April 11, 2016
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVIII No. 10
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER
(Osborne):
Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by
Members
MR. SPEAKER:
Today we have
Members' statements from the Members for the Districts of Topsail –
Paradise, Torngat Mountains, St. John's East – Quidi Vidi, Harbour Main,
Harbour Grace – Port de Grave and Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
I recognize the Member for the District of Topsail – Paradise.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge April 10-16 as Volunteer Week,
a time to recognize and celebrate the incredible contribution of our
volunteers. Volunteers are the roots of strong communities. Just like
roots are essential for trees to bloom, volunteers are essential for
communities to bloom.
Volunteers are the backbone of our communities, from those involved
through youth groups to seniors associations, from those who support
healthy lives to healthy environments – all are essential to the
continued social, cultural and economic development of our province.
Thanks to volunteers, our communities grow strong and resilient.
Volunteers are crucial to many great causes, and also, the
not-for-profit sector of Newfoundland and Labrador. It's estimated there
are approximately 3,600 volunteer and not-for-profit organizations in
our province and over 200,000 active volunteers.
Seniors are helping to actively engage and inspire our youth – our
province's next generation of leaders and volunteers. With shifting
demographics, it is more important than ever before for young people to
be engaged in their communities.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of this hon. House to join me in offering
our thanks and appreciation to volunteers throughout Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for
the District of Torngat Mountains.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. EDMUNDS:
Mr. Speaker, I
rise in this hon. House today to recognize John Christian Erhardt
Memorial School and the community of Makkovik for hosting the winter
sports meet in March that united athletes from across Northern Labrador
in the spirit of friendly competition.
Athletes from Nain, Hopedale, Natuashish, Postville, Makkovik and
Rigolet came together to compete in a wide range of sporting events,
including native games, badminton, ball hockey, cross-country skiing and
the Labrathon.
Congratulations to the Nain Huskies for taking first place at the meet.
They will go on to represent Northern Labrador at the regional and
hopefully provincial championships.
Two participants deserve special recognition, Mr. Speaker. Edward
Tuglavina from Hopedale and Chaim Andersen from Nain won the prestigious
awards for sportsmanship.
Events like this sports meet are so important to an isolated region in
the province because they bring communities together, preserve
traditions and promote physical activity.
I ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating the participants of
the Northern Labrador winter sports meet.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
Last week, the Bishop Feild School community celebrated a major musical
achievement – the Juno Award for Children's Album of the Year went to
the Swinging Belles for their album
More Sheep, Less Sleep.
The Belles are primary school teachers Laura Winter and Erin Power, with
guitarist extraordinaire, Duane Andrews. They call themselves a swing
band for children, but you'll hear overtones of all kinds of genres, as
you'd expect from such a multi-talented trio.
The polka dot celebration at Bishop Field last week was a big one, as
the three band members are all well-known to the school.
Laura is Mme Winter, a teacher on staff. Erin and Duane are both
Feildian parents, with Erin also serving on the school council.
The Belles discovered they had won the award at a gala Juno dinner in
Calgary, Saturday, April 2.
They were surprised, but local fans familiar with their blend of good
time music, interactive storytelling and dancing were not.
Mr. Speaker, I won't ask any hon. Members to show off their own dance
moves here – although you could give that permission – but I will invite
them to join me in congratulating the Swinging Belles, the only 2016
Juno award winners from Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Harbour Main.
MS. PARSLEY:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to celebrate the heritage of a steadfast
organization in the District of Harbour Main.
The Star of the Sea organization in Holyrood has been a social gathering
spot for 114 years.
As a longstanding community hub, the Star of the Sea organization has
yielded the opportunity to draw friends and relatives closer, to turn
acquaintances into friends, and to inject more friendship into business
relationships. In short, this gathering spot has provided its community
with the opportunity to practice that magic human touch that means more
in life than most of us realize.
Such a long and rich history is a complement to the membership, the
executives, presidents both past and present, and to the heritage of our
province.
Today, there are only two Star of the Sea Associations sill vibrant in
our province – one is in Freshwater, Placentia, and the other one is in
Holyrood.
Mr. Speaker, today let us send from this hon. House of Assembly our
congratulations to this wonderful organization for the tremendous
contribution it makes to this community.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Harbour Grace – Port de Grave.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I'm very proud to stand in this hon. House to recognize and congratulate
the under 12 Female Cee Bee's Ice Hockey team of Harbour Grace.
On March 20, this team took home the provincial title, which was
captured in Corner Brook. The Cee Bee's defeated Mount Pearl in the
championship game with a shutout score of five to zero. Yesterday in the
Town of Harbour Grace there was a gathering and a motorcade to celebrate
the victory.
These young ladies practiced hard all season, and their dedication has
paid off. Along with the win, they have also made history. It is this
female ice hockey team who will hoist the final championship banner in
the S. W. Moores Memorial Stadium.
The historic arena will soon close its doors, as construction on our new
Harbour Grace stadium is currently underway. The under 12 Cee Bee's is
the only all-female ice hockey team in Harbour Grace. This is their
third banner in three years. I encourage them to play hard, play safe
and keep their sticks on the ice.
Colleagues, please join me in congratulating the team.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise today to congratulate the Bay d'Espoir Academy Senior Boys
Softball Team who captured the 2015-16 2A School Sport Newfoundland and
Labrador Provincial Championship in October 2015. This was the Predators
third Provincial Senior Boys championship in the past four years and
they certainly have earned recognition as one of the top high school
teams in the province.
It is an honour to recognize the following members of the 2015-16
championship team. Players: Kyle Barnes, Preston Collier, Stephen Cox,
Luke Fowlow, Mark Fowlow, Gudmund Hepsoe, Ethan Lawson, Dylan Northcott,
Jesse Organ, Michael White, Matthew Willcott and Mitchell Willcott.
Their coaches: Shawn Fowlow as head coach, Nathan Gidge and Nancy Oliver
as assistant coaches.
Thank you to all of these individuals who have invested countless hours
of practice to build a strong softball program in the Bay d'Espoir area
and we commend their tremendous sportsmanship which is a great source of
pride in our school and community.
I ask all Members to join me in congratulating the Bay d'Espoir Academy
Predators for bringing home the gold and the coveted 2A Slo-Pitch
Banner. I wish them the best of luck as they prepare for next season and
defend their title.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Before we move to
the next item on the Order Paper, we welcome to the gallery former
Member of the House of Assembly for St. John's East, Mr. George Murphy.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
The Commemoration
of the First World War and the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel
MR. SPEAKER:
For Honour 100
today, I recognize the Member for the District of Cartwright – L'Anse au
Clair.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Thank you.
I will now read into the record the following 40
names of those who lost their lives in the First World War in the Royal
Newfoundland Regiment, the Royal Newfoundland Naval Reserve, the
Newfoundland Mercantile Marine, or the Voluntary Aid Detachment. This
will be followed by a moment of silence.
Lest we forget: Herbert Denty, Aiden Devereaux,
Andrew Devereaux, John William Devereaux, William Devoe,
Joseph Dewey, George Dick, Ethel Dickenson, Stephen
Dicker, Almer Dicks, Benjamin Dicks, Henry Dicks, Joseph Dobbin, Michael
Dober, Peter Dober, John Dodd, William Patrick Dohaney, Harry Dominy,
James John Donnelly, Jeremiah F. Donnelly, William Donnelly, William
Donohue, James Doody, James Dooley, Michael Dooley, John Doran, Joseph
Doran, Aaron K. Douglas, Henry Dowden, John Thomas Doyle, James P.
Drake, Andrew Driscoll, Arthur Driscoll, Kenneth Driscoll, Thomas
Druken, Albert Duffett, John Duke, William Duke, Lionel Thomas Duley and
George Dullanty.
(Moment of silence.)
MR. SPEAKER:
Please be seated.
Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
MR. SPEAKER:
The Minister
Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement.
MS. COADY:
I rise in this
hon. House today in recognition of the incredible hard-working,
dedicated volunteers in our communities.
This week we honour those who give so much of their time and talent in
the service of others. Over 3,600 volunteer and non-profit organizations
in Newfoundland and Labrador, with over 200,000 active volunteers,
provide incredible service to the people of our province.
Indeed, 46 per cent of our residents volunteer, at an average of about
151 hours per year.
From the dedicated people who help our seniors to those working to
welcome newcomers from other countries, volunteers are essential to the
province's continued social, cultural and economic development.
This year's Volunteer Week theme is The Many Faces of Volunteering,
which highlights the diversity of volunteers and the lives they touch.
The faces of our volunteers are not one age, gender or colour. They are
as varied and diverse as the landscape of our beautiful province.
As I learned first-hand, volunteering is worthwhile, fulfilling,
engaging and affirming. I encourage you to be a volunteer and enjoy the
experience of giving back.
As I look around this hon. House, I see many volunteers and colleagues
who support and recognize the contributions of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians on a daily basis.
I ask citizens to join us in celebrating those throughout Newfoundland
and Labrador who so generously volunteer their time.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for the advance copy of her statement
today. We join with the government in recognizing Volunteer Week in
Newfoundland and Labrador. Volunteers are the backbone of the community
sector. They work behind the scenes; they also work on the front lines.
They contribute so much to our communities. For that reason, they
deserve our acknowledgment and appreciation not just during Volunteer
Week, but every week of the year.
From volunteers involved through youth groups, school boards and
religious organizations, to those working with our most vulnerable
populations, all are essential to the continued social, cultural and
economic development of our province.
As the minister noted, there are approximately 3,600 volunteer
organizations in the province. Charitable giving and volunteering are a
significant part of the Canadian economy, with combined value of over
$53 billion. We rank very high in our charitable giving in this
province.
I want to join with everybody in Newfoundland and Labrador in
recognizing Volunteer Week.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister also for the advance copy of her statement. I'm
pleased to join with her in recognizing the benefits of volunteering and
the people of this province who are volunteers. We know that our people
are very generous with their time when it comes to donating time to make
their communities richer and more vibrant.
I join in celebrating the diversity of our volunteer sector. But with
Thursday's budget looming, I caution the minister not to cut resources
to volunteers who need the support and not to divest responsibilities,
which are government's, onto the backs of these generous, hard-working
and very dedicated volunteers.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Further
statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
MR. TRIMPER:
Mr. Speaker,
having worked for 30 years as a wildlife biologist, I am pleased to rise
in this House to recognize April 10-16 – another week – as National
Wildlife Week. This year's theme, Giving Wings to Wildlife Conservation,
encourages us all to consider the creatures that inhabit our skies.
This year, National Wildlife Week also begins on the birth date of Jack
Miner. Through his pioneering work with waterfowl, Mr. Miner was
instrumental in changing North American attitudes about wildlife
conservation.
This year we also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Birds
Convention between Canada and the United States. This is the first
international treaty to conserve wildlife.
Mr. Speaker, we began celebrating this past weekend at our newly opened
Discovery Centre at Salmonier Nature Park. Teachers can also invite an
interpreter from the park to their classroom this week for a fun
presentation about bats.
In our province there are 54 animal and plant species, subspecies and
populations of wildlife and plants that are currently listed as
endangered, threatened or vulnerable. My department is undertaking
valuable work towards creating a natural areas system plan and a
provincial wetlands strategy both of which will help to ensure that our
wildlife species are protected.
For this reason, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to celebrate National Wildlife Week and engage in
activities all year round that protect and support our wildlife species
for future generations.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. Our caucus
would also like to recognize April 10-16 as National Wildlife Week.
This year's theme, Giving Wings to Wildlife Conservation, is appropriate
as Mr. Jack Miner was born on this day in 1865. The founding father of
the wildlife conservation movement contributed greatly to his work on
waterfowl.
Keeping with the theme of Giving Wings to Wildlife Conservation, I'd
like to encourage all members of the public to pay special attention to
our birds and waterfowl this summer. It's important that we keep
preserving their environments when going about our summer activities.
I'd also like to recognize the Canadian Wildlife Federation on their
activities and awareness campaigns associated with National Wildlife
Week. I also look forward to reviewing the natural areas system plan and
the provincial wetlands strategy which this government has committed to
releasing.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I, too, thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I'd
like to take this opportunity to commend wildlife officers across the
province for their tireless work in preventing poaching and protecting
wildlife habitat. I also congratulate the staff at Salmonier Nature Park
for their innovative programs. We look forward to attending some of
those.
Wilderness and Ecological Reserve Advisory Council, which has played a
vital role in establishing protected areas, was finally brought back to
life in 2014. It's good to have their expertise back and, hopefully, the
council will be front and center in the long-overdue creation of the
natural area system plan.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Further
statements by ministers?
The hon. the Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural
Development.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I am pleased to rise in the House today to welcome
to the province a delegation of 15 of our friends and colleagues from
Nunavut. The delegation, made up of officials from both inside and
outside government, is here this week to meet with provincial government
officials and industry representatives to further solidify the work that
commenced with the signing of last year's memorandum of understanding
between our two jurisdictions.
Our province has been working in Arctic-like
conditions for centuries, developing mining operations in Labrador, oil
and gas reserves in harsh environments and throughout our history, going
north to fish. We share many of these circumstances with the people of
Nunavut. Our historic MOU has been a significant step toward formalizing
mutually-beneficial partnerships between our jurisdictions – because,
together, we are stronger.
As geographic neighbours, Newfoundland and Labrador
and Nunavut share a strong sense of culture. We also share a like-minded
approach to safe and sustainable development that respects the
environment and traditional ways of life. With so many opportunities on
the horizon, in the coming week we will continue to build on the work
that began at our initial meetings at the Northern Lights Conference in
Ottawa, continuing to work together to ensure future development is safe
and sustainable for the people of the North.
Thank you.
SOME HON.
MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for the advance
copy of his statement. We also would like to wish a warm welcome to the
delegates from Nunavut. I'm pleased to see the minister has referred to
the MOU as historic. Our government was proud to have initiated it. We
certainly should be uniting with our neighbours for the benefit of our
people.
This agreement was designed to build upon the
history of successful collaboration that already exists between Nunavut
and Newfoundland and Labrador, and encourage increased collaboration as
both jurisdictions prepare for future development and increased economic
activity in the Arctic. The partnership was, and is, a landmark
agreement that aims to maximize co-operation and shared interest for all
parties involved. It marks both a new beginning and an acknowledgement
of long-standing history of co-operation between our two governments.
I'm pleased to see the Department of Business,
Tourism, Culture and Rural Development is continuing with the Arctic
opportunities initiative. I offer my full support as critic as it
pertains to this initiative as well.
Thank you.
SOME HON.
MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I'm very
pleased to join with him in welcoming the delegates from our neighbour
to the north. I do hope that their time here will be a productive one.
I'm sure that's their goal.
In addition to exploring opportunities, I hope the Nunavut delegation
will work with our province to examine how to meet shared challenges. As
a government who faces distributing services over a vast geographic area
to a widespread and small demographic on a limited budget, I hope our
guests can exchange ideas and experiences with our government who face
similar challenges.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
We're all very much aware today that a state of emergency has been
declared in Bay de Verde. A large part of the community has been
evacuated due to a fire that is ravaging the local fish plant. It is
becoming more apparent as the day goes on that the plant will be out of
commission for some time.
We know that 700 plant workers will be impacted. We know that harvesters
are on the water as we speak and they'll be impacted as well. I do
appreciate that it's very, very early. I do appreciate the complexities
and the potential enormity of the impact on the community and on the
province, but I ask the Premier if he could give us an update on the
status of the situation.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I certainly join with all Members in this House of Assembly and, indeed,
all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, our thoughts are with the people
in Bay de Verde. First of all, I want to commend the local residents and
the local fire departments and the neighbouring communities for their
quick response in the work that they've done so far in responding to
this tragedy in Bay de Verde today.
The Leader of the Opposition is correct; there are about 700 jobs that
are attached to that plant. We were already in contact with the
processors and with the members who make a living in that plant. This is
very early in the season for them right now.
I can tell you right now that this government will do everything it can
to make sure there is continuity both for the harvesting sector and for
those who work and make a living in the processing plant in that
community. I've already had discussions at the department level and at a
personal level with people directly impacted with this. I can assure you
we will make effort we can for this to be seamless – even though this is
a tragedy that we speak of today, it would be seamless and that we can
get these communities back to work.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you,
Premier; I appreciate the update. I'm sure you'll keep the House posted
in the days and weeks to come.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has stated that there's not one
single choice in this budget – not one – that will be a happy one. She
went on to say that every decision we make will impact somebody
somewhere and probably not in a good way.
I suggest to the Premier that there are many current important and good
beneficial programs that if funding is maintained on those programs
would be good news for the people of our province. Programs such as the
Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program, the Home Support
Program, insulin pumps for children – all programs that are about people
and for people.
I ask the Premier: Will your budget focus on people? Will it also
include hope and vision as part of your plan for the future?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
What our plan will focus on is good management, good planning and
thoughtful management. Keeping in mind that every decision we make there
is a family, there is a senior, there is some young person behind those
decisions and the impacts that are associated with the difficult choices
we have to make.
I do have to remind the Leader of the Opposition, though, why we are in
this position, as he has often spoke on the campaign trail and to
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians about having a plan in place. Well,
what we see in that plan is the debt servicing level in our province
would be the second largest budget line in our province right now,
outpacing what we spend on education for our children.
Even though he talks about maintaining and talks about carving out areas
that would not be impacted, we will make the tough decisions that are
made, keeping in mind, thoughtfully, the impact it would have on
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I remind the Premier the debt servicing level today is half of what it
was a decade ago, and we have more programs and services that benefit
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians – much better than we've ever had in
the history of our province.
During the campaign trail the Premier, also, himself talked about the
future of the province and their vision as well.
I ask the Premier: Will your plan uphold your campaign promise of no
layoffs?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, the
Member opposite would want to go back to 2003 – and just a reminder, the
debt of our province right now will surpass that in 2003 as a result of
the inactions and the poor planning of his government. That is a result
of the poor planning and mismanagement we have seen from the Members
opposite.
It's important for us that we make sure we carve out a path to the
future of sustainability for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador,
and we can protect the core services we need to offer to Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians. These services must be sustainable, they must be
affordable if we indeed are going to protect the future for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, protect the future of our next
generation.
We will put a thoughtful plan in place, keeping in mind that behind
every decision we make there's a family and there are Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians that are impacted.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Well, I appreciate the response from the Premier. I remember very
clearly in 2013 when we cut public servants and the Liberal Opposition
was heavily critical of us when we did so.
Mr. Speaker, during their campaign this past year, their candidates
tweeted and touted that cutting jobs was not part of their plan and
under a new Liberal government public sector jobs are safe. Now that
they have been elected and ready to take what they call expenditure cuts
– or expenditure actions is what they are referring to it.
So I ask the Premier: Will your government wait on public service
negotiations to determine employment and public service impacts? Will
public sector employees know where they stand this week, on Thursday,
when the budget is delivered, when budget number one is delivered, or
will they have to wait until the fall for budget number two?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I want to remind the Leader of the Opposition why there is a need for
budget number two, because their budget of last year this time, which
was their first budget, didn't work. It got this province in trouble.
Let's not forget that.
The decisions that we make as a government will be based on evidence. It
will be based on research and the analysis of the situation.
Right now, attrition for us, we maintain that is the best way forward
for us. We've also maintained that there will be a fair negotiation, but
the tough decisions that we have to make, we will make those tough
decisions and in some cases people will be impacted. We know that, Mr.
Speaker.
So these are tough decisions that no one likes to have to make but in
order to protect the future of our province there is no choice, based on
the mismanagement that we've seen from the Members opposite for the last
12 years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
There's a lot of reminding going on back and forth from both sides here
today, but I also remind the Premier what the bond rating agency said
just as recently as November, during the writ period, when they
maintained confidence in the plan that we had brought forward, a
significant contrast to what we heard from the bond rating agencies in
January.
Mr. Speaker, as the budget process continues we are starting to see a
pattern of some mixed messages from the Premier's office and also from
ministers. We know that direction for the Minister of Finance seems to
change from time to time.
I ask the Premier: Is this lack of consistency the reason that we are
only going to see half measures come on the budget this week, on
Thursday, with additional measures coming in the fall? Will your
government kick some of those decisions down the road until the fall and
postpone what really needs to happen today? How much are we going to see
this year in budget number one? How much will we see in the fall in
budget number two?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
There are two things that the leader just spoke about, and I would love
to have 10 or 15 minutes, if you would allow me the time to speak about
it. Because right now, what I just heard, he is actually speaking out of
both sides of his mouth. A few minutes ago he was talking about are we
going to make the tough decisions. Now he's telling us to take a
different approach.
Number one, when he talked about the bond rating agencies – let me make
it very clear. The information that they needed to have, this former
Premier did not share with those people.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
PREMIER BALL:
He also talked
about his five-year plan. So is he saying today that his five-year plan
that would lead to record levels of debt, record levels of debt
servicing – is he saying now that his plan is what they thought would be
the best way forward? I doubt it because the message that we got when
the information was shared was quite different than that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
The federal government released its budget recently and we all saw it
included increased spending. What was left out is what is being
questioned by many Canadians and certainly the people for Newfoundland
and Labrador. There was very little information given on the new Health
Accord. In fact, no money was set aside for this. Mr. Speaker,
Newfoundland and Labrador have one of the fastest aging populations in
the country.
I ask the Premier: What steps have you taken to ensure that much-needed
health transfers and quality health care are secure for Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians this year and for the years to come?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
In respect of the Health Accord, there were discussions at the health
ministers' meeting in Vancouver between myself and my counterparts, and
the federal Minister of Health. We talked specifically about new monies
outside of the health transfer for home care, for mental health,
palliative care and addictions.
Those discussions are still going on with the department. Hopefully I
will be able to report back, in due course, to the House on their
successful conclusion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, last week the C-NLOPB issued calls for bids for offshore
parcels. Exploration of our offshore industry certainly has now expanded
outside the 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
When oil is pumped from these sites, a royalty of 7 per cent will have
to be paid to the United Nations. In the past, our administration
advised the federal government that we would not pay the royalties from
the provincial royalties as this is a federal government responsibility.
I ask the Minister of Natural Resources: What is the position of the
current administration?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Natural Resources.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MS. COADY:
Thank you very
much for the question. I appreciate it.
As the Member opposite noted, we have gone out for bids. The C-NLOPB has
gone out for bids and we're quite confident we're going to have another
good bid year.
As the Member opposite did suggest, some of the parcels are outside the
200-mile limit. We are working with our federal counterparts.
There is only one ball of value for the entire offshore. This particular
government is looking at what our royalties will be, what our benefits
will be. They are also taking into effect what the benefits will have to
be to the United Nations as per the requirements of outside the 200-mile
limit.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Just to clarify, the hon. minister, are you saying that the position
taken by the former government, you've rescinded that decision and now
you're negotiating in terms of that 7 cent, or do you expect the
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to pay that royalty or the federal
government?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Perhaps the hon.
Member does not understand the ball of value. There is only 100 per cent
that we can look at in terms of the value on discoveries in terms of
production. These are either carved into benefits or they are carved
into royalties or their carved into equity investments, which is the
full ball of value. Now, because we're outside of the 200-mile limit,
there is a requirement for unclosed United Nations.
We are looking at the entire ball of value, we're looking at the percent
that is required, once we have discovery, moving towards production of
the percentages required for this province under benefits, under
royalties and under equity.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, a recent media report indicated that there may be
challenges in regard to the operating partners of the Come By Chance oil
refinery.
Can the minister update the status of the refinery and the operations?
Is there actions being taken to make sure those 600 jobs are secured at
the refinery?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
As the Member opposite indicated, there are challenges between what I'm
going to call partners within the North Atlantic refinery. These two
partners are in negotiations and discussions right now. In arbitration
in one, and there are court cases in others. These are going on between
the two partners.
I have been speaking with both of these partners. They both reassure
this government and the people of the province and the Members opposite
that they are both committed to the refinery, both committed to
continuing the work there. This is a dispute between two partners and
they are working through their differences.
I have been assured and we are following it closely and keeping in close
contact with both partners to ensure that this refinery continues to
provide tremendous economic benefits to Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the cost for
preparing for the new federal waste water regulations by 2020 – this
will mean that municipalities will have to put infrastructure priorities
on hold while they invest in expensive waste water systems.
I ask the minister: As these are federal regulations, what funding was
included in the federal budget for Newfoundland and Labrador? Where is
the new funding to address these federal regulations?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Municipal Affairs.
MR. JOYCE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I'll just give the Member an education on the program and the
regulations. What happens is a municipality has to do a flow test. Once
a flow test is completed and is submitted to the department of
environment in Canada what they do, they offer a permit. The permit will
inform the municipality of when they need this waste water.
Mr. Speaker, the conception is given that everybody has to be ready by
2020. It is not correct. There are some that are going to be upfront,
the major ones, not all.
Just for the record, he's asking what (inaudible) the federal
government. I can tell you that we just had a meeting with Minister Judy
Foote on a lot of the municipalities and waste water. The federal
government is not only saying we inherit these regulations from the
previous government, we're putting up money to help Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians with waste water, and I'm very proud of that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
I remind
the minister also, there are communities that have to have this done by
2020, and there are communities in my district. As a matter of fact, Mr.
Speaker, there are communities with a cost up to $12 million to $15
million that they're going to have to come up with for these expensive
systems. So I do remind the minister it does have to be in place by
2020.
Mr. Speaker, municipalities experienced great improvements in
infrastructure and services in the past decade, and they cannot run
deficits in their budgets. They have aging infrastructure and limited
resources. Some in this province have suggested they just can't afford
to implement these waste water treatment centres – and in my district,
the same thing, they just can't afford to do it.
I ask the minister: Where is the money going to come from to pay for
these expensive systems?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Municipal Affairs.
MR. JOYCE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I don't want to be critical, because I love getting along with the
Opposition to try to make improvements to the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador. I just find it strange, Mr. Speaker, that these
regulations have been in place for four or five years, and all of a
sudden they're asking all these questions.
I asked a question, Mr. Speaker: Where was the previous government
asking their federal counterparts about money for waste water? They had
to go to New Brunswick to get a meeting with the federal counterpart.
Minister Judy Foote was sitting in the Premier's office discussing how
we can get through this waste water/water quality for the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador. They're not up there – Judy Foote and the
federal ministers aren't up there saying here's what you got to do.
They're down here in Newfoundland and Labrador saying how can we help,
and they're putting money into it to help out. So congratulations to the
federal government, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Three weeks ago the Minister of Transportation and Works announced
tenders for the 2016 roadwork projects. Our office has asked the
department for evidence-based decision making which resulted in the list
of projects, and we have been denied this information.
I ask the minister: Will he immediately make public the process and
results of how these projects were determined?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Thank you to the Member for the question. We have certainly been doing a
lot of work when it comes to preparing for this year's tenders for
roadwork.
One of the things that we've done differently this year, Mr. Speaker, is
the fact that we are basing our decisions on evidence. Contrary to what
the previous government has done, we have removed the politics of it.
This is the first time that I know in the history of this province that
this government has delivered on providing tenders for roadwork in the
amount of $10 million without political interference.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. HAWKINS:
This is the first
time, Mr. Speaker. My officials within my department – we worked closely
on that and they provided the information to us.
I signed off on it. It went to the Premier. He did not make any changes.
For the first time we have non-political interference in roadwork.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I thank the minister for his answer. It's nice to know it went up to the
Premier's office, but there's no political interference. That's subject
to one's opinion.
Mr. Speaker, the minister announced on March 21 that assessments had
been completed. Some MHAs have contacted the Department of
Transportation and Works asking for a list of projects under
consideration in their districts only to be told the work was not
completed. I'm just being told it was completed and it was an
evidence-based decision, but we were told it's not completed.
I ask the minister again: How can this list not be ready if tenders have
been already announced, which I stated, and priorities already been set?
Will the minister table a list of projects under consideration for each
district?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I thank the Member for the question. I find it a little bit odd that he
would make the comment that there was no political interference. All he
has to do is turn to his Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune who came
across and congratulated me because of the fact that we provided funding
for her district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. HAWKINS:
That's the first
point, Mr. Speaker. The second point is for the $10 million, to my
knowledge, if you wanted to check on the website I think we do have the
list of all of the projects that we have out there for the $10 million.
The second phase of that we are going to be working closely with the
project managers within our department to determine on evidence based,
what are the next series of roads that we're going to be providing. So
it's very transparent, it's very open and we're hiding nothing.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
I thank the
minister for his answer. I want to remind him that the road that the
Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune thanked him for is actually in the
Minister of Transportation and Works's district. It leads to her
district. Just for a little clarification, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we are hearing the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, which
includes recycling depots in rural parts of the province, will be cut in
the upcoming budget.
I ask the minister: Will the MMSB be eliminated in budget number one on
Thursday or budget number two in the fall?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Environment and Conservation.
MR. TRIMPER:
Thank you very
much for my first question.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. TRIMPER:
I must say a very
simple answer. As the Minister Responsible for the MMSB, I have no idea
at all what he is speaking about.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
The federal government announced funding of new spending over the next
five years for such things as Aboriginal programming, including
education, water and waste water infrastructure and child and family
services.
Can the Premier – given his responsibility for the Aboriginal file –
tell us if this is a per capita funding for the province or are we
receiving additional funding?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I did have the privilege last week of sitting down with Minister Carolyn
Bennett whose responsibility is this, and the parliamentary secretary,
MP Yvonne Jones, who also obviously, as you know, is from Labrador. We
had a great discussion on the opportunities that we would have to make
improvements and some new money to our Aboriginal communities.
I am happy to say, if you stay tuned over the next few weeks you will
see some advancements on a number of different files as related to
Aboriginal communities in terms of housing, in terms of family supports
and so on.
There is a great working relationship right there now. As we work
through this with the federal minister, I would say in a few weeks we
should have some more good news on Aboriginal affairs within the
province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
As we are all aware here, per capita funding for a province that has a
small population puts us at a disadvantage.
I ask the Premier, will he be lobbying his Liberal cousins in Ottawa to
put a more equitable funding arrangement in place for investing in
programs and services to service the Aboriginal communities in this
province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
We have a number
of concerns, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to per capita funding. We've
made those concerns known; not only when it comes to Aboriginal affairs
but also as it relates to health care as well. There is no question, per
capita funding in a situation like Newfoundland and Labrador does not
necessarily reflect the concerns that we have to deal with.
It's ironic that we get this from the Members opposite. I guess the fact
that they have never made any suggestions to their federal colleagues. I
know they've met with them lately in St. John's. So I'm not so sure
where they come from on this because for 12 years there was no
advancement on any of this.
Right now we are making significant advancements with – as you call it –
our federal cousins. What they are, are federal MPs working with us here
in Newfoundland and Labrador advancing issues like Aboriginal affairs in
our province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
I thank the
Premier, but I also remind him that we lobbied consistently. It's your
cousins that are in Ottawa now. You're saying that there are all kinds
of new investments there but we're not seeing any new money for the
Aboriginal communities.
Mr. Speaker, Thursday, March 31, marked the 42nd anniversary of the
Labrador Flag. Our administration proudly raised it on the courtesy pole
on the grounds of Confederation Building on its anniversary. Mr.
Speaker, we're all too familiar with this Liberal government's record on
flag raising; however, with the Labrador flag they chose not to fly it
on flag day as was done last year and expected again this year.
I ask the Premier who is responsible for Labrador Affairs: Can you
explain why the Labrador flag did not fly this year?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Well the Member opposite, when he talks about proudly flying the
Labrador flag; in all due respect, Mr. Speaker, this is a group, this is
a former administration that fought tooth and nail not to have it,
against it on the entrance and the exit points in Labrador just last
year. Just prior to the election they made a decision out of significant
pressure from MHAs in Cartwright – L'Anse au Clair that we see here and
other people in Labrador that made a significant effort – as a matter of
fact, stood at those sites to get those flags erected.
I have to remind the Member opposite, when he talks about proudly
defending this flag; I would have to say that his history speaks to
otherwise.
When it comes to the Labrador flag, we consider the courtesy pole – as
the Member knows, we will put in place, through the Management
Commission, what will happen with the courtesy flag in the future. That
will reflect then the flags that are flown on the courtesy pole on
Confederation Hill.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District is
engaged in the school closure process based on questionable reasoning
that does not appear to involve the education outcomes of the schools in
question or the welfare of the children in these schools; however, the
minister responsible was mandated by the Premier to pay a special
attention to improving education outcomes.
I ask the Premier: How does the closing of well-functioning,
community-based schools and busing children who currently are within
walking distance of their school result in positive education outcomes?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Education.
MR. KIRBY:
I thank the
Member for the question and another opportunity to address this in the
House of Assembly.
According to the Schools Act,
Mr. Speaker – and I'll table a copy of the
Schools Act because I know
I've referenced it a number of days now in the House of Assembly. I'll
table a copy of the Schools Act
for the Member's information, because according to the law in
Newfoundland and Labrador – the law – school districts are responsible
for the administration of primary, elementary and secondary education.
They are responsible for the administration of our schools. The Members
in the House of Assembly don't do that.
I know the question was addressed to the Premier, that's not his
responsibility either. It's not mine as Minister of Education. It is
those individuals who hold office at the Board of Trustee level with the
school district.
Another thing about this is the whole business of respecting
institutional autonomy. It's not our job to meddle into the affairs of
the school district, like the former administration did.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
I ask the
Premier, Mr. Speaker: When he said publicly that everything will be put
on the table when budget cuts were discussed, was he putting the
education of our children on that chopping block?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Education.
MR. KIRBY:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I'm glad to have another opportunity to address this. As I was saying,
it's important that institutions, that agencies, boards and commissions
that have a self-governing authority, that have autonomy granted to them
by legislation, that have statutory responsibilities to the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador that are delegated to them by legislation,
it's important that we respect that. If we don't have any respect for
that, then what do we do? We meddle in their affairs, tell them what to
do?
We saw so much of that over a 10-year period, or a 13-year period when
the previous administration was in power, whether it was the school
districts, Memorial University, other institutions. That is not going to
happen. We are going to allow the law to stand in this province and for
the trustees to make the decisions that they are delegated by this House
of Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, the
goal of our education system is simple. It is to give every child,
regardless of socioeconomic challenges, the greatest opportunity to
succeed.
St. Mary's School off Waterford Bridge Road was slated for closure, but
thankfully it remains open. Like Holy Cross Junior High, it is a small
neighbourhood school that serves its students and community well.
In absence of duly-elected school board trustees, I ask the minister:
Why can't the children of St. John's Centre have the same opportunities
to succeed as the children who attend St. Mary's Elementary, and keep
Holy Cross Junior High open?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Education.
MR. KIRBY:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I have confidence in the officials at the English School District, as I
have in the officials at the French School District in this province. I
know how hard they work. I've been trying to do whatever I can to allow
them to carry out their responsibilities that are granted to them by the
House of Assembly in the best way that I can. I believe that all
children in this province deserve to have an equal footing when it comes
to education, and that's just what we're going to do.
We're going to allow the school districts to do their work. These annual
school reviews are not something that's new to Newfoundland and
Labrador. This is a customary thing that happens year to year. This
board of trustees has allowed for a lot of public feedback on the
decision-making process. They initially went out and met with school
councils. They've held public meetings. The meeting that's coming up
this weekend, on Saturday, is a public meeting and interested members of
the public, parents and students will have an opportunity to provide any
further feedback at that meeting.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, the
minister knows that the current school board trustees are not duly
elected. There hasn't been a school board election in the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador since 2009. He knows that. He's being
disingenuous.
Mr. Speaker, 38 per cent of students at Holy Cross Junior High have
exceptionalities; over 50 per cent are at risk. The exceptionality rate
and at-risk rates in the English stream at Brother Rice Junior High are
also very, very high.
I ask the minister: In absence of duly elected school board trustees,
how will closing Holy Cross and busing and combining these high-needs
students into Brother Rice give every child the greatest opportunity to
succeed?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Education.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, many
students in Newfoundland and Labrador have exceptionalities that they
need assistance with in schooling to ensure that they are put on more
even footing with their peers in school. No one is talking about
changing the teacher allocation formula as it relates to the provision
of instructional resource teachers, who are also known as special
education teachers. That is not under consideration.
If children move to a different school as a result of any of the
decisions that are made by the board of trustees of the Newfoundland and
Labrador English School District, their needs will be met in the same
manner as they are being met now. When we have the budget, they may be
actually improvements to that, but let's wait and see.
No one is talking about any diminution of the quality of special
education. Children with exceptionalities will continue to have their
needs met as they are being met now with this decision.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The time for
Question Period has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of
Documents
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 5 of the Local Authority Guarantee Act,
2005, I wish to table the annual report of loan guarantees provided to
local governments to enable them to arrange interim financing for
capital projects. I am pleased to report that there were no new
guarantees issued on behalf of local governments during the fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, the last report under this act was tabled on May 11, 2015,
and included guarantees issued up to and including March 31, 2014. This
current report covers the period from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further tabling
of documents?
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 49(2) of the Financial Administration
Act, I wish to table the attached list of temporary loans that were
raised under section 48 of the act since the last report to the House
tabled on May 11, 2015.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 55(3) of the Financial
Administration Act, I wish to report that there were no guarantee loans
paid out by the province since the last annual report also on May 11,
2015.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 55.1(2) of the act, I wish to
report that there has been no guaranteed debt of a Crown corporation or
agency assumed by the province since the May 11, 2015 report.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
With the Speaker's permission, I would further like – pursuant to
section 26(5)(a) of the Financial Administration Act, I am tabling 29
orders-in-council relating to funding pre-commitments for the 2016-17 to
2022-23 fiscal years.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further tabling
of documents?
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Opposition House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that pursuant to Standing Order 63(3), the
private Member's resolution for which notice was given on March 21 by
the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune will be the one we'll debate
on Wednesday, April 13.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices
of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will move the following motion: that this House
approve in general the budgetary policy of the government.
Mr. Speaker, I also give notice that I will move that the House resolve
itself into the Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider a
resolution for the granting of supply to Her Majesty, Bill 11.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices
of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned
residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District trustees
proposed to close Whitbourne Elementary effective June 2016 and bus them
to a distant school; and
WHEREAS Whitbourne Elementary is an important, accessible and inclusive
neighbourhood school with programs, community partnerships and
extracurricular activities designed to meet the particular needs of the
children who attend it;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon
the House of Assembly to urge government to ensure Whitbourne Elementary
School remains open.
And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand here today on behalf of the school
community and the broader community of Whitbourne in presenting their
petition, which in my hand has been signed by hundreds and hundreds of
people.
I was really privileged on April 4 to be at the public meeting that was
held by the English School District in Whitbourne and to hear the
presentations of the parents and community leaders of Whitbourne and
beyond Whitbourne – even presentations from the Mayor of Long Harbour –
pointing out how important it is to keep this school in this community.
The thing that struck me was the facts and information that were
presented by the people of Whitbourne to the school district. Facts
which are not being recognized by the school district in the material it
has been putting out. They are using statistics that go back to 2011
that are completely outdated, and it is a shame the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development does not recognize he does
have an ultimate responsibility for how the school board acts.
These people are begging, begging the minister, they've written the
minister, they've written the Premier, they are begging and they are
joined by hundreds and hundreds of people begging that their voice be
heard, because it is one of the most thriving communities in the
province. It has grown immensely since 2011 – 200 new homes since 2011
built in Whitbourne, Mr. Speaker. These people are not just asking for
something that's not needed; they are being very responsible. The
presentations that were made to the board, I couldn't believe the
quality of the presentations and the information that was presented.
If the minister is really going to do his job with regard to making sure
that educational outcomes are at the maximum for our children, then he
should be reading these presentations.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned
residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS policing is vital to the protection and service of our
province's communities;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon
the House of Assembly to urge government to increase the presence of law
enforcement in the Conception Bay South area.
And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, I presented a similar petition a couple of weeks back and I
plan on continuing to do so as I have a lot of these petitions from the
people in my district, from the Member opposite for Harbour Main and
also my colleague, the MHA for Topsail – Paradise.
Right throughout the district there is a huge concern on policing. We
have had an increase in the last number of weeks. I know there has been
an increase in patrol vehicles. The community of Conception Bay South is
the largest town in the province, probably the second largest
municipality, and right now we rely upon two, maybe three police
vehicles.
As it was well published, last week we had an armed robbery every day. A
couple of those happened to be in CBS, and it is not uncommon. It's a
daily occurrence.
During the election it was hammered home to me loud and clear that
people have concerns and they don't feel safe. We don't have a police
presence in the sense – you can't go find an office. It wasn't a
dedicated office. It was kind of a satellite. That too has since been
closed down.
I commend the increase in police patrols. There have been some
improvements there but I do lobby the government to give strong
consideration to establishing a dedicated office for the Town of CBS. As
I said, it's a fast growing community. The people are asking for it and
I am advocating on their behalf.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned
residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the English School Board Trustees propose to close down Holy
Cross Junior High school and send students to a distant school; and
WHEREAS the board has arbitrarily and without consultation reduced the
Holy Cross Junior High catchment area and students will have to be bused
to a far more distant school; and
WHEREAS Holy Cross Junior High is an important neighbourhood school with
programs, community partnerships and extra-curricular activities
designed to meet the particular needs of the inner city students who
attend it; and
WHEREAS the school board trustees are an appointed body and no longer
accountable to the people who elected them;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon
the House of Assembly to urge government to ensure that Holy Cross
Junior High school remains open and to immediately arrange for a
democratically elected English School Board.
And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever
pray.
Mr. Speaker, I am amazed at the Minister of Education. For him to
present the education act as if people in the House were not familiar
with it. Of course we're all familiar with it but we're also familiar
with how the school boards should operate. The minister knows that as
well. He knows it's based on a duly-elected process of trustees who are
answerable and accountable to the communities from which they are
elected.
Mr. Speaker, he knows, this minister knows that there are no
duly-elected school board trustees right now. There hasn't been a school
board election since 2009. That is shameful, Mr. Speaker. That flies
directly in the face of everything that our school board is founded on.
For this minister to abdicate his responsibility and to say he is not
interfering in that process is absolutely shameful. The decisions that
are being made are very important decisions. We all know that in this
House. We all know how important our education system is. We know how it
affects the future of communities. We know how it affects the lives of
the children in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, this minister has to stand up and do the right thing. He
has to intervene. He knows this is not right. As a Member of the
Opposition, he hammered it again and again and again in this House of
Assembly. How he can stand up and say that it is not his responsibility
is mind-boggling. It is absolutely mind-boggling, Mr. Speaker.
So if he's not going to stand up and do his job, who in God's name will
stand up and take responsibility for what's happening right now in the
school boards in Newfoundland and Labrador? There is absolutely nobody
in charge then, Mr. Speaker. The school boards are able to do whatever
they want and they are not accountable to anyone because they are not
duly elected. We have a minister who is not willing to do his job.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you so
much, Mr. Speaker.
It's certainly an honour and a privilege for me to rise in this hon.
House again today and bring forward my petition which I have brought
forward on a number of occasions as well, Mr. Speaker.
This petition: To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the
undersigned residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have an interest in
participating in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women and Girls;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon
the House of Assembly to urge government to press the Government of
Canada to schedule both preparatory consultations and inquiry sessions
in communities in Newfoundland and Labrador in which grieving Aboriginal
families live.
And as in duty bound, your petitioners ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, in my prelude I said I had brought this petition forward to
the House now – the House has been open for three weeks and I'm bringing
it forward at least on a weekly basis. I will continue to do so until
such time as we see results, as we see an announcement from the federal
government that says they are actually going to conduct their
consultations right here in the communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
where people are affected.
We will not quit and we will not sit back and wait idly for them to make
a decision. We will continue to apply pressure. We call upon our Members
in government, sitting on the government side of this House in
Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker, to join with us so that the
results can be delivered for the people of our Aboriginal communities.
This petition I have here today – and this being at least the third one,
if not the fourth one – has 12 pages of signatures, Mr. Speaker. It's a
very important issue and a very important concern to all persons in
Newfoundland and Labrador, not just our indigenous people.
We really want our voices to be heard and we feel strongly. It's fine to
send down a few plane tickets and pay for some hotel rooms to bring some
people up to Halifax to ask about what we think the consultation should
look like, but it's not good enough, Mr. Speaker. It's okay to do that
if you're doing that in conjunction with going to communities, but not
in and of itself because it's not enough.
These communities as a whole are impacted. Men, women, children,
grandparents, nieces, nephews, everybody wants to share their views and
their concerns about what is happening with murdered and missing
Aboriginal persons, Mr. Speaker.
We want these community consultations to take place right here in our
province. We want Members of the government opposite to work with their
federal cousins and make sure they deliver the results that the people
of this province are expecting.
Thank you so much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Before I recognize the hon. the Opposition House Leader, I would ask
Members of the House – it's difficult for the Speaker to hear the Member
designated to speak. I understand that you're carrying out the people's
business in the House. I ask to keep the level of conversation a little
bit lower or take your conversations outside the House.
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to rise today and present a petition.
To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned
residents of Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS an extension was announced to the Robert E. Howlett highway on
March 25, 2014; and
WHEREAS the environmental assessment, design and engineering of this
project is complete; and
WHEREAS continued residential commercial growth has increased traffic on
the Southern Avalon;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon
the House of Assembly to urge government to continue with this
significant piece of infrastructure to enhance and improve traffic to
the Southern Avalon.
And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Speaker, over the past 15 to 20 years, certainly on the southern
Avalon, we've seen tremendous growth in residential development, in
terms of commercial development, significant manufacturing and small
business operations. Obviously, the fishery along the Southern Shore and
the southern Avalon is extremely important.
There's one major highway to the southern Avalon. With that growth and
with the boundary to the City of St. John's, we've seen tremendous
growth in regard to the amount of traffic on that highway. That's why
for many years we've lobbied to see new infrastructure built, so we
could see an extension to the Robert E. Howlett which would bring that
traffic and highway up beyond Bay Bulls Big Pond, bringing it down to
drop it in at the city limits of Bay Bulls and St. John's after Middle
Pond. As well, it takes that heavy traffic volume out of residential
areas as you go through Middle Pond and around Big Pond and those areas
which are so important.
I know there's infrastructure money that the federal government has
talked about in the budget. I've had discussions with MP O'Regan for the
area, very good discussions, exchanged information in regard to his
efforts in terms of getting recognition and partnering to get funding to
do this. I also have written the provincial Minister of Transportation
and Works and actually advised him that this is indeed a worthy project,
is shovel ready and shovel worthy.
So we look forward to the coming weeks and months ahead in regard to
this piece of infrastructure which is so vital and important to the
southern Avalon to continue the economic growth and certainly to
continue to meet the transportation needs of that region.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Further
petitions?
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Yes, Mr.
Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Bill 4, second reading.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Minister of Environment and Conservation, that
we now move into Bill 4, second reading.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and
seconded that Bill 4, an act entitled An Act To Amend The Financial
Administration Act be now read a second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, “An Act To Amend The Financial
Administration Act.” (Bill 4)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I rise in this hon. House today to speak to the proposed amendments to
the Financial Administration Act
or as it's commonly referred to the FAA, related to purchasing cards
or what are referred to as P cards. The
Financial Administration Act
will be amended with a new section, 34.1, which has been drafted by
Legislative Counsel and has been reviewed and approved by the Department
of Finance.
P cards are essentially government issued credit cards to be used for
the purchases of goods and services. The credit card provider for the
provincial government is BMO. A P card is a charge card used by both
industry and governments in Canada to procure and pay for selected goods
and services. Purchase orders and invoice-based procurement processes
can be labour intensive and for low dollar value transactions, the
processing costs often outweigh the cost of goods and services.
The introduction of a P card has enabled many organizations to reduce
the cost of this process while maintaining an appropriate level of
control and also achieving rebates from the card provider based on the
annual spend and speed of payment.
These proposed amendments allow for the payment of government purchased
card transactions, or P card transactions, to the card provider to be
recorded as an advance or non-budgetary payment and requires
accountability by the cardholder or employee to properly record
expenditure against budgetary appropriation and reconcile the advance in
a timely manner as per section 22, section 30 and section 31 of the FAA.
The new section also provides the comptroller general with the ability
to recover any amounts that are not properly accounted for. I think that
would be an important message for the Members of this House to
understand that the comptroller general will have the ability to recover
any amounts that are inappropriately charged to these cards of low
dollar amounts.
To give you some background on how government got to this point, the
process has been going on, my understanding is, since 2014 and had
included a multi-phased approach. In the fall of 2014, an
interdepartmental team was established to implement the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador P card program, which included the development
of government-wide policy, procedures and business processes to govern
the use of the card. It was determined the P card would be rolled out
using a multi-phase approach.
Phase one would include a small pilot group in select departments
utilizing a manual process. Phase two would involve developing, testing
and implementing a fully integrated technical solution between
government's financial management system and P card transactional data
from BMO. Phase two would also include any amendments to the P card
policy and procedures developed in phase one, but includes additional
training for phase one participants and the widespread rollout of
purchasing cards to remaining departments with the assistance of BMO.
The policy and procedures outlined and the roles and responsibilities
within the program and the overall administration of the program would
reside with the Government Purchasing Agency, and the day-to-day
administration would reside with card coordinators in each department.
Phase two is anticipated to commence in spring/summer 2016, subject to
legislative changes to the FAA that we are discussing here today. The
agreement with BMO includes a rebate the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador will receive from the card provider based upon the volumes of
purchases and the speed of payment to BMO. Rebates will range from 0.88
per cent to 1.3 per cent based on an aggregate volume of $10 million to
$150 million, as well as government's ability to process speedy
payments. To maximize the benefits of the P card program, government
needs to pay the card provider in as timely a manner as possible to
achieve the greatest possible rebates.
Within the current confines of the FAA to make the monthly payments to
BMO, the amount must be recorded in the financial system and immediately
charged to an available appropriation. In order to pay as quickly as
possible, it has been determined that the optimal business process is to
pay BMO in advance of the detailed card reconciliation each month. This
is because there would be a greater risk that all reconciliations would
not be able to be compiled within the required seven-day time frame to
accomplish reconciliation in an advanced manner of payment, thus
delaying the payment to BMO, and therefore putting at risk the rebate
the province would be able to avail of.
Section 22 of the FAA requires that no payments shall be made out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund except under the authority of the Legislature.
Further, section 30 requires that an individual certify receipt of goods
and services before payment.
In the pilot phase of the P card, a manual process has been implemented
which complies with the requirements of the FAA. To achieve
administrative efficiency and maximize rebate potential, a long-term
solution for P cards will be implemented which will require a process
using a single electronic file from the card provider and completing an
electronic reconsolidation process.
To give an example, compare this to an individual's personal credit
card. Ideally, you would pay your credit card charges as soon as
possible, or at least by the payment due date to avoid extra interest
charges. A good practice would be diligent and to be verifying the
charges on your statement. Then if there is a problem, you would seek to
get the credit reflected on your next credit statement. This is how the
P card would work under this new amendment to the act. The amendment,
along with the electronic solution, will allow government to maximize
the potential rebates from the cardholder and achieve administrative
efficiencies in administrating the P card program.
Mr. Speaker, that concludes my remarks today. I look forward to hearing
from my colleagues on these proposed amendments.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for District of Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker. It's great to be here.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister with regard to her discussion on Bill
4, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act. I just have a few
comments on the actual amendment.
As was said when the minister spoke to it, it would “allow payments to
corporate credit card providers without a direct charge to available
appropriation, provided that those payments are subsequently charged to
an available appropriation in the same fiscal year;” in regard to the
management of that within the bill. The purpose is to revise the
certification process for these payments.
As was indicated, these are referred to often as P cards or government
issued credit cards for the purchase of goods and services within
government. Through this process, the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador has received a rebate from the card provider based upon the
volume of purchases and the speed at which the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador makes the payment. So an amendment to the FAA
as referred to is required to implement an internal process to make sure
we can maximize the rebate potential.
Currently, if you look at how it happens. The FAA requires all
expenditures be charged to an appropriation and that an individual must
certify receipt of goods and services before the payment. This often
creates a practical time lag and does not maximize the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador's rebate potential. So this certainly, what
the minister proposes, will help to address that.
Amendments to the FAA would include section 34.1. It will allow payments
to the card provider to be accounted for as an advance on expenses. The
requirement will be that the amounts subsequently be charged to an
available appropriation in the same fiscal year and be certified in a
manner prescribed by section 30.
As we often do with pieces of legislation or amendments, we look to
other jurisdictions and what practices and protocols they would have.
This is what I just described. It's consistent with other jurisdictions
and what they actually do in handling such situations in regard to these
cards.
In regard to accountability controls in place, an agreement with BMO
provides that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is not
responsible for unauthorized use, dispute process in place with card
provider, built-in card and transaction limits, block of merchant
categories, training for cardholders and supervisors, cardholder
agreements, and the Comptroller General has the ability to recover funds
from the responsible party in event of misuse.
For example, the Government of New Brunswick has partnered with us on
the agreement I understand. They spend approximately $30 million
annually through these P cards. The potential rebate for spend between
$25 million and $49.9 million is 0.93 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
Those are some of the details in regard to, as the minister has
introduced, the amendment. As I said, these cards are issued for the
purchase of goods and services within government. These changes, we
believe, would make it easier for the Comptroller General, the
Department of Finance, to use the P cards in a way which would generate
rebate funds for the province. Anything we can do in terms of
administration or utilization of expenditures like that is something
that we would certainly support.
The faster the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador makes payments on
the P cards, again, the greater the province's financial benefit would
be. This is about streamlining the process. Faster turnaround means
greater results for Finance and for the department as a whole.
The P cards were initiated certainly when we were in government. I am
pleased to support the legislation that takes an extra step to maximize
the benefits of P cards. The legislation, while fairly technical, would
also allow the comptrollers to make payments on P cards immediately, as
I said before, and then assign it to the appropriate budget line.
The accountabilities, I talked about those, the checks and balances will
still take place. Certainly, the legislation alters the internal process
for maximum benefit, and I think that's what this amendment is about.
It's making some adjustments consistent with some other jurisdictions in
what's happening to make sure we're maximizing the utilization of these
cards for expenditures of goods and services in government which I think
is a good initiative.
With that, I'll conclude my remarks.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for St. John's East – Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
I'm happy to take a few moments to speak to Bill 4, An Act To Amend The
Financial Administration Act, something that is very practical and I
think very sensible to be doing. We will be supporting this bill.
As the minister and the House Leader for the Official Opposition have
pointed out, the cards that we're talking about, P cards are government
issued credit cards which must be issued to a person and apparently do
have a limit of $2,500. The public, I'm sure, would like to know that if
there are credit cards going around in government that are being used,
that they are being used wisely and there are controls in place to make
sure that that is the case.
The P cards themselves are usually used to buy supplies, furniture, and
occasionally can be used for travel. The thing this bill is getting at
is that the government receives a rebate from the card provider based on
the volume of purchases and the speed of payment. The whole idea of the
amendments is to maximize the rebate so that it would be a benefit to
government in having a maximization of the money that comes back to
government.
In the current act, section 22 stipulates that all government money must
be charged to an available appropriation. That a claim is actually made,
and section 30 stipulates government must certify receipt of goods or
services before payment.
The difficulty is that it does not allow doing so in a time frame that
allows an efficient processing. Things are slowed down. There is a wait
time on the putting in of a request and the payment happening. So with
the amendment that's now being made, it will allow payments to the
credit card providers without an available appropriation. So long as
they are charged to an available appropriation within the same fiscal
year.
Now that's very technical, and I'm sure anybody out there listening to
us is probably going to sleep as this moment. The thing is that my first
question was: Who is benefiting from this? Is it the bank that's
benefiting because they're getting the money ahead of time? In the
briefing that we got, we got clarification: no, in actual fact the
government is benefiting because it will get the rebate much more
quickly. That is the thing that I think makes this very important for
us.
The bill that we're discussing and will pass, I'm assuming, includes
section 34.1 which will allow credit card payments as an advance on
expenses. I think that's extremely important. I'm glad to see that
there, but we have to make sure there are safeguards in place. One of
the safeguards put in place includes an agreement with BMO that
government is not responsible for an unauthorized use. So if somebody in
whose name the card is uses it inappropriately, government will not be
held responsible. It will be the person whose name is on the card.
There are also built in limits on the P cards, which is extremely
important. If a person working for government receives a P card, they
will be trained so that they fully understand what the responsibilities
are and their own liability as the person whose name is on the card.
Another safeguard is the ability of the Comptroller General will be
allowed to recover funds from the cardholder if the card is misused.
Safeguards are put in place to ensure that government and the people's
money will not be used inappropriately by people who have these P cards,
whose names are on the cards.
This is not something that's new. It happens in other jurisdictions. For
example, PEI, Ontario, BC uses this method. Obviously, it's working well
there. With the safeguards in place, I know we can make it work well
here.
We do have a practice going on whereby you get pooling. Our government
is pooling with New Brunswick to collect a pooled rebate. By pooling you
actually will get a larger rebate. So those involved in the pooling will
get larger rebates.
I think this has been thought through carefully, and I'm very happy to
say we will vote for this bill.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
parliamentary assistant to the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. BROWNE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
It gives me great honour to rise today, as this is the first time I have
risen in debate since becoming elected. So if you'll indulge me, I want
to say thank you to the people who put me here. Like many of my
colleagues, I am certain it will be a tremendous honour to serve in this
House for these four years, and perhaps beyond if the voters allow.
Today we are discussing amendments to the
Financial Administration Act.
It is also refreshing today to notice the multi-partisan co-operation
here and the agreement by all parties that this is a good measure we are
putting forward, that's been ongoing. This process began in 2014, and
we're currently now entering phase two, pending the legislative
approvals.
This amendment would allow for the payment of government purchasing
cards, the P cards, provided to be recorded as an advance or a
non-budgetary payment, and then requires accountability by the
cardholder or the employee to properly record the expenditure against
the budgetary appropriation and reconcile the advance in a timely
manner, as per sections 22, 30, and 34 of the
Financial Administration Act.
Mr. Speaker, it's important, we can compare this to a personal credit
card where you would make your own personal payments as close as you
could to when you made the transaction, or before the date when your
interest would start accruing. So it is certainly good practice to be
diligent and verify your charges on that statement to ensure we are
streamlining purchases within government to make sure we are getting the
best bang for our buck for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The introduction of the P card system has enabled many organizations to
reduce the cost of this process while maintaining an appropriate level
of control and achieving rebates from the card provider based on the
annual spend and speed of payment. It would also create that checks and
balances, where the Comptroller General would have the ability to
recover any amounts that are not properly accounted for.
So, Mr. Speaker, we see this as a good measure to take, highly technical
as it is, but it's something we are happy to support, and I am extremely
happy to rise today in support of it.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
If the hon. the
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board speaks now she shall
close debate.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I wanted to thank the colleagues in the House today who spoke to the
bill. I also want to say a thank you to them for participating in the
briefing that Finance officials provided. I certainly want to say a
thank you to the officials in the Finance Department, including the
Comptroller General's office, who have been working hard on this and
have provided the information to government to bring this bill into the
House today.
With respect to the conversations that have been happening in the House
today as part of the bill, I think one of the things that's been echoed
is the need for us to find efficient ways to process things while also
making sure we have exceptional control in place as we steward and take
care of the public purse.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the support of Members of this House of
Assembly as we move forward with this bill. I thank the House for its
consideration today.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is it the
pleasure of the House that Bill 4, An Act To Amend The Financial
Administration Act, be now read a second time?
All those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Those against?
Carried.
CLERK:
A bill, An Act To
Amend The Financial Administration Act. (Bill 4)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now
been read a second time.
When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?
Now? Tomorrow?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Now.
MR. SPEAKER:
Now.
On motion, a bill, “An Act To Amend The Financial Administration Act,”
read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House
presently, by leave. (Bill 4)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr.
Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance and President of
Treasury Board, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the
Whole to consider Bill 4.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and
seconded that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole and
I do now leave the Chair.
All those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Those against?
Carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole,
Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the
Whole
CHAIR (Dempster):
Order,
please!
We are now considering Bill 4, An Act To Amend The Financial
Administration Act.
A bill,” An Act To Amend The Financial Administration Act.” (Bill 4)
CLERK:
Clause 1.
CHAIR:
Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the
Lieutenant Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session
convened, as follows.
CHAIR:
Shall the enacting
clause carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK:
An Act To Amend The
Financial Administration Act.
CHAIR:
Shall the long title
carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR:
Shall I report the
bill without amendment?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without
amendment, carried.
CHAIR:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
I move,
Madam Chair, that the Committee rise and report Bill 4.
CHAIR:
The motion is that
the Committee do now rise and report Bill 4.
Is it the pleasure of the House?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
The motion is
carried.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit
again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER
(Osborne):
The hon. the Deputy
Speaker.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Mr. Speaker, the
Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to them referred and
have asked me to report Bill 4 carried without amendment.
MR. SPEAKER:
The Chair of the
Committee of the Whole reports that the Committee have considered the
matters to them referred and have directed her to report Bill 4, An Act
To Amend The Financial Administration Act, carried without amendment.
When shall the report be received? Now? Tomorrow?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On motion, report received and adopted.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr.
Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 5, second reading of Bill 5.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr.
Speaker, I move seconded by the Minister of Finance and President of
Treasury Board that Bill 5, An Act To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena
Act, be now read a second time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and
seconded that Bill 5, An Act To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena Act,
be now read a second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, “An Act To Amend The Interprovincial
Subpoena Act.” (Bill 5).
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I'm very happy to stand today in this House and speak to Bill 5, An Act
to Amend the Interprovincial Subpoena Act. It's the first piece of
legislation that I've led, I guess, that comes from my Department of
Justice – and thank you I say to the Members opposite.
Mr. Speaker, the Interprovincial
Subpoena Act, in the grand scheme of things, this is not what I
would term a contentious piece of legislation. You see bills that come
into this House, some are very short and can be deemed housekeeping and
some can be long, contentious and propose very dramatic changes to maybe
previous legislation or practice.
I certainly don't think this is a contentious piece of legislation, but
I also don't think that it's mere housekeeping. The effect of it does
have certain significance when it comes to the order of business and the
order of work as is carried out by courts and tribunals and commissions
not just here in this province, but across the country. Basically what
we're doing is we're trying to amend the legislation to give us
uniformity across the country.
As we know, a subpoena is simply a legal document that is issued by a
court or another body that has the power to issue subpoenas that compels
a person to appear before that court or body to give testimony. I think
everybody is aware of the general concept of a subpoena and its purpose,
and when you receive a subpoena you must show up in front and give your
sworn testimony.
The Uniform Law Conference of Canada, which I'll refer to hereafter as
ULCC, adopted a uniform
Interprovincial Subpoena Act in 1974. Since then, all of our
jurisdictions in Canada, except for Quebec, which has its own different
form of law than we have in the rest of Canada, being more of a civil
law, they have adopted legislation based on this act. However, some
provinces are further ahead than other provinces in how this is applied.
The intention of this particular piece of legislation, this amendment,
is to create a uniform process to allow subpoenas in one province to be
recognized and enforced in another province, and it will ensure a
witness who's residing in one province in this country can be required
to attend to a court or proceeding in another province to give evidence.
So, in general, this process we have here today, which we are putting
forward this amendment for debate and hopefully for adoption, is
two-fold. A court in the issuing jurisdiction must certify the subpoena.
Again, you have, say, the court in Ontario will issue a subpoena, it has
to go through a process in that court where the subpoena is certified or
passes muster, we'll say, and has to be done in front of a sitting judge
or justice. Secondly, a court in the receiving jurisdiction must adopt
the subpoena.
We have two issues with the current legislation we have here in this
province. Currently, the first issue deals with boards, commissions and
tribunals. Under section 3 of our current
Interprovincial Subpoena Act a
subpoena from a court outside the province can be adopted and enforced
as an order of the court here in Newfoundland and Labrador where, (a), a
judge in the other province has certified the person's attendance in the
other province is necessary for the adjudication of a legal proceeding
and that attendance is reasonable and essential to the administration of
justice in that province.
That's a fairly simple concept. If you're going to issue a subpoena, the
attendance of that person is obviously necessary. Because forcing
someone to go to court, even if it's just here in this province, it's
not a small thing. It takes time out of a person's life, and it doesn't
matter what kind of court or body it is. If you're doing this, it's
essential to that particular case of whatever nature that case may be.
Again, that has to go through a court, and again, a judge will certify
that the subpoena is necessary; secondly, obviously that attendance in
the other province would not adversely affect the health or well-being
of the person being subpoenaed or cause irreversible economic loss. That
again seems to be a standard concept. We're not going to force somebody
to show up where they can show that doing so would harm their health.
The second part of that, the irreversible economic loss, obviously
that's covered in the fact that a subpoena is supposed to be accompanied
by witness fees and travelling expenses. A person, if they're being
compelled to attend court, then the cost of doing so should be covered
by the bodies that are compelling them to do so. That's covered out in
the Schedule of the particular piece of legislation.
Our act here when it defines court, it includes courts in another
province, as well as boards, commissions, tribunals or other bodies in
another province that have been designated as a court by our Lieutenant
Governor in Council. This is where the big change is happening. It has
to go through Cabinet, through the LGIC.
Under the current version of the act, before a subpoena issued by a
board or court – sorry, board or commission or tribunal, not the court –
can be recognized here, that board must be designated by our Lieutenant
Governor in Council, and the designation order must be published in our
Gazette. That is a
time-consuming process, to go through that rigmarole, that procedure,
that protocol. I'm sure when this was originally conceived there was
good reason for that, and we have seen other provinces that have already
moved away from this. So it's not necessary to go through that procedure
in order to go through Cabinet, and then go through all the
documentation and protocol that follows thereafter.
In 1998 the ULCC recommended a new definition of court which would
include not only the court, but board, commission, tribunal or other
body or person that has the power to issue a subpoena. This is a group
that's trying to apply uniformity in the law across the country.
The proposed amendments that we are putting forward would adopt this
approach and include a definition of other body to eliminate the need to
seek LGIC approval each time a board, commission or tribunal seeks to
have a subpoena adopted here in Newfoundland and Labrador. So we're
trying to eliminate it, trying to streamline it, trying to establish
uniformity across the country. Other provinces have moved here, many
others are on the way. In fact, I think the only other province that
currently has the same practice as we do here is Alberta.
The fact that a board, commission or tribunal has been given the power
to issue subpoenas through legislation should be sufficient indication
of the stature to warrant the application. So the fact that these groups
in their respective province – or here in our province because this is
not just incoming, this is also outgoing as well. The fact is we have
boards, commissions and tribunals that we – we've given them stature to
have subpoena authority, to warrant somebody coming in front of them to
give testimony on obviously what is a pertinent or necessary issue.
The fact that they have subpoena authority should already establish them
as a group that should have their subpoenas followed and approved and
recognized. It goes through a process as it stands anyway. It's
certified already.
The safeguards are already built into this act, because we don't want to
have – nobody wants to see any kind of procedure abused or not treated
properly or with respect. The fact is there are already safeguards in
this piece of legislation that will continue to apply, including the
judge's certification. That's the big one there. Obviously, we have the
independent arbiter, a judge of the court of that respective province
who has to certify this subpoena and make sure it passes muster, we'll
say, and that it is necessary and that it does ensure the person's
health is not jeopardized.
We've always – and you always will have people who, obviously if they
get subpoenaed, don't want to go somewhere else to give testimony.
That's standard. You will have disputes over that, but in this case we
are avoiding the process of having to put it in front of Cabinet and
have to go through that process when it's not necessary. The fact that a
judge deems it necessary should be cause enough to say that it should be
respected and adopted. The province will still be satisfied that there
are no facts suggesting that anything adverse will happen to this
person's health, well-being or economic well-being by compelling them to
attend.
The second issue that our amendments are hoping to address relate to
boards, commissions and tribunals in Newfoundland and Labrador. Section
6 of our act allows a party to a proceeding in a court in this province
to apply to court and have a judge certify that a person's attendance in
Newfoundland and Labrador is necessary for the adjudication of a
proceeding and attendance is reasonable and central to the
administration of justice. This certification has to be required before
the subpoena is issued and sent and enforced in another province.
The second issue with our current act is that while our Lieutenant
Governor in Council can designate boards, commissions or tribunals in
another province as a court – court being that power. The act doesn't
allow boards, commission or tribunals in this province to be designated
as a court. So, again, this inconsistency we see here has implications
for bodies that we have in this province that have been established or
been set up who wish to compel witnesses to come here. It's incoming and
it's outgoing as well. We want to ensure that our boards, commissions
and tribunals who do have subpoena authority can make sure that it's
sent out of province and enforced.
Some of those examples would be the Human Rights Commission, Public
Utilities Board, the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate. They don't
currently meet the definition of court and they cannot be designated as
a court, so they can't apply for that certification. So without this,
their subpoenas cannot be adopted. They cannot be enforced. You can see
the inconsistency that applies here, that other provinces have already
moved forward with in trying to ensure they don't deal with those
issues. The amendments we're putting forward would remedy this
inconsistency. They would permit them to have the power to issue the
subpoenas and have them enforced in the other jurisdictions.
Mr. Speaker, I guess it's fine when you stand up in the House sometimes
and you say: well, I don't think there's going to be any issue with
this. I can say that with all honesty, I don't think this is a piece of
legislation to which there are any issues, but I would say to my
colleagues on the other side – again, I do appreciate that department
officials took the time to provide a briefing. I know Members on the
other side took the opportunity to go to the briefing. I'm sure that any
questions they had were addressed sufficiently. If not, I would ensure
that as we go to the Committee stage on this, if they have questions we
would want to address them or if there are any suggestions.
I don't think this is a piece of legislation, though, that should be
held up. I think it's one that has been in the works for some time. We
have seen other provinces moving forward. In fact, I wanted to check and
see who exactly has already gone there. Ontario, Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Nunavut all recognize
subpoenas from boards, commissions and tribunals. Similar legislation in
PEI, Manitoba, BC and Yukon limit the recognition of extra provincial
subpoenas to courts in the province with no inclusion. Alberta provides
for the recognition, the same process that we have here.
I think this is a step in the right direction. I think it's going to be
of great use to our boards, especially when you look at the boards that
I've referenced, and other boards, commissions and tribunals that had
that power and should have it enforced and have the ability to call
people because the matters that – just looking at the three that I
referenced there, our Child and Youth Advocate, the Human Rights
Commission. The fact is if they're having a matter and they need
testimony from them, we need to ensure that people can be compelled to
show up and give that testimony.
Again, I look forward to listening to the commentary provided by my
colleagues on the other side. If there are any questions, hopefully we
can address them at some point during this debate and move forward,
hopefully, to the adoption of these amendments and moving forward on
Bill 5.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Yes, the minister can relax a little bit now because I will confirm for
him, yes, I agree, it's not contentious. It will create uniformity
across the country, and there won't be any issues raised by us as the
Official Opposition on this bill.
Also, we did attend a briefing provided by officials. We appreciated the
briefing to provide clarity, to make sure that the bill was what it
appeared to be and what the intentions of the bill were.
Mr. Speaker, it's laid out. I'm not going to go through all of the
commentary that the minister has already done. He's done a job of
clarifying exactly what this is about. I can tell you that this is going
to streamline. It does make uniformity, is the word he used, and he's
correct. It will streamline the process for this province.
Currently, there are circumstances where a request or a subpoena would
have to go through a Cabinet process. Part of the bill is to repeal that
part of the section, that part of the act, because it will now be
covered off and respected from not only the courts, which mean a court
in a province of Canada but also other bodies, which is new. A new
section on other bodies means a board, a commission, a tribunal or body
or person that has the power to issue a subpoena.
The province of Canada is updated and also subpoena, which means a
subpoena or other document issued by a court or other body requiring a
person within a province of Canada to attend. This is not about what
happens within the province but it happens when you cross provincial
lines, not just for courts but for agencies and commissions and
tribunals and boards who have the ability and have the power to issue
subpoenas.
Probably a good example would be the Child and Youth Advocate. For
example, the Child and Youth Advocate in this province wished to
subpoena someone from another province then having this legislation in
place would streamline a process in that example.
If the Child, Youth Advocate wanted to subpoena someone from Alberta,
then this would streamline and simplify the process of being able to
subpoena that person, obligate their attendance, require their
attendance here in this province. Also, it would work the opposite way,
vice versa, the other way. If someone in Alberta wanted to subpoena
someone in Newfoundland and Labrador, it would streamline the process
for requiring that person to appear as a witness in a matter in that
province.
This is not about people alleged to have committed breaches of the law
or anything like that. Subpoenas are for witnesses so people have some
value to bring to a legislative process by an agency or board that has
the legislative ability to issue subpoenas. It will allow them to call
witnesses throughout Canada, where they have this type of similar
legislation, in a simplified manner so that the witnesses can bring
value to the process that's before the court, before the board, before
the commission or tribunal, body or person as the case may be in which a
province may have a legislative authority to issue those types of
subpoenas.
This is updating the current legislation, and I'm sure we'll see lots of
this from the government. We did lots of it when we were in government
where we went through processes of constantly updating legislation. I'm
sure they'll have lots more come before the House which will be updates
similar to this, which require us to look at them in the House, to give
our due diligence to them to make sure that they are bills that are
appropriate and right. We have the right to debate them as Members of
the House on both sides and then pass the bills here in the House if the
House sees fit to do so.
I'm sure we'll see many more of these in the weeks to come. I would
expect to see more of these in further sittings of the House. We'll look
forward to debating those as well. We have no issue with this bill and
we'll be supporting this.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.
I am very happy to stand and to speak ever briefly to Bill 5, An Act to
Amend the Interprovincial Subpoena Act. Any time, Mr. Speaker, we make
any kind of changes to our legal system, whether through the court
system or any aspect of our legal system, we must do so carefully. We
know the power of our legal system, we know the power our judicial
system, the court system, and we also know how often the general
population is terrified, intimidated, frightened and sometimes does not
have a working knowledge of how our judicial system works, how our legal
system works.
With any change we must act with absolute certainty, keeping in mind
those aspects, and keeping in mind the needs of our community. We have
no problem whatsoever with the amendments put before us in this act, but
I do again want to point out, as we've heard from Chief Justice Derek
Green a number of times, how important it is for us to modernize our
judicial system, to modernize even specifically our court system so that
it better serves the people of our province.
He speaks so often about the need to improve access to our justice
system, to improve access even physically to our justice system, as many
of our courts have real physical accessibility challenges across the
province; also access to our justice system in terms of people
understanding, having a working knowledge of their rights within our
justice system; also access to our system in terms of the high cost, the
high cost in terms of the high cost of representation for those who need
representation; also the time that it affects people's lives.
Any time we extend the authority for anyone to subpoena someone to come
to the court, we must do that with great certainty and keeping in mind
we must always keep in mind the rights of the people who are being
subpoenaed.
So again, we believe this move is simply another method to help
streamline our justice system. In fact we are not losing anything by
doing this particular type of streamlining, but always we must keeping
in mind how it affects the people of the province, how it affects
people's access to justice, how it affects people's human rights. To
ensure that nobody is unjustly subpoenaed, that no one is suffering any
hardship because of a subpoena.
I would hope again that this government, as clearly petitioned by Chief
Justice Derek Green, takes really into account the need for ongoing
legal education within our schools, legal education within our
communities, and that we take into account the great need to improve
accessibility to the legal system. Whether it be the physical
accessibility of our buildings that are part of our legal and our
justice system, and also accessibility to the courts, the accessibility
to justice.
In light of that, Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to support this. I look forward
to more attempts by this government to further modernize our legal
system.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
If the hon. the
Government House Leader and Minister of Justice speaks now, he will
close debate.
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate and thank the commentary from my friends on the other side.
I don't think every piece of legislation that we bring forward is going
to be so agreeable. That's to be expected. In many cases, that's to be
encouraged because that's what this House requires is good debate.
However, in some cases, as this one, I do think this is a piece of
legislation that is necessary. It's a step forward. It's the right thing
to do. As the Leader of the Official Opposition said, there is going to
be lots of legislation that comes forward like this that it's an attempt
– and to quote my comrade for St. John's Centre – to modernize our
legislation, to modernize our system.
I would go further to what she said and say that if there are any
suggestions on modernizing and attempting to make things better, that's
what we should all be doing and listening. We're open to listening to
that on this legislation or anything that's not there. We've had
correspondence on other issues just within the Justice Department alone,
where we talk about things that we hope that we can do to make things
better.
I appreciate the fact that the bill seems very straightforward. I don't
know if there will be any questions in the Committee stage, but I look
forward. I do want to take this opportunity on this piece of legislation
to say something that I hope will stand for the rest of it. There's a
lot of work – and everybody in this House realizes, but I don't think
people behind the scenes or people out in the public that watch this or
maybe listen realize the tremendous amount of work that goes into just
one piece of legislation that shows up in this House.
Something as small as this bill, in terms of just a few sheets of paper,
requires an immense amount of work by a number of people in various
departments, whether it goes through Cabinet, and goes through the
Legislative Council, it goes to the Department of Justice, it goes
through solicitors, it goes through people in policy. So I just wanted
to take an opportunity to thank those people. It's easy for us to stand
up sometimes and speak to this, but we do have the benefit – certainly I
do – of having very, very smart people explain this to you and they do a
very good job sometimes of explaining this.
I'm going to be very self-deprecating here now and say that sometimes
they dumb it down to my level. So I appreciate the work that's being
done by our people in Legislative Counsel and by our solicitors,
especially in Justice who are fanned out throughout government and
working in departments.
So I appreciate the commentary by my colleagues on the other side. I do
want to say very much that I appreciate the work done by all those
individuals on this piece of legislation and every piece of legislation.
I think it should be noted. Sometimes we don't always get that
opportunity, but there's a lot of work and thought that goes into the
most minute piece of legislation, let alone the things that are very
dramatic and significantly change policy. Even something like this has
to be thought out as to what the cause and effect will be and what the
repercussions are.
To all of those individuals – and they know who they are – I want to say
thank you so much for the work that you do for this legislation that we
get the honour to stand up here in this House and debate and put forward
and have passed by this House.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Is it the
pleasure of the House that Bill 5, An Act To Amend The Interprovincial
Subpoena Act, be now read a second time?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Those against?
Carried.
CLERK:
A bill, An Act To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena Act. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now
been read a second time.
When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House. Now?
Tomorrow?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Now.
MR. SPEAKER:
Now.
On motion, a bill, “An Act To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena Act,”
read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House
on tomorrow. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr.
Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Natural Resources, that the
House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider Bill 5.
MR. SPEAKER:
It has been moved
and seconded that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole
and that I do now leave the Chair.
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those
against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole,
Mr. Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the
Whole
CHAIR (Dempster):
Order,
please!
We are now considering Bill 5, An Act To Amend The Interprovincial
Subpoena Act.
A bill, “An Act To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena Act.” (Bill 5).
CLERK:
Clause 1.
CHAIR:
Shall clause 1 carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK:
Clauses 2 through 10
inclusive.
CHAIR:
Shall clauses 2
through 10 inclusive carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, clauses 2 through 10 carried.
CLERK:
Be it enacted by the
Lieutenant Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session
convened, as follows.
CHAIR:
Shall the enacting
clause carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK:
An Act To Amend The
Interprovincial Subpoena Act.
CHAIR:
Shall the long title
carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR:
The hon. the Member
for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very
much, Madam Chair.
A quick question for the minister – I would ask the minister: What are
the plans for public education around the changes to this bill? Again, I
think it's so important for people to fully understand when there is any
change made to any of our laws, in terms of modernizing our system, I
believe doing public education about any attempts to modernize our
situation is also a modern step as well.
I was wondering if there was any plan at all as to how to introduce
this, how to explain to the public what's being done. Again because the
notion of being able to be subpoenaed by even more bodies could be
concerning for some people.
CHAIR:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Madam Chair.
I appreciate the question from my friend for St. John's Centre. I'll be
quite honest that there was no actual education campaign specifically
planned on this because I guess the concept of subpoenas in general has
been well established, but I do appreciate the fact that with this
change notice has to be given to our boards, our commissions and our
tribunals.
The other thing, there is a group in this province that I think does
tremendous work, the Public Legal Information Association of NL, PLIAN.
They are not as well-known as they should be. They are a very good
group. A gentleman named Kevin runs the show. So maybe this is worth a
conversation with him, because in a lot of cases this group does get
called by people when they get questions.
I would suggest that when individuals are subpoenaed, whether it is by a
board, a commission or a tribunal or by a court, in many cases I would
suggest they contact their solicitor, if they have one, or make a
telephone call. In many cases people will call legal aid or call some
group to get information on this.
I don't think there's an education campaign per se planned, but
certainly I'm also open to suggestions on notices and information,
memorandums that we can put out there. I know the Law Society of
Newfoundland and Labrador, when there are changes, sometimes they also
put out information to their members. These are individuals, in most
cases, who are dealing with this on a day-to-day basis.
I certainly will take that under advisement. I'm welcome to having a
chat offline to hear if there are other things we can do. I'm certainly
open to hearing that, but I guess the best bet is if people do get
subpoenaed – I guess being a lawyer, I always say contact a lawyer, but
there are many options and avenues out there that are of no cost. PLIAN
being one of them, legal aid – call them. If you don't get the right
information, you can always contact the Department of Justice as well so
that we can ensure that people get the right information, to steer them
in the right direct direction of where they need to go, what their
rights are, their concerns are. We don't want to see anybody left with
questions without answers.
I appreciate the question and hopefully I've answered it somewhat
sufficiently.
Thank you.
CHAIR:
Seeing no further
questions, is it the pleasure of the House that the Chair report Bill 5
carried without amendment?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against,
'nay.'
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without
amendment, carried.
CHAIR:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A.
PARSONS: Madam Chair, I move that the Committee rise and report Bill
5.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit
again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Deputy Speaker.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
The Chair of the Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to
them referred and have asked me to report Bill 5 carried without
amendment.
MR. SPEAKER:
The Chair of the
Committee of the Whole reports that the Committee have considered the
matters to them referred and have directed her to report Bill 5, An Act
To Amend The Interprovincial Subpoena Act, carried without amendment.
When shall the report be received?
Now?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Now.
MR. SPEAKER:
Now.
When shall the bill be read a third time?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On motion, report received and adopted. Bill 5 ordered read third time
on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Yes, Mr.
Speaker.
I call from Orders of the Day, Motion 1, Address in Reply.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for the District of Baie Verte – Green Bay.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. WARR:
Good afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and humility that I rise today in
this wonderful place entrenched with so much rich history of our
Newfoundland and Labrador to give thanks and express my sincere
gratitude to the wonderful people in the new District of Baie Verte –
Green Bay – my district – for bestowing upon me the honour to represent
them in this House of Assembly. From La Scie in the northeast, to
Brighton in the south, we are fortunate to reside in an electorate that
is vast and diverse and abounds with many of nature's gifts. There is a
rich diversity of industry across the landscape.
I would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, if I didn't take the opportunity at this
time to thank former MHAs Kevin Pollard and Ray Hunter for providing
representation for the District of Baie Verte – Springdale and of Grand
Falls-Windsor – Green Bay South, now the new District of Baie Verte –
Green Bay.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. WARR:
Mr. Speaker, one of
the most striking features of my district is its natural beauty. There
are 42 communities, of which 41 are directly situated on the salt water.
It is only the small community of Sheppardville, near the turnoff to the
scenic Baie Verte Peninsula, that has no direct connection to the ocean.
It is a humbling experience to have been elected to represent an area
that I love and have lived in for most of life.
To the people of Baie Verte – Green Bay, my pledge to you is that I will
represent you to the best of my ability. I commit to being a strong
voice on issues that affect our lives, our families, our region and most
importantly, our future. Together we will work through our challenges
and opportunities. We will endeavour to earn your trust and your
confidence in our new Liberal government.
Madam Speaker, we must all remember that we stand here in this place as
common people holding our province's common hopes, our common future and
commission to build a better Newfoundland and Labrador. We must all
embrace the spirit of what it means to be proud Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians. Our story is one of determination and resilience, often
against the odds. In realizing the economic and social potential of this
province, we must believe in ourselves and plan together for a
sustainable future.
Madam Speaker, I stand here today, a product of my family, of the
heritage of my ancestors, but also of the community that raised me. My
parents, Harold and Marg Warr, left St. John's in 1964 with three of
their children to start a new life in Springdale. My father had been
employed with Newfoundland Light and Power as an engineer but was
offered a position with his family's business, George Warr Limited. My
great-grandparents, George and Mary Ann, started the business in the
tiny town of Pilley's Island in 1908, but relocated to Springdale in
1910 after the closure of the pyrite mine. They never looked back.
My great-grandfather took great pride as a carpenter and was a skilled
boat builder who had a total of forty-two vessels of various sizes to
his credit. He also built churches, and one still stands today in the
small community of Fortune Harbour in MHA Dean's district. The Catholic
Church there has stood the test of time.
My great-grandmother, along with her sons, worked the business and
together built it to be one of the most successful businesses in the
district. My mother's family were deeply rooted in the railway. My
grandfather, Jack Collins, was a well-respected engineer with the
Newfoundland Railway Company.
After the move to Springdale, mom gave birth to my three youngest
siblings but always travelled back to her home of St. John's to do so.
She is very proud of her townie roots and also proud to say that six of
her children were born at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital. So I guess, Madam
Speaker, you can say I was born a townie but proudly raised a bayman.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. WARR:
I grew up in a family
that valued and encouraged community activism and volunteering. My
parents nurtured in me and modelled for me compassion and empathy
towards others, and a passion for truth and tenacity despite any
circumstances.
My family also values education. My father left his home at age 15 and
travelled to St. John's where he would remain in the United Church
residence for his final two years of high school to obtain his chemistry
and physics courses needed to pursue his post-secondary education in the
engineering faculty.
My oldest brother John, a political science major, is the superintendent
with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Sisters Jane and Jennifer both
have business degrees. Sister Lisa has a bachelor of nursing and Rob has
a diploma in correctional services, but finds himself today as the
recreation director with the beautiful Town of Marystown.
Mr. Speaker, my post-secondary education started at Memorial and
finished at the Atlantic Police Academy in Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island. I joined the RNC after graduation and remained with the force
until 1987. While stationed in Corner Brook I was offered an opportunity
by my father to return home to Springdale to the family business, and
something that I had anticipated and always looked forward to.
I would spend the next 28 years managing the business as a
fourth-generation operator. The business was a real education for me and
I put many hours of unpaid time into it. Madam Speaker, I thought
nothing of it. It was my passion.
Madam Speaker, the highlight of my career in business came in 2008 when
my great-grandparents were inducted into the Junior Achievement Business
Hall of Fame. I was honoured to accept on behalf of my family. It wasn't
just receiving the award that was so special; it was the timing of the
occasion. It was the 100th anniversary of a family-owned business that
still operates successfully today in Springdale.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. WARR:
Madam Speaker, I
believe today's small business, that I will describe as the quiet heroes
of our provincial economy, is the engine room of that same economy. It
is my belief that a strong, innovative, small-business sector is key to
ensuring the health of this province.
Madam Speaker, the greatest wealth is health. No doubt the author of
this was referring to the health of an individual. There is no doubt
truth in the greatest wealth of a family is health, or of a community,
or of a province. I would like to discuss the two variables mentioned
herein: wealth and health.
We would all agree wealth symbolizes prosperity, autonomy and a good
return on investment. In Newfoundland and Labrador, nearly 40 cents of
every dollar spent is spent on our health care system. Are we getting
value for money well spent? Why is it, Madam Speaker, that some health
systems are getting so much more for their money than others? The Swiss
spend $9,000 per person on health care, yet other countries have similar
health outcomes with a fraction of the cost.
In Newfoundland and Labrador we spend just over $4,000 per person on
health care. What factors have been shown to provide more health for
less cost? First, having a strong primary health care system is one of
the most important factors; easy access to a family physician and nurse
practitioners and have all partners working collaboratively. Second,
using technology to contain costs is important for highly efficient
health care systems. Becoming technologically connected and building
information sharing systems is important for all stakeholders within
health care.
Finally, having a system where health care outcomes are linked to
enumeration has shown to provide more health for dollars spent. In the
Baie Verte – Green Bay District we are working hard to strengthen our
primary care system. Through innovative design we will have the first
adopter of the TELUS Electronic Medical Record at Main Street Medical
Clinic in Springdale. Innovative use of technology within primary care
eases the flow of communication, holds physicians more accountable about
documentation and improves patient outcomes through improved information
sharing.
We continue to have valued relationships between private and public
partners in health care. For example, Madam Speaker, the Town of Triton
has a primary care clinic. The township assumes all administrative and
staffing costs while fee-for-service physicians regularly visit from
Springdale. The residents of Triton, Brighton and Pilley's Island
benefit from having increased access to primary care within their own
community.
We have so much work to do when we talk about health outcomes.
Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rate of obesity and diabetes
in the country. Both these variables are linked with so much more
disease. Mental health needs are increasing at an alarming rate. Madam
Speaker, the greatest wealth is health.
During the campaign, like many other districts, health care in its many
facets were highlighted as the most important issue for the people. An
aging population, changing housing needs and an overdependence on
hospital-based care all within a rural district is complicated.
As the MHA for the people of Baie Verte – Green Bay District, I will
work hard to advocate for ways we can improve health and health care
delivery. Madam Speaker, I want to express my commitment to the people
of my district and, more importantly, those involved in the fishery. The
community of La Scie on the northeast coast is home to one of the
largest longlining fleets in the province, all who harvest their catch
in Area 6. The shrimp fishery has been an important source of revenue,
not only for my district but for the province, and we need to ensure
that we, as elected officials, continue to insist there be changes to
the LIFO policy that reflect fairness and commitment to all involved in
the fishery.
Madam Speaker, my district is home to only a handful of operating mines
within the province. We have had a rich history in the mining sector
dating back to the mid-1800s. Presently, both Rambler Metals and Mining
and Anaconda Mining Inc. operate within the Baie Verte mining district,
and Rambler owns the mill at Pine Cove, which is located in the Snook's
Arm area.
I can't express enough the importance and the economic benefit these two
companies continue to drive to my district each day. There are over 300
employees working with both companies, and although there has been a
downturn in the mining sector, both are committed to the long term.
Madam Speaker, I would like to highlight the tourism potential of my
district. As previously mentioned, most communities can be accessed by
water, and we have in recent years experienced a great increase in
boater traffic, and many have called on our area to support a new
marina, which I am happy to report that it's a work in progress.
Last year was an amazing year for the small community of King's Point.
There were several large icebergs in the bay, and two or three of these
massive spectacles became grounded. What a spectacular sight. What an
amazing source of revenue. This community hadn't seen this amount of
traffic in years, and took advantage of every opportunity to make sure
the traffic was diverted to other fabulous sights in the area, including
Rattling Brook Falls, the Whale Pavilion, Alexander Murray trail and the
famous King's Point Pottery.
Summer festivals are always special to attend throughout all of our own
districts, and my district is no exception. We have the Caplin Cod
Festival, Spree By The Sea, and of course The Gathering, hosted by
Burlington's own Shaun Majumder. All communities participate with their
own unique civic holiday, and this year Coachman's Cove will have their
Come Home Year.
I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to the Baie Verte –
Green Bay Liberal Association for all their assistance, and to my
amazing election team. Although we were small in numbers at times, we
made up with determination and hard work. Thank you so much for your
guidance, understanding and commitment to me and my dream.
Elections can be tough on candidates and even tougher on families. I'm
blessed to have the enduring support and wise advice of my beautiful
wife, Judy, and to my daughters, Kara and Amanda, you both remind me
every day how proud I am to be your dad and how lucky we are to have you
both.
Madam Speaker, I'm not the first in my immediate family to enjoy the
confines and work in this House of Assembly. Both my daughters were
fortunate to hold Page positions while attending Memorial. Kara in
2006-2007, and Amanda in 2010-2011. It was an experience they will never
forget. I hope I can make them just as proud with the work that I'm
doing here.
I also thank the officers and staff of the House of Assembly for their
assistance in my transition here and whose commitment to their work is
admirable. I look forward to working with all my colleagues and to make
our province and our communities a better place to live.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MADAM SPEAKER
(Dempster):
Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. PETTEN:
It's a great
honour and privilege to stand here in this hon. House and deliver my
maiden speech. I want to congratulate, first, all the members who were
either re-elected or elected for the first time, such as myself. I look
forward to much spirited debate for this term, for the next number of
years, but in a respectful debate obviously, Madam Speaker.
I want to personally thank the residents of CBS for giving me this
privilege to be their representative in the House of Assembly. It's a
great privilege and it's an honour. During the swearing in ceremonies, I
sat up in the gallery many years before in my previous life and I
thought I had it all figured out until I sat down here during the
swearing in and I realized this is pretty intimidating.
The hon. Member, my friend alongside, for Cape St. Francis, the MHA,
leaned into me and he said this is a special privilege. There are not a
lot of people who get this opportunity. You should soak it in and enjoy
it. As a matter of fact, when he said those words to me my nerves kind
of settled. I figured I could get through this because it is a
privilege. I think we all kind of sometimes take it for granted,
especially once you get into several terms.
I worked with the previous Member, and it was after the fact, he's often
said to me he didn't realize when he was so involved, being a minister
and being an MHA, what a privilege it actually was. I just want to point
that out. His comments are well founded and they're ones that I kept
near and dear to me.
Madam Speaker, I'm one of four children. I grew up in Kelligrews,
Conception Bay South. I've lived there all my life, actually. We never
had a lot growing up, but I always found that we learned hard work was
the key to any future success. It was something we were all taught at an
early age and something I've used as a guiding principle throughout my
life.
My commitment to the people of CBS when I went door to door was always –
my commitment was I would be a hard worker. I never went around with a
list of promises because I didn't believe in that. I always committed
that I'd promise to do my best, be accessible and deal with all their
issues in a very respectful manner. That's my commitment as a Member of
the House of Assembly to do the same. I intend to do just that.
Madam Speaker, my dad, who passed away some 21 years ago, was a lover of
politics. I'd have to say it was almost to a fault. There are a lot of
people who would say he was political to a fault. I guess we all know
people like that. He had very strong beliefs, but he instilled a lot of
values that I use to this day.
As a teenager, we didn't always agree. I like to use the term that when
I was 15 I couldn't believe how stupid my father was, and when I turned
30 I couldn't believe how far he came in 15 years. So I guess we all
live that mantra and I'm living proof of it now. We never always agreed,
but I did respect – as I've gotten older I have respected a lot of what
he taught me. I'm very grateful for what influence he had on my life.
My mom happened to be – she's a much softer personality out of the two
of them. She's a very loving, caring person, someone who's always been a
constant source of support for me and my child. To this day, I'm very
grateful. I seek her advice on a daily basis, as a matter of fact,
pretty well every night. I'm very proud of that.
Madam Speaker, we all come – where you come to your political beliefs.
You're always a Tory, you're always a Liberal. I like to tell the story
because it's worth telling. I had a balanced approach. My father was a
Tory to a fault, as the former Member for CBS used to always say, Terry
French. He was absolutely bang on. My mom happened to come from this
diehard Liberal – and there's a crowd of them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. PETTEN:
There's a massive
family of them. I was telling my colleague for Topsail – Paradise, our
leader, yesterday about it. My mom's family, there's a massive crowd of
them, and they're all Liberals. So much so you go –
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible) family.
MR. PETTEN:
Oh yes.
My grandparents would have the bust of Joey, the father of
Confederation, on the mantelpiece. When we visited for family visits it
was a very entertaining conversation when you brought my father up there
on a Christmas visit. Let's just say there was a lot of interesting
debate went on over the years.
I'd like to say I had a balanced approach. I have no regrets of the
party I chose, but I just wanted to make that clear. I wasn't all one
way. I've been around both sides all my life.
Madam Speaker, I'm married now for 21 years to my wife Rhonda who was
originally from St. John's. I like to tell people – but they don't
believe me – she came to CBS looking for me, but she wouldn't agree with
that. We have two beautiful daughters, Morgan and Mackenzie. They have
grown into two beautiful young women.
Madam Speaker, my family has always been a constant source of support. I
like to say they keep me firmly grounded. They offer constructive
criticism, but they also offer support when I need it. During this last
election it was a very difficult election for me personally and for my
family. My hon. colleague said it's never easy on families. I mean, this
is tough.
I have to say the stuff they did for me, I never imagined they would do
it. They really rolled their sleeves up and picked it up. I just have to
say one big thank you to them for their love and support. I probably
wouldn't be standing here today without them. Well, I wouldn't be here
today without them. I personally have to thank them because, like I
said, I wouldn't be the MHA for CBS.
I have a campaign team which I will speak about in a minute, but my
family are very important to me. I just wanted to highlight that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. PETTEN:
One point I will
say about my wife, she likes to always tell – I'm sure we all have
spouses and they don't like politics. If one is right into it, they
don't. She always makes the mention, I support whatever he does, but I'm
not into politics.
If you watch the newscast every evening when the evening news comes on
there is a decision being made, whether by the government and it's a
political decision – she does have very pointed views. I question her
sometimes about her political followings, but I respect everything she
says, obviously. When I make decisions I take a lot of what she says to
heart and I also appreciate that.
Madam Speaker, Conception Bay South is nestled on the south side of
Conception Bay. It's strategically located just minutes from St. John's.
The town is a growing town with over 25,000 residents. It has a varied
coastline which offers spectacular views of Kellys Island, Little Bell
Island and Bell Island.
I would like to remind my colleague for Conception Bay East – Bell
Island that I'm always looking over his shoulder. I can always look
across the bay. It's quite a beautiful district, Madam Speaker. It's a
popular choice for divers and sailors. The Foxtrap Marina is in our
town, so is our Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club, which is very well known
throughout the province. A lot of people, I am sure, are familiar with
it.
CBS was incorporated in 1973. It's made up of nine communities. We have
Topsail, Chamberlains, Manuels, Long Pond, Foxtrap, Upper Gullies,
Lawrence Pond and Seal Cove. They were all individual communities at one
time. In 1973, they formed what we now call Conception Bay South. If you
live in CBS, we all identify with the individual community. We are a
part of CBS obviously, but we still keep the namesakes for that reason.
It's a beautiful community.
Madam Speaker, I recall as a young boy living in CBS that when you said
a surname you knew where they lived. You could say the street, you knew
the family. Obviously, that's changed a lot over the last number of
years. It's still a rural divide of 70/30 probably, rural to urban. It's
a lot more families from out in rural Newfoundland who want to be close
to the city, but don't want to live in the city. It's 20 minutes away,
so this is after changing the dynamics of our population. It has grown a
lot to almost 27,000, I think, the last count. It is a nice community to
raise your family. When you're only 20 minutes outside the city
commuting to work, it is a beautiful area to live.
We have recent additions, of course. We have a new arena and the Manuels
River Interpretation Centre. We also have advanced now to have an
artificial turf field which is going to be a great addition to the
upcoming 2016 Summer Games being hosted by the Town of CBS. I look
forward to that this summer. I am expecting it will be a showcase for
the rest of the province when they come to visit. I'm looking forward to
that event, obviously.
Being a Member of the House of Assembly wasn't something that was on my
bucket list. The Minister of Transportation and Works, when he did his
speech there a couple of weeks back, said it was a dream come true. I
respect that. I know a lot of people that being in this House is
probably something they had for a long time. As close as I was to
politics, I guess I just never sat back and envisioned myself being
here. I always liked being a backroom organizer.
The opportunity arose in 2014 upon the resignation of a former Member
and a good friend of mine. I needed to make a decision and I was getting
lots of pressure. People were asking me, and at first I never laughed,
but I said, hang on. It took me a while. I had to process.
After working with the former Member and his father before him – it's a
very up-close-and-personal perspective – I knew what the good and the
bad pitfalls were with taking on this role. I wanted to make sure I was
prepared mentally and ready to do it myself.
After several days of debate I had to make a decision. Family were
leaving me alone. My wife was hoping I was going to stay a backroom
organizer, but she supported whatever decision I chose. So I finally
decided if I never ran for politics, it's something I'd regret. When I
asked myself that question one day I said, you know what, I think I
really would regret it. From that minute on the campaigning began.
My first run at it was in the by-election of November 2014 where I came
oh so close, but I lost by 60-some-odd votes to the former MHA for the
district. It was a fair contest. It was a clean race. It was
heartbreaking, but you respect the will of the vote.
So after you get over that, it was kind of like you didn't have four
years to wait, there was an election coming within a year. So the
election was looming, I was faced again – oh no, within months I have to
make another decision, so I ran twice.
1
I had to decide. What do you do? Do you stay? Do you go? I learned a lot
about myself and what it took to win. I made the decision months back
that I was going to run. That kind of helped me being successful in the
end because I mentally prepared.
As my colleague, our leader, the MHA for Topsail – Paradise said, I knew
you were going to win because you lost. That was a good point because
you are running on fear. You're preparing yourself because you don't
want to have to go through that a second time. That's a great motivator.
The same thing with team sport, you have to lose to learn how to win
they say. I guess that's what motivated me.
I made a motto. I said we may lose, but we won't be outworked or out
organized. That became my mantra for months and months and months. I had
a great campaign team who I am going to speak of now. I speak about them
often when we have conversations. I can't thank them enough. They were
absolutely out of this world.
The effort they put in was extraordinary, especially when you consider I
took sick during the election. I lost nine days. I was home in bed for
nine days. My signs were up in the campaign, life was going on. I was,
like, very good.
I got a call when I was in hospital. The campaign manager said I just
became the candidate and the campaign manager, which was a pretty
telling statement. They carried on like I was there. They just kept
knocking on doors. They kept campaigning.
How can you thank people like that? They were volunteering to help me.
They were just doing that out of supporting me. So I think any of us can
say of our campaign teams they come and volunteer, but it's for you at
the end of the day. That can't be understated.
I finished off the election. I wasn't feeling great, I have to be
honest. The energy from this team really propelled me and the support
too, like I said, from my wife and daughters who I owe a great deal of
gratitude due to them. Like I said, this team was phenomenal.
Madam Speaker, when I look back and realize, it was probably the most
improbable victory election night, especially when you consider
sickness, the climate and where we were in the polls. Everything was
going against me. The saying, you were swimming upstream. We all said
just stick to our plan. Keep our heads down until 8:00 p.m. November 30.
It wasn't easy, but thankfully we were successful.
I have to say once more thank you to the people of the beautiful
District of CBS for giving me this opportunity. I'm proud to call it
home all my life. I want to also acknowledge once again the campaign
team for unbelievable work and support and, of course, my family who I
love dearly.
Madam Speaker, there's one story I'll finish off on my campaign team
because I do think they deserve much more credit than probably I can
even give them. It was two days before election day and my wife, who
doesn't like politics, was knocking on the doors with me. She was taking
sympathy on me. We had about 30 doors left to knock on, on this street.
It was a cold, windy, rainy Friday night and I guess I was just starting
to run out of gas. So I said I don't know if I can do this. I was
exhausted. So we were going down and I started counting the doors – when
I start counting doors on the street and you've knocked on as many doors
as I've knocked on in the last two years, you're tired.
I didn't know anything and the next thing two vehicles haul up and out
came eight campaign workers. My campaign manager had flicked the message
that I don't think I can do it. They fanned out and within 15 minutes
and completed the street.
I told that story election night because it is kind of uplifting. That
tells you, though, the type of people that you had around you. They did
carry me a long way. I just want to say one big thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. PETTEN:
Madam Speaker, a
little on who I am, I've spent 20-plus years working as a mental health
counsellor which has been challenging but very rewarding. It really is
who I am. It's my roots. I feel it has helped me develop as a person.
On this note, I do hope, as all of us here in this Chamber, that an
All-Party Committee on Mental Health makes some necessary improvements
to how mental health and mental issues are both viewed and dealt with.
We can build all the new hospitals we want, but until we address the
stigma and provide meaningful services to support those needing
assistance, we are no further ahead. Mental health is something I have a
real passion for and it's something I hope to have a positive impact on
during my time here in this hon. House.
Madam Speaker, advocating for seniors and assisting in whatever way I
can is also something I look forward to during my time and it's
something that I enjoy as an MHA, helping seniors on their various
issues. So again, that is another issue of importance to me.
Madam Speaker, my political involvement dates back to the '80s when I
was runner, door knocker and whatever else they asked me to do. I had a
real interest but I continued to be involved in municipal, provincial
and federal politics for years to follow. In 1996 I got heavily involved
with the former member, the late Bob French campaign, as an organizer.
From this on, it just grew a deeper passion for politics, which
continued on to Bob's son Terry, who succeeded him on his passing.
Bob French, for those who don't know him, was a larger than life figure.
He had a great impact on me. He was like a second father, actually. As a
larger than life figure, he was also very soft-hearted. I just want to,
on record, acknowledge and make reference to him because he did have a
huge impact on me and possibly why I'm stood here today. I just wanted
to personally recognize Bob. He is looking down upon us today. I just
wanted to say thank you.
As I said, his son Terry followed him. Terry had a very
successful political career, I think we agree. I was a very active
organizer with Terry for years. I became his executive assistant in 2009
until his retirement in 2014. During these years
I learned a lot about
how government works, how to work through government and to get things
done. It was a great training ground. These years were very enjoyable
and I want to thank Terry for the opportunity and guidance over the
years. We had a great run together. It has definitely helped me prepare
to be an MHA and hopefully an effective Member in this hon. House.
I also need to mention my colleague for Conception Bay East – Bell
Island who also gave me the opportunity to come to work with him in the
last year in Transportation and Works. We, too, had a lot of enjoyable
times. I will make one reference. He said to me after the election: I'm
really happy you got elected but a part of me was thinking and hoping if
you never got elected, whenever anyone makes reference to some decision
I made I can always blame it on my executive assistant, but now I can't.
I just want to say thank you very much to MHA Brazil.
Madam Speaker, as a wrap up, I want to say that I look forward to
fulfilling my critic roles and I plan to ask meaningful questions and
give constructive criticism and not criticize for the sake of
criticizing.
In closing, I make the same promise I made at the doors. I'll do my best
to be an effective MHA for Conception Bay South and I also hope to be an
effective MHA in this hon. House.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MADAM SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Harbour Main.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MS. PARSLEY:
Before I start,
I'm just going to make one comment: It's taken me a long while to get
here. It was a lifelong dream.
I know me and the hon. Member across the way had a lot in common; I will
discuss it with him later. One of them is one parent being Liberal, the
other being PC and his keen interest in mental illness, which I do have.
It is indeed an honour to rise in this hon. House and deliver my maiden
speech as the elected Member for the District of Harbour Main. I would
like to take a moment to thank the voters from my district for trusting
me with the responsibility of representing them in the House of
Assembly. I would like to thank my family, my daughter Kim, my son
Thomas and my grandson Brandon, also my sisters Jenny and Georgina. I
would like to thank the hard-working volunteers that made my campaign a
success. Madam Speaker, without their support, I would not be standing
here.
Taking my seat in the Legislature of Newfoundland and Labrador
represents the fulfilment of a long held dream of mine and the
conclusion of a long journey in public life.
Madam Speaker, I was born in Avondale and spent most of my early years
in Brigus Junction. I am the daughter of the late Sarah and George
Buckle and one of their nine children. My father's work with the railway
meant we were on the move a lot during my childhood and it allowed me
the opportunity to see a lot of this beautiful province.
My parents instilled in my siblings and myself many values that we share
to this day. They showed us the value of hard work and the commitment to
what we believe in. They thought us to believe in our dreams and pursue
our ambitions. Though I spent most of my early life in Avondale, I moved
to St. John's to continue my education of the completion of my
secretarial and travel and tourism program to work in the field of
travel and tourism for over 20 years.
Madam Speaker, I moved back to Harbour Main with my late husband and
daughter, following my daughter's graduation from the School of Social
Work. Though our daughter was grown up, my husband and I felt we still
had more love to give a child. Recognizing this, I got involved in the
Chernobyl program which brought in children from the Soviet Union who
were affected by the nuclear power disaster in the Ukraine. For six
weeks we hosted a boy from the Soviet Union and provided him with clean
air, fresh food and a broader global perspective. The cost of this
program was $10,000 a session. My husband, daughter and I raised the
$10,000 two years in a row. We got a lot of joy from providing an
adventure and a loving family environment for a boy we took in.
In our mid-'40s, we adopted a young boy named Thomas. Two years later
our family would be complete when my daughter adopted Tommy's little
brother. We agreed we would raise the boys in our home, becoming parents
of young children again after 25 years, which was a major adjustment for
my husband and me.
There was a lot of laughter and a lot of tears, and though our family
life was full of joy and excitement, there was still something missing
in my life. I felt a call to serve from a very young age. My father
instilled in me a keen interest in politics. I realized I could give
back to the community if I put myself forward for public life. So in
2007, I ran for town council for the Town of Harbour Main–Chapels
Cove–Lake View and was successful. I served as a councillor and later
deputy mayor.
My husband also felt the call to serve in public life and served as
mayor for the town. Unfortunately, he lost a three-year battle with
stomach cancer. During his ordeal, he courageously continued to serve as
mayor. After his passing on Mother's Day, 2014, I took over the role as
mayor. His strength and courage was an inspiration to me as I assumed my
new role and devoted countless hours to this. This was a difficult time
because in addition to my husband's passing, my son struggled with
mental illness and my grandson struggled with autism, but I had to focus
and move ahead.
One of my fondest accomplishments while serving as mayor was to organize
the Town of Harbour Main-Chapels Cove's 50th anniversary celebration. I
also spearheaded an annual Canada Day celebration hosted by the town. I
was honoured to take part in bringing the community together in a
celebration of heritage and history. These were truly highlights of my
term as mayor.
In July of 2014 I made a decision to run for a seat in the House of
Assembly under the leadership of the man who would become our Premier. I
committed to serve the people of Harbour Main as a member on the
Premier's team of leaders.
I ran for the District of Harbour Main because I had a lifelong personal
connection to the area of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a large and
diverse district with a rich history and vibrant communities. Just to
name a few of the annual cultural offerings in Harbour Main, there's the
Holyrood Squid Festival, the Cupid's Legacy Centre, the Brigus Blueberry
Festival.
Madam Speaker, each town and community in my district has its own unique
ways and values. Because I have spent most of my life in this district,
including terms in public office, I'm very familiar with the issues my
constituents face and the concerns they hold.
Madam Speaker, two weeks into the election I lost my sister, and let me
tell you it was no easy task to bury her that afternoon and to put on
(inaudible) and to move on, but I knew in my heart and soul I also then
had two people who were working for me on the other side. It was
unbelievable the things that happened.
While I was campaigning I spoke to hundreds of people about the issues
that mattered to them. Based on their feedback, I hope to work with my
colleagues on both sides of the House to find solutions to some of the
issues my constituents raised with me. I will advocate for greater
Internet coverage in certain areas, infrastructure issues like water,
sewer and paving. I will advocate for increased access to purchasing
Crown lands for the people of my district.
Madam Speaker, health care is another issue that was often spoken of
during door to door. My district runs from Seal Cove to Upper Gullies
into North River, which is over 10,000 constituents.
I believe in the Premier's vision for a stronger tomorrow. I share his
values of openness and accountability, better management, long-term
planning and strong leadership. I'm confident that under his leadership
my constituents will be able to share in a stronger tomorrow.
Before closing, I would also like to share a small story. Most of you
people here had to go to – when the districts changed; however, I didn't
have any of that to do because I only decided six weeks prior to the
nomination that I was going to run. I was having a very difficult time.
I had lost my husband; I had the boys to deal with.
I was asking my late husband – people might have thought I was crazy –
what will I do? Send me some signs. The first sign wasn't very good. The
second one was worse. But on a Friday morning in the pouring rain the
most beautiful yellow butterfly came into my door with my dog and it was
raining outside. I'm there jumping up and down by myself in the kitchen
saying, that's it Ray, that's the answer I needed, I'm running. So I
never looked back.
Madam Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to rise and
address this hon. House. It is truly a privilege to be here and a dream
come true. I'm so grateful to be a part of this team.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the
Member for Terra Nova.
MR. HOLLOWAY:
Thank you, Madam
Speaker.
It's definitely an honour for me and a privilege to rise in this hon.
House today to represent people of the District of Terra Nova. First, I
wish to thank the residents of the district for putting their faith and
their trust in me on November 30, 2015. I also wish to acknowledge my
opponents, Mr. Sandy Collins and Mr. Bert Blundon. Both individuals
worked hard and each of whom ran a great and respectful campaign.
Madam Speaker, on March 19, 1989, I began my career as a public servant.
I spent more than 26 years working with children, families, municipal
governments, health and education boards and various community-based
organizations, always with a focus to help as many people as possible,
and with the idea that rural Newfoundland and Labrador is a remarkable
place to live. However, I always knew there was something more, a
calling if you will.
On October 8, 2015, after having a great career serving the people of
this province, I resigned as a public servant. I decided to seek the
nomination as the Liberal candidate for the new District of Terra Nova.
Madam Speaker, winning a nomination in a provincial election in less
than seven weeks is not an easy task to accomplish. It comes with great
determination, a lot of hard work, a focused plan of action and a large
group of supporters who believe in you. I'm very thankful and proud of
the election campaign we ran. I wish to acknowledge each person who
assisted in making the election a success.
To my core campaign team, under the guidance of Ms. Phoebe White, I owe
you all a debt of gratitude. Each of you worked tirelessly to knock on
doors, return telephone calls, put up signs, help raise some funds and,
most importantly, keep me focused. Together we ran a very well-organized
and highly executed plan.
The Member for Conception Bay South talked about the impetus for him
wanting to win. I can tell you the impetus for me was my wife, Heather.
She certainly believes in me and believed in me at the time when I said
I wanted to make my dream come true. She also reminded me that if I lost
I was going north and going to work, and she was staying here in
Newfoundland and Labrador. So the encouragement I needed was all from
her.
To my mom and my mother-in-law, I owe you both a debt of gratitude. It
was said during the campaign, as we were knocking on doors, if he has
both his mom and his mother-in-law knocking on doors, he can't be too
bad.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge a young fellow who came my way. His name
is Mr. Dustin Fitzpatrick. Dustin came and offered to help out my
campaign. He's a 24 year-old who has Newfoundland roots, but he soon
became known to me as a very remarkable asset to my team. To Dustin I am
forever grateful.
Madam Speaker, being the Member for the House of Assembly and
representing the great people of Terra Nova District is truly an honour.
Many people have asked me why I decided to run for political office. I
have always worked hard for others and for the community. I am
passionate about rural Newfoundland and Labrador and about this
province. Whenever I travel outside the province I am proud to say I
live in Newfoundland and Labrador, an island in the North Atlantic that
is rich in culture and heritage, and is as unique as its people.
Madam Speaker, I believe we have a bright future ahead of us. It will
take some collective action to turn the challenges we face today into
opportunities for tomorrow.
In thinking back to 1992, after working for three years with the former
department of social services here in St. John's, I accepted the
position as a child management specialist with the department of human
resources and employment in Bonavista. I recall that as part of my
orientation process I was asked to meet with the former coordinator at
the Seniors Resource Centre here in the city. During that meeting, I was
asked what I was going to do while working in rural Newfoundland and
Labrador. Madam Speaker, I can tell you my response was succinct. I was
going to make a difference.
In response this person said, you don't know how many people before you
have sat in that chair and said those very same words. Well, Madam
Speaker, as I reflect on my accomplishments thus far in my life, I feel
I have made a difference in the lives of the people whom I have
encountered, the children and their families, as well as the numerous
community groups and organizations that are a huge part of rural
Newfoundland and Labrador.
My experience, Madam Speaker, in community economic development is
extensive. I have volunteered for many community organizations ranging
from being a school board trustee, to helping youth find a second chance
in life when they became involved with the law, to assisting children
and their families who live each day with the diagnosis of autism. I
have been involved in family resource centres, in community youth
networks. I definitely enjoy public policy.
Each day I awaken and I ask myself: Who will you help today? Madam
Speaker, this is my personal motto. It is also why I decided to seek the
nomination as a Member of the House of Assembly for this great district.
Madam Speaker, my district is vast and diverse. It is comprised of 36
distinct communities which range in population between 200 and 6,000
residents, with the average being less than 500. Furthermore, 11 of
these communities have municipal councils and the remaining have local
service districts or are considered unincorporated areas. This is a
major challenge in my district when it comes to regional representation,
regional service delivery such as waste management, fire and emergency
services and taxation.
The Terra Nova District has a deep history in forestry and in fishing.
Communities such as my hometown of Port Blandford, or nearby communities
like Charlottetown and Terra Nova were founded on the forest industry,
and each has a close affiliation with the former Newfoundland Railway.
Today, the economy of the Terra Nova District has changed. With the
onset of mega development projects at the Bull Arm fabrication site like
the Hibernia project, White Rose and currently Hebron, as well as Long
Harbour with the Vale Inco nickel processing facility, the employment
opportunities that have been created have been enormous. As well, North
Atlantic Refining Limited employs many of the residents in the district,
especially communities that make up the Southwest Arm and Clarenville
areas.
Within the district there are two service centres, one in Clarenville
and one in Glovertown. It employs residents living in and outside the
area. Clarenville is home to many provincial and federal government
services. Between Monday and Friday each week the community comes alive
with the hustle and bustle of residents travelling from communities like
Arnold's Cove, Terrenceville, Bonavista, Charlottetown and all points in
between to access services and amenities.
Glovertown, similarly, is a regional hub to the communities on the
Eastport Peninsula. Later this year, Glovertown will begin the
development of a new town centre that will provide a focus of economic
development and collaboration in the community.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the provision of regional services and
opportunities in oil and gas, tourism and culture is a thriving industry
throughout the district. When I think about the Southwest Arm area, I
think about the remarkable scenery and the people who possess great
musical talent. During the election, I had the fortune of travelling
extensively and listening to many, many talented singers like Marion
Dean, Katie Kelly and Darren Sceviour.
The District of Terra Nova is also home to many summer and winter
tourist attractions such as the White Hills ski resort, as well as the
Terra Nova and Brookside golf resorts. There are campgrounds and RV
parks at Thorburn Lake, Sandringham, Malady Head and Newman Sound. In
fact, Mr. Speaker, tourists often remark about the tranquil nature of
the area and how photographic the scenery is in many of our communities.
As I travel the Eastport Peninsula, I am once again reminded of what
attracts visitors to this province. The remarkable scenery associated
with sheltered bays and inlets is breathtaking. No wonder tourism is the
main industry in this part of my district.
Since being elected, I have taken a proactive approach to being the
representative for Terra Nova by meeting with municipal councils,
actively reaching out to individual constituents and learning about the
challenges facing this district. All of this has helped to educate me
about the district and its people. All of this information will also
help me in advocating for the right investments required for the
district to make it sustainable. They have also taken steps to build a
stronger relationship with our seven federal colleagues in Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, eight days after being elected in November, I had the great
opportunity of being invited by my friend and colleagues, MP July Foote,
to come to Ottawa and meet our prime minister. I am encouraged by the
possibilities that lie ahead for this province because of the great
relationship we are building with Minister Foote and her federal
counterparts.
Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Igor hit the province on September 21, 2010. Many
rural parts of the Bonavista Peninsula, as well as Terra Nova National
Park, my home community of Port Blandford, and Random Island were
devastated by the damage to homes, businesses and road infrastructure.
Today, six years later, we are still dealing with the impact of this
terrible storm. I get calls from municipal leaders and business owners
who recant the story of how Hurricane Igor impacted them and how the
infrastructure is still in need of repair.
Mr. Speaker, many communities in my district has been impacted by the
boom and bust cycle of vigorous economic development. During the
Hibernia construction days of the '90s, communities like Clarenville
witnessed the influx of new residents to the area. New houses were
constructed, leading to new subdivisions, and the growth of new
businesses requiring new employees. Clarenville and many surrounding
communities were benefiting from the boom of oil and gas. The surge of
economic prosperity would change a community forever.
In 2012, came the development of the Hebron GBS platform at the Bull Arm
fabrication site. The impacts this time, however, were noticeably
different from previous projects. The pull of skilled and non-skilled
labour had a negative impact on local small- and medium-sized
businesses. Many retail stores reported an inability to retain employees
and the basic salary and benefits were continuously rising.
On the surface, this may be seen by some as a very positive thing, but
for those who are on fixed incomes like our seniors, our disabled and
our retirees, the impacts of high rents and housing prices had forced
many to live in less than ideal accommodations and to take money for
food and heat and light to pay rent. Small businesses too had to reduce
their operational hours because there was not enough staff for a second
shift. Many people who are on fixed incomes have decided to leave the
community.
These impacts, Mr. Speaker, had forced the focus on a need for
recruiting and retaining new workers. Clarenville today is now a very
diverse culture with new Canadians working in retail, fast food and
health care. These impacts have also created the need to focus on
sustainable and affordable housing options for certain populations in
the area.
In 2009, the need for awareness and development of affordable housing
was garnished through the support of community organizations like the
Regional Action Committee on Housing. Moreover, in 2012,
well-established provincial organizations like Habitat for Humanity also
saw a need to provide affordable home ownership and set up a chapter in
the community. The developments of such initiatives have helped ease the
burden for finding affordable, stable housing in the area.
It is well documented, Mr. Speaker, that we have an aging population in
the province. My district is not exempt from this demographic challenge.
The average age in smaller communities is increasing and the population
is declining. At one time families were large with eight, 10, 12
children. Today, with the high cost of living and the demand and
opportunities for two-person family incomes there are fewer children.
Fewer children and both parents working means a need for fewer schools,
the increased burden on fewer volunteers, thus increasing the challenges
to the vibrancy we once experienced all throughout rural Newfoundland
and Labrador. But we can turn the tide on these challenges, Mr. Speaker.
We need to find ways to encourage greater community participation and
greater volunteerism.
Mr. Speaker, winter tourism and recreation sports are on the rise in my
district. White Hills ski resort in Clarenville and a newly renamed
Corwin Mills Nordic Centre are real gems to the area, ones which have
not realized their full potential. We need to work with the community
and the district to identify new opportunities that will make this
facility a year-round venue. In a similar fashion, recreation activities
in the winter and summer help boost the local economy. Recreational
hockey games and snowmobiling are also a huge focus for many outdoor
enthusiasts in the entire district.
During the summer the Terra Nova District becomes a destination of
choice for many visitors from the Avalon Peninsula, other parts of the
province and throughout the Maritimes. Many people come to the area for
boating, golfing and other outdoor activities. Just last week, I had a
conversation with an ATV tour operator from New Brunswick who had
already booked 10 tours for this province, utilizing the Trans Canada
Trail network.
Mr. Speaker, as a Member elect for the District of Terra Nova, I make
one commitment to the people in my constituency. I promise to work hard
on your behalf. In doing so, I will make every effort to understand the
issues presented to me and to advocate for a positive resolution. I have
always given 120 per cent to everything that I have done and will
continue to work just as hard in my new role.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to this overarching commitment, I also feel
that the District of Terra Nova can benefit from a shared vision that
focuses on building future prosperity and sustainability. It is a vision
that requires commitment to action and extensive collaboration by
individuals and organizations in all communities. This vision will
include a new model for the delivery of regional services; investing in
aging infrastructure, like roads and bridges, and safe drinking water;
changing our personal health status and how we each live our lives;
improving access to healthy, affordable foods; and encouraging the
development of more vibrant, active communities.
Mr. Speaker, during the next four years I look forward to working with
my caucus colleagues and all Members in the House of Assembly as we
build a stronger tomorrow for the people of the Terra Nova District and
the province. I know we have many challenges ahead of us but I am
confident we can find a path forward, a path that will require new ideas
and new commitments from everyone. It is a future that looks different
from the past but a future that builds on a strategic focus on the
things that we are good at, and a future that makes us less reliant on
oil and gas. It is a future that is focused on creating a diverse
economy and strengthens the relationship between urban and rural. It is
a future we can all be proud of.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Lane):
The
Speaker recognizes the hon. the Member for Virginia Waters –
Pleasantville.
MR. B. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
First of all, I'd like to say congratulations to everyone on your recent
election victories. It's the first time I've had the opportunity to say
that.
It gives me great privilege to rise in this hon. House and deliver my
maiden speech as the Member for the District of Virginia Waters –
Pleasantville, or should I say the historic District of Virginia Waters
– Pleasantville.
Over the last few weeks and months we've been debating and writing laws
of the land. It is truly starting to sink in for me; the entire process
we are engaged in is a true democracy in action. When I consider that
I'm standing here as one of 40 individuals chosen by the voters to make
decisions on behalf of Newfoundland and Labrador, when I consider that
the decisions we are making during these legislative sessions will
impact the province today and into the future, it is both gratifying and
humbling. It's gratifying because my constituents considered me the best
choice for the job and humbling because of the huge responsibility we
are taking up here in this House.
I am deeply honoured to be here among so many admirable colleagues. As
we carry out the important business of governing this province and as I
begin my term of service, I offer this pledge to the hon. colleagues on
both sides of the House: I will always carry out my duties in a
respectful and courteous manner. I don't care what your politics are; in
here we are all working for the betterment of our home province. I'm
honoured to be among you.
I have to take a moment to thank the constituents of Virginia Waters –
Pleasantville for entrusting me with this great responsibility. I met
many of you in the weeks and months leading into the election. I stood
on your doorsteps in the east end of St. John's and heard your concerns
about your neighbourhood, your city, your province. I heard about your
issues that are important to you and your families, your loved ones,
your friends and neighbours and for all Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians.
I promised that you can count on me to be a strong voice advocating on
your behalf in this very Legislature. I stand here in this House to
reaffirm this commitment that I made to you as I begin my first term as
an MHA. I will work tirelessly to retain your trust. As long as I'm in
office, you'll find me accessible and willing to listen. I will never
forget that it's my constituents that I'm accountable to in all things.
I also have to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteer
campaign workers who made it possible for me to stand here today.
Politics is a team sport, as many people around this House can attest
to. Behind every elected official there is an unsung group of people out
knocking on doors, making calls, collecting donations and hammering down
election signs. I had an amazing team on my side. You folks have my
lasting gratitude and sincere appreciation for your outstanding efforts.
My journey started well before the November election. I had the pleasure
of leaving my job right out of university that I had, to go on tour with
Premier Grimes at the time in 2003. I had to know if I liked politics or
not. From that point, I've been volunteering with the Liberal Party as
president of the Young Liberals, treasurer for St. John's East federal
riding association, on the board for the Liberal district in Signal Hill
– Quidi Vidi, as well as the past-president for Virginia Waters
District. This is where I gained all the experience in campaigning and
hopefully gave me an opportunity to stand here today.
I think it is fair to say that the District of Virginia Waters –
Pleasantville is the most diverse of the 40 provincial districts. My
constituents come from a wide range of social, economic, ethnic,
religious backgrounds. This multicultural nature means my district has a
vibrant sense of community, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of
it. Diversity is truly something to be celebrated. Friends and
neighbours from different walks of life are essential to the fuller
appreciation of the human experience.
From an urban planning perspective, Virginia Waters – Pleasantville is a
diverse area. It ranges from the former American military base in
Pleasantville to King William Estates and the landfill at Robin Hood
Bay. On Torbay Road and Logy Bay Road alone there are factories,
industrial facilities, media outlets, architectural firms, religious
institutions and residential areas alike. Virginia Waters –
Pleasantville is truly a cross-section of St. John's, and I feel
honoured to be representing the people in this House of Assembly.
I would like to make specific mention today to a few issues regarding
the district. These are issues that are important to my constituents,
and I will champion in this hon. House.
For one, I will be following the construction of the new Virginia Park
Elementary School slated to be built on Middleton Street very closely as
the member for the district. The students of Virginia Park Elementary
are currently served by an assortment of portable classrooms tacked on
to an old school gymnasium. I firmly believe they deserve a
state-of-the-art facility, and I'm encouraged that the new school is
scheduled for the 2017 completion date.
Education is truly an investment in our future, and it will be a
highlight of my first term in the House of Assembly to be part of the
official opening for Virginia Park Elementary as a legacy to school-aged
children in the district. Part of this process has revealed the need for
environmental stewardship in the area. Due to the old military
facilities and industrial sites around the district, I will be a strong
advocate for the protection and preservation of our environment in the
district. To me, the environment has to be finished first, since it is
what is left after all of us are long gone. There is a way to pursue
urban development in a responsible and sustainable manner, and I intend
for all developments in Virginia Waters – Pleasantville to move in that
direction.
Another issue I will pay particular attention to, as mentioned by
previous colleagues, is the mental health and addictions support.
Thankfully, our provincial government is acutely aware of the challenges
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians face with respect to addictions and
mental health issues. Our government and our Premier are committed to
ensuring programs and services are in place for those who need them the
most.
I, along with my colleagues, recognize the access to timely and
appropriate care is vital in the treatment for mental health and
addictions. I will work with my colleagues to implement a comprehensive
mental health addictions strategy. Part of this strategy will be the
continuation of the All-Party Committee on Mental Health and Addictions.
Part of it will be working with the community partners and schools to
ensure coordinated and seamless approaches to mental health and
addictions.
Mr. Speaker, one in five Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will live with
mental health, a mental illness, in any given year. I'm strongly
encouraged that the government I serve in considers mental health and
addictions issues a priority.
I am sometimes asked what prompted my decision to enter politics. I've
always seen politics as an extension of who I am. Like many who have
been drawn to public service, I've always found I'm most myself when I'm
serving in the community. Before running provincially, I had the
distinct pleasure of serving as the councillor for Ward 4 in the City of
St. John's. My time in the council chambers has given me first-hand
knowledge and insight into the importance of municipal government in
delivering vital services. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians rely on
their municipal governments for dozens of services that enable them to
go about their daily business.
When I was campaigning to represent Virginia Waters – Pleasantville in
the House of Assembly, one of the things I told voters was that I was
going to work hard for a stronger relationship between the City of St.
John's and the provincial government. I see myself, along with my
esteemed colleagues, who have made the transition from municipal
politics as an essential link between municipalities in Newfoundland and
Labrador and the provincial government. I know the government that we
have an honour to serve in recognizes the importance of municipalities
and the importance of strong intergovernmental relationships. It will be
my privilege to play a role in strengthening these relationships.
It is fitting that I stand here giving my maiden speech in Volunteer
Week because I learned many of my skills through that very same sector.
I learned how to build bridges and develop long-term relationships
between different groups of people when I worked as executive director
for the CLB for 13 years. The CLB's mandate is to empower youth to
become future leaders by providing them with educational, recreational
and social opportunities.
I grew up in the inner city area of St. John's where there was a lot of
opportunity to get yourself into a little bit of trouble. Some of my
peers fell off the track, some coming from very similar backgrounds and
opportunity levels. I found an organization called the CLB and thrived.
This was an unforgettable lesson to me in the value of the community
sector.
I firmly believe that every one of us has the capacity within ourselves
to display excellence, even when we might lose our way from time to
time. Those of my friends and neighbours who fell off the track could
just as well have gone on to be model citizens, if they had a little bit
of an easier upbringing. On the other hand, the CLB provided essential
opportunity for any inner city and disadvantaged youth to bring out the
good in themselves.
The CLB, and organizations like it, serves an essential bridge between
government services – like the school system – and the home lives of
these youth. I was truly privileged to serve the community as the CLB's
executive director, and I'm tremendously proud I played a small part in
improving the lives of the young people in our community.
I am forever thankful to the CLB, not only for allowing me to develop my
leadership skills and engagement with the community but also for giving
me the greatest gift I've ever received: the opportunity to meet my
incredible wife, Sebrina, some 19 years ago. I'm her biggest supporter
and she's my biggest supporter, but she also has this uncanny ability to
keep me grounded – like many of my colleagues have said before – and
balanced.
My lifelong commitment to community services came largely as an
inspiration from the example set by my own parents. We grew up in co-op
housing in Rabbittown. My mom grew up in foster care and had a positive
experience being raised by a family who took her in and raised her like
she was their own. When she was grown up and had a family of her own,
she decided to give back in the same way that the family had done for
her. She left the workforce and devoted herself as a full-time foster
parent.
My father was a very quiet man from Norris Arm who instilled a sense of
patience, understanding and hard work in me. He was diagnosed with
diabetes at the age of 12 and had an assortment of health issues related
to this disease. He lost his battle to cancer at the age of 62. I gained
significant interest in our health care system through navigating the
system with my father. Making improvements to the health care in our
province is of paramount importance and will make the biggest difference
to our aging population.
My parents were very enthusiastic in being foster parents. I had dozens
and dozens of foster brothers and sister when I was growing up. This is
a very large and unconventional family; I wouldn't have wanted it any
other way. The unconventional upbringing instilled in me a high
tolerance for change. We coped with the changing circumstances through
patience, kindness and a sense of community. The way we pulled together
as a family to support each other and overcome challenges has served as
the underlining inspiration for my life ever since.
It's just as relevant now today as I embark on my first term in the
provincial Legislature. I truly believe that we are all in this
together. All of us Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are members of what
amounts to a very large family. We share hopes and heartbreaks. We have
mutual goals and fears. We're a family. What does a family do when it's
faced with hard times? It sticks together. Its members ban together to
support each other through these challenges. To me, this is the way
forward for Newfoundland and Labrador.
We're all very well aware of the challenges we face. We have an
increasing debt and an aging population, a resource-based economy which
has been shaken by the unstable commodity prices. There are tough times
in store for us and I don't think any of us has any illusions about
that. But if we stick together like families do through the tough times,
then we'll get through it.
Newfoundland and Labrador has faced steep challenges before and has
succeeded. We will succeed again in the current challenges in the same
way: by supporting each other and pulling together.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to rise and
address this hon. House for the first time as the Member for the
District of Virginia Waters – Pleasantville.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Speaker
recognizes the hon. the Member for Placentia West – Bellevue.
MR. BROWNE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise today with a sense of honour, distinction and responsibility. On
November 30 the people of Newfoundland and Labrador made a choice, and I
thank the people of Placentia West – Bellevue for choosing me as their
representative.
As their Member in this House of Assembly, the people's House doing the
people's work, I pledge to work hard, to work long and represent my
constituents at every turn. As a Member of a newly elected government, I
accept the tremendous responsibility we have been given collectively by
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. As part of a team led by our
Premier, I pledge to continue being part of decisions in deliverance of
good government, sound public policy and the most open and transparent
framework of government in this province to date.
To each of my colleagues who were also elected for the first time in
last year's election, let me say congratulations to each of you. The
citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador have elected us to join the ranks
of an institution that sits at the heart of our democratic governance.
Many a debate has been had in this Chamber and many more will follow. As
newcomers, the class of 2015, it's up to us now to breathe new life, new
ideas and new energy into this institution and its functions, and I know
we are up to that task.
Mr. Speaker, as those in my district would know, and indeed, many
colleagues in this House would know, my interest in politics and passion
for public service is not new. But I would be lying if I said that when
I first began work as a constituency assistant to my Member of
Parliament in 2009, that I would have envisioned myself delivering my
maiden address as an MHA in the spring session of 2016. I think it's
fair to say that timeline got accelerated.
It was in those early days, Mr. Speaker, alongside my friend, the Member
for Burin – Grand Bank, that I discovered the most rewarding aspect of
politics. For all of the speeches, rallies and campaign stops, I find no
greater satisfaction than in solving an issue for a constituent. Perhaps
it's helping a fish plant worker access their EI or assisting a senior
in getting the supports they need to continue living in their home, or a
young person seeking to return to school. It is these small victories –
which to our constituents are big victories – that make this job
worthwhile every day.
It goes without saying that I wholly and truly thank my friend and
mentor, my Member of Parliament, the hon. Judy Foote, for giving me my
first exposure to professional politics. Though I was raised in a house
where politics and current affairs were regularly discussed and debated,
my work with her taught me to never forget who hired you and to always
fight to the bitter end for your constituents.
I also say thank you to my family: my parents, Jack and Theresa; and my
sister, Jacqueline, who is in China teaching. I come from Placentia Bay
fishing families, but both of my parents were teachers who encouraged my
sister and me to give back to our community and engage in public
service. I think it's also fair to say they probably intended for that
public service to be volunteering rather than running in politics, but
they've been nothing but supportive to me in my campaign for two
nominations and during the election, all of which combined to span some
20 months.
During this time I knocked on every door, many twice. Daily I
encountered the generosity and kindness for which Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians are renowned. Had I accepted every offer at the door to
come in for a drink or for a cup of tea and a slice of bread, I would
have either been perpetually inebriated or forever laden down by all the
toast and tea. People were always understanding, despite their
temptations, that I couldn't stay and asked me to drop in any time after
the election – and I will aim to do just that for that slice of toast
and tea in the next four years.
The fact that we knock on people's doors and ask for their support and
then see them come through for you on election day is a remarkable
exercise of our democracy, and I thank people for participating in it.
The team around me were second to none. Led by one of my predecessors,
former MHA Mary Hodder, our team extended from one end of the district
to another – knocking on doors, doing phone calls, organizing the
rallies, assembling and putting up over 1,300 signs. I thank Mary and
all of my supporters for the late nights and diehard commitment each of
them brought forward to my team. It would have been impossible to do
this and to stand here without your help.
I also wish to thank my two immediate predecessors, the MHA for Bellevue
and the MHA for Burin – Placentia West, Mr. Calvin Peach and Mr. Clyde
Jackman. Political life comes with its sacrifices, and I thank both of
them for their service and wish them the very best in their retirement.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. BROWNE:
Placentia West –
Bellevue, Mr. Speaker, though new in configuration, is steeped in
history, unrivaled landscapes, major industry, and a people with a
genuine and sincere kindness. Spanning some 4,600 square kilometres,
taking in communities of Placentia, Fortune and Trinity Bays, it has a
long and storied history. From Sunnyside, where in 1602 John Guy met the
Beothuk, and in honour of their good relations he renamed it to Truce
Sound – to Southeast Bight where the first settlers arrived in 1835, or
to Chapel Arm where the wood trade would attract its first newcomers in
1765. With some 45 communities of this district, each possesses their
own sense of identity and history, trickles of ingenuity and pockets of
creativity.
Mr. Speaker, many of our ancestors came to this great land in pursuit of
a more prosperous future for their families. I am proud to say that my
district, in many ways, has offered itself as the industrial heartland
of the Island of Newfoundland.
On the Burin Peninsula it wouldn't be long after the first English
speaking settler arrived in Mortier Bay in 1800 that Marystown began its
long and successful trade of shipbuilding. Among the first vessels built
in Marystown was 30 ton fishing schooners in the 1840s. During World War
II, the Commission of Government ordered that minesweepers be built in
Marystown to serve in the British Fleet. In fact, Mortier Bay played a
strategic role during the war as it was the site selected for evacuation
of the Royal Family and regrouping of the British Navy in the event of a
German invasion of Britain.
It would be these same conditions, the fact that Mortier Bay was
sheltered, protected and one of the largest, deepest, ice-free,
year-round ports on the eastern seaboard that would produce ideal
conditions for a thriving shipbuilding industry for decades. Even in
modern times, Marystown and its workforce have greatly contributed to
the oil and gas industry and continue to this day with an able and
skilled workforce.
In Come By Chance, the North Atlantic Refinery serves as another major
industrial employer. Built in the early 1970s, it today employs over 600
people refining over 115,000 barrels of oil a day. The location of the
Come By Chance Refinery gives it prime access to petroleum markets in
the United States and Europe while also maintaining close proximity to
crude suppliers in Russia and the Middle East. Adjacent to the refinery
sits the Whiffen Head transshipment terminal. Construction was completed
in 1998 and was specifically designed to handle crude oil production in
the oil fields of the Grand Banks.
In Trinity Bay, Bull Arm has morphed into Atlantic Canada's largest
industrial fabrication site. It has the comprehensive infrastructure to
enable fabrication and assembly of megaprojects such as the Hibernia
GBS, the topside modules, Voisey's Bay ship loader, oil rig refits, and
of course at present the construction of the Hebron GBS. The calm waters
of Bull Arm make it an ideal location for this type of work which
currently employs over 2,500 people. In Long Harbour, the nickel
processing plant is currently under construction. Once completed, it
will employ over 500 people.
While there is an adherent ebb and flow in employment levels during the
construction phase of megaprojects, Mr. Speaker, we must work towards
maintaining more stable levels of employment. The Marystown Shipyard
facility and the Bull Arm fabrication site can both serve as areas of
expansion as we further diversify our economy. Even beyond servicing the
oil and gas sectors, both areas have a proven and skilled workforce with
the institutional knowledge to carry forward young apprentices and to
the benefit of future projects. I will work with the site owners of both
facilities, organized labour, our federal partners and community leaders
to maintain and continue the level of prosperity beyond the current
projects.
Mr. Speaker, I chose to first highlight these major industries in my
district to show Members of this House that the area which I represent
serves as a major hub of employment. In fact, as I mentioned, I liken it
to be the industrial heartland of the Island portion of Newfoundland. I
assure residents of my district, I will engage all levers of our
government to assist and facilitate employment moving forward. I am
confident that my district – encompassing parts of the Burin and Avalon
Peninsula – can play a crucial and significant role in leading an
economic resurgence.
Mr. Speaker, to highlight these major industries and omit mention of
other examples of thriving success would be a disservice to my district.
As mentioned, we have parts of Placentia, Fortune and Trinity Bay where
the fishery plays a significant role in our local economy. Without a
strong fishery, a rejuvenated fishery, rural Newfoundland and Labrador
will not flourish to its greatest potential. From the thriving fishing
enterprises in Southern Harbour, to the bustling lobster fishers of
English Harbour East, to the members of our shrimp fishery in Norman's
Cove-Long Cove, our district is also home to the provinces only cod
processing plant, as well as the province's largest lobster company,
both of which are based in Arnold's Cove.
It is time for the fishery to be given a renewed focus, as it can play a
crucial role in the future of our rural economic development and as a
sustainable source of generating wealth with exponential opportunities
for expansion, if managed properly. This will take bold leadership and
strong advocacy to Ottawa, in concert with our federal Members of
Parliament and our provincial minister and Premier. We will be tough and
we will be strong, but we will work with our federal partners to enhance
the standing of our fishery.
Both of my grandfathers fished in Placentia Bay during hard time of the
1940s, '50s and '60s. Both raised large families: 13 children on my
mother's side and six on my father's. The fishery, Mr. Speaker, is why
we came here. It's why we settled. It's what has sustained us. It is the
reason why I am standing here on the floor of the House of Assembly
today. I assure the people who voted for me I will take every
opportunity to fight for a fishery that is equitable to all sectors and
to sustain a way of life in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tourism also plays an important role economically in my district. The
pristine and magnetic beauty of colourful Swift Current, to the towering
mountains of Terrenceville, to the glacier-scored landscapes of the
Burin Peninsula, from the rugged cliffs of Chance Cove to the peace and
isolation of communities like South East Bight, Petite Forte, Little
Harbour East, Thornlea, Fair Haven, the District of Placentia West –
Bellevue has something for everyone.
We are uniquely positioned given our proximity to St. John's and the
rest of the Avalon, but we are also the gateway to the Clarenville and
Bonavista Peninsula areas as well as Central Newfoundland. The Burin
Peninsula also has an advantage like nowhere else in North America, and
that is the fact you can see a foreign country from our shore. Yearly,
thousands of tourists from all over the world flock to explore
Saint-Pierre et Miquelon,
and I am
fortunate to have many of them travel through my district, as well as
the District of Burin – Grand Bank. I believe there is significant
opportunity to grow and expand upon our tourism.
I've highlighted many economic opportunities for growth, Mr. Speaker,
but with economic progress sometimes social issues accompany it. I will
do my part in our government to address these issues. Whether it's
creating affordable housing alternatives, legislating ways to curb
illegal substance abuse, addressing means of improving mental health
services, or advocating for ways to lesson impaired driving, I will work
on all of these issues as well. I support using education as a means to
lift people into the light, to enable them to pursue opportunities that
would otherwise elude them.
Seniors also deserve our most special attention, as these are the people
who have built our society, the people who raised us, the people who
came before us. They not only deserve our attention, but they require
it. We must act collectively to ensure our senior citizens have the
ability to age at home in their communities with their families for as
long as possible. I am very passionate about helping our seniors and
those in society who are most vulnerable, including children and the
poor. We must all strive to make sure nobody is left behind.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate how honoured I am in having
been selected by the voters of my district to be their representative.
Many times since being elected, I have been reminded that it is good for
young people to be involved in politics. When I recently spoke to the
Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Parliament, of which I was a part for
many years, I reminded them we do need more young people in politics,
and I challenge them to break my record in hopes one of them can also
become the youngest ever elected.
Fortunate for me, I had a leader, and now a Premier, who believed in the
power of a team comprised of diverse backgrounds and skills, a team of
people who come from all walks of life to come here to be effective
contributors to the legislative process. So yes, we need to break even
more barriers for young people, but it doesn't stop there, Mr. Speaker.
We also need more women, more indigenous people, people of visible
minorities and people of all varied backgrounds to come to this chamber.
So yes, Mr. Speaker, I will be a champion for young people, but it
doesn't end there. I will be a champion for the young, for the old, for
the rural, for the urban, the disabled, the disadvantaged, the people
who need our help most. Because when all of us are doing well, when all
of us are looked after, when society has a place for us all,
Newfoundland and Labrador is strong.
As referenced in our Throne Speech and as we see here every day, 2016
marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. It is not
lost on me, Mr. Speaker, that most of those men who were massacred in
that battle were roughly my age at the time. Each of us, as Members of
this House, have an obligation to carry forward their legacy and their
commitment to service which they so valiantly displayed to protect our
future.
We are each bound by a common purpose. Liberal, Conservative and New
Democratic, we each come here, Mr. Speaker, with an ambition, an ideal
in our heart for a more prosperous and secure future for the people who
we represent, economically and socially.
I thank the voters in my district for their vote of confidence in me.
And yes, there are challenges that lie ahead, but I am excited to a part
of a team led by our Premier that pledges to do our part to yield the
full promise of our potential. Working together, Mr. Speaker, I am
convinced the best is still yet to come.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER
(Osborne):
The hon. the
Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
I would now move, seconded by the Member for Baie Verte – Green Bay,
that the House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It has been moved
and seconded that the House do now adjourn.
The House is in recess until tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, at
1:30 p.m.