly for Interim Supply. The
reason for that is that the Budget, of course, will not come down until April
26, since the Budget and the Supply bill that comes with the Budget is the bill
- or the Estimates bill, I should say - that provides the government with the
funding it needs to carry on its operations. Since the Budget will not come down
until April 26, and even then there will be a certain period of time before the
Budget and the Supply bill, the main Supply bill, are actually passed by the
House, the government, of course, needs funds to meet payrolls and to meet its
ongoing expenses, and this legislation has to pass by a certain date. I think it
has to pass by March 26, so that cheques that have to go out to various parts of
the Province can reach the people by that time, or by April 1. I think that is
the date in terms of Labrador. In some accounts, more than one quarter of the
Budget is required to provide for those items that will need to be expensed
early in the year, as well as to provide for the calling and the awarding of
tenders and the encumbering of funds.
There is not a huge increase being asked for this year compared to Interim
Supply that was asked for at this time last year. Last year there was a request
for $1,510,000,000. So the increase this year is approximately $154.5 million.
This increase includes provision for salary increases, for inflation and program
growth, and for the annualization of 2006-2007 Budget initiatives. What that
means of course, Mr. Chairman, is the fact that certain government programs,
when they are initiated, are started not at the beginning of the year but they
are started at different times throughout the year so that the following year
when the program funding is annualized, obviously for that year, twelve months
will be needed. That is what we mean by the expression annualization, which is a
word that we hear a lot in this House of Assembly, especially when we are
dealing with Budget matters and dealing with financial matters.
Interim Supply is basically intended to provide for the continuation of
ongoing government programs and projects. Included in this year's Interim
Supply bill are general ongoing housekeeping expenditures, including funding for
seven payroll periods and ongoing project and funding requirements applicable to
the 2007-2008 fiscal year. As I said earlier, this bill needs to be passed on or
before March 26 in order to be able to process cheques, including income support
requirements which will have to be mailed to Labrador and the more distant parts
of our Province.
On April 26 of this year I will be pleased to table the full estimates of
expenditures for 2007-2008, along with the Budget Speech, and I certainly look
forward to a full and lively debate at that time. I am advised that the total
amount of time that this House spends in dealing with the Budget is seventy-five
hours of debate, and I understand that the time we spend debating Interim Supply
will, in fact, come out of that time limit. So, I know that all members will be
anxious to use the opportunity as we debate this financial legislation. Members
are not limited to talking about the principle of the bill because when we are
debating financial bills my understanding is members can talk about whatever it
is they wish to talk about.
Mr. Chairman, I will take the opportunity to use the remaining few minutes
that I have today to just talk about what has been happening since my
predecessor decided to leave provincial political life.
For the past three months I have found myself immersed in the operations of
new departments, the Department of Finance and the Department of Treasury Board,
after spending three years as Minister of Justice and the Attorney General,
which were positions that I did enjoy very much. I must say, I am looking
forward to the new challenges and opportunities that will be presented to me in
the new role I will have as the Finance Minister and President of Treasury
Board.
I have had the opportunity to do some pre-Budget consultations. I have had
the opportunity to visit Labrador West, to visit Happy Valley-Goose Bay,
Stephenville, St. Anthony, Corner Brook, and to listen to citizens and hear what
they have to say, and their advice to me, as the Finance Minister, as to what
they think should go in the Budget.
I know that some people do not think that is a worthwhile effort for a
Finance Minister, but I thought it was important. I enjoyed very much the
consultations that I have had. I hope, given the fact that the Budget is not
coming down until April 26, to get an opportunity to go down the Burin
Peninsula. I have talked to the Minister of Environment and Conservation about
that, and I hope an opportunity will present itself during this time that we can
go down to Marystown and hear the views of the people in that part of the
Province.
Mr. Chairman, what I have heard, and obviously I have heard a lot, is that
people are very pleased with some of the actions the government has taken over
the past three years, and the improvements that they have seen, especially in
our fiscal and financial situation, and especially with respect to the fact that
we are now addressing, for the first time, our heavy debt load.
I have learned how far this Province has grown fiscally and economically.
Through the strong leadership of Premier Williams, through sound fiscal
management, and through public co-operation of members of the public and our
government employees, we have truly turned a financial corner. I think that is
obvious to everyone in the Province.
We have certainly come a long way from a time when we had a deficit, an
annual deficit, of $1 billion, to reporting a financial surplus; just in the
year 2005-2006 a surplus of $200 million. That is quite a turnaround. It is
something that we indicated we wanted to do. We wanted to get away from having
deficits to living within our means and running modest surpluses so that it
would give us an opportunity to start paying down some debt, which in turn would
allow us to have the opportunity to reduce annual interest expenses, so instead
of having to spend money on interest we could spend money on more important
things like building new hospitals and schools, providing more police officers,
and dealing with the things that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians truly want us
to do so that we can become the Province that we all agree we need to be.
We have seen employment growing to reach a record level of 215,700 last year.
The unemployment rate has declined for the fourth consecutive year, in 2006,
dropping down to 14.8 per cent, which is the lowest unemployment rate in the
last twenty-five years.
We are expected to lead the country in economic growth this year. Everybody
talks about Alberta, and the effect that Alberta is having on every province in
the country as it attracts workers from all provinces to the Province of Alberta
for the purposes of seeking these high paying jobs. This year the growth rate in
Newfoundland and Labrador is estimated to be 5.7 per cent and the growth rate in
Alberta is estimated to be 5 per cent, and I think that is certainly very
significant to the people of this Province. The rest of the provinces should
have a growth rate in the range of 2 per cent or 3 per cent.
Our credit rating, while still the lowest in the country, has never been
higher. Over the past two years we received four upgrades from the four credit
rating agencies, and their rationale for doing these upgrades is the continuing
improvement in our Province's financial situation. The wise decision to use
the Atlantic Accord funds to make a one-time payment to reduce debt, as I said
earlier, that allows us not to have to spend so much money on interest. It
allows us to spend money on health, education, policing, hiring new teachers,
and doing the things that people want us to do.
Our economic prospects are good, and our large growing offshore energy sector
will certainly add to that. Of course, the higher the government's credit
rating, the lower the cost associated with our borrowing, and the less
government will have to pay on interest costs, as I have said.
This fiscal prudence has allowed us to address our unfunded pension
liability, and we did that recently. We had an unfunded pension liability of
$2.2 billion. We had a pension liability of about $8.2 billion. We have $6
billion in the Pooled Pension Fund, which is earning interest, earning revenue,
at the rate of over 10 per cent since 1985, which is just an excellent record.
The problem was, the unfunded part of that liability, the unfunded part of that
debt, which is a debt, a liability, of the people of this Province, of the
taxpayers of this Province, was growing at the rate, according to our actuaries,
of 7.5 per cent per year. It went up last year to about $300 million while the
government was putting in, I think, $60 million last year. The amount that
government was contributing was not even enough to cover the annual interest on
the unfunded pension liability.
What we did, recognizing that we had that liability, we decided to be
fiscally prudent and we decided to manage that liability by borrowing the sum of
about $982 million, using that liability to pay off the unfunded pension
liability, or to fund the unfunded pension liability, and our borrowing cost is
4.5 per cent. On doing that on about a billion dollars worth of debt, we have
decreased our annual interest by 3 per cent, which works out to about $27
million or $28 million a year.
That was a fiscally prudent thing to do for the taxpayers of the Province who
have the liability, under legislation and under the collective agreements, to
pay these pension liabilities when they are due. It was also a great thing to do
for our retired employees, our pensioners, who now have a sustainable or almost
fully sustainable pension fund, almost a fully funded pension fund. That ends
uncertainty for them. It also gives us an opportunity to comply with the
recommendation that the Attorney General made in his annual report of March 31,
2006 when he recommended that government appropriately manage its unfunded
pension liabilities. So, we are pleased to be able to do that. This decision
makes great fiscal sense.
As the new Minister of Finance, I intend to continue from where my
predecessor left off. I will be supporting the Premier as we work towards
self-reliance and building a prosperous economy for our people.
The strategic directions in the department remain the same. We will manage
the Province's financial operating resources to promote government surpluses,
to live within our means and not run up major deficits which require us to go
further and further in debt. We will improve the status of publicly-funded
public service pension plans, and we will work to ensure that the economic and
fiscal climate within this Province is one that will attract investment, attract
the creation of new businesses, which means new jobs, and new jobs for people
are what will make this Province grow and prosper. With that in mind, we have
completed a review of the Province's overall tax structure and we have brought
forward recommendations for consideration in this year's Budget process.
Mr. Chairman, in terms of our corporate income tax rate we are right in the
middle of the pack across the country, but in terms of our personal tax rate we
pay the highest taxes in the country. So, we have taken an opportunity to do a
complete review of those personal income taxes to see if there may be things
that we can do to help our citizens and to help the Province attract people with
skills that we need to attract to this Province, because we need to bring in
more and more people given the decline in the population that we have been
experiencing.
We have had recent population numbers from Statistics Canada which indicate
our population dropped over the last five years by 7,500 people, which is a drop
of 1.5 per cent. Now while the drop in population is not a good thing, the good
news is that the population drop is a lot less than it was in the previous five
years where the population dropped by 40,000 which was a 7 per cent drop.
We have a situation in this Province where we have what is called a negative
birth rate. We have more people now in this Province who are dying in a year
than children are being born. When you have a negative birth rate, you have a
decline in population without even considering out-migration.
In order to maintain your population you need a birth rate of about 2.3 per
cent, I believe it is. In Newfoundland it is 1.1 per cent, so we are not
sustaining our population growth. In the country as a whole it is 1.7 per cent,
but the difference in the country as a whole is that they are attracting
immigration. They are attracting immigrants from outside the country and that is
something that we have to do, and I am delighted that my colleague, the Minister
of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, yesterday announced an immigration
strategy for this Province which will help us attract new immigrants to come to
this Province and to retain them once they here, because it is very important
and they will bring new skills and new opportunities.
Mr. Chairman, I see that I am running out of time, and I have a bit of a frog
in my throat here anyway, so I will conclude my remarks at this point in time. I
look forward very much to the debate on Interim Supply, and maybe I will have
the opportunity to speak once again at some point this afternoon or this
evening.
Thank you very much.
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.
MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I just heard those moans from the backbenches.
Mr. Chairman, I am delighted here today to be able to respond to the new
finance minister's first bill to the House of Assembly. Of course, he is not a
bit like his predecessor. His predecessor, although a fine man, had an A type
personality and it did not take much to get him riled up. He spent more time
with a red face than a calm face. I think this new finance minister is the more
laid back type, so I will not give you a hard time now on your first day on the
job. How is that? I will save that for the Budget.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible) leaving, aren't you?.
MS THISTLE: I still have lots of power in me yet.
Anyway, I am delighted to stand here today. Naturally, this is a necessary
thing to bring to the House of Assembly. Although, when I received notice that
the Budget was going to be April 26, I thought to myself: What is going on?
Normally, in past years, we have always waited to hear what the federal Budget
was going to be and, of course, then the provincial Budget was completed based
on the knowledge of what the federal Budget was going to bring to us. Why we are
waiting and extra month, I don't know. There must be some reason or some plan
by this provincial government to delay our Budget for a month.
MR. HICKEY: (Inaudible) strategic.
MS THISTLE: The Member for Lake Melville, the Minister for Transportation
and Works says this government wants to be strategic. Well, do you want me to
start talking about strategies right away? Because that was one of the notes I
actually made. Seeing you tweaked my interest, I might have to begin on
strategies right away.
However, this Budget for the entire Province is about $5 billion. That is a
lot of money, $5 billion. Today we are looking for approval of $1.6 billion,
which is roughly 33 per cent. Now you have to do this. We have seventy-five
hours after the Budget is brought down on April 26 to debate the pros and cons
of how this government has decided to spend the people's money. As a result of
Interim Supply, part of that seventy-five hours is going to be used up.
At one point there was unlimited time for responding to the Budget. One of
the things I will have a record for when I leave this wonderful House is the
fact that I have been able to speak the longest in the history of the House of
Assembly. As a result of that adventure of fourteen hours, the current
government decided to limit my time, so as a result now, when the Budget is
brought down on April 26, I am only going to get three hours. That is all right,
you can say a lot sometimes in three hours.
This particular bill that is brought before us today is $1.6 billion. The
Minister of Finance, this is a new task for him, and, of course, the Premier
must have a lot of confidence in this minister by giving him one of the top
jobs, the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board. He looks to this
minister as being able to carry the load.
I have never had a run in yet with this minister. He has always been very
fair and very reasonable in the past when we have been dealing and arguing back
and forth across the House. I read the message that the minister had: Every
department of government was supposed to, and did, prepare what they call an
annual report to the taxpayers of the Province as to how their particular
department was running. This minister, the Minister of Finance, did the same
thing. I happened to be scanning over his message last night and one of the
things that he started out saying, which was so key I thought, was: While
progress is being made in managing our Province's debt and securing our future
our revenue base is heavily reliant on the volatile oil prices. You know you
have to read between that, because he just stood on his feet and said, when this
government came to power they inherited a $1 billion deficit for that first
year. You know something, that is largely propaganda but I will not dissect that
information now because there was everything in God's earthly creation lumped
into that to make it look bad.
You do not have a $1 billion deficit and have a surplus the next year that
you can pay off The Rooms museum. However, all of us inside know exactly how
that $1 billion deficit arrived on the scene. It took a lot of cajoling to get
that figure up to $1 billion in the deficit.
What the minister is actually saying is that this government relies solely on
oil revenues because although they are in their fourth year of governing our
Province they really do not have a big plan or any type of plan for creating
jobs. That statement says it all because when we started out about four years
ago oil prices were pretty low, in the $30 range, and now over the past winter
they have gone as high as $60 a barrel. You can do a lot with that extra
flexibility when you base your budget on about $40 a barrel and it comes up to
be $60 a barrel at the end of the budget year. You can have a lot of flexibility
in making funding available for different projects.
The hard part about all of this: We are living in a time right now where we
have had the best times financially in our Province with the Atlantic Accord
revenue and the difference and the gains that we have made with oil prices.
Still, for all of that, we are facing a time when we have lost the most people
ever in our Province. I think that hit home to me a couple of weeks ago. I
happened to be picking up somebody at the airport and there were two planes
there, one was Air Canada and the other one was WestJet. The belts were loaded
with luggage coming off the flight from different people who were out to Alberta
working. I said to one young man - he was there, his wife was there waiting for
him, and he was so happy to be home - I said: Where are you working? He said:
Out in Alberta. I am hoping, though, that I can get back here again. I am gone
for six weeks and I am back for four.
Now, that is the invisible type of employment that we have here now in our
Province. We have made a big business for Air Canada and WestJet and other
charters that are coming to Newfoundland and Labrador, mainly into St. John's
and Deer Lake, picking up our young people - and not even our young people, our
elderly people. What we are finding now is that when the young people leave our
Province sometimes they take their parents because the parents have no way to
manage on their own. Sometimes the parents are elderly and sometimes the parents
are needed, while the husband and wife works in Alberta, to look after the
children.
I think the most startling thing that I saw in a statistic was when I saw our
census population come out a while ago. It said: In 2006, for instance, a very
first in Canadian demographic history - a very first in Canadian demographic
history! - we made headlines. Our Province of Newfoundland and Labrador made
headlines. It says: The number of deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador matched
the number of births. The number of deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador matched
the number of births in 2006. Now that is not a very good piece of history for
us to be making history across Canada, by having that kind of a situation happen
in our Province. In our Province we always had the highest number of births per
capita, and now we have our deaths matching our births.
You can look in The Telegram and you can see the space taken up for
births and the ones for deaths. It is almost entirely equal. That is not a good
thing. We have to do something about that. When I saw, a week ago, The
Telegram with the big red letters: Our Population Shrunk to 505,000, based
on that, this time next year our population could be under 500,000. What does
that do to equalization? That is a scary prospect because this current federal
government that just brought down their federal budget, they are now talking and
discussing eliminating base funding for social and health transfers. They are
talking about basing their funding on per capita only, for the population only.
That is a very scary prospect because if we do not get base funding to operate
our schools, our hospitals, improve our roads and look after the social needs of
our Province, and the funding is going to be based on the number of people in
our Province, that is a very scary prospect.
You will notice that all governments, recently, when they announce their
budgets will say: I am going to put $38 million into, whatever category, over
the next five to seven years. That sounds like an impressive way to do things,
saying they are going to put $30 million or $40 million into a certain category
over the next five to seven years. Who knows if that government is going to be
around in the next five to seven years? But while they are actually giving out
their budget, or any of these changes, policy changes, it sounds impressive.
I was looking through some of the reports for various departments of our
provincial government. The first one that came to my attention was - I heard the
Member for Lake Melville talk about strategies. The buzzword around this
government is that every department has a strategy, and they must write a
strategy. This is how their department is going to run, with the minister being
responsible for the strategy. Now, you cannot eat strategies. As much as you
might think, you cannot eat strategies.
I looked at the strategic plan for the Minister of Innovation, Trade and
Rural Development. That minister put out a small book, because there was not too
much he had to say. He put out a small book, half the size of the regular
strategy book for every other department. There was one small mistake in his
book and he had to come up with a new book. About a week later he sent out
another book with a letter with it saying that there was a typographical error
in his first book. I noticed that the only change in his second book was that
the columns are now in blue instead of in pink. He put up his columns in blue in
his new book and he changed one of the years from 2007 to 2008. That is the
Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.
Now, this whole book was written as to what this minister is going to do from
now until 2008. He had twenty-five plans here for regional diversification and
industry growth. And guess what? There were three categories. One was in the
works, one was the operational plan that is going ahead, everything is dandy,
and another one was the branch or divisional work plans. And guess what? Out of
the twenty-five plans the minister had here not one was in the working stage.
Does the minister expect the taxpayers of this Province to look at a book of
strategies for rural development with twenty-five plans on the books, four years
on the job, trying to create something in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and
there is not one x where it says, in the operational plans?
I would say to the Premier, if he is watching up there on the eighth floor
now: Premier, call in your deputy minister; call him in and get this book out.
Get the book out. There is not one x in here for in the operational stages. It
is all a plan up in the air somewhere, what he thinks might work in rural
Newfoundland and Labrador. There is not one plan being worked on, not one way to
save rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
I wonder, did the Premier see that book before it went out? I wonder, did he
see it? Because he ought to see it now. There is not one plan - all right, here
is another one. This is a plan, another strategy for the Minister of the
Department of Business. Well, blessed Redeemer, whoever wrote the crap that is
in this book? Because there is nothing there, not a thing. He says: Goal number
one, by 2008 the Department of Business will have generated increased business
investment in the Province. Now how much investment are you going to generate?
He never said that.
CHAIR: Order, please!
I remind the hon. Member for Grand Falls-Buchans that her time for speaking
has lapsed.
MS THISTLE: That is too bad. I will try to get in a bit later.
Thank you.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MS THISTLE: Well, I have enough there for another hour. (Inaudible).
CHAIR: Order, please!
Does the hon. member have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER: Yes.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans, by leave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MS THISTLE: Well, Mr. Chairman, I am shocked. I did not know that the
Government House Leader was going to be so generous.
Thank you so much.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MS THISTLE: Okay. Thank you.
I will not abuse the privilege, but I will finish the context of what I was
saying. I would like to know who wrote this book for the Minister of Business. I
would like to know, because it is child's play. It is child's play.
Goal number two - now, this is ridiculous, for gosh sakes - goal number two,
by 2008 the Department of Business will have led the development in
implementation of a provincial investment attraction strategy to informed
decision-making.
My Lord, who wrote this book? Who wrote this book? Because it is nothing; it
is only a repetition, a pie in the sky, of what you might like to do, but there
is nothing there that says where you are going to get the investors. Where are
they coming from? How much money are they going to invest in this Province? How
many jobs are you going to create? There is nothing there like this.
Now, I do not know, I might be insulting someone here today but that does not
make any difference. That does not make any difference, because I have to say
it. By 2008, the Department of Business will have led the implementation of the
Brand Development Strategy.
Now, you cannot eat strategies. Do you think those three flowers on top of
the Newfoundland and Labrador name is going to bring much business to this
Province? I wonder, is it?
Goal number four, by 2008 the Department of Business will have led the
improvement of the regulatory environment across government. Now, what does that
say to the fellow out there on the Trans-Canada, out there around South Brook,
who had to close up his place? Eddy's, was it, Eddy's Restaurant? He was
burdened down with taxes. He is going to be really thrilled, that, by 2008, the
Department of Business will have led the improvement of the regulatory
environment across government. He is going to be thrilled with that one.
Now, he has the same problem. You see, this Minister of Business has all
these strategies that are going to create a positive business environment in
this Province, which eventually will lead to jobs. Now, this is four years that
this Minister of Business - not him, he has only been in it a short time, but
this was the Premier's baby. He was the Minister of Business who was going to
bring all kinds of industry and activity to our Province and we were going to be
the yes Province, the have Province, before long.
Now, whoever wrote this report, they have it broken down into four sections:
one, Business Attraction; two, Business Support; three, Marketing; and,
Regulatory Environment Reform, number four. Guess what? There is not one X that
says any of the stuff is in operation. It is only up in someone's mind. That
is all it is. They haven't got a thing done in the Business Department of the
Department of Business in this Province. I wouldn't even print it. If I were
the Minister of Business, I would not let anybody print this in here. The
Premier has to get this book as quick as he can get it, and make sure they put
out a new book with an X in the operational plan; because, if the Minister of
Business is satisfied to put this out, with his picture and everything in it,
saying that he has all of this on the go and there is not one thing in the works
right now - there is nothing in operation for any of this stuff; it is only a
pie in the sky. There is not a job created from it. They are running all over
the country spending the taxpayers' money and they have this little Mickey
Mouse book made up about the Department of Business and what they are going to
do. This is another situation where they are using down the road stuff. Listen
to their Mission, now, "By 2011 the Department of Business will have
facilitated the attraction of major business across the province and across
sectors." By 2011. Now, where do you think you guys are going to be in
2011? Where are you going to be in 2011?
MR. DENINE : (Inaudible).
MS THISTLE: I think the Member for Mount Pearl, who knows all about rural
Newfoundland and Labrador, is after getting outside the Overpass a bit the
summer, I see, since he got his new job. He knows all about rural Newfoundland
and Labrador. He might be of some assistance.
I wouldn't dare let this book leave my hands, if I were the Minister of
Business, because there is not one thing in that book, not a thing in that book.
Anything that he was planning on working, some pie in the sky policy, there is
not even an X by it to say it is in the works.
These are the ministers who are supposed to grow the economy of this
Province. The business plan for the Minister of the Department of Business -
anybody who is watching this today, for goodness sake, go out and get a copy.
They are free. Just call the Confederation Building, or my office, and I will
send it to you.
Another minister who is trying to stimulate rural Newfoundland and Labrador,
the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. Anyone watching this
program today, phone up and ask for this book. Phone up and ask for this book.
He has twenty-five strategies. He has twenty-five plans to create jobs in rural
Newfoundland, and not one is in the operational stage, after four years on the
job. Now, if anyone is trying to decide whether or not they are going to Alberta
to get a job, they will get a lot of comfort from looking at those two books for
sure.
Anyway, we are trying to approve what they call the Interim financing bill
today, Interim Supply. The Minister of Business has a budget of $4 million a
year. Now he wants $2 million so he can dress up that little book. No jobs are
going to be created.
I have to sit down now because I have a lot of my colleagues who are ready to
react to what the Minister of Finance said, and I will get another opportunity
later tonight I am sure.
Thank you for your indulgence, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am delighted to be here today to talk about some good things, actually,
that this government has done. Before I start talking about that, though, I
would like to first of all congratulate some of our new members. Certainly, my
congratulations go out to the new Member for Humber Valley and the new Members
for Port au Port, Kilbride, Ferryland, and, of course, soon to be proclaimed or
acclaimed is the Member for Labrador West, so I pass my congratulations on to
those particular individuals today.
Mr. Chair, I want to talk, as I said, just for a few minutes on some good
news that has come since this government has been elected, and more specifically
in the last year, I guess, Budget 2006. One thing I find that has been
happening, and I think the Opposition basically has tried to do this for the
past number of years now, is they are trying to basically pit rural against
urban. They try to keep saying that our government does not care about rural
Newfoundland and Labrador. I have to chuckle at that so many times when I look
at the investments that this government is actually making in rural Newfoundland
and Labrador.
For instance, in my district, I look at projects such as the road upgrading
that has happened through Municipal Affairs in communities. Because we have a
great minister who realizes how important rural Newfoundland and Labrador is to
this Province, of course, he has been instrumental in ensuring that we do have
money to go into rural infrastructure. For instance, as I said, water and sewer
issues, road issues. Just a small town in my district, Hare Bay, that services,
actually, Dover as well with the water supply, this government is investing
close on $1 million to upgrade a pump house. Again, that is in rural
Newfoundland and Labrador. It is not an urban area, it is rural Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Then I also look at issues that this government have looked at for rural
Newfoundland and Labrador, including deciding to put money into the provincial
roads budget; $60 million into a provincial roads budget. The fact is, most of
that money, Mr. Chair, goes into rural areas. I am pleased that in my district,
of course, over the past number of years, we put several millions of dollars
actually into roads and road work. It is very important that we have an
infrastructure in place in order to support many things. In fact, we cannot
support business in rural Newfoundland and Labrador without having the proper
infrastructure in place.
Again, I am very pleased that this government sees that and we have moved
forward in terms of putting money into road work within this Province. In fact,
I remember one time speaking to a contractor who talked to me about - it was a
road contractor, actually - the money that the previous government had put into
roads. His words were: If we do not see an injection of money into roads in
Newfoundland and Labrador, and specifically in rural Newfoundland and Labrador,
if we do not see that money injected into the economy or into the road work, I
can tell you now, our road work is falling down around us. We need money into
our roads.
That is exactly what this government has done. This government has stepped up
to the plate in terms of providing money for roads. I am very pleased with that
as well.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. ORAM: Another big initiative that this government has taken on - and
this is something, of course, that obviously pleases me because in my district I
do have an island of St. Brendan's, a small island with a small number of
people on that island. We have a ferry service, of course, from Burnside over to
St. Brendan's. It is about a forty-five minute ride. I can tell you now, that
if you want to have a really good trip, if you want to go out for a real nice
day, go out to St. Brendan's. Take the ferry across and you will find that it
is a great trip. There is only one problem. There is one small problem with
that. For years and years and years the provincial government - for example, the
last government, being the Liberal government -
MR. JOYCE: On a point of order, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIR: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands, on a point of order.
MR. JOYCE: I know the Member for Terra Nova would like to have the
correct information. He just announced $60 million of annual road work last
year. In the budget, and in the booklet sent out by the minister himself, and I
quote: Perhaps the highlight of the 2005-2006 Budget was government's
investment of $33.7 million in road work. I know the member would like to have
the correct information, and you can read it right from the minister's own
statement that he sent out from his own department. I know you would love to
have the right information.
CHAIR: Order, please!
There is no point of order.
The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
MR. ORAM: I do not think there is any point of order here as well. The
fact is, I actually said when I stood up that I was going to talk about the
money that we spent over the past three years since we have been elected. If I
did say $60 million last year, I certainly apologize for that. The fact is that
we have put significant money into the roads budget. I can understand the Member
for Bay of Islands being upset with the fact that, I think there was one year
they put $13 million into road work; I believe, $13 million. Another year $6
million, and somebody is going to correct me because we put in $33 million, $32
million? That is unbelievable! The fact is that we have stepped up to the plate.
We are not putting in $13 million, we are not putting in $6 million, we are
putting in $33 million, and it will be more and more and more, because I
believe, and we believe, this government believes in Newfoundland and Labrador.
We believe that we need to put money into infrastructure and we will continue to
do that.
As I was saying before I was interrupted, I was talking about St. Brendan's,
the island that we have. This Province has now asked for proposals to go ahead
and build two new ferries, and you know wherever those ferries go in this
Province it is all good. We need ferries in the Province. I was talking about
St. Brendan's. As I said, it is a great place to go, a great place to visit.
The problem is, quite frankly, and I think most people hear this and it is on
the Open Line shows and so on and so forth, because of the neglect from the
previous governments - and I will say governments, I will be generous and say
governments - because of the neglect over the years, when you get over to St.
Brendan's you may not get back because the ferry may not work.
There was a little while ago when a previous government purchased a vessel, I
think it was called the Hull 100 , and that particular vessel cost us
millions and millions of dollars. It was a used vessel at the time. We brought
it back here - they brought it back here to Newfoundland and Labrador, spent
another pile of money on it to try to get it to work and the thing is broke down
more than it works. It is unbelievable. The thing is, if you get over to St.
Brendan's you may not get back, but this government recognizes the importance
of providing sensible transportation to the people of this island and to the
people who live on smaller islands.
I have heard the argument many times, people have said: Oh, well, you should
move them all in off the islands. Forget it. We will try to resettle everybody
if we can. The fact is this, that I am sure a lot of Canada today - when we look
at the Atlantic Accord we will certainly get this - a lot of Canada says: Let's
resettle all of Newfoundland and Labrador. This government shows today, we show
that we have a commitment to rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We have a
commitment to small islands that rely on ferry services to get them from point A
to point B, and we are stepping up to the plate. We are providing and going to
build two new ferries in the Province. That is a huge investment for rural
Newfoundland and Labrador; not urban, for rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
Again, I am so pleased to be part of a government that would look at what we can
do for rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
I look at education; we have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in
education. For instance, $9.1 million annually is provided to retain 151
teaching positions that were slated for removal in 2006-2007, and $250,000 for a
review of the Teacher Allocation Model. I am, again, pleased today that our
government has stepped up to the plate in this regard.
We do not just educate people in urban Newfoundland and Labrador. Again, this
is an initiative for rural Newfoundland and Labrador, this is an initiative for
urban Newfoundland and Labrador; $5.3 million is committ