April 29, 2008

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVI No. 18

The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Premier: That This House Approves in

General the Budgetary Policy of the Government.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is: That This House Approves in General the

Budgetary Policy of the Government.

The hon. the Minister of Finance.

MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

INTRODUCTION

Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador is not the Province it was five years

ago. Before our government entered office in 2003, this Province was spiraling

downward into an abyss, fiscally, economically and socially. Infrastructure was

crumbling, social programs were unraveling, raw resources were being shipped

away, vast numbers of our people were leaving and public indebtedness was

increasing. This is not a path that could continue.

We came to office with a new approach. We wrestled down the fiscal dragon by

instituting public sector program renewal, performance targets and frank

accountability. We ratcheted up growth by developing strategies sector by sector

to identify opportunities for capitalizing on our strengths. We adopted some of

the most progressive social policies in the country: a student aid program that

is one of the best in Canada, and a Poverty Reduction Strategy that national

anti-poverty leaders are hailing as the standard by which all others should be

measured.

Bold, imaginative thinking has changed the face of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Employment has risen to record highs. Economic prospects have never looked

brighter. This turn of fortune has not happened by accident. It has happened by

design. It is the product of a sound approach, strategic planning, solid

leadership and steadfast co-operation with our people and communities, workers

and investors, educators and innovators throughout the entire Province.

We are stepping up to the plate and making the most of the opportunities

before us. We are stepping up our game and intensifying our efforts to translate

investment prospects into prosperity. We are stepping up to a new plateau of

success and strength by putting the resources and talents of Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians to work more effectively to secure a sustainable future in which

our families can prosper and thrive for generations to come. We are standing

tall as powerful contributors to the federation - as masters of our own domain,

stronger and more secure than we have ever been before. And even though we would

rather find a federal government that is ready to work with us as

partners for growth instead of against us as partisan foes, nothing will

hold us back from achieving our goals and fulfilling our dreams.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We continue to feel a deep sense of betrayal and

frustration over the federal government's refusal to honour their explicit

written commitment to remove non-renewable resource revenues from the

calculation of Equalization entitlements. By keeping their word, they would have

advanced our efforts to address our excessive burden of debt and achieve parity

in the federation. Nevertheless, their unwillingness to honour their written

commitment will do nothing to prevent us from achieving our goals on our own

steam.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

THE ECONOMY

Mr. Speaker, our strong fiscal performance has allowed us to take bold

measures to improve the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians by enhancing

existing programs and services, offering new programs and services, providing

support for the vulnerable, building new infrastructure and rebuilding old,

lowering taxes and paying down debt.

Fiscal health and economic strength go hand-in-hand. Economic performance

provides a measure of the improvement in the lives of our people.

Economic Performance 2007

Last year, the number of people employed in our Province grew. The

unemployment rate fell to 13.6 per cent, a reduction of 1.2 percentage points

from the previous year. While this unemployment rate is the lowest in twenty-six

years, Mr. Speaker -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - this rate is still unacceptably high, so we will

continue to implement policies to see this number decline.

Last year, personal income grew by 4.3 per cent, while the largest personal

income tax cut in the Province's history put more money back into the hands of

taxpayers, boosting personal disposable income growth by 5 per cent. This growth

in disposal income, along with increased consumer confidence, resulted in

exceptional growth in retail sales of 9.5 per cent. Residential construction

investment increased by an impressive 9.9 per cent with gains in both new and

renovation spending, with 2,652 housing starts for the year.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 7.9 per cent last year -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - driven largely by exports of oil and minerals followed

by the consumer and government sectors.

2008 Expectations

Mr. Speaker, real GDP is forecast to decline by 2 per cent in 2008, resulting

from lower offshore oil production. Nevertheless, capital investment is expected

to increase by an extraordinary 15 per cent, largely on the strength of

increased oil and gas investment. Combined capital expenditures on Hibernia,

Terra Nova and White Rose are expected to be around $1 billion. This outstanding

investment in this Province speaks to the continued momentum of our oil and gas

industry.

Mr. Speaker, the momentum in residential construction is expected to continue

as the number of housing starts this year is expected to be 2,657, a level

consistent with last year and an indicator of high consumer confidence.

Last year, the unemployment rate was at a twenty-six year low. This year,

employment is expected to increase by 1.5 per cent -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - adding another 3,300 jobs. This will shave another 1.2

percentage points off the unemployment rate to 12.4 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, anyone familiar with the history of Newfoundland and Labrador

knows that out-migration has been part of us for a long, long time. All of us

have felt the sense of loss as loved ones moved away to find work, often

sacrificing a better quality of life in the bargain. We are about to turn a new

page in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador. Never in the history of the

Province has there been a greater opportunity for young people, especially those

with post-secondary education, and, in particular, those with skilled trades.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, we have more jobs being created than people

entering the work force, and we have many major projects operating or on the

horizon including Hibernia, Terra Nova, White Rose, Hebron, Voisey's Bay, a

nickel processing facility, expansion at IOCC, the Lower Churchill, a potential

new liquefied natural gas transshipment terminal, a potential new refinery and

potential for a large shipbuilding contract at Marystown. In order to fill these

jobs, we will have to attract people back to this Province. It has already

begun. For the second half of the 2007 calendar year, there was net in-migration

of almost 2,000 people to Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Most of the people moving to the Province came from

Alberta and Ontario, and we look forward to welcoming more back in the years

ahead.

FISCAL FRAMEWORK

Review of 2007-08

Mr. Speaker, when I first delivered my first Budget speech last year, I said:

"We must remain cognizant of the fact that our financial position can be

influenced significantly by changes in resource prices. Our estimates were

determined based upon advice provided by independent authorities, but these

estimates could fluctuate significantly." While these words are somewhat

prophetic, there were few forecasters who foresaw such a dramatic climb in oil

and mineral prices, or such a weakening of the American dollar. At Budget last

year, we had forecast that offshore royalties would be at $1.04 billion. We are

now projecting that offshore royalties will be $1.67 billion, an increase of

$633 million above the original Budget estimate.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: I am pleased to say that the surplus for the year that

just ended, the third consecutive surplus, will be the largest in the history of

our Province. Mr. Speaker, when the books are closed on the 2007-2008 fiscal

year, we expect a surplus of almost $1.4 billion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: I am also pleased to say that our net debt, which was

more than double the per capita national average, will be reduced from $11.6

billion to $10.3 billion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This shows solid progress in reducing the net debt, but

I would be remiss if I did not caution that we must remain vigilant in efforts

to continue to reduce net debt to a level that promotes long-term

sustainability. Unless we substantially reduce our debt, real and meaningful

financial stability will continue to elude us, and without financial stability,

we will be incapable of sustaining the social programs and the services that our

people need. We must never lose sight of our long-term sustainability.

Forecast for 2008-09

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and hope for the future that I am

projecting a fourth consecutive surplus in 2008-2009. This is something we would

not have dared to dream when we took office in 2003 and were grappling with

potential consecutive deficits in excess of $1 billion. I am pleased to report

that I am forecasting a surplus this year of $544 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The surpluses which we will record for 2007-2008 and are

forecasting for 2008-2009 will allow the Province to make capital investments of

$483 million. They will allow the Province to make investments in resource

projects such as Hebron and White Rose, as well as in our energy corporation

totalling $329 million. They will allow the Province to repay debt in the amount

of $451 million.

Mr. Speaker, the Province's public service employees work very hard in a

wide variety of roles to serve the people of our Province. Early in our first

term as we wrestled with the fiscal challenges we inherited, their sacrifices

made an important difference. We have made a commitment to them that, as our

circumstances improve, they will share in the benefits. Currently, we are

working with various bargaining units at the negotiating table in an effort to

reach acceptable agreements. We are prepared to commit approximately $1.4

billion cumulatively in the next four years to negotiate contract improvements.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, these investments in our future will be

made without incurring any new borrowings in 2008-2009. This is a monumental

achievement for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

BUDGET PLAN FOR 2008-09

Revenue Plan

Mr. Speaker, I am optimistic over the prospects for the future of

Newfoundland and Labrador. At the same time, the fact that over 37 per cent of

our revenues accrue directly from non-renewable resources in an environment of

historically high prices gives me cause for concern over the volatility inherent

in these revenue sources. Last year, we saw oil prices range from as high as

$104 U.S. to as low as $67 U.S. Nickel prices ranged from as high as $24.50 U.S.

to as low as $11.50 U.S. The Canadian dollar, relative to the U.S. dollar, was

as high as $1.10 and as low as $0.86. Much of the volatility was driven by

economic events in the United States, as well as other events around the world.

As we entered the current fiscal year, many analysts were saying that the U.S.

economy was in, or was headed for, a recession.

We are forecasting oil royalties at $1.7 billion this year, an increase of

$47 million over last year, based on oil prices averaging approximately $87 U.S.

and an exchange rate of $0.99. Mr. Speaker, while this forecast appears

conservative given today's prices, it is prudent to be conservative given the

volatility of prices. There is no guarantee that prices will stay at current

levels. Five provinces have released oil price forecasts with their recent

budgets, and the average is $83.28 for West Texas Intermediate (WTI), which on

any given day can be $3.00 to $8.00 higher than oil from our offshore area.

Alberta, the province with the greatest oil and gas resources, has used a West

Texas Intermediate price of $78 in its recent budget, so we feel our forecast of

$87 to be very reasonable.

Mineral prices this year are expected to be less than last year. We therefore

expect mining royalties to be about $259 million, a decline of $53 million

reflecting lower nickel prices this year.

Mr. Speaker, we are also on the threshold of another great milestone in the

history of our Province. We are forecasting that this year, Equalization

entitlements will be a mere $18 million, and we anticipate that we could be off

Equalization in the following year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This will mark a significant turning point in the long

history of this Province. No longer will Newfoundland and Labrador be looked at

as the poor cousin of Confederation, but we will begin to take our place as an

economic driver of Canada. It will be a day of great celebration.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

TAXATION

Mr. Speaker, just two short years ago the people of our Province were

burdened with the highest average personal income taxes in the country. In

Budget 2007, I was pleased to announce the largest Personal Income Tax cut in

the Province's history - a reduction that put $155 million back into the hands

of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, setting our personal income tax rate at the

lowest in Atlantic Canada. Mr Speaker, we are continuing this momentum. I am

pleased to announce that effective July 1, 2008, the tax rate on each of our

three tax brackets will be further reduced by one percentage point.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This reduction in our Personal Income Tax rates will

continue to move the Province to a more competitive tax system that will

encourage investment and increased employment in Newfoundland and Labrador. It

will put another $75 million back into the hands of people of the Province and

bring the total annualized reduction in the Personal Income Tax burden over the

past two budgets to $230 million. Effective July 1, 2008, Newfoundland and

Labrador will now have the fourth-lowest average Personal Income Tax rates in

the country

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - significantly improving our competitiveness

nationally. Moving from the highest personal income tax burden to fourth in the

country in two short years is a tremendous accomplishment that is to be

celebrated, as it positions our Province once again as a preferred place to work

and live.

As the Premier announced on April 22, the Province is also eliminating the 15

per cent Retail Sales Tax on insurance premiums effective January 1, 2008. This

will put $94 million back into the hands of taxpayers this year, and $75 million

annually thereafter, and will benefit each and every household, corporation,

small business, community, municipality and volunteer organization in the

Province.

Also, effective January 1, 2008, the Province will increase the payroll

exemption threshold related to the Payroll Tax to $1,000,000. This will take an

additional 308 small or medium sized business off the tax roll and reduce the

tax burden for 578 others.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This measure will put $6.5 million back into the hands

of employers, money that they can use to create new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to announce the fulfillment of a commitment in

our 2007 Blueprint to reduce motor registration fees for vehicles in the

Province. Effective May 1, 2008, fees charged to register passenger vehicles,

light trucks, vans and light commercial vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador

will be reduced from $180 to $140 per year a $10 million annual benefit for

the people of the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, a year ago in Budget 2007, we enhanced the

low-income Seniors' Benefit for married seniors, benefiting 5,900 senior

couples. In this Budget, we are doubling the Seniors' Benefit for single

seniors. The change is designed to reflect the fact that the cost of living for

a single senior is not substantially different from the cost of living for a

married senior couple. Effective for 2008, single seniors will be entitled to

the same level of benefit as married seniors. A single senior will receive a

maximum benefit of $776, double the maximum amount available in 2007. The full

benefit is available to single seniors with net incomes up to $25,275 while a

single senior with a net income between $25,275 and $31,930 can receive a

partial benefit. A total of 31,500 seniors will benefit from these changes.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The value of the tax and other revenue reductions

announced today is $179 million annually. When combined with the tax measures

implemented last year, this government has reduced the financial burden on

individuals, families and businesses by $342 million annually.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This is a very competitive tax regime that will bolster

our efforts to recruit and retain workers and promote net in-migration to

Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, through these initiatives, people

throughout our Province will benefit tangibly from the new prosperity that we

are enjoying in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SECURING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

Working

Mr. Speaker, we are determined to work with the people of the Province in

taking all the steps required to secure a sustainable future for Newfoundland

and Labrador.

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are among the most industrious people in the

country. The same enterprising attitude that enabled our own communities to

endure for hundreds of years has helped to build economic miracles across Canada

in places like Toronto, Cambridge, Fort McMurray and far beyond. Now we need

people with that same enterprising attitude to help us build an economic miracle

right here at home. We are issuing a clarion call to local residents young and

old, to our expatriates and to immigrants from far and wide to join with us as

we prepare to step up to a new plateau of economic activity.

Already, major successes in our energy sector, our mining sector and many

others have helped to usher in a period of inspiring economic growth. But that

is only a foretaste of the opportunities awaiting Newfoundland and Labrador. Our

government recognized early on that we would need to be prepared to make the

most of these magnificent prospects. In addition to commissioning strategic

plans in sectors promising growth, we commissioned a Skills Task Force to begin

the process of ensuring that Newfoundland and Labrador would be ready with the

skilled people needed to do the work. The Skills Task Force reported last year

and we have already moved forward to implement the Action Plan.

This year, we are stepping up our level of preparedness by launching a broad

spectrum of initiatives that will be known collectively as Opportunities

Newfoundland and Labrador. With an investment of $5.3 million, Opportunities

Newfoundland and Labrador will focus on connecting employers seeking workers

with the people they need to get the job done. To explain how it will work, let

me describe some of the needs it will address.

Our students and job seekers need reliable information about the career paths

that will enable them to build a secure future in our Province.

Expatriates, immigrants and other prospective job recruits need reliable

information about the changing labour market conditions in Newfoundland and

Labrador and the many benefits of working and living here.

Employers need reliable information about the supports that are available to

help them recruit and retain the workers that they require.

The government needs reliable information about the factors that influence

the decisions that people make on what to study, where to work and where to live

so that we can adjust our approach to recruitment and retention accordingly.

People with disabilities and others often marginalized in our society

sometimes require special assistance to get into the work force.

Through Opportunities Newfoundland and Labrador, we will address all of those

needs in ways that will bring the benefits of growth to people and communities

throughout our Province.

The free flow of reliable information is essential to the success of our

approach. Through Opportunities Newfoundland and Labrador, we will inform high

school students, post-secondary students, job seekers, marginalized groups and

workers both inside and outside our Province about existing and emerging

employment opportunities, training and career supports, and the many benefits of

working in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: It is critical that we spark the fires of engagement

amongst our Province's young people. To that end, we are investing

approximately $1 million to retain expertise to undertake a major project to

engage young people in this Province in decisions on their future. We will

implement a Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy to develop and apply

innovative approaches to encourage our young people to stay in our Province.

This government is strengthening the capacity of our communities to forge

meaningful solutions that advance the interests of young people. To complement

the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy, we are providing a total annual

investment of $2.6 million to the Community Youth Network to support the

delivery of vital youth leadership, learning and social development programs in

the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, we will strengthen our capacity to develop

and disseminate labour market information that stakeholders in the public,

private and academic sectors require to better identify and meet their human

resource needs. We will enhance our capacity to forecast future labour demands

and to monitor graduate outcomes, recruitment and retention challenges,

employment activity and worker mobility.

Having seen how other jurisdictions recruit workers here in this Province, we

are stepping up with recruitment initiatives of our own. We will collaborate

with our Province's employers in hosting regular job fairs throughout the

Province and beyond.

We will also sponsor recruitment sessions in our Career/Work Centres which

will enable local employers to share information about opportunities in their

businesses, to accept job applications and even to conduct job interviews on the

spot. Last year, we invested a million dollars to establish six Career/Work

Centres throughout the Province. This year, we will more than double that

investment to establish six additional centres in new areas.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Information technology gives us powerful new tools to

match people seeking work with employers seeking workers. We will proceed to

develop an on-line International Registry to help Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians, expatriates and others throughout Canada and the world identify

local job opportunities while, at the same time, enabling employers to access

the employees they need. People will be able to submit information about their

skills, work experience and job preferences to a database that employers will be

able to access when they are ready to hire.

There are some in our Province who want to work but need help surmounting

barriers. Recognizing these challenges, our government is establishing a

Division of Disabilities to identify initiatives we can take to help people

overcome the barriers they face, including barriers to working.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will promote greater labour market participation for

persons with disabilities by enhancing the Training Service Program to meet the

higher demand for post-secondary education, and provide more job trainers under

the Supported Employment Program. We will also enhance employment programs by

strengthening partnerships with groups to provide services to persons with

disabilities as well as to youth and other individuals who often have difficulty

making labour force attachments.

We are also increasing our commitment to the Opening Doors Program which

provides employment opportunities in government departments and agencies to

persons with disabilities. Through an additional annual investment of $340,000,

we will provide meaningful employment opportunities for an additional eight

individuals.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, we will work to attract more immigrants to

our Province as we continue to implement our Immigration Strategy. We will work

to promote a greater appreciation of the many benefits that immigration brings

to Newfoundland and Labrador by implementing a Multiculturalism Policy to

celebrate diversity and to promote harmonious relations amongst all cultures.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will support the promotion of the French language and

the Francophone culture in the Province, forging ties between Newfoundland and

Labrador and Quebec, in order to promote the development and vitality of

French-speaking communities - the Francophonie.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The recently-signed agreement with the Province of

Quebec sets the foundation for co-operation and exchange in a variety of

sectors, including: education, culture, youth, French language, economy,

communications, health, early childhood, justice, status of women and

immigration.

Mr. Speaker, Aboriginal people in Canada have raised their own concerns about

labour market participation and unemployment rates that are generally higher

within Aboriginal communities than among non-Aboriginal Canadians. In

consultation with Aboriginal people in this Province, our government has

acknowledged the need to develop culturally-relevant curriculum that will more

effectively engage Aboriginal students. This year, we will create a new

Aboriginal Literacy Development Consultant position dedicated to this task.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This consultant will be situated in Labrador and will

work closely with members of Aboriginal communities to develop curriculum that

reflects Aboriginal cultures and Adult Basic Education programs to better

address the literacy challenges in Aboriginal communities.

We want to ensure that all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are equipped to

seize the opportunities before us. We have an obligation to work together, not

only to ensure that employers can find the people they need to work, but also to

ensure that our people can take advantage of opportunities that will improve

their own individual circumstances.

Our government has worked strategically to build fiscal strength, to improve

economic opportunity, to promote economic and social inclusion and to protect

our cultural heritage. A common thread to achieving these goals is reversing the

trend of population decline. Family-focused policies are an integral element of

rebuilding our population. Among the Blueprint commitments to nurture family

growth is a plan to provide a payment of $1,000 for each child born or adopted

plus a supplement of $100 per month in relation to parental support.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, we have provided $12.4 million in Budget

2008 to deliver on this commitment.

Learning

Mr. Speaker, the path to opportunity begins in our earliest years. Each child's

path is different, but we have a collective obligation to ensure that every

child is fully supported and prepared to advance along that path.

For many years, parents, educators and administrators in this Province have

been especially concerned about the approach to educating students with special

learning needs. They told us they were overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork

associated with the Individual Support Services Plan (ISSP) and the Pathways

model. We heard their concerns and took action to have the ISSP and Pathways

model reviewed. In December, we outlined the actions our government will take in

response to the recommendations of an independent report on the system. We have

already commenced work on this initiative and this year, with an investment of

$2.4 million, we will implement the action plan that we announced in December to

address those concerns.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Like the Province's teachers, we also had concern

about the teacher allocation formula. If we had followed the old formula, there

would be 540 fewer teachers in the Province in September than there were in

2003. Instead, we listened to parents and we listened to educators. We

established an independent Teacher Allocation Commission and, in March, we

announced the actions we are taking to implement key recommendations of that

report. The new model represents a fundamental shift from a numerical formula to

a needs-based approach. Allocations will now reflect programming and teaching

needs.

We already took action in our first term to cap class sizes in Grades 1 to 3.

In keeping with the recommendations of the Teacher Allocation Commission's

report, we are expanding the cap on class sizes to include Kindergarten, Grade 4

and Grade 7 in September, and other grades in the following two years. We are

allocating $3.56 million this year to help school districts with their

individual planning for school programming and teaching needs, which will

include a more generous allocation of specialist teachers, principals and

assistant principals as well as the creation of instructional education officers

to support student achievement, school leadership and school development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: With a total annualized investment of $32.8 million, we

have laid a solid foundation for a new and far more progressive approach to

allocating teachers in this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, to complement these initiatives, we are

allocating an additional $500,000 to school districts for discretionary

substitute teacher leave. This funding will allow additional days for teacher

professional development, family leave and student activities.

We are also allocating additional funding of $1 million to increase the

number of school secretary hours. Additional secretarial staffing hours will

provide a greater level of service to students, parents and other stakeholders.

Benefits include more manageable workloads for current secretarial staff and

more effective use of teacher time.

Advances in technology enable many students in our Province to take courses

they might not otherwise be able to access. We are delighted that the Centre for

Distance Learning and Innovation has seen significant growth in the take-up of

its secondary distance education programming since its inception in 2001. This

growth has naturally meant higher costs to hire teaching staff, to resource

schools to accommodate distance education students, to provide for optimum

Internet connectivity in rural and remote areas, and to provide support enabling

school districts to assist with distance education delivery. To accommodate this

growth and ensure that rural students can continue to access a broad range of

courses, we are increasing the centre's program budget this year by $1.6

million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Our government is committed to improving infrastructure

in K-12. Since 2004, we have allocated $111 million for infrastructure work in

the K-12 system. In this fiscal year, we will build on that investment by

allocating nearly $89 million for new school construction, maintenance and

repair projects.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This is more than triple the amount that we allocated

just three years ago.

As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on building a

skilled labour market to meet emerging needs of industry and preparing and

influencing our young people to take advantage of emerging career opportunities

in our economy. Prior to 2006, Skilled Trades was an area of the high school

curriculum that had not been renewed since the eighties. Throughout the past

decade, space for these programs has been removed or reduced beyond levels

needed to offer and deliver the program effectively. The Futures in Skilled

Trades and Technology program is recognized by industry, apprenticeship and

post-secondary officials as an important means of addressing predicted skilled

trades shortages in our Province. We are committing $750,000 this year and a

further $750,000 the following year to move forward with infrastructure changes

needed to restore this vital program.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The Skills Task Force identified the importance of

supporting apprenticeship to ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

acquire the qualifications they need for skilled trades. Many students exposed

to skilled trades in high school choose to pursue apprenticeship in these

rewarding careers upon graduation. We are providing funding this year to

continue to support apprentices and their employers, to provide flexibility for

education and training, and to enable more people to access apprenticeship

programs. We are also expanding the Education Department's Advanced Studies

Branch to a fourth centre, Clarenville, where officials will provide field

support to apprentices, employers and post-secondary institutions.

The College of the North Atlantic's industrial trades shops, some built as

early as 1963, require modernization and refurbishment to keep pace with

industry standards. Although the equipment in the shops is still useful for

instructional purposes, there are significant gaps between current training

equipment and modern industrial technology. Shop layout, materials and equipment

much be aligned with current industry standards to ensure that our graduates are

fully prepared for the workplace. We are therefore allocating $1 million to

modernize and refurbish the College's trade shops.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: As we prepare for new large-scale provincial development

projects through labour market development initiatives, we recognize the central

role that Memorial University's Faculty of Business and the Marine Institute

will play in preparing our people to take key positions on these projects. This

year we are allocating $1.11 million to expand several of the professional

schools at Memorial including the Faculties of Business and Engineering and the

Marine Institute to give more of our young people the opportunity to play

important roles in the projects that will shape our future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: As announced in this year's Throne Speech and last

year's Budget, we will fulfill our commitment to grant Sir Wilfred Grenfell

College full university status with a separate executive-

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - a separate senate and budget, while maintaining a

common Board of Regents to secure a strong partnership between Grenfell and the

St. John's campuses. We are allocating $500,000 to commence with the

implementation requirements and establish a new governance structure within the

Memorial University system.

To ensure our students continue to have access to the opportunities that a

post-secondary education provides, we are following through on our Blue Book

commitment to continue the tuition freeze at Memorial University and the College

of the North Atlantic for the next four years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will allocate $5 million this year and some $56

million over the four-year term to provide this direct benefit to some 25,000

students.

Innovating

Mr. Speaker, in the move towards a robust knowledge-based society, we will

invest $1.5 million to form the Newfoundland and Labrador Research and

Development Council. The council, intended as a Crown corporation, is

responsible for improving the quantity, the quality and the breadth of research

and development undertaken within the Province. This includes the development of

a province-wide strategy to articulate its role, and that of related entities,

in initiating targeted R&D growth within Newfoundland and Labrador.

Formation of the Newfoundland and Labrador Research and Development Council

represents a significant milestone for the Province and gives us a strong,

informed voice and lets us plot a course to sustained prosperity.

Newfoundland and Labrador has already taken the lead in promoting growth of

our ocean technology sector, where we are capitalizing on our natural advantages

and renowned expertise. This year we are dedicating over $4 million in support

of ocean technology sector development. To drive this development, we will be

releasing an ocean technology sector strategy, the primary goal of which is to

increase the level of profitable private sector activity in ocean technology in

this Province. The strategy's areas of focus will include technology

development, branding, access to international markets, incubation support for

start-up firms and the development of ocean observing systems. Through these

initiatives, we are positioning Newfoundland and Labrador as the "NASA of

the North".

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: One of the brightest beacons in ocean science, Memorial

University's Ocean Science Centre also known as the Marine Lab

conducts world-class research in marine science, trains graduate students and

post-doctoral fellows, assists local industry and government agencies with

research, and provides public education. We are allocating $1 million to provide

new infrastructure that will provide water from a deeper seawater source.

We have already invested in enhancing the vital fibre optic network that

links the Island portion of our Province across the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the

world beyond. In keeping with our Blueprint commitment, we are allocating a

further $200,000 this year to study issues related to the provision of a fibre

optic link for Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

Improving Infrastructure

Mr. Speaker, investments in our information and communications technology

network demonstrate that sound public expenditures can have a profoundly

positive effect on the Province's private sector investment climate. This is

hardly surprising. We have known for generations that strategic investments in

infrastructure such as roads, wharves, water and sewer can open up remote

regions for unprecedented growth. Similarly, allowing public infrastructure to

deteriorate can stymie investment and can lead to decline. A failure to invest

in our future betrays a failure to believe in our future, and unfortunately such

pessimism can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Newfoundlanders and

Labradorians in 2003 and again in 2007 demonstrated their optimism in our

Province's future by electing and re-electing a government that has proven it

is prepared to invest in making our future brighter and more secure.

Investments in infrastructure not only improve the climate for investment and

improve the quality of life of our citizens, but they also create jobs. Our

investments in infrastructure this year will create an estimated 6,500

person-years of employment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We have already announced an investment this year of

$182 million in road improvements, the largest such funded in our Province's

history.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This includes a record $73 million for the Provincial

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

figure, which set a record of its own. Initiatives this year also include an

aggressive upgrading program for the national highway system in Newfoundland and

Labrador.

Last year, we announced reductions of provincial ferry rates for

non-commercial travelers to achieve road equivalency. This year, we are

proceeding with Phase 2 of this policy by extending the rate reductions to

include commercial travelers and freight. Construction of provincial ferries

under our vessel replacement program will commence in 2008, and we are also

investing to upgrade ferry terminals and wharves to improve provincial services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, this year, we will develop a municipal

infrastructure investment strategy that will help sustain our small rural

municipalities while providing infrastructure support in our Province's growth

centres. As we maintain support for basic water and sewer, we will also provide

targeted funding for several key initiatives that warrant our attention. This

will include $4 million to begin eliminating untreated sewage outfalls, $7

million for strategic projects such as the Corner Brook water treatment facility

and the Happy Valley-Goose Bay sewage treatment facility, $5.5 million to

proceed with the implementation of the provincial solid waste management

strategy, and another $1.7 million for firefighting equipment. We will also

leverage federal funding for municipalities over the next three years - $19

million under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and $16 million under the

Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and we will administer the $82.3

million federal gas tax rebate program and the $7.6 million federal public

transit program that together will promote environmental sustainability.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are proud of the progress we have made in recent

years to improve the safety and quality of our public water supplies through the

implementation of the Multi-Barrier Strategic Action Plan for Drinking Water

Safety. A number of small rural communities throughout the Province, however,

remain under boil water advisories and have other issues with their drinking

water supplies. Through our municipal infrastructure investment strategy, we are

allocating this year $6 million in capital funding to purchase units required

for the development of innovative methods of providing potable drinking water,

particularly to small rural communities facing special challenges.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Through the Action Plan for Drinking Water Safety, we

are also allocating $1 million this year and in subsequent years for the

operation and maintenance of these systems, which will provide many more of our

people with access to high quality drinking water.

We have made a commitment to review municipal fiscal policies in consultation

with Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador. Historically, the Province has

absorbed about 65 per cent of infrastructure costs, but some municipalities

struggling with declining population bases and dwindling tax bases find it

difficult to participate in major capital projects or operate costly systems.

This year, we are introducing a new cost-sharing ratio for all municipalities

for all types of infrastructure in order to enable more of them to invest in the

infrastructure that they need to grow.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: With an investment of $1 million, we will help to

eliminate certain barriers to merging such as disproportionate debt loads and

special costs associated with regionalizing service delivery. We will also

finance a five-year pilot project in regional governance to test the

practicality of delivering municipal services over a broad geographic area.

Growing Industries

Mr. Speaker, investments like these in education, innovation and

infrastructure are critical in preparing our people and communities to reap the

benefits of this growth, but there is even more we can do to promote the

expansion of economic opportunities.

Last year, we released the Province's first comprehensive Energy Plan to

guide the development of an industry that is critical to the long-term

prosperity of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are investing $35 million over three

years to put that plan into action.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Under the Energy Plan, we moved forward to reconfigure

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro as a subsidiary of a publicly owned energy

corporation that will bring maximum opportunities and maximum benefits of energy

developments to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. If our energy

corporation is to function as a major international competitor capable of

leading world-class energy developments, it must have a strong financial

profile. It is through our energy corporation that we are preparing to reap the

benefits of equity stakes in Hebron and White Rose and to lead the development

of the Lower Churchill Project. To support these projects, the Province will

provide a direct investment in the energy corporation of $215 million this year.

The Province will also provide a further $100 million equity injection that will

improve Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro's financial profile by reducing its

level of debt. Our equity injection will also bring the company more in line

with similar utilities in Canada in terms of the ratio of debt to equity. These

investments are part of a long-term strategy to make our Crown utility less

dependent on the provincial treasury for its financial requirements as it works

to bring major projects and significant opportunities to Newfoundland and

Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: With major resource projects on the horizon such as

Hebron, the Voisey's Bay processing plant, the proposed second oil refinery,

the White Rose expansion and the Lower Churchill Project, we want to take

maximum advantage of the tremendous fabrication capacity and expertise that

already exists in this Province. Amongst our greatest assets is the Bull Arm

site. In addition to our annual $1.1 million operating grant for the Bull Arm

Site Corporation, we are investing another $2.75 million to prepare for major

resource projects through site maintenance and upgrades and through the

establishment of a new management structure. The new staff will include several

senior engineering and technical professionals who will define optimal uses for

the site and manage the facilities during major project execution.

Consistent with our Energy Plan vision, we are also pursuing opportunities to

develop innovative energy solutions and reduce our dependence on costly diesel.

We will invest $4.5 million in the Ramea Wind-Hydrogen Power Generation

Demonstration Project -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - in order to purchase two, or possibly three, wind

turbines, each with a capacity of about 130 kilowatts, along with equipment for

hydrogen production and storage. Adding hydrogen technology and new wind

generation capacity to the existing wind-diesel project will place Ramea at the

leading edge of the hydrogen economy and demonstrate rural-based innovation at

its finest.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Just as we are becoming more competitive in the energy

sector, we will further improve our competitiveness in the mining sector by

enhancing the marketability of our mineral resource base and improving service

delivery. By investing $1 million this year and a further $2 million over the

next two years for new geological mapping, we will provide mineral exploration

companies with better information for making investment decisions and go a long

way in promoting new exploration and development.

We are also investing $500,000 over the next two years to improve the mineral

exploration permitting process by developing an online Mineral Exploration and

Approval Management System that will allow easier information sharing between

government departments, staff and exploration companies. This online approval

system will complement the online staking system that has already been a great

success.

To further promote growth in rural regions in particular, we are providing

$9.6 million inclusive of carryovers under the Regional Sectoral Diversification

Fund to support a broad range of economic development initiatives and

enhancements to existing infrastructure to promote regional sharing, community

sustainability and value-added sector diversification.

One of our most important industries, Mr. Speaker, the forestry sector, has

been struggling along with others across North America to weather major storms.

We remain committed to ensuring that this industry continues to provide

opportunities and employment for our people. To that end, we are allocating $10

million in provincial funding to add to the $4 million in federal funding under

the Community Development Trust for forest industry initiatives that will

provide a foundation of stability and new growth opportunities for affected

communities.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Our agrifoods industry is already thriving as we expand

our markets and develop strengths in critical niche areas. Consistent with our

policy Blueprint, we are establishing a $10 million Farm Loan Guarantee Program

to provide farmers with enhanced access to capital so they can develop new farm

land, welcome new entrants, develop the perennial crop sectors and remain

competitive.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Also in line with our Blueprint, we are allocating $1

million in new funding for agricultural research and development initiatives to

promote technological advances in livestock and crop production.

Among our most promising sectors is the cranberry industry, which is

benefiting from unprecedented demand. To ensure that this Province capitalizes

on its natural strengths in this sector, we are making an investment this year

of $2.95 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The Province's fur industry also offers great promise,

but some producers have been facing unique challenges. We are investing $5.4

million to establish an Aleutian Disease Management Program that will enable

mink farmers to replace diseased animals, dispose of carcasses, disinfect

facilities and enhance biosecurity measures on farms.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, no natural resource sector is more

important to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians than the fishing industry. It has

weathered the worst of storms and rebounded to exceed a billion dollars in

production value. We will continue this year with the implementation of the

Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy with $5 million in allocations this year,

including $2 million for the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program.

This is part of a total allocation of $15 million to implement the multi-year

strategy. The Province's total renewal undertaking is valued at an estimated

$140 million. Already, the strategy has been instrumental in addressing the

needs of the fishing industry and making it more sustainable for the future.

We are also investing to grow the Province's aquaculture industry. We will

invest a further $4 million in the Aquaculture Capital Equity Investment Program

for a total commitment of $13.5 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are also allocating $500,000 to develop a strategy to

address the infrastructure requirements of this fast-growing sector. To ensure

appropriate stewardship of the Province's aquaculture industry, we will be

creating a Division of Aquatic Animal Health within the Department of Fisheries

and Aquaculture. The division will be run from the new $4.7 million veterinary

diagnostic facility that we began planning in St. Alban's in 2007 and will

complete in 2009.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Together, our initiatives in the aquaculture sector will

ensure we protect the marine environment at home while providing top quality

aquaculture products to the entire world.

This year, Mr. Speaker, we are moving to enhance the delivery of Crown land

services to the public by investing $720,000 to add inspection resources that

will reduce wait times for inquiries about and acquisitions of Crown land, and

also to add surveying resources that will reduce the processing time required

for analyzing legal survey documents.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: In addition, we are providing $75,000 to commence the

development of a comprehensive land use management strategy for the entire

Province.

Strengthening Labrador

Mr. Speaker, in Labrador, the opportunities for development are amazing. Last

year, we announced the Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador, a five-year, $250

million undertaking to tackle multiple challenges and seize magnificent

opportunities to advance economic development and social justice in Labrador. In

this second year of the Northern Strategic Plan, as we follow through on a range

of multi-year initiatives already announced, we are also allocating an

additional $6.7 million for new initiatives that will continue to meet the needs

of Labradorians while enabling people in Labrador to take full advantage of

opportunities on the horizon. In addition, the total investment under the

five-year plan is now projected to be over $300 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We recognize that Labrador coastal communities rely

heavily on winter trails as a means of transportation, especially those

communities that are not connected by road. Last year, we allocated an

additional $150,000 for the Labrador Grooming Subsidy under the Northern

Strategic Plan. This year, we are allocating $200,000 in coastal Labrador to

commence the re-routing of trails away from water crossings and to re-cut

overgrown areas on certain sections of the trail system. We are also committing

$275,000 this year to purchase a winter trail groomer for operation from the

community of Postville.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are providing $2.1 million for a new depot in the

Cartwright Junction area.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: In addition, we have allocated $17 million for

construction of Phase III of the Trans-Labrador Highway and $45 million in

cost-shared funding to widen and hard-surface Phase I of the highway.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are also allocating $4.5 million under the Provincial

Roads Improvement Program for various projects throughout Labrador. This brings

the total investment in road work in Labrador this year to $66.5 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Transportation challenges also obligate many

Labradorians to rely heavily on the Air-Foodlift Subsidy Program. In conjunction

with the Poverty Reduction Strategy, we are increasing funding for this program

from $400,000 to $600,000 in order to ensure nutritious, perishable foods are

available in coastal Labrador communities at rates more in line with the costs

of similar products in other communities throughout the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Another initiative builds on the success of the National

Aboriginal Women's Summit, which was held in this Province in July of 2007. We

are providing funding to assist a committee composed of provincial senior

executive officials and representatives of Aboriginal women as they examine ways

to implement the Summit's recommendations. Additional funding will provide

analytical support to assist in the analysis and implementation of these

recommendations.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are making strong capital investments in Labrador

this year, including capital funding in the K-12 system, $1.6 million towards

the new francophone school in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, $7 million for the new

school in L'Anse-au-Loup, $1 million for the school in Port Hope Simpson,

$750,000 for the College of the North Atlantic campus in Labrador West, our $5.2

million inclusive of cost-shared funding to complete the Mealy Mountain

Auditorium, $13.4 million for the long-term care home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay,

$3.6 million for the Health and Community Service offices in Happy Valley-Goose

Bay, $1.8 million for the Labrador West health centre, $850,000 for RNC housing

in Churchill Falls, and $300,000 for a new correctional facility in Labrador for

women and youth.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Other new initiatives benefiting Labrador include new

geoscience funding, new positions responsible for natural resources and the

environment, implementation of an Intangible Cultural Heritage strategy for

Aboriginal peoples, an Aboriginal Literacy Development Consultant, improvements

to the justice system that I will highlight presently, additional social

workers, expansion of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Government Service Centre to

provide full-service motor vehicle registration, assistance to promote

participation in the North American Indigenous Games, and a 20 per cent funding

increase for the Combined Councils of Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

Respecting our Natural and Cultural Heritage

Mr. Speaker, protecting our natural environment is a provincial priority. We

are dedicating $850,000 this year to fund several components of our climate

change and energy efficiency initiatives.

The first component is a $620,000 investment for year one of a three-year, $2

million Newfoundland and Labrador Green Fund, which will help support projects

and feasibility studies that contribute to energy efficiency and greenhouse gas

reductions. Our Green Fund, which is funded fully by the Province, will

complement the federally-funded, provincially-delivered EcoAction Trust Fund,

under which $8.8 million is allocated this year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: A second component of our $850,000 investment this year

is an update of our Climate Change Action Plan, which will give us a better

understanding of the challenges that we are facing and the actions we will need

to take to address them.

A third component is our support of the climate change outreach efforts of

nongovernmental organizations such as the Climate Change Education Centre and

OceanNet.

Mr. Speaker, island caribou populations that peaked in the mid to late

nineties have since declined from about 90,000 animals to an estimated 37,000.

Under our Caribou Strategy, we will finance a five-year, $15.3 million

scientific research and action program that will include $3.3 million this year

to better understand caribou population needs and threats and to identify, test

and implement wildlife management practices that can help ensure the long-term

health of the herds.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Tourism in this Province offers incredible opportunities

to develop businesses, to provide jobs and generate economic activity in all

regions. With an additional investment of $1 million this year in tourism

marketing, we have doubled our tourism marketing budget since 2004 from $6

million to a total of $12 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We must keep pace with customer demands, so we are

increasing our tourism research budget this year by $425,000 to ensure that we

have the latest information on tourism market trends and other factors that

influence the industry. Our pilot project to extend the tourism season on the

Discovery Trail proved so successful in the last two years that we are providing

funding to do it again this year and also to extend the season on the Viking

Trail. We are allocating $100,000 to maintaining the East Coast Trails network,

which is among our Province's most celebrated tourism products on the East

Coast.

Among our more distinctive selling points is our culture, which we are

promoting by moving forward with the third year of our Strategic Cultural Plan.

We are also investing $100,000 for ongoing cultural research into such projects

as the Status of the Artist, and archaeology, in order to further support our

cultural industries and the people who work within them. This year, we will

increase our allocation to the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council by an

additional $300,000, meeting our commitment to double the Council's budget

over three years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Several events this year and in the years just ahead

will provide wonderful opportunities to showcase our rich culture and history.

An investment of $250,000 will help our Province host the North Atlantic Fiddle

Convention around the Avalon in August and the East Coast Music Awards in Corner

Brook next February as well as other events. Also next year, with an additional

investment of $225,000 over two years as we announced just recently, we are

celebrating the 100 th anniversary of the voyage to the North Pole of

Captain Bob Bartlett of Brigus.

Through our recreation and sport strategy, Active, Healthy Newfoundland

and Labrador , our government continues to support and promote active

lifestyles and programs which encourage the development of our athletes. In

2009, we will celebrate the 10 th Labrador Winter Games, which are

held every three years in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We will continue to support

this event with an allocation of $500,000, which will benefit more than 500

athletes from thirty communities all across Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

Partnering with Volunteers

Mr. Speaker, events like the Labrador Winter Games and many others benefit

enormously from the contributions of volunteers. In every community of our

Province, volunteers also step forward for firefighting duties, charitable

causes and other valuable work that vastly enhances the quality of life our

people enjoy while also setting a magnificent example to our young people.

Currently in Newfoundland and Labrador, there are over 23,000 people employed by

volunteer and non-profit organizations. Furthermore, there are approximately

187,000 volunteers, who contribute a total of 35 million hours of valuable

unpaid time to their communities and community organizations in a concerted

effort to make our Province stronger. To draw on the talents, the energy and the

compassion of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of community-based

organizations across the Province, the Premier appointed a new Minister

Responsible for the Volunteer and Non-Profit Sector. We are allocating $650,000

this year to enable this office to move forward and to engage this sector.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL:

Lifting From Poverty

Mr. Speaker, two years ago, we announced a Poverty Reduction Strategy that

national anti-poverty leaders are hailing as a model for the country. Last year,

we built on that foundation, and this year, we are announcing further measures

to both prevent people from falling into poverty and to lift people from poverty

throughout the entire Province. In total this year, we are investing an

additional $12 million, which translates into more than $17.3 million on an

ongoing annual basis. Once fully implemented in 2009-2010, these initiatives

will bring this government's total ongoing annual investment of new funding

for poverty reduction to more than $100 million annually.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Sometimes, the most effective strategy for poverty

reduction involves prevention and early intervention. We will invest more than

$1.7 million to support youth at risk through several new and innovative

measures. We are implementing a Youth Addiction Prevention and Early

Intervention Program. Additionally, new pilot projects will help young people

make the transition from residential care and improve high school graduation

rates in areas where they are very low. At the same time, we are continuing to

expand and strengthen our very successful Community Youth Networks so young

people in more communities will benefit. To date, these networks have provided

opportunities for some 14,000 young people ages twelve to eighteen in forty

communities in our Province to engage successfully in life in their community.

We are committed to do more to help children at even younger ages by

investing $1 million in a package of initiatives to improve access to healthy

food and community activities. We are building on the success of our Healthy

Baby clubs by addressing wait lists and enhancing food supplements we provide.

We are expanding the Kids Eat Smart initiative to include more schools. We are

increasing funding for the Jumpstart program to enable children in low-income

families to participate in recreational activities offered in their communities.

We are investing in a new Community Collaboration Facilitator for the west coast

of the Province to apply valuable lessons learned from the successful Community

Centre Alliance on the Avalon. This will strengthen connections between the

Dunfield Park Community Centre and other community centres on the west coast,

drawing in complementary services to benefit children, youth and their families

living in social housing

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: To encourage and enable income support clients to have

greater participation in the work force, we will extend the Make Work Pay

Workplace Connections initiative to cover all clients who work. We will also

provide additional supports to enable income support clients with disabilities

to find and maintain employment. We will expand the Employment Transition

Project for single parents which has seen over 80 per cent of participants

either become employed or to go on to post-secondary training.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will also invest $470,000 in community-based

workplace skills training and a micro-lending program to give budding

entrepreneurs an opportunity to do business.

Mr. Speaker, since we took office in 2003, we have increased the Province's

minimum wage incrementally from $6.00 an hour to $8.00 an hour. Our government's

Blueprint commits to plan for future increases in the minimum wage in a

predictable and incremental manner with a view to achieving a minimum wage of

$10 per hour by 2010.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This winter, as part of the review of the minimum wage,

we sought and received public and stakeholder input from throughout the

Province. We are considering this feedback and preparing to move this process

forward in the near future.

Adequate, affordable housing is essential to self-sufficiency. We are

investing $1.4 million to improve access to housing, particularly for seniors

and those working for low wages. We are addressing the wait list for

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing's Rent Supplement Program and, building on

last year's initiative for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing tenants, we are

expanding the changes to the Rent Geared to Income formula to other

not-for-profit housing. This will decrease rent for working and senior tenants.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are increasing our allocation to the Province's

women's centres by 5 per cent for a total investment of $840,000.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Under our government, annual funding to each of the

Province's eight women's centres has more than doubled from $50,000 in

2003-2004 to $105,000 today. These centres provide invaluable services to women

and their families throughout our entire Province.

SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will work this year to explore the links between

poverty and violence by establishing, as a pilot project, a Family Violence

Treatment Court. This project is intended to respond more effectively to the

needs of victims of family violence, to hold offenders more accountable for

their actions, to reduce rates of recidivism and to deal with the root causes of

family violence.

Protecting People

Mr. Speaker, too many people in our society are victimized by violence and

crime. We have made great progress in recent years in training and hiring more

police officers and providing additional resources. This year, we are prepared

to do more. We are investing $1.6 million to strengthen the Royal Newfoundland

Constabulary and the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - putting more police officers in our communities and on

the streets where they are needed. We are providing $700,000 to create and

support seven new Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers and one civilian

position. We are providing $100,000 to establish an additional RNC canine unit

in St. John's to enhance drug enforcement. These new investments will allow

the government to follow through on our Blue Book commitment to enhance the

anti-drug campaigns for schools and neighborhoods in consultation with police,

with schools and parents. Also, in keeping with our Blue Book commitments, these

investments will see a new police unit dedicated to combating sexual

exploitation of children and internet crimes.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are determined to work with police to protect

children and others from e-crimes such as cyber-bullying. We are also investing

nearly $800,000 to add several new RCMP positions six regular member

positions in Labrador, one public service employee position in Labrador and one

regular member position in Gander.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This year, we are providing Memorial University with

$300,000 to design and implement an emergency mass communication system that

would be used in the event of a crisis situation at the St. John's or Grenfell

campuses similar to those at other universities in Canada and elsewhere.

We are establishing a Child, Youth and Family Services project office in the

western region to improve the quality and effectiveness of Legal Aid services

for children and parents in child protection cases.

In keeping with the recommendations of the Aboriginal Law Project Report and

the advice of the Legal Aid Commission, we will improve access to justice

throughout the Province, particularly in Labrador where the need is significant.

In addition to a lawyer and one administrative support position in Wabush and a

social worker for Happy Valley-Goose Bay, we will hire a lawyer and an intake

officer for St. John's while also addressing other operational needs.

To address violence at its source, we are increasing funding by $410,000 for

the provincial Violence Prevention Initiative.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: These additional funds will enable us to increase

awareness of violence and its consequences, to support the work of regional

violence prevention coordinating committees and, in particular this year, to

develop training in partnership with the Healthy Aging Strategy to draw

attention to, prevent and intervene in the abuse and neglect of older adults.

By adjusting priorities for the use of existing resources, we are also moving

ahead this year to keep a number of other Blueprint commitments geared towards

protecting citizens.

We are increasing funding for Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards for

information leading to arrests and convictions in cases of unsolved crimes.

We are providing the resources and leadership to enhance and expand the Safe

and Caring Schools Policy in schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and

encourage students to cultivate a harmonious code of conduct to govern their

behaviour at school.

We are also working with schools and other appropriate stakeholders to

develop a zero-tolerance policy for bullying.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The RNC just recently launched the STRIVE program, where

STRIVE stands for "Students Taking Responsibility Initiative in Violence

Education". The program is delivered by schools to address bullying and

other forms of violence in co-operation with students.

Improving Health Care

Mr. Speaker, the last issue I will address today is in fact the first on our

minds. There is no greater priority than providing reliable health care services

to our people, and our government is always concerned if problems occur. We

commissioned the Cameron Inquiry to examine the problems that were experienced

with hormone receptor testing from 1997 to 2005. We are determined to learn from

the findings and to act on the recommendations when we receive them. Our

government has already announced an investment of $2.3 million relating to key

lessons that have emerged involving problems experienced with hormone receptor

testing. This investment allows for an array of measures to strengthen the

health care system, including the enhancement of data management.

Our government has made unprecedented investments in health care and, this

year, we will build on the many initiatives we have already undertaken to

recruit and retain health care professionals, to enhance health care facilities

and to improve health care services.

To increase the supply of physicians in this Province, our government made a

Blueprint commitment to expand the number of spaces for Newfoundland and

Labrador medical students at the Memorial University Faculty of Medicine by 10

per cent in the coming year and 30 per cent within the next five years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: An initial investment of $4 million this year makes this

commitment a reality.

To promote the recruitment and retention of nurses, we are allocating about

$2.1 million to finance new initiatives. These will include $2,500 bursaries for

third- and fourth-year nursing students who enter into one-year

return-in-service agreements, relocation allowances averaging $5,000 to cover 50

per cent of moving costs to a maximum of $10,000, signing bonuses of $3,000 for

difficult-to-fill positions, and special assistance to secure clinical

placements.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Through a $1.5 million investment we will expand

Memorial University Schools of Social Work and Nursing, the Centre for Nursing

Studies and the Western Regional School of Nursing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will increase the number of funded seats at our

Schools of Nursing by 36 to 291. We will also expand the School of Social Work

by increasing the undergraduate class size by 15 students to a total of 60, and

increasing the Master of Social Work class size by 15 to a total of 30, which

will strengthen the preparation of clinical leaders, supervisors and mangers.

New faculty will be added, the Bachelor of Social Work degree will be

redeveloped as a four-year program and support will be provided to Child, Youth

and Family Services through specialized training and consultation. These

initiatives will support the development of advanced practice social workers,

supervisors and managers to address the increasing complexity of social work

case loads.

We are investing $400,000 to place nurse practitioners in hospital emergency

rooms. In hospital ERs, nurse practitioners can assist in providing a timely

response for non-urgent visits by performing assessments, doing minor suturing

and ordering X-rays under the direction of a physician. This investment should

help reduce patient wait times in emergency rooms.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are investing $1.1 million this year, and $2.2

million annually, for continued implementation of short-term acute home care and

short-term end of life services. Eighteen new positions, including registered

nurses and licensed practical nurses, will be created starting in October to

support such home care services as case management, nursing and personal care,

home support and the provision of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and

equipment.

We are also allocating $6 million to increase the hourly rate for home

support, the fifth increase in the past three years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: With each successive increase, we acknowledge that home

support workers provide a valuable support to many individuals in our Province

with disabilities, to seniors and to children, enabling many to remain in their

own homes despite the challenges that they face.

In addition to investing in health care professionals, we are investing $79.1

million this year in capital infrastructure and we are more than doubling our

funding to $33.5 million to address high priority repairs and renovations in

health care facilities.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This brings the total investment in such initiatives to

$240 million over five years. We are working hard to fix problems that were left

to accumulate under previous governments year after year.

Our investments this year will enable us to move forward on several key

health care projects that will benefit the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We will move forward with planning and site selection for a new hospital in

Corner Brook.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will move forward with planning for new long-term

care homes in St. John's.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will continue planning for the redevelopment of the

St. John's hospitals, which serve people throughout the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will invest $4 million to improve ambulatory care at

the Carbonear General Hospital.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We will move forward with planning for renovations at

the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are also dedicating $52 million for the purchase of

new technology and equipment to replace aging and outdated health equipment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Investments include twelve new digital mammography units

in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: New CT scanners for Clarenville and St. Anthony.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: An MRI machine for Central.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: A new interventional angiography suite for Corner Brook.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: And a digital X-ray unit for St. Anthony.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: This funding is in addition to the $14 million

investment in health equipment that we approved in February and brings our total

five-year investment in capital equipment to $128 million.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: As well, planning will commence this year to acquire a

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner for the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: The acquisition of this equipment will significantly

augment existing technologies for cancer care and will involve an investment of

up to $10 million. The PET scanner is designed primarily to assist physicians in

planning treatment for those with cancer diagnoses, and its purchase will

fulfill another Blueprint commitment.

We are allocating $5.8 million to the four Regional Health Authorities to

address unique priorities and invest in initiatives including the expansion of

orthopedic services in Corner Brook, the consolidation of clinical and business

information systems at Central Health, and the addition of portable oxygen to

the benefit list under the Special Assistance program. An additional allocation

of $26.7 million will enable the authorities to offset cost hikes from inflation

and increased utilization of current programs including home support and

services to children, youth and families.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: As our population ages, we are determined to continue

meeting the needs of seniors and others who require long-term care and community

support services. Our strategic vision is to ensure that the system addresses

the health and the social needs of clients, encourages choice, promotes

independence and mobility, and delivers quality services. We are dedicating $15

million this year to initiatives in line with this strategy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, our commitment to strengthen our Province's

health care system is strong and unwavering. In total, we are committing, on an

annual basis, an additional $266 million for health operations this year over

and above what we committed last year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: We are also allocating an additional $133.5 million in

capital funding this year. Our total budget for Health and Community Services

this year is an unprecedented $2.3 billion -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. T. MARSHALL: - and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will notice the

difference through improved health care facilities and services this year and in

the years to come.

CONCLUSION

Mr. Speaker, we are stepping up our efforts to meet the needs of our people.

We are building on proven successes to secure a brighter future. Initiatives of

the past four years have given us a strong foundation on which to build a

secure, sustainable economy in which people in communities throughout our

Province can seize opportunities for themselves, pursue their goals and realize

their dreams.

Among our greatest dreams as a Province is to stand on our own feet in this

federation as masters of our own domain. Our concerted efforts since 2003 have

at last positioned Newfoundland and Labrador to take an important step upward

from have-not' status to a higher level of sustainability. We are not

squandering these opportunities but managing them wisely to ensure we do not

slide back into decline but instead leave our children a legacy of sustained

growth in opportunity and freedom from debt. We are working tirelessly, we are

working strategically and we are working together with people throughout our

Province to give Newfoundland and Labrador the secure, sustainable future we

richly deserve. We are indeed masters of our future, beholden to none who would

chart our course for us, but free to choose our own path to promise and

prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, we are proud, we are strong and we are determined to take

ownership of the bright future that is in store for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Finance.

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Premier, that the

debate be adjourned.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the Budget Debate be adjourned.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

The motion is carried.

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that I have

received a message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.

MR. SPEAKER: All rise.

The following message has been addressed to the hon. the Minister of Finance

and it reads, dated 29 April, 2008:

As Administrator of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I transmit

Estimates of sums required for the Public Service of the Province for the year

ending 31 March 2009, in the aggregate of $5,933,907,200, and in accordance with

the provisions of sections 54 and 90 of the Constitution Act, 1867, I recommend

these Estimates to the House of Assembly.

Sgd:________________________

Clyde Wells

The hon. the Minister of Finance.

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr Speaker, I move, seconded by the Premier, that the

message together with the Estimates be referred to a Committee of Supply.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the message from His Honour

the Lieutenant Governor together with the Estimates be referred to a Committee

of Supply and that I do now leave the Chair.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

The motion is carried.

On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on

Supply, Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Committee of the Whole

CHAIR (Osborne): Order, please!

We will take a few moments now to distribute the budgetary documents to all

hon. Members of the House.

[Distribution of Budgetary Documents]

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I move that Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise, report progress and ask

leave to sit again.

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

On motion that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit

again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

The hon. the Member for St. John's South, and Deputy Speaker.

MR. T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, the Committee of Supply have considered the

matters to them referred and have directed me to report that they have made some

progress and ask leave to sit again.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of Committee of Supply reports that the Committee

have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to report

that they have made some progress and ask leave to sit again.

When shall this report be received?

MR. RIDEOUT: Now, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Now.

When shall the Committee have leave to sit again?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, report received and adopted, Committee ordered to sit again on

tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to

introduce a bill entitled,

An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act, 2000. (Bill 26)

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

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Health And Post-Secondary Education Tax Act. (Bill

27)

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

entitled,

An Act To Amend The Retail Sales Tax Act And The Tax Agreement Act.

(Bill 28)

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 65. (1) (a), (

b) and (c), I move that

the following members constitute the following Estimates Committees, and that

the following heads of departments be referred to the appropriate committees.

The Government Services Committee will consist of: the hon. the Member for

Conception Bay South; the hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the

hon. the Member for Topsail; the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the

hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile; the hon. the Member for Kilbride; the

hon. the Member for Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for Exploits; and, the

hon. the Member for St. John's East - and that the following heads will be

referred to this Committee: the Department of Finance; the Public Service

Commission; Government Services; Transportation and Works; Intergovernmental

Affairs; Labrador Affairs; and, Aboriginal Affairs.

I move further that the following members constitute the Resource Committee:

the hon. the Member for Bonavista North; the hon. the Member for Burgeo &

LaPoile; the hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Green Bay South; the hon.

the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for Signal

Hill-Quidi Vidi; the hon. the Member for The Isles of Notre Dame; the hon. the

Member for Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for Labrador West; and, the hon.

the Member for Lewisporte.

I move that the following heads of expenditure be referred to the Resource

Committee for consideration: the Department of Business; the Department of

Environment and Conservation; the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture; the

Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development; the Department of Natural

Resources; and, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

I move further, Mr. Speaker, that the following members be appointed to the

Social Services Committee: the hon. the Member for Ferryland; the hon. the

Member for Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for Grand Bank; the hon. the

Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for Signal

Hill-Quidi Vidi; the hon. the Member for Burgeo & LaPoile; the hon. the

Member for Placentia & St. Mary's; the hon. the Member for Port au Port;

and, the hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans - and that the

following heads of expenditure be submitted to this Committee for consideration:

the Department of Education; the Department of Health and Community Services;

the Department of Justice; the Department of Municipal Affairs; the Department

of Human Resources, Labour and Employment; and, the Newfoundland and Labrador

Housing Corporation.

I so move, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: All those in favour of the Committee structures as put

forward by the Government House Leader, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

The motion is carried.

Motion carried.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the remaining Orders of the Day stand deferred, and

that this House stand adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at two of the clock,

and that this House do now adjourn.

MR. SPEAKER: All those in favour of the motion, aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, nay'.

This House now stands adjourned until 2:00 o'clock tomorrow, being

Wednesday.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at

2:00 p.m.