November 28, 2005 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol. XLV No. 37


The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Hodder): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

The Speaker wishes to rule on a point of privilege raised in the House on Thursday, November 24, by the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

The minister, in his submission, held the view that the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, in posing a question to the Minister of Education, questioned his motives in holding a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern School District. I have carefully read the Hansard transcript of the question as phrased by the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi. His question was directed to the Minister of Education as follows: Can the minister advise how it is that the Minister of Municipal Affairs could have a meeting with the school councils in his district, talk about this report and practically announce a new school for his district based on the findings of this report?

The Minister of Municipal Affairs responded to the question. Shortly therefore he raised on a point of order, which the Chair asked to be deferred to a time following Question Period. The minister did not then pursue the matter and following Question Period, he rose on a point of privilege.

The privileges of Parliament are rights which are, according to Marleau and Montpetit, absolutely necessary for the due execution of its powers. Thus, individual members can only claim privilege insofar as any denial of their rights, or threat made to them, would impede the functioning of the House of a member to fulfil his parliamentary obligations. Thus, as noted in Beauchesne §31(1), page 13, of the 6th Edition, quote, "A dispute arising between two Members, as to allegations of facts, does not fulfil the conditions of parliamentary privilege." Therefore, while there was a disagreement between two hon. members, the Chair rules that there is no prima facie evidence of a breach of parliamentary privilege.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: This afternoon we have statements by the following members: the hon. the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Buchans; the hon. the Member for the District of Trinity-Bay de Verde; the hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for the District of St. John's North; the hon. the Member for the District of Burin-Placentia West.

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Buchans.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS THISTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to congratulate Mr. Sterling Thomas, a Grand Falls-Windsor resident, who has been recognized twice in a matter of days for his volunteer service.

Mr. Thomas was named Royal Canadian Legion Branch 12's Legionnaire of the Year, and then awarded the YMCA Peace Medal for demonstrating a commitment to peace through personal contributions made within his community.

Mr. Thomas is ninety-two years old and he has been an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 12 for more than thirty years. He served in the Newfoundland Militia from 1940-1945 and in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment from 1957-1962.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sterling Thomas has served on various committees of the Legion including: the sick visiting committee, the branch program of Christmas recognition of sick and shut-in veterans, and the Interfaith Cemetery Committee. Mr. Thomas was also awarded the Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Medal two years ago, having been nominated by the Legion and the Grand Falls-Windsor Kiwanis Club.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of this hon. House of Assembly to join with me in congratulating Mr. Sterling Thomas on his most recent award.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, last month the Trinity-Conception-Placentia Health Care Foundation held their annual telethon. Throughout the day, I visited each district centre, staffed by volunteers, where I witnessed again and again communities uniting for a definitive purpose.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the generosity of area residents, $320,000 was raised for this worthwhile cause. Monies raised will be used for intensive care unit central monitoring equipment, an anaesthesia system, a coagulation unit and other specialized equipment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the residents of Trinity-Conception and Placentia areas for their continued support and all the volunteers who ensure that this telethon exceeded all expectations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

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

This past summer we had the official opening of the Bay Robert's Visitors Pavilion, referred to by many as the gateway to the Baccalieu Trail.

The tourism committee came up with the idea for the pavilion in the year 2000, as a place where visitors to the area of Conception and Trinity Bays could stop over, not only to learn about Bay Robert's, but the other communities in the region.

Mr. Speaker, in June 2000 the facility started as a lookout and rest area and has since expanded to the multi-purpose facility we have today. The commitment and dedication of the residents and the volunteers who participated in making this project a reality are efficient in the quality of this pavilion. It is a true reflection of the pride they have in the area.

Mr. Speaker, it was a joy to be present at the official opening this past summer to witness then Mayor Wilbur Sparkes, along with the Citizen of the Year, Mr. Eric Mercer, who officially opened the building by cutting of the ribbon.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in congratulating the Town of Bay Robert's and their tourism committee on this wonderful facility.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. RIDGLEY: Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Ms Elizabeth Ares, a teacher at Leary's Brook Junior High, whose creative efforts, combined with her community spirit, have produced tremendous results in helping the less fortunate.

In 1999, Ms Ares was looking for a way to motive the students at Leary's Brook to help with a food drive and she came up with the idea of encouraging them to fill a Volkswagen Bug with food. The students actually filled it three times. In the years since then, Ms Ares and the students have continued the annual food drive using different types of vehicles, and this year they filled two Hummers.

This food drive at Leary's Brook has proven to be the most successful food drive of any school in the Province. As a matter of fact, Ms Ares regularly receives calls and e-mails from other schools asking about her methods of motivating the students. She is happy to share her technique of having teams of students competing against each other and allocating different point scores for different kinds of food.

The Community Food Sharing Association tells her what kind of food is in greatest need and that will be the item that receives the biggest point allocation. Ms Ares may have been inspired to do this kind of work when, as a child, she watched her mother organize food drives in Conception Bay South; but, whatever the inspiration, she and the students are to be commended for their accomplishment.

I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating Ms Elizabeth Ares and the students at Leary's Brook for their great effort to help others.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burin-Placentia West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to Mrs. Margaret Ellen Moores of Rushoon on reaching the wonderful age of 100 years.

On November 5, I shared in a community celebration of the life of Aunt Maggie, as she is known to family and friends. The celebration began with a mass led by Father Jeff, followed by a gathering in the community centre where words of congratulations were offered and presentation of gifts were given.

The mass was also unique for another reason; for, as there was a celebration of Mrs. Moores' life, the family was also sharing in the christening of Mrs. Moores great grandchild, Kiera Ellen Marie.

To Mrs. Moores' family and friends, I offer congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, one of the gifts given to Mrs. Moores was a book. Yes, Mr. Speaker, at the age of 100, Mrs. Moores is an avid reader, enjoys doing puzzles and watching television.

I would ask all members of this hon. House to join me in extending congratulations to Mrs. Margaret Moores, and we wish her many more.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to inform my colleagues of the outcome of the First Ministers' Meeting on Aboriginal Peoples that was held in Kelowna, British Columbia, last week. I was accompanied by my Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Tom Rideout.

We were pleased to be joined by Aboriginal leaders from this Province, including William Andersen III, Ben Michel, Anastasia Qupee, Mary-Ann Nui and Chief Mi'sel Joe, among others.

Mr. Speaker, these meetings represented an historic occasion as provincial and territorial leaders gathered with the Prime Minister and Leaders of the First Nations, Inuit and Metis people of Canada.

Working together with our counterparts throughout the country, we accomplished great things for the Aboriginal people of Canada including a firm and unequivocal commitment from everyone involved to work collectively to improve the lives of Aboriginal people.

The key outcome of the meeting was a commitment of funding from the federal government of $5.1 billion over a five year period. This funding represents a clear recognition that the serious gaps that continue to exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada are no longer acceptable.

Included in the funding is: $1.8 billion for education; $1.315 billion for health care; $1.6 billion for housing and infrastructure; $200 million for economic opportunities; and $170 million for relationships and accountability.

In addition to the funding, there was also a clear acknowledgment that monitoring of progress and accountability must occur on a go-forward basis.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say that outcomes were achieved by consensus between the Premiers, the Prime Minister and Aboriginal peoples. Despite competing needs around that table, at the end of the day there were no dissenting voices. Rather, there was an overwhelming desire by all to work together to address the critical issues facing Aboriginal people. In fact, the comment was made several times that never had such co-operation occurred at the First Ministers' table.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say how impressed I was with the presentations of the Aboriginal leaders, both leading up to and during that particular meeting. My ministers and I met with Aboriginal leaders from our Province a few weeks ago, including a special meeting with representatives from Aboriginal women's groups. They clearly, and quite passionately, articulated for us the challenges that they face on a daily basis. They also expressed their hope for the future, and the opportunities that exist in their communities.

In particular, Mr. Speaker, issues facing Aboriginal women were brought to the forefront at these meetings, and progress made in assisting Aboriginal women face the challenges that they deal with every day of their lives.

I also took that opportunity to make representation to the federal government for funding on two fronts for the Aboriginal people of this Province. First of all, I requested assistance in establishing a Centre of Excellence in Labrador for ethical and professional research on the root causes and best approaches to dealing with social challenges like addictions, fetal alcohol syndrome, violence and, most importantly, suicide.

Secondly, I requested federal assistance to establish a long-term therapeutic foster home in Labrador for at-risk children, whereby young people who need help can be referred for assessment, counselling, substance abuse treatment, or long-term care. This would allow Labrador youth to get help in an environment that is actually closer to their own cultural background.

I am hopeful that we will have a positive response from the federal government on these two requests.

The challenge is now ours to ensure that the FMM is not just another meeting with billions of dollars in drive-by funding. We must all work together to ensure that this money is used to improve the lives of all Aboriginal people in this country, especially for the children and the youth.

Mr. Speaker, the needs are great; however, the FMM demonstrated this country's willingness to allocate resources where they are needed, and I am confident that over the course of time we will build upon the successes of last week.

On Thursday the Nunatsiavut government will officially be formed, and I look forward to that ceremony which is another step on the journey to a brighter future for Aboriginal people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. ANDERSEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Premier for an advance copy of his statement.

No doubt they are great words coming from this meeting. Premier, I guess noone knows more about the concerns and the fears of the Aboriginal people in this Province. Over the last number of years I saw a government that I was a member of do many things and spend a great deal of money to help out with facilities that were needed on the North Coast of Labrador. Unfortunately, all the things that needed to be done are not done and there is a lot more that needs to be done.

Premier, while we look at the announcement of money, there is something far greater that is needed. We need the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs from this government and the federal minister to come into our communities, like Natuashish, and sit down with the people face to face, not with the deputy ministers or senior civil servants but with the ministers themselves, to sit down in these communities, not in St. John's, not in Goose Bay, not in Ottawa, but on the coast, to see firsthand. No doubt the people themselves will have to play the key role, but we also need that assurance for guidance along the way.

The Aboriginal people have moved forward greatly in the last number of years, and I am proud too to be at that meeting on Thursday, but, Premier, the Province also has a responsibility. There is a lot of talk of dollars from the federal government, that no doubt has to fund most of the programs, but I hope that your government will continue to place funds to assist people and, most importantly of all, stand side by side with the Aboriginal people as they move forward in their daily way of life.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, first of all, want to say that the Premier has participated in what might be considered a sea change in attitude by government toward Aboriginal people, not initiated by him, but over the last number of years there has been a significant change in this Province by government toward the Aboriginal people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and some very positive steps have been taken. I, too, am pleased to be able to go on Thursday for the official launching of the Aboriginal self-government to Nunatsiavut. The Premier, himself, in his meetings last week in Labrador, went out of his way to listen - I think that is a very important step - to hear first-hand from the Aboriginal women's leaders and the Aboriginal leaders not only in Labrador but elsewhere as to what the issues are that they face. I think the First Ministers' Meeting is also indicative of - perhaps for the first time there seems to be a positive note coming from it in terms of the kind of consensus that we have seen.

I am disappointed that not included in the trip to the First Ministers' Meeting were representatives of the Labrador Metis Nation. I would encourage the government to work with them to ensure that they are fully participating in the issues that are unfolding in Labrador. That is an important step as well.

We believe there are serious significant problems remaining, and I know the Premier would acknowledge that. I would hope that the government works hand in hand with the Aboriginal people so that they can participate in actually designing the programs, whether they be educational or social in nature, so that they can have the maximum possible effect on helping to solve the many problems that these communities have as they go forward.

I look forward to the day, Mr. Speaker, when the Aboriginal people in Labrador have a great measure of control over their own affairs in designing their social program, their educational program, and taking charge through the kind of Aboriginal self-government that we have seen in the Nunatsiavut agreement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SHELLEY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to inform my colleagues that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has signed Phase 2 of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Affordable Housing Agreement.

This agreement will see an additional $10.62 million provided to increase the supply of affordable housing for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. This includes a spending commitment of $5.3 million from the provincial government.

Mr. Speaker, funding will be used to encourage production of new and affordable rental housing for low-income seniors. As well, it will provide more supportive rental housing for persons with mental, developmental, or physical health needs who require supports to live independently.

A minimum of 140 new units will be created with a maximum funding level $75,000 per unit. Rental rates will be set at a level that will be affordable for low-income households eligible for social housing.

As well, recent flexibilities negotiated under Phase 1 will now allow the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation to improve social housing that is severely deteriorated.

Mr. Speaker, we anticipate that by the year 2010 approximately 700 affordable housing units will have been created or repaired under Phase 1 and Phase 2 of this agreement.

Whether it is promoting Raising the Roof's annual toque campaign, or partnering with the federal government by investing over $10 million in affordable housing, we are working together to provide affordable housing to people in this Province who need it most.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

MR. SHELLEY: The right copy.

MR. BUTLER: He says the right copy this time, thank you.

I want to assure you, Sir, that all of us on this side of the House are pleased at any time when there are new fundings announced that are going to help improve the lives of the residents of this Province, and more so, I guess, when it deals with the low-income seniors and those with mental, developmental, and physical health needs as well.

Mr. Speaker, you mentioned in your statement that this will also help to improve the existing social housing that is severely deteriorated. That is a wonderful venture as well, but I want to say, Sir, from your news release, I know that the St. John's, Corner Brook, Grand Falls areas were mentioned; that is where the heavy influx of this might be spent. I know you are a very caring individual, and I want you to consider the other smaller areas of the Province; because I have people in my area who do not qualify for the home repair program and, because of the cost, it is not in the program to repair their homes. I think those people should be considered under this venture.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member's allotted time has expired.

MR. BUTLER: Like I said, I want to thank you for a copy of your statement.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to recognize this is an important step in the provision of affordable housing in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have seen, since 1994, the federal government withdraw from housing and only in the last couple of years have they gotten back in it again. Recently, as of last spring, with the NDP promotion of a new budget deal, more money was made available, and we hope we will see more things like that in the future.

I am particularly delighted to see that the supportive housing units will be made available, 140 units. I want to congratulate groups like the Stella Burry Corporation who have been extremely active in promoting and developing social housing projects and plans in co-operation with this government and the Government of Canada, which are going to be now approved and are going to go forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. TAYLOR: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the House of a unique initiative of fisheries and aquaculture ministers from Eastern Canada in promoting the region's aquaculture industry in the nation's capital earlier this month.

As the first alternate minister for fisheries and aquaculture, I joined with ministers from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick in the Aquaculture Promotion Initiative on November 14, 15 and 16. This initiative was designed to educate MPs and Senators about the importance of the aquaculture industry to rural and coastal communities. We met with the Atlantic caucus of the Conservative, Liberal and NDP parties, and co-hosted a reception showcasing Canadian aquaculture products on Parliament Hill. Representatives from Quebec and British Columbia also participated in this initiative.

Mr. Speaker, these meetings resulted in our federal representatives getting a greater level of knowledge and understanding about the aquaculture industry, its potential, and the need for the development of a national policy and programs for the industry. We took the initiative to engage our federal representatives and present them with an informative overview of the industry. Our federal representatives have a role to play in helping facilitate a co-operative approach with the federal and provincial governments. They now have the information they need to assist the provinces in engaging the federal government.

As provincial ministers, we called on our federal representatives to get to know the industry and to help dispel the myths that threaten its continued growth. We believe aquaculture represents a tremendous opportunity in stabilizing and growing our rural economies.

Mr. Speaker, the provinces have created a model for interprovincial co-operation with a message that cannot be ignored. Rural and coastal areas across this country are facing the same issues as it relates to the loss of the traditional resource industries. Aquaculture is an industry that can only exist in rural and coastal communities.

Aquaculture has tremendous potential in this Province. Mr. Speaker, total production is expected to increase by 27 per cent this year over 2004. We are producing 4, 100 metric tons of salmonids this year and 3,000 metric tons of mussels. We have some of the only remaining sites suitable for development in Eastern Canada, and we are attracting the interest of outside investors. As well, Mr. Speaker, we were very encouraged in August when one of the Province's leading traditional seafood companies, the Barry Group, took over the former North Atlantic Seafood Corporation from receivers.

Mr. Speaker, the top seafood processing plant in Newfoundland and Labrador produces fresh farmed salmon year-round. In our view, Mr. Speaker, cod is the next major farm species worldwide, and we have the technology, expertise and the right biophysical conditions to take advantage of this opportunity. With less than 10 per cent of aquaculture space currently being utilized, we are committed to developing this industry for the benefit of our rural communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his Ministerial Statement here today.

Anything that the government can do to encourage aquaculture in the Province would be greatly appreciated not only by those in the industry but by us on this side of the floor as well. We have always supported aquaculture. In fact, when we were in government, we put a tremendous amount of money into salmonids and into the mussels and into the cod hatchery in Bay Roberts. We encouraged the investment as well by the federal government at that time.

There is a tremendous opportunity in this Province for aquaculture. Having been the Minister of Fisheries myself, I had the opportunity, was afforded the opportunity, to visit aquaculture sites right across this country from the East Coast to the West, as well as into the United States and the Faeroe Islands. What I saw happening there could certainly be done here. We certainly have the capacity to do far more, in fact, than they are doing in these other areas of the country and the world in general.

It is my understanding that we have the capacity alone in Bay d'Espoir to do nine times that which is happening in New Brunswick in the entire Province. So I encourage you to do anything that you could possibly do to grow that industry. While the aquaculture industry will never replace the value of the wild fishery to this Province, it could certainly be an important industry with the right investment.

It is my understanding that you announced, last spring, an Aquaculture Loan Guarantee Program. It is my understanding, though, that only one company has been able to avail of that. I suggest to the minister and to the government that they loosen up the conditions and the regulations applying for that, in applying for money under that fund, so that others can avail of it. In the meantime, anything that can be done to encourage the industry will be greatly appreciated.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. member's allotted time has expired.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

I encourage the minister to keep up the work in this area, because aquaculture in this Province certainly has great potential. As previously mentioned, it may never replace what we knew as a traditional fishery, but there are certainly a lot of opportunities for a lot of people to get involved in the aquaculture industry.

This coincides with the monies that were announced last week for the municipal infrastructure program. Hopefully, the raw sewerage that is continuously being dumped into our coastal waters will be able to be curbed in the years to come; that will provide for an even better environment to conduct aquaculture affairs. Of course, with the greater enforcement of ships passing by our coastline dumping their bilge water, anything like that could have serious implications for the development of our aquaculture -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member's allotted time has expired.

MR. COLLINS: By leave, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: By leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: Leave has been granted.

MR. COLLINS: - for our aquaculture industry to develop.

I say to the minister, this is an important initiative. There is lots of room for expansion, and we encourage those out there to get involved and continue in their endeavours in this area.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My questions are for the Premier.

I apologize for my voice being somewhat hoarse today. It might have something to do with the hockey we played on the weekend.

Mr. Speaker, after weekend meetings in Stephenville with Abitibi management, union workers feel stronger than ever that this company is trying to strip their contract. This is taking place even though the provincial government is on record publicly as stating that they will not permit Abitibi to strip contracts of their employees.

I ask the Premier: Why is your government doing nothing to prevent the contract stripping that is happening with Abitibi in Stephenville, and why are you continuing to allow Abitibi Consolidated to play psychological warfare with its workers in the Stephenville region?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will defer other related questions to, subsequently, the minister because I was out of town last week for three days, because, in fact, he did have conversations with officials in Stephenville.

However, having said that, as the Opposition is aware, government stepped up to the plate in a major way in order to try and make this happen. We made a significant commitment from the Government of Newfoundland and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in order to safeguard the people of Stephenville, the workers in Stephenville, the community of Stephenville and, indeed, all the people in the Bay St. George region, and that is why we did step up.

Having said that, we also - and full credit to the Minister of Natural Resources on this - went out of our way to engage the communities and to engage the union workers and the officials in the union, both in Grand Falls and in Stephenville. We have kept in communication with them. Once we put our plan out and reached a tentative framework with the company, it was the wish of the union that they then engage the company. We have been very, very clear, on the record, that we will not allow the stripping of the agreement; that we are not in support of it; that we are in full support of the union and we will only accept an agreement that the union accepts. So, we will not be party to anything that dismantles their agreement or puts them in a weaker position. So, they are negotiating head to head with the company. If they are not happy with the results, then the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is not happy with the results either.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier says that he will not permit Abitibi to strip contracts in Stephenville but this is exactly what Abitibi has been trying to do since August 1, I say to the Premier. So it is time that you stepped in there and at least talk to the company about their tactics.

Mr. Speaker, in the proposed $175 million deal the government has presented to Abitibi, it states that funding should be tied to ensuring that Abitibi Consolidated maintains its production levels in Stephenville. We all know that job losses and contracting out can take place without seeing any major drop in production.

I ask the Premier: Instead of production levels, why wasn't the deal made contingent upon the guaranteeing of employment levels and to ensure that job levels remain the same as they were before you offered the $175 million to Abitibi?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Mr. Speaker, this is an incredible question from an incredible Opposition who, in 2002, signed an agreement on the Exploits River, commonly known as the Beaton Unit, that gave Abitibi Consolidated an extra twenty-seven megawatts of power, did not tie that agreement to milling, did not tie it to logging in Central Newfoundland and did not tie it to the continued operations of Abitibi in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to comparing what we reaped out of Abitibi and what we demanded out of Abitibi, I will stand against their record any day of the week.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lots of rhetoric, no answers. I say to the minister, you criticize us for not doing something. You are now tying money to production levels and not employment levels. In fact, you are doing something that was worse than what we did.

Mr. Speaker, government has committed -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, government has committed up to $175 million -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is a limited time allocated for Question Period. The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, I fail to see the humour in this. Members opposite are over there laughing while 300, 400, 500, 600 jobs are on the line with Abitibi. I fail to see the humour in that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, government has committed up to $175 million to Abitibi without addressing the real issue, and that is energy costs to that mill. As a matter of fact, in a recent telegram article both government and the company stated that neither will be spending money to come up with solutions to the energy problems facing it.

I ask the Premier, during the election you said you had all the solutions, including a solution to the energy problems: Why are you now instead, paying Abitibi to take our resources without looking into the long-term energy solution that is required for the Stephenville operation?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Mr. Speaker, let me say it from the onset: there is nothing that we have done that was worse than what they did. I want that laid out for the public record first of all, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. E. BYRNE: Secondly, the Opposition need to get a focus on where they are with this issue. One of the Leader's Opposition members is totally dead set against the agreement that we put forward. The Leader of the Opposition, himself, has said maybe we should develop the Exploit's River, which is in complete contravention to his colleague from Grand Falls-Buchans. The fact of the matter is this, that the arrangement that we put forward is supported by the town council and the leadership in the Bay St. George area. It is strongly supported by the union leadership and its rank and file and, Mr. Speaker, it is strongly supported for the reasons that we outlined because we anted up to where we felt would be a good arrangement that would keep that mill going. We believe we have done that, and so do the people in the area. The question is: Where is it that you are on this issue today?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. REID: Mr. Speaker, still no answers to this very serious problem.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Grand Falls-Windsor are also facing uncertainly. In recent meetings with union officials, Abitibi management stated that number seven paper machine would stay open until 2008. The next day, Seth Kursman, senior official with Abitibi, said that wasn't so.

I ask the Premier: When was the last meeting that you or your government held with Abitibi and has the company given any further indication to you or anyone in your government of their intentions about the number seven machine?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Mr. Speaker, for the record, Abitibi local management brought that message forward that the Leader of the Opposition talked about on a Monday. It was the following Monday, out of Montreal, that we heard there was some mis-communication. Now, it is not what Abitibi believes about number seven in Grand Falls, Mr. Speaker, what it is all about is what this government believes. To date they know where we are, that unless there is an acceptable proposal to the union employees to the town leadership and to the region's leadership, Bill 27 remains in tact and that is the reason number seven is running today.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. REID: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the deadline for keeping Abitibi's operation open in this Province is quickly approaching. It is my understanding that 9:30 the 11th of December is D-Day for the people in Stephenville.

I ask the Premier: What is the government doing in these final days to ensure that there is a successful resolution found for both Stephenville and Grand Falls-Windsor mills?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

Mr. Speaker, we are doing what we have continued to do in this issue. Number one, our position is consistent. It is not ever changing every day like the Leader of the Opposition and his hon. colleagues over there. Depending on the day you ask them, depending on the member you ask, you are getting a different version. So, number one, our position remains unchanged.

Just today I spoke with the officials from the union leadership in Stephenville, for example, to get an update on what the situation was and where they were going, and some of the stories they told me were absolutely frightening. They do know this, Mr. Speaker, that this government stands behind them. We asked them: Is there anything we can do. They said: We will certainly let you know in the very near future. They do know this: That this government stands behind them, the people in the Bay St. George area, in an attempt to keep that mill open.

The question the Leader of the Opposition needs to ask: Where is he and his party on this issue today?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the government leader, if you think we ever did anything as bad as you, just look what you are doing to the seniors in Corner Brook.

The Hay Report recommendations number 172 is to move seniors at Western Memorial Hospital who are waiting for long-term beds to the next bed available in the region, namely Port aux Basques, Port Saunders, Burgeo and Bonne Bay. Seniors from Corner Brook are being moved away from their spouses, their families, during the last years of their lives. This is no way to treat our seniors.

Will the minister put a stop to this cruel and inhumane policy?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: What the hon. member is referring to, Mr. Speaker, is what is referred to as a first available bed policy. The member is right, from the point of view that several days ago, last week in the City of Corner Brook, there were situations where there were residents or patients at Western Memorial who were occupying long-term care beds at Western Memorial.

The situation is simply this, Mr. Speaker - and it is an unfortunate one, but it is an important one. There were individuals who required acute care. There were individuals who required critical care. There were individuals who required emergent care and, in some cases, surgery. Yes, Mr. Speaker, on an interim basis, a number of individuals were moved to the nearest facility. I am aware of some six, for example, who are presently at Port aux Basques. It is done on an interim basis to ensure that those who require acute and emergent care in the City of Corner Brook, in fact, get it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, last year when I asked the Premier about this issue, I was accused of playing politics with health care issues. Now that families are being torn apart, was it politics or reality? When the Premier was in Opposition, the Member for Humber West, he was totally opposed to this move. Will the Premier now stand up for these seniors and put an immediate stop to this recommendation, which three years ago he was dead set against?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The answer is quite simple here. The problem was caused by your government when you were in government. The problem is, is that government, when it had an opportunity to do so, did not fill a long-term care facility for the people of Corner Brook and the Western region. That is the problem. It was only as a result of the insistence of us, when we were in Opposition at the time, that this facility was built. We made a commitment to the people of Corner Brook and the Western region that this facility would be built. Ground has been broken. We have committed the funds and that will be completed. The problem is, people now have to be moved because of the negligence of that government when you were in office.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, it is pretty sad when the Premier wants to use us for an excuse when he has $2 billion in the bank and taking seniors and moving them away.

I had a call today, Premier, from the son of an eighty-nine-year-old man who asked him: How long would it take him to drive to Port aux Basques daily to visit his wife? Is that what you want to blame on us, for something you are doing? For God's sake, take responsibly for it!

The services at Western Memorial Regional Hospital has declined over the past two years. Beds have closed, Premier. Surgeries have been delayed and deficit has doubled. We hear the minister talk about improved services, increased funding for health care, $2 billion in revenues and extra funding from oil reserves.

I ask the minister: Is keeping families together in time of sickness and keeping families together when they need support, the most essential part of health care services, or is it better to save the $2 billion which we have in our bank account today?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have a top-notch facility at Western Memorial Hospital in Corner Brook. The services are provided by top-notch health care professionals who are dedicated to their jobs and dedicated to the people of the region.

I say, Mr. Speaker, to the hon. member, that the situation he is talking about is a temporary one, it is an interim one, it is in response to some pressures that presently exist and, as the hon. Premier just indicated, we have a brand new, long-term care facility that will be erected in the City of Corner Brook in the not-to-distant future, in response to an identified need in that area for the senior citizens of that region.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I say to the minister, it is going to take three to four years to have that long-term care. That is not temporary to a senior who is in the last few days or years of their life, I say to the minister.

Now we see why political patronage is so important for this government, Dr. Tony Genge, chair of the board, a former PC candidate, and Charles Pender, a former PC nominee, is the Corner Brook representative on the board appointed by this government. As these two individuals are more interested in serving their political masters than the people they represent, I ask the Premier and the Member for Humber East: Will you now stand up for the people of Corner Brook and have this policy dropped immediately?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, I say to the hon. member, the point and the question is most inappropriate. We are talking about two dedicated individuals who volunteer their time. Dr. Genge, a professional educator, a PhD, a man who is dedicated to his profession and is willing to give up his time; Mr. Pender, I understand, was recently elected mayor by the citizens of the City of Corner Brook. Mr. Speaker -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I am asking members for their co-operation. The Chair recognizes the minister to complete his comments.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: In conclusion on that point, Mr. Speaker, I simply say, we have dedicated volunteers, we have dedicated trustees, people who are willing to give of their time and their energy to the well-being and the health interests of the people of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This weekend I was on Fogo Island and I was absolutely appalled, Mr. Speaker, to learn that the long-term care residents of Fogo Island are being sent off the island to find appropriate and adequate care in the last years of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I also learned that there are ten beds in a brand new, health care facility on Fogo Island that have been closed up and are not open to provide a service to these residents. I would like to ask the minister today to open those beds and allow the residents of Fogo Island to stay on their island and receive appropriate long-term care.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, from time to time, and we have representation in our department and I know the hon. Leader of the Opposition, whose district, of course, is - Fogo Island includes part of his district. However, what is important here is that when an issue arises, the matter is forwarded and addressed then by Central Health and when accommodations can be made, they are made. However, in response directly to the question, the policy right now of the board - and this government supports the decision of the board because the board knows best what the situation is on Fogo Island, that if ten beds are to be closed and that is the recommendation, Mr. Speaker, we support it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is appalling when you have residents in this Province who live on an island, with a brand new health care facility, with ten beds closed down, and they have to leave and go and find adequate long-term care somewhere else in the Province. The minister will have to agree that long-term care is becoming a crisis here, no matter if you are in Corner Brook, Labrador, Clarenville, Carbonear or Fogo Island. I say to you today, minister, open the ten beds and let the people on Fogo Island have an adequate long-term care facility.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, the administration of Central Health, the board of Central Health, they know the situation. They deal on a day-to-day basis with the residents of Fogo Island. They have representation -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I am asking all members for their co-operation.

The Chair recognizes the minister to complete his comments.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The board, on a regular basis, or whenever called upon, will receive representation from any community and any individual. In this particular case we will certainly continue to monitor, we will certainly continue to interact with Central Health, but, as I have indicated earlier, these professionals, these administrators, these board members, are there to act in the interests of the overall health and well-being of the people of that region and we support their decisions and their views.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe what I am hearing. This is a government that, in a by-election in the District of Exploits, overruled the recommendations of a school board in light of something else, choosing a different option. I am just saying, choose a different option today, Minister.

Mr. Speaker, when this government took office over two years ago, they said they would reduce the debt for health care boards and they would get it under control. Well, when I look at the Western Health Care Corporation today, and where their board debt is, I say to the minister, it is more out of control. In the past year, the 2004-2005 year, the accumulated deficit for the Western Health Care Board almost doubled, I say to you, Minister. Can you tell me what your government is going to do to try and bring those board debts in line, or at least give these boards the actual funding they need to operate on an annual basis?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, in response to that question, obviously, as a government, we continue to work with our regional health authorities. Western Health is no different. Yes, there are some issues with respect to budget. We know that, the public of this Province knows that, and we will continue to work with Western Health and, indeed, any other board to deal with these deficits to ensure that, again, the health interests of the people of our Province are protected and secured.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, when you have a health board in this Province whose deficit is accumulating by $2 million, $3 million and $4 million consecutively, on an annual basis, it tells me there is a problem. They do not have the money to operate their services appropriately. The only thing that I have seen out of the government was the Hay Group report which said this is how you fix your problem: reducing health care services to people in Western Newfoundland.

I say to the minister today: What are you going to do to get the situation with Western Health Care under control?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Health services are increasing in our Province to the tune of an investment of $113 million last year. Here is what was done for boards this year, and here is what we have done in mid-year to deal with some of the problems: We gave boards an extra $20 million last year to deal with the transition from fourteen boards down to four health authorities. In fact, just recently, when I announced the mid-term statement - and, just recently, government has given approval for another $15 million on top of that $113 million this year to deal with the pressures coming.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, that is $15 million that was not announced at budget time. It is $128 million counting that, because we have added a whole array of services to our Province this year, up in the hundreds of millions of dollars in services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Health.

First, I want to say to the minister, I commend government for doing the prevalence of gambling study and for its early release on Friday; but, I want to say to the minister, that report gave some very alarming statistics.

I want to say first that some people have said that the percentage that has been identified as problem gamblers is low. Well, if you look at it in context, it is low because, if somebody bought a raffle ticket last December, that is included as a gambler; or, if someone played cards at home, or played pool, they are also included as gamblers, so the percentages are low as a result of that. The problem is of a much higher magnitude.

Mr. Minister, I ask you, this study, while finding some alarming results of gambling addictions, particularly upon VLT users - for example, the study showed that VLT use is extensive among problem gamblers and has been referred to by Stats Canada 2003 as the crack cocaine of gambling. The minister should be aware that 80 per cent of the 4,641 problem gamblers identified in our Province - more than 80 per cent of them, 4,600 - more than all other sub groups combined, are users of VLTs.

I ask the minister: Now that he has this information in his possession, what does his government plan to do in the immediate future to address this problem?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the hon. member, I thank him for being at the press conference when we released that prevalence study Friday past. It is an important document. As I indicated, and the hon. member was present and certainly heard me, we will use this document as the foundation and the basis upon which further decisions and further strategies with respect to this very important issue will be addressed.

I indicated at the press conference as well that it will be used as a basis in terms of budget preparedness as we move forward to deal with - and I acknowledge the fact, it is a disturbing figure. When we have some 4,600 in this Province who are defined or described as problem gamblers, it is a disturbing figure.

Having said that, we have just received the document. We have just released the document publicly. We now have to do a very thorough analysis in government, by caucus, by Cabinet. Hopefully, this will prompt as well some public debate and we will move forward to what is clearly a serious issue affecting the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to say to the minister, there are many people in this Province who cannot wait six months to have something done about this problem because they are going through a crisis as we speak.

Mr. Speaker, counting the number of people who are considered as problem gamblers, and the number of people who are at risk of being a problem gambler, the number is over 13,000 people. I say to the minister, if there was something being sold, products in stores in this Province, that caused 13,000 people to become sick, and some of them to lose their lives, it would be yanked from the shelves immediately. It would not be allowed to continue for another six months for a budget to be passed.

Mr. Speaker, I say to the minister - and I want to ask him or any other minister who wants to answer - this study identifies gambling problems of a very high magnitude in the Province today. There is another game out there that some states have evidenced that is as equally as devastating.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member now if he will complete his question quickly.

MR. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I want to ask whoever might want to respond: Is the game of electronic KENO abandoned by this Province?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member has raised that as an issue in the past and there is some information in the public that is not factual, number one. It is not an interactive amusement electronic game like VLT, number one. The member has indicated, and I have read articles that the member is quoted in, that no other province in the country has it. Absolutely false. There are seven jurisdictions in the country that now have it. I heard a doctor, an addictions specialist out of Toronto, indicating that there is no evidence of research to show that. I have heard him speak on radio here with CBC.

We have indicated that there is a lot of information that is false in the public forum. We are not going to make a decision on a fearmongering. I ask the member if he has information. I have attempted for the last year to get information on this. I have not been able to find any. If he has information on research that shows that, I would like to have a copy and table it so we can move forward on factual information that we can see.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Labrador West, on a final supplementary

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wonder if the minister's top priority is for people in this Province to have fun, or is it the fact that he can make money off this for the government, because the Government of Nova Scotia said no to electronic KENO based on what it could do to the citizens of their province, and the minister is fully aware of that.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, let me go back to the Minister of Health and see if I can get a sensible answer. I want to ask the minister: Given the fact that the people of this Province have continuously voiced their concern over gambling, will the minister and his officials - prior to a budget coming down in April - at least replace the representative on the Atlantic Lotto Corporation Board of Directors with a person from the Department of Health, rather than what is there now with the Department of Tourism? Because there is nothing touristy about people's lives being destroyed.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess the question that is asked is an example of the type of analysis and the kind of decisions that can be made in due course. I repeat, Mr. Speaker, I repeat, we have a prevalent study just received, just released. The appropriate due diligence will now take place and we, as a government, will make decisions in accordance with the information that is now before us to ensure that the interests of our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are protected. It is as simple as that. We have to work towards it. We have a document that we have to work with, and we will make the appropriate decisions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Time for one more quick question.

The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. ANDERSEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have one question, and it is to the Premier.

Premier, your government keeps trying to blame the delay of the facility, the auditorium in Labrador, on the federal government. The truth is that your government announced money for Leary's Brook school in St. John's, redevelopment of a school in the Finance Minister's district, and a new gym for Herdman Collegiate in Corner Brook. By the way, I agree with all of these announcements; however, none of these facilities required a go-ahead or funding from the federal government.

Premier, why are you and your government treating the youth on the Island portion of the Province differently than the youth in Labrador? Premier, why are you and your government discriminating against the youth in Labrador by not announcing the funding and the calling of a tender for this urgently required facility immediately?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I can give the hon. member opposite my firm assurance that there is absolutely no intention whatsoever to discriminate against youth in Labrador. I can tell you that. That is quite honestly and quite definitely.

What we have already indicated is that we are now giving favourable consideration to this particular facility. What we are trying to do is to lever as much money as we can out of the federal government in order to proceed with this. We have, in fact -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: If you would just allow me to finish - we have, in fact, $12 billion worth of debt in this Province. We have the highest amount of debt per capita than anyone else in the country. The national average is $10,000, we are $23,000. We need to get every single penny that we can from the federal government. What better time than right now to get that money. The Minister of Labrador Affairs and his deputy minister, as of today, are in direct contact with people in Ottawa in order to try and get that extra money. As recently as over the last couple of hours we are actively working on this file. We will deliver for the people of Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time allocated for Question Period has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees. Tabling of Documents.

Tabling of Documents

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

MS WHALEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table for the hon. members the annual report for the following: Government Purchasing Agency; Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation, Central Purchasing Authority, and the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities on operations carried out under the Automobile Insurance Act.

Mr. Speaker, I also am pleased to table the activity letter for the Embalmers and the Funeral Directors' Board.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Notices of Motion. Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given. Petitions. Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Orders, I do want to give notice today that this Wednesday being the Private Members' Day for the government side, that we will be debating the motion put forward by the Member for Gander with respect to the research capability and research station in Gander, is my understanding. I do want to give due notice of that today.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I want to move to Order 8, second reading of a bill, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics, in the Province, Bill 51.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Regulate The Practice of Dietetics." (Bill 51)

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise at this time and say a few words at second reading regarding An Act To Regulate The Practice of Dietetics.

Mr. Speaker, members of this House will notice that there are a number of health related pieces of legislation that are before us, and they essentially all have to do with one theme. It was necessary to respond to, certainly, the desire by the professionals themselves, and certainly a theme of this government, to accept the notion of self-regulated professions.

Mr. Speaker, we are talking, in this particular bill, about dieticians. We will notice, as we go through the act, that essentially in recognizing the value of self-regulated professions it is incumbent on these professions to ensure that those professionals, those members themselves, are part and parcel of their own board, and are part and parcel of their own ability to make decisions, so we have prepared new legislation to govern the practice of dietetics to reflect that policy respecting governance arrangements and disciplinary procedures for regulated occupations.

Mr. Speaker, very similar to what we did during the last session of the House, when we passed a new medical act, members opposite will remember that in that piece of legislation we gave physicians in this Province the ability to self-govern, the ability to self-discipline and, essentially, to account for their own activities. This is really following through with that particular thinking as we go through the various pieces of legislation over the next day or so.

This new legislation mirrors those changes in governance, Mr. Speaker, and disciplinary procedures that were embodied in the Medical Act 2005 which, as I just indicated, was passed just a few months ago.

The new legislation will provide the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Dieticians, formerly the Newfoundland Dietetic Association, with the appropriate investigative power and authority to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

Mr. Speaker, this new act provides for new disciplinary procedures that enable the College of Dieticians to respond appropriately through the use of alternate dispute resolution techniques or, where necessary, through formal disciplinary proceedings.

The changes to the disciplinary procedures and governance structures are also part of an ongoing process to provide for uniform disciplinary procedures and criteria for lay representation across all professions with self-regulating status. The legislation will point out a provision whereby there will be public representation or lay representation on the board to deal with issues of governance and/or discipline.

These changes reflect an intent to ensure that self-regulatory bodies operate in an open and transparent manner, and that the disciplinary process eliminates professional or personal bias and, in general, to enhance and improve the public protection mandate of this particular regulatory body.

The act builds on government's commitment for openness and transparency through ensuring that disciplinary decisions of the College of Dietitians are publicly disclosed. Accountability measures are strengthened through mandatory annual reporting to the minister, the ministerial appointment of lay representatives to the board and the discipline committee, and requirements to establish a timely process for responding to allegations of dietitian misconduct.

It is important to point out, Mr. Speaker, that these changes are with the full support of the profession. They contributed to, I guess, the philosophy that we are now putting forward in this particular bill, because they themselves recognize the value in being a self-governing body and ensuring that they have some say with respect to the regulation of this particular profession and discipline issues.

The change to a college model itself was requested, Mr. Speaker, by the Newfoundland Dietetic Association, and merely reflects the administrative name change used by the majority of dietetic licensing authorities throughout Canada and does not have any policy implications.

The ability to obtain qualifications for licensure as a dietitian through work experience only has been removed. This clause is redundant and is not reflective of modern entry to practice criteria. Again, the Dietetic Association supports fully this particular change.

Mr. Speaker, with those few comments I will now allow any of my colleagues on the opposite side to participate and respond to what we are introducing in this particular bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister for that brief overview of Bill 51. As has already been stated, it is very much a regulatory bill that is basically streamlining the new associations and the new representations of certain professional committees within our Province. In this case, it happens to be the Dietetic Association.

Mr. Speaker, people will know that dietitians in our Province are acknowledged as professionals that are very uniquely trained to advise with regard to diet, food and nutrition. Mr. Speaker, quite often people always associate dietitians with an institutional health care service. I guess that is not always true because, as you know, they play a very broader role in our society today. They provide counselling services through individual practices. They actually provide advice with regard to the production and manufacturing of food products that are going into the market on a regular basis. They quite often provide a great deal of the information that we get today as consumers when it comes to food products, so they have become a source of expertise and a source of advice when it comes to that kind of health care service being provided in our country.

Mr. Speaker, we also know that dietitians, in addition to the role that they play in a professional sense in our communities, quite often a number of the ones that I know are volunteers, who volunteer with things like food banks and providing nutritional information to non-profit groups like this. Certainly that, in itself, is to be commended; but, in addition to that, Mr. Speaker, they play a very unique role within our health care system, both in the management of food services and the quality of food within our hospitals and within our institutions. I certainly wanted to recognize that.

The other thing that I want to recognize today, Mr. Speaker, is that I live in a region of this Province where we have a large number of Aboriginal people, and in recent years we have seen the number of Aboriginal people who have been diagnosed with diabetes growing in numbers. I think that it is safe to say that probably, when you look at the number of people in our society who are diabetics, I think the number of Aboriginal people who are actually diabetics are probably higher than any other group within the country.

I am pleased to learn that there is more money being put forward as of this weekend by the federal government - the federal Liberal government, I might add - to provide money for Aboriginal people to do programs such as the one that is ongoing now with regard to diabetes. Mr. Speaker, I think that is worth recognizing and acknowledging, that particular contribution that has just been made by the federal government to put more money into diabetes for Aboriginal communities.

I know in the last two years a program that was done by the Labrador Metis Nation, in particular in my district, where they hired counsellors and they hired information officers to go out there and work with people in the communities, to educate them about diabetes, to be able to help them develop good dietary plans and provide them with good food products. There has been a lot of effort put into that, into the educational component of it, and also, Mr. Speaker, in encouraging Aboriginal people to eat properly and to develop good dietary trends. The fact that there is more money coming forward, I hope that it will be used to continue with programs like that, that have already been started in Aboriginal communities, because it is a valuable service that is being provided.

I think it goes without saying, that dietetics in this Province is an important profession within itself. The dietitians who work throughout Newfoundland and Labrador need to be recognized for the work that they do, not just within our institutional care system and within our hospital system, but the work that they do throughout our communities and have been doing and I am sure will continue to do, and the important role that they play in everyday life in Newfoundland and Labrador because they are the experts, they are the people who provide the information with regard to every food product that we eat, whether it has nutritional value or whether it does not. So, I think that is a valuable contribution in terms of having a healthy society of people.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly have no problem with Bill 51. I think that it is very much a regulatory piece of legislation. I think this needs to be done in order for these boards to have the self-governing that they want. I think the disciplinary process will be an open and transparent process, where all the complaints will be dealt with and the outcomes will be forwarded to the minister and also to the public. So, it is transparent in terms of that regard, especially as it relates to any misconduct that might be happening within that professional association.

Mr. Speaker, I have no problem with Bill 51 and I would just like to add those few comments.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As the minister indicated, this legislation, Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics, is one of a series of pieces of legislation that came about as a result of a desire on the part of government and the professionals themselves, to separate the regulation of the profession from the advocacy on behalf of members of the profession. We have seen this in recent years on a number of other professions. I know we did it for accountants. We did it for - pharmacists was the last one I recall doing it last year, where the group that is responsible for -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. HARRIS: And doctors. We did it for the Medical Association versus the Medical Board. We have done it for the pharmacists and the Pharmacy Association, who are now governed by a college, and here we are doing it for dietitians. Although, I have to say, Mr. Speaker, I have never heard of a situation where someone who is a dietitian being hauled before the dietitians board or be charged with some unethical conduct. I am not sure what exactly you would have to do to be unethical in your profession of dietitian. However, these are self-governing professions.

MS JONES: (Inaudible).

MR. HARRIS: The Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair says if a dietician is caught eating salt beef perhaps that would be grounds for discipline. That would be a very interesting case. Perhaps that is something that someone could challenge.

Nevertheless, Mr. Speaker, without making light of too much of the notion, what we are doing here is important from a perspective of ensuring that dietitians can operate as a body to advocate for their profession, to advocate on government policy, to do the kind of things that the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair are doing, in terms of pointing out to government and to the population the need for greater attention to be paid to the issues of diet.

One of the diseases, of course, is that of diabetes, which is a significant dietary component. What we really need in this Province, Mr. Speaker, is, perhaps, more dietitians to be able to inform how, for example, school children are exposed to certain types of food and how we can improve the lot of school children as a result of that. We have a significant serious problem in our Province, not in our Province alone, but in every province, with young people and issues of being overweight or obese, causing significant health problems down the road for our society and unfortunately, for too many of these children.

Dietitians play an important role, an increasingly important role in our society, both in terms of ensuring that institutional diets provided for our seniors, for people in hospital, are proper and appropriate and meet the needs of people's diet and conditions, and special diets that many people who are residents of these institutions or homes are required to have. They play an important role in our society and we certainly want to ensure that the profession of dietitians is given the recognition that it deserves and to separate the role of regulating the professional association and carrying out that the advocacy fund is separated, just as it is with doctors, lawyers and pharmacists, and others in our society.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, we certainly support this legislation. We have, as this government and previous governments have, given recognition that the professions, as an ethical body of professionals, do have the right to govern themselves from the point of view of setting standards and ensuring that people meet those standards, whether they be educational or experiential, depending on the role, but also to maintain ethical standards within these professions to ensure that those who are holding themselves out, as a professional dietician in this case, both have the qualifications and also have the mechanism, if people have complaints about a person in the profession and how they carry out their occupation and business, that they have a body to which to go to bring those complains and get redressed and ensure that they do have a mechanism for bringing these complaints forward.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation.

MR. SPEAKER: If the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now he will close the debate at second reading.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, I wish to thank my critic, the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, and the Leader of the New Democratic Party for their comments and for their general support, and, I guess, the clear recognition, Mr. Speaker, that these changes are being done for the right reasons. They are being done to support a group of individuals who, themselves, support these changes, simply because they appreciate the fact that if they are truly going to be recognized as a profession, as a group of health professionals practicing in a certain area in Newfoundland and Labrador on a day-to-day basis, that they ought to have that right to simply be self-governing and to be in a position to discipline.

I agree with the point made by my colleague, the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, that it is difficult to envisage when a discipline matter may arise. However, the mechanism, at least, is now in place. I say to my friend from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, although not likely, at least there is a mechanism in place to deal in the unlikely and, perhaps, the unfortunate event that a disciplinary issue must be addressed and adjudicated upon.

So, Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues opposite and I now move second reading of Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics, be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics. (Bill 51)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 51 has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House. Tomorrow?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today.

MR. SPEAKER: Later in the day.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 51)

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

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

Before moving to Order 9, I would like to move one of the motions on the Order Paper for today. It is related to the agenda with respect to the Department of Health. It is Motion 1: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Denturists. (Bill 60)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Denturists. (Bill 60)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce said bill?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting Denturists," carried. (Bill 60)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a first time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Denturists. (Bill 60)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 60, An Act Respecting Denturists, has now been read a first time. When shall this bill be read a second time? Tomorrow?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later in the day.

MR. SPEAKER: Later in the day.

On motion, Bill 60 read a first time, ordered read a second time presently, by leave.

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

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

Order 9, second reading of a bill, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians. (Bill 52)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians, be read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians." (Bill 52)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wish to rise and make a few comments concerning Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians. I would like to simply say at the outset that this particular group - and the purpose, I should say, I guess, of this particular legislation is essentially identical to the points that were made and the issues that were raised in the previous legislation.

Again, this particular act responds to the desire of dispensing opticians in the Province to simply get in line with other groups, to be recognized as a self-regulating body, to have a disciplinary procedure in place whereby again in the unfortunate or unlikely event that discipline must be carried out against one of its membership, at least a provision is in place and at least a code of conduct is recognized and simply dealt with in the event that should arise.

Similar to the last piece of legislation, we have prepared an act to govern the practice of optical dispensing, again to reflect current policy directions regarding the governance arrangements and discipline procedures for a number of regulated occupations; this one, of course, dealing in particular with dispensing opticians.

The new legislation again mirrors the changes to the arrangements and procedures that were embodied in the Medical Act and, as my colleague the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi mentioned, also found in provisions of the legislation governing pharmacists in the Province. This new legislation will provide the Dispensing Opticians Board, Mr. Speaker, with the appropriate investigative powers and authorities to investigate allocations of wrongdoing. The new act will provide for disciplinary procedures that enable the Dispensing Opticians Board to respond appropriately through the use of an alternate dispute resolution technique or, where necessary, through formal disciplinary proceedings.

Again, Mr. Speaker, suffice it to say that this truly recognizes another professional health group in our Province that has expressed its own desire to be in line with others, to recognize its ability to self-regulate, to recognize its ability to self-discipline. The changes, in fact, that we are proposing again are essentially identical to what was proposed in the previous debate.

Mr. Speaker, I now would welcome any further comments by colleagues opposite.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would just like to say a couple of words in relation to Bill 52. I thank the minister for his explanation of the bill, and the fact that basically what government is doing is bringing in line all of the professional associations within the Province under the one regulatory, I guess, regime in terms of how they deal with misconduct, how they deal with disciplinary matters within their organizations or institutions, and what the process will be for that as outlined in the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I think it was the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi who said earlier that it is hard to imagine what some of the misconduct could be in some of these occupational professions, and I guess dispensing opticians is certainly one of those groups where you would have to consider what the actual misconduct would be.

I have been wearing glasses, I think, since I was eleven years old, and I have been going to opticians since that time to pick up my eye wear and, I can tell you, I found them to be very, very helpful. I guess in this day and age where a lot of people are opting for eye surgeries, corrective eye surgeries, and all the rest of it, I tend to stick to my glasses, Mr. Speaker, because I think there is a growing trend with style when it comes to glasses.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I think there is going to be a good job outlook for dispensing opticians in the future simply because of those trends. I can tell you, in Newfoundland and Labrador they are not without style when it comes to eyewear. Some of these dispensers, I can tell you, are giving good advice out there. They are treating their clients well, but, seriously, they are people and a lot of them are trained in-house and on the job with the companies that they work for. I think it is important to recognize that a lot of our seniors in the Province, I guess, or most people, when they get at a more advanced age require corrective lens in order to help them read or watch television or whatever the case may be. It is important when they go into an optical company and they can be serviced by very professional people who can explain to them and help them and assist them in choosing lens, both contact lens and also eyeglasses, that are going to be suitable for them.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that any time we have a bill, even if it is a bill that just looks at regulatory process, to recognize the work that some of these professionals do out there. As I say, I have been a lot of years going to optical companies and I have certainly found them to be very helpful and very co-operative.

On the Coast of Labrador, it is not always easy to access an optical company, I say, but a couple of times a year we do have visiting teams who come in and see the people in my district and they bring a selection of eyewear with them that you can choose from. So, the service is provided. It is provided by private companies. They come in and they do, do that.

Now, in the greater metropolitan area of St. John's, Mr. Speaker, you have a lot more selection of course to choose from. People notice things a lot, because I remember being out at a Federation of Municipalities meeting when I had a councillor from the great Town of Grand Falls-Windsor come up to me and say: Where do you buy your eyeglasses, because we noticed that you always have a different style of eyeglasses? I gave them the name of a company owned by a good friend of mine out in CBS. Any of you who are looking for somewhere to go and shop and get some really trendy, stylish glasses, they are out in the hon. Member for Conception Bay South's District, Mr. Speaker, right on the corner there to Upper Gullies where Mary Brown's is, in case you cannot find it. But they have great dispensing opticians out there, too, I say to the hon. member, in your district. No doubt, there is good service and good variety being provided in the Province. So, I think you are going to see good job outlooks in this profession as you see the trend and the styles starting to grow over the years.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I note that the previous speaker, the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse Clair, at one point in her speech talked about dispensing Opposition. Although we are talking about dispensing opticians, I know that the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair can dish it out as good as the next person when it comes to debate in the House of Assembly. I do, in case anyone missed the point, want to note that the hon. member has a very stylish and fancy new pair of glasses that those watching at home, I am sure, noted. I noted them earlier today when she came in. I have to say that they are very stylish and look good on her, and I congratulate her on changing her style and keeping up with the style of glasses, or eyewear, as she referred to them.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, this is another example of a profession that wishes to ensure the public that they do have a self-regulating mechanism. They will respond to complaints about service. I think, in this particular case, I can think of examples where someone might be inclined to question, perhaps, the service provided by a dispensing optician, whether it is through, you know, negligence and not doing a proper job because they do give advice, not just on style but also on the type of lenses that you might want to have; whether bifocals are a good thing or a bad thing, or the quality of service is something that can be challenged or the quality of the product that is delivered by a dispensing optician because there are a lot of different products that are available to the public. Some of them may be better than others. Some of them may be more suitable for a particular individual than others, and people can be led astray, either deliberately or through a lack of proper training and adequate options being given to the public. In fact, there are circumstances when - in the past, I know where dispensing opticians and the person providing the eye examination were, in fact, the same person. There may be a bit of a conflict of interest there in providing glasses for someone who doesn't necessarily need them. I have heard stories and they are only anecdotal stories, and perhaps we have all heard them in the past, the far past, of people going around, particularly travelling around, and testing eyes in a community and having a great deal of glasses being dispensed from a particular person, depending on who the person was. Again, I am only saying that to say, that it is possible there are circumstances where I could see a quality of service issue or an issue where someone is questioning the advise they have been receiving from a particular optician. In general, as the member has pointed out, there is a wide variety and a lot of interest in style when it comes to eyewear these days, it is not simply a choice between whether your horn-rim glasses will be black or brown. You can have a lot of different choices, even ones that are almost invisible, as I am hoping mine are, but I still get to see well.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, this is again an example of a group of people providing a service to the public who recognize that the quality of service they give is something that is open to challenge on a professional basis, and are prepared to step up to the plate and ensure that the members of their profession are meeting the standards of quality and service and ethics that are required in providing this kind of near medical service. It is not exactly - obviously being able to see better through optical devises, such as glasses, is extremely important to people's well being and health in a general way, so it is a near medical practice and profession. The work of examining and testing eyes is being done by ophthalmologists as well as optometrists. Their role is in giving a prescription and examining a person's eyes. A dispensing optician has an important role in giving advise and helping people choose the right product for their particular prescription that has been provided by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support this legislation, I think it is very positive.

MR. SPEAKER: If the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now on Bill 52, he will close the debate at second reading.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I thank my colleagues opposite for their comments and their support of Bill 52. Again, it is clear that we are not really creating anything new here, Mr. Speaker, other than recognizing the will of dispensing opticians in the Province of having the ability to be a self-regulated group, a self-regulated professional health group, and a group that wish to deal with their own internal affairs in the event they should arise.

Mr. Speaker, I thank members opposite for their participation and I now move second reading of Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians, be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians. (Bill 52)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 52 has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later in the afternoon session.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 52)

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

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

Order 10, second reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners. (Bill 53)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners." (Bill 53)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise at second reading and speak to Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

Again, my commentary will be similar and in keeping with what was said earlier regarding Bill 51 and Bill 52. A few small technical changes and differences in some of the terminology, Mr. Speaker. For example, in Bill 53 the bill changes the name of licensed persons from dealers to practitioners. Also, the new legislation will provide the Hearing Aid Practitioners Board as opposed to the former name, or former title, the Hearing Aid Dealers Board. Obviously, we are only dealing with semantics but, nevertheless, there is a technical change in the terminology that is used.

The spirit of the legislation, Mr. Speaker, is essentially identical to what was said earlier. We have a group of individuals, again, practicing a health profession in the Province who wish, again, to be self-regulating and wish to have a mechanism in place that will deal with disciplinary matters should they arise.

It is important to point out - and I will continue to do this as we go through these bills, Mr. Speaker - that these changes receive the support of the professional group itself. They were engaged in these changes, they supported these changes, and the fact that this is not legislation which is imposing a particular direction against the will of anybody. In fact, this is legislation that is in keeping with the movement towards a self-regulating feature in essentially all of these professions, but again it is with the support and the consent of the hearing aid practitioners throughout the Province.

Mr. Speaker, again the commentary is essentially the same as the previous second readings this afternoon. At this time I would again allow my colleagues opposite to participate to the extent that they feel is appropriate when, in fact, we are dealing with the same principle and the same provision throughout.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise, no doubt, and speak to Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

Mr. Speaker, again, as the minister has just outlined, this legislation is regulatory and in place to bring all the professional associations in Newfoundland and Labrador in line with the one structure that deals with issues of misconduct or issues of a disciplinary matter that may exist within their association or their professional group that they belong to.

Mr. Speaker, the bill also allows for members who are part of the hearing and practitioners association to be able to deal with these issues in a very transparent manner to ensure that the outcome of any review of misconduct is outlined to the public and to the minister. Also, I guess, they are able to do it in a very self-governing kind of way, so that is important for these professional associations to be able to do that.

Mr. Speaker, people who work with the hearing impaired in our Province, I realize that sometimes they must have a difficult job. I know a number of people who are hearing impaired. I actually have a friend who has been hearing impaired since the day of her birth, and we have been friends for a very long time. I know the challenges that she has in her life, in dealing with this disability, and the challenges she has had as a single woman, as a family woman, a married woman now with two children, and dealing with the school system, in dealing with our health care system, in dealing with the community in general. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for her and for all people who deal with hearing impairment, because hearing impairment is often a disability that we do not see, and we are a society that tends to lend more support or more compassion towards those disabilities that are more visible than those that are invisible. I can tell you, it is a disability of significance and it needs to be able to have the support mechanisms in our society to deal with it. Mr. Speaker, sometimes, when we are a society that often tends to believe what we see and not what we hear, we need to stop and think about that.

The other thing that I find with hearing impairment is that, while it is a disability that is growing, probably, in an aging population, it is not restricted to an aging population. It affects all kinds of people in our society. I talked about a friend of mine just recently that I had for a lifetime who has had a hearing disability.

I also notice in our school system, for example, lots of times, because there are children who have hearing impairments, they are sometimes looked at as not being interested in the curriculum that is being taught them, or not paying the attention they should be paying to subject matters - or even people we meet in our communities or in our lives sometimes may not respond to us in the way that we expect them to. Mr. Speaker, lots of times these are people who are suffering from a disability of hearing impairment and, because it is not seen, it is not always being considered, and that is unfair.

I know of a number of situations of children in our school system over the years, even when I was in school myself, children who were not necessarily doing well in the classroom or in subject areas, and once they were taken for medical treatment and checked out at a doctor's office and so on you realize that a lot of those children had a problem with hearing what was being said, and therefore that was the initial problem that they were dealing with.

Mr. Speaker, anyone who has a problem with hearing, who thinks they might have a problem with hearing, do not be afraid to have it checked out, and certainly do not be afraid to speak up; because, if you cannot hear something and you need to ask that it be repeated, you should definitely do that.

Mr. Speaker, I think that the Association of Hearing Aid Practitioners in this Province is an important association in our society as they support the hearing impaired. Mr. Speaker, it is like every association of professional people; there are always changing technologies and services, and people need to be made aware of what they are. I am sure there have been wonderfully enhanced and new discoveries for people who experience hearing loss, the kind of technologies and stuff that are available to them, so we need to encourage associations like that to ensure that they are getting their messages out there and that people know what is available to them.

Mr. Speaker, I also think that any people in our Province who suffer from hearing impairment, they should be supported by our provincial health care system. I know that they are now, and I hope they will continue to be, because if there is a person that has any hope at all in correcting their hearing or improving their hearing with any new medical technology or devices that are available to them now, they should have access to them and not be limited because of their fiscal ability to be able to afford or to pay for those kinds of services.

I am glad that we live in a Province that does provide supports for those kinds of things, and I hope will continue to provide supports and assist people who require those kinds of medical devices and technologies to help them in their everyday life.

Mr. Speaker, just with those few words I would conclude by saying that I support Bill 53, that the minister just brought forward. I thank him for the comments and the description of the bill that he has outlined earlier. I think it is important that this group be added with the other professional groups in the Province in streamlining the regulatory legislation under which they operate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to see this legislation before the House to provide for not only registration but licensing of hearing aid practitioners, as well as a discipline procedure as well.

The principles behind all of this legislation are similar, but each of them has their own separate circumstances and, in the case of hearing aid practitioners and people who are hearing impaired, I think it is extremely important that there be a professional set of standards in dealing with matters of this nature. In many cases, you might be dealing with a very vulnerable population of people who have hearing problems and just do not know. They do not know what is on the market; they do not know what is available to them; they do not know whether something is going to be helpful or not. To have standards and assurance that if there is a problem you can go to a body to complain and have an investigation carried out, I think, is an important thing.

I have some acquaintance with hearing impairment, Mr. Speaker. My own mother, I think, was probably the first person to have a hearing aid in Newfoundland and Labrador, she told us when she was alive. She had a hearing aid which she used when she went to work in one of the banks because she had a hearing impairment due to some childhood illness that required the use of a hearing aid. I think I, myself, probably suffered some hearing damage working in Toronto, down in a manhole with a jackhammer and no hearing protection. It was either that or standing too close to a speaker at a high school dance or something, but one of these things, because these things cause damage to your ears and may, at some point, require some sort of adjustment through the use of a hearing device.

There was one time a couple of years ago, Mr. Speaker, that three or four members of this House had hearing aid devices which they used to hear what was going on across the aisles during Question Period or other times during debate. So, it is quite common for there to be people with hearing impairment, whether a result of genetic reasons or through some sort of illness or through some sort of mechanical means.

It is important that those who are engaged in the business, and I guess it is a business in a way, of providing hearing aids - the previous act was called the Hearing Aid Dealers legislation. We are now calling them practitioners, giving them a certain status and standing. I think it is fair enough, because, if somebody has a problem of this nature and responds to that problem by going to a hearing aid dispenser, they are not just looking for a hearing aid. They are looking for advice. They are looking for advice as to what might work. If there is a temptation to oversell something, saying, well, we have this $200 device or we have this $1,400 device, or this $1,800 device, people are making decisions as to whether they will choose a particular hearing aid device based on the advice that they receive from a hearing aid practitioner, and that advice could mean the difference between spending $500 or $2,500, depending on what is available, so there is a fair amount of trust involved. I say that in all seriousness. When someone goes to a hearing aid practitioner, they are saying: What is it that I really need? Do I need this or do I need that, or will this get me through my needs? A lot of people, as we know in this Province, do not have the luxury of being able to make decisions of this nature without great financial sacrifice and great financial involvement from their families or for themselves. So, a decision of that nature can be extremely important to an individual. I think it is important that we have some means of raising the standards of a group of people who are providing this. It is not something that - you know, it is not a salesman job. If you are a hearing aid practitioner, you are not just a salesperson trying to sell the latest model or the most expensive model or the one that has the greatest markup and advantage to you as an individual.

I think this is an area, again, where we are dealing with people who may be vulnerable based on their condition or their age and, as indicated, it is not always a function of increased age that people might have a need for a hearing aid but, to some extent, people's hearing can decrease over time or get worse to the point that they may need a hearing aid device. So, there is a potential there for abuse, and the idea of having a body to which you can go to complain is a useful concept because it does provide someone with - first of all, someone who is engaged in the practice of supplying hearing aids knows and understands that there are standards and that there is a body to which they would have to respond. As I say, it is not just a sales job trying to sell a device. It is a job where you are providing advice to individuals who are in need of some sort of mechanical aid to allow them to hear better.

Sometimes it is not just a question of hearing better, it is a question of being able to hear what you want to hear, as opposed to hearing so many other things as well. I think there is a lot of sophistication out there that was not there twenty years ago, thirty years ago, or sixty or seventy years ago when my mother got a hearing aid device. There has been a lot of successful developments in audio technology, and it does require a fair degree of expertise, but the important thing here, if someone is going to a hearing aid practitioner there is a level of trust there in terms of the advice they receive as to what is the best device for them, within their means, that is going to do the best job for them. Individuals, whether you call them consumers or call them patients, or whatever you call them, they are in need of a high degree of ethical responsibility from a hearing aid practitioner.

I hope, Mr. Speaker, that this bill will go some way in increasing the status of people who are in the profession and, at the same time, provide a level of ethical awareness and practice that would make the public better protected as a result of this kind of legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now on Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners, he will now close the debate.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I thank my two colleagues opposite, my critic and the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, for their comments, and, again, their support of Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, I move second reading of Bill 53.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners. (Bill 53)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today.

MR. SPEAKER: Later today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 53)

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

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

Order 11, second reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses. (Bill 54)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses." (Bill 54)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you again, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise at second reading to introduce Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses. In fact, this particular piece of legislation repeals a former piece of legislation simply called the Licensed Practical Nurses Act. So, this is new legislation but, again, it is new legislation that is in keeping with the theme of all of these bills that are being discussed today, the theme of self-governance and the theme and ability of a group to discipline their own membership in the event that need arises.

Mr. Speaker, one thing interesting is that, like the doctors, the governing body and this legislation will provide for a College of Licensed Practical Nurses. The previous terminology used was the Council of Licensed Practical Nurses. However, for the purposes of this particular legislation, practical nurses in the Province will be governed by a professional organization simply referred to as the College of LPNs.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose and the intention of this legislation is to streamline governance to allow the LPNs who practice - so well, I might add, in our Province - catering to the needs of those who require care and attention. This particular group will now be governed by this new piece of legislation. They will be self-governed. They will again, as in the case of the other examples, be in a position to deal with their own affairs as they arise.

Essentially, what is happening in this legislation, again like the others, is that the group themselves will put on their representative board their own representatives selected by the group themselves. That is clearly what makes them a self-governing body. They select, in their own manner, a group of individuals who will govern the affairs of, in this case, the Licensed Practical Nurses in the Province.

Mr. Speaker, formerly referred to as nursing assistants, we all know of the great value of the work that is done in our hospitals, in our homes, in our long-term care facilities, in our community care facilities, home support work, whatever. These individuals clearly demonstrate what it is, it seems to me, to be a true health care professional. It is through their dedication, hard work and energy that so many people in this Province can say that the care that they received is superlative. It is nothing short of ideal, because so many people - and I hear it throughout. As I go into health care facilities, as I visit long-term care facilities, our senior citizens' homes, we always hear the great work of our health care professionals, whether it is our physicians, our nurses or, in this case, our LPNs. The work that they do is a true testament to their education, to their dedication, and to their value in ensuring that our seniors, our sick, our ill are provided with the best care and attention as they go through that particular experience in their lives.

Mr. Speaker, there is very little to add, I guess, other than the fact that it is clear what we are doing by the introducing of this legislation. It is to provide and streamline the affairs of LPNs throughout our Province. On that particular note, I will again allow my colleagues opposite to join in and to share a few words, hopefully, in support of this particular piece of legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to rise and say a few words to Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses in our Province.

Mr. Speaker, it is a profession that, no doubt, I have a great deal of respect for, having come from a family with a sister who works as an LPN, and actually works right here in the city as an LPN. It is a profession that I know a little bit about and I certainly respect and admire the work that they do in our health care system.

Mr. Speaker, LPNs, in my opinion, not only are they a key stakeholder in our whole health care system, but I think they have a greater role that can be played. I think there is a greater role that they can play in the overall delivery of health care in Newfoundland and Labrador, and I have always said that. Many of these people are trained, well educated, professional people who have never been able to perform to the full scope of their training and education within our health care system.

Mr. Speaker, I think this is something that the Council for Licensed Practical Nurses in the Province has raised on a number of occasions, and continues to raise on behalf of their membership. They feel, Mr. Speaker, that there is more that they could do. There is more that they can be contributing as health care professionals in our field, in our health care system, our institutions, our hospitals, and they feel that there is a greater role and a more substantial role that they can play.

Mr. Speaker, I know personally, first-hand, that many of these individuals work tirelessly on a day-to-day basis, especially within our long-term care institutions throughout the Province where they provide care to a lot of the elderly people, elderly residents in Newfoundland and Labrador, and they do a tremendous job at that. Quite often, Mr. Speaker, they do their job with limited resources, without a great deal of support, sometimes, from other sectors. I think they are to be admired for the work that they do.

I know that last year, when they were out negotiating, renegotiating their contract under NAPE, LPNs, I really felt bad for them, Mr. Speaker, because I felt that they were a group that were deserving of wage increases. I really did. Not that I did not feel that anyone else was, but because I was, I think, closer to the profession, understood the scope of the work that they do on a day-to-day basis, I really felt that they should have had a contract that would have allowed them to see some wage increase; because, you know, for the role that they play, and how much they contribute to the health care system in this Province, they are underpaid and undervalued, in my opinion, for the work that they do.

I think there was more that could have been done, and I know that many of them went away very disappointed; because, when you look at physicians in the Province, when you look at nurses in the Province, when you look at other health care professionals, most of them are paid - all of them, I would say, are paid - at a much higher wage level, at a much higher scale, than LPNs. I think they still perform admirably in their profession, and I think they still play a valuable role within the health care system.

Mr. Speaker, they have challenges. They will be the first to tell you they have a tremendous number of challenges, and I think one of the biggest challenges is going to be for government because, out of the 2,900 who work as LPNs in the Province - just think about that. That is a lot of people employed as licensed practical nurses in our Province, almost 3,000 individuals working in that profession. They already know that the number of LPNs who are retiring on an annual basis is a growing number. They will tell you that already in 2003, for example, there were fifty-four LPNs retired out of the system, but by the time we get to the year 2007 we will have 106 LPNs who will retire in our health care system.

Mr. Speaker, that is a significant number of professionals in that one occupational field who will exit the workforce, and we have to be prepared for that, so we have to ensure that there is appropriate enrollment in the licensed practical nursing program in our colleges and institutions. We need to make sure that the course is being made available to as large a number of people throughout the Province as we possibly can, and we have to encourage people into that profession because we know ourselves, today, that by 2007 we will have over 100 LPNs exiting the system on a retirement basis annually. We need to make sure those jobs are going to be filled.

What we have today is the Council for Licensed Practical Nurses who are already out there saying: Develop these training programs, develop these modules, so that some of the LPNs we currently have working in the system can take advantage of that additional educational opportunity, so they can, as we say in most professions, upgrade their skill level or upgrade their training level within that occupation so that they can take on a broader scope of work within their work place. That is one key element. The other key element they are saying, Mr. Speaker, is that we have to be encouraging people into the profession, to enroll in the programs that are offered at our colleges now for licensed practical nurses and making sure that the programs are available.

Mr. Speaker, the other thing we have to do is, we have to ensure that there is a good solid future for LPNs in terms of the designation of their jobs. Many LPNs, Mr. Speaker, are temporary or casual workers, and this is a problem. When you are asking people to go out and train to work in a certain profession, they want to make sure the jobs they take are going to be full time, they are going to be on a full-time basis, they are going to be annual, and they are going to have pensions and benefits attached to those jobs. That, Mr. Speaker, makes it s lot more appealing. As it is now, a growing number of the people who are going into the LPN programs who are coming out and finding jobs in our health care system in Newfoundland and Labrador are being hired on a temporary and casual basis, not on a full-time permanent basis. This has become a problem.

When you start looking at what is going to happen in 2007, when you see all of these LPNs retiring from our system, then we need to fill those jobs and it is going to be harder to recruit people into the profession that is paid lower than most other health care professionals in the field, that is not giving you a permanent job, but rather a temporary or casual job, it is going to be a lot harder to attract people to that kind of an educational program and that kind of a profession. I think these things really need to be dealt with.

I think the other thing that really needs to be dealt with is how these health care professionals are being utilized within our system. I want to talk about that for a few minutes, because when you look at how our health care system is designed and how the professionals who work in the field continue to complement each other on a day-to-day basis, I think the one thing we need to look at is how each of these individuals can be better utilized within our system.

Every day we hear about the increased pressures and the increased challenges that are facing physicians in our health care system, how we have shortages of physicians throughout the Province, how it is harder to attract doctors and to maintain them in rural Newfoundland and Labrador communities. So, Mr. Speaker, we look at: What are the alternatives? How do we continue to provide a quality health care system, sometimes not being able to recruit the physicians that we need in Flower's Cover, or in Twillingate, or in Forteau, or in some other region of the Province?

Mr. Speaker, we looked at a program, which was a nurse practitioner program, which kind of gave nurses more of a higher level of education within the health care system. It allowed them to be able work independently in rural areas of the Province, in clinical style operations where they could be able to take on a larger scope of work.

The other thing that it allowed them to do, as nurse practitioners, was to work in our large hospital settings as part of a triage system, so when you have people coming in to emergency care or coming in for emergency treatment, they could at least be seen by a nurse practitioner if there was not a doctor available immediately, and their health care need is still be tended to by someone who has the training and the knowledge to be able to deal with that patient.

Mr. Speaker, I really believe that by developing that kind of program, and training and educating those kinds of nurse practitioners in our health care system, it has taken some of the pressure off physicians. I really believe that. I really believe also, Mr. Speaker, that if we could do something similar for LPNs in our health care system it would indeed take some of the pressure off the nursing profession. I say that, Mr. Speaker, with the greatest level of sincerity, because I think that many of these LPNs now who are coming out - I think it is a two-year program now, whereas years ago it was a one-year program - I think that now, Mr. Speaker, it is allowing them to be trained to do a broader scope of work, although it is still not permissible under our legislation, it is still not permissible in some degree by the health boards in which they work, so therefore it is still a problem and their hands are tied.

I think there is a way that they could be playing a larger role in the delivery of health care services that would complement nurses, that would complement doctors, and it would also take some of the pressure off the other two professions and allow them to be freed up to do other aspects of health care servicing.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to support this Bill 54 that has been brought forward by the minister and to add those comments to it, because I really do feel that practical nurses, licensed practical nurses, in our Province is a profession that quite often is not recognized or elevated to the level that it should be in our health care system, but to say that the 3,000 people - almost 3,000 people - in this Province who work as licensed practical nurses do an admirable job every single day in the health care system in this Province. I want to commend them for the work that they do, and I have no problem supporting the bill that has just been brought forward.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

MR. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to rise in support and to say a few words also concerning Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see today that this recognition is finally given to the LPNs of the Province. Licensed practical nurses certainly contribute significantly towards our overall health care system. Indeed, one can say that they are the backbone of our medical programs in this Province, particularly in a hospital environment, a hospital setting.

It is a strenuous job, Mr. Speaker. It is an occupation that is high-risk to injury. Many times LPNs, given the fact that we are short of most professions in our hospital environments today, a lot of times LPNs find themselves working alone where they have to tend to a patient and they have to do things and take care of the needs of that patient, sometimes involving turning them over or moving them, patients who weigh much more than a lot of the LPNs, but they have to do it. It is not a piece of machinery that you are working with, where you can I will wait until I get help. There is a person there in the bed who needs help immediately to relieve any pain or discomfort they may be experiencing. The natural instinct for anyone would be to attempt to do that. Licensed practical nurses have done that, Mr. Speaker, only to find themselves injured as a result of performing their duties when there is not enough staff available to assist them.

Mr. Speaker, this is a long overdue recognition, as I said earlier, because licensed practical nurses in our Province is mainly a female dominated profession; most of the LPNs are female. There are a few male LPNs in the various hospitals and other licensed health care facilities throughout the Province but, by and large, it is a mainly dominated female occupation.

The pay that LPNs receive is certainly, with this recognition, something that needs to be adjusted as well. For many, many years, the licensed practical nurses of this Province have not, as the previous speaker indicated, been able to utilize their training and their knowledge to the fullest degree possible. Hopefully, under this system, they will be able to do that.

It is great, also, Mr. Speaker, to see that in the curriculum now for LPNs, they themselves will have a say as to what should be in the curriculum, and setting the guidelines and rules that future generations of Licensed practical nurses will train under and work under.

Many times, Mr. Speaker, the licensed practical nurses in our hospitals look at - our patients who come in consider them to be nurses. They are the people they see most of the time. They are the people they interact with on a more frequent basis. I have heard - I am sure we all have - many times where patients have met an LPN outside the hospital environment and remarked to someone that she was their nurse when they were in the hospital, because they is the type of interaction with the patients that they have. They are more front line than anyone else, and patients look at them really, for all intents and purposes, as being their nurse. So, they have the obligations and they have the responsibilities of being there to take care of the patients when they are being hospitalized and, for many, that is a very traumatic experience. LPNs, again, talk to these patients, try to put them at ease and make their stay in hospital as comfortable as it can be.

Mr. Speaker, the previous speaker mentioned the nurse practitioners and, again, that is an enhancement to our health care system because many times we hear the complaints about doctors being too busy to see patients or to come around and do things that, really, other people can do. The adding of nurse practitioners to the health care system in this Province, I agree, will go a long way to improving conditions within our medicare system.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to conclude by saying to the minister that we support this bill. It is an important piece of legislation that will recognize many of the people who are the backbone of our health care system and who work hard each and every day helping patients in the hospitals and other health care establishments around this Province at a time when it is most stressful to them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services. If the hon. minister speaks now he will close the debate on Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I wish to thank my colleague from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair and my colleague from Labrador West for their comments and support of Bill 54.

Mr. Speaker, again, and I think it is clear in the commentary of my colleagues opposite and comments made throughout the afternoon, that the work that is done by our health care professionals in the Province is well appreciated, well understood. Certainly, individuals and their families can well attest to the wonderful work that is done by so many individuals who dedicate their lives to the medical profession, the nursing profession and to the profession of simply caring for others in our Province.

Mr. Speaker, I thank those who participated. I now move second reading of Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses. (Bill 54)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today.

MR. SPEAKER: Later today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave.

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

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

Order 12, seconding reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy. (Bill 55)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy." (Bill 55)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise again and make a few comments with respect to Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy. Again, we are talking about a group of individuals who have chosen to be self-regulated and wish to govern their own affairs as they carry out their profession and good work on behalf of the people of the Province.

Mr. Speaker, the practice of massage therapy has been regulated in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2001, and massage therapists are regulated in three Canadian provinces. So, again, we are joining a growing list of other Canadian jurisdictions where this type of legislation is in place to represent, I guess, the concept and the theme of ensuring that so many of our health care professionals are self-regulated and are prepared to deal with their own affairs when they arise.

Mr. Speaker, I will now allow my colleague oppose to make any further comments she wishes to make with respect to Bill 55.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wanted to rise and have a few words with relation to Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy.

Mr. Speaker, like most of the bills the hon. members introduced here this afternoon, the bills are intended to provide a streamline of regulation to a number of professional associations within our Province, and the practice of massage therapy and the Massage Therapists' Association being one of those professional associations.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have a problem with the bill but there are a couple of things that I would like to say, and that is that Newfoundland and Labrador is among one of only three provinces, I think, in Canada so far that has passed legislation as it relates to the practice of massage therapy. I am certainly pleased to know that we have done that, and we have incorporated and recognized that massage therapy is a very integral part of our health care service and have looked at them and offered the certification and registration to them to become a partner in the health care system within our Province. They certainly have worked with government over the years to set what has been considered a professional standard for people who take massage therapy to have input into the curriculum that goes into those programs and also to have input into the certification.

Massage therapy is basically the treatment of soft tissues to the body. I know, myself, I have had to use it on occasion, and I am sure there are other people here who have had to use it on occasion. It is very therapeutical, absolutely, and it is a very good treatment for a lot of injury and a lot of pain that a person might be experiencing. Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no doubt, massage therapy can also be used as a tool for relaxation. I think any people who are off with regard to stress related illness will find that massage therapy is, indeed, a very good prescription and medical practice to help with stress in one's life and to certainly help relax and improve the levels of stress that one might be experiencing.

Mr. Speaker, massage therapy has become a very recognized treatment, especially within the professional workforce. Quite often we look at massage therapy as being a bonus to treat ourselves and to be able to indulge, sometimes, at a spa or at some other kind of facility for these treatments; but, in fact, it is recognized as a very definite form of medical care that can be provided. You will find that a lot of people who are off with work related injuries, or with stress levels due to working in very challenging jobs, who often have to deal with the public a lot and find themselves off work for stress related reasons, will find that these services, no doubt, are very helpful.

Mr. Speaker, they are also very helpful and you will find that people are recommending massage therapy more now for injuries that are related to the circulatory system, to the respiratory system, because it does help your body rejuvenate itself, rebuild itself, and strengthen itself, and that is a kind of therapy that is often needed in terms of some kinds of illnesses. Massage therapy also looks at stretching exercises, and other exercises that are related to flexing different muscles that are part of the body.

I think, Mr. Speaker, it is a growing profession. There is absolutely no doubt about that; it is a growing profession. It has been considered an acceptable medical treatment for many illnesses. I do not know how many massage therapists are registered in Newfoundland and Labrador today, but I can tell you that there are over 10,000 massage therapists registered in our country right now. I would think that we have a large number of them in Newfoundland and Labrador because, as you know, the service is provided, especially in the metropolitan area here in St. John's, and it is also provided in a number of our larger towns around the Province. I know of two of those services that are being provided in the Labrador and Happy Valley-Goose Bay area. I strongly recommend that you use these particular facilities. They provide a very good service.

Massage therapy is definitely a growing profession. You find even today, when I have been going around the Province and talking to young people, it is a profession that a lot of our young people are choosing to get into. They see it as a career opportunity. They see it as a career where there are growing trends into the future, so you are finding that a lot of our young people now are looking at programs like massage therapy as their career choice.

I think there will be more employment and more jobs in fields like that as time goes on, because today we are a society of people that concentrate more on our health, we concentrate more on our own self-wellness, in making sure that we do not have all of that stress in our lives, and that we are able to function every day to the greatest capacity possible, and that means taking care of our minds and our bodies. I think that as we see the growing trend more around these kinds of health care services, you will see a lot more demands and a lot more availability being made of the massage therapy profession.

Minister, I just want to say that I support the bill that you have brought in, Bill 55, and I certainly support the massage therapists in this Province who want to become regulated as part of that new legislative regime.

I look forward to voting for your bill.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. minister speaks now he will close the debate on Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I thank my colleague from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair for her support of this legislation. I now move second reading of Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy. (Bill 55)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 55)

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

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

Order 13, second reading of a bill, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists. (Bill 56)

 

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists." (Bill 56)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am please to introduce Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists. Again, Mr. Speaker, we have a group of dedicated health professionals who have decided, amongst themselves, that they wish to be self regulated, and to indeed deal with issues as they arise concerning discipline and other regulatory issues.

Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Therapy Board has been consulted throughout the process and has indicated they give their consent and approval in that this legislation move forward. The practice of occupational therapy has been regulated in the Province sine 1979, and I am might add that occupational therapists are regulated in all Canadian jurisdictions, so we are joining our colleagues across the country.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I would invite any commentary by my critic opposite with respect to Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am just going to rise and say a few brief words on Bill 56, because my voice is starting to wear thin today. I must be getting a touch of a sore throat or something. I was saying to the hon. House Leader, Mr. Speaker, he chose today to bring in about eleven bills on health care because the critic has a sore throat. I will try my best to get a few words out on the next few bills. I don't want to let the hon. minister down or the Government House Leader, so I will certainly do the best I can.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists: I talked earlier about massage therapists and how it is a growing profession within our society today. Well, occupational therapy has to be one of the fastest growing services that we have seen for a very long time. Do you know that today in Newfoundland and Labrador, I don't know the exact number but I know that there are over 7,000 people registered in the occupational therapy field. Mr. Speaker, that is significant. Not in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada. In Canada there are over 7,000 people who are registered as occupational therapists.

Mr. Speaker, I think that occupational therapy has contributed to businesses, it has contributed to governments, and it has contributed greatly to the rehabilitation of workers in our Province, because a lot of people who are injured on the job, or injured at work, have the ability to seek the services of occupational therapists. I think that this is one group, one organization of professionals, that have been lead, I say, in rehabilitating workers in our Province and getting them back on the job in a timely fashion. These are a professional group that have a broad education or background and it provides them with a great deal of skills and a great deal of knowledge to be able to do the work that they do. Occupational therapy is not restricted to any age group. It is a service that is provided to everyone in our society, everyone who wants to avail of it.

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to say much more on that, simply because my voice is very bad and I want to be able to save it for at least the next couple of bills that I know are coming forward, so I may have a brief comment. I do want to say that I support the bill that is being brought forward and that I do support the people who work as occupational therapists in Newfoundland and Labrador. I appreciate the contribution that they make to our health care system, and I believe that through their professional abilities, that we have been able to rehabilitate more workers in our Province and put them back on the job earlier.

So, I would just like to offer my support to this bill.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. Minister of Health and Community Services speak now he will close the debate on Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I appreciate the support of my critic opposite, and I now move second reading of Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists. (Bill 56)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall the said bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists," read a second time, ordered referred to the Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 56)

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

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

Order 14, second reading of a bill, An Act Respecting the Registration Of Psychologists. (Bill 57)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists." (Bill 57)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased again to deal with Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists. Again, as in the others, this particular piece of legislation has been approved by the Newfoundland Board of Examiners in Psychology and are obviously quite supportive of this new legislation. The practice of psychology has been regulated in our Province since 1985. Again, similar to the last bill, psychologists are regulated in all Canadian jurisdictions.

Mr. Speaker, the provisions, the purpose and the spirit of this legislation are essentially the same as the other bills that we have discussed throughout the afternoon. Again, I realize that my colleague opposite has indicated that her voice is disappearing on her but if she wishes to make a few comments, a few limited comments in support of this legislation, I welcome that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to rise and speak to the bill that the hon. minister just presented. I certainly thank him for an overview of what this bill is about and what it will enable psychologists in our Province to do. Again, it is a regulatory piece of legislation that allows all of these health care professional groups within our Province to be able to deal with issues of misconduct and of a disciplinary nature within a certain regulatory body that is being established through the Legislature. Mr. Speaker, that is important, very important, for professions like this because, as you know, psychologists are people who deal with people or patients in our society that, quite often, are experiencing some very difficult times. Those individuals and patients quite often seek the expert assistance of psychologists at a time when they are having very difficult stress in their lives, when they are going through pain management, when they are going through depression and when they are going through anxiety.

Mr. Speaker, in particular, psychologists have helped on many occasions within our health care system. Whether it is assisting people who are experiencing difficulty through addictions, through assault of a physical or sexual nature, this is the kind of service that you seek. These people play such a valuable role in our health care sector. Not only do they deal with lifestyle management issues that may have to do with depression and anxiety and so on, but they deal with stress management and work related management issues that we experience everyday as part of our job and as part of our community.

Mr. Speaker, psychologists in our Province deal with all kinds of individuals. It does not matter if you are a child or if you are an adult, if you are a senior, if you are an adolescent, these are the kinds of professional services that you seek. The only unfortunate thing that I would say is that a lot of people in the rural areas in our Province do not have the advantage of seeing a psychologist on a regular basis. I know that firsthand because I represent a district where that is the case and where people quite often have to be flown out to hospital or travel long distances to be able to have a session or to receive a treatment from a psychologist. Mr. Speaker, I could only hope that at some point we are able to provide that kind of a service in the rural areas of our Province and in the more remote areas of our Province in one shape, form or another. I know that it is not always easy for a lot of reasons, and probably one of the main reasons being that we do not have an overabundance of psychologists walking around in Newfoundland and Labrador looking for a job. I understand that. I understand that the job markets would be very tough. I also understand it would be very difficult to recruit people with this particular professional stature to work in a lot of the rural areas throughout our Province, but, Mr. Speaker, I hope that we are able to address that problem because it really does exist, and it is sad and it is unfortunate.

I know in my district, Mr. Speaker, people who are going through problems of anxiety and depression, pain management, addictions and challenges with parenting, family. I know that quite often they need the services of a psychologist, but it is not always available to them. They have to make appointments to see a psychologist at St. Anthony, and that can only be done on a timely manner and it can only be done when appointments are available. Quite often you might go six weeks or two months between seeing your psychologist, or even longer than that; probably even six months in some cases.

Mr. Speaker, there is a gap that exists within that service so it is difficult sometimes for people who need those kinds of services in our Province, but I have to say that psychologists do a great deal of work in our health care system. They certainly deal with patients at some of the most critical times in their lives - at the most critical times in their lives, I should say - when they need that service, that counseling service of psychologists, and that intervention, and I think they need to be recognized for the kind of work that they do.

I also understand that not always can these professional people and this professional service be delivered directly in all regions of our Province, but I think we need to be able to work on making it more available and more accessible to those people who actually need it. Right now, I have to say that I think psychology services are needed more in rural areas of our Province today than they have been for a long time, because there are a lot of people out there who are going through the job loss cycle, a lot of people who have lost their jobs in their communities and they do not have another job to turn to, a lot of people who are having to watch their family members leave and move out of the Province to other parts of the country.

You know, Mr. Speaker. The men and women in this Legislature are moms and dads. They are brothers and sisters. They know what that is like, and they know the trauma it can cause for an individual and for their families, so I think the services of a psychologist are probably more needed and in more demand in a lot of our rural areas today than there has been for a long time.

I just hope the minister - I know that he will take my comments, Mr. Speaker, with great seriousness, and I know that he will endeavour to try and act upon them. I would like to see more of this service being provided in the rural areas so that people in those areas, not just in St. John's or Corner Brook or Grand Falls or Gander, not only so that these people, when they are going through periods of depression or anxiety or addictions or sexual assault or physical assault, not only when you are in those communities that you have the readily available services of psychologists, but you should always, no matter what part of the Province you live in, and I think we need to improve upon that kind of accessibility to those kinds of services.

Mr. Speaker, having said that, I can only say that I do support the bill that was brought forward by the minister. I believe that the Association of Psychologists in Newfoundland and Labrador are a valuable entity within our health care system, and I certainly hope that we can improve upon the services that they are able to provide to us in Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now on Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists, he will close the debate.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Mr. Speaker, again, thank you to my colleague opposite for her insightful comments and her support of Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists.

I now move second reading.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists. (Bill 57)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later on today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 57)

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

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

Order 15, second reading of a bill, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004. (Bill 58)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004." (Bill 58)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased, once again, to rise and to speak briefly to An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

Mr. Speaker, as in the case of all of the legislation this afternoon, this is intended to allow the Newfoundland and Labrador Optometrists to be self-regulated through the Newfoundland and Labrador Optometric Board.

It is interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that the practice of optometry has been regulated in our Province since, or perhaps even prior to, 1952. It is a professional organization that has been in existence for a significant period of time.

Mr. Speaker, again there is really, perhaps, no need to repeat; however, the purpose, of course, of this particular piece of legislation is to allow optometrists in our Province to be self-regulated so that they, themselves, can manage and govern their own affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I should add again that the optometrists were consulted and they, in fact, support and approve of this particular piece of legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am really pushing it today. I figure I will not be able to speak at all tomorrow, after this.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I think they are trying to wear me down. They are trying to wear me down on the other side of the House. Mr. Speaker, the Government House Leader has an Order Paper full of bills he could be calling today, but, no, he is up calling all the health bills, because he knows the critic is soon going to lose her voice. Mr. Speaker, I can guarantee you they won't talk enough in this Legislature today for me to lose my voice. It might weaken, but I am sure it will be back tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, again is a bill that the hon. minister is bring forward in order to streamline regulations for professional associations in our Province. It allows for the separation of boards that deal with advocacy functions such as licensing and registration, and it also deals with a component that would look at a complaint commission or complains as part of an authorization committee. I think that is important, because any time where there is a complaint with regard to optometry in our Province, and there is a complaint that comes forward, at least people can take comfort in knowing that complaint of misconduct will be dealt with in a very professional manner, that it will be dealt with under regulatory regime, and that any conclusions from that act of misconduct will be reported and publicly reported.

Mr. Speaker, there is also a comfort there for the public that this is not just being evaluated by a group of peers, but rather it is being evaluated and assessed by a group of people who are independent and are able to look at this on a non-biased approach, and to make a decision as it relates to any optometrists or any particular person in the field who may be accused of an issue of misconduct within that profession.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation does allow for that, that is the intent of it, as it is the intent to allow for the same regulatory regime for all the other associations within our health care system. It also allows for some autonomy, I guess, on behalf of these organizations, because they now have a process where they can self regulate, as well, initially, and self govern to that extent.

Mr. Speaker, it does allow for all of those issues, and the minister says that there is compliance already with the optometry association in the Province, as it relates to this bill, and I certainly have no reason not to support it, I say to the minister.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would just like to say a few words on Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, at second reading.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, we are dealing with a piece of legislation that brings into line the Optometry Act with the other legislation that we are dealing with here this afternoon, providing for an independent board or tribunal that can deal with complaints about the practice of optometry, and deal with them in a way that also recognizes their right to a fair hearing so that not only is the complainant protected by having a route to go in the event of an allegation of misconduct or competence perhaps - there could be issues that could be brought forward based on a complaint to the optometric board and, as a result, a hearing can be held if the complaint is sufficiently - after having been vetted by an investigation and a complaints authorization committee, and then there is an independent tribunal to hear and determine the issues; one that would be required to follow the rules of natural justice so that people would not be accused or found guilty without knowing the case against them or having the right to make a full answer and defence to a complaint. So, it is there to protect the public but also those members of the profession.

As with all the others, Mr. Speaker, there are certain elements of trust involved in obtaining optometrist services in the Province. A trust in the sense that you are going to get a competent evaluation of your condition, but also trust that you are going to get a prescription that meets your needs. There also could be issues of competence, there could be issues of negligence, there could be issues of just a deterioration in a person's ability due to an addiction of some sort. These things happen in every profession, in every walk of life, and there must be a mechanism for people who operate fairly independently, as optometrist do, as the other bills that are before the House: optometrists, and denturists, I think, are next. We have had psychologists and others who are operating directly with members of the public, often in a one-on-one situation where there is an opportunity sometimes for various forms of abuse. We have seen it in a number of different practices which we do not need to get into the details of, but obviously in a professional relationship there is a position of trust involved and a position of authority in some cases where children are entrusted to an optometrist or a psychologist or someone else and there is often a situation of vulnerability involved requiring extra protection.

To bring all of these professions in line with these levels of professional and ethical standards, to provide a mechanism for complaints, to provide an independent tribunal with the rules of natural justice applying, all of these things serve to elevate the practice of the various professions that we are talking about, and further protect the public against the possibility that someone may be taken advantage of, or provide a service inappropriately or incompetently. This is another piece of legislation that we are here today to support because it advances the interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now, he will close the debate on Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I appreciate the support of the Member of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair and the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi. I know the optometrists in our Province appreciate the swift movement, I guess, of this legislation in this particular instance.

Mr. Speaker, I now move second reading of Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004. (Bill 58)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later today.

On motion a bill, "An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 58)

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

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

I appreciate the sort of thrust and throe and the jest thrown across the floor by my colleague, the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, but I do want to categorically deny - I am not trying to bring up every piece of legislation related to the member because she has a condition with her throat today, in terms of a sore throat or whatever.

Having said that, I will move to Order 16 on the Order Paper, second reading of a bill, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act. (Bill 59)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act." (Bill 59)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, Mr. Speaker, as it relates to Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act, the changes being proposed by Bill 59 have received the support of pharmacists in the Province. The Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board has been consulted throughout this process and are indeed supportive of the amendments that are found in this particular bill.

Mr. Speaker, again, the practice of pharmacy has been regulated in our Province since prior to 1952 and, similar to other pieces of legislation today, pharmacists are regulated in all Canadian provinces.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the bill is again the same as the other comments that have been made this afternoon with respect to the other eight pieces of legislation that we have carried through to second reading. Again, if my colleagues opposite wish to comment any further, they are more than welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am just going to have a couple of words with regard to Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act; I guess, for a couple of reasons. One, I should point out that in my district I suppose not a lot of people are familiar with pharmacies because we do not have any, I say to the minister.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MS JONES: Yes, most of our drugs are administered through our hospitals and through our clinic operations, which I think is a good balance and a good system for people who live in those rural communities where you cannot always expect to have a Lawtons or a Shoppers Drug Mart, or any other kind of a chain pharmacy sitting on the curb. I think people appreciate the services that we get through those alternative operations like our clinics and our hospitals.

Now, having said that, I have used the services of pharmacists in this Province on many occasions. I want to tell one quick story because I think it is a valuable role that they play. Just this year when I had my parents staying with me in St. John's for a number of months, I know on several occasions I had to go to pharmacies here in the city and have medical referrals or prescriptions transferred from Labrador so that they could be able to access their medications and so on over the months that they were here. I have to say that I found them to be very, very co-operative and certainly able to understand the situation as it existed in these particular cases and provide those services.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to mention that I guess in the past year or so we have seen also some significant changes for pharmacists, especially when it comes to the administering of methadone. Maybe the minister, when we move into Committee, might be able to answer some questions for me on that because I know that having pharmacists administer methadone in the Province as a form of a prescription drug and as a treatment requires certain significant training and skills to be able to do that. I know, from the minister's own comments in the Legislature and outside, that he had been working to increase the number of pharmacies that would provide that service in our Province and ensuring that people were trained properly to be able to do that. So, I know that has been a challenge, I am sure, for the Pharmaceutical Association or the pharmacists in our Province and for the department.

Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges, I guess, as I see it, with regard to pharmacists is the streamlining of prescriptions. I know that when we were in government there was a process in place at that time - and maybe the minister could bring me up to date on this as we move into the committee stage - but I know at that particular time we were looking at legislation that would allow, I guess, for pharmacies to be able to share information or that there would be a collective database whereby if I was picking up prescriptions from two or three doctors for, say, OxyContin as a drug, then the Pharmaceutical Association, through their dispensing, would be able to pick up on the fact that I was obtaining this medication from more than one pharmaceutical source.

Mr. Speaker, I know at that time there were some issues around the privacy piece of the bill. There were some issues raised by the Privacy Commission and by the Department of Justice in terms of people's personal information and the sharing of this personal information in a central database. So, I do not know what has happened with regard to that, since that time, but I think it is imperative that we have a system within our Pharmaceutical Association so that pharmacists throughout the Province are knowing if there other pharmacists dispensing drugs of the same nature to the same people at the same time. I think that is one of the ways that we can deal with some of the prescription drug addiction that is existing within our Province today. I think it is also a way that we can save a tremendous amount of money within the Medicare system because, obviously, many of these drugs are subsidized and a lot of them are actually subsidized by government-funded Medicare programs. I think there are some tremendous benefits in being able to obtain that kind of information. How do you do it in a way that will be acceptable to the public in terms of confidentiality, in terms of privacy? Mr. Speaker, I guess that is a different debate in terms of where we need to look at that, but I think it would be a valuable tool for pharmacists to have a centralized database whereby they can go in, when someone walks into their counter with a prescription, and ensure that this drug is not being dispensed to that same patient by another pharmacist at another pharmacy. I think by doing that we will certainly cut down on a lot of the addictions, as I said, with regard to prescription drugs, but we would also note that there would be some savings as well within the drug program that is being administered by the provincial government.

Mr. Speaker, I have some questions as it relates to Bill 59, but I will wait until we move into the Committee stages so that I can pose some of these questions to the minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to say a few words on Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act. This is a piece of legislation, once again, bringing this particular act into line with the complaints authorization process and other aspects of the disciplinary procedure allowing for an adjudication panel to deal with someone pleading guilty to a complaint and what provisions and measures can be taken.

This is an area, Mr. Speaker, let me say, unlike some of the others where there is a great deal of room for conduct which would be considered unprofessional in some cases, illegal in many others. It is a very important profession and a lot of trust is placed in pharmacists to look after medications. They are one of the few groups of people in our society who are allowed to maintain stores of narcotics, for example. Unfortunately, there are some pharmacists who fall prey to addiction to narcotics because of their exposure to them. There are also situations, Mr. Speaker, where pharmacists can be prevailed upon to provide medications to certain people. We have to have the highest set of standards for pharmacists in our Province.

We have heard a lot lately about things like OxyContin being prescribed, and over prescribed in some cases. I want to say, we have examples of pharmacists sticking their neck out, in one particular instance, very far by saying there are certain doctors who we should not fill their prescriptions. I think the individual is Mr. Healy, Brian Healy, one of the pharmacists who said that. I want to commend him for his bravery and courage in making that public stance, saying: Look, we've got a problem here. It is not a question necessarily of over prescription in general - although that might be a compliant about OxyContin, for example - but, in fact, he said that we have a problem with certain doctors and that he was satisfied that in the case of certain doctors he was not going to fill those prescriptions, and put out a notice to others to do so.

Now, I wonder, Mr. Speaker, could he be charged under this act for failing to - because there was a question at the time: Well, you are only a pharmacist. The doctor writes the prescription and someone brings it to you. You have an obligation to fulfill that prescription. It is not your job or your right to question that. Yet, here was a pharmacist publicly questioning a doctor's behaviour in prescribing OxyContin. It would make a very interesting case before a disciplinary panel, Mr. Speaker. Is a pharmacist overstepping his bounds by saying that or doing that? Or is he, in fact, carrying out the highest standards of his profession by insisting that he has an obligation, independent of a doctor, independent of the person prescribing it to the patient? That he has an obligation to society and to the patient stronger than the obligation to fill a prescription just because a medical practitioner signs a piece of paper or puts it forward. It would make a very interesting case if it ever got to a disciplinary panel.

It just goes to show you, Mr. Speaker, that the individuals involved in these professions, such as pharmacy and others, do have a significant role to play when it comes to the regulation of our society of the availability of medications - a very significant piece of work. A lot of these medications are dangerous and have significant side effects. I am, too, as the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, very impressed with the ability of pharmacists to deal with the high level of complexity that all the new drugs that are on the market, all of the notions of what they call contraindications, should not take this drug if you are a certain age or have a certain other condition, or taking another drug. Very complex, and we expect pharmacists to have a high degree of knowledge.

We now have a four-year pharmacy program at the university where a person can get a Bachelor of Pharmacy before carrying out the profession and they give a lot of advice to people. Sometimes you go to get a prescription filled and you are concerned about the fact that you are waiting, and while you are waiting you hear the pharmacist on the line consulting with a doctor, consulting with another pharmacist, about a particular drug, making sure that the prescription, the one ahead of you, is actually properly prescribed with the dosages right. I would suspect, Mr. Speaker - I am not trying to boost one profession or put down another - there are probably lots of instances where pharmacists are the ones who are able to phone up a doctor and say: Doctor, are you sure this is the right prescription for this individual? Perhaps you don't know that he or she is also taking such and such a drug. Would it be more appropriate to change this prescription to something else? I would say there are probably lots of examples where the pharmacist has played a role in ensuring that the patient got the right medication or the right dosage, or discovered, perhaps, errors that may have been made in prescribing a particular drug.

They are very important people, Mr. Speaker, who play a very important role in our medical system, and the regulation of that system, through the Pharmacy Act, is something that is highly desirable. I am glad this is one of the professions which is seen fit to be included in this particular regime, to ensure that members of that profession are subject to the highest standards of ethical behaviour. The range of provisions to deal with them, orders of various natures that could be made by a disciplinary tribunal, if you look through the list of possibilities, Mr. Speaker, the tribunal, in addition to doing something like suspending a person or fining them, have a right to order that the individual pharmacists comply with orders to obtain counselling, for example, or obtain medical treatment or - interesting one - obtain substance abuse counselling or treatment. As I say, there are examples of pharmacists who, because they have access to narcotics that the general public does not, can, if they have particular problems or situations, resort to abusing the very drugs they are dispensing. There can be provisions that require an individual, as a condition of maintaining their license or getting their license back, to have some counselling or may have to engage in a continuing education program if the reason for the discipline is a lack of knowledge through a completed course of studies.

Often we have situations where, because the standards change over time, there may be people engaged in the profession of pharmacy who didn't get a degree in pharmacy because that wasn't the standard back when they obtained their license to practice pharmacy, and have learned along the way in a different manner. If that situation is proving to be inadequate to the proper conduct of their profession and a complaint has arisen, it may be that a panel would say, look, you are suspended for three months or you are required to get a particular diploma or attend a certain program within the next twelve months in order to maintain your licence to practice medicine. So, there are a number of options that are available rather than just pure punishment for a discipline offence that could enhance the practice of pharmacy within the Province, a very important practice.

While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that what we have seen in the development of drugs and pharmaceuticals over the last forty or fifty years is a whole, almost a new branch of medicine where we have drug therapies replacing hospital treatment, replacing medical care, in many cases, that is saving the system money in terms of hospitalization but, because of the nature of payment for these services, puts the burden of the expense in the hands of individuals. What that has done is change the whole regime of treatment where we have medicare which provides doctors' fees being paid by the public system, hospital beds and hospital fees paid for by the public system, operations and surgeries paid for by the public system, but if you have to get a drug because a drug is recommended by your physician to treat this particular disease instead of going to the hospital, then you have to reach into your pocket and pay for it yourself unless you are in receipt of a provincial drug card because of your income, or you are on a seniors' drug card plan, or unless you happen to be a participant in a workplace related group insurance plan such as members of this House are and members of the public service are.

In fact, we have a situation in this Province - I only recently got this statistic because it was provided by the Canadian Diabetes Association - 35 per cent of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador do not have access to either a drug card or a workplace related drug plan. Thirty-five percent, a very significant number, Mr. Speaker, who do not have access to drug therapies without reaching into their pockets and paying for them themselves. That is a very interesting number because, you know, when we criticize the Americans for not having a very comprehensive medicare system, the statistic that is often used is that 35 per cent or 40 per cent of Americans have no medical plan. In other words, they do not have any medical insurance. So, if they get sick and have to go to a doctor, they have to pay for it themselves. Well, in this Province, we have the same situation with respect to drug therapies, and there are lots of people - and I know members of this House deal with them all the time - individuals complaining that they have prescription costs of $300 or $400 a month and sometimes more.

I had a constituent come to me recently and say: I have a particular form of leukemia and I have just been prescribed this drug, which is of vital importance to me. It is to prolong my life and to save me from a possible early death from leukemia, but it costs $3,000 per month. I do not have a drug card and our family income is not low enough to qualify for a drug card. We do not have a drug plan. What are we to do?

They applied for a drug card and were turned down because they had a small amount of savings. They had a small amount of savings and the provincial drug plan said: No, we cannot cover you unless you get rid of this $10,000 or $12,000 worth of RRSPs that you have. Spend that first and then come back and see us.

Interestingly enough, Mr. Speaker, the very day that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador said no, the drug company that manufactures the drug actually said, yes. They had an access program for people who could not afford this particular medication, which was new, very expensive, an annual course would be in excessive of $30,000, and this drug company offered, as a result of an application process and consideration - they said: We understand that you may need some of this money to pay your income tax and that you have a little bit of savings for your old age, but we will provide this drug to you as part of our access program.

So, there is a big gap, a growing recognized gap, in this Province in terms of health care, because drug therapies or pharmaceutical therapies have replaced, in many cases, hospital care or medical care for a large number of diseases because of the advances of science and research, but the difference is that if you take medication outside of a hospital setting you will have to pay for it yourself or you have to be part of a drug plan, either the government drug plan for people on social assistance or low income, or the seniors plan, or you have to be part of a workplace plan.

The next important step that I think government has to make in order to ensure our universal health care system is actually universal is to devise a pharmacare plan. Whether that is a pharmacare plan that is national in scope or one that this Province itself undertakes - if a group with twenty employees in a business can have access to a drug plan on a participatory basis, why can't the Government of Newfoundland organize a pharmacare plan for all of those who are not covered by an existing workplace plan or covered by the drug card scheme that the government has in place? This is something for us all to think about. If Tommy Douglas were alive today, that is what he would be talking about. That is what he would be saying. In fact, he said it then years ago. He said: Look, medicare is only the first step towards a comprehensive system that looks after not only hospital costs - because that is where it started. It started with hospital costs and included physician services. The next step was to ensure that we had an adequate pharmacare program so that people had access to drug therapies regardless of their income, the same as we now have with doctors.

What is interesting, Mr. Speaker, and I guess you and all of us know that there are people in this Province who go to a doctor, they get a prescription, and before they fill out their prescription they have to know how much it costs because lots of times they get prescriptions and they decide not to get them filled because they cannot afford that or they are choosing between one prescription and another. That is a fact of life in this Province, and every MHA knows about this because they receive complaints and concerns about it on an ongoing basis, so that is something that we all should be mindful of, that we should be working towards, should be thinking about. I know the Minister of Health has had this presented to him from time to time.

Another interesting comment that I can make is that when we had a presentation - I know the minister's staff did - from the Canadian Diabetes Association a week or so ago, one of the first questions that a doctor asked upon diagnosing an individual with diabetes is: Do you have a drug plan? If they do not have a drug plan, then the doctor decides from that basis which drug therapies to prescribe. In other words, a person gets a different kind of treatment if they have a drug plan than they would otherwise, purely on the basis of expense. That is a practical decision that doctors are making every day. They have to make that because they know that if they prescribe certain drugs this diabetic will not be able to afford to actually get them. That is a whole other discussion.

When we are talking about the Pharmacy Act and pharmacists, it is important to make that point that we do have a major gap in our universal health care system because only those who have drug cards from the Province as a senior, or as a person who qualifies for the drug plan, which is basically low-income people, or a workplace plan, 35 per cent of people are not covered by any form of drug plan in this Province and have to either pay for these drugs themselves or do without them, and that is something that we ought to change, Mr. Speaker, because it is another element of unfairness in our society. There may be some of those people quite able to pay for drugs, of that 35 per cent, but I know that there are many others amongst whom the cost of medications is a significant burden to them and their families.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I wish to support the legislation. It does bring the Pharmacy Act into line with the others and provides for a recognition that pharmacists, like others, may go astray and may need to be disciplined, but also have other corrective measures applied to them to assist them in reforming their situation or practice, and continuing to practice after having achieved the right level of continuing education, counselling, medical treatment, or supervision of their practice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services speaks now he will close debate on Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I appreciate the commentary of my colleagues from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair and Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

I now move second reading of Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House that the said bill be now read a second time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act. (Bill 59)

MR. SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time. When shall this bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?

MR. E. BYRNE: Later today, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Later on today.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act," read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 59)

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

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

Earlier today we moved first reading of Bill 60, An Act Respecting Denturists.

I now move second reading of Bill 60, An Act Respecting Denturists.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

It is moved and seconded that Bill 60, An Act Respecting Denturists, be now read a second time.

Motion, second reading of a bill, "An Act Respecting Denturists." (Bill 60)

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

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to introduce, I guess, what is the last health related bill for this afternoon at second reading stage. Mr. Speaker, it is An Act Respecting Denturists, Bill 60.

Again, as in the case of the others, Mr. Speaker, it is an attempt to allow the denturists in our Province to be a self-regulated profession. As in the case of others, the Newfoundland Denturist Board had been consulted in preparation of the drafting of this bill and, again, are supportive of this new legislation. As in the case of most other professions, Mr. Speaker, denturists are regulated in all other Canadian jurisdictions.

Mr. Speaker, should my colleague, my critic from Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, or the Leader of the NDP, wish to make any further comment, I now wait for their commentary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

It is moved and seconded -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

It is moved and seconded that I do now leave the Chair for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on certain bills.

Is it the pleasure of the House that I do now leave the Chair for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on certain bills?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Committee of the Whole

CHAIR (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

I would like to move debate, at Committee stage, of Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics.

CHAIR: Order, please!

A bill, "An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics." (Bill 51)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 42.

CHAIR: Clauses 1 to 42 inclusive.

Shall clauses 1 to 42 carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 42 are carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 42 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, the enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act To Regulate The Practice of Dietetics.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics, carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 51 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

I move to debate at Committee stage on Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians.

CHAIR: Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians.

A bill, "An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians." (Bill 52)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 38.

CHAIR: Clauses 1 to 38. Shall clauses 1 to 38 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 38 is carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 38 inclusive carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Assembly convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, the enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians, carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 52 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Debate at Committee stage on Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

CHAIR: Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

A bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners." (Bill 53)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 38.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 38 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 38 are carried.

On motion, clause 1 through 38 inclusive carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 53 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Committee stage debate on Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

CHAIR: Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

A bill, "An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses." (Bill 54)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 37.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 37 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 37 is carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 37 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall the Chair report Bill 54, An Act Respecting the Licensure of Practical Nurses carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘Aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 54 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Debate at committee stage Bill 55, An Act Respecting the Practice of Massage Therapy.

CHAIR: Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice of Massage Therapy.

A bill, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy." (Bill 55).

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 35.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 35 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 35 is carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 35 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting The Practice of Massage Therapy.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall the Chair report Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice of Massage Therapy, carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 55 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Committee stage debate on Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

CHAIR: Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

A bill, "An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists." (Bill 56)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 38.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 38 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘Aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 38 is carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 38 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘Aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 56 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Committee stage debate on Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration of Psychologists.

CHAIR: Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists.

A bill, "An Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists." (Bill 57)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 40.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 40 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 40 are carried.

On motion, clauses 1 to 40 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

On motion, the enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act Respecting The Registration of Psychologists.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 57 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Committee stage debate of Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

CHAIR: Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004." (Bill 58)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 11.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 11 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 11 are carried.

On motion, clauses 1 to 11 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, the enacting clause is carried.

CLERK: An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion the title is carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 58 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

Committee stage debate on Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act.

CHAIR: Bill 59, An Act To Amend the Pharmacy Act.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act." (Bill 59)

CLERK: Clauses 1 to 9.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 9 -

The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just a couple of questions for the minister on this particular bill. It has to do with pharmacists administering methadone through pharmacies in the Province. I know that, because of recent abuse issues around OxyContin and other drugs, there have been, I guess, people demanding more of this service through our pharmacies. I would just like to ask the minister if he could indicate to me if pharmacists are being trained in the Province right now with the administering of methadone and if it is available at more pharmacies around the Province?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In fact, the situation as it exists in the Province today is physicians who administer methadone. Just of some while ago, we were quite fortunate to have two physicians in the Province who now have received the appropriate federal training - well, not only federal training, but in fact they also needed designation, which is given by the federal government to a physician, so that physician can both prescribe and administer methadone, but it is done by the actual physicians.

For a while, as the hon. member may recall, there was a physician in Grand Falls-Windsor and that physician, Dr. (inaudible), I believe, was the only physician in the whole Province who had the appropriate federal designation and consent to administer and to prescribe in the area of methadone, but we now have been able to, fortunately, relieve that somewhat difficult situation whereby there was only one physician because we now have an additional two physicians who operate out of the recovery centre at our new methadone clinic.

So, just to respond to the member's question, it is in fact the physicians who do the actual prescribing and administering.

CHAIR: Order, please!

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Just on that note of the role of pharmacists, there was some discussion lately in the profession about whether or not certain drugs are prescription-only drugs, whether or not pharmacists have a role to play in actually prescribing drugs. I am just thinking of this in terms of, sometimes access to a medical doctor might not be as readily available in certain circumstances. Is there a case to be made for - in certain types of drugs or certain kinds of things, whether it be antibiotics or whatever, is there a case to be made for a pharmacist having a more direct role in terms of making certain medications available, perhaps with a doctor on call? I know we have big issues in Canada, it has to do with these Internet pharmacies and a lot of efforts being made to shut them down because often a Canadian doctor may or may not be involved, or in some cases are involved in a nominal way without seeing the patient. Is there a case to be made? Has the minister or his officials considered this issue as a possibility, that certain drugs, although they are behind the counter prescription drugs, could be made available by pharmacists under certain licences or certain conditions prescribed by the department? Has that been something that the department has given any consideration to, or something that the minister has a view on?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The suggestion that is made by the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi is a good one. It seems to me that the role of a pharmacist is indeed an expanding role. Particularly, just to go back to a point that was made by the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair earlier today when she talked about the availability of pharmacists in her district. I recall during my visit this summer in the clinic in Forteau the very active role that that small clinic-pharmacy plays, and a very important role. So, it seems to me, perhaps - if I can go back to the question that was just posed - there may be, indeed, an expanded role that a pharmacist or the role of a pharmacy can play, particularly in certain, perhaps more rural areas of our Province where the availability of a pharmacy as such, as a place to do business, is simply not available.

I would say to the member opposite, certainly, this may be a time, and there may be a role whereby a pharmacist can have a more expanded role. It is something that I am prepared to discuss with my officials.

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

MR. HARRIS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I know there is obviously an issue of position, availability to some extent as well, and a new model of primary health care involving a number of professionals in the one clinic. Perhaps some of the roles, the traditional rigid roles that health professionals have played over the years, need to be examined to a certain extent in order to provide a greater degree of medical care in a more timely fashion. We hear people complaining about not being able to get a family doctor, for example, in certain areas because they are already filled up; or going to emergency services to get access to an antibiotic because they would have to wait a week or two to get to a doctor. There may be circumstances where the physician well knows a patient and the patient needs, and it may be that a timely provision of an antibiotic where a person is not allergic to a particular drug, has perhaps had that prescribed in the past for a certain condition, where the symptoms are fairly obvious, there may be a role to play in the timely delivery of medical care in the form of pharmaceuticals to someone who would otherwise may have to wait a week to get an appointment, by which time the medical condition - if it is an infection of some sort - could have gotten worse to the point where a person is suffering and losing work or where a person ends up in emergency care because they have not had timely access to a particular drug.

So, it is something that I think needs further study, obviously, but something I think that government should be willing to entertain.

CHAIR: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Just one other issue, I guess, that came up when we were debating this particular Bill 59 in second reading was with regard to pharmacists having access to information regarding patients who might be having medication dispensed through a different pharmacy. I guess we have heard a number of cases in the Province where we actually have people who are accessing prescription drugs through more than one pharmaceutical source.

Mr. Chair, I guess my question is around: Is there a program or a data base being developed whereby pharmacists can actually share in that information? If I am a pharmacist working at Lawton's Drugstore over on Torbay Road and there is a patient coming in with a prescription for OxyContin, and that person is also picking up a prescription for OxyContin at another pharmacy down on Elizabeth Avenue, and those medications are being dispensed to the same person at the same time, is there a way that can be picked up in the system, or is the Department of Health looking at a centralized data base where all of that information can be gathered and obtained?

I ask the minister if he can respond to that.

CHAIR: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The hon. member raises, I believe, a very important issue, and certainly one that has had some publicity in the last little while. I can say to the hon. member that work is ongoing in the department. It is not completed, but there is work that is ongoing with particularly our officials in the department who work with the provincial drug plan in particular, and it is done in concert, I might add, with members of the Pharmaceutical Association.

It is an important area. The work is not completed, but work is in progress because it deals with, I think, an issue today, particularly in view of the discussion with regard to OxyContin and the subsequent prescribing of methadone, as an example. It is certainly an issue of great public interest, public importance. The project is started, but it is not complete.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think it is important that resource be there for pharmacists. Mr. Chair, I really do feel, in having a mechanism like that within the system, that it will indeed cut down on the addiction that a lot of people have to prescription drugs in our Province. If there is any benefit that can come of it, it would certainly be that.

I also understand that there is some concern being voiced with regard to the privacy piece that might be attached to a bill of this nature, or to a program of this nature. I am just wondering if the minister has encountered that, and how they intend to address that part of it as a government.

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. OTTENHEIMER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Again, it is an issue that we have debated somewhat recently with the pharmacists. Pharmacists are obviously concerned about that. It is a part of the audit process. The sharing of information, of course, is something which not only pharmacists but indeed, I think, the public at large ought to be somewhat concerned.

I can say to the hon. member, it is an issue. We have had discussions with members of the Pharmaceutical Association. Again, it is work in progress as we work towards attempting to perfect, I think, the very issue that she has raised.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I just wanted to thank the minister for outlining those two particular issues. I think they are important to pharmacists in this Province. I certainly want to encourage him and the government to move as diligently as they possibly can to put some kind of a centralized data system in place so that pharmacists in the Province can share that kind of information on a day-to-day basis.

With that, Minister, I will say that I am pleased to support the bill.

A bill, "An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act." (Bill 59)

CHAIR: Shall clauses 1 to 9 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Clauses 1 to 9 are carried.

On motion, clauses 1 through 9 carried.

CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.

CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The enacting clause is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

CLERK: An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act.

CHAIR: Shall the title carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

The title is carried.

On motion, title carried.

CHAIR: Shall I report Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act, carried without amendment?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Bill 59 is carried.

Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.

CHAIR: The hon. the Government House Leader.

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

I move that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.

 

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista South and Deputy Speaker.

MR. FITZGERALD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bills 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, and 59 carried without amendment, and ask leave to sit again.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chairperson of the Committee of the Whole reports that the Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to report Bills 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 carried without amendment.

When shall this report be received?

MR. E. BYRNE: Now, Mr. Speaker.

On motion, report received and adopted, Committee ordered to sit again on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: When shall the said bills be read a third time?

MR. E. BYRNE: Now by leave.

MR. SPEAKER: Now by leave.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. E. BYRNE: I move third reading of Bill 51, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 51, An Act to Regulate The Practice of Dietetics be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 51 be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics. (Bill 51)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 51 is now read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Regulate The Practice Of Dietetics," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 51)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians. (Bill 52)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 52, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 52 be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians. (Bill 52)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 52 is now read a third time and it is ordered that it do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting Dispensing Opticians,"read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 52)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners. (Bill 53)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 53, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 53 be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners. (Bill 53)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 53 is now read a third time. It is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration And Licensing Of Hearing Aid Practitioners," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 53)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses. (Bill 54)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 54, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 54 be read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses. (Bill 54)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 54 is now read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Licensure Of Practical Nurses," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 54)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy. (Bill 55)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 55, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 55 be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy. (Bill 55)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 55 has now been read a third time. It is ordered that the bill do pass and its order be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Practice Of Massage Therapy," read a third time, ordered passed and its title as on the Order Paper. (Bill 55)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists. (Bill 56)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 56, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 56 be read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Occupational Therapists. (Bill 56)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 56 is now read a third time. It is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting Occupational Therapist," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 56)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists. (Bill 57)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 57, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 57 be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists. (Bill 57)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 57 has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act Respecting The Registration Of Psychologists," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 57)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004. ( Bill 58)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, be now read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004. (Bill 58)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 58, An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004, has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Optometry Act, 2004," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 58)

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

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

Third reading of a bill, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act. (Bill 59)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act, be now read a third time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act, be read a third time?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act. (Bill 59)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 59, An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.

On motion, a bill, "An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act," read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 59)

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

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

I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the House for their co-operation in advancing bills related to the health care department today.

With that, I do now move the House adjourn until 1:30 tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that this House do now adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, November 29 at 1:30 in the afternoon.

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

Motion is carried. This House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday at 1:30 in the afternoon.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m.