The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): Order, please!

[Technical difficulties]

MR. PARSONS: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, the hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, before we get started, yesterday during Question Period, in response to questions from the Leader of the Opposition, the Premier undertook to table a copy of the proposal that had been referenced with regard to the Province's presentation to the federal government regarding the offshore resource revenues issue, and to which Prime Minister Martin was referring on Saturday past.

The Leader of the Opposition asked the Acting Government House Leader yesterday, later in the day, if the document was, indeed, ready for tabling. Apparently the Premier had left for the day and was not available at that time so the minister said he would check it out. I am just wondering if the Premier is in a position now to table that document, as he had indicated yesterday and undertook yesterday that he would do immediately?

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

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

First of all, I do not believe it is a point of order. The first order of business is a point of order asking the Premier to table a report that he made a commitment to. He has not even had the opportunity to table a report yet. Secondly, under the House proceedings, there is a provision on presenting reports and I assume that the Premier will be presenting that report at that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There isn't a point of order; however, the Chair notes that comments were made and I ask the House Leaders if they could discuss these matters and hopefully reach a suitable conclusion.

MR. SPEAKER: Because of some technical difficulties, we did not have the names of the statements by members broadcast, so I will read them again: the hon. the Member for Exploits, the Leader of the Opposition; the hon. the Member for Bonavista South; the hon. the Member for Bay of Islands; the hon. the Member for St. Barbe; the hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans; the hon. the Member for Lake Melville, and leave will be requested by the hon. the Member for Grand Bank to make a statement because the six that we usually have would have been allocated.

The hon. the Member for Exploits and Leader of the Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and honour the life of a Newfoundlander and Labradorian who contributed his entire life's work in the profession which helped shape all of us as a people.

Mr. Lester Petten of Port de Grave was a true leader in developing the modern fishery of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Petten passed away suddenly on Sunday, May 30, at the age of sixty-five.

Lester, as he was well-known, Mr. Speaker, spent his entire life in the fishing industry, starting at the age of nine when he helped his family with salmon nets before his school day, continuing on to being a leader in developing the modern-day crab industry. Mr. Petten was also one of the first few involved in the Bluefin Tuna fishery and was indeed the first to land such a species. In the mid-1980s, Lester Petten moved himself from the wheel to the desk as he ran his business from his office and helped in modernizing much of the modern-day crab industry.

Mr. Petten was an advocate for the fishery and believed strongly in fighting for the rights of all fishermen. He will be remembered by all of the stakeholders of the industry as a fair-minded and determined man who spent his entire life to improve the fishery in this Province.

Though the entire Province will remember Mr. Petten for his work in the fishery, he will be remembered most for his greatest accomplishments - his family. Lester will be remembered always as a loving husband to Carolyn, a caring father to Glenn, Karen, Donna and Renelle, and a compassionate son to Henry. This, Mr. Speaker, is his true legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this hon. House to join me in honouring and remembering the life of a truly great Newfoundlander and Labradorian, Mr. Lester Petten.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave, the hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, I do not want to take up the time of the House but I certainly do want to, on behalf of the government, be associated with the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition in remembrance of Mr. Petten, an outstanding Newfoundlander.

When you send condolences, we would like to be associated with those remarks and that condolences be sent to his loved ones on behalf of everybody in the House of Assembly, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, on behalf of our caucus here in the House, would like to join in acknowledging the life and contribution of Mr. Lester Petten, and give our condolences to the family but remember his contribution to the fishery and to the life of the Province as well.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FITZGERALD: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Marv Ryder of Bonavista on receiving the Hockey Canada Order of Merit Award.

Mr. Speaker, this award was presented recently during Hockey Canada's Annual Awards Dinner in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It recognizes individuals who have dedicated many years of faithful service to amateur hockey, and Marv Ryder more than meets that criteria.

Mr. Ryder served as president of the Bonavista Hockey Association for thirteen years. He spent two years as vice-chair-at-large with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador and, for the past four years, he has been president of local Hockey Canada Branch.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the years, Mr. Ryder has also played, coached and managed a variety of hockey teams. His commitment to hockey is unparalleled, Mr. Speaker, and I ask all hon. members to join me in extending heartiest congratulations to Marvin Ryder on this achievement.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to extend congratulations to the members of the Meadows Volunteer Fire Department.

On May 15 and May 16, twenty-eight volunteer firefighters from ten towns throughout Western and Central Newfoundland and Labrador participated in a two day Basic Firefighting course held at the Regional Fire Training Centre in Gillams. What is unique about this course is that is was sponsored by the Meadows Volunteer Fire Department.

In 2003, the Fire Commissioner's Office implemented a Fire and Emergency Instructors course designed to give fire departments the training and skills necessary to instruct various training courses within their own departments. Two members within the Meadows Fire Department, Deputy Fire Chief Tim Anderson, and Training Officer Michael Brake, successfully completed this program and are certified to teach basic firefighting to volunteer firefighters.

Recently, the Meadows Fire Department, led by Fire Chief Colin Tucker, took the initiative to put together a two day Basic Training course and offer it to any volunteer departments wishing to attend. This was the first time the course was offered outside the Fire Commissioner's Office.

The course consisted of classroom instruction and practical hands on training. Participants were also expected to do an exam as part of the evaluation process. The two day course was a tremendous success and received an overwhelming positive response from all participants.

The eighteen members who made up the Meadows Volunteer Fire Department are an active and progressive group of individuals, not only committed to the towns and its residents but also the Province as a whole.

I also, at this time, extend congratulations to firefighters Todd Warren, Kevin Tucker, Derek Hann and Brent Ruth with the Meadows department for their participation in sharing their skills and training with the participants.

I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating the Meadows Fire Department for their commitment and dedication. The service volunteer fire departments provide to their communities is immeasurable.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. YOUNG: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to inform this House of an important event that took place this weekend in the community of Hawke's Bay as members of the provincial government met with the Joint Council of the Northern Peninsula.

The Joint Council represents over twenty mayors from the communities of River of Ponds to St. Anthony. Its purpose is to realize the potential of the Northern Peninsula through partnership and growth with business and government.

In attendance from the provincial government, along with myself, were Parliamentary Secretaries Dave Denine and Tom Hedderson; Ministers Kathy Dunderdale, Jack Byrne, Dianne Whalen, and Trevor Taylor.

Mr. Speaker, the ministers accepted the invitation to attend this event and learn about new approaches occurring on the Northern Peninsula and how government can work with the Joint Councils in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate two local businesses in Grand Falls-Windsor who have been chosen by the travelling public as number one in Central Newfoundland.

Congratulations to Alice Dicks, owner, and Loretta Osmond, manager of the Lilac Tree, Grand Falls-Windsor, on receiving the 2003 Tourist Choice Award for being chosen the number one craft and gift shop in Central Newfoundland. Congratulations as well to Regina and Wilson Robinson, owners of the Carriage House Inn on Grenville Heights in Grand Falls-Windsor, who have been awarded the 2003 Tourist Choice Award for the best Bed & Breakfast in Central Newfoundland.

Mr. Speaker, these awards are the result of a survey designed and distributed by VIP Marketing and Promotions, who also publish a tourist and shopping guide for the Central Newfoundland area. Tourists from within this Province and beyond responded to the questions in the survey and the results have been amazing for local businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating Alice Dicks and the Lilac Tree staff, as well as Regina and Wilson Robinson and staff of the Carriage House Inn, on being recognized as number one in providing excellent tourism products and services in Central Newfoundland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Lake Melville.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HICKEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate Mr. Clifford McLean on forty-one years of service to the Happy Valley-Goose Bay fire department.

As the former Mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, it is with great honour today that I rise on such an occasion. I recognize the importance of each and every individual that chooses firefighting as a career. Mr. McLean has shown his commitment and dedication to our community time and time again.

It takes great courage to commit to a career as a fire fighter. Firefighters are indeed special people. They devote their time, energy and skills at considerable sacrifice. We are all thankful and grateful for the crucial service they provide to our communities. However, we are not always aware of the hours taken away from families in fighting fires, assisting at accidents, on training courses and other community activities. Nor can any non-firefighter understand what it is like to respond to a call in the middle of the night knowing the potential risk.

I call upon all members to join with me as we personally congratulate Mr. McLean for his dedication to the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and for his forty-one years of service to the Happy Valley-Goose Valley fire department.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Due to the fact that our Standing Orders give us a maximum of six Statements by Members and time allocation of six minutes, the Member for Grand Bank is asking leave to make a member's statement. Does the member have leave?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Yes.

MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.

The hon. the Member for Grand Bank.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS FOOTE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I do appreciate the leave.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who retired recently after almost two decades of service as the librarian of the St. Lawrence Public/School Library.

Meta Turpin spent eighteen years providing a most valuable service to the residents of St. Lawrence. Her understanding of the importance of reading to both young and old alike accounted in no small measure for the constant presence of students and residents of St. Lawrence at the library. Her enthusiasm for reading was contagious which made her ideally suited for the job she held for almost two decades.

Whether it was students working on projects or someone looking for that special book, Mrs. Meta was always there sharing her broad knowledge and ensuring the library ran smoothly.

Mr. Speaker, her recognition that to succeed in life you need to know how to read motivated her to do what she could to encourage those who have difficultly reading to ask for help, help that she provided readily. Her approach to dealing with the problem of illiteracy removed any embarrassment associated with it for those with whom she came in contact who needed her help.

It is individuals like Meta Turpin who make a difference in our Province.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the House of Assembly to join me in thanking Meta Turpin for her many years of service and wish her all the best in her well deserved retirement.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately there is still quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding the commitment made to the Province by the Prime Minister over the weekend.

I would like to ask the Premier, if he could, please, take the opportunity to explain to us in the Legislature, and to the people of the Province, what 100 per cent of our offshore revenues really means?

Mr. Speaker, at this point, we have the unfortunate circumstance of three federal party leaders, supposedly committing to give us 100 per cent of these revenues, and yet we have the Minister of Finance for the Province publicly providing three very different outcomes for the Province to the exact same commitment.

I would ask, Mr. Speaker, if the Premier would like to clarify what is the exact commitment that the Prime Minister has given, and what does it entail?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The commitment is that, what is normally clawed back on equalization, from our revenues, from our taxation, revenues on our royalties, and also revenues in defaults and offshore parcels of land, normally, under generic, would be a 70 per cent clawback. The Atlantic Accord gives a bit better protection this year but not next year. Everything that would be clawed back, that 70 per cent roughly, will be paid in a separate payment, or an offset under Atlantic Accord will be paid out.

I will mention the three figures he talked about. If we have a ten-province formula and remove non-renewable resources, get to keep our money, that would amount to $245 million in this fiscal year to our Province. Under the proposal of the Prime Minister, removing the non-renewable resources, giving us the offset, will be $130 million. Mr. Layton's proposal, the NDP, $133 million would be under the provision of giving us the offset, plus the share of Hibernia, the 8.5 per cent, Mr. Speaker, this year would amount to $100 million. When the last drop of oil is pumped out, it will be worth nothing.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the minister now to complete his answer.

MR. SULLIVAN: It will start at $100 million and go down. That is as short an answer as I can give to a question like that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. GRIMES: While members of the government might find it amusing, the people of the Province don't find it amusing. It is serious business. I can tell you, I certainly hope that it is the Premier or someone else who is going to negotiate it and not the Minister of Finance, after that explanation.

Mr. Speaker, as well, yesterday we asked for the documents. The documents that we have in our possession are these, and I would ask the Premier: Where in this document - which I assume he is going to table later, since he did not table it yesterday - does the request exist - because it is not in this one that I have - that describes what the Minister of Finance just put forward? Because it is not in this document. The issue that I ask the Premier, if this is what the Prime Minister says he has seen and agreed to, how can anybody ever suggest it is just what the Minister of Finance talked about? Completely different.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the document, I think, that the Leader of the Opposition is holding, is a document that was made available for the media briefing. As well, it is my understanding that the government offered a technical briefing for the official Leader of the Opposition at the time that the proposal was put out, but he was not interested enough to ask any questions or even show up at that briefing at that particular time. He declined to attend.

I think the most telling statement is in the first question that he asked, when he said it was unfortunate that we have three offers and we have the Minister of Finance and the President of Treasury Board responding to those offers.

Well, I happen to disagree with the Leader of the Opposition. I think it is very fortunate that we have three offers. We have three very good offers. We have the people of the Province and the governments ideally positioned. For once in your life, why don't you finally come onside? Why don't you support us on this? Why don't we all just pull on the same oar and try and get the best possible deal that we can for Newfoundland and Labrador? Why are you so negative on our success? It is about time that you got on board with the rest of us.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just to answer the Premier's question - where we normally ask the questions and they answer; they do not, and we understand that - unlike his own caucus which blindly accepts anything that the Premier says, we would like to have some information before we decide whether we agree or not.

Mr. Speaker, the question is this -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. GRIMES: The question is this, Mr. Speaker: Yesterday, as well, I asked the Premier about plans to go to the next step and get a written commitment from the Prime Minister, because we do have, in writing, a statement from Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton - a written commitment - with respect to the weekend's phone calls to avoid any confusion or misrepresentation or misinterpretation. Today, the Chair of the Royal Commission, Mr. Vic Young, also urged the government publicly to get a written commitment from the Prime Minister to make sure there is no confusion.

I ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker: Are you going to take Mr. Young's advice - because I know you do not take any of mine - and go to the next step and try to get a written commitment while the election is still a hot topic and still current?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, now that the Leader of the Opposition has decided that he wants to answer some questions as well, I would not mind asking what he has done. What has he done with his Liberal counterparts in Ottawa? What has he done to get the Prime Minister onside in this particular issue? What has he done to work with his colleague, Mr. Efford, in order to get this matter brought forward? You have done nothing. I know the answer to it. You really do not have to answer it because you have done absolutely nothing, because they simply will not talk to you because you have burnt all of the bridges in Ottawa. That was your confrontational approach.

We have decided that the new approach is going to be non-confrontational. You know what has happened as a result? We have gotten results. We have gotten the desired results.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: We have gotten exactly what we went after.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: And, as the Leader of the Opposition knows, we have written the Prime Minister and we are waiting for-

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the Premier now to complete his answer.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

- and we are waiting for a response from the Prime Minister; but, if you want to get a quick response, just go to the federal Liberal Web site, which I am sure you have probably never visited. Headline: Prime Minister visits The Rock and promises Newfoundland can keep oil and gas revenues. "I have made it very clear that the proposal that he has put forth is a proposal that we accept." He said that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is clearly our intention to make sure that the new Liberal government, when they are re-elected, is held to the commitment that we made, once we find out what it is. The problem is, we asked the Premier for it yesterday and we still have not seen exactly what it is.

Mr. Speaker, another topic -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. GRIMES: Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask some questions on another separate topic all together. We have raised concerns in this Legislature before, regarding Conflict of Interest guidelines and the Premier's failure to this point in time to place his assets in a blind trust. There seems to be no particular rush, in at least the Premier's mind, to separate his public life from his private life.

Mr. Speaker, it seems, because it is now into the eighth month, as if he is not overly concerned about whether or not he is making decisions that could impact on private interests that are still not properly put into blind trust.

I ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker, eight months into the job - in the eighth month - would he please update this House on the progress of this Conflict of Interest declaration which all of us, by the way, are compelled to do by law? It is not because I am asking the questions -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member to complete his question.

MR. GRIMES: - it is the law of the land, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If I had some notice, or if I had even anticipated the question, I received, actually, a letter from the Commissioner of Members' Interests, I think within the last two weeks, indicating that he was pleased with the progress, that we are moving forward on it. We have kept him constantly informed.

As I indicated when I was asked the same question about a month ago in this House, because of the portfolio, because of the interests that I have, and because of what I have accumulated over thirty-odd years of working in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, I have to make sure that it is properly disposed of, in order for me to comply with the Conflict of Interest guidelines. That is exactly what I am doing. I have hired the best professionals that are available in order to make sure that this is being done properly. It is being headed up a chartered accountant from a local, reputable firm. I have hired the best expertise that I can get. I have two blind trusts already set up with regard to my local assets in the Province and I am trying to deal, right now, with the rest of the portfolio. It is very current, it is very active, and I hope to have it concluded very shortly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, following on that particular topic, we have had several reports in our offices that another of the Premier's involvements could place him in a conflict of interest position. I ask the Premier - we have information that indicates that money from the Williams' Foundation was disbursed during past by-elections and the recent general election.

The question for the Premier, Mr. Speaker, is this: Will he table in the House of Assembly, information related to the disbursement of those funds, particularly any commitments or disbursements made during the past by-elections and the past general election?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there were no funds distributed during the last general election. This is a private foundation, as I indicated before. It was a foundation that was set up by my family when our grandson, Gabriel, was born. He was twenty-five weeks; he was premature. He just barely lived. He was a pound-and-a-quarter at one point. I could hold him in my hand. His head was about the size of a kiwi. That had a huge impact on us, as a family. We decided, as a result of that, we were going to set up a foundation, and we did so. We did that with the best of intentions.

I am very disappointed with the Leader of the Opposition, that he would even question my motives or my family's motives. I have set up an independent chairman, Don Johnson, as chairman of that foundation, who is a very reputable individual. As well, I will just list some of the donations that we have given. I notice one here that we gave on June 26; it must be last year. It was the Exploits Children's Wish Foundation, in the Leader of the Opposition's district. If he objects to that, I would like to know why. The Dr. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre; the St. Alban's Local Cancer Benefit Group; the Canadian Cancer Society; the Boys and Girls Club -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the Premier now to complete his answer quickly.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The South and Central Health Care Foundation; the Western Health Foundation; the Western Memorial Health Foundation. There is an endless list here. I am very proud of the donations that we have given.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There are no questions from me nor the Official Opposition about the legitimacy of it and the motivation. The questions are about potential conflict, and the Premier answered there were no disbursements during by-elections or the general election. He started to give a disclosure. If he is that proud to disclose the ones that he just mentioned, will he now - so that nobody ever asks him again about a potential conflict of interest, because you cannot be the Premier of the Province and you cannot be a private citizen, unfortunately, at the same time. That is the law. So if you do not want to have this question ever raised again, Mr. Speaker, will he disclose all of the disbursements, particularly during election periods - of which he says there were none - or will he put it into a complete blind trust that understands that neither he nor any of his family have any further involvement into disbursements? That is a very serious public question that deserves an answer.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have set up an independent chairman, an independent auditor of that foundation. I find this to be a very emotional topic. If you don't mind, I would like to respond. I have some difficulty in responding to this, because it is something that happens to be very dear to my heart, and this is an absolutely despicable line of questioning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: An independent chairman, independent auditors, it has been approved by the federal government as a charitable foundation, and I am very proud of it. I refuse to answer that line of questioning.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I say to the Premier, that is not unusual for him, not to answer questions.

My questions are for the Minister of Education, and in his absence I ask his alternate. I hope that I get more answers today than I got from the minister yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, this government is trying to circumvent the Education Act, as they do not have the legislative authority to impose their hand-picked directors of education on school boards in the Province.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Is it not true that this decision can only become legal if the new boards that you are hand-picking, and not electing, agree with your choices?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the recruitment of the new directors was done according to legislation. There was a process set up that involved the Deputy Minister of Education, the Dean of Education and the new Chairs that have been appointed. That process was set up and it was followed in order to hire those new directors.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, I say to the Minister of Finance, I can accept the truth, but the minister who just answered that question knows, or should know, that there is no legislation in this Province that allows a minister to hand-pick directors of education. It just isn't there.

We will move on to another question, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the minister said in this House yesterday that the selection of the three directors of education was done above-board and beyond reproach. Mr. Speaker, he went on to name the members of the selection committee. However, it has come to my attention, that in at least one board, one candidate being considered -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It has come to my attention, that at least in one board in this Province, one candidate being considered for the director's position was secretly offered more money than the other candidate.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Does she consider this to be a fair practice, or is this just another example of what this government is capable of doing to achieve its own objectives? I also ask the minister: Will she intervene and ask the Public Service Commission to investigate this very serious incident?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the selection of the directors of education was done according to a process and a procedure that was set up, and it involved some very credible individuals. I support the minister and I do not doubt the credibility of these individuals, and that a fair process was set up for these positions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I did not say anything about the credibility of the selection committee. I am saying that one candidate for the director's position was offered more money than the other.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Twillingate & Fogo.

AN HON. MEMBER: Name him.

MR. REID: If you want to know who it was, it was your deputy minister.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance stated that he would save $7 million by closing six school boards and eliminating employee positions. We know that he is leaving all offices open and it has come to our attention that he is red-circling certain employees so that when they return to the classrooms around the Province they will retain their higher salaries.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Was closing these school boards really about saving money or was it just more about gaining unfettered power and control of the education system of our Province?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, it is a well-known fact that in recent years we have had a declining student enrollment and we have also had to eliminate some teaching positions. In response to having to reduce our number of schools and teaching positions, it is only fair and adequate that we also had to reduce the amount of administration attached to these schools in our Province. We felt that eleven boards was top-heavy with administration and we felt that it was in the best interest of the school system and the fiscal realities of this Province to make these reductions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS THISTLE: Mr. Speaker, I hope today I can get some answers to questions. I have been asking these questions for a long time and I hope today the Minister of Health and Community Services can allay some fears that the people in Grand Falls-Windsor and Central Newfoundland have. Last week, minister, I asked you what would be the criteria in determining the location of the new central health care board and you said you made no decision in that regard. Are you going to say today that you have no criteria, just as the Minister of Education could not substantiate his argument when he consoldiated school boards? Would you give me that answer, please?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As we indicated during the Budget process, we will be looking at board amalgamation. There are currently fourteen health care boards around the Province. So we are, at the present time, going through and reviewing each of the individual boards and looking at what our options are. At this point in time we have made no decision with regard to board amalgamation, Mr. Speaker, but as soon as a decision is made - I expect that decision will probably be made within the next three months; I anticipate that a decision will be made. At this point in time we are still reviewing our options, and I have been having some discussions with the boards as well as with my own officials, but, as of today, we are just looking at the options. There has been no decision made at this point in time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS THISTLE: Mr. Speaker, this government has said repeatedly that they will be making evidence-based decisions, and you, minister, as being the former Auditor General, knows full well the fiscal capabilities of the Central West Health Care Board. You know their operational success. You know all the reasons why Grand Falls-Windsor Central Health Care Board should be chosen. In knowing all of this, they are still offering you, as a government, free rental space, and they can accommodate both boards. Will you now give strong consideration to their proposal?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I do agree that the decisions we make as a government should be evidence based, not like the decisions made by the hon. members opposite. Having said that, Mr. Speaker, we are in the process of gathering our evidence. As I indicated to the hon. member, we will be in a position to make a decision probably within three months.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

MS THISTLE: Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times since this House opened this spring, the truth has been the biggest casualty of the new government. The biggest casualty! You are allowing communities to suffer out there not knowing the ground rules.

Why should people, like the Chamber of Commerce, have to take out ads in provincial papers when they can least afford to do so? Will you set out the ground rules so every community out there will have the same opportunity? There are no ground rules. You have not listed any criteria. Can you at least stand on your feet today and say: Everybody will have the same access to fairness and evidence-based decisions, because that has been sorely lacking by your government?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS E. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I have indicated to the hon. member opposite, we have engaged in a process of reviewing our board structure. We are gathering evidence. We are looking at information regarding different issues around the various boards. At this point in time, as I indicated to the hon. member, we will be in a position to make a final decision, probably within a three month period, and when we make that decision we will notify the hon. member accordingly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Premier.

Yesterday in this House he said that the Prime Minister had accepted his proposal to receive 100 per cent of provincial oil and gas revenues on the Atlantic Accord. Is the Premier able to confirm today that Mr. Martin has in fact agreed that Newfoundland and Labrador would receive all of its offshore royalties without a clawback of any kind on our royalties or corporate income tax associated with the Newfoundland offshore? Will we get 100 per cent of that, with no clawback of any kind, or did he get agreement on the proposal that was given to me by the Premier's office in April, and again yesterday?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has indicated very clearly that we will get 100 per cent of our revenues, and that will include the royalties, that will include the corporate income taxes. Actually, even the conversation that we had on Saturday morning we actually discussed detail, we discussed numbers, which were actually the best numbers ever available to us at the time from our officials of the department, from the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board. So, we very clearly set out - and, as I have indicated as well, he has indicated it publicly and, as well, you can see it from the Liberal Web site, that he has accepted our proposal, and as discussed.

You have to go beyond, obviously, the four corners of the document. There were discussions, as well, between myself and the Prime Minister on several occasions, as there were discussions between Mr. Goodale and the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. HARRIS: Mr. Speaker, it is easy to say we are going to get 100 per cent of our revenues. We get 100 per cent of our revenues now. The problem is, they are clawed back. So, the real question here is: If this document is the basis of that, how is it that this document, which as I understand it was the proposal, has, in fact, a share of revenues, with the new office as proposed by the government, where we only get 47 per cent of our share of the revenues, whereas the federal government gets 53 per cent of the revenues? How does that turn out to be us keep getting and keeping 100 per cent of our offshore revenues?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I am a little disappointed in the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi because he knows the difference. All he is doing now is actually playing pure, raw, politics with this issue. That is exactly what he is doing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: I will just read the response for you, first of all.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Premier.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, he knows the difference. The response that we had from his own federal leader, Mr. Layton said, "The NDP supports Newfoundland and Labrador receiving 100% of its offshore oil and gas revenues to make it the ‘principal beneficiary' of...." its offshore oil and gas revenues. So, we are talking about the provincial revenues. That is exactly what we are talking about, 100 per cent of the provincial revenues. The per cent that you are talking about is the federal revenues. They will get their federal revenues. They will get their corporate tax. They will get their HST. They will get other incidental taxes that are related to it, but we are getting 100 per cent of our provincial revenues, the same as Alberta gets!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Exactly the same as Alberta's situation. If we were not going to pay any taxes to Canada, are you suggesting that we should not be part of Canada? Is that what you are actually suggesting?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

We have time left for one more exchange. The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the Premier's own document, on page 22, it recognizes that the Province's net direct revenue is subtracted by 70 per cent for the equalization clawback and there is an offset formula related to that. Now, I will not get into the complications, but the result is that we do not get to keep 100 per cent of the provincial revenues under corporate income tax and royalties. Will the Premier confirm that, or does he have another answer?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair asks members for their co-operation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The essence of Question Period is that we do have co-operation and that government be held accountable. If questions are asked, it is essential that the government have an opportunity to reply.

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will explain to the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi what it is indicating there, I might add, and preface it by saying we get 100 per cent of provincial income tax, the royalties there, 100 per cent, and even defaults on offshore parcels of land, 100 per cent.

The federal government's taxation system is higher than the Province even on any business. The corporation income tax is 21 per cent with surtax. Ours is 14 per cent. Their lowest tax bracket, federally, is sixteen. Ours is 10.57 per cent and, Mr. Speaker -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. SULLIVAN: Yes, with reference to this. I will answer the question now, Mr. Speaker. It does not change under equalization, but what you would get clawed back under equalization there is an equivalent offset payment made under Natural Resources Canada; because, if you change that, you have to change the whole equalization. What we lose on equalization in clawback is a separate payment, so Natural Resources Canada offset for that 100 per cent of provincial taxes.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time for Question Period has expired.

MR. E. BYRNE: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: A point of order has been raised by the hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. E. BYRNE: I do not know if you heard it, Mr. Speaker, but I heard two occasions today by the Member for Twillingate & Fogo, the word viper in this House was used one time. As a matter of fact I used it, and I used it to describe the Leader of the Opposition when he was Premier. I was ruled out of order and I was made to withdraw the comment, and I did so willingly and in an unqualified way.

Today, the Member for Twillingate used that word, and just then before Question Period expired, he said the Premier lied today. I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to ask the Member for Twillingate & Fogo to withdraw those two remarks from the record of the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

During Question Period there is some - I guess it is a case of where things get said that should not be said. I did hear the Member for Twillingate & Fogo, a few moments ago, use the word liar in reference to a member on the opposite side of the House. The Chair will have to check the record for the use of the word viper. I do ask the member if he would stand in his place and withdraw those comments.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I do not know if I was calling the Premier a viper or if I was referring to his car, but, Mr. Speaker, I withdraw -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair has asked the member to withdraw his comments without qualification, without commentary, and ask him to do so immediately.

MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, for you, I withdraw.

MR. SPEAKER: Presenting reports by standing and select committees.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SHELLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to table the 2002-2003 Annual Report for the Department of Tourism, along with six agencies that report directly to my department, namely: The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador; Special Celebrations Corporation, Inc.; Marble Mountain Development Corporation; Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council; the Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Corporation; and the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Tabling further reports?

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

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today, I am tabling the Annual Report of the Government Money Purchase Pension Plan for the year ending December 31, 2003.

This pension plan provides pension benefits for government's part-time workers and employees of certain agencies which are ineligible to participate in the government's full-time pension plan. Mr. Speaker, this is the first annual report for this pension plan to be tabled before this hon. House. It has been prepared under my direction, in accordance with governments' commitment to greater accountability.

MR. SPEAKER: Tabling of further reports?

The hon. the Premier.

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Annual Performance Report for the Office of the Executive Council for the fiscal year ending 2003.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Trinity-Bay de Verde.

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. E. BYRNE: (Inaudible) tabling reports?

MR. SPEAKER: I am sorry.

Tabling reports?

The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

I rise today to table in the House of Assembly the Bull Arm Site Corporation Annual Letter For the Period of April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Trinity-Bay de Verde.

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Select Committee appointed to draft a reply to the Speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, I am pleased to present the report of the Select Committee as follows:

To His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, the Honourable Edward Roberts: May it please Your Honour, we, the Commons of Newfoundland and Labrador in Legislative Session assembled, beg to thank Your Honour for the Gracious Speech which Your Honour has addressed to this House.

Signed by the Member for Lake Melville, the Member for Port de Grave, and myself, the Member for Trinity-Bay de Verde.

MR. SPEAKER: When shall the report be received?

AN HON. MEMBER: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: On tomorrow.

Notices of motion? Answers to questions for which notice has been given?

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Just a point of order, Mr. Speaker, since this is our last day.

The members of the Opposition, since the session began, have placed various questions on the Order Paper. As of today, in fact, there have been questions asked of the Premier, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, the Minister of Natural Resources, and the Minister of Health and Community Services. To date, for the record, just so the people of the Province know, there has not been one single answer forthcoming to any of these questions that have been put forward to these ministers. I guess now that the House it closing, we are just wondering if the ministers would be so kind as to undertake to, notwithstanding the House is not in session, still fulfill what we feel are their proper duties, and provide the answers to the questions asked.

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

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting. I am sure that the questions that have been placed on the Order Paper, the three or four he has referenced, certainly they will do their best to provide the answers to. I do wish to point out, for the people of the Province who are watching, that I remember distinctly, and some of my colleagues do, as well -

MR. SULLIVAN: And His Honour co-ordinated it.

MR. E. BYRNE: And His Honour co-ordinated it. That is correct, I say to my colleague. We left here in many sessions, but one in particular, with over 250 unanswered questions on the Order Paper, when the Opposition House Leader happened to be in the Cabinet. To this day, we have not received an answer for either one of them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Members will know that it is the right of members who sit in Opposition, or any other private member, to put questions on the Order Paper. It is entirely up to the government, to the members of the Executive and the Cabinet, whether or not they answer, when they answer, and what the answer does contain. The choice to answer or not to answer is entirely the prerogative of the Administration.

Answers to questions for which notice has been given?

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

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

This is to the immediate point of order raised by the Opposition House Leader when the House opened. They were looking for the proposal, the commitment made by the Premier yesterday to table the proposal for the new Atlantic Accord offset mechanism. We would like to table that now for members opposite.

May I also say, Mr. Speaker, that we are a lot more speedy in tabling these types of requests than the former Leader of the Opposition was. I recall waiting three and a half years for the Atkinson Report, and we never did get it, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Petitions?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I stand today to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Corner Brook-Bay of Islands on the long-term care facility in Corner Brook. This is a facility that was committed to by the Premier and the government, to be built, publicly funded, publicly run, within this mandate.

It was interesting to hear the Premier outside the House yesterday saying that the Prime Minister should resign if he does not live up to his political commitments. I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in the next three years, to see if this Premier is going to live up to it.

There are certain members who, before the election, visited this site and visited the long-term care facilities in the Corner Brook are. They were out saying how much it was needed, how much they were going to push for it. The Member for Trinity North, I think, was the Health critic, and the Member for Humber Valley was - visited the sites also. They visited the sites on numerous occasions and publicly stated that this facility needed to be built. It was a major concern for the Western Health Care Corporation, and was a major concern for all the residents of Western Newfoundland and Labrador. The Premier, himself, thought it was such a great initiative and it was so important that he promised to have it publicly built, publicly funded and publicly operated in a four-year mandate. Now we have the Minister of Health and Community Services standing up and telling the Western Health Care Corporation that it is back on the list and we are going to see where it ranks in their priority list. That was the last meeting she had in December out in Corner Brook.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that this whole facility, this whole project has to be built for the needs of the seniors in Corner Brook. I say to the Minister of Health and Community Services, that was put out in their monthly news letter. The meeting you had with them, and what they said - when they asked for your commitment, if it is going to be built, you said: It has to be put back on the priority list for the Province. That is on their monthly - and I am sure the Member for Humber Valley also has it. She is nodding that she did have this monthly news letter.

I can say to the residents of Corner Brook and the Bay of Islands area, that this side of the House will keep the fire lit under the government. I will try to keep the Premier, and the Member for Humber East, to their commitment in having this built in four years. This commitment was made. Now the Minister of Health and Community Services has said that it is a two or three year project in funding from year to year. It is going to take two years for the design to be done, if the funding comes through in the next fiscal year. With the two years for the design to be done, with a year-and-a-half already passed, that is three-and-a-half years before any ground is even broken for the long-term health care facility in Corner Brook.

I urge the members opposite, this is a commitment made by their Premier, by their leader, that it will be built in four years.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member's allotted time has expired.

Does the member have leave?

MR. JOYCE: Just to clue up?

MR. E. BYRNE: Just to clue up.

MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted just to clue up.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you.

I would like to present a petition on behalf of the residents, and I urge all the members from the West Coast, and I urge the Member for Trinity North, who was so much involved publicly before it and how much it needed to be built, and he also said: Yes, it needed to be done. It was urgent. I urge him now to put pressure on their own government because of the need for the residents of Corner Brook and Bay of Islands.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Lake Melville.

MR. HICKEY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition here from people within my district.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS section 107(2) of the Wildlife Act states that no person shall possess firearms or ammunition on a Sunday in a place frequented by wildlife; and

WHEREAS this legislation unduly damages the Outfitting and Tourism Industries of our Province; and

WHEREAS this legislation places such industries at a disadvantage with other province's Outfitting and Tourism Industries;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to repeal Wildlife Regulation, section 107(2) of the Wildlife Act.

Just to make a couple of comments, Mr. Speaker, about the petition. This is something that I have championed for a long time. This is something that I think needs to be changed regarding Sunday hunting in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I can tell you, many people in the rural part of Newfoundland and Labrador would like to see these laws changed. We are at a disadvantage with other provinces when we look at this particular regulation and I think it should be changed.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Labrador Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to present a petition on behalf of people from half of the Northern Peninsula and Southern Labrador dealing with health care services. I will read the prayer of the petition:

WHEREAS the provincial government's Budget for 2004 announced imminent changes to health care boards and medical services in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the residents of Grenfell Regional Health Services area deserve the same health care facilities and services as any other community in Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the name Grenfell is synonymous with health care throughout the world; and

WHEREAS Grenfell Regional Health Services is already an integrated board; and

WHEREAS Grenfell Regional Health Services has provided health care for residents of Northern Newfoundland and Labrador for the past 100 years; and

WHEREAS Grenfell Regional Health Services is a leader in the health care profession; and

WHEREAS Grenfell Regional Health Services provides Medivac Services to the whole Province; and

WHEREAS Grenfell Regional Health Services provides services to residents who would be geographically restricted during most of the year because of inclement weather;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the petitioners request that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador maintain the present services offered by Grenfell Regional Health Services and maintain the present board structure, while providing the necessary funding to fulfill its mandate.

Mr. Speaker, I present that petition on behalf of the people of The Straits & White Bay North, as they have asked me to do. I assure the people of the Province generally, and The Straits & White Bay North specifically, that we are committed to a publicly funded health care system that is universally accessible. The issues that they raise in their petition, Mr. Speaker, and that they have raised with myself and my colleague from St. Barbe, will certainly be given due consideration as government moves down the road to making its decision on health care provision in the Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the opportunity to rise and present a petition on behalf of the Public Service Pensioners' Association for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, a similar petition has been presented in the Legislature before, and I have actually presented one previously. The group themselves, the association, because of the fact that the pension indexing issue was made a part of the opening package for the last round of bargaining, the Pensioners' Association, even after they were assured by members opposite that it was not going to be in the final agreement, they still toured the whole Province, circulated these petitions, and had them signed by people from all over Newfoundland and Labrador. Here we have representatives from Bishop's Falls, Grand Falls-Windsor, Badger, Botwood, Exploits district and also in the District of Grand Falls-Buchans.

Mr. Speaker, their concerns are, basically - if I could summarize them in just a couple of minutes. There are four or five concerns. First and foremost, even though the issue has been resolved satisfactorily to them this time around, they are still, in that association, deeply distressed that they were used as pawns in a round of negotiations. That while the issue was on the table they were being called by members of the government side, saying: Oh, do not worry about it, I am sure this is going to be fixed. They are glad it was fixed, for the time being, but they were insulted and did not appreciate the fact that they were used and the government was willing to use them as pawns in an opening negotiation to try to achieve some other ends.

The Pensioners' Association, in the plea of their petition, suggest that while, again, they have dodged a bullet, so to speak, this time around and there is a four year agreement - not agreement, wrong language - there is a four year imposed settlement in place, by law, which says that it will not change for four years. What pensioners really want, Mr. Speaker, is movement toward full indexing for all pensioners, not the 1.2 per cent maximum that was put in place in the previous contract and is now in place for another four years.

As well, Mr. Speaker, the pensioners in their meetings, even after it was resolved in bargaining, they continued their meetings and have realized more than ever that they need to be vigilant about any future government attempts to strip their pension rights. So, they do not take any particular comfort with this particular government, that after the four years imposed legislative settlement is over, that they will not be back at a bargaining table again as an opening position trying to strip away the indexing. They do not take any particular comfort in having any meetings or any dealings with the current Minister of Finance, in particular. I know they meet with him because they have to, if they have to deal with the government, but they do not take any particular comfort from him.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that at some point in time they would hope that these petitions would no longer need to be presented, but right now they are under a forced agreement, a legislated agreement for four years, and they still have concerns -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member's allotted time has expired.

Does the member have leave?

MR. GRIMES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

They still have concerns that they might have to do this again in the future.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate this opportunity to table probably the biggest petition we have seen in the House this session, certainly in terms of volume. This is on behalf of the people of Southwestern Newfoundland. Albeit I have entered many petitions here since the House started this spring, I started earlier in the spring with the one about the health care and the fear that the people in Southwestern Newfoundland had about the possible closure of their clinics. This is what has been compiling ever since the House has been going on, so I undertook to these people that I would see, before the House closed, that the seriousness of this concern would be made known to the minister, and I am pleased to see that she is indeed here today.

Again it is indicative, from the number of petitions we have, how serious this is. From the area that we are talking about here, from Rose Blanche, Grand Bruit and LaPoile area up to the Codroy Valley region, you probably only have about 15,000 people in total. Yet, these petitions have about 8,200 names on them. When you take out kids, for example, and factor in the children of the district, it is pretty indicative that this is a serious issue to the people of Southwestern Newfoundland.

They implore the minister, in making decisions about health care delivery in rural Newfoundland, for God's sake, consider people, consider their needs, consider the fact that because a lot of these areas are in rural, isolated areas and do not have access easily to regional type facilities, that the clinics that might be on the chopping block would be given every consideration and ought to stay, because that is these people's first line of approach when it comes to a health care need in rural Newfoundland. Simply to shut them down because it may be a financial burden, albeit not a big one in many of these cases where there is bi-weekly or sometimes monthly visits, does not justify the anguish and the agony that it places on these people who need these services. Regionalization is one thing, but closing out clinics that are essential to the first line of attack and the first line of approach for these people is, I would suggest, very, very much needed.

I ask the minister to consider that. This is not an empty request. This petition represents the concerns of these 8,200 people of the area from South Branch down the coast. These are people who sometimes do not have cars to get to a regional centre, do not have cars to get to Port aux Basques from Rose Blanche, do not have the money to get a taxi and have to depend upon friends, but, more importantly, have depended for years upon that doctor who comes from Port aux Basques and goes to the valley, or comes from Port aux Basques and goes down to Rose Blanche and LaPoile to do these clinics.

It is very, very important and I would like to table this to show the minister that they are very, very concerned. Hopefully the closure of any clinics in Southwestern Newfoundland will never come to be, because I suggest it will not only be the closure of the clinics; it will be another step in the closing down of rural Newfoundland if they do not have access to this first line of health care service.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, today want to present a petition on behalf of the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Service Pensioners' Association and their supporters. I had the opportunity some weeks ago to meet with them in the Conception Bay North area and, if I had known it, I would have invited the Minister of Finance along because he said he met with them here recently and he made them all happy. I wish, Mr. Speaker, I had known that. I would have had him along and I am sure he would have tried to make those people happy, but they were very upset.

I have to say that they asked us to present this petition on their behalf because they felt they were not treated properly during the recent negotiations during the recent strike. I guess it goes on to say that those people, the seniors, have made a significant contribution to our Province. I am sure we are all well aware of that, and they feel like they were used at that time. They received an increase back in 2002, the first one they received since 1989, and they were assured that there would not be any fallout from that and everything was going fine; but, I can assure you, that did not happen.

I know it was mentioned at that time, on several occasions, that their pensions would be reduced by a figure that was used, $5, and lot of people thought that was not very significant. Let me assure you, they seem to think, and I agree with them, that when you are on a fixed income, $5 means a lot to those people.

During the meeting that I attended, they went on to tell us about the increase in everything around about them, the utilities. Then, since the Budget come down, we have seen an increase in ambulance fees, driver's licence, and insurance was constantly rising. Mr. Speaker, they have major concerns. Like other speakers have said, they have fear for the future, what may happen, even though it has been rectified for them at the present time.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that our seniors should be recognized for their contribution to this Province, not like what happened the last time. They believe that there was a false promise made to them. It fell by the wayside, and they want us to bring the message to this hon. House of Assembly so that they can keep on with the facts and this will never happen again.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions? Orders of the day.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, Motion 1, to move that the House not close at 5:30 p.m. - Oh, I am sorry.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. PARSONS: (Inaudible).

MR. E. BYRNE: If I moved that motion, I say to my colleague, the Opposition House Leader, it is not that side of the House that I would have to worry about.

MR. RIDEOUT: (Inaudible).

MR. E. BYRNE: My colleague, the Minister of Transportation and Works, wholeheartedly agrees with me.

Mr. Speaker, I guess it is the Petroleum Products Pricing Commission legislation, third reading. We will move that right now.

MR. SPEAKER: A bill, An Act To Amend The Petroleum Products Act. (Bill 32)

It has been moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a third time.

The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This bill today is a bill that should not have been coming to this House. It is a totally unnecessary bill. The only reason why this bill is in this House to be passed, and we are now into third reading, is a knee-jerk reaction, trying to get rid of a political appointment. The political appointment was Mr. George Saunders, who did an excellent job as the Commissioner for the Petroleum Products Pricing Commission. The Minister of Government Services, herself, said that he did an excellent job, and she called him in to thank him. When she thanked him, she said: There you go, so long, you are fired.

She did not have to bring a bill to the House to do that - this Bill 32, An Act To Amend The Petroleum Products Act. She did not need to do that. It was her choice who she wanted to put in there as a commissioner of that commission, but she decided to slough it off to the Public Utilities Board, thinking that nobody out there in this Province - she thinks that nobody out there in this Province knows how the Public Utilities Board operates.

These are political appointments, just like any board of government. Yet, she decided that she wanted to put that under the umbrella of the Public Utilities Board so she would not have to say that it was a political appointment that she was going to make in the place of Mr. George Saunders. That is what it amounts to.

She was happy that he did a good job, and she gave him full marks for that. You ask anybody around this Province. You ask the Consumers for Fair Gas Prices. They were the first ones out in the media to give Mr. Saunders accolades and say what an excellent job he did. His only job was to bring stability to fuel prices in this Province. That was his job. He had to develop a program whereby he was able, with the help of his staff, to determine fuel prices and bring stability and once a month make that price known to the Province. Now, that was his job.

Before that commission came into place, it was willy-nilly. There was a system in place whereby the prices could change as much as two, three and four times a day. There was no control over it. It was the current Leader of the Opposition who decided on fuel regulation and made it become law. It happened under his watch. Anybody out there now in the industry today will tell you, that has been a good thing for this Province.

All of a sudden, the Minister of Government Services, she has no evidence only to say that she wants to put it under the umbrella of the Public Utilities Board. There is a lot of relevance to this because I am the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans and the present office for the Petroleum Products Pricing Commission is located on High Street in Grand Falls-Windsor, and it has provided good service to the people of this Province. Right now, the staff who operate that commission are located in Grand Falls-Windsor and their contracts are expiring at the end of this month. I asked the minister last night: What is the future for those staff in Grand Falls-Windsor? She said to this House: Everything will go on as normal. Yet, for all that, she did not give me any duration, any term, about how those staff are going to be impacted and whether or not they would be there for the considerable future.

One thing you have to watch about this government, they speak in rhymes. They will say one thing today and will counteract it tomorrow with some different language. I heard that today from the Minister of Health and Community Services, who also has another issue that is relative to the people of Grand Falls-Windsor. I have asked her repeatedly in the House to give some assurance to the people in Grand Falls-Windsor whether or not there will be a criteria developed for selecting the health care boards consolidation? Do you think that she would offer that answer today? No way! She would not answer that offer.

She said: When a decision is made, she will make it known. In other words, this new government will make a decision without ever offering any criteria to the people of Central Newfoundland and let them be on equal footing to bring forward their proposals, both Grand Falls-Windsor and Gander. No, sir, she is not offering any opportunity to develop criteria and let the communities affected have equal chance to make a proposal.

The same thing is happening with the Fuel Pricing Commission Office. This is an office that runs with absolutely no cost to government. So, if taxpayers are out there thinking that government has made a wonderful move in bringing that to the Public Utilities Board, well, let me tell them, this operates with no cost to government. In fact, right now, at the end of six months, they have a surplus of over $400,000 that they are collecting for the oil companies and it will be a surplus to the government coffers. By the end of this year, this should reach about $800,000. Will that $800,000 be left with the Public Utilities Board, to do as they please, or will it go back to the government where it can be put out in proper programs, maybe for the Cancer Clinic in Grand Falls-Windsor, instead of putting an office in Ottawa for the Premier?

These are the questions that the people want to get answers for. You did not need to bring a bill here to this House, Bill 32. You had the authority to appoint a commissioner and you decided not to. You would rather let somebody in your Cabinet appoint the whole board of the Public Utilities Board, and think that nobody thinks it is a political appointment, when, in fact, we do know it is a political appointment.

You had the nerve, in your press release, to say that the Public Utilities Board will do a better job. They are going to improve efficiency and they are going to reduce the cost charged back to the oil companies. Do you care about that? Do you care how much we save the oil companies? You went on to say that, they are ultimately going to pass along that savings to the consumer. Well, what a joke! Do you really believe that? Because if you do, I would question your job as a Minister of the Crown. If you think the oil companies are going to pass along a savings to the consumer, you are dead wrong. You are dead wrong! That is not going to happen!

What this bill is doing, is giving the government the authority to pass over to the Public Utilities Board the full operation of the fuel pricing commission. We all know that the Public Utilities Board is a regulating body. They are not the ones who are supposed to set policy. They are not the ones who are suppose to set policy for government. This new government, when they got into office, already paid out -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. E. BYRNE: Just a really important point of clarification.

The member has made the assertion that the Public Utilities Board should not set provincial government policy, nor should it. The assertion that she has made, is that government did set prices. The fact of the matter is, that government did not. The commission that you established, that you and your government were part of, that you were part of, an established commission, the Cabinet did not decide or government did not decide -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible)

MR. E. BYRNE: That is the point you are making. Government did not decide what oil prices are, or what gas prices at the pumps would be. It was done through a formula and legislation that was put in place. All that will remain. There is nothing changing with respect to that. The administration of the program, or the administration of regulation, is changing, not regulation.

The assertion that the member makes is that: Because we have made the change in taking it from the Petroleum Products Pricing Commission and put it to the Public Utilities Board, that somehow we are removed from making public policy. All governments would have been removed had the commission stayed in place, because they were an arm's-length board like the Public Utilities Board , and in terms of the processes that were put in place, the regulations and the legislative authority that was provided to them, they set gas prices. That will not change for the consumer. To say otherwise would be disingenuous, it would not be correct, it would not be factual, and it would be giving an impression to the people of the Province, Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely wrong.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order, a point of clarification but not a point of order.

The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

MS THISTLE: The Government House Leader does that every time I stand up. He tries to make a point of order, when in fact he knows there is no point of order, absolutely no point of order. He just tries to deflect from the truth of this bill, which is the fact that it is totally unnecessary.

We had a commission that was set up by the former administration that did a stellar job for the people of this Province. It operated efficiently and it had a surplus. Now they are going to take away the administration part of the commission that ran so well and put it over to the Public Utilities Board, so it will look, in their eyes - they think the public will assume that it will not be political, when in fact the Public Utilities Board is totally political, because all the positions on the Public Utilities Board are appointed by Cabinet.

What we have here today, Mr. Speaker, is -

MR. E. BYRNE: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: A point of order by the hon. the Government House Leader.

MS THISTLE: What is wrong with this man?

MR. E. BYRNE: There is nothing wrong with this man. What is wrong are the points that you are trying to make, and I am not going to let him go unchecked. I am going to put them right in the context they should be put in. It is as simple as that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, interesting! If I sang out today, what is wrong with that woman, I would be in trouble and so I should be. There is nothing wrong with me as a member. I have an absolute right to do what I am going to do, and you or nobody else is going to stop me from doing it, I say, Mr. Speaker.

The fact of the matter is this: The member just left an impression that the appointees to the Public Utilities Board are completely political because Cabinet appoints them. I do not know who else would appoint them. Certainly, what group would appoint them? The point is this, it is not what she said but what she did not say, that the people who are on the Public Utilities Board today - guess what, Mr. Speaker? - we did not appoint them, you did. Do not leave the impression that we, somehow, have appointed people, who are of the Progressive Conservative persuasion, who are going to do our bidding. The people who are on the Public Utilities Board are people who were appointed by the Liberal government in their last term.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind members that the purpose of a point of order is to make a clarification of some part of the proceedings. In this particular case, the Government House Leader has used a point of order to essentially engage in debate and to give a clarification. There is no point of order.

The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Buchans.

MS THISTLE: My only regret is that today the House is closing. As usual, my only regret is that today the House is closing. I would say, as the Speaker just indicated, there has been no point of order made by the Government House Leader. He knows full well that every member on the Board of Directors for the Public Utilities Board has an expiration term. Are you telling me now that the people appointed in future will not be done politically? Do you believe in Santa Claus? Let me tell you, there are a lot of people appointed to those school boards that are political appointments and that has been your doing. You are the type of person, this Government House Leader, or the Minister of Education, who could not even defend his own argument for consolidating school boards. Can you imagine that? Try to make that real, will you? Is that right?

AN HON. MEMBER: She is getting spity.

MS THISTLE: I am getting spity because I am telling the truth. That has been the biggest casualty of your government, not telling the truth.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS THISTLE: What I am trying to say, Mr. Speaker, is that this bill is totally unnecessary. It is a knee-jerk reaction to the Minister of Government Services who wants to make a political appointment, but now, instead of appointing someone to this board, she is going to do it through the Public Utilities Board. That is all I have to say.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. HARRIS: Mr. Speaker, I just have one or two remarks about this legislation that transfers the Petroleum Prices Review Commission - makes the Public Utilities Commission equivalent of that. That is, first of all, the notion of controlling petroleum prices was pretty popular a few years ago. In fact, we were very supportive of the notion of controlling petroleum prices until we saw the report that was done by the Consumers' Advocate -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MR. HARRIS: - until we saw the report of the Consumers' Advocate which indicated that there was very little to be gained by having such a review, that the prices that we had were related to the transportation costs and the distribution costs within the Province, and that, in fact, much of the prices for gasoline, et cetera, was related to the low volumes that were produced in individual gas stations. That seemed to be the rationale.

When there was pressure on the government from some quarters to do something about high prices, the resulting establishment of the Petroleum Price Commissioner did not do anything to lower prices. I do not know if the consumers of the Province saved $1 as a result of the creation of the price commissioner. We did have something called stability of prices, where the prices were stable for one month at a time initially, but when the prices started fluctuating pretty wildly we did see the prices change, in some cases, well before the mid-month pricing deadline that was established by the commission.

What we did see was some stability in prices. In fact, when the prices are going up quickly - the prices go up quickly even according to the price commissioner. So, to us, it does not really matter whether George Saunders, the commissioner who seemed to have done a good job in the sense that he was carrying out his function properly and creating the stability of prices. It does not matter much whether that job is done by an individual who was appointed by the previous legislation or by the Public Utilities Commission, the result will be the same, perhaps somewhat of an improvement over the situation before, but no real ultimate advantage to the consumer in that we are still paying considerably high prices for fuel, and that fuel price changes. I suppose it is probably the only commodity in which that happens, that the prices change while the gasoline is in the ground.

In other types of business, if a supermarket were to buy stock and sell it at the price at which they had to buy new stock, that would be called profiteering, but for some reason the world oil industry has managed to convince the markets of the world that they are able to change their prices based on the world price of oil immediately, despite the fact that inventories may be sitting in gasoline tanks or storage. The price changes when the world price changes. We are victims of that market system, Mr. Speaker, and it does not appear to be very much that we can do about it from Newfoundland and Labrador.

I suppose to the extent that it has some value in preserving some stability - and it is only some stability - there is something to it, but really, in the end, all it ends up doing is justifying, in some way, the high prices that we are paying; the enormous prices we are paying for gas and oil and diesel products and feeding the unending hunger of the international oil industry for mega profits after mega profits. I do not see how having the prices stable for three or four days, or three or four weeks at a time really does very much to it, except, perhaps give people who must plan a month at a time, who make contracts for trucking or who do that type of business, at least it may give them some stability. If it does not end up costing the consumer anymore money, perhaps it does benefit, to some extent, by giving people at least a couple of weeks or three or four weeks to plan the costs for transportation for people who are in the transportation business, or in hauling goods or that kind of commercial business. So, to that extent, we support the kind of measure that is there. We do not see whether it matters whether it is done by the Public Utilities Board or by an individual who is appointed by the government, perhaps from their political friends or supporters.

We think that at least the Public Utilities Commission is a more neutral body, and for that reason we support the legislation.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Act, be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Act. (Bill 32)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill is now read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act to Amend The Petroleum Products Act," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 32)

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.

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

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

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.

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.

MR. SPEAKER: Your Honour, before we begin the formal part of today's proceedings, I would wish to extend to you and your family the individual and collective condolensces of all members on the passing of your father, a much beloved and respected doctor, businessman and humanitarian, known affectionately throughout Newfoundland and Labrador as Dr. Harry. We also appreciate and acknowledge your decision to attend this afternoon under such family circumstances.

Yesterday, in this House, tributes to your father were made by the hon. the Premier, by the hon. the Leader of the Opposition, and by the hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi. Your Honour, on behalf of all members and through them, on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, I wish to present a copy of yesterday's Hansard in which these tributes are recorded. Your father, Sir, will long be remembered and will hold a special place in the hearts of so many people for so many special reasons. We honour and we celebrate his life and his contributions.

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Edward Roberts, Q.C.): Mr. Speaker, if I may, Sir, members on both sides of the House, thank you very much for those wonderful words. I have, of course, some knowledge of the House from a previous life, so I had read the Hansard but I shall treasure the copy you gave me and I will make sure that my brothers and our families know about it. I was very deeply touched by the eloquence of the Premier and of the Leader of the Opposition and the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi, the Leader of the New Democratic Party here in the House, and for that matter, I guess, in the Province. Thank you very much, gentlemen, and I do appreciate what you said.

Dad lived to a very good age. He was closer to ninety-six than ninety-five. He had been in failing health but he died very easily and peacefully. I can only say that when all of us meet our own end, as we will, I hope all of us can go as gently and as peacefully as he did. His death, obviously, came as no surprise to us. That does not lessen the feeling that the circle has been broken and the world is very different.

Let me just close by saying, Mr. Speaker, that the support which you have voiced on behalf of members, and the words of the Premier and of the Leader of the Opposition and the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, mean a great deal to my brothers and to my myself and to our families. These words do help at a time like this, so thank you very much.

Now we have some business to do, I think. Let me say, I appreciate your words about being here today. Were my father able to speak, I know the advice he would give me, which is: Do your duty.

MR. SPEAKER: Your Honour, it is my agreeable duty on behalf of Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, Her Faithful Commons in Newfoundland and Labrador, to present to Your Honour bills for the appropriation of Supply and Supplementary Supply granted in the present Session.

CLERK: A bill, "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2005 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service." (Bill 3)

A bill, "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Additional Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2003 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service." (Bill 28)

A bill, "An Act For Granting To Her Majesty Certain Sums Of Money For Defraying Certain Additional Expenses Of The Public Service For The Financial Year Ending March 31, 2004 And For Other Purposes Relating To The Public Service, No. 2." (Bill 29)

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR: Mr. Speaker, obviously those messages which I signed on the advice of my ministers have had their effect.

In Her Majesty's Name, I thank her Loyal Subjects, I accept their benevolence, and I Assent to these bills.

MR. SPEAKER: May it please Your Honour, the General Assembly of the Province has at its present Session passed certain bills, to which, in the name and on behalf of the General Assembly, I respectfully request Your Honour's assent.

CLERK: A bill, "An Act To Amend The Loan And Guarantee Act, 1957." ( Bill 14)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Local Authority Guarantee Act, 1957." ( Bill 15)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Fire Prevention Act, 1991." (Bill 6)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Municipal Affairs Act." (Bill 8)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Emergency Measures Act." (Bill 5)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Financial Administration Act." (Bill 16)

A bill, "An Act To Revise The Law About The Practice Of Optometry." ( Bill 9)

A bill, "An Act To Incorporate The Newfoundland And Labrador Center For Health Information." (Bill 17)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Survival Of Actions Act." (Bill 11)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Corporations Act." ( Bill 4)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Services Charges Act." (Bill 10)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act, 2000." (Bill 7)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Mineral Act." (Bill 22)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act." (Bill 21)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act, 2000, No. 2." (Bill 20)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Memorial University Pensions Act." (Bill 23)

A bill, "An Act To Create A Pension Plan For Provincial Court Judges." (Bill 24)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Tobacco Tax Act." (Bill 13)

A bill, "An Act To Authorize The Raising Of Money By Way Of Loan By The Province." (Bill 19)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Professional Fish Harvesters Act." (Bill 25)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Provincial Offences Act." (Bill 27)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Schools Act, 1997." (Bill 31)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act." (Bill 26)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Automobile Insurance Act, The Insurance Companies Act And The Highway Traffic Act To Effect Certain Reforms Respecting Automobile Insurance." (Bill 30)

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Petroleum Products Act." (Bill 32)

HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR: In the name of Her Majesty, I Assent to these bills.

Mr. Speaker, before I leave, I gather the House is about to adjourn for the summer break. I wish all members a busy and productive, I guess, particularly three weeks. I am not that far away from the affairs of the world. We look forward to seeing what happens thereafter.

Gentleman, ladies, enjoy your summer. Be busy.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor leaves the Chamber.

Mr. Speaker returns to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

It is moved that when this House adjourns today, it stands adjourned until the call of the Chair. The Speaker, or in his absence - your absence, Your Honour - from the Province, the Deputy Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time and date stated by the notice of the proposed sitting. It is moved that this House do now adjourn, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Before we put the question, the Chair would like to thank all members for their diligence. In this House, we have been meeting now for forty-three days, a very lengthy session. I am told by the people who keep the stats on these things, if we added in the night sessions, the House, in effect, has been in session for a little over fifty days. That would make a very lengthy session. We have had around 700 questions asked in Question Period. I thank members for their co-operation. We have had a record number of members' statements and I thank members for their co-operation. I would also like to thank the House Leaders for their co-operation, the House Officers, the people who work for the House in the Broadcast Centre, Hansard, the Library, and our Commissionaires.

I wish you all a very pleasant summer recess. This will give all hon. members a chance to attend to those constituency duties which are so pressing and so much a part of the role we play in the Parliament of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: I just want to say thank you, Mr. Speaker, for again a good session here. It was certainly a learning curve for me personally. I learned a lot, actually, from watching the Government House Leader over past number of years, and hopefully picked up a few things from him.

Again, I would like to think that we had a good, productive session. We certainly had a lot of bills passed here today. It shows that it has been a very productive session. Despite sometimes the rancour and the voices that get heard in this Chamber, which might be unparliamentary from time to time, it has certainly been a very productive session. I think the Opposition has fulfilled its role in keeping the government's feet to the fire, and no doubt the Opposition will continue to do that outside the confines of this House.

That being said, we look forward to a break now to get back to our constituents so that we can look after some district business. We wish everyone on all sides of the House, and the staff as well, a very safe summer and look forward to seeing everybody back here in the fall.

Thank you.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, would just like to thank hon. members for a very productive session. It is interesting. Everybody has new roles here. People might think that we do not because there are only two of us still, but I do have to say that it is interesting and different and a bit of an adjustment to be questioning my former law partner in the House of Assembly on a regular basis, and I think it is probably a bit of an adjustment for him to have to answer these questions. We all had new roles to undertake, in government and in Opposition, and it certainly has been very interesting.

I will say, given our sessions at 3:30 and 11:30, that I look forward to the fall and perhaps having a family-friendly session.

AN HON. MEMBER: The Adams' family.

MR. HARRIS: Not the Adams' family, that carries on at 3 o'clock in the morning, or Dracula's family. Perhaps we could figure out some new rules that will allow us to operate perhaps for a longer period of time but for less hours in any particular day.

I think it is also traditional to thank the Officers of the House, the Table Officers, the Clerks at the Table, the Legislative Counsel who assist us with amendments, and the Pages who have done a terrific job, as well as our Commissionaires who have had some trying times during this session, as well as the people from Hansard who have to try and descramble some of the grammar and some of the things that we say here in the House, and, of course, the Sergeant-at-Arms and the stand-ins who assist from the RNC, who all contribute to making the House an effective place to operate; and I should mention them, although I do not normally see them here, the Legislative Library, who have such an extensive collection and are very helpful whenever members want some history of what is going on, or what has happened in the Province. All of these people contribute to a successful sitting of the House and contribute to our democratic process. I think they should be thanked as well.

I wish all hon. members a productive break period and an interesting time during the federal election that is ongoing, and we look forward to seeing you all in the fall.

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

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

I will not belabour the remarks. Just to be associated with the remarks, I certainly thank yourself, your staff, and all of the divisions that make up the House of Assembly, that make this place operate for the benefit of the people of the Province and for members.

Just a few direct personal wishes. I am going to ask my colleague, the Minister of Transportation and Works, if we could get a public exemption, or exemption to the Public Tender Act, so we could get that member's desk cleaned off a little bit.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: I understand from his former law partner that his office was not any better on Duckworth Street, Mr. Speaker.

I want to say to my counterpart -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. E. BYRNE: Yes.

I want to say to my counterpart, the Opposition House Leader, that it is what is not seen here sometimes that the public maybe should see. I am referring to - we get together every morning to try to sort of map out a way in terms of the parliamentary day, the processes of that, and, to an extent that we can, to ensure that the business of the people gets done. That is not something that the public knows. It is not something that everybody knows, but it is something that occurs every day when this House is open, and sometimes several times during the day, depending on what the issue is. I want to just acknowledge that and look forward to that sort of role continuing, and certainly with the Leader of the NDP as well.

It would be remiss of me - I asked the Premier, who was Leader of the Opposition at the time, I think it was two years ago, when you were sworn in, or three years ago, when we were sitting over there, and I was sitting where you were, I said there was one thing that I ask of you - it is the only thing I have ever asked of him - that I would like to be Government House Leader, just for one session. Whether I am here in November, you will have to ask him. I do not know.

I also want to thank all of my colleagues, certainly on behalf of the Premier and the government, but all of my own colleagues. There are times in here that, as House Leader, you try to navigate government's agenda on behalf of the government, in consultation, in concert, and sometimes cohorts with the Premier, but certainly for the dedication and respect and co-operation of my own colleagues.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I wish all members luck for the remainder of what is left of June and throughout the summer. I know, like many of us, there are pink slips on our desks that high, that need to be attended to.

Thank you very much, and I do now move the motion.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: All those in favour of the motion, signify by saying, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: Contra-minded, ‘nay'.

The motion is carried.

This House now stands adjourned until the call of the Chair.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned to the call of the Chair.