April 4, 2019
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!
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, her Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
MR.
SPEAKER: Admit
her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Mr.
Speaker leaves the Chair.)
(Her
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.)
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
It is the wish of her Honour
the Lieutenant-Governor that all present be seated.
HER
HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Judy May Foote, PC, ONL):
Mr. Speaker and Members of
the House of Assembly:
I am pleased to open the fourth session of the 48th
General Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
In opening this session, we respectfully acknowledge
the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the ancestral homelands of many
diverse populations of Indigenous people who have contributed to 9,000 years of
history, including the Beothuk on the Island of Newfoundland. Today, this
province is home to diverse populations
of Indigenous and other people. We also acknowledge with respect the diverse
histories and cultures of the Mi'kmaq, Innu and Inuit.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are proud people, steadfast in their desire to
sustain our province and enjoy the benefits of living in a place we love. While
our province faces challenges at times, it is through determination, hard work,
and perseverance that we succeed and prosper. It is with this strength and focus
that we move forward. Our government embraces the spirit of all Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians in all that we do.
Our
commitment to our people and our province is unwavering. With a strong focus on
the future, our government will continue to solidify the social and economic
foundation of our province and foster confidence and opportunity for all.
When our
government was elected, it was clear that our province needed to build a
stronger and smarter economy, that we needed to improve education and health
care, that we needed to invest in our future, and that we needed to support safe
and sustainable communities. Everyday, through
The Way Forward, we see successes in these areas.
When our
government was elected, we faced a fiscal situation that was unprecedented in
our history. Our answer to these fiscal challenges continues to be balanced. We
were left with an unfathomable annual deficit of over $2.7 billion for a
population of just over half a million people. Today, we have significantly
reduced that number by $2 billion as we continue restoring fiscal balance.
Our
government has stabilized spending. While bringing government spending under
control, we have worked closely with industry to attract investment that will
advance projects in the mining and oil and gas sectors to continue driving
economic activity.
Our
government is using every opportunity to make our province a great place to
live, work and raise a family. Through partnership and dialogue, we are
strengthening the foundation of our province.
Our
government has a strong partnership with the federal government, and working
together, we will position this province to achieve its potential. It is fitting
that, on the seventieth anniversary of Confederation, celebrating our great
union with the Government of Canada, my First Minister stood side by side with
the federal government and announced a new approach that was built on
partnership and dialogue to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador is the
principal beneficiary of the rich resources in our offshore.
The new
revenue stream guaranteed by our agreement with the Government of Canada will
deliver $2.5 billion to our province, with the majority of the revenues to come
before 2030, when this province most needs it. With no restrictions on its use,
this revenue will be used wisely. It will reduce our provincial net debt, reduce
our interest payments, and help us stay the course for fiscal stability and
return to surplus.
Our
strengthened Atlantic Accord includes a dispute resolution mechanism that will
ensure Newfoundland and Labrador's rights are respected. This province will
continue to receive 100 per cent of its offshore resource revenues, and benefit
from their development just as if the resources were on land.
Looking
beyond the $2.5 billion revenue stream and the immense benefits that it will
bring to our province over the longer term, our government has also secured
conditions that will ensure and support the future growth of offshore
developments. The Way Forward for our
province includes joint management of Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore
development in areas such as land tenure, worker safety, regulatory efficiency
and regulator modernization. These combined measures will fuel a brighter future
for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, for generations to come.
Empowering Women
Our
government recognizes and understands that issues affecting women are of great
importance. As part of The Way Forward,
our government committed to supporting and advancing the economic and social
security of women and girls. Our government is taking an “all of government”
approach to issues impacting women and girls and we will ensure that our
response to these issues best meets the needs of women and girls across the
province.
Because
of this focus our government has, for the first time in the history of our
province, dedicated a ministerial portfolio with responsibility solely for the
Status of Women. This is representative of the expanded commitment across our
government to addressing matters affecting women and girls.
There
have been many other achievements over the past year, from legislative changes
to program initiatives, that were accomplished because of the solid commitment
of our government to strengthening supports for women, ending violence and
building both healthy relationships and healthy communities.
These
achievements have been possible because of our commitment to collaborative
working relationships between our government and stakeholders, including
community partners, labour, the private sector and academia. Our government will
continue this commitment in the coming year.
Ending
violence in all forms remains a critical focus. The second meeting of the full
Justice Minister's Committee on Violence against Women and Girls took place in
February, with over 60 stakeholders from across sectors providing input
regarding next steps in our collective work to end violence. In 2019, our
government will continue to build on the work of the committee.
The hon.
House of Assembly adopted legislation in its last session to introduce paid
family violence leave for workers and to expand the definition of family
violence in the Family Violence Protection
Act. Our government will be building on these efforts by bringing forward
new legislation, such as the Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol – also
known in the United Kingdom as Clare's Law – aimed at increasing the safety of
women in intimate relationships. The Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol
would allow police agencies, in some cases, to disclose information about a
person's criminal and other history to that person's partner. This protocol
would complement our government's efforts to help make Newfoundland and Labrador
a safer place for women and girls.
Our
government envisions a province free from all forms of violence. While we strive
for that ideal, we also know that there are survivors who require support. In
2018, our government, together with community partners and the Government of
Canada, launched a program to ensure that those who have experienced sexual
violence are well informed about the legal system and understand their rights.
This
legal support program for survivors of sexual violence has served over 50
clients in its first six months of operation. The program helps break down
barriers faced when encountering the justice system by providing up to four
hours of free legal advice. We will be engaging in consultations across the
province as we develop a new violence prevention strategy. This work will be
guided and supported by a diverse committee of community stakeholders and senior
staff from key government departments.
Advancing women in leadership is a key priority for our government. We need to
see more women at decision making tables – in government, business, industry and
community. We will undertake initiatives to build, strengthen and advance the
leadership of women in our province. We will also celebrate the successes of
women who are flourishing in leadership roles. One such woman is Emily Bland,
the “SEED-EO” of Project SucSeed, a local social enterprise that is helping
communities take control of their food supply and providing education and work
experience for at-risk youth. In 2018, Ms. Bland was recognized as one of the
country's top 30 under 30 in sustainability and won the Satchu Prize at The Next
36 Day Venture. Ms. Bland has a bright future and we congratulate her and wish
her continued success.
Working with Indigenous
Communities
Mr. Speaker and
Members of the House of Assembly:
Our government has made significant strides to build
relationships with Indigenous people in our province and to move us toward
reconciliation. Reconciliation is a journey and our commitment to that journey
is clear and strong.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was
created as a part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to
inform Canadians about Indian residential schools, and to guide a process of
reconciliation. Of the 94 Calls to Action outlined by the Commission in 2015,
approximately one-third are directed at provincial and territorial governments.
Although reconciliation will occur over generations, with systemic changes
necessary across all aspects of Canadian society, we all can and must take
concrete steps to achieve reconciliation. We have engaged with provincial
Indigenous governments and organizations about the recommendations involving our
government, and are responding in ways that will build a better future while
recognizing and addressing the challenges.
Reconciliation requires close partnership between our
government and Indigenous governments and organizations. We have started on this
path and will continue to partner with Indigenous people across the province to
inform and monitor appropriate and relevant efforts to advance reconciliation
now and into the future.
One way our government has moved to support Indigenous
people is through our recognition that Indigenous people are currently
underrepresented in the legal profession. To help improve this we have developed
a partnership with the University of Saskatchewan to support Indigenous people
in their pursuit of a legal education. To further build on this partnership our
government has allocated two articling positions with the Department of Justice
and Public Safety for those students upon graduation.
In the coming months, leaders of Indigenous governments and
organizations will be invited to engage in the third annual Indigenous Leaders
Roundtable with the Premier, to advance matters of mutual importance to
Indigenous communities. At the first Indigenous Leaders Roundtable in 2017, a
declaration was signed by Nunatsiavut Government, Innu Nation, NunatuKavut,
Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu First Nation in support of the repatriation of
the remains of Beothuk individuals held by National Museums Scotland. In
January, National Museums Scotland approved the repatriation of the remains, and
our government is working with the Government of Canada and Indigenous
governments and organizations to return the Beothuk remains to our province,
their home.
Celebrating Excellence
Mr. Speaker and
Members of the House of Assembly:
Newfoundland and Labrador athletes continue to excel while
competing on the national and international stages. These athletes have all
worked tirelessly to prepare
for these events. Their hard work and dedication serve as an example and their
achievements inspire us all.
More
than 200 athletes recently competed at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer,
Alberta as members of Team Newfoundland and Labrador. Congratulations to Melanie
Taylor of Conception Bay South, who brought home a gold medal in Special
Olympics Level 2 figure skating and was named closing ceremonies flag bearer for
Team Newfoundland and Labrador. Congratulations also to Emma Mullett of St.
John's, on her bronze medal in judo.
Kaetlyn
Osmond of Marystown added World Champion to her lengthy list of accomplishments
when she won gold at the ladies singles event at the 2018 Figure Skating World
Championships. Peter Hynes from Placentia won bronze in mini javelin at the 2019
Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.
Liam
Hickey of St. John's was a key player in Canada's silver medal win in para
ice-hockey at the 2018 Paralympic Games. In December 2019, Liam and the rest of
Team Canada will be in Paradise competing at the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup
against some of the top teams in the world.
Shailynn
Snow of Clarke's Beach captured a gold medal at the Under 18 World Female Hockey
Championships as a member of Team Canada. This marks the second consecutive year
that a Newfoundland and Labrador athlete won a medal for Canada at this event,
with Maggie Connors of St. John's taking home a bronze medal last year.
Swimmers
Noah Cumby of St. John's and Katarina Roxon of Stephenville both enjoyed success
at the Pan-Pacific Championships this past year. Noah captured a bronze medal in
the 4 x 100 metre medley relay event while Katarina took home gold, silver and
bronze in three different events.
Our
province also hosted the Under 18 and Under 20 Male World Junior Ball Hockey
Championships in July in Mount Pearl. Team Canada, which included five
Newfoundland and Labrador athletes, won gold in the Under 18 championship. The
Under 20 Canadian team, which included four athletes from this province,
captured a silver medal. Jessica Davis from Conception Bay South competed for
Canada at the 2018 Female World Junior Ball Hockey Championship in the Czech
Republic and took home a silver medal.
Two
prominent members of the sporting community were inducted into the Newfoundland
and Labrador Volunteer Hall of Fame this past November. Margaret Tibbo is a
prominent and influential advocate of para sport in this province and has
supported hundreds of youth to become active and engaged in various para sports.
The late Don Johnson had a rich history in the sport of hockey in this province
and is considered a pioneer. Mr. Johnson served as President of Hockey
Newfoundland and Labrador and Hockey Canada during his volunteer service.
Our
government also recognizes the contribution of the Labrador Winter Games to our
province, which took place last month in Happy Valley-Goose Bay with other 300
athletes participating from communities throughout Labrador. Our government has
been a strong and committed supporter of the Labrador Winter Games since its
inception in 1983. The Friendship Games, as they are often referred to, is a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich, diverse culture of Labrador while
promoting the benefits of competitive sport and healthy, active living.
I had
the pleasure of being in Labrador for the Labrador Winter Games and I was
excited as the first woman Lieutenant-Governor to be there for the inaugural
competition of the women in the Labrathon which, up until that point, was only
open to men. So, it was a wonderful experience and I can tell that the women who
competed, they could challenge the men for the competition any day. They were
wonderful.
The Big Land
Labrador
is rich in culture and history, forming an essential part of our province. Just
as large as Labrador's cultural footprint is its vast geography.
Our
government understands that in a land so vast, transportation is of critical
importance for economic development, for social connections and for accessing
goods and services needed for everyday life. In 2019 coastal Labrador will have
two new ferry services. The Qajaq W
had its initial run in January across the Strait of Belle Isle and we look
forward to launching our new North Coast ferry later this spring. Both services
are fully accessible with ice-strengthened bows and will reduce our carbon
footprint by half.
Work is
continuing along the Trans-Labrador Highway. Our government is proud to proceed
with a significant financial investment in partnership with the Government of
Canada that will see widening and hard-surfacing continue in 2019.
Our
government will continue to provide funding for safe access from isolated
communities in Labrador to the nearest service centre through the Labrador
Transportation Grooming Subsidy Program. Communities along the north and south
coasts of Labrador that do not have year-round access to road or marine service
are able to access goods and services through the winter trail system. This year
for the first time, there is a trail marking from Hopedale to Nain, providing
safe access to all communities on the north coast.
In
addition to work on the existing transportation network in Labrador, our
government is considering what the future of transportation could look like in
that region with the exploration of a fixed link between Labrador and the Island
of Newfoundland. An updated pre-feasibility report was released in April 2018,
reviewing both road and rail linkages. A fixed link could bring great benefits
to both the province and the country, socially and economically. While we
continue to consider this possibility and now know that it is technically
feasible, we recognize that such a project would be a long-term endeavour
requiring many partners.
Our
government remains committed to support community engagement and will continue
to play a lead role in the Labrador West Regional Task Force to work with
municipalities, the mining sector and the Government of Canada to support the
Labrador West region to seize potential opportunities as well as address any
potential impacts.
A Solid Foundation for New
Growth
Our
government is doing things smarter, diversifying the economy and placing an
emphasis on new industries while supporting a historic return to traditional
sectors as they reclaim their rightful roles in a sustainable, diverse and
long-term economy.
We are
fostering a renaissance in renewable resource industries – on land and on water.
We are transforming and driving innovation in the fish and aquaculture sector
through programs such as the Atlantic Fisheries Fund, with a shared focus on
meeting the growing global market demand for sustainably sourced, high-quality,
fish and seafood products.
Our
government will continue to build on its commitment to support aquaculture and
our commitment to double salmon and shellfish aquaculture production. In
September 2018, Grieg NL announced a $250 million aquaculture project in
Placentia Bay. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will provide
repayable support towards the development, totalling up to $30 million. The
project is expected to generate more than 800 new jobs once full production is
reached.
As a
result of these types of investments, Newfoundland and Labrador is poised to
become one of the largest aquaculture producers in the country.
The
aquaculture supply and service sector is creating real opportunities for both
new start-ups and established companies in Newfoundland and Labrador, creating
new employment and maximizing industry competitiveness.
At the
same time, our government is committed to conserve our iconic and treasured
wildlife resources through science-based management and collaborations with
resource users on initiatives like Year of the Salmon and caribou management
planning.
In
forestry, our newly launched Forestry Sector Work Plan is guiding us in
diversifying the forest industry, creating new business activities and
increasing job opportunities for residents.
In our
agriculture sector, our government is pushing development to new heights by
securing more land for future agri-businesses, and creating opportunities for
new entrants and current farmers through the Canadian Agriculture Partnership
and the Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program.
Our
government is committed to doubling food self-sufficiency from 10 per cent to 20
per cent by 2022. To do this, we are supporting new and existing farmers, making
more land available for farming, and carrying out research to support
innovation, improve production and increase diversity. Since taking on this
ambitious challenge, we have supported 46 new farmers through
industry-development programming, which includes awarding two large-scale land
development pilots for agriculture production in the Towns of Reidville and
Cormack. Since the launch of our Agriculture Sector Work Plan, more than 278
acres of land – the equivalent of approximately 211 football fields – have been
prepared for fruit and vegetable production with the potential to produce 5
million pounds of food.
In 2018,
we launched a pilot project to produce vegetable transplants for commercial
farmers to give them a head start on the growing season and an opportunity to
try out different vegetable varieties. Commercial farmers received 255,000
vegetable transplants. Due to the overwhelming popularity of this program, in
2019 we will disperse seven times more vegetable transplants – over 1.5 million
– including turnip, onion, kohlrabi, Brussels sprout, kale, leek, broccoli and
cabbage to commercial farmers to help jump-start the 2019 growing season.
Our
achievements to date mark major progress toward our goals to increase food
self-sufficiency, create new business opportunities, and support the many
entrepreneurs working in agriculture. Working with our province's dedicated and
hard-working farmers, we look forward to growing our success.
Our
government will also expand our efforts to improve access to Crown lands.
Amendments to the Lands Act have
modernized the legislation and streamlined the process for acquiring titles to
Crown lands. Our government is continuing to enhance online services for Crown
lands.
Our
non-renewable natural resources continue to be key drivers for new jobs and
economic development and we are continuing to position our province as a
preferred destination for oil and gas and mining activity.
Over the
last two years, we have announced over $18 billion in investments in mining and
oil and gas projects in our province.
The
potential in our oil and gas industry is incredible. In less than 7 per cent of
our offshore, we have identified a combined resource potential of 49.2 billion
barrels of oil and 193.8 trillion cubic feet of gas. To put Newfoundland and
Labrador's resource potential in perspective, our total sedimentary basin is
approximately 900,000 square kilometres compared to 650,000 square kilometres
for Norway and 545,000 square kilometres for the United Kingdom.
We also
have over 650 leads and prospects identified to date, eight new entrants in the
past two years, and close to $4 billion in recent exploration work commitments.
The
momentum is obvious. Our plan to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador continues to
be a globally-preferred location for investment and attraction will ensure
lasting benefits. In fact, over the last two years the province has seen
unprecedented investment in our offshore and mining industry.
This
past November, the province received record bids for offshore exploration
totalling $1.38 billion, with a record single bid of $621 million from BHP
Billiton, a new entrant for Newfoundland and Labrador. This is proof that the
Advance 2030 plan developed between
our government and industry is attracting investment and growing activity in our
oil and gas industry.
Our
mining industry is also booming; with $3 billion in mineral shipments in 2018,
the mining industry directly employs some 4,800 people throughout Newfoundland
and Labrador. In the 2019 forecast, mineral shipments are expected to grow $4
billion with direct employment anticipated to be 5,100 and another 1,200
employed in the construction activities. A world of possibilities is at our
doorstep because our geology positions Newfoundland and Labrador to be a global
supplier of minerals. Our government has moved swiftly to promote our mining
industry and the many opportunities that exist.
We have
seen extraordinary new developments in mining. This includes the start of a new
fluorspar mine in St. Lawrence with over 255 full-time positions, Vale's
underground mine project with 1,700 jobs, the IOC Moss Pit which will be fully
integrated into current IOC operations, and expected to extend the overall life
of the mine, and the restart of the former Scully Mine with 280 direct positions
by Tacora Resources in Labrador West. In addition, Tata has completed
commissioning and is starting up its $700 million processing facility. As well,
the restart of the Beaverbrook antimony mine was announced in Glenwood with
approximately 100 jobs for the region.
With
Mining the Future 2030, our plan for
growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador mining industry, our province is
positioned to be a top tier global jurisdiction for safe, environmentally
responsible exploration and mining growth and to maximize benefits and
opportunities by competitively producing quality products for global markets.
We also
recognize the significant opportunities renewable energy presents in terms of
economic development and environmental progress. With an abundance of developed
and underdeveloped renewable energy sources such as hydro and wind, Newfoundland
and Labrador has much more to offer.
To chart
this renewable future, we are committed to working with industry and
stakeholders to develop a renewable energy strategy that is focused on creating
employment opportunities and further positioning the province as an energy hub.
Congratulations to our own Mary Walsh, who was honoured at the Canadian Screen
Awards with the Earle Gray award for lifetime achievement in television acting.
Mary was among 10 other nominees from our province for the Canadian Screen
Awards, including writer and filmmaker Kenneth J. Harvey who was nominated in
the best documentary film feature category for
Immaculate Memories: The Uncluttered
Worlds of Christopher Pratt. The film has just received the award for best
Canadian work from RIFFA which is the largest festival films on art in the
world. We are blessed with amazing talented artists in our province, all of whom
do us proud with their creativity and the recognition they bring to our province
and people.
Looking
beyond traditional economic sectors, we recognize our artists who play a
critical role in presenting Newfoundland and Labrador on the world stage and we
continue to provide support for this vital sector through the Newfoundland and
Labrador Film Development Corporation, the Arts Council, the Heritage Foundation
and the Cultural Economic Development Program.
The World is at Our Doorstep
Newfoundland and Labrador is a destination of choice for people around the
world. Travellers are drawn to our people, our culture and our way of life. Our
government continues to grow and support the provincial tourism industry and its
over 20,000 jobs by enhancing market readiness, destination development and
marketing support in partnership with Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board, regional Destination Management
Organizations and tourism operators. We will go further and renew our tourism
strategy – Beyond 2020 to position our tourism industry for even greater
success.
Opportunities Beyond
This past year has been a tumultuous period for
international trade around the world with a shift in United States trade policy.
Newfoundland and Labrador was not immune to the far-reaching US policies but has
weathered the storm. Our government fought the imposition of tariffs on
newsprint produced by Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, protecting 500 well-paying
jobs at the mill and securing the means to develop an innovative forestry sector
in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our government also achieved an exemption from
softwood lumber duties, and supported the signing of the Canada-United
States-Mexico Agreement.
Trade diversification helps to create a sustainable and
stable environment for business, opening up opportunities across multiple
sectors in untapped, non-traditional markets. Ratification of international free
trade agreements means greater opportunities for businesses in our province. As
a province, we enjoy the most diversified trade portfolio of all the Atlantic
Provinces, with just 53 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador's merchandise
exports dependent on US markets – as opposed to 64 per cent for Nova Scotia, 77
per cent for Prince Edward Island and 91 per cent for New Brunswick. Our
government is committed to support even greater diversification for our
province's global trade presence.
This year, we will enhance our support for business
creation by providing early stage seed capital funding to help address the
challenges new technology-based firms have in obtaining first financing. A
combination of private sector capital, advice and expertise will ensure our
innovators and entrepreneurs are able to successfully move the idea stage into
development and production.
Our government is also working to support greater market
access for more of Newfoundland and Labrador's innovative and ambitious firms,
providing the tools companies need to compete and succeed in global markets and
maximizing opportunities for our province flowing from free trade agreements.
Last year, Newfoundland and Labrador exports contributed
approximately 50 per cent of our gross domestic product. We know that as the
value and volume of the province's trade and investment activity grows, so too
does the number of well-paying jobs created in our province, which in turn helps
to reinforce our economy and advance our overall quality of life.
Through the five-year, $20 million Atlantic Trade and
Investment Growth Agreement, our government is working with federal partners and
others to increase our exporter base, including the value of our exports to both traditional and
non-traditional markets. We are investing in industry-driven strategic trade
development plans to grow exports in select knowledge-based and value-added
resource industries in Atlantic Canada, including aerospace and defence,
agrifood, seafood, biosciences, clean technologies, information and
communications technologies, infrastructure, ocean technologies and extractive
industries.
In 2018,
new legislation was introduced for the Innovation and Business Investment
Corporation. Since then, research and development programming has been
integrated with the Business Investment Fund to enhance support for all clients
from pre-commercial activity to firm growth and expansion. A program suite will
be rolled out in 2019, with a focus on simplifying processes for clients to
allow seamless supports for research and innovation.
The
Paradigm Hyperloop project is just one example of how Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians are showcasing our potential to the world. This collaborative
effort includes students from Memorial University, College of the North
Atlantic, and Northeastern University in Boston who are aiming to prove the
viability of air-based levitation for high speed transportation. This team
finished in second place at the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Speed Competition in 2017
and recently have been accepted at the upcoming competition in summer 2019 in
Hawthorne, California. Known as the fifth mode of transportation, the hyperloop
has the potential to revolutionize the transportation sector, and students from
this province are front and centre of this exciting new development. We
congratulate the team on their accomplishments thus far and we will cheer them
on as they compete in July 2019.
Growing Employment
Consistent with the vision set out in The
Way Forward, our government will continue to collaborate with industry
partners in vital sectors to create meaningful employment opportunities for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We are supporting conditions throughout our
province that lead to the creation of business growth and employment. Our
Cabinet Committee on Jobs is collaborating with industry leaders and the
business community in high-growth sectors to implement priority actions. Through
our efforts we are already seeing success. February 2019 marked the eighth
consecutive month of employment gains, showing growth that we have not seen
since 2013.
We are
targeting both traditional sectors that have been the lifeblood of the province
for many years, as well as emerging sectors. We continue to promote new and
existing business activity and increase private sector jobs for residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador, including in the agriculture, aquaculture,
technology, oil and gas, mining and forestry sectors. Through our government's
focus on increased employment opportunities, we are seeing growth across many
sectors.
In every
corner of the province, community-based organizations are also contributing to
our economy. Community organizations seed economic activity, provide vital
services that make our communities livable, employ residents in all regions in
our province, and support local business by purchasing their goods and services,
and leasing their facilities. Our government will recognize and further support
the social and economic contributions of the community sector. The Community
Sector Council Newfoundland and Labrador has been an essential partner with our
government as we lead a new approach to elevate the important work of this
sector, which is central to the province's social and economic progress.
New
opportunities are emerging in the agriculture sector, bringing benefits such as
new jobs and improved food security for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. In the
coming year, our government will continue to work with farmers, producers,
industry and stakeholders to develop the agriculture sector.
A new
partnership between Anaconda Mining and College of the North Atlantic aims to
reach hard-to-get gold deposits and lead mining innovation. Supported by Mitacs
– a non-profit national organization that builds partnerships between academia,
industry and government to help develop research-based innovation in Canada –
College of the North Atlantic students are helping the company devise a
cost-effective mining process to extract gold from Deer Cove, while leaving the
natural habitat largely intact.
Led by
the Council of Atlantic Premiers and based in this province, the Atlantic
Apprenticeship Harmonization Project is aligning policies, processes and
standards for apprenticeship in the four Atlantic provinces. This multi-phase
project includes the harmonization of 16 trades in an effort to address labour
market skills shortages. By working together, pooling resources, sharing best
practices, testing innovative approaches, and reducing duplication, we are
helping to keep apprentices in Atlantic Canada and increase their success in
attaining journeyperson certification.
In
addition to work in specific economic sectors, our government recognizes that
family-friendly policies are needed to ensure that our residents can balance
parenting with their daily work schedules. We have increased the operating
grants provided to participating licensed child care centres to improve access
to affordable child care for low- and middle-income families. In addition to
making child care more affordable, we have also increased capacity.
The
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development supports the creation of
affordable child care spaces through the Child Care Capacity initiative.
Developmental funding is available to non-profit organizations to conduct a
needs assessment of child care spaces in the proposed area and to construct or
renovate buildings to create affordable child care spaces. Since 2015, close to
900 new child care spaces have been created across the province, including more
than 150 spaces developed through this initiative in 2018-19.
Uptake
of an operating grant program and a Child Care Capacity initiative for regulated
Family Child Care over the coming year is anticipated to increase affordable
family child care spaces across the province – particularly in rural, remote and
other underserviced areas. These initiatives will help ensure that parents can
access child care in order to go to work to provide for their families.
Welcoming Newcomers
Our
government knows that immigration is critical to growth in Newfoundland and
Labrador. In 2017, over 5,200 residents were laid to rest in the province while
just over 4,000 newborn babies were welcomed into the world. In
The Way Forward, our government
committed to greeting approximately 1,700 immigrants annually to the province by
2022 and we are well on our way to achieving that goal. In 2018, over 1,500
newcomers to the province became permanent residents. Some of these new
residents have come here by way of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. This
program demonstrates how collaboration with the federal and other Atlantic
governments, along with employers, is allowing us to welcome immigrants to share
in, and contribute to, our economic growth.
Over the
past year, our government and partners made significant strides in supporting
newcomer attraction and retention. Initial results suggest a 25 per cent
increase in individual applications approved since 2017, supporting more
individuals and families in making this province their home than ever before. In
rural and remote areas, provincial-federal settlement program partnerships
ensured the provision of settlement services to newcomers.
In the
coming year, our government will emphasize our focus on supporting newcomer
retention, beginning with assisting migrant workers and international graduates
to become permanent residents, engaging employers in facilitating
workplace-based language training, introducing empowerment-focused employment
initiatives for former refugee women and promoting international
entrepreneurship. We will help newcomers in getting to know their new
communities, including learning about the cultures of and building connections
with Indigenous people, and exploring opportunities to live and work in
Newfoundland and Labrador. Welcoming communities promote the integration and
retention of newcomers to the province. Welcoming communities encourage
individuals and organizations to work together to provide services and supports
to help foster a sense of belonging among residents of diverse cultural and
other backgrounds. Such communities are also a means of creating a culture of
inclusion and respect for the diversity of all residents of our province.
Partnering for Success
Our
government is focused on building positive and meaningful partnerships that
ensure lasting benefits to the people
of our province. By working co-operatively with our neighbours, other provinces
and territories and the Government of Canada, we are able to explore and deliver
real opportunities – opportunities that our province lacked in years before.
The
Memorandum of Understanding we signed with the Government of Quebec to partner
in developing the Labrador Trough and enhancing infrastructure demonstrates the
benefits of such an approach. Through this agreement, we are working
co-operatively with our neighbour to ensure mutually beneficial opportunities
that will stimulate the development of new mining and employment opportunities.
We are
also partners in the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which is focused on quickly
growing Atlantic Canada's economy.
With this broad focus there is significant opportunity for Newfoundland and
Labrador. The strategy will expand Atlantic Canada's energy future. Working
together with the Government of Canada and the other Atlantic provinces, we will
improve transmission networks and better integrate markets. Newfoundland and
Labrador is actively engaged with our Atlantic and federal partners and is well
positioned to take advantage of such opportunities.
Our
government's strong relationship with the Government of Canada led to a
successful agreement to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions while reducing the impacts on the people of our
province. The Made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador approach is tailored to the
unique economic, social and fiscal realities of Newfoundland and Labrador, while
delivering meaningful greenhouse gas
reductions.
Leaving No Stone Unturned
We are
using our innovative spirit, resilience and partnerships to confront other
challenges in our province. We have secured a commitment from the Government of
Canada to work together expeditiously
to find solutions to manage electricity rates resulting from the Muskrat Falls
project. We will protect ratepayers
and taxpayers from the impact of the project.
Through
diligence and hard work our government is cleaning up the Muskrat Falls project.
We have taken decisive action this past year and have reached many
significant milestones. Our government looks forward to implementing our rate
management plan that will ensure
ratepayers of our province will not have to pay for the lack of oversight in the
early stages of this project. Our
commitment to the people of the province is to deliver a well-thought-out plan
that will support the bright future that Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians deserve.
The
Muskrat Falls inquiry, led by Justice Richard D. LeBlanc, completed phase one of
public hearings in December 2018 and launched the second phase in February. Our
government looks forward to receiving the final report at the end of the year.
In
September 2018, our government brought the Board of Commissioners of Public
Utilities (PUB) back into the Muskrat Falls project when we filed a reference
question to ask the PUB to examine options to mitigate the impact of the Muskrat
Falls project. The PUB's final report will be completed in January 2020. As
committed, the report will be made public and the information provided will be
used to inform the final approach to managing Muskrat Falls.
In
short, we have made excellent progress to get the Muskrat Falls project on track
for a strong finish and we are making great strides to managing the costs for
the benefit of the people of the province.
Better Public Safety and
Consumer Protection
Mr. Speaker and
Members of the House of Assembly:
Our
government continues to protect the health, safety and well-being of residents
and consumers.
We are
committed to implementing restorative justice initiatives to help repair the
harm caused by crime and to implementing alternative approaches within the
justice system.
A new
Drug Treatment Court opened in fall 2018 in the province. This court represents
a problem-solving, therapeutic approach that offers an alternative to
traditional criminal justice responses by addressing the underlying issues that
contribute to crime. The court offers hope to help reduce the often tragic
health, social and economic costs stemming from drug abuse and aims to help its
clients on their path towards rehabilitation and healing.
Alternative approaches within the justice system offer the potential to reduce
the burden on various parts of the system all the while improving outcomes. Our
government is advancing additional initiatives such as adult diversion, bail
supervision, electronic monitoring and a fines option pilot program. Outstanding
unpaid fines owed to the province result in a driver's licence suspension, in
turn creating a barrier to vulnerable populations trying to gain meaningful
employment. Our government will explore the creation of a fines option pilot
program, which would enable those in marginalized groups with outstanding fines
to settle their debt by performing community service work providing social
benefits to the community and to participants.
Building
on measures our government has already taken to enhance highway safety and
reduce accidents, we intend to introduce legislation in the spring on auto
insurance, using information in the report of the Board of Commissioners of
Public Utilities. Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest automobile insurance
rates in Atlantic Canada, and the PUB review focused on identifying
opportunities to lower rates that will benefit consumers and help bring
stability to the automobile insurance industry. Modernizing the automobile
insurance system to provide the best value, benefits and affordability for
consumers is the foremost consideration.
This
hon. House of Assembly passed amendments to the
Consumer Protection and Business Practices
Act in the fall of 2016. In December 2018, the Government of Canada provided
us with an exemption from section 347 of the
Criminal Code of Canada – the criminal
interest rate provision – as it relates to payday loan agreements. Regulations
came into force on April 1, 2019, and will help ensure that consumers who use
payday loan services are protected by being well informed of their rights and
obligations.
Our
government has completed a review of the
Real Estate Trading Act and intends to bring forward legislation in the
spring. Changes will ensure that our legislation keeps up with the times,
providing a modern framework for oversight of the real estate industry and
enhancing public protection.
Building Critical
Infrastructure
Our
government is continuing to deliver on our commitments to enhance our provincial
transportation networks and provide vital infrastructure that connects
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with crucial services for healthier and more
prosperous communities. Over the past two years, we have paved more than 1,400
lane kilometres through the Roads Plan. This year, we will be maintaining that
momentum.
Many key
projects are already under construction, with more beginning this year. Our
government is finding innovative ways to achieve needed infrastructure
improvements for our health care system. Partnering with the private sector to
design, build, finance and maintain new health care facilities, our government
is committed to increasing access to critical health care services while
maximizing value for taxpayers. We have undertaken projects throughout the
province.
A new
mental health and addictions facility will be constructed to replace the
Waterford Hospital. This new facility will be located as an extension to the
Health Sciences Centre in St. John's, bringing together mental health and
physical health services in one location. This new facility will have 102 beds
and will help us advance a key commitment in
Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for
Newfoundland and Labrador.
An
acute-care regional hospital will be constructed in Corner Brook. Our government
expects to announce this spring the successful proponent for the design, build,
finance and maintenance of the hospital, with construction anticipated to begin
in 2019.
The new
hospital in Corner Brook will be complemented by a long-term care home already
under construction in the region and expected to be operational in 2020.
This facility will include 145 beds and provide employment for 200 public
service employees. Our government's partnership with the private sector for the
construction and maintenance of this facility will provide savings estimated at
over $14 million to the residents of our province over the 30-year life of the
agreement.
Our government is using a similar approach for the
construction of two new 60 bed long-term care homes in Grand Falls-Windsor and
in Gander. We will announce the successful proponent for these homes this
spring, with construction slated to begin later this year.
This innovative procurement approach delivers on
commitments to provide better services and better outcomes for residents in a
fiscally responsible manner. We will continue to explore similar opportunities
to save money and improve access to services. These goals are not mutually
exclusive but they require innovation and determination. We have the elements
for success and we will continue to build upon new approaches as we build the
infrastructure upon which our residents depend.
Our government is establishing a six-bed mental health unit
in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We are also undertaking a 20-bed expansion of the
protective care unit at the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Centre in Botwood.
Specialized protective care units provide a safe and secure setting for
residents living with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other similar disorders.
In addition to health infrastructure, our government has
been investing in education infrastructure, opening six new schools in our
province since 2016. These new schools represent a combined investment of more
than $139 million and will provide state-of-the-art facilities in which our
students can learn and grow.
Our commitment in The
Way Forward to leverage federal funding will result in significant
advantages to the province in the coming years. The coming year will mark the
first year that projects will be announced under the new federal/provincial
bilateral agreement through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program
(ICIP). The agreement ensures a combined federal, provincial and municipal
investment in excess of $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. This is the largest
long-term municipal infrastructure program in our province's history.
Our government continues to implement broadband projects
satisfying the more than $40 million investment committed by various partners in
the last round of broadband funding. We will continue to engage with the
Government of Canada in an effort to close existing gaps. This investment will
help connect more homes to broadband Internet and expand existing fibre-op
networks.
Our
investments in health care, education and communications technology will help us
achieve our objective to improve the well-being of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians.
Better Outcomes
It will
take our collective and sustained effort across all sectors of society pulling
in the same direction to improve well-being in this province.
While
improving our outcomes will take time, we have the potential to see significant
progress if we bring the leadership, values, commitment, infrastructure and
evidence to the task. In this vein, our government has adopted and continues to
invest in a Health-in-All-Policies approach to ensure all sectors are mindful of
the influence that their activities have on the health and well-being of our
province and its citizens.
Our
approach is based on the work of the World Health Organization and we are
learning from leading jurisdictions around the world that are employing this
same approach. As we forge ahead together with this approach we will enhance our
cultural strengths and shared experiences. Like others, our ultimate goal is to
achieve a healthy population living in healthy communities throughout our
province.
To
catalyze our collective vision, our government will invest in the social and
economic determinants of health that contribute to a healthy society: creating
more jobs and achieving higher incomes, increasing access to early childhood
education to improve early childhood experiences, ensuring our children and
youth thrive in our classrooms and achieve higher educational outcomes,
supporting university education and training programs, promoting industry
development that is value-added and inclusive, investing in better housing for
all, continuing the path to reconciliation with our Indigenous people,
supporting seniors to stay in their own homes, strengthening strong social
connections in all our communities and improving access to preventive and
supportive health and community services across our province.
Going
forward, for each of our government's decisions – whether for new legislation,
programming or spending – more and more of our focus will be on understanding
the full impacts and avoiding unintended consequences so that we make the right
decision for the health and well-being of our people and of our province. Our
future, and that of generations to follow, depend on it.
Our
government in enhancing services in our communities and making sure that
residents can access the range of supports they need to build and sustain
healthy, fulfilling lives.
Our
government continues to improve primary health care services to increase access
to the right care, from the right provider, in the right place. Building on the
success of primary health teams on the Burin and Connaigre Peninsulas and in
Bonavista, Gander, Botwood, Corner Brook, Sheshatshiu and downtown St. John's,
we will continue to support more primary health care teams across the province.
We have identified and are working to establish teams in Stephenville, Bell
Island, the Northeast Avalon and the Deer Lake/White Bay area. Since primary
health care transformation has begun, we have seen a reduction in costly
emergency department visits for non-urgent care.
We are
strengthening the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information
(NLCHI) to drive innovation, efficiency and patient care by moving towards a
digitized health care system. NLCHI continues to make advancements in health and
eHealth. More and more physicians are signing on to our Electronic Medical
Record (EMR), and more than half of all residents in the province have seen
physicians who use the EMR.
Our
government will continue to focus on building our highly integrated Electronic
Health Record so that all patient health information is available to providers
in one place. We will also build on our success by continuing to expand our
TeleHealth and Remote Patient Monitoring services so people can access their
health care providers without having to leave their community.
Our
government recognizes that mental health and substance use touch the lives of
almost everyone in this province. We know that one in five individuals
throughout our province will have a diagnosable mental disorder each year. Over
our lifetimes, close to 50 per cent of us will experience some form of mental
illness.
In 2017,
our government released Towards Recovery:
The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Since then, there has been a significant reduction in the number of people
waiting for mental health and addictions counselling services through
initiatives such as Doorways, which is now available in 50 locations
province-wide, including at all correctional facilities.
We have
secured $28.8 million over five years for mental health and addictions services
through a bilateral agreement with the Government of Canada. We were the first
province to sign a bilateral agreement under the new Emergency Treatment Fund
for opioid dependence treatment, which will further increase investment by more
than $4 million.
As we
continue to implement Towards Recovery,
we are committed to ensuring that the voice of lived experience is heard in all
our work through the support of our Recovery Council. The Recovery Council,
which is composed solely of individuals with lived experience and affected
family members, advises the Minister of Health and Community Services on mental
health and addictions matters from a lived-experience perspective.
In
December 2018, this hon. House of Assembly amended the
Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act to provide presumptive
coverage for work-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for all workers
in the province covered by the act – or virtually all workers in the province,
effective July 1, 2019. Prior to that, in March 2018, WorkplaceNL introduced an
updated workers' compensation policy to broaden coverage for work-related
traumatic mental health issues.
Our
government has added prevention of harassment and worker-on-worker violence to
the occupational health and safety regulations, effective January 1, 2020. In
the lead up to these changes coming into effect, WorkplaceNL's health and safety
advisors are available to help workplaces understand these changes, and update
their occupational health and safety programs and conduct risk assessments
accordingly. WorkplaceNL also offers workshops and webinars on preventing
workplace violence and harassment, and provides learning resources and tools.
Our
government has made strides to provide residents with greater control over
various community supports they receive. The Departments of Children, Seniors
and Social Development, Health and Community Services and Advanced Education,
Skills and Labour, along with the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation,
have worked with regional health authorities and community partners to develop
an Individualized Funding Model based on the principles of equity and choice.
This model provides a single point of entry for individuals who access social
programs and services. We have worked closely with individuals with
disabilities, community-based organization and other community partners to
implement a demonstration model, the results of which are informing the ongoing
co-design.
Our
government introduced a streamlined financial assessment process and eliminated
liquid asset consideration for those requiring long-term care and community
support services.
We will
continue to support improvements in home and community care through continued
implementation of recommendations from the 2016 Provincial Home Support Program
Review, including the introduction of service level agreements with home care
agencies to improve service quality and accountability.
Our
government is committed to creating accessibility legislation that will prevent
and remove barriers faced by persons with disabilities. To this end, we have
been conducting a public engagement process in partnership with the Provincial
Advisory Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and the
Coalition of Persons with Disabilities NL. The new legislation will be based on
similar legislation in other provinces, as well as the pending federal
legislation, the Accessible Canada Act.
This collaborative process will create a made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador piece
of legislation that moves us all towards a barrier-free province.
Our
government provided $200,000 to Memorial University for a new Aging Research
Centre. In 2018, together with Memorial University, our government launched this
new Aging Research Centre, which will focus on Newfoundland and Labrador-based
primary research, working with seniors throughout the province to support
healthy aging and age-friendly communities.
Supporting Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in Healthy Active Living remains a
priority. We continue to support and expand a variety of successful initiatives.
Over 100
staff have received training in 25 Family Resource Centres throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador related to our “Helping Women Live Smoke-Free”
initiative.
Our
government continues to support six regional wellness coalitions across the
province. These coalitions bring together individuals, community partners,
regional health authorities and schools to work on common health and wellness
areas in their regions. Coalitions provide networking and capacity building
opportunities, community workshops and events and education and training.
Work
with municipalities to implement policies and practices that support healthy
eating and breastfeeding is ongoing. In 2018, we supported the Baby-Friendly
Council of Newfoundland and Labrador in the development and implementation of a
community toolkit, designed to support municipalities in creating supportive
environments for breastfeeding families. We will continue to work with the
council on ways to promote and increase breastfeeding in our province.
In 2018,
our government supported an expansion and enhancement of a vegetable and fruit
campaign in regional health authorities, designed to raise awareness about the
importance of consuming vegetables and fruit and taking action to increase
access to fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and fruit across the province. We
will continue to work with partners on ways to promote and support healthy
eating.
Our
government is encouraged by work underway on a national pharmacare program. If
done correctly, such a program has the potential to improve access to medicine
that residents use to treat illness and restore their health, particularly in
newly-developed and expensive therapies for illnesses such as certain cancers.
We look forward to working further with our federal partners to determine
whether, and how, such a national program could benefit our residents, along
with all of Canada.
Investing in Our Future
In 2018,
our government launched an Education Action Plan to respond to the
Premier's Task Force on Improving
Educational Outcomes, 31 of the 82 recommendations in the Education Action
Plan have already been implemented and many more are underway.
Highlights include the hiring of 21 new reading specialists this year, which
will increase to 104 over the next two years. A new position, teaching and
learning assistant, supports teachers in primary and elementary schools.
Fifty-four teaching and learning assistants have already been hired with a plan
to hire another 146 over the next two years.
Teacher-librarians and additional resources for school libraries are supporting
literacy development. There are 13.5 additional teacher-librarians this year,
increasing to 39 over the next two years.
Twelve additional
English as a second language teachers are being added over three years as part
of a larger plan to support multicultural education.
A mathematics
bursary program has been implemented to support teachers wishing to enhance
their qualifications in mathematics, and mathematics and reading program
specialists are working in regions of the province to support teachers in
primary and elementary schools.
These are just some
of the measures already in place or in progress to guide the transformation of
our education system as we take decisive action to improve program delivery and
student outcomes.
In 2018-19, our
government invested $526.7 million in post-secondary education in Newfoundland
and Labrador. In 2018 we announced the Independent Review of the Public
Post-secondary Education System. This comprehensive review will explore how
Newfoundland and Labrador's public post-secondary education system compares to
other jurisdictions, and recommend options to achieve better outcomes in
post-secondary education in a more cost-efficient manner. The review is being
led by a Committee of Experts and will help ensure our institutions are
well-positioned to meet the needs of students well into the future, address
emerging labour market demands and continue to contribute to the province's
economic growth. The Committee of Experts will be expected to complete the
review in accordance with the Terms of Reference that was just recently
released, conduct comprehensive public consultations, provide regular progress
updates to our government and produce a final report in 2020.
In a 2018 Research
Infosource report ranking the top 50 research universities of Canada, Memorial
University ranked 20th with over $100 million in research income. Memorial's
research income experienced 23 per cent growth between 2016 and 2017, which was
the second fastest growth of the top 50 universities. Memorial University also
leads the country in corporate research income growth, increasing 160 per cent
since 2013.
To support the
continued growth of Memorial, our government is investing in the future of the
university. The core science facility currently under construction is key to
renewing the infrastructure that Memorial's students and faculty depend on. The
new facility will help Memorial recruit and retain students and faculty from
around the world providing a venue for them to perform cutting-edge research and
learning.
We are already attracting more students from outside the
province than ever before. International graduate student applications to
Memorial University have risen from 2,171 for fall 2014 to 3,963 for fall 2019,
an 83 per cent increase.
Memorial
is more than just a university – it is an important piece of the province's
community. The university is proud of the launch of the Visiting Aboriginal
Elders Pilot Project by the School of Social Work and the Aboriginal Resource
Office in support of the Call to Action on Education of the Truth and
Reconciliation Report. This report will see elders from Mi'kmaq, Innu and Inuit
communities of Newfoundland and Labrador visiting Memorial's St. John's campus
during the 2019 winter and fall terms. The presence of elders on Memorial's
campus enriches the cultural fabric of Memorial by introducing the university
community to invaluable Indigenous knowledge and traditions.
Newfoundland and Labrador's only public college is also adapting to ensure its
students receive relevant training to prepare them for the economic
opportunities emerging today and tomorrow. An example would be the College of
the North Atlantic's Agricultural Technician Program. This program will help the
province address gaps in skills and training in the agriculture sector and will
contribute to further sector growth.
Giving Our Children a Good
Start
Mr. Speaker and
Members of the House of Assembly:
Our
children are a precious gift and they deserve our special attention. In May
2018, this hon. House of Assembly adopted a new
Children, Youth and Families Act. This act focuses on
supporting youth, strengthening service delivery to Indigenous children,
youth and their families, preserving
the family unit and expanding stability for children and youth in foster care.
The new
act supports youth in need of protection by increasing the scope of the duty to
report to include youth aged 16 and
17 and removing restrictions so all youth can receive services up to
age 21.
The new
act also focuses on strengthening service delivery to Indigenous children, youth
and their families through increased
involvement of Indigenous governments and organizations in service
coordination, planning and decision making for their children, youth and
families, such as in the creation of
a Cultural Connection plan.
It
focuses on preserving the family unit through the provision of appropriate and
available supports to maintain
children with their families where it is safe to do so using tools such as the
Triple P Parenting Program and counselling. The act also expands and supports
permanency efforts for children and
youth in foster care by supporting relatives or another person significant
to the child to obtain permanent custody rather than remaining in foster
care.
The
Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development is developing new
policies, clinical practice procedures, and regulations to support proclamation
of the act, which is expected to occur this spring.
Onward
Against
a mountain of fiscal, economic and social challenges, our government has been
resilient, and has made progress that
can be measured. With The Way Forward,
we have set out a plan focused on
taking control of our fiscal situation all the while building a better economy
and a healthy, prosperous society. We will continue onward and guide our
province toward a bright future.
Mr. Speaker and
Members of the House of Assembly:
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 continue and commence this new Session.
May
Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Her
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor leaves the Assembly Chamber.)
(Mr.
Speaker returns to the Chair.)
(Disturbance in the gallery.)
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
Order, please!
I remind
all the Members and the viewers, please, to hold your opinions. Thank you.
Order,
please!
I'd ask
you to hold your opinions, please.
Could I
ask the security, please, to address the individual in the gallery?
Sir, I'd
ask you to respect this House, please.
Please
be seated.
Order,
please!
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to
introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The Environmental Protection Act,
Bill 1.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is there leave for the hon.
the minister to introduce the said bill?
Leave is
granted.
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, that Bill 1, An Act To
Amend The Environmental 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.'
The
motion is carried.
CLERK (Murphy):
A bill, An Act To Amend The Environmental 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:
Her Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to make a Speech to the Members in this
General Assembly. We shall now take a few minutes 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 Main.
MS. PARSLEY:
On behalf of the District of
Harbour Main, I move the motion, seconded by the Member for Placentia West -
Bellevue.
Welcome,
everyone. To those in attendance and those at home, it is with sincere pleasure
that I rise in this hon. House today to represent the people of the historic
District of Harbour Main.
My first
priority is to thank the Lieutenant-Governor for delivering the Speech from the
Throne this afternoon. Her Honour is dedicated in the role of vice regal
representative of Her Majesty, and equally important is her Honour's and his
Honour's devoted service to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr.
Speaker, the residents of the District of Harbour Main share the traits of
others in this province in their work ethic, love for home, fair and decent
approach to neighbours. They continue to insist on access to health care,
justice, public safety, education, telecommunications and economic
opportunities.
Forming
government in 2015, we were painfully made aware of the responsibilities ahead.
Four years later, we are proud of the strides we have taken and optimistic as to
what we can accomplish. Today's Speech from the Throne provides our vision for
the province, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and have seen effort and
results from our government's The Way
Forward.
For the
residents of Harbour Main, we acknowledge the benefits we already have. As an
MHA, a woman, a resident and a participant in mental health advancements, I
applaud my government. I subscribe to the plan, and I am a part of that plan.
Mr.
Speaker, let me just be one to congratulate our Premier, his staff and the
reliable, tireless civil servants who are part of the team that insisted we
reach a deal on the Atlantic Accord. We cannot overstate how important this is,
and I believe this government addressed it as vital. Thank you, Mr. Premier,
Cabinet, the Premier's staff and our civil servants for an injection of pure
positive into our future.
Mr.
Speaker, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have sent a message to this
government, and government has responded in areas that need upgrading,
refinement, critical thinking and absolute results.
On a
personal note, the advancement in mental health approaches do not go unnoticed.
I have been exposed to it. I have learned so much in the shortcomings of dated
mental health initiatives.
I am
encouraged by the government's proactive direction on significant improvements
in a short time span with the elimination of mental health waiting lists in
targeted regions; especially, this means that this province recognizes that we
cannot, absolutely cannot, place a mental health issue, such as a potential of
suicide on a waiting list. This government moved to tackle the issue and has
received national recognition in its efforts. In incidents like this, there is
no time to wait. Waiting is not an option.
I
appreciate the redirection of resources so that issues are addressed without
extra cost to the province. It is possible to identify, formulate, implement and
evaluate this and be mindful of the cost associated with this new approach.
Thank you to the Minister of Health, his staff and his determined staff; of
course, nurses, psychologists, practitioners and those associated with this
change, as a critical component of The Way
Forward, better service and better outcome has been assured.
Mr.
Speaker, there are two topics that mean so much to so many, and this government
has been steadfast in addressing issues that, in particular, affect women.
First, however, I would like to acknowledge that Newfoundland and Labrador
stands proud as the only province in Canada that has a stand-alone ministry
responsible for a Women's Policy Office and the Status of Women in its Cabinet.
Our minister, the hon. Member for Burin - Grand Bank, oversees a portfolio that
this government found essential to good governance and better society.
This is
not mere rhetoric, pandering empty promises or afterthoughts, this is life, this
is necessity and this is right. I am very proud to acknowledge this good work.
In 2018,
our government brought forward An Act to Amend the Family Violence Protection
Act that made changes and clarifications as to what exactly constitutes family
violence. The expansion of the definition of family violence in the act now
includes psychological, emotional or financial harm. This expanded act warranted
a change to include those who were overlooked when the definition of family
violence was considered. Society has recognized that issues such as these
require a broader spectrum, and our government has addressed it urgently. To say
that The Way Forward is a better
service, better outcomes have been assured.
Mr.
Speaker, it is my privilege to also speak today in my role as parliamentary
secretary for Service Newfoundland and Labrador under the direction of the
minister, the Member for Placentia - St. Mary's. Service NL is making steady
progress, providing better services for all residents and building on our
commitment made in The Way Forward.
The list of accomplishments are many.
Last
year, amendments were made to the Highway
Traffic Act that strengthened our impaired driver's legislation in
anticipation of the legislation of cannabis in Canada. In December, significant
changes to the Residential Tenancies Act
came into effect. People will now have the option of early termination from
rental agreements as a result of domestic violence. Once again, our government
is helping those in abusive situations to re-establish their lives.
Mr.
Speaker, I am sure we all consider ourselves as supporters of tourism.
Oftentimes we assume that our province is an easy sell in the promotion of
tourism and cultural assets; however, it requires work, dedication and
creativity in order to separate what we often compare as to our destinations.
We have
so much display in the District of Harbour Main, often what Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians already know of and what these outside the province have learned. I
look forward to summertime events like Cupers Cove Soiree, the Brigus Blueberry
Festival. The Holyrood SquidFest has grown to match the residential and
commercial developments ongoing in Holyrood. New businesses and tourism match up
well in Clarke's Beach with the Newfoundland Distillery Company.
I
represent a great district who can only commend the Department of Tourism,
Culture, Industry and Innovation for its forward thinking with its advancing the
Newfoundland and Labrador agenda. I am confident that the minister accepts that
this is a huge responsibility to showcase the province on an international
scale. I know the visitors to our province are international, regional and those
on a staycation. Thank you for your good work and mindful attention to the
District of Harbour Main and all other districts.
In
conclusion, I am excited to be a part of a government who is focused on
continued good decisions that incorporate all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
I am proud that we stand first in the areas, and that in 2019 deserve special,
long overdue attention.
This
government's approach is honest and appreciative of the confidence that
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have placed in it. We continue to work towards
a better future because that is what we were elected to do now and always.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
The hon.
the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue.
MR. BROWNE:
I'm doing the work of the
Page, Mr. Speaker. Happy to help. I know there are only four of them and they do
a great job.
Mr.
Speaker, and I certainly want to thank my colleague, the Member for Harbour
Main.
On
behalf of the good people of Placentia West - Bellevue, I second the motion
moved by the Member for Harbour Main to appoint a Select Committee to draft an
Address in Reply to this year's Speech from the Throne.
I
further thank her Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor, for her presence and her
words to this Chamber here today. I also wish to recognize and thank his Honour
for being here today as well. Together, they provide admirable service to the
people of our fair province.
Monsieur le
president, je remercie la lieutenante-gouverneure de son discours (inaudible),
aussi remercie son honneur de sa presence, aussi.
The
Speech from the Throne is not an archaic ritual, nor is it a tradition we simply
must observe, but rather an opportunity for the government to render focus on
its agenda, to put a spotlight on the work undertaken to date, the work which is
in progress and, indeed, on the work still yet to do.
Mr.
Speaker, I was pleased to hear her Honour discuss the important steps this
government has taken to promote gender equity and the status of women. I think
these words, as part of her Honour's first Throne Speech, are particularly
fitting. As a tireless and tenacious leader and advocate for women and girls and
role model for many, her Honour has a legacy of public service and trail-blazing
of her own. Not only as the first female federal Cabinet minister from this
province, but now as its first female Lieutenant-Governor. As Members well know,
I had the great privilege to work closely with her during her time as a Member
of Parliament alongside my good friend and colleague, the Minister Responsible
for the Status of Women.
The
Premier's decision to make a stand-alone department for the status of women puts
a greater focus on issues relating to violence against women, gender-based
analysis and women in leadership. Along with congratulating my colleague from
Burin - Grand Bank, I also congratulate Ms. Linda Ross, the newly named deputy
minister for the Status of Women, who had previously served as the president and
CEO of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. I also
congratulate her successor, Ms. Paula Sheppard, a native of my district, having
grown up in Come by Chance.
It is
very important for women to be empowered but, equally as important, that men
support and advance these issues in collaboration with women. I'm proud of our
government's commitment to these issues, proud of our Premier, of our minister
and, indeed, of our Lieutenant-Governor.
Mr.
Speaker, I was also pleased to hear her Honour speak of our government's
commitment to addressing mental health and addictions. We have often heard it
said that cancer touches every family, and this is true; but so to, Mr. Speaker,
does mental health. And sadly, it is only in recent times we are beginning to
arrive at this realization as we become more aware, more focused and, rightly,
more seized with this important issue.
My
family, Mr. Speaker, is not immune. My uncle lost his battle to his inner demons
almost 15 years ago, and so many of us in this House and across this province
have similar stories to tell. Suicide is not something new for those of us who
come from the Burin Peninsula. My uncle was not the only person to lose his
battle. Far too many sons and daughters and moms and dads and brothers and
sisters could not find the resolve to carry on.
We knew
that something must be done, and I am proud the Burin Peninsula became the first
region that the provincial government and the Mental Health Commission of Canada
partnered for the Roots of Hope initiative. The innovative and caring team of
Eastern Health employees developed a new approach supported by government to
adjust the model of treatment from an appointments-based system to a walk-in
clinic.
On the
day I was elected in 2015, wait times on the Burin Peninsula to access mental
health counselling were steep. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to say that the
wait-time number on the Burin Peninsula has decreased from 180 to zero.
Improvements in wait times for mental health services are not just happening on
the Island. We are seeing improvements in Labrador as well. Wait-lists in Happy
Valley-Goose Bay were eliminated as well in August of last year; gone is the
lengthily wait-list system replaced by counselling offered on walk-in basis. Our
people deserve immediate treatment and they are getting it.
Advocates and health professionals agree that this approach is working. This is
real change and I'm very proud of the team on the Burin Peninsula who have
recently received a national award. They'll be accepting that in Toronto in
June. It's their work that has trail-blazed this across the province.
Further,
Mr. Speaker, we have brought forward the
Prescription Monitoring Act, the
Secure Withdrawal Management Act and continue to implement the
Towards Recovery plan.
I am
prouder even still, Mr. Speaker, that this government has begun the process of
replacing the Victorian era Waterford institution with a 94-bed adult,
state-of-the-art mental health hospital, which will not bear the name Waterford,
Mr. Speaker.
It is
wrong for anyone to suffer in silence. It is wrong to be stigmatized for
something outside of your control. We are breaking down these barriers, we are
listening and we are making changes for the better.
Mr.
Speaker, another area her Honour expanded on today relates to jobs. I am happy
to say jobs are being created to generate stability and opportunity here at home
in Newfoundland and Labrador. Look no further than in my District of Placentia
West – Bellevue, to which I often refer to it as the industrial heartland of the
Island of Newfoundland. I'm excluding Labrador, I say to my colleagues.
We see
the Come by Chance refinery expanding; the future of Bull Arm is bright;
Seadrill's West Aquarius continues to undergo retrofitting there. Vale's
decision to proceed with the unground mine at Voisey's Bay in Labrador will
extend the life of the Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant, creating 4,800
construction jobs at peak in 2020 and sustain 1,700 operational jobs both at
Voisey's Bay and Long Harbour.
Icewater
Seafoods, the province's leading groundfish processor based in Arnold's Cove, is
undergoing a $3.1 million transformation made possible by the Atlantic Fisheries
Fund. As her Honour also mentioned, the Greig aquaculture project in partnership
with Ocean Choice International is ramping up construction to build the world's
largest salmon hatchery based out of Marystown producing some 800 jobs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BROWNE:
Major supply companies have
already come in to set up shop in Marystown to support this industry. Ome such
example, Mr. Speaker, is Aqua Sol which will install 17 kilometres of piping
into the hatchery in Marystown. There are pipes everywhere in Marystown, Mr.
Speaker, and it's great to see. We're very proud that Ocean Choice will pursue
processing in St. Lawrence nearby to Marystown, creating even more jobs.
Kiewit
Offshore Services is constructing the living quarters for the Husky Project. The
former Marystown Shipyard will soon be reactivated by Marbase Marystown Inc.,
creating jobs and activity for years to come, Mr. Speaker, and I'm very proud of
that development as well.
Other
successful manufacturing businesses in the area such as Smith Snacks in Norman's
Cove-Long Cove and Dynamic Air Shelters based out of Grand Bank continue to
flourish.
Just
south of Marystown in the District of Burin - Grand Bank, the Canada the Canada
Fluorspar mine has been reopened in St. Lawrence: 3,000 person-years of
employment in the first 12 years of operation and an additional 525 spin-off
jobs are anticipated.
Mr.
Speaker, this is just my district and my region alone. It doesn't touch of much
of the approximately $49 billion of combined economic activity relating to job
creation as a result of The Way Forward.
Through
infrastructure investments, we are creating 5,300 person-years of employment
annually. The West White Rose extension being constructed at Argentina, with its
living quarters being constructed at Marystown, has created 5,000 person-years
of employment. Equinor's Bay du Nord Project will generate approximately 11,000
person-years of employment.
Further,
Mr. Speaker, the technology sector is blossoming: PAL Aerospace, 150
person-years of employment over five years; Bluedrop, up 50 new jobs; S&P Data,
up to 500 jobs; Quorum, up to 24 new jobs. Mr. Speaker, you get the picture.
This is progress; jobs are being created here in Newfoundland and Labrador. This
doesn't even touch on the amazing work happening in the arts, cultural and
tourism sectors.
Just
this year, the provincial tourism ad featured many communities on the Burin
Peninsula such as the iconic and picturesque Parkers Cove. The video is
approaching nearly 700,000 views in the first few months on our tourism YouTube
channel.
And, of
course, Mr. Speaker, the fishery remains successful, as it should be, because
it's the reason why so many of us settle here, the essence of so many
communities and the backbone of our rural economy.
Mr.
Speaker, as I've just noted, we have seen major, major, major progress. That is
not to say we do not face challenge. That is not to say there is not work still
left to do.
Despite
the challenging fiscal circumstances this government inherited we have increased
the Seniors' Benefit to better assist seniors to live comfortably at home. We've
created the Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement to assist low income
families, seniors and persons with disabilities. We've brought forward measures
to support first responders, presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters,
presumptive PTSD coverage for the workplace and a tax credit for search and
rescue volunteers.
We have
maintained strong support of our fishery, standing up to Ottawa and standing up
when required on issues of importance to our harvesting and processing sectors.
While there has been much progress, there indeed have been challenges but
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are not immune from challenge, Mr. Speaker. We
have suffered through tragedy. We have overcome adversity but we have always
persevered. We have never lacked the courage to stand up for our freedom or
pursue a living for our families. If the courage of members of the Royal
Newfoundland Regiment at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel didn't prove this, future
significant historical events certainly would.
Events
which would alter our psyche, change our outlook and cause us to never lose our
vigilance. Events like the 1914 sealing disaster, the 1982
Ocean Ranger disaster or more recently the Cougar 491 crash, these
events are but three of the significant tragedies which have befell our people
and our province. And while these events stretch over a period of more than a
century, the common thread of each features ordinary, hard-working
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians seeking a living for their families on the sea.
Each event has proven that even while we are sea people, our oceans are not
playgrounds of frivolous pursuit. They have helped countless families earn a
keep, but have also caused heartache and pain to many.
It is
these types of events which we do not forget, that the families of those
affected never forget. They are etched into our minds and into our beings as
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and strike at the core of our foundation and
strengthen our resilience as a people, and it is these foundations upon which
our resilience rests. It's who we are as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We
will never back down. We will never give in and we will never stop fighting for
a brighter future.
When I
hear the negative and divisive rhetoric some choose to employ, I shake my head,
Mr. Speaker. I am 25 years of age, Mr. Speaker, and I am just as passionate
today for the future of our province as I was on the day that I took my Oath of
Office here in this very Chamber. I know many young Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians share this view and share this vision.
Just
this morning, I visited the Chapel Arm heritage fair where students in grade
four to six showcased their heroes, from the likes of Allan Hawco to Kaetlyn
Osmond to a lemonade stand honouring the life and work of Nevaeh Devine. These
young minds see and want a future for our province. It is our youth we must
continue fighting for.
We must
all pull on the same oar, because a high tide floats all boats. Those who choose
to prey on the politics of fear and division have no place in public discourse.
Let us disagree with one another, let us engage in policy debates and
disagreements, but ultimately the people of this province expect and demand that
we rise above partisan interest to make the best decisions and produce the best
outcomes for those we all jointly represent.
Mr.
Speaker, I feel a sense of pride each time I rise in my place to address this
Chamber. As I reflect on these past four years, I feel strongly a sense of
gratitude to those who gave me the opportunity to be their voice and
representative in this hon. House, the good people of Placentia West - Bellevue.
I would
be remiss if I did not reflect on the 70th anniversary of Confederation. Joey
Smallwood saw the promise joining Canada had for our small country at the time.
He had a vision, while perhaps imperfect in implementation, it was pure in
motive. He took many families from poverty to a fighting chance, from uneducated
to educated. He was a true nation-builder.
This
week, the Premier concluded successful negotiations on the Atlantic Accord. This
province now has a guaranteed revenue stream of $2.5 billion, no financial risk
and commitments with respect to joint management of the offshore, as well as
rate mitigation to deal with the disastrous Muskrat Falls project. The renewed
Atlantic Accord is the right thing at the right time for Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Mr.
Speaker, you may recall the oft-quoted line of: Those who do not learn from
their past are condemned to repeat it. Mr. Speaker, I can guarantee you, this
government has learned from past decisions of past governments. We have seen the
damage inflicted upon our people with risky plays in the natural resource
sector. We have witnessed the depletion of our Treasury by chasing false
promises. We have seen the mistakes that have been made with hard-won cash
settlements of the past. We are at a crucial point of our history. The world
today is a turbulent place, as uncertain as we've ever seen it in so many years.
Our province needs stability, our Treasury needs reliability and our people
deserve accountability.
That is
why we have chosen stability over risk in a renewed Atlantic Accord. In these
uncertain times, we have chosen a prudent approach that will protect all
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Further, thanks to this review, the net debt
for every resident has been reduced by $5,000. Our government, led by our
Premier, has a proven track record of fiscal restraint and sound financial
management.
I have
had the opportunity to watch this Premier up close in negotiations of many sorts
over these last four years, and I can tell you unequivocally he is the person
for this job. He's studious, thorough, well-versed and sharp as a tack, and this
is why we got it, but we got it right, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I again thank the Lieutenant-Governor for her Speech from the Throne
today, and I second the motion by the Member for Harbour Main to strike a Select
Committee to formulate an Address in Reply to her Honour.
In
conclusion, I reflect on the tremendous progress the Premier and our government
have made in fostering partnership and productivity. Potential has evolved to
progress. Results have been realized. Mr. Speaker, this is not, as some may call
it, razzle-dazzle. It is called good governance, it is called getting the job
done and delivering for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Mr.
Speaker, amongst all of this, I'm very proud to say the flags are still flying
high in this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BROWNE:
We will continue on
The Way Forward, and for this Premier and this government I am truly
and genuinely convinced the best still is yet to come.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. CROSBIE:
It's a great country, Mr.
Speaker.
I would
like to thank and acknowledge her Honour, the Lieutenant-Governor; the mover and
the seconder; the Third Party House Leader and the Premier; and all Members for
stepping forward to serve in this House. Guests in the galleries, leaders in
business, labour, academia, justice, faith, culture, public service, the
community sector, municipal governance, seniors, students and youth and the
people watching at home.
We've
heard this government's fourth Speech from the Throne. We've been told an
election is imminent. So the government's Throne Speech is not an agenda they
will have time to implement before the election, and there are many indications
in the Throne Speech that the government knows this.
Their
time to get things done is now finished. This is their election message. So, in
that same spirit, I will briefly lay out my own message, speak about some of my
own priorities and do my duty to question the record and performance of the
government whose term is drawing to a close.
I'm one
of the people who are viewers watching these proceedings and those here in the
gallery. I'm a former business owner, a husband, a father of three daughters;
someone who has made a career and raised a family and had community involvements
over a period of decades. I know what we all want for this place.
We love
to adopt the expression used by her Honour: we all share a vision of a
Newfoundland and Labrador which is prosperous, independent and sustainable.
Prosperous; a province with a growing economy, a compassionate society with a
reasonable tax burden and well-paying jobs and hope for getting ahead.
Independent; a province that looks for a hand up from Ottawa but never for a
handout.
Sustainable; a province that has control of its financial destiny and leads in
the reinvestment of non-renewable energy wealth into the creation of the
renewable energy wealth of the future.
The path
to this better future, requires leadership, honest leadership that has the
courage to create a better future 10 years, 20 years into the future. We are a
people whose regiment proudly bears the motto: Better than the Best.
I
entered politics because I did not see political leadership calling us to be our
best, or even to be better. I saw fake leadership with no courage, calling us to
be our worst. I saw the Liberal Way
Forward leading us to a cliff edge of poverty, dependency and insolvency.
And as a proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian, I could not sit in the comfort of
my own home and watch folly unfold. I believe many of you watching at home feel
the same way, and you need a voice, the voice of honest leadership.
Honest
leadership requires courage; the courage to know when to sit down and listen,
and the courage to know when to stand up and speak. I sat down and listened, and
I stood up and spoke last summer. I told the Premier he should make a reference
to the Public Utilities Board on Muskrat Falls rate mitigation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
As a former Public Utilities Board lawyer, I know about the uses of the Public
Utilities Board. After several months of characteristic indecision, the Premier
made the reference. I sat down and listened, and then I stood up and spoke last
month and delivered the Crosbie Hydro Energy Action Plan.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. CROSBIE:
Mr. Speaker, the document was
tabled, so I gather I'm allowed to use the term.
My
action plan is an exercise in honest leadership. My plan is based on the best
information currently available at this time through the Public Utilities Board
process. I disclose how I arrive at the amount required to achieve complete
mitigation of the impact of Muskrat on rates when it comes into service in 2021,
where the cost savings and revenue can be found, and I cite my sources.
The
Public Utilities Board process is at a preliminary stage. When better
information becomes available, I will adjust the plan. In the meantime, the
public has reassurance that under my government electrical power rates will not
increase when Muskrat Falls comes into service and all of us have an affordable
future.
From the
school of fake leadership, the public has only the reassurance that the
government will make known its rate mitigation plan, eventually, as an election
goodie. This week, the much-heralded Liberal fake Atlantic Accord review deal
was announced. This is a fake Atlantic Accord deal because it has no
relationship whatsoever with the Atlantic Accord.
I
challenge the media to stop repeating Liberal propaganda terms and find another
term, like Liberal re-election plan. In the meantime, I will simply call it the
fake Accord deal.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
The real Atlantic Accord is the most important piece of legislation this
province has seen since the terms of union. It enshrines hard-won rights over
the offshore resources we brought into Confederation.
The
Danny Williams 2005 Atlantic Accord financial agreement enforced our rights on
the offshore.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
This Liberal government's
fake Accord deal is a handout not a hand up, and the only acknowledgement of the
Atlantic Accord is an agreement to talk about weakening joint management.
The
Liberal fake Accord deal is election time chicken feed and slight of hand – to
quote the words of former PC Premier Brian Peckford, the father of the real
thing, the original 1985 Atlantic Accord –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
– which Canada and the
province enshrined in mirror legislation.
According to his February 2018 letter to the prime minister, the Premier set out
to review and come to agreement on two major issues. The first was equalization,
and the fiscal and fairness our province suffers within Confederation. The
second was the imposition by Ottawa of Bill C-69, the
Impact Assessment Act, and the threat
it represents the future jobs and prosperity from the development of our
offshore resources.
This
premier achieved nothing, zero, zilch, on either of these critical objectives;
instead, he accepted what former Premier Peckford calls chicken feed and sleight
of hand and locked us into a 38-year deal with no review clause –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
– worse than the Upper
Churchill fiasco.
The 1985
Peckford-Mulroney Atlantic Accord has produced $22 billion through courageous,
honest leadership; money sealed and delivered to the province.
The 2005
Premier Williams Atlantic Accord fiscal arrangement achieved $3 billion through
courageous, honest leadership; sealed and delivered.
The 2019
Liberal fake Atlantic Accord delivered chickenfeed and slight of hand with
postdated cheques yet to go in the mail.
The
Trudeau federal government is not our friend. Trudeau and O'Regan are attacking
our right to control the pace of development through Bill C-69, the
Impact Assessment Act, and invading –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
– the powers –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Please
proceed.
MR. CROSBIE:
– Bill C-69 and invading the powers of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador
Offshore Petroleum Board. Bill C-69 is the no-more-offshore bill. I am not the
only opinion leader who is gravely concerned, Mr. Speaker, about the no more
offshore bill. Here is what Noia CEO Bob Cadigan said on CBC Radio only
yesterday: The problem we have is Ottawa is infiltrated with folks from
organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, lead by Trudeau mentor Gerald Butts,
and our own Seamus O'Regan was a director. It's a grave concern. So with that
potentially anti-industry kind of view, you know it's a bit scary that Seamus
O'Regan is our representative in the federal cabinet, to be frank.
Bob
Cadigan went on to say that at a time when we've identified enough barrels of
oil to potentially change the face of this province dramatically for future
generations, and it's those future generations we should be concerned about,
federal government action like Bill C-69 binds our hands before we even try to
start. That's why we need, Mr. Cadigan went on, to get these resources developed
in order to anchor our economy, create jobs and provide the certainty and
security for the people of this province to develop potentially hundreds of
billions in royalties.
To
defend our rights, we must be aggressive. The Atlantic Accord legislation has a
section which declares that it takes precedence over other federal legislation.
It is time to enforce our legal rights. If Canadians continue to peer behind the
mask of brand Trudeau and put him out of office, aggressive measures may not be
needed. In the meantime –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
– a premier who accepts the
mission of defending this province's vital interest will have a strategy which
includes making a reference to the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal to
seek an opinion on the legality of the no more offshore Bill C-69.
People
should have confidence that their political leadership will defend the vital
interests of the province, but of those to whom political power is given, much
should be expected. The role of honest leadership is to create the conditions in
which job creators, like those watching and in the galleries, can do the work of
transforming our future into one of prosperity, independence and sustainability.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. CROSBIE:
A future of lower taxes, less
regulations, jobs and hope – that is my vision and the vision of the PC
Opposition for the future.
God
guard Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Also
speaking in support of the motion, the hon. Member for St. John's East - Quidi
Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
It's an
honour this afternoon to stand on behalf of the NDP and to present our reaction
to the Speech from the Throne. First of all, I would like to thank the
Lieutenant-Governor for coming here today and presenting the speech to us.
The
first thing I want to do is to ask a question, and that is: How do the people
who heard this speech today or who will hear it after today, people who are
living in poverty, people who are working minimum wage, people who are having a
difficult time making ends meet to even feed their families healthy food, how
would they see the Speech from the Throne today? That's my question.
The
Lieutenant-Governor, as we all know, presents the speech that is government's
position. And so I want to not look at this from the eyes of government, which
government does, of course, and which their two representatives did very well,
in terms of speaking on behalf of government, and I want to present my words
from the eyes of people who are having a hard time making ends meet in this
province. I want to do it from the perspective of municipal councillors who are
so frustrated because they cannot deliver the services that they need to deliver
to their communities, build the infrastructure that's needed for safe
communities.
I want
to do it through the eyes of volunteers who are out there in our communities.
Government, in the speech, does talk about the wonderful work in communities.
Yes, there are volunteers out there working day in and day out to try to help
other people make it. And it's through those eyes that I want to see this.
Government, as I expected, although they didn't do it in a big way, initially,
they did right upfront talk about the Atlantic Accord. It's very, very
interesting, because they're presenting the Atlantic Accord as if it will be the
answer to all of our fiscal woes. And in the document it says – this is on page
2 or page 3 –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
– it will “help us
stay the course for fiscal stability and return to surplus.”
Well, I'm going to beg to differ on that. What's missing in
this document is a real economic plan. I'm shocked that at this point
in time, with the state of things the way they are in our province, that this
government does not have an economic plan.
If they
think that telling people that overnight – because the Premier did say that in
the media; everything was going to be better for the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador overnight because of the Atlantic Accord. Guess what? Each of you
people, your $5,000 debt is not going to be there. Well, first of all, do they
really think people are stupid enough to think that they are not going to have a
$5,000 debt? What a ridiculous thing to be saying to the people of this
province. You have a $5,000 debt and now you don't have it. Guess what? These
people have debt. These people have personal debt because they cannot make ends
meet.
The
personal debt in this province is extremely high, so the debt of Muskrat Falls,
that's not the debt they're feeling. They'll be feeling it when their
electricity rates go up, though, in 2021 and this government had the gall to
come in here today with a speech that does not even present a plan to deal with
the mitigation of the electrical rates.
Being
bold enough to say oh, the federal minister of Finance will be here tomorrow and
we'll start – we'll start. This is where they should have started. It should
have been here today. There should have been a plan before they had the gall of
going to the people of this province and asking them to be re-elected without
even a plan. They're the ones telling people the rates are going to double and
now they're coming forward with a Speech from the Throne, leading into a budget,
which will be the last thing they'll do before a general election and daring to
say come on, vote for us. We haven't got a plan yet, but vote us.
I'm
sorry. That is not acceptable.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
The language in this Speech
from the Throne is bogus; the language around the Atlantic Accord is bogus. It's
meaningless for the people who are living in real life, who are living –
MR. SPEAKER:
Excuse me for a minute.
I know
we're going to get into something here, but I remind all Members that each
caucus is going to have a chance to speak and be heard, and I want to continue
with that. Please respect this Member.
Please
proceed.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I do
appreciate that. Unfortunately, government, through this Speech from the Throne,
is trying to make themselves look good as they head into the election, while
downloading a financial burden on future generations. They say they have a plan
for financial sustainability, but they don't, and the Accord is not a plan.
So, why
are they saying what they're saying? Well, yes, they did get $2.5 billion as a
fixed amount of money through the negotiations with the federal government, but
that $2.5 billion, that's going to show up right away on this year's books as a
reduction in our net debt of $14.7 billion, which is going to be good for
borrowing more money and that's what this is about. It puts them on a standing
where they're going to be able to borrow more money.
They
don't have, in this Speech from the Throne, a revenue plan. The only revenue
plan – the revenue stream is the $2.5 billion over 38 years. The $150 million in
cash every year – approximately – for the first 11 years is not going to help
much with annual deficits. This year it's projected at $500 million, which
Muskrat Falls is going to add to. That amount of money each year is a drop in
the bucket to the expenses that we have, we all know that, yet they are using
smoke and mirrors to get people to think everything is fine.
So what
is the benefit to people of taking debt off government's books and downloading
costs onto future generations? Because that's what's going to happen. The only
benefit is to the government, because they're looking good right now and they're
making it sound good in order to get re-elected, but the reality is, down the
road, things are not going to get better. If they are, they certainly haven't
got a plan for it in this Speech.
So when
I look at the promise of the mitigation plans and the fact that Minister Morneau
will be here tomorrow, I just see it as political posturing on the part of this
government for the sake of the election. There's no other answer that I have. Or
will the federal finance minister come in tomorrow and all of a sudden announce,
you know, a huge amount of money, something to help us deal with the $720
million that we're going to need to run Muskrat Falls? I doubt it – I doubt it
very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So
government's plans are about getting re-elected, not about making people's lives
better. Nothing in this talks about changing the minimum wage, which is too low
and which must advance much more quickly than this government is doing. We
cannot just have the incremental movement of minimum wage. We need minimum wage
brought up to the basic – I mean, we've been saying $15 an hour for a long time
now. We're soon going to have to look at inflation and even change that $15 an
hour. We need that to happen, like, in the next year or two. By 2021, it's not
going to happen. Nothing about it – nothing in this.
Really,
if we're going to use gender-based analysis – which they didn't talk about this
year, by the way, in the Speech from the Throne. If we're going to use
gender-based analysis, women are the highest percentage of those on minimum
wage. And a lot of those women are women who are single parents. So if you
really want to help the status of women, if you really want to help women in
this province, which they made a cursory glance to in the Speech from the
Throne, then let's move women out of poverty. Let's move everybody out of
poverty.
Nothing
on pay equity legislation – something that they promised. And they're coming
into now the end of their term, begging for re-election, and they've done
nothing about it. Well, I hope the women in this province are going to have an
answer for them on that one.
With
regard to justice issues, I will say there've been some good steps taken. There
have been. The three –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
The three domestic violence
courts are to be created; however, the one for Labrador is not there yet. So one
good step, a step backwards.
Four
hours of legal assistance for victims of violence is a first good step, but
victims need funds to use on many needs including legal, counselling, and child
care and so on. Other provinces provide this. The drug court is a good first
step, but will we see the community programs to support it? That's essential.
It was
interesting to see the focus on our successful athletes, and I too follow those
athletes and am proud of them. But those athletes – let's look at Kaetlyn
Osmond, because it's public. Why did her parents move to Alberta to get jobs in
Northern Alberta? In order to pay for their daughter going on in –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
– the profession that she'd
chosen.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
So what this government
should be looking at is the under-investment in organized amateur sports in this
province. The sports that our children have in their school system, and the fact
that children who do not have –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MS. MICHAEL:
Mr. Speaker, I'm really
having a hard time.
MR. SPEAKER:
Yes.
Order,
please!
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much.
Children
whose parents do not have adequate money can't have their children in the hockey
team, for example, in the community or in the school, or can't have their
children doing road trips.
I know
of a family where the child is a really good athletic child doing – oh, what's
the word I want for it? The jumping and the –
AN HON. MEMBER:
Gymnastics.
MS. MICHAEL:
Gymnastics. Really good
gymnast, but could not afford the road trips that they'd have to take part in if
he stayed on the team, and he was one of the stars on the team, but because of
the cost of road trips he couldn't do it. So don't tell me, don't take credit
for our star athletes that they mention in the Speech from the Throne when
they're not putting money into the programs for our children in school and
children in our community.
We've
seen some increase in child care investment, that's true, both for parents and
for child care centres. Providing money for programming and inclusion is a
positive thing. Providing subsidies to more families has been valuable, but many
families either have no access to child care in their community or cannot afford
it and don't qualify for a subsidy.
Child
care lifts women out of poverty, it boosts the economy and increases tax revenue
to government. Why this government can't understand that, as they did in Quebec
– and that's what I would've loved to see today: a real plan for child care, not
band-aids. Why they don't see this as an economically good thing to have a
public child care system, I'll never understand.
Many
incremental actions have been taken in sectors such as agriculture and
technology industries, but I don't see a comprehensive, detailed plan for
economic diversification. As I said earlier, the only revenue they seem to be
concentrating on is the revenue stream, as they've put it, from the Atlantic
Accord. There's no mention of the economic importance of cultural and heritage
industries and no new investment.
Government is now finally talking about the need to support green energy, but
there is no mention of the conundrum that exists in our province right now of
investing in green energy versus increasing local consumption of Muskrat Falls
energy. That's the reality, because if we really start using green energy, wind
power, for example, if we start using that, fewer people are getting energy from
Muskrat Falls, that increases the cost of Muskrat Falls. So we have a conundrum
and they're not addressing the conundrum. It's a serious one.
We still
have the highest unemployment rate in the country and need a comprehensive plan
to create employment with permanent jobs, not jobs that are seasonal or jobs
that are related to construction, which are not permanent.
We are
still losing too many immigrants to other provinces. When the Speech from the
Throne talks about 1,500 new permanent residents –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order!
MS. MICHAEL:
– that's not new immigrants
this year. Some of those permanent residents – and they didn't give us the
number – are people who have been here for a while and this year became
permanent residents. So that 1,500 is not new immigrants this year. They made it
sound that way.
And
government, too, is jumping at the new P3 opportunities, but there's no
guarantee they'll –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. MICHAEL:
– they get an easy ride,
initially, but there's no guarantee what will happen down the road with the
unionized jobs that now exist. Will they continue? There is proof, Mr. Speaker,
in research that's done that in many, many of the cases where you start off with
P3s, they turn into being totally dominated by the private sectors and unionized
jobs disappear.
We have
not addressed the environmental impact of mining, and this government does not
do that. They didn't do it in the Speech and it's a major issue. I'm not saying
that we shouldn't have mining, but we have to have more care with regard to what
the environmental impact is, especially when we are endangering sensitive areas
that are important to tourism and important to the protection of our land.
What's
going on, for example, with the Eagleridge gold mine is totally unacceptable. If
that's what their idea of developing mines is, that's not what ours is. We have
to have a plan that really looks at how the environmental needs and the economic
needs go together.
Then
there are the Indigenous issues. Yes, the round tables are an important step,
there's no doubt, and collaboration to improve child-protection systems in
Labrador is proving extremely valuable, so there are good things happening, but
we should seek core funding for friendship centres and a network of these
centres around the province. We need more support for maintenance and revival of
languages.
Labrador, when we come to Muskrat Falls, is still sitting wondering what's
happening with regard to the methylmercury issue. We do not have adequate
support for Indigenous legal students – just two internships. Well, the needs up
there are much greater than two internships. I want a much more progressive
program around Indigenous legal students.
Another
good point – I am pointing out good things, but then the weakness.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. MICHAEL:
It is good news that more
primary health care teams will be established in our community health centres,
and those that are there are proving to be very successful. But, again, I want a
fuller plan – and not just I, the people of the province want a fuller plan of
how that is going to spell out for everybody in this province.
Home
care and long-term care; there is no doubt that the new income-only based
assessment process is welcomed. It's something that brings us up to speed with
the rest of the country. We should never have gone on this long without it. At
the same time, we do not have adequate home care services for people. At the
same time that that happened, people had their hours cut back, people were
calling our offices saying I can't manage, and even worse, there aren't adequate
numbers of trained home care people in this province to take care of our needs.
We need
a home care system that's regulated, that is publicly regulated. Where training
is demanded, where the regulations around training and the costs of home care
are all under government, and this government does not, once again, have a plan
for that.
The
individualized-funding model is good news for people with disabilities and their
families. I'm glad to see that government is collaborating with the community on
the new legislation, but disincentives for entering the workforce must be
removed and deficits in supportive housing needs to be addressed and, of course,
housing, not just for people with disabilities but housing in general. The lack
of affordable housing is still an ongoing issue in this province.
One more
point, post-secondary education. The infrastructure needs further investment,
definitely. Affordable, accessible, post-secondary education is important for
keeping people here –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
– preparing them for the
workforce, encouraging immigration and increasing our economy.
The
state of inclusive education has finally begun to be addressed, but it is
important to have enough teachers and teaching assistants so all students can be
supported.
The
bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is when we look at the Speech from the Throne through
the eyes of the different groups of people that I've mentioned in response, the
Speech from the Throne does not really give any concrete plan for them in these
areas. There are no concrete ideas in there. They are talking about the things
that they've done up to now. They're saying we're going to continue taking care
of you and, yet, we do not see concrete suggestions of how they're going to do
the things that they're claiming.
Having
said that, Mr. Speaker, I thank the House for the opportunity for presenting
this reaction.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
I recognize the hon. the
Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
first of all, Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise and speak to the Speech
from the Throne that was delivered by the first woman LG in the history of this
province –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
– that's the hon.
Lieutenant-Governor Judy Foote. I will say that their Honours have been a
pleasure to work with and I look forward to working with them in the future.
I also
want to recognize, Mr. Speaker, that we have Members in this House of Assembly
that this will be their last Throne Speech. We know there are a few Members here
who have already made it publicly known that they would not be seeking
re-election, and I will say that it's been my pleasure to sit with them in their
years that they have been here in their tenure, representing the people who
elected them many years ago.
As the
leader of the Third Party just said, I remember first coming into this House of
Assembly back in 2007 and she was a Member there, and I remember at that time it
was about the Cameron inquiry, which was in the news at the time. I know at that
point we were able to work in collaboration and partnership to see some changes
that still exist, and changed in a profound way the health care system in our
province.
So, Mr.
Speaker, I want to wish all the Members that are leaving – this will be their
last Throne Speech, I want to wish them all the best in their endeavours.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
I also know, Mr. Speaker, we
have many people who are watching this webcast and watching this telecast that
we see here today. I just have to say, we've named a few people here today and
some people have taken liberties to actually throw out certain names, but
there's a lady who lives in New-Wes-Valley and I just have to send out a big
shout-out, and that is to Vera Barbour.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
I get a chance to talk to
Vera quite often. She's a good Liberal, we all know that, but she really
respects what happens in this House of Assembly. I know Vera and my mother now
have regular calls on the weekends. Of course, I get a feeling they're probably
talking about the Premier.
Mr.
Speaker, I could say that the words that they refer to when they speak to me, I
doubt is probably not language – I would guess Vera's heartrate went up quite
high today as we heard some of the comments made in this House of Assembly. But
in respect to all the people who are watching today, it is my intentions to try
and rise above some of the rhetoric that we've seen here today and really focus
on what this Speech from the Throne was all about.
Mr.
Speaker, there have been a lot of comments in the responses that we've seen here
today about: Where are we with economic development? What is it about the
future? As the theme in this Speech from the Throne, there's been one of
optimism. I know there are certain Members, if you're in Opposition, speaking of
hope and optimism, speaking about the future of our province and saying the good
things and just reminding people of a lot of the great things that we've been
able to do in the last three-and-a-half years.
Mr. Speaker, I couldn't help but reflect on the difference this province
is in 2019 and what this province was in 2015 when we took (inaudible).
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Many people have heard me
speak out about that first 45 minutes.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
PREMIER BALL:
And, yes, Mr. Speaker,
they can heckle because what I knew coming into office in December of 2015, they
knew when they were going out the door. They knew what was left. They knew about
the grenades that were left in the budgets and the things that were not
disclosed to the people of this province.
The PC administration, leaving office in 2015, knew that the next
administration would be facing a $2.7 billion deficit. They knew that, but they
did not tell the people of this province, Mr. Speaker.
So when I hear comments that I've heard today, I am going to stand up and
defend people on this side of the House that, yes, had the courage, and everyone
in their seats here today had the leadership and the qualities that it took to
put this province on a bright future and better path for Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, when I make
those comments, I have the courage to look people straight in the face, right in
their eyes and explain to them that, yes, we are turning this province around.
It is called The Way Forward, it is
called growth and sustainability, Mr. Speaker, and we are making a difference.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, we are doing
it with partnerships and people in aquaculture, in the oil and gas industry,
Advance 2030.
If you listened today, Mr. Speaker, about what's happening in
agriculture, just with the – in the Speech from the Throne we saw about people
transplanting vegetables, setting record highs throughout this province, because
we are concerned about food security, Mr. Speaker.
Then they made comments about mocking what's in the Speech from the
Throne, as if there's nothing there about the future of this province, Mr.
Speaker. Look no further than the aquaculture sector, some-800 jobs on the Burin
Peninsula.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Is that doing nothing for
people in our province? Eight consecutive months of job growth, Mr. Speaker,
month over month. Is that doing nothing for people in our province? That is
creating jobs and putting prosperity in every single community in this province,
Mr. Speaker. That is what The Way Forward
is doing.
Those young people in the technology sector who are coming back home to
work, that is what they are doing, Mr. Speaker. The mining industry in Glenwood
just a few weeks ago, in Lab West, the Voisey's Bay mine in Labrador, in St.
Lawrence, CFI – a mine that was there for nearly 17 years and the former
administration couldn't get it going. Today, nearly 300 jobs working in St.
Lawrence, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Is that doing nothing for
people in our province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, these are all
good news projects that I am talking about. This is what this Speech from the
Throne is all about, but I will tell you, I have to give credit to the people
that we are working with, the communities, the associations, the industry
leaders, in a partnership, putting in place sector plans that are accountable
and transparent. Go look at the website, Mr. Speaker, it's all there. The
information is available. Making progress for people that live in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, this province is becoming a beacon of investment. Why is it – it's not
this government saying this. When people are over there shouting at me now, Mr.
Speaker, I can hear that. They don't want to hear this, Mr. Speaker, because
this is good news. The doom and gloom Opposition want to hear nothing only the
dark side, but I am going to talk about the future that we have in our province,
$18 billion in investment in mining and oil and gas.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
That is nothing to frown on,
Mr. Speaker. That is good news for the people of this province. It means jobs
for people in this province. And, yes, we are proud. We are proud to have that
kind of partnership in place in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, if you noticed, the Opposition –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
– never made mention about the GDP for Newfoundland and Labrador. Did you notice
that? They didn't say that. They didn't say that Newfoundland and Labrador would
lead the country in GDP next year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
We would lead the country in
GDP –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
– and eight consecutive months of job growth.
They're
over there yelling at me now, Mr. Speaker, because they don't want to hear the
good news. They don't want to hear the good news, but I am going to talk about
the good news and the good things because we are getting results. Not just for
all areas of this province, Mr. Speaker, rural Newfoundland and Labrador, the
larger centres. We're putting in place infrastructure, long-term care sites,
Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander; making improvements in Botwood, in Corner Brook.
Mr.
Speaker, I have to say this, I have to talk about this, because back in 2007 I
remember going in to Corner Brook at the time and getting invited to an
announcement – got invited to an announcement, and guess what the former
administration were going to do? This is what they were going to do. In 2007
they were going to build a hospital in Corner Brook. In 2008 we went back and
they were going to announce it again. In '09 they announced it again. In 2010
they announced it again. In '11 they announced it again. Guess what, Mr.
Speaker?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
When they were –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I know they
don't want to hear the good news.
Mr.
Speaker, when they –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
They do not want to hear the
good news, Mr. Speaker, and I thank you for defending me, but I can do a good
job with that. I've got a little bit of courage, Mr. Speaker; don't worry about
that.
Mr.
Speaker, going back to the hospital in Corner Brook, eight or nine
announcements, never delivered a thing, only a sign. That's what was there: a
sign.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
If you remember, they were
flush with cash, Mr. Speaker – they were flush with cash at the time. They
couldn't get the hospital built.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
Yeah, I'm being asked now how
many patients are in the hospital, Mr. Speaker. Well, I will guarantee you, Mr.
Speaker, the ones that are there are looking forward to the new one that they
could not deliver.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker,
The Way Forward talks about making sure –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, as many people would know, I talk quite a bit about coming into
politics. It's about making a difference in mental health and addictions. I
would put the track record of this government and compare it to anyone in this
country.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of
Health and Community Services, with the support of every Member on this side of
the government, we have now reduced wait times by 68 per cent – 68 per cent, Mr.
Speaker – and we've been able to do that in just over a couple years.
I was in
Labrador just a few days ago at the Friendship Games, the Labrador games, Mr.
Speaker, and I had a young woman that came up to me that works in this area and
she made this comment to me. She said: You know, I didn't believe we could ever
do this; I didn't believe that we actually could take away appointments. There
were no appointments. You do not have to wait, make an appointment.
Do you
know why, Mr. Speaker? Because you can walk in and get the service. Imagine, Mr.
Speaker, it's happening now; it's also happened on the Burin Peninsula; it's
happening in Corner Brook; it's happening here in St. John's, as well. That is
making a difference. You imagine when you're in a time of need and you feel like
you need help. Just think about it, how it must be. We all know that one in five
people live with mental health. They're friends of ours; they're family members.
We all know those people. Just imagine making that call and they say: We can't
talk to you today; we have no time for you today; we've got to put you on a wait
list.
Well,
Mr. Speaker, if you're living in Labrador, you're living on the Burin Peninsula,
you're living on the West Coast or places here in St. John's, you can walk in.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, I also want to
talk about we're going to do it and doing it. There is a big difference. You can
tell people many times: Yeah, I'm going to go do it, when I get around to it.
Remember they used to have this little thing on the go that people used to have
put up in their houses, like getting a round tuit? Getting a round to it? Mr.
Speaker, we're getting to it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
The new Waterford Hospital,
Mr. Speaker, is a prime example. Imagine this day and age using a building as
your mental health facility in this province that opened its doors in 1855 –
just imagine. And when we were flush with cash, having surpluses like never
before, they couldn't do it. We're going to do it; we're going to get around to
it; going to do it. We're going to study this, and we're going to study
something else. They never did it.
Mr.
Speaker, our plan is in place. We're advancing the replacement of the Waterford
Hospital, and I am looking forward –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
– to the day when this
Liberal government will deliver to the people of the province the new Waterford
Hospital right here in St. John's.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
Yeah, they're shouting again,
Mr. Speaker. I hear them over there. They don't like to hear the good news; they
don't like to hear all of this.
So, Mr.
Speaker, we talked about long-term care facilities and we talked about the
replacement of the Waterford Hospital. And yes, we're doing that, I say to the
leader of the Third Party, the leader of the NDP. We're doing this using a
partnership model and we've made a commitment to unionize workers and organize
workers in this province that they would deliver the front-line services. I will
tell you that it's this government here that has put collective bargaining in
place and we have not had to deal with a strike. I want to give the Minister of
Finance a big shout-out for the work that's been done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
And who would've thought that
in 2015 that we would find ourselves in 2019 working with those organized unions
or public sector workers, Mr. Speaker, to get those agreements in place.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm going to tell you that that is not fake leadership; that is real
leadership.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
I didn't expect a look, Mr.
Speaker, from the opposite when I said that, and calling people out in this
House of Assembly is often not always easy to do, but I don't mind doing it. I'm
going to stand up for the decisions that we made. I'm going to stand up for the
people in this province. We will provide the leadership that this province
rightfully deserves. The information will be out there, just like we did with
our Education Action Plan.
We went
around this province, spoke to parents, spoke to students, spoke to educators.
At the announcement that day, we put in place a plan that will transform the
education system in this province, and it's working already: 82 recommendations;
31 of those recommendations already implemented. We're seeing educational
learning assistants, young people that were looking for a way to get into the
teaching role are doing it this way – some 54 of them in place, another 146
coming into the education system. It talks about math, reading, inclusion. There
are so many good things that are happening within our education system that are
making a difference. Giving people in the K-12 system a good start in life is
what it is all about.
Now, Mr.
Speaker, I would challenge anyone in this House of Assembly today, when you look
at the improvements that we have made with very little money in the justice
system – and I got to give credit to the Minister of Justice and Public Safety
here, who has been directly involved in so many of these matters. And when you
look at the Sexual Assault Response Pilot Program that's been put in place, I
just think about the young people out there looking for support services,
looking for help when they need it the most. Mr. Speaker, now they know there's
someone there to support them when they need that legal support in some of the
most difficult times in their life.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm also the person, as Premier, who has taken on the responsible role
for Indigenous Affairs within our province. I get a chance to work with the
Indigenous communities and leaders. We have a parliamentary assistant to me that
certainly gives me a big hand in working with those communities. Mr. Speaker, we
have come a long way and putting in place the first roundtable at a
government-to-government level, putting in place the first roundtable in the
history of this province within Indigenous leaders, and we are making a
difference.
One of
the big things that we've been able to do in working with this group is the
repatriation of the Beothuk remains back to our province, Mr. Speaker. It's a
proud moment for Indigenous communities from the National Museums Scotland.
We've done this with the support of the Canadian national museum.
So,
there's quite a bit of activity. We've taken a similar approach with
Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, putting in place the concrete action
plan that's delivering results to communities, Mr. Speaker. So, when higher
people reach out here and talk about the engagement and the work and all the
communities who are out there not working with government, it's not what I'm
hearing. It's not what I'm hearing at those municipal roundtables.
We have
Members here today that have listened intently. We've been able to put in place
some of the largest infrastructure agreement that we've ever had in the history
of this province, Mr. Speaker; put in place clean water, waste water, roads,
community buildings. Using the partnership that we had with the federal
government is unprecedented. Over $949 million in labour development market
agreement, Mr. Speaker, and they're saying that that's not results. They're
saying that this is not results for the people in our province. Well, you go
around and watch people in this construction season, and I'll tell you, you will
see results. You will see results, Mr. Speaker. It's happening.
Mr.
Speaker, I also want to go back to a point in our history. In July 1 of this
year, I had the privilege of being in France at Beaumont-Hamel. I will tell you
that with the support of the Speaker's office I have to say, because this was
some great work that we've been able to do in finalizing the Trail of the
Caribou.
It's
important for us as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, it's an important part of
our history to be able to do that for those young people, those brave young
people that paid the ultimate price during some of the difficult conflicts that
we've had in this world, Mr. Speaker. And they've done it, going into parts of
the world that they knew nothing about it, but they did it unselfishly and they
did it with bravery. I know when I was there and participated in those events in
July of this year, I can tell you, it was a sombre moment, but I can you I was a
proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian when I saw the impact and how people in
those areas still look at Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the role that they
do and the role that they played back during those conflicts.
Mr.
Speaker, I will tell you, I am proud of the achievements and what we've been
able to do. Just in the last week here, of course, with the Atlantic Accord,
$2.5 billion, and, yes, I've listened to one or two pieces of rhetoric, but for
the most part, this is a great day. It's a guaranteed revenue stream, we can use
it at our discretion, however we see fit. As I said in the House here the other
day, this is putting money in the pockets of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians on
programs that are priority for them.
This is
a guaranteed revenue stream, and yes, we – the Leader of the Opposition, the
Leader of the PC Party, said it was a weakening. Mr. Speaker, they obviously
haven't read the agreement because the word is even there in the agreement, as
it says, deepening joint management. Joint management on things like land
tenure, on labour and worker safety. Are you saying that these are not important
things?
I get
appalled when the Leader of the Opposition says that that is weakening when
you're talking about labour standards, when you're talking about land tenure.
How can you say that is weakening of joint management? That is strengthening it.
Mr.
Speaker, I have to draw the attention, too, because when you talk about some of
the language that I've heard here today, when I've listened to the language that
I've heard here today and they talked about fake leadership and all that, it
just kind of reminded me of a president just south of the border. I couldn't
help but wonder while I was watching what was going on in this House and
listening to that kind of rhetoric, but I'm thinking more about respect and
integrity, Mr. Speaker.
We've
made a commitment that regardless of the mudslinging that's going to occur,
we're going to put the priorities of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians first.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
So, Mr. Speaker, yes, this
Speech from the Throne, over 10,000 words they tell me that was in it, there was
a lot of good information in it. Yes, we celebrated the work of our athletes. We
talked about the work of our artist community. We talked about natural resource
development. We talked about education. We talked about health. I would
challenge anyone when you read that book to look at it what they will see in
that Speech from the Throne today is the work of this group, the work of this
government, the work of this group of MHAs that we have on this side of the
House.
Mr.
Speaker, when we leave here we'll have a budget in place. As I said, we said in
April of this year, I will tell you that we will look to the future of
Newfoundland and Labrador, and we will clearly be able to look at every single
person that we meet on the street, and I can say this with all honesty, this
province is in a better spot in 2019 than it was in 2015, no thanks to the work
of this group of people over there. The doom-and-gloom crowd, they can do what
they want. They go black, dark, do what they want. We are going to stay true to
our word and our integrity, Mr. Speaker. We will go high when you go low.
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 her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, in reply to the
gracious Speech from the Throne from which she has pleased to open the present
session of the House of Assembly.
The
Members of the Select Committee will be the Member for Harbour Main, the Member
for Placentia West -
Bellevue
and the Member for Topsail - Paradise.
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.
Notices
of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give
notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The
Correctional Services Act, Bill 2.
Further,
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled,
An Act Respecting The Regulation of Real Estate Trading in the Province, Bill 4.
Mr.
Speaker, I give notice I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act
Respecting Disclosure Of Information Under An Interpersonal Violence Disclosure
Protocol, Bill 5.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
Further
notices of motion?
The hon.
the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Minister of Natural Resources that the House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded that
this House do now adjourn.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt that 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, Monday, the 8th day of April at 1:30
o'clock.
Thank
you very much.
On
motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Monday, at 1:30 p.m.