April 27, 2016
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVIII No. 18
The
House met at 2 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Osborne):
Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by
Members
MR. SPEAKER:
For Members' statements
today we have the Member for the District of Exploits, the Member for the
District of Cartwright L'Anse au Clair, Torngat Mountains, Stephenville
Port au Port, Burin Grand Bank, and Terra Nova.
As
well, it is my understanding that the Leader of the Opposition has leave by
all sides of the House to present a statement as well.
The
hon. the Member for the District of Exploits.
MR. DEAN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It
is with honour and pride that I recognize two Special Olympians from Botwood
and Grand Falls-Windsor for their recent success at the Canada Special
Olympic Winter Games in Corner Brook.
Stacie Woolridge of Botwood overcame icy game-day conditions, 13 bruises,
and bitterly cold temperatures to capture one gold and two bronze medals in
skiing for Team Newfoundland and Labrador. Her teammate, Melvin Hanhams,
overcame similar challenges in the 200-metre snowshoe race to capture
bronze.
Both
athletes showed grit and determination by starting a training regime that
included regular workouts and nutritious eating. Stacie had stopped skiing
for three years to attend college, but after qualifying for the national
games last winter, she buckled down and gave it her all. Meanwhile, Melvin
credits his coaches for helping him reduce his times by pacing himself from
start to finish.
Both
athletes are looking forward and ahead to the Newfoundland and Labrador
Summer Games in Marystown. Stacie plans to focus on swimming while Melvin is
prepping for the track events.
Hard
work and dedication pays off, and you need look no further than the
performances put on by both Stacie and Melvin.
I
ask all Members of this hon. House to join with me in congratulating these
two fine athletes.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Cartwright L'Anse au Clair.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Benjamin Disraeli once said the legacy of heroes is the memory of a great
name and an inheritance of a great example.
I
rise to pay tribute to an amazing individual, Hazel Thomas of L'Anse au
Clair. Hazel recently passed away at the age of 94 leaving behind a
tremendous legacy.
In
L'Anse au Clair, Hazel was what you would call the go to person. If you
needed anything, you could always count on her. She was young at heart and
everyone's friends. She owned the first general store in town and that also
included a basement for youth to hang out, watch movies and listen to their
only jukebox. My colleague, the Member for Labrador West who grew up in
L'Anse au Clair, has many fond memories of his own of hanging out at this
place.
She
owned the first phone in the community and was an amazing volunteer. She was
a leader of ACW for years. She organized community concerts, was a
tremendous cook, baker, quilt maker and the list goes on.
Hazel had four children, 14 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 2
great-great grandchildren. She was a large part of the fabric of the
community who will long be remembered for her kindness, and her knowledge
will be passed on through many generations.
I
ask all hon. Members to join me in celebrating the life of Hazel Thomas a
true lady of Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
the District of Torngat Mountains.
MR. EDMUNDS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise in this hon. House today to congratulate Phillip Earle and the good
people at Air Labrador for their creative approach in bringing awareness to
mental illness.
Air
Labrador has copied the words Create a good day on one of its aircraft in
memory of Dorothy Angnatok.
Dorothy Angnatok, or Duru as we most fondly called her, was a vibrant young
Inuk from Nain who inspired both young and old through her dynamic
personality, as well as through the work she did in the Going off, growing
strong program a program that teaches young people traditional culture
and provides seniors and other Members of the community with nutritional
wild food.
To
the sadness of us all, Duru lost her battle with mental illness this past
winter. Duru coined the phrase that we have all adopted: Create a good day.
I
ask all hon. Members to join me in thanking Air Labrador for bringing
awareness to mental illness and for honouring Duru's memory.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
the District of Stephenville Port au Port.
MR. FINN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 2015 Stephen award recipients,
having attended the 37th Stephen Awards banquet this past weekend in
Stephenville. Junior athletes of the year, Ryan McNeil Lamswood and Olivia
Heneley were acknowledged for their tremendously successful years in various
sports, while Special Olympian Josh Harper was named the town's senior
athlete of the year.
Christine O'Brien was named Citizen of the Year as a result of her countless
hours of volunteer work with the Rotary Club in which she serves as vice
president. Christine has also generously given her time to the Sir Thomas
Roddick Hospital Foundation, Stephenville Winter Carnival and also as an
active member of her parish volunteering with the Salvation Army Kettle
Campaign and Toy Drive.
Stephenville High student Radhika Verma was named Youth of the Year. In
addition to earning first-place honours in her studies and receiving
numerous academic awards, Radhika is an active member of her student council
and humanitarian club. Further, she spends time volunteering with a number
of organizations including the Community Youth Network, the YMCA, Red Cross,
Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Lions Club among others.
I
ask all Members to join me in congratulating the 2015 Stephen Award
recipients.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for the
District of Burin Grand Bank.
MS. HALEY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When
Justin Dodge of Grand Bank left for the Special Olympics Canada 2016 Winter
Games, which were held in Corner Brook in March, family, friends and
especially fellow members of the Grand Bank-Fortune Seahawks Club, all had
high hopes for him. Justin did not disappoint, Mr. Speaker. He brought home
gold and silver in the snowshoeing competition.
Justin has learned that his prowess in the sport has earned him a chance to
try out for the national squad, and potentially an opportunity to represent
Canada at the World Winter Games, taking place in Austria in 2017.
His
success in snowshoeing is especially remarkable, considering the conditions
for training are often less than ideal in the area of the province where
Justin lives. Only an athlete totally devoted and determined could do so
well on the national stage, Mr. Speaker. Justin is the son of proud parents
Ron and Cecilia Dodge of Grand Bank who support him in every challenge he
takes on.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Justin Dodge on his
wonderful showing at the 2016 Winter Games, and indeed in wishing him good
luck in his quest to gain a spot on the national team.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for the
District of Terra Nova.
MR. HOLLOWAY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise in this hon. House to recognize the Beaches Arts and Heritage Centre in
Eastport. The Beaches Arts and Heritage Centre is home to a thriving arts
community. It was opened in June 2001 under the stewardship of the Eastport
Peninsula Heritage Society which has a mandate to preserve the natural and
cultural heritage of the region.
Constructed in the early 20th century, the property originally served as a
school for many years, but has evolved as a key venue for cultural arts and
entertainment shows, from summer drama festivals to a privately operated
movie theatre. In 2012, the society received two prestigious awards for its
role in developing tourism: the Doug Wheeler Award for Tourism and the
Adventure Central Pinnacle Award for Tourism Ambassador of the Year.
Each
year, from May to October, a large suite of events, tours and festivals are
hosted at the Arts Centre, including those on the Canada Day weekend and the
Annual Roy Babstock Beaches Accordion Festival.
The
Beaches Arts and Heritage Centre is a gem for the Eastport Peninsula.
I
ask all Members to join me in congratulating the board of directors for
continuing to be great ambassadors for this exciting industry.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
the District of Topsail Paradise.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I rise in this House today to pay tribute to Dr. John Collins who
passed away on Saturday at the age of 93. Dr. Collins was born in 1922 in
what was then known as the Dominion of Newfoundland. Coming of age during
the height of the Second World War, he served here at home as a radio
officer and also on the Merchant Marine fleet delivering valuable supplies
across the very dangerous waters of the North Atlantic to the Northern
Russian port of Murmansk. He was honoured with medals from the Russian
government as a result.
A
graduate of St. Bon's and Memorial University College at the time, he
travelled, after the war, to Scotland where he attended the University of
Edinburgh for five years to earn his doctorate in medicine. As a physician
specializing in pediatric cardiology, he engaged first in medical research,
then next as a general practitioner in private practice and then as the head
of cardiology at the Janeway Hospital.
He
would go on to serve as the National Chair of the Canadian Medical
Association and in the late '60s, he also served on the Child Health
Commission, in the early '70s as President of the Canadian Pediatric Society
and Chief of Neonatal at the Grace General Hospital.
In
1975 he decided to run for office on the Frank Moores's team and was elected
as the PC MHA for St. John's South. From 1975 to 1979 he held the post of
Deputy Speaker, while concurrently heading to the Grace Hospital's
Department of Neonatology. In 1979 Premier Brian Peckford appointed Dr.
Collins to serve as the province's Minister of Finance and the following
year as President of Treasury Board as well.
Dr.
Collins later served as the province's Minister of Health and for a year, in
1988, as Deputy Premier until his retirement from political office in 1989.
Even after his retirement, and working privately in property management, he
continued to take an active interest in political life on the province's
stage and that he served so diligently for, for so many years and he
thoroughly enjoyed it.
Dr.
Collins was known and admired provincially, nationally and internationally
for his many enduring contributions. One can only estimate the impact of his
service, not only as a legislator and a minister, a merchant mariner, but
also as a cardiologist saving the lives of children. It's an incredible
legacy that he's left us, and a fine example to follow.
Mr.
Speaker, I respectfully ask that we honour his memory collectively as
Members of this hon. House and send our heartfelt sympathies to his family.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
The Commemoration
of the First World War and the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel
MR. SPEAKER:
Today for Honour 100, we
have the Member for the District of Exploits.
MR. DEAN:
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 Newfoundland Forestry
Corps. This will be followed by a moment of silence.
Lest
we forget: Edmund James Higgins, Silas Hilliard, Llewelyn Hillier, Alfred
Hiscock, Edmund Hiscock, John Hiscock, Samuel Hiscock, Edward John Hoare,
Charles Hobbs, Eliol Hobbs, John Hobbs, John Herbert Hockley, Stewart
Hodder, Ludwig Duncan Hoddinott, Samuel Hoddinott, William Hoddinott, Gerald
Hogan, Lucas Holden, Patrick Holden, Joseph Hollahan, Michael John Holland,
George Hollett, George Hollett, Albert Holloway, Robert Palfrey Holloway,
Aubrey Holmes, Samuel Mayo Hooper, Albert Horwood, Henry Horwood, Edgar
Hoskins, James Patrick Houlahan, Japheth Hounsell, George House, John House,
James John Howard, Arthur Howell, Thomas Howell, Joseph Hoyles, Obadiah
Hoyles, George Hudson.
(Moment of silence.)
MR. SPEAKER:
Please be seated.
Statements by Ministers.
Statements by
Ministers
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
pleased to rise in this hon. House to recognize today, April 27, as Daffodil
Day.
As
we know, April is Daffodil Month an important national fundraising
campaign by the Canadian Cancer Society. The campaign presents a tremendous
opportunity to raise funds and awareness to support individuals and their
families struggling with cancers and to fund research for a cure.
The
daffodil is a symbol of hope. It represents the strength and courage of
cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as the compassion of
volunteers and the commitment of researchers dedicated to eradicating these
diseases. The vibrant yellow colour also reflects the importance of optimism
in finding a cure.
In
2015, the Canadian Cancer Society estimated that there were 3,500 newly
diagnosed cases and 1,510 deaths due to cancers in Newfoundland and Labrador
alone. The daffodil serves as a strong reminder to those with cancer that
they are never alone in their struggle and that family, friends and
communities are always there when help is needed most.
Mr.
Speaker, I encourage all residents to get involved and to purchase and wear
the daffodil pin to show their support. Anyone who wishes to learn more
about Daffodil Month can visit the society's website at
www.cancer.com.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
want to thank the minister for providing an advance copy of his statement
again today. We join with the government in recognizing April as Daffodil
Month, particularly the 27th of April as Daffodil Day.
I
can tell you I'm very pleased and proud to wear a daffodil through most of
the month of April. We know that cancer has touched so many of us, each of
us in a different way. The daffodil is a representative and it's a symbol
that means something different to everyone.
Mr.
Speaker, statistics tell us that for women in Newfoundland, breast cancer is
the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer in 2015. An estimated 360 women
were diagnosed with breast cancer in that year, and approximately 100 lost
their battle with breast cancer.
So
while we recognize Daffodil Day and all the good and hope that it
represents, I'd be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to urge
government to reconsider its change in the provincial breast cancer
screening program.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. P. DAVIS:
These are cuts I'm sure
that cancer survivors would all agree is a step backwards.
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
too thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. Daffodil Day
is indeed an important fundraiser for us to support and it reminds us of the
tireless work of the Canadian Cancer Society, as well as reminding us of the
many people who support family members and others battling the disease.
I
remind the minister and his government that cancer patients suffer not only
from their illness but also from the financial burden of travelling for
treatment because of an inadequate medical transportation program, and now
they have the added burden of an extra cost of fuel.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
The
hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Mr. Speaker, our
government is investing $62 million this year in the Provincial Roads
Program, and this past Friday we announced the full list of projects for
this year and began to issue our tenders.
I'm
also pleased to inform my hon. colleagues, Mr. Speaker, that our government
has been successful in negotiating with the federal government changes to
eligibility criteria for cost-shared funding. Minimum traffic volumes for
example, have been reduced to better reflect the needs of our province and
allow a greater number of road projects to receive federal funding. Eligible
projects will be announced in the coming weeks.
Mr.
Speaker, the safety of our roads and highways is of a primary importance.
Our crews undertake critical work year-round through both the winter and
summer maintenance programs.
Our
government's budget ensures funding for these programs is maintained, along
with brush cutting and brush-clearing funding to help mitigate moose-vehicle
collisions, and we are making the necessary investment of $61.6 million to
support our heavy equipment fleet and snow and ice control operations on our
highways.
Mr.
Speaker, all of this represents a robust year for road construction and
maintenance that will benefit the construction industry and communities
throughout the province, while encouraging economic growth.
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 an advance copy of his statement. It's good news to
see we're getting more funding from the Building Canada Fund, I guess coming
from the cost-sharing ratios, the criteria being relaxed to get more
roadwork done. It's good to see someone over there lobbying the federal
government to try to get our fair share. Hopefully the Premier and the rest
of Cabinet will follow suit of the Minister of Transportation and Works.
Another point on the roadwork, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation
and Works released their road project last Friday with a list of roads to be
done and associated scores. We've been calling them on it, still calling for
the entire list, to see the scores for all the roadwork. Not just the ones
that were took from the master list and scored and then done. I'm looking
forward to getting some more details on the entire roadwork projects and
their scores.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. PETTEN:
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. His announcement
is all well and good but I say to the minister, is the safety of roads
really of primary importance to him? Why then choose a band-aid solution to
fixing the Conche Road his government is forcing children to travel twice
every school day? Why end 24-hour snow clearing which places people who are
forced out in storms to get to their work in harm's way? Primary importance?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
Oral
Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the Minister of Finance has provided no less than three different
explanations on how the Liberal levy will be collected from the citizens of
Newfoundland and Labrador. Most recently she is saying that the levy will
begin to be collected on paycheques in July, but as well she said the annual
expected levy amounts that the government will take in is only half this
year as what has been expected in a full year.
Mr.
Speaker, the message continues to change. I've received several requests
from citizens who are confused by the changing discussion, the changing
comments by the minister.
I
ask the Premier: The minister has confused people, can you clarify once and
for all how this levy will be collected?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, for the
Member opposite who I offered yesterday, and I'm sure he's going to take me
up on it after today, a technical briefing on how the deficit levy will be
collected. As I said yesterday, the levy will be collected
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. C. BENNETT:
through the
personal income tax collection process, the personal income tax process. It
is collected through withholding tax, as people pay their regular personal
income tax. Tax tables are issued July 1, and those tax increases are for
annual years.
If
the Member opposite, or any Members on the opposite side, would like to have
a technical briefing with officials we can certainly provide that. As we are
continuing to provide details and answers to our constituents' questions, we
can certainly help them provide those answers too.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's
the people of the province who are looking for answers. We're asking the
questions on their behalf, Mr. Speaker. It's the people who want to know
what the facts are. Maybe if they listened to the people of the province
they'd just scrap the levy like the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are
asking them to do.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, on NTV
Issues and Answers just a few days ago, last week, the minister said
that people will pay it next spring when they file their income tax returns.
Very different from what we're hearing from the minister today.
Surely she has analyzed the impacts on ordinary, hard-working, low- and
middle-income Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. People are at a loss of why
the message keeps changing. People believe they're making it up as they go
along.
I
wonder, Minister, can you answer the people of the province. Do you really
understand the impacts of your budget increases, your levy, your tax and
fees that people are being burdened with, the low- and middle-income
hard-working Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are being burdened with? Do
you really understand the impacts on their lives?
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, I
believe the person who doesn't understand, quite frankly, how the tax system
works and the budget, and who, I guess, continues not to be wanting a
technical briefing is the Member opposite.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. C. BENNETT:
This government has
made
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. C. BENNETT:
With your permission,
Mr. Speaker, after the heckling from the Members opposite, I will provide
the answer to the question.
Our
government undertook in this budget to implement the Newfoundland and
Labrador Income Supplement which makes sure that those individuals making
$40,000 or less actually have an offset to the tax increases. The Member
opposite clearly understands, as somebody who has been somebody who filed
taxes for many, many years, I'm sure, in his former careers that
individuals, when they are remitting personal income tax, can do it on a
weekly basis through withholding tax or they can pay it when they file their
tax return. They have those options as employees, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, the
condescending tone that continues to come from the minister opposite is
astounding. It's shameful the tone that comes from the minister opposite.
It's
people of the province who are asking for clarification. We're asking on
behalf of the people. I don't think she understands that, Mr. Speaker.
Today, we heard the Premier on province-wide radio this morning. He said he
will not listen to the people of the province.
I
say to the Premier, while you and your minister may live in a bubble, you
may be out of touch with the realities of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians
and the difficulties and challenges that they will face because of the
levies and fees that you're burdening with them. I can tell you, Mr.
Speaker, maybe the Members opposite don't understand that, but people are
struggling with the concept of the fees that they're going to have to pay in
the upcoming year.
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the Member to get
to his question.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Why did the Premier and
his caucus choose to attack hard-working lower- and middle-income families
leaving his friends alone? Mr. Speaker, what's your message to them who
can't afford to pay those fees and taxes?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, we have listened to quite a few Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and
what they are telling us is the future of our province is extremely
important to them. The former premier just mentioned about listening to
people. Well, I want to remind the former premier that it was the people of
this province he was willing to leave the next and future generations $2.7
billion more in a deficit this year.
So
if you want to talk about management and misplanning and poor planning in
our province, you need to reflect on some of your own decisions, I say. Our
job right now is to clean up your mess, that's what we're about to do, and
we will get this province back on track, right for future generations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Before I recognize the Leader of the Opposition, I'm asking all Members to
respect the order and decorum in the House, especially during Question
Period.
The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
appreciate that, and I wonder how many people during their consultations
told them to overburden the low- and middle-income hard working
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in our province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
How many of them said tax
us so far you're going to run us right out of town. Tax us so hard you're
going to run us right out of the province. How many Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians told them to do that, Mr. Speaker?
Well, yesterday the Premier talked about his relationship with the federal
government. He talked about his relationship with Ottawa. He said there's an
agenda of things that they're reaching out for. He said Newfoundland will
get its fair share. Well, that's contrary to what he said before when he
just said well, it is what it is. That's the approach this government has
taken when it comes to our federal government.
So I
ask the Premier: Will you table your agenda in the House and tell the people
of the province don't tell me once and for all give a straight answer,
what do you believe is the fair share for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, I want to address the early comment he made as he prepared for his
question. This is making sure we set and we put the province back on track.
In
2007 it was a previous administration that made a decision to reduce taxes
to the highest income earners in our province. That was your decision. You
had an opportunity to take care of low-income earners then, and you ignored
it. You took care of your buddies back at that time; let's not forget. Those
tax decreases cost this province nearly $4 billion, I say to the people that
are watching this today.
These are the things just last April when you missed and you just kicked the
fact that you owed over $300 million down the road on an equalization
overpayment. That is what you missed, and you signed an agreement for the
next 10 years. You did not ask the people of this province about that. That
was a decision you had made when you were the premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The
rhetoric continues, because again he didn't answer the question, Mr.
Speaker.
Yesterday he talked about 2007 well, Premier, this is 2016 and you're the
Premier today and the people of the province want to know what you're going
to do for them.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Where's the stronger
tomorrow that you promised? Where are the no losses in jobs that you
promised? Where are the no tax increases that you promised? Now, you also
said you got a great relationship with the federal government.
So,
I'll ask you again, and for once, give a straight answer: What do you
believe to be the fair share that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should
receive?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It
is 2016, and in 2016 and 2017 we will start cleaning up the mess that you
left this province in. I would say, Mr. Speaker, $27 billion in debt if we
did not take action. You should be ashamed to get up and tell the people of
this province and defend your actions.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
I'm
going to recognize the Premier to finish his question. I've stopped the
clock on the Premier's time to respond order and decorum.
The
hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Given the actions that we've taken in this budget, this puts us back to
really 2006 and 2007 tax levels in our province right now, back when you had
changed the tax levels too on the high-income earners in our province. So we
have gone back there. By the way, that includes the levy. We're very proud
that we've been able to put in place a $76.4 million Income Supplement so we
can help the most vulnerable.
These are difficult decisions, but these are decisions that are required
because you have left this province in a financial mess. It's just shameful
to listen to some of the comments that you hear defending your actions over
the past 12 years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the courthouse closed, the medical laboratory sciences program at
the college cancelled, upgrades to the hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor
shelved indefinitely, MCP and Home Heating Rebate office in Grand
Falls-Windsor restructured with many losing jobs; the residents and council
of Grand Falls-Windsor are outraged.
I
ask: How does the Minister of Transportation and Works justify
disproportionate cuts to his hometown, to the town he was hired to fight and
represent?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you for the question and representing the people of Grand
Falls-Windsor. We do have two MHAs who represent that area.
One
of the conditions of this particular budget, Mr. Speaker, that we've had to
face are tough decisions. The part of the decisions is trying to rectify
some of the, I guess, overspending that has happened in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, all of us, every Newfoundlander and Labradorian is going to be
faced with a challenge with this budget, and we understand that. However, I
think it is incumbent upon us as Members to make sure that we position this
province going forward not behind, going forward.
I
said before, Mr. Speaker, it's a sad situation. I have two grandchildren and
when we're spending more money on interest than we are on education, it's a
problem for me as a grandparent.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, 24-hour snow clearing has been eliminated, even though just a few
years ago Liberal Members opposite were asking for the program to be
expanded. Last night was a preview of what's in store for next winter for
people travelling at night on our provincial highways.
I
ask the Premier: Was this decision to put lives in danger made in
consultation with the entire caucus?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Mr. Speaker, I think the
Member opposite should know quite well what happens and how it works in
Transportation and Works when it comes to winter maintenance. We do have a
program in place. As of April 19, the Member would be quite aware of the
fact that our winter maintenance schedule finished for the year.
As a
result of that, Mr. Speaker, the normal course of action we do have
adverse weather conditions periodically in the spring. So what we have done
yesterday before I left the office, we were engaged in discussions because
we knew of the pending storm. What happened last night was the fact that we
did have a crew on this morning at 4:30 that we would have if there was not
the 24-hour snow clearing, which he would know would have ended about a
month actually before the regular winter schedule was over.
Mr.
Speaker, we were aware of it and we had our crews out this morning, and
we'll continue to do that on a needs basis.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
remind the minister I am quite aware of the policy. It's a good example of
what is in store for next winter, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. PETTEN:
What we seen last night
will be next winter. If Members opposite would have turned the radio on this
morning, Bull Arm workers were irate, four hours to get to St. John's from
work, and they were very upset and very vocal about the state of our roads.
This is an example of what we have in store for next year, Mr. Speaker.
I
ask the Minister of Transportation and Works: What's changed? Why are you
now prepared to put lives at risk?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Transportation and Works.
MR. HAWKINS:
Mr. Speaker, I'm appalled
at that type of response or question from the Member opposite. Nobody on
this side of the House wants to put people's lives at risk. We are safety,
number one, Mr. Speaker, and we are making sure
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. HAWKINS:
that we put safety number one;
however, there are certain restrictions in which we have to work with and
one of these is that there is a winter schedule in place that ended on April
19. What we are doing
AN HON. MEMBER:
Next year.
MR. HAWKINS:
Next year is another
year, Mr. Speaker; it is not right now.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. HAWKINS:
We will address the
situation as they arise, Mr. Speaker, and we will keep safety in mind as a
priority for us.
Mr.
Speaker, again, last night, we prepared yesterday afternoon to make sure
that there was a winter crew in place this morning. That's what we did. We
will continue to look after that for the people of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the Liberal 2016 budget included 650 full-time equivalent positions
would be eliminated. The Liberals are talking FTEs; we like to talk about
people. We are getting a lot of calls from public servants.
Can
the Minister of Finance let the people of the province know how many people,
actual positions, are impacted in core public service, how many Crown
corporations, boards and agencies by the reduction of the 650 full-time
equivalent positions in Budget 2016?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
As
we said when we announced the budget on April 14, the number of positions
and people inside the core government workforce was 125 people that would
have been impacted directly. Approximately 30 per cent of those would have
been management or non-union positions.
In
the agencies, boards and commissions, as we have continued to say, 450 of
those full-time equivalents would be affected. As we have said in the House
over the last number of days, pinpointing the exact number of people that it
might impact will be dependent on when the agencies, boards and commissions
operationalize those decisions.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Let's be clear, Mr.
Speaker, the people of the province want to know. You've indicated 450
full-time equivalents.
I'll
ask you: What does that equate to in job losses and reduction overall in
government? What's the number?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, I'm sure
as people listening at home would certainly appreciate, if the Member
opposite doesn't, there's a normal process in the collective bargaining
process that requires there to be bumping and other things to happen.
There's also when you look at what a full-time equivalent job is, when it's
actually scheduled, it can impact as little as a half-time position and it
can also impact a full-time position.
At
this point, until the agencies, boards and commissions implement the
decisions that have been made as part of Budget 2016, it would be
irresponsible of me to reflect any other number than the number we are
reflecting. Until the work is done and we know the exact number, we can't
provide information that is factually inaccurate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Mr. Speaker, how many
people, to date, has gotten notice that their position is terminated out of
650 full-time equivalents that you announced in the budget?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, the
numbers that were referred to in Budget 2016, the individuals that would
have been impacted in core government, they would be notified under the
normal notification process when the decisions were being operationalized in
each of those departments.
I
can certainly provide a number to the Member tomorrow of the exact number to
date, but as the decisions roll out over the next coming months, as the full
fiscal year unfolds, those decisions and notices would be communicated.
Certainly, we've been very transparent about the decisions that the
government is making and when those will be implemented with our employees
in the core public sector. Those individuals that work in the agencies,
boards and commissions, it would be the responsibility of those
organizations to let their teams know when they operationalize things.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
So
the minister doesn't know the answer. There will be more confusion, much
like the levy yesterday. Today, they've announced 650 full-time equivalent
positions. They don't know what position that equates to, how many it
equates to and they don't know who's been notified. So, again, confusion in
terms of executing a budget that she brought down.
Mr.
Speaker, in Estimates for Human Resources Secretariat the minister
indicated, as I said, 650 positions. The minister then stated that she
wasn't sure if they'd been notified.
I
ask the minister: How many of those folks have been notified in regard to
termination of their position to date?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, the
Members opposite continue to say things that are quite factually inaccurate.
I said to the Member in Estimates the exact same answer I'm giving him
today. If he chooses not to listen to it or he can't comprehend it, I can't
explain that to him.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
We have it right
there, Mr. Speaker. The answer she gave in Estimates made no more sense than
the one she gave today. She's answering questions for the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador that deserve to know. It's disgusting the tone.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Mr. Speaker, more
confusion. In Natural Resources Estimates, while the Minister of Natural
Resources acknowledged a reduction of staff in her department, she was
unable to confirm if those positions were part of the 650 full-time
equivalents that the minister announced. Here's more confusion.
I
ask the Minister of Finance: Are there cuts going on in line departments
over and above the 650 you announced in the budget, because no one over
there seems to know what's going on with it anyway.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, I'll
attempt to answer this question very slowly for the Member opposite. Budget
2016 impacted 125 people in the core government. In agencies, boards and
commissions there will be an impact on 450 full-time equivalents.
The
Member opposite last year in their budget made actions around attrition.
They're having difficulty understanding the attrition of their plan
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. C. BENNETT:
and the clarity of
the actions we've taken. Mr. Speaker, the actions that we've taken in this
budget, the 450 full-time equivalents, as well as the 125 people in core
government, we have been consistent and clear on.
Mr.
Speaker, I'll look forward to continuing to answer his questions.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition
House Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Well, let's talk about attrition, Mr. Speaker.
I'll
ask the Minister of Finance: Does she have a plan for attrition in 2016-2017
in the fiscal budget? If so, are the positions being removed or is just a
budget salary being removed for this fiscal year? I ask the minister.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, the
attrition program that was announced by the former administration and the
dollars that were taken out as part of that program continue to be removed
from the salary program. This year, that represents $91.4 million. Those
salaries were removed last year and they remain removed this year because,
quite frankly, this government can't afford $91 million to re-inject in
salaries.
What
is missing from the attrition discussion and the attrition plan that the
former government had in place was a full and comprehensive workforce plan
which we intend to build as part of our zero base budgeting, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The
MHA for Bonavista let it slip at a NAPE rally in Bonavista that the CNA
campus may close and that he is engaged with a committee to do everything he
can.
I
ask the minister: Can he provide clarity on what your Liberal plan is for
CNA Bonavista campus?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
I
need to recognize for the Broadcast Centre, the hon the Minister of Advanced
Education and Skills.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, I can
certainly clarify what the Member said because what he said in front of a
group of people, as he said constantly to me and to others, is that he wants
to make sure that Bonavista, his constituency has access to full services,
whatever can be done, and that the college is performing at its full
strength.
Mr.
Speaker, this hon. Member understands that when you work with a caucus, you
work with a government, you can get things done even in difficult times.
Now
I have conducted I have stated publicly that we will be conducting a
review of the college system because as we know, Mr. Speaker, on this side
we did not cut over $17 million from the budget of CNA as did the Members
opposite when they were in government while they were enjoying huge
surpluses.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. BYRNE:
What we did is we said,
do you know something? We're going to make sure that this college works to
its top function and that students
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So
from that response I now realize that there are cuts coming to the Bonavista
campus.
What
I do ask the minister: Can you tell me what other cuts you're planning to do
in other campuses in rural Newfoundland and Labrador?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The
hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, what we will
not do is cut over $22 million from a budget of over just approximately $85
million. This is what this government did, it cut and do you know what? We
did not close Springdale, as that government did.
One
thing we will not do is we'll not take erratic decisions without any
evidence. We will plan for a successful completion of academic studies for
all of our students. We'll make sure we use an evidence-based approach. What
we will not do is we will not spread innuendo, as this Member did on
Open Line saying I have received information that there are big cuts
coming to CNA, and then when I challenged him and said: You know something,
if you know there's big cuts coming, why don't you come on
Open Line and you talk about it?
He
was silent, because just as he's silent now
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. BYRNE:
he was silent back then
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. BYRNE:
and he has nothing to
say.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island, for a very quick question.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, I hope CNA doesn't get cut as much as the libraries did today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BRAZIL:
So, Mr. Speaker, taxes on
books are going up, libraries will close, schools are being closed and
teachers' jobs are gone.
I
ask: What is the Liberal plan for literacy and education in this province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, literacy is
a very, very important foundation to education. That's why we are investing
in adult literacy, that's why we are adopting the new technologies, making
sure that those that want to advance their literacy skills have access to
the programs and services that are required.
Unlike that former government, which just unilaterally cut Adult Basic
Education out of the College of the North Atlantic, we'll take a very
reasoned strategy. Things are changing, adaption to new technologies, people
are adapting to new technologies, times are changing. We'll adapt to those
times, but, Mr. Speaker, this former government adapted to the times by just
simply cutting while times were very, very good.
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.
The
fallout from the provincial government continues unabated as people of the
province realize the cumulative impact it will have on their household
finances.
I
ask the Premier: If prior to finalizing the budget, did this government
analyze the cumulative impact of all taxes, fees and levies on individuals
and families at various income levels?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes,
there was an analysis and information that was part of the budget process
that we adhered to. These were very tough decisions, and I'm sure the Member
opposite realizes, as has been already mentioned, with the climbing debt
servicing that was required in this budget.
Because of the tax measures, we are currently back to 2006 and 2007. That
includes the levies. We understand the impact of this. We've put in place
$76.4 million to help the most vulnerable in our society right now, in
particular our seniors, people with disabilities and low-income families. We
put in mitigating supports to help those people, Mr. Speaker.
These are difficult decisions that we had to make. I assure you we will
continue to monitor what's happening. This is a temporary levy. I will say
this again, it's temporary. When we roll this back, we will start with the
low-income earners.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for St. John's
East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
It
is shameful that the Premier is admitting that they he's saying that they
know how bad the impact was going to be in saying to people it's okay if
it's only temporary. You have a broken leg, don't worry, it doesn't get
fixed yet because it's temporary. That is shameful, Mr. Speaker. I cannot
believe the Premier admitted that in this House.
I
ask him: Did government do an analysis of the impact of the loss of over
half the libraries on the rural communities affected, as was announced
today. What was that analysis?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd
like to first thank the public libraries board for their difficult work.
These are people who have a passion for reading and for literacy. They're
volunteers. They voluntarily sit on the board and do the work that they have
to do.
It
became fairly obvious to me, shortly after being appointed to Cabinet, that
the library system in the province was undergoing a slow 'atrophication'. As
a result of the previous administration's tinkering and cutting and cutting
and cutting around the edges year after year, the system wasn't able to keep
up with wage increases and the sorts of expensive leases to the tune of
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. KIRBY:
hundreds of thousands of dollars that the previous administration foisted
onto the system. So we worked with the public libraries board
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. KIRBY:
to come up with a new regional model.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
ask the Premier: How many jobs will be cut by the library closures? Are they
included in the 650 public sector job cuts already announced or are they
additional?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There are approximately 60 positions affected in the libraries throughout
the libraries system. Over the next two years, as we transition to the new
regional system of libraries, that's how many positions will be affected.
They were reflected on the numbers that were provided to the public on
budget day.
These libraries that are now going to be closing because of the cutbacks
and the lack of investment in libraries over time were open an average of
about 18 hours a week, frequently between 9 to 5 when people who are working
were unable to access them. We're moving to an increased level of service on
a regional level where libraries will have a minimum level of service of 30
hours a week
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. KIRBY:
and additional
investment beyond that.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, can the
Premier explain why he is choking the life out of rural communities of the
province through the closure of libraries, on top of the closure of AES and
CYFS offices, schools and courts?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Before I speak the answer to the question to the Member opposite, I want to
address what her colleague mentioned about waiting for broken legs. Mr.
Speaker, I will tell you that is fear mongering at its best I have to say to
the Member opposite. That had nothing to do
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
with the decision or
the question that you were asking. I would say to the Member opposite
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
making suggestions and
fear mongering like that doesn't belong here.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
I've
stopped the time on the Premier for order and decorum.
The
hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We
are concerned about rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Many of the decisions
that have been made are to protect the future of our province. We will see
unprecedented amounts of debt servicing actually strip this public service
if we do not make those critical decisions that we've had to make today.
We
are concerned about what's happening in this province. I ask all Members
here to actually properly reflect what's in that budget and please stop the
fear mongering amongst Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The time for Question
Period has expired.
Before we move on with the proceedings for the day, there was a comment made
by the Member for Bonavista during Question Period. I ask the Member to
withdraw the statement.
MR. KING:
I withdraw, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Presenting Reports by
Standing and Select Committees.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
It
being Private Members' Day, we have time for one petition.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. PETTEN:
Bad back and all, Mr.
Speaker, I beat her. It's not easy to beat her to her feet.
Mr.
Speaker, I bring a petition to the House, I've brought it here on numerous
occasions and I'll bring it again today.
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 Conception Bay South area.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I've brought this up on numerous occasions. Many of my constituents
have very big concerns on policing and police presence in the district. Like
I said before, there is nowhere to show the RNC are anywhere near the
community, only when a police vehicle passes by. We used to have an office,
that was closed I believe last year or the year before.
I've
spoken to the town, and a lot of residents keep encouraging me to keep the
fight going. I think it's something we could work on to get some presence in
the community. It would be great to see a dedicated office with some
dedicated officers for my town. I know the residents are calling upon with
the level of crime. The need is there and I'll keep advocating for them.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
We
do have time for another petition, very quickly.
The
hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Mr. Speaker, I thank you
for the opportunity to present a petition in the 90 seconds remaining.
To
the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the seniors of our province deserve the greatest level of respect
and care; and
WHEREAS the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has a responsibility to
act in the best interest of our seniors; and
WHEREAS the government has decided to shut down Masonic Park Nursing Home
and reduce long-term care beds in the region;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to reverse its decision and not bring
undue hardship upon the residents of Masonic Park and find alternative
measures that will allow them to continue to stay at the place they call
home.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I know I literally have a moment here. The issue is not about the
state of the building at Masonic Park. In fact the real savings here is
going to be about operational savings because we are eliminating 18 jobs
from the long-term care system.
It
is really unfortunate for families and for residents, and I ask the
government once again to reconsider its position.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Orders of the Day
Private Members'
Day
MR. SPEAKER:
It being Private Members'
Day, I call on the Member for Bonavista to proceed with the motion.
MR. KING:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
sure I won't have to withdraw any statements I make in this and (inaudible).
I
bring forward a motion today, seconded by the Member for Terra Nova:
WHEREAS the First World War was a significant event in the history of
Newfoundland and Labrador; and
WHEREAS Honour 100 represents the provincial government's commitment to
commemorating Newfoundland and Labrador's First World War story and will
focus on significant anniversaries, legacy, education, provincial outreach
and research; and
WHEREAS as a province we will honour the sacrifices made by our veterans and
come together to commemorate the anniversary on July 1, engaging our young
people to learn more about the history that has shaped the place we call
home;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls upon all
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to join with the Government of Newfoundland
and Labrador to mark this centennial day and commemorate those brave men and
women participating in planned events at the National War Memorial and
community memorials throughout our province.
Mr.
Speaker, as all my colleagues here in the House of Assembly are aware, from
both sides of the House, many ideas come forward on the caucus meetings on
Wednesday. We all have our motions that we want to get forward. Not
everything can come to the table and this one here, I think, is very
appropriate. With July 1 and the 100th anniversary of Beaumont-Hamel quickly
approaching, it was decided that this PMR would come forward to mark the
significant part of Newfoundland and Labrador's history.
As a
14-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy, including deployments to
Afghanistan and off the coast of Libya, it's an honour for me to be asked by
my caucus colleagues to bring this PMR to the floor of the House of
Assembly. I'll just give you a little background on the First World War.
War
broke out on July 28, 1914, with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.
From the time the first 107 Royal Naval Reservist left St. John's on
September 6, to the end of the war in November 1918, nearly 12,000
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians enlisted in the Newfoundland Royal Naval
Reserve, Newfoundland Regiment, Newfoundland Forestry Corps and the Flying
Corps, as well as the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
With
a population of less than 250,000 people, this represented 35.6 per cent of
men between the ages of 19 and 35. Another 505 were known to have served in
the Merchant Marine. You take 35.6 per cent of Newfoundlanders between the
ages of 19 and 35, I mean that's a lot of the workforce that we had back
then; the fishermen, the farmers, the foresters. That was the heart and soul
of every community here in Newfoundland and Labrador. As well, many women
volunteered in nursing units for the Canadian and British forces.
So I
mentioned 107 Newfoundland Royal Reservists left St. John's on September 6,
and I'm very proud to say that my grandfather, Archelaus King, was one of
those 107 that left St. John's, September 6, 1914. He had joined the
Newfoundland Royal Reserve in 1913 and he was immediately called up.
So,
of those 107, all of them went to HMCS
Niobe, which was a Canadian ship. So Newfoundlanders, because we were
our own sovereign state at the time, stepped up and helped Canada fulfill
her complement. The Niobe being
the first Canadian ship patrolled the Eastern Seaboard protecting our
coastlines. After that, he served the rest of the war with the British Royal
Navy.
I
was going to talk a little bit about the recruitment of the first 500, but
my colleague here for Virginia Waters Pleasantville is going to speak much
more on that because he's got a distinguished background with the Church
Lads' Brigade here in St. John's. So I'm going to leave that up to him.
One
stat I want to take, and I'm not going to get into the details because
you're going to do a good job on that, but within four days of the war being
called, the Newfoundland and Labrador government committed to raise 500
soldiers. So that's what we call the first 500, the Blue Puttees. On August
22, 1914, the call for volunteers went out. Within days, 355 showed up,
two-thirds from the cadets brigades. By September 26, a month later, we had
over 1,000. So that's amazing in that short an amount of time to get them
all from all over the place.
What
we're commemorating this year on July 1 is the Battle of the Somme at
Beaumont-Hamel. So the Battle of the Somme occurred from July 1, 1916, to
November 18, 1916. Allied forces were spread way too thinly for the initial
offensive, and on the first day of battle the British army suffered 57,000
casualties, and 20,000 were killed. So as part of the British Empire, the
Royal Newfoundland Regiment was part of those forces.
Over
1 million casualties were suffered on all sides over the course of the
battle. So you take a four-month battle, a million people's lives were gone.
That's a staggering statistic that I hope we never see again and being
someone who's been in foreign countries and seen the devastation of war, I
certainly don't want to see it again.
So
there's no clear winner. You fought for a metre here, a metre there, but the
plurality of historians believe that the battle gave the allied leaders
confidence that they could beat the Germans with their new tactics.
Noteworthy within the Battle of the Somme, this is the first time that
armoured tanks were used. Cars were only prevalent within the last 15 years
to having an armoured tank which can fire a weapon, that's a big milestone.
Getting back to the Newfoundland Regiment, on the first day of the Battle of
the Somme the Newfoundland Regiment faced a devastating loss. We've all
heard the stories that affect every community here in Newfoundland and
Labrador. One hundred and eight members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
went over the top, marching on to German lines. Only 68 answered the roll
the next morning; 324 men were killed or missing; 386 were wounded; all
officers were either killed or wounded.
I
was an officer in the Navy and the officer is where you give all your
commands, and that's a big loss of leadership that we had there. That caused
us as the Royal Newfoundland Regiment not to be able to return to battle
until October of that year. At the time it was just the Newfoundland
Regiment, after the battle, a few years down the road, it was given the
royal designation which it currently holds today.
Within the District of Bonavista there are a couple of things I want to
mention. I want to talk about the Coaker's Recruits and I also want to talk
about the Great War Living History Committee, which is formed out of
Elliston and does numerous events throughout the year.
Everyone knows that William Ford Coaker was the founder of the Fishermen's
Protective Union in Port Union. He was antiwar, but he saw the need to
provide soldiers for the battle to protect our realm, I guess, England's
realm.
I'm
going to read a quote: Let England's hour of necessity come, and she will
find in Newfoundland 20,000 of the primest warriors ever born, ready to do
or die. That day is yet far off and the Colony's chief duty now is to put
her house in order and arrange things so that in event of the hour of
necessity arising Terra Nova's sons will be strong and healthy and prepared
to meet the foe. Half-starved men will be useless as fighters. Thousands
through the failure of the fishery will have to fight starvation, an enemy
fifty times more dreaded than the Germans on the field of battle or the
seas. That was Coaker's concern, if we take too many people from our rural
population that it would have a devastating effect on the long-term
sustainability of rural Newfoundland.
What
he did was he decided that he will recruit soldiers. They'll play their part
and keep rural Newfoundland active, providing the fishery that was vital to
long-term sustainability for Newfoundland and Labrador, keeping our families
supported.
in 1917, he voted for a conscription (mandatory enlistment)
bill. He even went so far as to actively recruit from the Fishermen's
Protective Union. Sixty-nine young men, who became known as 'Coaker's
Recruits
.'
Every Remembrance Day the Coaker Foundation of Port Union tends to have soup
and sandwiches after their Remembrance Day ceremony in Catalina. The Coaker
Recruits are highly prevalent there.
I
also want to talk about the Great War Living History Committee. That was
formed locally by some interested parties in the Elliston area, but it's
grown outside of that. The purpose of the Great War Living History Committee
is to raise awareness of World War I on the Bonavista Peninsula, from
Bonavista to Port Blandford, in the Member for Terra Nova's district.
What
they have is a Mobile Interpretation program. They have recreated a history
and weapons display. They have a replica trench on the Elliston Highway.
They educate people on symbolism and identification through their displays,
and they have old equipment.
They
are very, very active in the community. They're dressed like World War I
soldiers. They go out on Remembrance Day and Memorial Day. They're busier
than anyone else on the peninsula. They will drive from one end to the other
just to raise awareness of World War I and to commemorate the 100th
anniversary.
My
time is winding down here now, but I just want to talk a little bit about
what's going on here in Newfoundland and Labrador in the upcoming weeks and
months as we mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme at
Beaumont-Hamel. At The Rooms and I would suggest that everyone go there
and I'm looking forward to actually going up and seeing the display they
have an Honour 100 exhibit.
We're encouraging people to attend memorial services, including the National
War Memorial here in St. John's. I'll be attending and presiding over a
ceremony in Catalina. We have a visit which the Minister of Business,
Tourism, Culture and Rural Development brought forward yesterday. We have a
visit from Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal. She's the Royal
Newfoundland Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief and she's going to be participating
in the commemorative events for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the
Somme on July 1.
I
can speak, because I've met her in Afghanistan. She's a wonderful person,
very supportive of troops, and very supportive of the history of the First
World War and our contributions to that at the Battle of the Somme and
Beaumont-Hamel.
I
spoke briefly on it. I'm sure other people are going to talk quite a bit
more, but I would encourage all of my colleagues here today to give
unanimous support to this initiative. I think it's important we recognize
the sacrifices made in the past by those who lost their lives during the
World War. We do it every day that the House is open. My friend from the
District of Exploits read 40 names of the roll of the 1,600 who lost their
lives.
I'm
going to finish up, Madam Speaker, and I'm going to let someone else take
over. I encourage everyone to support this private member's resolution.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER (Dempster):
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay South.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
It's
a pleasure to get up, actually, and speak on this private member's motion. I
thank the Member for Bonavista for bringing it forward.
I
had the fortune in being part of when Honour 100 was established in my
previous work with the former minister of that department. So it is a
pleasure to get up, and I commend the government for continuing on with this
Honour 100. As we all know, it's something we can never forget. It's a part
of each and every one of us right across the world.
Newfoundland has a special there's something special about Newfoundland
when you come to what happened in Beaumont-Hamel, the Royal Newfoundland
Regiment. We have a great history of service in the war and it's something
that we should never forget.
Madam Speaker, speaking of World War I, I had the pleasure of actually
travelling to Beaumont-Hamel in 2010. I attended the July 1 celebration we
shouldn't say a celebration, but it is, I guess. Now it's become it's a
very sombre event, but it is honouring the dead. It's honouring what our
Newfoundland did in the Battle of the Somme.
While there, I had the privilege of travelling on the Trail of the Caribou,
which was a great experience. July 1, I read on the news the other day it's
a school trip for one was cancelled but my daughter is planning on still
attending the July 1 celebration, and I encouraged her to do that. It's very
important I think for those who never had the privilege to do it
if you ever have the opportunity, everyone should try to do it. It's
a very moving experience.
I
didn't know how it would affect you; you go there and you say well, this is
a yearly thing. You know it's a somber moment but when you do actually
attend, it moves you in a different way. It affects you. It's all roped off
out there. I mean those people never ever got a burial. They were battling.
They were fighting at war. It just shows you the casualties of war and how
brave these people were and how big a tragedy Beaumont-Hamel was for
Newfoundland and Labrador.
During our time there we did travel to the Trail of the Caribou, so you went
to the various monuments. Once again, I had the privilege of going into
Belgium. There is an archway there and it commemorates all the war's dead
who were never given a proper burial. The King of Belgium I guess it's
pretty well been ongoing now since World War I. His words apparently were
that these people were never given a proper burial and they come from all
over the world to defend us, so
the only way for us to show our thanks is 8 o'clock every evening and this
is something that I guess it is job to fathom it, but it's true. I believe
it was interrupted one time, one day.
Every day, 365 days a year, 8 o'clock every evening there is a ceremony in
this archway. It is an archway right through the main street through the
city in Belgium. Every name of every person that they could look up is
etched into this concrete, it is engraved, their name and their rank and
whatever country they were from. I took pictures. There is no one would
believe you; it is mindboggling, the names, there is that many people. It's
incredible.
We
went there. It started at 8 o'clock and we looked at the thing and it said 8
o'clock it starts, so it was about 7:40. When we went in, there were
probably four or five people around there and I was thinking this starts in
15 minutes. I was kind of lost. I didn't understand how it worked. Vehicles
were going back and forth. At 8:00 o'clock I actually took another picture
because it was incredible. There were about 1,500 people there, everything
stops, the traffic stops and the buglers start playing. I have to say I've
talked to others, Beaumont-Hamel is very moving and special because it's
Newfoundland and it's a very big part of who we all are.
That
was arguably one of the more moving experiences I've ever experienced in my
life. Can you imagine anywhere else in Canada and Newfoundland, for us to
stop our daily events every evening for 20 minutes to celebrate something
that happened 100 years ago? It's sad, but I think we'd have trouble finding
the dedication of doing anything repeatedly, seven days a week, 365 days a
year. It was an incredible experience. I've talked to others that have
actually gone there and witnessed that. They, too, said the same thing. It
was quite a moving experience.
The
former curator, he used to work at Beaumont-Hamel for years. His father
before him is just a friend of mine. Actually, it was recently discussed. He
always used to make the reference, that's just as moving but it's from
soldiers all over the world, Britain, the US, everywhere. For everything to
stop, I think that's the thing. This city is just a very busy, beautiful
city and you stop everything. Everyone stops and respects. It lasts about 20
minutes and there is a wreath laying every evening. Then when they finish,
by 8:30 everyone goes back to normal. Their life goes on until 8 o'clock the
next evening.
So I
felt very privileged to have that opportunity to actually go there and
experience and witness that. In the following years after our government,
the former government decided to through the hard work of people within
the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and recreation, I think that's
the name anyway. They're a great group of staff over there that are working
on this Honour 100.
It
was a great privilege to actually have that experience. It gives you a
different, unique feeling for it. They're doing great work and I want to
commend them as well because sometimes they get lost in the shuffle. We say
the word Honour 100 and sometimes we forget about the people that are behind
the scenes that are making this happen. I think they're doing fabulous work;
they're a great bunch. This July 1, the 100th anniversary of Beaumont-Hamel
coming up, I'm expecting it's going to be quite the event.
Madam Speaker, we talk about Honour 100 and we tend to go back to
Beaumont-Hamel, which is fair enough. It is 100 years that we're
celebrating. There were a lot of other wars that happened outside the Battle
of the Somme. We sometimes forget I go to Remembrance Day ceremonies. I go
to one religiously up in my own district. I've said to my daughters we go
down there on November 11 and we pay tribute, or if you go July 1, of
course, it's to honour Beaumont-Hamel.
I
think people go down and pay their respects but they never really
understand. It's sad that people don't we do that once a year. We should
be thankful pretty well every day of the year because our lives would be
probably totally different if not for those people who fought for our
freedom years past.
I
think our schools are doing a great job on educating our students of the
importance of the war and our history. They can only read about it in books
but I've noticed there has been a lot more change in our curriculum to
include and to teach our children how important it is to never forget. As we
all know, a lot of veterans from those wars are getting less and less every
year. We should never forget. We should keep their memory alive for as long
as possible.
Events like Honour 100 is a great example that we can do that. I encourage
government, and I encourage everyone, when we get through the Honour 100
celebrations we should continue on. We'll have a celebration and we'll
remember but I think there's something, some little thing we could do.
We
always say we do things, but I think we sometimes miss the point of just how
important and how tremendous what those men did. You look at 68 people
answered the roll call the next morning. You go down and you see all their
names engraved on a plaque, it's amazing. Sixty-eight answered, that's
incredible.
We
all know the history. It was a miscue on a flare from the German forces. It
was miscued thinking the British said that it was good to go. It was a
terrible tragedy. It's something that is carried with us for a long time.
If
you go there, go into Beaumont-Hamel, it's a piece of Newfoundland in the
South of France. It's incredible, actually. It's maintained impeccably. It's
all Newfoundland. Like I said, I can't say it enough. It was a great
experience. It was something I'll cherish for the rest of my life and
hopefully I'll get around to doing it again.
Madam Speaker, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment earned its royal description
encouraging blood, I guess is the best way to describe it. Again, how could
you ever forget something like that?
Speaking of forgetting, I'd probably be remiss not to make note, up in my
district we had a war memorial. It was down in the Topsail area. You would
get small groups go every year. It was kind of just tucked away off a road,
it wasn't really kept well. A local group, the Legion and Mr. Wayne Miller,
spearheaded to building a new war memorial. He was a veteran and he felt we
weren't honouring our veterans in an appropriate manner.
Madam Speaker, if you ever come to CBS now and you go to Long Pond, you'll
see one of the most beautiful war memorials anywhere to be found. It's
incredible. Every November, May, or any special events of provincial
remembrance, we get anywhere from probably 2,000, 3,000 people go to attend
these. That was never the way before. It's a real tribute. It's a tribute to
them and their commitment. It wasn't easy to get funding for that sort of
thing. It's not a dedicated funding pot for that sort of thing, so I need to
commend Mr. Miller and the Legion for their commitment to it.
One
point I'll make about that memorial. Last year they had it, they have
soldiers there but they have a female soldier, which brings us to the
reality of today's war battles. It's no longer all men; we have women in our
forces too. It was a great addition. If I'm not mistaken, I wouldn't be
quoted, but I think it's one of the only memorials around that has an actual
bronze statue of a female soldier. So I thought that was a great addition
and it was well thought out by the committee.
Also
in my district, Madam Speaker, the Kiwanis Club are presently doing a Tommy
Ricketts Park. It was news to me actually. I only found out a couple of
years back that the land the Kiwanis Club of Kelligrews actually occupies
was owned by the Ricketts Family. I've lived there all my life but I never
knew that story. I guess they did their research and whatnot. That was
donated to them for a swimming pool and playground.
They've started it and they're doing a lot of good work. They're getting
federal funding. They have a small bit of provincial. They're going to turn
it into the Tommy Ricketts Park. I think it's going to be a great addition
to it. I'm proud to have it in my district, but I think it's a great
remembrance to what as we know, Tommy Ricketts, everyone in this room
should know Tommy Ricketts and what he did. He's a great soldier.
We
look around that's just in my district and we can go right across. All
hon. Members have, I'm sure, in their districts they have their way of
remembering.
AN HON. MEMBER:
The Rooms.
MR. PETTEN:
What?
AN HON. MEMBER:
The Rooms.
MR. PETTEN:
The Room, yes. The Rooms
are a great example.
There's one thing too you say, because we could tell the story of war, but
we all know what the end result was. It's tragic. I want to focus my time
more on the effects the Royal Newfoundland Regiment had and our
Newfoundlanders had and the effect of the war.
While in France, Madam Speaker, I went to this church. I am not really the
religious type, but it was kind of this massive church. I said I must go in
and have a look. Curiosity led me it seemed a lot of tourists were going
in there. I was amazed. We walked down. Again, it was massive it's an
actual crypt. I don't know what the size was, but fairly big and it is all
(inaudible). It's a monument to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. So when you
go down to Arras, I believe is the name of the town anyway
AN HON. MEMBER:
Amiens.
MR. PETTEN:
Amiens it is, actually.
It's this church tucked away. It's a beautiful, beautiful building and you
got a monument, you got a section there for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
down in France. It kind of goes, wow.
When
you travel on the Trail of the Caribou, there is respect, that's them
Newfoundlanders, that's their way of thanking you. I know we went to
again, I'm lost on the name of the community. I shouldn't be, but it's
outside of Belgium. One of their
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible).
MR. PETTEN:
You got her.
Anyway, one of their highest ranking officials came out to take part in that
moment, those prayers at that monument, and they're still so thankful. You
go there, almost like you're walking they have so much appreciation and
honour for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and for Newfoundlanders and
Canadians alike, but a special place for Newfoundlanders.
As
my time is winding down now, Madam Speaker, I just want to say, once again,
I want to thank the Member for Bonavista for his private Member's motion. I
want to encourage all Members of this hon. House to never forget the
importance of what our ancestors did for us to make our lives what they are
today. Outside of November 11 and any other day, we should always remember
and never forget the important value of what they did, and we shall always
be very thankful and remember that.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member
for Virginia Waters Pleasantville.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. B. DAVIS:
Madam Speaker, the events
of the First World War have left a permanent stamp on Newfoundland and
Labrador society. Every region of our province, every community lost people.
We celebrate their memory and sacrifice each year, and we are justifiably
proud of them.
From
community to community young men enlisted, many of whom were too young to
enlist but answered the call for king and country. They travelled across the
Atlantic Ocean; many travelling abroad for the first and the last time. They
gave their lives in the service of the greater good, for the freedom of our
province. These men helped secure the future for all who reside in our
province, and we are forever thankful for their sacrifice.
Even
though the province has not possessed any formal military organization since
1970, 538 men soon volunteered, which enabled them to enlist a whole
battalion to be formed and later maintained throughout the war. It was our
great moment. It was a moment when we showed the entire world our courage,
our willingness to stand alongside our allies and fight. It was a moment
that defined Newfoundland and Labrador, the character we have, and it is a
moment that we will continue to look back on for inspiration and guidance.
I'm
pleased to rise in this House today to speak to the private Member's
resolution brought forward by my hon. colleague regarding the Honour 100.
It's important that we continue to remember the sacrifices of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians during the First World War and it is
equally important that we pass these memories on to future generations.
That's why initiatives like the Honour 100 are so, so very important.
The
list of programs funded by the Honour 100 span the entire province. Each
project is uniquely suited to commemorate the province's role in the First
World War in a diverse and meaningful way and create a legacy that reaches
long beyond the commemorative period.
Applicants like municipalities, community groups, arts organizations,
not-for-profit and heritage organizations and performing arts companies, all
applied for funding. This is truly a diverse cross section of the many
organizations that helped make Newfoundland the vibrant community it is.
The
list of funded projects include I'm not going to go through them all
because there is a lot the Bowring Park Foundation, Lighting the Way here
in St. John's; Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial Show in Cow Head;
the Church Lads' Brigade, Where Once They Stood show for Beaumont-Hamel in
St. John's; the Town of Gaultois, Storyboards in Gaultois; Conception Bay
Museum, the First World War Commemorations in Harbour Grace; Trinity
Historical Society, Exhibit: Honouring Our Own in Trinity; Stephenville
Cultural Development, a play production
The Christmas Truce in
Stephenville; as mentioned previously by the Member for CBS, the CBS Parks
Commission, the Tommy Ricketts Memorial Park in CBS. I'd like to add also
he's a former CLB boy and the youngest Victoria Cross recipient in our
province's history.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. B. DAVIS:
The Town of Carbonear,
Legacy Musical Drama piece in Carbonear. Those are just a few of the
highlights right across our province and there are many, many more.
We
stand in this House and read a list of names into the historical record, but
they are much more than names, they're a reminder of these individuals'
immortality. Our province lost nearly a full generation of young men. They
died fighting for king and country. It's easy for us to remember them in a
poetic and idealized way, but it's important that we also recognize the
horror and misery of trench warfare in Europe.
These brave Newfoundlanders and Labradorians had to endure poisonous gas,
toxic living conditions, mechanized death and destruction on a scale the
world had not yet seen at that point. Their deaths were horrible and almost
unimaginable, but that's the important part of remembering. We have to
believe that by remembering the horror these soldiers experienced, we
improve the chances of avoiding a repeat of a global conflict of that scale.
That's why I'm glad that we are serious about commemorating their sacrifice.
That's why I'm pleased to speak to this resolution today. I'd like to
recount some history for you here today, just so we remember the extensive
sacrifice these men made.
On
September 20, 1915, the regiment landed in Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli
Peninsula where the British Corps and the Australian and New Zealand Army
Corps, or ANZAC, had been attempting to seize control of the Dardanelle
Strait from Turkey since they first landed on the 25th of April. Thirty
soldiers of the regiment were killed or mortally wounded in action. Ten died
of disease, while 150 were treated for frostbite and exposure.
Despite the terrible conditions, the Newfoundlanders stood up well. When the
decision was made to evacuate all British Empire forces from the area, the
regiment was chosen as part of the rear guard finally withdrawing from
Gallipoli with the last of the British troops on January 9, 2016.
As
mentioned by my colleague from Bonavista, and mentioned so eloquently well.
The regiment suffered great losses on the 1st of July, 1916. This is when
they attacked in Beaumont-Hamel and the Battle of the Somme. Some 790
officers and men of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were called into action.
Of these, no fewer than 272 lost their lives. A further 11 officers and 427
men were wounded, making in total, in all 710 of the 790.
When
you think about numbers like that, it is absolutely amazing the contribution
Newfoundland has made to the war effort at that point. In recognition of the
unit's valour during the Battles of Ypres in 1917, King George V bestowed
the Regiment with the prefix Royal, and on the 28th of September, 1917,
renaming them as the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
It
is interesting to note that Sir Douglas Haig, a Commander-in-Chief of the
British forces, said of the Newfoundland Regiment, Newfoundland may well
feel proud of her sons. The heroism and devotion to duty they displayed on
the first July has never been surpassed.
As I
mentioned, the CLB was part of the Honour 100 program with the Spirit of
Newfoundland company performing the play
Where Once They Stood. The CLB
actually played a role in the forming of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
The
former building that burned down in 1992 was headquarters for the
recruitment training of the command, given free of charge to the government
of the day. The existing archway, which was saved after the fire, was
preserved as a memorial for all those that marched underneath headed off to
war.
The
first man that enlisted in the Regiment was Leonard T. Stick, a CLB boy. Of
the first 500, 108 CLB Members answered the call.
My
colleague from Bonavista also mentioned that they were called the Blue
Puttees, and that's an interesting story as well. They didn't have the
khaki-coloured puttees, as they're called, to outfit them but the CLB had
blue coloured ones. We gave them to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. So they
became known as the Blue Puttees. It's a fitting piece of history that we
had the opportunity to be part of.
The
Trail of the Caribou and the ambassador's program, for example, are ways we
pass on these memories to our next generation. There's no substitute for
actually being there in France and seeing those overgrown trenches and
mortar craters, and looking across no man's land at the exact spot where
those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians died. The hon. Member for CBS
mentioned that earlier as well.
All
of the children who have been lucky enough to go on this pilgrimage will
bring back these experiences and memories. They'll keep them for a lifetime.
This will ensure that the flame of remembrance stays alive in our youth. I
can't applaud this initiative enough.
I
also applaud the initiative to create a permanent addition to The Rooms
collection. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Gallery will be a tremendous
addition to what is already a vital institution of preserving and promoting
our cultural legacy.
I'm
looking forward to taking part in the events leading into the July 1
anniversary at The Rooms. I think it's a testament to how important events
of 1916 were that Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal will be here to
unveil this permanent exhibition. The United Kingdom does not forget the
sacrifices that we made on behalf of them some 100 years ago. I'm glad they
continue to demonstrate that.
I'll
wrap up my remarks by again stating that our participation in the First
World War was our defining moment as a people. When war broke out, over
6,000 individuals enlisted. Just think about what a huge percentage of our
population that would have been at the time.
Almost 12,000 answered the call to serve in the war in various regiments;
too many of those never came home. We owe it to their memory and to the
collective memory at this moment in our history to remember their sacrifice
and to commemorate it every way we can.
That's why I'm happy to stand in this House to support this private Member's
resolution, Honour 100. I ask my hon. colleagues on both sides of the House
to do the same.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER (Dempster):
The hon. the
Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
It
is, indeed, an honour to get up and speak to this private Member's
resolution. I do want to thank the Member for Bonavista for putting this
forward.
This
is very significant, not only because it's the 100th anniversary of the
battle of Beaumont-Hamel, but because it's an opportunity for all of us in
this House to acknowledge all of those who serve in any level in the
military. It also gives us an opportunity to reflect on how Newfoundland and
Labrador became internationally known for people who stand up for the rights
of individuals, people who put their own safety forward first for the
protection of their citizens. This is a great opportunity for us to get up
and talk about the Honour 100 celebration.
This
whole focus is around education. It's around identifying our culture. It's
around paying homage and respect to particularly those who signed up during
World War 1. Those young men who decided they were willing to sacrifice
their lives in a lot of cases, and going to a foreign land, having no real
understanding of exactly what it was they were facing. Taking the adventure
that was part of it, no doubt about it, but obviously it had to be a very
fearful situation.
Unlike my hon. colleague over there, I never served in the military, and I
have the utmost respect for those who do and some regret, one day I would
have hoped that I had been able to do it. But no matter what level you
served in the military, no matter to what degree you travel around this
world, homage and respect has to be paid to every veteran that ever served.
I've
had the privilege of knowing hundreds of friends of mine, even members of my
family who I'll talk about later on, who have military backgrounds, and the
ultimate respect around their ability to stand for what's right. Their
ability to say I will do what has to be done. Their ability to conform to a
set of rules and regulations that are put there so not only the public's
safety is in the best interest, but their safety when they serve.
So I
want to note that, because I know from our own caucus here the respect for
all veterans is very important. As we look at
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BRAZIL:
As we look at the Honour
100, it's a great opportunity in this province for us to acknowledge exactly
what's gone on. I think what's happened over the last couple of years and
I know what will happen this year and go on until the commemorative service
to 1918 to 2018 is completed is about educating our young people, giving
them a real understanding and a real move forward to not letting it die
after a 100th anniversary.
Centennials are always important, we can always play them up, but the
importance here is to remember what went on. We all know the sacrifices that
were made were about trying to prevent war. This wasn't about going out to
fight; this was about trying to prevent future conflicts.
So
many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians at the time, young men, signed up for
that ultimate purpose. Some, unfortunately, gave the ultimate sacrifice with
their lives. Others lived a life of turmoil afterwards because of the
anguish they had faced and the things they had seen.
Most
came back, if you talk to a lot of them and I know, and I'll talk about it
a little bit later. My family members who came back didn't want to talk
about it all. It was something they did because it was the right thing to
do. It was something they had to do. But at the end of the day, there was no
glory in it. There was no honour in having to take the life of another
individual, or seeing your buddy die unfortunately. What it was about was
doing the right thing. So many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians did that.
We
have the ability this summer, particularly on July 1, to pay that homage. I
know many schools that I've dealt with in my district are putting programs
in place around the education process. They've had fairs around Honour 100.
They've selected students who are going to go to Beaumont-Hamel for that
anniversary. It's a great opportunity to really educate our young people
about what this is all really about.
When
we look at exactly where our province has come from, somebody once said
while it may not have been our finest hour in a military battle, it
definitely was our defining one because the men who sacrificed that day knew
what they were sacrificing for. They knew they were standing up for
something that was important, for their families at home, for their
comrades, for their commonwealth and for the freedom of people in this great
world of ours.
I
want to acknowledge, too, while this is the 100th anniversary of the
Beaumont-Hamel it's also the 90th anniversary of the Legion movement in the
world, particularly the Canadian Legions also. We need to reflect on the
reason why Legions were established; 90 years ago, a group of
community-minded individuals and some veterans had come back and realized
there were some veterans coming back with some issues that needed to be
addressed, some supports they needed. There were other veterans who didn't
come back, yet their families needed some supports and needed to have a
place where they could go and feel wanted and feel secure.
The
Legions were set up 90 years ago to do a multitude of things: to address
people's health issues; people came back wounded and still needed health
issues. Those days there wasn't a big process around pensions. There wasn't
a lot of notoriety given from a medical point of view for the veterans
themselves. So the community came together, a community of veterans came
together and their families and their friends and the municipal leaders and
came together and said we need an organization that supports those that gave
so many sacrifices for the people here.
I am
happy to say that the 90th anniversary is this year and in June, an
international conference will be held here in St. John's to acknowledge the
Legion's participation in supporting veterans, their participation in
educating all of our citizens about what veterans do and what they
sacrificed and the importance of supporting them. They also look at ensuring
that veterans are included within the community and that the community are
included in the activities that veterans themselves take a leadership role
on.
It's
an honour particularly in this year to have the 90th conference being held
in Newfoundland and Labrador and here in St. John's. I know the new
Convention Centre will be open and a thousand-plus delegates from all over
the world will be here to look at exactly what the Legions have done. No
doubt, there will be heavy discussions. I know our delegation here in
Newfoundland and Labrador will outline exactly what Beaumont-Hamel was all
about, what Honour 100 is all about and how we remember and acknowledge
those people who served from this great province of ours.
I'm
looking forward to attending that. I know a number of my colleagues in the
Legion and I have the honour of being an associate member of the Legion in
Newfoundland and Labrador because members of my family were ex-veterans. I
look forward to that and I know there's a great opportunity for all of us in
this House of Assembly to attend that, to attend the multitude of services
they're going to provide, the multitude of educational workshops they'll
have.
I
encourage anybody if you haven't, go on the Canadian Legion's website, look
at the offering there and if you want to register for it or if you want to
take in one of the workshops, what a great opportunity. I know the
Newfoundland delegation will be offering some great insight into veterans in
this province, particularly going back to the Honour 100.
I
also would like to talk a little bit about some of the other programs and
services that Legions are offering here to ensure that veterans are healthy.
There are a number of services around mental health. There are a number of
services about counselling for families. There are a number of services
about even employment initiatives. There are a number of services around the
skill sets, keeping in mind every veteran that comes back, who retires from
the military and gets discharged, they have an unbelievable skill set. They
were all trained in various components of whatever their skills may be. All
are leaders in their own right, so we need to tap that. We need to tap that
energy. We need to use that in our school system for educating our students,
for engaging them.
We've already started the process of Honour 100. Students are now very aware
of what the military is all about, what veterans are all about, what they
represent. We need to tap that. We need to use it better. We need to make
those partnerships between veterans and our young people in our communities.
I know we've come a long way and I want to give a hats off to Legions for
particularly doing that.
I
know we've paid a lot of acknowledgement to those who've served in recent
years, and rightfully so. In the last number of years our country has been
involved in a number of conflicts. If you look at it, the ratio of number of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are in the military are higher than any
other province. That's a testament to the quality of the people we have here
who serve, what they stand for and what they want to represent.
I
mentioned earlier about the whole process of those who left 100 years ago
and who signed up. These were people who came from every background. They
were business people in their own right. They were sons and daughters of
educators. They were sons and daughters of politicians. Don't forget, there
were females who may not have fought in Beaumont-Hamel who did obviously
have a very important role in the military battles that we had in World War
I and supporting those veterans, very much so. Families played a big role,
women played a big role and the soldiers themselves played a big role.
I
want to talk about some of the important things that are going on now that
we need to acknowledge. We need to acknowledge that our students now are
very aware of what's happening. We need to acknowledge we're sending
delegations to Europe. But I think what's going to be amazing, and I had a
close working relationship when a number of things happened, it's the
reception they're going to get in Europe. There's a reason they'll get that
reception. It's because of what our forefathers did. What they represented
over there and the spirit that people have and the respect they have for
Newfoundland and Labrador.
It's
going to be great to see so many students understand that connection. The
monuments over there are second to none, you'll see that. You'll see a lot
of these towns in particular areas that will acknowledge Newfoundland and
Labrador and the soldiers. You'll see the graves where they are taken care
of.
I
had the privilege of working with the Trail of the Caribou project team who
went all through Europe to identify all the gravesites of fallen
Newfoundland and Labrador soldiers from World War I. If you go to any of
those sites you'll see the Newfoundland flag there and you'll see a
Newfoundland dog pin. It's an acknowledgement of the sacrifice that people
made.
What
it does for Europe, it gives them an opportunity for everybody over there to
understand where Newfoundland is, where Newfoundland and Labrador is. What
it meant 100 years ago, but particularly what it still means today. That we
still serve in that same manner. We still serve with that same respect.
I
want to note for the last couple of minutes, that in my own family my uncle
was one of the first to sign up. He signed up on March 25, 1915. A single
20-year-old miner from Bell Island decided, I want to serve my country. I
want to serve the commonwealth. I want to ensure I do my part for safety. He
went overseas. He served in various components over there.
When
my grandfather and father were telling me stories about him sometimes they'd
say, tongue-in-cheek, he was a man who was shot three times. He was gassed,
he was burned, he was run over, he was caught on fire. He never once came
back; five different times in hospitals. He came back and went back to the
front again, very much so.
He
had the honour of receiving a number of medals, very important medals in
various battles over there. He had the honour of being Tommy Ricketts
commanding officer at one point. A man who when he came back here never
spoke about what went on but, no doubt, had the memories of his fallen
comrades and knowing that they did something that was instrumental in
keeping peace in our world.
It's
good to have that. Unfortunately, he died in his late 60s and never really
got an opportunity to be able to relax in life. He worked all his life when
he got back, even with his injuries. He never once complained about
anything, never once looked for anything. I think one of the
acknowledgements that he got and it was great for the family was if you
go to Spaniard's Bay, the Legion is named after him. So that's a testament
to what he meant to the people of that community. He was originally from
Spaniard's Bay and went back there after he left Bell Island. So that an
acknowledgement there.
I
also want to acknowledge what the government did in 1990 when the newest
vessel then, the Flanders, was
commissioned and built in Marystown and went to Bell Island to do the run.
The government first time ever that they named the lounge the Matthew
Brazil memorial lounge. So again, it was an acknowledgement that everybody
in this province has for those who served in World War I.
It
was a great opportunity to do it, and it was one of those rare times when
politics is out of it. The PC government of the day had commissioned the
ferry and had noted they'd like to do it; they had a number of names there
that they would want to start the process of naming it after something
military or somebody of significance. But it was the Liberal administration
I give them credit. I was there that day of the christening of the ferry
and the minister then was Minister Gilbert at the time, got up, and paid
very much respect to all veterans and paid total respect to my uncle and
what he had served. If you go on the vessel now, you'll see a picture of him
with his rifle and all his medals around the picture there.
So
it's an acknowledgement that we've been doing this for years to acknowledge
the veterans from World War I. It's a great opportunity to do it now through
Honour 100, and I might add I do again compliment the Member for Bonavista
for bringing this forward because it's a great opportunity for this House to
really show the respect for those veterans who went overseas, those young
men who went overseas, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in a number of cases,
but came back and still were very productive citizens in this great province
of ours.
So,
Madam Speaker, it will be more than an honour to vote for this private
Member's resolution.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member
for Harbour Main.
MS. PARSLEY:
Thank you.
I am
pleased to rise in this hon. House to speak in support of the private
Member's resolution on Honour 100. In August, 1914, when the German troops
marched into Belgium on their way to France, the war began.
We
refer to it as the war because the war never ended. Thirty-two nations
across the globe, including all the world's great powers, had entered the
conflict. Considering the number of people mobilized around the world, it
was a short war, lasting a little over four years. Yet because of the
tremendous advance in weapons technology, it caused a greater loss of life
and more widespread destruction than any conflict that came before it in
history.
The
amount of resources and men committed to fighting was so huge that for over
two years there was a deadlock in the European theatre. Millions were killed
and wounded, yet neither side was forced to acknowledge defeat.
Britain blocked Germany to cut off supplies. Germany responded and sent
submarines to sink all the ships approaching the British Isles. On sea and
on land no upper hand could be gained and no decision could be reached.
Gradually, after a long and bloody struggle, the conflict turned into the
favour of Britain and its allies. On November 11, 1918, the fighting ceased.
The
Great War was over but the suffering and damage caused by the fighting is
left with us today. It is critically important that we remember the cost of
this terrible war. It is estimated that over 10 million people lost their
lives. Many millions were wounded and faced a lifetime of disability and the
trauma of horrific experiences.
The
loss among the civilian population from disease, famine and fighting reached
even greater tolls. The conflict resulted in staggering national debts among
the great powers. It wiped out empires and redrew the world map. Twice in
the first years of the war, our troops into the fighting land were almost
wiped out, once by battle and disease in Gallipoli and once in display of
valour against great odds at the Somme.
These four years would go to shape and define the rest of the 20th century.
We still feel the impact even today, 100 years later. Let's bring ourselves
back to those times here in our own districts. Let's imagine our ancestors
travelling from rural communities across the ocean to foreign battlefields.
This was a time when our province had few roads, few hospitals and only
one-room schools.
Our
soldiers went on foot from their communities to the recruitment centres in
St. John's, Grand Falls and Corner Brook. When they signed up to fight for
their country, they left their homeland to fight in the services of peace in
other homelands across the Atlantic Ocean. Their sacrifice caused a long
shadow in our history. We were a small but proud nation of the British
Empire that stood tall and shouldered the burden of defending the realm.
As
the war progressed the reputation of the soldiers from Newfoundland and
Labrador were starting to make a mark. The recruits wanted to be wherever
the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were. They fought their battles with
courage and dignity. Their graves are scattered throughout our countrysides
of our neighbours far across the sea. They lay at rest in villages in France
and Belgium, where their contribution will never be forgotten.
This
year we are proud to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the
Somme. We celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Newfoundland
Regiment's participation at Beaumont-Hamel in France. Because of the
endurance of our ancestors, because of their sacrifice, we will continue to
stand with pride at the cenotaphs and war memorials across the province on
this July 1.
I
truly believe we are a better province today because of this sacrifice. Yes,
the war was horrific, but it defined Newfoundland and Labrador as a proud
nation.
We
continue to mourn the loss of our young men who were cut down in the prime
of their lives. We ponder sadly what contributions could they have made in
peace time here in their homeland where they had lived. I do believe we do a
great job of preserving their memory.
There are many books by Newfoundland and Labrador authors memorizing the
subject. There are songs and stories, there are legends and icons. I'm happy
that we have government initiatives like Honour 100, so that we can do our
part as a Legislature in preserving the memory of their sacrifice.
My
district, Harbour Main, does its part too in glorifying and celebrating the
heroism demonstrated by our soldiers a century ago. Only a week ago, I
attended the annual installation of officers at Branch 64 of the Royal
Canadian Legion in Holyrood. The strength of this branch was well
demonstrated by the attendance, leadership and dedication through
(inaudible) and decorum that was shown by members. This Legion branch is
sending a World War II veteran to attend the ceremonies at Beaumont-Hamel
this year.
As
well, a book launch will take place at the end of July honouring all those
who signed the attestation papers to serve in World War I, covering the
communities from Holyrood to Colliers. We just celebrated volunteer week. I
would like to congratulate those working on that project.
The
book serves the same purpose that Honour 100 does. Memorizing the sacrifices
made in the First World War, preserving their courage, passing it on as a
legacy to our future generations so that we can remember our defining
moment. We can pass the spirit of commemoration to our young people as we do
already through initiatives like the heritage fairs.
To
conclude, Mr. Speaker, I recall many stories. One of Michael Carney Ezekiel
of Harbour Main. He was the grandfather of my sister Jenny's husband. While
overseas at a dance one night the soldier met the love of his life, Grace
Darling from Scotland. Their encounter was brief, as he was called to the
frontlines. Carney, as he nicknamed, was wounded in the thigh on the 23rd of
March 1916. He was transported to Unsworth Hospital in England where he
underwent surgery which resulted in a leg amputation.
After months of recovering from the surgery, he traced Grace back to her
hometown in Scotland, married her and brought her home to Harbour Main.
Grace was possibly one of the first war brides to come to our province,
certainly to Harbour Main. Carney and Grace had hard times and good times.
Although she survived many years after his death in 1941, she remained
devoted to him, his family and to her new homeland, Newfoundland.
From
my district, Mr. Speaker, on Memorial Day, July 1, we especially remember
those who paid the supreme sacrifice a hundred years ago on July 1 at the
Battle of the Somme. From Avondale: Private James Joseph Pike, aged 19;
Private William Joseph O'Brien, aged 21; Private Allan Lyons, aged 23. From
Conception Harbour: Corporal William Patrick Costello, aged 19. From Harbour
Main: Private Bernard Cleary, aged 19; Private Lucas Holden, aged 21. From
North Arm: Private Augustus Penney, aged 22.
Remembering the sacrifice is something we do well. It's something we will
continue to do and something we must continue to do. For that reason, I am
pleased to stand here and speak in support of the private Member's
resolution on Honour 100.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am
in support of the bill from my fellow colleague and from the opposite side.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Lane):
The Speaker
recognizes the hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
No
one in this place, people with families who lived here at the turn of the
century, or people who have moved here since, needs reminding of the
terrible price this place paid in the First World War, known to many at the
time as the war to end all wars.
How
sad that phrase sounds today. How gallant were those young men to fight and
often die for that cause. How gallant for the young women to also be side by
side with their brothers.
While young men died, young women saw sacrifice as well. Many worked as
nurses, many worked to support the war effort. Many lost fathers, brothers,
uncles, husbands, lovers; beautiful men, often young men who just never came
home.
The
cost, as we've all heard here today, a total of 8,707 men enlisted in the
Dominion's three services: the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Royal
Newfoundland Naval Reserve and the Newfoundland Forestry Corps. Another
3,296 joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, the CEF. That's a total of
11,988 men, nearly 10 per cent of the Dominion's total male population or
35.6 per cent of all men of military age between 19 and 35 years old, young
men.
Smaller numbers also served in a variety of other forces such as the Royal
Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, and at least 505 sailors from
Newfoundland and Labrador were part of the Merchant Marine, as was my
grandfather, and worked on commercial vessels shipping passengers and cargo
to allied ports. There were also about 175 women who served overseas as
graduate nurses or with the Voluntary Aid Detachment, the VAD, a core of
semi-trained nurses.
Even
more sobering than the following numbers, Mr. Speaker, 1,281, some accounts
say 1,305, of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were killed; 2,284 were
wounded. That's about 9 per cent of those who enlisted died in the war,
almost one in 10.
The
long-term effects of the loss of so many young lives compounded by the
number of those wounded, diseased, disabled physically and mentally were
substantial. The far reach of the war was felt here at home; it did not stay
overseas.
In
the most famous battle the Newfoundland Regiment fought at Beaumont-Hamel in
the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, the Newfoundland Regiment went into
action 753 strong and only 68 answered the roll call the next day. We all
know those numbers. Those numbers are burned into our collective
consciousness. They have become a very part of our DNA.
The
events of that day were forever seared into the cultural memory of the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador. There was no Internet in those days, no
radio, no satellite TV. Casualty lists appeared in local newspapers, but
information came in slowly from the front lines and it was often incomplete.
Families had to endure agonizing weeks of wondering whether their loved ones
were alive or dead, whether they were coming home.
As
people pieced together the enormity of the loss, the news plunged
Newfoundland into a period of mourning. The enormity of the loss has
reverberated through this place ever since. It continues to echo off our
very shores, our mountains, our cliffs.
There are those who claim Newfoundland's struggle economically is because we
lost so many young people. Young people killed or wounded. Young people who
were never able to contribute to the future of our Newfoundland and
Labrador.
The
young women who went to war, they, too, returned from war only to find it
difficult to readjust to the lifestyle that awaited them. Many were
frustrated because their families and communities expected them to return to
their domestic roles. Through the war they had taken on more roles, working
side by side with their brothers. They, too, were courageous and effective
and committed. Many joined the suffrage movement which won Newfoundland
women the right to vote in April 1925.
The
sacrifices of that war changed everything in this place, our home, and on
July 1, again, we will be reminded of what happened. We will be reminded of
the sacrifice of that poor, doomed generation. These ceremonies are so
important because they remind us of the terrible price we have paid in the
past. They remind us how important it is that tragedies like the First World
War or any armed conflict really must never happen. It must be avoided.
Canada is a country of peace and these occasions serve to reinforce our
commitment to peace at home and to peace around the world. I would like to
highlight some of the work that many of our artists have created to honour
those who fought in Beaumont-Hamel, to honour those who fought in the First
World War.
Some
of the writers are local writers: Richard Cramm, who wrote a history of the
Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which is being re-released by Boulder
Publications this year; E. J. Pratt's
Newfoundland Verse, our wonderful E. J. Pratt; David Facey-Crowther,
Better than the Best: The Story of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
1795-1995; Joan Horwood, Massacre
at Beaumont Hamel, July 1, 1916; Kevin Major's
No Man's Land, who I'm sure many of us have read; David Macfarlane's
The Danger Tree which was also
made into a film; Michael Winter's
Into the Blizzard; Ed Riche's recent play
Dedication, which just played in
St. John's this past week; Spirit of Newfoundland's
Where Once They Stood the musical;
and letters and memoirs of Newfoundland soldiers who served in this war:
Francis Mayo Lind, The Letters of
Mayo Lind; A.J. Stacey's Memoirs
of a Blue Puttee; Owen Steele's
Lieutenant Owen William Steele; paintings by Grant Boland;
Home Front: War and Family, a
World War I commemorative dance and theatre piece that was performed just a
few months ago by Louise Moyes and Lisa Porter.
So
all these to help us remember, but not simply remember, Mr. Speaker, but to
bring us forward. To look to the future, to look at a future of peace. Lest
we forget is no slogan. Rather, it is a warning of the great cost, the
incredible loss and devastation that awaits us all if our commitment to
peace and non-violence wavers.
I
must admit, Mr. Speaker, I was somewhat surprised by this private Member's
motion that simply calls on all of us, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, to
mark the centennial day and commemorate those brave men and women by
participating in planned events at the National War Memorial and community
memorials throughout our province.
What
I want to ask is what would those young people, those who fought and died,
as well as those who fought and came home, many wounded in body and mind,
what would they want from us today in the House that they sacrificed to
protect? What about the needs of the veterans of more recent wars, wars
since the war to end all wars? They would want us debating about services
and programs to care for living veterans and their families.
Last
week we learned the Veterans Pavilion will not be available for post-Korean
War veterans. Veterans who perhaps will need the services of the Veterans
Pavilion, but not available to veterans post-Korean War.
What
about our current vets back from places like Bosnia and Afghanistan? The
Globe and Mail recently reported
158 Canadian soldiers died in the Afghanistan mission, but the losses did
not end there. A Globe and Mail
investigation reveals a disturbing number the military has kept secret, that
at least 54 soldiers and vets killed themselves after they returned from the
war.
There are a lot of veterans in St. John's, a lot of veterans in Newfoundland
and Labrador. A lot with PTSD, let alone other physical injuries. My father
went to Korea, post the war, to sweep for mines. He was sent over as a
minesweeper. He was sent over only a few days after he married my mother. He
too returned a changed man.
We
have veterans who not only overcome PTSD but have reached out to help others
with PTSD. Since returning from a seven-month tour of Afghanistan, Corporal
Jamie MacWhirter has become a vocal advocate for soldiers suffering from
PTSD. MacWhirter started a Facebook group called PTSD Buddies to help other
soldiers dealing with the illness to get help and to support each other, and
to help them get the support they need. The group has over 1,500 members. He
has said it's a wonderful thing to look at his Facebook, watching veterans
helping one another. He was awarded the Sacrifice Medal in recognition for
his work.
With
debating how to help those vets from our province be a better use of this
precious time in our House. Again, Mr. Speaker, no one in our province, no
Newfoundlander or Labradorian needs to be reminded to remember
Beaumont-Hamel. No one in this House or in our province needs to be reminded
to participate in the events and commemoration to remember the 100th
anniversary of the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel. We will all be
there.
As I
have said, July 1 is burned in our collective consciousness. It is ingrained
in our culture. It has become a very part of our DNA.
To
honour the loss and sacrifice made by our men and women would be to debate
issues that are the reasons they gave their lives for. They would want us to
debate the needs of our people so that everyone, every man, woman or child
has what they need to thrive. To have every opportunity to be the best that
they can be and to be a full participant in our Newfoundland and Labrador,
to debate our present and our future needs.
I am
sure, Mr. Speaker, we will all be recognizing the great sacrifice of our men
and women on July 1 and beyond July 1. It is our work for social justice and
equality for all that would be the best tribute we could possibly offer to
our brothers and sisters who gave so much.
Yes,
Mr. Speaker, we will be there. For our brothers and sisters who cannot
gather at our public events, because of the scars they carry from the wars
they have fought, they too will remember and they too will honour in their
own ways.
Mr.
Speaker, again I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak to
this private Member's motion and it is my hope that rather than simply
remember and commemorate, that we will all work towards a more just, towards
a more equal, towards a more inclusive society, one that the men and women
who gave their lives in World War I would all be proud of.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Speaker recognizes
the hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
MR. HOLLOWAY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It
is certainly an honour for me to rise in this House to speak to today's
private Member's resolution. I want to thank my colleague, the Member for
Bonavista, for bringing this forward. It is a very important resolution.
Over the past number of weeks, as we've been sitting in this House, we've
taken the time to read from the Honour Roll 40 names each day that we're
here as we get to the 1600.
Today, in particular, as I look at some of the names and hear some of the
names that were brought forward I recognize that there were two individuals
that were named today have the same last name as myself, Holloway. I reflect
on when I was a young fella, when I was a young boy, my grandfather actually
served in the Second World War in the overseas force unit when I was a
young boy.
We
used to talk a little bit about his time and the effort that Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians contributed to war and conflict. It is for those reasons
I'm particularly pleased and honoured to be able to stand and speak to this
resolution today.
As I
look down through the points in the resolution and the things that I will
touch on, I'm also particularly encouraged to talk about our commitment to
commemorating the First World War story and its focus on education, outreach
research, but just as an important part of that is engaging our young
people.
I've
had some conversations with some people in my district lately about it is so
important with the things that we've been involved in as a province, as a
country, and it's extremely important that our young people don't lose sight
of the tragedies and the conflict that we've been involved in. So speaking
to this resolution is extremely important and part of that process.
Memorial Day on July 1 is a time to commemorate veterans, past and present,
but it also has come to signify a deep sense of pride for the significant
role Newfoundlanders and Labradorians played in the First World War, and in
particular, the efforts of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at
Beaumont-Hamel.
Honour 100 events in Newfoundland and Labrador began in 2014 and will
continue for the next couple of years until 2018, raising awareness in
future generations of the sacrifices Newfoundlanders and Labradorians made
during the First World War. The First World War was a seminal moment in the
history of this province.
During the Great War and numbers have been talked about here today by
colleagues on both sides of the House more than 6,000 men joined the
Newfoundland Regiment. Many were excited about the prospect of going
overseas and helping in the war effort. The sacrifice of these brave
individuals that served is an important part of our collective identity and
of who we are today as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Their sense of duty
shall never be forgotten. We are honoured to commemorate them in this way.
Sadly, however, Mr. Speaker, on July 1, 1916, out of the approximately 800
men who went into battle that morning, more than 700 men were killed,
wounded or went missing during a failing advance near the Somme River in
France, forever changing the face of Newfoundland's history and remembrance
of the Great War. The staggering losses on that date, 1916, in just 20
minutes, Mr. Speaker, amounted to a virtual annihilation of a generation of
young men.
I
had the privilege some weeks ago to attend, with a couple of my colleagues
here in the House the Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural
Development, as well as the Member for Virginia Waters Pleasantville the
Where Once They Stood theatre and
dinner at the CLB Armoury here in St. John's. I can tell you there were more
than 150 people who were there. I can tell you as Spirit of Newfoundland
recounted the story of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and the Blue Puttees
during the days leading to the battle of Beaumont-Hamel, I was particularly
moved to hear the story, to watch how those young people so honestly gave
themselves to go into war in duty of the King and of country.
It
was a moving performance, and at the end there was a standing ovation. I can
tell you, personally, I learned a great deal. I was so grateful to have been
able to attend. I encourage everybody who would have had the opportunity, or
if you do have the opportunity in months ahead, to partake in that dinner
theatre, to really go. It is worth your time.
Mr.
Speaker, the Royal Canadian Legion is also a lead stakeholder and partner in
our Honour 100 initiatives, and we are working closely with them on several
other events. Enhancing the annual Trail of the Caribou pilgrimage it is
important to provide learning opportunities for our children and our youth
about Newfoundland's role in fighting for our freedom.
Each
year the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador partners with the Royal
Canadian Legion, Newfoundland and Labrador Command in its annual Trail of
the Caribou pilgrimage, supported jointly by the Department of Municipal
Affairs and the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural
Development to send 16 students, four veterans, four legionnaires, a
Newfoundland and Labrador historical guide, as well as chaperones and
translators to visit all the caribous throughout France and Belgium, and to
be present at Beaumont-Hamel at the annual commemoration ceremony, held at 4
p.m. in Newfoundland Memorial Park.
In
addition to the Legion's annual trip, 2016 will be the second year for the
Ambassador programs. Now, Mr. Speaker, the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador recently launched the Ambassador Award Program and a series of
curriculum-based enhancements concentrating on Newfoundland and Labrador's
First World War story. The joint projects have been developed by the Honour
100 commemoration program and the Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development.
Nineteen students from across the province who participated in heritage
fairs amongst grades seven to Level III, or grade 12, with First World
War-themed projects will also travel to France and Belgium to complete the
Trail of the Caribou. General Rick Hillier, a special addition to the trip
this year, will lead the Ambassador program.
The
Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is also partnering
with the Honour 100 program to administer the Ambassador program. Students
are selected through the regional heritage fairs to attend a custom European
tour of select battlegrounds where the Royal Newfoundland Regiment fought
during the First World War.
On
April 9, this year and I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago in this
House I had the privilege of bringing greetings to Branch 27 of the Royal
Canadian Legion in my district at their honour and awards ceremony. During
the event I had the privilege of going downstairs and downstairs they have
a commemoration room where they have collected photos from veterans and
those who have served in all capacities of war. They have that put up on the
wall for everybody to see, to pay honour and tribute to those who have
sacrificed and who have given for our country. It was events like that that
have reminded me of Beaumont-Hamel and the World War and the Second World
War and the things that this country has given.
Mr.
Speaker, through the Ambassador Award Program and the curriculum resource
enhancements under We Remember: Honouring Those Who Served, we are
connecting students with our past, and with a sense of pride, keeping the
Royal Newfoundland Regiment's memory alive for future generations.
Mr.
Speaker, We Remember: Honouring Those Who Served also allows students to
explore the lives of soldiers by researching their military service files.
General Rick Hillier will travel with the students and attend all events in
this delegation.
Mr.
Speaker, our partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion continues as we
focus on events and activities here, at home, in Newfoundland and Labrador.
I'd like to take a moment to talk about some of those activities that will
be taking place here on July 1. We will be supporting the 46th annual
Dominion Convention being held here in St. John's between June 11 to 15 at
the Convention Centre.
This
year's theme is Looking Back To See Ahead and includes approximately 2,500
delegates from Legion branches across Canada, Europe, the USA and Mexico,
who will gather to develop the policies and direction that will guide the
Legion's future.
Specifically on July 1 this year, the morning will begin with the Sunrise
Ceremony on Signal Hill, led by Parks Canada, and the Royal Newfoundland
Regiment private ceremony in Pleasantville, in the area they affectionately
called Stobs Camp. From there, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment will move to
the Sergeants' Memorial on Queen's Road for a 9:30 a.m. ceremony and from
there to the National War Memorial on Water and Duckworth Street here in St.
John's at 11:00 a.m. for the annual Ceremony of Remembrance hosted by the
Royal Canadian Legion, Newfoundland and Labrador Command.
At
the conclusion of the Ceremony of Remembrance, the public will be ushered
upstairs to the grounds of The Rooms. The Rooms is planning a significant
program event leading up to and for the July 1 commemoration.
My
colleagues have referenced the exhibit that is going to be opened: Remember
Them At The Rooms. Well, it also includes the opening of the Royal
Newfoundland Regiment Gallery exhibit, dedication of the Fortis Courtyard
and Amphitheatre, live musical tributes and performances. And has mentioned
already Her Royal Highness Princess Anne will open this new permanent
exhibition at The Rooms. Residents and tourists will be able to experience
stories of the Great War and its lasting impact on the people and the
identity of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr.
Speaker, through generous gifts and donors, The Rooms has been able to
develop a new permanent gallery, as well as the Fortis Courtyard and
Amphitheatre and we're certainly grateful for those contributions. The
gallery exhibit itself is approximately 5,600 square feet, and cost nearly
$4 million. So it's been a great contribution for those who want to be a
part of this legacy.
Mr.
Speaker, as well, The Rooms will be airing a planned broadcast from
Beaumont-Hamel and a CBC documentary featuring Allan Hawco, Mark Critch and
Alan Doyle. So I encourage people at home and my colleagues here in the
House to take the time out to participate, to watch, and to understand a bit
more about the First World War and the reason we brought forward this
resolution today. At 8 p.m. Opera on the Avalon will debut its world
premiere of Ours, the story of Padre Thomas Nangle and I know this gentleman
was referenced here in the House previously and the regiment at
Beaumont-Hamel.
So
July 1 will be filled with a full day of commemorative activities to honour
those from Newfoundland and Labrador who served in the First World War. I
encourage all my colleagues to participate where possible.
The
forget-me-not and I know we were talking about this resolution last
Wednesday and we were interrupted by snow, just like this morning, and so on
everybody's desk in this House we had placed a forget-me-not. I know a lot
of Members are wearing those, have them I have mine on today. So the
forget-me-not is an icon of remembrance for those who have served with
sacrifice and dignity. It was first used as a symbol of remembrance in 1924
when the National War Memorial was opened. The flower came to signify
Newfoundland and Labrador's losses during the First World War, and
especially during the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel.
The
Royal Canadian Legion, Newfoundland and Labrador Command have been given
permission from Dominion Command to officially wear the forget-me-not on
their uniform until the end of the year, and I encourage residents to wear
it during this anniversary year.
I
was at an event at the Legion in my hometown of Port Blandford last week,
and on the table for everybody was actually a card and attached inside was a
forget-me-not. So I'm pleased to see that is getting out to the residents of
this province.
Mr.
Speaker, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment's contribution to the First World
War is an important part of our history and it's ingrained in the memories
of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians everywhere. By identifying and honouring
the men and women who fought for peace and freedom in Europe and at home,
and by celebrating their legacies, we keep their memories and the weight of
their sacrifices alive.
Mr.
Speaker, I am especially pleased to speak in favour of this resolution. I
thank my colleague, the Member for Bonavista, for bringing it forward.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Speaker recognizes
the hon. the Member for Bonavista.
MR. KING:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
not going to go on too long because what's been said here today has been
giving different perspectives. A lot has been said. I think we've certainly
expressed how we truly feel about this momentous occasion that we have here
on July 1.
I'd
like to thank the Member for CBS for recognizing the hard work of the
Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development. They're
doing great work. They're doing a lot of things to put forth Honour 100.
Your experiences at Beaumont-Hamel are certainly interesting. I think
everyone, if they get a chance, should go visit.
The
Member for Virginia Waters Pleasantville brought up some good points and
talked about how it's important to talk about this history for future
generations. It is a significant event for our province. Big sacrifices were
made. A full generation of youth were lost. I also enjoyed hearing about his
ties to the Church Lads' Brigade and the contributions they made. He also
described the horrors of war. That can't be forgotten on any of us here
today.
I
thank the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island for talking about
your uncle. Everyone has a personal story about this event, and I thank you
for sharing that.
To
the Member for Harbour Main, thank you for letting us know about the book
launch, what your Legion is doing throughout this summer and also talking
about war brides. That's something we don't often talk about as much as we
probably should. They came to a new province, a new country. They have to
get integrated into our society. They have certainly become such a rich part
of our history, so I thank you for bringing that forward.
To
the Member for St. John's Centre, you talked about the arts contributions
that were put in place. We have Rising Tide theatre in my district. I
mentioned No Man's Land. I
challenge anyone who watches that play in Trinity not to leave with a tear
in your eye. You also talked about the roles of women in war, and that can't
be forgotten.
To
the Member for Terra Nova, he talked about the importance of focus on our
education and outreach. He talked about engaging young people, which we need
to do. He talked about the Ambassador Program this summer, which is led by
General Rick Hillier I still call him General, even though he's retired
16 students, 16 legionaries and four vets are going to be heading over to
Beaumont-Hamel to commemorate it.
I'm
honoured to stand here today and bring this debate to a close. Mr. Speaker,
thank you for your time and I hope that we all vote aye for this motion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Seeing no further
speakers, I call the question.
All
those in favour of the motion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Against?
The
motion is carried.
Order, please!
The
House does now stand adjourned until 1:30 tomorrow.