PDF Version

May 29,

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVII No. 35

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR.

SPEAKER (Wiseman):

Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Before we start today's proceedings, I want to

acknowledge some special guests we have in the gallery today, a couple of young

gentlemen that I had the pleasure of meeting before the House opened.

We are very pleased today to have in our galleries Mr.

Guy Nash, who is the Principal of McCallum School in McCallum on the South

Coast. He is accompanied by two

young students, Cameron Feaver and Zachery Nash and these two young students are

two of an all-grade school of a total of eight students on the South Coast of

Newfoundland and Labrador and they were CBC celebrities last night.

Some of you may have seen them on the news last night.

They are here to visit some of our post-secondary institutions as they

explore their futures.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR.

SPEAKER:

Today we will have members' statements from the District of Humber West, the

District of St. John's Centre, the District of Lake Melville, the District of

Carbonear Harbour Grace, the District of Lewisporte, and the District of

Humber Valley.

The hon. the Member for the District of Humber West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

GRANTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in this hon. House to congratulate

students in the LGBTQ Alliance at my former school, Corner Brook Regional High.

This school-based group promotes awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transsexual, and queer issues and was presented with a 2014 URock Volunteer

Award recently.

Formed in 2012, the group actively promoted and

participated in the Corner Brook Pride March and encouraged faculty and staff to

show their pride on Pink Day a day to promote anti-bullying awareness and

acceptance of all students. They

promote awareness building and have created a safe place for youth and their

allies. They also conducted

extensive outreach to regional schools and created a tool kit to assist student

groups in establishing their own gay straight alliance.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at the very

first provincial high school Gay-Straight Alliance Conference held at Corner

Brook Regional High with over 120 delegates attending this landmark event from

around the Province. For their

efforts they were presented with a URock award.

I ask all hon. members to join with me in

congratulating all members of this group, as well as teacher sponsors Gerard

Lowe and Stephanie Pennell, for their incredible and important LGBTQ awareness

work that they are doing in the Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. Johns Centre.

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On Wednesday, June 4, incredible, courageous people

will gather at St. Teresa's Parish Hall in my district of St. John's Centre for

an open town hall on mental health.

This came about because people in my district were telling me about their

experiences and what they thought was needed in order to better help people with

mental health and addictions issues.

Some of the special guests who will share experiences

and thoughts about where we might go are Andy Jones and Mary-Lynn Bernard, Mary

Walsh, Mark Gruchy, Roger Baggs, and Paula Corcoran.

These are people who can speak from experience and are amazing activists

on mental health and addictions issues.

They are determined to make things better.

They bring expertise, passion, and hope to the table.

Along with their presentations, the general public will

have a chance to talk about solutions they think might work.

Together we will tackle tough issues, explore best practices, and develop

recommendations to bring to government.

Several community groups are also participating.

I look forward to listening to the people who are

willing to work together for the benefit of our community.

Who knows what may emerge from this gathering?

Mr. Speaker, this is citizens' engagement at its best.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Lake Melville.

MR.

RUSSELL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize the Libra House and the

Mokami Status of Women organizations for the great work they do for Lake

Melville.

These organizations provide a service to our community

that help women in their times of need find support.

Through programs such as supportive living, idea sharing, and engagement

of other cultural and religious organizations, they help women in our community

find the ability and the strength to rebuild themselves.

The staff at these organizations should be commended

for the great work that do on a daily basis.

In fact, many of these employees treat their clients like they are a

member of their own family. It makes

for a comforting environment and a great experience whenever I have had the

pleasure to visit.

I ask all hon. members of this House to join me in

celebrating the great work of the staff of the Libra House and the Mokami Status

of Women.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Carbonear Harbour Grace.

MR.

SLADE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to

recognize Dr. Lonzel Button, a general practitioner in Harbour Grace.

Dr. Button will be retiring from his practice at the

end of June after thirty-eight years of service to the people of Harbour Grace

and the surrounding areas. It is

with a great deal of gratitude that I thank Dr. Button for his professional

service to the community and to the many patients he has seen over those

thirty-eight years.

Mr. Speaker, getting doctors to set up practice in

rural Newfoundland and Labrador has been a challenge for many governments for a

very long time. Having a doctor

provide medical service to rural communities for thirty-eight years shows

tremendous commitment worthy of praise and recognition.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of Harbour Grace and area

will miss Dr. Button, but I am confident that the general practitioners will

carry on the great practice that Dr. Button has established in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. members to join me in

thanking Dr. Lonzel Button for thirty-eight years of service to rural

Newfoundland and Labrador and wish him good health in his retirement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

VERGE:

Mr.

Speaker, I rise today to convey my congratulations to the graduating classes of

Riverwood Academy and Lewisporte Collegiate.

I had the pleasure of attending both ceremonies, which

were held in Wings Point on May 9 and in Lewisporte on May 23.

Both ceremonies were professionally well planned and resulted in a

momentous and memorable celebration for all the graduates and their families.

I wish to thank all the parents, teachers, and other

community people who volunteered their time to ensure that the graduating

classes of 2014 had a safe and enjoyable weekend.

I would invite all members of this hon. House of

Assembly to join with me in extending our sincere congratulations and best

wishes to the graduates of Lewisporte Collegiate and Riverwood Academy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Humber Valley.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to honour a close

friend of mine, Mrs. Jean Kelly of Howley, who recently passed away at the age

of seventy-eight.

Jean and her husband Ronald were married fifty-nine

years, a union that gave them five wonderful children.

Jean lived an amazing life and her love for Howley was evident in her

contribution to her hometown. She

spent twenty-five years as a municipal councillor with the town, an

accomplishment of which she was recently recognized.

Jean spent many decades volunteering for many community groups in her

community and throughout the Humber Valley region.

Jean also served on regional development boards

including: the Grand Lake Centre for Economic Development, the Humber Economic

Development Board, and the Great Humber Joint Council.

She was a passionate advocate for rural Newfoundland

and Labrador. Every day of Jean's

life was committed to fighting for issues and concerns that were dear to her

heart and her community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House today

to join me in acknowledging the tremendous life of Mrs. Jean Kelly of Howley.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Before I acknowledge the ministers, I want to welcome some other guests to the

galleries as well. We have joining

us today Diane Molloy, who is the Executive Director of the Newfoundland and

Labrador Foster Families Association.

She has with her today the Board Chair, Ms Bev Walsh.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

JACKMAN:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize the

Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association as they prepare to host

foster parents from throughout the Province for their annual symposium in St.

John's this weekend.

This year's provincial symposium themed,

Touchstones of Fostering , is taking

place from May 30 to June 1 and will bring together foster parents, social

workers, representatives of foster care associations, and community partners

from across the Province to participate in workshops.

It will also be an opportunity for foster parents to network with their

peers, share experiences with one another, and celebrate being a foster parent.

The provincial government recognizes the vital role

that foster parents play in our Province's child protection system.

They offer a safe and supportive environment that nurtures the health and

development of children and youth in-care.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to supporting our

Province's foster families, as well as further strengthening our close working

relationship with the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association.

In Budget 2014:

Shared Prosperity, Fair Society, Balanced Outlook , our government invested

an additional $50,000 to the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families

Association bringing its total funding allocation to over $369,000.

This additional funding will help the association strengthen the capacity

and the role of local associations across the Province by providing enhanced

supports in such areas as networking, peer support, communications and

problem-solving in order to assist in the recruitment and retention of foster

families.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that through our

Foster a Future recruitment campaign, we are continuing to increase awareness

and recruit new foster parents. To

date, over ninety new foster homes have been approved which have created over

145 new placements for children and youth.

It was just last week that the campaign was recognized by the

International Association of Business Communicators with a Pinnacle Award of

Merit.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating the

Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association for planning this year's

symposium. I am certain the

symposium will be an incredible success for everyone involved and, Mr. Speaker,

I look forward to attending tomorrow evening.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement. On behalf of the Official

Opposition, I would like to welcome all delegates of the Foster Families

Association as they convene this weekend, and thank Ms Molloy for being here

with us today.

The annual symposium held by the Foster Families

Association provides a critical networking and peer support opportunities for

foster parents, social workers, and other stakeholders.

Foster families play a critical role in providing a safe space for

children in challenging home environments.

Many of these children have experienced significant trauma in witnessing

domestic violence and substance abuse, experiencing neglect, as well as

physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

The program for this weekend's symposium addresses some

very serious topics that foster parents often contend with as fallout from

trauma, from eating disorders to sexual behaviour in children and teens.

Government's Foster a Future campaign is a much needed

one, as foster families are key to the effective delivery of Child, Youth and

Family Services. I would also like

to say that I know a number of MHAs on both sides of this House have foster

children, and I congratulate them for doing this much needed service.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish all

delegates of the symposium the very best.

I want to say thank you for your hard work and dedication on behalf of

the children of this Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement. Congratulations to the

Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association for a tremendously

successful year. I hope that this

annual symposium will once again be an outstanding event and, as in the past, be

informative, useful and yes, even fun.

Congratulations on bringing ninety new foster homes on

stream, placing 145 children. It is

so important for children who have gone through traumatic home events to be able

to stay in a family setting. I thank

and I celebrate the families who open their hearts and their homes to children.

Their generosity and commitment can save lives, providing support,

guidance, love and hope.

I wish the association the very best this year in their

enhanced role, providing support and services to foster families and local

associations across the Province.

You have done an incredible job.

Have a great symposium.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

SHEA:

Mr.

Speaker, I rise in this hon. House to recognize the work of the Atlantic

Provinces' Cybersafe Girl Initiative.

Mr. Speaker, the objective of the Cybersafe Girl

Initiative is to engage young girls and their parents or guardians on the issue

of cyber-violence and to highlight the seriousness of the issue and how to

address it. In addition, tips on how

to mediate violence against young girls being perpetrated on the Internet and

through other technologies are shared with the public.

It was developed as an education initiative targeting children, youth,

and parents or guardians on the associated risks and trends related to social

media.

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to attend the

Atlantic Ministers Meeting earlier this week in Charlottetown, Prince Edward

Island, where Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women met to

discuss regional approaches and developments in the social, economic, legal, and

cultural advancement of women in Atlantic Canada.

During the meeting, ministers discussed several topics

of importance, including women in leadership and gender-based analysis.

The second phase of the Cybersafe Girl Initiative was also launched which

focuses on the effects that hypersexualization can have on the self-esteem and

self-confidence of young girls.

Research indicates that in 2009, 87 per cent of

Canadians thought that advertising was too focused on young women being sexy and

not enough on their abilities and intelligence.

This second phase provides information on how hypersexual images can

affect young girl's perception of body image.

It also provides tips for girls and families on understanding how these

images can affect girls and ways to develop a positive and healthy body image.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador is committed to educating and raising awareness to combat

cyber-violence against young girls, and to reducing violence against all

populations in the Province through the Violence Prevention Initiative.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

DEMPSTER:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for the advance copy of her

statement. Technology progresses at

an ever-increasing rate and society must remain on their toes to keep up with

not only how these technologies are used, but abused as well.

It is estimated that roughly 80 per cent of North

Americans use the Internet, and its presence in many of our homes have added a

new dimension to bullying and other forms of violence against women.

The anonymity afforded by cyberspace makes exploiting women over the

Internet seemingly less consequential.

Not only do girls experience tremendous pressure from media to look and

act a certain way, girls pressure one another, and raising awareness of how the

Internet can be used to exploit women and girls is critical.

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not point out

two major hypocrisies of this government when it comes to violence against

women. Number one, they cut the

Family Violence Intervention Court when anyone who knows anything about the

impacts of domestic violence, would tell you that girls who witness violence at

home often grow up to become victims in their own intimate relationships.

Number two, this government kept a record on sexual

exploitation secret and then chastised the media for covering it.

The former Minister Responsible for the Status of Women and violence

prevention said even to talk about the issue, would put people at risk.

This is a very dangerous message to convey around sexual violence, given

the role that silence plays in perpetuating it.

Is raising the awareness a good thing or a bad thing?

According to this government, it really depends on the day you ask.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of her

statement. I applaud the Atlantic

Provinces for working together on the Cybersafe Girl Initiative.

The statement talks about women in leadership and gender-based analysis.

Government can help to set examples like ensuring there

is gender balance on the boards that it appoints.

For instance, the Nalcor Energy board of directors has seven men and one

woman. Of the fifteen elected

board, only three are women. When we

look around this House the lack of representation of women is striking and

stark.

Government must support the advancement of women on all

levels in order to advance equality so women hold decision-making policies in

our society. I wonder, Mr. Speaker,

if the decision to close the Family Violence Intervention Court would have been

done had there been more women in this House.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

S. COLLINS:

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Program is a

community-based charitable initiative which helps financially disadvantaged

youth participate in organized sport and recreation.

Since 2005, this program has helped over 700,000 youth throughout Canada

get involved in sports such as hockey, swimming, soccer, and ballet, including

more than 34,000 youth right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Jumpstart initiative has successfully developed a

network of over 3,100 community partners, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of

Canada, YMCA-YWCA, as well as local parks and recreation departments.

Through these partnerships, the program continues to provide financial

support to families with costs associated with registration, transportation and

equipment.

Jumpstart Day will take place this coming Saturday, May

31, and more than 250 Canadian Tire stores across the country will organize

events ranging from charity barbeques to hockey demonstrations to raise money

for their local Jumpstart chapter.

All customer donations to Jumpstart go directly back to the home community.

Last year, our government participated in the signing of a proclamation

to recognize the first Jumpstart Day in Newfoundland and Labrador, and $350,000

was provided to support this very worthwhile program.

We remain fully supportive of this initiative, and I am delighted that we

will provide $350,000 once again this year under our Poverty Reduction Strategy.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, our government was the first in the country to be

recognized as a key provincial partner with the Jumpstart Program.

Mr. Speaker, initiatives such as the Jumpstart Program

sport and recreation programs in our Province.

The program complements the goals of the Province's recreation and sport

strategy Active, Healthy Newfoundland and Labrador which places great

emphasis on the value of sport and recreation in our communities.

I invite all residents of this Province and members of

this hon. House to recognize Jumpstart Day on May 31, and support the program in

its efforts to provide our youth with opportunities to enhance their lives

through sport and recreation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.

MR.

JOYCE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of the

Ministerial Statement. Mr. Speaker,

members on this side would like to congratulate all of the organizations and

groups that participate in this Jumpstart Program.

To the government for putting in $350,000, good job.

Anything that we can do to get our youth out moving and help some people

who would not participate any other way is a great initiative.

As we all know, obesity in youth is a major concern and

programs like this is what gets youth out and being active.

Diabetes is a major concern.

I even know the government is trying to facilitate speed skating in schools out

on the West Coast, which I think is a great initiative by government.

Anything that we can do to help the government promote youth and sports,

I say congratulations, good job.

Keep up the work because if we can keep our youth active it is going to make for

better seniors and better people.

Government, make sure that our youth are well taken

care of and through these types of programs they are.

Good job, keep up the work for the youth and I support anything that you

are going to do for youth in all the financial contributions you can make.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his

statement. It is good to hear about

the success of the Jumpstart Program and that the Province is once again going

to support this initiative to allow children to get involved in sports.

It is great that traditional organized sports are not

the only activities that are supported.

For example, the St. John's R.E.A.L Program, which is a Jumpstart partner

that has been around for several decades, supports art and drama programs as

well as karate, fencing, and wall climbing.

So, there is something for everyone.

Despite these initiatives, we do have a serious problem

of inactivity among children and youth which has become a health issue.

I encourage the minister to work with his colleagues in health and in

education to get more physical education time back in our schools.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Earlier this week, government announced the signing of

the Impacts and Benefits Agreement with Alderon Iron Ore.

Strangely, it did not release the agreement.

I ask the Premier: After the signing ceremony just two

days ago, when will we expect the release of the final agreement?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DALLEY:

Mr.

Speaker, that is a fair question.

Certainly in line with our commitment for openness, Mr.

Speaker, we fully intend to make the agreement public, and will do so in just a

few days. There are a couple of

issues that the company has raised, that we are trying to work through, but

beyond that, Mr. Speaker, we are looking forward to making it fully public

because it is a great agreement for the people of the Province.

It builds on success and other benefits agreements, particularly around

apprentices, around gender and diversity, Mr. Speaker, adding forty child care

spaces for employees, as well as an education component within the agreement

that would help us build capacity hopefully in the mining industry as well.

So, it is a great agreement and we are certainly

looking forward to making it public.

It is just a matter of working through a couple of issues with the company.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We look forward to seeing that final agreement that was

signed just a few days ago. There

will be some questions, of course, that come out of it.

Ironically, this week government said that the Alderon

project would result in $18 billion to the provincial GDP and $2.6 billion in

the provincial taxes and royalties, but in the project description by Alderon it

says the project would contribute $26 billion to the provincial GDP and $4.6

billion in provincial taxes. That

was in the project description.

I ask the Premier: Why is there an $8 billion

difference between your numbers and what Alderon is saying?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DALLEY:

Mr.

Speaker, our involvement with the Kami Iron Ore Project has been extensive, and

quite a bit of discussion with the company, and not only try and support the

company in advancing this project but obviously recognizing our responsibility

to maximize the benefits for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Mr. Speaker, there may be some difference in numbers.

I would have to check in terms of exactly what numbers the Alderon

company is using, but I suspect it could very well be the fact that they are

looking at Phase II. Our numbers are

probably looking at Phase I. Phase

II would be an additional 8 million tons a year, and certainly would add

employment and revenue for the Province as well.

I will certainly check on it, the difference in the

numbers, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Earlier this week we had asked the minister as a

matter of fact, we have asked the Minister of Fisheries a number of times now

about ice compensation for fish harvesters and plant workers who are without

income because of the delay of this year's fishing season.

So clearly the minister is not able to make any headway at all with the

federal government.

I ask the Premier: What are you going to do to bring

this critical issue facing Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to the federal

government?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, indeed, back in 1999 and 2007 the federal

government stepped in when there were serious ice conditions in the Province.

Again this year, based on what we have seen in terms of ice conditions,

unusual ice conditions, actually, in terms of the amount on the South Coast of

Labrador, certainly the Northern Peninsula and Green Bay area.

Some of those fisheries have opened.

There are others that are still struggling in regard to getting open.

We made representation to the federal government.

It is under their jurisdiction.

I implored them to act now because we have some cases where there are

families all incomes coming from the fishing industry is a concern to us.

This morning I spoke to Minister Shea.

I said to her the importance of this.

We expect it to be acted on.

She said they are still reviewing it, but I said action needs to be happening

now. I did say as well that in

regard to particular fisheries they needed to be extended.

She said she would honour that and have those extended if the need is

there.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That really leads into my next question here.

The Premier and the minister often say, as we all understand, the fishery

in this particular case is a federal issue.

We have seen the Province get involved in federal issues in the past.

The minister says that he was talking to the minister again this morning.

I ask the minister: When would you expect to get an

answer for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador where this is the only source

of income and it is delayed? When

will we expect an answer for the provincial government to get involved?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of issues we are

dealing with now; the ice compensation, and in regard to LIFO and our stand we

have taken in the all-party committee, and certainly the members on the other

side. We have taken a very active

role on that, a collective role in terms of one voice for Newfoundland and

Labrador. There are a few other

issues.

Based on that and some of the response we have, the

Premier has directed and we will be setting it up a request to the Prime

Minister to meet with the Prime Minister on a couple of couple issues that are

of extreme importance to this Province.

I and the Premier, at his instruction, will be requesting a meeting with

the Prime Minister to deal with these important issues that are extremely

important to Newfoundland and Labrador and extremely important to the fishery.

That is why we have been so active in advocating changes that the federal

government needs to make and step in, in areas like ice compensation.

It is their jurisdiction.

They need to step up and they need to step up now, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR.

BALL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Often in the past, we always know, this argument with

the federal government could go on for quite some time.

It is not unusual for the Province to step up and help disadvantaged

families in Newfoundland and Labrador.

My question is: Would you, the provincial government,

get involved to support the families who are in critical need of help right now?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are on the record in the past in terms

of many of our fishery programs the plant worker adjustment program, over $10

million that we have helped in terms of reintegration, in terms of the

community, in terms of plant rationalization, in terms of other programs they

do, and in terms of assisting all those in the industry.

In regard to this particular case, we believe fundamentally that this is

an issue the federal government needs to deal with.

In regard to the EI fund, the amount that is in that

fund it is a robust fund. In the

past they used a duplicate process in terms of helping those involved with the

industry. As we go forward we know

it is a priority. We will continue

to monitor it. It is a federal

government issue. They need to step

up and they need to deal with it now.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Mr.

Speaker, we have troubling news for this Province with the announcement by

Marine Atlantic that they will not be implementing a full summer schedule.

This means there is and will be a decline in traffic, bad news for both

the Province as a whole and for the many workers who will not be recalled this

summer. This is undoubtedly one of

the repercussions of the federal government decision to continue to provide

insufficient funding for what is essentially our highway to the mainland.

I ask the Premier: What has your government done to

lobby your federal counterparts to ensure that this constitutional service is

properly funded?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KENT:

Mr.

Speaker, our position as a government has been consistent, that the federal

government must meet its commitment under the Terms of Union.

We need a reliable, effective ferry service to meet the needs of

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

We will continue to lobby the federal government to

ensure that it lives up to its constitutional commitment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Burgeo La Poile.

MR.

A. PARSONS:

Mr.

Speaker, I am certainly glad to hear that.

This decision has drastic consequences for the entire

Province, whether it is the tourism sector, trucking industry, or displaced

Marine Atlantic employees. Marine

Atlantic service affects every single person in this Province.

I would also note that Marine Atlantic's current funding arrangement

expires next year.

I ask the Premier: Will you commit to sending a

provincial delegation to Ottawa to ensure the federal government not only

maintains the service but will improve it for the benefit of this Province and

for all those who wish to come here?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr.

Speaker, as the minister said, we will make every effort to ensure that the

federal government lives up to its constitutional responsibilities to the people

of this Province.

The minister and the all-party committee, for example,

here in this House have met and have made representations to, I believe, the

House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and to the Senate Standing

Committee on Fisheries.

The minister, again, spoke to the Minister of Fisheries

today and I will be seeking a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss a

number of issues, especially the shrimp allocation quota, to discuss those

issues on a bilateral basis between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

DEMPSTER:

Mr.

Speaker, six weeks ago the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing said it was too soon to say whether the vacant Paddon Home could be

converted to affordable housing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a community facing a

housing crisis. He said at that time

that an engineering evaluation would have to be completed.

I ask the minister: What is the status on the

engineering evaluation?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

O'BRIEN:

Mr.

Speaker, the hon. member is only focusing on one solution.

We are looking at many solutions in regard to the action team.

There are various solutions in regard to that issue in Happy Valley-Goose

Bay.

I have had numerous conversations with the MHA for the

area as well. He certainly has

promoted the Paddon Home as a solution, but it is incumbent on me, as the

minister and also I asked Newfoundland and Labrador Housing to look at all

the options, the best options, to meet the needs of those particular people who

were displaced at Newman's.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.

DEMPSTER:

Mr.

Speaker, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is in a housing crisis, yet the Paddon Home has

been sitting vacant for four years. This is shameful, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the minister I say to him, enough skirting the

issue when will you announce the plans for the Paddon Home?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

O'BRIEN:

Mr.

Speaker, this is a real serious matter with regard to the displaced people from

Newman's. I had an action team on

the ground the very day that they were being displaced, when they were leaving,

that very morning. I had a heads-up

about a few hours before, and we had people on an aircraft and in the area.

They have been working through this process with all

the stakeholders in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, along with the MHA in the area, and

certainly we will find a long-term solution.

I am not at liberty to say today that we will be using the Paddon

building, but it is absolutely an option in going forward.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the Rural Broadband Initiative announced in this year's Budget had a

deadline of January, but that was extended to the end of February.

Given months have passed, telecommunication providers need approval to

get the job done on time and on budget.

I ask the minister: When will you announce the millions

of dollars dedicated to these projects so these communities desperately in need

of broadband and cellular coverage are serviced?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct; it is millions

of dollars. We, as a government,

have certainly invested millions and millions of dollars in terms of the

broadband initiative. We have

leveraged well over another $100 million in terms of what we have put in as a

provincial government.

Right now, for example, in high speed, we are up over

95 per cent in the Province. We are

very committed to this project.

Again this year, there was a call made in regard to broadband; we received a

number of proposals. My

understanding is that they are being reviewed by the minister and her

department. Certainly, very shortly,

we will be in a position to announce those and move these initiatives along,

which is driving broadband in Newfoundland and Labrador, which we have been

committed to and certainly continue to be committed to in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Mr.

Speaker, the longer these projects are delayed, you are denying people vital

services.

Mr. Speaker, with nearly 200 communities unable to

access broadband and many geographical regions without cellular coverage, a

clear plan is needed to address these gaps.

I ask the minster to table in the House, as committed,

the communities in the Province served by broadband.

Will she table government's plan to address poor cellular service in the

Province, as committed?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, our plan is to continue with the

initiatives we have, and the massive investment into telecommunications and the

broadband. As the hon. member knows,

this is certainly driven by the CRTC.

It is regulated by the CRTC and Industry Canada.

We could sit back and do nothing, but we have not chosen to do that.

We have chosen to be hands-on, and certainly work with those rural

communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For example, we are up to 95 per cent now in regard to high speed.

If we look at recent projects down on the South Coast,

we invested and partnered with Conne River, a couple of carriers, ourselves I

think it is something like $4.5 million project in that region on the South

Coast, another example of what we are doing and how we are investing.

We are going to continue to do that, Mr. Speaker,

because the people of Newfoundland and Labrador deserve that service, and we are

going to work with them to make sure they get it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

KIRBY:

Mr.

Speaker, the Department of Education has directed guidance counsellors not to

use new international standards for diagnosing learning disorders until the 2015

school year. The new broader DSM-5

standard for learning disorders is intended to ensure that fewer individuals go

unidentified.

I ask the minister: Isn't it unethical for your

department to block the use of this new diagnostic tool for learning disorders

and thereby expose students to preventable risks?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KING:

Mr.

Speaker, any time we bring in a new program or a new initiative in education,

there are multiple layers and multiple steps that have to be followed.

Probably one of the most important things we need to do is educate

teachers, provide proper and adequate professional development so they

understand the new program or the new curriculum.

The document the member references now is certainly

going to be a valuable tool for us in assessing children on a go-forward basis

and into the future; but one must remember that we are only at the first step of

making guidance counsellors, in particular, aware of that particular resource.

We also have a very strong responsibility as a government that when we

bring in a new program, we have to have the resources to fully resource the

program.

At this point in time, we are very much in the

awareness stage of making teachers and counsellors aware of the program.

We will move forward in due course with resourcing the program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

KIRBY:

Mr.

Speaker, school guidance counsellors and educational psychologists themselves

are governed by a code of ethics to provide the best possible standard of

practice. By blocking the use of the

DSM-5 diagnostic approach, this government is asking our counselling

professionals to provide an inferior standard of care to students.

I ask the minister: Why are you asking these

professionals to breach their ethical code and further compromising student

learning in the process?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The only breach in ethical code that would occur is

that if we brought in a new assessment to guidance counsellors and instructed

them to use it without providing them with adequate attention and information

around how to apply the tool, Mr. Speaker.

We have to ensure that guidance counsellors and educational psychologists

understand what this new program is about and are aware of how to apply that

assessment to children; otherwise, we certainly are encouraging them to be very

unethical.

At this point in time we are doing the education

process. We will continue to do

that. As a Department of Education

we have a responsibility to ensure all children in the Province are treated

fairly and equitably. That means

ensuring teachers, counsellors, and educational psychologists have the

appropriate resourcing of the system and professional development they require

to implement that program. When that

piece is done, Mr. Speaker, we will move forward with the next layer of that

program, which is resourcing it and applying it to the entire system.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, last week the World Trade Organization ruled to uphold the ban on the

import of Canadian seal products based upon moral grounds as set out in the EU

seal regime. The WTO decision points

out that the EU seal regime permits seals to be taken as part of a marine

resource management plan.

I ask the Minister of Justice: Has he made

representation to the federal Department of Justice to develop a legal framework

for a marine resource management plan similar to those of Sweden and Finland, so

we are able to effectively manage our seal population while complying with the

European seal regime?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are still in the process the federal

government as well in regard to the WTO Appellate Body.

The ruling that was made is on the moral issue in regard to the GATT

trade rules.

The appellate mentioned that this was in contravention

of the GATT rules and an interesting application.

How the EU will continue with their ban now is interesting.

We will work with the federal government as we move forward.

In regard to seals the hon. member mentions it is a huge concern to

us in terms of the overall marine environment right now.

We are up to anywhere from 7 million or 8 million seals.

We have supported the industry over the past number of

years. Two years ago, 100 were

taken, but we need to realize there is a 400,000 total allowable catch for

seals. It is very important to the

ecosystem and we need to move forward with it, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for the District of St. Barbe.

MR.

J. BENNETT:

Mr.

Speaker, I am pleased to hear the Minister of Fisheries will work with the

federal government. I am wondering

about the justice side because of legalities.

Mr. Speaker, the harp seal is a top predator in the

marine food chain. It is estimated

that the harp seal population is rapidly approaching 10 million and that one

adult harp seal consumes 1.4 tons of seafood annually, and that starvation may

soon be a real possibility for many of them.

I ask the Minister of Justice: Will he commit to

immediately assemble a task force from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans,

our Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the provincial and federal

Departments of Justice, to develop a sustainable marine management plan for

seals that complies with the European Union seal regime?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

HUTCHINGS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, Mr. Speaker, the marine environment in regard to

those that are engaged in the sealing industry but not just the sealing

industry, the whole ecosystem, whether it is shrimp, crab, cod, other ground

fish, pelagics - the whole ecosystem is of huge concern in regard to how the

interaction exists.

We have worked with DFO, continue to work, and looked

at expanding markets, certainly looking at Asia and what is happening there.

We are having success in regard to those markets.

In North America, in northern domains, in terms of seal products and that

sort of the thing we are seeing an increase, and that bodes well for everybody

involved in the industry.

In regard to the hon. member, the marine system is

extremely important to us, obviously from an ecosystem point of view related to

seals. We continue to work and

continue to make sure that we make the decisions, and lobby the federal

government and make the best decisions for the whole ecosystem and for all those

industries that are affected by it, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR.

EDMUNDS:

Mr.

Speaker, with respect to the port of Cartwright, government's own press release

dated October 26, 2010 stated that in terms of acceptance, there would be no

change to current configuration of passenger and freight services provided by

the Northern Ranger out of Cartwright.

I ask the minister: Why are you not following your own

policies, and refusing to allow freight to the North and South Coast to be

shipped through Cartwright on the Northern

Ranger?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

MCGRATH:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, a new RFP came out for the

fleet arrangement on the North Coast as well as the South Coast of Labrador.

Part of that strategy is to decide what way the freight will move along

the South and North Coast of Labrador.

In that RFP, we have new ships coming in.

We have a whole new management system coming in.

Until that is put in place, the RFP comes back and we

actually sit with the people who are actually awarded that tender we will sit

down with them then and we will decide the best management practice for the

South and North Coast; and if Cartwright is in that picture, then we will

certainly look at that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR.

EDMUNDS:

am glad to hear that the minister is looking forward to revisiting that issue,

Mr. Speaker.

There is a considerable demand for freight movement

between the North and South Coast and logistics show that Cartwright would be a

natural fit, given it is already a port of call.

It would also mean significant shipping cost reductions for both business

and consumers.

I ask the minister again: Will you now start following

your own policies and reinstate Cartwright as a shipping port for the North and

South Coasts?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

MCGRATH:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we realize the importance of getting the

freight back and forth on the North Coast of Labrador and we also realize the

intricacies that are involved in that.

That is why we have an RFP out to make sure that we try to improve on the

system. With the new RFP, there is a

new fleet going to be in there.

There is a new management system, a new freight system, a new passenger system.

Once that RFP comes back, as I stated in my last

answer, we will sit down with the people who are awarded the tender and figure

out the best routes to take. If

Cartwright is in there, we will certainly look at that, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's South, for a quick question.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The exterior renovations to the Confederation Building

were supposed to cost $20 million.

It is 150 per cent over budget and two years behind.

The blue windows were supposed to stop light from coming in.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Please get to your question.

MR.

OSBORNE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the minister: The windows did not work properly;

you had to purchase blinds. What was

the cost of the blinds?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

MCGRATH:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if it is the colour of the

windows that he says is not working, but the purpose of the blinds is for energy

efficiency, as is the tint that is in it.

It is all in the package.

It is over $20 million, as we all know.

During Estimates, I shared photos with the hon. member so you would

realize why it is over.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Last year's $150 annual cap on adult dental care

effectively made the program useless to many, as evidenced by the $2.5 million

left in the program at that end of the year.

In Estimates, the minister referred shamelessly to this dismal result as

savings to the program.

I ask the Premier: Why, yet again, has this government

seen fit to save money on the backs of the Province's most vulnerable people?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member is quite aware that the dental program

that we introduced, it is the first of its kind in Canada.

When we introduced that, there was a significant uptake to this program.

Last year, what we brought in was a maximum allowable

benefit. Much like any type of

insurance program, anybody who purchases a private insurance program and the

Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program is an insurance program for

certain members of the population, and it has allowable benefits from the

program.

We put an allowable benefit of $150 for dental care

last year. We have increased that to

$200 this year. As I have said

before, and I have said here in this House, we will evaluate and continue to

evaluate this new and groundbreaking program for Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday in Question Period the minister said that the

$750 funding allotment to seniors eligible for dentures was enough to allow a

senior citizen to have their upper teeth done one year, and their lower the

next. It is unbelievable.

I ask the minister: Does he understand that a person's

mouth just does not work that way?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DAVIS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are certainly getting an understanding of how her

mouth works, I will assure you of that, Mr. Speaker.

I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, there are people in this

Province who benefit from the seniors' denture program.

Three years ago, there was no such program for them.

The seniors had to completely bear the burden of dentures entirely on

their own.

Three years ago, we introduced a new denture program

for seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador.

It is a denture program that is used by many adults who are qualified for

that, who qualify under the guidelines of the program, and it is for seniors as

well. It is a new program.

It is a groundbreaking program.

We are evaluating that.

I can tell you that the entire budget is utilized on the denture program.

We are continuing to work with denturists throughout Newfoundland and

Labrador to ensure that this is in the best interest of their practice as well.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MICHAEL:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I invite the minister to speak to any dentist or

denturist who will tell him the obvious nonsense of what he said yesterday in

the House. The minister must know or

ought to know that the long-term savings to the health care system of providing

basic dental care to those who need it warrants the up-front cost.

I ask the minister: Given his government's concerns

regarding rising health care costs, how could

they

be so short-sighted when it comes

to dental care?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

DAVIS:

Mr.

Speaker, dental programs and denture programs they are two separate programs

for people in Newfoundland and Labrador, especially those who cannot afford or

are challenged in obtaining those services themselves by their own means are

very important to the people. This

is a very, very important topic.

Mr. Speaker, when this program rolled out there was a

significant uptake in the first year.

We remember it. It was

discussed many times here in the House of Assembly.

There were many questions here in the House of Assembly about the uptake

on the program. One of the things

that we did hear from denturists and from their representatives was that it was

a challenge for laboratories, from their own labs here in the Province, to deal

with the demand.

What we have done now, and through this process, we are

approving about 200 applications per month.

This allows a steady flow of business through those programs.

We want to get the program out; we want people to get those services.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are in a housing crisis Province wide.

I have repeatedly asked the minister if he would consider a specialized

rental assistance program for seniors similar to the one in BC where the rent

supplement is portable and goes directly to the senior so they have a right to

choose the best location to live. It

makes total sense.

I ask the minister: Why will he not do this?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

O'BRIEN:

Mr.

Speaker, I will answer quite simply.

It is because it does not make any sense, because it is not working in BC.

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing would not have the right to go in and

inspect the actual residence. Then

we would have an issue in regard to discrepancies and standards that would have

to be in place in regard to us providing the Rent Supplement to a senior.

I would like to have, as the minister responsible, the right to go in and

inspect before it is occupied, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Mr.

Speaker, seniors are adults who know how to make decisions on their own for

goodness sakes.

Mr. Speaker, the residential tenancy act review

consultations were completed in 2012.

On April 7, I asked the minister, when was he going to release the report

with all its recommendations?

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister once again: Why is he

not releasing the report of the residential tenancy act review with all its

recommendations? Is he hiding

something?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Service NL.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

CRUMMELL:

Mr.

Speaker, the hon. member across the way knows me well.

She knows that I would never hide anything from her.

Mr. Speaker, the report that is coming forward in the

next little while from my officials, I expect to see on my desk in short order.

I have asked that question as well.

As soon as it is on my desk and I have a chance to review it, I certainly

will take it into consideration in terms of what to do with the report after

that.

Mr. Speaker, I have not received that report myself is

the simple answer, and I am looking forward to seeing that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for St. John's Centre for a quick question.

ROGERS:

All

right, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the minister once again: Where is the report for

the housing and homelessness review that was completed seven months ago?

What is he hiding?

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

PREMIER MARSHALL:

Mr.

Speaker, I think the people of Newfoundland and Labrador will be pleased to know

that there is over $5 million in the Budget this year to help combat

homelessness. We increased the

amount by an additional half a million in this year's Budget.

The minister has gotten up from time to time to talk

about what we have done this year with rent sups, what we have done to help

people on low incomes, people with disabilities, to have their home readied for

energy efficiencies and more. We

have to deal with the federal government to have a couple of hundred new homes

done. Dealings with housing is very

important to this government, and we will

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

time for Question Period has expired.

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

MR.

MURPHY:

a point of order.

MR.

SPEAKER:

a point of order, the hon. the Member for St. John's East.

MR.

MURPHY:

Mr.

Speaker, during Question Period, in answer to the Leader of the Third Party, a

comment was made by the Minister of Health that he understood how her mouth

works. It sounded a little bit

degrading to me. I would ask the

minister if he would withdraw his remarks.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services, to the point of order.

MR.

DAVIS:

withdraw the comment, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice under Standing Order 11 that

the House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 2, 2014.

I further give notice that the House not adjourn at

10:00 p.m. on Monday, June 2, 2014.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader, notices of motion?

MR.

KING:

Yes, further notices of motion.

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

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Labour Relations Act, Bill 22.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

JOHNSON:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will move that the

House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider a resolution

relating to the raising of loans by the Province, Bill 23.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Mount Pearl South.

MR.

LANE:

the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS there are extreme overcrowding issues in St.

Peter's Elementary and Mount Pearl Senior High, a direct result of poor planning

by the Department of Education; and

Board to deal with this now crisis situation will have a devastating impact on

many students, families and teachers in Mount Pearl Senior High, Mount Pearl

Intermediate, St. Peter's Elementary and Newtown Elementary; and

WHEREAS there are other less disruptive solutions which

can be introduced to alleviate this overcrowding issue including capital

investment as a preferred option as well as catchment area realignment; and

the financial flexibility by the Minister of Education to explore other more

suitable options; and

WHEREAS the government has intervened in poor decisions

in the past such as in 2005 in Bishop's Falls, reversing the closure of Leo

Burke Academy.

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

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

and Labrador to intervene in this matter, commit appropriate resources to the

As in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I have now presented this, I cannot

remember how many times but several times to say the least.

I still have a stack of these petitions to present.

The recent ones came from a Grade 4 student of Newtown Elementary who

went door to door in his neighbourhood and collected petitions from people in

Mount Pearl in the Newtown area who have major concerns with the decision that

has been made. As indicated in the

past, this could have been avoided had there been proper planning done.

Of course, we know that proper planning is not something we see from

across the way too often in many categories, including education.

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that I have to keep

presenting this. It is unfortunate

the minister has indicated that he will not intercede in this matter, even

though interestingly enough it has been done in the past when there was a

by-election on the go. I am not sure

what that would have had to do with anything.

I will let people judge that for themselves.

On behalf of the many families and students impacted by

this terrible decision, I will present this petition today and I will continue

to do so until the House is closed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

ROGERS:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS the Family Violence Intervention Court provided

a comprehensive approach to domestic violence in a court setting that fully

understood and dealt with the complex issues of domestic violence; and

WHEREAS domestic violence continues to be one of the

most serious issues facing our Province today, and the cost of the impact of

domestic violence is great both economically and in human suffering; and

WHEREAS the Family Violence Intervention Court was

welcomed and endorsed by all aspects of the justice system including the police,

the courts, prosecutors, defence counsel, Child, Youth and Family Services, as

well as victims, offenders, community agencies and women's groups; and

WHEREAS the recidivism rate for offenders going through

the court was 10 per cent compared to 40 per cent for those who did not; and

WHEREAS the budget for the court was only 0.2 per cent

of the entire budget of the Department of Justice;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to reinstate the

Family Violence Intervention Court.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I plead with the Premier at this point in

his career, before he leaves this House of Assembly and a new Premier comes

onboard, I plead to him to heed and to listen to the women of the Province, to

women's shelters in this Province, to women's groups who work in the area of

Violence Against Women. I beg him to

listen to the police. I beg him to

listen to the courts. I beg him to

listen to Child, Youth and Family Services.

Mr. Speaker, I beg the Premier to stop and to listen to

the people who are saying that the Family Violence Intervention Court was one of

the most effective tools in working in the area and looking at the root causes

of domestic violence. I beg him to

speak to the judges. I beg him to

listen to the people who say that this court was effective, that this court

protected the women and children of this Province.

I beg him to do that before he steps down as Premier.

I beg him to listen and to reverse this decision.

I beg him to use his position of authority and power and to honour the

commitment that this government says that it has made in the area of violence

prevention and domestic violence. I

beg the Premier to listen to the people who are talking about this who are

experts. They are absolutely

experts.

They want it in Labrador.

They want it in Corner Brook.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

ROGERS:

They want it all over the Province.

The Premier knows that it can be spread all over the Province.

That it is possible. That it

does not cost a lot of money.

The women's groups in Labrador, the women's groups in

Corner Brook, the women's groups in Stephenville want this court as well.

The John Howard Society wants this court.

The Child, Youth and Family Services (inaudible)

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

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

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Oh,

oh!

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

MURPHY:

the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in

Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS consumers and businesses in Newfoundland and

Labrador pay some of the highest automobile insurance rates in the country; and

WHEREAS part of recent increases in automobile

insurance is due to uninsured automobile coverage, which could increase by 329.3

per cent in 2014 for taxis and limousines insured by the Facility Association;

and

WHEREAS consumers may see an increase in taxi fares and

limousine rates as a result; and

WHEREAS consumers insured by the Facility Association

could see their own auto insurance rates increase partly due to uninsured

drivers;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to establish a

procedure for insurance companies to co-ordinate with police, highway

enforcement officers, and the Motor Registration Division to remove unlicensed

and uninsured vehicles from our Province's highways.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, it has been several times now that I have

risen in this House on this particular petition and addressed the simple fact of

uninsured drivers in this Province.

The other day was a really glaring example of what can happen with an uninsured

driver.

Here in the City of St. John's, up on Blackmarsh Road,

a lady's house happened to be struck by an uninsured vehicle.

She found out the hard way that her house was not covered through the

other vehicle's incident with their house and that their damages would not be

covered. Now they are left hanging

with a house here that has an untold dollar amount on it, probably in the

thousands to get their house repaired because there was no insurance on the

vehicle in question that hit their house.

So, now we have a consumer here who is left out hanging

in the wind with no way to get their house fixed, except by paying for it out of

their own pocket when they should not have to.

We all recognize that accidents are accidents, Mr. Speaker; but when

somebody is at fault and it can be proven, such as in this case, when they do

not have any insurance, well then the question has to be asked: How much are we

paying on our insurance rates right now whenever we are paying for uninsured

vehicles out there? We know it is a

serious problem.

We need to hear actions on the part of government to

correct the problem that is out there.

We know we have several mechanisms to do it.

We can do it through the police; we can do it through highway

enforcement.

All it takes is a little bit of co-ordination from the

insurance companies to find out about those people out there who do not have

current policies, or let their policies expire and for the obvious reasons that

people think they do not have to have it.

They think that they have a right not to have it on their vehicles when

we know that the opposite in case is the fact, that it is the law to have at

least some form of liability insurance on your vehicle.

The other day was a telling example of that.

When somebody's very residence gets hit by a car and that person has no

insurance, we know what the costs are, we have a glaring example out there now

in the media.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for The Straits White Bay North.

MR.

MITCHELMORE:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS there is no cell coverage in Trinity Bay South

from Heart's Content Barrens to Bay de Verde and this is not acceptable; and

WHEREAS the lack of cellphone services is unsafe for

everyone in the area; car accidents, volunteer firefighter requests, police

help, ambulance requests, and inshore fishing are just a few areas where access

to cellphone service could affect life or death; and

WHEREAS safety should be a number one priority; and

WHEREAS Trinity Bay South can never attract meaningful

business interests without cell coverage; and

WHEREAS tourism involving hiking, cycling, and many

other activities simply cannot thrive without cellular services;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

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

and Labrador to provide Trinity Bay South with cellular service immediately to

protect the safety, economic, and social well-being of the area and its people.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, it is quite evident that there is a

significant opportunity for the CBN area to look at, with the population, to

provide adequate cell coverage to areas that are underserviced.

I think it is really a time for government to table its plan and to work

with the federal government and with Bell Mobility.

There was a wireless spectrum sale which Bell has a

plan to cover 97 per cent of the population across Canada with cellular

coverage. Let us get together, carve

out those plans so the economic benefits can be shared throughout the Province.

We look at strategic investment with the

Department of IBRD; make it happen for these areas.

I have been presenting and speaking of the issue on

behalf of my constituents on the Great Northern Peninsula, but as well there are

many other areas of the Province that need that type of attention.

The business case certainly can be made for it.

I present this petition because I think it is something that is so

important for the safety, well-being, and economic development of a region.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

KIRBY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS current government regulations deny busing

services to students who live closer than 1.6 kilometres to school; and

WHEREAS parents have expressed concern that children

living within 1.6 kilometres of school face dangers in walking to school such as

congested streets and busy intersections, especially during winter weather

conditions; and

WHEREAS the $75,000 review of the school transportation

system completed by Deloitte recommended that the Department of Education

consider reducing the 1.6 kilometre eligibility zone for Kindergarten and

elementary students; and

WHEREAS the $75,000 report also noted that only 10 per

cent of those surveyed for the school transportation system review agree that

the 1.6 kilometre policy is reasonable for students and families; and

WHEREAS parents are continuing to demand more flexible

policies to meet the current needs of school children;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly

pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge government to change the

outdated 1.6 kilometre eligibility policy in order to ensure safe travel to

school for primary and elementary school children in the Province.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I have

presented this. It is quite a number

of times. I got an e-mail yesterday

that made me think I should present this here today.

It was from parents out in Paradise.

They are talking about how in that town they are getting busing provided

for Paradise Elementary students while there is construction going on, and they

talk about the need to consider safety of their children beyond this year when

the construction is going on.

I think this really legitimizes a lot of the things

that I have been talking about. They

say that their child has to cross Topsail Road, which is a feat for an adult,

let alone a child, must contend with four lanes of traffic; and they said that

their wife could walk to school with them, but she has a three-year-old at home

who would have to accompany them on their walk across to Paradise Elementary

1.4 kilometres. It says: a very busy

four-lane street, Topsail Road, and then also a busy four-lane street in Karwood

Drive.

It goes on to talk about our weather, how it is

actually not unpredictable, but very predictable, and you can predict that we

are going to have wet and cold and snowy and windy, and downright nasty weather

sometimes. To expect small children

to negotiate four lanes of traffic to get to school is simply unreasonable.

This parent goes on to say that not only is it not safe to walk, it is

often not safe to park because there is not a sufficient amount of parking, so

even driving their own kids is not an option.

Mr. Speaker, this really speaks to what we have been

raising.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Order, please!

MR.

KIRBY:

Thank you.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of

Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the

undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS weather cameras are needed on the Burin

Peninsula Highway for safety of residents who are travelling during

unpredictable weather conditions.

We, the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to

urge government to install weather cameras on the Burin Peninsula Highway.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I stood in the House of Assembly before on

this particular petition and this one, I guess.

When it comes to a seasonal basis, this one may sound like it is little

late in coming but it is not. There

is still snow in the forecast, I think as late as yesterday.

It is unbelievable how changeable our weather is.

When it comes to the Burin Peninsula Highway itself,

Mr. Speaker, I was down there about three weeks ago on an event.

I had to note the changeable weather conditions that were down there at

that particular time. Of note then,

of course, even since then, we had some accumulation of snow on our highways.

The people of the Burin Peninsula are asking, pretty

much they know there are cameras down there on the highway but they know there

is a need for a second camera down there.

They are in a particularly harsh area where the weather seems to be very,

very changeable. It may simply be a

case, Mr. Speaker, where they might be able to change the position of one of the

cameras down there, for example, and move it into the area where there is a high

degradation of temperature, a big swing in temperature where the road would

freeze more so than in others.

I am asking government to consider this move on the

part of the people of the Burin Peninsula.

Again, these signatories come anywhere from Marystown, Creston North, as

far down as Grand Bank. I will leave

it with government.

Again, a last thought on this is that even though there

is no technology that exists, for example, cellular service in some areas down

there is also spotty. That is

another issue we are dealing with.

We do know government has made good investments when it comes to cameras, for

example, underwater cameras in fisheries.

I think the minister, within the last three months, announced about a

$19,000 funding measure to put in an underwater camera system for some net

monitoring.

We know the technology out there exists.

We know the technology is available here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We do know of a couple of companies that can come up with a system.

We think it can be done for less than $10,000.

Mr. Speaker, again, it is a pleasure to stand up in the

House and present this on behalf of the people of the Burin Peninsula.

We hope that government can address this situation.

Thank you very much.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As per Standing Order 32, I move, seconded by the

Minister of Environment and Conservation, that we move to Orders of the Day.

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that we now move to Orders of the Day.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

Orders of the Day

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order

11, I move that the House not adjourn today at 5:30 p.m. that is Thursday, May

29, 2014.

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that this House do not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on

Thursday, May 29, 2014.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Once again, pursuant to Standing Order 11, I move

motion 9 that the House not adjourn today at 5:30 p.m., May 29, 2014.

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that this House do not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. on

Thursday, May 29, 2014.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Yes, I am not sure if I said the right thing.

They said I said 5:30 twice.

I intended the first motion to reflect 5:30 p.m., the second one to reflect

10:00 p.m.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Just to make sure we are fair here, let's repeat the motion.

MR.

KING:

Yes.

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that the House do not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. on

Thursday, May 29, 2014.

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

We do not want people getting out too early.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This time I ask leave, seconded by the Minister of

Health and Community Services, to introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The

Dispensing Opticians Act, 2005, Bill 19, and that the said bill be now read the

first time.

MR.

SPEAKER:

has been moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of Health and Community

Services shall have leave to introduce a bill,

An Act To Amend The Dispensing

Opticians Act, 2005, Bill 19, and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall

have leave to introduce Bill 19?

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The said bill, seconded by the Minister of Environment

and Conservation. I apologize.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Thank you.

It has been moved and seconded that the Minister of

Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce a bill,

An Act To

Amend The Dispensing Opticians Act, 2005, Bill 19.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the minister shall

have leave to introduce Bill 19, and that the said bill be now read a first

time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Health and Community

Services to introduce a bill,

An Act To Amend The Dispensing Opticians Act,

2005, carried. (Bill 19)

CLERK:

bill,

An Act To Amend The Dispensing Opticians Act, 2005.

(Bill 19)

MR.

SPEAKER:

This bill is now read a first time.

When shall the bill be read a second time?

MR.

KING:

tomorrow.

MR.

SPEAKER:

Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 19 read a first time, ordered read a

second time on tomorrow.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At this time I call from the Order Paper, Order 1, and

I move, seconded by the Minister of Environment and Conservation, that

An Act To

Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting The Publication Of A

Summary Of A

Decision Or Order Of An Adjudication Tribunal, Bill 8, and the said bill be now

read a third time.

MR.

SPEAKER:

is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion

that Bill 8 shall be now read a third time?

All those in favour, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Aye.

MR.

SPEAKER:

All

those against, nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK:

bill,

An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The Province Respecting The Publication Of

A

Summary Of A Decision Or Order Of An Adjudication Tribunal.

(Bill 8)

MR.

SPEAKER:

This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and

its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill,

An Act To Amend Various Acts Of The

Province Respecting The Publication Of A

Summary Of A Decision Or Order Of An

Adjudication Tribunal, read third time, ordered passed and its title be as on

the Order Paper. (Bill 8)

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Government House Leader.

MR.

KING:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At this time I call from the Order Paper, Motion 1,

that the House approves in general the budgetary policy of the government, the

Budget Speech.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

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

MR.

MURPHY:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in my place again today to talk about the

Budget. Of course, as everybody

knows, there has been some time now since the Budget has been passed, and

knowing that I guess in some cases people may even forget that we did pass along

the motion to debate the Budget pretty much in March now.

It seems so long ago when it came out, that some people may even have

forgotten that it is still not passed yet.

Again, I take pleasure in rising in my place to talk about that.

Mr. Speaker, before I do, I would like to thank the

Members of the House of Assembly here for their support.

I know my own family has been getting a very harsh lesson when it comes

to what is happening in the health care system when you have somebody sick in

your family. I want to thank them,

first of all, for their hopes and their prayers.

The exposure we have had to the health care system, of

course, makes you all the more readily apparent of the problems that you see

within the health care system, too.

I want to say one comment with regard to the staffing who are in there.

I want to thank them wholeheartedly for their support and their tireless

efforts in working with our family, in particular, and with the families they

deal with on an everyday basis.

I know we have an aging population in this Province.

The challenges are going to be very many in the next coming years.

I just want to thank them for all the work and everything they are doing.

God love the nurses, is all I can say, Mr. Speaker, and that basically

includes everybody. God love the nurses for their toil that they do out there.

I cannot help but think of nurses in a whole different light having been

exposed to the health care system and what is happening.

Mr. Speaker, the Budget, like I said, was brought forth

about a month-and-a-half ago now it seems so long ago but I wanted to talk

to some issues to the Budget that I believe are very important to the Province.

Again, when I touch on the health care system, I want to talk about the

population challenge issues that we have in the Province here and how they can

be effective in the next couple of years by looking at the budget numbers that

are here in this book and comparing them again to what is going to be happening

down the road.

The first big issue when it comes to population, we

know there are going to be heavy demands on the health care system, as I just

chatted about, simply because we do have an aging demographic.

Along with an aging demographic and a declining birth rate because the

figures from Statistics Canada are not lying in this particular case; we have a

declining birth rate not only in this country, but particularly in this

Province, and that is going to affect the budget numbers in the Province, but we

are not talking about it. We are

really not talking about it in a way that we should be.

It would be my suggestion to government that we would have an all-party

standing committee that would be sitting and looking at the challenges as

regards population and what it is going to be doing to budgets in the future.

One of the more important things that I talked about

was that in the future, we are going to be dealing with a declining tax intake,

if you will, into the Province. This

year's budget numbers show, for example, that we are going to be taking in

approximately $1.1 billion in personal income taxes in this Province.

That is from working people.

That is from you and me. That is

from the people who are out there working the minimum wage jobs.

That is from the people who are out there driving their taxis or driving

their trucks, or people who are working in the office buildings here on Water

Street.

We have a tax rate right now that is based simply on

people who are working, or people who are making a lot of money that can

contribute to the system; but at the same time, whenever you get older, usually

what happens is that if you do not have a good nest egg put away, you tend to

fall back on pensions and pensions these days we know are not as valued the

same way as what they were before.

We do not get the same purchasing power and then. on top of that, sometimes we

do not draw out as much income tax from that.

If we are going to have an aging population, this

Province has a challenge right now of meeting workforce needs for example.

The government is saying that we have the challenge of getting about

70,000 workers into the workforce.

The skilled trades are one place that I can point to.

If we cannot get enough people who are going to get in here to support

the system and like I said, $1.1 billion in income tax is raised this year,

projected.

It would be my guess based on the declines in

population from Statistics Canada, that number could be anywhere from 30 per

cent to 35 per cent less in taxation collected to government twenty years down

the road. That is almost a $400

million shortfall in basic personal income taxes collected.

If we also have an aging demographic, Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that

along with that declining birth rate, that retail sales, for example, may be

affected.

Now we have a problem here, an issue with money, and

twenty years down the road the answer cannot be royalty money from our resources

because we know right now, for example, that royalty monies from a declining

resource like oil are simply going to be less in twenty years' time.

So, now we have a double problem here.

We have a problem of declining population, if you will, and revenues that

are taken in from that; but, at the same time, we are also going to have the

issue of royalty monies from a declining resource, and we know that those monies

are going to drop. So, we do have

challenges coming up in the future.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of issues in my district and

going out door to door you talk to people and one of the big issues that a lot

of people out there in my district have are affordability issues.

In some places in my district people have fairly good incomes.

In other areas I have a lot of seniors, for example just to give

everybody a little sense of what they are feeling out there.

Government's policy and we all talk about it here as well, about

keeping people in their own homes.

We all want to keep people in their own homes and keep them healthy at the same

time, and it would be partially a health concern; but if we are talking about

the affordability of keeping people in their own homes, one of the

responsibilities that we have as legislators, is to make sure that the taxes

that they are paying are going to be the lowest that they can.

I talk about in this case, for example, the role of the

Department of Municipal Affairs when it comes to the funding formula.

If government was paying its way, for example, on the buildings that are

right down there in St. John's East alone, how much of a tax base increase an

increase to the tax base and an increase to the revenue that the City of St.

John's would be able to avail of and not to fall back on the taxpayer to

increase their municipal taxes. That

is kind of important. I see that

some of the government members are a little bit interested in this one.

If we keep municipal taxes low, we keep people in their own homes.

It is as plain and simple as that.

The second thing that we also do is we maintain revenue to the various

cities and towns across the Province that have provincial infrastructure.

So there is a responsibility here on the part of the

Province, as well, to make sure that municipal taxes are low.

How can they do that? A

couple of different ways; let me tell you about them.

If we know that the Province was paying its fair share, for example, on

provincial buildings on provincial buildings alone, we know that it would be

several thousand dollars in revenue, for example, per building that would be

back into the municipal coffers.

That is one way that a municipality, for example, can gain revenue.

The second way and let me give you an example of how

this can affect the general public out there too, and it is not talked about

enough here in this House here either is municipal transit.

Last week my comrade for St. John's Centre asked a question in the House.

She talked about the case where a couple of seniors wanted to visit their

brother who happened to be moved out to a home in Long Pond.

Mr. Speaker, as much as that does not sound like a big issue for a lot of

people, it was for these two seniors.

When you are talking about visiting from St. John's West going out to

Long Pond out in Manuels, you are probably talking about a $60 cab ride one way.

Everybody thinks that municipal transit has to make

money. The other reason why you have

municipal transit is to address an issue like this.

We know that the Town of CBS, for example I would imagine that they

would certainly love to have a foothold in on a municipal transit issue.

The Town of Paradise would want to get in on a municipal transit issue.

This is an everybody issue, Mr. Speaker, because you

are talking about the cost effectiveness of transportation.

We just do not have municipal transit for the sake of municipal transit.

We have municipal transit as a connector for people and a connector for

communities. More importantly in

this particular case when the Member for St. John's Centre talked about the two

ladies in St. John's West who wanted to visit their brother in CBS, it becomes

an affordable option to have somebody out in CBS in a case like this, if they

desire to go out in CBS, because they know they have a municipal transit system

that can probably help move people at the same time.

That discussion needs to happen.

Towns and cities benefit from a discussion like that.

A Province, for example, like ours with as much oil

revenue as it has coming in right now, could be giving the City of St. John's a

tax break, for example, on its purchases that it is making and keep some of the

money in provincial coffers. We know

that the CFIB earlier today, for example, came out with a report saying that the

City of St. John's was spending 50 per cent more over and above what it was a

few years ago in spite of only having an 8 per cent growth in area.

The real factor here is that we know the City of St.

John's is probably doing pretty good spending with that 50 per cent because of

aging infrastructure that it has.

There are challenges for cities, for example, even when you read the report from

the CFIB where the City of St. John's needs to be spending that 50 per cent

more. We have a responsibility as

legislators to protect our cities from there and hence to protect our citizenry

at the same time. That is something

about what I hear from my people in St. John's East.

The other thing I wanted to address was a rather unique

educational issue that I ran into in my district, and it seems like this one is

scattered in some schools. Perhaps

the minister might want to address this one or investigate this one.

In just talking to one of my school councils last week, one of the issues

I ran into, and it is starting to come up again, is the issue around some

electrical issues with some of the SMART Boards out there.

As much as government made a great investment, there is

a problem with the SMART Boards out there and the maintenance of.

In some cases the SMART Boards, the bulbs, for example, in them burn out

after about 400 hours use. These

things are used eight hours a day in the classroom now.

After roughly of about fifty days, you are looking at a school board that

has to go ahead and spend $400 for a bulb for one of these projectors.

In some of these schools, if you have twenty classrooms

you are talking about twenty bulbs over the run of 400 hours and you could be

talking upwards of $8,000. So I ask

government to have a look at that, to investigate that particular issue, but

like I said, the SMART Boards right now are a necessity.

Until we have better technology or a better way of replacing some of the

parts for some of these SMART Boards, it needs to be addressed.

Mr. Speaker, I want to speak about the people of

Chalker Place. I had the opportunity

as well to participate in a Chalker Place neighbourhood cleanup down there last

week. They are just super nice

people down there, and we had a great time down there.

The kids were really responsive to a cleanup in their area.

It is a funny thing about young people, they are more

responsive to environmental issues and environmental sensitivities sometimes

than adults are. We see that case

everyday of course when it comes to the discussion of some government policy

when it comes to industrial development.

We have to be very careful.

The environment belongs to our children out there.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say hats off to the people of Chalker Place who

responded last week to cleaning up their neighbourhood.

We just had a great bit of fun there the other day.

I want to talk about the amounts in royalties at the

same time. Last week well, I think

it was probably about three weeks ago now; we had an interesting set when it

came to the amount of money. We are

asking government from that day exactly where the money went?

About $14.7 billion in royalties were collected since 1997 from first oil

and I think everybody remembers not seeing that first dollar amount on the

cheque.

Some people in return, of course, are looking for

fairness in taxation in this Budget, and I do not think they really got it.

I do not think they really got it when you look at the numbers that were

in there. We wanted to see more

investment, for example, from the monies that were collected in this Budget.

One of the things we did not see, for example, was

something our party had asked for several years ago.

I think it was in 2011. In a

private member's motion we asked for diabetes test strips to be paid for by

government. At that particular time

government came forth and amended the resolution to the point where they said

when they have the money in the Budget to do so they will go ahead and start

paying for it. Well, guess what?

It is $14.7 billion since 1997 and we still cannot afford to take some

preventative steps when it comes to medicine and Medicare in this Province and

avoid some medical care spending here.

We did not see fit yet in this Budget, for example, to

pay for diabetes test strips. Like I

said, when government said they had the money they would do it.

Well, it is obvious they had the money this year.

They went out and borrowed another billion dollars.

They bet on the future that they were going to have the money in the

future as well to do it, but the time is now, Mr. Speaker, with an aging

population in this Province and the onset of diabetes and how much it has

increased in the past years. We did

not see government invest in preventative-type medicine to the degree that we

would have liked to have seen. That

is one instance.

Back to my constituency again.

I can talk about Lucentis injections.

The funny part about Lucentis injections is that this is the only

Province in Canada that subjects the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who are

facing macular degeneration and yes, it happens again with an older population

you get fifteen injections and they are capped.

There is a cap on them. Hats

off to government for looking at that cap, but they still do not see the basis

of removing that cap as other provinces have.

What Lucentis does, of course, if you have macular

degeneration you lose your eyesight.

That is fifteen injections over a lifetime not fifteen injections a month or a

year, anything like that, that is fifteen in a lifetime.

I ran into a constituent last week also who is starting to have problems

with their vision. They had started

losing it about three months before I even knew it, and they were already up to

five or six injections, I think it was.

Well, what do they do after they reach the cap?

Well, here is what happens, Mr. Speaker, here is what

happens. They are expected to if

they want to prevent losing their eyesight they have to reach into their pocket,

they have to reach into their retirement savings, they have to reach into their

RRSPS, if you will, and they have to haul out about $1,800 per injection in

order to save their eyesight. Now

that is a little bit ridiculous, Mr. Speaker.

If you are talking about not having to pay the expenses

of somebody losing their eyesight, it is absolutely preposterous to know that

government will not remove the cap on Lucentis injections.

They would expect that if somebody could not afford it, that person would

have to end up going blind and cost the medical system in training in Braille

education, or in Seeing Eye dogs, or in helpers in this particular case.

Two people I am dealing with right now, one is a

seventy-nine-year-old lady who happens to have her driver's licence.

Her husband is sick. She is

the only mode of transportation. If

she loses her eyesight, Mr. Speaker, what do they do?

What do they do if she is the only one in the household right now getting

them around? I can guarantee you,

the next step for them, if they do not go ahead and get the $1,800 a month for

Lucentis injections, they will have home care.

That is going to cost government, if government does not end up doing the

right thing by paying for Lucentis injections.

Mr. Speaker, like I said, that is not the only person in my constituency.

I would say to government right here and now in

Newfoundland and Labrador, we have an aging demographic in this Province and

according to the CNIB we have about 20,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador

who are susceptible right now to have macular degeneration within the next few

years. While it is a slow build up

now, government is going to get hit with an extreme wave of people who are

experiencing problems with vision health.

Do you know what?

Vision health, Mr. Speaker, is one of the lesser paid attention to, if

you will, classes of health care. We

do not tend to look at vision care the same way as we do for home care or old

age care, if you will. This is one

place where government can actually avoid a problem in the next couple of years.

Remove the cap and make sure people are going to be insured of their eye

health so they will not have to be practicing an added expense to the health

care system later on.

Mr. Speaker, I can see my time is up.

I will just reflect on a couple of things very quickly as regards other

things in the Budget.

There is no plan from this government as regards roads

and bridges. There are no plans for

road maintenance programs that will be undergoing rotation.

We know the Auditor General has already said we are $800 million in the

hole. We know that government has

already said this year $81 million is a record.

We still have not heard from government in regard to how they are going

to be able to pick up from the amounts of money that they have missing.

MR.

SPEAKER (Verge):

Order, please!

I remind the member his time has expired.

MR.

MURPHY:

see my time is up, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much.

MR.

SPEAKER:

The

hon. the Member for Baie Verte Springdale.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am certainly privileged to speak on

Budget 2014: Shared Prosperity, Fair

Society, Balanced Outlook .

Before I get into the crux of the matter, I just want again to thank the people

of the District of Baie Verte Springdale for their ongoing support and for

placing me here. It is certainly

humbling and a tremendous educational experience.

On behalf of all of us here, I want to thank the people right across the

Province for placing us here, and we all try to do our best.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize, first of all,

the six high schools in my district that are carrying on graduations.

They are Indian River High of Springdale; Valmont Academy of King's

Point; Copper Ridge Academy, Baie Verte; St. Peter's Academy of Westport; and

Cape John Collegiate, La Scie. I

hope I did not forget anybody, Mr. Speaker the M.S.B Regional Academy of

Middle Arm. I have the privilege of

going, hopefully, next week, to the Baie Verte CNA graduation and also this

Friday night attending the St. Peter's Academy one.

One common theme or thread of all of these so far is

the outstanding speeches by the graduating students, youth, community support,

the huge commitment of teachers and the strong leadership that the graduating

students exhibited as I visit these schools.

In short, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to applaud the schools and the

graduates for the outstanding job that they are doing.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I will probably be in a

combative mood. If you ask me why,

it is simply because a couple of weeks ago the Leader of the Official Opposition

gave me a lot of food to chew on, of which I cannot digest and I find it very

distasteful. By extension, I assumed

all the members across the way believe the same viewpoint.

You might be wondering: Well, what is the problem?

What kind of phrases did he use in his speech about a couple of weeks ago

in a fundraising event? The phrase

that really got to me, irritated me, and perturbed me as a proud Newfoundlander

and Labradorian was the three words: lowest, worst and the last.

I said to myself: Well, what Province is he living in?

If he is referring to Newfoundland and Labrador, he is really completely

oblivious to the past ten years and what this government has done.

Is he referring to the lowest tuition fees in the country?

If he is, he is correct. If

he is referring to the lowest pupil-teacher ratio, he is correct.

If he is referring to the lowest unemployment rate since 1973, he is

correct. If he is referring to the

lowest small business corporate income tax ratio in Atlantic Canada, he is

indeed correct. If he is referring

to the lowest personal income tax rates in Atlantic Canada, he is indeed

correct.

Like I said earlier, I cannot share the same view, Mr.

Speaker. I take strong exception to

the official leader's characterization of our beloved Province.

He stated like I said earlier: least, lowest, worst, last.

I cannot share that same view.

Does he really believe that?

Why would he diminish our collective psyche?

Why would he discourage potential tourists and investors to visit our

Province by such negative comments?

Is it because of his quest for power?

I refuse to believe that we are least, last, and worst.

For the first time since Confederation, we as Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians believe in ourselves.

We are proud, we are confident, and we hold our heads up high.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

are leaders; we are not followers.

No longer are we taking the brunt of one joke after another.

From the resilient, innovative, hard-working Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians to the huge, many, varied resources that we have in our Province,

Newfoundland and Labrador has become a model not only for this Nation but the

rest of the world.

My question is: Why paint such a dismal picture of our

beloved Province? I reject the

notion that we are least, last, and worst.

I refuse to believe it. It is

a gross misrepresentation of who we really are and where we are right now in

this particular time of our history.

The lust of power is so great it has attacked our

pride, our psyche, of which no amount of money is able to purchase.

Is that the image every leader wants to be projected to our school aged

children? Is this the image that we

want to project to potential investors, to potential business people?

Is this the image we want to project to our school-aged children, to our

children, to our grandchildren with these negative comments?

Will these negative comments instill vision in our people?

Will they instill pride in our people?

Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker.

Will these negative comments instill a can-do attitude?

Absolutely not. Why attempt

to tear down and destroy what we as a Province, ever since Confederation,

approximately sixty-five years, are striving to become proud, determined,

strong Newfoundland and Labradorians, able to stand on our own two feet for the

first time in our history

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Right now we are paying our own way.

We are no longer the poor cousins of Confederation.

We are now part of the golden era of opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Why

do we want to go back to the 1990s or the early 2000s in ones and twos and

threes, no vision, close to bankruptcy, a spirit of despondency and depression

and despair pervaded the entire Province, Mr. Speaker.

The people were so much in despair in that they could not hold their

heads up high. Their chins were

digging furrows in the sand in the ground; we were so low in our pride, Mr.

Speaker.

Away with negativism, away with doom and gloom, away

with this austerity in the past ten years, we have come out of it, Mr. Speaker;

what a metamorphosis, what a transformation this Province has seen in the last

ten years by this government. It is

absolutely irresponsible for anybody to get up and say that we are least and

worst, and lowest and last. It is a

pure condemnation of the people of the Province.

Mr. Speaker, look at our history since Confederation,

look at the highs and lows, where are the highs in the graph if you look at

them? It is under the PC government,

under the Tory government, the high peaks

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Where were the low peaks? It was

under the Liberal rule, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Under the Liberal rule. The Moores

Administration, the Peckford Administration, the Williams Administration, the

Dunderdale Administration and under this current government, you see high peaks

in economic performance, Mr. Speaker, high peaks in our pride and now they want

to get in power and bring the people down, down, down, with no vision.

It is absolutely irresponsible, Mr. Speaker.

Do you know what their energy plan was in the early

1990s? Exploit the dividends of

Newfoundland Hydro to pay for roads and bridges

HON. MEMBER:

is shameful.

MR.

POLLARD:

is shameful, Mr. Speaker. It is

absolutely irresponsible. I cannot

go back there.

Mr. Speaker, I have to calm down a bit because

something rises in me when I hear these negative comments.

What did Michelle Obama say?

Just listen to this quote, One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always

stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from

your goals. And so when I hear about

negative and false attacks, I really don't invest any energy in them, because I

know who I am.

Mr. Speaker, I know who I am.

The people of this Province know who they really are: proud, strong,

determined.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Mr.

Speaker, we are visionary, we are innovative and resilient people.

We are not going to tolerate somebody calling us worst, last, and least

anymore.

Just listen to this comment, Mr. Speaker.

It is another quote I got from Facebook.

My friend just put it there this morning.

I came across it: the waters of the sea cannot sink a ship unless it gets

inside. Likewise, negativity cannot

put you down unless you allow it to get inside of you.

Mr. Speaker, I refuse to let the waters get inside me

and sink my ship. This government

chooses to lead. This government

chooses to inspire. This government

chooses to uplift. This government

chooses to be positive. This

government chooses to be encouraging to the people.

This government chooses to look up.

This government chooses to look ahead.

This government chooses to look forward and not behind.

This government chooses a vision.

This government is staying on course.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Mr.

Speaker, this government is casting a vision of which we have never seen before.

We are not to be deterred; we are not to veer off course.

We are going to stay straight ahead with our vision.

We know we are on the right track in the past ten years from economic

performance and taking care of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, showing

that we care about the people of this great Province.

Mr. Speaker, in my former life as a teacher I never did

subscribe to the have not phrase that I heard over and over and over.

I believed in the people of Newfoundland

and Labrador and how resilient, strong, and innovative they really were.

I knew how many resources we had in this Province, but it was mismanaged,

it was not done right.

As a teacher I often wondered, how can we do better?

Do you know what? In the late

1990s, 2003 when we took power the vision was cast.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

gravitated to that vision, Mr. Speaker.

I was hooked because the vision was clear.

I am proud to be part of this government today because I was looking for

someone to uplift me. I was looking

for someone to inspire me. I was

looking for someone to motivate me.

I was looking for someone to say the sun will shine and have not will be

no more.

I have news for everybody, especially over there, Mr.

Speaker. The sun is shining.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

have news to believe, Mr. Speaker, the clouds are gone, the sun is shining, and

have not will be no more. It is

happening today just in case they do not know, Mr. Speaker.

They are completely oblivious to the present situation.

They are completely oblivious to the economic performance of the past ten

years of this government. Why?

Because the lust for power is so great that they are willing to down

trod, they are willing to tear down, they are willing to trod the psyche of our

people.

Mr. Speaker, it is shameful, it is irresponsible.

The people of Newfoundland and Labrador will hold them accountable in the

next general election.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, I have to calm down a bit.

I do get emotional.

I have a choice, we all have a choice.

Every day we get up in the morning, we can be positive or we can be

negative. Mr. Speaker, I choose to

be positive. This government chooses

to be positive. I choose to believe

there are more people working today than ever before in our history, since 1973.

I choose to believe to wear my glasses, Mr. Speaker.

This Province is leading the nation in health care wait times for cardiac

bypass, hip fracture repairs, and cardiac surgery.

Thank you, we share the same vision over here.

It keeps us focused, thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

say thank you to the Member for Harbour Main, thank you.

I can even see better now.

Mr. Speaker, I choose to believe that we have the best

pupil-teacher ratio than any province in Canada.

I choose to believe we have the lowest tuition in the country.

I choose to believe that retail sales are strong, car sales are strong,

and there is a high level of consumer confidence.

We have low interest rates.

We have the highest average weekly wage in the country.

I choose to believe that second only to Alberta.

How can we not believe that this Province do I look good, Mr. Speaker,

with these glasses on?

I choose to believe that we are a have Province.

Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan we are in their league.

One time, they looked upon us with condensation a condescending

attitude. Yes, they wanted to rain

upon us too, on every parade that we had.

It is no more, no more, Mr. Speaker.

We believe in ourselves.

I believe that we have the highest level of employment

in the history of the Province, second only to Alberta.

We have the lowest annual unemployment rate in thirty-seven years, Mr.

Speaker. I choose to believe that

the housing starts are strong. I

choose to believe that Newfoundland and Labrador is leading Canada in economic

performance, outpacing every other province.

Just listen to this, Mr. Speaker, the Conference Board

of Canada issued its economic report card for the provinces, Using hard data,

they have ranked Newfoundland and Labrador, alongside Alberta and Saskatchewan,

as the top performers among all provinces.

In fact, with an A-plus rating, we were not only ahead of Ontario,

Quebec, BC, Manitoba and the Maritimes; we were also ahead of Canada's national

performance and ahead of the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany and even

Norway.

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

This new report echoes the findings of Canada's five major banks and the bond

rating agencies. I have a question,

Mr. Speaker: Whose report are you going to believe?

I believe in the report of bond rating agencies.

I believe the report of Dr. Wade Locke.

I believe the report of the Conference Board of Canada.

I believe the report of major banks, Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I have a question: Is that the worst?

Is that the least? Is that

the lowest?

HON. MEMBER:

No.

MR.

POLLARD:

that the last?

HON. MEMBER:

No.

MR.

POLLARD:

Tell me again, Mr. Speaker, I want to hear it loud and clear.

Is that the worst?

HON. MEMBER:

No.

MR.

POLLARD:

that the least?

HON. MEMBER:

No.

MR.

POLLARD:

that the last?

HON. MEMBER:

No.

MR.

POLLARD:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. See that

information? See the thing work?

SOME HON. MEMBERS:

Hear, hear!

MR.

POLLARD:

Now, Mr. Speaker, we have an A + grade for economic performance.

I have two more phrases. My

time is running out.

Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, a couple of years ago

spending $5 billion on infrastructure was considered by the Official Opposition

over there as frivolous spending. I

say it again, frivolous spending. In

fact, the other day he had the audacity to say that we squandered our oil money

and we left a legacy of lost opportunity, left nothing behind.

Mr. Speaker, that is totally appalling, shocking,

amazing, completely oblivious to the surroundings of what is happening in this

great Province of ours. What

newspaper is he reading, Mr. Speaker?

Nothing could be further from reality, Mr. Speaker.

Tell the people of Little Bay Islands and Long Island that the $27.5

million ferry is frivolous spending or squandered money.

Tell the people of Bell Island, my colleague here, the Member for Bell

Island I am sorry, there is someone else sitting there now.

The $50 million ferry and a fire hall, squander