March 13, 2018
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVIII No. 1
The
House met at 2 p.m.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Please be seated.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, the Justices of the Supreme Court have
arrived.
MR. SPEAKER:
Admit the Justices of the Supreme Court.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has
arrived.
MR. SPEAKER:
Admit His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.
(Mr. Speaker
leaves the Chair.)
(His Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.)
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: It is the wish of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor
that all present be seated.
HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Frank
F. Fagan, CM, ONL, MBA):
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of
Assembly:
I am very pleased
to open the third session of the 48th General Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our Government's
priority is to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador
remains an ideal place to
live and raise a family; a place that has the conditions necessary for economic
growth and job creation; and a place where people are supported by responsive,
innovative and efficient programs and services.
The Way Forward is our vision for
sustainability and growth; a roadmap guiding our future to a province that is
diversified, prosperous and with a high standard of living.
Our
Government's plan is focused on the future and on making choices now that are
necessary for the betterment of this province for our children and our
grandchildren.
We have
been steadfast in our commitment and today we reflect on the progress that has
been made over the past two years and to chart the course for the year to come.
An ambitious plan will encounter challenges, and such challenges are amplified
when the circumstances are difficult. We recognize these challenges as
opportunities to do better. Our Government will bring the perseverance and
commitment that is so characteristic of our province to bear as we tackle our
immense fiscal difficulties.
Our
answer to these fiscal challenges continues to be balanced. We strike a balance
with strong fiscal management while supporting sustainability and growth through
the responsive, innovative and efficient delivery of programs and services,
advancement of provincial infrastructure and focus on creating new jobs.
Our
Government is committed to creating long-term conditions for growth in the
province. The path we set out in The Way
Forward will encourage and elevate the talents of our people, ensure
responsible development of our abundant natural resources and support innovative
industries to promote economic growth and build for our future.
Our plan
has been strengthened through the ongoing engagement with the people of this
province. We have listened attentively and learned much. We have forged new
relationships and we are working to reconcile with others.
INDIGENOUS GROUPS
Reconciliation with Indigenous people of this province is of fundamental
importance to our Government.
To that
end, our Government convened the first provincial Indigenous Roundtable last
year, which included all Indigenous governments and organizations in the
province, including Indigenous women's organizations and friendship centres. Our
Government is committed to holding the second Indigenous Roundtable this year.
As we
reconcile with Indigenous people, we must learn from and atone for the mistakes
of the past, so that all present and future generations in our great province
can grow in the spirit of reconciliation.
Therefore, we will continue to strive to have the remains of Beothuks Demasduit
and Nonosabasut returned to the province from Scotland.
As well,
our Government will undertake its own apology to residential school survivors,
in consultation with the survivors of the former residential school system and
the leaders of Indigenous governments and organizations in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Our
Government remains committed to implementing the calls to action from the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission, in collaboration with Indigenous governments and
organizations and the Federal Government.
There
must not only be atonement, but there must be action to achieve a lasting
reconciliation.
ADVANCING THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Raising
standards and expectations for how our society treats women is an important
focus for our Government. Violence against women and girls is one of the most
serious issues facing society today. Unfortunately, many women continue to
experience violence. Fifty per cent of women over the age of 15 have experienced
or will experience at least one incident of sexual or physical violence in their
lifetime. The likelihood of experiencing violence is tripled for Indigenous
women. Violence, in any form, is unacceptable.
Tragically, the victimization of Indigenous women and girls remains a national
scourge. Our Government issued an Order in Council to fully establish the
National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in the
province. We were encouraged that the National Inquiry held sessions in
Labrador, and we will continue to fully cooperate with the National Inquiry to
finally halt the violence against Indigenous women and girls in this country.
Our
Government will continue to work in collaboration with community stakeholders to
find long-term solutions to eradicate violence. To complement the work of the
Minister's Committee on Violence against Women and Girls, a committee of
ministers representing multiple departments has been tasked to address the issue
of violence in our province. Ending violence is not the work of any one
committee, community group or government department; we recognize that it
requires a collective response. While government is taking a strong stand
against violence and harassment, the prevention of violence and harassment in
our homes, schools, workplaces and communities is everyone's responsibility.
Victims
of violence must be well informed about their legal rights. In collaboration
with the Public Legal Information Association and the Newfoundland and Labrador
Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre, our Government is developing a
program to offer legal support to victims of sexual violence. Trained staff will
assess and work with an individual's particular needs and experiences, provide
general legal information, supportive referrals and trauma-informed responses to
help people who have experienced sexual violence.
Our
Government will introduce amendments to the
Family Violence Protection Act to
better support adult victims of family violence and their children as Bill 1 for
this new session. These amendments will expand the current definition of family
violence to clearly include acts of psychological, emotional or financial abuse.
These changes will send a strong message that all forms of violence are
unacceptable, while supporting victims who are experiencing family violence to
obtain an Emergency Protection Order to help protect them and their children.
Our
Government will strengthen the capacity of departments and agencies to
understand and apply gender-based analysis to policies, programs, services,
legislation and budgets in order to ensure equitable outcomes for women in our
province.
As part
of Government's commitment to provide safe learning and work environments for
everyone, but especially girls and women, legislation and policy including the
Safe and Caring Schools Policy, the
Residential Tenancies Act and the
Municipalities Act are currently being reviewed using gender-based analysis.
While
some progress has been made to recruit and retain women in male-dominated
occupations, there is considerable work still needed to reduce systemic
barriers. Our commitment to advance the economic status of women and reduce the
gender wage gap remains steadfast. To improve the economic status of women, we
will continue to develop Women's Employment Plans for new infrastructure
projects. Later this year, we will invite women leaders to a forum to help
develop initiatives aimed at increasing the number of women in Newfoundland and
Labrador in leadership roles. We will continue to require Gender Equity and
Diversity Plans for all large resource development projects. These plans improve
training and employment opportunities as well as business access for women
across a wide range of occupations.
Our
Government values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity
employer. We recently announced a harassment-free workplace policy to ensure all
employees are safe at work. We will continue to work towards gender equality by
evaluating our workforce practices to ensure that we advance the social,
economic, legal and cultural status of women and girls.
FISCAL SITUATION
As we
strive to improve economic conditions in the province, we cannot ignore the
province's fiscal situation. Quite simply, we must continue to do better with
less and build on the work that we have undertaken over the past two years. The
challenges are real and we must make every fiscal decision by balancing the
provision of critical programs, services and infrastructure that our residents
need and deserve with the requirement to eliminate our deficits, return to
surplus and pay down our debt.
Our
Government is committed to getting Newfoundland and Labrador on a solid
financial footing. That involves new and innovative ways of doing things,
smarter investments and stronger partnerships with community groups, industry
and other stakeholders.
Improving our fiscal position is also dependent on establishing a stronger
economic foundation. Through the continued implementation of
The Way Forward and the Cabinet Committee on Jobs, our Government is
committed to improve the conditions necessary for private sector investment, job
creation and sustainable economic growth. While our economy remains moored to
the development of renewable and non-renewable resources, the growth of our
knowledge resources through innovation and technology presents one of our
greatest opportunities.
We look
forward to providing specific details on our fiscal and economic development
approach when we release Budget 2018 on March 27.
INNOVATION AND BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
The
economy of Newfoundland and Labrador is being driven by an innovative and
export-focused business community. In a world where location is not a limitation
for developing new business ideas, we are growing a diversified economy where
entrepreneurship and innovation are flourishing.
In
November 2017, our Government released a Business Innovation Agenda with a goal
to expand the pool and capacity of innovation and growth-focused businesses in
the province. Last month, we released The Way Forward on Technology - A Sector
Work Plan that contains concrete actions to grow the technology industry and
stimulate new private sector employment. Our Government is committed to
providing 40 high-performing technology firms with the supports required to be
more productive, competitive and successful in international markets over the
next two years. Furthermore, the creation of InnovateNL last year will promote
more efficient delivery of provincial innovation programs and services.
We know
that partnership with industry is key to our future success. Last year, our
Government established a Regional Trade Network for Newfoundland and Labrador as
a forum to share information, identify potential initiatives and improve
collaboration among resource and support providers.
Economic
growth and environmental sustainability must go hand-in-hand. Our Government is
working to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador's carbon pricing system and the
Federal Government's legislative changes to environmental assessment and other
regulatory review progresses support opportunities for economic growth in the
province while ensuring growth occurs in a sustainable manner.
We are
committed to undertaking a review of our environmental assessment process and
legislation to provide certainty for industry and stakeholders about process
requirements while ensuring protection of the environment.
Our
commitment to environmental protection is based on a close relationship with our
land and marine environments. This relationship is reflected in our music,
theatre, art and films. Indeed, it is reflected throughout all aspects of our
culture.
CULTURE
Newfoundland and Labrador is home to some of the world's finest artists and
performers. For centuries, we have made music, told stories and created images
that have moved millions of people to laugh, cry and just want to be like us. It
has been said that culture is our greatest export and our people are its
currency. Through this wealth of artistic expression, we have brought the world
to our shores.
Our
breathtaking scenery, pristine landscapes, talented artists and professional
workforce have successfully attracted film and television productions to our
province. This attraction is demonstrated in the success of the television
series, Frontier. Conceived, written
and produced by Newfoundland and Labrador company, Take the Shot,
Frontier is now in its third season of
production. Including the current season, this high-end production has generated
more than $73 million in total production activity and more than $45 million in
expenditures on goods and services.
CBC
recently premiered Caught, which stars
our own Allan Hawco and is based on the award-winning novel by one of the
province's most beloved authors, Lisa Moore.
Other
local companies such as Pope Productions, Morag Loves Company, Rink Rat and
Spring Water Productions continue to create exciting film projects in this
province.
These
film and television productions are contributing to a stronger economic
foundation for our province through the growth of the provincial film and
television industry, which exceeded $50 million in expenditures for the first
time in 2017-18 and employs an estimated 640 full-time equivalent positions.
Our
province's artists continue to receive well-deserved national and international
recognition.
The
Broadway smash hit, Come From Away,
displayed to an international audience the unparalleled kindness and welcoming
nature of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The show received seven Tony Award
nominations, winning for Best Director of a Musical, and was also nominated for
music's most prestigious honour, a Grammy Award.
In
literature, local author Joel Thomas Hynes was the recipient of the 2017
Governor General's Literary Award for his novel,
We'll All Be Burnt in Our Beds Some Night.
Recognizing and supporting professional artists is a priority for our
Government, as outlined in The Way Forward.
In the past year, our Government brought forward a new
Status of the Artist Act to recognize the important role artists
play in contributing to the cultural, social and economic well-being of the
province.
To
further reinforce our support for the arts and heritage, our Government will
renew the cultural plan, Creative Newfoundland and Labrador, by January 2019. We
will engage cultural stakeholders to discuss opportunities to collaborate,
provide better services and support better outcomes for the cultural sector over
the next five years.
LABRADOR
Labrador is a distinct and integral part of our
province's culture, history and identity. Labrador plays a crucial role in our
vision of building on a strong economic foundation in the mining, agriculture,
fishing, tourism, forestry and other renewable resource sectors.
Our Government will continue, through the Labrador
Affairs Secretariat, to coordinate and implement a focused and innovative
approach to improve service delivery in the region as well as to continue to
prioritize strategic infrastructure needs.
Transportation remains a critical focus for the
development of the region. Our Government is proud to proceed with the
completion of the Trans-Labrador Highway, in partnership with the Federal
Government. We also continue to support safe winter trail access to isolated
Labrador communities through the Labrador Transportation Grooming Subsidy.
TOURISM
Labrador's stunning landscapes, vast wilderness and
unique wildlife create an irresistible pull for adventure-seeking people from
all over the world. The Big Land was the only Canadian destination to make
National Geographic Magazine's Places
to Visit in 2018 list, helping to spread the news that the Akami-UapishkU-KakKasuak-Mealy
Mountains National Park Reserve offers a tourism experience unlike any other in
the world.
The undeniable attraction of the Labrador wild was
recently showcased in the running of the Cain's Quest snowmobile endurance race.
Characterized as the world's longest and most extreme snowmobile race, the 3,200
kilometre event
attracted contestants from Ontario, Quebec, Finland, United States and, of
course, Newfoundland and Labrador. Following a circuit from Labrador City to
Nain and L'Anse au Clair and back to western Labrador, 41 teams fought for the
glory of winning this exceptional event. Team Maine, an international duo from
Wabush and Maine, repeated their 2016 victory while local team, the Innu Hawks,
finished in second place. Since its inception in 2006, Cain's Quest has
continued to grow in popularity in response to the beauty and hospitality of
Labrador. We look forward to welcoming the next challengers for Cain's Quest in
2020.
With the
world's attention on Newfoundland and Labrador, our tourism industry continues
to be a driver for our economy. Last year more than 553,000 people travelled
here and have spent an estimated $575 million. This was the highest non-resident
spending we have ever seen.
Spurred
on by such growth and potential, our Government is committed to reaching $1.6
billion in resident and non-resident visitor spending by the year 2020.
IMMIGRATION
Our
province proudly offers a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for people
from around the world who choose to live, study and work here.
Increasing the province's population through immigration not only benefits us
economically, but also strengthens us socially and culturally. In The Way
Forward on Immigration, our Government
has committed to position our province to become a destination of choice for
prospective immigrants looking for a new place in which to work, settle and
raise a family. In collaboration with our Atlantic and federal colleagues, we
launched the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, a new way to assist employers
to recruit talent internationally. We also took steps to enhance the recognition
of foreign qualifications of newcomers, and to aid international students and
graduates in attaching to the local labour market. And there is more to come.
Our Government plans to launch new International Entrepreneur and International
Graduate Entrepreneur categories under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial
Nominee Program to further encourage economic growth in this province.
RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES
Guided
by The Way Forward and the Cabinet
Committee on Jobs, our Government is working to revitalize and develop
traditional and emerging industries – on land and on water – that will support
and sustain a better future for Newfoundland and Labrador.
The new
Department of Fisheries and Land Resources brings together a singular focus on
renewable resources, including agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, forestry and
lands. This consolidation has supported our Government's objective of a more
efficient public sector and introduced new, streamlined client service that
aligns program delivery with our Government's priorities. Since the formation of
the department, we have held summits on agriculture and aquaculture, initiated
diversification efforts in the forest industry, established the Fisheries
Advisory Council and launched the Atlantic Fisheries Fund in partnership with
the Federal Government. These actions have set the groundwork to realize true
and substantive progress in these industries.
Having a
safe and secure food supply is paramount for the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador. We face significant challenges in this province, especially when it
comes to access to healthy fruits and vegetables. Our Government has committed
to double provincial food self-sufficiency by 2022. To accomplish this, our
Government decided to open more Crown land for agricultural purposes. In 2017,
approximately 64,000 hectares of land was made available for agriculture.
Further actions under the Agriculture Sector Work Plan will support the growth
of agriculture and security of food supply in the province.
The
fishery has been the backbone of Newfoundland and Labrador for centuries, and it
remains a critical industry for the province. We must continue to focus on
strategic research and cutting-edge innovation in the fish and seafood industry,
both in our wild fisheries and aquaculture sectors, to optimize the value of
these resources for the benefit of our present and future generations.
To
compete in the global marketplace, our Government will continue to support the
fishery and aquaculture industries to achieve efficiencies and to produce the
highest quality, sustainably sourced products
NONRENEWABLE NATURAL
RESOURCES
Ove the
past 30 years, our economy has benefited from opportunities brought through the
development of our petroleum resources. The Way Forward on Oil and Gas: Advance
2030 – A Plan for Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industry
sets an ambitious path forward, in partnership with industry, the Federal
Government and other stakeholders, to nurture continued growth.
By 2030,
our Government envisions more than 100 new exploration wells drilled. Multiple
basins will produce over 650,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Our
commitment is to enable industry to accelerate progress from prospectivity to
production. By 2030, more than 7,500 people will be directly employed by this
industry. We envision a world-class energy cluster built upon the integration of
a robust, innovative global supply and service sector, commercial gas production
and new oil developments. Modern and fair benefit agreements will secure the
province's ability to realize enduring economic and fiscal returns.
Newfoundland and Labrador was recently ranked as the most attractive Canadian
province for oil and gas investment, and fourth globally by the Fraser
Institute. We have a strong track record of success, with our most recent major
production achievement occurring with the Hebron project. Our Government will
build on these successes with continued support in oil and natural gas
exploration and development. It is our commitment to position this province
globally as a preferred location for oil and gas development.
Our
province continues to receive wide-ranging benefits from our mining and mineral
riches. Mining is a significant contributor to the Newfoundland and Labrador
economy, with a forecast in 2018 of 6,000 people employed in the industry and
$3.4 billion in mineral shipments. We will continue to grow opportunities,
particularly in rural areas of our province, by advancing public geoscience,
improving service delivery and promoting exploration. A new mineral strategy for
the province will be developed, in consultation with mining industry
stakeholders, to identify new opportunities and guide future growth.
MUSKRAT FALLS
As we
grow our economy, we are faced with some challenges. Our Government has worked
hard with Nalcor to get the Muskrat Falls project on a better path. This hard
work has paid off, as we witnessed the achievement of unprecedented progress
with several important milestones reached over the past year.
Construction of the project is now 90 per cent complete and most recently, the
transmission link with Nova Scotia was finished, marking the first time in
Newfoundland and Labrador's history that we are connected to the North American
power grid. This allows us to import electricity at a cheaper rate than it costs
to produce at the Holyrood Generation Station.
While
the past cannot be changed, our Government took action to ensure that the
Muskrat Falls Project is better managed. It is important that we examine why
this project received sanction in the first place and ensure that the
circumstances that led to that sanctioning never occur again. That is why our
Government launched a public inquiry into the Muskrat Falls Project led by
Justice Richard D. LeBlanc.
That
inquiry, which began its work in January, will examine whether all options were
considered at the time of sanctioning the project. It will look at why there are
significant differences between the actual cost of the project and the estimated
cost at the time of sanction. The inquiry will also explore whether it was
justified and reasonable for the project to be excluded from oversight by the
Public Utilities Board.
We
expect the final report from the inquiry by December 2019.
CONSUMERS
Building
on our commitment to consultation and responding to the concerns of our people,
we are listening to consumers who are concerned about high automobile insurance
rates. Our Government has launched a review to examine why these rates are so
high with the aim of identifying ways to lower them. This comprehensive review,
led by the Public Utilities Board includes an independent closed-claim study as
well as public consultations. We expect to receive the PUB's findings by June of
this year and plan to introduce legislation this fall.
Later
this year, the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes will be legalized. This
is one of the most significant policy shifts in Canada since the province joined
Confederation in 1949.
We will
promote public health by keeping cannabis out of the hands of our youth and
encourage low-risk use by those adults who choose to use it; promote safety on
our roads, in public places and in our workplaces; reduce the burden on our
criminal justice system and support new business opportunities.
Our
Government has announced policies around the legal age to purchase, place of use
and the retail model. We have guaranteed a safe and secure supply of cannabis
through an agreement with one of the country's leading producers. This agreement
will result in the construction of a multi-million dollar production facility in
the province as well as the creation of 145 new, full-time jobs. Our Government
remains open to entering into agreements with other licensed companies.
We will
launch a comprehensive public education program to ensure that residents, and
particularly parents, youth, employers and employees understand the health and
safety risks associated with cannabis use.
While
much work has been done, we still have to make important decisions on this issue
and our Government will introduce legislation in this session of the House of
Assembly to address matters related to public safety and health.
MUNICIPALITIES
Municipalities in our province play an important role, not only in town planning
activities, but also in economic planning and development. Our approach to
engagement has been innovative and collaborative.
Our
Government has listened to municipalities, and heard about the need to improve
the legislative framework for local governments in Newfoundland and Labrador to
enable them to improve their decision-making and address important issues such
as conflict of interest. A preliminary round of consultations has concluded and
targeted consultations will soon begin. We expect recommendations for
improvement to be announced later this year.
The
second annual Premier's Forum on Local Governance was held on November 1, 2017.
Through forums like this, our Government receives significant insight into what
municipalities need and they allow us to better collaborate with municipalities
to reach our shared goals. Feedback allows us to adjust our programs to support
community needs. Last year, we focused on building a more sustainable
infrastructure program that supports sharing of services and prioritized
projects that provide valuable water, wastewater and disaster mitigation
infrastructure.
INFRASTRUCTURE
As we
look at the broader infrastructure requirements of our province, our Government
is taking a new and innovative approach to the way we build critical
infrastructure that serves the needs of residents, creates jobs and generates
economic activity.
Infrastructure is a long-term investment that requires a long-term outlook.
Planning one year at a time is not sufficient. This is why our Government has
taken a five-year approach to infrastructure planning.
Last
March, we released The Way Forward: A Multi-Year Plan for Infrastructure
Investments that outlines infrastructure projects across all sectors of
government, such as education, health, justice and transportation. Similarly, we
introduced five-year plans for the development and maintenance of road and
marine infrastructure.
Long-term planning provides certainty and predictability for the construction
industry. Enabling contractors to see projects that are on the horizon will help
them to make investments in their own companies, plan their expenditures and
business opportunities and position themselves to be competitive in public
infrastructure procurement.
With
almost 10,000 kilometres of road and more than 1,300 bridges and large culverts,
it is simply not possible to enhance our entire highway infrastructure in a
single construction season. Developing a continuous five-year roads plan allows
residents and motorists to know when highways important to them will receive
upgrades. In 2017, more than 508 lane kilometres of highway were paved, more
than 365 culverts replaced and 18 bridges repaired. Our Government will continue
to issue all tenders for road construction projects well in advance of the road
construction season. This ensures contractors are more prepared to start work
and take advantage of Newfoundland and Labrador's short construction season.
Our
province's physical environment presents unique challenges for transportation
infrastructure. Deteriorating asphalt on our roads is a hazard to travellers and
costly to replace. Our Government is working with industry to test different
asphalt mixes to determine the best types of asphalt for our traffic volumes and
our environment. In 2017, we paved five sections on the Trans-Canada Highway
with different types of asphalt. Beginning this spring, we will analyze the wear
of this pavement annually and use this information to improve roads for the
future.
Our
Government is taking an innovative approach to infrastructure procurement by
partnering with the business community to deliver long-term care facilities in
Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook, as well as the new hospital for
western Newfoundland. Taking this different approach to infrastructure
development is saving in excess of $100 million across these projects. Our
Government remains committed to ensuring that critical health care services are
provided by public sector employees.
ACCESSIBILITY
Everyone
has the right to access services and participate fully in their communities
without restrictions. Persons with disabilities should not have to experience
barriers or overcome obstacles in their daily activities.
We are
eliminating barriers in numerous areas. New regulations under the
Buildings Accessibility Act come into
effect in April. Changes to the Designated Mobility Impaired Parking Regulations
took effect in January, which include significantly increased fines for those
who illegally park in blue zones. Changes to the Provincial Wildlife Act and
Regulations and the Hunters and Anglers with a Disability Program have enhanced
equitable access to hunting and big game by increasing the allowable distance
between a disabled licence-holder and their designated hunter, and changing
policies to provide priority access to big game for people with disabilities.
We are
working to develop a new Individualized Supports Funding model. This will
greatly enhance how individuals access government services by introducing a
single point of entry with flexible services that respond to individual needs.
Our
Government will continue with a collaborative approach as it moves forward with
other initiatives, such as the review of the
Buildings Accessibility Act. In 2018, we will bring diverse
knowledge and experience together in an Inclusion Symposium to inform new
legislation focused on equitable access by people with disabilities.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Supporting Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to lead healthier lives will help
our province achieve better health outcomes. Recognizing that our health and
well-being are shaped by social determinants of health, our Government will
continue to use a Health-in-All-Policies approach in decision making.
Our
Government recognizes the importance of promoting participation in sport and
recreation, and the importance of healthy active living. In
The Way Forward, we committed to supporting all residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador to live healthier lives. By 2025, the goal is to
increase our physical activity rates by seven per cent and to reduce our obesity
rate by five per cent.
Better
health outcomes lessen stress on our health care system. Healthier
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will pay dividends for our province as optimal
health enhances quality of life, improves productivity and increases capacity
for learning.
Our
Government will release a Healthy Active Living Action Plan in 2018. Through
this initiative, we will increase awareness and public education, introduce new
policies and practice, build on existing programs and create environments to
support healthy active living.
Our
Government recognizes that strong public health legislation is vital to promote,
support and protect the health of our population. Our province's public health
legislation is more than 50 years old and has not been kept pace with the
current and changing needs of our population. During this sitting of the House
of Assembly, our Government will introduce a new
Public Health Act to drive improvements in population health.
Given
that one in five of us will experience a mental health issue, it is of the
utmost importance to continue the public conversation about mental health.
Together with community partners, health professionals and people with lived
experience we are working to address the significant challenges associated with
mental illness and addictions.
Recognizing the serious impact of such conditions in the workplace, our
Government has directed WorkplaceNL to modernize its approach to providing
coverage for work-related mental stress, including post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). In February, WorkplaceNL announced a review of PTSD coverage in
the workers' compensation legislation. This review will help ensure workers'
compensation coverage responds appropriately to issues in the modern workplace.
Our
Government values our partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada
and together we are working with communities to address suicide prevention.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the first province to implement Roots of Hope, a
suicide prevention project, in collaboration with community partners on the
Burin Peninsula. This project represents a significant step forward in
overcoming the stigma associated with suicide and allows for communities to come
together, as they have on the Burin Peninsula, to address suicide in our
communities.
Our
Government is committed to the full implementation of
Towards Recovery. In the near future, we will announce plans to
redesign the mental health and addictions services system across the province
beginning with the replacement of the Waterford Hospital and initiation of best
practices in community support services to allow people to be supported closer
to home.
We are
committed to the continued implementation of the Opioid Action Plan. Opioid
abuse is a significant problem in our province. As outlined in
The Way Forward, our Government will
open a drug treatment court for offenders with serious drug addictions, who
commit non-violent, drug-motivated offences, as an alternative to the
traditional criminal justice responses. The new court will address the
underlying issues that lead to addiction by offering court monitored treatment,
random and frequent drug testing, incentives and sanctions, clinical case
management and social services support.
Our
Government will ensure that our health care system meets the changing needs of
the population. We spend significantly more than the Canadian average on health
care, but we need to get better value from our health care expenditures. We will
focus on enhancing services in our communities.
We
continue to improve access to primary health care and home care services. Our
community- based interdisciplinary team approach, involving doctors, nurses and
other health care professionals will increase access to the right care, from the
right health care provider, in the right place. To this end, we will establish
more primary health care teams across the province, invest in electronic medical
record systems and implement a home-first approach to seniors' care.
Seniors
continue to make significant contributions to our communities. We have a
collective responsibility to ensure seniors receive the support they need to
lead healthy and productive lives. Our Government has appointed the first
Seniors' Advocate, Dr. Suzanne Brake, to collaborate with seniors, service
providers and others to identify, review and analyze systemic issues affecting
seniors.
CHILDREN IN CARE
Our
Government also has an obligation to provide the children in our care with every
opportunity to grow and prosper in a safe and caring environment. In 2017, we
amended the Child and Youth Advocate Act,
in consultation with the Advocate, so that it is now mandatory for the
Departments of Justice and Public Safety and Children, Seniors and Social
Development to report child deaths and critical injuries.
Our
Government continues to work with the Innu Nation on an inquiry into the
treatment, experiences and outcomes of Innu in the child protection system. The
overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care is a national crisis. In
January, our Government reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with our
federal, provincial and territorial partners and Indigenous governments and
organizations on this issue. Working together, we must do better for all
Indigenous children.
EDUCATION
Our
Government is steadfast in its commitment to better engage all students in
learning, fostering skills and competencies development and ensuring an
accountable education system through regular reporting.
In 2017,
the Premier's Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes released its report,
Now is the Time. Our Government will
use this report's recommendations to support children and youth in Newfoundland
and Labrador to achieve their full potential. We will release an Education
Action Plan to guide implementation of the report's 82 recommendations. A number
of recommendations will be ready for the upcoming school year, including a new
student support services policy that will address issues stemming from inclusive
education implementation, and supports for reading and mathematics.
Our
Government will also review legislation and make amendments to support students
and teachers and ensure a safe learning environment. During this sitting of the
House, amendments to the Schools Act, 1997
will be brought forward to address the provision of alternate instruction where
someone's presence would be detrimental to the well-being of others.
Our
Government will continue to provide children and youth with modern and engaging
learning environments in which they can learn, grow and prosper. Five new
schools opened in 2017 and the major development of three others has progressed.
Construction of new schools in Gander and Paradise will begin this year.
The
earlier that Newfoundland and Labrador's children can develop the skills
required for today's high-tech economy, the more prepared they will be to adapt
to future entry into the workforce. Our Government will implement a
comprehensive technology plan for the K-12 school system, including the addition
of coding to the curriculum.
The
priority our Government places on high quality education continues beyond the
high school years. A strong and prosperous Newfoundland and Labrador requires
well-educated and well-trained adults. Some Newfoundlanders and Labradorians may
become disengaged from the educational system before realizing their full
potential and may require additional support to assist them in achieving their
employment and educational goals. Recognizing this, our Government will develop
a new adult literacy action plan with the input of multiple stakeholders,
including post-secondary institutions, community organizations, adult learners
and business and labour groups.
Our
support for Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic is unwavering.
We will continue to ensure that tuition at both institutions is affordable and
among the lowest in the country.
Our
tradespeople have long been recognized for their skills and strong work ethic.
Our Government is focused on the skilled trades and, in partnership with other
provinces, will develop a new apprenticeship management information technology
system to streamline the steps in completing an apprenticeship program to meet
the needs of today's tradespeople.
ATHLETICS
Our
athletes have also been recognized following great success on the national and
global stages and are finishing on the top of the podium.
Kaetlyn
Osmond, from Marystown, has seen her hard work and dedication pay off as she won
gold and bronze medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics. This follows Kaetlyn's 2017
national title and a silver medal at the 2017 world championships.
Paradise's Sarah Davis captured a silver medal at the 2017 Women's World Hockey
Championships. Stephenville's Katarina Roxon won two gold medals at the World
Para Swimming World Series and nine medals at the Can Am Para-swimming
Championships. We wish Ms. Roxon continued success as part of Team Canada at the
Commonwealth Games next month in Australia.
Avondale's Angel Hiltz-Morrell captured a silver medal in wrestling at the 2017
Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg. Rigolet's Brooklyn Woolfrey joined Paradise's
Nicholas Quinn to win a combined eight medals at the 2017 World Dwarf Games in
Guelph.
Liam
Hickey from St. John's won a gold medal at the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey
Championships and is currently in PyeongChang competing at the 2018 Winter
Paralympics. And not written here is that he scored five goals and a bunch of
assists and doing quite well for our province. Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
HIS HONOUR THE
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR:
Liam is a phenomenal
multi-sport athlete who also competes internationally for Canada in wheelchair
basketball including at the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil. We wish
him nothing but the best as he goes for gold with Team Canada in South Korea.
Team
Newfoundland and Labrador took home 34 medals at the 2017 North American
Indigenous Games last summer in Toronto.
After
winning the 2017 Brier, Team Gushue wore Canada's colours to capture the 2017
World Men's Curling Championship. They wore those same colours last week to once
again, win the Brier, becoming one of only eight teams to have won back-to-back
Briers since 1927. Brad Gushue was also recognized as the skip with the most
wins in the history of the Brier. Team Gushue will be representing Canada at the
World Curling Championships later this month.
Joanne
MacDonald, a native of St. Mary's Bay and three-time Paralympian, and
Trepassey's Mel Fitzgerald, a two-time Paralympian, have both been inducted into
the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association Hall of Fame.
Professional basketball, our own Carl English, returned home last fall to
compete for the St. John's Edge in its inaugural season in the National
Basketball League of Canada. He has been a standout for the team all season,
most recently setting a new league single game scoring record of 58 points. We
are fortunate to have such a wonderful role model and community ambassador for
our young people.
This is
an exciting time for the west coast of the province as the 2018 Newfoundland and
Labrador Winter Games are underway in Deer Lake. Hundreds of young athletes from
across the province are in the area competing in sports such as alpine and
cross-country skiing, curling, hockey, gymnastics and figure skating. We wish
all competitors good luck and hope they enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow
competitors. Events like the Winter Games would not be possible without the
dedication of volunteers. Our Government extends its congratulations and
gratitude to the 500 volunteers for their passion and commitment to both sport
and their community that ensures the success of these games.
Our
Government is so proud of all these athletes. Their accomplishments inspire the
next generation of athletes to chase their dreams.
SUMMARY
In
summary, our plan to strengthen the economy, improve our fiscal situation and
ensure a healthy, safe and welcoming society is working. We have made
significant progress in the past two years, and we are continuing to implement
our plan.
It is
imperative that we stay the course. The
Way Forward is our roadmap to achieve fiscal sustainability and better
outcomes for our province. We remain committed to realize our vision for
sustainability and growth, and we are honoured to continue to serve the people
of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Estimates of expenditure will be laid before you in due
course and you will be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.
I invoke God's blessing upon you as you commence this new
Session.
May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberation.
Thank you very much.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(His
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor leaves the Assembly Chamber.)
(Mr.
Speaker returns to the Chair.)
MR. SPEAKER
(Trimper): Please be seated.
Order, please!
The hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend
The Family Violence Protection Act, Bill 1.
MR.
SPEAKER: Is there
leave for the hon. the Government House Leader to introduce the said bill?
Leave is
granted.
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR.
A. PARSONS: Mr.
Speaker, I move, seconded by the by the Premier, that Bill 1, An Act To Amend
The Family Violence Protection Act, be now read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is it the pleasure of the
House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
This
motion is carried.
CLERK (Murphy):
A bill, An Act To Amend The
Family Violence Protection Act. (Bill 1)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now been read a
first time.
When
shall the said bill be read a second time? Tomorrow?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, Bill 1 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
His Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to make a Speech to the Members of this
General Assembly. We shall take a few moments now to distribute the speech to
the Members.
(The
Pages distribute the speech to all Members.)
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Welcome
to everybody, of course, and our viewers at home. It is certainly with great
pleasure that I rise in this hon. House today to represent the people of the
strong District of Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
I would like to begin by
thanking the Lieutenant-Governor for delivering the Speech from the Throne this
afternoon. I'm sure all Members in this hon. House would agree that His Honour
and his wife have been very dedicated in their roles. I thank him, on behalf of
all Members in this House of course, for his service to our province.
Mr.
Speaker, the residents of my District of
Harbour Grace - Port de Grave face the same
challenges experienced by people living in the more rural parts of our province.
They are hard-working people who deserve access to quality health care and they
want their children to receive the best education in the best quality
facilities.
When we formed government two years ago, the future
appeared quite bleak. Our fiscal situation was dire. Our Premier, our Cabinet
and our government as a whole were left with very little to work with, to put it
politely.
Today's Speech from the Throne outlines our
government's vision for a better Newfoundland and Labrador. A place where people
want to live, where they want to raise their families and where they want to
work in good jobs. Our Way Forward is an ambitious plan, Mr. Speaker, but our
plan is working because we are listening to the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador and including them in the process.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS.
P. PARSONS:
As
a female MHA, I am proud of the work our government is doing to advance the
status of women in this province. Violence against women and girls is indeed a
serious issue. As a society, we simply have to do more to stop this behaviour.
We heard in the Speech from the Throne that 50 per cent
of women over the age of 15 have experienced or will experience at least one
incident of sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. The likelihood of
experiencing violence is tripled for indigenous women. We can all agree, Mr.
Speaker, that these figures are much too high.
Our government issued an order-in-council to fully
establish a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and
Girls in this province. As well, just last week all Members of our hon. House
unanimously committed to supporting the Moose Hide Campaign, which is focused on
ending violence against women and girls, in particular, indigenous women and
girls.
Last week, the National Inquiry into Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls held sessions in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We
will continue to fully co-operate with the inquiry and end violence against all
women and girls in our country.
The Minister of Justice and Public Safety has initiated
the Minister's Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls. Our government, in
collaboration with the Public Legal Information Association and the Newfoundland
and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre, is developing a
program to offer legal support to victims of sexual violence, in particular those who
cannot afford legal counsel.
In this
session, we will also be introducing amendments to the
Family Violence Protection Act to better support adult victims of
family violence and their children.
Mr.
Speaker, we are very aware that a wage gap still exists between women and girls,
not just in this province but globally. Here in our province we have made
progress in the recruitment and retention of women in male dominated occupations
but we also recognize much more needs to be done.
Our
government has committed to two important initiatives focused on women in the
workplace, women's employment plans for new infrastructure, projects and gender
equity and diversity plans for all large resource development projects to help
improve training and employment opportunities.
As a
female MHA, I'm very aware of the low number of women who decide to run for
public office, whether it be municipal, provincial and at the federal levels.
Statistics from our last provincial election show that only 28 per cent of
nominated candidates were women. And if you look around the House, 10 elected
Members are women and three of 10 Cabinet ministers are female. So I'm very
pleased that our government will invite women leaders to a forum this year to
help develop initiatives aimed at increasing the number of females in provincial
leadership roles.
Our
government is not only interested in protecting the interests of women and
children, but all vulnerable citizens. New regulations under the Buildings
Accessibility will come into effect in April. Changes to the Designated Mobility
Impaired Parking Regulations took effect in January, which includes
significantly increased fines for those who illegally park in blue zones.
Changes
to the Provincial Wildlife Act and
regulations and the hunters and anglers with a disability program have enhanced
access to hunting and big game by increasing the allowable distance between a
disabled licence holder and their designated hunter, and changing policies to
provide priority access to big game for people with disabilities.
Along
with protecting people with disabilities, we are committed to protecting
children in care. In 2017, we amended the
Child and Youth Advocate Act in consultation with the advocate so that it is
now mandatory for the Departments of Justice and Public Safety, Children,
Seniors and Social Development to report child deaths and critical injuries. We
are also committed to working with the Innu Nation in an inquiry into treatment,
experiences and outcomes of Innu in the child protective system.
Our
government recognizes the value seniors bring to our province. I can't help but
think about my grandmothers every time I talk about seniors. Seniors continue to
make significant contributions to our communities, and, Mr. Speaker, seniors
built Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
We have a collective
responsibility to ensure seniors receive the support they need to lead healthy
and productive lives. Our government has appointed the first Seniors' Advocate,
Dr. Suzanne Brake, to collaborate with seniors, service providers and others to
identify, review and analyze systemic issues. That's a first.
Our
government values our partnerships with the Mental Health Commission of Canada
to work with communities and address suicide prevention. Newfoundland and
Labrador is the first, as mentioned by His Honour, to implement Roots of Hope, a
suicide prevention project in collaboration with community partners on the Burin
Peninsula which is a service that will certainly be offered province-wide.
Recognizing the serious impact of such conditions in the workplace, our
government has directed WorkplaceNL to modernize its approach to providing
coverage for work-related mental stress, including post-traumatic stress
disorder.
In
February, WorkplaceNL announced a review of PTSD coverage and the workers'
compensation legislation. Our government is committed to the full implementation
of Towards Recovery, a report
detailing the work done by the All-Party Committee on Mental Health.
In the
near future, we will announce plans to redesign the mental health and addictions
service system across the province, beginning with a long overdue replacement of
the Waterford Hospital.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
In 2017, the Premier's Task
Force on Improving Educational Outcomes released its report,
Now is the Time. Our government will
use this report's recommendations to support children and youth in Newfoundland
and Labrador to achieve their full potential. We committed to releasing an
education action plan to guide implementation of the report's 82
recommendations.
During
this sitting of the House of Assembly, amendments to the
Schools Act, 1997 will be brought forward to address the provision
of alternate instruction where someone's presence would indeed be detrimental to
the well-being of other students.
Five new
schools opened in 2017, and the major development of three others has
progressed. Mr. Speaker, at this time it gives me great pleasure and I'm very
pleased to say there is finally a concrete, real plan in place for the long
overdue Coley's Point replacement project.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
I've met with our Premier
numerous times, we continue to meet. Of course, when I've stressed this problem,
because it indeed is a problem, with a 65-year-old structure, the Premier has
heard me and I am very grateful to say we received the people – the children of
Coley's Point Primary and the staff and the parents and the residents of our
district will be supported. Of course, I'll continue to work with our Premier
and our ministers on this. Needless to say, we can't wait until we turn the sod
on this project. Constructions of other new schools will happen in Gander and
Paradise and will begin this year.
Our
government will implement a comprehensive technology plan for the K to 12
system, including the addition of coding to the curriculum.
We
continue to support Memorial University and the College of the North Atlantic.
We'll work to ensure that tuition at both institutions remain affordable and,
again, remain among the lowest in the country.
Our
province is home to some of the world's most talented artists. They come right
from Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker; and, of course, we will certainly
invest and capitalize on our beautiful and unique culture.
Our
government brought forward a new Status of
the Artist Act to recognize the important role artists play in contributing
to the culture, social and economic well-being of the province.
We have
also committed to renewing the cultural plan, Creative Newfoundland and
Labrador, by January 2019. Of course, Mr. Speaker, everywhere we go we know we
always bump into talented Newfoundlanders and Labradorians all over the world.
One
example of how we are capitalizing on our culture is through the provincial film
and television industry, which exceeded $50 million in expenditures for the
first time this year. This employs an estimated 640 full-time positions.
Building
on the success of the popular Republic of
Doyle, and of course we're encouraging everyone to tune into CBC's new
production to watch Allan Hawco's new series,
Caught, which was written by the award-winning author, Lisa Moore.
Also, don't forget to tune into Little Dog,
featuring our very own Joel Thomas Hynes and our female strong producer Sherry
White.
As we
know, the stories of Newfoundland and Labrador can captivate audiences all over
the world, and look no further than the success from
Come From Away on Broadway featured in New York, telling the story
of the beautiful people of Gander and surrounding communities, how they opened
up their hearts and their homes and they helped during that major terrorism
crisis of 911.
While we
recognize the importance of our traditional Newfoundland and Labrador culture,
our government also recognizes the benefits of embracing cultures from all over
the world. In 2017, our government launched The Way Forward on Immigration where
our goal is to welcome 1,700 new immigrants to the province by 2020. As well,
our government is committed to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, which is
a new way to help employers recruit talent internationally.
We will
also launch a new International Entrepreneur and International Graduate
Entrepreneur categories under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee
Program to further encourage economic growth in our lovely province. Our
province has much to gain by welcoming more immigrants. Newcomers provide fresh
ideas which our province can embrace to grow and diversify our economy. This is
very important in light, of course, of our aging demographics and our workforce.
Mr.
Speaker, also we must always work with our harvesters in our fishery, our
inshore and offshore harvesters and all players in the industry. As mentioned by
His Honour, the fishery certainly is the backbone of our province and we must do
everything we can to work with those players for our natural renewable
resources.
I am
proud to be part of a government focused on the needs and the priorities of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Mr. Speaker, I am confident in this team and I
am confident when I say that this Premier, our Cabinet, our government as a
whole will continue to be honest and to work with and on behalf of the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador, as we were elected to do.
In
conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I now move that a select committee be appointed to
draft an Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for the
District of
Labrador West.
MR.
LETTO:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am pleased to rise today on behalf of the
constituents of Labrador West and second the motion that a select committee be
appointed to draft an Address in Reply to this year's Speech from the Throne.
I have to begin by first thanking His Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor for delivering the Speech from the Throne today and like my
colleague, the MHA for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave, I would like to thank the
Hon. Frank Fagan and his wife, Patricia, for their dedicated service to our
great province.
Mr.
Speaker, I am one of four Members of the House of Assembly who represents the
diverse and distinct area of the province known as the Big Land, Labrador, along
with my colleagues, the Members for Torngat Mountains, Lake Melville and
Cartwright – L'Anse au Clair. Under the leadership of our Premier, who is also
the Minister of Labrador and Indigenous Affairs, reconciliation with indigenous
people is a priority.
Last year, our government convened the first provincial
indigenous round table with representatives of indigenous governments, women's
groups and friendship centres. We will be holding a second indigenous round
table later this year. Our government is working to ensure that future
generations will grow in the spirit of reconciliation.
In November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized
to former students in Newfoundland and Labrador residential schools, calling the
treatment of indigenous children in residential schools a dark and shameful
chapter in our country's history. As mentioned in the Speech from the Throne,
our government will offer our own apology to residential school survivors.
We are all aware of the ongoing National Inquiry into
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. While there have been delays,
and we hear heart-wrenching stories from families impacted by violence, it is
important that this process occurs. I want to thank my colleague, the MHA for
Torngat Mountains, for attending hearings last week in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Last week, all Members of this hon. House supported the
private Member's resolution introduced by the MHA for Torngat Mountains in
support of the Moose Hide Campaign – and I know, Mr. Speaker, you were a great
part of that – a grassroots movement of indigenous and non-indigenous men who
are taking a stand against violence targeting women and children. I am proud to
say we are the fourth Legislature in Canada to support the Moose Hide Campaign.
Mr. Speaker, it is my intent during my brief response
today to highlight some of the great initiatives in Labrador that will
contribute significantly to the sustainability of our province. When it comes to
tourism, our future is bright.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR.
LETTO:
There are big opportunities in the Big Land. Labrador's beautiful landscapes and
vast wilderness make it an incredible destination for tourists.
Just last week, 41 teams from Newfoundland and
Labrador, Ontario, Quebec, the United States and Finland competed in Cain's
Quest, one of the world's toughest and most extreme snowmobile races; 3,200
kilometres across the
snow and ice of Labrador in 118 hours and 28 minutes on snowmobile. That's the
time it took Team Maine to repeat as winners of Cain's Quest 2018, followed an
hour later by Team Innu Hawks and Team Southern Sno Riders. With over 400
volunteers from all corners of Labrador involved, Cain's Quest 2018 was a
tremendous success.
Labrador
was also the only Canadian destination to make
National Geographic magazine's Places to Visit in 2018, helping to
spread the news the Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve offers a tourism
experience unlike any other in the world. The beautiful and majestic Torngat
Mountains offers a spiritual experience that cannot be matched anywhere else on
this planet.
The
national historic site of Battle Harbour and UNESCO's Basque whaling site in Red
Bay are on many tourists bucket lists. As the Trans-Labrador Highway is more
developed each year, access to the untapped and beautiful interior of Labrador
becomes more achievable.
Not only
is tourism a great way to showcase Newfoundland and Labrador to the world, it is
an important economic driver for the province. Last year, more than 553,000
people travelled here and spent an estimated $575 million. This was the highest
non-resident spending we have ever seen.
Mr.
Speaker, we certainly cannot forget the benefits of our mining industry. Mining
continues to be a major contributor to our provincial economy. It is forecasted
that 6,000 people will be employed in the industry this year and $3.4 billion in
mineral shipments. I am pleased that a new mineral strategy will be developed
for the province in consultation with the mining industry stakeholders to
identify new opportunities and guide future growth.
Labrador's natural resources have been, and will continue to be long into the
future, a major contributor to this province's economy. From the iron ore mines
of the Labrador Trough in Western Labrador, to the rich nickel deposits of
Voisey's Bay in Nunatsiavut, to the potential of rare earth minerals in
Southeastern Labrador, Labrador is poised to capitalize on both those existing
and emerging developments.
Mr.
Speaker, although we are far from the production stage, the oil and natural gas
deposits off the shores of Labrador will play a huge role in the future
development of our offshore resources in this province. This is certainly
recognized in through The Way Forward on
Oil and Gas: Advance 2030 – A Plan for
Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industry.
Guided
by The Way Forward and the Cabinet
Committee on Jobs, our government is working to revitalize and develop
traditional and emerging industries. The new Department of Fisheries and Land
Resources brings together a singular focus on renewable resources including
agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, forestry and lands. Since the formation of
this department, we have held summits in agriculture and aquaculture, initiated
diversification efforts in the forest industry, established a Fisheries Advisory
Council and launched the Atlantic Fisheries Fund in partnership with the federal
government.
Mr.
Speaker, we cannot underestimate the important role the fishery continues to
play on the Coast of Labrador. Over the years, the Labrador Fishermen's Union
Shrimp Company in the south and Torngat Fisheries in the north have and
continues to contribute significantly to the sustainability of the communities
in which they operate. To compete in the global marketplace, our government will
continue to support the fishery and aquaculture industries to achieve
efficiencies and to produce highest quality, sustainably-sourced products.
Mr.
Speaker, our government inherited many challenges but we remain committed to
turning things around. One of the biggest fiscal challenges our government is
facing is undoubtedly Muskrat Falls. We have worked diligently with Nalcor to
get this project back on track. A project that was only 48 per cent complete two
years ago is now 90 per cent complete. The transmission line with Nova Scotia
was finished, connecting our province to the North American power grid for the
first time.
There
were many questions and answers and concerns about the Muskrat Falls Project
when we took office. We have launched a public inquiry into the Muskrat Falls
Project which is being led by Justice Richard D. LeBlanc and we look forward to
receiving a final report from the inquiry by December 2019.
Mr.
Speaker, municipalities in our province play an important role, not only in town
planning activities but also in economic planning and development. Our approach
to engagement has been innovative and collaborative, and the second annual
Premier's Forum on Local Governance was held on November 1, 2017. It's through
forums like this, our government receives significant insight into what
municipalities need and they allow us to better collaborate with communities to
reach our shared goals.
Our
government is committed to engaging with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians on
issues that impact them. We will work closely with Municipalities Newfoundland
and Labrador, the Professional Administrators association and the Combined
Councils of Labrador to ensure that our municipalities remain sustainable for
years to come.
Last
March, we released The Way Forward: A
Multi-Year Plan for Infrastructure Investments that outlines infrastructure
projects across all sectors of government such as education, health, justice and
transportation. With almost 10,000 kilometres of road and more than 1,300
bridges and large culverts, it is simply not possible to enhance our entire
highway infrastructure in a single construction season. In 2017, more than 500
lane kilometres of highway were paved, more than 365 culverts were replaced and
18 bridges repaired.
Mr.
Speaker, transportation remains a critical focus for the development of
Labrador. Our government is proud to proceed with the completion of the
Trans-Labrador Highway, in partnership with the federal government. We will not
stop until all sections of the Trans-Labrador Highway are paved from the Quebec
border in the south, to the Quebec border in the west.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. LETTO:
Until we have a year-round
road connection to the Inuit communities in Nunatsiavut and the Innu of
Natuashish, we will continue to ensure they receive the best marine service that
they rightly deserve.
We also
recognize the vital role the Strait of Belle Isle plays in our province's
economy. Whether it is by marine travel or through a fixed link, it is
imperative that we maintain a service that is reliable, sufficient and effective
for the people who use this valuable service. We will also continue to support
safe winter trails, access to isolated Labrador communities through the Labrador
Transportation Grooming Subsidy.
Mr.
Speaker, I was born and raised in Labrador and it is an honour for me here today
to serve the residents of Labrador West as their MHA, and I take it very
seriously. The improvements I have seen since we formed government are
undeniable. Under the leadership of our Premier –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. LETTO: –
Labrador has flourished and continues to be a major economic driver for this
province.
Mr.
Speaker, I have talked about our natural resources, our great tourism potential,
our fishery resource, among many others, but, Mr. Speaker, our greatest resource
is our people and the diversity of the 27,000 souls we have in Labrador. The
Innu of the Innu Nation, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, the southern Inuit of
NunatuKavut, the settler and, yes, Mr. Speaker, the immigrant are all part of
the fabric that make us so proud to call Labrador home.
If we
are to be successful on The Way Forward,
it is then our duty to ensure that the diversity of our people is an opportunity
and not a barrier. That is our hope for the future.
Mr.
Speaker, once again, it's a great honour to second the motion that a Select
Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply in response to the Speech
from the Throne.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, on behalf of the Official Opposition, I thank the Lieutenant-Governor
for delivering the Speech from the Throne here today.
Mr.
Speaker, in recent history, Lieutenant-Governors in this province have served
for five to six years. His Honour was appointed in March 2013, making this his
fifth year in this post. Whether or not we're privileged to hear him deliver
another Throne Speech next year, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him
for his service and also for the service of his wife, Mrs. Fagan, for their
exemplary service to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, I also thank the
mover and the seconder who just spoke here in this hon. House, and I would also
like to commend the Third Party Leader and the Premier who will get to speak.
All Members who are here today serve the people of our province, including my
own colleagues here in the Official Opposition caucus.
Mr.
Speaker, what a privilege we have to serve the people. As elected Members we
have a responsibility, and no greater honour can bestowed upon us than to be
elected and to represent our peers and our communities.
I thank
the judges and the leaders of the various sectors of our province; leaders in
business, labour, in academia, faith, culture, leaders in public service, the
community sector, municipal governance, students and youth who are paying
attention to these events today. I thank the people of our province for
attending or for watching at home.
Mr.
Speaker, as referenced by others earlier today and in the Lieutenant-Governor's
delivery as well, but I suspect there are other televised events which probably
have a little bit higher ratings than this one here this afternoon.
For
example, the recent gold medal skate by Kaetlyn Osmond and the beautiful
performance that she provided. I don't think anyone could every do anything to
make Newfoundlanders and Labradorians more proud than the beautiful performance
delivered by Ms. Osmond.
This
month we're watching, as referenced earlier, Liam Hickey, completing the in
Paralympic sledge hockey. I think in the first two games with him as part of
Team Canada – I know there have been three games now – they outscored their
opposite by 27-0.
As also
referenced, Mr. Hickey has also previously competed in Paralympic wheelchair
basketball. A very rare feat of having a Paralympics athlete, especially from
this province, to perform in both summer and winter games, I think speaks
volumes for his efforts.
We'll be
cheering on Katarina Roxon again in the near future at the Commonwealth Games in
Australia in April. As referenced earlier, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention
as well, Team Newfoundland and Labrador brought home 34 medals at the North
American Indigenous Games last summer.
I'll
reference my own district very briefly, Sarah Davis, who's a world-class hockey
player that we are all so very proud of. Nicholas Quinn from my district as well
was joined by Brooklyn Wolfrey and they provided, I think, a first-class
representation of Newfoundland and Labrador at the World Dwarf Games last
summer.
As
referenced as well, how proud is it to have an opportunity for Carl English to
be preforming here at home, back here in Newfoundland and Labrador and being the
star of his team in so many ways.
Mr.
Speaker, just this past weekend and during the past week, we watched very
carefully as we had two teams really representing Newfoundland and Labrador. One
led by Skip Gregory Smith, who has captured the imagination and interest of
young and old from coast to coast and was duly rewarded and recognized for that
this past weekend. While they're a new team, we know we haven't seen or heard
the last of them. We wish Greg Smith and his team all the very best in the
future.
Of
course, the reference to Team Gushue with their second back-to-back Canadian
championships at the Brier, which we all stayed up late to watch and enjoy his
past weekend.
Mr.
Speaker, if it isn't sports, it's academics and innovation where Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians are leading and showing up and doing great and wonderful
things. Memorial and the College of the North Atlantic students recently placed
second last year in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Speed Competition in California. We
have so many people of our province and young people in our province who are
high achievers and doing wonderful things. Mr. Speaker, this is our future, our
people are our future and nothing is more valuable.
Mr.
Speaker, the Throne Speech today, as we've seen traditionally, is some time for
stepping back and also a time for being specific about the short-term future,
less so for the long-term future, but being specific for a short-term future but
also a chance to look at the big picture.
Today's
speech says the government's plans are working. Well, Mr. Speaker, sadly we're
at a time when we have a province with so many people with so much to offer, so
many young people with so much to offer; the most significant story in our
province right now is a story of loss, lost income from the crushing burden of
taxes imposed by the Liberal government, loss of jobs, a loss of homes and
businesses in an economy that's shrinking, a loss of opportunities gone to other
jurisdictions.
Mr.
Speaker, not that many years ago we believed we were the best and the brightest,
and had the greatest future. We had a spring in our step and we believed in
ourselves. Well, Mr. Speaker, we've lost hope. We've lost hope that there's a
plan for better things to come. As I mentioned earlier, there's nothing more
important than our people. The loss of people is devastating our province.
Mr.
Speaker, it's interesting to see that the speech today refers to immigration and
attracting people while we're the only jurisdiction in Canada with an economy
that's going in the wrong direction. I recently spoke to someone in the moving
business, who has been in the moving business for many, many years and he's also
in the business of moving families out of this province. That company alone,
from 2015 to 2017, has seen a 30 per cent increase in the business of moving
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians out to other provinces – a 30 per cent increase
since 2015.
Mr.
Speaker, government has just allocated a significant sum of money to conduct a
survey to find out why people are leaving; 2½ years into office, we wished that
they had of been listening because they would already know the answer. For the
last 2½ years, if they had of spent more time listening, thinking about the
future, thinking and considering the impacts of their decisions, I think today
the picture would look different.
In 2015,
the current government ran on a long list of promises, including a commitment to
deliver on an economic plan developed by some of the best minds in the province,
they said. They said a plan that the people would like. As it turns out, there
was no plan, Mr. Speaker. Even though we've seen plans and discussion of plans
such as we've seen LEAP, we've seen the Road Ahead Tour, we've seen
A Stronger Tomorrow and now the talk
is The Way Forward.
The Way Forward
document, Mr. Speaker, a thinly worded document of 12 long-range goals, I think
what it really does is lower the expectations that people should have for this
government. But it does include things like increased physical activity, fruit
and vegetable consumption and decreasing obesity and smoking. The history and
the past of this government is when their plans don't work, however, they like
to blame somebody else. They like to blame citizens or someone else when they
fail.
Where
are the commitments, Mr. Speaker, to deliver on actions that a government can
make? Choices like cutting taxes or reducing poverty, creating the conditions
for economic growth and diversification, or standing up for our fair share in
the federation.
Some ask
why doesn't the government hold itself to a commitment that depends on its own
choices. That takes real courage and can be difficult to do. We do know that
leading and governing is not easy, but just setting up people to take the blame
for failure is not acceptable. Even the ministerial mandates, some have been
rewritten. It appears to be lowering the bar on expectations.
Mr.
Speaker, people in our province, especially our young people in our province,
are tired of excuses and are tired of having others being blamed for the failure
of what was promised to the people of our province back in 2015. Keeping our
young people here should be a priority for our government. Not just simply a
priority to talk about, but a priority to deliver on.
The
government has to inspire our youth to stay here in Newfoundland and Labrador,
not give them reasons to leave our province, Mr. Speaker. The government ought
to focus, first and foremost, on securing Newfoundland and Labrador's future.
They talk about that from a long-term perspective. They should also be looking
at the current day and the short term ahead.
Mr.
Speaker, Quebec is busy fighting for Quebec. To be frank, they're doing a good
job of it. Ontario is fighting for Ontario. In the meantime, the question is:
Who's standing up for Newfoundland and Labrador?
Mr.
Speaker, we know that the government has referred today in the Speech to
consumers being concerned about automobile insurance rates, and the government
has indicated a willingness to fix that. Well, the high cost of insurance rates
is impacting hard-working families in our province. It's impacting the
transportation industry, it's impacting taxi businesses and it's increasing
costs for everything else.
We won't
have to wait long, because tomorrow we will be debating taxes on insurance in
this very House, and I look forward to the government Members supporting our
motion to encourage the government for change. It needs to change, Mr. Speaker,
the taxes are hurting so many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Mr.
Speaker, we also heard in the Speech from the Throne reference to a February
announcement, an invitation for submissions regarding post-traumatic stress
disorder that's impacting workers here in Newfoundland and Labrador. It's
actually the second time government announced asking for submissions, because in
2017 they sought submissions with an earlier deadline, and now they've asked
again for a second round of submissions. Wording is slightly changed, but I hope
the goal is not changed in the end.
Mr.
Speaker, the truth of it is that first responders and other classifications of
workers in our province are suffering because our government has not yet
identified and accepted an accumulation of exposures can cause illness for
workers. If a worker today cannot identify the place and the time for the
illness, they're not entitled to workers' compensation benefits. Their families
are paying for that.
Someone
in our province – I'm glad it's there, but we're going to continue to push to
see changes in the future. But, Mr. Speaker, someone has to make Newfoundland
and Labrador the number one priority. Someone has to make Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians the number one priority. It certainly won't be Quebec or Ontario,
that's for sure. That job is supposed to fall to the province's government. For
the last 2½ years the government has not lived up to the responsibilities and to
the many promises they made during 2015.
Mr.
Speaker, the clock is ticking down on this government and an election is
approaching. We're entering the dying days of a mandate that's too late to undo
the errors of the past 2½ years. It's been nothing but one giveaway after
another.
The
fisheries fund, minimum processing requirements are gone. We don't know what we
got in return. A fair deal on equalization is gone. The ocean technologies
headquarters is gone to Nova Scotia, a partnership with the federal government
that our current provincial government says is a good thing; principles of
Atlantic Accord. Most recently, we see the surf clam quotas and the potential
for full-time jobs on the Burin Peninsula to be impacted by this partnership
with the federal government.
Mr.
Speaker, at some point the Liberal government are going to have to make the
connection that maybe these losses of opportunity have something to do with why
people are leaving our province; but, Mr. Speaker, people are not going to stand
for this. People are too smart in our province, they see through it. They know
what's happening because the clock is ticking down.
Mr.
Speaker, our party right now is going through a leadership process. The New
Democratic Party is going through a leadership process as well. Before this
sitting ends at the end of May, our parties will be freshly focused on the
election that looms for 2019. In the meantime, we intend to be relentless in
holding the government to account for its actions and for what people see as
their failures to act. Its choices good and bad, broken promises and poor
judgment.
As an
Opposition, Mr. Speaker, as a sitting Opposition, we are all Members of the
House elected by the districts that we represent but we all have a job to do.
That's our job as an Opposition. We'll continue to propose solutions, we'll make
suggestions to strengthening legislation, look for new legislation provisions
and opportunities that will protect people and be to the benefit of our province
and we'll make suggestions for doing things a little differently to seek better
results.
As I
said, Mr. Speaker, that's our job as an Opposition. We are not going to back
away from the responsibilities that we've accepted. We'll be holding this
government to a higher standard. We'll point out how badly accountability and
openness has slipped under the current administration.
Mr.
Speaker, we'll continue to point out and ask questions as to why is the
government not being open and forthright as they promised to be? Why do they do
things such as hide information on Nalcor's CEO contract and if there is a
concern for potential conflict of interest? They say it's up to him, it's not
their responsibility.
What
about hiding information about electricity rates and their ability to mitigate
those rates, versus creating a higher level of fear in the province than is
necessary? How about hiding talks with Quebec on energy? Or how about hiding the
cost of moving the Crown Lands division from St. John's to Corner Brook? What
are the real impacts of those moves? While the minister stood here in the House
yesterday and talked about the positives, we also need to understand what the
negative repercussions of that move are.
What
about hiding the rankings for the roads from the Transportation Department? In
the Throne Speech today they talked about their five-year plan. What they won't
disclose, Mr. Speaker, is what about the roads that didn't make the cut, why did
they not make the cut and how far down the list are those roads? How about the
fact that they hid their plan to eliminate the Research & Development
Corporation during the 2017 budget Estimates Committee?
What
about their move on the legalization of cannabis and how they hid some of that
information? We stood here, and I stood here in the House last fall, while the
government denied that a sole-source contract decision had been made when, in
fact, it had been made. We stood in the House here last fall when the government
denied that they were about to announce the sole-source contract when, in fact,
the plans were in place to announce just that.
What
about details on our College of the North Atlantic and programs on probation?
What about the Atlantic Accord and plans for that? How about government's
intention on the generic Royalty Regime when they very quietly, without
announcement, without anyone knowing – they very quietly passed it and posted
without any announcement or without any knowledge to the general public.
What
about the Medical Association when they called for an inquiry into the health
system that's clearly in crisis? Mr. Speaker, what about their Clerk of the
Executive Council who was appointed when he had a clear conflict of interest? He
was suing the government that he then led.
Mr.
Speaker, bad governance produces bad results. The facts speak for themselves.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. P. DAVIS:
The government will not tell
all of the facts when it doesn't benefit them. They try to hide behind them, Mr.
Speaker. Those are just some examples. I can assure you, I've shortened the list
before I came to the House here today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, the government
will deliver its budget on March 27. Just a couple of days before Easter
holidays when this House takes an Easter break, when schools in our province
take an Easter break, while families take some time away from the daily routines
and spend some time with their own families and their own children.
Mr.
Speaker, during that Easter break we'll be digging in to the details of the
budget. We'll be searching for the facts that lay beneath the top pages because
people have a right to see beyond the varnished truth, and we'll be doing our
job to expose that – the same job we were elected to do.
Mr.
Speaker, while other Canadian economies are growing and the greatest economies
in the world continue to grow, our province can grow as well but only if we turn
away from the happenings of the past and we work together to drive our economy,
and not drive it into the ground but drive it forward.
Today's
speech says we cannot afford the fiscal situation, but so far we've seen little
done by the government to deal with it, other than taxes and fees on the people
of our province – the people who are now leaving Newfoundland and Labrador.
It's not
a time for government to have a knee-jerk reaction. It's a time to maintain
assets, not to sell assets off; to maintain what is powerful and important to
our province, not for any short-sighted and not well-thought-out plans. The time
now is to stabilize the province and to turn our province from believing the
best opportunity is to leave and turn that into the best opportunity is to stay.
We want nothing more than for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to stay here,
raise their families here and to contribute back to our province. Mr. Speaker,
for 2½ years, before excuses and blame, it's time for that to stop because the
clock is counting down.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Third Party.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I'm very
pleased this afternoon to stand and to recognize the Speech from the Throne and
to thank the Lieutenant-Governor for being here with us today and bringing the
speech to us. I also want to thank visitors who have been here with us, some who
are still here with us, those who are watching us on television, and I want to
thank all my colleagues here in the House as we start a new session of the 48th
General Assembly.
With
this Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, it's a well-written speech, I have to
say, and there are some good things in it. We have a piece on women's
employment, especially in the resource development sector in our large projects,
which is good. We have some growth in the Provincial Nominee Program, which will
be good for immigrants. We have government talking about its five-year road
infrastructure plan, something which I've always applauded and glad to see it
there.
The
government does a great job of recognizing – and rightly so – all of our stars
in culture, in tourism and in sports. We all applaud them. But while I'm really
proud of them – I don't want to name them all because I'll miss somebody. We
have our huge stars, our Olympic winners and we have the Brier winner, the world
winners on both levels in skating and in curling. We have tremendous stars and I
am so proud of them. I wish I could be just as proud of this government as I am
of those.
I
understand why government honoured them. I understand why the Leader of the
Official Opposition honoured them because we don't have much to honour with
regard to this government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. MICHAEL:
With a government, Mr.
Speaker, in this Speech from the Throne –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
– we have a stay-the-course
speech; business as usual from this government. I find that very disappointing.
Probably one of the most disappointing phrases in the Speech from the Throne for
me was, under the Fiscal section: “… we must continue to do better with less ….”
I just find that, Mr. Speaker, such a weak, defeatist attitude.
What I
want from a government, what I want for our people is: How can we build
together? What is the plan we can work on together to build our economy? An
economy that is not there just to make money for business but an economy that's
there to take care of our people; an economy that's there to keep our young
people here; an economy that knows that everybody here is important and
everything we do has to be there from them.
What I
miss from this government, Mr. Speaker, what I miss from their planning is that:
planning. What I would like to see and what I would do if I were in the position
that the Premier is in, is put together a plan that brings together all the
pieces, that looks at culture, that looks at tourism, that looks at agriculture,
that looks at our educational system and every other piece of government all
together in how do all of these pieces fit together to move forward. Not silos,
not paragraphs on this and paragraphs on that, but how does it all fit together?
How do we plan in putting our infrastructure together? How do we plan to make
that work for the people? Where is the plan that brings all the pieces together?
It's one
thing to talk about you giving Crown land for agriculture, but the big picture
is what is needed to make agriculture grow to the point where, number one, it
does give us food security and, number two, it increase our economy.
Where
does tourism fit in that picture of our fiscal planning? What is government's
role in sitting together with people? Not saying we have a plan, we're going to
consult you, but let's work out the plans together, Mr. Speaker. This is what we
need.
We have
had, over the last decade and more – more than that – all kinds of
consultations. We had a Rural Secretariat. We had our RED boards. We had so many
structures in place where people came together. I'm absolutely certain that if
we went through all of those discussions, their recommendations – I've read some
fantastic papers that came out of those discussions, especially during the Rural
Secretariat days.
If we
put it all together, we would get a cohesive plan. We would get a plan that
shows how everything fits together and how our fiscal reality has to be done in
that cohesive way. That's what we're missing. There's no vision for how that can
be done. It can be done because other places do it. Why can't we do it here?
Why
can't we, for example, in looking at our plan, we put all the overlays –
sometimes we call it gender lens but it's overlays, so the overlay of gender.
Why is there no child care plan? Why is there no plan for child care? We have to
ask the question.
How will
our economy grow? It will grow with more people employed. If more women aren't
employed, what is going to happen? We need more women employed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
They've proven it in other
places. So you take that overlay and you do your economic planning with that
overlay there.
You do
the same thing from a disability perspective. You do the same thing from an
immigration perspective. It's not immigration is over here, child care is over
there and education is over there; it's all together. This government has not
yet – and that's why I'm so disappointed with what I said I was disappointed
with – shown to us, shown to the people of this province that it knows how to do
that kind of analysis and how to do that kind of planning and putting pieces
together, Mr. Speaker.
It's not
just let's sit down with municipalities, where do municipalities fit in the
overall plan of keeping all of this province vibrant and alive? Where does that
fit? It's not: we have rural issues here and urban issues here. No. How does it
all work together? How does tourism, for example, work with the growth of our
rural communities?
Just
like other places in the world, we're not the only ones we know with wonderful
history and wonderful landscape. You can go everywhere in the world to get it.
We do have our own, but do we promote it? When I think of the places you can go
to on the Island and in Labrador, which are just magnificent, but do we promote
it?
Government has to sit with everybody in all the areas, with industry, in tourism
and plan together and show how government can work with them. Not just say,
isn't Cain's Quest wonderful? Government has nothing to do with Cain's Quest. It
is wonderful, but – well, I wouldn't do it – government has nothing to do with
it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
Government has nothing to do
with most of the things. They put a few bucks in here and there, but they don't
sit and plan and say: What is government's responsibility as we move forward?
That's
what I miss. That's what I miss from this government. That's what I miss again
from the Speech from the Throne, because as it said, it's a stay-the-course
speech. We just keep going as we are. We just keep cutting and doing with less.
No build for the future. You don't say because we are where we are that we just
stay here. No, you build for the future and that's not here. There's no vision
for that, Mr. Speaker.
So, yes,
it's very, very disappointing. Economic development, there's none. There's
nothing in there for economic development. We have to put the economic and the
social together. So in looking at social infrastructure – I remember once using
the phrase here in the House and somebody said: What did you mean by social
infrastructure? That question in and of itself is a mouth full.
Look at
our social infrastructure and see how that connects with the economic. I've said
this before in this House and I'll say it again, I've mentioned child care.
Child care is taking care of a social need, and it is economic growth. That's
the kind of putting together of concepts that we have to do in our planning.
That's the kind of integration that has to happen in our planning, and I don't
see any of that integration in this plan, Mr. Speaker.
It's the
same way; let's bring the social and the economic together again. It's the same
way with home care. Our home care needs to be part and parcel of our public
health care system. It isn't. Here in this province it is not part of our public
health care system.
In doing
that, not only will you have better paid people working, better trained and
better paid people working, not only will you have seniors and those needing
long-term care being better taken care of, you'll have more people employed. The
more people you have employed and making better money, the better that is for
the economy. So it all goes together. That's the kind of planning that has to
happen, and that's the kind of planning that we don't have.
This
document, as well, our Speech today does not recognize the demographic reality
of who we are. It doesn't recognize that we are losing our young people. Whether
the government wants to acknowledge it or not, we are. It's happening on a
regular basis. And at the same time, our numbers of senior people are growing.
The
government says it has a home – home first is their goal, or it is their policy,
or it is their vision, and saying home-first they do cuts to home care hours.
Now where does that fit? Where is the plan for putting home care up front and
understanding its needs socially and economically?
Mr.
Speaker, government also said they're supporting Memorial University and the
College of the North Atlantic – and that's it. That's the statement they made,
that their support is unwavering. Well, is it really unwavering? MUN is
crumbling. As a physical infrastructure, MUN is crumbling. Again, the lack of
integration, the lack of looking at what is the role of our post-secondary
institutions in the economic growth? What is it? We have it happening. I mean a
lot of the research that's going on at MUN, a lot of the work at the College is
part of our economic growth but it's not happening because government has the
vision.
How do
we work with the institutions to continue to create the opportunities for our
young people and the opportunities for business that will make sure our young
people are getting educated in a way that will give them jobs? And not just jobs
outside of this province, but more important, jobs in this province.
So, Mr.
Speaker, we have a long ways to go. I'm quite disappointed that government is
still not showing the kind of vision that we need in this province. I have to
say, am I looking forward to the budget? Well, it's going to be very interesting
to see how some of the things get played out in the budget. If it's all based on
we got to do better with less, than I'm not very hopeful.
Thank
you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
certainly pleased to be able to rise and speak to the Speech from the Throne. I
will say right from the outset, I really wasn't expecting riveting speeches from
the Opposition and they certainly delivered on that.
I do,
before I begin, want to say a big thank you to Their Honours, the
Lieutenant-Governor and his wife, the Fagans. They've been a pleasure to work
with, Mr. Speaker, and it's really too early to tell what the future will hold
for this couple but I will tell you they have done a remarkable job representing
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and opening up Government House. I want to
mention that, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
We've had judges, we've had
clergy, we've had movers and seconders. Mr. Speaker, we've had Opposition
Leaders that have spoken to the Speech from the Throne so far today, and I will
tell you over the next few months I guess we will hear many more speeches in
Address in Reply that will relate to how we feel about this government and how
we feel about the direction we've been taking it in.
When you
think about it, it's something like a compass for this government. It speaks
about the social and the economic responsibilities we have in really trying to
find what that balance is all about. That is what today's speech was all about,
Mr. Speaker. It sprinkled in, to a large degree, the initiatives we've done over
the last few years and where we see where the future initiatives will be.
Mr.
Speaker, I find it quite surprising to some degree, as I listened to the Leader
of the Third Party I actually was expecting an endorsement from
The Way Forward as she was speaking,
because everything she talked about is exactly what
The Way Forward is all about.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
We only released that I would
say in November of 2016. It speaks to the growth and sustainability of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
She
talked about bringing people together in this umbrella. Well, we call that
summits. We've had three since September. We've done it with technology – maybe
you missed that, I say to the Leader of the Third Party. But we've done it with
technology and aerospace, we've done it with aquaculture. We actually done it
from the very industry that she spoke so much about, the agricultural industry.
She actually talked about silos, how unique that is when you mention
agriculture; but, indeed, it wasn't a silo that day.
We had
industry leaders there who gave endorsement to our agriculture summit and where
we are. As a matter of fact, even the Member for Mount Pearl North endorsed our
agricultural sector, I would say, Mr. Speaker, as well as many other people
across this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Do I speak with passion about
those industry summits that we've done? Of course I do, Mr. Speaker, because it
is about the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
It is about job creation. It
is about putting in place a good economic footprint for the people of our
province, as well as a social footprint, Mr. Speaker. As the Members rose and
did speak to that, I certainly was reminded of the very successful summits that
we've had. It's unfortunate because it was about preparing.
By the
way, I will want to remind people that are listening that what the Member
opposite said, talked about no overall plan. Well, there are actually
initiatives in place, targets that will be reported to the people of this
province. All I'd say to Members opposite is pick it up because they're
initiatives with targets in place that address agriculture, aquaculture,
technology and aerospace, Mr. Speaker.
I will
say that just a few weeks ago when we did the technology summit, it was a large
room, a lot of people from industry there. So it really wasn't a silo, a lot of
people from industry there. We had some of the brightest minds in this province
in attendance that day.
Near the
end of that session, Mr. Speaker, we asked people in that room if you're less
than 30 years old to stand up. There were a lot of people that stood up. Many
people stood up in that room. There was a loud round of applause for those young
people because they didn't see the future in our province like the Leader of the
Opposition sees the future of this province. They did not see the future of this
province like the Member for the Third Party sees this province. They saw
themselves in the future of this province. They were there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, I will speak a
bit on the Speech from the Throne, but I cannot let two Members opposite in this
House today stand up and give a doom-and-gloom approach to the future of our
province.
Just a
few weeks ago, we had an ex-Finance minister, an NDP Finance minister from
another province had stepped in here and said that Newfoundland and Labrador –
an NDP Finance minister now, from another province, stepped in and said
Newfoundland and Labrador is going bankrupt. I can assure people that are
watching this today, I can assure her colleagues in another province that this
province is not going bankrupt, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
The Leader of the Opposition
made mention about hiding things. He talked about taxes by government, about
increasing fees by government. Mr. Speaker, the biggest single tax on the future
of this province that was hidden from the people of this province is the Tory
tax on electricity. For today, I say to the Member of the Third Party, it's the
only thing that you and I will agree on because you sat in this House and you
saw and you heard the debate. The Tory tax on electricity is the most
significant impact – people who are looking at our province, it is the biggest
single challenge that we have facing us.
Just a
few days ago, the Leader of the Opposition said: Well, that's an asset. Well,
Mr. Speaker, let me tell you what an asset is. An asset has a value, if it can
actually generate an amount of money to actually even pay for itself. So in this
particular case, an asset is determined by our electricity rates. For
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, seniors and people in our society and the
business community in our society will be exposed to this.
He
actually even mentioned today about doubling the rates, as if that wasn't going
to happen, as a result of the decisions that they made. Mr. Speaker, I want to
remind people in this province, when it comes to hiding things, it was the
former PC administration in this province that refused to put that project
through the PUB process. They cut it off when they were 90 days away from their
review, Mr. Speaker. That is what happened.
So when
people opposite stand up in this House and talk about hiding things – he talks
about blaming things. What I talk about is accept the responsibility for the
decisions that you made. It is not about blaming others. It is about accepting
responsibility for the decisions that you made.
Mr.
Speaker, I also want to talk about 10 years, when $25 billion in revenue that
came into this province. This is not blaming anyone. These are just facts. This
is history. This is about the money that was available to prepare for the future
of our province. In 10 years, seven deficits that the former government with $25
billion coming from the oil royalties and from that industry. Mr. Speaker, seven
deficits and they talk about the fiscal situation of our province today, after
living that, posting deficits, not preparing for the future when you had the
opportunity. Given the opportunity to prepare this province for the future, they
walked away and decided not to do it.
Today,
they talk about the situation this province is in. This is a group that nearly
bankrupted this province, Mr. Speaker. A $2.7 billion deficit was what was
facing us when we took government in 2015. So yes, we had a lot of work to do.
No, I will agree, this is not a perfect job, this is not a perfect world but we
have made decisions to put in place a firm foundation to rebuild this province.
We are
rebuilding it with the vision that we put out there in November of 2016 called
The Way Forward. The initiatives are
there to include every single Newfoundlander and Labradorian. When the Members
say that we do not include municipalities, this is the first government that has
ever sat down with municipal leaders. They are coming out loud and clear
endorsing what happens as we have those round tables on an annual basis, Mr.
Speaker.
So yes,
we have put in short-term measures, Mr. Speaker, to correct where we are today.
We put in mid-year measures because we also realize that we have a population
that needs to be taken care of today. They rely on services that are often
delivered by governments, and we are mindful of that too. But we also must put
in long-term goals so that we can protect the future of young Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians.
I also
want to address who is standing up for Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, I
can assure you, you have Members on this side of the House that are standing up
for Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
And we have partners with this government that are standing up for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We have seven MPs in Ottawa that are standing
up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
We have not shut them out. We are proud of the work that they've been able to
do, working in collaboration with Members on this side of the House. There is no
doubt, Mr. Speaker, that we will not always agree on every single issue, but I
can point to the Muskrat Falls loan guarantee, the extension on that, that
brings nearly $2 billion worth of value to this province because of the
relationship and the work that is being done.
Mr.
Speaker, what about the Oceans Protection Plan that will bring investment into
Newfoundland and Labrador? What about long, sought after and the failure of the
previous administration to get search and rescue reinstated in this province?
Why is it that Members opposite conveniently forget all of this what I'm talking
about?
What
about superclusters, just a few days ago with the announcement of superclusters,
when, in collaboration with four Atlantic provinces, a joint effort with the
federal government which will bring hundreds of millions of dollars to our
province, working with energy, working with our fishery, working with oil and
gas? Why, Mr. Speaker? Because the ocean, it's kind of natural to us. We've done
it in partnership with four Atlantic provinces and the federal government.
Mr.
Speaker, guess what? There is zero – zero – provincial dollars into that. We're
laying that on top of the investments that have been made in our province,
leveraging the investment from the federal government and with our private
partners that we have in our province.
Mr.
Speaker, I think they once again conveniently forget about the nearly $100
million in the core science building which will bring tremendous benefits to
Memorial University, our post-secondary education. No one is talking about that
from the other side of the House today, Mr. Speaker.
What
about the Trans-Labrador Highway and the investments that's been made in the
Trans-Labrador Highway? Getting criteria changed because doors were opened in
Ottawa to get the criteria changed so we can continue the investment that the
other government was willing to walk away from.
These
are the kinds of things, when you build on a relationship, that really matter.
Just a few days ago investments in broadband, early childhood education.
Mr.
Speaker, what about infrastructure? No one on the other side today even brought
it up. We have an infrastructure deficit in our province, and every day on a
regular basis we get Members opposite – Members opposite will get up and talk
about: What about the road in my district? What about the ferry in my district?
People always talked about.
Mr.
Speaker, the problems we face with our infrastructure was a generation in the
making. This did not happen overnight. This did not happen in two years. Can we
at least agree on that, that this did not happen in just two years? We're
dealing with ferries that were made in Romania, not because we made that
decision, because Members opposite.
If there
was anything that was glaring today, if there was anything at all that was
glaring to me when I listened to Members opposite when they spoke today, there
were no solutions. No solutions. All they said was, don't go blaming us. Don't
go reaching back in history and blaming me for things like Muskrat Falls and
seven deficits and spending of $25 billion. Don't go blaming me for any of that,
it's your job now.
It's
like a marathon, or it's like a relay, I should say, Mr. Speaker. When you take
that baton and you enter that race, you pick up from where another group left
off. I can tell you what, we were a long ways from the finish line when we
started that relay, Mr. Speaker.
He
talked about announcements, too. The Leader of the Opposition talked about
announcements. Interestingly enough, one announcement he didn't mention was the
announcement he made on Statoil at a conference just a few years ago, when
Statoil didn't even know about it. They weren't even party to this announcement.
They knew nothing about it. It was a surprise to the province and it was a
surprise to the company too, I say, Mr. Speaker.
Just
like the fisheries fund that was announced at The Rooms. It was a surprise to a
lot of people because it was supposed to be a co-operation or signing agreement
with the federal government. Again, it was a party of one.
Mr.
Speaker, there is no doubt that the history of our province over the last 10 or
12 years has been built on the oil industry. Just in recent years when you look
at all of this, we have an industry that provides great benefits to our
province.
Our
budget was based on, just a few short years ago, 35 per cent in revenue from
oil. Mr. Speaker, today it's less than 10 per cent. So we have a lot less to
work with. When I say we must do better with less, we have to do better with
less.
We have
to be mindful that we have to do things efficiently. We have to look at the
evidence and where the evidence guides us. We must do the evaluation for money
and what value can we get, because if there is anything that's important for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians it is this: they do not want to waste their
money. They do not want to waste their money, and it's important for us.
Our
responsibility is to make sure we use those taxpayers' money wisely. We have
that responsibility. That is how we put in better social programs with better
outcomes. That is how we invest in more infrastructure in our province, Mr.
Speaker.
I get
the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to go around this province quite a bit, and I do
it a lot. When I talk to people they reflect as well, like many of us do, and
they think about how it could have been, how it should have been. What
opportunity did we have, was there a missed opportunity? Yeah, there was, but I
will also tell you this. It's a courageous bunch we have living in this
province, and they are willing to work together.
That is
what I'm finding when I go around this province. A willingness to work together,
because they see this place as an ideal place to live, to work and raise a
family. We will continue to find a balance, strike that balance between the
social responsibility and the economic responsibility we have. It will be about
partnerships, and those partnerships will be strengthened with our federal
government, with other communities, with our educational institutions, with
organizations. Sometimes even, yes, with individuals, but also with other
provinces. We have provided and we will continue to work together.
When we
came in government in 2015, I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, and I said this
publicly many times, when you sit in a room and you're told the province is
facing a $2.7 billion deficit if you don't do anything, it was very clear there
had to be immediate action taken. I believe anyone in this room would understand
that. I think any reasonable person would understand that. Immediate action had
to be taken, Mr. Speaker.
Layered
on to that, we also knew that in a few short years we had to deal with
electricity rates; and, yes, we have rate mitigation that will be included. We
accept the responsibility that we know we had to be competitive in electricity
rates in our province. We have to be competitive for the people that live here
and for the businesses that employ Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Phase 1 of
that vision that I talked about of The Way
Forward was making sure that we established a strong fiscal foundation for
our province.
When we
came into government, Mr. Speaker, we had the same number of deputy ministers in
our province as the province of Ontario. These are the things we had to deal
with. You asked yourself: How did this happen? How would a province the size of
Newfoundland and Labrador find itself in that situation? Because people made
decisions with no sustainability plans in place. They weren't worried about if
this could be viable or sustainable in six or seven years. They just did it for
the day. They live in the day. That's how we got in the situation we're in.
I
remember at this desk right here when a prior Finance minister, when asked about
this, said: If we have the money we'll spend it, and if the money is not there,
we'll pull back then. That was the attitude that people, when they were in
government, took towards the finances of this province.
Mr.
Speaker, check in Hansard. That is
there. Except for that person who's not in this House today, I would even
probably name the person because I can remember that. I said that someday and at
some point that will come back to haunt this province. Not preparing for the
future when they had the opportunity.
Here we
find ourselves today with less than 10 per cent of our revenue now coming from
oil. Mr. Speaker, this government will not give up. We will continue to forge
partnerships with industries. We'll continue to forge partnerships with
investors that see opportunity in this province. Not like Members opposite today
who spoke of gloom and doom.
As we go
into Phase 3 of The Way Forward, we'll
continue to build on our future realizing our potential because there is
untapped potential in this province like no other. We will not give up, Mr.
Speaker, on the future of our province. We have so much to be thankful for.
In the
speech that was given today, I can touch on so many things, if it's cultural, if
it's investment in infrastructure. On and on I can go. Yes, I, too, as Premier
of this province, am extremely proud of the young people, especially the
achievements we've seen in recent days, either in cultural or in athletics. Mr.
Speaker, I see it.
I had
the opportunity this weekend to spend some time on the West Coast with young
people between 11 and 18, Mr. Speaker, and with many parents. I'll tell you one
story because I think it needs to be shared – one story.
I walked
into the stadium in Deer Lake on Saturday morning; the place was full of young
people. There was a young woman there. Her father was with her and her mom was
with her. They had moved back to this province, Mr. Speaker. So yeah, they had
moved back to this province. I met them about three years ago in Lewisporte. We
recounted and went over the discussion and the conversation that we had in
Lewisporte. Mr. Speaker, they see the future of this province to be bright. They
know that we're going through challenges of the day. We know that – we all know
that – but we cannot just continually focus on that, we have to look to the
future of our province.
You tell
me another province that has mining resources, oil and gas resources, fishery
resources, land resources and, most importantly, the best people in this world.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
And it's just not me saying this, Mr. Speaker. We have people all over the world
that are saying that. I think when you look at
Come From Away it really, really
symbolizes what this province is all about.
I say to
Members opposite who are over there shaking their head now, you can shake your
head and continue to talk about doom and gloom, you can do that if you want, but
I will tell you we are on a mission to set the path straight for Newfoundland
and Labrador and today's Speech from the Throne, it really gives an example, it
summarizes where we see the future of this province, and it is indeed bright.
Thank
you very much for this opportunity.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
It is
moved and seconded that a select committee be struck to draft an Address of
Thanks to be presented to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, in reply to the
Gracious Speech from the Throne with which he has been pleased to open the
present session of the House of Assembly.
The
Members of the Select Committee will be the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de
Grave, the mover; the Member for Labrador West, the seconder; and the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
I
declare that the motion is carried.
In terms
of Orders of the Day, Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I move
the following private Member's resolution:
BE IT
RESOLVED that this hon. House urges the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
to consider eliminating sales tax on insurance.
That is
seconded by the Member for Ferryland.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition House
Leader.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 63, the private Member's resolution
read out by my colleague from Cape St. Francis will be the private Member's
resolution we'll debate on Wednesday.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of motion?
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I give notice
that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The
Electrical Power Control Act, 1994 and the Public Utilities Act, Bill 2.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of motion?
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, that the House do
now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded that the House do now adjourn.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME
HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR.
SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'
The
motion is carried.
This
House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 o'clock in the morning.
On
motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10 a.m.