The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

Before we admit His Honour, and invite him into the Chamber, I would like to deal with one little matter. Members may recall that last year, on May 11, 2000, we decided to reactivate an old parliamentary tradition which is observed in many other Westminister style parliaments and was a tradition in this Assembly for many years. At that time, the Member for the District of Trinity North who was elected in a by-election last April was formally introduced by the Government House Leader. I think we should continue that tradition.

I have been advised by the Clerk of the House of Assembly that Mr. Wallace Young, the Member for St. Barbe, and Mr. Trevor Taylor, the Member for The Straits & White Bay North, have each taken the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown, as required by the Constitution, and have signed the Members' Roll.

[The new members, escorted by the Opposition House Leader, enter the Chamber and approach the Chair.]

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

MR. SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, I have the honor to present to you Mr. Wallace Young, the Member for St. Barbe, and Mr. Trevor Taylor, the Member for The Straits & White Bay North, who claim the right to take their seats

MR. SPEAKER: Let the members take their seats.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER GRIMES: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, with respect to a more formal occasion with the Throne Speech, there will be opportunities to more formally congratulate the two new members who join us here. Today, however, it is with great regret that I stand on another matter.

I would like to ask you, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all of us here in the House of Assembly, if you would pass along our condolences and regrets to the families of the young men involved in the unfortunate tragedy at Pouch Cove late last week. That particular incident, and the loss of those three young lives, has touched not only the families and the community of Pouch Cove, but it has touched families all over Newfoundland and Labrador, and indeed throughout North America, from the calls and the representations that I have received personally, as Premier of the Province. It is a grim reminder for all of us, I think, of the fragile nature of life in the rather harsh and severe environment that we sometimes live in, here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I would ask that you, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all the members in this Legislature, pass along condolences to the families and also to the community of Pouch Cove in particular, as they deal with this most unfortunate tragedy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis

MR. J. BYRNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We, on this side of the House, would certainly like to be associated with that correspondence to the families. Oftentimes we use the word "tragedy" and really throw it around. I spent some time in Pouch Cove over the past few days and, in actual fact, it is a real tragedy that happened in Pouch Cove. Three young men: Adam Wall, Jesse Elliott, and Adrian (A. J.) Sullivan, lost their lives in Pouch Cove last Thursday evening.

Just for the record, it was reported that they were "copying", panning from ice pan to ice pan, and that was not really accurate. What happened was - they were close to the shore, of course, being young people; we have all done it, and a lot worse - one young fellow went in and, a chain of events, two others happened to be pulled into the water. There was a great rescue attempt by the people in the area. The media reported all of this type of thing.

Out of that, some good does come. It was great to be there, to see a community come together. To the families who are having a very, very difficult time, to see the people like the Volunteer Fire Department, The Ladies Auxiliary, and the RNC, they have done a great job. The media, in itself, were very sensitive to the issues all the time that I was there.

I just recently came from - and other members of the House who also attended - the funeral of Jesse Elliott. To see so many people there from all over the Province was a good feeling. It was very, very, sad, and something I would not want to have to go through. As a parent, it goes without saying that it is every parent's nightmare and every parent's greatest fear, and we had three of those happen in Pouch Cove the other day.

The saddest part at this point in time is the fact that there are still two young men whom we have not yet found. I would ask everybody in the House, in the Province, and across the country, to pray that we find their bodies so we can put some closure for the families and for the community itself. We are going to see in the next while, and for a long, long time to come, the parents, I would say, and the people of the community itself, every time they drive by that community - the road is so close to the water there - looking for those bodies.

All I can say at this time is that we want to be a part of that correspondence, and we certainly appreciate - I know the families and the people of Pouch Cove really appreciate the support they have gotten over the past few days.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On behalf of our caucus I would certainly like to join with the Premier and the Member for Cape St. Francis in sending a message of condolence to the families themselves: the Wall, Elliott and Sullivan families, and all the people of Pouch Cove who are struck by this tragedy.

As the Premier said, it is something that has touched the hearts of people across this Province, the country, and internationally as well. It is a real tragedy when anyone dies but these young men, in their early adulthood, had an awful lot to look forward to in their lives. What is striking about this particular tragedy is that even in the mist of tragedy we have great acts of courage and heroism by the boys themselves, who were victims, by their friends and passersby in trying to save their lives. We have a case of people losing their lives trying to save the life of their friend, which I think is a real tribute to the character of the people involved, and Newfoundlanders in general, to take these serious acts, to give up their life for the sake of trying to save a friend.

I only hope, Mr. Speaker, that the love and support of family, of friends, of all the people of Pouch Cove and this Province, will somehow give some strength to the families and help to ease the pain of this terrible loss.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. SPEAKER: Admit His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the wish of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor that all present please be seated.

The Second Session of the Forty-Fourth General Assembly of this Honourable House of Assembly is about to be prorogued, but before releasing you from your duties, I wish to thank you for the careful and sympathetic attention given to the important matters brought before you by My Ministers. Your commitment to your work and diligence deserve our appreciation and acknowledgment.

Forty-one pieces of legislation were enacted during this Session of the Honourable House of Assembly. In particular, legislative initiatives were taken in municipal affairs, health and community services, finance and the fishery.

As stated in My Address opening this Session, My Government introduced amendments to the Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act to implement a new labour relations dispute settlement model known as final offer selection. This model was the subject of a pilot project and is considered an effective mechanism by government, parties to negotiations and other fishing industry stakeholders.

As well during this Session, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Act, 1992 was amended to provide that in the event government and the representatives of the Constabulary members are unable to negotiate a collective agreement the matters in dispute between them would be settled by binding arbitration.

During this Session four major areas of the law were revised by this House; namely, the Residential Tenancies Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Urban and Rural Planning Act, and the Income Tax Act. A new law to facilitate the Enforcement of Canadian Judgments by giving full faith and credit to civil money judgments from the provinces and territories of Canada was enacted. The Labour Standards Act was amended to extend the period of parental leave, making the law consistent with the extended parental benefits available under the Employment Insurance Act of Canada. An Act Respecting Prepaid Funeral services was also passed during this Session. There were also enacted amendments to the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, the Pharmaceutical Association Act, the Psychologists Act, the Mineral Act, the Lands Act, the Municipalities Act, 1999, the St. John's Assessment Act and the Highway Traffic Act.

As part of My Government's continuing effort to reduce smoking in public places and among our young people, again during this Session My Government introduced further amendments to the Smoke-Free Environment Act and the Tobacco Control Act. The amendments to the Smoke-Free Environment Act will prohibit smoking in food establishments and in public places that are frequented by children. The Tobacco Control Act was amended to prohibit the sale of tobacco by pharmacies and to refine the inspection provisions as well as increasing the penalties under the law.

Indicative of My Government's concern in finding a solution to some of the problems affecting our Innu communities in Labrador, this Honourable House enacted amendments to the Liquor Control Act to provide municipal councils in the Northern Labrador area of our Province with the authority to control the transportation, purchase, sale and consumption of alcohol within those communities. The amendments to the Act also provide for the election of alcohol committees to establish counseling services and education programs with respect to alcohol consumption.

By unanimous consent of this Honourable House, an Act to Establish Holocaust Memorial Day in the Province was enacted as a day of reflection about the enduring lessons of the Holocaust. Our Province joins the other provinces in observing a day to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to honour those who fought to defeat the tyranny and genocide of the Nazis and their collaborators.

This Honourable House of Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution urging My Ministers to implement the use in this Province of the ignition interlock device to help protect the public from death and disablement caused by drunk driving.

I thank you for the large measure of supply you have granted. I assure you that the appropriations that you have granted have been and will be expended by My Ministers with care and efficiency.

It is my pleasure that the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth General Assembly now be prorogued and is prorogued accordingly.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor leaves the Chamber. Mr. Speaker returns to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER (Snow): Order, please!

Pursuant to His Honour's Speech, this House now stands prorogued.